Falling Is Like This

Seren winced as the medic cleaned out the gash on her head. The peroxide stung as he poured it over wound.

There was a knock on the door and Rogers poked his head in. "Got a minute?"

"Yea, consequently, my schedule has cleared indefinitely." She replied dryly.

The medic handed her a small plastic cup of water and another with two pills. "It will help with the pain. And you need to wash those abrasions or they'll get infected."

She nodded. "Thanks."

The medic gave Rogers a nod as he passed him. Rogers sat in the chair across from the exam table she sat on. "I'm Steve." He said.

"Seren. Thanks for helping me earlier." She said, smoothing out her skirt.

He smiled. "It's no problem. It's what I do. So, how do you know Loki?" He asked.

"We grew up together." She fidgeted with the dirty hem of the skirt. "It's a long story."

"Humor me."

OoOoOo

"Put him in the containment unit." Fury said.

Loki stared at him, a smile on his face. Agent Romanoff grabbed him by the arm and pulled but he wouldn't budge.

"Let's go." She said.

He said nothing, and still would not budge.

"Don't make me use force." She said.

"Oh I wish you would." He said purred.

Thor grabbed him by the back of his neck, nearly lifting him of the floor. "I grow tired of your childish games!" He said angrily.

Loki didn't fight him, but gave him a deadly glare as he was thrown into the glass cell. He stood up straight, adjusting his coat.

Fury walked in and looked at Thor. "Wait for me up at the bay."

Thor hesitated briefly, but then walked out. Fury walked up to the control panel and turned his attention to Loki. "In case it's unclear. You try to escape. You so much as scratch that glass," he pressed a lever that opened a shute beneath the clear glass floor of the cell. "Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?"

Loki peered as best he could down at the open hole, unphased.

He gestured to Loki. "Ant." He gestured to the trigger on the control panel. "Boot."

Loki tucked his hands behind his back and and smirked. "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger than you." Fury replied.

"The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?" Loki asked.

Fury raised his brows. "How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill `cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."

"Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."

Fury rolled his eye and smiled. "Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something." He walked out, the door automatically closing behind him.

OoOoOo

Seren and Steve watched the monitor until the screen went blank. She could sense Steve's eyes on her and suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. She finally looked up at Thor, hoping for any kind of answer he could give.

He stood with his back to them, staring out into the night sky from the enormous bay windows of the aircraft. He finally turned to face her, visibly upset, and shook his head slowly. He had no answered to give.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Said a man with glasses and short, curly brown hair. Seren turned to look at him. "Bruce...Banner. Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He held his hand.

She shook his hand weakly with a frown. "Seren Tremaine..."

Steve leaned back in his chair, resting his hand on the desk. "Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor what's his play?"

Thor crossed his arms, running his thumb across his chin absentmindedly. "He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any other world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

Seren's mouth dropped. "Has he lost his fucking mind?!"

"An army? From outer space?" Steve asked in disbelief.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for." Banner said, removing his glasses.

Thor looked up at Banner. "Selvig?"

"He's an astrophysicist." Banner answered.

"He's my friend." Thor replied.

"Oh my gosh...that's...Selvig is the man who almost died in New Mexico. You saved him. I saw him. He was with me in a van in Germany. When you saved me." Seren said, glancing at Steve.

Natasha leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. "Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours."

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here." Steve said, looking from Natasha to Thor.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." Banner said.

"He's really not crazy. You guys don't know him." Seren said.

"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother." Thor said.

"He killed eighty people in two days." Natasha said.

"He's adopted." Thor added.

"Wait. What?" Seren asked. She jumped to her feet and felt her heart rate speed up. "Loki would never-oh God..." She could see black spots in her vision and her head began to spin.

Steve was immediately on his feet, catching her as she collapsed.

"Get her out of here." Natasha said.

Steve lifted her into his arms. "I'm taking her to the infirmary." He carried her out just as Stark and Coulson walked in.

OoOoOo

Steve laid Seren down on the bed in the infirmary. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She stared up at him. "Not really..." She whispered.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in." Steve said.

"Yea...no shit." She propped herself up on her elbows.

"You should rest."

"That's the last thing I want." She said.

"I'll tell you this. What little I know about him, Loki is smart. He's allowed himself to get caught. So something is brewing and when it comes to light, you're going to need your rest."

Seren sighed and laid back down. Steve turned to leave. "He really isn't bad, but he is smart." She laid on her side, tucking her arm under the pillow. "I've known him so long and he's only ever treated me with kindness." She said.

