A/N: Hopefully I managed to do this chapter justice. Because I swear, I can't find a decent Iron man 3 video that would help me fill in everything. So hence the reason why most of the scenes are in pieces and why I didn't put them all in. XD And also, it would be boring if I did the whole movie in there. So I hope you can bear with me, because most of it is from my memory and from clips I found. Thank you!

oOo

Chapter 9

"Sir, there are government air forces that want us to land." Sitwell told Fury. "They managed to send us an immediate request for landing, or they would shoot us on sight."

"This ship doesn't even exist in this world." Fury scoffed. "And how the hell can a small jet shoot a giant ass Helicarrier?"

"We've encountered a hack, Sir." Agent Perez called. "We managed to intercept and redirect it."

"Good." He pushed buttons on the holoscreens. "The last thing we need is an uproar in this world that we exist. Better dead than experimented on."

"What's your call, Sir?" Hill wondered.

"All of you ass-wipes better use all of your skills in hacking to change everything and wipe us completely off the grid!" Fury shouted. "Everything as so much as a speck in the system that they're trying to hack, I want all of it wiped! Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Everyone shouted.

"These people are good." Fury turned to Hill. "Better than I took them for."

"They created us." Hill joked.

"Very funny, Hill."

"With all due respect, Sir," Hill walked forward. "If they find us on the grid again and discover us hiding in the sky, what do you think they will do?"

"We'll be forced to answer questions and be the talk of the century." Fury stared at her with his one good eye. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. For now, we worry about what this world has in store for us."

"And what about what our own world has in store for us."

She questioned, stopping Fury from taking a step forward.

"Like what exactly?" He tilted his head.

"Loki." She frowned.

"He's in his cell, broken, defeated and reduced to a crying mess by his brother." Fury said, unfazed. "What more can a threat could he be?"

"Everyone in the main room is talking about him." Hill swallowed. "And word spreads fast."

"They can talk all they want. He's not really a main concern at the moment. My concern is getting as much information we can in this world to counter what's in ours. We already have the proof he's not in this alone, but that doesn't change the fact he was still part of the show."

"Do you believe in his story?"

"Do you?"

Fury raised an eyebrow and Hill was stumped. She didn't know what kind of answer her boss wanted, so she stayed silent instead and he accepted that.

"I'm not one to judge so quickly, Hill."

"Neither do I, sir." Hill paused. "What do we do with him?"

"Keep him under wraps and in our terms of negotiation if he chooses to help." Fury smirked. "I'm sure he'll snap one way or another. He could be a useful consultant to get us back to our world."

"And if this goes wrong and we miscalculate?"

"Then let it be on Thor's head."

oOo

They all settled down, contempt and well rested enough to gather inside the main room for more details about each other. They were all quiet, because they were afraid of the secrets everyone had to hide.

Don't trust anyone.

That's a rule.

A rule they learned only a day ago.

Thor was sitting with them, looking down and brooding at the screen. The table in front of them showed scans of Loki's body and footage of him lying on the bed in a secured infirmary with fresh clothes. Thor had helped Loki change into them. His brother was still bound by the chains, because better safe than sorry.

Loki's eyes were dark and heavy, and even asleep, Loki was struggling.

"Damn, look at his body." Tony muttered.

"How far injured is he?" Clint said.

"His illusion faded before my eyes. Perhaps he could no longer hold onto it." Thor leaned back. "His whole body is riddled with scars and bruises."

"There's a lot more." Bruce mumbled, checking the scans.

"I may have accidentally added to some of it." Thor frowned. "He lashed out at me after a while, and I could not help but try and stop him forcefully."

"His body looks mutilated and badly bruised from the looks of it. But they're mostly healed now." Bruce said, turning to the brooding god. "It's not really your fault, Thor. Some of the wounds date for far longer. And I feel sorry that I contributed to breaking his ribs."

"But I may have added to the damage your Hulk had caused."

Thor had the eyes of regret.

"He'll heal." Clint grumbled.

"Will he really?" Tony wiggled his fingers.

If Loki was a human, he would have been dead by now. They had checked him, and Loki was healing rather slowly for them to arrange a negotiation.

"He's still unconscious." Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I thought he would be walking by now." Steve cupped his chin.

"Loki passed out after our heavy conversation." Thor scowled, recalling the memory. "Your Shield healers assured me that they would take care of him and what I saw did not look like what I was assured of."

"It was necessary." Fury said.

"Drugging him was necessary?"

"You said so yourself, Thor. You added to his injuries. And we'd rather have a knocked out god than a panicking suicidal patient trying to kill my people." Fury answered. "We're helping speed up his recovery."

