Loki arrived at the compound looking for Gem. Asgard was no more, and he needed to tell her their home was gone. The place felt different to last time. Inside he saw no one. Till he came across Tony at the bar. "Where is my daughter?" He said in a way of greeting.

"We would all like to know that. She and Steve have disappeared. I knew I should never have let her out of that cell."

Loki started paying attention at those words. "Cell, you put her in a cell?"

"Not just her, a few of them. Of course, we had to bind her hands." Tony hadn't even looked up when Loki had entered the room let alone when he was asked a question. He still sat looking into his whiskey tumbler even now as Loki's steps grew closer.

Loki walked towards Tony. This mere mortal. A man in an iron suit, thought he could lock his daughter up? How dare he. No, he played nice with the Captain because of her but she had not asked the same for the others and he did not intend to let Stark get away with this transgression lightly.

Tony finally looked up from his drink when the other man's shadow fell over him. "Do you…" His witty comment was cut off before he could finish it as Loki grabbed him by the throat and threw him across the room. Tony landed on the glass coffee table, which shattered glass all over the seating area.

Loki took his time walking over to the man. This fight was already unfair for the idiot in front, he should at least give him time to stand before he threw the next punch. He looked down on the man as he moaned and began to shift away from the glass.

"It would seem that someone else has already bested you today." Loki remarked kicking him in the side so that Tony fell on his stomach. Not waiting nor caring for a reply he grabbed Tony by the hair and brought him to his knees.

A rasping noise came from Tony's mouth which Loki didn't understand. "What was that?"

"I said your daughter won't be best pleased at you venting your anger out on Midgardians again." Tony coughed and spat out the blood from his mouth from where he bit his lip.

"Oh, I don't think my daughter will mind me venting a little anger out on the man that locked her up and bound her powers." Loki came around to face him and gave him a sickly-sweet smile. "Now that you understand your place in this matter, I will ask you again where is my daughter?" He growled.

….

Gem woke up in Steve's arms. They were still in Wakanda, since they were both wanted criminals, and needed a plan to get the others out, preferably one where they wouldn't get caught either. Turned out hiding in a city no one could see was actually what they needed. Gem didn't want to move, for the first time in decades, she had nowhere to be. Steve was draped over her. They were both naked from the night before, she ran her fingers down Steve's cheek, and smiled when he moved slightly under her touch. She moved to get out of the bed, thinking that she would make coffee for the pair of them. She was halfway up when Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"For a shower. Then I thought I'd make us some coffee before maybe a walk."

"No, you're not." He said with a smirk as he pulled her under him. Steve pinned her with his body to the mattress. He knew that she could easily get out if she wished but she never used her magic on him. "I had plans of my own this morning."

"Oh, did you now. and what were these plans?" She asked, giggling.

Steve kissed her. "Well…" another kiss. "I thought…" another. "You might enjoy…" He continued to kiss his way down her body. "round two?" He nipped at her breasts and licked the undersides of them before resting his chin on her navel.

"Did you not get enough last night?" Gem laughed looking down at him, eyebrows raised.

Steve looks up at her. "Did you?"

Gem put her hand in his hair. "I could never get enough of you."

Steve smiled and continued to kiss his way down her body. He pushed her legs apart, lifting one up at the knee and up onto his shoulder. He kissed, licked and nipped his way across her right thigh, his breath ghosted over her wet core as he went to continue his ministrations on her left thigh lifting it up onto his other shoulder. Her breathy moans and please for him to move his lips to where she needed him the most were intoxicating. Slowly he ran his tongue up her slit and around her sensitive clit pulling another moan from her. At last to her pleasure he buried his tongue deep in her and she moaned loudly. God, he loved making her moan under him. Gem grabbed him by the hair and pulled him up and pushed him, so he was laid on his back on the bed. She straddled him and lowered herself on to him. Steve placed his hands on her hips, as she began to grind against him. He watched her; she was truly beautiful. Her ample breasts bouncing each time she rose and fell on his cock.

Gem leant forward to stroke the stubble on his chin.

"I know, I should shave." He said with a moan as she clenched around him.

"No don't, I like it." Steve took hold of her hand and kissed the palm.

