Author's Notes: At last here is chapter three, I hope I didn't make you wait too long! Just to clear up some confusion with the timeline of the fic so far: Chapter One would be present day, and we are slowly working our way backwards towards a pivotal point in the plot - essentially flashing backwards to the events that created what takes place in chapter one. The reason for this is to open the way for what comes later - and you all better hold on to your hats and/or fasten your seatbelts.

Also, recognition must go to the wonderful Missy Mayhem, my beta. She knows just how important her talent and patience are for the development process of this story. I don't usually do the whole answering each and every one of your readers thing, but I'm going to respond to some of the reviews I have received.

Gigi - I was ... staggered when I first glimpsed the sheer size of your review, and instinctively knew it was criticism. I was excited for it. And then it turned out to be even better than mere criticism, it was actually constructive criticism, and any writer worth their salt would know just how rare and yet how fundamental such a thing is. I have totally taken your advice to heart, because I feel like you've narrowed in on one of my fundamental faults as a writer - the overdoing it. You're completely right about that, and sometimes a reminder goes a long way so thank you for pointing in the right direction. :)

I'm sorry if you were disappointed by the lack of 'action' in the plot development, and hope this chapter makes up for it. It's not as long as I would ideally want it to be, but I think it's just right in terms of plot and to allow the readers to wrap their heads around a concept that to them is a complete surprise because it's not something already in their heads. I confess I tend to overlook that sometimes, the fact that I'm the only one knowing what goes on because it's all in my head, whereas others have only my words to guide them.

Thank you for the very kind compliments therein, and in general for the kind of review you have taken the time to leave. I appreciated this one more than any in a long time. I hope to rely on you to carry on reading this story!

Tbnasib3 - I'm sorry to hear that you're confused. I will try to clear it up now. Picture Tony dying in chapter one. Then picture the vacation Tony and Pepper went on in chapter two, which actually takes place before the events of chapter one. Think of chapter one as 'present-day' and chapter two as 'before present-day' ... along with chapter three. :) Hope this helps!

Finally, I wanted to thank all the readers who, whilst not leaving a review, have added this story to their favourites list, and the ones who keep coming back to read more. I appreciate it all the same. :)

Summary: In which Asgard and Loki's family banish him to Earth as punishment for his crimes against humanity in The Avengers movie. And here Loki finds himself a purpose.

3. Trenches of the heart

.

.

.

The battle's just begun,

There's many lost, but tell me who has won,

The trench is dug within our hearts,

And mothers, children, brothers, sisters

Torn apart…

It puts my back up,

Puts my back up against wall.

- 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday' by U2

.

.

- ASGARD, SOME TIME AFTER THE DAYS OF TRIAL -

The tunnelling vortex of colours and lights squeezed until the breath was stolen from his chest. He shut his eyes tightly, but the bitterness inside them still stung its way down his icy cheeks. Since he could barely breathe, he couldn't give voice to the tumult inside his soul, so this was the only outlet left.

Time inside the passage was peculiar. One moment one had the impression that this violent slide – the descent from the heavens into disgrace – would never end. And yet in other moments, it seemed as though it was all too brief. And sometimes he wasn't sure if he was still falling, or if he was floating, merely existing in a limbo, forever orbiting without sense or purpose, nothing inside except for the pain, the shame and the longing.

Then everything seemed to slow down - but only for a split second. He instinctively opened his eyes and cast his gaze to where he knew the place he'd called home to be, and glimpsed it for the last time.

The splendour and prosperous serenity that was Ásgarðr, home of the Æsir and the dynasty of Odin seemed very far away. The lights twinkled as though in farewell, and his heart ripped in two as the blackness engulfed him.

"Loki Odinson, you are responsible for the deaths and the misery of many people in Miðgarðr! You have wrongly stolen the Tesseract and exposed all the realms to the threat and horrors of war, for your foolish alliance with a being you could not hope to control! You are unworthy of these peaceful realms! As punishment, I Odin All-faðr in the name of my father and his father before him, take from you your title … and cast you out! You are to spend your time in Miðgarðr and live amongst men as a man, until such a time comes when you have reflected upon your actions and will travel down the correct path once more."

