If Jane hadn't been so completely exhausted, she would've seen Loki attempt to take his clothes off sans his magic. She would've heard his soft cries of happiness as he sat in his bathtub, marveling at the outcome of it all. She would've felt the bed dip slightly when he crawled next to her and trace the outline of her shoulder, her hip, smell the rain still clinging to her hair.

As it was, she was dead tired, and fell asleep almost immediately.

And Loki Odinson was not.

He had slept for nearly two weeks straight, and even when he was tired (not terribly often), even that sojourn into sweet slumber would have been a bit too sugary to his tongue.

He got up and procured a book to read…he went to conjure a fire, and then recalled he hadn't the means to do such a trifling thing. This would be difficult…he thought that he might be able to light a candle, and that would be the extent of his ability.

What if Frigga was wrong…? What if he was permanently handicapped? What good would he be?

But no…he felt the pulse of it even now grow stronger. It was begging to find its vigor…

He would need to be patient. It shouldn't be but a few weeks inhibited thusly.

Loki sat and read a book of poetry.

He laughed at Jane's annoyance with him.

He had been teasing her…which he dearly loved to do.

He stole a glance at her, and how at peace she appeared to be in his bed. Her mouth betrayed a hint of a smile…soft, content, serene.

She loved him.

How wonderful.

Loki felt the hollow of his stomach protest the absence of sustenance for over two weeks (again, though he didn't eat all that often, he would hardly ever go two weeks without food).

He would need to go to the kitchens to get some, he couldn't summon it.

Blast.

He got up, and went over to Jane…

"I wish I could wake you," he whispered, touching her hand and leaning down a bit. "I need to traverse those parlous steps once more, and without the aid of your hand…" he knelt down next to her. "But I shan't do such an odious thing to my elfish lovely delight…she is enervated, and I should be loathe to wake her…" he reached and kissed the side of her mouth.

Loki got up and put a shirt on.

Black…and the same whimsical style he had worn on his outing with Jane. It was loose and airy…he found he liked it a bit better than the tunics he had been accustomed to…they were more restrictive, more formal…he had suddenly, with his love, adopted an air of insouciant attitude…and he embraced it willingly and utterly. For how long had he tarried in dark and rigid reflection…? He wished to embrace the splendor of blithe bliss.

But that didn't mean that he would stop wearing black. And he certainly wouldn't begin to wear white. White, of all things.

Loki slipped his boots on and left, making his way with a wavering gait.

There they were.

His gaze followed them down.

Much, much more intimidating, the way down.

He laughed. To be ruined by stairs…he…Loki Odinson, the greatest sorcerer in the Nine…a Prince of Asgard…Silvertongue, Mischief Maker…wary of some steps?

He laughed at his vulnerability and began his journey down.

At the bottom, he turned, he smiled. It wasn't so bad once he had started….

Loki made his way to the kitchens.

He entered through the light stone doorway and stopped. Thor was there.

Thor looked at him, and his mouth fell open.

"Loki," he breathed. "Brother!" he cried, and went to him, pulling him in a tight embrace. "Oh, Loki…it is good to see you!"

"Thank you, Thor…but kindly release me…lest you suffocate me into unconsciousness…"

Thor let go, and Loki saw tears in his eyes. "Loki…how are you?"

"I am hale enough…though my magic is frail…it shall take some time to repair itself," and Loki went to get an apple.

"When…when did you wake?"

He crunched into the fruit. "Mmmm…a few hours ago, I'd say…"

"Have you seen Jane? Mother?"

"Jane, yes…not mother."

Thor nodded. "Loki, there is something that you must know."

Loki was sitting on a chair at the chopping table. He waited as Thor shuffled his feet and played with a knife. "Is it a secret…? No…even you, brother, would understand that revealing a secret in counterintuitive…the definition of the word demands silence," and he smirked at his brother.

Thor didn't laugh.

"Come, Thor. Do not be cross…I was merely…"

"Loki, I am King Regent. The King is in Odinsleep."

Loki's mouth fell open. "What?"

"The witch's spell had weakened him, and then…Odin was the first to attend to you after you fell…he used much of his power…nearly all he had left, I'd say, to save you."

