FINALLY.

A huge apology for the lengthy delay of this chapter. I've been busy out the ass with school related things and I also struggled a bit with finishing this chapter due to my changing of how it was originally set to end. It's the longest chapter yet and is the conclusion to this story (minus the epilogue that will hint at the sequel as a chapter 11). I hope it is not complete garbage. If there are any mistakes/loose ends not tied up, please let me know!

As always, thank you SO much for the reviews! They push me to get things done.

Warning: Contains a small section of M stuff.

Sovereign

Chapter 10

Nora and Loki sat a comfortable distance apart on the steps of the penthouse living room. Conversation had lulled as the two of them waited for the inevitable, Loki making no attempt to flee and escape his approaching arrest. At any moment, the Avengers would arrive to surround him and whisk him into custody, all the while wordlessly gloating about their victory.

Hunched forward with his elbows atop his knees, Loki was rooted in concentration. If he was at all apprehensive, his face did not show it. He seemed to pay no attention to Nora as she sat next to him, her stare fixated on his composed profile. She was much more relaxed in her position and did not think twice to stretch her legs out before them, her toes wiggling inside her sweaty boots. Curious as to what he was thinking, Nora decided to rekindle an exchange of words.

"What's next for you?"

Loki considered the question for a long minute before answering, his lips absentmindedly brushing across a raised pointer finger. "I suppose I will be forced to return to Asgard with my brother, Thor."

"Is that so bad?"

Loki sighed and solemnly shook his head, "I will undoubtably be served a severe penalty for my crimes but I do not know what to fully expect. I suppose the unknowing aspect is a little worrisome..."

Nora studied him with a sympathetic gaze. She tried to formulate what life in Asgard must be like but soon scrapped her mental illustration after realizing she had no substantial information to build her image upon. "Well, if you could fathom the worst punishment, what would it be?"

"Becoming human." Loki's response came without hesitation. The aversion in his voice was evident, a strand of worry also lacing his tone, and Nora watched his expression harden.

"I didn't know that was even possible..."

Loki turned to look at her with an emotionless and lopsided smile, "How do you think Thor first ended up in this realm? He was stripped of every ounce of godly power gone and was committed to the life of a mortal until he could prove his worth."

"I suppose that is where Jane Foster comes into play. I was stationed out in New Mexico for a short period, dealing with your brother's arrival. I was busy feeding S.H.I.E.L.D. the information that we grabbed from Dr. Selvig and Jane Foster's studies. Beyond that, I don't know much about how Thor managed to get his powers back."

"Yes, Jane Foster..." Loki's voice trailed off and his knuckles whitened with the clench of his hands. "Thor grew soft and ended up sacrificing himself before an enemy, to no doubt save Foster and all else that was in the path of the Destroyer. That sacrifice is what returned his godly abilities, Mjolnir given to him as an added award."

Nora looked ahead as Loki spoke of his brother, her eyes following the sun as it set behind a neighboring pair of buildings. Loki's knowledge of the incident was not lost on her. His involvement was a practical thing to assume, especially after considering recent events.

"And how do you know of this? Your relationship with Thor seems rocky at best, let alone him explaining to you the reclamation his powers."

Loki gave her a measured stare, the wicked glint in his eye acting as confirmation of her speculations. "I sent the Destroyer and sought to end Thor's life."

A shiver ran through her at his verbal confession and Nora suddenly wished for Loki's immediate arrest. Pulling her legs into her chest, she shifted uncomfortably as her posture became rigid and tight. The god scrutinized her movement with a frown, a small degree of regret creeping into his pale features. His villainy was certainly no relief for Nora.

"You fear becoming a mortal but I think it might be the only punishment suitable for someone like you," Nora murmured. "You have yet to prove your worth."

Loki bristled at her words, his frown morphing into a scowl. Nora ignored his reaction and pressed forward.

"I believe we all have elements of good and bad within us. I've seen the worst in you but I've also seen a glimmer of what good you have to offer. Your humanity needs to cultivate; there's redemption in your future if you'd just stop suppressing it. You're better than this vengeful god you keep chalking yourself up to be. Saving me and caring for me is a step in the right direction. It's a change for the better."

Nora could feel her cheeks grow red once she finished, her sight falling to her lap. Loki's eyes were boring into her and she could see him lean sideways through her peripheral vision. His head regarded her crookedly.

"That is where you are mistaken, Agent Graves. Where you see progress in my caring, I see myself falling backwards in regression. For my entire life, I have been content with my emotions and ambitions, whether or not you think they fall into your category of 'good and evil'. My fondness for you, the 'development' you have seen, is a weakness; plain and simple. It is a conflicting emotion and conflicts with my ambition. If being a 'vengeful god' gets me to where I strive to be, so be it."

"I didn't know you strove to be clapped in irons and headed towards sentencing," Nora said cooly. Frustrated and desiring fresh air, she rose to her feet and cast a backwards glance at Loki. "I'm not sure that we'll see each other again past this day and should that be the case, I wish you the best and hope for your sake that you give the good in you a chance."

"Hm," was all Loki responded with.

