Day 284

Asgard

"Your Majesty?"

"What is it, Hillevi?" Frigga looked up from her tapestry, eyebrows raised.

"All-Mother, I apologize for the intrusion. Heimdall would like to see you."

"Oh?" The queen asked. "Is he here?"

"No, your Majesty. He's asking you to – to go to him, at his post."

oooOOOooo

Mojave Desert: Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility

"Hello, Thor," Erik said.

"Hello, Erik Selvig." Thor sat in the office chair next to the scientist and stretched out his legs.

The older-but-younger man swiveled to face the Asgardian and chuckled. "Y'know, it still sometimes just hits me again that you're here. Thor's here."

"I'm here."

"You're real. All those legends were true, the stories my mormor used to tell me."

Thor made a face. "Ah, Erik Selvig, please, don't believe all those legends. They've been embellished."

Erik turned back to his desk and clicked a series of screens on his computer. "So you didn't really kill two bilgesnipes at once with your bare hands?"

"No, I'm afraid not. That would be, uh, messy."

"Oh, I see. And you didn't marry the Grand Empress of Niflheim, only to fake your death and then marry a princess of Alfheim?"

This elicit a full laugh from Thor. "First of all, Niflheim has no Grand Empresses and Alfheim has no princesses. Second, I've never been married at all. Fanciful lies, all of them."

"Ah. Of course. I guess you didn't rout a regiment of fire demons either. That's too bad." Erik squinted and leaned closer to his monitor.

"What? That, I did."

Erik waved his hand in dismissal. "Don't humor me, Thor. I understand. Legends, all of them."

"What a battle we had that day! I think I still have a scar from one of those demons breathing on me. Where is it?"

"Uh-huh," Erik said absently. "Next you'll tell me you saw Surtur himself."

"My father defeated Surtur millennia ago. But the demons are real."

Clint Barton, up in his perch, shook his head. "Guess we gotta talk about something to keep from going crazy," he muttered.

oooOOOooo

Chitauri Space: The Sanctuary

"We have some loose ends to tie up, Odinson."

"Ah. The Tesseract. Yes. I can retrieve that at any time, Master, and we can begin our glorious conquest of Midgard."

Thanos shook his head. "Not yet. We've waited this long. You've just returned to full strength. What's the hurry?"

"No hurry, Master. Just wish to demonstrate that I am at your full disposal."

"Yes. Disposal. I'm glad you brought that up. Jane Foster."

Every atom in Loki's body froze for an instant. "Master?"

"She knows too much."

The Other cut in. "She's seen this place. She has knowledge no Midgardian should have."

"And…?" Loki carefully prompted.

"And that threatens our plans," the Other continued.

"With all due respect, Master, Jane knows nothing. She believes this is merely a dream world. Dr. Foster has a great deal of experience with traumatic dreams. I think it would be simple to convince her that this was just another one."

Thanos gazed at him for several interminable seconds. "She really is quite important to you."

"Yes." It was a terrible mistake, but yes. "She is essential to preparing the portal for the Chitauri to pass through. If we must eliminate Jane, then I will have to take the time to train another Midgardian. And no one knows the Tesseract like Jane Foster."

"Jane Foster will alert Midgardian defenses," the Other hissed.

Loki snorted with unfeigned amusement. "If she believes what she experienced was real, which she does not, Jane will not tell her story to anyone in authority."

"You place a great deal of trust in her," Thanos said.

"It is not a matter of trust. Dr. Foster has her own reasons for avoiding those who have the power to mount a defense. But beyond that, even if she did tell all that she has seen to the Midgardian authorities, no one would believe her."

"And why is that?"

"Midgardians are blissfully, arrogantly ignorant that they are not alone in the universe. Dr. Foster has long had a reputation for bizarre theories that exclude her from elite circles. And it's known that she suffered a crisis in the recent past. Her claims would be dismissed as the ramblings of a damaged mind. And what could the Midgardians truly do to defend themselves against your powerful army, Master?"

The Other stepped closer. "Your word still means little to us, Runt."

Loki shrugged. "I have done all that I can do to prove my loyalty. Killing Dr. Foster now accomplishes nothing. Wait until after she opens the portal, then do with her what you will. She will have served her purpose."

The Mad Titan nodded his head. "Very well. We'll wait until we've no further need of her."

"And how may I serve you today, Master?"

"Go take a tour of your future kingdom. Get reacquainted with the realm."

"Master?"

"You'll be inspired to succeed in your mission."

Loki nodded. "As you wish."

Thanos waved a dismissal and Loki turned on his heel and left the throne room.

"He's lying," the Other hissed.

"Of course he is," Thanos agreed.

oooOOOooo

Mojave Desert: Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility

"Erik Selvig! There. Look. What was that?"

The scientist shook his head. "Thor. How many times must I tell you? Not every jump is a cause for alarm. Loki is not behind every spike."

The Asgardian looked to the rafters. Barton stared down at him, then nodded his head slightly.

Thor chuckled. "I'm truly not usually so nervous, Erik Selvig. Forgive me. I'm going to take a break."

"Good idea," Selvig said.

A few minutes later, out in the cold desert night, Thor looked to the sky. "Heimdall!"

oooOOOooo

The old pathway was comfortable, familiar. Loki stepped into the worn desert of New Mexico and breathed the air of Midgard. He knew Thanos had expected him to go to Jane. If there was a way to protect her, he would find it.

Visiting the Tesseract first was a start. He couldn't risk speaking to Thor. That oaf would likely kill first then ask questions. But he had to trust that Thor would raise the alarm. It was crucial for the next step of his plan.

