booklover698: Yep, she is. :D I thought I'd kinda made that clear when Nell first came into the picture, but I suppose I didn't... whoops. :P sorry about that. What do you think of that idea?

Katherine Winchester: And this chapter will make them more complicated than ever... and the turning point of the story. From here on out, it's going to look like there is no hope, and then turn around after that. Hope you enjoy it.

heroherondaletotherescue: well everything is speeding up now, and there are going to be quite a few things that no one expects within the next few chapters. The climax is imminent. :) Your answer is in this chapter, and I hope I don't disappoint. Haha, I'm glad you enjoy reading them. I enjoy writing them, that's for sure. I like to get insight as to what you guys think. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last, it's key to the rest of the story...

VanillaSnowdrops: And a longer one this time too. :) Well I'm glad you approve, I was worried when I first started bringing them in. Now it's just a matter of giving them all their individual time. And you shouldn't, it bodes bad things in the chapter after this one. Haha, you'll see her more in the next chapter as she's the other confidant in Lizzie's plan. She is awesome, isn't she? Oh, they certainly will be. Add Frigga to that mix when Thanos shows up, and the trio will be practically unstoppable :D I'm so excited for that. SQEEEE... *ahem* sorry.

DaHybridQueen: Not yet it's not, but it will be soon... give it a few more chapters.

KiyUzumaki: Sorry about that :) I'm glad you liked it nonetheless. I'm curious as to what you think of this one.

Alright folks, I'm EXTREMELY nervous about this particular chapter. Mostly because I don't want it to be OOC, and I'm worried I may be toeing the line. So if you think that in any way I have made it unrealistic to the characters, please let me know. I will change anything that you think should be changed... okay... I'll show it to you now.

It had been a long time since Loki had been allowed to walk freely anywhere, his time at the tower constituting a sort of prison which he had been forced into. It was almost like when he was a prince of Asgard, as he walked through the park with Lizzie and Andrew, completely free and allowed to do as he liked. It was a good feeling, and he was enjoying himself. It seemed Elizabeth was enjoying it too, as she seemed to allow herself to return back to the way she was before Alex made a mess of things in her new life. For himself, Loki wasn't complaining.

"So what word would you use?" Lizzie asked out of the blue as she walked beside him, walking a little faster due to her shorter legs in comparison to his own. He slowed to accommodate her.

"Sorry?"

"To describe me?" she asked again.

Loki looked over at where Andrew was hanging on her hand, happily licking his ice cream cone. This was his fault for bringing it up, and there he was without a care in the world, not even listening to the conversation as he saw a balloon in another kid's hand, and was now transfixed. "That was a conversation between Andrew and myself." he grumbled.

"Yeah, but it concerned me, and now you've made me curious." she replied. "C'mon, Loki! Humor me. I mean, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"Bad?" Loki repeated. "Whatever gave you the impression that it was bad?"
"The fact you won't talk about it." Lizzie answered simply - looking over at him, her jaw dropped. "Oh my god." she whispered.

"Careful, I'm not yours yet." Loki retorted, finding humor in his own joke. He earned a slap on the arm for his trouble.

"Wiseass." she said, leaning closer to him as they walked. "You're blushing."

"I am not!" Loki protested.

She immediately began giggling. "Yeah you are! Pale skin isn't very good for hiding sudden blood rush to the cheeks." Loki cursed in Norse, knowing the last time he'd blushed had been over a hundred years before. The blush deepened, and Lizzie giggled hysterically.

"Glad you find my embarrassment amusing." he complained, picking up his pace. Lizzie was forced to catch up.

"Hey! Daddy long legs! Slow up for us hobbits!" she exclaimed once she got back to his side.

"Well if you plan on finding amusement—"

"Lighten up, Lokes! Do you honestly think I haven't ever blushed?" she asked him.

"I know for a fact that you have, but I've never laughed at you!" he said, thoroughly offended.

Lizzie stopped him with a hand on his arm, pulling their little group to a halt. "This has nothing to do with me, does it?" she asked. "This has to do with unresolved issues with your family, which I refuse to take on, so stop attributing them to me."

