And, done! Kinda. I know there will be groans at the end, but as I have said there is a sequel coming that will focus on those unresolved issues. I wanted to explore a few things that came up in this story in more detail, but because those weren't originally a part of this story it didn't seem right to attack all those here. The chapter after this is a teaser for the new story. It will be more romantically focused and may or may not come with a higher rating to boot, but I'm not sure yet. If it does come with a higher rating, the higher rating won't apply to every chapter and I will be careful to mark the chapters where it does apply so anyone can read it and just skip what they don't want to read. Anyway, enjoy the final chapter.

- Illusinia

The first thing Darcy became aware of as her mind slid towards consciousness was a pounding headache. Like, marching band practicing off-tune in her head bad. Sitting in the center of the percussion section of a live orchestra bad. The pounding made her want to roll over and sink back into unconsciousness.

She must have made a noise of some kind, because suddenly cool fingers were brushing over her forehead and Loki's voice was whispering in her ear. "Relax Darc."

Soothing warmth spread across her forehead and along the top of her skull, easing away the headache which had plagued her. With the pain gone, she dared to open her eyes. And might have screamed if Loki's face weren't so recognizable to her, no matter what the color.

Loki was blue. Really, really blue. And his eyes were really, really red. Ridges and marks rose up along his skin, flowing across his forehead and down in cheeks in patterns she found mesmerizing. She wondered briefly if he realized his normal skin was gone.

"You're blue, just an FYI," pointed out Darcy with a smile. "It looks good on you."

The choking sound Loki made brought a smile to Darcy's face, even as she reached up and ruffled his still-black hair with a giggle. His face revealed his unease, so Darcy pulled him down into a hug, planting a kiss on his temple. "Thank you for getting rid of my headache."

"Concussion," corrected Loki, his voice a little strained as he faced the fact that he hadn't actually realized he was blue and that his best friend didn't seem to care. "It was a concussion which I cured."

Darcy just shrugged and released him. "Eh, headaches are a symptom of concussions, so I count curing my concussion as getting rid of my headache."

"Good to know," muttered Loki with a sigh. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and then he was holding her tightly against his body. "By Odin, what were you thinking wondering into the middle of that fight Darcy?"

Her smile was soft as she gripped him back, the relief of knowing he was alright overshadowing all else. "Friends don't let friends get their asses kicked by anyone. Even if their friend went crazy and tried to take over the world."

Loki felt his breath catch. "You came after me, to try to protect me."

"To save you," corrected Darcy. "Even if it was from yourself." She leaned back and pressed her forehead against Loki's, one of her hands wrapping around behind his neck. "You're my best friend Loki. I love you now, loved you before, and will always love and accept you."

"You have no ability to promise that," whispered Loki, even as he closed his eyes against the press of emotion. "There are things you do not know Darcy."

Darcy chuckled lightly. "So you've said that before, but nothing you've ever told me has scared me. Even when you're drunk off your ass on vodka."

Apparently, Loki could pale in his blue form. He kinda turned the color of deep ice with sunlight shining through the other side. "I- I told you stories?"

"After you finished ranting about how your family didn't appreciate you, ever, you told me how you got the title God of Mischief," confirmed Darcy. "Among other things. Any way you can do that goblet of snakes trick on Tony one night? That would be hilarious. No, better, do it on Coulson. Wait, does Coulson drink?"

Loki was just staring at her like she'd lost her marbles, not that he didn't give her that look more than once a month. Better than multiple times a week, like it had been before. She was pretty sure her record for making Loki give his 'are you mad' look was 32 times in one week. Digressing.

"Loki? You ok?" asked Darcy gently. "You know you'll catch flies if you leave your mouth open.""

One of her hands came up to stroke his cheek, an action that seemed to draw him back. "I cannot believe I told you such things. Does this mean-"

"-I've known who you were all along?" finished Darcy with a soft smile. One of her hands ran through his hair. "Pretty much. Gotta admit though, seeing you try to destroy part of a city was unexpected. And a little intimidating. Really awesome though. We have to pull some pranks with that magic of yours. I want to see what you can do without restriction."

He was still looking at her like she was crazy. "Darcy, I tried to destroy a city. You could have been killed in that fight!"

"And it would have been my fault for going out there," she pointed out, dropping her hand. Stubborn man. "Loki, look, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Nothing you do can scare me away. You're my best friend and the fact that you're here, now, in my apartment rather than running around out in the city causing mass destruction and panic, indicates your priorities."

For the first time since she awoke, a hint of mischief leaked into Loki's smirk. "How do you know I have not already destroyed the city?"

"Simple," whispered Darcy. "I heard you tell Thor you'd destroy it unless he gave me to you just before I passed completely out. And because I'm here, its probably a safe guess that everything outside is still standing."

The smirk on Loki's face slipped to a regular smile. "Cheater."

