A/N: Here is chapter 3 for you all! :) To everyone who has added "Redemption" to their story alerts, to their favorites, or simply left a review, thank you sooooo much! Every email notification I get from about someone else liking my story enough to even read ahead to chapter 2 truly brings a smile to my face. I'm grateful for everyone's continued support. And now, without further ado, enjoy chapter 3 of "Redemption"! Please read and review!

Rated M for sex in later chapters.


The walk to the woman's apartment building wasn't long, but the silence between them seemed to drag on forever.

Finally, the silence was broken by her hesitant voice. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"I have not said it," Loki stated simply. "However, if you must know, my name is Loki." It didn't hit him until after he said it that he probably should not have given out his real name, but it was too late now. All he could do was hope that the name didn't ring any bells in the woman's mind. Thankfully, her demeanor didn't seem to change at all and he felt a small sense of relief. "May I ask what yours is, as well?"

"Felicity. Felicity Taylor."

Loki nodded when she told him what her name was, pleased that he at least had something to refer to her as, now. After walking alongside Felicity for several more minutes, she stopped at the door of a brick building and opened the door, stepping inside. Loki followed, glancing around at the new surroundings. The lobby of the apartment building was surprisingly nice, the floor covered in white tiles and the walls painted an inviting, pale green with white molding around the edges of the floor and ceiling. Felicity led him up three flights of stairs and down a narrow hallway, unlocking a door marked with a brass "310" and crossing the threshold.

Felicity's apartment was large and had a very comfortable air about it. The decorations were simple but practical, a few potted plants sitting on tables near the windows, which were covered by lavender-colored curtains. Loki stood in the center of the living room, taking in every detail of his surroundings as Felicity gradually settled into the comfort that only her home could provide after such a trying incident.

He was so focused on the new environment he had found himself in that he didn't even notice just how much he was dripping from the rain and shivering.

"You're soaked to the bone!" Felicity exclaimed, frowning at him and tucking a few wet strands of auburn hair behind her ear. She was soaked, too, but for whatever reason, she seemed more concerned about the comfort of her guest—no, her savior. "Wait here, okay? I'm going to go get changed, and while I'm at it, I'll see if I have anything that'll fit you."

Loki shook his head and held up a dismissive hand, frowning. He didn't feel comfortable accepting Felicity's help, unaccustomed to being fawned over by a woman. She had more pressing things to worry about, he was certain.

"Please, there is no need. I must be on my way. You asked only that I escort you home, and I have done so. Now, I must take my leave. You understand."

"And as my guest and the man who saved my life, it is only fair that I show you some hospitality while you are here. You'll catch your death if you go back outside in this weather," Felicity stated with a small smile. Loki sighed at her persistence, but he finally accepted her offer and took a seat on the couch in her living room, not even considering that she might not want a soaking-wet stranger dripping water all over it. Felicity said nothing on the matter before she disappeared into a room just off of the living room, the door shutting behind her.

Loki was left alone to his thoughts for about ten minutes before he heard Felicity's bedroom door open and he looked up, watching as she entered the room with a lilac nightgown on and carrying an armful of clothing that looked much too big for her. She handed the pile of clothes to him and smiled, urging him to take it. He did.

"My ex-boyfriend's," she explained, clasping her hands in front of her. "It's been a month and he still hasn't stopped by to grab the rest of his clothing, so at least I'm able to put it to good use." A glimmer of hurt filled her eyes and lasted for a few moments before she was able to compose herself.

"These will do just fine. Thank you. Now… is there somewhere I can change in private?" Loki asked, getting to his feet and being careful not to hold the clothes in a way that they, too, got wet.

"Yes, of course. Through that door there is the bathroom," Felicity answered, pointing at the door in question and smiling kindly. "If you need to warm up, I don't mind if you use the shower, either."

The fallen god smiled faintly and thanked her before walking past her and into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The bathroom was small, but it would suffice. Sighing, he stripped out of his wet clothes and let them fall to the floor, looking himself over in the bathroom mirror for a minute. He looked rather worse for wear after the fight he had engaged in, covered in bruises wherever the thugs succeeded in hitting him. He frowned with disgust at the sight, now having cuts and bruises from both the Hulk and the thugs that would need to heal on their own… and now that he was only a man, he knew that could take some time.

This mortal body is so pathetically fragile, he thought with a heavy sigh as he got into the shower and pulled the curtain closed to hide himself. I suppose I should be more careful from now on and not charge so readily into fights like that. He eyed the shower knob and turned it halfway to the left—the side marked with red and which he could only assume meant it turned on the hot water—and his muscles instantly relaxed when the water hit his achy body. The water was just the right temperature, hot enough for him to feel the warmth overtake the chill but not hot enough to burn him. In Asgard, there were only baths… but now he was starting to believe wholeheartedly that showers were much nicer.

When the chill completely left him and the dirt and grime from his encounter with the thugs were washed away, Loki turned the shower off and pulled the curtain back, stepping out and looking around for a towel with which to dry himself. He found a few on a nearby rack on the wall and grabbed it, using it to get some of the water out of his dark hair before catching the water droplets on his lean but able body. His body may have been a lot slighter than Thor's, but he was just as strong in some ways and more strong in others, even so. He winced heavily upon pressing down too hard on a particularly nasty bruise and he cursed quietly under his breath, making a mental note to be a little gentler.

