AN: Sorry for the wait, darlings - uni kind of ran all over me. This one gave me a bit of trouble, but I'm really happy with it, I must admit! :D THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed! Oh, and this is really important - there will be a total of 40 chapters of Ink and Parchment! The story is not NEARLY finished, because I think in the next 4 chapters (including this one) lots of other thing will happen and come to light :) I REALLY hope you'll enjoy it!

While I wrote this I listened to: Mozart - Lacrimosa (it truly is a masterpiece!)

The song at the beginning is 'Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction' by IAMX.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel.

Chapter 37

Do you remember your coming down,
Forced to take sides?
Your taunted charm and your broken smile,
Touched me unexpectedly.
So long, So long you've waited in line.
Desire is a gift in life.
So long, So long you've left and arrived,
It's time for you to stay a while.
If you chose life,
You know what the fear is like.
You welcome addiction,
This is your kingdom.
Your fight for power,
For memories, answers and signs,
Will bring you through the dark to light,
Clear and redefined.

A soft desert breeze blew across the lavender colored sky. Twilight was approaching slowly, a lone messenger, connecting night and day. Darkness fell softly upon the desert. Still, in the distant horizon, shining from the west, warm rays of sunshine caressed the orange sand that surrounded Puente Antiguo.

Jane breathed deeply.

To stand in front of Darcy felt strange.

And even though Thor was near, Erik has recovered and things seemed brighter than they did while she was held captive, Jane still felt like she was on the beginning.

Nearly three days passed since the events in New York. And every morning Jane would wake with a feel of cold razor sharp tip pressed to the thin center of her throat. It will take time - Jane knew this, but she couldn't stop thinking of her friend, of the image of Darcy standing in the middle of the street in Manhattan Loki turned in a deserted, frozen battle-field.

Fear gripped her at the thought of what she was about to do, but she knew it was best if she approached her first.

Darcy would never run from me...

Things moved too quickly for Jane's liking; especially after everything that has occurred… They were all so very kind. They all worked so very hard to make Jane feel less afraid and sick than she did. Thor made sure to explain the situation to her, followed closely by agent Coulson and Tony Stark. She even contacted Magnus, explaining to him why she... left Tromsø so abruptly. Jane Foster learned the truth even before they sat her down and told her what has transpired during her stay in Scandinavia. She was not ignorant of what happened. She was there, present in the moment Loki broke his deal with whatever devil he was assembled with. She witnessed the moment Thor's brother snapped – it was the moment in which that thing Loki was speaking to conjured a blurry image of a woman's face right in front of the god of lies. Jane recognized her friend. She recognized the hair, the eyes, the lips - it was Darcy.

Everything Thor said to Jane was useless whenever she thought about that moment, when she remembered that loud breathing, that wrath boiling just beneath the thin surface as Thor's brother betrayed the devil, blasting it back from where it came from. He was... so angry when Darcy's image appeared.

Jane felt like she knew more than others.

The memory of Loki's breaking of the deal with the devil made Jane see why he was doing it. Yes, it made her see, but not understand.

Jane Foster was unable to understand the amount of pain that drove Loki to do all those things. To enslave an entire planet, to burn it and play with it as if it were nothing more than a toy… it was beyond her. No sane, controlled person would do it, no matter how devastating the heartbreak. And even now, deeds spoke far more loudly than words and only this revelation shined in the darkness that surrounded Jane...

Loki unmade the agreement that was supposed to shape their universe simply because he was provoked with a misty image of Darcy.

It was as clear as daylight – Loki loved her. Desperately.

Thor managed to convince SHIELD and the rest of the Avengers to let him be the first one to break the thick ice. Thor himself said it would be wise to approach both Loki and Darcy as prudently and carefully as possible. Jane insisted to come with him. He never stopped her, for even a person as mighty as Thor felt uneasiness at the thought of facing Darcy.

Jane was terrified of the mere thought of how time may have changed her old friend. Questions such as these brought Jane more and more fear each passing second of her trip to New Mexico. Not even Thor's warm embrace could scare it away, not even the night they spent together after months of loneliness, not the kindness of the rest of the Avengers.

Will I be able to see any trace of that darkness when I face her?

