Note that the summary is changed! I felt like the summary didn't give this story justice, because the whole thing is going to be from Loki's perspective and his inner and outer conflicts. I am going to write a oneshot on the side from Darcy's perspective as a companion to this story, however, but that will be later on.

Anyway, thank you to everyone! You guys are the best! :)

"If I let you in, you'd just want out; if I told you the truth you'd vie for a lie..." Don't Go, Bring Me The Horizon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Thor. Seriously, I don't.

There is no delaying it any longer.

Loki must make amends with his family. Not for any sentimental reason, of course; he must do so only because he requires to introduce Darcy to them. He must also get Darcy to be his girlfriend of some sort, but first and foremost, he must talk to his family and assure (lie) that he has forgiven how they have wronged him so.

Skilled as he is at lying, he is unsure of how he will do this. He knows not how they will react to him, for starters, or how he will even word his assurance. He is pondering this, and making a masterful picture in his mand, when there comes a knock to his office door.

Loki looks in the direction of the door. "Come in," he calls, putting his planning aside in his mind. He has no appointments scheduled for today, so he vaguely wonders who it could be.

The door creaks open, and his secretary peeks in. "H-hello Mr. Odison," she stammers. "Forgive the intrusion, but there is a woman here to see you."

Loki, remembering Sif's visit from a few days prior, frowns at the notion. "Turn her away," he informs his secretary coldly. "I have no wish to see her again."

"A-again, sir?"

"Is she not the woman who intruded on my office four days ago?" asks Loki in exasperation. Honestly, one would think he would have better help. He would have fired his inept secretary by now, but she has been the fifth this month and he can't risk how bad it makes him look among the other workers.

"N-no, sir, this is someone else."

Loki raises his eyebrows at that. He already knows there are no appointments today. Could it be his mother? Only she and Sif know where he works, and Sif is not foolish enough to return to see him so soon. More importantly, if it is his mother, is he willing to let her in?

Taking a deep breath, Loki says, "Let her in."

He begins to shift papers off his desk as his secretary shuffles away to let the unknown woman in. He is tucking said papers into a folder when he hears the click of the door closing and the voice of a women who is most assuredly not his mother.

"Nice digs," comes the approving voice of Darcy Lewis.

Loki looks away from his papers in surprise. She is certainly the last person he expected to see here. What purpose does she have here? How did she find him here? She did not even know Odin's name. How did she manage to track him down here when she clearly knows nothing of business?

"Darcy," says Loki finally, processing the shock but playing it off calmly.

Darcy nods. "Yup, that's my name," she says proudly, and her eyes linger around his office for a good amount of time before she adds, "Oh, forgot to say hi. So, hi."

Loki quirks an eyebrow at the odd commentary, but he ignores it and motions for her to take a seat at one of the chairs situated before his desk. "Have a seat. Can I offer you a drink?"

"Whoa, you drink on the job? You gotta hook me up!"

Loki frowns at that. "I was referring to coffee or water," he informs her.

"Damn, I could've used a drink," says Darcy unabashedly. She takes a seat and starts to remove all of her outerwear, which involves a dreadful beanie on her head and a shabby winter coat. "Well, if alcohol's out of the question, I'll take some coffee."

Loki nods, standing to start the coffee maker he keeps in his office. As the coffee brews, he turns to Darcy (who has integrated herself in his office too well) and lies, "Not that I am not glad to see you, but, may I ask how you found me?"

"Google," replies Darcy. "So I guess your dad is pretty famous or something? At least with business and whatever. I still find his name freaking hilarious, though. There was a news article about you, so I came here and asked for you. Funny, your secretary told me I was one of the first women to ask for you."

Loki frowns in annoyance. "I have to fire her," he mutters to himself as he starts to fix their coffee. "Would you like milk, sugar, or cream?" he asks.

"All of 'em, I guess," says Darcy, shrugging.