Jane's old lab was being used for some other purpose now, but the silver trailer was abandoned. Loki secured the lock with a spell and then lowered his weary body onto the inadequate mattress. He had his power back but the toll of the returned memories was significant. He needed simply to rest before continuing.

oooOOOooo

Asgard

The beautiful queen sat in her chambers, head in her hands, the weight of all she must decide heavy.

"Hello, Mother."

Frigga froze, then slowly lifted her head, not daring to hope. "Loki?"

Loki's image shimmered. "Yes."

She stood and walked to his projected image. They gazed at each other, each seeing the thousand unasked questions and unspoken answers in the other's eyes.

"Loki…" Frigga shook her golden head. "This is so hard."

"Mother, I need your help. One more time, I need your help. Please."

oooOOOooo

Sarah's place

She couldn't sleep. Here she was, sitting in her living room, staring at a cold fire. Wait. Why would the fire be cold? Did she even have a fireplace? Maybe she was sleeping after all.

Well, it's official. I'm losing it. Tomorrow morning I'm going to...do something. I don't know what. But something has to change. I've got to get out of Vancouver, go somewhere else, I don't know. Loki's gone. Though he wasn't really here anyway. He couldn't have helped me. And who knows? Maybe that buys Earth some time. Thanos will have to figure out plan B. Anyway. Heimdall didn't rush to my rescue. Thor didn't magically show up this time. I'm going to list all my options and figure out what to do.

The flames writhed up and around each other, weaving a hypnotizing pattern. Jane let her eyes slide shut. Maybe she would slip into a deeper sleep and not have to think anymore for a while.

"I suspected you might have good taste, Dr. Foster. That fireplace looks familiar."

She froze, then relaxed. No. Of course she would dream a memory of Loki into the dream. Her weary mind was just wishing.

I should call Erik. I should warn them. He will be furious with me. I don't care. I'm not going to go to JDEF, but SHIELD needs to know about Thanos. They need to hide the Tesseract, get it far away from where Thanos knows it is.

Her bones were finally starting to warm up, her muscles loosening, soothing the stress ache in her neck. Alie was still, a welcome change from the calisthenics she had been doing.

"I never imagined you'd be able to stop talking long enough to give me the silent treatment."

Jane's eyes flew open at that. Loki lounged in the chair opposite hers, ankles crossed, fingers steepled. His hair waved back off his forehead and fell shining around his shoulders. One eyebrow was raised rakishly; his mouth was twisted in a small smile. He looked good.

She sighed and shut her eyes again. Come on, deep sleep! Get me out of here.

"Jane?"

"You're not real."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I don't mean to be rude. It's nice to see you, really it is, but I have to protect my poor traumatized brain."

"Open your eyes."

"Leave me alone, Loki. Fake Loki."

He scoffed. "Ah, Jane. Must you resist me at every turn?" He nudged her foot with his. "Open your eyes."

"You're not going to leave me be, are you?"

"Have I ever?"

She sighed. Why couldn't she have nice dreams of kittens and unicorns and puffy clouds? Why did her dreams have to be full of killer demigods? She opened her eyes. "Why are you here?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Are we back to this, then? We've been visiting quite regularly in our dreams for some time now."

"Yes, and in my last dream we, you and I, we..." Loki frowned and her courage failed, even though he was a figment of her imagination. She would just be talking to her own subconscious. "Forget it. Anyway, that thing had me. And you...and it... And you didn't show up yesterday. You must be dead! You are dead and I—we—are alone and I have to figure out what to do, how to stop Thanos and…why am I telling you this? You're dead. Leave me alone, Loki. Just stop haunting me, okay?"

Loki stared at her for several seconds, then pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head slowly. "It was a dream."

"Was it, though? This was different. It was real and…you were skewered to the wall and that thing was going to kill me. Or worse, probably."

He drew a long breath. His fists clenched briefly.

Jane chuckled in spite of herself. Even in a dream, she managed to exasperate him.

"I'm not dead," Loki said.

"How do I know you aren't my subconscious projection?"

Loki motioned toward her belly. "How do you feel?"

Better, she realized. She wasn't cold anymore. Alie was quiet. She allowed a wave of relief to sweep through her tense core. "It's really you?"

He nodded.

She closed her eyes again, absorbing the jagged joy. She wasn't totally alone. She wanted to run into his arms, to be held and reassured, but that wasn't really his style. The intimate moment they had shared had been so thoroughly, violently interrupted that it was as though it had never happened.

oooOOOooo

The joy in her expression, the relief in her voice was nearly his undoing. When had anyone, even Frigga, been so unreservedly delighted to see him, happy he had returned from battle safely? His muscles twitched, yearning to cross to her and enfold her in his arms, to reassure her, to claim her as his.

The dark circles under her eyes and the haunted look in them clawed at his gut. He tried not to stare at her, but he couldn't help it. So he had frowned to make her think he was irritated. He vividly remembered her reckless attempt to save him in the Sanctuary. What the Torturer would have done to her…he pinched the bridge of his nose to control the shudder. He clenched his fists to keep from grabbing her, from gathering her onto his lap and holding her, soothing her…and himself, he admitted. He could not do that. The only chance he had to save them was to lie to her.

Jane closed her eyes and he drank in the sight of her. Fragile though she was, she was beautiful. Fine bones, satin skin, delectable. The swollen lower lip he was sure he had given her… Control yourself. Now is not the time to allow your thoughts to wander in that direction. Faint bruises shadowed her collarbone. Rage shot to the surface, overtaking lust. I killed it. It's over. It won't hurt her anymore. He stood and crossed to the window, staring into the black night.

"Loki?"

He stayed where he was.

"Are you sure you're all right? I mean, you look great…fine, better even that you did before the dream. Come to think of it, how is that possible? You've not been around me. How did you heal?"

