"Janie! Come for dinner…!"

She was about ten, and it was summer. She had spent the entire day staring at the sky, on her back, in the yard. "Mom!" she called, as she ran inside. "When I'm big, I want to study the sky," and she grabbed a roll, sitting down.

"That's nice, sweetheart," her mom sat across from her.

"It's not. It's what is going to happen," Jane persisted, and she pouted a bit.

Her mother looked at her, smiled, and took a bite of dinner…

And Jane Foster looked away from the ceiling of stars, and sighed. Her hands were on the railing of her balcony, and she leaned back.

She was on her balcony.

She was in a palace.

And she was on another planet.

What would she have thought twenty years ago when she told her mother she'd be in a place called Asgard?

She would have thought that she was crazy.

And she probably was.

Jane sighed. She missed the routine and purpose of her life on earth. She had been in contention for the Gruber prize. She thought that with a bit more effort, it could be hers in the near future.

She wanted to go home, but she hated that she wanted to.

"He'll want to know where you are," came a voice, tangling its way round her.

Jane turned, and in the shadows, she spotted Loki. "Who?" she said, her voice slightly elevated.

"Why, my brother of course," and he stepped into the moonlight.

"How did you get in my room?" Jane sounded accusing.

"Dr Foster. The door was unlocked," he smiled.

"Oh," and her gaze dropped. She wrapped her arms around herself. She was unaccustomed to the clothes Asgardians wore, and she was exceedingly uncomfortable. "Well. I'll just…"

"It is rather lovely, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"The night sky," Loki walked over next to her. "Here…." and he pointed. "That is the boar. He guards against the coming winter. That…" he moved his hand over the expanse. "Is the maiden. She is knowing and sees the future of the Kings of Asgard."

"Constellations," she smiled.

"Yes," and Loki looked down at her. "But no doubt our current…" he paused. "…future King has talked to you about this."

"Not really," she said softly.

"No…?" there was a small smile in his voice.

"No."

"Well…isn't that your passion and joy?"

Jane looked at him. "Yes. Rather."

He was smiling at her…it wasn't a malignant smile, but playful. "Are you interested in learning about these things?"

She was trying not to say "Yes," right away. "Well, that would be…informative."

"Then…yes?"

She took a deep breath, then nodded.

Loki looked at her, looked up at the sky. "Tomorrow evening, then. Here," and he turned, going back into the palace.

And Jane Foster swallowed, thinking about what she had just done, and that Thor must never know.

The day had been spent walking around, waiting for evening. Jane hated that she was waiting, but she couldn't help it. She was going to be actively using her brain, something that she had forgotten about while in Thor's company.

Not that he wasn't smart and interesting. He was.

He was just interested in things other than the stars.

…and Jane was seeing a different sky, and that was amazing.

She had gotten herself ready after the dinner. (She still wasn't sure why she was being asked to have dinner with Odin every night…) And she was waiting. It had been late the previous night when she went outside.

So, biding her time, she waited impatiently. She smiled at Thor when he left to mingle with someone…Sif, maybe? Or Fandral?

She didn't know, nor care much.

Jane was wrapping herself up and hurrying out to the balcony.

No Loki.

She ignored the disappointment and went out anyway.

And it wasn't that she was disappointed in him not being there. She was disappointed more that she wouldn't be able to have a conversation. One that didn't involve battles.

Or Asgard's colored past.

Or something else that Jane thought was fine enough, but not captivating.

Captivating….

…she leaned with her elbows on the railing and sighed. Well, what did she expect, really? He was a known trickster. He probably just wanted a laugh at her expense.

Jane went to turn when she saw someone in the garden below.

Loki.

She smiled.

"I thought that you were meeting me at the same place," she announced softly as she entered the lower garden where he stood waiting for her.

"What? In your room?" his eyes went wide as he smirked. "Come, Dr Foster. I am not that man."

"You were brazen enough to sneak in last night," she reached him and looked up.

"I do no sneak. And I would have thought it obvious that I meant here," and he sat on a bench nearby.

"Well, no," Jane said, now looking at him. She suddenly felt uncomfortable, and desirous to change the subject. "How do you know about your stars?" she sat next to him on the bench.

"I read," he smiled, then looked up. "I was taught many years ago now that the herald history of our realm are stitched in the stars. Of course," he looked at her. "I thought many things in my youth."

"How old are you?"

His mouth curled a smirk. "One thousand and ninety two."

"Oh my god."

"Yes. And, yes," he laughed.

