This was never meant to happen. This wasn't a part of the plan. She wasn't even in the plan. The plan was simple. Trick Thor, kill Odin, get the throne, and this time keep it. It was that simple. Why did she have to be in the picture? Everything is going to go down the drain because of her. And… And I'm okay with that? What's wrong with me? Isn't this all I've ever wanted? The throne? The power? The victory? But why do I feel empty?

Loki paced around his chambers for what seemed like hours. He still hadn't gotten used to the projection of Odin that he was wearing, but something else had been heavy on his mind. That woman that Thor wanted him to help save. That mortal. Jane Foster.

"Tsk!" Loki snarled, holding his head in his hands. It was beyond frustrating, trying to get her to leave his thoughts in peace. However, it seemed that she had staged a better coup than he had. Again, he began to pace. She thought he was dead, and he was sure that she hardly thought much of him. Even though he had protected her during battle. While Thor was focused on the Dark Elf, Loki had protected her. Not Thor. Why was he getting so worked up about it? Why should he care so much about his Thor's girlfriend? Why did Thor always get the good stuff? Was he unworthy? He wasn't sure. Of course, she still thought he was dead. There was no changing that if he wanted Thor in the dark about it. Thor probably was on earth right now, around her right now.

SMASH!

Loki turned around and found that he had knocked the vase off the table next to him. He straightened and tried to calm his mind. He was going to get caught if he wasn't careful. But what if he was caught? What if the stopped the entire charade and went down to earth? What if he stopped lying and went to go find her? Would she accept him? Or would she be horrified? Would she slap him again? Loki shook his head, trying to escape these thoughts. This was what he wanted for years now. Thor was finally out of the picture and now Loki didn't have to answer to Odin. Everything was perfect. But why did he feel so empty.

Quickly, he left the room and started down the hallway. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he didn't care at the moment. He just needed to move. To get through whatever was happening inside of him. Why couldn't he just forget about the mortal? Why did he have to suffer like this?

He walked into the throne room and dismissed the guards inside to wait outside. He didn't want the company, which wasn't a surprise. Odin quite like being alone in the throne room. Loki took a deep breath and exhaled. He tapped in his hidden mirror behind the throne, which then showed Jane Foster. She was working on something important. Something about the Convergence. Loki smiled, knowing that he could teach her much on the matter and she wouldn't have to work so diligently. He desperately wanted to help her, to teach her, to be around her. His chest ached, which surprised him. At first, he thought it was a heart attack, but he didn't crumple to the ground, making him thinking otherwise. He touched the mirror again, as if hoping to touch Jane through it, but the image vanished. His face contorted into a displeased frown as he wished that he could be free from his feelings for her.

"Sire?" a voice echoed in the room as Loki walked around to see who it was. Lady Sif stood before him before she bowed.

"What is it?" he asked, trying to be as calm as possible. Lady Sif remained in her position as she spoke.

"Is it true that Thor has given up the throne?" she whispered before looking up. Loki shook his head and stepped closer.

"Unfortunately, yes, it is true. He is instead protecting the nine realms and bringing peace throughout," Loki imitated, putting Lady Sif at ease.

"What of the succession, milord?" she asked, genuinely curious. Loki blinked in response, not really sure what to say to that. "Thor was supposed to be king, and you are…"

"Getting too old," Loki whispered, now seeing the error in his plan. Odin was about to give up the throne. He needs a successor now. Sif merely nodded as Loki started to pace. "I have begun to think about this as well."

"And?" Sif asked as Loki began to think. He could easily give the throne to Sif and trick her into marrying him before he killed her. Or he could magic up a successor to the throne and pretend to be him. Loki sighed and shook his head.

"I have not yet decided on what to do," he whispered, at a loss. Even if Sif was awful to him, as well as the others, he was not sure he could bring himself to kill her. And magicking up a successor would be more difficult than he would believe it to be. Lady Sif stood and nodded.

"I was afraid of that," she mumbled before Loki smiled.

"Do not look so down. I still have life in my breath," Loki replied, trying to relax Sif. She grinned back before respectfully leaving the chamber hall. Once she left, Loki sat down on the throne, wondering about what to do. He had no idea what to do when it came to the succession. People would notice if he stopped aging, especially since Odin had grown so old over the years. He placed a hand on his forehead as he tried to think.

