Author's Note: With another caveat. This story is rated M and here is a reason for it. If you don't want to read the detailed smexy, stop reading after the scene between Nick Fury and Raj Nassar. There are important plot points up until that scene you really don't want to miss.

… …

Loki didn't answer. Kara bit her lip, regretting the question. Of course he didn't answer, what could he say that wouldn't make her push him away and make them both feel worse. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered. "That was an impossible question to answer, I…"

"No, you had every right to ask." Loki's hands rubbed her back soothingly. "And I would answer if I had an honest one." His lips brushed her forehead and then he pressed his cheek against the top of her head. "The All-Father will make his judgment soon. If not tomorrow, then next week, or perhaps the week after. I simply do not know when. I cannot even think about what I may or may not want until I've been sentenced, it would be an exercise in futility…and painful to all involved in one way or another."

She shuddered. It was too late for it to not be painful to her, no matter what happened. It was too late the first time he had told her she wasn't a monster. "You know that I care about you, don't you." It wasn't a question, she decided.

"As more than a-a friend, yes, I'm not that dense," he tone was wry. "I should be trying to discourage you, but I'll admit to selfishness. Having a woman's honest favor is a first for me."

Kara pulled away slightly. "Oh, please. You're how old and you've never had a woman really lo-care for you? I'm sorry, I find that hard to believe."

Loki's short laugh was bitter. "It is the truth. And you can say the word, you know. I won't turn away from you because of your emotions. Familial love is one thing. My mother, my adoptive mother, Frigga loves me as though I were born of her body. She has always been the one person who never pushed me aside. And certainly, I've had women in my life as sexual partners. It took centuries for me to learn the lesson that they were there only in an attempt to marry into the royal family, or to get closer to Thor. None of them ever wanted me, they wanted the position I could give them or they wanted my brother."

"What the hell is wrong with the women of Asgard?" she asked. "Oh, don't answer that. I just…I can't understand that. You're brilliant, you're beautiful, you're so amazing in so many ways. I mean, yes, I can understand women who are social climbers, I think it's stupid, but I understand it. But given the choice, I don't see what the ones who don't care about the royal part see in Thor over you. It just makes no sense to me."

"You don't like Thor?" he asked in surprise.

"Of course I like him, but I could never be attracted to him. Sure, he's handsome in a sports jock sort of way. And yes, he's loyal and trustworthy, but he doesn't think things out before he does them and his sense of honor has no shades of gray whatsoever. Real people can't survive like that. We don't have the option to, so it's very annoying. He has no sense of humor, oh, and he's loud. I only spent a few hours a day for three days in his company and it nearly drove me to drink."

His mouth twitched. "That even annoys fa…his father." Loki took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "I don't know, Kara. He is the golden one, and I was never anything but his shadow. I had no real friends, no companions other than his. My accomplishments meant nothing next to his and that…gets old."

"Is that what your plan was about? Accomplishing something that he couldn't?"

"Something like that. You see how well it went."

She wrapped her arms around his lean waist and pressed her cheek against his chest. "I love you Loki. I may only be a mortal, but I'll have more love in my heart for the few short decades of life we're allotted than the women of Asgard seem to have over their entire long existence. That love is yours. You can push it away if you want, but…"

"I'm not going to push it or you away, Kara." Loki huffed out an impatient breath. "I've told you, I'm far too selfish to do the right thing."

"Then?"

He shuddered, took her head in his hands and kissed her gently. "Until such time as I am returned to Asgard, there is as much of an 'us' as you desire. I will greedily take all you are willing to give me and I will give you all that I am capable of giving under the circumstances."

Kara hugged him as tightly as she could. "That will have to be enough."

… …

Tony smiled as he popped open Pepper's favorite champagne. It wasn't Dom Perignon, she didn't really care for it, and this was about what she liked, not about making an impression. Though he hoped he would be making an impression tonight. She'd been really pleased about how he'd handled the situation with the Asgardians and with Fury. Best to do this when he'd managed to get fully in her good graces. He filled the champagne flutes and patted his pocket. Yep, he was all set. "Please tell me you didn't go for the Dom," Pepper said as she came out of her dressing room.

