She insisted on having her room. In spite of the fact that every night he would crawl into her bed or she into his, she said they should have their own space, just in case. He would admit that he loved -relatively speaking- her a little for that gesture as much as he hated himself for the need for it.

It had been a month since the four of them had moved to California: he, Darcy, Thor, and even Jane. Tony and Banner also moved back, but they stayed at Tony's house in Malibu. Darcy, in spite of the promise of danger that seemed to loom around the bend, seemed to blossom every day working with Stark. As much as the Iron Man irritated Loki most of the time, he had a grudging respect for the man's ingenuity. Darcy was not allowed to speak of whatever it is she did at Stark's mansion; and surprisingly she kept to that. Still, every day was some new adventure for her; even though to Loki her work just seemed like characters on a computer screen. Although Jane still had the majority of her rather generous stipend she had earned from SHIELD on her last project, she once again took up research at UCLA. Between Darcy's new rather impressive salary with Stark Industries and Jane's grants, the four of them were able to live comfortably in nearby townhouses in Santa Monica. Jane and Darcy had wanted to share an apartment as they had for almost a year before Jane left New York, but the attempt on Darcy's life, however, was some cause for concern. They all thought it best that no one without abnormal powers live with the programmer, should the worst happen. It was a deep cut for Darcy; but one she knew she had to live with.

Darcy referred to herself and Jane as 'sugar mamas.' Loki did not understand her meaning at first. When she had explained it to him, he had of course casually leaned back to cross his arms behind his head and propped his feet up on the couch, a large grin on his face, much to Darcy's amusement. As neither Loki nor his brother had a particular occupation to take up their day, they spent most of their hours lending their powers to Stark and Banner in their research. Whether it be a large amount of power in the form of Thor's lightning or any number of the skills Loki could provide, both Asgardians did what they could to aid the humans who kept them. Loki even found a small amount of contentment in lending assistance to humans. Conversation among Stark and Banner became even somewhat relaxed with time. Stark had even given up on trying to dissuade Darcy on continuing their relationship, either finding it futile or unnecessary.

Surprisingly, the universe was quiet.

"What is it, my prince?" Darcy sighed one night as she turned around in his arms, resting her head on his chest in her half-sleep, tossing a careless arm around his stomach. "You aren't asleep yet?" Indeed, he had been awake for many hours, silently listening to his human lover snore quietly, despite the fact that she denied ever snoring. He felt the silk of her nightgown brush against his bare side and suddenly some very unquiet thoughts came to mind. "What's on your mind?" she asked.

"My place," he said quietly. He felt her still a moment before resuming her steady breathing so very close to slumber.

"What about it?" she asked sleepily.

"I have been here for almost five months. Thor earned his way home in mere days. I am beginning to wonder if my exile is a permanent one." He felt her shift and plant a kiss on his jaw before laying her head back down.

"Thor had a convenient little brother to send a giant robot to kill him and therefore speed along his maturation process. You should look into getting one of those." He smiled against the top of her hair.

"I would think you more eager to find me nice and safely on the side of good again." He felt her shrug.

"I guess I'm being a little selfish. When you go back to Asgard, you'll take away the best sex of my sad, sad, mortal life with you," she said playfully. "You just take all the time you need. Besides, I think I like you a little bad. Just a little. I don't think I would like you as much if you weren't." Darcy felt him roll her over, pinning her arms gently to her side as he grinned down at her.

"You think you like me bad, hm?" he asked.

"Just a little," she reiterated just before his mouth swooped down to capture hers. She struggled to wrap her arms around him; but her arms remained pinned to the bed. She was smiling when he lifted his head, looking down at her. His look was somewhat less playful as he released the hold on her arms. "What is it?" she asked, concerned.

"If I go to back to Asgard," he said, moving his fingers to a random lock of her hair, "You will stay here?" Her brows furrowed.

"Yeah," she said. "Where else would I be?" He was silent as he searched her eyes. She genuinely had no idea what he would answer.

"With me," he said softly. He watched her eyes closely. So open were her emotions in them as they changed from confusion to realization to incredulity.

And then to anger.

"Don't," she said, gently trying to push him off of her. She huffed when she realized he would not be moved.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't say things like that when you don't mean them. Or probably won't mean them later."

"Why would I say it if I did not?" Loki questioned.