"Hardly," murmured Darcy with a sigh."Gotta say though, I'm having a hard time accepting that Thor's your brother. I always assumed any brother of yours would show at least some sign of intelligence." She shrugged slightly. "Oh well, at least now I don't feel bad about tasing his ass when we first met."

Loki's mouth fell open slightly as he stared at her like she'd grown another head. "You tasered my brother?"

"Yes I did," confirmed Darcy will all the pride of a champion.

She could see his confusion. "Did it affect him?"

Darcy's grin was blinding. "Fell like a sack of bricks."

Loki couldn't help it; he started laughing manically. "How wonderful. I cannot believe you tasered my brother."

"Believe it," murmured Darcy. "I'd do it again too, if given the chance. He deserves it for everything he's done to you."

The heavy breath Loki released worried her a little. She knew that sound. "Darcy, I may have exaggerated the dress to which Thor teased me. Besides, it is Asgardian tradition and he really was only attempting to make me stronger."

The look Darcy gave him back spoke clearly of her disbelief. "He harassed you Loki. Teased and provoked you into fights. Brother's shouldn't do that. And a few times saving, defending, or helping you doesn't make up for the times when he was the source of your torment."

Silently, Loki lay down beside Darcy on what she now realized was the bed they usually shared. "Maybe, but striking against him and proving myself to Father is not worth your life. Nothing will ever be worth giving you up for. You see something no one else sees, some aspect of who I am that is attractive to you. You have always accepted me without a second thought. You befriended me because of who I am as a person, and not out of an interest in personal gain. That alone is worth more than any revenge I could seek against my father or brother." He paused, a smirk tugging at his lips again. "At least for now."

His end-tag made her smile widely. However, a frown quickly replaced the smile. "You aren't going to stop playing tricks right?"

"Hardly," scoffed Loki. "We still need to fully awaken your inner trickster again."

"And break Jane and Pepper out of their shells," muttered Darcy. "I swear, I will drag them out on a prank night. You should have seen how excited they were when we broke out of S.H.I.E.L.D. It just confirmed that neither one has ever really lived."

"You will have to rectify that," agreed Loki with a smile as he pulled Darcy's head down to his shoulder, cuddling her close as he closed his eyes. "Later though. Tonight, let us sleep."

"Sounds good," whispered Darcy as she curled around him. "I'm glad you're back Loki."

Loki's arm tightened a little around her waist. "And I am glad that you are well, Darcy."

Every member of the Avengers was currently seated at the giant conference table, with Fury pacing back and forth, well, furiously. "I don't believe this! Thor, you had better hope she's actually alright..."

"She is," assured Jane gently. "I called her this morning and she said everything was fine. Apparently the fall gave her a bit of a concussion and, well Loki healed her, she's still groggy. I told her to sleep in and take the day off."

"We still don't know what his end-game is," pointed out Coulson irritably. "The damage from yesterday's battle was just magically repaired this morning. Why?"

"My brother is taking responsibility for his mess," replied Thor calmly. "He did this often on Asgard when any of his pranks physically damaged something that was not alive."

Steve huffed. "So we're just going to assume Darcy is alright and that Loki isn't, I don't know, holding her hostage and forcing her to say she's alright? For all we know he's torturing her!"

"Hardly," stated a voice firmly. Everyone jumped as Loki suddenly just appeared standing on the conference table, hands clasped behind his back. "She is sleeping soundly right now, something I wish to return to doing once our business is concluded."

Tony smirked. "We've got business."

"Yes," continued Loki. "I find it proper manners to alert you that, for the time being, I have decided against invading Midgard or destroying anyone or anything. Perhaps I may even be swayed to assist in its protection."

The smirk on Tony's face grew. "Switching sides? Dude, what did Darcy do to you?"

Loki's eyes narrowed slightly. "She has done nothing to me. I simply find the cost for my success to be too high." His eyes shifted around the table, examining every individual there. None of them looked particularly comfortable with his presence. "Now, I believe that concludes our business. If you wish for me to sign a piece of paper or undergo some other form of ceremony to officiate my statement, I may be reached at Darcy's home."

With that, he disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving the room full of Avengers silent.

Thor was the first to recover, less surprised by the chaos than the others. "It seems Lady Darcy was capable of convincing my brother to forestall his destructive agenda. I must say, it is a surprise as no female has ever so easily bent my brother to their will."

"Its the boobs," insisted Tony. "I'm pretty sure her boobs have magic powers."

Pepper looked peeved, Steve had turned red (and his mind may or may not have been flooded with inappropriate images), and Thor just looked confused. It took Tony almost an hour to explain to Thor that, no, Darcy's boobs could not actually perform magic and that he simply meant that Darcy had offered up something better than world domination. When Thor started asking awkward questions, Tony began banging his head against the table. That night, Pepper placed a call to Loki, asking about his magic concussion cure.