Hi! It's high time I updated! I usually write 2-3 chapter in advance before I publish a new chapter, but I have to break my own rule because I feel bad making you guys wait. I only have 1 chapter written after this! *horrified*

Hopefully I can get my creative juices flowing and write a good few chapters! Enjoy! Please review, it really helps!

Your father will have words with you.

Thor waited outside Hawkeye's house, arms folded across his chest. They'd brought the scepter back without any other events, but when they had arrived, one of the Asgardian soldiers approached Thor with a message from the Allfather. As they had suspected, Heimdall had reported the attack.

The soldiers were also standing guard over the scepter now. Originally they brought it into the house for safekeeping, but Loki had advised against it. They still weren't sure why and he hadn't given them a direct reason. He only told them it wasn't a good idea. As was expected, this brought up suspicion. Captain America pointed out that leaving it outside was only asking for trouble.

Tony mentioned maybe it was because The God of Mischief didn't trust himself around it, but Thor disagreed. If Loki were to try and escape with the scepter, he would do it deliberately, not because he was unsure with himself. No, Thor suspected Loki fully understood the dark power of the scepter and simply advised against it going into the house.

The God of Thunder actually wasn't all that upset that Odin was coming. Even though it was odd for him to travel to other realms as much as he was these days. He was planning on having the Allfather take the weapon off their hands or secure it through Asgardian barriers and only Odin could do that. Those would potentially allow only allies to access the scepter.

"Don't worry Thor, I doubt he'll banish you to Earth again." Hawkeye said from the porch "And if he does, it won't really be that different from how it is now."

Thor glanced back him with a small laugh, the first to pass his lips in a while. When they had returned to the house, most of them had been given a quick examination by Laura. As such, Hawkeye had a small dressing on a cut on his forehead that stood out against his skin.

"Why were you banished?" Tony asked, looking at Thor.

Loki, who was standing a few yards away from his older brother, looked over at them.

"He invaded Jotunheim without an order. And killed hundreds of frost giants there." he said plaintively, head tilted to the side and eyes narrowed.

Thor stared at the ground lips pressed together. Tony nodded in acknowledgement, eyebrows up.

"You came with me." Thor reminded Loki quietly.

"You know you would have gone alone anyway. Besides, I was the one who had a guard warn Odin of it." Loki replied "Funny how none of that is ever spoken of now.

"You've never been banished." Thor said.

Loki sniffed with a shake of his head. He looked at Thor with narrowed eyes "Not formally anyway."

Thor turned his head to respond, but Loki already turned away from him and walked closer to the house. The blue mark on his younger brother's neck was still very visible, although it was finally starting to heal over a bit. In all honesty, he wasn't sure how to interpret anything cold Loki said since his actions seemed to contradict it.

Volstagg glanced after the hidden frost giant as he walked past. Then he continued on his way to Thor.

"Are you hoping he'll take it to Asgard?" he asked. Thor shook his head.

"I highly doubt he will, but if he finds it to be the best option, I won't stop him."

"And are you sure they would be okay with that?" Volstagg asked, jerking his head towards the other Avengers.

"I don't think it will be a problem." Thor responded, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder "Thank you, Volstagg."

The warrior nodded affirmatively at him. They both looked over towards the field as the white light of the Bifrost suddenly shot through the sky.

Thor raised his chin and immediately started walking over as his father appeared.

Loki watched from closer to the house, book resting in his palms. He appeared mildly curious to hear the content of their conversation so he remained nearby.

"What did I ask you to do?" Odin inquired, leaning his head forward at his son. His tone wasn't sharp, but plain "I don't recall asking you to retrieve the scepter."

"Why does he think he gets to dictate what we do here?" Hawkeye asked, leaning against the railing to the porch. Fandral glanced over at him warily.

"Ordinarily I would leave decisions concerning Earth up to you. But where this concerns every realm and you sought out my help, I am now a part of it." Odin went on.

"That is why." Hogun responded in his gruff voice as he looked at Hawkeye.

"The scepter will be safer with us." Thor replied. Odin's jaw moved.

"By taking it, you are bringing more of a threat to the other realms." he said "Do you realize this? With it in the mortals hands, they would have seen Midgard as the only opposition. Now, you have sent the signal that Asgard and other realms are coming to their aid."

Now some sharpness was entering his voice.

"This was a very foolish move. While it is safer with you, it does not outweigh the risk."

"We have to be in possession of it." Thor maintained "If they cannot sense it here, perhaps they will assume it has been moved."

"And where do you suppose they will assume it has gone?" Odin demanded.

Loki regarded their conversation thoughtfully, not missing a word. Thor blinked at his father, understanding the problem.

"They will have no proof that it is on Asgard." he said "They will not attack there."

