I'm back again! And you all should know that the story is very slowly coming tot he end! I think there will be maximum 5 chapters before we end and I have never been so excided about ending liek this! A lot will happen in next chapters, so be ready! And another thing, I love every each and one of you who read this. I really, really appreciate the time you spend on me and it makes me love writing more and more. Thank you so much.

So, enjoy again, hopefully see you soon :)

Let me know if there are some spelling or grammar mistakes.

I own nothing but my OC and plot.

XXIII

Meeting someone in the park at twilight always seemed to Leo as something criminals do. He was an educated man, born into a good family, raised as a soldier and taught from the early age what is bad and what is good. All his friends in school had a rebellious phase, did all these little crimes that were considered normal at their age like stealing goods from shops or vandalism. But not him. He chose to be a good person. Leo believed that world was black and white and colour grey is only an excuse for all the crimes a person commits during their life. That was how he lost most of his childhood friends - by being too moral and putting some of them behind the bars, because that was the right thing to do.

Despite all this, he never chose his father's path and never became a real soldier. For that, he would have to go through years of training, physical torture that some call exercise and over all, he would have to learn how to fight and how to kill. For too long he watched his mother cry while father was somewhere dangerous, fighting and they were dying of fear. Too many times Tony came back bloody and weak and little Leo was afraid that he would loose his brave father. However selfish a person could be, putting the loved ones in danger and endangering himself was the worst sin Leo could think of.

That was why instead of becoming a Guardian, Leo decided to stay in the shadows. He never had to fight yet he won important battles of his own. Words were his weapon. Although Leo was still a young man, the name of his father and his own past spoke for him. It was a known secret Leo had no problem with betraying friends if it was the right thing to do. Saying the right word at the right time to the right ear and then wait and watch. Most of the time he asked around about crimes and then with the right information his father could send men to arrest whoever needed to be arrested. It was safe and Leo learned a lot about man's behaviour and politics during few past years. Yet he believed being a little spider for the Guardians was not his destiny. He aimed higher. Much higher.

This could not be done officially though. Hell, this wasn't even an official business. It was personal. Too personal for Leo, but then again, he has never been in a position like this. He cared for this woman too much and didn't like the way that Felix man was looking at her. There was something strange about him and not in a good way.

As soon as he saw the man he was supposed to meet, he stood up and started walking away. The man took the hint and joined him after a few meters. He was dressed in clean, comfortable clothes, but his posture still showed he was a soldier to the bone. As well as a few knives resting at his belt.

"Thank you for coming." Leo said with a polite smile. "Father told me you would not reject my invitation."

"Of course, of course." Aaron said in a low voice. "But what is it that Tony's son wants of me?"

"Directly to the point, as you wish." Leo smiled. His father told him about one Guardian who introduced him to Milla weeks ago. He, Aaron, was supposed to have a very good and longlasting relationship with Milla. Tony said Aaron wanted to marry her once, but she refused, therefore he decided to become her personal informer so he could still look out for her. That made Leo not trust Aaron completely, but now he had no other choice. "It is about Milla."

"Is something wrong?" immediate concern in his voice made Leo frown.

"I very much hope not. But to be sure, I need your help." He looked at him, waiting for curiosity to show. Instead he saw only concern. It was easy to read emotions from peoples' faces. It was like reading a story from a book, if you know where to look.

"I don't understand." Was his reply. Leo sighed.

"I believe you know a man named Felix?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"What can you tell me about him?"

"As far as I know, he was Milla's guard for a while and then joined Guardians for a few weeks to help bring down a criminal mastermind. A good man."

"Why did he leave then?"

"I don't know. Milla told me to look after him while he was here and do not ask when he disappears. I did as I was told." Aaron put his hand over one of the knives, clearly feeling uncomfortable answering kid's questions like a common soldier. "Do you think he could be a danger to her?"

Leo was impressed by how fast he put it all together. "He showed at her doorstep a few days ago all bloody and beaten. I am afraid of Milla."

Aaron started laughing until he saw how cold look Leo gave him. It was insane. "He would never hurt her. I don't know where he had been, but I know he had always been short-tempered. Felix could get to a street fight very easily. And then, Milla can defend herself very well, if your theory is right but I don't think so."

