Avengers 1. Chapter 1

**a/n: So this takes places during The Avengers. I made it canon, but with slight tweeks here and there to fit my storyline a little better. It's also got a slight X-Men crossover. No particular world for X-Men as they are not a huge part of the story. I'm still writing, but I have a lot of chapters ready for posting so there should be a steady stream as there was for Gods Among Men (sequel is under works!). Hope you guys enjoy this one!**

ONE

"Do you really think he's going to approve of this, Ellie?" her friend asked from her seat by the window.

Ellie shrugged and leaned back against the headboard from her spot on her bed. "I don't see why he wouldn't. I mean, we live in the mansion, we help out, but we don't attend class as much as we used to. We saved up for the trip all on our own to cover all expenses and we're not planning on using the X-Jet."

The other girl smiled from ear-to-ear, her translucent wings flapping iridescently behind her. "Are you sure Persuasion isn't one of your powers?"

Ellie grinned and shook her head. "I'm sure." She continued to watch Pixie's wings catch what remained of the sunlight as it streamed in from the window as she imagined the trip. She cleared her throat and met her friend's gaze with a one of mild embarrassment at having been caught staring. "Are you coming with me to ask?"

Immediately Pixie shook her head. "I haven't been here as long as you have," she said. "I don't know Professor X like you do."

Ellie rolled her eyes and stood up. "He's not that scary."

"I'm not afraid of him," she defended, giving Ellie a sour look. She snorted and stood up, her wings fluttering rapidly in anticipation of being used.

"I'll let you know what he says. See you tonight," she said before opening her door to let the both of them out.

"See ya," Pixie replied before going the opposite way down the hall, floating above the crowd as she used her wings to get her to her next destination.

Ellie shook her head at the sight and then made her way towards the headmaster's office. She stopped outside the door and raised her hand to knock, but was stopped as the door opened and Wolverine filled her vision. "Hey Frost," he said, smirking at her.

"Logan," she returned, grinning at him in that knowing way.

"Come in, Aurelia," Professor X called from inside, ending the non verbal game she and Wolverine had going. She slipped past him and let the door shut with a click as she approached the desk he sat behind. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm doing well, thank you. You?"

He smiled softly. "I've been better," he replied and took a deep breath. "What can I do for you?"

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you for awhile and I think things have settled down enough in the real world that the time has come. Pixie, Cypher, and I have been wanting to get out of the mansion for awhile. We all have our power under enough control for us to leave campus at our leisure and we have been saving for awhile should this ever become possible."

Professor X inclined his head at the thought, glad she had put enough effort into this. He had been waiting for her to show interest in something other than causing trouble. "Where were the three of you thinking of going?"

"Germany."

"Why Germany?"

She smiled at the fact that he was inquiring instead of flat out saying no. Ellie shrugged as she thought of the answer. "I'm not really sure actually. We were just discussing possible places one day and that seemed to be the only country we could all agree on."

"How long were you thinking on staying there?"

"A little over a week, less than two for sure."

He mulled it over in his mind and steepled his fingers in front of him. "Aurelia-"

"I know my temperament isn't the best, but I know what's at stake here, Professor. The tension between mutants and humans is still very high and I promise, at least on my behalf, that I will be on my very best behavior. I've been working on my anger since I got here and my attitude in general."

He nodded as he continued to smile at her. "You do realize that it is the beginning of winter and that it is colder in Germany than it is here in New York."

"I know," she said softly. Since her powers were best in cold climates, the time made it a bit dangerous for her. She was more likely to display her powers in winter than in the summer. "I'll be careful. I'll make sure to wear thicker jackets and whatever other clothes people find normal for the season."

He inclined his head and Ellie couldn't help but widen her smile. "Tonight, after dinner I want the three of you to come here where we can go over your budget. I'll help you find accommodations and make sure that you are actually ready."

"Thank you, Professor!" she exclaimed and got out of her seat in excitement. "We'll see you tonight," she added and left his office in a hurry to find the others.

* * *

Too excited for sleep, Ellie decided to walk around the mansion. She eventually found her way to her favorite spot outside; the fountain in the middle of the garden. She sat along the edge and let her hand skim the water, enjoying the faint trace of ice she left on the surface. A smirk took hold of her lips as she remembered the first time she had come out here after arriving at the mansion. Bobby had found her and made her a rose from ice he had produced from his hands. She in turn dipped her finger beneath the surface of the water and turned the fountain into one giant icicle.

"I really hope you're thinking of me with that smirk," came Wolverine's voice, drawing her from her thoughts.

She pulled her hand away from the water, the ice melting the moment she lost contact, and turned to look at him. "Nope, Iceman actually."

