A/N: I know, I know. So cruel to leave you guys hanging like that after the last chapter. But, behold! A New Chapter! Ugh, I'm talking like Thor now...

Disclaimer: Loki, Loki, we're not meant to be! You can never belong to me! Yeah! *cheerleader pose*

Stuff & Nonsense - Chapter Eight

There were very few things that had thrown Loki in his lifetime. If fact, the first real thing had been the whole adoption saga. The second seemed to be anything to do with Dana.

The third was walking into his brother's office for the first time in two years and seeing a shocked Hogun (inconceivable), a Sif who looked as if she were about to throw up (ol' iron balls herself?), a furious Thor (granted, not a completely uncommon sight), a slender brunette who was either on the verge of tears or about to explode, and Dana.

Her mouth was hanging open, but shut with an audible snap in the silent room. Then what looked a lot like guilt took over and she visibly sagged. Loki, confused at first, felt strangely elated at the sight of her, a feeling he really didn't want to explore at that particular moment, because in the next reality took over.

"Your name isn't Dana, is it." A statement, not a question.

She shook her head, "I'm sorry, Loki," she whispered.

Thor's head was whipping between the two of them, while the brunette looked less like exploding and more sheepish as she stared at the floor.

Loki drew on the dignity he had left and tightly ground out, "Well, industrial espionage. I suppose I'm not the first to fall for that."

Dana stepped closer, looking distressed, "It's not like that, Loki. I didn't want to-" she struggled with her next words. "I- I didn't mean to get involved with you."

He allowed fury drown his humiliation. "You didn't mean to? You didn't mean to?" He hissed. "So the whole 'let's see how far I can get involved with the CEO of Jotunn' really was just a game to you?" Dana flinched. "How far were you willing to go, Dana? All the way?"

"No! Stop!" She cried, everyone else in the room forgotten. "You've got it wrong!"

"Really, Dana?" His emphasis was on her fake name. "What the hell is your real name, anyway?"

"Darcy," she answered. "Darcy Lewis. Please Loki-"

He felt a strange burning sensation begin from his stomach and start to work it's way up to his throat. He knew that she was hiding something, but suspecting and actually knowing were two very different things.

"Darcy Lewis," he choked out. He must have looked murderous, as he felt Thor come in closer.

Dana's, no- Darcy's huge blue eyes widened behind her glasses. Her mouth opened, then closed, full lips twisting with an emotion that he recognised, but refused to acknowledge.

He couldn't stand it anymore. "Thor, we'll catch up another time, I think." He turned and walked out the door.

Darcy felt like someone had punched her in the gut when Loki turned his final, icy gaze on her. She could barely breathe when she saw him leave.

The room exploded around her. Thor, Sif and Hogun began throwing accusations and insults at each other, but Darcy felt nothing. She was trapped in a bubble of her own guilt and misery.

It wasn't meant to turn out like this.

Jane suddenly grabbed her arm. "Darcy! Go!"

Her legs started moving before her brain caught up, chasing the tall man down the hall. "Loki! Please," she begged, all thought of dignity gone.

He didn't even slow down. She tore up behind him, but was suddenly at a loss as to how to make him stop. Should she grab him? She quailed at the thought of him cringing at her touch. How could two people that were so intimate only days ago be so distant now?

The lifts were in sight and Darcy knew she had to get her story out quickly. "I only did this to help Jane and Thor, you've got to believe me. I didn't mean to get involved with you, I couldn't stay away. I mean, who could?"

Babbling, Darcy, babbling. "Things got out of hand and, and-"

Loki finally acknowledged her as a lift opened. "And what, Ms Lewis?" His tone dripped with indifference.

Her blue eyes met his cold green ones.

"An- and I kinda fell for you."

The lift doors shut in her face.

"Poos."

"What's up, Darce?"

"This program has frozen. Again." Darcy tapped a key. Then tapped it again. "Shit." She pounded away at the keyboard, as if pressing 'Enter' 67 times would make it work. "Dammit!"

Jane looked up from her screen with concern clearly written on her face. "You know, Darce, you can go home. Try again tomorrow. It's after six."

