AN: Previous readers may be confused by how I've twice now removed, edited and reuploaded these past few chapters. I've been terribly discontent and disconnected with this story since the first time I posted this chapter and blundered my way through the next. And especially since the last time I re-posted them. My unhappiness with this fic sent me into a long writing hiatus, and then an even longer re-editing spree. Over the past several months, I've made minor edits to every single chapter and reuploaded them. But it's only this chapter which had a significant plot change, which required me to delete it and it's following chapters, and repost them afresh (the rest of the edits were minor fixes in dialogue/characterisation/etc).
Now that I've fixed the mess that was this chapter and the next, I'm finally happy with the result and I've found myself able to break past the block and go on to write a couple of fresh new chapters (beyond Asgard at last!) I hope you enjoy this story's slightly re-altered direction - I'm certainly enjoying the motivation to pick up this story again. Now perhaps I can actually finish this thing before Ragnarok!
The Enemy of My Enemy
- Chapter Ten -
Loki dropped their illusions as soon as the dungeon doors swung shut behind them.
Jane felt relief lift from her like a weight as her Marauder disguise shimmered and dissolved. Though the handcuffs remained - much to her unease.
"Do you think you could release us from these cuffs now Loki?" She couldn't bring herself to plead, and the request came out with sharp impatience. Being forced to keep pace with Thor was one thing - doing so without tripping down steps was another entirely.
"Not yet." Loki allowed a light laugh. "It amuses me to watch you try and keep up without landing on your face."
"Thanks." She muttered. "I'll remember that the next time you trip on an imaginary crack in the ground."
The laughter died on Loki's lips.
Good. Jane thought, sweeping up the hem of her skirt as she moved closer to Thor's side. Then, without the burden of illusion to act as a barricade, she slipped a hand into Thor's own, holding tight for comfort as much as balance as they continued their descent.
xxoxxxoxxxoxx
"Now, where is this dark path?"
Sif's demand greeted them as they reached the final step. She stood amid fallen guards and marauders - those Jane had forced herself to leap across just hours earlier. But whereas Jane had been squeamish about approaching them, Sif barely seemed to notice the dead at her feet.
At least, Jane noted, she hadn't added any more to the collection.
Thor frowned, trying to remember the small amount of instruction Odin had offered amid the bomb blasts. "Father said we would locate it in the oldest cell."
The four glanced up and down the long corridor lined with identical prison cells.
"Well, that's helpful." Loki said dryly, and the smile he gave indicated it was anything but.
"I'm unfamiliar with the dungeons." Thor shrugged.
"As I well know." Loki returned, pointedly.
The chamber fell silent as the brothers glared furiously at each other.
"Why don't we split up?" Jane said suddenly, sensing another argument in the works. "Two of us can start from one end and two from the other. There must be some sign of age to distinguish the cell we're looking for."
"You're probably right." Thor conceded at last.
"Actually, that won't be necessary," Loki said abruptly. "I will not be a part of this fool's errand any longer. The three of you are welcome to do what you will, but I will go on alone."
"Loki, that's ridiculous." Thor casually swept aside his brother's spite. "This is the only way Frigga can be rescued, and we must do it together."
A movement behind Loki caught his attention and he turned to find Sif's sword once again directed at his throat.
"You are rotten to the core, Loki No-one's-Son." she hissed. "But do not think you'll make it past my blade."
"And if you strike me down? What then?" He threw back carelessly. "How well will Thor rescue Frigga with his hands still bound?"
"Brother, no!" Thor's protest punctured the air. "These cuffs, they were a clever trick to get us past the guards, but you cannot think to keep me confined by them."
"I can and I will, if I must." Loki retorted airily. "No power save that of the dwarves who made them will release those cuffs from your wrists without my say. But by all means you're welcome to try."
"Loki, our father put a seal over the entranceway - one which can only be broken by the might of Mjolnir. You need me to break the enchantment, but I will only do so if we accompany you. We must rescue mother - together."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Loki sneered. "Think about it Thor, it's better this way. Your precious mortal will only slow us down."
"Excuse me? I -"
"No." Loki spun around on Jane. "Don't you start - you have no idea what you're talking about!"
"We'll lock Jane in a cell." Thor conceded.
"What? No!" Jane gasped. Being locked down here with Thor at her side was one thing, but alone? That was quite another.
"Yes." Thor turned to Jane and took a cuffed hand in his own. "Jane, Loki has spoken aloud that which I have wished to avoid."
Shaking her head, Jane blinked away from Thor's gaze; fear of what he was about to say causing her words to lodge like a great lump of ash in her throat.