Nora began to walk to the balcony. She could feel Loki's eyes on her back as she crossed the room, his gaze lingering when she stopped at the edge of the expanse to watch the evening sky continue to fall. Daring herself to look below, she shook her head at the damage that covered the streets. Civilians were navigating around wreckage and Chitauri bodies, a number of cheers and thankful shouts being directed at the Avengers for their heroic work.

"It's a good thing it's all over, huh?"

Nora looked up in the direction of the voice and saw Tony Stark arriving to land on the balcony. His armored feet clunked as they touched the ground and soon afterwards, the much larger feet of the Hulk anchored themselves nearby in a startling fashion. The both of them displayed the wear and tear of battle; Stark's armor sparked in numerous areas whereas the Hulk stood smeared in Chitauri gore, his chest heaving with his heavy breaths.

Nora gave Stark a weak smile, "He's inside."

"So he is," Stark said, throwing a 'thumbs up' gesture at a glowering Loki, no doubt grinning behind his red and gold helmet. He retained his attention on Nora and assessed her with an appraising stance. "So you're the young lady Thor mentioned... and you're from S.H.I.E.L.D. no less! At least, I think you are? Your uniform has seen better days..."

"Trust me, a clean uniform is on my To-Do List," she said. "But yes, I suppose I am who you are talking about."

"We'll get you back at the base and all cleaned up in no time, once we deal with You-Know-Who," Stark said, indicating Loki with the jerk of his head. He clapped Nora on the shoulder with an iron gauntlet (quickly apologizing after seeing her face make a pained expression) and moved to enter his ruined penthouse. Now standing next to the towering form of the Hulk, Nora forced a smile and held up a hand in meek greeting. He grunted in response and lumbered towards the small gathering inside, his green fists balled in preparation for a second possible Loki thrashing.

"Ah, you are awake!"

Landing beside her with grace and poise, the God of Thunder gave Nora a heartwarming and honest smile. His muscular body glistened with sweat and blood and Nora, mouth slightly agape, couldn't help but remark on how well the grime suited him. Growing embarrassed with her thoughts, Nora made a face as a warmth spread across her cheeks.

"Um, excuse me?" she asked, not understanding his exclamation.

"Forgive my rudeness; I am Thor, brother of Loki."

His introduction was not necessary, of course. Nora knew who he was. She was a little surprised that he was aware of her existence but after remembering her brief position as Brainwashed Guardian of the Device, it wasn't a complete stretch.

At Thor's mention of Loki's name, Nora zoned out as her attention moved back inside. The Hulk had moved off to the side and now sandwiched her view of Loki with the other members of the Avengers. Loki remained seated, his eyes glaring at the surrounding group before settling on Nora's vacant stare. After a moment of small discussion, Agent Barton forced the villainous god to his feet with a demanding grip.

"Might I know your name?" Thor asked politely, his focus also on indoor scene.

Together they watched Agent Romanoff pull a pair of advanced looking handcuffs from her side and place them on Loki's wrists, the God of Mischief's mouth a thin line. He did not struggle against the cuffs and calmly rested his manacled hands in front of him. The fact that Loki was so complying of his arrest almost made it harder for Nora to watch.

"Agent Nora Graves," Nora stated softly. Off in the distance she could hear a helicopter approaching the tower; Loki's paddy-wagon coming to take him back to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Loki was halfway to the elevator. He walked with composure and was flanked by Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton.

"I am deeply sorry for any trouble my brother has caused you," Thor said with sincerity.

Once in the elevator, the two agents grasped Loki's arms as they all faced forward. The doors began to close and the god's steely expression spoke volumes, his lips in a tight line.

"It's..."

The doors sealed shut and Nora blinked.

"It's fine."

Finished with his business, Stark waltzed back outside, his hands on his hips. "Alright, that's all taken care of. Once everyone is ready, we'll head back to the Helicarrier and give Loki a nice, big warm reception. Then it's time for some serious rest and relaxation... and shawarma." He looked at Nora. "You're probably sick of seeing Loki's face by now so there's arrangements for you to sit in front."

Nora managed a halfhearted laugh, "Thanks."

Stark walked to the edge of the balcony and threw a hand in the air as a nonchalant farewell gesture. "See everyone back at base camp."

In a split second, Stark pushed off and blasted into the sky.

Thor reached out his hand to Nora and quirked a blonde eyebrow.

"Milady?"

"Oh, um..."

Hesitantly, Nora slipped her smaller hand into his and let Thor scoop her into his muscular arms. They followed Stark's steps to the edge of the balcony and Thor began to rise into the air. As they ascended to the rooftop, Thor's natural musky scent hit her nose and Nora silently wished that she had paid more attention to what Loki smelled like when he had carried her. She hugged Thor's neck when they lowered next to the helicopter, his arms gently placing her back on her feet. Plucking Nora's hand from her side, he helped her into the chopper and let go after giving her a smile.

"Have a safe journey, my friend."

From the row of seats that lined the interior of the helicopter, Loki watched the exchange with a scowl. Noticing this, Thor sent his brother a dark look and took a number of backwards steps away from the group. He twirled his hammer and nodded to them before taking off for the Helicarrier.

