The Lonely God

The Doctor accepted Odin's hand with a sigh, noting the smug look on the one-eyed god's face. The Time Lord watched, still fuming, as the god exited his beloved TARDIS. The Doctor sank lower into his chair, fingers drumming against the arms, a little peeved off that he had been outsmarted.

He slowly looked up, his brown eyes finding green, and smiled, "Ah, I do have to apologize for that. Bartering for you like you were nothing other than a rug," he hoisted himself up from the chair, wrapping his gangly arms around Loki, "You're not. You are much better than a rug." He stood there, not caring if it seemed a little awkward for two grown men to hug for any extended length of time, just relishing in the warmth of another.

The Doctor finally pulled away, clapping his hands on the other's shoulders, face split into that maniacal grin of his, "You're my new companion. Now," his face grew a little somber, "Sometimes there will be danger. Definitely a lot of running. Quite possibly some end of the world business or what not. But," the Doctor's face split again, pulling his hands off Loki's shoulders to, instead, wrap an arm in their place, "It's going to be fantastic."

Bittersweet emotions passed through the prince as he watched his father leave. A man he had once respected had suddenly became a man he hated. Loki looked down at the floor for a single moment longer. His body reluctant to leave the place it had frozen upon until a sweet hum seemed to buzz in his head, bringing him comfort unlike any he’d known before. The god faintly smiled as he pulled himself from his perch. Warm arms wrapping around him the moment his figure loomed over the area. He did not resist, but for once welcomed the gesture. His head subconsciously resting against his friend’s shoulder before he’d noticed what he’d done.

Subtly, pulling back in case the man had noticed. A bright smile hiding his despair of his father’s leave.

“Lead the way, my friend.” Loki laughed. Bright teeth showing between his lips. End of the world, danger, running? Nothing sounded better to the mischievous god. Tricks that could be played upon the most ignorant of races as he dashed through time and space with a man who had once been as lonely as he, but now they had each other. In due time that could become enough for the two men. Company grows old, but friends never will. After all, what are you without friendship?

They left the room together, the Doctor’s arm still wrapped around his new Companion’s shoulder. The door closed with a boom, sealing away those unpleasant things that had happened just moments before. The past sealing away and the future sprawling out before them. The control room, a very welcome sight, loomed close, the TARDIS moving it closer for their comfort. The Doctor was beaming as he caressed the console, his long fingers trailing over the controls.

He whirled around, leaning back against the golden podium, “Now, all of time and space, where is it that you want to go? Just you, me, the TARDIS, and a whole lot of universe to cover.”

The Time Lord was excited. More so than he had ever been in his long life. He knew that the Ood were trying to get a hold of him, but the Doctor had a Companion now. Why would he bother in this point in time? He had a time machine, yes? He had all the time to visit with Ood Sigma and see what he wanted at a later date. He was just too busy right now. Besides, the Doctor was sure that Loki wanted to get as far away from Asgard as fast as he could. And the Time Lord did not blame him. One more meeting with Odin was sure to push the Doctor over the edge, the fate of the nine realms be damned. Right now, he had a god to take care of.

[[Okay my dear Loki. Your turn now. Let us proceed with the story))

Loki stood before the controls. His new friend's hands running over a switches and levers with an enthusiastic joy. Happiness that the prince felt he'd never seen in another besides Thor. The brother that only Loki knew he was. Together they'd grown. Days of blood and sweat bonding them together, and nights of sorrow and silence pushing them apart. When Loki looked at Thor he only saw what he hated. He saw everything he dreamed of being, and in itself the young prince grew to hate it. Jealously burning through him like a monster until he became safe behind closed doors. In the years that Thor began marrying Loki became more consumed with his loneliness and his jealously burned brighter. His own father would look upon an idiot of battle, but not on the one son that'd done everything that was asked of his?! Advanced in every level of the magical arts. Something Odin himself had taught him, yet when the sun set Loki was alone yet again. His body cold and shivering on the his floor until he passed into sleep. The warmth of his bed unwelcoming for it held the memories of when Thor would laugh beside him. When they'd stay awake until sunrise talking. Days when they were brothers.

Loki looked down. His eyes glassy with the sudden memory. With all they'd been through he was just going to leave him without word. Green irises shot back to the door for a single moment. Memories of his first savior gushing into his head. "Take me to a land where brothers are never forgotten." He quietly spoke.

In all the time Loki had lived never had he felt so torn. His brother and freedom on a scale, but he'd already made his choice. Quickly, he ran his fingers across his face. The single tear that had burdened its side gone. With a sharp inhale he looked up at his friend. A bright smile pulling back his lips enough that his white teeth shown between them.