She looked away at the floor, soft with verdant grass. It was much like earth, in many ways. Midgard, if she was being conscientious…

She was.

"I'm only thirty two," she said, not meekly.

She hoped.

"Well, I almost remember being that age."

"What's it like…having so much…time?"

"Dull. And…" he looked at the sky. "And…often one forgets."

"Forgets what?"

Loki looked at her. "That life is to be lived."

She returned the look. She thought that she understood. "You forget to live, because all you have is life."

"Yes," he said softly, looking at her steadily. "That," and he tore his gaze away. "Is the horse. Slipneir, if one is being specific…but he is the bringer of bounty."

Jane felt the hairs on her arms and neck prickle. She swallowed, and looked at the constellation. He was toying with her. "And what about that cluster there?"

"Those are not part of any constellation, but are the three brothers, who watch Asgard and shine brightest during times of trial."

"Is it a trying time?" she looked at Loki once more, for they seemed to be rather bright.

"No. Save for Thor."

"Why?" she responded quickly.

But Loki stood, gazing upward. "Does he tell you where he goes at night? You've been here for almost a month."

"Yes…with Sif, or Fandral. Sometimes someone else…"

"Does it not bother you?" he turned to look at her.

"No. Should it?"

"That's not for me to decide, Dr Foster. But I would press it, if I were you."

She watched as Loki left her there.

And she was there, wondering…in the warm grass…

…if he was serious, or just being mischievous.

Or indeed, if she cared.

For Jane had found a companion in the most unlikely of places, and she was not about to abandon that yet.

Ideas come sometimes most inconveniently. They fester and churn, and the idea holder is often lesser of a person because of it.

As in, the idea becomes their person, because they are consumed by it.

This…thing. It rots.

And coolish grass is long forgotten.

And Jane hated herself for even thinking about it for many reasons.

First, because it meant that she didn't trust him.

Second, it meant that she trusted Loki more.

Third, it meant that she didn't trust herself.

And she wasn't sure what was most upsetting in all of it.

She always thought that she was a fairly good judge of character…

And now she spent her afternoons watching Thor very carefully. Studying him, even.

It would make more sense if she was really interested in pursuing something romantic with him, but she couldn't really say if she was. Thor was a lot of things.

A lot of things Jane wasn't.

But that didn't mean that she wanted to be excluded, here, on this isolated planet, so far from home. She was alone, and she felt it acutely.

…except when Loki was around.

She shook her head. Pinched her nose.

It was twilight, and she was thinking about seeing Loki again, even though she was loathe to admit it.

She hadn't seen him in a couple of nights…just around the palace where she felt compelled to ignore him.

Jane had been sitting on her bed. She got up and walked over to the balcony. The door was shut…she pushed it open slowly, and walked out.

There was a very slight chill, and like always, the sky was clear. Jane wondered if it ever rained here.

She sighed, and looked down into the garden. There he was.

She smiled, despite herself.

…and descended into the garden.

"You're here early," she said.

"I rather believe that you are late, Dr Foster," he smiled at her.

She lowered her gaze. "How are you?" and it occurred to her she hadn't really asked him that before.

"Well. You?"

"Fine. I…" she'd just say it. "I'm feeling rather lost."

"Lost?" he turned toward her.

And she looked up at him. "I'm a scientist…and I am here as Thor's guest. And I think…I think I'm forgetting those things," she looked up into the cloak of night. "I feel as though I may have lost a part of myself when I came here. And now I'm rediscovering her, but I'm losing something else now."

"What's that?" his voice was soft.

Jane looked at him. "I…" But she couldn't, because it hadn't been well thought out. She only just now recognized it, but even couldn't be certain. Not yet. "Tell me about your education," she diverted.

"Tutors," and he tore his gaze away. "Always tutors."

"Thor, too?"

"Yes."

"Did he like to study?"

"Somewhat. He did well enough."

She nodded. "You were superior."

And she saw his grin. "In many things, yes."

"Battle?"

His grin faded. "Battle is tricky. And not something I care to discuss. Besides," and he folded his hands behind him, walking away. "…we are here for you, Dr Foster."

"Why? Why are you doing this?" this was the crux of it, anyway.

"Because I see you are unhappy."

"And why do you care?"

Loki looked at her. "I, too, am unhappy."

"Why?" she breathed.

"Everything. Everything about my life is unhappy…everything about my existence. I am a tool. A fool. A pawn in a greater scheme I have no control over. And you, Dr Foster, have the same problem, whether you see it or not."

"I'm a pawn?'

