A/N I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a wonderful week! Most of you said that you wanted a chapter so here we go.

Thank you to all my reviewers! You guys make writing this story even more fun than it already is! :)

pallyndrome

ImperfectIsPerfect

Ophelia Lokisdottir

OkieDokieLoki

RossyGaray

literaturelife7

Son-of-hiddle

maliha1205

Aka-Baka Hoshi

aliceindeepdarkwonderland

New Threats and Old Apologies

Loki and Tony walked into the Throne room where the royal family and the other Avengers were gathered, as per Loki's request.

"Loki, what is this about?" Odin asked.

Loki hesitated and glanced at Tony before steeling himself and turning back to Odin.

"Thanos is coming," he declared.

Frigga gasped and reached out to lay a hand on his arm.

"Here? Why?" Steve asked.

"He's coming after me, and he will raze all of Asgard to get me."

Frigga looked at Loki with a fearful expression and her grip on his arm tightened as if she was afraid he would be taken away from her if she didn't hold onto him. He reached up and covered her hand with his own which seemed to comfort her a bit.

"He will have to go through me first," Thor said, a fiery look in his eyes.

Loki couldn't stop the small smile that spread across his face at the words. He had brought danger to Asgard simply by being there and yet Thor didn't seem angry except at Thanos for threatening his brother.

However, that smile was quickly replaced by shock and awe as Odin spoke.

"Yes, let Thanos come. It is past time that he pay for the pain he caused my son."

Loki stared at his father in disbelief. Odin had never said anything like that before. Not about him. It was always Thor. Thor had been the one Odin always sought to defend and avenge. Loki had only ever received punishments and chastisement. He had only ever received what he had deserved, what he had brought on himself. But now Odin was speaking with genuine anger about making someone pay for Loki's pain. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe it was time Loki let himself believe that his family truly did care about him. Maybe it was time to let his doubts and suspicions go and stop looking for some ulterior motive. Maybe it was time to let himself accept that he really was worthy of being loved, not for his actions, not for his accomplishments, but just by being him. Loki felt his throat constrict but resolutely refused to cry. He would not embarrass himself in front of his family and friends.

"How do you know he's coming?" Natasha asked, pulling Loki out of his emotional thoughts.

"I know," was all Loki said.

"Okay, so he's coming, but we destroyed his army so it's just him, right?" Clint asked.

"No, you destroyed most of his army but he still has a remnant, and for him, a remnant is enough," Loki said.

"How many is a remnant?" Natasha asked.

"At least a thousand, likely more."

"You and I have very different definitions of the word remnant," Tony said.

"Fair point," Loki conceded. "But there's more. He has another accomplice."

"You mean like you were?" Clint asked. After a moment, he realized how his words sounded and he started fumbling to try to fix it. "I mean, not like you. I mean, someone not Chitauri who is helping him- Not that you helped him- Not on purpose... I..."

"If you can't see over the top, stop digging," Steve said.

"Sorry," Clint said.

"Relax, Clint," Loki said with an amused smirk. "I know what you meant." The memory of the red-faced man from his vision flashed through Loki's mind and he grew serious again. "Thanos has a man with him. I believe he is playing a role similar to the one I did. However, unlike me, he is helping of his own free will."

"Do you know anything about him?" Natasha asked.

The vision hadn't given him much but he knew a little. "Just what he looks like and a name," Loki said. "Red Skull."

"What?" Steve asked, his head snapping up. "What does he look like?"

"The name pretty much says it all. Red Skull," Loki said.

"But it can't be," Steve said.

"What is it?" Thor asked.

"Red Skull. He was my enemy back in World War Two. But he's dead. I saw it with my own eyes," Steve said.

"Was he by any chance near the tesseract when he died?" Loki asked, a theory forming in his mind.

"He was holding it. Why?" Steve said.

Loki looked at everyone as if it were obvious but they all looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to spell it out.

"Think. How did I get to Earth?" Loki asked.

"You came through the..." Bruce trailed off as it dawned on him.

"Tell me, did you see this Red Skull's body?" Loki asked.

"No. The tesseract shot a beam into the sky and he disintegrated," Steve said.

"He wasn't killed. He was transported," Tony concluded.

"Exactly," Loki said.

"But why is he just now showing up? It's been seventy years," Steve said.

"Remind me again how you ended up in the nineteen forties," Loki said, waiting for them to put it together.

"A machine that... was powered by the tesseract," Steve said, wanting to kick himself for not connecting the dots.

"The tesseract can move people through time as well as space," Loki said. "It is likely that Red Skull appeared in this time recently, probably after the Battle of New York. Otherwise I would have known about him and Thanos would have utilized him in the battle."

"What can we expect from this Red Skull?" Frigga asked.

"Red Skull was injected with an early version of the same serum that gave me my abilities," Steve said.

"Basically, picture an evil, insane version of Steve and you've got the idea," Tony said.

