Loki was listening to Sif explain the discussions between the Frost Giants and Odin. He was listening, but only partly paying attention.

"They have decided that they shall wait for Menglod to return from her travels. She shall be the one to choose of her eight maidens who shall rule the Jutens," said Sif.

"So...a maiden goddess shall sit on Jutenheim's throne?" said Loki.

"Only because you refused it, Loki. Odin would've gladly..."

"And be in the same position I would've had Thanos had is way? I'll thank Odin for his charity, but should I rule, my mind will be my own," he ended bitterly.

Sif shrugged. "As I said. This was the decision reached."

"Thor and Odin will be returning later, I assume?"

"As I understand it, not until tomorrow. They have gone to Jutenheim to see to Menglod's safety from any unwilling or angry detractors."

Loki raised him chin in acknowledgement. Tomorrow. "Well, Sif. Many thanks for the update. I'll see you at dinner, my Lady," and he winked at her, and got up from the table in the map room where they had been seated.

His long strides took him outdoors. Jutenheim will have a Queen. He wasn't terribly fussed about this. He loathed the beasts, and though Odin would surely have given him THAT particular throne, he could never have abided it. It would've been akin to an insult.

Loki was proud.

He walked outside...he should change his clothes, refresh himself...

And his mind drifted to Jane.

She had been there, hovering in the back of his thoughts the entire time he was speaking with Sif. She was there, because he worried over Thor and if his brother (no...not his brother...) would be taking her away from him upon his return. He had grown to truly enjoy her company...much more than he cared to admit. She was a bit ridiculous, what with tarrying along dark passageways in the middle of the night and catching fire...but that aside, she was amusing. She was intelligent. She was good and true. And Loki cared for her.

It cannot be said at this point that there was love there...he had much to forgive himself for, much to forgive in general...but there was honest friendship, pure emotion, and a connection he felt to the mortal. They had been through much together in these past weeks, and he was astounded at her insistence that they were friends. Perhaps it was party her persistence in the matter which warmed his heart so. Precious few had bothered to be concerned about whether Loki was friendless or not. But Jane did. Jane cared. And his loyalty to her grew.

He had always only been loyal to himself, his mother, Thor, Odin. Everyone else could be damned. But when he was loyal, before he discovered the betrayal, he was fiercely loyal. He would've died for them if need arose.

It was in that vein that Loki ruminated. He walked, and he thought.

He was angry, but the ligature was frayed.

He had this empty, miserable pit where Frigga once was. But the sickness was not so severe.

He hated Odin, but without the same venom as before.

And Thor...well. He wasn't certain how he felt about him.

Thor was always eager to defend him, eager to see some redeemable aspect...but Thor had Jane's friendship, and that bothered Loki. It wasn't that she couldn't have any other friends but him, it was that Thor was her friend. Thor, who was always favored, by everyone whom Loki cared for.

He was jealous. He didn't want Thor to take her, but...he thought...Jane had been Thor's first. And he thought it would be selfish to have her choose, though he was quite certain she would choose Thor. And he was more fearful of rejection than he was of being considered selfish.

When he awoke lying with her, it was as if he had nothing to fear. He hadn't slept thus in many years, he hadn't been so content in another's presence in longer.

Loki went inside and went to his rooms.

He washed himself, and procured clean clothes.

He looked at himself in the glass.

"Your hair looks better when it's not so rigidly pulled away from your face." Jane had said.

He took his fingers and ran them through his hair, pulling it more toward his face.

It looked messy. Undignified. Unkempt.

He laughed, and magically resumed its style.

Jane had eaten, cleaned herself up, and was reading in the library, sorta. She felt positively wonderful, despite the fact that she had nearly burned to death. THAT was terrifying, and she desired another room...which she was granted quickly by the servants...and in a manner very serendipitous, it was just down the hall from Loki's quarters. Only one other room separated them.

She should stop this, it was such a silly pursuit, she would remind herself repeatedly. But she couldn't help it, she was in love with him, and she had slept with him.

Well...in a manner of speaking. In a manner most literal.

And it almost meant more to her that this had occurred than if anything sexual had happened, as though it had been more intimate. Loki, she knew, had been promiscuous, this by his own admission, and she thought that anything sexual would be dismissed as insignificant by him. But this wasn't...it hadn't been.

