Thank you so much to all of you reading this story. Maybe...we could reach one hundred reviews in the next few chapters? ;)

Loki swallowed heavily.

"I have already said it once. Do you really think this is a good idea?" Loki gave Thor a questioning look.

"To be honest, brother, I have no clue." Thor answered as he continued smiling.

"What do you find so amusing?" The younger god asked while turning head to face his brother.

The group of two gods and one special Midgardian were standing inside the Stark Tower, right before the entrance to Stark's private living quarters. Heimdall had already left them because he had to return to the Asgardians.

They must have made quite an interesting sight. There was a huge God of Thunder who was supporting the weight of a lean, bloodied figure of a God of Mischief. Loki was pretending that he was holding onto Thor just to be safe while Thor was pretending not to be the only thing keeping Loki from falling on the ground, utterly exhausted. The younger god's strength was slowly returning thanks to his magic being back in his system. However, his injuries were too serious to be healed so quickly and the journey to the Stark Tower didn't help him to rest. Loki being Loki would never admit being exhausted and in pain, but it was obvious both to Thor and Banner that Loki desperately needed to lie down and sleep. Also, he needed his injuries to be given a proper medical attention and the dried blood had to be washed off his body, especially his face.

"Hello? Thor? I asked you a question?" Loki remarked weakly.

"Oh nothing. I just…I am happy that you are back with me. That's all." Thor said and gave Loki a heartening smile. "It will all be alright brother. I promise."

Loki limited his reaction to rolling his eyes. He shifted weight from one feet to another nervously. He hated the idea of being in the Stark Tower, with all the Avengers out of whom the majority wanted him dead. The rest wanted to torture him before seeing him dead.

"Thor?" Loki said in a weak voice. From his tone, Thor understood that his brother was about to say something that was difficult for him to admit loudly. To confirm his words, Loki glanced uneasily at Banner. It was obvious he didn't want the mortal to listen.

"Right. Eh…I am just going to…you know." Banner mumbled. He took out his phone and went to stand a few metres away from the gods. Loki couldn't help himself but to be impressed by the mortal's empathy and understanding. In fact, the perceptive god was lately awed by the occasional-green-monster's behaviour quite often. Not only had Banner stood up for him, he even went to the saving mission with Thor. The trickster was astonished by the mortal's capacity for forgiveness and justice.

"Yes, brother?" Thor asked softly when Banner seemed to be out of earshot.

"Thor…I…this is really not a good idea." Loki said wearily. He was conflicted; unsure whether it was more important for him to keep his confident posture or avoid meeting the Avengers.

"I don't think we have a choice, brother." Thor eyed him seriously. "Fury is…furious." Loki raised his eyebrows but didn't even bother to roll his eyes. "Besides, he mentioned this threat. The best way to deal with it is to join forces." Thor noticed that Loki was staring at the ground.

"Brother, please, look at me." Thor urged. When Loki raised his eyes, the Mighty God continued.

"I promise you that I won't let them touch you. They will not hurt you. I know that you don't have much reason to trust me after what I let happen with Fury, but I need you to have faith in me now." Thor meant every word he said. He hoped that Loki perceived that.

"Alright, Thor." Loki mumbled only.

"Do you trust me, Loki?" Thor asked, unsure whether he was asking his brother or ruminating about the question himself.

"And you?" Loki replied weakly.

"Do you remember what I told you when you appeared in the spaceship?" Thor queried his brother who had confusion in his eyes. "You came there and I…I didn't believe you were really there. But you were. And then we…hugged. And I told you that…"

"That you trust me. You said you trusted me." Loki interrupted as the realization dawned on him.

"Yes. I meant it with my heart." Thor smiled sadly. "Do you think you can say the same?"

Loki started to open his mouth, but Thor spoke before Loki managed to utter a sound.

"But I don't want you to say it just because you know that I want to hear it, brother. I…I can wait. I just hope that one day you will be able to say it and mean it. Until then, I promise you that I will protect you, even if it means fighting my friends."

Loki contemplated Thor's words and after a while he nodded slightly.

"You need to rest, brother. Can we go inside?" Thor asked.

Once again, Loki only nodded in agreement.

"Banner?" Thor called for his friend.

"Yes, Thor? Should I ring the bell?" Bruce was back in the blink of an eye.

"Yes."

There was no sound coming out of the bell, but Loki imagined the ringing sound echoing through the Stark's chambers. He remembered the place – was it a living room? – which was decorated by holes in the floor in his shape.

Suddenly, the doors clicked open and a mechanical voice spoke from somewhere above them.

"Please, come in."

…

"What do we know?" Fury addressed his team seated around the long table. He was sitting at its head.

"Thanos was following the Asgardians. It seems that when he understood their destination to be the Earth, he let them slip under his fingers." One of the agents spoke clearly.

"So," Fury contemplated loudly, "it appears that he wants the Earth. Or something on it."

"It is possible, sir."

"Possible. Possible means that we have nothing. Nothing." Fury smashed his fists against the table. There was dead silence in the room.

"Sir, you still haven't properly interrogated Loki. You were confident that he knew something that might be of use."

Fury lifted his gaze.

"Yes, that is true. I am sure Loki was cooperating with Thanos when he attacked us. I am convinced that it was not an equal partnership. Nevertheless, he must know something about Thanos that we don't. Some of his strategies. We must make him speak." Fury hissed, still bitter about letting the God of Mischief slip underneath his fingers.

"Sir?" An agent asked hesitantly. "If Loki was indeed working for Thanos, then he failed him."

"Your point, Gibson?" Fury barked.

"From the little we know, Thanos is…insane. Shouldn't it be in Loki's best interest to make sure that Thanos doesn't conquer the planet he is on as well? I mean…Thanos would surely punish him if he got hold of him."

Fury seemed to think about Gibson's words for a while. Finally, he answered.

"Unless Loki has been working for Thanos for the entire time."

The next chapter will be quite action-filled. I am sure you can guess why :)