Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Thor is devastated to lose Loki. To see the man he's known since childhood be reduced to this? How did everything spiral out of control? How did he not notice the pain and anguish that welled inside his brother?

He doesn't ask Heimdall to search for his brother. He can't stomach the thought of Loki's lifeless body floating in the emptiness between the branches of Yggdrasil. To ease the pain he asks how Jane and his other mortal friends fare.

~~0O0~~

When Odin summons him to meet privately Thor expects to hear news of how the Bifrost is being constructed. But to hear Loki is alive, that he is well and whole makes the world brighten a little more. His joy is crushed, however, when he realizes Loki is not well. His father only says that the second prince has gained dangerous power and allied himself with the Chitauri and together they will cause havoc on Midgard.

'Why is Loki committing such atrocities?'

~~0O0~~

Thor is blinded by rage as he travels to Earth. The patience he learned from the short time he was banished on Earth is already forgotten. His arrival causes clouds to gather and swell as it mirrors his emotions.

The ground rumbles when he lands and people are fleeing. He sees Loki grapple and overpower a mortal as the god tears the shield out of his grasp. Thor hesitates when the face of his brother shimmers and scales roil and shift. A blast from above knocks Loki sideways as another covered in red and gold armor flies into view.

"Make a move reindeer games."

Thor has had enough. He ignores the mortals and growls, "Loki! Where is the Tesseract?"

Thor knows his anger is out of control because his brother gives him an infuriating smile and he feels betrayed at how happy Loki seems. He doesn't think as he reaches for the trickster forgetting the two mortals near him. He stumbles as a beam of energy strikes him from behind sending him into the street face first.

"You dare attack a son of Odin?"

"He's ours. We've got orders to take him in."

The thunderer grits his teeth as Mjölnir hums, "This is beyond you, mortals. Loki will face Asgardian justice."

"Once he gives up the Cube he's all yours. Until then-", the metal man readies himself to fire again, "Stay out of the way, tourist."

Thor throws the hammer, aiming to hit the metal suit at its center but is deflected by a shield sending it in a different direction. The thunderer doesn't even have enough time to shout as Mjölnir crushes Loki's neck and his body falls with a sickening flop.

~~0O0~~

He can't breathe.

Thor feels numb as he watches the humans wrap his brothers body and seal away what was once his head.

~~0O0~~

Thor is tired of listening to the mortals argue. He only wishes to retrieve the Tesseract and give his brother a proper funeral. The mortals respond that as an enemy of Earth Loki's remains will stay on their planet until Barton, Selvig, and the weapon the god stole are found. Even if they are able to find what they seek Thor believes they won't be willing to hand over Loki. For now they keep the body in a cell made of thick glass with his broken head wrapped in thick material next to the prone form.

"Look, Thor," the man named Banner speaks, "I don't think we should focus on Loki right now. That guy's brain was a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him."

The thunderer rounds on the smaller man, "Have care how you speak. Loki was beyond reason but he is of Asgard, and he was my brother."

"He ate eighty people in two days."

The words 'He's adopted' die in his throat as the red haired woman glares at him.

"Holy shit!"

He turns to see Stark gaping at the screen in front of him.

"He's alive? That's not possible! How-how?"

Everyone watches the monitor in horror as Loki's headless body sits up before an explosion causes the screen to go black.

TBC

Edited: 10-30-2013