Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

More than a year has passes since Thor brought Loki back to Asgard after the battle of New York. More than a year has gone by with the God of Mischief locked away in a cell in the depths of Odin's palace. Everyone knows there's more to Loki's punishment than simple imprisonment, but like all Asgard, Thor doesn't know all the details. It's better that way. The Asgardians imagine whatever punishment they believe suits the war criminal, and there is no one to say they are wrong. It's better that Thor doesn't know because there is no way he would be able to tolerate such treatment of his brother, deserved or otherwise. All the Thunder God knows is that terrible things do in fact happen to his younger brother down in that awful cell. He visits him one a week and is always surprised by what he sees.

Loki hardly looks like a being who spends much of his time in torment. He is thinner than before, and paler. Neither of which Thor had thought possible. But other than this, he looks much the same now as he always has. Occasionally, the guards warn Thor before his visits that Loki will be especially tired after an "intensive session." But when Thor speaks with his brother himself, he cannot tell this from any of his brother's behavior. The only sign of weariness in the God of Mischief is in his eyes. On these days, those normally brilliant green eyes seem to fade and flickers they dart about the small room anxiously. The nervousness itself signals Thor that his brother is not entirely well, but his eyes are what truly disturb him. Thor is careful to keep is visits brief on such occasions, so that Loki may rest. If Thor was to ask Loki about any of this or draw attention to his brother's apparent weakness in any way, the prisoner would firmly deny it all, maybe even get angry in his own over-defensiveness. But Thor knows it is all pride. He sees in Loki's eyes that he suffers, more than his pride will ever allow him to admit.

Despite Thor's persistence, Loki doesn't talk much, and when he does it is almost always hateful. If this punishment is meant to change Loki, it isn't working. Still the God of Mischief holds on to his hatred, his defiance, his accursed pride. Thor doubt that will ever change, and he doesn't wish it to. While he doesn't want his brother to hate him, he doesn't want to see him broken either. These qualities are what make Loki...well, Loki. Thor simply could never imagine his dear little brother without all his sarcasm and tricks. He is glad Loki has not been changed by his punishment. Only... he wants his brother to be sorry. Sorry for his careless disregard for the lives of mortals. Sorry for his self-justified genocide of the frost giants. Sorry for just not knowing the limit of how far he could push things before causing serious damage. The only thing Thor hopes for Loki to see in all this is the need for limits in his mischief, nothing more, nothing less.

But if Loki is learning anything at all from this is anyone's guess. He appears no different and speaks no different. Any lessons learned or sorrow felt is as well-hidden as the fallen prince's pain.

Thor descends the winding stairs, forging deep below Asgard. Even the mighty Thor feels tired by the time he has traversed this staircase; an escaping prisoner would never stand a chance.

He meets the usual set of guards at the bottom of the stairs. Being a place where all magic is impossible, Thor's identity is unmistakable, thus he is typically allowed to enter his brother's prison with no more than a mumbled word of caution. But today the guards hesitate to allow Thor entrance, casting nervous glances at one another. Thor stops in front of them, wondering what could possibly be the matter with them.

Finally daring to speak, one guard attempts an awkward explanation. "We would recommend you make your visit another day, sir."

"And why is that?" Thor doesn't know whether to be worried or just irritated.

"The- The prisoner is acting...peculiar, my lord."

"Does my brother not always act peculiar?" Thor almost laughs at their reason for not permitting him to see Loki.

"I-" The guard stops, not knowing how to continue. He looks to his fellow guards for help, but they're no help. Thor can no longer hold back his laughter, and feeling foolish, the guards step aside.

Thor walks through the door as soon as the guards open it for him. The door is closed and locked behind him as usual. Turning to face his brother, Thor's laughter dies in his throat. Normally, Loki would be standing in the center of his room, waiting for Thor and looking bored. This time, Loki lies on his back on the small bed provided for him, holding his hand u p above his face and simply staring at it.

"Loki? Brother?" The god of Mischief doesn't so much as glance his way. Thor walks closer to see what could possibly fascinate the trickster so. He grabs his brother's upheld arm and turns it so he can see Loki's hand. A single cut runs cleanly across the center of his left palm, and blood continues to trickle from the small wound. Thor is caught off-guard by the sight of Loki's blood as it is unusual for a god to bleed for so long from such a slight injury without his naturally accelerated healing repairing it in but a matter of minutes.

Angry at the way Thor had pulled his arm away, Loki jerks his arm back from the stunned thunderer.

"Brother! What has happened?" Loki only glares up at Thor, cradling his injured hand close to his chest. "Why have you not yet healed?"

When Thor tries to take hold of Loki's arm again, the trickster finally decides to answer him. "I have no magic here. Therefore, I am unable to heal myself." His voice is laced with annoyance, but he answer Thor, knowing full well that the longer he ignores the Thunder God the more unbearable an annoyance he would become.

"Do you not heal naturally?"

"Not as quickly as if I were elsewhere. Nor would you in this place. We are no better than lowly mortals here."

Thor frowns in disapproval. Choosing to ignore the 'lowly mortals' comment, the thunderer moves on to getting the cut taken care of, if only so Loki will stop staring at his own blood as if it is something completely fascinating. "Don't bother it so. We should bandage it that it may heal properly."

Now it is Loki's turn to frown. The God of Mischief watches as a stray drop of blood trails down his wrist. He wipes it away with his thumb, and his frown disappears as he slips back into his trance, rubbing the small drop of blood between his fingers and painting the dark red color over his pale skin.

"If a simple drop of blood is all it takes to quiet your silvertongue, perhaps we should have started pricking your fingers long ago." Thor smiles a little, trying to alleviate the awkward silence falling around them.

"It is funny...how so small a thing can put it all in perspective..."

"Loki?" Thor's brother is coming to worry him greatly.

"A single drop of blood...the very key to life...so simply spilled. The mortals are so fragile - their life force so easily spent - it would take so little to empty them of that which keeps them alive... And I suppose, for now, I am no different. I bleed and watch my life so slowly slip away. I know this will not kill me, but I have never before seen my blood flow so freely as it does now... Asgardian healing would take away the worst of even the most perilous of wounds... Why should something so vital be lost so effortlessly?"

"Brother?" Thor is unsure of what to say. Is this a hint of sorrow for what he's done? Possible value seen in life, even of mortals? Or is Loki simply going mad?

"How many have I killed, Thor?"

"Are you sure you truly wish to-"

"Thor."

"Too many. It is too many to say."

"As I thought... They were weak."

"Brother!" Thor is appalled by this shift in the conversation, perhaps more than he should have been, but he was beginning to believe Loki may really feel a shade of regret for what he had done. But then that! "You can't possibly mean that, Loki!"

"Any who dies so easily deserve the death that comes to them."

"Only a moment ago, you said you were no better than these mortals you now say deserve to die! Do you merit the same fate then?"

"I do."

"Loki, could you honestly think so little of life?"

"Honestly?" Loki laughs, a harsh sound that makes Thor wish to distance himself from disturbed man before him. "You forget to whom you speak, brother!" The God of Lies speaks the last word with such contempt that it is several minutes before Thor dares to break the silence.

"If this is how you really are, perhaps you are truly as lost as everyone believes."

Loki is taken aback by his brother's comment, but then nods. "Perhaps I am." The trickster closes his eyes for a moment, as if he is genuinely bothered by this realization.

"I actually thought you may be changing or at least be coming to understand where you went wrong, but I see that is a fool's hope."

Loki opens his eyes and glares up at Thor, having just been given the spark he needed to hide his hurt. The God of Mischief stands so that he is nearly at eye level with the Thunder God. "And what a fool you are for believing in it, in me." The trickster's drip with poison as they fall on Thor's ears. " You actually believed that one drop of my blood is all it would take to- to show me the 'error of my ways?' To teach me the 'value of life?' To make me sorry?! No... No, I'll admit I have gained an understanding of what I have done, but I regret nothing." Loki smiles at Thor now, only increasing the air of madness about him.

Thor's anger rises to match Loki's. "I had expected better of you, Loki. You are too stubborn and prideful for your own good. If one drop of blood can make you understand, maybe spilling the rest will teach you remorse!" The God of Thunder's voice increased in volume so that he is shouting by the end. The guards outside exchange uneasy looks at hearing the brothers' raised quarrelsome voices. Could Thor mean what he says? And more importantly, could he be right?

