A/N: Squeamish people, take heart: I'm not planning to have much violence onscreen this time.

Dungeon-lovers, take heart as well. I'll probably post the torture section as a side story at some point, in case you do want to read it. I sketched out most of it already so that I know what happens, which is why this chapter took so long to post.

Also, there's vague/implicit Thor/Sif here in the background, but I don't think it really qualifies as a pairing. I'm not even sure they're together anymore. But they might have been at one point.

Loki went straight for their bedroom and checked the door, but his spells were firmly in place. That was good, at least. He opened the door and the room was tidy. Didn't appear to have been attacked or ransacked. That was good too.

What was bad was that there was a note left on his bed... and laying across it, gleaming in the reddish afternoon sunlight, was Gungnir.

He approached the bed carefully. A trick? A trap? He swept magic over it and decided that nothing was the matter with the staff at all, which made him seethe because what in the Nine did Thor think he was doing leaving such a dangerous treasure lying around unprotected. He reached for it himself...

But stopped half an inch away. What if it had been left there as some kind of test?

After a moment Loki realized that that was a stupid thought. Thor was not Odin; he had neither the desire to test Loki nor the ability to do it cleverly.

Maybe he had just... forgotten how dangerous the thing could be? But even Thor could not have been so careless. Loki nudged the staff out of the way with magic and pulled out the note to read.

Loki -

I am sorry we quarreled. Forgive me. You were right.

I have gone, but I expect to return within a week or two. In the meantime, rule as you see fit – either as yourself, or under illusion as me if you prefer. I have complete faith in you.

######### ####### #### ##### ####### ####### #####
###### ######## ######## ##### ##### ######## #### ###
### ########## ######### ##########

- Thor

Loki frowned at the crossed-off paragraph. Perhaps Thor had gone hunting to clear his head, or maybe gone to Midgard for the comfort of his woman.

But he never hunted without his friends, and he had no way of getting to Midgard – no way of getting almost anywhere on his own until the Bifrost was repaired. His feeling of foreboding growing, Loki used magic to erase the scribbles and see what his brother had deleted.

This is something I must do. As you love me – and as you love Asgard, which deserves better than a king who rules in ignorance – do not interfere.

Loki stared at the note for a bit. You were right. Something I must do. He willed another explanation to present itself...

But there was none. What had happened was plain: after being chastised for making his decisions in ignorance, Thor had gone and out of some misguided guilty sense of duty consigned himself to a dungeon to experience its horrors firsthand.

After the things he had seen... how?

Loki snarled aloud. "Thor, you fool."

He stormed into the hallway to go stop him...

And then realized he had no idea where he was going. He didn't know where the dungeon was; he vaguely remembered being led down to a portal deep in the bowels of the castle, nursing an unpleasant cocktail of hate and self-pity (and trying to avoid fear), but he had no idea what level or what wing or what corridor he had been taken to. He remembered that it had been a very long walk.

He also remembered suddenly that the Drones had opened it by a magic he didn't recognize, and that worried him, but on the other hand if Thor had managed to get in it couldn't be all that complicated.

He would have to ask directions from someone who knew, or someone in whom Thor might have confided. Outside of himself that was a very short list, so he sent guards to fetch Thor's mother and his silly friends, and ordered everyone brought to Heimdall's post so all the questioning could be conducted at once.

Loki arrived first. He didn't even bother with a greeting; he just rapped Gungnir on the ground and demanded: "Where is Thor."

Heimdall regarded him coolly. "You know where Thor has gone."

So much for any last lingering hope that his guess had been wrong.

"Yes, but since I don't know where it is or how to get there, I need you to tell me. Now." He tried to sound less hostile. "It's for Thor's own safety."

"The king has explicitly forbidden me to direct anyone – especially you – to the place where he has gone."

Loki banged the staff again, trying not to feel like a child having a tantrum. "I rule in Asgard right now, whether I like it or not, and you willobey me!"

"I will obey my king," Heimdall corrected, cold. "And while Thor yet lives, he is still my king."