He shrugged. "I was nearly healed anyway, I suppose."

Her silence spoke volumes. She doesn't believe me. Distract her.

He turned to face her. "Listen, Jane, Thanos is demanding more and more of me. We must—"

"Aren't you still in the dungeon? You said it was just a dream."

I used to be better at lying. What is wrong with me?

"Thanos let me out."

"Thanos let you out? Just like that?" She sat up. Her eyes narrowed. "What does that mean? Why didn't you tell me? It's me, Loki. Jane. We kind of have a history together. The last time we were together, you kissed me, remember? And you told me-"

He had to shut her up. He could not listen to this. "I don't believe I'm obliged to tell you everything."

Jane pursed her lips and shook her head. "You are so predictable."

"But if you must know," he continued as though she hadn't spoken, "Thanos came to his senses and realized I was of much greater value alive and healthy than broken or dead. And now I've been given more tasks, and—"

"What about the plans we've been making?"

"I'm looking for the best way to implement them."

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Jane, this paranoia…it isn't becoming."

She stood up. "I'm not buying these lines you're feeding me, and frankly I'm insulted that you thought I would."

"What do you want, Dr. Foster?"

"What I've always wanted. The truth. The truth! I'm very, very relieved that you are not dead, Loki. Truly I am. But don't waste my time. You need me. Come back when you're ready to tell me the truth."

oooOOOooo

Day 285

Vancouver

The early morning sunlight diffused through the window, diluting the darkness and highlighting more clearly the form in the bed. Though it was weak, late-winter light, not yet holding any real heat or brightness, the sleeping woman stirred. She shifted, murmured something, something he couldn't understand, then settled back onto the pillow, small fist tucked under her chin.

He smiled, then scowled. She was adorable. And terribly intelligent. He suspected that she was not going to be happy to see him. He was going to have to tread very, very lightly to navigate the upcoming conversation.

It had been very easy to find Jane. He had just focused on her and the pathways opened before him. That had to have been how she had found him in the Sanctuary. The bond had brought her to him.

Jane wrinkled her forehead, then blinked a couple of times. She squeezed her eyes shut before yawning and blinking a few more times. She scratched her head, barely affecting the rat's nest of her hair, then halted.

"Loki?" she muttered sleepily.

"I'm here," he answered quietly.

Jane closed her eyes again. She adjusted her pillow.

"Jane," he whispered.

"Lemme sleep."

He stayed where he was. A few seconds passed. She opened one eye. "I'm awake."

Loki raised his eyebrows. "Yes."

"You're really here."

He nodded.

She pushed herself up (even more clumsily than in her dreams, he noted).

"Are you here to kill me?"

Remorse struck like a gong in his chest. He hated it that she still feared him. Loki held out his hands as if reassuring a spooked horse and kept his voice low.

"No, I'm not going to kill you. It's just me, Jane. You're safe."

She gaped at him, holding one hand out to ward him off. "Of course I'm not safe! You're in my house! You're actually in my actual house! What are you doing here? Get out!"

He held the same position, knowing any movement would frighten her even more.

"Loki!" She hissed. "I'm serious. How are you here? Why would you do this? Why didn't you warn me? This is not okay! You do not have my permission to be in my bedroom! Get out!"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I've been in your bedroom many times, my dear."

"But not like this! You're really here! Why are you here? What are you going to do? What is happening?"

"Jane. How can I convince you that you are safe? Would it help if I took my boots off?"

"What? Are you stupid? No! Your boots? I don't know! You can't convince me I'm safe! But I'm pissed at you and I'm about ready to piss this bed if I don't go to the bathroom. You. Stay there. Do not move one inch or I'll…I'll…I don't know what I'll do but I have to pee right now!"

She worked her way out of bed and modestly straightened her nightshirt before standing up and glaring at him. "Don't move!"

He nodded. She grabbed a robe from a hook on the door and scurried out of the room. He heard the sound of a door shutting and a lock clicking. That made him smile again. She really was adorable. A toilet flushed and water ran and the lock clicked open.

Jane reappeared in the doorway, robe securely belted above her belly, slippers on her feet, a severe expression on her face. He would have considered feeling intimidated were it not for the riotous explosion of hair sticking up from her head. Damp strands seemed to indicate that she had attempted to tame it, but had been unsuccessful.

"What?" she snapped. "This is how I look in the morning, okay? If you don't like it, you shouldn't have snuck into my house."

"I said nothing."

"You didn't have to. I saw the smirk on your face. Shut up and come to the kitchen so I can find a butcher knife to kill you with."

He slowly stood up—no sudden moves—straightened his overcoat, and carefully walked to the door.

Jane stepped back and pointed to the kitchen. "Walk in front of me."

He obediently walked in front of her down the hallway and through the kitchen doorway.

"Sit down."

He complied, pulling out one of the shabby wooden chairs and lowering himself gingerly onto it. Jane stalked to the cooker and snatched a metal pot, then filled it with water. She put it back on the cooktop and turned a knob, then turned to him. She stared at him for a moment, then opened a drawer and took out a large knife. Armed with the weapon, Jane addressed him.

"First of all. I am very, very angry with you. I'm trying to stay calm, but don't mistake me keeping my temper for compliance or—or acceptance or anything. Got it?"

"Yes."

She inched toward him, knife clenched in one fist. He held very still. A knife wound wouldn't do much damage to him, but he'd had enough pain for a while. She poked his shoulder with her free hand, then stepped back quickly.

He wanted to respect her fear, but he couldn't hide the grin. "It's truly me and I'm truly here."

"What are you doing here? If you don't answer my questions, I'll call SHIELD. And I know you can just disappear before they get here, but they will take me away and hide me from you."

