Hey everyone! As I said chapter fifteen is slightly shorter than usual. I'm pretty sure the rest of the chapters will be a bit short, sorry ^^

I don't own the Avengers, only Emma and the alternations made to the original story.

A Change of Heart

Fifteenth day

"You are going to see Loki today, right?" my father asks me with a smirk. I guess we're back to the teasing.

I blush. "Of course." I frown at him, "Don't you dare say anything!"

He holds his hands up in front of him defensively. "Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."

"Yeah, right," I retort. "Anyway," I change the subject, "do you mind if I stick around for a bit while you work?"

My father chuckles a bit at my poor attempt to change the subject, but he goes with it, so I can't really complain. "Sure, sweetie. Just like the old times." He moves towards the lab with me beside him.

I snort. "It hasn't even been that long, Dad."

He places his arm around my shoulder and looks at me. "You know very well one day is a long time for me, Em'."

I smile at him. "I guess."

"Hey Bruce," I say as we step inside of the lab. He nods in response.

"Are you going to help us today, Emma?" he asks.

I shrug and look at my father. "If I can I would love to, but I'm not sure I'm allowed to."

"Do you think I would ask you, if there wasn't something you could do, Emma?" Bruce asks with a small smile.

I smile back. "No, not really. So the question is, if I'm allowed to by my father?" I look questioningly at him.

"Sure, you can help. You know what you're doing, sweetie," my father shrugs.

For the next couple of hours I just help them work. I do the small things; some of the calculations and some other stuff. It's nice, and it reminds me of home. We talk and laugh, mostly we talk about the work though. It's comfortable. But at around 1PM I leave them to make some food for Loki, and of course the rest of us.

"You came!" Loki says when I step into his cage, his voice sounds very relieved.

"Yeah, my father let me go after we talked. The thing you said to him yesterday really made him change his mind," I smile. "But I can't stay for too long, Loki. I promised my father," I say apologetic, while sitting down next to him and handing him his food. He only nods understanding, but in my eyes he looks disappointed that I'm not going to be here as long as usual. Well, I'm probably wrong.

"Well, it's my turn to ask, isn't it?" I ask him. Again he only nods. I'm kind of getting the feeling of being rejected. He starts eating, so of course it could just be because of that. Even though that could also be an attempt at avoiding me.

"Okay then," I try to sound cheerful, "This is actually kind of a serious question, is that okay?"

He looks questioning, but nods again. Okay, if he's not going to talk, then I'm going to make him.

"How many brothers do you have?"

The answer comes almost instantly. "None."

"Oh come on! Thor is your brother, even though there's no blood between you. You have grown up with him," I try to reason with him.

"Growing up together doesn't make up for the lies," he says rather abruptly.

"Hate your parents for lying to you, Loki! And yes, they're your parents! Thor didn't have anything to do with it, he didn't know either. Can't you see that he's willing to forget that you're not Æsir; it doesn't matter to him. To him, you're his brother."

No answer. But he does seem to think about what I'm saying, so I continue.

"The blood running through you, doesn't make you a family. The experiences and behavior and feelings do. Odin and Frigg have raised you, they have cared for you. And Thor he still cares, he doesn't care that you're Jotünn, 'cause that doesn't matter. What matters is that he loves you and you love him, even if you deny it. You have grown up together, you have watched over each other, and you have been on adventures together. Doesn't that mean something to you, Loki?" I try to say it as gentle as possible, even though I'm honestly angry that he doesn't get it.

"Of course it means something! But that doesn't change the fact that I have been lied to my whole life. How do you think that makes me feel? Being the monster parents tell their children about?!" I can hear he listens to me, but he can't seem to get past the lie.

"Okay, Loki, listen. I get what you're saying. But Thor didn't lie to you, Loki. Instead he still feels like your brother. I'm not saying that you should forgive Odin, but can you at least consider forgiving Thor? Because he still stands by your side."

He's thinking. Then he seems to make up his mind. "Yes. Okay, so what did you really want to know?"

"In the myths you and Thor have a third brother. Balder?" Well, in the myths only Thor and Balder are brothers, but well, since Loki is Thor's brother maybe Balder is too. I'm really hoping that he doesn't exist, then it will be easier to look past Loki's actions. It shouldn't, but for me it would.

He frowns. "Never heard of him."

I can barely conceal my relief. "Thank god for that."

"Why are you relieved? What happens to him in the stories?" Oh Loki, please don't ask me that.

"Well, you sort of…" I trail off; I don't know if I should tell him.

"I sort of what?"

"You kill him. And then you get chained in a rather brutal way, and it is said that when you break free, you will start Ragnarök." Well, now I've said it.

He looks startled, like he didn't expect that. And who would? "I start Ragnarök? And kill my brother?" I nod. "That's terrible." Is it me or does he actually sound sad, like he's going to start crying?

The he turns to me. "How can you even think I would do that?!" He's looking judging at me.

How did this became my fault? "I hoped it wasn't true," I try to apologize. "But look at what you have done. You're currently controlling at least two guys; they have no free will. You killed a lot of people! And oh wait, why are you here again? Because you're trying to take over the world!"

"What if I promise not to hurt anyone you care about?" he asks. What? This is getting really weird.

"You don't get it, do you? It's the hurting people in general, I have a problem with! Of course it would hurt me so much more if you hurt someone I know, like my father. But I don't want you to hurt anyone period! I actually thought you had changed, just a bit!" I stand up angrily, too angry to be here anymore.

"No wait! I get it, I get it. You can't expect me to just change. There is a plan, and that is still being carried out! I can't change that."

