Loki sat up eyes closing and chest to chest Althia curled in his lap like a child knees bent back across Loki's legs her hands folded neatly her head nuzzled under his chin. Loki's hand slid up on her leg and the other up her back to cup her skull holding her gently in place. The powerful magic infused in the shackles flexed but was useless against the combined power trapped within his head. At first they were both peaceful only Loki cradling her in his lap signified something was happening. The fact that he shouldn't be able to move at all had most of the guards ready to fire but they couldn't without hitting Althia and Thor. Most of the bruises and open wounds were still evident on Loki's body. Fresh blood trickled down his body.

Althia opens her mouth and begin to scream; high and feline it ripped from her throat shocking everyone. Tears streamed down her face as her body started to shudder and spasm within Loki's arms; his wounds disappeared and reappeared. The room erupted in fear as the technicians and doctors monitoring the suit she was wearing registered what was happening to her body as well. Banner and Tasha were screaming when an unseen force jumped through the room and all the lights went out in a flash. Gold and green magic like snakes issued slowly from Loki's mouth twisting around a small slug like creature. Grey but with one end full of tiny sharp teeth and fine whipping hairs. Legs in four rows along its body kicked as they searched for purchase. It twisted and rolled a mucus coating it gleamed in the light. A thin trickle of blood dripped from Loki' mouth. Pure white light lifted slowly from Althia's mouth and eyes her head thrown back as far it could. For a moment the pair had stilled all even the furious Banner was shocked into stillness. It was Fury who broke the silence striding to the still forms and whispering in Loki's ear. "Get your shit together or you're going to lose her." Her heart rate was dropping and her skin was turning blue. She was barely breathing at all. He looked closely at the worm as it shifted and struggled revulsion wrinkled his mouth when it stretched its wicked looking head towards him. Fury was face to face with the devil that had twisted the prince.

His face loomed before her that smile still there. That perfect and empty smile, fear tried to bubble up like bile from her gut, his words and mannerism the way he smiled as they brutalized every inch of her body in every manner they could. Rage erupted around her and it was gone. Only Loki's mind and face were there. His rage a cool balm on the wounds in her soul and a death wind to that which tortured her body and gentle heart. 'How dare he touch what is mine!' Loki was healed mind, body, and spirit. Fury's words had sunk into his conscious. His rage was a cold thing; something to steal life in a flash or eat it away a bit at a time. The worm had failed to break the pair, failed to stop her light from healing him. She had seen the evil he committed was instigated by the worm of Thanos and beyond that trusted him utterly. The king that should have been stood in her mind tall, glorious, and proud. He separated his mind from her more fragile and gentle one while wrapping her in his protection. She clung to him and let him raise her power in a way she'd never known was possible.

As the worm froze and cracked in the white light wrapped in streaks of green and gold it shatters into tiny motes and blew away dust on the blast of Loki's use of their combined power. There was no more injury or enemy to summon her power and it receded the green and gold streaks faded slowly with it. Loki looked into her mind and left a parting thought that lingered as she felt her body solid and tired around her 'rest now lady.' His head came down as the magic faded and his Aesir form returned. His face hovered a moment over hers the mixture of power and magic still thick between their lips. Gently he kissed her; eyes closed before his arms fell back to the ground the last shred of their power giving way before the force of the shackles still at his wrists.

Althia tumbled from Loki's arms and lap unconscious onto the floor for a moment. Bruce Banner scoped her up in his arms struggling to control himself. He turned holding her; his face a mask barely containing the hulk. He bellowed for the people to move out of his way. He returned to his room where he sat huffing in anger and rocked her sleeping form. Her hand glided up to touch his lips like a child each time he started to lose control. After a while he calmed completely and she stayed asleep as he moved her to the bed. Tasha came when he'd been silent a while and watched him. He striped the special suit from her body and slid one of his shirts over her head. That moment is when her smell registered; something wild and metallic mixed with her scent and the familiar scent of his bed made him hesitate. She'd never smelled like that before; with a shake he gave in to the desire to hold her. Ignoring the questions that tried to come forward in his mind he slid into the bed sliding her back against him. Quietly Natasha closed the door as Althia rolled over and sighed against Bruce's chest.

Thor grabbed his brother's shoulders as Althia tumbled from his lap. In a flash the shackles released their hold on Loki. They fell uselessly aside as Thor dragged his brother to lean against the bed. Nothing had prepared him for the odd experience but the All Father had warned him. Muttering Thor thanked the gods that both did not seem to be injured simply exhausted.

Thor was left looking into his brother's eyes for the first time in years and not seeing hatred and loathing look back. "Thor, where is she?" Loki asked weakly as he recognized his brother "Is she alright? I didn't harm her did I? I tried to take care of her Thor I swear it on our mother's soul." Fury watched the two before waving off the guards and medical staff. "Leave them for a while. Thor can handle it from here." He ordered and Thor's face lit up. He lifted his brother to his feet as he told him that the healer was fine but slept to recover from the battle.

Thor told Loki to rest and eat, before he told the tale of this battle of minds and magic. Loki slowly dressed feeling his body for any signs of damage. She did her work well he felt no after effects of the attack and none from the expulsion of the worm. Thor apologized to him for not realizing something was wrong with him. Loki for his part sighed and let Thor talk himself out. It didn't annoy him for once and he agreed to them getting drunk together and reveling in the victory. It'd been a long time since the two tried to drink each other under the table and for the first time in years Loki wanted to listen to his brother's tales over food and drink as he shared his own; equals as once they were.