Chapter 5

Loki decided that Thor was well matched with his mortal friends. They all seemed to find Loki's desire for solitude ridiculous and did everything they could to drag him out of the safety of his quarters. And not that he was ever going to admit it out loud, but he was vaguely thankful. There was nothing to do in his rooms other than stare out the window. At least in the common room there were books. There were of course other methods of entertainment provided, such as a very large television and an extensive collection of movies and video games. But even if such things appealed to Loki he doubted he would have a chance to participate. The machine was in near constant use by others. Usually it was the Archer and a young man who was known publicly as Spiderman, but told Loki that he could call him Peter if he liked.

Luckily he was well practiced in the art of fading into the background and passed most of his days in a very comfortable armchair by the window, slowly and methodically going through the small library of books offered.

On the fifth day after he had signed the deal with Shield, he was halfway through the third Harry Potter book (the fact that he was reading the series was apparently the source of great hilarity for Stark,) when he noticed the room darkening. Part of the reason he preferred the armchair was half for it's comfort, and half for the floor to ceiling window it was next to which offered excellent reading light. But the clear blue skies of summer had suddenly darkened with rolling thunderclouds.

Loki felt the first stirrings of fear.

Others in the room noticed the drastic change in the weather and he heard someone ask if the X-men were in town. Loki noticed Captain America -or Steve as he preferred to be called when out of costume - give him a worried look. He then voiced what Loki already knew. "Thor must be back." And he isn't happy was unspoken but understood by all. Unanimously everyone decided that they didn't want to know what had caused Thor's foul mood and continued with whatever they were doing in the first place. Loki decided to stay close to wherever the largest amount of superheroes congregated. Two hours later Loki remained in the same spot, book still in hand though he hadn't read another word. The clouds above had yet to diminish but Thor hadn't come looking for him yet.

When it became late in the afternoon and the games had ended, the occupants of the common room started making their way to the dining area and Loki ended up following.

When Stark had given his tour, Loki had been confused why there would be a separate dining area when his rooms came fully equipped with a kitchen. But apparently his set of rooms were one of few that did, and most of the permanent members ate in a communal area.

He moved to take a seat apart from where the Avengers gathered and a few Shield field agents were, making sure there was a wall to his back and he had a clear view of the two possible entrances. Suddenly a plate was set on the table in front of him and Loki looked to his right to see Rogers sit down next to him with a plate of his own.

"Eat something." he said shortly when Loki raised a brow at him.

"Thank you, but I'm fine."

Rogers studied Loki for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "Look, I know you're probably not thrilled to be here, but you could try a little harder."

"Excuse me?" he whispered icily.

Rogers was unaffected. "We're making an effort to make sure your ok here, and you just keep acting like we're going to throw you out any minute. That's not going to happen."

"I'm your enemy, forgive me for being hesitant to trust you completely."

"But you aren't our enemy, not anymore at least."

Loki stared at the man as he started to eat his meal, acting as though that was the beginning and end of it. As if it could be that simple. But Rogers was as incapable of telling a lie as was Thor, which meant that he believed it.

The Steve noticed that he still hadn't moved and frowned again. "At least eat the vegetables, when your done I can walk you back to your room and then I'll go find out what's happened with Thor for you."

Loki decided to play nonchalant and speared a carrot on his fork. "What makes you think I care what that oaf is doing?" he asked as he eyed the orange root.

"Well since you suddenly won't let anyone get behind you, and you've joined us for dinner for the first time without being dragged, not to mention you've barely breathed since those thunderclouds appeared, I'm guessing you're a little nervous."

Loki had to stop equating big and blonde with Thor-like intelligence.

Luckily, Rogers also lacked Thor's ego, so rather than making it obvious that his point had been proven, he simply went back to eating. True to his word he waited until Loki had eaten his fill, which was not much, but Loki didn't dare eat more with his stomach twisting with nerves as it was. It would be poor thanks to vomit on the Captain. They then walked back to Loki's quarters, and it was an exercise in restraint for him not to constantly be looking over his shoulder. When they arrived Rogers repeated that he would investigate what was happening with Thor, and left him to enter his small sanctuary.

Thor was already there.

Loki froze in the doorframe, eyeing the figure hunched over on the sofa and cursed his lack of forethought. If Thor were looking for him of course he would just lay in wait in his rooms. He eyed Milonir where it sat on the floor by Thor's feet and realized that even if he were to shout for help there was little the Captain could do without his shield.

But Thor had yet to move and it gave Loki pause. The room was dark; the late afternoon sun was blotted out by Thor's clouds, but even in the low light he could see the heavy set to Thor's brow. He seemed different in a way he couldn't find a word for, but it gave him courage to step into the room and close the door.

"It would seem that it doesn't matter what realm I take up residence in, you will always assume a closed door is an invitation to invade my rooms."

