'The sun is filling up the room and I can hear you dreaming. Do you feel the way I do right now? I wish we would just give up cause the best part is falling. Call it anything but love and I will make sure to keep my distance. Say, "I love you," when you're not listening and how long can we keep this up, up, up? Please don't stand so close to me. I'm having trouble breathing. I'm afraid of what you'll see right now. I give you everything I am. All my broken heart beats, until you'll understand and I will make sure to keep my distance. Say, "I love you," when you're not listening. And how long can we keep this up, up, up? And I keep waiting for you to take me. You keep waiting to save what we have.' - Distance (Christina Perri)

As they came upon the ridge the quartet slowed their pace. All the while Loki remained close, keeping himself within arms reach of Fiore. Fiore saw their closing in on Malekith, knew that they were awaiting their arrival, knowing that they were coming. Malekith's connection made any sneak attacks impossible but she felt their plan had a high possibility for success- even if Loki and Thor had yet to openly share it with her. Even while she had the confidence that the Ether would be removed she was not nearly as confident that destroying it would be as easy as Thor wanted to believe it would be. Even now she could feel its interest in her power, that same dark power she'd kept buried. Just as the ether had been drawn to her Malekith now knew of her and that power making it very possible that they would not let the opportunity for more power slip through their fingers.

Fiore felt it even now, continuing to worm its way through every fiber of her being, drawing ever closer to the power she feared. Bitterness welled up within her, the ether reminding her, seeking to release something within her that was so far from what she wanted or chose to be. Something dark and twisted that she could not control- while the either could. It if succeeded in breaking through that last barrier of her will she could not say what she would become with the addition of the shadow. Together, the ether could very well consumer her. All the while the bitterness she felt did nothing to ease the weakness that was beginning to wear on her as her mind and body continued to fight the ever losing battle against the invasion of the ether. Little by little with each step she felt herself growing weaker, making each step feel as if she were walking on burning needles and her lungs gasp for air.

Such did not go unnoticed by the ever watchful Loki. As Fiore momentarily stumbled. he weak legs catching a small stone, he was there, his leather clad body catching her before she could fall. Even as her heart fluttered at the obvious display of care Fiore could not help but wish that the circumstances of such seeming affectionate gestures were coupled with less dire circumstances. At the very least she would have felt more sure of any possible emotions she wanted so badly to believe were the reason behind such care. It did not help matters in the least that Loki had always been frustratingly adept at keeping the strongest emotions under lock and key. As badly as she wanted to be strong, to show him that she could be more than the damsel, Fiore felt her whole body sag against him. Within a second Loki was calling out to Thor to stop, demanding to stop and allow her a moment to rest before continuing onward.

Despite her obvious weakness Thor refused, seeing too much danger in being so out in the open as he pushing them on. The reasoning was sound, Fiore knew Loki would understand the truth in the words. Yet, at the refusal Fiore felt Loki stiffen against her body but he made no attempt to argue as even Fiore herself would have to agree, if even at that moment her body seemed to disagree. Rather than make any argument Loki simply held her closer arranging her as he easily scooped her up into his arms allowing her head to rest lazily against his shoulder. Then as if he were simply carrying a feather Loki followed after Thor and Jane.

Once they reached the ridge overlooking the valley below where Malekith was already waiting for their arrival the group finally paused. Against her will Fiore groaned, gritting her teeth against a shot of pain that lanced through her body at the simple movement of Loki setting her down. Loki immediately paused, kneeling in front of her as his emerald eyes took in everything about her, noting each painful wince. Fiore hissed irritably trying to push him away with what little strength she had knowing that the movement likely seemed little more than a pat to him now.

"I'm fine," she told him huffily, disliking the annoying damsel in distress predicament she currently found herself. Fiore would much rather have his pride than his pity.

The look that crossed Loki's gaze told her that he obviously did not believe her but at least he was kind enough to save some of what was left of her pride by keeping his silver tongue silent. Yet, his silence did not keep him from treating her as the invalid she currently was. Fiore practically sighed in pleasure at the feel of his cool fingers brushing against the burning skin of her forehead. The bitterness continued to burn, wanting to feel sure of him and his gentle ministrations. With a strange shot of joy despite the situation she did not miss the unnecessary skimming of his fingers through her hair before he gently placed the peculiar silver strands behind her ear leaving her face completely open to his gaze. The motion was familiar, something Loki had often done when they were young.

