Return of Utgarda

by Anastasia T Wolfe

Loki's been sprung, impersonating Odin, and this time the old man doesn't want to deal, and so he sends Loki away. Stripped of his powers and in SHIELD custody with a jailer that can see through his trickery, Loki is really going to hate this. And then suddenly bad guys. This is going to be more fun than a bag full of cats.

6. Chapter 6

DAY 7: 1332 HOURS

This would be the first of many weekly visits that Thor, the god of thunder would make to this suburban DC townhouse. He had asked Isabella of Detroit to look after his younger brother, and to teach him some Midgard ways, to grow accustomed to them, and to the gravity of his crimes against them. However the one thing he wanted was for Loki to heal, and to eventually come home, as the man he used to be.

He rang the doorbell casually, and a few seconds later, the door was answered by a rather casually dressed Latino woman with black curls, "Lady Isabella," he greeted her warmly.

"Thundera," she teased, "Thor, buddy, come in."

And their path was stopped by Loki, "and when were you planning to tell me this?" he shot at Bella.

"I'm telling you now," Bella snapped back, "you're forgetting, kiddo; you're still my prisoner. I don't have to tell you a damn thing, especially when it equates to inter-realm politics."

"And that raving about trust meant nothing?" Loki bit back, "you're just like . . ."

"Him?" she mentioned to Thor, "Odin? Don't you even dare, you little shit. Get back in front of the fire and watch TV."

"You are a hypocrite," he walked away from her, climbing back up the stairs.

"That's one strike!" She grabbed a pillow off the small chair in the entrance hall and threw it at him. It missed.

"Is he always like this now?" Thor asked.

"Just as long as I've known him," Bella sighed, "he's been accusing me of lying to him lately. I think he's paranoid," she shrugged, "I haven't gotten anything out of him yet, all I know is that he's very cranky and rarely sleeps." She led him into the lounge, where she offered him a seat.

"Fury told me you were good with matters of the mind."

"I'm not even trained for this," Bella rolled her eyes, "the only way I think I can get him to tell me is if I tie him down and beat it out." Thor looked like he was deep in thought for a moment. "Stop if it starts to hurt," she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You sound like Loki," Thor noted, "I was going to suggest a visit to the tombs of his victims."

Bella grinned at Thor, and clapped him on the shoulder, "that is so simple, so elegant . . . why didn't I think about it?"

Thor smiled.