"Forgive the invasion brother," the seated god asked quietly and Loki narrowed his eyes. "I only wished to speak with you, and thought it best to wait for you here."

Loki crossed his arms and watched the other man carefully. "Only to speak? Not bring me back to Asgard? To face the punishment for my crimes?"

"You have been punished too much Loki. I have returned from Asgard to offer my protection as my comrades have." He finally looked up to meet Loki's startled gaze and added with a small smile, "Mother also sends her love."

"How is she?" he asked, because it was easier then asking what he meant by 'punished too much'.

"Not well actually," Thor admitted and then hurriedly added, "She is not ill, not at all! She is just… when she learned what had happened, she became sick at heart. I admit I have never seen her so upset, nor have I ever seen her so incensed with father. It's actually quite frightening."

"When she… what did you tell her?"

"Loki, I went to Asgard to speak to father about your claims, and I admit freely that I did not believe you. Or I suppose, I could not believe that Father could do such a thing to you. But my friend Steve Rogers spoke to me and explained how Father might have thought he was protecting you rather than punishing. So I confronted our father, and he said that it was all a lie. That when he found you with your children they were already monsters. Products of your magic rather than of encounters with men. He said that your madness had made you paranoid, and insisted that I bring you home."

Loki closed his eyes and swallowed back bitter words as he knew they would do him no good. He had predicted what would happen exactly. Thor continued on with his tale.

"I told him I couldn't, that Shield had captured you and hesitated to release you when your child's fate was still unknown. He insisted that I bring you back anyways, even as I told him that we could handle any creature that you might produce. We quarreled and eventually began to fight in earnest, him demanding that I bring you to Asgard and I questioning why it was so important." Thor paused to let out a weary sigh. "He eventually told me the truth."

At this point Loki found that he had stepped forward so that he could put a bracing hand on the back of the armchair, his eyes glued to the form of his foster brother that was suddenly looking at him with a look of such sorrow that he felt his breath catch.

"He claimed that at first his actions were to protect you from the truth of your heritage. It is apparently the way of the Frost Giants to both sire or carry their offspring, their genders are nonspecific, and even if at the time you didn't know, many in Asgard did. He promoted the idea that it was your sorcery that allowed you to beget monsters so that none would search out another reason and realize that you were not Aesir by blood." Thor stood then and stepped towards him tentatively, and Loki watched him warily as he drew closer. Thor's expression was one of great sadness as he read the distrust in his brothers eyes. But instead of stepping back, Thor came to stand in front of him and Loki was pulled into an embrace.

Thor's arms held him tight, but Loki didn't immediately push him away, though he realized he could have if he wanted to. Thor's grip was gentle, like he was afraid to injure, completely opposite to the bruising hugs Loki had learned to twist away from.

"I am so sorry brother."

It was said softly, with genuine remorse and Loki shoved away from Thor viciously. "You're sorry?" he hissed angrily, "What have you to be sorry about? Is it remorse that you and your friends mocked my suffering at every available opportunity, or is it regret that you have learned that your father is as skilled a liar as I am?"

"I am sorry that I never knew the truth Loki! If I had, you must know I would have done anything-"

"But you did know!" he shouted, stunning Thor into silence. "You knew that they were mine! My children! It shouldn't matter what form they were in, they were innocent, and mine and you stood by and made cruel jokes as they were taken from me! Do not claim that learning the truth of it all changes anything!"

Thor stared at his brother with wide eyes as he finished his rant before hanging his head. "You are right Loki, of course. I will not ask for forgiveness for my actions, I don't deserve it. I can only promise to do all that I can to protect you so that it never happens again. To try and make this right."

"You can not undo what has been done Thor."

"I know."

Loki took a calming breath and looked over Thor's form. He looked as contrite as he'd ever seen him. "You say that Odin's rationale for transforming my children was to hide proof of my Jotun nature; if that were true, why does he want this child? Everyone knows by now what I am, there is no secret to hide."

Thor grimaced. "I had thought the same, and questioned him why it was so important that I bring you home before the babe is born. He admitted that part of the reason he bound them into the forms of beasts was because they had inherited your magic, and that in time they would grow to be as powerful as you. He fears that this child you carry now will become your equal, and one day the two of you will conspire to bring down Asgard."

"He will continue to try to take it then?"

The look that crossed over Thor's face was a dangerous one indeed. "He may try brother, but he will not succeed."

Yay! Thor's not a total douche in this story! And yeah, I had to make Loki and Bruce be buddies because personally I think if they weren't enemies they would totally be bff's. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and in inresponse one in particular, yes Loki gave birth to all the kids. There is no Angrboda. In addition to that note, there is no Sigyn either which means no Vali or Narfi. Hope that helps!

And hold on to your Butts, the next chapter is where the plot picks up!