Disclaimer: I don't anything Marvel related!

Unwanted Reunion

Loki had been silent the entire plane ride. As a wordsmith he knew that sometimes silence could be more unsettling than words. In this case his silence was causing tension and fear within his three captors. Loki grimaced as he saw the flash of lightning. It had been only an hour since he made his grand appearance, he had expected a bit more time before Thor would arrive.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Captain America said tersely. His fear oozed out of him clearly through the way he demanded authority Loki noted carefully.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." Loki said softly, looking up at the roof, purposefully answering the question after being silent for so long, and being vague enough to worry them.

They had enough time to look at each other with puzzlement before Thor landed on the roof, shaking the plane. How dramatic of him, Loki thought dryly, he could have waited till they landed.

Iron Man smartly put back on his suit, but he foolishly opened the hatch, letting Thor land hammer first into the plane. Thor knocked Iron Man out of the way, and grabbed Loki by the neck without a word throwing them both out of the plane. The wind rushed against Loki's face. He had never like flying with Thor in the old days, that feeling hadn't changed.

Thor tossed Loki roughly into the ground, landing on his feet. Loki groaned, and laughed breathlessly choosing to lay in the ground, reveling in the moment.

"Where is the tesseract?" Thor said bluntly, anger filled his voice.

"Ah hah! I missed you too." Loki teased cruelly, he put aside the thought that he might actually mean those words.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"

"Ohh. You should thank me. With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did Frigga have to conjure up to bring you here?" Loki said darkly, standing up slowly.

Thor dropped Mjolnir, with that it seemed he dropped his original purpose. Thor grabbed Loki pulling him up, and placed a hand on Loki's neck. "Listen. I thought you dead."

"Did you mourn?" Loki asked honestly wondering, letting his guard down the slightest bit.

"We all did. The kingdom misses it's prince. Sigyn wanted to come tonight."

Loki paused glancing at the ground, it had been a long time since someone had said that name. "Why didn't she? That might have been more persuasive than this." Loki waved a hand at Thor.

"Our father-"

Wrong move, Loki quickly shut down and raised a finger. "Your father." Loki broke away and spit out his words angrily. "He did tell you about my true parentage, did he not?"

"We were raised together, we played together, we fought together. Do you remember none of that?" Thor desperately tried to appeal to Loki's emotional side.

"I remember a shadow. Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss, when I was and should be king." Not only that, Loki remembered that gut wrenching feeling when Odin dismissed all of his sacrifices as nothing. That could not be forgotten, not ever.

"So you'll take this world in recompence for your imagined slights? No! The earth is under my protection."

Loki gave a gasp of laughter before smirking. "And you're doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other, while you idly fret."

"They are better left alone, from both you and I. This is a foolish pursuit brother. They won't accept your ruling."

"I've seen worlds you've never known about. I have grown, Odinson, in my exile. I have seen the true power of the tesseract and when I wield it-"

"Who showed you this power? Who controls the would-be king?" Thor growled roughly.

"I am a king! I was born to rule!" Loki screamed in rage.

"Not here!" Thor replied with the same intensity. He rushed to Loki, and grabbed his neck. "You give up the tesseract. You give up this pointless dream, and come home to those who love you."

"I'm fairly sure the Odin doesn't love his enemy's son, the one whose caused so much trouble for Asgard. I don't think he ever did." Loki's tone slipped into dark sarcasm.

"Do you doubt Frigga or Sigyn's love as well?" Thor watched Loki's face closely. Loki held a blank face, blinking once before speaking, changing the subject.

"I don't have it. You need the cube to bring you home, and I have sent it, I know not where." Loki said slowly avoiding the question. Relishing instead on testing Thor's patience.

"Listen well Brother-" A bright stream of light knocked Thor off the side of the cliff.

"I'm listening." Loki said innocently, staring at the empty space where Thor had been.

Loki sat quietly in the garden. He watched a tiny dragonfly flutter over a bush. It's miniscule maw blowing tufts of fire, burning the vibrant green leaves.

"Where have you been Loki?" Frigga asked tenderly, as she came to sit next to him.

"Out." Loki said noncommittally, holding a finger out for the dragonfly, which landed neatly on his forefinger.

"Careful with those. They'll burn you. It's not good to be out alone Loki. You are still a child."

"I know. I...I just didn't want to be near them."

"Who?"