"While he lives, what does that mean, while he lives?" Loki could hear his own voice rising. "Can you see him now?"

"Of course."

"Well... well where is he?" Loki sputtered, and then corrected himself. "Or at least, how is he? Tell me that. Is he well? Has he really…-"

The doors flew open, to admit Sif and the Idiots Three. "What's going on, Loki?" she called before she even got in speaking distance. "What are you doing summoning us like servants, and where's Thor?"

He looked her over and decided that her confusion and anger were genuine. "You tell me," he said at last. "I came home to find Thor gone, and a letter on my pillow." He hated to share it, but on the other hand he had to protect himself. Perhaps I have complete faith in you in Thor's own hand would help take the suspicion from Sif's eyes.

So he held out the note. They clustered around it, reading with varying degrees of slowness, and Loki grew so impatient that he began to pace.

"My son." Frigga in the doorway, brow dark. "What has happened?"

"Mother." Loki came and kissed her hands. "I'm afraid Thor's gone and done something stupid. Do you know where he is?"

She shook her head. "He came to discuss the Elvish princess with me. He was... troubled. But he didn't say why – he said he would handle things with Alfheim first, and then talk to me about what had upset him later. He never returned." She held him by the shoulders and looked hard into his eyes. "I thought he might have gone looking for the girl himself. But that's not it, is it. What happened?"

He couldn't, couldn't tell her. It would only worry her, uselessly as there was nothing she could do. Besides it might not yet be too late, he would not let it be too late, nothing awful could have happened to Thor yet. It wasn't their way to start in quickly; he knew that. He was sure.

"Thor's just being Thor, but I will stop him before he comes to harm," he told Frigga firmly. "In the meantime, can you keep everything together for me? Host at meals, lead at counsel, that sort of thing? You can just tell them that the king-"

"Loki." She put a finger to his lips. "I kept everything together while your father slept for years upon years. I'll handle Asgard. You handle your brother." She turned to Thor's friends and, radiating power, ordered: "You'll cooperate with Loki in any way he tells you. No foolish questions, no hesitations, no defiance. Is that clear?"

The Warriors all mumbled Yes my lady and bowed. Sif gave her awkward court curtsey.

Loki watched with raised eyebrows as she swept away. "Thank you, Mother," he muttered, loudly enough to be heard. "That doesn't undermine my authority at all."

As he'd hoped, Fandral and Volstagg snickered. They were on his side – or as near as anyone ever was. Even Sif looked less hostile than usual. She crossed her arms and just prompted: "So?"

Loki hesitated.

"Loki?" Fandral's voice was gentle. "You know something you're not telling us. It's time."

Even Hogun – Hogun – spoke up. "We can be more useful if we know what's going on," he pointed out.

So he beckoned them closer. Put his back to Heimdall, because even though Heimdall would hear them anyway, it was hard to talk under his cold mistrustful eyes. "After the Bifrost broke," he began, then stopped. He didn't, didn't want to say...

"You were taken away and you had your limbs ripped from their sockets," Sif supplied. "You told me."

He nodded and looked around at the others. "You all remember what I looked like when I returned. I think Thor has gone where I was. I think he has some idea that... that he should… suffer." How had he not foreseen this? Thor had been itching to do this; he had said it straight out. I am willing to suffer for you, if it will help. Loki drew himself up. "We need to go and pull him out before he does."

"Why would he go and do something like that?" Fandral mused aloud.

"How should I know the reason for any of Thor's stupidity?" Loki snapped, but realized immediately that denials would not help him win any more trust. "We had an argument and I, ah, I may have used the phrase you don't know what you're talking about," he admitted after a moment. "But I meant for him to shut up! Not to go and actually learn."

Sif let out an angry huff, but Fandral glared at her. "Not your fault," he told Loki firmly.

"Aye. That's just Thor." Volstagg patted him almost hard enough to knock him over. "Chin up, Loki, we'll get him. You've been to this place?" Loki nodded. "Wonderful! Then you can lead the attack."