The towel dropped to the tile floor when he was done with it and he grabbed the clean, dry clothes Felicity had provided for him off of the marble bathroom counter to put them on. They were a little bit big on him, but he supposed they fit well enough. He left the bathroom then, and he was surprised to see Felicity waiting for him at the small kitchen table with a steaming mug of something held between her hands and a similar mug next to her that he could only assume was for him.

"This was unnecessary," he stated, puzzled as he approached her.

"Of course it is! Like I said before, you're my guest. It would be rude of me to not at least offer you something."

"I suppose you are right." Forcing a small smile, Loki sat down beside her at the table and picked up the mug, sniffing the beverage briefly in an attempt to discern what it was before taking a small sip. The taste was very rich and thick, but he enjoyed it. "What manner of drink is this?"

"Hot chocolate," she stated, raising an eyebrow at him and suddenly looking very confused. "You can't tell me you've never had it before."

"Ah, but I can. We do not have such a drink where I come from," he stated, taking another careful sip of the hot liquid.

"Really? Wow; I thought every country had hot chocolate. Where are you from? When I first heard you speak, I thought you were from here in London, or maybe Wales. You're more eloquent than most people I know."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said simply. He knew she wouldn't. After all, this same thing had happened to his brother when he was exiled to Earth. The last thing he needed was for this woman to think him mad.

"Try me."

Well, I suppose taming my "silver tongue" could count as changing my ways, in the Allfather's eyes…

"I am from a realm known as Asgard," he began and he was about to say more before he saw the recognition dawn on Felicity's face and her eyes widened with shock. He silenced himself, seeing that she wanted to speak.

"Wait… that sounds familiar. Oh my God. A year ago, I saw a news story on the internet about something that happened in America where someone named Thor claimed to be from Asgard and it turned out that he really was true. That Asgard?" Felicity murmured, in disbelief and trying to wrap her head around what Loki had just told her.

"The very same. Thor is—was—my brother."

"I can't believe it. You told me that your name is Loki, so does that mean that you're… that what happened in Manhattan a couple of days ago…" Even though the United Kingdom and the United States were two separate countries, news of big goings-on in each country often crossed the ocean to their news networks, so that each country knew what was going on in the other whenever something big happened.

"Yes, that was me, but I assure you, you have no reason to be alarmed. I mean you no harm. Odin sent me here to 'repent,' as it were. I am but a mere mortal like you at present, so you needn't fear me."

Felicity laughed nervously and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "This is unbelievable. I mean, I knew you looked familiar from the moment I saw you, and now I know why." She looked at Loki skeptically, a tinge of fear still in her dark eyes. "But you say you're human now?"

"Yes," Loki answered. "If I were still a god, that fight I got in earlier to save your life would have been over in seconds and those men would have been reduced to naught but a pile of ash."

"Good point."

"You won't tell anyone about me, will you?" Loki questioned warily. "It is bad enough that I have revealed who I am to just one person, but if more people were to find out…"

"Your secret's safe with me, Loki," Felicity promised, reaching over to set a hand lightly on his arm. He tensed at the contact. "You say you've turned over a new leaf, and I would say you saving my life when you weren't obligated to is proof enough of that."

Well, that was easy, Loki thought with some relief. He picked up his mug again and finished off the hot chocolate inside it, getting to his feet and pushing his chair in. "I should be going. I have been a burden on you long enough. Thank you for your kind hospitality."

"You're welcome. Say, Loki… if you're not from around here, that means you don't have anywhere to stay, right? If that's the case, I have a guest bedroom. Maybe you could stay here for a while until you find somewhere else to stay."

The offer surprised him, and he honestly didn't know what to say. If he refused, he would seem ungrateful, but if he accepted, it would affect his pride. What was the lesser of two evils? He opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Felicity held up a hand to keep him from refusing.

"I insist," she said firmly. "Consider it repayment for saving my life."

"I…" Loki sighed quietly and shook his head, a tiny smile appearing across his lips. He had almost forgotten how stubborn mortal women—nay, women in general—could be. "Very well, Miss Taylor. I accept your gracious offer."

Felicity giggled and beamed, seeming very happy that he had agreed to stay until he was able to find somewhere else to go. "Good. Now, you must be exhausted after the long journey it must have been to get here from Asgard, so you should go ahead and get some rest. The guest room is right down that little hallway, there. I have the day off from work tomorrow, so I can give you a little tour of London if you want."

"I think I would like that. Well, goodnight, Miss—"

"Please, just call me Felicity. We're roommates now, so there's no need to be formal."

Loki chuckled softly. "Right. Sleep well then, Felicity." With that, Loki made his way to the guest bedroom; he closed the door.


A/N: End of chapter 3. ^_^ I haven't started chapter 4 yet but since I'm going to be pretty busy over the next few days between BBQs and work or just being away from the internet in general, you can probably expect chapter 4 to be up by Tuesday night. Have a great weekend, everyone!