With Thor gone, Nora felt like the elephant in the room. While her fellow agents looked at her with kind, polite expressions, Loki stared at her with hard eyes. Nora made no attempt to look away from him and gave him another quick glance as she worked her way into the cockpit, his lips quirking into the slightest smirk at the last second.

The pilot nodded as she seated herself in the vacant chair next to him, his fingers pushing and pulling at a series of gadgets to prepare the copter for flight. Nora fastened her seatbelt and leaned her head against a spot on the wall that was free of instruments, her thoughts filled with visions of Loki. She could feel the vibrations of the helicopter as it lifted to hover above the rooftop, the craft leaning forward in its departure of Stark Tower.

Closing her eyes, Nora asked herself if she would miss Loki when he was gone.

And as insufferable and irritating as he was at times, she knew the answer was 'yes'.

(The room was dark and poorly lit. Two bodies squared off within the center of the space.)

"I would rather die than become your puppet."

Loki smirked and threw her to the floor, her body skidding with the momentum. She groaned at the collision with the concrete, her side aching, and rolled onto her back.

He smiled and gingerly stepped over her body, his hair falling as he continued to stare down at her. His breathing was steady and he dropped to his knees, his body now successfully straddling her stomach. Loki released her shoulder and she started to squirm underneath him. Her hands moved to claw at his face but Loki was quick and gathered both of her wrists in his free hand. He pulled them uncomfortably above her head and drew his scepter to point at the center of her chest.

"You can't kill me," she said with confidence.

"You sound so certain," Loki sneered. "What makes you think I have any desire to spare your life and let you continue to live your meaningless and weak existence?"

"Because you have already exposed your secret." She rotated her wrists against his grip and raised her head to bring it closer to his. Her lips parted in an exaggerated manner as she slowly sounded out the words on her tongue, "You care for me."

His face contorting in anger, Loki repositioned his scepter to aim at her throat. She could feel the point of the scepter pressing into her neck and she strained to keep her head tilted away from the blade. His eyes burned her and branded her with his hated.

"I should kill you where you lie," he said in a deadly tone.

"Loki," Nora swallowed, "You won't let yourself kill me."

"You are a weakness!"

A weakness that will be exploited.

Neither she nor Loki paid any mind to the deep voice, the sound leaving as quickly as it came.

Feeling courageous, she raised her hips and watched Loki's breath catch at the contact. His eyes narrowed and she could see the inner conflict within him. The end of the scepter still at her skin, she lifted her head and wanted to smile when Loki slowly pulled the blade away to not let her cut herself.

"See?" she asked.

Growling, Loki threw his scepter at her side and hastily grabbed the underside of her neck. He drew her head forward further and crashed his lips onto hers, initiating a passionate and explosive kiss. She could feel heat immediately being to spread throughout her body as the sensation of falling into a state of bliss electrified her senses. Their tongues clashed and greedily explored one another, her hands twisting in a plea to break free.

Meeting her request, Loki released her wrists and slid a hand up her neck to embed itself into her hair. His other hand moved in a passive manner and trailed along her side, his fingers light as they followed the contours of her body. Loki's caresses eventually stopped over her chest and she shivered as he brushed over one of her breasts. Catching her lower lip between his teeth, he gently squeezed the small mound and swept his tongue across her lip before leading into another deep kiss.

At her slip of a moan, she could feel the god smirk against her. Slowly, she drew her arms from above her head and tucked them between their bodies, her palms gripping at his armored chest in an attempt to bring him closer. Teasingly, she withdrew her tongue from their kiss only to come back and latch onto his tongue with her lips. She could hear a rumbling from Loki's throat and another wave of pleasure washed through her core.

Her body then moved on its own accord; her back arched as Loki then slipped his hand down to her inner thigh and she clutched at him with need. Their mouths parted briefly and she could feel his hot breath against her skin, his stare piercing her with a blazing intensity.

"You will surrender to me," Loki growled, grabbing a handful of hair and wrenching her head back with a tightened grip. His other hand slid further and came to cup her most private region. Through the fabric of her uniform, she could feel the pressure of his fingers against her womanhood and gasped as Loki began to slowly stroke the area. Soon he would be able to feel the wetness and desire that plagued her.

"Loki..." she breathed.

Loki smirked and glanced down at the hand that caressed her, "It would be so easy to make you beg for it..."

Boldly, she moved a hand to the collar of her uniform and tugged at the front zipper. Keen on Loki's response, she dragged the zipper languidly to expose the flushed skin of her chest. She watched in satisfaction as Loki drank in the sight of her with a glazed over expression, his breathing quick and shallow.

Her head sank to the floor as Loki's hand unwound itself from her hair and descended upon the new, revealed flesh. Greedily, he splayed his fingers across her and swept past her uniform to claim a breast. He squeezed and rolled the mound with his palm while she worked to free her arms from the confines of her sleeves.