You will. Jane's own mind gave her the answer the moment Darcy walked outside the glass house, wearing a pair of blue skinny jeans and a loose black t shirt. Immediately, Jane noticed how Darcy's hair seemed longer, her skin paler, lips redder. She appeared ghostly and cold, but at the same time... content with her present state.

The side of her neck was bandaged. It was visible, even though Darcy tried to cover it with her hair.

Jane could hear Thor's confident footsteps behind her; feel his warm palm across her back as they both walked from the black SUV borrowed by SHIELD and towards the back of the broken house, each step taking them closer to Jane's friend.

Darcy took two steps and then halted in front of them in the silence of the dusk.

No one was standing next to her. She was alone.

Narrowing her dark gaze, she gazed deeply at Jane's fearful, shaky form, followed protectively by the god of thunder. Thor carried a golden horned helmet in his left fist, swinging it beside himself as he followed Jane.

'Darc...' Tears sprung to Jane's doe-like eyes as she hurried to embrace Darcy. Taking a large gulp of air, Darcy returned her hug, wrapping her arms softly around Jane.

Jane broke the hug, 'It's so good to see you.'

Darcy gave Jane a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Jane noticed it. Trying to push every concern and question that plagued her aside, Jane stood straighter and gave her friend a warm smile. It may have been warm, but it was as breakable and shaky as a dry leaf in the middle of the gnawing winter's wind.

They were once again enveloped in a pregnant silence.

Thor took a step closer, looking out of place in his leather trousers and sleeveless Asgardian armor. He said nothing. When Darcy looked at him, he averted his eyes to the ground.

'Darcy.' Thor rumbled deeply, bowing his head in greeting as he took a step closer, wishing to hug her. The moment his enormous body came closer, Darcy turned her head, staring to the ground as she rejected any touch from the god of thunder.

'Hello, Thor.' She whispered without emotion, hugging her arms as a gush of desert wind blew suddenly, ruffling their hair, moving the sand below and the clouds above.

Without a word, Thor returned to his spot next to Jane, his eyebrows meeting in the middle and one large palm tightening around one horn of Loki's heavy helmet that he held.

'Why are you here?' Darcy asked with a smile that was anything but happy.

'Darcy-' Jane breathed, letting her arms fall to her sides in exhaustion 'I am so sorry I left.' Tears gathered in the corners of her doe-like eyes.

Licking her dry lips, Darcy let out a small laugh – so hushed, so tight, it poured even more uncertainty inside Jane.

'Don't apologize, Jane.'

'I have to-' Her soft features were suddenly warped by sadness, her bottom lip shook violently 'I am – I am so sorry for leaving you, for not calling-'

Darcy took a step closer, wishing to hug her, but Thor already had his huge arm wrapped around her shaking shoulders.

'Where is he, Darcy?'

A small flame lit behind Darcy's dark eyes when the question reached her. Now gazing coldly, carefully at both him and the weeping Jane, Darcy refused to answer.

'Loki must return with me.' Thor's voice grew hard as he skipped right to the point, surprising Darcy.

'He must return to his family. He belongs in Asgard as well as the Tesseract and everything that has fallen on Midgardian realm during last year.'

The tone of Thor's voice was uncomfortable and unlike anything Darcy ever heard.

'Nothing out of Asgard belongs in this realm.' Thor continued. At times, his blue eyes appeared peaceable, even pleading despite his tone ' Humans are not yet fit to deal with such powerful things. You felt it on your own skin, Darcy.'

'Does that include you?' She asked slowly. The sky darkened storm clouds approached as the wind grew stronger.

'What?'

The storm was brewing.

'You say nothing out of Asgard belongs here. What about you?'

Thor snapped his eyes to Darcy's face when she said it, more on edge than he ever was.

'It seems to me you are free to come here whenever you want, right? Why shouldn't he be treated in the same way?'

His tone lowered 'I am not the one who has committed grave crimes, Darcy.'

He looked like he swallowed molten lead. The hand that held Loki's helmet suddenly got sweaty. 'Loki must face justice.'

When Thor looked up, Darcy grew even paler than before, but her expression was on fire. Anger knotted her eyebrows as she bared her teeth; the terrifying changes of her expression made Jane take a step back.

'And what justice will it be?' Bitterness laced her every word 'Will they impale him on frozen icicles the second he returns?' Darcy then laughed 'Or maybe your father will chain him on that rock again, lure out that snake to torture him more?'