Loki very much doubted that Jane would actually be able to make that call. Most of what she was saying didn't make sense, but she didn't need to know that he knew that. If threatening him made her feel more confident, he could go along with it.

"This is so not okay. I'll bet your mama would be so mad at you that you just barged into my house uninvited."

Jane was correct on that point.

"I understand. I do apologize for frightening you. I thought this was the best way to give you what you asked for: the truth," he half-lied.

"What happened in the dungeon wasn't just a dream," she said.

He nodded. "What happened in the dungeon wasn't just a dream."

"You lied."

"I couldn't tell you the truth yet."

Jane studied him for a long moment, slowly scanning his face and body, her eyes going to those places he'd had wounds. "You healed quickly. Very quickly. You look…healthy. And you're here. In person."

"Yes."

Jane turned away. She set the knife on the counter, opened a cupboard, took out a mug, then asked over her shoulder, "Do you drink tea?"

"I don't believe I've had tea in this realm."

"Well, do you want to try some or not?"

"Yes, please. Thank you."

She selected a second mug and set it on the counter next to the first.

"And you have all your powers back." It was a statement, said with her back to him.

"Yes."

"And?"

And my memories. I remember you, Jane. I remember us. "And what?"

Jane sighed heavily. "Why are you here, Loki?"

She fished in a drawer, coming up with two small white bags, which went into the mugs.

"Ah. Well, I wanted to see you, actually." I couldn't stay away from you, actually.

Jane placed the two mugs on the table, one at an empty chair and one in front of him. Her scent enveloped him…vanilla and warm flesh. His mouth watered. This visit mustn't outlast his self-control.

"You see me all the time."

The pot on the cooking stove began to spit and whistle. Jane retrieved more utensils and containers, then the pot. Boiling water went into her mug, then into his. He noted that her hands shook. The teapot was returned to the stovetop. Jane pulled out her chair and sank into it gingerly, grimacing.

"Stop staring at me," she muttered.

He couldn't help it. He hadn't truly been in the same room with Jane since the night they were bonded (that was a memory he mustn't dwell on). She was luminous though she was still creased from sleep, graceful though she carried the burden of his child, stunning though she was dressed in a bulky robe and had unkempt hair. He drank her in, watching her every move.

"I apologize," he lied again. "It's just…interesting…seeing you. The real, real you."

"Ugh," Jane said. "Again, you chose to catch me first thing in the morning. So you can just keep your opinions to yourself." She dunked her tea bag up and down.

"You, on the other hand, are doing anything you can to avoid looking at me." He mimicked her treatment of the tea bag.

"I'm trying to control my temper. It helps not to look at you."

"Ah. Why would you bother to start controlling your temper now?"

She scooped honey out of a small jar and stirred it into her mug before answering. Her voice was quiet, with no trace of sarcasm or bravado. "It seems wise not to deliberately provoke a being who is exponentially more powerful than I am and against whom I have no defense. I do have a child to consider."

Her sudden vulnerability jarred him.

"Jane. I have given you my word that I will not—"

"Yes. You have. Tell me, Loki, what is your word worth?"

"I—" Very little, in fact. He shook his head. "Never mind."

"Back to my question. Why are you here?"

"I told you. I wanted to see you."

"You couldn't have mentioned last night that you were planning to stop by?"

"You would have told me no. I had no desire to argue with you. You told me not to come back until I was ready to tell you the truth. What better way to show you that I'm telling the truth than by showing you myself?"

At this she did meet his eyes. "So you're showing off?"

A little, yes. Are you impressed? "Why would I show off?"

"Well, you're a man…"

"Jane, there are no—"

"Men like you, I know. I'm very aware, believe me."

He grinned at her. She averted her gaze and quickly took a sip of tea. He followed suit. The liquid was slightly bitter. It wasn't bad.

Jane motioned toward the jar she had used. "You could add honey if you'd like."

"This is fine, thank you."

They quietly sipped tea for a few moments as the sunlight gained strength and slipped further into the small kitchen. How many of these odd interludes had they experienced, Loki wondered. Small oases of calm and harmony in the midst of deserts. More like eyes in the center of hurricanes.

He set his mug down. "Jane." She kept her eyes on her tea. "That night—the night in the dungeon—that was a sort of half-dream, half-reality. The creature you saw there…"

"The Torturer?"

"Yes, that was my torturer. He—it—had the ability to somehow reach into my dreams and affect you, to pull you out of them."

"Had?" Jane asked. "Past tense?"

"Yes."

"Ah," she said. Again they drank their tea in silence.

"You were stuck to that column," Jane said to the jar of honey. "You were impaled, screaming in agony. Then suddenly you were free and you sent me out of the dream. Or half-dream. Whatever it was."

"Yes," he answered.

"What happened?"

"I remembered what you said. If my magic is a part of the fiber of my being, how could Thanos take it from me? I discovered a muting spell over my powers. I broke that spell."

"Wow. Too bad it took so long, huh? Could have saved you lots of trouble."

"True." It wasn't until I thought I was going to lose you that I found the strength to break the spell.

"And then what?" she prompted.

"And then…I killed that…thing. I expected Thanos to punish me, but instead he congratulated me. He told me that he had been waiting for me to discover the spell and break free of it."

"Okay. Curveball."

"I have you to thank for giving me the idea."

"Oh. That's…nice of you." She flicked a quick glance at him.

More tea drinking.

"What does all this mean, Loki? What does it mean that you are out of prison and have your powers back? What was Thanos waiting for?"

"He has made me commander of the Chitauri soldiers. And we've entered the final phase before the invasion."

"Has the plan remained the same?"

"Yes."

Jane stirred her tea, then took another drink. "And do you still intend to follow our plan?"

"Yes. I think so."

She stared at him for a beat.

