EmLawrence: Thank you for your review, it really encourages me to see how you all like the story, and like how I"m writing it. The actual flashback scenes are always hard to write because of the realism, so it's good to hear that they are very feasible. Because of different events, Scott's feelings are as different as Lizzie's are. He's not the same Scott she knew. Hope that answers your question. Also, I have to laugh with you on that. It's funny cause I actually have a friend named Jora, and I unconsciously based this Jora off of her. XD But yes, I suppose I am Jora in this case - I apologize. :)

Slyork1991: Yes he is. Last minute decision really, but I think it will work out quite nicely. Don't worry, Lizzie/Loki isn't in any danger. :)

DaHybridQueen: Not that I know of, but by god they should be. :D

askleyk44: THank you for being so patient, and for your messages. :) I apologize for giving you withdrawls.

Raconteur86: Nuff said. :P

Somethingincrediblywitty: First off - I love your username. :D Just wanted to say that. *Ahem* Secondly: I loved your review. I thank you so much, I read that one about ten times, AND showed it to all my friends (*coughtotaloftwocough*) BUT I digress. I am simply thrilled you loved it - sorry about the missing hours of your life due to it. I agree with you about OCs though, most are very simple, and follow a certain pattern. Even the stories follow the pattern (No offense to those who write OC's, some are actually very good) but yeah. It's hard. Thanks again, and I am really hoping you like where I go with it. :D Ciao.

Alright all... ONE MONTH I KNOW I'M SORRY! I have been busy, and uninspired, and just... bleh. I apologize, and shall try to update more frequently now. Hopefully you all like it and I Hope to get the next chapter out by saturday or next saturday. I SWEAR IT WON'T BE LONGER. If I break my promise... well... let's hope I don't.

FYI this is mostly filler, preparations for the big fight to happen. ANd we get to see some new characters. Hooray!

Berlin was the way it always was, the city pulsing with life in another way than the people in it. It was raining, and everyone who walked down the street was either running for cover or happily walking with an umbrella. Logan looked around as he walked down the Niederkirschnerstrasse, the buildings which remained making him wonder as to why Erik Lehnsherr had chosen to make this his address. After all, along the southern side of the Niederkirschnerstrasse was the Berlin wall, on the other was the 'Topography of Terror', the headquarters of the Gestapo. Irony either abounded or Lehnsherr was being a bastard.

Either way, it made him laugh.

Coming around to the building which he knew the entrance for Lehnsherr's supposed headquarters, the rest of Berlin completely ignorant of the fact that there was a series of underground tunnels which served as bunkers in World War II. It was there that Magneto had decided to set up homebase. Following instructions which he had received from a friend, he quickly found the entrance, and after making sure he wasn't watched, he opened the door, getting inside.

Frigga paced, her blue gown swishing around her feet with each movement. Heimdall couldn't see where Elizabeth was, and the Avengers didn't know either. She was aware that their search had been narrowed down the Midgardian state of Alaska, but as it was a rather large state that meant it could be anywhere. She had tried to do as she had before, and to use the locket – but as most of its magic was drained out of it and in Loki the signal back to her was simply too weak.

That didn't stop her from seeing visions of Elizabeth... and it didn't stop her from worrying about her health. It had only been a few days, but she was not well in any way, it concerned the Asgardian Queen. In addition, Heimdall had made a recent report that the situation on Jotunheim was probably about to break as allegiances had finally been straightened out between those who followed Helblindi and those who followed Byleistr. There would be a war on that front soon, which Frigga had no doubt had to do with Thanos.

"Mother?" she heard a deep voice call her, and turning around she smiled softly at the dark-haired man who stood before her. His beard spread as he smiled, exposing white teeth beneath it. His blue eyes sparkled with joy and yet were slightly dull with tiredness. This was Vali Odinson.

"Vali, you have returned." she greeted, embracing him in a hug. Although Vali was one of the larger of his brothers, he was the gentlest of Odin's children, a large weight on his soul over the fact that he was born for the sole purpose of revenge. "And how was Alfheim?"

Vali sighed, laughing in relief. "The way it always is. They have made every affirmation that they are our allies when Thanos attacks, and they have made treaties with the other realms who are on our side." he said. "I must say, growing up with Loki has given me special abilities to make negotiations."

