I

Hope often wondered how got dragged into these messes. Or more accurately, how did the Doctor always managed to find these messes to drag her into. Currently, the pair were hightailing it to the Tardis, stalked by a platoon of Sontarans. The Doctor was laughing jovially, seemingly unfazed by the laser bullets whipping past their heads. "I'm so glad you find this so amusing, Doctor!"

"You don't?"

"No! I don't find being fired at funny! Especially not when it could be by Strax's cousins!" The Tardis Daughter jumped a bullet as she said this. "Evil Mr. Potato-heads! Momma better be close by!"

"Just one more right turn!" Sure enough, the Tardis was waiting with open doors for them. Hope ducked inside and hid herself behind the console, starting up the police box as the Doctor locked the doors. The Timelord was still doubling over with laughter. "The looks on their faces! Priceless!"

"Oh yes cause an army of murderous potatoes is comedy gold," the girl retorted. Her fingers found the delicate gold hourglass hanging from her neck, ensuring it had survived the adventure unscathed. By Hope's watch, which the Doctor had "sonicked" to keep with her native time, it had been nearly a year since they had last visited Asgard.

After learning Loki's "final" secret, Hope had swiped the Doctor's psychic paper, always checking it for a message from her king. The Doctor was well aware of she had borrowed it and only acknowledge the fact to be sure he didn't have messages. There were rarely any messages for the Doctor. As the girl checked the psychic paper once more, she was greeted with a blank piece of paper. She sighed. Loki never sent her any messages.

"Hope!" A snap of the fingers and an irritated call broke Hope's melancholy reverie.

"Yes, sorry, what?"

"I don't know what you're waiting to see on that paper, but I'm trying to be clever and you're ignoring me!" The hyperactive Timelord's bottom lip stuck out like a miffed two-year-old. "What good are you if I can't show off how awesome I am?"

"Sorry, I was thinking…"

"About what?"

"Not what…" The Doctor's scowl melted into concern as a telling silence fell between them.

"Loki again?" Hope nodded. "Hope, I know it hurts… But it's been a year… He wouldn't want you to dwell on him like this…"

Oh Doctor. If you only knew. "I know, Doctor. I just miss him"

"Oh, I know… Come here." The Timelord wrapped his arms around his companion, hugging her tight to him. Hope felt her heart constrict into a tight knot. She hated lying to the Doctor about Loki but at the same time she had given Loki her word. Besides the Doctor lied all the time. Surely one little lie wouldn't hurt would it?

"Hope?" The Doctor must have noticed the conflict in her eyes. "Is there something you need to tell me?" The girl tugged at her lower lip as she contemplated an answer.

"No."

"Hmm… Is there something you want to tell me but cannot?" How on Earth did he manage to do that? She just nodded. "Is it important?" She took longer to answer that one, simply nodding again. "I see…" The Timelord finally answered, searching her face with concerned scrutiny.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's alright. Now!" The energetic cosmogyral alien clapped his hands together, scurrying around the console. "Where to next?" He began to flick and twist any knob that appealed to him. "1920's New York? Jupiter 3043? OH! OH! OH!" The Doctor pointed at her excitedly. "Norway! 843!"

"Doctor, you are not subtle. And Loki wasn't even born yet."

"Well damn. I tried." The time traveler deflated although he continued to prod at buttons. Hope giggled at the Doctor's antics. Since they left Asgard, the Timelord had been extra goofy in order to keep a smile on her face. And it always worked. "So… Where next?"

- wibbly wobbly timey wimey -

Loki released a rather exasperated sigh as he signed yet another new ordinance. He had forgotten how tedious being king of Asgard really was. His previous stint had been a short one, and he had been preoccupied with keeping the new position to be concerned with menial tasks. Now, with Thor and his new friends keeping the Nine safe, menial tasks seemed to be all he could do.

The Mischief God slumped further into his chair, his mind sufficiently melted and bored with signatures. He rubbed the cramps out of his wrist, eyeing the blank piece of parchment at the corner of his desk. The temptation to contact Hope had grown stronger with each new boring task heaped upon him. The risk of exposure, however, was far too great. Besides, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve to combat his loneliness.

Loki waved his hand, sending a flurry of emerald sparks into the air. The sparks danced into the open air, slowly swirling into the form of his time-traveling lover. Within moments, Hope stood before him, eyes wide in surprise. She was dressed in a simple sheath of forest green silk whose sleeves fell around her shoulders. Her dark brown hair was piled atop her head with a few stray tendrils curling about her blushing cheeks. Loki smirked. "Hope. You look beautiful."

"I hope so. You designed the dress." He could never keep the sarcasm out of Hope's clones. Although, he did often question if he injected too much of it. The Hope clone gave a little twirl, admiring her gown. "You are so obsessed with green."

"Well yes. This is not a new fact." He held a hand out to the clone, pulling her onto his lap when she took it. He tried to squash down the pain at the lack of his engagement gift to her on her arm. "Besides the dress brings out your beautiful eyes."

"Because emerald really brings out dirt brown."

"Mmm but for you it truly enhances your beauty, my little pixie."

"I am not little. You, sir, have an absolutely terrible condition that makes you far too tall." Her hand threaded into his hair, guiding him to meet her descending lips. "I recommend a liberal application of my kisses at least five times a day."

"That will not make you any less short, love…" he whispered against her lips. "Nor will it actually affect my height."

"Shut up and kiss me." Unfortunately, before the Trickster could obey, there was a loud rapping at the door. An inhuman growl escaped from Loki.

"What do you wa-ahem. What is it?" He barely remembered to disguise his voice due to frustration.

"Forgive me, Milord. But Navar has yet to report for duty tonight." The Hope Clone proceeded to nuzzle into Loki, acting rather catlike and distracting.

"Check the pubs or taverns. No doubt he's been drinking."

"We already did, Milord. We even went to his home but all we found was his armor, ready and waiting. No one had seen him for some time." The Mischief God released an annoyed groan.

"Fine. I'll be there momentarily." The Hope Clone continued to nuzzle Loki as the guard's footsteps faded away. "I have to go, you."

"No you don't. Momentarily is not a concrete amount of time." The clone began to nuzzle into the god's neck, nipping at it with contented purrs. "Stay awhile, my sweet god." She began to press feather light kisses along his neck, tempting him to stay with her. "Remain with me, my king."

"As tempting as that is, my sweet, I am needed elsewhere." He pressed a kiss to the clone's forehead to ease the rejected pout. "Navar will mark the fifth missing guard this month. If this continues, I will not have an army." The clone pouted but climbed off his lap. "Besides…" A wave of his hand and the close faded into green sparks. "You're not really her anyway."