Quick Author's Note:

First and foremost I'd like to say that I don't own the Marvel characters. I won't post the disclaimer again.

Second, I have tried my damnedest to keep the Marvel characters IN character but since I am not the original creator they may not be portrayed perfectly. As for the way I've chosen to portray them/their desires/personalities: I am going off what is written about each character on Marvel Cinematic .com. Loki's a tad more complicated so I've been attempting to use a sort of middle ground between a few different ideas. I apologize if he doesn't seem to act the way you'd imagine.

Third: The only reason I actually found the will to write this is after being inspired by KMD88's story Chasing the Storm and IronBell's story Seven Years of Winter. They are both phenomenally written and I recommend them to anyone who has yet to read them.

And fourth: after doing a little digging I discovered that the science in Thor (relating to anomalies) is apparently incorrect - so I chose to alter that to (hopefully) make it a tad more believable. Though I know little to nothing about science so some parts may still be a tad ridiculous. My apologizes.
Chapters will be posted to my tumblr (link on profile) a day or two before here.

This will be a trilogy; as in three separate stories. No more, no less. All three stories will have their own individual plots/challenges to overcome but they will all share the same overall plot/goal: the development of Emily and Loki's relationship. Out of Punishment will focus on their meeting and Loki getting to the point where he tolerates her. Out of Curiosity will focus on the development of romantic feelings. Out of Desire will focus on their actual relationship.

My reasoning for this is that I, personally, feel that too many stories have relationships develop far too quickly. While they might seem logical to the readers - considering how long we sometimes have to wait between chapters - they aren't logical in terms of actual relationships. In addition to that, I feel that some writers forget major components to characters; especially those who are as stand-offish, judgmental, and complex as Loki. I feel that he wouldn't fall in love as quickly as a lot of stories tend to have him so I want to try and to the character justice while portraying a realistic relationship. Since Loki's about 1000+ years old (ish), the small time frame (about 4 months) of Out of Punishment would be akin to the blink of an eye. It's ridiculous to believe that such a character would so quickly fall for any character - even more ridiculous it being a midgardian.

The point in saying this is so that those who are hoping for a quick pairing fix won't be confused or upset by what they find. Or, more importantly, don't find.

And, as someone who enjoys OC and canon pairings, I get incredibly depressed when an author introduces a new character but never gives the reader a chance to connect to their character or they neglect to explain what that character was like prior to being thrown into the absurdity of the story or plot. Character development can only happen once a character's "start" has been determined - you can't compare what they were like at the beginning versus the end if you don't see them before their journey. And there are times when writers forget to include how their other relationships began or work. Often times I, personally, have a hard time understanding why I should care when said character suddenly finds themselves in danger. That said, I really tried to allow readers the chance to see what Emily is like before things change so drastically, to get attached and invested in her/her story, and show the way her relationships began, work, and change.

That said, I will NOT Be making any more Author's notes (at the start of chapters) unless absolutely necessary!

Chapter 1

Moving In

"And he's shocked that we don't visit," Emily muttered, rather sarcastically, under her breath.

Stark Towers had been easy enough to spot, that was for sure. She hadn't even made it into the city before she noticed the glowing sign sitting high above the rest of the landscape. It was the first thing to break the clouds and the last thing she saw before her plane landed and the beautiful view of the sky was obstructed by terminals, travelers, and traffic. Lots of traffic.

She had been aware of how hectic New York street traffic was prior to leaving home but she hadn't even considered the foot traffic. As soon as she left her plane and entered the airport itself, she was swept up in the throng of people and jostled every which way but the way she needed to go. By some miracle she escaped the building but quickly found herself lost. Out of breath she retreated to a coffee stand jammed into the corner and tried to regain her bearings: pulling out a crisp new map and untangling it only to stare blankly at the surface. The disorganized chaos of the streets, subway, and buildings was overwhelming.

She groaned and was about to call it quits when a sympathetic employee offered his help and pointed her in the right direction.

Three minutes later and she was hopelessly lost again.

She asked a passerby for assistance and was pointed in the right direction. Again. Only to get lost. Again. It took repeating the process a few dozen times before she finally came to a stop at the base of Stark Towers and allowed herself the feeling of relief. From the sky it was already huge and intimidating but from the ground it truly terrified her. It loomed overhead with its outlandish architecture and obnoxious sign, making her family's farm seem like a shack built of mud and twigs in comparison. Emily was pretty damn sure her entire family could comfortably live in the tower. Hell, her entire state could.

'Just how much room does one man need?' she scoffed to herself.

