Okay, so after that last chapter I really needed to explain what was happening next and I couldn't stand going for so long without having Loki show up… so without further ado, another chapter posted! 2 chapters in one day, phew…

CHAPTER 5

The next day was far too quiet. She hadn't come back in over three days, and the humiliation of what she'd overheard haunted him. She'd been offered a glimpse of how weak he truly was, and he'd hated it—wished he could wipe it from her memory.

She hadn't returned, and he hadn't seen Thor in several days either. If he hadn't known any better, he might start thinking they'd forgotten about him.

The blinking red light on the camera in front of him reminded him of the truth: always watched, all of the time.

The silence was unwelcoming.

He'd been grateful to Thanos, to anyone that would have saved him from the clawing darkness, but what had come next had been so much worse.

Sometimes, when he slept, he felt the faintest hint of Thanos' touch, reaching through space in search of him, seeking revenge. SHIELD didn't understand the danger they were placing themselves in by keeping him here. Sooner or later, Thanos would find him and exact revenge, killing anyone who stood in his way.

Not that he would bother to tell anyone here. He didn't care about their fates, or so he kept reminding himself.

The image of her pale blue eyes flashed in his mind, offering him food and asking for nothing in return. Such a small, simple gesture shouldn't have affected him so much, and yet, he couldn't put it out of his mind.

He was angry that he thought of her when she'd stopped coming.

Powerless.

He couldn't stand it any longer.

Not for the first time, he spread the fingers of his left hand in front of him, willing the magic he knew so well to flow through him out to his fingertips. He felt nothing, not even a flicker of the power inside of him. Whatever they'd done to seal his cage had amputated a part deep inside of himself.

Whatever Thanos would bring them all, they deserved nothing less.

He almost didn't recognize the sound of the door opening behind him. Turning to greet his brother, the usual coarse protests he uttered fell unspoken from his lips when he saw Thor's expression.

The same familiar pity and compassion was there, except this time, there was an unfamiliar resignation. As though he'd been forced to accept everything he'd been fighting against.

Unwillingly, a flicker of fear twisted inside Loki. Had they made their final decision about him? Against his brother's protests? Had he come to bid him goodbye?

Thor was quiet, his expression determined as he stepped up as close to the glass as he could, and reached out a hand to touch it, as though seeking to reach out and touch Loki.

"Loki. Brother." His voice was thick with unleashed emotions, and it grated on Loki, even as it fueled the fear inside of him. A fierce desire to live that he didn't recognize flared up inside of him.

If they tried to end him, he'd fight them until the very last moment. He'd never give them the satisfaction of giving in.

"I am sorry."

Thor hung his head, as though in shame. Loki wanted to ask why, but wouldn't let the words fall from his lips. They had taken almost everything away from him. He would not let them think they held any more power over him.

After a long, harsh intake of breath, Thor's vibrant eyes met his, brighter than ever. This time, a tiny glimpse of hope in them found him hoping foolishly.

"I spoke with Director Fury today. In exchange for promising never to interfere, he agreed to my demand."

"He agreed to your plea for mercy?" Loki's voice was full of the disbelief he felt. Nick Fury was a man with a will of iron. He hadn't given an inch in the month Loki had been here. The notion that he'd finally relented and given in to Thor's requests to spare him was almost laughable.

"No. That is not what I asked for."

Cautious and intrigued, Loki could not help but ask, wondering how much he would regret it later.

"What did you ask for?"

Thor held his expression firm and grim as he spoke: "I asked for your right to plead your case. In one month, he will listen to whatever you wish to say to him and decide your fate. I will not be involved."

For a brief moment, Loki was speechless.

Thor took a step back, studying closely as he explained: "If you wish to cooperate with us, with the Midgardians, then tell him such, and you know I will support you."

"And if I don't?"

The next words sounded forced out of his mouth. "Then you can tell him whatever you wish, and he will decide what happens to you."

"And you will not help or interfere in any way?"

Though his face said the idea was appalling to him, Thor nodded.

"He has given you a month to decide. I can help you to make your decision, but ultimately whatever you say to him will be your choice, and I will not be able to affect his decision. What he decides will be final."

His thoughts were numb. Thor was handing the power over to him? When he knew full well Loki could decide to proceed however he wanted? To totally ignore Thor's wishes, to spite him and anger the director and seal his fate, if he so chose?

The move was so uncharacteristic of him that he couldn't help the next word from spilling from his mouth.

"Why?"

"He made the point that he cannot trust you becoming our ally unless you convince him yourself. If you cannot, or do not, wish to do that, then nothing I can say to him will sway him."

"No. Why did you ask for this?"

"Because your life hangs in the balance, not mine. It is for you to decide."

