Loki knew it was time to come clean. He'd have to tell the truth, for once in his life. "She would have adored you," he said quietly. He couldn't bring himself to say the words that would make her absence the absolute reality. It would only crush him all over again.

Oh, I'm sorry. Paige recognized the pain in his voice. She knew what it was like to lose a parent. Especially one so loved.

She reached up and gently grabbed his arm, trying to hold his hand again. Once she was successful, she moved over so he could sit down next to her. I think we are more alike than either of us realize, she stated after a long moment of silence. And perhaps it's not such a bad thing.

Loki allowed himself to sit beside her. The last time he had sat in a garden with a woman, it had been his mother beside him. Consoling him for some great punishment he had brought on his own head. She had always been compassionate.

"I still feel her," he confessed. "I know she watches over me, despite the misgivings she always had about how I used my magic. She taught me. She knew me better than anyone, myself included."

Paige wrapped an arm around him and leaned her head against his shoulder. My dad was like that. He was the only one who ever really understood me. My mom was always too busy working, which was ironic because my dad was a lawyer. When I was little, he used to let me play under his desk while he was working. He didn't even care how distracting I was, he let me stay there anyway. He used to read to me, and he was the one who bought me my first violin. My mother couldn't care less about "my need to express myself".

Paige sighed, remembering what had killed her father. She buried her face in Loki's shoulder, trying to forget. Trying not to blame him. I miss him.

"You may blame me if you wish," is what Loki wanted to say, but he didn't. Instead, he did what he had always done to hide his hurt.

A host of fireflies suddenly sprouted from the ground and landed on a nearby shrub, making it appear as though fairies had chosen to visit Midgard, after all. He smiled and nudged Paige's chin in that direction. He would hold them there as long as it took to lighten the mood.

Paige looked at the fireflies and smiled, realizing he was trying to distract her from her thoughts. It's beautiful... but there's no need to be cruel, she teased. Let them go.

She sat up and dried her eyes, where tears had begun to form. Then, she looked at him. If he wanted a lighter mood, he was about to get it. So, about me not fleeing... Paige stood and sprinted off, broadcasting her inner laughter. She quickly ducked behind a tree. Just two rules... no lights. The motion-sensitive lights of the garden suddenly turned off, making the field all the darker. And no magic. Well, not if you use it to cheat. Now, come find me. Paige quickly darted from tree to tree, hoping to lose him.

Loki chuckled softly and closed his eyes, despite the darkness. He listened to her footsteps as she dashed back and forth around trees and bushes. How amateur.

Within moments, he had calculated her position. He quickly teleported to a spot directly behind her and folded his hands behind his back, waiting for her to turn and see him only inches from her.

As Paige stood behind a tree, she felt a sudden change in the energy behind her. She knew he was there, but didn't want him to know she knew. A sudden blast of telekinetic energy would be enough to knock him off balance, giving her a chance to escape. So, that's exactly what she did. Without turning around, Paige sent a blast of energy directly at him, and used the small space of time she now had to dash across the field and clamber up into a tree.

You'll have to try harder than that. You're not the only one with tricks. And I did say magic, didn't I? Telepathy is not magic. She smirked at him in the darkness.

If that's how she wanted to play it, Loki could play right along. Now he was prepared for the use of her telekinesis and therefore could push it away next time.

It took him longer to hear the rustling of the leaves than it had to hear her footsteps, but he was able to pinpoint exactly where she had stopped. Her escalated breaths also helped point out her exact location. With a bit of effort, Loki teleported himself to the very branch she was on, landing her on his lap, and wrapped his arms around her middle.

"I can do this forever, Paige," he chuckled softly into her hair.

Paige gasped when she felt him behind her and his arms around her. Then why don't you? She smiled and leaned back against him, sighing happily. Until...

A loud crack told that the strength of the branch had given way, sending them both to the ground. Paige, reflexes as sharp as ever, cushioned their fall with her telekinesis. They still fell, just not as hard. Paige found herself lying on her back on top of her prince.

I guess the tree didn't like us. She rolled over and looked at him. Are you alright?

Loki hid his smile and tucked his amusement back inside his mind. "More than alright. And you? You are unharmed?"

He quickly wiggled out from underneath her to check for any lacerations or bruises. When he saw none he breathed easier. Until he heard the hiss of thrusters in the still night air. His face hardened into a mask of disgust as a bolt of lightning lit the night sky. Of course they would choose now to locate him.

He tucked his arms back around Paige and pulled her close to him. "Go into the woods and find a suitable hiding place. Do not show yourself until I come for you. Is this clear?" Realizing he sounded a bit harsh, Loki ran a finger down Paige's jawline. "Promise me, Paige. Please."

Yes, I promise.

Paige bolted into the nearby woods, where she hid behind a fallen tree. She was still close enough to the edge of the tree-line that she could see the field. The lights in the garden came back on, ensuring she could see the action. Paige desperately wanted to help him, but she had promised to remain hidden.

Loki made sure she made it to the woods before he turned to face the oncoming storm. A flash of red and gold soared around the side of a tower as he strode to the center of the lawn. He changed to his battle armor and summoned his spear as he walked. If it was a battle they desired...

