Fire crackled around my pathway as I made my way to his study. He sat, a slight frown on his face as he read silently.

"I'm sick of this realm, Lasca."

Here we go again. "Yes. I know."

Loki set his book aside. "I could do it, you know."

"You failed once. I don't suggest doing it again."

"What is it you humans say? If you fail, you just get back up and try again."

"That isn't applicable to this situation."

"And why not?"

I sighed in frustration. "You know well enough why not, Loki. Earth will be ready for you if you try again. We'll both end up getting killed. It's best just to stay here in Muspellsheim."

"There's nothing here except fire."

"Then we can go to Niflheim. Hel. Vanaheim."

"Do you have a death wish? If we go to any of those places they'll kill us!"

"They'll kill us on Earth, too!"

He grabbed me by the neck and slammed me against the wall. "We are going to Earth, Lasca. You have all of SHIELD's inside information."

I kicked him in the chest, freeing myself from his grip. "Not anymore. They've probably changed everything since we left." I gasped for air as I fell to the ground.

"I've gathered armies in both Alfheim and Svartafaheim."

"You think that's going to do us any good? Elves and dwarves are half the size of humans."

"They have magic."

"So what? Earth has weapons. Large weapons. And the Avengers. Face it Loki, you can't be king."

"I can be king!" he snapped. "I made a discovery the other day."

"Oh, good for you," I said sarcastically.

"Don't you speak to me that way, Lasca." He slammed the base of his scepter on the ground. "Now watch."

All around us, the licking and jumping flames slowly formed into the shapes giant humanlike creatures. Hundreds, no, thousands of them kneeled before us, holding staffs of bright orange flames in their right hands.

I shook my head. "It's called water, Loki. These flames can easily be put out."

For the first time in months, I saw Loki's infamous mischievous grin. "Don't you know, Lasca? The flames of Muspellsheim can never be put out." To further prove his point, he tossed his glass of ice cold water onto a small flame that had somehow caught onto his cape. It remained as lively as ever, not even sizzling or faltering a tiny bit.

"Lasca, my queen, I say to you once again. I can do it."

….

I stared out over the balcony, seeing the same view I had grown accustomed to over the past few months: fire of all colors leaping and dancing across the hellish realm of Muspellsheim. Svanhild, my sword handcrafted by Loki himself, leaned on the railing beside me, the sapphire like orb in the center pulsing as it received faint signals from its brother jewel in Loki's scepter. Occasionally, the god would pay me a visit, more like an illusion visit, while he planted Muspellsheim's inextinguishable flames on Earth. I begged him to let me do it instead, but I knew how he thought of me. Fragile. Weak. Incompetent. Yet I followed him lightyears away to this hell only for him to go back to Earth and throw away the freedom I risked my own life to give him. I questioned my own sanity. Grabbing Svanhild, I walked back inside to a surprise.

"Well, well," I readied my sword. "If it isn't the famous Warriors Three."

Fandral stepped forward. "We've finally found you, mortal."

….

The first thing Thor did when he met me was kiss my hand. I knew exactly what he was up to. I decided to play dumb for a day.

I blushed. "It's nice to finally meet you, Thor. I've heard a lot about you."

"I've heard much about you as well, Ms. Stone. All good, of course." He smiled a smile that would capture most girls' hearts.

I returned the grin, completely unaffected. "Like what?"

"You are one of SHIELD's most accomplished and skilled agents."

I looked away. "I don't know if you have been informed, but I'm not with SHIELD anymore."

"I know all too well. You escaped with my brother, correct? I heard the story. But what was a lovely maiden like you doing in Muspellsheim?" The subtle search for information had begun.

"Waiting."

"For?" The god of thunder led me to a seat on one of the expensive but comfortable sofas of Valhalla.

"Loki."

"Where is he?"

"Niflheim."

"Oh. He does like the cold, I know. He went without you?"

"Yes. He said he had some business there."

"What kind?" He poured me some wine.

"He wouldn't tell." I glanced around, taking a sip of the bitter liquid. "I'm curious as to where you have taken Svanhild."
"Svanhild?"

"My weapon."

"Ah, we'll return it to you later. Now drink some more wine. It's the finest in all of the nine realms."

