The last chapter was kind of short, so here's a longer one to make up for it.

"Are you kidding?" Erika muttered when Loki first re-locked himself in his room. All that progress, down the drain, especially when she saw how he closed himself off again. The last person to see him in a good mood had been her dad—they'd been watching cartoons.

"What did you say to him?" Erika wanted to know.

Tony shrugged. "Y'know, I honestly can't remember—it wasn't that big a deal, whatever it was."

"Well apparently it was to him," she said.

Tony crossed his arms. "And you're interested in this because . . . ?"

"Really?" Erika huffed. "You need to ask? Okay, how's this—we're playing house to a guy that had the potential for magic—"

"Science we haven't figured out yet," Tony interjected.

"—and if we get him to be a good boy, he gets that magic back, and he's on our side now so that can help you guys out. Now, though, it's like staring from scratch, and we don't have time for that!" She realized too late what she'd said.

Tony held up a hand. "Wait, go back—what do you mean, 'we don't have time?'"

"What she means, Man of Iron, is that there's a war coming, and you'll need all the help you can get."

Erika spun around and a huge smile split her face.

"Jor!"

Erika ran to the tall dark-haired man in leather and hugged him. "Holy crap, you're actually here!"

Jormungand smirked and ran long fingers through her hair, his long nails catching a few strands. "But of course, Little Sister—we've got a war to prepare for."

Tony was really confused. "Okay, two questions—one, who the hell are you, and two, how the hell did you get in here?" he demanded.

Jormungand grinned, revealing sharp teeth. Tony blanched and took a step back. "Easy—magic runs in my blood, and teleportation is a handy trick of mine." He bowed low. "Jormungand Lokison, at your service. I greatly advise you to assemble the Avengeres—I come bearing news of the greatest importance."

Tony called the Avengers together, and of course all of them were suspicious of the six foot one Loki clone in green and silver Asgardian attire (sure he was a little taller, the facial features a little different and the hair up in a ponytail was a little longer, but other than that he and Loki could be twins). Thor was the only one who knew him, and he didn't look pleased.

"Why have you come here, Nephew?" he demanded. "You are forbidden from leaving Midgard's oceans, by decree of the Allfather!"

Jormungand sneered at him. "Hello to you, too, Uncle. Believe it or not, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that even your precious Allfather couldn't dream of."

Thor made what sounded like a snarl and took a step forward, but Steve and Tony put a hand on his arm.

"Easy, Big Guy," said Tony. "You obviously know this guy—mind sharing with the rest of the class?"

Thor let out a heavy snort. "This serpent is the son of my brother and the Frost Giantess Angrboda. The Allfather decreed him a threat and banished him to your realm's oceans, cursed to bite his own tail until Ragnarok.

"Tail?" Tony asked.

Jormungand gestured with his hands. "And yet here we are, with no Ragnarok in sight. As I said before, Uncle, I know tricks beyond your Allfather's comprehension."

Tony stepped between the two Asgardians and held up his hands. "Ok, great, you do magic tricks—why the hell did you do an appearing act in my living room?'" A beat, and then, "And what did you mean by 'biting his own tail?'"

Jormungand's smirk vanished. "So long as my father is here, Midgard is threatened. Wherever he goes, he will be followed."

"By who?"

Jormungand focused his green eyes on Tony. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I don't recall giving you permission to enter," Loki bit out as Tony barged into his room.

"Yeah? Well I don't recall you ever mentioning a son that likes to show up and leave cryptic messages."

Loki put down the book he'd been reading. "What in the Nine Realms are you talking about, Stark?"

Tony motioned for Loki to leave the room. "Ask your son Jormu-jormumgam-fuck, I don't know how it's pronounced!"

Loki was on his feet and in front of Stark before the mortal could blink. "Jormungand? Here?" Before Tony could respond, Loki was out the door.

Like Thor said, Jormungand had been banished to Earth's oceans, so it was a little bit of a shock for Loki to find out that his second eldest was just downstairs.

"By the Nine, how did you get here?"

Jormungand bowed his head a fraction. "Father," he greeted. "As you once taught us, there are ways around the Allfather's laws."

Were it not for the others in the room, Loki would have hugged his son—he had not seen Jormungand since he was a boy.

He had not seen any of his children past childhood, save Hela, who he had been allowed to visit occasionally.

Jormungand cleared his throat. "Father, I believe you're familiar with the Chitauri and their leader."

Loki stiffened. "What of them?"

Jormungand glanced towards the Avengers—no, not the Avengers; towards his—towards Stark's daughter. "It has come to my attention that the Mad Titan is upset about losing the Tesseract, and that he is planning another invasion."

Steve's jaw tightened. "How do you know they're planning another attack?" he asked suspiciously.

Jormungand's head tilted. "Do you doubt my word, dear Captain?" he asked in what was meant to be a reassuring tone. "I have nothing to gain by lying to you—know that, and know that I speak only truth."

"No offense, Bean Pole, but we're not exactly inclined to trust a guy who just poofs in here and tells us we've got trouble, especially since lying probably runs in the family," Tony said before Steve could reply.

Jormungand's head whipped to the other side faster than humanly possible and pinned Tony with his poisonous green eyes, which seemed to be glowing a bit. "My source has been . . . . reliable." His gaze flickered to Erika, who was sitting by the breakfast bar out of the way. "I do not doubt her word that there will be trouble—that is why I came to you." He looked back at Loki. "I also came because I was informed of your arrival on Midgard; I wished to see you."

Loki swallowed.

Sensing an awkward family moment, Erika decided to interrupt. "Okay, so you guys gonna kick some alien ass or what?" She hopped off the stool and stood beside Jormungand, who knelt in front of Loki.

"I would gladly fight with you and your allies, if you would allow it," he said.

