Author's Note: A lot more of the smexy in this one, and I'm sorry, but it's full of important plot points, too. Skim through the smexy if you don't like it, or do a "find" on 'Heimdall' and start reading about one paragraph before his name is mentioned and then through to the end. As always, many thanks for the follows and kind remarks!

... ...

"Loki, I-I don't know if I'm up for this tonight," Kara mumbled as he nibbled on her long, lovely neck. He looked up, surprised. "I feel kind of weird."

Weird? He thought about the word for a moment until it translated properly, but was still confused. "Weird in which way? That word has many meanings."

"Strange, odd, I don't know."

"All right, why odd?"

"I guess because I've never been dying of anything before. God, Loki, I don't know."

"You are not…" he trailed off at her glare. Technically, if left to the mortals and their science, she was dying. But he was certain she could be healed by someone in Asgard. Having just won the argument for her agreement to seek help there, he was in no mood to open up the discussion again. He grinned. "Then you need something to take your mind off of it." Her sigh made him chuckle. "Yes, I'm quite certain that's what you need," he told her.

"Hmm, and you think having sex will do the job, of course," she said dryly.

"I detest it when you use that phrase, it sounds cold and heartless and you are neither."

His Kara frowned at him. "Well, what should I call it? I can't call it making love because you don't love me. There's no such thing as 'making caring', so I'm kind of stuck for a term here."

She had a point; she was wrong, but she did have a very valid point. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her downturned lips. "You love me, and I am giving you what loving I can, so I would be pleased if you called it making love," he told her. His jaw dropped slightly as tears sprang into her eyes. "Oh by the nine, I've managed it again. Kara, please don't cry."

Sniffing, she shook her head and touched his face as she managed a small smile. "I'm sorry. But you were sweet again, and it really gets to me." His expression must have shown his confusion because she chuckled softly. "Oh, Loki. Tears aren't always sad. Sometimes we cry because someone has done something that touches us deeply."

He sighed. A mortal's tears were something he was not going to understand any time soon, he decided. "Let me make love to you, my lady."

"No."

"What?" Loki frowned until she grinned mischievously.

"I'll let you make love with me," she told him. "There is a difference, you know."

Loki was certain this was the time for some harmless mischief. "So there is. But I think, perhaps, you should make love to me."

Kara chuckled. "Oh, really?" He managed to keep a serious expression as she smiled up at him. "Hmm, well, you're going to have to tell me what that entails. You know how little experience I have."

Loki slid down so that he lay on his back. "You will have to ensure we're both aroused, and then you will have your way with me." His mouth twitched as she looked him up and down and her eyebrows rose.

"You are already aroused. So…oh. Hmm." His grin emerged fully as she blushed. "You want to watch me touch myself, huh?"

"My lady is a veritable prodigy," he purred. "Start with your lovely breasts," he directed. He smiled as she sat up and tentatively cupped both full breasts in her hands and stroked herself gently. "No, you're trying to arouse, not lull yourself to sleep. Harder, and don't forget your nipples. I want you to pinch them and tug on them." He smiled as she tried to comply. "Still not hard enough. Have you forgotten what you like so soon?" Loki's eyes narrowed as she began to pinch and pull on her nipples far more roughly. His smile widened when she surprised herself with a moan. "Much better. Does that not feel good, love?"

"Yes," she agreed breathily. Kara was squeezing the soft globes as forcefully as he would have done, and switching off to pinch and roll her nipples between her fingers. He could see her abdominal muscles tensing as the sensations rippled through her body. Her head arched back slightly and her moans were music to his ears.

"Very good, you're enjoying that." Her only reply was a gasp as she pinched one of her nipples sharply. "Are you getting wet, my darling girl? Check for me." He watched avidly as she spread her thighs and one hand left her breasts to dip between them, her delicate fingers disappearing between her folds.

"Yes," she finally whispered.

