Awakening

It's summer, the second day of summer….it's surreal to me at the moment. If I can't even believe it's break, how am I supposed to believe that I own anything?

Tony's POV

I had to admit, Mortem showing up had made things a lot easier. I stayed far away from the…things…that he had recruited, as the cloaked ones caused the abyss in my mind to creep closer. But besides that, they were really helpful. Barton and I were communicating to each other swiftly, giving each other targets and tips during the battle.

However, that didn't mean that things weren't getting intense. More and more of the creatures were bursting out from the portal, at alarming speeds.

"Sir," Jarvis said as the energy signature of the portal increased once again.

Flipping around backwards, I glanced up at the Portal to see two more of those turtle-whale things slither through.

"Crap," I muttered to myself as I blasted another Chituari in my anger. "Guys, I think it's time we get that portal shut down!'

Screw waiting for Pen, Hel and Mortem were already here and things were going to just get worse. That portal needed to be closed, before we could accomplish anything.

I almost froze, and I swore that my heart stopped as a soft, but powerful voice echoed through the com.

"That, shall not be a problem."

A histyrical laugh burst from my lips and if it hadn't been for Jarvis, I would have fallen out of the sky.

Pen was back…

Oh god my baby girl was back!

"Glad you're back," I stated into the com, ignoring how my voice almost cracked. I wished that I could fly over to where Jarvis was picking up her signal and hug my little girl, but now wasn't the time.

"Happy to be back." Penny replied, and I could tell that something was different…it wasn't like her voice changed or anything…it was more like there was an undercurrent of power beneath her voice that hadn't been there before.

I watched as Penny's blue dot on my man vanished for a moment, before reappearing on the other side of the battle.

"Sir, it seems that Miss Penny isn't the only one making a reappearance." Jarvis stated with a touch of happiness as I noticed that Bruce's tracker was rapidly approaching the grounded Avengers.

"Right on time, Bruce." I muttered to myself before rotating and dodging another Chitauri blast. Ok, these aliens were really starting to piss me off.

"Stark, you were right…Banner's here." Romanoff's voice echoed across the com, and I wondered if they had even heard Pen…

I shook my head, that didn't matter.

Everyone who needed to be here was, except Insania but I hadn't really expected her to show either way. Now we could deal with Loki and the Tesseract.

Then I was going home and not letting Pen out of my sight for the next year.

Or two.

Penny's POV

My bright green eyes seemed to burn into the dreary city around me as I gazed down at the chaos in distain. Sure, the Demons and Dementors were killing Chitauri almost faster than a mortal could see, but that didn't mean that their presence wasn't a problem.

This is my Realm, my home and this time…this time Fati had gone too far. Her energy hung like a putrid smell in the air, and I wanted to burn it away, until none of it remained.

I gazed across the city, and watched as Loki and Thor threw themselves at each other once again. The sky around us crackled with energy, causing my Core to hum and my own Sparks to soar.

My own body was a thunderstorm of energy, my Sparks and my Immortal powers fighting, pleading to be used. There was a hidden touch of something else beneath the two, something quieter, more patient…more ancient. I was curious as to what this power was, but now wasn't the time to discover it.

With a flash of our Bond, Mortem appeared by my side. He kept his arms to himself, but his mind wrapped around my own in confert. We would need our strength to face Fati, and I was glad that he was there with me; as he always had and always would be.

"Now and for eternity, love." Mortem's voice echoed through my mind and I gave him a fond smile before focusing on the battle at hand.

"Thank you," I spoke aloud, my voice drifting along like the wind as it practically vibrated with power. "But I'll take it from here, my Bonded."

"Of course, love." Mortem nodded and our eyes connected for a moment before he vanished, returning to his own Realm. Only a few Reapers were left in the city, and those were present for business, so I let them be.

Hel's presence was the only thing keeping the Demons and Dementors in line, so Mortem let her stay.

I took a deep breath, and suddenly my power exploded across the city, just as Mortem's was dispersing. The clouds in the sky brightened, and light silver mist overtook the scene. The air brightened, and most of the Dementors' energy was pushed back within them. Sure, their dark presence had been lessoned because they were leashed, but I suppressed it even more. There was no reason for any of the humans, or even the Avengers, to be put at such mental risk.