Odin's flinty eye was cold and piercing as he decreed his punishment and banishment from Ásgarðr. The unyielding lines in his face and the firm set to his mouth – Loki was familiar with all of this.

His … mother… stood silent next to Odin. She fully supported the All-faðr's decision, but her heart ached for her son. He had deeply disappointed and ashamed her, this Loki knew. He had shamed them all.

He straightened his shoulders and gave Odin an impassive look, his stance as proud as that of a prince (the prince he had been, the prince he still considered himself). He told himself that the only pain in his heart was for having brought pain to his mother, that it was there for no other reason. He did not care for anyone else here.

Odin placed the Gungnir on the platform … and Loki's insides burned. Instinctively, he sought out Thor's eyes, and held his gaze in the few brief seconds left to him here.

Thor's blue eyes were stormy. His chin pointed towards his chest, and he looked as though he was bearing an immense weight. 'Brother', his eyes told him, 'oh, brother, that you should leave us thus.'

Loki bowed his head, his throat clogged with all he longed to say, but couldn't say.

It was Thor upon whom Loki kept his eyes on as he was thrown backwards towards the paths travelling between the Nine Realms. He didn't know when he would see him or his mother again.

And then he was torn away.

Loki closed his eyes, let the vortex take him, and told himself that he didn't care. But the treacherous tears that ran down his face said differently.

Loki clenched his fists around the steering wheel, staring resolutely in front of him. He remembered bits and pieces about doing this, driving these 'vehicles', from his time spent with Erik Selvig and the agent Barton.

Though he'd hidden the traces left by his passage as best as he could, he did not underestimate the power of S.H.I.E.L.D., nor Nicholas Fury's sharp powers of observation, his meddlesome ways. Once that was taken care of, Loki had appropriated one of the vehicles for himself and was now speeding out of the land called 'New Mexico'.

He hadn't given it much thought at first, but his instincts pushed him to get far away from here, and now he had a destination: the city that had enthralled him with its vitality, that made him all the more hungry to see it lay wasted at his feet, the 'New York City'. That was where he was headed. To the very place on Earth he had last been in before returning to Ásgarðr.

Only to be cast out back onto it after the Days of Trials were over, and his– and the king had decided that he must be punished by returning to face what he did.

He may as well have spared them all the trouble, and just ran off after the lost battle with the Chitauri army, hiding in one of the many hovels in this realm until such a time came that he could re-emerge.

The night was dark as he sped out of the state, his only source of light provided by the headlights of the car, the only thing that truly penetrated the darkness ahead. But they too would not be sufficient.

What was he to do with it now, all this darkness in him, now that he had renounced his wicked ways and was trying to reform? In what way could the mass of agony eating his heart out from the inside be let out?

"Your plan … it wasn't a great plan. Because we will be coming for you. Us, the Avengers. A couple of master assassins, your demi-god brother, a living legend, the hulk and me. If we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."

"None of the ways this is going to end is gonna have you coming out on top."

Loki growled as he pushed the vehicle faster. The mortal man, Tony Stark, had been right. Loki had always hated losing, thanks to the way he'd grown up, constantly in his brother's shadow. Well, he was tired of it. He didn't want to lose. For once, just once, Loki wanted to win.

And he'd find a way to play the game … but with only Stark as his opponent.

His mocking words –that aura of self-assurance, of power– Loki both envied it and wanted it. And jealousy, as history had proved time and again was a powerful motivator.

Being unable to use magic had been part of the All-faðr's punishment. But it had been restricted so that no matter what he tried Loki would not be able to leave Earth. As for the rest … he was still in control. He could still use his tricks, his manipulative illusions.

And so The Trickster altered his image in order to blend in with the fashions of men, and briefly looked himself over in the window's reflection. He was almost unrecognisable as Loki, God of Mischief.

Up ahead to his left wasStarkTower, now completely rebuilt and standing tall and firm as the day he'd almost ruled the Earth – a beacon in the skyline, a symbol of strength.

