Hello again! I've been away a bit (dealing with some family stuff) but I'm back and this chapter is one I'm not so confident on! I don't even know how I thought of this chapter (Actually, I thought it up in the shower) and I'd like to thank all my reviewers, ThexWhitexPhoenix, Colette, Nyteflame, Portlandia21, Arrows the Wolf, Mockingbird's Purity and Dark Moons, Whispered Words nd Wauwabee! You guys complete me! Also a quick shout-out again to Krazikins for being so awesome and reading all my stuff and always providing lovely conversations, I love you!

So, please carry on the reviews, they make my day!

Song that inspired this odd chapter: Ingrid Michaelson- Parachute

Haunt me Chapter 7

I slept peacefully for the first night in a while. It had been several days since we had kissed, but there was no awkward tension between us. Natasha constantly told me about the sexual tension she felt between us. If this was true that would explain the awkward shuffling of feet and darting, nervous eyes. I groggily sat up from my stiff position in the large silky bed. There was a small outline of my body in the black satin sheets, revealing me lying to one side with an arm next to my head and an arm cradling my stomach and chest. My long golden hair flowed partially in front of my hair, providing my sight to be screened with gold. My bare feet padded across the cool hard floor. There was no sign of Loki. I was beginning to panic- if he wasn't in his room, he wasn't in the house. Running into his room, I looked around frantically. There on the green sheeted bed was a rectangle of paper. In beautiful calligraphy was scribed "I have been called away for more interviews and negotiations with Fury, I shall be back soon. Don't feel lonely in my absence, sweet thorn." Followed by an artfully written L. With a breath of relief, I looked around the empty room. I took the opportunity to have a relaxing warm bath. I turned the taps on and let the water run. I put on a bathing robe whilst the bath filled up. I poured in some vanilla flavoured bath wash in. I lit some candles that surrounded the room too. I dimmed the lights to create a relaxed atmosphere. When the water was high enough to soak me and coax my knotted muscles, I undressed completely and allowed my pale skin to submerge into the water. Content, I sighed and closed my eyes. I massaged my skin with lotion, my thoughts drifting once again to my trickster who was currently elsewhere. I lay back down and allowed myself to lightly sleep.

"You are at ease." A voice murmured close to my ear. Screaming, I sat bolt upright and stared in the direction of the words. There was no one there. My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, and I looked round the whole room.

"Hello?" My tentative question rang around the room but was not answered.

"It's me- I know you're in the bath- how relaxed you are! Anyway, Natasha is coming round soon; I thought to warn you so there would be no awkward exchanges between you two." I let a huge groan of relief as I realised Loki was talking to me through his mind.

"Thank you trickster, good luck with Fury." I said out loud. I leisurely removed myself from the bath. I heard a very sly laugh in my head. Embarassed, I grabbed a towel and threw it around my vulnerable lathered body.

"Go away you fool." I hissed under my breath. The chuckles died down to silence in my head. I allowed the water to seep through the drain in the bath. I pulled the bathing robe around me again, and on cue, the door opened.

"Sigyn? It's me." Natasha called.

"Hello- Loki told me of your arrival." I explained. "I was just enjoying some time without having him around actually." She nodded.

"I am going to take you to a massage therapist. I noticed you pulled a muscle the other day, and I think you need to properly relax and unwind. You've had a busy few weeks here." She explained.

"A massage? I've never had one of them before. What does it entail?"

"You'll have someone trustworthy use special techniques involving hands and your bare skin to relax you." She explained. "I go there before a mission so my muscles don't play up at a crucial moment of battle." The logic made complete sense to me. I noticed her hand was shaking.

"Should I change?" I asked, ignoring the shake.

"No- I need to undress, but I shall do that when we arrive. It is in the SHIELD building. Tony visits there far too much- it's unhealthy." She joked. I had made amends with Tony after the incident, however I still seethed at the mention of his name. I followed her out of the door. We weaved through rooms and avoided agents. I noticed that Natasha went hurriedly by agents- like she was racing the clock or she was hiding. I shook off my suspicions. I held my head high wearing only a bathing robe, and couldn't help but smirk as we passed the glass room. Tony practically did a double take when he saw me. I gave him a cheeky wink as I walked past. We arrived in a secluded and dimly lit room. Natasha spoke to the women at the counter and walked behind a screen. Two moments later, she appeared wearing a bathing robe similar to mine but in black. We lay down on our fronts on two parallel beds, and removed the bathing robes. A towel was placed on our dignities as two women walked in wearing white suits. They sat down with a trolley each of utensils they intended to use.

"You'll be here for three or four hours." Natasha warned, before closing her eyes to relax. I expected silence, but she immediately launched into conversation as the woman sat next to me began work. I groaned quietly at how good it felt. My levels of stress were sinking and a pleasured smile crept onto my lips.

