It was still dark when they exited the bifrost. Loki waited while Bruce enfolded Althia in his arms and buried his face in her hair she was crying and whispering. Tony gave her and Bruce a hug which ruined their moment and made everyone else laugh. They slept at Stark tower for the first time together. Althia waited till they were alone and curled up by the bed. She couldn't bring herself to look at him as she told him the secret she'd been keeping for months. Nor could she really explain what had happened on Asgard without telling him all of it. She waited patiently when she was done for him to blow up at her. She felt he deserved the truth and even if he turned Hulk she would accept whatever happened. It was his hand held where she could see it that broke her will. She leapt on him and clung speechless. He held her and laughed at her for thinking he'd hate her for something she had no control over. They talked about the events in Asgard the hours just before they left as well as everything she knew about the link. He agreed there was a real possibility that Loki was trying to help Jane and Thor but only in some effort to reach a goal of his own.

Hearing about the empathic link it didn't take him long to realized Loki's actions just before they left were a test of how strong he could affect her behavior. Loki wasn't going to break his word and force her into a position where Althia hated him. The fact that without his constant attention she would regain control of herself made it impossible for him to use the link to sway her. Bruce wasn't disgusted by her past or what happened on Asgard he was frustrated but she obviously needed compassion not recriminations. He laughed and held her gently; he wouldn't abandon her for things she couldn't stop or understand. Being driven by an uncontrollable force was something he understood.

As she curled in his arms she had hope that maybe they could work out a peace between them. In the morning Loki knocked at Althia's door and she was already opening it by the time his hand drew back. "Come in." she said. Bruce was sitting on the bed putting on his watch. He looked at Loki like he was a stranger a funny looking one. "Thank you." He said "I don't think I could have kept my pants on that long." Loki looked back and forth between them. "You told him?" she nodded. "Everything?" she nodded again. "Who do I owe the thanks for my current state of well-being?" Loki asked at last. Bruce laughed "You weren't kidding about it surprising him." He said "I don't own her Loki. We aren't married, hell I haven't even taken her to dinner." Bruce Banner stood up and looked at the demi-god "You kept your word, nearly drove her mad doing it but you did it. Next time you make her cry it better be because she's too happy or you're dying not because you couldn't be bothered to tell her what was going on." He stopped taking a deep breath. "She knew when you came down the hall and reached the door. I was hoping she was wrong." He said sadly. "I want to run some scans see if it's really permanent after breakfast. We can try the machine but I don't think it will work from what Jane sent back." He finished speaking and held out his hand. Loki took it and smiled a real smile both men looked at Althia. "Oh he's happy alright." She said suddenly going bright red and left the room. It wasn't embarrassment but a different thought that drove her away. One only found in a divided heart and body denied for too long. She found Thor and Jane and ate with them. Jane had told Thor what was happening and he was very kind to Althia. He understood a divided heart.

That day was spent hooked up to every type of scanner, meter, and device Bruce could come up with to measure the link. He found it was strongest when they were actually touching and ran a series of experiments inside a shielded room to see if any trace of the power Althia used leaked out. The room was sealed keeping in the trace amounts of her power that she shed contained. It turned out glass was insulating to her power. Loki and Bruce held several private conversations while she was laying passively. Loki was calm but she still worried when they called Tony into the room shortly before lunch. Althia became very curious as to why Loki was getting excited and she could feel his anticipation building as the day progressed.

They said good bye to Jane and Thor after lunch; Althia embarrassed the Loki telegraphing his emotions as he spoke to his brother. Bruce made her quit after a few minutes; it began to get creepy how clearly she could tell when he was lying. Tony called in a few favors and dinner was a surprise for Althia. Sharron Miller, Savita Amin, Sam, and several other friends from the Helicarrier and Gambit Base arrived. She was near tears seeing everyone even if it was only for a few hours. She watched Loki as he was flirting with one of her friends from the Helicarrier a pretty red head with skin like milk. She was happy he wasn't making a mess of the evening. She knew he could be capricious when he wanted. Althia saw him leave with the woman a couple hours after dinner; his lust was heated leaving a distinct and visceral impression on her. It affected her dancing and behavior for over an hour till Bruce had to drag her out of the room.

He found himself alone in the company of a woman who was as different in private as day is to night. She didn't care why she felt the way she did and any attempts to calm her failed. She didn't care; Loki was enjoying himself and the nurse. He was driving her body into a fever for most of the night that Bruce refused to abate. She sat in the shower and cried her frustrations out till the crew from the helicarrier left. Bruce watched her storm out of his room her breathing still deep gasps and her skin flush.

