Disclaimer: I do now own any of the Marvel characters. Nor do I own Thor: The Dark World, screenplay by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely; story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat. If you know it, I do not own it.

The Stage is Set for You

Walking to the sound of my favorite tune / Tomorrow never knows what it doesn't know soon / Need a little time to wake up

-Oasis, "Morning Glory"

The first few times Loki awoke, he had no idea where he was or why. He was haunted by dreams and reality each time he opened his eyes and he wasn't sure which was better. Or which was which. Each one caused him torment.

This time when he awoke, though, the pain was tolerable and no one was saying anything bizarre. There was simply a steady beeping noise Loki knew was a heart monitor.

"Loki?"

Loki groggily turned his head towards the voice. There was discomfort in his midsection, but it was easy ignore. However, the dryness in his throat was harder.

"Here, let's sit you up a bit."

Loki moved into a somewhat seated position slowly. He felt it in his gut, which was mildly unpleasant.

"Sorry," the voice apologized. "Here, water. They took the tube out this morning. Your throat is going to be sore."

That was an understatement.

Loki blindly took the straw offered to him and sucked down a few sips. He wanted to gulp the entire glass down, but it hurt too much. He coughed weakly.

"Sorry," the voice said again.

"Stop apologizing you oaf," Loki grated out through gravel.

There was a long pause, then, "I don't think you've called me that before. Loki, do you know who I am?"

Loki peeled his eyes open fully and peered at the blur next to him. He blinked a few times before the person came into focus.

"Steven," Loki croaked.

Steve looked utterly relieved. "Yeah. You usually call Thor an oaf."

"He is," Loki agreed. "Where is he? What happened? Did they manage—"

"Hey, hey, hey," Steve soothed, reaching out, yet stopping short of actually touching Loki. "I'll tell you the whole story, but try not to speak too much. Your throat is still raw and I'm going to have to call the nurse in. I was told to call them when you woke up for real this time. We've had a few false starts. But, before I do that, I'm going to have to tell you something and please don't get mad, okay?"

Loki made his confusion plain on his face, as facial expressions were the best way to communicate, as words grated his throat.

"You're, uh, human now, you know that, right?"

Loki donned a bored look and rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so because of that, Jane thought it was best to take you to a local hospital here in London after you guys came back from, uh, wherever the Dark Elves live."

Loki nodded, wishing he had the energy to move his hand for Steve to hurry up.

"Anyways, by the time SHIELD found out, it was too late to intercept, so you're in a…well, normal people hospital. Like people who don't, well, no one knows you're Loki here. You're Luke."

Loki rolled his eyes. He pointedly looked at Steve to get to the point.

"Okay, so, uh, Jim…you know Jim Nicholls?"

Loki gave Steve a withering stare.

"Yeah, okay, so he knew I'd want to be here with you and they needed Thor, and everyone knows who Thor is anyways, but not who you really are, so he made, uh, me, er…"

Steve turned a brilliant shade of scarlet and Loki frowned.

"We're married as far as the hospital is concerned," Steve blurted out, turning even redder and knotting his hands together in his lap.

Loki blinked owlishly.

"It was the only way Jim knew I'd be the point of contact and be in charge of your care. Thor can't as the outside world can't know your his brother. I mean, he kept calling you his brother, but I told them he calls everyone his brother. Seeing he's an alien, they bought it…I think."

Loki began to try to move his hand to smack Steve.

Steve searched Loki's face for a long moment, his blush slowly fading away, yet the worry and angst in his eyes remained.

"You're not upset?"

Loki shook his head, his hand making slow, jerky movements towards Steve. Steve caught what Loki was trying to do and quickly unknotted his own hands and looked utterly relieved as he grasp Loki's hand gently.

Not what Loki was going for, but welcome nonetheless.

Why on Earth would Loki be upset that Jim thought it was best to put Steve in charge of his care over his oaf of a brother? Loki was well aware of how Midgardian health care worked in most places and only family were allowed to make decisions and know what was going on with the patient. It made sense to make Steve his family, as Steve was Loki's family, his home.

"Oh," Steve breathed quietly, staring at Loki's pale hand in his tan one. "Okay. We're not really married. SHIELD just made some paper work appear and the hospital here thinks you're named Luke Rogers, formerly Laufey-Odinson."

Loki felt a smile on his face form without his consent. Steve looked bewildered. Loki made a feeble attempt to squeeze Steve's hand. Steve looked down and let out a short breath. He grabbed something off the table.

