A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! And thank you, JaninaM8 for taking a gander at this. Though it's only been a few days, it really feels like ages!

"Jane."

Nothing.

"Jane!"

"Yes?" her eyes refocused as she looked at Erik who was anxiously watching her.

"Are you alright? You need a break or something?"

She looked at her desk which was littered with papers. Yes. Maybe a break would do her right. She was distracted, much to her chagrin. "Yeah, thanks Erik."

But Dr. Selvig wasn't through. "Why don't you take the rest of the afternoon? We're good here," and he smiled reassuringly at her, though with a hint of worry and doubt masked in his grin.

Jane nodded and started out in the late afternoon haze of winter.

She made her way through Boston's streets, the sun laying low in the sky, spreading orange hue in a vast distance before it. Jane smiled. She had much to be thankful for, she dwelled too long in maudlin reverie.

Jane was smart, at the top of her field. She had an excellent, coveted by many, job. She had a nice apartment, she had…well. She had memories of her dad which sustained her.

Before she knew what was happening, she was outside of Massachusetts General and looking up at it. What was she doing here? How did she end up here…?

It didn't take much to figure it out. She was lonesome, and the thought of seeing Thor Odinson was of mild comfort to her.

Thor Odinson. She shook her head, smiling. Thor, Jane…just Thor.

And she began to go inside. Why was she going inside…what was the point?

307…307….

Jane entered the room to find Thor still sleeping. She was concurrently relieved and disappointed. Relieved because she could keep up the rouse. Disappointed because she could keep up the rouse.

She walked over and sat next to him at the bed. Jane took his hand and smiled. "I'm sorry…ah…" she paused. "Thor," part of her almost said "Thor Odinson." "I'm a terrible person, really…but I'm just so…I dunno. Alone, I guess…but that's hardly an excuse. It's a pretty awful excuse, actually. But it's all I've got," she stopped, and began to tell the sleeping man her fears, her desires, her wants…

But it was all at such a whisper that no one would have been able to decipher what she was saying.

Not even Loki.

"Well…Jane…Foster, was it?"

Jane looked up from the bed. "Oh, hi Loki," there was a hint of disappointment in her voice, and she dropped Thor's hand.

"That was hardly a warm welcome from my future sister-in-law, I think," and he sat opposite her.

"No. I guess it wasn't," and she reclined a bit in her seat.

Loki smirked at her. "No," he paused. "You aren't wearing a ring."

"I…ah…" shit. Jane swallowed.

"Thor would not have allowed his betrothed to go about ringless. Not the Thor I know, anyway," and he took out his phone.

"Well. Maybe you didn't know him as well as you think," why was she continuing this?! Shut up, Jane!

"Mmmmm. Unlikely," and he scrolled.

"Well. What do you think is going on if you're so smart?"

Loki curled a smirk as he looked at Jane. "Many, many things," was his reply.

Jane scoffed. "Thor loves me, and I love him. Simple."

"Things are rarely 'simple,' as you term it, Jane Foster."

"Jane," she corrected.

He nodded. "So…how did the two lovebirds meet?"

Jane looked at Thor…she stopped herself from thinking 'Odinson'…she really should stop this…"Every day I walk to work at MIT. Every day I'd see Thor leaving his apartment. One day, I decided to say hello, and we started a conversation."

Loki sat there, unflinching…he nodded, his face remaining stoic. "Quite a dull, if not sweet, tale."

"Whatever," she said, standing. "I need to go, anyway. It's weird talking above him like this."

Loki rose with her. "I'll join you."

"Excuse me? I didn't invite you."

"No matter. Let's go. My treat," and Loki swung his coat on.

Jane sighed. What to do…should she indulge this guy, or should she leave…? "Alright," she muttered.

Loki smiled a satisfied smile and moved aside to allow Jane passage. He would be unearthing truths that evening, he was sure of it…

She swallowed hard. Ok…they were going to have dinner. Nothing terrible would happen as long as she watched what she drank. "So…where should we go?"

"Giacomo's?" Loki longed to take her someplace posh…not because he wished to impress her, but perhaps when she spoke with Frigga and Odin, she might tell them how well he was doing…but Giacomo's, well. It was nice enough.

"Great," she replied. They walked along, Jane's mind racing as she formulated what exactly she was gonna say. "So…are you and Thor close?" she looked around her. "Are we going to walk?"

"It's but a mile, Jane," and he smiled, and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh. Of course."

Loki looked around and thought about his relationship with his brother for a moment.

"It isn't a difficult question, you know," Jane said, and as he looked at her, he noticed she was smiling.

"We aren't close in a traditional sense."

"That's a cryptic answer," she replied.

"Perhaps…but it's the truth."

The sidewalks held the brusque conversation in corporeal form: cold, stiff, and a bit forced.

Loki looked at her. "Have you and my brother discussed our relationship?"

Jane cleared her throat and looked out into the street to her left. "Not really, no. He wasn't too interested in discussing family matters."

Well, that made sense. Thor was the estranged golden boy. "No, I don't imagine that he would. Things were a bit tough for a while there between Thor and our parents."

"Why?"

They reached the restaurant and were seated promptly, despite the fact that it was a Friday night. Loki looked at the menu. "Why…" how to answer..."Well…Thor never wanted the family business. Never wanted any part of it, so he left it. Things really have yet to mend," and he ordered a chianti for he and Jane. "I have attempted to fill Thor's position, but Odin will never be pleased with me in such a role. He wanted Thor there."

The wine arrived and Jane sipped it.

Not bad.