It took Loki far longer than it should have to dissuade the Idiots from assembling an army. He made the political argument (Odin has a relationship with the place and it seems to be a neutral facility; assaulting it might make Asgard some enemies) and they did not care. He made the danger argument – as carefully as he could, but still Fandral put an arm around him with sickening care and promised we won't let anything happen to you. Finally he hit on the winner: "Would you start a fight in a china shop – with Thor as the china?" he snarled. "He could be in a position of vulnerability the likes of which none of you can imagine. If we annoy them, if we distract them even, something truly gruesome could happen to him. A battle is not the answer. I forbid you to start one."

Volstagg grumbled, "I like Thor's orders better; there's always a battle in there somewhere," but they did not argue further.

Next they tried again to talk to Heimdall, but the guardian could stonewall like none other and they soon gave up. At that point, Loki was (temporarily!) out of ideas. He recounted what he remembered about the portal and sent the warriors to start searching, while he retired to his room to think.

He knew the search would be useless. There was a vast network of tunnels beneath the castle and the city; hunting through it would take days at least. Too long to wait – Thor was strong and fearless and he laughed at pain, and at times he seemed practically indestructible, but still... eventually they would hurt him. And then what? He had insisted he was scarred already, and at the time Loki had scoffed but now he found himself worrying. Thor wasn't lying, he realized, remembering his face. And he wasn't being melodramatic either, because how often does Thor profess feelings to win sympathy? Even when they were children, Loki had been unable to teach him how to manufacture tears.

So he really had been affected – and that was before. Once he really understood what he had allowed he would be inconsolable. As well as physically wrecked.

Loki's brooding was eventually interrupted by a soft knock.

"Enter." He realized too late that he was slouched in a chair with his clothes hanging open and his hair wild; hardly kingly. He made efforts to sit up straight and look fine until he recognized: "Sif." He relaxed at once – she already knew he was not fine.

"I brought you soup. You haven't eaten."

Very sweet of her – except one sniff told him she didn't know the first thing about his food preferences. "Thank you. Did you want to talk to me?" When she nodded, he indicated a chair and made an effort to choke down a few bites to be polite. "So. How goes the search?"

"Not good. It's almost a labyrinth, and many of the doors are sealed with magic so we can't even break them down. And nobody has a full set of keys or maps. There are stairs under stairs under stairs, levels that we have no idea what they're for. Only Heimdall and Odin really know this place. It would take us weeks. Maybe longer." She drew in a slow breath. "We need a new plan."

She had thought of one already, he could see. So he nodded. "Go on."

"I..." She lowered her eyes to the floor. "Could you wake the Allfather?" she asked at last. Softly.

He realized she must mean to ask if he had caused the Odinsleep, if he had spelled Odin into dormancy himself and might lift the curse if he was petitioned politely enough.

Flattering, in a way. He supposed. "The sleep is not my doing and I don't know how to disrupt it," he told her shortly.

She nodded. "Still. Could you try to talk to him? He may listen to you. You're his son."

Loki chuckled – unpleasantly, even to his own ears.

Sif pressed on stubbornly. (No wonder she and Thor made such a good match!) "Please try. I know the Allfather intimidates, but Thor is in danger – and I know he would do the same for you."

"Of course he would." Slow and soft and venomous. Why are you telling her so much? He made himself sit up and smile. "Very well, I'll knock on Odin's door."

"I'll come with you," she said at once.

"To watch over my shoulder?"

She frowned. "To watch your back, Loki. To confirm your words if anyone doubts you."

He still didn't trust her. She surely still didn't trust him. But Loki really didnot want to go alone to Odin's chamber and tell him: wake up, because your son is off somewhere being killed by inches. Just as I threatened.

"Of course," he said. "Forgive me, it's been a difficult day."

He had not been to see Odin at all since the sleep started, even though he knew it made his mother sad. But for this he made himself go. With Sif at his side, he stood in the bedroom and even approached the bed, and shook Odin with his hands and with his magic. Told him of Thor's stupidity. Asked him – bitterly – if he would awaken to save him. Again.

But Odin didn't stir, and after an hour they gave it up. "Go to bed," he told Sif. "We'll think of a better plan in the morning."

