Summary: Don't ever make an Asgardian Thunder God angry...

Chapter 9:

Tony was blinking away fatigue as he looked up at the huge computer screen, sipping coffee to remain awake. It was 2:30 in the morning, but he had to finish a schematic for a new Iron Man suit. JARVIS' smooth voice interrupted the quiet, and Tony jolted back to consciousness.

"Sir, Ms. Romanov and Mr. Barton are attempting to enter the infirmary level. Barton has claimed that Ms. Romanov is ill."

"I doubt that." Tony muttered, the tiredness seeming to disappear from his entire being. "Where is Thor?"

"He is sleeping in his quarters, sir." Jarvis answered.

"Wake him up. Just...don't tell him that his brother is in danger. Wake up Steve and Bruce too. This isn't going to end well."

Slipping on his remote Iron Man activation bracelet, Tony rushed to the elevator. While the cable car ascended the levels of his tower, the billionaire could not help but wonder how the two assassins could have found out that Loki was here. Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. could have been monitoring Stark Tower, though he had taken precautions for that. And he had been careful to disguise the two doctors' arrival. Doctor Carter came disguised as a business partner and guest, and Doctor Lei as an artist that Tony sent for a self portrait of himself, her medical supplies under the tools of her assumed trade. Then there was another question, for which the answer was obvious; why would they fake an illness or whatever to gain access to the infirmary? The answer was to either capture or kill Loki. Thor was not going to be happy about the intrusion, no matter what the outcome.

Finally, the elevator doors swished open, and both SHIELD agents turned to see the inventor. They were not at all perturbed by his presence; in fact, each greeted him with a nod.

"Well this is a bit rude, lying to Jarv so that you can get up to this level." Tony said. "I take it you're not going to tell me how you knew Loki was here?" He nodded to the clear window and the room beyond where the younger Asgardian was residing a few feet away.

"Classified." Clint replied flatly and pursed his lips.

"What's going on here?" A voice behind the two assassins spoke up. They turned to see Bruce, slightly disheveled and sleep deprived behind them. He didn't look at the two of them, but spoke rather, to Tony.

"I thought you locked this level?" He asked abruptly.

"I thought I did too." Tony sniffed. "I guess you won't tell me how you both got past my security either?"

"Again, classified." Natasha answered now.

The elevator opened again, and both Thor and Steve poured out of it with haste. "Son of Stark..." Thor began, but eyeing both Clint and Natasha. In a few striding steps, Thor strode forward, picked up Clint by the collar and shoved him against a wall. There were shouts, and calls for the Thunderer to put him down, but Thor glared at Clint, their faces only inches away from one another.

"Did you come up here to harm my brother?!" Thor shouted. When Clint did not answer, the Thunderer shoved him harder against the wall. "You would do best to not cross me!" Thor snapped. He turned to Natasha now, still holding the archer several inches off the ground, "And you..."

The female assassin usually was not one to be rattled by anything. But when Thor rounded on her, eyes blazing with anger and determination, she started slightly and took a few steps backwards. "...would be best to do likewise, Lady Natasha."

"Thor...I really think you should explain..." Bruce cut in, putting a hand to his shoulder.

Eventually, after a few tense moments, the Thunderer relented, setting Clint back onto the ground.

"I think this calls for a late night drink...for you all." Tony muttered, as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

There was a piercing shrill sound that echoed throughout the glass walls of Loki's infirmary room, which startled all of them. Bruce, upon hearing it, ran past them and went into his patient's room, and soon the other two doctors appeared to help him. From the window, the Avengers could see Loki arching as he struggled for breath.

Within moments of any of the doctors rushing into the hospital room, Bruce rushed out, and spoke in a hurried tone, "Thor, your brother isn't breathing well. We need to sedate him and put a tube down his throat to allow his lungs time to heal. I'll tell you fully in his room, but he refuses for us to get near him without you present. We need you to come in and see if we can't get Loki calmed down." Bruce fished for another sanitization bracelet.

Before rushing to Loki's side, Thor turned back to the two assassins, "We will continue this conversation later." He announced with a cold tone.

When Thor followed the doctor into Loki's room, Tony turned to Clint and Natasha. "Looks like you'll not have to worry about killing Loki after all." He snapped and headed to the elevator.

The morning dawned hours later, and a tired Thor slumped downstairs into the common room, shoulders sagging, head sunk to his chest. The conversation that had to take place between the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents would not be pleasant, especially as Clint would not be as benevolent as the other Avengers, for he had been controlled by his brother.

He was surprised when he found only Steve wishing him good morning, emptying him of his silent thoughts.

Good 'morrow, friend Steven. " He answered tiredly, looking around. "Where are..." He couldn't bring himself to say Clint and Natashas' names. "...the others?"

"Tony went to bed around five am. Clint and Natasha..."

There were two sets of footfalls. "We're here." The female agent spoke first. She leaned herself on one of the kitchen counters, arms crossed over her. Next to her, Clint tensed but a grimace on his face.

"We're not cruel to our team-mates. It was..." she paused and drew a breath, while taking a barstool chair, "It was stupid of us to...well we jumped to conclusions. But we...neither of us understood why Loki was here, after what he had done."

"Loki had been imprisoned for two of your Midgardian years." Thor explained, and finally retold the story of what had happened during the Convergence. " I will not make excuses for his conduct on your planet, but he has acted honorably, and his life is pending on his behavior in the future."

At the conclusion of this tale, the archer's eyebrows rose with disbelief, "That bas-he saved your life? He still tricked you by pretending to be dead. "

This caused Thor to cross his arms, "Loki did nothing of the sort. I-I know not how he survived, but he returned to Asgard to Speak to my father. "

"You are blinded by the love you have for your brother, Thor." Natasha spoke now, "You're allowing your sentiment towards him to cloud your judgment."

"When I commissioned my brother to help vanquish Malekith, I told him that I held no hope that my brother still dwelled within him. If he betrayed me, I would have killed him. As he was the key to my victory, and he saved Jane's life, I found that small tinge of the old Loki. Can you say that you have joined SHIELD for very much the same purpose?"

At this, the red-headed woman ducked her head in a nod. "I did...unspeakable things, killed people by order. By Clint choosing not to end me, and in joining SHIELD, I hoped to get myself going straight again, and exchange bad deeds for lesser ones."

"Friend Banner has arranged for a doctor of the mind to assist in his healing. Should Loki falter, then he shall find himself in a dungeon cell on Asgard for the rest of his days or even executed. I will do everything in my power to see that won't happen." Thor boomed.

"Fine, " Clint finally spoke up, "we'll be keeping a constant eye on him. If he steps one toe out of line, we'll be the ones that will-"

"You will do nothing to him, or you'll answer to me. Bruce, Steven, and Anthony are secure that Loki can be controlled at the least. Now excuse me, I wish to break my fast, and go to bed. It has been a long night." Thor remarked with authority.

Tbc...