Jane hardly noticed the chink of light caressing her cheek. She hardly noticed, because she had been so tired. She stretched her limbs and reveled in the feel of movement…how long had she been asleep, anyway?

Her feet hit the floor, and she padded her way to her kitchenette.

Her kitchenette…something was wrong with that statement. She began to brew her coffee. She loved the smell of coffee!

She poured it into her cup…and raised it to her lips…

…then it fell to the floor.

She was home, in her trailer.

They, S.H.I.E.L.D. had moved her, not Loki!

Fuck!

She ran to her retrieve her bag, which she found, unceremoniously left on the floor…and got her cell. She had missed some texts.

Don't be alarmed, Jane. He's fine. But you have done your job. Well done! -Fury

Jane, please don't be concerned about him. We needed you out of the room so that we could examine some anomalies there. We figured you wouldn't agree. I'll contact you soon. -Coulson

He's goddamn right she wouldn't have agreed! She quickly dialed Coulson's number and promptly received his voice mail.

Jane showered (it had been some time), packed a proper bag, cleaned the mess made by her dropped mug, and headed for her car.

What complete assholes! Who did they think that they were?!

She gathered her thoughts as she climbed into the truck, purchased a pod cast, and headed out.

She needed to gather her thoughts properly before she confronted these S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Why did she need Loki with her, specifically? What was she hoping to gain from it?

Well, like she had said, he was a wealth of information. He had experiences no one on earth had ever had. She needed him for research.

But, of course, she couldn't be greedy about it. An honest scientist shares, and she had people in her field whom she could trust, and indeed, would, with this information.

There was also the matter of Thor. She had wanted to see him again so badly that she had suffered from grief and sorrow as a result. But what, specifically, did she lament? She really, honestly, didn't know him all that well. There was a spark there, to be sure, but he was an Adonis, anyone would feel a spark.

If she was being completely truthful, Jane wanted Thor back to retrieve the same information that Loki could provide…only Thor could give it to her wrapped in sinewy goodness.

Loki was her second chance, then. Loki, Jane regarded, was someone who could give her what she wanted without killing herself trying to reach the alien god. Loki was an alien god, too.

And, despite everything, she liked him. Sure, he was kinda messed up, but who wasn't really? He was jealous of Thor, to be sure. And he obviously didn't like the whole "adoption" thing. But Loki was quick, where Thor was kinda dull. Loki was sarcastic where Thor was, well, not. Loki had a quick mind. Thor did too, but in a different way.

Jane stopped for lunch, and sat at a booth in a diner. She got out her phone and looked at the time. Twelve thirty. She was already in Arizona. She'd be there by dinner.

Then she saw the date.

It was three days later…

Three days?! She had been asleep for three days?

Jane quickly shoved the food in her mouth and ran out the door…they must've drugged her or something…

Loki woke to a pounding headache. He felt weak…sore…

Why was he experiencing such things? He opened his eyes to blinding light.

Then he attempted to get up, but was inhibited…he looked down, and he was shackled, with cords and tubes and such sticking out/wrapped around his body.

"You probably shouldn't try to move."

Fury.

Loki scowled to himself. Thwarted, once more, by the mortals. What was becoming of him?

"Something is happening to you, Loki. Your readings have been rising steadily since Jane arrived."

Jane.

"So…we arranged for her to be…elsewhere for a while."

At this, he looked.

"I see that concerns you."

"It does not."

"No? Those are the first words you've spoken to anyone but her since you got here."

Anger churned.

"Tell me what's happening to you."

And he looked away. Damn him and his idle affairs. No one on this rock had any inkling of who he was, what he could do…

"Look. You can pout all you want. It won't save you from your confines. Only talking will."

"What do you wish to know?"

"I want to know about Asgard. Why do gods keep falling from the sky? Is earth in danger?"

"There is no danger for Midgard." Yet.

"What is happening to you?"

At this, he looked at Fury and smiled. "Why should I answer you? You have tied me up, shackled me here like a common dog. I will not be answering any more of your questions. Now tell me where Jane is."

"You are in no position to demand anything."

"No? Perhaps not. But I demand you tell me anyway. Now."

"She's safe."

"From?"

"You," and Fury left.

Safe from him. Perhaps these mortals weren't so daft after all.

She was in danger when she was with him…

Though she didn't know what extent, and truthfully, he wasn't certain any longer, either. He was a magnificent sorcerer, yet in the Realm, he was nothing more than a mortal who had fallen from the sky; a prize. Something to be gawked at and picked apart. What was he, really? Who cared?

Jane, he thought. Whatever her motives were, he believed that she cared, at least a little.

Jane…silly, brilliant, mortal Jane Foster. She had somehow won Thor.

Somehow, though he was beginning to understand how.

The needles pinched him, and it hurt, albeit in a more annoying way than any real pain. He flexed his fingers, and felt the magic coiling along his digits. Slowly, Loki began to melt the confines…

Jane was running, once more, into the massive structure which held Loki. She was panting, sweating, swearing…she was so upset at herself. How could she let this happen?!

Deja vu is always unsettling…but it is especially so when the deja vu is foreboding.

She banged on the door…it opened after the second attempt. No one was standing on the other side.

No one was anywhere!

Shit. They had moved him. Of course they had moved him, Jane. What did you think was going to happen?

She crept along, not knowing why she was being careful…no one was there, anyway. But creep, she did…

…and then she heard it…

A hum…buzzing…like electricity…

It was coming from deep inside the recesses of the massive structure.

She swallowed, but began to walk toward the source of the sound…

…and then yelling.

Jane's hands were shaking a bit. There was danger, she knew it. She knew that there was danger, but she didn't know what she was going to do. She had no weapon.

She walked further on, and though the voices were still muffled, they were getting louder. She couldn't call the police…she needed a weapon.

Jane scurried into a long antechamber, hoping to happen upon a security guard or something.

There…it looked like a night watchman's office. She went inside, and found a truncheon. Not much, but it would do.

Her hands were slick with sweat. Her brow pearling perspiration…

She swallowed, though her mouth was too dry, and it was a useless enterprise.

Jane went back out into the main thoroughfare, and started back toward the source of the electric sound.

Electric sound…poetic, in a way. She smiled, and then concentrated on what she was doing.

Along she went…was it this long of a walk before…? And she reached the circular room with the ramp to the huge metal door to Loki's cell.

Except that it was smoking.

Smoking…the floor…there was a thin wisp of smoke issuing from under the doorway.

Jane went up to it…touched the metal door. It was hot. Not on fire hot, she could touch it…

She slowly pushed it open, and here is what she saw:

The glass cage was shattered.

There was a massive hole in the ceiling just above where the cage once stood.

People were laying on the floor…Fury was screaming…

His was the voice she had heard.

But he wasn't upset…he was angry.

"Show yourselves! I demand that you show yourselves, now!"

She clutched the baton…and then she saw him.

Loki appeared out of the smoldering cell, a contorted smile shaping his face, and there were large people with him…

Thor.

"How dare you imprison my brother! How dare you besmirch him in such a way! A god of Asgard, chained to a table!"

Thor began to wield his hammer, when Jane stepped forward…

…it was swinging about…

"Thor!" she yelled, or was that a squeak?

"Jane…" that wasn't Thor's voice.

…and then all went black.