A/N: Hey guys, don't kill me, haha. I'm still working on Masquerade, but this story here wouldn't leave me alone so it had to be written. Both stories will be updated pretty regularly, work and life allowing, so no worries there. This is a TDW AU where Loki's plan to trick Thor fell through. Please read and review, as it keeps my motivation up!

Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any characters herein. This is written for purely entertainment purposes.

Anything written solely in Italics is a flashback. Single words in Italics is merely an emphasized statement.

Jane wasn't sure what to make of the turn her life had taken. She gazed out at the corner of the palace garden she could see, sighing. This was what she'd ultimately wanted, wasn't it? To venture to another world—realm, as it were? Yes, she thought, it was. But not like this.

Jane Foster stood on one of the balconies of Asgard's kingdom, granted permission to stay by Odin All-Father himself at the insistence of Thor. Thor's reasoning, however, was not because he wanted Jane to stay as his wife. No, he'd realized that he wasn't in love with her after all, and as Jane recalled the conversation that had been one of the hardest in her life, her heart clenched painfully.

"Jane, might I have a word with you?" Thor asked, his tone nearly hesitant. Jane, who'd just stepped out of the guest room that had been provided for her, smiled up at the Asgardian prince. "Of course. How did Court go?"

Thor smiled at her, although his eyes appeared troubled as the pair began to walk down the hallway together. "It went well. Father has made his decision, and although most of Asgard is not thrilled for the news, they must abide by the new rules."

Jane smiled, knowing how much this meant to him. "That's wonderful. So things will finally be going back to normal for you, then?"

"Yes, somewhat," Thor replied uncertainly, before looking down at the brunette. He paused in his stride, and Jane turned to look back at him, brow furrowed. "What is it, Thor?"

He drew in a deep breath. "Jane, you know that our time together has meant a great deal to me, but there is something that I must confess."

Jane fought to keep her expression neutral, but her insides were swarming with inexplicable dread. "Yes?"

"When we were on Svartalfheim, just before we battled against Malekith, there was a moment when I realized that it may have been the very last fight I would be in," he stated slowly. "I thought about everything I had done, and all that I have had in my life that I would miss, but one thing above all I could not simply dismiss."

Jane hated conversations that dragged out, and gestured gently for him to continue. "And what was that?"

"I came to the realization that the one thing I was going to miss above all else . . . was going to be Sif," he said earnestly, and Jane could tell that this was nearly agonizing for him. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, and it showed as he drew in another breath to continue. "I am in love with her, Jane, and I was a fool not to have realized it sooner. I am so, so sorry. There are not enough words to convey the sorrow I feel at having to say these words to you."

Jane bit back any immediate thought that crossed her mind. She had to be rational about this. Thor was her friend, and she could tell how much this meant to him—and from what his expression and tone betrayed, he really hadn't discovered his feelings before this. She almost wanted to laugh—men really were clueless, especially when it came to themselves. Still, she realized, at least Thor was being honest. That was more than anyone else she'd ever dated had given her.

So, with a heavy heart, Jane put on her brightest smile and looked up at Thor, who was still nervously waiting for a response. She tilted her head a little. "Then you should be telling Lady Sif all of this, not me, silly."

Thor's expression turned from relieved to excited as he suddenly engulfed Jane in a bone-crushing hug, spinning her around. "Thank you for understanding, my dear Jane! You are truly an astounding being!" he said elatedly, before setting her down and smiling brightly. "Fear not, though, as I still vow to protect you should the need ever arise again. You have my word."

Jane nodded, continuing to force her smile into existence. "Thank you, Thor. Now, go find your lucky lady. You deserve to make each other happy."

Thor nodded enthusiastically, missing the way Jane's voice cracked at the last half of her statement. He offered a few more words of thanks before hurriedly making his way down the corridor to prepare for his discussion with Sif. Jane watched him as he left, feeling tears threatening to fall. She turned to head back to her temporary room, her heart heavy and cheeks finally wetting.

She didn't notice the figure that disappeared around a pillar at the opposite end of the corridor as she stepped into her room.

