Hannah kept her eyes shut tight as the agents moved around her. She could feel the knees of the agent who'd pushed her down brushing against her back as he stood over her. She couldn't decide if he was guarding her as a victim or as a potential threat.

She heard the word 'Clear' shouted far too many times to account for the size of her apartment before she was pulled to her feet once more. The agent stood beside her pulled off his helmet and she came face to face with Agent Barton.

She'd only seen him a handful of times, whenever her research was pertinent to his operation, and he'd always treated her with an air of professional dismissal, as though she were unimportant. In the grand scheme of things she was very unimportant but it was never pleasant to be treated that way.

"Director Fury wants to speak with you." Agent Barton said, tucking his helmet under arm and stowing his bow back in its holster.

"Can I get dressed first?" She asked, looking down at her state of undress with an edge of embarrassment. She was stood in her apartment surrounded by male agents wearing only a vest and shorts. Not a good day.

"No need, he's coming to you." Agent Barton, spoke into his radio telling whoever was at the other end that it was clear to come up.

Her eyes widened as Director Fury entered the room. His angry presence seemed to take up all the available space making Hannah feel that she was being pressed down. She felt the couch behind her knees and slumped onto it, feeling her world swimming around her. She heard a voice she recognised and suddenly Darcy was bounding into the room and landing on her in a flurry, hugging her tightly.

She couldn't understand what Darcy was saying, it was like listening to a tape running at half time instead of normal speed, but at some point her tone became reprimanding. She felt a warm, oversized jacket being draped around her shoulders and realised that Darcy had been reprimanding them for allowing her to sit in her cold apartment in her pyjamas. She barely had chance to form a coherent thought as she was led into her tiny kitchen and plonked on a seat.

A short while later, feeling more able to comprehend what was happening, Hannah sat at her kitchen table, a mug of coffee gripped tightly between her hands while Darcy sat beside with a look of concern on her face. Director Fury glared at her, far more intensely than a man with only one eye should be capable of. Agent Barton leant against her sink, a look of boredom on his face.

She answered their questions as honestly as she could without divulging the actual details of what occurred in the bedroom. She was surprised to realise that she had only been gone two days. So much had changed in that space of time that it felt a lot longer.

Director Fury had asked her questions repeatedly, sometimes with different wording, until he finally seemed to believe she was telling him everything. He left, asking Darcy and Agent Barton to follow him and a few minutes later Thor entered her small kitchen.

He took a seat in Director Fury's vacated chair. Her kitchen felt even smaller with such a big man sat in it.

Hannah looked up into his eyes and saw understanding. "I don't get what he wanted from me." She said in a quiet voice.

"He wanted to control you. Use you to get information about SHEILD."

She thought about that, she could see how that could be the case.

"He failed." Thor observed.

"Why did he fail? Why couldn't he break me?" Hannah asked.

Thor smiled at her gently, "It was not his intention to break you. Pain is used to break a person, pleasure controls them. When we were young we found a forbidden text in the library. It explained how it was possible to control a mortal female using pleasure."

She flushed. "How do you know he used pleasure?"

Thor glanced at her, "You have the tell-tale signs all over you, if these people were able to observe rather than just see they would also be able to tell. I believe Agent Barton noticed something was different about you, although I don't think he understands what it is."

She blushed deeper, unsure of exactly what signs he was referring to and feeling a quiver of shock at the idea that Agent Barton noticed it.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," Thor said. "If he used the methods as prescribed there would have been nothing you could have done to fight him."

She glanced at the open door to leading out into the hallway. "Are you going to tell them?"

"Only if you wish it. There would be little they could do with the information regarding the stages of control."

"Stages. That's what he called them. We skipped a stage."

"Which one?"

"Stage four. What is stage four?"

"Making the mortal accustomed to his touch. According to the text it would take a few days to achieve, why would he skip it?" Thor appeared to be thinking out loud.

Hannah blushed deep red. "I think five and six happened on their own during stage three."

Thor arched a brow, "Did he take you through the complete twelve stages?"

"I'm not sure what the other stages are."

