O.M.G. So I logged onto my hotmail this morning, and there was almost twenty messages about this story, and then when I got home from University, there were even more! DAY. MADE. No lie. So I figured if people love it as much as you seem to, I might as well throw another chapter up! Also, big shout out to Eldrakyn, who has FINALLY got himself an account on here. He's my beta, and husband-to-be!

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Loki refused to look up as the door to his cell opened. He'd been imprisoned in S.H.I.E.L.D's base for ten days since Odin had left, and was already getting antsy. How was he supposed to survive a year of this? Neither sewing his lips, nor snake venom had been this hard to endure.

Boredom.

Never had he thought that anything could be worse than pain. But sitting here for ten days had pushed his patience to the limit. They fed him, and made sure that his room was at least mildly comfortable, but Loki would have traded his finest armour for a book at this particular moment.

A light cough caught his attention. It was far too high to be a man, but no woman had entered this room since he'd been dispensed with. Curiosity got the better of him, and he turned around.

She was short. It was the first thing he noticed. Even in her heels, she'd barely come up to his chin. And while he was much taller than the average human, he still thought she'd be tiny compared to her own race. Rich auburn hair tumbled unobstructed down a well shaped neck to midway down her back. Hazel eyes peered at him behind thick rimmed black glasses, and shone against milkmaid skin. She looked intelligent, for a human, he supposed, and her mouth was already poised to let out a sarcastic or ridiculous remark.

Darcy couldn't help but stare. She'd known he'd be handsome; he was a god, for crying out loud, and she wasn't stupid. But she was unprepared for emerald staring from beneath hooded eyebrows. Jet hair, nearly blue in the florescent lighting, was rumpled and messy, but she could see it would nearly brush his shoulders when slicked back. He had cheekbones that could cut glass, she thought, and thin, pale lips that looked like they had held many a mischievous smile. They weren't now, a scowl was etched on his face, defences already in place.

Loki finally broke the silence. "What do you want?"

Darcy blinked; she hadn't expected him to speak first. "Grab your bags, you're coming with me."

"Excuse me?"

"Hey, don't look at me. Your dad asked me to do this." She looked at him sternly. "Now, come on."

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Loki followed, rather unwillingly, as Darcy led him from the labyrinth of hallways to fresh air at last. A large army vehicle waited by the doors, and he climbed in after her. The driver slammed it into gear before he'd quite gotten the door shut behind him, and he spent a great deal of the trip cursing the rough roads to himself. They pulled up in front of a round building coloured faded green.

The young woman jumped down from her seat, and Loki followed, as she walked into what he assumed had been the base of operations for Jane and her company. Jane herself was sitting in front of some piece of technology he didn't recognise, and an older man his mind pegged as Erik was leaning over her shoulder. Neither of them looked at him when he stepped into the room, Erik because he seemed to be studiously ignoring the newcomer, and Jane because she was genuinely entranced in whatever the machine seemed to be telling her.

Loki took the moment to study these humans. This young woman, with the bones of a bird, had captured his brothers attention, and apparently, his heart. She was perhaps passably pretty, he decided, but nothing striking. No ultimate redeeming features that would stand out against the rest of her race. Erik was older, mid fifties, perhaps, although Loki admitted to himself that he was no judge of human age, and at ease with himself. Comfortable in his surroundings, and the clear alpha male in this situation. Loki was fine with this; even without his magic, he was stronger and faster than any human, but he wanted (needed) forgiveness from his family. And if that took not antagonising his brother's new "friends", so be it.

Darcy chose that moment to return from the room she'd disappeared to. She was sporting a light jacket, and carrying a large duffel bag. She dropped it by the door, then walked over to Jane and Erik, who turned their attention to the young woman.

Jane looked at her with misty eyes. "Have fun with this, okay? Don't let him get you down. And if you need to, you can always call us, right?"

Darcy hugged the taller woman tightly. "We'll be fine. I know you don't want me to go, but there's no way you two wouldn't end up killing each other, and I'd like both of you to be alive and breathing at the end of this. And don't worry, I'll check in regularly, Mom." She gave Jane a watery smile, and stepped back, turned to Erik.

"I don't trust him, no matter what you and Odin say. If he causes any trouble at all, you let us know, and we'll come help you. Don't let him hurt you in any way, and certainly don't let him get into your head. He may not have magic, but I'm sure he's still got a few tricks up his sleeve you don't want to deal with." Erik looked down at her seriously. "I don't care if it's three in the morning, you let me know if anything has gone wrong."

Darcy looked at him equally solemnly. "I will. You can count on me." She hugged the older man tightly, standing on her toes, then let go, walking to the door and picking up her bag. She looked at Loki. "Come on, it's time to go."

Loki was startled; he'd assumed that he'd be staying with the trio, not leaving to go Valhalla knows where. "And exactly where are you taking me?"

Darcy shrugged. "No idea. I have to stop in and talk to my mom, but after that, I don't really have a plan. We can decide that later."

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So I'm going to say that I'm not going to post another chapter up this weekend...but I'm a huge pushover, and if you lovely people attack me with love again...well, I'm quite a few chapters ahead for a reason!