Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!

AN: Thank you so much for your kind reviews! They are what keep me inspired. There is truly no telling what will happen next or how evil Loki will finally be stopped… You'll just have to wait and see. This is a quick update (yay!), but I can't promise I can keep up with this pace. The next chapter will come around Thursday or Friday (I think). Please enjoy this next chapter.

~ The Opposites ~

Chapter 13

Loki smiled as a brainless doombot unchained Steve Rogers. The Captain's eyes had always been blue, but now they appeared highly unnatural. The Avengers would instantly understand what had happened to their friend, but it mattered not. After all, Steve was only a distraction; a tool to be easily discarded.

Loki walked towards his new pet and circled around him. Steve didn't move and he certainly didn't feel threatened or frightened. He simply kept his back straight and his chin high. He folded his hands behind his back and kept his feet together. Every muscle in his body looked tense. He appeared like a true soldier, except for his clothing.

"Marvelous," Loki muttered to himself. He had never before had a soldier under his control so it would be interesting to see how well Steve would handle this situation. Loki cleared his throat and went to stand before him. "You know where to find the Avengers. Go to them and keep them occupied."

Steve's blue eyes connected with Loki's dark green ones. He nodded curtly. "I will."

Loki extended his hand and waited for another doombot to hand him a weapon. Mortals had always preferred using ordinary weapons – or maybe they were simply too stupid to invent anything else - but Loki assumed the Captain was quite handy with gun. He had fought in a war after all. It was a shame he couldn't give Steve his shield, but the Captain would just have to find it once he returned to Stark Tower.

"Do try to kill someone with this," Loki ordered sternly, "do not disappoint me."

"I won't," Steve replied emotionless. He took the gun from Loki and placed it safely away. He nodded his head again before turned around and walking out of the room.

Loki smiled contently. This day could prove to be ever so interesting, he thought. He certainly couldn't wait to rip the Avengers apart, piece by piece. They were near their breaking point, every single one of them and Loki had to land the next blow carefully and – more importantly - precisely. He wanted to cause permanent damage, not something the Avengers would shrug off in a few days. He wanted all of them to suffer like he had.

And Loki was not known as a quitter. He would get what he wanted.

~ o ~

With Clint gone and Steve missing, the remaining Avengers felt oddly vulnerable. Loki could see it clearly in their eyes. He didn't know if they realized how openly they showed their emotions at this point. Perhaps they simply didn't care anymore. For the past few days, they had always remained very guarded and hostile around Loki, but even that had faded a bit now. They appeared to have no energy left to hate him.

It was only another sign of how broken they were.

Fury walked towards Thor who still refused to leave Loki alone. His one good eye revealed only focus and severity. He too suffered with his Avengers, but the blows other Loki landed were never truly personal to the director. Losing Clint was difficult for everyone, but Fury had lost men before. He had the power to put everything in another perspective. It's what made him able to stay on target: protecting innocent people, helping the Avengers and finding evil Loki.

"I doubled the security around Jane's safe house," he told Thor, "she, along with Darcy and Eric, should be all right for the next few hours."

Thor bowed his head with gratitude. "Thank you. It is horrible of me to think this, but I believe that as long as the Captain is missing my friends will be safe."

"I've thought that too," Fury admitted, "but I don't want to take any chances. They are civilians after all and it my duty to keep them safe. Besides, we know Loki will go after them in the end so better safe than sorry."

Loki's focus shifted away from his brother and the director to the other remaining Avengers. He didn't know why he suddenly found them more interesting. Perhaps it was the way they had their backs turned towards him and Thor. It all seemed rather secretive and…sensitive. Loki wanted to walk closer in order to hear what they were saying, but that meant he had to leave the safety of his brother's presence which was not a risk he was willing to take. Besides, he figured that whatever they were saying was not meant for his ears.

Suddenly, Natasha looked over her shoulder and looked directly into Loki's questioning eyes. She glared at him – as she always did – before turning back to her fellow Avengers and guiding them outside. The door clicked audibly into place behind them. Fury and Thor paused their conversation when they noticed the others had stepped outside. Then they decided they probably had reasons for doing so. They easily continued their talk about how they were keeping Thor's friends safe.

With the others currently outside, Loki felt a weight fall off his chest. He felt he could breathe better. He slowly walked towards the door where Natasha and the others had just walked through, but quickly halted when he had a clear sight of them through a small window. He didn't want them to notice him. Natasha, Tony and Bruce stood in a small circle in the hall, their arms crossed before their chests and their eyes betraying concern, anger and fear.

