Avengers, Thor 1. Prologue

**Prologue: The Empty Nest**

**Asgard, 1994**

The battle had been long.

When the sun rose over the golden kingdom, it was to find that its glorious streets and steps were stained with red. Smoke and sparks were still flying high in the air from several of the decimated alleyways towards the centre of the great city. However apart from that the air was still and silent as people gained respite from their rather disturbed night's sleep.

All save one.

His men were weary and the steps of his kingdom were smeared with the blood of their enemies and their own. But Odin son of Bor was restless as he strode briskly down the long corridors of his palace.

Behind him two other figures two younger men were walking in step with one another.

All three men both young and old had faces set in determination laced with worry and fear as they came into a great big circular room, adorned with drapes dyed with the colours of the dawn sky, that glimmered in the morning light as the sun shone through the glassless windows. But it was a cold light that illuminated the centre of the room in which a large golden cradle.

It was a beautiful piece, made to look like a woven basket being held by an olive tree whose branches extended high above so that a small delicate silver baby mobile with delicate silver butterflies could hang gently above.

There was a figure kneeling before it with their back to them, who turned as soon as the men's footsteps came within hearing.

It was a woman, in lustrous beautiful robes, a lovely but mature face with long golden brown curls that framed her tearstained face.

When she stood up, her streaming blue topaz eyes turned to Odin and his heart dropped like a stone.

"Frigga…Did…did they…" stoic king though he was, he couldn't bring himself to complete his question, though everyone present already knew that and the answer, even before the woman, his queen Frigga, sobbed and nodded.

Without waiting for any order to come, both the younger men behind Odin strode forwards.

Both were tall but the one of the right was more muscled and tougher looking, with a strong chin and blonde hair. He strode with desperate but strong purpose towards the dome like structure behind, his red cloak whipping behind him with each heavy footfall.

He was quickly but cautiously followed by his fellow who was thinner, leaner, his face framed by slicked back dark hair and bearing a meeker looking face with bright blue eyes like the Frigga, that quietly but sharply darted around suspiciously.

"No Thor, Loki…it's too late…" Frigga choked as both her sons looked down into the crib, which was silent…empty…

"She's gone…"

* * *

HI there everyone. This is my first Marvel fan-fiction so please be kind. Iif anyone's ooc I will make sure to work on it.

**Big Disclaimer for entire fic. I don't own Marvel or any of its creations, and this story is purely fictional and written for simple pure enjoyment**

If you enjoyed please review and tell me how it went, this fandom universe is all pretty new to me :P


	2. Chapter 1

**Warning! Spoiler alert for Thor Dark World. read at your own peril**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Something Familiar…**

_**New Mexico, August 1994**_

To those of New Mexico, the great big storm that raged over the small town was not unheard of in these summer months. Though it was particularly brutal.

Lightning crashed, thunder rumbled and the clouds broiled like the foam of a bubbling cauldron over their heads. So loud and horrifying were the sights and sounds that many closed their blinds or curtains to shield themselves and their families from the sights.

Dogs howled and cats screeched their displeasure as they hid themselves under beds or the dumpsters in alleyways as raindrops the size of a quarter coin each, pelted down upon them from the heavens above.

With such a cacophony of noise and their lack of vision, the humans living in Puente Antiguo were blissfully unaware of the sudden burst of light that just manifested out several miles away in the arid desert land.

It was brighter than any lightning blast.

However if one were to look closer, it was not so much a flash of white blinding light as it was a pillar of continuous swirling flames, scorching the sky in a multitude of all colours both real and imaginable.

It took two minutes for the last vestiges of flame to extinguish themselves and when it was over all that was left in the dark stormy night was a singed a patch of short grass and a tall feminine figure who stumbled slightly as their feet finally hit the sodden earth beneath alongside the shadowy form of a giant beast.

Her dark skin was covered in black and silver armour, which would have glistened had it not been for the large smears of red blood.

She shivered as the howling wind about her whipped rain onto her, soaking her within minutes. She brought her white cloak tighter about her, trying her best to secure most of it around the wriggling bundle in her arms.

She looked down towards, it her thin but handsome face softening as it beheld the pale infant with golden brown curls that squalled fiercely at the distant rumbling of thunder high above.

"BANE!" she barked turning her head sharply to the beast beside her.

It was a humungous wolf like creature, twice the size of the largest tiger, with black fur and even larger black avian wings. At the sound of her voice it swiftly lowered itself on its massive front paws so that the woman could mount onto a silver saddle strapped on its back.

She was careful not to dislodge the infant in her arms as she took a pair of reins from her steeds neck harness and cracked them hard as she murmured gently.

"Hush now little one, we'll find shelter soon enough. Onwards and upwards Bane!"

The great winged wolf gave a tremendous howl that shook the air around them as with a great beat of its giant wings it sprang into the air, flying off into the dark stormy skies.

* * *

_**New Mexico, August 1999**_

"Via! Via!"

A woman's voice called throughout the small apartment.

Behind a curtain a tiny five year old girl with golden brown curls, held a hand over her mouth to stop herself giggling out loud as she hid behind the large dark blue curtains.

She'd been hiding there for over ten minutes and her aunty still hadn't found her yet.

"Via! This is not funny. Now you come out this instant or you don't get to eat dinner!"

But the little girl, Via, did not come out though she was sorely tempted. So much so that her tiny tummy made a loud gurgle.

_Uh oh!_

She gulped as the curtain was yanked away from her to reveal the sight of a tall, slender, athletic, handsome faced African American woman, frowning down on her with her hands on her hips.

"Olivia Summers, what have I told you about hiding about the house like this?"

"But Aunty Ingrid" Via mumbled looking down at the floor "I just wanted to have some fun"

"I know" Ingrid grunted as she leant down to scoop the little girl up into her arms. "But don't just vanish on me like that. I was very worried."

"Ok…I'm sorry" Via pouted sadly, her blue topaz eyes drooping. "Can I still eat dinner?"

Ingrid sighed heavily as she shook her head fondly.

"Of course you can. But if you want to play hide and seek next time just tell me ok?"

"Ok" Via nodded as Ingrid carried her into the tiny kitchen/dining room. When she was set down in her chair at the small square table a great big black German Shepherd trotted up to sniff at her legs.

"Hello Baney!" Via smiled holding out her hand for the canine which at once began to nuzzle its nose into.

"Remember to wash your hands before eating" Ingrid called as she checked over the pot that was simmering over the stove "We don't want any of Bane's hair in the food again now do we? Oh don't give me that!" she grumbled as Bane gave her a dirty little glare.

Via giggled.

Aunty Ingrid was so funny.

Ingrid's eyes softened at the sound of the child's laughter, though it was more bittersweet than happy.

_She sounds just like her…_

* * *

_**Albuquerque, August 2004**_

"WOOHOO!

The young ten year old girl whooped delightedly, as the great black dog bounded down the street helter skelter, pulling her and her skateboard along it at top speed.

She shut her eyes for a moment, revelling in the way the air whipped past her making her curly hair fly freely behind, just as a voice called out loudly from behind her.

"VIA! Get back here right now!"

Via grinned as she caught sight of Ingrid madly dashing to catch up with her, the plastic shopping bags positively flying about her.

"Come on Bane faster" she called out to the dog who gave a loud approving bark and lengthened his stride.

"Whoa!" Via's grip on the leash tightened as she and her skateboard approached around the corner of the pavement.

The velocity of the turn was such that all four wheels actually were carried up into the air for a moment, she vaulted straight off her board and right into the black asphalt road.

"Oww…" Via grunted struggling up to her hands and feet.

Her head spun slightly as she rubbed it but thankfully her bright yellow helmet took most of the brunt of the crash.

"VIA!" Ingrid screeched and Via looked up only to see the great big garbage truck speed across a red light and right towards her!

There was a heavy slam as breaks were pressed too late, a loud screeching and many screams from all the pedestrians and motorists alike as the front of the truck came within inches of the child in the middle of the lane-

Ingrid's scream of terror caught in her throat as the truck driver cried out in alarm…

...but no crash came…

"What the?"

"Oh my"

The spectators all about her gasped loudly, as they looked towards the pavement on the other side of the street.

The child that had been only millimetres away from certain death …was currently scrambling to her feet on the opposite side of the road…brushing off her skateboard with a heavy sigh…

The truck driver's eyes bulged.

He had been sure he was about to hit her…

How had she moved so fast?

"Great" Via muttered looking down at the long thin scratch across the boards black paint.

Via sighed in relief, shaking her head almost fondly.

_Typical…Chip of the old block…_

* * *

_**Albuquerque, August 2009**_

The ABQ Biopark Botanic Garden'sSasebo Japanese garden was so quiet and for the most part empty save for one teenager who was standing behind a tall black tripod.

"Five, four, three, two, one!"

Fifteen year old Via Summers pressed the shutter button of her camera.

The noon sun was shining brightly overhead making the waters of the small waterfall before her sparkle and dance with golden light.

As she checked the shot out on the digital display screen she grinned.

It had been worth sneaking off from her field trip group to snap some shots. Those poor idiots in her class were probably stuck at the garden's education centre next to the park entrance, filling out boring biology quizzes at boring desks with boring sticky seats and boring instructors for company.

It wasn't that Via hated biology, indeed she was one of the top students in her year for the subject. But she simply couldn't see the point in learning biology inside a cold sterile classroom. Surely it would be more instructive and more interesting to see how nature works by being in the environment itself?

Hence why she was currently changing the settings of her camera so as to get a shot of the Japanese bridge just across from her spot.

She had just zoomed the camera to just the right value when a voice behind her coughed.

"Shouldn't you be with your school group?"

Via froze.

_Crap…busted!_

But when she turned around, she didn't see a police officer. Only an average looking man, with short brown hair wearing a black suit with a blue tie.

"How do you know I'm in a school group? And shouldn't a guy you be at the office?"

"And as for the school, you're teachers are currently looking all over for you. So unless you want them to give you a detention I'd sneak back in with your class. And I'm not an office worker" the man raised his eyebrows at her.

"Then who are you?" Via narrowed her eyes as the tiniest metallic glint hit her eye from the shadows of the garden.

_Odd…who are these people…_

"My name's Phil and I'm with security" the man, Phil, answered shoving his hands in his trouser pockets. "Who are you?"

"Via" Via folded her arms "and not to be rude but I've seen this park's security and they do _not_ dress like that"

"We're private security"

"For whom? Government?"

"Something like that. Anyway I was instructed to clear the area. So I'm sorry, but you'll have to take you and your equipment out of this spot"

"Or what? You're gonna shoot me?"

"Shoot you?" Phil's voice was light in polite confusion though it was clear to Via he was pretty unsettled. "Why would I shoot you?"

"Well not you per say…but maybe…the guy in the bushes over there…" Via trailed off her eyes wandering back to the spot where she'd spotted the strange glinting.

After a moment of staring at the spot with her, Phil sighed heavily.

"Look kid, I've got a lot on my plate now so how about this. You go now no more questions and we'll not report you to your teachers ok?"

"Right but only after I take the shot, the camera shot I mean!" she quickly added.

"Ok…but I've only got a few minutes to clear the area" Phil sighed heavily as the girl quickly turned back around to peer through the eyepiece.

"Three… two…one and…"

She clicked the shutter button fast and pulled up straight just as Phil smirked as he eyed the preview on the small digital display screen

"Nice shot"

"Thanks." Via shrugged as she hastily began to dismantle her equipment and shove it into her large red and white Country Road duffel bag.

"Is this for an art project?" Phil raised his eyebrows as she meticulously fitted her camera and its various attachments back into their cases correct slots.

"School paper actually" Via shrugged as she quickly took out the memory card from its slot and fitted it in a zipped up compartment along with the battery. "I mean I know it's not Pulitzer worthy stuff…not yet at any rate… but it's a start".

Quickly resettling the black headband that kept her long curls away from her face, she nodded to Phil.

"Thank you"

"No prob. And good luck with…whatever you're doing"

"You too" Phil nodded back, looking rather relieved as she quickly turned her back on him and strode back across the garden to its entrance/exit.

He kept his eyes on her as she disappeared around the corner.

He didn't understand why…but the girl's vibrant blue eyes looked very familiar…

As he continued staring a memory stirred in his mind of a tall muscled man, clad all in armour with a red cloak and carrying a hammer in his hand. He too had rather bright blue eyes.

With a grunt Phil shook his head out. No he was just being stupid now.

He quickly flicked out his phone and hit the speed dial.

"Agent Phil Coulson to SHIELD, we've secured the area. Asking for permission to proceed with the operation"

* * *

_**Stuttgart (Germany), August 2012**_

Olivia "Via" Summers shivered in the night air as she looked up through her camera lens at the people walking through the crowded street in front of the large museum across the street from her.

She still couldn't believe she was here. Her first real European shoot …though she was just an intern for National Geographic Magazine but still it was fantastic. Her "mentor" the esteemed photographer Sven Patterson had been all too happy to let her take her own photographs whilst he warmed himself up by the nearby Coffee stand just on the other end of the Square.

Sven was a good boss. Though he was old and could be pretty was strict when he wanted to be about rules and regulations, he was genuinely keen on training Via in everything he knew about photography. Sven had no children of his own, most of his previous relationships being strained by the amount he travelled, but Via was a willing and enthusiastic pupil, always full of energy and keen to go wherever the wind may take her.

They had met in the most unlikely of ways. She'd been running late for a college interview when they bumped into each other in the street. After helping Sven up, Via scrambled away forgetting her portfolio. The interview went terribly as she had no proof of her work but when she came back to hers and Ingrid's apartment there was the call on the answering machine from National Geographic telling her to come in to their DC Headquarters the next day. Sven had apparently held onto her portfolio and had showed it to his boss who had been instantly impressed.

Being the youngest most talented intern at 18 years old and barely out of High School without even a College degree, many of the people back at the Headquarters had scoffed at Via's acceptance as well as the rather affectionate if almost fatherly way the old man treated her, but she didn't care. They both were doing the job, not because they wanted the pay (though that was in itself quite a nice bonus) but because they loved what they did.

She was certainly loving her job now. Sven could say what he wanted at the cold air but Via was absolutely enjoying every moment she waited for the shot to be taken from the camera hung about her neck. She'd left the apparatus open so that she could absorb as much light as she needed so she was pretty much prepared for anything she might come across in the night.

Or so she thought.

Just as the camera shutter finally went off and captured the image a whole crowd of people came dashing out of the museum on the opposite side of the street.

"Fire alarm" Via muttered as she caught snatches of people in fancy clothes screaming and yelping as they tried to run over towards the park she was standing in front of.

"Quick! Get out of the way!" a woman in a red evening dress shouted at her as she dashed past with her male companion.

Via quickly tried backing away to go with the flow of the crowd.

If there really was a fire then she had to find Sven and they had to get back to their hotel pronto.

As she turned her head to look behind she saw a tall horned silhouette stride quickly down the museum's front steps.

She squinted but it was no good. It was too dark and whoever it was, was too far away. She quickly held up her camera and used the zoom as the figure strode out onto the street.

"What the?" her brow furrowed as she adjusted the focus.

It appeared to be a man. His lean form was garbed in strange medieval like garments, mostly green but with golden armour and a matching helmet with large slender curved horns at the top.

As he strode out into the street, he gripped onto a golden staff with a blue glowing ti. Via couldn't understand why, but it almost felt like the blue glow was pulsating with a strong energy…an energy that, as it grew closer, was quick to make her own body tingle like tiny electric currents were running through it.

She quickly took a shot and pulled down her camera just in time to see the police car that was wailing loudly as it rush down the street towards the commotion.

The strange armoured man flicked his staff towards it and a burst of bright blue energy surged and hit the vehicle with a loud bang that sent it flipping over onto the roof and crashing loudly.

Via did not need any more than that. At once she shut off her camera and began to run with the people towards the park. But before she could go even two paces the man from before suddenly glimmered into existence at the head of the crowd.

His face was pale and set in a malicious victorious sneer as he snarled out a loud command.

"Kneel before me!"

Everyone quickly made to turn the other way but another image of the man shimmered up before anyone could even move a pace.

It happened again when a couple of people at the back made to dart sideways.

_Trapped…_

Via gulped her eyes darting between the four replicas before setting her gaze on the original which made to stand before them on the street.

"I said…" he hissed before violently stamping the end of his staff upon the ground as he roared "KNEEL!"

Via's eyes widened as all four of the doppelgangers around the crowd also yelled in unison as their creator.

Not caring if they were friends or strangers, many people exchanged fearful glances with one another as they silently and slowly brought themselves to their knees before the man.

There was a moment of silence as the man before them smirked, gloatingly as he witnessed his powers of oppression in effect.

"Is not this…simpler?" he opened up his arms in what would have been a jovial gesture had it not been for the wicked gleam in his hungry eyes as he made to walk into the crowd.

"Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation"

"Like hell I do" Via muttered under her breath, however in the silence of the pause in his discourse, the strange man heard it and his eyes darted in her general direction.

The people next to her glowered angrily as he began to make his way over, his feet silent against the street as he once again proclaimed clearly.

"The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power. For identity…"

Her head was down but she could see his feet and the end of the staff. He was barely a meter away from her spot now.

She could distinctly here the snarl in his exhales as he hissed.

"In the end…you will always kneel"

But what she didn't see was the way his green eyes fixed on her unruly short golden brown head of curls that thankfully fell in the way of her face. With a cold intrigue he twirled the staff round so that the sharp tip came under her chin.

She shut her eyes as she felt her skin tingle and her whole body trembled as the man gently pushed his staff up, bringing her head up slowly to meet his gaze.

However before he could catch sight of her full face there was the rustling of material. The strangers head quickly snapped up to see the sight of an old man in a long brown coat, who was standing up from amongst the kneeling crowd.

"Not to men like you" he said and Via gasped as the tip of the staff was quickly drawn back from her chin, and looked up in time to see Sven, with his bent back and balding head of silver grey hair, glare defiantly at the strange man as he chuckled.

"There are no men like me"

But Sven shook his head.

"There are always men like you."

Via stared in horror up at the strange man's face as it twisted into a leer, as he directed the staff towards her mentor.

"Look to your elder people…let him be an example"

Via felt the pulsating from the staff's blue glow intensify and suddenly her gut dropped. This madman was going to shoot Sven!