Steve turned to her as he reached for the doorknob. He pointed to the bruises on her face. "Is that what his kindness looks like? Did he tie you up and shoot you with his weapon out of the kindness of his heart?"

"Something has happened to him to make him this way." She replied.

Steve considered what she said before flicking the lights off. "Get some rest."

OoOoOo

"Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Banner asked.

"It's a stabilizing agent." Stark said. He turned to Coulson. "I'll fly you there. Keep the love alive." He turned back to the group. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD." He walked past Thor, giving him a friendly pat on the arm. "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing. Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as it wants." He walked to the main communication deck. "Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails. That man is playing GALAGA! Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did." He covered one eye, looking at the screens. "How does Fury do this?"

Agent Maria Hill stood watching him with her arms crossed. "He turns." She replied.

"Well that sounds exhausting."

OoOoOo

Seren stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She kicked the blankets off and slipped out of the room. She walked quietly down the corridors, unsure of where she was going. She gave a tight lipped smile to two guards as they passed. She stared down at her bare feet as she walked further through the maze of metal flooring. She entered a room as another guard exited, the door sliding shut behind her.

"Well well well."

She gave a visible start and looked up. Loki stood in a glass cell, staring at her. "Loki."

"Why are you here?" He asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." She said, walking closer to the cell.

"I thought you'd be chatting it up with my brother and your new friends. No doubt trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together, that you'll never understand." He said bitterly.

Seren walked up to the glass, staring up at him. He stared her down with blazing blue eyes, but she refused to be moved. "Loki..What happened to you?"

"I've been shown a new path." He answered.

"You mean the one where you take over the world and enslave all of us?" She said. "You mean to make a slave of me?" She walked around the cell until she was behind it, amazed at how it was crafted.

That comment caused his mask of anger to falter slightly and his eyes softened slightly.

She pressed her hands to the glass. "I loved you. I would have done anything for you. I was ready to marry you and you left me. You gave up and you left me to pick up the pieces." Her voice broke with emotion and tears filled her eyes.

His body relaxed slightly and he inched closer to the glass. "You speak of your love for me in past tense. Do you no longer feel this way?"

"You tied me up and shot me in Germany." She said.

"I did so to prevent you from interfering in a fight that no doubt would have gotten you killed. Answer the question." He was so close to the glass that it fogged up as he spoke.

"I loved the man you used to be and I want him back." She said. "I know that man still exists somewhere."

He pressed his hand against the glass, just over hers, wanting so badly to touch her. "This is not a fairy tale. The heroes will not win. And if they do there will still be pain and suffering."

"What glory is there in taking an entire planet captive? No one will see you as anything but a tyrant and I know you're better than that!" She cried.

"I will have my throne and that is all the glory I need." He said.

Seren jerked her hands away as if burned. "Loki this isn't you! You are completely devoid of any emotion! Please stop this bullshit and come back to me."

"You never answered my question." He said quietly.

"What question?" She asked with a huff.

"Do you still love me?"

She stared up at him and swallowed hard. "I never stopped."

Loki couldn't convey the happiness that struck in him. He saw it as another victory. "Why are you here?"

She sunk to the floor, suddenly exhausted as the pills she'd taken earlier began to kick in. "Captain Rogers told me I needed to get some sleep."

Loki narrowed his eyes slightly. "Did he now?"

"He said you were up to something and that I would need my strength for whatever happens. Is this true?" She asked.

"I agree. You should get some sleep." He said.

"So should you. You look like you haven't slept in years. Your eyes have bags under them and you're pale. You look like you're jonesing."

His brow furrowed. "Like I'm what?"

She shook her head. "It means you're craving something you're addicted to."

He smiled. "I could go for a good burger and a glass of mead."

"I'm serious Loki. What is it that has put you on this path?"

"I'll tell you what," he lowered himself to the floor so that he was facing her. "I will sleep when you sleep."

Seren stared at him. She wanted to tell him to stop avoiding the question, but she didn't want to argue with him. She hadn't seen him in so long that she was being thrust back into the emotional roller coaster that was their relationship, and she didn't care. She wanted for just a few moments to pretend that everything was as it once had been. She pulled her knees to her chest and leaned her head against the glass.

"Don't knock it too hard or I'll plummet to certain death." He said with a smirk though he was only half kidding.

"You survived falling of the Bifrost, I'm sure you'll be fine." She said with a yawn.

