A Brother's Return

"What do we do?" Loki shook his head as he stared at the Bifrost, knowing Sif and the Warriors Three were now on their way to Earth. He looked at Kona, "Is he ready? Is it time to come back?"

She shook her head though, "No…" she blinked rapidly, "If he tries to summon Mjolnir now…it still will not work."

Loki swallowed hard and looked around, that was the entire point of Thor being on Earth for as long as he was. He needed to change, in a way that Asgard couldn't help him in. Earth, something about Earth and about a woman were meant to help him, to change him for the better. If the Warriors Three and Sif brought him back now…there was an even greater chance that Thor would go to war with the Jotuns instead of the peaceful and subtle shift in the dynamic that he and Kona were planning for the Frost Giants.

He winced, that brought up yet another dilemma didn't it? If Thor returned now…by the time he truly made it back to Asgard, the Frost Giants would be invading, the small handful of them would be there. They needed more time, they needed to keep Thor distracted and on Earth for just a little while longer. There was no doubt that Sif would take immense pleasure in telling Thor everything, from Odin truly being alive to how HE was on the throne and had refused their request to allow his return. He was sure they'd leave out the unwritten law about the prior king's last command, they would make him out to be the villain in it all, they'd twist it so that it was all his fault.

He sighed, and it was, in a way, wasn't it? HE had been the one to stall Thor's big day. HE had been the one to trick his brother into Jotunheim. HE had been the one to lie to him and say Odin was dead. HE had been the one to negotiate with the Frost giants even now. That was all Thor would need to see to make his judgment against him. And it was worse because he knew…the moment Thor set foot back on Asgard, especially if Mjolnir was able to be returned to him, that Thor would be deemed the TRUE king in Odin's place. The power and the strength of the King would go to Thor. The magic that went with it would be his to wield. And he knew how his brother did with betrayal.

That was one thing he knew would never change no matter how much he grew. Thor would never ever deal with the thought of someone betraying him well. Even if it wasn't betrayal, even if it was to make him a worthy king, even if it was all for Asgard, for their home, even if there was no ill intent behind it at all. One perception of betrayal and Thor would be unmoved, his mind would be made up and there would be no changing it. The words and vouches of the Warriors Three, the swearing of Sif, would paint him out as a villain in Thor's eyes.

Because none of them knew the truth, and none of them had trust and faith enough in him to just…believe in him and his actions, to trust that what he did was for the best and not from some power hungry quest to be king. Only Kona knew him that well, and only SHE had stuck by him the entire time, never overreacting, never assumed the worst in him but just…the best. And that was why he hadn't been able to tell them, one single utterance of how he had let the three Frost Giants in would send them running and shouting traitor. They would never listen to him, never hear him out fully. It was like it was a curse of a warrior, to be so rash and battle ready. He knew it came from a warrior's mindset, in the heat of battle one did not have time to ask questions or think something through first, they had to react, they had to trust their instincts. And he knew that the moment they told Thor their suspicions and what they believed to be true…Thor would believe them.

He had hoped to have this sorted out before Thor returned, he'd thought he'd have enough time to prove himself to the Warriors Three and Sif, to keep them from going after Thor when he made sure the Frost Giants he'd let in would be taken care of. It was one reason he felt HE had to be the one to save Odin from Laufey. He wanted them to see that he would protect Odin no matter what, that the man was his father always. He wanted Odin to wake and to know that HE was the only father he could ever consider having and that he may have been born in Jotunheim, but he CHOSE Asgard. He wanted to show everyone that his loyalties were to Asgard and Asgard alone, even if it meant luring Frost Giants in, even if it meant tricking the brutes, if it meant that Asgard would be safe, that his father would be safe, then he'd do it.

