Chapter Ten: In Person

~ in Stuttgart, Germany ~

Andra pulled away and placed her hands on either side of her head, moaning in pain. Tony gently grabbed her by the upper arm, worried.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he asked.

She opened her eyes and looked at Loki, who gave her a 'you-had-better-not' look.

"It's... nothing. Just a headache. I'm fine," she lied, as smoothly as she could.

The look in his eyes told her Tony didn't believe her, but he let it slide for now. They took Loki, handcuffed, aboard their plane and took off for the base. He was sat down in a chair on the side of the plane, and at her lover's behest, on the grounds that she obviously wasn't feeling well, she sat down across from him. Their eyes met and she gave him a quizzical look.

What was that about?

'What do you have with that mortal?'

Her look became smug. I asked first.

'Your answer dictates my own.'

He's my... She looked at Tony for a moment, where he was standing and talking to Steve, still in his Iron Man suit. To be honest, I'm not sure.

'Have you had... carnal knowledge of this mortal?' Loki asked, the look on his face masking the pure disgust in his mental voice.

Wow, don't think I've heard that phrase since chastity belts were fashionable.

'Do not mock me. Just answer my question.'

Well... do you want honesty or lies?

'Whichever you wish to give me. It is quite simple for me to ascertain when you are lying, as I am the God of Lies, and I will simply pry the truth from your mind if I feel you are.'

Oh, aren't you a bundle of joy? Well, since you'll take it from me anyway, then I'll just be honest with you. Yes, I have. Multiple times, in fact. He's what you'd call my lover. Now answer my question.

'Need I remind you who has control of your true name? I sincerely doubt he is even aware you have one,' he sneered, with a look of malice aimed at Tony. 'He most likely believes you were originally given the name Andra.'

He knows my name! I lived with him for two months, he knows me far better than you can even pretend to! And you're avoiding my question.

'You are impatient, my dear. What would happen if I told you that from this point on, you are mine and mine alone?'

I'd laugh. In fact, I think I might. You can't be serious.

'I am perfectly serious.'

She let an actual quiet laugh escape her. You don't know the first thing about me.

'Really? Remember, I have full entrance into your mind and memories.'

And you think that's gonna help you?

'It will help me more than you think.'

Yeah right.

Suddenly, there was a crack of lightning and Loki's eye's became quite wide for a second. Steve turned to the tense God and gave him a skeptical look.

"You afraid of a little lightning?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," he answered.

The plane then shook violently, and the men asked what had hit us. Andra looked to Loki, who gave her a look of almost worry.

'Watch yourself, my dear. This may get violent.'

What?

The bay doors opened suddenly and a tall, muscular, blonde man with a red cape stood on the door. He grabbed Loki by his collar and jumped from the plane. She shot from her seat and instructed Nat to take them lower. With a nod, the altitude of the plane began dropping. Tony started walking towards the open doors.

Steve yelled after him, "Wait, Stark! We need a plan of attack!"

"I have a plan," he retorted, "Attack!" And with that, his mask lowered and he shot from the plane.

This made her chuckle slightly, but she got over the humor quickly. After asking her piloting friend how high their altitude was, she turned to Steve, who was getting on a parachute.

"What're you doing, Steve?"

"Getting on a parachute and jumping out after that maniac, what do you think I'm doing?" he replied.

"Taking the long way," she said simply, and ran forward and jumped out of the plane, ignoring the yells of Steve to stop and the screaming of Nat that they were too high.

As she travelled down, she saw her target on the side of a mountain. Loki, by this point, was standing there alone. Aiming for the space beside him, she realized how high they'd been and that she was most likely going to break something when she landed.

Shit, this ain't gonna go well...

'What isn't?'

Look up.

Loki looked at her and his eyes became as big as saucers. Feet down, she landed beside him with a sickening crunch and rolled. She tried to stand up, but fell. Now she was laying, face in the dirt, in front of the God of Mischief. He knelt down on one knee beside her.

"When I said I wanted people to fall before me, this is not exactly what I imagined, Andra, though your sentiment is appreciated," he joked.

She huffed a breath and propped herself up on her elbows, ears flattening themselves to her head. "Stop the smart alec attitude and help me up, Mr. Glorious Purpose."

"Why should I? I do enjoy you prostrating yourself before me," he answered with a smirk.

Her glare singed his eyebrows as she got to her knees and then sat down with her legs to one side of her. The sound of Tony's repulsion beams could be heard in the distance, along with the crashing of people being thrown into trees. She hissed in pain and caressed her foot gingerly.

"What have you done to yourself, my dear?"

"I think I broke my left foot. Hurts like hell," she explained.

Suddenly, he was sitting across from her cross-legged. She sighed deeply. A large shockwave hit them and knocked over multiple trees, but the two sat unfazed.

"So, my dear, am I as handsome as you have previously thought?"

"What? Where did that come from?" she asked, perplexed.

"You think I am attractive."

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"This is another one of those inner thoughts things, isn't it?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps I was just tricking you into thinking that so I could achieve my goal," he mentioned with a shrug.

"You sly devil!" she exclaimed, but the smile on her face gave away her amusement.

"And you enjoy the fact that I have tricked you, do you not?"

"Why're you so hung up on the idea that I like you or find you attractive? Do you find me attractive? You already said my full name was alluring to you."

"Yes, I do. And can you blame me?" he asked, looking her up and down in a way that made her uncomfortable in a weird fashion.

There was a thudding of feet and Loki was lifted off the ground.

"She might not be able to, but I can," Tony growled as he punched Loki hard in the face.

... eep.

Review please!

- Emmy