"Got a lot of levers and switches there, doctor." He chuckled, running his long fingers through locks of black hair. Quick steps bringing him to stand by his friend. "Trying to make up for something?" Loki laughed. His green eyes dancing over all the devices stuck from the panels.


{As promised, my dear doctor}

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, although he did smile to make the glare less angry looking, "Oi! These all have a purpose. You do want us to reach our destination in one piece, yes?" the Doctor chuckled, clapping a hand on Loki's shoulder.

He adjusted the controls, inputting commands for a destination he felt that Loki would enjoy. Every now and then, the Time lord would look up and smile at the young god. The Doctor, out of the corner of his eye, could see the smile slip from Loki's face when he thought the Time lord wasn't looking.

The de-materialization sounds of the TARDIS started up, the pulsing, wheezing sound that the machine made as she left the physical world and entered that of the Time Vortex. The inner lights of the TARDIS control room dimmed and brightened with the sound. The Time Rotor rose and fell while the Doctor strolled around the controls, adjusting this and turning that. It was bumpy, as it always was. But the Time lord was used to the motion of his time machine and just bent his knees and kept a tight grip on the console.

CRASH! The TARDIS spiraled out of control, throwing the occupants inside her control room around like rag dolls.
CRASH! Something was hitting the TARDIS. The Doctor frowned. They were in the Time Vortex. There shouldn't be anything in the Vortex to hit them. Not with this strength.
CRASH! The Doctor pulled the monitor down as he pulled himself up. Flipping a switch, the monitor flared to life.
CRASH! The Time lord looked to see what was outside and his face paled, "Well, my friend, we're in trouble."
A battle was being fought right outside the TARDIS. A battle in space.

The TARDIS slowly came to life. Sounds that seemed strangely comforting singing into the control room. Loki fell back against metal bars behind him. Thin pale finger wrapping around it as the ship bounced through space and time. The Doctor becoming the only thing that stayed steady.

Loki took a deep breath. His face turning into a smile as he finally stepped away from the bars. His white knuckles filling with blood once again. A moment passed as Loki stumbled across the room until he fell to the floor. The TARDIS jolting around like a ball in a game. The prince looked down, trying to hold himself still. Thankful that the normal metal attire wasn't on his body to seep blood out of his pale skin.

Quickly, Loki stood only to fall against the controls. His back prodded with a strange object. "Please tell me this is normal, Doctor." Loki yelled over the next crash.

"No...no...no!" the Doctor yelled, flipping controls and spinning dials as he dashed around the console, brown eyes wide in terror. Bringing out the hammer from underneath the console, the Time Lord dashed it against the Time Rotor, the object having gotten itself stuck, bringing it back into its usual pumping motion, "I'm going to have to land her. Hold on."

The TARDIS locked onto the nearest stable place, the massive spaceship looming quite close to their vicinity. De-materializing from the vacuum of space and materializing inside a room on the spaceship, the TARDIS gave what could have been mistaken as a sigh of relief.

Picking himself up off the floor, the Doctor straightened his jacket and tie, a bright smile on his face. The Time Lord looked around, beaming down at Loki, "Well, what are we waiting for? New place to investigate. Let's see if these fine fellows need a hand."

Loki quickly collected himself. Embarrassment quickly flashing from his features. The god inhaled and slid his hands down cotton shirt to cover the part of his stomach that was visible before. Long legs trying to recover from his friends awful driving skills. The time lords brown eyes stuck on his body for a moment before Loki smiled back at him. The tie across the other's chest more crooked than before he fixed it.

"I am so ever good at giving hands." Loki chuckled. The two men running towards the door to discover what in Jotunhiem had disturbed their bumpy ride to its extent. Curious eyes beaming at each other in anticipation. The prince stopped a few steps before the Doctor. His thin fingers pressing against the blue paint as it creaked open.

Loki stepped back in surprise. A white hallway lined with hoses and thin lines of black. The room beeped with high pitched noises ever few seconds as if something was attached to Midgardian heart monitors. The god of mischief put his hands in his pockets. He would not be intimidated by such things. He was a god not a squishy human. So, he stepped forward. The doctor behind him as the prince whistled a tune he'd picked up from Midgard. The god's large feet like thunder against the material outside the TARDIS.

By the time Loki was completely out of the safely of the TARDIS, he looked back at the Doctor. The prince's eyebrows raised and a smirk wide across his features. "I'm afraid we are going to need a lot of hands, Doctor." He chuckled. The empty hallway void of life to lend them to.