Loki complies, and he goes back to his seat, sliding a cup to her. He watches as she blows on the hot liquid and happily begins to drink from it not a second later with no regard for the temperature. She must be chilled from the weather outside; it is winter, after all.

"So what brings you here?" asks Loki as he begins to sip at his own cup.

Darcy sets her cup on the table. "Honestly?" she asks, and at Loki's nod, she continues, "I was curious. I still don't really understand you, since you're like an asshole one minute and then not an asshole the next, so I thought I'd try to find out."

Loki smirks. "And why would you do that?" he asks smoothly.

"Boredom? I really don't know," Darcy says, shrugging once more. "But I figure, if you claim that you really like me, then we should take this the old-fashioned way; I ask you what the hell you're doing."

"Clearly you and I have different idea of what is old fashioned," notes Loki dryly.

"Hey, don't be an asshole," chides Darcy. "I really need to ask what the hell you're doing. Like, what are you playing? Or what are you on? What kind of guy just snubs a girl and then tries to woo her? I don't get it. I don't get you."

"And yet you wish to 'get' me. Is that it?" asks Loki teasingly, finding that, surprisingly, this lower-class woman is actually quite stimulating in terms of wit.

"I dunno. This is all really weird to me." Darcy pauses to take another drink of her coffee. "Maybe we should just talk or something. Try to understand each other."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. For one, you can tell me why you're supposedly interested in me."

Loki leans back in his chair slightly, smirking at the way the lower-class woman says such a comment. "Who would not be?" he says smoothly, though in reality, he can think of several reasons why he is not interested in her. Her social class, her crudeness...

"Ah ah ah, I don't take that shit," comes Darcy's swift rebuttal.

Loki smirks even more. "You are quick, Ms. Lewis," he says. "I would assume you figured it out. I find you interesting, for you are unlike any women I have met before. I would like to get to understand you as you wish to understand me, and that is why I am interested."

Darcy, in return, blurts, "Dude, if you're gay, just tell me now."

Loki, who had been taking a drink from his coffee cup, sputters at the prospect and hurriedly sets the cup down. "I beg your pardon?" he asks, disgruntled.

"C'mon, it all adds up! Why you're so into your fashionable monkey suits. Why your secretary has never seen other women come into your office. Why you clearly don't have a way with women. So if you're looking for some straight cover while you get down and dirty with some guy on the side, I have to tell you, I'm not your girl."

Loki frowns in disgust. "I assure you I am not a homosexual."

"Oh. But, you made a face. You aren't homophobic either, are you? Because if you are, that's another thing I'm not into. I'm all for marriage laws between everyone, no matter what. So...you're not homophobic, are you?" asks Darcy. "Wait, never mind, I shouldn't judge. Some people are and they're alright. But you're not gay. Wait, are you sure you're not gay?"

Loki blinks at the woman now in confusion. She babbles in the most stupid ways, it seems, with no real set purpose besides annoying him (and trying his patience).

"I assure you, I am not," he says, though more snippily than he needs.

"Damn, I've always wanted a gay friend. Then I could talk to you about guys. I have Jane, but lately the only guy she'll talk about is Thor. Thor this, Thor that, Thor who I want to be the father of my babies, whatever." Darcy pauses to sip at her coffee once more. "He's your brother, isn't he?"

"By some ungodly strike of fate, yes."

Darcy chuckles at the comment. "Hey, that was good! Y'know, 'cause Thor is the name of the demigod of Thunder or something? I only know that because Jane told me. Hey, does your name mean anything cool?"

"Loki actually is the name of the God of Mischief and Chaos," Loki admits. He's never been fond of his name (it might as well have singled him out from every social group ever), but by the way Darcy's eyes light up, it almost gives him an air of pride.

"Sweet," she says. "Chaos. I like that. I was once telling this guy-" Suddenly she pauses, momentarily distracted by something on the floor. "What's that?"