Laughter fills the small room, echoing off the walls and ceiling. the trickster reaches up towards Thor's face, and the God of Thunder just glares at his deranged little brother, virtually daring the smaller god to hit him. But Loki only wipes his bloody hand across Thor's face, painting his brother's face in blood as his own is covered by a wicked grin.

Disgusted and angry, Thor punches the God of Mischief, a solid blow to the stomach which sends Loki flying back against the wall. The trickster crumples to the floor with a groan. Thor turns to leave as his brother gasps for air, trying to recover the breath that had been knocked out of him by the thunderer. Without looking back, Thor storms out of the room and up the stairs. The guards peek inside the cell to see Loki carefully picking himself up off the floor, looking like he could kill someone just by glaring at them.

By the time Thor reaches the top of the stairs, he already regrets his words and his actions. Loki is troubled, but he is not beyond hope. And it certainly helps nothing for Thor to tell his brother that he is beyond saving, it would likely be the only time Loki would take his words to heart. And hitting his brother while he is unable to heal from any damage Thor might have done was not the best course of action either. Thor would have to visit Loki again soon - within the next couple of days this time - to make sure he's alright and to apologize for his outburst. But for now, Thor leaves behind the darkened staircase, weary from this most recent ordeal with Loki.

Chapter Text

How did his brother always manage to tire him so? Thor lies down in his bed, still feeling drained from his argument with Loki. He hated to think of what the trickster had done and the punishment for it, and thanks to all that, Thor just didn't know how to handle his little brother anymore. He knew he should probably hate him... but he can't. Loki is his brother, no matter what he's done. So, Thor will continue to love him and do what he can to help him, even during his imprisonment.

So how could he have said such things to the little brother he claimed to love? How could he have told the troubled trickster he was as hopeless as everyone believed? Thor knows he's the only one who still holds hope for Loki, so how could he have told him otherwise? And then go so far as to hit him for agreeing? Thor curses himself for not controlling his anger better. Loki was undoubtedly hurt by it, even if he pretended otherwise, and he would hold it against Thor for the rest of his life. He had given Loki just one more reason to hate him...

Thor tosses and turns under the covers, unable to quiet his mind enough to sleep. He is feeling tremendously guilty for his harsh treatment of Loki this morning. He tells himself he'll go see Loki again soon and apologize, but nothing seems to settle his conscience.

The Thunder God abandons his attempts to sleep, instead aiming to make his body as active as his mind. Thor leaves his room and starts walking. With no aim or purpose, he just feels the need to keep moving. Still he is plagued by his guilty conscience, and his feet race to keep up with his mind. Thor finds himself running down the endless corridors of the palace, fleeing his own thoughts but to no avail.

Thor dashes around a corner and skids to a stop as he spies a shadow moving ahead of him. He slowly approaches the figure as he recognizes the warrior before him. He tries to look as if he hadn't just been racing about like a madman. Thor doubts he would find sympathy here.

Sif looks up at Thor as he gets draws near. Her face is cool and shows no emotion, but she too looks almost as tired as Thor. "What brings you here at such an hour, Thor?"

"Sleep proves difficult for me this night. And what of yourself?" Thor stands next to Sif and joins her in gazing out the window at the moonlit garden below.

"I do not wish to sleep."

Thor knows there's something bothering the warrior woman, but he's known her long enough to know when it is best to leave her be. Sif is not usually one to share her feelings, and if you value your life you don't try to pry. So, Thor simply nods and continues to look out the window, glad to have company now other than his own torturous thoughts.

"You worry for your brother." It was not a question. Thor looks at Sif, surprised that she could read him so easily when she had not so much as glanced at him since he came to stand beside her.

"No, of course not. Why should you think that?"

"Leave the lying to your brother, Thor. I know of what happened in his cell this morning."

Thor is shocked at this news. Did all of Asgard know of his argument with Loki? "How did you hear that?"

"You forget my brother is Heimdall. While he does not always tell me what he sees, it is not uncommon for me to hear of something like this." Sif looks at Thor and sees his worried expression. "Don't worry. I don't mean to tell any others."

"Thank you, Sif. It is better that none know that I too lost hope in my brother, even if only for a moment. Someone has to believe in him, Sif."

The Lady nods and smiles lightly at the prince of Asgard. "Your faith in him is admirable, Thor, misplaced as it is." Thor opens his mouth in protest, but Sif raises her hand to stop him as she continues. "But I know better than to argue that with you." Sif laughs at the memory of the painful sparring session after she had made the mistake of trying to sway Thor's loyalty to his brother. Thor smiles too.

An argument with Sif is simple. You can argue your point all you want, but you're not likely to change her mind. But if you spar her afterwards, you can earn her respect despite her disagreement, plus it gets all the anger out of the way as well. Why couldn't things be so simple with Loki? Thor's brother could make an argument better than anyone in Asgard, but if you did happen to outmatch him then he would hold it against you forever. Or he would get even, and nobody wants to have a score settled against them by the God of Mischief. Loki can hold a grudge longer than anyone Thor knows, and he likely has more grudges held against Thor than the thunderer can even count. Thor can't help but feel he'll never be able get his brother back.

"Hey! You actually looked like yourself for a minute. Don't get all sulky on me again." Sif hits Thor's shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts. "If it helps, I think he will forgive you."

Thor stares at Sif in surprise. He knows Sif doesn't know Loki as well as he does, but he thought she knew him enough to know the trickster never simply 'forgives' someone, especially Thor. "And why should he do that?"

"Because Loki can only hold on to his hatred for so long. We all get angry, we hold grudges, and eventually we must let them go. No one can stay angry for ever; it would be exhausting. Loki is no different. He simply stays angry longer."

"Then what will it take to make him let go of his grudges?"

Sif pauses to think that over for a moment. "I can't say, but you know him better than I. If he can't let go on his own, then something will push him to his limits eventually."

"Is it wrong for me to look forward to that day? That my brother should be broken so? And only so he will let go of petty grudges against me? Sif, can I really be so selfish?"

"Come now, Thor. You are not selfish for looking forward to something all Asgard longs to see. Loki will be better off when he learns to let go."

Thor says nothing else, but instead leans forward against the edge of the window. He stares down at the garden, once again lost in his own thoughts. He doesn't know how long he stays there, but when the God of Thunder finally looks up, Sif is gone. As it was late in the night when Thor had first set out from his room, he figures dawn cannot be far now. So with sluggish steps, Thor returns to his room to try to get a couple hours of sleep before the new day begins.

The prince of Asgard tosses and turns, still struggling to find sleep. But finally when the night is all but gone, Thor's exhaustion gets the better of his guilty thoughts, and the thunderer falls into an uneasy sleep. But that only opens him to the horrors of his subconscious, and gives his guilt free-reign over his sleeping mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Loki lies on the floor looking up at Thor, his eyes communicating pure terror in place of their usual hatred. Thor takes a step towards his brother and wonders what could possibly have him looking so scared. The trickster scrambles back across the floor, trying to get as far from the Thunder God as possible. When his back hits the wall, Loki looks back at the rough stone as if it had betrayed him. The God of Mischief braces himself as if expecting to be struck but stares up at Thor with wide pleading eyes. And it is only now that Thor realizes that Loki is covered in blood, all the trickster's own.

Loki is bleeding from many wounds all over his body. His clothes are ripped and torn. The God of Mischief looks like he's been through hell. But why? And why is he looking at Thor as if he is the one to save him?

Thor takes another step towards the beaten trickster. Loki abandons his pleas for help and ducks his head, effectively hiding his face from his brother. What had Thor done to stir up such fear in the God of Mischief?

The Thunder God pauses as he realizes there's something in his hand, but he can't identify what is. He has to look down at his own hand to see what he holds.

Grasped tightly in Thor's hand is a long black whip. Blood glistens near the end of it, and it is suddenly clear to Thor why Loki is so afraid of him. The blood is Loki's, and the cause is the whip in Thor's hand. Thor should have been horrified by this realization, but instead he smiles sadistically as he looks at the whip.

