Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!

AN: I could only stare at my mailbox with an open mouth when I saw how many people reviewed. I feel like no 'thank you' or no amount of gratitude is enough here. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Thank you so much for giving me this much feedback! It helps me make this story better so don't hesitate to drop me a quick message

~ Shadows and Regrets ~

Chapter 15

Getting the cell open was easy. Loki just had to use the rifle he had stolen from the dead Chitauri and blast away at the otherwise very resilient lock. Then more footsteps sounded in the distance and Loki knew that more Chitauri were coming their way. They had probably heard the screaming of their comrades, but that was to be expected of course.

Loki quickly tossed one his stolen daggers to the Captain so that he could cut his and Hawkeye's restraints and turned back to look at the end of the hall. The footsteps were drawing closer, growing louder and louder until it sounded like drums. A lot of drums. Then the first Chitauri-warriors appeared and Loki threw a dagger into his direction. It ended up piercing his heart.

Two daggers remained and Loki wished he could have had more. He cast a quick spell, one of his favorites, and hoped that the Chitauri weren't as smart as The Other. As four more enemies came rushing into the hall, they came to a quick halt and frowned. Then they charged at a projection of Loki and all fell down, falling over each other's feet. It was an amusing sight, though not for the Chitauri. The fake Loki vanished into thin air and the Chitauri roared with anger.

Finally, the Captain and Hawkeye exited the cell, their hands and feet freed of any restrains. The Captain handed Loki back the dagger.

"What took you so long?" Loki snapped, knowing that there was no time left.

Hawkeye looked like he wanted to make a snide remark in return, but Loki didn't allow him. He pushed the two Avengers into the direction he wanted to take before spinning around and throwing another dagger at the nearest Chitauri-warrior. Three more kept running towards them. Loki supposed he was lucky they didn't carry any rifles.

He, together with the Captain and Hawkeye, ran to the other end of the hall and made a left turn. Loki turned back and raised his own rifle. With one well-aimed shot, he made the passage collapse. At least they wouldn't have to worry about any attacks coming from that side.

"You have to get off this ship," Loki said, looking intently at the two Avengers, "the battle on the surface is nearing its end and you will not be victorious."

The Captain sighed heavily. "There are just too many of these aliens," he argued, "no matter how many we kill, more come at us."

"If you, of all people on this earth, give up," Loki said gravely, only having eyes for the Captain right now, "then everything is lost. The people will lose faith and the Chitauri win. They'll destroy everything and they'll kill everyone."

"Why do you care?" Hawkeye asked harshly. He narrowed his eyes when Loki's gaze landed on him. "You tried to kill us all only months ago. You tried to subjugate or planet and now you're saving it? Why?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "You really think now is the time to discuss this?"

Hawkeye crossed his arms before his chest. "I think it is," he said flatly.

"I agree with Loki here-" the Captain tried to say more, but Hawkeye refused to listen.

"I want to know."

"I'm just in it for myself," Loki explained grudgingly. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure that no enemies were sneaking up on them. "The truth is that I don't care about you, your friends or this damned planet. All I know is that for as long as the Chitauri and The Other are out there, I will be running. There won't be a place in the nine realms where I'll be safe."

Hawkeye looked strangely content. It was as if he had just been proven right.

Loki was starting to feel judged and belittled. He greatly disliked it and he started to greatly dislike the archer. He liked him better when he had his loyalty. The man was far more compliant and much less obnoxious.

"So I want to help you win this battle so why do my intentions so important?"

"It makes it clear we have to watch our back when you're around," Hawkeye said.

"I just helped you escape!" Loki didn't know why he was losing his temper so easily. Perhaps it was because he was arguing with a petty mortal while they were on enemy territory. "What more do want from me?"

"Guys!" The Captain demanded both their attention as he looked to be boiling. "We have got to get out of here, preferably alive. So settle your difference another time, okay?"

Hawkeye nodded respectfully while Loki only snarled. He pushed past the two Avengers and continued to guide them through the gigantic ship. There were Chitauri everywhere and Loki knew they could never fight them off, not even with the help of two so-called superheroes. So he mostly hid in shadows whenever enemies came close or he used his two remaining daggers to kill them. He even found another four daggers as he searched the corpses of his victims.

