AN: Hi there. Okay, so, this story is set a month after The Avengers. This will be explained in the story, but in case you wanted to know now... Loki has been sent to Earth/Midgard to basically rot in prison forever. This is a Loki/OC fic.

Beep-beep-beep-beep

The steady blare of my alarm clock woke me up. I craned my arm and slapped the 'Off' button. No use pressing snooze. 7:00 AM. I had an hour to get to work. S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't be happy if I was late. I was only a messenger, but even I had to be prompt. Monday, Wednesday and Friday 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 8:00 AM TO 4:30 PM.

I showered and threw on bright yellow skinny jeans and a casual black blouse, I might have to be prompt, but there wasn't much of a dress code. I scarfed down a bowl of cereal and was lacing my boots by 7:45.

"Leaving already, Lilac?" My mom was standing by the stairs, holding my grey overcoat. She smiled tiredly and cheerfully. My mom was a 'real trooper' as she'd say. Ever since my dad died of cancer when I was eight, it had just been her and me.

I was seventeen now with auburn red hair and chartreuse eyes, and had had my job at S.H.I.E.L.D for six months. I loved it. "Yep," I said smiling back. "See you this evening." I grabbed my coat and swung out the door.

I felt the pockets of my coat until I found my lanyard. My lanyard was my life. Seriously. Dangling from it was my flash drive, my keys, my mini-wallet, my gum pack, and most importantly, my S.H.I.E.L.D key card.

The card was one neat tool. It let me into the Colorado headquarters, and all the rooms- as a messenger, I needed to be able to get anywhere.

I hopped in my crappy old car and drove to HQ.

There were three security gates at HQ, outer, inner, and hull. Once inside, you had to go through more security checkpoints to get to certain parts of the HQ. It was a pain.

When I got to the message central port, Ana, my boss and friend, was waiting for me. She had glossy chestnut brown and baby blue eyes. She was really beautiful. She was also extremely business oriented. "Evidence needs to be taken to G32 immediately, Stark's in New York, but he wants these to be waiting for him when he gets back. And give these blueprints to 's G19." I nodded and took the pile, and was about to leave when Ana shoved a parcel on top of my pile. "And Dr. Banner's down in Foster's lab. He wanted these delivered."

"Kay. Why so much stuff?" The cool thing about being a messenger for a top secret government agency? You got to hear all the news, see all the toys and meet all the cool people, Avengers included. But there isn't normally this much of a load, especially first thing in the morning.

Ana grimaced. "You'll find out soon enough."

I walked- as gracefully as I could with all those boxes- out the door. A familiar feeling of excitement and foreboding filled me. When you work at S.H.I.E.L.D, you never know what to expect.

"Thank you, Lilac…" I set the small brown paper package on a desk near Dr. Banner. He was very preoccupied by a computer program that I had no idea how to work. He didn't look up, and probably only knew it was me because I'm the only messenger who delivers to him. The other messengers won't go near him- they're scared he'll turn into the Hulk- so I get all the fun people.

Ms. Foster smiled at me before returning to her work.

"No problem, Dr. Banner." I backed out of the lab. I had already delivered the other things in my first work load, and was free until someone else piled top-secret junk in my arms. Everyone was really flustered and stressed today. It reminded me of Ana. "You'll find out soon enough." I popped my head back through the door. "Dr. Banner, Ms. Foster? Why is everyone so tense today? Did I miss something yesterday?"

Ms. Foster shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Banner grimaced. "You don't know, then?"

I shook my head.

He shifted his posture. "A new prisoner arrived yesterday evening. About six. You may have heard of him."

I straightened slightly, my curiosity peaked.

"Loki." It was Ms. Foster who finally told me.

"Loki," I repeated, in disbelief.

Banner nodded and continued what he'd been saying before. "Apparently, the big-shots up in New York are letting Colorado HQ keep him. Although I'm not sure if they're letting us, or making us."

I closed my mouth, which I hadn't noticed was open. "Why?"

Banner shrugged. "I won't pretend to know."

I nodded. "Kay. Wow. Kay. I should be going now, work to do. Wow." I left the lab, mind whirling with thoughts. I didn't have any work to do… Maybe I could just… Slip past and see him… Wow, wouldn't that be crazy? Seeing the guy who tried to take over the world? I was giddy with excitement. It was obvious where they'd be keeping him. Level -3 was the lowest floor in HQ, and where they kept the dangerous people. It would be easy to drop by, pretend I was delivering something and take a peek. I walked with a spring in my step towards the elevator.

AN: Kind of a boring chapter, I know, it was just to set up the setting and a few characters. Next chapter should be out by Monday, but no promises.