Greetings! I've had this crazy idea, so I thought I would post it. This consists of a few chapters. Initially I wanted to make it longer, but I am not sure the sort of response that will be received for the content yet.

This fic is based around the Thor The Dark World universe and setting, though things in the beginning will be different than the canon storyline. This is a strong Lokane fic, and will be portrayed with a very dark context. I am putting twists on the mythology in here too, so expect this to be far from sunshine and rainbows. Any relationship development between Loki and Jane will not be fast or easy (depending on how long this turns out to be). This fic was written with darkness in mind, and is rated M for a reason. Initially, this was intended to be a cross-over with another one of my favourite universes, but at this point I am not so certain I want to follow through with it. I may just leave this fic as a Marvel Universe only.

My characterizations in this fic are meant to be as canon as possible, but do keep in mind I like to add my own taste of the character when I write them.

If you wish this to be something longer, I have no problems writing more, though I do tend to update slowly (to have longer chapters and better writing), and I would like input from everyone. As a writer, I love to bounce ideas off of people, so feel free to suggest things. Who knows!? I may or may not incorporate them into this story!

Also, I do not yet have a beta for this story, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes I may have missed.

Thank you so much for your consideration! I hope you enjoy!

~Aislinn

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters belonging to the Marvel Universe, no matter what terrible tortures and liberties I take with their characters. I do not write this fic for profit or gain, and merely for my own entertainment.

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Prologue: In Darkness Becomes

Dark. Darkness. A never-ending sea of black surrounded him. The prison's empty, dark silence was nearly too much for him to be allowed any measure of comfort. He could see nothing, nothing but endless black; a terrifying nothingness. His magic had been stripped from him, armour and clothing degraded into rags that hung loosely on his thinning body. He could survive ages without food; there was no need for anyone to visit him for feed. The solitude was blinding, more so than the darkness itself. Solitude…an Eternity alone. There was no time here in this place...only forever.

Sometimes, if he just sat there staring into the empty space, he thought he could hear voices whispering to him, saying indiscernible things into his ear. Occasionally he would reach a hand up, lost, hoping to brush up against whoever could possibly be there.

But, maybe he was just going insane. The stories of old told of men who lost their minds in the darkness and never found their way out. This could very well be happening to him.

He knew, he understood that there would be consequences following his actions on both, Asgard and Midgard, but he did not anticipate this level of "banishment" forced upon him by the All-Father. He was home, on Asgard, but entirely alone, left to rot in eternal solitude. He could scream or talk all he wanted, but there would be no one to hear him, no one to see him, no one to love him. At least Thor, during his banishment had been able to interact with people other than himself, a comfort other than the solitary darkness, whether they be mortal or immortal or not. Thor had had a chance to "redeem" himself, to fix himself and eventually become able to return home to the comfort and love of his parents' and friends' arms.

Loki did not. He was not offered the chance to become someone 'better' than he was, or learn from his mistakes. No. Apparently there was a difference between the ways the two sons were expected to 'learn' from their past indulgences. The All-Father had even said to him during trials, that Thor had merely acted out of rash anger and impulse, and old habit that Thor had always possessed. This pardoned him. However, when he, Loki, the son of Laufey, had carefully thought out his plans (all with good intentions on his end), the crimes were too atrocious to forgive in the all-seeing eyes of the All-Father. They were petty and disgraceful.

Could it be because he was not born of Asgardian blood? Could it be because he was the second son, destined to forever walk and mingle among the shadows of his brightly-glowing, to-be-king older brother? How the fates must loathe him.

It was absurd, All of it, and quite frankly Loki hoped that someone would come to realize that. He desperately grasped onto the possibility that someone would hear his cries for something greater than what he already was.

At least, he could try to fool himself into something as ridiculous and dangerous as hope. In reality, Loki knew he could never hope for something more than this prison, this terrible oubliette deep beneath the bowels of Asgard. No one would come for him, and eventually, no one would remember him.

Down here, it was easy to drive oneself mad. If he was not careful, then he would also succumb to the insanity so many before him had surrendered to. The Silvertongue could not afford that, not if he ever intended to get out of this literally forgotten Hell. Execution would have suited him better, even though he was not so keen on dying.

