Loki considered his options while he distractedly looked in his room and saw the cd's and books the owner had. He read some of them, listened to some of the music, tried to distract himself. Not to think about what was coming.

This was ending, that much was clear. Be it in the morrow, be it the coming week, the rogue agents of SHIELD would be exposed, maybe even himself, and the small vacation with the Avengers would be over. With no RVG, with no big bad wolf to defeat there was no justification for him being there. And that was that. Yes, now the Avengers might think they wanted him there because he'd been useful, but there was going to come a time when he was no longer helpful and two worlds would want him to go back to his jail.

This RVG business had only been a small indication, a small sample, of how much people of Midgard hated him. When the news of him being there reached the people, there would be even more trouble. And without a proper enemy Odin and the jailers of Asgard would want him back, no doubt. Magicless as he was, he had no way of hiding himself from Heimdall. They would always know where he was, no matter where he escaped.

The only people who seemed slightly against him going back were the Avengers, and he couldn't, as hard as he tried, believe their words. They were the defenders of the lands, his former enemies. Surely they would realise having a liability like him around was too much of a danger. They would realise that this was too much trouble, that he deserved going back to his cell, to his prison. That was justice and what he'd done on earth had been a mere distraction. Possibly another trick of his to be free and evil again.

The sole thought of his cell made him nauseous. He could not go back there. He could not. He briefly considered killing himself before Thor had a chance to bring him back. That way, there wouldn't be more jail, more screaming nights, more guilt, no more pain. A sweet escape, if he managed to do it. But it was unlikely. He was in a house full of people and was extremely resilient. Even if he shot himself in the head he had a chance at surviving and his brother and his friends would try to save him. There was a doctor in the house and medical equipment. There were too many possibilities of him just injuring himself badly, coming back. Again. Maybe that wasn't such a bad option, but if he was going to live he would rather see Bolton go down.

He put on some Midgardian band called Joy Division on repeat. He probably couldn't help going back to Asgard but he could enjoy Midgard while it lasted. The music was soothing, calming somehow.

I'm ashamed of the thing I've put to, I'm ashamed of the person I am.

And this mortal somehow was able to state the very things he could not.

The hours passed and it was morning again. The day was sunny, the sky bright blue. The rain was gone. Pepper tried some of the coffee Bruce had prepared the previous day and drank it while she watched the news. So many lies. SHIELD were putting a good show together, but soon it would be over. They would know peace. Slowly, the rest of the people came down for breakfast. Steve cooked a bit, and ate half of what he'd done. Bruce had coffee and then more coffee. It was going to be a long day and he hadn't slept as good as he could have. His brief imprisonment in SHIELD had brought up memories that he'd wanted to forget for a long time. Bad memories. Loki came down, pale as a ghost, after having been in the shower for almost an hour, wearing a black t-shirt and some black pants from Amanda's brother. He was so going to miss showering and clean clothes when he went back to Asgard.

They ate in an expectant mood, all of them with their guards up. The fact that SHIELD hadn't found this place yet didn't mean they didn't know - maybe they were preparing to storm the place as they spoke.

James was looking at the phone, his stupid motionless phone. Ok, so Lorelei had obviously been a spy from the Avengers who wanted to get the prisoners out, but still. He'd been hoping she'd call. She'd been bold (going into enemy HQ like that), smart, beautiful. He should've known a girl like her would never call him. Stupid.

He nearly jumped when the phone actually started vibrating and ringing. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, James, right? I'm Tony Stark. A friend of mine told me that you're not exactly happy with your boss, a certain Agent Bolton. Is that right?"

"Yes, yes, it is." Iron man himself was calling him. Of course, he had given his number to Lorelei - who was with Captain America, who probably then got together with the rest of the group. Which meant she was probably there too. He wanted to ask, but found no words.

"We have a proposition for you." Stark said, and explained part of the plan. James got his video camera, ready for some confessions. He'd been fired for his alleged collaboration with the prisoner, and for disloyalty. If there hadn't been a video that proved, quite convincingly, that he had no idea of what was going on, and if there hadn't been more people (more guards) fooled by Lorelei's act, then he'd probably be missing now. He needed to act to stop that, for his own safety first, and to honour the lost friends second. And if that got him closer to the woman of his dreams, well it was just an added bonus.

The camera started recording.

"Hello, my name is James Scott and I was until yesterday a member of the security agency known as SHIELD. I am here to denounce some criminal acts that have been happening in my workplace this last past months. I was part of a division that had the purpose of finding high-level threats, international terrorists. We took care of those after receiving evidence of their harmful intentions. But lately, and after Agent Ross Bolton started taking charge, I have found myself pointing my weapon at anyone and everyone - specially those who Agent Bolton disliked. I have seen our resources, our men and women used against people who had committed no crimes, civilians watched and controlled, heroes apprehended. What I have not seen is Bolton's detractors, because they are nowhere to be seen."

