A/N: It seems my choice to bring Coulson in to the picture was greatly appreciated. Coulson lives! And thank you for the tip off angrbodagiantess. Turns out Coulson does indeed live. Joss said it himself. Google if you want proof. I had a fandork attack and was squealing upon finding out.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers

Fourth to Forgive: Tony

"Pepper, you promised me that you were going to stay away from him."

"Tony, he needed to know about Phil. Something to take one regret off his conscious."

"Thor could have told him." Tony argued.

"Thor didn't know at the time, and I did. And by the way, I told him he could visit the lounges, the roof, and the gym." Pepper said, calmly but firmly.

Tony's mouth fell open. "You told him what?"

"He's been locked up for almost three months! He told me himself he hadn't even seen the sun in all that time. You can't just lock him up and only let him have access to two parts of the tower! It's not good for him, and he'll get bored!" Pepper replied. "You don't want a bored demi god on your hands, do you?"

Tony frowned, knowing he'd been bested. A bored Loki was not something that sounded like it would be good. "Fine."

Pepper studied him a moment before steering him to his bed, and making him sit down, before sitting beside him. "Tony, why are you letting Loki stay here?"

"We owe Thor."

"Not good enough."

Tony frowned. "Those scars…."

"What about them?"

"They made me flashback Pep. To my torture. When I came out of it, my scars healed, aside from this," he tapped the arc reactor "I escaped, and I made it out okay. I made it out better even. He didn't. Thor said those scars will never heal, he couldn't escape, and he certainly did not make it out okay. He did what he did because it was his only way out, and then he goes home and gets disowned and mistreated. Thor comes to me with this scared and beaten guy, and what am I supposed to do? Throw him out?"

"You relate to him." Pepper said, rubbing a hand over Tony's shoulder.

"No."

"Tony."

"No."

"Tony."

"Fine! Fine, I do!" Tony exclaimed. "He's, admittedly, a genius. The bastard has a sense of humor. And he's got guts."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I'm sticking my neck out for a guy who tried to take over the entire friggin' planet, who killed Coulson, and he could have asked for help the entire damn time. He could have said something."

"You and I both know that no one would have believed him."

"What about Thor?"

Pepper paused before she shook her head. "Maybe he would have, but Loki probably didn't think he would."

"He's his goddamn brother!"

"I don't know anything about the circumstances that led to this whole mess, but something happened that made Loki not trust Thor. Thor didn't tell you what?"

"He did."

"And?"

"…It makes sense that Loki wouldn't have trusted him to believe him." Tony grumbled.

Pepper raised her eyebrows, but before she could say anything, JARVIS's voice sounded.

"Sir, Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff have returned. They are requesting to know what you have required authorization for their entrance to the tower."

"Shit." Tony muttered, getting up and heading toward the door.

"Authorization required for Clint and Natasha?" Pepper questioned, although she knew full well why Tony would require JARVIS to alert him of their return. "What're you going to tell them?"

"Not the truth. I dunno, I'll make something up on the way." Tony replied, exiting the room and heading toward the main entrance on the ground floor of the tower.

"What the hell Tony, you don't trust me and Nat?" Clint complained upon being let into the tower.

"Of course that's not true Robin Hood, you both have my implicit trust. Just a systems glitch." Tony stated smoothly. "I'm sure you both want to rest up, so if you want to go straight to your rooms, I've fixed the glitch."

"Cut the crap Stark, you're worried we're going to hurt Loki somehow." Natasha stated calmly, as the three entered an elevator.

"It's been a while since we've been on a last name basis, hasn't it Agent Romanoff?" Tony avoided her accusation.

"You're worried we're going to take him into custody or hurt him. I can assure you we have no such orders." Natasha replied. "Fury has given his word on this, remember?"

"Fury isn't well known for telling the absolute truth all the time. You would know that fact from personal experience, wouldn't you?"

"Christ, Stark, this was one thing I was worried was going to happen. Loki's tearing the goddamn team apart, making us all distrust each other. We can't effing function if we're all ganging up against each other." Clint snapped. "You said that you never said how long you'd let him stay. Maybe handing him over is the best thing for everybody."

Tony turned around to look at Clint. "Agent Romanoff went over this with Fury didn't she? Hand Loki over to S.H.I.E.L.D., kick Loki out of Stark tower, and Thor's gonna find him, take off with him, and then we won't be able to track him. And if Fury thinks Loki's a threat, having him here, being watched, is the best option."

