Everyone, listen up! Do I have your attention? *looks around* Good. I need ideas. After you read this chapter, I ask you to shoot any and all ideas that you have that will help me further this fic. If there are none, I'd have no way of continuing, so if you really love this story, then help me keep it alive! :D No idea is silly, so don't be afraid. I might not use all of your ideas, but I'll consider each and every one. I'll post this message at the bottom, too.
Tiger of the Storm: YAY! I loved that part too. Way back when, I used to be unable to update on weekdays. Now, I can update anytime I want. I was never able to update on a daily basis until I began to write Invasion. As it progressed, it was easier to update regularly.
Irish-Brigid: Yeah, I see what you mean. Sorry that everything is happening so fast. I figured that if I developed the story too deeply, then I'd be turning this thing into a book. It's already over eighty word document pages long. I guess I was just so excited about doing Loki's redemption that I didn't quite hit the mark there. You must understand that Loki's character is very deep and very difficult to portray in fics such as this. I'm doing the best I can, but I always face the struggle that is ever-present in using Loki's character.
FutureOscarWinner94: The Jedi have a lot to do, but they don't go back on their promises. :) Haha yay you said AWESOME SAUCE! I totally use that all the time. I got if from my brother.
Raych: Again, I apologize. I've never gotten a name wrong before, so I feel bad. I'm so glad you love my story and your feedback is much appreciated!
NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Nice idea. I was already halfway through this chapter when I received your review, though. I assure you that Mace and Fury do interact in this chap.
AaylaKit (Portal of Destiny): That was one of my favorite parts—where Kit pointed out that it's a T-rated fic. XD Yeah, I see what you mean. You'll still check my profile for Invasion updates, right? Right? :O Haha, don't worry. There are times that clichés are appropriate. Tell Ayy that, in response to her review, I'm not sure if I'll write another SW fanfic or not. I don't have any good ideas for one… And you guys seriously need profiles so I can PM you. XD
AaylaKit (Invasion): Grievous: "Who are you?" Loki: "Your worst nightmare!" So glad you liked that part. It was actually a last-minute extension. I was reading over the final product and then I got someone's review that suggested Loki toy with Grievous in battle, using his magic. So I thought it was a good idea and implemented it. :D
Cassy27: I thank you for reading and reviewing all my chapters! Your feedback gave me a major boost and you helped me see some points that I doubted at first and am now confident about. So, thank you!
Ptroxsora: Don't worry. I wouldn't end it there. I'm not THAT mean. *wink* The end is drawing near, unfortunately. This is my favorite fic that I've ever done, and I hate to see it go, but there isn't much else I can add to it. UNLESS someone gives me a great idea for a continuation of it.
chris: Ooh, you're back! :) Thank you. I liked that part too.
Loki blinked, surprised, and let his gaze travel over every single one of the Avengers. Iron Man's serious façade disappeared into a friendly smirk. Captain America's expression told Loki that he had not been joking when he made that statement. The Hulk was…well…the Hulk. He probably wouldn't remember this later, but they'd fill him in. Hawkeye gave a tiny nod of acknowledgement, as if saying that he was finally ready to put the past behind him. The Black Widow responded similarly. Thor grinned encouragingly, his eyes glowing with affection.
"This means nothing," the Other sneered. "You may have them fooled, but you will never fool me. It is no secret that you are hiding behind their protection. You and I both know that he is after you. He wants to see you suffer. You are a coward, Loki, cowering behind those that defeated his forces before."
"I can defend myself," Loki spat. "Must I prove it to you by breaking your neck?"
"Relax, brother," Thor said. "The Other will be brought to justice."
Loki turned away from his enemy, knowing that he would not rest well at night until the Chitauri and Thanos were all dead. "I believe we have a battle to win," he said, concealing his frustration.
Thor nodded, knowing that he would have time to catch up with his brother later. For now, they had to save New York from mass destruction…again. Three invasions were enough to vacate the city for a while. This would certainly be all over the news. Anyone who did not know of the Avengers before would definitely notice them now.
