Author's Note: This chapter may go a little AU in how Loki is treated, but that's because I could find no firm ending for the guy. So, I stuck with the ideas from the movie and went from there. As always, hope you enjoy! ~lg

oOo

Returning his brother to Asgard to face justice grieved Thor. Just as it grieved his father. But, after seeing what Loki had done on Earth in his short time there, he knew it must be done. After all, he could not allow his stepbrother's trespass on a world under his protection to go unchallenged. He first thought it possible to redeem Loki, to bring him back to his right mind and a place where he could resume his rightful position as prince of Asgard. But the time spent on Earth showed Thor that Loki's mind had changed. He no longer desired redemption or even a place at Odin's side as a son. He wanted absolute power, and it had corrupted him so completely that Thor despaired of his redemption.

With the Tesseract now in the hands of Odin, Thor was given leave to return to Earth. Time had passed while he stayed in Asgard, listening to the counsel of his father and friends concerning his brother. Although Loki had broken those bonds, Thor refused to justify him in his bitterness. He would remain Loki's brother to the end.

Thor's first destination on Earth was a small laboratory in New Mexico. He landed outside of town amidst a thunderstorm and strode confidently toward the small observatory where she worked. A few lights glowed from inside, showing a figure hunched over a desk. Thor smiled at that. Jane always pushed herself too hard, and it had been too long since he made his promise to return to her. All those months of being trapped in Asgard when his heart longed to return to this woman fell away, and he tapped lightly on the glass. She startled awake, her jaw dropping when she saw him. Then, she ran to the door and jumped into his arms the moment she got it open. Thor laughed as she drew him inside and once again kissed him as she had done when he left Earth the first time.

They spent the next three days talking and laughing and acting like young lovers without a care in any world. Darcy, who had completed her degree but still worked with Jane, rolled her eyes whenever she found the two of them in the lab doing something completely non-scientific. Thor never allowed their affections to go beyond what would be appropriate on Asgard, though he did enjoy the impulsive nature Jane displayed.

He also reunited with Eric Selvig, thrilled to see the scientist recovering from his time as Loki's captive. The shadows in the scientist's eyes told Thor he had not healed completely, and it reminded Thor that another man had also suffered. Eric explained the Council's inquiry and their intent to hold Barton accountable for his actions while under Loki's control. Thor immediately became enraged, ready to fly to the SHIELD helicarrier and confront them. Barton had no more ability to resist Loki's control than his hammer had of resisting his call. Eric calmed him quickly by stating that the Council had changed its mind after a closed-door meeting, clearing Agent Barton's name and allowing him to go free. In that moment, Thor decided he needed to visit New York to speak with Barton for himself. He had much to say to the man who had resisted killing Loki when he clearly had the chance.

Eric insisted they not arrive in the style that Thor used to arrive in New Mexico. Instead, he took Thor to a nearby second-hand store and purchased clothing that would make him seem a bit less conspicuous. Thor chose not to fly in a plane, not trusting the heavy machine to carry him when Mjolnir did the job faster and easier. Instead, he landed some distance outside of New York City and allowed Eric to hire one of the yellow carriages New Yorkers called a "cab."

The changes in New York since his departure startled Thor. He saw the destruction, signs that the Chitauri had tried to take over this world. But the citizens had rallied and begun to rebuild. It would take many years for the battle scar to fade, but Thor smiled as the cab let them out at the edge of the war zone. He looked around curiously as he walked down the street without dodging debris or chunks of buildings. Several people gave him curious glances, obviously connecting him to the red-caped member of the Avengers. But the few that approached did not dare to ask him about his identity. One small boy, however, escaped his mother's grasp and boldly asked to see his hammer. Thor gladly withdrew Mjolnir from the backpack where he'd tucked his weapon and showed the child, carefully explaining that it was not a toy. The boy touched it reverently while his mother, who looked a bit awestruck, smiled with pride. Eric nudged him just as a group of women rounded the corner, and Thor returned Mjolnir to its hiding place, saving himself the embarrassment of what Jane called "fangirls."

Stark Tower had been fully repaired in his absence. Thor's smile widened as Eric told him about Stark's work on making this a place the Avengers could gather. When he walked into the Commons, he understood what Eric meant. The massive room could rival some of his father's feasting halls, but it still felt comfortable and warm. A bar in the corner sparkled as light slanted through floor-to-ceiling windows and bounced off the various bottles on the shelves. Natasha Romanoff lounged on one couch, completely at ease as she read a book from the nearby bookcase. Steve Rogers had joined her, not speaking but nearby as a companion. At the bar, which also housed a kitchen, Agent Barton cooked something that smelled fabulous while Bruce Banner wandered through the door.

Bruce started talking as he entered the room. "What smells so. . . .Hey!" The smile that lit his features brightened the area.