"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?" she challenged even as her eyes widened at the realization that she had spoken the words aloud.

"You never complained about it before."

"Am I complaining about it now?" she shot back loving to insight the playful side of Loki she had known as a child. She needed the Loki now to help put her at ease but it seemed that despite her goading Loki was not quick to follow. Seeing that he would not follow she instead reached out taking his hand in hers and lifting it to her face. Sighing in relief at the return of his cool touch. Immediately understanding her purpose Loki was quick to move on his own when Fiore was too weak to continue holding him to her on her own. As he held his hand against her Fiore nuzzled against his palm as if she were a cat sighing in pleasure at his touch.

The sound had Loki unconsciously stiffening. His mind much to his own annoyance wandered in directions that they had wandered many times before where Fiore was concerned but now was most definitely an inappropriate time with Fiore sitting before him weak and in danger.

"You have always been cooler than others."

Loki stiffened again, this time in reaction to Fiore's words that began to travel in realms that he had no interest in exploring or revealing to Fiore. It was enough to live with the shame of what he truly was. he had already lost so much and he was unwilling to lose Fiore to the truth of what he was. He did not want to see her face looking back at him if she were to discover that truth.

"I always found it comforting."

The muttered words were not what he had expected. The breathy words managing to meet the protective walls around what remained of his battered heart.

"Loki."

He wanted to ignore the call of his brother but he knew the time was coming. Fiore was losing the fight with each breath. They could not wait any longer. It was strange to see her as she was now palm, weak and fighting for each stuttering breath- it was so different from the strong fiery personality who was intent on freedom that was so much a part of who she was. Like a flame becoming an ember or a rose wilting. He couldn't let that happen, even if he did not earn his freedom he would at least do this- he would save Fiore. That alone was a worthy battle in itself.

"Go," Fiore struggled to speak pushing his hand away and gritting her teeth in the struggle to keep from reaching out to him or her lips to speak more than she felt ready to speak

For only a moment Loki hesitated in leaving her side before he forced himself to leave her. As he moved away Jane took his place to care for Fiore. He moved to stand at Thor's side. Together the two brothers kneeled at the precipice of the ridge overlooking what was to be their battle grounds.

"We may not leave this land alive can you not tell her?" Thor asked moving to remove the shackles that he had placed on him before their departure from Asgard.

"What nonsense are you talking about brother?" Loki demanded icily rubbing the imaginary pain from his now free writs. "I think you've finally suffered one too many blows to the head."

"Joke all you want brother but I know love when I see it," Thor answered simply handing

Loki followed Thor's gaze watching as Jane hovered over a indulgently smiling Fiore. Even as she spoke gently to Jane in answer to the woman's concern her gaze moved to Loki as if naturally sensing his regard. The instant their gazes met Loki looked away steeling himself against her. Instead he simply took the dagger his brother offered refusing to discuss the topic further.

All the while Fiore pretended not to hear the whispered argument between the two brothers, refusing to let the uncontrolled elation at the possibility of Thor's words to hold any truth. For what was about to happen they both needed to concentrate on Malekith, not their petty brotherly rivalry- and certainly not her. While she did not want to distract Loki there was one thing she felt she must say- the rest would have to wait for another time. There was too much on the line for Loki to hesitate now in their plan for any reason.

With a great deal of effort Fiore pulled herself up to stand on her own two legs. At first she stumbled but with Jane lending a helping hand she made her way to where Loki and Thor stood.

Once reaching the two men she pulled her arm away from Jane who had taken hold of her to help lead her. Standing before Loki she looked up at him breathing in a deep calming breath to help prepare herself for what she was about to say.

"It's okay," she whispered quietly to him. "I am strong enough for this. He has to believe it if we even have a chance."

