Big thanks to everyone for sticking with this, even though its been slow and all who have faved, followed or commented. I swear I will finish this for you guys.

Not to participate, he was not to participate in the upcoming battle. The whole thing was his doing, his idea in the first place, how could his father tell him he was not to help fight? Once he had filled his father in completely on everything, Odin had ordered one of the guard to inform Tyr to ready the armies, to prepare for the up coming battle before stating that his youngest and the mortals were not to participate.

It wasn't sitting well with him and he wasn't exactly sure why, perhaps it was the fact that he felt a little as though he had built up this big mess and now others were to clean it up for him. Or the fact that his father didn't want his help in the battle and the thought that his father thought him weak or useless refused to stop lingering in the back of his mind. He hated the thought and he knew it was likely an age thing, youths were typically a little older before joining in on proper big battles. He was more the age for, hunting and small scuffles in taverns, but he was always cautious in battle an more than capable of holding his own.

"So, who is this Thanos guy? Is he known here in Asgard or something?" Clint asked, braking Loki from his thoughts. His attention turning back to the current conversation.

"I have not heard the name before, though it is obvious father has, perhaps he is an enemy of old." Thor shrugged back.

It was clear from his father's reaction when Heimdall had come in person to deliver news that the enemy had showed themselves. Playing straight into Loki's plans and opening a small window, a window that revealed to them a false weapons vault and gave Asgard's gate keeper a clear view of those who opened it. He may not have heard of this Thanos before but who ever he is mention of him had put his father on alert.

"Aye, and if this Thanos has father on such alert I am really starting to regret inviting this threat to our realm." Loki worried.

"Chin up buddy, if all else fails, as Avengers can always jump in and save the day." Tony laughed, giving the boy a slap on the back.

"If father is worried about this enemy, this is nothing to be joking about." Loki snapped back.

"Loki," Thor chided, "he meant only to lighten the mood. You are thinking on this too much , there is not an enemy Asgard cannot handle. You shall see we will be victorious, you have done the right thing in bringing this foe to light." He assured, giving his brother a clap on the back.

"Now perhaps you should show our friends to their quarters, I shall meet with Sif and the Warriors three to help prepare for the up coming battle." Thor said as he left the room.

"Thor is right Loki, I'm sure you are just over thinking things." Natasha smiled, she wasn't often one for handing out friendly reassurances, but Loki had really grown on her. "And we will be on stand by should we be needed."

"Very well, I shall try to stop thinking on the negatives." Loki relented, standing from his seat. "Come then I shall show you to your chambers."

"No need, I shall have a guard escort them." Odin's voice sounded as the man entered Loki's chambers.

"Father."

"I had hoped to have words with you." Odin stated as the Avengers quietly slipped from the room following the waiting guard down the hall.

Loki wasn't sure what to think when his father said he wanted to talk to him. Odin didn't look particularly upset, though that did nothing guaranteed the man wasn't here be cause he was angered by Loki's decision to invite this Thanos to there home. What if his father believed that he had been working with Thanos this whole time? That the two of them had planned it all.

"Perhaps we should take a seat?" Odin offered, watching with concern as his youngest stiffly mover to take a seat. The boy looked paler than usual. "Are you well, you look a little pale perhaps you are coming down with something."

"N-no, I'm fine. What did you need to speak with me about." Loki replied.

"It is not often I come to your room to talk with you, I realise I've probably caught you of guard. I felt I should perhaps clear a few things up, lack of communication has proven disastrous in the past." Odin reassured. As it dawn on him that it may have been his presence that was causing his son's unease.

"I wanted to make clear why I have decided to leave you from this battle." Odin said.

"Oh." Loki breathed, part of him wishing he had managed to slip out of the room with his Midgardian friends before his father had found him. His last talk with his father went surprisingly well and he wanted to believe the best now as well. But that didn't stop the part of him that feared he had disappointed the man.

"I take it mother sent you then?"

"I cannot get anything past you, can I." Odin shook his head with a smile. "She had worried I did not explain myself clearly, that you may have miss understood. And I cannot argue my wife as she is most always correct."

"Look-" Odin started, only to have Loki jump in over the top of him.

"I know I've made a huge mess of everything and I swear to you I had know idea I was inviting this Thanos to our realm. I don't know exactly who this Thanos is, though judging by the reactions of both Heimdall and yourself he is not someone you hoped to see here. I should have waited, held off until I had more information, knew more about the enemy."

