A/N: Delay equals longer chapter! I honestly have no idea where I was going with this. I still have no idea. :D
I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And my amazing collaborator KairacahraFlower Goddess owns his ideas that he's letting me use. :D
"No," Steve looked at Katherine as they headed for the quinjet. "Absolutely not."
"Phil is going," Katherine pointed out as she followed them up to the helipad.
"He's the co-pilot," Steve told her. "He stays on the jet, and he's combat trained."
"And you think that all my years here don't have me prepared?" Katherine bit out. "I'll stay on the jet too, I swear." Steve stopped and gave her a hard look. "This is just as much my fight as it is yours, and you know it." Steve's nose wrinkled a little before he sighed and headed for the jet.
As Katherine stepped onto Tony put a couple of short metal bars in her hand. "Watch that little button there, it packs a surprise." He winked at her and walked over to sit next to Loki, the Iron Man suitcase sitting by his foot.
Tony uploaded the coordinates to the quinjets as it took off. It wasn't long after Tony had woken up that he and JARVIS had locked onto some kind of signal. He still couldn't explain what it was, but as Loki communicated with Thor, Heimdall had been able to confirm the location. It turned out to be a recently emptied-for-construction office building an hour away in the air.
Tony put a hand to his chest and knew they were getting closer. This probably wasn't going to be an enjoyable experience. Of course neither was what was coming next.
"Can someone explain to me why this team just left without informing me?" Fury's voice sounded out inside the jet.
"I didn't feel that it was something we needed permission for," Tony answered right away. "The jet was here, and we had a location, and it's our goddamned family," Tony hissed the last part.
"You need backup, Stark," Fury said, not backing down. "Unless you have information that you're withholding-"
"There's always going to be information that we'll withhold from you," Loki answered this one. Steve sighed and rubbed his face.
They heard Fury's frustrated growl and then sigh. "I want to know the minute you touch down, and where. I will send out a team to meet you-"
"Won't be necessary, we don't plan on staying there long," Tony cut him off.
"Things don't usually end up going according to plan, do they Stark?" No one could dispute that point. "Don't make me regret not tracking you the second I was alerted you to you taking off."
They all knew that he would regret it.
"Alright," Steve stood up as the quinjet landed. "Coulson, make sure Kat stays here. Clint, Natasha, give us a perimeter, Tony and Loki-"
"We'll find Bruce and the kids," Tony stated and Steve nodded.
"When Thor gets here he'll be with me, we'll keep the way out clear and watch your back." They moved at once, Clint and Natasha disappearing up and around the building. There was a crack of lightning and Thor stood by the doors of the building as the other three men approached. Loki nodded his head in greeting as they all walked inside.
Tony felt a tightness in his chest and set his expression. "Yeah, this is it," he muttered. As they moved further into the lobby Tony and Loki felt a familiar pulse and Tony growled, dropping his suit on the ground. He hit the activation lever and predictably nothing happened.
"We'll find the device creating the disruption," Steve offered after he noticed that Loki couldn't call on his magic. "Are you two still-"
"We're still gonna find them," Tony reassured. "Just find whatever is creating the blockage, and we'll be out of here faster than you could freeze, Capsicle." Tony smirked a little as he and Loki kept moving, Steve and Thor moving in the other direction.
"He's above," Tony pointed and they moved to the staircase.
"He more than likely already knows that we're here," Loki told him as they climbed. "I would know, if the roles were reversed."
Tony stopped and turned to look at Loki, seeing the anger and fire in his eyes. "Speaking of, you gotta make me a deal." Loki raised an eyebrow. "You can't go all scary villain if the kids are anywhere near. I don't want them seeing you like that. I know you want to kill him, trust I know, but you can't go psychotic." Loki seemed to bite the inside of cheek and nodded. That was the best answer Tony was going to get from him.
They reached the third floor and the lights flickered on. "Here's our stop," Tony mumbled. He felt a twinge in his chest, but he ignored it as they moved down the hall.
