A/N: Hello my lovely readers! The story goes on and as Christmas approaches I thought I should upload again as a huge thank you to all of you. So, chapter 25...what can I say? some fluff, some love, some angst and definitely lots of hormones. Hope you like it.

I also have to inform you that I won't be able to upload until the beginning of February because I won't have any access to internet connection. The reason for that is that I'll be visiting my grandmother. She's sick and I want to help her a bit around the house. I know I wrote last time that I'd be able to upload much more frequently now but I really believed what I wrote at the time. I'm not going to apologise since it's a choice I'm making voluntarily but hopefully you can understand.

The good thing about this is that I'll have plenty of time to write and I'll upload as soon as I'm back.

I wish you all nice holidays and a happy new year!

The next morning Fara woke up with a headache. Instantly the events of last night streamed into her conscience and tormented her as she tried to concentrate on the task of washing and dressing. She needed to talk to Thor. He was aware of Loki's return but the question was who else knew?

Truth was she felt shame for having helped him. Shame at herself for being so weak. Sigyn had not been wrong in saying she was courting misfortune. Fara was certain she invited bad luck like a magnet.

She hurried to the library, guessing that at such an hour she would be likely to find Thor there. It had become the group's meeting place over the last weeks. It was the most secure place to hatch plans, mainly because no Asgardian ever went there.

Whilst making her way across the palace her head spun with questions. What now? She had completely forgotten about Jane and in that moment she wondered how much time they had still left. With every day they waited the enemy grew stronger.

Fara pushed the library door open and frankly what she saw was not what she had expected. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif all stood with sour faces and crossed arms in the centre of the room. Thor was sitting on a stool and so was Jane who looked paler than usual but well.

And then there was Loki, leaning against one of the shelves as if he'd just struck the deal of his life.

He looked much cleaner and considerably less tired. Had it really been just hours since she had found him in the gardens, drenched in his own sweat and blood? His body was regaining its strength, repairing itself every minute of every hour. But the pink scars on his face were still there, a reminder of what they had done to him. They would fade over time, but never disappear.

Fara didn't realise she had been holding her breath until Thor spoke. "Did anyone follow you here?"

"No."

"Good." He nodded. "I'd rather not have anyone outside this room hear of this."

Instantly Fara felt her cheeks flush. She held Thor's stare. "My Lord?"

Surprisingly it was Loki who answered her. "He refers to our little meeting yesterday."

"I know what he's referring-" Her eyes widened. "Your voice?"

"Yes, they didn't seem to like it either." He rolled his eyes.

"Ugh, never mind." Fara waved her hand at him and shifted her stare to Thor. "What are we going to do?"

Thor rose to his feet and stood in their midst. "It isn't Malekith we're after." He paused. "His name is Thanos. He is a separatist of unknown race or origin and he's after the Power Gems. Malekith merely serves as one of his puppets."

"Where did you get this information?" Sif asked but her eyes were already fixed on Loki's form.

"Loki was willing to share some information." Thor said.

"And how does he come to know all this?"

Loki sniggered in his corner. "It's not a hard guess now, is it? I worked for him."

"Worked?" Fara did not miss the past tense.

His grin darkened. "Well, he was not exactly a caring employer."

"Loki is here because he knows our enemy and is willing to lead us to him. Thanos covets the Aether and currently he's the only one who can separate it from Jane."

"Are you suggesting we offer him the Aether?" A deep frown appeared on Fandral's forehead. "We will never be able to fight him once he possesses it."

"And that's where Loki comes in again. He will forge a copy of the gauntlet and replace the original while we distract Thanos."

"How?" Volstagg asked. "Or will Thanos not be wearing the gauntlet?"

"If he'll be wearing it, and this is not that unlikely considering it's a gauntlet, then there's no way he will not notice the deception." Fandral had his arms crossed before his chest, frown gradually deepening.

It was again a the noise of soft laughter that made them all stare at Loki. "Oh, don't worry about that." he said. "Leave Thanos to me."

