disclaimer: i don't own marvel, dang.

Chapter 32

Steve got out of bed early, just before the first light of day touched the city of New York. It was routine for him to wake early, something that remained unchanged from his time spent in the army. Ever since he'd put on the suit his days were hectic and filled with new responsibilities. This daily cycle was the only steady point in his life, so each morning, he ran several miles through a nearly empty Central Park. The city never slept, its lights were always lit and rarely dimmed. Yet it did have lulls, and watching the world rise from its slumber helped renew him and give him faith that things would be okay. Or, at least, before the day interrupted his life with unexpected events that called for Captain America.

The sun's rays hit the tower as he returned, the glass reflecting it with impeccable precision. He no longer found the futuristic structure hideous; there was artistic beauty in the lines sculpted by Tony's hand. It had just taken adjustment, a thorough examination of modern art and architecture to understand the current aesthetic. The private side entrance opened for him from nothing more than his proximity. However, before the door, closed somebody else stepped inside as well.

"Steve. Just the man I was looking for." Pepper smiled graciously at him, her face set in hardened determination, a look normally aimed at Tony. He supressed the sigh threatening to escape and pushed the guilt back to from the back of his mind. He had been working on an answer every day since he had learned the truth. He hated to burden Pepper with this, but her steely-eyed look told him he was about to have no say in the matter.

Pepper was determined and made no efforts to hide it. Barton and Romanov were too elusive and Banner carefully avoided the subject. She refused to bother Tony with it as would only encourage him to try more ways out of the hospital and his recovery was already draining his energy. Steve, however, was perfect. The first Avenger would give her the answers she was needed.

Steve unconsciously fell into parade rest. Pepper's stance told him that her well-timed arrival was no coincidence. He had to admire Pepper's strength of will and ability to keep up with Tony on a daily basis. I have faced Nazis and the Red Skull, space aliens and demigods (and I'm not even sure that's the strangest thing I've done), and run-of-the-mill bullies, but even I wouldn't want to tackle the day-to-day efforts of handling Stark. He would happily address whatever issues one well-intentioned and determined woman had. Okay, maybe "happily" isn't quite the right word.

"Apologies for the way I'm dressed, ma'am." He met her gaze squarely. Battle tactics and attack formations were useless now; there was no defence against Pepper Potts in full inquisition mode, but he had always admired strong women. Actually, right now, she reminded him of Peggy and he felt worse for keeping things from her. Pepper smiled. "Really, Steve. I've seen Tony in far worse states, trust me." It hadn't escaped Pepper that Steve seemed reluctant, but resigned. She noticed he fidgeted slightly with his hands, as if he could find no proper place to put them. She made him uneasy, which hadn't happened before. Good Unusual, but good. Maybe I can get some answers. She lead them a side door in the lobby, opening into a small vacant waiting room. "Please, take a seat. This won't take long."

Steve recognised an order when he heard one, no matter how politely phrased. Pepper and Natasha were two of the strongest women he knew, cut from the same cloth as Peggy had been. Had they desired, he had no doubt they could overthrow a government in seconds and he'd probably let them. Pepper would rule a nation with nothing but impeccable precession, compassion, and a will not to be subdued by any slander against her gender and she'd do it with grace..

Pepper wasted no time for further pleasantries; there were problems to solve, so she came right to the point. "Where Locke, Steve? Jarvis refuses to tell me anything. There is no information about his current whereabouts, just this ridiculous secrecy." She crossed her arms, tapping her heels at each word. "Do you know what happened the last time Tony forbade Jarvis from granting information?" Her heart skipped a beat at the memory and pain of finding out how close Tony had been to dying

Locke was lost and no one would tell her what happened or why. The one person who stepped in and did what she couldn't, heal Tony's heart, was missing. It had kept her up for hours, how Tony would react when he found out Locke was nowhere to be found. Who would be left to pick up the pieces this time?

Pepper looked directly at Steve, as much a dare to lie as a threat. "He almost died…not because of a stupid mid-battle decision or self-sacrificing behaviour." Her voice wavered with emotion at the memories. "The very thing keeping him alive was also slowly poisoning him, sending him to an early grave by no fault of his own." And now, Locke held the key to Tony's health and heart, damn any man who tried to stop or keep her from Tony's best interests.