He'd just wanted more time. He hadn't expected this so soon, and now he didn't know what to do. There was no doubt that Thor would come running back the moment he thought he'd been betrayed and that his kingdom was in danger. He needed to make sure that the Jotuns were dealt with before Thor got there so that he could explain that the 'war' with Jotunheim had been settled, and hand him back the throne. Now, more than ever, he needed to 'stop' the Jotuns, he needed to make sure that when Thor returned it would be to see that he had kept Asgard safe and that, through careful planning, war had been averted. Perhaps then, perhaps realizing that he was STOPPING the Jotuns, Thor would give him the chance to explain.

But what truly worried him was…Thor was not as fond of Kona as he was of HIM. What if he believed HIM but not Kona. What if he thought she was tricking him or orchestrating it for HIM to be on the throne instead of Thor? Thor didn't know her well enough, he had no idea that Kona didn't like being a Lady, that she knew all about his lack of interest in being King. Thor never got to know her. He needed to make sure that Kona would be safe from Thor's wrath. He knew that Sif would make sure to tell Thor about how Kona had stood by his side as he ruled Asgard, how she'd refused to sway him, how she might have 'seen' the events that led Thor to Earth and done nothing about it, conveniently forgetting that Kona could barely see the Frost Giants.

"We need…" he shook his head, trying to think of something, anything, "We need a distraction, we need something to keep Thor and the others on Earth a short while longer."

"But what?" Kona looked at him, "Heimdall will open the Bifrost the moment Thor commands it, no matter what. Any guards you send down there to stop Sif and the Warriors Three, they would not attack their future king, no matter if he's banished. There is no one you command that you could send to keep Thor on Earth that would obey your order over Thor's once they arrive."

Loki stiffened at that, at her words, "There is one," he took her hand, squeezing it, "The Destroyer."

Kona let out a breath, "That will be dangerous Loki," she warned, not denying or agreeing with his statement.

It was a…rather queenly move, he had to admit, for her to do. He'd often seen his mother do the same when his father made a judgment she didn't agree with. She wouldn't openly or publically disagree with him, no that came later in the privacy of closed doors when she'd rail and scream against it. But in public, all she would do was warn him, bring up points to consider, try to change his mind without obviously doing so. He knew Kona wasn't trying to change his mind, she understood there really WAS only one thing in all of Asgard that would follow his orders and his alone while Thor was on Earth. All the guards were loyal to Thor, having been trained with him, the Warriors Three and Sif had proven their loyalty as had Heimdall in allowing the Bifrost to be opened to Earth. The Destroyer was programmed to only follow the orders of the king, of the one who wielded Gungnir, and that was him.

"I know," he squeezed her hand, "But I can control what he does and does not do. I can have him merely distract Thor, keep the Warriors on Earth and keep them fighting it. If they focus on the Destroyer…that will give us time to put the Jotuns in place."

She nodded, "We must be quick then."

He smiled, relieved that she had faith in him still, before he kissed her hand and led her, at a run, out of the training room.

~8~

Loki walked through the halls of the Vault, his arm linked with Kona's as she walked beside him, both of them in their more formal attire, given what he'd be doing after awakening the Destroyer. He came to stand before the Casket, and banged Gungnir on the ground. He watched as the lattice work behind the Casket faded away, as though dissolving, as the Destroyer stepped forward.

He squinted up at it, the light behind it nearly blinding him, "Ensure my brother does not return," he ordered it, "Destroy everything."

He waited till the Destroyer had walked past him, had reached the doors, before he called out, "But kill no one."

The Destroyer paused, nodding its had in acknowledgment of the second order, before it continued on its way.

Kona squeezed his arm and reached out with another hand to turn his face to hers, kissing him quickly, "Be careful and be quick," she told him, "Once the Destroyer arrives on Earth I…" she blinked, "I have seen it, it will not take long for Thor to be worth of Mjolnir with the Destroyer attacking."

He nodded, leaning in to kiss her as well before he ran out.

Kona stood there a moment later, before closing her eyes, reaching out to place her hand on the empty pillar that the Casket had been resting on, "Good luck Loki."