"I don't know why you do anything you do, O God of Mischief and Lies. I have made extremely sure not to expect anything more from you than this and I'll thank you for not putting any other ideas in my head." She attempted to push him off of her again and he allowed her success this time. She rolled over, wrapping a sheet around herself, her back facing him, as if she meant to go back to sleep. "I'm not the kind of person you take back to Asgard, if you were to take a human at all."

"And who is?" he asked incredulously. This was quite honestly not the reaction he expected the one time he tried to show enough affection and regard as to take her to show her his home. What harm could there be in travelling to another realm? He did it often enough.

"Someone like Jane," she said, clearly trying to hold emotion away from her voice. "A Woman of Science, or something. Capital 'W.' Not her little sidekick. I've never fooled myself into thinking that this is anything more than what it is, which is the two of us having some kind of comfort from someone that's been conveniently close. I've accepted that. Please don't-" she paused, voice cracking. "Just don't."

"Why should I not take away everything he holds dear? Whether it be his little love bird or her little sidekick." Isn't that what he had said to her just before his attack? So often he forgot that the girl basically had a voice recorder in that brain of hers. She tried to hide how his words affected her; but they apparently imprinted themselves on her memory, reminding her of what he was when she repeated them, which was a monster. But no matter how much he had hurt her, she still cared about him in her own way, and yet she was refusing to entertain the idea of going anywhere with him outside of her own path. Truly, he had not planned on taking her to Asgard even just before she had woken up. However, her mentioning so casually that he would have to leave her when he did go back home had wrenched something inside him unexpectedly.

"If we can be lovers here, I see no reason why we could not be the same in Asgard. Would you not enjoy seeing the Realm Eternal?" He pulled her to him, pressing her back to his stomach, wrapping his arm around her as he leaned down to plant kisses on her exposed neck. "There is one golden balcony in the palace of which I am particularly fond. Standing on it, you can see the whole of the city stretching out before you like a gilded paradise. I've stood their countless times, simply marvelling at the beauty of my realm. I can see myself marveling at the sight of you staring out in the place where I have spent so much of my life... and then taking you right there in front of it."

He could feel her tremble as he continued to kiss her neck. Within seconds she had turned around to push him on his back, climbing on top of him. He did so enjoy it when she took the lead. She still trembled as she leaned down and pressed her lips to his, framing his face in her small hands. His precious little mortal. In their month and a half together, she had gone from a shy, hesitant bud to a wild, passionate blossom under -sometimes over- his instruction. Experiencing the transformation, knowing that it was he that caused it, was intoxicating.

Where once she had been self-conscious and a even little frightened of him, she was now confident and daring. The little chit had even had the nerve to tell him to kneel before her if he wished to have her one night. It had been the first time she dared say anything so bold to him. Months before, he would have destroyed a human for saying such a thing. However, Darcy had a habit of getting away with a lot of things, especially when she was completely bare; except for his helmet which he had added for the full effect. It only made sense, if she were issuing orders. He was glad she was such a good sport about his fancies.

"Is that a yes, then?" he asked smugly when they broke apart at the lips and joined together elsewhere.

"Nope," she whispered, placing her hands on his stomach. "But I can't say the thought isn't a turn on." He would have frowned at her denial if she had not been keeping him otherwise distracted.

Loki found himself at quite a loss of words when he awoke the next morning to an empty bed. Darcy was rarely able to wake before him, let alone get out of the house before he had even stirred.

He found a small pink note on the refrigerator wishing him a good morning, stating she had left him a small breakfast inside, and that she had left for Tony's to get an some work done. It was decorated with several smiley faces and hearts. Truly, she had been up early. Her motorcycle, which she had purchased since their move to California, hadn't even woken him. He teleported briefly to Stark's mansion to ensure she had arrived, which she had since he saw her motorcycle in the garage, before teleporting back.

He found himself disconcerted as the memory of the previous evening replayed in his mind. Sure the end to it had been more than satisfying, but the conversation they had, or not had, bothered him. She had absolutely refused to entertain the idea of going to Asgard with him, in the event of his reinstatement, even when he tried to be his most persuasive. He couldn't imagine why in the world not. What mortal would not wish to see Asgard? Especially one as curious as Darcy. The more he thought about it, the less it made sense. He thought maybe he could redress the issue when she came home, but he hesitated even doing that. Darcy was rarely abrupt; but she was so the night before. He found that he distinctly disliked it, and was not in the mood to risk upsetting her again.