"Father and Thor."

"What have they done now?" Frigga said smiling, wrapping her arm around Loki's slight frame.

"Everything, and nothing." Loki gazed up at his mother, eyes wide, "Do you know what I mean?"

"I understand perfectly."

"I am never good enough." Loki muttered. The dragonfly flew away, catching a warm breeze.

"That's not true."

"It feels that way Mother. I want something Thor doesn't have."

"That sounds a bit selfish." Frigga pointed out.

"Then I am selfish, I can't help how I feel." Loki dug his foot into the dirt, and waited for a response. It didn't come.

"Mother?" Frigga blinked, and looked at Loki as if she had just seen him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I might have a solution to your predicament."

"Really!"

"Now this has to stay between you and I for awhile. Your father won't like it at all, but how would you like to learn seiðr?" Frigga's face lit up.

"Seiðr?" The word felt foreign on Loki's tongue. "I thought you had to be born with that?"

"That's somewhat true. There is a way for the experienced to give another part of their power. Everyone has the potential for most types of magic, it really depends on whether the gate is locked or not."

"And you could unlock this gate?"

"If you desire it."

"You are willing to share your seiðr with me." Loki was astonished, magic was apart of Mother's identity. "Why?"

"You are my son, and I would do anything and everything to make you happy."

AAAAA

"I leave for a tour of the realms for three weeks and this is what I return to?!" Odin shouted at Frigga in their private chambers away from listening ears.

"Loki has a talent for magic. He deserves something special." Frigga said tersely from her sitting chair.

"He deserves nothing Frigga."

"Odin!" Frigga's face flushed a bright red in anger. "You made him your son, start acting like it."

"I don't have to do anything."

"The lessons are helping Loki. He was depressed, which isn't good for someone so young, these lessons make him happy. I was thinking about expanding my lessons in a few years to other noblemen's children, perhaps Thor may join, he has expressed interest."

"No." Odin's voice lowered dangerously. "Do whatever you want, but do not put my son anywhere near magic."

"He will have to wield some magic to use Mjolnir. You did promise him that weapon."

"Frigga, listen to me well, I don't care what you do with the frost giant, but if my son joins those lessons there will be serious consequences."

Frigga stared hard at Odin, hiding her shock at his blatant disrespect for Loki. Sometimes she wished that their marriage had been arranged so she wouldn't have to deal with the fact that she married this man for love.

"I assure you, my husband, that your son will not come near the arts of magic. But my son, Loki, will not be discouraged from learning. His happiness and well being are my primary concern. What is yours?"

The cliff had a particularly nice vantage point of the testosterone filled fight in the valley below. Loki settled into the rock. Shouts echoed out of the valley reverberating off the rock walls.

"Do not touch me again"

"Then don't take my stuff."

"This is beyond you metal man. Loki will face Asgardian justice." Loki growled softly when he heard those particular words. Thor hadn't said anything about justice mere minutes ago.

"He gives up the cube, he's all yours. Till then stay out of the way."

Loki sat crouched on the rock, and watched curiously as Thor threw Mjolnir at Stark. He could help but smirk as Thor gave a worried glance in his direction. And the fight began. Of course Thor had to bring lighting and flying into the picture, because that's the only way Thor fights.

That said, Loki knew he had a particular style of fighting as well. But he liked to think that his had more flare.

"Ooo. The Captain is off to the rescue." Loki murmured, as his eyes trailed the running man in blue.

"Hey!" Steve threw his shield between the two fighters. "That's enough. Now I don't know what you plan on doing here-"

"I've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes." Loki didn't know his actions had been upgraded to schemes. What a delightful surprise.

"Then prove it. Put that hammer down."

"Uh yeah no. Bad call. He loves his hammer." Thor slammed Tony in the chest with Mjolnir.

"You want me to put the hammer down!" Thor jumped up, Mjolnir flew into his hand. The whole forest echoed with the sound of shield and hammer colliding. But the shield resisted, Loki had an inkling that would happen.

"Are we good here?"

Loki shifted away from the rock shelf, as the men started to get up and look for him.

"There you are reindeer games" Tony landed loudly next to Loki, and placed cuffs on his hands. Loki rolled his eyes at the name, this wasn't going to get old.

Captain America's head appeared on the rock as he climbed up, "Oh good. You chose to stick around."

Thor landed next to Tony, and gave Loki a dark look.