Waking with him had been pure and innocent and profound. It had been warm, solacing, and elemental.

Jane almost thought that it was especially all of those things for Loki, since he so seldom trusted.

She had only seen him and the servant who she had spoken with about changing her rooms.

It had been a few hours now, and she decided to take a turn outside.

She went outdoors, and walked along a path just outside of the palace. She walked, breathing in the air...

She thought about leaving this place, for leave she must. She had already stayed too long. She honestly didn't want to go now, so recently able to thoroughly enjoy Loki's company...but it was irresponsible to stay. She felt like she was being unfair to Thor...and she had her job, and Erik and Darcy waiting for her on Earth...

"The gardens here have always been my favorite aspect of the palace...other than the library," Loki said, approaching her.

Jane turned and smiled warmly. "They are lovely, truly."

"Indeed, yes," and he returned her smile, and looked up into the sky.

"What did Sif say?"

Loki looked at her. "There will be a Juten Queen in a matter of a few weeks."

"Oh," said Jane, nodding. "Is that...good, then?"

"It's indifferent," he shrugged, and walked over to a shrub holding blue blossoms, and picked one.

Jane watched him. "So...are Thor and Odin coming back today?"

"Tomorrow..." and he walked over to her, and placed the flower behind her ear, pushing her hair back. His hands fell to his side upon completion. He suddenly realized that that was an utterly romantic thing to do, and though that hadn't been his intention, he wasn't sorry he had done it.

Jane, for her part, was barely breathing. "Oh," and she exhaled. "Well...tomorrow..." and she turned to hide her blush, and touch the flower.

"Yes," he continued. "So...Sif and the others are mostly all back..." he strolled about now, hands folded behind him. "And we should dine with them this evening...however, we do have the afternoon to waste..."

He wanted to spend the afternoon with her. Jane felt so silly...her heart was throbbing in her chest. "Ok...what did you have in mind?"

"There is a waterfall some distance from here...it is lovely..."

"Ok," she said immediately.

Loki laughed. "Eager, my Lady?"

"Well...no...but I grow tired of the palace...it was so nice to be outdoors yesterday...in actual Asgard."

He nodded. "How are your legs?"

"Fine."

"And your health in general...you..." he paused. "Slept well?" and his eyes darted away.

"I did, thanks," she almost asked him the same question, but stopped herself, thinking it might embarrass him. "Why?"

He looked back now. "Because it is some distance away, and transporting you will be trying for your mortal frame...you should be well rested, in general comfort, and not have eaten recently."

"Oh, well. All of those are true."

"Very well, then, Jane. Shall we?" and he took her hand.

She smiled and nodded.

And Loki's magic closed in, and blackness, but no fear, for she was with him, and she trusted him completely.

Jane's face hit the ground, she was coughing from lack of oxygen, but she wasn't nauseous, though disoriented, as per usual.

She felt Loki's fingers brush her forehead, and her coughing ceased. He took her hand and she rose from the soft floor.

He was looking at her with a hint of concern masked in eagerness.

She smiled...and she turned to take in the scene.

The entire place was violet. Purple blossoms filled her eyes...the trees, though green, were green in such a way that they were almost purple. It defied reason. The grass below her was very green, and she walked through it, and took off her shoes.

She looked at the raging water...a rainbow folded between the rays of sunlight...rocks jetted up from the mouth of the pool in front of her. It was like a scene born of CGIs. The water was violent, but the scene itself was tranquil. Jane thought it a convenient allegory for Loki himself...he was the raging water...attempting to infiltrate his peaceful surroundings.

She turned toward him, smiling broadly.

And she saw him watching her, his arms folded across his chest, as if in defensive mode, but he appeared casual and relaxed otherwise.

"It's beautiful...like a fairy tale."

Loki nodded. "It is...the locals her call this wine valley, due to the violet hues which pepper the place. However...in that vein..." and Loki conjured a banquet of food and wine.

Jane thought this looked suspiciously like a date from a hundred and fifty years ago on earth...Victorian in flavor.

"Thanks, Loki," and she sat, began to eat some of the food.

"Jane..." he began, as he chewed on the flesh of a particularly soft fruit.

She looked at him.

