This is based on the premise that Jane knew about the Avengers-doesn't know them personally (except Thor) and has only heard of Tony Stark via media coverage. She is in the city, so we'll see how that works out. Takes place in the battle for Manhattan. And yeah. Let's get this show on the road!

(This may or may not become a multi-chapter fic depending on how much motivation I feel to continue.)

A Philosophical Game

Loki's grip was ice against Jane's wrist as he drug her behind him. She felt if the bones were squeezed any tighter, her entire hand would shatter away from her arm into little frozen fragments. She wanted to tell him to lighten his touch, to stop moving so fast, to let her the hell go! But even though her only view of him was the strong back and proud shoulder in front, she knew that Loki was smirking right now, drinking in his victory.

For she was his victory.

The ultimate prize.

Thor's lover. At the mercy of his hand, cowering before Loki's own tall and mighty form.

Fighting against it would do no good, Jane knew. Loki was so highly set in his pride that he would only laugh and then probably break her wrist like he had broken the necks of her guards over an hour ago. For now, silence was the more intelligent choice.

Jane and her captor were walking down a street that had been destroyed when the fight began, sewer lines were exposed, fire hydrants had become geysers, blood and pieces of smoking flesh littered the concrete, and it was eerily quiet. Terrifyingly empty.

Up ahead, Jane could hear Tony Stark blowing his enemies into flaming bits. And he was probably having his famed AI keep score. In the distance behind, even through the black smoke in the sky, she could see Thor throwing lightning as easily as a child would throw a stick in his game of war. And when Loki was tugging too fast to allow Jane to crane her neck towards the sight of hope, she could still hear it in the thunder.

Jane had never met any of the other Avengers, or even so much as knew their names-code or legal-but she hoped that they were winning, prayed to whoever was listening that their feet would be light and their weapons sturdy in confident handling. And she hoped they would find Loki and impale him with the horns on his own helmet.

"A beautiful day, is it not?" Loki asked, still keeping his eyes ahead as he stepped over the body of one of his fallen minions.

Jane didn't know how to react at first. He wanted to talk about what? "I'm sure it would be if you hadn't turned this city into a massive battlefield."

He swung around and she nearly fell into him at the sudden motion. Green eyes were bright with excitement. She wanted to be sick. The bastard was actually enjoying the image of a world turned on its head and burning. "Ah, you are slightly correct, Jane Foster."

Blinking in confusion, Jane finally tried to jerk away her hand. She might as well have been a rabbit scrambling in a wolf's jaw.

"You see, contrary to popular belief, I am no lover of destruction."

"You are the God of Mischief. And also lies, I believe?" she snarled, getting closer and wanting to spit in his pale face. "It's that a little...antipodean?"

Loki laughed and she wanted to vomit. His face had three tiny cuts on it and his lip was split, but apparently in the process of healing at hyper speed because she could have swore that ten minutes ago the cut was twice as big. Here he was, bringing war to Earth, getting away with but a few temporary scars and a laugh at her expense. If only she could knock him in the gut...

"You are very clever, Jane Foster. I can see why my brother is so taken with you." His eyes scrunched up in a smile that could have been endearing if not for the subject matter. Then he looked at the destruction around with a kind of disgusted smirk. "I find no enjoyment in the sight of death. I did not want to see the streets upturned and the buildings toppled. But it had to be done."

He resumed movement, taking her toward a painfully tall building at the top of which a large chunk was missing. Jane imagined that's where all the glass and metal beams she was now walking over came from. It crunched beneath her boots.

"You people are so reluctant to allow me to save your world from itself. I was forced to move my hand and allow the Chitauri access."

"So the ends justify the means?"

They walked through the doorway-once shining with gold trim, now blown away into nonexistence-and into the dark building. A flash of electricity sparked from the wall and Jane jumped.

"Yes," Loki replied, "And that is what makes this a beautiful day despite the bloodshed. This is a cleansing fire."

