It wasn't that he had forced her to follow him.

Jane had felt as though it was a necessary thing to do…talk with Joe frankly about things.

Closure and such.

"But I don't understand why we are at your office," Jane was still feeling some of the effects of the vodka, and hadn't protested enough this seemingly ridiculous setting.

"Because I think it'd be best to have as neutral a place as possible," returned Joe, and he poured out a drink for him and for Jane.

She shrugged. Whatever.

She sipped her drink and looked at her ex.

He wasn't as nearly as good looking as she remembered.

He had this look about him…there was no joy. Jane had always thought that his demeanor was indicative of intensity, of an underlying passion. But looking upon him with fresh eyes, he appeared to be more angry than intense, more menacing than passionate; and a face, carved with sharp features, laughing eyes, and a soft voice to accompany it materialized before her mind's eye, and she couldn't decide if she was now blinded by her love for Loki or that she had been blinded before by her love for Joe.

Jane seemed to be doomed to blindness.

She relinquished her self effacement and drew a deep breath. "Joe, look…I'm not sorry about what happened. I'm pretty happy, and though I regret hurting you, it really was for the best."

"Jane, do you honestly think that you left me? Nothing happened between us that I didn't mean to happen," and he leered at her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable.

"What are you talking about? I broke up with you," she insisted.

He chuckled and turned away. "If you insist, Jane. But I remember things differently…" and he paused. "Tell me. How well do you know Loki?"

"What?"

"How well," and he looked back. "Do you know Loki?"

"He's…" she swallowed. "He's my best friend," she finished softly.

The office seemed suddenly darker.

The leather of the furniture holding a supple secret.

And they were high in the air…at least thirty floors up, though the moon remained behind her cloak of cloud and pollution, despite her attempts to escape, and the lighting barely illuminated what was directly in front of Jane.

She suddenly felt trapped, and she backed away a touch.

"Your best friend?"

"Yes," her hand found a chair, and she steadied herself. "Why?"

"Because, Jane, he disbelieves my ability to secure friendship," Loki's voice sounded behind her.

Joe turned.

Jane sighed, and she was overcome with relief.

Loki was there, and everything would be alright.

"Loki…" began Joe.

Loki sauntered further into the room, and appeared to be only mildly interested in what was transpiring before him. "Hello, Joe…I have been looking for you for quite some time."

"What?" Jane asked, confused.

But Loki didn't answer. "You have eluded me for many years now, and I think that your time is up."

"Who are you?" asked the sorcerer. He was quite calm, and obviously interested in Loki. "You are quite insouciant, given the situation."

"I am Loki Laufeyson," and he folded his arms in front of him.

"So I had heard…" and Joe traced his fingers along the mouth of the glass. "But your power, it is quite weak. If you are looking to join me…"

"Join you?" Loki laughed. "My dear fellow, you couldn't be more mistaken. I mean to kill you."

"What the fuck is going on here?!" Jane exclaimed. "Kill him? Loki! What are you talking about?"

"Stand back Jane," Loki returned. He wasn't looking at her, his gaze fixed on Joe.

Joe laughed. "Kill me. Do you know who I am? I have lived for hundreds of years, I have killed hundreds of people, and I have performed more magic than you could ever hope to comprehend."

Jane began to laugh herself, but a nervous, unsettled laughter. "Joe, what have you been drinking?"

"I would advise that you rethink your assumptions," and Loki picked up a pen. "It reminds me of this pen…" he began. "On the surface, it appears to be a capable writing instrument, but what it hides in its depths, whether it has much ink inside or not, cannot be discovered with the naked eye."

"Please tell me what's going on…!" Jane yelled.

"Poor Jane," Joe looked at her. "So naive…it was fun, wasn't it, love?"

Loki's face hardened, and he began to concoct a plan to deal with the situation.

"What?" Jane asked.

"It is unfortunate, dear, that I shall need to take your life…" and Joe's hand raised and lowered in Jane's direction before Loki knew what had happened.

She fell in a heap as the blue light filled the dense room.

Loki closed his eyes.

He reacted immediately thereafter, and charged at Joe, pen in hand, and stuck it in his neck.

The blood seeped oozing, covering Loki's hand.

He went to Jane.

He checked her pulse.

Nothing.

For a mere blink of time, he considered using what little magic he had to murder the sorcerer, who was now dealing, rather poorly, with his neck.

But that was fleeting.

He took his hands, and lowered them over Jane's heart.

Green luminescence poured over her…

…her heart began to thrum once more.

He covered her in a shield of magic.

And that was that.

The seior…it was laughing as it used its might…he would need some time to regenerate.

Time he didn't have.

He stood and turned toward Joe.

Joe, whose appearance had altered.

He had a full beard, and was a few inches taller. His eyes nearly glowed their inky rancor.

"Who are you?" he said in a strange accent.

And Loki smirked. "I am Loki, Prince of Asgard, I am the greatest sorcerer in the Nine. And you would do well to run."