"Wait, I thought his powers got taken away," Clint spoke up for the first time.

Both Loki and Jormungand gave him a funny look. "Magic is not the only way to fight a battle, as you mortals surely know," Loki said cryptically.

Silence fell over the room, then Tony did what he did best—he opened his mouth and tried to diffuse the tension in the room. "Well, Reindeer Games, you can count me in."

Loki gave him a surprised glance. "Truly?" he asked, a hint of venom in his voice. "After all I've done to you?" His eyes widened and his mouth snapped shut.

Tony clicked his tongue. "Believe me, it's not the first time I was tossed out of a window and it probably won't be the last." He smirked. "What can I say? I'm a rebel."

Jormungand estimated that they had about a month, so the beginnings of a plan were constructed. The plan was simple—gather as much firepower in an unpopulated area as they could and attract the alien army's attention to lure them there, then proceed to kick alien ass. Calls were made to Director Fury, who in turn made calls to the Army, Navy, and National Guard.

Tony got to work on something that would act as a beacon to the aliens, and he also began working on something for Loki to use during the battle to come.

"You would trust me with such weaponry?" Loki had asked. "Why?"

Tony had shrugged. "Why not?" he'd answered, and then gotten to work. Later, as he was coming out of his workshop, he paused by the penthouse's main living room.

Erika was still awake and was talking to Loki's son.

"—will you fight without any magic?" Jormungand (hey, he got it right) was saying. "All you need to do is get him to reverse whatever spell he cast, and then your magic will be available."

Erika huffed and crossed her arms. "You said it yourself, Jor—there's more than one way to fight a battle. I know martial arts, I'm trained to use a gun, and I'll be fine."

"Yes, but your chances will be even greater with magic."

"I know that," she sighed. "I know, but he's still denying everything. I've asked him again and again to take back whatever he did, but he's just laughed at me and told him to stop saying stupid things." She shook her head. "I don't know what to do—I want to remember him; I want both of us to remember him, but it's not like I can just go up to Dad and say "Hey, Dad, I've got half-siblings who are straight out of Norse legends! Oh, and by the way—Loki's a shapeshifter and my biological mother, and he fucked with our memories!" She flopped down on the couch. "Yeah, that would go over great."

Tony was frozen where he stood and stayed there long after Erika went to bed. When he finally rounded the corner, Jormungand was in front of him.

"Eavesdropping is rude," he said, clearly amused. "How does it feel, little mortal, to know the truth?"

Tony only glared at the taller man. "I don't know what kind of crap you're feeding my daughter, but you stay away from her." He brushed past Jormungand and headed upstairs.

"If you don't believe it, ask him yourself—he'll have a harder time lying to you, I'm sure of it."

Tony ignored Jormungand's words and went to bed.

The next day, Tony couldn't stop thinking about what Loki's son had said.

"How does it feel, little mortal, to know the truth?"

He'd obviously lied to Erika and fed her some bullshit story—Erika's mother was dead and gone, had been for almost twenty years. Her name was Lorna Aven, she'd been a supermodel, she was six foot with long dark hair, a twisted sense of humor and the most intense green eyes Tony had ever seen.

Tony scolded himself for even considering it—he'd had Lorna and losing her had damaged him. He'd worked for years to get over her properly and fix the rift her death had caused between him and Erika.

And now—now this kid comes along and says it was all a lie . . . .

There was only one way to find out.

"What now, Stark?" Loki asked when Tony went to his room.

Tony closed the door and crossed his arms. "Oh, nothing, just wanted to talk. That kid of yours is a piece of work."

Loki snorted. "You came up here to talk to me about my son."

"Yeah, actually."

Loki looked unimpressed. "Go on, then," he said in a bored tone.

Tony uncrossed his arms then crossed them again. "I heard him talking to Erika—my daughter—and he seemed to thing that he was her half-brother. Any ideas why?" he asked.

The tensing of Loki's shoulders was almost imperceptible, but Tony caught it. "No idea," said Loki, and Tony clenched his jaw.

"You're lying."

"You're lying."

Loki snorted. "How can you be sure, Stark?"

Lorna smirked. "How can you be sure, love?"

Tony smirked right back and pulled her down for a quick kiss. "I can always tell when you're lying."

"Oh really? How?"

Tony rubbed her shoulders. "Your shoulders tense, your jaw tightens, and you blink about one too many times."

It was a stab in the dark, but Tony took it. "Your shoulders are tense, you're clenching your jaw, and you're blinking about one too many times."

Loki's smirk widened into a grin. "So sure of yourself, are you?" he got out of the chair and stalked towards Tony, who fought the urge to back up.

"Sure of yourself, aren't you?" She asked, her smirk widening into a grin.

"Yup"

"Yup."

Loki was a breath away now, staring down at Tony like he was a little mouse caught in a trap. "And what will you do, I wonder, if I am lying?

"What will you do if I'm lying?"

"Well, I'll have to punish you, of course," He caught her mouth in a searing kiss and steered her back towards the bed.

Tony didn't think twice about it—he stood on his toes and kissed Loki, who stiffened and raised his hands, ready to pull away.

He didn't, though. Instead, he tangled his hands in Tony's hair and pulled him closer. He opened his mouth to Tony's tongue and answered with his own, claiming the shorter man's mouth as thoroughly as his was being claimed.

Tony pulled away first and his eyes widened. "I have no idea why I just did that," he said breathlessly, looking around to make sure there were no windows for Loki to throw him out of.

"I do," Loki said quietly, just as breathless, and he ducked his head for another kiss.

A/N: I'm not comfortable writing full-on sex scenes, so this is all you're getting from me. Use your imaginations.

Also, yay for a non-dream Jormungand! I hope I did him justice.