Hey! Thanks for making it to the second chapter! The title is based off the song by Bon Jovi. Hope you like this one!

"He's bad alright," Katarina confirmed, swallowing the last gulp of Sprite. "He's also an asshole."

Tony snorted. "Really? The whole 'take over the world, make you my slave' thing didn't give that away?"

Katarina stuck her tongue out at her godfather. The door to the conference room slid open with a soft whooshing sound and Thor sauntered in, grinning.

"Katarina from the Land of Sunder!" Thor bellowed and Kat crouched down defensively, half expecting the god to step on her. He was massive. And she thought Steve was built? Holy crap.

"How do you do?" she squeaked, glancing at Tony for support. The man was laughing hysterically.

"Magnificently! Your director has been explaining the concept of internet to me. What wonders you mortal possess!"

Katarina noticed that Thor didn't say 'mortal' with contempt, but with loving exasperation. Like a well-loved pet that kept getting itself into trouble.

Tony tapped Thor's swollen bicep and said, "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." Thor raised his eyebrows, no doubt convincing himself not to actually flatten the normal-sized mortal. Kat decided she liked Thor; he reminded her of a golden retriever she had when she was a kid. Tony turned and motioned to Katarina as she slumped into one of the high-backed leather chairs.

"That brother of yours seems to have ruffled Kitty's fur," Tony observed. Kat glared at him but didn't deny it.

"You have spoken with Loki?" Thor looked concerned.

"Don't call me 'Kitty,'" Kat told Tony. She turned her soft brown eyes on Thor and said, "Yeah, I did. I can't see how you two are related."

The God of Thunder frowned. "We are not of the same blood."

"So, he's got family issues? Big deal," Tony snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Join the club. We've all got 'em. I'm just trying to figure out where the rebellious-teen-stage turns into the rule-the-universe-stage." Kat put her Sprite can down long enough to massage her aching temples.

Loki wasn't too hard to figure out. He thought he was better than everyone, was jealous of his brother, and had unresolved dominance issues. But, for some reason, Kat couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to the dark-haired god. Especially since he had been captured and didn't seem too shaken up about it. Even when he had glared up at her, his eyes held such a sadness that Kat's heart constricted just thinking of it. That sadness…Kat had never seen it in any other case she had worked.

"He just let you guys capture him?" Kat asked for probably the fifth time.

Tony groaned, not wanting to repeat his story again. Although every time he retold the events he seemed to have a bigger role in Loki's capture.

"No, Kitty. I had to use brute force to knock him down. Captain Red-White-and-Blue was no help whatsoever. He stood there with the video camera, placing bets with Fury," Tony fibbed.

Kat rolled her eyes.

"I helped. I captured him, too," Thor added. Kat noticed that his eyes were the color of the sky in summer, not the stormy gray she had thought they would be. They were so bright and open, so different from his brother's piercing green gaze.

"Only after we caught him. You flew down in all your thunder and lightning and almost turned me into the Iron Pancake!" Tony protested, waving his hands around.

Thor threw himself into one of the chairs, the metal groaning under the sudden weight of the buff god. "You would be a lot quieter if I had."

"He'd probably find some other way to annoy the hell out of us," Katarina chuckled, taking the last gulp of her soda can.

Tony muttered dramatically about his resentment for "those comments." Thor stared at him, not comprehending what an "unappreciative ninny" is.

Katarina retreated into her own thoughts again as the two heroes argued heatedly. She tried to focus on the task at hand, on her new project. Tony had explained to her that Loki's motives weren't the only things she was tasked with uncovering. He had stolen an object from S.H.I.E.L.D that needed to be returned immediately. Kat didn't know what the object was or why Loki had taken it, but if Fury needed to know the location of it she would be damned if she didn't find out. She once had a serial killer tell her the places he hid two bodies without even realizing he had slipped up.

There was something about those chilling eyes that sent a shiver down Kat's spine. Loki was creepy and evil and wanted to turn her people into his slaves, but there had to be more than that. Those eyes held a depth that practically took Kat's breath away. Kat couldn't help the next thought in her mind: if he washed whatever was in his hair out, and stopped glaring and scowling so much, he might even pass for handsome.

