The sun was now falling behind the trees. Hawkeye pulled the jeep up to the house and cut the engine. To his surprise there was another car there. A big black SUV.
Ironman flew down to the ground and took a few elongated steps to slow himself. His helmet retracted off his head and he walked towards the house.
"He didn't even have the decency to call...back." he said, looking back at the others.
The already frustrated group walked up the stairs and into the house. The living room was empty and the only light came from the dining room. Nick Fury sat at the table, a bottle on the table in front of him. He wasn't looking in their direction. In fact, he was talking to Laura.
Hawkeye pulled the black quiver from around his shoulder, walking forward as the door shut. Fury looked over and took another drink from his beer.
"Ah. You're back. Find anything to save the world yet?" he asked.
Laura stood up to walk over to her husband, who stood scowling slightly at the leader of SHIELD. When Loki stepped in, he locked eyes with Fury for a moment.
"Well, actually we found a trail." Tony replied sarcastically "Of ice."
"When did you get here?" Captain America asked, walking forward with his shield still in his hand.
"Easy, Cap, I'm just answering a few phone calls." He set down the bottle and stood up "I've been here a while. I didn't see a reason to disturb your efforts."
Loki took a few steps back and left the house again. Captain America looked back as Thor ducked back out of the door to follow his brother.
"Is he cooperating?" Fury asked, nodding after them.
"Actually, he hasn't said much." Tony replied "Much like someone else I know."
"There were a few pressing matters I had to take care of, Stark." Fury said.
"Yes, but this is more important." Tony replied, pointing at the ground and copying the serious face in front of him. Fury looked down at the ground where he had pointed for a moment.
"I have a hard time imagining the kind of things that take priority in your life, but go ahead, enlighten me. And include the part in which we had to call upon a past enemy to assist us with our problems."
"You might want to come in and sit down." Black Widow said with a small smile.
Captain America turned around to walk over to the door when Thor came back in. The God of Thunder had a very solemn expression causing Captain America to pause. Thor didn't say anything and Loki was visible outside. He stood at the base of the steps leading to the house. Obviously, he didn't want to hear the explanation of events to Nick Fury.
"Wait a moment." Fury said, stopping Black Widow "Thor, what exactly are these 'ice giants' you're talking about."
"They come from the realm Jotumheim." Thor said, walking forward, face grave as he explained thoughtfully "They are monsters that once sought to claim Earth as their own. Asgard was the only thing that stood in their way. They have been confined to their realm for centuries, but the Jotuns have found another way onto Earth that our watchman cannot see."
"Do they have the tesseract?" Fury asked, pointedly. This clearly showed his narrowed-minded thinking. There was definitely more than one way to travel between realms. Hawkeye looked at Thor.
"No, the tesseract is locked safely on Asgard. It was never in their possession." Thor replied.
"And." Fury looked at the ground, lips compressed "You don't suppose Loki has something to do with this? I mean, after all, his history is somewhat against him."
"Loki has been imprisoned and therefore has had no power over what is happening in the outside world." Thor replied.
"Are you sure?" Fury asked, leaning his eyes forward pointedly.
"Yes, our prisons inhibit all kinds of contact." Thor said "And our watchman will monitor Loki as closely as we watch him now."
"Yes, but Loki is as slippery as a fish and we can't exactly rely on someone light years away." Banner replied, sounding slightly annoyed.
"Heimdall can see everywhere. He knows Loki's tricks and will send aid if it becomes neccessary." Thor replied forcefully.
"Speaking of necessary." Fury said dryly, looking at Banner "I think it would be best if you joined the fight only as a last resort."
Loki stood several yards away from the house now, hands clasped behind his back. It was very dark outside. He gazed up at the stars, eyes reflecting the small dots of light. The trees rustled quite loudly since there were so many of them.
The sky in this realm wasn't as pretty as the one on Asgard, but it was still beautiful. He had often spent many hours outside in solitude on his adopted realm. Frigga had loved to come and stand with him when stayed late into the night.
"Having a good evening are we?" Nick Fury's voice cut through the silence and Loki closed his eyes before looking up in annoyance. The man was walking towards him, a distance off. The Asgard soldiers were still stationed outside the house.
"I just wanted to say how grateful I am that you were willing to come to our aid." Fury said. His tone had no hint of sarcasm, but there was clearly a hidden meaning. Loki didn't jump to the bait.
"What is your plan while you're here?" Fury continued, stopping a few yards away. Loki's head turned to side slightly for a few seconds.
"We're at quite a disadvantage to these frost giants since none of us know even what to look for, let alone sense, besides you." he stared ahead at the God of Michief stoically.
Loki took in a deep breath and let it out with an almost inaudible sigh.
"Could you please...not?" he asked quietly without turning around.
Nick Fury waited a moment, eyebrows up, before pivoting on one foot and heading back towards the house. Loki glanced back once just to make sure he was gone. Neither of the Asgardian soldiers had moved.
Then, once the silence had resumed for a few minutes, he heard someone else approaching. Loki looked back, hands unclasping as he turned.
Thor was slowing to a halt. After a few seconds of silence, the God of Thunder spoke.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Loki turned to face him fully, his expression quiet "It's been a while since I've seen the night sky, Thor. I'd appreciate it if you could tell your friends to leave me be."
"You can't expect them to trust you right off after everything that happened." Thor said, waving his hammer slightly.
"I don't expect anything." Loki shot back with a hint of sharpness "I would appreciate it if your friends would leave me alone."
"Nick Fury told me you needed some company." Thor replied.
"I wouldn't heed any advice given to you by him." Loki said.