Loki wished he could hear what they were saying. It was easy to deduce what they were talking about, however, or more importantly who they were discussing. His own name often fell from their lips.

With a heavy sigh, Loki turned his back to them and looked at Thor and Fury. They were still discussing Avengers-matters and Loki had no interest in that. Instead, he let himself fall down in the nearby couch and let his head fall back against the softness of the cushions. He hadn't realized it before, but he felt tired. After all, he hadn't slept well last night. But now he dared to close his eyes for a moment and he felt himself drift away.

However, it wasn't sleep that was calling to him…

…it was something much darker.

He found himself standing in a small dusty room. He moved around easily, but Loki knew it wasn't because he wanted to move. Someone else was controlling him. It took him a moment to realize that he was no longer in his own body. He was with his counterpart again, seeing and hearing what evil Loki was currently seeing and hearing.

It was utterly frightening and Loki tried to pull himself back again, but he was stuck. He felt trapped in a fractured and poisoned mind.

"Do try to kill someone with this," Loki heard himself say, though his voice sounded alien. It was much deeper and it had a sharp edge to it. "Do not disappoint me."

The Captain stood before him and Loki tried to reach out to him. He tried to say his name and shake him from his counterpart's mind control, but Loki was merely a passenger in this body.

"I won't," Steve said. He looked completely apathetic. Loki had used mind control before – he dreaded thinking of what he'd done to Clint Barton and Eric Selvig months ago – but this form of control somehow seemed worse. It was known that his counterpart had powerful magic and Loki actually enjoyed thinking that it was he that kept him under control when they were one and the same person.

It was he that kept them sane. Partially at least.

Loki witness how Steve took the gun he was holding. The Captain turned around and walked out of the room. Loki didn't know why he tried again, but he attempted yelling for the Captain. If he could somehow stop him – help him – then he would have helped the Avengers as well. They would be grateful and Loki wouldn't feel so worthless.

But nothing happened when Loki tried to speak or move. His counterpart merely walked out of the musty smelling room, not aware that he was currently not alone in his mind, and faced at least forty doombots. The sight was impressive, even more so because every robot instantly turned towards him. The sound of metal on metal only made it more imposing.

"Have you found Thor's pets for me?"

A doombot stepped forward. "We have, but they are heavily guarded by SHIELD-agents."

"When has that ever stopped you from pleasing your master? It took you long enough to find them in the first place!"

"We will steal them for you," the same doombot said, bowing his metallic head. He clearly understood evil Loki was not happy with them. "We only live to serve you."

"I enjoy hearing that, but that doesn't bring Jane before me. Get out of here, you weasels, and don't return unless you have something I want."

"Yes, master."

With a shock, Loki found himself back at Stark Tower. Thor's face was only inches away from his and he had both hands firmly on his shoulders. His blue eyes stood wide with fear. Loki quickly realized Thor must have noticed his odd behavior. The strain on his shoulder told him Thor had actually shook him. That had forced him to leave his counterpart's mind. A part of him was extremely relieved to be back, but he also wished he could have stayed longer in the other's mind. It would definitely have given them more answers.

"Are you okay?" Thor asked.

Loki nodded. "He is after Jane," he explained quickly, knowing that there was little time to lose, "he has the Captain under his control and he is supposed to distract you all. Steve is coming here as we speak, but my counterpart has sent doombots to retrieve your friends, Thor, you must go to them."

Thor turned his gaze from Loki to Fury. There was a short silence.

"Go to them," Fury said, "take Tony with you. The rest will stay behind to face Steve."

"Thank you," Thor said. He grabbed his hammer and a flash of lightening appeared outside. It showed Thor's anger and when heavy thunder followed, Loki knew that his brother was using his anger as a power-source. Thor moved away, his grip only tightening on Mjolnir, but Loki quickly grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around again.

"What is it, Loki?"

"Let me come with you," Loki said softly, "I might be able to help."

He could see the conflict in Thor's eyes.

"I won't be safer here," he added, deciding he could use that conflict to his advantage. It was the first time he tried to manipulate his brother since he had been separated from his darkness, but it was strangely easy for Loki to do this. "If I were to stay here, then there is none to protect me, but if I come with you to Jane, then I might be able to help in some way. My counterpart must have a weakness, Thor, and I am your best chance at finding it."

Thor swallowed heavily, his grip on his hammer loosening for a second. "You stay by my side the entire time," he finally replied, "I want to keep an eye on you so I can protect you if necessary. Promise me you'll stay with me!"

"I promise."

"Then let's go."

~ o ~

"So what did you want to talk about?" Bruce asked as soon as he, Tony and Natasha stood in the hall.

