I was different from the other kids, always different. From the time I first changed the dandelion fairies to butterflies I was shunned, because I was different, a freak. Even my parents treated me differently from my siblings. It was like they were afraid of me. I was too young then to understand that what I had, what I was; I was dangerous.

I remember the first time I met him. I was in the back garden where the strawberries grew wild and the bees buzzed lazily over head. I had with me a small white basket the bottom lined with perfectly red berries and a belly begging me to eat them in droves. I was six at the time, innocent and drinking in everything I could, learning quickly. But what I didn't have was a sense of danger. Nothing seemed dangerous, hell, why should it? I hadn't been hurt by anything, yet. I was perfect, or so I was told by everyone my parents had over for their parties.

My attention was brought away from the perfect strawberries by a piercing sound and the brightest rainbow light you could ever imagine. The woods just beyond the garden lit up like Christmas. And of course, I had to go check it out. I set my basket down and picked the easiest path though the thick untamed woods.

Stumbling though the bushes I found myself looking at burnt trees; it smelled like a fireplace after the fire went out. I love that smell; though I can't figure out if it's because of this accidental meeting or because I just like the smell. That's not important however, just a thought.

The trees weren't smoking just black and charred from where they were touched by the light. I could see a figure in dark green and gold lying in the middle of circle, his hair looked like he had just run headlong into a thickly packed forest. I just stood there, watching from behind the untouched trees, like a curious little hedgehog.

At first he wasn't moving, but slowly he started to pull himself up. I rushed away to my play area in the yard and grabbed a chipped tea cup mother had given me. It was packed with sand and mud. Tapping it out I rinsed it in the Koi pond and filled it with water. I ran back, careful not to spill any. When I returned the figure was sitting, his legs crossed and his fingers running though his tangled black hair. I could see a cut on his cheek and the blood that dripped from it. His hand reached up and brushed the red shining liquid, smearing it slightly. He looked at his hand and grinned wiping his hand on the burnt dirt below him. I saw him shake his head and grin, something about what had just happened to him was funny.

I remember taking a step back, why I did I don't know, but I snapped a twig and got his attention. I'd never seen anyone move so fast; in a heartbeat he was on his feet. I gasped and drew deeper into the trees. But then, it was like something washed over me. I was calmed and it felt like something was pulling me towards him. I walked out clinching that chipped tea cup close to my chest still trying not to spill the water.

I stood for a moment at the edge of the bushes just looking at him, and he did the same to me.

Then he smiled and waved me closer. I walked out to him I held up the cup. The man sat and took it.

He looked at the cup, examining it closely, then took a sip, 'Thank you.' He had an accent I had never heard before.

'I washed it and got the water from the Koi pond,' I chimed rocking on my heels.

He choked a bit spitting his second sip back into the cup.

'Want to see something cool?' He set the cup between us on the ground and waved his hand over it.

I was surprised because what I saw next was hot tea, and my cup free of chips. I wasn't scared; I didn't turn and run back home, I just stood there with wide eyes inwardly begging to see more.

'Sit with me.' The man gestured, and I sat across from him but not on the ground. Suddenly there was a table and two chairs and a tea set that matched my tea cup, and the best looking cakes and cookies I'd ever seen sat before me.

'Are you a magician?' I asked him.

The man breathed a laugh and passed me a teacup filled with tea. 'Not a magician, a trickster.'

'There's a difference?'

He stopped at looked me, 'Do you not know who I am?'

I shook my head, 'No I don't.'

The man bowed his head and I watched him; his eyes changed to a sharp shade of green and remained me of the look my father gave me when I went into his study.

'My name is Loki, son of Allfather Odin of Asgard. Ringing any bells?'

I shook my head slightly hoping not to make him angry. 'No, it doesn't. Please don't be angry with me! I'm sure I'll be taught at school!' I felt my eyes start to water; I didn't mean to make him angry. After all I was only a child and didn't understand.

'No worries young one.' I hadn't noticed but the table, tea and cakes had disappeared and we were both sitting on the ground once again, and my tea cup between us with its chip and the pond water.

'There is no need for tears,' his hand reached up and wiped my eyes. 'Now, you know my name, but I do not know yours.'

With my face still in his hand I looked up at him and smiled. 'My name is Lily Raye Andrews.'

'Well, Lily Raye Andrews, it's a pleasure to meet you.' Loki smiled and sat back.

From there I don't really remember where the conversation went. I sure it was filled with Loki showing off his tricks and me, the giggling little girl I was, enjoying every bit of it."

"But he came back?"

"Of course he came back! Every year he came back." I threw my hands up and slapped them on my knees then stood up pushing the chair back. "Why does my childhood matter to you anyway Fury?"

The man with the eye patch glared and straightened his neck. "Because you are the closest thing to Loki we have right now. The relationship you have with him…"

"Relationship," I snapped. "What relationship? The one where he promised to come back every year and did for quite a few but then suddenly stopped coming, like I was some forgotten memory that meant nothing? Then I see him on the news and he's in New York! He can take the time to try and rule the world but not to stop and say 'hello?' No, there is no relationship between Loki and I anymore. I gave up on him." I slammed my hands palms down on the table and seethed though my teeth. "Loki abandoned me."

