Okay, guys! On Sunday, I'm going to visit my super-awesome grandparents. I intend to bring my laptop with me, but I want to make sure you all know that I won't be sitting on Fanfiction the whole day, so I probably won't update on a daily basis after Sunday. I'll do daily updates this week if I can, but I might not be able to once I get there. Anyways, on to the story!

laureas: I haven't seen Season 4, but I've seen the Season 4 Finale. Yeah, I saw a lot of them out of order. I'm trying to find a way to see them all in order, but it's not easy. I already have a plan, but I like the concept of Obi-Wan breaking away from the typical Council-follower. Keep your eyes out for that.

The Rose Red Alchemist: I don't quite know where to put that in as of now. I'm considering it, I promise, but I don't know how to implement it into the flow of the story. I like it a lot, and Ayy has a point. I applaud you for your knowledge. :D Your idea is written down in my skeletal idea word document thingy. That's where I put all the ideas that I plan to use, but haven't found a place for yet. Ayy Kaim is pretty awesome, isn't she? ;D

Ayy Kaim: Yeah, Mace is Mace. Though my sister loves him, I never really did. Fury would probably forbid Natasha from becoming friends with Boba, but they might sneak a conversation. ;) I have a pretty hilarious idea for the meeting of Padmé and Jane. Once things die down a bit…you'll love it, I promise.

AaylaKit: This is the chapter where the big things happen. Boba will be seen more soon, though not this one, since none of this takes place on Earth. He will be back! All hope is not lost for Loki. Fear not and read on. :D

Cassy27: Dang, that was awesome! Wow, you had me sucked into that storyline there. Brilliant! No wonder I like your stories so much. I totally remade the chapter and used that idea because it's much better than my original one.

CupcakeLovinGirl: I am very grateful for that, thank you! I promise that I will write this story all the way to the end. I've finished four others, so I have proven dependable when it comes to finishing stories. :)

Novagon: That'd be cool, but I already had Chapter 18 written out when I received your review.

FutureOscarWinner94: I assure you that this will go in unexpected directions.

NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: If you did, I'd read it. ;) I recommend that you wait until I finish the story first, of course. I'm not sure when that will be, but it'll be before the summer ends for sure. I have a deadline and I will meet it easily.

Raychaell Dionzeros: Thanks! You'll have to find out. ;)

Thor, Sif, Ahsoka, and Anakin appeared on Asgard. The majestic realm surprised the Jedi. It took Ahsoka's breath away and even Anakin, who had seen a lot in his lifetime, was awed.

"I'm still extraordinarily angry with you for abandoning Loki," Anakin informed Thor, "but I've got to admit that your planet is pretty amazing." He took a few moments to look around, then realized that the time he spent marveling was also spent by Loki being tortured to death. He shook his head vigorously, trying to get his head back in the game. "We don't have time to sight-see. The more we dawdle, the worse things will get for Loki. What's your plan, Thor?"

"We need to speak with the All-Father," Thor answered.

Ahsoka's eyes widened even more, if that was possible. "Your father?" she asked. "The ruler of this realm?"

"The very same," Thor said, smiling. "He is one of the most powerful beings in the Nine Realms. He is a wise king and an amazing father. I know he will help us."

"So that's your plan? Ask your dad for help?" Anakin asked.

When it was put that way, it sounded rather silly. "No," Thor said. "The plan involves the Tesseract. Hold it tightly, Sif. We'll need it later."

"Of course," she said, "though I still do not know what's going on."

"You have come to help Loki," Heimdall's deep voice said, making the four of them turn around. Anakin and Ahsoka looked confused, so the Gatekeeper introduced himself. "I am Heimdall, protector of the gateway into this realm. Though it has been destroyed, I can still see and hear all that goes on in other realms." He turned to Anakin. "I cannot see your systems, but I see the Nine Realms as clearly as if I was there."

"Cool," Ahsoka said.

"Can you see Loki, Heimdall?" Thor inquired.

"What's all this about Loki?" Sif demanded.

Heimdall turned away and gazed out toward the vast space before them. "I can," he said. They waited expectantly. "He is losing hope, but he will continue to fight until he has no fight left in him."

Loki was on his hands and knees, his black hair plastered to his head from sweat. Thanos had not physically hurt him since the infrared blast, but the mental torture was enough to keep the Asgardian subdued. Why isn't he throwing me around? Loki wondered. Does he have a plan? He was smart enough to know that everything the titan did had a purpose. There had to be a reason that the only burn on his body was the incident where Thanos had lashed out in anger.

Before he could dwell any more on the possibility of a plot, another excruciating shock went through his body, causing him to writhe in pain, but not scream. He refused to cry out, though he could not suppress a whimper.

"You are strong, Laufeyson," Thanos praised him. "You are the perfect asset to set my plan in motion."

