(Author's Note: Here it is, the next chapter! Things are getting pretty juicy you guys. The intensity is building. Sorry this took awhile, I kept getting stuck, so I hope this chapter is as good as the work I put into it. Enjoy and please review!)

Chapter 19

"Can I tell you something?" said Emmeline as she laid in bed next to Loki, on their last night before meeting the Allfather. Thor had fallen asleep in a chair, but Emmeline had trouble finding sleep. She suspected that it was her who was keeping Loki up as well.

"Of course my love," Loki replied sleepily.

"I'm kinda scared," Emmeline said, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't usually get scared before a fight or anything, but…Loki I don't think I can do it. What if we can't stop it this time? These guys are stronger than I thought and I don't think I can take them." Loki sat up and looked down at her.

"Emmeline Collins; that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard you say. You know better than that. You are the most powerful maiden I know, and that is half the reason I am attracted to you so." Emmeline smiled a little.

"Oh really? Then what's the other half?"

"I love how your eyes glow every time you get excited, I love your bright orange hair that looks like flames over your shoulders, and I love how you are never afraid to do anything. You face everything with such bravery. You welcome danger with open arms and crush it. You are the strongest maiden I know; you always focus yourself on the task in front of you and never get caught up in fear or doubt. You always believe in yourself and other people, and greet every duty with unyielding determination. You are an eagle, Emmeline." Emmeline smiled at him and looked at him with love.

"You really think so?"

"I know so. I admire you for it. And if all that isn't enough, you are breathtakingly beautiful, and I am helplessly and utterly in love with you." Loki looked down at Emmeline with a sparkle in his eye and she smiled big, her white teeth glimmering in the moonlight.

"Thank you," she said. "And I am absolutely, totally in love with you too." She took Loki's hand and interlocked her fingers with his. She looked back up at the ceiling.

"You know, once all this craziness is over, I wanna take you back to Earth. We've been there together before, but I never really got a chance to show you all the awesome stuff. You fed me a magical delicious fruit today, and I want to show you some great Midgardian things. Like Macaroni and Cheese. That's the best thing your taste buds will ever meet."

"Macaroni and Cheese? Is that food?"

"Hell yes it's food! It's the most amazing food ever. You're really missing out. And McDonald's. You don't have fast food here, and I guess that's why most Asgardians are skinny, but it's still delicious so you have to go there. Promise you'll go with me after this? We can go to McDonald's, eat Macaroni and Cheese and get married. Or we can get married here. Whichever."

"I promise," Loki said. "And we could get married any time or any where you wish."

"Any time?"

"Of course. All we need is the Allfather to bind us together and the Mark of One Soul."

"What's that? The Mark of One Soul?"

"When Asgardians marry, the overseer recites the marriage spell, and the Mark of One Soul appears on the two, on the bottom of their wrists. It is like a permanent dark blue ink and it depicts the symbol of their union; binding the both of them to share in one soul."

"So like a tattoo?"

"I suppose. I know not what a 'tattoo' is, but the symbol may be anything. Only the heavens know what it is and that's how it is chosen."

"That's awesome," said Emmeline. "So we could get married tomorrow?"

"If we wanted to, yes."

"Do you want to? Get married tomorrow? I do, because if I don't survive this thing, I would like to be married before my eminent death."

"Don't you dare speak of such! You will survive Emmeline, if I have to die to ensure it. …But yes, I will marry you tomorrow."

"Awesome! We're getting married tomorrow! Let's have a baby too. You want to have a baby with me? I mean not now, not when everything is so chaotic, but later, maybe when we go to Earth."

"That's a…er, big step, but I will have a child with you if you desire it."

"We can talk about it when we get there," said Emmeline sweetly, seeing the fear flood Loki's expression. A silence passed between them while Emmeline thought of all the things they would do after the Chitauri were defeated. …If they were defeated. Emmeline didn't dare think what would happen if the Chitauri won. She couldn't bear to. She had to keep herself thinking positively.

Loki broke the silence by asking her a question.

"Why did you give everything up for me Emmeline? You followed me and left your safe, peaceful life for this dangerous, fearful one. You left your life behind for mine." Emmeline looked at him with love in her eyes. She squeezed his hand.

"Because that's what you do when you love someone; I loved you. Because I had nothing before you. Thor picked me up off the streets; I joined the Avengers with no knowledge of love or life or anything, I just wanted to belong somewhere and to prove myself. But when I met you…you took away the nothing and filled it with everything; something I wanted, something I cared about. Something I'd die for. I had no life to leave behind; you gave me one to live. I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth baby."

Loki looked down at her with a sort of desperate vulnerability and immediately lunged at her, kissing her hard. Emmeline was taken aback, but returned his kiss with the same violent passion. Loki's ebony black hair fell over her shoulders like a shadow as he pressed her into the soft, yielding mattress. She melted into him as he dominated her mouth, as if he was intending to demolish all her defenses.

His kisses gradually became gentler, but their closeness remained. Eventually they lied there together, Emmeline lightly brushing her lips against Loki's again and again; he'd let her take control. He tasted of honey, a sweet nectar that Emmeline found herself addicted to, wanting more every time they let go for a breath.

