This is yet another long one...there's a lot going on in this one.

Some Thor/Jane interaction

Some Darcy/Steve action and what you have all been waiting for ...some Loki/Darcy action...

Thanks for reading :)

Darcy snuggled deeper into Steve's lap, pulling the blanket up further over her body. "Are you cold?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"A little," she said. "Thanks for watching this chick movie with me." She felt him shrug.

"You watched Pork Chop Hill and the Steel Helmet with me," he said. "I owed you."

"Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?" He asked, an uneasiness moving over him.

"The war," she said. "Sometimes you seem like you do…I don't know, I guess that sounds stupid. Of course you wouldn't miss that."

He didn't say anything. He didn't think he could make her understand and that was what was so hard sometimes. He didn't have anyone that could understand because everyone from that part of his life was gone. He didn't have anyone that he could share his own nightmares with. The dead laying on top of more dead, his friends, brothers in arms, and enemies littered the battle fields. He didn't have anyone to share his grief about losing Bucky…how close he had been…if he could only have reached his hand. He remembered vividly running through fields where you could barely see due to the smoke and powder from the gunfire. The pop, pop, pop that would whiz by his head as he ran full charge to face the enemy head on and did he miss it? Yes, sometimes he did, though he couldn't understand why. Maybe because it was so familiar to him or maybe because he was alone and had no one to process it with…no one except for Peggy and she wasn't ready to burdened with this.

"You could talk to Clint," she said softly, as if she had read his mind. "He might not understand war in the same way that you do, but I think he could understand. He has his own wounds…maybe you two could help each other."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

It was her turn to shrug. "Just a feeling," she said. "You space out sometimes and get this far away look in your eyes and I know that you're back there again." She turned her head and looked into his face. He leaned down and kissed her softly on her lips. "I've also seen what you do to those poor punching bags," she said smiling against his mouth. "I know you're reliving the war then."

He kissed her again and she sighed her contentment as she relaxed back into his arms. "You could talk to her about it, you know. She was there with you for some of it." She felt him stiffen. "Steve, I know you still love her, how could you not? There's nothing wrong with loving her. You can't act like she doesn't exist for you when we're together. She was a part of your life and will be again and…I want to meet her."

"No," he said. "Not right now…later. She's been through a lot trying to come to grips with this world and…"

"She needs friends, Steve," she said interrupting him. "Female friends because there's going to be times she needs a woman to talk to, not a clueless guy. Jane and I would be good for her."

"Darcy, no, that's not a good idea. Not yet anyways," he said. "We're just getting back into our own relationship and I think…"

"Please," she said. "We don't have to talk about you. There are other things in this world to talk about besides the great Captain America," she teased. "It's not right for SHEILD to keep her locked away and you shouldn't let them either."

"They don't lock her away. Your dad bought her a beautiful townhouse. She loves it and goes out all of the time."

"Really? She goes out? Where does she go?"

"To meetings with SHEILD," he said and put his hand over her mouth when she started to argue with him. "That's all she can handle right now, Darcy, I'm serious. And she can't even handle those meetings alone. I go with her and I bring her back home. She's just…she's really scared right now."

She pulled on his hand and he allowed her to pull it away. "All the more reason for Jane and me to visit her. We can take her magazines and movies and other things to try and teach her about this world. Besides, I know she has to be an awesome woman for you to love and respect her like you do." She twisted her body around his lap to where she was straddling him. "Please Steve just let us try to be her friend. It's not like I'm asking to go see my competition. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious, but I do really want to help."

His sigh sounded like a growl. "Okay," he said. "But please don't make this weird for me."

She snorted with laughter and through her arms around him. "Thanks babe, now give me some sugar."

It was his turn to laugh and he did, standing up with his arm around her waist, lifting her up with him. She wrapped her legs around him as he laid her back on the couch cushions and pressed her into them with his body over hers.

Steve traced the curve of her lip with his tongue before sucking her lip into his mouth. She moaned softly and ran her hands over his arms, his shoulders, up his neck, and into his hair. She wrapped her legs around him and he pressed his body into hers, his kiss becoming for demanding. Darcy was in absolute bliss and was just about to suggest that they take this to her bedroom when the door to the penthouse opened and Jane walked in followed by Thor.

Darcy groaned into Steve's mouth and pulled her mouth away from his. "Um, why are you here?"

Jane blinked. "I live here," she said frowning slightly.