"Stage seven is participation under duress. Stage eight is voluntary participation after he initiates a session. For stage nine, you turn to him for comfort."

"We by-passed that one too."

His eyebrow appeared to be trying to migrate into his hair line. "Stage ten, you initiate. Stage eleven, you initiate and are refused. Stage twelve, you learn that you will receive pleasure only if you obey him."

Hannah sighed, it all made sense now. "I never really initiated anything but he did refuse me."

"And did you beg for his touch?"

She shook her head slowly. "No. I was enjoying what he was doing. The need was there, but not overwhelming me."

"Interesting." Thor reached over and hesitantly touched her wrist. "When he realised that it hadn't worked he had the choice to kill you or break you. He instead chose to release you."

"Wouldn't he have controlled me eventually? If he'd kept me longer?"

"He must have thought not."

She sat for a moment digesting the information. "Why not just use his magic on me?"

"Even if other mortals couldn't sense the change in you, I could. He couldn't risk the two of us coming into contact, it would have ruined his plans."

"Wouldn't anyone notice the difference in me? If he'd succeeded with his method of control?"

"Unlikely, you would only appear as a frustrated woman. There are a few of those around here already, you'd be in good company."

Hannah chose to ignore that slightly sexist comment and moved on. "He said he was sending a message by sending me back. What message was that?"

"Many things. The fact that he is still here. The fact that he knows how to find us. The knowledge that none of us is safe from him."

Hannah looked down at her coffee mug, seeing nothing as she realised by returning her he'd left her exposed. SHIELD would never trust her again, she'd be watched constantly and any moment they could decide she wasn't being honest, leaving them no option but to interrogate her in other ways.

She shivered visibly at that thought. She was in trouble, she may not be held by Loki any longer but she was still at risk. It was just a matter of time.

She sat quietly, sipping coffee in a little cafe, staring out at the street, not really seeing anything. Eight days since he'd let her go and her body still wanted to feel him again.

She sighed.

When everyone had finally left that day she entered her bedroom to find the silk robe draped across the bottom of her bed. She'd had a moments thrill at the idea that he was there but realised quickly that he wasn't. He'd left it for her and she now slept in it at night, it made her dream of him.

"Hannah."

She knew the voice, but it couldn't possibly be him. She looked up and Loki was standing beside her table.

"May I join you?"

She nodded, unable to speak.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Do you care?" she countered.

He smiled, a little ironically. "Oddly enough, I do. Have you recovered?"

She wasn't sure she ever would, but she nodded. There was no reason to tell him the truth. She was so numb, if that was what recovered meant then she was indeed recovered.

"Did Thor or Agent Barton help you?"

"We've talked a lot. Thor's helping me understand..."

He interrupted her with a direct look. "Did Thor help you?"

She blushed and looked away. "No. He offered to, even offered to explain it to a man of my choosing but I couldn't do it. Why would you ask about Agent Barton?"

"His attitude to you has changed since I returned you. It would appear my interest in you has made you more appealing to him somehow."

Hannah shook her head. That explained a few things. They sat quietly for a moment. Finally, she sighed. "Why are you here, Loki?"

He looked into her eyes. "To ask a favour of you."

"Of me?" She was surprised.

He smiled. "You're the only one who can grant me this particular favour."

"What would that be?" she asked curiously.

"Will you sleep with me?"

She stared at him for a moment. "I'm sorry, I think I misheard you. What did you just say?"

"I would like to have you, just once, of your own free will."

She just looked at him, then the irony of it struck her and she laughed. "Why?"

"You are so passionate, Hannah. I'd like to feel it once when I can simply enjoy it without trying to use it for my own purpose."

She looked at him. She had not expected that at all. He was serious, she could tell by the look in his eyes. She couldn't be sure that his reasons were so clear cut.

She could hurt him, as he'd hurt her. He came to her and made himself vulnerable with his request.

On the other hand, Thor had told her that these feelings would pass in time if she allowed them to. Perhaps she could use this to achieve some kind of closure.

She took a deep breath. "Do you swear that you'll let me go afterwards?"