"But the chance has increased." Odin pointed out. He sighed "Thor, I understand your intentions. There was a time where I would have done the same. But as King of Asgard, and Allfather of the nine realms, I cannot give one of the realms, other than Asgard, priority. The fact that you were attacked while retrieving the scepter is worrisome. We have shown that we are prepared for war."

"But if we can prevent the power of the scepter from reaching them, perhaps the invasions will stop." Thor said forcefully "Otherwise we are just waiting for them to come to us. This is why we went to get it."

Odin didn't reply for a moment, obviously thinking it over.

"That is a risky gamble." he said finally "It may not do anything of the sort. If it does, I will concede to your wisdom. Until then, I think it would be best if you heeded my advice."

Thor dipped his head in response and Loki took his eyes off the pair of them.

"And, I want to make it clear that we are not bringing that to Asgard until it becomes necessary." Odin went on, nodding at the scepter.

"I thought we could secure it here with Asgard's power." Thor said, hammer shifting in his hand.

Odin nodded, as if he had figured as much. He began walking over to it and his son joined him.
Loki didn't move as they got closer, but he kept his eyes pointedly away. Asgard's king glanced briefly in his direction, but then he did a double take, eyebrows furrowed. The blue mark on his adopted son's neck had apparently captured his attention. He stared at it as they went by until Loki looked his way. They held gazes for a moment, the hidden Jotun's more cold than the other.

The newly made transparent gold wall shimmered around the weapon, its appearance providing little justice for how strong it really was. Tony was over by it now, examining the weird barrier.

Odin and Thor had just finished speaking to the Warriors. Thor didn't try to bring Loki over as he understood that he wouldn't take anything as well if it came from Odin. There was nothing else for the king to do on Earth after they finished, but he had yet to announce his departure. However, it didn't take long for Thor to find out what was on his mind.

"What happened to him?" Odin asked, nodding in Loki's direction. Thor followed his gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"The mark. On his neck. When did that happen?"

Thor took a deep breath "When we went to find Red Skull. Loki said he had something that could burn frost giants. He refused going to a healer." he folded his arms slowly "I know it is not the first time it's happened."

Odin didn't reply for a moment "I am unsurprised he did not want a healer, but even if he had accepted it, I do not know if they could have done much. I have not come across something like that before. It seems fairly specific. I doubt many of those dark beings have come across frost giants besides Loki before."

"Meaning what?" Thor asked.

"Meaning they found it specifically for him at some point." Odin responded.

Most of the others in the group could easily overhear them, but neither of of the Asgardians seemed to care. Thor didn't have a response for that. However, he did have a question himself.

"Father, what is the covenant you made with Loki?" he asked "Please, I would really like to know."

"It has nothing to do with you so you don't need to worry about doing something wrong." Odin replied, evading his question. Thor let the silence continue, leaving his father to further fill it.

"I will give Loki closure for Frigga's death." he said finally. Thor's eyebrows went up, surprised he hadn't thought of his mother at all.

"I have granted him access to her chambers and her possessions for the next year. Her books will be of value to him. And comfort, I assume. He will be given a separate grieving ritual when he desires. A number of smaller things pertaining to her as well, but there is another part of it I may not be able to follow through on."

"What?" Thor asked, turning to his father in shock "He has your word. You gave him your word."

"I did." Odin responded.

Thor scowled "Even if he is a liar, he kept his end of the bargain. I would expect you to do the same. Always."

Odin very nearly chuckled as he looked at the ground.

"If I tell you what we agreed on you may change your mind."

"I doubt it." Thor replied "What is it?"

Odin turned and looked his eldest son straight on, eyes serious.

"As soon as his year is up, Loki asked me to have him killed."

Thor blinked, taken aback by his words. He almost felt out of breath for a moment, as if someone had just knocked the wind from him. That was not what he had been expecting at all. Fandral looked down at the ground instantly as if not wanting to meet anyone's gaze.

"So you can see why that part may be a bit harder to hold up to." Odin continued, looking away again "Your mother, for one, did not want that." he paused "Thor, you should be aware that whatever currently awaits Loki after this life, it will not be Valhalla."

Thor stayed quiet after those words. He couldn't even find words to respond. He had always really known that in the back of his mind, but never truly imagined what that would mean until now.

"And, I am not giving you that information lightly." Odin said, glancing at him "It was meant to remain private. I trust that you will not treat him any differently now that you know." he looked at the other Asgardian warriors "Any of you."

Please review! I really enjoy writing this story guys!
Also, please remember that I have something coming up in the story that others have tried to do before and it didn't work out. Mine will work out, so even if you don't like it right off, keep reading as there will still be a lot to the story.

And I am doing by best to write these next chapters, but they are taking a lot of though right now and I am struggling hahaha.