Again?

Loki paced. He, God of Mischief and Lies, was pacing. What was worse, his reason for pacing was nervousness.

"Brother, she is unlikely to decline your offer." Thor offered from his position on the balcony. Clearly he'd noted Loki's obvious distraction. "She allowed you to entertain her at your name day celebration and has since accompanied you on many outings that were not of an official nature. You worry yourself for no reason."

Loki took a deep breath and resisted the urge to glare at his brother. Obviously he was being irrational but wasn't that the point of being irrational, when the rational mind could not overcome what was plain to see. It did nothing to change the trepidation he felt.

"I know all these things, Thor." He managed to avoid saying anything scathing as a follow up. He should not have confided in him, told him of his plans but at the time he felt like he might burst if he didn't unburden himself. "Despite that, I still… worry." Then his brother just increased his irritation. He laughed.

"Between you and I, it should be you reassuring me. After all, you have already done this. Stark tells me it is your duty as my… best man, to keep me from getting my feet cold."

"Stupid term."

"I profess, I do not understand it either. But it is still something you are to deal with."

"I still find this activity rather redundant as you will still require another ceremony here in Asgard. Not to mention the fact that my participation will only garner tension at your Midgardian nuptials."

"I find myself unable to deny Jane anything. If she wishes to experience her traditions, she will have them. And if I am to have a best man, I will have the only one suitable to the task."

"Stark seemed rather keen on filling the position."

"I fear I did not understand half of what he proposed but by the look on Lady Pepper's face, it seemed unsavory at best. According to Jane, a stag party has little do do with hunting. She would not elaborate further."

Loki could not deny that, nor could he deny the slight amount of pleasure he'd derived when Thor had turned him down. The mortal's disappointment was obvious and only increased considerably when the King made his choice known. Since Thanos' defeat, the mortal and he had developed a tenable relationship but it was still in no way friendly. Tolerated one another would be the best way to describe it. They understood and acknowledged one another's abilities and their respective rolls in saving Midgard. Beyond that, they still took pleasure in causing one another as much aggravation as possible.

For example, Stark one day purposely and inappropriately made a jest about Loki's 'blue balls' in front of Kenna. The next day, the mortal found that every single piece of clothing he owned had turned green. Also, once worn for more than three hours, they would disintegrate. Apparently, he'd been in the middle of a hearing with some of his country's politicians when that particular part of the trick took place.

"I suggest you go now and ask Kenna to attend instead of pacing a valley into the floor. My future bride seems quite keen with knowing exactly who is to attend, something about seating and food. Honestly, I think mortals have made such things overly complicated."

Loki stopped and sighed as he ran a hand through his recently cut hair, thoughts of her coming to mind as his fingers left the strands sooner than he was used to. He'd done it for her. She'd made an off comment about the rather long state of his hair. He hoped she liked it. It'd been centuries since he'd dared cut it so short.

Thor must have noticed this. "And I thought I was the vain one between the two. She will not refuse you on the off chance she finds it displeasing. Just go."

Loki growled. "I will go now but only to escape your endless babbling." So perhaps he was not always able to keep his snide comments unsaid. Thor took no offense however, just chuckled.

"Of course, Brother. Of course."

With that, Loki disappeared.

XxXxX

Kenna stood under the shower's warm spray, running her fingers through her hair as she rinsed the conditioner from the long tresses. It had been a long day, longer than most and worst of all, it was mostly spent on seemingly endless paperwork, not a moment of time spent with patients or surgeries the entire day. She groaned as she twisted her neck that had become strained during her many long hours sitting in front of her dreaded computer screen.

She turned off the water and was just wrapping a towel around her overly long hair, it had been due for a cut for many months now, when the familiar warm tones of Jarvis spoke to her.

"Miss Kenna, Prince Loki has just arrived on the outer balcony. Shall I direct him to stay or send him down?"

