Hello, my dearest, darlingest readers!

So, I got my exam results today (yay) and I actually did really well!

Ok, so this is the last chapter that I have written for this story, so what I will do is post this, and then begin to post another story. Once I have posted all the existing stories that I have, I will work on this story once again and post it. So please do not be disheartened if this story is not updated for a long time. It is not abandoned, and nobody is allowed to adopt it. It is my Precious.

So don't steal my story, people.

I DO NOT OWN THE AVENGERS.

Bookworm987654 – thank you for your review, it made me smile.

R. A Cross – I'm glad you find my stories interesting… what do you mean about his and Spidey's moments later on? I have decided to dismiss the cliché where Tony goes back in time and immediately basically adopts a load of brain children in an internship sort of thing, but if you want some irondad/spideyson moments, then I'm sure I can attempt to work in a few non-canonical fluffy flashbacks.

Story Of The Post – The Midnight Sky by Red Sova. It is a very good HP/KHR crossover, where Harry is the leader of the Vindice, Bermuda. It is a story that should definitely be read.

So, on with the story!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Clint watched Tony with narrowed eyes.

As they were trudging up the ENDLESS FUCKING STAIRS (who cares that Loki broke the elevator? He should have made those conveyer belt things that they have in the stores so that the lazy people – who did not include him – could have just taken them instead.)

Natasha was curious, which in turn made him curious. People never spoke of the pair as separate entities – they were Hawkeye and Black Widow, their titles breathed in reverent yet fearful tones, the speaker glancing over their shoulders as though the very utterance of their titles would summon them. (He was not Bloody Fucking Mary!)

One mind both on and off the battlefield – no matter how much Clint loved Laura, she could never understand the bond he had with his battle-partner, which was part of the reason that he was happy with the fact that she was kept away from the world of espionage.

And Tony was… different.

The first time Clint Barton ever met Tony Stark, he immediately threw everything that he thought he knew on the man out of the window.

'Tony Stark' was merely a public persona, worn around everybody except for a chosen few. His masks were so tightly integrated into himself that not even the Black Widow could see past them.

Clint had seen past the Black Widow's mask, and was the one to bring her in, so the fact that he could not see what Tony Stark was concealing behind those masks was… disconcerting.

Yet upon waking from the dead – something that would shake anybody – his mask had shifted. It had shifted so much that the star spangled man with no plan (because he's thick as fuck) could see that it was there, even if he couldn't decipher what was behind it, not that the spangly sanctimonious prick would do anything to help Tony if he could. *

So when the changes in Stark had the man asking Loki a question that had the man show fear… well, he was intrigued.

Because…That link between them hadn't just been one way.

Whilst Loki had been in his head, he had seen things, obviously let slip by accident.

Loki wasn't happily going along with the plans of whoever gave him the scepter, like the other brainwashed puppets had. No, he was (Or appeared to be – who knew whether or not he was faking? After the question, he was leaning towards 'not') locked in a corner of his mind, terrified, screaming.

So Clint would listen. But if Loki showed one sign of harming Stark, a man that he was tentatively beginning to call 'friend', well-

-this time that arrow to the eye socket wouldn't miss.

Tony watched as Loki attempted to deny the knowledge of Tony's words -but Tony Stark was no fool.

He was the GOD of masks and armor (slightly ironic considering that he was talking to the God Of Lies), crafting a mask for him was as easy as breathing. Even if both of those actions were slightly difficult right now. The arc reactor was shocking his diminished lung capacity, and he'd SEEN Natasha die – well, Clint had spoken of her death, that final sacrifice wiping the red from her ledger forever more (even if he still kind of hated her a little).

Anyway, even with his diminished skills, Tony caught the flicker of fear at the questions, and knew that he hunch he had been harboring for around five years (ever since Banner told him 'he sent Loki') was correct.

As his 'teammates' (he really didn't consider Widow or Cap his teammates after the Accords bullshit… even if it hadn't happened yet) burst into chatter at the question – although he thought that Clint may have had an inkling that there was something amiss, anyway, judging by future conversations that they had had… would have… goddamn this time travel bullshit was confusing.

(Thor had also been included and said a few interesting magic things about mental links that he wished a sorcerer from the Sanctum would have looked over with him.)

Anyway, time to attempt something even riskier.

Once Loki had been secured to a chair, the 'team' (the togetherness was always going to be sarcastic… there might be no 'I' in team, but there sure was hypocrisy) watching at the sidelines, Tony allowed his body language to change.

He straightened up as though pulled by an invisible sting, fingers steepled in a mock contemplative gesture that Loki's eyes widened fractionally at. His ace became fiercely fanatic, yet also cold and distant. When he spoke, his voice was akin to Loki's somewhat British accent, yet pure ice and sadism.

