Loki looked up from where he was sitting in his cell when he heard familiar footsteps approaching. "Thor?"

Thor put Mjolnir on the floor and approached Loki's cell with as calm a gaze as possible given the circumstances. "...Brother, the heads of the 9 Realms have come to a decision about your punishment for what happened on Midgard."

Loki swallowed hard and struggled to remain impassive. "And it is?" He asked, voice low to keep the quiver out of it.

Thor looked at the floor, trying to buy himself time before he had to give Loki the news. He raised his head and gazed at his brother. Thor put a hand on the cell bars to steady himself and said quietly, "Death..."

Loki wasn't sure he'd heard correctly, but one look at Thor's face and he knew he'd had. He tried to shrug it off "Well, it really couldn't have been anything else, now, could it?" He wanted to scream.

Thor wasn't buying Loki's act and tried to explain all that had happened, "...I tried to convince Father that the decision was too harsh but the heads of the 9 realms, wouldn't be placated with anything but your death...I'm sorry" a short silence passed and Thor continued " It is to happen in two days...guillotine...no pain..."

"I should be thankful that it will be painless, it's more than I was expecting. Thank you, Thor for speaking on my behalf, don't feel bad about what's going to happen, the blood is on my hands, not yours." Loki looked Thor in the eye and his composure slipped, "I don't want to die..." he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Thor was suddenly having difficulties swallowing, there seemed to be a large lump in his throat that wouldn't leave. What remaining composure he'd had, fell away, Thor closed his eyes and rested his head against the cell bars. He didn't want Loki to die, if only the others knew him like he did...

"Is there anything I can do for you, Brother? Get you something to eat or drink?" Thor desperately wanted to show Loki he still cared.

The gesture did not go unoticed by Loki, it touched him to know Thor was still on his side.

"No, food and drink never brought me pleasure. Just stay with me for awhile, if you can."

"Of course, Brother." Thor's voice broke as he looked at Loki and said "I'll come every day...On Monday morning I will take you to your room to get ready. I'll bath you and do your hair, you can chose your clothes..." Thor let out a broken sob.

"Don't think about the future, Brother. Think about the present, we are still together, we can talk and laugh like when we were children."

Thor thought his heart might break, here was the Loki he'd known as a child, destined so soon to be taken from him again...this time forever. He tried to smile but failed. he nodded slowly.

"Do you remember the day you wanted that red apple...the one on the highest branch? You were too small to get it so I climbed the tree for you and fell. Mother was so angry, but I didn't care. I just wish I'd been able to get the apple for you."

You: " You were my hero when we were young, you are still. Thor, look at me, no matter what I've done you always stayed by my side. Do you remember when we tried to steal father's sword? He was so angry..."

Thor chuckled through his tears "Oh Gods yes, Father was so angry. I said it was my idea and that I forced you to help me..."

"He didn't believe you though...and it was my idea..." Loki chuckled at the memory. "I wish I had one memory where Father was proud of me..." another tear rolled down his cheek. with his hands chained to the wall he was unable to wipe it away. Thor longed to be able to wipe Loki's tears away.

"Sleipnir?" Thor said, hoping that a bit teasing would melancholy the gloomy mood that had settled over them."Father was often proud of you, he was amazed by your talent for magic, you know..."

"Was he really? he never told me..." another tear

"I swear he was Loki..." Thor was about to break into Loki's cell to comfort him but the guard came back. Thor looked at Loki and nodded, sadly he said, "I'll come back tomorrow..."