"I hadn't thought about…I've been too…" and Loki put the apple down and covered his face with his hands. "Of course…" he began, dropped his hands to his lap. "Of course, that's what happened…"

"What?"

"I suppose, Thor, I had not given much thought to the how or the why of my living now…I was too shocked, too relieved that Sigyn was dead, and I wasn't. These past few hours have been surreal…and I need to keep reminding myself that I'm here… but it never occurred to me what had been done to achieve it…and now I see."

"You don't regret it…?" Thor asked. "Odin wanted to do it…Jane begged him to, and if he didn't want to, he certainly wouldn't have done."

"Of course, no. I understand the All-Father well enough to know that he wouldn't have let a mortal command him to do anything…let alone consent, if he hadn't wanted to…" he paused, and turned the apple around in his fingers. He recalled, then, that an apple was the very thing he had been going to speak with Odin about when he had been intercepted by the sorceress. "I only lament what our mother is surely suffering."

"You do not regret my crown?"

Loki peered at his brother, then relaxed his face. He laughed a touch. "No, Thor. I am not jealous of you or your status as Regent. True, I had once longed for the station you now inhabit…but I imagine you'll be seeking my advice on more than one issue…and though I may not enjoy the command and respect your position affords, I shall take comfort in the knowledge that I am the one pulling the strings," he finished with a smirk, and bit the apple.

"You fancy yourself a puppeteer of the King?"

"Aye, I do…" and he winked. He stood. "Truly brother, I think that you'll do quite well…you shall bring honor and a mighty hammer to Asgard's Throne…the true test of any great sovereign," and he laughed heartily.

Loki patted Thor's arm.

Thor laughed. "It is good to have you back, brother. I missed you…"

And Loki went to leave.

"Loki?"

He turned, his eyebrows raised in question.

"She is a very fine lady…and I'm very, very happy for you."

Loki swallowed, nodded, and said, "Sometimes, I wonder at Frigga's sight…I wonder truly how much she divulges…how much of our lives she toys with…and I'm grateful to be on her side…" he chucked a touch and left for the King.

He stared for a good long while at the King, his false father. He stared at him, and he was angry at him. Angry that he never got to say that he cared for him. Angry that his own ire was so encompassing for so long, his resentment so bitter, that Odin only knew him as a hesitantly dutiful pawn-son.

Did he love Odin? Maybe…but he more respected him. He cared for him. He felt a bit in awe…but the medicine he force-fed Loki had been too grievous a thing. Even in his reemergence from his cell after decades of imprisonment, when he accepted things as they were, he felt anger toward him. No one else experienced his acrid dismissal the way Odin had. He begrudgingly did his bidding, and he never showed him affection of any sort.

"I cannot let it go, Odin. I cannot say that all is well now…but…I am grateful for your sacrifice, and perhaps in time, I can lift this albatross and breathe…"

He stood, he bent and kissed the King's forehead, and left.

Loki went to the garden…it was still a bit dark, but the sky was shifting to an amaranthine glow, and morning's birth was emerging in slow pain.

He looked about, and thought that later he might bring Jane some flowers…

No. She wouldn't like that…she'd want them to stay their root…grow…

He sat on the grass, still slightly damp from the rain.

And once the sky swirled and altered, once the red of light sifted through the air, Loki stood.

Frigga should be awake now.

There she was, her back to the door, nibbling on her breakfast.

He put his hands in his pockets, and went through the door.

"Good morning, mother," he said.

Frigga turned in shock. "Loki…" she breathed, and her face lit up, and she stood…she went hesitantly toward him, then pulled him in an embrace. "Oh, my son…it is so good to see you…"

He wrapped his arms around her, and replied. "Yes…it is good to be seen…"

He kissed her cheek, and sat down.

She joined him. "How long…?"

"I awoke last evening…I suppose it's been…well…" and he raised his eyes in teasing thought. "I'd say about five…maybe six hours…"

"And Jane…?"

"Knows, yes," he took a piece of bread, slathered some jam-like stuff on it, and began to eat.

"Your magic?"

"Weak. Decidedly."

