Maria brushed some loose strands of brown hair from her face. "Complicated. Complicated?" She echoed Tony's sarcastic reply. "Do you even know what complicated is when you work for S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Tony's response was less than empathetic. "Trying to keep the lie about the lie that's wrapped up in the deception separate from the other lie that keeps the first lie from becoming fact?"

All she could do was sigh and grin at Tony, while Bruce was edging toward the exit of the workshop just to be safe. "No." She finally answered. "It's reminding yourself everyday that every act of unseen sacrifice and unspoken secrets are the only things that can keep the world from imploding in on itself every time some lunatic with a big budget, a powerful weapon and a vendetta gets too much caffeine."

"And you're focusing this particular scenario on me, because...?"

"I know when you're keeping secrets Tony. It's a gift and a skill of mine to know when someone's lying. Don't even try."

"Okay then." Tony gave Bruce a mischievous look. "For the past eight months we've been sheltering the pregnant girlfriend of a deceased God while the same deceased God's little brother, who has unparalleled daddy-issues, is living a few doors down from her and he was currently requested to return to his world by some legendary prophet to undergo a mysterious quest and we weren't invited."

Bruce did his best to hide his smile as he studied Maria's face. Her brown eyes were locked on Tony's face, she was studying every detail and every facial expression the eccentric genius attempted to conceal as he stared straight back into Maria's eyes.

"I believe you."

"What?" Bruce couldn't believe his ears.

"I said, 'I believe you'." She repeated. "Like I said, I can always tell when someone's lying."

Tony grinned. "What gave it away?"

"The part about the little brother God being summoned away."

Bruce chime in. "Seriously?"

"No." She couldn't believe how someone as smart as Bruce could be so naïve at times. "I have a gift. Now, what the hell were you saying about a pregnant girlfriend?"

'Dr. Banner.' J.A.R.V.I.S. had impeccable timing. 'Miss Foster is requesting your presence on the top floor.'

"Perfect timing." Bruce said quickly. "I'm on my way." He eagerly slipped into the elevator and disappeared from the workshop behind the metal closing doors.

Maria heard the name. "Miss Foster. As in, Jane Foster?"

"Yup."

"For the past eight months, you said?"

"Yup."

"So she could..." Trailing off Maria felt a pit of dread in her stomach.

"Seems like any day now."

"And you guys were going to handle the delivery, here?"

"Actually it'll be on the eighteenth floor, in the medical bay."

"And she agreed to this?!"

"Only after Bruce found out that the hospital we had chosen was no longer under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s protection."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

After a moment of starting each other down, no one saying a word and neither of them flinching, J.A.R.V.I.S. made a second report.

'Sir, the strength of the electrical storm seems to have plateaued and is remaining static at its current location.'

"How large is the storm?" Tony broke eye contact and stood in front of the display monitor again.

'Approximately 3 miles in diameter.'

"Huh. Keep me posted."

Loki held his breath in attempt to regain composure as he stood before the Goddess of the Dead herself; Hel.

She sat atop her throne and stared down at Loki, unimpressed and unmoved by his physical plight. His marred leather and armor, his red swollen eyes and the smell of burned flesh that emanated from his tired form went unnoticed. At last she smiled and stood up, the wafting aroma of death followed her every move.

"Loki Laufeyson, of Jotunheim." She grinned knowing that the name would insult her guest. "Why have you come here?"

"I am Loki of Asgard; son of Odin and Frigga, Brother of Thor." He corrected the goddess, her eerily monotone voice echoing in his memory. "I am here to reclaim a soul that does not belong to you."

Hel's smile disappeared. Her face, a composite of life and death, was still as stone as she responded to Loki's claim. "To which soul are you referring?"

Fighting back his desire to snap at her, Loki took a breath and a step forward. "Thor Odinson. A warrior who had earned passage into Valhalla, not to suffering in the depths of Hel."

Hel smiled again, she was enjoying Loki's pain. "Why would I surrender such an honorable soul to a broken soul such as your own?"

Loki couldn't think of a worthy answer, instead he question her right to take Thor. "Why is that you have taken my Brother? What purpose is he to you?"

Sitting down on her throne once more, one leg crossing over the other Hel grinned wickedly. "It was the AllFather himself, Odin, who bestowed the honor of chauffeuring the dead upon my shoulders, after being exhiled from Asgard." She looked down at Loki with a sick pleasure. "I am only taking what I have earned, the right to take vengeance upon Odin."

"By taking Thor?"

"By taking his son." She glared down at Loki with gleeful hatred. "His true son."

The remark stung at Loki's heart with a ferocity he didn't know he was capable of feeling. "I am not Odin's true son, but I am Thor's Brother."

"And a pitiful sibling in comparison to the noble hero Thor."

"Yes. I am." Loki admitted, his voice falling flat. "If anyone is to be condemned to Hel it is I, not him."

"Is that an offer to trade?" She seemed oddly pleased by his admission.

"No. It is an offer to take a chance. To test the worth of my soul against his."

"An interesting proposition." Hel was becoming more enthralled with Loki's frame of mind. "Explain."

"Release Thor's soul. Release him back into Asgard, allow him to return to his body. Allow me the chance to best him in combat. If I succeed he forever free from the darkness of Hel and can never be reclaimed by your deviousness. If I fail, Thor remains free but I am yours for all eternity."

Hel stood from her throne, a shadow of death cast itself across the room and chilled the air enough to create ice crystals on the surface of everything the shadow touched. From the shadow a staff of bone and black stone appeared in her boney, pale hand and she smiled one last time at her guest. "It is an agreement." She stamped the staff on the stone floor, an ominous echo of emptiness rang out and lingered.

"Now, Loki; Brother of Thor, return from whence you came and face your Brother."

Mustering his dwindling strength Loki turned his back to Hel and exited the throne room.

"A soul for a soul." Raising her hand Hel retracted the shadow from the room, the ice melting in its absence. "Tread carefully, Odin's son."

...to be continued...

Author's Note: According to Norse/Scandinavian Mythology warriors or people of great nobility are given the honor of entering Valhalla alongside Odin after they die. Those who are not noble are condemned to Helheim.

As a noble warrior who died a noble death, Thor's soul should've passed on into Valhalla, not Helheim.

Valhalla is the equivalent to Heaven as depicted in most religions while Helheim/Hel is well, equivalent to Hell in most religions.