"So we have to face Thanos, mister evil, ominous, and dangerous himself, and he also has an evil Steve with him. This is like the Battle of New York all over again, except the benefactor himself is joining the fight," Clint said.

"And this time Loki is on our side. That should make a huge difference," Bruce said.

"He's right, Green and Gold," Tony said slapping Loki on the back. "It'll be much easier on us having you with us than against us."

"If you can fight even half as well as you did while under the tesseract's influence, then you'll be a great asset," Natasha added.

"When can we expect Thanos to come?" Thor asked.

"I don't know exactly, but soon. The voice has been getting louder so I'm almost certain he is drawing closer," Loki said.

"What voice?" Odin asked.

Loki mentally cursed himself for his slip. He really didn't want to tell them about this. Tony reached over and squeezed his shoulder, causing the younger prince to look at him. They held each other's gaze for a long moment before Tony nodded his encouragement, his gaze saying it all. You need to trust them. Loki broke eye contact and took a deep breath.

"For the past several days, I have heard Thanos' voice in my head," Loki admitted.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Thor asked, a slight tone of betrayal in his voice. He had thought he had earned Loki's trust.

"I thought it was just a memory or a flashback," Loki said.

'And I was afraid to tell anyone. I didn't want anyone to think there was something wrong with me,' Loki thought.

Everything had been going so well. Things had been getting back to normal. They had even been good, better than Loki's life had been for a long time, and Loki was starting to feel happy. He hadn't wanted to mess it up.

"I thought it was just a nightmare haunting me, but as it continued to pervade my thoughts, I began to think that perhaps it wasn't coming from my own mind. It wasn't until today that I was sure," Loki admitted.

"What did the voice say?" Bruce asked hesitantly.

Loki paused for a long moment, his gaze dropping to the floor, before reciting the phrase that had haunted his thoughts and dreams.

"You will know pain."

Odin's hand tightened on Gungnir and and his jaw clenched angrily. Next to Loki, Frigga's eyes flashed in anger and she gripped his arm again. No one threatened their son.

"It is Thanos who will know pain," Thor said. "No one threatens my brother." He reached out and gripped Loki's shoulder. "Not while I still draw breath."

You will watch them all die.

'Not while I still draw breath,' Loki silently vowed.

)()()(

Loki took a deep breath of the cool night air as he stared out over Asgard. After all the talk, planning, and thinking about Thanos that Loki and the others had been doing for the past couple of hours, the younger prince needed to clear his head a get away for a while. That was how he had found himself standing on one of the palace balconies, his hands resting on the cool, flat top of the stone balustrade. He looked out at the city without really seeing it, lost in his thoughts.

The plans had been decided. The armies, weapons, food, and medical supplies would be gathered, other needed preparations would be made, then... Then they would wait. It wouldn't be long, no more than a few days before Thanos would arrive. Loki could feel that much.

Loki hated the waiting. It was like holding his breath in anticipation of a storm that could strike at any moment. He wanted to get it over with, but at the same time, it was all happening too fast. If Loki was honest with himself, he was scared. But, oddly enough, not for himself. Obviously, some part of him was afraid of what Thanos might do to him if the titan got a hold of him again, but that wasn't what had his hands trembling, his breath quickening, and cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. What scared- no, terrified him was what Thanos might do to his family.

Thanos wouldn't hesitate to kill any of Loki's family, if only to hurt him. Loki cared about them, and that made them targets. If anything happened to any of them, Loki would never forgive himself. It would be all his fault. Thanos was coming for him. If Loki wasn't there, Thanos never would have turned his eye on Asgard. Loki's family would never have come under Thanos' threat if they weren't trying to protect Loki. Every life lost in the coming battle would be on Loki's head. The blood of the dead on Loki's hands.

Even as Loki stared out at the city, his city, the lights glowing in the night suddenly looked far too much like scattered fires and the once peaceful and beautiful cityscape seemed to morph into a nightmarish view of destruction in his mind's eye.

Loki closed his eyes against the view of the city but he couldn't escape the horrible images that floated behind his eyes. Images of destruction, blood, and death. He took a deep, shaky breath and leaned more of his weight on the balustrade until it felt like his arms, braced against the stone railing, were all that was holding him up.

"Loki?" a soft voice said from behind him. Loki sucked in another deep breath, trying to compose himself as Frigga stepped up behind him and placed a gentle hand on his tense back. "Something troubles you." It wasn't a question.

"It's my fault," Loki whispered, opening his eyes once more but keeping them on his hands pressed flat on the top of the balustrade rather than meeting Frigga's eyes.

"What is, My Son?" Frigga asked.

"This. All of this. The coming battle, the danger. Thanos wouldn't be coming here if it wasn't for me," Loki said.

Frigga gently cupped his face and turned his head toward her.

"Look at me, My Child," she said and he raised his eyes to meet hers. "None of this is your fault."

"Thanos is coming after me," Loki said.

