I felt his thumb brushing against my cheek and his fingers in my hair while I slept. And so soft and tender. Granted, I don't consider myself Kilgrave's number one fan, but he did remind me a lot of my dear Loki.

Slowly, I opened my eyes only to find Kilgrave's face aglow, "Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?"

"I did," I rubbed my eyes, "You?"

"Couldn't have slept better," he kissed my forehead and pulled me closer, "Lay with me for a while."

"My pleasure," I cuddled into his chest. I couldn't get used to cuddling with Kilgrave. He was too hot.

"Are you alright?" Kilgrave put his hand to my forehead, "You're drenched in sweat. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were running a fever."

"You put off a lot of body heat, sir," I pointed out, "My last boyfriend was practically a walking ice cube."

"Not used to warmth, are you?" Kilgrave held me against his chest, "Get used to it. You're not going anywhere. Not without me by your side."

Wow. I knew I was supposed to hate this guy, but I was really started to get Stockholm Syndrome for him. All he wanted was to be loved. I knew someone who was just like that. And I fell in love with him. My heart was still his, though. I couldn't turn my back on Loki if I wanted to.

"What about when I go to meet up with Jessica?" I wondered.

"Then, I shall keep my distance," he assured, "But not too far. I wouldn't want you to get away from me."

"Why would I want to get away from you, sir?" I turned the charm up. I could tell he was starting to fall from me. It was almost a little too obvious.

"Some people think me a bad man," Kilgrave admitted, "But some people make me that way."

"I don't think you're a bad man," I smiled a little, "I think you were forced into a bad situation and you're just making the best of it."

"What makes you say that?" he looked at me, distrusting.

"I'm really good at reading people…" Even better at reading their files.

"Are you?" he grinned, "Tell me. What was your first impression of Jessica?"

"Stubborn," I chuckled, "But fragile. Like she could kick my ass, but it wouldn't take much to tear her apart."

"Very good…" Kilgrave praised, "But you shouldn't speak of her like that. Jessica is a remarkable woman. Not remarkable enough to fight someone like me out of her head, but still. Are you meeting up with her today?"

"I can."

"I want you to," he ordered, "I want you to become best friends with her."

"She doesn't strike me as the type that keeps best friends around," I cringed.

"It won't be an easy task," he empathized, brushing the hair out of my face, "You can do it, though. I know you can."

"How do you know?"

"Because I told you to," Kilgrave gave me a kiss and pulled me out of bed, "You do have her phone number, yes?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "She gave it to me yesterday."

"I want you to set up a meeting with her," he demanded.

Without a second thought, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and did exactly as I was told. I shot Jessica a text, asking her to meet me at the coffee shop down the street from where Kilgrave was keeping me. I looked around for my new best friend and found her in a secluded corner. I guess one could take the girl away from the Kilgrave, but it's hard to take the Kilgrave out of the girl.

"Hey," she stood up, quick like a bunny, "Is everything ok?"

"It's just Kevin," I acted, taking a napkin out of the holder and a pen from my purse, "I had a hard time sleeping without him."

Everything's fine. I need you to do me a favor, though.

"I can only imagine," she empathized, "This must be a very hard time for you."

What do you need?

"It is," I sighed, "Have you found anything?"

I need you to report to SHIELD for me.

"No real leads yet," she looked down at the paper in pure disgust. No way in hell. I've been approached by SHIELD before. They've threatened me with a full time job. We have history.

"Maybe you could check with our building manager," I lured her into Kilgrave's trap. I need you to get a message to a particular freelance agent.

"What would the building manager know?" Who?

"Kevin knows the building manager. They're practically friends." His name is Loki. If you drop my name around him, you'll instantly gain his trust.

"Kevin has friends?" Why would namedropping make him trust me so quickly?

"Of course he does. He's such a wonderful man once you meet him. I miss him so much…" He trusts my judgment.

Jessica gave me a look. Let me guess. Boyfriend? The real one? Not Kilgrave?

I couldn't hold back a smile if I wanted to. Yeah. And in case you didn't pick that up, he'll be waiting for you when you get to our apartment, so you may want to take Loki with you.

"I'm looking forward to meeting your Kevin," she cringed, "I'm sure he's a sweetheart."

"You know," I put the pen back in my purse, "I feel like that if you and I were to have met under normal, regular circumstances, we would've been best friends."

"Trust me," Jessica assured, "You don't want to be best friends with me. My best friend barely wants to be around me."

"Come on, Jessica," I whined, "Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I should probably be going," she got up, "Text me the address of your building and I'll be around there later."

"And that favor?"

"On my way now," Jessica grumbled.

"Thank you, Jessica," I beamed, "Give him a kiss for me."

"No."

"Fair enough," I nodded, "He wouldn't have accepted it from you anyway."

"Look," she whispered, "The fact that I'm going to SHIELD HQ in the first place is a stretch. If I didn't want Kilgrave's head on a platter, I wouldn't be going in at all."

"I really do appreciate it, though," I assured, "Call me later."

"I will."

Jessica and I went our separate ways and I went back to Kilgrave's place. I had nothing better to do today. I had a feeling, though, that he'd be pissed that I didn't come back with Jessica on my hip. Although, I do feel like she and I became a little closer.