That was the introduction. Then came the names, the crimes, the missing people, the hacked people, the poison and attacks. All he had been holding back for fear of Bolton was suddenly coming out of his mouth with dates and number and addresses. After that, he took his camera and went to Casey's wife's place, to get her apportation. There would be tears. He went as unrecognisable as he could, afraid they would get to him. But this needed to be done. For justice. They hadn't been they good guys for a long time now.

It was time to set things right.

In the Avengers hideout, similar videos were being taken.

There was Tony.

"My name is Tony Stark and I have been shot, chased and threatened with death in my own house by security agents..."

Bruce.

"...dosed me with very powerful sedatives while I-I looked not understanding and then they threw a bomb in my house, completely destroying it, with my friends in it, and they knew we were there, it was horrible... and when we were trying to escape they gassed us and took us prisoner and they ones they couldn't take they shot..."

Steve.

"... and after having our shelter destroyed they sent agents to kill us, in case we had survived. People of this country: we are not guilty of any crimes and are being prosecuted worse than convicted criminals..."

Even Pepper.

"... they were monitoring me, using me to catch Tony and the rest. They controlled my registered phones, my mail accounts... Only because I am close to Tony - who is not a criminal, but an honest man..."

Even Thor.

"...and I have witnessed some of the barbaric acts my friends speak of. I have seen the violence and malicious intent of that Bolton, a bloodthirsty assassin with many men on his service..."

It was a nice, long video, accompanied by hand-written testimonies of what had been going on. They made several copies to deliver them at different channels of TV and newspapers and waited. Everything seemed to be going ok. So okay, in fact, that it was suspicious. After some missed calls they finally made contact with Clint and Natasha who told them that they were laying low in some suburbs - they were in danger, too but had talked between themselves in lines they knew were being listened to and said that they were going to Delaware, to the place were Pepper had claimed they were. Maybe that would be enough to distract them.

Could it be true? Could they have finally outsmarted them?

On the afternoon, James came with the videos of the families of the agents and his own. He was a tall man who didn't seem all that impressed with meeting almost all the Avengers. The Iron man, Captain America, the god of thunder. No, he was looking for somebody else, somebody who wasn't there.

"The woman who freed you, she here?" He asked. He had put on his newest clothes, splashed on some cologne. He'd been single for two years now and he was like a hero in this moment, someone who had been helping them. He had a chance at this, he knew.

"Behind that book." Stark instructed and he saw the figure of someone in a sofa, reading a book, barefoot. The book disappeared and... damn! It was... Loki, wasn't it? Yes, he'd seen the face a million times. "Most wanted" "To be captured dead or alive".

"Pleasure to see you again." He said and the voice was familiar.

"You're Lorelei? But... you're a dude..."

"Sorry to disappoint, dear, but that is the truth. Lorelei was a merely a character I played."

He checked him out, anyway. Not bad for a dude.

"What the hell, I'm not picky, I'm still game if you are. Coffee sometime? Dinner and a movie?"

Loki just smiled. Ah, the mortals and their basic instincts.

"I will think about it, be sure. Now goodbye, and thank you for your help."

He left and Pepper called the taxi driver. They were so close. They also called the police and gave the adress in Delaware... because some dangerous criminals were going to be there. When he arrived, they gave the taxi driver three copies of the videos and writings: one for the police, another one for the TV, another one for the Times. And two hundred dollars to be discreet. The poor man couldn't believe it. These were certainly the best clients he ever had.

Some hours later there were thirty agents in Delaware, guns at the ready, packed with lasers and tasers, machine guns, bulletproof vests - the works. They had been so close, last time, so close to getting them all finally and in a matter of hours they had nothing. There was no activity on the networks, no photos of them in any street -anywhere- and they'd lost the prisoners they'd taken. Bolton was furious after the little incident with Loki and had fired people, shouted at people and destroyed equipment. Now this mission had to go well, it needed to go well. That was why he'd taken a significant part of the division with him and their most deadly gadgets. At first, he didn't know if Potts was playing them (she could have figured out it was through her that they got the info last time) but when Romanoff called Barton and told him to meet them at the same location he'd been sure. They were going down.

But the house was empty. Dusty.

"Sir... we have a problem." An agent to his right told him.

He had on his hand a phone, with an article from the Times that read Scandal on SHIELD - Shocking new testimonies reveal the crimes committed by the security agency.

With eyes wide open Bolton turned on the tv of Stark's ghost place and found his face in all the chains.

"... and they claimed to have been targeted without evidence..."

Another channel.

"... agents missing, heroes imprisoned and attacks who had been attributed to terrorists that actually came from the inside..."

Another channel.

"Bolton, a man with a very dark past, who apparently now has engaged on a crusade against the Avengers..."

Another channel.

"My name is Laura Casey and I haven't seen my husband since he spoke against Bolton on a meeting."

The only thing Bolton could think was they are so dead. So so dead. If it was the last thing he did, the Avengers were going down. People were stupid. They had no idea of what a danger those guys were. They were so dead.