The top of her uniform hanging off her body, she snaked her arms around his neck and pulled Loki to her, showering him with a string of chaste kisses. A ripple of goosebumps washed across her naked skin as he retracted his hand from the moistened spot between her legs to continue the undressing of her uniform. Through a process of tugs and yanks, Loki anxiously pulled the article of clothing past her bottom and rearranged his position on top of her.

"You desire to be dominated," he whispered against her ear. A warm hand brushed across her abdomen and traveled back down to juxtapose itself above her soaking womanhood. Half kneeling, Loki moved to cradle her neck in his other hand and brought their foreheads to meet. "You cannot fight me, Nora..."

"I..."

Her body was pleading.

"Say it," Loki commanded.

She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. Her lips parted and fear gripped her when she realized the words on her tongue were being morphed into words she couldn't control.

"I would rather die than become your puppet."

The words left her and her eyes opened wide in alarm. Their foreheads still connected, she could see Loki staring at her with a malicious grin. Within his green eyes, she could tell something was wrong. He looked at her with a shared terror, an emotion that greatly contradicted his venomous expression.

That was when she felt the sharp point of Loki's scepter touching her bare stomach.

"That can be arranged," he said, sinking the weapon into her.

She coughed and sputtered as blood surged from the wound. In an instant the darkness that had briefly owned Loki lifted and gave way to anguish. She watched him glance down at the damage he created and could feel the hand that supported her neck begin to tremble with emotion.

Her arms felt heavy as death crept in to take her. They fell from Loki's shoulders and landed next to her like the limbs of a rag-doll.

"Nora, stay with me..."

Loki lowered her head to the ground and cupped her cheek.

She sputtered for air.

"Nora!"

Nora awoke to a fit of coughing, her eyes wild as they scanned the enclosed cockpit. When the fit subsided, she relaxed against the restrains of her seatbelt and gave an apologetic smile to the worried pilot sitting next to her. Her palms were clammy and she wiped them on her uniform before digging at the sleep in her eyes with a knuckle, images from the nightmare at the forefront of her mind.

The pilot continued to scrutinize Nora in between his process of shutting down the helicopter. After the clicking of buttons and flipping of a few switches, he maneuvered himself out of his seat and into the open aisle behind them. Nora took a minute to ground herself in reality and stared outside the cockpit window to discern their location.

Sure enough, the sight of the Helicarrier was unmistakable. The reflective panels had disappeared and the natural skin of the craft blended in nicely with the surrounding darkness. From what Nora could tell, the massive S.H.I.E.L.D. base was no longer one with the clouds and had returned to drifting across the ocean. The night sky hugged them, a blanket of stars glowing overhead as they assisted the moon in illuminating the runway. Smaller sections of light bordered the ship and Nora could spot numerous workmen scattered across the area, repair equipment and machinery at hand.

The pilot's face appeared in her peripheral vision and she accepted his offer in helping her out of her seat. After removing her seatbelt, he allowed for Nora to grip his arm as she climbed over the middle console and stepped into the area next to him. Since awaking, the pilot had not asked how she was nor bothered to question the dream that seemed to have startled her so badly. He appeared wise enough to blame it on the baggage of all that she had recently gone through and spoke to her with a soft, almost reserved, tone.

"I bet you're glad to be back, huh?"

Nora barely caught the question, her focus on the back of the helicopter. Loki's seat was empty, as were the seats belonging to his handlers, and she felt dismayed that she missed seeing him before his incarceration. She had hoped to discuss the unsettling nature of her nightmare with Loki, forgoing the sexual nature of the dream, as a part of her viewed it as some sort of warning.

"Yeah, it's certainly a relief to have this whole mess under the bridge," she said, frowning. "Where have they taken Loki?"

The pilot gave her a gentle, reassuring tap on her arm and hopped out of the helicopter, his feet landing against the runway. "Don't worry; he's back in tight custody. You slept through a majority of the flight and he was already out of sight by the time you woke up. Hell, Director Fury escorted his ass first-hand. I suspect they're already in discussion about what to do with him..."

He extended his hand and Nora took it with a appreciative expression. She inhaled a large breath and carefully lowered herself to the ground. Once on her feet, Nora mouthed her gratitude and started to walk towards the base's main entrance, her stride filled with determination. The details of Loki's imprisonment were important to her and the Director needed to be notified of her recent circumstances.

"Whoa, whoa!" The pilot called after her, jogging to meet up with her.

Nora stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the pilot with a wary stare.

"I was told that your orders are to report to the infirmary for an evaluation of you injuries. Director Fury will contact you there. Hopefully everything checks out okay; you don't look the greatest. It's good to have you back among us, Agent."

"Thank you," Nora said.

The pilot nodded and began to take backwards steps in the direction of his helicopter. "Remember, the infirmary!"

With that, he turned around and Nora resumed her walk to the carrier's entrance.

Having just ended a major threat to the planet, the S.H.I.E.L.D. base was not a quiet place. There was constant activity in the corridors and Nora found herself catching the attention of everyone she passed. Wanting to get to the infirmary without delay, she kept her head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone who might want to pester her about her latest misadventure.

