A/N: Hey guys! I missed you!

Here it is. A bit of plot (I know at least one of you was looking for some. I hope this helps).

Thanks for the reviews and follows and what not. It really actually truly verily keeps me going.

Ownership of the Avengers belongs to people much richer than I...

"The Tesseract is on Asgard, Lord." The Other bent lowly in front of the giant Titan. He feared him and loved him. Those insignificant Asgardians thought themselves gods, but they, along with all others of the universe, would find themselves quaking, whimpering with dread and terror when the Herald of Death walked amongst them.

The Other could see Thanos' malevolence, could feel it in his sinews. And he liked it. His own lust for death, fear, and power drove him to adore Thanos like a mortal adores a wrathful deity. The Other would follow him to the end of the galaxies, remaining his faithful servant and soldier, doing his bidding and relishing the chaos and pain of all planets.

"Should we attack the so called 'Realm Eternal'?" The Other continued when his master remained silent.

Thanos sat on his rocky throne, looking off into the void where Earth still sat small and trivial. On his red face, his lips curved upwards in a wicked smile. "We have begun a game, and the tesseract is simply a prize which must be won." His voice was low and gravelly. "We have started this diversion with Earth, and I find it amusing. It satiates my hunger for death. We will finish what we have started, and then we will move on to Asgard." The Titan examined his gloved hand. "The tesseract is what drew us here, but that weak Asgardian was only a pawn. He showed us how easily humans will turn on each other. How easily they bring on their own demise."

The Other smiled, his sharp pointed teeth gleaming in the dim blue light of the throne, "Yes. Your scepter proved a formidable weapon against their weak minds and bodies. Yet they resisted and defeated our Chitauri forces along with our ally. The scepter is now in their possession."

Thanos clenched his hand into a fist and smirked. "So it is. But it still has a hold." He turned his dark eyes on the Other. "In time, you will bring me the death of their pitiful race. Until that time, I will watch their progress, watch them try to understand my weapon. It is entertaining to see the rodents scurry and prod and scratch at the claws of a leviathan."

The Other reveled in the malicious laugh which erupted from the death-monger: deep and grating, sustaining every inch of the him where a soul should've been.

"How's Asgard going?"Clint mindlessly asked as he continued to try access codes to open the cell. Apparently his subconscious thought it knew better than his weird dream conscious and wouldn't let him open the door. He had the urge to kill Loki again, even though he knew it would solve nothing. He hadn't had one god-free dream in two weeks, and the idea that Loki was just using him like a TV wasn't flying. While he wasn't really bothering him (no mind-control or making him kill anybody), it wasn't really comforting knowing he was in his head. He was like some newly developed mole that you didn't know whether it was benign or pre-cancerous. Loki had to have some ulterior plan. Clint didn't want to wait for the day when he would wake up and his eyes would be a filmy blue and his heart empty.

Loki scoffed, "Deplorably, but predictably. It seems Odin has finally come up with a more…permanent way of keeping me quiet. I am no longer his son in his one miserable eye, though in reality I never was." Loki's face twisted in anger. "I would have at least liked to have put my side of the story on the table, but that shall never happen. Not that they would believe the Liesmith anyways."

Clint paused in his attempts to open the cell. "What do you mean, 'your side of the story'?" He asked through clenched teeth. "What would you say? That us puny mortals were meant to have our freedom taken from us? That you would have ruled us fairly? That hundreds of lives were supposed to be lost in favor of your rule? When all was said and done, we would grovel at your feet in fucking thanks?!" He clenched his hands and breathed heavily. Loki may have been acting relatively docile in his dreams, but that did not erase what he did in reality.

At this, Loki shook his head and laughed softly. "Let me ask you this, Clint Barton," his voice low and genuine, "How many times did I refer to you Midgardians as insects? As mere ants? Puny mortals worth nothing?"

Clint didn't answer, but seethed in his rage.

"Why would I want to rule such creatures? What kind of power or respect would that give me?" He sighed, "Oh yes, King of the Ants, such an enviable title" he chuckled dryly. "Freedom is a lie. At least for myself. But I care not what you mortals do or how you live. I never did. It is true that I willingly tried to kill my brother and destroy Jotenheim, but after that, after I was denied acceptance, after I had tried so hard to prove myself, I wanted nothing more than to cease to exist."