Smile still in place, Thor snaps the whip across his brother's arms, raised in a feeble defense of his face. The God of Thunder admires the way the blood flows from the fresh wounds on Loki's arms. The blood trickles like shadows in the dull light, and the trickster's cry of pain is like music to the thunderer's ears.

Thor snaps the whip again, this time across the back of Loki's ill-protected head. Blood soaks the trickster's hair, matting it against his scalp. The God of Mischief makes no sound but immediately moves his hands to clutch a this freshest injury. Displeased with Loki's silence, Thor snaps the whip again, harder this time, at his brother's now exposed face.

Loki lets out an anguished cry as the delicate skin is sliced by the unforgiving weapon. In a desperate attempt to save himself, the trickster leaps to he feet and charges at the Thunder God without a second's hesitation. He shoves the older god, trying to knock him to the ground that the God of Mischief may have a chance to get away. But Thor is much stronger than his battered little brother. When Loki hits him, he doesn't fall to the floor as Loki had hoped nor does he so much as take a single step back, rather he catches the broken trickster by his hair and effortlessly hurls him to the floor once more.

The God of Mischief lands face-down on the floor with a pained groan. Thor laughs at his foolish little brother's pathetic attempt to save his own worthless life. Before Loki can even try anything else, Thor lashes out mercilessly with the whip. The trickster cries out as another gash joins the uncountable others already marring his back.

But after Loki's attempt to flee, Thor is finished toying with his brother. Loki is a monster; he must be punished. And he dare try to run away from such justice? Unacceptable.

Thor does not pause any longer than he must to recoil the whip for maximum damage. It is time to end this madness, and he will end it with the God of Mischief's great suffering. Loki writhes in pain in a pool of his own blood on the floor of his dreary cell, now to be his tomb. It is not long before his screams fade to whimpers, and his thrashing stills to mere twitching. And Thor knows his brother's end is near.

The God of Thunder drops the whip and kneels down next to his dying brother. Loki's breathing comes in shallow gasps, and his eyes stare ahead unseeing. The color has drained from the trickster's eyes, leaving the once vivid green orbs lifeless and dull.

Thor puts his hand around the broken god's throat and lifts him from where he lay on the floor. In one quick movement the thunderer pins his brother against the wall and draws a dagger from his belt. He holds the tip of the blade against Loki's chest but does not harm him with it, yet. The God of Mischief feels the sharp weapon pressed against him, and in a final plea for mercy the trickster locks eyes with the Thunder God.

"Brother, please..."

But Thor pays Loki's begging no heed. He plunges the dagger into his brother's heart and watches as a final spark of life finds its way to Loki's eyes. His eyes shine feverishly bright as his mouth opens in a silent scream.

What feels like an eternity later, the trickster's eyes once again fade to a dull grey, and his body falls still. His eyes gently close never to open again as his last breath leaves his body. Loki is no more. Thor smiles smugly at the death of his weak little brother who had long deserved a far worse death than this.

But as the God of Thunder stares at the motionless form and closed eyes of his brother, he feels a strange sense of panic rising up from somewhere far in the back of his mind. He looks rapidly from Loki's unnaturally calm face to the dagger in his chest - the one still held in Thor's now shaking hand. The prince of Asgard frantically looks back to his brother's face and then to the dagger again.

He had done this... He had beaten Loki, tortured him even... And when Loki had actually asked for mercy...he had stabbed him...

Thor had killed his little brother.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thor suddenly sits up in bed, breathing heavy and drenched in sweat. He had just dreamed of killing Loki... Could his guilty subconscious really go so far? Sure, he had been harsh to his brother, but to torture and kill him? Surely, his minds had gone too far.

Hadn't it?

Try as he may, Thor can't shake the sense of dread welling within him. He has an awful feeling that something isn't right, and no matter how much he tells himself that he's just being foolish the feeling doesn't let up. But Thor can't just go running to Loki's cell in the middle of the night simply because he had a bad dream. He would go see his brother first thing in the morning, but for now he just needs to calm himself down.

"Sometimes it's just better not to sleep." Thor mutters to himself as he climbs out of bed. Sluggishly, the prince dresses and trudges from his room. He would go for a walk through the gardens and wait for dawn.

Chapter Text

As soon as the sun is up, Thor hurries to Loki's cell. He had planned to apologize to his brother for what he'd done anyway, but his guilty conscience is forcing him to go much sooner than he would have liked. It makes him appear weak to hurry back so soon just to say he's sorry. Not that Thor cares at the moment, he needs to see his brother, now.

He takes the stairs two at a time in his haste. The seven guards waiting at the bottom hear him long before they see him. When the Asgardian prince approached them, they did not move aside for him. After yesterday, Thor isn't surprised by their hesitation.

"Is he still acting strange then?"

"Umm yes, sir."

Thor gives the guard who spoke a quizzical look. He knows his visit is unexpected, but hwy such hesitation? Thor lets it go for now and merely shrugs. "I must speak with my brother."

"Th- This is a bad time, sir."

At first all Thor can do is stare in surprise. Had they really just denied him entrance to Loki's cell? "What do you mean a bad time?"

"The prisoner is not well, my lord." A different guard speaks up this time, and Thor turns to face him. This guard is considerably larger than the first and shows no hesitation in speaking to Thor.

"What is it that ails him?" Thor asks, growing suspicious. The sense of dread from the night before flares back to life in Thor now.

"It is best you leave now, my lord."

Not only did this guard not answer Thor's question, but he had dismissed him! That is simply unacceptable! Thor glares at the guard, considering swinging Mjolnir at him right here and now. With a tremendous effort, Thor manages to hold back his temper a little longer. "Know your place, guardsman. It is only for civility's sake that I ask your permission."

The guard straightens and presents an air of arrogance that rivals Thor's own. "And it is only in respect that we allow the prince to make such unauthorized visits."

And that's it. Thor's anger spills over, and before the guard can pronounce another haughty syllable, Mjolnir collides with the side of his face with a loud crack. The guard crashes to the ground, and the others spring into action. Two guards rush the thunderer, while the three others move to surround him. They collide with Thor and succeed in knocking him back, but not to the ground. As he stumbles Thor raises Mjolnir again, and the instant he regains his balance, neither guard has time to so much as realize their mistake when the Thunder God's hammer bashes their sides. Both men fall to the ground, gasping and wheezing for breath. Meanwhile, the other three have managed to surround Thor as best as three men can. The first attacks Thor with his sword from behind, but Mjolnir easily deflects it. The God of Thunder turns just in time to avoid another man rushing at him from the left. With a deft blow to the back, Thor sends the man hurling into the man on his right, leaving the two guards in a tangled pile of limbs and armor on the ground. As the final attacker charges at the Asgardian prince with his sword raised high, Thor swings Mjolnir with incredible speed and strikes the guard's chest. He crashes into the far wall and lets out a pained groan as he collapses on the floor.

His attackers defeated, Thor turns to the door to Loki's cell and is surprised to find a single guard still blocking his path; it is the guard who first spoke to him. The God of Thunder takes a step towards the guard, but the man doesn't attack like the others. "I- I will not b- bar you entrance, sir. You m- may go in if you l- like." Thor is caught off-guard by this but lowers Mjolnir and nods.

The last guard steps aside for Thor, clearly avoiding looking at his fallen comrades. The Thunder God quickly pulls the door open and steps inside the cell. The door falls closed behind him and the sound echoes ominously off the walls of Loki's prison. Then a heavy silence blankets the room, even Thor's breathing seems to stop as his gaze falls upon his little brother.

Loki lies still on his small bed, not showing any sign that he realizes Thor is there. His eyes stare dully up at the ceiling, and his skin is deathly pale. As Thor moves closer he notices the blood. The dark red substance stains his brother's face as if his nose has been broken, and nearby bruising suggests the same. Looking down at his brother's body, the next thing to catch Thor's attention is the trickster's arms. The sleeves of his shirt have been rolled up to his elbows, and long cuts run from his wrist nearly to the cloth. Blood is dried on his skin, and a few nasty bruises cover the rest of the pale flesh there. Thor doesn't look any further though he suspects similar injuries cover the res of his brother's body as well. But what happened?!

"Loki? Brother, can you hear me?"

The God of Mischief blinks and turns his head to look at Thor, slowly as if it takes all his strength just for the simple movement.