"NO!" she cried out launching herself at the attacking man but too late. He'd already fired a shot at Sven whose face had turned into a mask of terror.

But then something dark swooshed down from above and landed in front of the old man, pulling up a round shield in front of them, which caught the blue energy and sent it blasting back where it came from.

The hands of many strangers grabbed at Via's red coat and pulled her away from their armoured oppressor just in time as the blue blast hit him squarely in the chest and sent him splat face first onto the ground.

His head snapped up as a loud voice announced in a defined American accent.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany, and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing"

_Oh…my…God…_

Via's mouth dropped. There, standing in all the glory of the blue and red and white stripes and the star on his chest was… Captain America…

"the soldier," his fallen foe spat in disdain getting up to his feet. "A man out of time"

"I'm not the one who's out of time" Captain America narrowed his eyes just as something large and black zoomed in from above. Via squinted…it looked like a helicopter…no it looked to weird and dark for one…

_Military craft_

She sighed with relief as she saw a massive gun extend down from the air vehicles underbelly as a female voice announced.

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down"

But the man, Loki only grinned. Deftly in one hand he aimed his staff up to the sky and fired a shot. But it missed as the pilot managed to manoeuvre the aircraft out of the way, just as Captain America flung his shield.

The crowd sensing the distraction of their captor, quickly made to scramble away as his illusions vanished into thin air.

Via herself quickly dashed over to Sven who was trying his best to hobble away.

"Via…you're ok" he mumbled when she came close enough.

"Forget about me, we've got to get you out of here" she grunted as she quickly brought her arm under his shoulders and hoisted him up and away as quickly as she could.

Over the lightning fast drumming of her heartbeat in her ears she could faintly hear the aircraft whirring above her and the clangs and bashes as Captain America and Loki engaged in a brutal but swift fight.

However she chose to ignore it as quickly she and the old man struggled towards the farthest corner of the square and into a corner.

But not before Loki caught sight of them from a distance.

He narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of the girl looking over her shoulder at his spot.

It was her. The one that had interrupted him. He hadn't gotten a proper look in her face when he'd approached her because the old man she was currently helping had interrupted him. But now in her distracted frantic state he could see her plain under the light of the streetlamp.

Her curly hair…her soft face…those blue topaz eyes…

Was it just him or did that girl look just like…just like…

_No but it couldn't possibly-_

But he never got to finish that thought as the distant sounds of rock music reached his ears, as did a red hot blast of energy from Iron Man's palm.

_**Washington D.C., August 2015**_

Via sighed as she exited National Geographic HQ. her article had finally gone through after weeks of her being badgered by the editors to continue re-writing her piece on the street life of Rio Digenero, which like most works published that year, had been done in the spirit of the Fifa World Cup for Soccer.

Via didn't understand why there was so much hype about a sport where men in bright shorts just ran around kicking a ball about. But then again she was never much a fan of, American football either, or any those ball sports for that matter, save basketball, but that was only because she'd played for her team in high school.

She always much preferred to watch the fencing, the swimming, the track events, equestrian, cycling and especially the martial arts.

But even more than the sports, what Via loved most were the countries themselves. So steeped in history both natural and human. What adventures she could go on...

A lot of people she'd met in photojournalism always wondered why a pretty, charming and vivacious girl like her would be so keen on doing travel pieces for Nat Geo.

Most younger girls her age were usually more interested in the celebrity or entertainment industry, or the news casting.

But Via was not like other girls. It wasn't that she wasn't feminine, but she was always more spirited and energetic. Where little girls had grown up with fairy tales like Cinderella and Snow White, she'd instead learned of the legendary deeds of gods or heroes, particularly those of Norse Mythology.

And though she'd gotten older, her love for those myths had never once faded, especially since the one of those legends had practically sprung to life almost three years ago.

Thor, the god of thunder, the namesake of the day Thursday, son of Odin and now one of the defenders of Earth…one of the Avengers.

Via grinned. As she looked down on the signed form. She'd only just gotten the official get go from the boss to go and do a personal piece on a North to South trip of the whole of the European Scandinavia. She was already buzzing with excitement but also with trepidation.

Sven had only just retired a month ago at the ripe age of seventy and only a week ago from today had Via had her twenty first birthday.

She hadn't had a big birthday bash, only a few close friends from her old school days and work plus Sven and Ingrid, but this Scandinavia trip would be more than enough of a treat for her.

However she would admit she wasn't too keen on venturing close to the German borders. She shuddered as the memory from three years ago floated over her mind.

No…She wouldn't go back to Germany ever again…or rather…just not to the south…to Stuttgart...

She looked down at her wrist on which a gold bracelet about the size and thickness of a large metal watch band glimmered even in the dim sunlight of the overcast sky. It was beautiful, though strange, with odd markings engraved all around both on the inside and outside. Via couldn't make out what kind of marks they were, but they looked oddly familiar, though for the life of her she could not tell how.

"Well…better get going. The photographs don't take themselves" she muttered shoving her hands in her pockets as she walked down the street towards the pedestrian crossing, not noticing the tall muscular blonde man staring after her as he waited inside a taxi with a smaller brunette woman.

"Thor. Thor!" the woman swatted his strong bicep hard and quickly the man snapped out of it.

"Yes Jane"

"You ok?"

"I'm fine" Thor narrowed his eyes as they darting across the surface of the back taxi window. But too late…the strange girl had gone.

"You look like you've seen a ghost" Jane's hand gently placed itself on his shoulder soothingly.

"I might have…" he murmured his eyes falling down. It had only been a couple of months since his return from Asgard…since his mother's death…

He knew she was gone forever. Thanks to Malekith and his dark army…thanks to his own faults…

He only supposed it was natural that her image should haunt him so.

Meanwhile across the street the last of Olivia Freyja "Via" Summers' curls disappeared into darkness as she slipped down into the metro subway, her face shining with happiness.

…though it was not to last for long…

* * *

Hi me again. so just a heads up for those of you who might be confused, Via is pronounced (Vee-ah) like the end of Oli**via**. and this is set after _Thor: The Dark World, _and after _Captain America: Winter soldier_, and after _Iron Man 3 _ so for future reference beware of further spoilers.

Hoped you liked the cameos from the Avengers and co ;). more of them will come soon.

Keep R&Ring for more if you like


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Undead or Alive**

***warning for slight gore***

Via's smile could not be beat even as she pushed her SmarTrip card into the ticketing machine to pay for her metro train fare.

She couldn't wait to get back to her apartment and phone up Ingrid. Her first solo assignment and it was to Scandinavia! Double bonus!

She hummed along with her iPhone to the tunes of Pharrell Williams "_Happy"_ as she made her way towards the barrier divide.

The metro security guard that was nearby eyed her curiously as she positively bounced into the station platform, her light lemon yellow sundress swishing about her thighs.

There was a buzzing on her iPhone and she quickly pulled it out to see the reminder flash over the screen.

_Feed/Walk Astrid_

Via smiled as she swiped the reminder off to see her background picture of herself holding onto a shiny chestnut coated Irish Setter puppy.

The selfie shot had been taken a year and a half ago at her Aunt Ingrid's dog shelter back when Via was finally beginning to earn more than enough money to comfortably afford renting her own apartment.

It had taken a good six months of firm handed training but eventually Via was able to train Astrid well enough to be able to take her on her travels. She was a good companion, smart, loyal, sweet and playful, though a tad bit dopey sometimes-

Via was jolted out of her happy thoughts as the station conductor's voice echoed over the loud speaker systems.

"Please remember to stand behind the yellow line before boarding your train"

Via quickly made to stand with the rest of the crowd of commuters as the head of a long train finally pulled into the platform.

Like usual it was a struggle to get in let alone walk, what with the people trying to clamber in on the middle cars of the train.

However with quick practiced precision acquired over a couple of years of experience Via managed to make her way over to a seat in-between an old lady with her shopping and a thin tall man with shoulder length slicked back hair dressed in a dark pair of jeans with black boots, a white T-shirt and an emerald green hooded sweater. He wasn't too much older than her though it was clear he was definitely in his very late twenties.

He removed his black backpack from the seat next to him, his sharp green eyes keeping a keen watch on her until she was fully seated.

"Thanks" she smiled briefly at him and for a second he was taken aback. It was almost like he wasn't expecting her to talk to him.

However before she could comment about it he quickly nodded at her.

"You're welcome"

"Um…are you ok?" Via tilted her head slightly as she examined his now puzzled expression.

"I'm fine thank you. Why is there something on my face?"

"Oh no! It's just…you looked a bit pale there for a second…but that might have been just me."

"It's alright." The guy smiled patiently "You're not the first person to say that."

"I'm not surprised…oh dammit! Sorry! That was pretty rude. Um…if you want to tell me to shut up right now you totally can" Via mentally face palmed as the man chuckled softly.

"Good then shut up!" came a young man's jeer from the side. There were many disapproving groans and shakes of the heads from other passengers.

Via turned her head to see a group of young college boys around her age and a little bit older standing next to the doors closest to the spot where she and the guy in the green hoody were sitting.

_Frat Boys_

As soon as they caught sight of Via's disdainful face their eyebrows shot straight up into their hairlines.

"Congratz, You moron! You totally just screwed up your chances with a hottie!" one of the guys at the back with badly dyed blonde hair smacked the idiot that had first spoken.

"Not that any of you had any chance to begin with" Via rolled her eyes and the man next to her clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the chuckles that suddenly burst from him.

A devious twinkle shone in his green eyes as the boy's faces fell like stones. It took him a few moments to settle his mirth;he turned his attention back to Via who was staring down at her bracelet with an oddly distant misty look in her blue eyes.

"That's a nice trinket" he murmured and suddenly she gave a tiny start as she was startled out of whatever small trance she'd been in.

"Oh...this…" she fiddled with the golden band over her wrist which glimmered prettily over her pale wrist "um…I got it just last week…a birthday present"

"Congratulations um…I'm sorry but I think I forgot your name" the man smiled charmingly but Via was not fooled for an instant.

"That's because I didn't give it"

"Ah" he nodded but then he quickly recovered his verbal footing "so what? Do you have a name or should I make one up for you?"

"It's Via" Via smirked in amusement. She'd heard that line far too often as well. The man seemed to notice this but he wasn't at all deterred. Indeed he flashed a most politely intrigued expression.

"Via?"

"Short for Olivia" Via shrugged "so do you have a name or do I have to make one up for you?" she smiled and the man raised his eyebrows in faint amusement at her cheek.

"hmm very funny. My name's Lo-Luke".

"Lo-Luke?" Via giggled.

"Just Luke" the man, Luke, coughed.

"Ok then well it's nice to meet you 'just Luke'" smiling, Via extended her hand out to him.

"Likewise…Via" Luke took it in a firm shake his sharp emerald eyes meeting her own blue topaz orbs.

Though she smiled on the outside, Via mentally frowned. There was something in those eyes that was strangely…familiar…

_No that's just stupid! I've only just met the guy!_

She tried to shrug off the thought but it kept nudging at her even when she took in the rest of his features. He was smiling just like she was, seemingly very happy, and yet the longer she looked the more she could see that there was something brewing in the depths of those small nooks and crannies. It was almost like he was trying his best to keep his mask from breaking asunder.

And then there was his handshake. It was firm but at the same time it was also very carefully and very delicately handling hers. It was almost as if he was afraid of it breaking like it was made of the thinnest glass.

They quietly let go of each other in silence though it was for the most part companionable as they felt the train slow down into a stop at the next station.

"Thank god" Via gave a sigh of relief as she saw the group of boys from earlier trudge out of the doors and off the train.

"I don't blame you, those stupid fools" Luke muttered softly and she nodded in agreement only to jump as a loud scream rent the air.

"What on earth?" Via and Luke both whipped their heads around just in time to see one of the boys return back at top speed into the train car. His face was white, and he was trembling all over from head to foot.

"SHUT THE DOORS! SOMEONE JUST SHUT THE DOORS NOW!" he cried out grabbing onto a nearby office worker who growled in astonished anger.

"Get off me kid what the hell are you playing at?!"

"Z-Z-Zombie!" the terrified young man blubbered.

"huh?" Via tilted her head to the side though she was quick to wince as the man hollered.

"THERE IS A ZOMBIE ON THE PLATFORM!"

_CRASH! _

There were many screams as the train car rattled as something large seemed to push against it from the platform. Via almost would have fallen flat on the ground had Luke not grabbed hold of her.

However instead of pulling her up straight he kept her head bent down using his body to cover hers from view of the door.

Via opened her mouth but before she could get another word one of Luke's thin long hands clamped gently but firmly over her mouth. She glowered at him but he shook his head before deftly flipping up his green hood so that his dark hair and pale face was covered in shadow.

Many people gasped in horror, but still Luke kept her hidden as something with a massive shadow thudded heavily into the compartment.

Unable to peer around Luke, Via instead chose to glance in the reflection of the darkened window. What she saw made her stomach churn.

It was a humungous, gigantic man...or at least it appeared to be the corpse of one. Via almost felt sick to her stomach at the sight of the pieces of muscle, tendons and tissue that dangled precariously off the large ivory bones wherever the skin covering was missing. The flesh around its face was sunken, sallow and rotting even as it stood there garbed in old torn dirty rags, bearing a giant war hammer in the skeletal hands.

It opened its mouth to take a long rattling breath, a foul disgusting odour flowing from its depths with its exhale. It was so rancid that Via was barely able to hold back from puking then and there and that was saying something as she'd smelt some pretty nasty things on her travels.

It took a step forwards, its thick armour and boots rattling around its emaciated form as a pair of black empty eye sockets looked about the compartment.

No one moved a muscle.

The undead creature looked down at the floor where the young man that had ran in screaming from before was now scrambling on the floor, white faced and trembling with fright.

"HELP SOMEONE HELP! AHHH!" he screamed as the creature's foot stomped hard down on his ankle.

"Li…fa…" it rumbled, each word an apparent effort as it leaned down to breath its horrible breath in the man's face. "Find…Lifa… Lifa…of Asgard…"

"No…we-we-don't know any Lifa here" a man on the side stuttered and many people nodded vigorously one of the younger passengers murmuring in spite of the situation.

"Do…not…lie" the creature growled as it proceeded to crush the man on the floor's ankle with his foot. "She…is here…I…can…_smell_…her…"

But Via frowned as she tried to process the thoughts swirling in her head.

_Lifa… of Asgard?_

But try as hard as she might she could not remember any figure in Norse myth that bore any such name. She faintly heard Luke mumbling under his breath next to her, his hand still over her mouth. She tried to strain her ears to hear him but he seemed to notice this and his mouth made to only mouth whatever words he needed spoken.

The creature looked down at the man on the floor who was still whimpering and writhing in pain, tilting its head as if assessing him and then…

"Weakling."

Luke's hand that had been over her mouth clamped over Via's eyes just in time as the great war hammer swung down.

There was a sickening squelch, a loud crunch and several high pitched screams. Via squeaked in fright as she felt something incredibly warm and oozing splash onto her legs. She shut her eyes tight clamping her hands over her mouth as she gulped down a large ball of bile back down her throat as the creature gave a massive roar.

There was the thundering of many feet as people ran helter skelter for the doors. Via didn't need telling twice as she felt her hand being tugged as Luke leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"Come, we shouldn't linger here"

They were out the doors and onto the platform before Via even had time to shriek as the creature or whatever it was crashed through after them.

With loud roars and bellows it swung it's heavy war hammer around above its head before bringing it down in a massive arc towards the raging terrified crowds. Several people were flung aside, their bodies thumping heavily on the pavement though none of them moved to get up.

"Leave them they'll be fine"

"But-but-"Via spluttered as she felt Luke's grip on her hand tighten as he pulled her up into a full on dash through the panicking crowd.

She looked over her shoulder again and was in time to see the creature aim another vicious swipe at the platform security guards that had suddenly shown up to check the commotion.

She gasped and the undead creatures head at once whipped up. It's hollow eye sockets met her blue orbs and it let out a hiss.

"Found…you…"

Luke's head snapped up and his eyes flashed with sudden furious panic.

"This way" he quickly wrapped his arm around Via's shoulder and using his height he forced her to duck as he stealthily and speedily manoeuvred them up the stairs leading up to the station lobby above. Unfortunately for them the space was large and the crowd was quick to disperse, and Luke seemed to be having a hard time choosing which direction to take.

"North west group" he hissed this time grabbing her arm and leading her with the group closest.

"Are you sure?" Via glanced behind as another hideous roar echoed up behind them. "Ok forget that let's just get out of here"

Luke murmured as he quickly helped her jump over the ticket machines. Nobody made any move to stop them, in fact many people were following suit in their terror.

The roaring became louder than ever and Via grabbed onto Luke's arm in fright as she caught sight of the monster creature's silhouette emerge from up the steps they'd just come from.

"Quickly now" Luke hissed in her ear as he dragged her up to the exit and out into the bright street.

She winced as the bright sunlight hit her eyes, merely letting the now familiar body heat of her companion guide her away from the building.

"We should be safe over there" Luke muttered as he and Via walked across an intersection and made their way towards the entrance to a small park.

But before they could take one step onto the grass there was a great loud bang and a police car that had just arrived suddenly flew high up into the air, spinning very fast before crashing down with sickening force onto the road.

Via's eyes widened as she caught sight of the bloody airbags through the shattered windshield, as the creature finally came out into the light of day.

It was even more hideous to look at in the bright light, for all of its rotting form was to be seen in a glorious morbid display of strength. But that's not what made Via frightened. It was the fact that it was looking right at her!

"St-Stay back!" A frightened police officer stammered holding his gun out at the creature who didn't pay it any heed as it continued to stare at Via from across the road. It began to trudge along towards her direction.

"STOP!" the police officer shouted and in his desperation he fired a shot at the creature's chest. The bullet sunk in, sending bits of flesh, blood, and muscle splattering over the pavement. The monster stilled and turned its eyeless gaze upon the man.

"Human…" it grunted raising its war hammer above its head to strike once more.

_FSSSSHHHAAAMM!_

Suddenly out of nowhere a large clash of lightning burst forth in the centre of the road in between the police officer and the creature.