"You certainly should not have. Playing The Other along until you were able to find out more about his master would have been foolishly dangerous. What if something had gone wrong, if they had found out you were to betray them, no one knew what you were doing or where you were. What you did was dangerous enough, Loki your mother and I have almost lost you several times now in past few years. I don't think you or your brother realise just how worried the two of us get whenever you put yourselves in harms way."

Odin admitted, leaning forwards in his seat to place his hand on Loki's shoulder. "That is why we do not want you in this upcoming battle. Not because I think you unable to defend yourself, or weak and not because I'm disappointed in you. If you were still older then we would be a lot more comfortable with you joining the fight. And while I do disapprove of how you went about this, you were right to draw the enemy out and away from Midgard. That realm had enough trouble trying to stop you and you weren't even fighting to your full potential, they would not have stood a chance against Thanos."

"We are lucky to still have you as we are," his father said taking a more serious tone, though Loki was sure he caught a hint of worry in it. "Working with Thanos is extremely dangerous and turning against him even more so. Your working with the Chitauri strongly suggests you were too working under Thanos. Which is all the more reason to be rid of this threat now, I've no doubt the attack in your cell that left you like this was by his order. He does not forgive failure, so as long as he lives you are not safe."

"Who is Thanos?" Loki asked, watching his father expectantly for an answer.

"Thanos is a threat from far before your time. A threat from a realm no more, a threat thought long gone. A titan after artefacts so powerful none should weird in battle, artefacts that should have stayed hidden. Though Asgard has yet to come across a threat we could not deal with." Odin stated, thought that was all he would reveal.

He did not want to trouble his son with unnecessary worry over the fight he had brought upon them. He was sure his youngest would fret, would likely plot in secret on some way to help out or insure Asgard the upper hand. A plan that would likely put him in harms way, as he has done in the past.

While he was proud that his sons always had each others backs in battle, they had a nasty habit of putting themselves in harms way, of risking there lives for each other. It was Loki that frightened him most in that retrospect, Thor couldn't help it, his eldest acted on instinct, acting before thinking. But Loki, Loki was another story, he had always been one to plan and think ahead. Which meant his youngest often knew exactly what he was doing, sees the risk yet puts himself in danger all the same.

The less Loki know the less likely he would feel the need to help. At least he hoped.

"The mortals are not confined to their chambers for the duration of their stay are they? They honestly did just want to help." Loki asked. Knowing he would not get any more information about Thanos from his father, though he was certain his father was holding back information.

"No, they are not, though the council fought hard to insure that they did. While they may not have follow proper procedure when coming here they have done a lot for you over the past few months and have proven themselves worthy friends to both you and your brother. So I feel it is only fair that they be treated as any other honoured guest staying in our realm." Odin answered, before adding. "Though they are to remain in their quarters during the battle, I will not have them in harms way."

"Thank you." Loki smiled, before leaning back in his seat with a put upon sigh. "You said earlier that it is mostly due to my current age that you do not want me on the battle field. That means even though I was an adult, or close enough to before, I'm going to have to deal with all the age restriction and fussing over because 'I'm still just a boy', won't I?"

"Naturally, and yet you make it sound like a bad thing." Odin laughed back, slapping his son on the back. "Though we may find a way to reverse things yet, I'm not so sure about the change in age, but Asgard's master sorcerer thinks he may be able to retrieve and return your lost memories. But we should deal with the upcoming battle before focusing our sights on anything else."

Odin finished before standing and heading for the door, turning to speak once more before continuing down the hall. "We shall dine for our evening meal in half an hours time, I have arranged to have your friends escorted to the dinning hall to join us."

Loki watched as his chamber door crept shut, closing with a loud click as his father left. He may be able to regain his memories, all those adventures and trips with his brother that Thor had so wished he still recalled, moments and memories his family held but he could not recall. It was great news... At least that was how he had felt when he had first heard his father's words, his chest had filled with excitement, though that had soon started twisting into something heavier. All the horrible things he had done, all the times he had hurt his family and all those feelings and emotions that drove him to do such horrid things in the first place. He would have all those back as well, and that frightened him.

What if it was too much, what if the bad out weighed the good? If he ended up losing himself all over again.

What if he wasn't strong enough.