Being kept in the dark regarding Tony was distressing. She had done so much for and with him, and she would not be the infamous Pepper Potts if she didn't do everything in her power right now. "Locke stepped in and did what I could never do for Tony. So you WILL give me answers, Rogers, and you will do it quickly."

Seven days since the events in the sewers and Steve still had trouble accepting that the very likeable Locke was, in fact, the equally villainous Loki. Or had been. It was almost impossible to imagine them being the same person. Steve knew first-hand what the horrors of war did to a person, so he could not help but wonder what had pushed Loki over the edge and ignite such dire events. Steve had to clear his mind and re-evaluate every encounter he ever had with Loki, both during and after the invasion, and then try to mesh them with the encounters he had with Locke.

He had never expected to actually like Loki. He was precise and reliable. But he could also not only deflect, but handle and spar with Stark's moods and it was that was growing between him and Tony, their budding romance, love/hate relationship seemed to work . Those smiles on the engineer's face had been real, not the fake grins he so often sported in public. For crying out loud, Steve had caught them making out like love-struck teenagers in the middle of the hallway one afternoon. It was definitely not something he wanted to witness again. He felt his cheeks burn at the memory. He was thankful they were still dressed at the time. He didn't want to think what he would have seen had he arrived any later.

He knew Pepper liked Locke and had obviously trusted him with Tony, which was exceptional and spoke volumes of Loki they had never seen. Perhaps she could offer him a new perspective to solve this lingering unease.. Steve owed her the truth, or as much as he could tell her. "S.H.I.E.L.D. took custody of him after the battle. .I don't know where he is. They are keeping that information confidential." Pepper's eyes narrowed menacingly and Steve noted the clenching of her jaw.

"Then find out

Her knuckles went white against the portfolio in her hands. "Steve, I don't care if Locke is an illegal immigrant or a blue mutant or an alien from outer space." Steve started at that, but just barely controlled himself. "He has rights. Maybe you should be the one, as Captain America, to remind S.H.I.E.L.D. of those rights."

Pepper knew how to read people. She could read Tony like a book and knew the difference between fake or real mannerisms. Steve, however, was deadly honest; his stance and expression immediately gave away how he felt about this matter. So Pepper easily picked up that he was hiding more than guilt.

"You know why they took him, don't you?" Pepper was going to have very, very harsh words with each and every Avenger, and then have Fury up to his eye patch in more paperwork than he could manage in a lifetime.

"I…" Steve started, but Pepper cut him off.

"No. Don't even try to come up with an excuse. An excuse can't fix this mess you guys started." Pepper noted that even the super soldier serum couldn't hide how tired Steve looked right now. It wasn't just guilt, his slumped shoulders spoke of underlying sadness as well. Softening her voice, she added. "Steve, just tell me. Please. I know you want to help me fix this."

Steve had envisioned a confrontation with Pepper eventually, Of course, none of the scenarios in his mind played out like this. More importantly, he had expected to be more averse to telling Pepper the bitter truth - that the very man who'd invaded and tried to kill Tony was actually Locke. Yet he wasn't the same person any longer. He was just a man now, one who'd put everything he owned on the line to save Tony. Locke was well respected by Pepper, enough to be hired as Tony's personal assistant, a monumental feat. Pepper deserved to know the truth and honestly, Loki deserved the recognition of being more than the villain they supposed him to be.

"Loki."

Pepper blinked. "Loki? Loki has Locke?" She was surprisingly calm considering the information handed to her. It could only require Tony-level damage control. This was her territory. "Why? Why would Loki take Locke? That doesn't make any sense. Didn't Thor return him to stand trial?" The puzzle didn't align perfectly; there was a piece missing or wrongly placed. There was a storm about to break loose with Tony in its centre.. Oh Tony, what have you gotten yourself into now?.

