A/N: Hi! Sorry I took so long. I was seriously blocked on this chapter. Then while I was on break at work, I was just mindlessly scribbling, and I was somehow able to salvage some of it.

Enjoy!

No sooner had Thor asked the question, a loud rush of wind swept over the camp. Loki could hear the energy of the Bifrost.

Odin sent the Destroyer…

He watched the approaching cloud, trying to curb his unease.

"We need to leave. Now." He gathered the still-sleeping Fenrir into his arms, and opened a portal. Thor pulled Jane gently to her feet.

"What is it?" she asked. Obviously, whatever it was wasn't good, but it would be nice to know.

"The Destroyer is coming." Thor replied grimly. Darcy turned to the thunderer.

"I thought you'd killed it, or whatever…"

"I did, but the All-father had another one built." Loki stood by the portal.

"What part of 'the Destroyer is coming' do you people not understand? Let's move!" he said impatiently. Thor took Jane's arm, and guided her through to the other side. Fandral offered Darcy his arm, but she brushed past him and stepped into whatever lay beyond. He shrugged and followed. Loki took one last look around, and closed the portal behind him. Just as the last traces of light vanished, the Destroyer landed.

The group found themselves in a very familiar place. Well, familiar, at least, to Thor and Loki. StarkTower.

Tony stepped out onto the balcony, looking relieved.

"Thor, thank god…What's going on?" He looked at the rest of the group. "…and what is he doing here?" He said, pointing at Loki. "And why is he holding a child?"

"Ah, Stark, meet my nephew Fenrir." Thor said, smiling slightly. Fenrir stared shyly at the billionaire before burying his face in Loki's shoulder. The trickster softened a bit.

"So, what brings you to my humble abode?" Tony asked jokingly, still not pleased with the presence of Loki in his tower.

"Allow me to explain—no, wait, that would take too long. Let me sum it up." Loki said, stepping forward. "When I vanished with Thor during that battle, I accidentally turned him into a child, and he was almost abducted by my estranged daughter, who was looking for revenge upon Odin. To save him, I took him to Jane, and when Hela came after him there, I took her to Asgard where she summarily killed me, and Thor was turned back into an adult." He paused and took a breath. Tony stepped over to him, and poked his shoulder.

"You don't feel like a ghost to me…" Loki glared at him.

"I wasn't finished yet." He snapped. "And what is it with you mortals and poking?" Recovering his composure, he continued. "After speaking with my daughter in the underworld, we reached an understanding, and she brought me back. We freed my son Fenrir, and now we are seeking to free Jormagundar who is imprisoned here on Midgard." Tony raised an eyebrow.

"Okay…but that still doesn't explain what you're doing in my tower…"

"I opened a portal to Midgard. I didn't realize it would take us here. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Loki sniffed, preparing to teleport himself and Fenrir away.

"Why do you always have to be such an ass?" Tony said. "You're supposed to be the trickster, can't you take a joke?" Loki rolled his eyes.

"I've been through far too much, and this situation is much too close to my heart to joke about it, Stark." Tony made a surprised face.

"What? You mean you actually have a heart?" he asked sarcastically. Loki pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Yes I do. I just don't wear it on my sleeve like my oaf of a brother does." He said before he could catch himself. Thor pretended to ignore the fact that Loki had just called him brother. Perhaps the times Loki had called him that during his time as a child were not just figments of his imagination.

"Will you help us, Tony, or will you not?" Tony shrugged.

"Will it make Fury mad?" he asked.

"Most likely."

"Count me in. Where are we going?"

"Scotland." Loki said, smiling a little. Thor looked confused.

"I thought Jormagundar lived in the ocean…"

"Don't be stupid, Thor. We would never find him, if that were indeed the case. The mortal legends have exaggerated his size." Tony put his hands up.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second. You wouldn't happen to be talking about a little place called Loch Ness, would you?" Loki grinned.

"How did you know?" he quipped. Darcy laughed, not quite believing Loki.

"Your kid is Nessie? And you didn't tell us?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

Hela stared up at her captor, unable to speak, thanks to the gag in her mouth. Odin watched the girl cowering on the floor before him. She tugged restlessly at the shackles binding her wrists, realizing that they were also meant to restrain her magic.

"Stop your struggling, it's quite pointless." The king said. He bent down, and removed the strip of cloth from her mouth. Hela bared her teeth, but made no move to harm him.

"What good will this do, All-father?" she spat. "My father will come for me, and believe me, that will be the day you regret." Odin hit her, leaving a red mark on the fleshy side of her face. Hela cried out, unable to defend herself. She drew on her magic, but it couldn't manifest itself, and the pressure tormented her.

"No, the day I regret is the day, 13 years ago, that I didn't kill you myself, instead of leaving you in Niflheim. I intend to remedy that." He turned and glanced out into the hall. "But why would I want your blood directly on my hands? It shall be on your father's instead. The moment he frees your brother, you will fade. You may have thought yourself invincible, but it is possible to permanently kill one of the undead." Hela shook her head, her fear growing.

"No, please no…" she pleaded. "You can't do this." Odin glared at her.

"Yes I can, and I will." He closed his eyes, and placed Gungnir against her chest. The room began to spin, and everything faded to black.

Odin watched the girl slump forward, unconscious. He turned away from her prone form, and was surprised to see Frigga watching him. She looked horrified.

"Odin! What have you done?" she asked. She knelt next to Hela, placing a hand on her forehead.

"I'm only doing my duty as king." He said, holding out his hand to her. For a moment she looked like she might take it, and perhaps embrace him. He was not prepared for what she actually did. She strode up to him and tore the spear from his grasp, and hit him across the face with dull end. Odin sprawled across the floor, dazed.

"Odin Borson, you are unworthy of these realms, of your title, and of your subjects whom you have betrayed. Through your actions, Asgard and the rest of the Nine are now experiencing the beginning of the end. It might have been avoided if not for your stupidity…I hereby take from you your title, and I cast you out!" she intoned, her voice rising to a hoarse, shrill shout as she sent a bolt of magic towards the king. Odin held up his hands, hoping somehow to ward off the attack, but he was now powerless. Frigga watched with grim satisfaction as her husband disappeared.

The queen turned to Hela, and pulled her into her arms.

"I will find a way to save you, dear." She whispered. Hela opened her eyes slightly, and smiled, before sinking back into her stupor.

I will save you. I promise.