"You think so. Well, that's just grand." Jane stood up and carried her mug to the sink. She extracted a small amount of liquid from a bottle and with a sponge began to wash the mug and the utensils she had used.

"Thanos knows about you. He talked about you to me. He knows all about you."

"Cool. Are you finished with your tea? Thanks for stopping by. You probably need to get going. Don't let me keep you."

"Jane." Loki stood and crossed the tiny kitchen to stand by Jane. She immediately backed away from him, suds dripping on the worn floor.

"Keep your distance, Loki."

"We need to talk about Thanos."

"I mean it. I'll call SHIELD right now."

Never mind that there was no communication device within reach.

Loki stood his ground. "If I wanted to harm you, why did I save you from the Torturer?"

"You got your power back. That was a good deal for you."

"I'm here. Why haven't I killed you already?"

"We haven't finished the plan. You still need me."

"Jane." Stay calm, but not too calm. She'll read that as patronizing. "Listen to yourself. If I still need you, why would I hurt you? That would be foolish of me, wouldn't it? I have no intention of harming you."

"Stop playing word games with me. That god of mischief crap won't work on me."

This woman. Loki took a deep breath. It was instructive to discover that even though his memory had been restored, he still found her infuriating. Apparently this was a basic part of their relationship.

"All right." He held his hands up in surrender and took several steps away from her. "I shocked you by appearing here. I apologize for that. I see that you need time to adjust to my presence."

"You could leave, you know." More suds splashed to the floor.

He shook his head. "No. There are things we must discuss. But I will leave you alone for a while. I'll…take a walk, perhaps?"

"No! No one must see you here."

"Oh, Dr. Foster. Ye of little faith." He smiled and his black tunic, long overcoat, and breeches became a leather biker jacket, jeans, and motorcycle boots. With a flick of his wrist, his hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. "Is that better?"

Jane blinked. "…yeah…"

oooOOOooo

And Loki walked out her front door. Dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. Jeans that fit him like a well-worn glove.

"Dear Lord, have mercy," Jane breathed, and collapsed into the nearest chair. "This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening…this is happening." She folded her arms on the table and laid her head down. "What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?"

Breathe. Breathe in, breathe out. Okay, Foster, you get to freak out for a couple of minutes. Then you've got to think.

Jane took full advantage of those two minutes, her mind careening from one fear to another. Loki Odinson, the god of mischief and master manipulator, was IN HER HOUSE. For real. She had very little idea of his motivation for showing up. She was completely at his mercy. This could be the beginning of the invasion of Earth for all she knew. Maybe there were alien ships hovering over the house, ready to blast her to smithereens. She just hoped they'd make it quick.

Loki was HERE. In the FLESH.

(and what flesh it is) whispers her traitorous heart.

NO. This is not about HORMONES. This is about a possibly sadistic demigod loose in Vancouver.

(looking like the sexiest bad boy Earth has ever seen)

"I'm doomed," Jane moaned. "The planet is doomed. My brain is not going to function with him in this house with me." It was bad enough in her dreams. The reality of him was too much.

AND HE STILL DOESN'T REMEMBER OUR BOND. This was just too much. It was too unfair, all of it. He was so tall, so broad, he took up SO MUCH SPACE. Those legs were unbelievably long. His green, green eyes followed her every move. His hair really was as black as a raven's wing. "Ugh. So cliché." So true.

The rune mark itched. Jane absently scratched it, but that only made it worse. She yanked her sleeve up. The mark was a bit puffy and very pink. "Oh, my word, I'm in heat. This is NOT HAPPENING."

She drew a shaky breath and sat up. "Okay, Foster, time's up. Pull yourself together. First things first. You need a shower and clean clothes if you're going to deal with him. You've got fifteen minutes to figure out how to protect yourself."

She didn't ask herself why she felt the need to shave her legs in the winter.

oooOOOooo

Loki emerged from the woods and headed toward the farmhouse. Jane Foster had a particular knack for inhabiting unattractive buildings with ugly surroundings. He imagined that the local flora was more alluring in the warm months, but there wasn't much to recommend the forest now. The open area around the house was beaten down and mostly gray, the ground having grown infertile and numb. The house itself obviously hadn't been well-cared-for in years.

That is, until Jane had moved in. There was a brightly colored welcome mat and potted flowers in the entryway. The house was clean and neat, if threadbare and shabby.

He squinted at the front door. Had he given her enough time? Had he given himself enough time? Would she talk? And how should he handle her?

I know how I want to handle her. No. That was out of the question. He was here for one reason—two reasons, actually. To finish the collapsible bridge plan and to make sure Jane and the child were safe. She could not know that he remembered their bond. That he knew she was his mate. His wife. That would complicate everything and put his plans at risk.

"What's the war plan, Odinson?" He had to walk a tightrope. His rune brand had been throbbing since he arrived. The gnawing ache to pull Jane into his arms, to claim her as his own, was a distraction. It was a nuisance. An irritant. "Use that."

oooOOOooo

Jane walked into the kitchen, the warm, damp scent of vanilla trailing her from the bathroom. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, Dr. Foster?"

"It looks like you're overstepping your bounds, Prince Loki."

That got him to close the cabinet he'd been ransacking and glare at her.

"I recall that Midgardians require sustenance at regular intervals."

"And?"

"And you don't seem to have much in the way of sustenance."

"I haven't gone to the grocery store in a few days. I had other things on my mind."

"Is a grocery store a place to find food? Like a market? That's not something I learned from you in Puente Antiguo. You didn't eat then, either."

Jane narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you hungry, Loki?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure I can find any food on this planet that I'm willing to eat. But you and the child need nourishment."

"I'm fine," she declared, just as her stomach growled.

"We're going to the market."