"Because you, director, assured me that it will be quick." Thor frowned. "And painless."

"And painless it is."

"Your drugs are heavy, and enough to mess with his magic."

"We can't have him wake up while they doctors are patching him up."

Thor stopped himself from answering back; knowing that talking to them was useless. He had what he asked for. A safe place for Loki to stay and his wounds taken care of.

"His stomach." Bruce gaped. "Has he mentioned anything about eating?"

"No." Thor said.

"Nothing?"

"He mentioned very little."

"Look at this." Bruce showed it to them. "It doesn't look like he's been eating at all."

"The tubes you stabbed in his arm," Thor narrowed his eyes. "They are for nutrients, yes?"

"They are." Hill sighed.

"If it is true that he hasn't been eating, then your nutrients will help him, even if a little."

"You'll ask him, won't you?" Bruce asked.

"If he had eaten since?" Bruce nodded at Thor. "I will ask."

"What happened, Thor?" Clint asked, putting the attention on him. "No offense, but I'm curious. We have morals that we wanted you to have privacy, but—"

"He lashed out when I mentioned Thanos after mentioning the Other." Thor took a deep breath and looked away. "It is worse than I thought. The titan's name is like a trigger for my brother to panic and run. He looked horrified, as if he was living his worst nightmares."

"Trauma could do that to you." Fury said.

"Before Loki exhausted himself fully, I managed to ask if he would help us."

"What did he say?" Steve asked.

"Loki is willing to participate as long as he is given time before he could explain to me fully what happened."

"How did you get him to snap?" Clint wondered.

"It only takes little for a wounded man to spill his secrets." Thor narrowed his eyes. "Especially when his wounds dug deeper than any of ours."

"And the information?" Fury questioned.

"Information is not what I worry for." He turned. "You already have all the answers you need. Questioning Loki will be the same as torturing his fragile mind."

"What changed then?" Fury bit back. "I thought you were over feeling sentimental about your brother?"

"I was wrong. You weren't there."

"We saw." Natasha said, eying Fury. "And we're not heartless, Thor."

"And I thank you for trying to help."

"What now?" Tony crossed his arms. "Do we wait for Loki to wake up?"

"For now, we watch Iron man 3 so we get a heads up on what happens after the Avengers." Fury flung an already loaded video on the screen. "We watched the trailer before, out of curiosity and now we watch this movie for fun."

"Gee, glad that you can have fun at my expense." Tony licked his lips.

"Does it have anything to do with me?" Thor asked, catching everyone's attention.

"I doubt it." Natasha answered. "It's an Iron man movie."

"Then I wish to take my leave." Thor stood up, getting ready to walk away.

"Whoa, who said you can go?" Fury raised his arms.

"You cannot stop me from staying by Loki's side." Thor said as he began to walk away. "I know there is a story about me and my brother after we left Midgard. Only when you decide to watch that, shall I be here."

"They gave him a heavy dose." Fury called. "He won't wake up so soon."

By the time he finished, Thor was already out of ear shot and out the door.

"You can't blame him." Clint raised his feet on the table. "He's beat up over his brother."

"And you?" Fury raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you concerned?"

"I'm not heartless."

"Thor's gone." Steve tapped his finger on the table. "Are we going to continue without him or should we wait?"

Suddenly Agent Dave turned to them.

"Sir, Thor is requesting permission to enter the infirmary."

"Let him in." Fury pulled a chair and plopped down tiredly. "To answer your question, Captain… someone play the goddamn video!"

They all turned their attention to the screen as it showed the words, Iron Man 3.

oOo

Thor sat there for thirty minutes, looking at Loki's frail unmoving form. He had an oxygen mask on his face. The doctors said he had trouble breathing a few minutes before Thor got there.

Thor thanked them.

"I did this." Thor stared at Loki. "I caused you to be bedridden more than you should be. You were healing, and I caused you pain."

Thor closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again.

Loki's hands were bound by the metal railings by the sides of the bed. They must have forcefully adjusted Loki's badly broken ribs so the healing process would work faster.

Why have you done this?

To prove to Father that I am a worthy son!

Thor took hold of Loki's cold hands.

"You always found the cold frightening." Thor thought.

It was like he was dead.

"I will make sure they treat you fairly this time. So will I." Thor mumbled softly for Loki to hear. "I promise… this time I swear."

Thor held onto his brother's hand, covering it with his other hand, trying to make his presence known.

"I believe you, Loki." He sighed. "I believe you."

The thirty minutes turned into an hour, and soon another thirty minutes had passed and Thor was still sitting in the same position, thinking about everything he had done.