"Yes, but what are you doing here now? You two are supposed to be gone all afternoon."

"Well we got back early," Jane said staring at Steve and waiting for him to remove himself from Darcy's person. "Why don't you two just go to your room? Thor and I want to watch a movie."

"You go to your room to watch a movie, Steve and I were here first," Darcy said, refusing to remove her arms from around Steve's neck or her legs from around his waist.

Jane smiled smugly at Darcy. "You're in the living room about to do the nasty with your boyfriend. What if your dad walks in?"

Darcy smiled back just as smugly. "Then I guess he'll see I'm a woman now, won't he?"

"What if Loki walks in?"

"Jane," Thor warned, but he didn't have to say anything else as Darcy began shoving on Steve's chest, trying to get him to move. Jane smiled triumphantly and sat down in the accent chair beside the couch.

Steve was slow to move and Darcy gave one more mighty shove and he sat up, pulling her up with him to straddle him again. Darcy looked at Jane and stuck her tongue out at her. She turned herself in Steve's lap, but did not get up. She patted the seat next to her. "Come on big guy, Steve and I don't bite."

Thor grinned and sat down beside Steve and Darcy on the sofa. Darcy plucked her phone from her pocket and began checking her text messages. "Oh, I see your text telling me you were on your way back home."

Jane nodded. "See, I was courteous and tried to tell you we were on our way."

Darcy barely heard her when she saw the twelve texts from her father. "Jesus dad," Darcy snapped. She dialed Tony and when he answered she shouted at him. "Well, what's the freakin emergency…I am not being disrespectful…I do not have a tone in my voice…I am not…what…that doesn't even make sense…how in the hell did you even know that…oh my God, is JARVIS spying on me for you…I am an adult…you're killing me dad…I am not yelling at you…no he wasn't…his hand was not there…why are you even texting me…where is Pepper, I want to talk to her….no dad…I'm hanging up…yes I am…yes I am….bye…" She threw her phone across the room. "I have got to move out. I really do."

"He's not going to let you move out, Darcy, you just got home from another realm," Jane said.

"I'm an adult, I can move out if I want," she argued. "What's he going to do? Tie me to the table?"

"Your dad is a genius engineer," Jane said. "I'm pretty sure he could build a special room to lock you in. It'd probably be awesome too."

"Not funny, Jane," Darcy sniffed turning to look at Thor. "You need to handle your woman again, Thor. She's getting to mouthy."

Thor chuckled and smiled at Jane who rolled her eyes. Jane suddenly looked away from him with a troubled expression that she tried to hide from him. Thor's brow creased with concern. He knew something was bothering her and had been bothering her since the night when they all had gone out. He had asked his brother about it, wondering if he had teased Jane and upset her, but Loki had stated that he noticed no change in Jane. Thor didn't believe him, but felt maybe Jane had told Loki something in confidence and wasn't ready to share it with him yet. But it did worry him and it did bother him.

Darcy seemed to be a bit different as well. She barely spoke to Loki anymore which saddened Thor because he felt that perhaps they were on their way to a true friendship and possibly even more. Darcy had said she was committed to Steve and he her, but like Tony, Thor believed that the choice Steve thought was so very simple would not be simple at all in the long run. Thor also believed that Darcy would be good for his brother and he believed that Loki did really love her.

Thor watched Jane and Darcy interact with one another, Jane seeming to need to communicate something with Darcy and Darcy being oblivious to it as she clung to Steve. She seemed to be clinging to him even more so as of late, as if he were her life line. Something was wrong, Thor could feel it and the cold dread that it stirred in the pit of his stomach.

Thor's attention was brought back to the present when Darcy stood and went to get her phone. "Crap," she said. "I broke the back of it off. I'll be back. I have to go get my old one."

"I'll go with you, "Jane said suddenly and stood up a bit too quickly.

"Oh-kay," Darcy said, looking at her strangely. "I'll be right back though."

"It's okay, I'll still come with," Jane said smiling too wide and moving quickly away from Steve and Thor. Both men watched the women disappear up the stairs. Steve looked at Thor and shrugged, while Thor felt his worry grow stronger.

"I can find my own room, you know," Darcy said smiling. When Jane did not return the smile, she frowned. "What is wrong with you? You're starting to freak me out."

