Queen of Mischief

A scream got stuck in her throat, and she attempted to grip the comforter beneath her as the hand tugged her to the other side of the bed. The hold on her ankle was stronger than she expected, and with one final tug, she was torn away. In one solid move, she was flipped onto her back.

She steeled herself for the inevitable gunshot, for the pain of a bullet sliding easily through her abdomen, but it never came.

Nothing could have prepared her for the sight of Loki's face hovering over hers, his lips contorted into a scowl. Elliot let out a whoosh of breath as she breathed, "L-Loki?"

Something unknown sparked in his eyes when she breathed his name in shock. Her widened blue eyes, filled with fright and disbelief, traveled over the sharp planes of his face, over his cheekbones and perfect straight nose, to his piercing emerald eyes. A frown touched her lips when she saw that he had dark circles underneath his eyes, and he looked paler than usual. She made to sit up, but then she saw his arm swinging towards her, and her wrist was pinned to the comforter in one smooth movement.

I can't believe it.

For a moment they remained like that, him hovering over her like a predator ready to pounce. Their eyes locked, and his narrowed. Then he spoke, and his silky smooth voice sent her heart racing further. "I have now discovered your true colors, Elliot," he rasped.

She licked her lips quickly, searching his face. "My true colors?" she repeated with confusion, her voice shaking.

Loki glared down at his captive. "Yes. You are the Queen of Mischief," he told her, emphasizing the title. "You do the title more duty than I."

Elliot blinked stupidly - now she had to get used to his speech again. Once she'd processed the information, she shook her head. "I don't-"

"Sit up," he snapped, releasing her. Elliot slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position, pressing her hand over her rapidly beating heart. He turned smoothly to peer out of the window blinds, prying them open. Dazedly, she looked up him and down; he was wearing that same outfit that he wore the last time he was on Earth; a sleek, black coat over a white dress shirt, black slacks and black tie, and a green and gold scarf.

Loki turned, as if he knew that she was taking him in. When he fully faced her, she took in his rather sick appearance. Aside from the dark circles, his skin was sallow. He looked as sick as he did the first night he arrived on Earth through the Tesseract.

"What's wrong with you? You look sick. Has something happened on Asgard?" she began immediately, firing questions at him without a moment's hesitance.

The corner of Loki's lips twitched in irritation, and he inhaled deeply through his nose. "I have crossed worlds and caused such massive chaos on your behalf. I have depleted much of my magic for your sake - you who chose to escape from Asgard like a selfish child. I have not done this to be interrogated about my health," he responded calmly, but his body betrayed him - his hands were clenched into tight fists.

"Then why have you done it?" Elliot inquired, tilting her head like a curious cat. "Did Odin threaten to sew your mouth shut if you refused?"

His shoulders rose and fell rapidly as he worked to calm his breathing, not saying a word. She took his silence for affirmation, and her lips quirked as she processed this new bit of information.

"The Tesseract isn't the only way to travel between worlds," Loki continued quietly, lowering his eyes from her. "I am the master of magic."

Elliot nodded in agreement, still looking at his clenched fists which revealed the tendons straining beneath. "And when you arrived," she added on a sigh, "You set off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s detection system." At least the mystery had been solved.

She fell silent, slightly satisfied with her revelation. He fell silent as well, watching her while she played with her fingers. Elliot had realized rather suddenly that Loki was here, in her room, on Earth. She had not expected to see him again, and yet here he was. Should she be happy? Or apologize for leaving?

"Heimdall's been watching you since your abrupt disappearance." Loki's soft voice cut through the silence. "They all have. Sif asks of you daily. Thor is handling his father's duties, and Langley has taken to the brewery." His words were spoken very clearly, and frankly. For Elliot, each word carried disappointment.

"Do they know I'm sorry?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Loki responded, sounding thoughtful. His hands relaxed and his lips curved upwards into a knowing smile. "It seems that by the way you so abruptly left, you had no cares for their feelings at all." He was, in essence, painting her as a horrible human who didn't care for anyone but herself. Her nostrils flared and she was ready to interject, but he cut her off.

"And how fares the traveler? Is Midgard to your liking? Or do you like being pursed by men with weapons?"

A grin spread across her lips, but didn't reach her eyes. "Oh, very good," she commended him, clapping a few times. "I won't fall for your guilt. Yes, things are difficult, but they'll get better in time. Once I find my family, we'll hole away somewhere until things die down."

"Very bold." Loki's eyes swept the room. "Now dress yourself. There are men waiting to escort you to where you want to go. I have been charged with your safety by Odinson, and I do not wish to have my mouth sewn shut."

"Why do I have to leave?"

"Because at this moment, S.H.I.E.L.D. is on their way to find you. Because at this moment, your Captain is being questioned about you. They threatened to harm the Captain, and it was your Iron Man who refused to let them do so. In exchange for his safety, the Captain was forced to reveal your whereabouts."