When she reached the infirmary, Nora was immediately ushered into a smaller, separate room by one of the nurses. She sat down on the edge of the medical bed and watched the nurse leave after being told a doctor would visit with her shortly. It was only a handful of minutes before the door opened and a middle aged woman entered the room, clipboard in hand.

"Agent Nora Graves?" the doctor asked, peering through rectangular shaped glasses. Her graying hair was pulled into a tight bun and a select number of well-placed strands framed her aging face. She looked at Nora like a mother concerned for the welfare of a child.

Nora nodded to confirm her identity and impatiently tapped a finger against her leg.

"Dr. Ellen Moore," the woman said, her eyes skimming over the small section of papers attached to the clipboard. After a moment of reading, Dr. Moore placed the clipboard on a nearby counter and approached Nora with a stethoscope at the ready. Following standard procedures, Nora's vitals were checked and deemed healthy.

"Beyond the obvious cuts and bruises, everything looks and sounds how it should. You and that Metzger boy were very lucky to come away from this situation with body parts and your life still intact..."

Remembering Champ, Nora's heart let out a pang of remorse. "How is Agent Metzger?"

"Like I said, you both were very lucky. It's because of Agent Metzger that S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to find the underground site where Loki and company did their business. He alerted us of his coordinates soon after the portal closed and we went in there to detain who we could, Agent Metzger arriving back here. He was in this very room about half an hour ago; you just missed him."

Nora stared at an empty corner, "And his condition?"

"He'll need a skin graft for his chest. I'm sure when it's all healed he'll call it a battle scar and do a bit of a 'show and tell' if anyone asked," Dr. Moore said, smiling wryly. "Don't worry, Agent. He'll bounce back. From what I could sense, he doesn't blame you for anything."

Nora didn't reply.

"Well, let's get these cuts cleaned and stitch up that hand of yours. Anything else I should know about? Stiffness? Numbness?"

Moving her joints, Nora poked her thighs and shook her head in response to the questions. "No, everything is pretty much out in the open for you to see. Though, I would like to get out of here as fast as possible... I-"

"Don't worry, dear. Director Fury will be here shortly to privately discuss some matters with you." Dr. Moore said, stacking a number of supplies on a stainless steel tray. Pulling gloves on, she then grabbed a nearby chair and positioned herself in front of Nora, the tray of materials sitting between them on a portable table. "Now, hold out your hand."

Sighing, Nora placed her injured hand on the table and watched the doctor clean the open wound and surrounding cuts. When it came to do the actual suturing, she couldn't help but grit her teeth and look away.

"Stop jittering, Agent Graves."

"Sorry," Nora blurted sheepishly, grimacing as the needle and thread worked through her skin.

Dr. Moore flashed her an understanding smile and worked deftly until finishing the last stitch, Nora's face the next target on her list of priorities. Gratefully, scarring was not a large issue and when everything was said and done, Nora only had to deal with a bandage on her cheek and the side of her forehead.

A knock at the door caused Dr. Moore to stand and dispose of her gloves.

"That should be the Director. When you two are finished, I'll be back to prescribe you some medication for any pain and discomfort you might feel for the next week or so. Beyond that, I believe we accomplished everything we needed to tonight."

Nora nodded her head and anxiously drummed her fingers on the side of the table, her newly stitched hand sitting motionless on her lap. Because the Director was seeking her out, instead of the other way around, Nora suspected he was bringing nothing short of bad news. Did he watch the footage? Was she going to be fired? Did Loki spin a lie about her involvement? That she wasn't brainwashed and volunteered?

Dr. Moore grabbed the door and swung it open. The serious expression of Nick Fury greeted them and he promptly entered the room with a wide step. His hands were clasped behind his back and his one good eye zeroed in on Nora.

"She's all yours, Director."

"Thank you, Ellen."

The door closed softly behind the Dr. Moore and Nora could feel the string of tension wrapping around her as Fury continued to stare at her.

"We have much to discuss, Agent Graves."

Nora swallowed.

"When I placed you in charge of observing Loki, what did I say?"

"To report any behavior that seemed fishy and-"

Fury intervened.

"If he so much batted an eyelash and it fell out, I would be notified. Not only did you disobey orders; you endangered yourself and another agent to the largest menace this planet has ever seen. You abused your privileges and gave yourself access into a space where you had no right to be at that place and time. Based off the footage, and yes, I have seen the footage, your actions are a direct cause to the disappearance of you and Agent Metzger. In turn, I can only assume both of your asses were brainwashed and employed to take some part in Loki's dirty work."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Damn right you are! The Council is looking to place blame for this entire mess and I lament that you have been singled out as a catalyst."

Nora's mouth went dry. She looked at Fury with incredulity.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Fury remained stoic.

"I'm afraid not, Agent Graves."

"Yes, I fucked up. But Loki's escape was going to happen regardless of whether or not I said anything!"

"Be that as it may, the fact that you didn't report anything is something you do not deny."

Nora's jaw jutted forward as tears pricked her eyes.

"You blame me just as the Council does?"

"No; I am not blaming you. I am just pointing out the facts. You made a judgement call and unfortunately, it wasn't the correct one to make. The Council wants me to outright fire you-"

"Director, please."

