When one was immortal five years passed in the blink of an eye. The duration of his Odin bestowed punishment had not been a real concerning factor for Loki, at least not when he had received it. Over time, however, it had blossomed into a real annoyance. And then a true heart break. It was easy to forget that mortals had such short lifespands and that just a moment to Loki could mean a decade to one so fragile. Time was a cruel thing and mortals were like glass, helpless victims to every element imaginable. He had watched his brother breeze to Midgard to visit his pathetic Jane Foster, he himself confined to Asgard, watching him fly off to her from his miserable cell.

There had been few things in Midgard Loki could appreciate and most of them were things that could easily be found on Asgard. Books. Not particularly the books on Norse Mythology. He actually found those rather insulting at times. They never got anything right, least of all HIS stories. Gardens were another particularly pleasing thing. Quiet places for reading and thinking. Museums had hadly interested him. Humans were less than interesting though in their short lives he was slightly impressed with what they could seem to accomplish. Their art held a sense of beauty and vulnerability one could not find in Asgard. If there was one good thing that came from such short lives it was their willingness to live them while they had the time and fight for it when it was threatened. He had met that fight in many he had encountered as he began his struggle for power. Even in the most unlikely places...

And people.

Loki had not expected visitors, least of all Thor. For the visit to occur a mere day after he went to visit Jane was cause for some confusion. He had expected their visit to be longer. After all, they were so very much in that disgusting emotion they called Love. Thor had entered silently, a grim frown plastered on his face, and Loki swore he saw his eyes shine with tears. Oh, had his beloved passed on? Weak pathetic mortals and their uncanny ability to be crushed by anything that so much as grazes them. He had to admit he was shocked to find ones as resilient and stubborn against death as Barton and Romanov, the two without powers or protection. Loki grinned, awaiting his ex-brother's news.

But the words that slipped from Thor's lips were not of a joyous nature. Not for Loki. Loki had swallowed hard. He turned from his brother to hide the shame and sorrow in his eyes. He had not expected this and he kicked himself for being so stupid.

"I'm sorry, Brother..." Thor had told him, a hand on his shoulder through the bars of the cell. "They did all they could... but the mortals were ill equiped to handle something of that nature."

Ill equiped. Stupid mortals... Couldn't handle anything, could they? Time had hardeded his heart to them. Even if once he had found fondness for one he had forced himself to forget in order to keep on functioning. Surely there was ONE who could have done something to stop it. ANYTHING! No, it was always the same. It was always the things Loki cherished the most that were taken from him. How could he have expected this to end any differently? He always ended up breaking his favorite toys. Maybe they denied her help to further punish him... But surely her life was greater than their hatred for him.

Surely Darcy Lewis deserved to live.

"Leave me, Thor." Loki said softly to his boots, words lined with sharp warning. When Thor did not yield he had stepped from his brother's grip.

"Loki..."

"LEEEEEEAVE MEEEEEEEE!" Loki shouted with rage, turning to his brother only to show him the full force of his anger.

That was over 4 years ago. The last time Loki had seen Darcy... He had left her in tears. Denying him. Refusing to come with him. He had offered her EVERYTHING. He had offered her the chance to potentially rule over Midgard with him. To be his queen! What MORTAL could reject such a grand offer? NO mortal! NO mortal would ever reject HIM again! If he couldn't have Darcy than all of Midgard would fall to their knees for him just as he had planned. But no... She would rather cling to her... bleeding agent Coulson as he left him to die. He watched her fingers dig protectively into his suit, wrinkling it, as she shielded him from further harm. Regret in her eyes. Had she come sooner... Maybe she could have stopped Loki.

And her words... How her words had stung him. LOKI. He had no idea rejection could bite so hard. Cut so deep. Simply telling him she could never be with a murderer. How could she throw away their brief but deliciously devious relationship over a ship full of freaks? To reject a murderer to defend murderers. How naive she was to believe these people were any better than Loki himself.

Loki shook the past from his mind as he stood before the newly repaired bifrost. His sentence was over. He could return to Midgard... but she was not waiting for him. Not anymore. Young Darcy Lewis had slipped from him mere months after Thor had hauled him back to Asgard. Defeated. Battered. She had not come to see him off. Wishful thinking had lead him to believe perhaps the Avengers themselves had kept her away for her own safety but he knew in his little black heart she had chosen to stay away. Chosen to keep her distance from him. It was easier that way, right? Can't miss something as much if you convince yourself you hate it.

Heimdal stood guarding the entrance as he always remembered. Loki tried to hide the discomfort in his eyes at the awkward reunion. Their last encounter had been one of battle and now he came to the man asking for help. For passage.

"You know where I wish to go." Loki said, his chin held high and his face devoid of all emotion.

"I would advise you to-"

"You... do not advise me." Loki said, defiance in his slow voice, shooting the man down before he could finish his sentence.

Heimdal took a deep breath through his nose and steadied his already steady breathing. "Very well. The king has given me permission to allow you passage into Midgard as long as your intentions are peaceful ones."

"Death will not come to the mortals by my hands." Loki said, a smirk curling on the end of his lips as he showed his hands in a small tolken of surrender. "I wish only to see for myself what they have told me is true. This family... Has a lying problem."

"You are also required an escort."

"Ah, that..." Loki frowned, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "He shall be along shortly."

"Then we shall wait."

"Would you prefer awkward silence or annoying banter?" Loki joked sarcastically. It was near impossible to catch Heimdal showing any sort of emotion, awkward chief among them. When he was only met with a raised eyebrow, Loki smirked. "Annoying banter it is."