Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers – thankfully I finished this in time to post for everyone. I'm thankful for a lot of things – but also to have nice folks that read and review my work so often. You guys rock.

The Art of War

Chapter Eleven: Thankful

"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself."

-Tecumseh Shawnee Chief

Loki was smirking slightly at the guards giving him awkward glances, it had just been announced by Odin that Loki was pardoned for his previous crimes and that his status as Prince had been reinstated. He couldn't immediately put himself on the throne – there would be too much distrust, as it was people were clearly displeased with his return to power. Yet he could freely walk in his own home in his true form again – or at least the form he was most comfortable with. All the while pulling the strings of his fake puppets and ruling even without anyone being aware. He'd be there himself soon enough. Father always said he and Thor were both meant to be kings – well sooner or later one of them would be.

He walked past a few series of guards that seemed as if they weren't certain if they should attack him or bow. It was a bit gratifying after all the work he'd put in. He had just spent an hour arguing and making up with himself, even if it was all multiple illusions it grew tiring to make them so active. He'd had to put on a show so the story would spread beyond just the throne room.

Loki had decided to give the good news to Jane himself, having specifically walked with the guards announcing his new status and reinstated title. He moved past their shocked expression, had raised to knock on the door when it opened.

"Look, I know I'm supposed to be..." Jane paused as she spotted Loki. When she was preparing to make excuses to guards his smiling face wasn't what she expected to see instead. "...here. Loki, what are you doing here?"

"May I come in?" He asked, gesturing behind her, his grin expanding slightly. "Were you worried about me Jane Foster?"

"Um...come in yeah." She opened the door a little more and took a step back, closing it after he'd moved inside. "And of course I was worried about you! I thought...well...just tell me what happened?"

"Father and I discussed various things..." He was purposefully vague, not meeting her eyes, instead running his fingers along one of the etchings in a pillar of her quarters. "...it was decided that I had paid my dues. My previous crimes were pardoned for my 'brave acts of heroism'...which I imagine were what you mentioned."

He finally glanced up when he said 'you', and though Jane didn't confirm it directly he already knew it to be the truth. It was better when she flushed just a little – color coming to her cheeks when he looked at her. The reactions he could get out of this woman continued to intrigue him.

"I have been re-instated as Prince, under Thor of course, but nonetheless I am returned to my status before all of this mess began. And I have you to thank for it." Loki stepped a bit closer, looking down at Jane's face. Her clear complexion, her soft features and chocolate eyes, they were near enough he could have easily reached to touch her.

For a moment Jane thought he was going to kiss her, she nearly leaned in. Instead she hovered a moment and took a step back. She was happy for him but now wasn't the time for that! It would -never- be the time for that – not with Loki. She swallowed and wet her lips, "I didn't do anything, you saved yourself with your own actions. I was only the messenger. I'm glad you're okay Loki. If anything I should be thanking you. During the fight with the elves you saved me, then again just today. Thank you."

A pity she retreated – he didn't pursue though he had to resist the desire too. What was it about this human that seemed to so appeal to Asgardians? He instead smirked a bit again when her stomach growled. "Then, as we're mutually thanking one another – perhaps we can dine together? Even if it is late – there is bound to be food somewhere for us."

"Um, yeah. Sure." Jane nodded. She was a little nervous, she was starting not to trust herself about the younger brother – but she could hardly argue that she wasn't hungry.

"I will have something arranged and then call for you. There are a few more things I should do...unless you mind waiting?" Loki said, turning back at his final question just before he was about to leave the door.

"No, I can wait." Jane answered, smiling slightly back when he grinned at her. At what point had that smile started to grow on her? She let out another sigh after he left – relieved that he was all right. She was a little surprised – she hadn't expected him to regain his position. Yet, she didn't mind as much as she probably should after what Loki had done to the earth. He seemed better now – not as insane...he seemed as if he would actually do a good job. Sure he was a little underhanded but what politician wasn't'?

Now it was out of her hands...maybe her argument had helped – at least she didn't feel like Odin was quite as horrible of a father as she had before that short conversation. Thor would be happy too, even if they argued and didn't always get along she knew he missed his brother.

It wasn't too long after that there was a knock on her door and she was escorted her to an outer balcony overlooking the miraculous alien planet the Asgardian's called home. There was a meal set out on a smaller table, Loki was already seated in one of the chairs. Green eyes turned out toward the starry horizon while a gentle breeze swayed his black locks. He was handsome in his own right no matter how different he was to Thor.