Clint's rubbed his forehead, continuing on to rake his fingers through his hair. "Then why?!" he flung his arm out. "Why did you come to Earth? Why did I kill so many people?! Why is Coulson dead?!" He clenched his fists so hard, he could feel his nails biting into his skin.

Loki bent one leg on the bench, and propped his elbow on it, his chin resting in his hand as he looked away into the wall of the cell. "I'm glad you are here, Barton. Or rather, that I am here," he gestured to his surroundings, referring to Barton's mind. "You shall hear the truth that is denied for me to speak in my own ho…in Asgard."

"What do you mean the truth? I was there! I know the truth."Clint's voice was haggard with emotion.

Loki was silent for several moments. "I fell for an indeterminable amount of time. It was so unnaturally, unfamiliarly cold, but my skin felt like it was boiling. There was only pain and my own anguish for too long. I wished for death to take me. Immortality was a curse. But then I landed on a pitiful rock of a planet. There the Chitauri found me. They took me in my weakened form and drove me to the brink of insanity with tortures beyond anything you or your damned woman have ever known" at this a little of the god's old hatred burned on his face, but it quickly turned to disgust as he continued."I tried to fight back, to defend myself, but I was too weak and my magic was non-existent. Besides, I kept hoping that they would make a mistake and somehow kill me. In the end, though, I was brought before Him and the Other. He laughed at me, but said with the right motivations, with the right purpose, I could bring many to Death. I was given the scepter, and all my anger, hatred and pride came to the surface and I was blinded by it. I could see or feel nothing else. When I was sent to Midgard, boiling and seething in all the emotions that drove me to seek power, I relished the taste of fear and I fed on rage. I knew what I was doing, and yet I did not. Even now, I can feel them, hear them calling to me, because those feelings are my own. But with the loss of the scepter, I can think and reason. Other emotions keep them from taking over." He sighed as he caressed his thumbnail with the pad of his forefinger; an odd seemingly sub-conscious gesture of the god's. "The rest, I suppose you know. I only regained myself after I met with Banner's beast."

As Loki told his story, Clint's anger grew cold and useless, sitting in the bottom of his stomach like bad milk. It was still there, but now it was directionless. If what Loki said was true, then he was as much to blame as Clint himself.

"I never loved the human race," continued Loki lowly, "Through the years I have plied my trickery, my infamous mischief, against you all, finding you rather an obtuse and easily confused people. But I never wanted to destroy or rule you." Loki had moved on to tracing his lips with his fingers for a while, but he stopped and looked over to Clint, a small smile on his face, "That would seem rather idiotic don't you think? Since you humans seem rather fond of your independence. I suppose taking over such a race would be somewhat impressive in that sense."

Clint gave a small laugh, "and here I thought we were made to be ruled." He crossed his arms across his chest and heaved a sigh, "Shit. This is fucked up."

"I couldn't have said it better." Loki stretched, and stood up. "But that is it. I thank you for listening. Whether or not you believe me is of no consequence."

Clint thought about it. Loki was good at lying. It was his thing. Like bows and arrows were Clint's thing. But Barton had watched the Trickster through his telling, watched his emotions, his body language. He gauged his motives for lying and for telling the truth. He put his Shield training to work, and he found no duplicity in the god. But, they didn't call him the god of lies for nothing.

"Shit… I don't know. I've fucking hated you for so long, I don't want to believe you. But what would be the point in lying now, right? It sounds like you're up shit creek without a paddle." Barton shrugged and sat back on the ground, trying to absorb Loki's story.

But as the silence continued, Clint looked over to Loki to find the god simply staring at him, a look of sadness mixed with incredulity. "What?"

Loki shook his head with a smile and looked away, "Believe it or not, there was a point in my life when I told the truth. But for some previously unknown reason, what I said was never trusted. I learned to lie, and lie well. My falsehoods were more believable than the truth, and it often got me what I desired. I find it ironic that, now of all the times in my long life, it is an enemy who accepts my words when my own 'family' will not even allow me to speak."

Clint bent his head. He had never seen the god like this. When he was under his control, Loki had always seemed distant, reclusive, or extremely focused on his final goal. The only emotions he showed were anger and the sick glee from killing. Now the deity was telling him of his life, being almost candid with the archer. "Like I said… fucked up."

