Thank you all so very much for your patience! I am so, so sorry for taking so long! I have no excuse but laziness and writer's block! (I never would have thought that the hardest part of this story would be the part where the plotline has already been determined!) This chapter is rather short and it doesn't end where I originally intended but I really didn't want to keep you all waiting any longer when you've all been so kind with your reviews!

I HAVE been reading them, and I HAVE been working on this story almost every day. I've just been so stuck when it comes to where I'm at. Future chapters I've written oodles for! This one… not so much haha

But anyway, here is just a small portion of what you deserve from me, and I've smooshed in a little Loki/Rosa for you as way of thanks :)

Please enjoy!

It is a feeling like no other, to see the earth rushing towards you and to be utterly powerless to stop it from happening. It is not something you can fight off… because it is not that it is rushing towards you, you are rushing towards it. You cannot resist. You cannot turn and run, you cannot dive out of the way… you just watch as it happens.

Rosa wasn't sure if she even tried to scream, but if she did, it went unheard. Storm clouds gusted up around her, throwing her limp body to and fro, wherever the wind willed. Sand and dirt assaulted her eyes and choked her as she inhaled it. The tiny particles stung as they pelted against her skin but still she struggled to keep her eyes open. If these were to be her final moments of existence, then she would see them. She would experience them.

And so, she watched as she plummeted towards the earth beneath her.

She ran her fingers over his bare chest, his skin cool underneath her touch. He let out a soft hiss and his fingers snaked to intertwine with hers. She looked up at him and their eyes locked. His gaze was gentle, a small contented smile danced upon his lips.

Her hand rested over the gentle drumming of his heart and he moved his head to press his forehead against hers, his eyes still trained upon her features.

It seemed to happen so slowly.

As if she had all the time in the world. Because the end would be the same. The sudden stop was inevitable. And so death was patient, allowing her all the time she needed to contemplate her final moments. And so the fear bloomed.

Would it hurt? Such a sudden death. She didn't imagine it could, but still she feared it – dying in pain. Would she hear the sickening crunch of her bones shattering? Would she feel her organs explode? Would she see the fabled light that came to lead you on to the afterlife? She feared pain. But it was not what she feared most.

It was him.

She had figured it out, what Lyora must have done… must have said. What would he think of her? Her tattered heart ached at the thought of leaving him like this. Would Loki live the remainder of his existence never knowing how truly and deeply she loved him? Would he mourn her death? The thought of his pain broke her heart. But… what if he did not? What if he was glad of it? And he spent the rest of eternity resenting her? Regretting her…

In that moment, that thought hurt her more than anything else ever could.

She closed her eyes, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. She loved the way that his body always felt strangely cool yet comfortingly warm all at once. How could one person come to mean so much to another? He had become her world. Her everything. And yet she had once been capable of living without him. How? How had she lived such a half life without ever having been aware of it?

As if he'd read her mind – which Rosa was beginning to suspect that he did on occasion – he ran his fingertips along her jaw, his touch feather light. As if she might shatter into a million, million pieces under a coarser touch.

"I had no purpose before you, my star…" he whispered to her in a husky tone, "I was not aware of it, but until the moment when I first saw you with that book, I was merely existing… working through the motions until my life could begin…"

The smile spread upon her lips without her permission. How could simple words make her heart feel as if it would explode? She pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

"Loki…" she whispered.

But when she hit the ground she felt the force of impact, but not the pain. She inhaled sharply and felt truly alive as oxygen rushed into her lungs. She jerked upright, still surrounded by total unworldly chaos.

Light and darkness. Noise and silence.

Her heart pounded jubilantly.

You'realiveyou'realiveyou'realive!

Odin's banishment was just that – banishment. Thor was never supposed to have been killed by the fall. And so neither was she. Thor. He had landed beside her, amongst the dust and rushing wind. Dust and rushing wind which deafened and blinded her to his exact whereabouts.

"Thor-"

THUD!

Silence…

All was still. The powerful gusts of wind had quelled. And the Mighty Thor lay upon the ground in the dust. Rosa whipped around to stare into the glowing eyes of a growling beast. It was a giant thing, and it remained deathly still, staring at her, it's blinding eyes casting light over her. With her pulse thundering in her ears, she backed away… but the creature's eyes did not follow her, it stared out, straight ahead, illuminating not but earth.

Suddenly there were voices. And three beings emerged from within the bowels of the monster, ripping open it's sides and running towards the fallen Prince. They, who appeared mortal, did not see Rosa, hidden in the darkness.

"I think that was legally your fault!" came a voice. Feminine.

"Get the first aid kit!" Ordered another, a woman who leaned over the unconscious Prince, "do me a favour and don't be dead." She murmured to him. There was distress in her voice. Genuine panic.

There was a deep gasp as Thor jerked awake and Rosa watched with bated breath in the distance. He was disorientated, certainly, and he pulled himself to his feet with an angry growl. The mortals watched him seeming guarded, harmless.

There were hurried words exchanged between the mortals as Thor called for Mjolnir. Their attention had been shifted to the markings Odin's magic had left upon the soil. Rosa took a hesitant step forward.

"Father!" Thor cried out with his eyes cast skyward, "Heimdall! I know you can hear me! Open the Bifrost!"

And though Rosa's gaze followed Thor's, little hope bloomed within her.

"What realm is this?" Thor demanded as he turned once again, to the mortal three. "Alfheim? Nornheim?"