He gave one dagger to Hawkeye and another to the Captain. For a moment, he expected the archer to instantly stab him with it in his neck or something. He could swear he actually saw an idea like that cross Hawkeye's mind. But the three of them set on, each time one step ahead of the Chitauri.

Then finally came the moment that there was no place to hide and they found themselves surrounded by a perhaps two dozen Chitauri-soldiers. Hawkeye and the Captain went to stand back to back while Loki just faced them head on. The tension in the air rose, but Loki remained calm and tightened his hold on the rifle. He knew they were outnumbered and outgunned.

"The Other is not pleased," one the Chitauri said, looking directly at the trickster, "he will not have mercy."

Loki grinned devilishly. "Your leader should learn when to trust someone or not. He is rather naïve when it comes to that."

"You mock," the same Chitauri-warrior said, "you only have your words. We will cut out your tongue."

"I also have this," Loki retorted and he blasted the Chitauri-warrior away with his rifle. It was the beginning of another battle, one that could possibly end in death. Loki was not looking forward to it. He wasn't like Thor. He didn't long for blood, battle and glory. He much preferred to stay in the shadows and pull the strings of those that did. It is how he had manipulated his brother into going to Jotunheim against Odin's will all that time ago.

Four Chitauri charged at him at the same time, but Loki darted aside and used the bayonet of the rifle to cut them all down. Then he continued to fire the weapon at another three Chitauri. He swirled around to see the two Avengers holding their ground with the use of one simple dagger. It was almost admirable, but then he witnessed how Hawkeye was forced to release the weapon.

Loki quickly threw one of his own daggers at the Chitauri that were about to kill the archer. It gave Hawkeye the chance to get a new dagger and charge at the enemies again. Loki - knowing full well how much Hawkeye hated that he'd been saved by him - called out, "You're welcome!"

In response, Hawkeye murmured something under his breath. It definitely wasn't a 'thank you'.

More Chitauri came at them and Loki blasted most of them away. He threw another dagger at a vastly approaching enemy and then felt a fiery bolt of energy hit him on the shoulder. Loki gasped for air as pain invaded his body. Spinning around on his heels, he fired his rifle at the enemy that had hit him. Another bolt of energy hit him at that point, this time striking him down all together.

He had been hit in the chest and Loki had difficulty breathing. He could taste smoke and he felt nauseous. Somehow, all sound was starting to soften around him and Loki was beginning to think that he was dying. He lost his strength and dropped his rifle. Another bolt of energy hit his side. Again, he cried out. In the corner of his eyes, he witnessed the Chitauri swarming around the two Avengers, overrunning them.

Then, out of nowhere, something whizzed above Loki and punched aside the three Chitauri-warriors that were circling him. Loki blinked, but had difficulty focusing. A new voice sounded loud and rough, but Loki couldn't believe he was actually relieved to hear it again.

"Get away from my brother," Thor commanded and then sent his hammer flying through the air again. This time, it knocked aside six Chitauri-warriors while the rest looked simply stunned by the new appearance. Thor grabbed the opportunity and killed another four.

Loki inhaled deeply and steadied himself. He pushed himself into a sitting position and glanced down at his chest. There was a whole in his armor of which the edges still smoked. The armor on his side and shoulder looked black and felt incredibly hot. Loki had no choice but to use magic and heal himself.

"Are you all right?" Thor came kneeling down beside him and placed a hand on his good shoulder. "The Chitauri are gone for now, but there are bound to be more coming this way."

Loki shrugged off Thor's hand and finished the spell. He knew he was using a lot of magic and he already started to feel tired. It was a sign that his magic still wasn't what it was supposed to be. He had spent a lot of time in Odin's magic-proof cell and Loki could only hope that in the end, all would be normal again. Then he reprimanded himself for using that fire-spell earlier. He should have killed those four Chitauri-warriors with his bare hands.

"I'm fine, Thor," Loki said harshly. He didn't want his brother's pity. He did however take his hand and allow Thor to pull him back onto his feet. It had been a simple gesture and Loki had allowed it. "We should indeed get out of here because we can't fight off another swarm of those monsters. Not here, not on their ground."

"I'm glad you found us, Thor," the Captain smiled, "Loki here helped us escape from our cell after we'd been captured."

Thor turned back to Loki, his eyes with joy and expectations. Loki simply had to crush that. "Don't think too much of it," he mumbled as he started walking away from the hallway, "I'm just in it for me."

