"A person may be in love with someone until the end of time,

but if that person doesn't tell their feelings of love,

it will just be another person living a dream . . .

lost of true love."

-Unknown


Part 51


"Can someone please explain to me, why out of all of the qualified people, who could have protected Loki's cage, it had to be this guy?" Fury said pointing to Bruce. He woke up forty-five minutes after Loki's Houdini act, and his head felt like it was pounding. He didn't want to be at this meeting, but with all that went down, it was not something he could avoid. Loki is free and could attack at a moment's notice, and it happened because he couldn't stop Amora. "No offense doctor." He added as an afterthought at the end.

"None taken." Bruce said as usual, his voice slowly fading at the end.

"Bruce was there because of me." Tony quickly admitted before anyone else could bring any other questions or excuses to the table. "Seeing as how Bruce and Thor already know and Clint has figured some of it out I might as well just come out and say it." Tony inhaled deeply as all eyes fell on him. "In every possible sense of the definition I have been fraternizing with the enemy…well with Loki anyways." Tony looked to each person sitting around the table, trying to get a read on them. Bruce closed his eyes and tilted his head down which to Tony meant that now was not the time for this. Where everyone else had different variations of stern faces. "It started…I would say in beginning of June...Last year June…Not few weeks ago June." Now saying that got the attention his wanted, a few wide eyes, shocking glares. Yes, he could just feel the animosity in the room now.

"So let me get this straight Stark." Fury said, glaring at Tony incredulously. "For the past year you have been screwing around with Loki..."

"The actual screwing didn't start until a couple months ago." All heads in the room swiftly turned from Fury back to Tony, one third wide eyed in shock, another third looking at Tony incredulously, and the final third had varying shades of puzzlement. "Fine. You caught me. It started six, probably closer to seven months ago. But we are both adults and can make our own choices. But I can't guarantee either of us used protection. And if anything about our human stories of Norse mythology is right. Let's just take a moment to pray that Thor doesn't become an uncle." Tony continued sarcastically as if the team were his parents finding out their teenage son is in fact sexually active. Natasha rolled her eyes at his comment; the initial shock wore off where Bruce's hand once again meet his forehead and began shaking it slowly in disbelief. "See. This is why I only told Bruce and Thor my plan to begin with." Tony said sitting back in his chair. "I knew you guys would over react or under react in Natasha's case."

"You never actually told me you were having sex with the guy." Bruce spoke up quickly and little lights of realization hit both Steve and Thor, who were not completely sure what was meant by the word screwing. "If I knew that..."

"If you knew the whole truth you would have tattled on me." Tony said closing his eyes and resting his head back. "Besides if I didn't do what I had done, I never would have been able to make a machine to keep Loki trapped and powerless or temporarily render his magic useless in battle."

"Then enlighten us Stark." Clint spoke up bitterly. "Tell us why dogging Loki was the only way you could make your toy. A toy that is now possibly in HYDRA's possession. Along with Amora who happened to be the one in the little device you made and not the guy you were boning."

"I needed to get Loki to trust me. To spend time with me. Use his magic around me. And it worked. And it would have been problem solved if Amora wasn't involved." Tony said a tad too defensively. Despite most of the team being against him in this choice, he could never see it as wrong. A mistake. The only thing that did feel wrong to him was lying to Loki about what he did during that week he was gone. Part of him wanted to announce to the team that despite what he said, despite that being the original plan, it resulted in a relationship that was stronger and more real than any one he had before. But seeing as how they were not taking this well, he know he shouldn't pour the whole bottle of fuel on the flames. Instead, just enough to make his point. "As for the doggying." His eyes narrowed while looking at Clint square in the eye. Making sure he got his point across that he sees no foul play. That there were no qualms in his heart. "Technically, I didn't have to, but I just considered it a bonus." Tony finished with a quiver of sarcasm seeing as how he was still losing this fight. And probably, for once, would not win.

