A/N: Happy Independence Day, my friends! This is probably my favorite holiday, and not just because we get to shoot fireworks off in the sky. I love history. Seriously, huge history nerd, and I adore studying the American Revolution, hence the reason this is my favorite day. Swimming, food, and my personal family tradition of watching the 1776 musical. So happy 4th of July, everyone! Enjoy it and I hope it's been a good one!

"It seems like such a short time ago that your brother risked everything to save your life."

Thor looked to the door to see his mother standing there, a knowing look on her face. "He was so sure that you were in danger that he was willing to risk your father's anger to leave to Midgard and warn you."

"He nearly died because of it."

"You don't give Loki enough credit. He's stronger than you'd imagine."

"Are you telling me not to go?"

"Not at all, my dear. Bring your brother home."

"Will you be all right?" Thor asked.

Frigga nodded. "I shall be here waiting for you both. Do not forget, I am also capable of swinging a sword and felling a foe if the need arises. I have not been the wife of Odin so long without learning a thing or two." she said with a smile. She embraced Thor fiercely. "I was so angry with your father when he brought Loki here when he returned from the war on Jotun. At first it was the womanly prick of thinking that perhaps he felt the child I had given him was not enough. Then it was anger on behalf of the woman who gave birth to him. I have often thought of her through the years and sent her silent prayers, wherever she is, that she knows I tried to love him enough for both of us. And then you grew together, my sun and my moon, and I knew it was so for a reason. You both carry great strength within, of different kinds but also of like. All things come together, Thor. Your brother has always had faith in you. You must have faith in him."

"I do have faith in him, Mother."

She smiled, putting a hand to his cheek. "Go, then. I saw Sif looking as if she were trying to hide the fact she was coming here at this hour."

"I will bring him home."

"I know, dear."

Thor leaned down and kissed her brow before moving past her to the door. He paused, briefly, before opening it and leaving her to her own thoughts. Sif did wait for him at the corner of the hallway, looking nervous and unsure. "I would like to point out that I still don't like this."

"Because you fear we will begin a war or because it is for Loki?"

She shot him a glare but chose to say nothing. They met the Warriors Three on the Bridge and rode together towards the Bifrost. Heimdall frowned at their approach.

"Have we not played this out before?" he asked as they each began to put on their battle armor.

"Unfortunately, Heimdall, our princes or kings or whatever they happen to be at the time have an unfortunate knack for getting trapped in other realms." Fandral said with a shrug.

"You will be breaking terms set by Loki and agreed to by your Father." Heimdall pointed out to Thor.

"Loki's terms were that he would willingly go to Jotunheim. He did not agree to remain there forever. My father's silence leaves much open to interpretation."

"Great. Now they're starting to sound alike." Fandral huffed to Volstagg.

Thor shot him a glare.

"And if Lifa is not so willing to accommodate these twists of words you brothers play?" Heimdall questioned.

"Then she can meet with my father again to discuss new terms when he awakens. Or she can meet with me if she can not bring herself to wait." Thor said.

"And if you cannot bear what you find on Jotun? Will your peaceful resolve remain?"

Heimdall's words were emotionless, but Thor stilled. "I will bring him home. Mind and heart and spirit and body, and if they are not to be found in him I will go where they are and return them one by one." The vow hung in the air as both warning and promise.

Heimdall let out a breath through the nose. "You may yet find him together," he murmured.

"Will you let us pass?"

"I am at your service, my king," the gatekeeper answered and drew his sword.

The cold, usually slow to affect him, had begun to creep into Loki's skin and the rags they had given him did little to keep it out. He gave an involuntary shiver, laying his head back against the cold wall as the door to the cell opened and a Frost Giant guard entered. Loki turned his green glare to the towering creature and found a spark of memory pulled from his mind.

"You recognize me, little prince?" the Jotun asked gruffly. He pointed to a jagged scar across the left side of his ribcage. "You left quite a mark. Did you think you'd killed me?" He reached up and ripped the gag from the prince's mouth.

"Lifa decided to send you instead?"