He frowned and sat next to her, taking a cigar from his jacket pocket along with his lighter. "Iceman? Really?"

"The first time I met him he made me a rose from ice he created. He didn't even know we shared the same base power at the time."

Logan snorted. "A rose. Gee, how original."

She nudged him with her shoulder and shook her head. "It was cute."

"That's something a girl should be able to do."

"Hey now, Bobby uses his strengths to get the ladies and it works for him, just as it does for you. Besides, I'm a girl and I sure as hell can't create a rose from ice."

"Have you tired?" he asked around his cigar.

She nodded. "Yes I have," she informed him. "But it turns out to resemble something more like a weapon. Just like everything else." She turned to look at him, the humor dying from her eyes. "So what are you doing out here?"

"I heard you're leaving soon."

"On vacation, yes." She studied his outfit and gave a tense smile. "I guess you're leaving too."

"Not on vacation."

"Where to this time?"

He shrugged. "I'm not even sure. I found out everything I wanted to know about me, but I'll go stir crazy if I stay here. So, on the move I go."

Ellie moved closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. "Then I guess this is goodbye for awhile, huh?"

He put an arm around her waist. "Looks like it."

"It's going to be really boring."

His chuckle resonated through her. "No it won't. I may have been your pal in debauchery, but you, my friend, are good at it all on your own. You'll find another partner. I'm sure of it."

Ellie grinned and got to her feet. Logan put out his cigar on the edge of the fountain and stood up as well. He reached out a hand for her to take, but wasn't the least bit surprised as she ignored it and wrapped her arms around him for a hug. He went completely still as she surprised him even more by capturing his lips with hers. He shuddered as her kiss brought an intense cold that swept through him, freezing the metal inside his body.

She smirked again and pulled away, watching as he exhaled. "What the hell was that?" he questioned.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Nothing we haven't done before," she retorted. "You're the only one I've found that can handle my icy kisses. I once froze a man solid from the inside out by kissing him for five seconds."

"Yes, I know," he said, grinning at her. "You've told me."

She shrugged. "Had to get it out of my system. With you gone, there won't be anyone for me to do things with."

"There's Iceman," Logan replied with a grin.

Ellie made a gagging noise and shook her head. "Not even if he was single."

"I'll miss you," Logan said as he moved towards her.

"I'll miss you too," she said and leaned into him. After a long bout of silence she tore herself away and smiled up at him. "See ya around," she whispered.

"See ya," he replied and walked away. Ellie sat back down on the edge of the fountain and stared at the water. She let her fingers skim the water as she let her mind wander to the prospect of the trip.

* * *

There was a light knock on the door before it opened. "Come in," Ellie replied with a smirk as Pixie was already crossing the threshold.

"You're packing already?"

"We leave in three days, Pix," she said and stopped to give her friend a sideways glance. "Let me guess, you're one of those that waits until the last second."

She nodded as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Yup."

"Well, I am not that kind of person," Ellie said as she neatly folded the small stack of clothes she had laid out.

"So I heard Wolverine took off," Pixie said.

Ellie stopped and looked up, giving her friend a small smile. "Ah, so that's why you're here."

"I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine," she assured the other girl. "I promise. We were close, sure, but it's not like we were a couple. I'll see him again someday."

Pixie shook her head and tsked Ellie. "You really are an Ice Queen."

"Hey now," Ellie said, the playfulness draining from her voice. "Last time I checked you didn't have to be in love with someone to fuck them. Besides, he was the only one that could handle me properly. I may not drain people's life energy like Rogue, but I can freeze them by touch if I don't control myself."

"Ellie-"

"I think we should go shopping," Ellie interrupted, changing the subject entirely.

"O-okay..."

"We don't really have anything planned except to walk around and sight-see. How about we go out and get something fancy just in case the situation arises? We can bring Cypher too so he can get a suit or something."

Pixie smiled and took the hint to drop the subject. "That sounds perfect." She glanced at the clock and stood up. "He should just be getting out of the Danger Room right about now. I'll go let him know and we'll leave in an hour?"

"Sounds good," Ellie said and waved as Pixie left the room.

* * *

Storm was their escort to the airport. She drove them and helped them through check-in. They had plenty of time before going through security so they decided to grab a cup of coffee. The four of them sat in the corner of the cafe as any group of normal humans would do. "I'm very proud of all of you," Storm said, smiling at each of them.

"Thanks," Cypher replied before taking a sip from his cup.

"I'm sure Charles has given you this speech already, but I would kindly remind you to caution yourselves. I believe you all can hold your own, but if a situation does arise, we will not be there to protect you."