"Don't do this Thor…" She managed at last, unmindful of their impassive audience.
"This is not the end for us, Jane." He reassured. "But this is not a journey for mortals. It will be as I spoke of earlier: The guards will find you locked in a cell, and they will believe Loki held you hostage as bait for me. You can tell the Allfather that he used his tricks to have you free him. He'll believe that."
"Oh. Thank you." Loki said flatly.
"It's a reputation you've earned yourself, Loki." Thor deadpanned. "Once we return with Frigga, she will stand by you both, and clear your name."
Loki gave a wry laugh. "Oh I sincerely doubt anything could clear my name."
"You're probably right." Thor agreed. "But it's the best shot we have."
"I have no say in this, do I?" Jane asked bitterly.
"I'm sorry Jane." Thor's voice broke on the words.
Jane nodded tightly, extracting her hands from Thor's own as she stepped away.
She knew he was right - she was a mere mortal, and certainly not one of warrior stock. She didn't even have the right kind of footwear for this kind of journey! Still, she couldn't help but feel let down, and somewhat terrified at the thought of being stuck alone in a cell until someone might arrive - and then to face the Allfather on her own, afterwards.
"What say you, brother?"
Loki looked away, his mouth set in a grim line as he considered Thor's proposition. "I'll agree to your idiot plan. For now." He said at last. "So we will split up. You and Sif take the right wing, Jane and I will search the left."
"Excuse me?" Jane laughed nervously as she swung towards him. "I don't think so!"
"Why not? Of the three I'm currently stuck with for company, I find you the least irritating."
Jane tried to force three separate denials from her mouth and came up with gaping silence.
"Well?" The trickster raised an eyebrow expectantly as he rocked on his toes. "You can take it as a compliment if you wish."
The ridiculousness of his statement broke Jane from her paralysis. "Oh, I think I've had more than enough alone-time with you for one lifetime, thanks…"
"Look. This argument I hold with Thor will not rest." Loki pressed. "And I have no wish to be on the receiving end of the numerous grudges the good Lady Sif holds against me."
"Craven." Sif spat.
"Think of it as a complement to your prowess." Loki inclined his head. "And a lesson in pragmatism. Besides, Jane will serve as my collateral, should the Odinson think to double-cross me."
"Thor? Double-cross?" Jane scoffed. "I think you confuse him with yoursel-"
"Jane," Thor interrupted softly. "We will search the dungeons quicker if we follow Loki's plan. He'll be less inclined to create mischief with you."
"Don't be so sure." Jane grumbled. But already she could see that the decision had been made, and the rest were merely waiting for her to accept it. "Fine. Whatever."
"Excellent." Loki's Cheshire smile was disconcerting. "Now let's remove those fine Dwarven cuffs from your wrists."
He stepped towards her then, and placed cool gentle fingertips atop of her own. Turning her hands over so that they were cradled in his palm, Loki closed his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration as the locks within the cuffs began to whirl and turn.
He looked exhausted, Jane noticed with a start as she watched him work. His eyes were sunken and shadowed, his pale skin now grey and drawn. The effort to hold their illusions really had taken far more out of him than he was willing to admit.
"I do so enjoy the way your open admiration irks my brother, dear Jane." Loki said softly as the cuffs popped open and fell to the ground. He opened his eyes to meet her gaze. "I don't think Asgard's fair prince is accustomed to sharing a woman's attention."
"I wasn't admiring you." Jane wrenched her hands out of Loki's grasp and folded her arms tightly across her chest. "I was noticing how haggard you look, actually."
"Well, while I appreciate your concern…" He swooped down and picked up the fallen cuffs. "I assure you I'm quite fine."
"That's enough Loki." Thor growled, and his world-weary manner was that of one long used to bearing the brunt of his brother's games. He held his own hands out to his brother. "Now release my cuffs. We're losing time."
Pulling his gaze from Jane, Loki sighed and gave a lazy wave of one hand. Thor's cuffs snapped open and fell to the ground.
"What the…" Jane floundered. "I can't believe you!"
Loki grinned and offered a small bow.
It was Thor who stepped towards her then. "Loki revels in the chaos he causes, Jane. Don't let him get under your skin. Once this is all over, you won't have to deal with his mischief again. I promise you."
Jane stared at Thor in alarm as a green glow spiralled suddenly around him, encasing him in the vestige of a marauder once again. It was a clumsy job this time - Thor's blonde hair and general features remained, but the bad teeth and scars were back in place. And he didn't even realise the change had taken place!