"Tony, Loki, we found Bruce," Steve's voice crackled through the comm and Tony swore that he saw Loki jump when he did. "Thor is going to get him to the jet, and I found the blocking device. I'll be on my way up to you soon."
"Sounds good Steve," Tony nodded a little. He and Loki felt the air change and could access their magic again. Tony was wondering if it was too late to go back and get the suit. "How is the bug guy?"
"Unharmed," Steve said. "He's more concerned about being separated from the kids, but is confident that they aren't hurt either."
"Can't say the same for that creature when we find him," Loki muttered.
"I'll be there soon," Steve repeated before the line went quiet again.
Loki had suddenly grabbed Tony's shoulder and motioned towards a room with his hand. Tony blinked a little but nodded and they moved. Loki pushed the door open with his powers and they heard a couple of little squeaks. Tony pushed himself to run into the room immediately and saw Zoe and Tonya huddled in the corner.
"Daddy!" Tony hit his knees as the girls threw themselves at him, wrapping their arms around his neck. Tony held onto them tightly, closing his eyes as he leaned his head against theirs.
"How are my girls?" He whispered and felt Loki behind him. "You two love to give me a fright, don't you? Trying to give me more gray hairs than I need, I swear." He could feel them shaking slightly in his arms.
"Tony," Tony glanced up slightly when Loki called his name. He glanced at the door and saw that Steve had walked in. "We should let Steve take them to them to the jet." Tony nodded slightly.
"Alright, time to get back home," Tony stood up and kept the girls close to him. "Uncle Steve is going to take you back to Uncle Bruce, Aunt Kat, and Uncle Phil, alright? Your Dad and I are going to get Leo and we'll be back together sooner than you can sing our lullaby."
"He left Leo alone in a room," Zoe said quietly. "The room at the end of the hall, I saw it, when he didn't think we were looking."
Tony ran his hand through her hair. "You were both our brave little girls," Tony said quietly. "Now, let's get out of here, yes?" They both nodded and Steve walked forward to take their hands. They glanced back at Tony and Loki before leaving the room. Tony could feel the fury building within Loki.
"You can unleash-" Tony eyes widened and he pitched forward suddenly. Loki grabbed his shoulders, frowning. Tony tensed and let out a surprised shout of pain and grabbed at his chest around the reactor. "What the hell?"
"I'm very interested in that chest piece, Anthony Stark," the voice echoed around the room. Loki looked around as Tony tried to breathe through the sudden pain. He briefly looked down and felt those breathes catch in his throat.
"Shit, shit, shit," he started to chant as he pulled his shirt up. He saw black lines moving through the reactor itself, the light starting to dim. Tony looked up and saw that Loki's attention had been pulled past Tony. "Take him out," Tony told him.
Loki moved to the side and Tony put a hand against a wall to keep himself steady. Khaaz stood towards the back of the room, staring at the two men. Tony could feel the cheshire grin without looking, and gave Loki points for being able to face that without flinching. He had probably faced worse when in Asgard.
"Are you angry sorcerer?" Khaaz taunted. Loki threw a dagger suddenly but Khaaz merely turned to smoke and moved across the room as the dagger embedded itself in the wall. "I allowed you to take your children and friend back, did I not? Is this how you show your gratitude?"
Loki's hands started to glow and the room filled with several other illusions of himself, all moving towards Khaaz. "Gratitude?" One of the hissed out. "You expect me to show you anything other contempt?" A second Loki spoke. "You orchestrated this foolish attempt at chaos and destruction. You who played with a fire that you could not possibly hope to handle!" Four of the Loki's suddenly threw orbs of magic at Khaaz, who hesitated a second too long and took the brunt of the hit.
"Let me make another move," Khaaz growled and motioned towards Tony. One of the Loki's looked back as the blue light disappeared from Tony's chest. Tony took a couple breaths then shut his eyes tightly. The illusions watched Khaaz as the real Loki ran over to Tony as the reactor started to glow gold.