"Well she was, and now Loki has taken the only thing that can stop him." Fury butted in. "We all are on alert. Loki could strike again at any time, and this time, with HYDRA helping him. Since we don't know HYDRA's current base of operations our scanners will be on constant watch. So it's that or we need Ophelia to crack, but that way could take longer. Agent Romanova, I want you to work on getting any information out of her that you can." Natasha nodded her head in agreement and rose from her chair to go to the prison block. "As for you Stark." Fury's eye glaring in a way Tony had never seen it before. "You are on probation. We do need you to take down Loki. I won't deny that, but at the same time, what you have been hiding. Consorting with a universally known enemy. Your suit and technology privileges are going to be restricted."

Tony rolled his eyes, he has heard this before. Nothing new. "I think you're wrong Nick." Tony crossed his arms across his chest. "I have a constitutional right. And not even the government could take away my suits. So I don't see how you could do any better."

"You will be amazed Stark, what I am capable of."


Loki appeared inside the doors of the casino. He knew SHIELD would be watching him now and he will have to use every trick he knows to make sure that his ending plays out perfectly. The first act was going smoothly thus far, he just needs one thing before the second can begin. Heading towards the elevator, no one acknowledged the god in his mortal disguise. He had soft ginger hair and wore a grey pinstripe waistcoat with a cream oxford. Sure some of the facial structures are similar, but no one has recognized him yet, and the only people who know this face; well one is his captive now, and the other. He cannot think about him. Not now. Not that he is this far gone. That he forced the dream to end once and of all. And yet...no. He cannot have his doubts. Let his heart guide him. All he needs is his tongue and wit.

Entering the elevator, the employee stood by the buttons asking Loki what floor he wanted. Loki rolled his eyes, not this again. This is why he hated hiding his appearance around such petty creatures. They do not seem to appreciate his dramatic reveals as much at the Avengers do. Such a waste. "The bottom. And let's not play any games shall we." Loki said, as the doors closed and showed the guard who he really is. "And we needn't bother Red Skull. I don't want the spoil such joyous news of my visiting." The elevator man nodded his head quickly, and pressed the button, taking Loki to the hidden HYDRA base under the casino.

There were not nearly as many soldiers in the base as last time. Most were probably sent to that pointless battle. The battle that gained them nothing. Red Skull must be livid from such failures, which made it the ideal time to visit him. Much like Loki did at times; Red Skull was hiding behind his own mask. His human prosthetic face, black gloves. Why must they be the ones to hide in the shadows, while someone like Tony, gets to bask in the glory of the people. Tony. No he told himself again. Stop thinking of Tony. Now is not the time. Not that it will ever be.

"Your attack on SHIELD was most welcoming. Just the distraction I needed for my escape." Loki said smugly, seeing the stern look on Red Skull's face as he entered his office. No. Stern is too kind of a word. Red Skull looked livid. His eyes narrowed. Eyebrows furrowed. His hands clenching into a fist as Loki sauntered into his base so casually. Being ever so cheeky with him. Red Skull was murderous. "I brought you a gift. Consider it a peace offering." Loki waved his hand casually, and a decent size cage appeared in the large office. What Red Skull didn't know, but Loki and Amora knew well was he shrunk the cage. It now was a thin cylindrical tube with barely any walking space for Amora and the bench had vanished completely. "You had a spy in your midst. The Enchantress. Infiltrated your ranks on my request. She grew fond of what you had to offer and planned to betray me. But I do not wish to tarnish our relations. This cage was made by Tony Stark. It prevents magic from being used. Even against me. If it couldn't then Amora wouldn't be in there. Caged like a nightingale." Red Skulls eyes changed, intrigued by such a device. Loki knew he had his attention now, as a thin smile formed on his lips. "I will hand this cage and the Enchantress over to your care. But I do request a small favor in return. Something that could benefit both of us in our campaign against the Avengers." The cage and Amora vanished from sight. "If you help me, then all I have to offer is yours."

"I will listen to your plan." Red Skull said after a few moments of contemplation. "But if you go back on your word, I will not be so lenient again."

Loki took that threat with the grain of salt. As if Red Skull and his fools of footmen could ever take him down. He is a god. No one can defeat him. No one will. Not even Iron Man. But Tony Stark. That could possibly be a different story.