~8~

Loki rushed down the bridge to the Bifrost entrance, glancing back at the palace only a moment, knowing that Kona, at that moment, would be sitting on the throne, in his place. It was ironic really, she was the queen of his heart, and yet the first time she'd be on a throne, he would be unable to see it. He shook his head, though focusing on the task at hand as the turned back to the entrance…only to see Heimdall had moved to stand before it, blocking it.

"Tell me, Loki," Heimdall began, "How did you get the Jotuns into Asgard?"

Loki shook his head, he didn't have time for this, for clever lies. He needed to get to Jotunheim, and he needed to do so quickly, "You think the Bifrost is the only way in and out of the Realm?" he asked, "There are secret paths between worlds to which even you, with all your gifts, are blind. For it took one who WAS blind to find them," he added, not even thinking that he was revealing Kona to know of the passages as well and have kept them a secret, "But I have need of them no longer, now that I am King."

He eyed Heimdall a long moment before realizing what he had to do. The man couldn't be trusted if he'd disregard the last orders and intention of the king and open the path to return Thor from his exile before he'd been pardoned. If he ordered Heimdall to open the Bifrost to Jotunheim, the man would be sure to attack anything that stepped through. He had only been able to get him to agree to allow him passage earlier under the guise of negotiating peace before, this time…Heimdall did not trust him. And if he were to open it himself, without ensuring Heimdall would not betray him, the man would run to the palace and shout out his suspicions. No…he needed to make sure Heimdall wouldn't attack him or betray him, and to do that…he needed to make sure Heimdall would not act at all. But he did NOT want to kill the man, not at all, he wasn't a murderer. He wasn't like Thor, he didn't attack when he had no reason to attack. He only attacked in defense and in order to protect.

"And I say," he continued, "For your act of treason, you are relieved of your duties as Gatekeeper. And no longer a citizen of Asgard."

Heimdall smirked, as though he'd been hoping Loki would say that, "Then I need no longer obey you."

Loki sighed, knowing what would happen, of course he knew, Kona had warned him, it was why she'd told him to take the Casket with him. As a Frost Giant, it DID afford him one useful skill…he could control the Casket, even if it made his own skin turn blue and his eyes read to use. He pulled it out, made it appear with magic just as Heimdall lunged at him with his sword raised, and blasted the man with icy power, freezing him, encasing him in ice to the point where he couldn't move. Now, he was unable to act, and yet he was still alive.

Loki eyed the man with a solemn gaze, seeing Heimdall's eyes were wide open, "I am truly sorry," he murmured to the man, before stepping past him and into the observatory-like control room. He moved over to the controls, placing Gungnir into it and turning it on, aiming it at the Bifrost.

He had given Kona control of the Destroyer while he focused on the Bifrost. He knew he couldn't leave it open without risking destroying Jotunheim, and he was not a monster that would do that. Kona herself had feared for the Frost Giants, for their children, if Thor were king. He would not let that happen because he was careless. No…he would stay there and control the Bifrost, while she worked on controlling the Destroyer.

~8~

Kona sat on the throne of Asgard as stiffly and as uncomfortably as anyone would have ever seen…if anyone had been looking. She was alone in the throne room, her hands on her lap as she nervously picked at her fingernails, a nervous habit that came out when she was truly out of her depth and the worst nervous wreck there could be. She just…she wasn't sure what she should do. Loki was the king, and even though he hadn't been as trained for the role as Thor, he was FAR more prepared and capable than SHE was. She was just…a servant, a seer, barely a Lady, and nothing more. This…was not her, this was not a place or position she wanted to be in.

But she had to do it, for Loki. He was trusting her and he had enough to worry about trying to get the Jotuns there in time. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying to focus on Earth, now that the Warriors Three and Sif were there with Thor it was easier to see it, to make out what was happening.

And she felt truly terrible for it.

The Destroyer had arrived, it had worked quite efficiently at destroying everything, but she knew that the Warriors and Sif would not attack, they would not be distracted if the Destroyer just stood there. But it held true to its orders not to kill anyone, which she was thankful for. She smiled, seeing Thor helping people up, seeing him carrying children away. FINALLY there was the glimpse of a king she'd been waiting for, the king who would care about the safety of the people around him instead of the glorious fight before him.