Via's eyes widened as she caught sight of a long wad of red material flutter in the breeze from the back of a tall muscular, masculine figure with shoulder length blonde hair, holding up a hammer in his large hand which he quickly swung, dealing a hard shot to the creature's jaw that sent it flying backwards and into the pavement.

"Thor" Luke murmured.

Had Via not been in such a state of shock she would have been surprised at the rather resentful tone in his voice.

Meanwhile across the street the creature was struggling to get back to its feet.

"Stay down scourge of the underworld" Thor proclaimed striking the creature down before it could completely regain its senses. "This realm is under my protection. And by the mighty power within me I will not allow your rotten hands to sully it!"

He raised the mighty Mjolnir up once more but this time the creature was ready for it. It grabbed the hammer's stone head in its bony rotting fingers and pushed Thor back.

"Lifa…of Asgard…" the creature rasped as it clambered back up to its feet. The Asgardian almost felt his heart stop.

"…What did you say?"

"LIFA OF ASGARD!" the creature roared shoving Thor away. With a heavy thud Thor hit the surface of the road, rolling along it hard.

As he made to stand back up again he saw that the creature was striding away from him towards the park across the street, tearing its way violently through the police and SWAT team barrier that had just been made towards a girl that was suddenly startled out of her surprise.

It was her…the same girl that he'd seen when in the taxi with Jane…the one that looked exactly like his…

She tripped as she tried to scramble away and at once a man came to help her, the hood of his green hoody falling off in the process.

Thor's face paled and his eyes widened as horrified shock overtook every fibre of his being.

_No…you're supposed to be dead…_

"Loki?" he breathed as the familiar form of his "deceased" adoptive brother deftly scooped the girl back up onto her feet to run just as the creature made a running leap towards them.

"NO!" Spurred on by a fierce wave of desperate strength, Thor pointed the mighty hammer Mjolnir at his foe and a burst of lightning like energy surging from it, striking the creature just as it started to reach out to grab the girl's legs.

The creature shrieked as currents of electricity split through its decaying form, scorching every cell, every atom of its being into nothingness, all within the space of a split second. Everyone in the area covered their eyes as its body flashed brighter than the sun above, before bursting into oblivion, small fragments of singed matter blasting away from the spot like shrapnel from a bomb.

There was a silence as everyone watched the last of these particles flutter down onto the asphalt below and settle benignly like leaves into grass. Then there was an explosion of noise.

Civilian's and police around Thor cheered and whooped in relief and joy, some clapping some weeping with happiness. But Thor merely stared at the spot where the creature had once been.

For the girl it had been after had vanished…and so had Loki...

* * *

Muahahahahaha!

Loki is alive! (hope he's not too OOC) but why is he on earth? and what was that creature? What will Thor do now?

Keep R&Ring to find out more ;)


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A Bump in the Night**

Via tried her best to shut herself off from the loud wailings of the ambulances and the police in the distance. She and Luke had gone through the park and now were walking down a busy street several blocks away from the station.

However now that her shock was wearing off, she became painfully aware of the slowly drying, still warm blood splattered over her legs.

The blood of a dead man.

Her legs buckled at once beneath her and she fell hard into the pavement below.

She shut her eyes as she felt Luke kneel down beside her.

"Are you alright?"

"I…I think…I just I-I need to g-go h-home" she stammered.

"Would you like me to escort you?" Luke put a soothing hand to her back. Had Via not been so upset she would've laughed at the old fashioned choice of words, but for the first time in her life she felt too tired, too frightened to notice.

She merely nodded, leaning on him as he helped her back up to her feet, it was then he noticed the blood.

"It's alright you're safe now" He murmured soothingly keeping an arm securely around her as he signalled to a passing empty cab which quickly pulled up just in front of them.

It was a half hour trip towards Via's apartment complex, a small brick building in a shabby neighbourhood.

The God of Mischief's eyes narrowed slightly as they took in the rather run down rough residents of the street.

It wasn't exactly the best of crowds but it could have been a lot worse, he reasoned in his head as he flicked his hand.

At once the cab driver, who had been about to demand a fee, stopped talking and spoke in a slightly dazed tone.

"Here's your stop…have a nice day"

Loki's eyes turned sharply on Via beside him, but thankfully she was still very much out of sorts. His eyes softened with pity as he helped her out of the vehicle and up into the building.

He kept to her side, keeping a close eye on her movements.

She was trembling so badly that her hands were finding it difficult to grip the railing of the stairs as they climbed up.

"F-fourth floor" she muttered as they hit the first floor landing.

Loki nodded, not questioning her lack of alertness to the situation.

He guessed that today had been the first time she'd known such real violence and horror.

Humans lived such sheltered lives, it was no wonder that they relied on people like his brother and his companions, those Avengers.

Loki snorted to himself and shook his head.

Goodness he still referred to Thor as his brother even in his thoughts. But then again he supposed it was to be expected, they had been raised as siblings for nearly all their extended Asgardian lifespans and whilst there had been more animosity in these latter years, it would take another hundred or so years to wipe out all of those old habits completely.

They finally made it to the fourth floor on which an old Asian lady was locking her door. At the sight of Via she exclaimed loudly.

"Oh Via darling There you are I was just about to check if you were in! Astrid has been barking quite a lot"

"So-Sorry Mrs Hong, I'll see to her now." Via tried smiling but unfortunately for her the old lady was quick to notice everything about her, much to her mortification. The last thing she wanted was to have to relive that train journey all over again.

"Oh Via! Are you alright? What happened?"

"I am fine, thank you" Via muttered and Mrs Hong quickly turned to look at Loki with sharp eyes.

"And you are young man?"

"Luke Lawson" he lied smoothly. "I came to drop Via home. There was an…_issue_ with the trains"

"An issue?"

"Uh yes the…midday train was…well…stalled by an unwelcome passenger" Loki squeezed Via's arm gently when he saw the uncomfortable look flash over her face. It was clear she was going to crack soon from the pressure and he'd rather not make any more of a scene than had already been done before…when Thor had been there…

"My Goodness! You mean…what happened on the news…Oh Via you don't mean to tell me, that-that, you were on the train with that-that horrible creature!" the old woman clapped a hand over her mouth in horror.

When Via gave a small quiet nod she began to fuss loudly.

"Oh you poor thing. How awful! You must be exhausted. Why don't you just sit tight tonight and I'll look after you."

"Thank you Mrs Hong but I don't want to trouble you" Via mumbled but Mrs Hong put a hand up to silence her

"Oh no young miss! You've just been through a really rough day and you need to look after yourself."

"She is right you know" Loki raised a brow down at Via who had just opened her mouth to speak only for Mrs Hong to ramble over her like a steamroller.

"At least let me make dinner for you tonight. I'll drop it off before I go for my bingo game tonight. Something nice and hot to sooth those nerves and give you a good night's sleep"

Via clamped her open mouth shut and sighed heavily in defeat.

"Thank you Mrs Hong"

"Now you take it easy tonight. And you young man!"

Mrs Hong looked at Loki sharply and he started at the stern look on her old wizened face.

"If anything happens to this dear young lady it will all be on your head!"

"I assure you I have no intention of letting her come to any harm" Loki smiled politely though inside his head he scoffed.

_Old hag. If you knew who you were really talking to, you would not be so plucky!_

But then as she brushed past him he felt a spine like prickle against his arm.

_Hmmm…interesting…_

As Via made to open her front door, Loki kept an eye on the old lady as she trudged off down the stairs. She looked absolutely harmless and old as she doddered towards the stairs, quickly turning her head to look back at him. He caught sight of a hungry glimmer of sickly yellow in the old brown eyes.

"Oh!" Via's voice brought Loki back to attention as something four legged with long silky chestnut fur bowled her over onto her back, barking loudly in excitement.

"Ah! Astrid! Astrid!" Via cried out loudly as the Irish Setter began to lick her face enthusiastically, before drawing away and jumping up on a very surprised Loki.

"Down girl!" Via quickly grabbed a red collar that sat around the dog's neck and pulled her back.

"Sorry Luke! Astrid just gets too excited sometimes" Via sighed gently nudging the canine with her foot to make her sit down beside her legs.

"It's alright…I've been accosted by worse creatures" Loki couldn't help the small smirk of amusement as Astrid whined looking up at him with wide round brown pleading eyes, her silky tail wagging vigorously behind her.

_You truly are a naïve creature…_

"Um…so…Would you like to come in?" Via coughed flushing slightly pink.

"If that is what you would like" Loki bobbed his head courteously, though internally he was surprised. He had not expected to come so far in such a short space of time.

_She must be more scared than I had thought…_

He tilted his head curiously as he stepped inside the apartment. He was surprised by what he saw.

It was a small studio flat, but decorated and designed practically enough to maximise the available space. There was a tiny hall with one door that led off to a small bathroom. The main studio space had been split into two components with a large curtain set around a corner of the room whilst the rest of the space was dedicated to be a combined kitchen, living and dining room.

It was very clean, Loki was quick to note, clean and neat, save the dining table on which lay several shiny sheets of printed photographs all of different sizes all next to a laptop.

"Oh…um that's my work… I'll just neaten that up" Via mumbled quickly making her way over to settle the photographs into their respective files.

"These are yours?" Loki took one of the pictures on the corner of the table. It was of a very flat white ground with a phenomenally blue sky above. It was quite an unusual landscape, devoid of life, barren and yet there was a sort of beauty to its starkness.

"Oh that! That's one of my oldies! The Salt Planes of Texas" Via blushed as she haphazardly began to stack the files in a pile. "One of my first assignments…before Stuttgart" she muttered as an afterthought.

"What happened in Stuttgart?"

"You heard about what happened in New York? That alien invasion?"

"Yes" Loki's voice was polite but did she just see a flash of anger flare up in those green eyes?

Via bit her lip unsurely as she took the photograph from him and continued her explanation, quickly shuffling her way through a green portfolio of photographs.

"Well the same guy that started it also was in Stuttgart the day before. I'm not really sure about what he was trying to kill us or turn us into his slaves, but he had an entire crowd on its knees in the city square. I tried to get a shot before he corralled us in but well it was dark…and the aperture didn't collect enough light."

Via handed Loki another photograph for him to take a look of. His stomach churned uncomfortably as he caught sight of his armoured silhouette striding across the road from a distance. His face was, thankfully, blurred and cast in shadow as it was tilted slightly down to the ground in mid stride.

It was just as well. He hadn't come so far for his plan to unravel so soon.

* * *

It was dark with night, but Loki still hadn't left Via's apartment. Indeed he was currently showering so that he could stay the night.

He sighed, letting the water rush over him as he leaned against the wet wall of the small shower stall in her bathroom.

He wasn't quite sure how it had happened.

His instinct should have told him to leave and contact her another day like any other human would do, but Via had somehow managed to unintentionally keep him there talking with her from noon till the dead of night.

She had only been alive for twenty one years and yet, if her photographs were anything to go from, she had already seen so much of the world around her and was gearing up to see more

But then again, Via was no normal girl. Though by how much, she didn't know. But Loki did.

_Not that I can tell her…_

He reminded himself, his fist curling into a ball as a voice hissed.

_I see you're enjoying yourself my dear trickster_

It was a woman's, low and smooth whisper, and he heard it almost as if it were in his own ear, though it came straight into his mind.

_You forget that as a trickster I have fooled even Odin_

Loki shut his eyes to concentrate his tired mind on the message.

_That was only once Loki…though it was rather a good show._

The woman's voice chuckled richly before turning into an appreciative purr, much to his discomfort.

_Are you truly so depraved of entertainment that you would spy on my private moments?_

The woman's voice purr suddenly snapped to a bite.

_Remember trickster. You still remain in my debt. _

Loki's mouth curled into a tiny sneer.

_I assure you it has not slipped my mind._

_Not like the ruckus that canine's making?_ The woman's voice was maliciously light.

Loki's eyes snapped open and sure enough over the humdrum of the shower in his ears he could hear Astrid's loud bark.

However unlike the first time he'd heard it there was something darker and more ferocious in its tone. Then he heard the spluttering gasps for breath.

Loki quickly shut off the shower and got dressed at top speed before slipping back into the shadows of the main apartment.

His eyes widened as he caught sight of the scene in front of him.

There in the dim light of the moon through her tiny half shuttered balcony window, was Via laying on the floor, her face red and quickly on the way to turning to purple, her eyes shut and her face scrunched up in pain as she gasped. Astrid stood next to her barking and snarling angrily at a hunched shadow that was gripping the girl's throat with long, gnarled, clawed hands.

Loki recognised the figure at once. It was Mrs Hong, though her face bore no resemblance to the kind doddering old lady they had met that afternoon. Her skin had turned grey and scabbed, her sclera yellow, her irises amber-red, her teeth sharp like razors as she hissed.

"Ssstop sstrugling my dear. You'll need your ressst if you want my help to feeeel better"

Deftly Loki's hand twirled beside him and at once a scepter with a long golden handle and a black fitting which held a blue gem encircled with silver blades appeared out of thin air to be gripped tight in his hold as a slight humming sound issued throughout the darkened room.

Mrs Hong, no, the monster's head whipped around as Loki twirled the head of the scepter towards it.

The yellowing eyes widened and the mouth opened to scream as she recognized his form standing tall and lethal above her and her prey.

"Save your breath" Loki sneered softly and the scepter let fly a blue burst of energy.

It struck the creature square in the chest, blasting apart all the matter in her body into fine infinitesimal dust that floated in the air.

He watched the particles with cold satisfaction until the sound of Via's rasping coughs brought him back to reality.

"L-Luke?" Via choked clutching a hand to her throat as her airways finally opened up, and a gush of much needed oxygen rushed into her system. Astrid stopped barking and quickly went to lick her mistress's face, whining with worry.

Loki was quick to stride over to the young woman, scepter still in hand.

"Luke what-" but then Via coughed loudly and curled on herself in a fetal position as pain seized her over her chest. It felt like a one ton anchor had been dumped on top of it.

"Shh! It is alright. You're safe now." Within the blink of an eye Loki had the silver tips of the blades gently touch the spot over her heart.

"that…what is tha-ah…" she sighed as almost instantaneously her body began to relax.

"That's right Via just sleep. Sleep and forget this night" he whispered soothingly as a white blue smoke like tendril of energy floated from the blue gem set in the weapon, and up into her mouth and nostrils.

Within moments her eyes rolled back into her head which lolled to the side limp as a ragdoll.

Loki lightly let go of the scepter in his hand and it vanished back into thin air as he swiftly knelt down and scooped Via up into his arms. With very little effort he carried her towards her bed in the corner of her apartment, Astrid trotting hot on his heels.

She tilted her canine head as she observed the god of mischief gently deposit his cargo onto the soft mattress.

When he was sure she was comfortable, Loki sat by Via's side and looked down over her face. She was breathing deeply and evenly, her face peaceful, her hair spread over the pillow like a glorious shining mane.

On impulse he stroked a stray curl away from her face, his thumb making to stroke her cheek in slow smooth circles.

"Why must you look so much like her?" he murmured softly to the dark.

The woman's voice from before jeered.

_I'm so glad to see you're enjoying yourself my dear trickster…but I did not retrieve your weapon for you to waste on a pathetic little mara. _

_May__be not. _

Loki agreed though rather coolly.

_But until the next part of our plan comes through I am afraid I must find something to use for target practice._

_That shouldn't be too long._

The woman said in a smoothly professional manner.

_All the arrangements have been made. Just keep that human cellphone close by you and wait for the call first thing in the morning. Then it's up to you trickster._

"Oh joy" Loki sighed heavily as the last vestiges of the words faded into nothingness. He leaned to sit against the bed's wooden headboard but then he paused as a large weight settled itself on the opposite edge of the bed.

He looked down and saw Astrid had hopped up and was trying to snuggle with Via.

He shook his head.

"Stupid dog"

* * *

Well...that turned out darker than I'd thought it would...

ok now onto a couple of notes.

According to Wikipedia a **Mara/Mare** is a creature from Germanic/Slavic folklore that induces nightmares by sitting on its unsuspecting victim's chests and bothering, or in the more gruesome tales, **strangling** them as they sleep.

I know...creepy right?

and speaking of disturbing, what do you think Loki is up to? and who is this mystery voice?

If you like keep R&Ring to find out more ;)


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Zombies, Magic and Gods! Oh My!**

Civilian's and police around Thor cheered and whooped in relief and joy, some clapping some weeping with happiness. But Thor merely stared at the spot where the creature had once been.

For the girl the creature had been after had vanished…and so had Loki.

The girl…she had looked so much like Frigga. It was an eerie likeness, almost a mirror image, what with the golden brown curls, the shape of face, and the eyes. It was only a couple of small differences, like her shorter height and her meeker physique that made him sure he was not looking at a clone of his mother, for she was…she had been a tall and majestic queen.

He felt something buzzing in a tiny pouch on the back of the thin belt he wore to holster Mjölnir.

His eyes widened as with a trembling hand he reached back to put his hand in it.

He froze when he felt something scrape against his hand fast and harshly as two metallic surfaces buzzed, their speed slowing down even as he held it.

"It cannot be…"

* * *

Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov and Bruce Banner all watched with a shared piercing stare as the mighty Thor paced up and down the length of the massive window overlooking New York in the boardroom in the Avengers Tower dressed in only jeans and a red T-shirt.

"OK well this is _very_ fun" Clint smiled sarcastically as after the tenth time Thor strode past his spot beside Natasha in silence. "Charades anyone?"

"This is not a time for jesting Hawkeye" Thor rumbled as the others rolled their eyes in irritation.

"Oh and it's a time to be silently stalking around my boardroom after gathering the five of us all here without any explanation other than and I quote 'this is a matter of the most dire of circumstances. We must hold council before it is too late'" Tony folded his arms as his voice went deep and gravelly in a poor imitation of the god of thunder's voice.

"Not helping Stark" Natasha muttered darkly under her breath as she saw Thor's eyes flash with sudden wrath at the billionaire's mockery.

But thankfully before anyone's tempers could be thrown at one another, Bruce interjected calmly and quickly.

"Listen everyone, calm down. I'm sure Thor wouldn't have called all of us here unless something drastic happened?"

"Yes but what did happen is the question" Steve turned his attention back to Thor who sighed heavily.

"…I think…I think Loki might be back on Earth"

There was a silence as all the other Avengers stared at Thor in a dumbstruck silence.

