A/N The next chapter hope you liked it! As promised some insight into Loki and Mary's Past... Hope you like it!

On another planet several million miles away sat Loki. His hands chained to the wall blood pouring down his face yet despite the seeming pain he was he smiled Mary was still the same little girl he had known almost 2 decades ago.

19 years ago

"Stay still Mary!" Her mother sighed as she attempted to zip up the dress that the little six year old girl had insisted on wearing. Zipping it up was proving difficult as the girl seemed to be shaking with excitement.

"I can't help it, I'm so excited Momma" She said finally stilling giving her mother enough time to zip up the dress and tie the ribbon around her waist.

"I know sweetie" Her mother said putting her hand on her shoulders. "But remember he is a prince so he might not be able to come today."

Mary shook her head. "He promised Momma, he will come."

Her mother Isabelle smiled and sighed, "Try to have fun even if doesn't come ok?"

Mary turned around her eyebrow raised "Has he ever broken a promise to you?" She asked with more wisdom she should have had.

The mother sighed "He's never made one with me little one." She said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"They why don't you trust him?"

Momma sighed once more. "I do, but we haven't seen him in 3 months, it's quite possible he's forgotten."

Mary shook her head. "He has a good memory" She said.

"Just have fun today ok?" Her mother repeated.

Mary nodded and left the room to wait for her guests her mother following close behind her.

Over the next half hour people came first her grandparents, her aunts, her uncles, her cousins, her best friend Moira. they all came and wished her a happy birthday.

But Loki did not come. Mary refused to be sad Loki would come he had promised he would come. So to occupy her time she played with Moira, and pulled pranks on her annoying cousin John.

She spent an hour playing with Moira and her cousins while simultaneously keeping an ear out for the waiting for it to open.

Moira noticed she had always been good a reading people. "He'll come Mary" She said.

Mary glared at her with as much force as a 6 year old could. "I know he will, he promised Moira."

Moira's eyes widened "I'm sorry you look worried."

Mary's eyes widened and she looked down at the cards in her hand, they were playing go fish. "I'm sorry" She whispered.

Moira smiled "You miss him don'tchya?"

Mary wrinkled her nose and nodded before effectively changing the subject. "You have any Kings?"

Moira smiled "Go Fish Mary"

After another half hour of play her mother called everyone to the table to which everyone stopped mingling and playing and she headed to the head of the table and left the seat to the right free. While her parents sat on her left.

Many people argued especially John who now wanted the seat now that he couldn't have.

"Loki's not even here Mary" He sneered at her.

"He will be" Mary argued "And he will want a seat when he does."

"Why does he need that one?" John argued "He could have another one."

Mary pulled herself "Because I say so,"

JOhn scoffed having figured out the reason "Who says he'll want to sit beside a baby like you?"

"John!" His mother scolded. "Apologize!"

But John wasn't done. "In fact I bet that's the reason he hasn't been by in the past 3 months, he's realized your nothing but a little baby, not even worth his time"

Her eyes widened "That's not true!" She said.

"Leave her alone" Moira told John before turning to Mary. "Don't listen to him"

"She's not worth his time" John sang. "She's ugly, and stupid why would he put up with her?"

Tears started to come down her face as her family just stood and watched. "Shut up!" She said.

"It's just the truth" John said. "It's time she learned it."

Mary had just been about to retaliate by hitting the boy as hard as she could across the face when the door bell rang.

Mary didn't even think she ran as far as she could to the door and wrenched it open before anyone could say anything. Her eyes widening when she saw who was on the other side of the door.

There wearing Terran clothes his hair as black as night eyes as green as emeralds. He smiled down at her.

"Hello Lady Mary," He said.

Her face broke into a huge grin. "LOKI!" She screamed jumping into his arms.

He laughed as her wrapped his arms around her small form. "I've missed you to My Lady."

"Your late" She whispered in his ear.

"I know, many things came up last minute that I couldn't get away from. My father and mother chose the exact moment I was leaving to have a meeting with Vanaheim delegates, I only just got away."

She smiled and pulled away "I'm just glad you're here" She said.

Her mother chose that moment to speak. "Are you going to invite him in Mary? Or am I to serve him at the doorway?"

Mary stared at Loki and tilted her head. "Come in, we are about to have dinner" She said with practiced eloquance.

Loki smiled and stepped through the door still holding onto Mary with one hand he used the other to wave his hand the door closing behind him.

He put the little girl down and Mary grabbed his hand leading him to the seat she designated for him she smiled smugly at John who just scowled back at her.

Dinner past quickly with the drama of the last five minutes completely forgotten as Mary talked and laughed with her guests. Though the person she spoke with the most was of course Loki.

She didn't ask him the most burning question much preferring to ask it when John (who she happily noted had decided to sit beside his mother and was currently moping) was out of earshot.

So instead she told him of her school, her classes, of what had occurred during his absence. Occasionally she would become afraid that she was boring him but he would just continuing staring with the same enraptured gaze and she knew she could continue.

Finally out of things to say she let him speak. "What's happened with you?"

Loki shrugged "Nothing of interest, just many boring delegations that I could not get out of, honestly if were tell you of them you would fall asleep in your chair."

"Hmm, perhaps you can tell them to her tonight" her Mother said beside her mother Father laughed.

"Perhaps, if it is alright with you Isabelle" He said calling Mary's mother by her first name.

Her mother just smiled "I did suggest it didn't I?"

Mary clapped "Yay."

The other grownups at the table laughed. Mary ducked her head down; her face reddening with embarrassment.

Suddenly his lips were at her ear. "Don't be embarrassed My Lady." He whispered in my ear. "Your reaction just amused them."

She straightened her back. "When are we having cake?" She asked.

"How about you finish your dinner." Isabelle said "You haven't touched your vegetables."

