“Where’s Fury?” Barton said as he, Romanoff, Banner, and Rogers entered what appeared to be a war room of the helicarrier as they crossed the expanse of the Atlantic on the way to their destination, Stark turning from a screen airing a news broadcast at the sound of Barton’s voice.

“Fury didn’t call you here. I did,” Stark informed them.

“What’s this about?” Rogers asked suspiciously.

“Have a seat,” Stark said.

The others seated themselves around the table in the center of the room, looking at Stark expectantly.

“Banner!” Stark called, tossing a small plastic pill bottle in Banner’s direction, Banner catching and examining it.

“What’s this?” Banner asked.

“Diazepam...Valium. What I’m about to show you is gonna piss you off. Not sure what the dose is to prevent turning into a giant green rage monster.”

“I think I’m good,” Banner responded, placing the bottle on the table.

“As I think you all know, I was in the business of developing weapons for the U.S. government. It’s a good gig if you can get it, got to travel the world...warzones, deserts mostly...met lots of uninteresting people, ended up with a chest full of shrapnel, taken hostage...good times. It paid the bills, allowed me to become the billionaire, philanthropist, playboy you all know and love….don’t deny it, Romanoff, after that love letter you wrote about me to Fury…surprised you didn’t draw little hearts all over it,” Stark said before noticing the impatient expressions on the faces of his audience, “Anyway, I know how the system works. That’s why I had a hard time believing that S.H.I.E.L.D. had suddenly become a card carrying member of Greenpeace. As always, I was right,” Stark picked up a remote from the table in front of him, switching the screen from the muted news channel to what appeared to be a blueprint of a missile, “Is that what I think it is? Maybe I’m looking at it wrong...no, I’m pretty sure it’s-”

“Phase 2,” Fury’s voice said from the doorway behind them, “Our intentions for the Tesseract aren’t limited to clean energy, though that’s a part of it. In fact, one of the most highly regarded astrophysicists in the world just signed on to help us with that...providing you’re successful at getting it back. Our Asgardian friends aren’t our first visitors and I can guarantee you they won’t be the last. Gather ’round kids, Papa Fury’s about to tell you a story....”

****************************

Loki willed his legs to hold him upright, almost having to remind himself to breath so great was his shock as he approached Thor. Both brothers once again stood in the presence of the other whose death he had witnessed and mourned. Loki reached out, gripping Thor’s shoulders as if he were testing the reality of he who once again lived and stood before him, examining him, looking into his eyes for any hint of fraud.

“How...” Loki said breathlessly in awe.

Thor grasped Loki’s arms as well as he grinned through the tears collected in his eyes as he recalled the last time he had seen his brother, lying grey and lifeless upon the cold metal deck of the Statesman. Thor pulled Loki into an embrace, Loki returning the gesture.

“Remain-” Loki began after ending the embrace and again examining Thor in disbelief, addressing the Warriors Three and Sif, his voice breaking before pausing to compose himself, “Remain here. I will speak to my brother alone.”

Loki led Thor through the throne room to the doorway that led to the king’s study, Thor taking in the sight of the expansive, golden gilded room that in his time, along with the rest of his home world, was no more, memories flooding over him. Reaching the study, Loki entered, followed by Thor.

“I must say, brother, this isn’t what I expected. No theater? No monuments?” Thor said jokingly.

“I have other priorities at the moment. How is it you’re here? I returned your body to the stars,” Loki said as he continued to look at Thor in wonder.

“You have the Norn Stones and your Queen to thank. You chose well. She is a remarkable woman.”

“You would know,” Loki replied bitterly.

“I have done you no wrong, brother,” Thor said as Loki made his way behind the desk and seated himself wearily, putting his elbows on the desktop, holding his head in his hands.

“How could I fault you for finding comfort in the arms which have provided the same for me? I used the stones to view the future that was to be. The Loki you knew was a fool. I may now avoid those same mistakes but I fear I’ll only make new ones.”

“You will...as did father and his father before him.”

“I can’t afford to make them now. How did he not go mad?”

“I once said that you understood rule as I never will. I believed it then as I believe it now. All kings must endure their trial by fire. You are enduring your own far earlier than most. She did not bring me here because she believes you to be unequal to the task. Your duty as king is to safeguard the throne. I will return her to you...on one condition.”

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“What is it?” Loki asked curiously, lifting his head.

“You must commission a statue of me,” Thor grinned.

“You will have the biggest statue in the nine realms! I’ll write a play as well. It’s been some time since I put pen to paper. It will be performed in commemoration of you,” Loki said as he stood, walking around the desk to stand once again before Thor.

“I jest, brother. I have no need of statues or dramatic productions.”

“You shall have both regardless...along with my eternal gratitude,” Loki replied.

“That is as much as I require.”

“I know after all I’ve done...all I would have done….please...bring her back to me,” Loki said, barely managing to hold his composure.

“You once rejected such sentiment,” Thor replied.

“I am not the man you once knew. Much has altered and in turn altered me.”

“No, brother. This is the man I always knew you were.”