"We'll keep a low profile," Ellie promised. Even as she said it, she glanced at Pixie and smirked. They wouldn't be able to blend in seamlessly with her bubblegum pink hair and solid black eyes. Then again, it screamed American Tourist which was exactly what they were going for.

When they had finished their coffee, they got up and made their way towards security. Storm touched Ellie's arm to hold her back while the other two went forward. "If something does arise, I want you to do whatever is necessary to keep them safe."

"Storm-"

"You are strong enough to protect them. Pixie can transport, but not far enough, not with the both of you." She offered a light smile. "I don't assume the worse will happen, but it's better to be prepared."

Ellie nodded and took a deep breath. "I will do whatever it takes,"

She smiled warmly and inclined her head. "Have fun," she said and watched as Ellie joined the others and made their way through security.


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: So I'm on a roll with this one. I wanted it to be Dark!Loki, but it ended up being really, really smutty. (Oh darn...right? ha) As far as my actual plot, it's kind of developing as I write, but really, it's just a Loki smut fic. While I'm writing this one I'll be working on the Gods Among Men sequel as well as another Loki story that will be Dark!Loki/OC :) enjoy!**

TWO

"This is nothing like Wales," Pixie announced as they entered their hotel room on their second night in Germany. She had been saying that since they stepped off the plane. "Plenty more to do here."

"And we still have plenty more to see," Cypher said as he sat on the bed he had claimed for himself. He reached for the remote and turned on the television.

"Are we done for the day?" Pixie asked as he scrolled through channels.

"No, but I could use a little break," he said and looked at her. "I thought that's why we came back here in the first place."

"True," she said and he moved to change the station again.

"Wait, go back," Ellie demanded.

"It was just news, nothing interesting."

Ellie watched as the reporters stood in front of a museum gala. "What are they saying?" she asked.

Cypher sighed and tuned in. "Just a gala opening. A lot of rich snobs are attending." He turned and looked at her, doing a double take at the expression on her face. "Really? So many bars, clubs, restaurants out there and you want to go to _this_?"

"Why not?" she replied. "We went out and bought clothes for a fancy occasion. I don't really see a better opportunity."

"I'm pretty sure there's tickets and a list, Elle," Pixie said.

"So we crash the party," she replied and grinned. "Either way, I'm going. If you guys wanna go do something else, go for it." She looked at Cypher and saw the way he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You okay?" she asked.

He shook his head and blinked a few times before he looked at her. "I think we should stay away from it."

"Premonition?"

"Sort of," he answered. He had only just started with this aspect of his powers, but he knew better than to ignore his feelings. "I really don't think it would be a good idea."

"Actually, it sounds rather exciting," Pixie said in a light voice. She smiled sheepishly and swallowed thickly. "Ellie's right, we're not going to get a better opportunity. Let's go for it."

The girls smiled and looked at Cypher. He sighed and gave a slight nod. "Fine, but if I start getting more bad feelings will you please take them seriously? I know I'm not a true precog, but-"

"I promise," Ellie said and made her way to her suitcase to pick out the dress she and Pixie had picked for an occasion such as this one.

* * *

While it was a party for the upper class, the trio quickly found out that Germans were far more understanding than Americans. Getting into the gala was free for anyone that wanted in. There was a special ceremony going on and donations were being accepted, but they mostly just wanted to show off the latest exhibit more than they wanted to keep a certain clientele out.

"Wow," Pixie breathed as she turned around in small circles, looking around with awe.

"I know," Ellie muttered. It wasn't like any of the museums she had ever been to; not that she had been to many. She'd always loved them though.

"Ooh, that looks interesting," Pixie said pointing to something down the hall.

"You two go for it."

"Elle, I really don't-" Cypher started.

"I just need to use the bathroom. I'll find you," she assured him before turning towards the entrance. She was sure they had passed restrooms on the way in. She lost herself in the crowd and got distracted by some of the pieces. Before she knew it, she found herself up the stairs towards the back of the museum, still no bathroom in sight.

She sighed and turned around only to bump into someone. It caused her to lose her footing, but he caught her before she fell and held her firmly until she had caught her balance again. Her fingers tightened around the silver green scarf and the lapels of his coat as her head spun. "I'm so sorry," she muttered, her heart racing inside her chest.

"It's quite alright," he replied, his voice smooth and hypnotic.

Ellie's eyes traveled up until they locked with the man she'd knocked into. His blue eyes were inquisitive yet dangerous as they stared back at her. Her breath caught in her throat as recognition washed over her. She had never met this man in her life, but he was familiar somehow. She felt the softness of the material harden beneath her fingers, indicating her powers were seeping out as a defense. She let go and sprang back, swallowing nervously. "I'm sorry," she repeated and reached down to straighten her dress.

