"You must pay for your crimes. This time you will not be taking pleasure in the comforts provided. You will be treated as any other dangerous criminal."

There he sat. Alone, remembering the day of his arrival back on Asgard. The voice of Odin echoed in his tired mind. The voice that had commanded his re-imprisonment over a year ago. Loki sat in the damp, dim cell, shoeless and clothed in rags. His disheveled hair lay knotted as it draped down his slumped shoulders. He knew he deserved this.

Thor would visit him as often as possible, showing full well the sympathy he held for his brother. Loki was grateful that Thor possessed enough faith in him to express that, but Loki could not change his past actions and the crimes he had committed.

"Forgive me, Jennica..." Loki's voice croaked out through his dry lips. He thought about her day and night. Her memory haunted him, asleep or awake. If only he could see her, explain to her, let her know that he still cared. Alas, that could not be so. The shackles on his wrists were enough confirmation of that outcome. In the meantime, he explored the depths of his magic, although unable to do much of it in his cell. His life had become a meaningless search for ways to waste it.

"Brother." Thor's booming voice echoed around the dungeons, bringing Loki out of his daydream. He looked up at Thor, meeting his eyes and forcing a smile.

"Anything new happen recently?" A common question for Loki to ask Thor, who would often tell Loki of the happenings in Asgard and the other realms.

"I have been visiting Midgard quite often again," Thor replied with a small smile, "despite Jane and I... no longer seeing each other. Jennica has been staying with us Avengers due to her origins and the power she carries with her. There is still much more she has to learn in controlling her abilities, but she is a fast learner and a wonderful addition to the team." The look on Loki's face at the mention of Jennica was always that of misery and longing. Thor could not help but wish to ease his mind.

"Thank you, Thor," Loki replied, trying to smile again.

Thor's heart wrenched at the state of his brother, who worsened with each passing day. "I... wasn't going to tell you this," the blond prince began, "but I spoke with Jennica the other day, and her words may lighten your heart. She has not forgotten about you and seems to have forgiven your past. She even expressed the desire to see you again." Inhaling deeply, Loki nodded and fixed his eyes on the ground. He was filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. "I have been speaking with Odin for days, now." Thor continued, "I pray he grants my wishes in lessening your sentence. Then maybe you could visit her..." An idea came to Loki's mind in that moment that changed his disposition.

"Thor... I wish to speak with Father. I think I may know how to persuade him."

Thor's expression changed into surprise, "Do you? There's no guarantee. It might take some convincing for him to agree to a few moments with you." The burst of enthusiasm Loki felt disappeared immediately when he heard this. After all that had happened, it still stung to remember the very little affection Odin seemed to feel for him.

"Please... just try." There was a pause. "Alright." Thor agreed with a nod of his head, "I will do all that I can." He stood up to leave, giving Loki one final smile of encouragement before exiting the cold dungeons.

Only an hour had passed, but it felt like an eternity. Guards entered Loki's cell, saying no words. Merely pulling him up roughly to lock a shackle around his neck, they dragged him off to the throne room. His bare feet hit the stone floor and his exhaustion from lack of movement filled his head all at once. Upon seeing Thor standing beside Odin at the throne, he regained his bearings the best he could.

"Hello, Father," Loki spoke with a facade of self-confidence. Odin's expression was nearly unreadable as he said,

"State the matter of which you have come to speak to me about, prisoner."

"Thank you... for the honor." Loki swallowed any more of his sarcastic comments once Thor gave him a warning look. "I have come to beg," Slowly lowering himself onto his knees, Loki showed his humility. Never before had Odin seen such sincerity in his eyes, and it softened his heart. "I am unworthy of the life I have lived after the crimes I committed. I am unworthy of having the privilege of knowing my captor. I am unworthy of having a brother who will defend me after everything I have done against him. And... I am unworthy of love. I know so very well what I have done. Forever I will live with that shame and guilt and regret. I am unworthy of my powers and my home here in Asgard, although it is within a small, empty cell. And yet, I still, with little hope, am begging you..." Loki paused, his gaze wavering from the surprised and sympathetic look on Odin's face, "please strip me of my powers and send me to Midgard as you did to Thor. I don't care if my powers never return, or if I could ever return here. All I ask for is a humble life on Midgard with a woman that I love." No one spoke for a time. Loki's words were unexpected and unusual. Never was he one to share his emotions out in the open with complete honesty. Odin stood and stepped slowly towards Loki.

"You are unworthy of these realms," His usual firm voice broke with emotion as he quietly spoke, "You are unworthy of your title... y-you are unworthy. I take away from you your power," Loki could feel the power draining from him, the strength that carried him, but it was a welcome release. "And... I cast you out." Odin lifted his staff, whispering, "I wish you happiness." With tears in his eye, he called on the Bifrost to take Loki away. In a flash of light and colors, Loki was gone.

The lights and motion through space faster than the speed of light made Loki sick to his stomach more than ever before. Instantly he found himself lying face down on wet grass. The smell of fresh air and plants shocked him, as he had nearly forgotten its sweet scent. Lifting himself off the ground, he began to feel the raindrops falling on him. The gray clouds were heavy and dark, threatening to strike the ground with its electricity. Thunder roared from a distance. The rain obscured everything around him, making it hard to know which direction to take. Straining his eyes to try and find some form of shelter, Loki caught sight of a light and the dim shape of a large building in the distance. He began his trek toward the oasis. His bare feet sunk into the spongy earth, the mud overtaking the grass. The air pushed him backwards, almost as if to tempt him to go back. But he kept walking. For once, he was grateful for his Jötun blood keeping him safe from the cold, which would have only hindered him more. As time crawled slowly by, the rain did too. It moved to the North as Loki moved sluggishly behind. It became a drizzle by the time Loki had reached a door. It was a small hidden door, but he hoped someone would come. His strength was waning. Lifting his heavy arm, he tried to push the door open. It was locked. He knocked as loudly as he could manage. No one answered. A sense of defeat filled his heart as he sunk to the ground, a weakness overcame him that he had never felt before. A weakness of his body and mind that kept him from pushing forward. He started to wonder if he had made a mistake. If he could even survive the night, he had no idea how to find Jennica without any money or help. He remained unmoving, trying to regain some energy, and only turned when he heard the door opening behind him. Instantly he stood up and saw a sight that rekindled his heart. Jennica.