And Stark would be inside the tower, Loki just knew it.

He walked more quickly, gliding through the throng of people walking on the street, more than half a head taller than most men. Loki paid no attention to details like the people who were in front and around him, or the places of commerce he swept past, everything was all of little consequence.

Until –

Loki automatically slowed down as a new thought formed in his devious mind. The Trickster had come out to play … and it demanded more entertainment.

To get inside the Tower undetected or at least free of suspicion, he'd have to disguise himself further. Just a few feet away on his immediate left there was a 'Pizza' market, and as the plan unravelled in his head, Loki smiled, his eyes shining with an unholy light.

After spending time with the entranced Selvig and Barton, he'd learnt that Earth-people liked to feast on a food called 'pee-tz-ah', and sometimes ordered it from the telecommunications devices they carried in their pockets, so that it would then be delivered on their door-step. Loki had sneered and turned up his nose at the peasant's custom.

Now it would come in handy.

Once, one of the men he had ensnared had declared their state of hunger, and the group had decided to 'order in some pizza'. A brief period of time later, a 'pizza boy' had requested entrance to their lair in order to deliver their order. And Loki had watched in angered shock (and consternation) as they allowed this puny specimen, this potential threat to enter their lair happy-as-a-lark, and to walk out not a few minutes later, just as happy –and unscathed– with paper gold in his pocket.

This little situation was coming in handy now. Loki ducked in the alley next to the entrance and hid behind the large waste disposal containers. He could see through the window into the market as people went about their business, each in their own stations, like busy little ants.

When he saw the ugly clothing of one sullen-looking teenage boy, Loki smiled once more, and pounced at the opportune moment.

He didn't harm the boy per se. He merely confused him enough to emulate his uniform and take the boxes out of his hands, where the pizzas were held. He pulled the ridiculous striped hat down low over his forehead, shadowing the upper part of his features.

The aromas wafting from the boxes innocently made their way to his nose and Loki's stomach unexpectedly rumbled. Loki frowned and stopped so suddenly he almost dropped his free-ticket insideStarkTower.

For a moment, he could not fathom why he should feel so hungry and-

Wait.

He was hungry?

Loki mentally scoffed at the mere idea. He was a Frost Giant, and the God of Mischief to boot; he didn't get hungry.

This must be the handiwork of Odin. Loki straightened his spine and carried on walking once more, resolutely ignoring what his now mortal body was telling him.

Once he reached Stark's Tower, as Loki had envisioned it was jokingly easy to get inside. As soon as these people saw the objects he carried in his hands, they became a right friendly bunch, and suspicion that he could possibly be their enemy was the furthest possibility on their minds.

All he had to do was charm the woman in the large hallway to allow him to go all the way up to Stark's chambers, insisting that the man himself had placed the order and that he had asked it delivered to his door, or no tips. The woman had given him a small understanding smile and waved him on. And it was done.

The up-down closet took him all the way to the top of the Tower, where he knew Stark's chambers to be. Loki stepped out, looking at the familiar space. He searched the large open space but Stark was nowhere in sight. Loki waited, but patience had not been his friend of late.

When it was clear that there was no one inside these chambers, Loki sulked and started heading back to the up-down closet, already planning his next move-

And that's when she stepped out from another chamber.

Loki froze, eyes widening in surprise.

The woman, too, looked at him in surprise and said nothing for a moment. There was a small puzzled frown on her face as she regarded him. Loki's heart beat faster.

And then she spoke.

"Are you here to deliver those?" She looked meaningfully down at the flat containers in Loki's hands. Loki gazed down at them and then looked back at her. His face smoothed and a subservient smile plastered insincerely onto his face. "Indeed. I was asked to deliver them directly up here. You'd almost missed me though, madam. Seeing no one here, I was just on my way back downstairs."

The woman smiled and stepped towards him, practically emanating friendly vibes. Loki felt slight wariness as she came closer, never losing the polite smile on his face. He was a great showman, always had been.

When she was within reach she extended her hands, motioning him to give her the pizza boxes. He smiled charmingly at her and did just that, showing his white teeth.