"Only over my dead body." Sif groaned and turned to leave the room. "Count me in, but if the weasel tries to turn against us again then I will be the one to separate his body from his miserable head." And with that she was gone.

"How long do we have?" Volstagg broke the silence with a sigh.

"Four days." Thor answered him.

"Great." Fandral let his head sink into his hand. "Enough time to gather the troops." It was meant as a joke but his tone carried a bitter aftertaste. All remembered the great losses they had suffered after Malekith's attack.

"Leave them here." Thor said, referring to the Einherjar. "Asgard has seen enough death. This is something I could only imagine doing with you."

Fara pressed her fingers against her temple. So this was it? They finally had a plan? "I'm coming too."

"Don't be ridiculous." Fandral turned to her. "You're not a fighter."

"True, but you'll need me when 'the weasel' chooses to run amok again." Fara quirked an eyebrow. She was being serious. "Thanos has the gauntlet, who knows how many of the Power Gems and is about to get the Aether as well. A bit of extra magic on your side might not hurt."

No one paid attention as Loki snorted. "Charming."

"Fara, please." It was Jane, catching her eyes with a pleading stare. "Don't do this. Actually, this goes for all of you. If Thanos gets the Aether then none of you will be safe."

"Perfectly sound deduction. "Loki stepped away from the shelves. "But you might want to consider one other thing: With Thanos being free, there's more at stake than just our safety."

Then he turned and just like Sif earlier made for the door. Fara did not miss the wink he gave her as he passed or the flash of fear in his eyes.

"No, Thor." Jane shook her head vehemently. They were alone in her chambers. It was approaching midday and the others had left them alone to go after their own business for the day. The morning's conversation still lingered on her mind, refusing to leave her troubled thoughts. She felt sordid. "I know I can't persuade you not to come but at least leave Sif and the others out of this."

"The Lady Sif and the Warriors Three have seen combat and destruction all their lives. If they wish to come then it is their decision. I could think of no finer people."

"And Fara?"

"As she said herself. She is a sorceress and a seeress. It certainly would not hurt to have her with us and I'm sure she can look after herself."

Jane gazed at him, eyes wide in a silent plead.

Thor let out a sigh. "You worry for them."

She nooded. "I don't care how many people Volstagg and Fandral and Sif and Hogun have killed or what spells Fara knows. You yourself said that Thanos is dangerous."

"Dangerous, yes, but nothing we cannot handle." He tried to shot her a smile but it did not seem to calm her.

"You can't know that."

"I promise to you that all will go well." He breached the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her tiny form. She leaned into his embrace and he felt his grin widen. "Thanos will not know what hit him."

She opened her moth but he stifled her protests with a kiss. Jane did not forget about her worries but she felt herself lean into him. Perhaps he was right.

It was night.

Asgard's sun had set many hours ago and the city lights rivalled the stars. The palace had turned quiet, serene almost as one after the other its inhabitants sank into their beds.

Fara too was lying in hers, trying to find rest and failing. Nightmares plagued her sleep, tormented her mind, screamed at her, twisted her. She was being held down by dark figures. No faces. Everyhting about them was blurred, no straight line made up their forms. She had no idea how many of them there were but they pinned her down with no effort.

She twisted, squirmed, struggled and yet all to no avail. She tried to scratch them, bite them, kick them and yet all her efforts led to nothing. They held her down and it was impossible to move.

Then they fetched their knives and needles, their beloved instruments. Fara screamed, eyes fixated on the cold steel as it slowly descended, coming closer and closer.

The scene shifted.

Fara found herself in complete darkness. She was alone. It was icy and the air stank so foul she felt bile rise into her mouth. She could not see anything but she could feel. All of a sudden her body was burning. Pain shot up her arms and legs, let her back curl in agony. She was burning, drowning, dying.

She could no breathe for every breath made her lungs complain. From somewhere roaring laughter infiltrated her senses. She knew that voice for it was all too familiar.

She asked herself why. Why her? Why?

And then another voice joined the first. It was much softer, quieter. Fara turned around and felt herself freeze. Frigga stood before her, her skin an unnatural white.