Was he really wiser than he was before?

Did he really not know everything and only chose to pretend he did?

Please kill me… please kill me.

Why Loki wanted to die so much, Thor wouldn't understand.

Sure he had been tortured, fallen to insanity by the void, but Thor couldn't seem to let the idea sink in. It was too hard and too heavy for it to just fall in place.

He couldn't relate.

oOo

"Hold up." Tony paused the video immediately as the title popped up. "I know you guys watched my trailer but I'm not comfortable with this. Isn't this an invasion of privacy? And I don't want Rogers to be proved wrong that he doesn't know me that well."

"I don't want another fight, Tony." Steve said.

"Here we go again." Clint rolled his eyes, stretching his arms above his head. "Can we just watch the movie in peace?!"

"Boys." Natasha warned.

"Tony, we know you've watched it." Bruce said calmly. "If I'm not mistaken, there must be a lot of people targeting you since you have three movies? And we're just as curious as you are."

"Something mind you," Clint pointed out. "That took a lot of will power for us not to watch yet."

"Takes off the suspense." Natasha agreed.

"You're a famous man, Stark." Fury raised his legs on the table. "Your first movie is about Afghanistan and that battle with Obadiah Stane."

That there, made Tony cringe a little.

"If you're all concerned and confused," Tony raised a finger to Steve. "He was a father figure. He was a friend of Howard, and someone who helped with Stark industries, which is my company."

"I saw the file." Steve mumbled.

"Yeah." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Movie number two." Hill announced, and a lot of people were listening. "You almost died of Palladium poisoning if it hadn't been for Director Fury and Agent Romanov. You were evaluated too."

"Yeah, Iron man was okay and Tony Stark is a narcissists and an alcoholic." Tony leaned back. "We get it."

"Isn't that a bit mean?"

"Thank you, Bruce!" Tony shook his head. "Don't forget Fury shouting, Sir! I'm going to ask you to exit the doughnut! Because that was funny."

"Narcissist?" Bruce frowned. "If I'm not mistaken that's a mental illness."

"I'm not an aggressive narcissist, Bruce." Tony rolled his eyes. "Please, let's just get this over with. I don't want to talk about my issues with you guys. It's too personal."

Fury glanced at Hill, making sure she noted that down.

"Movie two," Hill rephrased. "Had Pepper Potts, Stark's assistant slash girlfriend, slash CEO, had Justin Hammer thrown in jail for what he did at the Expo last year."

"Don't forget Ivan Vanko." Clint chuckled. "A pain in the ass."

"How come I don't know any of these?" Bruce wondered as they continued to report it with each other.

"Apparently, they did their research without us, Bruce." Tony smiled. "And possibly because they didn't give you any files."

"I was assigned to Thor in New Mexico." Clint told them. "Natasha was assigned to Stark and we kept in touch."

"So this Ivan Vanko, who is he?" Steve asked.

"I thought you read the file? He wanted revenge." Tony said mockingly. "Because of what Howard did or whatever. Doesn't matter, that's in the past."

"And this one is your future." Hill pointed. "We didn't look at it, but we did research about parts of it. You have an enemy known as the Mandarin, and (AIM) or Advanced Idea Mechanics founded by Aldrich Killian."

"Doesn't ring a bell." Tony yawned, having already know.

"Let's just begin, shall we?" Fury said, a little impatient. "The sooner we get this movie done, the sooner we get to Thor and Roger's."

"Fine..."

"Play it."

"Yo listen up here's a story, About a little guy that lives in a blue world, And all day and all night and everything he sees , Is just blue like him inside and outside. Blue is his house with a blue little window ,And a blue corvette,And everything is blue for him and himself,And everybody around... 'cause he ain't got nobody to listen to..."

"I'm blue da ba dee da ba die..."

"I really dig this song." Tony smirked.

"Oh great, a flashback." Clint rolled his eyes as they watched.

"Hey, don't judge me alright?" Tony said to Clint's whining. "I'm an ass in this flashback but it gets better. Trust me."

"Copy you loud and clear, Stark."

Every Agent abandoned their work, there was nothing to do but fly the Helicarrier on autopilot. All the hackers were redirected elsewhere and their technology was far too advanced for these people. Most of the moving Agents stopped at their tracks to watch the screen.

"This better be a useful scene." Clint muttered.

"It's a movie." Hill shrugged.

"That's information gathering?" Bruce almost laughed.

"It's faster." Natasha smirked.