I agreed politely. Loki, I thought, you better get me the hell out of here. Then I grinned at the cheerful Thor and drank to my heart's content.

….

Excitement buzzed around the streets of downtown Manhattan as the news broke on the giant screens of Times Square that Lasca Stone, the traitor who betrayed the entire human race to run off to some unknown place with Loki, the infamous war criminal who attacked New York City almost a year and a half ago, had finally been found. Steve Rogers made his way through crowds of people to find Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD.

"Is it true, Director Fury? Has Thor really found Agent Stone?"

Fury nodded. "Yes. She's being held on Asgard for questioning."

"Why not just bring her back here?"

"He's says she'll 'suspect.' Apparently, his methods of questioning are very different from ours: just get her drunk and she'll talk. What he doesn't know is that Lasca is not some dumb girl off the street. She's not just going to give him all the information just because he's showering her with compliments on her beauty."

"We need her here. Loki needs to be located and executed as soon as possible."

"I know." Fury looked up at the clear summer sky. "We've called him in. He'll be coming this afternoon."

"How are you going to get her to talk?"

"I have a very clear idea."

….

"Tell me, Lasca. What is your greatest fear?" Loki asked eagerly.

"I don't have any fears."

"Come now. Everyone has fears."

I screamed and thrashed about, the darkness covering me like a thick blanket. No matter what I did, the black of the room did not let go of me, and the silence did not break.

"Let me out!" I cried.

"We'll ask again, Lasca," a computerized voice said flatly from somewhere overhead. "Where is Loki?"

I shut my mouth at that moment, remembering my mission. I closed my eyes, not that it made anything any better. It was just as black. I lay down on the cold ground, trying to survive this confinement. They would not get me to talk. I had lost count of the days, but I was positive it had been at least three weeks since I had been locked up. It had been about three days since my last meal and about a day since my last glass of water. If I hadn't spoken yet, I was pretty sure my secrets would go with me to my grave.

"I'm impressed." That voice.

"Loki?" I opened my eyes, seeing my lover standing before me in all his glory.

"The one and only." He took a step forward. "You're a lot stronger than I would have thought."

"You thought I was weak?"

"I thought you were about as strong as all the other mortals."

"You have low expectations. You've planted the armies from Muspellsheim?"

"Of course. That was a while ago, Lasca. I've been waiting for you to come out and rule with me. I've already defeated the humans."

"Then why am I still here?"

"Because I had not yet found you." He held out a pale hand. "Ready to leave, my queen?"

I reached out to him in relief. "Yes." But right as I took his hand, he vanished into the darkness.

"Sorry, honey," a not so familiar female voice soothed me.

I turned to face it. I gasped. My mother.

"You've grown, Lasca, my dear."

"Mom…"

"You still know how to wield a sword?"

"Of course, but, Mom… You're dead. You died more than ten years ago."

"Darling, what are you talking about? I've lived here at SHIELD since you ran away."

"I never ran away."

The woman laughed softly. "You always say that. But I'm here now, sweetie. That's all that matters." She opened up her arms in a welcoming manner.

I threw my arms around her only to find that I was hugging thin air.

"Loki? Mom?" I whimpered.

Only silence responded.

"My greatest fear is losing my mind."

….

"She's not going to answer your questions this way," Stark said frankly, reviewing the surveillance tapes. "Look at her, she's gone insane. Hugging thin air, holding hands with invisible people. You've kept her in there too long."

Fury frowned. "She's going to break. Any time now."

Stark pulled the director away from the screens. "Look, the entire United States is about to be burned to ashes with these inextinguishable fires. We already know Loki is in control of them, as the fire monsters have so clearly stated. We don't need to question this girl anymore. She probably doesn't know anything. We just have to focus on putting these fires out. Then that'll lead us to Loki."

Fury sighed. "Maybe…"

"He's right," Dr. Banner added. "These flames are about to overtake every major city in the United States and more. We have to do something. This girl is insignificant. She's gone crazy. Nothing she says will be legitimate."

"She might know the way to put these things out. You know where Thor's men found her, right? In the realm of fire. That's where these things came from."

"Well obviously, she's not talking. So give it up."