Loki's back was to the Other, so he did not see the villain leap at him until it was almost too late. Iron Man raised an arm and blasted the Chitauri leader against the wall. Loki whirled around, surprised. No one could sneak up on him. Ever. He walked over to the body of his former recruiter and gazed down at him. He was dead. Loki, of course, felt no regret. Only triumph and relief. The threat hanging over his head was almost gone.
"Let's finish this," the Black Widow said.
The Hulk let out a roar of agreement and was the first one to exit the building to get back to the battle. The rest of the Avengers followed except for Loki, who gave the Other one last, long glance, as if the villain would come back and choke the life out of him. After several heartbeats of silence, Loki was satisfied that the Other was really gone for good. As he stepped out of the building, he felt the tension in his chest lighten a bit, as if a gigantic burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
The battle raged on, though it was not nearly as intense as the last one. With the clones on their side and the Other dead, the two armies were beginning to slowly back down.
Grievous appeared before Count Dooku in hologram form. "The army of the Republic is overtaking our forces," he reported. "We would have no problem fighting the numbers that were transported here, but this group called the Avengers is destroying waves of troops without a struggle!"
"You have your training," Dooku said stiffly. "You have better reflexes than the Jedi themselves! Are you saying that you cannot defeat simple humans?"
They were not simple humans, and both Separatist leaders knew it.
This battle was easier than the first, but there were always challenges. While the Avengers and the Jedi had less trouble fighting, they were still susceptible to injuries.
"Where is Fury?" the Black Widow asked though her communicator. "I haven't seen him since…" She paused a moment. "Come to think of it, he wasn't around during the first battle. Do you think he's all right?"
"I'm fine," Fury said, surprising the Avengers. "I'm on my way to your location now."
"Hurry up, Director," Iron Man urged. "You're missing the party."
Fury did not reply. He was too busy jumping out of a helicopter that was flying low. He did a shoulder roll and found himself face-to-face with Master Mace Windu. They sized each other up a moment, then fell into battle stances as masses of droids came their way.
"Cover me," the S.H.I.E.L.D Director shouted over the noise of the battle.
Mace nodded and used his lightsaber to deflect any bolts that came Fury's way. They were soon back-to-back, Mace using his lightsaber and Fury using a gun that was loaded with a special type of ammunition that could penetrate the battle droids.
Iron Man flew above them and stopped when he saw the scene below. "The twins have landed. I repeat, the twins have landed."
"Get back to the battle, Stark," Fury ordered.
"Sir, yes sir!" Iron Man saluted, which looked pretty cool when you think about it.
"I'm taking to the skies," Anakin informed them. "Obi-Wan, how're you holding up?"
"Just fine, Anakin. I think an aerial assault would be a wise idea. We've got the ground mostly covered. Go have fun."
"Always." Anakin grinned and jumped into his ship.
Nearby, Loki threw daggers at clusters of Chitauri warriors. He and Hawkeye bumped into each other. "You take that side; I'll take this one," the agent said. Loki nodded and the two of them closed in on the group of enemies. When the soldiers were demolished, Loki and Hawkeye met at the middle. Hawkeye nodded approvingly. "Nicely done." The assassin admitted to himself that it would take a while to get used to the idea that Loki was on their side, but at least they were making progress.
Thor looked down from the top of a building, smiling at the sight of those two getting along. The fact that his brother had taken over Hawkeye's mind wasn't to be ignored, yet the S.H.I.E.L.D agent seemed willing to make amends. The god of thunder turned his attention away from the ground and focused on using Mjolnir to do his bidding.
He did not realize this, but Dooku was watching him summon thunder. For once, Darth Tyranus was afraid. He had to find a way to contact his Master, but how? Stark Tower was the only source powerful enough to do this.
"The Other is dead," a battle droid informed him. "Should we make the order for retreat?"