She smiled. Though she knew it was probably only in her mind, she couldn't help but feel as though the artificial intelligence somehow looked after her well-being. It was stupid, she knew, but it didn't stop her from grinning about the possibility from time to time. She only thought it because while the computer often took on tones of condescension with Tony, it never did with either her or Pepper. Would the genius really have programmed his personal computer assistant to do such a thing?

She didn't really have time to dwell on that at the moment as her heart suddenly started pounding in her chest. If often did this these days when Loki would arrive for a prearranged appointment or when he would occasionally arrive unexpectedly, like today.

"You can send him down. Thank you, Jarvis."

"Certainly, Miss Kenna."

It wasn't a new feeling. She'd felt it originally after waking to find him asleep against her bed in Stark's infirmary, when she still believed he was coming to collect her back to Asgard and punish her for leaving him, to make her his whore once more. Back then, it had thudded in fear but now, the reason was entirely different.

It had taken months but slowly; she'd let go of the lies, the false memories that the vengeful Olympian had planted within her. It had taken even longer for the feelings that those false memories elicited to wane. But lately, after spending a great deal of time with him and learning exactly who he really was, her heart would race with anticipation. He was nothing but gentlemanly with her even if he didn't always act quite properly with Tony and the rest of the mortals whom she considered friends.

He was not perfect but tried to be for her. He'd used his considerable magical talents to fix trillions of dollars worth of human property. He'd aided his brother and as a result, the Avengers in several missions that required their additional help, saving hundreds if not more lives in the process. He made sure to tell her that he did not do it for them. He made his dislike for Midgardians plain on more than one occasion but despite that, he continued to offer his assistance from time to time.

For her.

How could a woman not be impressed by such displays? It was no wonder that she had been able to slowly dismiss Aphrodite's cruel meddling when the man did nothing but attempt to ingratiate himself with her at every opportunity. Also, the building tension between them, the heated looks he gave her constantly and the tentative displays of affection she'd allowed did nothing but increase the nearly painful tightening she felt in her chest at the prospect of seeing him again.

When she heard a knock at her door, she cursed her foolishness. Not more than a minute had passed since she'd spoken to Jarvis and already the prince was at her door. Of course he'd just teleport down, thus killing the few minutes she anticipated she'd have before his arrival. Pulling the towel off her head, she wrapped herself quickly in her robe and glanced at herself in the mirror. She mussed her hair slightly and sighed. It would have to do.

"I'm coming." She called out to the door as she trotted across her suite. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly in an attempt to steady her rapid heart and then opened the door. The look on his face when he beheld her in a state of dress that he obviously wasn't expecting made her grin like a foolish little girl. "I'm sorry, I just got out of the shower."

"You have nothing to apologize for." He breathed out. It was then that she noticed his hair. How it wasn't the first thing she saw, she couldn't understand. It was so short. Well, not short by most American standards but certainly short by Asgardian ones.

Her had acted on its own and reached up to touch the much shorter locks that when not slicked back as they were, looked like they might only reach just below his ears. "Your hair…" she breathed out. It wasn't until she heard his sharp intake of breath that she realized she'd just run her fingers through it. Her eyes caught his gaze and she couldn't have stopped the flush of heat centered in her lower stomach at the ungodly look in his eyes. Shocked by her own boldness, she moved to pull her hand back, only to have her wrist caught in his grasp before it could reach her side once more.

"I'm sorry, I just…"

"Again, you have nothing to apologize for." Then a wicked little smirk replaced his shocked and heated visage. "In fact, you may take liberties with my hair… or any other part of my person whenever you like."

Ok, so maybe she could no longer claim that he was always a perfect gentleman now. Though honestly, she wasn't complaining. She tried to formulate a response but nothing was forthcoming. She was actually grateful when he spoke once more.

"Are you going to invite me in?" Only then did he release the wrist he'd kept captured.

"Of course, please." And she stepped into the living room portion of her suite. "Would you like to have a seat?" He nodded and moved to the larger of the two couches in her sitting area. "A drink?"

"No thank you." He politely declined.

For a moment, Kenna debated on where she should sit. She was only clad in a bathrobe after all but she didn't want to appear cold either and sit on another seat all together. She decided to steel her nerves and sit on the same couch as him but with a respectable amount of space between them.

