Vanessa opened her door of her luxury penthouse and slipped inside ready for a good long sleep. The party her father had forced her to go to had lasted way to long for her comfort especially with every available bachelor vying for her attention, but she had lost the only man she would ever love and would never even think about loving another no matter what.

"Good morning." A calm voice said making Vanessa jump about a foot in the air.

"What the heck? Coulson?" Vanessa snapped placing a hand over her heart as she got ready to beat the heck out of him for scarring her.

"Sorry Vanessa, didn't mean to startle you." He said with that annoying smile of his.

"Yeah, sure." Vanessa grumbled as she walked into the kitchen, Coulson following. "What brings you to my humble abode at this indecent hour?"

"The Avengers Initiative." Coulson said. Sensing that this was going to be a long talk she motioned for him to have a seat them went about making coffee.

"You mean that thing that Fury wanted my dad and me for?" Vanessa asked as she waited for the coffee machine to finish.

"That's the one." Coulson said as she poured the coffee. She offered him some which he took with a nod of thanks and also taking the offered crème and sugar.

"But I thought Fury said no to dad in the end." Vanessa said as she sipped her coffee.

"Well you aren't exactly your dad." Coulson pointed out. "It was my understanding that Agent Romanoff had approved of you."

"Then what do you need me for?" Vanessa asked.

"An important device called the Tesseract was stolen from SHIELD by a man bent on world domination." Coulson said. Vanessa looked over the files of the cube deep in thought.

"What's his name? The world dominator?" Vanessa asked putting the file down and picking her coffee back up.

"Loki, apparently a Prince of Asgard." Coulson said and Vanessa dropped her coffee the mug shattering on impact. Coulson looked at her with worry at her reaction. "Vanessa, are you alright?"

"Loki? Loki of Asgard Loki?" Vanessa asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes." Coulson said slowly.

"He's alive?" Vanessa breathed out placing a hand on the counter to stop herself from falling over.

"What do you mean?" Coulson asked.

"That's not possible, he fell, Thor said he was dead." Vanessa said not hearing Coulson. "Thor said he fell and he died!"

"You knew him." Coulson said and Vanessa snapped.

"I loved him." She almost yelled. "All this time I thought he was dead and he was just what? Gallivanting through the cosmos and now he decides to attack my world?! Where is he now?"

"We don't know as of yet." Coulson said watching cautiously as she gripped her necklace in both hands. "Vanessa, are you alright?"

"I'm fine…I'm fine." Vanessa said taking deep calming breaths. "When do we leave?"

"Get packed and I'll pick you up tomorrow at these coordinates." Coulson answered deciding not to ask any more questions.

"Ok." Vanessa said as she took the card he offered.

"Don't be late." Coulson said as he left.

"I won't." Vanessa replied closing the door behind him. So many emotions ran through her.

It had been little over a year since he had supposedly died and now he was back. She didn't know what to do. At first she was angry and then a happy light of hope lit up inside of her full blast. He was alive, the man she loved was alive. All at once she couldn't help the joy that erupted inside of her. She went to sleep that night hoping to see him, to talk to him, but he never came.