Shit. Elliot chewed worriedly on her bottom lip while the information sunk in. That explains why Steve never came back, she thought with understanding. But shit, I'm in trouble. How long did she have before S.H.I.E.L.D. came and knocked down her front door?

"Heimdall also has the ability to see across time, not just space," continued Loki, his voice lowering. "And he sees that they intend to torture you for information. He can also see that there will be a malfunction, and you will die."

His words barely fazed her. Instead, she snorted and asked, "Are you here to change the future?"

Loki smiled tightly. "Perhaps. Besides... you and I are irrevocably connected. No matter what you do, they will continue to search for you until they receive justice for the things you and I have committed."

"Not you and I," she corrected him, raising one finger. "You made me do those things. I had no choice."

"Neither did I."

Right, she remembered. They'd even managed to prove that he was forced to murder innocent citizens. For a minute, she lowered her eyes from his and stared at the silent television screen, still displaying images from the night's events. If only someone else had gotten that damn disk, she thought wistfully. Maybe I'd be with them right now.

Elliot let out a sigh and glanced at Loki once more, her eyes searching his, and she accepted that for now, she was tangled up in this web of lies and confusion. They were connected, and probably would be for the rest of her life.

"We are connected, you and I," she finally muttered. "Maybe I had this coming. But...enough of that. I'd like to know why you look sick." Her words were spoken lightly, but she was clearly curious.

"My physical state of concern is not of your-"

"Was it Langley?" she interrupted softly, looking at him again. His eyes narrowed fractionally, but she thought nothing of it, her eyes tracing the dark circles with a critical gaze.

"Ordinarily I wouldn't care," she added quickly, seeing the growing anger on his face. "But you keep grimacing, just there..." she told him, pointing to the left corner of his lips. "I mean, on Asgard, I was your buffer. I know you don't like thinking of little mortal me as your buffer, but let's be frank."

"The consequences of my failure, Elliot, are what put me in this condition. Thanos seeks me out," Loki said bluntly, raising his chin. "I intend to remove myself from the situation within a few days." She rubbed the back of her neck, looking at him with confusion, as she realized that he had never told her much about Thanos. Then again, perhaps he had good reason to.

After a few seconds of silence, Loki spoke again, and his voice lowered. "Do you care?" Now he was talking on a personal level with her, in a tone that made her heart rate increase ever so slightly. There was a glint lurking in the depths of his emerald eyes that she had seen before, when he had pinned her to the bed - pride. He was proud that he had managed to wriggle his way into her thoughts and cause her to be concerned for his well-being, when only months ago she wished freely for his death.

"Yes," she admitted, drawing out the word. "Because if they're hurting you, I'd like them to stop. It's very childish of them, like acting out of turn now that mom's gone on vacation." It was a practical excuse.

"I will make a mental note of that," responded Loki, turning his gaze to the door. "But for now, you must go, and I must return to Asgard and relay my success to the Allfather, and to Odinson. If Thor hears of any bad news, he'll strike down those responsible and cause chaos."

"Isn't that your job, God of Mischief?" asked Elliot, her lips curving upward into a gentle smile.

Loki paused, and then a similar smile tugged at his thin lips. "From time to time, although it seems now that I have been charged with sharing the role...Queen of Mischief." Elliot ducked her head and covered her mouth to stop a goofy grin from spreading across her lips. She didn't want him to know that she actually rather liked being called the Queen of Mischief; it was rather fitting.

"What?" Loki looked at her covered mouth with annoyance.

"Nothing, nothing..." she lied, waving her hands. "It's just funny. This whole thing, I mean. How everything's come full circle. It's just...I can't believe that I once thought that I was worthless, when I have the city searching for me." She glanced pointedly at the television.

He spoke again in a low tone, boring his emerald eyes into hers. Although she didn't move, she felt as if he leaned closer as he spoke. "You are mine, and nothing of mine is ever worthless."

Elliot sat with slightly frayed nerves, staring at the two men in the driver and passenger's seat, chatting animatedly with each other. Of all people to pick, Loki chose the two most suspicious looking men; one wore a leather jacket and black cap, while the other wore a dirty brown coat and muddy jeans. She found it hard to believe that those two were under some sort of influence.

She leaned against the car seat, staring out of the window of the silver Camry. This has been a hell of a night, she thought, closing her eyes for a moment. Transported from Asgard to Earth, dropped in the middle of traffic, caught by S.H.I.E.L.D., and sprinted all over Times Square. Getting some real sleep was appealing to her. More than anything, she wanted to sink into blissful sleep, and wake up in her own bed.

Her thoughts temporarily turned to Loki, and she listened again to his smooth voice in her mind.

"You are mine, and nothing of mine is ever worthless."

