I'm back! I hope you all enjoyed Infinity War. This story might incorporate some of the happenings in it.

I hope to finish this this summer, since I'm off of work.

She swallowed. It hurt somewhat to say it aloud like that.

"No?" he replied, with a somewhat doubtful look.

"He…he was enthralling. But love…"

Loki leaned in a bit. "You mean he abandoned you, and you are trying to save face."

"No," she spat. "When he came back to Earth, I told him that I needed time. You know, time spent together. And he wasn't willing to do that. He said some things…" and she swallowed, thinking about the things he had said.

And Loki sat back again. "Thor has never suffered disappointment, Jane."

"So?"

"So I find it difficult to believe that you would be the first to exact that emotion upon him."

"You don't know anything about me. I wouldn't be so quick to assume anything."

Loki nodded, a wry grin spreading across his face. "You're very right. I don't know anything about you. Except that you, like so many others, were enamored of my brother."

Their drinks came, and Jane downed one, then another. "I feel as though he tricked me," she said it softly.

"I beg your pardon?" and he drank his own.

"He…" she sighed. "There was so much that I thought I knew. I really never knew anything."

"About Thor?"

Jane nodded. "I was silly. And it's embarrassing."

He suddenly felt as though he understood completely what she was saying. He was able to relate. And this was somewhat unsettling.

His initial reaction was anger at this connection.

But then… "Do not trouble yourself over the opinions of others, Jane. Most care nothing for your suffering."

She shrugged. "I guess that sorta makes me feel better…?"

He smiled. "So he disappointed you."

She nodded.

"Well, there's a first for everything, I suppose."

"I believed him. I shouldn't have. He's a Prince…"

"King."

"King," Jane amended. "And he really can't be bothered with someone on another planet. It's not his fault. I was naive."

"Oh it's his fault, Jane Foster. But make excuses if you insist."

She glared at him. But…he was right, and she dropped her gaze. She was making excuses. And she hated that she was. "It was more than I thought it was. And I resented him for it," she paused, clearing her throat, and forcing a smile. "But I realized that I wasn't in love with him. I was just hurt and …like I said, embarrassed," she ordered another drink. "So. Why did you invade New York?"

He shifted in his seat. Why, indeed? There could be a million reasons. There could even be some he made up.

In fact, the more he thought about it, the more that seemed quite likely. The truth, so very slippery, was so often out of his reach.

He sighed and took a sip of his drink. "There are a few reasons why, Jane."

Her eyebrows crawled up her forehead. "Ok…?"

"The first is, I'm adopted. The second is, Odin never owned up to his own sordid past. The third is, well…I felt compelled. Thanos is an impressive figure."

"None of that makes any sense without you further explaining yourself."

His eyes fell and he nodded. He should not feel beholden to this mortal. He should not feel the need to explain anything…anything to her. "I had discovered that I was not an Odinson. That my family is of Jotunheim."

Jane had no idea what that meant. "Ok?"

He cleared his throat. "And that was jarring."

She nodded. "Yeah. I bet it was."

"I had…fallen. Through space. And landed on a dark planet…there I met with the Other. He told me of Thanos's power, and how that same power could be mine."

Jane stared at him.

"That's it."

"That's why?"

"I was owed a throne. Thanos promised me one."

She rolled her eyes. "So…thousands of people died because you had a temper tantrum."

He felt the anger rise a bit. "Tread lightly, Jane."

"Why? You had no compunction, ruthlessly murdering all of those people. Why should I be careful?"

"Because," and he leaned in slightly, "I can make you very sorry you didn't hold your tongue. We are on a mission, and that is why I am here."

"And now you threaten me. This isn't going much to plan," she raised her finger for another drink.

"Things seldom do, Jane Foster."

"Your plans, I guess, fell through."

A long breath escaped his nose and his eyes fell. They had. But he had been in such a state…sick with his choler…he hadn't considered anything, really, except power. That power which he meant to humiliate Odin with. Odin…he sighed and looked up at Jane. "My plans," he smiled. "No. I suppose they did not happen the way I envisioned. But then, it was unclear what my vision was, even at the outset."

"You were pretty lost, huh?"

Loki swallowed. "I was. Things have become…clearer. But still mucky and mired. The universe …the Tree…they are encountering uncertainty, even as we sit here."

"What's happening, Loki?"

He looked steadily at her. "Many things."

"None of them are good," she whispered.

He shook his head slowly. "Jane. There is something foreboding brewing. I've seen it…"

"What did you see?" her voice was barely audible.

His gaze faltered. He cleared his throat, and drank some more. "It is unclear as of yet, but there is something on the horizon…and the skies bleed …as though carmine…they shed the lives of the Tree's inhabitants."

Her mouth fell open. "That's what you've seen?"

Loki snapped himself out if it. "'Tis but a vision. And visions are often misunderstood."

Jane downed her drink. "Let's go. We need to finish the BiFrost."

"Now?"

She nodded. "Let's get back to the lab."

They had been there all night, perfecting the blueprints. Jane was suddenly quite determined.