The woman took them and moved away from him, putting them down onto a desk. Loki quietly observed her with an impassive look. She bent to rummage inside a bag and then walked back to him. "What will it be?" The woman looked at him questioningly. Loki was lost for a moment; he hadn't given thought to this next part, merely concentrating on gaining access to Stark's building.

He quickly said the first number that came to mind. "Twenty-seven."

Three times the Nine Realms. That was the size of some of the worlds he had seen whilst in exile when the Æsir had believed him dead.

The woman handed him the paper gold and thanked him, smiling sweetly. Loki looked at her a little uncertainly. The Æsir never thanked their servants, they didn't even look at them all that much. Certainly not out in the public eye, they merely contented themselves in taking their services and their loyalty for granted. And if their services included bedding them whenever they pleased that was even better.

But the woman had already turned away from him, not expecting anything else. Suddenly he stumbled and went sprawling against the furniture, making a veritable racket.

"Oh my goodness! Are you all right?"

The woman had returned and kneeled down next to him, peering worriedly into his eyes. The look on her face couldn't be mistaken for anything but genuine concern. His throat ran dry and he gulped. "Yes I … I must have not been looking where I was going again. I believe I am mostly unhurt. Just the embarrassment from the fall."

She chuckled lightly and helped him stand up. Loki leaned rather more heavily than necessary on her, and couldn't fight the small frisson of delight than ran through him at the immediate contact.

Touching people had always been an issue for him. His childhood and subsequent years into manhood were partly to blame. If Thor didn't beat him in every game he could think of, he would use his fists and considerably more generous strength on his little brother in a little game of wrestling. That was not to say that Thor had ever consciously bullied Loki. That would require an awareness and sensibility that Thor completely lacked.

Apart from the affectionate hugs and kisses from his mother, Loki had never truly gotten physical contact from anyone. When he'd grown older, and wiser, maturing into his role of prince of Ásgarðr, he had known not to expect affection any more, had expected to be shunned to a dark corner to watch Thor's glory … to watch as Thor stood bathed in a light he, Loki, would never know. But he had also come to expect that physical contact entailed his having visions of the person he touched. When Loki touched someone he'd see flashes of past moments lived by that person, and though it was always brief, Loki had at first avoided it completely because being a young princeling who still innocently believed in propriety and in the goodness of people, it made him uncomfortable to be privy to some of their darkest secrets … but then he had learnt to use it to his advantage.

Now as her skin –her soft palm– touched his wrist, Loki had visions of her. They were merely bright flashes that lasted less than a second each, but he could see it all clearly and make sense of it.

The flashes told him that she'd known Tony Stark for a very long time. She somehow worked for him. By the looks of it as the years passed she flickered from being valet, to governess, to messenger and–

Oh, what's this? Loki thought delightedly as entirely different images flashed in his eyes.

She and Tony Stark were dancing and speaking to each other in low voices; they looked very intimate. And then they were on top of a building, suspended above the streets much like the King's Palace in Ásgarðr … and Stark kissed her.

The flashing visions now clearly showed that their relationship had evolved; they were having a love affair!

The woman helped him to a reclining settee and he moved slowly so as not to lose the contact.

But perhaps he really should have let go, because what came next upset him all over and made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Loki was slightly breathless as this vision showed her and Stark reclining on a bed, naked, their limbs entwined. Tony held himself above her, unspeakable passion on his face as their hips worked rhythmically. Her moans echoed in the air whilst he whispered something in her ear. "Oh God, Pepper…"

A strange yearning burrowed deep in Loki's gut.

The woman snatched her hand away and rushed somewhere out of his sight.

For a second more, Loki held himself immersed in the images, particularly that last one, the strongest and brightest of them – probably because it was a flash of something that had occurred very recently. Loki's eyes widened and he fought the grin that wanted to stretch on his face, keeping up with the farce that he was feeling poorly.

She was Stark's lover.

Then a darker (and positively delicious) thought bloomed in his mind.

This woman, this … 'Pepper'…? Whatever her name was, she had Stark heart, body and soul.

What did that mean then if Loki had her?

