A/N: PLEASE review and comment, it's like catnip to me! If people show they like it, I'll be sure to write more! I also got a great editor so if the book seems better, thank her!

P.S herra áþreifanleg means Mr. Stark

-Cluelessreader

Chapter 3

As the child happily said the words, Nebula jumped up, Stark staying still eyes widening.

"ég heiti Loki!" Loki? He didn't say Loki. Tony knows he didn't. He knows that this kid isn't the insane mastermind that destroyed New York. The sly bastard that he cleverly insulted for his performance issues. The man who orchestrated the event almost killed him and millions more. There was no way in hell that this scrawny kid nearly got his home nuked.

He snapped back into reality when he saw Nebula carrying the kid, who was struggling to escape from her oppressive hold. The effort required to hold him was minimal compared to the amount of effort given by Loki. Seeing this kid's attempt at escape makes it even harder for him to believe it was Loki because one, he would wait for an opportunity to escape, using his wits to his advantage. This kid, however, is just putting up a pathetic fight that everyone knows that he's going to lose; this is a fight in which he has no control.

"You have to calm down, Stark! There's someone out the window!"Nebula yelled. Which was odd. She was distressed. She was never distressed. She didn't even blink an eye when they all… vanished.

"áþreifanleg! hvað er að !?"He heard Loki crying for help, which came off as strange as he figured that Loki would rather die than pathetically cry for help; especially from an enemy.

Everything went silent, aside from the panicking child, once they heard a crash from outside the cabin door.

"hvað er í gangi! áþreifanleg!" He heard Loki. He was still struggling.

Footsteps could be heard from outside the door.

"It's sealed, there is no way anything is coming in." Nebula shouted still gripping Loki. The small boy suddenly froze, sensing the high tension in the room.

The orange light moved back into view between the crack of the door. Each person was as still as a statue. Tony could see Nebula looking right at the door. For the first time Loki went completely still. Loki was looking from the door to Tony with panic in his eyes.

Something was wrong; Loki was always in control of his emotions so seeing this kid, who's supposedly Loki, panic openly is very...

Uncanny.

A knock at the door turns Loki's attention back to the door and away from Tony. He begins to hypervent, but just as before, not a single breath was audible. Tony could only tell by seeing his chest rapidly going up and down. W-was he scared? The man who killed hundreds was scared?

"I know you're there and that you need to get back to earth! I heard your distress signal!" a woman's voice came through the door.

"Oh my god. Someone heard it." Tony muttered in disbelief still looking at Loki. All he saw in Loki was fear. Pure and simple.

Nebula, in shock, let him go and as a result it causes the frail boy to collapse.

"You can take us to Earth?" Nebula shouted through the door. Her voice having a hint of hope.

"Yes! I can take you back, I'm heading back there myself!" The woman replied.

"What is your name?" Nebula asked.

"My name is Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel for most." no one could see it but this Captain Marvel had a smirk on her face.

The trio stayed on the ship, a woman named Carol Danvers, pushed it. Space passing by quickly. Tony hadn't said a word since they started moving, in total disbelief that he wasn't going to die alone. He's going back home… with the God of Chaos in tow...

"áþreifanleg?" Tony heard a familiar light voice. What was he supposed to do? This was the man that destroyed manhattan. But he didn't know who he was, so would he be wrong if he treated him like the person tony remembered?

"áþreifanleg?" What if they just shared the name? Tony looked for any possible explanation that was easier to accept, but the black hair, the black and regal emerald clothing made it hard to brush this off. The only detail that was off was the eyes; Loki's eyes were blue, This kids eyes are green. This difference gave Tony a little hope.

"áþreifanleg? er í lagi með þig?" He felt a gentle touch and jumped.

This caused the kid in front of him to pull back. He started to panic.

"Kid! Jus-" He had to calm down for his stake.

"Just… go sleep on the window seat. You'll be able to see home sooner or later." He had to put his anger aside, he can't blame him for another's mistakes.

"Þú ert ekki í lagi ertu. ert þú…" The little child spoke but to no avail, Tony couldn't understand, to both of their frustration. His emerald eyes should every ounce of terror he was feeling.

"Leave him alone. Get some rest. I need to talk to him." Nebulas voice drifted.

"En hann er ekki í lagi…" Softly came out of the boy's mouth.

"Don't talk back. Go. Now. Or I will make you do it." Her threat came with a hint of anger, that made it more menacing. Tony saw Loki flinch. Loki turned to Tony seeking any once of comfort, only seeing Tony watching his actions. The kid gave a small nod of his head, slowly sulking back to the window seat. Loki looked at Nebula and Tony one last time, before laying down. The last thing Tony heard from the boy before falling into unconsciousness was a small sigh.

