After a well deserved day of rejuvenation (that's what Loki would call it. Jane would call it a lazy day in bed), Jane awoke to find Loki staring at the ceiling in deep contemplation.

"What are you thinking about?" Jane asked as she snuggled into his body.

"The gift the Norns gave us. These books," He offered while gently stroking her hair.

"What about them?"

"They said it may make us appreciate what we have here in this universe. I can't say they've been wrong," Loki acknowledged before continuing, "I've actually been thinking of our own story. Perhaps we should write our history for the children to read some day when they are much much older."

"Like a couple of hundred years older," Jane raised her head to meet her husband's eyes, "Even then we can't tell them everything."

"What parts would you omit?" He asked curiously as he adjusted his head on the pillow to look at her.

"Do you really want our kids to know about how we got married?"

"I wouldn't advise them to follow in our footsteps, but I don't see any harm in their knowing the truth."

"Have you ever, even for a moment, thought our relationship was maybe a bad idea?" She asked seriously.

"Every day since I first met you."

That earned him an elbow to the stomach.

~*OUR STORY*~*

Jane Foster walked through Ljosalfgard, the capital city of Alfheim. The city was bustling. Every street filled with marketplace booths selling everything from firefly wine which sparkled like the stars at night to candy promised to be the most spectacular grown on all the planet. Street performers roamed the crowd, singing and playing lyres or flutes, dancing around while their audience cheered for more. And then, there were the triple jointed Pleasure Elves who called out to passing patrons, inviting them to a showcase of their delights.

After asking for directions, Jane had found her way down an alleyway leading to the Academy. Alfheim was famous for its magic and mystical wonders with the Academy being its foremost magical university. Every magic user in the universe came here if they wanted to truly learn their craft.

Jane pressed the door chime. Before she could withdraw her finger, a hooded figure opened the door, "The Prince awaits you in his office."

The voice sounded female but echoed, as if more than one person was speaking.

"Excuse me?" Jane asked in confusion.

The figure spoke again, "You were seen coming from light years away. You do not know why you are here. You think you have one purpose, but you do not yet understand the truth of why you are here. Not yet. Not truly, but you will."

"Okay, look. Is there anybody else I can talk to? Somebody who maybe isn't crazy?" Jane asked herself mostly as the figure was already leaving the door.

"Come in. Take the elevator to the thirteenth floor. His office is at the end of the hall," The figure spoke while waving a finger towards the elevator, "He's waiting for you."

"This can't be good," Jane sighed before following the Figure's instructions.

Upon arriving on the thirteenth floor, Jane could see the office door standing wide open. This was so incredibly not good.

She stepped into the doorway and tapped the heavy wood with the back of her fingers, "Hello?"

"Come in."

Jane stepped into the office and glanced around. Bookshelves spanned the length of the interior walls. Two comfortable looking chairs sat in the corner with a table and lamp between them. The outer walls were lined with windows allowing the late afternoon sun to flood the office with natural light.

A heavy wooden desk sat near a bank of windows and behind it sat her savior. At least she hoped he could be. He appeared to be deeply ensconced in a book, and she felt as if she was an unwelcome distraction.

"Not what you were expecting?"

His sudden question startled her. Was everyone on this planet a mind reader?

"I didn't really have any expectations. I know what I've heard," Jane crossed her arms, the creak of her leather Ravager jacket making a disgruntled sound.

Loki closed the book he'd been reading and smiled up at his visitor for the first time, "Only believe about half of what is told about me."

"And the other half?"

"Lies."

"Aren't you the God of Lies?" She countered with a cheeky smile.

He smiled, standing from his desk, "I prefer God of Stories."

"Semantics," Jane murmured dryly.

Loki stood before her and took her hand, "Prince Loki, son of Hela and Laufey, of Asgard and Jotunheim. And you," He have a polite buss upon her hand as he practically cooed the following, "Are the lovely Jane Foster."

"How do you know my name?" She met his eyes and desperately fought the urge to yank her hand away from him. First rule of being a Guardian of the Galaxy, never show fear. At least Peter had told her that. She'd always known he'd plucked that line from a movie. Movie line or not, it was a good rule, and one she intended to stand by.

"I know everything about you, Jane."