****************************

“Thanos’ pathetic excuse for an army had failed me. I had been attacked by that dull creature, all was lost...then she was there, offering me a second chance,” Loki told Verda as they stood outside the cell.

“How was she able to obtain the means to travel through time?” asked Verda.

“She had been rendered dust. After she had been brought back, she learned of how Stark had discovered the secret. She enchanted Banner to give to her the knowledge to build another mechanism. He told her that Thor had taken the component to render it operational to New Asgard. Afterward, she erased his memory of their meeting knowing she might have need of him in the future. Disguising herself as a mortal she visited New Asgard and learned of your survival, of your visits to my brother. Aware of your feelings for me she used them to her advantage,” Loki explained, “It was all quite ingenious. I’m not certain I could have devised such a scheme.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Verda said, “You faked your death, enchanted Odin to forget his identity, left him in a home for the care of the elderly here in Midgard, disguised yourself as your father and usurped the throne.”

“I did?” Loki asked as he grinned in satisfaction at the idea that he had been successful at such an endeavor.

The sound of footsteps reached them from the stone stairway. Verda quickly stepped back in the cell, Loki quietly closing the barred door. Verda looked down at the bowl of what appeared to be stew Loki had previously left on the floor.

Lorelei emerged from the stairwell, turning to view Loki standing in front of the closed cell door, Verda within on the other side, Loki’s arm reaching between the bars, his hand closed around her throat, the contents of the bowl running down the front of his tunic.

“Release her,” Lorelei commanded.

Loki complied, dropping his arm to his side. Loki stepped aside as Lorelei approached the cell, glancing at the mess staining the front of Loki’s clothing.

“I see you are as ungrateful as ever, sister,” Lorelei said, turning to Loki, unfastening his tunic and removing it, dropping it to the floor, leaving Loki in the dark green shirt he wore beneath it as she pressed herself against him, caressing his cheek, “I never understood what it was you saw in him. Now I find myself searching for any excuse to reward him. He has taught me much...not only the secrets of the Tesseract but my illusionary skills were once mediocre, I rarely used them. I’ve been informed that my savior has arrived. I must go to meet him. It’s a pity I only need one of you,” Lorelei told her fellow Asgardians as her form altered, she now appearing as a mirror image of Verda, a groan escaping Loki as she drove the dagger she materialized in her hand into his gut before shoving him away with the other, sending him flying into the wall.

“No!!! Why?! You need him!” Verda cried as Lorelei made her way to the stairway.

“Not anymore,” Lorelei told her as she ascended the stairs.

Impatiently waiting until Lorelei’s footsteps could no longer be heard, Verda materialized the key to the cell in her hand. Hooking her arm through the bars, she placed it in the lock, throwing the door open and rushing to Loki who lay crumpled on the floor, moving him gently onto his back, the front of his shirt stained red by the blood from his wound.

“Loki…”

“Go. There’s nothing to be done for me,” Loki said, his skin growing pale and gray, his voice breathless and pained.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“I didn’t think it had worked,” Loki raised his hand to Verda’s cheek.

“You didn’t think what had worked?”

“A minor spell...only so you would remember me...”

“The kiss...you enchanted me?” Verda asked, now realizing how it was that in the past she had known he was not dead, how she had sensed the presence of another version of him in Midgard in this time, his novice attempt as a child at enchantment well over a millennium ago having produced an unintended side effect.

Verda held out her hand, the bag containing the Norn stones materializing within it. Hurriedly removing them from the bag and setting it aside, she placed the stones in the palm of his hand, closing his fingers around them.

“Take them. Use their energy.”

“The blade was cursed...it will make no difference,” Loki said, hopelessly.

“That’s where I come in.”

“Removing another’s curse...is perilous,” Loki struggled to warn her.

“I have to try. If I hadn’t been afraid, if I hadn’t listened to my sister, if I’d thought more of myself maybe none of this would have happened. Sometimes it’s the things we don’t do far more than what we do...” Verda told Loki before placing her hand on his forehead, closing her eyes.

****************************

“Loki?” Verda’s voice said within Loki’s mind as he stood inside Himinbjorg alongside Sif, having just witnessed Thor’s departure, Asgard’s warriors awaiting the call to action on the Rainbow Bridge.

“Verda! Are you alright?” Loki asked with his thoughts.

“I’m fine...where are you?”

“I’m with Heimdall and Sif in Himinbjorg. Thor has taken the Bifrost to Midgard to free you. Our warriors await our mortal allies and word of your rescue.”

“We were wrong! She didn’t intend to replace you, she planned to replace me! She’s disguised herself. She thinks Thor is you. She just left to meet him! I was able to break her hold over you--him. He freed me but she wounded him. I’m going to attempt to remove the curse.”

“No! Leave him!”

“I would not leave you to die alone.”

“He isn’t me!” Loki exclaimed in frustration with his thoughts.

“He is you!” Verda insisted.

“Must I command you as your king?” Loki responded in desperation.

“What will you do if I disobey? Lock me away again? You must trust me!”

“I trust you with my life...with your own is another story.”

“Don’t worry about me! Get word to Thor!” Verda exclaimed before breaking the link with Loki.

.