Dooku watched the conflict in dread. If his ally truly was dead, then the Chitauri would draw back soon. He hated to retreat from a battle, but Dooku was a smart man. "Get the warships loaded up and prepare to evacuate," he ordered. "They win this round." He glared at the visual of the battle. "This planet is puny and insignificant anyway. It is too much of a bother to fight over." Battle droids, as he had reminded Grievous on several occasions, were expensive. He could not afford to invest in a pointless battle against a planet so far away that it didn't affect the war against the Republic at all.
"They're retreating!" Iron Man reported. He had a clear view from the sky, so he could see the droids marching into transports that were loaded into the warships. "All that are left are the Chitauri, and I think they're beginning to realize that the Other is dead. That, and it's no secret that Dooku's army is leaving them behind."
"The Chitauri are not individually intelligent, but they are smart enough to see that keeping this up is pointless," Loki said.
"We won," the Black Widow said, weariness and relief in her voice.
"Not yet," Fury said. "We've got to keep going until the armies are completely clear."
"Roger that," Hawkeye said.
"Everyone alive out there?" Captain America asked. Though the way it was worded was rather amusing, the soldier was dead serious.
"Let's do a headcount." Iron Man flew through the city, scanning for the rest of the Avengers. "I've got a visual on the Hulk, Loki, and Thor."
"Of course you have a visual on the Hulk. How can you miss him?" Hawkeye pointed out.
"Everyone's alive," Iron Man confirmed. "We're fine. How are the Jedi faring?"
"Swell," Anakin replied. "I don't sense any deaths on our side."
"I wish I had an inner sensor that could let me know who's alive and who's not," Iron Man complained. In all his technology and intelligence, he could not replicate a Jedi's connection to the Force.
"Ignore him," Fury said to Mace. "He is like this all time."
"Not on Wednesdays," Iron Man objected.
"Yes, even on Wednesdays," the Black Widow refuted.
"Thanks for your support. I'll remember this," Iron Man said warningly, an edge of the ever-present humor in his voice.
"That's the last of them," Anakin told everyone. "The Chitauri and Separatists are in full retreat and not a single one remains in the air. Any rogues on the ground?"
"Negatory," Iron Man answered after doing a sweep through the streets.
"Artoo, perform a scan," Anakin ordered. The little droid beeped in compliance and scanned the range of the entire state of New York. When the scan was done, the astromech informed its master that there was nothing to worry about. "All clear," Anakin announced.
"Great!" Iron Man sounded tired, yet sarcastically enthused at the same time. "Who's up for some pizza? Anyone? I don't think the Asgardian Princess has tried it yet."
Loki smiled. "I think you are mistaken. You were in the room when Thor tried it. It was hard to miss, really."
"I see what you did there!" Anakin laughed.
Thor, who was still on top of a building, made a face. "Remember who the stronger of the two of us is, brother," he warned.
"You remember who the smarter of the two of us is," Loki countered. He had deliberately left the brother part out. Sure, he and Thor were on the same page now, but it didn't mean that he considered the god of thunder his brother. Sentiment. He loathed sentiment.
Thor was quick to notice that Loki had left the brother part out, but he made no comment. Forcing a brotherly relationship would only push Loki away, and he did not want that to happen again. The fact that they were mostly at peace with each other was enough for now. Perhaps, one day, they could restore their old bond. Thor thought sadly of the moment when his brother had called out to him for help. Brother! Help me! Was Loki angry that Thor had not been able to save him? Possibly, but most likely not.
"Everyone—assemble in Stark Tower," Fury ordered. "It is still intact, correct?"
"Affirmative," Iron Man confirmed. "I didn't exactly expect another invasion, but I made the newest Stark Tower virtually invincible." He grinned, though no one could see it through the iron suit. "Me and my big ideas. You didn't think that preparedness was in my vocabulary, did you, Nick?"
"Very good, Stark," Fury said, though his voice did not indicate approval.
"You're hard to please," Tony snorted. "Even if I defeated both armies with a hand tied behind my back, you still wouldn't be impressed."