This was rich. This was wonderfully rich! A seed was planted in his mind, and this new information gave it nourishment until it grew into a seedling. Tony Stark/Iron Man's beloved … in the hands of the god he'd dared to challenge.

The Trickster's smile was sinister as his insides purred with approval.

Loki left the Tower quickly and took to wandering through the city streets. Up until a few hours ago he hadn't known what he'd do with himself now that he was back on Earth, alone and sans powerful allies – and with a list of enemies that was not inconsiderable. The punishment entailed his living amongst men, as a man.

Which meant that he would be forced to find living accommodations, and a means with which to survive. He, a prince and God of Mischief, a Frost Giant … would be forced to find employment.

His mouth tasted bitter as Loki thought upon this galling situation. He was a prince, destined to rule a kingdom, to sit on a throne.

But then his brother had been through the same thing, only worse because Odin had also taken away Thor's powers when he'd banished him to the Earth. Loki was in a better position than his brother had been because he still had his powers, though they were no longer unlimited.

He realised that he'd made his way into a small park, and sat down onto a bench, carefully considering his situation. So far he was stuck in this realm, no longer a prince. He would have to live as men lived here, working to accomplish anything they wanted in life, whether that was power, status or freedom.

Unless Loki found himself some powerful allies, who would support his cause and-

No.

He couldn't go there again. The Days of Trial had changed him, if only a little. He now knew that although his life had practically been built on a lie, not all of it was falsehood. The Lady Frigga considered Loki to be her son just as much as Thor was. And Thor himself still regarded him as his brother, he always had. Loki purposefully pushed thoughts of Odin out of his mind, choosing instead to focus on his mother and brother, the only good things he had. Their love for him was real; it had never been a lie.

After his return, Odin had tried to make Loki understand that enslaving Earth just to spite him and get back at him was wrong, wrong in the truest sense of the word. Thor had whole-heartedly supported this; but of course he would, after all his lady friend lived here and Thor was exceedingly fond of her. Of course he would support his father's views that Earth was to be protected and not enslaved.

Loki had mostly come to terms with this. Seeing the renewed understanding and closeness between Thor and Odin … he'd felt bitter and betrayed all over again. But then he'd understood.

His mother had enlightened him. No matter how much Odin and Thor deluded themselves, Loki's final acquiescence and acceptance of what would be his punishment had been brought about by the Lady Frigga. With her gentle ways and her strong, devoted love she had managed to calm the beast in his heart, and Loki had returned to reason again. He didn't want to hurt his mother, he truly didn't. Any hurt he had caused her made him regret his actions, made him ashamed. But she'd been his strength and ultimately the pivotal figure who'd turned his mind away from the darkness that had infected it like a virus.

But unfortunately it hadn't been enough to give him peace.

Loki wondered, not for the first time, whether he had ever at any moment in his life known true peace. The Lady Frigga had spoken to him at length of what it was to feel it and live it daily … but he had not fully understood it, not in the bottom of his heart. This too he regretted, because he'd lied to her. He'd only done it to ease her worries, but still felt guilty.

And now look at the predicament he faced. This experience would serve to humble him; that was Odin's intention since the beginning, Loki knew this.

The only good that had come of his recent exploits in this realm was the things he had learned about what it was to live here, what one had to do if he wanted a certain something. Everything he had learned would come in very useful in the next few months.

He had better put all his limited knowledge to good use straight away, if he was to survive.

Loki shivered as the cooler evening air began setting in. He'd sat on the bench nearly all day thinking about how he'd come to this. That wouldn't do.

His body heartily agreed. He needed sustenance and shelter. Loki rose from the bench, grimacing at the way his stiff muscles protested after being still for so long. He hated this. He hated mortality with a strong passion. And, he suspected, he would probably hate mortals in equal measure.

He left the park and set out onto the streets again.

Not long after Loki found himself inside one of the many dining halls that lined the streets of the city. He was thankful for this because at least he was warm, even if he probably couldn't-

Wait a moment.

