Loki watched as Thanos backed up into the shadows on the other side of the room.

"I have no time for this right now. You take care of this one." He growled. In the dim lighting of the room, Loki could see the Other nod at Thanos's orders. "Oh, and another is coming. His brother, I can sense his presence from across the meadow. Take care of it."

Loki's heart nearly stopped: Thor? What was he doing? How did he know Loki was there? Why was he coming, didn't he know that Loki went here alone for a reason?

With a billow of wind and gathering of fog around the room, Thanos's presence was no longer there. Where he went or how he did it, Loki did not know. His mind was still on his brother.

"Hmmm… It appears he is right. Someone else will be joining us tonight Laufeyson." The Other hissed.

"Wait, you promised you wouldn't hurt him… any of them. I'm here that's all you need, you said it wasn't in your plans to go that far yet…" Loki managed to say so quickly that it all sounded like one long sentence. Of course Loki knew that they didn't care for their promises, but still…

"No, he will only be accompanying us tonight I think." The Other said as though he was thinking. Loki knew he was playing with him, trying to manipulate him. He wasn't going to make Thor stay was he? Leave my brother out of it, just let him go…

Once again, Loki was startled by a sudden breeze that picked up around the room as well as a loud wooshing sound. With a wave of his hand, the Other had lit up every torch around the room. Fire burst in various parts of the room, lighting the dusty torches that were coated with spider webs. Loki could finally see the inside of the room well now, even if the lighting was still extremely dim.

Dust filled the air, kicked up from the wind that the Other had created. The walls around him varied from some time of aluminum to plaster in some places. There were cracks of all sizes running up and down the walls of the room and there was dust everywhere. Cobwebs blew around in the breeze from the Other's magic. They hung everywhere from ceilings to the railings rimmed the circular room. The ground all around was concrete that also had coats of dirt and dust covering its surface. The ceiling was a type of metal that curved up until it met the dome of glass. Most of the dome was shattered, the missing pieces of glass probably gone forever. The sky outside looked foggy and darker than usual, although the stars still shone brightly.

Loki remembered the two guards who had brought him in, but they seemed to have disappeared. He looked around the room wondering if they had left with Thanos. They didn't seem to be anywhere. Were they staying or was it going to be only the Other and Loki one on one?

"Now," The Other growled. Loki could see his face now, his mutilated face that would most likely be the face of his killer. His pointed teeth formed into somewhat of a menacing smile.

"Don't- don't bring Thor into this. I-" Loki tried again, but he was interrupted when he suddenly felt a searing pain in his chest. His body tensed up against the sudden feeling. All thoughts left, only leaving the presence of the pain. Loki would have doubled over it weren't for his restrains. He couldn't help but pull on his bindings though, the biting pain of the leather making matters even worse.

Loki couldn't think straight, and his vision faded before him. He hissed in a breath and clenched his fists. It felt as though his insides were being torn apart, a knife stabbing him all over again and again. He felt a burning sensation as well all at the same time and an explosive pressured burst of the same feeling when you break a bone.

He squeezed his eyes closed and tried to focus, but couldn't. The only thing he refused to do was cry out. It had only been a couple seconds, but it felt like an eternity. What's happening to me?

Finally the pain lifted, leaving Loki panting. He was only standing because of his wrists holding him up while tied above him. He could feel a trickle of blood run down his forearm from the cuts in his wrists. He shakily supported himself on his feet again, but still kept his head hung low. His breathing wasn't slowing no matter how hard he tried to contain it. He was shaking all over and felt weaker than he had ever felt before.

Carefully, Loki opened his eyes and stared down at the concrete beneath him, focusing on a small crack that was a few inches long. What was that?

Loki heard the faint chuckling of the Other ahead of him, causing Loki to look up even though it hurt him to do only that now. The Other was smiling wickedly at him, a smile that sent chills down Loki's spine and made every part of him ache. The Other's hand was stretched out towards Loki, a basic movement that told Loki that it had been the Other's magic who had done that to him. But what kind of magic could do that to a person? Definitely nothing Loki had ever learned. It had been without question the worst pain Loki had to have ever felt.

