A/N: I know this chapter is a bit shorter, i'm sorry. It was just easier to break it up this way.
Let me know what you think. I feel like i'm still introducing characters and relationships but I promise stuff is going to start going down soon(ish).
:)

Chapter 4

The occasional rustling or turning of pages and their soft breathing were the only sounds surrounding Audrey. It was one of only a few nights recently where she had found the time and energy to read for fun. In her hands lay Dragonfly in Amber, prompted by Pepper. Who knew that Pepper Potts had a thing for men in kilts? Audrey had been sworn to the utmost secrecy by the red-head, which brought her amusement. She could only imagine if Tony found out. Either he would be horrified and tease Pepper excessively, or decide to wear a kilt himself, strutting around like a peacock. Both options made her wince for Pepper's sake. She shifted on the dark, leather couch, trying to find a new comfy spot but a sharp pain and wince made her cease her movement. Tilting her head back, a few colorful words floated across her mind.

"Everything alright, baby?"

Audrey glanced over at Brandon, sitting forward on his recliner, having been staring at the many forms spread out before him on the coffee table. "Yeah…just my knee acting up."

He hesitated a moment before getting up, still in his suit pants and his button-up long sleeve hanging open. "Get comfortable. I'll be right back." He kissed the top of her head as he walked by, vanishing into the kitchen behind them. Brandon's apartment was far more spacious than her own. His spare bedroom had been turned into an office for him, somewhere comfortable for him to work when home. It pleased Audrey though that when she came over, if he had work left to do, he made sure to do it in the living room or bedroom, wherever she was and did not barricade himself in his office. She tried to ignore the dull pain in her knee as she kept reading about the Scottish man and English woman in Paris. Several moments later he slid onto the other side of the couch, putting her socked feet into his lap. Gently he pressed an ice pack to her left knee.

She hissed as the cold seeped through her yoga pants into the aching muscles underneath. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He smiled, the dimple on his chin pronounced before pulling his phone out of his pocket.

She returned to her reading, running her fingers along the thin, yellow-gold, metal chain around her neck, and would occasionally become distracted when he rubbed the bottom of her feet. Peeking over her book, she watched him. All of his attention was focused on the screen before him and she wondered if he was taking a 'mental break' from his work and playing Scrabble again. He was handsome with his olive skin, short black hair and easy smile. He was charming, making friends easily yet determined and passionate when it came to his work. He believed whole-heartedly in justice and everything being black and white. It was no secret that he hoped to work up the ladder to become a judge himself one day. He was so driven in that goal, it was guaranteed to happen. Even from the beginning of their dating, he made clear his life plans of rising in the judicial court with a beautiful wife to come home to at the end of the day. Audrey occasionally wondered where her own plans fit into his but pushed those thoughts aside. It was that stability and drive that first attracted her to him. He knew what he wanted from life and how he was going to achieve it. In the turmoil her life had been growing up, his stability was like a lighthouse to her. Calling her to come along side and hope to stay in his wake.

"Tomorrow Marcus is hosting a party downtown for our firm and a few others. I told him we would be there. It starts around 8pm."

"Oh. I'll try to be there on time. The Avengers are supposed to arrive back late tomorrow afternoon. You know I like to be there."

He sighed, rubbing his thumb along the bottom of her foot. "I don't understand why you feel you have to be there to greet them. You see them the next day. They are superheroes, right? They can take care of themselves. Even though some should be locked up and the key thrown away."

"Brandon, please." She practically begged. This was one of their reoccurring arguments that bothered her the most. He meant well, she knew it but hated the poor opinion he had on the team, even though they did so much to help the world. All he could see was the destruction and death many of them had caused before joining the Avengers and the 'right' side of the law. "You know I consider them friends. Can we not argue about this tonight? I promise I'll try to be there on time. Text me the information."

"I will. You know I'm just looking out for you, right? Some of them are dangerous and shouldn't be trusted. I just want you safe."