"Góða nótt…"


"Nebula. Did you know?" Tony made sure to ask only when he was sure that the kid was asleep. Nebula turned to him nonchalantly as if this situation was normal.

"Yes." Her response was blunt. It almost stunned Tony, but this situation was a little more intense then her answer.

"Why didn't you say anything?" It was a struggle to keep his voice quiet while he felt his anxiety rising. And it was rising fast.

"It can't be."

The idea of Nebula saving a total stranger didn't sit well with him but she had helped him; still, the idea of Nebula willingly taking care of the kid should have set off alarms.

"This!? This is yours!?"

There's no reason for a kid to have a knife! It was Loki's signature weapon, other then the scepter. He saw Loki use it against Thor in New York. How did he forget the way his comrade was injured?!

The kid moved his hand to his chest, fingers closed. Then quickly through his arm out and a knife... came into his hand.

Magic. Of course it was magic. Loki was known to be a practitioner of magic. That's how he possessed hawkeye for christ sake! How had the prospect of magic never popped up?

The boy was in some sort of armor. Black and emerald green, matching the cape he was wrapped in.

Those colors are synonymous with the man. How could he have been so stupid?!

His english was broken, yet he sounded like he had an accent, sounding the same way when he yelled Tony's name.

In the back of his mind he knew he had heard the accent before. And of course he wouldn't recognize the boy's language. It was asgardian!

"He's asking for the knife. It's his." He heard Nebula say from behind him.

She couldn't have understood the boy either but somehow she knew. Her excuse had worked at the time, but now… Had she seen the knife before? That's why she knew what he was asking without understanding is language.

"You don't know who he is, do you?" She asked.

That question practically taunts him, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

"How could I have possibly known that little twirp was Loki?!" Tony questioned. He asked one question out of many swirling in his head.

"I met him before." Her tone was calm as ever but she was clearly distracted by the boy sleeping a few feet away from him, her eyes not leaving his vicinity.

"Care to elaborate?" His patience was running thin, and his tone of voice showed it.

"I can show you." He was willing to listen to anyone for answers at this point.

"Thanos needed Loki to get the tesseract. But he wouldn't cooperate… not in the beginning."

"Show me." He wouldn't admit it, but he developed a grim curiosity.


Two things remained constant in her life; the oppressive darkness and her rigorous training. Training was going as it always did; it only stopped when her opponents, the chitauri, started running out of the training grounds on the sanctuary. She wasn't given direct orders so she decided to stay put.

She was sure they were coming back, hearing their annoying noises, but hearing a different sound. She saw two of them dragging something; something rather large. The rest pleased how the past few hours went. They walked past her and she saw a quick glimpse of what they were so pleased about; it was a person. It was evident that he had been beaten, looked like hell. She figured that he had fallen on to the sanctuary, but that doesn't fit since the sanctuary was outside of any planets. No one comes here on accident, you either come looking for this place or...

Father brought you here.

"Daughter. Come to me." Her father's voice boomed for her. So she followed the procession of creatures to where they gathered. She was able to better inspect the person; his hair was rich black, clearly looked better in the past. But only looked oily, dirty, and unkempt. It reached his lower neck, decently short but still a little long. His clothes were torn up but one could clearly see the traces of silver and green. A silver centerpiece on his chest. It would look regal, almost elegant, if it weren't for the abhorrent amount of blood. His clothes weren't much more than torn up pieces of trash. The man's armour was horribly rusted. One creature was holding a peculiar helmet; it seems that two horns were present at one point, but one horn was broken completely off. The other horn wasn't in the best condition either.

The long walk eventually lead to the throne room, father's domain. Gamora, her sister, beat her to it. The Black Order in single-file to the left while her sister is to the right.

"Ah Nebula, come here." She obeyed without a second thought. Once nebula came forward she noticed the Other was there, one of the father's underlings.

"What have you found that you deem it so important to interrupt me?" Her father's voice bellowed throughout the room, shaking even the most thick-skinned of creatures.

"Ah your highness, you have been trying to find a way back into the Nine for millenia, and it seems your ticket has arrived." Nebula looked over seeing her Father lean forward in his throne. She saw his father's excitement grow incredibly, it's one of the few times he seemed to have any emotions.

"Do tell." the Other followed like a dog.

"He is a prince of the golden realm; Asgard." The chitauri all hiss at the name.

