Sorry for the long wait, but school's started up again and I'm not fully into this fanfic. I'm still not sure if I'll continue it. I'm much more focused on Tricksters-in-arms. It has seven chaps so far, and I've even thought up an ending.

The first thing Loki noticed when he woke up was the absence of a familiar golden glow.

The walls around him were blaring white, used to the dark realm of the Chitauri, the color burning and blinding the god's green eyes, forcing them closed. The ceaseless chatter of people, muffled by the harsh pale walls, ran soothingly over his ears like water over pebbles. It wasn't the chitter and screams of the monsters, of the Chitauri.

The Chitauri.

The Other, Gabriel, the golden mist-

Loki's eyes shot back open. The machine next to him picked up, like it had scented his panic, reeling off beeps so fast they blurred together. The voices weren't calming anymore, they were loud, a racket pounding on the injured god's already splitting head. Figures rushed by Loki's vision, drabbed in pale whites and blues, like the life had been leeched out of them.

Loki tried to roll out of the bed, but something on his wrist stopped him. Little hollowed-out strings pulsing with liquids were attached to the underside of his arm, and with a flash of fear and pain, Loki ripped them out, shoving the healers nearest to him away with panicked swipes.

" Sir, sir, please, calm down!" One of them cried, tearing the pale green cloth around her mouth away. Her free hand was raised soothingly, trying to placate the God of Mischief. Without slowing down, Loki sent her into a pile of equipment and dashed for the exit, his bare feet nearly silent as he ran.

Taking turns blindly, Loki barreled past other healers cloaked in the light, life-less robes as before. They called out to him, trying to stop the fleeing god. He dodged them without difficulty, focused on the one word, the last word he received by his friend, escape.

Escape.

Turn left, duck under a tall healer's arms.

Escape.

Another left. Window in sight, too high to jump off of. Keep running.

Esc-

Loki rammed into what felt like solid, breathing stone. His momentum nearly sent him reeling into the fragile glass window before an iron-band grip tightened around his arm.

" Hello." The man from the alley said with a gentle smile. His blue eyes were guileless, so much like the fair-haired crown prince of Asgard.

Loki pulled himself free of the other man's grip, lip curling into a defensive sneer.

" My name's Steve." The man continued, ignoring Loki's frosty expression. " I found you outside, in the alley. Your safe now."

Safe. Loki's sneer grew in size and malice. Safe is a golden glow left in the dark. Safe is his best friend, left to suffer by the hands of a cruel race intent on Midgard's destruction.

Safe wants him to protect Midgard.

" What is the name of this city?" Loki asked, licking his dry lips. Steve's brow wrinkled in concern at the god's painful croak.

" Your in New York. Are you alright? You aren't in any trouble, are you? I can help." The undisguised worry breathed a flare of anger in Loki's chest.

" I am fine!" He snapped, not at all reassuring. " I must speak with your king. Your ruler, leader. Midgard is in danger from-" The word, much like the creatures, turned Loki's silver tongue to lead.

" From..? Sir, do you have anywhere to go? Any family? Please, tell me your name." Steve's voice was soothing, his face open like a book.

" My name is Loki." The god replied, taking a deep breath. His throat burned from speaking for so long, and he had not eaten anything other then a small box of chocolate Gabriel had slipped him in the cells since his fall. " I have no family worth mention. I have answered your questions, now answer mine. Who do I talk to about the safety of your entire realm?"

Steve chewed hesitantly on his lip, still not entirely believing Loki knew anything that endangered the entire world. " I'm not sure if anyone will take you serious, Loki, right? What is coming that so dangerous?"

" The Chitauri!" Loki spat, his voice grating against the word like sandpaper. " They will flood your pathetic mortal realm and slaughter you all!" Loki's raised voice was getting some odd looks from the others in the hallway, but both men ignored them.

" Who are the Chitauri?" Steve asked, wrapping one hand around Loki's thin wrist. When Loki started to clam up, the grip grew painful. " Tell me!"

" They are monsters." Loki hissed, digging his broken fingernails into the soft flesh of his palm. " They will destroy all you hold dear, and if you do not take me to your ruler right now, they will tear apart your world like paper!" He let out another hiss when the hand clamped down on his wrist tightened, the bones grating together.

" I'll take you to Director Fury." Steve ground out, his face blank and his shoulders set. Without another word, he started dragging Loki behind him, only slowing when the exhausted god tripped over his cold, aching feet.

Loki followed willingly, looking up to the sky he had fallen out of, thinking;

I will protect Midgard. From the Chitauri, and from you, dear friend.

Odin rubbed his face with his battle-worn hands, rubbing the long scar running along his face, dipping down into the empty socket where Laufey himself had pulled the All-father's eye free from his head. There was a small pounding inside his head, like some small creature had set up it's home inside and started hammering on the walls.

" My lord? Heimdall wishes to see you." A messenger appeared at the massive twin doors, tugging at the hem of his shirt nervously.

" Send him in." Odin's deep voice echoed around the empty room. He hated when it did that, useful for intimidating, but the racket beat mercilessly on his ears. Loki had once enchanted the room to muffle all but the purposefully loudest booms, but like all the other enchantments by the trickster, they had faded with their master.

The Gatekeeper strode in, his golden eyes gleaming. His massive sword swung with his stride, strapped against his back. As he approached, Heimdall fell to one knee before his king.

" My Father." He rumbled, eyes still fixed unblinking on the floor. " I have turned my eyes to Midgard, and have some interesting news for the royal family."

" Well, my son? What is it? Tell me your news." Odin huffed irritably. His head was really starting to bother him.

" Loki is alive."

" . . . What?!" Odin's voice thundered around in the large hall, sending most of the guards to the knees, eyes screwed shut and hands clamped over their ears.

" Loki lives still." Heimdall answered calmly, unfazed by the noise. " I have seen him upon Midgard. I fear he has met ill-fortune in the void where he fell. He is injured, and I have reason to believe his magic is weak, for the moment."

Odin was silent, his mind swirling with thoughts, caught like leaves in the wind. His heart ached for his son, but his mind rebelled. Loki had betrayed them, had sought the destruction of an entire race, had attacked and harmed Thor-

" He is a danger to people of Midgard." Odin growled, his heart forced second to his mind. " He has created much chaos in Asgard, he cannot be trusted. Send Thor to being him back, Loki must be punished, and taught."

Heimdall nodded, straightening up. He cast one last look over his shoulder at the restless pacing of his king before sweeping out of the great hall's doors.

" He must be- be shown, what he did was wrong." The All-Father muttered to himself, his feet slowing down to a sluggish crawl. " Loki must be punished. So- so-"

Odin stopped moving completely, turning his face towards the closed doors.

" So he can come home."

So, I'm thinking I might pair Steve and Loki together. I do love this pair, and I'm not intending to pair Loki and Gabriel. This book is called Brother Trickster you know. I do like this story, but-

I'm starting school again, and my mother made me join Sea Cadets, despite a lot of diplomatic talking that would have made Loki jealous. Oh, well, at least I talked her out of forcing the rest of my siblings to go.

Oh, and Heimdall saying "My Father" and Odin saying "My son" was actually planned, you know. Heimdall, in Mythology, was one of Odin's sons. Odin himself actually had quite a few children, and three wives that I can remember. Sorry, Marvel, but I like to suck up to the old myths every once and a while.

Ugh, I'm still tired, Night Internets!