Thor's eyes followed several pigeons as they flew by his window in the afternoon light. It was an unusual sight for so high up in the tower, causing him to wonder if Loki had a hand in it. His brother always had a strange affinity for birds. Thor's eyes soon glazed over, his thoughts slowing into nothingness. He continued to sit on his bed, staring vacantly out the window as his eyes no longer followed the birds.

Loki had tried everything in his power to heal his brother. He traveled deep into the recesses of Thor's mind, only to find large areas of it blank. No memories, no dreams, nothing. He could feel their presence, but he could not find them. It was as if someone had plastered over them with white wallpaper. Loki wanted nothing more than to tear it down, but he couldn't without causing more damage to Thor's mind.

He tried returning to Asgard, but the Bifrost was still not attuned to him. Bruce offered his help as a doctor, and Loki brushed him off with a nasty comment. After weeks of relentless attempts at healing Thor, he finally asked for help. He had exhausted all of his resources long ago. The Bruce tried several medical concoctions of his own design, and when nothing worked, he suggested shock therapy. That almost got a laugh of out Loki. Almost.

No one had noticed how badly Thor was doing until the day he collapsed. A week after Tony's disappearance, the god had seemed frail, but functioning. He spoke as his usual self, ate with the same gusto, and laughed as jovially as ever. When he fell, Steve panicked, thinking the creature had returned to possess him again. Bruce was the first to realize that Thor was actually having a seizure. After that, nothing was the same. Thor stopped laughing,and no longer held an appetite. Whenever he tried to speak, his words slurred together or come out in the completely wrong order.

Loki tried and tried and tried. He wore himself down until he was as thin and sickly as he was under Thanos' thumb. He ignored any suggestions for him to slow down. He snapped at anyone who tried to talk to him, let alone touch him. But at the end of every day, he would go into his brothers room and tell him stories form their past. Whenever anyone passed the door, they stopped and listen for a learned more about the two gods in those first few weeks of Tony's absence than they had learned in the course of a year.

Time crawled by slowly, and soon it was fall again. Three months had passed since Tony disappeared, and little had changed for the better.

"Brother," Loki said softly, watching Thor stare out the window. "Can you at least look at me?"

Thor remained motionless, as he had all day. He had stopped responding yesterday, and his eyes failed to focus on anyone for longer than a moment. It was as though he was finally shutting down for good.

"Then, I hope you are listening." Loki paused, leaning forward and resting his face in his hands. "I cannot leave this realm without the Bifrost. I cannot find Tony without the Bifrost," Loki spoke slowly, as if speaking to a child. "I cannot use the Bifrost without you."

Loki looked up and stared at the blank face in front of him.
"Brother, I need you."

For the first time in many years, Thor failed to answer Loki's cry for help.

An hour later, Steve's voice broke the silence. "Loki, we need to talk," he spoke gravely from the doorway.

Loki jerked his head up, his neck cracking from the movement. Somehow, he had dozed off while he sat there watching for any minuet change in Thor's demeanor. "I do not need to do anything you tell me to do."

"It's just a saying..." Steve responded carefully, leaning against the door frame with a frown. "Look, you can't keep trudging on alone. No one can do everything alone."

Loki opened his mouth to argue before Rogers continued, "You seem to forget that we lost Tony too. So what you need to remember is, we will do anything to get him back. We will listen to you, and follow your orders. So stop sulking in here and figure out a way for all of us to fix this."

Loki stared at the man impassibly, considering his options.

"If... I ask for something against your morals, will you do it?" Loki asked, a small smile forming on his face.

"Depends on what it is. For the most part, yes."

Loki stood abruptly, a swirl of gold around him forming into a fresh set of leathers. He was ready for battle with a shark-like smile. "Oh, I think you might just enjoy it."

"I don't like the sound of this already."

"Fret not, captain. I believe we may be able to work something out." He stopped by the doorway, a hand on the frame to keep himself steady. Either Steve missed it, or he didn't feel the need to comment on Loki's weakened state. Loki looked back once more at his broken brother, his smile faltering slightly. "Let us gather everyone, it is far past time we did something about this."

"I knew I wasn't going to like it."

