A/N: Been a while, huh? Looks like it has been precisely a month. Sorry about that. I had a bit of writer's block for this story and I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to happen. Then I thought up some ideas so I wanted to update. Also, I got a few reviews and I felt bad for leaving you hanging with that major cliff hanger. Thanks again for the reviews, favorites, and follows. I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

When the energy from the scepter worked it's way through Susan's system she blinked in surprise. Her eyes shaded over for a moment and then returned to normal. The girl felt so different, it was as if the whole universe suddenly made sense to her - everything fit into place. She knew exactly what had been going on before she'd been touched by the Tesseract's power, but she now realized that she had been so foolish before. Her mind felt so… expanded.

Before her there was a man with raven colored hair and blue eyes. He had a grim expression on his face as he regarded her warily. It took a moment for her to remember that he was her father. A smile grew on her face, she was so excited that he was her father. All those days without knowing and now she had a father and he was a king! How could life possibly get any better than this?

"Sigrid?" Her father asked. It pained her that he said it with absolutely no emotion in his voice. Was he mad at her? That would be terrible. He looked down his nose at her like a king looking down to a peasant, which, in Susan's mind, was what was happening.

"Yes?" She hastily answered with concern and submission in her voice.

A small smirk formed on his lips and Susan felt relieved. He wasn't unhappy, that was good. He put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Fine, how do you feel?"

He chuckled a little and guided her gently out of the elevator. "Much better, thank you for asking," He glanced out at the city and saw Chitauri ripping the streets to shreds and generally spreading fear everywhere they went, "Now, Sigrid, this is very important, you must stay in this tower no matter what happens - it is the only place I know that you will be safe."

Susan was touched that he was concerned about her safety, but she was also worried about what would happen to him while he was out in the city. However, she nodded. "Yes, of course, Dad."

Loki froze in shock when she called him "dad". Even under the power of the Tesseract he was surprised that she would call him something so endearing, even if it was the common term for "father" on Midgard. He couldn't prevent a huge smile from forming on his face.

Sigrid beamed up at him and he pulled her into a hug, as sentimental as it was of him. She embraced him back. It had been a long time since anyone had shown affection to the trickster. Not since before Thor had been first banished to earth. He gently stroked her hair and she rested her head on his chest. They stood like that for a moment; father and daughter. They weren't two people in the middle of a war between worlds, they were just family. Kin.

When they did separate Loki looked into her eyes carefully and she smiled back. "You will be safe if you stay here, but I must go out there for a short time, alright? I promise I'll come back when this whole business is over."

She nodded. "Alright. Be safe."

Since the only person who Loki had seen Sigrid treat kindly was Quigley he was continually astounded by her caring heart. With one more grin in her direction he stepped out onto a balcony and surveyed the beautiful destruction he had caused. His helmet appeared on his head and his armor magically shimmered into place. As he looked out on his city Thor flew into view, brandishing Mjolnir angrily. The Asgardian crown prince landed with a loud thunk and screamed his brother's name.

"Loki!"

Loki turned to face him with a grim expression.

"Turn off the Tesseract of I'll destroy it." Thor warned.

"You can't," Loki lowered his scepter at his brother, "There is no stopping it. There is only the war."

"So be it."

Susan plastered herself to the window, watching her father fight Thor. It was terrifying to witness. Fear for her father and fear of what was happening filled her. Not thinking, Susan ran to the door and flung herself out onto the balcony to get a better view. Both men's fighting skills were impressive and she couldn't tear her gaze away.

As she huddled on the balcony watching, Thor caught a glimpse of her and his eyes widened. While he looked at her Loki spun the scepter over his shoulder and fired at the blonde man. Silently Susan cheered.

"Miss Mort!" Thor called, "You must get to safety, Susan!"

Loki let out an animalistic growl and jabbed forward. "Leave my daughter out of this, Thor. She is here by her own will."

Thor moved aside of the jabbing scepter and called once more to Susan. "Flee!"

Susan made no response to his warnings. She continued to watch as they fought. They knocked off the letter "K" from the Stark Industries sign and Iron Man (tailed by Chitauri) flew by followed by a jet. The jet slowed and took aim at Loki.

"Look out Dad!" Susan called as the jet fired down at them. Loki threw Thor down and shot a beam at the jet, crippling it. Thor leapt forward and continuously hit his brother, making Susan cry out.

"Look at this!" Thor commanded, "Look around you. Do you think this madness will end with your rule?"