Jane ran a hand over her face in frustration as the fog of memories dissipated. She'd spent the rest of that day in her room, and the next day rumors were floating around the kingdom. Later, those rumors had been confirmed over dinner—which Thor had insisted she attend despite the fact that she could practically feel Odin's lack of enthusiasm at having a mortal at the table—that Thor and Sif were to be wed. It shouldn't have shocked Jane as much as it had; customs in Asgard were bound to be different, after all, and the couple had known each other for centuries prior to this. She could see the sheer delight on Sif and Thor's faces after the announcement had been made, especially as Fandral and Volstaag began a celebratory toast. They looked very happy, and Jane realized that Sif must have been in love with Thor for quite a while now. She recognized the look of undiluted happiness on the dark-haired woman's face, and Jane genuinely hoped it lasted despite her own feelings toward the prince. Odin appeared pleased as well, and Jane figured that he probably approved of the union between his son and one of the best warriors Asgard had to offer.

Yes, she thought, Sif will make a wonderful queen.

So, cue Jane's surprise when Sif had approached her as she'd been preparing to be sent back to Midgard at any time, asking her to be a part of the wedding. She was even more astonished when Sif had cited the reason as being such a large part of Thor's return as a worthy warrior and prince, and her closeness and influence over his maturing.

She'd said it would mean a lot to the both of them if she agreed.

So, of course, ever-the-kindhearted Jane agreed with a strained smile and found herself being granted permission to stay until the day after the wedding, which would be held in three months' time.

But, this was what she'd wanted—to discover the realm a god had fallen from, see the beauty of it without the influence of the Aether, and to learn more about their customs, right?

Yes, she lied, more to herself than anyone else. Yes, of course it was.

xXxXxXx

Loki scowled in irritation, tossing aside the book he'd been attempting to read and leaning back into the chair he was seated in. He glared up at the ceiling, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to alleviate the headache that was forming due to the impossible stress that had been thrust upon him.

Why did his brother—no, why did Thor insist on making his life significantly more difficult than it needed to be? He'd planned for every possible outcome on Svartalfheim, including the one where his existence was ended and he was sent to whichever afterlife he was bound for. He didn't believe in going into anything without a plan, and when he was caught off guard, which was not often, he was never happy about it.

This outcome had not been planned for, and thus, Loki was not happy. At all.

He breathed in deeply through his nose, before exhaling slowly, flexing his fingers as the scenario once more raced through his brain.

Malekith wasn't intended to die immediately, Loki was—or, at least, it was supposed to appear that way. But that girl had gotten in the way. She'd distracted him and he'd had to protect her, and the rest was a blur of motion. Malekith had fallen before the Aether could bond with him entirely, and it had ruined everything. Thor had incapacitated Malekith as Loki killed Algrim, and with the rest of his plans ruined, Loki had allowed himself to slip and he assisted Thor in killing Malekith, getting justice for the death of Frigga. He refused to dwell on how good it felt to avenge the woman he'd known as his mother for most of his life, and refused even more to think about how much better it felt with Thor at his side doing it.

His plans had been utterly and completely destroyed, and so he'd prepared himself to be thrown back into the dungeons of Asgard upon his return.

But no, Thor and his idiotic big mouth had refused to even allow him to have that luxury.

Thor had demanded Court immediately upon their return, and Loki barely had any time to adjust to the shackles replaced upon his wrists before he was dragged before the king of Asgard. He didn't kneel—he never kneeled—before his adoptive father as Thor apologized for going behind his back and traveling to Svartalfheim
to defeat the Dark Elves, but he announced that the quest had been successful, and thus Odin had nodded favorably towards the prince. Thor announced that the only reason he'd been successful was due to Loki's help and influence in his decisions on the Dark World, and he'd demanded that Loki's sentence be reduced because of his bravery and the deeds that had been done.

Loki had stood by and observed, never opening his mouth as he watched the favored son speak with his father as though he were not standing there. Thor's hand waved often in his direction to emphasize a point, but not once did he look at the younger man during his entire speech. Not until the end, where an intense, sincere look nearly caught him off guard. A flash of his eyes was all that betrayed his confusion, but even that was schooled before anyone could notice.

