Author's note: When I began this 'little' story, I anticipated 20 or so chapters. Little did I know how much more it would become. This is the start of the seventh in the series. I hope you enjoy it. If you have not read any of the previous stories, the first is Alliance. There are also multiple one-shots for a few of the stories.

A big shout of thanks to Nyruserra for her beta work. I have had a hard time finding and keeping a good editor and I do appreciate her stepping up to help out here. Please wander over to her page and check out her awesome fanfiction!

A quick reminder – this is fanfiction – my story as I envision it. This series was started after I saw the movie "Thor: The Dark World" so keep that in mind as you read it.

Chapter 1: Dissonance

"Katirya knew who that was, didn't she?" Stark asked Loki.

Loki nodded, "Yes," choosing not to say anything further in way of an explanation knowing that there was too much at stake and given Fury's position, he determined this wasn't anything he needed to know.

"And do any of you?" Stark probed further, looking around the room.

"Perhaps. It does sound like someone we have had dealings with in the past," Thor answered slowly, staring at his brother as he spoke. Loki shook his head warningly and Thor said no more.

"Well, that's very informative. Care to tell us more?" Fury asked sarcastically.

Loki sighed heavily before answering quietly. "It is on a need to know basis, and you do not need to know."

Stark snorted. "I think that answers that." He walked towards the bar. "I'm going to have a drink. Anyone else?"

"Please," Loki said as he sat down on the sofa. Thor joined him as Stark headed over to the bar and prepared drinks for everyone.

"Well, that exchange has certainly cemented ties between Earth and…" Stark waved at the empty spot where Katirya had recently vacated. "Whoever took her. Bet we're really safe now. We got … what? Sif? In exchange? Jarvis! Have you seen Lady Sif?"

"I am sorry sir. She is not here at the present time."

"Wait!" Fury shouted. "What do you mean by 'at the present time'?"

"As Captain Obvious…"Jarvis began.

Steve practically choked as he spit out his drink.

"Will you all quit calling me Captain Obvious?" Fury roared.

"What would you rather be called? Captain I Traded Two Ladies and a Handful of the Most Powerful Gems in the Universe and got Nothing in Return?" Tony asked.

Fury glared at him.

"Real good, Fury. Real good. Great plan," Rogers chimed in. "So, now what do we do? Just sit here and wait until they either attack Earth or send Lady Sif? My bets are on the former action by the way."

"Mine too, for what it's worth," Stark added. He noted that Loki and Thor had been strangely quiet, sitting on the sofa as if nothing of importance had happened. "What? You two don't seem so surprised by this."

"No, it was anticipated actually," Loki replied quietly. "When the request came for the stones and my wife, we expected they wanted her for some reason."

"Speaking of those gems, why the hell does your wife seem to just play with them like they were toys? I thought they were dangerous."

"They are very dangerous. Few can control them," Loki paused as he considered what he ought to tell Fury and what he did not need to know. "Even Thanos knew he would be unable to harness their power without something to aid him. Thus, he had the Infinity Gauntlet made. Jane, a mere human, had no ability to control the Aether and it caused irreparable damage…"

"That's your opinion," Fury snapped, interrupting Loki.

Loki shrugged. "As you wish. I know even the short time I had the Mind Stone I could feel the enormous power it contained. Combined with the Tesseract, it was combination that was just…" he swept his arm out at the New York landscape. "You saw what happened."

"That was all you. You wanted ultimate power," Fury shot back.

"They do tend to make you feel that way," Loki mused. "Yet Kiri has never had any issues with them. I cannot explain why, but that is the way it is."

Thor spoke up. "It is also why Asgard felt it important to not have two of the gems located so close together. We sent the Aether away after we defeated the Dark Elves. Since the Tesseract was already housed in Odin's Vault. A second Infinity Gem was just too much."

"Yet, you went out and purposely started to collect them all, once Loki's wife arrived on the scene," Fury pointed out. "Why?"

"We felt it better to know where they all were rather than leave our enemy out seeking them," Thor responded.

"Plus, Katirya is able to use the stones without any harm," Loki added.

"And why is that?" Fury continued to probe, trying to get some answers.

Loki shrugged. "As I stated, she is able to. I have seen moments when they do seem to take over for a short time, but then reason sets in and they no longer control her. As she has worked with them over time, I have seen that she actually has very little interest in them. The only one she does keep with her is the Soul Stone, the one she left Cartherion with when she fled to Asgard."

"So, you're saying you decided it was safe to start collecting these things?" Fury snarled. "And you basically figured it was the stones and your wife that whoever it is out there wants?"

Loki nodded. "Yes, we," he broke off his explanation and glanced at Thor. "We felt that whoever is after them was clearly aware of Kiri's ability to control the stones, most likely from a spy that we have been trying to discover. This seemed the best way to discover both the spy and who was after the gems."

"The best way? Seriously? You knew this might happen – that they'd kidnap your wife?" Stark stared at him. "And yet you came?"

"What options did we have? Although the results were not exactly what we had hoped for, they were not surprising." Thor turned to stare at Fury, then started firing questions. "Did you truly think they were going to relinquish Sif and save your precious Earth for you? I hope you realize how rash your actions were. Why did you allay yourself with this being? What can you tell us about him… or her? Who is it?" He raised his voice as he asked each question until he was almost shouting.

"Hey! They came to me. Sent my…" Fury stopped abruptly.

"Sent your what?" Stark asked.

"Are you siding with them?" Fury growled, refusing to continue his explanation.

"I thought that was obvious since you clearly didn't pick the right side," Stark replied. "Now… what was it of yours that they sent? What convinced you to join up with them?"