"Um...did you ask your dad about Thor?" She had to know. It was gnawing on her...and bringing up Thor (whom she was dating) while sitting in a unarguably romantic scene with Loki helped her keep her bearings. She walked up and took a seat, looking at all the food. It wasn't like the banquet she'd seen during her last visit but it was still impressive for the time allotted. She reached out for a strawberry – her stomach was quite ready for food.

"I did." Loki replied, looking to her. His expression was serious, it wasn't like the man that had left her room only thirty minutes before. Had he asked afterward then? What was it?

"What did he say?" Jane pressed.

"I'd rather you ate first but I don't think that's an option." Loki stated, his own plate wasn't touched though there was food on it. "The potion was already given to Sif when she and Thor left the planet only two weeks ago. By now she will have used it, I'm sorry...but Thor isn't supposed to even remember you. I had to plead with father to let you stay for a while after our escape from earth. I explained that you returning immediately might leave you in a bit of trouble."

Jane nodded wordlessly, she wasn't concerned just then about being arrested by the London police. Dropping the fruit on the table without even noticing she'd let it go. She'd been forgotten, just that easily? Sure, she'd been trying to prepare herself for this but now that he told her it felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Thor, she knew that they had some problems but she'd really hoped now that he could get to Earth again and all his work was out of the way they could try again. But...if he could just be made to forget about her...

"Could we undo it?" Jane asked, looking up to Loki with moisture heavy in her eyes – she hadn't let the tears fall yet but it made them no less obvious. "The potion, you said it was magic like your mothers – and you learned from your mother. Could you undo it?"

Loki was slightly annoyed as he stared at the woman. He wanted to break Thor – not her. His brother needed to take better care of the people he claimed to care about. After a moment he spoke. "I would like to help you but even if I did undo the spell; do you think father would allow you both to be together? I'm not saying I'm unwilling but reason seems to state it will not aid anyone."

"Shouldn't it be up to us?" Jane replied, frowning as she realized she'd snapped at him. Instead she looked at her lap, so frustrated by everything... "I'm sorry, it's not your fault – I just. It makes me so angry...I can't believe he would do something so cruel."

"You seem more angry at the idea than the consequences." Loki observed, her frustration and the way she'd vocalized it surprised him. He'd expected her to be a little more torn over his brother's betrayal of her trust. It boded just as well for him that she wasn't but that shocked him no less.

"Well..." Jane sighed. "I dunno what to think. I wasn't even sure Thor was going to come back after the years he waited...and then I got to see him again. I thought...hell I don't know what I thought. I was about to start dating again...then he swept back in when I was overtaken by the Aether. I wonder if I hadn't been infected by that thing if he'd of come at all."

"Thor was doing his duty, much as he annoys me I can hardly fault him for..."

"Well that's the problem." Jane interrupted, she had started to cry a little but now the floodgates had opened on all her anxieties as well as her tears. "I'm not sure I can just always accept him being away for years at a time doing his duty, or dealing with his father trying to sabotage our relationship at every turn. I don't know how long we would actually last when I really think about it. I mean, he's not really a scientist and just being good looking isn't going to make a relationship last no matter how good the sex is. I can't stand the idea of just spending my life waiting for short moments until I get so old he no longer cares if he keeps my eye. You said it yourself, I'll grow old and die long before he even ages a year – how on earth could it ever have worked out?"

"There are always methods." Loki replied, "but do you want this to be something that is fixed?"

She hadn't paid attention to the fact that Loki had gotten up during her rant, she didn't realize he'd moved at all until he'd put his arms lightly around her. She felt what little was left of her self-control shatter at the comforting gesture. She threw herself around his waist, sobbing into his hip, glad he wasn't making fun of her. To a point he'd somehow turned into a friend during this little time they'd had together. Given he'd gone from mocking her to comforting her – dead to alive again - what an odd change the last month had brought.

He didn't press his question, and she didn't know the answer. What would it matter? Even if Thor did miraculously remember her – it wasn't as if Odin would allow them to be together. She was sobbing to much to have let out a clear answer.

It was cleansing to let out all the frustrations that had built up within her, the tears showed no signs of stopping yet Loki didn't draw away or offer any of the snide remarks she would have expected shortly after she'd rescued him only two weeks before. The world was something other than what it had been, and Jane wasn't sure if she should be afraid of this new trust she felt for a god of lies...

She cried for a while, pulling back finally out of fear of staining his unique uniform – she'd probably already gotten tears and/or snot on it cause of her outburst. "I'm sorry...I..."

