Author's Note: Hello again. New chapter. Here's an extra long chapter for you. At least, I tried to make it extra long. Thanks to all of you who have stayed with me on this and have waited patiently for my tortoise butt to update. Also had a sudden revelation about this fic to move things along. Why had this idea not occurred to me before?!
Hope you're making the best of the new year.
ENJOY!
Fury wasn't really surprised to see Thor waiting for him in his office. The god had been quite adamant about returning the next day. He sighed, hoping the god wouldn't be as intense as the day before. Listening to reason wouldn't be too much to ask for either. The nation of Iran wouldn't be very forgiving if the god suddenly attacked the island of Triskelion.
"Thor, how nice to see you this early in the morning," he greeted the god. Thor stood, giving the man a curt nod.
"Have you come to a decision over my brother?" the blond asked outright. The Director nodded, sitting down behind the desk.
"We've decided that if the situation is as dire as you say, then we'll allow Loki a trial amnesty. Whatever location Tony Stark chooses to house him in, there will be a fully armed S.H.I.E.L.D. team right outside of the building. 24/7 surveillance. No questions asked. Nonnegotiable I'm afraid," Fury told him. Thor frowned.
"I mean no disrespect to your people, but I fear my brother will not be comfortable with such an arrangement," Thor told him. Fury raised an eyebrow. What part of nonnegotiable didn't Thor understand?
"Then tell him that he can stay wherever the hell he is at the moment. He either agrees to the arrangement and our terms, or we shoot him on sight if he sets foot on Earth without our knowledge," he countered. Thor paled.
"Alright. There is no need for such technicalities. I am sure he will agree to your terms," the god said. Fury nodded, motioning for Thor to follow him.
"He doesn't step a foot outside of his designated area without our knowledge or he'll have to deal with us and another cell. This time, it won't be glass. Make sure he understands that. Explicitly. Everything he needs I'm sure Tony will provide for him. The bastard certainly has enough money to do it," he said. Thor nodded solemnly.
He only hoped Loki wouldn't become vexed that he had made these arrangements without him, but time was of the essence.
"Good. Now there's the question of where Loki will be staying." the Director said. Thor nodded.
"I was told that Anthony Stark would have a space prepared for Loki in his tower for the time being," the god answered. Fury shook his head. Hev took a deep breath and rubbed his temples.
"Are you sure about that? Because I don't want to stop by for a visit and find that the whole place has been packed up in the middle of the night. You may not have noticed, but S.H.I.E.L.D.'s relationship with Stark hasn't been all that positive in the past." Thor nodded.
"I understand Director. I can assure you that will not happen. I shall make it clear to the both of them that it is the best option. For both of them if Loki is to remain here. Tony cares greatly for my brother and I would hate to see them torn apart over a mere aversion to rules." Fury paused.
"Tony has a...lasting relationship. With Loki?" he asked. Thor frowned.
"What are you implying Director?" the god demanded. Fury leaned back in his seat.
"I meant nothing by it. It's just that the Tony Stark I know doesn't seem like the committed type. He gave himself the name playboy for a reason Thor," he said. Thor nodded.
"So I have heard. But fear not. Tony knows not to hurt Loki or his demise shall come from the surface of my hammer," Thor said. Fury smiled.
"Well, I can't argue with you on that. Sometimes he needs to be knocked around a bit. For all that knowledge he's got, he can be a real idiot sometimes." Thor leaned against the railing, watching various S.H.I.E.L.D. agents go about their day.
"My brother is not the same man you saw that day, Director," Thor told him. Fury came to a stop beside the god.
"That may be the case, but I've seen guys like him. Soldiers mostly. We call it PTSD. Posttraumatic stress disorder. They would change, sometimes back to their normal selves, and then change again from being placed in a bad situation. Even a single word could set them off. It was hell for them," he said. Thor frowned.
"You believe that this is the case for Loki?" he asked, a hint of worry appearing in his voice. Fury shrugged.
"Hard to say. But from what you've told me the signs are pointing in that direction. All we can do is keep him under close surveillance and provide him with a therapist if there are any signs of worsening symptoms," The god nodded absentmindedly.
"You may expect us in a few days time. Until then, I shall remain upon Asgard until the time comes," Thor exited the building and took off into the air with his hammer. Fury watched him for a moment. After the god's form was no longer visible, he walked off the platform. He needed to make a few calls before the day was done.
