Disclaimer! I do not own any of the Marvel characters. I have chosen to set this story after the Avengers but before Thor: Dark World. As such I will deviate from what has happened in the actual Marvel universe. Call this a new timeline. An alternate dimension where Loki finds love. BAM! Hope y'all enjoy. If not…sorry.

CHAPTER ONE

Bri walked down the hallway, her combat boots thudding across the tile. Fury had called her into his office. Terrible things were going through her head. She was going to be reassigned or dismissed or maybe even killed. She racked her brain for what it was she had done. Nothing. But she must have done something horrible. She couldn't believe she was even on his radar. It had been two years since he hired her after all and he hadn't seen her since. She was a researcher. For mythology. Her office was in a far corner in the dark basement where no one ever came to visit. Ever. No one even knew her name. No one. At least they never addressed her. She just kind of eavesdropped to find stuff out.

She stopped in front of the steel double doors that led to her destiny. A few times she reached for the handle then let her hand drop. "Miss Williams do you intend to stay out there all day?" Fury's voice came out of a speaker above her. She looked up to see that there was a camera next to it. He had been watching her. She blushed. He probably thought she was an idiot.

With a huff she straightened her shoulders and swung the door open. He was staring at her with the same irritated glare he always had. She felt her hands start to slick with sweat. Not good. She had to be brave. She strolled up to the desk and stood with her hands behind her back, her eyes on him. She never knew where to look with him. Was it rude to look at the patch? Was it weird to look at his one eye? He lifted an eyebrow at her and she cleared her throat, deciding to look at his good eye.

"Yes sir?" She tried not to roll her eyes as her voice shook.

"I have decided to reassign you." He picked up a file and handed it to her. She took it with a quizzical brow, flipping it open. He knew the restrictions that came with her condition. Loki's picture was held on with a paperclip. She browsed the papers within. It wasn't anything she hadn't heard around the water cooler.

"Loki sir?" Her specialty was Greek mythology not Norse.

"Yes. Loki was taken back to Asgard after the incident." He stood up and walked around to her, straightening his shoulders and straightening to his full height. "It is not an ideal situation. However, we have been given an opportunity. There will be a liaison with Asgard. I have chosen you for this position. I would like you to learn as much as you can about Loki and the other Asgardians." He towered over her until she was distinctly aware of the fact he could kill her with his bare hands. If she said no would he?

She gulped and tried to get her breathing under control. It was a great opportunity. If not a terrifying one. "Why me sir?" She was hardly the most qualified. There were other researchers who knew all about Norse mythology and they were all better with combat. The last time she had trained she had gotten her butt kicked and had bruises for days. In fact she was just hanging on to the physical qualifications for the job.

He glowered down at her. "Because I have decided it. Is this going to be a problem?" She shook her head, not trusting her voice but needing to answer. "Good." He went back to his seat and put his hands on the desk. "You may go home early to gather your things. Your transport will leave at dawn tomorrow." He sat down and began shuffling through papers.

She was still gaping at him. There had to be some reason he would send her. It couldn't be because she would be a good spy. She couldn't keep anything to herself. It wasn't that she gossiped but she was truthful to a fault and had to answer every question she was asked. It's why she wasn't an agent. Not a real one anyways they didn't even give her a gun. She didn't even get a taser. Fury had been aware of it when he hired her. That's why she didn't have much contact with people.

"Is there anything else?" She closed her mouth but nodded. "You may go now." He apparently didn't care what other questions she had. She was nodding so much she might have been a bobble-head. There had to have been a mistake. She weaved through the halls, not paying attention, on autopilot.

"Ma'am are you okay?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of her confusion to see Steve Rogers staring at her, concern painted across his beautiful face. The heat rose to her cheeks as she realized she was standing at the elevator doors with her badge poised to swipe. How long had she been standing like that? "Oh…uh…yeah…sorry…" She slid the card through then stepped in and pressed the level for her quarters.

