The first thing I realized was that I had the worst morning breath I could remember.

The second thing I realized what that I was conscious again.

Reality came rushing back to me and I pushed myself off the cold concrete floor. I was able to get into somewhat of a sitting position before my head protested painfully. Swearing, I tried to bring my hands up to massage my scalp, but they jerked to a halt about halfway to their destination.

Blinking blearily, my mind scrambled to figure out what was going on. It was then I realized that I was chained to the floor, zip ties tight against my thick wrists.

"A little overkill." I muttered grumpily, eyeing the empty room around me. I was trapped, it wasn't like my fat ass was going to turn into a ninja and suddenly jitsu my way out of there just because my hands were free.

That actually startled a laugh out of me, which I immediately regretted as my throat protested. It was not happy. Apparently being strangled, vomiting and deprived water for who knows how long was not good for your health. The more you know.

I looked to the door, waiting for the man from my dream to come in. People in movies always had it so easy- the bad guy always came in a moment or two after they woke up. Unfortunately, I had no idea how long my captor was going to make me wait.

I also had no idea what had happened. Or how a tree had brought me face to face with magic staff man. Or how that staff thingie had caused my vision thingies.

Yeah… apparently I had no ideas at all.

Wait, where was my camera?

I patted myself as best I could before realization sunk in. It was gone.

"Motherfucker." I hissed, slamming my fists against my cushy thighs. I had saved up for months for that, and now, on top of being chained in some madman's storage closet, I had lost it before getting to fill up my memory card. That was so unfair!

But life didn't seem to care how much of a bitch she was being, because my camera didn't suddenly appear and neither did my captor. So I just sat there, fuming, and half of my face throbbing. I hated to think what my socket looked like after the abuse it had suffered, not that it normally was a pretty sight.

I had been born with only one eye, and had reconstructive surgery as a baby to make a cavity large enough to fit a glass prosthetic into. Goodness knows who made that call considering my mother had fled from the hospital as soon as she shot me out of her vagina. Sure, I had been bullied about it as a kid, but even if I had two working peepers, I'm sure being a fat ginger would have probably given my classmates plenty of ammunition.

Thoughts of my childhood really made me crave the slurpees I used to get on the walk home from school, and I was reminded of exactly how thirsty I was, and just how bad my mouth tasted. If I had known my day on the town was going to end with fountaining up my breakfast shake, I would have packed mints.

But alas, I had no drink and no way to freshen my rancid breath, so I just sat there for hours, wondering if maybe I was still in the dream I had this morning.

Finally, the door swung open, and he was standing there. If I thought he was intimidating when we were both standing, he was a million times more terrifying from my position on the floor.

"You are human." He said, sounding both disappointed and disgusted at the same time. I was kinda impressed at the amount of loathing he could fit into four syllables.

"Put that together yourself?" What was I thinking? And why was I mouthing off to the man I had seen kill me every night for the past quarter of a year?

"I had my doctor examine you." He raised an eyebrow at my confused expression, now looking ever so suave and pleased with himself. "I have one or two under my thrall, and they all confirm it. You're from Midgar. You're just a lowly, weak," with every word he took another step into the room and I felt myself shrink inside. "ignorant, useless human." Now he was directly in front of me, and it took everything in me not to tremble in terror. This was a dream. It wasn't real. He wasn't real-

He grabbed my bruised face, cutting off my denial. "So how is it a mere human is having visions of things she couldn't know anything about?"

"I..I don't know." I sputtered, entranced, panicky and feeling the urge to vomit again. "I don't even know who you are!"

At this he drew himself up to his full height, for all the world looking like a peacock as he displayed his proud plumage. "I am Loki Laufeyson. I am a god, and I am burdened with glorious purpose. And y-"

"Wait, Loki the norse god? Like.. the trickster?"

His eyes narrowed minutely, "You're familiar with Norse mythos?"

"A bit," I answered tritely. "But those are myths, not reality."

He bent down again and his inhumanly beautiful face was too close to mine. "You'd be surprised how much of what isn't supposed to be, actually is truth."

"Oh," I was quiet for a moment before I felt my goddamn mouth run off again. "But isn't it awkward that your dad rides your horse baby around?"

I felt the impact of his slap before I even knew he moved, and my face slammed into the floor. Groaning, I sat up and wiped blood from my nose. Why was I such an idiot? Did I have a death wish?

"You will be careful how to speak to your god, you ignorant wretch! I could end your life the same way you would crush an ant!"

"Then why haven't you?" I hissed, tired of the dramatics. I liked to think of myself as a practical girl- after all, I had lived on my own since I was seventeen, but I couldn't help but feel like if this guy was going to kill me, he might as well get it over with and let me go up to the big cheese in the sky, or whatever there was up there.

To my surprise, he started chuckling. I made no effort to hide my confusion, but that only seemed to add to his mirth. "I think you might be useful, you disgusting beast. These visions, or whatever you have, could be the very thing I need to complete my plans. So be a good girl, and cooperate, and I won't have to harm you." The offer didn't seem so bad, but then I saw him raising that damned staff again. I sent him a begging look, but it didn't even slow him from pressing the tip to my chest.