Jane opened Darcy's bedroom door and shoved her in, closing it behind her and locking it. Darcy's brow quirked. "You do know that all three of the guys currently residing in this penthouse could snap that lock into, right?" Darcy asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Be quiet and listen to me Darcy," Jane said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to the bed. She sat down and pulled Darcy down with her. "I need to talk to you."

"Sure, sure," Darcy said with a hint of anxiety to her voice.

"I don't mean to scare you," Jane said. "It's just I've been thinking about this for days and I just need to talk to someone and since it might affect you someday, I'm going to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Loki," Jane said.

Darcy sighed and rolled away from Jane dramatically. "Oh come on Jane, not this again."

"Listen to me," Jane said, pulling Darcy back up to a sitting position. Darcy listened while Jane told her about her dance with Loki, what Loki had said about Thor and what he would ask Loki to do someday.

"Yes, he mentioned something like to me," Darcy said. "But he didn't actually say he'd do it to me, like he said he'd do it to you."

"If you fall in love with him, he will," Jane said softly. "He told me he would."

Darcy chewed her lip nervously. "It scares you doesn't it?"

"Doesn't it scare you?" Jane asked incredulously. "Everything would change? Our world as we know it would change forever…we'd still be here after everyone we love is long gone…could you stand that? I told Loki that I wouldn't want that and he…he said he didn't care. He'd do it for Thor anyways. Can he even do that? Does he really have the magic to do that?"

"If he says he can, I'm sure he can," Darcy said slowly. "It is scary to think about…it scared me when he said it to me. Although it seems more real for you since you know that you love Thor and he loves you. Have you talked to Thor about it?"

Jane shook her head no. "Loki said that Thor hasn't even thought about what my mortality means to him yet," she said. "I don't want to make him think about it yet either."

"I'm sure he probably already has thought about Jane, he just hasn't said anything to Loki yet. Besides, there's no rush. I mean you guys still have a lot of years together before either of you need to think about that."

"Would you want Loki to do that to you?"

Darcy looked away. "I'm not with Loki, I'm with Steve, and so the question is irrelevant."

"Don't play dumb Darcy; you know you have feelings for Loki. You could decide you want to be with him instead of Steve at any time. How do you feel about that? Knowing that if you ever fell in love with him, he'd make you live forever, regardless of how you felt about it?"

"This is obviously tearing you up inside. You need to talk to Thor, tell him how you feel."

"I don't want to hurt him," she said. "I love him so much, more than anything, but I'm not sure I'd want to live with the memory of everyone that I've lost. Who knows what the future holds. Who knows what Earth will be like in 100 years…"

"Jane listen to yourself. You're a scientist. This kind of thing is like a dream come true for you. Yes it's scary to think about and you'd be sad and miss people, but you'd have Thor. You'd have all those little babies you two will make someday. You'd love Asgard…you'd absolutely love it and there are tons of scientists there. You could learn so many things; I know you'd be happy. And it's not like you could never come back."

Jane eyed Darcy shrewdly. "Are you trying to convince me of that or yourself?"

"Maybe both of us," Darcy answered honestly. "I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it freaked me out too when he said that. I haven't exactly been able to face him since then." She shivered slightly and stood. "Look Jane, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Why should we worry about it when it's not going to happen anytime soon? Besides, I asked Steve about meeting Peggy."

Jane perked up and smiled. "Really? What did he say?"

"It took some convincing, but he is willing to let us meet her and try to be her friend. I think she could use some female companionship."

Jane's eyes danced brightly. "I can't wait to talk to her," she said excitedly, all the worry she had felt moment before seemed only a distant memory. "It's going to be so fascinating to be able to ask her questions and she worked side by side with Howard Stark…"

Darcy nodded. "Yeah I'm looking forward to that. I'd like to know about my grandfather and dad is so weird about talking about him."

Darcy awoke with a start. She sat upright in her bed quickly, looking over and seeing Jane still asleep beside her. Darcy strained to see in the darkness. She looked around her room, following the glint of the moonlight on the hardwood floors. She felt the heaviness in the air and felt the cold begin to surround her. She shivered, pulling the blanket up around her. She looked over at Jane, who did not stir in her sleep. Darcy could see Jane's breath coming out in slow even puffs of cold air. Darcy's jaw chattered as the temperature dropped a few more degrees. Her head jerked to her right when she heard the scratching at the door. Her eyes, wide as saucers stared into the darkness.

