I originally deleted this story (and Madness), and decided that since I wasn't happy with it from about chapter 3 on, I decided to rewrite it to my liking. I've been posting on my Tumblr fanfic blog, but a little birdie (Imogen74) encouraged me to post Scandal here again. I have been posting rewrites of Madness on Tumblr as well and so far I have no plans to post it here again.

Chapter One

London, England 1820

Jane Foster came running down the stairs of the townhouse she shared with her adopted family, Thor and Frigga Odinson. She was excited today because her other brother, Loki, was coming home after a year long trip to America. She had feared when they'd last seen him at their father's funeral and he announced that he was leaving for America that he would decide to stay there.

At the time emotions had been high as Odin had just passed and Loki had returned for the funeral only, and then was on his way. He and Odin had never seen eye-to-eye, had never gotten along very well compared to how well Thor and Odin had, and she knew that Loki preferred to stay gone and away from the family. He and Thor hadn't exactly got on well at the time either, and though Jane was kept in the dark about most of it, she knew it had something to do with their father and how he treated his sons.

Yet she was excited to see him, very much so. Loki had always been her favorite brother. Though she was not blood-related to any of the Odinsons, she had been welcomed into the family at the tender age of ten after her parents had perished in a carriage accident. Odin had taken her in, as Jane's father had been Odin's good friend for a very long time and there was no family of Jane's that had stepped forward to claim her. Loki had been thirteen, and Thor had been fourteen. They were told to treat Jane as a sister and they had. Sometimes too well. She well remembered the snake in her bed one night placed there by both brothers, and the games of hide-and-seek when they would "forget" to find her.

But she also remembered how Loki had taught her to play chess and Thor had taught her to climb trees – much to the distress of Frigga and Odin. Frigga, because she was worried Jane would break her neck and Odin because it wasn't proper.

Loki had also taught her to ride a horse and how to sneak food to the dog under the table if she didn't want to eat something in particular. He had taught her to swim and how to blame Thor for something she wasn't supposed to have done.

When Loki and his father kept butting heads – Frigga called Loki "willful" – Odin had sent Loki to Eton while hiring the best tutors in the area for Thor. Jane still remembered the look of utter betrayal on Loki's face when he'd left for Eton on a chilly Monday morning while they'd been sitting down by the fire in the parlor. Jane's heart had broken for him.

Like the good sister she had committed herself to be, Jane had written to Loki constantly. He didn't write back often and Jane wondered if it was too hard for him. Or if perhaps he just wanted to put everyone at Odinson manor behind him. Including her. The thought had stung for she had always been in Loki's corner. Always. He'd come home for Christmas, but spend his summers elsewhere. Then, when he'd graduated he'd gone to take his grand tour, and when he came back things had been just as before between him and Odin.

Jane had barely gotten Loki back before he had left again. Then he'd come back for the funeral and left again. Jane was determined that this time she would soak up as much time with her brother as she could before he left them all again.

"Jane, you'll break your neck running down the stairs like that," Thor said from the head of the dining room table.

Jane rolled her eyes and sat down to the left of him while Frigga sat to the right of him at the table.

"Your brother is right, Jane," Frigga said as she sipped her tea. "Please be careful."

Jane ignored them both as she buttered toast that had been left on her plate. "When is Loki arriving?" she asked.

"Any time now," Thor replied.

Jane squirmed excitedly in her seat.

"Jane, you must show a little decorum, please," Frigga said with a sigh.

Jane frowned. "Why? It's only us."

"It is good practice," Frigga said.

Jane sighed and took a dainty bite of her toast and sat up straight in her seat, the model of decorum and poise.

The sound of horses pounding their hooves on the ground sounded loud from the open windows behind them and Jane tossed her toast on the plate and jumped up. She ignored Frigga and Thor calling after her and ran to the doors and pushed them open before the butler could. She ran down the stairs just as Loki was stepping down from the carriage he'd been in.

"Loki!" she exclaimed and practically jumped in his arms. He caught her, laughing, and hugged her tightly. He smelled like bergamot and mint and Loki, her darling brother Loki. He was solid, too, and so tall. She had forgotten how tall he was.

"Jane," he murmured, and she felt one hand at the back of her neck, holding her against him while the other twined around her waist. "How's my girl?"

Jane shut her eyes and buried her face in his stiff black coat. "I missed you."

