Working Title : Loki & Annie

Chapter Thirteen

Thor had joined the Warriors Three and the Lady Sif in their feasting hall along with dozens of others. It was loud, the people were beautiful and alcohol flowed. Thor thought that Stark would have enjoyed himself and been a favored guest amongst the Asgardians. In fact Thor wished Stark was there because he was sure that the Midgardian's antics would have created a diversion that would have allowed him to slip out much earlier than he was able.

 Now, hours later, he was finally able to raise himself up between the two woman who were sprawled across him. One made a noise and he muttered soft words and gently ease himself from the bed. Grabbing his clothes, boots and Mjolnir he silently slipped out onto his balcony and quickly dressed. He had an agreement with Heimdall that when he was with women there would be no all seeing gaze turned on him. Hopefully he still enough time.

With Mjolnir in his hand it was easy enough to leap to Loki's balcony where he landed without a sound. In the moonlight he could look down over the courtyards and into parts of his mothers gardens. An occasional set of guards walked past but none looked up. Perhaps when this was all over he would make sure to add that to their training but for now he was thankful for their lapse.

He wasn't able to look into Loki's chamber, thick curtains covered the windows of doors that were towering in height. Taking one of the ornate handles in his massive hand he tried turning it, locked. He licked his lips, felt foolish for licking his lips then slowly squeezed the handle until it broke. The sound was loud in the silence and he held his breath but no alarm was raised. He lowered the pieces to the balcony floor then quickly pushed the door open and slipped inside.

Once he gently pushed the door closed behind him he was in total darkness. He waited for his eyes to adjust but that never happened. He pictured the room as he remembered it and moved a forward until he felt the corner of the couch that he knew was there. Then several more steps until he was at the desk. He was about to take another when he felt something move past his booted foot. Or actually across the top of his foot and he let out a startled gasp and leapt sideways.

He kicked something that was there that he hadn't known about and when he tried to step back from it he felt a light brush against his shoulder. He swept a hand out into the darkness and his fingers touched something that moved when he tried to grasp it. Now he could hear his breathing, it was all he could hear. And the room was still black.

"Loki's magic?" His voice was whisper in that darkness.

He had Mjolnir in his right hand, he didn't remember if he had called it or if he had reached for it. Now he raised it chest height and set his left hand to the hammer head and let a tiny fraction of lightening lose. White spheres of ball lightening rose into the air, one after the other to sail up and into the corners of the room until there were five of them circling through the room.

Thor felt a tingling on the back of his neck and spun around. Nothing was there. He turned back to look around the chamber in the blue white light while the tingling grew nearly painful.

The furniture was covered in dust cloths. He stepped further into the room, not even sure what he was looking for, just knowing that what he needed was here in Loki's chambers.

Something again went across his booted boot, this time tripping him and he smashed into the ground hard. He tried to roll to his feet but whatever it was had now wrapped around both feet and yanked them together. He looked down and faced a green snake hissing in his face. Before he could do or say anything he found himself being yanked towards the ceiling by his feet, his arms flopping down around his head. He was being spun, the snake was gone. Now he could see a long green wisp throughout the room. Loki's magic. And it wasn't happy.

Thor finally came to a jerking stop then felt himself being sent shooting towards those curtains covering the glass doors in front of the balcony. He knew he would be thrown through them and land in the courtyard below. "Wait! Loki is in danger! I- he needs your help!" But it was too late. He had already been flung towards the doors.

Thor waited for the impact but it didn't happen. Instead he felt something tightly grab hold of his ankle and he came to a painful, instant stop. It felt as though his whole body wanted to keep going, stretching itself making tendons stretch and joints pop. He could feel his spine separate then snap back in place. He groaned at the sensation and pain. When he opened his eyes he found himself hanging upside down in front of the curtains. Painfully he swung himself enough to be able to look around. The green mist was whipping around the room, clearly agitated. It didn't like the ball lightening and was attempting to herd the balls to Thor. He called them closer to him with a twitch of his fingers. The mist came closer as well, spinning around Thor.

"I, need your help. Uh, could you set me down? "Thor gave a motion towards the ground which wasn't easy but the mist only paused for a moment then continued its pace. Thor chuckled. It was as if Loki had raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief at such a stupid question. "Well then, it's rather difficult to explain from up here." He waved Mjolnir about then had an idea. He held the hammer out. "Here. Mjolnir knows. It has been with Loki. They," Thor struggled with the right word, "Spoke. Or at least touched."

The green mist had drastically slowed, barely weaving back and forth. Now it moved forward and part of it reached out and curled around Mjolnir. Thor could feel in his hand the results of the two magics touching and combing, it was burning hot and burning cold. Glowing green and crackling blue white in color, the two were only together for several seconds but that was all that it seemed to take for enough information to be exchanged. The green mist faded away.

Thor frowned. "Loki's magic? Are you still-" He was cut off when he suddenly dropped to the floor, landing with a painful thud, Mjolnir on his chest. He lay there recovering, pulling air into shocked lungs. Once he finally had recovered his breath he rolled over and pushed himself to his knees and looked around. His ball lightening still lit the room though they hovered closer to him but looking around he saw that the green mist was gone.

Still slightly wheezing he asked, "Loki's magic?" There was no sign of an answering reply. No sound, no light.

Pushing to his feet, grasping Mjolnir Thor looked around with a frown. He stepped carefully forward, this time directing one of the balls to his feet, he had no desire to go stumbling again. Turning slowly in a circle there was nothing to see, the room was empty. There was no tingle at the back of his neck. "Loki's magic?"

Thor paced through the room, still turning around, searching. He peered around, the deep green colors making the room appear even darker, the shadows deeper. He made his way towards Loki's bed chamber door and carefully pulled the door open.Thor stood in the doorway, his mouth dropping slightly open as he peered in to the room that was lit by several lights next to a couch. He stared at the figure lounging on it and finally uttered, "Brother?"

Loki slowly raised his green eyes from the book in his hands to meet Thor's blue eyes, no expression on his face. Finally he rolled his eyes, "Considering I'm not your sister, brother, your wit stuns me." The book in his hand snapped shut and he frowned darkly. "And you will be repairing my lock."