So he did have a plan. "What are…you going…to do?" Loki gasped out. He tried to sound sarcastic when he said, "Please don't tell me that you plan to use me as bait to lure the Avengers into a trap? That is extremely elementary."

"No," Thanos said. He grabbed Loki's neck and stood him up. The Asgardian braced himself for more torture, but it did not come, and he was confused for a moment. At first, there was nothing. And then, out of nowhere, pain shot into his head, so intense that he felt as if it would split open. Thanos threw him to the ground, allowing him to clutch his head as if applying pressure would alleviate the pain.

Loki wanted to cry out to someone, to beg for help, but no one was there. Plus, who could he trust? Everyone had betrayed him. He shoved a fist in his mouth, trying to keep from screaming. His head kept pounding and he was beginning to lose his vision. The pain in his skull was so powerful that he did not notice the blood running down his arm from biting down on his hand. Don't let him break you, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. He had to resist as long as he could, until it was impossible to fight any longer.

"I will keep you conscious," Thanos growled. "I want you to feel every fraction of a second."

Tap into your anger, the voice urged him. As he fought against the searing pain in his head, he realized that if he got angry, he would survive longer. Anger would give him a sense of purpose. It would drive him to fight longer and harder. Perhaps it would make the pain more bearable. Think of the Avengers. Think of what the All-Father did to you. Think of Thor. Thor. The one person he had cried out to. In that moment of desperation, he had finally called him brother. Recalling the expression on Thor's face made him sick.

I love you, brother. Forgive me. Translation: I'm sorry. I love you, but there are more important things that matter right now. There are other things that I'd rather fight for. You're not worth a battle. You're not worth bloodshed. Forgive me for sending you to your doom.

Loki gritted his teeth. Apology accepted, brother, he thought scathingly. He would never forgive Thor for this. If he ever saw him again, he would kill him. But you never will see him again, he reminded himself. Still, imagining the light leaving Thor's eyes was satisfying enough to help fight his agonized state.

"Stop resisting," Thanos growled. "The more you resist, the more the painful this experience will be."

What experience? Loki wondered. What was he talking about? Then, all of a sudden, he knew. Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and send something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade? That was Agent Barton's voice in his head. Loki felt a sense of dread as he realized then what Thanos was doing to him.

He was going to completely unmake him.

"Father," Thor said, placing a hand over his heart and bending down on one knee. Sif did the same, signaling Anakin and Ahsoka to copy them. "Father, we've come to speak with you on an urgent matter." Odin's calm face looked upon his son. He nodded for Thor to continue. "Did Heimdall tell you of what happened to Loki?"

"He has failed to mention this to me. I was going to call him in this afternoon to update me on the events of Midgard, as I have every day." His eyes narrowed. "What has become of Loki?"

Anakin stood up. "He's been betrayed to a monster," the Jedi said angrily. "A titan called Thanos strolled in and claimed that the Tesseract and Loki belonged to him. So, they just stepped aside and let him take your son away."

Odin's surprised gaze turned to Thor. "Is this true, my son?" he asked.

Thor let out a sad sigh. "Tis true," he said. "We were weak. He promised us time to obtain the Tesseract in exchange for handing him Loki then and there. We thought that we could use the time to plan an attack, but I know now that I have chosen the wrong path." He did not mention Loki's pleading. The expression on his brother's face still haunted him. "I appeal to you now for your help."

"I will not allow you to give the Tesseract to this titan, if that is your plan," Odin said. "Nor will you use it to transport to Loki's location."

"That is not what I had in mind," Thor said. "I hoped that we could—"

"Father." Everyone turned around to see Loki standing in the doorway.

Thor gasped. "Brother!" He stood up from where he was kneeling and took a few steps toward Loki, who lifted a hand to stop him. "Brother, how did you return? Did the Avengers rescue you?"

"I rescued myself," Loki said sharply.

"But…Thanos…how?" Thor was clearly surprised.

"You forget that I possess great magical abilities, brother." He put stress on the last word, letting all of the bitterness come out. He could see the question in Thor's eyes, so he said simply, "Thanos is still very much alive."

Sif and Ahsoka stood up, realizing how silly it must look to be kneeling. Anakin, who was already standing, pushed past Thor to stand in front of Loki. "I can't believe you actually—wait." Something didn't feel right. He gazed into the Asgardian's eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong. "You feel…different." He studied him a moment. "The Force…it's telling me that…" He was confused. "I can't quite tell." Then, something hit him. "Why are your eyes red? I distinctly remember them being green."

Loki gazed straight back at him. "Thanos did some terrible things to me," he said calmly, using his "silver tongue" to talk his way out without losing his calm demeanor. "In time, my eyes will return to normal."