"I am not—"

"Ah, ah, ah." she interrupted, waiting a few moments of silence before she continued. "I wasn't laughing at you out of some malicious contempt. I find it cute, to be honest – and I never thought I'd say that about a guy like you, but there you are – and so I was expressing that in the way I know how."

"Yeah, so chill, Loki!" Andrew added from his spot, now aware of the couple.

Had it been anyone else, Loki would have throttled them... but this was Elizabeth and Andrew, and he'd sooner throttle anyone who hurt them. He looked at Elizabeth, trying to wrap his head around the fact that she wasn't making fun of him. "Very well."

Lizzie's brown eyes roved around, as if trying to find the answer for what he was saying in the bush behind him. "Very well... what?"

"Very well, I understand that you weren't laughing at me, and I apologize for my behavior." Loki expounded.

She nodded in understanding, her head then tilted in confusion. "Do you apologize to everyone, or is it just me?"
"I do not apologize to everyone." he answered.

"Are you two done?" Andrew asked, his ice cream gone and the cone being devoured at that moment.

Lizzie and Loki both looked down at him. "We're never done. Just wait about five minutes and we'll find something new to argue about." Lizzie commented.

"Yes, we're done." Loki said at the same time, surprised by her own statement. "We do not argue all the time, Elizabeth, don't be absurd."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Well can I go to the playground?" he asked.

Lizzie looked at where the playground was, and quickly figured out how she would act should the worst happen. "Yeah, sure, Loki and I will be walking around. But no wandering off, okay?"
"Okay." Andrew replied, running over to the playground.

"Do you think that's safe?" Loki asked her, his eyes also following the boy. They had been having an enjoyable day, but there was a slight worry about who was around them. After all, Alex could strike anytime, and right now he would be pretty powerless. Even with Elizabeth's training, it would be hard to make sure that no one took Andrew, and if they did he didn't think that he'd be able to protect him. His powers only unleashed if Lizzie was in danger.

"Stop it." Lizzie's voice sounded in his ear as she looped her arm through his.

"Stop what?" Loki replied, looking over where Andrew was playing. He looked safe enough.

"Stop thinking so much. Nothing is going to happen." Lizzie replied, causing him to look over at her. "Alex wouldn't pick such a crowded place, too many witnesses."

Loki's face showed slight disbelief. "How did you know what I was thinking about?"

A slow smirk stretched over her lips, a mischievous glint in her eyes which he hadn't seen for weeks. "I found I have a new ability."

"Really?" he perked up, Alex forgotten.

"Mhmm." she replied, looking over at Andrew but saying no more.

Loki waited a few moments, expecting her to reply with more information but she did not. "Well?"

"I have minimal expression-reading abilities." she said, looking back at him. "You have very expressive eyes. Contrary to what your face says, your eyes show the depths of your thoughts."

"That's not a mutation." he retorted. "That's something which perceptive pe—oh, you were playing, clever girl." He chukled, shaking his head.

"Ah, you finally caught on! See, I said 'ability', not 'gift' or 'power'. You should know all about technicalities and twisted words. How did you fall for that?"

"You're a mutant, of course I was going to fall for it." he replied, then after a beat. "Although the same could be said about you."

"So I've heard." she said. "They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, so it kinda makes sense."

Loki nodded. "And yours are sad." Her arm pulled out of his, and he knew she was going to clam up again.

"Loki, I told you earlier I don't want to get into it." she said softly, tucking her hands in her pockets and beginning to walk a foot away from him.

Pulling her over to an empty park bench, he sat her down. "Elizabeth, please, just tell me and I won't ask you again, I promise." he begged, wishing she would confide in him what was going on, and why she was suddenly so reserved.

Her brown eyes filled with the sorrow he had seen earlier. "I can't, Loki, because you'll stop me." she said. "And because if I tell you, it won't work."

"What won't work?" Loki asked.

