Chapter 4

Father of Monsters

As painful as this dream was, Thor didn't want to wake from it; not just yet. To uncover his past was an opportunity he would never pass up, even if it wasn't technical real. Then again, lucid dreaming felt like reality, almost smelt like it too.

From his car seat, he saw the backs of his parents as they drove away from their house; dust erupting as the wheels spun on the dry dirt. He looked over into the field, his attention drawn to the crops parting, just for a second, then settling back into their rows.

He then watched as his father left, leaving his mother to entertain him while they waited. He rocked around in his car seat, impatient as always. Skip ahead a few days and he feels taller, on the same level with everyone else as they eat. In his high chair, hands stuck in his food, he locks eyes with a stranger. From the looks his mother first gave him and his father, Thor can tell that she doesn't like him, but none the less, he stays for dinner.

As Frigga is washing the dishes, Thor looks at his father and the stranger as they shake hands and the stranger walks out the door. He plays with his toys as he hears his parents arguing in the kitchen; too quiet for him to hear, they think.

He then feels warm and safe as his mum and dad lean over him, tucking him into his bed; brand new, built by Odin to replace his small crib. They leave but keep a small light on so he doesn't get scared of the dark. Thor remembers being scared of the tiniest noise in the house or of the long dark shadows at night. He gradually feels himself drifting off, the sound of the radio playing downstairs.

He comes too, wriggling under the covers. All of a sudden he's too hot and light is creeping into his room under the door. He can smell something new, hear peculiar crackling and creaking sounds before he hears screams and crashes from downstairs. His bedroom door is flung open and a tall, slender figure stands in the doorway. He runs straight over to Thor and scoops him up. He cries as the light gets brighter and smoke begins to fill the room. The man holding him looks towards the door before heading over to the window and opening it. He sits on the windowsill, dangling his legs off the side with Thor on his lap and jumps. Thor grips him tight and holds his breath as they fall but begins crying again when they land. The stranger runs round to the front of the house and stands on the dirt road, full house in view complete with flames engulfing the property.

He sees his dad appear from the house, wet towels covering his face as he runs coughing heavily towards them. Thor reaches out to him and finds comfort in familiar arms when he buries his face in his shoulder. He hears them mumbling to one another and his dad weeping while patting Thor's back. He lifts his head to look over his shoulder as he hears another sound, but not from the house. He hears the low groan within the grass and sees the crops part unnaturally again. Two eyes reflect the light from the house, striking fear into Thor and he hugs his dad tighter. He then sees his own dad's shadow cast behind him as a great light erupted and whirled around the crops. The stranger walked into the field, holding light in his hands as Thor sobbed.

Thor felt the cool sheets under his skin as he opened his eyes and stretched, alarmed when he felt the bed move unexpectedly. He rested on his side and blinked as he saw the pale man next to him. He smiled as he heard him groan into his pillow, then dropped his grin when he remembered his dream. All the forgotten, nonsense detail making sense. He leaned over him and buried his head into Loki's back, tucking his hands underneath and pulling him tighter. He felt Loki try to sit up, craning his head to look at Thor's strewn locks across the white sheets.

"Bad dream?"

Thor's response was muffled but clear. "Yeah. You're not reading my mind again, are you?"

Loki laughed and rested his head on the pillow as Thor moved to lie next to him. "Don't have to. You cuddled me like that before, when you were scared."

They lay facing each other, now smiling as they felt their lack of clothes under the covers, the sun beginning to stream in through the window. Thor's eyes suddenly blew wide as he sat up, looking at the clock.

"What about the security cameras? They're gonna know you're not there!"

He sat back down and ran his hands down his face. "My dad is going to kill me for letting you out."

Loki reached his hands out and stroked back his hair. "I got out by myself. And as for security, they think I've been there all night."

Thor dropped his hands and frowned at Loki, raising an eyebrow. Loki rolled his eyes as he sat up, combing his hair back with his fingers.

"I created a double." He paused, noting Thor's confused expression. "An illusion that I was there. Like the one I showed you before but bigger and more realistic. It's been there ever since we left. And before you ask, I've already edited the records so they merge together. I cut out our little encounter so they have no idea."

Thor slumped back into the pillow closing his eyes and sighing with relief. He opened them slightly as the bed shifted again, seeing Loki get off, sheet still covering his lower half. Thor playfully gripped the sheet as Loki intended to wrap it around himself. He stood up and turned back, a cheeky grin gracing his face as he saw Thor smirking with the sheet caught in his grip. He stretched and swaggered, deliberately it seemed, towards the door, his clothes materialising on him as he walked. He turned just before he reached the door and put his finger to his lips.