"Your magic is gone…"

"But I am under the protection of Odin. Of Thor and Frigga. And you should run."

Joe laughed heartily….

Odin was watching it all with Heimdall.

"He loves that mortal, Heimdall. He depleted his magic to save her," Odin sounded humbled.

"He does, my King. The Prince loves her."

Odin smiled and raised his chin. He was warmed by his son's words of confidence that his father would protect him. "And so," his voice boomed. "Loki Odinson, you have proven yourself and your valor. You have shown evidence of tenderness. You are my son. You are now the sorcerer you have been denied. You are true, and I return to you your magic, and you will be welcome in Asgard…"

…and a collision was to be heard.

A supersonic travel of atoms all making way to their owner.

And they found him.

Loki was overcome.

His hair whipped about from the zeal of the particles.

His armor appeared.

Light flooded all around him.

And his helmet materialized on his head.

He stood there in impressive opulence.

Joe looked at him, mouth agape.

Loki, now fully realizing what had happened, smiled, and looked at Joe.

"As I said, I am a Prince of Asgard, and the greatest sorcerer in the Nine. And now I am sending you to be dealt with the wrath of Odin."

With a swift movement, he sent him to Asgard in shackles.

He touched his armor, a skin so forgotten.

He took off his helmet, and examined it.

Loki swallowed. "Loki Odinson," he said.

He smiled.

And then he turned toward Jane.

He lifted the shield.

And Jane Foster looked at him, completely dumbfounded. "What the fuck was that? What the fuck are you wearing?" she stood up. "Who the fuck are you?"

Loki wasn't certain how to begin. "I…how much did you just hear?"

"I heard you call yourself a prince and a sorcerer. I was blinded by a bright light…but then I think I had been knocked unconscious…because all of a sudden you were in that costume…" Jane's voice caught. "I don't understand…where is Joe? What's going on, Loki?" she paused. "And what is with that fucking helmet?"

His look was affronted. "This helmet, Jane, was forged in magic by the Light Elves of Alfheim. You shouldn't speak so offensively with regard to it."

"Oh, really? I'm so sorry," her voice dripped sarcasm. "Are you completely insane? Is this some sort of fucked up cosplay? Where the fuck is Joe?" and she stood now, swallowing her emotion.

"Joe has been sent to Asgard to see Queen Frigga and determine his fate. There might be more sorcerers needing dealt with," and Loki turned and set his helmet on a leather chair. "So I'll likely be here for a short while longer to see to them."

"What."

He faced her. "Jane, I think you need to sit."

"I'm not fucking sitting! Fuck you! Put your other fucking clothes on, stop acting like a fucking psycho and tell me what the fuck is going on!" and she swayed a bit and her hand went to her forehead.

Loki was immediately in front of her and he handed her a glass of water.

"Where did you get that?" she whispered.

"Magic," he replied.

And Jane was now affected, and she fainted.

He caught her in his arms, and lowered her to the floor.

"Jane…" nothing. "Jane!" Nope. He threw the water in her face.

She sat up coughing. "What the hell?!"

And then he waved his hand in front of her and she was dry once more. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, yes. I'm fine," she said, clambering to her feet. "My best friend is like a magician or something and he's completely insane, but I'm fine."

"Sorcerer," and Loki got up and looked at her in slight desperation. "Jane, I would like to explain."

"Semantics. And you had better fucking explain yourself," she pointed at him.

"Sit down."

Jane glared at him, but swallowing, she thought that yes, this was going to be weird. She had better sit. And she did. "Go."

Loki sighed heavily.

He waved his hand in front of him and his Midgard clothes reappeared in all of their raven comfort.

Jane gasped.

"What do you know of Norse mythology, Jane?"

"Where did you clothes go?"

"Away. Are you familiar with the stories at all?"

She blinked. "I…just a little…" and her face registered awareness. "Hang on. Loki…god of mischief…" she squinted her eyes and suddenly laughed. "Oh my god. Are you trying to tell me that you're the god of mischief? That you're god? Or a god..?" then she became serious. "Loki, you're not well, I can get you help." She was always falling for psychos.

"Gods, Jane. And yes. I am that god in question….though gods isn't actually an apt term. More like, immortals…more like harborers of the secrets of Yggdrasil, and I am quite well."

"What the fuck are you actually fucking talking about," she demanded.

Start afresh, Loki. "Just over ten years ago, Jane, my mother the Queen of the Realm Eternal, charged me with a task of coming to Midgard…Earth, as you call it…to discover a sorcerer. Frigga has many gifts, and she sensed magic being employed of a nefarious variety here, and since I am a very great sorcerer myself, I came here to discover the source," he paused. He had been pacing a bit, and turned to look at her.

She was rapt, her mouth slightly agape, her eyes wide.

"And so I did, with five names in hand, yours among them."

"My what?"

"Your name…"

Jane swallowed. "My name?"

"Do you recall picking up a traveler on the way to New York late at night?"