She clasped her hands behind her back. "Fandral says one of us has to stay with you," she said. He had just started to go cold with mortification when she added: "With Thor gone you're all Asgard has. You have to be protected. I see you don't like it, and in truth I'm not delighted either, but for the good of the realm we'll just suck it up. I can sleep on the floor and I don't snore – you'll hardly even notice me."

He mentally promoted Fandral from the idiot category in his mind and nodded at her. "All right, come with me. I'll make you a bed."

Rather than send her to trek home he made her a nightgown too, something modest, but she shook her head and asked for one of Thor's tunics instead. He handed one over, doing his best not to feel possessive, and bid her goodnight politely. But he was annoyed – and his annoyance grew as she began tossing and turning in bed. The rustling was incessant. Eventually he growled: "I see why you don't snore. You never actually fall asleep."

She froze. "I'm sorry. I'll be quieter."

"Try," he sneered, but soon felt bad and admitted: "It's not you disturbing me. I'm..."

"Worried." Silence a moment. "So am I." He heard her shift again, so that she was facing his direction. "Loki? Was it really...? Tell me."

"Are you asking to hear about it?" He slammed doors in his mind, and managed not to think of anything that disturbed him. He chuckled. "That certainly won't help you get to sleep. Shall I tell you a story instead?" He did not offer to soothe her with magic; he would only get No, I don't trust you in response.

"No." He heard her sit up. "You're the one going to be planning – I should be telling you a story." Then he heard her smile. "I'd offer to sing you a lullaby, but... well... you've heard me sing."

"Oh, is that what that was?" The sight of Sif on a tavern table belting out bawdy love ballads would never leave him. Thor's birthday parties were always wonderful. "Yes, no lullaby, please."

He listened to her shift restlessly a while longer. "Loki?" she said at last.

"Still awake."

"Oh."

She seemed about to speak again, but didn't. He tried to figure out what she was going to say, what she was thinking, and suddenly felt sorry for her. She was desperately worried. Even her demand to wrap herself in Thor's clothing was no longer irritating, only (sweet) pathetic. He sighed. "When we were children I used to creep into Thor's bed when I was afraid," he said.

"I know."

The answer derailed his friendly overture for a moment. He frowned. "How could you know that?"

"Thor... teased you about it once," she reminded, reluctantly. He didn't really remember that. "So you poisoned him."

Ah. That he remembered. At the time it had seemed like justice. "That wasn't poison," he defended. "Just a little laxative." Mostly. He sighed and flipped the covers down. "Do you want to come in?"

He heard a rustle that must have been a nod, because a moment later she was crossing the room to him. She laid down and when her feet brushed him they were freezing. He imagined changing forms on her to get revenge.

They lay awkwardly side by side for a moment, but that wasn't very comforting at all and Loki finally said: "I suspect neither of us can do this as well as my brother, but it will probably be better than nothing. Here:" He manhandled her onto her side, spooned against her tightly, and slid an arm around her waist. "How's that?"

She nodded, and fumbled for his hand to lace their fingers together. "It's good, thank you. I'm worried, Loki. And I don't even know what to be afraid of. What's happening?"

"Nothing," he said firmly. "Nothing yet. It starts slowly. At least it did for me." He felt her tense a little, so he swallowed down his own doubts and started lying. "In any event, he'll be fine. You know there's not a thing in all the realms that could break Thor. We'll have him back in plenty of time. He'll laugh at us for having worried."

She squeezed his hand, and relaxed against him. "Truly?"

"Of course."

"But you are worried."

"Perhaps a little. But my mood is at least as much exasperation as worry; Heimdall was stubborn and you know how I hate being thwarted. I'm fully confident about retrieving Thor in short order. Now don't think about... any of it. Just go to sleep. I've got you."

Before long she actually did, and her deep even (quiet!) breathing was marvelously lulling. The next thing he knew it was morning.

TBC.

Ach sorry, this turned out to be longer than I was expecting, and we didn't actually get to Thor. But we will in a second.

And don't worry, I am not going to pair Loki and Sif. Blrgh.