Lovers Quarrel

"Althia this is still him." He said the next morning and she shook her head. "You treated me like a lab animal last night, Bruce." She had tears in her eyes "I can't believe you'd watch me like… that." she was shaking she was so angry her voice thick with the accent of her mother's people. "No reaction what so ever. I am not a toy or a puzzle you need to solve Bruce Banner." she paced the floor refusing to let him touch her. "Never, ever think I'll passively suffer like that again you don't think I had enough of that sort of thing on Asgard!" She left him staring wide eyed at the door. He hadn't realized she had that kind of anger in her. It shocked him that she refused to accept his feelings. He was in the lab when Loki found him later. They talked and Loki was hard pressed not to laugh at the man's foolishness and waste of an opportunity. Loki went looking for Althia when they finished talking; he found her curled in a ball on the couch in the lounge her breathing was labored but when he sought her dreams he found she wasn't suffering from nightmares of her past. He could do nothing about the confused and turbulent state she was in but he also couldn't use it to his advantage.

If she knew his and Tony's complicity in the events of the evening she might not react any better to him than she had Doctor Banner. She would adjust, for now Loki wanted to focus of finding a way to control the link and preventing her from being overwhelmed by his emotions. She would come to him willingly and by her own choice not because her lover denied her on some spurious and laughable repugnance to a fact none knew how to change. Loki left her as he found her and grinned as he contemplated the next few weeks with Tony Stark.

Bruce stayed late in the lab, leaving her to wander the halls of the tower the first night after the party guests had left. She had forgiven him the next day but made a point of locking her room that night. Nothing satisfied her more than hearing the knob rattle as she waited up. She heard him when his head hit the door and smiled. She found the roof access later and a spot out in the wind when he left for his room. "Heimdall, I miss our talks. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye properly." She grinned at the memory. "Loki is so damn jealous and he seems to enjoy driving me insane." She sighed "I hope you're well. Good day to you sir; may peace reign in Asgard this day." Nightly she went to the roof and spoke to him it helped in a way.

It was two weeks before Althia got some alone time with Bruce. She was nearly driven to drink in her frustration and point blank told Tony to get Loki out of the tower or she'd kill all three of them. Tony had grabbed Loki as soon as he came out of the lab for lunch and ducked out without telling anyone. Althia laughed so hard she had to sit down. "Are they ok?" Bruce asked "Yes, I'm not sure what they are doing but he's enjoying himself. He's full of his own admirations right now." She curled up on a couch and watched Bruce move around for a while. "Come here, please." She said he looked up and she was walking down the hall. He followed her to see what she needed and when she turned into his bedroom he stopped wondering.

Althia was tired of being inside, she finally admitted to herself that's what was making her antsy. She had been able to spar and go to the gardens on Asgard. There were always people clamoring for her gift where ever she went; until now. The entire world was really open to her on Asgard and here she was stuck in the tower. No one knew she was up here on the top of the world looking out at the city. Her eyes could pick up the cars and people moving around below but she was separated. She would always be separated; locked away from the world because of him. Tony and Loki went out; actually they were gone a lot. Loki was given a new identity, thanks to SHIELD, and was working for Stark industries. Bruce came and went though he was around a lot more than the other two. She'd only seen a few of her friends from Shield since she got back. The forced inactivity began to affect her and she became waspish with Tony and Loki any time they were home. She had an idea; the helicarrier had a limited rotation of staff so she had gotten to know most of them. She texted Natasha and asking if they would request Fury allow her to spend part of her time on the helicarrier working in the infirmary. She was sure she could be of some use to SHIELD because she wasn't here. She spent hours of her day reading and an equal number moving through her sword and dance practices.

There was no way of telling if Tasha was on a mission or not. She had a personal cell but it stayed in storage while she was on a mission. It could be anywhere from five minutes to weeks before she got a response. Althia took up cooking one morning before anyone got up. Pepper was at the tower and stumbled into the kitchen as Althia was making an omelet. She had seen how on television and was actually pretty good at it. She handed Pepper a plate and sat with her. She waited till Pepper was a little into her coffee before asking what she'd been up too. It was nice to talk with a woman who she didn't have to hide her identity, past, and everything about herself from. She had liked Pepper the one time they had met at Gambit base and she was grateful for her calm, sweetness since Loki had brought her to the tower. Mostly though, right at that minute, she was glad Pepper had a temper.

The Pepper Rule

Within twenty minutes they were gone without a word to the guys. Pepper had two meetings with regional directors and a planning session with the team involved in a charity event. She took Althia shopping first and got her a wardrobe boost. Then they went to a salon and Althia chose to have red highlights put in her hair and for the first time ever got a manicure. Her phone went off right after her nails dried and she answered in a general state of ecstasy. "Hey Bruce how's everything going?" she asked when the phone connected. "Where are you JARVIS says you aren't in the tower?" She took a deep breath "I'm with Pepper which he would have told you." She snapped at him. "She needed a hand today and seeing as I don't have a job, hobby, or anything besides cleaning up after you three. She took me with her." She hung up in anger she didn't have to justify herself to him. He'd said it himself he didn't own her.

