A/N: Sorry about this taking so flippin' long, I'm working almost this whole week and a bunch o crazy jank is going on so I haven't had a lot of time to post stuff. PLEASE do review! it really helps me out!

Another week went by and Stella got a letter from her publisher telling her that they had set up a publicity tour. They wanted the book on shelves and in the public eye before thanksgiving. Also that she needed to be back in New York in a week. The letter came with four author copies of her book. She instantly sent one off to Samantha for her birthday. Loki's return to earth was still unknown to almost everyone, even most of the Avengers didn't know but that was part of the surprise. Stella and Loki arrived in New York late on Wednesday night. Stella walked around her little apartment that had been all but abandoned for almost 8 months. It was a crisp mid November evening in New York and Stella felt right at home. As much as she loved being close to Jane and Darcy she was a city girl and being alone in a small town had been hard for her.

"Oh my god! It's so nice to be back home!" Stella stretched before she pulled off her pea coat then stopped. "Loki, what's today?"

"Wednesday, The 14th of November." Loki answered automatically "Why?"

Stella started to laugh. "Loki! Tomorrow's my birthday! I totally forgot!" then the smile fell from her face and was replaced by a dismayed expression.

"What is wrong darling?" Loki asked.

"I'm turning 27. Three more years and I'll be 30! I'll be…middle aged!" Stella wailed. Loki just smiled and shook his head. "Don't smile at me like that; I'm not some immortal Norse God. You're lucky if you reach 90 here. How old are you anyway?"

Loki chuckled softly then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hm, I believe I am approximately 1,047 Midgardian years old."

Stella smirked then said "You look pretty good for your age, but doesn't that mean I'm just a little too young for you?"

"Not at all. Time is, of course, a relative term. If I were to convert my age in Midgardian years to Asgardian standards I would hazard a guess that translates roughly to 30 years of age. So while you might think that I have been alive a terribly long time it is not all that long according to Agardians." Loki explained conversationally.

"That would make me, like, a baby. I guess you really are robbin' the cradle!" Stella burst out laughing at Loki's deadpan look.

After waiting for her laughter to die down Loki said "I have heard that here on Midgard it is customary to give a gift when someone is celebrating a birthday. What would you like?"

Stella laughed again as she started unpacking some of the boxes Loki had sent earlier that day with his magic.

"What do you mean 'What would you like'? I can't just pull something out of my ass."

"I mean if you could have anything, what would you want?" Loki leveled her with a serious stare.

Stella looked back at him. "Hmm. That's a tough one…" she thought for a moment before Loki saw a spark in her eye that she quickly covered.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I can't ask you for it. It's way too expensive for a birthday present." Stella turned and began unpacking her box again.

"Stella. You are aware that wealth is no object for me. You can have anything you desire." Loki had not expected the thousand watt smile Stella gave him when she turned around.

"Okay! I want a pair of black, patent leather, Christian Louboutin pumps with a four inch heel, size 7 and a half!" seeing confusion color his features again Stella jumped up "I'll pull up a picture on the web."

Loki waited impatiently trying to puzzle through the jumble of words that somehow made up what she wanted for her birthday.

"Okay, I want these!" Stella flitted back into the room carrying her lap top. She practically brandished the screen at him.

He examined the picture then looked back up to her face "You want a pair of shoes?" he asked skeptically.

Stella looked almost offended "Not just any shoes! These are classic Louboutin pumps! They are designer shoes! Besides if Cinderella taught me anything it's that a pair of shoes can change your life!"

Loki scrubbed his face with his hand, looked at the picture again then back up at Stella's hopeful face. "Very well." Then disappeared.

"I hope he gets the box too." Stella said to her empty apartment then sat on the couch.

She hadn't been sitting for more than 5 minutes when Loki reappeared in the room carrying a box. Stella squealed as she jumped up and down waiting for him to let her have it. Loki watched her as she practically vibrated with excitement, her energy rolling off her in waves. He couldn't keep the smile from his face as he shifted the box to one of his hands and slowly reached his other over to the side of the lid to pull it off. He watched as her shoulders tensed and she tucked her lip between her teeth and her eyes widened. Deliberately slowly he pulled the lid away and waited for her reaction. He hadn't expected her to scream.

Stella let out a short strangled cry then regained herself "Oh. My. God! Loki, they are so gorgeous I think I might throw up!"

"Now, darling, I would really rather you not. You should sit down." He said putting the lid back on the box and setting it on the coffee table in front of the couch. But before he could say anything else Stella jumped on him, wrapping her legs and arms around him, kissing him soundly.

After a minute she pulled away from his mouth, resting her forehead against his. "I know you said money was no problem but those are eight hundred dollar shoes!"

"I think the concept of unlimited funds is escaping you." Loki smirked. "Now is there anything else?" he asked looking up slightly to see her face.