The Doctor instantly pulled out his sonic, the blue tip lighting up and a high-pitched buzzing filling the air. He turned, brown coat twirling around his legs, tongue clamped between his lips as the Time Lord adjusted the settings on the screwdriver.

"I'm picking up two life signs in..." he turned to his left, "That direction. And a life sign in..." he spun to his right, [color]"That direction."[/color]

The Doctor pocketed the screwdriver with a frown, "What doesn't make sense. A ship this size and only three life signs. That isn't right."

He turned, locking the TARDIS door tightly, pocketing his key. A look of surprise crossed his face as he whirled around to gaze at Loki, "Nearly forgot. You're traveling with me now and you're going to need this," the Doctor pulled out another key and pressed it into the god's hand, "Your very own TARDIS key. Good for unlocking the TARDIS and, a plus, it glows gold and gets warm when you're close to the TARDIS. Good to have when you're just a bit lost."

The Time Lord turned again, looking first left and then right. He frowned, his brow furrowing, "Which way first?"

It felt so strange for metal to be warm when the god touched it. Since his childhood everything that came into contact with his skin was cold and sorrowful, but this small piece of metal was warm and welcoming. He sighed with relief. Something that accepted him. Loki's long thin fingers wrapped around the object. His palm talking time to memorize its surface before he put it around his neck. A small smile spreading across his face.

"Two is better than one." He cackled, placing a hand on his hip. Green eyes pointing towards the direction his friend had said two people resided. An entire ship and only three people. One could only say it was strange, but Loki thought it was down right madness. A ship that did not sail in the sea was like a mother without a child. A vessel without souls was even more queer, yet his friend showed no signs of fear but of something that resembled curiosity.

So, without any hesitation Loki stepped towards the door to his right. The one the Doctor said two lifeforms scrambled upon. Well, whatever the man had to say was great, but Loki thought he'd take the wheel for a bit. His black hair finally curling at his nape as it normally did when his hair dried. Time travel...interesting. Perhaps, the best blow dryer the prince had ever encountered, but his long strides began to grow slower. Loki's eyes sweeping over the door ahead of him. How in Hel's name did one get through the thing? It wasn't even like the doors in shield. No, this thing was more complex. It was unlike anything the god had ever seen. He frowned, running his hand through his hair. "I don't suppose I should ask nicely." Loki more like stated than asked as he looked back at the Doctor. Perfectly manicured nails pointing at the door like it was an ignorant child. Unaware of its purpose.

The Doctor examined the door and then looked to the side to examine a complicated looking locking mechanism. He dug in his pocket for his sonic, the device beeping at the lock and the door slid open.
"It just needed a little persuasion," the Doctor chuckled, twirling the device in his fingers. He had the feeling that he would need it again.

The hallway was clear and a rather dull gray. Pipes lined each side of the hallway, steam erupting from a few, while the floor shook from the explosions of the battle outside. A rather bizarre wave of clanking noises were approaching from farther down the hallway and the Doctor stopped, puzzled. No life signs were showing up so...what were these things?

Droids. Tan colored things with rather nasty looking black guns in their...hands. About twelve of them in formation, all looking at the two men, optics focused solely on them.

"HALT," a droid with yellow markings droned out, its fellows bringing their weapons to bear. The Doctor raised his hands above his head, an ever present smile on his face.

"Well, hello there. Our ship crashed in that little area back there," he jerked his head back the way they had come, "And we're just a tad bit lost. That little skirmish outside doesn't really help matters and all," the Doctor took a deep breath before plowing on, "We were just looking for the captain of this fine vessel when you...guys showed up."

"YOU WILL COME WITH US TO THE BRIDGE," the leader droid droned, the others opening rank to circle around the pair, "COME."

Loki followed the doctor without any hesitation. Their footsteps quickly becoming in step as they explored the mysterious hallways. The price looked wide eyed at everything around him. The shaking ground unsettling him all the more. Earth was not suppose to shake. He looked for the doctor beside him, surprised at to find him a few meters behind. "Ugh?" He asked, puzzled. His left eyebrow raised in questioning.

Then, he heard the clanks of metal against metal. The prince instantly stepped towards the doctor as he unconsciously moved into a defensive battle position. Their backs brushing together. Loki's hands danced with the filmier sparks of magic. He impatiently waited for the beings to appear, but as they did the prince's magic almost left him.

