Alright my dear readers, I am back! after a crazy semester at school I have finally managed to knock out the next chapter and my wonderful beta Yoshinator has taken the time to make sure it's perfect. Please let me know what you think and enjoy!


Loki was rather bored with these types of court proceedings by now. He stood bound in chains once again while Odin looked down upon him, rambling on about how unworthy he was to be king when the younger Asgardian knew he was more fit to rule than the Allfather himself. Loki was not even paying attention to what was going on around him, more focused on his idle thoughts of how quickly he could possibly get out of the restraints binding him. It was rather inconvenient that the Allfather had emerged from the Odinsleep when he did. Heimdall had informed the King of Loki's appearances on Earth and now he was yet again being tried for not only his past crimes, but also for the current ones, inconsequential as they were. Honestly, imprisoning and impersonating Odin was fairly tame in comparison to his past actions.

"Bring forward the Midgardian." At the Allfather's words Loki glanced up, turning to look along with everyone else as the main doors opened and three rather startlingly familiar figures entered. Thor, accompanied by his woman, walked slowly forward, the third person hanging back, as if using the first two as a shield. Loki watched with a slowly increasing kind of dread as Darcy shuffled her way forward, taking in her surroundings and being rather oblivious to the murmurings of the court. The young prince turned to glare at Odin to find the King silently watching him with the strangest look of contemplation already on his face.

"Allfather, I present Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis of Midgard," Thor said, bowing slightly before stepping to the side. Jane mimicked the bow before following. Darcy made to step to the side with them but Thor shook his head and so the young woman stood in the middle of the court awkwardly, fingers nervously twisting together and keeping her eyes down. Even Darcy knew when silence was the better part of valor, and not sarcasm.

"Welcome to Asgard, Darcy Lewis," Odin said quietly, stepping back and taking a seat on his throne. Words could not express the rage Loki felt at seeing his mortal here. Could the Allfather not allow him to have one thing for himself? Did he have to ruin everything Loki treasured? The young Asgardian ground his teeth together to keep himself silent. He feared frightening Darcy should he allow himself to speak the vitriol that was on the tip of his tongue.

"Do you know why your presence has been requested here?" Odin asked. Darcy shook her head, glancing over at Loki quickly before facing forward again. The Allfather frowned, leaning back in his seat and string down at the mortal with his one, all-seeing eye.

"I bet it has something to do with…him," she finally spoke, nodding in his direction. Loki could not remember a time with he had ever heard her speak so softly.

"It does. Do you know him?"

"I…" she paused, thinking through her words, "I know him but I don't," she finally answered.

"Explain! You are speaking in riddles girl!" one of the court members demanded angrily. Odin gave the man a withering glare before looking back at Darcy.

"From his attack on New York, I recognize him as Loki. But I also know him as a friend, Lawrence, whom I met a little while ago at school," she explained.

"He deceived you," Odin stated. The girl nodded, sending him another nervous look.

"Thank you Darcy Lewis of Midgard." With a nod she was dismissed. Thor stepped forward and led the two women away, Loki's eyes never leaving Darcy even as the Allfather berated, belittled and insulted him before sentencing him back to the dungeons. As he was being led away, he passed by Thor and the two women. They paused in their conversation and Loki, not being able to help himself, let a small smile form on his lips.

"It is nice to see you again Miss Lewis, I hope we will be able to see each other again soon," he said quietly. He took great pleasure in the pinched expression on Thor's face and the horror-struck one on the scientist's, but it was Darcy's reaction he coveted. It was neither good nor bad, just wide-eyed, pure shock as she stared back at him.


Loki could hear someone talking with the guard at the door, but he could not make out who it was. There were not many down here with him who would get visitors, and with his mother dead, he doubted anyone would come to see him and so his interest was piqued. The last person he expected to see was the one person he wanted to. Darcy Lewis approached his cell warily, eyes guarded. He set his book aside and stood to greet her, not daring to move closer lest he spook her.

"Miss Lewis, what a surprise. What brings you to the dungeons this evening?" he asked politely, a half smile on his face.

"Of all the things you could have done while free, why did you come to Earth? Why risk everything to talk to me?" she demanded, glaring at him. Loki took the time to think through his answer, pulling a chair up to the edge of his cell and sitting to face the girl before he answered.

"You intrigued me. I was following Thor and Jane. You were there and you were far more fascinating than anyone else that oaf came in contact with on Midgard."

"So, that's it? I was interesting? Nothing else? No stupid diabolical plan to try and take over the world again?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but no. There was very little in the way of a plan when it came to you," he deadpanned. He refused to let her know he considered killing the boy courting her before they parted. She raised one eyebrow in a disbelieving look but said no further on the topic.

"You have the creepiest ways of hitting on a girl I have ever seen…and that includes stalking," she finally said.

"There was some of that involved," he told her, smirking. He could see Darcy's lips twitching, trying to hold back a smile.

"So you're a creepy stalker…good to know," she finally commented.

"To be fair, I'm sure I wasn't this strange before several life altering events occurred."

"Oh? Care to share?"

"I found out I was adopted. I found out I also wasn't an Asgardian, but originally a Jotun which is a race that is hated by Asgardians. My desire to rule was twisted and used to manipulate me by a being known as Thanos who then used me to attack Earth…My mother died." Loki's voice grew quieter as he spoke, the last words a whisper.

"Not gunna lie, that sucks dude. Thor told me a bit about what happened though. Don't you think you overreacted a little bit? At least to the adoption news, the manipulation thing is not a situation I'm familiar with so it's not like I can commiserate there…" her words trailed off and she gave him an expectant look. He glowered at her, standing to pace his cell in irritation. Silence prevailed for long moments before Darcy sighed.

"Fine, if you don't want to own up to your own mistakes that's your problem. At least you have plenty of time for self-reflection now," she told him before turning to leave. Loki couldn't bring himself to watch her walk away, could not stand to watch another woman he cared for disappear, disappointed in him.