"I told you. They promised to save Earth." Fury adamantly refused to offer any other explanations.

"Right, and return Lady Sif. So far I see no evidence of either event happening," Thor pointed out. "I do hope you are prepared for war."

"We're ready," Fury said calmly, crossing his arms across his chest. "We can handle it."

"Can you? Do you truly think you have the ability to battle something you do not understand?" Loki asked quietly. "Or have you forgotten New York?"

Thor shot a look at his brother. The fact that he was willing to bring this event up demonstrated that he was fully aware of the type of person they were dealing with. This surprised Thor, but he elected to say nothing about it.

"I do know they will deliver on their promise," Fury stated firmly.

"Considering that they have changed their terms already, I highly doubt it. But… it is not worth the time to argue over it. We need to plan and prepare…"

"For what? Oh, right – they never did promise to save your world. Sorry I failed to include you in the deal, but you'd clearly washed your hands of Earth. And maybe they changed the terms for you, but my deal with them still stands." Fury moved away from the group, preparing to leave.

"Leaving? So soon?" Stark asked sarcastically. "And here I was just beginning to enjoy our visit."

"I did what I was supposed to do. My part in this is done. I delivered the gems as promised. Sorry they didn't return Sif, but…" Fury shrugged. "Guess it depends on who you side with. Me, I prefer winners."

"Really?" Stark asked as he moved over to the bar to refresh his drink.

"Sir," Jarvis spoke up. "The visitors have returned."

As a group, they all turned to face the spot where Katirya had last stood. One of the hooded visitors was now standing there holding something. Unceremoniously he dropped it on the ground. "Our part of the bargain," he pointed to the object. "We never promised the condition of it, just that we would give it over to you." He spun on his heel and walked out to the balcony.

"Wait!" Steve shouted, but the visitor ignored him.

Stepping off the edge of the balcony, he dropped out of sight.

"Jarvis! Where did he come from? And more importantly – where did he go?" Stark shouted.

"I am sorry sir. He simply appeared. Out on the balcony. And left in the same manner," the cool voice answered.

Loki and Thor raced to the balcony. Gazing skyward, they searched for any sign of a ship.

"Damn!" Thor swore softly. "How did they…"

Loki cut him off. "Over there." He pointed towards the eastern horizon. A shimmer could be seen just above the buildings.

"Cloaked, why would he think he needed to do that?" Thor asked.

Loki shrugged. "Hiding from earth's people? Which other races use it?"

Steve had joined them on the balcony. "Stealth mode technology. S.H.I.E.L.D. has it. But… why would they use stealth to come here? And those didn't look like agents."

"Well, if Earth can manage it, that just about rules out no one," Loki quipped. "I wouldn't have thought he would use it, even for this."

Thor nodded in agreement. "We aren't any closer to our answer, are we?"

"We will be. At least we know who, but the question is why? It doesn't make sense," Loki replied quietly as they returned to the room. Tony and Fury were standing by remains of what appeared to be a body. It was burned beyond recognition, but the clothing scraps that clung to the burnt flesh were identical to what Lady Sif had been wearing at her wedding.

"I'm sorry," Tony stated as the two brothers approached.

"For what?" Loki asked. "You didn't do this."

"No, but…" Tony jerked his head towards Fury.

"A life for a life, I guess," Fury stated baldly.

"What, you mean we should accept the death of Jane as an acceptable exchange for Lady Sif?" Steve spit out, furious.

"Is that how you really feel? We had nothing to do with Jane's death. Your buddies are behind all of this, and yet you try to place the blame on us?" Loki asked him quietly, moving closer to the man. "If you think we will not avenge her death and Jane's, you are wrong. I just hope you are ready to face the consequences."

"If your brother hadn't come to Earth, none of this would have happened. Jane would never have met him and…" Fury's voice trailed off.

The Bifrost effect shimmered, interrupting Fury. The Warriors Three appeared, accompanied by Loki's eldest son.

"I left you three in charge. Who is guarding Asgard?" Loki snapped as soon as they were fully there. "And why are you here?" He looked directly at Kai as he asked the last question.

"Heimdall sent us. He had a message he felt important enough to send to you, and he felt you might have need of us… and Kai…" Fandral started to answer.

Kai broke into Fandral's explanation. "I came because it is my mother we are talking about. I am old enough to fight, and I want to help," Kai's gaze darted between each of the Warriors Three and Thor as if daring them to argue he was not capable of fighting.

Loki nodded. "Indeed, you do spend significant time on the practice field. Far more than I ever did. You may stay."

Kai swallowed hard. "Thank you, father."

"You might not be thanking me when this is all over," Loki replied. Turning to address Fandral, he arched an eyebrow. "Well? What is the message?"

"Heimdall has located Katirya, and…" Fandral began.

"Where is she?" Tony and Steve asked simultaneously.

Fandral rolled his eyes, shooting a glare at the pair who had just cut him off from delivering the full message. "As I was saying, she is…" once again, he was interrupted.

"Knowhere," a new voice finished for him.

Author's Note: I do ask that if you intend to review, please make sure you are logged in to FFN. Guest reviews are set for moderation and if you ask or comment on something that requires a response, I may not allow the review to go through. I've simply encountered too many asking questions that are simply off base, or trying to figure out how I am going to include something that is in another movie - thus the moderation.

I always appreciate reviews, and I always try to reply back. I realize not everyone is going to like my story, but please note that one tiny word = MY. This is my interpretation of the characters and they behave how I desire them to. If you think a certain character should do something differently - that is perfectly fine - but do not tell me they cannot do it in my story. I simply suggest you write your own story.