Jane placed her palm over her mouth, her wet eyes shining as a fresh wave of tears arrived.

'Be careful, Darcy.' Thor removed his arm from around Jane and took the helmet in his both hands, his knuckles white 'You are a friend of mine, but I will not tolerate such words about our father.'

'You know as well as I do, Odinson, he is not Loki's father.'

'Darcy-' Jane's tone was strained and pleading.

'I see you picked something from my brother.' Thor chuckled, pushed by Darcy's biting words 'Quite an influential man when you spend some time with him, isn't he?'

Darcy hissed, taking a step closer. 'The only reason my taser is not sticking from the side of your neck, Thor, is because Jane is my friend and I would hate to see her taking you to the hospital one more time.'

Thor heaved a great sigh, completely unaffected by her threat.

'Darcy, if you knew what happened during your absence you would not be defend-'

'Oh, you think I'm oblivious to what happened!?' Tears longed to touch her cheeks, but she held them in 'Why the shocked faces?' One bitter laugh 'You think he kept the truth away from me!?'

Jane and Thor were completely silent.

'He never lied to me.' Darcy's eyelids fluttered as she turned her gaze briefly over her shoulder and in the direction of the house, 'You can try catching him, but be sure of one thing…' She looked back at the couple standing in front of her '… he won't be running from you alone.'

'There is no running, Darcy!' Thor growled 'He will be brought to Asgard – do not forget that. Once he faces father, he will face justice-'

Her laughter broke his sentence. Jane stared at her friend with open mouth.

'Justice! There is no justice in this universe, Thor! There is no right or wrong, there are no villains or heroes. Nothing is ever black and white… And that includes him.' Darcy then narrowed her eyes 'You should remember that well if you want to sit upon that beloved throne of yours.'

Thor regarded her carefully 'You've grown poisonous since I last talked to you, Darcy.'

Rage lit inside the dark haired woman…

'Don't make me call him.' Darcy threatened lowly 'I begged him to let me speak to the two of you alone. Don't make me call his name.'

'He listens to no one, Darcy.' Thor said coldly, placing the helmet onto the dry desert ground 'Remember that.'

The conversation was over, finally finished with tears and seething anger from both sides.

With a delicate move of her gentle hand, Jane took Thor by the shoulder and whispered something to him. With the last glance at Darcy's angry face and an air of hostility that suddenly rose around her, Thor flexed his fists twice and left in the direction of the black SUV without a goodbye. The helmet was left behind him.

Jane and Darcy watched him leave.

'Come with us, Darcy.' Jane flew to her, taking her friend by the hand 'Please. Away from here.'

Darcy stared at her in wonder, wind whipping her dark tresses over her white face 'If you think I will leave Loki alone, you are tragically mistaken.'

Jane moved back, the flawless skin of her cheeks covered by her thin fingers, 'W-What can I even say to change your mind?'

Feeling as though Loki's arms were wrapped around her chest, squeezing the air out of her lungs, Darcy gave a shaky smile, fluttering all over

'Nothing.'

Her friend's breakdown was approaching - Jane hugged herself in pain that slowly became physical. She could not speak.

'We had an amazing time together, Jane.' Darcy placed her fingers over the side of her own bandaged neck 'And I will never forget it – not you, not Erik, not this place.'

Wind blew harder. Jane let out a dry sob. Their friendship was like a ship, approaching the edge of the ocean, each second bringing it closer to the end. And Darcy was the one who was pushing it – an innocent vessel that had the potential of sailing for many years to come.

Darcy Lewis was in charge of this ship-wreck. She was the architect of this destruction. Darcy Lewis was ending this.

Everything was changing.

No more sleep-less nights on the Thinking Roof of the glass house, no more annoying pop songs or constant questions, no more laughter, no more inappropriate jokes.

Anger filled Jane together with sadness.

'Why did you ever let him in this house? In your life!?'

Night fell completely.

'Don't judge me, Jane.' Darcy smiled through tears 'Please.'

'You are not yourself.'

Darcy looked to the starts that welled up over the black cope of heaven, a completely free laugh bursting forth 'I have never been more myself than I am now!'

'Because of Loki?'

With one tear falling out of her eye and into the sand beneath her feet, Darcy bended down to pick Loki's helmet Thor left in the sand. Holding it tightly in her arms, looking down at it, she whispered… 'It's this momentary thing, Jane. He… had me the moment he looked at me.'