"Which is why he is a fool," Frigga said. "He got you once and hurt you and that was enough to earn him the wrath of your father, brother, and myself. But now he seeks to come after you within Asgard itself. That has earned him the wrath of all Asgard. No one hurts or threatens a prince of Asgard without consequence."

"But if I wasn't here-"

"Then he would still be coming after you but you would be alone, without any kind of help or protection," Frigga said.

"I am not some weak child who needs to be protected. I am not helpless," Loki protested, anger seeping into his voice.

"I never said you were," Frigga said, placing a hand on Loki's chest to calm him. "But even the strongest and bravest warriors need help sometimes. We want to help. All of Asgard wants to make Thanos pay for his crimes and your friends and family want to bring him down for what he did to you. Now, you don't wish to be protected, so stop trying to do the same for the rest of us. Stop trying to take all burdens and blame on yourself. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Stop trying to do it all alone."

Frigga caressed his cheek and Loki closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, feeling some of his guilt and fear slip away. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked into hers.

"I need to apologize to you again for the things I said to you when you came to my cambers the first day I was home," Loki admitted, but before he could make said apology, the hand that had been resting against his cheek, moved and Frigga's fingers lightly pressed over Loki's lips.

"Hush, My Little One," Frigga said before returning her hand to Loki's cheek. "You have nothing to apologize for. You were angry, hurt, and confused. I won't deny that it did hurt at the time, but nothing you could ever do or say would make me love you any less than I have since the day you were placed in my arms and became my son in every way that matters."

She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. Loki readily returned the embrace, feeling himself relax for the first time that evening as some of the weight on his shoulders finally lifted.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean what I said," Loki whispered.

"I know," she replied as she pulled back and brushed a strand of hair from his face. "I love you, My Little One."

"And I you, Mother," Loki said, resting his forehead against hers for a moment.

"Now," Frigga said in a lighter tone as she pulled back. "You had better go find your brother before he begins to tear apart the palace looking for you."

Loki chuckled at the very real possibility. It wouldn't surprise him if Thor had also recruited their friends to help him. He wiped the smile off his face, replacing it with a mock severe expression.

"I must go face this threat, Mother. If Thor is allowed to roam free for too long, the palace will be in serious jeopardy. He will likely enlist the help of the other Avengers as well. All of Asgard could be in danger. It falls to me to save us all from this peril," Loki declared in a falsely grave voice, causing Frigga to chuckle at him. Then he lowered himself to one knee before her and took one of her hands in both of his, once again speaking in that mock serious tone. "Mother, I fear that with the level of danger this mission possesses, I may not return. If I do not, know that I fell for a worthy cause and do not weep for me!" Loki proclaimed, standing and throwing out his arms with an exaggerated flourish.

Frigga laughed outright at his antics, causing a huge smile to spread across Loki's face. He loved making her laugh.

"Well, then, go face this terrible danger," she said, shooing him away. "I will pray for your safe return."

Loki gave her one last warm but mischievous smile then took his leave.

"I'm worried about him," Frigga said once Loki was gone.

"As am I," Odin said, coming to stand behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder as they both stared at the door that Loki had disappeared through moments before.

"He has placed on himself so much guilt and responsibility that is not his to carry," she said, turning to face her husband.

"We cannot take the weight from his shoulders if he won't relinquish it. Perhaps the coming battle will alleviate him of some of his burdens."

"I'm afraid," Frigga admitted. "Thanos is powerful and he has his sights set on Loki. Thor will never let anything happen to him, and that puts them both in danger."

"I know, but this is a fight that cannot be avoided. Thanos must pay for what he has done," Odin said.

"I know, but I don't want to lose him." Odin gently pulled her into his arms and held her as a few tears rolled down her face. "I don't want to lose either of them."

"Nor do I, My Love," Odin said. "Nor do I."

)()()(

Thor stalked up yet another hallway before turning into the throne room and looking around the spacious area.

"You had better stop rampaging through the halls. You're going to scare the servants again."

Thor spun around to see Loki push away from a nearby pillar.

"There you are!" Thor said. "Where have you been?"

"In the palace," Loki said.

Technically he had been outside the palace on one of the balconies but it was connected to the palace so it counted in Loki's mind.

"Fine, if you do not wish to tell me, I will not press you," Thor gave in. "But come, our friends are still looking for you."

Loki rolled his eyes.

"I knew you would enlist their help. Well, we better go tell them you found me before they break something or startle someone."

A/N Please review and let me know what you think! Call it a late Christmas present! :)

A lot is happening next chapter so get ready. Thor and Loki find the other Avengers and some humor ensues, Loki helps Tony and Steve with a small problem, Jarvis makes an appearance, Loki finds out exactly when Thanos will arrive, Thor and Loki have a brotherly moment, and Tony and Steve have a father/son moment. It's the calm before the storm and when it's over, chaos will reign.