Thor landed near the entrance to the castle and immediately spotted his brother. He and the Iron Man arrived a few feet in front of him at exactly the same time.

Metal Moron raised one of those disgusting repulsor beams as though he could truly threaten him. "Game's up, Medieval Times. Where do you have her tied up?"

Loki rolled his eyes. He barely understood the reference. "This isn't really about the girl, is it?" He feigned boredom.

"Brother-"

"I am not your brother, Odinson!" Loki raged.

Iron Man moved to walk away. Toward the woods. "I'll let you work out your Doctor Phil moment. She's gotta be around here somewhere."

Loki would have stopped him, but that would have made it look like he cared. So instead he put a shield of invisibility around his beautiful telepath and hoped it was enough. "How did you find me, Thor?" he spat.

"A friend of mine told us that red arrows pointed this way," Thor explained.

Loki chortled. "Ah, yes. Your new mortal plaything. The worthy little girl whose mind has fled. Tell me, is she more invigorating than your Jane? Is she better?"

"She is not ill, Loki, nor insane. Men without knowledge have opened her mind and mistreated it. Is this not similar to what you and I have experienced?"

"Oh, so you would not treat her mind as they have? You would be more cautious with her, is that it?"

"I would respect her as she deserves. Would you so swiftly mistreat one so fragile?"

"I would teach them how to ravish her mind until there is nothing left."

Thor reached behind him and Mjolnir flew into his hand. "Watch your words, Loki. I will not tolerate your threats against those I cherish."

"Cherish? You cherish her, do you? As much as Jane? Will you now instruct the mortals on how to protect their own?" Loki gripped his spear until his knuckles turned white.

Thor shrugged his shoulders as though he was preparing for battle. "I like to think I would protect them as they should be protected."

"Then hear this, oh great warrior. When I am king, I will imprison you so far beneath the palace that even Heimdall would never hear your screams. Then, when you feel you are so weak that you cannot even breathe, I will tear you limb from limb. Slowly, until your pain is so excruciating you wish for something as sweet as death." He smirked wickedly. "And I will force both Jane and your new mortal—Brooke, isn't it?—to watch."

Thor roared at his brother and threw a bolt of lightning at his head, no longer able to control his rage. Loki ducked aside and the bolt went sprawling into the woods. "Is that all you have?"

/

Paige saw Iron Man walking towards her. He was full of tech, so he surely had heat sensors. But, that could be fixed.

All at once, Iron Man's suit powered down, the blackout caused by Paige's telepathy.

What do you want from us? She hoped her broadcast would penetrate through the metal of his helmet. Please, Mr. Stark, leave us alone. I don't want to have to fight you.

"Fight you?" Tony was thoroughly confused, both about the voice in his head and the sudden shut-down of his suit. "I'm here to help you." Quietly, he spoke to JARVIS. "J, what's going on here? Why don't we have power?"

I don't want your help. And I'm the one controlling your suit. Don't bother trying to talk to JARVIS, he can't hear you. Leave now, or I'll crush you! Paige lifted her hands and focused on the metal surrounding Iron Man's arms and legs. The metal slowly began to dent and cave in. I don't want to hurt you, Mr. Stark. Please, leave.

Just then, a bolt of lightning shot towards her, striking the tree next to her. Paige was knocked to the ground by the blast. As she tried to regain her senses, she could hear the wood of the tree breaking. Fearing for her life, she quickly tried to vault over the log she had been hiding behind. The burnt tree came crashing to the ground, trapping her left leg between the two fallen trees.

A piercing scream echoed through the minds of those around her, so loud that one would think he had heard the scream with his ears instead of with his mind.

In excruciating pain, Paige cried out for her prince. Loki!

The suit powered back up and Tony assessed the situation quickly. He raced to the tree ensnaring the girl and pulled first one, then the other, from the ground around her leg. It had to be severely broken, if not crushed. He reached to pick her up. She needed a hospital.

/

Loki heard the scream first, and then her frantic voice inside his mind. His telepath was hurt. He spun toward the sound. Oh, no. The woods. Why had he not thought the bolt would enter the woods? He knew the answer: because he never thought it would come near his telepath.

"Loki, don't," Thor begged.

But Loki already had. Three dozen life-like clones sprouted up around Thor at various points along the green lawn. The tall blond man spun to try to find the real Loki among them, but he was not. Loki had already teleported into the woods.

One bolt from his spear took care of the Metal Man who had just succeeded in freeing the branches from around Paige's leg. He went careening farther into the woods and would not be back in time to "save" her.

Paige screamed again, a squeaking scream, when Iron Man moved the trees. She was getting ready to push him away with a blast of telekinetic energy when a blue blast of energy beat her to it. Loki... my leg. I can't move. It hurts.

Loki flicked his wrist to store the spear, and slid one arm under her thighs, one behind her back. She wrapped her arms tightly around him as he picked her up, the movement causing another squeaking scream to escape her lips. She was hurt, and needed help. They couldn't stay, not with Thor so outraged.

So Loki teleported them elsewhere.