Loki follows her gaze to the cracked image of his once-family's photo on the ground beside his desk. It's been four days since he threw the picture, and he still hasn't picked it up. It would not have embarrassed him had it not been Darcy, but now, he suddenly feels as though he does not know what to do. Should he say it fell? Should he admit anything?

He could toss it out before her and call it nothing. It would be easy. All he has to do is pick it up, really, and that would not require any strenuous effort. And yet, as he places his full attention to it, he realizes that it is much more than the activity he cannot bring himself to do; it is what it signifies. He will be letting go of the only thing that represents his family at his job. Should he?

The answer should be yes. Loki is prepared to shatter the once-perfect image of his family. He is prepared to take what is rightfully his and let go of his family forever. He is prepared to do anything it will take to throw his family off guard and sneak beneath their noses, and yet, he can't force himself to throw out a picture. What is becoming of him?

Darcy pushes her chair back and she stands, going over to pick it up, much to Loki's chagrin. He objects vocally to the move, but the stupid woman goes and picks it up anyway, turning over the cracked image in her hands.

"Hey, it's you," she notes cheerfully. "And Jane's man candy. And are those your parents? They look...nice, I guess?" It's clear she notices Loki does not resemble either of them, but though she is crude, she smartly steers away from the topic. "How come this is on the floor?"

"It must have fallen," lies Loki smoothly. "I never noticed."

"Well, you need a new picture frame now, anyway." Darcy sets the picture on his desk, arranging it as nicely as she presumes. "But it's a nice picture. Real family-ish. It's sorta sweet that you have it on your desk."

"Yes, I suppose so," Loki says, letting the matter fall. "But we mustn't linger on the subject right now. I believe you said we should try to understand each other more. May I ask you a question instead?"

"You just did."

Loki imagines he must have made a face, for Darcy giggles.

"Force of habit," she explains. "Go on."

"What is your occupation?" Loki asks.

Darcy thinks about that too long. "Occupation? Like, job?"

"Yes, that is what an occupation entails."

"Ooh, sassy. It's really too bad you're not gay." Darcy shifts foward in her seat. "Well, I wait tables at a diner for spare cash to get college loans, but I don't really have some fancy-schmancy job like you do. I'm also an intern, if that counts, but that's just for college credit."

So her occupation is one of low pay. This is even more perfect. To imagine Odin's face at being introduced to women who is as crude as she and to know she is lower class? It is priceless.

"Can I ask you a question now?" asks Darcy.

Loki wants to retort that she just did, as she had done to him, but he refrains from doing so. "If you must, go ahead and do so," he says.

"How old are you?" She's blunt, that is for sure.

"Twenty-seven," he replies. "Though, you do know that is often rude to ask, don't you?"

Darcy scoffs at that. "Dude, first thing you gotta know about me: nothing is too rude to ask," she tells him matter-of-factly. "Now are you going to ask how old I am?"

"I believe that would be rude," says Loki mischievously.

"Of the shit you told me when we first met, somehow I don't think you have a problem with being rude. Also, age isn't as rude as the stuff you said either, so I think you're okay," says Darcy. Satisfied, she slowly sips on her coffee, finishing it.

Loki smirks. "Then tell me, Ms. Lewis, how old are you?"

"Twenty-two. See, wasn't so hard, was it?" Darcy sets her cup on the table, smiling.

Loki surprisingly finds himself smirking once more at the banter she provides. Unlike the first time they spoke, where he was put off by Darcy's crudeness, he has now gotten strangely used to it quite easily. In a way, her quick wit is actually...endearing. But only slightly, for even though he has become used to it, there is no question that she is still annoying and a rather stupid person. And also poor, which would never work for him.

"Darcy, since we are to understand each other better, may I ask you to join me for dinner tomorrow evening?" Loki asks. "I know of a good place, and I would very much like to get to know you."

"So like a date," Darcy says.

"Yes, quite," Loki agrees.