Jane did recall that. It had been weird. Sam something… "Yes…"

"That was me."

"What."

"I had disguised myself, albeit not all that much, and interviewed you."

"Oh my god. That was you?"

Loki nodded. "Sam Miller."

"Darcy's boyfriend…"

"I think that that was where Frigga made her error. Wrong Sam Miller," and he chuckled, but received no answering laugh, so he pressed on after swallowing and running his hand over his forehead. "And then on the plane a few years later…I posed as Benedict Cumberbatch."

"WHAT?!"

Loki shrugged.

"Oh my fucking god. All of these years I thought that British men were pigs, and actually, it was just you all along…my god, Loki. You really are a sorcerer…" and Jane felt frightened, and confused, and she could barely look at him. Magic. It was real.

"I had given it up, Jane…I assumed that Frigga had been mistaken, until I met Sam and felt the influence on him…"

"Why didn't you sense it on me when we were on the plane? Joe and I were awfully intimate."

"Ah, well," he shifted his weight. "I imagine…I suppose that a number of things caused that oversight. Firstly, Joe wasn't a terribly effective sorcerer, which I hadn't counted on, and that then meant I would have had to actually touch you to sense it…and I suppose I was…a bit…distracted."

"By…?"

He cleared his throat. "Attempting to seduce you."

Jane blushed. Oh, yes…she recalled how forceful he had been…how insistent. "So, was that all this was, then? An elaborate seduction scene? A few months in the making? Give or take nine years," she added in a mumble. "All this friendship business…everything…it was a lie," and she felt her emotion swell in her throat. "And my fucking ex is a fucking evil sorcerer. How do I end up in these situations?" she stood.

Loki moved toward her. "No one knew what he was, Jane. Do not blame yourself…and no. I have long given up any attempt to have intercourse with you…"

But that upset her, too, since she was in love with him. "But why? What do you want, Loki? What is going on?"

"I…" he swallowed, his hands trembled. "Jane…I am not a well liked man. Most in Asgard fear me or loathe me…I am a bit too much for most, my humor is not like the others' there…and because I can be dangerous, well…" he turned away from her. "But on this rock of Midgard, when all seemed to be futile and stale, I found an absolution for my malady. I discovered a balm to my red wrath…" he faced her once more. "And it was the shape and form of a small fay, a smiling star, a warm entwine of laughter and friendship…an exchange of ideas…of like minds…" he walked toward her a bit. "But I was mindless of the swell of feeling that accompanied such a state…for I had first been attracted to her face and body, but then was won by her mind and soul…and little did I realize that such is the recipe for love," he finished in a whisper. A tear threatened, but he quelled it, and pressed on, encouraged by Jane's look of wonder. "And that is why, Jane, that I kept things from you. I have never been thus moved, I have never felt this tug toward another…I wanted only to protect you, from myself most of all," he met her gaze. "And I wanted to be with you, enjoy your company, to hear the tone of your laugh, to challenge you and to have you challenge me…to be in your presence and feel the warmth of you…your sweet self, so winsome and true…and your laugh," he returned to that trait. "Your laugh, above all else. I longed only to hear it, it was a saccharine delight such that I had never known."

"What do you want, Loki?" her voice cracked.

"That which I cannot hope to have," and he moved so close to her that he could reach out and touch her if he liked.

"Which is?"

"You, Jane Foster."

Jane Foster. Her name. It had started all of this…and that explained how he knew her last name when they first met. Everything was making sense now…and he loved her. He loved her. He loved her. "Loki…"

"Yes?"

"I need to figure this out."

"Are you angry?"

"Goddamn right I'm angry, but I think that I'm too in shock to really feel it," she shrugged.

He nodded.

Jane looked at him. "Are you going home to…where was it?"

"Asgard," he supplied. "No."

"Oh…"

"Would you leave me, then?"

"Loki…I need…I need to figure this out. This is a lot of stuff…I can''t even think straight," she paused. "I need to go home."

"I can transport you if you like…it'll be much faster."

"Transport? What…?"

He smiled. "Do you trust me?"

"Um…"

"Come now, Jane. I'm still the same person."

"Are you a person?" she doubtfully asked.

"Ah, well, I suppose technically speaking…"

"Jesus," and she rubbed her face. "Fine. Transport me. Is it safe?"

"Quite, I assure you," he stepped toward her, his eyes fixed on hers. He longed to kiss her. Wasn't that how this worked, declare yourself, and a kiss is rewarded to you? He was a novice, and he had basically just turned her world upside down, so he supposed that there were other more pressing things on her mind. "May I contact you, or would you prefer your thoughts to be navigated in solitude?"

"No…you can text me…but give me a couple of days, ok?"

He nodded.

He waved his hands over her person.

And she disappeared.

Loki was alone.

He sighed heavily and disappeared himself, materializing in his sitting room.

He despaired, and fretted that that would be the last time he would ever see Jane again.

As for Jane, she discovered herself on her bed.

She wept.

And soon found her sleep…