"What? No."

"Yes. I'm going with you. I don't trust you to bring back anything edible. I'm cloaked from Heimdall's view. No one knows you're here."

"Wait. How did you find me?"

He grinned. And half-lied again. "The stars."

"What?"

"You aren't very good at reproducing your environments in your dreams. This house—the dimensions are off, the colors are different. But you can't help but be precise about the stars, even in your sleep."

"You were looking out the window last night. That's why you showed up in the dream."

"Yes. And the stars led me to you. So unless you've been letting other men into your dreams, your location is safe with me. Is that what you wear out of the house?"

Jane looked down at her leggings and tunic dress, still processing what Loki had just told her. "Yes. This is perfectly presentable. Is that what you're wearing? You might still attract a lot of attention."

"Jealous, dear Jane?"

"You wish!" she retorted as she stomped to get her coat.

oooOOOooo

This is not happening. I'm not at Safeway with Loki.

Jane shook her head.

"Are you all right, Sarah?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm okay. Just can't quite believe you're here. At the grocery store. With me. Pushing the grocery cart." She snickered. Actually, it was quite funny. Darcy would have taken a million pictures.

Oh, Darcy. I miss you. I'm at Safeway with Loki. And I can't tell you.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah?" He was being so careful to call her by the correct name.

"Shall we get some fruit? These look edible."

"Yeah, grab a few of those and I'll get some oranges too. They help with heartburn."

Jane watched Loki carefully select a few apples. He was so serious, so focused, so absolutely charming.

"Hurry it up, dude." My heart's breaking here. Let's keep this moving before I do something really stupid.

oooOOOooo

"I carry bags of groceries all the time. I've been living alone, remember?"

Loki plucked the bag from her arms and pointed to the house. "Conserve your energy."

"I'm not a delicate flower, Loki."

"Wonderful. Then would you make me more of that tea? And what meal can we have? I'm quite hungry."

oooOOOooo

"One trip! Ha! I brought all the bags from the car in one trip!" Loki crowed triumphantly.

Jane didn't answer.

He turned to face her, irritated at her for not acknowledging his feat and irritated with himself for wishing that she would. She stood by the cooking stove, hands on her belly, her face contorted.

A thrill of panic sliced through the irritation. "Jane? What is it?"

She panted and held her hand up. Sweat dotted her brow and upper lip. After a few more seconds, she took a deep breath and answered, "Braxton-Hicks contractions." A few pants later, she continued: "They're 'practice' contractions. Although with this kid, they about break my ribs. Whew."

Loki's blood surged. His rune mark burned. Before he knew what he was doing, words tumbled out of his mouth. "It doesn't have to be that way." He stepped closer to Jane.

"What? Braxton-Hicks are a normal part of pregnancy," Jane stared at him. "Loki, what's going on?"

"That was normal?" Control yourself!

"Yeah. Well, I think so. I've never done this before. They might be stronger than average because—" she bit off her words.

Loki pretended he hadn't noticed. "Here, sit down." He reached for her, but she pulled back.

"I'm fine. Just give me a sec."

oooOOOooo

Loki sighed and pushed his plate away. "That wasn't so bad."

Jane rolled her eyes, but chuckled. "Not so bad? That flatbread pizza is amazing! You ate a whole one and half of another, so don't try to be all 'ehh' about it."

He smiled. "It was more flavorful than I expected. I don't believe it would fare well compared to Asgard's delicacies, but it certainly was much better than anything I was served as Thanos' guest."

"Definitely a five-star review, then."

Jane leaned back in her chair, content for the moment. She had been hungry and that pizza had hit the spot. She was nice and warm, too, wrapped in an oversized sweater, basking in the early afternoon sunlight.

Grocery shopping with Loki had been one more bizarre experience to add to the pile. He had insisted on buying a cartful, enough for several days. She had never been willing to spend that much at once. Who knew where she would be in a few days? But now the fridge and cupboards were well stocked.

And it turned out that Loki knew something about cooking. Yet another surprise. He had chosen fruits and vegetables and cuts of meat and loaves of bread that apparently looked familiar to him. He'd asked her a few questions, but evidently Earth food wasn't that weird. While the pizzas were baking, he had recruited her as his sous chef. A sort of beef stew simmered on the stove, the fragrance of bay leaf and wine pleasantly filling the kitchen.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?" she answered.

"You dozed off for a moment."

"No, I didn't."

But the table was clear and Loki was standing by the sink, once again garbed in his traditional outfit. Jane was grateful for the dose of reality it brought. All this domestic bliss garbage was going to lead to nothing but trouble.

"Do you need to rest?" he asked.

She blinked and shook her head. "No, I'm okay. We need to get to work, right? Thanks for clearing the table, by the way."

"Of course."

"Um. Okay. Where to begin? Let me get my notes and we'll go from there."

Jane carefully stood and made sure she had her balance. She retrieved the box with her notebooks in it from the closet of her bedroom and set it on the kitchen table. One by one she laid the notebooks on the table, Loki watching her the whole time. She motioned to a chair and he sat down.

"So these are all the notes I've recorded, both from what I can remember of our work sessions and what I've done on my own."

Loki nodded and reached for a notebook, but Jane put her hand up. "I think…I guess that I always feel that you and I should come to some sort of agreement before we start trying to work together."

"Haven't we done that enough?" Loki asked, but with no edge to his voice.

"Yeah, but no. This is different. This is…you know, real. Really real. I'm aware that the power differential is off the charts here, but I would still appreciate some clarification of our objectives."

oooOOOooo

She has no idea how much power she truly wields. He needed to do what he could to gain her cooperation. "I do not wish for Thanos to take over this planet, both for altruistic and selfish reasons. I want to continue to work together to create a plan that might stop Thanos. This sort of collapsible bridge we have been discussing."