In Susan's eyes Loki seemed to become concerned. She couldn't hear their conversation from her point, but Loki secreted a dagger into his hand and thrust it into Thor's side. Thor groaned loudly and kicked his brother through a window. Susan screamed. Thor looked to her with a grim expression. He glanced over the side of the building briefly and then back to her. She winced and got up quickly, making for the door of the tower to go back inside. Before she could return to the sanctuary of Tony Stark's building Thor was behind her and grasped the back of her neck. She shrieked as he turned her around and looked her in the eye. Susan spat at him and kicked out viciously.

"Susan! Loki has you under his power! You must fight it!" Thor bellowed at her.

The only thing Susan felt like fighting at that moment was Thor. She scratched at his hand on the nape of her neck with her fingernails, but it did no good.

Loki rose from the broken glass he was sitting in to see Thor holding Sigrid prisoner. He roared angrily and raced to the balcony again. Thor threateningly held the girl over the edge of the building. She stopped wriggling and merely clung to his hand for dear life.

"Sigrid!" Loki gasped, "Thor, return her to me!"

"Dad! Help, please!"

"Not one step closer, Loki, or I swear I will drop her." Thor threatened loosening his grip by the slightest amount.

Loki took a quick over the side of the building. It was an impressive drop, but that wasn't what he was looking at. About a block off a Chitauri warrior was flying toward them. Loki sent a command through the scepter to the warrior to be prepared to catch the girl.

"Thor," Loki said coaxingly, "I thought you were the hero of the family. Would you seriously murder a young innocent girl?" The Chitauri was still too far off to catch her should she fall so he must stall for time.

"To save Midgard I would easily kill one frost giant." Thor sneered.

Loki felt his blood boil. "But she is part Midgardian as well - the people you have promised to protect. If you killed her would you not be breaking your oath?"

"Perhaps, but this is much bigger than one little girl." Thor declared without wavering.

Loki was almost certain his brother was bluffing (heroes never killed to advance their position), but just in case he needed to wait for that Chitauri to get into position. What was taking that accursed creature to get into place?

"Please, Dad!" Sigrid wailed, kicking her feet slightly.

Loki took a step and Thor loosened his grip a little. Loki put his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "What would you have me do to have her safely returned?"

"Shut down the Tesseract and send the Chitauri back." Thor ordered confidently.

Loki bit the inside of his cheek, contemplating the situation. If Thanos and the Other weren't in the equation he might have decided more easily to save his daughter. Should he really surrender to the Avengers and forget his quest to be king over a Midgardian girl he had only met within forty-eight hours? If she had not been his daughter he would have let Thor kill her on the spot, but Sigrid was his own flesh and blood. The only true family he had left in the nine realms. He growled slightly. He could always have more children of course, but now that he had gotten to know Sigrid it would be harder to let her go. Why did he have to form a bond with her? Such sentiment disgusted him, but he couldn't help how he felt. If he let her die then he had more of a chance at becoming king, but even then the Avengers seemed more collected than ever before and had a decent chance at halting his plans. However, if he saved her by shutting down the Tesseract then his plan would be over in the blink of an eye and he would not doubt be shipped off to some Asgardian dungeon or executed. If Thor was bluffing then he wouldn't have to make the choice. Thor would never hurt the girl, even if her father was a dastardly villain. Loki made his decision and jumped forward to save his daughter.

Sigrid squirmed when she heard what Thor wanted in return for her safety. That price was much too high for her measly life. The Tesseract programing in her told her that she should let Thor drop her to further the plan. She was about to call out this information to her father so that he wouldn't waste anymore energy trying to save her when he lunged forward.

Thor's grip on her neck was no longer present and she felt herself falling through the air. Gravity forced her toward the ground and she shrieked. She saw her father above her reaching his hand toward her uselessly. Not wanting to see the pain she caused him, Susan closed her eyes and waited to hit the ground, her heart beating violently in her chest.

Long before the pavement and Susan's body became acquainted with one another she felt something else hard collide with her. She opened her eyes to see Iron Man holding her. Knowing he was one of her father's enemies she struggled in his grip. Rather than attempt and deal with her wiggling Tony Stark said something to his AI.

"JARVIS, sedative please." The billionaire requested. A needle flicked out of the finger on his suit and he injected it into her arm. Susan felt herself slipping out of consciousness. Before she passed out she had one last thought.

Poor Loki, things really aren't going in his favor.