"Brother, what has happened to you?" Thor is struggling not to panic a she realizes that Loki looks very much the way he did in that awful dream. So weak, so broken... and entirely Thor's fault. But this couldn't possibly be Thor's fault, could it?!

"You said it yourself," when Loki speaks his voice is no more than a strained whisper, and Thor must get close in order to make out his words. "Maybe spilling the rest of my blood will make me sorry."

Thor is horrified. This really is his fault... "No... I did not mean for this to happen."

"And yet it happened, Thor." There's not even a hint of malice in Loki's voice when he speaks. The trickster no longer possesses the energy to be more than a little spiteful towards his brother.

Thor looks down at the dirty stone at his feet, feeling consumed with guilt once again. "Who did this?"

"You mean who is at fault for my dying? We both know that would be you of course. You-" Loki coughs, and his whole body trembles from it. His face contorts in pain, and he closes his eyes for a moment. When he opens his eyes, he sighs and continues on, sounding completely defeated. "The guards overheard. Guess they thought it a good idea as well."

Thor thinks back on what Sif said, that some day Loki would be too weakened and exhausted to hold onto his hatred, and Thor may have his brother back. Loki certainly doesn't seem so hateful now... And he's certainly weak and exhausted... But would he even live long enough for there to be any chance for reconciliation between the brothers? "Brother... are you sorry? For what you did? For anything?"

"Am I? What if not? Would you have me tortured until I am?" Loki manages to force his voice to sound bitter, but his eyes betray how weary he truly is.

"Loki! I told you this was never my intention! I had nothing to do with this. I know I should not have said what I did, and I am sorry. But you must believe me, brother, this is not my doing!" Loki winces as the thunderer starts shouting at him. Thor bites his tongue when his brother cringes away from him. This is helping nothing.

Loki coughs again, even breathing becoming too much of an effort for him. "It doesn't matter now."

"It does! Loki, listen to me! I..." Thor trails off as Loki's coughing becomes more violent. "Brother..." But the trickster no longer hears him; he has already been pushed past his limit. Loki's eyes close, and his head falls against his shoulder. Thor feels his heart drop. He can't lose Loki, not like this, not because of something foolish he had said in anger... There must be something he can do! But what?!

Thor sees the slow rise and fall of his brother's chest, and tries to calm himself. So long as Loki draws breath, Thor will not give up on him. He can't just leave him here now. Thor must do something to help Loki.

Determined now, the God of Thunder gently picks his brother up and holds him close as if he is only a child. With Loki in his arms, Thor walks out of the trickster's cell. The guard outside looks at the brothers, unsure of what to do.

"Take them to the healing room." Thor says as he nods towards the guards still lying unconscious on the floor. "My brother is my responsibility now." The timid guard quickly agrees and hurries to do as his prince commands.

Thor begins the long walk back up to the palace, careful not to disturb Loki as he climbs to steps. All the way to Thor's chambers, Loki does not stir. The thunderer lays his brother down on the bed, and sets about tending to his wounds Thor always keeps basic first-aid supplies in his room so he can easily take care of any slight injuries form a sparring session. And now he uses them to bandage his brother's arms and to tend to a number of other injuries. Judging from the bruising, Thor believes at least two of Loki's ribs are broken and likely his right arm as well. Thor regrets not killing the guards when he had the chance. They had beaten his brother and drained him of much of his blood. He should have killed them...

Healers probably could have restored Loki almost to normal in a matter of hours, but considering Thor had technically just broken his brother out of prison, going for help isn't really an option at this point. So, Thor does the best he can to tend to Loki, and he hopes against hope that it will be enough to save him...

Chapter Text

Frigga smiles to herself as she watches her husband pace about their chambers in a fit of rage. Of course she's not happy about his anger, especially since he is venting it by shouting at her, but she pays him no mind, simply glad that she had finally persuaded him to leave the search for Loki to the warriors and enchanters for the time being. Word had come to Odin only an hour after daybreak that his youngest son had somehow managed to escape his prison. The Allfather had immediately stormed down to the cell to see for himself and was appalled to find it true. How could it be after all? He knew all that had happened to Loki down there, and there should have been no way for him to escape after that... At first, the king of Asgard suspected his own wife may have had something to do with it, as she was the only person besides he who knew about the torture, and she had been none too happy when she found out. But one look at the sincere concern on her face told him she couldn't possibly have helped him, if she had she wouldn't look so worried. Odin doesn't understand how Frigga could possibly muster so much compassion for the God of Mischief. Loki may have been her son once, but he had long since turned his back on that. Odin had done the same, but Frigga would still gladly give her life for the trickster.

So, the queen listens patiently to her husband's ranting, happy that her troubled son is at least temporarily free yet concerned as to his condition. At least in his cell, the guards would have made sure that Loki would not die from his wounds. Sadly, Frigga knows there's nothing more she can do to help him; she's done all she can already...

"And then the only guard he leaves standing can't even remember anything? Am I supposed to believe the man was truly scared witless?! What kind of men do I have guarding my home?! Such incompetence!"

Frigga sighs, at last growing weary of all the shouting. "Perhaps it is the work of a memory charm, dear."

"What?" Odin stops his pacing to look at her a moment, thinking over that volunteered possibility. But his anger returns as quick as it vanished. "Why? Why would Loki bother with that? We would still know he had defied me!" The Allfather lets out a sound most resembling a growl as he attempts to gain control over his anger. When next he speaks, his voice is gentler, somewhat. "Besides, erasing memories to hide himself has never been Loki's way."

"No, I suppose you are right." That may not be Loki's way, but it is Frigga's. A frown creases the saddened queen's face as she goes on. "He always wanted people to remember him."

Odin looks towards his wife, surprised by her words, wondering if she had meant them as accusingly as it sounded. Unable to read the melancholy look on Frigga's face, the Allfather sighs in exasperation and storms from the room.

Frigga sits on the edge of the bed, and a single tear trails down her face. What is her family coming to? Loki in prison, Thor having put him there, Odin sentencing his own son to torture, and now everyone is trying to hunt him down as if he were no better than a wild animal...

But a mother's love runs deep, and Frigga is a prime example. That is why even now she tries to protect her youngest son. Odin may not have heard of Loki's escape until an hour after dawn, but Frigga heard only minutes after the sun had risen. The guard who had been unable to tell what exactly had happened had met the queen in the hallway when he was bringing the first of his injured friends to the healing room. He was quite distressed and told Frigga all that had happened in Loki's cell the past couple days. Knowing a great deal of trouble lay ahead for both her sons now, the queen buys them time - time to recover, time to escape, time to allow Odin to calm down, time for anything really. So, Frigga wove a simple but powerful memory charm around the guard's memories of the morning, erasing them with no possible trace within a matter of minutes.

Therefore, none but Frigga knows of Thor's involvement or the nature of Loki's escape. It is hard to say how difficult things will be when all this comes to light, but some things are just worth the risk...

Frigga roams the busy hallways, too restless to simply sit in her chambers while her children are in danger. She is careful to avoid anywhere she thinks the boys may be hidden. After all the trouble she had gone through to keep the guard quiet, to have herself be the one to discover Loki's whereabouts just would not do. Her thoughts never leave him though. How is he? Will he be alright without the guards ensuring he lives? Can he recover without a healer? Is Thor taking care of him? And what about Thor? Where is he? How is he?

Frigga chokes back a sob, her worry threatening to shatter her resolve. But being the strong queen she is, Frigga quickly composes herself again and admonishes herself for the moment of weakness. Luckily, there was no one around to see it. And so, the queen keeps walking, going anywhere her sons will not be.

Only she is completely surprised when she stumbles across none other than Thor himself. Her heart leaps in fear at what his appearance out in the hallways could mean.

"Mother? What are you doing out here? Father said you were staying in your chambers, where you would be safer." Thor's voice grows rougher at the last part, and Frigga can see Odin's words bother Thor as much as they do her.

"Safer? Don't be foolish. You know how your father can be." She makes no excuses for Odin, but she does not wish to discuss the matter presently nonetheless. "I was unaware you too were hunting for your brother." Frigga's voice is cold, distant, and almost accusing as she speaks to her elder son.

"Well, I..." Thor falters under his mother's critical gaze. What is he to tell her? He dares not tell her the truth... And he never would have guessed that she already knew it anyway.