Steve felt more than saw the pieces clicking into place, he had to clear it up before it formed a distorted image. . "No, Loki doesn't have Locke." Confusion was evident on her face as he stood and placed his hand on hers. "They took all his powers from him and banished him. According to Thor, for an Asgardian, it's like a death sentence.. Loki is just a man now."

Steve saw that last piece click into place and the small mewl that escaped Pepper hit him as hard as seeing the blood flood out of her face.

"Locke…Locke is Loki." Her world shifted and sank, eyes wide in shock as she realised the full truth. Suddenly she found herself very grateful as Steve wrapped his arms around her, keeping her grounded.

"LOCKE IS LOKI!" She was positively fuming right now as her shout reverberated in the small room, which was, thankfully, soundproof. Clenching her firsts, she tried to count and breath calmly. "THIS is what he hid from me? For Christ's sake! Loki tried to kill him! He invaded New York!."

Pepper was shaking so hard, Steve was afraid to let her go in case she hurt herself. His life had been a series of events he'd never expected . He never expected to meet a man who believed in him whole heartedly, to find love in wartime and being unable to reach it, to be frozen in a casket of ice and wake to a new century. Things like meeting and befriending Howard's son, fighting alongside him, battling aliens or who knows what. Life kept on surprising him with things he'd never anticipated, his next statement topping the list.

"Pepper, we all liked Locke. Apparently, Loki's a pretty swell guy if you let him." The ex-god had stood with him in a fight, knowing he would be seen for what he was. He had saved lives. In Steve's book, that classified as a brave act. Even if he still didn't fully comprehend Loki, he understood the decision to make that sacrifice. These actions were recognised and respected by Steve. Loki couldn't be all bad.

"Pepper, look at me." Steve took a breath at the look she gave him. It was positively unnerving and he completely understood the phrase Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,although, this was more like a mother bear fighting for her cub. "Pepper, if I recall, you liked Locke too, didn't you? We all did. It isn't your fault any more than it is Tony's or even Loki's. As strange as it is to say, you did hire the perfect assistant for Tony. Somebody who could deal with all the eccentric Tony-esque behaviour and eccentric nature, He got things done, even managed to make Tony eat a completely normal dinner for once. It just happened to take an ex-god to do it."

Pepper snorted. It was true; Loki had done a perfect job. Only a trickster could make Tony eat on an almost regular basis or make the man fill paperwork in a far more timely fashion. She recalled how delighted she had been when paperwork showed only a few days late, as opposed to months, and without her needing to stand over Tony and point out every detail. . From a professional standpoint, she'd felt incredibly fortunate in finding Locke. In both behaviour and delivered work, Loki had been extraordinarily capable.

What she never could have expected, was the hostile work relationship developing in so much more and so quickly. The stolen glances and the changes in Tony's face whenever she mentioned Locke, the tender care when Locke had fallen into a panic attack, they were so damned honest. The worst part of all this was that she silently encouraged it from the side-lines. She had brought a madman into Tony's life and he had stolen his heart. "Goddamn it, Tony."

Before Steve had a chance to interject something about language use (he still thought people swore too much using the Lord's name) Pepper stormed out of the door like a firebrand in designer heels.

Steve still believed there was a solution and things might not be as bad as they looked. However, he had never been so glad not to be in Tony's shoes.

Tony gestured toward Bob. "Gimme!" he said delightedly.. No tech in the hospital room, my ass! So far, with the exception of medical appliances, there was no usable piece of electronics in the room. Pepper had done her job well in the persuasion of the staff to prevent him from getting his hand on anything while he was "recovering." As if being wrapped in bandages could stop him.

He'd been awake now for about two days, give or take. Which meant, in his expert opinion, and his personal experience of how often he wound up in similar situations was extensive, that he was well enough to toy around with his tech. Besides, if no one could, or worse would tell him what happened to Loki, he would sure as hell find out himself. He wasn't about to let go of the crazy ex-god just yet. "Don't make me beg, Bob. You know I have to find him."

Bob glanced at the StarkPad, and the mad inventor half hanging out his bed, still wrapped in bandages and connected to various tubes. Bob frowned and sighed as the tablet was enthusiastically plucked from his hold as he settled in the bedside chair. He "Yer not supposed to have this, right?" His first visit and he was already breaking the rules. It would be worth it if they found Locke.