Loki watched her for a while until she had fallen asleep against the glass. He slowly stood and watched her for a while longer, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest for all of the trauma and hell he'd put her through. She'd always been on his side and was the one person whose opinion of him mattered. He paced back and forth, reminiscing about their times together, something he hadn't done in quite some time.

He was so lost in thought that he'd barely heard the footsteps behind him. "There's not many people that can sneak up on me." He knew immediately who it was and smiled, turning.

Agent Romanoff stood staring at him. "But you figured I'd come."

"After. After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate." He said.

"I wanna know what you've done to Agent Barton."

"I'd say I've expanded his mind."

Natasha walked closer to him, cruising her arms. "And once you've won. Once you're king of the mountain. What happens to his mind?" She asked.

"Is this love, Agent Romanoff?"

"Love is for children. I owe him a debt." She replied.

Loki began to back away towards his bench and sat down. "Tell me."

She pulled out a chair and sat down. "Before I worked for SHIELD, I uh...well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skillset. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call."

Loki looked down at his hands for a moment. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?"

"Not let you out." She said.

Loki leaned forward with a laugh. "Oh, no. But I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man?"

"Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian... or was."

"What is it you want?" He asked.

"It's really not that complicated. I've got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out." She stood

"Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? DRAKOV'S daughter? SÃO PAULO? THE HOSPITAL FIRE? Barton told me everything. Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" He stood abruptly, suddenly angry. "This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child's prayer... PATHETIC! You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!" He slammed his fist into the glass, causing Natasha to jump. "I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you! Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear! And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I'll split his skull! This is my bargain, you mewling quim!"

The commotion jerked Seren awake and she turned to see Natasha with her back to Loki.

"You're a monster!" She whispered.

Loki chuckled, his fist still pressed to the glass. "No, you brought the monster." He dropped his hand to his side.

Natasha turned to face him once more. "So, Banner. That's your play."

Loki's brow furrowed. "What?"

She pressed her earpiece and began to walk towards the exit. "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Thor as well." She turned to Loki once more. "Thank you, for your cooperation." And she left.

Loki stared at the spot where she'd just stood, realization of what just happened sinking in. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned.

I know I can't take one more step towards you
'Cause all that's waiting is regret

Seren was starting back at him wide eyed. "DAMMIT!" He yelled. He rubbed his face and walked towards her.

Her bottom lip trembled and she backed away quickly, shaking her head slowly. "She was right. You are a monster." She said quietly.

"Seren-"

She held up her hands in surrender. "I can't be here right now." She turned and ran out of the room.

You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul....

OoOoOo

Natasha was waiting for her in the walkway. "Still think he's the same person?"

"I want off this ship." Seren said.

"Come on. Let's get to the lab. Fury will be there and we can discuss arranging your departure."

Seren followed her through the twists and turns of the craft, watching her feet as they walked.

"Seren! Agent Romanoff! What is happening?" Thor fell into step beside them.

"Your brother plans to use the Hulk." Natasha said.

Thor looked confused. "I do not understand. What is this hulk you speak of?"

"Dr. Banner's bad side. Trust me when I say you don't want to encounter him." She glanced over at Seren who was struggling to keep her composure. "I'm sorry about what happened back there. I know that was hard for you." Natasha said.

"This Barton guy. Is he any good with arrows?" Seren finally asked.

"That would be him." Natasha replied.

"He's alright. If you were worried...I met him when Loki took me. He didn't look like he was hurt..." Seren said.

"Look, I get what you're doing. And I appreciate it." Natasha said, opening the door of the lab. "But either way, what Loki has done to him is wrong."

Seren was going to enter the room when she saw Steve and Tony taking heatedly with Fury and Dr. Banner. Natasha pushed past her, quickly joining the argument. Thor placed his hand on the small of her back and gently ushered her in. She followed him to the other side of the lab, placing Thor between herself and the others.

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction!" Banner asked angrily.

Seren peered over Thor's shoulder as Fury turned, pointing at him. "Because of him."

Thor's mouth opened slightly. "Me?" He asked, stunned.

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned." Fury said.

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor replied.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled."

Captain Rogers turned. "Like you controlled the cube?"

"Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war." Thor said, growing angry.

"A higher form?" Steve asked.

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with something." Fury said.

"Nuclear deterrent. `Cause that always calms everything right down." Stark said.

Fury turned to Stark. "Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?"

Seren watched with growing apprehension as the five of them began arguing amongst themselves, all of their words blurring together to an angry roar. She could see Loki's scepter at the other side of the room, gradually growing brighter and brighter.

