Chapter 1: As You Are

A/N: SPOILER: Note that this continues from the point in 'Thor: A Dark World' in which Loki is mortally injured and in my version, the dark elves have already been defeated as well. I hope you all enjoy, please read and review :P

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO." That horrified yell from Thor made Jane's blood run cold as she watched his brother fall to his knees. Everything had happened in slow motion. They had been victorious, defeating the evil that threatened to spread to midgard and the gods realm. And now, the man who was responsible for the deaths of many innocents, the man she should hate for everything he had done to her race, lay on the ground, clutching his chest, gasping for air. Tears fell, and she watched Thor cradling his head, screaming out in anger as he finally stood up, accepting his younger brothers demise as he moved swiftly in her direction.

She shook her head, disbelieving the raven haired god to be dead, rushing towards his still body.

The asgardian god yelled out, running after her, "Jane! He is gone, there is nothing we c…."

"You don't know that for sure!" She snapped, skidding to a stop in the dirt, falling to the trickster's side.

Blood pooled around him and she touched his wound, the crimson liquid spread over her fingers and she reached for her shirt, not caring that the blood smeared over it as she ripped the fabric.

Her shirt tore halfway up and she turned to Thor who came rushing behind her, "Help me lift him up."

Without argument, he did as requested, grasping his fallen brother with one arm, hoisting his body in the air. Jane quickly wrapped the fabric around his chest, as tightly as she could to stop the bleeding.

"Jane he is al…."

"No there is still hope." Her eyes watered and she refused to believe the alternative.

Odin rushed from the throne room upon hearing the loud crack of lightning coming from outside, seeing his son and the mortal woman he pinned for carrying another form. As he drew closer, his eye widened seeing Loki's unconscious body.

"My sons…" His normally stoic voice cracked.

"He was hurt saving me…you must heal him father!" Thor all but yelled at him, dropping mjolnir to the ground as they all moved inside the palace.

The old man nodded as the two gently placed his younger son at his feet. "Loki…." He sighed, waving a hand over his still form.

The trickster remained cold, unmoving, no rise and fall of his chest as the wound began to heal itself.

Jane turned her head into Thors chest, tears spilling out onto her cheeks as he held her, his own expression faltering.

A loud gasp for breath filled the room and everyone watched as the god of mischief slowly opened his eyes, sucking in air as he sat up.

"My son…." "Brother..." "Loki..." The voices mingled into one.

Three months later:

Jane Foster stared out the window, looking out onto the palace grounds. Each day it never ceased to amaze her of the beauty that reflected back. Each day she found herself discovering something new on Asgard, the scientist in her loving every second of it. But part of her missed her home, her friends, and humanity. Here she was surrounded by gods, the only mortal to grace this realm in thousands of years. She was grateful for her experiences and even more for Thor, but she still missed home and he did not seem to get that at all.

She could see him outside in the gardens, lumbering around and gesturing wildly in anger with his compatriots, clearly upset over something.

Her curiosity made her wish she had some sort of way to hear their conversation, watching from afar, unable to read their lips.

"And how does thou fair maiden feel today?" The slick and sinewy voice of his brother filled the room.

Jane gasped, startled at the sudden interruption of her thoughts, whirling away from the window to see the trickster leaning against her doorway, a smirk of amusement on his face.

"Fine….thank you." She spoke carefully.

He had survived the attack thanks to her quick thinking and the allfathers healing powers but the rage he felt knowing he was now in her debt boiled in him. Loki owed no one a damn thing least of all a mortal. But the human had not realized what her actions meant, and secretly, since that day, she had attracted his attention. Why she choose to save him rather than leave him for dead was something he intended to find out. It was one of the only reasons he still remained on this wretched realm with his "family".

For the last three months, he'd secretly kept watch over her when his brother was gone on little meaningless quests with his companions, leaving the little mortal all alone. He observed her, noticing her sadness, how she seemed to stare out at the sky more than anything in her free time if she wasn't reading or writing notes in a worn down little journal she carried around with her.

