Author's Note: I'm making great progress on this. Or, I like to think I am. I thrive on reviews, but even without them, I hope people are enjoying this. I'm trying to bring Grace's view into the chapters just a little bit - I think it's important to keep it mostly to Loki, but we need to hear from her as well. Would you guys like to hear more from her? Less? Let me know!

Chapter Four: A Roof With a View

Song: Butterflies by Michael Jackson

"Come on, this is the best part, and we're lucky we came today, because they're going to be closing it for the season soon!" Grace excitedly ran toward the lift as if she was a small child, and Loki was surprised she didn't tug on his sleeve in an effort to make him move faster. Loki walked as quickly as his legs could carry him, but he was growing tired after spending the last few hours devouring only some of what this gigantic museum had to offer. There was no way they would have been able to take it all in during the course of one day. By his estimation, they had barely covered half of it, if that. And he had no idea where Grace was taking him now, but she certainly seemed excited over it. Grace pushed a button and they were headed upward.

"I still can't believe you've never been to this museum, and when you see what I'm about to show you, you'll be kicking yourself." Loki very much doubted that, but he had to admit, the collection of art he had seen today was striking, even by human standards. "And if you like the park-" Grace continued, as the doors opened. "Then you'll love this."

"My, my." Loki took a few more steps forward, and turned slowly in a circle. Around him were hedges and foliage trimmed neatly framing the edges of the roof, trellises lining the inner portion. That wasn't the impressive part, though; directly in front of him laid a full panoramic view of the City itself, its lights gently beginning to flicker against the salmon-colored sky. For a fleeting moment, he imagined Heimdall gazing down upon the worlds beneath, and wondered if he was as taken with this sight as Loki found himself. He realized he was holding his breath, as if the image laid in front of him would disappear if he so much as exhaled. Turning around, he saw Grace standing behind him (probably the first time that had happened since he'd first met her), arms folded satisfactorily across her chest, a smile touched with a hint of smugness across her pink lips.

"Pleased with yourself, are you?" Loki muttered. At this, Grace's smile only became wider.

"Actually, yes. This is one of my absolute favorite places in the City. I mean, there are a lot of beautiful places here, but honestly, look at that view. Have you ever seen anything like it?" Loki's shoulders hunched. Although he had seen Asgard's expansive views of the universe, and so by comparison this sight should not have impressed him so, the fact remained that this particular sight was, quite simply, captivating. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since he was permitted to gaze upon Asgard, or any other otherworldly city for that matter, that he had begun to forget what those views looked like. But, of course, he could not tell Grace any of this.

"I have seen nothing like this." Again, it was not quite a lie. Asgard did not have quite so much of nature lain out in front of it, as the city took up most of the view from even the highest portion of the castle. Loki had managed to find hidden spots in which to read and study and practice his magic, far from the city, but he had to travel far and away to get to them, and even then, he could not see them from the castle. As he surveyed Central Park beneath the railing of the rooftop, he was astounded. Asgard and New York had many things in common: the population, the bustle, the fierceness of its inhabitants. Even the buildings seemed to shine in the same way against the lights of the universe. But there were differences so stark that it reminded Loki of the separation between the worlds: that there was so much quiet green space to enjoy, that so many of New York's people seemed to enjoy taking time out to enjoy it, and that there were places like this - so unlike the people Loki had grown up with. No one in Asgard would think to create buildings dedicated to arts such as the one on top of which he and Grace were currently standing. Physical strength and weapons training were such pervasive parts of life that education, culture, books, artistry - all were overlooked. His love for such things had always separated him from who he believed were his people. In this moment, drinking in his surroundings, Loki felt, for the first time, like perhaps he belonged somewhere.

It was then that he noticed Grace had approached the edge of the building as well and was standing next to him, the top of her head reaching the top of his shoulder. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, her eyes absently gazing out over the tops of the trees. They had spent the last three hours discussing ancient Greek and Roman statues, oohing and aahing at the Costume Institute (where Grace had squealed several times over the work of prominent fashion designers), and - this had been Loki's favorite, admittedly - visiting the arms and armor wing, where Loki had, it seemed, impressed Grace with his knowledge of medieval weaponry. Still, despite their lengthy discussion of art, they had not spoken at length of any matters of personal import. Not that Loki was complaining, as he had little use for the plights of others, but he found it odd that this woman would spend so much time with him and yet not ask him any questions about himself. Perhaps she had learned the other night that he was not one to give up personal information. He glanced down past his shoulder at her, not moving his head lest she notice him staring. Her hair blew furiously around her face, as the wind had picked up at this altitude. She didn't seem to notice, or she didn't care.

