Author's note: I'm fairly proud of this chapter, at least the first bit. Originally I didn't actually have the date scene, I just casually mentioned that they had gone to a restaurant in LA. Then at the last moment I realized "OMIGOSH the readers are gonna kill me for that!" and I typed up the whole thing in like five minutes. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. And, mirage22? Yes, Coulson was betting that Wendy and Bruce would end up together. Nice touch, no? You can thank my girlfriend for that one. :) So read, enjoy, review! I won't keep you any longer.

The date was… oh, who am I kidding. The date was amazing. Stark got ahold of a S.H.I.E.L.D helicopter to fly us both down to solid ground, which my feet hadn't touched in weeks, and we went to this classy restaurant in Los Angeles, up on the top floor of a high rise building.

"Wow. This is the first time In a long while I've been someplace this classy." I remember remarking to Bruce as I sat down.

"The same for me. Places like this tend to turn to rubble if I stay too long." I couldn't help it; I giggled.

"I'm sorry, it's not funny."

"No." He had said. "It's okay to laugh. That's one of the reasons I like you so much, Wendy. You're not afraid to talk about my... condition." I smiled. Things were going well!

"You realize it's kind of pathetic, right?" He looked at me questioningly. "For Stark to have to ask me out for you?" He smiled, sheepishly.

"He has a tendency to meddle, yes. In his defense, he's really only trying to look out for my best interests." I listened intently as he continued. "Up until about a year ago, when I was found by Natasha and dragged into this whole "Avengers" thing, I still believed that anyone I tried to get close to would meet an... unpleasant end."

"What was her name?" I asked. He looked surprised.

"What?"

"What was her name?" I repeated. He sighed.

"Her name was Betty." Of course. I'd heard talk about her. "We had a... complicated relationship. Eventually, my situation led to me having to cut all ties with her, erase myself from her life." He looked up at me and saw my sad smile. "B-but, don't think you're a replacement for her!" He said hurriedly. "You're nothing like her, believe me! She was soft, and sweet, and timid, and-"

"And I'm hardened and bitter?" I interrupted him. I watched with a kind of satisfaction as a flush began to spread across his cheeks. "Don't worry, Bruce. I'm used to it." He laughed nervously and looked up to see a waitress delivering our food.

"Grilled salmon for the gentleman, and spaghetti with meatballs for the lady." We thanked her, and she went on her way. Before digging into my spaghetti, I reached for the bottle of hot-sauce in the middle of the table and splashed a bunch on.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Bruce said, obviously amused as he tore off a piece of salmon with his fork.

"Nah, I like it spicy. It's a challenge." He chuckled.

"What about you?" He said.

"Hm?" I was a bit distracted as I tried to twirl my spaghetti up my fork Italian-style.

"You get to ask me about Betty, I get to ask you about your old flames. Who hurt you so bad?" I went quiet and set down my fork. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, no it's okay." I put my elbows on the table. "Her name was Marie." He looked surprised. "Well, her given name was Marie. She liked to be called Ailoura. Said it was Greek for "cat" or something like that. I really loved her, you know? We'd spend hours together up on the roof looking at the stars, imagining ourselves living in big, fancy mansions with butlers and Jacuzzis, instead of our shitty little low-rent apartments. But one day... we were walking in the city, and we got mugged. And I just went berserk on the guys. When I woke up... she was gone, and I was covered in blood, and she never came back." His eyes widened. "Oh, no no not like that." I said quickly. "I thought that at first too, that I'd… you know. But I saw her again a few weeks later, holding some guy's hand in the park."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." He finally said.

"Exactly; you didn't. And you don't get a free pass to spend the whole date moping around feeling sorry for me." I smiled as I waved the fork at him playfully. He smiled back, and dug a fork into his salmon, holding it out for me to try. I raised one eyebrow.

"Come on. I saw you watching it with covetous eyes."

"Oh, impressive vocab." I said sarcastically. I stuck my mouth over the fork and took the morsel. It was good; really good. You get what you pay for, right? "Now you." I stabbed a meatball and held it out for him. Let's just say, my tolerance for spice is a great deal higher than his. Other than that, though, and all the depressing relationship talk, the date went great! I'm actually kind of surprised we didn't wake up in bed together. But no, I woke up in my own room, on my own palette bed, staring at my own grey ceiling. Today was the day. Fury wanted me to take a helicopter to their "neutral meeting area" to negotiate with their mystery man. I didn't understand why he didn't just tell me who I was dealing with, but I'd do anything to be able to bring my radio and my CD collection back home. Yeah, I have a CD collection. So I can't afford an iPod, so sue me.