"I know."

"Once we are married, you won't have to work there anymore. I know you're friends with Ms. Potts, she seems like a good woman. You could still help out with the event planning."

She rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand, not wanting to start this argument again. "I think I'm going to head to bed. You going to be up much later?"

"No," he watched her rise off the couch. "I love you."

After pressing her lips quickly to his, she winked. "You better. I'm going to warm your bed for you."

"Oh yeah? Do you need some company?"

"I do hate being alone…" She peeked over her shoulder as she walked away then giggled and quickened her pace as she heard him jump off the couch after her. Seconds later, his bedroom door slammed shut and neither left the room until morning.

Her heels clicked on the floor as Audrey marched down the hallway. FRIDAY had told her where to find Loki, which was in the side alcove where they had talked before. She wondered if he would be upset with her for disturbing him…he did not seem upset last time. Her feet kept moving despite her hesitations. If she did not get this done now, she would forget most likely…or never work up the nerve again.

The Avengers had returned to the Tower a few hour earlier. She stood with Pepper near the landing pad for the quinjet waiting. It was unnecessary but Audrey liked greeting those she called friends right away, making sure they were safe and uninjured and giving each one a hug. Usually after she would sit with some and chat, letting them talk about their mission or discuss something else to take their mind off of whatever had happened. This time, as everyone was piling out of the quinjet, Bucky ran over and wrapped her in a tight hug. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck. Thankfully her height and added heels only made her a couple inches shorter than him. She was used to physical affection from Bucky, but this was different. This was a desperate plea for comfort. With some encouragement provided by herself and Steve, the three made it to Bucky's room and the story of the mission came out. All they could figure was it was some kind of trap of HYDRA to reacquire their Winter Soldier even after all these years. This was not the first time a trap had been laid, but this was the first time they had gotten so close to succeeding. It was going to be a rough night for the brunet; the unspoken understanding that nightmares would haunt his sleep was there. After everything he had been through, Bucky deserved to be swaddled in a blanket of warmth and comfort. To be seen as a victim and treated with honor and respect for all he endured under the hand of HYDRA. To constantly be having to watch over his shoulder for those that opposed his position in the Avengers and now to be in fear of HYDRA reacquiring him, to torture and brainwash him further; it made Audrey's blood boil. If she was able to, she would single-handedly tear HYDRA apart…but she could not. So she did the next best thing. She comforted Bucky, being a safe place for him to cry.

After spending a long time with the super soldiers, Audrey with her arms around Bucky, she promised to bring him his favorite coffee and pastry treat from the coffeeshop down the way with her tomorrow. A kiss on the temple told her how much Bucky appreciated her actions. The super soldiers left to attend the mission debriefing while Audrey continued with her regular duties. A supposed quick conversation with Wanda after turned into an hour long discussion before Audrey realized what time it was. There was one thing she had to do before leaving the Tower tonight…and so began her search for Loki.

She found him sitting in the same plush chair as before, eyes focused downward to the book in his lap. He had changed from his black and green leather clothing, she guessed was his uniform or just comfortable to fight in, to his typical simple yet sleek black suit. She wondered if he had any idea what casual, comfy clothes were. His black hair was tucked behind his ear on one side. He sat so still, a statue, only his eyes roving as they scanned the pages, his hand moving frequently to turn a page. When he got off the quinjet earlier, she had only been able to give him a quick smile before Bucky practically tackled her.

"Something I can do for you? Or do you just enjoy watching me?"

A faint blush touched her cheeks at having been caught studying him. Moving closer, he finally lifted his head once she came near.

"I wanted to say thank you."

He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"For saving Bucky today. What you did…if you hadn't of been there…I don't want to even imagine. You saved him…and through that you saved all the rest of us from a world of pain. So thank you. You surprised most of them, I think. Hopefully they'll start taking you seriously now. You're a good man, Loki. It's time they finally see it."