Steve groaned, watching the two suns of Asgard set over the horizon. He knew he was going to miss this place, but he knew he also needed to get back to Earth. There was no telling what could have happened while they had been gone. Weekly updates from Thor just didn't cover it.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he straightened his frame to greet whoever was on the other side.
"Come in," he called out. He smiled as Tony entered with a hand covering his eyes.
"Is it safe to look?" he asked loudly, feeling around with his hand. The soldier rolled his eyes.
"Bruce isn't here Tony. He just stepped out for a moment," he told him. Tony laughed.
"Why? Is he going after more soil samples?" the inventor asked. Steve shook his head.
"I guess. We're both trying to wean ourselves off of Asgard, but it's tough. Were you looking for him?" Steve asked. Tony shook his head.
"I just came to hang out I guess. Loki's hanging out with his mom and I was apparently intruding on their conversation so here I am," he said. Steve nodded.
"Maybe they're discussing Loki's moving to Earth. Asgard is all he's ever known mostly," Tony huffed.
"From what I've heard, both Thor and Loki have visited our planet plenty of times. I'm sure he'll be fine," the inventor said.
"It kinda sucks that we have to leave, though. I was starting to like it here," Tony complained. Steve shrugged.
"It's for the best. We've probably been here for too long anyway," he said. Tony scoffed.
"Speak for yourself. I happen to like being treated like an Asgardian prince. It suits me," he said with a hint of arrogance. Steve sighed, shaking his head.
"Yeah well I think it's about time for you to get used to being a regular guy again. You can't stay here forever you know." the soldier pointed ut. Tony grinned.
"I could if I really wanted to. But I'm afraid if I stay gone any longer, JARVIS will rebel and create his own body," Tony said with a wink. Steve rolled his eyes, unable to keep from smiling at the man's humor.
Thor stretched his neck to relieve the stiffness in it. Some claimed that traveling along the Bifrost multiple times in one day could be stressful on the body. Apparently they had been right. He groaned as his neck popped and a pleasant feeling filled him.
Heimdal stepped down from his place, coming toward him. His expression was grim, causing Thor to worry.
"My Prince, I fear there has been a sudden revelation. I have heard whisperings from my Watch of plans to ambush the palace and kill Prince Loki," he told him. Thor felt himself reach for his hammer. He cursed when he realized he had left it at Jane's.
"How have you come to know this information Heimdal?" he demanded.
"There is a complete rebellion in the kingdom. Many of them threaten to ambush the palace guards and invade the castle. Of course, the common folk would never get past the guards, but Odin suspects there are supporters of the rebellion within the palace. Our best option now is for you and your friends to take Loki and leave now," the man said. Thor nodded, pulling himself onto a horse.
"We must gather the palace guards and escort Loki and the others to safety," he said. Heimdal nodded.
"Be cautious in your decisions Thor," the Guardian said. The prince nodded.
"I thank you Heimdal. If things should go wrong, I will know you have done what you could to help."
Loki glanced around the room, trying to decide what he would miss most about his room. He supposed his books and scrolls. Certainly not the people and the way would look at him when he was younger.
He supposed with his dark hair and fair complexion, many had assumed he had not truly been born of the king and queen, but most likely the product of some hidden relationship outside of the marriage.
The god glanced over at his boyfriend. Tony sat, cleaning his signature red and gold armor, whispering promises of a new paint job and circuit system. Loki smiled. He still hadn't told him about the baby yet. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide the knowledge forever, but for now, he was content with figuring out the right moment. At that moment, Tony caught his gaze and smiled at him. Loki couldn't help but return the gesture.
Of course, Thor had to ruin the moment by barging into the room. Loki withheld his sigh, knowing it wouldn't help anyway.
"Thor, what is the meaning of this intrusion? I was quite relaxed until you rushed into the room like a baby Bilgesnipe just learning to walk," Loki scolded him good-naturedly. Upon seeing the look of worry on his brother's face, his smile faded, giving way to fear.
"Thor? Thor, what is it? Has something happened?" Loki demanded. Without a word, Thor pulled Tony to his feet and gestured for Loki to follow them. Tony hurriedly packed his suit away and chased after the two gods.