"Thor! Wait for us. Going in groups doesn't do us much good if you run ahead so." Sif calls out to Thor as she and the warriors three hurry down the hallway towards them.

Thor looks back to Frigga and merely shrugs. The queen of Asgard responds with a knowing nod, and Thor can't help but wonder just how knowing it really is. But without another word, Thor joins the other warriors and leads them down an adjacent hallway. "Come, friends! This way! He is surely to be here!"

Frigga almost laughs aloud as she realizes Thor is leading them all towards the training grounds, the last place Loki would ever go, even if only to hide. Fandral grumbles to Volstagg as they pass the queen, not noticing her as she steps aside into the shadows. "Yes, just as he was sure to be in the throne room, the barracks, and the armory."

The queen smiles to herself once more. So, Thor really is still helping Loki, if not in the way she had expected him to be. That is alright. The situation is delicate. If Thor didn't help search when asked he may as well admit guilt right there. Frigga is proud of Thor and hopes Loki will be too, provided he lives long enough to be... But Frigga shakes off that last thought. No use over-worrying herself now. There is nothing she can do to change anything at this time. All she can do is have faith in her sons to make it through this.

It is on that hopeful note, the queen resumes her walk through the palace, simply observing all the frantic activity surrounding her. And all the while, Frigga cheers on the fugitive invoking such utter chaos in her home. Oh, what her world has come to!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For hours Thor leads his friends in circles about the palace, claiming each place would most definitely be Loki's hiding place. Of course he knows that none of these places will be. He's the only one who truly knows where his brother is, and one of the few who would keep it secret. Keeping up appearances though, Thor hurries about with Sif and the warriors three, supposedly in search of the God of Mischief.

"Enough, Thor. You clearly do not know Loki as well as you think you do. Let us call it a night." Sif complains as they trudge through yet another muddy training field. The sun sits low in the sky, and most other search parties have already ceased their efforts.

Thor turns to Sif, hurt by her words. "What do you mean I don't know my own brother?"

Sif sighs, realizing her mistake. "Only that fighting is not in Loki's nature, as you well know. So why would he be out here?"

Thor frowns as if that hadn't even occurred to him, keeping up his act well. He can't help but think his brother would be proud if he knew of Thor's miraculously successful deception. Lying is against Thor's ethics, but if it will save his brother, it will be worth it. "I... suppose you're right. Should we go to the palace library then? He used to spend much of his time there."

Fandral shakes his head, looking as tired as Sif. "guards have already been sent there hours ago."

"This is a waste of time." Hogun shows no sign of exhaustion, only annoyance. "He just escaped from prison. Why would Loki stay here?"

"Aye, he's far from Asgard by now, I'd reckon." Volstagg says as he slumps down on a nearby bench.

Sitting down next to the warrior, Sif says, "No. The Allfather was certain that Loki is still in the palace. He's likely badly injured."

With a troubled groan, Thor drops to the ground, not even bothering to move to the bench before sitting. The warriors three say nothing, well aware that this is very difficult for Thor. They were a little surprised when Odin had instructed him to aid in the recapture of his brother. As if the first time had not been hard enough on the God of Thunder?

After several minutes, Sif stands and offers her hand to help Thor to his feet. "We should all get some rest. Everything shall be clearer in the morning's light." She gives a faint smile as Thor accepts her help. With a few calls of 'good night' and 'see you in the morning,' the group scatters, each returning to his own chambers for the night.

Thor makes a stop in the kitchens on his way, and a couple of servants promptly supply him with the goblet of water and loaf of bread he requested. Seeing as how Thor's search party had notably missed dinner, Thor had no need to worry about his request raising suspicion despite this not being the his usual choice of evening snack. The thunderer casually walks to his room, eager for rest and to check on his brother. He steps in and quickly closes the door behind him, relieved to find that no one had checked searched his chambers and that Loki had not tried to run off. Thor finds Loki lying right where he left him that morning. During the few minutes Loki was conscious before the Thunder God left him to join the search, the trickster had warned Thor in that he was going to attempt to charm the room so that none could enter save Thor himself, while Thor had his suspicions, he had allowed it. He had watched Loki struggle as he enchanted the room as well as hid himself from Heimdall's watch. Only seconds after his spells were complete, Loki lay gasping for air and coughing weakly. Thor had nearly panicked before his brother finally passed out and his breathing returned to normal. Thor hated leaving Loki after all that, but staying here to watch over him just hadn't been an option. So, he is certainly relieved to see Loki awake, his once again bright green eyes instantly darting to Thor when he steps into the room."How are you feeling, brother?"

Loki shrugs weakly and goes back to simply staring up at the ceiling as he's done since he awoke about an hour before. Thor sits down on the edge of the bed and checks his brother's injuries. He is healing, but it is going slowly, too slowly. Loki is still unnaturally pale and weak. "I brought you something to eat. It's not much, but I thought that best for you right now." Loki says nothing and shows no interest in the small piece of bread Thor offers him. Too weak even to eat... Thor frowns unsure of what to do now. "Some water then?"

The God of Mischief looks at Thor now, mentally struggling with not only trusting his brother again but also admitting he needed something from him. Finally, he nods shakily.

As carefully as he can, Thor helps Loki move to a sitting position so he won't have to worry about spilling the water. Knowing Loki would have trouble holding the cup, especially with his right arm being virtually useless to him, Thor lifts the goblet to the trickster's mouth. Loki hates having to be helped, and definitely to such an extent, but he appreciates the water, no matter how much he wishes he could deny it. Thor places the goblet back on the bedside table, and Loki closes his eyes. Why is Thor being so kind to him? Why is he trying to help him? After all that has happened, why does his supposed brother not hate him? Or does he? Is Thor only doing this out of guilt? Out of pity? Would he prefer to watch Loki suffer and die slowly like this?

So as Thor helps him to lie back down, Loki decides to simply ask. Whatever the truth is, he would rather know than be lied to or left wondering. "Thor-" Loki coughs before he can even speak another word. The thunderer watches him with great concern but waits for the coughs to end before resting his hand comfortingly on Loki's thin shoulder. When he finally has his breath back, the trickster looks straight into Thor's eyes, piercing green into shining blue. "Thor, do you hate me?" It sounded childish, but Loki must know the truth.

Thor stares at his brother in shock, unable to speak, unable to believe what he had just heard. He stutters for a while before forcing out a response. "Of course not, brother!" How could you say such a thing?" At his words, Loki looks as hurt as Thor feels, evoking confusion in the God of Thunder.

"Why? I hated you. I tried to kill you and enslave your beloved mortals. How could you not hate me in return?"

Thor notes that Loki said 'hated' rather than 'hate' and finds hope in it, but he figures it is best if he does not comment on that just yet. Better to wait until Loki is ready for such a conversation, and his brother seems to be struggling at the moment. So, Thor goes on as if he had not caught Loki's choice of words. "You're my brother," Loki starts to interrupt, but Thor raises his hand to silence him. "No matter where you came from. And nothing you can do will change that, though I hope you do not plan to make further attempts to change that." Thor smiles at his brother, glad to not see the anger he had expected, rather Loki simply appeared lost in thought. So, Thor decided to press his luck a little further. "I will always be here to help you find your way home. I love you, brother."

Loki's eyes open wide and all he can do is stare at Thor in amazement. He had asked if Thor hated him; the last thing he expected to be told was that he is loved. And the silvertongue has no words...

Believing he had pushed his brother too far, Thor says nothing more. He stands and moves about his room, looking for a suitable blanket as he will have to sleep on the floor tonight. Loki doesn't say anything else, but Thor must pretend he does not notice that his brother's eyes followed his every move. When he finally finds a blanket to his liking, Thor lies down in the floor to sleep. "Good night, Loki." Expecting no reply, Thor moves to get as comfortable as he can in the floor and ends up with his back to his little brother.

"Good night...brother."

Thor is glad his back is turned, for he is sure that Loki would have been embarrassed had he seen the bright smile which covered Thor's face at the word 'brother.'

Chapter Text

"Thor! Thor!"

The Thunder God wakes to the sound of an urgent knocking on the door of his chambers. He gives an unintelligible shout at the unwelcome visitor, finding it difficult to wake up this early after such a late night. "Wake up, Thor. I shall return in ten minutes. I expect you to be fit for conversation by then. There is a matter I need to discuss with you."