"Bullshit" Bruce breathed shaking his head out in frustration

"I thought you said he died seven months ago during the Convergence?" Steve frowned in confusion.

"I thought he was…" Thor agreed softly his fists clenching at the memory "but I'm not so sure. I saw him only this morning when that Draugr attacked."

"That… cannot be possible" Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Dead guys don't just reappear fully alive, let alone zombie's appearing on the D.C. Metro."

"That would be true… if he really did die in the first place" Clint narrowed his eyes as he exchanged a glance with Natasha.

"I did not lie when I told you of his death" Thor growled out angrily.

"We know. But Loki has tricked us all before with his illusions." Natasha clipped, her eyes piercing his own with a calm but steely gaze as Steve took over the explanation from her hands.

"Remember Stuttgart? He surrounded that whole crowd with copies of himself without batting so much as an eye. Who's to say he couldn't fake his own death if he really wanted to?" he looked around at the table as everyone nodded.

"Besides if he was technically dead he'd be free to operate as he wished without anybody on his back." Clint added.

"…I saw a dark elf pierce him through with his blade" Thor muttered though now he was very unsure "but you are right. Before his death Loki used his illusions to help me trick Malekith into separating the Aether from Jane. Though it seems as if he tricked more than just the elves that day…"

"There's something else we're missing isn't there?" Bruce tilted his head to the side noting the pained look in the striking blue eyes.

Thor nodded silently but didn't speak.

"Thor?" Steve exchanged glances with the others who were all looking very puzzled as the hurt in their friend's eyes seeped into his other features as he mulled over his thoughts.

Of the undead creature…the girl…the undead creature's words…

"My friends" Thor's voice was heavy "There is something you must know. Eons and eons ago-"

"Um Thor just how long are we talking about here because if we're gonna be up all night to listen to a bedtime story we're gonna have to get coffee"

"Tony" Steve sighed along with everyone else in exasperation.

"Just ignore him Thor" Natasha narrowed her eyes at the billionaire and the soldier who both shrank back slightly under her threatening gaze. "Now that we've sorted that out what happened eons and eons ago?"

Thor's eyes darkened as old memories of old tomes of lore wafted before him in the forefront of his memory.

"Eons and Eon's ago when the first war with the dark elves was raging, their king Malekith sought to use the power of the Aether to plunge all the realms into darkness. My grandfather, Bor son of Buri, led the people of Asgard against them in an attempt to keep the realms safe. Our forces were successful for a time, but the might of the Dark Elves was still greater than our own. So much so that it was capable of completely crippling one of our strongest allies the Light Elves. The battle lasted for three days and three nights, by which time Malekith had stormed the realm of Alfheim and was seeking out its king. However my grandfather, with the help of the remaining Light elves forces were able to find the king first hiding in the grand temple. He was close to death, but still had enough strength and will to pass over the Gullhringr, The golden ring, the last heirloom of his house and his line, for safe keeping"

"And when the war was over?" Steve tilted his head into his hand as he sat at a chair. "What happened to this gold ring?"

"It stayed hidden in the vault, my father Odin's, Trophy Room. However my mother Frigga is…was its keeper and carer."

"Carer? Wait this thing was…alive?" Tony looked like Christmas had come early.

"In a way. It wasn't alive in the literal sense but it did have some form of sentience" Thor's eyes turned grave "and it is because of such a marvel that she was born"

"I'm sorry but she?" Clint's eyes narrowed shrewdly.

"…Lifa…" Thor murmured his eyes lowering to the ground.

"Alright I have researched the Norse myths and I've never heard of a god or goddess called Lifa" Bruce looked around at the other Avengers who all nodded in agreement

"That is because she was only born twenty one years ago" Thor sighed heavily. "Every six hundred years on the summer solstice, the Gullhringr is brought out into the open to catch the last rays of the setting sun. And using that power it grants its bearer's deepest wish or desire. My mother made one such wish so that she may have a daughter of her own. My sister Lifa."

"What happened to her?" Clint frowned as the pain in the demi-god's face became blatantly apparent now, so much so that they all went silent.

"Being a product of such a strong power, many tried to take Lifa from us while she was still only an infant. We fought them off as best we could, however one day one of them succeeded in taking her from her crib."

"Who?"

"We do not know. We searched for years…we never found the ones responsible."

"Loki" Tony coughed pointedly only for Thor's hand clenched by his sides.

"Loki may have committed many wrongs in the past, but bringing harm to Lifa was certainly not one of them"

"How can you be so sure?" Natasha narrowed her eyes sceptically.

"Because he adored her to the ends of the nine realms." Thor snapped "…as did we all…" he shut his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself.

"So what does your missing sister have to do with that zombie attack on D.C?" Bruce asked folding his arms.

"Everything…" Thor looked up at them all. "The Draugr, or Zombie as you call it, are undead creatures with only very little intelligence which they apply to only feed and destroy. They rarely have the presence of mind to venture away from their packs or perform a task outside of their basic needs, not unless they are being controlled by powerful sorcery"

"If that is the case, then would it be safe to assume that zombie-thing that you destroyed in D.C. was sent by Loki?"

But Thor shook his head at Steve once more.

"Oh come on!" Tony cried out flinging his hands up "You said it yourself, Loki is a conjurer with a bag full of tricks. With his power, what's a zombie or two worth?"

"No man of iron, the summoning of a Draugr let alone a pack or an army of them requires the highest levels of magic. And whilst my brother is an exceptional practitioner of the mystic arts I know for a fact that even he was nowhere near as close to such a power level, especially without the power of the Tesseract at his disposal"

"Which brings us back to the question." Clint leant forwards elbows on his knees. "If Loki is alive and is back on Earth…what is he up to?"

There was a silence as they all pondered the archer's questions.

Thor indeed was thinking very hard. His brow furrowing.

Finally he ran a hand through his hair.

"It is very late, I must be returning to Jane"

* * *

Jane Foster was sitting in the living room of her house, a mug of coffee in her hand and her worried face watching the clock on the wall as it ticked away the hours.

Thor had said he'd be back by midnight…it was now one o' clock. Darcy was upstairs sound asleep already, probably snoring while she, Jane, was freezing her toes off even though she was wearing socks.

_I should cut him some slack_

Jane bit her lip as she stirred the spoon in her lukewarm coffee, remembering only too plainly the white ashen colour of his face when he'd returned from that fight with the zombie creature.

Though she personally found the scattered and bad quality images she saw of the creature on the news rather terrifying, she knew that Thor didn't. From what he'd told her about his adventures with the Warriors Three as well as the incident in New York, he'd faced much worse opponents before.

Which was why she was so worried now.

He barely talked or touched his food, which he usually devoured till the plate was clean and he was as silent as the grave. It had only been when she'd demanded him to talk did he tell her the full truth and even that was in brief.

_THUMP!_

Jane jumped and whipped around just in time to see Thor stride into the living room.

"Did you tell them?"

Thor nodded, keeping his head down with his bright blue eyes pinned to the ground as if trying to hide the hurt that was so apparent for her to see as he sat down beside her.

"Hey…" Jane reached out to put a hand over his "What happened with your sister…It wasn't your fault-"

"Yes it was" Thor shut his eyes clenching her hand tight in his. "If I had just listened to my father that day and had stayed beside her crib rather than gallivant off to fight at the front lines... If I had just been a more responsible brother-"

"Thor, that was twenty one years ago. You were a…_different_ person then. What's done is done, and not even you cannot change that." Jane put a gentle hand to his cheek "But what you can change is what will happen next. And that's gotta count for something right?"

"I suppose it must" He sighed heavily and reached into his pocket, holding out something shiny and metallic in his outstretched palm.

Jane's eyes widened at the sight.

It was a delicate silver butterfly on a thin golden chain, with ornate wings made from the most slender of gears assembled, though there was no switch nor wind up mechanism to be seen.

"Mother had nine of these made to hang over Lifa's crib as she slept" Thor held it out for Jane to take gingerly in her hand.

"It's beautiful" Jane's voice was barely a whisper as she gazed with awe at the tiny but exquisite contraption.

"They were supposed to flap their wings and fly about whenever she was near enough and send out a warning if ever she were in danger. When she was taken, Loki and I both took one each, as a reminder of our shared mission, though I do not know whether or not he still has kept his."

"Maybe its time you found out then?"

There was silence as Thor looked at the human woman beside him, her brown eyes ablaze with determined strength and resolve. Despite the weight over his heart he felt himself smile.

"Maybe you are right"

* * *

Loki grimaced as the sounds of the early morning street outside Via's apartment hit his ears. He cracked open an eye. He was still leaning by the headboard to her bed his hands resting in his lap.

He winced as he turned his head. It was only within the last two hours he'd finally managed to doze off and his neck was stiff from his body's awkward position during his repose.

Keeping his ears pricked for any unusual sounds, he deftly twirled his hand and a small, delicate silver and gold metal butterfly appeared to hover in the air in front of him, its fine wings fluttering vigorously.

_After all this time you were hidden right under our very noses…on this godforsaken pathetic world._

He looked down beside him where the girl was snuggling close into her pillow.

She looked far more peaceful after a good night's sleep. The large hand marks that had marred her slender neck were no longer visible, thanks to the illusion spell he'd cast over it, though they would still hurt because it was merely a cover up. Practitioner of magic though he was, he had no real skills in proper healing.

_And yet you're __Still as innocent as the day we lost you…_

The corners of his mouth quirked slightly upwards and with a flick of his wrist the metal butterfly vanished into thin air, just as one of the girl's blue eyes began to open.

"G'morning Luke"

"Good morning Via" Loki's green eyes softened as she gave a wide yawn.

_No…Good morning…Lifa…_

* * *

Dun-Dun-DUNNN!

wait hang on, wrong SFX. it probably should be...um...I actually have no clue what it should be...er...

*coughs awkwardly* ahem I hope the Avengers were alright not exactly easy to pin down their group dynamic, they didn't really have much casual interaction in the Avengers movie.

The name Lifa is actually a variant of the Old Norse name Líf (which means life). However because Líf is so close to Síf I kept getting confused when typing. Why must the Norse gods have such hard names to spell out?!

Feel free to give suggestions for plot or any info that you think is useful to know about this movie-verse.

Keep R&Ring for more.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: More than Just a Coincidence**

"Are you going to be alright going into the city on your own?"

"I think so yes."

"Alright just checking…"

"…don't worry I won't be taking any trains"

"heh! Neither will I"

"Hmm…Thank you Luke…for staying with me last night…it really helped"

"It helped me too."

"Hey…maybe if you're not busy and I'm not away…we could…I don't know…catch up…grab a coffee sometime?"

"…I'd like that"

* * *

"Late-late-late-late-LATE!" Via Summers hissed as she rushed through the front doors to the large National Geographic offices on 1145 17th St, North West Washington D.C.

With a tentative gulp she tottered up to the front concierge desk in a blue silk blouse, long black pants and black high heels that were actually quite moderately sized and yet still managed to make her almost stack it on the smooth polished floor of the lobby.

"Oh Via" One of the ladies sitting at the desk sighed, as Via held onto the top of the white marble countertop. "Late again?"

"Nice to see you too Sarah" Via grinned as Sarah looked over her clothes.

"Meeting with Gerard?"

"Yeah. Has he moved back into his office yet?"

"No they're still doing renovations" Sarah quickly began to type into the computer system at her station "he's up on the 25th floor in one of the editing conference rooms. Turn left from the lifts and it's the last door at the end on the right side. So what does he want to meet you about? Security card please."

"Dunno, but if it's about that Rio article again I'm going to shoot him" Via mumbled as she tried rummaging in her bag for her security card only to notice that Sarah's face was pink.

"Hey…What's up?"

"Nothing its just…" Sarah leaned in to whisper excitedly "There was just a really hot guy in here"

"What? A Hot guy _here_?" Via laughed loudly looking about at the almost empty lobby, but Sarah's blush only intensified.

"I'm serious. He just came in before you did. Tall, pale, black hair, got one of those sexy British accents"

"Oh yeah gotta _love_ those accents" Lifa smirked cheekily and Sarah scowled.

"Ha-ha very funny, by the way aren't you already late?"

"Oh shoot yes I am! Later Sarah!" Via cried out as she dashed off.

Sarah shook her head as she almost tripped once more on her way to the lifts.

_How is it that she can scale the side of a mountain like a goat and yet stack it in the flattest heels on normal ground?_

* * *

"Come on hurry up" Via groaned as the lift took its own sweet time to travel up from level twenty four to level twenty five.

_DING!_

"Yes!" she hissed as she dashed out into the hallway. Many editors shook their heads fondly as they caught sight of the familiar head of blonde curls run past them.

"The lion strikes again" one of them chuckled to his colleagues as Via skidded to a halt in front of the last door to her right.

Ignoring all the looks she was getting from the others she gave a timid knock.

"Gerard?" Via called as she tentatively opened the door and peered inside.

At the head of a long conference table a rather round middle aged man with a thatch of greying black hair on his head sat in a black suit. He looked up at the sound of the younger woman's voice.

"Oh Summers come in, come in" Edwin Gerard smiled standing up and quickly striding across the room to shake her hand.

"Sit. It's been a while"

"Four months" Via nodded as she sat herself down in a chair.

"And you've been very busy. And what's this about a trip to Scandinavia in the works?"

"Oh…that…" Via bit her lip nervously but Gerard smiled.

"Ha! Don't worry kid I'm not angry. Actually I'm surprised you haven't jumped on the bandwagon with the whole exposure of that SHIELD secret agency thing, considering you like those Avengers"

"Yeah …" Via blushed brushing her curls out of her face "Actually it's partially because of one of the Avengers that I want to go to Scandinavia"

"Oh really?" Gerard raised his eyebrows "care to explain how?"

"Um…well sir you know it's going to sound crazy but…geographically Scandinavia is supposed to be the original home of the Viking tribes. And considering that they worshiped the Asgardians like Thor, I think it would be interesting to try and see if any fragments of the culture might remain somewhere hidden in the land."

Gerard chuckled deeply and shook his head.

"Oh Summers, only a girl like you would want to go chasing old myths and legends"

"Is there a problem with that?" Via raised her eyebrows coolly.

"Not at all! Not at all! I think it's great. There aren't too many people in the Travel section interested in that area of Europe. Especially not in the way you want to do it, road trip style. It could prove to be very interesting actually. I can almost see the headline _Asgard: Viking Myth or Modern Marvel_"

"So there's no trouble? I can go ahead."

"I don't see why not. You already signed the paper work" Gerard shrugged but then he fixed Via with a sharp stare "But there is an issue with your dear editors"

"Oh god, please don't tell me they want another re-edit on the Rio story again? I've only been through it like a gazillion times!" Via rolled her eyes.

"No but you're on the right track. You see they have given me a rather interesting suggestion. Now don't take this the wrong way Via, you're a good photographer, one of our best. But let's face it your writing is not exactly the same stellar standard as your pictures"

"So what do you want me to do about it?" Via folded her arms narrowing her eyes shrewdly. "Should I take a break and do a diploma in writing or something?"

"No, no nothing like that" Gerard put both hands up quickly to placate her mounting irritation "but they were thinking…what if instead of doing these stories on your own…you got someone else to write it for you as you go along?"

"Gerard, you know I don't do well with writers, they irritate me to hell and back. So far they've all hated Astrid and they never get what I'm trying to put across and then because they don't understand they just change the whole story altogether!" Via huffed grumpily.

"That's just because you haven't found the right one yet" Gerard rolled his eyes a little. He himself was a writer and he knew that recently there had been rather a lot of tension between "the pictures" and "the words", as they said in the office.

"Listen there's this new guy just come in from London. A history major at Oxford, and he especially likes the Vikings and the Norse mythology. He's a nice, young, smart guy and he likes dogs-"

"Are you giving him a job or are you setting up his online dating profile." Via folded her arms.

"Summers" Gerard sighed heavily pinching the bridge of his nose "just give it a go with the Scandinavia story alright and if it doesn't work out for the both of you, I personally promise we won't pressure you to take another partner in work again!"

"…ok…I'll give it a shot…But do I get to meet this guy before I go or do we go on a blind date to Europe first" Via raised a brow to which Gerard reciprocated with a small upward quirk of his lips.

"I called him in just before you came. He's up on his way from one of the bathrooms downstairs."

"What's wrong with the one up here?"

"The line's long" Gerard mumbled. "With all the renovations going on we're just getting a bit crowded. Guys especially"

"Why am I not surprised?" Via smirked.

"ha-ha very funny" Gerard chuckled just as the door to the room opened once more.

"Oh I do hope I'm not interrupting anything?" A familiar voice asked politely.

Via spun around.

Her eyes widened with surprise as she looked over her houseguest from the previous night. His black hair was combed neatly back making his pale face and green eyes seem to pop against the casual black suit and dark green shirt he wore.

"Surprise!" Luke smirked as he saw Via stare shocked at his arrival.

"Luke?"

"Oh you two already know each other?" Gerard raised his eyebrows in astonishment.

"We met yesterday on the train" Luke smiled pleasantly though he made no further mention of his and Via's full meeting. She was glad about that. She wanted nothing more than to forget that awful creature, and she hated the way people cooed and simpered about her when something happened to her.

"Oh wow that's great" Gerard smiled happily before his eyes lit up with a sudden idea "Say what Via, I know it's pretty last minute why don't you bring Luke along with you tonight to the gala."

"The gala?" Via blinked. Then it hit her like a ton of metal bricks to the head.

"You forgot again?" Gerard smirked amusedly as his young employee swore softly under her breath.

He turned to look at Luke who opted to look politely puzzled.

"Our Evening of Exploration Gala. It's basically to celebrate and support the Society's Emerging Explorers and Explorers Program. Most of our top explorers will be there as well as our benefactors. What do you say Via? It will be a good spot for Luke to wet his feet? Sven's going to be there too and I'm sure he'd would love to meet your new partner"

"Yeah…yeah that's if Luke wants to come?" she bit her lip as she looked up at Luke who grinned widely.

"Why not, it sounds like fun"

Via kept her face passive though her heart sank. Great now she had to get dolled up for a party.

"Oh and by the way Via, remember the theme is the Arabian Nights"

Oh great and it was themed too. How _wonderful_.