Impulsively, she rose on her toes and threw her arms around Thor's neck; relieved when her fingers passed through the semblance of spiked armour and plunged into the rich red fabric of his cape. Strong arms enfolded her as the illusion rippled away. "It will be alright Jane." Thor murmured, still unaware of the trick Loki had played. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut to hold in the tears that suddenly threatened to spill. Damnit, she was made of tougher stuff than this! But the day's events were becoming quite overwhelming...
"Wasting time, remember?"
Loki's curt reminder cut through their moment and Jane pulled reluctantly against Thor's embrace, glowering as she met Loki's stupid smirk.
As Thor released her, Sif spoke. "Take a row of cells each. Look for signs of age, deterioration, disuse…"
Jane nodded. "Right."
And then she was spinning on her heel and walking away - hoping Loki would just leave her to it and search his own side of the wing without getting in her face with his stupid trouble-making.
As if she could be so lucky.
xxoxxxoxxxoxxxoxx
The cloying smell of blood hung heavy in the air as Jane moved cautiously through the dungeon. Once again she found herself having to step over corpses, but with Loki's sharp eyes upon her and his taunts no doubt waiting on the tip of his tongue, she forced herself to do so without fuss.
The energy barriers that had kept prisoners contained within their cells had been deactivated. Loki told her the dark elves had probably destroyed the generator that powered Asgard's defence system, bringing the shields down with it.
"Asgard's technology is fascinating!" Jane started, then bit her lower lip in attempt to curb her enthusiasm. No doubt it would only give Loki further cause to belittle her.
"Well it would be, to you." He said flippantly. True to form. "Midgard is a primitive realm."
Jane stopped walking. "Do you have to be a jerk all the time?"
Loki turned and met her outrage with a blank stare. "I assume that was supposed to be an insult?"
She spluttered; speechless and furious.
"I'm merely being honest." He tilted his head, a half-smile perched on his lips. "Would you prefer me to lie?"
"Sometimes, yes." She managed finally.
The smile froze as Loki's cockiness drained away. Jane watched him skeptically; prepared for a new bout of theatrics.
"Now do you see my conundrum?" He said at last. His tone as bitter as it was soft. "It makes no difference whether I lie or speak the truth. I'm damned, either way."
She couldn't think of a reply to that - not when his sudden melancholic turn of mood had come straight out of left-field and he was glaring at her as if it had all but broken him to make such an admission.
And he didn't wait for her to contrive something. Instead he moved quickly past, and she rocked on her feet in the wake of his words.
Of course, he was toying with her again, she quickly reminded herself. The quiet desperation was contrived. And even if it wasn't, Loki was none of her concern. If his family and former comrades no longer trusted him, he'd brought it all on himself.
"You brought it all on yourself." She whispered to Loki's retreating back.
It was the truth, and she felt no guilt for saying it aloud. He wasn't the kind of creature who deserved pity. Certainly not from her.
xxoxxxoxx
Without guards to tend the braziers, the fires that provided light were dwindling as they deepened into the dungeon. Loki searched wordlessly amid a stockpile of firewood for two lengths suitable as firebrands, and when he set them alight with a trick of his hands, Jane kept a tight lid on her curiosity; wary of giving him further excuse to belittle her entire race.
For a time, they made their way through the dungeon in silence. Jane searching the cells to the left of the corridor, Loki searching those on the right. The air was stale and uncomfortably cold, and the shadows that jumped off the walls from the flickering torchlight made her deeply uneasy. She almost missed Loki's stupid quips - at least they stopped her from thinking of worse things than deflecting his insults. Instead, she found herself mulling over the darkness at her back and wondering what might be creeping up behind her.
This place played tricks on her mind - she was sure she could feel something watching her from the shadows. She half-opened her mouth to ask Loki if he felt it too, but stopped herself - he'd only scoff at her for being weak and human. But still… The unease remained. How could they be sure all of the marauders had left their cells? What if some had remained down here? Half-injured but still capable of grabbing her and…
"This end of the dungeon is older than the rest." Loki remarked suddenly, stepping neatly beside her and breaking the silence that had stretched like a chasm between them. "See how the flagstones differ?"
Grateful for his timely interruption of her thoughts, Jane lowered the torch to study the flat slabs of rock at her feet and then wandered a few steps back. She was silent. They all looked the same as far as she could tell.
"They ran out of limestone and had to source it from a different quarry." Loki moved closer and pointed to two as examples. "See? The cut and quality changed."