Thor sits up, suddenly awake upon realizing the man outside his door is Odin. He quickly turns to look for Loki, fearing there would be no sign of his brother. But the trickster sill lies peacefully on Thor's bed. Thor had always known his little brother to be a light sleeper; for Loki to have slept through the Allfather's wake up call is concerning indeed. The God of Thunder hurries to his brother and, not having time to wake him gently, begins shaking him.

After a few rough shakes, Loki wakes, his eyes opening lazily as his head is snapped forward then back again by Thor's carelessness. "Quick, brother. Odin will return soon." Loki's eyes open wide with fear, and he tries to stand that he may get away. But had Thor not still had a hold on him Loki would have fallen. The God of Mischief gasps as his world seems to spin about him and his legs refuse to support him. Thor frowns in worry, but there is not time for pity now. Thor scoops his brother up in his arms and looks about his room, desperately trying to think of somewhere he might hide the handicapped trickster.

He is still standing there when there is a sharp rap on his door. Loki's hand tightens on Thor's shoulder in panic. Unable to think of anything better, Thor simply sets his brother down o the floor at his feet. The trickster stares up at him in pure terror, but before he can say anything, Thor puts his hand over his mouth to silence him. "Under the bed. Can you crawl?" Loki looks unsure for a moment, but when another loud knock sounds at the door, he quickly nods his head. Faster than Thor thought possible in his condition, the trickster squirms underneath the thunder god's bed, shrinking out of sight.

This is a childish way to try to hide someone, but it's the best option available to them. Thor shambles over to the door, acting as if he is still merely half awake. When the thunderer pulls the door open, he is face to face with his father. Odin steps into the room, his face an unreadable mask as Thor closes the door behind him. "Thor, my son, have a seat. I wish to speak with you." The God of Thunder hesitates before moving to sit on his bed. "I know the past couple days have not been easy for you, and I am proud to see how well you bear this hardship, but I must ask, do you know where Loki is?"

Thor is shocked for a moment but plays it off as offense. "Of course not, father! You really believe I would lie to you?!"

Believing Thor to be genuinely offended by his question, Odin raises his hand in a placating gesture. "No, I do not, but it gives me a peace of mind to know I have asked and you have been honest with me."

The Thunder God feels a pang of guilt echo through him. He is no liar and he will never understand how Loki can do it with such ease that he merits the title 'God of Lies.' But with Loki's life on the line, now is not the time to be questioning such things. Thor gives a single tense nod, still maintaining his air of irritation with the Allfather's distrust.

Odin sighs and runs his hand over his face; he appears weary, and when he speaks it is as much to himself as it is to Thor. "We'll find him in the next couple days. He won't live much longer if we don't... but maybe that is for the better."

"You can't mean that, father!" Now Thor is genuinely angered. "You would see your son die? Lost and alone as he is?"

"My son? No." Odin looks to Thor with a grim expression. "Loki is no son of mine. Yes, I would see him dead. When he's found I will not make the mistake of imprisoning him and hoping for a miracle again. I'll put an end to his trickery once and for all."

Thor is horrified by what he's hearing, and he hates to think of what effect Odin's words are likely having on Loki as he hides so near he must hear their every word. "Then why search for my brother at all? Let him go. Let him find his own way in the worlds and leave all this behind!"

Odin shakes his head, already settled firmly against such course of action. "I will not leave him to cause trouble for others. To leave my mistake for someone else to clean up would be cowardly. I shall end this myself when the time comes." The Allfather pauses a moment, his thoughts seeming to lead his mind far away. "Besides, after what's been done to him he has two days left to live at best. If he is not discovered by then we shall find his corpse soon enough."

Thor shudders at his words. How could Odin be saying such things about a boy he raised from childhood and claimed to love? Had it all truly been a lie? Perhaps Loki was right when he said he was no more than another of the Allfather's stolen relics... "So there is no hope for him?"

"No, Thor, Loki's days are numbered, and that number will run out soon enough." Finally seeing the effect his words are having on his son, Odin falls silent. An eerie quiet settles over the room like snow on Jotunheim, and Thor's foremost thought is a concern that Loki will have one of his increasingly frequent coughing fits. But so far Thor hasn't hear even the slightest sound from his brother. "I must go organize the search parties. Your help yesterday is appreciated, but you and your friends need not trouble yourselves it today." With that said, the Allfather crosses the room and steps out, closing the door behind him.

As soon as the door clicks closed, Thor jumps from the bed and kneels down in the floor to look under his bed. It takes his eyes a minute to adjust, but then he spies his little brother, laying flat on his stomach with his face turned away. Not expecting Loki to crawl out on his own, Thor reaches under the bed and takes hold of his brother's arm. As the thunderer tries to drag him from his hiding place, Loki gives a sudden cry of pain, and Thor realizes he had just attempted to drag the trickster by his broken arm. "Sorry. Can you come out on your own then?" Loki shakes his head in the small space he has to do so, still keeping his face hidden from Thor. The Thunder God sighs. He's not surprised by this; he expected it even. But he has no intention of leaving Loki lying beneath his bed all day. There is no time for that...

Thor smiles and pushes himself up off the floor as he thinks of an idea the trickster will not likely expect, or at least the thunderer prefers to think it's not expected. The God of thunder moves to the foot of the bed and, with a single movement, hauls the bed back to the opposite wall. He laughs as he must climb over, having trapped himself against the wall and he is pleased to see the look on Loki's face is indeed very surprised from the sudden action. The Thunder God drops to the floor next to his brother, still smiling until he gets a better look at the God of Mischief's face. Loki immediately tries to hide his face again, but Thor catches hold of his hair. Not having the strength to even attempt struggling, Loki simply lies still and closes his eyes.

The trickster's face is stained by tears, and his eyes are swollen with those yet unshed. Thor's heart drops at such a sight. He has not seen Loki cry since he was a child, and the sight now only further emphasizes how completely broken the God of Mischief is. Odin's words had done even more damage than Thor had realized... He had to get Loki away from here...

Fir now, Thor picks Loki up and carries him over to the bed. Not for the first time, Thor wishes he were as good with words as his brother. He has no idea what he could say to comfort the broken god. So, he does what precious little he can and sits down next to Loki, wrapping his arm around his little brother's shoulders.

And as much as Loki hates to admit it, he is glad to have Thor next to him right now. His world has fallen apart, he's been tortured almost to the point of death, the man he has fought to prove himself to all his life has just said he wishes him dead, he had nothing left... except his brother. Despite all that has happened, Thor is still determined to save him even though nothing he has ever done makes him worth saving. And after these most recent events, Loki finally allows himself to accept Thor's help. So, he finds much comfort now as he clings to his older brother and sheds the tears that have been buried for far too long.

As Loki's weakened body is pushed to its limits by this unexpected purging of bottled emotion, the trickster slips into a deep sleep.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As much as it pains him, Thor leaves Loki as soon as he is sure the trickster is asleep. Loki needs help, or he will die within two days. So, naturally, Thor must find help for his brother. He dares not involve his mother though she would be more than willing to do whatever need be done. However, Frigga is also the only person besides Thor himself who would willingly aid the God of Mischief. And this is why Thor knows they must leave this night. So, he gathers a small amount of food, only enough for Loki as the Thunder God could eat plainly at the evening meal before they set out. The thunderer also instructs a servant to have his horse ready for he wished to go riding once the moon had risen. The food and the horse considered, Thor's behavior was quite suspicious but it doesn't matter. He will be gone, and Loki with him, before anyone has the time to act on such suspicion.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thor hurries to his room after dinner, waiting until most others have already gone that he may buy as much time as possible for his and Loki's escape. To put them off his trail for a little longer, Thor even takes Sif with him when he exits the dining hall. The warrior woman can tell something is amiss, but she plays along convincingly until they are well away from prying ears.

"So what is it you really want, Thor?"

"Well, I-" Thor stops short, realizing she is no longer referring to their act. "I need your help."

Sif stops walking and instead faces Thor, her calculating eyes peering into his. "I thought as much. This involves Loki."

It was a statement, no t a question. Thor swallows anxiously and nods. "How did you know?"