* * *

Tony Stark's mind was buzzing with information. But it wasn't in a good way at all.

Even as he sat in the back of the limousine with his girlfriend/company CEO/Personal Secretary Virginia "Pepper" Potts he found his mind wandering nastily back to Manhattan. Back to the Chitauri…back to the battle…

They'd all fought to keep the earth safe from that mad Asgardian only for him to return two years later looking for his lost sister whilst possibly unleashing an army of the undead upon them all.

_What did I do to deserve this?_

"Tony!"

Tony blinked only to see Pepper waving a hand in front of his face.

"Are you ok?"

"Uh yeah…yeah I'm fine just thinking" he shrugged nonchalantly. He was trying to be interested. The National Geographic's annual Gala was one of the highlight's of his girlfriends' calendar, for she personally was a huge supporter of the magazine.

"About what?" Pepper chuckled, though her gaze was knowing.

"About how amazing you look" Tony tried to smile but Pepper rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"oh really?"

"What I'm serious, you look like you've stepped out of a James Bond movie. I'm gonna have to stick by you all night just to make sure you're not swept away by some super spy." And he wasn't lying, what with the lovely floor length red dress she wore with the black Arabian shawl and the tied up red hair she looked a million dollars.

"You're still worried about what Thor told you last night aren't you?" Pepper raised her brow and he sighed.

"Not worried. Just wondering if Asgardians are supposed to be so much more superior to humans, why they still bother waging wars on planets that don't belong to them"

"Alright you have a point" Pepper nodded in agreement. "but-Oh my god!"

Tony quickly looked about him in alarm at his girlfriend's shocked gasp.

"What?"

"Look!" Pepper pointed to the window from which they could see the red carpet.

"Woah" Tony's jaw dropped.

Now he was a faithful man to Pepper, but even he could not deny that the woman he saw on the carpet just in front of them was gorgeous. Young but with a full figured body that was adorned by a long rich blue green strapless dress with gold embroidery along the bodice and the back of the skirt that looked like peacock's train. The gold was almost the exact same shade as the woman's curly hair which had been half braided back before falling in waves down her back.

"Not her" Pepper hissed quickly pointing to the tall lean man that walked arm in arm with the beautiful young woman. He quickly turned to look at his partner and Tony at once caught sight of his profile.

His heart sank like a stone.

There just in front of him walking up the carpet was the familiar pale figure of Loki, the god of mischief, dressed in a dark but sharp black green suit with an emerald scarf draped over his shoulders.

"You've got to be shitting me"

"What are you going to do?" Pepper asked him worriedly as the both of them made to step out of the car and onto the red carpet.

"What can I do? We're surrounded" Tony hissed quietly before quickly grinning for a couple of photographers. When they managed to escaped the paparazzi for a moment Pepper gave him a stern look, the one that always told him he had to do what she told him to do or else.

"Call Thor. Tell him that-"

"Tell me what?" came a familiar deep voice from behind.

Tony and Pepper both wheeled around to come face to face with Thor himself, dressed in a simple black tux with a young pretty brunette girl on his arm in a deep red dress.

"Oh Point Break what a surprise…you're…here" Tony smiled though his usually genius intellect was having extreme trouble digesting the Thunder God's presence.

_Thor dressed in tux. Thor with girl on arm. Thor looking really relaxed. Wait relaxed?! He hasn't seen Loki yet! Oh god how to break it too him quietly?!_

Tony knew that once Thor knew about his younger adoptive brother's presence at this very party that there would be a huge scene.

He tried to keep his smile as Thor explained himself quietly.

"Actually my friend I am here under human guise to support my dearest Jane, for she is one of the three explorers to be honoured here tonight at this grand event" he gestured towards the brunette girl on his arm who blushed about ten shades of red in one second.

"Oh wow congratulations" Tony nodded genuinely impressed just as Pepper beside him coughed.

"Oh and yes this is Pepper Potts my girlfriend slash Company CEO slash Personal Assistant."

"Otherwise known as the woman who keeps him in line" Pepper smiled widely and shook Jane's hand as she giggled.

"Nice to meet you I'm Jane Foster"

As both women were distracted Tony gave Thor a meaningful look that clearly said that they needed to talk. Thankfully Pepper also caught sight of the expression because she quickly made to steer Jane away as she asked.

"So Jane if you don't mind me asking what is the award you're receiving?"

"You have a very charming partner man of iron" Thor nodded with approval as both women made to quickly disappear inside the building.

"And you have a very smart partner" Tony smiled back quickly but genuinely before gesturing with his fingers for the thunder god to lean in closer as they walked into the grand building

"Speaking of partners I have some news concerning…the Loki incident"

"Oh?" Thor's body tensed slightly. "And what news would that be?"

Tony took a deep breath.

_Well here goes nothing!_

"Loki's here"

"Here as in?" Thor questioned though his face had gone extremely pale nonetheless.

"Here as in…with us inside this building…With us in this room…and…" he added as they stepped into the main function room which was decked out with gold, white and reds and midnight blue drapes.

"And" Thor prompted him a little desperately as he looked about the room.

Tony quickly looked around and spotted his targets across the room.

"Right there?" he pointed.

Thor looked and saw that close to one of the walls near one of the furthermost circular function tables was his brother, standing rather closely to a beautiful woman and talking with her.

_Brother…_

Thor almost felt his heart break in two. He could almost not believe the sight he beheld. The Loki who had looked so gaunt and hollow, the Loki who was bitter and vengeful, the Loki who craved love and affection…was now looking so relaxed and so content.

A part of Thor wanted nothing more than to just stroll up to his brother and greet him warmly, just like how he used to do at events such as these. Then Loki himself would have greeted him with a sarcastic but warm greeting which would lead to them bantering on playfully before sticking by each other's sides throughout most of the evening as they tried to charm an audience with a story of one of their adventures, preferably one of the more daring ones to appeal to the younger ladies of the court.

But Thor, did not go up to Loki this time…he just stood there and watched quietly with a small sad smile on his face.

It was almost as if all those years of torment and bitterness had melted away as Loki softly chuckled, his green eyes glinting with genuine fondness as something the woman with him said something rather energetically.

The woman…

Thor's heart stilled.

It was _her_.

The girl from the station, the one that the Draugr had tried to grab hold of in the street. The familiar girl with rich golden curls and bright blue eyes. The one that looked almost like his own late mother.

He almost hadn't recognised her for she was no longer looking meek and scared like a child, but regal and beautiful.

However despite her appearance she appeared to be a rather enthusiastic maiden, which, Thor noted, was a surprising choice for his brother. Loki never usually liked chatterboxes; he found them too irritating and too loud. He usually preferred to woo the quiet shy naïve girls whom he could easily seduce with his silver tongue in a heartbeat. But then again, Thor smirked as he continued to watch, this particular girl was charming in her own way. She had a vitality about her that was as infectious as her smile which was wide as she made to explain something else to the intrigued trickster.

"What is that?" Tony's voice cut through his thoughts and at once Thor startled slightly.

"What is what?"

"That! That buzzing" Tony twisted his finger into his ear to clear it out.

Thor listened intently for a moment then felt to his surprise something humming from within his pant pocket. He quickly took its contents out and stared at it in alarm.

"Ok…I will say I saw nothing" Tony smirked as he caught sight of the extremely delicate beautiful silver and gold butterfly currently flapping its wings vigorously as it sat in the palm of Thor's large hand.

"This…this is incredible!" Thor breathed looking back up at Loki and the girl. "It's really _her_"

"What who? That hot babe that's with your-" But Tony trailed off at the terrifying glower that the Thunder God sent his way.

"What she is gorgeous?!" he said but even as the other man's glare hardened, realization struck hard and sharp. "OH!"

Tony looked back at the girl and back at Thor and back at the girl and back at Thor and then ran a hand over his face.

"Shit Thor you don't mean to tell me…that…_that's_ your sister?!"

"Yes…yes it would seem so…" Thor's large hand shook slightly as he put the still buzzing butterfly back into his pocket; his eyes still fixed upon Loki and the girl…no she was not just the girl…

_Lifa you're really here…you're alive…you're all grown up? Oh what mother wouldn't have given to see you now…_

Tony's eyes softened slightly, though he hid the expression behind one of his best party faces.

"I don't know about you Point Break but I think it's time we arranged a little family reunion"

* * *

Dun-dun-DUNN! One Agardian style family reunion just around the corner.

Will there be all out war? or will Thor and Loki manage to keep the damage down to a minimum (hmm...probably not but one can hope right?)

Hope I got Tony Stark right. not easy but still a funny character. any suggestions for how I could get him right would be most helpful. Also the National Geographic Gala is actually a real life annual event (I looked it up) apparently it's a pretty huge shindig.

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	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: A Night To Remember**

Loki watched closely as he held out his hand for Via to take as she stepped out of the taxi they'd acquired for the evening.

He had to admit for someone who had made a last minute dash to get prepared for one evening she looked marvellous and that was saying something as he had seen many a fine woman in the Halls of Asgard.

The rich blue of her dress brought out her bright eyes and her hair, which she had somehow partially managed to tame, glistened like golden sunlight as the curls bounced with every step.

But more than her dress or her grooming what struck the God of Mischief the most was her genuine vitality and youth. Her bright smile was infectious as she walked arm in arm with him down the red carpet to the grand hotel, waving at several of her colleagues and contemporaries as she passed by.

They all smiled back, especially, Loki noticed, the males. There was one man in particular, a stocky but unctuous man in a cheap white suit with a gaudy Arabian printed red cravat beneath, who gave her a considerably appreciative look which she quickly made to turn away from with disgust.

"Oh god move now!" she hissed tugging Loki away as fast as she could however.

"Olivia baby how wonderful to see you" the man's voice was as slippery as if it had been drenched with oil.

"Hello Marcel" Via clipped, gripping Loki's arm tight in her own. Loki squeezed her hand gently as he turned his head to look down on the man before him.

"Oh!" Marcel suddenly startled as he caught sight of his target's partner who stood far taller than him. "And who is _this_?"

He sniffed haughtily up at the intruder with a glower.

"Luke Lawson, Via's partner. And you are?"

"Marcel D'Amore," Marcel puffed out his chest proudly shaking the hand in front of him, his eyes quickly darting to the small amount of cleavage showing on Via chest. Loki's teeth gritted ever so slightly as he smiled coldly his grip tightening immensely. Once he was sure the man's hand was fractured slightly he let go, his eyes flashing with a green fire.

"S-so" Marcel smiled hurriedly "It was nice seeing you again. I'll um…I'm sorry but I've got to…go…meet some people. Goodbye"

He quickly darted off into the crowd before quickly snagging a skimpily clad girl in a short leopard skin dress who was posing and smiling widely and perkily in front of the paparazzi.

"Thank goodness" Via sighed with relief leaning into Loki's side. "That slimy git. The way he throws himself at women-it's like watching a baboon in heat."

"So why was he invited?" Loki looked down on her with raised eyebrows.

"Because he's the new CEO of Hammer Industries." Via frowned looking about her as she led him to a small quiet corner far away from the DJ stand. "That company is one of the major sponsors for National Geographic, as well as Stark Industry"

"Stark?" Loki tensed slightly but Via didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah. You know Stark as in Tony Stark? Iron Man? Avenger? That guy, oh look there he is!" Via pointed end of the carpet where a black limo had pulled up and the door opened.

"oh…" Loki muttered darkly as his eyes found the mortal's familiar face as he stepped out with a red haired lady on his arm. "Yes, him"

He quickly turned his head back, mentally cursing just as Tony Stark looked up in his direction.

Damn this was bad. That blasted mortal was one of the few people that could jeopardise his mission, and if he had his armoured suit…

He was secretly glad when he saw Via shiver a little.

"Come, let's get inside. It'll be warmer" he gently steered her inside the front doors where they were security checked at once for a few moments before Via handed the guards the ticket.

"Enjoy your evening" the guard smiled at the both of them, though Via could see that his eyes were bloodshot and his face was drooping a little.

"Thank you. Poor guy" she added in a murmur when she and Loki walked into the main function room "Looks dead on his feet"

"He still has a job to do" Loki smirked softly at her concern.

He had only known her for less than two days and already he knew that despite her independent attitude for most things, she had a truly gentle heart. She was sensitive to people's moods and often had seen her in the past few hours try and smile kindly and treat them fairly despite her own desperations. Whilst there indeed was a part of him that scorned and sneered at such innocence and naivety, another small corner of his mind found it surprisingly endearing. He was certain that with such a personality, had she been raised in Asgard she would have been very much beloved by the people…Just as much as they would have loved their queen...their late queen, who would never live to see the day that her-

"Luke?"

He blinked. He was standing in a small corner of the function room behind one of the large circular tables, a warm patting softly on his cheek.

He turned slowly to look down on Via whose face was worried as she brushed aside a stray hair from his forehead.

"You ok? You really seem out of it"

"I'm fine" Loki smiled though Via saw it did not reach his green eyes, which were strangely sad as she stroked his cheek with her thumb gently. "Just a little tired"

"Jet Lag and Homesickness both catching up with you huh?" Via murmured her hand dropping a little from his face, however Loki was quick to grab it with his hands so that her fingers still trailed at his jaw.

"Just a little bit" he grinned.

"Yeah I was just the same first time I went overseas for an assignment" she nodded knowingly, not seeming to notice the tender gesture or the physical closeness. "I remember feeling so excited as I got off the plane, full of energy, then the next day. Bam!" she chuckled "I felt like a ton of bricks hit my head and I felt really sad whenever I saw anything that reminded me of home."

"How old were you?" Loki asked amusement overcoming his melancholy.

"only eighteen or so" Via shrugged not noticing as Loki kept hold of her hand in his even as he brought them down from his face. "barely a year after my high school graduation and already I was planning to leave the nest"

"Where did you graduate from?" Loki asked curiously. He had so far not really heard much about her past, save her photography assignments or her adventures overseas.

"Albuquerque Academy" Via shrugged "I wasn't a star pupil but I did get good marks in my finals plus an award for my photography major work so that was a definite bonus."

"I know it's going to sound like a rude question" Loki quirked an eyebrow smirking down at the girl in front of him "but why photography? Why not painting or sculpture as an artistic medium?"

"I…I…" Via suddenly frowned with concentration for a moment.

Loki's grip on her hand tensed. Damn! He had said the wrong thing. Just what was wrong with him this evening? He had allowed himself to be seen by an arch nemesis and now his silver tongue was stumbling and slipping up in mere small talk.

But even as he made to open his mouth to apologise she suddenly chuckled.

"Well that's kind of a funny story?"

"Oh really? Do tell." Loki gave her a politely intrigued expression though inside he was relieved and ravenous for more information. He needed her trust, he needed to discover her inside and out for his plans to work…but also, and it even astonished himself to think this, he found himself _wanting_ to know the woman behind the camera…behind the smile…

Her smile…

Loki felt his heart tug again for the umpteenth time since they'd first met the day before on the train, as she began to prattle on about her first experiences with the camera, most of which turned out to be accidental and humorous.

His eyes shut for a moment savouring the strangely familiar and yet foreign feel of her skin beneath the pads of his fingers.

This life she'd led…it was a life in which not even a shred of evidence of him, or his old family even registered in. That life of royalty and of a family had been taken from her and would never be. And it took all he had in him to not tell her of the truth about the significance of this moment and steal her back away to Asgard at the drop of a hat.

As she talked his fingers traced over the metal band about the hand he was holding, which had absorbed the warmth from her body heat.

"-of course Aunty Ingrid wasn't too keen on the idea of me going so far away from home for so long-"

His eyes slid open and he smiled as he saw she was still prattling on, like an excitable child.

But then again, he reasoned, she was still just that. Given their short lifespans, humans liked to believe that once they had come of age at eighteen they were mature adults. But Loki had lived for more than a thousand years and was still considered young by Asgardian standards.

Then suddenly, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as an energy prickled unpleasantly. Someone with magical abilities was close by. No wait, they were walking towards him.

He looked up quickly and his sharp eyes were quick to dart around their quiet corner.

"err…" Via blushed as she noticed her singular audience member looking away from her and "S-sorry, I didn't mean to ramble it's just that…" but she broke off as she saw his face turn shocked for a moment before becoming tenser than a bow string as he glanced to the side.

"Um Luke? Oh my-" she suddenly felt her cheeks go if possible even redder than before.

There striding towards them with a wide grin was Tony Stark, in all his suave exuberant self, wearing a black tuxedo and followed by an extremely tall strongly-built man with shoulder length blonde hair.

_Huh?_

Via blinked as she met the strange man's gaze. His eyes were a startlingly familiar shade of blue, almost exactly like her own.

But then again, she reasoned, there were seven billion people on Earth and plenty of them probably had similar coloured eyes as she did.

She tried her best to smile politely as the two men approached her and her partner who was positively seething with irritation.

"Tony Stark" he smiled, green eyes flashing with undisguised wrath as Tony made his way close enough to be heard over the DJ that had just started playing in the room.

"Luke Lawson" he smirked and Loki tensed.

Damn. And the mortal knew his alias too, but how? But even as he thought it through he caught sight of the advanced digitised watch on the man's left wrist.

_Of course, that technology of his._

"You look well. How long has it been since we last met?"

"Two years ago in New York I believe." Tony then turned his attention to Via who gulped a little under his shrewd gaze.

"Tony Stark. You must be the famous Olivia Summers I've been hearing about from everyone here at this shindig"

"eheh! You're too kind but I'm not…err" Via giggled nervously scratching the back of her curls "well, I'm good about what I do but, I don't know about famous Mr Stark."

"Oh please call me Tony" Tony waved her down grinning as he snagged two champagne glasses from a passing by waiter. "Mr Stark just makes me sound like an, old and greying man"

"And yet how much older than me are you exactly?"

Loki couldn't help but smirk as Via looked oh so innocently at billionaire over the rim of her glass as she took a sip of her champagne.

Tony coughed and felt a pink flush creep up on his cheeks that had nothing to do with the alcohol as he heard the blonde haired man behind him laugh jovially at his expense.

"Well I guess I was setting myself up for that one"

"Though to be fair that was kind of rude. It's a pleasure to meet you Tony"

"Likewise Olivia"

"Call me Via, everyone does" Via grinned and extended a hand out.