Loki didn't speak for a long moment. He'd never expected Thor to give up his crusade for him, to bully and plead until he got his way and ensured Loki was just where he wanted him.

The feeling was freeing and terrifying all at once. He was truly leaving the decision in Loki's hands. He could no longer blame Thor for whatever happened to him. He would no longer control him.

"And also…. Because I was recently reminded that no matter how much I might want to save you, I cannot help you if you don't help yourself." A faint smile crossed Thor's lips before his serious expression fell back into place. "It is truly a humbling experience to learn that these Midgardians can see things that have been invisible to me until now."

"All this from your Jane? She is more powerful than I realized."

"No. Actually, this was thanks to Miss Lewis." Thor missed the stunned look that fluttered across Loki's face before he shuttered it away.

"Speaking of which, I must return to their side. I promised Jane to aid her in moving some furniture today, but I will be back tomorrow. Whatever you decide, I will always be willing to help you Loki. I hope you know that."

Loki had nothing to say and merely watched as Thor turned and left.

He was still reeling from the news long afterward.

/+/+/+/+/+/

It was a bright, clear morning as Darcy stepped out onto the asphalt outside the SHIELD building and moved to help carry the last of Jane's things inside. All of her important work and office supplies had been relocated already, but she still had a few of her personal belongings left to move in, including a sofa and the kitchen table that Thor was currently carrying under one arm. The last box of her kitchen utensils was in Darcy's arms as she stepped out of the hot summer sun into the shade of the building and down the long steel corridor.

The living quarters for the agents that lived on base were separated from the center of operations by thick fire doors and cement walls thicker than she was. They were also done up much better, with welcoming cream walls, floor to ceiling windows and open living space.

Thor and Jane shared living quarters, and as such had been given one of the larger rooms at the end of the third floor corridor. Though she'd been in several times before, Darcy still could not help but gape at the sweet amenities inside the space. They had top of the line appliances, a fully stocked bar, a hot tub off in one corner, and a giant bathroom complete with a Jacuzzi tub and sauna. When SHIELD went out, they went all out.

Depositing the heavy box as carefully as she could, Darcy heaved a sigh and stepped back.

Thor set the table down in the open space to her left near the kitchen countertop, then turned to her as Jane stepped in with the final box.

"Thank you again, Miss Lewis."

"Oh, not a problem. Happy to help."

"Want to stay for lunch?" Jane chimed in as she set her box down and began unpacking them one by one. She'd taken a rare day off today and decided to use it to complete her move and finally settle in to the apartment. "I'm pretty sure I have my new frying pan in here somewhere…"

"Depends. Who's cooking?"

After several tragic, hilarious accidents with a toaster and a waffle iron, Thor had given up his cooking ventures. He flushed in embarrassment at her statement, but she nudged him playfully as she helped unpack the boxes.

"There will be no fires today. I will let Jane cook."

Jane and Darcy shared a comical look before Jane moved over to him and gave him a brief hug. Sometimes the man was just a big teddy bear.

So different from his prickly sibling.

Pushing the thought from her mind, Darcy focused on the task at hand. With the three of them together, it only took an hour to get everything put away and the boxes pulled apart and hidden away. Just in time for lunch.

"Does brunch food sound okay? I haven't had the time to shop, but we've got plenty of eggs, toast, bacon…"

"Sounds good to me." Darcy'd skipped breakfast anyway, so she was looking forward to almost anything she was so hungry.

"After we eat, I must go see Loki."

Jane's expression turned serious as she caressed Thor's face, offering him support with a tender glance. Darcy politely turned away.

"Take all the time you need."

She might not have wanted to be involved in deciding Loki's fate, but she couldn't help admitting she was curious about him.

"Is everything okay?"

Jane spoke as she set to the task of cooking lunch for the three of them, her back to Darcy.

"Thor was miraculously able to convince Fury to let Loki make his own case for what happens to him. He's been given a month to decide then Fury will listen to what he has to say and decide what happens next."

Concern for Loki flooded her. "What if he doesn't care what happens to him? What if he doesn't even try to make a case for himself?"

"Then he will have lost his only chance to save himself."

Darcy took the time to really study Thor, and was once again marveled by what she saw. He was a protector to the core, and letting go the way he had done had to be eating him up inside. For his brother, he was willing to set aside all of it.

How had Loki reacted? Would he fight to save himself, or would he simply give up?

Suddenly, all the reasons she'd had in her head for not going back to see him sounded silly and empty.

She wanted to know what he would do.

"And you would just let that happen?"

"I have no power over the matter. I have the month to convince him, but at the end, it's up to him."

