Author's Note: Hello hello! This is the first chapter that actually takes place during the movie; I include the deleted scenes when I imagine things, so this takes place after Thor's banishment but before the deleted scene where Loki and Frigga are in Odin's room and the guards show up and Frigga tells Loki he is in control of Asgard. That one scene adds so much to Loki's character and if you haven't seen it I would strongly recommend you do, it's just wonderful. Thanks so much to everyone who has favourited and alerted this story. And a super special thank you to HistoryGeek1993 and for reviewing! Love you guys!

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Marvel. The only thing that's mine is Rika.

"What are you doing in here?"

Loki's voice is rough as he enters his chambers and sees me sitting in an armchair waiting for him. I look at him and immediately notice his eyes are bloodshot and his cheeks are tear-stained. I leap to my feet.

"I was concerned for you, after everything that's happened. Thor's banishment, your father falling so unexpectedly into the Odinsleep..." I cross the room and reach for Loki's hand to comfort him, but he pulls away and turns his back on me.

"Loki?" I whisper. "What is it?"

"You should not be here," he says, voice tight.

"What? Why?"

Loki's shoulders slump and he crosses to the far side of the room, staring out the window. I stare at his back and wait for him to answer me, but he remains silent. I cross the room to stand right behind him; he doesn't react.

"Loki, please..."

His shoulders shake with a quiet sob, and my heart breaks a little. "I do not deserve you, my love," he whispers. My heart breaks a little more.

I reach out and place a hand on his shoulder, and this time he does not pull away. "What are you talking about?" I ask softly. "Where is this coming from?"

Loki is silent again, still looking out the window instead of at me. I tighten my grip on his shoulder.

"Please, love, look at me."

Finally Loki turns to face me, eyes shining with tears. He pulls me into a hug and holds me close, and I can feel him shaking. I reach up to gently stroke his back and hair, trying to ease his pain. We stand like that for a long time. At last he stops shaking and leans back to look me in the eyes, his arms still locked around me.

He closes his eyes and kisses me on the lips, then leans his forehead against mine. He still seems reluctant to speak, so I break the silence.

Clearing my throat quietly, I begin. "Loki, there is something else isn't there? This isn't just about your brother and your father. What aren't you telling me?" He takes a deep breath but still doesn't answer. I reach up and place my hand on his cheek. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I am afraid, Rika. Afraid that if I tell you what has happened, I will lose you."

I pull back to look him in the eyes properly. "What could possibly make you think that?"

Loki shakes his head and lets go of me. "I have learned something today that troubles me deeply. Something about myself that my father -" he spits the word like venom "- has kept from me all my life."

"What is it?"

He turns his back on me again. "I am not who you think I am."

"What do you mean?"

A sudden chill sweeps through the room and I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself.

"I am not the son of Odin," Loki says in a low voice. He slowly turns back to face me with his next words. "I am Laufey's."

I gasp as he turns and I see his skin has become blue, his eyes red; a Frost Giant. The shock of it sends me reeling, and I take an involuntary step back. I struggle to form words.

"What - I don't - how?" I stutter.

I see pain and doubt flicker in Loki's dark red eyes. "You are afraid of me."

My eyes widen. "Loki, no! I am shocked, to be sure, but I could never be afraid of you."

"Even knowing what I am?" he says angrily. His voice rises. "Knowing that I am a Frost Giant? A monster? Look at me!" he roars, gesturing to himself. "I am a monster! How could you not be afraid of me? How could you possibly still love me like this!"

He takes a breath and opens his mouth to continue raging, but I close the space between us in an instant and touch his cheek. His skin is cool under my fingertips. I rise onto my tiptoes and kiss his icy lips softly, pulling back a moment later. I gaze up at him, my eyes brimming with tears; he gazes back, breathing heavily.

After a moment, the skin of his cheek changes colour again where my fingers rest against it. It warms and slowly the change spreads over the rest of him, leaving him the Loki I have known for so many centuries.

I let out a shaky breath, tears spilling over and sliding down my cheeks. "You honestly doubt that I would continue to love you? After all this time? After all we've been through?"

Loki reaches out and gently brushes away my tears with his thumb. "Please Rika, do not cry," he whispers shakily.

"Loki, this doesn't change anything, not really. You're still the same Loki you've always been. This won't change who you are unless you allow it to." I cup his face in both my hands. "You are still the man I fell in love with. Nothing is going to change how I feel about you."

A single tear slides down Loki's cheek and I reach up to kiss it away. He gathers me in his arms, hugging me tightly to his chest and pressing his face into my hair.

...

Standing in the middle of my chambers holding Rika in my arms, I almost cannot believe that she has accepted me so easily. I still have not come to terms with my newfound identity myself. I hug her tighter, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. As long as I have Rika standing beside me, I feel like I will be alright.

Without letting go of her I maneuver us over to sit on the couch. I grasp her left hand and gaze at the diamond and emerald ring I put there just over a year ago. "You would still marry me?" I ask almost inaudibly.

"Yes," she answers without hesitation. "I want to be your wife more than anything."

"Even now?"

She puts her fingertips on my chin and gently forces me to look up at her. "Yes," she says firmly. "I want to marry you, no matter what happens. I love you."

I lean in and press my lips to hers urgently, tangling my hands in her hair. Rika opens her mouth to me, deepening the kiss as her arms snake around me; she lies back, pulling me down on top of her, and moans softly into the kiss as I explore her mouth with my tongue. I remove one hand from her hair and slide it down the side of her body, settling it on her slim waist. Lightly nipping her lower lip, I remove my mouth from Rika's to trail kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. She runs her hands through my hair and gasps softly as I nibble her earlobe...

And then a loud knock sounds on the door to my chambers. I bite back an angry response as Rika squeezes her eyes shut and lets out a quiet groan of frustration. Reluctantly I lift myself off of Rika and stand up, holding out a hand to help her to her feet as well. We quickly straighten our clothes and fix our hair before I call out for whomever is at the door to enter. The door opens, revealing one of my mother's handmaidens; she informs me that my mother would like to see me in the king's chambers.

"Tell her I will be there momentarily," I say shortly. The girl curtseys and leaves, closing the door behind her.

I turn back to Rika and kiss her longingly. "I suppose we'll have to finish this later," she murmurs.

"We certainly will." I step back from her and take her hand. "Shall I escort you back to your chambers, my lady?"

Rika smiles up at me as we leave my rooms. "Alright. But only if you promise to meet me there later," she whispers seductively.

I nod and grin back at her. "You have my word."

I leave her at the door to her quarters with one more kiss, and as I walk away I begin to feel like maybe things will be alright after all.

A/N: Hope you liked it! Review, please? :)