She shook her head. "No." He sighed, his head dropping as he slid with his back against the bench. "Loki..." He turned his eyes away from Andrew, and once more toward her. "Don't ruin it. We were having a good afternoon, just forget all about what's going on with our lives, and let's enjoy it. Leave our troubles back at the tower."

"You're asking me to forget the fact that you are going to do something, possibly life-threatening, and pretend that everything is back to before Shaw reared his ugly head?" Loki asked her, trying to suppress the rage which it brought up within him.

"Yes." she replied. "It's the calm before the storm, and I'm not sure we're going to make it, so I just want one afternoon of normalcy. One afternoon where we can have fun, and enjoy ourselves before we're forced to face the fact that we're all in danger, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Loki shook his head. "What makes you think we're not going to make it?"

"Reality doesn't often live up to your expectations." she said softly. "I may be a mutant, but I'm human. If Alex doesn't get me, Thanos will—"

"He will do nothing of the kind." Loki ground out.

"Loki, be realistic... anyone can die. I'm no exception to the rule, in fact I'm going to die eventually, it's just a matter of tomorrow or in fifty-years with a pacemaker, hearing-aid, and Alzheimers. It's going to happen." she said.

"No." He said again.

She scoffed. "Oh? And what's gonna stop my eventual mortality? You?" she asked.

"There are ways... in Asgard... you wouldn't have to die." Loki replied, and she shook her head. She could see his pain, at the mere thought of her death, in his eyes... she didn't know what to do. On one hand she could feel herself become elated at the thought that he cared so deeply he didn't want her to die – a stark contrast, it seemed, from the first time they met – yet, she couldn't allow herself to truly feel that. She would only hurt him more in the end if her plan failed, and she wound up on a slab.

As for Loki, he could only watch her inner turmoil, knowing she would never share it with him. She was far too stubborn for her own good. Stubborn, willful, idiotic with her notions that he couldn't help her, completely self-sufficient, a woman who didn't depend on him to survive, and was loyal to a fault – yet that was what he loved about her. Loved? He didn't use that word, did he? But it was true, he loved her strength, her ability to fight back even when faced with the odds. Whatever it was she was planning, he knew she might not survive it, and guessed it had something to do with exchanging herself with Saoirse... yet, he knew he couldn't stop her, not because he didn't want to, but because if he did, she probably would never forgive him for anything that happened to her daughter.

Reaching a hand up to her face, he caused her eyes to focus on him once more. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth." he apologized – again – something which he assumed had to do with this idiotic notion of love. "I won't speak of it again this afternoon... as I think I already know what you're going to do and quite frankly I also know you won't allow me to intervene."

"Loki..." he brought a finger to her lips, silencing her.

"You won't let me, for some reason which I'm still wondering about. But I'm leaving it be because I think you might pull away more if I don't." he continued. "But all I ask, Elizabeth, is that you don't get yourself killed in whatever harebrained plan that you have."

"Harebrained?" Lizzie repeated, incensed.

"Logan told me of your previous plans, he told me how your sister died and you almost did too." Loki explained. "All I'm asking is that you get back from whatever you have planned, in that brain of yours, in one piece. And if you need my help, in any way, to tell me."

Lizzie was silent for a moment. "I'll try." she said. "But I can't promise I'll come back alive." Loki sighed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "I know that's not an easy thing to deal with, but I don't know what the outcome will be. I'm not a fortune teller, I don't know if it's going to work, I hope it will without casualties." Inwardly she wished she could simply tell him, simply allow him to help her, to comfort her. She wanted to be held, to be told that everything would be alright, and that no matter what she would be safe.

Loki raised his head once more, his heart clenching at the pain he saw flicker through her eyes. She didn't look like the strong woman he knew, who would never depend on anyone for her needs, and could take care of herself; instead, she looked like a little girl, lost, alone, afraid, who just wanted to be told that she was none of those things. Reaching for her shoulder he pulled her to him, ignoring her initial protest, and wrapped his arms around her before slouching so she could rest in his hold. It was strange, he had never done this before, and the novelty of it intrigued him. She eventually relaxed, grateful for his silence and his willingness to comfort her in the way he knew how. She was used to seanmhathair's comforting embraces, filled with the warmth of unconditional maternal love; Loki was different, Lizzie felt safe in a different way in his arms, as if he was silently assuring her that he would be there for her no matter what.