"But I'm not a good man. I'm the butcher of New York or have you forgotten?"

"You're the butcher of New York like Bucky is the Winter Soldier. It's a piece of your past but it doesn't have to define your future."

The air around them suddenly felt heavy as Loki gazed at her solemnly, like he was trying to understand the hidden meaning behind her words.

"I heard you were injured, Bruce was asking Thor if you required medical attention. I can take you there. It would be no trouble."

He waved her concerns away. "I am healed already. Minor flesh wounds is all."

"You sure? Ok. I wouldn't think less of you if you sought help. No one would…Anyway, thank you. I'm glad you're here."

He inclined his head, a thoughtful look still on his face. What indifferent front he usually wore slipped away as he regarded her. It was not the first time she noticed that when alone with her or just Thor being around, his air of reservation and detachment began to disappear. Was he feeling comfortable around her? Were they friends? That thought made a spark alight in her belly. She enjoyed his presence and sarcastic humor. If she found him extremely attractive that was, of course, beside the point.

Spontaneously, she decided to try and curtsy but her pencil skirt made difficult work of it, plus her own inexperience did not help. She wobbled and had to stick her hand out against the wall to steady herself. Once she rose back up, she laughed at the hilarity and embarrassment of her actions. Truthfully she was mortified but tried to play it off. "That had to be the WORST curtsy in all of history. Someone is probably rolling over in their grave."

A bemused smile replaced the thoughtful look on his face, as his tone was teasing. "You may need to work on that, my dear, if you mean to impress me."

"Maybe I should give up on trying and just kneel instead for you, your highness."

"Oh, darling, there is only one reason I would have you kneeling in front of me." A salacious grin appeared, his eyes darkening. Her mouth suddenly became very dry and heart hammering. With the impression he wore now, he could have any woman he wanted to. She could not help but wonder what he would be like in the bedroom. "Can you sing and dance? I could make you my high priestess."

"I, ah, I definitely only sing when I am alone and I don't know too much about dancing, besides the simplest slow dancing…even then I seem to overthink it. I like Zumba which is kind of dancing but no one has ever taught me anything else. And before you ask, no I can't cook. Somehow that knowledge never stuck in my brain. I would make a terrible housewife."

He chuckled. "One day I'll teach you to dance."

"Good luck…so…did you really have a high priestess?"

That earned her a wink, making her laugh. She was unsure if she had ever seen Loki this relaxed around the others. It was refreshing to see. He always wore such a veneer of bored passiveness or disinterest in those around him. She knew not everyone trusted him still, some having fought him years ago. The notion that if he was still the same person as then, he would not be here refused to leave her mind. It felt like he truly wanted to be here to help. Maybe her feelings were misguided but she promised herself to give him the benefit of the doubt when they first met. Nothing had given her reason to change her opinion yet.

"What are you reading tonight?"

He lifted up the book to show her the cover of her book that she had lent him.

"Oh! What do you think so far? Actually, I need to be sitting down for this conversation. I can talk too much about it, and these pumps are torture at this point." She joked, assuming he would laugh and they could continue talking tomorrow or another day. She really did not mean to keep him from reading.

With a snap of his fingers, an identical plush chair appeared across from his, crowding the small alcove. He tilted his head, gesturing for her to sit. He had the ability to say more with his facial expression and simple movements than some people could say with actual words.

After a moment's debate, she accepted. Only a few minutes, she told herself. Then she really did need to go. Brandon was most likely already waiting for her at Marcus' party. Not that she was very excited to go. Sometimes it felt like the only reason she was asked to attend was so Brandon could show her off.

The plush chair was surprisingly comfortable and she found herself sinking into it as she kicked her heels off. Thankfully she had some foresight and her toenails were a lovely pale pink. "So, what do you think?"

"It is…intriguing and complex. I am finding I enjoy the varying story lines."