"Okay, well, I just wanted to warn you they're going to call you Mr Rogers," Steve said. "I'm going to call the nurse. Try to stay awake, okay? After she comes you can go back to sleep."

Loki gave Steve another withering glare, but he was getting tired. Who knew listening was exhausting?

Well, there's blood in these veins and I cry when in pain / I'm only human on the inside / And if looks can deceive, make it hard to believe / I'm only human on the inside

-The Pretenderes, "Human"

Jane let herself into the hospital room. Loki had been moved into his own private room (likely care of SHEILD) and was now allowed visitors that weren't Steve.

Jane peered around the door to find Steve fast asleep in the chair next to Loki's bed, but Loki was wide awake and tapping away on a StarkPad. He looked up from the glow of the pad when the door creaked and gave her a quirk of his eyebrow as a greeting. Jane smiled in return and slunk into the room, trying to be quiet as not to wake the exhausted super solider.

"I hear you've been awake for a few days now," Jane whispered, coming to stand on the other side of the bed.

"Correct," Loki replied in normal volume. "He won't wake. He is exhausted." A smirk appeared but quickly vanished. "I charmed a nurse into slipping him a sleeping pill. He hasn't slept in days."

Loki frowned, looking over at Steve.

"He was worried."

"I know."

Jane shifted on her feet a little. "So, uh, how are you?"

Loki slowly turned back towards Jane and looked up at her. His eyes were still that unearthly green shade that Jane had never witnessed on a human before, but his face was so different. She wasn't sure what it was, but Loki looked older. There were lines and creases on his handsome face that once hadn't been there and he looked battered and exhausted.

"As well as I can be under the circumstances," Loki replied, looking back at the StarkPad. "Steven told me you were able to get Stark hand over an old Arch Reactor without needing to sign away your lives."

"Yeah. It arrived just in time. Oh, and Doctor Banner sent along this crystal that was able to contain the Aether. Though, it wasn't very happy about it."

Loki nodded. "Do you happen to know the sort of crystal?"

Jane quirked an eyebrow at him. "You haven't hacked into SHIELD yet to get the answer?"

Loki smirked, looking more like his old self. "Oh, I did. I was wondering if they told you."

"No, I don't know what sort of crystal."

Loki hummed. "Nor does SHIELD."

Jane gave Loki a confused look.

"Doctor Banner was in charge of caring for our plants whilst we were away," Loki explained, tapping the screen of the StarkPad with a long, pale finger. "I happened to have a few magical crystals in the apartment. He apologized greatly for taking it, but he felt compelled to examine it closer. Luckily, he did take it as it was perfect for short term transport of the Aether."

Jane nodded. "So, it wasn't just some random crystal?"

Loki shook his head. "No. It was a magical I had spelled for someone to take in an emergency."

"So, uh, Doctor Banner took it because he knew you were in danger?"

"No. He took it because he was aware of what was going on in London and knew it could come to no good," Loki said, his fingers ceasing their tapping. "Now, Jane dear, why have you come? Not just to see how I am, I fear."

Jane pressed her lips together.

"You do not like me," Loki reminded her.

"I think the fact you saved my life a few times back on the Dark World and then tried to help save the world as you were dying kind of cancels out my past dislike of you," Jane explained. "Also, I didn't like you before because I convinced you'd go all…crazy and try to take over the world again."

Loki hummed and continued to gaze at her, knowing there was more to it.

"The Aether let me see why you wound up doing what you did," Jane quietly admitted. "While I was in Asgard. When I got mad at Odin for lying to me. I was a magical lie sector."

Loki looked impressed. "Ah, that explains why you so easily followed me when I arrived in Asgard."

Jane nodded. "Exactly."

"How did you not see that I was lying on the Dark World when I betrayed Thor?"

"Because you didn't. You were simply following the plan you and Thor came up with."

Loki turned away from Jane and gazed out the window at the falling rain. It'd been raining in London since the whole Convergence thing had occurred.

"I hear I missed a berserker," Loki said, changing the subject to the most recent out of a fairy tale real life event to transpire on Earth. Jane had had little to do with the whole ordeal, but had witnessed Coulson and his rag-tag team run around, scrambling to get the situation under control.

"Oh, yeah. That was fun. You should ask Jim about it," Jane suggested, smiling she remembered how frazzled Jim was throughout the ordeal.

Loki tapped the screen a few more times. "It's been quite awhile since Asgard has used berserkers."

"Er, yeah. Evidently, there was one hanging out here from the last time Asgard used them," Jane said. "Tiny little man."

Loki laughed. "Yes, not everyone towers over us mortals."