He looked up and nearly dropped the glasses. She was wearing a gold satin teddy and nothing else. God, she was gorgeous. "You look amazing, even more amazing than usual," was all he could manage to say.

Pepper smiled and posed a bit for him. "Thank you." She reached out an elegant hand for the flute he was clutching and he had to focus to remember to let go of it and to hold on to his. Jeez. "What are we celebrating?" she asked.

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Do you know what you are to me?" he asked as she stared at him with a bemused expression.

"Your right hand in business and your best friend."

"Besides that."

"I don't know, why don't you tell me." Pepper smiled at his grin and settled down on the side of the bed, one long leg tucked under her.

"Okay, here goes…and don't interrupt, okay, or I'll get sidetracked, you know how I get."

"Right, no interruptions."

"Pepper Potts, my very best friend in the whole world, or out of it, is: Amazing, beautiful, courageous, daunting - don't interrupt," he said as she frowned and started to talk. "It's very daunting to face you when I've screwed up. Elegant, flirty - or at least I always think you sound flirty when you're talking to other men, but that's probably just my insecurities speaking. "Gorgeous, honest, intelligent, jealous, or I hope you get as jealous when I talk to other women as I do when you talk to other men. Kind, loving, mine?"

"Yours? Well, we'll see. Are you going to go through the entire alphabet?"

"Uh, yeah or mostly. Is that okay?" he responded as he moved to stand in front of her, free hand in his pocket.

She laughed. "Okay, carry on."

"Naughty, especially in that little…outfit. God, I'm salivating here." He paused as she laughed again. This was going better than he'd expected. "Optimistic, and I've needed you to be, thank you. Powerful, I mean, jeez, you outmaneuvered the god of mischief and lies with a few well placed words. Quick-witted, responsible, again, really, really good because I'm not. Sexy, tolerant - of my bullshit, thank you again, and understanding - of my moods, vivacious and, uh, oh yeah, will.

"Will?"

"Yep." He dropped down to his knees, pulled out the little box from Tiffany's and popped open the lid. "Will you marry me?"

… …

"That was the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard from Stark, and that's saying something," Nick Fury muttered as he paced his office.

Raj Nassar looked up at him with his trademark soothing smile. "Did you expect anything less?"

Fury snorted. "No, but that was an interesting tack for them to take. Still concerned as to whether we're doing the right thing. It's bad enough manipulating the established Avengers or even normal agents to advance our agenda. But Dr. Gunnarssen has been dragged into this, she didn't want anything to do with S.H.I.E.L.D., I basically conscripted her with the threat of never working in her field again, and now I'm pimping her out to a crazy extraterrestrial. It does not sit well, doctor."

"If it helps any, she's in love with the crazy extraterrestrial."

"Excuse me?" Nick turned to stare at the soft-spoken psychiatrist. "Isn't that a breach of doctor/patient confidentiality?"

"Only if she had told me so directly or I had discovered it from a professional session. She did not, this is from my personal observations outside of our sessions."

"I don't know if that makes it any more right, but thanks. It does lift a bit of the guilt."

Nassar nodded. "I know. She's still going to be traumatized. Eventually, Asgard will send someone to bring him back."

Nick sighed. "And then I'll have a brokenhearted pyrokinetic projective empath on my hands. Wonderful."

"Isn't that better than a wrathful god?"

"Honestly? If she were to unleash her full potential, I'm not so certain."

… …

Loki closed his eyes to breathe in Kara's distinctive lavender and vanilla laced scent. So soothing, or perhaps what was soothing was holding her pliant form snuggled close in his arms. He brushed back a lock of wavy multi-hued hair back over her ear and smiled when she looked up at him. Those amazing kaleidoscope eyes were sparkling with mischief, just the way he liked them. "Somehow I don't think this is what Fury would have pictured when he was told I needed observation."