The others in the room had already begun turning when Eric and Thor stepped out of the elevator, but their reactions were somewhat delayed. Steve straightened and then jumped to his feet while Natasha casually sat up. She put her feet on the floor and stretched her arms while Bruce and Steve greeted Thor with wide smiles and firm handshakes. Thor happily returned the gesture and then nodded once to Natasha. She grinned. "Hey. Welcome back."

"Thank you," Thor replied before turning to Agent Barton.

Of all the Avengers, Thor knew Barton the least. Not that he knew any of them well, but Barton had been a member of Loki's mind-controlled army for much of his visit to Earth. He knew the archer to be friendly, steady in a fight, and an incredible asset to the team.

Now, Barton flung a towel over one shoulder and moved toward him, hand outstretched like the others. He didn't quite smile, but he did meet Thor's eyes. "Welcome back."

Thor refused to shake his hand, instead clasping his forearm in a traditional Asgardian warrior's greeting. "It is good to be back."

Barton held his gaze for just a moment before turning back to his cooking. "I would have put on more food if I knew you were coming."

Thor grinned at that. Their visit to the shwarma eatery after the battle had resulted in Thor finishing Barton's sandwich since the archer didn't like the food. Natasha also pawned the second half of her sandwich off on him after having eaten her fill. Thor hadn't wanted to appear rude and had declined, resulting in Bruce polishing off the second offering.

Tony Stark chose that moment to join their gathering. He, too, reached out to shake Thor's hand. "Hey, JARVIS told me you'd arrived."

Thor blinked. "JARVIS?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Tony's butler. He's a computer."

"AI," Stark corrected, holding up a finger. "There's a difference."

"It's still a computer," Steve said peevishly, though Thor saw the sparkle in the super-soldier's eyes.

A discussion on the difference between an artificial intelligence and a computer program ensued, but Thor sat back to watch the team's interactions. Much had changed in his absence, and he was glad he had come to New York. Steve settled back in his spot near Natasha while the Black Widow listened to the men's argument with a smirk on her face. She often watched Steve, her features softening much the same way they did when she looked at Barton. Natasha protected her friends, and seeing another person outside of her work for SHIELD accepted into that circle warmed Thor's heart. Bruce perched on the edge of a chair, completely at ease and not showing any signs of his previous discontent. Stark still wanted to be the center of attention while Barton surreptitiously added more food to his recipe. All in all, the Avengers had begun to come together as a team.

He saw other things, as well. Barton was exhausted but hid it well under a false smile. Natasha worried for the archer, as did the others, but didn't know what to do to help him. The haunted look in Barton's eyes reminded Thor of the look in Selvig's eyes. It was the expression of someone who wasn't quite certain if he could trust himself. And Selvig didn't quite meet Barton's eyes whenever the archer addressed him.

Thor also saw the questions in every eye that looked at him. What had happened to Loki? Would they ever have to face his troubled brother again? Thor wished he could answer those questions but remained silent. What he needed to say was private, intended only for one other man. He had said the same thing to Selvig, but it had not had the same impact he hoped it would with Barton.

Finally, Barton served something called green chile smothered burritos. He proclaimed that he'd learned the recipe while in New Mexico, surprising Thor. Barton shrugged and met his eyes. "I was there when you took out some of SHIELD's best agents."

Thor almost asked where Barton had been but refrained. Of course this world's best marksman would have been present. Instead, he nodded. "I see."

Conversation centered around updating Thor on events that had happened in his absence. He had been gone for eight weeks, and much had transpired. The work to restore New York City pressed on, and the trauma of the invasion had slowly faded from the faces of the citizens. Barton talked about actually working, of the hopes New Yorkers had of making certain everyone knew that New York was not afraid. Steve had also worked alongside the archer, and he often gave Natasha a smile as he talked. Stark simply rolled his eyes at every smile, causing Thor to wonder if more had happened in his absence than he realized. But Steve and Natasha showed nothing more than genuine friendship for one another.

After the meal, Stark wandered back to his lab, proclaiming that he needed to finish his project before Pepper arrived the next day. Thor assumed that Pepper was Stark's lover or wife, though no one confirmed it. Natasha showed him to guest quarters almost as lavish as his personal rooms in Asgard, though they were much smaller. Thor did not complain, thanking her gratefully and closing the door to settle for the night. He walked over to the massive windows, looking out at New York's skyline and marveling at the sight. While this world did not have the technology and vistas of Asgard, it still amazed Thor.

A knock drew him from his thoughts, and he quickly opened the door to find Barton outside. The archer stood with his eye on the hallway, obviously on guard in spite of being surrounded by friends. "Sorry to interrupt."

"You are not," Thor assured him as he silently invited the other man inside. Then, he walked across the massive suite to the bar that Stark had built into the room. The thick carpet hushed their footsteps as Barton followed him.

The archer sighed. "Listen, I need to know. Loki. . . ."