Thor rolled his eyes. "Of course you are." It was clear that he didn't believe Loki's statement.

"You three should get off this ship," Loki said without much emotion to his voice. He was starting to feel uncomfortable. It had been a while since he had been in Thor's presence while fighting a common enemy. The last thing he wanted was for Thor to think that Loki had turned away from his old ways. But somehow, Loki didn't just want to tell his brother that they were still enemies. "There is still a battle going on down below."

"And where are you going?" Thor asked.

"I have unfinished business with The Other," Loki said, "if I can get him to fight me, then I stand a chance at winning."

"Do you?" Thor sounded extremely skeptical. "Last time didn't end so well, did it?"

Loki waved away Thor's comment. "Now I am prepared. I know how The Other will try and fight me."

Thor seemed to understand that he wouldn't be able to change Loki's mind. "Fine," he said calmly, "but I am coming with you."

Loki came to a sudden halt and spun around. "I don't need your help or your protection! I can do this on my own."

"Maybe," Thor remained calm, "but if we fight The Other together, then our chances of victory greatly increase. Even you, with your strategic brain, must understand that."

Loki narrowed his eyes. Did Thor just sound sarcastic? Was he making fun of him? Loki turned defensive and that meant he also became cruel. "You don't have your brother back, Thor, you'll never have him back. You lost me the moment I fell into that abyss. You might have saved me from those Chitauri back there, but that means nothing. It doesn't change how I feel. I despise you, brother, with all my heart."

The reaction Loki had expected didn't come. Instead, Thor smiled. He actually smiled.

"You called me brother again," Thor said blissful.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Grr."

~ o ~

Iron Man groaned when he noticed he only had 14 percent power left. He wished Thor was here so that he could zap him with some lightening. That would increase his power levels to new extraordinary heights, but it seemed Tony was on his own this time. He was flying through the air, shooting at every ugly alien that moved below him, while he tried to find the Captain and Hawkeye.

He was beginning to feel worried about them. He hadn't seen them in over an hour and he dreaded to think the worst. No, he told himself, they are not dead. Steve had survived years on ice as a Capsicle. Surely a few Chitauri wouldn't be his undoing? Maybe 'a few' was saying it too mildly. And Clint had survived serving under Loki who was a full-time diva. If he managed to survive that, he should manage to survive this.

Still, Tony thought, he should face reality. They were fighting for hours now and casualties were to be expected. He just wished it wouldn't be on their side. Natasha was already out and Thor had gone off to find his brother. Now Hawkeye and the Captain were missing. That did not bode them well.

A deafening rumble suddenly sounded overhead. For a moment, Tony expected the ships to explode, but that wasn't the case. Then he searched the sky for Thor who might have used his hammer to summon a little lightening, but that wasn't the case either. Instead, Tony found himself gaping at a dark, ominous looking cloud. Fire and lightening came from it and then a large beam shot down, all the way to the surface of the earth.

Tony had never seen anything like it before. Then he began to think it was another weapon of the Chitauri, but the beam vanished after only three seconds. It had left something behind, however, and Tony couldn't believe it. He cheered. He cheered loudly and shot a beam of energy into the sky. He quickly regretted it when JARVIS told him he only had 12 percent power left.

Below on the surface stood an entire army of Æsir-warriors, all heavily armed and fully prepared for war. Tony watched, stunned, as the new army surged forward and began to attack every Chitauri that crossed their path. The Æsir charged through the streets and the noise of screams, firing rifles and clashing swords was deafening.

Still, luck might just have turned their way.

~ o ~

In one of the five ships floating just above earth' surface, The Other was cursing. He looked absolutely infuriated and he gritted his teeth together. His black eyes turned even darker. They became small, poisonous pits of anger, hatred and determination. He turned to look at one of his commanding Chitauri-warriors.

"The Æsir have come to this planet's aid," he sneered viciously, "they think a few hundred will crush our army. Let's show them our strength. Let's destroy every one of them!" The Other turned back to his control panel and brought down both his fists. A dull thud could be heard. "Release the whales," he ordered, "let's wipe out this planet once and for all!"

A Chitauri-warrior pressed a few buttons and only a moment later, a dozen whales came crushing through earth's atmosphere. The Other smiled contentedly, knowing that his troops on the surface were about to be supported by another half a million of his best warriors.

This battle would soon be over…

…Earth would be destroyed.