Still seeing no difference, Jane nodded with vague thoughtfulness and glanced down the dark corridor. "And I suppose you're going to tell me the cell we're looking for is at the end of that?"
A soft chuckle caused her to turn sharply in Loki's direction. Somehow, despite her efforts to keep her words in check, she'd given him another opportunity to mock her.
"Well Jane, as much as I'd love to lead you astray if just for the pleasure of your fine company, you can rest assured, I'm quite certain it's that one."
She followed Loki's outstretched finger, to the cell she'd just vacated. "But I just searched there!"
"Of course you did." He took her by the elbow and guided her back to the cell, discarding his half-dead firebrand and uplifting her own from her hands as they walked. "Unfortunately, mortal eyes are not particularly observant."
"I'm an astrophysicist!" Jane felt her face grow hot as she pulled her elbow free. "I've dedicated my life to studying stars hundreds of thousands of light years from my own galaxy! Do you think I could do that if I didn't have an excellent eye for detail?"
Loki gave her a sideways look and smiled. But he said nothing.
Infuriating! Jane thought. But she followed him, flabbergasted and indignant, back to the cell - not like she had a choice when he now held the last light-source in this god-forsaken place.
Loki used the brand to light a torch set in the cell wall, then threw the spluttering stick to the floor. The fire's flickering remains sent shadows dancing off the walls, and Jane took a grudging half-step closer to Loki as she watched him work his hands over their smooth white surface.
"Oh, don't trouble yourself with helping me." He caught her stare with an arched eyebrow.
"I'm just wondering how a hairline crack - should you find one - will tell you it's age." She scoffed, folding her arms loosely across her chest as she leant against the wall. This cell didn't look any older than the last, or the ten before that. How could he really be sure this was the one they were looking for?
"Hmm." Loki's lips twitched with a smile as he beckoned her closer. "Allow me to demonstrate."
Wary of his tricks, Jane shook her head. "Do I look like an idiot?"
"What do you expect me to do?" He asked, all wide-eyed and innocent. "I'm hardly going to slap you in handcuffs and fasten you to a bed frame! Well not yet, anyway."
Jane felt her face flush with embarrassment. "What!"
"Oh no, I didn't mean like that." He continued glibly. "I'm speaking of that inevitable moment when we must leave you behind. To face the Allfather's wrath." He finished with a smile.
Ducking her head, Jane willed the heat to leave her face. "Right. Of course."
"Now, will you permit me to reveal where I believe the portal to be, or no?"
His tone was polite. Genial even. If anything such a switch in attitude was reason to be ever more wary, but instead Jane crossed the cell to join him, a weary sigh of resignation escaping her.
"Good. Now run your hands across the wall." Loki folded his hands neatly together and inclined his head towards the smooth surface.
Skeptical, Jane did as she was told; sliding her hand across the cell's stark white flawlessness.
"No." He gave a small hiss of exasperation. "Here."
Stepping closer, Loki place his hand over her own, and guided her fingertips across the wall. The surface had only the finest texture, and she could feel nothing out of the ordinary. Weren't they looking for a tunnel or something? She couldn't feel any sign of repair…
"Don't try to feel the wall itself. Feel the energy. Feel it thrum beneath your fingertips."
Loki's voice was soft in her ear, and she stiffened; suddenly all-too-aware of the trickster's proximity - of the warmth of his body radiating against her back. Why did he have to stand so close?
"En-" She started nervously, then cleared her throat to begin again. "Energy?"
"Yes. It's not so much a hole in the wall that we search for, but a…"
Loki's words fell away on deaf ears. Her anxious need to escape this far-too-intimate closeness was slightly offset by the fact that his warmth was staving off the dungeon's chill, and she pressed her palms hard against the wall as she fought a shiver.
"Jane, is something the matter?" Moving his hands to her shoulders, Loki swung her to face him. His mouth danced that fine line between smile and smirk - he knew damned well the only problem here was his complete disregard for personal space, and she opened her mouth to say as much.
But then he was lifting her chin with the softest brush of his fingertips, forcing her to meet his eyes. So close… She could see flecks of gold hidden in their depths. What the hell was he up to now?
Refusing to cower, Jane met his stare with all the attitude she could muster - given the givens. Jutting her jaw defiantly as if the press of his fingertips hadn't already tilted her face towards him. "Loki..." she began tersely, fingers curling against the wall at her back.
Ignoring the warning in her voice, his hand slipped through her hair, to cup the back of her neck. Close. Too close. Jane felt suddenly as if she'd forgotten how to breathe. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"
A weighted pause stretched out between them. Loki stared, smile frozen. She had a sense he wasn't sure how to answer the question himself - that he had seen an opportunity to push her discomfort and taken it, without thought to where the action would take him.