A woman with short red hair spoke urgently to a man with glasses. He looked normal, but green seethed violently just below his skin.

Several very muscled men and the woman talked in a room while someone in an eye patch yelled.

Explosions. Fire. The glasses man writhing on the floor, frame rippling and buckling.

A green giant ripping through a narrow hall.

There was a snap, and the deluge of images stopped. I hiccupped violently as I tried to catch my breath, unnerved by Loki's gaze boring into me.

"So very interesting," He murmured, his expression reminding me of when a cat had caught a mouse and was playing with it. "You resist my thrall, but you show me a lovely prophesy each time. One would think fate has given me a little gift." The point of his staff passed my face and he poked at my mass of red curls. "You'd think fate could wrap it a little prettier, but I suppose one shouldn't be picky." He smiled wolfishly at me, teeth white, perfect and menacing. My mind was filled with the image of him biting into my heart again, but luckily he wasn't privy to this particular flash.

His long, cool fingers stoked the side of my face, jolting me from my traumatize reverie. Startled, I tried to jerk back, but his hand fisted in my hair and pulled me close.

"Tell me, who is the woman you saw?"

"I don't know." I spat, trying to keep my voice steely.

"What is this metal beast they are on? Their agents have told me nothing of it."

"I don't know. Maybe you didn't ask them clearly enough!"

With that he let me go and stood, looking enlightened. "Perhaps I didn't." He strode to the door, armored boots barely making any sound against the stone floor. But before he left, he paused in the entrance. "You were a good girl, and I always reward my pets when they obey." With that he snapped, and a goblet of water appeared in front of me. I snatched it up and gulped it down without a moment's hesitation. By the time I finished, the door was already closed and he was gone.

"Well," I murmured to myself. "I guess its nap time."

The sudden slamming of a door shocked me from my sleep, and for a moment I was deliriously confused as to why I was on a stone floor, and why I hadn't had any dreams.

Oh yeah, I was the captive of a Norse god of trickery. That had happened.

I looked to the entrance of my room and saw Loki standing there, with his slick black hair and enraged eyes looking like death himself come to greet me.

"Something wrong?" I murmured sluggishly.

"It is called the helicarrier."

"Is that supposed to mean something?"

"I inquired about your vision to Agent Barton," I got the sinking feeling I owed this Agent Barton an apology. "He gave me quite the detailed description. Apparently it's nigh invulnerable."

"Oh, well that sucks."

He raised his eyebrow and I realized what this all meant. "You're going to poke me again."

He cocked his head to the side, and shot me such a debonair look I felt my heart flutter. This man-god-thing was deadly. "If you don't mind?"

I sighed and sat up. "Guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Not at all."

He stepped forward, then gold mental touched my skin and my mind was rushing off again.

The muscled men and woman argued, each one yelling louder than the other. Except for one who was snacking on something that looked delicious.

A man in a blue uniform played video games on his council.

Another man in the same uniform lay down in his cot

A woman ate oatmeal slowly, dreading another long day at the helm.

Just like before the visions stopped without warning, and I crashed into the present like an alcoholic that was texting and driving. I didn't know how I was having these strange dream-visions every time he poked me, but I did know that Loki was not happy.

"Are you testing me?" I shook my head earnestly, heart pounding yet again, but his look of undiluted fury did not fade. "If you want to live, I advise you do not show me such useless drivel!"

"I don't even know how I'm doing this!" I argued back. Yup, I was insane. I had to be. "Let alone how to control them! What do you want from me?"

His answer was to jab me in the chest again. I was pretty sure I was bleeding from the shallow scratch, but I couldn't protest before I was whisked away. For the umpteenth time.

The muscled men and woman argued, each one yelling louder than the other. Except for one who was snacking on something that looked delicious.

A man in a blue uniform played video games on his council.

Another man in the same uniform lay down in his cot

A woman ate oatmeal slowly, dreading another long day at the helm.

"No, no, no!" He hissed. I was sure this was the moment where he would reach out and end me, but instead his hand fisted in my scarlet ringlets, and he pulled me up as much as the chain would allow. "Show me something useful!" Another jab, and yet again the same vision played itself, like a youtube video on repeat. After that, more jabby, and more of the same show. And then another. "SHOW ME!"

Sharp, white teeth buried themselves in the crook between a pale neck and shoulder. My shoulder.

Loki, towering over me yet again; me on my knees with his long, elegant fingers in my hair as he pulled me toward the juncture of his legs.

My bare back, mottled with bruises and hand prints, sheets bunched about my waist as I moved rhythmically above the Norse god on an ornate bed.

His hand wrapped around my throat as tears dripped down my scratched face.

Just like all the others, this vision ended abruptly, and I was left looking up into the eyes of the man I had just seen molest me.

I promptly threw up again.

This time Loki had the wherewithal to take a step back and avoid my Technicolor shout. He looked just as displeased as I felt, only less pukey. He waited patiently until I finished retching, before his staff connected sharply with my ribs. I collapsed in a heap, barely missing the still warm mass of vomit.

"Do not flatter yourself, human. I could have any goddess or Midgardian I want, and you are by far, the least appealing I have ever met."