He had disappeared soon after that, after telling her who and what to look for. Loki didn't either bother to do her the favor of explaining what he meant before he disappeared without a trace.

She rubbed her forehead tiredly. For God's sake, what does that mean? And where did it come from? It seemed so out of character, and so odd for him to suddenly declare that she was his. They had both acknowledged that unfortunately, their fates are intertwined, but did that mean that she was his? What did "his" even mean? Did he have feelings for her?

As inexperienced as she was, there was no way to deny that sometimes she had seen him looking at her. He had touched her in ways that made her feel exposed and flustered. And they'd kissed - once.

Is he mine? Even if I escape, will I ever really be free of him?

No, she decided, watching a truck speed by. Even if she escaped with Katie and Megan, she'll be running for the rest of her life because of him. Because she made the wrong decisions, she would forever be on the run from the people who wished to persecute her for nearly helping Loki destroy the free world. So as long as she remained on Earth, there was no possible way for her to escape his presence.

Maybe he is, she thought for a moment, pursing her lips. Not in that way, but maybe he is mine.

During the remainder of the drive to her house, she rationalized with herself, trying to figure out other reasons why he would so suddenly declare that their fates were intertwined, and she was his; perhaps it was a message of some sort. When he said he intended to take care of the situation, was that a farewell statement? Maybe he intended to face Thanos alone. Her heart rate spiked at the idea that Loki was walking his own path, perhaps to his death.

Not in his character, she decided, as the silver Camry turned smoothly onto a quiet street, which she recognized. Loki would prefer to pull every trick out of the hat to escape Thanos before offering himself up like a damn sacrificial lamb.

The one wearing the dark cap rudely asked her exactly where they were going, and Elliot gave him specific directions how to get to her house. As she began to recognize the Giant Eagle, the small farmer's market that was closed up for the night, and the second hand bookshop that she sometimes went to on the weekends when she wasn't sleeping, her heart rate picked up. I'm almost home.

The streets were deserted tonight; residents were either at the club, or in their houses, enjoying their Friday night.

They passed a few houses, and Elliot pressed her face against the window to look at them. Some houses had their curtains open, and she could see families who were eating dinner or watching television. She felt a pain of wistfulness in her heart when she saw how content the families were together, in the safety of their home.

What I wouldn't give to be ignorant, she thought bitterly, sitting back against the seat in a huff. To laze around and go about my day like a normal American citizen who knows nothing about aliens. She began to daydream, and painted a picture of what her life would have been like. Elliot would be living in an apartment on her own, going to her 9-5 job typing on computers, making money, and having a little extra to eat out or take Megan on an outing.

The driver made a smooth left turn onto her street, and Elliot slid upfront to the edge of the street, her eyes scanning each house as they sped by. She tapped her fingers anxiously on the backs of their chairs, and chewed on her lips. What if Fury was right about everything?

"There, that one..." she murmured, spotting the white-washed house just in front of the stop sign. As the house came closer into view, her heart leapt; maybe it was just a bluff.

She held onto that thought until the car came to a gentle stop in front of the home, and then she realized that it was no longer hers.

The patio was unrecognizable; the flooring had been replaced with new wood, shiny even in the darkness, and the patio walls were painted a salmon color. A garden was planted next to the steps, bursting with roses that had closed up for the night. In the open living room window, Elliot could see two children with dark hair running around the room, holding toy airplanes. Sitting on a brown sofa was a woman, drinking something out of a wine glass. Behind her, man sat on a computer, adjusting his glasses as he typed.

The driver turned around to look at her, clearly annoyed with her actions. His beady, dark eyes looked her up and down. Her mouth had fallen slack and her eyebrows had disappeared beneath her bangs. He stared openly at her trembling bottom lip, and then coughed, "Everythin' alright, lady?"

"Y-yeah-" her voice broke. "I'm fine. Let me just go...talk to them," she said hoarsely, fumbling clumsily for the handle to open the car door. She stepped out into the cool night air, her eyes still locked on the house. Then she stumbled up the driveway, across her lawn, and up the newly painted set of stairs. As she got closer to the door, she could hear the children inside, imitating engine effects.

Elliot raised her hand to knock on the screen door, but stopped halfway through the motion. What would she say?

"I'm Elliot, and I used to live here. Would you mind leaving, please?"

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

The woman's voice was soft, curious, and British. While Elliot stood in front of the door, debating what she should say, the woman had approached the door. She tightened her hands around her silk robe, a friendly smile on her full lips.

"Um..." Elliot trailed off, her eyes widening with fright. "I'm...I'm sorry, I must have the wrong house. Did you, um...recently acquire this?"

"Sometime last week, yes," the woman responded with a nod, tucking a strand of short brown hair behind her ears. "It was quite a steal, actually. Considering this economy...why do you ask?"

Elliot licked her lips and looked past her into the house. "I'm the former owner." And it's my damn house.

