Locked in, buried under my skin
Writing on the whispers
Restless in the wind
Hunted, I can feel it coming
Keep me under cover
In what could have been
-Surrender by Digital Daggers

The glowing red light flickered off with a click, drawing the attention of some of those gathered in the hall. Thor jumped up from his chair, and had his eyes transfixed upon the door while Clint smacked Tony upside the head, and directed him towards the OR. Tony's eyes snapped up towards the door as he shoved Clint out of the way.

The white doors were pulled open, and out rolled a stretcher. Loki was strapped tightly down to the bed, obviously they didn't trust him even while he was ill, and a breathing tube had been inserted down his throat. It seemed so mechanical, so fake. The rise and fall of Loki's chest was the only thing that confirmed that he was alive. His skin was deathly pale, and he was motionlessly as if he had already greeted death.

Thor swallowed as Loki was rolled past. He daren't stop the motion of the stretcher, but he wished it would pause all the same. He wanted to get rid of those confounded restraints that were strapped around his brother. Though he knew they were necessary, he hated how they appeared. They made his brother look like he belonged in a psychiatric ward. His brother's words from last night run through his head, "Don't you know what they call me? A homicidal maniac. A deranged lunatic." Thor clenched a fist as the cart rolled on by. He mumbled a quiet apology as Loki was rolled on past.

A nurse broke off from the procession to speak to Bruce, "We think he'll be alright. He's gone into a comatose state, but we can't be sure when he'll wake. We'll shed the use of magical dampeners, but he is going to be tied down to the bed. It won't cut off his circulation, but it'll be enough to keep him immobile," the woman said in a companionate tone. "He'll be in the ICU until we can confirm that he hasn't gotten infected. You can visit later if you like. There's nothing more we can do right now." It was the tone in her voice that quietly suggested for them all to go home.

Bruce nodded and thanked her for help. He turned back to the rest of the Avengers, and he waved for them all to follow. Thor cast one last longing look down the hallway where they had taken his brother before following after Bruce. The sun cast its rays over his face as Thor stepped outside of the hospital. As he looked up into the sky he wondered if Sol and Mani were smiling or if they were crying. Was it as Loki said? Did the gods and goddesses of Asgard hate him for his race?

Thor shook his head. That couldn't be it. Odin had said that he loved Loki. It was all just a dreadful mistake, but Loki had thought it was so real. He had to think it was real enough to be worth the taking of his own life. Thor hadn't thought that the pain had run so deep within his brother.

He shut his eyes as he thought about Heimdall. Heimdall was known to see the future. Why did he not see this event happen? Or had he seen it happen, and did he condone it? It fit with how Loki viewed Asgard, but Thor could not believe it. He had to know the truth. Was Loki so hated, and had he, Thor, turned a blind eye to this hatred for centuries?

"Thor?" Natasha tapped him on the shoulder, and looked him over with a scrutinizing eye. "Are you doing ok?"

Thor looked at Natasha blankly before realizing that he had gotten too absorbed in his thoughts, "Ah, I am fine. I was just planning on visiting Asgard for a day. Will that be alright?" Thor wasn't quite sure why he was asking her for permission, but he assumed it was because of this weakness in his chest. All the truths he had for so long thought at fact were being pulled and stretched into things he did not know. It confused him, and he was becoming lost.

Natasha's face softened, and she gave a nod. "I'm sure none of the others would mind if you want to notify your family. Want me to tell them for you?"

Thor gave an appreciative nod, "That would be helpful. I will return as soon as I can."

He turned his head up towards the sky, towards Odin, and knew what he had to do. He took off through the streets until he found a secluded alleyway in which to open up the path to the rainbow bridge. The portal opened over the brick wall, and Thor strode through it. Bifrost shook with every step he took upon it. His anger was evident as the white clouds turned dark and swirled with his anger.

Thinking too much was dangerous, Loki had been evidence of that, but now that Thor actually sat down to think, he was angered. Heimdall saw all and Odin was all knowing. There was almost not conceivable way that they could not have seen this. Thor's heart cried out and said that it could not be true, but his mind sun a different tune. He either had to believe in his father's weakness or in his cruelty. Thor wasn't sure which one he preferred because each would have required Odin to lie.