Just because he did not possess the paper gold that mortals loved so much, in order to acquire a decent meal, it didn't mean that he couldn't make some. He was tired and hungry; this physical state had altered his ability to think. He'd better set this right.

He took a hold of some of the paper napkins –horrid stuff- in the table dispenser, and after making sure no one would see him, he quietly changed their appearance. Now he was innocently holding a bunch of 'notes' as Selvig had called them. Money. He had money now.

And 'lo, he looked down at his work and saw that it was good.

With a wolfish grin he signalled one of the waitresses over, and began ordering food.

Perhaps everything's not lost, and this seemed to be a very promising start. And for a brief moment, Loki felt a rush of excitement that he could be on his way already to turn things around. He'd sunk low. But now he was rising again.

A small child made his way to Loki's table. He stood there looking small and irritating as he stared at Loki, who at first tried to ignore him, and then, fed up of consuming his meal under such an unnerving watchful stare, he turned to the child and spoke to him. "

"What are you looking at?"

The child immediately sneered.

He sneered at Loki! This tiny human vessel of flesh and blood dared to-

Loki ground his teeth together.

"Why do you eat so much food? Are you fat?"

Loki stared at the boy. He reached out and took hold of his neck and began squeezing, he would choke the life out of this insignificant-

Loki grimly shook the tempting vision out of his head, knowing that he couldn't give in.

"Are you fat? Are you fat?"

Loki showed the child his teeth. The little runt.

"Does my body appear to have superfluous weight?"

The child stopped the taunting, momentarily confused. "What's that mean?"

Loki smirked down at the poisonous dwarf, feeling comfortable in his princely skin. "Do you not understand language, child of man?"

The boy's lower lip jutted out. "Yeah I do! Why do you call me child of man? Are you a tourist? Cuz my mom said that tourists talk funny, and loudly, and they don't understand what it is to be American. Are you a tourist then? I thought I smelled something nasty."

Loki remained unfazed. "Yes, and what an insolent race you are. Why don't you go play in the mud, like any decent peasant urchin would do? Leave distinguished gentlemen to their important business." His tone was imperious and showed that he clearly expected his orders to be followed.

The boy's eyes widened. Not knowing any other way to defend himself and/or retaliate in a manner that would be convincing and personally satisfying, the boy glared at him , drew his foot back and kicked Loki's leg. Hard.

"Aaarghhh!" Loki immediately moved his hands to touch his abused leg, spilling his drink onto the floor in the process, where the glass shattered loudly in the sudden silence.

"Ha-ha!" The suicidal child stuck out his tongue at Loki and with a parting jeer ran off … only to be intercepted by a woman who glared at him darkly. Loki watched, bemused, as the woman grabbed the boy's arm and forcefully turned him the way he'd come. She marched the child right towards Loki, who coldly stared at their approach.

"Bobby, apologise to this man right now!"

The child looked at his mother in perfect sullen rebelliousness.

"No!"

"Right now Bobby! You're in big trouble young man!"

The child became petulant. "But mom, I don't wanna! He was mean and he said nasty things to me! I didn't do anything!"

"Why did you come bother him in the first place! Now do it! Say you're sorry!"

Bobby glared dirtily at Loki, who still looked at them impassively, and mumbled his apology.

The woman then turned expectantly towards Loki and apologised for her son's horrid behaviour.

She declared that the least she could do was to pay for his meal, and proceeded to do just that. Loki was at war with himself, ever so slightly. His chivalrous upbringing dictated that he never allow a woman to provide for him, it was he who was meant to provide, if anything. And yet his logic told him that this was probably a good thing. Maybe if he allowed her to get what she wanted –at least he wouldn't have to use his fake money- she would take her horrid offspring and leave Loki in peace.

But sadly that was not to be. The second the woman returned, she sat herself and her son at Loki's table. He watched them disbelievingly, wanting nothing more than for them to leave. She proceeded to converse with Loki in a gay manner, and Loki learned that once she opened her mouth, she never shut it. So that's where the puny rat had got it from; Loki wasn't surprised.

Feeling just about fed up and more than ready to leave this accursed place and its even worse company, Loki politely thanked her and was just about to leave when she asked him if he had any plans.

