And what can be said of his mind?

Unassailable, unbridled and unchecked torment.

His anger was self directed, his anguish that born of his own actions. It was him and him alone who suffered for this death.

Death of his former self, so inexplicably stubborn in its forbidden depth. He was no longer Loki, alone, untouched. He was Loki, he who succumbed to the idle attention of a mortal.

And she told him that she loved him also. She had uttered those words, yet his mind forbade him to believe them. The truth was, was she loved someone who he couldn't be...even if she had considered herself to be in love as she termed it.

He had showed her attention in his friendship, in his desire to shed his isolation...in his desire to hang onto that banter he so enjoyed that she provided...she was a willing and able participant, and he longed for it to continue.

He was alone in the library...he had lost track of time...he should go...go anywhere...

By the sky breakfast had passed...

He gathered himself.

He went to the door.

And Jane was on the other side.

"You weren't at breakfast," she smirked.

"No...I..."

"Is everything alright?" and she walked in through the open door.

"Yes."

She turned toward him. "Are you sure? You don't seem ok..." her brow furrowed and she stepped toward him.

"What do you know of it?"

This stopped her. "Alright. Tell me what's wrong."

He slammed the door. "Tell you what's wrong. Why do you care what's wrong with me? You are so foolish, Jane. I've told you...I am dangerous...you always fail to heed the best of advice."

"And what advice is that?"

"To keep clear of me. To marry Thor."

Her face grew red. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"And then you employ vulgarity to make your point somehow more profound."

"Is this because I spent time with Thor? I told you...he is my friend...and I showed you affection in front of him...and still you doubt me? What the fuck do you want from me?!"

He curled a smirk. "No...this is because..." and he made his way near her...he was close...and he stood behind her...his breath on her neck...he was going to hurt her...it was the easiest way. "Last evening, when I told you you fell asleep, I had actually given you a truth serum, and you confessed that you loved me."

Jane nearly fainted. Her eyes closed in mortification. She felt sick. "You did what?" she breathed.

"I told you... I had told you not to trust me..." and now he was in front of her. "You are silly, Jane Foster...to love a blackguard."

She slapped his face hard. "Fuck you."

He rubbed his cheek. He smiled. "Well. I suppose you've gotten the point. Had your own back, as they call it." And he stepped back.

"Point. I got the point. And what point is that? Which one? You are so...such a complete idiot, Loki. Yeah, maybe I do love you. So the fuck what? I wasn't about to do anything about it, because I knew you'd never love me back. And now you know, and I'm relieved. I don't need to pretend. And there's something else. I'd never marry Thor, because I'm not in love with him."

"The point is Jane, is you are too trusting," ignoring much of her speech.

"And I'm glad that I am. I've known more happiness...more excitement in these last few days than I have since...I dunno! And what about you? You've had a friend, when have you've EVER been able to say that?"

He laughed. "Oh, yes. My dear sweet friend. I shall miss that, to be sure..." and he went to leave.

Jane went to him and grabbed his arm. "You will miss me!"

"I will? Which part? Bargaining for your life with terrorists? Putting out fires you've stupidly set?"

"No," she whispered. "My company. Our laughter. Stories. Warmth."

Loki swallowed.

"And I'll tell you something else, Loki. I think, that if you look deep enough...you might discover that you love me, too," and she took his face in her hands, and she kissed him.

At first he protested, but he soon let go, and returned her kiss soundly, moaning softly against her mouth.

Jane pulled away. "Goodbye, Loki."

"Jane..."

"What?"

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

Loki nodded. "Home."

"Where are you gong?"

"I'm...not certain yet..." and he looked away from her.

"Well...I guess...maybe I'll see you around," and she left.

This was best. She needed to go. He needed to be rid of her...

And Jane went to her rooms, and began packing the things she had brought, and leaving the things she had borrowed.

She cried. She despaired. But she knew that she couldn't stay here any longer.

She left a note for Thor and Odin, and she went to the Bifrost.

She hugged Heimdall goodbye, and fell.

Jane Foster was on Earth for the first time in many, many weeks.

She had landed in the desert too dry, too brown...too white. She got up, brushed herself off, and headed toward home.