"We have been betrayed. Our plan to leave in a few days has changed. We must leave now. I have heard talk from Heimdal that those who believe Loki should be killed are on their way right this moment. We must leave immediately," the thunderer told them. Loki raised an eyebrow.
"What of the Captain and Banner? They have been told of this recent development I hope," he said. Thor nodded.
"Father has sent mother to fetch them with a trusted company of guards. We are to meet again at the stables where we will make our escape. They will be fine until then I am sure," he said. Loki nodded and followed behind the two men.
He eyed the guards that had been sent to escort them with suspicion but continued on without complaint. If the time came where any of them needed to be killed, he was sure one of his daggers would do the trick.
Along the way, they crossed paths with a servant. Loki immediately recognized her as a daughter of Eir. He couldn't for the life of him remember her name, though. He knew that she was not very fond of him, however. Upon seeing the group, she frowned.
"Prince Thor you seem to be in an unpleasant mood. Is there anything I can do to assist you?" she asked. Thor shook his head.
"This matter does not concern you, Delia. Please be on your way and continue your duties," he told her. Her gaze hardened when they attempted to pass her.
"You're trying to escape aren't you? And with him?!" she screamed, pointing a finger in Loki's direction. Their guards shifted themselves around to prevent any type of attack. Delia screamed with rage when she saw this.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves. Siding with the likes of that thing. We are Asgardian. They are the enemy," she said in disgust. Thor sighed heavily, preparing to step forward. The guard leading them however intervened.
"Stand down woman. These are princes of Asgard you treat with such disrespect," the guard said. The woman spat in his face and drew a mirror from her bag. She broke it against the wall and pulled a long sliver if glass from the wreckage, brandishing it like a dagger.
"I would rather die than allow myself to be ruled by such vermin," she growled, slashing with the makeshift blade. When the guard stepped forward with his spear lowered, Loki stopped him.
"Do not kill her. She is just confused. Restrain her and have her taken to an empty room and locked inside. Leave her for Odin," he said. The guard nodded and motioned for one of his men to relieve her of her weapon and take her away. When everything had calmed, they continued on.
Thor allowed them to be led to a hidden passageway, glancing around for any more attackers. When it was apparent that there were to be no more, he sighed in relief. The fewer people that knew they were leaving, the better.
At last, they reached a place where they could exit the tunnel and enter the stables. Frigga and the others were already waiting.
"Good, you made it. You didn't have any trouble did you?" the queen asked. Thor shook his head.
"We encountered an unruly servant. Delia was her name. It seems she has turned against any who support Loki," he told her. Frigga sighed.
"I feared this would happen. You must leave now. Thor, Odin says you should stay away until the situation is handled. Look after your brother," she told him kissing his cheek. She went to the others and said goodbye, knowing it would be a while before they saw each other again. When she reached Loki, she paused.
"Make sure you eat properly and take care of yourself," she told him in a hushed tone. He nodded and hugged her tightly. She then took her own guards and returned to the palace.
Thor saw that Bruce and Steve had already chosen their horses. They didn't have saddles, however, Thor and his group most likely arriving minutes after they did. Tony noted this, complaining about chafing. Thor shook his head.
"We do not have time to saddle them. Besides, we will not be riding long enough to start chafing. The Bifrost is not that long, but long enough to warrant the use of horses," he said, mounting his own stallion.
"Quickly now. We don't know how long until the rebels realize we have fled the palace and come looking for us," he told them. He frowned when he did not see Loki among their group any longer.
"Where is Loki?" he demanded worriedly. Steve pointed toward the back of the stable. Thor nodded and dismounted. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of his stomach.
"Wait here," he told the others. He made his way down the long line of horse stalls, the sound of his brother's voice becoming louder with each step. He stopped when the outline of his brother came into view. What he saw was both heartbreaking and revolutionary. He knew he should just step in and spare his brother this pain, but a part of him knew it wouldn't ease his brother's state of mind.
Loki approached the stall hesitantly. He knew that Sleipnir probably wouldn't want to see him now, not after how Loki had treated him in the past. He cursed himself, thinking of all the times where he could have admitted to Odin that the horse he had been riding had not just been a gift from Loki, but his own grandson.