She winced, trying to keep her sight from reaching too far into the future, watching as the Warriors fought, as they were struck away by the mighty blows of the Destroyer. She was at Sif attacked it, almost winning, but the Destroyer was near unbeatable. It would truly take more than just the four of them to best it. And that was…a truly genius move on Loki's part, absolutely brilliant, and she wasn't sure he even realized the opportunity he had bestowed upon his brother in ordering the Destroyer down to Earth.

The only one who would be able to destroy the Destroyer and bring peace and protection…was Thor, the true Thor, the Mighty King with his hammer Mjolnir. When Thor would be able to stop the Destroyer, only then would he be worthy of the power of Thor and would be allowed back. It was truly…brilliant. The threat of the Destroyer would be the last thing he'd need to push him in his quest to become a worthy king, a threat to the ones he loved most would drive him to do all he could to protect them, to protect and finally not to attack.

She let out a breath when she saw Thor walking towards the Destroyer, unarmed, unprotected, without Mjolnir and sucked it back in, holding it as she focused on seeing what was happening at that moment, on what he would say. She could tell this was not an event or a speech to be missed.

"Brother..." she could hear him speak as he walked towards it, thinking Loki was listening.

She felt her heart break at that, apparently his fears had come true, the Warriors Three and Sif had told him of their suspicions, had swayed his mind to think his brother an enemy. She could only pray that, when Thor returned, he would retain this new sense of purpose and maturity and calm and that he would listen to them, that he would grant them a chance to defend themselves. Though…she felt like it would be doubtful, Thor never did well with betrayal and this was ALL he would see it as.

"Whatever I have done to wrong you," Thor continued, "Whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am truly sorry. But these people are innocent."

She smiled, he was seeing innocence around him now, not enemies, not those that needed to bow to his awesome might, not those to be ruled…but PEOPLE.

"Taking their lives will gain you nothing. So take mine. And end this."

"Thor," she shook her head, feeling tears in her eyes as she opened them, knowing the Destroyer would halt at the action. She stood, smiling, "He has learned his lesson," she spoke, "Return to Asgard," she ordered it…

But her smile slowly faded when she saw it…Thor trying to summon Mjolnir…and the hammer refusing to go.

"Wait!" she called, watching her vision play out, halting the Destroyer.

But…how was that possible?! Thor had come so far, he'd learned so much and changed so drastically…how was he STILL not ready for the throne? She shook her head, trying to think as quickly as she could, what else was she missing, what else was there? Thor should have been able to summon the hammer, it was the greatest magical…

She sucked in a breath at that, magic. Mortals…humans, what Thor was now…they didn't possess magic or the capacity to wield it. Thor, being mortal, would never be able to summon Mjolnir. But…how could she possibly give him magic back? He was MORTAL, Odin had made him mortal, and…

"Oh no," she breathed, "Please no…"

She closed her eyes, shaking her head, it…couldn't be. THAT couldn't be the only way to restore Thor's immortality. The ancients on Earth, they once believed that…that the soul alone was immortal, that the soul was what would remain long after the body had died. They believed the souls of their greatest warriors would escape their bodies and be taken to Valhalla…

But Thor was not originally mortal, he had been immortal and…he needed the immortality sparked again. And the only way she could think to do that…was to allow his soul to strengthen once more.

"Please forgive me," she whispered, not sure if she was speaking to Thor or Loki or Odin or Frigga or the whole of Asgard, she didn't know, but she just…needed to ask before she gave the next command, "Strike him, hard."

She watched in her mind as the Destroyer turned and swatted Thor with his giant arm, sending the mortal man flying back with a sickening crack of bones breaking, blood and cuts scattering his face and chest.

"I'm so sorry," she felt tears in her eyes as she watched that woman, a…Jane something…running to Thor, the man smiling up at her, happy she was safe, happy he'd protected her and…content to die, knowing that.

