As night fell, Alice departed for her room, leaving Loki alone. He sighed as he heard the muffled click of her door shutting. He had been thinking a lot that day and was somewhat grateful of the silence that being alone provided him with. His mind was still rolling over possible plans to convince Alice to help him get a hold of the Tessaract.

Perhaps using her almost-feelings for him to his advantage would work in his favour. Though Loki wasn't averse to using the woman for his personal gain, he wasn't sure if he was entirely comfortable with the prospect. If his wife ever found out about that plan then she would put him in a very uncomfortable and compromising position that would likely be extremely painful.

Perhaps he would try a different route. After another sigh, Loki left the room, using a wave of his hand to extinguish the room's light. Then he went to bed, deciding that he would be better off thinking things over there. As he drifted off to sleep, an unusual dream took him in a way that eerily reminded him of when he'd first seen the Tessaract.

"Loki Laufeyson."

Loki's eyes followed the figure pacing the rocky area that he now found himself in. The figure was clothed in dark material, with patterns of gold in certain places. His eyes were covered but Loki could distinctly see the blue skin and the odd, inhumanly-shaped hands of the figure.

"Indeed..." Loki said. "And you are?"

The Other ignored him and instead said, "We have a proposition for you."

Loki raised an eyebrow. This sounded interesting. If this being had the power to bring him here, what else did he have the power to do?

"We?"

"We."

"I'm listening," Loki said, deciding to first discover what this proposition was before questioning them further.

The Other told him that he and his master could provide him with a method for his revenge. They could help him achieve all that he wanted and more. And they could even help him get his wife back. Loki was offered a bargain; if he came to them, then they would help him take Midgard for his own.

Loki's lips pressed tightly together. That would give him the revenge against Thor that he craved- and he couldn't resist that. Who needed to bother convincing a woman that could heal herself to help when you were promised a weapon that would ensure that you could take both the Tesseract and Midgard? There was really no choice at all. He knew exactly what he had to do.

Loki woke up on Midgard again, lying in that strange bed that he had become accustomed to recently. That would be the last time he woke up there, he determined. He pushed himself out of bed and waved a hand, using his magic to put his armour on. Loki paused for a moment; it felt a little odd since he'd been wearing those strange Midgardian clothes for so long.

But more than that, it felt natural. He was Loki, God of Mischief and Lies again. He let out a long and satisfied sigh. Now all he had to do was leave this place and his path to conquer Midgard and get his revenge would be laid out before him. Then everything would be the way that it should be. Then he would have Sigyn at his side, and they would rule the way that they were meant to.

As it was now morning, when he left the room, he went to find Alice. He discovered her reading on the couch and she looked curiously up at Loki as he stood in the doorway, staring silently in her direction.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I must go."

Alice blinked.

"What? You're leaving?"

Loki didn't answer. Instead he just nodded in her direction and turned for the door. He's leaving? she thought, suddenly feeling uneasy. She didn't want him to leave; so many people had disappeared in her life and she'd just become comfortable with having Loki around. Alice followed him outside, frowning.

"Wait, Loki, what's going on?"

He strode further from the house to an open area and she just trailed after him.

He didn't turn back to her as he replied, "There is a way for me to fix everything."

"Fix what? What- why are you-"

"It is the only thing to be done."

"Loki, please. Don't leave," Alice said.

She didn't know why she hated the thought of him leaving so much. She just knew that she'd become accustomed to Loki's presence and the lack of it would be another disappearance from her life. Alice didn't know if she could handle that again. She wasn't exactly the most emotionally stable individual when it came to people leaving her, and she didn't know what would happen to her if he did leave.

"I must."

"Where are you going?" she tried.

He shrugged.

"Where ever I have to go to achieve my revenge."

"Loki, please."

He stared at her. Apparently she cared for him. Just like he'd thought when she'd been on the phone. Such a shame, he thought. And was then gone. Alice's injured guest had disappeared, and she was left wondering if she'd ever see him again.

Two days later, Alice moved out of her New Mexico house. She thought that it felt empty without her extra-terrestrial, Norse God of a house guest- though she supposed that it was just that he'd made her realise that she missed the company.

Her encounter with Loki had been one of chance. It had been interesting; but it was only passing. So was her family admittedly, but Alice had realised that what time she had with what was left of her family should be spent with them. So she packed her things and turned up outside of Stark Tower in front of a bemused Tony and a grinning Pepper.

Alice had only been able to get in touch with Pepper since Tony was away on business, but she was sure that the surprise would be good for Tony. He, apparently, did not think so.

"So clearly that tracking device I fitted on you stopped working," he said, as he was forced to carry three heavy bags up to the top of Stark Tower.

"No, it worked fine," she replied. "Until I ran it over with my car."

Tony rolled his eyes.

"Spoil sport."

Alice stuck her tongue out at her brother and then shot a smile in Pepper's direction. Things were back to normal again and her encounter with Loki was all but forgotten. All it had done was to remind her of the importance of her family and the fact that she should spend her time amongst them.

She had no idea that her healing encounter with the God of Mischief was only the beginning of the time they would spend together. And she had no idea that she might very well regret offering Loki the helping hand she'd given him.

Author's Note: So there you have it. Losing Him is now finished, and I'm looking forward to (finally) reuniting Loki and Sigyn in the next part of this story. :D I will post the start of the next story in the Avengers category, and it will be called 'Not So Easily Broken'. Our good ol' couple will be back together in the first chapter, so have no fear- however, I would love to know what you think of this chapter and this story overall. Please do let me know. :)

Kit xx