"See that's why I like you, Bob." Tony grinned. "You're a risk taker." With a soft touch, the screen sprang to life and Tony cooed happily. Now, all he had to do was re-route the system so that he could connect to Jarvis, who'd take care of the rest. It wasn't the best StarkPad in the series, but it was still better than every other piece of junk.

As happy as the Bob was to see a few of his friends alive and kicking, the older man was immensely saddened by the toll it took. Iron Man, no, Tony Stark looked like a blue, mangled ragdoll, more half-human than human, like something from a horror flick. The man indidyrf he'd taken worse, but Bob knew a bad injury when he saw it. Tony would be limping with a cast for a while and the blood loss would leave him weak.

And Locke, that poor kid. He had just been trying to find a place for himself in this crazy world was and God knew where he was now. The kid was trouble,, Bob knew that, but he had a good heart. From the first moment he'd laid eyes on the kid, he'd recognized the bossy youngster as troubled and confused. Locke was streetwise in one way and skittish like a kitten in others, striking out at those willing to help rather than face more pain.. Bob figured it had to do with his mutant heritage, but mutant or not, that boy had an honest heart underneath it all.

"You better get him back, Stark; I don't want nobody hurting that boy." Bob scowled at the engineer, making it very clear that he was not opposed to dishing out some damage of his own.

Tony didn't need to think twice about who Bob referred to by "that boy". The look of childlike enthusiasm over his toys was replaced by a pensive frown. "You and me both, Bob. You and me both."

Tony could only imagine the angry state Loki would be in, hearing himself described as a boy He could hear it now - How dare you call me a boy! One who has lived for … Tony chewed his lip for a moment, remembering howLoki always got these lines next to his eyes when he was really irritated by something.

I miss him so much.

"Trust me, Bob. I'll do everything I can to find him." Tony muted the StarkPad's sound turned it to stand-by, and hid it between the sheets of the bed. At least, what only remotely passed as a bed. It was one of the most monstrous things he'd ever slept on, making him long for the comfort of his own mattress. Preferably, with Loki waiting in it.
Tony hadn't hidden the StarkPad a moment too soon because a second later, the doors were practically slammed opened and in walked a frenzied Pepper. Or, as he saw it, the Redheaded Harpy of Inevitable Fiery Doom. Oh, I'm in trouble now.

"ANTHONY EDWARD STARK!"

He looked at Bob, who stared at Pepper with the same dumbfounded expression. Uh oh, busted.. Moms, sisters, girlfriends, and women all around the globe had witnessed that look before on a man. It was the look of being caught doing something they shouldn't be, even if they had no idea what it was. Tony always followed the sage advice to pretend like nothing noteworthy happened after all. It hadn't worked for him yet, but he was determined that one day, it would.

"Jesus, Pep! I nearly flat-lined here!" Tony grasped at his reactor, hearing the heart monitor beep at the sudden surprise she'd given his heart. "And before you say anything, I probably thought it was a brilliant idea at the time." He caught Bob skulking out of the room, wisely avoiding confrontation. That sneaky bastard. Not that he blamed Bob. In fact, Tony envied him right now. The use of his full name was never, ever, a good thing.

Pepper glared at him. "You know perfectly well what you've done, or rather, who." She saw him contemplating a defence and before he could form his first retort, she added, "It's in your best interest, and his, I might add, to answer me honestly. How long have you known? How long did you hide from me who Locke really was?" Pepper could feel the tears starting and even she didn't know if it was from anger or concern or both. "What were you thinking?"

"I didn't know at first!" he snapped. "Honestly. It wasn't until after the mind-blowing sex that I found out." Impatiently, she tapped with on the floor viciously with her heels, a growing look of despair and anger he knew far too well.. "Wait, Pep, just give me a sec here, okay?"

