Loki opened his eyes the next morning to see Ava laying in his arms, her head resting on his chest, eyes closed in a peaceful sleep. The rising sun gave her a glow that made her appear as if she were sent from the heavens. Loki smiled as he gazed at his sleeping beauty, her warm pale flesh resting against his cool azure Jotun flesh. Her hair was a tangled mess from their love making the previous night and tickled his skin.

As he lay there, gazing lovingly at his Ava, Loki couldn't help but to think back to last night. Loki had been fantasizing about the moment when they would finally make love and it had turned out to be even better than he had imagined. That was one of the greatest nights of my life. He thought and gently kissed her forehead. It was then that Loki began to wonder what Ava would think when she woke up. I hope that she feels the same way. A fear then gripped his heart. What if she regrets last night…what if she regrets making love?

"Loki." Ava mumbled in her sleep. She snuggled closer to him and a few moments later, her eyes fluttered open. She smiled up at him. "So, last night wasn't just a wonderful dream."

"So, you don't regret last night?" Loki inquired.

"No." Ava answered, wrinkling her brow in confusion. "Why would you think that?"

"I…I just…I thought you might." Loki answered with a shrug.

Ava stretched up and kissed him gently on the lips. "I regret nothing, Loki. I love you." She then wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself as close as possible. She pressed her forehead against his and grinned at him. "I enjoyed every bit of last night and being so close to you."

Loki grinned back as he slid his hand down her side, along her outer thigh and then hooked his hand behind her knee. He lifted her leg up and brought it over his hip and slid inside her, causing her to gasp and a soft moan to escape her lips. He kissed her softly on the lips. "You have no idea how glad it makes me to hear you say that…and I love you, too."

They laid there like that for a few moments, enjoying the closeness. Ava felt whole and complete, lying there with Loki, connected on every level. Loki began to placed gentle kisses on Ava's cheeks and neck, when there was a knock on the door. "Ava, sweetheart, open up." Her mother called from the other side.

"Just a minute, Mother." Ava called, doing her best to keep from sounding as panicked as she felt.

"Are you alright, Ava?" Frigga asked, able to tell that her daughter didn't sound quite right.

"I'm fine." Ava answered. "I'm just not decent at the moment." She and Loki then reluctantly released their embrace and Loki pulled out of her. This made them both suddenly feel incomplete. Ava rushed to her wardrobe and pulled out her robe and hurriedly threw it on. Loki used magic to get his clothes off of the floor. He gave Ava a quick kiss.

"I'll see you again, tonight my love." He whispered just before making himself disappear.

Ava used her magic to straighten up her bed before unlocking the door and allowing her mother's entrance. Frigga looked at her daughter. "Your hair is a mess…and are you just wearing your robe?"

Ava internally scolded herself for not using her magic to make her hair look presentable. "I just had a fitful night of sleep and I was getting ready to take a bath."

Frigga looked at Ava a moment, not sure if she should believe what her daughter was saying or not. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Ava answered.

Frigga walked closer to Ava and put her hand on her forehead. "Your fever is gone…still you should probably take it easy today."

Ava thought about protesting and insisting she was fine, but then thought better of it. "Okay, Mother. I'll take it easy."

Frigga smiled and kissed her forehead. "Now, why don't you sit down and I'll help you brush out those tangles."

Ava walked over to her vanity and sat down. Frigga stood behind her and grabbed her hair brush. She then began to brush Ava's hair, getting out all of the tangles and knots. "I remember when you were little, brushing out your hair for you. It always seemed to help you when you weren't feeling well or were having a bad day."

Ava smiled fondly at the memory. "It still does."

Frigga smiled. "Sometimes I can't believe how quickly you have grown. You're a beautiful young woman and not my little girl anymore."

Ava smiled. "I'll always be your little girl."

Frigga kissed the top of Ava's head. "That you always will be…even though you are grown." She then finished brushing out Ava's hair. "Why don't you go take your bath and I'll go and get your breakfast and bring it to you. I think some broth and crackers would be good for you."

"Yes, Mother." Ava agreed. She then got up and went to her bathing chambers. She filled the tub with warm water and removed her robe. She hopped in the tub and began to wash her body. She paid special attention to her thighs which were covered in the evidence of her love-making with Loki the night before. She was glad that her robe had been able to conceal it while she was conversing with her mother.

Ava finished scrubbing her body and then washed her hair. Once she was finished, she relaxed into the warm water. She let out a sigh of contentment as she laid back. She closed her eyes and thought back to the previous night. A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine as she recalled how the amazing the contrast between her heated flesh and Loki's cold Jotun flesh had felt. She thought about how sweet and tender he had been with her when the pain of losing her virginity had hit. How he had lovingly caressed her and yet so boldly claimed her and branded her with his touch.

She thought about how once the pain had gone, the pleasure took over…the blinding pleasure. A smiled curled her lips as she thought about her first night with Loki. She hoped it would be the first of many a passionate nights that they would have together. She then thought about how they had fallen asleep, no blankets or clothes between them, just his skin on hers. She thought about waking up with him not that long ago and how wonderful it had been, especially when he pulled her close and slipped in and just laid there like that. It was just so intimate and loving.

Ava allowed herself to linger in the tub with her thoughts of Loki for a few moments longer before draining the water and climbing out. She dried herself and wrapped back up in her robe. She walked out of her bathing chambers and into her room, where her mother was waiting for her with her breakfast. Ava spent the rest of the day, allowing her mother to believe she was "still ill" and letting her take care of her. Of course when the sun set, Ava insisted that her mother leave her to go and get some rest.

As soon as Frigga was gone from Ava's chambers, Loki was wrapping his arms around Ava and pulling her in for a kiss. "Hello my love."