"He's an outcast in his own realm, his own people abandoning him. Unlike his brother, he's intelligent and has talents in magic, he could be useful seeing as he is abandoned sire." The Other explained. Nebula looked to her sister, no one else could tell but she could see the growing fear in her sister's eyes.

"He will prove to be an asset to us. You two, give him a warm welcome. Let us introduce a new member of our family. He will be very useful to our dream." The two girls bowed and walked down the throne steps together with the chitauri dropping his body at the same time. He was trying to keep face in front of the two figures approaching.

Nebula grabbed his right arm and Gamora his left. They easily lifted him, he seemed to weigh nothing. It was almost disturbing how easy it was. They took him to the dungeons, a place of death and decay. Fitting for Lady Death.

"What are we going to do with him?" Gamora asked breaking the silence.

"We shall have a new brother, sister, isn't it great?" Nebula asked a little too eger. Gamora only nodded. Nebula couldn't tell if Gamora was concerned or just annoyed at this point.

Once done they waited. Gemora never saw value in needless torture so they just waited in repressive silence.

"What do you think he's like?" Gamora asked, whether she was actually curious or not didn't seem relevant.

"I don't know. A prince that is valuable. Maybe a worthy opponent in training. He could help father notice my prowess." Nebula answered easily. She saw Gamora look at her in shock, it was almost disgust.

"You would do that for Father to notice you?" She seemed outraged at the thought of impressing him, father or not.

"Of course! This is a chance to venture on important missions like you!" She exclaimed happily. Gamora looked deep in thought, she suddenly wondered what kind of example she was setting...

Their heads snapped forward once they saw a twitch. The man was trying to move his arms, all to vein. If he didn't stop struggling his arms were going to dislocate due to the weight. Although that might not be an issue seeing as how he weighs near nothing.

The man opened his eyes slowly, getting his bearings. Gamora let out a gasp, almost immediate.

"What is it sister?" Nebula shocked by Gamora for a split second.

"His eyes, there incredibly unique if he comes from Asgard. Shame they'll turn blue like everyone else." Nebula took that in and Gamora only bilsted.

"Wh-where am- am i?" A hoarse voice spoke. Even though it was clear he hadn't spoken, his voice had a level of contempt and superiority.

"You can consider yourself saved Brother. Our Father has found you and you have earned a place in Thanos's household." Nebula greeted. The man only looked on in confusion.

"T-tha- Thanos? The Mad Titan? B-but he-he's noth-othing but leg-legend." The man forced out, his was clearly frightened.

"Legend!? Our Father welcomes you as his son! A great occasion. You should feel lucky for being alive. You made it through the void, it is destiny you made it to us." Nebula exclaimed with utter joy, Gamora almost flinched because of it.

"Destiny would have me dead." Came his quick answer.

"Your too important to die child." came a familiar and powerful voice.

His head snapped up. Nebula and Gamora moved away from the dark prince. Her Father came to see him after all. She looked towards the prince and saw pure terror.

"You fell to us little one. You are very important to my dream." He spoke with caution and control.

"N-no. you're wrong. I le-let go t-to die." was the sentence that caused father's eyes to narrow. He wasn't happy.

"I am willing to give you a purpose again, and this is how you repay that?" His voice dangerously low. It looks like Gamora isn't gonna see his eyes again. What a shame, but now Nebula has a new play thing.

"This is pu-purpose? Han-hanging from chains?" He countered quickly, he had the courage to argue with him. He was brave, but people would argue brave and dumb are so closely linked.

"Once you accept in your heart that you are now my son, then you will know your purpose." father seemed to be losing composure.

"I already h-have a family." He retorted, almost pleading.

"Who? The family that let you fall?" Thanos almost schoughed.

"I've already s-said. I!LET! GO!" The frail man cried.

"What a shame. I would have liked not hurting you. But you give us no choice." This was an opportunity. Nebula gets the chance to prove herself to father. Now she'll be seen as important.

"Daughters. Help your new Brother see the truth, will you?" Her Father said as he walked out of the chamber knowing they would follow without question.

"Yes Father." Both answered, while one answered with affirmation the other answered with enthusiasm.

"Where do we begin?"


"What…" Was all Tony managed to say.

"That is how I know him." Nebula answered, any amount of grief wasn't showing.

She knew Loki… "when did this happen?" He asked. Maybe it was when he escaped prison after going back to Asgard. That had to be it...

"This happened back in your year 2011 I believe." She supplied. Before? It happened before!?

"What happened after!?" Tony yelled with both anger and fear. Nebula looked to Loki, causing Tony to wince. The boy still had his back to them. He hadn't moved. So he was still asleep? That's what he was hoping for.