"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

She was surprised to find him looking rather apprehensive. It was an expression she hadn't seen on him in some time. "Nothing is the matter is it?"

He seemed to school his features immediately, adopting instead a rather cool, aristocratic aloofness instead. He then got right to the point.

"As you may know, my brother plans on wedding Miss Jane Foster in a human wedding here on Midgard."

"I did."

"It is customary for one to attend such things with a companion if able." He seemed to just trail off.

"Are you asking me to be your date?"

She saw the way he cringed at her used of the Midgardian term but nodded all the same.

"Of course."

His obvious sigh of relief was heartwarming. He'd actually thought she might decline? Adorable. It was moments like these ones that made it easy to forget their false past. In no way could the man from those terrible images be the same that sat before her now. She was so touched by his apparent apprehension that she didn't stop herself when the sudden inclination to kiss him overtook her. It seemed he was about to say something more to her when she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His response was immediate, cupping her cheek with one hand and sliding his fingers into her damp hair with the other.

She'd only intended for it to be a quick peck on the lips but the move quickly morphed into something far more. Entirely on her own, she scooted closer to him and lodged her own fingers into his hair. He seemed to take this as an excuse to deepen the kiss, running his tongue questioningly across the crease of her lips. She opened to him immediately, groaning when his tongue quested in to lightly flit against hers.

They continued like this for many minutes before he was the one to break it. She opened her eyes to find his still closed, his brow furrowed.

"I'm afraid we much desist or I might not be able to control myself." He rasped out as he panted through slightly parted lips.

Another jolt of heat settled itself in her belly and this time she could feel an even more physical reaction to his words between her thighs. Her heart was still pounding wildly, the ache continued to grow in her belly and she wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on hers once more. In that moment, it was like a light had been turned on, like she'd just broken the surface of some quiet pond from beneath and was drawing air into her starving lungs once more.

She wanted him.

"Must you control yourself?" she whispered only to be met with incredibly wide eyes a split second later.

He turned his head slightly away from her though his eyes remained steadfastly glued to hers, studying her intently.

"You know what you ask?" He asked, just as quietly as she had.

She answered by leaning into him tentatively and kissing his offered jaw, then his chin as he turned fully back to her and finally his lips. He was still for several long, torturous moments before he snapped. The hand in her hair suddenly tightened and pulled her away from him. His gaze was now so intense and pointed, it took her breath away.

"Once I start, I will be unable to stop. You must be certain."

"I am."

He looked at her for a few more moments before he nodded and crashed his lips back to hers. They didn't remain there for long before he pushed her back, laying her down on the couch and attacking her neck hungrily. He wasted no time parting her robe and baring what had been denied to him for so long. His mouth greedily explored first one breast and then the other, while his hands roamed lower. Kenna could do nothing but run her hands through his hair and moan increasingly loud as he played her body like an instrument he knew all too well.

"I missed this." He said between breasts. "I missed your sounds," he suckled a nipple before gently biting it, "your taste and." They both made sensuous sounds of delight as a single finger lightly dipped between her lower lips. In a flash, he'd slipped down her body, letting his knees hit the floor as he spread her legs and without further ceremony or any teasing whatsoever, latched his mouth to her glistening sex.

She cried out in shocked pleasure as he started to consume her. She barely registered the finger that slipped within her but she certainly registered the sudden and powerful release it helped to trigger only moments later. Her muscles were still rhythmically spasming when she found his tongue pressing into her mouth once more. It seemed a prelude to what she could only imagine awaited her in the very near future. She could taste her light flavor on him as he ravaged her mouth so intensely that she didn't even realize he'd picked her up until he was depositing her on her bed. She wasn't sure if he'd carried her there or teleported and found that she really couldn't care less.

"May I have you?" He questioned against her lips even as he spread her thighs once more and settled himself between them. She felt the blunt heat of him pressed against her even before she answered.

"Gods yes."

