A/N: I know, it's been almost a month since my last post. But I got stuck-BIG TIME.

Beta-Reader, Halley helped me and is a saint for re-reading and helping me edit this chapter *several* times.

So thank you Halley!

TW: Panic attack described.

Loki shivered uncontrollably in as many minutes as it had been the last time. He sat huddled in one corner of his cell, wearing only a small cloth at his hips. In the Sanctuary's dungeon, there was no light, no day or night, only perpetual darkness. His bones were clearly visible underneath the thinly stretched skin, his face sallow and sharp-edged with malnutrition. His body was beginning to swell with new bruises and welts after this most recent…" session."

How many days had he been here? He lost count a long time ago. Loki had been treated like an honored guest at first by the Other and Thanos. That is until…they had revealed the plan to conquer Midgard as one of the Infinity Stones would be found on that backwater planet.

Long ago, he had read about the Infinity Stones in a book from the Royal Library. He grasped what each Stone was capable of, and what could be accomplished if all six were collected. Half of the Universe would be gone, snapped out of existence. Already he had seen what Thanos did to planets he conquered. He left solely half of the planet alive in his bid to find the Gems, or just as a maniacal fancy. Thanos at present had the Mind Stone. If he were to get all six Stones…,

Loki did not want to imagine that scenario. His desire for the throne of Asgard was a far diminished goal in comparison, and one that he had no intention of taking part in. Despise the starvation and torture, Loki had stayed true to this conviction…until the green skinned Gamora began to heat his cell. Initially it was at small increments, only to make him uncomfortable. Then it increased, his skin began to burn, his fevers became more frequent. More than once, he had cried out for his mother, only to be cruelly laughed at. Eventually, exhaustion won out. Thanos promised him Midgard if he found the Space Stone. Loki snorted at this. He possessed no ambition for the puny minor planet. He began having dreams of taking the Stone for himself and hiding wherever Thanos could not find him.

Thor must be on Midgard, he thought. Would it be possible for me to explain?"

When Gamora came to his cell, she smiled sinisterly. "Are you inclined to speak with Father, Loki? Or shall we have another of our sessions?"

As Loki shook his head weakly, his eyes were filled with determination. "T-tell Thanos, I am ready to agree to his terms."

The jolt woke Loki up in bed, and as he bolted upright, he began to sob. His hand went instantly to his scarred chest, his breathing coming rapidly. He could feel his heart beating fast underneath the flesh.

Loki had made a deal with the devil. Or rather, with a monster.

There'll be no barren moon where you can hide…

He felt the dizziness setting in as his breathing became more rapid. The pressure in his head grew to the point that he lowered his head into his trembling hands. A chill ran down his spine, causing his mind to race so much, he scarcely saw the sweat that ran down his temple.

'No!' his mind reeled. If Thanos steps foot on Midgard, it will all be over. The Mad Titan would devastate half of the planet, as was his usual Modus operandi. In the face of that monster, not even the Avengers could prevail.'

'I wish my mother were here, I could always confide in her. I wish it had been different, that I was struggling with the fact that I was Jotun. Now she's gone, and I am on my own. Thor and the Avengers left me to fend for myself and don't even care what becomes of me…'

Loki's lungs felt as if they were constricted even further, and his heart was going to sever itself from his body. He gave one strangled scream before he sank into a less terrifying oblivion.

What seemed like hours later, he awoke on the couch with a blanket being tucked around his shoulders. Opening his eyes, he could see the gentle glow of a table lamp on his left. A cursory glance around the room revealed Loki was in a sitting room. Doctor Strange came into his line of sight, his face a mask of professionalism. He placed his fingers on Loki's wrist, measuring the Trickster's pulse.

Loki took stock of the aches in his muscles and noted with some dismay that his heart was still hammering in his torso. Glancing at his hand, he saw it was still trembling, while his head was still swimming with the lingering symptoms of his attack. Despite being trapped as a human, he winced at admitting weakness.

"How do you feel right now?" Stephen asked as he aided him to sit up slightly.

His eyelids were heavy, and his voice was quiet when he spoke, fatigue still tugging him back towards sleep. "Tired."

"Here, drink some water." Doctor Strange instructed.

Loki took it, carefully sipping on the liquid, and drank the entire glass.

"Eat this; it'll help." Stephen handed him a dark piece of confectionery that Loki didn't know. When he popped it in his mouth, he was surprised by its sweetness.

At Loki's bemused expression, Stephen replied, "It's chocolate. It is common here on Earth. I take it you don't have chocolate on Asgard."

"Fruits and nuts, mostly," Loki rasped. Sighing, he wished the Doctor would cease with these trivialities and allow him to sleep.

"Do you know what happened?" Strange asked, handing him another piece of the chocolate.

"It's nothing." Loki snapped. "I-I'm fine."

Stephen replied, "It's called a panic attack, sometimes it's called an anxiety attack. Your 'flight or fight' senses go into overdrive, you start worrying about one thing, and it spirals into worries about other things. Your body responds with something akin to a heart attack in humans."

Loki nodded laconically. He had experienced something similar before, but it was the first time he had heard a name attached to it. "Can I inquire as to why I am in your sitting room?"

"It's best for someone who's had a panic attack to get out of the space where it took place." He paused. "Typically, panic attacks are caused by a trigger, a memory, or something similar." Doctor Strange replied, then their eyes met, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I would really rather not. If you don't mind." Loki huffed. He yawned, "I wish to go back to sleep."

Doctor Strange nodded, "Alright, get some rest now. You need to take it easy today."

When Stephen had vacated the room, Loki settled back on the settee. His eyes caught sight of the communicator on his wrist. For a moment, he hesitated to press it. Despite not knowing what time it was, Loki noticed that it was still night outside. Who would he wake?

Deciding he needed to talk to someone, he pressed the communicator, frowning as static came over it. 'Silly Midgardians, they're so primitive in their technology.'

There was silence for a moment, and then the tired, gruff voice came over it.

"Hello? Loki?" Thor said with a loud yawn. "What's wrong, brother? Can't sleep? It is like the old days, isn't it?"

Loki shook his head but smiled at the image of a half-awake God of Thunder trying to make conversation. This was indeed like 'old times', the nights on Asgard when Loki would have a nightmare and sit with Thor for a while until his nerves calmed. Were they beginning mending after all the times they'd wronged each other?

"Y-yes. I haven't been sleeping properly, and tonight was pretty bad." Loki confessed, his voice trembling with exhaustion.

"I'm here, brother." Thor replied gently, "Shall we talk for a while?"

Thor chattered in his ears about when they had accidentally cut down one of Frigga's roses while practicing with swords at ten. Loki felt his nerves begin to loosen. Perhaps he deserved all that had happened to him for betraying his family. But hearing his brother's voice again consoled him after all his bodily injuries and mental anguish. He wouldn't dare allow anyone get close, in case the Mad Titan came to seek his revenge. Loki would not tolerate standing by while his only family left was in danger.

As the light began to illuminate the city, Stephen checked on his patient to observe him sound asleep with the communicator near his ear.

TBC...