"Pawn. For Thor. He cares little for you, really. He will tire of you," he advanced upon her. "And then you will be alone, as I am."

Jane backed away. He was saying just what she feared. "I'm here though…What am I to do? I'm a million miles from home…"

"Ask Heimdall to send you back to Midgard."

She swallowed. Looked up at the sky. "Why are you telling me this?"

She felt him close in on her. "Do you not know?" he whispered.

Jane looked at him, then turned and left the garden…

…and she didn't look back as her stride broke into a run.

That was weeks ago.

And she was looking at the sky from atop her lab.

Jane had asked Heimdall to send her home, and he did. He did, because Jane was desperate, and she didn't want to think about it anymore.

She had fallen into a steady pace, getting back to work and study and things. She was doing Jane Foster things. And this was good.

Fallen.

Her work was what she had and what she trusted. She honestly couldn't be bothered with Thor and all of his…things.

Thor and his drama. His bringing her to Asgard only to ignore her.

And there were things to be discovered. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her legs.

She had fallen…fallen from the sky, fallen from…

Jane sighed. Things were so much more complicated than the science that she loved, and she longed for the steady assurance of math to check her. She was confused.

She didn't like being confused.

Jane sighed and stood, thinking that she needed to get back to work. That was what she had control over, and that was what she needed to focus on.

And she went to her trailer and closed the door.

Pop tarts are not a good choice for sustenance, at least not long term.

She tossed the wrapper in the bin and sighed. Who was she kidding? She felt a mess. And for no discernible reason.

Jane went to bed that night, falling asleep hard and fast.

There was but a piece of light that woke her the next morning, and she resented it.

"You snore."

…she sat up.

There, at the edge of her bed, sat Loki.

"What…?"

"I didn't realize that you'd actually request Heimdall to send you here."

"Excuse me?"

"I thought," and he stood. "That you'd be cross. That you'd weigh my words. That you'd…" he looked at her. "Stay."

"I'd stay?" she felt anger rising. "You told me to leave."

"I did no such thing."

"You did!" her voice cracked a touch. "And you…." she felt confused. He had been her friend of sorts, and then he had given her these ideas…in her fragile state…

She glared at him, hating herself for believing him at all. "You were lying to me."

"Well, of course I was. But only incidentally…it wasn't an outright lie. It was…well. Giving you an idea or two, and letting you make your own conclusions."

Jane stood up, the covers falling off of her. "I trusted you."

"That was your first mistake," he smiled.

"How could you? I was all alone! I was missing my home, my work…"

"Jane," it was the first time she heard him say her voice. "Allow me to explain."

"Explain what. You used me. What for?"

She watched as he shifted his weight. "I wanted you to get out of the way."

"Of?"

"Me."

"I don't…"

"I have things that must happen…plans. And you were in my way."

She crossed her arms in front of her. "So you seduced me, making me believe that you were my friend, then told me to leave. And I've been so confused, because I couldn't reconcile the person I knew with the person I've been told about."

"Perhaps you shouldn't," he stepped toward her.

"Don't come nearer." She couldn't believe she was so naive. And she had wanted to believe him! She had wanted to allow a friendship.

He stopped.

"Why were you trying to protect me?" sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

"Do you not know…?" he said softly.

She looked at him…studying…and she turned, leaving the trailer.

Jane wouldn't allow it. She would not believe him.

…and the carmine sunrise bled the sky, the soft wisps of cloud unable to stave the spread.

She had her mind, and that was what always saved her.

And she felt as though she couldn't really rely on it any longer. Her mind was not what she expected.

For if she was being honest, she feared it.

Her mind was now prone to wander. And when it wandered, it often ended up in the same place.

A place she was not comfortable going.

But she could not controvert the irrefutable evidence.

She had a connection to Loki.

She hated that she did.

She wanted desperately to not…to not think about him. To hate him, for everything that he was, and everything that she thought she was feeling.

And over and over she thought she would not think.

But her mind would not stop, despite her attempts.

Jane was sitting outside of her trailer looking up at the sky.

There was a faint glow to the sky; she had the fire going.

…and there was a disturbance she felt. A rumble of sorts.

Jane looked up and saw the sky's clouds parting slightly…this was especially odd since there hadn't been clouds a moment ago.

And the god of Thunder emerged, falling to the earth with a crash.

He walked towards her, and what she noticed was the lack of reaction she had to seeing him.

There.

In the falling light.

"Jane," he said with a nod.

She smiled and sat back. "Hi."

