There is a small reference to the first story in this series, it's one word so it's not big, just wanted to let you know if you haven't read the others.
"Captain Rodgers, sir."
Steve groggily blinked awake. He stared into the dark room, looking for the source of the voice. Then he realized who had spoke and sat up.
"What is it, Jarvis?"
"There has been a disturbance at a gala, S.H.I.E.L.D. has requested that you arrive there as quickly as possible. I was informed there is no danger, so bringing your weapons is not necessary."
"A gala…weren't Tony and Loki going to one of those tonight?"
"Yes sir, it is the same one."
Steve groaned, he stood up and the lights flicked on.
"Have you woken up the others yet?"
"Yes sir."
Steve nodded as he threw on a shirt.
"I swear, those two need a babysitter."
The team arrived at the museum, three S.H.I.E.L.D. vans were situated outside. A young agent tensed as they approached, his eyes moving from Clint's bed head, to Bruce's lopsided glasses. Then a look of recognition appeared on his face and he pushed the door open.
"Director Fury is waiting for you inside."
Steve nodded in affirmation as they passed. Inside, agents milled around, some interviewing patrons. Fury stood at the far end of the hall. He turned to face the team as they approached. Tony and Loki where nowhere to be seen.
"Director, what happened? Where are Tony and Loki?"
Fury scowled.
"They are what happened, they're gone."
"What?"
Natasha stepped forward, her hair was in a messy bun but she seemed wide awake. Fury motioned towards something behind him. On a stand lay a broken artifact.
"According to one of the guards, Loki had taken this thing out of its case. He said that Loki broke it and there was a bright light. Tony and Loki disappeared."
Thor moved to get a closer look at the tablet. Fury turned to him.
"Do you recognize it?"
Thor picked up a piece and peered intently at the runes. Everyone watched him silently.
"It seems familiar, it is certainly not Midgardian. These runes do not make sense though, they are merely random words."
Steve sighed and massaged his temple.
"Why is it always them? First the aliens, now this…So you don't know what that thing is, Thor?"
Thor shook his head, Bruce spoke up from the back.
"Maybe it will make more sense if we fix it. We can't help them if we don't know what it did to them."
Everyone thought on that, Fury nodded.
"Fine, try and fix it. Make sure to keep me updated. Now I've got to fix this social mess that they made."
Steve nodded in affirmation and Thor collected the pieces. The team left Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. at the museum. The ride back was tense, the pieces of the tablet in Thor's hands drew everyone's eyes. Steve spoke up.
"Now what?"
00000
Tony watched Loki pace around the cave. After Loki had recovered from the shock, he had snuck them through the passage, they now sat in a cave across the water from the huge, golden city of Asgard. Tony had been floored when he had first seen it, but Loki had dragged him into the small cave they now hid in.
"What are you thinking?"
Tony asked cautiously. Loki shook his head and sat next to him.
"Humans find the concept of fluid space confusing, but truly the concept of fluid time is far more complex. Even I am not sure about this."
"Fluid time?"
Loki scowled.
"Time travel. So many implications, we have to be so careful."
Tony listen to Loki's word thoughtfully.
"Well, technically, if this is the past then that tablet shouldn't be broken now, right?"
Loki inclined his head.
"I'm glad you are more intelligent than most. Yes, I believe that is correct. And I am almost certain the tablet is here, on Asgard, in the artifact vault. I think I remember reading about it, that may be why I recognized it."
"So we just…go ask for it and leave?"
Tony spoke uncertainly, knowing it wasn't going to be that simple. As he expected, Loki shook his head violently, Loki took a deep breath, massaging his hand absentmindedly.
"No, no that will not happen, we cannot do that."
"I know you've though about this already, we're in the past, going to your parents, changing things."
Loki clenched his teeth and glanced at Tony, a pained look in his eyes.
"We cannot, if we change time, it could endanger everything."
Tony sighed.
"Why not? Explain."
"Think about it, if I change my past, then I change everything I've done, drastically."
"So you would let yourself do what you've done, what you've gone through?"
Loki stared out at the golden city.
"If I change my past, if I do not goad Thor into entering Jotunhiem, he would not come to Earth. If I do not fall off the Bifrost, then I do not attack Earth, therefore bringing the team together. The instant I change something now, I could disappear because I would not be me, then who knows what would happen to you."
Tony gazed at him.
"You would give up an opportunity to save yourself and everyone around you pain and unhappiness?"
"If you had the chance, would you change your past?"
Loki's words were hollow. Tony stared at the wall, thinking.
"I've made mistakes, I-"
"You know what I mean."
"I…I don't get that chance and if I did, I don't know what I would try to fix first."
"And that is how I feel, yet I cannot."
They both sat, lost in thought. Then Loki shook his head.
"If I knew it would not affect events drastically, then I would. But I have affected too much, I have lived longer than you and I have influenced far more than you. Undoing that is out of the question, things must happen as they do."
Loki stood and moved towards the entrance. The Bifrost shimmered, Asgard was so familiar, yet it was not his Asgard, there were differences. Tony watched him.
"So what are we going to do, then?"
