Despite having Thor on my side, considering where I was I knew better than to burn any bridges or rock any boats at the moment. I focused on those two words again to keep some semblance of calm...

For Loki.

"Yes, I'm Loki's friend," I said, not caring if my voice sounded nervous, "a friend... that is curious why you would point such a weapon at him?"

"He had escaped his confinement, and I was taking the shortest route to have him return to it." Coulson's voice was surprisingly very casual, as he poured himself a glass of water from that decanter on the briefing room table, "little did I know that bas... I mean, trickster, had the power of duplicating himself, and stabbed me through the back."

"So... you simply got in his way." I said, matter-of-fact, my mind sorting this out, "his attack on you wasn't deliberate." To me, this was a small victory, and I was going to take it. Besides, what self-respecting mortal, SHIELD or otherwise would even attempt to confront an unpredictable immortal, and do it alone no less?!

Thor looked at me, his expression a combination of confusion - and perhaps amusement? - then turned to Coulson and said quietly, "perhaps we should get to the matter at hand?"

"Yes, let's," Coulson said, his voice tinged with a bit of irritation. He dropped the file folder on the desk, pulled out a chair and sat down. He didn't waste any time and again looked at me, "your friend is in quite the predicament. Although it seems he just can't stop himself from getting into trouble, can he?"

"Be that as it may," I spoke slowly, trying to maintain calm, "I think I deserve an explanation on why he is being held."

"You didn't tell her?" Coulson looked at Thor.

"I wanted for us to tell her together," Thor said, "so she's aware of the all the facts," he turned to me, "you recall that Loki and I were joining a new initiative."

I nodded.

"While I cannot give you all the details, I will tell you, overall Loki was perfectly suited for helping with this mission."

I smiled a bit. Three cheers that Loki could be a team player when need be!

"However," Thor continued, "once the mission was completed - successfully I must add, the group were to meet back at the home base..." Thor stopped. "When we got there..."

"When they got there," Coulson said cutting Thor off, "one of the team was dead, and Loki was adjacent to the body, with a bloody knife in his hand. Your friend... is under suspicion of murder."

Again the word 'motive' entered my brain. While Loki did have his tendencies in the past to lash out, considering what he imparted to me in private about his probation and how he was trying very hard to stay on the straight and narrow, this didn't seem at all like his usual modus operandi...

I looked at Thor, "tell me what happened next? What did Loki say?"

The God of Thunder's expression changed to a mournful one, "I know now I was too rough on Loki, but I couldn't fathom why he would do such a thing. When I came upon the scene, I couldn't help but get angry. I immediately thought my brother had been feigning all along that joining this team was important." Thor paused, reliving the moment made him take a deep breath. "When I found him, over the body, I'll never forget the look on his face. The image haunts me. His expression was one of such dismay. I could see so much fear reflecting in his eyes, and he looked at me in terror..." Thor closed his eyes for a moment, then continued, "but Loki didn't plead with me or make any excuses. In fact, he never spoke at all. However, with Loki being Loki, I didn't know what to believe, so I tried to make him talk, but no matter what I did he remained silent."

"When taken into custody," Coulson now spoke, "he continued to exercise his right to be silent. Still, no amount of questioning worked."

"Eight hours ago," Thor said, "Loki finally spoke. He said to me, 'Bring Beverlee here. I will speak to her and her alone,'" Thor looked at me carefully, "Beverlee, are you all right?" Thor asked, refilling my glass of water.

No. I wasn't all right. I felt absolutely terrible. Needing space, I stood from my chair and walked as far away as I could from those two, stopping before I reached the wall.

This situation was all too overwhelming. Putting my hands on the wall for a moment, I took several deep breaths to attempt to calm myself. At times, I have a bad habit of overthinking - and now this was another one of them. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, which I furiously blinked away while trying not to think about what Thor did to Loki to make him talk nor what techniques Coulson's agents could have employed during their 'amounts of questioning.'

I was called in because my friend couldn't trust either his brother or SHIELD.

Loki was relying on me to save him.

Okay, I said to myself, let's do this.

For Loki.