A/N: This is my first Loki fic, please be kind! I would very much appreciate some reviews so I have a better idea of to which direction I should take this one. :)

Loki had fallen, fallen harder than he ever had, and the evident pain in his body was a testament of that. He awoke to seeing a small, dim light above him and the sound of sirens and cars in the distance. City sounds, he thought, in the human realm.

But wait, this wasn't where he sought to land. The "bad" son –scratch that, he wasn't really Orin's son– had escaped Asgard, and it seemed his plan had backfired. Where was he? Loki squinted and went to sit up.

"Easy," a gentle hand touched his chest and pushed him back down, "You've had quite a fall."

It became apparent to him that he was in a bed. A rather large bed. Next to him was a girl, a human. A mortal. She had a cold cloth in her hand and was dabbing it on his forehead. The manner in which was slightly reminding him of his mother.

But she was human.

"Don't touch-" Loki went to smack her hand away and felt an instant pain in his voice, falling back onto the pillow.

"Play nice," the girl responded, allowing him to turn his head and get a good look at her, "I'm amazed you're even alive. Then again, you are a god, aren't you?"

Finding strength, Loki forced himself to sit up and barked at her, "I beg your pardon?!"

"Don't be afraid," she said calmly.

Loki raised his arm to strike her so that he might be able to escape, "Oh, I am NOT afraid of a puny little-"

His hand froze in midair. Horrified, Loki pushed forward, trying to move, and he realized he couldn't. It was as though an invisible force was grasping him, and he could not set himself free.

"Loki, please," the girl continued, her large eyes meeting his at last, allowing him to watch in terror as her hand slowly fell down, and the force that was holding him gradually let go, "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

"Where am I? How do you know my name?" Loki demanded, "And what is this trickery?!"

The girl shrugged, tucking a hair behind her ear, "I don't really know, I've been able to do it since I can remember."

"Answer the first question."

She stood up, a small, thin figure, probably around 23-24 years old. Her face was gentle, non-threatening, but there was something not quite right about her. Loki knew that from instinct.

"You're on Earth, in New York City," the girl responded, "My apartment. As for how I know you…" she turned and reached for a small, black book on the bedside table and handed it to him, "It's very hard to explain…"

"Are you an ally of those freaks? That billionaire with more money than sense?"

She shook her head, "No…"

The girl gestured to the book and waited patiently. Loki opened the book and saw it was full of sketches. The first was of a small baby, wrapped in a blanket, amidst a cold, dead ground covered in frost. He turned the page. There was a sketch of two young boys, one with dark hair, sparring inside a grand looking palace. Loki's heart (if he had one) skipped a beat.

He turned the pages rapidly, looking from one drawing to another, seeing that this was a timeline. A timeline he was familiar with. Now, reaching the last page, he saw a detailed drawing of his brother, Thor, and Loki himself, imprisoned below in the dungeons of Asgard.

"This…is all…me," Loki said slowly, "How…and why do you know this? Of what knowledge have you been granted?"

"Promise you won't attack me or try to escape, and I'll tell you."

Loki stood up then, and to his surprise she didn't try to hold him down with whatever odd power it was she possessed. It was clear to him she wasn't human. It also meant she was dangerous.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The girl looked at him and smiled.

"Why? Now you fear me, knowing my guard is up?" Loki bellowed. He loved feeling powerful.

She sighed, leaning her head on her hands, "If anything, you've something to fear. When I found you outside my building, you weren't wearing any clothes." She paused. "And I haven't dressed you."

Loki looked down, mortified. He was stark naked. Quickly, he created an illusion of clothing. Human clothing.

She was already laughing, and Loki was fuming.

"Who are you, you little wench?"

"My name is Elena. Elena Ward. And I promise, I swear, I'll tell you everything if you just calm down and get back in bed. You're sick."

"Sick?" Loki scoffed, "I'm a god, we don't-" In spite of himself, Loki erupted into a fit of coughing. She rolled her eyes.

"Why…how…?"

"It's the middle of fall, Loki," Elena continued, "And if you're naked outside in these minus temperatures, you're going to get a cold. You're lucky you didn't die out there."

"So I owe you something for my rescue, then?"

"You at least owe me the courtesy of allowing me to tell you how I know you."

Loki thought for a moment, then resolved to listen, "Very well." He sat on the bed in front of her and looked at her expectantly.

"When I was a little girl, I started having these dreams," Elena began, "…strange dreams, that kept reoccurring. Dreams about a man with dark hair, constantly fighting for his father's love and attention, and hoping that he might someday be seen as something great."

"Everything you see in those pages, are depictions of dreams I have been having my entire life. I don't know why or how I continue to have them."

"So for some reason, you've been granted a look at my childhood and life," Loki frowned, "Fascinating. But I must be going."

Elena stood up as he did, "Loki. I know what happened to you."

Loki snorted, "You know nothing."

"But I do know," she insisted, "I know of every thought that has ever crossed your mind. Of your resentment for your brother. The anguish it has caused you, knowing you'll never know your real parents-"

"Shut…up…"

"For fuck's sakes, you idiot, why the hell would I dream about you if it meant nothing?! I don't know why or how I have these dreams but I know you and I are supposed to meet!"

"You are nothing but a foolish mortal with a rapidly growing imagination!"

"Oh yeah?" Elena grabbed the book from him and threw it towards the window. Instead of it hitting the glass, the book floated in the air, and a few other objects– a coffee cup, a magazine and a flower pot– lifted to join it. Loki glanced at her and saw that Elena was holding up both hands.

She gritted her teeth, "I am NOT a human being." The items dropped to the floor.

"Well," Loki turned to her, "That is very interesting." He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Join me in beginning this war."

"Shouldn't I have a say in that?"

Loki withdrew, completely shocked.

"What?"

"You…" he grasped onto her face, looking her in the eye, and saw they weren't hypnotic icy blue, "…you've evaded my influence."

"Is that a fancy way of saying your powers don't work on me?"

"Essentially." Loki sat back, unsure of what to do or say, "Very curious…"

"So you'll stay, then."

"Until I figure out how this can be, I suppose so, yes."

Elena crossed her arms, "You smell."

"Did you just…?"

"Bathroom's that way," she pointed to the left, "Go ahead, go take a bath or something. I promise, I won't look."

Loki frowned at her.

"Besides," she started to laugh, "I've already seen your-"

"Yes, thank you, that'll be all," Loki stood up and walked quickly to the bathroom, sustaining a cough as he did. Elena smiled a bit to herself. Perhaps it was worth dragging a naked stranger into her penthouse apartment after all.