"I am a practical man," Fury said simply. "I do not waste time dwelling on how I would react to ludicrous twists in reality."
"Ouch. Congratulations; you managed to penetrate my iron suit with your steel heart," Iron Man said dramatically.
"I see what you did there!" Anakin repeated. "Considering that steel is…stronger…than iron…I'll shut up now."
Everyone made their way to Stark Tower and cleaned up before entering the room. Captain America was Steve Rogers once again, wearing a plain white t-shirt, leather jacket, and khaki pants. Thor still wore his Asgardian armor, as he always did. Tony had removed the suit. The agents did not change out of their normal outfits, but they did tend to their injuries. Banner walked in with a blue collared shirt. Loki transformed out of his armor and into what he had worn before the battle. Everyone felt much better.
"The threat has passed. Now we need to discuss what must be done from here," Fury said.
"What, you're not even going to ask us how we are?" Tony complained. "We just fought a major battle and won. Give us a break."
Before Fury could reply, JARVIS interrupted. "Sir, the pizza has arrived."
"Are there any bombs in it?" Tony joked. The Jedi were instantly alert. The word bomb set them on edge. It was a real possibility that the food could be bombed. "Calm down, I was joking. Send it up, JARVIS."
"Right away, sir."
"We do not have time for pizza right now, Stark," Fury scowled.
"There's always time for pizza," Tony argued.
"I second that!" Thor boomed.
Loki turned to face him. "Do you ever stop eating?"
"He eats constantly, yet he still looks like he's on steroids. What's your secret, big fella?" Tony asked, leaning forward.
"He is a god," Fury said. "End of discussion."
"No, not end of discussion," Tony said, eager to annoy the Director. "Loki is a god, yet he's paper-thin. Why is this?"
"Leave it alone, Stark," Natasha said.
Kit chuckled. "I like this guy," he said, gesturing toward Tony. When everyone turned to look at him, he got defensive. "What? We need a sense of humor in these dead serious times."
Tony clapped once. "Finally, someone who speaks my language."
Banner raised an eyebrow. "Have I been replaced?"
"Of course not, Doc," Tony reassured him.
Loki let out a sigh of irritation. They always seemed to deviate from the main point. He thought of redirecting them from their petty conversations, but what was the use? They probably wouldn't listen to him. He glanced at Thor, wondering if the god of thunder was thinking the same thing. Thor wasn't the pensive type, so Loki was surprised to see the pondering expression. What was he thinking about? He found himself edging closer, curiosity getting the better of him. "Is everything all right, Thor?" he asked quietly, barely heard over the loud conversations around him that mostly consisted of Tony's smart comments.
Thor blinked as if his mind was jerked from another realm. "Of course," he said. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You know that you cannot lie around me," Loki reminded him. The god of lies could not be lied to. Detecting them was second-nature to him. "What is bothering you?"
Thor turned to look into Loki's intelligent green eyes and felt that it would not be wise to confide in his brother. He was still thinking about the time that Loki had cried out to him during the first battle. He had promised that he would be there for Loki and that he would protect him, yet where was he when he was needed the most? "Do you have to know?" he asked at last.
Loki shrugged. "Whether you tell me or not is up to you." He glanced at the door, where the pizza man appeared. "You had better make it quick, before everyone takes all the food and leaves none for you."
The smile returned to Thor's face. "Don't worry about it," he said, standing up. "It would only upset you."
"You must know by now that I am used to being upset," Loki pointed out. "Hurting my feelings has never been you main concern, nor should it." He refrained from rolling his eyes. Sentiment.
Thor shook his head and sat back down again. "I wasn't there for you," he said simply.
"Care to elaborate?"
"I swore that I would protect you. You cried out to me…you called me brother…and—"
"Stop right there," Loki ordered. He did not want to go there. He wanted to forget that moment of weakness. "You have done nothing wrong. We were all captured that day. Do not blame yourself and do not remind me of that moment. I was weakened by fear. You will not see that slip of the tongue from me again."
