I'm so sorry, I know I'm late with this chapter :-(

I hope you can still enjoy it.

I'll add a picture to the story soon, so don't be surprised :-)

Chapter 9

Loki's eyes flew open. He was panting heavily, gripping his throat where he could have sworn he had felt rough, violent hands only seconds ago. He looked around, taking in the green and gold decoration of the room, realising that he was in Stark Tower. Stark must have chosen the furnishing as a tribute to his favourite armour. Loki sat up carefully, not wanting to put too much pressure on his only recently healed fingers and trying to ignore the pain that assaulted his still sore ribcage.

What had he been dreaming about? He remembered piercing blue eyes, a cruel voice and hands, all over his body, hurting him in every possible way. He shuddered. Suddenly, the air in the room seemed too thick to breath. The walls came closer and closer. Oh please, no!

He needed to get out. Right now.

He jumped off the bed as well as he could manage with his still hurting leg and made his way to the door. The corridors of Stark Tower seemed endless and too narrow. Loki limped towards the living room, supporting himself with one hand against the wall. After arriving he immediately stepped out on the terrace and leaned against the handrail that surrounded it partially.

The city beneath him was filled with flashy lights, even now in the dead of night. Or rather the early morning, there was already a thin bright line visible on the horizon. Loki took in deep breaths and tried not to remember. Not to remember that other shining city with all its gold and marble and people filling the ever so busy streets. The towers of this Midgardian city weren't nearly as high as the towers of Asgard, but their glass made facades glimmered like silver in this morning hour.

He closed his eyes, unable to take the sight any longer. Wasn't it impossible to be homesick without actually having a home? Because there was no way that he could still consider Asgard his home. If there had ever been a time where he had been happy in the golden city than it was long gone and he could hardly remember it.

All that he remembered now was Thor and his friends laughing at him for not being as strong as them. For using magic in battle instead of manpower. For being quick, because that made him "talented in running from danger", although he never once flew from battle. For simply not being like them, for not being enough.

A cold breeze made him shiver and he wrapped his arms around himself, eyes still closed. He had hated his life in Asgard and still he couldn't deny that he missed it somehow.

"Trouble sleeping?"

The voice behind him startled him. He whirled around, all muscles tense. He relaxed immediately when he recognized the good Captain.

"And I am not the only one it seems." he replied. He was too exhausted to think of something hurtful and snarky to say to the blonde.

"I don't need as much sleep as most of the others. The serum I suppose. But I guess I slept enough for my whole life while I was frozen."

The Captain leaned against the handrail as well, studying Loki with a look that indicated something between wariness and curiosity.

Loki couldn't help but chuckle a little. He could imagine how he looked: Exhausted, tired and pitiful. How could the soldier possibly think him a threat?

They stood silent for a few moments, listening to the ever noisy streets beneath them. Loki thought that it must be equally strange for the Captain as it was for him, the modern times.

"May I ask you a question?"

Loki looked up and met the other man's interrogating glance. He nodded without saying anything. It was not like he could keep him from asking anyway.

"Why did you do all that? Try to take over Earth, kill Coulson and destroy the whole city? Why are you evil?"

It took Loki a few seconds to overcome his initial shock at the soldier's directness. And he also wondered if that was really what he had been, evil.

"To tell you the truth, I have never once considered myself evil. It might occur strange to you but I think no one really believes himself to be evil." Except maybe Thanos, but he kept that for himself.

"Has Thor ever told you about our… family situation?"

The Captain hesitated for a moment.

"He mentioned that you were adopted once," he then answered carefully. Loki thought about that usage of word.

"I was not really adopted. I was found and kept. My true father was… an enemy to Asgard. A Frost giant." The word sent shivers down his spine. Oh, how he hated that word, but it was the truth.

"Odin found me after a battle and… kept me. Raised me along with Thor. It took me a few centuries before I found out the truth, about me being a frost giant."

"What is so bad about being a Frost giant?" the Captain asked. Oh how few they knew, these mortals.

"Well, I was raised with stories about the cruel crimes that the Frost giants committed in the past. They are monsters. When we were little Thor used to say that one day he would kill them all." Loki didn't dare to look into the soldier's eyes while saying that. The good man would pity him for sure and he didn't need pity.

"I found out by accident during a battle. When I confronted Odin about it… he did not deny the fact that he raised me for the purpose of uniting our people."

"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me?"

"Why do you twist my words?"

"After that I wanted to prove my worthiness to the All-father and… well, took opportunity of his Odin-sleep and Thor's banishment to sit on the throne of Asgard." He kept all emotions out of his voice.

"I failed."

"That whole being adopted thing and in reality being the son of a… an enemy – is that the reason why you reacted so badly to the movie tonight?" the Captain asked after a moment of silence.

Loki had to admit that he hadn't suspected him to be so observant. He hesitated before answering. When he did his voice was barely above a whisper.

"It was not only the revelation of Luke being Darth Vader's son. His solution… letting himself fall into an abyss… I did the same." He took a deep breath. "When Thor returned from Midgard, knowing about my plan to destroy Jotunheim… We fought and in the end we were hanging above the nothingness beneath the Bifröst. Odin caught Thor and Thor held onto Gungnir, the spear I used. I… Odin was not pleased with my actions, he was disappointed and I… When he rejected me I let go."

"I could have done it, Father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us!"

"No, Loki."

He saw the shock in the Captain's eyes.

"You tried to kill yourself?"

"Basically, yes. But I did not succeed as you see." Loki laughed dryly. He really was a total failure, not even able to kill himself.

"But why did you come to Earth then?"

"I… I don't know." The answer was honest. As much as he tried he just couldn't remember his reasons. Maybe anger, jealousy, desperation. Why couldn't he remember?