Typical.
Finally, the trickster blinked, a slow smile curling upon his lips as if reading her thoughts and seeking to challenge them. Light fingertips unthreaded themselves from her hair. "Must I always have a reason?"
His words were flippant enough. But there was something off about the lilt of his voice. A tension that matched the set of his shoulders, reminding Jane of something wild, cornered and unpredictable.
And that didn't make a lick of sense, seeing she was the one currently pressed up against a wall.
"You need to let me go Loki." She demanded. "I'm not a pawn in this game of rivalry you're playing against Thor."
"Oh hush." Loki released her and stepped backwards, lips tugging up into one of his familiar trickster smiles. "I was merely trying to show you where I believe the dark path to be. As a scientist, I thought you'd appreciate being privy to such a wonder."
"Funnily enough," Jane grated, "I don't need you in my face to appreciate science."
The half-smile refined itself into something dark and wicked. But if he had any further quip to offer, the scuff of a boot in the corridor quelled him.
Jane breathed a sigh of relief as Loki spun on his heel and moved away, just as Thor stepped through the defunct energy shield.
Catching the flurry of movement, a quizzical frown touched upon Thor's brow as he stopped in his tracks to look from one to another. "Jane?" He edged forward, ignoring his brother, "is everything alright?"
"Hmm?" Jane tilted her head towards him and forced her frayed nerves to settle. She could feel Loki's eyes boring into the back of her head as she tried to will away the flush of angry heat that seared her skin. "Of course, why wouldn't it be?"
The lie almost caught in her throat, but it had to be told. Loki was a creep and Thor should be made aware of it, but now was not the time for a confrontation. Still, Thor turned to fasten his brother with a narrow-eyed glare, and she realised something of that unease must have shown in her eyes.
"Thor!" Jane caught his hand in her own, forcing his attention to return to her as she shook her head. She could only imagine the smug, shit-eating grin plastered across Loki's face right now. "Really. Everything's fine - and Loki found the dark path."
The dark path. Jane felt a flash of guilt once more. Frigga's plight had been reduced to an after-thought.
The strike of footsteps served a timely distraction once again. One person running hard. Moments later, Sif leapt into the cell, sword drawn and ready in her hands.
"We have company approaching!" Taking in the scene before her with a weary eye, Sif pressed on. "An entire company by the sound of things. So if you've done fooling around, you'd best find this path!"
Loki stepped lightly to Jane's side, indicating the wall she had just been pressed against. "If you're looking for something to hit, brother," he grinned, tone mocking, "I suggest you vent yourself on the wall. Right there."
Thor followed the point of Loki's finger to a segment of wall that looked much the same as any other. He pinned Loki with one last narrow-eyed look, then hefting his hammer, he stepped forward and began to swing...
A LONG Footnote: The first and second time I posted the scene with Loki and Jane in the cell with it's following scene involving Thor, the whole fiasco was a mess. The first time, Loki didn't kiss Jane, but positioned himself to insinuate such a thing was about to occur - a bit of trickery he timed perfectly with Thor entering the cell. That was all well and good (though maybe better-suited to a later chapter), but then Thor's over-reaction didn't suit the situation at all. I deleted the chapter, rewrote the Loki & Jane scene so that he did spring a kiss upon her, and then followed through with Thor's reaction. This still felt completely inauthentic to the story and to the way I've been portraying the characters thus far. On one hand, I could absolutely see Loki doing such a thing just to cause problems between Thor and Jane for his own amusement, but on the other hand... it was really not appropriate to what I was trying to create between them all at this point in their journey (maybe in the future ;)) In particular, the character reactions made some readers hate my reiteration of Thor, Jane came across as weak and pathetic, and the tenacious camaraderie that I wanted to build for the three on their journey had now been shattered. That was my bad writing, and I hated the mess I'd created.
I still wanted that moment of tension between Loki and Jane wherein Loki finds himself taking his pranks a step too far and confusing his own feelings for a moment, and I still wanted a scene in the next chapter where Thor loses his temper and lets his hammer fly. But I knew I could work it more authentically than that. Now I think that I've finally managed to rewrite these chapters in a way that doesn't ruin the tensions and wit and so on that I've worked so hard on for so long... Because I sure as Hel have no intention of rewriting again!
Thanks for hanging in there through my babble, folks. Next re-edited chapter up soon - I'm looking forward to shortly presenting you with my NEW chapters! :)