"We have to infiltrate the vault and use the artifact. I can disguise us as guards, but I will need to scout the palace to make sure that there is nothing drastically different, first."
"Alright, when are we going to do that?"
Tony started to stand up but Loki shook his head.
"No, not you. I know the palace, I'm only searching for any different technology. It will be quicker if you stay here."
"Really, your plan is to split up?"
"If you knew how to act like an Asgardian then you could come with me. But it is better if you stay away from Asgard as much as possible."
Tony scowled but Loki turned and gave him a silencing look.
"Stay here, they will not find you. I will return soon."
With that, Loki left the cave and began working his way towards the city. Tony watched Loki's figure until he could no longer see it.
"For both of our sakes, I hope you're wrong about how dangerous this situation is."
00000
Just before he reached the city Loki took a moment to create a glamour. He would change to a guard later, when he got closer to the palace, but for now a commoner would draw the least attention. As he wove his way through the city Loki's curiosity grew and when he noticed a group of guards enter a pub, Loki couldn't help but follow. It was only a day after the Asgardians defeated the Jotun, there had to be tales, rumors, Loki had to know. He sat at a table near the guards and began to listen in on their conversation.
"…finally, we are done. The king led us well, to put those monsters in their place."
"Indeed! Now we are back, victorious, and we shall celebrate as we have earned."
The men cheered, a woman walked over to them.
"Ah, boys, good to see you safe. What can I get you today, the usual?"
After a moment the men unanimously nodded. The woman left and they returned to their conversation.
"All is right once more, we can return to the norm."
"Not entirely the norm, my dearest sister has told me something. If you did not know, she is one of the royal healers, apparently the queen has had another child."
Loki leaned in slightly.
"Really? I wonder when they are going to tell the populous. Two royal children now, wonderful."
The men soon returned to swapping tales of war. Loki stood, assuming they had nothing more interesting to say, he left the pub and began making his way towards the palace. He ducked into an alcove and took the form of a royal guard. Loki walked through the corridors, avoiding sight as much as possible. As he moved through a hallway and older woman walked past him, apparently lost in thought for she did not acknowledge him. A young boy rushed up to her.
"Milady, the queen wishes to speak with you on the matters of her son. She is in his chambers."
Loki came to a halt and glanced back, the woman nodded and the boy ran off. She turned and began walking towards Loki. In a moment, Loki made a decision and as she passed him, he placed a hand on her shoulder, sending a wave of magic that temporarily knocked the woman unconscious.
"Good, good. Don't worry, I simply need your help for a moment."
Loki murmured as he placed a finger on her head and worked a complex spell. There was a slight shift in his mind and Loki felt his energy drop considerably. He sighed and woke her up. It was a strange sensation, seeing through two different pairs of eyes. Loki took a moment to practice focusing on either consciousness. Then he slipped into an unused room and focused on the woman.
"Ah, you are here, Mjoll, thank you."
Frigga turned as the woman, under Loki's control, entered the room.
"You called for me, milady?"
Loki spoke through the woman, directing her actions and accessing her memories. He directed her to stand by Frigga, who stood over a crib.
"Yes, I did. I respect your opinion and wish to hear it."
Frigga gazed down at the crib. Loki followed her gaze, in the crib was his younger self.
"What opinion of mine do you desire?"
"I wish to know what you think of this decision my husband has made."
"Are you angry at him?"
Frigga hesitated, then shook her head.
"I was, at first, when I though the child was his. But he showed me the truth and I am no longer angry. The boy should be raised as one of us, and I shall certainly not reject him."
Loki nodded, wondering what he could say to not alter time. He proceeded carefully.
"When…when will you tell him what he is?"
"I know not, when Odin believes him ready. Odin shall decide when he is ready, but I will not treat him differently."
Loki stopped himself from saying more, even the slightest outside opinion could change something. Frigga gazed down at he baby, her eyes were soft.
"I should hope that he and Thor will be like brothers."
"I…I am sure they will."
They stood there in silence for a time. Then Frigga stepped away.
"I am going to check on Thor, could you wait with him?"
Loki nodded but as Frigga left he quickly turned to her.
"Milady, does he have a name yet?"
"No, not yet."
With that Frigga left. Loki knew that he should leave the woman's mind, but he was drawn to the child.
"Hello…me. I wish I could tell you, I truly do. I'm sorry you must go through what we do, find it in your heart to forgive me."
Loki hesitated, then reached down and touched the child's face. His eyes opened, green meeting the woman's brown. Loki knew that it was time to go. He withdrew from the woman's mind, his focus returning. She would remember everything as if she had said it, so there was no harm done. Loki sighed and leaned against a wall. He needed to return now, he had learned the information he required from the woman's mind. The longer Loki stayed in this time, the more uncertain he became about his resolve.
AN: As I was writing this I realized how incredibly complex time travel can be made, I gave myself a bit of a headache at one point trying to worm out flaws with it. But yeah, what do you think, how do you like it? I'm incredibly grateful for the reviews I got, those encourage me to write more than you know, so I would love to hear your opinion on this chapter. The next should be up within a few days.