Author's Note: Hello! Just know that I will be updating my PoTC fic soon. Going to work on bringing my other fics over on ao3 so those readers can read them too.
Enjoy! :)
Tony threw himself onto the bed and breathed in the comforting scent of his own home. Finally back in his own tower after so long, he couldn't possibly be any more ecstatic than he was now. The only thing missing was Loki, but he trusted Thor to do what needed to be done. His enjoyment was short lived however when he heard JARVIS' voice over his head.
"Sir, you have an incoming call from S.H.I.E.L.D.," his AI informed him. Tony groaned shaking his head.
"Ignore it, J. Or better yet, tell whoever it is that I'm not in," he said. There was a moment of silence as JARVIS relayed the message.
"Sir, I am afraid they are attempting to bypass my security protocols. I do not think-" Tony rolled his eyes as the voice of Nicholas J. Fury suddenly began to sound in his ears.
"Stark, I've been trying to contact you for several hours now," the director said, sounding extremely annoyed. Tony lifted his head and glared at the ceiling.
"What do you want Nick? I'm a very busy man with people to do and places to see." Tony told him, trying to retain some of his old charms. There was a moment of silence before he heard Fury's voice again.
"Stark, I think you know what I'm calling you about," he said. Tony grunted as he got out of bed. He allowed one hand to run through his hair while the other absently scratched his stomach. He stretched, making his way into the kitchen. He felt an awkward moment of self-consciousness when Fury's face suddenly appeared on one of the glass panels on his wall.
"What the actual fuck? Do you have any idea how creepy that is? And how did you get access to the visuals? I've got the top security on this planet," he said. If Tony didn't know better, he'd say the director was sneering at him. He instantly began to think about Loki again.
"You're not the only technological genius out there Tony, and trust me when I say S.H.I.E.L.D. makes it their business to keep track of all of them in case they're needed." Tony scoffed, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.
"Well do you like what you see?" he asked, turning around and flexing his muscles. By the look on Fury's face, he could tell the man was not amused in the least. Tony gave no fucks whatsoever. He stared into the man's remaining eye without fear. Maybe a little bit of unease, but that was it.
"What the hell did you do Stark?" he demanded, getting straight down to business. Tony shrugged.
"No idea what you're talking about, sir." Fury sighed tiredly.
"I assume you heard about the security breach?" the director asked. Tony nodded.
"Kinda hard not to. I was there when the whole building went into lockdown. I was trimming my beard at the time. Don't you know how hard it is to groom properly in the dark? Of course you don't. Thank goodness for all those years of experience from my blackout days, but I do not miss them," he said with a chuckle. Fury stared at him, once again completely unamused.
"Well, then let me fill you in. It seems that Thor's had a change of conscience. He took Loki and we haven't heard from either of them since. When he returns, he'll have to explain a whole lot for his actions yesterday. Removing Loki from a secure facility when he hasn't even been cleared by the Council yet," he said, shaking his head. Tony choked on his drink.
"Well maybe that's the fucking problem," Tony told him, clearing his throat. Fury raised an eyebrow.
"Stark, watch yourself. Even if you are Ironman, you can still be put on administrative leave," the man said. Tony's brow furrowed.
"Contrary to popular belief, I actually was Ironman before you recruited me and I'll still be Ironman even if you let me go, if ever," he said.
"That may have been true before Stark, but according to our agreement, if we feel that you are not living up to the standards of S.H.I.E.L.D., we have any and every right to remove weapons of mass destruction from their previous owners. We've done it before, and we will not hesitate to do so now. You are expendable and you can be replaced."
Tony took a deep breath, feeling as if someone had just kicked him in the stomach and doused him with acid from head to toe. He resisted the urge to place a hand over his arc reactor as he felt his heart pulse unevenly just for a moment. Tony slammed his glass down, almost breaking it.
"You have no right to take my fucking suits," he growled. In the video feed, Tony saw Fury rose to his feet.
"We can if it's deemed necessary," he replied. Tony gave a pained gasp as he struggled to comprehend what he was being told.
"My suits are Stark technology. They are mine. You can't just take them. I won't allow it," the inventor said breathlessly.
"You don't have to allow it, Stark. If we see fit to confiscate items perceived as dangerous to the public, then we will do so and find someone else who can handle the weaponry properly," he said. Tony forced himself to swallow the forming lump in his throat, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.
"So that's how it is now? Huh? You recruit me, knowing full well that I'm not a very good candidate, that maybe I won't make the cut in the long run, just so I can mess up and you have an excuse to take my shit. Well, guess what One-Eyed Willy. You don't get to make that call. I'll destroy my suits and the blueprints before your people could ever get your hands on them," Tony threatened. Fury eyed him with mild annoyance.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Stark. S.H.I.E.L.D. is only looking out for the public's best interests," he said. Tony took a deep breath, trying to resist the urge to reach for alcohol in front of Fury.
"I think we've had a bit of a misunderstanding. How about we talk in person next time the Avengers have a debrief?" he suggested. Tony nodded, the feeling of rushing adrenaline slowing down. He had meant what he said. No one was going to take his suits.
A feeling of dread washed over him. He took a deep breath to calm himself like he'd heard about in the movies and felt his heart rate slowing down.
He had meant what he said, though. No one was going to take his suits.