Everyone she had asked for directions referred to it as a beacon of progress and 'all that could be' but all she saw was a narcissistic man's display of power, wealth, and self-adoration. Though she might have just been bitter about giving up the comforts of home for a strange city with even stranger people.

Tony was, after all, her favorite cousin.

It was only because of his preference for the 'high life' that she was never able to spend much time with him. His Ironman suits, career, and status occupied most of his time; it was only through her mother's threats on his life that they ever heard from him, let alone saw him. Sometimes she wished Tony's father had never left home to pursue fame and fortune. Maybe then she wouldn't have been guilted into attending New York University. Maybe then she would have been allowed to stay put on the farm she loved: in the middle of Wisconsin, surrounded by her animals and books.

'Nothing but the foolish desire of a disgruntled girl,' she chided herself. Her uncle had left home, he had found his fortune, and she had been shipped away. That was the truth of her past and nothing she did would change that. No matter how many times she shut her eyes and imagined a different outcome, a different life, when she opened them again she'd still be standing at the foot of Stark Towers, still dizzy from her flight, clutching her suitcase, and cursing that she'd managed to get accepted into New York University.

"This isn't about you, it's about family," she reminded herself before taking the first step toward the door.

"Pepper!"

Emily didn't give the older woman a chance to return the greeting before throwing her arms about her neck. "God it's good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Emily," Pepper replied. She returned the hug before stepping back to a more favorable distance. "How was the flight?"

A groan was the only response she received.

"That bad?"

"To be fair the flight wasn't that terrible - thank you xanex - it was trying to make my way here that was the nightmare," Emily said, crossing her arms. "I didn't think walking would prove so difficult, but between the fucked up way the streets are laid out and the nice coating of muck clinging to the air… I should have simply agreed to the chauffeur you offered."

Pepper's lips turned up the slightest. Emily and Tony might be incredibly similar but the one thing Emily could do that Tony couldn't was admit when she had been wrong. It was rather refreshing.

"So, where is Tony? Don't tell me he forgot."

Pepper didn't get a chance to answer before Tony stepped out of the elevator, drink in hand, and sauntered over to Pepper's side.

"I didn't forget. You're here to sell Girl Scout Cookies, right?"

"Nope. I'm here to talk to you about donating your time-"

"I'll stop you right there," Tony smirked. "Same old Emily."

"You missed me and you know it."

"Like I miss living on a farm."

"Drama queen, you never had to live on a farm."

He winked before taking a sip of the drink in his hand.

"When you two are done, I'll show you where you'll be staying, Emily," Pepper interjected, before motioning towards the elevator.

"Right. Lead the way. Might as well attempt to get used to the lavish lifestyle Tony enjoys." Emily winked at her cousin before picking up her things and trailing after Pepper.

As much as she would like to spend time with Tony, Emily was starting to feel a stagnant weight settle into her bones. For all her preparations - such as her xanex - the flight, more specifically her fear of heights, had still taken its toll and she wanted nothing more than to go lay down and pretend it had been a bad dream. Plus she couldn't shake the feeling that her clothes reeked of cheap perfume, most likely from the woman she'd had to sit next to on the plane, cigarette smoke, which was apparently a habit shared by 90% of the city, and a countless number of pollutants. God, how she missed the crisp, cold, air of Wisconsin.

'I'm never setting foot outside this tower again,' she mentally vowed.

Pepper was quiet on the ride up and Emily silently thanked her. Obviously Pepper hadn't forgotten how completely inept she was when it came to small talk. Though Emily was sure she'd have to put up with it when she came back down later on. Talking seemed to be Tony's favorite past-time: after creating Iron man suits that is.

"I hope you're able to find what you need," Pepper said, breaking the silence as they exited the elevator.

Emily just nodded.

"I made sure the movers included a bookcase and desk for you."

Pepper handed Emily a key when they came to a stand-still at the door to the room Emily could only assume was where she would be staying. As Pepper turned to let her unpack, Emily smiled, quickly offering a 'thanks, Pepper'.

She took a deep breath before throwing open the door and dragging her suitcase inside.

No matter how much Emily disliked the high-class lifestyle Tony lived she had to admit that there were some perks. The most noticeable being the ability to afford major renovations for guests. Like the one she was currently gawking at.

The last time she'd set foot in any guest room of Tony's she'd wrinkled her nose and spent the entire visit counting down the minutes till she was allowed to run home to the comfort of her own room. His guest room had had stark white walls, the only accent being a single black clock hung above the bed, with grey trim, and a white tiled floor. The bed frame and single dresser were the same wood with black finish, the duvet and pillows the same striking white as the walls. Admittedly the last time she had visited Tony was when she was too young to appreciate the consistency in colors but no matter what age she had been the memory always haunted her. The atmosphere had been tense, uninviting, and hostile.