Emmeline ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his neck. Loki let out a soft moan. Emmeline could feel his heartbeat next to hers as she met his lips again and Loki put a hand on the back of her neck in her hair.

Emmeline didn't remember when they stopped. She woke up the next morning with Loki beside her, still sleeping soundly. They were to meet Odin today at the bifrost, to begin the battle that would determine their fate of life or death. They would get married today.


When Loki awoke, the first thing he saw was Emmeline talking to Thor, dressed in a beautiful white and gold wedding gown. Frigga's wedding gown. Loki stared at her, filled with a glorious peace that this was the first thing he saw this morning. Emmeline looked beautiful. She looked like an absolute goddess. Something tugged in his chest when he studied the patterns of his mother's dress. Frigga had shown him that dress many times and told Loki of her and Odin's wedding. Now it was Loki's turn. He wished so much that Frigga could be there to see it. She would have adored Emmeline…

"Oh Loki, you're not supposed to see me!" exclaimed Emmeline with a smile. Loki smiled back at her.

"Well I'm so glad that I did, you look ravishing." Emmeline blushed and Thor smiled.

"I thought it would only be proper for her to wear Mother's dress," he said.

"She would have wanted it," Loki replied, lifting his legs out of the blanket and setting his feet on the floor. "She would have loved so much to see this day…and Emmeline she would have adored you." Thor nodded, and Emmeline smiled.

"I wish I could have met her," she said. A silence passed in between the three of them as they silently, reverently remembered the Asgardian queen, Thor and Loki's mother.

"Well if you are going to wear that, what shall I wear to impress you my love?" asked Loki, breaking the silence. Emmeline gave him and impish grin.

"Nothing," she replied. "Wear absolutely nothing." Loki grinned back.

"We'll save that for after the wedding," he replied. He stood up and gave Emmeline a kiss on the cheek before entering the washroom to freshen up.

As Loki splashed water on his face, he suddenly thought of what was about to happen. He was going to marry Emmeline. Marry her. He wanted nothing less, but many fears began to flood his mind. What if she has second thoughts? What if Odin won't do it? What if…what if the heavens decide they shouldn't be wed? That happened sometimes. The Mark of One Soul wouldn't appear if that was the case, and in Asgardian tradition: the two were forced to separate, deemed unfit to be together. And if Odin wouldn't marry them…then what would Loki do? And did Emmeline really want to marry him now or was she only doing it because she expected to die with the coming battle?!

All of these fearsome thoughts swam hauntingly around Loki's mind, dizzying him and making him nauseous with nerves. The feeling intensified until Loki's stomach turned over, causing him to regurgitate the contents of his stomach into the sink. He pulled back his hair with a shaking hand and hardly heard the door open or his brother's deep voice ringing out at him.

"Nervous brother?" Thor asked. Loki spit the rest of the disgusting liquid into the sink and wiped his mouth off with his hand.

"Why would you say that?" he sighed, standing up straight to face his brother.

"Well, Emmeline speaks of your wedding and then I find you retching your guts out into mother's sink. What troubles you?" Thor said. Loki swallowed and looked at the floor for a moment. He sighed.

"I'm just…afraid of all that could go wrong," Loki replied solemnly.

"Ah, brother," Thor said, putting a hand on Loki's shoulder. "You needn't worry about that. Our father will be obliged to oversee, and the heavens will readily join the both of you." It was like Thor had read his mind.

"How did you know that was what I feared?" asked Loki.

"All men fear these things at their weddings," Thor replied with a smile. "Now you should clean your mouth before kissing Emmeline at the ceremony." Loki smiled back at him and Thor closed the door as he left the washroom. When Loki turned to exit, he reopened the door to Emmeline standing with a smirk on her face, arms crossed.

"Afraid to marry me, are you?" she said, smiling.

"Thor!" scolded Loki. Emmeline laughed.

"I'm just kidding Loki," she said. She had put Frigga's dress away and was now wearing a red tunic probably borrowed from Sif. Loki smiled at her and used his magic to redress her in a tight, green, leathery jumpsuit.

"Much better," he said. "It flatters you." Emmeline smiled.

"I wish I could do magic so I could dress you. I'd put you in a suit. A sexy businessman suit." Loki smiled mischievously and a Midgardian 'suit' appeared on him. Emmeline smiled again and pulled his tie to her chest to kiss him. "You hottie."

"Now now," interjected Thor. "You will have time for these games after the ceremony. We should go and ask Father if he will oversee your wedding ceremony." Loki nodded to Thor and took Emmeline's hand. As he began to follow Thor, he whispered in her ear:

"I firmly intend to continue 'these games' when we return here." Emmeline smiled and bit her lip.

Loki, Emmeline, and Thor arrived at the bifrost to find Odin, Heimdall, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, and the entire fleet of Asgardian soldiers. As soon as Odin saw them from the corner of his eye, he began speaking:

"The war with the Chitauri has begun. Thanos is leading them; working for Mistress Death. He seeks the Infinity Gauntlet. As of right now he has three soul gems. Those of Mind, Space, and Reality. These give him great power, so we must fight with our best efforts. To the last Asgardian battle cry; to the last drop of Asgardian blood. We will rise tomorrow and begin our attack. Our strategy is simple: kill Thanos, kill them all. …It is the only way."