Katarina shook her head and absently grabbed Thor's arm as he was about to take a swing at Tony.

"When are we heading home, Tony?" Katarina asked distractedly.

Tony frowned at the youngest member of the crew. "Everything alright, Kitty Kat?"

"Don't call me that," Kat said with little emotion in her voice.

"What if your assistance is necessary?" Thor inquired, not catching her mood.

Kat brushed stray hairs out of her eyes. "The world will still be burned a crisp after a night's rest."

Tony said, "Sounds like a plan. This place gives me the eebies."

"Why? Hard work and government operations?"

"You know me so well," Tony said, pretending to wipe a sentimental tear from his eye.

Thor scowled. "You are supposed to be watching my brother this evening, Stark."

"Watch him do what? Pace back and forth and sneer?" Tony shot back.

"Make sure he does not attempt to escape!"

"You think the death trap that will drop a trillion feet to the ground won't stop him?"

"Tony, let's go. My head is pounding," Katarina muttered, clutching the back of her neck and weaving past the two. She would probably raid Tony's liquor cabinet when he and Pepper weren't looking. The Sprite wasn't helping much no matter how much she tried to trick herself into thinking sugar was enough.

The tension in her shoulders only increased as she hurried down the hall and up a flight of stairs. Tony would take her home, where she would make cookies with Pepper and watch the news with JARVIS. All thoughts of the green-eyed god with a wicked smirk would vanish from her mind and give her a moment's rest to regroup.

Tony came up behind her, grabbing her by the elbow and steering her down the opposite hallway.

"Hey, where are we going?" she demanded, glancing over her shoulder.

"To the airstrip. You were going the wrong way," Tony explained. "The only thing down that way is Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Creepy himself."

Katarina slipped out of her room, wrapping a hair tie around the base of her freshly woven French braid.

"Can I help you, Miss Sunderland?" JARVIS asked in his automated tone.

Kat smiled softly into the darkness. "Actually, JARVIS, I just wanted to do some research. My work is bothering me."

"If there is anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask."

Kat patted the wall adoringly. "Thank you, Jarvis."

She padded down the hallway barefoot. She went into one of Tony's many living rooms in his Stark Tower residence and flopped onto the soft red couch, one of the electronic tablets situated on her lap. She tapped it to life.

"Who are you?" she whispered to the device, Google-ing the name 'Loki.'

"Tony Stark. I thought you knew that," Tony said from behind her. He leaned over the back of the sofa, his chin almost resting on her shoulder.

Katarina jumped so badly she almost dropped the tablet.

"Tony! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I was just…" She trailed off, glancing at the screen of the device.

Tony vaulted himself over the sofa and plopped down beside Katarina, taking the tablet from her.

"Can't crack him at all, huh, Kit-Kat?"

Kat sighed and rested her head on the older man's shoulder.

Four years ago, in the middle of her junior year of high school, Kat's parents died in a horrific car accident. Tony had set her up in a Los Angeles apartment not far from his Malibu address and Pepper had been kind enough to suggest her to a detective's office. At eighteen, she was able to taken on a full-time job with the LAPD as a criminal profiler. Tony was as much of a brother as she had ever known, considering what a disappointment her own brother was; Katarina loved Tony more than her own flesh and blood. Her father had been an engineer with Stark Industries for almost twenty years and worked closely with both Pepper and Tony himself. While Tony did not necessarily take on the full father-figure role, Kat still regarded him as the closest thing to family she had left.

"Yeah. I just can't break him. No one with that much resentment just gives up like he did. I've never met a person I couldn't read like a book or predict like a bad detective show," Katarina admitted.

"You're quite frightening," Tony agreed.

Katarina frowned, grabbing the tablet and beginning to read.

"There's not much on him, just Norse mythology," Katarina decided after reading for several minutes in silence. "And not much of this seems trustworthy. I somehow can't believe he actually gave birth to an octo-horse."

