I need to apologize for how long it took to get this chapter out. It DID NOT want to get written. Nothing felt right. I kept restarting it and rewriting. But it's finished now and it is different from the other chapters but this was the only way I could make it work. Everything else was too abrupt.

AoS Episode talk: Seriously, these keep getting better. "Oh no, they gave him a name." So funny. Then at the same time, what happened to him was really messed up. It was way more graphic than I thought it would be. And the next episode? 'FZZT'? Before I saw the promo I thought 'that looks like Fitz', and now I'm afraid an crazy excited! Also, Coulson took that man out with one punch to the face, just saying.

Wowzas to PernDragonrider, LarielRomeniel, Ghost Rider of the Aragon, Sandy-wmd, PurpleHipposRock, isi7140, Rogue Tomato, TFKpuppet, vamp of alium sativum, jus4x, writer's legend, MattTheDapperGiraffeSmith, zoomlens3201, JessiePie6, and BenRG for your reviews of chapter 9! And BlueEyedsBrigadier who, did not have to but did, caught up by reviewing multiple chapters and made me blush with all the praise, wowza indeed!

Coulson slammed the butt of the gun across the mercenary's head and leveled the weapon at Loki. "Move away, please."

Loki warily stepped away from the console, his attention solely on the agent.

What the hell was he thinking?

Stark and Rogers were keeping the Helicarrier up. Romanoff was going after Barton. Thor was fighting the Hulk. He hadn't thought about it, just did what needed to be done. He was passed second guessing now. He had to give everyone time. He needed to get Thor out of there.

He lifted the gun slightly. "You like this?" he asked, moving forward. "We started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer."

Loki wasn't moving back anymore. Shit. He's coming forward. Hands ready. He's not afraid.

He didn't need to be afraid, just wary enough for Coulson to get to the door release for the cell. "Even I don't know what it does." It better, at least, work. He quickly hit the button, powering up the gun. "Wanna find out?"

Pain cut through him. So much pain, he couldn't even scream, couldn't move. His body was released and he fell to the side, hitting the wall and sliding to the floor. His breaths were fast and erratic. Breathe. Breathe. He wasn't getting enough oxygen, but how?

Loki walked in front of him, back toward the console, blood dripping from the spear. Blood.

"The blade nicked your Brachiocephalic vein and Arch of aorta. They're close enough to the heart that you were lucky that was all that it did to them, but even that was enough. You were bleeding out on the inside."

He started to feel cold. His arms tingled, like they had been asleep. The pain was gone. He could work with shock; finish what he started before his brain caught up to the damage. He just needed to move.

Move.

His fingers twitched.

There was no pain.

"What else?"

"It cut into your spinal cord, damaging your upper Thoracic nerves."

He couldn't move his legs. Couldn't even feel them. His right leg began to slide down, under the weight of the gun.

"You were on a ventilator, until you had a surgery that was able to repair some of the damage."

He wasn't breathing. No really. The nerves were spasming. The shock was keeping his lungs working.

Loki was at the console.

Coulson focused everything on moving his left hand. Moving along the weapon, up to the trigger.

Thor dropped and the opening closed.

He just needed Loki in it's sights. "You're going to lose." Coulson knew he would. Everything may be going to hell right now, exactly how Loki was describing it, but that was when the heroes stood up and fought even harder.

"You lack conviction." And Loki knew it too. He pulled the trigger.

"We don't know the full damage to your arms but you will most likely never walk again."

He couldn't breathe.

"Alright, that's enough." May?

"If you ever wake up."

"Shut him up!" Sky.

His hands didn't tingle anymore, the sensation had moved to his lips. His leg finished sliding to the ground. Somehow he felt cold.

Muffled voices buzzed around him.

"Coulson!"

"...flashback?"

He didn't feel his knees hit the ground.

There was no pain.

I'm visiting family with not as much computer access but this story will be wrapped up before November as I have other things I am sworn to do during that month.