Loki's eyes flew open as he felt icy water pour over his skin. Gasping, he sat straight up in his bed and felt a soft powdery substance fly into his face. He inhaled some as he gasped. Coughing and choking, he briefly noted that it was flour. Loud, obnoxious laughter greeted his ears and he wiped with the back of his sleeve at the flour that was sticking to his face. The culprits were Thor and Bruce, laughing and high-fiving each other as they hurried out of his room. For a moment he sat there in shock as he listened to their laughter echo and fade down the long hallway. He heard the faint ding of the elevator and knew they must be heading down to the kitchen. After a moment a shiver passed through him as the ice water soaked through his clothes, biting at his skin. He sighed and looked at the clock which screamed in bright letters 4:30 a.m. It had been two days since his terror prank on the Avengers, and he knew he had it coming. After another passing moment, he coughed once more and heaved himself out of his bed and went to wash the flour off of him.

By the time Loki was finished showering, it was 5:00 sharp and he knew trying to sleep again would be in fruitless. Flipping the light off he walked into the hallway and saw Maddie standing a few feet away from him, clutching a teddy bear under one arm as she stared straight ahead. He jolted when he saw her and turned away slightly, then rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"What are you doing here? Have you any idea what hour it is?" He snapped. Loki noticed she flinched at his harsh tone, but she continued to stare emotionlessly in the same direction. He sighed loudly and took his hand off the door handle. Walking in front of her he asked, "Are you deaf?" Still no response. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, then circled her. She made no move. He stopped in front of her, then kneeled until he was eye level with her. Her blue eyes, usually bright, were glazed and cold. She seemed to be listening to a voice he could not hear, and watching something he could not see.

Suddenly she jerked her head up and he jumped, standing and staggering backwards. Her eyes were filled with terror and she gasped. Maddies eyes focused on him now, as if she just noticed he was standing there.

"They are coming!" she whispered.

"What?" he asked, confused and a nerved.

"The monsters! They are coming to get me! Please, don't let them take me!" she wailed. Her voice was so pleading as she begged him. Suddenly it hit him. She's still asleep! he thought. Loki had heard about sleep walking before, but he had never witnessed it. Although, this as he looked a Maddie, her eyes pleading for him so save her from the nightmare she was suffering, he remembered one instance in his childhood. He had been about five when a recurring dream would plague his nights. It got to the point were he didn't want to sleep. Loki had woken on night, the dream of a cold desolate wasteland with the cruel beings and there blue skin and orange eyes snapping out of his vision to his mother shaking him lightly. She had held him that night until his trembling subsided.

Now, as he stood looking at Maddie, he realized she looked just as scared as he had felt.

"Please! Don't let them hurt me!" Maddie looked around her wildly as the monsters nobody else could see circled her.

Loki kneeled down again and as he did, Maddie ran and leaped into his arms. She was gripping him tightly, her arms wrapped around his neck and her face buried in his black hair. Maddie was shaking uncontrollably and he heard her give a shuddering sob. He sat, shocked for a moment until he heard her whisper shakily, "Please."

"I'm not going to let them take you." Loki responded softly and, sighing, wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her up, as he did so he shook her softly. She pulled away slightly and he felt her grip slacken, and she looked at him, fear and puzzlement in her eyes. Her face was red and blotchy, and tears ran down her cheeks and new ones still ran out of her eyes.

"Loki?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Nightmare?" Loki responded, his voice unusually gentle.

She nodded and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. He gave her a sympathetic look then asked, "Do you wish to return to your room? I will take you there if you wish to try and fall asleep again." he offered.

"No. I want…I'm thirsty." she decided.

"So you want to go down stairs?" he asked.

"No, I want to go upstairs." she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Very good." Loki said, impressed, as her heard her sarcastic reply.

"I know. Uncle Tony has been teaching me." she announced proudly. He set her down and they padded lightly down the hall, to the elevator, then into the darkened kitchen. Maddie climbed onto the counter and she sat with her legs dangling over the edge as Loki walked over to the refrigerator. He popped the door open and looked inside.

"What would you like?"

"Milk."

Sighing, he leaned on the door and called, "I believe we have already had this conversation."

"Please."

"I don't know what you expect me to do."

"Make some appear."

Now he closed the door and turned to face her, his eyes narrowed and his head tilted slightly to the side.

"What?"

"Make some appear!" she repeated.

He started to walk toward her. "How do you know of that? Who told you?"

Maddie opened her mouth, but her eyes widened as she realized her slip. She folded her hands into her lap and looked down, tracing the granite counter-top's pattern with her eyes as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing she had every seen. Her legs swung nervously as she forced out, "You told me."

"No, I don't believe I did. In fact, I was given strict instructions to not speak to a civilian because of this reason!" he hissed. "Who told you?"

"Everyone else told me their super-powers. They seemed uneasy when I asked about yours though, and when I asked you, you didn't tell me at all!" she blurted out. "So, I got curious and asked Jarvis."

He nodded silently. Then took a deep breath and asked, "So you know what I've done?"

Maddie bit her lip and nodded looking down.

"How long have you known this?"

"Since the first day I was here." she answered honestly.

"Why do you still speak with me then? You should hate me, or at least be afraid of me! Does my past mean nothing to you?" Loki kept his eyes locked on her face as he spoke and he noticed her head jerked up.

"Not really. Everyone deserves a second chance, even you. Why worry about what you've done in the past? You cant go back and change it. You just have to learn from it." Maddie replied, her big blue eyes gazing at him. After a moment she added, "My dad taught me that."

"Your father sounds like a wise man." He replied earnestly.

"Was." she replied. "He died last year. He worked for S.H.I.E.L.D." Maddies eyes darkened and she went on. "There is another interesting thing I learned while talking to Jarvis." she paused and seemed reluctant to go on.

Finally Loki asked, "What was that?"

Maddie took a deep breath and answered, looking straight at him. "You killed him."

Dun, dun, duuuuuun! Cliff hanger! Please review!