"You wouldn't lie for anybody else. It's not who you are, but we bother know he is in serious trouble, and you would do anything if it could mean saving him."

Thor doesn't even try to deny her words. "Does anyone else suspect?"

She shakes her head. "I doubt it. I know you better than most and wasn't sure myself until just now."

"Good. So, will you help us?"

Sif thinks it over for a moment before agreeing. "I will. What do you need?"

"Only for you to go to my chambers and wait. I shall take Loki away tonight, and I need you to buy us as much time as possible."

Sif smiles. "Well, that's simple enough. I expected worse."

"Be careful, Sif. I do not wish to cause you trouble from all this."

The warrior woman laughs. "Don't worry about me. I think I've proven I can take care of myself."

"That you have." Thor smiles back at her as the two now rush towards his bedroom.

Light pours into the darkened room as the two push the door open. Going over to where Loki lie on the bed, Thor is unsurprised to see that the trickster hasn't touched the food he brought for him, though he is surprised to see that he is still asleep. The Thunder god turns to Sif and laughs lightly. "All he's done since I rescued him is sleep. You are not the only one to find their task easier than expected." The warrior woman laughs weakly as she looks at Loki's damaged form, and the expression on her face is almost sympathetic even. But of course she would never say so, and Thor knows better than to say anything. So, instead of commenting on Sif's strange look, he turns to wake up Loki, so they can be on their way. "Loki! Wake up, brother. We must go quickly." Thor gently shakes Loki, but the trickster does not stir. "Loki!" The Thunder God puts his hands on either side of his brother's face and turns his head so he can see his face. Loki looks like he is in great pain yet lingers in deep sleep - unable to weak up, unable to rest, helpless.

"You must get him help fast. He doesn't have long."

"Father said he likely had two days left."

"The Allfather was wrong. Loki will be lucky to live to see tomorrow. He must have done something to weaken himself further."

"His magic..." Thor recalls when Loki first woke up. He had used magic to try to hide himself and suffered greatly for it.

"Could be. Are you sure you can trust him should he wake?"

Thor is incredulous at her persistent distrust of his brother, especially with him like this. "Have you so little faith, Sif"

"Yes." She says, voice flat and emotionless. "Loki is a traitor. I trust him as much as you would a bilgesnipe. I help now for your sake, not his."

Thor sighs but nods as he scoops up his brother's limp form, careful of his many wounds that have yet to heal. "We thank you all the same." And he leaves Sif alone in his chambers. The God of Thunder moves quickly through the halls of the palace, deserted at this late hour. He made it outside without incident and makes his way to the stables. The servant he had sent earlier lay sleeping in a nearby haystack, and Thor is glad that the boy will be blameless in the matter this way. Thor lifts Loki up into the horse's saddle so that he leans against the animal's neck, then the thunderer swings up behind him.

As they gallop towards the Bifrost, the God of Thunder is actually relieved that his brother is unconscious, otherwise the rough ride no doubt would have caused him much pain. Thor looks back at his home in a silent goodbye, unsure of when he will next be able to return. He wonders if Loki will miss the place that was once his home too or if he would only be glad to leave it all behind.

Not daring to waste any more time, Thor dismounts the horse and, taking Loki in his arms once more, walks the last short way to Heimdall's newly rebuilt observatory The Gatekeeper steps out to meet the Thunder God. His face is unreadable, but he watches Thor as he approaches. The thunderer slow to a stop as he draws near.

"Heimdall, why have you not told my father of this? Surely, you of all people have known the truth from the start."

"I have, but I did not feel obligated to tell the Allfather that which he did not ask. In truth, Loki is hidden from my sight even now. Though I look upon his form in your arms, I do not see him truly. And at no time was I asked of your part in the matter."

"You helped find my brother when he attacked Midgard, why do you choose to be silent now?"

"I have seen and heard all that has befallen Loki since his return to Asgard, from whispered sorrow while he was alone to pleas for mercy during punishment. I have witnessed change in him, and should the son of Odin be willing to save his life, I shall honor you wish."

Thor smiles, gaining hope from Heimdall's words. Just as the Gatekeeper found a way around Loki's commands under his short rule of Asgard, so he did again now. Heimdall's oaths to Odin never covered the scenario that Thor would wish his actions hidden from his father, and with the Thunder God being the future king he demanded a certain loyalty as well. So, Heimdall is not required to inform Odin of Thor's doings should he wish them to remain hidden. And given Loki's ability to hide from Heimdall's sight anyway, he too is untraceable so long as his spell holds. Thor struggles to wrap his mind around all of the technicalities but he understands enough to trust him "Will you allow us to leave Asgard?"

"Us? You have an odd way of addressing yourself, future king. But if you wish it, I will use the tesseract to send you wherever you wish to go."

Thor mentally kicks himself. The more he slips up by saying 'us' and the like, the more difficult it will be for Heimdall to ignore Loki's presence and help them. But he goes on, to try to correct himself now would only make matters worse. "Midgard."

"You wish to return to your friends? The Avengers?" Heimdall asks, walking back into his observatory to retrieve the tesseract, which is currently the only way for the Asgardians to travel among realms now with the Bifrost still destroyed.

"I do." Thor follows, and as the Gatekeeper raises the cube to send him (and Loki) to Earth, he remembers the last crucial point to their escape. "And, Heimdall, speak of this to no one." The Gatekeeper nods and releases the tesseract's power. In a flash of blue light, the brothers vanish from Asgard, with Odin being none the wiser.

Chapter Text

"Thor, you're back? Good to see you again!" Today started like any other day for Steve Rogers, and the last thing he expected was for the God of Thunder to knock on the door of his apartment.

"It is good to see you as well, friend. I only wish the circumstances were better."

"What do you mean? Is something wrong?" Now realizing how tired Thor seems, Steve gets a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "It's not Loki, is it?"

"Well..." As Thor hesitates to continue Captain America looks down at the floor in disappointment. "It is a long story, and there is not time for it now, but I require your help."

Steve nods and looks back up at the thunderer. "Of course. Just tell me what you need."

Thor smiles gratefully at the Captain and takes a step back from the door as if preparing to leave. "I need to speak to the Man of Iron. I felt my chances of gaining his assistance would be better if I had you support."

"Thor, why wouldn't Tony help you? He may be selfish, but you're still his friend." Rogers frowns, sensing there is something that the Thunder God isn't telling him.

The god's smile fades as he takes another step away from the door and turns to look at something - or someone - lying in the floor. Following his friend, Steve stares speechless at the unconscious figure lying in the floor. Loki lies in the dimly lit hallway, seemingly near death and sound asleep. "How- How did he get here? Thor, what's going on?" Captain America is growing more concerned with each passing second. This just doesn't look good...

"I shall tell you everything as we travel, but I must get Loki help right away."

"Thor, is that really the best-"

"My brother is dying, Captain! I will not just stand aside and watch as he suffers. You do not know all that has happened to him since we returned home... Had I only known before..."

"Alright. I'll trust you on this one. Let's go." Steve agrees to help Thor, but he can't help the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach saying he will regret this. But he grabs his jacket and keys form beside the door and starts off down the hall. Thor picks up Loki and hurries after the Captain, relieved that his friend had agreed to help them.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The God of Mischief lies on a small hospital-like bed on the medical floor of Stark Tower. Tony's kept him sedated ever since Thor and Steve brought him here, yet he still has the same expression of pain etched on his face as before Thor brought him from Asgard almost three days ago. But Stark is certain Loki is in no physical pain; whatever makes him look so miserable dwells solely in the god's mind. Thor is glad to hear that his brother isn't suffering any more, but until Loki wakes up, the thunderer will not stop worrying about him.

Tony now stands next to Thor, keeping his friend company and wondering how it had come to this. Steve and Thor had shown up on his doorstep asking him to save the man who is supposed to be their enemy. They were unrelenting, and when the God of Thunder and Captain America are persuading you to do something, there's not really much room for refusal. Plus, Thor was spouting some sob story about Odin torturing and trying to kill Loki, and after taking one look at the trickster, Stark believed him. He couldn't understand how he was still alive, god or not. You could say a lot of things about Loki, but that he would give up easily is not one of them.

