AN: Hello!

So, this is the dark!Loja alternate ending to "Lacrimosa". It picks up where Anja confronts Loki in Stark Tower before Tony gets there. This will probably be a three chapter installment.

"And I started to hear it again
But this time it wasn't the end
And the room is so quiet, oh oh oh oh

And my heart is a hollow plain
For the devil to dance again
And the room is too quiet, oh oh oh oh

I was looking for the breath of a life
A little touch of a heavenly light
But all the choirs in my head sang, no oh oh oh"

~ 'Breath of Life' by Florence + The Machine

by

Anja sucked in a deep breath as she took in the posh room that surrounded her. At the sound of Loki's voice, she had whipped her silver bow out, an ivory arrow pulled back in the taut string. Her silver gaze was wide, unwavering as she peered through the darker portion of the room. Loki was sitting in one of the chairs, one leg crossed gracefully over the other. Even from the shadows, she could feel his emerald green gaze cutting through her like a knife.

"I was wondering when you would come back to me," he said lethally as he rose, his staff in one hand and the other straightening the high collar of his armor. His gazed flicked to the bow in her hand for a split second before he met her gaze again. "And in such a hostile way you regard me too."

Anja furrowed her brow. "Loki. End this madness before it is too late."

A quiet laugh ripped from his chest. Could she not see that it was already too late for him? That his fate was already sealed? "I fail to see where I am doing wrong," he said quietly, long legs taking another few steps towards the dark haired girl.

"I will shoot you," she said quietly, but her voice wavered. Loki picked right up on it.

"No, I do not think you will," he said after another moment. Anja inhaled sharply, trying to prove a point as she steadied her aim once more. Loki took in her persistence, lips pressing into a thin line. "My Lady, you wound me. Surely you would not kill me."

Anja chewed her lower lip, her arms already starting to shake before she let the arrow fly. In a flash, Loki's arms shot up in front of his face, turning the arrow to mist before it could enter the eye socket that she had been aiming for. "I know you are angered with me," he said quietly, as he looked through the mist that was dispersing into the air now. "But I want nothing more than to please you, surely you must know that." He took another step toward Anja, power radiating off of him. He was a mere three feet from her now, and she had already produced another arrow. Even his great reflexes would not halt it from penetrating his heart if she shot him from this close.

And he realized this too. That much was evident in his scorching gaze. Loki also noticed when she faltered ever so slightly. "Anja, please, join me. I offer you this world, and myself." He had inched closer to her at this point, stepping almost right up against the ready to shoot arrow. "Power beyond reckoning, the status of a queen, a family to call your very own… Aric…"

"And at what cost?" she whispered. At his proximity, her strength had begun to fade, a product of the dark magic he had used on her back at the helicarrier, no doubt.

"What must be done will be done, but you will not be exposed to any horrors that may be… necessary."

Anja had to look up slightly to meet his gaze now, her strength waning. Slowly, she let the arrow fall slack in the string, keeping it between them, but no longer in a position to harm him. "All I need is you," he whispered and she quivered slightly as she met his gaze. He truly believed what he was doing was right…

Every muscle in Loki's body was tense as he took in this beautiful creature. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms right there… and as he had taken to doing too often lately, he acted on his impulse.

Before Anja could blink, before she could breathe, Loki had swatted her bow out of her hands, his own scepter falling to the floor alongside the silver…. And his lips had descended to hers in a searing kiss. Both of them hardly noticed the sound of the metal meeting the tiled floors as Anja's hands went to grip Loki's hair.

This kiss was far different from the ones they had shared, even in their most intimate encounters. This was a kiss fueled by passion, bloodlust, the need to consume. This kiss made everything in Anja's heart seem like silly girlish fantasies. Every kiss, every touch that they had shared had built up to this moment… and she loved it. Their first kiss seemed like a simple peck on the cheek compared to this… Anja let him kiss her, reciprocating only what was necessary to keep his lips on hers. He tilted her head back, fighting for dominance as he invaded her mouth. One of his hands was at the back of her neck, supporting her head, the other wrapped tightly around her waist as he held her to him. Anja could already feel a familiar wetness building up between her thighs.

Such passion… How could a man as soulless as the humans make him out to be be this passionate?!

He did not relinquish his attack until she let out a high pitched moan beneath his lips. The sound could not be helped and she felt the heat in her cheeks intensify when he pulled away. "You are mine," he said quietly. "Why can you not see what I am doing is right?"

Anja let out a gasp as he pinned his hips against her, weakness flooding her body at his touch… and the announcement of his obvious need. "Because it's wrong," Anja managed to gasp out as she looked down at the city below her, escaping his gaze if only for a moment by looking out the wall of windows. Her breath was coming in gasps as she tried to ignore Loki's body against hers. The stench of sweat and leather clung to him; and something else metallically bitter was there as well.

"No," he growled into her ear. "No, Anja it's not." At this point, she closed her eyes as an icy hand came down to rest on her shoulders and he spun her around. "Look around you, My Love. See this world? We will make it better, stronger. I have the means to do it, Anja. I just wish for you to be by my side. I know you do not think it now, but I love you. I am still your Loki. I have simply found new purpose."