Silence. Darcy's glasses fogged as a fresh wave of tears arrived.

'And I will run will him, hide with him, die with him.'

Despair shined from Jane's face, hurt and judgment she was unable to hide from her friend.

'Goodbye, Jane.' Darcy's voice shook badly as she took a step back, forcing herself to leave.

Darcy turned to leave, her legs quivering.

'What about Erik!?' Jane yelled behind her, her tone shrill and filled with tears.

Darcy never stopped walking away.

'One day he will be caught!'

Darcy urged herself to walk faster, hugging Loki's helmet tighter to her chest.

She felt cold.

'Darcy Lewis, get back! He is a villain!' Jane yelled, but never moved from her spot, for her voice grew quiet as Darcy moved farther away and closer to the glass house.

'Let me go, Jane.' Darcy said softly, pressing her lips and chin to the cold, horned helmet, whispering, her breath fogging the scratched gold.

'Let me go.'

…

The moment she burst inside the glass house, Loki was waiting for her. Darcy furiously wiped her cheeks, removing her tears, and took greedy gulps of air. Immediately, she leaned on the door, looking over her shoulder at the departing black vehicle. Relief filled her.

Funny. She thought. She heard that exact same sound of closing car doors months ago, while lying in her bed, staring in the ceiling, mere hours before she found him in the desert. Back then, she was desperate for Jane to return. Things have changed.

He stood in the middle of the demolished living room, wearing a black t shirt and his own leather trousers. His hair was freshly washed, the wet, raven tresses framing his sharp features and falling around his long, pale neck.

He appeared so human.

'And?' He inquired simply in a low rumble.

Darcy was shaken out of her trance, still holding the helmet tightly 'What?'

He crossed his lean arms over his wide chest, a small smirk in place 'What did they say?'

He was so handsome.

She needed a moment. Loki looked at her, each new second stretching a wider smile on his charming face. Darcy stared back. Her wind-blown hair and wet lips making her the most beautiful creature he ever laid his eyes upon.

'Nothing.' She breathed out, smiling shakily.

Another wave of relief filled her to the brim. The room around her looked awful, her scars were still healing, but she began to feel it again… that familiar sensation of freedom. Throwing his helmet on the creamy sofa, she approached him 'Absolutely nothing.'

Nothing mattered to Darcy anymore. Just him and the wrenching, heart-shaking revelation of what he was prepared, capable and ready to do for her.

I love you. Darcy thought about it again. I love you.

Without another word, Darcy reached him. Looking up at his tall person, at his beauty and his darkness, she stood on her tip-toes, placing her palms gently over his forearms to retain balance. Meeting his ragged breaths, she covered his widely smiling lips with her own.

The kiss they shared was tender, long and deep. In one moment, as though asking for her permission, Loki slid his left arm around her waist, bringing her nearer, while reaching with his right hand towards the back of her neck, cradling it gently.

They separated for one second; eager lips just a breath away. Pushing her body closer to him with a pressure on the small of her back, Loki whispered 'Make love to me, Darcy.'

Her breath caught in the middle of her burning throat.

'Make love to me tonight.'

Such painfully long hours, days and months of separation suddenly fell upon them like an avalanche.

'Yes.' She breathed back. A willing, longing answer that came from the innermost point of her soul.

Her knees felt wobbly as their lips joined once more, hot and permanent like a metal seal pressed into scorching, dripping wax. Her soul longed to join with his frozen one, as well as her body. He felt her need, for it radiated off of her in waves of sighs, shaking lips and barely withheld whimpers.

Smiling in such a bittersweet manner, he slipped his arms under her and lifted her into his arms, carrying her without a word over the thrown books, papers, debris and dust, swiftly and decisively in the direction of the bed.

The utter liberation and passion tangling together in a twisted dance felt indescribable.

Clothes flew left and right, followed by fluttering feminine moans and guttural grunts.

Skin strained, muscles tightened, limbs intertwined.

Flesh pressed closer - pale skin to pale skin. Intense scent of love-making filled the room as she arched underneath his unspoken strength. Finally.

Mischief flew like a dark bird out of him, shadowy laughter and love he felt for her twirling her in his unique dance until she froze like an icicle and burst into a million pieces against him. Finally.

Finally.