He stopped.

"Wanna sit?" she proffered a hand.

"I can't stay," and he set the Hammer down on the ground with a thud.

"Big surprise."

He looked at her. "Jane, whatever may have transpired between the two of us, it should not cloud your treatment of Loki."

"What?"

"I mean to say, that though our relationship ended badly…"

"Relationship? Is that what that was?"

He cleared his throat. "Well…"

"No, sorry. I have nothing to say about this. And I want to just get back to my work, if you don't mind."

"Of course you do. And I want you to, but Loki…"

"I don't want to talk about Loki. Not with you."

Thor looked at her very deliberately. "No. But you should know…he's devastated."

"About what?"

He didn't answer, but picked up Mjolnir and left, flying high into the dark night.

She felt her pulse pounding. She wanted to stand, but couldn't.

And she resolved there and then that she would not think about this again. That Thor, and Loki, and everything about Asgard would not color her thoughts. She was over all of it.

And in order to see that she concentrated on her work, she flung herself into it. Hard.

She was at the lab every night. She was there at all hours. She was looking for ….something.

Something tangible. Something that was herself. Something that was more than herself. And she was doing this by herself.

The math never lies, her father had told her.

The math is there. It's true. It's what is.

…and so, when irregularities present, it makes for curious questions…

She saw the inconsistencies. She felt her heart quicken.

And she got into her truck, driving to that same site. The one that started all of it…

…not knowing what she'd find, or indeed, if she'd find anything.

He was there. In a heap.

Jane got out of her truck. She walked over to him.

"I'm no star," he said.

His head lolled a bit as she drove her truck back to the trailer.

Jane looked over a few times, but didn't really study him. She was angry and confused.

Why was Loki here? Why had he fallen as Thor once did?

…was it a trick?

She couldn't help but think that.

The truck's lights illuminated the landscape as she pulled into her driveway. She sighed as she parked.

Jane looked over at him. "All right. We need to get out." She opened the door and went over to the other side, opening the passenger's side.

Loki almost fell out, with Jane catching him in her arms. She helped him into the trailer, with him barely helping.

(And she wondered if he was faking it for just a minute.)

The trailer's bedroom was quite dark.

"Oof," she said as she lowered him onto the bed. Jane turned the lamp on the nightstand and looked at him.

…and for a moment, she forgot all of it. She forgot that she was supposed to be angry. She had missed him, despite herself.

She missed him because he had been a source of comfort when things had been so …

Lonesome.

She leaned over to look at him more closely.

There was some damage to his face…his clothes were ripped.

…and she wondered how he had ended up there. "Loki?" she whispered.

He opened an eye.

"Are you all right?"

"I fell."

"I see that."

"Quite far," he muttered.

"Why? How did this happen?"

"I…" he started to sit up, and Jane placed a hand to his torso. "You shouldn't. You may have internal injuries."

"Do you care?" his voice was small.

"I don't know."

Loki waved his hand over his body, a greenish light following his movement, and he looked up at her. "No injuries."

Jane shook her head. "What are you doing here?"

"I should think that was obvious."

"Well, it isn't."

He sighed, and left her face. "I don't have anyone."

"That's a lie."

"It's not," his eyes snapped to hers. "I don't have anyone. Not really. I thought…I had believed, that I wanted you to leave Asgard. There was no reason for you to be there, and you were only a distraction for him."

"For who?"

He rolled his eyes. "My brother. I needed him to be getting on with things, and he was so busy with you…"

"He basically ignored me."

"Well, that was mostly my doing."

"It was…?" she whispered.

He nodded. "I was attempting to …to make you want to leave."

"It worked," and she stood. "So, it was a scheme. And I fell for it."

"No, Jane," and she realized that that was the first time she had heard him say her name. It had always been 'Dr Foster'. "I was the one who fell. Literally and figuratively."

"I don't…"

He stood now, and she backed up. "Those evenings in the garden, it made me understand how much I needed someone to talk to. Someone who had the same drive as I did. But someone…" he reached for her hand. "Who could, perhaps, reign me in a bit."

"You think that I can reign you in…?" she smiled. And though she was loathe to admit it, her heart was pounding, for the thing…that unthought, unspoken thing…it was happening. He had felt something too…

"I'd like to attempt to try," he breathed.

Jane swallowed. "How do I know you're not trying to trick me?"

"You don't," he simply said. "But I think that you're smart and wily enough to notice the difference…" and he leaned in…

…and claimed her mouth.

And everything in the world shone verdant and warm.