"That's my girl, show me, use your fingers to spread your quim open for me to see." He moved to his side and propped himself up on one arm to watch. Her soft inner lips were already glistening, she responded so well to even self-titillation. His own breathing was quickening, he could tell already that it was going to take every ounce of his self-control to not interrupt this play and simply take her. "Rub your clit, now."

Her moan was deep and throaty as she firmly rubbed her clit, and without needing to be told, she squeezed and released it several times in rapid succession. "God, Loki…that's…"

He chuckled as moisture pooled at the entrance to her canal. "Now, leave off of your breasts, love. Keep rubbing your clit and take a finger and slide it inside of you. Get it good and wet in your juices." She whimpered as she complied, then began to move her finger in and out. "No, stop. Let me taste," he ordered. Her eyes flew open. "Feed your sweet juice to me."

… …

Kara stared at him. His expression was expectant and very serious. Shuddering, she removed the finger from her canal and held it up to his lips. He took the dripping digit into his hot mouth and moaned. "Delicious," he told her. "Wet it inside you again." He waited, watching closely as she returned the finger to her now dripping sex, inserted it, and slowly pulled it back out. "Now, you taste it," he ordered.

Her eyes widened. "What? No, Loki…"

"Taste it, Kara. It's part of the experience, you will know what pleasure you give me." She gave him a doubtful look, but did as he asked. The fluid was a bit salty, with a hint of sweetness. Not bad, just…odd. Very different from the semen he'd insisted she taste last night. "Well?" he asked.

"I-well, it's okay, I guess."

"Kara, that is the taste of desire. I taste that from you and it gives me more pleasure than you can imagine." He frowned at her expression. "You enjoyed tasting me last night, I could see it in your face."

"Well, yes, but that's different."

"No, love. It is exactly the same. It is the physical manifestation of the desire you feel for me and that I feel for you. It is glorious." She thought about it for a minute, then smiled. "Do you understand, Kara?" he asked. In answer, she dipped her finger inside herself again, then made a point of licking it off as slowly and teasingly as she could manage. His groan told her that she'd succeeded.

"Yes," she whispered. "I think I do."

Loki stared at her hungrily. "That is quite enough of that, I think. Come now, love. It's time for you to ride."

"Is it?"

"Yes, and there's a fine line between being enticing and being a tease…you're perilously close to it," he growled.

She laughed. "I'm just following instructions, blame the teacher." Kara continued to grin at his petulant glare, but moved to straddle his lean hips. "Hmm. This is going to be interesting," she muttered as she looked down at him, trying to figure out the mechanics of being on top. "Okay, I think I've got this," she told him, shifting to move the soles of her feet flat on the mattress so that she could move into a semi-squatting position. Taking his erection in one hand, she used the other to balance on his hard abdomen as she guided it to her wet center. They both groaned as she slowly sheathed him within her heat.

"That…that's…perfect," he managed. "Your teacher is to be commended."

"You are so full of yourself," she told him as she pushed herself back up until the head of his cock was barely within her. "Good thing you're so damn beautiful." Letting herself slide back down his hard length, she bit her lip to hold in a moan. Loki didn't bother to try and hide his and moved his hands to her hips as he lifted his to meet her descent. "That's cheating," she scolded breathlessly.

"Not at all," he muttered and groaned as she began to pull herself back up as slowly as she could manage. "By the nine, woman, are you trying to kill me?"

Kara lowered herself again, ever so slowly, and smirked at his almost agonized expression. She fully understood his frustration. Feeling him fill her so damn slowly was torturous. But damn, was it good. "This was your idea, you know," she informed him as she pulled up again, still as slow as she could manage. This time she couldn't hold back her whimper of pleasure.

"Damnation!"

"If you don't like it," she said with a wicked grin, "do it yourself."

… …

"You are an impossible woman," he told her with a groan as she pushed herself down on him far too slowly yet again. He'd never admit it, but her slow movements were giving him the most intense pleasure he'd ever felt. Unfortunately, they were shredding his self control. He couldn't hold on too much longer.

