Thor looked up and down the palace halls, searching for Jane eagerly.

"Jane!" he called as he caught sight of her, looking frazzled, and more than a little confused. But what was even more confusing for him, was the look of suspicion she gave him when he came rushing to her.

"Thor?" she asked cautiously, eyes narrowing to slits. He frowned. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be me?" Her face softened, and she shook her head absentmindedly. "Uh, no, no reason… um, anyway…where were you?!" she asked loudly, suddenly regaining her memory of why she had even come out there at night.

"I had been on a trip to Vanaheim to visit Hogun, and I returned only a few minutes ago. I was alerted by Heimdall that you were searching for me."

Jane went pale.

Heimdall!

How could she have been so stupid?! No, how could Loki have been so stupid? She didn't know much about Asgard, but she did know that the faithful gatekeeper could see anything and everything whenever he so wished.

So he could very well know exactly went on with her and the other god.

Thor glanced over Jane worriedly, and set a strong hand on her shoulder. "Jane, are you feeling alright? You look unwell. Perhaps a visit to the palace doctor would do you good-" "No, no. I'm fine. I'm…sort of fine… I…" she sighed. "You know what?" she put on a fake smile to reassure Thor, "I think I just need a rest."

Thor frowned again. "But were you not in search of me?" "I was just, you know, looking to see where you were. Nothing special." "Would you at least let me accompany you back to your chambers-" "What? Uh, no, I'm really okay, seriously."

With a small smile, she walked off to her room, leaving Thor standing, dumbfounded, in the hall.

Jane hurried back to her room, pulling her robes tighter against her body. She needed time to think, to calm herself down.

As she entered her chambers, she shut the golden door, making sure to latch it, and sat down on her bed.

"What's wrong, Miss Foster?"

His voice echoed all around her.

She rubbed her temples. "Go away, Loki!" "But I'm not even here," he tried playfully, his voice sounding from every which corner of the room. "You know what I mean," she sighed.

"What's the matter? You look burdened. Care to enlighten me?" "Why would I tell you what I feel? And, more importantly, why would you care?"

Loki seemed to scoff at this. "You didn't think I had my way with you, and simply left you alone, did you? My pet, that's incredibly disheartening, to say the least."

Jane could tell by the mischievous tone of Loki's voice that he was in a meddling mood, and that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She sighed.

"Did you find your Thor?" Loki asked. Jane laughed a little, closing her eyes. "Yes. I rushed off though."

Then, she immediately remembered what Thor had said about Heimdall. "Loki!" she suddenly cried. "What?" he asked, perturbed at her outburst.

"Did you even consider that Heimdall could be watching when you were… we were...you know…?" Loki materialized casually at the foot of her bed, making her jump, but paced the floor with an un-phased smirk.

"I find it endlessly amusing how careless you think I am. I pay exceptionally close attention to detail… you all of people should know that darling," he drawled, voice lowering to a husky growl as his eyes dropped lower down her body.

Jane suddenly felt underdressed, and covered herself with crossed arms. "No need to be insecure, I'd say we're past that…" he whispered, and Jane huffed. "Did I ever ask for this to happen?!" Loki stayed silent, so Jane took that as queue to continue, "No. Exactly. So why are you still here?"

Loki remained quiet for a few seconds, eyes uncharacteristically averting hers. His jaw clenched noticeably, and Jane raised an eyebrow curiously as to why the cocky god had grown so silent. "What?" she asked cautiously. He looked up, his head jerking up to bring his leering eyes down to hers.

"You let me take you. Eventually, you did. I said before that I wanted something of my brother's…. I was not saying so merely out of lust, Jane." Her eyelids fluttered as she heard how her name sounded coming from him, as it was the first time he had said it. Now it was her turn to look away.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly. Loki felt a sudden air of confidence, and with a whisk of his wrist, he was right next to her. "I am prepared to do most anything to remain what I am right now- not your friend, not your acquaintance… but your lover." Jane shivered.

Her lover? Is that what he was now?

"I don't care what it takes, if we must arrange secret meetings at night, so be it. I will have you, Jane Foster. I've never felt this way about anyone before."

She let that all sink in as she fell back into her bed, sinking down in the plush Asgardian pillows. "I…I don't know," she said weakly, conflicted between her better judgement and what her body told her she knew she wanted.

Finally, she opened her mouth again. "Why me? I mean, what about that… Sif woman? She's gorgeous, strong, powerful, so why me? I'm just… just a regular, plain scientist from Earth," she said, saying the last word as if it were the worst location in the universe, "I mean… why choose me when you're surrounded by beautiful goddesses?! Like, literally, goddesses."

Loki sighed, as if he were repeating himself to a helplessly non-retaining child. "Because I want you. Would you like me to forget about you, leave after another woman?" Jane felt herself react almost immediately. "No!"

She blushed furiously. "I mean… no." Loki smirked slightly at her reaction, but stayed dead serious as he addressed the possibility of their secret relationship.

"I will pay a visit to the watchful gatekeeper. Until then, sweetling- call if you need me."

Then he disappeared again, leaving Jane to groan and hit the pillow.