I was going to be Loki's handler? In just a week? What on earth had I done by accepting this assignment? In seven days I would be in charge of the man- er, god who attacked New York City with an alien army. All of a sudden those three long months of training didn't seem like near enough.

I gulped and slowly started to speak. "Loki Laufeyson, sir? The one from the New York attack?"

"Yes, Agent Coltey, that Loki Laufeyson," Fury replied. Of course it was that Loki. What other Loki was there? Before I had a chance to panic more, Director Fury spoke again. "He is being brought back to earth to serve as a Liaison between Earth and Asgard. Thor claims Loki has thoroughly changed since his last- er- visit to Earth and that his magic will be bound so he will be quite harmless."

Harmless, huh? We'll see about that. I spoke up again; "Sir, I know I've spent three months training, but I really don't think I'm quite ready for this."

"You will spend the next seven days in the more sensitive, specific training that we couldn't put all the candidates for this assignment through for security reasons. Aside from a few individuals with very high clearance who will be working with you on this until you leave the helicarrier, you and I are the only ones who know of this project. You cannot speak of this to anyone besides those individuals whom you will meet later this week."

Oh. Crap. Fury couldn't be serious. "What do you mean by 'until I leave the helicarrier,' sir? Won't I be staying here for this assignment?"

"No, you will be staying in private quarters with Loki on the helicarrier for one month. After that time, you and he will be moving to a private residence on land. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you the location of that residence for the safety of yourself and Mr. Laufeyson. Supplies will be delivered directly to you."

Loki and I. Private residence. This can't end well.

The rest of my meeting with Director Fury was kind of a blur. I couldn't get past the fact that LOKI LAUFEYSON was moving in with me in a week.

The next seven days made my three months of training seem like child's play. Asgardian combat, lie detection (Loki's magic would be bound, but he was still a master of deceit), and a bunch of other stuff that I stumbled through in a hazy state of shock. I met with the six people, including Fury, who knew about the project. Only six people who knew what was going on and would have any idea what I was going through. I also read SHIELD's file on Loki; a lot of the information was details I had already gleaned from videos and old reports, none of the new stuff too surprising. Once you get past the fact that you're going to live with a Norse god from another planet it takes a lot to shock you.

When the day of Loki's arrival came, I waited anxiously, pacing and wishing I had been able to pay attention to everything the past week. I tried to recall as much of it as I could as I waited beside Director Fury inside a room I never knew about before on a level of the helicarrier I hadn't known existed. SHIELD armed guards stood around us and all over the room, both calming me and making my nerves worse. Suddenly a glowing blue portal opened in front of us, and Thor and Loki stepped through. As Thor moved forward and boisterously greeted Fury, I looked past him to Loki.

Loki looked exactly the same and yet somehow very different from the photographs and videos I had seen. He still wore his strange Asgardian armor, and his features were the same, but his eyes looked tired and broken. As I stared at him, wondering what had happened to change him so drastically, Loki glanced in my direction. He noticed my gaze, and his eyes immediately became icy, hiding all the vulnerability from moments before.

I was torn from my thoughts when Thor began to speak to me. "Lady Megan! I am quite overjoyed to meet you! Sir Fury tells me that you will be taking care of my brother during his stay here on Midgard!" Wow he's loud. And really enthusiastic about everything.

I reached to shake hands with him and nearly fell over as he swung my arm up and down. Pushing my hair out of my face, I began to reply to the enormous god. "Hello, Thor, it's nice to meet you, too. And yes, I will be Loki's handler." As I spoke, my eyes flicked back to Loki, who was watching me intently. His intense gaze was slightly disconcerting, but his eyes were still guarded and cold.

Thor turned back to Fury and continued to speak with him. I caught bits of their conversation, something about Thor leaving soon and some other thing about Loki, while I observed the god of mischief and pondered what had turned him into this damaged introvert.

For the second time, Thor snapped me out of my musings on his brother when he grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Farewell, Lady Megan. I trust that you will take good care of my brother. I am sorry that I must be leaving so soon." I nodded and watched as he said goodbye and embraced Loki, who tensed at the thunder god's touch but allowed just a hint of sadness to flash in his eyes as Thor stepped through the reopened portal.

After what seemed like an eternity, Fury instructed me to show Loki back to our private apartment. Two of the guards followed us as I led him through the helicarrier in a very awkward silence. Finally we reached our quarters, and I dismissed the guards. I unlocked the door and led Loki inside, knowing that this was going to be all kinds of interesting.

Author's Note:

Again, I don't own The Avengers.