Author's Note: Fair warning: This chapter is much more contemplative and conversationalist. They talk and think a lot.

Steve paced the upstairs hallway of Violet-Sky's house, biting the inside of his cheek in deep thought. She had been gone for almost a week. He had to get her back from Asgard. He had to bring her back. "How?" was the question. He was churning a couple ideas through his head like a washing machine, but nothing was coming. Nothing that let him keep his dignity. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn't hear Violet-Sky's phone ringing in her room through the wall. It rang several different times, but Steve was too busy pacing. It was some stupid hour in the morning, and he was too distracted to go look at a clock. It was autumn, and the sun had been up for a while. So maybe it was eight or nine. He couldn't really bring himself to care.

His Starkphone started going off in his pocket. "I-I-I-I-I'M HOOKED ON A FEELIN'!" Tony had personalized his ringtone then. The billionaire's face was grinning from the ID picture. Steve slid the little green answer icon and held the phone up to his ear. "Hello?" he asked irritably.

"Just calling to see how you are."

"Translation: 'I'm bored and need something to entertain me,'" Steve retorted.

"Not quite. I can't seem to reach Violet-Sky. I called her like five times. So I got worried."

"She's on Asgard."

"How did she get there?" Tony asked, sounding slightly alarmed. Steve chuckled at the genius's tone.

"Fandral came to get her."

"Who?"

"I don't know. Just the name she called him."

"We need to bring her back."

"I know. I was just thinking about how."

"Well, it's not like we can just suit up and march on Asgard. They're kind of light years away and we don't have space travel that advanced," Tony commented.

"You talk like I don't already know that." Steve's phone started beeping. He held it away from his ear to see another face—a pair of them—making goofy expressions. Violet-Sky and Clint on Clint's ID. "Hang on. I'm getting another call. Give me a few minutes." He switched over to answer the archer. "Hi Clint. Before you start shouting—"

"STEVEN GRANT ROGERS—! Wait. What? What's wrong?" Clint's tone went from livid to concerned faster than a stop light changing.

"You can shout after. Violet-Sky went to Asgard because Loki wants to make her his queen. I'm trying to figure out a way to get her back."

"Where are you?"

"Her old house."

"I'll be there in an hour."

Steve quickly switched back over to Tony, made up an excuse about needing to go think, and hung up.

Hawkeye hadn't been lying. He actually showed up in fifty-five minutes. He was fully suited up with his bow and quiver all ready. Steve looked a bit surprised, but without a word he went up to the guest room, changed into his stealth suit, grabbed his shield, and rejoined Violet-Sky's guardian. "I have an idea," he told the archer. Gesturing for Clint to follow, he walked out to the backyard, standing in the direct center of the burned glyphs. "Heimdall?" he edged carefully. "I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know who you are. I don't know if you're breaking your laws by listening to me. And I'm sorry. I'm still behind on the times." Hawkeye was staring at Steve like he had gone insane. "But I love Violet-Sky. I can't lose her. Please, if you can, take us to Asgard so we can bring her home. I need her and she needs us. I don't want to imagine what my life would be without her. Please, Heimdall, please." Steve's voice cracked on the last word like he was twelve years old again.

Something began to churn in the sky like a storm over their heads. It was a dark cloud, forming a multi-colored aurora in the polluted sky directly above them. Steve looked a bit shocked and Hawkeye looked impressed, nodding approvingly like "That's cool."

It smashed into them. The colors. It felt like a massive fan was above their heads and blowing down on them madly. At the same time, they felt like their atoms were being ripped apart and disassembled—and Steve figured that was exactly what was happening. He didn't know much about teleportation, but he'd seen Star Trek. He knew that in theory the body's molecules needed to be broken down and reassembled somewhere else—and hopefully in the right order.

The feeling of flying through space—for lack of a better word on Steve's part—was exhilarating. He felt like he was floating on some salty sea or something. Like he was completely weightless. He could still breathe, but the pressure was pushing on him so hard he felt like his lungs were going to explode from it. It was uncomfortable, but for Violet-Sky's sake, he could endure a few minutes of discomfort to save her. He was a hero wasn't he?

No. He wasn't. He was, but at the same time, he wasn't. After what happened with SHIELD, being a hero didn't mean much. He didn't know what being a hero was anymore.

Before he knew it he was dumped in a chamber made of brass with a man dressed all in gold looking down on him and Clint. They were both sprawled out on the floor, looking slightly ludicrous and undignified. At the moment, the last thing either of them were thinking about was their dignity.

Violet-Sky saw the Bifrost activate from her balcony. Vaguely she wondered who was leaving and if she could get away in a similar manner without Loki noticing. She doubted the gods' teleporter had a stealth mode, but still, maybe if she could get someone to distract Loki… she could go home. She could go back to Steve.

Everything Loki had been doing had been driving her closer to the super soldier. She wanted him to be by her side. His warmth and muscle were so much more comforting than Loki's cold, wiry, skinny form when he forced her to embrace him. She shuddered at the thought. He'd treated her well and respected her privacy, but he was just pushing her too hard. Pushing her right to Steve. If she ever saw him again she was going to find someplace they could be together where Loki couldn't find her and shove himself into her dreams. She'd have to find a way to leave quickly though.

Because tomorrow was the wedding.

End Note: This seemed like a good place to end it. And I promise I'm going to try and update this on a more regular schedule again. My life has just been too hectic recently to really get this done. My sincerest apologies.

Thanks for reading!

~Cass