"I'm fine," Tony said breathlessly. "I got it, everything's good."
"Shall I wait for you in the next room?" Khaaz smirked and disappeared as two of the illusions threw a dagger at him.
"Go," Tony looked at Loki. "I'll be right behind you. Get Leo." Loki looked at him for a second before moving quickly, running out the door and down the hall. Tony took a breath then pushed himself up to follow, briefly jealous of Loki's natural speed, and long legs.
"Leo!" Loki ran in the room and dropped in front of the unmoving boy. He cupped Leo's cheeks and looked into his eyes, narrowing them slightly as his hands started to glow. Loki's eyes widened when he was suddenly pulled back and thrown across the room. Tony ran in and almost fell over Loki as he tumbled on the ground. Khaaz looked at the two men as Loki pushed himself up quickly, standing between them and their son.
"What did you do to him?" Tony growled as the gold in his reactor got brighter.
"I gave him what he asked for," Khaaz said simply. "He asked me to spare your lives, and I gave him a little something in return." He glanced back at the boy briefly. "Don't worry, he's not dead, nor shall he die anytime soon." He shook his head with a smirk. "No, not when I can torture you with it. I have merely, suppressed his soul. He can hear and see everything that happens around him, though."
Tony ran at Khaaz but he raised a hand and Tony's legs locked and he fell to his side. "Your magic cannot stop what I have inside of you."
"Then I guess it's a good thing you're not inside of him," Tony grunted out and Loki released a spell that surrounded Khaaz. Black smoke swept up trying to consume the spell as it broke into tendrils wrapping around the creature.
Loki picked up Tony as Khaaz fought with the spell, unable to move. Tony stumbled a little but kept his balance as Loki wrapped his arms around Leo, picking him up. "Let's get the hell out of dodge," Tony said turning around.
"You'll ask me Anthony Stark," Khaaz hissed out and Tony stopped by the door. "You'll ask me to save his life, because that's what you mortals always do." Tony sneered and left the room with Loki.
"We've got Leo," Tony pressed a finger to the piece in his ear.
"Zoe and Tonya are on the jet with Coulson," Natasha answered.
"Anyone have eyes on Bruce?" Clint asked, sounding a little out of breath.
"Thor and I sent him back up to the lobby before we got separated," Steve stepped in. "He should be up there with Kat."
"Let's meet up there, and fast," Tony answered. They hurried down the stairs and turned the corner running into Clint and Natasha. "That's two," Tony mumbled. When the walked out into the lobby they saw the backs of Steve and Thor, and what they were looking at. There was a small army in between them and the door.
"Well, you guys really pulled out all the stops," Clint muttered as they walked over to the two men. He stared at several copies of himself before noting that there were copies of everyone, including the three Little Starks'.
"Something is wrong," Loki said under his breath as his eyes scanned the room.
"Where's Bruce?" Natasha looked around. "And Kat?"
"There are no copies of Katherine," Loki said, but only Tony heard him. Suddenly one of the Tony Loki was thrown into the crowd from the side. They all looked over to see Bruce and Katherine, each holding onto a long pole.
"Were you guys waiting for a formal invitation to get out of here?" Bruce looked at them.
"They won't attack," Tony said and frowned a little when the others looked at him. "They haven't been ordered to."
"How do you know this?" Natasha raised an eyebrow, her hands still poises at her weapons.
"How..." He put a hand to his head then shook it a little, taking a couple steps away from them. He put up a hand to stop them from moving and he backed into a wall. Putting his hand to his chest, Tony shut his eyes tightly, trying to keep a shout in. His back suddenly arched and his eyes flew open, but they weren't his usual honey brown anymore.
"He knows because I know," bright orange eyes stared back at them. "I am the one that gives the order to attack," Tony sneered when he looked at Loki with Khaaz's eyes. "This spell won't hold me forever, but you'll come find me soon anyway, when your brat of a child doesn't wake up."