With a raspy sigh, Loki kicked his legs out in front of him, resting them stretched on the cold ground. He needed to steer his thoughts away from the unpleasant present, and begin to plan for the future. What was he going to do? How was he going to get out of this place? He had tried walking around, stumbling more often than not, but no matter how long or which way he walked (or thought he did), he could find no wall, no corner and no door. It was as though he were trapped in an endless, open pit of despair.

He would show them. He would make them pay for doing this to him.

And he would start with Thor's precious, mortal woman. And then, only then, he would…then he would….

Loki sighed again, his shoulders heaving with a large intake of breath. He could feel the weight of his long, disheveled hair falling over his shoulders as they fell. What use was it, this vengeance? If he could not even get free of this place then there would be no such vengeance to be hand in the end. What purpose would it serve, after all was said and done?

A slight, rough scoff echoed in the darkness. This was to be his life now. He was born in darkness, lived in darkness, and would forever be confined until he died in darkness. It was now, that Loki Laufeyson was grateful that they were not immortal, and could in fact, die.

For when it came for him at last, he would welcome it.

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Jane sat up, yawning as she stretched her arms, warm covers falling down to her hips to expose her light blue, tank top night shirt. She had slept quite unsoundly through the night, tossing and turning during a nightmare she could no longer recall. Lately, it had been much like this. She would fall asleep, and then awaken screaming from some sort of dreadful dream. She would be shivering and shuddering, drenched in a thick sheen of sweat that pooled into her quilted comforter.

She was thankful she could not recall them.

With a deep sigh, Jane turned her head to look out the window, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a shake of her head. The sunlight was only barely peeking through over the horizon, which meant that once again she beat her alarm clock to the day. Really, she was unsure if she could continue waking up so early after fighting to try to sleep; the sleep deprivation was tempting her to temporarily cease her work until her eyes no longer burned and it was safe for her to be anywhere without passing out. Granted, she didn't have to drive anywhere since Tony Stark had arranged a personal 'cab' for her.

Of course, his version of 'cab' was slightly different than her version of 'cab'….

Another sigh. And another. This routine was getting old. She really wanted adventure back in her life again, she wanted to see the stars come to life before her very eyes, to see her research once again land its feet on her planet and sweep her away to…..

Where?

Asgard?

Pft. As if that would ever happen. Thor had specifically told her that she was not ready to embark to Asgard, especially not now that the Bifrost was totally destroyed.

Jane could not quite help the slight bitterness that entered her thoughts, and she mentally kicked herself for being so selfish.

Thor only wanted to protect her, so why was she being so stubbornly angry? Why could she not just nod and smile and say "thank you" and just move along with it? Wasn't she supposed to be in love with the guy? The God of Thunder?

"Silly girl…tricks are for kids…"* And for the moment, her heart weighed heavily in her chest. Of course she still loved Thor, and that was the problem. She had known him only for a few days, and since the last time she saw him, she wondered if she was in love with him or the idea of him…the fact that he was so closely tied in to her research and the first breakthrough she had had on her projects. Her first real breakthrough.

Two legs were haphazardly thrown over the edge of the bed, and Jane hopped off the mattress with squared shoulders and a newly stubborn demeanor.

She had her reasons for exploring the stars and the skies. She always felt drawn to it, ever since she was a little girl. They held comfort and meaning…they held billions of years of history and truth and stories that were just waiting to be unlocked. There was something about somewhere up there that she had her heart set on. Was it Asgard? Jane really did not know. She just knew that she needed to get up there somehow. It was as though something was calling out to her, crying for her attention.

And she fully intended to answer it.

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With steel, blue eyes fixated intently on the floor, he watched as the beautiful and intricate swirls moved beneath his face. He was pacing, nervous about the upcoming coronation.

If he were being true to himself, he would have said that it hardly mattered anymore that he was going to be King, that Asgard was soon to be passed down to him by the All-Father. Before everything that had happened, he would have easily and quickly jumped at the chance to be what he was born to be. Now though, with the loss and imprisonment of his brother, Thor was having difficulties coming to terms with being King. He would not be alone, he knew that, but having the Warriors Three and Sif by his side was much different than having his brother at his side…The empty space felt perverted.