When they left for the first meeting she was Pepper Potts new assistant for the California operations. She transcribed everything said in the meetings and send emails dictated by Pepper while they were moving. She was actually enjoying the day. While they were in the charity meeting she slipped some suggestions to Pepper who glanced down and then at her. Pepper actually suggested and pushed for a couple of her ideas. She'd never had someone do that usually she felt like a passenger. The only time she didn't was in the infirmaries on the helicarrier and at Gambit base.

They stopped for lunch at a fantastic restaurant near the tower and Althia was just about as happy as a clam on the ocean floor. It wasn't a casual lunch Pepper kept working while she ate and Althia had a lot that she was able to do to help so Pepper could focus on her phone conversation. They only talked about five minutes at the end. She didn't really think about her phone in her purse until they got back in the car. She glanced at the screen and saw an apology from Bruce. She smiled and sent him he own apology. She wished they would get out even if just to explore some of the parks or a trip to the national forest she'd read about. That wouldn't be likely to trigger him and she could calm him anywhere they went. His fears still ruled him even knowing what she could do in a moments notice.

Loki strolled out to the elevator to meet them. A charming and harmless smile on his face. The doors opened to two chattering laughing women. Althia looked completely different her hair swept back smooth in a twist had streaks of bright red in it and she was wearing a tight silver grey suit and skirt with black heels. Her nails were long and round with white tips and a soft pink base. He was struck by the alteration and blinked to make sure he recognized the woman. "Great you're here; take Althia's stuff to her room. Thanks." Pepper said sweetly but there was venom in her voice. His charm dropped, "I do not fetch and carry you have employees for that." He stated as they breezed by him. Pepper turned and looked at him, she wasn't smiling anymore, and slowly she walked up to him. "I know but I asked you. You left her here cooped up in a glass box while you went god knows where with Tony without batting an eyelash." Something about her made him step back. He had lost the bet and now he was going to be carrying the mass of bags to Althia's room. "Tony come help Loki!" she yelled into the intercom "Sorry can't right now" Tony responded quickly. "Tony" there was that venom again. "Yeah, be right up." She made saying his name a threat which shocked Loki even more. She walked away with a snickering Althia following behind.

Pepper and Althia changed and when Althia's hair came down it was smooth and wavy down he back. She had it trimmed but refused to cut much of it. Loki spent a minute running his finger through it while she ignored him and focuses on the discussion of the next few days with Pepper. Her time on Asgard had improved Althia's tolerance for alcohol and she enjoyed the champagne Pepper poured. "Tony finally showed after the second glass carrying a tray with a large cover. "Walla, bon appetite" he said placing it on the table between them. He lifted the lid and Althia gasped, small crusts filled with a variety of sweet and savory fillings covered the tray. She wouldn't be cooking tonight. "What are we celebrating?" he said looking at the bottle of champagne. "Pepper gave him a dirty look. "Althia's new job as my personal assistant of the California region. She got a very nice signing bonus." She said casually before popping a canapé in her mouth. She looked at him calmly as she chewed. "By the way you owe Phil a favor he pull some strings and got her a new identity as Althia Jones. He wants the new wound sealant R&D has been developing." Tony winched "5% discount." He responded and Pepper just looked at him. "8%" he countered a shiver going up his spine. "How long has Althia been back?" Pepper asked Tony. He made a pained face. "Fine but reindeer games lost the bet and has to take her to the ballet." Then he left at a run both women looked around but Loki had vanished. "He's still here." Althia said leaning back in her seat and Pepper burst out laughing.

Althia wasn't surprised when Loki visited her that evening. "Are you jealous?" he asked and she looked back at his projection still completely dry despite the spray from her shower. She bit her lip and shook off the thought that popped in her head. "A little, but it's not because she's got your attention; it's the link and Bruce. He hates it and the effect it has on me." She turn back to shaving. "I can't be jealous over someone being happy. It just seems wrong." She shrugged and stood refusing to let him see her frustration. Loki was stunned silent a minute thinking of all his time with the attendant from Tony's jet. 'That man is a complete and utter fool!' he thought to himself keeping a rigid grip on his emotions she still felt his disdain and for some reason his was offended. "I should have expected you'd be so infuriatingly reasonable. Dinner and the Ballet Friday; wear the green dress." He stopped suddenly; thinking about what had been her life for the last month. "I am sorry your doctor is hesitant to ease your difficulties; it seems a waste to me." He said. She looked back and he was gone.