(*)
POMPEII
"I don't believe it," said Mobius. "Zero Variance Energy, no branching of the timeline."
"The TVA would never even know we were here. If it were me, this is where I would hide," said Loki as the plume of volcanic ash billowed behind him. He stretched his arms out in triumph. He knew he was right.
(*)
"Let's get out of here," said Mobius. He pressed the doorway icon on his TemPad, and they walked through the orange gate. "Do you realize what this means?"
"Of course I do," said Loki. They stepped out into the prep and debrief area of the TVA.
"We'll find that Variant now for sure, I know it. Now the real work begins."
"Researching disasters?"
"Exactly."
"And then we'll talk about getting me an audience with the Timekeepers?"
Mobius shrugged. They made their way up to Mobius's desk.
(*)
"So, the Variant's been ambushing our soldiers and hiding in doomsdays to cover his tracks."
"You're welcome," said Loki, a grin plastered on his face.
"In order for this theory to hold, the disasters have to be naturally occurring, sudden, no warning, no survivors.
"How many disasters could there possibly be?"
"I don't know, but we're going to find out."
(*)
Mobius grabbed the file from his desk, and they started walking brusquely to the transports to head to the library. And ran smack into Mabel.
Loki's eyes went straight to that lovely face. The face that had been pressed into his neck crying out his name only this morning. He felt that heat in his chest. The heat that sprang up only for her. In the back of his mind where his schemes always lay, he'd gone over her words over and over again. Even as he and Mobius had gone to ancient Pompei. He supposed that might have been why he'd been so overzealous, besides being proved right about the timeline. Knockout sex was always a mood booster.
But it was more than that. When he'd driven her orgasm over the edge, he felt the connection between them. It was overwhelming and terrifying. He wanted to run, but he kept her body glued to his. In that moment, he wasn't ready to ever let her go, his plan be damned.
But the plan was everything. He couldn't jeopardize it for Mabel, no matter how tempting she was. No matter how lovely. No matter how much he…
She was staring at him with a new fear. He felt a shock go down his spine. He reveled in people's awe of him. But this? He realized he never wanted to see that look again.
She tore her gaze away from him. He felt it physically.
"Hey kiddo, what are you doing here?" asked Mobius.
"I need to talk to you," she said.
"Sure, sure." He turned to Loki. "Could you?" he gestured toward the door. "I'll catch up, then we'll go to the library."
Loki nodded. He wouldn't stop next to her. He wouldn't look in her eyes. But that was never going to happen. "Mabel," he said. He brushed his hand against hers trying to impart that he was safe. That she could trust him. He watched as a shiver moved up her arm and then down her body. She looked up at him with her big brown eyes and blinked, with some emotion he didn't understand.
He exited and started pacing the hallway.
The ghost of her smell clung to him, and that image of her gaze seared a hole right through his soul. She'd said she would fall in love with him if he kissed her. When she said it, he'd thought she was caught up in the moment, or just making an excuse to leave. He'd hated how much he wanted what she said to be true. But with that last look, he knew it was.
He couldn't escape her. It was as though they were meant to be in each other's presence.
He'd been changing slowly, allowing her to affect him. And in that hallway in this strange underworld of sorts, he knew what he wanted. He wanted her. He wanted to protect her and cherish the ground she walked on.
He wanted to make her his queen.
…
Mobius ran right into her. He grabbed her arms to steady her.
She had no intention of looking at him. But their eyes were like magnets. They locked onto each other. Those memories drifted back. Just vague inclinations. That same field in Asgard, but hazy.
"Hey kiddo, what are you doing here?" asked Mobius.
"I need to talk to you," she said.
"Sure, sure. Could you?" he gestured toward the door. "I'll catch up, then we'll go to the library."
Loki nodded. He took a step so he was right next to her. She could feel the heat radiating off him. She wanted to bury herself in it. "Mabel," he said. He walked past and their hands touched.
A shock went down her body, as the vision came fully into view.
Both Loki and Thor, running through the field, the sun was high and warm, the roses were fragrant.
She came out from her hiding place behind the tree. "Wait!" she cried. "Wait for me!"
The vision ended as soon as it began and she was left empty, staring up at Mobius.
"Whoa, you ok there kiddo? Here, sit down."
He guided her to her desk and sat her in his chair.
"I had to talk to you," she said. "There's something wrong with my file. And when I went to correct it, it was gone. Someone checked it out and I don't know why."
Mobius sighed. He lifted a folder from his desk and handed it to her.
"My file!" she cried, taking it from his fingers. "Why do you have it?"
"I'm the one who checked it out," he said.
"Why?"
He pulled up a chair and sat down. "I don't know exactly."
She huffed. "What are you talking about Mobius?"
"I feel a need to protect you from Loki, and I knew he was looking up your information."
"We're friends…"
"Mabel. Come on."
"I thought you liked the guy?" she asked. She was more and more exasperated. Her file was the key to what was going on.
"I do. You and I both believe in second chances."
"Then why aren't you giving him a chance? And me?"
"There's two reasons. One, as much as I'd like for it not to happen, he still might get reset. I don't want you to go through the pain of saying goodbye if you get attached."
Mabel considered. She'd thought of that too. She hadn't meant to get attached to him. She hadn't meant to give him her…
"And the second?" she asked quickly, moving on from the thought.
"The other I can't put my finger on. I just know that when you two are involved you end up hurt."
"You're talking like we've been involved before." She thought of running behind Loki and Thor through the field. But that was a dream. It wasn't real.
"Be careful. That's all I'm saying."
"I'm always careful. You taught me."
"I know."
She stood up, file in hand. "Can I have this back?" she asked.
"It's your file."
"You're glitching. You know that?" She smiled.
He bumped her chin playfully with his fist.
She walked out the door into the hallway, file under her arm and ran right into Loki landing against his solid chest. She looked up. Their breath mingled as he stared down at her, placing his hands on her arms. It would be so easy to give in to the demands of her heart and wrap herself around his body. Like this morning when she clung to it like she needed it for oxygen. She backed up a step, her hand over her heart.
Loki's ice blue eyes were imploring. She had to steel her heart from them, but it was impossible.
"Are you afraid of me now?" he asked. He took a step and closed the gap between them. She swallowed hard, her mouth completely dry. He was staring at her possessively. "Or are you afraid of the darkness in yourself when you're with me?"
He took her hand in his. That skin to skin contact just kept taking her breath away. His hand was warm and dangerous, drawing her in. The vision surged.
"Wait for me!" she cried running out from behind her tree.
Loki turned, and their eyes met over the tall grass as his brother kept running through the field. Loki motioned for her to catch up.
"This morning you asked me to burn it away," she whispered. "What did you mean?"
He sighed, stroking her hand with his thumb.
"When I'm with you, your heat burns away who I was for a little while."
"Come on," said Loki. He took her hand and it was the same as it had been for eons.
They ran together through the field, chasing Thor.
Mabel sucked in a breath. "I have to go," she said, pushing past him.
She entered the elevator, leaned against the wall and put her hand on her heated forehead. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She looked down at her file and took a deep breath. She opened it slowly. It was empty.
"Mobius!" She closed the folder, her frustration overwhelming her.
She could feel the remnants of Loki's touch just now, his fingers twining with hers, the warmth from his body engulfing her, the vision of them as children together.
"It's not real, it's not real…"
She thought of the library this morning. The tingles settled between her thighs again. She had to work off this sexual tension. She needed to punch something.