"How was errand running, my dear?" Kilgrave called out from the couch.

"I have a new best friend, sir," I sat next to him and curled into his ribs the way I knew he liked, "Jessica and I are definitely closer."

"And how's the search for Kevin going?"

"She was sensing a dead end," I reported, "But I told her that my dear, sweet Kevin was good friends with the doorman in our building. She'll be here either later today or tomorrow."

"That's my girl," he praised, "You're doing very well, darling."

"Are you proud of me, sir?"

"Of course I am," Kilgrave held me against his chest, "I couldn't be prouder. Dinner?"

"Yes, please."

I was rather hungry. I felt like I hadn't eaten all day. Kilgrave always took me to this little Thai place, but every time, he ordered Italian. And it was always dark. Outside, inside. Did no one know how to turn a damn light on? Would it kill them? Did they not pay their light bill or…?

"Are you alright?" he asked, "You're distant."

"Fine," I snapped back, "I'm ok. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be distant."

"You should eat something," he worried, "I need you to keep your strength up. You're going to help me take down Jessica Jones. I'll need all the help I can get. And besides, you two are friends now, right?"

"Of course, sir," I nodded, "Best friends."

"That's my girl," Kilgrave traced his finger down my jaw line, "How shall I reward you?"

I could see it in his eyes. I was starting to lose him. I had to lay it on as thick as I could, "Merely being with you is reward enough for me. I love you."

And I had him back. The stars in Kilgrave's eyes sparkled again, "And I love you, darling…"

Little did he know, I wasn't talking to him. Oh, no…I was talking to the gentleman with the piercing green eyes and the jet black hair and the smug, little smirk on his face, blowing me kisses in the corner.

"Excuse me, sir," I stood up, "I need to use the bathroom. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure," he allowed, "Go."

"Thank you," I bowed to him and left for the bathrooms. I pulled myself together. I needed to suppress any feelings of love I had right now. Kilgrave didn't need to know what the real thing looked like. Or, even worse, find out those feelings weren't for him.

"Excuse me," a striking, dark haired woman walked in. She looked like she could kill a man with her high heels and walk away from the scene of the crime with bloody footprints, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I shook her off, almost hypnotized by her beauty, "I should be getting back to my boyfriend now."

"He's not your boyfriend," she assumed, "Your heart belongs to another, doesn't it?"

"Does the name Kilgrave mean anything to you?" I screened her.

"Who?"

"The man I was with," I explained, "Have you ever seen him before?"

"Not before tonight," the woman grabbed my face, pushing her lips as hard as she could against mine. Almost immediately, I jumped back, "What's wrong?"

"I've never met you before," I freaked, "And here you are, kissing me in the ladies' room?"

"Are you really that blind, darling?" she chuckled, sealing the door, "Together for two years and you still can't see through my magic?"

The beautiful woman in front of me turned back into the gorgeous demigod I knew and loved. I threw myself back into his kiss, "I missed you so much…"

"As I you, my love," Loki cradled me in his arms, "Are you alright? He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

"No," I assured, "Kilgrave's been the perfect gentleman to me. Have you talked to Jessica yet?"

"Who?" Loki gave me a look, thinking it over, "Oh! You mean the woman that came into SHIELD headquarters today! Yes. We've met. She doesn't like me."

"Not many people do," I giggled, "Lot of people hold grudges for what you did in New York."

"I've grown since then!" Loki whined, "Isn't humanity all about forgiveness and second chances?"

"Not all of them," I smiled up at him, "But sometimes, you find the rare few that can forgive and forget what you've done."

"Like you?"

"Like me," I nodded, "Now, as much as I'd love for you to take me back to the tower, I have work to do."

"Please be careful," Loki held me tight against his chest, "I love you."

"I love you, too," I could feel the blood rush to my face and Loki's lips on the top of my head. I didn't want to go. The last thing I wanted was to let go of him. The thought of going back to the likes of Kilgrave made my stomach turn. I just wanted my Loki back. Our room in Avenger Tower. Cuddling on our bed while he reads me Shakespeare. But no. I had to go earn the trust of a raging sociopath like Kilgrave…

A/N: Hi, guys! Sorry I didn't update last week. I had other things going on. First of all, happy new year! I hope this year is better than the last. I really and truly do. Anyway! Next order of business! This ENTIRE story, like every other story I've posted on this website, is just the toxic waste of my imagination. The only review (So far. For some reason, the website's not letting me see any of my new reviews. Anyone else having this problem?) says that this would be amazing if it wasn't with an OC. But here's my reason for that. Notice that said OC doesn't have a name? That's because this is PURELY READER FIC. The reader gets the experience of being "controlled" by Kilgrave, of being in a relationship with Loki, of being a SHIELD agent. YOU are the MC. YOU are the OC. If that's so wrong, then that's just too bad. See you crazy kids next chapter. xx

PS: If you could leave any and all reviews in my inbox, that'd be great. For some ungodly reason, I can't get any reviews in their usual spot. Hey, FictionPress! If you're reading this? Think you could get on that? Thank you!