"Good luck keeping this a secret." He tilted his eyes towards his dresser. "I've hidden all your clothes. This is the part of the date I like the most."

He grinned, baring his teeth and faded, disappearing in silence.

Thor huffed and slumped back into the bed, feeling the comfort and warmth as the alarm sounded.

The real Loki appeared just before the door to the lab flew open, the illusion fading instantly. He sat on the table, facing the armed men as they ran towards him, Coulson bringing up the rear.

Coulson walked up to the door, looking at Loki as he returned his glare, emotionless, without flinching or blinking. Coulson waved the guards down and they lowered their weapons as the door swung back and he entered the cage. He stood directly in front of Loki, starring harshly at his ever blank and innocent expression. Coulson narrowed his eyes before stepping back and holding his hands behind his back.

"Coincidence. You must have that." He paced lightly, this time not looking at Loki as he spoke.

"This conversation doesn't strictly fall under protocol but we have to bend it slightly when necessary. And we are currently experiencing a very large coincidence."

Loki glanced at the guards outside the cage, guns held down but still fully loaded.

"And it all started when you arrived." He tilted his head down to Loki and he slowly turned his head to meet him, blinking his eyes as he remained still.

Coulson abruptly strode towards him and slammed his hands down on the table, leaning into him.

"First the incident in '85; which by the way was followed by several unusual reports. Then you appearing again last week started the stories up again. The media has missed the connection of course, but we didn't." He tilted his head to the side, giving Loki a questioning glance, but frowned when he didn't move an inch. He began pacing again, balling his hands into fists.

"Then of course there is the blackout, followed by Cavanah's memory loss and death the next day." He trailed off, waiting for any response from Loki and getting more impatient by the second. He smirked and turned to one of the guards, gesturing at him. The guard, covered head to toe in black gear and a helmet complete with shield, walked to the side of Loki, raised his weapon and trained it at his head.

Loki instinctively gripped the edge of the table, otherwise not flinching as he scowled at Coulson. He just laughed, ignoring the sound of hurried footsteps behind him.

"At least you know who's got the power here. That's all I needed to know."

He turned on his heels and walked out of the cage, waiting by the door till the guard left, leaving Loki smirking slightly on the outside, almost bursting with laughter on the inside. Thor past Coulson as he and his men exited the lab, and headed up towards the cage.

"I..." He stopped as he heard the door click shut then carried on. "I suppose you think that was funny?"

Loki stood up, looking Thor up and down, grinning wildly. "Exceptionally funny." He tilted his head round Thor, keeping a watchful eye on the door. "Especially considering on my little altercation with him."

Thor looked behind himself, turning back and trying to calm him breathing, realising Phil had already left. "What did he want anyway?"

Loki stretched his arms above his head, yawning slightly as he did. "He said hewanted me to know he's in charge." He stomped around the cage, swaying his head before he jumped up lively on the table. "That I'm the prisoner in this charade. His mind however? What he truly wanted? He didn't have the guts to ask in front of those men."

Thor watched as Loki leaned back on the table. He couldn't help but think that Loki's true feelings were hidden from him. His cocky attitude unlike what he'd seen or expected from him.

"I'm guessing he questioned you."

Loki rolled his eyes, tilting his head back. "He didn't ask directly. Just kept talking." Loki leaned forwards, looking up at Thor. "He did however inform me of something... unsettling."

Thor's smile fell as he saw Loki's sorrowful expression. "Is it serious?"

Loki nodded. "I deem it so." He stood up and walked through the glass, surprising Thor even as Loki kept his stare. Loki held his hands as he kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I will have to leave here."

Thor moved back, his hands falling to his sides as Loki's grip loosened.

"Why..? They won't let you. I won't let you." He moved back towards Loki and hugged him tightly. Loki nestled his face into Thor's shoulder as Thor held onto him.

"Because if I don't, I will have broken a promise I made years ago. My lack of action has already desecrated my bond but I will not let it go further."

Thor frowned and placed his hands on Loki's waist as he looked into his green eyes. "Cavanah?"

Loki blinked and looked away for a second before placing his hands on Thor's wrists. "I promised your father that I would not let them destroy this world. That they would not salvage or hunt here. I thought them dead, long forgotten." He straightened up and moved away from Thor, his head drooping slightly. "Don't worry about me. I've seen them off before and as for Coulson, he will be none the wiser. I will leave a clone in my place. This one will be able to act like me but will not be me. I won't be able to see anything through him. I can't if I am to keep it up for long periods."

