Sp chapter 4 is up! Hope you enjoy :D None of this is mine.

Loki was awake most of the next day, though Steve had to say it wasn't much of an improvement. His voice sounded like a chainsaw ripping wood to shreds, and he was weak, feeble, almost. And that made for a very irritable Loki. He growled at Steve every time he went to check on him, which led to long coughing fits that worried Steve. Being unable to get sick himself anymore, seeing someone else so ill seemed so much worse. Loki sounded like he was dying when he coughed, and he was getting thinner by the day from the strain of the illness, and he refused to eat. When he had first awoken, Bruce had delivered to him some soup, but Loki had been unable to keep it down for longer than five minutes, and since that attempt, refused to try. Steve knocked on Loki's door, bracing himself for the coming rejection.

"Are you ever going to leave me be?"

Steve was surprised to hear that the words were not said in Loki's usual snark, but that they sounded...helpless. His voice cracked in the middle..he sounded like he was crying. Steve pushed the door open, rushing to the bed when he saw Loki sitting with his face laying on his knees, tears streaming down his face as he coughed harshly. He laid a hand on Loki's back, rubbing soothing circles as he waited for the fit to pass. To his surprise, Loki didn't throw his hand off as he usually did, but instead leant into the touch, as though he secretly craved this care and attention. Steve looked down to see Loki's glistening green eyes staring up at him.

"Okay now? What's the matter?" Steve was sure of just one thing then; he never ever wanted to see tears running down Loki's beautiful face ever again. He would do anything to prevent that.

Loki cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable and ashamed.

"I am...prone to nightmares. They are nothing. They are merely exacerbated by this illness. I feel them worse."

Steve sighed in sympathy. He had seen many a soldier go insane from the terrors they faced at night, and Loki really needed his sleep now.

"You wanna talk about them?"

"No"

Steve had expected that, but that didn;t make it sting any less. Still, he could understand why.

"C-could you get Thor for me? I wish to speak with him. He was always able to make me feel better when ill"

Steve's face split into a wide smile as he rose from where he was crouched next to the bed. Since Loki was living here, he and Thor had made a few tentative steps towards reconciliation, and were much friendlier now than they had been, although they all knew not all wounds would heal between the brothers. This, however, showed great prgoress that Loki wanted Thor to help him feel better in his vulnerable state. Steve was all too happy to oblige this wish.

"Sure, I'll go hunt him down, back in a jiffy. Bless you by the way" He added as Loki dropped his head in a powerful sneeze. "I'll grab some tissues on the way back too."

It didn't take long to find Thor, once again watching his cartoons. Steve would have to talk to Tony about getting Thor into some other activity, that much TV couldn't be good for him, even if it had made him easier to find.

"Thor? You busy?"

The large blonde man turned in his seat, his usual wide smile in place on his face.

"Captain! Come sit with me, how is my brother? You have seen him, have you not?"

Steve smiled lightly, happy both at how concerned Thor was for Loki, but also that everyone knew that only ihe/i had been successful in talking to Loki so far. Maybe he was just a little smug about that.

"Actually, that's what i'm here about. Loki wants to see you. Said you were always the one that could make him feel better. He was having some nightmares earlier and they really upset him, and i think he just needs his big brother right now."

Instead of the beaming smile Steve was expecting Thor to give when he recieved the news of Loki wanting to see him, Thor's face fell slightly at the mention of Loki's nightmares.

"Thor? What is it?"

Thor looked up at Steve, face solemn. "There is only one thing my brother dreams of that upsets him so, and I am not sure i could bring him much comfort. He dreams of his children, Captain. Loki is a mother and a father, dreaming of the children that were torn from him. The children I could never save."

Steve swallowed. Loki had children torn away from him? He had mothered some of them? He felt himself understanding more and more why Loki was as damaged as he was. The poor guy.

"Thor..I know you feel guilty that you couldn't save them...but trust me, it's you he wants to comfort him now. You didn't see the look on his face. He needs you." By now Steve was practically pleading with the Thunder God.

Thor seemed to recognize the desperation in Steves voice, and register his words, for he jumped from the couch, smile back in place.

"Then I shall go to him! I shall not fail my brother again! Lead the way, Captain!"

Steve sighed in relief as they exited the room, feeling as though he were actually doing something to help Loki now.

Ten minutes later had Steve darting back into the room to pick up the forgotten box of tissues. He had a feeling Loki needed them badly now, and not just because he was ill.

And if when he returned there were two Gods hugging on the bed, one large, with a smaller one in his lap, tear tracks staining his pale face, fast asleep as the larger sang to him, rubbing his hand soothingly through his ebony hair..Steve didn't take any pictures. None at all.

Not even the one he would print off and give to Tony.

Read and review please :D