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't even tell him when I knew. Don't ask me why, I just…it felt wrong, Pep." He glanced at her and saw her worrying her lip in frustration. Not the best sign, but the fear of impending bloodshot was removed. "So we uh, we just continued our daily routine of frustration. And then the whole blue mutant affair happened and Loki found out I knew and lashed out and well…"

Tony remembered it well, the desperate look of hate and pain in Loki's crimson eyes. It was the soul shattering sadness of realising everything that was once held dear wasn't what he thought it was. Loki had reacted like a cornered animal, so ready to lash out rather than suffer pain again. Tony had once been put in the same position, so he could relate. Except where Loki saw a monster, Tony saw a gorgeous being, an ethereal creature of blues and red.

"He never once hurt me, Pep. He couldn't. And I think that he didn't want to, either. I guess. He kind of grew on me, you might say." He shrugged, giving Pep that little half smile that only happened when he was being very open and honest with himself.

She sighed and stopped biting her lip, the rapid bullet pace of heel clicking slowing, then stopping altogether. "Tony…" Most of the real anger had already dissipated; now she just felt tired and betrayed. Tony had known for weeks and never said a word. Not having his trust hurt the most. "People grow fond of pets, Tony, not megalomaniac super villains." She pointed to him. "This is ridiculous, even for you."

"No, it's not. " Tony replied honestly. "It's improbable, sure, but I've been known to excel at things that are impossible for most." So far, he had not regretted a single moment spent with Loki. He had been in a unique position to see the real man Loki hid underneath all those layers built for protection. Even when he was a menace, Loki was capable of kindness and great good. Tony was willing to put up with the tricks, the teasing, the fiery discussions, all of it if it meant staying with the man he…

"Fuck."

Pepper watched the expression on Tony's face change from realisation, to joy, and ultimately, to grief. Had the situation not been so dire, it would have been humorous to see Tony's self-discovery.. "Tony,"Pepper whispered, almost afraid of the outcome and not wanting to add further sadness to his burden.

"I love him, Pep." It hurt, saying it out loud. It was one of the most terrifying things he'd ever done and it made everything painfully, frightfully real. That Loki wasn't here gnawed at the void he felt inside. "I need him back," he pleaded. If this was anything like or even just a fraction of what Pepper had always felt whenever he did something crazy, he owed her more than he could ever repay. He'd expected a rant about responsibility, but instead, Pepper looked at him with a sad look of sympathy.

"I should have known, you stupid man." Pepper shook her head, wanting the dull ache in her heart to fade. It hurt, hearing those words from Tony. Not solely because they weren't aimed at her, but because there were so brutally honest and Tony, so vulnerable and exposed.

"Hey, now. I'm a gen…"

"Yes, Tony, you are a genius. But you're also an idiot." She neared his bed and sat in the chair recently vacated by Bob. She felt so tired. "God Tony how did you fall for Loki knowing who he was? Wait, on second thought, don't answer that." She 'didn't want to hear the innuendo, along with the fake smile on his face to cover up the very real pain he was experiencing. She had seen the unlikely relationship develop. They were both well-suited for each other in intelligence and arrogance. For too many nights Pepper had stayed awake, contemplating if Tony would ever grow up and if he did, what kind of man he would become. A man to behold in wonder or in fear? Tony could have easily become the villain instead of the hero he was now. The possibility was there that he still could. What happened with Loki to cause such a change? She sighed. These two were going to be the death of her, she was positive;

Tony fiddled with the IV attached to the back of his hand, avoiding looking at Pepper. It was all a bit too real and too surreal. "I think I know now how you always felt, whenever I was gone in some battle. Or when I didn't come back at all." The ache in his heart intensified. It was terrifying to not know were Loki was, knowing that if S.H.I.E.L.D. or any other malicious and two-faced organisation found out they'd do anything to keep him from Tony, not to mention what they would do to him. He doubted they would treat him well. Was he wounded and hiding? Too many questions running amok in his mind, too many memories of his own captivity haunted his thoughts. If S.H.I.E.L.D. did have him, Tony would raze it to the ground to get him back.

It wasn't just the stress of not knowing where Loki was, it was the anger welling up inside him. Rationally, he knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. would not treat Loki the same way Tony had been handled in Afghanistan. It was his heart that did the talking, the part of him wanted to furiously lash out at the thought that they would still consider him Asgardian instead of just a man. The things they could do terrified and infuriated him. Tony unknowingly curled his hands into fists, squeezing them so hard that he trembled.