Tony shook her hand and was surprised by how strong it was despite being smaller and more slender than his own. Almost as strong as…

He quickly let go as he saw her look towards the tall muscular man that stood beside him who blinked in surprise at her attention but quickly coughed.

"Donald Blake" he took her hand but instead of shaking it like Tony did he bobbed his head down to it in gentlemanly fashion. "And I am pleased to meet your acquaintance Via Summers"

_Donald? Oh Thor even that is pathetic even by your standards_

Loki almost rolled his eyes as he heard the small giggle from Via who took her hand back from the disguised Thunder god quickly her face redder than a fire hydrant.

"um, thank you…It's nice to meet you too umm…"

_Oh great job Via blush and gush like a moron_!

She cursed herself mentally almost missing the action as Thor looked upon Loki and murmured.

"Hello _Brother_. It's been a while"

"Brother?" Via looked up with wide eyes at Loki merely smiled politely.

"_Adopted_ brother. And yes it has been a while _Donald_. Almost six months. How are you?"

He sounded casually polite but his eyes were cold, so cold that for a moment Thor's face was stricken before it was quickly masked by a smile of his own.

"I'm fine. And how have you been faring? Been up to any of your mischief lately?"

"Perhaps. Nothing worth telling…not yet…" Loki smirked devious twinkle in his eyes.

Thor opened his mouth to speak however someone coughed. It was a young, slightly dorky looking man in a second hand tuxedo with a camera around his neck.

"Oh hey Peter!" Via smiled widely reaching out to pat his shoulder "I didn't know you were in D.C. you should've called"

"Yeah well It was actually pretty last minute " the boy, Peter, blushed a little scratching the back of his head nervously as he looked over the three other men who were all observing him quietly. "You see MJ was supposed to come but she couldn't make it 'cause she's sick so I was sent to cover the story instead"

"Aww, poor girl. Is she ok?"

"Yeah just a cold. But she's pulling through" Peter coughed quickly and held up the camera. "But if I don't get this shot I'm not gonna pull through!"

"Translation, Jameson's going to fry you alive in two minutes" Via raised her eyebrows.

"Bulls eye" Peter gave her a thumbs up.

"Jameson?" Tony's eyebrows rose "you mean that angsty old geezer Jonah Jameson from the NY Bugle"

"Err, is there any other Jonah Jameson you know?" Via quirked an eyebrow and Tony quickly nodded.

"Right, good point. Ok everyone crowd around don't be shy there's plenty of Tony for everyone!"

_Oh brilliant, now I'm stuck with them_

Loki grimaced with distaste as the billionaire made to pull both Thor and Via into the shot with him. He tried his best to step aside and out of the picture but before he could even move his foot he felt one of Thor's large hands grab the back of his jacket and pull him onto Via's other side.

"Come now brother don't be so sullen. Let us capture this wonderful momentous reunion joyfully."

"Oh a wonderful reunion is it?" Loki spat through a fake smile for the camera as Peter finally took the shot. When he heard the camera click he instantly tried to tug away.

"Right you've captured the moment now so I think I should be-"

"How about one with the two brothers then!" Tony guffawed loudly over the top and Via giggled.

_Poor Luke, Not exactly photogenic are you? Pity…you and your brother both look really cute like this._

She bit her lip to stop herself from cracking up as she made to stand out of the way of Peter's camera as Loki tried his best to lean away from Thor who was grinning widely as he slung a large arm about his brother's shoulder.

"Smile brother"

Loki glowered at him sidelong and Peter took the shot, snorting with laughter as he reviewed the picture on the display in front of him.

"HA that's a good one! Now whose next? Oh wait hey Via why don't you stand in-between them"

Though they kept smiling, Loki and Thor both felt their hearts race through their chests as the young woman made her way over to stand between them, her blonde curls bouncing with each stride in her heels.

Once she'd taken her position in between the two of them they jostled their arms slightly for position on her until eventually Loki rolled his eyes and glowered at Thor over her head.

Thor glowered back and quickly settled his hand around the girl's shoulders as Loki, quick as lightning made to wrap a casual arm around her waist.

Tony watched from the sidelines, taking advantage of the lack of attention on himself to observe with a small frown.

He'd thought that the girl had felt familiar to him even from a distance, but it was only now that she and the Thunder god stood side by side that the resemblance was most striking, especially those blue eyes and that golden hair.

At this the genius billionaire hero wondered. Loki obviously still held some disdain for his brother and yet he seemed to genuinely dote on the girl who resembled him so much.

_Unless it's all just an act_?

Tony then remembered what Thor had said only just last night.

_"He adored her to the ends of the nine realms…as did we all…"_

_Adored?_

He wondered, but even as he watched as Via laughed at a comment Peter had made from behind the camera, he suddenly saw the softened expressions on both Thor's and Loki's faces as they looked down upon her from her sides.

_Well that's one way of putting it…_

Tony didn't know how life worked on Asgard but he did know that had the girl lived there she would've been spoiled rotten to the core by the two brothers.

"phew great, thanks Via I owe you one" Peter smiled happily to himself as he reviewed the pictures on the camera's digital display "Yeah I'll definitely email you copies for keeps"

"That would be great Pete thanks" Via smiled widely as the boy made to wave at her as he disappeared back into the crowd.

"Well he was interesting" Tony grinned taking a sip of Champagne.

"Peter Parker," Via explained taking a sip of her own glass which was surprisingly very nice "he's a science major in New York but he does freelance photography for the Daily Bugle on the side. Met him at an Oscorp charity fair in 2012. He was just in high school back then and he was helping one of his school's stall to raise money for the event and I was in transit on my way back home. It was just one month after…well…" she trailed off her expression darkening at once "You know what happened"

"…yeah… Yeah I do" Tony muttered taking a sip and looking up at Loki with a glower "I know _very_ well what happened"

There was a small silence as the four of them all took quiet sips of their champagne.

Lifa was remembering the sights of the roads, buildings and streets that had still remained ruined even a month after the whole event. It had all been so…dead…so quiet like a grave. She could only imagine how haunting it would be to someone like Tony, who obviously had no fond recollections either.

Indeed he was now currently trying his best not to relive a moment of the carnage.

Thor wasn't faring well either, though his thoughts like his eyes were currently bent upon Loki and about that horrible moment from several months back where he thought he had truly lost his brother…

Loki avoided his eye carefully, his mask of indifference perfect in every respect. But it was only ever a mask.

_Regretting your actions already trickster?_

A woman's voice hissed in his mind.

_Stay out of this!_

Loki snapped back angrily but the woman only sneered back venomously

_I thought you said all of this was in the past…and yet you let that little brat guilt trip y-_

_That woman which you call a brat is worth more than ten of you!_

Loki's teeth gritted.

_Oh how sweet you do care for her._

The woman's voice cooed mockingly and Loki winced. Damn she was baiting him for a reaction and had succeeded brilliantly. Normally he would have been impressed by such a feat but now he was seething.

_Hold your tongue!_

Loki snarled mentally only for the woman's voice to snap back just as viciously.

_I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO WATCH YOURSELF TRICKSTER! I may have given you your freedom to carry out this mission but that does not mean I will tolerate any disrespect. I picked up your sorry carcass from the Dark World, I saved your life, brought you back to Asgard, helped you overthrow your father and gave you your freedom. Do not think that I couldn't take all of that away from you within a heartbeat! KNOW YOUR PLACE!_

There was a silence from the other end of the link and Loki waited with bated breath until finally.

_…alright then have it your way…_

Loki scowled darkly as Via made to look at him.

"Luke? You okay?"

"I'm fine" Loki muttered more under his breath than anything else.

Tony and Thor whipped their heads up from their melancholic thoughts as suddenly all the lights in the room went out.

People cried out as at once they were all plunged into sudden darkness. There were tiny crashes as people on the dance floor accidently tripped into each other and landed on the floor, or on top of one another.

"What just happened?" a woman squeaked close along with several of her companions close by.

Via's eyes widened as she was suddenly pulled into the trickster's warm lean body.

"You might want to stay close" he whispered a hand quietly slipping around her back as a deep rumbling sound echoed in the darkness. "Things are going to get…unpleasant."

"Luke what-"

But even as she felt her partner make to drag her away Via felt a large hand grab at her wrist, gently but firmly.

"Loki…What fowl beast have you brought with you?" Thor growled softly so that someone only within one meter could hear him.

"Oh it's just a bit of fun really"

Loki turned around, his green eyes glimmering faintly in the dark like a cat's as a dark green glimmering wave of energy illuminated his form for a moment, the material that garbed his body changing smoothly into something metallic.

Via couldn't help but shudder as the sound reappeared again this time returning as a snarl. It was almost like a dogs snarl but it had a guttural sound that shook the very ground beneath her feet so badly that she almost tripped over in her heels but Loki held her steady, his voice a gentle hiss.

"Nothing like raising a bit of _hel_ at a party, am I right?"

"Loki…" the god of thunder breathed but Loki smirked in his face.

"Should you really be worrying about me? When your little human is so far away from you?" Loki was pleased to see Thor's face turn as white as a sheet. Taking advantage of his brother's shock he tugged Via back into his arms. She squeaked with shock as she felt at once the hard dark armour and leather against her skin and she looked up into his face.

Even in the dim light her eyes were still adjusting to she could make out the metallic sheen of his golden armour, of the horns of his helmet, of the green of his cape.

"You-You are-"

He looked back down at her, his expression strained between tenderness and coldness as he held her close to him.

"Shut your eyes" he whispered as a familiar golden bladed sceptre with a glowing blue stone twirled into existence in his hand. "and don't peek"

But before she could even open her mouth he wrapped his free hand over Via's eyes and swiftly thrust the blades of the sceptre forwards.

"NO!" Via's scream seemed miles away as Thor grunted clutching at his stomach from which he could feel something warm and liquid gush from within him.

"HEY!" Tony yelled angrily lunging for Loki even as his iron man suit was already taking shape around his body.

But Loki was already two steps ahead of him and even as Tony was about to make contact, he passed through both the god and the girl in his arms as plainly as if they had not even existed in front of him.

"Damn this little shit's illusions!" the armoured avenger muttered darkly as he stumbled hard into a table just as Loki hissed to the shadows around them all.

"Take them down…hold nothing back"

"Jarvis give me a visual-" but even as he gave the order something dark huge and hairy with massive claws and fangs bowled into him from the side and everything turned into absolute pandemonium.

Via was almost deafened by the terrified screams and shrieks of horror as many people ran hither and thither in the darkness, trying and failing to find an escape route.

"LET ME GO!" She struggled wildly against Loki but his grip was too strong.

"No please-" Via begged her eyes full of fearful tears even as he banged the end of his sceptre hard into the ground.

"I'm sorry Via" he murmured in her ear, his voice genuinely remorseful even in the chaos around them "But I don't have a choice"

"Loki NO!" Thor's voice bellowed out over the tumultuous noise but too late.

Loki and Via were already engulfed in a bright ring of rainbow light.

* * *

Dun-Dun DUNN! OH NO what has loki done? what monstrosity has he unleashed upon them this time? but most importantly what is he going to do with Via?

well you see what's going to happen next is

...

...you're going to have to wait till the next chapter MUAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAH!

Till next time my pretty's!  
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	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Return of the Lost**

People were running here and there out of a building and onto the street, screaming their heads off. Many were uninjured save for tiny scrapes on their knees and palms where they'd tripped onto the floor, but there were others bleeding profusely from great big scratch and bite marks to their bodies.

The sources of such injuries were gladly forgotten about or left behind back inside the hotel function room which was no longer functional as someone in gold and red crashed hard into a table. The force of the impact of the body was such that the table split in two down the middle just as a dark shape flew over him in a great bound.

"Jarvis remote activate the hotel security protocols now!" Tony Stark yelled at the artificial intelligence software in his Iron Man suit that at once replied in its cool slightly metallic British accent.

"Hotel security evacuation protocol initiated. Sir I do believe our new friend would like another round of fetch"

"You don't say" Tony shuddered as he heard a growling from somewhere close to his left. He turned his head and his gut sunk in horror.

It was huge like a wolf but about the size of a large Bengal tiger, but with jet black fur, matted by what could only be blood, if the red sticky residue was anything to go by. Its face seemed canine, but the skin clung tight to the skull and it had no nose, only a gaping pair of holes at the end of the nasal bone. Its eyes too, red orbs glowing hungrily in dark sunken pits for eye sockets.

In short, the iron avenger noted, it looked like the hound from hell.

He gulped he moved slowly to stand up to his feet. "That's right just stay right there"

The hell hound snarled, raising its hackles to reveal a set of shark like razor sharp teeth.

Tony felt his skin crawl at the sight of that hideous face.

"God of all the things Loki had to leave us with it had to be his bitch didn't it?" he muttered darkly to himself but the hound seemed to hear him. There was the grinding of metal against stone and Tony looked down to see massive claws unsheathe from the front paws.

"Nice hell-dog-thing"

* * *

Loki held onto her tight keeping Via close to his armoured body as the Bifrost lifted them through time and space. The heat from the vortex was such that it was as bright as a supernova so he kept one hand over her still mortal eyes.

She wouldn't be much use to anyone if she were blind.

Despite her fear and her horror Via gripped onto her captor for dear life all the while trying to keep herself from screaming or throwing up whichever one she felt was going to come first.

She was spared the thought of choosing when she felt her feet suddenly hit a hard smooth something that might have been ground but she could not tell because her eyes were covered.

She squeaked softly with surprise as a deep voice spoke from some way off in front of her, the slightest hint of sarcasm hitting her ears.

"Welcome back _my King_"

Via felt her kidnapper tense against her as he stiffly replied.

"Heimdall"

"I see your mission was a success" Heimdall's voice was light but there was an edge to it that made Via's skin crawl. It was almost like she could feel the pair of eyes scrutinising her.

Loki looked down on the girl in his hold and finally removed his hand from her eyes.

It took Via a few moments for her eyes to get used to the sudden change in lighting. But when she did she could not help but gasp.

She seemed to be standing within a large golden dome like structure in which many golden gears in the walls which were moving to reposition a circular window which had just been behind her and Luke…no…not Luke…

She turned around at once to face her deceiver her eyes wide with shock.

How could she have not recognised him before? She had seen him up close back in Stuttgart. Heck she had bowled him over to stop him from hurting Sven, had even taken a photograph of him and she almost always remembered the details of each and every photo she'd taken…how had she not been able to tell?

Her fists clenched when Loki looked down on her with a cold smirk.

"Welcome to Asg-"

KATWACK!

The force of her punch was such that Heimdall himself winced a little as he watched Loki stumble backwards a step or two from the young woman whose face was streaming with angry tears.

"How dare you" Via could feel her knuckles bruise and ache from the force of the hit to his jaw, which was surprisingly hard. "How bloody dare you!"

"Via I can explain everything-" Loki spluttered wiping the corner of his mouth as a tiny drop of blood trickled from his lips.

"NO! I don't want to hear anything YOU have to say, Luke or whoever the f- you are!"

Loki watched her his shock ebbing away into hurt for a split second before it was hidden by a cold icy glower.

"Tut-tut, my dear Via that's no way for a lady to treat her saviour" he hissed softly ignoring the small twinge of guilt as she quivered a little under his tall shadow as he made to tower over her. however it seemed that her anger at the moment far outweighed any fear and she stood her ground.

"The only thing anyone needs saving from is YOU!"

"Have care of how you speak to a king of Asgard!"

"You are not my king" Via spat angrily her blue topaz eyes flashing with a defiant fire. "You're nothing but the lying bastard that kidnapped me from my home"

As Heimdall watched the young woman look the God of Lies dead on in the eye he could not help but feel a fierce rush of pride.

Whether the young woman knew it or not, he had been keeping watch over her for her whole twenty one years of life. He had seen her grow from small sweet child, to rambunctious spunky teenage tomboy and into this perceptive strong willed determined young woman that now had more than enough spirit to challenge a god in spite of her own fears.

However such feelings of pride were quick to vanish as Loki's hand shot out to wrap around her throat. It was merely a loose hold, not yet quite as firm as a choke, but still just as threatening.

"Go ahead" Via glared at him "Strangle me. Torture me, lock me up. It doesn't matter. I will never _kneel_ to you"

She felt Loki's fingers twitch against her throat…but he didn't tighten his grip.

Instead he let her go his face quickly turning back into a cold hard mask.

"If that's how you want to behave then so be it" he muttered.

Via opened her mouth to snap at him once more however before she could even speak she felt his hand press over her heart and her vision went black.

Loki quickly caught the young woman as she toppled into him, her eyes shut and her body totally limp.

He quickly scooped her up in his arms ignoring the curious expression on Heimdall's face as he strode out of the dome like structure and onto a dark bridge that glimmered rainbow colours beneath his boots with every footfall.

About a few meters away a large magnificent black horse was standing, saddled and bridled in glorious gold, with a dark green saddle blanket draped over its back. However this wasn't what made it so special. It was the fact that it had eight hoofed legs.

It nickered softly as Loki approached its bright eyes looking at the cargo in his arms. Without him asking the intelligent beast it knelt down on its four front legs and allowed him to deposit the unconscious girl before mounting it himself.

The eight legged horse grunted under the extra weight as he hoisted himself back up to stand, but Loki paid no heed as he gazed down at the girl set before him on the saddle.

_Fiery and stubborn one moment and then delicate and frail in another…_

"What an enigma you are"

Carefully he wrapped an arm around her middle so as to keep her body cradled securely against his chest whilst his other hand handled the reigns, which he quickly flicked to snap his steed into action.

With a loud neigh the horse began to canter down the length of the bridge and towards the grand city of Asgard as it awoke with the golden dawn of a new day.

* * *

"AGH!"

Tony Stark winced as he felt the great weight suddenly lift from atop of his iron man suit as Thor struck the gigantic hell hound from him with a clean swipe of Mjolnir.

With a loud grunt followed by a sickening crack the mystic undead canine crashed into a table, its heavy body splitting the wood and metal upon impact.

Tony quickly sprung to his feet but even as he readied his repulsors on his gauntlets he already caught sight of the pool of purplish black liquid spewing from the side of the animal's skull.

He turned to Thor who was panting heavily clutching at his midriff from which dark blood was oozing all over his armour.