He cleared his throat. "How long have you lived in this city?"

Grace jumped, as if she did not remember she was standing next to him. "Excuse me?"

"You asked me the other day if I was from here, and I answered you. So now I am asking you a similar question. How long have you resided here?"

Grace looked visibly more relaxed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just a little inside my head, I guess. Anyway. I've lived here my whole life. But I don't actually live in Manhattan, I just work here. I live in Brooklyn."

Loki reflexively cocked an eyebrow. "I do not believe I have ever been to Brooklyn. Is it far?"

Grace threw her head back and let out a throaty, full laugh. "Man, you really haven't been here long, have you? Brooklyn is south of here - it's a bitch of a commute, but I can't beat the rent. My father is on the board of a housing co op so I pretty much live rent-free. If I lived in the City, I'd be paying $2000 a month to live in a closet."

Loki presumed this to be a large amount of money. Seems relocating from the boarding house will be more difficult than I expected.

Grace continued. "I actually used to live in the City, until the whole attack by that weirdo alien guy and his little helpers." At this, Loki's head jerked back up and he stared straight ahead. Had she recognized him? He knew people had seen him the day of the attack, but surely the world could not be that coincidental. He didn't really want to know the answer to his next question, but he had to ask.

"Did you… see this… alien?" He feigned stupidity, as if there was anyone in the world who did not know exactly what had happened in New York City just over a year ago.

"No, not that day. I'd think I'd remember it if I had, anyway. Actually," she inhaled deeply. "At the time, I lived downtown. I didn't want to take advantage of my Dad's connections. But after the attack, well, let's just say Brooklyn, ironically, seemed safer."

Loki breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She had not seen him. If she had, he wasn't quite sure what he would have done. But then, if she had recognized him, surely it would have dawned on her sooner than this.

It was dark now; the stars were twinkling in the sky through the thin layer of cloud cover moving in over the harbor. In the distance, he could hear the horn of a ferry blow. Grace seemed to suddenly realize how chilly it was becoming. She hugged herself, rubbing her arms.

"I need to be going, Luke. I told my Dad I'd be by his place, like, an hour ago…" She trailed off, expectant, though Loki wasn't quite sure of what. When he failed to respond, she looped her bag across her body. "Okay, then. Well, I really hope you had fun today. I did. I forgot how much I missed this place. I don't get down here often enough. Maybe we'll run into each other again."

She was halfway to the lift when he felt himself speaking. It was involuntary, he swore it. Certainly he never would have voluntarily said what he said in that next moment. And yet, there it was, slipping off his tongue like water down a spout.

"I would like that."

She spun around and smiled at him, a smile so blindingly white that he could see despite the dark cloak of night surrounding them.

"Really? Well, what about Tuesday? I work until four o'clock, but I can be available after that."

Loki considered this. He had no idea what he would even say to her for the several hours he assumed they would be spending together. The museum today had given them topics of conversation that were ready-made; it was easy for Loki to discuss art, after all. But what would he and this woman have in common? But then, it was the chance to escape the hellish boarding house, and to enjoy a hot meal. While he did not require nourishment to survive, he did so enjoy the comforts of food and drink.

"Tuesday shall be fine. Where shall we meet?"

"Would you like to have dinner and take a walk in the park? I could show you Strawberry Fields."

"That should do well." He stood with his arms behind his back, stick straight, uncomfortable, watching her carefully for any reaction. At least, he thought, she isn't fleeing the building as she did last week. It was only then that he realized that he actually cared whether or not that happened.

Grace turned back toward the elevator and pushed the button to call it. As she waited, she became aware that Luke was staring at her. She could feel his emerald eyes boring into her back, as if waiting for her to turn back around. It was almost as if he could look through her and see her heart beating through her skin, which felt hot and cold at the same time. Maybe she was getting sick. It was awfully cold out, and she hadn't worn a coat today. She'd been planning on being home before the temperature dropped this low.

As she stepped onto the elevator, suddenly occurred to her that he had not actually requested to see her; rather, she had suggested that they might see one another again and he had simply said that he would like that. She had been the one to suggest a definite time and day. Again, she kicked herself. She shouldn't be so trusting so soon. Particularly not with all the… complications involved. Two years ago, she would have been dewy-eyed and eager to explore the spark that could exist between herself and Luke if she would allow it. But now, she had already lost too much and had too much left to lose.

She would have dinner with him, take the walk, and then end this before it started.