Frigga gave a sad smile. "Loki was always talented at bringing even the worst of enemies to become allies." she said. "It is a shame he did not use his abilities for the best."

"Yes..." Vali trailed off, pushing his black hair out of his eyes. "And how is Loki? When I was here last he was just adjusting to life in Midgard."

Finding a place to sit, Frigga explained all that Vali had missed in the few months he had been in Alfheim, and the newest developments. To his credit, he listened intently and without interruption, taking in all the information his step-mother had to offer. His brow furrowed as he listened to the last bit of the tale, and the story of Elizabeth Donovan being willing to sacrifice herself. "This Lady Elizabeth... she seems very honorable – albeit, very rash in her decisions." his voice rumbled. "And she loves my brother?"

A smile spread on Frigga's face. Out of all of Odin's children, only Thor, Vali and his brother Vidar sill considered Loki as a part of their family. Had Baldr still been alive, she had no doubt he would have done the same. "Very much so... and he loves her in return." she told him. "But now she is missing, and they are searching for her. Heimdall cannot see her, and I cannot find her either. I am worried, Vali, she is in danger and we cannot save her unless we have more information."

"I have no doubt we will soon." Vali replied. "What does father have to say about all of this?"

Frigga sighed. "Your father is not sure himself. On one hand he is very supportive of the relationship, on the other he is skeptical that Loki has truly changed. He does not think a mortal can have that kind of power... he doesn't understand her. She is mortal, and that also does not settle well with him." she said, thinking about her last argument with the All-Father concerning Elizabeth – she had been furious with how he had suddenly brought out the fact that Elizabeth was not going to live forever. "The Norns are very clever bringing those two together... I don't know yet what other trials they will face, but if they make it through this nothing will be too difficult."

Steps near the doorway brought Frigga's attention to the fact that Odin had entered. She gave him a tired look, before she looked out the balcony. "Vali, Vidar informed me you had returned." Odin stated, his blue eye wandering to Frigga.

"Yes I have Father. Forgive me, I should have reported to you immediately." Vali apologized, standing up and walking to his father.

"Well what's done is done. Vidar said that things in Alfheim went well." Odin replied, looking at Vali.

"Yes. The Elves are our allies and have smoothed over all issues with those of Vanaheim and Jotunheim." Vali explained, giving Frigga a cursory glance of worry. Frigga had really been the only mother he knew in his childhood, his own abandoning him as soon as he was born. To know that he was supposed to grow up to kill his half-brother was something which had been very difficult for him, and Frigga had been there to soothe his confusion and fear. "They will be willing to join us in war, should our enemy ever expose himself."

"Good." Odin said, giving Frigga another look. He needed to speak with her alone. "Now, go get some rest, you have another mission which I need you to prepare for."

Vali nodded, giving his father a bow before turning to Frigga. "Goodnight mother."

"Goodnight Vali." she said softly, waiting until she heard his footsteps leave the room before she spoke to her husband. "And what manner of mission have you prepared for him?"

Odin did not answer, sitting down on the settee. "It is one which will bring him no harm, if that is what you concern yourself over." he said. "You have already lost two sons, I would not force you to lose another."

"Three if you count Hodr...for although he was not my natural son he was still a son of mine." Frigga replied, looking at him. "Did you come here only for Vali? Or did you have another reason?"

"I do not wish to fight with you, Frigga." Odin replied with a tired sigh. "Perhaps my last words to you were harsh... I understand why it is you find so much hope in this mortal—"

"Her name is Elizabeth, Odin, use it." Frigga snapped a little harshly. "One day she will be your daughter-in-law... if you ever bring Loki back into the fold of your children."

Odin groaned in frustration. "Loki made his decisions, I cannot force him to be the boy he was only a few years ago." he said. "He does not wish to call me 'father', I cannot force him – even though I love him as a son."

Frigga sighed, taking Odin's hand in hers. "Then do not hate the woman he loves so much." She advised.

"Are you sure it's love, Frigga?" Odin asked.

The Queen only smiled, resting her head on the All-Fathers shoulder.

Tony was psyched. Jarvis had succeeded in finding a box of area which fit the entire criteria of what was given to him by Loki's vision – or whatever it was. He had found the lake, the trees, and with enough satellite hacking he soon found the image of a building which looked very out of place in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. "Got you, Esmeralda." he muttered to himself, using the satellite to zoom in.

