"About time you showed up, Doctor." Loki's heart sunk as Hope acknowledged the newcomer. So this was the Doctor… No doubt he was here to take Hope from him. However, the girl still clung to his arm, not moving. "Where have you been?"

"I got lost. Took a wrong turn at Mars, honest mistake. What I want to know is how you've managed to stay put?" The Doctor pulled an alien tool out of his pocket, pointing it at Hope. The god watched somewhat annoyed as he used the tool to scan her, the blasted thing emitting a green light and annoying buzzing sound.

"Loki, how long has this Midgardian been hiding in Asgard?" Now Loki had the joy of explaining why he broke one of Asgard's most enforced laws to his father. Without admitting he was in love with Hope.

"Two weeks. She's been waiting for the Doctor to come find her. She's not like other Midgardians, she has a gift."

"Loki…" Hope sounded very nervous.

"What do you mean she has a gift? That is not necessarily an excuse for breaking the law." The Allfather stepped closer, making Hope grip Loki's arm tighter. He was starting to worry the spell he'd forged into her necklace would give out. Hope always "Tardis'd" when she was distressed. And she was obviously very frightened by the situation. He found her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's difficult to explain." The Doctor decided to do the explaining.

"Basically, that big blue box currently parked in your hall? Yeah, she's an actual human version of that. She can travel through time and space all on her own. Problem is she doesn't have any so of control on it hence her accidental stay here. It's all really fascinating actually." Loki was quickly becoming very agitated by this Doctor. Hope had an extraordinary gift, she wasn't some science experiment. How did she possibly put up with this buffoon?

"Regardless, she cannot stay here. You must leave with her immediately," the Allfather decreed, still staring the frightened girl down. Hope shuffled farther behind Loki, causing a confused look to cross the Doctor's face.

"Father, this girl is obviously no threat to Asgard," Thor finally spoke up, siding for his younger brother. "Surely she could stay for short time longer."

"Actually we have to stay. The Tardis needs to recharge." Now the Doctor was on the receiving end of an Allglare. "She's got just enough energy to move out of your lovely hall but that's about it. Can't go off realm."

"And how long will that take?"

"Hard to say. At least two weeks maybe?"

"You have one."

"Now, now Odin. If my Tardis isn't fully charged we can't go anywhere! Decree or not. And besides you still owe me for that time you got yourself-"

"Doctor. Perhaps this would be better to discuss in private?" The surprisingly flustered King of Asgard ushered the Doctor back inside but not before the Doctor gave Hope an excited thumbs up. Hope just nodded, not moving from behind her God of Mischief blockade. Once they had disappeared back inside, Thor turned to the pair, chuckling.

"I have to say, Little One, you make a very convincing Asgardian if a little short." Hope glared but didn't say anything. Loki attempted to pull his hand out of hers with no success.

"Thor, give the girl some space. She's frightened." Thor released one of his boisterous laughs, making the poor nervous girl jump.

"That's ridiculous, brother. What woman would be afraid of me?"

"What woman in her right mind wouldn't be afraid of you? But this confrontation has made Hope very uncomfortable. As it is, I cannot feel my hand." Hope instantly released his hand, stepping back a few steps.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, Hope. It's perfectly fine." He smiled at her, pulling her back to him. "Are you alright? You're trembling."

"Yeah… Just a little shaken… Your dad's got one hell of a bark."

"Aye, but you needn't fear, Little One. He will not harm you."

"If you keep calling me 'little', I'm going to beat you with your own hammer." Thor merely laughed again at her threat.

"You cannot lift Mjolnir."

"I'm stubborn. I can figure something out."

"My, my. She's quite the little firecracker isn't she?" Hope lunged at the Thunderer, only to be caught by Loki.

"Brother, if you are done antagonizing her, it's been a taxing night on everyone." Thor nodded. Hope huffed, clearly still insulted by Thor's height references. "Goodnight, Thor." Loki quickly led Hope away before Thor could make another wisecrack about her height.

"No offense, Loki, but your brother can be a real jerk."

"You don't have to tell me that." Of course, Loki had only paid enough attention to keep Hope from getting hurt. He was so damn close! He was this close to a double victory with Hope. Now that the Doctor was here and his father knew the truth… It was almost impossible and worthless.

"Loki… What were you trying to say on the balcony?" Loki shook his head.

"Nothing. It's not important." Well, it was actually very important, by how could he just hurt them both? Hope stopped in her tracks.

"Obviously, it is. Or you wouldn't keep trying to say it." The god glared at her, a bit annoyed.

"Hope, just drop it. It can wait till morning. We should both go to bed." He didn't intend to snap. He certainly wasn't upset with her. It just happened to come out at her. Hope frowned at him.

"Guess you're right." She started to storm off, going in the opposite direction of his room.

"Where are you going?"

"To the Tardis." Uh oh. She sounded upset.

