Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2! It's harder than I thought it would be to write this story, lol! I know exactly where I want it to end up, but getting there is going to be the hard part, haha! If you have any suggestions, requests for this story, let me know and I'll incorporate it best I can. :D

Deidra unlocked her car and got in. Loki got in as well, not saying a word. Every time he blinked it felt like sand was grating his corneas. It was horribly uncomfortable, but he was thankful the burning fire was extinguished. He rubbed at his eyes with the palm of his hand.

"Your eyes are bloodshot," she said and leaned over his lap and opened the glove box.

He sat straight in his seat and gave her an indignant look. "What do you think you're doing? How dare you-"

"Here," she said sitting up straight and shutting the glove box. She handed him a tiny green bottle. He examined it and looked at her blankly.

"It's eye drops," she explained. "It should help your eyes. You hold your head back and squeeze the drops in your eyes. Three drops each eye."

He raised an eyebrow, but took off the top and did as he was told. He wiped the excess off his face and blinked rapidly. "Hm," he said intrigued. It actually did help some. The grating feeling was still there, but it was only a slight annoyance at that point. He placed the bottle in the cup holder and sat back in his seat.

"Better?" She asked, putting the keys in the ignition. He looked at her and nodded. "You're welcome, then," she said trying to crank the car. It turned over and turned over, but would not start.

He raised his eyebrow. "I may be mistaken, but I don't believe that is what the vehicle is supposed to do."

She shot him an angry glance and tried the car again. This was nothing new. Her car was at least 20 years old and pretty much on death's door, but she couldn't afford anything else at the moment. It would eventually start. She hoped.

She hit the steering wheel and tried again. Finally the car roared to life and she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. She sat back in her seat and drove.

"It's all I can afford," she said in embarrassment. He didn't respond.

They drove for about 20 minutes in relative silence before he spoke, calmly and quietly. "Where exactly are we going?"

"Home," she responded. "I can't just let you wander around. That's just disaster waiting to happen. I have a guest bedroom where you can sleep. I have food, water, a bed," she looked at him. His clothes, skin, and hair were very dirty. "...a shower," she added.

Loki looked down at his arm and made a displeased expression. "Yes..." he said softly. Bathing would be most welcome to him at that moment. After that he could strategize how to bring himself back into some sort of power. He refused to just roll over and accept his fate.

He looked out the window. He would give anything not to have to rely on the Midgardian woman, but at that moment she was useful to him. 'Once her usefulness runs its course,' he thought to himself. 'I'll dispose of her.' He looked over at Deidra and smiled at the thought of ending her.

At that moment they pulled into a driveway and Deidra parked the car. Loki frowned at the exterior of the small home. There was nothing grand about it at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

He followed her inside, silently eyeing everything. "You...live here?" he said finally. "It's nearly unsuitable for habitation."

She flushed, her pride wounded. "Well, yeah it's a little cluttered-"

"Filthy," he corrected.

"Look it's the best I can do," she said. Her house wasn't filthy, but it was old and the furniture was old as well. She had bought all the furnishings from thrift pretty much. Nothing matched, but nearly everything she needed was there. Boxes of papers for her internship were stacked against the living room wall and supper from the night before was still on the stove.

He raised an eyebrow at her and looked around the room. "Where are my quarters, then?" he said with a sigh. She showed him down the hall and into a tiny guest bedroom with an attached bathroom. She then left to let him bathe.

After his shower, Loki walked into his quarters, rubbing his hair with a towel. He frowned and looked around the room. His clothing was gone and in their place were new ones, looking much too big for his frame. He made a face and picked up the clothes to examine them. These would not do at all. He assumed the Earth woman had taken his clothing, probably for wash.

He was aggravated, but said nothing and pulled on the oversized clothing. He held out his arms and looked down at himself, making a displeased sound.

'I look ridiculous,' he thought.

He kept having to pull the pants up over his waist. Never in his life had he been subjected to this. This was degrading.

He found a brush on the nightstand and brushed through his long black locks. Then he bunched up the waist of his pants in his fist and walked out of his room. He found Deidra in the kitchen, cooking.

"My garments," he said cordially. "Where are they?"

She looked at him, then back at her cooking. "In the wash," she responded. "I treated them. The dirt should come out no problem."

He sat in the dining chair. "You said you would help me."

"Yes I did. And I am," she replied. "Clothes first, then we'll over to bigger things."

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his head causing him to sharply suck in his breath.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

He held the side of his skull and waved her off. "I'm fine," he said, not knowing entirely if that was true. He did notice, however that his body felt lighter and the lights seemed a bit brighter.

As soon as the pain came it was gone. Again, Loki noticed a change in himself. He felt calmer, less agitated, more clear-headed. Not by much, but it was noticeable.

'What is this?' he thought.

"Here," Deidra's voice broke through his thoughts. She placed a small meal in front of him along with a glass of water. "I'm supposed to go to the lab today," she said, "but I called Bill and told him I'm taking a couple of days off."

"Bill?" Loki asked, hating the small talk.

"My boss. I intern for him. We study plant biology."

"Ah. Fascinating," he said. No it wasn't. In fact it sounded downright dull. He began to eat.

"Once your clothes are dry I'll take you to buy some new ones. They definitely won't be as fancy as the ones you have, but you can't just wear the same set of clothes everyday."

She sat across from him. She looked at him a minute and then blurted, "You can't really be the real god, Loki. You're either pretending or you're crazy." She had been thinking on it since they had gotten home. He had to be crazy...Right?

"What makes you think that?" He smiled crookedly.

"You're not a god. See?" She reached over and poked him hard in the arm.

"Ow!" He said angrily. "How dare you!"

She ignored him. "You're bruising from where I hit you and your eyes are still swollen from that spray."

He rubbed his arm tenderly. He was bruised on that arm and all along both of his sides. She had only hit him twice with that stick, but she had gotten him good.

He looked darkly at her. "And just how would you like me to prove the unprovable to you?" He snipped.

She sighed. "I guess you can't," she said.

"Do you think me mad?" He asked quietly, his mood changing instantly. He was no longer agitated, but solemn. His mood swing confused him. What was causing his emotions to bounce like this?

She looked at him, pitying him once more. "I don't know," she said honestly. "But I do know you must be frightened, being all alone like this."