The main cause for Loki slowly dying was because he simply didn't have enough blood to keep himself alive any more. So, the answer should have been obvious, right? Just give him more blood; doctors do that sort of thing all the time, and it's no big deal. Problem solved? Of course not. Apparently normal human blood is toxic to Asgardians, or at least Jotuns; they didn't really want to test the theory on Thor. Loki's body fought the mortal blood like a disease, leaving him even worse off than before. As time ran short, Bruce, who had arrived later that same day to help out, thought to try Thor's blood as an alternative. Stark kicked himself for not thinking of it first but agrees it's certainly worth a try.

Now here they are two days later, watching as Loki's vitals return to some semblance of what Thor claims is normal for him. There had been some question as to what effects mixing Thor's Asgardian blood with Loki's Jotun blood may have, but they are all relieved to see none of the feared side effects presenting themselves. So, all that is left to do now is wait for the trickster to wake up from whatever nightmare he has fallen into now.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Harsh white lights burn Loki's eyes even with them closed. He tries to cover his face with his hands but instead finds he cannot lift his arms. In a panic, the trickster snaps his eyes open in spite of the blinding light. He is bound at his wrists to the bed on which he lies so he is unable to move his arms more than a couple of inches from his sides, and his right arm is twisted at an impossible angle and refuses to move at all. Loki looks anxiously about the room as a terrible fear rises in his mind. The trickster lies captive in a plain room of pure white, and there is no sign of anybody else being nearby; he is completely isolated. Loki struggles to free his left wrist, but the restraint doesn't give even a little.

A terrible laugh sounds from the doorway. The God of Mischief looks up to meet the piercing gaze of his captor. The Allfather smiles at his prisoner, whose distress is clearly written across his face. Loki begins struggling with a new desperation, even forcing some life into his uncooperative broken arm. Odin only laughs harder as he moves towards his former son. As Odin draws near, Loki kicks the Allfather square in the chest, knocking him back a step. He stops laughing, but a smug smile immediately appears, taunting the weak god before him. Odin takes another step closer, and Loki kicks him again, this time in the face. The trickster succeeds in wiping the sickening smile from the Allfather's face. Odin scowls at the foolish boy who dared to strike him while already at his mercy.

Not giving Loki a chance to kick him again, Odin rapidly closes the distance between them and clasps his hand on the God of Mischief's shoulder. The Allfather's magic flows into Loki, setting every nerve on fire and causing him to let out a haunting scream of pain. Odin lifts his hand, stopping the magical onslaught and leaving Loki gasping for air. The trickster knows in this moment that he cannot continue to fight Odin; he is too weak and broken to stand a chance, and it only earned him even more pain. If he wants to get out of this he will have to bide his time and hope for a chance to escape, ;though such chances are slim. This is likely the end of the God of Mischief.

"I should have left you to die in the wastes of Jotunheim. You've been nothing but a thorn in my side since you were a child. But now, I will finally correct my terrible mistake." Odin looks at the trickster with a mix of pity and hatred. Loki's eyes glare daggers into the old man's very soul, but before he can spit out a harsh retaliation of his own, the Allfather's hand is at his throat.

The door behind Odin opens again, and Loki's eyes brighten with hope as the newcomer steps inside and begins walking towards them. The Allfather glances over his shoulder but doesn't appear concerned. Thor stops next to Odin and smiles darkly down at his dying brother. "He will not save you." Odin glances at his son again as he continues to crush the trickster's hopes as his air supply. "You will not poison his mind with your lies any longer."

Loki looks pleadingly at Thor as he begins to grow dizzy from lack of oxygen, but the Thunder God shakes his head. "You are no brother of mine, Loki. You are beyond saving, and it is time you are put out of your misery."

At Thor's words, Loki stops fighting. He stares at his 'brother,' horrified.

And then he accepts it. He has nothing left.

Loki closes his eyes and is ready to allow Odin to finish him off once and for all.

The bright lights fade, and the god's world slips towards nothingness.

"Loki!"

Over the ringing in his ears Loki hears someone shouting his name.

"Loki! Brother, wake up!"

Confusion stirs the trickster's muddled mind. Brother? Had Thor not just disowned him only moments ago? Something is wrong here...

Loki opens his eyes slightly to see the room around him seemingly dissolving. The white mixes with swirls of black, and the bright lights flash rapidly.

"No! Just a moment longer!" Odin shouts and a look of genuine worry crosses his face.

A sharp pain shoots through the trickster's head, and the Allfather himself crumbles with his surroundings.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A cry of pain and fear tears from Loki's throat as his eyes fly open. The dizzy trickster gasps for air and frantically tries to make sense of everything around him. Thor's hand is held just inches from his face, which explains the pain in his head. Thor had struck him, which is what finally snapped him out of that murderous nightmare. But Loki looks around the bright white room in panic, terrified as he finds himself in the same room he just nearly died in. Was it a dream? It had felt so real, and his throat really hurts as if someone had actually been strangling him. What had happened to him?

Loki tries to bury his face in his hands in an attempt to calm himself, only to find that he could not lift his arms. Just like before, his wrists were secured down by his sides, only this time his right arm was encased in a strange metal covering rather than simply lying there broken. He struggles to get free and looks up at Thor with terror plain in his eyes.

Thor doesn't know what to think of what he's just seen. Loki had suddenly begun fighting to get free of the restraints holding his wrists down, which Stark had insisted on just in case the trickster woke up feeling like a villain again. Tony and Bruce had rushed into the room as the Loki had stopped breathing for no apparent reason. The three watched in shock, and when the God of Mischief lay still again, Thor finally reacted, striking his brother across the face in hopes of dragging him from his murderous nightmare. It had worked; Loki is awake and breathing again obviously, but he's in such a state of panic, Thor doesn't know what to do. "Brother, calm down! It was just a dream. You are safe now."

It had been 'just a dream,' right? Thor's not entirely sure..

The God of Mischief continues to struggle, barely hearing the thunderer's words. The restraints keeping him lying there certainly weren't calm-inspiring.

"Your precautions help nothing, Man of Iron. Let him go."

Tony frowns but nods. "But if he tries anything, I'll do worse than chain his wrists next time." Stark cautiously approaches the trickster and, with a simple turn of a key, sets him free. Tony then stumbles back as Loki quickly sits up, but rather than making a run for it as expected, he clings to his brother as if his life depended on it. Thor is caught off-guard by the action but places his hand on Loki's back in a comforting gesture. Loki trembles as he leans against Thor and quietly tells him of what occurred in his nightmare. Thor opens his mouth to tell his brother that the dream was nothing but his imagination running away with him, but something catches his eye before he says so much as a single syllable.

Thor looks over at Tony, who is still standing near enough to have heard most of the tale. Carefully so that his little brother will not realize what he's doing, the Thunder God pulls down the collar of Loki's shirt, revealing dark bruises around his neck. Maybe there was more to the trickster's nightmare after all...

Once Loki has calmed down, Thor leads him to the living room of Stark's home. Steve and Bruce are already there, watching television. The thunderer hopes the company of others will cheer up his brother as he is still quite shaken from the nightmare. When his mind had cleared, Loki was able to rationally think through the dream/murder attempt. Odin's magic is strong, and in his broken state Loki was all but defenseless. Now that he is recovering, the God of Mischief is able to raise his usual mental defenses and thus prevent Odin from trying such sly tricks again. However, Loki's magic is weak from his imprisonment, and even the placement of such basic defenses left him feeling drained. Without the energy to argue, he simply follows Thor through the tower and does as he says.

Now as they sit in the company of two of Thor's fellow Avengers, the thunderer engages in conversation with them and allows Loki to keep to himself and rest. But such luck could only last so long, and soon Thor turns to Loki for conversation "You know, brother, there is one good thing that has come of all this." Loki glances up at Thor, doubtful that even his hopelessly optimistic brother could see a bright side in his nearly dying. "You and I now share the same blood like real brothers!" Thor smiles brightly, but Loki only stares at him in confusion.

Bruce nods at the confused trickster. "It's true. You needed blood, none of ours would do, so it had to be Thor's."

"Indeed, brother!"

Loki doesn't seem confused any more, but he hardly seems as excited about this as Thor. The Thunder God had expected as much though. So Thor says nothing more and pretends not to notice when Loki ducks his head to hide the smile on his face.