Darcy purses her lips. "See, I'm not sure," she says. "I still don't get you yet. You refuse to ever associate with a girl and then you try to date her? You're going to have to show me something that'll really prove you didn't mean what you said the first time. Shit, that came out so, so wrong. Please don't take that as an innuendo..."

Loki ignores her rambling. "You believe I did mean what I said," he notes.

"Well, yeah."

She is right. He did believe everything he said. She is not worthy of associating with him. He should not have lowered himself to talk to her as she is of the lower class. And yet, she does not know just how good he is at manipulating lies

He looks at Darcy intensely, studying her face for a few seconds. He absentmindedly notices that her eyes are a brilliant blue color. "Then I assure you, somehow I will ensure that you will believe I did not mean what I said," he says. The term somehow is vague; he will do so with lies, but of course she does not need to know that.

"Okay. I mean, this is weird, but, I've been in weirder situations," Darcy says, pondering it. "So...I'll go out on a date with you if you really want that."

Loki smirks. "Very well. If you insist, then it shall be so," he ribs.

"Ass," says Darcy, but then she smiles at him. She actually smiles. Though she questions him far too much and is suspicious enough of his intentions, she has somehow...accepted it. A lower class woman being courted by a rich businessman; would wonders ever cease?

His secretary knocks at the door again.

"S-sir?" comes the weak call. "There's...someone else here."

Loki refrains the urge to roll his eyes. "I am currently occupied," he says.

"I-I know that, sir, but he...doesn't."

He. Who could that entail? Thor or Odin? Hopefully neither.

Darcy looks at Loki. "You expecting someone?" she asks. "I can go."

"No, please, stay," Loki says. "Whoever is outside may wait."

Darcy accepts that without a word. She starts to ask about their date, and Loki just begins to supply the details of it (he has made up his mind to take her to a classy place, but really he wouldn't have gone anywhere else), when the door of his office bangs open.

Loki looks to the door in annoyance, but whatever words that he could have uttered are left hanging on his lips as Thor enters Loki's office, his tall, buff frame barely fitting through the doorway.

Thor looks to Loki in unadulterated confusion and says, "Loki, I have tried to reach you to your cell phone for the past five days. Why did you not answer?"

Loki stares at Thor in a stiff manner, his body now gone rigid and tense in his seat. He knows he is to get Thor to forgive him along with the rest of his family, but truth be told, Loki had not planned to talk to his brother so soon, hence the reluctance he feels now.

"Hello, Thor," Loki says slowly, his voice coming out low and careful.

Thor moves to Loki's desk and is about to say something in return, but suddenly, he notices Darcy. Darcy, seeing his inquisitive stare in her direction, raises a hand and waves it softly.

"You are Jane's friend," Thor notes confusedly. "Darcy, yes?"

"Yup," Darcy says cheerfully. "You're Loki's brother, right? Thor." Loki catches a glint of something flash in her eye as she adds, "Ever screamed your name out loud to the sky? I bet it'd be thunderous."

Loki finds himself almost smiling at that.

Thor clearly does not get the reference, for he turns back to Loki. "Brother, we must talk. I understand that you are upset, but this must end now," he informs him. "Our parents-"

"Your parents," hisses Loki through clenched teeth.

Darcy whistles lowly. "Shit's going down," she whispers more to herself than anyone.

Thor looks to Darcy once more, the confusion in his eyes becoming more plentiful, before he looks back to Loki. "Brother, may we speak? Alone?" he adds.

Darcy looks to Loki, shrugging in a it's-your-call sort of manner.

"Not now," Loki decides. "I am...occupied right now."

Darcy snorts at the choice wording, being as crude as she is.

Thor, however, is a very stubborn man. "No, we must speak now," he says. "Mother wishes for you to join us for dinner this evening. I told her I would speak to you about that."

"You may tell her I wish not to go," says Loki easily.

Thor, daft as he is, will not let that happen. "You must," he insists. "You do not understand how hurt you have made our parents. Our father wishes you to come home. Our mother mourns you."

