Yes, yes. I know it took me forever. My life has been crazy lately.


Another week had passed. Ava had spent the days at her parent's cabin, her unfixable rental scraped off the tarmac and brought away to a nearby town. She was stuck here anyway, she'd better enjoy the tranquility. Nobody was looking for her over here, nobody knew her, nobody knew what had happened with Lucifer. It was just her and her mind –and not to forget, her baby-. Well, and those pesky journalists who had asked her about the truck. The one that came on Monday had clearly been a city boy, probably sent out from the office to do some research on insignificant stuff in the middle of nowhere. Still trying to earn his stripes. The one that came on Tuesday had seemed confused almost. Like someone who could be hunting Big Foot. He'd had a long beard and he didn't look like a journalist of any kind. Maybe he was some kind of paranormal enthusiast. Ava had answered just a few of their questions, playing dumb. Of course she didn't know how that truck ended up on her rental. No, she didn't remember a thing. No, she wasn't on drugs. Then she had told them to go away and not to come back, nor send any of their friends over.

She rummaged through the house. Did some cleaning. Cooking- soulfood mostly. Trying to keep her life as normal as possible. To get her head together before she took the next step. She had cut her long hair and it barely reached her shoulders now. It looked shabby, but she liked it. She tried to write down what had happened, how her life had changed in the last few months, but she couldn't get it onto the paper. She figured she should either write it off, or scream it off, or try to deal with it; or stay busy and keep her mind occupied on other things. She went for the last option. Lucifer hadn't appeared but she felt his presence now and then, that was enough to know he was keeping an eye on her. Somehow she knew she was safe. Knowing he was there made her feel comfortable. She damn well knew he was the devil himself, but he hadn't appeared to her as a threat, more like a lifesaver.

During those days she had found her senses heightened. She heard better, smelled better, saw things sharper than ever before. It wasn't annoying her, it wasn't driving her crazy, it was quite likeable really. She didn't feel any stronger, she didn't feel different at all. Just the senses. Nothing too crazy. She wondered if Lucifer had given her any awesome superpowers, maybe she hadn't enabled them yet. Or maybe she didn't have any.

On Thursday the journalist with the beard returned. She had heard him approaching from half a mile away and stood next to the door waiting for him to ring the bell. He was an impostor. This time, he was dressed as an employee of the gas company, holding a clipboard, wearing an orange jacket with a matching cap. Ava crossed her arms as he approached her, curious to why was back again.

'Hello, miss. I errr, I came from Electrabel, you know, the company that sells gas, and I err, was wondering if you where err, feeling hot, lately?' the man asked nervously. It amused Ava, she raised an eyebrow.

'Feeling hot? It's almost freezing outside, I'm most certainly not feeling hot' she replied nonchalantly.

'I was send out to check the heating systems and all, in this area, so if you don't mind, would you answer some questions for me lady?' he asked, looking at the paper on his clipboard, a few stickmen where drawn upon it.

'Sure.' Ava was wondering where this was going.

'Did you experience any drastic changes in temperature while inside the house? Did you use the oven lately, if yes, what did you prepare? Does the dish that you have prepared contain any meat or chocolate? Did you see or smell any unexplainable smoke lately? Did you experience any trouble with the hot water tap? Did you-' his sentence got cut off by Ava. He looked up from his make believe question sheet.

'Who are you and why are you back?' she asked harshly and uncaring.

'I am, err, Henry the err, from err, nearby.'

'Do not lie to me.' She felt stronger, empowered by whatever it was running through her veins. It also scared her hearing herself talk like that, she was never the kind to be harsh to anyone.

'Argh, horseknuckles, I give up' the man threw the clipboard and the cap onto the ground. 'I am Vollstag, from Asgard. One of the Warriors of Three.'

'What are you doing here Vollstag from Asgard? Who has sent you?'

'I was sent here to make sure you where alive and well, on the orders of our King to be, Thor. I have seen for myself that you are still breathing so I will leave you be and return this information to the Prince.' Vollstagg turned and walked off the porch. Ava's impulses won from her new found attitude.

'It contained meat. A lot of meat. There still is some if you like.'

'You know,' Vollstagg said as he turned back around and walked up the porch again, 'he wouldn't mind if I came back a few minutes late.'

