Internet's back! Yeah! In my defense I did manage to put an explanation on tumblr, I don't know if any of you guys saw it... also I should probably warn you that this is a filler... sorry. Thanks as always to AlisonAPD and Moriarty-assbutt for their reviews, (^_^)

Chapter 11

"It wasn't a secretary was it?"

Loki stopped short at Tony's random and terrifying quip as they looked at jewellery for his Lady Pepper.

"What are you talking about?" He said disinterestedly as he admired a necklace in one of the glass cases.

"Your lady friend from last week. See, I've done some research and have discovered you couldn't have, at any point, interacted with one of my secretaries."

"Is that so?" Loki said, with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"Yup. And also I was talking to Thor, and he said that you like to hang out with them for a bit, before… doing the do." Tony said bending over a set of earrings, peering at them over his sunglasses.

"Thor said that?"

"Well, his actual words were something like 'my brother, he likes the thrill of the chase… it would not be like him to take a lady at random.'" Tony finished with a bad impression of Thor's booming voice, earning him some strange looks from the other shoppers.

"Well if it wasn't an employee of yours, who was it?" Loki asked, beginning to become confident that Stark didn't really know what he was talking about… as per usual.

"Now, we get to the fun bit," he said with a grin

"Option number one: Pepper. Not likely, seeing as she was in my room when I left. Of course you could have zapped her to you, but daddy Odin took your powers away didn't he? So not Pepper."

Loki shook his head. "Not Pepper. Go on."

Tony nodded. "Option number two: Maria Hill. She was on the baby sitting roster once or twice so you would have had a chance to talk to her. But I doubt it- she's pretty incorruptible. Also she's sweet on the good Captain. So not Hill."

Loki laughed. "Fury's right hand woman? I think not. I'm trying to redeem myself remember?"

"There's one more option, and I'm pretty sure I'm right." Tony warned. Sensing danger Loki waved him off.

"I've lost interest, metal man. Try again some other time." He said quickly marching out of the room. But Starks next sentence caught his attention.

"It was Red, wasn't it?"

Loki took a deep breath before turning back.

"Red?" He asked calmly.

"You know. Black Widow, the spider, our very own Natasha Romanoff?"

Loki looked at him from the corner of his eyes, smiling to himself at the very mention of her name,

"You're good."

Tony smirked with pride.

"I like to think that I was Sherlock Holmes in my past life."

Loki kept focused on the jewellery in front of him.

"Are you going to tell the others?"

"Not if you two don't want me to."

"I'd appreciate that."

They were silent for a while as Tony finally selected an intricate diamond and ruby bracelet and paid for it. As they walked to back to the car, Tony's nosiness got the better of him.

"Is it just casual or like… is there feelings?," He said awkwardly, "because if you're going to hurt her, you'll have a very pissed off billionaire, genetically enhanced super-soldier, green rage monster, God of Thunder and trained assassin on your case."

"I care for her deeply."

"Oh. Okay then."

"I'm actually supposed to be meeting her for lunch, so…"

"Yes, go to your Lady, good Sir Rudolph." Tony said with a low bow, before sliding into his car.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Natasha said quickly as she slid into the booth across from him. "Steve had some trouble with a fruit blender and I couldn't get away."

"How was shopping with Stark?"

"He made some very clever deductions about my tale. Your right- He was like a dog with a bone."

She suddenly went very pale. "Does he know?"

He nodded slowly. Natasha was about to answer when a very pretty waitress came to take their order.

"Hi, what can I get you?" She said directly at Loki, her eyes wide with interest, and, to Natasha's horror, faint recognition.

"Well, I think the vegetable soup sounds delicious. Natalie? What about you?"

The waitress's face turned dark upon seeing Natasha, but she kept glancing at Loki, trying to figure out where she'd seen him. Natasha gave her less than ten minutes until she figured it out. They had to get out of here.

"You know what? I'm not that hungry. Can we eat later?" she said very pointedly. Though not knowing quite what she meant, Loki nodded with a smile.

"Of course, love" He turned back to waitress. "Terribly sorry." They were almost out the door, when they heard a quiet gasp from behind.

"Oh my god… isn't that, isn't he?" She stuttered raising a finger to Loki's confused face.

"No." Natasha said determinedly. "You must be mistaken."

They quickly ran out the porch, and practically jumped into the nearest Taxi.

"That was close." Natasha muttered under her breath. "I thought nobody would recognise you… it's been so long, and let's face it, you look a lot better now…"

"Oh, so that's what happened. Here's me thinking you were jealous."

Natasha laughed. "Don't flatter yourself." Her laughter ended swiftly, when her stomach let out a rumble.

"How very ladylike" Loki said with a smirk.

"Come on, we'll go to a stand or something."

"And what do you call this delicacy again?"

"A hotdog."

"And why might I ask…" he trailed off as his eyes moved over the large marble wall in front of him.

"What's this?" He asked softly.

"The Battle of New York memorial stand." Natasha said quietly. She reached out to take his hand, which he squeezed gratefully.

"So many names… is this because of me?"

Natasha didn't say anything, knowing that he didn't want to hear the answer. Instead she kissed his cheek.

"We should get out of here, somebody might recognise you again."

"Orphans, widows, a childless mother… all because of my blindness."

"Loki…" Natasha said, gently pulling him back to a waiting cab.

"There must be some way I can redeem myself. There must be some deed I can do."

Natasha smiled before pressing her lips against his.

"Let's just get back to Stark's first. Then we can talk."