"-but I'm not going to. The Council has also made some... wrong decisions as of late but I cannot ignore the failure of your mission and your endangerment of a fellow agent. That is why, beginning immediately, you will be suspended for a year."

Her blood went cold.

"I'm sorry, Agent Graves."

Nora could see the sincerity in his eyes. Feeling ashamed and wanting to hide the tears she desperately fought, she stared into her lap. Suspension was not termination but the end result still left her hollow and unhappy.

"I ask that you turn over your uniform and equipment in the morning."

"Yes, sir," Nora murmured.

Fury turned towards the door and quietly pulled it open.

"Agent," he said, his back facing her.

"Sir?"

"Agent Metzger told me what happened during your imprisonment. I'm proud of you for standing up to Loki. I'm sure you gave him Hell."

Nora did her best to smile though the effort came up short. Through her bangs, she watched Fury lift a foot to leave.

"Director."

Fury froze and rotated halfway to look at her.

"There's a larger threat out there."

He adjusted himself to face her fully and regarded her with an unreadable expression.

"And why do you say that?"

"In a way, it sounds as if Loki signed himself into a contract. By failing, he broke his contract and I believe the person, or thing, who supplied him with his power will try to rise up and do what Loki couldn't."

Nora caught a slight slump in Fury's shoulders.

"Loki supplied you this information himself?"

"Yes, sir."

"Agent Graves..." Fury stepped towards her, his hands locked behind him. "What is your relationship with this god? From what I scraped from the footage, you and Loki weren't on the friendliest of terms and now you're telling me he voluntarily shared information with you regarding his business. What changed?"

Nora met Fury's eyes.

"After I was taken from the Helicarrier, I was brought to Loki's base of operations. There, I was put under his brainwashing spell, along with Agent Metzger. I don't remember a majority of my time under the spell but, because of Loki's slim fondness for me, he saved me from the Chitauri when a rouge member of their army targeted me." Nora shivered as she replayed the moment of waking up from her trance, the Chitauri dragging her across the floor. She took a breath before continuing, "I managed to get free of the spell after knocking my head and was chased by two more Chitauri into Stark's penthouse. Loki and I disposed of them and the portal closed soon afterwards, leading me to where I am now."

Nora could see Fury mentally digest the story.

"I see. And do his feelings go beyond saving you?" He paused. "Do you reciprocate his feelings?"

Nora snorted.

"Trust me, Director. He's not too happy about his sudden fondness for me. Give him any opportunity to stomp it out and he would," she smiled, thinking of Loki, but wiped it from her face when she noticed Fury's good eye narrow. "As for my feelings for him... I think he's a little misunderstood. He's got the power to do good in him, Director. He made a bad decision and he'll pay the price for it soon enough. There's retribution in his future and I think we'll see Loki as an ally when the time comes for it."

"You have a lot of faith in him."

"I suppose I do, yes."

"I will let the Council know of what Loki has told you. Like you, I believe we have opened a whole new can of worms," Fury sighed. "Thank you for filling me in. I'd like a detailed report in my hands tomorrow morning with your uniform."

"Yes, sir."

The two of them stared at each other for a good minute before he spoke again.

"I expect to see you back with us in five month's time."

Nora inflated with hope.

"I thought you said my suspension was one yea-"

"Agent, we need to prepare for this new threat and unless you were planning on a long vacation, I expect you to be apart of our team when we develop new defenses."

Wanting to run over and give Fury a hug, Nora decided to keep her happiness to herself and sent him an expression of deep gratitude.

"But the Council?"

"They won't be happy but the Council can kiss my ass when it comes to some things."

"Thank you, Director."

Fury walked to the door and pulled it open. He concluded the meeting by giving Nora a stern nod and left the room with his black coat rippling behind him.

Nora felt a large weight lift from her shoulders at Fury's exit. She was saddened about having to turn in her uniform but was incredibly relieved to not have to endure the original suspension length of a full year. She could repay Fury's generosity by learning from her mistake and never again disobeying his direct orders.

A tap came on the door and Nora watched Dr. Moore reenter the room.

"Let's get you all set."

Nora filled out her report as soon as she got back to her bunk. She then gathered a towel and a clean stack of clothing from her trunk and headed to the nearest bathroom. Ignoring the stare of a passing agent, Nora stepped into the long room and set her belongings next to one of the showers. She twisted the nozzle and let the water run, turning around to face the row of mirrors stationed above the sinks.

It was the first time she got a look at herself since her mission began. Her dark hair was matted against her head, dried blood and grime sectioning her bangs in pieces. The hazel eyes gazing back at her held a spark of liveliness yet displayed a lack of decent sleep with shadowed bags. Her lips were dry and Nora noticed she hadn't lost the flush of pink that naturally seemed to color her otherwise pale face, a bandage laying across her cheek and forehead. The uniform Fury would be seeing in the morning, along with her second, more pristine uniform, would be decorated with scrapes and the dried blood of Nora and Chitauri alike.

Seeing the steam rising from the shower, Nora grabbed the zipper at her neck and pulled it down to her belly button.