Thor went to speak but Loki carried on.

"I shall succeed long before you have time to miss me." He turned as he stood in the centre of the room and looked a bewildered Thor in the eye. "Worry not. I will see you again. Think of this as another one of my games. I am such an unmerciful tease."

Loki grinned and faded as Thor wiped away a tear. He voice was heard faintly in the lab as a double appeared in the cage. "I miss you."

That afternoon was stressful. Of course it would have been more bearable if the real Loki was sitting on the table looking back at him, but the figure just sat there. He hadn't moved for hours. His green eyes, empty as they focused on Thor, tracking his every movement. His chest moved and he blinked but apart from that, he was a statue.

Thor got up and boiled the kettle, preparing his mug while he made quick glances over his shoulder at him. A cold shiver ran up his spine as he poured his drink, reliving the dream over again, trying to remember more but failing to. He had been so lost in his thoughts that the mug over flowed and scorching hot water burned his hand. He yelped and dropped the mug instantly, only able to watch as it cracked into shards, breaking noisily and attracting the double's attention.

Thor froze, the combination of pain and adrenaline nailing him to the floor. He jerked his heads towards the cage as he saw the double up against the glass, craning his head to see him. Thor ran his hand under a cold tap and collected the remnants of the mug, leaving only the liquid mess to be cleared. As he mopped the last of it up, Coulson entered, alone this time and in a calmer mood than before.

"He reacts then. Not entirely alien." His bitter remark made Thor feel sick but he stood up and greeted him with a nod before beginning to bandage his hand.

"Loud noises, actions, touch." Thor ticked them off, trying to distinguish what they had done in the lab, and in the bedroom.

Coulson held his hands behind his back and watched Loki sit back down, not turning his back on Phil as he did.

"Pain?"

"What?" Thor looked up and saw how Coulson was studying him; with eagle and hungry eyes.

"Does he react to pain?" He spoke as if he was treating Thor as a child.

"Uh, yes. He reacts to discomfort."

Coulson nodded, on the verge of licking his lips with a look in his eye of want. "Would you say more so to pain?"

Coulson slowly turned his head to look at Thor. He walked to stand next to him, his hand now covered in a bandage.

"It is hard to compare pain to sounds. I'd say he has experienced more pain than surprises but that he seems more intrigued by what I do than what I do to him." Thor's cocky tone annoyed Coulson and he gritted his teeth as he turned back to Loki.

"Your opinion is of course, right. There is no accurate way to determine anything in here." Coulson looked around the room as he headed out, stopping by the door as he called back to Thor. "The reason for the equipment failure is still unknown and a slight glitch appeared last night. It hasn't appeared today so I thought I'd check in. Carry on."

Coulson pulled the door open and took one last glance at Loki, then left. Thor hurried to the door, dodging equipment lying on the floor.

"What was the glitch?" He tried to keep his voice curious and not seem worried or scared, but waited with bated breath as his head spun.

"Nothing too significant. The temperature dropped in the cage by 2 degrees and didn't return until this morning. It returned to normal just as the alarm sounded. I thought it unusual, the two of them occurring at the same time, but it seems it was all a coincidence. Goodbye."

Thor smiled weakly at him before letting the door click shut and rested against the metal as he heard Coulson's footsteps fading down the corridor. He calmed his heavy breathing and leant his head against the door, the cold soothing his frantic mind. He stepped away from the door and headed towards his desk, only glancing at Loki for a second before turning towards his desk. He paused just before he sat down and held his bandaged hand out in front of him. He felt an unusual sensation, like something was moving under the bandage. His skin felt like it was crawling. He began to panic and ripped it off, discarding it on the floor in panic. His previously burnt, red and sore hand now completely healed, only slight discolouring telling where his wounds had been. He gingerly ran his finger along his hand, feeling the tender skin, painless but still sensitive. He spun around, cradling his hand as he saw the double smiling, his eyes moving from his hand to his eyes. A glint had now replaced the emptiness of his emerald eyes. Thor could no longer tell that he was a fake. His face lit up with a genuine smile and his stance seemed less rigid as he sat atop the table, letting his legs swing like Loki's had.

Thor walked over to him, his puzzlement clear on his face. The double dropped his smile but still maintained that familiar look in his eyes.