Loki stared at her, wondering if he should feel both threatened by the fact that she seemed to know he was up to something, and vexed that he couldn't part company with these rude mortals.

"I don't have any plans."

The woman grinned at him, clearly pleased at this response. Loki silently wondered if she was mad.

"In that case, since you're new in town and don't know much of the place or anyone, Bobby and I were just on our way to the movies. Would you like to accompany us?"

Loki stared at her, dumbfounded. He spoke the thing that stood out the most in his mind.

"Do you think it wise to invite a stranger you know nothing about to spend more time with you and your young son? Have neither of you any sense of self-preservation?" Are you mad, woman?

These people were ludicrous.

The woman, named Sam, blinked at Loki. "Are you planning to harm either me or my son, or hold us captive somewhere?"

Loki looked around himself in confusion.

"No. Why would I want to hold you or your son captive?"

"Well even if you did, wouldn't do you any good because you couldn't ask for a ransom!" She laughed. "Look we have a spare ticket because my friend bailed on us, so you might as well take it, for your trouble. And Bobby and I would love to have your company for a little more, wouldn't we?" Sam beamed at her son. He and Loki both looked at her, denial on both their faces.

Loki saw the boy's incensed look, and smirked.

"Thank you madam, I'd be delighted to join you both." And then he laughed in triumph at the boy's outraged expression.

As Loki followed Samantha and her son out of the movie theatre, he reflected that mortals probably spent more time thinking up ways to amuse themselves than they did anything else.

But at least something very good had come out of this unexpected and not entirely welcome turn of events; Sam had offered him a room in her house he could rent. So now he also had a roof over his head. Loki knew that he would have to give her money for the room she had graciously agreed to give him, and he did not have an employment that made him money as of yet. He didn't feel all that comfortable in slipping her fake money, after the kindness she'd bestowed on him.

Sam had merely told him that he could begin to look for a job immediately, and stay at her house, adding that he would still be her tenant and that he could begin paying her when he was successfully employed.

As this was probably the only (honourable) alternative Loki could find right now, he thought it best to accept.

Sam showed him around her house –it was small but clean-, whereas Bobby went to hide himself in his room, devastated beyond comprehension that the man he'd derided and then loathed upon sight now lived inside his house.

Loki followed her inside the guest room, and observed as she showed him the amenities. He would have his own bathing room thankfully, and though the chamber was tiny, the bed itself was neat and tidy. His body was so tired by now that he'd sleep just about anywhere.

She bid him goodnight, and he sighed in relief as he closed the door. Finally, finally he was alone with his thoughts, and could actually hear himself think.

He sat on the edge of the bed –it wasn't luxurious like the ones he'd grown up with, but it would do for now- removed his shoes, and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.

Now that he was alone again, he took stock of the situation. He now had shelter, but needed money to pay for it; tomorrow he would begin his search, this 'hunting' for a job Samantha had spoken of, in order to make the money he needed to pay her. Hopefully he could keep some money to himself, because it was the only useful way to trade in this realm, so vital for his survival.

He thought of the money that Stark's woman had given him earlier. He hadn't wanted to give it away at the diner, resolving to make fake money to pay for his meal instead. He eyes darkened despite the small smile that stretched on his face; pizza markets would be a passably acceptable place to start. It would be ideal for him to be in a place that Stark frequented, so that he could observe his habits. Loki fully intended to see the red-haired woman again. He had plans for her.

.

.

NOTES: The spellings used in this chapter are Old Norse. Their English counterparts are listed below:

Ásgarðr – Asgard

Æsir – the deities of Asgard, including Odin and his family.

All-faðr – (The) All-Father

Miðgarðr – Midgard, Earth

Gungnir – Odin's Staff

End of chapter three. R&R!

AN - if you're confused as to the timeline of the events that have happened so far, go to the top of the page to my first Author's Note, where everything is better explained.

Also. Please Review. It makes my days brighter. And if my days are brighter, my mood is better, which leads to more frequent bouts of prolific writing. In other words faster updates for you guys.

Appreciate it. :)