Clint raised his bow towards Tony he laughed and looked at him. "I wouldn't be so quick aim Clint Barton, I am only a guest in his mind. If you were to shoot Anthony Stark trying to be rid of me you would deeply regret the pain you've caused your friend." Tony walked closer to Loki, whose grip had tightened around Leo. "Release me sorcerer," Tony purred circling Loki. "Release me and I'll release his soul. I can free him from his mind."
"I'll free him myself," Loki growled dangerously low. Khaaz was playing a dangerous game, and they all knew it.
"Do you all wonder," Tony turned away from Loki then, "who is missing from my army?" He walked towards the shifters. "Every single one of you is here, even the children. Except one person." He turned to face Bruce and Katherine, before turning to the others. "Your mage has figured it out, and I'm sure he has a vague inkling as to why."
"Kat hasn't fought with us," Steve spoke up first.
"That does not mean that I haven't had many chances to get a taste of her genes." Tony pushed through the shifters, they turned in their spots to watch him as he walked by, obviously sensing their master. "The two more prominent times being being the rehearsal wedding, and the wedding itself." Tony had started to circle Bruce and Katherine. "So sorry to hear about, hmm, Liv Innogen, correct? Anthony Stark harbors a deep sadness that I can feel."
Bruce glanced at Katherine, but wouldn't let himself react. He pulled Kat closer to him as she seemed to stiffen. Tony reached out a hand wrapped it around the back of her neck suddenly. "I can not make a copy of her even now. It took me a while to figure out why." He pulled back as Bruce moved towards him.
"Khaaz!" Loki yelled, green eyes glowing as he glared at the man inside of Tony. "You leave it be!"
"I do not have to listen to you," Tony laughed, and it did not suit him at all. They all secretly hoped that Tony would never become evil. "You can not hurt with me without hurting your lover, so I think that I have the upper hand in this!"
He turned back towards the couple and moved quickly to stand behind Katherine, running his hands down her side. "One can not copy the genes if they have been compromised by death." Katherine whirled around but Bruce had put the end of his pole on Tony's chest and pushed him back. "Her soul wanders freely inside of her body, no anchor to hold it down, no fate to keep her to her path!" He started to laugh louder.
"What trickery do you speak?" Thor demanded, hand tightening around the handle of his hammer.
"I suppose not all you mortals know of the inner workings of a death." Tony seemed to roll his eyes, but the smile stayed on his face. It looked wrong on Tony. "Your souls are anchored in your bodies, tied to your fate. You have a short time when you a killed to hold on to your soul, before it leaves, and your body merely becomes a husk." Tony turned orange eyes to Katherine. "She has no path, no fate, her soul has no anchor, she passed her allotted time, only to have thwarted death inside it's home. Isn't that right sorcerer!"
Tony pushed the pole away and started to talk away from the couple, the shifters still watching him. "Even Anthony Stark has felt death, has felt his soul fighting to break free of its anchor, only to return. But he has not died, not for so long as Katherine Innogen has." He turned suddenly to lock eyes with her. "And I will find a way to stop the rattling of your soul in your body. There is no plan for you, you I can have fun with."
Clint's arrow suddenly loosed from it's bow and caught Tony in his shoulder. He yelled out and fell back to the ground. They all turned to look at Clint, whose eyes were wide, then they saw Loki's glare and his glowing hand. He started to walk towards the shifters and his hands glowed brighter, turning slightly blue as an icy breeze swept through the lobby. The shifters immediately dropped their facades and faded to shadows leaving the room.
"Someone will have to carry Tony back to the jet," Loki said and Steve jogged forward to pick up the unconscious inventor, arrow still in his shoulder. "Doctors, if you would look after him in the jet, we need to leave now."
"I thought he wasn't going to get murderous again," Clint muttered to Natasha.
"Tony promised us that, not Loki," Natasha pointed out.