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos!" Thor argued.

Seren grabbed his shoulder. "Thor-" he shook her off. "Ok. While you guys get your shit together, I'll be in the infirmary." She slammed the door behind her.

She paced back and forth for a moment. Just as she was about to return to her room, a massive explosion knocked her against the wall.

Stark and Rogers rushed out of the room.

"Are you alright?!" Steve asked.

Seren couldn't find her voice but she nodded and stood up. Steve gave her a quick nod before running after Stark.

"Loki..." Against her better judgement, she took off running towards Loki's cell.

She pushed through the large metal door and was immediately seized by a soldier. "Hey! Let me go!"

"Soldier, let her go." Loki said calmly, walking out of the cell.

The guard set her down without question. She hit him in his arm, barely phasing him. "Asshole!" She turned to Loki and he grabbed her wrist tightly.

"Now now, you're not being very lady like." He chided.

"Loki what are you doing?" She asked.

He frowned. "I thought you said you couldn't be here anymore. Has Beauty come to tame the Beast?" He gave her arm a jerk, pulling her against his body. "Can it be you still love this monster?"

She winced. "Whatever you're going to do, do it."

His eyes softened and his brow furrowed. "Do you think me so far gone that I would harm you?" He asked softly.

There was a loud roar, like that of a monster followed by the blasting of gunfire. She swallowed hard, choosing her words carefully. "I think you're further gone than you think." She whispered.

The coldness returned to his face once more. "No matter. None of this will matter in a few hours." He said, nodding to the soldier.

Seren watched as Loki's projection appeared inside the cell. "What are y-" he clamped his hand over her mouth.

"No!" For the briefest of moments, Seren felt relieved, thinking Thor would save her. But those hopes were dashed to bits when he charged right through Loki's projection and stumbled into the glass cell. The door locked behind him and he turned, facing the real Loki.

"Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Loki asked, adding insult to injury.

Thor, in a fit of anger, slammed Mjolnir onto the glass cell. To his surprise, the glass merely cracked, but the unit gave a slight shake as the locks released. He backed away carefully, meeting Loki's gaze.

Loki drug Seren over to the control panel. "The humans think us immortal. Should we test that?" He asked, his hand hovering just over the release trigger.

A gunshot rang out and the soldier standing next to them crumpled to the floor. Agent Coulson entered, brandishing a complex rifle. "Move away, please and let the girl go."

Loki threw Seren to the ground. She crawled beneath the control panel.

"You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent the destroyer. Even I don't know what it does. Do you wanna find out?" Coulson asked, preparing to fire.

Seren was about to protest when agent Coulson cried out. Loki stood behind him, the blade of his scepter protruding from Coulson's chest. He shoved Coulson against the wall and returned to the control panel.

"NNNOOOO!!!!" Thor and Seren screamed.

She scurried over to Coulson who was bleeding heavily. She pressed her hands to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "I'm so sorry!" She sobbed. The blood gushed from the wound, coloring her hands crimson.

"You need...t-to get out of here..." Coulson gasped.

Seren shook her head. "I need to get help. You'll be ok..." She cried.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He shook his head slightly. "No. My heart's pierced. It's a done deal." He coughed. "Get out..of here Ms. Tremaine. While you still can."

Seren looked over her shoulder. "Loki stop this! Please!" She cried.

He paid her no attention as he pressed the release button. She watched in horror as the glass cell disappeared, falling out of the aircraft. She ran to the hole it left behind, unable to find any breath to speak.

"Seren, go!" Coulson cried.

She turned but Loki grabbed her by the waist. She kicked her legs and tried to hit him. "What have you done?!? You've killed him!"

He easily evaded her feeble attempts. "The only place she's going, is with me!" Loki said, glaring triumphantly at the quickly fading Coulson.

Two of his henchmen entered and he shoved her at them. "Secure her on the jet. I'll join you momentarily." He said.

"Loki! You son of a bitch!" Seren screamed as they drug her away.

"Such a mouth...she's probably right though. I never knew my real mother. For all I know, she was a bitch." Loki said.

"You're going to lose." Coulson said.

Loki smiled down at him. "Am I now?"

"It's in your nature." He said.

"Your heroes are scattered, your floating fortress falls from the sky...where is my disadvantage?" Loki asked.

"You lack conviction." Coulson replied.

Loki narrowed his eyes. "I don't think I-"

Coulson fired the weapon. A ball of fire erupted from the barrel, sending Loki through the opposite wall.