He had whispered in her ear at this point, his icy lips dangerously close to the outer shell of her own ear. Anja had grown very weak, and she didn't know how long she could handle being so close to this man… because the shiver that passed through her at his touch was not one of fear or cold… it was one of desire.

"You are so powerful, My Darling," he growled as he pressed his lips to the spot just under her ear. "Far more than these make-shift heroes the humans think will stop me. Aid me, Anja." He had moved the hand that was holding his scepter to hold it out in front of the two of them. "Go on, Sweetling. Feel what I can give you."

It was with a hesitant hand that Anja reached out to grasp the golden weapon. The metal was hard and unyielding under her grip… and she shuddered as a spike of energy of the likes of which she had never felt shot through her. "Loki!" she gasped out through the seductive pull of her own energy towards the metal. He was helping her hold the heavy weapon up, both of his hands forming a sort of cage around her.

"That's right, Anja," he nearly growled as he smiled from his stance behind her. "We were meant for this." As she released her grip on the staff, Anja took in lungfuls of air.

"But… Aric…" At his touch, the spell he had cast on her made her weak and she was slumping into him.

"Aric will join us once the new kingdom is established. I have the means, Anja. I just need you."

Anja chewed on her lower lip as she fell even more into Loki's embrace. His arms were holding her up as the spell took complete control of her body and he brushed her hair from her face as he peered into silver eyes. "Loki," she whimpered as she felt her strength give way.

"Hush now," he said softly, looking down at her as he held her up as if she were a child. "What say you?"

Anja chewed on her lower lip even harder as her nerves escalated. Truth be told, she felt so right in Loki's arms, so safe and loved. She'd not felt that since he had fallen from the Bifrost. Yes, she had had her sister and Fandral to aid her when she needed it with Aric, but it had been far too long since she had felt like the other half of a puzzle. She fit right into this man's hold, his touch a spark to her senses.

And he was so very broken. Anyone could see that. He needed her… and she him. Perhaps this was what he needed, what she was meant for. "The Norns did not send you to me by mere happenstance in those gardens so long ago, my love," Loki whispered. "You were meant to aid me."

His voice was soft and velvety as it ghosted through the all too quiet room. His breath filled the shell of her ear. As Anja heard his words, her decision became crystal clear. "Yes," she whispered as she looked into his eyes. The depth of the pale jade irises rimmed by a single emerald ring along the outer edges was enough to make her heart melt. They were they eyes of the man she had fallen in love with.

"You will aid me?" Loki whispered, almost unable to believe his own ears. Anja could feel his heart rate quicken under where one of her hands had come to rest on his chest. She nodded silently, silver blending with emerald.

She sniffled. This would be hard for her, but she would help him. He was the only home she had left anymore… the only home that her baby would truly belong too…

"My King," she said quietly as she intertwined her hand with his. "I will aid you. You have my allegiance, here and forever more. Not only as a comrade, but as your lover… and your wife."

Triumph shot through Loki like one of Anja's arrows, a smile stretching his thin lips as he looked down at her and brushed his thumb over her lower lip. He wanted to bite that lip, he realized. He noticed the slight shudder that ran through her body at his touch. Loki smiled again at that, looking down at the mortal clothing she was wearing. "This will not do for my queen," he said after a moment. With a wave of his hand, he had woven a spell of dark magic, summoning a beautiful white gown out of thin air and replacing the shield jumpsuit Anja had been wearing with it in a flash of magic.

Anja gazed down at the exceedingly low cut neckline. Her breasts were on display, but Loki had always liked this style on her. She looked up to him carefully. "I'll need my abilities back," she whispered to him.

Loki gave her a sidelong glance before nodding. He was well aware that his Little Skylark could be tricking him, but he had never known her to give into him when she was angry like she had just done. He could still taste her on his lips, reminding him of what he owned. With a wave of his hand, her powers were back and she was strong. "Your powers shall keep you from coming to harm in battle, My Darling. And I know you prefer dresses…"

She gasped a bit as the rush of energy returned to her, and he was pleased to find the silver of her eyes glowing in a mirror like state as he took her in. "My Queen," he said quietly as he offered his arm. She looked up at him, a small smirk on her face before she had brought his face down to her level and was kissing him again. All doubt he had had of her was gone from his head as he returned her kiss.

"I love you, Loki," she whispered to him, holding his head between her hands and looking him dead in the eyes. She was certain of that, even now after all he had done.

"And I you," he replied as he kissed her one last time. Then the sound of the Man of Iron reached his ears and a blast sounded above his and Anja's head. "It is beginning, My Darling. Do prepare yourself." He grabbed her arm one last time. "And stay with me. Do you understand?"

With a final sidelong glance at him, Anja nodded before she had grabbed her bow from where it had fallen on the tile floors and taken her place at Loki's side. This was where she belonged, where she always would belong.

He was her home, her breath of life.

Ok! So there will be more to this. I have some ideas and fight scenes with Anja against the Avengers written down in drabbles from this point, so it's really a matter of how I interweave them with the ending of this story. Also, heads up, this will get darker and more mature… and in this version, let's just say it's a happy ending for Loja. I'll let you all take from that what you will. :)

Reviews are love, but please don't flame me.

~Sirius