"Sir, should I inform the others that you have succeeded in finding Mr. Shaw's headquarters?" Jarvis offered.

"Yep, let them know one at a time, and have one of 'em go get Prongs. I'm not interested in him going nutzo by himself because his girlfriend is in trouble." Tony said, flipping through a few screens. "Oh, and J... send Pepper in here will you?"

"Very good sir." the AI replied, going silent as Tony continued in his research. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps.

"Send for me, Almighty King of Science?" Pepper's voice teased. Tony turned around, looking his fiancee over.

"I need to talk to you about something important..." he said, his face serious.

Pepper's brow furrowed, her hand resting on his face. "What's the matter?"

Tony sighed. "What's going on. Lizzie in Alaska, everyone kinda diverging around the tower. It's like this whole thing went downhill in the last month, and I think we can point in one direction. Either way, I am... concerned now."

"You?" Pepper said with a strange look. "What are you concerned about?"

Tony thought a moment. "This... this entire thing. It's different than anything I've ever dealt with. The Chitauri incident was out of my depth almost, something I would never have expected." he said, sighing. "But this isn't an invading force, this is something much much more difficult to defend against."

Pepper looked at Tony in worry. He wasn't someone to talk like this, and she was beginning to wonder where he was going with it... Tony was rarely this somber. "But it's not just you, it's everyone."

"Yeah... that isn't much, Pepper. We're only six – seven if you count Loki – but... it's an army that's with us. They look like us, act like us." he said. "This one we're about to go against... they are humans with changed DNA. This isn't Bruce, they have complete control of themselves and we're the enemy." Turning around, he went to his computer again.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as all that." Pepper said. "We have Thor's friends, and SHIELD."
Tony scoffed. "Right. Like SHIELD is gonna help us. I don't trust 'em Pep. There's something seriously wrong in that organization... no matter what they say." he said. "As for Asgard... well..." he trailed off, leaving the statement open. "But that's not where I was going."

Pepper looked at him, but didn't say anything in reply.

"I think..." he started again, looking down at her left hand. "I think you should set a date."

Pepper blinked. "What?"

"Wedding, Pepper. Set a date for that." he replied. "Smallish I think, something which probably only includes us in the tower and Rhodey."

"You think now is a good time?" Pepper asked.

Tony nodded. "Gotta look forward to something right?" he stated with a smile. "You know what I mean?"

Pepper swallowed. She knew exactly what he meant.

Elizabeth's location had been found, and it took every fibre in Loki's being not to simply go where she was. His latest vision had disturbed him, the image of a pale and sickly-looking Elizabeth still imprinted in his mind. What was Shaw doing to her? He didn't know, but whatever it was he was already planning a very slow death for him. His plans went through his mind as he pulled his armor on, not really wanting to use his magic to do such a menial task – not because it was beneath him, he had been using his magic for that use for six hundred years – but because it let his body do something while his mind raced.

Strapping on his arm braces, he thought of what they may encounter. He had never fought mutants before, though what he had seen in his short time of imprisonment had been enough to make him question what an entire army of them were like. Was it like dealing with magic wielders?

A knock on the door abruptly interrupted his thoughts, and he turned toward the door. "Come in." he said, watching to see who would enter. To his surprise, it was Nell, the woman who Tony had been calling his 'mother' very quietly. He could see what Tony saw, the features enough to make the billionaire give her the nickname of 'Loki's mother'. "May I help you?" he asked.

Nell nodded slowly, stepping up to him. "We haven't spoken much... I'm sorry for that, I was... hoping to get to know you a little more." She said, completely catching Loki off guard. That certainly was something he wasn't expecting.

"Yes well matters at hand make such things nearly impossible." he replied coldly. "I'm rather busy—"
"You fear for her." Nell simply announced. "As you should be."

Loki gave her a stern look. "What do you know?" he asked. "I have heard you were the one who saved her from the Chitauri back when they cornered her in that alley. What do you know about her now?"

Nell sighed. "Nothing." she said sadly. "She is currently hidden from my gaze. I can't see her in any respect..." she paused. "But you can, can't you?" Loki tensed, his mind returning to what he'd seen. "You worry about her."