Loki looked at the beings speechless. They were nothing but metal and wires, yet they spoke. Confused, Loki reached back for his friend before correcting himself. He was not a child. He would not reach for the hand of another for comfort. A dark expression covered the prince's face as he summoned his throwing knives. The cold iron of its handle resting against his wrist.

Loki's heart raced as the beings began to command them. His green eyes darted around for his friend in a panic as he felt the absent of the other's back against his. "Don't touch him!" Loki shouted at the beings. Handcuffs clicking around his wrist as he tried to get back to the doctor. By now Loki had began to ignore the soulless creatures. He watched as the doctor was pulled further and further away from his sight until Loki jabbed his knife into the chest of the creature beside him. Its body falling to the floor and sliding off the pathway into nothingness.

"DOCTOR!!!" Loki screamed as he ran towards his friend, mindlessly destroying anything that got in his way. Frozen heads and burning feet of the creatures causing chaos like a fire in a barn. The prince slid on his knees under one of the beings, his hands crushing its legs with effortless ease.

"Doctor." He panted, raising up from his knees. The burns in his clothing showing a scratch free prince. Loki smiled, and patted his friend on the shoulder. "How's it going?"

The Doctor gazed at his friend with cold anger, clenching his jaw in an effort not to yell at the Asgardian. Instead, he rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation, "Why in the world did you have to go and do that? Those...droids...were going to take us to the person or thing in charge. We would have figured out what in the world is going on around here! Now we have to wander around blindly."

He sighed, kicking a piece of droid out of his way, following the coordinates towards the two life signs they had been following prior to the patrol had interrupted them. More explosions rocked the ship and the Doctor had to put his hand on the wall to steady himself.

More footfalls were heard and he sighed in aggravation. 'What now?' he thought, turning. Two men were running down the hallway towards them. Both had brown hair, but one wore robes of white and brown and the other wore robes of black. Both of them looked at the wreckage of the droid patrol and then up at the two travelers. The Doctor smiled and put a hand on Loki's shoulder.

"Don't do anything silly this time, okay?" he hissed into his companion's ear.

The prince's head slowly began to droop at the Doctor's scornful words. Was that not what was expected of him. Loki looked back at the destruction he caused, and his heart sank. Had he really done that to another living being? Broken bodies laid everywhere. Fire and melting ice covering the path where Loki had once been. He clenched his eyes shut as tight as he could. This was not his fault. They'd tried to take the Doctor away.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. "Libera me a vincula mea." Loki quietly whispered to himself. The handcuffs around his wrists falling to the ground. He sighed in relief, rubbing his wrists until the blood flowed in them properly again. Then, his body jerked forward. Quickly, he stepped out to steady himself, black strands of hair falling in his face. Metal bodies fell from the pathways at the same instance. Loki looked over at the Doctor. A fire in his eyes that perhaps the Doctor did not see before. "I will not be a prisoner." He hissed, straighting himself out as the ship steadied.

Footsteps rang in his ears as Loki looked away from the Doctor. He could hear their beating hearts from even this distance, and his own leaped for joy. Something since he left Asgard that had a heartbeat! He smiled ear to ear before looking back at the Doctor. "I can't help being a big ball of laughs." He chuckled, standing against a curved column of metal. The footsteps stopped, and a man appeared from around the corner. Another following him close behind.

"Well, hello there!"

"Just...behave," the Doctor hissed, stepping forward with a grin already spreading on his face, "Greetings to you, friends! My colleague and myself have found ourselves just a tad lost. Our ship crashed, you see, and we are just looking for some...coordinates to set us on our way."

The two men shot each other glances, the younger of the two scowling.

"You know we are in the middle of a battle, yes?" the older man said, stepping just a bit forward of his companion.

"Oh, yes. We have...er...noticed that. We just want to go on our way, if that is possible. I'm the Doctor, by the way," he wrapped an arm around Loki's shoulder, "And this is my companion, Loki.

Loki felt the arm around his shoulder and he fought to not shrug it off. He pulled his bottom lip back between his teeth, looking nervously at the man before them. What would they think of the destruction before them? Where these man on the same side as the soulless creatures that tried to pull him away from the Doctor? He frowned, and looked over at his friend. The same nervous glint did not shine in his expression. He...trusted these men? Loki swallowed, and turned back to the awe struck men in front of them. Their jaws almost hung lose as their gazed at the lifeless figures behind him and the Doctor.

The youngest man nudged the blonde. "They could be of use to us, Master." He softly spoke. Loki clenched up, inching closer towards the Doctor. Perhaps, these beings do not have the same intense hearing as he does. "I don't like this." Loki whispered to the Doctor.