He smirked at the thought. "Likely not. Though surprisingly enough, I am certain it's what Stark and Banner expected. I still don't understand why. They don't approve of your feelings for me."

"It's nothing personal, you know. They just don't want to see me hurt." She frowned when he started to object. "Don't start. They'd be just as worried if I'd fallen for anybody else."

"Doubtful. But then, they do have cause to worry…I have given them such." He traced the line of her stubborn jaw, then let his fingers trail down her neck to toy with her lovely breasts. "I do believe you may need more detailed observation," he murmured as he leaned in to kiss the sweet spot where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered as his soft kiss became deeper and more aggressive.

"Damn, I love that so much," Kara whispered.

"I think you love other things much more." He smiled as he pinched one sweet nipple and made her gasp. She shuddered as he continued to tease one nipple with his fingers and took the other in his mouth and suckled strongly. Nipping it carefully, he brought it to full, swollen attention. Beautiful. The nipple he'd pinched and twisted beckoned and he turned his oral attention to that one as well until his lady began to whimper. "Is that sweet quim wet for me already?" he asked.

Kara squirmed and he glanced up to see pink staining her cheeks. "Yes," she admitted breathlessly. He chuckled at her embarrassment and reached down to slide his fingers between her very damp folds. After a last and firm bite to her nipple, he kissed his way down to her tempting and now glistening sex.

Loki smiled as he spread her outer lips to reveal the inner and that amazing jewel that was her clit. Exposing it fully, he breathed on it, and smiled at her shiver. He tapped the small nub with one finger then began to play freely. Her hips lifted automatically into the pressure he was providing. "Sweet," he murmured. "So giving." She moaned and he looked up to find her frowning at him. "What's wrong, love?" he asked.

"When do I get my turn to play?" she asked. "You did tell me I could play later, and it is later."

"Hmm. I suppose I must keep my promise then. How do you manage that?"

"What?"

"I've made more promises to you in the past few weeks than I have to any other person in my entire lifetime. And I didn't even see or speak with you for nearly two of those weeks."

… …

Kara shrugged. "People make promises to me all the time. Most of them even keep them. I've never really thought about why." She pulled herself up to a sitting position and pointed firmly down at the mattress. "Lay down so I can play."

His smile was wicked. "Of course, my lady. But be gentle with me."

"Humph. I wouldn't know the difference between gentle or not, you know I have no idea what I'm doing." She waited until he'd settled and then leaned forward to kiss the smirk from his lips. "No smirking at me. If I'm doing something wrong, just tell me, don't laugh at me or I'll be too embarrassed to continue."

"I'll do my best." He grinned as she smacked her hand down on his flat stomach irritably. "Lesson one," he said. "Don't hit or squeeze my privates with that kind of force. While it wouldn't do any permanent damage, it would still hurt like hell and spoil the mood."

"That much I'd gathered," she grumped and ran her fingers over his highly defined abdominals. "I thought you said you were scrawny, this is not scrawny, this is cut."

"Compared to Thor, or to most Asgardians, I am not considered at all muscular."

"Phooey. You have a runner's or swimmer's musculature. Long, lean, tight as all heck. Just because it's not bodybuilder type of muscle, doesn't mean it isn't very fine." Kara frowned and looked closer at the area above where the Asgardian mystery organ, the meng mein, was situated. "All of your other scars healed," she muttered. "Why didn't these?"

Loki lifted his head to look down. "They were contaminated by the energy leakage. It damaged the cell's ability to properly regenerate. It's no matter." He shrugged. "And it will remind me never to underestimate anyone."

She laid her cheek down on the puckered scars. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that," she whispered.

"I am not. It gave me you, and I wouldn't change that. Oh, gods, woman, don't cry."