Nebula rose from her seat, walking over with caution. He watched as she leaned over resting her hand on the boy's shoulder. She stayed for a few moments but eventually walking back, as if she was trying to atone for her sins.

"What was that?" He asked faintly. She approached Tony still looking at him.

"I know him. He's notorious for faking." She said, a hunting gaze in her eyes.

"What happened after? After Thanos told you to uh...help him see the truth?" Tony felt a need to find the truth, whether it was for his own curiosity or for the boy's safety…

that was uncertain.

"It's not mine to show." That response brought confusion to Tony.

"What do you mean?"

"You have told me what happened to you, it may cause a reaction." even though she was trying to ease the situation, the vague answer only further caused Tony to panic. It didn't help that all he felt now was confusion when he looked at the kid. He didn't act like Loki, but it was still him. Notorious for faking after all. Tony couldn't tell if that was just or not.

"I need to know what happened" Tony voiced. Nebula looked to him with a look that could only be described as pitiful and doubting. Tony hated it.

"Okay!... okay. I want to know what happened." He admitted. Nebula only shook her head. Eyes drifting back to the sleeping boy.

"It seems he doesn't remember, or has instinct. He feared me but he isn't vengeful so I don't think he knows us." Nebula said voicing Tony's thoughts on the matter of memory.

"If I show you, you will see what I was… but also go into his history. If he is faking it, he won't appreciate you looking into his past." Nebula warned, it almost seemed as if she was genuinely concerned.

"What do you think?" Tony asked, having a blank stare as if he felt nothing but empty.

"Do you think he's faking?" He continued. Her eyes lowered, clearly in thought.

"I don't think he is. In all honesty. I believe something changed and caused this, in a way giving him a new start." For once Tony had some confidence that he could trust her.

"Show me the rest." He pushed with confidence and curiosity suddenly appearing.

"You don't understand code do you?" She said with a small smirk, this playful comment almost shocked him.

"Nebula. I want to see what happened. I don't care what you did, it's clear your different. It's him I want to know, I want to know what happened to him." Tony could see Nebula contemplating it.

He couldn't help it, while she was thinking, look over to Loki. Maybe he shouldn't know. It seemed like the kid didn't remember after all. What would be the issue of just forgetting it. He wasn't the worst villain after all… but still. He caused Tony to almost die in space. He had to know. He felt a right to know whether or not he had to be cautious around the kid. Tony's eyes drifted to the slumbering child. But his eyes saw movement outside the window. Tony looked beyond the boy, seeing asteroids… tons of them… Oh god…

"It's the asteroid belt! Were getting close!" Tony quickly snapped back into reality, he didn't care for volume control at that moment causing Loki to wake up.

"Hvað? Hvað er í gangi…?" A faint voice said. Tony looked away seeing the boy yawning looking at him.

"Help your new Brother see the truth will you…" Shit. What was he going to do? Can't watch the memories now that Loki is awake. But that phrase wouldn't leave him, haunting like a multitude of moments in his life.

"Hvað? áþreifanleg?" Loki asked clearly getting anxious.

"W-we're close to home… Loki." Tony said. He had to act calm. The kid trusts him after all. Why would he mess that up? Especially if Loki really didn't remember. He can't punish him for the man he was but only for the boy he is.

"Heim?" He saw the confusion in Loki's emerald eyes.

Wait ..."His eyes only change if he doesn't listen." what did Thanos mean by that?

"Vorum nálægt Ásgarði!" The child exclaimed happily, any sign of sleep quickly leaving. He was clearly meaning Asgard.

"Um. No kid… sorry." He confessed. Confusion was the way to describe Loki's face.

"Ég hélt að þú sagðir heim?" He said quietly.

"We're not from Asgard. He is from Earth." Nebula explained wording her sentence carefully.

"E-ea-earth?" he was clearly disappointed.

"Midgard… I'm from Midgard." Tony hoped this tid-bit would lessen his confusion seeing as Thor would always call it Midgard instead of earth.

"Miðgarður! Þú ert frá Miðgarði!" Loki yelped with eyes lighting up.

"mig hefur alltaf langað til að fara til Miðgarðs! Hvernig er það?" Tony looked on in surprise as Loki practically vibrated where he was sitting. He couldn't be mad, he smiled a little.

"Kid, I still can't understand you…" Tony said softly.

Loki huffed, potting a little. Yep. It was still funny.

"We can figure out how to understand you once we get back to Ea- Midgard." Tony said trying to make the kid a little hopeful. Which worked.

"Allt í lagi, herra áþreifanleg." He said happily.