Loki paused, the words managing, as not many managed to, catch him by surprise. Her earnest gaze, that of the same girl who had always spoken plainly to him even in defiance staring back at him. Unable to help himself he chuckled, realizing that she had clearly been awake and listening during the planning that he and Thor and done while traveling. Obviously not much had changed at all-not to mention she had learned far too much from him in the past. Had the circumstances been different he was sure he'd feel some sense of pride in her tactics. For a moment the tight chain of resistance slackened allowing him one last moment to reach out and once more tug playfully at the silver strands at her cheek before pushing them behind her ear.

Fiore smiled brightly in return her heart fluttering at the gesture. Suddenly in the last moment before their plan was pushed into action- as Loki began to turn away from her a sense of dread began to set in pushing Fiore into one last act of desperation. She moved despite her previous decisions, she wanted to hold to them, but she needed Loki to understand that there was hope.

Despite the dread of the coming battle Fiore felt something new within herself, something that refused to back down against the fear and refusing to bend her desires to another's whim. If they managed to survive Loki at the very least needed to know how she felt. If she was strong enough to deal with this she hoped that if Loki's words were not what she hoped to hear she was strong enough to deal with that pain as well. If they managed to survive despite their chances it must be some sort of sign.

She wanted more. She wanted only honesty- one emotion to break through the coldly controlled surface to see what she saw such warm glimmers of on occasion. She wanted it- to know, that it was real and not influenced by the danger or the possibility of death. She wanted it to be real and pure. Even had Thor managed to get through to Loki she would not have accepted the words. And yet she feared that even if the time came when and if they survived that Thor was wrong and the words would not be those she had so longed to hear utter from Loki's lips. That was perhaps why she herself had not yet uttered them.

In the past he had left her, disappeared from her life before she had had the chance. Now so much had changed in their circumstances. They were changed and yet in many ways the same. It left her less confident in herself but she knew now that the pain of the past still stung deep having left her shaken and prey to accepting a fate she had not chosen. And now they were here, in a life or death situation that left her equally torn as she had been as a child and again standing before his cell in Asgard.

"Don't get yourself killed," she spoke instead wanting to wait to speak the true words that screamed at her to be spoken. "I have something to discuss with you when this is all over."

That was all she would reveal for now. Even so Fiore's eyes watched Loki for any reaction he would give the words. For a moment he paused, his gaze intense as he silently regarded her. With each seemingly unending moment that passed Fiore saw his keen mind fly into action, undoubtedly weighing each cryptic words she had spoken for any visible meaning he could discern from them. As if coming to some unspoken understanding with himself Loki smiled.

"As my lady commands," Loki replied with a princely bow flashing the devious charming smile she knew only too well.

Fiore found herself considering the action. Many times in the past when she had been upset with Loki's tricks and whenever she had shared her displeasure he had used similar tactics in order to garner her forgiveness. This time it seemed different- there was an air of seriousness to the words now, telling her that perhaps he already knew what it was she wanted to say. Without another word Loki turned away returning to Thor's side his face set and determined for what was to come.

Seeing the look that passed between the two brother's Fiore prepared herself for what was about to take place. She and Jane stood idly beside the two men as Thor pulled Loki's dagger from his belt to hold out to its owner. As Loki's fingers closed around the hilt everything suddenly burst into action.

Even before Thor likely had the opportunity to prepare himself for their plan to be put into action Loki had backhanded him with a powerful punch sending the muscular god flying down the slope of the ridge. On cue Jane was screaming and rushing to follow in the vain attempt to help Thor in the sudden attack. All the while Fiore followed but hung back from jumping into action as Jane had, instead choosing the correct moment to do the same.

As both Thor and Loki reached the bottom of the ridge where only yards away Malekith and his men were waiting only yards away Thor seemed to attempt to fight back against Loki's violent onslaught.

"All I ever wanted was you and Odin at my feet!" Loki's voice echoed through the empty desert as his arm raised and his dagger flashing.