Anakin did not look convinced, but he stepped aside as Odin said, "Come forward, Loki. What is it you desire?"

Loki walked calmly up to his father's throne where Sif, still holding the Tesseract, stood next to Ahsoka. "I had a revelation when the titan took me," he said. "I realized many things that were hidden from me before, and I have come to tell you something of very high importance."

Odin nodded. "Go on." His voice was authoritative, but his eyes were trustful.

Loki smiled. "Never trust the god of mischief." In one quick motion, he grabbed the Tesseract from Sif—whose grip was somewhat loose considering she trusted everyone in the room—and disappeared.

"Loki!" Thor gasped, staring dumbfoundedly at the spot where his brother had been standing moments ago. He turned a pleading gaze on his father, who was on his feet now. "Father, we've got to find him! He'll take the Tesseract straight to Thanos, and then…" He didn't want to imagine what would happen next. "You must assemble an army!"

"Thor—think," Sif urged him. "If he has the power of the Tesseract, he'll destroy the army in a matter of seconds!"

"Then a collection of us should go," Thor said. "We need to find a way to steal it back. Perhaps—perhaps Thanos won't use the cube right away. We might have a chance. We have to try."

"But what about Loki?" Anakin asked. "We might have to fight him."

Sif's jaw clenched. "Then we'll do so. You saw what he did. He stabbed us all in the back."

"We did the same to him," Thor pointed out sadly. "He is probably doing this out of bitterness. I do not understand why he would take it to Thanos, though."

"I don't think Loki was in his right mind," Anakin said doubtfully. "I felt a tremor in the Force when I spoke to him. Thanos is definitely behind this. But in what way?"

"I don't know," Thor said. "But we're going to find out."

While Loki was on Asgard, Thanos waited expectantly for his pawn to return. At last, the Tesseract would be his. Once Laufeyson came back, he would splatter the fool all over the ground, careful not to kill him. He had been very cautious in his use of mental rather than physical torture. He did not want the Asgardians to be suspicious. No, it was better if Loki went to his old home virtually unscathed to simplify things. A sick grin spread across the titan's face. This was too easy.

"Thanos!" a voice shouted, followed by a blast that sent the titan staggering. The source of the voice said, "Hmm. That usually sends people flying. You're stronger than I thought, big guy."

Thanos recovered a little too quickly for Iron Man's liking. "Change your mind?" he asked.

Iron Man shrugged. "You took us by surprise. Naturally, we needed time to suit up. Come on out, guys."

All of the Jedi came out: Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda all leapt out of a crater in the moon. After the Jedi lined up, Captain America emerged, followed by Nick Fury, the Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Then, lo and behold, the Hulk jumped over all of them and landed right in front of Thanos, huffing angrily.

"Hulk—smash," Iron Man called.

Before the Hulk could lift a finger, Thanos grabbed him by the leg and smashed him into the ground. He picked him up again for round two, duplicating what the green monster had done to Loki. By the time he was done, Thanos sneered, "Puny Hulk. Next?"

Loki had arrived a distance away at the very same moment that Thanos had picked up the Hulk. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the smashing. As soon as the titan said his line, Loki almost lost it. He allowed himself to release the laughter that had built up inside him, though the moment was fleeting. He had to get the Tesseract to Thanos as soon as possible.

Outwardly, he had a calm sense of purpose, in which he had one mission and one mission only: to get the Tesseract to Thanos. Inside, somewhere, Loki was there, watching it all, trying to fight his way back into control. He hated that he could not think, could not feel for himself. Something else was compelling him forward.

Iron Man deployed his weapons and shot some missiles at Thanos, who easily deflected them with an energy shield. "Not cool! That was my best move!" he objected.

Hawkeye shot an exploding arrow, but Thanos put up a shield once again. The Black Widow held up a hand. "Stop! We're facing him alone. We need to work with each other here! Stick to the plan!"

"Oh, right—the plan." Iron Man launched himself into the air and fired relentlessly at the figure below. Hawkeye shot arrow after arrow. The Jedi rushed forward as one and used the Force to push at him. Plo threw his lightsaber, only to have it caught and crushed by the titan.

"Did you think I was alone?" Thanos growled. "Count!"

Dooku rushed out and ignited his lightsaber. "Your foes have just doubled," the Sith Lord said. "Prepare yourselves."

"No time for formalities. Attack them!" Thanos ordered.

Force Lightning was shot in all directions. It brought Iron Man to the ground, causing his suit to malfunction, and it caught the Black Widow straight in the chest, sending her flying backward several yards. She lay on the ground, stunned.