Loki wants to yell. He wants to curse. He wants to see Thor cower, see him weak, see him fall. But right now, Loki is to make amends with his family, not test just how weak they are.

"Very well," he finally says. "But now you must leave."

"So you will come home?" asks Thor hopefully.

Loki sighs. "Yes, I believe I just said so," he says exasperatedly.

Thor breaks into a wide grin. "Thank you, brother," he says. "Mother and father will be very pleased when I tell them the news. I must go and tell them. Goodbye, Loki. Goodbye...Darcy." He leaves, then, looking to be in a much better mood than when he entered.

Loki leans back in his chair slightly, tired in a way talking to Thor made him. As he puts a hand on his temple, he glances over at Darcy to gauge her reaction to the conversation he has just had in front of her.

"So, he was nice," offers Darcy.

Loki grimaces. "He is who he is, unfortunately," he mutters.

"Yup, he's still Prince Charming, and you're still an asshole. Seems about right."

"What?" Loki stares at Darcy in disbelief. "How is he charming?" Loki shouldn't have been as offended as he is, but truthfully, how can anyone see Thor as charming? The man is thick and dumb. Loki is the one who has ever been charming.

"He's got that whole dragon-slaying air to him," explains Darcy (though not really). "I mean, you should've heard Jane talk about him. Apparently he asked for her number in a way that was just so sweet." Loki notices that her voice drips with sarcasm.

This causes him to smile slightly. "You believed it not to be, I presume?"

"Obviously! I mean, the guy hasn't even called her yet. How can she talk my ear off about a whole twenty minutes she spent with the guy? Twenty minutes, by the way, that I was there for!" Darcy huffs. "But either way, he seems okay."

"Yes, you believe him to be charming, and me an asshole," notes Loki.

"Um, yeah," says Darcy. "Even if you're supposedly not the ass you were when we met, I still don't forgive and forget that easily. So by my book, you're still an asshole."

Loki smirks. "And yet, you agreed to go on a date with me," he says smugly.

"Hey, I said I don't forgive and forget easily, not that I have good judgement."

"So if I were to slay a dragon for you, would you forgive me?" teases Loki, finding himself suddenly engaged in baiting the woman. In a way, he is slightly interested in the banter she offers; he's never met a woman as stimulating as she.

"Pfft, like I'd let you slay the dragon. Stick to the dishes, Cinderella."

Loki finds an amused smile spreading over his lips. Darcy mirrors his expression. How stupid they must seem, smiling like idiots that a bit of conversation has provided them. Surprisingly, Loki finds he is slightly less annoyed of Darcy Lewis as he was before. Of course he is still annoyed by her (she provides a challenge he doesn't have need for), but less so.

A annoying sound then fills the room. Loki recognizes the painful sound as the ever-horrific essence of human punishment as the song "Barbie Girl" by Aqua.

"Oops, my phone," declares Darcy. She takes out a rather prehistoric cellular device and then shakes it, frowning at the screen before sliding her finger across it and putting it to her ear. "Hello? Oops, hold that thought." She pulls her phone away from her ear and looks at Loki. "Mind if I take this?"

Loki confusedly nods his assent.

"Hello? Oh, hi, Jane...Yeah, I know I was supposed to be at your office an hour ago...Well, something came up...Uh huh...If I told you that I had to go get a life changing surgery, what would you say?...Hey, it was worth a shot...Okay, I'll be there right now...Bye!"

Loki raises an eyebrow as Darcy hangs up.

"That was Jane," says Darcy unapologetically. "I gotta go."

"Oh. Of course." Loki quickly stands, prompting Darcy to do the same. It is for the best, of course; he has spent too much time with this woman. It is clear by the way he actually might enjoy talking to her, and obviously, that is not something he ever should enjoy. She is a nuisance. A fool. A lower-class woman. A ploy.

