I'm eventually going to take this into a different direction, after being inspired from reading a few Norse Mythology articles my dad got me. You'll see soon, it'll get exciting I assure!

Enjoy the chapter and leave a comment/review!

After a few seconds of silence, Jack waved his arms at Loki like Vanna White presenting a prize. Loki's hands extended out with a proud, "Ta-da!" at her with an award winning grin.

If Charlotte had a glass in her hand, no doubt it would have smashed from slipping out of her fingers in shock. Instead, she nearly let the new Iphone slip out but caught it last minute and clutched it to her chest.

"Wait, back up the hype train, Jack." She walked over, carefully putting her phone onto the coffee table to assure it's safety. "Loki is going to be a roommate of mine?"

Jack grinned, nodding. "Yes! Isn't that awesome?" He nudged Loki's shoulder who attempted to ignore the incisive touching. "You got that extra room down here doing nothing."

"It's a spare room when my sister drops by." She argued, though carelessly.

Jack snapped a finger at her, "And I know how much you hate that. So, here's a solution!" he motioned to the foreign man once more. "With the room taken, she has no choice but to stay somewhere else, or-"

"You needed the extra money didn't you?" She questioned, folding her arms and sticking her hip out.

Jack bit his lower lip, then sighed and slouched his shoulders. "Yeah, I do. I really do."

Loki walked to the kitchen allowing Jack to step closer to Charlotte. "I thought renting that room out would work. I mean; He'll have his own room, bathroom, he's in need of a place to stay and offered to pay handsomely!"

She raised a brow. "How handsomely?"

"Well, more than what your rent is, I assure. He could cover both his and yours alone." He told.

Charlotte's eyes shot to Loki as he peered at the calendar on the fridge. Loki didn't seem like a questionable guy, after all he saved her life and closed the case. He had this snobbish air about him, but who wasn't snobbish outside the country with an accent like his? He looked like he belonged in a penthouse living next door to Tony Stark.

"Did you approach him on the idea?" Charlotte asked him.

"No, surprisingly, he did." Jack told, stealing a glance over his shoulder. "He saw the place when he had to get that email for your case. When he came by to check on Mitsy, he asked if the second room was up for rent."

"And you said yes."

"I said yes."

Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose, this was a real doozy of a hitter for her. "I know I really dropped this on you, especially during your recovery. Maybe your week off could be a test run. He said he came here light, so no other furniture will be brought in."

Jack continued to list off good reasons for Loki to move in. Charlotte watched the man in question, he kept peering at things around the apartment. Checking the fridge, cabinet, even taking a peek into the oven as if expecting something. He moved out and wandered toward the book shelf, magnetized to pilfer through her collection. Loki pulled out one book, peeking into it, Charlotte found he had chosen one of her Sherlock novels.

"And finally, you guys could work on whatever you need to do here instead if pouncing back and forth between here and Center City." Jack finished, heaving a few breaths of his listing.

She turned back to him. "Don't go too fast there, Jack. I still don't know if I got the promotion or not."

Jack waved her off. "You had to have gotten it, after nearly burning to a crisp to get the culprit, confession, and evidence? You're a shoe in!"

Charlotte smiled in gratitude for him thinking so, but Charlotte held doubt and was prepared for denial. She didn't find Loki as a roommate a bad thing, she could defend herself and if Jack found it alright… Well, he had his moments.

"Could you do me one favor?" She asked, his brows raised to attention. "I just really want to shower this hospital… yuck, off me. Mind sticking around just in case?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah, sure. This might prove if he's a creep or not." he brought up.

Charlotte just rolled her eyes, "Just keep him occupied?" She asked, turning to go upstairs.

Because of the small stitches in her head, Charlotte couldn't really wash her hair. She did what she could with the tips and fringes hanging by her face to feel somewhat cleaner. Though the hot water on her body was soothing, she didn't stay in as long as she would've liked. The inkling feeling of a new roommate still sat in her mind. Maybe living alone for seven years made her so comfortable, sharing a home for her was as foreign as her roommate himself was. She hadn't been in anyone's living company since she went to college after high school. She had her own apartment dorm until she graduated. She grimaced thinking back to living at home during her time at the police academy. But, once she graduated, she made the first move to move out and live in the city on her own. Charlotte almost wanted to tell him no, that she rather live alone and have her own space. But, if Jack was needing extra money, who was she to deny her landlord a better chance on that? At least it was someone she semi-know than a random stranger with potential danger behind them.

Charlotte finished off her shower, taking a step out and wrapping herself in a towel. She sat on the toilet seat lid to air dry while still lost in her thoughts.

Would she get that promotion? Knowing her boss, Johnson will scold her for putting her life too far on the line for the case to be solved. But, she couldn't let Kathy get away with the murder. The blatant confidence and delusion that she was in the right boiled in her stomach.