She opened the door to her trailer...it creaked and it smelled stale. Clean, Jane. Clean it up.

She got out a bucket. She poured her all purpose cleaner into it that was so infrequently used she needed to check to see if there was an expiration date on it.

Silly, she thought. An expiration date on cleaning products. She laughed.

Jane laughed and laughed until she was weeping, holding her sides and rocking back and forth...sitting on the floor of her meager trailer.

She was silly, just as he said. She was silly, for she was so in love she couldn't think...

She needed him, but he didn't need her.

She longed for him, but he felt no reciprocating tendency.

She felt as though she would never feel happiness again, and she knew that Loki didn't care.

She wanted him here, for she felt so alone all of sudden, knowing that she wouldn't hear his voice.

He wouldn't be there to help her.

Spin tales.

Or just be...sipping wine.

And he had tricked her! She reminded herself. Tricked her, and she made her confession in her state. Why had he done it? That hadn't been clear.

He didn't trust something...that was likely the reason. He was so accustomed to being lied to...to lying...

She knew him so very well.

"Loki!" Thor was running about the palace, looking for his brother.

He found him, in the garden, and he was using his magic to turn the leaves on the trees different colors.

"Hello, Thor. What a loud voice you have."

"Jane left."

"Did she?"

"And you know this...and had something to do with it."

"Have I?"

"Stop playing games," Thor said irritably.

"Oh, but that would be like asking you to set aside your hammer..." and he stood, looking at Thor with a smirk.

"Put the leaves to right, and tell me what has happened."

"I'll do neither such thing. And it's best she's gone. She had no intention of marrying you."

Thor nearly struck him. "No...because she is in love with you."

"Is she? Poor thing."

"Stop it, Loki. Stop it now. Are you in love with her?"

Loki laughed. "Are YOU?"

"What? I'm asking the questions. Answer me."

Loki turned from his brother. "It does not matter."

"By the gods, brother...you are."

Loki whirled around facing him. "And what of it? What if I were? There's nothing to be done about it."

"Go to her."

He laughed, wickedly, insanely. "Go to her? And then what? I'm still ME Thor...that shall never change. I'm showing her mercy and care by keeping myself from her..."

"You! You are capable of extreme love! I've seen it! You...you are a coward."

And Loki punched him hard, and Thor returned it.

Before long, they were engaged in a heated fight, with fists swinging.

Both had bloody faces, and were screaming at each other.

But Thor was mighty, and his strength formidable and he laid a powerful blow to Loki's face..."You do not deserve her!" he yelled. "You need to fight! Fight your inclinations...!"

And Loki stopped, his bother pinning him to the ground. He breathed hard.

"Fine," he said.

"Fine what?" Thor stepped off of him.

"I am a coward."

"And what do you propose to do about it?"

Loki got up. His face had been thoroughly abused that day. "I'm not certain."

"I give you one week, Loki. Then you must go to Jane, set things right one way or another," Thor finished.

Loki laughed. "Or what?"

"Or...I shall go to her and tell her the tale of the raven..."

His eyes grew wide. "You wouldn't..."

"Do not underestimate me," and Thor laughed.

Loki laughed as well...turned the leaves green once more, and lifted his head to the sky...

Six days had passed and Loki had barely left his rooms. He was writing in the book Jane had bought for him, as a means to coalesce the many heated workings of a tortured mind.

He did not wish to admit he had developed feelings for the mortal. He did not wish to succumb to them, for in his mind, not only was it a weakness to do so, but it was a blatant move against his character...and what he was attempting to reconcile was had he changed enough to allow this?

Was he still angry? Yes...but the fury was not so blinding.

Was he still selfish? Yes...but he desired her comfort and happiness.

Was he still ruthless? Yes...though this had not been fully tested, he did murder Thanos despite her begging him to leave with her.

Did he still desire the throne of Asgard...? This he couldn't wrap his mind around. It was what he had always desired. It had been his dream since a young boy. He felt it was owed to him, and that had not waned.

Yet part of him thought that it was a dubious enterprise...Odin was still very much alive, Thor was the heir, and Loki had no army. He had planned on waiting until the All-Father died...then reemerging for a coup.