"Things will work out, keep up hope." Jane's words were encouraging, but felt empty to both Thor and Darcy. Loki was unpredictable and volatile, and Darcy could see him tossing his own life carelessly away just to spite Thor. She couldn't stomach the thought. Couldn't even contemplate how a person could do such a thing.

Yet with Loki, anything seemed possible.

A cold fear crept through her.

She tried her best to pretend all was normal, smiling and answering their comments as they made their way through a delicious lunch, but she hadn't even tasted the food she'd scarfed down.

He might only have a month left to live.

No matter what he'd done or why, it seemed too cruel.

She didn't remember what she'd said, but somehow she'd excused herself from their company, and unbidden she found her feet taking her out of the residential quarters and back down to the little balcony she hadn't visited in almost a week.

She took a deep, shaky breath outside of the small door before she pushed her way in and stepped over to the familiar balcony.

Steeling herself, she looked down at him and met his eyes.

/+/+/+/+/+/

"Loki." This time, she was the one to greet him. She looked flustered, eyes glittering with emotion as she looked down at him. He wanted to ask her why she'd come back now, but he knew the answer.

She'd heard his verdict.

He still hadn't had time to adjust to the news, and he hadn't begun to contemplate how to proceed. The rebellious bitterness and anger that was a deep well within him wanted to throw the offer back in Thor's face and ask Fury for nothing, but he didn't dare voice the thought aloud.

There were things worse than death, he'd learned, and he did not want to return to where he'd been.

"How are you?"

Her voice was tentative and hesitant, as though she expected him to snap at her. He couldn't bring himself to. She was concerned for him; he could see it in her face. There was no pity, no mockery or derision, and he couldn't bring himself to wipe the concern for him from her expression.

He was selfish enough to need it at that very moment.

"I am unchanged since you last saw me."

"I heard what happened—Thor told me what was decided."

"And that is why you've come."

"I came because I wanted to know what you would do."

"And if I told you I don't know?"

She hung back slightly, nibbling her bottom lip as she again fell into thought. He was slowly learning how to read her, and he could see some of the worry fall away as she thought about his words.

"That would make sense."

She sagged, leaning her elbows on the balcony and bringing them the tiniest bit closer.

"Is there anything I can do? To help?"

"What could you possibly do?"

The words were said casually and without malice, but he still regretted them as her brow scrunched in frustration.

"I don't know."

She was being open and honest with him, which was refreshing and alarming all at once. He wasn't sure how to react to someone so completely open. Every little emotion she felt was written all over her face, and she blurted out whatever she wanted to say without reserve.

It was charming, and unsettling. Foreign to a man who kept everything so deeply concealed. He couldn't understand how she could be so unguarded. Had she never learned to protect herself, never needed to keep her emotions hidden?

"Thank you. For your concern."

Her eyes widened in surprise at his statement, and the weight of her gaze left him feeling exposed.

She'd been the one who had convinced Thor to give him this chance. Could he afford to waste it? What could he possibly do?

The thought of cooperating in any way with Nick Fury and his agents was revolting. But the other alternative… the simple notion grew more unpleasant every day.

He didn't know what to do. He'd been given the power to decide, and he didn't know what to do with it.

"Loki…." She looked as though she'd been about to say something, but instead bit her lip again and looked down bashfully.

Her expressive mannerisms were making him feel more comfortable around her than he'd been around anyone in a long while, and the thought was alarming. He wasn't constantly thinking about her ulterior motives, as he was beginning to realize she didn't have any. When she was annoyed, she told him, and when she was happy, she smiled at him. Whatever she felt, she shared, and it was slowly and steadily bringing his guard down.

He didn't like it.

"Darcy."

She looked back up at him at the sound of his voice, and he could actually see her gathering her resolve as she finally spoke the thoughts filling her mind.

"I know I probably don't have any right to say this, but I hope you'll make the right choice."

"And that would be?"

"I… I couldn't tell you. Except that us mortals have a lot more to offer than you think. If you stick around, you'll be able to see…"

"Will you show me?"

He wasn't sure what had prompted him to ask, but he needed to know the answer. Was she simply concerned because she couldn't bear the thought of an execution, or did she care about his fate in particular?

The compassion in her expression spoke more than the simple word that fell from her lips. "Yes."

They studied each other for several more moments, countless emotions traveling between them without words. She couldn't truly care for him, certainly not once she learned the extent of his atrocities, yet the emotion was clearly written across her face and he was too selfish to wipe it away.

"If you need anything, let me know. I have to go."

She stood and left before he wanted her to, but he held himself back from asking her to stay. As she stepped out of his view, he was hit with the realization that if he wanted to remain near, if he wanted her visits to continue, somehow he would have to persuade Nick Fury to allow it.

The task was all but impossible.