"I don't like to be questioned, Laufeyson. Do not request the wellbeing of your brother to me. It was only you who could have led him here." snarled his enemy. The Other pulled his hand back and tilted his head as he walked around the room, passing close to where Loki was tied up.

"You look confused. I'm surprised you didn't know what hit you. Most people are a little manipulated after their first time with Black Magic though."

Loki looked at the Other. Black Magic? He thought that was only a legend. In old stories, only the most powerful of the evil sorcerers could master the "Black Magic". It was the worst of all magics, powerful enough to nearly kill someone through the unimaginable pain both mentally and physically. Loki began shaking once again against his will. This was only going to be worse than he thought.

"Anything else to say?" The Other asked, looking over at Loki. Loki refused to look back, so he looked down at the ground again. He focused on the concrete and not the situation he was in. He tried to clear his mind but thousands of thoughts were running through it.

"That's what I thought." The Other grimaced. "I believe our guest is just about here."

~X~

Thor raced through the meadow even more furiously now. He had just gotten into the meadow when Forestille had come bounding toward him. She seemed slightly confused, but stopped nudge Thor's horse. She continued on towards the city though. He knew that Loki had most likely told her to go back. This only worried Thor more. He had snapped the reins and hung on as him and his horse raced through the stretching land.

As of that moment, Thor was now getting close enough to the observatory to see that there was a small amount of light shining inside. The flickering lights of fire lit up the entrance of the old building as Thor got closer. He pulled his horse to a stop, the jolting of the sudden change nearly throwing him off his steed.

Thor had no hesitations as he hopped of his horse, the crunch of dead grass sounding beneath his feet. He tightened his grip on Mjolnir's cold handle, the grooves in the metal pressing against his palm. Okay, I'm coming Lo.

Before Thor could even take on step though, he heard the rustling by the entrance of the observatory. Thor held his hammer up above his head and began carefully walking towards the source of the sound. He squinted in the night, trying to see anyone who may be hiding out there. Was it Loki? Who was inside?

Thor took another step, cringing at the crunch of leaves beneath his feet. He kept going however, growing more anxious as he anticipated an attack at any second. It was making him even more nervous that he could see anyone from where the sound had come from. Had the sound even come from that direction? Thor was pretty sure of it, unless someone was playing mind tricks on him.

Thor was only five feet away from the edge of the observatory now, and no one was in sight. The only sign of life was the slight flickering light coming from somewhere inside the building. Thor sighed and carefully lowered his arm. Seeing that he was finding nothing, Thor decided to just carefully move into the observatory. That one moment where he let his guard down though, was the moment he deeply regretted. In that second, he was pounced on from behind.

Although Thor couldn't see them or even tell how they got to sneak up behind him, he could tell that there were two people behinds him, grabbing his arms and the back of his cape. He cursed his stupidity as Mjolnir fell out of his grasp. He tried to reach out for his weapon to come to him, but his arms were restricted by the grasp of whoever was imprisoning him. No, no, no… I need to get to Loki. Where is Loki?

"Where is my brother? What have you done with him?" Thor struggled against the restraining forces keeping him still. Thor knew that these… these creatures weren't people as much as some strange race that was incredibly strong. Thor's first instinct was to think they were elves with their intense strength, but the skin of the creature was weathered, more like frost giants. Thor could admit that he didn't know what the "things" were.

Either way, they didn't answer his questions, but instead they pushed him into the entrance of the observatory, leaving Mjolnir sitting alone in the night which Thor had one last glance at before he was enclosed in the worn walls of the building. He was being half-dragged, half-guided towards the source of the light which seemed to be coming from the very middle of the observatory. Thor knew that the big circular chamber with the domed roof was there. Was that where his brother was?

Thor felt a pain in his chest at the thought of what may be happening to his little brother right then. All of the bad things Loki had done in the past couple months seemed to disappear from Thor's mind. The only thing he could think of was his brother and his safety. He would protect Loki no matter how many times anyone told him that he couldn't be trusted. He was still his brother whether everyone liked it or not.

The walls opened up into the room, and the very first thing that Thor saw made his heart clench up into a tiny ball that constricted his breathing: Loki was bound to some sort of concrete material, some cloaked figure standing in front of him. Thor couldn't see the figure's face that stood across the room from Loki; only his smiling rows of pointed teeth that looked like they could tear through Thor in seconds. The smile wasn't friendly either. It was one that told Thor that he didn't walk into some tea party, this wasn't good.