She wiped at a tear as it fell from her face, watching Thor's eyes drift closed…

She had just killed Thor.

"Please," she clasped her hands before her, "Please let me have been right…" she murmured the prayer over and over, forcing her vision to remain locked on the present, longer than she ever had managed before but this was too important…and she felt her heart leap when she saw it, Mjolnir racing across the sky, right to Thor, whose arm reached up, his hand grabbing it, restoring his power, restoring his immortality.

"Oh thank you," she let out a relieved breath, falling back onto the throne as she sagged with relief, allowing the vision to move to the future…only to gasp.

She saw it, Thor restored to power, the Destroyer lying broken on the ground, Thor in the Bifrost…and back in Asgard, facing Loki…glaring at him over Odin's bed.

"Loki!" she gasped, getting up and running out of the room…

~8~

Loki took a deep breath as he saw four figures appear in the Bifrost's glow, Laufey stepping through with three other Frost Giants. He pulled Gungnir out of the controls, cutting off the connection, not willing to risk seeing if Laufey had upheld his end of the bargain in ONLY bringing a handful of Jotuns with him.

He put on a smile, "Welcome to Asgard."

He gestured to the side, and started to walk, Laufey moving beside him, as one of the Frost Giants followed. He glanced back to see two remaining in the Bifrost's entrance, on either side of Heimdall. He truly hoped that the man who saw all would be able to see both the guilt and reassurance on his face before he turned to lead the two Frost Giants on.

~8~

Loki stood by the doors to Odin's chambers, having cloaked them all in smoke so that he guards would not see them sneak up until the Frost Giants could get close enough to knock them out, on his insistence that they were ONLY there to kill Odin, something that still made him sick to have to say. He stood there and watched as Laufey placed a hand on the doors, freezing them, something he knew that his mother would notice, along with the small shouts that the guards had given as they'd been knocked out.

Laufey stepped back and gestured for his other Jotun to go ahead of him, and he found himself both disgusted and understanding of that move. Odin often had a taster nibble on his food to ensure there was no poison in it, it was the same concept, a King would send in a subordinate first to be the main target should an attack be waiting. But he was both disgusted to see it happen, to see Laufey use one of his people in such a way.

He heard the Jotun roar and had to peer around the side of the doorway to make sure his mother would not be slain in her defense of his father as he'd heard her draw a blade from within. The Jotun ran in and she swung at him, only for him to swat her aside, knocking her out, Loki wincing as he saw the move but forcing himself, for the sake of the plan, to remain where he stood and hoping Laufey hadn't seen him. He swallowed hard as the Jotun king entered, heading right for Odin's bed, sneering down at the helpless king.

He watched, Gungnir clutched in his hand, waiting for the right moment, needing it to be a true attack and attempt on the man's life and not just leering. He held his breath, his eyes trained on the room when Laufey moved onto the bed itself, straddling his father as he held out his arm, turning it into a sharp blade of ice as the second Jotun stood there grinning.

Laufey leaned forward with his real hand and lifted Odin's eyelid to look at him, "It's said you can still hear and see what transpires around you," he smirked, "I hope it's true, so that you may know your death came by the hand of Laufey!" he raised his bladed hand, ready to strike…

When Loki made his move, he ran in blasting the Giant King off his father with a mighty blast of Gungnir. He turned, blasting the second Jotun, destroying it, before he turned to Laufey as the king laid on the ground wheezing and straining to move, Frigga slowly waking up at the sound to see her son standing over Laufey.

"And your death came by the son of Odin," Loki told the Jotun, before blasting him once more with Gungnir.

"Loki!" Frigga pushed herself up and ran to him, hugging him tightly, "You saved your father…"

"I swear to you, mother," he turned to her, "That they will pay for what they've done today."

"Loki!" they heard someone shout, not even needing to look over when a flash of white and gold struck Loki, nearly sending him stumbling backwards as Kona launched herself into his harms, breathing a sigh of relief as he dropped Gungnir and wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around with a laugh.