"Indeed." Loki tapped his lips with his forefinger, and began to pace. "But that's done and over, and there's nothing to do about it." His past gloom was seemingly forgotten as he walked around the small room. "Now it is time to amuse me, for my mind is dulled by imprisonment. Tell me," and he looked over to Barton, "How is Midgard going?" he asked in parody of Clint's earlier question.

Clint laughed lowly at the god in front of him, but humored him, "Tony broke his finger."

Loki paused, and raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that he had actually gotten an answer that wasn't something containing the words 'fuck you'. "The so called 'man of iron'? Pray tell how did he manage that?"

"I tripped him," Clint smirked.

Loki barked a laugh, "It is no less than he deserves. The man seemed rather full of himself when I spoke with him."

"Yeah, I just got sick of him calling me Bird Boy and Feathers and Robin Hood, so I figured he needed to drop down a peg. I dropped him."

Loki had a smile on his face, and seemed to be envisioning the event right before his eyes. "How deliciously devious of you. I knew I chose my underling well."

The room once again began to fill up with fog, and Loki sighed. "Seems like our time is up. Until next time, Clint Barton. Oh and please, do try and be more diverting. Things have been rather dramatic lately, don't you think?"

As Barton began to grow more and more tired, the last thing he said was "What am I? A dancing monkey." To which Loki grinned his most toothy grin.

It was one of those rare nights where all the Avengers and Pepper were gathered around the table. They had just finished chicken marsala with a salad prepared by Banner, and were now talking candidly as they fought over what they wanted to do next.

"I say we hit up the clubs, show them a little swagger." Stark sat back, his hands behind his head.

"I can see the headlines now:" began Clint, "Tony Stark. Avenger or the next Lindsay Lohan?"

"Wait, who's Lindsay Lohan?" piped Steve.

Pepper leaned over, patting his hand, "No one important, Steve. Just a starlet who likes to party."

"Yeah: Stark," Barton grinned.

Sitting forward, Tony rolled his eyes. "Well what's your brilliant plan, oh non-genius?"

"I vote movie," he shrugged.

"Seconded," Natasha added.

"That's a surprise," Tony added dryly, to which he got a death glare from the Widow. Stark cleared his throat, "uh, right. And what does everyone else think?"

"I guess I could get to know the night-life of the city better," Steve said hesitantly. Stark raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then held up his hand for a high-five from the leader. Rogers actually understood this gesture, and maybe responded a little too eagerly when he Tony hissed and flexed his hand afterwards.

"I feel like the Other Guy meeting alcohol, crowds, flashing lights, and loud music is a bad idea. Movie." Banner sipped his water demurely.

"Hey! Maybe the Green Machine is a real partier!" Tony whined.

Banner raised his eyebrow at that.

"Whatever. It's down to you Point Break. Bring it to a tie so that we can go into sudden death. They don't call it Thirsty Thorsday for nothing." Tony leaned forward eagerly.

Thor, who hadn't said a word all night, other than a few 'pleases' and 'thankyous', looked around the table determinedly. "I have something I wish to tell you. I have decided to return to Asgard in a week's time. I wish to speak to my brother. I have many questions that need answers."

Everyone was quiet from this sudden and unexpected declaration. "Alright," Steve finally responded, "sounds like a solid plan, Thor. I think Earth is doing alright right now. We should be okay."

Thor nodded, "I just thought it wise to inform you of my intentions." Standing, Thor began to leave, but before he left, he turned and said with a smile, "and I would very much enjoy seeing another one of these movies."

Thor left to the sounds of a groaning Tony and a whooping Clint.

A/N: What do you think? I have my own thoughts on this chapter, and I wonder if yours are the same.

Obviously, I like Loki and Clint. The others will definitely come into play later, some whom I did not think would play as big a role as they do.

Characterization okay? I'm thinking of making Tony slightly darker... nothing crazy, but based on that Iron Man 3 preview, he seems more affected by the NY attack than I had originally thought. But that's later and we don't have to worry about that quite yet.

What do you guys think about Odin? I think he needs to be addressed, but I want most of my focus to be on the Avengers and Midgard. Plus, family issues are hard... *pout*.

Fun Time: Thor is racing on the thunder, and Tony rises with the heat, and they're the supermen to sweep you off your feet. (That's a diluted song reference...) :P