Sitting in the helicopter on the way there, Phil, who was escorting me, looked worried. He was twiddling his thumbs and sweating a bit, asking me every five seconds if I was alright.

"Are you sure you don't want to just stay in the helicopter?" I asked skeptically.

"No." He said. "It's my duty to protect you, Miss Trescott." I shrugged. "So. How did your night with Banner go?" I turned to face him, surprised.

"Why would you want to know that?"

"I'm curious. All of us are, actually."

"If you've really gotta know, it went great. I noticed you guys were betting on us, huh?"

"That's right." He smiled. "So far I've collected forty-five dollars from Fury, ten from Barton, fifty from Romanov, and Stark still owes me ten million." I snorted.

"You were really optimistic about us, huh?"

"What can I say? I think you work well together." I smiled and turned back to the window. As it turns out, the "neutral meeting area" was a vast expanse in what looked like the Arizona desert. That wasn't a good sign; this was a good place to set off a bomb without anyone getting hurt, save for the test subjects. Us.

"What're you trying to pull?" I said angrily to Phil, who was climbing out of the helicopter. "What is this, a bomb range? You planning on blowing me up, is that it?"

"No, no! You've got the wrong idea! It's just that-"

"You rang?" A voice came from behind us. I turned around. A man was standing there. He had black hair, and green eyes. He held a gold staff, and he was wearing gold armor, a green cape, and a gold helmet with… oh god. The man had gold effing horns sticking out of his helmet.

"You the guy we're supposed to meet?" I said boldly. Phil's eye's widened with fear.

"Wendy!" He said under his breath. "He's Loki! The god Loki!" I turned to face the guy, looking him over. Oh shit.

"Loki, stop scaring the poor things." Another voice came from behind him. I don't know how I didn't notice her before; a blonde chick with a British accent was now standing beside Loki. She was an odd sight in contrast to his green and gold finery, in a sweatjacket, jeans and sneakers.

"Oh, but it's so much fun, Rose." Loki said, smirking. Rose raised one eyebrow at him and stared him down until he looked away. "Fine, fine. Negotiations, correct?"

"That's right." I said, striking my bravest stance. "Fury wants you in the Avengers."

"Ha!" He laughed. "And why would I join your petty organization, considering what you did to me last time we met?" I paused. Why would he join up?

"Loki, you should do it." Rose said. I let go of the breath I was mentally holding.

"What? Why?" Loki asked, bewildered.

"Because it would be good for you! Helping people for a change, using your powers for good!"

"Rose, dear, they're my mortal enemies!"

"And what did you do to them last time you met?" He was speechless. Somehow this woman, who was at least nine inches shorter and a whole lot more human than the god who stood before them, was completely manipulating him. One word; respect.

"Rose, please don't make me do this." Loki said with a pained expression.

"I won't make you." She whispered in his ear as she caressed the side of his face with her painted nails. "But if you do this for me, not for S.H.I.E.L.D, it could come back to you in a good way, yeah?" A pleased smirk spread across Loki's face.

"Very well, my dear Rose." He looked at us, clearly unamused. "We'll be taking our leave now." He said.

"Uh, wait." Phil said. "You'll need this." He crossed the distance between them to hand Loki a S.H.I.E.L.D issue buzzer, just like the one I carry. Loki took it grudgingly, eyeing Phil critically.

"Ah; agent Coulson. The last time we met, you were not in the best of states." There was a brief stare-off, until Loki finally broke the silence. "Forgive and forget, yes?" Then he left. Not walked away; he just sort of teleported out. I turned to Phil. He looked at me. I couldn't help it.

"Wpsh!" I made a whipping motion with my hand. He chuckled, which was the most I'd ever gotten out of him. And on the ride home, I made up a nice little song in my head;

I'm gonna get my CDs back, I'm gonna get my CDs back!

Repeat ad infinitum.

Author's note: Yeah, yeah I know... "Roski? What were you thinking!" Well, personally, I can't see Loki with anyone other than Rose. They're my favorite pairing! (Other than Science Boyfriends. And Frost Iron. Don't worry, there's none of that here.)