One solid stroke was all it took and she cried out for the third time that night in sheer, delighted ecstasy. His pace was frantic as he pressed his entire length to her prone body, seemingly trying to touch as much of her with himself as physically possible.

"I love you, I love you, I love you." Was chanted in her ear like some sort of sacred prayer. She finally could take the words no more as they threatened to break something inside of her so she forcefully pulled his face to her and silenced his words with a press of her lips. One of his hands slipped beneath her buttocks and lifted her up, angling her more to his liking and needs. It also served to increase the friction of his pelvis against her, sending sparks of pleasure through her and edging her once more toward release.

A few moments later, she cringed against him, her entire body tensing once more with a silent scream issuing from her.

"Ah, Kenna!" He moaned against her neck pressing into as deeply as he could, his body going completely rigid before he collapsed atop her. They remained that way for several minutes and Kenna found she loved the feeling of his body and all his weight pressing her into the soft mattress beneath her. She'd never felt so consumed, so wanted or so loved as she did right in that moment. It was a feeling she knew she never wanted to be without ever again. So consumed with this new experience and enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking, she almost didn't notice that he'd mumbled something against her neck.

"Hm?" Was as much energy as she could muster to form the question. He responded by taking some of his weight off of her and pressing his lips to her ear before whispering reverently into it.

"Will you marry me?" A short moment passed. "Again? I promise to be a far better husband this time." She didn't even know how to respond, her breath was caught in her throat as she just lie there beneath him. "Please." It was that word that gave her the strength to respond.

She nodded.

It was a poor response but the only one she could manage but she didn't stop nodding as he lifted himself enough to look into her eyes that she was certain were shining with unshed tears.

"Is that a yes?" he asked with a hopeful smile. She just kept nodding only to be stopped when rested his forehead against hers, his eyes shut in complete, unhidden relief.

"Thank you."

XxXxX

AN: Hahaha! I didn't do a warning at the start of the chapter on purpose. I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise and if you've read this far, sexual content in this story really shouldn't be something you're not expecting, lol. So, that was the longest bout of non sexy times in the story and I have been chomping at the bit to finally write another one. I hope it was worth the wait and I hope it seemed like feasible progression.

And that's it! That is the end of our story… I'm actually a bit misty about it. This is why it's taken me so long to post it too. I'm actually sad to do it. I'll likely write an epilogue, maybe Thor's wedding since it will be a good place to get everyone together and say goodbye to them properly. I hope you've enjoyed the journey and that it lived up to expectations. It's been a great journey. Thank you to all my wonderful readers and a huge, massive, explosive thank you and bow to all my amazing reviewers, you've all kept me motivated throughout this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, really, you've all been great!