Jane was amazed he uttered the sentence without any disgust. He sounded perfectly fine with being a mortal.

"Loki, how…"

"How am I handling being a mortal?" Loki sweetly asked, turning back to Jane. "Quite well. I knew what was going to happen the moment I saw what Mother had handed me, Jane Foster. And I knew, with my luck, it would not end with me regaining my magic or even returning to my former magically bound state. I'd either be dead or mortal."

Loki glanced over at the sleeping Captain America, who let out a rather unattractive snore as he shifted his position in the chair, before looking back at Jane.

"I will grow old," Loki stated. "While I know now I will age faster than Steven will, it will be more natural than if I was to remain as I was before."

"Steve's not exactly mortal, is he?"

"Steven is human. More so than many," Loki replied, clear fondness in his tone. "However, I do believe the serum they gave him has extended his life and slowed the aging process. It made him more on the level of an Asgardian, so Asgard accepted him when he visited. I knew it would."

"You did?"

Loki nodded, but didn't further explain how he'd known. Jane had a feeling it was something connected to his magic, hence why he didn't wish to speak of it at the moment.

"Recovery as a human is slow," Loki complained, glaring down at his midsection. "Frustratingly slow."

Jane couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. "Yeah, well, you're doing it faster than most I've heard."

Loki smirked. "Yes. Those healing stones helped quite a bit and befuddled the doctors to no end I hear."

"Well, you did show up in Thor's arms and dressed in bloody Asgardian gear, didn't they explain it away as something he did?"

"They did," Loki agreed. "And since he's gone, they'll never find out exactly what he did."

"Nope."

Loki looked down at his lap and fiddled with the edge of the bed sheet.

"Is he returning?"

"He said he would."

Loki nodded.

"He also said he was going to be in trouble with Odin for breaking me out of Asgard," Jane reminded Loki.

"Ah, but he is the golden son, Jane Foster," Loki said, a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Also, Odin has no other heir now that I am mortal. Best keep the one he has."

Jane frowned. "Oh."

"Thor will return," Loki assured her. "He is much too fond of you to stay away long."

Jane blushed a little and lightly slapped Loki's shoulder. Loki smirked. Jane was about to ask him another question when she heard thunder rumble. Both looked towards the window to see a rainbow light pour out of the sky.

"Ah, he's here. Best run down to meet him. Have your epic, Hollywood ending kiss," Loki teased. When their eyes met, she saw something she hadn't seen in his eyes since she'd been swept off to Asgard: mischief.

She smiled at him, squeezed his shoulder lightly, and hurried away. She flew through the hallways, bypassing the elevator in exchange for the stairs. By the time she reached the lobby, Thor was busy being confused by the nurse at the front desk. The nurse, who looked shell shocked at the sight of Thor in his armor, kept shaking her head.

"Thor!" Jane called out, skidding across the slippery floor towards the tall blond.

"Jane!" Thor greeted in return, catching Jane before she fell.

Before they could exchange any other words, their mouths crushed together. It seemed like forever since they'd kissed properly and Jane couldn't image a better greeting than the one she was getting.

When they broke apart, Jane was breathless, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Thor smiled softly down at her and set her feet back on the ground.

"Jane, it's good to see you once again."

"You too. Lo…er, Luke's awake and going to recover," Jane said, answering the question she knew was pressing on Thor's mind.

Thor looked relieved.

"I'll take you upstairs now. He can accept visitors now," Jane said, weaving her fingers through Thor's and tugging him towards the elevator.

Thor quietly filled Jane in on what had occurred in Asgard (his father didn't punish him, but instead offered him the throne, which Thor had turned down because he knew he wasn't ready for that responsibility yet) and by the time they were nearing Loki's room, Jane was anxious to ask what Odin had done with the Aether.

"Jane?" Thor questioned as they approached the door. "How is Loki?"

"You mean mentally?"

Thor gravely nodded, tightening is grip on her hand a little.

"He's, well, dealing really well, actually," Jane admitted.

Thor looked doubtful.

"He said he knew what he was getting into," Jane offered. "And now he will age more at Steve's pace."

Thor's face cleared suddenly and he chuckled. "Ah, love."

Jane quirked a smile. "Yeah. Make us mortals do silly things."

"Makes everyone do silly things," Thor quietly said. "This is his room?"

Jane nodded. "Want me to stay outside?"

"Why?"

"So you can speak to him alone."

"Is Captain Rogers not with Loki?"

"Oh, he is, but, uh, he's sleeping," Jane explained. "And won't wake up, as Loki charmed a nurse into drugging him so he'd sleep. Steve hadn't slept in days, I guess."