He did not want to do this without him, but he knew that he must. Loki would never return to being his awkward, mischievous little brother. Not anymore. No, he was far too gone for that, sucked deep into madness and hatred caused by the ones he loved and trusted above all others. It was the ultimate form of dishonour, and it was not dishonour on Loki's part.

Thor knew that it was their father whom had created this bubbling darkness inside Loki's heart. He had carefully preened the two of them, training them both to be Kings, but surrendering the throne solely to Thor in the end. It was true that he was the oldest, and the eldest was the first in line, but Thor could also recognize the differences in how they were both treated as children.

Odin had spent a much greater amount of time crafting and teaching Thor, while Loki spent his time with their mother. Odin had neglected to tell Loki the truth all these years about who and what he was, not only severing the thin line of trust carefully built between them, but also disconnecting all ties of kinship Loki had had with his adopted family.

To Thor, it was not blood that which held meaning, but heart. The two of them grew up together, fought together and laughed together. They slept and ate together and even bled for each other. It meant nothing to Thor that Loki was not of the same womb.

It would never mean more than what they shared together.

And now that was all gone...wasting away in a black pit far far beneath the city of Asgard. It was a terrible burden to bear, knowing that person he loved must now suffer for eternity as declared by their father.

Loki…what now?

"You will sooner create a crater than you shall save what little is left of your brother."

The feminine voice echoed in Asgard's throne room, the empty space carrying the sound with a heavy pressure.

Thor stopped, turning halfway to watch a shadow emerge from behind a tall pillar. It was Sif, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders and she was frowning, her brows furrowed with concern.

"Thor…"

"Don't," he interrupted, his voice firm, "I do not want to hear such words from you too. My father has already placed a burden upon my shoulders." There was a hint of anguish, and he was certain that Sif could hear it.

She said nothing, and instead pressed her lips together tightly and walked closer until she was upon him. She reached a gentle hand out, placing it upon his shoulder carefully.

"I won't. But, I cannot bear to see this."

"And what is this, Sif?" He shot back, his tempter starting to get the better of him, "Loki is my brother-"

"He was adopted! Thor! Listen to yourself! You are letting this consume you! Loki never could be trusted, and he always envied you-"

"You did not see him, Sif. You heard not his sincerity the day I was supposed to be King."

There was an almost deafening silence as Sif stared back at Thor, her dark eyes clouded over with some form of disbelief. Thor could see the skepticism, the blinding hatred that his beloved friend and companion held for his adopted brother.

"Sincerity, Thor?" She asked, her head shaking a few time before scoffed, "Did you really think you could believe any 'sincerity' Loki claimed to have? He was the one who set the frost giants on Asgard that day. He was the one who tried to take over Asgard and Midgard. Yet, you still defend him? In everything he has done?"

"I do not defend what he has done, Sif. I defend his honour as my brother." It was all he could say, but he knew that there was no way the woman was going to believe him. She was far too blind in her hate to care.

But the Asgardian prince could not fault the warrior woman before him. She was right; Loki had performed many crimes that were unable to be ignored, and he was being rightfully punished for those crimes. Did that mean that Loki was any less important to him? Of course not.

"Lady Sif," he began carefully, his head lowered slightly with thought as his blue eyes carefully trained on her, "I know my brother more than anyone here. Loki was raised among us, and even bled for us. I do not pretend to understand his actions nor do I attempt to understand, but I do know that whatever the reason for doing what he did, he felt justified. I feel it is my duty to understand his justifications. We all make mistakes, but that doesn't mean we cannot learn from them." He turned his head to his right, looking out towards the blazing sunlight that lit up Asgard. "People change. I changed."

For another long moment, there was a silence in which the two stared each other down, almost challenging the other to protest. It was a tense moment, and Thor could feel his muscles tighten in anticipation. Sif's brow was furrowed, her lips pressed together into a thin line.

At last, she dropped her head in surrender.

"Not everyone changes for the better, Thor." She pressed her right arm to her chest, bowing to him, "My Prince."

Swiftly, she took her leave of him, turning her back to him while heading off in the direction of the grounds and leaving the mourning king-to-be to his torturous thoughts.

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~To be continued

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