There was no way around it. She was a silly, silly girl. Gah! She was so ashamed! One day she was in the embrace of the man whom she had loved her whole life, and then, the next thing she knew, she was kissing his brother! Another Prince!

Jane was beside herself. She was beyond humiliated. She could never face Loki again…no matter what he said to her. She knew that he despised her…

Even though he was the one who initiated it.

She paused as she scrubbed the dishes. Yes. He was the one who initiated it. She had no call to be embarrassed! Only she was. Dreadfully so.

Jane had wanted to kiss him…she had felt the tug of kind…and she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit it. There was something about him that made her feel…alive.

And as she sat with her tea, she couldn't help but note that she did not feel that way with Thor. It wasn't the same.

Perhaps she had been a touch disappointed in the way in which he had been with her…eager for an embrace, but little else. Perhaps she had misunderstood everything she had witnessed when she was young. That certainly was possible.

She rubbed her face. How could she be so silly? She thought of herself as nothing less than brighter than her peers. She could be snobby and stubborn about it. And what did that tell her about herself?

That she was a fool.

And then, to add insult to injury, tears formed in her eyes.

She had enough. She was going to go to bed and in the morning, everything would be better.

The morning light was dull in the palace. It usually was…

And Loki was grooming himself.

He was thinking about what Odin had said, and that time was running out. He had thought that he made a good snout impression on Jane, and that his motives toward her must be clear enough. She should realize by now that he was interested in her in a romantic capacity.

Though he wasn't certain that she thought him in love with her, nor was he certain that she was in love with him.

Perhaps he should play it cool…give her just an inkling of his design, but then, he was never one to "play it cool," as it were.

He was through wooing her. It was time to make this happen.

He went over to his desk and retrieved paper and a pen.

Dearest Jane,

You cannot imagine how wretched I am this morning…I had behaved rashly, I know. Perhaps it was fortuitous, for last night, whilst I attempted to gain some reprieve, I could not rest. I laid awake all night wondering if I had offended you…

But something more happened. Something quite unexpected…

Jane, I think you know what I must tell you.

I think you've known for some time that my heart is yours.

I had not counted on this happening, but there it is. You love my brother, and I love you.

I'm not certain where this leaves us, though it is likely that it leaves "us" no where, as there is no "us." How could I ever compete with Thor.

And I do not deserve you. I know that you know this…

I shall call on you this evening, and you may dismiss me as you see fit.

Yours,

Loki

Perhaps he was moving fast in declaring his heart to her, but Thor would be home, and he needed to do this beforehand.

He sat back and smiled.

Soon he would be gone from this place.

No more Odin. No more Thor. No more silly comparisons, expectations, strictures or loneliness.

His gaze fell…

No more Jane Foster.

It was better, he thought, this way. He needed to leave, and Jane would be fine. There were plenty of Aesir men who would suit her much better than either he or Thor. She would learn to see this in time.

Would she suffer? He did not know. He was unsure whether he had secured her affection. It was impossible to tell in so short a time.

But a part of him was sorry for it. He had no desire now to hurt her…she was simply the victim of circumstance.

Not unlike himself.

And he sighed, closed his eyes, and sealed the letter.

Jane had had a restless sleep. She had woken several times wondering what in the name of Odin had happened. She was in love with Thor. With Thor…not Loki.

And now she was wondering whether or not she was merely trying to convince herself…or that, indeed, if she really was in love with Thor…ever had been.

She got up quite early, for it was useless to continue to attempt to sleep. She crept downstairs and put the kettle on.

The morning was lovely. Dew glimmered on the tree leaves just outside of her window…the sunrise was slow, and orange light folded itself in from the window.

She shivered and pulled her wrap closer…

…it was then that she heard something outside of her door.

Someone was there…

She went and opened the door, only to find Loki there, holding a letter.

She swallowed. "Good morning."

He nodded, and then snapped out of the trance, "Jane, I…" he handed her the letter. "Brought this for you to read."

She took it, never leaving his face.

But he was less brave, and his eyes fell with his hand after he gave her the letter. "I hope that we are still friends."

Her hands were trembling. "Where are you off to now?"

"Ah…" he looked around. "No where in particular," and he looked at her and smiled…(he could almost believe that this wasn't an act…).

"Then allow me to accompany you," and she stepped out onto the doorstep and closed the door behind her.

"But you'll catch cold, and you haven't any shoes," he protested. He was not keen on spending time alone with her just yet.

"I don't mind," and she began to walk.

He sighed, but followed behind her. Part of him was grateful that he only needed to put this charade on for a few more days. Once Thor got home and saw that Jane was in love with him he would abandon it and get on to the business of the Elfish wedding.

There was some relief in that…he could get on with his own business of moving on from Asgard.

"What do you want, Loki?"

"Pardon?" the grass was high in this area, and he plucked a bloom from the floor.

"What do you want?" she turned and walked backwards so she could see his face.