Thor's expression was a mixture of confusion, relief, and hurt. "I thought—"
Loki waved a hand to stop him. "Please, Thor." He did not forget the moment that he had referred to himself as Odin's son. Was that another slip of the tongue? Another sign of weakness? He was not sure, but the confusion of who he was and how he felt was beginning to make his head hurt.
"Why won't you admit your feelings to yourself?" Thor asked softly. "It would be so much easier if you just accepted that you are a part of my family and that the All-Father is your father as well. Why are you so conflicted?"
"I don't know!" he shouted, alerting everyone else in the room. He lowered his voice. "I need to think." He didn't know who he was anymore, and he hated it. Though he was telling the truth—he did need to think—he knew that organizing his troubled mind would be long and exhausting. He was overwhelmed, and he did not like it one bit.
"Are you okay, Loki?" Steve asked, taking a step forward.
"No, he's not," Thor said. "He—"
"I can speak for myself, thank you," Loki said sharply. "I am fine. I just…need to rest." That was true, but he knew that it would not happen. How could he sleep? He hunched over and placed two fingers on each of his temples, trying to massage the headache away. Thor placed a hand on his brother's back, trying to comfort him. Loki was too disoriented to pull away.
"I think Loki has a point," Fury said after a pause. "We all need some rest. Tomorrow, we have much to discuss."
"I was thinking of having a party tonight or tomorrow," Tony said, "but I suppose sleep comes first." He faced Thor and Loki. "Get Loki to eat some pizza," he suggested. "It'll help." He grinned. "I'm surprised you haven't eaten an entire pie yet, Thor."
"My brother needs me," Thor said simply.
"Just eat, Thor," Loki said. He needed space.
Thor nodded, seeming to pick this up from his brother's body language, and went straight to the pizza. As Tony predicted, he ate an entire box of it.
"Have you ever had pizza?" Tony asked the Jedi, who had been standing politely at a distance throughout their stay.
"No," Mace replied.
"You're missing out! There's plenty left, you know." Tony held up a box of pepperoni. "You know you want it."
Anakin was the first one to try it. He immediately handed some to Obi-Wan, insisting with his eyes that the Jedi Master take a bite. Before long, all of the Jedi were eating it.
"Loki, come on," Thor urged. "It'll make you feel better."
Loki forced a slight smile. "Save some," he requested. "I might take you up on that later." He kept his tone light, though his head still hurt and questions still swirled around in his mind.
One by one, the Avengers, Fury, and the Jedi retreated to rest. Tony showed them each to a room, assuring them that there was plenty of space. Once everyone was settled, he returned to the main area to see Loki still sitting there, a pained expression on his face. "Are you just going to sit there?" Tony asked. When Loki nodded, he shrugged and said, "There's a room over there if you want it."
Loki appreciated Tony's casual tone and the Avengers' acceptance of him, though it was hard to fathom. It added to the mix of thoughts that raced through his mind. Once he was sure that Tony was gone, he found himself walking over to the window again. His head spun when he stood up, but moping on the couch was not like him. He had to find a way to clear his head, but how? He had no answer to this question, so he merely stood in front of the window, staring at the empty streets disinterestedly.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars or anything like that.
AN: So…I need ideas. Now that you read this chapter, I ask you to shoot any and all ideas that you have that will help me further this fic. If there are none, I'd have no way of continuing, so if you really love this story, then help me keep it alive! :D No idea is silly, so don't be afraid. I might not use all of your ideas, but I'll consider each and every one.
Now that I think about it, I could use some ideas for a new fic, too. I'm leaning toward something Avengers-related. Perhaps another post-Avengers fic. It will definitely involve Loki. XD Whether or not it includes Star Wars, I am unsure. But I need something to do after this fic is done. I already have one idea for a comedy one-shot, but after that… What do you guys think? What do you want to see from me? I'll take requests via review or PM. Give me your thoughts.