Darcy sighed, "Yeah, I know." She slumped back in her chair. "Don't really want to go home," she mumbled. Home reminded her that she wasn't Dana Lawson. Home reminded her of all the hours she spent worming her way into Jotunn Secure's systems only to find out the disgraced Sif was behind all the leaks in a horrible confrontation.

Home reminded her of all the flirtatious barbs she traded with Loki online, lying back on her couch and imagining him there with her. The real her.

Jane was silent for a moment, then she asked, "Have you heard from him?"

She didn't even need to ask who 'he' was. Darcy shook her head. She hadn't heard from him in the two weeks since he walked into Thor's office. She still felt a little sick that she let slip with her feelings. How stupid could she have been? As if that would negate the lies she told. As if that could magically fix everything.

She was an idiot.

She heard a shuffle to her left. Jane had walked right up to her and she didn't even notice. Totally spaced out. Dammit, Loki.

"I asked Tony another favour," she said, propping her hip up on Darcy's desk.

"Another one? Dude, we'll be promising the guy our first born children soon."

Jane laughed softly. "He's holding his annual ball for his mom's charity, and I asked if you could come."

Blue eyes widened, "No shit? A Stark 'do?"

"Ah, huh. He's happy to have you along." She tipped herself forward and slid a very expensive creamy looking envelope out of the back pocket of her pants. "On one condition, though."

"Here it comes. Sorry, Darcy junior." She patted her (almost) flat tummy.

"He has a friend-"

Darcy pulled a face. "I'll have a date?"

"His name is Clint, and he's an ex-marine apparently looking for a new line of work. He'll be in town that weekend."

She shifted awkwardly in her comfy office chair. "I don't know, Janie."

Her friend rubbed a small hand along her arm. "Come on, Darce. It'll be fun. I hate to see you so down."

Darcy exhaled a sharp breath, blowing the hair that had fallen over her face out of her eyes.

"Come on," Jane pleaded.

Darcy grumbled incoherently until the other woman gave her a playful shove and she cracked a grin.

"Alright, alright. Fine," she muttered, still fighting a smile.

"Good! It'll be so much better with you there."

"Yup, that's me, the free entertainment."

Darcy had no idea how prophetic those words would become.

Loki's stress ball was getting a work out today.

"-and I kinda fell for you."

He felt his temper flare again at the memory of the confession (lie?) and he threw the ball across his living room. It hit the wall next to the television with a flat sounding crunch and preceded to roll under his DVD cabinet.

Dana Bloody Lawson. He couldn't even curse the woman properly. There was no Dana Bloody Lawson.

Darcy Bloody Lewis. That was better.

He couldn't believe he took this long to find out. He was j0tunn for shit's sake! Greatest hacker in recent history! And no, he wasn't going to be modest. So he'd love to shake the hand of whoever created her online identity.

Then rip their arm off and beat them to death with it.

"-and I kinda fell for you."

He snarled and slumped further into the white leather couch and crossed his arms tightly against his chest. He bet it was Stark. Tony Bloody Stark interfering yet again.

The question he was refusing to consider was why he cared that Darcy Lewis was a fraud. Okay, pride, maybe. Loki hated to made a fool of. He was so consumed with Dana's real identity that he had barely given the whole leak being Sif thing a second glance. Well, the woman did have a vicious streak and had been friendzoned for so long by Thor that Loki wasn't entirely surprised she lowered herself to leaking information to his less-than-adored brother.

But back to his real issue. Was Darcy putting it on? Was it all an act?

"-and I kinda fell for you."

He shouldn't care. He should forget about her.

Just move on.

He didn't care. He sighed in frustration.

"-and I kinda fell for you."

Bollocks. Who was he kidding?

Darcy tried not to giggle like an idiot as Clint swept her into the most ludicrous dance moves she'd seen since her junior prom. It all culminated with him throwing her over his shoulder and kneeling dramatically, hand firmly placed on her backside.

"Ack! Clint! This dress is not made for that move!" She laughed breathlessly.