Not this time.

Immediately Emily smiled. Compared to the rest of Tony's home her room stood out like a sore thumb. For starters the walls were covered by horizontal wood panels, though the fourth wall was nothing more than an extremely large window: divided strait down the center by a small section of wall. That center piece's purpose was to be the back to the fireplace and massive television.

Emily couldn't help but wonder how on earth the smoke was expelled from the room. Or how Tony had convinced Pepper that putting a television in her room was a good idea. It didn't take long to realize Emily preferred being in her room to being around people. Although she didn't watch much T.V., if any, that was about the only reason she ever left her room back home. Well, that and food.

Dark blue drapes framed the two windows and she smiled at the notion. She had always loved the look of drapes but her room back home didn't have a window with the capabilities to have them.

'Guess Tony does listen when I talk.'

A king sized bed, on a wooden frame, sat in the far right corner with nightstands on either side, a cedar chest at its feet, and a wonderfully expansive oriental rug sitting slightly off-kilter beneath. White sheets peeked out from under a dark blue paisley duvet.

'How long did it take Pepper to find that?'

An armoire was stationed a few feet from one of the nightstands, her dresser sharing the same wall as the door she was currently standing in, and a papasan was comfortably sitting in the corner between the two.

The left side of the room was a little more sparse. A single bookshelf was in the far left corner at a diagonal and a corner desk was in the remaining corner of the room. Undoubtably the door that was between her desk and bookshelf led to the bathroom. Of course, the room wouldn't be complete without the white couch, coffee table, and rug that took up the dead center of the room. Tony's idea, no doubt.

Admittedly a nice touch.

But Emily's absolute favorite part of the entire room was the collection of pictures, shipped over by her mother as a surprise, that decorated the walls and available surfaces. She loved everything about the room but it was the reminders of home that made her feel warm and relaxed. The matching wood was nice too.

Shaking herself out of her trance, realizing she'd been staring at the set up for longer than she'd ever care to admit, Emily dragged her suitcase to the bed and heaved it onto the duvet. Before she did anything else she wanted to get her things put away; especially since her mother had also managed to send all of her books without Emily knowing. The boxes were stacked half-hazardly next to the bookshelf and she felt excitement well up inside her chest.

"Clothes and uninteresting crap first," she muttered.

Easier said than done.

On more than one occasion Emily caught herself walking towards the bookshelf and she had to force herself to return to whatever mundane task she was supposed to be doing. But soon enough she'd put the last of her clothes away in its designated slot of her dresser. Effortlessly she shoved the suitcase under her bed and attacked the boxes of books.

She tore into the cardboard and pulled all the familiar books out. Soon enough she was surrounded by stacks upon stacks of books, from Shakespeare to J.K. Rowling to unknown writers with unknown subjects. Unlike the rest of her things she took her time putting the books away. Each time she picked one up she scanned the cover, reading the author's name and title, ran her hand over the words, and admired the image used, before gingerly opening the cover and letting the familiar scents pull dozens of memories to the forefront of her mind. Tony used to tease her for the compulsion to sniff old books but when she hit him over the head with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix one Thanksgiving he stopped. Now he'd just shoot her a look. And she'd ignore it.

That was why Tony was her favorite cousin. That was the reason she wasn't actually pissed at being there. Even though she sure had acted like she was when her mother gave her the last hug and ushered her off to her plane that morning.

In their extended family Tony was the black sheep, the only one who genuinely enjoyed living in a big city surrounded by strangers, but in Emily's immediate family it was her. She wasn't as out-going as her parents, didn't spend her free time watching basic cable, and had an IQ that towered over her siblings'. But she'd learned to pretend. She'd tag along with her parents from time to time, being sure to laugh and smile a lot, found ways to avoid watching sports without hurting anyone's feelings too horribly, and took great care not to use big words. She even picked up swearing.

Tony was the reason she never forgot who she was.

Sure, he dragged her with him to more than one event when he came to visit, purposefully putting her in situations she hated, but he always made up for it later. He'd demand that she used a bigger vocabulary when talking to him, always brought her books about science, philosophy, bio-chemical engineering, countless other topics, and let her assist him on some of his projects. Most importantly he encouraged her love for science. Her love for knowledge.