Boldly, she moved a hand to the collar of her uniform and tugged at the front zipper. Keen on Loki's response, she dragged the zipper languidly to expose the flushed skin of her chest.

The dream, turned nightmare, came back to her and Nora removed her uniform with the thought of Loki watching her undress from the shadows. Peeling her feet away from the legs of her pants, she stepped into the steaming shower and let the hot water descend upon her body.

She wondered where Loki was being imprisoned and debated on trying to see him before he was deported from the Helicarrier in the morning. Knowing she was technically suspended, Nora doubted anyone, let alone her, would be allowed to visit Loki of Asgard for any reason.

But surely there would be no harm in following him and his S.H.I.E.L.D. escorts to his drop-off location.

With one hand, Nora washed her hair and cleaned her body until every last speck of dirt spiraled into the drain. She shut the water off and wrapped the towel around her as she cautiously put a foot out onto the bathroom floor. After a minute of soaking into the towel, she wiped down and happily put on her fresh clothes. Nora scooped up her tattered uniform and proceeded to leave the bathroom while momentarily focused on her clean and dainty feet; leading her to run into a body.

"Oh, excuse me," she said, her head rising to apologize to whomever she bumped into.

"Agent Graves?"

Nora smiled widely.

"Agent Metzger!"

The corner of his lips quirked in a sheepish manner and Nora was delighted to see that his first reaction wasn't one of rejection. His stance was awkward, loose and casual clothing hanging off of his lanky frame, and she could tell it pained him to walk with his injury.

"I was hoping I'd get to see you," Nora said. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for everything. I can't help but feel responsible for what happened to you. I completely understand if you hate me."

"I don't hate you," Champ shook his head. "If anything, I want to thank you... for what you did for me back in that room." He glanced up at the ceiling. "It might sound stupid, but I learned that I'm okay with doing paperwork for another couple years. I wanted to rush into the action but the action was a little... much for me."

Nora gently touched his arm, "Your skills will develop. When you're ready for the next bite of action, I think you'll be able to handle it."

"Thank you, Agent Graves." Champ looked past her shoulder and down the hall. "I'd better get back to the infirmary. My brother promised to come see me there, plus Dr. Moore is one strict woman."

"I understand," Nora held up her stitched hand and smiled dryly. "Did you need help?"

Champ gave another shake of his head, "I'll be okay."

"Atta-boy, Champ," she grinned. "Take care."

"You, too."

Nora rolled onto her bed the moment she returned to the small space of her sleeping quarters. Feeling lazy and content, she nestled her head into the pillow and made no move to cover her body with the layer of covers that were folded neatly at the foot of her bed.

The room was empty but the vacant beds would fill in shifts as the night wore on. Nora was grateful for the solitude. She stared up at the underside of the bed that was stationed above hers and thought about the craziness that now made up her life. Tomorrow would be the start of a new chapter; the turning in of her uniform signifying three months of prospective normalcy. Loki would be out of her life and his momentary time of terror would become a thing of the past.

Her eyelids felt heavy and Nora knew that sleep was prepared to take her. Feeling it wise to set an alarm, as her body would spend half the day recharging if given the chance, she flicked her eyes to a bedside clock and reached for it with her good hand. She set a time for the early morning and placed it back on the nightstand with the hope that it was enough to wake her.

Nora sunk her head back into her pillow and closed her eyes. Never had she considered herself much of a dreamer. Dreams came to her sporadically and when they did, she often woke up without being able to recall too many details. The vividness of her latest nightmare continued to concern her. She wanted to accuse stress for creating such a horrific ending but her instincts knew otherwise; something else was out there.

This was only the beginning.

She could hear two voices; one familiar, one menacing.

"I was promised a competent army."

"And you received an army. Any lack of competency falls on your shoulders, Asgardian."

"I can make up for this failure."

A deep laugh resonated throughout the void.

"There will be no more negotiation. You did not deliver on your end of our bargain. There must be compensation."

"Let me still be of use to you..."

"No."

She moved towards the ethereal light and closer to the two voices.

"Then I am done here."

"But we are not done, Asgardian."

She stepped out of the darkness and quickly hid behind a nearby wall of rock, careful not to be seen by either presence. Her head poked out from the edge of the wall and she was immediately hit with the beauty of her cosmic surroundings. While everything outside of the area was fuzzy and dark, the stars and galaxies acted as illumination for the two figures in discussion. Instantly she recognized Loki; he stood tall with his back facing a larger form hidden between light and shadow.

"Earth will suffer again," said the mysterious being. "And she will suffer with it."

Loki's head turned halfway.

"I do not care."

"We will see."

From her position above them, a sense of foreboding chilled her bones.

Come say hello.

Her feet moved on their own accord and drew her away from her hiding place, revealing her before the others.

"What are you doing here?" Loki demanded. He closed the distance between them with a large step and grabbed her roughly by the arm. There was confusion and worry in his eyes.

"I don't know," she responded. "This is a dream..."

The being from beyond Loki's shoulder laughed darkly.

"Is this a dream?"

"You should not be here," Loki whispered harshly.