Thor quirked his eyebrows and laughed. An honest to goodness laugh.

"That is good to hear," Thor said. "Well, not that he had Captain Rogers drugged without his knowledge, but that Loki is still himself."

"Yeah, I guess the silver tongue aspect of his personality wasn't magical."

"No. Twas not, Jane. It is all his own doing."

"I'll, uh, go get coffee. He was in a pretty good mood when I left him, so…"

"Alright."

Jane nodded and hurried off towards the cafeteria.

Written on these walls are the colors that I can't change / Leave my heart open but it stays right here in its cage

-One Direction, "Story of My Life"

"Loki?"

"Thor."

Thor poked his head further into the room, his sapphire eyes sweeping over the small, private chamber before coming to rest once more on Loki.

"Come in. I do not have all day, Brother," Loki sighed, setting the StarkPad aside.

Thor entered the room and closed the door quietly.

"I heard you used your silver tongue to allow Captain Rogers some rest," Thor said, walking rather quietly to the side of the bed.

Not for the first time, Loki really wished he had the ability to magically make another chair appear. He was going to get a cramp in his neck from staring up at Thor. Thor realized this and sat on the floor.

"I'm not sure how clean that floor is," Loki remarked instead of commenting on his use of his skills to drug his partner. Looking downward now, Loki took in the curious sight of the Crown Prince of Asgard sitting on the floor of a mortal hospital.

Thor shrugged.

"So, what did Od—Father punish you with for your treason?"

The word father felt as if it were stuck on his tongue with sticky toffee, but Loki still managed to get it out without feeling that well of anger, rage, and heartbreak he usually felt around Odin and speaking of him.

Thor looked a bit sheepish and explained that Odin had not punished him at all, but instead said he was ready to be king in his own right and offered him the throne.

Loki's eyebrows flew into his hairline.

"You betrayed the crown and he offered to give it to you?"

Thor shrugged, avoiding looking at Loki.

"I take it you did not take this offer?"

"No, Loki. My place is defending the Nine Realms. I'm a warrior, not a leader."

"Thor, you are his only son," Loki pointed out.

"I'm not, but I know what you mean to say," Thor sighed deeply. "Someday I must take up the kingship, but for now, Father is more able to do so."

Loki pressed his lips together. "This is to do with Jane, does it not? There was a time you were anxious for the throne."

"I was a fool then, Loki. A big fool," Thor admitted, knotting his hands together and looking at the floor. He seemed smaller, almost childlike. Loki found he did not like it. "I…I'm not sure I can be king without you by my side as an advisor."

"You must."

"I know. Why Loki?" Thor asked, looking up. His eyes were filled with emotions Loki did not want to name. "Why did you use the cuff?"

"Mother gave it to me," Loki stated.

Thor gave him a challenging look. Loki sighed and looked away. He studied the sleeping Steve for a moment before speaking again.

"She asked me to save Asgard," Loki softly explained. "She said it was stagnant and needed change. She did not outright say it, but she hinted that Jane was this change. Mother also said Asgard needed trickery. Little did I realize you would supply most of it."

Thor snorted. Loki turned back towards his brother, studying the large man sitting on the ground.

"Trickery is what we used to defeat Malekith. Both on Earth and on the Dark World. It worked quite well," Thor admitted.

"I know. You've surprised me, Brother. There was a time you'd say it was a coward who used tricks in battle."

"I have seen the errors of my ways, Loki. You've figured that out, have you not?"

Thor's eyes twinkled and Loki tried to keep his expression schooled to hide his utter shock.

"Mother was right. Asgard is stagnant and in need of change," Thor agreed. "Midgard changes quickly and swiftly. And the master of trickery is here. Who best to learn all the tricks of the trade than from him?"

Loki felt dizzy.

Thor struggled to get to his feet. "I'll allow you to rest, Brother, as you are looking a little weary."

"Wait, what did Fa—Od—Father do with the Aether?"

Thor got to his feet and regarded Loki for a moment before saying, "He sent it to the Collector."

"The Collector?"

"Yes. He is no friend of the Mad Titian. Father felt it was not wise to have two Infinity Stones that close together," Thor said, pressing his lips together.

"Did he put it in a new container?"

"Yes. Father gave me the Arc Reactor to return to Stark," Thor said, putting his hand on a pouch at his hip. "I will return to visit further with you tomorrow."

