When Loki woke again, he heard soft breathing next to him. Turning his head, he saw Thor sitting close to the bed in a chair. A sigh escaped his lips as he wondered how long he had slept and how long Thor had been there.

Thor sat up straight. "Loki." The inflection was quiet, less boisterous than his normal tone.

"What are you doing here?" Loki tried to sound annoyed but couldn't muster the feeling behind it.

Thor didn't meet Loki's eyes. "Strange told me…. that you wished to see me. I think it's time we spoke."

Loki looked away from him. He had remembered saying something of that sort before Strange had put him under a sleeping spell. "Speak then." He said briskly, swinging his legs over the bed and settling onto its edge.

Thor put a hand behind his neck. "After you fled, I considered what you said for a long time."

"That must have taken the entire day," Loki returned snarkily.

Much to Loki's surprise, Thor got out of his seat and knelt in front of him, his head bowed with shame. "Loki , Mother loved you to her dying breath. We were a family, and I know she still saw you…even if the All-Father had given up on you, I had given up on you." He paused, and Loki knew he was wording his next sentence carefully. "When mother died, I did not believe it had affected you, as I thought you were beyond reason. But seeing you when we spoke in the dungeons….I know I was wrong."

His words faltered as he looked away. "It was cruel of me to lay blame for her death as I did." He raised a hand to stop Loki from speaking again, "I know that you place the burden on Mother's death on yourself. But know that none of us could have stopped her from protecting another's life."

Loki was surprised when Thor suddenly rose and pulled him into an embrace. Loki didn't hesitate to put his hand on his brother's back. "Loki, I thought I had lost you on Svartalfheim, I was beside myself. I will not let you die in front of my eyes again."

Loki pulled away, his face hardening with disbelief. "So that is it? You will forgive my faked death and attempt to usurp Odin?"

Thor stood, his face also turning stony. "You tried to seize the throne from the rightful king and from me. I won't forgive you for that. But what father-what Odin did to you was…. inexcusable, for a prince of Asgard, and his son." His eyes didn't meet Loki's when he spoke next. "We're both going to endure his reprisals, one way or another."

Loki visibly winced, "Thor." He rasped. "I am not his son, nor am I prince. I attempted an overthrow of the throne. I don't even want it anymore. What's the use? No one is going to accept me for the Frost Giant that I am."

"You're my brother, Loki. As long as you're alive, that's enough." Thor added more softly, "I know how it feels to be powerless, but I think you are worthy of having your powers returned. Look at me." Thor said, taking his younger brother by the shoulders. "Fa-Odin has given you one Midgardian year to reform. His belief is that you cannot change, but mine is that you can. What do you think?"

Aloud he said, "What is the point, Thor. We are both kidding ourselves." A lengthy pause ensued before Loki pondered What good am I?

He shuddered at another thought. They'll find me, and I will have no way to defend myself. Nor will I be able to protect Thor and his friends…. either of them will think it is a ploy, that I betrayed them yet again.

"Brother, you must learn to trust others, as well as yourself. If you want a second chance, Loki, you must earn it. I will do everything in my power to help you."

" Thor stood and made for the door. "Come, let us go downstairs and have some tea."

Loki's eyebrows rose. "It doesn't suit you to drink tea."

Thor let out a little laugh. "True, but perhaps I can have beer. Strange has a unique trick of filling a mug once it's emptied."

Loki smiled. "Allow me to get washed up and I will join you presently. "

"I heard that you and your brother finally spoke to one another." Xavier began with his fingers steepled together.

"We did. " Loki said shortly, turning only slightly to look at him from his position standing in front of a bookshelf. Another meeting between them was held despite his hesitation to do so.

Xavier noted the tone but said pleasantly. "And you 'cleared the air' between you?"

Loki merely shrugged in response, "For the most part."

"I sense that you did not tell him everything, that you're holding something back. Do you think that's a good idea if you want him to trust you?"

Loki shifted on his feet knowing that the professor had struck a nerve. Quietly, the former god said, "He and the other Avengers would not believe me at present."

