Cold Hard Iron

Chapter 16

Transportation had been the oddest thing that Tony had ever felt. If it hadn't been for the grip he had on Loki's arm he might have freaked out completely. Of course, Tony Stark never freaked out, but he might have gotten a little more…nervous. The magic that Loki was giving off must have eased up a bit, because the only thing that Tony felt when he touched Loki was a small tingling sensation as opposed to the large shock he had gotten when he had tried before. Tony didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, and it worried him to think that he needed to leave Loki's side while he was being healed by some unknown doctor. Tony wished he could be there for the whole thing, making sure that everything was all right. Thor had glared daggers at Tony when he had kissed Loki, but at seeing Loki's obvious happiness let it go.

As Tony and Thor sat in the golden waiting room Tony pondered the events that had brought him this far. He thought back to his first real talk with Loki in Stark Tower, how he had been trying to threaten Loki, and how shortly after the angry god had launched him out of the window. He remembered how arrogant Loki had been, and how he had almost destroyed all of New York City. The memory of that now made Tony smile. It was amazing how much Loki had changed since then and how much Tony had learned about the adopted frost giant. The sickly god in the other room was days away from the arrogant villain he had been when Tony had first met him. It was strange to think that that had only been a few months ago. That led to his thoughts on getting back to work. Just because he was Tony Stark the billionaire did not mean that it gave him the right to just slack off completely. Once Loki was healed completely Pepper, Loki, and Tony were moving back to California so that Tony could finish his environmental campaign.

"Why did you choose my brother?" Thor asked abruptly, jolting Tony out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"You are Tony Stark, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist as you put it. You could have almost anyone you wanted. Why choose my broken brother?"

Tony wanted to snap at him for doubting his brother's ability to score in the dating department, but he paused, really thinking about it. He knew that Thor didn't mean harm when he asked, he was genuinely curious, so Tony wanted to be genuine in his response.

"Well, when he landed in Stark Tower over a month ago he seemed so lost, nothing like the villain that I had seen when he was trying to take over the world. It really did start out as curiosity and sympathy," Tony said. He paused, remembering the whole SHIELD fiasco and Pepper getting angry at him. It was kind of funny thinking back on it now. "And then I started to see myself in him; how I felt after I'd gotten kidnapped and had seen how many of our people my weapons were killing. I wanted to help him, to see him get better from his low. I wanted him to see that there are people that care for him, that he isn't alone in the universe. I slowly realized that I was one of those people that cared for him, and I really had no choice in the matter. It just slowly got worse the more time I spent with him."

Thor nodded. "You have really helped my brother, Anthony, and I commend you for that. And I really do trust you, even though it may not seem like it at times."

"Thank you," Tony responded softly, and they both fell into silence, nerves for Loki taking them over. Waiting rooms, no matter what realm you were on, were anxious places. Tony wished there was a magazine or something around so that he could distract himself from the worry and dread that were slowly increasing inside of him. What was it about waiting in silence that made a person get more and more nervous?

Tony was just about to ask Thor if he wanted to play a game of concentration when a man dressed in strange scrub-like clothing stepped out of the hospital wing. Tony guessed this must be the doctor.

"Hello, your majesty," he said bowing his head slightly to Thor. He turned to Tony. "Are you here for Loki too?"

"Yes, I am Tony Stark, his… friend," Tony told the man. "You're the doctor?"