He raised his palm and pressed it against the glass, much like he'd done before. The double seemed unchanged, only slightly narrowing his eyes at Thor before standing and striding over to him. He stood up close to the cage and held his hand up, mirroring Thor's gesture. The double blinked in the silence as Thor tried to find an imperfection, a sign that he was different; there must be one. He took his time to look over him, starting with his hair. Black as night, long straight locks of hair; half of it combed neatly back while the rest framed his pale face. His clear complexion, his cheekbones, long dark eyelashes, gently curved eyebrows and sweet, thin lips. All of it seemed impossibly similar. Of course he had seen Loki's other illusion but this one that stood just a foot away from him, was beautiful enough to be carved from marble, with diamonds for eyes as they darted upwards. Thor was memorised by him, failing to notice his hand rising until he tapped on the glass, inches from Thor's palm. As Thor starred at him, the surrounding room blurred, Loki becoming the only thing he could focus on. Thor smiled as he closed his eyes, feeling very relaxed and peaceful. He kept his palm on the glass as the double turned and sat back down, reassuming his straight posture. As he blocked out the room, he imagined his bed; warm and comfortable, new morning light streaming through the window. He felt a hand on his shoulder and heard a voice whisper in his ear, at the same time, feeling their cool breath excite his neck.

"I miss you, too." A light whisper on a breeze, speaking slowly but clearly. Thor recognised Loki's uncommon charm and he smiled, immersing himself in that feeling, feeling as though Loki was right behind him. So close he could almost feel him. He slowly opened his eyes, still happily delirious from Loki's voice. As soon as he saw the double however, starring blankly at the wall, he couldn't feel more isolated, more distant from Loki, a regretful and longing sensation bring him back to reality.

Coulson reclined in his seat, feet crossed, hands behind his head as he watched the fuzzy footage on the screen. Every so often, leaning forwards to drink from a mug holding down loose papers scattered over his otherwise clear desk.

He stretched in his seat, generally ignoring the screen as he saw Thor walk towards the cage. He paid little attention as he rested his elbows on the desk, starring at the calendar on the far wall, his eyes flitting between the rest of the room and the screen. He flipped open his phone just as Loki got up and walked towards Thor. Coulson held his phone open in his hand while he leaned closer and zoomed in on the two of them, now only the glass preventing them from touching. He watched as little else happened until Loki sat back down and Thor stayed perfectly still. He hesitated to go back to relaxing before the screen hazed out and the picture went black. He bashed his computer and typed furiously until the picture returned, showing Thor almost to the brink of tears, his smile unmissable even on the unclear screen.

He turned the monitor off and flipped his phone shut, leaving his office in a hurry, picking up a random clipboard as he left.

He barged into the lab and headed straight for Thor, determined not to look towards Loki.

"You are to carry out these checks on your quarters." He pushed the clipboard to Thor as he rose from his seat. He began to read the list while Coulson continued.

"Your father is considering re-issuing new equipment and updating the interior of all faulty divisions within the company. Please fill this out with your opinion of the efficiency of your room and its services."

"Ok..." Thor flicked through the sheets; adequate living space, available light sources, bathroom and kitchen appliances.

"They shouldn't take you too long. I'll keep an eye on the subject while you're gone." Coulson smiled as Thor slowly walked out, clipboard by his side. He walked out the door leaving Coulson and the double alone. Phil walked towards the cage, holding back a grin as Loki looked at him, unnerved by his stare.

"I know you're not as dumb as you wish we thought." He walked around the cage as if Loki was his prey. "I wish to strike a bargain with you. You have probably realised that they don't intend to let you go. They wish to get everything they can from you; your knowledge, experiences. They wish to study you like an animal and lull you into trusting them with their procedures and courtesy. But they won't let you go." He stood in front of the door, hand poised over the lock. "As a professional, I can't just set you free, but I can offer you freedom, eventually. After you give me the information we need, I will let you out of this... prison."

He stopped and watched as Loki tilted his head skywards. Coulson grew agitated, becoming more impatient while Loki seemed to ignore him. His eyes grew wide with anticipation when Loki rose and stood in the centre of the room, holding out his hand towards Coulson. He smiled and opened the door, letting it slide back before taking his hand and shaking it firmly. Loki replied, his expression inscrutable but slightly roguish.

"Deal." He unclasped his hand and sat back down, running his fingers through his hair as Coulson left, leaving the double alone in the lab.

I am oh so sorry that this took longer than expected. Hope it's decent enough to send out. Please review and tell me what advances you would like to see. I have two very different paths that I've thought of and I desperately need some opinions. The more the merrier. :)