With heavy hearts Thor walked along the Rainbow Bridge towards the edge of the Asgard's realm, burdened by the lost of his best friend and brother. Without any other means he had broken the bridge to stop Loki's mad attempt to destroy Jotunheim, and in the process he had not only lost his connection to Jane but he had also lost Loki, his one and only brother.

Thor found Heimdall standing on the edge of the broken bridge, gazing down at the abyss of space. "So, the Earth is lost to us?" Thor asked walking beside Heimdall.

"No," Heimdall assured, glancing at Thor. "There is always hope."

Thor watched down at the abyss, thinking about his beloved Jane. "Can you see her?"

The guardian of the Bifrost smiled. "Yes."

"How is she?"

"She searches for you."

Thor gave her a thought with a small smile, remembering her sweet kiss for goodbye. Then he turned gloomier. "And what about Loki? Have you seen any sign of him?"

Heimdall hadn't forgotten about Loki's deception, putting him in ice and letting the Frost Giants past him into Asgard. He wouldn't have cared to find about if Loki was even alive. But Thor's affection towards his treacherous adopted brother made Heimdall to gaze down at the universe with his all-seeing eyes. He watched in silence, searching a long while. "I do not see..." he said but became quiet, turning his eyes at Thor with a worried look in them. "Loki is... in Midgard."

At first Thor smiled, finding out his brother was still alive, but then he looked seemingly troubled. "What?" he gasped, recalling Loki's words about Jane during their fatal battle:

"What was it on Earth that made you so soft? Don't tell me it was that woman? Oh, it was! Well, maybe when we are finished here, I will pay her a visit myself!"

"Jane!" Thor sighed in an anxious voice, giving one more glance at Heimdall before hurrying back at the palace to have a serious word with his father. He needed to get back to Earth by any means.

… …

From a new perspective, from high above, the great glacier still looked white and enormous, but the ends of it were beginning to show already in the horizon as they were reaching to the coast. Emma, sitting on the second pilot's seat, glanced worried at their pained pilot who struggled to keep the aircraft steady with only one good hand. She had patched the man's hand with bandages from a first-aid kit and offered him some painkillers to make him feeling bearable after the damage Loki had caused him.

To avoid unwanted attention, all the connections outside were disabled and the jet cloaked with the stealth mode making it nearly invisible and hiding from the radars.

Self-satisfied Loki stood behind them, enjoying finally some speed and a personal 'I'm king of the world'-moment, leaning his hands against the sides of the cockpit, watching down at the fast changing scenery. They had a new faster ride but the old heading; straight towards New Mexico.

Their short encounter with the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had made Emma fallen in silence, and it hadn't gone unnoticed by Loki. He pondered what these people had done to her that made her so beside herself with worry and fear. It was clear that they had hurt her. It was clear that their doings had struck the fear of intimacy into her heart. And that fear had made her fighting so fiercely against him too yesterday. He admitted that he had shown her a side of him that wasn't all so attractive. And he feared that his battle against the mortals had frightened her. He didn't want her to fear him anymore.

Loki squatted down, closer to Emma, his left knee on the floor, right arm resting on his knee. "Are you afraid, Emma Morgan?" he asked her, grabbing a hold from her seat and keeping an eye on the pilot.

Emma turned at him, unable to hide her troubled feelings. "I'd be a fool not to," she admitted, understanding her own limits. Nothing seemed to frighten him though.

He had killed all those soldiers with ease and the though of it pained her. No, it terrified her. But she did her best to reason it to herself that he had done it for self-defense. They had attacked Loki. Hadn't they? They would have killed him. It was nearly impossible to see him the same way that she had seen him in the morning. The fear of him had settled into her heart again and it was hard to shoo it off. A part of her felt like being a traitor to her own kind but then again there really wasn't very many of her kinds left. Those soldiers would have probably killed her too.

She gave Loki an uneasy smile when their eyes met. "You look confident of yourself."

"I am practically immortal. I have nothing to fear from these humans."

"Good for you. I feel like a sitting duck."

"You will be safe with me," Loki said assuringly. Her big blue eyes stared at him questioningly as if asking him 'why?' Why he had promised her something like that, he couldn't comprehend it either. They had shared a strong feeling of understanding last night and that had brought them closer together. "You have nothing to fear from me," he promised in a calm, serious tone.

