Tony led Loki down to the lab and began looking through a handful of blueprints.

"What did you do to get General Ross off our backs?" Loki asked, realising that he'd forgotten to ask.

Bruce had left Malibu Point before Loki had returned from the Arctic. Tony reported that the scientist was travelling around India for a bit.

"I promised the army that I'd make them something awesome if they disciplined Ross."

"And what awesome thing did you make for them?"

"I made Rhodey a suit like mine," Tony declared proudly. "I had to pretend that it was a present for the military rather than just one for Rhodey. Apparently you promised Rhodey a suit of armour ages ago."

"Indeed I did," replied Loki, amused. "I said the military might be happier with Rhodey taking leave if S&W Industries paid for their next expensive defensive endeavour."

"Well I think the suit ticks that box very well," Tony answered, pleased. "But that wasn't what I was going to show you."

He revealed a set of plans.

"I'm currently building this for S.H.I.E.L.D," he said.

Loki examined the plans.

"A 'Helicarrier'?" Loki inquired, peering at the name.

"Like an aircraft carrier but one that flies. It's almost ready."

"How are you powering it?"

"Four turbines, four giant turbines. I think that's enough to keep it in the air for more than two seconds."

"It's an amazing project, Tony, but a huge one," Loki said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Tony responded.

Suddenly he collapsed and Loki only just caught him in time, lowering him gently to the floor. Tony sighed, as if this kind of thing had happened before. Loki picked up on this.

"What the hell, Tony?" Loki asked, upset.

Tony tried to sit up but Loki didn't let him. With a groan, he lay back again.

"It's the Palladium," he explained tiredly. "It's poisoning me."

Loki looked down at Tony and put a hand out to steady himself when the room threatened to dissolve into pixels of colour.

"Al, stay with me," Tony whispered, concerned.

Loki closed his eyes and rested his forehead on a fist. He concentrated on breathing deeply and slowly as the therapist had instructed. This was too similar, too much like... before.

"Alden."

But that had been sudden, over in a matter of seconds. This was slow, it would eat away at Tony like a cancer...

"Alden!"

Loki opened his eyes and now noticed Tony's hand on his. While he'd been hyperventilating, lost in thought, Tony had pulled himself up of his own accord and now sat opposite him, brows knotted in worry.

"You can't do this to me, not now," Tony said desperately.

The man huffed a little, having exerted all of his energy with the small movement.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," Tony gasped, "But not bloody now, Alden. Please don't panic out on me."

"Yes, yes, of course," Loki replied, eyes still blown but slowly getting his anxiety under control.

"I need you to get me a new core. They're by the computer."

Tantalisingly slowly, Loki got himself to his feet and hobbled to the desk, feeling very much like jelly or spaghetti. Possibly both. He found the core and returned instantly to Tony's side.

"I need you to replace it," Tony continued, when his shaking fingers could hardly lift the small device.

Scared to speak lest his emotions should burst out in a wholly unprofessional way, Loki stayed quiet and inserted the core with now thankfully steady hands.

"Thanks," Tony said quietly.

Loki took a shaky breath.

"What's the deal, Tony?"

Tony knew instantly what he was talking about.

"Months, maybe weeks. I've been hiding it for a while."

Settling for upset rather than anger, Loki sat heavily on the floor, his legs no longer able to support his weight.

"I wanted to tell you_"

"Then why didn't you? Tony, we could've done something about this! All the resources we have at our disposal_"

"There's nothing to be done."

Tony sounded defeated.

"Are you sure?" Loki asked, desperate.

"I've tried everything. Nothing works."

After Daniel... Loki hadn't wanted to deal with this kind of thing ever again. Obviously he had known it would come. His lifespan was close to five-thousand years compared to Tony's eighty and he'd known the day would come when he would have to say goodbye to his best friend. But Tony was so young, like Daniel. It was far too soon for him to die.

Look took a deep breath.

"We'll come up with something," he said determinedly.

"Alden, there's nothing to be done."

"Tony," said Loki - slowly, deliberately, "We are two of the smartest people on earth. We will cure you. I promise."

"I wish I had your confidence," mumbled Tony.

"I'm not letting you die on me, Tony," Loki said earnestly. "This," he waved at the smoking core on the desk, "Is not the end. Don't lose hope."

Loki knew Tony already had but the words were as much for him as for Tony. Tony said nothing.

"Come on, I'm going to get you to bed," Loki said, with the tone of an exasperated mother. "You're going to sleep off this negativity and then we're going to save your life. You see if we don't."

And so he coaxed, threatened and cajoled Tony all the way to his bedroom. Then, with the care and tenderness of a friend, he changed Tony into pyjamas, tucked him in and turned off the lights before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

He poured himself a glass of wine and sat on the sofa idly sipping it, lost in his thoughts. Tony was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time, his guiding light on Midgard, and he was damned if he would let the man die, just like that. Midgard wasn't going to get rid of him that easily. He would stay as long as Tony lived and that, Loki was confident, would be a long time.

*****

A.N. I'm afraid there's always another tragedy around the corner. That's what comes of being the best characters in the MCU. :(

Thank you for reading!