The castle that was Asgard loomed before him as Thor headed towards the gates. The guards recognized him and swung the door open to let him through. They creaked and moaned as they were pulled open for the god to pass. Once Thor would have waved hello to the guards and even stop to chat, but that was not the same Thor as now. Before, Thor thought the name Avengers had no purpose, but now he had something to avenge, his brother. He hoped it all was a lie and that his brother didn't need avenging, but it became increasingly more obvious to him that there was no other way.

"Son of Odin, welcome back. Was your journey to Midgard pleasa—"

Thor cut the man off and said, "I demand an audience with Odin Allfather. Immediately."

The guard outside the throne room shook his head. "I'm afraid Odin is in meeting right now. You cannot go in. He will be out in an hour. Wait until then."

Thor's eyes turned cold as the temperature in the room started falling. The sunlight that had cascaded into the room was veiled as clouds hid the sun. "Did you not hear what I said? I need to see him immediately," Thor bellowed. If one read into his tone, they would hear a threatening touch to his voice. It was a sign that Thor was not to be tested now. He had killed thousands with a few swings of his hammer whilst in this mood. A simple guard would stand no chance against him.

"I-I will see what I can do." The guard creeped through the door and into the meeting hall, leaving Thor glowering at the door. This meeting with his father was not going to be one he would enjoy.

-WLT-WLT-WLT-

Frigga flinched as the voices from the throne room grew rapidly louder and louder. Upon Thor's return, she had expected a celebration or something of the sort, but her son had pushed her off. He had such a serious look on his face; it was a look Frigga hadn't seen since Loki had last rebelled. She wondered what had happened to put him in such a dour mood, though she supposed it had something to do with Asgard if Thor had returned.

"FATHER! If this had been foreseen why did you not do anything to prevent it? Don't you care for your own son?" Thor thundered angrily.

"We are tasked with the protection of Asgard, Thor! It is not our place to intervene with things happening on earth unless it is caused by one of our own. Do not think that I do not value Loki, but we have millions to care for! I cannot spend time looking after every single lost child!" Odin bellowed back. The man ran a frustrated hand through his white hair and shook his head.

"But he is your SON! He should be nearer and dearer to your heart than all others, so why? You sacrificed your eye at Mimir's spring for all-knowledge, so why didn't you visit him while he was despairing? You should have known while it was going on, and you should have known that it would happen!" Thor's voice cracked at the end as he shook his head. He was in denial. His father couldn't be so cruel to leave Loki in so much pain; he couldn't be.

"He is dear to me, Thor! Do not think me cruel, but I least of all can leave Asgard at a time of weakness. You are supposed to be the protector of Asgard, but now you reside upon Midgard. I need to take up the gauntlet in your absence or have you forgotten?" Odin said softly as he placed a hand upon his son's shoulder, "Do not worry, my son. Things will all be well soon."

Thor stepped back as he shook off his father's arm. "Knowledge such as yours is given so you can intervene in the events to happen. I cannot accept the fact that you waited for Loki to be damaged like this, not now... I shall return to Midgard. Do not expect me back for some time," he mumbled quiet. He turned away, and stormed away from his father.

As he pulled through the doors, Frigga reached out a hand to calm him, but she was ignored as her son left for the rainbow bridge. All she had wanted was a family, but it seemed that she wasn't even to have that.

Author's Note: Hey all! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. (: I'm going to be going to debate camp next week which will take up a good 9 hours of my day. I may or may not be able to get chapters out on time. Even if I do, they may be short. I just wanted to warn you in advance. :D

Thanks to all of my readers for continuing to read Words Like Thor's! I'm so glad that you all enjoy it!

As a final note/shameless advertising: I'm setting up a writer's group called the Tesseract Project! We're going to be a group of Avengers authors that critique and give advice to fellow members. This way we can all get advice while exposing ourselves to different styles of writing. We're currently looking for members, so PM me if you'd like to apply! It's best if you have a previous story uploaded, so that OwlMay and I can see your writing style though. :) Thanks for reading!