Author's Notes: I'm really glad some of you guys are enjoying the new changes and I've had a few people telling me how pleased they are to see more Darcy in the story and asking if she will stay in it. She will, I may even have a side story at some point in future with her side of things and what she is getting up to with Shield.
Chapter 13
To Jane's surprise, she found Loki waiting for her at the palace entrance when she got there.
"Done with the pity party are we?" He asked.
"I don't know, are you done with yours yet?" She asked, her voice had lost all traces of its earlier anger though. A slow smirk slipped onto his face.
"Touché my dear." He chuckled. "I thought you might like to return to your room to dress before reporting to Odin."
"God yes. I'm sorry I overreacted back there." She said quietly. "Although, you could've given me a chance to grab a few items of clothing before you poofed us to the dessert, even if there wasn't time to change right then."
"I take it you do not want these then?" He asked smugly, waving a handful of notebooks in front of her face.
"Oh my god!" She exclaimed excitedly. She snatched them out of his hand and quickly skimmed the contents of the familiar pages. He had brought all six of her main notebooks. The notebooks that she had begun writing in when she first started working alone. "You brought my notebooks...I..." Impulsively she flung her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly. "OK I forgive you for dragging me to Asgard in my pyjamas. You know, if there's anything else bad you did, you should tell me now and I'll forgive you those too."
Loki tensed at her display of gratitude. He was rarely touched and such affectionate gestures were even rarer. Not knowing quite whether to shove her away or...well, he wasn't sure what to do. He simple stood stiffly until she released him.
"Right, clothes!" She beamed, marching with purpose through the corridors to the living quarters behind the palace. He followed her but waited outside her rooms while she changed.
Loki stood against the wall contemplating the curious creature that was Jane Foster. She was like a completely open book and a complex puzzle all at the same time. She didn't hold back her emotions, when someone angered her she showed it. When she was happy it seemed to radiate from her. Yet there was so much about her he just couldn't understand.
In the time he had known her, she had slapped him, yelled at him, annoyed him and insulted him but she had also talked with him, confided in him and shown him consideration. She showed some small measure of trust in him, she had even shown him small measures of...almost affection.
He was not a fool, he knew Jane did not hold him in high regard but the fact that she treated him as a person rather than a monster or a liar, it made him wonder if perhaps she could. A childish wish of course, he had no need for her to consider him such.
That was when terror gripped him, as the realisation that Jane Foster was the closest thing that he had to a friend or ally sunk in. He didn't have friends, as a child he had yearned for them but as an adult he had avoided them. Having a friendship was like having a weakness that all could see. You had something to lose that wasn't completely within your own control. Still, Jane was already a weakness. Why should someone attack him, when they could far more easily kill her? She was already his biggest weakness and there was no way to change that; so being a friend or ally to him made no difference. That again made him wonder what his mother had seen. Had she seen the bond? Or perhaps not the bond but something else, some other moment in his or Jane's futures that she thought important enough to ensure its occurrence.
"Loki?" Jane called again and he snapped his gaze to her. "Welcome back, you were miles away."
"I was simply thinking. I had hoped you would be familiar with the pastime, considering your profession." He replied, pushing off the wall and walking beside her back towards the throne room.
"Are you alright?" She frowned.
"Is there some reason I shouldn't be? It's not my realm that we just got kicked out off." He shrugged.
"And you're right back to being a jackass." She murmured. "And there was no kicking out, just running away."
"Would you rather have stayed and been dragged off with S.H.I.E.L.D. for testing?" he asked her, arching an eyebrow.
"Of course not." She huffed. "I was just hoping to return to Earth at some point. I…I really didn't think that Erik would tell them."
"Did anyone else know?" he asked, observing her slightly hurt expression.
"Well, I don't know. The Agent made it sound like someone knew something. I didn't think Erik would have even received the blood samples so quickly, let alone have results on any systems yet. Funny thing is they seemed more interested in me than in any potential visitor." She frowned. "If they'd have known for certain that you were there they wouldn't have knocked or called. They would've barged in like the first time they took my equipment, wouldn't they? I think they might have expected Thor…but definitely not you, which means Erik didn't tell them about you."
He seemed to pause at that. When she looked towards him she found him staring straight past her at the wall in deep thought.
"Perhaps, either you or Selvig are still on some sort of surveillance. That could have alerted S.H.I.E.L.D. to your new status? I believe the term your scientists often use is mutation?" He said thoughtfully. "There were many armed men surrounding the building Jane, either they expected you to be dangerous or they suspected that I was there." Jane cringed and closed her eyes. She didn't want to say it, she never thought she would have to say it to his face but he probably deserved it.
"I think you're right, they probably were still watching me or Erik, maybe even both of us." She admitted.
"Oh that must have been hard for you, to admit to me being correct about anything." He grinned.
"Not particularly." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Come on Loki, neither of us are stupid. That means that at least most of the time, one of us will be right about something. It's going to happen."
"You know, I do believe you're right." He agreed. "And look ahead, it would appear that my pleasant mood is making the guards uncomfortable."
Jane did watch the guards as they approached the throne room. They looked nervous, this made Loki smile. The more he smiled, the more nervous the guards looked and vice versa. She couldn't help but smile at the passive form of entertainment he had found to enjoy.
"Welcome back, Jane, brother." Thor's voice was the first to greet them. "I trust you are well?"
"In one piece anyway." Loki replied, patting himself up and down as if it were obvious.
"It was fine, thank you for helping arrange it." Jane said, as the golden haired Prince kissed her hand in greeting. "I...I do not expect I will be able to go back any time soon."
"Was there trouble? Was it Loki?" He demanded.