The creatures holding Thor yanked him right in the threshold of the room. Thor's eyes wandered to his tied up brother who looked up at him with eyes that verified that nothing was okay. Even from ten feet away, Thor could tell that Loki was shaking and his breathing was fast and heavy. His face looked terrified, making him seem a lot younger. Thor himself knew that his face probably mirrored his brother's.

"Loki?" Thor said, turning a questioning worried gaze on his brother. Loki bit his bottom lip but didn't say anything. He stared into Thor's eyes with his familiar green ones. In that moment Thor saw his little nine year old brother in him, tied up and looking defeated and hurt. That was his brother.

"Wha- What are you doing to my brother? There- there has to be some misunderstanding." Thor stuttered. Loki looked down at the ground, looking like he was expecting something to suddenly just burst out. He cringed like suddenly the figure would lash out.

"No, no misunderstanding. You see, he is to be punished for his failure." the figure hissed in a voice that sounded like a snake.

Thor didn't know what he meant or was talking about, but he did hear a word that he knew meant trouble. Thor immediately knew that Loki hadn't come to join alliances in the dark side again, especially when he saw the trickle of blood that had run down Loki's forearm. The dark side was coming back to hurt him for him not winning over New York. It all made sense to Thor, except the part of Loki going along with it. Why was his brother willingly going with it?

"In fact," the cloaked man said as he slowly reached his hand out towards his brother. With a twist of his wrist, Thor watched in horror as Loki jerked where he was tied up. His brother squeezed his eyes shut and pulled on the ropes the bound him. Loki cringed back like he was trying to get away from something but couldn't. ", you're just in time." the man finished.

Thor frantically looked all around the room. How was the Other doing that? How was he hurting his brother?

Thor took no time to lunge forward by instinct. The two guards kept a firm hold of him, yanking him back. Thor continued to fight against them though, not know what to do. His little brother hissed in pain only causing Thor to freak out more.

No… no stop that's my brother… don't hurt Loki, don't hurt my brother. Was the only thing Thor could think as he desperately tried to free himself to get to his brother. It only made him more angry by seeing the smirk on the hooded figure's face as he did who knows what to Loki.

Thor felt his breath be taken away from him as he began to feel as helpless as ever. No one should ever have to just stand there and watch their brother be tortured. It was torture in itself for Thor to be able to do nothing about it.

It had only been about five seconds of Thor's struggling and Loki was already beginning to go limp. His brother's struggles ceased as he swayed. His eyes were slowly closing and Thor knew he was passing out.

Before Loki could though, the sorcerer pulled back his magic causing Loki to suddenly take in a deep breath. Thor stopped his struggling and was left there in the guard's rough grasp, panting after his hopeless efforts. He couldn't believe this was even happening. The very place that had symbolized the place where Loki and Thor played together as kids was the very place that he was watching his brother be tortured this very second. The pain of watching hit Thor's chest almost like physical pain.

Loki barely stood, mostly supported by the leather ropes around his wrists that cut into his skin. His head hung low, and he was shaking even more than before. He was gasping for air and shuddering against the concrete, trying to get far away from the man. Never in his life had Thor ever seen his brother look so defeated.

The torturer chuckled and walked around the perimeter of the room slowly as if he was displaying this as a show. He slightly smiled under his hood, making Thor want to rip open his torso to tear out his insides for hurting his brother and smirking about it.

"Poor little Loki…" he growled as he chuckled. Thor's breathing was fast and heavy as he grew only angrier. He stared at the man who was hurting his brother wishing that he would drop dead on the spot.

"He meant well at first, didn't you Loki?" he growled as he paced the room. Loki didn't respond, but only stood there as if his mind was somewhere else. The creatures cloaks swept behind him as he stopped in the middle of the room. "You were sick of being the less loved, the one left out and forgotten, the one who no one cared for. Isn't that right?"

Thor knew that the man was only playing with them, making Loki feel worse, slowly killing him mentally as well. Thor looked around without turning his head for something… anything that could help them. As the creature was distracted while talking, Thor took his opportunity to scan the area. There was nothing that would be remotely helpful anywhere in sight. Once again, Thor felt trapped as though his brother's life was depending on him to get them out of there. Would Loki come with him if he was so willing to be there in the first place? Why Loki? Why do you want to do this?