"You have my word."

She took another deep breath and nodded. This was for herself, not for him. He stood and offered his hand, helping her climb to her feet.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He nodded across the street to a swank hotel "I have a room there."

"You were pretty certain that I was going to say yes, weren't you?"

He looked back at her. "I'm always prepared."

She laughed. "You don't look like a boy scout."

They walked across the street, through the lobby of the hotel and into the elevator in silence. Loki pressed the button for the seventh floor. The doors opened and they walked down the hall.

A voice in the back of her head was asking her how she could possibly have agreed to this. He'd kidnapped her and molested her, she shouldn't want this. She didn't care, though. She wanted him. He wanted her. And she needed this. Maybe it would soothe the ache of unfulfilled desire she still felt when she thought of him.

He stopped in front of a room and took a key card out of his pocket to open the door. The room smelled like all hotels, too clean. She walked in and he shut the door behind him and stood, looking at her.

She laughed nervously and looked away. "This is strange."

"You can leave anytime. I don't want anything you don't want to give. Not this time."

She looked back at him. He was still magnificent, but somehow, he was just a man now. No longer a God, but an angel fallen from grace.

She walked to him, pressing her body flush against his as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. "Touch me, Loki." She whispered against his lips as she kissed him. His arms came around her and his mouth moved against hers. She sighed and opened to him.

They undressed one and other slowly, in no hurry, each learning the others body again as though this was the first time they'd being together intimately. They lay together on the bed, side by side, hands exploring one another.

They touched and tasted, neither controlling, both demanding. She let out a slow sensual moan of pleasure as he put his hand between her legs. She pressed against him, responding to his ardent demands and making her own.

She spread her legs and pulled him down to her. Her arms went around his waist, her hands playing over his beautiful buttocks. He levered himself up on his hands and smiled down at her. She smiled back and pulled gently on his hips.

He slid into her slowly. His head went back and a soft sound of pleasure escaped him. He held himself still for several moments, then lowered himself and kissed her slowly. They kissed and touched for a long time, until the feelings built to the point that they both had to move. He pulled out of her as slowly as he'd entered her, then pressed in again.

Tears stood in her eyes as she watched him. His breath was ragged. His eyes were closed and he was moving so very slowly, really letting himself feel each glide and stroke. She suddenly realized how lonely he must be, never having any real interaction with anyone, always being the villain of the piece.

She reached up and kissed the strong column of his throat and felt the vibration as he made another sound of passion. Her hands caressed his back, her mouth moved over his neck and they were joined in a fusion of heat between their legs.

His breath came harder and so did hers as the pleasure took them both. She felt him tense and knew he was ready, but he made himself wait, continuing to move, bringing her with him. Her head fell back and she breathed his name to herself. The first shudders of orgasm took her and he moved once more, driving her higher before loosing himself inside her.

When it was over, they held each other for a long time. Eventually, she drew back and brushed her hand across his face. He drew it to his mouth and kissed her palm.

"I'll never see you again, will I?" she asked.

"Not in person, no."

She swallowed hard. It hurt, but not as much as it would have before.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For today. For teaching me things I never knew about myself."

She touched his face once more, then got off the rumpled bed and dressed. He lay there, watching her.

She put her hand on the doorknob and turned back for one last look. He was supporting himself on one arm again. She saw him with a kind of double vision – the God of Mischief and the fallen angel. Lord, he was beautiful. But he was alone and he always would be. She might never find the level of passion she'd shared with him, but companionship and love were things she could aspire to in her life.

"Be careful, Loki. I hope you find peace one day." she said, meaning it with all her heart.

"And you, Hannah."

She smiled at him and left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

The End

A/N ~ and so we have come to the end of our journey. Thank you for all your lovely reviews, favourites and follows. It's really kept me going. I have a sequel running around in my brain, but I'm not sure which way to jump with it. Part of my wants it to be a Loki fic and the other part wants it to be a Hawkeye fic. The mediator in my head is suggesting that it could be a bit of both but I don't know what to do! What do you guys think?