"You do not have to like it, Rogers," Loki responded dryly. His patience was already thin from hours of planning and far too many arguments. It was his plan, and he knew it would work. Now if everyone else would just go along with it and stop being so obtuse.

"Breaking Doctor Doom out does not sound like a good start to any plan," Clint said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Never mind the fact that Fury hates us, Doom probably hates us more. Did anyone else forget that we were the ones to got him locked away?"

Loki scoffed, crossing his arms in irritation. "How could I forget, since I was the one who did all of the work."

Clint rolled his eyes and gestured for Loki to go on.

"Look, nothing planned flows perfectly," Loki said. "Not even for me."

Natasha snickered quietly, leaning back with a rare look of amusement on her face.
Loki ignored her and continued on, "All we must do is offer an incentive. Namely, we let him live if he continues his existence in a more... peaceful manner. He is the key to helping Thor, I know it. I am more aware of his powers than any of you."

"Uh, no offense," Bruce joined in quietly. "But we've kind of been dealing with him longer. I think we know what he's capable of. I have yet to see him manage anything within the realm of healing."

"You are all mere mortals. You cannot fathom the connection magic users have," Loki replied, keeping his tempter in check. It was growing more difficult by the second. "I could sense his power immediately, and I was not disappointed. How do you think he has done so well after his accident?"

"Can we please stop arguing about this and actually get to the whole 'we get to rescue Tony' part?" Clint asked, glaring at Bruce jokingly.

Bruce smiled at him tiredly and nodded, looking back at Loki. "So you say we get him out, then what?"

"That," Loki said with a wide smile. "Is where it becomes interesting."

Loki was aware that their plan had a specific amount of time for it to work, before everything came crashing down around them. Bruce was the only one who stayed behind at the tower, 'Thor-sitting' as Clint called it. He wasn't necessary for the more furtive part of their scheme.

The rest of them joined him in a small jet Tony had left in his private hanger on the outskirts of the city. They had used it before, but it felt different taking it without Stark's say so. As though they were robbing the dead. The craft was ingenious, small and apparently equipped with a rather advanced cloaking device. Loki smiled, allowing himself to think about Tony for the first time in days.

Trust Stark to create something amazing like this, only to rely on his suits instead.

He always runs ahead into action.

"We're at the correct altitude," Natasha said, drawing Loki from his thoughts.

"Stay as far back as you can. You are only needed if something goes wrong." Loki stood, hunched under the jet's low ceiling. "You know how I shall contact you."

"Just make sure you contact the Captain or Barton. I don't want to be distracted while trying to fly this thing."

"Understood."

"Loki," Steve called out from his seat. "Be quick about this. We only have a small window once we get him back to the tower."

Loki nodded, giving the man a small, reassuring smile before he disappeared.

The helicarrier was as cold a lifeless as Loki remembered. There was an impressive difference between the flying machines that Stark made, and this iron bulk. Loki never realized until now how alive Tony's creations felt in comparison. Everything he made was filled with energy, as if it had a soul of its own.

Perhaps he has always had his own sort of magic.
Although, I should have detected it better when I first arrived.

It is odd that I felt nothing from him in our close quarters on Jotunhiem.

Loki's breath hitched and he shook his head, returning his focus to the task at hand. He had arrived in the hallway leading to the cells, not wanting to alarm Doom as he did last time. Although he was not visible to the camera's he knew that the magic user would be able to see him. Loki reached the glass prison and peered in curiously.

At some point in the past few months, Doom had fallen apart. His angry energy had given way to something more resigned and beaten. His mangled face was lax of emotion, while his body had clearly given up on remaining healthy. Doom was skinny, mangy, and old.

"Why, Doctor, you have really let yourself go," Loki commented, passing trough the glass with ease. He observed Doom's eyes light up as he sensed his presence.

"It's you again. Come back to make a ghost out of me again?"

"Hardly," Loki replied with a kind smile. "I wish to offer you a deal."

"I don't deal with tricksters like you. I know your true nature."

"My true nature bends to my will. My will is to get back something that is lost. Therefor, I will do whatever necessary to get what I want."

Doom sat up, his body filling with life one again. He stretched and eyed Loki with curiosity. "What did you lose, magic user?"

