Hello everyone!

Sorry fort he previous "chapter", but I didn't know what else to do to get an interested beta reader as fast as possible in the middle of a story… And thanks to tselea for beta reading at such a short notice.

Anyway, I'm so, so sorry that it took me another month to update, but time is just running and before I can do anything it's already three weeks later. But now everything's over so I have no excuses for delays anymore ^^;.

And seriously: Over 400 followers, over 250 favourites and more than 150 reviews?! That is simply amazing, do you even know how amazing it is? You're the best!

The following is not a very long chapter, but I hope you will enjoy it anyways.

I wish you a lot of fun reading (and reviewing ;-))!

Nobody: Yes, Loki 3 Just the way we all know and love him.

Somebody: I'm really glad you do. And I'm sorry it took so long again.

Guest1: Thank you :-) Sorry it took so long.

manuel01: Haha, I'm glad you think so :D And in the following chapters there will be a lot more interactions between Spider-man, the Avengers and Loki :3

CocoChoconut: I'll take that as a compliment ;-) Yes, I've seen the new movie and I think it is awesome, despite all the new ideas…

just me: No, in my fic Loki was not really mind controlled during the invasion. That would make his badass behaviour in Avengers less cool… And of course that makes sense :D I'm really sorry that it took so long :-(

Guest2: As I said: Sorry it took so long :-(

Neri: That's good to hear. And thanks, the exams and the contest went really well :D Sorry that I kept you waiting for so long.

Nameless: I feel terrible for making you wait, but here it is :D

Mindablank: I'm glad that you love the story :-) As you may have noticed, it can take me quite a while to update, but I am determined not to put this story on hiatus!

Chapter 14

Being back to school only a few hours after nearly dying was always weird. Peter had soon noticed that his supernatural healing abilities had both advantages and disadvantages. One of the good things was that he didn't miss too much school so that he could carry on being Spider-man and at the same time managed to get considerably good marks.

But he also noticed that while his body was healed in no time, his mind didn't get enough time to process all the experiences. After a nearly fatal incident he would often catch himself deep in thought about what had happened while sitting in class.

Today he was thinking about the previous day's events in his chemistry classes. From the moment that he had started fighting that green glowing guy it was all a bit of a blur. He remembered crashing through a window of Stark Tower and being surrounded by all the Avengers. But for some reason he had felt too weak to go on fighting.

Back then he had thought that it was because of the blood loss. He had received many cuts when he had burst through the window. Strange enough, he had thought, that he had been able to actually break the glass. From someone as rich and as hated as Tony Stark, one would have expected windows that could withstand a missile if necessary.

He remembered Dr. Banner kneeling next to him. That had been when he had first registered the burning pain in his leg. Of course, he had been hit by that laser freak. Being wounded was nothing new to him, but not once after an injury, not even during his fight with the lizard after being shot by a policeman and with still burning bruises from lizard claws on his chest had he felt so weak and tired as he had been feeling in this moment.

No normal injury, he concluded now, hours afterwards. Back then he only wanted to sleep. The last thing he saw before passing out was Loki's face next to the Doctor's.

When he had regained consciousness, he had found himself in a large, white room. It had taken him a few seconds to recognize it as Stark's infirmary. He had noticed, to his relief, that he felt better than before, though still weak. Then he had panicked. How did they heal him? Had they taken his mask off? Did they know who he was? He had been relieved when he had felt that his mask still covered his face. Or did it cover it again?

He had had to get out. On the other side of the room there had been a large window. It had been locked by computer, but that had been no problem. Five minutes later he had been swinging home. Once he had entered his room he had felt dizzy and collapsed on his bed only to be awoken by Aunt May a few hours later.

And now he was sitting in school, his head still brimming with questions. Who had been that green glowing freak? Did the Avengers see his face? How should he act towards them if they had seen it?

He buried his head in his hands. Little did he know of what was about to follow.

"Peter Parker! You have ten seconds to explain yourself!"

Peter couldn't help but flinch at his kinda-girlfriend's tone. He tried his best not to look her in the eyes although he had to admit that even when she was completely furious, Gwen Stacy was incredibly beautiful.

"Gwen, I know we wanted to meet last night, but…"

"But what?! You couldn't make it? Peter, they were terrorists, I was worried to death when you didn't come!"

