"Darcy."

Jane tried to wake Darcy from her daze.

"Darcy!"

Darcy started with a jolt, almost jumping out of her chair.

"Jane! Uh, sorry I'll print that report out. I just finished it." Darcy moved her hand on the computer mouse, waking up the screen again.

Jane took a look at Darcy, taking in her frenzied manner.

"Uh...Darcy?" Jane started.

"Yep, it'll be printed in just a sec" Darcy replied in attempt to avoid Jane's looming question. She pressed the 'print' button on her computer and the printer started to churn out papers.

"Darcy, what happened yesterday?" Jane asked.

Darcy feigned obliviousness. "What do you mean?"

"Darcy. You went to visit Loki yesterday and when you came back, you were completely...well...out of it. Kind of like you are now. What happened?" Jane inquired. Her concern for Darcy was practically seeping through her pores.

Darcy considered her options. First, she could tell Jane the truth. Both she and Loki had gotten close. Very close. If Darcy told her about that, she wouldn't know what Jane would think of her. And perhaps mentioning the truth of Loki's Jotun heritage to Jane without his knowledge would not be a good idea. Or the fact that she had seen it. And felt it.

"You're beautiful"

Loki closed his eyes and allowed Darcy to explore.

Loki's Jotun form was beautiful to Darcy. The intricate patterns, weaving in and out from each other. His unique blue-grey skin tone that permeated his skin. And his eyes, the bright, red shade that both frightened and soothed her. She could see within his eyes the vulnerable, gentle Loki underneath.

She felt her warm fingers trail back up his forearm, his bicep, his shoulder...but instead of retracing her path before, Darcy's hand lingered on his neck. She pressed her hand, just at the top of his neck and slowly trailed her way downwards, tracing the raised ridges along his neck. As she slowly grazed his collarbone, Loki's eyes suddenly opened, and he gently grasped Darcy's wrist in his hand. Darcy brought her eyes back to Loki's. She was confused at first, but understood his actions when she saw his expression.

X

He had never shown anybody his Jotun form since that disastrous day with Thor. When Thor had backed away with fear, hate, and confusion in his eyes. He vowed then to never reveal himself to another being for the remainder of his existence. Yet here he was, in his true Jotun body, standing in front of an alluring mortal woman that took in his monstrous body as if he were a God.

When she felt around his collarbone, Loki opened his eyes and gently grasped her wrist in his hands. Darcy was not the only curious one in the room. He lowered her hand and brought both his hands around hers, completely encasing her hand with his. Loki ran his fingers over hers, her soft, pale flesh emitting warmth against his cold skin. Slowly and cautiously, Loki ran his fingers up her arm this time and stopped at her neck. He hesitated and watched for any signs of resistance, but found none. Darcy's warmth pulsed beneath his hands, and Loki was reminded of the complete fragility of this human.

Loki trailed up her neck and rested his palm on her soft, flushed cheek. It was then that he noticed that Darcy's hands had moved to a position just under his ribs. She gripped on tightly.

Loki brought his attention back onto her face, and felt her head tilt towards his hand, pressing further into his skin. Round eyes, blue. Full lashes, black. Flowing hair...the colour of chestnuts.

He had a sudden desire to run his fingers through her hair, so Loki brought his hand to the back of her head. Darcy tilted her head just slightly upwards, and the angle brought Darcy's lips to his attention. Healthy lips, red.

X

Darcy suddenly felt a magnetic pull and she saw Loki simultaneously lower his head to hers, ever so slightly. Her hands grasped his waist, and she felt Loki's hand caressing the back of her head. As they moved closer together, Darcy could feel his breath grow colder on her skin, and his other hand wrap tenderly around her back. Just as the space between their lips was about to close, Darcy pulled out of his hold, breathing heavily. She looked up at Loki again, and his eyes pierced through hers while his chest rose and fell rapidly. Darcy slowly backed away, unsure of her actions, and turned to exit through the door. She didn't look back.

Darcy let out a breath of air. Yes, definitely not a good idea, Darcy thought.

"Darcy!" Jane waved her hand in front of Darcy's face. "What is going on with you? What happened?"

Crap. Second option. She could lie to Jane. Just for today. Darcy wasn't sure that she could confide in anybody of what could have happened with Loki. Not just yet.

"Nothing." Darcy shortly replied. Her wide eyes blinked behind her glasses.

Jane repeated in disbelief, "Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Darcy. You were there with Loki for more than your scheduled time! For over an hour! What happened that's gotten you so jittery?"