After fruitless thoughts, he decided to go down the palace library to read something on dark magic. Maybe he could conjure up a false heir like he had thought before. Maybe he could fool the people into thinking that he, Loki, was the rightful king and that he was the rightful king. He could also just make Sif queen and be done with all of it. Maybe go down the Midgard and-

"What am I thinking?" Loki hissed, grabbing his head. He was sure that he had gone mad as he opened one of the books. He took a deep breath as he started to read.

After hours and hours of searching, Loki found nothing that he hadn't known before. There was no way to completely fool the mass population that he hadn't died and be comforted by his rule. There was also no efficient way to create a fake heir long enough for everyone to be fooled. Not by any magic, at least. Loki looked up as he thought of something new. There was no way for him to create someone new, but what if he took an old face. Someone that everyone already had faith in. Someone that all of Asgard loved and trusted. Loki stood and smiled, thinking that someone, who had been the root of all of his problems, was about to solve all of them.

If he made an illusion of Thor, gave him a coronation ceremony, and then had Odin die off handedly. If he could take on Thor's image, he could rule for the foreseeable future. Maybe even he could convince Jane to be his queen, since she seemed so fond of Thor. Loki could figure out something from there. Find a love potion. Convince her that he was the right for her. He could figure that part out later. At least now he had a plan and a goal. Smiling, he walked out the door and down the hallway.

Jane worked tirelessly, trying to figure out the physics and reasons behind the Convergence. She had heard rumors from Darcy about a Nobel Prize that they were going to give her, but Jane was far too busy to think about that. She was the leading mind in this particular field and wanted to keep it that way for at least a little bit longer. She had worked so diligently that she had forgotten to visit Thor since he had decided to stay a while. She hardly ever thought about him anymore. Darcy had grown worried, but soon, Jane ignored that as well. A little piece inside of her was concerned for her lack of socialization, but eventually she didn't give that much thought either.

"Look, Jane. Feeding time," Darcy announced, bringing her a donut and coffee.

"Isn't it a little late for coffee?" Jane asked, glancing up at her intern. Darcy pointed at the clock and grimaced.

"It's seven in the morning, Jane. It's the perfect time for coffee," she whispered as she pulled up a chair from across Jane. "Were you here all night?"

"Apparently," Jane groaned before burying her face in her arms. She hadn't meant to stay up all night. Darcy gently rubbed her back and sighed. "I'm not even that much closer to the answers we need."

"You could always call Thor and ask him some questions. Maybe he could get some books on the occurrence," Darcy suggested as Jane nodded.

"I think that's exactly what we need right now. I'll call him," Jane whispered just before the building shook.

"Was that an earthquake?" Darcy asked, looking around.

"No, I don't think so," Jane whispered with a smile. She had heard that sound before. It was the sound of the bifrost sending someone down. She jumped up from her desk and ran out the door. Darcy turned and sighed, shaking her head.

Jane ran out past the doors and into the parking lot. She saw a figure standing in a familiar circle as he turned to her. He looked slightly different from when she last saw him, but she blamed it on stress. Thor turned around and smiled as she leapt into his arms.

"It is good to see you, Jane," Thor whispered as she slid back to the ground. She gazed up at him with a large grin.

"I was just going to call you," Jane informed, holding his hands in front of her.

"You were?" Thor smiled with a laugh. Jane nodded.

"I've found a dead end with the Convergence study and I was hoping I could get some answers from you," Jane answered before tucking her hair behind her ear. "Maybe get some of those books your father showed me last time I was there."

"That's wonderful," Thor smiled, catching Jane off guard. She wasn't sure that she was going to get her way. Asgard didn't seem to like visitors, and Odin didn't seem very fond of her either.

"It is?" Jane asked quietly, confused.

"I actually came down to tell you the news," Thor smiled broadly as Jane looked astonished. "My father has arranged the coronation ceremony and I was hoping you would be there as an honored guest."

"An honored guest? Me?" Jane scoffed, thinking that this was a terrible idea. "Have you spoken with you dad about this? I don't think he-"

"You do not have to worry about him anymore. He has given his blessing," Thor smiled as she tilted her head to the side. "If you wish, you can become my queen."