"Not here," I moaned breathlessly. Loki had dragged me into the alleyway next to the pub, pinned me to the wall and was kissing me, my legs wrapped around him as his lips moved down my neck. "They'll see us."

"Of course," he whispered almost as breathless, "you deserve better than a quick shag in an alleyway."

Neither of us let the other go. The music became louder and we froze as voices and footsteps came nearer. We waited as still as we could, his head buried in my neck, my legs wrapped around his waist as a group of people walked past without seeing us.

"My place is closer," Loki murmured as he looked up.

"I have a double bed," I reminded him.

"Your place it is." He gently let me down and stepped away. We were both gasping for air as if we'd run a marathon, and we both started to grin as our eyes met. He took my hand in his and we walked towards Agartha as fast as we could.

"Loki," I spoke softly, the cold air was sobering me up a bit, and suddenly my anxiety got the better of me. "I can't just be a one night stand."

"I know," his face was serious, his brow furrowed. He squeezed my hand gently. "Not you. Never you." His voice was deep and warm, and trembled with emotion. "You are worth so much more than that."

We had to let go of each other's hand in Agartha, just in case anyone would see us, but the moment we stepped out of the portal Loki wrapped his arm around my shoulder. His body was firm, I could feel the hard muscles under his shirt as I put my arm around his waist under his coat.

It was a beautiful night, the moon was out and the stars were shining, but it was lost on us as we only had eyes for each other.

"Not here either," I giggled, as I was trying to open the front door with Loki's arms wrapped around me, his body pressed close to mine. "Just hold that thought!"

"Or here," I whispered in the hallway while shushing him and trying to fend him off at the same time, "Jessie might hear us!"

"My patience is starting to wear thin," Loki growled, but he was grinning despite himself. It felt so deliciously naughty, having to sneak around like that. Without saying another word he lifted me up in his arms and carried me up the stairs two steps at a time. I smothered a squeal against his shoulder.

And then we were suddenly in my bedroom, with the door closed. I half expected Loki to throw me on the bed, but he put me down gently, his eyes fixed on my bedside unit.

"You have the bracelet here?" he asked quietly.

"I forgot to return it after we went to the island," I admitted. The Templars didn't need it to track Loki's movement or activate the collar if it was deemed necessary, they could do that remotely. And I hadn't worn it that night, since Loki was allowed to move around freely in Ealdwic, and my house was considered another permitted area.

He sat down on the bed and pulled me next to him.

"Did you mean what you said earlier? About the collar?" Loki asked me intently.

"Yes," I said, again without hesitation.

"And you would take it off me if you could?"

"I would, but I don't know how to."

"Do you trust me?"

"I do," I know Loki lied almost as easy as he spoke the truth, or even easier perhaps, but he has never done anything to hurt or betray me after that first day we worked together. I trusted him.

Loki swallowed.

"I think I know how," he admitted. I eyed him questioningly.

"Two weeks ago they brought me in to check on the collar, and they took it off for a short while. I think I know how they did it, but I cannot do it myself. If I were to show you how, would you?"

I hesitated. If I took the collar off, he'd be free to go, free to leave. And I might never see him again.

But if you love someone, truly love someone, you set them free.

Loki noticed my hesitation.

"I won't betray you," he reassured me just as I said yes at the same time.

"Show me," I nodded at him.

"Put the bracelet on, please," he asked.

He took my hand in his after I had put the bracelet on. Carefully avoiding touching it, he pointed at the runes inscribed on it one by one. "...this, this and then this." Our eyes met.

"What if I get it wrong?"

Loki made me repeat the pattern until I got it right.

"After activating the sequence you touch one of the runes at the back of the collar."

"Which one?" I asked.

"I don't know. I don't have eyes in the back of my head." he snapped.

"But if I get it wrong…"

"If you get it wrong you'll be spending the rest of the night cleaning up brains from your walls and ceiling. My brains. Yes, thank you, I am well aware. The thought doesn't particularly please me either. Now, are you willing to take that collar off me or not?"

He turned his back towards me. I gently moved his hair away from the back of his neck, my fingers brushing his jaw. He turned his face slightly and I saw he was scared too. He took my hand in his and lifted it to his face, brushing his lips over my fingers.

"I trust you," he whispered.

There were three runes on the back of the collar, I figured the middle one would make the most sense. My hand shook as I activated the runes on the bracelet one by one. If I got this wrong, if he were to die by my hand, I didn't think I could bear it.

The bracelet lit up and I held it against the collar. Loki inhaled sharply, bracing himself for what was to come. For a moment nothing happened and I was terrified I had done it wrong, but then the collar gave a sharp click and it opened. I gently removed it from Loki's neck. He turned around, and took me in his arms, his lips hungrily meeting mine as our bodies pressed against each other.

It was a long time after that. The moonlight was coming through a gap in the curtains, shining down on Loki, his alabaster skin almost glowing ethereally in the light. He was lying on his back, one arm wrapped around me, the other behind his head, our legs still intertwined.

I was resting my head on his chest, my arm wrapped around him. I moved up a bit and stroked a strand of hair away from his face. Loki looked down at me, smiling gently.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Hey yourself," he whispered back with a smile.

"You are so beautiful," we both said at the same time.

Loki chuckled, "Hey, now, you can't go around just stealing my lines!"

I grinned back at him. I couldn't be happier than I was at that moment.

He slowly untangled himself out of my embrace.

"I should probably go," he said as he sat up.

"No, stay," I begged. I wasn't ready for him to leave, for this magical night to end.

"I can make a call to the Templars, say you were drunk and crashed in my guest room or something," I pleaded. "We'll work something out. Just come back into bed."

Loki pulled on his trousers.

"It's not that. I just don't spend the night in someone else's bed. I'd rather sleep at home."

Wait, what was happening?

"Loki…" I didn't know what to say.

He sat down on the bed and stroked my cheek.

"It's not you, okay? It's me."

Oh yes, because nothing bad ever follows that line.

"I don't sleep with people."

I raised an eyebrow.

He shook his head. "I don't mean I don't have sex with people, I obviously do. I just don't stay around afterwards. I'll see you again soon, yes?"

This wasn't happening. What had happened to "I want more than just passion, I need more than that"?

Tears were burning in my eyes and there was a huge lump in my throat. I blinked angrily, it would be too humiliating if Loki saw.

But of course, he noticed anyway.

Hey," he nestled my chin in his hand and forced me to look at him. "Will you stop this? This has nothing to do with you."

It was his turn to look away.

"I'm an insomniac, I rarely sleep. And when I do I often have nightmares. Bad ones. Guilty consciousness probably, or so they say."

Loki's eyes met mine again, he looked troubled.

"I can't sleep when someone else is around, I am vulnerable, I can't protect myself when I'm sleeping. I don't feel safe."

I reached out to him and wrapped my arms around him. "You are safe here with me. I'll never hurt you, and I won't let anyone else hurt you either. I trust you, now it's time you trust me."

Loki hesitated for a moment. And then, with his biggest widest smile, let himself be pulled back into the bed.

Neither of us slept much that night. We made love, and after we'd just lie in each other's arms, kissing and cuddling, whispering sweet little nothings that were for our ears alone.

I dozed off a few times, and every time I woke up Loki was there, his arms around me, just looking at me as if he couldn't believe this was really happening either.

I must have finally fallen asleep properly because the sun was starting to rise as I woke up again. I smiled, the night before had been truly amazing.

I turned around.

Loki was gone, and so were his clothes.

The collar and bracelet were carefully placed on my bedside unit.

I was alone.