It felt comforting to hear that. "That arrow... Thank you, Loki. You saved my life back there. Once again."

"After getting you involved with the battle that was simply the least I could do," Loki said with a nod. He was quiet for a moment, his emerald eyes studying her. "The archer called you Emily Morrison. Why? What is the story behind that name?" he asked then with growing curiosity. His tone was calm and dignifying, sensing the matter being painful for her.

Emma turned away, staring out into the arctic wilderness below, wishing he wouldn't have asked it. Loki had shared with her the things from his own life and she had no means to keep her own past hidden from him any longer. She was the one who didn't want to dwell on it. Emily Morrison. That name sent her thought a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

"Emily Morrison doesn't exist anymore. She died after spending over two months as a guinea pig in government's secret facilities, where they kept running sick tests on her... seeing how she tolerated in extreme environments." Emma closed her eyes, fighting back those images from her past. "At first she was afraid she was going to die there, but then little by little she begun to fear that she wouldn't."

"What happened to her?" Loki asked quietly. He found her more complicated creature than he could have ever imagined, not even daring to guess the struggles she had gone through already.

Emma took a long quivering breath, remembering the archer's words, telling that she wasn't that innocent. She wasn't, not really.

"She couldn't tell how long she'd spent there. She only knew she wouldn't survive through another test. Her body adapted to almost anything, from submerging for hours into freezing water to bearing scalding steam... the pressurized chambers..." Tears fell down on her cheeks. "But she never adapted to the pain they caused her. When they came for her once again, she fought back harder than ever. She took that damn pen that the so called doctor had been clicking for weeks, and shoved it in his eye. The other one was easier to deal with. She took their keys and guns, and she didn't care anymore who came on her way, she shot them all until she was out. From there she just ran." Emma turned her face back at Loki, her tormented blue eyes afraid to look straight at his. "Something just snapped inside of her. She couldn't control herself. Emily Morrison turned into a monster, and died on that day, but I've been running ever since, hoping that, that darkness would never find me again. I have to live with it, keeping it under control. And, sometimes it's very hard."

Loki watched her compassionately, finally realizing where her fierce fighting spirit originated from. On that time she must have been only a child, like she had told; only sixteen. He has had no idea what monstrosity the humans were doing to each other. He wondered if Odin even knew. "All because of your mutant abilities? What they hoped to achieve with all that torment?"

Emma gave a weak shrug. "That's what I would have wanted to know. Once I heard them mentioning something about creating super soldiers... But I wasn't the only one they kept caged. Can't stop thinking that I should have tried to help the others to escape." She lifted her face up, doing her best to overcome her emotions.

With a gentle hand Loki stroked her cheek to wipe away a trail of tears with his thumb. He liked to touch her soft skin. And she welcomed his touch, her tensed shoulders relaxing and her eyes returning to his, having no hurry to ask him to stop. "I am sorry," he said finally in a soft voice, truly feeling her pain behind those words, truly meaning it and being sincerely sorry for her. It pained him to see his fierce Valkyrie so hurt, perhaps it reminded him of his own sufferings he hadn't yet dealt with. He let his hand cradling her face as it would have been the only thing keeping her in one piece. "I owe you an apology of all my indiscreet actions towards you. And, I am sorry that I hurt your friends."

Emma looked confused. "Peter and Scott? Do you really mean it?"

"I do. I have been beginning to think that maybe I should have not harmed them at all. And especially you. I should have never harmed you. Will you forgive me?"

He wasn't judging her as Emma had been afraid of. Her darkest and most kept secret wasn't scaring him as it would have done to a normal person. Well, he wasn't actually a normal person. And he was apologizing to her of his own deeds. He surely had a good reason for it. He being sorry for hurting Scott and Peter meant a lot to her, showing her that he actually had a conscience. They were both as much as monsters and they couldn't really blame each other for it.

Not shying away from his touch anymore, his words of consolation and gentle touch feeling like balm, Emma gave him a small smile. "Sure, I forgive you. Comparing to my past, you've been like a picnic in a park."