"Whose your favorite so far?"

"Tyrion."

She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "He would be. How far are you?"

"I suspect I shall finish tonight."

"WHAT?" She gasped, eyes bouncing from the open book to his cocky grin and back. "I just gave it to you the other day!"

"It is a fascinating work of fiction. Besides, if you have not noticed, there is not much else for me to do around here."

"Oh. Well I can bring you the next book tomorrow…maybe I should bring the third also. When you finish the books I'll have to introduce you to the TV series if you're interested. It's not quite as good as the books but still decent."

"Sounds acceptable. I trust the judgement of my new high priestess."

"I live to serve, my prince." She giggled at the silly nicknames. "Are you and Thor leaving for New Asgard soon? You've been here almost two weeks already."

"Yes. I suspect the day after tomorrow. Stark wishes to send some new technology of his with us. Only the Norns know why."

She shrugged. "It's his way of feeling like he's helping. He is terrible with sentimental feelings but if he is building or giving tech to you, then you know he cares. I'm sure Pepper had a hand in convincing him."

"If I may inquire, you and Ms. Potts seem close." At this point, he closed the book in his lap. A single finger tapped slowly on the cover.

"Yeah, I've known her for years. She is a mentor and a very close friend to me. I'd do anything for her. We met when I was in university, she was a guest speaker for one of my classes. I approached her afterward with a question and we hit it off. We stayed in contact while I was in school then she got me a job for Stark Industries when I graduated. Once a position become necessary to overlook the daily things involving the Avengers and the Tower, she moved me there. I would not be here without her."

"Are you close to the Iron Man?"

"Certainly not as close. He is a pain in my ass most of the time but I care about him and in his weird way, I know he cares about me."

"Ah. I find him obtuse and insufferable with enough arrogance to drown in."

Laughter bubbled up out of her. "Oh no, please, don't hold back. Don't lie to spare my feelings."

"My dear, Audrey, I never lie. People just do not believe the truths I present to them."

"If you say so. I appreciate good honesty. I suspect yours can be quite blunt."

He pressed a hand over his heart in mock horror. "You wound me. I am eloquent and articulate in everything I say."

That set her into a fresh round of giggles, enjoying their conversation more than he probably could know. Lines appeared at the corners of his eyes as he smiled genuinely at her, emerald eyes bright and cheerful.

"Drea! That you?!"

"Speak of the devil…" Audrey muttered.

Tony came around the corner and visibly startled as he noticed Loki sitting casually with Audrey. "Prancer, didn't expect you here."

"And where else would I be, by chance?"

"Um…causing trouble somewhere, I don't know. May I suggest trying to take over Canada? I doubt they would resist much."

"Tony," Audrey interrupted before the verbal barbs became nasty, "is there something you want?"

"Pepper said there's a party you promised to be at. Seeing as how you're late, I'm supposed to drive you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are we taking a car or a suit?"

"Car obviously. What kind of Neanderthal do you take me for?"

"Yeah…not what you said last time." She glanced down at the tablet in her hand. "Oh, butterscotch, it's late." Quickly she rose to her feet, slipping the red pumps back on. She was surprised when Loki rose also, standing very close to her. "Um, thanks again…and for talking."

Gently he took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles while maintaining eye contact. "It was my pleasure, priestess."

"Good night, my prince." She winked before stepping into the hallway.

Tony stood still, finger pointing at Loki then Audrey and back, mouth slightly open. "Ok, whatever the hell that was, I don't like it. She does have a boyfriend, you know."

"Come on, Tony!" She nudged past him, starting for the elevator. "Said boyfriend is already going to be pissed at how late I am going to be."

Tony slid into the elevator last minute, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Sure you don't want to take a suit? We'll get there faster."

"Yeah…I'm not planning on flashing half of NYC with my skirt and blouse flapping about. I'm not drunk enough for that."

Tony's bark of laughter followed them down the elevator.