Chapter 16 – Where is Home and What is a Lie

Loki was in the kitchen when Thor appeared on the deck outside, and Tony saw him first from his vantage point on the couch.

"Uh, Loki – we have a visitor," he called, standing up to go open the door so the god wouldn't do what gods seemed to be prone to do; break the glass. Thor stepped inside, though it seemed rather skeptically, and Loki stepped into view, drying his hands on a kitchen towel.

"Who -" he looked up and went stiff, and Tony winced as he watched all comfort disappear from Loki's stance. "Thor."

"Brother." Thor stepped closer, hammer attached at his belt. Loki leaned back, a clear retreat, and Thor stopped in his approach.

"Why are you here?"

"Father sent me to bring you home."

Now Loki did step back.

"I am not going anywhere."

"Father requires you back home, he wants to know the story. He wants to be able to have justice on whoever did this."

Now Loki stepped forward, hands in fists, furious.

"I am not going anywhere with you. I am not going to see father, I am not leaving this world." Loki stormed out of the room and Thor frowned in confusion, watching him leave the room. "Do you not want justice for the wrongs committed against you?" he called, and Tony scoffed, drawing Thor's attention.

"This has nothing to do with justice." Tony stated, arms crossed in front of his chest, lounging against the wall. "This has to do with you wanting to take him back against his will."

"Because we want justice on his behalf!"

"Really? Because that isn't how I see it. And I know that isn't how he sees it. I see this as your way to get proof before going after that 'justice' you keep throwing around."

"I have known Loki for centuries and it is not against his nature to lie for personal gain or the destruction of a race."

Tony narrowed his eyes, pushing off the wall.

"Is that what this is? You just want to know if he's lying?"

"It would not be the first time."

"You are so stupid." Tony said, voice lifting in anger.

"Watch yourself," Thor warned, clearly affronted by Tony's words, but Tony continued anyways.

"Loki was right, you are selfish. What purpose exactly would it serve him to tell you he'd been tortured without telling you who or what did it? You think he wants to destroy the race? Or the one who did it? You bet your ass. But he didn't tell you who they were. So that reason is out the window. What's the other one you mentioned last time? Oh yes. To prove how powerful he is."

"He lied to all of us last time, all for power." Thor cut in, but Tony ignored him, shouting over him.

"He is powerful. You're right. But he couldn't stop them the first time. And do you know how I know that? Because his whole body is covered in scars from things that should have killed him a million times over. I know he's telling the truth because most nights, when he's asleep beside me, I am the one who listens to his fears and nightmares. So coming in here and accusing him of lying is not only stupid, but cold-hearted and makes you the last on the list to deserve any sort of proof or explanation."

Thor surged forward, as if to attack, but Tony stood his ground, and Thor stopped inches away.

"These scars – you have seen them?"

"He didn't want me to, but he didn't know I was there."

Thor closed his eyes, one hand resting on the head of his hammer. When he opened them again, there was a grimness to his expression that Tony didn't like.

"Whoever – whatever did this – needs to be brought to justice. Father needs to hear of this. Loki has a way. A way to share the memories. If he does that with father, with me, we'll be able to hunt down the thing that did it. Do you not also want justice for the wrongs done to him?"

"Of course I do. But you're doing exactly what it did. You're trying to take him against his will – that's exactly what they did. What they tried to do again."

Thor frowned.

"So it did return to earth?"

"About the same time you did."

Taken aback, Thor glanced back towards where Loki had disappeared.

"And you saw it?"

"It tried to kill me. I'd say that counts as proof. In fact -" Tony moved away, touching a spot on the wall and then waiting as it opened to reveal a small freezer, pulling out a sample. "This is its blood. I found it at Loki's apartment when it came back the first time and-" he broke off, jaw muscles working as he tried to control his anger at the memory.

"What happened when it came back the first time?"

"I don't really know." Tony said, remembering his frustration as well. "It attacked Loki, he got away then pretty much passed out on my doorstep, and he was in really bad shape. That's when he left, ran away, disappearing for six months. Apparently it followed him off earth, but when you came back, it appeared soon after, and came after me." the next words left a bitter taste in his mouth. "I was bait."

Thor looked at Tony in disbelief.

"Loki came back – for you?"

Tony's chin jutted out defiantly.

"Problem?"

"No," Thor said with a shake of his head, "Surprised. And glad. Did the creature hurt you?" Thor asked, and Tony shrugged.

"It ripped the metal from his body as easily as you'd rip a sheet of paper. It would have yanked the piece from his chest had I not returned. My keeper is not a creature to be trifled with." Loki's voice was soft, and pained. Tony moved as if to join him across the room, but one look in Loki's blue eyes had him pausing. "I will return with you." he said, and Tony felt his mouth fall open in shock.

"You can't be serious-" he tried to cut in, but Loki interrupted him with a look.

"I will return with you," he repeated, "but not because you ask it of me, but because I believe it will keep myself and those I care about safer." he gave Tony a pointed look at that, which only got him a narrow eyed gaze.

"And I'm supposed to just sit around here, waiting for you to come back?" Tony demanded, and Loki shook his head.

"Of course not. You will be coming with me,"

"But-" Thor tried to interject, but again a look from Loki was enough to silence an interruptor.

"And if you cannot, then I suppose father will just have to come to us. But I won't leave you here unprotected. My keeper is more than likely to find out that memories of it are being probed and will not like that. Tony is the only leverage he could possibly hope to gain with me, and so I will remove that temptation, or remain here. Your choice brother."

"He's human, he doesn't belong."

Loki shrugged, uncaring. "Then we will await you and father here."

Thor didn't respond, though the scowl said much. Then he walked out, slamming the door open, and Tony winced, waiting for it to smash, and then sighed gratefully when it stayed intact. When he turned to Loki, he saw how tired he was, and immediately felt bad.

"If you need to go, you should." he said, but Loki shook his head.

"What I need is for you to be safe."

Tony moved across the room to where Loki was standing, and slid his arms around him, relieved when he felt Loki's arm hook around his shoulders. He didn't like what was going on; the idea of Loki having to relieve what he'd been through, but he knew it was necessary, and he almost hoped the thing would come back, just so he could have another go. He hadn't been ready last time – but he'd juiced up his suit, and he was ready for another go.