Having experience with Loki's illusions in the past Fiore managed to catch the brief indiscernible flash, invisible if you did not know what to look for, of Loki's power take effect. In the next moment Thor was crying out in pain as it seemed his hammer wielding arm was separated from his body at the edge of Loki's dagger. Standing over his brother Fiore almost believed him but she knew more than most that despite the past between them Loki loved Thor very much- yet, that love did nothing to quench the bitterness he felt for both Thor and Odin, similar to what Fiore herself felt. Perhaps it was that same bitterness that was coming out now, being used for the act of the century.

Jane ran at Loki ready to claw at him in a vain attack to remove Loki from the struggling Thor but she was batted away as easily as a fly. It was then that Fiore saw her own opportunity. Digging deep she pulled forth her own acting skills to provide the most believable performance she could provide. Unlike Jane she could provide more of a fight whither it was acting or not.

Without a moment's hesitation Fiore forced her stiff body into action, throwing herself against Loki screaming for him to leave Thor alone and calling him a traitor. Luckily she, along with all those present, including Malekith were aware of her drained power supply that made it nearly impossible to call on her ice powers. At the moment she could barely manage enough strength to contain the shadow and make her bodily attack to make the performance believable, let alone much else.

As he had done with Jane, Loki simply moved his arm sweeping her away from his person. While the move seemed harsh Fiore felt the last second shift in strength Loki gave the move before it actually connected with her person as he made the move look purposeful but not so powerful as to hurt her.

Under normal circumstances Fiore would have found the move incredibly insulting. While she was not the warrior that Thor, Loki or even Sif and the Warriors Three were she was skilled enough to handle much more. Against Loki's attack alone she would normally manage to stand straighter against such a weak move but her limbs were disagreeing with her, leaving her more frustrated. As Loki pushed her away, despite his care to not be too rough, Fiore felt her legs give out from beneath her leaving her body careening to the ground. The fall along with the effort left her slightly winded but she did not have the opportunity to catch it once more before Loki was on her again and a shocked gasp slipped past her lips as he took hold of her hair.

While his slim pale fingers tangled in her hair appeared to be holding her harshly he was instead leading her gently, relying on both their body language to sell the performance. It was actually Fiore herself who completed the appearance by struggling against his hold following after him as he led her toward Malekith. Once reaching the enemy line Loki released his hold dropping her directly before Malekith and his warrior elves.

Growling irritably Fiore pushed the tangled ringlets that had fallen from their confines looking definately up at Malekith from her place on the ground.

"I brought something for you and all I ask in return is that all you allow me a place to watch Asgard burn," Loki spoke menacingly standing without fear before Malekith and his strongest warriors.

The creature that Fiore recognized as the same giant who had attacked her back on Asgard spoke to Malekith, his words unknown to her. Whatever it was that was spoken seemed to agree with Malekith as the dark elf turned from Loki to herself. The words he spoke to her were of an indiscernible language but the words were easy enough for Fiore to figure out on her own judging by the malevolent look in his eyes as he gazed down at her.

Fiore took one last moment before what she knew was to come to take in a deep breath to prepare herself for the excruciating pain she expected to feel. Without giving her a second thought Malekith raised his arm calling out the the ether that flowed through her. She felt it react to his call her body instantly stiffening as the shockwave of pain jolted through her leaving her screaming out while her entire body lifted into the air. She had been able to feel the ether within her, it's presence barely noticeable as it had began to chip away at her control but now she felt it fully. It was like fire coursing through her, molten and excruciating, as if her veins were being left charred in the wake of the ether's extraction.

Pain welled up, a wave sharp and terrible, burning through her insides, raking and clawing at her stomach. Something more powerful than him consumed them. Wave after wave crashed through her, lasting long minutes that could have been hours. She lost track of time.

The strength and intensity of the convulsion knocked the very breath from his body. She felt dizzy and weak

As the ether flowed back out of her body it began to manifest itself once more out in the open, collecting itself before its new master Malekith. With the last of the ether pulled from her body leaving her body now exponentially weaker from the hardship of the extraction she fell to a heap on the desert floor. There was no blocking the pain, no way to stop the convulsions, or the way her body lifted, went rigid and slammed back to earth.

The moment that the ether was fully extracted Thor and Loki burst into action. Still reeling from the pain Fiore could do nothing as Loki flung himself over her shielding her from the blast of lightning that Thor sent into the ether. As the two opposing forces met midair an explosion rang out leaving them momentarily deaf.