Thanos, meanwhile, was shooting energy blasts at everyone in his path, though he was careful not to hit Dooku. He and the Hulk engaged in hand-to-hand combat, in which they wrestled at each other until the latter was subdued by the former's superior strength and stamina. Fury and Mace fell into the familiar routine in which the Jedi covered the Director while he shot advanced ammunition at the enemies. It worked for a while, but nothing seemed to penetrate Thanos enough to subjugate him.

"Director, where is Thor?" Hawkeye asked, rolling out of the way of one of Thanos's blasts. "You said that he was transporting here!"

Loki, who had been carefully approaching Thanos in a manner that would keep him from being caught in the middle of the battle, stopped in his tracks. Thor is coming here?

Maybe they're already dead," Fury said grimly. "We don't have time to speculate what happened to them."

Ah. That made sense. They thought that Thor was coming here originally. Well, he wasn't. He had gone to Asgard instead.

Thanos finally caught sight of Loki, who had almost reached him. "Bring that to me," he ordered.

"Loki!" Iron Man, who was on the ground, lifted his head to see the Asgardian approaching the titan. "Loki, don't do it!"

Loki turned his burning red eyes onto the figure on the ground. "You have no right to tell me what to do!" he spat. "You betrayed me. You all did!" Though Loki was not completely in control, there was truth to his words. He handed the cube to Thanos. "Now watch as your precious worlds crumble all around you." Okay, that part was not him.

Thanos grinned. "Thank you, Laufeyson. Now, fight them off."

"Gladly." Loki turned on the battered group and fell into a battle stance. "Who dares fight against me?"

Captain America dropped his shield. "I will not fight you, Loki," he said. "I learned in the military that you never leave a soldier behind, and I did just that. You may have fought against me once, but you turned around and fought by my side in the same way. I betrayed you, and I know that I cannot bring myself to hurt you now."

Iron Man stood up and walked over to stand by Captain America's side. "Well said, Cap. I'm with you on that one."

"And I," Hawkeye said. He went over to where the Black Widow was lying on the ground, injured by the Force Lightning. "Are you with us, Natasha?" he asked.

She nodded. "Of course." She let him pull her to her feet. They limped over to stand next to their fellow Avengers. "I'm sure Banner would agree if he was in his right mind."

The Hulk had gotten up and was breathing heavily. He did not attack, however. He just stood there.

"Are we just going to surrender, then?" Kit asked.

"I suppose so," Obi-Wan whispered. "Without the Avengers, we won't stand a chance against Thanos, Dooku, and Loki." He faced the other Jedi and said, "Be honest. Would you really be able to bring yourselves to harm Thor's brother?"

"For the good of the universe—yes," Mace said. Yoda and Plo nodded agreement, though the latter seemed reluctant to express affirmation.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I for one would not."

Kit frowned. "Are you actually going against the Council, Obi-Wan?" he asked. "Not that I don't agree with you, because I do, but this isn't like you."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I suppose I am. I don't believe in what a lot of you have been doing lately. I think Anakin may have been wiser than all of you in this instance."

Mace's gaze hardened, but he realized that there was nothing he could do or say. He, Plo, and Yoda would not be enough to fight against three villains. "It looks like surrendering is the only thing we can do at this point," he said, though his tone indicated that he hated the idea.

"You are surrendering?" Thanos boomed, looking around at the figures that stood before him. "This is far too easy! I was hoping for more of a challenge. No matter. I will make you all suffer. Dooku—set up the ray shields."

Before long, all of the Avengers and Jedi stood separately, each encased in the powerful shields of energy that had kept them in place on Dooku's ship.

"What are you going to do?" Captain America asked.

Thanos's smile made them all uneasy. "I know how soft you are," he said, addressing the whole group. "I also know that it will simply kill you to watch the effects of an action that you regret." He placed a hand on Loki's head. "I have no further need of this one. He has fulfilled his part of my plan. I will enjoy the guilt that you will all feel when you witness this."

Loki, who had felt a sense of calm enlightenment, gasped in pain and clutched his head. Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and send something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade? Those words echoed in his mind once again. His red eyes turned green as his own thoughts began to fill his mind. He could feel something being flushed out, as if he was waking up. His mind was his own again, though he still had memories of his time as Thanos's puppet. Everything was crystal clear: including his pain and bitterness.

"He was being controlled!" Hawkeye realized. "Look at his eyes." He remembered with a shudder the time that Loki had taken control of him.

"What are you going to do now?" the Black Widow asked.

Thanos grinned. "I'm going to break him. And you're going to watch."

Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers quote I used from Hawkeye. I also don't own the Avengers themselves, the movie, or the Star Wars Universe.

AN: What did you think? Strangely enough, I was going to go in a completely different direction in which Loki would not be mind-controlled and Thor would form an elaborate plan by using the Tesseract to defeat Thanos. BUT my good friend Cassy27 had the brilliant idea that made this chapter possible. So, you can all thank her! :D