1—

Lina waited at the coffee shop she was going to be picked up at. She was nervous, fidgeting repeatedly with her blouse and hair. She must have checked at least a hundred times if she had her resume and application in her bag. Her heart was racing like a thoroughbred in a championship race and she wasn't even at the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility yet.

A dark car pulled up in front of the shop, a man in a suit stepping out and walking in through the doors.

Lina stood up and faced the man as he walked towards her.

"Lina Sparrow?" he asked.

Lina nodded calmly. Her heart seemed to be caught in her throat and she desperately prayed that he wouldn't ask her to talk. She was so nervous, she didn't think she had the capabilities to string together sentences at this point.

"Please follow me."

Lina did as she was told, following the man to the vehicle she had seen him arrive in. She climbed into the back seat, buckled herself in, and sat quietly throughout the duration of the car ride. The man didn't talk to her unless he was giving her instructions as to what was going to happen once they reached S.H.I.E.L.D. and she was thankful for that. Any extra speaking aside from her interview may have sent her into a frenzy. For some reason her nerves were getting the best of her at the worst possible time.

As she mentally wrestled with herself to calm down, she felt the car slow to a steady stop.

She swallowed hard knowing that the next few hours would determine her entire future. Watching the suited man climb out of the driver's seat, Lina grabbed her bag and unbuckled her seatbelt.

He opened the door for her and held out a hand to assist Lina in climbing out of the vehicle.

She smiled warmly as she took his hand and stepped out onto the concrete. Her heels clicked with each step she took as they walked up a long walkway that lead to a pair of glass doors. The building itself was magnificent, large glass windows flanking the doors they were about to walk into.

As they entered, the hustle and bustle of this agency made itself very apparent to Lina who nearly lost her escort because she kept pausing to take in the sights. People walked with purpose and responsibility past Lina and the man. She wondered what they were up to and wanted to follow them, just to be nosey.

"I don't mean to be rude, Miss Sparrow, but we aren't on a tour here," the escort shortly said. "We can't be late."

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, mentally bashing herself for acting like a small child in a candy store at the most inappropriate time.

The pair walked towards a tall silver staircase that led to a catwalk that overlooked the scene they had just walked through. Upon it, stood a man with a black eye patch and a long, black coat. He leaned against the railing of the catwalk, seeming to be waiting for the man and Lina.

As they approached, the man with the eye patch faced them and said, "You're late."

The man sighed as he looked at Lina in a way that seemed to say, "I told you so."

Taking the hint, Lina walked forward and began to apologize. "I'm sorry, sir. It was my fault that we were late and I—"

"Please," the man said, cutting her off. "I'm not here for your excuses, I'm here to see if you're a worthy enough person to work with us. I'm Director Fury." He walked closer to Lina, towering over her small figure. She swore he could smell her fear as he stared down into her eyes. "Follow me."

He turned on his heels and briskly started to walk away from her, Lina barely keeping up with his long strides.

It was not a good day to wear high heels.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

Asgard's familiar surroundings and the castle's once welcoming halls paid no homage to the man who had now become such a stranger.

Loki walked, guards surrounding him, towards the throne room where he knew Odin would be waiting. He was to be sentenced today for his actions against Midgard. His chains echoing through the halls reminded him of his impending punishment; the cuffs on his neck, wrists, and ankles weighing heavier and heavier with each step. The chains brought back familiar memories of when he had been captured by Maura, setting his heart into a crazed rage because it reminded him also of Lina.

Lina…

She had been missing for over 1,000 years. One night: he asked for her hand in marriage, the next: she had disappeared with no trace, no evidence of kidnapping, and no way to explain to the prince how the one thing he felt in his life was most perfect for him was gone like a puff of smoke. The only remnant of her in the room was the ring he had given her for their engagement, left sitting on his desk with the story books they would read to each other every day.

He clenched his fists and closed his eyes as they entered the throne room. He pushed out the memories of Lina and tried to regain his composure. His anger that had developed because of her disappearance had brought him to a dark place, sparking a fire that would eventually engulf everyone that was in Loki's path. The additions of Thor's coronation and learning he was not Odin's son, but a frost giant, simply added fuel to the blaze in his mind.

He and the guards approached Odin in his throne.

Frigga stood to Loki's left on the side of the room, concern etched upon her face. She had been worried about him. When he had disappeared after Thor had made his return to Asgard, she had thought he was dead and her heart ached for her little boy. When she learned that he had returned to Midgard and of all of his schemes, she felt disappointment with him. In a way, though, she understood where his anger was coming from. With all of the truths that came out about his life as well as the loss of the woman he loved so dearly, his anger was somewhat justified.

"Loki," she called out to him, her hands fidgeting nervously.

"Hello, mother," he coolly replied, turning to her. "Have I made you proud?"