Her friendship with Agent Romanov, while still evident, had naturally slowed with them being on opposite sides of the country. That left her one true confidant who would know best how to approach such a subject.

Jane yawned as she sat at her desk, a warm cup of coffee in her hand. It was awful having to go about her research as if she didn't have the information she had directly from the mouths of two aliens. Her colleagues probably wouldn't buy that. Having the insider information did, however, guide her research enough to make a very decent amount in grant stipends.

Thor was respectful of her alone time at her lab where she was able to concentrate on her work. Still, she found herself looking forward to going home every night, knowing he would be there, a smile on his handsome face, waiting for her. All the pain of separation of their romance that had been cut too short had melted away in the idyllic time of being allowed to simply be with him: every night and every morning.

Especially the nights. She still had to work up the nerve to thank Darcy for the helmet suggestion.

Sometimes they would have dinner with Loki and Darcy. Sometimes they would all hang out at Tony's mansion. Jane was pretty sure Tony was actually getting used to having a regular set of friends to torture. In spite of her reservations about Loki, she could see he and Thor rebuilding their relationship every day in their simple Midgardian lives. While she knew Thor was happy with her, there had been an emptiness inside of him with the loss of his brother's friendship. It had pained her to see it, making it somewhat easier to accept Loki into their little circle. If Thor loved him so much, he must have been a good brother once. Jane longed for that to return, for the sake of Thor.

As the weeks went by, Jane let herself believe that Darcy's distance from SHIELD had lowered the threat to them all. Thor and Loki were overly vigilant Surely no one would be stupid enough to try to tangle with the handful of people who had defeated an alien invasion.

In the midst of her introspection and calculations, she hadn't noticed anyone come in (or simply appear, as the case may be).

Loki had watched his brother's lover for quite a few moments unnoticed. Her straight, fine brows had furrowed in concentration over striking brown eyes as she mentally tried to tear apart whatever problem she was solving. In spite of himself, Loki actually had come to admire his brother's choice of a woman for once, mortal though she may be -which was becoming less and a less of a slight in his eyes. Never would he have guessed that his dimwit of a brother would take a liking to a woman of knowledge and intelligence, limited though it was by her own biology. Should his brother be serious of trying to bind himself to her, Loki could think of less appealing Asgardians he could choose. (He shuddered to think of Sif taking his mother's place as queen one day. The woman had the grace and elegance of a Bilge Snipe.)

His presence did not go unnoticed for long as Jane gasped quietly.

"Loki," she said, clearly startled, taking in his usual suit he wore out of doors. "What are you doing here?"

"Good day to you, too, Miss Foster," he greeted, amused. Jane shook her head at herself, an embarrassed part of a smile trying to cover the fact that she was clearly at a loss of words. In spite of her successful attempts to be friendly to him, he could tell she was still unnerved being alone with him. Smart woman, he couldn't help thinking.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, I was just surprised. Good morning. Um, Thor isn't here. I think he is still home, unless he went to Stark's."

"I am not here to speak to Thor. If I was, the last place I would look for him would be a scientific facility at a place of knowledge. I was actually hoping I might speak to you privately." Jane was clearly thrown a bit, tossing her eyes back and forth awkwardly.

"O...kay," she said. "Sure. Would you like some coffee or something?"

"Thank you, no. Although your offer is much appreciated. Perhaps another time." Jane shrugged her shoulders. Taking a sip, she sat on a stool at one of her study tables.

"Have a seat, if you want," she said politely. He formally sat across from her, unsure of how to begin. She seemed to notice his hesitation. She waited awkwardly for a few moments, again tossing her eyes around, trying to take in her situation.

"So," she suddenly began.

"I find myself confused with Darcy as of late," he blurted suddenly. Only Loki could blurt something gracefully. Jane had been about to throw out a few more weak attempts at starting the conversation, but he had dove right in. Realization suddenly dawned on Jane as to why her lover's estranged brother, who had spoken very little to her outside of talking about the realms, had come to her alone to talk. A wave of relief washed over her.

"I don't think a person on this planet could help you with that one, but I'll try," she said. Darcy? Jane sarcastically questioned in her head. Confuse someone? Noooooo...