Charlotte groaned, hanging her head for a second feeling the pain where her stitches were put in. She needed her pain meds for a headache that was ready to come in full swing for her. Not seeing the need to go out, Charlotte collected her lounge wear of a dark plum sweater and gray sweatpants and black socks.

Unable to dry her hair the usual way, she let it messily hang over her shoulders and stick out in various directions when she left the bathroom. The change in temperature brought a chill to Charlotte.

"Jack, I've told you too many times not to touch my thermostat." She called from the loft.

"He's left." Loki called back.

Charlotte paused at the stairs, she only found said new roommate on the couch, giving a book a read. He was already half-way through, either she was in the shower longer than thought or Loki was a fast reader. Charlotte also spotted Mitsy on the couch curled up beside Loki. It was strange to see her be so friendly with someone other than her, the walker, or her sister.

"When did he leave?" She asked, walking down the steps.

Loki glanced behind him, "Right about when you left for your shower. He looked at his phone and said he had to take leave for a sale." he explained.

"Ah." She approached the couch, leaning her elbows against the back.

Loki went back to the book, delicately turning the page. She peered over his shoulder seeing he wasn't reading the Sherlock book he held before, but was now reading a book she had on Ted Bundy. Charlotte read a few lines, seeing he was at a part that made her chuckle. He paused and turned to her.

"Something amusing?" He asked innocently.

She nodded, "I remember that part. Jumps from the second story and nearly broke his ankle." she told.

His brows furrowed, daring to search for the event in the book. "You lie." She shook her head. "He survived that far and only barely broke a bone?"

"Yup, then booked it to the mountains." Charlotte walked around the couch to inspect the phone and box. She plugged the charger into the power strip by the television stand then plugged her phone in. "He was a fugitive for six days, desperate for food and shelter. Then gets caught, and escapes again!"

Loki's eyes scanned the book to find the event, proving her words true. Charlotte walked into the kitchen checking her fridge to see little food. Her headache against, resisting the urge to reach back and rub the sore stitches.

"He escaped in a shower through a hole in the ceiling!?" He barked, she looked over seeing an amused grin. "This man is hopeless!"

"Was hopeless." She corrected, walking back over. "Up for ordering in? Not much to cook with and not really up for it." Charlotte asked, checking her phone battery.

"Sure- But, tell me." He put the book down in his lap. "What do you mean by, 'was'?"

Charlotte shrugged, "I'm not spoiling it, you enjoy the book. I should shut up and you find out for yourself." she waved at him and turned on her phone that was at 50% battery. Shame she lost her contacts, photos, videos, and other private things on that old phone.

The book closed and set onto the coffee table. "I'll continue another time. If you wish I could offer us dinner out?"

"Thanks," She smiled kindly, finding the nearest pizza place's phone number. "But, I'm feeling sluggish and a headache coming on from the stitches. I rather stay in."

Loki nodded, he stood and placed the book back. Charlotte felt like she was being a host to him, like he was still a guest left behind. A gust who would be living there for a year. "So, erm, want the tour of the apartment?"

Loki shook his head, hands folded behind his back as he looked over the book shelf. "Jack had already given me one, while you were upstairs."

"Oh! So, you like the room? Jack told me you traveled light here, so we could get any decor or bed sheets you'll want tomorrow?"

Loki thought on it, if he was to be here a year he might as well make the room more homey. The second bedroom was currently bland with tan carpet and white milk walls. No art on the walls, and cheap scratchy sheets were on the bed. His own chambers held works of art, walls covered in books, and his bed was gigantic compared to the one in that room. Servants had better sleeping conditions than that room, reminding him of the prison back on Asgard. Ceilings and flooring in a near blinding white , the only other color being the magic orange walls that would hurt or kill a prisoner if they dared to escape or touch it.

Thankfully, the room had a bed, which he knew the prisons did not provide. He had his own bath quarters that held a small tub, toilet, and single sink with the mirror cabinet. Jack informed him so long as the drugs are legal they can be stored there, as Loki questioned its functionality.

"So, tour is done, and you got the key?" Charlotte asked.

Loki turned, "Sadly not. He said it would be made in a day or two." he told her.

Charlotte figured with this roommate situation coming out of left field, Jack hadn't even gotten a second key made or didn't have one prepared. He had the original and hers was a copy from it.

"So, tour done, key on hold. I guess we should do basic rules next." Loki tilted his head at that, she brought her phone up calling the chosen pizza place.

He listened to her order a pizza pie with a soda. She paused, asking him what soda he likes, if any. He just shrugged, letting her choose. Charlotte asked for a Coke, then got her credit card paying for it over the phone. Once the call ended, she plugged the phone back in and sighed.

"Dinner should be here in a half hour." She informed him. "So, rules." Charlotte pointed up at her room, then his with her other hand. "We can not enter each other's room without permission." Then pointed toward the kitchen, dropping her other hand. "Clean our own dishes, take our own trash out, and cook our own food."