When Pepper reached out to touch his hands, the shock sent him flying back to the here and now.. Tony forced himself to relax, taking a deep breath to calm down. Pepper had always been there, an unchanging force in his life no matter what he did. He knew she would help him through this, even after all he had done to her, he knew. If he had to burn half the world, she would stand beside him and tell him, "Enough."

Taking her hands in his, he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Pep," his voice rough with worry. This constant concern he felt was new to him. He had worried after people before - Pepper, Rhodey - but this was much stronger. It was like somebody holding a magnifying glass over an ant;the intensity just hurt. Tony never thought he could feel like this.

She gave his hands a comforting squeeze. "It's okay, Tony. I'mhaving a hard time taking everything in and coming to terms with all of this." Pepper couldn't be mad any longer, not after seeing all of this. Loki didn't appear to be the kind of man who knew love, but she believed Locke was. For now, that was enough.

She knew what she had to do. Standing up and leaning over Tony to kiss him on the forehead, she patted him on the shoulder. "Tell Jarvis to give me access. I'll need him for this, but nothing I don't want to see or so help me, Tony..." Her heart felt lighter at the grin on his face. She didn't even need to know how he'd do it, but she knew Tony well enough that he'd find a way.

On her way out of the hospital, the first thing Pepper did was snap open her cell phone and make a call. "Pepper here. I don't care what it takes, Steve. I don't care who you need to persuade or how you do it. I want Loki back in the tower, in one piece. And I want it NOW."

Steve frowned and stared at the phone as Pepper disconnected. When had it become so difficult so know right from wrong, the good from the bad and how many of us just got lost along the way? He really didn't want to go against S.H.I.E.L.D., but he could not, in good conscious, let them hold Loki for sins he committed as a god. It would not be the first time they'd lied to him about their intentions: he doubted it would be the last either. It said a lot about what he truly thought of S.H.I.E.L.D. that he thought them capable of torture.

He was still frowning at the phone when Natasha entered the room, his pensive look an immediate giveaway, not that the assassin needed much to figure out another's thoughts Normally he was one of the very few that could notice her entering a room. But this time, r he was so engrossed in thoughts that he hadn't noticed her until she sat down.

Natasha waited patiently with crossed arms for him to finish his thoughts, though she had a good idea of what they were. "What is wrong?" No point in delaying the inevitable. Steve, she knew, was an honest man and would answer her. She would postpone her inquiry if the situation required it. Her actions were always tailored to her needs.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Locke. Loki. That tall, blonde, blue mutant guy who was a god and is now Tony's assistant. Does everything have to be so complicated in this tower?" He was conflicted. He liked to believe the best in people and even having seen some of the worst, he still believed in the American government and its military. The Army had taught him to follow orders, but only so long as it suited them. He had broken a few to save many. Could it break even more to save one?

"He isn't the same man. He's not a god anymore." Steve frowned and fell back against the couch pillows. "I liked him. Locke, I mean. I still like him."

Natasha sat back, giving the air of nonchalant interest. "You don't know that." Her arrival here had a purpose. She had seen the on-going indecisiveness Rogers exhibited had ever since the battle in the sewers. All that was left now was a push in the right direction to get the desired outcome.

Steve knew he was undergoing a soft interrogation. Natasha's body language and seeming disinterest was just a front, she would remember every word spoken, every nuance, vividly. In all fairness, he understood her desire for answers,yet what he needed was more than questions.

For now, Tony was still in the hospital recovering from his wounds, bedridden. That is, until he managed to con his way free.. Pepper hadn't let anybody but Bruce near him until she had resolved other issues first, whatever those were. Now he was left with her instructions to solve this week's dilemma and the one most likely to get Tony killed if he didn't himself.

Loki.