She swallowed hard, unable to find her voice at first. She struggled to say Jane's name, it came out in a dry whisper. She reached over and grasped at Jane, trying to wake her. Darcy turned and looked beside her, frantically grasping at the sheets. Jane was no longer beside her. "Jane," she cried out. "Jane where are you?"

Darcy climbed from the bed, her bones aching from the bitter cold. She heard the scratching behind her and she stilled, mid step. She heard the breathing coming from behind her as the room's temperature dropped to an unbearable cold. "Jane…" she whispered. "Jane, where are you, please answer me."

Her mouth dropped open, hanging in a horrible grimace when she felt the icy cold fingers wrapping around her upper arm. She tried to scream, but could not get enough air in her lungs. The smell of burning flesh hit her, nearly making her gag. She felt the cold death surrounding her, enclosing her, moving through her body and into her bones. The pain was agonizing and she bolted for the door, grasping the knob and trying unsuccessfully to open the door. She heard the soft laugh behind her.

Darcy found her voice and started screaming, pounding on the door, and clawing on it. "Loki," she screamed. "Oh God, please…Loki help me…please." The knob finally gave way and she turned it, running out into the hallway. She didn't look, she just ran, slamming into the hard body in front of her. In her panicked state, she started screaming, blood curdling screams, and attempted to pull away from whoever held her arms.

"Darcy," Loki shouted, shaking her roughly. "Darcy, wake up!" She still struggled against him as he shook her. He slid to the floor and pulled her down with him, forcing her arms in front of her as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. "Darcy, stop. You're safe…it's just a dream."

Tony and Pepper came running into the hall as did Thor. Jane came running up the steps with a bottle of water in her hand.

"Darcy," Loki shouted, grasping her chin and forcing her to look into his face. He saw when her eyes slowly cleared and she came back to herself. She shivered violently from the cold she felt, her tears streaming down her cheeks. "What did she say to you, Darcy?"

Darcy shook her head. "Nothing," she whispered. "I just knew she was there. I felt her, heard the scratching…she grabbed my arm and I thought she had taken Jane."

Loki took her arm gently and saw the ugly finger marks burned onto her skin by the cold.

"Anna is here?" Tony asked, kneeling down beside Darcy. "Loki…you said you would stop her."

"I will stop her," Loki said. "But I…I need time. I am uncertain…I do not yet understand where she gets her power."

"She gets it from you," Tony snapped.

"Yes, but I am not certain how she feeds from me," Loki said patiently. "She is getting stronger." He held Darcy's arm out for Tony and Thor to see.

"You have to find Jenny," Darcy said. "Before it's too late for Anna…"

"What is going on?" Jane demanding, dropping down beside Darcy. "Who is Anna? Why would you think she took me Darcy? I went downstairs to get you a bottle of water, don't you remember?"

Darcy looked at Jane in confusion. "No, you were asleep beside me," she said. "I saw you and then when I looked back you were gone."

Jane shook her head. "No Darcy, I was reading and you were asleep, but you woke up coughing. I asked if you wanted some water, you said yes, and I went to get it for you. You saw me leave the room, you were awake."

Darcy looked at the bottle of water in Jane's hand and suddenly felt dehydrated. She reached a shaky hand out for it and Jane opened it and holding it to her mouth for her to drink.

"Please tell me what is going on, "Jane said as she helped Darcy to drink.

"Help me to put Darcy to bed," Loki said softly. He stood gracefully, holding Darcy in his arms. "Brother, I believe it would be safer for both Darcy and Jane to stay in your chambers."

"Of course," Thor said as he pulled Jane to her feet.

Loki looked at Tony. "Will you speak with me?"

Tony nodded and watched as Loki carried Darcy down the hallway to his bedroom, Jane followed behind them.

"What is going on, Tony?" Pepper asked. "Who put those bruises on her arms?"

"Go back to bed Pepper," Tony said. "I'll be back soon and tell you everything."

"Tony…"

He took hold of her shoulders. "Pepper, please just do this for me and I'll explain everything later, okay? Don't be scared, everything will be fine."

"I hate it when you don't tell me things," she said.

"Pepper…" he said in a voice that sounded almost like a warning.

She sighed. "Okay, Tony."

"Are you insane?" Thor boomed loudly. "You cannot be in earnest."

"I know of no other way," Loki said. "If Anna gets her power from my magic and her hatred of me, then her child is the only way to bring her back to herself. I must find the child."