Kara was shaking this time as she pulled back up. Her lips were compressed tightly in an effort to hold back the most delicious whimpers. "You…thrive…on impossible," she managed before beginning to lower herself again. He groaned as she fully seated herself yet again and bit back an oath as she twisted her hips from side to side. Shuddering, he watched her pull herself back up. "Loki," she whimpered. "I-please…"

Loki gasped, took a firmer hold on her hips and pulled her down sharply. She shrieked and then giggled. "Thank the gods," he told her. "I thought you'd never ask." He slid his hands up her body, tugging her down to lay against his chest. Once he had a firm hold on her, he turned them over, balancing on his knees so his greater than human weight wouldn't crush her. In one smooth move he pressed her thighs back and began to thrust urgently.

"Hey, that wasn't asking," she insisted between moans.

"Close enough," he told her and leaned forward to silence her with a swift kiss. She panted beneath him as he continued to thrust hard into her wetness. The friction was becoming almost unbearable. Kara's back was beginning to arch as she shuddered with the pleasure they shared.

His hands moved from her hips to her bouncing breasts, capturing them, and he pressed his thumbs down hard into her nipples garnering a sobbing scream. "God, yes, Loki, more…please."

He laughed and pinched the nipples, earning another shriek before squeezing the soft globes roughly. Abandoning one, he moved that hand down to her sex and rubbed her swollen clit as he captured the forsaken nipple between his lips and sucked hard. Her sex clenched around him and shuddering spasms shook her body as she began to keen with her orgasm. "Yes, love, come hard for me," he hissed as he pounded harder until he achieved his own release. Kara huffed out a pained breath as he collapsed on her for a moment before he managed to roll to the side. "Sorry, love. Lost my balance; are you all right?" He asked as he carefully examined her ribs.

"Fine," she managed. "Why so heavy?"

Loki groaned. "You are going scientist on me again," he complained.

Kara smiled and stroked his cheek. "No, I'm going almost squished girlfriend on you."

His eyebrow rose. It hadn't bothered him when Stark referred to him as Kara's boyfriend, he'd understood the reference and supposed it was appropriate, so he wasn't certain why Kara claiming to be his girlfriend struck him as so very wrong. He sighed. "Our bone and muscle density is about thrice that of humans," he explained.

"What's wrong?" Of course she noticed.

He tugged her close against his chest and rubbed her lower back soothingly as she settled in. "Nothing, sweet lady. I am simply over thinking, I suppose. It's time to sleep."

"Hmm." Kara's fingers idly stroked his shoulder. He could feel her lashes brush against his skin as she blinked. "I'm not so sure I can. I guess I'm thinking too much, too."

Damnation. If she continued to think, she would start to focus on the injury to her nervous system. Loki carefully gathered his magic and molded it to his will. He turned and laid her down on her back, one arm beneath her, still holding her close. First kissing her softly, he rested his fingers on her eyebrows then drew them down to close her lids as he ordered "Sleep, sweet Kara." The magic took hold immediately and her body relaxed in slumber. His fingers continued their path down to her pouty lips. "Sweet dreams, my precious love."

… …

Heimdall frowned as he felt controlling magic being gathered on Midgard. Focusing in on the source, he saw Loki, in bed with the female who had threatened the All-Father on Loki's behalf. The Gatekeeper relaxed. It seemed the woman was having trouble sleeping. He frowned again as he heard Loki call the woman his 'precious love' after she'd succumbed to the spell. Continuing to watch, Heimdall was shocked as Loki soothingly stroked the sleeping woman's hair…she could not have felt it, so the activity was of no benefit to her or to any plan Loki may have had to use her.

The dark prince sighed deeply. "Thor must beg Odin to heal you, Kara, or I will…" he trailed off with a pained sigh. "If I have to beg Thor to do so I will," he finished softly as he tucked the woman's head under his chin.