She'd never tell him but he was the only reason she'd applied to NYU. It wasn't her first choice, it wasn't even her third, but she'd figured it couldn't hurt. Options were always the smart thing to do. And after everything that he went through last year the whole family was worried about him. He couldn't hide the subtle changes in the tone of his voice when he talked to Emily on the phone but he could avoid her pestering him to "spill it". More than once he'd hung up early simply to drive home that he wasn't about to confide in her. It was when her acceptance letter to NYU came in the mail that her mother decided to pitch the idea of Emily attending to keep an eye on Tony.

At first she'd thrown a fit. Trading the animals she loved, her close friends, and the safety of home for strangers, a concrete jungle, and an empty tower terrified her. But when the seriousness of Tony's situation sank in during one of their longer phone calls - his voice taking a tone he'd never had before but one she know far too well - she begrudgingly accepted. She didn't think it would be that bad: that it could be.

Then she saw how tall Stark Towers was.

"What's a better time to work on a fear of heights than transitioning to a new college?" Emily snorted, putting her copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on the bookcase. No matter how much she wanted to go back home it was too late. Classes started in a month. Besides, she'd already informed the other schools she wouldn't be attending. That and, if her mother taking back her copy of the house key was any clue, she was effectively banned from changing her mind.

For as much as Emily loved her mom, there were times when she wondered if the woman's head was screwed on right. Such as prom night, when she tried to ground Emily from staying home and doing chores rather than attending. But now wasn't the time to think about it.

Exhaling, she shook her head to clear away the thoughts and home-sick feeling.

With all her books successfully put away, Emily got to her feet, placed the boxes inside one another, and tucked them under the desk. At first she thought about heading back downstairs to bug Tony but when she tugged off her plaid over-shirt she let out an involuntary cough. It was heavy with the smell of perfume, smoke, and sweat. Reluctantly she decided a bath would be the better option. Dealing with Tony could wait a little longer.

Emily tossed the shirt into her laundry basket before returning to the dresser to grab her sister's old yoga pants, her brother's discarded baggy t-shirt, and fluffy socks. Necessities in hand she glided into the bathroom and set to work on trying to figure out how the incredibly large soaking tub worked. It was beautiful, made from expensive porcelain no doubt, but subconsciously she missed the old shower back home. It was small, easy to use, and didn't make it next to impossible for her to leave and be productive.

And boy did it take her a while to find the desire to leave the warm confines of it's ceramic walls.

Once dressed and feeling jet-lagged, Emily returned to her room. She checked to make sure she hadn't missed anything and when everything finally seemed to be in order she took one look out her window and fought the urge to faint. Turning away she focused on keeping her breathing under control before slowly making her way to the drapes to close them.

'Definitely need a quick nap,' she mused. 'Tony can wait a little longer.'

Her decision final she shoved all thoughts regarding the height of the building out of her mind and clamored into bed. As she snuggled into the pillow the smell of lilacs filled her nose and she felt a warm ache in her chest.

"Smells like home," she whispered: already half-asleep.

When Emily woke, the room was pitch black and the only source of light to be seen was the sliver that squeezed under her door from the hallway. On reflex she reached for her phone that teetered on the edge of the nightstand, searching for the time. As soon as the screen lit up she scrunched her eyes closed and turned away.

The initial sting wore off and she carefully let them adjust to the sudden contrast before trying to read the flickering numbers again. '10:52… seriously?' She felt as though it had been a full week since she had fallen asleep. The reality that it had only been three hours at most was a little appalling.

"Guess the flight was worse than I thought," she grumbled.

A small sigh left her lips as she ran a hand through her dark brown hair. Only three hours of sleep and yet it was already on its way to the world's worst rat's nest. While she wasn't exactly happy that her internal time frame was drastically skewed, and that her hair was a fucking nightmare, she was glad that she didn't have to open the drapes. It meant her fear of heights would remain unprovoked for a little while longer. Then the realization hit that she'd have to make her way to the light switch in a room she hadn't memorized the layout of.

Suddenly the couch didn't seem like such a nice touch…

By the time Emily walked through the door of Tony's recreation area she had managed to trip over her cedar chest, stub her toe on the edge of the couch, and even walked into her door frame when the light of the hallway momentarily blinded her. By sheer, dumb-luck she hadn't injured herself in the elevator. So when she limped through the door, her hand resting on her forehead, and plopped onto the couch Tony burst out laughing.

"Glad to know my pain amuses you," she muttered.

"In my defense, it always amuses me."

She wrapped her fingers around the only book sitting on the end table but before she could chuck it at his head he offered her a drink.

"I'm only twent-"

"If you don't want it I'll drink it," he countered.