"Believe you?" Xavier inquired.

Loki waved a hand dismissively. "Never mind, I will tell them in my own time. "I doubt they will listen to me until I have been 'healed'."

Xavier understood that this line of inquiry was closed for the moment. He decided on a change of topic. "Since we are on the topic of families….." he trailed off and handed Loki a book that read. " Looking at my Shadow. Adoptee Children and Their Search for Family." He looked up, eyebrows raised.

The professor rested his chin on his interlocked fingers. "I think it's time we talked about your heritage. I also gave a copy to Thor."

Loki snorted, "It's hilarious that you think he will actually read it."

Xavier ignored Loki's rudeness. "If Thor doesn't, Doctor Banner will explain. I think he understands since he came from an abusive home."

Loki turned his head at this statement to look at Xavier, surprised. The physicist seemed so unassuming, humble and withdrawn from others. On the other hand, when anger took over Banner, he became a raging monster in a literal sense. Was that due being brought up by two families and enduring trauma as he himself did?

"That is his story to tell, I have no right to do so." Xavier added and then, "What you both will be reading can give me some insight on your childhood."

He turned to leave. "I'll let you go read. We'll meet again next week."

As expected the following week, Thor, Loki and Professor Xavier met in the library for the session.

"So, Thor, what did you think of the book?" Xavier questioned the older Asgardian who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Doctor Banner explained the types of abuse that takes place in families." Thor returned in a tone that sounded raspy and quiet. "Emotional as well as mental abuse."

"And you, Loki?" Xavier turned the question to him.

"I understood that children often wonder who they are, and upon finding out, feel rejected by the birth parents despite love from an adoptive one." Loki answered pensively.

"Thor, you didn't know that Loki was a Jotun until his fall from the Bi-Frost, is that correct?" Xavier turned his attention to the Thunderer, who nodded meekly.

"Alright. Now Loki, I want you to tell me how you discovered that you were a Jotun."

So Loki delved into the tale of how he had been touched on the arm in the Jotunheim by one of the warriors and rather than being burned, his skin had turned blue. How he had not believed it was true that he might be Jotun until he'd gone down to the vaults and picked up the Casket of Ancient Winters. How his skin had begun to turn into that of a Jotun. And how Odin had finally spoken the truth as to how he had come to live on Asgard as the King and Queen's second son and prince.

Thor for the most part, listened to this tale feeling dumbstruck. "So that's why…. that's why you killed Laufey and tried to destroy the Jotunheim. Were you trying to claim the Jotunheim rightfully as your own? Or Asgard? Is that why you came to Earth to tell me that Father was dead when he was not?" Thor's voice was growing louder, angrier with every sentence. "Why didn't you confide in Mother? In me?"

"You would have just laughed and thought it was one of my lies, Thor! Or you would have thought it merely a jest!" Loki was now shouting. "I was trying to prove that I was a good son, to erase that part of me that I despised the most!"

"Enough." Xavier called firmly, and the tension was soon cut off. "Therein lies the problem. To the extent that even you, Thor, in his youth, hoped to decimate them. But to him, it brought an identity crisis that made Loki question who he was. It would set anyone into a downward spiral." Xavier rebuked the Thunderer.

Then Xavier turned to Loki, "the propaganda extended not only to Thor but to you as well. You thought you were Asgardian. Knowing the truth, you were afraid that you'd be persecuted or pushed out of Asgard if your true origins were discovered. Hence partially why you tried to destroy Jotunheim."

Thor sat back, stunned. "Loki, I heard your words before you…. let go of Gungnir. It was only then that I understood that you were trying to prove yourself worthy, or as equal. I don't care if you're a Jotun, brother. What I said, all the jokes I spoke were made in ignorance and thoughtlessness. We cannot go back to how we were as children, but perhaps we can begin to repair our relationship. You're as much an Asgardian as any in our realm."

"I think we've made good progress today." Xavier finally said as the two brothers fell silent. "I think it is time we end our session. Sometimes it is better to just walk away from things and go back to them later when you're in a better frame of mind."

TBC...