When they finally got out of the bed. Gem made her way into the shower; Steve went over to the drawer by their bed. He opened it, inside was a box which he opened. He looked at the ring. Natasha had helped him pick it out, it was white gold, and had a single sapphire nestled in its middle. Today was the day. He'd take her on a picnic, T'challa had told him of a beautiful spot, near a waterfall, and he was gonna ask her. He shut the draw as Gem came out of the shower. She was towel drying her hair.

"Are we going to visit Bucky today?"

"Later, I told you I have plans this morning." He said taking her by the waist and kissing her cheek.

"Those plans will have to wait; I must speak to my daughter."

They both turned, to see Loki stood in the doorway.

"Father." Gem stepped back from Steve blushing.

"Why is it, I always find you half-dressed whenever you are near this man?" He rolled his eyes and walked towards the drink's cabinet.

Steve turned back to Gem; she was standing in just her towel. "Steve, do you mind leaving while I talk to my daughter."

"Not at all." as Steve passed Loki, Loki whispered "I think we need to talk too." he looked towards the draw.

Steve just nodded at him, not knowing how he knew and not really wanting to, but then came the question, if Loki knew did Gem and she was just not saying anything.

Gem found some clothes and changed. Loki was looking out over the city. "Does it remind you of Asgard?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"A little. I was hoping to bring Steve home at some point." It was then Gem noticed the look on his face. A sadness she had seen very rarely, normally when someone brought her mother up. "What is it?"

"It's about Asgard." He looked into his tumbler before downing the rest and sitting the glass down.

"What about it?

"It's gone. Asgard is no more. Our home has gone."

Gem was shocked, how does an entire kingdom disappear. Her father looked at her, she wasn't good at hiding her feelings. Everything showed on her face. Maybe that was just with him, he'd watched her grow up, knew when she was sad and when she was happy. "What of Uncle Thor?" She asked, sounding like a little girl again.

"He is fine. He might be missing an eye..." He replied trying to interject a little humour.

"An eye?" She gasped.

"Honestly, I think it suits him."

"Our people?"

He turned to look at her fully now instead of half looking at her and half out of the window. She had never said that before. She had never wanted to rule or even be royal, but something seemed to have changed.

"You have never said that before."

"What?"

"You have never said, our people." He looked at her quizzingly.

Gem looked at him. They were her people, it had just slipped out, though she also felt that went as far as her people of earth.

"Maybe I'm finally growing up."

"It suits you. reminds me of your mother." He looked away from her, he never really spoke about Sigyn. It had been Frigga that had told Gem about her.

"You never talk about her." Gem said quietly fearing she might have made a mistake at saying this.

"I promise too. I can't stay long, we have to find a home for everyone, but I promise, I will tell you everything you want to know." Loki cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you."

They talked a while longer and when they were done Gem walked her father to the door. Steve stood waiting. "I need to have a chat with Steve, but I will see you soon." He kissed her cheek.

Gem looked at Steve, who indicated he would be fine. So, she went back inside. Loki turned on Steve. "So, Captain, you wish to marry my daughter?"

Steve looked at Loki, being old fashioned meant asking for her hand in marriage, but he couldn't ever actually tell what Loki was thinking. He was either going to agree to it, or Steve was in for one hell of a fight on his hands.

"Yes, I would like to ask for her hand in marriage?"

Loki looked him up and down. "She will outlive you. She may look younger, but she will live to be thousands of years old."

"I know. But I love her deeply. I want to spend my life with her."

Loki stood and thought about this. His father would never have allowed this. It was fine to take a Midgardian lover, not for a husband or wife. No that had been forbidden long ago. Odin had allowed her to live here, but he would have made her come home in-time. If he denied this, would she hate him? If he agreed to it, would he be dooming her to sadness. After all the old saying "all good things must come to an end" still counted when it came to love, no especially when it comes to love. After everything that had happened throughout her short life, he just wanted her to be happy, and the captain certainly made her happy.

Loki looked at the Captain. "Her name is Gem Laufeyson. She is the only child of mine that can marry. Keep that in mind, but yes, I give my blessing. I would ask you to make it a long engagement, please. As for grandchildren, warn me first." Loki neither fully liked nor disliked the man, but he trusted Gem's judgement as well as the memory of how the man fought in New York instilled so confidence that the man could look out for her.

…. end of chapter 8