"Why are you asking a question that you most likely already know the answer to?" Loki snapped, turning toward her. "Is there a reason for your visit?"
The woman stared at him, a myriad of thoughts going through his mind. Now was not the time to tell him the truth, he wasn't in any state of mind to hear her. Reaching into her pocket she retrieved a cordial on a cord. "I came to give you this." she said softly, holding it out. "I cannot tell you what will happen, but I can at least give you this."

Loki's eyes narrowed, looking at the bottle in confusion. "What is it?"

"Cider from the apples of Idunn – only use it in the greatest of needs... which I will tell you will be soon." She motioned for him to take it, and after another scrutinizing glance he reached up and took it from her.

"And how did a mere mortal like you manage to get cider from the apples of Idunn?" Loki asked with a suspicious tone, his eyes staring at her with intensity. He saw amusement, as well as sadness in her gaze. "You are of Asgard." He finally stated, looking her over. "You are not Midgardian that is sure... who are you?"

Nell smiled slightly before, turning around and walking to his door. She turned around again. "Stay safe, Loki." was her only reply before she slipped out of the room, the door shutting softly behind her.

Loki looked down at the object in his hands, and wondered as to what Nell knew that he did not... and who it was that she saw being injured.

"So it's going to be some kind of battle?" Jane asked Thor. He nodded somberly, holding Jane closely.

"According to what Lady Bella has said, this man created an army and caused conflict before." he paused, thinking. "We are not sure what we will find... it won't be pleasant."

"Yeah but we've got Thor the God of Thunder on our side." Darcy's voice interjected from behind them as she entered the room. "That has to count for something."

Jane sighed. "Darcy, can you make yourself scarce?" she asked.

Darcy chuckled. "Sorry, lovebirds, I didn't know this was your room." she said, motioning to the fact that they were in the family room. "Besides, you're acting like he's not coming back – for crying out loud, I doubt a mutant could take him down. All he has to do is bring up a storm."

"It is not as simple as that, Lady Darcy." Thor boomed with amusement in his tone. "And I am not indestructible."

"Close to." Darcy said, sitting down on a couch. "So how is Tall-dark-and-green taking it?" she asked. "This whole...thing."

Thor sighed. "He is preparing. The Lady Elizabeth is very dear to him, and although my brother is considered very self-centered he is quite capable of taking revenge. Mutant Shaw was a fool to take her, he has never met Loki in a rage."

"You think he's raging?" Jane asked softly. "You don't think he'll do something... drastic?"

"I don't know to be honest." Thor replied. "My brother has never had a woman in his life, though he is very protective of our mother. I would imagine he would be even more so of his intended."

"Intended?" Darcy repeated.

Thor turned to her. "Of course. You do not think my brother loves lightly do you? Loki may be a trickster, but even he cannot hide the matters of his heart. My mother has told me so."

"He's only known her for a few months, how can he already get ready to marry her?" Darcy asked, her eyes wide behind her glasses.

"In Asgard, we work very differently in the mind of romance." Thor answered. "Although his sentencing might put a damper on any views of matrimony he currently has regarding her."

Fandral laughed from his place a few feet away. "I'm sure that if he wasn't a criminal he would be all too willing to make her his wife in a matter of days." he said. "Probably wouldn't even let her recover before he put her in a marriage bed."

"You confuse me with yourself." Loki's voice entered the room, his gaze one to quell hardened criminals and looking as if he were ready to storm a small country with his tortured soul. His very appearance screamed authority and an enemy, his stance one of 'murder thy enemy', his green armor showing just how dangerous he was. "Why do you dare to speak of things you know nothing of?" he asked them, his green eyes focusing on Thor with a certain spark of disdain. "Furthermore I am shocked that you are so flippant considering the fight which is soon to take place, Thor."

His brother sighed, Loki was obviously in a mood. "Forgive me, brother." he said, getting up, Jane doing the same, their voices lowering to a hushed whisper.

"It'll be nice when all this is over." Fandral's voice came from the other side of the room, Darcy next to him. "She may be a beauty, but Elizabeth is certainly—"

"Do not speak her name, you insolent scoundrel!" Loki snarled venomously. "And furthermore, if you ever look at her in any way that you tend to look at your whores, know that I will tear your eyes from your head."

"Loki." Thor warned lowly. "I've no doubt he meant no offense to Lady Elizabeth."