"Text me details, I guess, about dinner," Darcy adds.

Loki nods. "I will."

"Okay, cool. Uh, bye." Darcy gathers her outerwear and hurriedly puts it on, leaving Loki's office just as hurriedly to get to Jane's. Loki watches her leave and stares after her longer than he should have; he is unsure what to make out of this new development.

That evening, Loki makes it to his parents' house almost reluctantly. Of course he needs to be there, because he both promised and requires the image of pleasantry to use as part of his plan, but that does not entail that he will enjoy this.

He walks up to the door carefully, taking in the sight of the giant mansion and the carefully tended gardens surrounding it, though the gardens are covered in snow at this time of year. He has walked through these grounds so many times before, and yet, the place has made him weary. He is unsure of what he is to tell his parents exactly, even being such a master of lies as he is.

Loki moves to knock, but the door is open before his knuckles can even touch the wood. His mother- Frigga, he notes inwardly- stands in the doorway, the relief clearly displayed over her face.

"Loki," she breathes out. "Oh, Loki-!"

In a second, she has enveloped Loki in a hug. Loki, who has been tense since he began his drive over to his parents', finds himself unable to stay tense in her arms. Rather, he softens pathetically in her arms and dutifully hugs her back, inhaling the scent that is hers and feeling her small frame, which had mothered him all these years.

"Mother," mutters Loki when she lets him go. He had planned to call her Frigga, to make her feel as hurt as he had hoped Odin did, but finds he cannot when he sees her teary eyes, full of such unadulterated relief to see him home.

"Come in," Frigga says quickly, dabbing at her eyes as she steps aside.

Loki complies, slowly walking beside her and into the familiar dining room he spent every night in when he was a child. There, Odin and Thor are already seated.

"Loki!" calls Thor jovially.

"Thor." Loki nods in his direction, and his eyes fall on Odin. "Father."

Odin looks at Loki slowly, nodding slightly. "Son," he echoes.

"Sit, sit," Frigga urges, nudging Loki forward. "I hope you're hungry. I prepared so much food today. I- we- hoped so much that you would join us."

Loki stiffly sits in the chair he would often sit in as a child. Any time before, he would have melted in the chair, smiling and even helping his mother as she would fuss about the food and table. But now, gazing at the perfect image of a family across him- a family that is not his- he stays stiff.

Frigga pours them all glasses of wine and then begins to set out dishes of food. Savory rotisserie chicken with juices slick over the meat, rare roast beef sliced in thin pink slices, succulent barbecued pork with the lingering smell of hickory smoke wafting from the dish, crips green salads with the freshest vegetables, pasta dishes with zesty tomato sauce and the best aged cheeses... Loki did not notice just how hungry he was before.

Everyone serves their own plates. Thor laddles the most food possible in his, as per usual. As they begin to eat (Thor, in turn, inhaling his), Odin watches Loki after the first few bites of his own food.

"Loki," he says, finally speaking. "Why did you come here?"

Frigga turns to her husband, looking worried for Loki's sake. "Odin," she warns quietly, "now is not the time. Let him enjoy his meal."

Odin keeps his eyes trained on Loki, still awaiting a response. Loki picks up his wine glass and delicately takes a sip of it, matching his father's stare carefully. He knows that Odin is awaiting; a confession that Loki is wrong, and that he, Odin, is right. Well, that is not what Loki is ever going to say.

"No, it's alright," Loki says when he places his glass down. "I believe we might as well get this out of the way so we don't ruin desert. I'm here solely because I wish to make amends. That does not mean I have forgiven past events."

Frigga speaks up now. "Loki," she says softly, "please understand-"

"Frigga. Let him speak," Odin cuts her off.

Loki keeps his eyes trained on Odin. "You lied to me," he says slowly. "You led me to believe I was a part of this family. You let me believe I had a chance against Thor, but that was never the case, was it?"