Odin had remained silent for a long while, before he announced that everyone who wasn't a member of his family needed to leave the room. Loki had held out his hands, expecting to be escorted out.

He was shocked when the guards left, and Thor, Odin, and himself were the only ones still in the room. Odin had stood from the throne, Gungnir ever present at his side as he walked down the stairs towards them. Not for the first time, Loki had to steel his resolve as he was approached, as a part of the All-Father would no doubt intimidate him forever. Still, he didn't have to show it.

"Loki, my son, you have brought honor upon yourself once more by valiantly fighting alongside Thor," he'd said, his eye glowing with something Loki couldn't place. "Unfortunately, as the law states, you are a criminal. I've made my decision; I did when you both walked in here, although the rest of Asgard will not know that. I cannot risk going off the official statements, but I will say this: I am glad you are both home."

Loki scowled at the recollection, scratching at his wrist. How dare he call him son? Or claim to be glad for his return? The Trickster Prince didn't believe it for a moment, and just the thought made him want to grind his teeth. More words were spoken, but Loki's rage had muddled them to mere background noise.

What he did know was that Odin had decreed that Loki was to be reinstated as a Prince of Asgard, but not as a warrior. His magic had been restrained with cuffs on his wrists, similar to the shackles he'd been led to prison with, but not as obvious. He wasn't used to being without his magic, and something as simple as cloaking himself took more effort than what it was worth at this point; little bursts of magic that he would have laughed at before left him nearly breathless now. The glares from the courtiers and guards were nothing new to him—he'd gotten used to that from when he'd lived here prior to Thor's coronation. It was being unable to do anything about them that bothered him, and he almost believed that this may be a worse punishment than being left in the dungeons. At least before he'd been able to amuse himself with pranks that sometimes bordered on more than harmless, whereas now the only places he could escape the ridicule was either in his room or the library.

He was currently seated in the latter.

He sighed, leaning forward in his chair again and running a hand through his hair. He didn't want this punishment. He didn't even want to be in Asgard, honestly. He couldn't stand the celebratory chatter that had spread throughout the kingdom after Thor's announcement. Loki had avoided all dinners with the Asgardian royalty since his return, and once Thor had located him and told him in person of the news, Loki had merely raised a brow at him and asked if he was supposed to be happy that the prince of Asgard got what he wanted yet again. Thor had appeared a little crestfallen, but the man bounced back quickly and told Loki that, if anything, he should be happy to be home again.

Loki hadn't even bothered to touch that one.

Although, Loki mused, he was curious as to why Sif had suddenly been chosen over the mortal girl who'd been infected with the Aether. It wasn't as if he cared, because truly he didn't, but it just seemed a little strange. It was no secret to himself or the Warriors Three that Sif held feelings for Thor, even if she'd never actually voiced this, but Loki could have sworn that Thor was infatuated with the little mortal. Quite honestly, he wasn't even sure why, because she wasn't anything particularly special. She did, however, have a decent amount of fight in her, he'd noticed, and his fingers lightly brushed where she'd slapped him upon meeting him face to face. He smirked a little, amused with the thought. She was a fighter, even if it would do her no good in the long run. She'd never be more than a mortal, regardless of how hard she fought that reality.

He barely moved when he heard the door to the library open. He shifted only far enough to glimpse sight of a brunette walking into the room, closing the door behind her. He frowned in irritation—clearly no one had warned the little mortal girl that there were some places in the kingdom one wasn't supposed to go, especially considering what kind of monsters wandered into them.

She looked up at the tall bookcases, some kind of excited glimmer in her eyes. Loki raised a brow, wondering what ever his adopted brother had seen in someone with genuine intellect. Thor wasn't one for book-smarts, so the fact that he'd taken interest in someone like that made him wonder if perhaps there were other reasons. He observed her quietly, knowing full well that she wasn't aware he was there yet. She walked around, allowing her fingertips to trail along the spines of the books, and she turned to look around even further, freezing as her eyes landed on the figure seated in the corner.