Steve clenched his jaw and set his gaze on Natasha. "You're right. I don't know that. What I do know is that Locke is the man Tony cares for and he will move heaven and earth to find him. no matter the cost. What I fear is another matter entirely"

"Oh?" A raised eyebrow was all Natasha needed to make clear he had her attention.
Steve frowned. Natasha never needed to say Oh, do please continue. People always felt like pouring their heart out around her. It was her greatest, and perhaps deadliest, gift. " For all I know, it could be a trap. Loki could be up to some ridiculous scheme. But it doesn't feel that way. And if it isn't, then I fear S.H.I.E.L.D. will do far more harm than good while he remains in their custody." Steve believed anyone could change their ways, find a better path, but he also knew it was a troubled road.

"I liked Tony's assistant, he is and was a good guy. And he…" Steve paused, thinking back on the progress of the battle.. "Loki did everything needed to get Tony and the other men out of there. During battle, I had my back to him because I had faith. I had faith in him. It's no longer hard to understand why Thor tries to put his brother in a good light."

"What about you Natasha?" Steve had seen first-hand what the horrors of war did to a person, what kind of broken man was its result. The all-too-familiar symptoms had been there if he looked back. Loki was finding peace here, a last shred of hope that was about to be taken in the most brutal of ways. What would happen to the man's soul once that happened? What would happen to Tony and how far would Tony go to prevent it?

Natasha had her own way of caring for the team, even if she appeared to be cold and reserved. "No." She shook her head. "I never trusted him." Slowly she tapped her fingers on the table, thinking. "I did not foresee other developments, I admit. Suffice it to say, he managed to surprise me."

It wasn't a complete no, but neither did she agree with Steve's point of view. "I don't agree with whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. is doing. The fact that I'm being left in the dark is telling me enough. Had I known then what I know now, I would never have let them take him. He deserves another chance." Steve looked at her, gaze steady. "Who among us hasn't been offered that chance when we thought we least deserved it?"

"For what it's worth," came a voice from the doorway, "I think Steve is right." Bruce shuffled into the room, holding an empty cup exhaustion evident on his face. "Loki promised me something before he left and he delivered. It doesn't make his earlier wrongs right. But…" Bruce shrugged and ran his hand through his messy hair, yawning.

"Second changes can change a man if offered freely,"Bruce said quietly, "I wish I had been offered one." He noticed how strong his hold on the coffee cup was when Natasha's stare shifted. "Sorry I'm...I am a bit on edge. Nothing to worry about." Gently, he placed the mug on the counter, still in one piece, and leaned back against one of the many stools present.

Earlier today, Bruce had paid a visit to Tony in the hospital. Thankfully, he was out of the red zone, but he still was under observation. Bruce knew that the longer the Loki situation was unresolved, the more likely it was that Tony woul do something reckless and dangerous for his health, like escaping and going after Loki himself. After all, one of the first things Tony asked for when his voice returned was Loki. Bruce understood, but there was nothing he could do, no answer he could provide.

"I would prefer it," Hh said, eyes flickering between the two, "If Loki was under our custody instead of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s." The unassuming scientist smiled bitterly. "I can't exactly say that I trust them with any atypical human, be it mutant, ex-god, alien, or altered human. They don't exactly have the greatest track record." The flare of green against his skin reflected how deeply this distrust went, and for good reason.

Clint had followed Dr. Banner into the room, obviously lured in by the on-going discussion. Most of the Avengers were here now, except for Thor, but they all knew that the big Asgardian would have saved his little brother by now is he could. Barton hopped onto the kitchen counter beside Bruce, surveying the room. "Isn't anybody going to ask my opinion?"

Natasha shook her head at his comment, mouth quirking slightly. "You're going to give it, regardless of whether anybody asks."

Clint smirked. "I know you love to hear me talk, Tash." He pulled up a leg and sat half perched on the counter It had taken him two days to find the best places in the communal area. From this particular spot, he could easily oversee the entire kitchen area and reach for the fridge. It was ideal.

Steve had yet to get a handle on the easy-going dynamic between the two. In his opinion, Natasha's demeanour demanded respect and politeness, yet Barton spoke to her as he would everybody else. "I do need your opinion, yes." Steve nodded at Barton. "I assume you heard the entire conversation from the beginning?"