"Why does he want to do this?" figure questioned getting Thor's attention again. How had he done that? Could he see Thor's thoughts? He had to be careful what he plainly thought in his mind. He tried to keep ideas of escape buried back in his head.

It seemed as though the figure could see Loki's thoughts as well, for he had an answer.

The figure chuckled and got closer to Loki, making Thor jerk in the strong arms of his guards. He didn't want him getting anywhere near his brother.

"It seems that Loki doesn't feel that it will make a difference if he's gone. That he's even doing everyone a favor. Hmm… How neglecting have you been, Odinson, to lead him to get this far? To the point where he is doing everyone a favor by coming here willingly to die?"

Thor's insides turned and he froze, his eyes on Loki who motionlessly stared down at the ground. Everything seemed to blur as if Thor was in a dream. No, no that's not the real reason Loki's here is it? Does Loki feel that way?"

"Loki?" Thor barely whispered. His brother stirred just a little before lifting his head to glance at Thor with hurt eyes; eyes that told Thor that he did believe that. That Thor had led him this far into believing everything the cloaked creature was telling him now.

"It's not true, Loki! None of it!" Thor immediately said causing the guards to yank him backwards in effort to shut him up. "You're not doing anything to help anyone by doing this, please Loki!"

Loki looked at Thor with a worried look as the guards yanked him backwards once again.

"If your brother can't cooperate, I'll have to go back on my promise of not hurting him…" warned that figure. Loki's eyes went wide slightly as he looked at Thor in the eyes. His brother's gaze seemed to boar down into Thor's chest making a pang of guilt ripple through him. This is my fault… I should have been keeping a better eye on him.

"Thor…" Loki said in such a small weak voice that it barely even sounded like him. "Please just do as they say, you can go home…"

"No!" Thor shouted angry now. "I'm not going anywhere without you!"

Their communication was interrupted though when cloaked being rumbled in a low laughter. He looked from Loki to Thor and then back to Loki again. He smiled showing his crooked long teeth.

"Even after everything you have done, your brother still will fight for you even if you have done the opposite. It's touching, really…" He said to Loki who bit his bottom lip and looked away from both Thor and the figure. Strands of his dark hair that strayed from being slicked back hung over his face.

Thor felt pressure building up inside him. He knew that this might very well be the last time he saw his brother. They probably wouldn't even let Thor take the body back to bury. His best friend and brother that had stuck with him for their entire life had such a small amount of time.

Desperate once again, Thor tried to find a solution. The only thing he saw was broken pieces of the building that littered the ground. Then, Thor noticed something that was more important than just littered rubble: One of the creatures around him had slackened its grip on his arm enough that if Thor quickly snapped his arm out of its grasp, he could summon Mjolnir and pounce. There was such a small chance that it would work out the way Thor wanted to though. Still, Loki would die anyways even if he didn't try the plan. The trick was doing it at the right time.

~X~

Loki felt his wrists burning and the achiness inside of him. He felt as though he already was dead, the ropes being the only thing supporting him. Even though they rubbed against his wrists irritatingly, Loki just didn't have enough strength to stand. He felt like his consciousness was pulled from his body and he was just watching himself. Everything around him looked surreal as though it was in some dream, or nightmare in his case.

The Other had been playing with him, repeating everything that Loki had been thinking for more than just the last couple days, but every year since he had started noticing how Thor was favorite over him. Loki tried not to let the Other's words get to him, but they were basically his own thoughts. They were all true and Loki just accepted this. Why is this lasting so long? Just kill me and let Thor be… He was done with neglecting, he was done with always messing things up, he was just ready to finally have it all end.

He saw the Other suddenly rush in close to him and take him by the neck. Suddenly he wasn't able to breathe as he was forced to look up by the hand around his throat. The Other looked into his eyes, his own eyes wickedly gleaming like never ending darkness that faded into oblivion.

Loki's air was running shorter and shorter and despite how weak he already was, he struggled against the Other's grasp. He tightened his grip on Loki's neck and he couldn't help but make a choking sound as he tried to get air.