After his conversation with Stark he had phoned Gwen in the evening before going to bed. They had talked for quite a while and then they had agreed on trying to be a couple once more. Bad timing for some green glowing terrorists to show up.

"Look, Gwen, I'm really sorry, I was in some… trouble, but I'm fine now and I'm here. Next time will be different, I promise –"

"You promise? Will you keep that promise the way you kept the promise you made to my father?"

Peter opened his mouth to answer something, but a sharp hand gesture by Gwen cut him off.

"Do you remember that conversation we had? Back when you came to my place with those claw marks on your chest? About me being worried about my father? Only one day later he died, he actually died! I don't want to feel this again, Peter. I don't want to lose someone else; I don't even want to worry that much anymore!"

"Gwen…" he started, but she turned away.

"Think about it. Decide if you want to go on being Spider-man or if you want to be together with me!"

With that she left and Peter could do nothing but look at her beautiful blonde hair disappear in the crowd.

I know what it feels like to lose someone, he thought to himself. I know it Gwen. I lost my parents when I was a kid and I lost my uncle only a few months ago. And there's nothing I am more afraid of than that empty feeling that comes after the first shock, the feeling that something is missing all of the sudden. And that's exactly why I have to go on doing what I'm doing. To protect Aunt May. To protect you. Don't you see?

Peter shook his head and sighed. Why couldn't he just tell her that? He was completely useless when it came to women. Especially when it came to Gwen. As if he didn't have enough to worry about, now his maybe soon ex-girlfriend had given him an ultimatum… Could this day get any worse?

Yes it could.

The moment Peter stepped into the sunlight outside the school building, he was hit by another slight spell of dizziness. What exactly had happened the previous day?

He closed his eyes for a few seconds and tried to get his slightly laboured breathing under control.

"Can I be of assistance?"

The smooth voice next to him startled Peter and caused him to open his eyes again. What he saw made him want to scream.

Next to him there was Loki. Loki the God he had saved a few days ago. The same Loki who had tried to take over Earth last year. That Loki dressed in black trousers, a dark green shirt and a long black coat.

"Wh-What are you doing here? How did you get out of the Tower?" The young spider asked, trying not to show how shocked he was. Inside of him there remained a teeny-tiny hope that Loki didn't know that he was Spider-man and just wanted to annoy the kid he met in Stark Tower.

"I wanted to see if you are faring well after all that happened yesterday. And I am not exactly a prisoner in Stark's tower, although I admit it was not simple to leave without anyone noticing."

Peter closed his eyes and begged for something to kill him. Right now. He felt his breath becoming quicker as if he was about to hyperventilate. Because it was bad when a super-villain – even when he was more of an ex-super-villain – knew your secret Identity, right?

Due to his breath going faster and shallower, Peter felt dizzy again to the point where he started to sway on his feet.

"You look pale." Was that concern in Loki's voice?

"Let us go to one of the places you mortals call cafés in order to talk more comfortably" the Trickster suggested. The teenager nodded weakly. He didn't really care, it couldn't get any worse anyway. He managed to get his breathing under control, enough to walk normally and followed Loki who made his way to a café opposite the school.

They sat down on a table outside the café. Peter took one of the menus. He wasn't really hungry or thirsty, but the laminated paper in his hands gave him something to do and that kind of soothed him.

"So… What do mortals order in a place like this?"

The teenage spider looked up from his menu and found the Trickster studying one as well. The half serious half helpless expression on Loki's face made him smile a little. That guy could maybe summon aliens through a portal to space, but he didn't know much about everyday life on earth.

"The Latte is good" he said quietly, trying hard not to show how tense he still was on the inside.

"Very well, I shall try one of those."

The waitress came and Peter ordered two Café lattes. They waited in an uncomfortable silence until the beverages were brought.

Peter liked the café they were sitting in. He had come here with Gwen once or twice after school. They served lattes with beautiful patterns of leaves in the foam, but today he just couldn't bring himself to enjoy it. So he just stirred the light brown cream and waited for something to happen. Anything.

The silence became more and more unbearable as he got more and more nervous, so he finally decided to speak up.

"What exactly happened yesterday after I passed out? Do you know why I passed out in the first place?"