Barton nodded. "Yep. The whole deal, Cap." He waited a moment as he accepted a cup of tea from Bruce, who had kept himself busy in the kitchen. They had begun to know each other's habits, including food and drinking preferences. Lately, Clint had taken a liking to Bruce's tea.

"I don't regret shooting the bastard. Not a bit, not after everything he put me through. You can't expect me to just change my mind overnight and accept he's Mr. Nice Guy all of a sudden." He shrugged, taking a sip from the hot beverage before it cooled down "That said, I would be a hypocrite if I told you guys I didn't believe in second chances, or people changing." He shared a meaningful look with Natasha.

Steve watched the interaction with interest. Nobody knew the finer details of what transpired between the two, only that somehow the Widow had been persuaded to switch sides. Hawkeye had been instrumental in this.

Steve was thankful for the honest opinions everybody gave. "We could not have reached Tony and the other captives in time if it hadn't been for Loki" Steve said. ".He risked everything, knowing that his cover would be blown. Like Bruce said, something isn't right here. We need to find out what it is in order to proceed. Regardless, I believe Loki should not remain in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.

Natasha stood. "I might have a lead." She noted. She placed her chair neatly under the nearest table and headed for the door. "Don't wait up for me, boys."

Clint called after her. "You're up to something, aren't you, Nat?" She stopped long enough to shoot a warning glare that would make the hardest man flinch.,. He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up. Good luck." Before his sentence was finished, the Russian spy had left the room. He turned back to Steve.

"So Cap. You're really are serious about this, aren't you?" Clint was honestly a bit surprised, even is his face didn't betray it. " I feel like I've missed out on something here, the way you guys describe Loki. It certainly wasn't the one I knew. That crazy bastard wouldn't recognise mercy or friendship if it walked up and bit him in the ass."

Clint's face darkened with the memory of those days, a tight, pinched look replacing his friendlier smile. "I'm going along with this only because of Nat and that's it. You guys better hope you're right about Loki, because if anything goes wrong?" Clint mimicked a shot with his bow. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will be the last of that bastard's worries, trust me." He slid off the counter after finishing his tea, leaving Bruce and Steve to their own devices as he left the room.

"Well, that could have gone better." It was the gamma-ray expert who broke the unexpected tension. Bruce had overheard the conversation between Steve and Fury when Loki was captured. Jarvis had had to remind him to do breathing exercises as he flared green – Loki was about as nonthreatening as a soaked kitten at that point, drained and wounded. Even though there was no love lost between the two, it was still the wrong move according ot Bruce. He'd heard Steve trying his very best to listen to the command to stand down, even if he was clearly in disagreement about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s course of action.

Steve sighed "It went better than I anticipated." He felt more tired than he had been in months. "Tony is going to have me strung up for discussing Loki's fate without him." He felt like he was drowning in guilt, coming between Tony and Loki like this. After all it was Tony who was romantically involved with the one-time villain, if Loki still fit that description. Although Steve was pretty sure Tony would strongly deny any romantic feeling if he ever mentioned it.

Yet the soldier recognised the sideway glances stolen when they thought no one else was looking. He had looked at Peggy in the same manner often enough. Even after all this time, he still deeply missed the strong-willed woman. Some days, he wondered what they could have become had he not been frozen in ice,. But time had been unkind to him and now was seventy years later. Peggy had married, borne children and then grandchildren, grown old, and lived a full life. For him, it still felt like yesterday that they had shared that kiss.

It still felt like yesterday that he had to say farewell.

Steve stood, resolute in action. "I'm going to the gym." It wasn't that he needed to work-out, but the daily routine helped him settle his mind. He had made his decision and now he needed to sort out the last details. He clapped Bruce on the shoulder. "I need to keep myself occupied while we wait. I'll see you around dinner time. I'm cooking."

Steve knew that many of them knew involuntary solitude and loneliness intimately. If he could spare Tony that awful, soul-wrenching feeling, he would.

He would move mountains, or a government agency from its very foundations, to spare his friend that.

Big thanks for sword mistress for betaing this chapter!

And thank you guys for the patience again! ^^