"Oh no, I want it." Emily let go of the book to take hold of the cup. She wasn't a big drinker since she wasn't old enough yet, but there were times when her father would allow her a sip or two from his glass. This was the first time she'd ever been offered her own and she was filled with a childish curiosity. Wondering how well she could hold her liquor yet afraid of the repercussions. A fear that she quickly squashed.

Satisfied that he wouldn't be back-handed by literature any time soon Tony grabbed the one he had poured for Pepper and settled in beside her on the second couch.

All of them fell into a welcomed silence. At least, until Tony couldn't bear not talking.

"So, you're going to New York University?" There was a touch of disgust in the way Tony said the name and Emily frowned.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" She questioned with a glare.

"Nothing, nothing."

"No, you were insinuating something." Regret seeped into her stomach and she wondered if it was too late to throw the book at him. "You were the one who said I should apply."

"Did I?"

She caught the teasing tone and snorted. "You're a prick, Tony"

"'Prick'? That's not New York University worthy language."

Emily rolled her eyes, humor tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're a pretentious man who's a detriment to society's betterment."

"That's better."

She laughed before thoughtlessly taking a large swig of the drink Tony had handed her. As soon as the bronze colored liquid flowed over her tongue she was met with a burning sensation. Aghast she jerked the cup away.

"What the bloody fuck is this?"

Humor, confusion, and betrayal flickered across Tony's features. "It's Whiskey."

Emily scrunched her nose and gave the glass a suspicious look. "Tastes like Uncle Vincent's attempt at making moonshine."

"Rude," Tony scoffed.

Although Pepper tried to fight the urge to laugh, Emily caught the small chuckle. She smiled. Pepper's laughter meant that she wasn't too upset at being stuck in the same room with the Stark cousins, which was a welcome relief considering how much Emily adored Pepper. The fact that Pepper had been working for Tony for years and hadn't quit was a miracle in itself but it was Pepper's infatuation with Tony that was the unbelievable part. The part that Tony's entire family thanked every God ever known for and asked, prayed, that nothing would ruin the relationship. Or, to be more specific, that Tony wouldn't ruin the relationship. Though, if he did, Emily was confident half the family would offer to marry her just to keep her around.

'Is it morally repugnant to pit all your hopes on a stranger?' Emily laughed at her own thoughts. 'Not when you're talking about Tony it isn't.'

She didn't realize that she'd zoned out until Tony snapped his fingers in an attempt at reclaiming her attention. Noting the obvious irritation at not being the focus of the room etched on his face she laughed harder.

"Care to explain to the class what's so funny?" he grumbled.

"Your face."

He rolled his eyes. "Real mature."

"Alright, I've unpacked, given you a good laugh, and tried some of your putrid drink. I want to know how you're holding up after everything that happened." He opened his mouth and she cut him off. "Don't bullshit me, Tony."

"I've been fine. I am fine. Never been better, actually."

She knew him too well to fall for his facade.

"Liar."

He shifted in his seat. "You know, I don't really feel like talking about it." There was an air of anxiousness and memories being repressed surrounding the way he was sitting and the way his eyes kept flickering around, as if attempting to avoid certain truths, made it clear that something wasn't sitting right in his mind. In that instant any hatred she had for being shipped away slipped into oblivion and a heart-wrenching pity set in. So Emily just rolled her eyes before giving the drink a skeptical look. Effectively dropping the subject. But she vowed to herself that she'd do everything she could to ease his mind.

Ease it of what she wasn't sure. 'Not yet.'

"Tony, did you finish looking over the documents I gave you?"

As they talked about work, Emily settled into the couch and gave the drink another try; abandoning it on the end table when it burned her throat a second time. And when she heard Pepper chide Tony Emily laughed; deciding that all her worrying about fitting in had been pointless. Tony may not like sharing but he was a fairly inviting person. How she had managed to forget that was beyond her.

Eventually Tony and Pepper switched the topic to include Emily and the rest of the night passed by in a blur of pointless conversations, stupid jokes, and talk of her impending schooling. By the time she had felt the second wave of exhaustion drag her down she had a small tingling sensation in the back of her head. Wishing Pepper and Tony a good night she hobbled, her leg still hurting, to the elevator. Then to her room.

Between the slight tipsy feeling, due to Tony's insistence that she try a more fruity drink, and general tiredness Emily didn't even contemplate the fear she'd seen in her cousin's eyes when she'd asked him about his mental health. Nor did she remember just how high off the ground she truly was. All she could think of was sinking into her heavenly sheets, inhaling the lilac smell of home, and letting sleep take her once more.