Before you get started reading.
Author's note: What you need to know for this fic, is that Loki is dead. Thor has just returned from his funeral in Asgard. It has been three days since Loki's attack and it is in MidOctober about a week from Halloween.
Disclaimers: I do not own any of Marvel's characters. I do own my Loki, a few others, the plot and the some of the backstory. Including my Loki's past.

Well enjoy.

Chapter 4 I Am Not a Reindeer

Things had gotten better Loki had to admit that but things had also gotten a lot worse. Upon his completed assessment of the health of his ship he had found that the pirates who had attacked him had done a very thorough job of disabling his ship. He was lucky he had been able to land even. His steering had been disintegrated and besides the holes in his fuel tank the underside of his ship was going to have to be scraped completely, which meant he was going to have to rework an entire heat-shield without proper parts. He was looking forward to the challenge.

He was currently lying under his ship with what the humans called a wrench in one hand, a pair of pliers in the other and a small hammer in his mouth gripped between his teeth. He was trying to get a bolt lose so he could check the heat displacement system but the bolt had been melted completely by the battle. He had just cut the bolt lose and lowered the protective panel when someone interrupted his work.

"Loki?" The voice was loud and had the oddest trace of an accent that not even F.A.D.E. had been able to identify yet.

"F.A.D.E. please tell me that is not Thor," he begged the computer.

"I'm sorry Master Loki it is Thor, there are others with him as well."

Loki sighed and scooted out from under the ship, leaving some of his tools and the panel under the ship. The big man was an alright person but he still called Loki his brother though a week after his arrival everyone seemed to believe he was not the lunatic who had tried to take over the world. He guessed the lunatic had not been a mechanic so when he had started actually making something they had believed his story, or maybe they still suspected him but were just content to leaving him alone and watching his movements. He turned his thoughts back to Thor who had the oddest tendency to speak in a fashion that was hard to understand.

"Brother!" The big man held out his arms and practically squeezed the breath out of him and lifted him about a foot off the ground. He was still wearing his armor and that ridiculous red cape of his so, when Thor put him down Loki discreetly rubbed his chest to try to get his breath back. He really couldn't understand why anyone would wear something like that by their own accord.

"Would thou enjoyest a walk through this marvelous city?"

"What Thor means is would you like to go shopping with us," Tony Stark said from the doorway. He was dressed in what passed for casual on this planet, a thing called a T-shirt and something else called blue jeans.

"I've got to work," Loki said quickly.

Thor's joyful expression dropped and Steve Rogers poked his head into the hanger as well. He too was dressed casually which was a relief because Loki had a tendency to laugh at his costume, well only when no one was around. "Loki your ship is not going to walk away if you leave it for a few hours. We even got Tony and Banner out of their labs to come with. We're going to a mall."

"Yes come on Reindeer Games," Tony said prying the wrench out of his hands and placing it on a nearby work table. He then seized Loki's left arm while Thor joyfully seized his right one.

"You'll love the place brother," Thor cried out as they all piled into the elevator and headed down to the ground floor. The others of their team were not as happy to see that Loki was coming with, the most noticeable of them being Clint and Natasha.

"I'm not your brother," he muttered under his breath as Thor shoved him into the back of a large vehicle, the humans called a van. "Nor do I look anything like a reindeer," he said in exasperation as Tony piled in next to him.

"You know what a reindeer is," Tony asked.

"Yes I looked it up on the computer you left me," Loki replied.

"What is a reindeer anyways," Thor asked. Tony turned red around the cheeks.

Loki replied to the question, "A reindeer is a four legged animal with hooves and fur. It is used as a pack animal in cold climates. They are also associated with someone named St. Nick, who apparently uses them to help him break into children's houses and leave the children toys if they are good."

Steve laughed, "You did do your research." He settled in the middle row of the vehicle, buckled up and turned to look at the back row.

"You have been calling my brother an animal of servitude," Thor bellowed trying to stand up probably to throttle Tony. His seatbelt stopped him and Loki quickly grabbed onto his arm.

"Thor stop, I am sure your friend meant no harm with his comment. There must be worse things he could call me." Tony sniggered at that while Natasha and Clint sat in the front which left Dr. Banner to share the middle with Steve.

"Wait a minute," Director Fury's voice called out. Dr. Banner opened the backdoor and Fury climbed in. "I need to get some more dress shirts and someone need to watch Loki if he is going with you."

"Umm… ok Director," Natasha said as Fury closed the door behind him and buckled up. Natasha started the van and they headed out. Loki spent the twenty minute drive staring out the window and looking at the people who inhabited this planet. He was stuck in the middle but Thor didn't seem to mind him leaning over his body to look at the things passing by. He even risked taking a few pictures with F.A.D.E., discreetly of course. The van was oddly silent but he ignored it, in favor of doing a little sight seeing.

*8*8*8*

"We're here," Tony said shaking Loki's arm as they pulled up to a large building and started hunting for a parking spot in the parking garage. Natasha finally found one and parked. Then they all piled out of the van. They entered the mall and split up into groups.

Clint and Natasha needed to go to the hunting store to get some new arrows. Tony was taking Thor and Steve clothing shopping. Dr. Banner, Director Fury, and Loki were left to go shopping together. The Avengers agreed to meet up at the food courts in three hours and then scattered.

Fury looked at the two of them, "So where are we going to first?"

Loki shrugged and Dr. Banner said, "I need to get some parts for my latest research. I believe there is a Radio Shack here."

"Second floor," Loki said from his place by the large map.

"And I just need some new dress shirts," Fury said. "Loki do you need anything."

"Besides getting my ship back in shape," he asked dryly. "No but I do like sight seeing when I can if I'm in a new place. What is A Radio Shack?"

"A store that sells electronics," Fury replied looking the map over then leading the way. They followed him up the escalators and to the upper levels.

"There's a store that sells electronics? Would I be able to buy a radio there or a new transmitter? My radio is currently unusable which might be why you did not receive my signal when I arrived."

Fury shrugged, "You might be able to. Wait come on, I can get some shirts here." He headed to a JC Penney's. They soon found themselves in the men's section looking for white, long sleeved, size medium button-down shirts.