I frown angrily at him. "Fine, then I guess, this is goodbye!" I walk out of the cage, completely forgetting the plate.

"Come on, Emma! I'm sorry!" he yells after me. But I still leave him. I was only going to stay for a short while, anyway. Why am I so stupid? I actually thought he had changed! But I guess he hasn't, he's just been using me as entertainment or something!

(Loki's POV)

She really thinks I would kill my own brother? Even if he isn't my brother in the myths. I've been mad at Thor, maybe a tiny bit unjustified, but I have never wanted him dead. He is still one of the good elements from my past, even though we often fought and argued.

I don't understand how she could even think of asking me that. She is the one who said I wasn't evil, that I wasn't a monster. And now who is she calling a monster that would kill his own brother? I thought she thought me better than that.

I turn to look at her judgingly. "How can you even think I would do that?!" I exclaim. I'm not going to pretend I'm not disappointed or angry, or hurt I add as an afterthought.

She looks startled, like she didn't expect me to ask that. "I hoped it wasn't true. But look at what you have done. You're currently controlling at least two guys, they have no free will. You killed a lot of people! And oh wait, why are you here again? Because you're trying to take over the world!"

Well, that's not fair. I'm not the one trying to take over the world. Of course, she doesn't know that, but still. I wonder what I can do to make her stop hating me. Wait. When did I start worrying about that? Was it two days ago, when I almost kissed her? But I still can't stop thinking that I should do something. Just to make her stop looking at me like I'm bad, like I am a monster.

"What if I promise not to hurt anyone you care about?" I finally say. She just looks incredulous at me.

Then she comes back to her senses. "You don't get it, do you? It's the hurting people in general, I have a problem with! Of course it would hurt me so much more if you hurt someone I know, like my father. But I don't want you to hurt anyone period! I actually thought you had changed, just a bit!" She stands up angrily, and I grab helplessly after her.

"No wait! I get it, I get it. You can't expect me to just change. There is a plan, and that is still being carried out! I can't change that." Come on, Emma, stay with me.

"Fine, then I guess, this is goodbye!" You can't say that! I basically just told you that I don't make the decisions; it's not my plan. I can't put it more clear than that. I literally can't. She leaves angrily.

"Come on, Emma! I'm sorry!" I yell desperately after her. Why doesn't she understand? I can't do anything to help the situation. There is a plan and I have to follow it.

I really don't know what to do to make her understand the situation I'm in. Of course, now that she has left I can't really do anything. I sincerely hope she will come again, so that I can try to explain a bit more.

(Emma's POV)

I spend the hours till dinner in my room alone, pondering over what Loki said. Why did he offer not to hurt anyone I care about? I can't figure out what he thinks; does he care? My father said it sounded like he cared about me, like he wanted to protect me. But that can't be true, it just can't! How could it?

And why did he look like he genuinely regretted continuing the plan? Like he was actually starting to change his mind. It's so weird, and I don't understand a thing. I wish he wasn't so different to read or that he would just say the things directly. Because I'm really starting to question what page he's on.

One thing I'm sure about though, I can't see him again. I'm not going tomorrow. I think it would be best if I didn't, 'cause I'm already too confused. I thought he had changed, at least some, but it seems like he hasn't and even though I don't know what page he's on, I'm definitely not on his page. I'm with my father and the good guys on this Helicarrier, I'm not with Loki; I can't be when he's doing what he's doing.

As we're eating I can't help but notice Steve looking at me from across the table, like he's waiting for a chance to tell me something. Finally I can't take it anymore. I look impatiently at him. "What?"

He shakes his head like he doesn't know what I'm talking about. But when I keep looking at him, he sighs. "I just don't think it's a good idea to keep seeing someone who has the potential of hurting you."

At this my father and Thor both practically jump to my rescue. "My brother wouldn't hurt someone he cares about!" Thor exclaims at the same time my father explains, "I already said it was alright, I really don't think he's going to hurt her. It seems like he cares for her." Apparently no one lets me talk for myself anymore.

"But isn't he the Father of Lies or something like that? Maybe he's just pretending. A man like that has no heart," Steve insists. You could put it like that, I think depressed.

"He is not coldhearted, he has made a lot of mistakes, but he does have a heart!" Thor says, on the verge of being angry.

"I just wouldn't be comfortable with my daughter being near a killer," Steve says, and I honestly think he's just trying to start a fight now. Seriously, what's going on?!

I sigh. Before they get started I better finish this. "Steve's right. And I'm not going to see him again," I state calmly, or at least in a voice I hope sounds calm.

My father interrupts himself from what he was going to answer Steve, and says, "What do you mean, sweetie? I thought you wanted to keep talking with him. You were having fun."

I shrug. "Well, it wasn't so fun anymore. I'm not going back there."

Steve was supposed to be on my side of this, but apparently he's not. "Did something happen, Emma?" I wish they would stop bothering me about this. I just want to forget it.

I shake my head. "No, nothing. We just have… um… different views on some important stuff." I shrug again and this time I really try to make it seem like a casual gesture, like this thing isn't killing me inside out.

"He didn't try anything, did he?" my father asks hesitantly. What? Seeing as this is my father asking I have a pretty good idea of what he's asking.

I blush slightly before answering, "No, Dad, nothing like that. Can we just keep eating? I don't really want to talk about it." I smile, but I'm pretty sure they all noticed my blush. Great, now it just seems like I'm lying, even when I'm not.

There's some more drama in this chapter and I would love to hear what you think ^^ Thank you to everyone who has favourited, followed or reviewed, it really makes me happy 3 Please keep doing so, I will try not to disappoint ;) I will post chapter 16 next monday!