Thor clapped Loki on the shoulder, smiled, and left before Loki could ask any further questions, or wrap his mind around fully that Thor had complimented Loki on his use of tricks and magic. For almost his entire lifetime, Loki had been belittled for his tricks, his magic, his very being.

Now he was without his magic. His stomach twisted and he clenched his hands together. He reopened his hands and stared at the now useless things.

He kept telling everyone he was fine with being mortal and for the most part he was— the Mad One was another story. He was, well, mad. More so than usual. For most of Loki's life, he had been defined by his magic and in return it defined who he had thought of himself.

He was never going to have access to magic again. The whole getting old and dying did not bother Loki in the least— the fact he'd never cast another spell was worse than death.

"Lo?" a groggy voice asked. "What the heck happened?"

Loki looked over at his partner, who was rubbing his face with both hands and struggling to wake up.

"Why do I feel so…blarg?"

Loki chuckled, pushing his troubles aside. "Oh, Steven, you were drugged."

"Huh?"

Loki smiled a small smile at Steve as the other man let his hands fall into his lap. Steve studied Loki for a moment before he groaned and slouched in the chair again, arms flopping to his sides.

"You sweet talked a nurse, didn't you?"

"You refused to sleep, darling. I can't have my caregiver succumbing to sleep deprivation, can I?"

"Loki—"

"They are going to release me in a few days time," Loki reminded Steve. "I will not be a hundred percent, but I'd like you at a hundred percent and you refused to sleep."

Steve gave Loki a scolding look. Loki blandly stared back till Steve sighed again and ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't do that again," Steve ordered, his Captain America persona seeping into his usual tone.

"Don't refuse to sleep again."

"What did you drug?"

"That horrid coffee you were drinking," Loki replied. "And due to your metabolism, you only slept for four hours."

Loki pouted. Steve rolled his eyes.

"I'll go back to the hotel tonight and sleep," Steve promised, pulling out his mobile phone. He frowned at it a moment, before tapping the screen.

"Good. What is it?"

"Was Thor here?" Steve asked.

"Yes. Who texted you?"

"I didn't dream that up?"

"Dream what up?"

"That Thor was sitting on the floor."

"Oh, that. No. That happened. He also informed me he was going to learn trickery from me. Now, who sent you a message that made the crease appear and deepen between your eyes?"

Steve finally looked up and tried to smooth out his forehead.

He failed.

"Director Fury wants me to relocate to Washington DC. He's got a long term assignment for me that requires me to be in the capital."

Loki pouted. "We just moved into our apartment in New York."

"I know. But, we kind of have to go," Steve sighed, frowning and deepening that wrinkle between his eyes again. He looked back down at his phone. "I have to meet Fury in two hours. He'll give me more details."

"You said we have to go. I am not a member of SHEILD."

"I'm not moving to DC for a year without you," Steve said, looking at Loki as if he were mental.

Some people need three dozen roses / And that's the only way to prove you love them / Hand me the world on a silver platter and what good would it be with no one to share

-Alicia Keys, "If I Ain't Got You"

"So, you're staying?"

"For as long as you'll have me."

"Forever?"

"That is a long time, Jane."

"Well, yeah," Jane admitted, feeling her cheeks heat up. "But, uh, we can, uh…date and stuff."

"Date and stuff?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. How does one date and stuff?"

"Well, first you need to ask me out to dinner. That's the date," Jane explained.

"Where would we go for dinner? I do not know London. Or your world."

"Okay. I'll plan our first date."

"Alright. Jane, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What is the purpose of a date?"

"Er….to get to know one another?"

"Do we not know one another?"

"Not really. I mean, well, we know one another…but…"

"We could know one another better?"

"Exactly. I'll make reservations at this place I know. If it's still standing. You might have knocked it down or ruined the windows," Jane realized as she turned to head out into the hospital parking lot. "But, that's fine. Darcy knows lots of places to eat around London. She enjoys dating."

"She likes to get to know people, yes. I can see that."

Jane held in a laugh, but shook her head. "Okay, yeah. Let's go, big guy. I've got a city to show you."

"I saw it. From various angles I doubt anyone has."

"Yeah, just rub that in, will ya? So, what'd your father do with the Aether?"

Jane listened anxiously as Thor told her exactly what Odin had done with the red substance.

And you won't give up the search for the ghosts in the halls / You wear sandals in the snow and a smile that won't wash away

-Sarah McLachlan, "Building a Mystery"

Jane entered her lab and found Phil Coulson standing alone by one of the scanners looking mildly interested in the readings spewing out.

"Uh, hi?" Jane asked, feeling suspicious.