"It feels heavenly, does it not?" Natasha said with a beaming smile. I sighed in response.

"So… Loki." She began. My heart fluttered at the mention of his name. Why do I do that?

"What of him?" I replied, stress creeping back into my heart.

"What was the meaning of all the kissing two days ago?" She pressed, closing her eyes to act casually.

"It just happened 'Tash, I can't explain it…" I trailed off.

"Well please try, I'd be so delighted. I want to know you better." She admitted. I sighed in defeat.

"Do you love him?" She asked. That was the question I couldn't ask myself. The question I dreaded. The question that was an ice cold, dead weight on my soul.

"I do not know. What does love feel like?" I asked.

"It is impossible to explain, yet you know when it is love. If you can't go long without thinking about them, if you can't eat properly, or sleep, or their very presence is enough to send your pulse rocketing. If you can honestly see a future with them, then I imagine that is love." Natasha explained. I pondered this for a while. I could never stop thinking about Loki- he was always in the back of my mind when not at the front of my thoughts. I rarely ate, and I either dreamt of him or my arrogant bastard of a father. My pulse was always erratic around him. I could not see a future with him.

"I don't know Tash. I'm not sure I even can, or want to, or…" I was starting to fluster myself. She waved her hand dismissively in understanding.

"It is fine, not many people really know when they're in love until someone points it out to them." She explained with a reassuring smile.

"Do you think he loves me?" This question seemed to take her by surprise, for her mouth was slack and her eyes were wide. She took a breath, and smiled to continue.

"You know what? I think he does. I think you two could conquer any and everything as a couple." It was my turn to be taken by surprise. A delicate blush crept onto my cheeks. Natasha's eyes softened. I was surprised that I could not detect her magic. I was too relaxed to care.

"Thank you, Tash. I do appreciate all you have done for me." Nodding, she stood up with a graceful stretch of her back.

"I have to leave- Clint's expecting me. However, you stay here until the massage is finished." I nodded; I was completely content to stay in silence. She turned to leave, and that's when I noticed something. There was a black streak in her red hair. The black streak was flicked at the end.

"Tash…" I sat up straight, ignoring the slight gasp from the woman providing me with soothing massages. She turned around with a large smile.

"What's up?"

"Why have you got a streak of black hair amongst the red?" I stood up and studied her eyes; they were a lighter emerald than her natural colour. I gripped her arm tightly, and using my magic revealed her. Her body changed to a masculine, taller armoured man.

"You bastard." I said, dropping my arm, disgusted. I had fluently picked up on Midgardian curses. Loki stood before me, smirking. Before halting myself, I felt the sting of my hand connecting with his cheek. His head swished to the side, his eyes wide and his mouth open. There was a red mark where my hand connected with his face. Tears were beginning to show in my eyes.

"Why?" My voice shook with betrayal.

"I had to get answers one way or another." His voice was laced with anger and victory. His tone was making my hand slowly rise again.

"So you lied to me? You actually pretended to be a friend to get an answer? An answer to what question?" I cried, tears streaming freely.

"The question was fairly evident." He pointed out. I shook my head and walked out of the room. I ignored him cry my name.

"Sigyn please wait! I'm sorry!"

"Leave me alone." I hissed, taking a threatening step towards him before walking away. I once again caught Tony staring at me in shock as we quarrelled in the corridor. Loki grabbed my arm and with a gasp I was pulled short. I twisted out of his grasp and kneed him in the face. I felt the sickening crunch of his nose. I ran straight to my room. In blind anger and an attempt not to smash something, I breathed deeply and ran another bath. There was a ferocious pounding at the door.

"Sigyn I'm sorry!" His broken cries echoed throughout the steamy room.

"If you don't leave I swear I will kill you myself." I said calmly in response. The pounding ceased and I heard weary footsteps drag away. I dug out my newly acquired phone and remembered the instructions to call someone. I pondered over who to call- I considered Natasha but after Loki's act of deceit her appearance would upset me. I ruled out Steve, for he had a noble and kind heart but I was after some fierce attention. So I pressed one particular contact and braced myself.

"Hello?"

"Greetings, Tony, it is me, Sigyn. You know how by way of apology you offered to take Steve and I out for a 'night round the town' as you put it? I declined then, but I'd like to accept your offer, if that is alright with you."

"Okay sure thing. I'll wrap things up here and collect you and Steve in five."

"Thanks Tony, I-"

"What changed your mind?" I paused at this, thinking through an answer. What was the point in lying?

"Because Loki has rendered an ordinary day abominable."

How was that? Sorry bout the fluffy like themes, it really is just a space filler while I build up for chapter 10. Also, the thought of Loki being naked having a massage does things to me (although he's as Natasha at the time). *Furious blushing*

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See you for Chapter 8 ;)