Jane continues to visit every few weeks while she visits Asgard. Loki very slowly improves. He starts eating, a little more each meal. And he bathes, requesting clean clothes and sheets for the first time in a very very long time. He burns incense and lets her brush his hair once he has cleaned it.
She brings more movies, some made for children, some silly, and a few love stories. After each, he tries to create something of them in his illusions and they play for a little while before she leaves.
Just a few days after her 80th birthday, she returns from a visit to find Thor in his room, standing at the balcony, staring out over the city, very still, very quiet. He does not greet her or even turn to acknowledge that she has entered.
"Thor? What's up?"
"Father has died."
She sighs and joins him, "I'm sorry."
"There are still so many things I would like to do before being king."
"Then I guess you have to do them fast."
"I have only a few moments here. I must tell the realm. And then there are going to be years worth of work ahead of me as we change kings. I will have only a few days to mourn and I would like you here for those. But after, I ask you to return home until I send for you."
"OK...but you do realise that I'm 80 and we don't usually get many more years than that, right?"
"Yes, but I will likely not see you if you are here, either. Coronation may be quick, but what follows will be arduous."
"While you're gone this evening, can I tell Loki?"
"Is that wise? Will it be safe?"
"Yeah, I think it will be. He's my friend, remember?"
"I still cannot believe such a thing is possible."
"Spending time with someone will do that."
"Somehow I doubt it is only time. Were I to attempt the same thing, he would be furious."
"I don't know, Thor. If you were quiet and let him lead, you might get somewhere with him. But you've got to let him be what he is first. And that would probably be very, very angry."
"I will leave him to you, Jane. I do not think it would be wise to once again address the problem of Loki."
She sighs and stays beside him on the balcony until he kisses her and leaves for his duties. She changes from her layers of lavender into black, draping a long scarf around her neck. She has no idea how Asgard does mourning, but this seems right for her purposes. She returns to the dungeons.
Loki hears the barrier fall and sits up on the cot, confused when he sees Jane enter, "You have returned far sooner than I expected."
"Loki...may I sit?"
"Of course. What has happened?"
She takes his hands, "Odin died."
He is not sure what to feel, a part of him incredibly relieved, another part, the one that still hoped Odin thought of him, terribly sad.
"Loki?"
He clears his throat, "Thank you for delivering the news."
"What do you need?"
"Time."
"Well you have plenty of that- I meant from me."
"Will you stay with me for a little while?"
"Of course."
"Thor, no doubt, needs you."
"Yeah, but he had to go deliver the news to the realm. He said I had time to come down."
"But that will not last very long."
"No, it won't. And he wants to send me back in a few days so he can do all the new king stuff."
"Only a few days...will you be able to visit then?"
"No. Thor's asked me to spend them in mourning with him."
"Ah."
"I'm sorry. I really want to be here for both of you."
"Thor is your lover. You should spend the time with him, not me."
"And you're my brother. You need me, too."
Loki hugs her- something he rarely instigates, "And knowing this is enough. Thank you, Jane. I will be fine."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"It hasn't hit you yet, has it?"
"No."
She stays with him until it does, through a stage of uncontrollable crying, another of pure rage, and yet another of nothing but his own energy upending everything in the cell. He picks her up, dusts her off, and makes sure she is not hurt, apologizing profusely before dropping onto the cot, tucking his legs to his chest, and screaming into his knees. She sits beside him and puts her arms around him, but she knows there is nothing she can do to make things any easier. He shifts from sobbing to laughing and back again, and then he stands, paces, and then drops against the wall. She moves to sit beside him. He clutches his head, then the room once again flies into disarray, the cot upending, his blankets slapping the far wall. She opens her arms and he curls against her as he calms.
"Are you going to be OK?"
"I don't know."
She brushes back his hair, "What are you thinking?"
"I don't know. Perhaps Thor will consider a king's pardon...but I shouldn't hope for such a thing."
"You want him back, don't you?"
"Yes...but also, no."
"Let me guess, your head says no, let's stay angry, and your heart just wants your big brother like when you were kids and you hurt."
"Why do you think I hurt as a child?"
"Firstly, Thor's told stories of Sif beating you up. Secondly... you've always played second fiddle to Thor. Don't tell me that didn't make you jealous or hurt even then."
"I wish I knew their intentions. Their plans for me. What grand scheme did Odin have when I was so little?"
"Thor told me he wanted you to rule with your brother- a king and his right hand man, a faithful friend, advisor, and steward."
"And how does Thor know this?"
"He asked."
"And do you believe he was told the truth?"
"I didn't know Odin- he never liked me, so I didn't talk to him. But I don't see any reason why he'd lie to Thor."
"He lied to me."
"Technically, he omitted to you."
"He said I was his son."
"And you were. Adopted family is still family."
"Well he is dead now, so the tie to bind me to Thor has been severed. He will let me languish here, a prisoner until my death."
"Loki...think of it another way, please? Odin ordered him to stay away after your jailbreak. Odin's gone...so the orders are, too."
Loki sighs, "Odin's gone." He stands and offers her a hand, "My...my father is dead."
She hugs him and they walk towards the upended cot, "Yes, he is."
"I am so uncertain as to how I should feel about this."
"You feel how you feel. 'Should' doesn't even come into it."
"I feel all sorts of mixed things. And I do not want to try to right this cot... But I want something softer to sit on."
She gathers the blankets and drops them in a heap beside it, "There. Done. And being mixed up is OK. Just be gentle with yourself."
"Ah, something I am terrible at doing."
Fandral has been sent to retrieve Jane and, when he arrives, he finds her sitting in a heap of bedding with Loki cuddled beside her. She appears unharmed, but he does not know if this is an illusion or truth. They appear to be in deep conversation and he does not like interrupting, but he has a command from his king he must follow.
"Miss Jane Foster. I have orders to return you to Thor."
"Oh. That time already?"
"It has been hours that you have been down here. Are you as I see you?"
"Yep. I'm all me. By the cot. In blankets."
"It is quite the nest."
"It's comfy. You should try building one sometime."
"Perhaps I will, but the king awaits. Say your goodbyes."
She turns to Loki and hugs him, whispering beside his ear, "Hang in there. And just in case I don't make it back...I love you in every way a sister and best friend can."
His heart sinks and it shows on his face, "In case...?"
"I'm an old woman, Loki. I only have a few years left. I've already outlived all my friends in Midgard and most of the people I went to school with. If it takes Thor a few years to get everything straightened out...I might not make it back."
He holds her more tightly, "I had forgotten..."
"I'm sorry. This was a terrible day to remind you."
He does not want to let her go, "It is better to know it than to wonder if you have left me by some error of my own."
"You know I wouldn't do that. Would I take a step back? Maybe a break if you needed space? Sure. But I'd tell you why. If I don't show up, ask, please? Don't just worry yourself sick."
"I will. I don't want you to go."
"I know." She kisses his forehead, "But I have to."
She stands, and he stays in the blanket nest; she grabs her bag and is nearly to the barrier when he calls to her, "Wait, Jane."
"Yeah?" She turns back.
"I love you, too. As your brother, and your best friend."
She smiles, "That makes me really happy."
"Me too."
"Bye, Loki. I'll try to see you at least one more time."
The barrier crackles back into place as Fandral leads her out of the dungeon.