"I normally am able to follow her nonsense, but I fear I am now at a loss," he said. "Last night I offered to take her to Asgard with me, in the event of my reinstatement. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. She became angry and unreasonable." Jane waited for something more apparent to be wrong, but Loki had apparently said all he thought was necessary to diagnose the problem.

"Why would that make her angry?"

"If I knew that, woman, I would not be here," he retorted more sharply than was necessary. Jane straightened, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I..." he hesitated, "apologize. That was rude." Jane was a little shocked at the apology, but accepted it, saying no more of it.

"What I meant was," she said slowly, "are you sure you said nothing else that could possibly have been construed as offensive?" Jane had to marvel for a moment that she was sitting in her lab, drinking coffee with Loki, giving him girl advice about her best friend. Oh, the places the world would take her...

"That was mostly the limit of our conversation," Loki said vaguely. "She kept saying that she didn't expect anything of me, and to not put any ideas in her head, whatever that means. I know she doesn't expect anything from me, I was offering." The miscommunication between the two was becoming apparent to Jane, even in the face of Loki's complete lack of understand of Darcy. It was almost unfathomable how a man, or demi-god, of his genius was so very inept at understanding emotions outside of how to manipulate them.

"Well," Jane started, "you sound like you are becoming more... serious. Are you no longer just... friends?"

"Of course we are still friends," Loki said. "Nothing has changed."

"So, you haven't made any kind of commitment to each other?"

"Of course not. Darcy is free to go as she pleases as am I. If I ever found myself as absolutely ridiculous as my brother, Chitauri take me now," he said with a nearly imperceptible sneer. "No offense to you, of course." Jane tilted her head to the side, shrugging her shoulders.

"So, let's say, if Steve Rogers wanted to date her in a more traditional, Midgardian way, you would have no problem letting her go?" Loki narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman who sat observing him quite innocently. Someone had told her about that particular sore spot.

"That adolescent has nothing to do with anything, thank you," he said. She nodded sympathetically.

"Did you say how long you wanted her to stay?" she asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just humor me, here," she said, taking a drink of her coffee. Loki held back a growl, feeling as if all these question would go nowhere.

"I didn't plan the exact day. This was theoretical to begin with. I assume it was made plain she would stay with me indefinitely."

"Humans can't do anything indefinitely, Loki," she said. That piece of insight threw him. "So it would be until one of you left the other, or she died of old age. Is that what you had planned?" Loki said nothing. "So, basically," Jane continued, "you were asking a beautiful young woman with a full life ahead of her to give up almost her entire identity, go to a place far away from everything she knows, to agree to be your plaything for the rest of her natural life, or until you got tired of her or she got too old for you. Let's face it, we both know she's not going to be the one to leave you. Is that about it?"

"Is it a talent of all Midgardians, or just the women, to make everything a person says sound absolutely horrid?" Loki all but pouted to himself.

"Couldn't tell you," Jane said, amused but sad.

"And Thor has made no such offer to you yet?" Jane blushed a little.

"He has mentioned that our future together would have to be in Asgard," she said plainly.

"You seemed to have no such reservation," Loki stated.

"Thor loves me," she said simply. Loki blanched at this. "He would give up a lot to be with me for as long as we have. I could live with the sacrifice, knowing he was equally committed to me." Jane had to admit, Loki looked absolutely uncomfortable. "It looks to me like Darcy isn't asking anything more of you than you are willing to give. It wouldn't be really fair for you to not do the same. She's already risking enough by letting herself care about you. It's a gift. When you leave, someone will have to be the one to sweep up the pieces, but she'll survive, and someone will love her that way she deserves, but don't try to take that possibility away from her."

"I don't like what you are saying," Loki said petulantly. Jane shrugged.

"You're the one who came here," she said.

"This is not what I wanted to hear. I wanted you to tell me how to get her to come with me, not make me feel even more like the villain I am," he said darkly. Jane stared at him a while.

"You don't have to be a villain, Loki," Jane said. Loki smiled.

"One cannot fight one's nature, Miss Foster," Loki said in a strange combination of playfulness and sadness. "I can play nice with all of you all I want. It's only a matter of time before the darkness comes again. It's the price to be paid of being born a monster. I suppose it makes this entire conversation moot. I will never be Thor. I would not want to be if I could. My chance of returning home seems dimmer with every day. And Darcy..." he paused a long, painful moment. "I find myself robbing the one person I've come to care about on this planet of her life. I do not even have to have ill intentions to do evil. It comes to me as easily as breathing." Jane was quite surprised at such candidness from someone known for trickery, to her of all people. Part of her was cautious. He could be manipulating her in some way. If he was, color her impressed, as he was one hell of an actor. That defeated look on his face tore at heartstrings she didn't know she had. She was beginning to understand why Thor loved him so much. Why Darcy... loved him so much.

