Chapter 8

"Jotunhiem attack your father too?" the god sassed. A hand placed just above his hip bone. Brown eyes distantly glued to his chest. Loki straighten his posture. His throat suddenly feeling very tight with the look the man gave him. A resounding sound leaving his lips to clear strange flavor of the atmosphere. Awkwardness washing over the god.

The Doctor attempted to smooth out his unruly hair before giving up with a sigh, "I was just resting," he smiled, "One cannot say 'no' to the TARDIS." A melodic trill echoed in his head as the TARDIS agreed. His eyes lingered on the bookcase for a moment before trailing back to Loki, "As I see you have noticed, I don't really use this room that much."

He stood up, walking just a little stiffly to his closet. He threw the door open, wincing as his eyes found his previous lives' past outfits. He had been…rather flamboyant…at times. Especially around his sixth life. The Doctor went near to the back, picking up the familiar blue suit, red shirt, and red converse. He threw the outfit on, bundling the Asgardian gear to be cleaned and hung up with the other outfits. The TARDIS did like things to be tidy.

"Much better, " he said as he re-entered the bedroom. He smiled at Loki, before the smile left his face, his eyes growing distant. He remained so for a few seconds before snapping back, a frown on his face. He grabbed the door, looked over at the god, "It seems that ole' cyclops is at the front door. Let's see what the old man has to say."

"Cyclops?" Loki questioned. His newest comfort already walking away. Dread seeping into every bone on the god's lithe body. His fingers trembling in fear.

"Please…" he pleaded. Words so quiet he doubted even the TARDIS had heard them. Nothing in all nine realms could strike as much fear into Loki as his father's rage. A man he'd once adored suddenly hating him. Loki reached for the Doctor's arm, grabbing it tightly in an attempt to pull him back into the safety of the room. Browns eyes gently reaching into his own. The Doctor looked at the god in concern, turning so that he could place his hands on the other's shoulders. He locked eyes with Loki, "I swear to you that no harm will come to you while you are with me, here, in the TARDIS."

Conscientiousness of their situation enlightening an afraid boy. His arm slowly falling from its place as he began to follow the Doctor down the unpredictable halls, coming to what appeared to be a meeting/sitting room. The front door to the TARDIS sat on the other end. The control room was no where to be seen and the Doctor nodded when he saw that. He motioned for Loki to take a seat on one of the comfy looking chairs before plopping down in one of his own. Loki quickly found the seat and rested himself into it. His legs spread wide as they normally were. After they were both settled, the Doctor snapped his fingers. The doors to the TARDIS swung open, Odin standing at the door, arm still raised to knock again.

The Doctor put on the most chilling face, his Oncoming Storm face, "Well, don't stand there. Come in." His voice low, controlled and menacing all at the same time.

A moment of space occurred at the time Loki felt comfortable with where he sat between the sound of Odin entering. Desperation to run screaming in the expression of the prince. Quickly, he swallowed it down. His cotton shirt seeming to clingy when the old god stepped through the threshold. Disappointment burning on his face at the sight of his son. Loki swallowed the large lump in his throat as he fought to stay still.

"Father.." A shaky voice whimpered into the air.

An odd arrangement of clocks ticked in the silence that clung to the room like a bad perfume. The Doctor's face like one of stone. Loki's a mixture of fear and desperation. Odin's twisted into rage at Loki and, perhaps, a little fear at the Doctor.

The TARDIS, sensing the young god's fear, wrapped herself, appearing as a near invisible haze of gold light, around his being, calming him with her own thoughts.

Just as she would do for her thief.

Odin's eye traveled around the interior of the room, absently taking a seat across from the Doctor, "It has changed much, Doctor," he commented.

The Doctor clenched his jaw, his eyes as cold as ice, "The TARDIS moved the control room so I wouldn't do anything…drastic." Like dump you into the Time Vortex. Or, better still, the Void. But he did not say these out loud.

The Doctor leaned back in his chair, eyes never leaving Odin, "What is your reason for seeking audience with me, All-Father?"

He cocked one of his eyebrows, "Unless it is either to apologize for earlier transactions or to tell me that you have found the Tesseract. And I hope you make the right choice by saying both."

The clocks ticked on and the Doctor resisted the urge to look at the cracked black box in the far end of the room. The shattered mug by the old record player. So many old, and better left forgotten, memories lay in this room.

A man in whom Loki had once trusted stood before him like a demon in his dreams, haunting him each time he closed his eyes. The very same man had once been his hero, but now all he saw was years of anger. Odin never had loved him as he did Thor. In centuries of time attentions were only turned towards the prince to be scolded, yet never were they there for love. Loki looked down at his thumbs, twisting them together as he saw his father sit in a chair across from him. The Doctor subtly treating the god.

"I've come to make a deal." Odin boomed, his voice filling the air.

Loki cringed at the sound as he tried to hide his face. Green eyes glued to the floor. Memories soared through his mind. Images of his childhood cast in front of him. Odin's course hands gently holding his. Thor's bright smile making the room glow with its kindness. Loki clenched his eyelids shut. A thin line of water seeping down his cheek. The prince took a deep breath. His entire frame shaken by the uneven movement.

"I will allow Loki to leave Asgard with you, but in return you must leave the Tesseract with me." Odin's voice was that of a thousand knives. It was declarative, demanding, and treating as he knew this he would win.

The prince froze. His shoulders aching with his position, yet he did not move. A heart that once beat between his ribs stopping to hear what his newest friend would chose. Threads of sorrow sewing together inside himself. Was he worth anything to anyone?

The Doctor slowly blinked, his hearts a drum beat in his ears. A tattoo of four that made him tremble. He clinched the arms of the chair, fingers turning white as he forced himself to remain sitting. The TARDIS whispered in his mind, making soft trilling sounds to calm the Time Lord down.

She whispered into his mind and he grinned, his teeth flashing, "I have a better deal. Loki and the Tesseract both will come with me. In return, I allow you to leave my presence in one piece."

He steepled his fingers, a triumphant look crossing his features. A dark expression that the TARDIS had only seen on the Master's face.

The Doctor smirked, "For, you see, when you entered that door there," he pointed at the door, "my lovely TARDIS moved this room. If you were to exit that door now, you would forever wander the halls. Even I do not know how big my old girl is. I hear strange noises at times, old enemies perhaps, trapped forever in the endless hallways. Even a god has limits," he leaned forward, that selfsame expression never leaving his face, "and I doubt you would want to test them."

The Doctor glanced towards Loki, his facing warming considerably. When this was over, he would envelope the young god with as much love as he could.

He flicked his attention back to Odin, his face hardening once more, "I will not allow such power as the Tesseract to linger in your hands any longer. You can not have it, nor can you have this boy. You do not have the capacity to care for either," he lowered his voice, "Now, make the right choice, for I do not give second chances."

"Do you forget, Doctor my title?" Odin began, pursing his lips together, "King of Asgard. God of humans, and of protector of the nine realms. Without me the worlds will fall into anarchy."

"And do you forget mine as well, All-Father?" the Doctor snarled back, his eyes flashing dangerously, "The Bringer of Darkness, the Oncoming Storm, Defender of the Laws of Time, Protector of Gallifrey," the Doctor inhaled before continuing, "Ka Faraq Gatri, do you know what that means, Odin? In the language of the Daleks, it means Destroyer of Worlds."