They stayed in that position for a few minutes, with Loki rubbing small circles on her back, his mind whirling as he figured out how things would change once they returned to the Tower. No doubt she would go back to being as frigid as she had been that morning, and he'd have to wait to find out what she was going to do with Alex... something which would be agonizing until it was revealed. His eyes watched Andrew on the playground, completely ignorant to the dire situation which surrounded him. When Thanos came, he would target the Avengers, he knew it, but would he target the boy?

Lizzie lifted her head from Loki's chest, she could practically feel his tension, his concern. "What's the matter?" she asked, looking in his eyes for a concept of what he was thinking about.

"Nothing." he replied quickly. "Nothing is the matter." Yet. Was added as a subconscious afterthought. Things were fine for now, but eventually he wouldn't be able to say that calmly.

Pulling away slightly so she could look at him better, Lizzie examined his face for a moment.. "You're quite the confusing man, Loki Odinson. I don't really know what to make of you sometimes – or our current situation for that matter."

"Why not?" Loki asked.

"Because we said we should stay as far away from each other as possible – you said so, remember – and yet, here we are. I don't know what to say, I really don't." she said with a sigh. "I wonder, if we had met before you tried to take over Earth – sorry, Midgard – back when you had no idea you were adopted, and were a prince of Asgard... would things have been different between us?"

Loki grimaced, this question he had asked himself many times. "Probably." he replied. "What if you hadn't been taken by Alex, how would your life have played out?"

"The way my life did play out." she answered. "It's because I got hit in the head that I remembered anything."

"So if we had met before Thor had been banished, and I fell off the Bifrost, we would probably be back in Asgard already and you would—" he stopped himself, he couldn't go further. "But does it do any good to dwell on what might have been?" he said instead.

"No." she replied. "But it's a nice thought."

Loki gave a small smile, leaning in slightly, his hand cradling her head. "Elizabeth..."

"We shouldn't." she whispered.

"You're right, we shouldn't." he replied, moving closer as she tilted her head to meet him. Her eyes closed, but snapped back open when they both heard a scream. They immediately pulled away, eyes snapping to the playground where they could see Andrew being picked up by a bigger man.

Without thinking twice, Loki and Lizzie sprang from the bench, running in the direction of where the man was headed – and that was deeper into the park. It wasn't Alex, from what they could see, as he seemed younger and more spry. As soon as they followed him far enough from the group of people that had surrounded the playground, Loki saw the man suddenly topple to the ground, dropping Andrew in the process. The little boy gave a cry of pain, but seemed fine as he ran away from the man and toward the couple. Lizzie caught him, hoisting him up in her arms and looking him over for any injuries. The man, however, stayed where he was on the ground, completely unable to move.

Making sure no one saw him, Loki stalked forward, picking the man up by his shirt before landing a solid punch to his face. The man groaned as he was sent to the ground once more. "Oh, if I had my powers!" Loki snarled. "I would make you pay for what you were about to do."

"Alex sent you." Lizzie cut in, her voice as cold as steel.

The man turned. "Why should I answer you, verräter?" the man hissed, his German accent thick. He suddenly started coughing, his breaths coming in short gasps. Loki looked over at Elizabeth, concern flowing through him as he noticed how she looked. Her eyes had taken on a darker shade of brown, appearing nearly black, the woman gone as something much more deadly took her place. Her features had schooled into complete neutrality – boredom – as if this man was nothing to her.

"Elizabeth..." he tried, giving her a slight warning. He knew she was afraid she would kill someone again, he wouldn't let her let herself down. "We should take him back to the tower."

