AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I love you all! :)

While I wrote this chapter I listened to (type to you tube and put on repeat): Dracula - 13 - Love Eternal

The song at the beginning is 'Alpha Shadows' by Laura Marling.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel.

Chapter 21

He could fall and she can weep,

But as holy are my feet and hard with mention,

That dear they may not speak,

We feel tight when there is tension,

And our eyes can make us weak.

And his heart was full of fire at the man he had become,

And his soul seldom higher with the falsities of fun,

Could embrace sweet desires and moments as they passed,

But he feared it ever more, when he saw it didn't last.

And I believe we are meant to be seen and not to be understood.

Impatience pulsed through every nerve in Loki's body. He paced quickly through the dark, wet corridor, his arm still stinging from the impact it made on Barton's thick head. A cry was heard from the room he just abandoned.

Pathetic,miserable,worthless…

Taking out his rage on agent Barton just didn't seem enough for the god of lies. His mind reminded him of a glass under a waterfall; even if you poured out the water when it was full, it would fill again, the water rising dangerously fast towards the edge.

And there, I would spill.

Suddenly, a wave of indescribable sadness filled him and Loki stopped walking. Instead, he turned to the dirty, stone wall and pressed his pale, spidery palms on the wet surface, leaning onto it for support, breathing deeply through his nose, his dark eyebrows meeting in the middle. A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed it, wincing.

Now is not the time for weakness.

Like a shiver rolling down his spine… he felt them. Mere shadows – these faceless heroes slowly creeped over his head… assembling. Inwardly, Loki scoffed – there are no such things as heroes. Loki was born and raised in the company of one who always wanted to be just that – a hero. In their mother's heart, in their father's eyes.

The god of thunder always craved fame. To be accompanied by an applause, to be worshiped, to have his monuments built higher than heaven.

'Bravery.' Loki mocked, his dark eyes shining in mischief. The soft scoff echoed through the tube-like hall, whispering against the walls.

There was no bravery inside these heroes… only a hunger for glory and a need to prove themselves.

Loki was guided by two things, and two things only.

First, there was revenge, that moody little minx. She seduced Loki, with her deviant and perverse nature, fueled his need to see all who wronged him burn to pieces. The trickster pushed revenge to the surface, exposing it to the world, letting his enemies believe that was his true motivation, his only spur.

But there was another sensation. Another feeling. It dug far deeper than vengeance. Its shine was a dark flame; unquenchable and unrestrainable.

Loki could never admit it out loud. He could not afford other people knowing of his true determination. He wouldn't be able to endure the look they would all give him if they found out, if they learned he was…

In love.

And he felt it. Valhalla, Loki burned with it. Love he realized he harbored passionately. For her. And her alone.

And now, his loose palms formed into tight fists as his frozen heart throbbed in desire to revenge her.

It rested further down in his soul than anything he ever felt in his long immortal life. It burned through his very core and twisted his insides, filling his head with storm clouds that will never ease, never rain, never disappear.

Not until he sees her again.

The fall, the deal with Thanos, the rage – it all started because of his pain. The pain his family and his kin threw him in, chuckling as they did so.

And then he landed on this realm. The very realm that shall be his once he is done with it.

And then he met her. And she eased that pain. With her voice, kisses, gentle hands. He never told her this… but she crawled under his skin like no one before, removing his darkness with her bare fingertips.

Until they took her away.

Now, that darkness collected and pain tripled.

The people who did this to him… to her, will feel it.

Starting from agent Barton.

Selvig will learn what it means to be alone, once Loki played with his mind. The Aesir will learn how dangerously deep their condemnation and disapproval went. His brother will know what it means to be thrown into an abyss. Odin will experience the venom on his bare skin.

And, of course, he will pay a little visit to Miss Foster, after he is finished.

Loki straightened up, dragging his fingers through his hair. Through blinding pain of his loss and insanity, he smiled.

It was time for him to dress nicely and step to the Midgardian stage. He had enough of this tomb, he needed out, he needed to smell the air, to see the carefree faces of the mortal nation, so happy, so naïve, and so utterly oblivious to the threat that will reveal itself.

Closing his eyes, he pictured his attire, and when he opened them, he was dressed in a dark suit and a long dark coat. Adjusting the collar of his suit-jacket, he continued walking until he reached the large room where the cube glowed.