"I am still listening Thor, what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Loki cocked his head to the side.

"It matters not."

"I think it does, brother dear, when were you going to tell me about all that Asgardian justice?"

Tony and the Captain made audible sounds of surprise. Apparently their relationship wasn't apparent through looks, that made sense, they weren't related.

"It doesn't matter, not until we have the tesseract." Thor took Loki's arm, and looked towards the other men. "I will take him to your flying ship."

"It's called a plane." Tony pointed out snarkily as they left.

AAAAA

The plane ride was more awkward than the first one. Loki was back in his original seat with Thor hovering close by. Steve sat across from them, while Tony, suit off, stood near Natasha's seat. It was completely silent, a cricket wouldn't have felt comfortable in here.

The heavy silence was interrupted by a Black Sabbath song, Tony quickly reached over and grabbed his phone. Everyone except Natasha turned their heads towards the sound.

"Hey Pep...I'm fine. What did Coulson say?"

Natasha interrupted, "Probably to say you went out of line." Steve chuckled softly at her comment.

"Shh. I'm on the phone."

"Just Natalie-sorry Natasha. I just helped out when needed." Tony threw a pointed glance at Steve.

"Darling, don't worry. That won't be a problem. Loki is in custody….Well if you stayed with me last night, you would have known that's not the case…..True….So do I. He's not exactly at base yet." Tony shifted and met Loki's unfaltering gaze. He turned away slowly.

"We're on the plane still….I'll see you soon. I promise….I'll take that as a compliment. I love you too."

Loki watched curiously as Tony quickly stuffed his phone in his pocket. It appeared that someone loved the upstart fool. That wasn't on the report. How much wasn't on the report?

Thor grasped Loki's arm, bringing Loki's focus back to Thor.

"What will it take for you to come home peacefully?" Thor asked his voice low, both brothers were painfully aware that their conversation was being listened in on.

"A time machine"

"You know that I don't have access to that."

"Do they exist? Did I miss the invention of the time machine?" Steve asked curiously.

Everyone stopped to stare at him. Tony finally answered, "If you had, I think we'd have a bigger problem dealing with nutjobs."

Thor ignored the interruption as best he could. "If I had a time machine, what would you change?"

Loki paused to seriously consider the question, for it is was a good question. "I would go back to that night, the night you thought I died. I wouldn't have let go" Loki became animated as he spoke. "No, I would have ripped out Odin's slimy, pathetic heart, and I would've forced you to watch him slowly gasp for breath completely unable to help him. And once he finally died, I would have tossed him into the abyss laughing."

Thor jerked painfully away, staring in horror at Loki.

AAAAA

Frigga softly walked up to Heimdall, who was gazing outwards, even though the bifrost was still in shambles.

"M'lady, What brings you to the edge?" Heimdall asked slowly, his eyes never leaving the inky sky.

"I think you know." Frigga smiled sweetly.

"Does the King approve?"

"What the King doesn't know won't hurt him. Not in this case." Frigga caught Heimdall's sly glance. She knew that Heimdall held a soft spot for her, and wouldn't report her actions.

"Thor has arrived safely."

"I don't doubt it. I made the spell." Frigga teased.

"He has found Loki."

"Ah. I am going to guess that not all has gone to plan?"

"Loki is stubborn, as usual m'lady." Heimdall said darkly.

"He got that from me, I'm afraid." Frigga said, eyes narrowed, subtly reminding Heimdall of his place.

"He refuses to give Thor the cube."

"I expected as much. Can I see what has happened?"

"M'Lady I prefer to avoid such magic." Heimdall turned fully towards Frigga.

"You won't make an exception just this once?"

"With you, it is never once." Heimdall sighed while he removed his helmet.

"Thank you" Frigga placed her hand lightly on Heimdall's forehead and bowed her head in concentration.

Images and words rushed quickly past her. Too fast to even comprehend.

"Slow down. Focus Heimdall." She muttered. Heimdall grunted in response. The images slowed enough to tell a story. A tragic one at that, the last scene frozen on her son, her dear son, pacing within a glass cage like a tired animal.

"Oh Loki." Frigga sighed, her breath hitched. "My sweet, beautiful boy, what has become of you?"

Next Chapter: Get ready to meet a familiar face, and hear the other side of that phone call.

A/N: As always I appreciate thoughts and opinions in the form of reviews.