Her eyes darted open.

And she felt his arms wrapped tightly around her.

She was on her back, and Loki's head was on her chest, his embrace tight, and he was asleep.

She sighed, and thought about the night before…

He hadn't been wrong. He was the most attentive of lovers…she had enjoyed many, many (too many, she had lost count) orgasms, and he had been equal parts tender and passionate. They had laughed at times, they had talked, but their carnal actions trumped all else, and Jane had been left in quite a state.

She thought most about their first encounter, and how he had been deliberate and soft…setting her mind at ease as he had promised at the outset.

She wondered slightly at it now, and thought that when he woke, she might question him.

And lo and behold, he stirred…

He moaned a touch and sighed.

His hand moved from her side, extracting his grip, and slowly made way to her breast, massaging it gently.

"Good morning, Loki."

"To have my first vision of day your swell of breast is something that I should never tire of."

Jane laughed.

He peeled himself from her, and laying prone, stretched his cords of muscles and sat upright. He situated himself against his headboard, rubbed his face, and looked at Jane.

"Good morning, elf," and he smiled.

Jane sat as well, and smiled widely. "Sleep well, then?"

"Indeed…"

"It's fortunate that I do not have lessons…that the children's parents are fetching them today…I don't think that I could teach."

"Well, I don't think that I would allow you, anyway."

Jane squinted at him. "Allow me?"

"How could I? I mean to have you here, for at least the remainder of the day…" and he smirked. "Fear not, Jane. I'll let your body heal a bit…but I mean you to be right here when you are recovered."

"I'm fine, Loki…"

"Are you?" he seemed unconvinced.

"Yes…a bit thirsty, but fine."

He conjured a glass of water. "I suppose I had rather drained you of your fluids…"

Jane drank deeply, and putting the glass down, turned toward him with a bit of a dark look on her countenance. "You, Loki, are a ferocious liar."

"Pardon?"

"You spew the most dreadful of lies."

He appeared to be confused. "While what you say has been true, I cannot think what you are referring to specifically…"

Jane smirked. "I am referring to the statement that you are not a poet. What do you call those verses you uttered when seducing me last night?"

Loki laughed. "As I said, love, I am not a poet. I maintain that conceit despite your objections."

"What was that, then?"

"It was…my worship of you…my claim to possession…"

"Couldn't you just as easily as said, "I worship you, you are mine?" Much less fuss."

"Yes, but much less fun. Much less poignant…" he paused. "Was it displeasing at all?"

"No…on the contrary…it was beautiful, erotic, and wonderful," she admitted.

"Well, why complain?" he shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not…necessarily," and Jane moved her hand to his chest, then grasped his shoulder, and she pulled herself atop him, straddling his hips. "But I should, you know, return it…"

Loki looked at her with a hint of surprise, but it quickly turned to desire…his hands moved around her back, and he pulled her close, kissing her deeply.

Jane ended it, nipping his lower lip.

"You, Loki, are mine…as much as I am yours, and I shall endeavor to see this promise to its fullest end…" and she lowered herself on his erection, hugging it in her warmth. She began to move.

"These arms, which contain such strength…" she grasped them, "are mine to be embraced in…" and she moved again, yet softly. "This chest, holding your heart, is mine to rest my face against…" and she rubbed her hands across it, moving slightly faster. "Your hands are mine alone to give me comfort and pleasure…" and she took his right hand, and kissed its palm, then placed it on her breast. "Your sex…mine…" and she threw her head back, increasing her rise and fall, leaning back, resting her hands behind her, just as he went to pull her close. He moaned. Jane then sat back up, her pace quickening…"…and your mind, your language, your tongue…" she kissed him deeply. "Are for me, and me alone…"

He grabbed her back, lowering his grasp to her ass, and pulled her so that their union was such that they appeared truly as one. He took his hand and massaged her sex so that she instantly found her climax, and Loki followed in suit.

"There," Jane continued, after finding her breath. "Now we are in complete understanding."

Loki swallowed. "There can be no doubt," and he kissed her mouth softly.

Jane took herself off of him, and ran her hand through her hair.

"Well, elf…I am quite at a loss…."

"Good," she replied, laughing.

He looked away. "Jane…"

"Hmm?"

"Did you find…upon first meeting my brother…did you find him to be attractive?" he had a hint of concern in his voice, and of some understanding that Jane was ignorant to.

"That's an odd question to ask," she replied.