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't." Loki said sarcastically.

Thor sighed. "Why must you pick a fight with Fandral? We are to fight in person with her captors, and Fandral had nothing to do with it."

Loki growled in the back of his throat. "I was simply giving him a statement of friendly advice." He said with a mock politeness. "I mean no harm to the empty-headed Fandral."

Fandral gave a shout of indignation.

"Hey!" Darcy's voice interrupted, pulling the blonde-haired Asgardian back on the couch with a stern 'Sit!' She turned on Loki. "Just because your girlfriend is in the hands of a psychopath that doesn't give you license to go around attacking everyone around here. We are your friends."

"He is not my—"

"Hey!" Darcy interrupted again. "Chill dude! We're on the same side, and you need to get your blue butt in line before I smack you upside the head."

Loki narrowed his eyes on the woman. "You little—"

"Damn, I leave for three days and you guys can't keep him under control?" A new voice cut through, and turning, everyone saw Logan and the rest of the Avengers in the doorway.

"I was wondering if you would join us." Loki said to the mutant, although he was truly happy to see him. Clint smirked from beside Logan and walked into the room.

"Should we leave you two alone?" he asked, plopping down on the couch beside Loki, Natasha following and sitting down beside him, his arm slinging over her shoulder, making their new relationship quite clear.

A glare came from the god of mischief, but the archer ignored him, too busy playing with Natasha's curls.

"Is anyone intending on actually doing anything other than standing here?" Loki heard an older voice ask, and he returned his eyes to Logan, the man behind him obviously the one who spoke. "I didn't know you brought me here for no other reason than to listen to an argument."

Logan rolled his eyes, turning to the room which was filling with the Avengers. "This is Magneto... otherwise known as Erik Lehnsherr."

"Lehnsherr?" Tony repeated. "Like Lizzie's grandad 'Lehnsherr'?"

"Her name is Elizabeth." Erik said sternly. He had never liked the nicknames that everyone had for her. "And yes, I am her grandfather." he looked around the room. "Where is Veronika?"

"Sent for," Pepper supplied. "She was with Nell and they were on the roof."

Erik nodded, his eyes landing on Loki, and he smiled, looking over the other man who looked younger but was much older. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Loki of Asgard."

Loki raised his chin a bit, appraising the other man with his eyes. "The same here, Herr Lehnserr."

Magneto smiled and stepped into the room to sit down. "Well?" he said. "Can someone explain to me how my granddaughter wound up in the hands of the son of my greatest enemy?"

Lizzie felt completely out of it. She was barely awake recently, too weak to make it for extended periods of time. Although, in all truth, she preferred her unconscious hours to those of her wakeful – after all, they were the real nightmare. In her dreams she was happy, and completely carefree, living her life after all the pain was over, reliving her memories before she knew her past. Still, in her mind, she retreated the most to Loki.

Her mental library seemed to be the place where she kept her Loki, his continual book in his hand reminding her of their time in the library at Stark Tower. As she lost consciousness to the sound of the beeping of the machines, she woke in the doorframe of her library, Loki sitting in his high-backed chair, looking up at her with a rare smile.

'Escaping again?' her Loki asked her, putting his book down. She smiled, crawling into his lap, her head against his shoulder.

'I'm so tired as of late...' she said. 'I wonder what it means.'

'What do you think it means?' Loki asked, his hand running through her hair.

She swallowed. 'I don't want to know.'

'Why not?'

'Because if it's what I suspect I'm going to be afraid... they'll know if I'm afraid.' she murmured, her hand going around his neck. 'The real one hasn't come to visit in the last... however many hours. Do you think everything is alright?'

Dream Loki chuckled. 'I wouldn't have the faintest.' he said, his featherlight kiss touching her forehead.

'Do you think I'll live to see him again?'

'You are aware I'm only a part of your subconscious aren't you?" Dream Loki replied. 'I'm going to tell you what you think.'

She paused, feeling an empty feeling within her. 'What do I think?'

Dream Loki didn't say anything for a few moments, suddenly his chest rumbling beneath her hand. 'No.'

Lizzie held him tighter. 'I wonder what death is like...' she muttered to her Loki. 'I don't want to die.'

'You're already dying, Elizabeth.' Loki replied matter-of-factly. 'Question is: whether you are willing to give off that last push, or whether you can hold on until they come for you.'