"You don't know where it is!" Why was she so upset?

"I'll find it. I don't think it's appropriate for us to be sharing a room." He sighed as she stormed away. Oh yes, that. She was as upset as he was disappointed with himself. He's really blown it now.

For the next three days, Loki saw nothing of Hope despite his best efforts. He visited all her favorite hideaways he had shown her, hoping to find her. But every search proved fruitless. His heart sank deeper and deeper with each dead end. Loki didn't want Hope to leave angry at him. He knew he needed to tell her the truth. No she wasn't allowed to stay… but that didn't change how he felt. He'd find a way to be with her no matter what.

He did have one place left to look for her. The strange blue box Hope and The Doctor lived in. The "Tardis" had parked itself in a spare room not far from Loki's own bedroom. He prayed that he would finally find Hope in here. He opened the door…

And was shocked by what greeted him. Beyond the doors was a room almost as vast as its current bedroom, which housed what Loki assumed was the control console of the Tardis. The Doctor was at the console, stripped of his usual purple coat. "Ah, Loki! I was wondering when you'd come looking for Hope. Unfortunately, she's not here right now. I think she may be avoiding you. I don't necessarily agree with it but that's girls for you, a pain to understand." The Doctor continued babbling which strangely helped the Trickster focus on his task.

"Doctor, do you know where Hope is? I desperately need to speak with her."

"I'd say you do." Was he really that transparent? "I think she said she was going to the weapons room. Don't exactly see why, but she might be there."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Oh and Loki." He turned back to the eccentric Timelord. "You and I have lived for hundreds of years so it's no surprise time runs differently to us. Hope has lived only twenty one years. You can't waste time with her." Loki nodded, for once understanding the eccentric's advice. While he couldn't bring himself to like the Doctor, he did respect him.

Sure enough, Hope was in the weapons room, admiring Asgard's most prized possessions. Since the arrival of the Doctor, the girl had forgone the typical Asgardian garb Loki had disgused her in for her blue jeans and t-shirts. Loki took a moment to quietly observe the girl. He was quite surprised to find how much the jeans accentuated her long legs, how the loose shirt still hugged her waist. As she turned, eyes still on the various swords and axes, the Silvertongue was stunned and pleased to see the tiny hourglass he gave her still hung from her neck. "Hope?" The girl turned to him, surprised.

"Loki! How did you find me?"

"The Doctor told me where you were. I've been looking for you for the past three days."

"I know." That stung. But something about her tone implied it wasn't just his mistakes driving her from him. He eyes quickly returned to the weapons, favoring the swords and staves. Loki smirked, seeing an opportunity.

"Do you know how to wield these weapons?" He knew her answer, but felt he should give her the benefit of the doubt.

"No. It's not exactly a necessary skill on Earth. And the Doctor doesn't like violence if he can help it." He nodded, somewhat unsurprised by her answer. He took two practice swords off the wall, handing one to the girl.

"Follow me. I'll teach you some basics." Hope looked surprised but followed him. "I don't want you traversing the realms without the ability to defend yourself."

"Why does it matter? The Doctor would never let me keep-"

"I don't care what the Doctor would or wouldn't do," Loki interrupted. "You need to be able to defend yourself should that fool fail. We still have a week and a half. That's more than enough time for me to train you in sword basics." He took her hand, leading her to an empty practice room.

"Why is it so important to you to train me?" He turned to her, emerald gaze meeting earth.

"Because I can't stand the idea of you being hurt." It wasn't exactly the confession he wanted or needed to make but it was a start. It had its desired effect. Hope's mouth fell open slightly in shock. "Now your Doctor can be against weapons all he wants, but I am going to sleep easier once you leave knowing you can protect yourself."

"Oh…" She watched as he prepared himself, stripping the jacket he always wore off. When he turned back to her, he was smirking.

"Unless you want it to risk damage," He tapped the hourglass he had given her. "You might want to take that off." Loki had gotten much closer to the small girl than he meant to, but he didn't mind. As close as he was, he could see the gold swirling in her eyes. He knew now that it was the same mysterious energy that allowed her and the Tardis to travel through space and time, and it only added to her beauty. He didn't take his eyes from hers as she tucked the necklace under her shirt, tapping it to be sure. "Shall we begin then?"

"You do realize I'm a weak shrimp, right?" Loki chuckled.

"You'll become stronger. Now." He backed away from her, taking a fighting stance. "Attack." Hope lunged at the god, letting out a mighty war cry. Loki merely sidestepped aside, causing the girl to lose her footing and nearly fall over. Loki wasn't necessarily a kind teacher, even if he was in love with her. "Again."

This was their training method for the next few days. Loki didn't always tell her exactly her mistake was, leaving her to figure it out for herself. This caused her to become unbelievably and amusingly frustrated with him, causing her to actually improve quicker. Hope proved to be a fast learner, so it wasn't long till she started almost besting him. Almost. Loki was far too proud to teach her how to beat him. She'd discover how eventually anyway.