For a second time she was interrupted by slight pressure on her lips, she blinked at Loki – she knew she had to look like hell – her face was still moist and it wasn't too easy to breath clearly. Her eyes must be puffed and her cheeks were definitely red, she doubted she was anywhere near her best. Yet he just watched her quietly a moment, staring just at her eyes instead of the rest of the mess of her face. "Don't apologize for being true to yourself. Between the two of us; I should be the one issuing amends for all the misery my family has caused you. Would you like a moment alone? Or would you like me to leave you for the evening?"

There was a slight chill that followed the disappearance of his finger, the tiny temperature change on her lips that made her skin tingle. She looked down, she swallowed what she could of the lump in her throat. "Can I have just a few minutes?"

"Of course." He turned and left the room.

Jane picked up one of the cloth napkins – glad there were extras provided and started to wipe at her face and blow her nose. What just happened? Had Loki actually been nice to her? Was there something there she didn't know about? Or maybe he was just paying her back for speaking on his behalf – that seemed the best explanation. Either way, he had said he would help her get Thor's memories back if she wanted him too – that too was a far cry from the monster that attacked her world. Perhaps losing his mother had made Loki change for the better? Depressing as that thought was.

The more pressing matter was Thor – did she want him to remember her? What was it they really had? It was all just hormones after all, the firing of synapses' in her brain, the release of endorphins – there wasn't anything magical about her feelings. In truth – she'd known for a long time that Thor and she weren't really compatible. Sure he was gorgeous and he was a superhero. What woman wouldn't want that? Wouldn't wait a while for it? Jane had something almost no one else on earth could have...but it wasn't hers to take as far as she could tell.

Thor belonged to his people, he was someone she probably knew all along that she'd have to let go of eventually. It still hurt, but in the end it was probably better for him as well. She offered a slightly sorrowful smile to Loki when he returned. He returned to his chair, but wasn't the first to speak – the silence was a bit bizarre from him. She expected him to be chatting even in a serious moment but instead he was staring at her waiting for her to be the first to speak.

"I don't." She paused, sipping her water to try and help clear her voice slightly. "I don't want to change it I mean. If Thor is better suited to Sif, and I imagine he is if the all-father says so, who am I to argue it?"

It was a pity, seeing her give up so easily, the brightness in her eyes dimmed by the admission of defeat. Yet, Loki couldn't back out now, going soft for the sake of a mortal...even one he liked, wasn't on his list of things to do today. Instead he had to press forward, ever turning, ever weaving a web in which to capture his foes.

It was a play he had to make, even if it rekindled her interest in his brother his various plans (and back up plans) required this particular move to take place. "If the age is what drives this decision then I should tell you; there is a way to transform you into an Asgardian."

Jane blinked, staring at Loki as if he'd grown a second head. Was he serious or just playing some sort of game? He didn't appear to be joking but she had a hard time believing him – how did someone just become a god? Even if it was a normal member of their race – cause that might as well be the difference between her own.

"It is not common, or easy, but then I've never been one to shy away from something just because it is difficult." Loki replied with a small shrug and a slight smile starting to creep on the edges of his face that made her nervous. It was the same sort of grin he was wearing shortly before lightning started to go off around her back on Earth. "Assuming it is something that you would desire."

"Uh, no offense, but even if that is true – why would you help me? I mean – you've saved me more than I've helped you. If anything I sort of owe you already so why would you wanna do this?" Jane knew Loki might be a little more friendly toward her but he was not a philanthropist.

"I am not as ready to forgive Odin as he is me." Loki replied darkly. "He would be less than pleased to see ambrosia used on a mortal. More or less the mortal he denied to Thor. Regardless of whatever you want to do, or not do with my brother, I am entertained by being a thorn in my father's side. Aside from that – whoever was changed is someone I would have to tolerate so any other mortal wouldn't work."

It was a reminder that even if they were delicate allies now that there was still a darkness inside of Loki. Yet, she couldn't really blame him – Odin wasn't exactly the father of the year. Of course she wasn't sure how much of a compliment it was that Jane was apparently the 'only mortal he could tolerate'. She felt a little pride though, he liked her enough to not mind dealing with her for centuries...or even millennium, for Loki that probably was a great compliment.

"Well, I still don't know about Thor...I guess I'd have to really think about it...but I can't turn down an offer at near immortality – or the nearest a human would ever get. When do we start?" Jane asked, causing Loki to grin at her again. She was a little nervous but there was no pay out without a little risk.

End Chapter