Dearest readers and reviewers! Don't worry! This story is far from dead! But alas, my updates will probably be less frequent (once a week, maybe twice a week) from now on. Please don't give up on this story!

Also, for any of you who are Star Wars junkies like me (tee hee!) I am starting on a fic called "Forbidden". You'll find it on my page. Go check it out, if you like!

Please keep reviewing, and remember, this story is alive and well! :D

Hugs to everyone! XO

Loki sat silently on the cool metal bench in the aircraft, head tipped back, eyes closed, the perfect image of cool self-composure. The evening had gone exactly according to plan.

Well…not entirely. Mostly, at least. The incident with the old man had been…off-script.

"So. Loki."

The American accent broke through his contemplation. He lifted his eyes to meet the gaze of this so-called "super soldier". To Loki's eye, Steve Rogers looked just as impressive as an ant beneath the sole of a boot. He smiled slowly, his features twisting and his eyes darkening, and he felt glee at the flicker of confusion and fear that passed over the Captain's features. The man in the iron suit beside Steve, though, seemed completely unphased by Loki's maniacal grin. Tony Stark's ego seemed to nearly rival Thor's. It would be fun to make him suffer, Loki thought. But Stark's next question took him completely off guard.

"Who's your girly friend, reindeer games?" he said, filling in for the Captain's silence.

What?

Loki had been sure that he teleported Lottie back to the aircraft before either Stark or Rogers spotted her.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand," he said smoothly, with an apologetic smile.

"Oh, I think you do," Stark replied. "Dark hair? Pale skin? Big, shiny knife?"

"One of the civilians in the crowd told us she was threatening an older man who gave you a hard time," Rogers said, apparently having found his voice.

"You must be mistaken," Loki purred.

Inwardly, he was fuming. His previous unease at her unscripted excursion returned.

Stupid whelp. What in the name of Odin was she thinking?

And then, thunder sounded, lightening split the sky, and, thoughts of Charlotte flew out of Loki's mind. Rain began to pelt on the roof of the aircraft, and Loki felt his stomach tighten as the aura that surrounded his brother clashed with his own.

"What's wrong," Rogers asked, "scared of a little lightening?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," Loki replied. His brother's flashy and dramatic entries had never really thrilled him; and at this particular moment, in this particular situation, it was more unwelcome that normal.

For a long moment, Loki wondered whether perhaps the innovations of the mortals were cleverer than he had supposed, if his brother would not be able to enter the plane; but that small hope faded as the rear doors were forced open and the god of thunder appeared against a backdrop of torrential rain and raging ocean swells. Wasting no time, he strode over to where Loki sat chained to the wall, seized him in his brutish arms, and ripped him away from his bindings and into the night air.

Loki sighed and closed his eyes, knowing better than to try anything for the moment. He didn't fancy a swim in the Midguardian ocean on this particular night. At last, the nauseating sensation of flight ended, and Loki was hurled forcefully against a stony ground. Apparently, Thor had taken them somewhere in the middle of a forest, and managed to land on the one stony outcropping in the area.

Cursing under his breath, Loki raised himself slowly onto his elbows and looked up at his long-lost brother. A slow, sadistic chuckle left his lips.

"Where is the Tesseract?" Thor demanded.

"I missed you too," Loki said, brushing the dirt and rain off his clothes.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?" Thor replied.

"You should thank me," Loki replied with a slight groan as he stood on aching muscles. "With the Byfrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious earth."

There was a bang as Thor dropped Mjolnir and seized Loki, pulling him the rest of the way to his feet.

"I thought you dead," he said quietly.

"Did you mourn?" Loki spat.

"We all did. Our father-"

"Your. Father." Loki corrected, unable to keep the bitter edge out of his voice. "He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?"

Turning away from his so-called brother, Loki started walking down the edge of the outcropping. Behind him, Thor continued to ramble.

"We were raised together. We played together; we fought together! Do you remember none of that?"

"I remember a shadow," Loki replied, turning back on Thor. "Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss; I who was and should be king!"

"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights? No. The Earth is under my protection, Loki."

At that, Loki threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, yes, and you're doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I mean to rule them! And why should I not?"

"You think yourself above them?"

"Well yes," Loki answered, brow furrowing slightly as he stated the obvious.

"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother! The throne would suit you ill."

Thor's soft, compassionate tone enraged Loki, and he shoved past him with a blow to Thor's chest, striding up the pathway to the top of the cliff.

"I've seen worlds you've never known about," he cried with a snarl in his voice. "I have grown, Odinson, in my exile. I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and-"

"You showed you this power?" Thor demanded. "Who controls the would-be king?"

"I am a king," Loki yelled, fury and other emotions that he didn't recognize battling within him.

"Not here!" Thor cried as he grabbed Loki by the shoulders. "You give up the Tesseract; you give up this poisonous dream!" His features softened as he gripped Loki's arms.

"You come home," he said.

Loki laughed softly. "I don't have it," he said.

Fury instantly reappeared on Thor's features, and Mjolnir flew back into his grasp.

"You need the Cube to bring me home," Loki continued, "but I've sent it off I know not where."

Thor took a deep breath. "Listen well, brother," he said, before he was suddenly removed from the premise by a hurtling comet of light – presumably the famous Tony Stark, suited up once more like some junk-yard malfunction.

"I'm listening," Loki commented, only to be met with silence. He chuckled softly before he sat down heavily on an obliging boulder. There was nothing now to do but wait until his captors remembered his presence and returned to fetch him. Oh, he could definitely leave if he wanted to, but there was nowhere in particular that he wanted to go.

But then again…perhaps there was. He had something yet to settle. In jeopardizing her own safety, Lottie had enraged Loki. The fury he felt boiling in his blood at the thought of S.H.I.E.L.D. tracking her down was still fresh.

Stupid, reckless girl.

Perhaps it was time she was taught a lesson. Perhaps it was time she saw the dark side of the god she worshipped.

Closing his eyes, Loki transported himself far away from the chaos of the forest scene and the fight happening below him, as the Avengers already began to split apart at the scenes. He took himself across the ocean. To where she was.

Lottie.