It had taken some convincing, a little bit of pleading, and a lot of Fury just really wanted Tony to get the hell out of his office, but Tony managed to worm his way in to see Loki. Why was it so important to see Loki, well it had been nearly a week since their little board meeting and the dreams had yet to stop. Tony had THINGS to do and this amount of sleep deprivation was pushing it even for him. So he had a plan, it was a brilliant plan, well as brilliant as he could get with his current lack of rest. He would see Loki prod him into being his snide condescending self and Tony's subconscious could happily shove Mr. green eyes back in the people who want to kill me category.

So now he stood in front of Loki's bed trying to decide whether he should wake him up or try to come back later. Tony contemplated the sleeping god appearance, except for some faint bruising along his jaw line and an overall weary look Loki appeared to be mostly healed. The decision on whether to wake him or not was made for him as the god stirred.

Opening his eyes, it didn't take him more than a second to catch sight of Tony. Half lidded eyes regarded him intensely as Loki raised a single sardonic eyebrow. And, dammit that was really hot. No, bad Tony, remember defenestration and stick to the plan.

"So, how you feeling." He whispered in complete contradiction to his thoughts. Loki smirked, "Like I am recovering from a rather lamentable amount of torture."

At a loss for words Tony made no reply and after a brief silence, Loki sighed catching Tony's eyes again "What are you doing here Stark?"

"Ostensibly, I'm here to interrogate you, in reality…" Tony Trailed off.

"In reality?" Loki queried in a low whisper.

"I needed to see you." And if that didn't just come out of his mouth all wrong, Loki's eyebrows made a swift bid for his hairline and Tony rushed to recover. "I mean you were pretty beat up when I saw you last, I needed a new image in my head."

For a minute Loki did nothing but stare at Stark as if he had grown another head. First the concern in the hallway and now this, had the mortal lost his senses. "Concern for the enemy, going soft on me now are you?" Loki said in mockingly seductive tones which quickly became biting, "Or is it simply pity, because I will tell you Stark that I will not abide."

There at the beginning Tony wasn't quite sure whether or not Loki had been flirting with him, but as his tone at the end brought them back to familiar ground. "Pity?" He said as if contemplating the word. "I'm pretty sure I don't do pity."

"Then what?" Loki asked eyes still narrowed his shoulders tense.

"You see I'm pretty sure I'm runnin this interrogation, so if you could just hold you questions that would be great." Tony responded with his usual arrogant sarcasm. There back on safe ground.

"I thought you were not here for an interrogation?" Loki responded equally snide.

"I changed my mind. It happens a lot ask anyone." He said breezily, "So Fury tells me you want our protection?"

"In exchange for essentially saving your miserable planet yes. Do not think I will let you out of answering my question so easily Stark. An answer for an answer. Why?" Loki hissed sitting up, his eyes growing an even more intense shade of green in his anger. Suddenly Tony found himself back in the moment that had distracted him all those weeks ago. Eyes like a storm. Remembering them was one thing seeing them again was another. Their intensity drew out the truth.

"I've been dreaming of you." Tony whispered hoping maybe Loki would not hear. The anger in Loki's eyes was replaced by shock then quickly suspicion. Tony barreled on. "I keep seeing you like you were on the balcony that night, asking to die." He risked meeting Loki's eyes. "You looked at me and you were glad that you wound up on my balcony because you were sure I would kill you, and I can't get it out of my head….It's not pity." Loki's eyes had regained their former intensity and Tony sighed and looked away, "I don't know what it is."

"But you did not, you did not kill me. The hero in you to strong to strike at the wounded and unarmed?" Loki narrowed his eyes and leaned forward cocking his head to the side, "You say it is not pity, was it malice? Did you want me to wake up here having to face what they had done to me?" Loki delivered these works in a low venomous tone full of accusation. "No!" Tony said too loudly then he got angry, "What kind of a sick…" He got in Loki's face to make sure the god would understand him "I wouldn't wish torture on anyone not you not on my worst enemy, got it!" tony shoved as much intensity as he could into his words.

There was a moment of silence where the god simply glared back at Tony not retreating, not giving an inch as the mortal invaded his personal space. Deciding to give as good as he got he slid closer and whispered in Starks ear "Is that what I am Stark your worst enemy? An enemy that disturbs your dreams? I cannot help but wonder if I am the true origin of these nightmares, or did you too once beg for death?"

Tony recoiled as if he'd been struck. He glared at the knowing look that graced Loki's features and stormed towards the door. Before he could make his exit he heard Loki whisper "Sweet dreams Stark." Surprisingly these words had no malice in them, almost as if Loki truly wished him relief from his nightmares. Not knowing how to respond to that Tony left, feeling no closer to peace of mind than when he entered.