She ignored him and stared into the shadows.

"Who are you?"

"You will find out soon enough, Earthling."

Loki threw a glare behind him and tugged on her arm, forcibly pulling her closer to him. He placed a palm on the top of her forehead and she could feel an energy flow from his fingertips.

"Goodbye, Nora."

Nora woke up feeling a tingling sensation against her temples. Her body was hot and sticky with sweat, a thin sheet she at some point pulled up tangled between her legs. The line that separated dreams from reality had blurred for a second time and it took her a minute to ground herself before she dared to move.

Kicking the sheet away from her, Nora sat up. She ran a hand through her hair and glanced at the bedside clock. It was morning and the alarm had yet to sound off. There was another forty minutes of rest for her yet Nora sought importance in discerning what it was she just experienced.

If luck was on her side, Loki was still on the Helicarrier.

Quietly, in respect to her sleeping roommate, Nora stood up and stepped over to her trunk. She quickly dressed into a set of everyday clothes, jeans and a black t-shirt, and scooped up her S.H.I.E.L.D. items into her arms.

Her pace was brisk as she left the room and traveled down the corridor. Her destination was the heart of the Helicarrier, a massive room that controlled a majority of everything on the base and was also the best place to find Nick Fury.

Weaving through a handful of operatives leaving the station, Nora flew into the room. She set her items and report on the metal table while making eye contact with Agent Hill, who in turn let Fury know of her arrival with a nod. He rotated to face her, an eyebrow raised in expectancy.

"Director, I need to see Loki."

"I'm sorry to inform you, Miss Graves, but Loki has already moved out with the others. I expect he should be back in Asgard very soon."

Nora's stomach sank.

"Mind telling me what's going on?"

"Sir, I'm not sure but talking to Loki might help me figure a thing or two out..."

Fury and Agent Hill shared a glance. He sighed.

"Very well; I shouldn't, but I will upload the coordinates to one of our vehicles that you may borrow. Hopefully you make it in time."

Nora felt her energy begin to kick in. She nodded her head profusely and moved backwards as she thanked him, nearly tripping over her own feet. She turned around and jogged out the door with urgency. She just hoped it wasn't too late.

Fury's coordinates directed Nora to a section of a park's perimeter, a destination she was a minute away from reaching. She glimpsed at the radar system attached to the dashboard and watched her dot approach another. Her heartbeat quickened as she turned the last corner and looked out to see a gathering of people. Loki and Thor stood out like sore thumbs. They stood next to each other and their hands held the Tesseract between them.

"Don't you fucking go anywhere!" Nora shouted to herself. A few heads turned at the sound of her car skidding to a halt behind another parked S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle and she slammed on the horn as an added bonus to gain their attention. Relieved that she made it in time, Nora snatched her key from the ignition and swiftly exited the car. Her eyes instantly found Loki's and she crossed the street unable to repress a smile.

"Agent Graves!" Tony Stark exclaimed as she reached them. "I don't suppose you brought anything for our impromptu picnic I just planned two seconds ago."

Nora shook hear head and stepped up to Loki and Thor, "I'm sorry, I didn't."

"Ah, well."

Loki stood in front of her handcuffed and muzzled. Nora could tell he was surprised to see her and she felt a little embarrassed with what next came out of her mouth.

"I came to see Loki."

Thor sent his brother an antagonizing stare, "What have you done to her?"

Nora immediately came to the God of Mischief's defense. "No, no. He hasn't done anything! I should have said that I came to ask Loki a question..."

"I am afraid my brother cannot speak at this moment."

"That's fine," she said, focusing on Loki. "It's a 'yes' or 'no' question: was what I saw last night, somehow and someway, reality?"

Loki peered down at her, unblinking. He nodded.

"I see. Thank you." Nora bit her lip. There were a lot of confused expressions around her and she thought to end their questions. "Nothing to worry about."

From what she could tell, no one believed her.

Thor eventually urged his mission forward. "If that is all Lady Nora, we must leave this realm."

"I understand; I apologize for the holdup," she said. She turned away from the two brothers but spun back around after a moment's pause, her body throwing a sudden, tight hug on Loki of Asgard. His body froze and Nora could hear his breath stop. The embrace lasted all but a handful of seconds and she pulled away after whispering one, quiet request in his ear: "Don't let him get me."

Nora walked back from them and settled into the rest of the group. She ignored their baffled faces and watched Thor give everyone a gesture of farewell. Loki stared at Nora and gave her a barely noticeable nod before he and Thor turned the handles on the Tesseract, their bodies disappearing with a flash of blue light.

Stark was the first to speak.

"So... what's next?"

I hope everyone enjoyed Sovereign! Please take some time out to review and let me know what you thought of the end. :)

I can't thank everyone enough for reading, reviewing, and/or favoriting this story. It means a lot to me that people are reading and liking what I write. Remember, there will be one more chapter posted soon (give me a week) that will hint to some of the content in the sequel (in which Nora and Loki will develop their relationship). And speaking of the sequel, I can't promise when it will pop up, but be on the look out for it in the next month or two.

Until next time!