WARNING: Extreme lovemaking later on in this chapter. There will be an obvious line break. Skip ahead though if you want to see the ending :) Don't like... DON'T READ!

"You know, Strange is pretty scary when he's all caffeinated like that," Darcy said with a frown as she gently pressed an ice pack to Loki's battered face. The Asgardian moaned softly, leaning his head away from the contact. "Hold still! This'll help trust me." Darcy held Loki's head in place as she ministered to his "wounds", muttering curses about the sorcerer the whole while. "I can't believe he did this to you! This is what Stephen calls a fair fight?" Darcy gestured at Loki, her lips writhing in frustration.

The dark-haired man didn't bother to dissuade her from her rantings. Loki rather liked it when Darcy was angry. She was cute that way, how her eyes sparked up with a fire of their own, her mouth quirked in a half-snarl, and her shoulders inobtrusively hunched in as though expecting an attack. She was adorable.

Darcy sighed, brushing a strand of sticky hair out of her eyes. "I wonder if Stephen's found Astrid yet. I mean she could be hiding anywhere! Well... she'll be hiding if she knows what's good for her," Darcy added darkly.

Loki shook his head, lowering his gaze to the floor. "He has good reason to be angry. Astrid knows just how much he hates coffee, and how much more so he hates being pranked. I dread what he has planned for her," Loki chuckled silently at the inside joke. If Loki knew Stephen, which he did, then Astrid certainly had nothing to fear. She was in good hands.

Astrid and Stephen...

Astrid walked down the hallway cautiously. Things had been quiet for awhile now. Almost too quiet. She darted about like a scared rabbit at the slightest noise, never knowing when Stephen would get the jump on her. He wasn't acting at all like himself, which is what scared her most. Who knew what that Red Bull had done to his mind? Astrid sincerely hoped that the effects of the energy drink would wear off soon. Should she be that lucky.

Astrid. A disembodied voice whispered her name, almost like a prayer. Astrid's heartbeat skyrocketed and she dashed down the hallway as fast as she could. Being in this immense mazelike home, with her boyfriend being caffeine-crazed, had Astrid a nervous wreck. What would he do to her? Would vengeance be swift, or subtle? Had he already gotten to Loki and Darcy?

Heart pounding in her chest, the rush of adrenaline making everything too loud and too clear, Astrid darted into a room to find sanctuary. Maybe she could wait him out. He'd be thinking more clearly when there wasn't so much caffeine in his system. It shouldn't be long before the effects wore off, right?

"My dear, why is it you hide from me?" And then Stephen was there in the room with her. He approached slowly, a smile lighting on his lips, completely at ease with the knowledge that he had the upper hand.

Astrid backed away. "Um, are you sane again?" she asked bluntly. Boy she was never giving him coffee again.

He stopped a few feet away from her, cocking his head slightly. "Whatever do you mean?"

Astrid hesitated. She could tell by the smirk on his face and the dangerous glint in his eyes that the caffeine still hadn't worn off. The question was, what was he going to do now? The answer was simple. She knew what he had in store for her. Just by looking at him she could tell what he wanted.

Stephen shook his head. "My dear, you are so naïve. It's quite charming really." He waved his hand in the direction of the door. It closed and she heard the click of the lock.

Astrid made for the other door. Stephen blocked it and locked the one behind her.

''You're trapped now. Any more ideas?" Stephen mocked, coming closer to her.

Astrid watched him warily, eyeing his movements.

He took another step closer and she could see his irises. Like inkdrops of black in a pool of grey.

She backed away, bumping her back into the wall. Astrid felt against the wall, searching for an escape route.

''Stephen... " She whispered, leaning farther back as he came closer.

He smiled and put one arm on either side of her, trapping her in. He leaned in, soft breaths ruffling her hair. Stephen put one hand on her waist, bringing her closer to him. Astrid felt herself giving in. She put a hand on his cheek, tracing his jaw line with her fingers.

Stephen pressed his lips against hers. A shock of electricity ran through her. Astrid pulled him closer to her. Her lips moved against his hungrily. She moved her hands down his back, loving the way his shirt clung to his body.

Stephen slowly lowered himself down, taking Astrid with him. Kissing her lips, her cheek, biting the soft skin of her neck hungrily. He wanted more. He gently pushed at her tank top, fingering the thin straps as he slowly pushed them off her shoulders.

Astrid kissed him again and again. Playing with his shirt buttons as he pushed her to the ground. Slowly, she began to unbutton his shirt, feeling his heart beat faster at her touch. Without breaking the kiss Stephen slowly eased off his shirt, pale skin gleaming in the half-light. He slowly slid off her tank top, exposing her bare skin.

The black lace of her bra tickled her chest as he leaned down. She could feel his muscles and his pulse beating rapidly on his tender neck as she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her like a starved animal, pushing her harder.

Astrid felt Stephen back, loving the way her fingers glided over his body. He tensed and put his hands at her waist, slowly moving them upward. He was stroking her collarbone, then her hair, pushing himself closer to her.

Astrid felt at his hair, lacing her fingers through it. I love him, I love him, I love this man! She sang to the heavens, rejoicing in the feel of his body against hers.

Later...

Loki and Darcy were sharing a bowl of popcorn when Astrid stumbled into the kitchen. They looked up in surprise at her somewhat tattered appearance, noting that she was clad only in a white dress-shirt that was a few sizes too big for her and was clearly not her own.

"We... are... never... giving him... coffee... again," Astrid said as she slumped against the counter.

"What happened to you?" Darcy burst out, gaping as Astrid tugged at the light fabric. The woman wrapped it tighter about her body, a dazed expression in her eyes. At this point Astrid could care less that she was standing half-naked in the kitchen.

"He... magicked my clothes away," Astrid replied vaguely.

Darcy and Loki shared a wide-eyed look.

''Well I guess your encounter with Stephen was much more... Pleasant,'' Loki said in mocking tones, smirking at Astrid.

''I think he's asleep now...'' Astrid said, ignoring Loki while she got a glass of milk.

Darcy and Loki watched quietly as Astrid took a sip of milk, paused thoughtfully, and then walked away.

''... Next time we need a video camera, some duct tape, and apple juice,'' Darcy said, looking at Loki mischievously.

''What makes you think Astrid will let us do that to Stephen again?" Loki asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

''I didn't say we would do that to Stephen...'' Darcy replied, suggestively eyeing Loki up and down.

''... No, no, no. We are not doing that,'' Loki said firmly.

''Of course not Loki. What was I thinking? We'll find someone else... Not.'' She barely whispered the last part as she leaned in close and kissed her boyfriend's lips. ''Let's go home, away from stupid pranks and crazy sorcerers.''

A/N: Please read and review :)