He crossed his arms before his chest. He didn't feel entirely comfortable with the situation since they were clearly leaving Thor and Fury out of this conversation. He had never enjoyed secrecy, certainly not in times like this, but Natasha had been adamant she needed so speak with them in private. It had appeared very serious, but Bruce could already guess what it was about. Everything was about Loki lately.

"I never had the chance to tell you this," Natasha began, looking very guarded, "but before Clint died, he made me promise something."

Tony frowned slightly. He too crossed his arms before his chest. "Promise what?"

"At first I didn't think I could actually do it," Natasha explained, "but I've given it a lot of thought and it just seems…logical."

"What does?" Bruce asked.

"Killing Loki."

Tony was clearly taking aback by Natasha's harsh statement and Bruce felt the same way. He had to admit he had imagined getting his hands on that annoying little God, but he would never actually be able to kill someone, certainly not when that someone was Thor's brother. The last thing he wanted was to be faced with one angry God of Thunder. He could go head to head with Thor – at least the Hulk could – but Bruce just didn't want to do that him as his friend.

"What?" he breathed.

"Think about it," Natasha said with wide eyes that only spoke of conviction, "if we kill evil Loki, then all that remains is good Loki. Wouldn't that be better for everyone? Thor would have gained a good brother, one that loves him unconditionally. The Loki in the other room isn't vengeful and he doesn't hate everyone and everything. Other Loki is wretched and by killing him we'd be doing the universe a favor."

"So you promised Clint you would kill evil Loki," Tony said, needing Natasha to confirm it again.

"Yes," Natasha answered curtly, "don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

"I admit; yes, I have thought about it," Bruce said reluctantly, "but I would never actually do it. I'm not a murderer."

"It's because of him you went on a killing spree in the park," Natasha said crudely.

Bruce was hurt by her words and the pain was apparently very visible in his eyes. He averted his gaze and bit down on his lower lip. He forced himself to stay calm and to remember that Natasha had been going through a lot lately, but that did not give her the right to blurt out something so hurtful.

"I'm sorry," Natasha said more gently, "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you're right," Bruce sighed, "you only stated the truth."

"But killing Loki?" Tony shook his head and inhaled sharply. "I don't know, Natasha. He's done many things and if he gets heavily tortured somehow, I won't be rushing to his aid. I'll never forgive him for what he's done to Pepper, but murder?"

"It wouldn't be murder," Natasha countered, "not entirely. Loki would still live. We'd only be killing a bad part of him. I even believe good Loki might be grateful in the end. He wouldn't be forced to be joined with that bastard again. He could finally be accepted by his family. He would be happier."

"I don't think it's his happiness that's your main goal here," Bruce objected.

"Fine," Natasha cracked, "I just want to kill the son of a bitch that murdered Clint. I might have pushed that button, but I make myself no illusions of Loki's involvement. I don't wallow in self-pity. It is Loki's fault Pepper lays in the hospital and it's his fault 21 people died in Central Park. Steve is probably undergoing whatever torture Loki can concoct right now. He isn't even finished yet. Thor is still on his list!"

Bruce sighed. "I agree that we have to stop him no matter what and if killing him is the only way, then I'll gladly do it – or my alter ego will anyway – but I refuse to just kill him when he is somehow subdued."

"If he does become our prisoner somewhere down the line," Tony said, "then I won't kill either. We all know Thor won't let us anyway and I'm pretty certain that his father, the Allfather or whatever he is called, won't let us either."

Natasha balled her hands into fists. "That's weak," she sneered. Her venom was lost when tears invaded her eyes. "I promised Clint!"

Before anyone could answer, the door opened and Thor appeared.

"My brother has been inside his counterpart's mind again," he explained quickly, "Loki is going after Jane and I must stop him. Tony, you must come with me to aid me."

"What about us?" Bruce asked, confused. He knew he wasn't much use to the team, but the Hulk was. He had smashed Loki before and he could try and do it again. It wouldn't kill Loki, but it would at least render him powerless for a while.

"Steve has fallen under Loki's spell," Thor admitted regretfully, "and he is currently heading this way. He is meant to distract and stall us while Loki goes after the woman I love and friends I care for."

"Well," Natasha said, swallowing heavily and forcing her tears away. She seemed much more like the warrior-woman she normally was. She reached for the gun strapped to her thigh. "Then it's time for some cognitive recalibration."

AN: There was supposed to be another part to this chapter, but then it would have become too long. I'll update as soon as possible. In the meantime, tell me what you think! It would make me ever so happy!