"New Mexico." Answered one of the women, Rosa heard the tension in her voice. He was making her nervous, it was evident in her guarded stance. She held something out before her, Rosa knew not what it was. It was small, what damage could it possibly do?

Thor snarled, "You dare threaten me, Thor, with so puny a weap-"

Rosa flinched and watched in horror as Thor was struck by the strange object. He shuddered and fell, instantly, to the ground. The fear that had all but dissipated, reared back tenfold. Her breathing became erratic which panicked her all the more. She had to keep quiet. If they saw her now, what would they do to her? These beings that had taken down the Mighty God, Thor, with such ease!

She was so wrapped up in her terror that the tingling rippling over her skin almost escaped her notice. It was gentle… unnatural and natural all at once. It was a sensation that soothed her drumming heart. She tore her eyes momentarily from the arguing mortals and the unconscious Prince to glance down at her hands.

She gasped.

He stirred, struggling at first to open his eyes. Even in the darkness he could see her silhouette, sitting upright by his side, hugging her knees to her chest.

He reached up to gently run his hand over the bare skin of her back, letting her know he was awake.

"You should be sleeping," he whispered, "what troubles you?"

She did not turn to look at him, "what if they do not approve, Loki? What if I lose you?"

He sat up instantly, shifting onto his knees and facing her. In the darkness he found her face and cupped her cheeks, bringing her forehead to meet his.

"Rosa," he said seriously, "there is nothing they can say… nothing that anyone could possibly do that will cause me to part from you."

"But what if-"

"It won't happen." He cut her off, "It won't."

Her shaking hands settled upon his chest, "alright…" she whispered, trusting him.

"All will be well," he told her and pressed a kiss to her head, "I swear it."

Her skin was translucent. Not invisible, but disguised enough to hide her from the sight of these beings. So long as she kept still they would not see her.

She watched them heave Thor's body towards their creature with the eyes made of light. They had subdued him effortlessly yet struggled with the Prince's weight.

In that moment, Rosa was torn. She was safe – for now – she had a chance to escape these beings and find a means of getting home… but could she truly abandon Thor? Leave him to the will of these people who were seemingly capable of strange magic?

She ought to attempt to stop them.

She ought to go with him.

She ought to ensure nothing happened to him that she could prevent, her future husband.

Instead, she stood in silence as the beast retreated with unexpected speed, leaving her alone in the darkness.

Slowly, she lowered herself to be seated upon the dirt. She looked up at the foreign star constellations and though she yearned to call out to Loki, to Heimdall, to alone… she did not. She was too afraid. Seated in the darkness, unable to see anything that surrounded her… she did not wish to draw any attention to herself… her vulnerability.

New Mexico… what realm was that? She had never heard of any place even slightly akin to it. The beings appeared mortal… yet they had defeated Thor…

Glancing skyward again to the crescent of the moon (a realm with a single moon), she expelled a shaky sigh. She would wait until the sun rose to decide upon her best course of action.

But then another frightening thought awoken within her.

Was she even in a realm of sunlight? Or was it to be a place as awful as Jotenheim where the creatures that dwelled there had never spent a day in the light? The thought filled her with fear once again, though as she lay back on the dust and dirt beneath her, she took comfort in the fact that it was warm. Yes, the sun had drenched these dirt planes. At least that is what she believed – what she had to believe for the time being.

She closed her eyes and willed sleep to come to her. There was, after all, nothing more she could do until daybreak. But as she lied there upon the hard ground, she found no reprieve from consciousness as her thoughts turned to Loki… and the necklace he had clutched when he had returned from Jotenheim.

A tear slipped from her cheek onto the dirt beneath her.

"I love you, Loki," she clutched at his hand as if it were the last time that she would ever touch him.

He smiled at her. She looked so beautiful in the light of the rising sun. He understood her apprehension. Today everything would change. But it would be for the better. It had to be.

"I love you, Rosa," he whispered, kissing her. Their final secret kiss.

No more hiding, he promised himself as he watched her slip out of his chambers.

All would be well.

She was gone… truly gone…

Loki stared into the swirling portal of the Bifrost in utter silence. Odin – weary with sorrow at the loss of his favourite son – had retired, riding towards the Kingdom of Asgard. Loki had remained there in solitude, staring at the exact spot where Rosa had slipped away from him forever.

She was gone…

That was never meant to have happened. True as it were, Loki could not believe his great fortune when the Allfather had proclaimed Thor banished. But then Rosa had crossed their path… crying out his name, and she had been cast out with Thor. Forever… Gone forever…

Loki flexed his left hand involuntarily and his thoughts shifted instantly to Jotenheim… to the monsters… to his bare skin.

Blue… instead of crippling frostbite, he had turned… blue… he could barely even bring himself to think of it. The way the creature who had touched his bare flesh had looked at him, he had seen it too. It had not been right. It should not have happened… because… because it meant-

Loki turned on his heel and stormed out of the Bifrost dome. He wanted answers.

And he would have them.

Well, what do you think? I know I didn't make much progress with this chapter but I pinky swear I'm trying to get going with this story. I SWEAR I'll finish it eventually, so don't worry if my lack of updating suggests otherwise. I'm not going anywhere, I won't abandon it.

I do need a bit of help though! As you know, the plot of The Avengers will be incorporated into the story eventually. I just need to know if anyone actually knows how much time passes between the end of Thor and the beginning of The Avengers. I've tried researching but I'm not having much luck. I'm 'guesstimating' that its approximately two years, so if no one actually knows, that's the time frame I'm going to go with. Ok! Thanks for reading! Please review! I love you all!