"Oh, I asked to come. What an interesting secret the House of Odin keeps."

"Well, every royal kitchen must be known for something. I'll make sure to have the recipe sent to you." Loki said, lifting one eyebrow. The blow does not surprise him, but the runes carved into his skin make it hard for him to fortify himself against the hit. His head is sharply turned and he can feel the warmth of blood against the cool of his skin.

"Mockery will only make things worse for you." the guard said. "Mockery, no mockery, it will all happen the same way. Lifa and all of you who cater to her will do as you like. I may as well have some amusement out it. And you are all very amusing. It does not seem like you have much entertainment left in the realm for so much of your energy to be put into taunting me."

"It is as you say, little prince. It will happen the same. You can suffer for your crimes and when we send your body back to your precious Asgard they can keep on suffering."

"I'll tell you what I told the first lumbering idiots they sent me in with: I'm not afraid of you. There is nothing you can do that will frighten me." He stared into those red eyes for several long moments, daring him to try. He was sure that they could find a way. The Jotuns made sport of torture, but he would defy them as long as he was physically and mentally capable. He was sure that the mental would outlast the physical though.

"What did I tell you about that gag?" Lifa's voice filtered into the cell.

"I haven't seen what the worry is about," the familiar guard said gruffly, eyes shifting back to their captive. Without warning he lashed out, one large hand wrapping around Loki's neck and effectively cutting off the air passage. The trickster struggled as best as he could, feeling the cold extend from where the hand touched. It didn't burn as it did with Asgardians, but he wished that it did. It was better than the alternative. "A silver tongue is no good with no air to back it up."

"So I hear," Lifa almost purred.

Loki struggled to draw in breath, each second that passed his captor placed a little more pressure against the soft tissue of his throat. He forced a terrible grin onto his face and decided if he was going to pay the price he might as well indulge. He fixed his eyes on the skin near where the giant's heart would be and focused everything he had there. With what little air he had he pushed out soft hisses of words. At first he thought it would not be enough, but the illusion grew and kept growing with his confidence. Black spots danced in front of his eyes and he tried desperately to pull himself away from the wall but could not. Suddenly the pressure loosened.

"What are you doing?" Lifa asked. Her voice sounded far away.

"Something...is not right..." the giant said, sounding confused. A moment later he released Loki all together. "My skin! It is...burning!" the giant cried in confusion, grasping at the skin on his chest. It wouldn't last for long, Loki knew. Heat and fire were not his strong suit, not surprisingly, but his bully would fear it and not understand it. That was enough.

"How did you do that?" Lifa demanded, rage evident. "Those cuffs... Those marks... They should have stopped any hope you had in your magic!"

Loki sucked in gasping breaths, feeling the cold air enter his lungs. "You've... never met anyone... like me..." the prince gasped out, proud of his accomplishment. He held his head up, a cocky smile playing out across his lips. It didn't last.

Lifa's rage got the better of her and in one swift motion she held an ice dagger. She launched herself at him, giving him no time to react or try to conjure. It sunk just below his ribs and he gave a gasp of pain, slamming his mouth shut before any further sound escaped.

She gave it a vicious turn. "I will hear you scream, little one," she hissed lowly and he struggled with everything in him to stay silent.

"My lady?"

"What?" the Ice Queen roared, turning her angry eyes back to the servant at the door.

He bowed deeply, fear evident. "You said to alert you when signs of the Bifrost showed. It was seen due north of the palace, my lady."

Lifa let out short cry of rage and twisted the blade once more, cutting Loki's feeling of relief short. She pulled it out and dropped it to the ground, the bloodied shards scattering. "I will destroy this arrogant son of Odin once and for all! I will take his head and his blood shall make the ground before my throne slick with death. He will kneel before me and breathe his last!" she shrieked.

Loki lifted his gaze to the ceiling and laughed thinly. "He will never kneel. He is a prince of Asgard and you are not worthy to challenge him. He will destroy you." It was only after the words had left him that he realized that Lifa would not take it as a warning but a challenge. He could feel her rage grow.