"Hear me and rejoice," Tony recites the hateful words etched onto his heart, and Loki stills completely, an almost imperceptible fear flickering across his face. He KNEW those words, had heard them be recited in that same cool, dispassionate tone many times, to horrifying background noises of screams- or an even more damning silence. * (Tony was an AMAZING mimic – it was good for prank calls, and he's memorized Maw's voice from the mind – meld thingy that Thor had done with him to show the utter ruthlessness of Thanos.)

"You have the pleasure of being saved by the Great Titan. With your sacrifice, the cosmic scales tip towards balance. Smile…" and here his voice gentled, albeit in a disturbingly creepy way "…for even in death, you have become Children Of Thanos."

Abruptly dropping the demeanor as though nothing had happened, Tony turned towards Loki. "So I ask you again, Odinson," and a deaf person would be unable to miss the emphasis that Tony placed upon the title. "How long did it take for Thanos go break you?"

There was a resounding silence.

Loki's eyes were wide – in pain and fear.

Stark had certainly changed, that much Loki was sure of.

When he had first asked his question, Loki was frightened – but only a little. How could this man – a mere mortal – know of his plans?

A mortal who knew where you would launch your attack after knowing of your existence for not even a day, a small voice whispered in the back of his head, a voice that he promptly ignored.

The reiteration of his question had merely cemented his fear.

Stark knew.

How did the man know?

So Loki looked, truly looked, at this exceptional mortal.

He had seen the pain – both physical and mental – the tenseness of his posture, the barely-concealed horror.

This man had been touched by the Mad Titan as well.

As the mortal – Tony – rearranged his posture to mimic Maw's at a 'cleansing' (his ability was almost as good as Loki's own, an Loki could shapeshift – he wondered if Stark would be interested in a future prank partner) he again felt the pain, heard his desperate screams as the whip came down, as knives flashed, as irons burnt-

-and when Tony once again asked the question, he found himself unable to NOT answer him, as the reply slipped past his lips almost without his permission, his glamour dropping as he did so.

"Almost two years."

Complete and utter uproar.

It was the only way to describe the ruckus that occurred once the implication of Loki's words sank in.

Loki had most likely been tortured into compliance by a being far older and more powerful than him. And considering that Loki was one of the best fighters on Asgard…

…well, Earth was pretty much screwed.

"Hey…guys…pay attention…" Tony tried to get them to shut up so that they could discuss their next move. He even tried to shout the 'oi, ignorant' which usually got people's attention (which I have used on teaches before… and it worked) all to no avail.

So JARVIS made an air-horn noise until they shut the fuck up.

When they all turned around to give him rather unimpressed looks – but, hey, at least they had shut up – he finally signaled for JARVIS to shut off the noise.

"Okay, now let's get down to business. I declare this meeting… open!" Tony announced, and JARVIS obligingly made a hammer against a gavel noise.

Many of the gathered people (including Loki) rolled their eyes.

"First order of business: schwarma!" Tony exclaimed, and most of the Avengers looked as though any and every thought that they had ever entertained about his mental stability (and lack thereof) was being proven correct.

Loki merely narrowed his eyes. He could see it now. Stark was wearing a mask, which was quite well-made. He resolved to compliment the man on it later. But this mask was jovial, brittle. It was a temporary mask, which would break in private when the man was safe.

Loki had done much the same in the past. Let nobody see that you are hurting.

He wondered why Stark, of all people, needed that mask, and he resolved to find out.

It looked like Loki had a new puzzle to occupy his time. Why did Tony Stark not trust his teammates?

"First order of business: schwarma!" Tony cried, remembering last time. It had been (would be?) really funny – Steve had actually fallen asleep in his, whilst little – or not so little – Bruce had out-eaten them all; even Thor.

"Second order of business," Tony raised a finger self-importantly, ironically reminded of Strange's shaking, scarred digit being raised in an unspoken message between the two of them – a message that had lead to his death.

"Discuss how to fight off the next alien invasion."

Pandemonium erupted.

-END OF CHAPTER-

*In this universe, Clint was sent by Fury to spy on the Rogue Avengers, whilst Natasha was supposed to spy on Tony's side. When she defected, Fury allowed Clint to go back home to Laura. He gladly accepted, because he wanted to punch Rodgers and kill Wanda. Scott was the only cool dude there, even if his head WAS a bit too far up Steve's ass for Clint's liking.

**So, I'm going off the assumption here that Thanos at least told the rest of the Avengers about Ragnarok, WHY there was no Asgard left, (and therefore why the Asgardians couldn't just live there) and why there were so few people. I also theorize that he used magic to show those memories so that he did not have to retell the destruction of his people… I can also see Tony making prank calls. The reason why Loki recognized the tone… well, I think that they might have taken him along to a few worlds so that Loki could see the 'good' that they were doing.