"We just...talked" Darcy murmured.

"Talked?"

"Talked."

Jane took a look at Darcy's face, and her stubbornness showed through. Jane decided to let Darcy have her way. This time.

"Okay, Darcy...well...Thor should be coming back today. So if you want to visit Loki one last time, you should go now." Jane mentioned cautiously.

Darcy felt a wave of relief that Jane had given up her question for the moment being. The pages in the printer stopped flowing, signalling its completion.

"Er...sure. I guess I'll just...go say 'hi' or something. I mean, since I have the time, and all..."

Darcy stapled the package and dropped it in Jane's hands.

"Uh...yeah. So I guess I'll be...I won't stay too long...just until...Thor should...uh..."

Darcy practically ran out the door and Jane stared after her, shaking her head.

Darcy entered the room, and this time she found Loki sitting upright on the edge of his bed. She noticed that he wasn't wearing his armoured clothing, and instead he wore a faded green long-sleeved shirt with open buttons at the top of his collar, along with black slacks.

Darcy took one look at him and her heart started to pound in her chest. She had no idea what to say. Do I mention yesterday? Do I pretend it never happened?

"Going for the casual look, huh?" Darcy lamely commented.

Loki simply looked at her, his expression unchanging.

"I wasn't sure if you would be returning here once more" Loki said. His tone suggested that he wasn't angry. Perplexed, possibly, but not angry.

"Well...here I am." Darcy gave an stiff smile. She wrapped her arms around herself in a futile attempt to block out the chill in the room.

"You left. Why?" Loki questioned. He stood up from the bed and Darcy proceeded to tilt her head to meet his eyes.

Darcy hesitated before answering.

"I don't know. I just...I came in here two days ago, not knowing what to expect. Not even knowing what I was doing here-"

Darcy took a deep breath in.

"-and then somehow this happened, and I don't even know you, and...and...I was scared" Darcy admitted.

"Scared" Loki echoed. "Because of me. Because of my-"

"No, Loki." Darcy cut him off. "Because of the...the intensity. I felt something that I had never felt before and it scared me that something like that could creep up on me so fast. So suddenly. And I didn't want to believe it was true."

Loki took a step towards her.

"And are you still afraid?"

Darcy thought about his question for a second. She looked back into his green eyes, his alabaster face, and his gentle expression. She knew her answer.

"No."

Just as Darcy thought he would take another step towards her, Loki turned around and reached over the bed. He pulled into his hands a small white blanket that rested on top of the covers, and then turned back to Darcy.

Loki moved to her and draped the blanket across her shoulders and steadily rested his hands on her back. Darcy relaxed, the chill in the air slowly fading away. She slid her hands from underneath the blanket and placed them back on his waist. She looked up at him as Loki looked back down at her.

"Are you still afraid?" He asked with a slight grin on his face.

"No" Darcy replied, her lips turning upwards to match Loki's grin.

Loki pulled Darcy's body in closer, and slowly reached down towards her. Their lips grew closer and closer until...

"Loki!"

A squeal escaped from Darcy's mouth as she jumped back in surprise. Agent Coulson stood at the doorway, a smile on his face that could rival that of child in a candy shop.

"Your brother is here to pick you up and bring you back to Asgard" Coulson said as he looked between Loki and Darcy, his smile stretching impossibly wider as each moment passed.

Loki and Darcy met eyes. Darcy looked as if she had been caught red-handed, and Loki's expression was filled with agitation.

SHIELD agents filed in and proceeded to guide Loki out the doorway. Rather forcefully, at that. Coulson stopped in front of Loki, his grin still evident, and asked, "Any last requests before you head back home?"

Loki breathed in and out. He looked at Coulson, then turned his gaze to Darcy. The agitation that was present before faded from his face and was replaced with a playful smile.

"I wish for Lady Darcy's Apple to be returned to her. Immediately" Loki answered.

This did not seem to be the answer Coulson was expecting.

"What?" Coulson replied.

"Her Apple."

Darcy's mind reeled for a moment.

"My iPod?" Darcy offered.

"Her iPod. I wish for Lady Darcy's iPod to be returned for her amenity."

Coulson looked at Loki, then turned to Darcy.

Coulson surrendered, "It'll be on your desk by tomorrow at 9am."

As they led Loki out the door, Darcy's gaze followed him, both in shock and sadness.

There was no way she was letting this one go.

A/N: This will be the last chapter for the week! Hopefully I will update next weekend. Thanks for reading, don't forget to review!