Unsure was that meant to be a compliment, Loki smiled back at her gently, taking her both hands in his. "I swear to you," he announced softly but with a determination, "they will pay for what they have done to you."

Emma shook her head for a disapprovance. It was not what she would have wanted. Her own uncontrollable outrage during her escape years ago had been a vengeance enough, and she still felt guilty of the lives she had taken. "They have."

She felt the warmth of his big hands holding hers, and it melted a small piece of her again. With one quick inhale she conjured those dark memories away and gave him a bit broader smile. If it was a time for apologies then maybe she had a reason for a few too. "I'm sorry I called you a dark smurf and with several other nasty names. And I'm sorry I tried to hit you with the shovel yesterday."

Loki tried not to grin. Those had been petty insults comparing of what he had done to her. "It is all forgotten already. Maybe I should have not transformed the shovel into a snake."

"Yeah, now that you mentioned it that was really mean. I should have told your mom about it."

"I am sorry for that too," Loki nodded, trying to keep his dimples in minimum. "So, what is a smurf?" he asked, pondering was it some sort of huge beast with a bad temper.

Feeling like their conversation was getting too much of attention, Loki and Emma both glanced at the pilot on their side who kept staring at them, feeling himself as the biggest eavesdropper ever.

The man swallowed, looking troubled behind his pilot shades. "W-we are the S.H.I.E.L.D. We don't hurt people like that," he hurried to assure to his hostile passengers. He had witnessed how the demigod had taken down his whole team, mutilated his right hand, and the young woman just admitted she had killed a number of people. And now they were talking like some fucked up and crushed teenager. He definitely didn't want to be there with them.

"You have only one job!" Loki grunted at him with annoyance. The pilot concentrated at his only job; flying the jet.

Emma trusted this S.H.I.E.L.D. as much she trusted those who had kept her caged years ago. The pilot was one of them, whoever they were. "You realize this is far from over," she said and returned her gaze back at Loki. "There will be others. And they won't stop until they'll catch us. I fear we're not going to make it out of this alive. What is in New Mexico? Why do you want to go there so badly?"

Pondering the same thing, Loki broke free from her gaze and her hold. He had been so desperately seeking for retribution that he had forgotten everything else. He wondered would Emma still look at him the same way, if he would take his revenge on Thor by blighting and killing Jane Foster as he had originally planned. His silence had seemed to be the answer enough, since Emma continued quietly: "Unless there isn't your celestial army waiting, we shouldn't go there."

Lifting his gaze at her, remaining on his knee, Loki made up his mind. "We will not stand down. We will not retreat or go hiding," he stated firmly, seeing from her eyes that she wasn't happy with that. "But, we may consider a small leave, to take some time to get to know each other a little better, to scheme our plans... in somewhere nice and warmer." Emma's eyes returned at his again. "What would you suggest?"

With a puzzled small smile Emma looked at him. She couldn't believe that he was asking for her opinion, his beautiful green eyes locked with her, waiting for her answer. She could have fallen for him on that moment, a part of her did. After all he had done, she must have been truly fucked up to feel this way, but they had begun using the word 'we'.

"Um... We should go anywhere but the States. To Europe or Asia. I bet the Scandinavians would love you. Peter obviously did. The things he told me about Finland sounded nice. There is a lot of vodka, your new favorite drink, and people go crazy on summer time, they don't talk too much to strangers which is good in our case. They listens heavy metal and eat weird things like a fishcock. Like what the hell is that? Are you supposed to eat it or fuc-? Um… So, they have reindeers, and according to Peter apparently the one and only real Santa."

Loki hadn't had a clue of half of what she had told him. "You think this 'Santa' could provide us an army?"

Emma tried not to grin but failed miserably. "Maybe he could borrow a few elves if you'd be nice."

Loki frowned. "Dark or light elves?"

"Neither, I think. No, merry, little, old ones with long beards and red caps..." She had no more any idea what the hell was she explaining to him.

"Sounds like the poor folk in Nornheim."

Emma shook her head and let out a tiny laugh. "No Finland then. Caribbean is nice and warm. We could go there, sitting under palm trees on the beach, eating grapes and drinking rum without cares of the world. I could teach you to dive."

Loki liked the sound of that and revealed his grin. "You cannot hold your liqueur, woman. Perhaps I should do the drinking for both of us."