"So you think he's not a threat?" Clint asked, his anger making his voice shake.

"Of course he's a threat. He's a threat to us if we threaten him, and so is Thor. He's not causing any problems, he's behaving himself. What we've been doing so far has been working. If it isn't broke, don't fix it, right?"

"He can't stay here forever Stark." Natasha said.

Tony didn't respond, thankful that the elevator stopped, and he got off, leaving the two agents behind him.

"Stark, I need The Avengers to come in now." Fury demanded, glaring at him from the flat screen in front of Tony.

"Where's the fire Morpheus?" Tony asked, not turning his attention to the screen as he poured himself another drink.

It was late, almost four in the morning, and Tony was in that infamous top floor room, glass of whiskey in hand, since he couldn't get to sleep with all the thoughts that were causing a whirlwind in his head. All of them concerning Loki.

"We've got people in danger, stop fooling around!"

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Are you drunk Stark?"

"Getting there."

"Just wake everyone else the hell up and I'll give you the details."

"JARVIS? Wake everyone except Pepper."

"Right away sir."

Tony waited for a few minutes, trying to ignore Fury's critical gaze, when the elevator opened, and Bruce, Natasha, and Clint walked out of it, with Bruce the only one who looked groggy and disheveled. "Where's Thor?"

All three just shrugged in response.

It wasn't long afterward that the elevator opened again, and Thor strode into the room, accompanied by Steve, and an irritated looking Loki.

"Why the hell is he here?" Clint snapped, and Loki's looked of irritation turned to one of apprehension, and he started backing towards the elevator, but Thor grabbed his arm in a protective gesture.

"JARVIS?" Tony questioned in an exasperated tone.

"You told me to wake everyone except Miss Potts sir. I apologize if I misunderstood."

Tony groaned. Obviously he was getting buzzed if he had forgotten to tell JARVIS to exclude Loki. "You can leave if you want Loki." He grumbled.

"Perhaps Loki could be of assistance." Thor suggested, not letting Loki wrestle away from his grip.

"Whatever, we don't have time for this." Fury snapped, drawing their attention back to him. "Here's a video feed from the scene, in New Jersey, and this is all we've got at this point. Watch it and then get your asses over there."

The image of Fury was replaced by a residential area, where sparks were flying from downed electricity wires and fires from spilled gasoline from cars. There were shouts, and they could see S.H.I.E.L.D. agents running frantically around the area, with guns in hand. Then a tall man strode into view, although they couldn't see his face, who kept shooting bursts of flame and sparks from his hands, and redirected bullets with a wave of his hand. He seemed to finally notice the camera on him, and with a fist aimed at the camera, sparks shot out and the image burst into white light before the feed was disconnected.

"Well, let's get going, suit up guys." Tony said without a second's delay, and strode toward the panel in the wall that held his suit, but Loki managed to rip himself from Thor's grasp and grabbed the billionaire by the collar.

"Think about what you're dealing with. You don't even know what he's using to cause all that damage."

"And you do?" Clint snorted, folding his arms.

"I know magic when I see it." Loki snapped back. "I'm reluctant to offer, but I believe you could benefit from my help in this situation."

"Absolutely not!" Clint exclaimed.

"Loki's the only one of us here who has a good knowledge of magic. It would probably be far easier to complete this mission with his help." Steve put in. "Or do any of you know how to fight a sorcerer?"

"We managed against him."

"Oh, stop arguing. We can't just leave him here without someone watching him." Tony spat, wriggling out of Loki's grasp to put on his suit.

The others departed to get their gear without another word, even Clint, leaving Bruce, Thor, Loki, and Tony.

"Brother, you and I can get there the fastest." Thor said, giving Loki a meaningful look. "If you intend to come with us, that is."

"There are humans in danger and I… I owe a debt." Loki replied slowly. "Only you are not carrying me this time, I can teleport myself just fine now."

Thor actually gave a chuckle. "Banner, do you intend to join us? I could bring you with me."

Bruce held up his hands. "I think I better stay here, in case you guys have any cuts and bruises that need patching up when you get back."

"Hold the fort until we get back then Jolly." Tony said, all suited up, and making his way out onto the patio to take off, with Thor right behind him.

"Jolly?" Loki questioned, raising an eyebrow at Bruce.

"I'll explain when you get back."

Loki shrugged and disappeared.