"Did I?"

I spun so fast I knocked the metal chair over and it broke the silence as it crashed to the floor. My heart pounded and my breath was shallow.

"Did I really abandon you?" Loki stood leaning his back against the wall one leg propped up. His voice was calm, collective; and above all else dangerous.

I turned back to Fury but he sat frozen in his seat.

"I…" There were no words coming to mind. How could I speak? There Loki stood, twenty years after our first meeting, to the day, he had first crash landed in my back yard.

"Well?" He asked pushing his back from the wall and taking a step toward me.

"You did, for a while," I answered. "I heard nothing from you, saw nothing. No signs to say you had been there, no notes. There was nothing to suggest that you even remembered me."

"Remember you?" Loki strode across the room and came to stand in front of me. He looked down at me his eyes the same piercing green as all though years ago. "How could I forget you?"

His hand came up and wiped the tears that had formed in my eyes away. I threw my arms around him and felt myself loose all control.

"I thought I was alone…you, you didn't come back for years." I held on tight not wanting to let go. And if this was a dream I didn't want to wake up.

"I had things I had to do, plans to plan." He spoke quietly. "I couldn't come back to see you, it was dangerous."

"Dangerous?" I pulled myself away and shook my head. "That's just an excuse, I can take care of myself, and you taught me everything I know. You were there in New York! Why didn't you stop by before then?"

He smiled and chuckled. "I know you can, but this time," he paused. "This time was different."

I could tell there was something he wasn't telling me. Something that I shouldn't ask about…then again…

"What aren't you telling me?"

The room was silent; all I could hear was the pounding of my heart against my ribs. My mind whirled with the possibilities, but they were endless and I felt dizzy.

"Loki what did you do?" I pushed him back and stared wide eyed. My hands gripped the side of the table trying to steady myself.

He didn't answer me. He just stepped back into the shadows of the room and disappeared.

I stood there looking at the darkness for I don't know how long. I had forgotten that Fury was in the room, let alone sitting behind me and we were being watched from behind the two way mirror.

"He was here wasn't he." That was no question, and I could hear the anger and urgency in Fury's voice. He knew what was going on and I didn't.

"What the hell is happening out there?" I demanded facing him. "What did Loki do?"

"News is he killed Odin and took the thrown of Asgard for himself." Fury said straightening his back and locking his hands behind his back.

"The Allfather gave me the thrown." The door opened and a very large man stepped though. "Loki wanted the thrown too much and only wanted power, that's why he used the Tesseract in New York. "

"So why aren't you ruling?" I pointed at him.

Thor's solders slumped, "I didn't want it."

"Wh..What?" I laughed. "Who doesn't want a kingdom, a castle, a thrown?"

"I gave it up for her! Loki was dead, or appeared to be. I should have never trusted him."

"So why don't you just go back and take the thrown?"

"Loki must have given Heimdall an order not to let me though the Bifrost and the Tesseract is in Asgard. I can't get back." Thor explained.

I was stunned, had Loki actually taken the thrown of Asgard? Had he really killed Odin? Could it be true that Loki succeeded in his wild and crazy plans? Hope flared in my heart.

Thor raised his voice. "Loki is not the man you think him to be! He is not a hero!"

"Who is?" I shot back. "Who ever is who you expected them to be?"

I breathed heavily clinching my fists. It was silent for a time while the three of us stood there glaring at each other.

"I was shunned as a child because of my abilities." I stated. "The things I could do scared people away, my friends, my parents. They sent me away because I was 'unnatural.' They left me in a home for the insane. They thought they could just forget about me as I sat there growing up with those people, taking the medication they thought I needed. That leaving me there would somehow cure what was woven into my DNA. I may have never been promised a kingdom, but I was promised a better life. I deserved a better life!"

"Do you actually think you and Loki are equals?" Fury asked tipping his head to one side.

"In more ways than Shield wants to acknowledge." I sneered.

"You don't know Loki…" Thor started.

"No you don't know Loki! You two grew up as brothers but you didn't see what your father was doing! What he tried to turn Loki into. Even when it's right in front of you, you don't have a clue. Odin raised Loki to be a king, but not of Asgard. Odin fed Loki lies his whole life so that one day an Asgardian raised Frost Giant would sit on the thrown of Jotunheim. Odin's sons would then rule over two of the nine realms." I said looking Thor in the eyes. "So tell me, who is really in the wrong here? Loki, the son promised a thrown by a father whom lied to the abandoned child he so graciously took in to raise, or the father who did nothing out of love but of his own selfishness to rule?"

Flaring his nostrils, Thor turned and left the room.

Fury watched as Thor left then turned back to me, "You are playing a very dangerous game."

My eyes narrowed and my posture straightened. All my muscles tensed and my fists clinched digging my nails into my palms. "Who's playing?" I asked simply with a sly, toothy grin. "Loki has done what he set out to do, he has a kingdom. A thrown, and an army of well trained warriors at his command. Say what you will about him Fury, but Loki is good. He is very good."