"All dresses are made for the Hawkeye Special," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively as he slid her to the ground with indecent slowness. Darcy threw back her head and laughed, giddy from the dancing and excellent Stark alcohol being served at the Maria Stark Foundation Ball. She had to admit, she really didn't want a date for the ball and was happy enough either at home moping about Loki or just going stag. But Clint changed her mind. Not in a romantic sense, ick. The guy was hot, but reminded her of her oldest brother, including the cheesy pick up lines. He was fun and it was a novelty having a guy literally pick her up and throw her around like she weighed nothing, but he couldn't stop her from thinking about her Mister TD&H.

The music slowed down and he drew her into his arms like he'd done it a million times. "So," he smiled down at her. "How'd Tony talk you into taking me tonight?"

With a straight face she dead-panned, "He told me that he wanted to go with Pepper, and you were so broken hearted at his rejection-"

"What?!"

"I mean, I don't blame you at all. Tony is a sexy, sexy man. If I were a man, I'd turn-"

"Hang on-"

"I'd totally do him, if it wasn't for Pep. Geez Louise, a total hair puller, that one-"

It was Clint's turn to throw back his head and laugh that time. "Okay, okay! Stop, please!"

Darcy grinned up at him with a nose wrinkle and he pulled the said nose with a honking sound effect. Yup, totally like her older brother. He swung her around wildly for a few turns and she gave a quick wave to Jane and Thor as they passed, the former giving her a happy thumbs up. Always matchmaking, that woman.

"So, without deflecting this time, why didn't a gorgeous girl like you already have a date?"

Darcy glared. "Way to kill the mood, dude."

He shrugged, unconcerned with her death glare. "I just like to know the lay of the land." She sighed and looked away again. He jostled her in his arms. "Come on dudette, now you're just making me more curious."

"Fine, pain in the ass," she muttered. Clint just chuckled again. "I don't have a date 'cause I wasn't really invited." He raised a brow. "Not usually my sort of scene, dude. These people here," she nodded her head towards the haute couture and (real) diamonds hanging off the attendees, "so much higher up the food chain."

"Don't say that," Clint protested.

"Totally true, though. I got an invite because of Jane Foster, Thor Asgard's fiancée."

"Okay, fine," he cocked his head to the side. "Still doesn't explain why you're stuck with me all night."

She punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I'm not stuck with you, dude! You're great value for money." He gave her that look again. "Geez! No boyfriend, okay? I don't have a boyfriend." She grimaced. "There kinda was someone, but he's more like them," she indicated the fancy people again, "and I pissed him off big time."

"No, you?" Clint turned his voice light, finally coming to realise that the subject was a little touchy. "I couldn't imagine."

"Hey, what are you implying, mister?" Darcy grinned and poked him in the chest. "I'll have you know that I am a delicate flower and- ugh!" She found herself being swung over a broad shoulder again as the next song began to pump through the speakers. "Clint!" She shrieked.

His response was another slap to the backside. "I don't really fit in either, dudette. So I think I'll stick with you anyways."

"Ah, Clint! The blood. My head. Woozy!"

"Oops, sorry, Darce," he said, putting her down in a hurry.

Pulling her hair back into place and readjusting the girls back into the appropriate sections of her bodice, Darcy then looked over Clint's shoulder and froze.

"Hey, dudette?" He looked down on his date. "You okay?"

"I- ah," was all she managed as she watched Loki stride towards them, mouth tight. Clint turned and saw the angry ex-hacker bear down.

"Well, look who finally decided to grace a Stark party with his presence!" He grinned cheekily. Of course, he didn't know who Darcy had managed to royally piss off, did he?

Darcy, meanwhile, was discretely trying to remove herself from Clint's firm arm slung over her shoulder. "Crap, crap, crap-" she cursed under her breath.

Loki's long strides brought him onto the dance floor before she could escape and he gave her a look which made her feel naked. And not in a good-naked way. More like a 'I see through all your lies' way.

"Barton," he nodded at the former marine. The circles the men ran in called for a passing acquaintance.