Leo knew Milla can defend herself. Some people were saying Milla wasn't a good person. That she hurt and killed people for her own good. He didn't believe that. In his mind, Milla was similar to him. She did what she had to for the greater good and for him, that wsa more important than even a life sometimes. But still, Felix was living with her, sleeping under her roof and it takes only a moment to slit someone's throat while he is asleep.

"Did you know he is an Asgardian?" Leo ignored his laugh. This was not funny.

"No." Aaron admitted. "Does that change anything?"

"I think he is hiding something. I don't know what, but there is something about him that I do not like. I want to protect her."

Aaron looked at him, not fully convinced. He spent some time with Felix. That man loved Milla so much it was insane to think he could ever hurt her. "What are you asking me to do?"

"I want you to find out who he really is and what he really wants. Whatever you need for that, just ask me. I want to make sure Milla will be safe at all times." It sounded almost like a command from his father's lips. Aaron stopped in the middle of the road and looked him straight into his eyes.

"I will do it since you asked so nicely," he smiled, irony screaming from his face. "But I am warning you. If she finds out, she will be furious and you do not want to see her furious." It was obvious this kid liked Milla and was blinded by the jealousy. Of course Felix will not hurt her, not physically at least. But to make everyone happy, he will find out who he really was, even though if Leo was right and Felix was Asgardian, it would be harder.

"She won't find out." Leo nodded, satisfied by the result of this meeting. "And one more thing. Milla wants him coming back to be a secret. No one can know."

Aaron nodded, happy it was over. If there was something wrong about someone, it would be Leo. Aaron didn't like the look in his eyes. "Give her a kiss from me and buy Felix a drink. I owe him that much."

Milla closed the door behind her expecting some peace at last. At the same moment she took off her high heel shoes and slowly walked to the living room. She heard some voices from the dinning table but she was tired enough to not look over and find out if she knew those people. As soon as she sat on the couch, she closed her eyes.

"How was the dinner?" Johnatan asked with a laugh in his voice.

"The company was annoying, the conversation was boring, the food average and prices insanely high. It was not worth killing my feet."

"What was it for again?" Emma appeared from behind her with fresh orange juice and put it in front of Milla.

"A loan. They wanted to impress me with their vision and creativity and show me how everyone, not only them will profit from my money. Like I care." She stood up and went to sit next to them. She would have fallen asleep if she stayed on that soft place. "As long as the money comes back with some interest, I really don't give a damn how they use them."

"Someone's in a biting mood." Johnatan winked at him and she gave him the sweetest poisonous smile she could manage.

"You would be too if you had to smile at disgusting old men and praise everything that came out from their mouth for two hours."

"You could have said something?"

"No. And you know why?" she stood up again and went o get a glass of whiskey. "Because I am a nice person."

"No, you are not." Emma shook her head. Oddly, she said nothing about a little too much alcohol in Milla's glass.

"No, I'm not." She nodded. "But they think I am. And I will use it as an advantage when the money doesn't come back."

"They will give you extra interest when they find out how terrifying you can be." A voice from the staircase joined in. All three heads turned to watch Loki slowly walking down the stairs with a grin of pain on his face.

"Felix! You can't be serious! Go back to bed, you will injure yourself!" Emma was horrified by the image in front of her and was willing to stand up and help him. Milla took her by the sleeve and shook her head before it even happened.

"A little walk won't kill me Emma." He muttered.

"No, but a fall from that staircase might." Milla said in a low voice. Loki stopped and found her looking directly at him. He grinned.

"Is that a threat, my lady?"

"Answering that would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it?" To everybody's surprise they sounded like the whole half a year never happened.

"True," he nodded. Again, he took a few steps down the stairs and then walked as fast as he could to the nearest armchair. Milla watched him carefully, still holding Emma from helping him. Johnatan didn't move either after he saw that Milla forbid it to his fiancé. Despite that, Milla was holding her chair with the other hand, preventing herself to go and support him.

"You okay, buddy?" Johnatan asked after Loki finally sat down. He was catching his breath and holding his chest and was visibly in pain. But there was no danger of falling so Milla let go of Emma and leaned back. Loki slowly turned around to see them and nodded.