Loki led Jane to an elevator that was obviously not in working condition (didn't they require closing doors to function?) and let go of her wrist, giving a mock bow as he motioned for her to enter.

"I'm not going in there."

He rose from the bow and in the darkness of the building, only the bright green of his eyes caught the light. "And here I thought I was being gentlemanly. Do maidens not find such actions dashing on Midgard?"

"When performed by a psychopath trying to destroy the world for some trumped up stab at self acceptance-or whatever you're doing-no."

The electricity sparked again and bathed the area with light and color for a second. Loki was all black and green, with shadows under his eyes. For a moment, he looked terrifying. A beast with no qualms about killing an offensive scientist.

And wasn't that what he was?

He moved faster than she could think, so fast that she didn't even realize he was standing inches away unil the spit from his enraged snarl hit her cheek.

"I will not be addressed as such, you pathetic pawn." One step away from him could not be held as he moved with her retreating form. She knew it would have been smarter to stay silent. "I, who could split your mind in two, spin that pretty little head of yours with horrors, crush you in a thought-I, who have allowed you life for a few more sputter-filled seconds, who might have let you see your beloved Thor again in the last moments of existence-"

Her body shook with terror at the tone of Thor's mention. Loki recognized it and in an instant his rage was replaced by cold humor once again, words dripping with hatred.

"Yes, Jane Foster, you will see your precious Thor again. One last time. Such shall be a heroic moment for bards to sing of for millennia to come..."

Knees bending, he lowered himself to look directly into her eyes. Cold metal brushed against her forehead. He was so close, too close, but she held his gaze.

"How the God of Thunder died to protect his mortal love."

Jane couldn't stop herself. It was stupid, stupid, stupid, but somehow her system had gone into emotional override, spurred on by the maliciousness of his words and the cruel beauty of his eyes. The sound of her hand slapping his face away startled both of them equally.

Now he would kill her.

All was silent unless one counted the sound of explosions miles away. Jane's hand froze in the air, a sword raised in defense.

And Loki was...laughing?

"You...are the most charming woman, are you not?" He blinked a few times as he looked at her seriously, like he was solving a delicate puzzle.

"And you're bipolar," she replied with a shiver.

Loki's laughter quieted, but the smile remained dominant on his face. With a snap of motion, he ensnared her wrist once more and pulled her into the elevator with him. They stood in darkness for a few moments, Jane absorbed in thoughts of how to warn Thor of what Loki was planning. Maybe he would be too busy fighting to come. But Jane knew that Thor was a man of valor and would defend those he cared about. Blast his diamond-quality characteristics.

Loki moved the fingers of his right hand in a sort of wave and the elevator lights came on. Instantly, the sliding metal door closed. Loki punched the number for the top floor and up they went. There was even soft music coming from an unseen speaker.

Jane was astounding, almost impressed, and full of loathing for this being. Because he wasn't a man, this dirt bag. She could never classify him as that.

The elevator did not end up taking them to the top. It probably had something to do with that fact that said top was no longer there. "No matter," Loki said before pushing her out, "I promise you'll still have an excellent view."

The floor was still largely intact, but the ceiling was gone, allowing sunlight to stream directly down. This building looked to have been a house for executive offices with the remnants of a wooden desk and paintings scattered around. Jane stumbled over debris.

"You're not exactly graceful, are you?"

"Well, you did push me," she grumbled.

"I apologize. Sometimes I forget to be careful with my toys."

Jane glared at him, remembering how he'd called her a "pathetic pawn". It seemed that was all she and her mortal self could do: be pushed around by people with bigger fists. Colleagues, the government, this larger-than-life villain who seemed to find her backlash amusing.

"I'm not going to let you use me to get to Thor."

Loki stepped over the chair arm that had caught her feet and invaded her space again. The wind ripped at their exposed bodies and grabbed the edges of his green cloak. It danced behind him, just as the gleam of pleasure ("Insanity," Jane thought) twisted and twirled in his eyes.