They watched the past for a moment, when Tony was telling his story, from a party to him meeting Yinsen. And yes, Tony regretted not remembering him then, and to see a friend like that, it was heartbreaking, but Tony knew well enough not to do something stupid. They watched the past and when it was finished, a new scene appeared.

Present Day, Malibu, California.

"I'm different now." Tony narrated. "AH!" He cried out. "I'm... well... you know who I am."

Tony was sitting on the chair, injecting himself with something while Dummy was sweeping the floor. Jarvis' voice sounded in the background, sounding very worried but Tony continued to ignore him.

"OW." Tony cried, biting a piece of cloth.

"What are you doing, Tony?" Bruce wondered.

"Experiments?" He shrugged. "It's in my head already."

"More like you're inventing something." Fury said. "Is this a hobby of yours?"

"I think it is."

"I thought you watched it." Natasha questioned.

"I did, but I'm not spoiling anything."

"QUIET!" Clint shushed.

"Sir." Jarvis called. "Please sir may I request just a few hours to... calibrate..."

"Nope. AH!" He injected himself again. "The micro-repeater planting sequence complete."

"That's advance tech." Fury eyed.

"Not selling." Tony huffed.

"As you wish, sir." If Jarvis could sigh. "I've also prepared a safety briefing for you to entirely ignore."

"Which I will." Tony replied, cleaning his wounds. "Alright, let's do this."

Tony sniffed and turned his attention to the robot wearing a hat, and trying his bet to clean up the floor. Tony just looked like he wanted to maul the thing, or more likely he just looked like a father.

"Dummy" He called sweetly. "Hi Dummy. How did you get that cap on your head? You earned it."

"You are such a dick." Clint laughed.

"Ugh, you don't understand my relationship with my creations." Tony smiled.

'Hey. Hey!" He attacked the wooded training stump with precision. "What are you doing out of the corner? You know what you did. Blood on my mat; handle it."

"Is this normal?" Steve turned.

"Seems normal to me." Natasha shrugged.

"Sir, may I remind you that you've been awake for nearly 72 hours." Jarvis said as Tony started punching the air right at the camera and proceeded to ignore Jarvis.

"Focus up ladies." Tony stood on the platform. "Good evening!"

"72 hours." Bruce turned to Tony. "That's bad! You can lose brain cells that way."

"No it's not." Tony said in defense. "Come on, it's just 72 hours."

"Even trained assassins can't handle 72 hours." Hill said. "It's unhealthy. And not recommended."

"If you say a word about illnesses and shit, I will snap." Tony warned jokingly.

No one said another word.

"And welcome to the birthing suite." Tony said. "I am pleased to announce the imminent arrival of your bouncing, bad-ass baby brother."

"Oh man..." Clint nervously grinned. "This will be cool."

"What are you a kid in a theater?"

"Come on Nat, don't tell me you aren't curious about that kind of technology."

"Eh." She shrugged.

"Start title and go wide." He directed. "Stamp date and time." Tony turned to face himself in front, and called. "Mark 42 autonomous-prehensile propulsion suit test. Initialize sequence."

Tony began to move his fingers like a piano, and a few ticking noises sounded. Opening up the lights on the scraps of metal lying on the table, which were really his suits in pieces.

"Jarvis."

"Jarvis - drop my needle." The sound played and Tony was swinging his hips.

"Okay..." Steve muttered.

"It's Christmas." Tony shrugged. "Besides, I enjoy these types of music. I'm not all rock. Geez."

"At least we're learning more about you." Bruce smiled.

"Wait till you watch the end, Bruce. You'll dig what happens at the end."

"Should I be worried?"

"Probably." Tony smirked when Bruce swallowed.

Tony made a pose, and when nothing worked, he did it again. "Crap." He bit his arm and hit it a few times before trying again. The armor flew towards him and settled itself on his hands, reaching up to his arm.

"That technology." Hill's eyes widened.

"Amazing tech you've made, Stark." Fury turned. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks." Tony sighed.

Tony called for another and it did the same thing to his other arm. Tony laughed, raising both his hands and said "Alright, I think we got them all." The leg piece flew and attached itself beautifully to his leg and the other one, it hit one of the glass from behind, which made Tony worry. When he turned, it was a close call if he hadn't put his hands up on his face.

"It was too good to be true." Natasha smirked.

"Your suits could have killed you." Steve's eyes widened at the mess.

Tony ignored him.

"Probably just a little fast..." Tony made a time out gesture. "Slow it it down" He ducked as another flew right at him. "Just a... little bit." It attacked a pipe before attaching itself to his thighs. Then out of nowhere the platform to his crotch attacked him, and he made a face.

Each of the guys inside of the room winced.