Soon enough the world around them grew silent as they all anxiously awaited for what was to come. Taking the risk Fiore glanced past Loki's shielding arms to see for herself what had happened. Much to her horror she saw the ether that had shattered across the desert floor was reforming once more flowing back to Malekith to be absorbed within his body. Realizing that their plan had failed both Thor and Loki moved into plan b- or at least what would have to pass as plan b. All that they could do now was fight back and hope that they could somehow overpower Malekith's men and Malekith now powered by the ether. Just as quickly as Loki had moved to cover her he was rushing to join his brother in battle.

As the two brothers battled Fiore slowly began to feel the pain ease allowing her to feel her body once more, the natural sensation of herself being fully in control. Despite the lingering stiffness of her abused muscles she managed to pull herself to a nearby boulder where Jane had already sought cover away from the battle currently taking place. Taking the cowering girl in hand Fiore pushed her down to protect the human woman from the flying debris while she herself risked a glance beyond the protective boulder.

Fiore watched in fascination having never seen Loki in the heat of battle before. His intense green gaze was focused as each move seemed practiced and precise in comparison to the lumbering moves that relied on brute strength that Thor relied on. Even so the two brothers, despite all the time spent separated seemed to work in perfect sync with each other. Loki's skills in sorcery and tactics were only comparable to Thor's strength and drive in battle- their very different but evenly matched skills were nearly an unbeatable combination.

Suddenly the tide of battle turned. Where Thor and Loki had once seemed to hold the upper hand against the small band of elves that remained alive at Malekith's command. It was the large beast who had led the attack in Asgard that now stood alone against the two brothers. As Loki had managed to skillfully dispatch the underlying soldiers Thor was handling the larger beast who remained unphased by each of Thor's powerful blows. He found himself panting, attempting to stumble back to his feet as the beast barreled toward him. However, before the beast could attack once more he came to a stumbling halt as one of the abandoned elvish weapons was impaled through the armored body from behind by Loki. Within the blink of an eye the beast turned pulling his attacker into his arms pulling him toward his chest and impaling him on the weapon that had remained impaled through his own body.

Fiore felt her world stop. The edges of her reality cracking until as if Thor's hammer shattered it crumbled to dust. The world was silent for a long eternity. There was a ringing that seemed to be trying to break through the silence, echoing in her ear and yet Fiore never realized that it was her screams that were leaving her deaf to the world around her. All there was, was Loki stumbling with his hands to his chest as his own blood flowed freely across his pale fingers as he attempted to stop the flow of blood in vain.

The beast retracted his body the sword that Loki had used to impale the beast only to have it turned against him slid from his body leaving him to fall back against the desert ground. Without even realizing it Fiore was moving, rushing to Loki's aid without thought. however, before she was able to move more than a few steps Thor's arm slammed around her like a muscled manacle pushing the breath from her lungs as it locked her into place. In turn Fiore screamed demanding to be released, her desperate need driving her to Loki's side. Yet, despite her screams and struggles against Thor he refused to release her, keeping her well away from Loki and the creature that was murdering her heart.

In her struggles each heart wrenching sob left her struggling for each breath.

"Let me go Thor!" she demanded desperately, her fingers clawing at Thor's arm that remained wrapped firmly around her waist.

"Don't be a fool he'll kill you!" Thor called to her, attempting in vain to reach her through the cloud of desperation that left her unable to think of anything other than Loki's pain.

Eventually her whole body slackened in Thor's arms as the sorrow quickly overcame her. Feeling her give into the grief Thor's tight hold on her finally released and instantly she fell defeated at his feet. Looking down with sad blue eyes unable to console the grieving woman when he himself felt his heart doing much the same. Readying to push that grief aside in order to avenge his wounded brother Thor stepped forward only to instantly stop as he took note of something different.

Despite struggling against the pain and the rapid blood loss Loki managed to find the strength to grin, an all too familiar triumphant sort of grin that Thor knew only too well.

"See you in hell monster," Loki managed to mutter out.