Loki hand't even noticed that Thor had been struggling again behind them as Loki was being choked by the alien. His vision was fading into darkness as white dots appeared at the edge of his vision. Loki felt the world around him begin to fade. His hearing became muffled and the burning in his wrists was slowly fading away with all of it. He couldn't think straight, but he could think of how good sleep would be right then. For a moment he forgot why he was even there or where he was. The only thing he wanted was to let the darkness take over him into a deep sleep.

His breath was finally back when the hand lifted from his thoat. His sight came back in one rush as well as his hearing. The room in front of him came back into view and his mind was once again reminding him of where he was. He doubled over and gasped for air, everything finally coming back to him.

"I told you to cooperate God of Thunder…" the Other said. Before he knew what was happening, Loki felt the same searing pain inside of him that he would dread forever. Everything went dark and blurry again. Loki felt the burn of the cuts in his wrists, the burning of the magic, the stabbing feeling in his chest, and every excrutiating feeling he thought possible. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, he could see. This is it, please don't worry about me, brother.

"No, Loki!" He heard a faint voice. "Okay, alright! I'll-" The sound of his brother faded out though and Loki wasn't able to hear the rest. The obvious presence of the Black Magic was still as clear as day, but everything else flew from Loki's consciousness. He was finally going to feel none of it. He'll never feel left out again. He won't feel tired or hurt or beaten. He just wanted it to all stop, he didn't care how anymore.

Before Loki faded with all of his senses into nothing, shouts suddenly reached his ears and he was once again brought back to the world. He heard the yells of fury from a group of people but everything was dark and he didn't know who it was. He tried to open his eyes but they felt so heavy. He wanted to go back under and sleep, so for that moment, he did.

~X~

Thor had yelled for the cloaked figure to stop hurting his brother and how he would cooperate, but he wasn't stopping. In front of his very eyes, Loki was dying from the magic that the being conjured on him. Thor couldn't stand it any longer. He had to act now.

Yanking his arm from the guards grasp, Thor held out his hand towards the entrance of the observatory. Luckily Mjolnir flew to hand in lightning fast speed before the guards could even react. Thor took it in his hand and swung it around into the guard's face who was still holding his left arm. The creatures screeched in anger and the figure yelled in frustration. He had two creatures suddenly coming at him, the other on the ground from the swing he already took.

Thor turned and tried to knock the other guard down as well, but it caught him by the wrist with an extremely strong grip. It began to twist Thor's arm into a painful position. Thor groaned and tried to break free of his grasp but every movement hurt. Finally he thought it through for a second and kneed the creature in the gut. It doubled over and backed up against the wall.

Thor smiled to himself: his plan was working.

He soon regretted his hope for his plan though when he whipped around to go for the leader. He had suddenly had a dagger in his hand it was gleaming with something that looked black and slick. Thor's eyes went wide and his stomach clenched as he saw the Other give him one last wicked gleam.

No no no no no no no no no, Please don't please don't… That's my brother…

Loki was just barely becoming conscious again. His green eyes that Thor had always loved so much just began to open again. They had always been the same since he was a baby. Suddenly Thor remembered Loki when he was little and he was tottering through the castle. Thor had been so happy to have a brother, someone to play with. Over his life, Loki had become so much more than that though.

Ever since he had been able to talk, Loki and Thor had been best friends. They did everything together. Anything that Thor wouldn't talk about to everyone else he would tell Loki. He remembered the late nights where one of them had a bad day and they would just sit and talk and be there for each other. Why had Thor taken him for granted? He had the best thing he could ever ask for in the world. He had a brother, a best friend, someone he could always count on. Thor had deeply misunderstood his brother. It was too late to go back now. The Other was already taking the dagger into ready position.

Everything after that seemed to go in slow motion. The worst part was that Loki was just waking up and didn't even know what was coming. Thor was too far to do anything even though he was already launching himself at the Other. Loki's confused face suddenly registered the dagger in the Other's hand. In that one second left, Loki looked over at Thor with a face that made Thor feel his throat closing up as he realized that he had failed his brother. He couldn't protect him, he just couldn't get there.

In no time it seemed, the dagger was being hurled through the air. The black tip soared through the air at the same time that Thor finally reached the Other, flinging himself at him with everything he had even though it was too late.