CeffylGwyn: And you don't have to hope any longer, the will get to end up happy after everything. It certainly bears some resemblances in hindsight, though it wasn't something I did consciously. I always did love that particular myth so its no wonder if it had an influence on my storytelling.
MrsCullen123: Yes! It took long enough, lol. No worries, I will never do it again. This Loki and his Kenna get to live happily ever after!
CLTex: I'm glad the time jumps didn't feel rushed and worked well enough for progression. You got your action, finally. I couldn't wait either, lol.
TechieNinja18: Darn right it was! Hehe, it just seemed to work and I loved that movie when I was a kid. Is Tony ever NOT drunk? Hehe, not my version anyway.
opera123: Thank you very, very much.
SkylerMcAndrews: I tried for sweet, good to know it worked. The got to finally do it right and this time they get to really be happy. Thank you.
Yasumi: ROFL! I'd been wanting to get my couple back together and it was a pleasure to feel like I finally could. I hope this chapter was all you wanted it to be. Thanks!
HappyDeathExecutioner: And we got to the good stuff, lololol, alas, there is but maybe one bit of an epilogue left. Sooooooo sorrrrrryyyyyyy!
AuroraRose16: I love that a not smut chapter gave you that sort of reaction, I smiled like a goof when I read that. He was a good boy and did everything he could to win her. I suppose it was his version of courting and there is a lot of allusion to other activities between the two in order to lead up to this final chapter. I hope it served it well and didn't make this feel rushed. Oh Odin. I might have to write a little associated ficlet to this one in order to give everyone a bit of Odin. As it was, I just couldn't bring myself to add him to the mix. If I'd been really ambitious, it could have been it's own arc but since it wouldn't have been directly Loki and Kenna related, I decided not to go there. I just wouldn't have kept up with the theme of the story. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews!
DoctorLokiLove: If the last chapter satisfied that need, I can only imagine what this one did. I think it's safe to say that Loki would NEVER let Kenna go but he finally found a way to keep her that's mutual between them. He's all grown up now and finally acting like it, at least where she's concerned. And this time, she got to fall in love with him in a far more healthy way. I probably should have done at least a snippet of a chapter a few chapters ago concerning his reaction to her diary but I just never did. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story, thank you! (I hope you keep writing as well!)
Zippythewondersquirrel: hehe, it was a bit of a silly reason to get her there but I wanted/needed something purely light hearted after all the massive angst I put them all through. I see Hogun as almost completely silent so a body count seemed about right for a war story from him, lol. Yup, he's had a long time to get used to Loki's snarkiness. :)
AuroraBlix: (76)A lot of folks guessed that. I should have made it clear that other mythologies were in the running, lol. (88) Aww, I love that I could evoke that in you. Thank you for telling me it did.
bearaveo: Awww, I love that you did. And thank you for saying that. I know exactly what you mean. I've read stories that do the same thing and I'm so glad that I didn't fall into that trap. Thor can be crafty when he puts his mind to it, he just doesn't put in the effort too often imo. :) I should have added a bit more description there and maybe someday I'll revise each chapter and that's something I could add to this one. Thank you!
Poodle warriors: I'm so happy that I was able to deliver. And you got your wish, the did indeed get there happy ending (in more ways than one, tehe).
BrokenCalibre: I didn't draw it out but I hope that this chapter satisfied desire. I started with a sweet get together before delivering us all back into the smut that started it all!
whatcatydidnext: I think we've all thought about that…
Fat Old Sun: tehe, I just couldn't help myself.
Anon89: haha, not as quickly as this one did. And you got your wish. I hope it was all you hoped it would be.
Candy Flaps: That's the thing, she gets to form all new memories of him and this time around, they get to be nothing but good ones. They both got to start again and this time they get to be truly happy. Hope you liked it!
gameofshadows: (86) Ding dong the bitch is dead! I love your evil nature too! (87) Rubs hands gleefully. Thank you. Awwww, I don't want you to bow to me… I want you to KNEEL! (sorry, couldn't help myself) That was my favorite line when I wrote it too! (88) I thought, 'how can I really torture Loki? Oh yeah, make him watch her.' And this chapter was born. (89) Yeah, Aphrodite wasn't messing around. Loki would use any means possible to worm his way back into her life and Kelmet was the perfect means. (90) I'm a sucker for happy endings so there has always been a light at the end of the tunnel, even if I kept the end covered with a sheet in order to worry everyone, mwahahaha! (91) I do a dig on Tony every chance I get and this one presented itself rather nicely. And so they have fallen in love again… glad you liked the progression. (92) Hehe, yup, I thought it would be nicely ironic that way. I'm so sorry but the torture has ended. I hope it was all you hoped it would be. Thank you very, very much!
KeeperoftheNine: Haha, so do I! Loki's trying to do it right this time. Third times the charm after all. Thank you!
paintmyworlddarkblue: Thanks! They have definitely had some obstacles that they've had to overcome. And finally, she loves him in return, in the right way and for the right reasons. She might not have said it but I hope it came across clearly enough. Tony/Loki banter makes some of the chapters worth writing in and of itself. They finally get their happy ever after! You didn't get much more but I hope it was to quality.
Megsy0: Hahah, I hope your class work didn't suffer because of it! Thank you. I'm so happy that you've enjoyed the story and my characterization of Loki. Thank you very, very much.
Sorceress of the Trees: I tried. I hope this one was worth it.