Through this, Loki managed to coax Hope into being comfortable with him once again, although he still hadn't confessed his love for her. Especially after what she revealed about her encounters with Odin. Apparently, the Allfather had been badgering both her and the Doctor to show him her power. Of course, Hope couldn't control the ability so they had to decline. It turned out that while she had initially been trying to avoid Loki, it quickly evolved to more trying to avoid the King of Asgard. Loki certainly didn't blame her. No doubt his father only wanted Hope's ability to use as a weapon. And he didn't want that for her.

"Loki…" Hope asked one day as they rested after an intense spar. "Do you think… if I showed Odin my ability… that he would let me stay in Asgard?" Loki found himself very uncomfortable answering that question.

"He would… but you would not be free." She gave him a confused look. "My father would want to use your gift as a weapon. He would keep you trapped here until needed for war, unable to explore as you wish."

"Oh…"

"I do not wish to paint my father as a monster… He is a very wise man. But you would be a perfect weapon or tool. I don't want that for you as much as I want you to stay." Hope smiled as Loki actually processed what he just said.

"You want me to stay?" She asked quietly, leaning towards him. Loki tried very hard to wish away the heat he felt rising up his neck and face with no success. This was not how he wanted to handle this. She chuckled at his obvious embarrassment.

"Well… yes, I want you to stay." You've already got one foot in the pool, Odinson, you may as well dive in. He cleared his throat. "Is it not customary for Midgardians to wish the one they love be always at their side?" Hope's jaw dropped slightly in shock. He took her hand, pressing it to his heart.

"Hope, I love you." He made the initial confession quick for fear of being interrupted yet again. "I think I've been in love with you since you fell into the Library weeks ago. I won't lie, I've never imagined I'd fall for a Midgardian but I have… for you." Hope had been stunned into silence, watching him with wide eyes. "I'd do anything to keep you by my side…" He cupped her cheek in his hand. "My Love."

"Oh Loki…" A small tear slipped from her eye, which he caught with his thumb. "Took you long enough to say this," she giggled, making him chuckle.

"You're definitely right there, my dear. So much for 'Silvertongue.'" They both laughed, more tears streaming down Hope's cheeks. "Love, please don't cry. You don't need to cry…" He sat beside the girl, pulling her onto his lap. He felt so relieved to have finally confessed his feelings for her, but didn't understand why that would make her cry. "Do… do you not feel that same way?" Had he been misinterpreting her? This whole time…? Hope laughed.

"Oh, you lovable idiot." With that, Hope kissed Loki hard on the mouth, hands fisting into his hair. The God of Mischief sat stunned for a moment as he had never expected his little Midgardian to be so bold. But when she tried to pull away for air, he pulled her back to him, wrapping his arms tight around her waist. He tangled his hands into her long hair, using it to coach her. He certainly couldn't let her go now.

However, Hope had to breathe, pulling away from the kiss after what felt like hours. The trickster watched as his… His what? He couldn't keep calling her "his Midgardian" as she hated the name. She was certainly no angel of her earth myths or Valkyrie, she was far too mischievous for that. As he watched the small girl on his lap catch her breath, a memory came to mind.

"Most of my friends back home call me 'Pixie,'" Hope explained as Loki studied the wing bracelet she wore.

"Pixie?"

"It's kinda like a fairy but far more mischievous. Most people say I look like one."

His little pixie. It was perfect. She was a small bundle of mischief so it fit perfectly.

"Loki…" The sad tone in Hope's voice brought him from his revelry. "H-how are we going to do this? Your father won't let me stay here…" He had to think a moment.

"I'm not sure…" He admitted. "But we have time to find a solution. "I don't want you to leave me…"

"I don't want to leave you either. But I'm not allowed to stay…" She snuggled to the god, wiping her eyes. "It's like a terrible tease…"

"We will find a way, Hope. I promise." The girl smiled, a bit reassured. He returned the smile. "My Little Pixie."

"You're lucky you're so cute otherwise I'd deck you for calling me 'little.'" He chuckled, hugging her to him.

"I need to speak with your Doctor now."

"Why?"

"In lieu of your father, I need to ask permission to court you." Hope grinned.

"As romantic as that sounds, you'd be stuck with me with or without permission." She covered her mouth as she yawned. "On Earth, permission isn't required anymore though blessings are accepted."

"You're tired. Let me take you to bed." Hope bit her lip nervously.

"Can… Can I stay with you? Not like anything like… that. Just… snuggles and sleep." Loki chuckled. He had no idea what that was but he was well aware she meant sleeping in his bed.

"Certainly, my love." She her wrapped her arms around his neck, expecting him to carry her, which he did with no qualms.