"By all means let's blame me as usual." The man in question murmured with a roll of his eyes. He held his hands out. "Will this be quicker if you shackle me before hearing an explanation?"
"No, it wasn't him." Jane said, moving to stand between the two brothers. "I told Erik a bit about my new powers and the bond; we think either he tipped off S.H.I.E.L.D. or that they were watching us."
"What did they want?" Thor frowned.
"I'm not sure but they seemed pretty set on having me going with them for some kind of testing, as a threat of national security." She admitted sadly. "Heimdall said they had been ordered to take my equipment again, including blood samples from me and Loki. Now I get the feeling that if I ever return again, I'm going to be wanted by the government as a potential terrorist."
"Once again, would you rather I left you there to be taken by them? First for questioning, then for studying and finally confinement until they are satisfied?" Loki asked her.
"No, you acted wisely Brother." Thor spoke before Jane could. "You both are free to fight another day. You and I both have experience with the actions of S.H.I.E.L.D. when you are not on their side, I would not want that for Jane. We will speak with Father, then perhaps he will allow me passage to Midgard to straighten this mess out."
Loki couldn't help but ponder over how strange it was, that Thor was the one discussing diplomacy. He had done so for the past few years, not that Loki had been around all that much and yet it still seemed odd to witness him acting that way, after so many years of blundering into situations hammer first. He watched as his brother took Jane's arm carefully and led her down the hallway. That too seemed out of place, not because it was an unusual sight but because...Jane was now his. Perhaps not in quite the sense that people normally meant when they thought such a thing, but with the bond truly linking them and having spent more time with her than he had with anyone in a long time, it made him consider her his. More his than Thor's at least. It was like watching someone else pick up a book or toy that belonged to you. He never was any good at sharing as a child.
It was even stranger to him, that he felt a slight relief when she turned back to look at him, as they approached the entrance to the throne room. She was checking he was still there. When he caught the fear in her eyes, he realised that it was more than that. Jane Foster feared Odin King of Asgard, she feared him and she was looking to the only person that she thought might understand. He knew that it had more to do with being chosen by default, than actually being chosen over Thor but it was still a pleasant feeling. She had come to know him more than most and therefore knew about his conflicted feelings for the man he had once called Father. She knew that he had also felt anger and fear towards the Allfather and was looking for some form of support. He wasn't good with emotions, not real ones. He could charm and lie his way through most things but the truth was a weakness to him.
It was the thought of a younger him, forever in Thor's shadow and forever second best in the eyes of their parents, friends, women...everyone; that caused him to step closer to Jane, as Thor released her to open the door at the side entrance. He held out a hand and despite knowing her fear, he was still slightly surprised when she reached out and took it and squeezed his hand hard.
"Come, delaying will not improve your spirits any." He said, moving ahead of her and practically dragging her along behind him into the room. Having been in her position before, he knew it would be better to get it over with.
Once standing in the throne room, Jane resisted the urge to snap at Loki for their unceremonious entrance. When she looked around her, she realised that it was probably for the best. There was no slow approach to allow any anger or fear to grow, she was simply now stood in front of the King.
"I hear you have cut your time on Midgard short." The Allfather spoke first. "I trust no one was harmed during your escape."
"No Sir." Jane replied quickly. "Some of my people wanted to take me to research for themselves and find out what about me has changed. They showed up and made their intentions clear, Loki insisted on us leaving immediately."
"It is curious that when others of your kind wish to join you in your quest for knowledge; that you seem to be relieved to be rid of them." He spoke. "I take it, it was not the help you were expecting?"
"I um...S.H.I.E.L.D. are...I couldn't entirely trust them." She replied.
"They would have held her prisoner as they did me. Their scientists use strange implements to steal blood and perform tests. Jane wants answers because of how this is affecting her, they want answers and would use them to do this to others, use them for their own gain." Thor spoke up. Jane couldn't help but feel a little pride for him; he spoke with confidence and presence, he spoke like a King.
"They could not create a bond; it is a gift, it is a blessing." Odin said, glancing towards the pair stood in front of him. Part of him filled with hope at seeing Jane Foster gripping hold of his younger son's hand so tightly. It gave him hope that Loki allowed it, even if he was pretending not to notice she was touching him at all. "It is also curious Jane Foster; that you say you do not trust your own kind enough to research your newfound magic, yet the other option was to place trust in someone considered a murderer by your people."
Jane's breath caught for a second when she felt Loki's whole body tense, causing his hand to tighten on hers painfully. His lips parted and she quickly spoke first, fearing that Loki would respond in anger and say something to make things worse.
"I think I'll take my chances." She said firmly.
"I trust you have given Thor an account of what happened?" Odin asked, raising an eyebrow.
"They did when I greeted them." Thor confirmed to Jane's relief. She wasn't sure that she or Loki would be able to speak without saying something that would result in the Allfather's anger. "Heimdall will fill me in on anything they have missed."
"Then you may go, I will have council with my son." He dismissed them. "Loki, I would speak with you this evening."
"If my King commands it." He sneered at the older man.
Then they were moving. Walking as fast as they could without looking ridiculous towards the doors they had entered. As the doors closed behind them, Jane let out a breath or relief and a nervous laugh. She noticed the man beside her stood tensely and tugged his hand to get his attention.
"Hey? You OK?" She asked. He seemed startled and dropped her hand quickly.
"I am certain we will both survive." He replied. "I have things to attend to. You should rest, tomorrow we shall attempt to control that wretched magic of yours." With a slight dip of his head, he was gone.
"Wait! You said..." She trailed off and mumbled to herself. "You'd explain how you did that."
She glanced down the hall in the direction of her room and then down at the cream Asgardian gown she wore. A speculative smirk crossed her lips, resting was not on the agenda...especially since it was what Loki had told her she should do.