"Are you sure?" He looked so worried that she laughed then covered her mouth in horror. She had just laughed at Captain America! She looked at the floor.

"Yeah. Um…sorry…" Words! She wrote for a living and when it mattered they had all abandoned ship. Forget idiot she was a vacant blob. The elevator finally reached her level and she darted out, leaving him to wonder what was going on. He thought of following her but resisted. She hadn't wanted to talk to him and it could have been about a break-up or something. He blushed at the thought. It was best just to leave her alone. He might upset her more.

Bri practically ran to her bedroom. The swoosh of the door as it closed behind her had never been so comforting. There was no way she could have heard Fury correctly. She was going to be going to Asgard? She had had an aneurism. That was it. She was actually laying on her desk dying and no one would find her body for days. No. That couldn't be right. If she had had an aneurism she would die immediately.

She shook her head and pushed away from the door. Alright. For some insane reason Fury had picked her to go to Asgard. Maybe it was a prank. She thought about the director. He didn't seem the type. Was she dreaming? She pinched herself hard. Nope. Okay next theory.

For once she had made her bed and it irritated her. If she curled up into a ball with the covers it would mess it up. Although if she had until morning she would have to sleep at some point anyways. She lay down and covered her head with her pillow trying to come up with some reason behind it. None came.

A knock at her door woke her up. "Fuck." She grumbled as she sat up, the pillow slipping off to fall in her lap. She had fallen asleep. She glanced over at the clock to see the angry red numbers blinking 4:00. Her eyes widened and she jumped up and started darting around the room.

When was she supposed to leave again? When was dawn? She had no idea. At the very most she had a few hours. The sun didn't rise until what 6:30? 7? Another knock echoed through her room and she poked her head out with a toothbrush dangling out of her mouth. Was that what had woken her up? It came again.

"Comigth!" She called, trying not to spit toothpaste everywhere. She rinsed as quickly as she could then ran to the door, hoping it wasn't Fury or someone else sent to grab her. She hadn't packed anything at all. "Fuck." It was Steve Rogers. "I mean…I'm so sorry! I just…I didn't think it was…Why are you here? Did Fury send you? How do you know where I live? Did Fury send you?" She was rambling. "Oh! Come in!" She glanced around her barracks. There were books everywhere and journals, dirty clothes she'd been meaning to wash. "Ah…I mean…"

It was too late. Steve walked in and saw the mess. She didn't want him to see the chaos but he was already amidst the debris, judging her. He was polite enough to keep a straight face. "Have you packed everything you would like to bring to Asgard?" He peered around for some kind of bag but found nothing.

"No….See…what had happened was…" She started darting around and picking up clothes, embarrassed that she had underwear on the floor. When all of the dirty laundry was in the hamper she turned to her dresser, taking out everything she could get her hands on and tossing it into her duffle. What would she need? Where would she be living? What was the weather like? She glanced over at Steve to see he was trying to hide a smile.

"My bad. I kind of fell asleep…um…do you know anything about where I'm going? What kind of clothes I'll need? TOOTHBRUSH!" She ran into her bathroom and started throwing all of her toiletries into the bag, hoping that they wouldn't leak.

"Thor has said that the weather is always warm and sunny. Other than that I don't know much."

"How many bags can I take? Should I bring books? I'll need journals of course…"

He was standing at ease, watching her run around him. The duffle was stuffed. She had to lean, pull, curse, and beg for the zipper to go all of the way. When it was done she was breathing heavily and sweating. She should have taken a shower. Oh well. She glanced at the clock. 5:10. Had it really been over an hour already? Insane. "I'm so sorry that took so long! When is dawn? Have you eaten yet? I am the worst charge ever…"

She slung the bag over her shoulder, almost losing her balance in the process and yanked the door open, looking at what she was leaving behind. She wondered what they would do with it. "Will they leave it here or store it or send it back to my parents?"