The soldier seemed to understand that it was a sensitive subject and didn't pursue it any further. Instead he gazed at the horizon which had gotten even brighter by now.

"You know what? You actually seem to be quite a nice guy, apart from the whole taking over Earth thing and stuff."

Loki looked at him in surprise. Why was he being so nice towards him? And why did he, himself, trust that man? It was only now that he realised that he had told the soldier his whole life. He had never done that before. Maybe he really was too tired.

"Do not get used to it." he said trying his best to sound snarky. The soldier just laughed.

"Let's go in and make some breakfast." he suggested, smiling. Loki threw one last glance over the city and then followed the Captain. Maybe he could be able to like this mortal.

When Tony Stark came down for breakfast that morning he couldn't believe his eyes: the resident God of Lies and Mischief was sitting at the counter in his kitchen and ate cereals while talking with Steve.

"What happened to you two? You friends all of the sudden? Or is it more?" he asked with an innocent look, grinning when Steve's face colour changed to tomato red at the hint.

"Not everyone is completely unsociable, Stark," Loki said with a sly smile on his lips. "Although I hear that you are quite the one to shut yourself against others."

Tony looked at Steve incredulously.

"You told him that? Are you planning on changing sides all of the sudden? I am deeply hurt Captain!"

Steve seemed to want to defend himself for a second before realising that Tony was actually joking. He smiled a little and then went over to the stove.

"Do you want some bacon?"

"Bacon?" Tony felt his face lit up at the mentioning of his favourite breakfast treat. "Wait you made breakfast? You two, alone in my kitchen? How did you manage not to burn the whole tower down?" He looked around noticing with amazement that all of is expensive modern equipment was still undamaged.

"Well, it seems you and Bruce are not the only geniuses in this tower anymore." Loki said innocently.

Tony looked at him in awe.

"You know how to operate these modern things?"

"I did not know until this morning. They are actually not so difficult to handle."

Tony gaped at him. He had totally underestimated this guy.

"So you both got up early?" He didn't really have to ask. They both looked tired, especially Loki, and he guessed that they both hadn't had nice dreams. Just like himself, but he had spent most of the night in his laboratory instead of socializing.

He got a plate with bacon without any answer and he was fine with that. He noticed that Loki was a lot more relaxed around them by now and he decided to take that as a good sign. Maybe now it would be easier to get along with the trickster.

They finished breakfast silently and after they put the plates in the dishwasher Tony wondered what to do all morning.

"Hey, maybe we could play some game on the Wii and –"

He was interrupted by JARVIS.

"Sir, Director Fury is on the line. It seems to be an emergency."

"Put him through J," Tony commanded frowning.

"Good morning, Stark."

"Morning, Sir!" Tony said in an exaggerated tone.

"That is not the time for making fun, Stark. Is Captain Rogers there?"

"I'm here director," the soldier said, frowning as well.

"It seems the terrorists that you chased a few days ago are active again. But this time they are targeting New York. I don't know what their objectives are yet, so please don't do anything reckless yet and wait for further information. Gather the Avengers, we might need them."

With that Fury finished the phone call and left Tony and Steve looking at each other worried.

"JARVIS, wake up the others. They are to gather in the living room," Tony said with the calm voice he only used when something had to be done quickly in a matter of life and death.

"Yes, sir." the AI replied simply.

Steve looked over to Loki who had stepped away from them a bit during Fury's call, seemingly unsure about what to do.

"You come with us, maybe you can help us." Steve stated. Loki nodded. No snarky reply. Well, wasn't that interesting, Tony thought to himself.

Peter woke up to the sound of the police radio that always was lying next to his bed. He must have forgotten to turn it off when returning home late the previous night.

"All units, reinforcement needed at the Central Bank, there is a robbery with several hostages. All units!"

Peter frowned. Several hostages. Maybe he should take a look at it. He changed into his Spider-man suit and set out for the bank.

When he arrived there, there were many police vehicles surrounding the building, it seemed like something quite big was happening. He landed on a ledge on the side of the bank and entered through the window without being seen by the police forces.

Inside there were several corridors but he eventually found his way to the ground floor of the building.

The hostages were kneeling on the shining marble floor, their hands behind their heads, faces pale with fear. The robbers, a few big guys in black, were wearing black ski masks and large guns. They were talking to each other in loud voices, apparently something went wrong.

"Why are there so many police? They were supposed to send a few patrol cars and some mediators!"

Peter had to agree that it was indeed strange that all police unites were called to one simple robbery.

Then he noticed something strange about one of the hostages. It was a middle aged man, a little fat, in a seemingly ordinary suit. The strange thing was that he didn't seem to be afraid. And that he was emitting a slight green glow.

All of Peter's spider-senses kicked in. He rushed over to the man just when the latter was standing up, glowing even more intense, and pointed at the robbers with one finger, a cruel smile on his face.

Peter tackled him and the green beam from his finger hit the ceiling instead of the robber and left a big gaping hole in the concrete. They flew through the room and collided with one of the walls. The man was immediately back on his feet, looking around for his attacker, finding Peter and now pointing at him.

Peter managed to duck just in time before the beam hit him. He shot a web at the green glowing man, but it was brushed away with a single hand. Oh great. This wouldn't be easy.

And as if the man had read Peter's thoughts and decided to prove his conclusion to be right he suddenly emitted beams from his feet and catapulted himself into the air. He could fly. Well shit. Peter made his way to the exit as quick as possible, ignored the police standing around and started to make his way through the city.

He had to lure that maniac away from the people. Was he being followed? He avoided another green beam by a hair's breadth. Yes, he was. Oh great. So, where could he take that beam shooter now?