When Tony got back to the tower, he thought Fury needed to look up the word restriction. Jarvis informed him that the armors in Malibu have all been taken by SHIELD suits, and that most of his protocol was overwritten. In the tower the most access he had was to one computer and worst of all, it was running Windows. Tony thought that was worse than someone pulling his arc reactor out of his chest.

Instead of being allowed to fly back home to Malibu in one of his suits to see the damage done there, he had to be taken by one of his planes, with a babysitter no less. And Bruce, his preferred choice for that duty, was on probation as well. Confined to do any and all research at SHIELD. He was allowed to sleep in his own apartment at night without a gatekeeper, but was only allowed to visit Tony with supervision. Thor was allowed to return to Asgard and inform his parents of the latest antics of the youngest son, but no other punishment seemed to befall upon him.

Tony sat in his plane, Steve sitting across from him as they made the flight over to the west coast. SHIELD wanted Tony to stay at the tower for the time being, that way it would be easier to watch on him, but that was where Tony drew the line. If he was going to be forced into house arrest, at least let him be able to work on his cars. Then again after all that happened, does he really want to work on the car he was fixing up before the battle. His last connection to Loki. Yes he does. It's all he has left. The only reminder of who Loki really was.

"Tony." Steve finally spoke up, shattering the silence in the aircraft. It had been two hours and Tony hadn't said a single word.

"I would rather not talk to you about this Steve." Tony said as his eyes drifted to the window. Having Steve try to lecture or pep talk him, felt more like an obligation to Tony than anything else. Steve was close with his father after all. And he could tell Steve always tried to be nice to him because of that, but that's not what he needs right now. He just wants to see Loki again. Try to explain. Hold him. Kiss him. Let him know how much pain all this has caused him. How regretful his was during the whole act. He wanted to go back in time. Prevent himself from making that damned cage to begin with.

"Well we have to talk about this sometime." Steve said, using his stiff leader voice. "And we have a long flight ahead of us so it might as well be now."

"Everything that needed to be said was revealed already." Tony's voice was droll as he continued to watch the white puffy clouds in the sky. He didn't want to talk about Loki anymore; he wanted to talk to him personally. But with the watchdog, he doubted that would happen.

"Loki doesn't trust anyone." Steve interjected, not taking no for an answer. "Not even his own family or the other villains he consorts himself with. But after a whole year, he began trusting you. So much so, that you were able to make something that stopped magic." Steve pressed, not letting Tony prevent him from making his point. "Loki is a talented liar and trickster, so you just passing off what you did as nothing, is hardly believable. Loki would never fall for anyone's tricks or schemes. So how was it that you were able to get so close to him, that he couldn't see what was right in front of him?"

"What's your point with all this?" Tony asked, not really listening to his teammate. There were more important things to worry about than listening to Steve try to put everything together.

"There was something more between you and Loki that you are not telling us about."

"And if there was?" Tony asked both defensively and challengingly. He didn't know why he was acting this way. The cat is already out of the bag. At the same time, even he never fully knew what was going on between them. It started out as frienemies of convenience, then two guys that actually didn't totally hate each other, all accumulating to the point, where they couldn't live without the other. What would one call that?

"Then I would ask, the next time Loki attacks. And we both know he will. What will you do?"

"I already made that device that neutralizes magic." Tony said as pieces of his heart that he didn't know still existed faded into the black hole that had formed in his chest. "And I put Loki in it. Even if there was anything between Loki and myself, it's over now."

"If there is anything I know about you Stark." Steve said, not fully liking Tony's answer. It sounded more like he was skating around the question. Not giving a direct I will fight Loki answer. "Is that you don't give up so easily. You always find a way around things. Just because you made that cage and put Loki in it; that doesn't mean you have given up on him."

"So what? You think I have joined Thor on the let's save Loki bandwagon?"

"I don't know." Steve said honestly. "Have you?"


A/N; Thank you so much for reading and I hoped you all enjoyed. Also a big huge thank you, to all of you who have taken the time to review, follow, and fav. It truly means the world to me that you all do so. So thank you and until next time.