The trip came and went as the woman, Carol Danvers, pushed the ship closer and closer to Earth. Tony wanted as Loki sat facing the window watching as space passed by. He was clearly interested.

"You like space huh?" Tony questioned taking a seat next to the small boy. Loki nodded but didn't take his eyes off the space passing by. The kid was mesmerized by it, this might be the first time he could relate with Loki.

"Það er bara svo fallegt… Faðir segir að ég sé ekki nógu gamall til að ferðast eins og bróðir gerir" Loki seemed to explain quietly, talking but knowing Stark couldn't respond which was quickly followed by silence.

"Is Assgard pretty?" Tony asked filling the silence feeling rather proud of that joke. Loki snorted at that.

"Það er Ásgarður… AS-gard." Loki corrected. Tony had to hide a shiver. When the kid wasn't stuttering his accent was very prevalent and sounded just like the Loki he knew. Only it was softer. Not so menacing, so sharp… so deadly. It sounded like a little bird, a lullaby. No wonder Point-Brake kept on talking about their being good in his brother. This was the Loki he grew up with. What happened to him was the only question that came up in his head.

"saknar þú heimilis þíns?" Loki asked looking at Tony with sensarity. Loki rolled his eyes and mouthed something. Tony watching on in silence feeling more curiosity than compassion; but that doesn't mean he didn't feel any. He heard as Loki took a deep breath, composing himself which was a slight shock.

"D-do yo-you miss h-home?" Loki asked, face becoming flushed, as he tried to speak English. Tony smiled, he was trying to have a conversation that wasn't solely nodding. He could hear that accent but it was scattered as Loki stumbled out words.

"Yea I miss my home. Can't wait to get back and see every-" Tony had a haunting thought...

"áþreifanleg?"

What- what if he didn't see everyone. What if no one was left? Nat, Barton, Wanda, even Steve… What if he's ready to see Pepper and- and she's not there.

"áþreifanleg?" Why was he so eager to go back!? He had failed! If they are alive, wouldn't they blame him!? He was surely blaming himself. Why wouldn't the other Avengers?

"áþreifanleg?" If he came back and everyone by miracle was alive they would turn on him. And… and if they weren't there what was earth going to do at the last Avenger alive, but only seeing a failure.

Tony was hyperventilating at this point. He saw Loki kneeling in front of him, his hand resting on his shoulder. Emerald eyes radiating worry.

"M-Mr. Sta-Stark?" This caught Tony's attention. Peter!?

"Wh-what did you just say?" Tony asked with heart still racing. He could see Nebula watching the pair. Staying still but could see her ready to act.

"Ég sagði herra áþreifanleg… Mr. Stark… Sagði ég það rangt? Sa-say wrong?" The kid asked taking his hand off stark but stayed where he was. It was Loki. It wasn't Peter… It was just- it was just Loki.

"er allt í lagi… o-okay? You?" The kid asked.

The kid wasn't peter. He is called Loki, not peter. This boy was in front of him… not peter.

"Mr-"

"Stop!" Tony yelled. He saw Loki jump fear willing his eyes.

"Stop saying that! You're not peter!" Tony shouted almost pleading...

Getting up quickly he swung his arms upward violently, running his hands feverishly through his hair, hiding his haunting gaze from the kid. He saw nebula jump up quickly.

"Nebula I'm fin-" He was interrupted by nebula dashing towards Loki with a hint of panic...

Loki's head was to the side, hair obscuring his face. A small bandaged hand holding his pale face. Nebula was kneeling next to him. She seemed to be inspecting him.

Had he hit him? No… Tony would have felt it. Wouldn't he?

"Loki." He heard Nebula call. She reached out her hand, trying to place it on the kids shaking shoulder. The kid smacks it away, sliding off the seat. A small hand still holding his face.

"Loki…" Tony tried but knew his attempt was futile.

"Nei! Farðu burt…" The kid muttered back, quickly turning to face him, making sure to keep Tony and Nebula in his line of sight. His back reaching a corner. It seemed like his knees couldn't hold him up anymore. Tony watched as Loki slowly sank down. Loki's arms wrapped around his trembling knees.

"Fyrirgefðu ... hvað gerði ég?" That was the saddest either heard him speak. Still trying to keep composure.

"Were reaching Earth's exosphere. Thought you should know." Nebulas voice came. Tony's eyes drift away from the cowring child to the blue woman. She was standing again facing the window but her gaze on Tony. Her gaze wasn't a happy one. Tony could see earth slowly but surely getting closer.

He was finally going home, but somehow he couldn't feel happy.