And Loki worried at that.

He didn't believe that she liked him well enough yet…but, he still had the back up plan of his pretending to be in love with her in front of Thor.

He doubted whether that would suffice.

It was after five in the morning, and he could see that she was exhausted. "We are nearly done, Jane. Why don't we go back so that you might rest? We can discuss our trip to New York in a few hours."

Jane brushed the hair out of her face and looked at him. "Maybe you're right. I'm pretty tired."

"Just so," he smiled, standing.

…and he waved his hand.

Jane felt nauseous as she appeared in her living room. She sat unsteadily on her sofa. "Loki?"

"Hm?" he sat across from her in an armchair.

"What are we doing?"

"We are…well. We are building a…"

"…building a BiFrost. Yeah. But this is all so surreal. It really makes no sense. If something is coming here…"

"The BiFrost can aid in an escape."

"Of billions of people?" she sat back. "We need to make a plan of defense."

He studied her a moment. "What would you have me say?"

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "I don't know."

And he went to her, despite himself. He hadn't told her about Thanos. But, he also recognized the dire nature of everything. And…there had been the whiskey. Perhaps he had been slightly rash in his description.

He sat next to her, and hesitantly took her hand. "Tomorrow we will leave for the Avengers compound. Tony Stark will be able to begin the construction, and he and my brother, along with the others, will have started thinking about what to do. Everything will be all right, Jane. I promise," it hadn't been the first time his silver tongue had uttered a lie. It most certainly wouldn't be the last.

But it was the first time that he felt stung by it, and that caused him disquiet.

And Jane Foster nodded, closing her eyes, and causing the tears to spill from them. She rested her head on his shoulder.

Loki, not knowing exactly how to respond, wrapped his right arm around her and pulled her back into the sofa.

She curled against him, sobbing softly.

"Shh…" he whispered against the crown of her head.

…and before long, she was asleep.

He thought that he should get up, but resisted that notion ever so slightly. Jane was warm. And he hadn't been this close to someone in a long time…in fact, he couldn't really recall the last time.

He was using her, most odiously. He was using her now, as a means to gain comfort, and soon he would be using her to gain Thanos's favor. Or, at least his pardon.

His head fell back as he felt her soft breath.

What was it about this mortal woman? How had she managed to house the ether? What would happen to her once she was in Thanos's grasp?

He couldn't think about it. It might betray him…he might summon sentiment. And that, he could not afford.

What a nebulous plan he had. Playing games with a titan. With his brother. With Jane.

Even with himself.

But that was all he ever had…games. Smoke and mirrors.

He was a formidable sorcerer, yes. He wielded immense power.

But who he was…that was altogether different.

Loki closed his eyes, concentrating on the mortal's breath…steadily in, steadily out…there was something lulling in it.

And was this, then, what it was like to have a partner? A steady presence…a calming heartbeat…

Was this what Thor had felt while with her? When everything else was uncertain, Jane Foster's heartbeat was there still. Her support and existence.

He could see the attraction in that. There was a longing fulfilled in this…this, position of holding someone.

…Loki sunk into somnolence …dreamless and heavy.

She opened an eye, then closed it again. She had Thor's name on her lips, but it was gone before she recognized it. She swallowed…rubbed her eyes.

And then she realized where she was…

She sat up in a hurry and looked down.

She had been sleeping on Loki's stomach.

Jane covered her mouth with her hand.

"Jane?"

She swallowed, her heart was beating very fast; Jane dropped her hand and looked at him, offering a feeble smile. "Sorry."

"What for?"

"For…well. For falling asleep on you."

"I didn't mind."

Jane cleared her throat. "Oh," was all she could muster.

He held her gaze. "Did you?"

"I …." she was struck by a notion. A foolish one, to be sure…

She leaned over, and claimed his mouth.

He responded quickly, threading his fingers in her hair…sitting up and taking her with him…it had been so very long…centuries, even…he was delicate, mindful of her state, which was in itself, curious…

Jane felt devilish and enthralled. When was the last time she kissed someone? Thor, likely. And to feel someone's want like this…it was like drowning, and not caring at all.

She bit his lip, and he pulled away, a twinkle in his eye, then found her mouth again and leaned her into the sofa.

Jane felt heady…she pushed her hands against his chest. "Loki…" what was she doing? Losing her senses, she thought.

But he stopped. And sat up fully. His breath was labored. He swallowed. "Apologies."

She sat up, too. "Don't be sorry. I think we both needed that."

He was about to issue a protest. He did not need to kiss a mortal…but then thought better of it. "Yes. Perhaps that's true."

Jane nodded. "I'll just get a shower, then."

"I'll follow afterwards. We need to finish up."

She stood and went to the washroom…a cold shower was in order.

And Loki sat there, hardly having moved since she stopped him from kissing her further.

He wasn't certain what had just happened. He should be pleased…all of a sudden things had progressed to a point where he should be fairly confident.

But he wasn't.

He was confused.

A state he was unaccustomed to, to say the least.