"Father will never put you back in the darkness. He would not risk you losing yourself again."

"I do not need him to," Loki said. "I can go there on my own, but I need your help with father. Just keep him away and I…"

"Loki this is madness," Thor shouted, pacing back and forth, agitation in his every step. "You barely survived the first time you went in there. Father sentenced you to three days and yet you stayed there for a month. It almost drove you mad."

"This is the only way, surely you must see this? If I can draw Anna back into the darkness with me…"

"You would be at her mercy," Thor shouted angrily, grabbing Loki by his shoulders in a punishing grip. "You cannot do this. We will find another way."

Loki looked at Tony as if to ask him for his help with his emotional brother.

"Listen, Point Break," Tony said, placing his hand on Thor's arm. "First and foremost, try not to snap your brother in half." Thor blinked and looked at his hands on Loki's shoulders. He released his brother and stepped away from him. "Secondly, if something is not done about this little psychopathic ghost, things are only going to get worse. You saw the bruises on Darcy…Anna's physical manifestations are getting stronger. We can't fight this with muscle. This is supernatural and magical and there is no one better suited to handle that than your brother."

Thor stubbornly shook his head. "I will not allow the risk, no, we will find another way."

"All of us will be in danger Thor," Loki said. "Jane and Darcy will not only be in danger of Anna's hatred, but so will your comrades in arms. She blames the Avengers for not stopping me and saving her child. She will come for all of you and once she is completely consumed by her darkness, what is to stop her from harming others?" This time, Loki took hold of Thor's shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze. "You cannot stop me, brother. I am doing this. I shall return to Asgard tomorrow. You must watch over Darcy while I am away."

Thor slammed the door to the bedroom with such force that it nearly broke away from the hinges that held it to the wall. Jane looked up startled before she recovered and shushed him.

"Be careful, you'll wake Darcy."

Thor shook his head. "She would not wake should the stars decide to fall from the sky, not with Loki's magic keeping her at rest."

"She won't be able to dream either, will she?"

"No," Thor said. "Loki would've made sure that nothing would distress her as she sleeps."

"What's wrong? I can see that you are upset."

Thor's eyes narrowed. "And why should I share with you what is troubling me when you keep something from me yourself?"

Jane swallowed and licked her lips nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about and don't take your bad mood out on me." She glared at him once more before turning her attention back to her book.

Thor sighed and walked over to the side of the bed. He sat down beside her and took the book from her hands. "I am sorry," he said. "I should not have taken my worry for Loki out on you."

Jane's forehead creased with concern. "What has happened to Loki? Is it this Anna person? Will you please tell me what is going on?"

Thor nodded and began to explain to Jane what had happened when Loki went back to Asgard to accept punishment for his actions against Midgard. He told her of how Loki stayed in a coma like state long after their father had released him. He told her of Anna and Jenny and what Loki believes happened to allow Anna to take on physical form. He told of her of the danger that Anna presented to all of them and lastly, he told her of Loki's plan to stop her.

"But he is probably the only one who can stop her," Jane said gently. "He's just trying to do what is right."

"I don't want to lose him again. I feel as if I am just getting him back."

"Loki knows what he is doing," Jane said. "You have to trust him." When Thor didn't answer her, she took hold of his hands. "He'll be okay. He can do this."

Thor lifted her hand and kissed it before looking at her thoughtfully. "Jane, I want you to tell me what you have been keeping from me."

She stiffened and tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip. "I don't know what you mean, Thor," she said. "I'm not…there's nothing wrong."

He let go of her hand only to take hold of her wrist. "You are lying to me. I know that something is wrong. You're afraid of something. I know it has something to do with Loki. I have seen the change come over you ever since you danced with him."

She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it became awkward instead. "You're being ridiculous," she said, tugging at her wrist which he did not release. "There's nothing wrong, let go of me."

"Jane…"

"Thor, nothing is wrong," she said more forcefully. "Just…let me go and come to bed. We're going to wake Darcy."

"I have already told you that nothing will wake her," he said. "Tell me what is wrong."

She didn't answer him. Her lips formed a small tight line as she stared at him. He could feel the irritation and fear for her burning inside of him and though he knew that Loki would not break her confidence unless he felt it absolutely necessary, Jane did not know this. "Fine," he said standing. "I had hoped that you would come to me of your own accord, so I have held off asking my brother. I will go and ask him now."