"Look at her!" Rogers butted in. "She's crying her eyes out. At this point, you're just being cruel!"

Thor added in the words that summed it all up.

"Loki has obviously abandoned her. She has no one. Just let her go."

….

"Weapons are made to serve their masters. In the time of your greatest need, your weapon will come to your aid. You just have to call it. And trust it."

I could not move a muscle. I was completely worn out. Only one word could come out of my mouth.

"Svanhild."

…

Several scientists froze in fear and pure awe as they observed the spotless sword sitting in SHIELD's lab. It trembled and shook then broke out of its bulletproof glass case. It soared through all obstacles, breaking expensive equipment and piercing through sofas and pillows. The hilt flew right into its master's weak hand.

…

The blue orb glowed brightly as energy traveled down from the blade into my dying body. I slowly stood up, feeling stronger and stronger by the second. I twirled Svanhild in my right hand, ready to once again fight.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought of Svanhild's forger. "Thanks, Loki."

Breaking the door down by slamming the base of my hilt into it, I strode out of the room, almost blinded by SHIELD's bright lights and the glow of the fire outside. Deciding not to waste any time, I got a running start and broke through the nearest window. My arms and legs flailed about as I fell, waiting for something to land on or grab hold of. Sure enough, a blazing horse made of Muspellsheim's flames formed itself right under me as I fell onto it. I grabbed hold of its mane, which was surprisingly not at all hot and urged it to gallop forward. I scanned the raging inferno for Loki. I found him at a very predictable spot: standing at the top of the Empire State building, admiring his good work.

"So you've come, my queen."

"Of course." I climbed off my horse and bowed respectfully.

"I've been wondering where you've been."

"It's a long story… but long story short, I got captured by the Warriors Three, taken to Asgard for "questioning" then moved to Earth for questioning, then when I refused to comply, they confined me and then I got Svanhild back and here I am."

"Are you alright?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

Loki turned abruptly to face the now approaching Avengers.

"So we were right. You have come back," said Captain America.

"I will defeat you, Brother, so that you may never set foot in this realm again!"

"Ready to die, reindeer man?"

Loki and I looked at each other, smiling. My grip around Svanhild tightened as Loki readied his scepter.

"This time," Loki began.

I completed the sentence for him, "We will not fail.

…

"It brings back memories, doesn't it?" Loki asked, handing me another apple.

I bit into the crisp fruit, feeling its regenerative powers retaining my youth for at least another two years. "Yeah, a lot of memories."

"We learned a lot of new things here," he said, using one of our favorite inside jokes.

I laughed. "Yes, I know. We just got really lucky, with this place still being intact and all." I winked.

He smiled, biting into a bright red apple. "You've come a long way, my heartless friend."

I had forgotten my old title. "You have too, my mischievous evil buddy."

He chuckled. "So tomorrow is it. We are to be formally bound."

"Yes." I tossed the core of my apple to the fire soldier standing behind me, the remainder incinerating in its palm. "It's an odd feeling. Our relationship has gone from executioner and condemned to husband and wife. Over a span of about, what, four years now?"

"That sounds correct."

We stood in Loki's old cell in a nostalgic silence, our fingertips touching as we stood side by side.

"Lasca, I have a request."

"Go ahead."

"Will you agree to be my betrothed? We will marry once I have conquered the remaining of the nine realms."

I looked at him. His face was covered with soot, burns and cuts. Smoke billowed in the background, and the Avengers lay bound together by indestructible ropes, unconscious. This was hardly the appropriate place to propose, but yet, it seemed oddly fitting.

"Of course, Loki."

He pulled a small silver ring out of his pocket. It was surprisingly unharmed and untarnished. He took my left hand and slipped it onto my ring finger.

"I never thought I'd be marrying the villain," I said, remembering my days as a SHIELD agent.

"I never thought I'd be marrying a mortal."

I looked down at my ring fondly, a small smile spreading across my face.

"Is this love I'm sensing, Lasca?"

"Oh, you know it is."

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him.

….

I am what people would call heartless. But I do have a heart. It pumps blood through my body. It's a tiny muscle, about the size of my fist. But it doesn't feel. Maybe that's a good thing.

What bull shit.