Thor watches Loki watch Frigga. His brother is tense, ready to spring into action at any sign that their mother is in distress. He can practically feel the strain in Loki's muscles as he sits. It makes him uncomfortable just seeing. He decides to break this uncomfortable silence with something hopeful.
"Father says she will recover, given enough time," he assured his brother. Loki doesn't even spare him a glance.
"Odin doesn't know everything," he says quietly. He half expects the king to show up now and reprimand him, like when he and Thor were children. After a few minutes, his anxiety fades, leaving behind a sense of silent determination.
"When do we start?" Loki asks suddenly. Thor perks up considerably. This is the very answer he had been hoping for when he had taken Loki from Midgard. He suspects Loki is the only reason they were allowed back into the realm, though. Even if Loki was in hiding from those who wished to harm him, Odin still knew how much Frigga meant to him, and it would be cruel to keep him from seeing her no matter how briefly. Thor sighed, knowing the worst was yet to come. Thor leaned forward and spoke in a low voice.
"We must free Jane from where Odin has placed her and make our escape. As a result of the attack, there is still an abandoned Dark Elf ship down in the corridors. If we can get to it in time, we can use it to flee," he said. Loki eyed him incredulously.
"Are you mad? Do you know how big one of those things are?" Loki hissed back. Thor nodded patiently, waiting for Loki to continue his rant. He was not disappointed.
"We'd be caught before we even got to Heimdal. Think Thor! I know you love Jane, but being a reckless fool for a woman's sake is not the way it was in the past. If you get hurt, she won't come and kiss your cuts and bruises better the way mother did when we were children. At the very least, Jane will die and you and I shall be injured and exiled. Possibly even executed," he said, trying to reason. Loki frowned, realizing his choice of words was a bit off.
"Maybe not executed. We would still be princes of Asgard. But you get my point. Please tell me you do," he said desperately, staring wide-eyed at his brother. Thor had the audacity to smile, which angered Loki beyond belief.
"What the hell is the matter with you?!" Loki demanded, desperately trying to keep his voice low. He didn't want to disturb Frigga's much-needed rest. Thor shook his head.
"We will not be leaving Asgard by Heimdal," Thor told him. Loki paled considerably.
"Thor...you cannot mean to use the Tesseract, do you? Oh Norns, please no. If that is the case then you are more stupid than I realized and I should kill you where you sit to spare the realms from your very presence," Loki said in that same hissing tone. Thor sighed, reveling in his mere moment of glory. He would savor this moment and the look on Loki's face forever.
"No," he said, becoming a bit smug. He didn't care how he sounded at the moment, though. His excitement was almost too much to bear. He continued as calmly as he could.
"I will let you will handle the pathway in which we are to go to Svarlftheim. I remember you telling me of your own hidden passages as a youth, or am I mistaken?" he asked, smiling broadly. Loki's voice caught in his throat and he choked. A small 'yes' was all he could manage at the moment. Thor nodded. Loki could practically feel the satisfaction pouring off him.
"Sif, the Warriors Three, and myself will handle everything else. But I may need your help in freeing Jane. You know all the passageways of the palace and I think we will have need of them if we are pursued sooner than planned," he told his brother. Loki nodded once more, trying to recover his voice.
"Heimdal will provide the necessary distraction to keep Odin from crossing paths with us. After that, I'm sure everything else will fall into place as we go," he said.
Loki nodded silently, a bit stunned at the intricate plan Thor had formed. Usually, that was his job.
Steve stared down at his shield. He ran his fingers over the smooth vibranium edge, worrying it with the tips of his fingers. He didn't feel that he did the wrong thing when he let Loki and Thor go. In fact, he felt hopeful, but also fearful. If things were as serious as they seemed, then he could only assume that things would eventually spill over onto their side as well. His grip tightened and after a while, his hand began to hurt from the strain.
Steve let go of the shield, distantly hearing it clang against the floor. He took a deep breath and got to his feet. Steve knew he couldn't just keep this to himself. He had to warn someone of the impending danger. Hopefully, everyone would see the logic in putting off the fact that Thor had helped Loki escape and focus.
His hand lingered above his pocket, the faint outline of his cellphone resting against his hand. He suddenly didn't know who to call at S.H.I.E.L.D., if anyone. He shook his head and decided on the most obvious option.
"Tony, we need to talk," he said slowly. The inventor groaned on the other end of the line.
"Steeeve, I just got finished talking to Fury. I do not need another lecture from you church boy," he growled. The soldier disregarded his aggressive tone, barreling into the important part.
"Tony, can I come talk to you? To the tower I mean," he said. He heard Tony whine irritably into the earpiece.
"Now?" he exclaimed Steve sighed.
"Is that ok?" the soldier asked him. There was a muffled sound and a loud crashing on Tony's end. Steve waited with baited breath for a response.
"Is it that important?" he asked. Steve paused.
"It's about Loki," he answered after a long moment. He felt rather than heard the change in Tony's demeanor.
"I'll send a car for you. Just tell me where you are," the inventor said. Steve ran a hand through his hair.
"That isn't necessary. I have my motorcycle," the soldier insisted.
"A car would be faster, but if that's what you want, then ok." The call ended after that, and Steve took a moment to compose himself. It was times like these where he felt that there was a giant hole in his heart, preventing him from giving his all to his country.