"That is not of your concern. I only need your assistance in healing someone's mind." Loki paused, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his voice. "Are you capable of such a thing? I presumed you were, with the tremendous power you weld."

"I can do it," Doom agreed, smirking slightly at the compliment. "What are you willing to give me in return?"

"You're freedom."

"You can't promise me that. The Avengers will never allow it, let alone Fury."

Loki chuckled, tilting his head to one side. "I am here with the Avengers. As for Fury, there are ways around the mortal. As I am sure you know."

"Part of the deal," Loki continued, stalking closer to the bunk where Doom sat. "Is that you keep your chaos to a minimum. Otherwise, my offer of freedom becomes a threat on your life."

"So, I do what you want, and you won't kill me? That sounds like a threat to me."

"Interpret it as you wish," Loki responded with a venomous grin.

"That's exactly how you meant it." Doom laughed and stood up, wrapping his thin robe around his body proudly. "When do we start?"

Things became complicated very quickly. Loki cast a glamour that mirrored Doom's form in the cell, leaving first through the glass to test his magic's bounds. He was weakened considerably after months of tirelessly using his magic to heal Thor. The fake Doom would only hold as long as Loki concentrated on it, and he was unsure of how well it would hold up at a distance. As soon as Doom disappeared from the cell, all hell would break loose again. Unlike last time, this was not the desired affect. This time, Loki needed stealth. He needed time.

The teleportation of two people broke his concentration instantly. Loki felt the spell waiver and lose power as soon as they left the carrier. Upon their arrival in the smaller craft, Natasha was already intercepting transmissions from SHIELD. They were alert and scanning the skies.

"I believe," Loki said slowly, a wave of dizziness washing over him. "It is time to leave."

"We're leaving now," Natasha replied, jerking the control to the left and sending them into a sharp turn. "How long do you think we have until Fury realizes it was actually us this time?"

Loki snorted and gave the archer a look, seeing as Natasha was busy. Clint shrugged and snapped his belt closed. Doom sat silently in his seat, trying to remain out of the way.
Sighing, Loki responded tiredly, "I cannot predict his actions so easily. I can only assume he will act in the order he is expected to. An investigation first, and then he will lead a full on attack on us."

"Sounds like a fun night ahead of us," Steve said sarcastically.

The captain was acting calm, but Loki could see that his hands were trembling slightly. It was in that moment that Loki realized how much they had been been suffering these past few months. He had grieved alone this entire time, not once ever noticing how worried Tony's friends were. They did everything he asked of them, even as he screamed at them to leave him be. Yet here they were, going against everything they stood for, just to get Tony back.

Loki tilted his head up, looking around at his comrades. Yes, they were his comrades now. They had come to his aid many times already, regardless of how poorly he had treated them.

"Thank you," he blurted out, startling himself.

There was a stunned silence before Clint burst out laughing. "Oh man, Tony's gonna to be pissed."

"Why?" Loki asked nervously.

"Because you thanked us before you ever thanked him. We took your 'thanks' virginity."

"You did no such thing!" Loki snapped, huffing in embarrassment. "I have thanked Anthony plenty of times."

"Don't be shy," Clint teased, looking over his shoulder and batting his eyelashes at the god.

Loki flicked a small orb of magic at his face, relishing the squeal of surprise and pain from the archer.

Steve smiled sadly, turning away from his controls to look back.
"He's going to be okay, Loki."

Loki frowned, knowing without anyone saying, exactly who he was talking about. "He is strong," he agreed quietly.

"He'll hang in there," Clint added confidently, rubbing his nose.

They spent the rest of the journey in silence, each lost in thought about the one person missing from their lives.

Tony was bored. It was surprisingly easy to be bored, and in immense pain at the same time.

How the fuck did I end up here again?

Tony wondered bitterly if it was Loki's fault or his own. He sighed and tried one more time to bend the metal away from his broken knee. The blood had long since stopped flowing, choosing instead to freeze in nasty red clumps.
That's right, freeze.

Because Jotunhiem was just as cold as Tony remembered. Only this time, he was without a fire and the pleasant company. In fact, he wasn't all that sure he had any company, pleasant or not.