Heimdall stood, stunned into total immobility as a tear tracked down Loki's cheek. Odin must be told.

… …

"Well," Pepper said as she joined Tony in their oversized bed. "Dinner went a lot better tonight."

He snorted. "Yeah, you could say that. No one ended up on the floor whining."

"Oh, I don't know," she smiled. "Hogun and Fandral were doing a good job of whining over having their butts whipped in the game."

"True, but that was after dinner."

"Hmm. Tony, what's up with you and Loki? You two seem to be getting almost chummy."

Tony's face settled into uncharacteristically serious lines. "I wish I knew. No, scratch that…I guess I do know, it just kills me to admit it." He put down the glass of scotch he'd been nursing - there'd been only two all evening, much to her surprise. "When he's being reasonable, he's actually kind of, well, fun."

"Fun?" Her voice was incredulous. "The man who destroyed nearly six square blocks of New York City is fun?"

"Yeah, I know. There's something really wrong about all of that…not the fun part, the destroying the city part. Well, the 'why the hell did he destroy the city' part. I dunno, Pep. There's something else going on, I just can't figure it out. And it's not just me, I talked to big, bad and green about it. He doesn't think this Loki is an act either."

"He's the Norse god of Lies, Tony."

"I know, I know. But even Thor thought the whole invasion thing was totally out of character for Loki, and he's known him for over a thousand years. Something strange was going on with that and the closemouthed bastard isn't fessing up."

"I had been thinking his polite and charming act was just that…an act. Do-do you think he's really like that?" she asked.

Tony shrugged. "Yeah, Thor does that courtly thing, too. Seriously, he's probably dangerous as all hell, but so is Thor if you cross him. What really is getting to me is that Kara trusts him. Based on who she does and doesn't trust in S.H.I.E.L.D., I kind of have to go with that."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Tony, Kara is in love. That screws up any woman's ability to judge a man's character."

"She trusted him before she fell in love with him. Besides, Raj Nassar trusted him too. After the first two sessions he started shutting the door. There's no way Hogun or Fandral could have gotten in there before Loki killed him if that's what he wanted to do."

"Dr. Nassar isn't Kara, he doesn't…"

"He's an empath too, Pep. Nowhere near as strong as Kara, and he can't project it at all, but he can feel what people are feeling. I don't think Loki could fool him either."

Pepper slid down from her seat against the headboard. "What are we going to do about it?" she asked.

Tony grinned. "We wait, we watch, and if we can, we help. You on board with that?"

She shrugged. "I took a chance on a drunken reprobate, didn't I?"

"Ohh, low blow, but I deserve that." He slid down and ran a calloused hand over her shoulder and toyed with the ribbons that held her camisole pajama top closed. "I think you're overdressed," he murmured roguishly.

"Well, I'm sure an engineering genius can figure out how to rectify that problem." She grinned as he tugged at the ties and the top dropped down to reveal her breasts.

"So perfect," he muttered as he leaned in to flick one nipple with his tongue.

She smiled. "And here I thought you went for big-breasted women."

"Nah, that's only for the paparazzi. I think more than a mouthful is superfluous. Yours are just exactly right."

"When did you become such a sweet-talking romantic?" she wondered.

He stilled and looked up at her with a haunted expression. "When I was taking that nuke away from the city, I tried to call you. I…I wanted to tell you that I was sorry, that I was sorry I'd never get the chance to show you how much you meant to me, how much I loved you. I guess the connection didn't go through, I waited too long."

"Oh, Tony, you don't have to…"

"Yeah, I do, let me finish." He waited until she nodded. "I thought I was going to die, and I swore that if I got a second chance…though I guess this is actually my third chance, that I would be all the things to you that I should have been all along. I love you so damn much it scares the hell out of me. I know, you don't think you're all that hot or perfect or whatever. But you are perfect. You're perfect for me."

"Thank you, Tony," she murmured, stroking his cheek with a trembling hand. "I love you too."