She cracked a grin and said "Well while you're at it I'd like a mansion with a pool and the most expensive car on the market." She sobered a little. "Really though, you out did yourself with the shoes. I think I have wanted those shoes for ages, I just could never save up the money for them."

Loki's smirk softened into a sweet smile "I am happy I could get them for you. Are you sure there is nothing else I can give you though?"

It was Stella's turn to smirk as she squeezed her thighs lightly around his waist. "Well there is one thing, but it'll have to wait for tomorrow, I'm way too tired tonight. But before I get carried away let me ask you a question."

Loki's grin was back "And what might that be my dear?" he asked as he carried her into the bedroom.

"Your doubles that you make with your magic, are they solid? Like can you make them to be like real people?"

"I can." He answered slowly, not sure why she wanted to know.

"Perfect!" she smiled then climbed down from her perch on his hips, threw her clothes off then crawled into bed.

"Why would you want to know that darling?" he said pulling off his layered clothing.

She sat up in bed and fixed him with an innocent looking stare then said. "You'll find out tomorrow."

~The next day~

"Loki I have to go in to SHIELD today. Will you be alright without me for a few hours?" Stella yelled from the bathroom as she finished her makeup the next day.

When he didn't answer she walked out into the living room where he had been last.

"Loki?" she called. Then saw him inspecting the inside of her dish washer so closely that he was half way inside it.

"Darling, what is the function of this device? I can see it utilizes water in some way but I cannot divine what you would use it for." Loki's voice echoed slightly.

Stella tried and failed to keep the laughter from her voice. "It's a dishwasher, honey. You put the dishes in the racks then it sprays them with super hot water to clean them."

Loki pulled his head out of the appliance and looked at her. "That seems a bit unnecessary."

"Well get used to it babe, you're in America: land of unnecessary and wasteful." As an afterthought she added "FUCK YEAH!" Loki looked completely taken aback by her sudden outburst and she couldn't help but laugh. After a quick "I'll tell you later" in explanation, she repeated her question from the bathroom, and when he answered in the affirmative she gave him a goodbye kiss and left.

Stella smiled at every one in the hall ways at SHIELD as she passed them. She dropped off her purse and jacket in her office then marched to Fury's. On her way there she ran into Steve Rogers, literally.

"Oh! Miss Hoffstead! I'm real sorry; I guess I just wasn't watching where I was going!" he looked even more awkward and nervous than usual. He picked her up by the waist as if she weighed nothing and set her back on her feet then knelt and helped her put her shoe back on that had flown off when they collided.

"It's okay Steve, I wasn't really watching either so it was sort of both our faults." She smiled. Steve stood there in front of her looking unsure. "Is there something else I can help you with Cap?"

"Well, ya' see, uh…I was hoping you could give me advice on something…" He reached up and scrubbed his knuckles over the back of his neck as the blush bloomed on his cheeks.

"Yeah, sure! What do you need?"

Steve floundered for a moment then stuttered out "I have this, um, gi-lady friend, I guess and I thought you might help me uh 'ask her out'. I've just never done anything like that with any hope of being accepted and I want to do it right."

Stella grinned "Do I know her? I could put in a good word for you!"

Steve waffled for a minute then whispered "the Chief computer technician's assistant, Charlotte."

"Rhonda's assistant! Oh, she's adorable! Steve! Don't you 'shush' me! We aren't in high school!" Stella exclaimed.

"Please will you help me?" He asked again, he really sounded quite desperate.

Stella laughed at his almost distraught facial expression. "Yes, of course I'll help. Okay first you want to ask her out to coffee, no pressure. This is a date test run. If that goes well ask her out to dinner and a movie, nothing too fancy and a kiss goodnight. Next you go to dinner again, maybe upgrade a little, maybe a bit nicer of a place and a good kiss goodnight. Then do something fun on the third date, take her somewhere special and if I've done my job right and you've done your job right, you'll get lucky. It's as simple as that." Stella smiled as Steve internalized what she had said.

"Thank you! I owe you one!" Steve said as he started to walk down the hall.

"Hey Steve," Stella called after him. He turned and looked at her "She'll say yes. I heard her telling her friend over the phone this morning what a 'dreamboat' you are. Her words not mine." Steve smiled as he turned to go find Charlotte.

Stella skipped a little, feeling good that she had helped someone on her birthday no less. She walked up to Fury's office door and knocked politely, still smiling widely as the Director opened the door.

"Miss Hoffstead, you're just in time." He held the door open for her and she walked in.

"Ah, Darling, there you are. I was getting rather worried." Loki's voice came out of nowhere.

Stella whipped her head to the right and looked right into glittering green eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Stella asked quietly.

"Well in case you did not know, Thor is a bit of a gossip and it seems that my return to Midgard wasn't quite as discreet as I had hoped." Loki explained just as quietly.

"Any way," Fury interrupted "Why don't you share with the class what's been going on this last month and a half between you two?"

