Broken Minds

It was never empty on the barge as people constantly filed by donning S.H.I.E.L.D. uniforms. I was sitting at the table with papers spread out in a fan as I studied them again trying to find if I cold make some connection to make with Loki. He was lying on his back presumably sleeping with his eyes closed and face relaxed. He looked uncomfortable still though. Director Fury still hadn't returned from his meeting but breakfast was still enjoyable when Agent Coulson came knocking on my door at eight o'clock.

"What are these?" I looked from my papers to see Steve standing behind me glancing over my shoulders.

"The file Director Fury gave me on Loki and the tesseract. Unfortunately it's not very much to work with." I smiled up at him before moving the seat next to me, which he got the hint and sat down in. "How are you this morning?"

"Good but there's only so much to do."

"Getting bored Captain?" I smiled again catching his electrifying blue eyes.

"Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Sure since I'm not getting anything else from these." Steve helped me shuffle my papers together before I put them inside the manilla folder labeled 'Classified'. I left the folder on the table. While it may have been classified in the outside world everyone present knew of the same information as I. Trailing beside Steve he led the way around the hallways until we came to a door that had window panels showing the outside deck. "We're going outside?"

"Unless you don't want to," he smiled showing the slight outline of dimples, "I thought the fresh air would be a nice change." I nodded staying quiet knowing my voice would betray me as my stomach rumbled with nerves.

The gentle wind blew my hair around but he was right the crisp air was wonderful. His hand grabbed mine placing it on his arm like a gentleman, which undisputably calmed me somewhat. I tried to keep us closer to the buildings edge but he kept walking our further bringing a sweep of nausea over me as I clenched onto his arm tightly. "I have a confession to make." I broke the comfortable silence we fell into when we were a few yards away from the edge.

"You're afraid of heights. I'm surprised you allowed me to take you this far out." Smirking he led me away keeping to the yellow trim that outlined the barge about twenty feet from the edge.

"Let me guess Tony told everyone?"

"No, you don't have to be a psychologist to see the frightened expression on your face." He chuckled and I scowled playfully.

"Nothing gets past you Captain Rogers."

"I thought I told you to call me Steve."

"You did." I smirked to him this time. "How are you handling everything?"

"You mean waking up at learning you missed 70 years of your life?" My face dropped and I felt insensitive for asking.

"I'm sorry. I,"

"Don't be there's nothing you did." His smile slowly reappeared on his face, "it's certainly different now."

"I can imagine." I was about to ask him another question when a speaker began calling for my name. It sounded like Agent Coulson as the voice told me to report to the hanger where the metal doors leading to Loki's cage was. "It looks like I have to cut our walk short." I went to pull away from his arm but he held it down.

"Let me at least escort the lady there."

"Such gentleman they raised back in the day." I blushed before he turned us back inside.

As I thought it was Agent Coulson waiting by the keypad until my arrival where he punched in the numbers. "Ready?"

"I said anytime did I not?" I joked before following behind him into the room. Loki was standing again this time facing us as I approached the glass. Coulson pushed the button allowing the doors to open as I stepped quickly inside seeing how close to the entryway he was. The doors were barely open for a few seconds as they shut again, "hello Loki."

"Doctor."

"You seem to be in better spirits today." I smiled but he remained stone faced. The metal doors clanked together symbolizing he and I were alone now. "How did you sleep?"

"You were watching me?" At this he raised an eyebrow keeping eye contact with me. Shivers rushed through my body as a layer of goosebumps fell over my skin.

"Briefly."

"And who is watching us now?" He looked to the ceiling, surely he had known there were cameras before now.

"No one." His eyes returned directly to mine but I contained the impulse to shudder again as I swallowed hard.

"Are you aware I am the god of lies?" Taking a step forward cloying the space between us even further.

"I am." I didn't look away as an unsettling feeling kept washing over me but I refused to break. "It's a good thing I'm not lying then, isn't it?"

"So it would seem." He turned away breaking the contact and I resisted the urge to let out a sigh at the relief. Neither of us said a word as his back was to me while I admired the slight muscular shape that was visible through the tight material. Suddenly feeling unprofessional for shamelessly checking out my patient I shook my head. "I could kill you." His voice was so level and serene when he spoke it made me question his sanity for the first time.

"I have no doubt that you couldn't."

"Are you afraid?" He turned his smoldering eyes back to me in one swift motion.

"Will it anger you if I say no?" I brought my lips into a smirk seeing his own push into a straight line.

"You should be."

"I will never be afraid of a mere person. People change, and people can be broken especially those that are evil. Bad people are always triumphed over by the good of the world. Something you would do well to think about." He closed his eyes before opening them again as they blazed with an extreme displeasure.

"I am not human like those who have fallen so easily." He was getting dangerously close to me as my heart began thumping loudly in my chest. "I am a god!" I didn't have time to react before his arm shot out grabbing my neck tightly. He backed up cracking my head against the glass tightening the grip on my throat. My lungs fought for air as he squeezed tighter still while I tried unsuccessfully to push his hand away.

I could see the specks dotting in my eyes from the combination of the hit to my head and the rapidly approaching loss of consciousness. I was praying silently someone would burst through the doors. Suddenly he whipped his hand back letting me gasp for air painfully. "Now do you fear me?" My throat was dry as I tried to produce some saliva to swallow. I shook my head but he looked angry again. "Foolish mortal."

"Why do you need to be feared?" My voice cracked in the middle of the sentence.

"No one respects you without fear." I glanced up but his he cast his eyes to the floor.

"That's a dictator's thought process. Not a gods. Men can be great and powerful without being feared, there are plenty examples on this very aircraft." He chuckled, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked to meet my eyes.

"They are no different than I."

"They are vastly different. Their power and attention comes from respect, and that will always be highly looked upon." I couldn't help the attitude I was beginning to develop even though I knew it was only feeding into his wishes. He wanted me angry.

"We shall see doctor."

"You don't have to be a villain. Thor said that it wasn't too late for you both to return to Asgard as though nothing happened." A dark strangle of a laugh came from his throat making the goosebumps return as a cold drifted along my spine.

"Asgard is not my home."

"Isn't that where you grew up?" He said nothing but kept his eyes on mine, "Did Odin and Frigga not raise you as their own?"

"I was not theirs to raise!" He yelled making me jump from the unexpectedness. Never had he lost his cool and I contained the smirk as I broke through a barrier. "He should not have taken me if they thought if they thought I would be a burden."

"No one said you were Loki."

"They didn't have to, how many years did I spend always being second to Thor? Left in the shadows while he rose to greatness for being a conceited, rash and overpraised." I could feel the hatred and resentment radiating from him and suddenly I felt truly unsafe for the first time. I scooted around him in time as he punched the glass but not hard enough to crack it. He kept his back facing the exit of the tube as I paused near the door.

Agent Coulson came no more than half a minute later to press the button opening the door silently. I hesitated in the doorway, "Loki." He didn't turn around but I inhaled sharply still feeling the sting in my throat. "Don't think you're the only person thats ever been overshadowed by an older sibling." He still didn't make any movement but I didn't linger any longer as I followed Agent Coulson out of the room.