"I missed you as well," he said, his voice a deep rumble.

She stepped back and looked up at him, drinking him in. "You look taller," she told him. She smiled and reached up to touch his unruly black hair that was down to his shoulders. "Your hair has gotten longer, too." Her eyes met his and the warmth she saw there made her heart feel full. She looked away from his penetrating gaze and looked over the rest of him. He looked so dignified and proper with just a little bit of wildness about him.

"Jane, you have grown into such a beautiful young woman," he said. "How old are you now?"

"Nineteen. Not quite on the shelf yet, but I think mother is worried I will be. She is determined to make me a match this Season."

Loki pursed his thin lips together and furrowed his brows. "Well, we'll just have to see about that won't we? I'm back now and I won't let just anyone marry my sister."

"Now you sound like Thor," Jane said with a roll of her eyes.

"Brother."

Loki looked past Jane and his smile faltered as he watched Thor and Frigga come down the stairs. Frigga, though a bit more contained than Jane, threw her arms around her youngest and held him tight. Loki hugged her back, his eyes shut and a peaceful yet sad expression on his face.

"My son. You've come home," Frigga said, and it sounded as though she was about to cry.

"I am," Loki said softly. "How are you, Mother?"

Frigga pulled back and took Loki's face in between her hands and smiled at him as tears fell from her eyes. "I am so glad you've come home. You are back where you belong."

Loki didn't say a word, but just nodded once and pulled her hands from his face.

"Brother," Thor said again and came forward. Thor held out his hand and when Loki took it, Thor then embraced him. "Welcome home."

"Well, if you do not mind, I'd like to go up to my room or wherever it is you've put me and freshen up," Loki said when Thor stood back.

"Of course you still have your room, silly!" Jane said and took hold of his hand. "I'll take you up and you can tell me all about America."

Loki laughed. "You expect to hear all about America on one trip to the second floor?"

"Well, no, but you can at least tell me what it's like to sail on a ship."

He grimaced. "Not fun at all."

"Why?"

"Jane, darling, why don't you give Loki some breathing room?" Frigga said.

"It's all right, Mother," Loki said and grinned down at Jane. "I don't mind Jane badgering me."

Jane playfully swatted him on the arm and then slung her arm through his as they made their way up the stairs. "Did you have your own room at least?"

Frigga and Thor watched the pair walk up to the house and then disappear inside. They looked at each other. "Seems Jane will forget I exist now," Thor said with a wistful smile.

Frigga shook her head and laughed softly. "Never. Jane loves you both so very much."

Thor shrugged. "It's fine. Loki has always been her favorite, I know it. And I'm fine with it."

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Jane stood awkwardly outside Loki's bedchamber with her hands folded demurely in front of her as he went inside. For some reason she felt odd about following him inside. Though she had been in his bedchamber plenty of times before when they were growing up, now that they were older and Loki had been away so much it didn't feel right. It felt rather like an invasion. Or like a place that was not proper for her to enter.

She stood to the side as the servants brought his luggage inside and after a minute he came out and looked at her. "Jane? What are you doing standing out here?"

"Well, I don't want to intrude in your personal space…" she said with a frown.

He took her hands and pulled her inside with him. "You've been in my bedchamber before. Sometimes without me in it."

She shrugged. Apparently Loki didn't find it odd to have her in there so why should she find it so?

"Tell me," he said as he watched the servants leave for the next batch of luggage. "Are they any suitors I need to know about?"

"No, not really…" she bit her lip.

"What does 'not really' mean?"

"I don't have a suitor, but I do have a friend that is a man."

"Who?"

Jane's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not sure I should tell you."

Loki laughed. "What do you think I'll do?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"I'm home now, poppet, and I need to be brought up to speed as to what is happening in your life so I can acclimate myself to this life again."

"'This life'?"

"You know, life in the family."

Jane bit her lip. "You have always been part of the family, Loki."

Sadness flitted across his features and then he smiled at her. "Maybe so, but I have been gone for a very long time, Jane. As much as you want to know about me, I want to know about you as well."

"You might've known all along had you not left for America for a year."

Loki arched a brow and Jane looked down. "I apologize," she said. "I suppose I am still hurt that you'd gone so far away from me…from us."

Loki came over to her and cupped the side of her face with one hand. "I'm home now, Jane."

"For how long?"

"For good."

"Do you promise?"

Loki leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I promise," he whispered.