Chapter 3

"I said get back here! What the hell is your problem, comin' up like that after I specifically told you not to?!"

Becca was seething, so angry that she literally shook from the rage of it all. Now this stranger she only knew as Loki knew all about her poor mother upstairs!

Said object of her wrath was currently sitting at the kitchen table once again, staring at the plates in front of him with the remnants of breakfast still on them. Loki didn't say anything at first, the image of Becca's mother still playing out in his mind.

After a few moments more of her screeching at him and telling him what a bastard and how horrible he truly was, Loki finally lifted his head and gave her a droll stare. "Yes, well screaming at me won't change the fact that it's done and now over with, now will it?"

Becca stopped, mouth open slightly before she narrowed her eyes and glowered at the man. "You've got some nerve don'tcha? Lettin' you stay here and then you've got the nerve to-" Her words were quickly cut off.

"I apologize," He stopped for a moment, contemplating his next words before speaking again. "I…It was not my intention to cause you or your mother grief or pain." Loki shook his head, cursing silently. He was Loki of Asgard! He didn't feel... Well that was just it, he didn't feel for these pathetic creatures. He never had! Now, in the short span of less than two days, he was reduced to being powerless as well as feeling foreign emotions for these beings.

Green eyes looked up and blinked as he saw the woman called Becca storm off toward the front door.

Becca whirled around, hazel eyes blazing as she pointed a finger at the former Asgardian prince. "Now look here, I don't know how things are done where you come from, but I don't wantcha goin' anywhere near my Mama while I'm out takin' care of things. She's sick and don't need to worry over you bein' here in our house. If I come back, and her cancer's kicked up at all and made her any worse, I'm gonna be holdin' you responsible!"

Before Loki could respond, Becca had stomped out and slammed the door behind her, leaving Loki all by himself in the kitchen.

Damned woman! Loki snorted, teeth grit in frustration before he shoved the kitchen table away from him. Turning around, he immediately began to head for the stairs. Perhaps a cool bath would help him. Yes, that might be just the trick considering he hadn't been able to bathe since he had landed on Midgard.

After all, he always had to appear at his best. Especially if he was to abide in this realm for who knew how long.

Hope Brennan stopped her needlework mid-stitch at the sound of someone coming up the stairs. Slowly smiling as she realized it was the newcomer in their home and not Rebecca. Sure enough, a few seconds later the raven haired young man walked past her room and Hope called out.

"Excuse me, young man?" Hope noted that he froze for a split second before turning his attention to the open door, brow quirked up.

"I'm afraid I'm not to be around you, good lady. Your daughter made that perfectly clear that-"

Hope laughed weakly and shook her head, waving a hand to indicate she wanted him to come into the room. "Nevermind Rebecca, she's always been spirited that one has. I'd like for you to come in, come sit and talk with me some. It gets awful lonesome since it's just me and Becca here now."

Loki looked both ways in the hallway before slowly stepping into the room, almost nervously. Hope's smile only widened as Loki continued to walk further into the room, taking a seat in the chair by her bed.

"There! Now that's not so bad, is it?" Hope picked up her needlework again, looking at Loki out of the corner of her eye. "So tell me, Mr. Loki was it? What brings you to our neck of the woods here in Alabama?"

Loki blinked. Al-La-Ba-Mah? Was that the name of the realm he was in? It certainly was an odd-sounding name, though he wouldn't dare let Becca or her mother know he thought that. Especially since neither of them had thrown him out of their home just yet. Clearing his throat, Loki began to speak.

"Well, I'm afraid I'm not too certain myself. My adoptive father banished me here to your realm after I got into an altercation with my elder brother." That much was true at least. Hope looked up from her needlework and blinked owlishly at Loki before cocking her head slightly to the side.

"Banished? You really aren't from around these parts." She laughed before coughing once, shaking her head and giving an apologetic smile. "Sorry, 'bout that. Seems as though it's getting worse and worse for me the closer I get to passing on. You know, Becca and Jamie used to argue over so many silly things back when they were little. Their sibling rivalry was never fun, but at the end of the day..."

Hope paused, looking over at the table by her bed, reaching over and gently grasping a picture frame. She handed the object to Loki with a proud grin on her tired face. In it, a younger looking Becca and a taller man with brown hair and eyes. "That's both of them, my babies Jamie and Becca. Ah I wish you could've met Jamie. I believe he might have liked you."

A brow quirked up and Loki eyed the mortal woman carefully, unsure as to what she meant exactly but she quickly took the picture back and began to prattle on about life there on the farm.

And Loki hated to admit it but... He actually found himself smiling slightly, enjoying the conversation with this woman.

How odd. It almost reminded him of his own... He stopped those thoughts right then and there. No. He would not take this time to remember the woman that was once his mother. Yet there that pain was in his chest again even as he tried to forget happier times...