"Laugh now, you worthless mutt. You will not be laughing when in your marrow you feel him leave this existence!" Lifa stormed out of the cell and her guards after her. When she was far enough away, the runes began to fade, though not completely.

He sank to his knees. "Be careful, my brother." he murmured. He shut his eyes and tried to move every few seconds, praying for the runes to fade faster.

Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three landed on Jotunheim in a dust of snow. It flew upward and all around them, concealing them from both each other and prying eyes for the briefest of moments. Thor straightened as it cleared, blue eyes staring ahead at the remnants of the ice palace that he was sure his brother was held captive in.

"Do we even know if he is still alive?" Volstagg murmured as he followed his friend's gaze.

"Loki lives," Thor answered without pause.

"What is your plan?" Sif asked quietly, voice resigned to the situation.

"There is no need for all of us to enter. If things do go wrong - which, of course, they won't - we should have help on the outside."

"I suppose you won't allow us to convince you to take the outer guard, will you?" the dark haired goddess asked.

"No. I will rescue my brother."

"Give us a moment while we recover from the shock." Volstagg said easily.

Thor managed a smile. "I am glad you all are here, even if you are not pleased to be. I am grateful." he said.

"Oh go on. We won't be any good if we're weeping all over each other when the Jotuns come." Fandral said.

Hogun nodded. "We will wait here for you."

"I'll go as far as the palace with you, in case of an ambush." Sif said quietly.

Thor nodded. "Let us be quick. None of us wants to be here any longer than necessary." He and Sif stole towards the broken palace of Jotunheim, leaving a grim trio behind them. They had not quite reached the edge of the palace when the winds kicked up and Thor motioned for Sif to stop.

Lifa appeared in a gust of snow and icy winds, her eyes just as cold. "I would give you one warning to go back to Asgard but I have heard tales of how that inspires you." she greeted. "Plus I imagine you will not leave without that which you have come for, so I will not waste our time. Your death is inevitable. And I will very much enjoy it."

"So much for not being seen," Sif grumbled under her breath.

"We are not here for a battle. Hand over my brother and we will leave peacefully," Thor boomed, his voice holding every bit of power that he held.

"And if I say no?"

"Then I will take him at any rate."

Lifa shrugged, her Jotun guards appearing by the dozens behind her in the frosty mist. Their eyes seemed to glow in the thickness. "Your brother is dead already. He didn't last very long, I am sad to say, but he did scream something pitifully in the end."

A smile drew Thor's lips upward into a wide grin. "And now I know you lie, Frost Queen."

"Believe what you will."

The Frost Giants rushed the two warriors in masses. The battle was fierce, but Thor did not seemed any more troubled by it than when they had come to Jotunheim on that fateful day that had sparked everything into chaos. He swung his hammer, sending Giants skidding across the snow in all directions. He need not worry for Sif, as she drove her staff into her fair share. She turned, feeling the snow rise up around them. "Thor!" she called out, unable to see him.

The crowned prince and temporary king of Asgard blinked against the new attack and found a pair of red eyes peering through at him. The cold hand lashed out at him, dagger held, and it slammed into his winged helmet.

Thor collapsed to the frozen ground, the world momentarily vanishing from sight as pain seared through his head and everything turned white. He struggled to his hands and knees, sensing another impending attack but he could not get his bearings before the dagger slammed into his helmet for a second time. Thor was momentarily forced back to the ground, blood spilling into his eyes and blurring his already hazy vision.

Sif's battle scream echoed from the rocks and a return cry matched it, drawing the attack away from him and sparing him the fatal blow. His helmet fell to the ground, cracked and stained with blood. He held out his hand and summoned Mjolnir.

The snow kicked up again and he wiped blood from his eyes. He sensed movement to his left and pulled the hammer back to attack, stopping only when he saw dark eyes narrowed in threat. Thor and Sif frozen their attacks when they realized they had been left but themselves. The Jotuns had retreated, though not without some damage done.

"You're bleeding," Sif acknowledged and stepped towards him, hand reaching to the gash above his left eye.

