"Hey big guy," a girl I kind of recognized answered the door. Her eyes found me and the typical jolt of shock betrayed her fear. "Ah… you brought your brother. I don't think Jane knows…"

Thor clapped me harshly on the back. "He won't be trouble."

The girl didn't look convinced. But she let me in. I looked her deep into the eyes, she was probably fearful but it was hard to tear my eyes away. She was truly beautiful.

Jane leapt into Thor's arms, blahblahblah. It was so utterly revolting I nearly fell into a chair in disgust. Fortunately she was so distracted she didn't notice me creeping in the corner. Now that was a reaction I'd like to see.

The girl from the door tugged on my arm hastily, dragging me into another room. The only thing that kept me from smacking her away was shock. How dare she, a midgardian, attempt to drag Loki! But my head was a warzone, my mind a frenzy, memories were flying back. I repeated the breathing exercises my therapist, Drajon, taught me.

"Who do you think you are?" I growled, almost allowing myself to convert into my asgardian clothing. The helmet included. But I wasn't going to let that happen, at least on the first day.

"Darcy Lewis. We haven't officially met." Her hand stuck out expectantly, but I was unfamiliar with the ritual that ensued. We clasped hands and pumped up and down, then released.

"I'm Loki… Loki Laufeyson." The name sounded foreign in my mouth.

"I know who you are."

"Is that so?"

"Yep."

She was so breathtaking, I couldn't even stand it. I'd never fallen in love before – actually, that was quite a lie. I tried to forget those times, burn them from my memory; I wish my retina could blind every image of her beauty that constantly entranced me. Those were the days I remembered in only black and white, the days I were happy.

A loud cry sounded from the room over. "WHAT?!" someone exclaimed. The voice was too high pitched to be Thor's. "WHY?!"

Whispered conversation. Muffled explanation.

"I DON'T CARE! HE DESTROYED NEW YORK!"

What happened after that is hard to remember. I hit the floor, the bump on my head proves it. Red colored my vision, my mind was a bloody battlefield and one of the harshest panic attacks I'd ever experienced consumed me, overtook my body until I was lying fetal and crooked on the carpet, three people whom I really disliked lurched over me, seeing me practically naked with vulnerability.

Trigger words.

I sat up, head whirling, vision dancing. "Please." My voice was low and less than a whisper. "Take me home."

I felt so bare, like my skin had been peeled, the layers that I had tried hiding for so many years were finally revealing themselves.

I didn't go home. Not like I was surprised. I guess I passed out after that, since I woke in a bed, darkness cloaking the room. I'd been out awhile.

The door creaked open. "Go away, brother," I croaked, my voice thick with languid sleep.

"It's um, not Thor."

"Darcy?" I asked hopefully.

"Uh, not really."

"Oh, joy."

The petite brunette seated herself cautiously on the edge of the bed. I didn't bother sitting up, instead buried myself further amongst the blankets.

Silence enveloped the both of us until I spat out, "What?!"

"I wanted to apologize."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. For making you freak out."

I glared at her through the darkness. Quickly she amended her words. "No, I mean, um, for giving you a panic attack. You didn't… deserve that."

"That statement… sounds falsified," I snickered.

"No one deserves a panic attack."

"Is that so?"

"You say that a lot."

I had to bite my tongue to not reply with it.

"Anyways, I'm going to bed… I just wanted to apologize. Tomorrow we're going to the amusement park, you should definitely join us."

Amusement. I wasn't in the mood for amusement.

Softly, she closed the door behind her, silk robe billowing after her tiptoeing footsteps creaking through the hallway.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"UP!" Thor cried, cheerful. Sunlight streamed eagerly through my window, a nice change. I stretched and leapt out of bed, feeling energized. A night away from Odin was rejuvenating. My body felt different. The weight that was usually cinched to my back felt like it'd been... cut off. I felt utterly bare and utterly free

"WILL YOU BE JOINING US, BROTHER?" Thor shouted, much too loud, the house quaking beneath his roars.

Creeping down the stairs quietly, I followed his voice until happening upon a table full of three sleepy midgardians and one pancake flipping asgardian. "I'm in no mood." But truly, my mood was soaring. Maybe it was seeing sunlight again. Maybe it was being around people, instead of a cell, instead of locked away in my bedroom, instead of hiding in fear of those who loathed me.

"C'mon, it'll be fun," Darcy urged. Even lounging in pajamas, no makeup adorning her clear skin, she was flawless.

"Eric, are you going?"

"Too much work to do."

The eyes returned to me. What better did I have to do? "Fine."

Excitement gleamed in Thor's eyes; he flipped a pancake my way and I caught it.

Why was I… happy?

What was this feeling?