Dad definitely didn't need it.

I let go of the firm grip I had on my mind, and let my Duties roll through me. My Soul expanded, and I knew that in that moment, Fati knew I was there.

Yes, I needed to deal with my Sister, but first…first I was going to set her puppet free.

"Loki…little Loki," I sighed sadly, my voice echoing verbally and mentally on the wind through the city. "So enshrouded by darkness, so tangled up the in webs of the master weaver. What allowed your barriers to break so? What crack was she able to slip through?"

My words confused many, and I saw both Asgardians freeze as they heard my voice.

"Tell me not that my teachings have gone forgotten." I spoke softly as I walked closer and closer to the Tower; I vanished and reappeared on the building across from it. Just because I didn't like playing Fati's games didn't mean I didn't know how.

For my words were true, I had long ago taught my once godsons and honorary nephews how to keep themselves safe from most mental influence, I had been very specific in that teaching. Trying to keep the young Asgardians safe from Fati's meddling's, for this very reason.

Though I had not been with them for many centuries, I still remembered sparing with the small boys, teaching them magic and blacksmithing. I remembered pranking Odin with them, and I remembered dying in Loki's small arms.

It had not been a pleasant death, it was actually one of my worst, and I could only imagine how it must have scarred him.

"I do not wish to be disappointed in you." I continued as I vanished in a swirl of power one more time, and reappeared only feet away from my grown boys. "And I am glad that I have not a reason to be."

Staring at the blue eyes of Loki my heart ached. Loki's heart had always been vulnerable, as many in Asgard cast him aside, mocked him, and tormented him even at an early age. When I had been there, I had been his shield to the world. I had tried to teach him, and now, gazing at the man before me. I knew that my teachings hadn't saved him from a life of torment and shadows, but it had allowed him not to embrace those shadows.

My hood was up as the two stared at me in shock, and the blue in Loki's eyes battled with green. I was surprised, if just seeing me could get Loki to fight the control, perhaps I could help him break it?

"Aequivalere," Thor breathed with a small smile as he bowed his head in respect. He pronounced my name the same as it had been the last time I was in Asgard. He spoke it with a long "I" in the beginning instead of a soft "ah" sound, though the "E" sound at the end was still the same.

When the boys had been young, they couldn't pronounce my name, so I was simply E're (Pronounced like airy, but with a slight "e" sound) to them; and it stuck. Mortem tended to call me it when we were alone.

Thor didn't seem surprised to see me, but he had always been bright, I wasn't surprised that he had put together the clues.

Loki was still in the midst of a mental battle with the Tesseract, and by extension Fati, but I could see the recognition in his eyes. Though I had been his godfather and honorary uncle, if anyone in Asgard was honest, I was more like his father.

"Ah-quivalere now, Thor," I stated softly, correcting his pronunciation. "Though I am still E're."

Thor nodded and suddenly, with a blast of magic, the green was banished from Loki's eyes and I swore that I saw Loki's eyes flash purple for just a moment.

"Loki," I said coldly as I turned towards the controlled man. "You and your master have disrupted the Balance, and brought chaos to my Realm."

I knew that Dad, and possibly the other Avengers could hear me, but I didn't really care. I could do damage control later.

"What do you and your master have to say for yourselves?" I asked, though I knew that it was useless, with my Sight I could see that Fati's dark purple tentacles had already ensnared Loki's Soul, as well as the bright blue of the Tesseract.

It was suffocating Loki's bright green Soul; and that angered me.

Loki sneered at me, and I knew that it wasn't the boy I had once called my own.

"The humans will bow to me!"

Shaking my head my voice rang hard and cold through the air, "Then so be it."

Raising my hand to the sky, the Hallows Rings glittering in the light, I pushed my Sparks and Immortal power together.

Thor sensed the danger and barely managed to jump clear of the building as with a surge and a loud bang of thunder, a lightning bolt the size of the Tower itself struck down around me.

Hey, short again, but eh, I don't really care. I'm updating and that's what I care about. Hope you're enjoying it, I'd love to hear ideas if you all have any.

Thanks for reading,
Cp