Chapter 19

It has been a few years since Loki was banished to Earth and met Deidra. Loki had nearly fully settled into his human identity and had learned to be happy with his new life. He and Deidra were still incredibly happy together and had recently begun talking about long-term goals. S.H.I.E.L.D. had even stayed off their backs since Loki had remained well-behaved and kept out of trouble. They were still watching, of course, but it was easy to forget about them.

Loki had decided to attend online college and jump into politics as a career. He had completed his entire schooling in just two years. He was incredibly gifted in the political field. He could negotiate and deal with the best of them and seemed completely in his element.

Deidra had completed her internship and was a full-fledged biologist. She decided to teach biology at a university level. She had applied to several universities and had offers from several. She decided to accept a job from Columbia University in Manhattan.

Deidra announced her decision to accept the job over dinner one evening.

"We'd have to move, of course," she added.

"Why does it feel like everything tends to lead to New York?" Loki wondered aloud.

"If you don't want to go, I really don't have to-"

"Oh no, I'll go," he said with a coy smile. "I could do so much more there than I can do here," he added, talking about his own career. "It will be very interesting to see how things play out."

"I know you like to feel powerful, working in politics," she said with a hint of warning. "But don't let things go to your head."

He gave her a lopsided grin and leaned his chin in his hands. "Whatever could you mean?" he asked innocently.

It was true he loved the feeling of power he got working in the political field. He helped make laws or remove laws that directly affected people's lives. He wanted to see how high he could go.

"This is going to be really good for us," Deidra said with a smile. "Columbia University is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

A couple of weeks later they found themselves entering their new apartment in Queens, New York. It was much smaller than their old house, but it was much newer.

Deidra dropped a cardboard box by the door and went to the living room window. They were a few floors up so the street wasn't their view. She peered out of it. "This is it," she said mostly to herself.

"You know if you're having second thoughts..." Loki teased gently from behind her.

She turned to look at him. He was leaning against the kitchen counter with a smirk on his face.

"I'm not having second thoughts," she responded. "I'm just a bit overwhelmed right now is all." She noticed he hadn't carried any boxes in. "You're not going to help?"

He flashed a brilliant smile. "I don't carry boxes," he responded. "That's why we have hired workers to do that for us."

"Wouldn't want his majesty to get a cardboard cut," she said sarcastically.

"Precisely," he quipped back.

By nightfall most of the boxes had been unpacked and put away in their new places. They didn't bring any large furniture so besides the stuff from the boxes, the place was still pretty bare. They'd be sleeping on an air mattress until they could get a bedroom set.

The next day Deidra and Loki set out to explore the city and to start getting their bearings about everything. She started her first day of work the next week. Loki had managed to slide his way in seamlessly with the city counsel. He also started his new position the next week.

She had no idea how he could find his new job so easily and to just saunter into it. But his charm and way with words is how he was so good at what he did. She didn't question it.

After finding the necessities such as the grocery store, pharmacy, etc, they found a furniture store. With both of their new career positions came a generous pay raise, so they went ahead and bought what they needed for their apartment on credit.

A few weeks passed and they settled into their new routines. They had sold their cars before moving so they took the bus or the subway everywhere.

In the evenings some days Deidra couldn't help but feel like she was being watched as she made her way home from work. She figured she was being ridiculous since there were people everywhere around her and none seemed very stalkerish. She blamed it on being paranoid about being in such a big place after living in a small town for so long.

She brought it up one night in conversation before bed.

"Isn't it weird?" she said.

Loki had been half-reading a book in bed as she talked, but he then lowered the book and frowned. "Actually no," he responded. "I could swear someone is following me some days also. Sometimes it's as if I can almost see someone moving out of sight when I turn around."

Deidra's eyes widened. "What?"she said, dumbfounded. "Really?"

He nodded. "I highly doubt it's both our imaginations," he said. "It's probably some of Fury's people doing a poor job of surveilance." He shrugged and picked up his book again.

She frowned. "You'd think after all this time they'd have just forgot about you."

He gave her a coy smile. "Who could possibly forget about me?" he said. "I'm simply unforgettable."

She laughed a bit at that and shoved him lightly. "Your ego is mind-blowing," she teased and settled down into the bed to sleep.

They didn't have to wait long, though, before they found out who had been watching them.

A few nights later a knock came at their living room window. Deidra had been grading papers at the kitchen table and Loki was on the phone on a business call.

At the knock, she looked up from her papers and at the window. From where she was sitting she couldn't see anything on the fire escape outside. If someone was knocking, they had to be on the fire escape since their apartment was several floors up.

She looked at Loki who had paused in his conversation to look, frowning, at the window too. He looked at her and went back to his phone call.

"Yes, Senator, I'm still here," he said quickly. "My apologies, but something has come up that requires my attention." He paused and continued. "No, I understand, but I really must see to this...Thank you. I will call you back as soon as I can." He hung up and went boldly to the window and pulled it open. Deidra had stood to see who it was.

It was someone in a red and blue outfit with a mask hiding his face. He was crouching down, but when the window opened he stood up. He raised his hand in greeting.

"Hi there," he said. "I'm your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! And thank you to those who gave a review, and favorited the story! It really makes me happy to know someone's enjoying it. :)