"Hey, asshole of the night, where are you?"

Silence was his only response. He had tried since he woke up to talk to the creature, never once getting a reply. He didn't feel it inside of him anymore, which was almost more worrying.

What if I left it behind?
Then this entire trip was fucking pointless.
I'll probably be stuck here, since I have no fucking clue how I even got here.

"You arrived to this place by a familiar path," spoke the Darkness from deep inside the cave.

Tony did his best not to tense up, attempting to remaining nonchalant about the whole 'creepy voice in the dark that reads his mind' thing.
"Nice of you to drop by. What's this, you explain things now instead of being elusive? What a lark."

"Cease your babbling, mortal scum."

"And we're back to insults. Whatever you say, Batman."

"Do not call me such names," the voice hissed in his ear, much too close for comfort.

"Yeah, well, I don't know your name, exactly. You're just a big blob of darkness. I'm calling you either Batman, or Black Hole."

"You shall not call me anything. My name is not for mortal lips."

"I take that as a compliment, buddy."

There was a soft hiss. At least it was further away now.
"Do you wish to know why Loki saved you and brought you to this very cave?"

"Not from you," Tony replied tersely. "Besides, he already told me."

"Ah yes," the voice purred. "Love."

"Yeah, something you have never seen or felt. I'm surprised you even know the word."

There was a snap of light in the dark, like a visible flash of irritation. It scared Tony more than the was willing to admit.

"You sad little creature. Your love is nothing but a farce. Did you truly never wonder why you forgave my Lokes so easily? After he reigned such distraction on your home?"

Tony went still, no longer fidgeting with the metal around his knee. The cave grew colder, as if the air itself had turned against him. Unusually enough, he couldn't find the words to argue, to snap back as usual. Maybe he did have doubts, but hearing this was proving something he wasn't willing to accept yet.

"Do you want to know why Loki chose this cave? Because I told him to."

Tony could hear the nasty smile behind its words.

"Do you want to know why Loki was to fall in 'love' with you?"

Tony flinched, looking away from the dark recesses of the cave.

"Because I told him to."

"Bullshit."

"Why Stark," it drawled, once more close to his ear. "You sound as if you do not believe your own words."

"Shut your face," Tony snapped, keeping his eyes of the bright, gray sky peeking through the mouth of the cave. "Oh, that's right, you don't have one of your own. You have to steal from others."

"Your wit is failing you, mortal."

"Yeah, well... blood loss will do that to ya'."

"Do you know what came out of your little romance?"

Tony growled and bit his tongue, his mind screaming in an endless loop of denial.

No no no no no no no.

"Power."

That was not the answer Tony was expecting. He frowned and turned back to face the darkness. "What?"

"Unlimited, astounding power," it said, its voice sounding unusually excited. "Thanks to you two, I now have access to one of the most powerful weapons in the universe."

"The Tesseract?! But, how?"

"Fool, I mean something else entirely."

"What then? What's so damn powerful that you scoff at the Tesseract?"

"You."

Tony let out a small, panicked laugh if disbelief. "I hate to break it to you buddy, but what makes me powerful is just a bunch of metal and wires. There's no reason you had to play Cupid with Loki and I."

"You were like a child, mortal. Underdeveloped, and not quite ripe enough for the picking. I needed Loki's magic to coax your own out of hiding. What came next was much more than I ever dreamed for."

The glee in his voice was starting to make Tony nauseous. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"Your powers combined in you in a way I thought not possible. That is what makes you invaluable. Your core holds such eminence power and Loki was the key to unlocking it."

"You make it sound like we had no hand in this at all," Tony snapped, his anger slowly giving way to fear. "As far as I can tell, after the whole cave visit it was all on us."

"Did you really think Loki loved a little mortal like you?"

"I did." Tony frowned. "I do," he corrected.

There was a laugh that echoed deep into the mountain, shattering not only the ice around him, but all of Tony's conviction.

Sorry for the short chapter. It really needed to be broken up for several reasons. Things will be busy back on earth for a while, so I didn't want to switch back within the same chapter.
[ Unedited currently. Please forgive me.]

Also, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I'll try to keep up with responses 3