"When Thor returns..." he suddenly felt very silly. "When Thor returns," he began again. "I shouldn't like to hide our...friendship..."

"Hide?"

"Yes. It did seem as though I only enjoyed your company when he was still here either when he was occupied or in the dark hours of night."

Wow. He didn't miss a thing..."You're right. I suppose that is rather unfair, to both of you."

"I do not imagine you'll be long for Asgard anyway..."

"No..." Jane murmured.

"No," and he looked at her. "When will you go?"

She swallowed. She was holding his stare. "I imagine..." she wanted to scream, to throw her arms around his neck and cry that she didn't want to go...to hear him say that he wanted her to stay. "Loki..."

"Yes?"

"I'm feeling very conflicted..." and she took a small violet flower and twirled in in her fingers.

"About?"

"I really am enjoying your company...and I feel guilty about Thor...and as though a big part of me doesn't want to leave Asgard...and I cannot decide if it's because I've grown to love the place, or if it's because I'll be missing a very good friend I've made..."

Loki swallowed. "I know what happens when you feel guilt, Jane," and he smiled crookedly.

She laughed. "I'm telling you this because it seems as though I've been waffling with my answer about leaving, and I have been. And I don't wish to be that way, but I...I'm having this inner struggle..."

"...and friends aid in struggles..."

"Yes," she smirked.

"I'll visit, if you like, Jane."

"You mean, Earth?"

"Yes. Midgard. I'll visit..."

"But," she began. "You're...you'll likely find danger...you are a criminal there..."

"I am able to disguise myself well enough," and he looked intently at her.

This wasn't the answer she sought. She wanted him to tell her to stay. "Ok," and she smiled. "You'll visit," but somehow, she didn't fully believe that.

Jane laid back and stretched her limbs under the canopy of vast sky. She breathed in the bouquet of fragrance.

And Loki looked at her. This tiny creature...and he was suddenly overcome with the desire to touch her...

His hand was at her hair, smoothing it back, the blue flower fell to the ground.

Jane sat up, having been lulled into an almost unconscious state, but the flower falling had started her.

"Apologies, Jane..."

He was very close to her. "What for?"

"Disturbing you..." he wasn't looking at her.

"You weren't disturbing me," she whispered.

Jane kissed his cheek, and gave him a hug.

And Loki had not, in many years, been offered this type of affection. His arms wrapped around her, and it was lovely. And a few tears found their way down his face before he pulled away.

Without looking at her, he got up, and went to the water, hands folded behind him.

And Jane was not upset, for she knew he was likely so unused to that sort of display, that he was either embarrassed or had no idea what to do. Either way, she wasn't concerned. He'd be fine.

She sighed, and held her knees in her arms, rocked back with her head tilted toward the sky.

Thor would be back tomorrow.

She looked then to Loki, his back still facing her.

What a gorgeous mess she was in.

She couldn't be forthright...she'd likely scare him off...

Maybe she could get really drunk and tell him she was in love with him.

Or maybe he'd just think she had been using him...he seemed to really value the friendship she offered.

He said he would visit her...

And now some tears escaped Jane's eyes...she was living a stolen time. Perhaps this just wasn't meant to be. He was fully immature in these matters, and Jane may need to wait many centuries for him to be ready, centuries that she didn't have.

She was suddenly struck with the notion that her love and friendship would ultimately benefit another lady...someone hundreds of years from now...someone who wouldn't need to wait for Loki, since he had been primed from Jane's attentions.

Attentions she had bled.

Attentions she had suffered, with the vain hope of reciprocation.

And her heart slowed, as he came back from the water.

And she suddenly felt angry, angry that he would never love her back. Angry that she loved him so completely. Angry that she was awakening something in him that she would never enjoy herself.

She wiped her face.

She drank some wine.

She looked at Loki, who wasn't looking back. "Loki?"

"Hmm?" and he turned toward her.

Jane swallowed. No. She couldn't tell him, even though every single cell in her body screamed it. He might not hate her...he might kiss her there and tear her clothes off and they might make love in front of this picturesque scene of Asgard. "Thanks...for bringing me here..."

He smiled and nodded, and laid back on the ground, hands behind his head.

And Jane followed suit, and they stared at the swirl of sky as the water played its song in the background.