"How could you know everything about me?"

"I am a God."

Jane rolled her eyes and uttered a very undignified snort, "Please. That might work on some starry eyed girl on Earth, but I have seen a lot of beings in the universe in the last few years. I've never seen anything that has made me believe the people I've met could be gods."

"Not even your father?" He asked as he studied her for a moment.

"What do you know about my father? How did you know my name? What was that person downstairs who said I was seen coming?" She peppered the questions in rapid order, "Why would you even want to know everything about me?"

"Quite full of questions, aren't you?" He asked in mild amusement. He motioned towards the chairs, "You might want to sit down for the answers."

"Just answer the questions."

Loki tilted his head gently and grinned before he crossed to the chairs. A serving tray with a teapot and cups appeared on the table. He began pouring himself a cup of tea as he spoke, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Don't try to distract me. Answer the questions," She demanded, clenching and unclenching her fists repeatedly to still her raging nerves.

"You came here for one answer," Loki turned back to the tea and prepared two cups before sitting in one of the chairs and motioning for her to take the other, "But you have so many questions. Let's start with why you think you are here."

"You seem to know so much. You tell me," She swallowed hard as she stood firmly in her place, remaining ready to bolt at any moment.

"Let me hear how you see it, and then," He smiled dubiously, "I might tell you the truth of things."

"That's not much of a bargain," She loosened her shoulders, feeling suddenly like this all was a horrible idea.

"It's the only one I'm inclined to make," He motioned to the chair, "Tell me how a human arrived on Alfheim."

Jane closed her eyes, resigned herself to going through with this conversation and spoke, "I came to ask for your help."

"That's the why. I'm interested in hearing the how. Humans do not travel the stars yet, not outside their own limited solar system. How did you get here?"

"I'm a scientist. I was working on a portal device. Theoretically, it would bridge the space between worlds without moving any distance at all."

"I'm familiar with portals," He smiled as if everyone should understand her description.

"It worked. It was small, barely a tear in space, but it was a start. There was only one small problem. My biological father sensed it. He knew a human, even a scientific genius, shouldn't have been able to pull it off. I did."

"You were tapping into your Celestial powers and knowledge without even realizing it," He concluded.

"Exactly. I'm a scientist by trade. I'm at home in a lab, but gazing at the stars, plotting charts, tracking meteors...those were my passion. I'd go out stargazing at night, and that's where he found me. He abducted me from Earth and took me back to his planet, a physical construct of his own making, where he showed me possibilities of what we could do." Jane moved to the chair and sat down, deciding maybe she needed to tell this story, "I knew something wasn't right. I could just feel it. Ego went looking for my brother, a man named Peter Quill."

"The Ravager," Loki noted.

"Formerly a Ravager. He's on the straight and narrow. Now, he is. Kind of anyway," She shrugged, "When Peter came to Ego's planet, he felt it too. Something wasn't right. We started looking around and asking more questions. We discovered Ego was true to his name, a real narcissist. He wanted to remake the universe in his image with our help. Peter and I were able to fight Ego, and in the end, we killed our father to save the universe. Afterwards, I traveled with Peter and his friends for a while. I decided to come here to learn about what it means to be Celestial or if it even means anything at all now that Ego is dead. The power seems to have died with him."

"It did not," Loki corrected, "It will just take much more patience and practice to learn how to tap into and wield such power."

"Could you teach me?"

He seemed to consider the possibility for a moment, "I could."

"Will you?"

"For a price."

Jane sighed as she rubbed her fingers together, "What price?"

"We'll discuss that more in a moment. You wanted to know how I know all about you, yes?"

"Yes."

"Your mentor, Erik Selvig," Loki spoke gauging the warm recognition in her shocked features, "He still looks for you."

"How do you know Erik?"

"He's a friend," He replied simply, "Quite a lot has happened on Earth since you've been gone."

"How do you know Erik?" She repeated her question.

"Your father was not the only being to sense your portal being created. Earth has long been thought to hold no magic on any kind. It was a curiosity that a portal of this kind was created."

"Meaning?"

"I wanted to meet the person responsible for its creation," He spoke before sipping his tea, "I traveled to Earth with a small expedition to meet you, but you weren't there."

"You met Erik instead," She concluded.