"Loki, come back inside." Thor didn't command, but his voice definitely lacked the genuine note he had when they were children "We need to discuss what we're going to do tomorrow."
"Do we really?" Loki asked, hinting at the fact that his older brother simply wanted him inside to keep a closer eye on him.
"Yes. Fury has other ideas." Thor responded. An owl called through the woods as he looked at the Jotun in disguise. The outside air was colder to Thor yet Loki seemed unaffected. The God of Michief waited a moment before starting forward. Thor turned to walk alongside him. Neither of them spoke on the way back.
The steps creaked as they walked up them and into the house. Loki stopped at the entrance, but Thor went to join the rest of them.
"So, I think the best thing to do would be to keep this as quiet as possible." Fury was saying, fingers pressed together as his elbows rested on his knees "The last thing we need is a mass panic that the Avengers have gathered together to fight off an army of ice giants. As you can imagine, after New York, people aren't taking kindly to that sort of thing."
"For the record." Tony said "I made all of these same decisions without you. Imagine that."
"Did you get to the part of being able to examine larger areas of land at a time?" Fury asked.
"Yes. I'm going to send out my suits. You see, I'm funding this. You didn't come until later."
"Are you telling me I'd be better off back in my own bed?" Fury asked.
"It might be more comfortable." Black Widow said. He looked at her. She shrugged.
"I'm not agreeing with him, I'm just stating a fact."
"Well, if you want to do that, Stark, I suggest you send them out with orders to stay put once they find something. They can keep watch for us until the ice giants, or whatever, come back again." Fury said. Tony rolled his eyes slightly as Fury ordered him to do what he had already been planning to do.
"That won't work." a voice said.
The others all turned their heads to Loki. Thor turned fully to face him, hammer hanging from his hand.
"Excuse me?" Fury asked, although his voice wasn't hostile "Why not?"
"Because any pathway they come through may not open again." Loki said.
"Are you saying they don't want to attack?" Captain America asked, taking a few slow thoughtful steps towards him "Because if not, we don't need you here to find the portal."
Loki looked at him, head tilted forward slightly, face turning hard.
"What makes you think the portal is always in the same place?"
The others looked at each other in silence before all eyes landed back on Loki. Thor watched his brother warily.
Captain America scowled "Do you know something we don't?"
"Yes, many things." Loki responded "Isn't that why you brought me here?"
Captain America switched the hand his shield was in and Black Widow's hand slipped slyly behind her. Neither of which escaped Loki's attention.
"You're not exactly inspiring any confidence." Captain America informed him "Why are you here, Loki?"
"Not for the reason you desperately want it to be." Loki responded simply.
"Loki, enough." Thor said. Loki leaned back slightly, eyes still on Captain America with his eyebrows up.
"We should know why he's really here." Captain America said.
"I'm here because Thor asked me to come." Loki said, answering as simply as possible. He was clearly bristling though.
"I don't remember you and Thor having that great of a relationship." Hawkeye said.
"No, why else are you here?" Captain America repeated more vehemently.
Loki stared at them, death in his eyes.
"I'm here because Thor asked me to be. Nothing more. Nothing less. I came of my own free will and I can leave of my own free will. You may find these pathways by yourself." He whipped around and Captain America blinked in surprise.
"Loki." Thor said sharply as he walked out of the door. He looked over at Captain America angrily.
"Why do you provoke him?" he snapped, striding quickly after his brother. He stomped down the steps.
"Well, this could be a problem." Fury said, looking down at the ground "Because if he really is on our side then we just lost a valuable ally."
"Loki." Thor growled, following him across the grass angrily "Loki."
Loki ignored him as he stopped and looked up into the night sky "Heimdall, open the bifrost!"
"Heimdall, don't!" Thor ordered, stepping heavily "Loki. Loki, STOP!" He hit his hammer on the ground sending a shot of lightning across the ground, not the mention the ear shattering crash that accompanied it.
Loki looked around quickly, and as much as he hated to show it, his eyes were wary for a moment.
"You're not going to leave, Loki." Thor said, walking the rest of the way until he stood two feet from his brother.
"Why not?" Loki asked, leaning forward dangerously. His usual smirk was nowhere to be seen "They obviously don't have use of me here."
"They don't know what they're up against." Thor said "We need you here."
"You're right." Loki replied "They don't know what they're up against."
"You would rather return to your cell on Asgard?" Thor asked furiously, waving an arm.
"I have no reason to stay and listen to them. I came here to offer assistance, but they clearly have. No. Need of it." Loki hissed.
"They do need it." Thor growled "They have no idea what's waiting if they don't accept it. You have to stay here."
Several of the others walked out of the house and onto the porch. Loki let out a bitter breath and turned away from them. Captain America started down the steps when Thor held out a warning hand to them.
"You might want to let Thor deal with this one, Cap." Fury said from inside the house. He didn't even bother to walk outside. In fact, he was still seated. Thor looked back at his brother.
"Loki, listen to me. We will not be able to find it on our own. Please do not leave. If the portal does not remain in the same place then it is even more critical that you are here." he said forcefully "We need to discuss how to proceed from here."
"I don't need too." Loki replied, his voice quiet.
"You have to stay here. Father let you out of your cell, don't return to it before you have completed what you came here for." Thor admonished. Loki had given him a glare when he said the word 'father', but his eyes were already back to the tree-filled scenery in front of him.
Thor waited silently for a response behind his younger brother for several seconds, but Loki didn't look back.
I hope Captain America regrets his words. Also, personally, I am not a Nick Fury fan, but I felt he needed to make some appearance into this story. :)
Please review!