Thor was expecting the impact of a strong body to knock down, but in less than a second with a swirl of fog, the Other had escaped. All of them just disappeared in a gust of wind that took the torches out as well. Thor soared through the air that was now in the place of where the Other used to be. He fell to the ground and rolled before jumping up.

Smoke accented the air from where the torches used to be lit. The only light was the starlight and the nebulas in the skies. The glass above Thor's head gleamed in the night light. Thor didn't pay attention to that though. The only thing on his mind was getting to Loki who had his head hung low with a pained expression on his face. Thor was confused at first; where was the dagger? Then with a pang of horror Thor noticed the black handle that blended in with the color of Loki's clothes. It had struck him right under his ribs.

Thor took a shaky breath as he reached Loki and looked around for something to cut the leather with. He stopped looking when he remembered how Loki had knives strapped around his bicep. Thor reached for them and easily took one out. He took no pauses or hesitations to go at the ropes. He first cut his ankles loose. He then sawed through the leather to free his first wrist, then the second.

Although he was expecting it, Loki collapsing happened faster than Thor thought it would. His brother instantly shrunk to his knees before completely collapsing. Thor managed to fall to his knees as well so he could get an arm beneath Loki before his head hit the concrete.

Thor sat back on his heels and carefully pulled Loki up so he could hold him close. Thor wrapped and arm around the back of Loki's shoulders to elevate the top half of his body as he pulled him close. Loki's eyes flickered open halfway and then shut again. He groaned.

"Thor?" Loki said. His voice was barely audible and weak beyond recognition.

"Yeah, I'm here Loki."

"I'm sorry." This was barely a whisper now.

"Loki, if you're not strong enough to speak then save your energy." Thor said. He spotted the dagger and began to carefully move his hand towards it. He wanted to see how much blood was already drawn so he could decide whether to take them both back on horseback or to just carry Loki.

"Stop!" gasped Loki, startling Thor. "It- the knife… It's a poisoned blade."

These words put a knife itself through Thor. Oh no, Loki…

Thor retracted his hand just as Loki barely lifted his hand to the handle. He shakily took it in his hand.

"No! Loki don't pull-" but Loki already pulled it out and tossed it aside with a metallic clank. "That's just going to make it bleed more. I still have to get you on a horse to get you home… I-"

"Thor…" Loki tried to interrupt. Thor just ignored his protests though.

"I could just carry you home maybe. Or I could-"

"Thor!" Loki said more firmly. Thor stopped and looked down in his brother's eyes that looked duller than usual. His face was already draining. Even in the darkness Thor could tell his brother was fading away. "You and I both know that this is the end for me."

"No… No stop we…"

"Thor?" Loki interrupted again. He wasn't looking at his brother though, more up at the sky through the glass dome.

"What?"

Loki turned his gaze back on Thor. In the starlight Thor could see that his eyes were rimmed with tears.

"I- I really am so sorry."

"I know Loki." Thor managed to say. "I am sorry too. I should have realized that you needed me to be there for you and I wasn't."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Oh please, you don't have any reason to be sorry. I-" Loki choked off the last part of his sentence. He looked over Thor's shoulder for a moment as he tried to regain himself.

"I- I've been such a bad brother, Thor…" Loki said, his face looked hurt and confused and guilty at the same time. He looked up at Thor, a tear already rolling down his face which he quickly wiped away. "Thanks for being such a good one even after all the things I've done. I didn't mean for it to get this far. I tried to kill you… kill you, Thor!"

"Loki, it's…"

"No! It's not 'okay'! Why do you still care for me? Why would anyone care for me?"

Thor shook his head slowly. He could feel tears sneaking up on him as he tried to explain. "Loki, you're my brother. I'll love you no matter what I do, whether I like it or not."

Loki looked at him, his eyes becoming misty once again. "This is for the best Thor." He said quietly.

"No it's not! Loki, I need you! You're my brother…" Thor choked out. He was shaking as he realized how Loki was accepting his fate.

Loki chuckled sadly. "You'll do fine without me." There was a pause as Thor tried not to let the feeling in his throat choke him on the spot. He felt a tear roll down his face as he held his dying little brother. It wasn't fair. Why did he have to be holding his dying baby brother? He saw the little Loki there in his brother now. For a second Thor saw himself holding a little kid Loki who was dying in his arms instead, his body becoming limper with every second that passed.