She looked up at him, then back at the man. "I think not." she replied, a slow Cheshire grin taking over her face. "Alex obviously sent him to get Andrew, although I think he knew I'd catch you. You can give a message to Alex: sagen sie ihm, dass ich ihm ein geschenk bringe, wenn er mich durch den platz trifft, der meinen namen machte. Er wird bekommen, was er will, und das er hatte, besser halten sein ende des abkommens. Sag ihm wenn er die Rächer wieder angrieft, ich wird meine kooperation zurückzutreten, und er sich mit der wut des Magneto befasst. Sie erhielten alle die?" Loki didn't understand what she said, but he could recognize her words as being from the same language she had spoken to Alex in. The mutant who had attacked Andrew nodded at what she said, and to Loki's surprise she turned to him "Let him go, Loki." she said, although it seemed to him that it was more an order than a request.

"What?" Loki asked. "But he could lead us to Alex."

"Let him go, he won't tell us anyway." she replied. Reluctantly, Loki did as requested, and released the man, who by now was allowed on his feet. The man stumbled for a moment, then with disbelief , he turned and took off. Lizzie held onto Andrew, her eyes following his figure until he left the park.

"Why did you do that?" Loki asked her, once the man was gone. "What did you tell him?"

Lizzie looked at him, her eyes guarded, and her voice cold as she answered. "I told him to tell Alex that he should stay away from the Avengers, and that I would not hesitate to bring in my grandfather should the need arise. Alex knows that if Erik Lensherr is brought in, he will not be alone, some of the most powerful mutants are under his command. That man will return to Alex, give him the message, and probably get shot for his trouble." she said.

"Shot?" Loki repeated.

"Alex would see him as a failure, as he didn't get Andrew like he wanted. Any type of failure is a death sentence when you're dealing with Alex Shaw." she explained, looking down at Andrew. "But we need to get back to the Tower, we have overstayed our welcome in the outside."

Loki had no choice but to follow her as she left the park, calling Tony to get a car to pick them up. It made no sense to him that she would let the man go, but figured it had something to do with her ridiculous plan. Whatever reasons she had, he could only hope that they weren't disastrous. Once inside the car, he tried to reach out to her – but she was already blocked off to him, leaving him completely cold from the lack of affection.

One thing was clear: their perfect day had come to an abrupt end, and Loki didn't know when the next time would be that he would be able to be around the Elizabeth who he'd grown to care for. He only hoped she survived this storm.

Veronica dragged the remainder of her things into Fárbauti's apartment, the arrangement being that the pair of them would live together for the moment, until Veronica revealed herself to her daughter. They had to work together, that was clear, as they knew that while Thanos was working to invade the Nine Realms, Alex would be the key to causing Midgard's demise.

"I will have to return to Jotunheim soon," Fárbauti told her new roommate. "Helblindi only knows so much, and I'm going to have to inform him of Thanos' new plan."

"Yeah, about that..." Veronica said, putting her stuff away. "How did you find out about the date?"

Fárbauti pursed her lips. "The Enchantress has been visiting Midgard over the last week, meeting with Shaw and giving him messages. I... happened upon them." she answered, looking at her watch. "Where is Logan?"

Veronica looked at the woman. "Logan's probably busy at the moment. He took my mother-in-law back to her house in Brooklyn an hour ago, along with Anna-Marie, so he should return to the Tower soon." she answered.

"When are you planning on meeting with one of your daughters?" Fárbauti inquired.

"I don't know." Veronica replied. "I feel like I need to stay hidden for just a while longer, then I'll see one of them. Bella first, I think, she'll take it easier. She didn't watch me... die."

Fárbauti tilted her head, taking a sip of her tea. "You never told me how you pulled that off." she said.

Veronica opened her mouth, ready to explain when Fárbauti's phone rang. The Queen looked at the screen, relief washing over her as she answered the phone. "Logan."

"You've called me ten times in the last hour. Are you dying, or just impatient to see me?" His voice came from over the other end of the phone.

"The latter." Fárbauti replied. It was a little game between the seriousness of the situations which they were involved in, a little banter which they often exchanged. "You need to get over here as soon as possible."

"No can do." Logan replied. "Lizzie just phoned me that Alex tried to kidnap Andrew Langley while she and Loki took him to the park. Apparently Alex has stepped up his game."

"As has the Mad Titan." Fárbauti told him. "I need you to come."