"You will do no such thing." Tony was aware that the first things he heard upon waking up were two people talking. No, two people were shouting at each other.
"You want us to take the risk again?" That voice sounded familiar. In an annoying way.
"We were able to handle the situation," was the low and dangerous reply. That had to be Loki.
"You call that handling it?" Now he knew who that was. "No on has been able to handle it from day one, and now it's only gotten worse!" Fury was living up to the definition of his name. "One of you has been compromised, and unlike the last time you did that-" low blow "- there's no way to know if it was permanent or not."
Tony opened one of his eyes then quickly shut it again, reaching up his hand to block the light. Only his hand didn't come up. He couldn't move his arm. His eyes shot open as he tried his other arm. Nothing. Tony looked down and saw that his wrists had been restrained to the bed he was in. Looking up he saw Fury's back, blocking Loki from getting to him.
"Um, hi?" Both men turned to look at him. "Can I have the use of my arms back?" His mouth was dry and felt like sandpaper.
"I'm afraid not, Stark," Fury told him, arms crossed in front of his chest. "We're keeping you under observation-"
"It's not observation if you put him a cell," Loki growled.
"Wait, what?" Tony frowned. "You're going to lock me up? Oh hell no," Tony shook his head and tried to pull his hands free from the restraints.
"Stark, you've been compromised in a pretty big way by the enemy," Fury growled out as the door to the room opened and about a dozen SHIELD Agents walked in. "We have to detain you-"
"Bullshit," Tony growled, three agents on either side of him. "If I could just spend a few hours in my lab, I could figure out-"
"Absolutely not," Fury shook his head. "We can't take the chance to let you get your hands on any weapons in there."
"So you're just going to- Hey! Get your hands off me!" Tony tried to pull away when the restraints were released and his arms were grabbed, lifting him up. His arms were pulled behind his back and he felt the weight of col shackled settle around his wrists now. His eyes had widened a little when he realized he wasn't getting out of this.
Tony's eyes flew to Loki's, who was being restrained by the other six agents. "Leo, what about Leo?" Tony asked quickly. "Zoe and Tonya? Are they alright?"
"The others are just fine Stark," Fury answered.
"That's a lie," Tony hissed at the men. He had never been Fury's fan, but now he actually hated the man. "You wouldn't be saying if you had seen what we had. I swear if my son-" He was stopped when a metal gag, much akin to the one Loki had worn over a decade ago, was placed over his mouth.
"This is a pre-caution, Stark. Things have gone to hell in a hand basket, and we need to get control of it." Fury told the man as he was lifted from the bed and pulled through the room. Tony's wild eyes caught Loki's before he was pulled out into the hall.
"You'll be allow to see him soon," Fury said to the god as he followed closely behind the group. The other agents had let go of Loki and followed their Director as Thor walked into the room.
Loki's hand clenched into fists as he growled loudly. "They think they can just come in and do as they please!" Loki huffed, pacing the room. "They don't understand, they don't know what happened! They are not helping him, they are only hurting him, they are playing into the hands of their enemies!" Thor stepped over and grabbed Loki's wrist, slipping a metal band around his wrist that shrunk and started to glow with runes. Loki looked at Thor then he took a breath and nearly fell.
Thor caught his arms as Loki blinked once. "Father thought I might need another calming spell, just in case," Thor explained quietly.
"I can't be calm," Loki answered quietly. "Can you not see what they have done? I fear that I can not bring Leo back on my own."
"You have not even tried yet," Thor put a hand on Loki's back and started to lead him from the room. "One of us shall inform you when you can see Tony, but for now you must try and help your son, he needs it."
Loki nodded once as they got on the elevator. he held up his wrist to Thor. "I will not be able to work at my full capacity with this tampering with my emotions."
"Do you promise not to storm down to the Man of Fury?" Loki nodded once and Thor pulled the band off. "I shall be keeping this on me, I have no doubts that I shall be using it again soon." Loki snorted a little.