"Kinky bastard." Tony grimaced. "Maybe you should check with Blondie. I'm sure he could tell you more than Wikipedia will."

"Thor?" Katarina nodded. "That actually sounds like a good idea."

"Don't sound so surprised. I have plenty of good ideas."

Kat grinned. "Oh, yeah? How about that time-"

"Don't even go there, sister," Tony teased back.

She laughed and curled against his side. Tony smiled at her as she continued to scroll on the tablet, reading softly to herself. Eventually her words trailed off before ceasing altogether.

"What are these…wafers?" Thor asked, jabbing the food with his fork.

"Waffles," Katarina corrected, giggling.

Thor poked the waffle again. "What is it made of?"

"Some sort of batter. I'm really not sure but Pepper makes the best ones."

Thor picked the waffle up in one hand and stuffed the entire waffle into his mouth. Katarina shrugged, unfazed. She had a feeling Asgard didn't teach table manners alongside hammer-throwing and realm-ruling.

"Katarina, what did you request my presence for?" Thor asked, getting down to business.

Katarina sighed and pushed her plate out of her way, leaning forward on Tony's kitchen table.

"Tell me everything there is to know about Loki," she said.

Thor started, looking up for the first time from his breakfast. "Why are you so curious?"

"It is my duty," Katarina said automatically. She cleared her throat, thinking her next words out carefully. She had started to mimic Thor's proper tone, a subconscious trait she had learned from Natasha. "And he's…unsettling. I need to know, Thor. I need to know everything."

Thor leaned back in his chair, linking his hands behind his head. He regarded her with more than the concern Tony had the night before. The god knew something more was going on, but he blamed it on his brother's doing. Maybe he had used magic on the little mortal as he had on the Hawk.

"He has always been an odd character. Soft-spoken, mild-mannered, small and weak compared to Asgardians. I think he always knew deep down that he was different."

Katarina leaned across the table, kneeling on her seat, her eyes wide with interest.

Thor continued in his steady voice. "Our father took him from Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants. Loki is Laufey's blood son."

"Who's that?"

"The leader of the Frost Giants."

Thor let Kat mull over this information before continuing. All she could think was: no wonder he's so freaking tall.

"Loki is the reason I stepped foot onto your planet in the first place. I was banished, you see, and then Father fell into Odinsleep. That left Loki as king. He was power-hungry and ruthless. Katarina," Thor stared deep into Kat's eyes, making sure she heard every word, "he killed me so he could be king."

Kat started. "He killed you?"

"But I came back. Obviously," Thor smirked.

"Wait, hold on," Katarina held up a hand. "Loki killed his own brother, just so he could be in charge?"

"Indeed. And he will kill again, if given the chance." He pulled Kat's chin up. "We must not give him that chance."

Katarina swallowed hard, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

"I see the pity in your eyes, Katarina. I see the beginning of hope. You think you can change him, do you not?"

Kat glanced away, not wanting to admit it. Even serial killers repented for their sins sometimes. She had seen her fair share of homicidal loonies, and every single one was still human at his or her core. There was always hope for humanity even if there was no chance of redemption.

"He is manipulative, Katarina. Understand that he will do everything in his power to escape and rule your world. He cannot be changed."

Kat watched Thor's blue eyes dull with sadness. It hurt him to speak of his brother this way, but he wouldn't lie to her. Not about something so imperative.

"You think everyone can be rehabilitated," Thor's voice softened, "but Loki is beyond even your help."

Thor stood, patting her on the shoulder before exiting the room.

"Who is she?"

Natasha glanced up from her magazine. She was slouched low in her chair, her booted feet crossed at the ankle and propped up on the desk in front of her.

"Who is who?" she countered, feigning disinterest.

"That girl. The little brown-haired one. What does she want? What is she doing here?" Loki demanded, pacing.

Natasha shook her head. "I have no idea who you are talking about." Even though she knew he meant Kat.

The God of Lies grinned menacingly.

"Is she really that special to you? The Captain seems to adore her, and you share his sentiment?"

The red-head didn't reply.