"Well I actually came here to talk to you about that today." Stella started but seeing the look on Fury's face she decided to cut the finesse and get right to it. "Loki and I are together, we're dating and it's awesome." Stella quipped folding her arms in front of herself.

Fury looked from one to the other trying to decide what to do.

"Well then I guess it's a good thing that Loki here has decided to join our little club." Fury finally said.

Stella turned to Loki who wasn't even trying to hide a smirk. "Since when?"

"Actually I had been thinking of possibly trying to make amends with…I'm sorry, the name is escaping me…ah, yes, 'The Avengers'. I hoped to maybe offer my services and the good Director has accepted." Loki explained.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Stella looked a bit put out.

"I had assumed you would be happy with this decision." Loki said a little confused.

A grunt of laughter from Fury brought the two out of their conversation again. "She's not mad about the decision, she's just mad that you didn't tell her."

"Thank you Director Fury, but I can speak for myself. However in this case you're right." then she turned to Loki "What he said."

"I wanted it to be a surprise." Loki smiled the most charming smile he could muster and smiled wider as her tension crumbled.

"Alright then." Stella smiled back then straightened "But you're not off the hook yet, tonight better be insane!"

"Whoa! That is number one on the list of things I don't want to hear." Fury threw his hands in the air attempting to shoo them out of his office.

Stella grinned wickedly "What's wrong Fury? It is my birthday, that's what adults do for birthdays: have se-"

"NOPE!" Fury cut Stella off "get out of my office, both of you!"

The door slammed shut behind them after Fury said he would gather the Avengers in the conference room and they both stood in silence for a moment.

Then Loki turned to Stella and said "I thought he took it rather well, don't you?"

"Yeah, he actually didn't freak out as much as I thought he would. His little temple vein didn't even pop out."

Loki smiled down at her then straightened his already perfect leather coat and offered her his arm "Will you not give me the grand tour. I would very much like to get to know my surroundings before I have to 'make a run for it' as you Midgardians say."

Stella laughed as she took his offered arm. As they walked Stella became more and more aware of the fairly shocked looks they were getting from people in the halls, once the brief tour was over she started to get nervous. She wasn't sure how the Avengers would act or if they even knew that Loki was on their side now. Loki didn't need to use magic to sense her unease; he gently touched her fingers where she clutched the crook of his arm. She seemed to relax a bit but not completely and Loki soon found out why. They were heading to the conference room to meet the Avengers.

"Okay, I know it's against your whole ethos or whatever but please try not to be a smart ass for the next hour or so." Stella said, standing outside the conference room door that she didn't realize was cracked open.

"I assure you that my 'ass' has nothing to do with my intelligence." Loki smirked again.

"See? That, right there is what I'm talking about!" Stella frantically whispered. "Look Loki, I'm serious. If you don't try and be serious about this and not be an asshole you're gonna get to know the couch really well because you'll be sleeping on it!"

"Darling, really? You must be joking." Loki laughed lightly but seeing her face the laugh died on his lips. Her lips were a tight, thin line and her eyebrow was cocked in challenge. "But I do not fit on the couch." Loki whined.

Stella snorted "Loki honey, on the Venn diagram titled 'Loki and Stella's problems' that's all you! That's not included in the circle of 'Stella's problems'. The fact that Loki doesn't fit on the couch is Loki's problem because he decided that he wanted to be a dick-" she was stopped abruptly by Loki crushing her into his chest in a huge hug.

When he released her she looked up at him, he was barely holding in laughter "You have made yourself quite clear. I will do my utmost to not 'be a dick' as you put it."

Stella smiled wearily and cuddled back into his chest for a moment before she whispered "thank you"

Out of nowhere Tony Stark's pompous voice rang out "Awwww! As head of the year book staff I nominate you two for 'cutest couple'."

Stella turned a little too fast, accidentally kicking the door wide open and fell back into Loki who held her up, tight against him. She looked around and there was every member of the Avengers, assembled just for them and she hadn't even noticed they had been listening.

She felt Loki's warm breath on the back of her neck as he whispered "Did you hear that? They think me cute." She could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Loki you're not cute." Stella smiled as she pushed herself back onto her feet from where she had been leaning on him.

"Then what am I, my dear?" he settled his hands on her hips.

"I'll tell you later when we get back home. I might even tell you loud enough that the neighbors will hear." Her smile twisted into a seductive smirk as she pushed her hips back into his, ignoring the gagging sounds coming from the round table in the room.

"We wouldn't want to keep them waiting then, it's really quite rude." Loki looked up at the rest of the Avengers, taking in their horrified faces with incredible satisfaction. "I must apologize but Stella and I have some important matters we must attend to. I am afraid we will have to reschedule this little meeting." And with that the two of them disappeared.

The room stayed silent for a moment until Tony, who never did like silence in a crowded room, said loudly to Fury "You owe me 20 bucks, I'm pretty damn sure that was definitive proof that they are totally bumpin' uglies."


A/N: DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!