"No problems," I wiped my mouth and tried to lean away from my mess. "I'm happy to be over here in the unattractive zone." Who knew that being chubby, tall, ginger Cyclops would work out for me? "Maybe these things are faulty?"

He gave me another one of his looks, this one halfway between being amused and wanting to gut me. Then again, for this mad man, maybe there wasn't a line between those two notions.

"I advise you pray to whatever deity you believe in, because next time I will be less than patient should you become so off-track." And with that he whirled out. He didn't even give me any water this time. That was disappointing.

Sighing, I realized that I was going to be stuck for hours right next to a quickly congealing pool of my breakfast. That was unacceptable. With a grunt, I shrugged my over shirt down my arms until it pooled around my wrists. Then, I sat back and tucked my feet into a crease in the fabric, pushing until the sleeves ripped and I was able to tear a large part of the fabric off. I wiped up what I could with my scrap, and tried to push the rest farther away from me. Once I did all that I could, there was nothing I could do but sit as far away as my chains would allow and try to think about anything else. After a few hours of mindless wondering, my eyes settled closed.

This time I woke slowly and naturally, feeling remotely better after my second mini-nap. I wondered briefly how much time had passed. It couldn't have been more than a day and a half, but it was hard to tell. Surely by now someone would notice I was gone? I didn't have a significant other, or any real close friends, but certainly work would say something when I missed my second shift in a row. That had to be coming up soon. What if they called?

Called? My cell phone!

Hope rushed through me as I patted myself down, holding my breath that somehow the 'god' who held me captive had messed up. I knew it was next to impossible, and I was sure I wouldn't find anything, but I felt a surge of joy rush through me when my hand alighted on something rectangular and hard tucked into my bra.

For the first time in my life I was grateful I had cleavage large enough to hide a smart phone, and I giddily pulled it out from its hiding spot. The battery was almost dead, but I couldn't have been happier. Moving faster than I ever had before, I quickly dialed 911.

"911, what is your eme-"

"I've been kidnapped! I'm being held hostage-"

"M'mam, calm down."

"Calm down?" I snapped. "Listen, I will calm down when I stop getting stabbed in the chest. Now I don't know where I am, but I'm pretty sure I have a broken cheekbone and it's only going to get worse, so why don't you use your fancy gps satellites and get me out of here."

I expected the lady to retort again. What I did not expect was for the phone to suddenly burst into flames in my hand. Screeching, I threw it across the room and watched in terror as it sizzled and popped. I wasn't sure how, but I knew that Loki had done that. Which meant he knew that I had tried to make a call.

I was in trouble.

Sure enough, the door to my prison slammed open, and Loki filled the space once more. How could one slim man be so frightening?

"You idiotic little cretin." He hissed, stepping in and closing the door behind him. If I wasn't already petrified, that definitely scared me. He had never shut the door prior. "I extend my mercy to you and you repay me with betrayal?"

This time it was his boot that lashed out and it caught me in the shoulder. I went down hard, and couldn't hold back a yelp. But the strangled sound was interrupted as he slammed his staff into my back, knocking the air from my lungs.

Gasping, I rolled over to face him, arms up to protect myself. I should have known better because the staff came down again, sharp blade slicing at my arms. They were shallow cuts, but enough to make me scream and drop them. Whimpering, I made no move to protect myself as the staff came towards my chest.

Loki walked down a hall, escorted by several soldiers on either side.

A man in a suit leveled a weapon at the dark haired god.

The blond man with the beard dove into the glass cage.

An older woman who shone with golden light looked down from an ornate balcony, a piece of broken green and gold armor in her hand.

Loki's fingers grabbed at my love handles, squeezing harder and harder until red rose to the surface around his nails.

Reality hit just as hard as my captor did, and I half gasped, half panted and I tried to get my breathing back on track.

To my surprise, Loki was still and his expression was neutral. I waited for several seconds for his angry outburst at another useless vision, before I realized his attention wasn't on my face at all. Following his gaze, I noticed his eyes were cemented firmly on my chest.

In our struggle my cammi had slipped far below my bra-line, leaving pretty much the entire top part of my cleavage exposed. Now normally I wasn't really the kind of girl who had to deal with negative male attention, but I suddenly knew very much that I did not like it.

I moved my arms to cover my breasts, but a jab from the staff into my shoulder froze me in my tracks. Then slowly, achingly slowly, he dragged the sharp point of the staff down, catching at the neck of my undershirt and continuing to pull it lower.

I closed my eyes, my heart pounding so hard I'm surprised it didn't break my own ribs. I could feel him reveal my bra completely, I was very much regretting that I didn't wear my normal three sports bras I did when I worked at the diner. Any sort of extra protection against his baleful gaze would have been much appreciated. I was technically still fully clothes, but I felt vulnerable and helpless. When I was fairly certain I was about to cry, the staff stilled. I froze as well, unable to move a muscle or even breathe until Loki made his move.

He stood there silently for what seemed like an eternity, then the staff's pressure was gone and so was he.

I jolted up, covering myself once again, but nothing could stop the sickly feeling in my stomach. I had to get out. And soon.