"Why, Loki? Why have you done this to me?"

Fara felt the urge to apologise, to run to her and touch the weeping woman in front of her. Her heart beat against her temples. She stared at Frigga with wide eyes, unable to lift a finger.

Suddenly the woman's mouth fell open and a thick river of blood flowed out and onto her pale dress. Blood also came from her eyes and ears and within moments the familiar face had turned into a death mask. The floor was wet as Frigga continued to bleed as if it was but water going through her.

"No!"

She awoke in utter darkness, heartbeat racing. Fara was panting. For a moment she still thought this was part of her dream. Strands of hair clung to her forehead and the back of her neck.

What had she just seen?

She took a deep breath, then another one and another one until eventually her heart calmed down.

The answer to her question she son found out for herself. The bond to Loki was open. Without her noticing he must have reached out to her in her sleep.

She could still see images of death and pain and suffering in the back of her mind and noticed that she was actually trembling. The pain had felt so real. It had all felt so real.

Without thinking nor bothering to put on a shawl or slippers She rose from her bed and left the room. Why she did not know but something in her pulled her to him. A part of her demanded an explanation.

When she opened the door to his chambers she scanned the room for his form. Nothing. Then she caught a movement from the corner of her eye and found him.

He was still asleep, frowning as he went through nightmare after nightmare. How he did not wake up she could not understand. Was this what he'd gone through in the time following Malekith's strike?

She sat down on his mattress, not caring if her actions were improper. She watched his face contort but he did not twist in his sleep nor did he scream out loud. She felt the pain he went through, both physically and mentally. She tried to fight against it, unable to withstand the invisible powers that tried to drag her into the abyss of his nightmares.

"Loki." Her hand, fingers still trembling, placed itself carefully on his uncovered shoulder.

Loki.

Instantly his eyes flew open and his hand clasped her wrist in a tight lock. She forgot how to breathe, her whole being focussing solely on his eyes. They stared into hers with an intensity she would have thought impossible, dragged her into his. Like windows into his soul they held no lies. For the first time only truth spoke from Loki's eyes and it was pure fear that stared back at her. Fear and a fire that burned her mind down with invisible flames.

His next move was the biggest surprise.

He pulled her down to him by the hand he still held with unyielding force and before she could stop him his lips captured hers. It was not a sweet kiss or one driven by love, but one that sprang from pure need and it was to that that she eventually yielded, feeling her mind melt away like butter in summer.

He pressed so much against her that their teeth clashed against one another but she did not feel the pain. She did not feel the pain when he captured her lower lip between his and bit down until she could taste her own blood. She did not feel the pain when his hand let go of hers and instead dug into her thigh, nor when his other pulled at her hair. All she could think about was him, Loki. Instead of feeling pain she leaned into his touch and dug her fingers through his hair.

There was a voice inside her that yelled at her to stop, that this was a very bad idea. What was she doing? What was he doing?

Loki pulled her onto his lap and she could not contain a deep moan from escaping her lips when she felt his groin hot against her centre. His groans filled her ears like the bitter-sweetest of music. His taste stuck to her tongue like a long forgotten flavour. How long since she had last felt him, smelled, him, tasted him? All was so familiar and strange at the same time.

But then reality broke in like a thunderstorm.

She sensed his stature change beneath her as realisation began to seep into his mind. He had thought her part of his dream. Loki had thought himself still asleep and her just a creation of his imagination. She had offered comfort and human warmth after Thano's tricks. Now he did not know what to feel. His body was burning beneath hers, aching for her touch for her might otherwise lose himself. His head was spinning.

Fara too became rigid. Slowly she began to understand where she was. This was wrong, so utterly and completely wrong in every single light. What had she done?

She pushed against his chest, a silent plead for him to stop. He drew away and she knew he was staring at her. But she did not want to meet his gaze. She did not want to face the shock in it, the confusion, the regret. She had to get out of there.

Fara all but jumped from the bed and ran out of the door. Never in all her life had she felt more lost.