"Well, have you been successful?"

Loki's face lit into a mischievous grin. "Wildly," he paused. "Um…that is…it's making a mark. The company, that is. I have brought it back from near bankruptcy after Thor left it."

Jane appeared to be puzzled. "But…he seems so wealthy…" she paused. "I mean...he is..."

Loki leaned forward in his seat. "Things are seldom what they immediately seem to be, Jane. Much of his money he obtained from Odin. That, and he is wise with the Stock Market."

"Oh," was Jane's abbreviated reply. She wasn't sure how to respond, for there was a bitterness fresh on his tongue…she could almost taste it herself. "Well. You are no doubt quite smart in your own right. You are dressed well, you have no qualm taking someone out to dinner…"

"And you, Jane?" he interrupted. "Are you successful?" and Loki sipped his wine after they placed their orders.

She shrugged. "I guess."

"Oh, come on. Tell me. There's no need to be shy."

"I'm not," she responded with some heat. "I'm just…alone…and I haven't had anyone I was close with in a long time."

"Until now," he said, biting into his salad. "Until Thor," and he winked at her.

"That's right," Jane's eyes fell to her plate and she played with her salad.

"Seems a bit odd," Loki began. "My brother was always a bit of a braggart. He had only, just a few weeks ago, been talking about his on-again, off-again romance with Sif, a lovely woman and junior CEO of my father's rival company."

"Rival company?"

"Jotun Limited."

"Oh," she paused. "Yeah…he had mentioned her to me. Seems she had cheated on him," Jane lied.

"Is that so?" Loki doubted it. Thor was the one who had repeatedly cheated on Sif…"Well. That is a pity. Odin liked her," the light fell a bit more, and music began to play.

Jane finished her spaghetti and wiped her mouth, she then downed the rest of her wine. "What about you Loki?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you have someone?"

He considered her and sipped some more wine. "No."

"Why not?" Jane persisted.

His glare was potent; Loki wasn't accustomed to being needled thus. "That, Jane Foster, is my personal business."

She looked at him for a moment, and then she laughed. "Oh gimme a break. You're so dramatic. We're just talking here."

His jaw hung slack, but then he smiled. "Perhaps you have a point, but I am unused to someone being interested in my affairs."

"Your mother never asks?" Jane recalled Frigga…she seemed to be an interested parent.

"Frigga's interest is half-hearted," and Loki took out his wallet. This wasn't exactly going to plan…he had rather hoped that he would be asking all of the questions. "What about your parents?" and he handed the server a card for the bill.

She decided that she would let the comment regarding Frigga slide, and she swallowed. "My mother passed when I was very young. My father died about twelve years ago. We were very close."

"You mentioned this at dinner…"

She shrugged. "So? There isn't much to tell. I have just a couple of fuzzy memories of my mom. My dad, well…he was proud and protective. I wish he could see me now…" Jane finished in a whisper.

Sentiment. "Yes…I am sure he'd be quite proud," Loki replied dismissively.

"I should hope so. I'm working in a lab and am rising to the top of my field. I have my PhD already."

"Which is in…?" he signed the bill and put his card away in his wallet.

Jane kept her gaze fixed on his face. "Astrophysics."

"Indeed?" he was mildly impressed. A doctor of astrophysics was certainly difficult to attain.

"Yes," she suddenly felt silly. "Yeah…so…" her eyes fell. "So…this was nice. Thanks, Loki," and she got up.

He nodded, and stood as well. "Of course. I suppose," and he began to follow her to the door. "I suppose I'll be seeing you at the hospital tomorrow."

"Oh…yeah," she smiled as the cool air greeted her. "I'll see you tomorrow," she shook his hand and turned to the subway.

Loki almost called after her, but stopped himself.

This Jane…she wasn't like Sif or the other women Thor bothered himself with. She wasn't what he was expecting at all.

He turned and walked toward Cambridge where he kept a flat. His gaze was fixed on the sidewalk in front of him. There was something odd about all of this, though he had assumed that it was Jane herself. Now, however…after speaking with her a bit, he thought it was more the relationship between her and Thor. He had guessed that Thor was using the waif-like girl, stringing her along…but that didn't coalesce with the person he had just dined with.

No. This woman had a fire.

Thor's women had been soft streams, some with a fair amount of rough water (like Sif), but none like this Jane Foster.

He entered the flat and threw his keys into the bowl.

None like Jane Foster…

He sat on his sofa and thought a moment. What made her so unique? What was this fire? She must be bright…determined as well, to be at the height of her profession at MIT.

He took out his phone. "Hello, mother."

"Loki! How are you?"

"Fine fine. Are you planning on seeing Thor tomorrow?"

"Of course," he heard annoyance in her voice.

"I think it would be nice to have Jane Foster over for Sunday dinner, don't you? Tomorrow you can mention it."

"I don't know if she'll be there."

"She is Thor's fiancee. Of course she will be there," and Loki stood, going to the window to look out into Boston's night.

"Well…since I was planning on inviting her to dinner the next time I saw her, I suppose it would do no harm in asking tomorrow…"

"None at all."

"Why are you so keen on me having Jane over for dinner?"

"I'm not. I'd just like to get to know my future sister-in-law a bit better…" and he hung up. Yes…he thought that getting to know her would mean getting to know Thor better. Getting to know Thor would mean understanding his dubious motives, and understanding his motives would mean that he could explain to Odin how ridiculous his favorite really was.

Loki poured himself some water. He was bitter, yes.

But he was also curious.

It was unclear which was more potent as of yet.