Thor looked up from his search of the small refrigerator. "He is in Asgard, under constant guard."

Barton nodded, his brow furrowed as he struggled with his emotions.

Thor straightened, closing the refrigerator. He stared at the other man. "He remains gagged and bound, unable to do any magic, in garments not his own. He is watched by the most trusted members of Odin's personal guard and will not escape."

"What's being done to him?"

Thor sighed. "His punishment has not yet been decided." He shook his head, coming around the bar and walking to the windows again. "Our father deliberates, caught between the need for justice and his desire to restore his son."

"I thought you and Loki. . . ."

"He is still my brother," Thor interrupted. "And always will be." Slowly, he turned to face Barton. "I know what he did to you and Eric Selvig, not to mention many others. And I do not condone it nor believe it was the right course of action. However, he is still. . . ."

"I get it." This time, Barton interrupted. "My brother and I. . . ." He shook his head. "We're not on speaking terms right now, but he's still my brother."

Thor narrowed his eyes, hearing the unspoken message. The Barton brothers had obviously gone their separate ways some time back, and it built a bridge of understanding between him and the archer. "Then you understand why I must remain loyal to Loki."

"Unfortunately."

Thor shook his head. "For so many years, Loki and I competed against one another. I never understood that he longed for what I had, that he felt cheated for being the younger of us. I never truly grasped just how far his mind would travel in his quest for vengeance."

Barton snorted, a look of true understanding on his face. He swallowed convulsively a moment later, and his scowl deepened. "Then Loki's truly gone? From this world, I mean?"

"Yes." Thor turned his back to the view out his window and pinned Barton in place. "Just as he has truly been driven from your mind."

Barton nodded again and turned to the door. "That's what I needed. Thanks."

Thor realized the man planned to leave him in peace for the night. "Agent Barton?" He waited while the smaller human paused. "I have much to say to you, to Eric, to everyone controlled by Loki. It is not an easy thing to excuse yourself even though you had no control."

Barton's head swiveled, and he narrowed his eyes. "How would you know?"

"I do not know," Thor said honestly. "But I know what it is like to be unable to do anything to help your friends." He sighed. "You fought a battle in your mind, Agent Barton. A battle unlike anything even the Chitauri could bring upon your world. And you won."

Barton put his back to the door, folding his arms across his chest. "Doesn't feel like it."

"It never does," Thor mused. He stepped closer to the archer, careful to remain nonthreatening in case the other man took offense to his nearness. "The battlefield of the mind is a dangerous place. It is one that can break a man if he allows it. But you. . . ." Thor shook his head, a smile coming to his face. "You are not broken. You may not feel victorious, but you still stand. And your enemy is vanquished. That is what matters, Agent Barton. That is what makes you victorious over Loki's influence."

Barton stared at him for a long moment, seemingly absorbing is words while trying to push them away. Finally, he nodded. "Okay."

Thor blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

Barton laughed humorlessly. "You're right." He shook his head. "I have a lot of issues to work out, Thor. But I can't argue with you."

"I was not seeking an argument."

"I know." Barton smirked at him. Just as quickly as the playful expression appeared, it faded. He met Thor's eyes. "People still stare at me now, like I'm to blame. But I don't have any reasons to give them for why I did what I did. I was just. . . ." He shrugged. "You said it best. No one can even begin to understand what I'm going through unless they've been through it."

Thor nodded in agreement. "Just as you cannot know all that I feel knowing my own brother perpetrated these crimes against you and those I care about."

"I know a thing or two about that, Thor. Like I don't have any reasons, neither do you. What Loki did was his choice. You can't control that any more than I could control what he did to me." Barton held his gaze, the familiar weight of guilt giving way to understanding. In that moment, the Asgardian prince and human archer connected in a way few others could understand. Due to Loki's actions, they were brothers of a sort. Neither one needed to justify himself to the other.

Thor dipped his head respectfully. "Thank you."

"Yeah. You're welcome." With that, Barton left the room.

Thor stared at the closed door, uncertain his words had truly been heard. Barton seemed to let go of his objections too easily, and Thor knew men rarely allowed their "issues," as Barton called them, to settle so easily. Clint "Hawkeye" Barton was as much a human being as any of the other Avengers. Even Thor himself still had trouble accepting that what Loki had done was not his fault. He could not expect Barton to release his self-loathing so easily when Thor could not do the same with his "guilt by association," as Jane put it. It would be a long time before he could look at New York and his friends without wondering if he could have somehow prevented this entire chaotic mess.

Turning back to the view outside his window, Thor's mind stayed on Agent Barton and Eric Selvig for a long time. They were war heroes in their own ways. Eric had helped them close the portal when it mattered most, and Clint had fought against creatures Loki summoned. Both of them, though, had won the battle for something much grander and much more important. They had won the battle of the mind.