"Hey Prancer, would you hurry the hell up and figure out how to defeat this guy?" Tony's voice came over the earpiece Loki had been given by a very confused looking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent upon arriving to assess the situation with Thor and Tony.

"Stark, shut up, you keep giving away my location." Loki hissed, rolling out from behind an over turned car, and searching for somewhere else to observe as the car went up in flames shot by their enemy.

"Why don't you just get over here and help us fight head on?"

"Stark, I would ask that you give my brother a chance to do whatever he is planning." Thor replied, deflecting a burst sparks with Mjolnir.

Loki did not answer, presumably having found somewhere else to hide.

Tony didn't say anything, but he half suspected that Loki had only come so he could say he had put himself in harm's way for humans, but that he would spend the whole time hiding so as not to endanger himself. And after everything they'd done for him.

However, after a few minutes of dodging flames and bolts of electricity, getting hit by them, landing a few hits himself, and trying to bring the opponent to his knees, Loki's voice came over the speakers in Tony's suit. "Distract him, keep his attention to the front."

Thor must have heard too, because he instantly leapt out directly in front of the man, not even questioning whatever his brother was thinking.

Tony rolled his eyes and jumped from the roof he had positioned himself on top of to aid the god, and it was barely second afterward that the man fell flat on his face in front of them, his hands locked together in front of him, and his legs locked together, as if by some invisible force, which was probably exactly what it was, considering Loki appeared out of thin air beside them, with a smug look on his face.

The man rolled over, and began spitting at them. "I am The Magician! You will not take me prisoner, I am-" And then his mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out, after Loki waved a hand at him.

"Please, I've met apprentices more dangerous than you. You rely completely on your hands to cast spells, without the use of them, you're powerless." Loki said dismissively, wiping blood from a cut on his forehead.

"Looks like he managed to get you though." Tony noted, more out of concern than the intent of provoking the trickster.

"Actually, that was you when you blew up one of the cars I was hiding behind in an attempt to get him." Loki answered, wiping the blood on his hand on his jacket.

"Oh, ah, sorry." Tony mumbled.

But Loki actually gave an amused smile. "No harm done Stark. I'm impressed that your aim is as good as it is when you've clearly had too much alcohol."

Behind his mask, Tony's mouth dropped open. Had Loki actually just given him a compliment in the form of humor? That was… unexpected. And, at that moment, he found his doubts about Loki seemed to simply melt away.

Thor began laughing and clapped his brother around the shoulders. "Excellent work brother!"

Loki fidgeted and glanced at his feet, but there was no hiding the little smile on his face at Thor's words of praise.

"Come, we must get you back to the tower. The cut is bleeding rather badly." Thor said. "Can you use your magic?"

"Yes, I can at least make it there."

"What're we going to do with him?" Tony asked, gesturing at the angry man on the ground.

"Just leave him there, he's not going anywhere. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the area will arrest him, will they not?" Loki replied, giving the man one last condescending look.

And the three parted ways until they met up back at Stark Tower.

"Okay, I'd say you guys are as patched up as I can get you. We should all get some sleep now." Bruce stated, finishing up the bandaging on Loki's head. "We should all get a few hours, even if the sun's just about to come up."

"Superheroes don't keep regular hours Bruce." Tony said, stretching, and heading for the door of the medical bay, before he paused and turned around. "Hey, Loki."

Loki, who had just hopped off the examining table, looked at Tony curiously.

Tony came to stand directly in front of Loki, and extended his hand. "Thanks."

Loki's eyebrows rose in surprise, but he shook Tony's hand. "The least I could do to repay you for your hospitality."

"I never gave you that drink I offered you." Tony said, releasing Loki's hand and giving a lopsided smile.

"Perhaps later, when I am rested."

"Deal." Tony gave a nod at a very confused looking Thor and Bruce before leaving the room, and heading to the elevator, intending to go find one of the lounges to sleep in so that he wouldn't bother Pepper, but, to his horror, the elevator opened to reveal Clint, Natasha, and Steve.

"Tony, what the hell? The agents said you finished up the job in twenty minutes. Couldn't you wait for us to join the party?" Clint's tone was half irritated, half joking. "All that was left for us was clean up duty."

Tony stepped inside the elevator with them, not looking forward to the explanation he was going to have to give, but he started simply with one sentence. "Loki proved he's on our side tonight."

End Chapter

A/N: It is really hard to come up with nicknames that Tony would use. I hope the interaction between Loki and Tony was believable.