"Good morning, Doctor Foster," Coulson greeted blandly. "I've not come to steal anything."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I've come to inquire about those healing stones you used on Loki," Coulson said, clasping his hands behind his back and taking a few steps away from the scanner. He finally looked up at her. "The notes on the file claim that whatever you and Thor did before you reached the hospital saved Loki's life."

Jane frowned. "I'm not sure what they are. They honestly look like rocks, only they are crushable. Well, if you're an Asgardian or…well, maybe Steve."

Coulson nodded, his eyes never leaving Jane.

"What is their function?"

"To heal?"

"Heal what? Could I sprinkle one of those on Loki's head and heal all his mental problems? Or are they simply for grievous abdominal wounds?"

"No, they, uh, they are actually mostly used, well, to sustain a massive wound or for, well, cuts and scraps from what I understood," Jane admitted. "I am sure you read the report Thor gave SHEILD."

"I did. And while I can understand why you'd think they'd work better on a human body to heal a massive injury, it does not explain why Loki is recovering at the rate he is, nor why he is currently alive."

"Shouldn't you talk to Thor about healing stones?"

"I did. He told me little more than you," Coulson replied.

He turned his face away from Jane for a beat before turning to face her once again.

"Loki was stabbed clear through the middle. He shouldn't be alive, let alone able to wiggle his toes. He ought to have died on the battle field if he were a mere human being," Coulson stated in his bland voice. "Yet, he was still alive when you and Thor reached the hospital."

"Barely," Jane pointed out. She bit her bottom lip, looking at the patterns in the tile floor. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I didn't think he'd live passed getting him to the hospital. Because you're right. He was stabbed clear through the middle. His spinal cord was likely nicked and he lost a whole lot of blood before Thor smashed up the healing stones. I just…I mostly wanted to get him back here somewhat alive. I didn't want him to die there on that dead world."

"So, you knew there wasn't much hope for him?"

Jane nodded, eyes still glued to the floor. She felt rotten for admitting it, yet she knew it to be true: there was no reason why Loki was alive if he were truly mortal.

"Maybe he's not mortal?" Jane suggested. "I mean, how do you turn an Asgardian, or well, he's a Frost Giant. How do you turn a Frost Giant into a mortal? I mean, yeah, when Thor first showed up he was pretty much mortal, but…he was still, well, Thor."

"Oh, Loki is very mortal. More so than Thor was during his trip to Earth. Unlike passed scans, there is nothing alien about Loki any longer. He's hundred percent human being," Coulson assured her, heading towards the door. "Thank you for your time, Doctor Foster. I'll let you get back to work."

Jane opened and closed her mouth a few times, but got none of her questions out before Coulson was gone.

And I am feeling so small / It was over my head / I know nothing at all / I'm still learning to love, just starting to crawl

-A Great Big Word, "Say Something"

A knock on the door startled Loki to the point he was sure he'd pulled something in his abdomen. Loki wasn't sure who was knocking on his door and not entering, as his usual round of visitors usually knocked as they entered.

"Enter," Loki said when the person knocked again.

Loki watched a head of blond curls appear, followed by a familiar face with bright blue eyes and wearing a striking suit.

"James?"

"Good afternoon. Might I bother you for a moment?"

Loki motioned Jim was free to enter.

"Thank you," Jim said, entering. He turned and locked the door, then stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers till he came out with four little black balls, which he did something to before he set one one near the door, one near the window and the other two on the little table that contained the remnants of Loki's lunch.

"What are you doing?"

"I needed to speak to you on your own and the fact that Director Fury wished to speak to Captain Rogers this afternoon seemed like perfect timing."

"What are the little black balls?"

"Something Fitz created to counteract bugs," Jim said, looking as if he wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about.

Loki extended his hand, making a motion he wanted to examine one. Jim handed Loki one and looking it over, Loki knew exactly what the little ball did.

"My hospital room is being eavesdropped upon?"

"I'm not sure…but, Skye seemed to think that SHIELD would want to…know what was said in here…and it seemed like something they'd do. Also, what I want to discuss with you is something I do not wish SHEILD to know."

Loki gave Jim an interested look and leaned back on his hospital bed, motioning for Jim to take the lone chair. Jim looked unsure how to proceed, so Loki wasn't all that surprised what he said next was somewhat random.

"I was shot numerous times."

"And that matters because?"

"For a human, I recovered quickly."

Loki pressed his lips together while Jim tried his hardest not to fidget.

"Cut to the chase, Nicholls. What are you do you wish to speak on?" Loki demanded.