"Please don't make this worse," she pleaded. She wanted to reach out and take her son into her arms to not only reassure him, but also herself, that everything was going to be okay.

Loki's eyes narrowed as he replied, "Define worse."

"Enough," Odin's voice interrupted.

Loki turned to look at the All-Father as he continued, "I will speak to the prisoner alone."

Frigga took one last look at Loki before obeying her husband's orders, exiting through a door that was behind her.

He watched his mother leave, swallowed hard, then faced the All-Father once more. He stepped forward, mockingly smacking his heels together like a soldier standing at attention. The clang from his chains echoed throughout the large room.

Breaking the silence, Loki started to laugh to himself. "I really don't see what all the fuss is about."

"Do you not truly feel the gravity of your crimes?" Odin asked him, his face unwavering. "Wherever you go there is war, ruin, and death."

"I went down to Midgard to rule the people of Earth as a benevolent god," Loki explained, "just like you."

Odin shook his head. "We are not gods. We are born, we live, we die; just as humans do."

Loki bobbed his head back and forth as if pondering this new idea. Sarcastically, he added, "Give or take 5,000 years." He smiled smugly back at Odin.

"All this because Loki desires a throne."

Loki's expression turned cold and hard. He argued firmly, "It is my birthright."

"Your birthright," Odin shouted, leaning forward towards Loki, "was to die as a child…"

Loki's face grew softer, the words Odin were crafting together starting to get to him.

"…cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."

"If I am for the axe," Loki pleaded, walking towards Odin, "then for mercy's sake just swing it." He paused, then continued, "It's not that I don't love our little talks it's just…I don't love them."

"Frigga is the only reason you're still alive." He paused for a moment. "Your sentence is to stay in the dungeons, and what happens to you there will be decided on day-to-day basis. You may be tortured to no end either physically or mentally. You shall stay there until such a time where you can prove yourself worthy of your freedom."

Loki looked at the All-Father, slight fear etched in his features. The guards started to pull him away, taking him down to his fate in the dungeons.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

Thor walked towards the golden dome to pay a visit to Heimdall. It had been his routine nowadays that after he and his fellow warriors celebrated a victory, they'd eat and drink, and then he'd wander off to see Heimdall and discuss matters with him. Tonight was different now that Loki had been sentenced.

"Back again, Prince Thor?" Heimdall called out, not even needing to turn and see who was coming up behind him.

"I figured that after so many nights, you wouldn't be so surprised at my visits," Thor laughed, walking next to the lifted area where Heimdall stood. "How is she?"

He was referring to the mortal that he had met during his time on Earth. His heart longed for Jane Foster, although his father didn't approve of his feelings for her. To Odin, she was a waste of time for Thor to pursue because her life was so short. She wouldn't last anywhere near as long as Thor would in terms of age. It didn't matter to Thor. In all the years he had spent in Asgard, he had never felt the feelings he felt during the short time he was on Earth with Jane.

"She is doing fine. She longs for you dearly, though."

Thor looked down and sighed softly. The guilt he felt for not seeing her sooner deepened every time he heard Heimdall explain her efforts to find him.

"Aside asking about Miss Foster," Heimdall asked, turning towards Thor, "how do you feel about your brother's sentence?"

"If it is what Father thinks is best for him, then so be it."

Heimdall looked more definitely at Thor. "Is that how you really feel?"

Thor looked at him, hurt growing in his eyes. He walked over to the steps that led to where Heimdall stood and sat down, hanging his head in defeat. "I'm not sure. I know that he has so much fury buried within himself after everything that's happened. I still consider him my brother even though he may not see me in the same light."

"Do you think things would have been different if he had been allowed to wed?"

Thor smirked slightly and nodded slowly. "Indeed I do." It wasn't difficult to see that Lina's disappearance had a great effect not only on Loki, but on the entire household. Thor missed the person he considered to be a little sister to him. He kept her sword and bow with his personal possessions until such a time that she would return. He wanted to see his brother happy again, but even with the tricks Loki pulled on everyone in order to feel some satisfaction, Thor saw through the illusion. Loki was a broken man, a shadow of what he used to be. There was no denying the pain that he felt.

"You wish to find Princess Sparrow."

"It is an impossible task," Thor interjected. "She's been missing for so long. For all we know she could be dead."

"Or being hidden."

Thor furrowed his brow and looked up towards Heimdall. "Heimdall?"

"At one point," he began, "when I was looking down at Midgard for your Miss Foster, I sensed something. Something more powerful that what I'm used to seeing there. I haven't felt anything like that since the last time I kept watch over you and Loki."

"Do you think…?"

Heimdall closed his eyes and breathed in and out deeply. "It's very possible, but I'm not sure if it's true."

Thor looked around and stood up suddenly, making his way out of the dome. He stopped and turned to face Heimdall. "Not a word to anyone."