Charlotte went on, as Loki just let her. She split the responsibilities a lot, there was hardly any teamwork. As a prince, he had most of these things done for him. Dinner was made for the family, his laundry clean and set. Loki mostly spent his days learning to fight, his spells, the responsibility of royalty and the history of the nine realms. He had studied some more than his brother had, learning cultures, people, and traditions. Yet, Midgard really stood out.

There was hardly any history, the books in the palace only went as far as 1100 A.D., when Loki checked her calendar it was stated to be 2009. That was about nine hundred years ago. From the books he read, too much has changed on Midgard.

"May rent is about $900, we can split it to… $450 a month between us." Charlotte moved to the tv pointing at it. "So we don't fight over the tv, we can have certain time slots."

He remembered him and his brother traveling to this planet when they were younger, teaching the people known as the Norse, their language and culture which they adopted. It's the reason he, and many others were considered Gods to them. Thor was given the title, 'God of Thunder', thanks to performing his works with Mjölnir. Loki titled, 'God of Mischief' thanks to the various tricks he displayed. Titles that followed them even to today.

Now thinking, his eyes glancing from the kitchen to Charlotte. Why hasn't it clicked in to her who he was? Loki couldn't be that common of a name, then again, he also thought back how she brushed off his little magic tricks. Loki knew he had to have a low profile, no pronouncing to be a God or a Prince of another Realm-

"Loki!"

"What?"

He was startled by her sudden yell into his face, biting back with his own bark. He saw her own startled set back, he cleared his throat. "Apologies, I was just thinking of any rules I might have."

She tilted her head and crossed her arms lightly. "I'm all ears."

He then started racking his brain, he had been listening to her. Heard the rules of taking care of their own things, how Mitsy is her responsibility. Then he glanced at the dog sleeping soundly beside him on the couch.

"Mitsy."

"What about her?" Charlotte questioned defensively.

"I only wish she stays out of my room." He told, looking back at her.

Charlotte looked at her dog and nodded. "Understood, if she goes in just say 'out' and she'll leave. That's the only one you got?"

Loki stood, adjusting his shirt. "I'm a flexible person, it's better rules than the ones I lived with my brother.

"Let me guess, he invaded your room and personal space?"

"Often." He told, leaning back against the armchair and shoving his hands into his pockets. "When we were children. I would be minding my own business in my room, and I'd suddenly find myself in a headlock by the brute."

Judging by the choice of word and description Loki gave of his brother, he sounded like one of those douchebag jocks common in high school or colleges. "At least you didn't share rooms, right?"

"Thank goodness, we didn't." He chuckled.

Charlotte lip crooked up, he assumed she didn't have that same luxury with her sister. Being a twin, her mother assumed best they stick in the same room up until after high school. With her need for privacy, her reaction to a roommate and giving rules right away.

Loki did try to think of any rules and regulations he could go for. The thought of cooking his own meal and taking trash did catch him off guard. He would work around that in his own way.

The pizza had arrived and the large bread cheese pie reminded Loki of the greasy sandwich Charlotte seemed obsessed with. The fizzy drink that Loki had assumed was some sparkling wine was nothing of the sort. It burned his throat and the taste was swamp like. He opted for a bottle of water he found in the fridge. The pizza, though he ate slowly, wasn't too bad. It was another messy meal that needed many napkins as the cheese oozed and grease dripped.

It had come to Loki's mind that Charlotte did not have the best diet. There were many wide and plump people he'd seen in the city that would put Volstagg to shame. Though with the job Charlotte had, she must have a good exercise regime to counter the calories she consumed. He hoped, after watching her down four slices and two cups of soda. Though she was not wide like those people or Volstagg, her job must keep her diet in check.

After eating, Charlotte took her medication from the hospital and went to lay in bed early. It had only been 7pm, Loki decided to take a walk and possibly find better food as he only had half a slice.

Charlotte stared at her new phone resting on the bed side table. She could feel Mitsy weighing on the side of the bed making herself comfortable. With a sigh she sat up, rubbing her eyes with a light groan. This was all too new, too fast for her. She enjoyed her private life for so long, and had a sinking feeling it was taken from her in an instant.

"It's only one year, then he's gone." Charlotte reminded herself. She curled back up on her side, closing herself waiting to let exhaustion hit her.

If only her brain shut up. Her thoughts ran wild about today, Loki living with her, possibly working with her, then it eventually shifted to saving her.

Charlotte wanted to push the thoughts away, but returned they did. Push off what she saw was just from lack of oxygen. She was delusional and barely remembered whatever happened after being carried out. But, Loki didn't deny that someone else had saved her, only that she imagined whatever happened around them to keep the flames at bay. He didn't have any injuries or signs that showed he had been in a fire. His hands were fine, face clear, not even a small red blemish or slight burns.

If she had imagined it, then that's all it was. Her imagination was wild at a moment of near death.

If it was real, how did he do that?

Remember everyone to stay safe and have a good day!