She scrunched her nose at the vegetables on her plate, the steak she had eaten in pretty much five seconds (Loki had just stared at her both amused and slightly disgusted.) But she had never liked broccoli or celery which was the some total of vegetables on her plate. She could have argued that she had asked for carrots but after the near misfire with John she really did not want to start another fight at the dinner table so she started to eat her vegetables as quickly as she could downing it with water.

"Yuck, they tasted terrible." She said once she was done. "Can I have cake now?"

Isabelle looked around the table everyone seemed to be done so she nodded "I shall go light the candles." She said getting up from the table collecting the dishes by waving her hands and every plate flew past her into the sink in the kitchen. Before she herself left to light the candles on the cake.

After Cake came the presents.

Among the presents she received a sketchbook from Moira, an encyclopedia from her parents, various pieces from her aunts and uncles, but it was Loki who actually made her cry.

For her he had made her a mirror with a golden frame on the it seemed to be elegantly carved, on top of the mirror was a golden snake.

"It's a communication piece" Loki explained "If you ever want to talk to me just say my name and we'll be able to talk"

Her eyes widened her eyes filling with tears. Every single doubt John had given her shattered to the ground.

Loki's frowned in anticipation "Do you not like it?" He asked misunderstanding the tears about to roll down Mary's face.

Carefully she put the mirror down on the table so that it would not break before attacking with a hug. Loki's eyes widened at the reaction.

"Thank you" She cried. "Thank you so much."

Loki smiled "I'm glad you liked it."

Everyone smiled at the reactions of the two people.

At the end of the day Mary stood at the doorway as she said goodbye to everyone resisting the urge to punch John in the face when he said goodbye instead opting for a smug smile as they shook hands.

Moira glared at Johns retreating figure. "He's mean" Was all she said.

Mary cracked a smile. "Yeah" Was all she said.

Moira gave her friend a huge hug. "I'll see you in school tomorrow" Mary nodded happily. "Bye bye Moira." She said and with that the final guest walked out the door and she closed the door behind her.

She yawned when the door closed and leaned against.

Her mother noticed "You should get to bed."

"I'm not tired" She said her eyes drooping lower.

"Then why are you yawning?" Loki asked.

"Go to bed sweetie" He father ordered.

Mary pouted "I don't want to."

Loki knelt down in front of her. "That is unfortunate, I was going to tell you a story if you went to bed on time but if you don't want me too than..."

Mary's eyes widened and did not even bother to say anything instead just running as fast as she could up the stairs, before running back downstairs to grab the mirror had given her the running up the stairs to her own room the door slamming closed.

Loki chuckled. "She is so easy."

Isabelle sighed "You came at the perfect time." She said.

Loki cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

The father spoke up. "Her cousin John was being relentlessly cruel, Mary was about ten seconds away from killing him had you not come when you did."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Mary did? She is the most gentle girl I know."

Her mother nodded "She is also fiercely protective of her relationship with you, she loves you Loki, and John hurt her deeply by attacking that."

Loki looked toward the stairs. "I didn't know our relationship was so important to her."

"It is, Loki" Isabelle said. "It really is."

Mary called down. "I'm ready Loki" She called down to him.

Loki looked to Mary's parents "I better go see what My Lady wants."

Isabelle nodded "I want her to sleep Loki, nothing to exciting."

"Your trust in me is astounding Isabelle" Loki mocked as he disappeared from the living room appearing in front of Mary's room he knocked on the door.

"Come in" She said.

Loki opened the door and smiled at the little girl. "Hey Mary"

She smiled. "Can you tell me the story where Thor had to dress like a girl?" She asked.

Loki shook his head as a smile appeared on his face. Really her amusement at Thors humiliation should not have made him so happy, and yet it always brought a smile to his face.

"Your mother told me, you nearly attacked John today"

her eyes widened and she looked down at her green sheets. "He was making fun of me"

"I heard" Loki said. "Was that all it was?"

Tears came to her eyes as she shook her head.

"Tell me what happened"

She shook her head "It's silly, and he was being stupid."

"You were three seconds from attacking him it's important"

She signed "He said … that you didn't... care for me anymore, that you couldn't care for someone as stupid and ugly as me, and that that's why you were late for my birthday party."

Loki's eyes widened. "Oh Dear Lady you know that's not true right?"

She looked to her bedside table where she had put the mirror. "Yeah now I do."

He smiled down at the little girl and kissed her forehead. "You could never turn me away no matter what anyone says."

She smiled happily. "OK Loki" She said lying down on the bed. "Can you tell me the story now?"

He smiled and pretended to think about it "Didn't I tell your mother I would tell you a story about the boring delegations I had to attend?"

Mary's eyes widened. "Loki! That was a joke!"

"Was it?" Loki said raising an eyebrow, "Because when I was coming upstairs she said to tell you a story that would put you to sleep!"

She pouted "Please? I really want the Bride Story" She said batting her eyelashes giving him the best puppy dog look she could.

Loki sighed feigning annoyance. "Very well"

She clapped her hands "Can you do the magic as well?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't push it Mary"

She closed her mouth at the use of her name she nodded and pulled the blanket up to her chin. "Ok" She said.

Loki started "It all started early in the morning when Thor came to me begging for my help..."

As he spoke and weaved the tale of the occasion Mary's eyes started to droop though she tried hard to stay awake to hear the rest of the story (Though she herself had heard the story multiple times.) But alas sleep took her and she succumbed to the land of dreams.

Loki of course noticed immediately and stopped in the middle of the story he smiled down at the girl stood and walked out the door. "Sweet Dreams My Lady Mary," He said as he closed the door.

So was it good? bad? terrible? Did it make you want to kill me slowly with Mjlornir?

Whatever your reaction please leave a review