"Loki." Frigga's eyes flash a warning. "Please, my love-"

"Clearly, you've always loved Thor more," Loki finishes.

Absolute silence follows. Frigga looks horrified at the prospect, whereas Thor looks confused. Odin, however, stays unreadable in his seat as his face betrays no emotion whatsoever.

Thor attempts to squash the proclamation. "That's not true, brother," he says.

Loki breaks his eyes away from Odin to glare at Thor. "Do not call me that," he says coolly. "I am not your brother. I was never your brother."

Frigga gasps audibly.

Thor shakes his head. "Yes, you are," he counters. "We were raised together. We played together. We fought together. Do you remember none of that?"

Something in Loki snaps. Of course he does. But there is something else he remembers. Something that was always tucked into his heart as a young child and has emerged now as a monster of rage.

"I remember a shadow," Loki spits in disgust. "Living in the shade of your greatness. I was always the disappointment. You were the one who did everything right. Being good at football and being the popular jock. You never understood what I felt like, being the smaller, weaker brother of the mighty Thor Odison! You never understood what it was like to be tormented in school, in life, and to find that, once again, I can still be the disappointment!"

"Brother-"

"No! You don't understand," yells Loki. "Business if what I am good at. I have always been more level-headed than you. I have always had a way with words unlike you have. I have the education that makes me better than you, and yet, father gave you the family company. You would think I would not be surprised, but I thought my days of being stuck in your shadow were over. And now they're not. They never will be, will they?"

"Loki!" Odin stands up now. "Do not yell at your brother."

"I'm not a child," snaps Loki in return. "Do not treat me like one."

"Then stop acting like one."

Loki stares at his father in a fury. "Is that all you are going to tell me, father? Are you not going to yell to me about how wrong I am? No, because I am right. You favor Thor over me. You always have."

"I already told you that I did not give Thor the family because I favored him more," says Odin calmly. "I would advise you not to bring up the matter again."

"I have a right to the company," argues Loki angrily. "It is my birthright."

"Your birthright was to die!" roars Odin with just as much anger in his voice.

Loki falters. Perhaps birthright was the wrong word choice.

"Now, if this is your way of making amends, you have done a poor job of it," adds Odin, and he sits back down. "I will not offer you the company, my son, nor can I reverse time to tell you of your parentage. Tell me what your mother and I can do to make amends with you as well."

Loki knows he has fucked up. This exclamation of emotion he has given his parents an insight on his mind. An insight on the bitterness that has been kept bottled up for years. This sets back his plan considerably, for he knows now that his parents see how hurt he is by them, and how he considers the company to be rightfully his.

"I must go," says Loki quietly, hoping to sound sincere, even though he wishes to yell until he is satisfied to his father's face, to see Odin suffer just as he did for so long.

"Loki, please," Frigga interjects. "Hear us out, my love. You believe that we loved Thor more than you, but that is not true by any account. We love you both equally. As for the company, I cannot tell you why your father did not wish to give it to you, but that is his business, if he wishes to tell you."

Odin raises his wine glass to his lips. "I will tell him, if he will listen," he agrees.

Loki looks to his father and wills himself to stay calm. "I'm listening."

"You have prided yourself to be more suitable in many ways," Odin notes. "You are, for the most part, level-headed. You are also very well educated. But you lack conviction. You just yelled out your fury to us like a child throwing a tantrum and have mourned something you have never had. Thor is much more suited than you."

Thor. As if Thor can be more suited. Thor is outspoken, loud, and stupid. He is always too proud, too dull, too sure of himself and much more rash than anyone Loki knows. Thor is the type to yell out his feelings like a child, not Loki. It is clear Odin does not wish to give the real reason.

"You're lying," Loki informs him coldly.

Frigga looks to her son in exasperation. "Loki-"

"No, Frigga, let him believe what he will," Odin cuts her off, looking to Loki coolly. "Now let me ask you something, Loki. Are you or are you not my son?"

"I'm not," Loki says.