Silence hung in the air as the Allfather's words were accepted by the Asgardians. They all bowed before their king, and placed their hands over their hearts in respect for Asgard. Loki did the same.

"Father," Loki called out, almost cringing at his own word choice. Odin looked to him, surprised. "I want to ask something of you." Loki stood up and approached Odin, with Emmeline following close behind.

"I am listening," said Odin.

"Emmeline and I wish to be married," he said, trying to hide the fear of the Allfather's answer that was rushing into him. Loki almost thought he saw something of a smile on Odin's face.

"And why should I heed this request?" he asked. Loki looked sternly into Odin's eyes.

"Because I love her," he replied. "Because I need her, and I will need her forever. I don't need to tell you this. If you won't do it, then—"

"—I will oversee." Odin looked pleasingly at Loki and Emmeline.

"We wish to do it tonight," said Loki. "Before the war." Odin nodded to him.

"I will see you here then, tonight," he replied. Loki nodded back to the Allfather and looked back at Emmeline, who was smiling so big he could see each one of her porcelain white teeth.

For the rest of the day, Loki and Emmeline trained for the coming battle. Thor, Lady Sif, and the Three sparred with them on the bifrost while Odin worked out battle positions with his army. The bifrost was the only place the Chitauri couldn't go. The magic in the Rainbow Bridge was like acid poison to the Chitauri. If a Chitauri soldier set foot on it, the magic would burn it until there was nothing left of its body. The Chitauri knew this, so they stayed far from the bifrost.

Loki sparred with Sif, Emmeline with Thor, and the Warriors Three fought each other; all keeping close watch on one another to ensure that no one would fall off the bridge. Sif had Loki in a neck hold with her double-bladed sword, but Loki got out of it swiftly by elbowing her in the ribs. She doubled over in pain and Loki whipped around.

"Oh, my apologies," he said. "I may have gotten a little too into it." Emmeline trotted over.

"My lovely green-eyed man, it's my turn! You should let Sif take a break." Loki chuckled. Sif left, walking off in Thor's direction.

"So come on," said Emmeline, assuming a fighting stance.

"What? Emmeline I can't, what if I hurt you like I did Sif?" Emmeline laughed.

"You won't! And I won't hurt you either. I wanna take you on; you're really sexy when you fight. I want to be a part of that." Loki couldn't help smiling at her.

"Alright," he said finally. "But I'm taking it easy on you."

"No! Let me have it, hot stuff." Emmeline touched Loki's neck and formed a thin layer of ice over his throat. When Loki shivered, Emmeline warmed it again and he smiled and swung at her lightly. She ducked to the ground and swiped her leg under Loki's feet, causing him to fall over. Emmeline stood up and smirked down at him. He sat up, one hand on his back.

"Underestimated me, didn't you babe?"

"Not at all, darling," Loki said with a smile.


As the evening drew closer and closer, every time Emmeline looked at Loki she was filled with an incredible joy. She would marry him in only a few hours, and nothing seemed more perfect. His gorgeous, sleek black hair; his piercing jade eyes; his breathtaking, make-all-the-girls-faint smile…all of him was so beautiful, and she couldn't believe he was really hers.

She was in Frigga's chambers, Sif helping her get into her dress and look beautiful for her soon-to-be husband. Loki had gone with Thor to his own chambers to get ready. Emmeline looked at herself in the queen's mirror.

"Do you think I look okay?" she asked Sif.

"You look gorgeous," Sif said. "Loki is very lucky." Emmeline smiled and looked back at the female warrior.

"I'm the lucky one," she said. Emmeline knew Sif's shaky opinions of Loki, but she still tried to be her friend. Sif seemed to support her nonetheless, which was comforting. "I'm kind of nervous."

"Every woman feels like that at her wedding," Sif replied. "…I'm sure I will."

"When you marry Thor?" Emmeline said, smiling at Sif. Sif smiled a little as well.

"What?"

"I know you like him."

"Is it that obvious?" asked Sif, blushing and looking a little worried.

"No, I can just sense it. Girl knowledge, you know?" Sif laughed. She paused for a moment.

"He loves the mortal woman," she said. Emmeline didn't know what to say. She liked Jane too. But poor Sif. If Loki loved someone else, Emmeline didn't know what she would do. She would probably kill that bitch. But Sif wouldn't do that. She may have been a warrior, but she wouldn't kill someone for an unjustifiable reason such as petty feelings. Emmeline was more emotionally driven. It was a good thing Loki loved her back.

Just then, Thor knocked and opened the door to his mother's chambers. He smiled at the two ladies.

"It is time," he said. Emmeline shared an excited look with Sif.


Ooh! Are you guys excited? I am. :) Let me know what you think!

(side note: have any of you met Tom? I really, REALLY want to and would love to hear your stories if you have! XD)