He looked at her. "It isn't… most do."

"I…" she looked at the ceiling, as though it might hold an answer…trying to recall the scene, it seemed so very long ago. "I think that…yes, I may have thought him to be a striking figure. But not beyond that. Why?"

"And did you think me striking when you happened upon me in that lane?"

She smirked. "Yes."

He nodded and looked at his hands resting on his lap. "Frigga showed me something after your…accident. She showed me a future wherein you and Thor were lovers, and he and I fought on Midgard."

"Oh."

"That's your response? Oh?"

"Well, what would you like for me to say? That isn't what happened. I love you…and yes, Thor isn't unattractive, but I find you to be much more my…type," she finished with a smile.

He nodded.

"You and Thor…you are competitive, I guess?"

"Somewhat."

"You're both very different."

"We are," Loki continued, looking at the window beyond Jane. "But he is a good sort. And I wasn't for a long time…he means well…he's just…not the most urbane of minds."

"No. Unlike you."

He looked at her and laughed. "Quite…I used to be insanely jealous of him…" he noted her disbelief. "It's true…but, of the many lessons I learned in that cell, I discovered that it was not the best way to proceed, that my jealousy was more about me than him, and so I abandoned it," he paused and his gaze fell. "That's not to say it never creeps into my consciousness now and again."

Jane shrugged. "I suppose that's fair."

Loki then got up and conjured some pants. He went to his books and began to pull a few from the shelves. "We need to see to your mortality."

Jane pulled the sheet up around her. "Excuse me?"

He opened a volume and flipped through some of the pages. "Your mortality. It needs to be addressed."

And Jane stood with the sheet wrapped around her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, elf, that you shall need to consume an apple of Iuonn, and that shall afford you mortality…I only cannot recall if there is a specific season wherein it is ideal for consumption…" and he put the book back, took another one, and flipped through.

"I'll be immortal?"

"Hmmm," he responded, not looking at her.

"How…I mean…I won't die?"

"You'll live approximately three or four thousand years," he said matter-of-factly.

Jane swayed…and grabbed onto the obliging chair in front of her.

Loki dropped the book and rushed to her, and grabbed her arm. "Jane! What is it?"

"I…four thousand YEARS?!" she choked.

He laughed. "Yes, elf…do you think that I'd want to merely have you here with me for the next fifty years or so? I'd be left in desolation for a few millennia."

"I…"

"Is this not something that you want?" he asked with a hint of disappointment.

"Ah…" Jane rubbed her face and sat down. "Loki…this is just…what does one DO with thousands of years?"

He didn't appear to understand.

So she continued. "I mean…surely you'll tire of me… and then…and there's daily life…"

He sat across from her on the table and took her hands. "Jane, I cannot imagine that I'll ever, as you said, grow tired of you…and life will continue just as it has…we can visit the Nine…perhaps…have children?" and he smiled.

"You forget your wife."

His face grew serious. "I never forget her."

Jane nodded. "I'm sorry."

He cleared his throat. "You needn't take the apple straight away. Think on it if you like…and what's more, I'm certain that there is a year, or a season, when its effects are most potent…I merely need to discover when…" and he got up again, and picked up the book.

She nodded.

Four thousand years. How on earth was she to wrap her mind around such an idea?

Thousands of years to fill.

It was inconceivable to her finite mind…

But then…she could learn much.

…and perhaps, bear children with Loki.

Jane smiled. That might be fun.

Loki snapped the book shut. "I need to see Odin."

"Now?"

"Yes…I'll return forthwith, elf…" he pecked her cheek.

"Ok…can I maybe take a bath?…I'd like to wash and see the children before they go…"

His hand caressed her face. "You needn't ask…but I'd much prefer you to wait for me…I'd dearly love to wash you…" he finished his sentence in her mouth and kissed her.

Jane laughed and he left.

She went into the bath and filled the tub with warm water.

Her fingers traced the surface lazily as she lost herself in thought.

Four thousand years…

Jane lowered herself into the tub.

She was Loki's.

He was hers.

They were tethered in a taut grip of symmetry.

Jane sat with her limbs stretched out, and she sank beneath the surface.

She blew air bubbles from her nose.

She opened her eyes under the water.

There, hovering above the tub, was a face…

Green.

Black eyes.

Wild, black hair.

A murderous stare curled in a menacing smirk…

A hand reached down….

And Jane's head broke the surface of the water….