NINETEEN

I don't know what isn't real,

But it's easy

To beat me.

(Suck it in)

Life is sink or swim.

Love is blinding, no surviving.

I don't know what I want to be yet

But I can show that I need to see this.

No time for lies or empty fights,

I'm on your side.

- "You Fight Me," Breaking Benjamin

Loki hadn't dared to sleep all night.

He thought that if he drifted off, he might wake up and find everything to be just a dream.

Instead, he held Alana, his pale arms wrapped around her; he studied her face, relaxed and peaceful in sleep. Her chest rose and fell gently as she breathed, her lashes dark against her porcelain skin.

As they lay on the roof that night, the temperature had dropped, and noticing her shivering, he had given her his sweater.

It was large on her, but she had gratefully curled up in it, eventually falling asleep in his arms as the stars twinkled and the earth spun.

The sun was rising over the trees now, the sky shot through with pale purple and gold and yet his gaze rested firmly on her. She was more beautiful than the sun, than the sky, and she was finally his.

Her pale eyes fluttered as she yawned, shifting and burying her face into his chest.

"Morning," she murmured, voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt.

He kissed the top of her head. "I love you," he said simply.

He could feel her smiling. "What was that for?" she asked sleepily.

"I waited too long to tell you. I'm trying to make up for it now."

Her arms curled around him and she let out a sigh of perfect contentment.

"Can we stay here forever?" she murmured, still caught in sleep's embrace.

"Of course," Loki said, fingers playing with her hair, rich and glowing in the morning sunlight.

"I didn't have any nightmares," she yawned. "Probably the first night in… five years?"

He stroked her hair.

She untangled herself and stared into his eyes, all traces of sleepiness gone. "It's because of you, you know."

She kissed him lightly, soft lips pressing to his.

"Thank you. You've set me free."

He pulled her closer to him, breathing in her smell, hands caressing her face, lips barely touching hers. Her eyes fluttered as he kissed her, slow and deep.

When he broke the kiss, she yawned again, curling up against his chest. "Did you sleep at all?"

"No," he answered truthfully.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "I promise not to disappear."

"Well, in that case…"

He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun's rays. Alana was already dropping off again, her body cradled against his.

He let sleep take him, content and at peace with the world.

In the weeks that followed, Alana slowly started to use her powers again.

It wasn't that she was out of practice, though she supposed she was, not using them for five years. It was more like her mind had been resting and had just woken up.

Not using her powers had not come easily to her, but neither did giving in, and she wasn't going to let herself be swept along by her own mind.

She started small, throwing things and pushing things, opening doors, picking locks, that sort of thing.

Loki supported her throughout it. The first time she had thrown him something without looking, he was stunned almost into silence.

But going slow was boring.

She knew she had to take it one day at a time, but she wanted to fight.

And so this was how she and Loki came to spar for the first time.

"Ready?" Alana grinned, twirling her dagger in her hand, her breath steaming in the cold air.

She had outfitted them with weapons, but no armor. This was mainly because she didn't have any, other than her bulletproof vest, and anyways, she trusted Loki not to hurt her.

Loki shrugged, saying, "I suppose. Are you sure - "

"I'm so gonna beat you up."

Loki smirked. "You can try."

She smiled mischievously and said, "Go on, then."

She stood her ground, arms held at her sides.

"Alana – "

"Attack me! Come on. I trust you."

Sighing heavily, Loki began to circle her, feet silent on the frozen ground. "Attacking is really more Thor's style."

"Just shut up and fight me, Laufeyson."

Rolling his eyes, he started with a quick stab to her shoulder.

That is, he would have stabbed her shoulder if his blade hadn't bounced off four inches away.

He raised his eyebrows and tried a slash, then another stab, aiming for different parts of her body. All were repelled by her telekinetic "bubble."

"That's handy," he commented.

She smirked and then, faster than he could see, swept his legs out from under him. "It's on," she said.

Loki rolled and came up in a fighting stance. "It's definitely on."

She went on offense almost immediately, alternately trying to stab him with her dagger and pushing him with her powers. Loki was left with defense, parrying her dagger strokes and trying not to get thrown across the field when necessary.

They locked blades again and again, each trying to obtain the upper hand. Loki was a better fighter, but Alana had her powers.

She used her skills to her advantage, darting around him throwing telekinetic punches, using her telepathy to know what he was about to do.

When she disarmed him and held her dagger to his throat, he let out a small smile.

"Yield?" she asked, only slightly out of breath.

Instead of answering, he let the illusion of himself disappear. Alana looked confused for a split second, then turned, eyes raking the field. Loki, who had snuck up behind her, became visible, and quickly reached out to grab and twist her wrist, forcing her to drop her weapon. He then slid his dagger out from his sleeve and pressed it to her neck.

"Do you?" he said smoothly.

"Aww," she said, yielding reluctantly, but with a smile on her face. "I thought I had you."

"Forever."

He spun her around and kissed her, long and deep. She let out a little noise of surprise, then melted in his arms.

When he broke the kiss, she looked dazed. "I think that's cheating," she managed.

"Oh, I never play fair."

He kissed her again, lightly.

"Never."

Lost in the moment, neither of them noticed the black car watching silently from the road, concealed by the trees.

Neither of them knew that their time was ticking down.

Coulson had been coming for a random check on Alana and Loki. Mostly, to make sure that one or the other wasn't dead. As the car moved slowly up the road, he caught a glimpse of metal flashing inside her yard.

"Stop," he said. The agent (rookie) promptly slammed on the brakes, causing him to lurch forward.

Massaging his shoulder, he peered through the trees. "Pass me the binoculars," he ordered. Looking through them, he muttered an expletive. "Guns ready, agents."

His crew obligingly readied their weapons, looking through the window curiously. Their jaws hit the floor.

Alana and Loki were in the middle of an intense battle, daggers flashing on daggers. They spun and twisted with such accuracy and precision that it looked like a dance.

And she was using her powers.

Coulson sucked in a breath. Of all the times that he had to decide on a random check, this was quite probably the most terrible time ever.

"Should we shoot him, sir?" a young agent asked. "No," Coulson said. "You'll hit her too, they're fighting too close." Obviously. Rookies, he thought wryly. Of all the time to have rookies. "If he is poised to kill though, shoot him."

Alana was winning, he noticed in surprise. Her telepathy was clearly at work, as she was countering his blows almost before they came. Perhaps Fury had been right about her after all.

He relaxed slightly as she disarmed him, holding the point of her dagger to his throat. Her mouth moved, but he couldn't make out the words.

Suddenly, Loki's body shimmered and faded in a burst of green light. "Damn." Coulson swore. "Get ready, men!"

Alana looked confused, turning around, but he was nowhere to be found.

He appeared, quick as lightning, behind her, forcing her to drop her weapon, pressing his own to her neck.

The agents moved nervously. "Should we fire, sir?"

Coulson was on the verge of giving the order to fire when he noticed something strange.

She was smiling.

What the hell?

And then Loki twirled her around and kissed her.

Coulson was stunned into silence. Was this some sort of a trick of his? What was he doing?

What was she doing?

Loki broke the kiss and they spoke for a second, then he kissed her again.

"Damn it, Cooper," Coulson muttered. "What have you done?"

A/N: Man, I just can't give them a break, can I?

You asked for longer chapters, guys, and I'm happy to present you with another 2,000 word chapter! Yay!

And thank you all for 4,000 views! You're the best.

Please drop me a review... they are loved very much.