"No, don't, please," she shouted. She felt her throat go dry and she chewed her lips anxiously, trying to think of something she could say to him.

"I see your mind at work," he said gently, sitting back down beside her and wrapping his arms around her. "I know you are trying to come up with an excuse for your behavior. Tell me, Jane, please. I only want to help you."

She took and deep breath and held it in. When she didn't release the breath, Thor shook her. "Jane, breathe," he said.

She slowly let the air out through pursed lips and looked at him. "Would you ask Loki to do something for you, to do something to another person, even if the person didn't want it to be done?"

Thor's eyes flashed as a possible understanding came over him. "I would never ask him to harm someone, unless it needed to be done in the protection of others…but that is not what you are asking, is it?"

"What if it wasn't technically harming anyone?"

"It would depend upon the circumstance," he said. "Jane, dearest, speak plainly. What is it that you are truly asking me?"

"Loki told me…we were discussing Darcy, his feelings for Darcy and I told him that I was worried because I don't know if they would be good for one another. I told him that I didn't think she would ever be able to be with him in the way he wants because of what he has done to her. He said…he said that he would have an eternity to prove himself to her."

"I see," he said slowly, tightening his arms around her. "And you pointed out her mortality to him."

She nodded against his chest. "He told you that he could change her…make her like him," Thor said and she nodded again. "But that is not all he said, is it?" He asked.

"He told me that I didn't need to worry about Darcy…that he would prove to me his devotion to her as well, that he would have an eternity to prove it to me." She suddenly looked up at him. "He said that one day you would ask him to change me and that it didn't matter what I wanted. He told me to prepare myself for it because you will want him to and he'll do it."

Thor was silent for several minutes. "Is he right?" she asked in a small voice. "Would you ask him to do that, even if I didn't want you to?"

"You are afraid that I would."

"Yes," she said. "And I'm sorry…I don't want to hurt you but I don't know that I want to live forever, Thor. I just…I don't know that I could live with the memory of those that I have lost for an eternity and if I don't die…I'll never see them again."

"Jane, I don't…"

"I love you, Thor," she said suddenly, her voice heavy with emotion. "I don't want you to ever doubt that and the biggest part of me would love to spend forever with you. Another part of me is afraid to even contemplate what that would really mean."

"I know you love me," he said. "I do not doubt that, not even for an instance. But I cannot offer you any peace regarding this. I have thought about this, what it means to love you so much. Your life is fleeting, little more than a heartbeat and I cannot stand the thought of ever being without you now that I have you."

"Promise me if the time ever comes…"

"When it comes, my love, and it will."

"Promise me that you won't do anything unless I want it also," she pleaded. She felt his body move as he shook his head.

"I cannot promise that Jane," he said. "I'm sorry, but I just can't. If I am faced with accepting your death and losing you forever or having you with me forever…I am selfish and I won't lose you, not ever."

"How can you…"

"Why are you worrying so over this, Jane?" He pulled her even closer to him, lifting her into his lap. "We will worry about it when the time comes."

"But you have just admitted that my feelings to you don't matter," she said, trying to pull away from him.

"Stop," he said, forcing her to sit still against him. "Please Jane, just stop this for now. When we have defeated this man Justin Hammer, come away with me to Asgard. Let me share my world with you. Come and see what it would be like for you should you chose to stay with me forever. At least give me a chance to show the wonders of my home before you say no."

She could hear the emotion and slight tremble in his voice and her heart was filled with love for him. It made the uncertainty she felt seem as if it didn't matter in the end, as long as they loved each other. "Alright, Thor," she said. "I'll go with you to Asgard for a while when this is over."

"But where are you going" Darcy asked as she followed right behind him. "Why won't you tell me? Is it something bad? Are you in danger? Are you sick?"

Darcy had been following him around his room and shouting questions at him incessantly for the last half hour. He had meant to be gone before sunrise, but he just couldn't make himself leave without seeing her one last time. However, the more questions she asked, the more he tried to put her concern off to the point that he was quickly losing his patience with her.

Loki whirled around her and grabbed her firmly, but gently by her arms. "I am going back to Asgard for a short while. Nothing is wrong and I will return."

"Just out of the blue you decide to go home? You're lying, something has happened."

"Nothing has happened, Darcy," he said impatiently.

"But you can't leave," she said blurted out, felt her cheeks redden, and covered her tracks. "What about helping the Avengers, you said you'd help against Hammer."