"I am fine friend Tony" Thor grunted through gritted teeth but even so he began to keel over forwards.

"To hell you are big guy" Tony rolled his eyes as he rushed forwards to grab the Asgardian before he could hit the floor. "Just hold on tight I'll get you to a doctor, whoa shit you're heavy"

"Asgardian physiology" Thor muttered as he tried to drag his feet from under himself to walk "our bone mass is denser than a mortal's,"

"You don't say" Tony puffed as he managed to heave Thor out into the open air "You're applying pressure onto that aren't you?"

"Yes I am… I have been in many a battle myself but still…Loki himself is a master of fighting and we have fought together in many wars. If anyone was to know my weak points it would be him"

"Well at least your bodies can heal faster" Tony shrugged as he dismantled his metal head gear before helping to deposit Thor onto the stairs leading up to the Hotel.

They ignored the flashing of photographers or the sounds of police sirens as they blared around them.

None of that mattered now anyway.

"Loki escaped" Tony murmured softly as the blue and red lights of the ambulance lights flashed in the corner of his mind jolting his memory back into action.

"It would seem that he has taken control of the Bifrost" Thor nodded doing his best to keep his hand pressing hard against his wound.

Tony opened his mouth to speak but even as he did so there was a scuffling sound and both he and the Asgardian looked up to see two women dashing over to them one in purple one in red.

"Thor!" Jane cried out, running to Thor's side and quickly wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Jane" Thor sighed in relief into her soft brown hair and when she pulled away he quickly looked her over "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Me hurt? Thor you're the one who just battled against a…a…undead…dog thing!"

"A Hel Hound" Thor grimaced as he turned towards Tony who was talking quietly with an ashen faced Pepper Potts. After a few moments of talking Pepper quickly gave the iron armoured avenger a peck on the lips before quickly making to talk on her phone.

Tony turned back to the pair on the steps his face uncharacteristically serious.

"You ok to travel yet? Or do you need a paramedic?" he pointed to Thor who shook his head.

"I should be fine with a nights rest"

"Good because we need to get back to the Tower pronto and talk"

* * *

The room was streaming with morning light when Loki entered the room, Via's unconscious body still held in his arms.

His green eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a young handmaiden with black hair and pretty dark eyes still settling the sheets.

Stupid girl, he had told her to have this room ready well before he came back. But even as he opened his mouth she quickly looked up and squeaked at the sight of him like a mouse.

"Prince-I-I mean My King forgive me I did not know you were-"

"Enough girl" Loki waved her off catching sight of the tired circles under her eyes. "If you must twitter like an irritating little bird then go to Eir and tell her to come to this room as soon as she may. Then and only then may you go and rest"

"Yes sire" the girl nodded meekly not meeting his eye as she scurried out of the room.

Loki rolled his eyes as she passed out of sight the door closing behind her smaller frame with a snap.

Typical servant girl; so timid, with no backbone whatsoever to hold her own. Even as the thought crossed his mind, words from merely a few moments ago washed over him.

_"I will never kneel to you!"_

He looked down into the sleeping face of the girl in his arms as he gently deposited her onto the magnificent large bed of the room.

Upon contact with the soft sheets she stretched and curled up upon herself as she searched for the most comfortable position for her body in the large expanse of mattress, which the god of mischief noted, was twice as large as the bed she had slept on in her apartment.

_That small little hut…they call that a home?_

Loki snorted rolling his eyes as he looked around at the bedroom about himself. About three of those small apartment blocks could fit in it comfortably and it had all the comforts a young woman could ever dream of.

A balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens, several large bookshelves full of the most fascinating of texts with a comfortable chaise lounge by a window. A large dressing area complete with a vanity as well as a small bathing pool, not to mention all the other small curios, musical instruments and nick-Knacks that were spread out around the room.

_She should not want for anything now_

Loki looked back down at his charge analysing her from top to bottom.

She was still wearing the same dress from the party, the blue contrasting starkly with the whites of the sheets below the bed. Her hair, ribbon like ringlets, spilled over the pillows like molten gold.

He gently made to stroke a couple of stray locks from her rosy cheeks which unlike his own cold and blue skin were- wait a moment blue?!

_Not again_

He gritted his teeth as he shut his eyes, focusing all his energy on his skin. At once a tingle of energy flowed through his body and right down to the tips of his fingers which glimmered green for a moment before the energy faded quickly away.

He sighed with relief as his skin turned flesh coloured once more, its shade somewhere between alabaster and chalk white. It wasn't a great transformation, not like Odin's had been but it still was enough to stop people from seeing the truly terrifying- no …no he would not think of that form anymore.

He quickly moved back from the bed as a suddenly cloud shifted and a large beam of yellow golden sunlight fell through the open window and onto the bed, surrounding Via's sleeping form with a faint golden halo.

He reached out to stroke her bare shoulder only to find that her skin was already warm as it soaked in the light and heat from the warm ray.

_Like a young healthy flower in the gardens._

The corners of Loki's mouth twitched upwards as he trailed the back of a lone thin finger over her cheek.

"Welcome home…Lifa of Asgard"

* * *

Ok that was a short chapter but it will have to do for now.

Don't be shy to Review or PM me if you have any suggestions for what you guys want to see or read about next.

Till next time :)


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: No Place Like Home**

When Via began to stir the first thing she noticed was that she was in bed.

The blankets around her were warm, soft, and they smelled wonderful.

_It was all just a dream_

She smiled to herself in relief.

_Just a stupid horrible dream…a nightmare…I've probably gone out and drunk too much at that stupid gala…but the champagne was so nice…oh yeah I gotta get those photos off Peter before I leave DC …Wait what time is it? Am I early or does Astrid needs a walk in five minutes? Why didn't my alarm go off?_

She cracked open an eye and stared up at the ceiling…but it was not the plain white low ceiling of her apartment.

It was high, far higher with a dome like shape and made of a pale stone in which great figures on horses were painted fighting a grand serpentine monster.

_Oh God…_

Via gasped as she ran a hand over her face which was now morphing from shock into horror.

"Oh no…no-no-no-no-no! This has to be a dream!" she pinched her cheeks and slapped her own face but still nothing made the image of the grand room around her fade away.

"You are not dreaming" a voice spoke quietly from beside her.

Via shrieked with fright, sitting bolt upright in her spot on the massive bed. There on her right sitting on the edge of the bed the familiar tall and pale form of her kidnapper sat, his face split in a small smirk as he watched her scramble away from him.

"Where am I?" she bleated almost wincing at how childish and shrill her voice sounded.

"In a place where you are safe" his smirked widened.

"Who are you?"

"One who has been looking for you for a long time"

"that isn't an answer" Via gulped gripping the sheets in her hands, more because she wanted something to do with them before she lost all her wits and clawed him to bits with her bare hands.

He eyed her motions carefully before his eyes slid up her arms and over her face, drinking in every detail and every crevice he could see. Finally after a full minute of staring he spoke in a soft hiss.

"Are you really sure you want to know the answer to that question?"

The effect was unnerving and made Via feel like she wanted to crawl back under the blankets and hide like a child afraid of the dark. But thankfully her burning curiosity was far stronger than any fear she felt of him or her circumstances.

"Yes…"

"…Well…" The man before her straightened up where he sat proudly. "I guess it would be very unbecoming for someone of my station to not introduce myself properly to a _guest_"

His smirk widened into a wicked grin as he leaned in slightly towards her his eyes roving all over her as he reached out with a large pale hand. Via quickly up the blankets around her body to cover herself; she was still wearing her strapless evening dress from the night before and thanks to her sleeping position the fabric was now hanging lower on her bosom than it should have been.

She stiffened as he made to take one of her hands away from her coverings only to bring it up to his mouth, which hovered tantalisingly close to the skin as he murmured.

"I am Loki, King of Asgard"

He pressed his lips against her knuckles delicately but at his touch Via jerked her hand back from him her eyes widening in alarm.

"W-what! L-Loki?! But-but-that-that can't be possible it-it-"

"Oh but it is Via" Loki muttered his bright green eyes twinkling with amusement as she continued to splutter.

"You're th-th-the god of mischief?"

"The one and only" Loki chuckled coldly with a mock bow of his head "though I must admit I am surprised you actually know that title"

"yeah I do" she spat and was pleased to hear the strength slowly return to her voice. "And I also happen to know that if you really are Loki then you are not really a king. "

For a moment she thought she might have gone too far. Loki's eyes flashed like blazing emeralds with fury even as he smiled coldly, a snake ready to strike at any moment.

"And how would such a small lamb like you know anything about what I truly am?"

"Not much personally" Via admitted doing her best to ignore the small nagging voice at the back of her head that usually told her to stay away from danger "But what I do know and remember from folklore is that Odin is the rightful king and then the line passes by from him to Thor…"

"Well I regret to inform you my dear" Loki hissed softly leaning forwards yet again, though this time he let his face hover tantalisingly close to hers "That your precious Midgardian folklore is severely _out dated_"

"Oh really?"

"Yes _really_" Loki's teeth grit together "Thor is not the only one in line for the throne"

"Oh yes that's right I forgot" Via rolled her eyes "You tried to take over earth didn't you. Tried to make everyone _kneel_ before you. Well I must say that plan of yours worked swimmingly"

Loki's body was so tense from trying to hold himself back he was a still as marble. Such a small being had the nerve to mock him and his plight. It took him every ounce of will power he had to not teach her a lesson and put his hand to her delicate little throat and snap it in two. But then he remembered himself and he mentally cursed.

No…he couldn't hurt her.

Via gulped as he blinked his eyes suddenly changing from fury to something softer, almost like tender hurt and desperation rolled into one melancholic heap.

She leaned away from him very disconcerted.

She didn't care if he was Loki king of Asgard, or Daffy-freaking-Duck he was clearly emotionally unstable.

She felt the wood of the beds headboard hit her back as Loki leaned in closer to her to maintain that same tense distance between them.

"Thor is not the only one in line for the throne" he repeated himself steadily "there is one other, who is _not_ me that can take the throne"

"Uh…" Via gulped trying to avoid his eyes "Who?"

"A maiden…" Loki murmured softly putting his fingers under her chin so that she could look up into his face "and she sits right here before me"

* * *

"Wait so let me get this straight. Your little sister who has been missing for twenty one years has been hiding on Earth all this time?!"

A very stunned, Clint Barton stared at Thor alongside an equally surprised Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner as they sat in the meeting room of Stark Tower.

The God of thunder sighed in his seat and ran a hand through his hair as he exchanged a glance with Tony who leaned forwards in his seat to explain further.

"Yes I did the DNA scan. She matches Thor's genetics at roughly fifty-ish percent. She's really his sibling. Speaking of scans, Jarvis how's the search going?" he called and at once the AI's robotic British accent filled the room.

"The scan will be completed in three seconds sir." but even as the AI said so the holographic screens suddenly lit up the table at which they all were seated at.

"woah" Jane breathed. She was sitting beside Pepper as they both sat between their respective partners.

"wait till you see what he did with the coffee table" the older woman muttered rolling her eyes as Tony preened himself off proudly.

The others however made no sound or motion that they were impressed for their attentions were focused on multiple images of a girl that suddenly appeared before them.

She had long curly rich golden blonde hair and bright eyes that were the same shade of topaz blue as the orbs set in Thor's face.

"Olivia Freyja "Via" Summers,"

"She's cute, isn't she Cap" Natasha smirked at Steve who rolled his eyes at her in almost exasperated fondness which Clint seemed to reciprocate as he smirked.

"Don't tell me she's trying to set you up too"

"Yeah she tries" Steve shrugged only for Tony to cough loudly

"Err guys trying to set Capsicle up with a girlfriend is fine and all but I think a thunder god's younger sister would be a definite no go zone don't you"

"Indeed it would be" Thor muttered raising his eyebrows coldly at Steve and Clint who both quickly avoided his eye, muttering small a "sorry" under their breaths.

Jane stifled a small giggle. Trust the Thunder God to be an older-protective older brother. But then again, she thought to herself, he always was very protective of his family and of her.

"She did not go to college" Bruce began reading out loud squinting at the screen as he scrolled down the page he was on "but she has graduated from Albuquerque Academy class 2012. She got a job at National Geographic within the same year as an intern to Sven Patterson-"

"Wait did you say Patterson? As in _the_ Sven Patterson" Pepper's head shot up like lightning up at the scientist who blinked in surprise.

"…uh…yeah I guess so"

"Why who is he?" Steve looked around the room in confusion much to Tony's amusement.

"He's this really famous nature and travel photographer, but I think he retired right?"

He turned to Pepper who nodded vigorously

"Yes just last month actually. He was at the Gala too last night. Here I think that's his picture" she quickly enlarged the image with her fingers on the glass surface and twisted it around for the others to see right side up from the opposite side of the table.

In it an old man in a simple black suit was sitting in a chair smiling benignly for a camera alongside several other middle aged colleagues, an old wooden cane resting in his grip.

Bruce, Clint and Steve barely blinked at the sight of him, but Natasha on the other hand-

"Wait a second I do know him! He was in Stuttgart the day we first caught Loki, the one Steve saved"

"Oh yeah it is" Steve squinted down at the old man's face "Yeah that's right I remember…he stood up to Loki when he tried to make everyone kneel before him. So that means…"

"Friend Steve?" Thor asked worry settling in as the super soldier trailed off as recognition suddenly dawned on him.

"It was her…" he breathed. "She was the girl who pushed him down"

"Pushed who-" Jane began to ask but Natasha cut across her.

"Loki. But if that's so why didn't he recognise her?"

"I'm not so sure" Thor muttered softly his face turning sombre "She does look a lot like mother did at her age"

"He might have been distracted" Bruce suggested quickly as he pulled up another image of Via this time from one of her school photographs. "He had to take down Steve, not to mention he had not seen her since she was a baby. Plus it was dark and quite chaotic with all those people running around. Under those circumstances he wouldn't have recognised her that easily"

"But that only begs the question" Clint's eyes narrowed "how was he able to recognise her now?"

"I think the more important question is" Tony leaned forwards to look at a file on Loki alongside that of Via's "What does he want to do with her now?"

"He obviously doesn't want to kill her" Natasha shrugged bluntly and Jane quickly looked up at her.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well for starters if he wanted her dead without much of a fuss he would have taken her out in secret, without anyone figuring it out till it was too late" the spy sighed "and secondly if he wants revenge on Thor and Odin, what better way to hold him to ransom then to dangle the life of their last remaining biological family member"

There was a silence as everyone digested this piece of information thoughtfully.

Thor's mind was buzzing with horrible images and complicated thoughts. Could Loki have turned that dark in his madness, to threaten the life of one whose life was precious to their family? To their mother?

But even as the thoughts swirled in his mind Bruce spoke and his voice was strained.

"There might be a third option he might try as well… Thor…You were first in line to the throne right?" he looked up at Thor uncertainly as the Thunder god snapped his head up.

"Yes I was"

"And Loki was second? I mean, till he um…fell out with you…"

"…Yes?" Thor eyed the man with confusion as he mumbled.

"So if Via is your real _biological_ sibling…then wouldn't she take his place as second in line?"

"…I guess she would…by birthright that is" Thor muttered thoughtfully "What exactly are you trying to say Banner?"

"Um…" Bruce gulped nervously "…Thor…if she were to be queen and someone err… _married_ her wouldn't that make him king?"

Thor's eyes widened and his heart stilled in his chest as everyone turned to face the meek scientist in shock.

Finally after a moment of silence in which a cricket chirped and a tumble weed rolled along, Steve ran a hand over his face groaning in disgust.

"Oh that's just wrong on so many levels"

"Why?" Natasha folded her arms. "it's a perfectly logical explanation for the kidnapping"

"But she's his sister!"

"Loki's adopted" Clint steamrolled over the super soldier with a roll of his eyes. "and to the kid he's virtually a stranger"

"Yeah but still" Steve recoiled slightly at the thought of the almost insane god of mischief and the seemingly sweet young girl together in an intimate manner. "She's barely out of her teen years and he's what, several hundred years old?"

"Practically cradle robbing" Tony muttered darkly before catching Pepper's meaningful look as she kicked him hard in the shin under the table.

"What?" he hissed in pain but Pepper just narrowed her eyes mouthing

"Jane"

"What? oh…" Tony quickly coughed as the woman in question quickly glanced in his direction. He looked up her file earlier when she had first arrived a few hours ago. It said she was thirty three (though in truth she looked a lot younger than that), however it still did beg the question-

"Uh Thor…" Tony looked at Thor who looked back at him calmly but still very tense "by Asgardian standards how old are you and Loki?"

"Roughly one thousand and fifty earth years" Thor answered "Loki's only a couple of years younger than I am. But that hardly makes much of a difference now. Asgardian children age just as fast as normal human children during the first twenty years of life. After that their bodies aging slows down to such an extreme that it will take a few thousands of years for us to age and die, unless they are made mortal. However to answer your question, by _Asgardian standards_ I would be considered the same age that you see me now perhaps slightly younger, Loki too."

"Oh" Tony then quickly looked back at Pepper and shook his head "yep still cradle robbing"

"Tony!"

"What?! It's true!"

"Man's got a point" Natasha quirked an eyebrow at the room at large "at least Thor and Jane _look_ around the same age. Loki on the other hand is easily ten to fifteen years older than Via and even then she looks young for her age"

"You can say that again" Clint muttered under his breath as he examined another photograph of the girl, who was in this image holding onto a puppy with long silky red chestnut fur before checking her profile once more. "There see _Date of Birth, Friday 21st June 1993._"

"So twenty one years old" Bruce nodded much to Tony's smugness.

"There see what did I tell you, barely out of the nest"

But still Steve sighed. "Stark we don't know if that is really what Loki wants to do. He could still want to kill the girl after holding her to ransom. Heck he might want to turn her into a slave or a weapon. No, what we really need to focus on now is to find a way to get her back _before_ something happens to her"

"If it hasn't happened already" Natasha muttered darkly and everyone fell back into silence.

_Oh Loki_

Thor thought grimly.

_Just what are you plotting this time?_

* * *

"Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!"

"What ever are you doing?" Loki chuckled as he watched the girl proceed to pinch herself painfully over and over again.