"What do you remember of your time in hospital? Before you woke up in recovery?"

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Please, just tell me."

Loki studied Jim. He was anxious, a little worried, and concerned. He was also slightly curious and confused. There was something important, yet strange, Jim wanted to share with Loki.

"Voices," Loki admitted. "I believe they were from shortly after I arrived at the hospital. There were many I did not know, mostly talking about my care, then… I heard a familiar voice. Director Fury."

"What does he sound like?"

Loki frowned. "A man."

Jim ran a hand through his hair, somehow not upsetting the arrangement of curls on his head. "I've never met Director Fury, Mr Laufey-Odinson. But, after I…after Agent Barton and Ms Witton found me in the forest, the next thing I remember is a deep, American accented voice ordering me to be dosed. There was another, somewhat similar voice that responded I'd had enough and I wasn't responding."

Loki pressed his lips together, head sifting through the various things he remembered that didn't fit or were abnormal before he'd awoken and spoken to Steve in the recovery room.

"Then…the pain," Jim shook his head, breaking eye contact and staring at the floor. "There was so much pain and then…I had very strange dreams. Much more strange than the one I had later when I met Joey in the field in France."

"Yes. Much more strange, I would assume," Loki agreed, remembering the vivid nightmares he'd suffered.

"So, you remember voices and then strange visions?"

"Nightmares," Loki corrected. "Call them what they were, James."

Jim nodded. "They weren't horrible, but they weren't pleasant. Most of what I dreamed of was from what I imagined battle would have been if I had lived to see them. Though, there were things that made no sense at all."

"Yes, something similar happened to me."

The two men sat in silence, mulling over what they'd been through.

"James, why did you feel the need to tell me this?"

"I was dead," Jim stated flatly, jaw tightening before he continued. "When I heard the voices, I'd been dead and they'd been unable to revive me. Whatever they'd been trying to do failed and they were going to give up. But, then, I guess whatever they were doing worked."

Jim motioned to himself.

"And after you heard the voices, you remember being in tremendous pain?" Loki inquired.

Jim nodded. "Worst than when I was shot full of holes."

Loki looked away and stared at his hands. He wasn't sure what to make of what Jim was telling him.

"What do you think they did? It's not in any SHIELD record."

Loki gave Jim a curious look and watched the young man blush.

"I might have used my Smile Power to get Skye to explain to me how to hack into SHIELD to see my records"

Loki chuckled. "Nothing to be ashamed of, James. Use your charms and what you have. Why did you have her explain to you how to hack into SHEILD's files?"

"She wears a tracking bracelet for reasons I am not aware. I assume she hacked into something she ought not to and now they do not fully trust her. The bracelet monitors her computer activity."

Loki nodded. "What did you find out?"

"Nothing. There is no record of Director Fury or any SHIELD doctors being at JBER. The only SHEILD employees present were Agents Coulson and Barton. Then later, Captain Rogers, though Captain Rogers wasn't there on behalf of SHIELD."

Loki nodded. "Hand me that StarkPad. I'll hack into SHEILD to see what they have on record for myself. The doctors are rather amazed I am alive, but I'd thought it was due to the healing stones Thor applied before we left the Dark World."

Jim shifted in his seat, but did not pick up the StarkPad. "Thor admitted the healing stones would be unable to repair your spine. They stopped you from bleeding out, no more. There was too much damage, even Thor admitted, for the stones to save your life. He was amazed you remained alive to reach hospital here on Earth. Doctor Foster confirmed this information to Agent Coulson."

"You had Miss Skye aid you to look at more than just your files, hmmm?"

Jim's ears went pink. "Yes, sir. She was curious after we hacked into my files and told me how to get to yours. I'm sorry, sir."

"No need to call me sir," Loki drawled. "Now, what did you find out?"

Jim cleared his throat, producing his StarkPad from somewhere. "Not much, but I do know that the doctors in the A&E when you were brought in didn't think you'd make it. I spoke to them before I left to aid Doctor Foster. Several hospital employees told me someone kicked out all hospital employees. Some American organization brought in their own doctors."

"But, SHEILD did not bring in their own doctors?"

Jim shook his head, extending the StarkPad to Loki. "No. The only interference SHIELD has on record are the papers Agent Coulson agreed to have Skye draw up stating you and Captain Rogers were married."

Jim looked mildly uncomfortable stating this fact, but swallowed and was once more composed. Loki took the StarkPad. He glanced over the copies of his medical records. He glanced at the clipboard at the end of his bed. Without needing to be told, Jim grabbed it and handed it to Loki. Loki looked through both and they were the same. There was nothing on either that stated he'd suffered any spinal injury. The only thing that would raise alarm: the doctors attending to Loki were not directly employed by SHEILD or the hospital. He glanced up once more to find Jim not looking at him but at his shoes.