The real question, in the end, was could he live with his brother as King?

Loki didn't know. He did not hate Thor...his brother, as he had returned as such in his thoughts. It was exhausting denying it.

Jane would never, even if she truly loved him, and he returned it, be able to erase that desire for power. And would she be able to life with that?

He was now considering what she would be able to live with.

Loki was laying on his back, hands folded behind his head, and he was staring at the ceiling.

He loved her...and when he had discovered this, it had not been the joyful realization people speak of. It had been painful and violent and terrifying.

Much like most of what he experiences in his life.

But when she kissed him before she left, it had been a baptism of peace, and he felt relief.

And perhaps that was what he sought in her. Peace and relief...perhaps she could never change him, nor indeed, perhaps he could never change...but there was the possibility that she could be a tonic to his tendencies. That Jane could be a prayer when life was dire. A song when the black was thick. A cool drink when the heat of anger and desperation were threatening to engulf him.

He never truly felt anger when around her.

He had fun.

And she seemed to have fun with him.

Loki sat up, as there was a knock at the door.

He opened it.

"Loki, we haven't seen nor heard from you in many days...are you alright?" Thor stood there, a bit of worry creased in his features.

Loki smiled, an honest, true smile. "I am."

"...and...? Have you been thinking about Jane?"

Loki stood aside to grant Thor entry. "I have been thinking of little else," and he retrieved a bottle from a table and poured himself and Thor out a drink. "Tell me, Thor. Do you not love her?"

Thor gulped down the beverage. "That, brother, I do not have a answer for."

"Well, that is a problem. You need an answer."

"Honestly, Loki, I cannot say. I have been inside myself...sad, and conflicted. I believed that I loved her, very much so. But now, upon reflection...it does not seem so certain."

Loki downed his drink. "You need to sort it, Thor. And I'll say another thing. I'll not do or say a thing until you figure this. I'll not deal with a jealous Thor."

"Ah ha! So. You plan on going to her, then?"

Loki smirked. "No. I plan on you retrieving her."

It had been a week.

Though it felt as though she had lived a lifetime in the interim.

Living a life post Loki was a sad one. A lonely one. A lets-clean-everything-Jane-can-think-of one.

How much she missed him, she couldn't rightly say.

And she felt insanely foolish for it.

He was right.

He was a villain.

And he'd likely never change.

But did she want him to?

No.

Well...except for the killing/hostile taking over of earth part.

He had, she reminded herself, sworn to never harm earth or Asgard, so at least there was that.

Jane was having a difficult time working. She was having a difficult time eating, sleeping, showering, concentrating. She was distracted to the point of ridiculousness.

And on the seventh day, god created man...

The seventh day since she left. The seventh day saw the dawn of man, and woman, and therein love was born.

And Jane was on her roof, staring at the waning star...the light grew dim, the waxing moon making her appearance in the night sky.

Jane assumed that things would be improving now...one week had nearly passed...she should begin to heal.

Jane heard a roll of thunder.

She sat up from her relaxed position.

There were no clouds...

A flash of lightening...Jane's breath hitched.

And in a span of time no longer than it takes a butterfly to beat its wings, the thunder god was standing beneath her on the ground.

"Thor!" Jane smiled.

"Good evening, Jane."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have come to take you to Asgard."

Jane swallowed. "Why would I go to Asgard?"

"Because, my lady, my brother the Prince desires a conference."

"So why isn't he here?"

"I imagine...he suspected you would be more willing if I came and told you that while I care very much for you, I do not love you..."

"Oh," Jane replied. It was a strange thing, reacting with indifference at someone saying that they do not love them. "Well...I suppose...that makes two of us...?" And she laughed.

"Indeed. It's a good thing for it. It would not do to have one of us pining away," Thor paused. He looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. "And so...are you agreeable to coming to Asgard?"

Jane climbed down the ladder. She stopped and looked up at him. She kissed his cheek, and nodded.

And Thor took her hand and walked over to the entrance of the Bifrost.

And with her arms wrapped around him, they made their way to the highest realm.