"Yes, just lacking the exercise."

"Would you like something to eat or drink Felix?" Emma went to sit on a couch opposite. Loki shook his head and Emma frowned. He wasn't eating much and that worried her. She didn't tell Milla though. She was upset and worried enough.

"Come one sweetie, let the man enjoy the evening. You take care of him better than me, I might be jealous." Johnatan walked behind Emma and kissed her on the cheek. Emma flushed almost immediately.

"You have nothing to be jealous about." She took his hand as he sat next to her.

Loki looked from him to her until Emma showed him the engagement ring on her left finger. Astonishment replaced the confusion and then he smiled widely. It was probably his first honest smile in months. He was hardly ever happy for other people but these two certainly deserved it.

"Congratulations!" he said immediately, reaching for them. Emma stood up and let him kiss her on the cheek and he shook Johnatan's hand. "Finally."

"What?" Emma raised her eyebrow. "You too?"

"Of course, I am not blind. Actually, I made a bet with Milla that..." he stopped in the middle of the sentence remembering she was sitting in the shadows, watching them and sipping her whiskey.

"I said you would get together in two months tops, he said four." Milla said clearly in a low voice and all faces turned to her. The bet was made during a late night conversation between lazy bites of freshly baked muffins and intense argument about the need of Loki's helmet. She found Loki's eyes. "I think you won. It was three after you ran away so that gives us fifteen weeks."

"Something tells me I won't get my price." He responded with a playful smile that didn't reach his eyes. The winner would fulfil every request the other one would have, without questions.

"No." She shook her head. Milla wanted to say more, that he lost that privilege when he left her, or that she can't do whatever he wanted when he didn't even know what he wanted. She would have if they were alone, but this was awkward enough for Emma and John and she didn't want to make it worse. "The wedding is off though, thanks to you." That was the addition she chose.

"Not only because of you." Emma said instantly. "There is too much stress generally and we talked about it and..."

"You don't need to explain anything, Emma. It is your wedding. Do as you choose."

"So," Johnatan decided to break the tension. "Shall we drink to this? The wedding, you being alive, Milla being alive?"

"Of course," was Milla's answer and a drink appeared in front of everyone. "However, alcohol makes blood thinner, be careful." She addressed it to Loki. He nodded and they all drank after Johnatan said some kind of a toast.

Loki was aware that Milla was watching him more closely than two other people in the room. And other thing that was obvious to him was that although she was being distant, she still took care of him. However angry she was, her talking to him in any way was still a progress. And the fact that she mentioned something they did together, made him remember some good night and days, for that he could not lover her more at that moment.

"Guys, could you please give me and Felix a minute alone?" Milla surprised all of them with one simple request. Very fast, they both muttered something in agreement and went to their room as fast as possible. Loki was still sitting in his couch and Milla on her chair. She was not noticing him this time, only looking at her glass and occasionally, sipping the liquid.

Loki drank all that was left in the glass and very slowly with an enormous amount of pain he stood up and walked to the table where Milla sat. He knew her well enough to guess that was what she wanted. Yes, he spent a lot of time trying to forget her, to forget the way she smiled when she remembered something funny, the way she bit her lips while she was thinking or the way she was frowning when she was reading. He did all he could to forget the way she was pronouncing some words, the way she looked at people who made her angry or made her happy. And most of all, he wished to forget the feelings inside his chest whenever she was around. But all the effort seemed pointless the second he saw her for it all came back like he never left her.

He sat down in front of her and waited. Honestly, he was a little afraid of what she had to say. It was probably important if she wanted to be alone with him for it. Long time ago Loki learned that wishes hardly ever come true and whatever you expect or hope for will not be what you will get. So if he hoped she would say for example that she forgives him or that she wants him gone, he didn't dare to admit it.

"I asked you to promise to stay." Milla said. Loki took a deep breath and was relieved when he felt the pain this time. It was more pleasant than whatever was expecting him. "But you never did."

It was a statement. She was not asking him why or if he promised. But she was right. He said he won't. He won't promise. "I couldn't." He whispered.

Milla shook her head. "You made me feel like I changed your mind but you had no intension of listening to me."