"You believe yourself not to be my son and yet you wish to make amends. Is that so?" asks Odin, looking a mixture of amusement and anger.

"Yes. I wish to make amends," repeats Loki.

"Amends, and for what? You have expressed your displeasure of being a part of this family. Perhaps what you seek is something else. Asgard Industries, for example," says Odin slowly.

Loki grips the tablecloth on the table harder than he needs to. "No," he lies through his teeth. "I may be the one more suited for the company, but I could never accept it."

"And why is that?" Odin asks.

"I do not desire what it would bring me. Fame, wealth, power," lists Loki readily. "They are all things of no importance to me. What I need right now is a family, and that is why I have come to make amends."

"Yet you do not wish to be part of this family."

"I do not wish to be your son. That is all I have said."

"Nor Thor's brother. Where does that leave you?" fumes Odin.

"As my mother's son," Loki says.

Odin frowns. "You are a petty fool, Loki," he says. "What use are amends if they are but with one family member?"

"Odin," reprimands Frigga sharply. "Please."

Loki stands up now. "It is how I wish to begin," he says. "Slowly. Surely you do not expect me to recover so easily, do you? Now, if you excuse me, I should be leaving."

Odin stands up as well. "We are not done here," he says.

"Yes, Odin, we are." Loki gazes at his father coldly and then turns and leaves, leaving behind his full plate. Frigga's chair scrapes back and she hastily follows.

As Loki yanks open the front door, Frigga places a hand on his arm.

"Thank you for coming, my son," she whispers dejectedly. "I apologize for your father; he is a very stubborn man. Much like you, I'd say, but not quite. Please don't leave just yet. Would you like me to wrap up your plate?"

"No, mother, I am fine," says Loki stiffly.

"I will. Stay here." Frigga leaves and Loki, against his better judgement, stays.

Really, Loki ought to be upset with Frigga as well. She lied to him just as Odin did. But there are more things Loki holds Odin for: giving the company to Thor and always praising Thor throughout his life while giving no thought to Loki. Frigga was always the one to be by Loki's side, to offer quiet bits of advice as Loki suffered through school, loving both her sons the same. Loki finds he really does not despise Frigga, nor can he cast her out. She is perhaps the best thing that could have come out of this painful ordeal today.

"Here you are," Frigga says, returning. She presses a wrapped dish in Loki's hands. "I do hope you will return sometime soon." She presses a kiss to her son's cheek and adds, "And please never think yourself a disappointment. You're wonderful, my Loki, and I would never give you up for the world."

Loki kisses her cheek and nods. "I will return soon," he agrees.

Frigga smiles at him sadly. "Oh, and by the way, your father is holding a charity gala soon," she adds. "It is in about a month and a half. I know it's a while from now, but I hope you will consider coming. Here is an invite." She presses a card into his hand, the sad smile never fading off her lips. "Stay in touch."

"Of course, mother," Loki tells her quietly, and Frigga bites her lip sadly and then retreats back to the dining room. Loki opens the front door and walks out onto the snowy grounds, glancing down at the invite in his hands.

The information the card gives is usual. The date, the place the gala is to be held, and a little information of the charity the gala will be helping. It isn't until Loki reaches his car and sets everything down in the passenger seat does he realize the invite reads "free entry for you and a guest." Loki sits down in his car with the gears in his mind turning. What if Darcy Lewis were to be this guest? Surely a month and a half is enough time to persuade her to be his girlfriend, and enough time to persuade Odin that Loki does not want the company (even when he does).

Loki smirks as he starts up the car, fully contempt for the first time that evening as his plan rushes through his head. The next month and a half are going to be interesting, to say the least.

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Thank you to all those listed above for the awesome reviews!

Now, about this chapter; Loki's thoughts (and words) are all over the place, but they're intended to be confusing, because Loki has no idea what he wants and is really messed up about this...because I put characters through hell.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, so, until next time!