"It's over," he whispered to her, kissing her, smiling so widely he thought his face would split.

She laughed, tears in her eyes as she looked at him, "We did it," she nodded, gently tracing his face with a hand, brushing a single tear away from his eye just as it started to fall.

"What?" a voice called, a very…deep, very angry voice.

They looked over, Loki setting her down onto the ground when they saw THOR standing in the doorway, in his armor, Mjolnir in his hand, and a look of utter betrayal and fury on his face.

"Thor!" Frigga didn't seem to notice that as she ran for him, "I knew you'd return to us," she hugged him tightly, but Thor's glare remained on them.

Loki started to back away from his brother, moving Kona behind him in the process as Thor stepped more into the room, both of them utterly terrified of the look on his face. Loki's gaze glanced down to the hammer in his brother's hand, realizing that his brother's power had been restored, and with it…his line in succession, Thor was now the king and he could punish them whichever way he wished for the betrayal he likely thought had happened. He didn't need the warning he was sure Kona had been about to give him to know that Thor completely thought they'd betrayed Asgard in their quest to protect it.

"Thor…" Loki began.

But Thor cut him off, "Why don't you tell her?" he gestured at Frigga as he stepped away from her, stalking into the room, "How you sent the Destroyer to kill our friends? To kill me?!" he reached down and grabbed the fallen Gungnir off the floor, feeling the power of the king course through him.

"What?" Frigga looked at Loki, alarmed and confused.

"That's not what happened," Kona tried to defend them, "Thor that wasn't the reason the Destroyer was sent to Earth…"

"You knew then," Thor's expression hardened, gazing at them across Odin's bed.

"No," Loki moved in front of her, not wanting her to get punished.

"Yes," Kona moved beside him, giving him a look as she took his hand, a look that clearly told him she was NOT about to let him face this alone, "Yes, I did," she looked at Thor, "But you don't understand…"

Thor just shook his head, "I expected lies from YOU, brother," he nearly sneered at Loki, "You're a talented liar, always have been. And now you've corrupted Kona as well?"

Loki let out a breath at that, "It's good to have you back," he said hollowly, realizing in that moment his brother was beyond reason. His mind had always been made up about Kona, for him to think she was lying to him, that HE had led her to it…he would never believe a word either of them said to defend themselves.

"No thanks to you," Thor spat, striding up to them, "Which one of you sent the Destroyer?" he paused and looked at Loki, "It would have had to be you. It would only listen to the 'king.'"

"He did," Kona nodded, "But I was the one controlling it," she added, moving to take a single step before Loki, not about to let Thor punish Loki for something that was HER fault.

"Then that makes you a traitor of the House of Odin," Thor glared at her, "And traitors…are not welcome in Asgard."

"Thor no!" Loki reached forward to stop him when he saw Thor grab Kona's arm before he half-threw his arm out, Mjolnir in it, sending them flying out of the room, breaking through the walls as he pulled Kona with him.

"No…" he breathed, realizing what Thor was about to do, unable to let it happen. He turned to run, stopping by Frigga when he saw her staring at him with tears in her eyes, "Mother," he took her hands for only a moment, looking imploringly into her eyes, "Trust your SON," he urged her, before he ran out of the room.

He had to stop Thor before he did something he would truly regret.

A/N: Uh oh...what's coming for Kona and Loki? Well, let's just say I was in tears writing the next chapter :'(

I hope Loki's thoughts on sending the Destroyer made sense. I always wondered if, maybe, he'd sent the Destroyer not to kill but just...distract. Given how powerful it is, I found it hard to believe that it was unable to kill the Warriors Three when it had SO many opportunities to do so, it seemed more like it was stalling than anything, just my thoughts.

And OMG! The story's over tomorrow! O.O I'm so sad, but then again...Avengers next ;)

Some notes on reviews...

Kona will definitely be on Earth and a part of the Avengers movie, but I won't say in what capacity just yet, the next chapter might clear a few things up ;)

Oh things will definitely get much, MUCH worse }:)

Thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the writing style ;)