Nebula stood bitterly inside the Asgardian jail cell. Lady Sif glared back at her form the other side of the barrier. "You'd think that after trying to break in ten times you'd stop getting caught," she said to the off-worder.

"And you," spat Nebula, "would think that after escaping from here nine times before, that maybe imprisoning me would be a futile effort."

Sif took a step forward, almost pressing her face against the barrier. "Well, me and the Warriors need some entertainment these days." She eyed her up and down. "Though I thought we'd be in for a better fight this time." With a scoff, she walked off, leaving Nebula alone in the prison.

Five minutes later, when he was certain that nobody else was watching, the figure of the Allfather walked into the room and gazed upon Nebula. The white lights highlighted the cosmic colours across her body - steel blue playing into a sweet purple, coalescing in some place and being divided suddenly in others. Nebula watched his gaze. "Why do you always look like that?"

Loki smiled and dropped the illusion. "I have to keep up appearances, dear." With a wave of his hand the barrier opened just enough to allow him to enter, then closed and turned solid black. Those outside wouldn't be able to see anything, giving Loki and Nebula some much needed privacy. "We have got to stop meeting like this."

Nebula walked over to him and drew him close. "And how else would I get to see you?"

Loki frowned. "I could make you queen," he whispered, and with a flash of green she saw herself adorned in the garb of Asgardian royalty. Nebula smirked at how he couldn't bring himself to disguise her own features. She waved the illusion away and moved to undo Loki's tunic.

"I've been offered that before. It doesn't appeal to me." She ran her hands along his arms as she began to kiss him. "This is all that I need."

He pulled her cloak off and leaned forward so that the two of them were laying on her cot. His hands caressed every part of her, even the cold metal, even the spots where the cybernetic implants could be felt under a single layer of skin. Nebula never understood why he was so attracted to her - one of her dalliances had been cut short once because the Mandarin claimed it was "like fucking a ship's console" - only that he found her madly appealing. And she certainly had taken a liking to him, ever since her attempt at assassinating him had turned into one passionate moment after another.

Once their lovemaking had been completed, they lay embraced in the bed. Loki brought his face close to hers. "You could still stay."

Nebula shifted and turned to face him. "No, Loki. We both know that if I'm discovered then the others will know what you've done and come after you. Both of our lives would be ruined."

Loki frowned. He would never admit that he was growing to care for her, but that was exactly what was happening. "What if..." Nebula started, then trailed off. He raised an eyebrow, and she began again. "What if you came with me? Travelled the stars, crush our enemies." Loki opened his mouth to retort, but Nebula cut him off. "Do you truly care enough about these people to pretend to be their kind until your demise?"

Loki could not answer then.

But when dawn broke, the king could not be found.