Loki looked at the flushed color of her cheeks and his brow quirked. "I will return in time to help your father and his troop of misfits in time."

"But why are you going now?" She asked, continuing to press him stubbornly.

"Are you afraid that I won't come back?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yes," she said very quickly.

He was taken aback by the sincerity he saw in her face. He cleared his throat and shifted. "Well of course I'll be back, silly mortal."

"Are you doing something dangerous?" She asked, not allowing his teasing to deter her from her questions.

"Darcy, I swear to you that I will return. You needn't worry about me," he said. "I am capable of taking care of myself." His eyes flashed. "Are you concerned that I am leaving you and Jane unprotected? Thor will stay here until my return," he said, trying to comfort her.

"I don't care about Thor," she said annoyed. "I care about you. What are you doing? Why won't you tell me? You not telling me only makes me think you are lying."

His eyes narrowed. "I am not lying Darcy," he bit out. "You need to trust me when I say that I will return."

Worried about him and frustrated beyond her ability to cope, she shouted at him. "Why in the hell should I believe anything that you say?"

He took an almost menacing step forward, bent at the waist so that he could look her directly in the eye and whispered, "And why should you care about anything that I do?"

She blinked and took a step back. "I guess I don't really," she said flippantly, turning away from him so he would not see how vulnerable and exposed she felt at the moment.

"You started this Darcy," he said, grabbing her arm and turning her around to face him. "Don't turn your back on my questions." She attempted to pull free, but he took hold of her other arm and held her still. "Now answer me, dearest," he whispered. "Why do you care so much?"

She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks and neck and she swallowed hard. He was looking at her how Steve would look at her, when she felt as if he was looking into her very soul. She wanted to be anywhere but in that room. He shook her and her eyes snapped up to meet his. He could see her pupils dilate as she looked at him.

"Please don't look at me like that," she said barely above a whisper.

"Why should I not be able to look at you the way he does," Loki spat out. "You endure it for him, why not me?"

"Because he scares me…you scare me," she said. "I'm sorry that I called you a liar…I just get angry when people that I care about try to keep things from me. I go on the offensive when I'm scared."

Some of his anger and frustration with her lessened and he sighed. "Darcy," he said, letting go of her arms to hold her face in his hands. "I am going back to Asgard to deal with Anna. I must return to where I created her and confront her there. I am going to try to reunite her with her child."

"But you could get trapped there, like before."

"I trapped myself there," he said. "Anna has no power except for what I allow her to take from me. She can't hurt me, not really and you're right. I must try to save her from herself. The choices that I made caused her to lose everything. She feels she has nothing left, but darkness and she is wrong. I just have to make her see that."

"You could die."

"No I can't die, please…

"Yes you can," she shouted back. "I heard your dad telling your mom that if you didn't find your way back soon that you would be lost forever. Anna is the reason why you were there for so long…she tormented you. She can do it again and you'd be alone with no one to help you."

"I wasn't alone," Loki said, smiling at her gently. He kissed her forehead. "I wasn't alone, Darcy. I created another companion in my mind and he helped me to stay sane. I truly believe that he was partly why I was able to come back to myself."

"This is different," she said as tears glinted in her eyes. "Anna is stronger. She is able to move about in our world. She can touch and hurt people." She pulled her sleeve up to the ugly bruises on her upper arm for Loki to see.

He took her arm and pulled the sleeve back down, covering the ugly marks. "And this is why I must go, Darcy. I have to stop her before she does something that I cannot undo."

He looked at her for several minutes, as if he were trying to memorize every inch of her face and sear it to his mind for always. "I have to go now." He said and cupped her cheek before turning away from her to walk out of the room.

Darcy felt a wave of panic rise over her and she believed in that moment she would never see him again. "If I admitted it, would you stay?"

Loki paused, his hand hoovering above the door handle. "Admit what?" he asked huskily, still facing the door.

She struggled for the words. Just say it Darcy, say it!

He slowly turned to face her, his eyes dark and hopeful. "Admit what to me?"

"H-how I…um…how I feel…about you…leaving…" she said, taking the coward's way out.

The ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Still playing it safe I see," he said, moving towards her. "I already know that you don't want me to leave. You have spent the last half hour trying to convince me to stay." He kept moving towards her and she stepped back, not realizing that he was backing her into the wall. When her back hit the wall, she tried to move to her right, but his arm shot out blocking her way. She attempted to go the other direction and he blocked that way as well. "So tell me Darcy, why do you really want me to stay?"