"Sorry, I…sometimes you just say the sweetest thing when I don't think you're intending to." His frown was perplexed. "Never mind, back to playing," she told him and leaned back up to give him another quick kiss. "Hmm. Now let's see what you think about this." She flicked her fingernail against one of his hard, almost flat nipples and grinned as his breath quickened. "Oh, so that is sensitive for men, too." Leaning over she took it delicately between her teeth and laved it with her tongue. His moan was soft, but it was there. Moreover, his semi-hard cock twitched sharply. "Nice," she decided. "Hmm. Compared to the full Asgardians, you have almost no body hair. I guess that's a Jotun trait?"

"What? For pity's sake Kara, are you playing or is this an anatomy discussion?"

"Playing, but I'm curious, I can't help it. My other doctorate is in genetics and I did train as a researcher." She grinned at his long-suffering sigh. "Okay, I'll put away the scientist train of thought."

"Good."

She giggled. "Hmm, so…my curiosity doesn't seem to have bothered not-so-little Loki."

"Not so what?"

"Men here on Earth tend to refer to their penis as 'little whatever their first name is'. Yours isn't little, so…"

"You are torturing me a-purpose, aren't you? This is some insidious plot to break me."

Kara laughed so hard she nearly fell off of the bed. "No," she gasped as she righted herself. "Oh, come on. Have I ever done anything the way you would have expected?"

"You have not. I-gods, woman. I don't know how I managed to deserve or earn your love, but I am glad of it."

"Oh, Loki. Love isn't earned, and it isn't deserved or undeserved. It just is." She wrapped her hand firmly around his cock, smiling as it hardened almost immediately. "This, on the other hand, needs to be both earned and deserved. Luckily for you, you've managed both."

… …

Luckily indeed, Loki thought as she began toying with his erection. Damned woman was going to be the death of him with her all but innocent experimentation. She was also a very quick study. In mere minutes she'd determined what parts were more sensitive and how they would react to different stimuli. He watched avidly as she dragged the smooth nails of one hand along the length of his cock as she delicately licked the tip. Well, tried to watch. The sensation was too delicious and he felt his eyes close as he enjoyed it. "Hmm, liked that, did you?" she asked softly.

He grinned as he looked at her. "Very much. What else do you have in store for me, sweet lady?" While she didn't speak, Kara's answering smile was wicked. She'd gained a great deal of confidence from his reactions so far. His eyes widened as she moved over him and took the head in her hot mouth. He really hadn't expected this so soon from her. A groan escaped as she slid his staff deeper, her lips stretched and pressed hard against him. The urge to thrust was almost overwhelming, but he didn't want to frighten her. His head dropped back as she began to suck deeply. "Gods, Kara. Someone had to have taught you this," he muttered.

Too soon she pulled away. His staff was throbbing, straining for release. "No," she said with slight blush. "But girls do talk about sex, you know."

"Bless them all," he muttered. "I need you, love, very badly now, are you done with your play?"

"For now," Kara agreed. It was his turn to grin as he sat, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. Fondling her full breasts he continued to kiss and nibble on her lips until she began to squirm in his grasp, then moved on to her neck and breasts. One hand trailed down to check her readiness. Apparently her play had kept her well in the mood, she was still highly aroused.

"Hard and fast, now, all right?" he asked. She nodded and he moved her to her hands and knees on the bed, then knelt behind her. Groaning he pressed deeply into her wet heat until he was fully seated. Her moan and slight wriggle told him she was ready and he began to thrust, as promised, hard and fast. There was no better feeling in the universe, he decided, than giving pleasure to a woman who was not only willing, but who loved you. Her gasps and soft cries spurred him on and he continued to pound firmly into her clinging sex, groaning as he came closer and closer to release. Far too soon he felt her control shatter and she was wildly twisting and throwing herself back against him. He laughed joyfully, took a firm hold of her hips and let his own control fail, thrusting hard, deep and firm as he spilled his seed. Her arms had collapsed and she was lying face down on the mattress, still on her knees. Loki wrapped his arms around her waist and let his body fall to the side, drawing her along with him. "Perfect," he whispered as he drew her trembling form back against him and stroked her damp skin soothingly.