The Queen nodded. "And…Loki…about Odin…"

"I know, mother. I saw Thor a couple of hours ago."

"Well…it seems I cannot offer anything to you," and she laughed.

"Always one step ahead…" he winked.

"You seem so at ease, Loki."

"Well…I have been asleep for two weeks, Frigga. If that doesn't offer me refreshment, then I hardly know what could."

She laughed. "But…your clothes…they're different…your hair…"

He self consciously ran his hand through his hair, "Yes, well, I hadn't the patience to see to it, and since I have not my usual means, I let it hang."

"I like it.

"As does Jane," he muttered.

"Ah, I see," and she nodded knowingly with a smirk. "And does she like your whimsical shirt as well?"

He cleared his throat, "Perhaps…" he said in low tones. "But it's hardly whimsical, as you say…"

"Loki, I wouldn't be surprised if in a fortnight I see you in yellow attire."

"Yellow," he breathed…he swallowed dramatically. "Yellow?!" his hand went to his chest. "Stop, mother, you'll send me into a coma once more…" he laughed. "No… I am too fond of black to abandon it."

"But if Jane…"

"Jane would never ask me to wear such an odious color as yellow."

"I like yellow, son."

"And I never said that I loved you for your taste."

Frigga's eyes welled. "Oh, Loki…it has been so long since you said that you loved me."

He returned her gaze. "Of course I do, mother. For a very long time, you were my only comfort."

"You'll always have it…and now you have Jane as well."

"Indeed."

"She is a wonderful girl."

"I know it."

"She is quite something…but her belief in herself is fragile…she admitted not understanding why you love her so," and Frigga took a sip of her drink.

"What?" he looked curiously at her.

"Just so. She said, in her anger and exhaustion, that no one had ever loved her, and inexplicably, you do."

"I…hadn't realized how very delicate she was…she seems so strong…relatively self assured…"

"And she is…but understand, son," she touched his hand. "When you live with something as truth for so long, it is difficult to accept any other thing as truth. You should understand that conceit, of all people."

His gaze fell. "But she doesn't doubt my love, does she?"

"No. I don't think that she does…but she definitely has a very well shaped idea of herself, and that it what I speak of."

"What do I do?"

"Nothing. Love her."

He nodded. "Frigga…I should like to present Jane with an apple…"

The Queen smiled. "Of course."

When Jane finally awoke, it was dark.

Had she only fallen asleep for a short while? She felt rather refreshed.

She turned, expecting to see Loki there next to her…

But he wasn't.

She sat up immediately.

Had she dreamed it all?

She threw the covers off and saw that she was rather dirty…and she then surmised it hadn't been…their carnal actions were evidenced in her scuffed-up arms.

Jane rose and went to the bath, filling it.

She climbed in…it had been much too long since she had bathed…

Just over two weeks.

She rinsed the horror of the dungeons from her.

She cleaned the stagnant air of the infirmary.

She scrubbed the rain, the tears, the dirt of the garden…

And even Loki…she rinsed him off as well.

Jane stood after some time and dried herself off. She went into his room and looked for her clothing…

And when she was fully dressed and her hair was brushed, she went to the window to see if she could ascertain a time of day…

Then she saw it.

A letter, sitting on the chair she usually occupied.

Dearest elf,

I so longed to wake you from your heavy slumber, but then, I would be a most hatefully selfish man. But it was difficult, to see your mouth parted ever so slightly, your breath escaping from it in slow and steady rhythm…and my mind soared with visions of you and I engaged in…well.

I wish to tell you that your love sustained me, and although I never actually understood in my wandering it was you and you alone I longed for, it was your face I saw when I awoke…and your essence bade me toward you in the garden.

I believe, love, that I have always been in search of you and your tender being…that while I rotted in my cage, you were the hint of light to quell the decay…while I wandered between realms to find comfort, you were the tonic to my affliction. Had I known…

But it was serendipitous, our meeting…and I knew the minute I beheld you that you would do me some good.

Little did I know the extent…

Meet me in the garden…or if I am not there, the library.

I wait for your presence with avidity.

Loki

Jane smiled, her fingers shook a bit…

And she made her way to the garden.