"I'm scared for you," she whispered.

"That's not enough, my love, try again."

She closed her eyes tightly. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Was this the way love was supposed to be? Uncomfortable and scary? Is this what her dad felt when he looked at Pepper? Did Pepper feel like she was drowning when she was with her dad?

"Love encompasses everything," Loki said softly, his face inches from hers. "It is uncomfortable and scary. It's messy and difficult and you do feel like you're drowning. You feel vulnerable and open and sometimes, you feel as if you're going to die." He kissed the tender skin above her brow. "But it is beautiful and all consuming. It is color, sound, touch, taste, texture, and moments. It is terrifying to feel vulnerable with someone else, to feel raw and exposed, but when you share love with that person, there is nothing greater or more beautiful." He kissed her cheek. "Open your eyes and look at me," he commanded softly.

"I can't," she said, shaking her head. "Please move and let me leave."

"You have a habit of starting things that you don't want to finish," he said laughing softly. "I will help you this time. Open your eyes and look at me. Tell me why you don't want me to go…please…I need to hear it."

She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to look at him. A few tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. "I don't want you to go because I'm afraid I'll never see you again."

"Why does that matter to you?" he whispered against her lips.

"Because I…I want you in my life," she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

He chuckled against her lips before kissing her. "Was that so dreadful, my love? Do you think you will survive now that you've admitted it?"

She smiled at him, grateful for his teasing. It helped her to not feel so exposed. She knew he needed to hear more…needed to hear those other words, but he seemed content in her at least admitting that she wanted him to be a part of her life. But the reality was that she didn't know if he would survive to be a part of her life. Her expression fell as did more of her tears. "Don't go…please…stay here or at least take Thor with you."

"What use would my brother be in a world of magic?" Loki asked, kissing her nose. He started to pull away, but she flung her arms around him. He hugged her back, trying to sooth her, assuring her with soft words that he would be able to save Anna, save them all, and would be back before she really missed him.

Loki sighed contently into her hair, but he knew that if he did not go soon, he might not go at all. He pried her arms from around his neck and walked her back to his bed, pressing her down on it. "I'll be back. I promise."

As he made his way to the door, the wave of panic overtook her again. She believed that this was it. He was walking out and would not return. He could give her all of the assurance that he wanted, but it was nothing more than words. He meant to make this right again. He wanted to atone for what he had done. He wanted to save Anna and her child and if it meant his own life or sanity, then so be it.

She knew in her heart that he needed to do this. There was so much more at stake than simply exorcising an angry ghost or helping the Avengers save the world. He was trying to win redemption for himself and it was worth risking it all to him to have it.

Darcy knew he loved her, she may not be able to comprehend at this moment just how much, but she knew he did. What did she have to give him? She couldn't even say the words to him and yet he was going away to face what could be his death. She might never see him again and she just could not make herself say those little words that would mean everything to him. So what could she give him that would still be precious to him, but allow her to keep her semblance of emotional control?

"Don't go," she said, grabbing his hand. "Not yet, at least."

He struggled to remain composed. Did she not know how hard this was for him already? He turned around to face her, a stern expression on his face. He was ready to verbally assault her if he had to, but before he could speak, his words died on his lips.

She was projecting as hard as she could her thoughts at his mind. He was so stunned that he stumbled backward unsure of whether or not she truly understood what she was offering him.

"Darcy…"

She threw her arms around him and he caught her. She kissed him hard and he matched her passion with his own, keeping one arm around her to hold her against him, and one hand on the back of her neck. As he deepened the kiss, he moved them both over to his bed. He pulled away from her, looking into her flushed face and paused. "Are you sure?" he asked her. She nodded, breathing heavily as he held her. "I don't want any regrets," he said.

"There won't be," she responded, favoring him with a shy smile.

His grin widened to become positively feral. He tossed her on the bed and covered her with his own body. Their mouths met again, his hand sliding under her shirt to feel the softness of her skin. When she did not stop him, he broke the kiss and asked her once more. He needed to know that she was absolutely sure.

"Darcy, you are sure?"

She placed her hands on either side of his face. "Yes Loki, I am sure. I want this. I want to be with you."

He needed no other encouragement as his mouth closed over hers again.

Sexy times are coming :)

Thanks for reading, reviews welcome :)