"She's awfully loquacious."

"As you seem to be today," Natasha muttered testily.

"Can you at least tell me what her name is?" Loki balled his hands into fists, his green eyes flashing with irritation.

Natasha checked her watch and closed her magazine.

"It seems my shift here is done." She stood in one languid motion and began to walk away. "Why do you care what her name is?"

Loki cast his gaze to the ground. He didn't have a good answer for that. Ever since she had walked out the door, he couldn't seem to get her out of his mind.

"I do not care," Loki protested bitterly. He shook his head. Normally he was quick-witted enough to have a good response for this kind of conversation.

The door opened at that moment, letting in Thor and Katarina.

"You're off, Nat," Katarina said. "Get yourself a cappuccino or something. You look like hell."

Loki sighed and slumped to sit on the ground. He had to wait only a little while longer, but listening to these mortals was quickly grating on his nerves. With the presence of his brother, he could be sure he was in for another lecture on what Father would say.

"What, are we annoying you?" Kat directed her question at Loki.

He didn't reply, but instead shot daggers at her.

"Huh. If looks could kill," Kat muttered.

"Now, wouldn't that be a cool ability," Natasha mused. "Do you think I could have Stark get started on that?"

"After your coffee and a couple hours of sleep," Katarina laughed, ushering Natasha from the room.

"How's that woman of yours, brother?" Loki asked.

Thor tensed, fixing a cold stare on the imprisoned god.

"You sound jealous, dude," Kat teased.

Loki watched the young woman smile at Thor, flashing her white teeth. Thor reached over and ruffled her hair.

"As you can see," Thor waved his hand at Loki, "he is still here. Hurry along now. Doctor Banner and Stark wish to show you something. It is part of this wonderful magic you call 'science.'"

"Alright, alright," Katarina sighed. She turned to Loki. "Nice seeing you again, Loki."

Loki pressed his palm against the glass of his cell, watching the mortal woman leave.

"You do know my name."

Kat stopped at the sound of his quiet voice.

"Of course I do. I'm not as foolish as you think I am." She gave him a strange look. "My name is Katarina. And, for future reference, it's more polite to ask a woman directly for her name."

"You're screwed."

Katarina scowled, her dark eyes flashing. Of course, Natasha didn't say 'screwed,' but a similar word that started with an f.

"It's just a job. You know that," Katarina insisted as the two women walked down the corridor.

"Right. Then why did you volunteer for tonight's watch, even though Tony forbid you from taking watch alone?"

Katarina swore under her breath and Natasha grinned without humor. She had asked Fury personally to let her have a few watch shifts alone as it would help her become familiar with her subject. Needless to say they were keeping that a secret from Tony.

"I need to figure him out," Katarina fumed.

"You need to figure out why you care so much. Remember that rapist last year? It took you weeks to crack him and you didn't care this much," Natasha said.

"Oh, bug off, Natasha."

Natasha grabbed Katarina by the shoulder and shoved her into the wall. The Black Widow was only seven years Kat's senior but far stronger and much more intimidating than Kat would ever be.

"You listen to me, Katarina Alexandra Sunderland: Don't fall for his tricks. I see it in your eyes. You think he's worthy of redemption. He isn't. He took Clint-" Natasha broke off, wrenching away quickly.

"And if I don't crack him he'll take others. He'll take Tony and you and Steve and it will be all my fault because I didn't see it coming."

Katarina stormed into the room, leaving Natasha fuming in the hallway, only to find Loki staring straight at the door.

"It's three o'clock in the morning. Don't you ever sleep?" she demanded, still fired up.

Loki smirked. Her creamy skin was flushed dark pink with anger and frustration. Her eyes, almond-shaped but wide enough to be fully expressive looked inexplicably tired, dragged down by the desire for sleep. "I could ask the same of you."

Katarina's eyebrows shot up. "Meaning…what?"

"You are not sleeping well."

"What makes you say that?"

Loki's lips twitched higher. "I'm a god. I know lots of things."

"How old am I?" Katarina countered.

"Twenty."

"What's my favorite color?"