Jane nodded. He continued, "I have no desire nor intention of harming you or the child. But there is nothing I can do to prove that to you," nothing I'm willing to do, that is, "so you'll need to decide whether you can trust me."

She blinked. "I don't have a choice, do I? I mean, this isn't about trust. If I help you and you execute the plan, we might have a shot of saving the planet. If I help you and you can't do it or you don't do it, I've still done what I could. But if I don't try…then I'm partly to blame. I just needed to hear you say what you want. So let's do this."

"Should we seal the deal somehow? Shake on it?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I'm good."

Stop finding excuses to touch her! You idiot.

Jane motioned to the notebooks. "Would you rather I explain stuff to you or let you review them for yourself?" She yawned.

"Why don't you go lie down? I'll study your notes and write down my own notes, then let you know when I've finished."

"Okay," she agreed and yawned again.

This would all be easier if her cheeks weren't so pink and her eyes weren't so big and...

oooOOOooo

Someone was poking her. So rude. "Just five more minutes…" she muttered.

Poke. Poke. "Uuunnn…" Poke.

"Alie…leave Mama alone."

The scent of beef stewed greeted her. Yum.

Poke.

"I swear. You are just like your father. I'm awake."

Jane slowly pulled her eyes open. Whew. That was some nap. At least the sun was still up…sort of. The golden light of late afternoon warmed up the bedroom.

"I haven't slept that soundly in forever." She grimaced. "Guess having him here isn't all bad."

She should go check on him. "There's no way it took him that long to read through my notes. Lord knows what he's up to."

Poke. Poke.

"I am awake, child." Jane hauled herself out of bed. "Ooh, gotta pee."

Poke. Poke. Jab. "Ow! Cut it out!"

The visit to the toilet solved her bladder woes, but not the assault Alie had launched from the inside. Jane cradled her belly in an effort to ease her discomfort and headed to the kitchen.

The light was on, the notebooks were scattered across the table, but Loki wasn't there. Jane frowned.

"Loki?" she called.

The stew bubbled. She crossed the room to stir it and turn the heat down another notch. It smelled delicious, and her stomach growled.

Jane poked her head into the living room. "Loki?" She opened the front door and looked around. "Hello?"

Where was he? Had he left?

Jab. Punch. Jane sucked in a quick breath. "Alie. Stop it, girl." It's fine. It didn't feel fine. Loki is free to come and go as he pleases. There's nothing I can do to stop him anyway.

"Well. I'm hungry and the stew is ready. Let's eat, Alie."

A strange peace came over her. I've struggled against Loki for so long. I just don't have the energy anymore. I don't want to fight him. I just want peace and quiet.

Jane stacked the notebooks neatly on a chair. She took a bowl out of the cupboard, then went back for a second. Next she set two plates and two sets of flatware on the table. She cut several large slices of the chewy French bread they'd picked up and laid the cutting board in the middle of the table. She served herself a healthy helping of the redolent stew and filled a glass with water before sitting down. A spoonful of the stew was on its way to her mouth when a shadow fell across the table.

"Evidently you were hungry."

She jumped and the spoon clattered back into the bowl, splattering drops of stew on the table. Take a deep breath. "Hello, Loki." She wiped up the spiIled food with her napkin. "I didn't know where you were. I looked for you. And yes, I was hungry. I am hungry." To underscore her point, Jane successfully took a bite.

And had to stifle a moan. This is amazing. Who knew Loki could cook?

"Did you think I would simply leave with no notice?"

"I think it's possible. I don't really understand you or the life you lead very well." She took another bite. "Mmmm…case in point…you're a great cook. Or at least you cook a mean stew. I would never have guessed."

Loki crossed to the sink, but Jane stayed focused on getting more of the heavenly food into her mouth.

"There's a bowl for you there." She gestured blindly in the general direction of the stove.

Loki opened and closed cabinets and ran some water. A moment later he set a bowl full of lavender-colored spring crocuses on the table. Jane sat back in surprise.

"Wow! Those are gorgeous. Where did you find them?"

"You thought I would abandon you, though I said I wanted to complete our task. You started eating without me, but you left crockery for me."

He sat down, a full bowl in front of him, once again in his "Earth disguise."

Jane sighed. "Yeah, we don't need to talk about this."

"I think we do. It speaks to the lack of trust between us."

"Yeah? So?"

"So you must trust me. I told you that I would—"

Jane put up her hand. "I'm gonna stop you right there." She wasn't angry anymore, but she was tired of the games. "To be perfectly clear: I. Do. Not. Trust. You. I do not have a single, solitary reason to believe anything you tell me. I recognize that any interaction with you is a total crapshoot. It's risky. I never know if you're telling me the truth or not. If you want me to trust you, then do what you say you will do. Tell me the truth. And let me learn that you are trustworthy. But don't insist that I blindly take you at your word. That's not going to happen."

They ate for a few minutes. Then Jane added, "It is what it is. You know, I wasn't even afraid or angry when I thought you had left. I was disappointed, but I've gotten used to that. I was just like, 'It's Loki. Whatta ya gonna do?'"

The meal was finished in silence. They each ate their fill of stew and wolfed down the bread. Without a word, they tidied up together. Jane set the kettle on the stove and prepared mugs for tea.

"Did you rest well, Jane?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Thank you for allowing me to study your notes. I believe I understand most of them based on our earlier conversations. I have several questions and points of discussion to go over."

"That's fine. The notebooks are on that chair."

Loki retrieved the notebooks and opened several to marked spots.