"I did. It was perfect timing as it turns out. An invasion force created a portal on Earth and attacked."

"What?" Jane sorted through the information, "Do you think my portal got their attention as well?"

"I do," He affirmed, "Earth gathered what forces it could, and with help from Asgard and Jotunheim drove back the invaders."

"And Erik?"

"He now leads the science division of SHIELD."

"What is SHIELD?"

"An acronym for an organization that serves as your planet's best defense against outside threats," He shrugged, "They call the leaders of this organization, The Avengers, of which I am a member."

"Does that mean I can go home?"

"Yes, it does but the question remains of your training in your abilities," He placed his tea cup on the table as he met her eyes, "I have a proposal."

"Okay?" She breathed the word, not sure what his 'price' could be.

"You need help learning your abilities, and I need an excuse not to marry Aelsa, the princess of Alfheim. We can help each other."

"I don't know how you think..."

"I cannot train you on Earth. We will need all the magical resources of Alfheim to train safely. You will have to remain here at least a year for your training."

"A year?" She asked, dismayed at the prospect.

"It's nothing. It's a heartbeat," He dismissed the length of time, "However, a year and a day is all I ask of you."

"A year and a day?" She questioned, considering the familiar terminology.

"A handfasting."

"Wait. A handfasting? On Earth, that's almost like a marriage," She asked to which he replied with a slight nod, "Are you out of your mind?"

"It's a trial marriage," He explained, "I'm not asking you to fall in love with me. The truth is this marriage to the princess was arranged while I was an infant. She is a selfish, vain girl whose voice makes inanimate objects weep. I am shackled to the arrangement unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless Aelsa or I marry others for love before the date of our arranged wedding."

"What does any of that have to do with me?"

"I will train you, and you pretend to be my lover for the next year and a day. It will give me time to put as many suitors in front of Aelsa as possible. Perhaps she will even fall in love and save me from this wretched arrangement."

"I just have to pretend?"

Loki smiled coyly, "If you prefer to make it a reality, I am not opposed. You are very attractive."

Jane flushed slightly at his suggestion before speaking again, "And at the end of a year and a day?"

"You would go your way. I will go mine. We never have to see one another again."

"That's weird. How does that buy you time?"

"Because a hand fasting is considered a binding marriage during its duration. It would be symbolic of telling all the kingdoms that I love you and fully intend to marry you. It postpones my wedding date for at least that amount of time," As an afterthought, he added, "It also assures that any children conceived during the year and a day would be legitimate."

"Any children?" She asked from the corner of her eye.

"I, myself, am the product of a handfasting. My mother entered the agreement with my father explicitly to irritate my grandfather. It's a twisted tale, but suffice it to say, children can happen if the couple are not careful."

Jane shook her head, "Can't we figure another way for me to pay you for your time?"

"I'm a prince of two worlds and a master sorcerer, My Dear Girl," He leaned towards her slightly, "What else could you possibly offer me in compensation?"

She dropped her eyes to the floor, ignoring his reply, "And you can just enter into this handfasting with anyone at any time? Why would anyone believe that we would be lovers?"

"Because the person who opened the door for you downstairs," His words seemed softer, a bit more reverent, "Was a Norn, a goddess of Fate. She says you and I have a shared future."

"What? Like we're supposed to fall in love or something?" Jane laughed.

"The Norns are always cryptic. You'll never get such a straightforward answer to any question posed to them, I'm afraid," He shifted in his chair to face her, "I am asking for a commitment of one year and a day, Jane Foster. It will allow you to learn what your Celestial heritage is capable of, and it will allow me time to fight this blasted arranged marriage."

"If I say yes, when will it start? And just how much pretending will I have to do in public?"

He smiled, "We can be bound as early as tomorrow, and I promise to be an adoring and attentive husband."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Jane sighed heavily.

~*Back In Their Cabin...*~*

"The kids never need to know we didn't get married because we were in love," Jane turned towards Loki, "I want them to believe in the fairy tale."

"But it was a fairy tale," A very pointed look from his wife urged him to explain, "It was our fairy tale."

"Really? Then, what part of the story are we at now?" She asked, knowing her God of Stories would have the perfect ending.

Loki smiled, "They lived happily ever after."

The End