Immediately, the woman burst into a wide smile, and clapped her hands together with joy. "Oh! You must be Katie!" She struggled to open the door, and then stuck out her hand. "We spoke on the phone two weeks ago when we sealed the deal! I'm Amber."

At that moment, Elliot was fairly sure that she was about to throw up. Tingles of shock ran down her spine, and extended to every nerve in her body. She couldn't stop her eyes widening even further. Katie.

She sold the house. Katie had decided that waiting for Elliot to be ready to be honest with her wasn't worth it. Once she hadn't returned home, Katie advertised the house in The New Yorker. This lovely English woman, with her lovely children, had bought the home and now settled into their brand new lives.

Her throat constricted, and she could hear the blood pumping in her ears. Elliot forced her limbs to start working, and stuck out her hand to shake Amber's. "Yes!" she nearly sobbed. "I-I'm so glad everything is okay!"

The prickles had begun in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm actually glad you came, would you mind coming inside for a bit? There are a few things you left behind," Amber told her, jerking behind her with her thumb.

"Sure, sure," Elliot whispered, giving her a shaky smile. As she squeezed past Amber, she let out a quiet exhale. She stepped inside, into this unfamiliar territory. The smell of jasmine hit her nose, and warmth surrounded her, a welcome contrast from the New York cold. She could hear the sounds of her children's laughter as they ran around the living room.

"Amber, who is it?" called the man, his voice slightly worried.

"It's the lady who sold us the house! She just stopped by, I was going to give her those trinkets she left behind!" Amber called, loping over to the tiny wooden table resting beneath a photo of the new family.

That was my family photo, Elliot remembered, staring at the photo of the four of them, so perfectly and lovely and happy. Then her eyes dropped to the wooden table, and to the item beneath it.

She gasped. "Is that my comforter?" It was resting in a large, plastic bag. For a moment, she smiled - she thought she would never see that mint green comforter ever again.

Amber laughed, throwing her head back. "Yes! You left a few things. The kids took to it nicely, but I assumed it wasn't yours. I was going to call you but I temporarily misplaced your phone number. Also..." she added, holding up the bag to eye-level. "You left this rather exquisite jewel box." She peered at it with interest. "Again, I would have liked to have used it myself, but I also assumed it was yours, and it looks special."

Finally, Amber reached for the wooden table, and Elliot noticed that there was something there. She inhaled sharply when Amber stood upright her picture of Megan from her ballet recital.

"You left this picture of an adorable child. Who is she?"

Amber's naivety about the whole thing only increased Elliot's pain; she reached for the frame with trembling fingers and stared at the picture of Megan, posed perfectly during her final dance. "I...it's my niece," she finally answered, once she was able to talk. "I haven't seen her in so long."

"Why not?"

Elliot touched the glass over the frame, and it was cold to the touch. "My job is very demanding. I don't have time for family."

Amber clucked her tongue. "You should make time! You only to get watch them grow up once," she reminded her. "Best to spend as much time with them now."

Irony, you bastard, she thought darkly.

With her comforter, box, and picture in hand, Elliot bid Amber and her husband, Jeff, goodbye, and wished them luck with the rest of the house. As much as she would have loved to have told them the truth, she couldn't. They were too happy with the house, and frankly, they wouldn't believe her.

After closing the door, they walked back into the living room, their arms around each other, and began talking about Jeff's day at work. Elliot stood on the porch of the house for a few moments longer, staring through the screen of the door, into the kitchen where she had stood only a few months ago, talking with Kat about Dr. Selvig.

She fought the overwhelming urge to cry, because Amber would hear her. Elliot turned on her heel and walked down the steps, towards the silver Camry, but it was gone.

a/n:

I've always felt that my characters need to go through a hard experience in order for them to come round and realize their full potential. For Elliot, that means that she has to lose everything before she realizes what she had. just thought I'd explain myself. I could have sent Elliot away with Loki, but she wouldn't have reached the end of her very, very long journey. And now we realize the horrible truth - everything she did was worth nothing. Or was it?

A few things:

Mea: That review almost made me burst into ugly sobbing. Thank you so, so much. I'm so happy that you've found the story enthralling. I thought my story was boring compared to other LokixOC stories because I'm not so much focusing on romance as I am focusing on my protagonist's character development. Romance will come into play in the next few chapters, I promise. Again, THANK YOU! :)

Mistltoe: Hopefully the meltdown is over! I don't want your brain to melt into mush! :P

Guest: I'm glad you're doing okay, and I hope your family turns out okay as well! Much love.

Vex Matthewson: YAY I'm glad you caught onto that. Was trying not to make it too obvious.

And as always, thank you all so very much for reviewing/favoriting/what have you. I really appreciate it, and it keeps me writing! I'm so pleased that you're all enjoying the story, as I'm enjoying writing it.

Next chapter up in a week or so!