"Sleipnir...Sleipnir, please. Please talk to me. I'm sorry. I know nothing can make up for the way I've treated you in the past. I was a shitty mother. I know that now. As a matter of fact I've always known," he said desperately. Inside of the stall, there was only silence. Thor sighed and stepped closer.
"Loki, perhaps he is just tired. When things calm down a bit, maybe we can come back and you can talk to him then," the god suggested. Loki shook his head.
"He hates me. I don't blame him. I'd hate me too after what I've done to him," he said. Thor placed an arm over his shoulder, pulling him away.
"It's ok Loki. You can't blame yourself for this. Right now we must leave," he told his brother. Loki glanced mournfully back at the stall, allowing Thor to lead him away. Loki took a deep breath to calm himself before they rejoined the others.
Thor nodded to them and urged them to mount. Once they did they left the stables behind. Thor spurred his horse and led the way to the Bifrost.
Natasha surveyed her surroundings. She -and what amounted to a small army of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents- were currently standing guard at the previously arranged Bifrost site, awaiting further orders. Their instructions had been simple: take Loki into custody and transport him to a top secret underground S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. Simple enough.
Albeit those orders were actually supposed to be carried out in a few days, they had been sent in to check up on a massive energy surge, similar to the Bifrost.
Natasha had been worried at first when Clint had heard the news. He still hadn't recovered from his last encounter with Loki.
"Sir, are you sure you want Agent Barton involved?" she questioned. Fury nodded confidently.
"Agent Barton has shown improvement since Manhattan. However, I don't think he is quite ready for fieldwork yet. So he's been assigned with the tech department in monitoring abnormalities. It'll give him something to do." he assured her. Natasha nodded slowly.
"I think I'd feel better if you kept him away from any mentions of Loki completely, but..." she frowned, not knowing what to say next. Fury sighed.
"Clint is a strong man Agent Romanov. He's just not ready to be back in the field. Give him time," he said. She nodded silently.
The meeting was over. Judgment had been passed. Clint Barton was not as stable as he claimed to be.
Natasha wiped the sweat from her eyes, her gaze roaming over the other agents. Most of them hadn't even been in the field during Loki's attack. They had no idea what to expect. She kept her gun at the ready. Maybe it was another alien.
She knew she trusted Thor, maybe not with her life even if he was a god, but enough. She just didn't trust his easy going nature. It made him so very easy to manipulate.
His love for Loki would be his downfall she was sure. She sighed, using her idle time to walk around to stretch her legs a bit. After a moment, she paused as a bright light overtook the sky. 'Shit' she thought.
"Everybody, hold your positions," she told her team. Everyone stiffened, raising their guns. Natasha held her breath, muscles burning to move. She adverted her gaze from the light's blinding rays, willing it to subside. When it finally did she was ready.
"Move, move, move!" she ordered. The heavily armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents closed in rapidly on the group in front of them. Within seconds, their guns were trained on the newcomers. Tony placed his suitcase on the ground beside his foot and raised his hands over his head.
"Hey, hey, hey! It's me, Natasha. We're ok here right?" he asked. The spy eyed him with suspicion in her gaze. She glanced over at Loki who was squatting beside the inventor. Tony nudged him with his leg.
"Loki, what are you doing? We've got guns pointing at us from every which way and you decide to take a nap? Very unprofessional Loki," he whispered with a loud tsk, attempting to keep his sense of humor intact. He grew, even more, nervous when the god doubled over.
"I'm fine. I just need a moment," Loki told him, jaw clenched tightly. The inventor nodded, his worry fading slightly. He directed his attention back to Natasha when she began to speak.
"Whether or not you haven't been compromised will be determined later. Right now, my job is to ensure the safety of the public," she told them. Tony frowned but allowed himself to be handcuffed by one of the agents. He sighed tiredly.
"Hey, be careful with him. I don't think he's feeling well," Tony said worriedly when the agents began to manhandle the god to his feet. They paid him no attention, however, treating Loki as if he had leprosy.
He couldn't blame her for being cautious after what they had experienced during New York, but he found that all of them being restrained was ridiculous. Even Thor. He shrugged at the god's questioning look. He had no idea what was going to happen either.
Author's Note: So they are finally back on Earth. Did not realize practically all of this fic was taking place in Asgard. But now that they're back things are going to heat up. Stay tuned!