Emma smiled to that with a nod, and Loki didn't want to take his eyes off her when her troubles left her and her looks were bright and full of hope. Did he do that? He hardly knew her but would have wanted to kiss her again. With the corner of his eye, he noticed the pilot staring at them again mouth open.

His forehead furrowing, Loki let out an annoyed breath, turning at the man and gave him a short valuating look. "You are not invited!"

"Um… I'm sorry, sir."

"Do you not just hate being the third wheel?" Loki asked in a husky voice, pushing down an autopilot button. He grabbed a hold from the man's collar and picked him up from his seat, walking him on the cabin.

"What are you doing, Loki?" Emma asked, worried, watching at them as Loki took a bag of parachute and wrapped it on the pilot.

"I'm sorry, sir... I... I..." the pilot stammered, guarding his injured hand, fearing that Loki was going to hurt him again.

"You services are no longer required. I think I have got the hang of it," Loki smirked and walked the pilot on the other end of the aircraft, pushing the rear hatch's opening button on his way. When the hatch was nearly open, Loki threw him out, sending him flying in the air screaming. With careless steps he returned, closing the hatch and taking a seat on the pilot's seat next to Emma.

Emma started at him, gaping. "Are you crazy?" she yelped after the stunt he just pulled, kicking the only pilot out from the jet.

"Possibly! I thought you had it figured out already," Loki grinned and let out a laugh that caught on her too.

She noticed the parachute opening far behind and the pilot soaring over the unfrozen land since they were already above the coastline the great blue sea opening before their eyes. She saw that they just flew over a small village or a town. Sure, the pilot would be fine there.

"Oh my god!" Emma found herself laughing with him, unsure had she became as mad as he was. "You didn't bother to drive the SnowCat. Can you actually fly this thing?"

"Let's find out." He placed his hands on the control wheel and pushed off the autopilot, taking the jet under his control, seemingly enjoying the feeling of freedom. It couldn't be any harder than flying a spacecraft, he reasoned. His face softened and his emerald eyes smiled as he looked at Emma. "Do you trust me, Emma Morgan?"

And with that her life was completely in his hands again, Emma thought, returning to his smile. "If you'll play fair with me for now on."

"You have my word," Loki promised with a tiny grin.

"No more tricks?"

"No more tricks."

"I'm so going to hold you to that, Trickster." The way Emma said 'Trickster' was soft and warm recalling their kisses and desiring some more.

Loki smiled broadly. They were just the two of them again and they were going to take a new heading. His revenge could wait for the eternity as long as he had her with him. "You read the map, my dear."

… …

Back in Asgard, the look on Thor's face was dismayed as he stared at his father who sat on the throne once again. "Did you not hear me, father? Loki is in Midgard," Thor repeated.

"I know," Odin answered simply.

"You send him there?" the god of thunder asked, confused.

"Yes. It was the only way I was able to save him."

Thor exchanged glanced with his mother as she walked to them and by her looks it seemed that she had already known Loki's whereabouts. "Mother, you know where Loki is, do you not?"

Queen Frigga nodded, a part of her hoping that Loki would find his own path in there but she was still troubled. "Yes. And your father sent him there for a good reason."

The anxiety within Thor only grew stronger. It was as if his parents didn't realize what soft of chaos Loki was capable of causing in the world of mortals. He turned back at Odin. "So, you stripped him from his powers?"

Odin shook his head. "No. For that I am afraid I did not reach him in time."

Thor groaned. "Then send me after him. I will find him and bring him back in some way."

"No!" Odin's voice thundered in the great hall. "Loki must find his own way if he wishes to return."

Frigga moved closer to her husband. "For pity's sake, Odin. Please, bring him back."

"Only if he should abuse his powers and bring about ruin around him then I would be forced to act."

"What about Jotunheim? Was that not enough of ruin for you?" Thor asked.

"My word is final."

Thor was falling in to a foul mood when Heimdall strode in front of them looking worried.

"My king," the guardian of the Bifrost said and bowed to his king, his right arm across over his chest. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am afraid it is about Loki…" he begun and told them what he had seen Loki doing in Midgard, his battle with the soldiers on the glacier.