I cannot apologise enough. Seriously, I am so ashamed of myself. It's been over a year. I'm gonna shove this little interim chapter here, then cry over how useless I am.

AS OF NOW THIS FIC IS AN AU, IGNORING THE EVENTS OF IRON MAN 3, AND THOR 2. WHICH WERE FUCKING AMAZING. THANK YOU.

Chapter 6- Coulson

Coulson sat in his office alone, absently grinding his teeth, his eyes unfocussed as he stared into nothing, thinking hard.

There wasn't much in terms of international relations between Asgard and Earth, and he really thought that should be rectified soon. As of now, the only real ambassador for the alien planet was Thor, and, in Coulson's opinion, when it came to politics, Earth could really do with someone who didn't accidentally break things when they laughed too loudly at cat videos on YouTube.

In the last couple of days, since Coulson had learnt the truth (well, what he suspected was the truth- it was hard to tell with the God of Lies) about Loki's involvement with the Chitauri, he had gathered together a research team of SHIELD's brightest, led by Maria Hill. He had told her to gather as much information about Loki Laufeyson as her team could, and to report back to him.

And now he was staring at the most recent report, which had been compiled by a very enthusiastic Bruce Banner. Coulson was glazed over, having read the rather hefty document, but now was simply mulling over everything he had learnt, trying and failing to comprehend it all.

Banner had given a veritable dissertation on the Tesseract and what he suspected had happened to Loki in regards to brain washing and Thanos' power, and how the Tesseract- a source of infinite energy- could even exist in this universe. Coulson had had to get a dictionary out, and when that failed him, had turned to the frighteningly keen FitzSimmons, who had succeeded in confusing him even more.

Some aspects were so alien he had had to call in the ET specialists, and then Dr Randolph, who was having fun in Portland, and was still owed a meeting with Thor. One phone call later, Coulson had a pretty decent history of the legends of Asgard, especially the Asgardian rumours that had been spread about the young prince, and it fitted quite nicely with what Maria had compiled for him.

He was also waiting for a report from Jane Foster, who had a more scientific statement for him.

Now he was trying to piece together a story for Loki that would make some goddamn sense. Starting with Bruce's account, the Tesseract was just the beginning of their troubles. He already had Steve's report on everything he knew about the Tesseract (which was admittedly, not very much, but Coulson didn't even think to ask for more), and as Coulson compiled all the information, the story became simultaneously more comprehendible, but ten times more convoluted and complex.

The Tesseract had belonged to Odin, as a treasure, but had become lost many centuries ago, and then found by Schmidt. Then enter Captain America. Coulson smiled at that thought. Then it was lost, again, in the ocean. Then Howard Stark found it, and since it has been in SHIELD's custody.

This was where things got interesting. Thanos, whoever the hell this guy was, had wanted the cube. So he sent Loki in to get it, with his Chitauri servants. He gave Loki that staff thing, which was powered by the Tesseract. Loki lost, Thor took the Tesseract back to Odin.

Coulson ground his teeth some more. The Tesseract had the power to open rifts in space, and destroy entire planets. It had the power to enslave a person's mind. No wonder Thanos wanted it. But why? For just world domination?

The question was open ended, so Coulson did not dwell on it.

As for Loki, what was truth and what was factitious? Bruce had also explained in great depth in the report about the Tesseract's mind control. He had stipulated that the Chitauri, under Thanos' orders, had used the lure of the Tesseract to torture Loki into submission, when Loki had fallen from the Bifrost...

Coulson rubbed his eyes and sighed. Bifrosts, and Tesseracts, and aliens, it was making him grey.

Loki had committed suicide, that is what Thor said. Loki had purposefully fallen from the bridge, after his failed attempt to kill Thor in New Mexico. So Loki killed himself, but failed at that too, and after falling through the abyss, somehow ended up in the hands of the Chitauri.

Coulson pulled a face, remembering Loki's complexion when he had first arrived on Earth- broken, sunken, pale, and manic. What had they done to him?

So Loki was brain washed, and came to Earth, channelling his magic through the staff which was powered by the Tesseract, only strengthening the hold it had over him. Barton said it was like having your mind opened. "Free from freedom." So Loki, who had only just learnt of his true heritage, murdered his true father, lost to his brother, and felt alone and powerless, had been twisted by the Chitauri, promising him victory and power through the Tesseract.

Coulson grit his teeth even further. How much of this was true?

He shuffled through the report and got Bruce's section on mind control. There were photograph references of Agent Barton with electric blue eyes, and afterwards, when he had taken a pounding from Natasha, with his eyes back to grey. A similar comparison showed a photo of Loki arriving at Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S with wide, tortured, electric blue eyes, then a photo of Loki after he had been pummelled by the Hulk, with dull blue eyes, then a photo of Loki barely a few weeks ago, with leafy green eyes.

There was no ignoring this fact. He would have to present it to Fury and the council. Loki was not entirely guilty for the Chitauri invasion. He had been a tool, a weapon. If what Dr Randolph had told him was true, Loki was a highly cunning and intelligent god, so very unlike Thor whose legends always rang of his strength and bravery. Why wouldn't the Chitauri use someone like Loki? He would have been a massive advantage to them in retrieving the Tesseract from SHIELD. And Thanos, as ancient as Asgard, would have known this. Thanos, even more powerful that Loki, would have known how easily broken Loki was, what to use against Loki to reshape him into the perfect slave.

Fast forwarding to the present, Coulson's biggest problem would be compiling a good enough case to save Loki from either imprisonment on Earth, or being banished back to Asgard. And in order to stop this, he needed the truth. The truth from the God of Lies.

Coulson still found it disturbing how SHIELD had so easily lapped up the Allfather's lies. But as Randolph had told him, Loki's life had always been wrought with lies, and as is his punishment, to never be trusted. So therefore Loki lied. A vicious cycle for an immortal god, and Coulson did not envy him.

The need for a decent Asgard-Earth ambassador flared up again. SHIELD needed to stop relying on god kings, liars, and Thor. Stupid aliens...

Then came the issue of the fact that Loki was pregnant. With Tony Stark's child. Oh, what would Howard say...

And as far as Coulson had heard, Tony Stark had not been seen since his "date" with Loki three days ago. He would have sent out a search party, if Barton hadn't received a reply to a text last night, that went along the lines of: How did it go?

It went okay :)

Coulson understood that as Tony-speak for, I'm having aggressive sex with a god in an unknown apartment do not disturb.

Coulson shivered. An ambassador would be needed. Definitely. Human-Aesir children running around all different dimensions? Unequivocally.

Although Loki wasn't an Aesir, was he? He was a Jotun runt. Coulson was getting lost with all these different alien species. Loki used a glamour to cover his Jotun skin, or Odin's spell still resided in him since he was an infant. But that was where Loki's past got even more complicated, didn't it? Because Loki's father, Laufey, had abandoned him in a temple, where he was found by Odin, and raised as Odin's son. But that was all a lie...

No wonder Loki is fucked up.

Coulson put away the report in a briefcase, coupling it with his statistics of Loki's behaviour covering the last year, and locked it shut. He would have to speak to Fury immediately...