The girls all "ooh'd" as if they understand the pain.

Then another hit Tony's back, almost causing him to fall if it wasn't for the repulsors that kept him steady.

'Cool it, will you Jarvis?" His strained voice said as he landed while the other pieces connected to the suit.

The face plate attacked his music, turning it off, looking like it was alive and ready to attack him.

"Come on. I ain't scared of you." He jabbed.

"That looks like it's straight from a horror movie." Clint curled his lips. "Oh god, it's terrifying."

"No it's not." Tony whined.

"It is! Ew, god that's creepy!"

The face plate went and turned around when it hit, so Tony spun in the air and let it collide with his suit as he finished with a perfect landing and a punch on the floor.

"I'm the best." He said, but was hit from behind and the suit toppled along with him.

"As always sir,a great pleasure watching you work." Jarvis said.

"I guess 72 hours is a long time between siestas." Tony narrated.

"Seriously Tony, 72 hours?" Bruce winced.

"Come on, it's just 72 hours. Cut me some slack. And besides, right now I've reached 35 hours at best I think." Tony scowled. "Leave me alone, Bruce. I'm okay... seriously."

"But it's unhealthy." Steve said.

"You've been asleep for 70 years." Tony jabbed.

"But that's different."

"Then I had to turn on the tv."

Tony was not fine... he really was not fine.

This will be on for another 2 hours probably? And Tony wondered if he could last that long, especially when the delicate scene comes on. Tony felt his heart skipping the normal beats, and his hand shaking life a leaf. Man, Tony felt like an emotional wreck right now, because he was in denial.

He wasn't sick.

He wasn't ill or anything like that.

And he was not metal.

"I'm Tony Stark for god-sakes." Tony thought, but his hands just kept shaking.

"I'm fine." Tony told them. "Just keep watching."

oOo

Thor couldn't let go of Loki, because the thought of doing so reminded him so much of when Loki had fallen off the bifrost. The more Thor remembered that day, the more Thor felt so sullen and grim. He hadn't been a good brother to Loki, he had never been a good brother. He had called Loki names, and joined in insulting Loki a handful of times about his magic and yet Loki had stuck with him.

"You've always been there for me." Thor declared.

The truth spills.

"And yet I was never there for you."

Thor held Loki's hand as he stroked his brother's hair from his face. Thor couldn't remember the last time he had seen Loki so bedridden and weak. It had been a long time since that day, and to remember so many things at once was making him regret his actions.

"I've never been a good brother to you." Thor sighed. "I hope you will find time to forgive me."

Loki lay there unmoving.

"Hating me, I can accept but not having your forgiveness means another."

Thor swallowed, trying to continue.

"I forgive you, brother. And I am sorry." He closed his eyes. "You and I had shared so many things, and yet here we are, as if we do not know each other. It feels like we have forever been strangers to one another despite sharing those years. So many things had gone wrong, and I wish to rectify them."

He bit his lips.

"With you, I hope for a fresh start, Loki."

Regrets spilled from his mouth.

"If this is fates doing, then I gladly thank her. Tis because of this tragic event that I realized my mistake. If had known sooner of what they had done to you, and had I been wiser, I would have realized immediately of your pain and suffering. I should not have dived into conclusions about your hatred of me. For that, I am terribly sorry."

He wished Loki would open his eyes.

"I hope you find it in your heart to tell me what they did to you." Thor said. "If they really harmed you, violated you, all of it. And if they did, I want for you to allow me to harm and punish them for the wrongs they did. So I may feel at ease, and possibly with those actions, you as well. But I know that such a thing as revenge would not clarify or clear me of my crimes against you as a brother. But if there was some way for us to reconcile, I would do anything for it to happen."

He wished Loki could hear him.

"Wake up."

"I just wish for us to talk." Thor chuckled sadly.

"Wake up, sweet princeling." The Other whispered. "Time to wake up."

"If by knowing the future, will help us understand, then I will accept it." Thor said. "If only you are awake, I would have you know my regrets. As your older brother, I will do what I must to correct our past."

"Wake up."

It called.

Suddenly, Loki's hand twitched and a groan escaped from his lips. Unaware, Thor had stopped his actions, and watched Loki squinting at the bright lights.

"Loki?" Thor looked up.

"Open your eyes!"

"Loki?" He called.

"Hmm?" Loki blinked rapidly. "Thor?"

Thor could see a swirl of blue fading spiral in Loki's eyes.

"Yes." He answered. "It's me."

And no sooner did Green eyes met him.

What was that?

"W-where am I?" Loki groaned.

oOo

TBC

Please review and tell me what you think.