"You're going to have a great life without me Thor." Loki whispered. He paused and looked at something that wasn't there as if he was seeing Thor's life without him. The words sent knives through his body. "You're going to live happy life where you become a great king. You can do it you know. You'll made a great king and someday you'll be as respected and wise as father. You'll protect the lives of thousands and you can have kids of your own maybe someday. And you and Jane will take good care of each other. Someday I suppose you'll forget all about me, Thor. I won't be of any importance, that's how I want it to be."

More tears spilled down Thor's cheeks as he had even the slightest thought of his life with Loki dead.

"No, that's not true. You're going to be alright, come on we can get back to the palace and-" Thor tried to lift Loki but his brother hissed in pain.

"Thor there's no hope for me. This was my decision."

"But why?"

"With me gone, think of how many lives can be saved. I won't bother you or father anymore. Besides, if I hadn't come they wouldn't have unleashed their wrath on you, father, and everyone in Asgard." Loki told him. The sickening thought of Loki thinking he "bothered" his family made Thor feel incredible guilty. Is that how Loki thought they felt of him?

Suddenly Loki inhaled a sharp breath. He squeezed his eyes shut. "It hurts…" He managed to breathe through the pain.

Thor held him closer and took his brother's hand in his. He was suddenly reminded of how he held their mother as she died as well. Half of his family would be dead, gone.

"Loki, please don't leave me. Don't leave me when mother already has… Please hold on." Thor begged his brother. His body was shaking now as he saw the face of Loki become at peace as he started to go limp in his arms. Loki looked up into Thor's eyes one last time. He scanned Thor's face and just barely smiled sadly.

"You'll have a good life…" Loki said again. His smiled faded and his face became peaceful once again. Loki slowly closed his eyes. He opened them once more again to see Thor one last time. Thor took in a shaky breath as Loki said in a soft voice before closing his eyes again, "I love you Thor."

Loki's hand went completely limp in his own. Loki's entire body went limp, only causing Thor's body to start shaking as he suppressed sobs for his brother.

"L- Loki?" Thor managed to choke out. He gently shook his brother's shoulders but got no responds. "Loki?" Loki didn't move or respond to Thor. Even though Thor knew that he never would, he kept trying to wake his brother. He had never felt so alone. How did they get to this point in only two months? Only two months ago he was happily fighting alongside Loki and living with him as though nothing would ever get in their way. Things had changed so much, so much.

His brother's peaceful face was illuminated from the light that poured in from the glass dome above them. He looked like he could have been happily sleeping, but Thor knew that wasn't the case. Loki would never wake again. Thor would never see his eyes again, he would never hear his voice again, and he would never have the feeling of having a brother again. No, no this couldn't be happening.

"Loki, please don't leave me… Lo?" Thor tried again as he gave his brother a gentle one-arm squeeze that only shook Loki's dead body. His brother, his little brother who he was supposed to protect… "Loki… Loki!"

Thor felt tears fall down on his arm as he bent over his brother's body to press his forehead against his. His body was as cold as ice. His face was drained and gray. Loki's left hand was bent over his chest and his right was still held by Thor. His face didn't look hurt or sad. Loki looked more serene than Thor had seen him in a while.

Thor sat alone in the middle of an abandoned, dark building with his brother lying in his arms who he held so closely to him like holding him closer would save him. But Loki couldn't be saved. The only thing Thor could do was have his brother in his arms… dead.

~X~

Jane stood by Heimdall with Odin, Darcy, Selvig, and Fandral. They had been informed that Loki had run away to do some task that he was most likely not coming back from. Heimdall had found the King who had notified the four of them who he could find the most quickly. Heimdall was closing his eyes trying to see if he could find out what was happening.

Apparently Thor had taken off after Loki as soon as he knew he was in trouble. Jane only wished she could have gone to help. Throughout the journey in the nine realms, she had really grown to like Loki. She hadn't actually known him when he was on an evil rampage, but when he wasn't, Jane truly liked him.