Becca sighed as she walked toward her home. All day long that man had been on her mind, and maybe she had been just the tiniest bit too harsh on him. After all, he had had no clue about her ill mother, nor how sensitive her condition was.

Damn it, here come the waterworks. Becca grumbled and reached a hand up to wipe away at any moisture that came from her eyes. She hated this, hated it all! Why did she have to be so weak? She was the strong one! The eternally happy one! And why oh why had she shown just how weak she truly was in front of a total stranger!

...Though the better question was, why did she care what a complete stranger thought of her and her reactions?

A heavy sigh escaped the young woman as she forced her steps to the front door and opened the door. Hazel eyes blinked in confusion as she saw the downstairs was completely empty. Strange... Had Loki left after her outburst from earlier?

She hoped not. After all she'd never be able to forgive herself if something happened to him all because she had yelled at him.

She winced at the memory of what had happened in the kitchen just hours earlier before frowning at the sound of laughter and talking coming from upstairs. Eyes narrowed slightly and Becca slowly made her way up the stairs as silently as she could. What was going on?

Quietly, Becca continued to walk until she was standing in front of her mother's room and what she saw made her stand frozen in place. Her mother, sitting up in bed with Loki sitting at a chair at the side of the bed and her mother was showing the man photo album after photo album.

What...the hell?

"Becca! Glad you're finally in from work! Come on in, I was just showing Mr. Loki some of your pictures!" Becca's mouth made an O shape but no sounds came out. Slowly Loki turned to face Becca, a knowing smirk on his face as he nodded at the young woman.

"Oh yes, do come. I'm enjoying all the photographs of you and your lovely family. Especially seeing with my own eyes that you once enjoyed playing about in the mud."

She grumbled, arms crossing in a childish manner. "Mama! Why do you hafta show those? They're embarrassin'!"

"Oh pshaw! They're not that bad! Ah here's one where my Rebecca dressed up for Halloween!"

Becca groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Mama!" Loki all the while laughed, a sound which seemed so foreign to him. When had been the last time he had truly laughed and meant it? Too long, he decided.

"Mama make sure you get some rest now, alright? I know you've had fun today but you gotta sleep so you can feel up for this more often." Becca chuckled softly, shutting the door behind her as she and Loki left the room. She silently waved for Loki to join her downstairs so they could talk.

Once downstairs, she stopped and turned around to face the Asgardian with a weak smile. "I...I'm really sorry about this morning." She paused, noting that he was staring at her with a curious look.

Licking her lips, she looked down and continued. "I realize that I probably should've warned you about Mama's condition, 'specially if you're going to be with us until you're able to find someone to take you back to wherever you came from. I'm... It's just I'm very protective of her. She's not doin' too good and she's all I've got left."

Loki's brow furrowed as he heard the young mortal's voice crack, her shoulders shaking as she tried to keep her emotions in check and he took a silent step forward even as she continued to speak.

"Daddy and Jamie are both gone, and I hate to say it but... Soon it'll be just me in this house. Sometimes I get mad about that fact so I shouldn't have taken it out on you," She forced a laugh out. "And I..."

Becca stopped, unable to say another word as she felt arms wrap around her form, tightening just slightly. "I'll have you know Miss Becca, I've seen warriors of all kinds both hero and villain. I've seen many things in the years I've lived, and I must say you are perhaps one of the bravest and strongest individuals I have ever come across."

It was as though she couldn't force herself to move until she felt her head slowly bob up and down as a sign of affirmation. At this nodding, Loki released her and she took a step back, smiling slightly.

"Thanks... Y'know, I hope you don't mind my saying this but," She paused, reaching for one of Loki's hands before gently squeezing it in her smaller hand. "It's only been a couple days, but I'm glad you decided to fall into my life."

Releasing his hand, she silently began to walk toward the stairs and paused after a few steps. Turning around, she grinned at the man who stared up at her. "G'night Loki, I'll see you bright and early in the mornin'. We've got a lot of work to get done around here."

The former prince stood frozen in that spot, silently watching as she retreated up the stairs and presumably back into her own room. A few moments later, he slowly shook his head, running a hand through his hair before trudging up the stairs as well. Perhaps, just maybe not all mortals were as terrible as he once believed them to be. Loki could live with this for the time being. At least that was the plan until he could find a way back to Asgard.

What he hadn't planned on for later that night, was having his dreams filled with nothing but visions of a tiny mortal female, with messy blonde curls and wide hazel eyes...

Wooooow, I am so so so sorry it took forever for me to update! I wish I had a good excuse but it was honestly just a mixture of writer's block and my last year of college keeping me from updating my fanfiction. *waits for things to be thrown my way* This chapter was just such a pain to write out so I hope it's not too terrible. I do hope I haven't lost any of the amazing readers this story has gained but I'll try to be better about updating, though no promises! As always please read and review if you liked the chapter!