"Here's your tea." Jane put two mugs on the table then pulled a chair closer and sat down. "Where shall we begin?"

oooOOOooo

Hours raced by. The sun set and the stars rose. Against her better judgement, Jane found she enjoyed working with Loki. She knew she was showing off a bit, too, writing out calculations and posing theories.

Loki had been stiff and formal at first, but as they delved deeper into possibilities and plans, he'd relaxed. Idea flowed freely and they often finished each other's sentences. Half a notebook had been filled with proposals and scribbles.

Their shoulders had touched and they shifted, murmuring apologies. The next time, they chose to pretend they didn't notice the closeness they both were secretly craving. Their heads bowed together over a drawing Jane was sketching, a lock of his hair tickling her bare neck. She absently reached to scratch the itch just as he moved to pull his hair aside. Their fingers brushed and lingered for a moment.

Jane cleared her throat and refocused on the sketch. This felt terribly dangerous.

Loki leaned back in his chair. She breathed a sigh of relief which caught in her throat when Loki traced the hollow of her neck up to her skull then threaded his fingers through her hair.

She pushed herself up, avoiding his eyes. "I need a break."

oooOOOooo

A door shut.

Have you lost your mind, Odinson? You cannot have her. That would ruin everything you've put into place. A picture of Thanos grinning at Jane flashed in his mind. Keep to the plan.

The toilet flushed, the water ran. Jane reappeared in the doorway, frowning. "I've got bruises."

"Pardon?" Loki frowned back. I hadn't noticed any bruises on her yet, but her clothing just about covers her from head to toe. Was the Torturer actually able to inflict real bruises on her?

"On my belly. Bruises."

He raised his eyebrows. "From the child?"

Jane nodded. "Has to be. She's the only one who's been kicking me."

Focus. This isn't your problem. "I'm sorry. That must be unpleasant." He turned back to the notes. Focus. Just get through this day. She will have to sleep soon. "Shall we continue?"

She didn't answer.

"Jane?" He turned to look for her. She was crouched in a half-bent position, rubbing her abdomen. "What are you doing?" Let me do that for you.

Jane straightened. "Being pregnant is pretty uncomfortable, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Yes, of course I've noticed. I've also noticed that the fate of this planet might hinge on our work here. Are you ready to continue?"

She scowled, and he was fairly certain the words she muttered under her breath weren't fit for his daughter's ears. The dining chair screeched as she yanked it out then creaked as she sat down.

"What is your deal, Loki?"

"I've told you what my deal is. I want to keep working."

"Why are you being mean?"

"Why are you being petty? Do you want to save your planet or not?"

"Oh, my word, you're such a drama queen! Why are you so grumpy all of a sudden?"

"Grumpy?"

"In a foul mood, your highness. Why art thou in such a foul-est mood?"

This was not a good idea. They were both clearly spoiling for a fight.

"Why am I in a foul mood?" Because I crave your touch. Because I have this thirst that only you can slake. "I'm in a foul mood because I want to work and you just want to complain about—about that!" He pointed an accusing finger at her belly.

"You have no idea what this feels like. Would it kill you to be the slightest bit sympathetic? Especially since you're—" Her eyes widened and she actually coughed a bit as she cut herself off.

His eyes narrowed. "Especially since I what, Dr. Foster?" he bit out.

Would she dare? The rune mark flared. For an instant, the anger abated and he suddenly wanted to hear Jane say it. To watch her say those words now that he knew they were true. That he was the father of her child. His heart pounded.

No! You can't do this. Why was this wound in his heart worse than the ones torn into his flesh? The anger flashed back. He was trying to protect Jane but she just kept prodding.

Jane looked at the table, at her notes. She picked up a sheet of paper and stared at it. "It's, uh, nothing."

"Especially since I what?" He made sure the words were icy sharp. He wanted to provoke her. He wanted her to feel something of the despair he felt.

"I should go to bed. I don't want this. I don't want to fight with you."

Her plaintive tone should have stopped him cold, but the frustration choking him was stronger.

"Answer me, Jane."

She kept her gaze fixed on the paper in her hands. Were those tears sparkling in her eyes? "Let it drop, Loki."

Wanting two completely opposite things at the same time was wearisome and he was tired and wanted her to feel some of his consternation. So he said, slowly and deliberately:

"You really should talk to Thor if you're so uncomfortable. There are things he could do to help you ease your discomfort."

Now she brought her head up. She stared directly at him, unashamed of the tears brimming. "Like what kind of things?"

His heart pounded. This was cruel to both of them. He should back down. But he couldn't. "He could bed you." No.

"What?" She blinked. A lone tear slipped down her cheek, but she didn't look away.

"With a bonded pair, the physical act of mating" [his mouth went dry] "relieves much of the strain of carrying a child."

Jane's eyes bored into his. "You want me to ask Thor for sex?" Another tear escaped, and this time she slapped it away. Her voice rose. "You're advising me that it would be a good idea to open my legs for Thor?"

No. A thousand times no. Hearing it from her mouth should have enraged him. Jane belonged to him. The thought of Thor with his hands on her body should have inspired pledges of revenge and bloodshed. Instead, it hurt.

He shrugged.

She set her jaw. "Thor isn't here, is he? So what about you, Loki? Will you help me?"

He'd been determined to make her feel the same despair and pain he felt. But he was a blind idiot. She'd been feeling that pain for months already as he mistreated her and denied her claims, as he rejected her and withheld what comfort he could have given her.

What have I done, dear Jane? "I…I don't think that's my place."

Another, less familiar with those whiskey eyes, might have missed the shadow that passed over them.

"I see," Jane said, and carefully stood. "It's clear that our productive cooperation has come to an end for this day. Good night."

He sat in silence, barely able to breathe.

She continued in a controlled tone. "Go or stay—I don't care. But you will stay out of my bedroom."