"I believe that they will store it in case you need it later." Steve was right behind her. "I didn't eat. I was hoping to get breakfast with you before you leave." She stopped and stared at him, her mouth open. He laughed and motioned for her to follow as he led the way, taking the bag from her as she tried to lug it after him. She didn't bother to stop him. She was too amazed he wanted to eat with her.

"Do you even know my name?" She asked suddenly as they walked in.

"Brianna Williams. Although I've heard you go by Bri." He flashed her a thousand watt smile and her heart skipped a beat.

She felt dumb for asking. Of course he knew her name. He wouldn't just show up to some random girl's barracks. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had heard anything about him coming anywhere near there. He was too chivalrous for that. "Sorry about that…"

"You apologize a lot."

"Sorry." She winced when the word came out. "I mean. Yeah…so breakfast." He picked a table and dropped her bag, heading to get food. People were staring at them as they got in line. Steve seemed to know almost everyone. She wondered how he did it when she could barely remember her own name half the time. The line wasn't too long yet and the bacon was still fresh. She had never gotten there early enough for that.

It felt so awkward walking beside Captain America, or any man or even woman, she generally avoided them all, it was safer that way. When they sat down she studied her food, shoveling it into her mouth. "Did Fury tell you why he picked you?" It was a casual question but there was an undertone of urgency. He had said it low enough so that no one around them could hear it. She clamped her mouth shut and tried to keep the answer from coming out. When she realized she didn't have one she felt her nerves unwind.

"Not sure." Her eyes met his with confidence. "I think it's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I know nothing about Norse mythology." She realized she really did think it was the stupidest thing she had ever heard. "I mean…I can't help but tell the truth and he wants to send me to the god of mischief and lies? Not that he's a real god…obviously…there's only one of those…" She smiled brightly at him, glad that he wouldn't try to contradict her.

He was watching her with curiosity. "Do you always talk so much?" Natasha sat next to Steve, eyeing her. She was smiling and it made Bri nervous. Why was Black Widow interested in her? If she got any more popular she was going to hyperventilate. Or talk her jaw off.

"I talk more when I'm nervous…"

"And do you always say what is on your mind?" Natasha took a bite of her eggs, chewing as she studied Bri.

"Usually?" They didn't realize she had to and she wasn't going to tell them since they hadn't specifically asked about it.

Steve and Natasha shared a conspiratorial look then shrugged. "Fury has to have a plan. He wouldn't have picked you if he didn't." They had finished their breakfast and Bri was about done eating. Her stomach was cramping as she thought of the day ahead of her. The two in front of her were not helping. She was getting more paranoid. What if she messed everything up? What exactly was she supposed to do? No one had told her. "Get to know them" wasn't a blueprint. What was a liaison supposed to do? Was there an instruction manual? She wasn't good with people. She was happy being alone in her little hole in the wall.

She was hyperventilating as she pushed her tray away from her to lay her head on the table. "This is some horrible prank right? I mean…it could happen…Fury has to have a sense of humor…and he got you guys to go along with it…" She lifted her eyes hopefully to see them both shake their heads.

"Afraid not." Natasha's watch beeped and the two stood. "It's about that time. Let's go."

Steve took Bri's tray for her, lifting her bag for her as well. She followed after them mechanically as they led her to the surface. Fury was already there with a scowl firmly in place. They were in an open grass lot next to the building as the sun peeked over the horizon, turning the dark sky a pale blue with hints of pink and lavender. Had anyone told her parents? When would she be back? She balled up her fists to keep from hyperventilating again.

"Are you ready?" Fury was looking her over, probably wondering at her slightly disheveled appearance.

"No…"

The director laughed loudly. Everyone stopped to look at him in shock. A loud crack sounded above them as clouds descended in a funnel. Do not spazz. Do not spazz. Bri told herself as Steve handed her the duffle and all took a step back. "What am I supposed to do?" She yelled over the howling wind. The bridge reached her and began to pull her towards Asgard. She heard Fury's voice as the ground faded beneath her:

"Just be yourself."