'That is, providing, they come for me.' Lizzie replied, feeling dream tears begin to fall. 'Do you think they are going to come for me?'

Dream Loki looked her in the eyes, the silence breaking her heart into even more pieces than it already was as he said – 'I don't know.' – She broke down sobbing.

Scott was worried, Lizzie's heartbeat was steadily growing weaker as the days passed, and now it had reached an all time low. He looked at her body, the memories which had been unlocked in his mind nearly breaking every wall he had toward her. She was a human being, being tortured for the satisfaction of a madman. He had seen the footage from the mansion which had been destroyed, and he knew exactly what Alex had made her go through.

His eyes searched her face, taking in the dark shadows under her eyes and the sickly pallor to her skin. She was already looking dead. He looked back at the heart monitor, trying to make up his mind on what he was going to do. Days he'd been going through this, each one proving harder than the last. His hand touched her hand, the coolness of the skin scaring him even more. Were it not for the heart monitor, he'd think she was gone, and he wouldn't blame her. She'd undergone tests that he didn't even know they had the equipment for, or the thought to even consider it.

Alex had first wanted to test how much electricity a mutant could withstand before they passed out, then he decided to try testing how long it took for a mutant to reproduce blood, followed shortly by whether or not they could take her powers from her. Each process had been painful to her, and Scott was half tempted to kill her in each test... out of mercy more than anything. She was Alex's human guinea pig, and he didn't mind torturing her for his own experiments.

This last order made Scott half contemplate killing the mutant in charge, and half kill himself for even following it. He was going to bring in a mutant skilled with illusions and test how long it would take for Lizzie – in her state – to go insane. His last hoorah, it seemed.

Looking at the monitor again, he decided to do something about it, and going against his orders, he began unhooking her from each and every device, hoping she'd survive what he was about to do.

Over the silent wilderness of Alaska, a light wind blew through the trees, darkness finally setting on the state so north that it only got a few hours in the season. The Quinjet quietly flew over the wilderness, the final destination already found and targeted. It was now a matter of the planning and the last details.

"Alright, Thor, Bruce, and I will take care of preliminary. Tony, you and Reed work together to cover Natasha, Clint and Sue who will try to find Lizzie. Fandral, Hogun and Sif, I suppose you'll help Thor out. Rogue, Logan, you go in with the ones to get Lizzie. Once inside you five will split up to search for her." Steve rattled off, then looking at Loki and Erik who sat beside each other. "I don't know what you two will do, but I have a feeling you won't follow my orders even if I tried to tell you."

"Accurate feeling." Erik commented. He had been silent for most of the trip – as had Loki – simply brewing over the situation. Being Elizabeth's grandfather, her power had not affected him in her change of the timeline, and so he knew and remembered everything he had before. The knowledge that Elizabeth was in the hands of a psychopath didn't set well with him – and he was determined that she was going to stay in his protection from now on. He glanced at the man in green... "You know," he began. "I am not sure how I feel about this relationship between you and Elizabeth. After all... I am her grandfather."

"What is there you aren't sure about?" Loki asked, looking over at the mutant.

Erik smiled. "Your ability to keep her safe – so far you seem to have failed." Loki bristled, and Erik gave the other man an appraising gaze.

"You are not the only one." Loki replied a little harsher than he had wanted. "Though we both seem to have the same goal in mind."

"Do we?" Erik questioned. "How do I know I can depend upon you? I have heard your story from my daughter, and although she trusts you, I don't. After all, you did try to take over the world."

Loki smirked. "From what I've heard you haven't exactly been a model citizen." he said.

Erik chuckled. "Perhaps that is where my granddaughter gets her taste in men from." he said, looking at Loki once again before letting himself look elsewhere. "Veronika tells me you are very much in love with her."

Loki cleared his throat. He hadn't expected that much forwardness. "Yes." was his only answer.

"That explains your behavior." Erik said. "I suppose you know her past."

"Yes." Loki replied again. "She told me... nearly everything."

There was a long pause, and Erik thought a bit before he replied again. "How do you think we should dispose of... Shaw?"

Loki looked at him, a smirk on his face.

Alright... please don't kill me. *Holds out puppies, chocolate, shock blankets, and ice cream*