"I don't believe you have much say in this matter." From this proximity, Jane could smell the crazy coming off of him, along with the scent of leather and a strange mixture of earth and rainwater that reminded her of peaceful days long before New Mexico. 'He could have his own damn cologne,' she thought, 'but that doesn't make standing next to him any more appealing.'

"You cannot change how he thinks about you, how his first reaction will be to race to your rescue." His voice took on a theatrical lilt as he described the scene.

"I will tell him not to save me." But how true was that? In a moment of pure desperation, would she be so strong? Could she be as selfless as the members of the Avengers hacking through an alien army while she battled to simply remain standing beside this monster?

Loki sensed her doubt and played with it. "Then I suppose I'll just have to make you my new pet, shall I? After all, if you refuse to allow Thor to rescue you, I may as well have a little fun at his expense."

Jane wanted to vomit. In fact, her stomach was becoming rather upset with anxiety. Stress boiled deep in her gut, setting down camp for the long run.

"Come now, it wouldn't be so terrible," Loki stepped away finally and Jane felt light-headed as a rush of relief flooded her. "I would take you to your world's most fantastic cities." His hands swept up in a grand gesture. "As I conquer them."

"You will obliterate them."

"Now, now, not all humans are such mindless fighters as you Americans. I'm sure the eastern world will be more open to the idea of my rule once the most powerful nation is brought to its knees."

Jane couldn't take it anymore. The thought of the United States...just gone...she shakily went to her knees and pulled her arms around herself. "You can't win," she whispered more to herself than to him. "We will never stop fighting."

"These are only hopes, faint wishes that you know to not be true."

She shook her head and kept her vision on the floor. Splinters and shards of glass were all over the blue carpet. "It is true. Human nature is to fight, is to rebel against any rule that is not self-rule!" she insisted.

"There have been slaves many times before, Jane Foster. But this time instead of one human serving another, all shall be equal under my rule. There will be no reason for wars any longer. There will be peace."

"Slavery is not freedom!"

"Freedom is the most convoluted, vile concept in this realm! It inspires each of you to waste your short lives on senseless prizes, to chase after things which are worth nothing but cost everything to gain. You destroy the humanity you're so proud of for mere stones when I could give you gold!"

Loki was vibrant in his passion, speaking softly but with such emotion that Jane would not be astonished if others of lesser wills would grow to believe him. His presentation made her heart beat firmly in her chest, but not in accordance with his vision. It was a rush of understanding that this is where her battle was to be fought.

If she could somehow change Loki's mind or distract him from his goals long enough to give the Avengers the upper hand, then there may still be hope.

"Fine," she said. Her voice was steady and her gaze found his.

He looked confused and in her adrenaline, a smile came to her face at the sight. "May I ask was is so...'fine'?"

"Take me as your hostage, your pet, whatever," Jane stood as she found surety in her words. This was her battleground. "Show me your grand schemes and prove that humans are as adapted to slavery as you believe."

His eyes narrowed and once again Jane felt as if she were made into a billion puzzle pieces that he obsessively wanted to put together. "Why should I do this?"

"Because you can use me against Thor." She knew it was a long shot, but if she could get Loki far enough away from Thor, the words she had spoken wouldn't even be a possibility. In fact, she could stop the war right here in New York by just buying everyone a little more time.

"And why do you propose this? You who hold so fiercely to your freedom want to sell it?" He stepped slowly around her, circling and observing her at all angles to find where the edges of his puzzle began.

"Because I'm going to show you how fruitless your efforts are." He sneered. "I will give you the chance to prove me wrong and you will allow me the same opportunity."

"Since when did this become a philosophical game, Jane?"

Jane gasped a little at the informal use of only her first name. She was accustomed to the Asgardians strict use of formality. But she recovered. "Since you decided to start playing God."

Loki took two large strides and came behind her. She could feel his breath on her neck and the comforting smell returned. This was what she needed to do.

"I will accept your offer." The deep quality of his voice sent a tremor down her spine.

Loki placed his hands on her shoulders and the next thing Jane knew, they were gone.

She hoped she had not just made a very stupid decision.