He laughed. "Many things."

"But what do you want more than anything?" she stopped.

He handed her the flower. "I suppose I want the respect of my father. But I also want to leave Asgard."

"You want to leave…?"

"Yes. I am done with the place, Jane. No one understands me here, nor does anyone wish to try."

Jane looked at him steadily. "I do," she whispered, and dropped her gaze, twirling the flower in her fingers.

He chuckled a bit, then went to her, and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "You are the only one who does, Jane Foster."

She pulled away and stepped out of the embrace. "I'm so confused, Loki."

His heart was beating fast and hard…he willed for it to slow, but to no avail. "Why?"

"Because I've loved Thor my whole life…" she walked away from him. "But now…now I'm beginning to think that I was in love with the idea of him, and not him at all."

"What makes you say this?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

She turned toward him. "You."

Loki swallowed, and his eyes found the floor. "How can I have…?"

"I'm not confessing anything to you. I just don't know what to think or what to do. I have always been so sure of myself and what I wanted. And now…"

"What do you want, Jane?" and he looked at her.

And now she laughed. "I have no idea."

"Nor do I."

"Well, we are a sorry sort, then," and she looked to the sky. "It's still barely sunrise."

"Thor is coming home on Sunday," he stated without emotion. It seemed just as stale an observation as the sun not yet having fully risen.

Jane looked at him and nodded. "He will have forgotten all about me. He will be in the arms of the Princess, and I will be here, barefoot in the garden. Stinking of horse," she laughed, but a few tears had escaped during her speech.

"No you won't."

She swallowed. "No?" and she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"No," he walked over to her. "You shall be my special guest for the dinner when he returns, and you shall sit next to me at the main table, and we shall dance. And Thor can have his Princess. I shall have the most beautiful Lady in the Tree next to me."

"That's very kind of you, but I don't think…"

"I didn't mean for it to be kind, Jane. I meant for it to be sincere.," and for the first time, he was. "We have a few days before he arrives. You can have a gown tailored, and I'll introduce you to the Queen."

"To Queen Frigga?" she was shocked.

"Yes. Though it won't be a grand affair, she will want to meet the guests beforehand. There should be but a few," he smiled, and took her hands. "Your hands are cold."

She didn't answer.

He applied some pressure, and they warmed from the magic. "Thank you," she said softly. "For everything."

"My pleasure. Shall we go back?"

Jane nodded.

He dropped her right hand, holding onto her left, and they walked back toward the stables.

"Where will you go?" she asked after a minute.

"Hm?"

"You said that you wanted to leave. Where will you go?"

"I have no fixed plans."

She looked at him and smiled. "Now that I don't believe. You are someone who always knows exactly what he is doing, what he will do…so…? Where will you go?"

"You have a strong opinion on this matter, Jane. What leads you to this conclusion?"

"Call it observation."

"Your interactions with me has led you to believe that everything I do has a purpose?'

"No," she smiled. "But something as big as that does."

"Hm…well…to be perfectly honest, I hadn't really thought about it," (this was marginally true. He had but an inkling). "I suppose I was waiting for inspiration to strike," (this was certainly true).

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"Of course."

She sighed. "Alfheim is wonderful. There is almost constant light, and song…and wonder. The place brims with magic, so I think that you will fit in nicely there. It is a place of knowledge and dance, and I think that everyone should live there for a short while."

He looked at her. "Well, since you put it that way…"

"Oh, Loki! You will love it there!" she beamed.

"And you think that I can navigate it alone?"

"I'm sure that you can. You'd need to go alone no matter where you went, right? But you are an accomplished sorcerer, and they would certainly welcome you."

"I am fairly sure that no one would welcome me, Jane. I have a bit of a reputation, you know," he smirked.

"Do you?" she laughed. But then she looked at him. "What for?" she asked seriously.

"Oh, the usual. Luring young ladies into the pale moonlight, dancing with them, winning their affections, and then slitting their throats."

She stopped. "I…" and she took her hand from his.

A shadow passed along his visage as he turned toward her, but then he smiled, then laughed. "Come Jane. You are gullible!"

"You were joking with me," she swatted his arm.

"Of course I was. What do you take me for?"

"But then you have no reputation that I should be aware of?"

"Oh, I didn't say that. I do, indeed, have a reputation. But you should remain decidedly unaware of it."

"You're a scoundrel," she replied.

"Yes, that's pretty much what the reputation says also."

They reached the house and she turned toward him. "Well…should I come up to the palace later to be fitted?"

"No. I'll send someone," he took her hand and kissed it. "Until later," he bowed and left her there.

….and Jane smiled and went inside.

"Loki was here early."

"Yes. We went for a walk," she poured herself some tea.

"I had to turn the kettle off, Jane. You left it on."

"Oh! I am sorry," she smiled.

"What did he want?"

"He…" and then she remembered. The letter was in the pocket of her wrap.

And Loki had forgotten all about it.