"I'm sorry, Green-eyes, I can't." Logan insisted.

Veronica motioned for the phone, and reluctantly, Fárbauti handed it to her. "Hello, Logan." she purred into the receiver. Logan was silent for a moment, and she wondered if perhaps he wasn't there. "Is this a fake hangup?"

"Vera?" Logan's voice whispered.

"Ah, good to hear you didn't faint." Veronica replied, watching as Fárbauti chuckled a little. "Come over here now, Logan, and you just might see me in the flesh."

A beat passed. "Oh, I definitely want to see that." Logan said, hanging up. Veronica looked offended.

"He didn't even let me say goodbye." she mock-pouted.

"He's not going to be happy about this, you know. You have no idea how much he's talked about you..." Fárbauti told her companion.

Veronica shrugged. "Logan is rarely happy." she commented. "Although I think he might be genuinely pleased that I'm still breathing. Either way, he knows that I need to stay alive, so he'll refrain from killing me."

Fárbauti laughed. "I don't think he'd kill you in any case." she said. "I'd think you used to be his lover with the amount he talks about you."

"No." Veronica replied. "He's like my big brother, always has been."

Fárbauti nodded, and they talked a little bit until Logan finally arrived.

When they returned to the Tower, Lizzie and Loki told everyone what happened while they were at the park, the actions of Alex's minion seeming to cement the idea that the women should leave the Tower. It had already been decided, but now it seemed as if Lizzie's worries actually had credence. The proverbial nail in the coffin to the idea, and the preparations were done with a little more speed.

Despite what he wanted, Loki was forced to leave Lizzie to her own devices, knowing that she was digging herself deeper into her plan due to what happened to Andrew. Even though she didn't say anything, it was clear what had happened had shaken her. Deciding to leave her be, Loki went to his room, resigning himself to the fact that he'd probably spend the night alone. Lizzie was too busy at the moment, and even if she wasn't, he wasn't sure that he'd want to talk to her. Their near moment in the park had brought his mind to a completely new place, and he didn't know what to do about it.

As if in answer to his confusion, Frigga suddenly stood at the end of his bed, her motherly gaze looking down on him. "Mother." he said, getting up, then stopping himself. It would do no good to try to touch her, her body wasn't corporeal. "What are you doing here?"

"I cannot stay long, your father has me working on finding a way to recognize the Chitauri who are disguised." Frigga told him. "But listen to me, you need to go to her. Try to talk her out of this plan of hers."

"W-what?" Loki stuttered. "I don't even know her plan, how am I supposed to stop her?"

"Loki, you don't understand. Elizabeth's plan will get her in trouble, I have seen it! You must convince her to stay here, where she is safe." Frigga insisted.

"How am I supposed to do that? You know what kind of girl she is." Loki retorted. "She won't even let me touch her! Let alone talk to her."

Frigga shook her head. "Tell her how you feel, beg her if you must. But you cannot let her follow through with this idea of hers, it will get her killed!" she told him.

"Killed?" Loki repeated, what little color draining out of his face. "You saw her die?"

"Yes." Frigga confirmed. "Alex will use her to his own devices, and when he finds what she has planned he will torture her until she loses the will to live."

Loki felt as if he'd been kicked, despair rushing through him. "Will she listen to me? She is so determined to stay away, all you had to do was watch her today, before and after the park. She pretends as if I do not exist." he said.

"She's trying to protect you," Frigga told him. "She doesn't want Alex to target you. But listen to me, she will need you in the end, and you will need her. I know I am overstepping my boundaries, and may possibly lose my ability from saying this, but I must – Elizabeth is your last chance, Loki, she is your soulmate."

Loki took a deep breath. "She cannot die..." he whispered. "But how can I stop her?"
"Give up your pride, Loki, for you will lose her unless you do." Frigga told him. "I beg you, my son, go to her."

"She will live if I do this?" Loki asked Frigga.

The Queen lowered her head. "I know not, for now. I only know what will happen as things stand at present." she paused, her eyes filled with sadness. "I must go. Your father is coming."