"It's fine. We need to move on."

"It's a trap, Thor. It has to be. They wouldn't just leave."

"Trap or no, my brother is inside those walls and I must get to him. I will not lose him again. You may remain here if that is your wish."

Sif sighed. "I will go on with you. Someone will need to take word back to the others of your colossal stubbornness."

Thor grinned at her. "It is only because you sense in me a stubbornness to equal your own." He wiped the blood away from his face again and turned back to the palace. "We must hurry. I fear she may have gone ahead to do more damage to Loki before we arrive."

Lifa strode through the hallways of her palace, the broken helmet of Thor clutched in her hand. Her anger had caused the metal to ice over, curling into each crack and around the hole where her blade had almost ended the life of Odin's oldest. His blood was still fresh on her small trophy from the fight and she would return soon enough to finish the job. But first she had a promise to keep.

She strode into the cold little cell where Loki remained mostly bound by her magic. His head was leaned back against the frozen wall and he was still seated on the ground. His eyes were closed, face slack in exhausted sleep. Blood had soaked the rags from the deep wound in his midsection, but the runes did their work in keeping him alive. There was no worry that he would bleed out from it.

"Time to rise, little one," Lifa growled and slapped his face.

Loki's head jerked to the side, slamming against the wall he had been leaning against. He let out a grunt of pain, but no more. He turned to unleash his words against her, but stopped, green eyes latched onto the item she held in her hand. It looked like a child's toy in her hand, but he recognized it as his brother's much beloved helmet. He felt his breath hitch at the sight of the blood frozen to it.

"So quick to understand, aren't you? That's how quick it was to take it from him. To drive the blade through your brother's best protection and into that dull mind of his. Did you hear the maiden warrior scream? I never understood other worlds, screaming for the dead. The dead do not return for screams nor kisses nor caresses."

Lifa flung the helmet at him and he was able to bring his uncut arm up to catch it against his chest. The movement was instinctive. As soon as he had, Loki had wished he had let it fall to the ground. In Lifa's hand or on the ground it did not have to be real. Here in his hand, the cold metal against his fingers and the bright red of Thor's blood against his sight there was no denying. His brother had come at his asking; Thor had come for him and had sacrificed everything. His body screamed for air and Loki sucked in a breath he had not known he had been denying himself.

"I should thank you," Lifa said with a sneer. "He wouldn't have come without your asking. I may not have been able to defeat him in battle waged in Asgard when his mind was not taken elsewhere. Thank you, Loki. You have been a great help."

His breath was coming in ragged gasps now, his entire body shaking. The cuffs around his wrists gave a creaking sound, small cracks running through them. Bottled magic broke through the dam of multiple barriers and the restraints shattered, the rune on his arm seeming to burn away. He pitched forward, cradling the helmet to him.

The Ice Queen took an involuntary step backwards, calling for a guard. "Watch him," she demanded. "I have the destruction of his realm to prepare for." She turned and left him.

Loki braced himself with one hand on the ground, the other arm clutching Thor's helmet against his chest. Tears burned his eyes and fell down his face, freezing before they hit the ground. He felt the chill move through him. All his plans failed and all led to destruction. He had only ever wished to be an equal son, never the only son. His thumb curled to the wound in the metal where Thor met his last and the chill inside him grew. "If it is a monster you seek it is a monster you shall find." he hissed. "You may have taken Thor but you will never have Asgard. I will destroy this world and everything in it. It will be little more than ash and ice and a millennia from now there will still be none who dare to come here."

The guard Lifa had left backed away. Loki had emitted a certain dangerous element when he appeared as an Asgardian, but he seemed downright deadly now that he appeared as Jotun. The god of mischief surrendered to the churning power within him, his green eyes slipping into a red to rival blood.

TBC

A/N: So, I found a picture on Tumblr (I would post it, but this site tends to eat links) of Tom Hiddleston in a tux, standing up on the top of the railing of a very ornate building (maybe in London?) and my first thought was: Tom Hiddleston *must* be the next Doctor. Any Doctor Who fans reading that would agree?