Lifting up his chin, he looked around and when he spotted a small group of agents, he summoned them closer with a slow movement of his hand.

In the matter of seconds, they stood in front of him, their eyes shining blue, eagerly waiting to be given orders.

'You will accompany agent Barton on a little quest. You will be searching for Iridium. I daresay you will need to use a bit of force to bring it to me.' He ordered 'Now move.'

And as the agents took their weapons, adjusting their equipment, Loki's face stretched in a full grin. He walked to the table filled with guns and various other tools, and took the scepter that rested ever so innocently on the grey surface.

Using his magic, Loki turned the long scepter into a shorter cane. The blue gem still shined on the top.

He remembered looking at the pictures in one of Darcy's history books while she was sleeping. In the past, Midgardian gentlemen used to carry canes with them. It was an indicator of sophistication and refinement.

Glancing around, he peered closely at the map on the large computer screen beside him.

A small red dot blinked on what Loki presumed was the map of Midgard. Slowly, it zoomed in, to the northern Hemisphere, then Europe, and then a territory he read was called… Germany.

Giving a soft beep the red light turned green and gleamed. Loki smirked.

28 Königstraße, Stuttgard.

Der könig, the king will soon return to his throne.

…

The Hellicarrier was a massive, flying beast. It kept airborne at all times. The Hellicarrier was, in fact, SHIELD-s headquarters, borne by the strength of four giant turbines.

Among large quantities of weapons, it contained a squadron of jet fighters and it was home to the intercontinental ballistic missile.

Right now, it flew over an ocean, invisible and silent.

Steve Rogers, known better as the Captain America stood next to a beaming agent Coulson. They both observed dozens of working, navy-clad agents.

Steve Rogers was much taller than agent Coulson, and in much worse mood. He leaned on the railing, feeling strange. His vintage-looking brown leather jacket suffocated him, and he shifted nervously while Coulson continued to speak.

'It's a vintage set.' Coulson smiled shyly 'Took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint, slight foxing around the edges but-'

His talking was interrupted by agent Jasper Sitwell.

'We got a hit.' He said hurriedly, clicking on the computer 'Sixty seven percent match. Wait- cross-match, seventy nine percent!'

This woke Coulson, his shy smile falling from his face, the excited boy disappearing, as he straightened up and placed his hand inside his suit-pocket, gripping the stack of cards until they dug into his palm.

'Location?' Phil asked curtly, his gaze cold.

'Stuttgart, Germany.' Sitwell said 'Twenty eight, Königstraße.' Confusion danced in his eyes 'He's not exactly hiding.'

Phil Coulson gazed upon the face of the man who smiled at the camera that filmed him, dressed smartly and strolling lightly. And his gut clenched. Out of nowhere, Coulson heard the familiar voice of Nick Fury behind his back. It was slow, determined and filled with anxiety.

'Captain, you're up.'

Rogers gazed at Fury, but said nothing. Instead, he turned on his heel and marched away, stomping firmly, like a true soldier he was.

Fury and Coulson watched him leave; his tall from enveloped in darkness of the corridor. The sun disappeared behind a large black cloud. The pale light seeped through the glass walls of the Hellicarrier bridge, and it brought an evil foreboding.

For the hundredth time in the last few months, fear gripped Coulson's bones, and this time, he decided to face Fury.

Every time he tried to talk to Fury about it, miles separated them and the only rope he could throw him was the phone connection. And every time, Fury hung up before Phil could fully voice his concerns.

And this time, he decided to corner the Director.

Fury stood with his dark hands on his hips, watching the large room with his one good eye, a usual heavy frown on his face.

'Sir, we need to talk.'

'I know what you're going to say.' His dark eye closed as Fury sighed.

'Yes, well, I have a bad feeling.' Coulson leaned on the railing too, trying to catch a glimpse of Director's face.

Fury's one dark eye glared at Phil. 'We all have those from time to time, Coulson…'

Phil realized there was not much sense to beat about the bush, so he just went out with it.

'Sir, I know I've said this many times before, but, we attacked a person who is closely connected to Tho-'

'Coulson you will stop right there.' Fury hissed, stepping closer, his leather coat making him appear as an over-sized bat 'I have Banner, Romanoff, Stark, Rogers and Thor here. You don't want to discuss this with me right now.'