"Trying. To. Wake. Up. From. This. Bizarre. Dream!" Via groaned rubbing her now sore cheek. But still no matter what pain she inflicted nothing was waking her up.

"Such foolishness" Loki shook his head as he stood up and walked around the bed towards the window where she had backed herself into.

"Stop before you hurt yourself" he tutted pulling down Via's hands away from slapping herself hard.

She looked up at him in surprise. Gone was the sneering manipulative trickster that had been towering over her only a few moments ago. Now instead his looked worried almost brotherly, just like when he had been Luke.

Luke…the calm, polite, sweet, benevolent stranger…all just a mask for this smugly sneering, power mad, violent kidnapper!

The thought made her gut burn angrily and she turned her face away from Loki.

"I don't care who you think you are" she muttered shoving his hands off of her "but I'm Via Summers. I have no mother or father or any goddamn brothers and I _not_ an Asgardian. So just do us both a favour and take me back home right now and save us both the trouble!"

Loki stared down at the girl his hands trembling slightly as they hung limply at his sides.

Why…why wasn't she believing him? Couldn't she clearly see that she did not belong on that pathetic lump of rock?

_Be patient my son,_

A voice that sounded very much like his mother's wafted through his mind.

_She's exhausted, scared and confused. She just needs time to think all of this through, remember how you felt when Odin told you of your parentage?_

Loki felt his heart sink at the memory as he looked down at Via who was still glowering at the floor. He could almost see the fear and torment in every line of her youthful face.

But this time it was different.

She was not a child of cruel monsters or of cold, frigid, hellish lands. She was a daughter of kings, of gods, of a kingdom; beautiful and glorious with halls of gold and jewels. Here she had all she could ever dream of, even a family she had been denied of for all her years…did that mean nothing to her?

Feeling his gaze back upon her she murmured tremulously her tears spilling over.

"Please…please just let me go home"

"But…" Loki whispered bewilderedly, his own voice breaking as he wiped at her cheek with a tender but shaking hand.

"…you _are_ home…"

* * *

Awwww...poor Loki is so confused (like a kitty lol)

sorry had to add that in. i just love those kitty Loki pictures people keep posting. it's amazing how well that animal actually fits his personality.

Keep Reading and Reviewing for more.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: A Warm Welcome**

_"Please…please just let me go home"_

_"But…" Loki whispered bewilderedly, his own voice breaking as he wiped at her cheek with a tender but shaking hand._

_"…you are home…"_

There was silence as Loki stood before the quietly sobbing girl his face a mask of pain and anxiety.

He didn't have to imagine what torment she was going through, because he knew it only too well. He knew just how scared and how confused she must be as well as angry. But it was exactly because he knew what she was going through that he knew how to avoid the same mistakes that Odin had made.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in at the moment" He murmured softly trying to keep his voice level and unwavering "but in time…you will understand"

"I don't want to understand" Via blubbered, not caring whether or not she sounded more like a five year old child than a fully grown woman "I just…I just want to go home"

Loki sighed as he took a step away from her. She would undoubtedly want space to calm down.

"A servant shall come to tend to you within the hour" he murmured as he continued to back away from her towards the door "I will see you this evening for dinner"

Via barely had looked up from her hands to see the hem of the green cloak as it swished about the doorway which was quickly shut by the guards with a snap.

Loki shut his eyes and clenched his fists as he tried to drown out the faint sounds of sobbing from the other side of the door.

* * *

_Tap-tap!_

"Come in"

Kelda was used to being run through the mill when it came to her chores. She was used to people telling her what to do and how to do it as if she were an imbecilic dither brained moron. She was used to harsh punishments if quotas were not met at a sufficient standard.

But that was the way of a servant's life and Kelda learned quite quickly that if she went through it all with her chin up and a smile on her face she was able to face any day that came her way.

However that smiling façade faded quite quickly when she entered the new royal quarters of the _guest_ from Midgard.

She wasn't crying, but she had been doing so earlier if her red puffy eyes were anything to go by. But that was not what had the servant girl stumped.

"M-my Queen?"

"huh?" the girl in front of her blinked and at once the illusion was shattered. No the queen wouldn't give such an inelegant response to such a greeting.

_But still…The resemblance is so strong…_

She stopped when the strange queen's replica opened her mouth to speak once more.

"Um…I'm sorry to sound rude but who are you?"

"M-me?" Kelda gulped in nervous surprise and pointing to herself. She could count on one of her hands just how many people she'd served had ever asked for her name.

"…I'm-I'm Kelda, daughter of Egilhard and Muirgel. And I am here to serve you your highness."

"Oh no, it's ok, please don't call me highness" the girl quickly cut across her an irritated scowl flashing for a moment across her face before she coughed "You can call me Via"

"Oh no your highness I couldn't possibly be so-" Kelda spluttered her face going red. If her superiors knew she would be speaking to such a lady of high bearing without any honorifics she'd surely be flogged to near death. However the pleading look the princess was giving her was enough to make Kelda bite her lip slightly as she replied nervously.

"Um…forgive me Princess Via"

Via sighed with relief. Well it wasn't completely casual but it would have to do for now.

Kelda coughed as the silence began to stretch past normal proportions.

"ehem! Princess, Prince-I-I mean _King_ Loki has tasked me to help you get ready for dinner"

"Oh…did he now?" Via's face tensed and her blue eyes flashed as she turned to look out the window.

Kelda couldn't blame her. The entire palace noblemen, guards and servants alike were positively buzzing with anticipation for the sudden and unexpected return of their lost princess. Kelda herself had heard stories from her mother, who herself had been in service to the late queen, of the day the infant princess had been stolen from them twenty one years ago but it was still hard to believe that after such a disappearance she would return to them, let alone be dragged back home by their fallen prince turned king.

From what she'd managed to hear from other gossiping maids, the princess had grown up on Midgard as an orphan, living a hard working life amongst the much weaker mortals. King Loki had found her accidently when assessing Midgard and at once had brought her back to her true home to save her from the doom of mortality

_Doom of mortality my foot!_

The young servant girl snorted mentally.

_Being the usurping swine he is he probably dragged her here against her will. No one in their right mind would weep for being brought to such a finer room as this unless it were to be their gilded prison cell for all eternity._

"You don't have to go if you don't want to…I-I mean… that is …if you don't feel well enough after your long trip princess…maybe I could fetch the healer?" Kelda murmured quietly doing her best to keep her other comments to herself. With a master sorcerer as king, who knows who could be listening at any given time?

Via's eyes widened. Was this girl, a girl she barely knew…giving her a way out?

But even as she opened her mouth to speak she caught a glimpse of the guards outside her door, both of whom looked ready to move at a moment's notice. She sighed heavily.

"I think I shall go to dinner tonight, I am actually pretty hungry. But thank you for your concern… Kelda"

"Anything I can do to help princess"

Kelda blushed a light pink as Via smiled at her.

Maybe serving the princess wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Loki was not in the habit of pacing when he was nervous but he was doing so now and very vigorously too.

He couldn't help it.

The mental conversation from two minutes before was ringing around in his head

_It is done, she is settling in._

_Not settling in too much I hope, she won't be with you long._

_Perhaps if you had given me more time to-_

_NO! You have three months Trickster and then you must fulfil the terms of our bargain. No exceptions_

_…Of course…_

Loki sighed heavily.

"Three months…too short a time…"

He looked at the throne he was striding in front of and for the first time doubt flooded him.

A throne for a mere girl wouldn't have been too much trouble to him two years ago. But now…now…

There was the familiar stomping sounds of guards feet and he turned quickly only to stop in his tracks and stare.

In between two bristling guards a lady stepped towards him, her golden hair tied back in waterfall braids, her body covered by an off the shoulder jasmine yellow robe decorated with golden embroidery around the waist and hem.

Her expression was similar to that of a young warrior on the front lines of their first battle, frightened but determined to face down their enemy as they took a deep breath before the plunge.

_But I am not your enemy…_

"Leave us" Loki almost cursed at how hoarse his voice sounded but the guards still did as they were told so he didn't dwell on it too long.

Via gulped as she felt the guards fall back with a bow at Loki's command and stride out of the throne room quickly.

They weren't perhaps the most joyful or talkative of company but at least they didn't leave her alone with…_him_…

She avoided Loki's eye as he strode down towards her. He was no longer in his green and golden armour, but in black and green robes that looked more practical and comfortable.

She fiddled with the edges of the pale yellow long sleeves on her arms, suddenly feeling embarrassed. The material was soft and easy to move in for sure, and very, very beautiful, but she still was wishing she were back in her daggy old jeans and T-shirt.

But even as the thought crossed her mind his face split into an amused grin.

"I'm afraid it would be very unseemly at this moment in time if you were to walk around dressed like a man"

"They aren't men's clothes" Via narrowed her eyes.

_Great and he can read my mind too_

"Indeed I can"

"Don't do it again" she spat

"Make me" Loki smirked

"Humph!" she pouted turning her nose up at him as she folded her arms.

"Oh don't give me that look" He chuckled softly as she gave him a fowl scowl "I only jest"

"Not a very good _jest_" Via flushed red feeling her anger rise in her stomach.

_Oh great he think's he's funny does he?_

He knew she was trying to be fearless but in spite of all her genuine fury she looked no more threatening than a sweet little blushing lamb.

"Maybe not to you. But to me it is most amusing…and endearing…" Loki's sniggers fell away into silence as his eyes roved over her face, avidly drinking in her features.

Via grimaced a little as she shifted nervously on her heeled feet as the trickster's fingers made to stroke a lock of hair behind her shoulder.

"Forgive me" He murmured as he slowly pulled back his hand his brow furrowing. "I still cannot believe I actually managed to find you after all this time. It seems like only yesterday I saw mother settle you into your crib to sleep"

Via's gaze snapped to him quickly eyes wide.

"My m-mother?"

"Yes…Queen Frigga…"

"And she's…she's here?"

Loki felt whatever warmth he had gained in his heart vanish completely into thin air as he saw the hopeful gleam in those wide blue eyes.

He had not counted on her asking such a question so soon…nor had he expected the pain to still be so fresh in his heart after many a month of ruling the throne on his own.

He opened his mouth to speak, his voice hollow and dead.

"No…she died six months ago…"

He felt his chest ache heavily as Via's face fell like a stone.

He shut his eyes preparing himself for the tirade of questions and hurtful insults she was sure to fire his way in her anger and dismay, however to his surprise all that came out of her lips was a tiny.

"…oh…"

His eyes snapped open and he stared down at the young woman. Her eyes were turning down to the floor and overly bright with unshed tears, her lips trembling slightly.

He felt her anguish but also her curiosity and after a brief glimpse into her mind he caught sight of an unmarked grey tablet poking up from the ground.

"There is no grave" he answered her unasked question softly "Her body was sent to Valhalla on a burning boat across the waters. There is however a statue in her honour in the gardens. I will show you it when I have time."

"Ok…" Via nodded quietly.

Her mother…her real mother…the woman she shared her flesh and blood with…was dead…gone…and she'd never have the chance to ever see her again.

* * *

The court of Asgard was buzzing with undisguised excitement as they waited in the banquet hall for their king and their newly found princess to arrive.

Rumours were flying about left right and centre about what the new royal would be like. There were many that were sympathetic and hopeful that she would be like their queen, fair and beautiful and graceful, and there were some who were unsure and willing to leave their judgements till they actually saw the girl.

But there were also some that were sceptical and cynical. Missing princesses don't just come popping out of nowhere after all and knowing the god of mischief, who was to say that this new arrival was nothing more than a terrible prank on them all.

The Lady Sif was one of these sceptics and it was only because of curiosity's sake that she was even attending this feast along with her friends the Warriors Three.

As she took a sip of wine she counted her friends in their various positions around the room to entertain herself.

Fandral was as usual, surrounded by a gaggle of women regaling them with an episode of one of his most favourite heroic deeds whilst the indomitable round stature of Volstagg boomed loudly in laughter over a plate of food as the ever grim Hogun made to correct him on an _accidental_ miscalculation regarding some of the more fantastical of statistics.

The lady warrior sighed heavily, her eyes drooping sadly as her heart suddenly twinged. There was just one blonde head of hair missing from the throng, one who should have been laughing merrily and drinking till he was smashing goblets to the floor.

But even as she made to refill her goblet there were several gasps of awe and spluttering wheezes as Volstagg choked on his food in shock just as many of the noblemen and women made to stand up from their seats and face the front of the room.

"How nice of you to join us _king_" Sif muttered darkly under her breath as she too stood up, readjusting her dark maroon dress and keeping her scornful face pointed down, though her dark eyes were sharply fixed on the grand doorway into the hall where two people had just walked through.

There was Loki in all his black and green glory his face set in its customary cold grin as he led a young woman by the arm.

She was smaller than Sif by several inches, her build curvy but small, her posture meeker and shy as she hung her head, her rich dark golden curls obscuring her face as she tried her best to avoid the stares of every single person in the room.

She stared with wonder barely registering Loki's words as he spoke loudly and clearly.

"My friends, Lords and Ladies" his sharp green eyes darted over several faces in the crowd and their defiance shrank back into timidity and subservience at once. "I welcome you tonight to celebrate a joyous occasion, for as you can see, one of our very own has returned to us tonight. My dear younger sister, your Princess, Lifa daughter of the late King Odin and Frigga"

And with that gently but firmly Loki tugged the poor girl beside him to stand in his spotlight.

Sif felt herself freeze to the spot.

_Those eyes …that face…it…it's almost identical to…to…_

"My goodness" a woman to the warrior's side muttered to her male partner whose eyes were wider than saucers. "It's not possible"

Loki smirked as similar murmurs reached his perceptive hearing and gently reached to stroke the girl's face as he tipped her face up so they could all see it clearly.

"No everyone, your eyes do not deceive you. I assure you she is very much real"

"Yes and _she'll_ be _really_ irritated if you don't let go of her right this second!"

There was a deafening silence as everyone turned to stare back at the girl whose eyes were glaring sidelong at their king with anger and disgust.

Sif gulped as Loki's face turned from shocked to almost seething within a split second, a snake ready to strike at any-

"Haha! Such spirit, as expected of the house of Odin" Volstagg boomed loudly his chuckles echoing around the hall.

_Shit! That was a close one…_

Via felt herself sigh with relief as suddenly the tension around her seemed to break and every nobleman and woman burst into loud fond laughter.

Loki gritted his teeth as he forced himself to chuckle with the rest of his subjects but when his eyes met Via's there was nothing short of a cold icy fury.

"Step out of line like that again little Via, and you will not be so fortunate"

But Via only turned to smile oh-so-innocently in his face.

_I'll show him out of line_

"Oh but your _highness_, I thought a trickster like yourself would enjoy such antics"

"It is not wise to mock a king" he hissed softly into her ear.

"Oh yeah! Well you keep forgetting you are not _my king_" Via sneered back just as nastily relishing in the fact that a vein in Loki's pale forehead was throbbing with mounting anger.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Hmm…maybe"

"Watch yourself little lamb, or you might find yourself sitting roasted on a platter on the table"

"Oh well, at least I know I'll have good taste"

Loki blinked in surprise as she smirked and winked up at him cheekily.

"We'll wait and see" he muttered however despite himself the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. He had to admit the girl had guts.

He kept a shrewd eye on Via as she put on her most winning smile and turned as four figures, a woman and three men, came approaching both her and Loki quickly.

The woman was taller than she was, with long dark hair and warm but fierce dark eyes. She stood proudly in her dark maroon dress, almost like how a warrior would on a battlefield.

The three men that stood on either side of her also shared the same kind of bearing though all were very different in appearance and stature.

The two on her right were roughly about her height, though one was suave and lean, dressed all in a fresh inviting green. He looked to Via like a mixture between robin hood and Shakespeare what with his old fashioned beard and golden waves to match his grey blue eyes which twinkled as he made to bow low to his king.

The man next to him, who was garbed all in dark blues and blacks, also bowed, his face set in a perpetual grim blank slate even as he looked upon Via, his eyes sharp and keen as a hawks.

Via felt her gut churn a little uncomfortably at the attention and turned to look at the one man standing on the lady's other side only for her eyes to widen even more. The man was massive, like a bear and with a round paunch and muscled arms. But then she looked up into his face and saw that despite the great big his red beard that matched his hair, his eyes were kind and merry.

It was he that made to speak to Loki first with a gracious bow.

"My king, it is good to see you return safely from your mission"

"Thank you" Loki replied tersely as the dark haired woman made to speak.

"My princess it is an honour to see you return alive and whole to us. And though you might not remember us we remember you most dearly for we are friends of your _eldest_ brother Thor. My name is Sif these are my companions the Warriors Three. Volstagg"

The large gigantic man that had first spoken to Loki bowed so low that his big beard nearly scraped the floor.

"Hogun" the grim man in the dark clothes bowed stiffly to Via before his eyes rolled as the man in green to his side quickly stepped forwards of his own volition and gave a sweeping bow.

"And I, sweet princess am Fandral"

"Um…nice to meet you too" Via flushed scarlet as he quickly took her hand in his in a flourish and kissed her knuckles.

"I believe that is quite enough Fandral" Loki clipped his mouth a thin line. Fandral quickly withdrew himself from Via looking slightly sheepish.

"Forgive me my King I only meant to give the princess a warm welcome"

"Well you can be assured your efforts are very much appreciated" Via gave a gracious nod as she did her best to commit every single one of the warriors names to memory.

"Perhaps the princess would like to come join the throng? After all it is your welcome home party "

Volstagg smiled as he saw the younger woman glance quickly at Loki before turning back to the group at large and smirk widely.

"I would love to"

And before Loki could even get in another word Via was already walking over to the long feast table where Fandral courteously held out a seat for her to sit in.

The god of mischief's eyes glared hard as many of the noblemen and women crowded around their newest arrival like seagulls to scraps of food on a wharf.

_Enjoy the spotlight while you can little sister…You won't have too long to enjoy it…_

But even as the thought crossed Loki's mind he caught sight of that joyful smile as she made to listen to one of the warriors more amusing stories, and the trickster's heart stirred uncomfortably.

_Why must you look so much like her…_

* * *

And that's finally the end of that chapter.

Hopefully no one was too OOC and hopefully the next chapter has more Avengers stuff (hopefully funny)

Keep Reading and Reviewing for more :)


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