It amused him that when his idiot of a brother did come back, she tried to talk with him about the things she had written, her scientific observations, only to have Thor give her a blank look, not knowing how to respond and swiftly attempt to change the subject lest he look more idiotic.

Yes, the more he watched the mortal, the more he was fascinated. In many ways, she reminded him of himself.

This one had definitely caught his attention since he first saw her and she greeted him with the slap heard around the world. He owed for her saving his life, and he wouldn't be letting her off the hook anytime soon. No, he had a plan, one which included seducing the mortal into his bed. He would make her his, and she would be at his side when he brought the allfather and his brother to their knees. Soon, very soon.

He broke out of his thoughts, moving slowly towards her, "You wish to know what they are discussing?"

She looked at him in surprise, "Well….yes… but how…."

"Observant." He smirked, "Thor and his idiot friends are planning to do a sweep on Jotunheim to make sure nothing survived, and personally I believe they are just looking for a fight."

"Jotunheim…." Jane said, "That's your h….." She choked on the last word, seeing his eyes darken immensely, narrowing at her.

"What would you know of where I come from mortal?"

Gulping, she responded, "Thor….he told me…."

Loki growled, "That imbecile knows nothing of what he speaks, but yes…..that is where I was born….and left to die…."

In the moment, she saw the anger, the hurt, the sadness, reflecting in his eyes before disappearing. "I'm sorry…..I didn't mean to bring that up."

She stared at the ground, avoiding his questioning gaze.

"You are strange for a human….." The words slipped before he could catch them.

She glanced back up at him, "What do you mean?"

He moved closer, "Why did you save me?"

A shiver ran up her spine and she stared, speechless at him. Why had she saved him? Why had she insisted that his brother take him back to the allfather? The man was responsible for countless deaths, continually attempting to take over the human race, his own family, destructive of everything and everyone in his path, and yet she didn't turn and walk away. She couldn't. No matter his sins, she could not and would not leave him.

Looking at the curious look in his eyes, a flash of something else shone through momentarily. Sheer surprise, surprise that someone would care enough to save him. She knew little of his past, except that it was a haunted one and when she truly thought about it, perhaps there was reason for his madness all along.

"Because I felt you could be saved, I felt there was a chance and I could not just leave you to rot on that planet even if you hadn't survived."

He stared at her, searching her eyes, looking for deceit of any kind. To his own surprise, he found none, just truth.

"Jane I leave tonight for ….." The voice of the last person he wished to see thundered in the room and both turned to see Thor standing outside the doorway, "Brother…." His voice had a hard edge, suspicion.

Jane stepped forward, "Its fine, he stopped in to tell me of your departure."

Again, the mortal left the god of lies speechless, staring in wonder at her as Thor looked between the two of them curiously before going up to her, hugging her tightly to him, "I will be back within a week at the latest."

She tried to hold a smile on her face, her heart dropping.

Loki watched their interaction, finally regaining his composure, a plan forming in his head. "Brother, surely the mor….your intended does not wish to be cooped up here the entire time, why not allow her a trip to Midgard to see her … friends?" The niceties choked him as he attempted to bite back any sarcasm.

His older dim witted brother looked him thoughtfully before glancing at Jane, "Is this what you wish?"

The human looked shocked, her mouth dropped open, staring at the raven haired man. "I….yes…..very much so. I miss Darcy and Erik and I know they are both missing me too, plus all my notes, everything….my research…." She went off on a ramble.

Thor moved away from her and grasped Loki's shoulder firmly, "Then I trust you to escort her there brother, keep her safe for me."

Before Jane could say another word, he moved towards her once more, kissing her swiftly before sweeping out of the room, "I will see you soon my Jane." His booming voice echoed as he disappeared down the hall, mjolnir swinging at his side in his hand.

"Why?" Was the only word she managed to get out, her doe eyes ever curious as she stared at Loki.

The trickster smirked, "Why not?"