What could he say? That he could not resist? That he was stupid? Or should he make her angry and tell her it was her fault for some reason? "It was a mistake."

Milla coldly laughed. "Good. It is good to know I was a mistake. Thank you."

"You are not a mistake. I am. An error in system. And I drag everyone to the deep pits of hell with me. I had to leave."

"No. No, you did not have to. No one was forcing you. I offered you help, Loki, and a lot more than that, I offered you home and safety. You threw it away without a goodbye or explanation and I deserve at least that." She was speaking calmly and softly, but he saw how tensed her muscles were and she was squeezing the glass too hard. "So I am asking now. Why? Did you miss the crown here? Did you not feel important enough? Would you regret every minute spent here if you stayed? With me? Why?" With every question she sounded a little more infuriated.

She leaned against the table, waiting for the answer. Loki was not looking at her. She was sitting right there, a few inches from him and yet it felt like she was worlds apart. He could not think straight. Did she just suggested that she wanted him with her? What if she loved him? Even if she did, that was a long time ago. Now, she had Leo and Loki was...he was irrelevant.

"I," he started and then looked at her and was surprised to see such a soft expression in her eyes. He expected anger or tears or something negative. He couldn't lie. Not to her, not now. "I would have always wondered if I stayed. I wanted the best for me. For you. I wanted to give you a kingdom." He looked down, disgusted with himself. Yes, he could have that all but at what cost? "I told you I am a mistake. I didn't want to get hurt so I walked away before it was too late."

For some long minutes, they were both quiet. Not looking at each other, almost not breathing. Milla broke it. "I don't want a kingdom. I told you I would not be a good queen."

"It doesn't matter. It happened. And it was a bad decision. Another one." He said louder than before. "Another one of my regrets."

"Yes." She agreed. "Will you stay now?"

That one question was the last thing Loki expected to hear from her. Immediately, he looked up at her, something close to hope in his eyes, but mostly amazement and confusion. "Do you want me to stay, my lady?" His hands were trembling, but the voice was firm. Milla noticed that.

"Loki, you are a criminal, wanted in all nine realms. God knows what you did on Midgard, how many you killed to do whatever stupidity you wanted to and no, I don't want to know anything about that. You betrayed Jotuns and you betrayed Odin, you disappointed me." Maybe it was alcohol, maybe she was just doing what she wanted. She couldn't be cool to him right now. Milla reached for his hand and held it lightly. Loki was watching his trembling fingers being covered by hers. "But I want you to live." She added in a whisper.

"How could I stay? I should not be here. There is nothing for me here. You don't need me." Loki had never let his guard down like this. His lips were trembling, he was pale and weak, he was saying everything that came to his mind without any filter. He was vulnerable.

"Safety. If you ask, I will do whatever is in my power to keep you safe." It sounded only like a proposal she gave every one of her clients. But she could not beg him to stay and show him it would destroy her if she had to see him walk away again. She needed him more than he thought.

"You made clear you have not stopped living because of me. I can't be in your life." Loki paused. What he wanted to say was she couldn't be in his life again. So he looked somewhere behind her and continued. "You have Leo." That last sentence was said in a dry and very cold tone. Milla let go of his hand instantly.

"What about him? He is not your concern." and she was back to cold talking. A few moments of complete honesty and kindness were gone with only one name.

"He loves you. He will do whatever he can to get me out." Loki could say that he didn't like the was Leo was looking at Milla. Or that he was jealous and there is no other reason he didn't like him. "He belongs to your life now."

"Nobody said I love him. And even if I did, he has no right to tell me who I let in my life."

"Then tell me one last thing. Honestly." He waited. His hand felt cold. Milla nodded and he continued. "What is he to you?"

Milla sighed and then laughed. A tricky question indeed. What was he to her? Milla always felt safer when he was around, better, she smiled more and everything in her was at peace. She also liked the way he was talking. But at the same time, most of the time she had to force herself to see him, sometimes she zoomed out and didn't listen to a thing he was saying and when he kissed her she didn't feel like she would let him do whatever he wanted because she was his. She then looked at Loki. "He is my light in the dark."

Loki clenched his jaw. "What am I then?"

This time, she answered without hesitation. "You, darling, are my personal darkness."