Loki full-on grinned. "Green."

Katarina sat down on the floor beside his prison. He had unnervingly gotten both questions correct. Lucky guesses, Kat thought to herself.

Loki didn't need to tell her that he had heard all of the information from a conversation between Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers earlier that day.

"You do know things. But you're not the only one. I know things about you, too," Kat retaliated.

Loki sat down, threading his fingers on his knees. He looked amused.

She said, "You're a Frost Giant."

Loki scowled, his smirk disappearing instantly. "Who told you that?"

"You're brother, err, adopted brother."

"If you think you're so smart, have you deciphered my next move?" He changed the subject easily, forging a less personal path of conversation. He knew she hadn't in any case. She would be gloating if she had. Or Fury would have killed him.

"Fair enough. I'm not sure. I know you have something planned, though."

"And whatever gives you that idea?"

"You gave up." Katarina leaned towards him. "You let them capture you. You hardly put up a fight."

"Maybe I've decided I can't beat your heroes." He could barely say the words before a devious grin spread across his face.

"I know you, Loki," Katarina stated with false bravado. "You wouldn't give up. Not for anything."

"You're wrong there," Loki countered. His green eyes held hers and Kat found that she couldn't look away. "I'd give in for the right reasons."

"And knowing you're going to lose isn't a good enough reason?"

Loki chuckled darkly. "How do you know I'm going to lose?"

Katarina rapped her knuckles lightly against the glass.

"You can't do much from your aquarium."

Loki frowned. "Aquarium?"

Katarina snickered. He was just like Thor in that way, not catching on to some of her words. Immortals, she scoffed mentally. "A glass container you keep fish in."

Loki wasn't sure if he should be insulted or not. Whatever these 'fish' were they couldn't be too bright if they were constantly trapped in such a place.

"What if I asked nicely?" she teased.

Loki raised his thin, dark eyebrows in response.

"Please, give up?" she offered.

Loki said, "I'm already in your custody."

"Pretty please?"

Loki stood up so he towered over her sitting figure. "Not even if you put a cherry on top."

"Hey!" Katarina beamed proudly, and Loki momentarily worried he had given up some vital piece of information. "Thor wouldn't have understood that. I'm quite proud."

Loki turned away from her glowing expression.

"I'll ask only one more question, then I'll let you sulk in peace," Kat said.

Loki heard the truth in her voice and sighed. "As you wish."

Kat scrambled to her feet, not nearly as graceful as Natasha Romanoff.

"Why are you doing this? And I want the truth. This can't just be a struggle to be Daddy's favorite. What motivates you, Loki?"

Loki heard the hard edge to her words. This was killing her that she didn't know everything about his mind, and he planned to use that to his full advantage.

"Your planet possesses a powerful weapon that could destroy all of Asgard. I'm merely protecting my realm. Your director plans on wiping out our entire race with his Tesseract." Loki's carefully weaved lie seemed to hit Katarina like a physical blow.

"The Tesseract?" Her voice sounded wary, even to her own ears. She weighed the word on her tongue, wondering exactly what kind of device had the power to do such damage.

Loki let his face turn into a mask of pity. "They haven't told you about it, have they? Maybe you should ask your dear director. And what his motives are."

Kat pursed her lips. "You're a liar. Why should I trust you?"

Loki shrugged, as if he didn't care whether she believed him or not.

"Why not? Your friends haven't been telling you the truth, and you trust them well enough."

Katarina scowled at the god. She turned her back on him and settled into one of the chairs across the room.

The two didn't speak for the duration of the night. She pointedly ignored him, but he watched her with piqued interest. The young woman didn't fear him like the others did. She stood up to him, went as far as to tease and test him. No one had ever done that, not even his own brother. All of her allies had shown fear when they faced the god. This simply won't do, he decided. He would have to make her afraid of him. After all, there was really nothing she could do for him. Except give information. If her specialty really was weaknesses then she must know that of her heroes…

Katarina glanced up and saw Loki grinning maliciously at his boots.

Lunatic, she thought, rolling her eyes.