She watched Heimdall intently hoping for both of their safeties. She clenched her hands into fist as her chest tightened with the thought of what might be happening. Darcy put a hand on her shoulder startling her out of her thoughts at first, but she was glad Darcy was there.

Heimdall shifted his weight all of the sudden and opened his eyes. Over the time that Jane had known the gatekeeper, she hadn't seen him show any signs of emotion at all. She knew it must have been bad if Heimdall now looked sorrowfully to all of them.

With slow movements, he shook his head and looked down at the ground. "Loki has passed." He said.

Jane knew she would be sad to hear this news, but she didn't expect to be so overwhelmed so soon. It had come out of nowhere, Loki leaving. Her eyes filled with tears which spilled over her face. She took a shaky breath and let her head drop onto Darcy's shoulder. Darcy wrapped her arms around her and rubbed her back while trying to comfort her.

From over Darcy's shoulder, Jane saw Fandral's face fall. His eyes too were rimmed with tears as he looked down at the ground and bowed his head. Odin looked like he had just frozen there. He stared into the distance as if he wasn't even with them anymore. Jane couldn't imagine the overwhelming sensation it must have been to know you have lost a mother or wife and a son or brother. Jane finally pulled back from Darcy who looked at her with a worried expression.

"I- excuse me…" Jane barely said as she turned and rushed up the stairs towards Thor's room. She felt like she would break down any second. After being though so many near death experiences and battles, Loki had begun to feel like a brother to her as well.

Once in Thor's room, she quietly shut the door and collapsed on the bed. She shook with stuttering breaths as she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them. She wondered how on Earth she would be able to comfort Thor when he got back.

~X~

` Thor had been holding his brother's dead body for about three minutes. Those three minutes felt like they dragged on for eternity though. He didn't want to have one second where he had to hold his dead brother. His limp form hung heavily against Thor's arm. Thor's body shook with shaky breaths as he just watched his brother's face that would never see again.

Thor looked down at Loki's hand that was bent over his chest where his wound was. Thor shakily reached over to move his arm to cover his heart with a fist like they did to honor the dead. Thor never thought he would be doing it to his own brother so soon though. With his hand over his heart, his little brother looked like a silently fallen warrior of Asgard. He could already imagine him in his casket, his friends and family gathered around him wondering what went wrong so fast.

Loki's face was illuminated by a light shade of blue that flooded in from the roof above them. There was another light shining on his lifeless face though. It was a gold-yellow color that swirled like it was magic. Thor looked at the light on Loki's face, confused. Where was it coming from?

Thor traced the light down Loki's chest to his wrist. Hidden under his sleeve, a bright light glowed. Thor's heart suddenly skipped a beat: his mortal band.

A memory abruptly rushed in on Thor. It was of him in New Mexico. The Destroyer had basically killed him, but in the niche of time, he had regained his immortal powers. His gaining of his powers had literally brought him back from the dead.

Thor took a deep breath and tried not to get too excited. He lifted Loki so he regained support for him. Thor then hurried to gently pull Loki's sleeve back on his left arm. He was startled at first by the deep cuts and irritations on Loki's wrists. His focus was mainly on the band that circled his wrist though.

Thor took no hesitations to hold his hand outstretched over Loki's left wrist. The band beneath it swirled with life, or in Thor's case hope. Thor closed his eyes and focused as hard as he could. He remembered that it was his brother's life and it wasn't too hard to concentrate.

"Jeg elsker min bror." He said aloud. Thor kept his eyes closed and focused on what he truly wanted for few seconds after just in case. He opened one eye first to see that the band was slowly dissolving. Thor felt his anticipation grow as wind picked up around the two of them. Dust spun around that was kicked up from the wind. Leaves blew in from outside and spun in patterns around Thor and Loki.

Thor didn't take his eyes off of his brother's face though. So far to his dismay, nothing was changing. His face was still lifeless and gray. The wind picked up to a pretty powerful speed, whipping Thor's hair around him. It soon began to die out though.

"No, no… Come back…" Thor whispered, frustrated. His last hope for Loki was also fading away like everything else. He was glad he didn't lose all hope though. The wind soon stopped altogether. And Thor looked down at his brother, sorrow overcoming him once again until a moment Thor would never forget happened.

Loki suddenly gasped a shaky breath.