"Asgard," Clint replied absently, finally noticing Darcy's escape attempt and missing the slight twitch as he used Loki's former last name. Loki turned his attention to Darcy, his normally bright green eyes almost black in the soft light of the ballroom. Or was it his anger that made them so dark? Darcy was suddenly just a little bit frightened.

"Ms Lewis," Loki's voice rasped a little. Darcy swallowed nervously.

"Ohhimrlaufeyson." Way to show him you're not scared, Darce.

"Loki," he almost snarled back. She flinched.

Clint was flicking his gaze between the two, brow furrowing. He turned to Loki, "What can we do you for?"

"A dance," Loki briefly glanced at Clint before turning to Darcy again, "with the beautiful Ms Lewis."

Darcy huffed out a forced laugh as her knees weakened considerably at the thought of being in his arms again. "Whoa, is that the time? I got to go- help w-with science sort of stuff-"

She twisted on her heel to run off the dance floor. Way to go, Darce. Girl Power her butt. Had the Spice Girls taught her nothing? First time you've seen him since he found out you, you know, betrayed him, and what do you do?

But she didn't get very far. Loki had moved closer and latched a long fingered hand onto her wrist. Her heart kicked up a notch and she tried to think of something witty/snarky/sarcastic to say, but that was an exercise in futility as all brain faculties had ceased to function the moment she saw him prowling across the large room thirty seconds earlier. The skin-on-skin contact didn't help either.

Dammit! She was better than this! Say something!

"Ireallyhavetogosorryloki." Smooth.

"No, you don't," he countered, an edge to his voice. He pulled her closer.

"Hey, Asgard, I really don't think-" Clint interrupted at this point, the concerned look growing on his face.

"You don't have to think, Barton," he hissed at the other man, "you just to have to leave." He snaked a hand around Darcy's waist. Her mind was just beginning to process that there were two men looming over her and (sort of) fighting about her.

Thrilling.

"Hey, man." Clint reached out and grabbed Loki's shoulder. Letting go of Darcy, he knocked his hand away then punched him across the jaw.

"Oh, shit!" She yelled, stumbling back. Loki looked down at Clint, who was moaning a little on the floor, anger in his face slowly giving way to horror.

As quickly as that, Loki's fury dissipated as he continued to stare down at Barton, he then turned back to Darcy's shocked expression. "I'm- sorry. I-I don't know what-"

Darcy took another step back from him and he reached out for her, which only made her shuffle back further. "Darcy!" He pleaded.

Loki had no idea what to do. Seeing Barton with his hands all over Darcy just made him snap. She was his. Didn't she understand?

"-and I kinda fell for you."

Darcy was looking down at Barton as if she wanted to help him up, but Loki was between them. He was suddenly forced to his knees as several pairs of hands wrestled his arms from behind. "Fuck! Darcy, please!" She captured his eyes with her own. She looked at him as if she didn't recognise him. As if she was scared.

Not Darcy. Not of him. Surely not-

"I am so sorry," she whispered, her big blue eyes shining a little too brightly. She began to walk away, stumbling a little in her heels.

"Darcy!" He yelled, surging to his feet despite the fact that both his brother and Stark were holding him down. "Get off me, you oaf!"

"No, brother, you will let Darcy go and cool down!"

Barton regained his balance, waving off help from Pepper, and ruefully began rubbing his jaw. "Probably should've seen that one coming. I didn't believe the dudette when she said she pissed off someone much higher than her on the food chain."

Loki swiftly lost it again. He just couldn't seem to hold his mood swings in check anymore. Or at least, ever since he met a certain PR consultant. "She is not lower than me! She is-"

He stopped. Straightened. Cleared his throat. Well, shit. That would explain a few things. Thor and Stark let go of him in surprise. Loki readjusted his tie then swiftly turned on his heel and jerkily made his way to the exit, fascinated crowds parting before him like the Red Sea.

His mother had always predicted that unlike his older brother, who used to fall almost weekly for a new woman until Jane Foster came along, her reclusive younger son would fall hard for just one woman.

How convenient that the woman he had fallen hard for had lied to him for the first two months of their acquaintance.

Shit.