"If anything happens to me or any of my friends" said Banner's voice on another channel. "Investigate Bolton and his crew. They've been meaning to kill us for days."

Now if anything happened to them no one would believe it was an accident. Damn them! They were trapped. Useless. It was time to destroy evidence and flee, as far as possible. It wouldn't be the first time. But just as he got of the house a man stopped him on a suit stopped him. There was another guy with him and a black car.

"Ross Bolton? I'm Agent London, FBI. We are going to arrest you for murder attempt, spying and threats and as a person of interest in the disappearances of Mary Hart, Kyle Casey and Mark Cast."

"What? Just because some freaks spoke on the media..."

"Everyone is suddenly speaking, Bolton, and everyone is pointing at you. We'd been investigating you for months - we even had an informant until she mysteriously disappeared... we only needed the details Agent Scott and the Avengers kindly provided to get an arrest warrant like this one."

Bolton's hand went to his gun.

"You want to shoot me, Bolton? Then do. I'm sure the locals recording this with their phones would be glad to add a significant proof of violent ways to the judge handling the case."

That damn FBI man was right. Many people were there, phones in their hands. After so long on the shadows, it was him who was being watched.

The news of Bolton's arrest quickly reached the internet and the Avengers watched it with glee. Finally, some justice!

There was champagne, there was some dancing, there were smiles.

"You're not joining, Loki?" Steve asked when he saw the sad expression of the man.

"In a minute, I just need to freshen up."

Loki nervously took his champagne glass and went into the bathroom. Everyone was happy, and lately he wasn't good with happy. Happy meant everything was going to go terribly wrong in a matter of minutes. Happy meant pain.

And as pleasant as seeing Bolton arrested may had been, it also meant that RVG's reign of terror was over. No Bob, no SHIELD - no enemies. They didn't need him anymore. As much as the Avengers claimed to not want to take him back... it was in the heat of fighting when they said those things. While they watched useful Loki helping. But when the fires of battle cooled down, they would see that keeping him on earth was nor wise nor fair. He meant danger and lies, and most of the world's population wanted him dead. He had a sentence, a sentence that had not been fulfilled, a sentence that was fair taking into account the crimes he committed.

And if he went back to that cell he would probably lose all the dignity and sanity he had left before his body and soul could take it no more. He'd rather people remember him like this (still standing) and not like a broken shadow, forever screaming in his cell words that had no meaning. No. He had to at least try it, now that he had the chance.

He was in a bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and smashed all half a bottle of pills with his hand. Then some more from another bottle and some more from another another one. His champagne glass and been half-filled, so he filled it completely with pill mash, hoping that mixing it with alcohol would help. And then he had some more pills. And some more.

It was a start, yes, but he needed more. Something the doctors couldn't fix, something irreversible.

The prisoner's disease.

Loki had long ago figured that it was actually a thought curse and not the ancient disease what plagued him. He hadn't been too good in his cell at controlling it (no distractions, no one else but him...) but he'd gotten quite good while on earth. So good, in fact, that now the effects of the curse only appeared while he slept. But it was still there. And if he combined its effects with the pills and his previous ailments... then maybe he would a chance. So he thought.

No peace for you monster, you're only getting what you deserve.

Over and over again.

Only getting what you deserve.

The pain was back. The shortness of breath. The horrible visions. But he kept at it.

This is only justice. All this pain is only justice.

Because if he kept at it he had a chance.

A chance to forget the pain, the regrets, the hate.

A chance to never see that cell again.

A way in which Odin wouldn't hurt him anymore.

A chance to be finally free. Free, after so long being a prisoner.

Sweet death.

No peace for you monster, you're only getting what you deserve.

Tony had noticed that Loki was nowhere to be seen and Steve told him the god was in the bathroom. He saw that the closest one had the lights on and knocked.

"Lokes, you in there? You're missing out all the fun!" He knocked again. No answer. "Loki? Are you okay?"

That was when he saw something red seeping through the floor. "Shit!"

Tony quickly opened the door and saw him, laying in the floor in a pool of his own blood, the champagne cup near his limp hand. Loki.

And there was a note, scribbled in what seemed to be blood. Wrote in a frenzy while all those horrifying thoughts crossed his head.

... Showed all the errors and mistakes I made and so I walked upon the edge of no escape.

Farewell.

A/N: Weird, yes. Maybe the RVG take down was under whelming, yes. But this is not an episode of Revenge (although a plan like this sounds very Emily Thorne-ish) it's a Loki whump fic. So I whump Loki. He is very troubled and cannot believe in nice people after all he's been through, the poor thing. That's that. Also Agent London may be a tall blond guy with a scar on his face (interesting) or he may be an indication for you to read my other story called London (Shameless auto-promotion)

Anyways, hope you liked it and please do review, tell me if you liked this chapter and its developing! You know you want to review!