"You can disapprove, Captain Nicholls. I am aware during your life, homosexual relationships were frowned upon. Illegal, weren't they?"

Jim nodded, a look of frustration appearing on his face. "But, that time has passed."

"Doesn't mean you have to be alright with it," Loki replied.

Jim pressed his lips together and looked out the window at the dreary London skyline. "I want to be okay with it."

"Then all you can do it try," Loki reasoned.

Jim nodded tightly, but did not respond. Loki turned his attention back to the StarkPad and tapped the screen to look at what Jim had found on himself. There was not much. Fury had done a better job at covering his tracks with Jim than Loki.

"SHIELD hasn't been anything but…cordial with me," Jim said, breaking the silence that had fallen in the room. "I do not fancy getting on their bad side, but…"

"This is a puzzle that won't solve itself."

"And I have flashbacks. They're…disturbing."

"More so than the nightmares?"

"Much more. The flashbacks are out of science fiction. The flashbacks did not begin till about a month after I'd been here. The, erm, therapist…"

Loki quirked an eyebrow. "Does your therapist believe you are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder?"

Jim nodded. "Yes. She said it made perfect sense, as many soldiers from World War I suffered the aliment. She said we called it shell shock. Never having heard of it, I researched it, and it seemed to be a blanket phrase used for various injuries sustained during battle. Those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder in my time wouldn't have been…well, I do not believe they'd speak of it for fear of being labeled a coward."

"Ah."

"But, I understand that is not so," Jim insisted, looking livid. "War does mess with your mind and from my research, people of my time simply lacked the understanding to realize what was happening. The men weren't cowards, weren't afraid, or lacking character. It's an alignment that needed, no, needs to be treated."

Loki nodded, unsure how to react to Jim's passionate nature when it came to treating soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"You do not believe you have it, do you?"

"I believe to a degree I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, between how I was supposed to die and how I came to live in this world."

Loki nodded his head. From what little he knew of Jim Nicholls, he'd led a rather sheltered life till he was shipped off to France to fight in World War I. While he'd been in the army for quite some time before the outbreak of the war, he'd never seen battle up close. Jim was not a seasoned warrior.

"Do you still have nightmares?"

"Yes."

"You do not take the drugs they prescribe, do you?"

"I stopped when the flashbacks began. They felt…too important to mask with drugs," Jim admitted. "Especially when the flashbacks had nothing to do with the war."

"What do you plan to do?"

Jim smoothed his hands down his pristine trousers, not looking at Loki for a moment before he pierced Loki with his baby blue eyes. "We are going to get to the bottom of this, as I'd like to know why Director Fury has hidden this so…throughly."

"He is a spy. His secrets have secrets."

"True, but what was so important about you and I that he went to these lengths?"

"I am Loki," Loki pointed out with a smirk.

Jim rolled his eyes. "Fine, then me. I'm a member of the British peerage who has been in the British Army since he graduated university, yet never saw a battle till the day I was gunned down who does not exist in this reality. Not to put myself down, but I'm useless."

"You have Smile Power."

Jim gave Loki a look of disgust. "I do not have any magical or mystical powers having to do with my smile. I'm nice. And, alright, I'm not homely. But, Director Fury was not to know any of this passed my physical appearance when he chose to bring me back to life. So, why did he?"

"You were a mystery. You came through a portal," Loki reasoned.

Jim pressed his lips together. "I doubt I was worth the trouble Director Fury went through."

Loki was not going to admit he thought Jim was right: he wasn't worth the effort, as Jim was in fact nothing special. Granted, Director Fury would not have known this when he'd acted. However, if whatever they'd done had failed to work, losing some unknown, maybe worthless person would be worth the information they'd gathered from experimenting on Jim.

"Whatever they did to me worked, so they did it to you. Loki, Director Fury and whoever he's working with have the power to bring people back from the dead."

"Oh," Loki breathed. "Well, that's not good, now is it?"

The distance to your home fades away to nowhere / How much are you worth / You can't come down to earth / You're swelling up, you're unstoppable

-Muse, "New Born"

A/N: Check out my Tumblr account: scotlandevander at tumbler dot com. I'll update there when I finally start writing the next story, which will hopefully clear up any confusion suffered whilst reading this. Thank you so much for reading, your comments, favorites, adds, etc. It's all appreciated.