Loki looked up; obviously a little surprised that Peter was addressing the subject in such a direct manner. The trickster took a sip of his coffee then slowly put it back on the table.

"To answer your second question" he said in that smooth voice of his. "You passed out because you were poisoned by a special kind of magic when you were hit in the leg."

That was new to Peter, though he had already realized that it couldn't have been an ordinary wound.

"After you passed out, the good doctor and I brought you to Stark's healing chambers and took care of your wounds and the poisoning."

Well, that was short explanation, but Peter didn't bother pursuing it any further in favor of the question that he had been dying to ask from the moment he had realized that Loki knew him without his mask.

"Do the others know about… well about me as well?"

"No. I am the only one who saw you unmasked."

Peter felt a wave of incredible relief wash over him. The Avengers didn't know who he was yet. The next moment he was crept over by another thought. What would Loki ask in return for not telling the Avengers?

Loki seemed to have read the teenager's thoughts because a little smile crossed his face and he leaned back in his chair.

"Don't worry" he said. Which made Peter worry even more. "I wasn't lying when I said that I only wanted to check on you. That kind of poisoning ... it is usually fatal. You were quite lucky that I was there. The mortals wouldn't have had the least inkling what to do."

Peter narrowed his eyes, looking for a sign that Loki was lying, but couldn't find one. Not that that was surprising. He was talking to the God of Lies after all.

"I thought you don't have any magic at the moment. How come you could cure me?"

Loki looked at him with a hint of arrogance in his eyes. "Simply because your condition was caused by magic that doesn't mean it takes magic to cure it. You Midgardians really have no idea how magic actually works, do you?"

Peter swallowed. Loki was right; he didn't know anything about magic. For him the world had always been pure science, so it was impossible for him to decide if Loki was telling the truth or not.

After a few moments of thinking he decided to trust the trickster. That was easier and one thing less to worry about.

"So… you won't tell the others? That I am Spider-man?" he asked. Maybe there still was a catch.

"No, unless you want me to."

"You sure?" Peter inquired startled. "You don't want me to become your ally? In order to help you to take over the world or anything like that?"

Loki furrowed his brow, obviously confused. "Why should undertake another attempt of conquering your planet? I did not manage to do so the last time I tried and I had an army back then, one that could match the Avengers. Now I have nothing, I would be defeated shortly after commencing."

"So you wouldn't consider me a valuable ally?" Peter didn't know whether he should be glad or offended by the God's statement.

A playful grin flickered across Loki's face. "No I do not think so. Every Avenger is superior to you."

The teenage spider gaped. The Norse God of Lies and Mischief was teasing him. He couldn't help but starting to laugh.

"Yeah you're probably right" he said, gasping for air. Loki looked at him still grinning and obviously satisfied with his comment's effect.

After not being able to stop laughing for what seemed like an eternity Peter leaned back in his chair. All the tension that had been there for the last few minutes had left his body and he suddenly felt weak and a little dizzy again. He closed his eyes.

Loki who seemed to have sensed his change of mood leaned over the table. All signs of the mischievous glint had left his eyes and he seemed to be serious and maybe a little worried instead.

"Look at me, Peter" he said, gingerly putting a hand under the boy's chin. The young spider obeyed and saw Loki frown.

"As I thought" the trickster stated. "You're still not fully healed. But it is nothing to be concerned about. I would suggest that you go home and get some rest. You also have to drink some clear water."

Peter nodded, not feeling up to say anything against. Sleeping sounded wonderful. They waved for the waitress and Peter paid, because Loki didn't seem to have Midgardian money with him. Then Peter got up, swaying a little.

"I'll take you home" the god said, frowning again.

They walked silently, side by side, the young spider and the God of Mischief. After a short walk they reached the house where Peter and Aunt May lived.

"So then, Peter Parker" Loki said. "I bid you farewell. And please do not come to the Tower before you feel better, there would be to many questions."

Peter nodded. Then one last question crossed his mind.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Loki let out a soft chuckle. "You saved my life. Where I come from, that is something to be repaid."

In Stark Tower Steve was sitting in the shared kitchen, enjoying a cup of peppermint tea when Tony entered the room and looked around.

"Have you seen Loki today?" the billionaire asked. Steve just shook his head.

"Ah…" Tony rubbed his temple. "I hope he's not up to anything…"

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