Loki nodded. "Thank you for the warning... mother." He watched as she smiled, her image disappeared. His mind racing, he laid in his bed for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. Lizzie was in her room, that he knew, he'd heard her go in a little while before, but he didn't know what he was going to do.

'Go to her.' He could hear Frigga's voice remind him in his mind. What would he say? How would he convince Lizzie that she needed to abandon her plan? Her daughter was at stake, and he knew that her daughter was everything to her at present... but would she change her mind for him? She would lose the will to live, isn't that what Frigga said? Would his going to see her now somehow affect her decision to live?

He didn't get a chance to decide as there was a knock on his door. Getting up form his bed, he went to it, and upon opening was shocked to find Lizzie already there. "Elizabeth, what are you—?"

"Let me in, I need to talk to you." Lizzie interrupted him, urgency in her tone. After a moment of his brain processing her request, he obeyed, and opened the door wider to accommodate her, then shut it behind her.

"What is it?" Loki asked her concernedly, she didn't answer, simply moving around his room as if in deep thought. "Elizabeth?"

She turned to him, and wordlessly walked up to him. "I needed to see you." she said softly. "Just once before tomorrow, before I—" she stopped.

"Your plan." Loki finished for her, his mind whirling. "I know you probably won't listen to me, but I must beg you, Elizabeth... do not go."

"I have to." she replied, her hand reaching up to straighten his collar. "She'll die if I don't."

"Let me help you, let anyone... Odin's beard, let Barton or Romanoff!" he exclaimed. "Or better yet, don't go at all, and wait until we all can take him at once."

She shook her head. "I can't risk it. I came to say goodbye." she told him.

"Enigmatic, riveting, alluring, irresistible... sublime, winsome." he started rattling off.

"What?"

"Those are the words I would use to describe you." he answered her. "There are more words than that, but those are off the top of my head."

Lizzie's jaw dropped, and he could see the multiple emotions flicker in her eyes. "Well," she cleared her throat. "I have to say, beautiful is pretty low on the totem pole in comparison to 'sublime'."

"It means sacred beauty." Loki answered, his eyes still fixed on her.

She smiled. "I thought so." she said.

"I was going to tell you, right before you came over, actually." Loki replied, swallowing hard. "I beg you, Elizabeth, do not complete this plan of yours."

"She's my daughter." Lizzie replied. "You're asking me to abandon her. I don't know her, Loki, but my motherly instincts are kicking in, they're telling me to go to her."

Loki shook his head, knowing that he was losing the argument for her to stay. Bringing his hands up to cup her face, he crushed his lips to her own, a silent plea for her to stay with him, to not abandon him. He couldn't bear it if he lost her, he knew that before Frigga had come... but he didn't know how to stop her. He could feel her hands tangle in his hair, and taste a saltiness from her tears which had slipped their way down her face. After a few moments, he pulled away, allowing her to breathe as he pulled her closer. "Please, my love..." he whispered into her hair, surprising himself with his own words. "I can't let you die."

She tensed in his embrace, her fear coming unbidden into her mind. This was the reason she had come, she wanted to say goodbye to him one last time, a haunting feeling that she would never see him again building in her. "I won't die." she whispered, remembering the conversation from earlier. Remembering his obvious concern with her mortality. "I swear to you, I won't die."

"Yes, you will. I know it." he replied. "Please stay, I entreat you. Get someone else to help you in this plan of yours – as I cannot, due to my current status as a prisoner – but if you must go, do not go alone. Stay."

She pulled back slightly, looking him in the eyes before cradling his face and bringing her lips to his gently. "I will stay." she whispered. "I will stay."

Taking the initiative, Loki kissed her once more, pulling away to pick her up and carry her to his bed. "Just for tonight..." he trailed off as he brought her into his arms again. She pulled away, rolling him onto his back and climbing on top of him. "Elizabeth, what are you doing?"

"Give me this." she pleaded, disabling the cameras in the room. "Please, Loki, give me a reason..."

Not thinking twice, Loki did as she asked.

*timidly creeps out from under bed*...well?