'Director, if Thor finds out, if anyone finds out what happened-' Phil shook his head in nervousness.

'Coulson, listen and listen good. What happened that night will remain a secret.'

'Sir, they should be told! There is enough suspicion and doubt in them already! Imagine what will happen if they find out about it behind our backs!' Phil hissed 'Especially Thor! He knew Darcy Lewis!'

Nick Fury glared at Coulson.

'Sir, I have seen Thor. You know he comes from a realm where honor is everything. If we betray his trust, I guarantee you...' Phil closed his eyes pleadingly '...he will refuse to work for us. And soon he will pull others with himself. There won't be any Avengers left.'

'That won't happen.'

'Sir, this is a team of extraordinary people we are dealing with! How can we know that won't happen? As far as we know, a grain of doubt can well up inside one of them. After that, Stark can click two buttons and find everything!'

'We've been through this, Phil. You hid the evidence well; you concealed the footage of the enemy and Miss Lewis!' Fury motioned with his hand.

'He is Thor's brother!' Phil hissed 'Already, Thor is senseless when it comes to Loki. Imagine what would happen if he learned Loki and Lewis knew each other!'

'For heaven's sake, Coulson.' Fury placed his face in his palm.

'What did you expect, sir?' Phil asked coldly. 'I told you it was dangerous to fire on them.'

'Coulson, this information is top secret.' Fury hissed like a snake 'For the time being, only you and I will know about this. No one else. Is that understood?'

'You forgot someone else, sir.'

'Who!?' Fury exclaimed.

'Loki.' Phil said 'He knows very well what happened that night since we chased both of them over the New Mexico desert.'

'Yes, well…' Fury pulled a smug face 'He will want to keep that to himself.' Director looked at his phone 'I honestly doubt he would want others knowing he had a little... romance on Earth.'

The arrogance and nerve slapped Phil in the face as the Director's true nature surfaced. Breath caught in Coulson's throat.

'What do you mean, sir?' Phil said this slowly, not sure if he wanted to know Fury's true intentions.

'Coulson,' Fury kept a cold face 'Didn't you see the footage? Our enemy had a little love affair while visiting Earth.' Then he gave a cunning smile 'The guy really knows how to mix business and pleasure.'

Phil looked at his suit jacket, focusing on the clean edges of his crisp white shirt.

Inside, he felt disgusted.

'The knowledge we possess will be crucial for the outcome of this war, Coulson. And I already told you – the well-being of this planet and its people is far more important than Miss Lewis,' Fury typed something on his phone '…or the tender feelings of some pagan Norse god.'

Phil was silent, looking at his boss.

'We know his weakness now. Trust me, it's all matter of proper leverage, Phil.' His one good eye narrowed 'And that is how wars are won.'

Phil never questioned SHIELD. Never. So, why did he feel so strange all of a sudden?

Why did he feel all of this was so utterly mad and wrong?

'You do realize you are playing with fire, Director.' Phil swallowed.

'I am your superior, Coulson. You do not question your superiors. You follow orders.' Fury whipped him with a sharp look 'Now, I cannot comprehend why you are unable to do. Just. That?'

'Director, I've been working for SHIELD for nearly 15 years.' Phil sighed 'And I've seen lots of things.'

Fury stared at Phil, trying to catch his every word over the noise of computers and people.

'And I believe you went too far with this one.'

'Excuse me?' The dark man blinked.

'The fact that you want to use Miss Lewis in this cruel game is both shocking and dangerous. I understand it's probably your way of bringing him to his knees or goading him into a trap-'

'Damn well, it is! The man is threatening your planet, our planet with war!' Fury was angry.

'Yes, sir, but think about it…' Phil's pale eyes gazed tiredly at Director 'If we just left them alone all those months ago, probably none of this would happen. And now, playing with this man's feelings is the worst thing we can do.'

Fury was silent; his fists clenched, his dark leather coat glinted in the light of the setting sun. Inside his one dark eye, Phil saw irritation, but no sight of apprehension.

And Phil felt in his bones… the danger, the threat of their insolence, their arrogance.

And a screaming fear. He feared all of them will end up burning under the raging power of the god they dared provoke.