Jane had thought that, since the Aesirs seemed so battle-centered, maybe she could find some peace in quiet in the library Sif had mentioned was in the castle. After some searching, and a few awkward door-openings, she'd been elated to discover a room that held books from floor to ceiling, literally. With eager eyes, she'd taken in the size of the room at first glimpse, merely scanning it. But as her eyes landed on the dark haired, green-clad figure in the corner of the room, wedged between the wall and a bookcase in a leather chair, she thought that perhaps this had been a bad idea.

"I thought that no one came in here," was the first thing Jane thought to say, and then she wanted to kick herself.

"Hm," Loki hummed, leaning back in his chair as he assessed Jane. "I suppose, if you take in the statements of the rest of Asgard, I am no one. So, in a sense, yes, no one comes in here."

Jane sighed, not really in the mood to deal with the man who'd tried to destroy New York, even if he had saved her life. "Look, I'm just in here to get some peace and quiet outside of my room. I'm not here to bother you."

"Is celebrating and drinking yourself silly not a part of your typical outing?" Loki asked, resting his left ankle on his right knee as he ignored her second statement. Jane's eyes followed the movement, not sure if she'd ever been in a more awkward situation than this.

"No," she frowned, walking over to a different bookcase and looking at the different spines on these. She could feel Loki's eyes trailing after her. "I can't say I ever really liked that sort of thing, even in college."

"Ah, yes, Midgardian schools," he stated thoughtfully, and Jane wasn't impressed with the way he said it as if it were some sort of inside joke. He continued, "I do wonder how your kind makes it on such basic knowledge."

Jane resisted the urge to scowl. "That basic knowledge seemed to be enough to hand you your defeat."

Loki grunted, having already expected such a rebuttal. "And yet the lack of better knowledge didn't stop you from messing with things outside of your expertise."

Jane glared at him from over her shoulder. "Don't you have anything better to do than pick on me?" she practically hissed.

"I can't say that I do, as I'm stuck in this castle with a magical cap that you couldn't possibly comprehend," he retorted, picking up a book from the table next to him. He'd gathered several earlier, and the one he'd tossed remained ignored. "And since I've read every book in this library, I'd say I could use the distraction."

Jane grabbed a blue book off of the shelf, examining it and taking it over to one of the chairs in the little cubby-corner Loki was in. She seated herself, brushing off the cover. She looked up at the man. "Well, I'm not here to be your distraction. I'm here to read and enjoy peace and quiet—like a good library is supposed to have."

Loki raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, is that so? I could make it increasingly difficult for you to concentrate on reading if I really wanted to."

Jane looked up at him, matching his challenging look. "I had an intern who couldn't stop talking about bands and her favorite shows. I'm not scared of you, especially now that I know you don't have your magic to back up your threats."

"I think you'd find that I can be quite persistent, even without the addition of magic. As a matter of fact, it could end up being even more challenging."

Jane rolled her eyes, turning her focus back on the book. "I'm not going to dignify that with a rebuttal."

"Ah, so you intend to ignore me?" Loki asked, staring at her. Jane flipped open the book to the first page, skimming her finger along it. The dark-haired man stared at her for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Is that a yes?"

Silence.

His eyes narrowed at her even more. "Is this some sort of joke to you?"

Jane turned the page, examining it. Still, she said nothing.

Loki opened his own book, perusing the contents of it despite knowing most of the book word for word. He wasn't used to having company in the library, and the fact that his company was intentionally ignoring him irked him to an extent. He heard Jane flip the page again and resisted the urge to huff.

They remained in silence for a few stretched minutes, the only sound being an occasional flip of a page from either party. Loki found himself settling more into his chair. Jane leaned back in her own, crossing one leg over the other. Loki would occasionally glance up at the brunette to see if she was distracted, but she faithfully stared at the book in front of her. After what seemed like an hour had passed, Loki cleared his throat.

"You are aware that I know you can't read the language that book is written in, aren't you?"

". . . Shut up."

Loki smirked. This would be fun.

A/N: And the fun begins, haha! Please read and review! I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes or otherwise, as it's quite late and I'm a tired little being, haha.

Thanks!