"Well, I have to say, I'm a little disappointed," Jane said. "Aren't you supposed to be the God of Mischief?" Loki frowned at her. Did she dare to mock him? "I thought no one told you what to do, whether it was Thor, Odin, the Chitauri, or a couple of Frost Giants. Thor said you laugh at everyone who has ever tried to control you. Why are you all of the sudden now resigning yourself to being told what you are because you happen to get a little... blue... from time to time?"

Loki actually smiled the most genuine smile she had ever seen grace his features.

"Miss Foster... I do believe I like you."

"So, let me get this straight," Tony said as he busied himself with whatever mechanical creation occupied him. "Everyone knows you guys have been together for over a month now, and yet, by all outward appearances, you are not."

"I guess," Darcy said, focusing on the program she was running to sync with JARVIS, not wanting to talk about this with Tony.

"So, you're married, basically?" he tried to confirm. Darcy's shoulders slumped, scowling at her computer screen. Banner, working nearby, shook his head.

"Speaking of marriage,"Darcy said, changing the subject, "when are you and Pepper tying the knot? I haven't gotten my invitation."

"Careful Lewis. I might have to file a sexual harassment suit if you keep interfering in my personal life like this."

"I think we crossed that line when you offered to do body shots with me last week. I don't know why she hasn't left you yet." Tony smiled. He could joke about his new young employee to make her (and her demi-god of a bed-partner) uncomfortable all he wanted, Pepper knew who had his heart, shrapnel and all.

"Ah yes. And did I ever love explaining what they were to Loki," Tony remembered fondly. Darcy chose to change the subject.

"We should be online with the new operating system by tomorrow," Darcy said excited, typing a few more notes in. "It's uploading now. It might take a few days to catch any bugs, but," she smiled. "I think we're finished." Tony came over to check her screen.

"It looks like," he said. "Excellent work, Lewis. I will need you to follow up on smoothing it out."

"Worry not, Sir," JARVIS said. "The glory that is Darcy Lewis is perfect in every way. She will not fail you." Tony eyeballed Darcy, which she met with a grin.

"I might have made some adjustments. He is now an even more intelligent AI."

"Or more artificial," he said. "Now. Since you are finally starting to know a thing or two, we can move on to the fun stuff, right Banner?"

"Right," Banner said, not moving his attention from the microscope he was looking at. "Fun stuff."

"Fun stuff?" Darcy said hopefully.

"Fun stuff," Tony confirmed, walking out of the lab. "Take a break. We'll dive in after lunch." Darcy beamed.

"You got it, boss," she said. "I'm just going to make sure the uploading doesn't have any hiccups and I'll head out."

"Great. Banner you ready?" Tony asked.

"Coming," Banner said. Darcy pouted.

"I never get invited to the super secret science lunch meetings," she said, disappointed. Tony smirked.

"You will after today," he said. Darcy's eyes lit up. "After fun stuff."

With that, the two scientists walked out of Tony's workshop, leaving Darcy alone. The programmer sighed, enjoying the temporary solitude. It was nice to just throw herself into work with Tony and not have to worry about all those inconvenient little feelings surrounding a certain trickster alien who was playing puppeteer with her emotions. She had finally gotten somewhat comfortable with her relationship with him and he had to throw her for another loop. She knew he didn't mean anything by talking about wanting to take her to see Asgard. To him, it was probably just a matter of convenience. He was so careless when it came to thinking about how his words affected her. The fact that his words could mean so much to her and so little to him bothered her in no small amount. She only hoped she could clear her head before she got home.

She stood from her desk, walking over to get a glass of water on the nearby counter. As she sipped her water lazily, she caught sight of a rather terrifying image in the reflection of the glass door to the workshop. The water she had not quite swallowed came out in a rather comical spray, as she whipped around to stare at who she saw before her.

She couldn't be... exactly sure, but if she had to guess his name, she would guess that it started with an 'O' and ended with a 'din All-father.' Just a guess.