'Yeah. So, I was sent out here, to keep an eye on you,' Vollstagg said with a mouth full of casserole, 'but of course I got sidetracked at a restaurant and I decided to check some of the other ones out as well. I missed out on so many opportunities to spy on you but I'd rather be in a diner than in the bushes, you know.' He took another sip of the wine Ava had poured him. 'I'm terrible at this anyway, I'm no good at pretending to be a human being. I figured that if I would just approach you and you where alive and well, that would be good. If you'd still be alive when I came back that would be even better. And you are, so my job is done.'

'Thor thinks my life is in danger?'

'Yeah, yeah, otherwise he wouldn't have sent me here, would he Lass? Are you not drinking that wine?' he pointed at her untouched glass. She had poured herself one as well but quickly remembered that she wasn't supposed to consume any alcohol.

'No, you can have it. How are things at the hellicarrier?'

'I've only been there for a few moments, Thor didn't tell me much. He seemed agitated. Like the times when Loki had stressed his nerves or when he told lies and gotten Thor to do all this crazy stuff. He's not known as Silvertongue for nothing, you know.' His eyes turned glassy, staring into nothingness, his fork hovering mid air. 'Ah, that time when Loki said that Thor would turn into a Frost Giant if he didn't kiss the old blind and deaf wench down at the fountains. Good old days. That must have been decades ago,' Ava's heart jumped when he mentioned Loki. Vollstagg snapped out of the memory. 'Look who's a Frost Giant now. The kid had better kissed the wench himself. Nothing is what it seems eh, Lass?' he took another bite.

'Vollstagg, what are Frost Giants exactly? What are they capable off?'


Loki sat on the edge of the bed in his cell. Making her leave was one of the hardest and stupidest thing he had ever done. She was like a toxin to him, making his heart and brain go weak, making him soft. He remembered how Thor had been weakened by a woman, this Jane girl, down in New-Mexico. At that time he didn't understand how a woman could weaken a man, how she could make him soft. Women where there to make men stronger, and to reproduce. He understood now. His universe had stopped revolving around him, it was now revolving around her, Ava. That was what was most important to him now. Not himself, someone else. Never had he felt about a woman like this before. He had intercourse with women before, Asgardian women, who were strong and most of the time powerful as well. He liked his bedmates powerful, knowing they would all kneel for him in the end made him feel good. But that was only to satisfy his needs, he'd use violence if necessary. It was different with this wench. She was a weak human being, with no special abilities or powers, a mortal body, but she had made him understand the term 'making love.' He craved her.

Thor stormed into the cell area, hitting the top row of the buttons on the panel, still not knowing the use of all the buttons. 'Vollstagg has not yet returned. It has been four days without word. I'm thinking of going myself, this is a bad sign.'

'I will be forever grateful if you do' Loki said, standing up gracefully. 'I know I'm not in the adequate situation to advise you on anything Thor, but this is going to be the beginning of a war. Not only between me and rising Hell. This is concerning all of the realms. This little piece of shit organization should better focus on this than on me.'

'Stop trying brother,' Thor did not know who or what side to be on. Loki had gotten his way again. Thor would never forgive himself if something truly happened to Ava because he didn't listen to his brother. Then again, Loki had used up his "please believe me, brother"-cards a long time ago. Still, Thor gave him the benefit of the doubt as he always did. 'This will only be a concern for the nine realms when I have proof that hell is rising. Until that time, you will stay here, locked up. This could also be one of your twisty little plans.'

'I would never harm Ava. I made a mistake by sending her off, I want her back on this bloody ship again, where I can make sure she is safe! I'm sure you have made arrangements for that desert girl as soon you set foot on this metal bug. Vollstagg absence isn't proof enough for you? Lucifer has risen Thor, somehow Ava is a part of it. My plans to conquer this useless rock are nothing compared to what we are dealing with now!'

The inner conflict within Thors being was tearing him apart. He saw the truth in his eyes, the tears welling up, the sincerity. Loki wouldn't rest until he knew she was safe and unharmed. The agents on this ship, Dr. Fury, they'd never believe him. He had to find out for himself, go after Vollstagg, see Ava and bring her back. That would settle everything. At least, it would settle Loki.