Both of them turned to look down the stairs as the sound of a knife hitting glass lightly rang through the air. "Ah," the mysterious stranger said. Ellie turned to look at him as he ran a hand through his black hair. "The real fun is about to begin," he added and took off.

As if in a trance, Ellie followed him, but at a slower pace. She stopped at the bottom of the stair case where the crowd had gathered. An older man was at the center getting ready to give a speech. Time seemed to slow as Ellie watched the stranger walk up to the man in the center. He lifted up the older man and threw him down on a large stone in the middle of the room. He pulled something from his pocket and all the air rushed from her lungs as she watched him bring his arm down. There was a sickening sound of tendon snapping and seconds later the man lifted his arm again, an eye at the end of the device.

Screams erupted throughout the museum as people started running for the doors. Ellie stood there, frozen in terror as she watched the grin spread across his face. He turned to look at her and winked before calmly walking towards the front door as if to leave; as if everything was normal. Ellie shook herself from her stupor and forced herself to follow the crowd.

There was so much chaos around that it never occurred to look for her friends, but she didn't have to as they were the ones to find her. Pixie threw her arms around Ellie and squeezed. "What the hell is going on?" Cypher asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

She nodded, but her voice was stuck in her throat. The screams stopped as suddenly as they had started and Ellie looked around. The entire block was filled with the citizens that had been attending the gala and they were blocked in by copies of the man that had caused the chaos. Only they weren't wearing normal clothes anymore. They were dressed in foreign garb; a long green coat and a golden helmet with horns pointing backwards. In each of their right hands there was a golden scepter with a glowing blue orb in the middle. Each one was wearing a light smirk, one filled with power.

Ellie turned towards the front of the crowd to see what was going on. She noticed each of the copies glitched every few moments as if it were a trick of the light. She wondered if anyone else could see it but her. The few people in front of her took steps backwards to get away from the man standing at the head of the crowd. He turned his gaze towards her and for a brief moment their eyes met again. Ellie didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until he looked away and she exhaled loudly. Her nerves rattled even more as he began to speak, his voice washing over her as if he were speaking directly to her.

"Kneel before me!" he demanded. The moment those words reached her ears Ellie dropped to her knees earning stares from everyone, even the man giving the command. He smirked directly at her before looking out at the rest of the crowd. "I said kneel!" he repeated, his voice booming through the air. Slowly the people began to get to the knees on the pavement. "Is this not simpler? Is this not your natural state?" he questioned, taking a step forward. "It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity."

"What the hell was that?" Cypher whispered in her ear as he got down on the ground next to Ellie. She barely heard him as she was watching this man's every move, hanging on his every word.

"You were made to be ruled," the man said as he turned to look directly at her again. "And in the end, you will always kneel." He said the last word as he came to stand directly in front of her. A shiver coursed through her as she felt his words caress her.

"Someone once tried to make everyone kneel before and things didn't end well for him," came a voice from the crowd.

Ellie could see an old man not far from her, the only one standing in the crowd. The man in front of her turned to stare at him. "He was a simple human," he replied. "Just as you are and you _will_ kneel," he hissed. Ellie watched as two of his copies moved forward and forced the old man down onto the ground. Satisfied, he turned to look at Ellie again and reached down to grab her bicep before hoisting her to her feet.

"Ellie!" came a small squeak she barely recognized as Pixie.

Hearing her name seemed to snap her out of her daze. She took a deep breath and blinked. Her anger began to waken as she stared at the man in front of her. She was not one to give in so easily, yet being in his presence made it hard for her to say no. "What's your name?" he asked.

"No," she replied.

"No? You were the first to kneel and _now_ you have something to say?"

She knew it wasn't the best time to fight nor cause a bigger scene, but she had promise Storm and Professor X that she would take care of any problems that arose. If this didn't qualify as a problem she didn't know what would. "The fear is gone now."

His smirk widened as he stared at her. He let go of his hold and took a half step back. "What is your name?" he asked again, holding her gaze with such an intensity she couldn't stop herself from responding.

"Ellie," she breathed.

His fingers twitched on the scepter he held and Ellie reached out with her powers for any moisture nearby. Luckily for her there was a garden outside the gala and the sprinklers were on. It wouldn't be long before her powers brought the water to her and she would be able to defend herself properly.

"Ellie," he whispered and she shuddered at the sound of her name on his lips. "You were the first to kneel so I shall spare you. You will serve me well," he said and with a flick of his wrist brought the scepter to the center of her chest. Her head whipped back as a cold so fierce flowed through her. She had never once been affected by cold of any kind, but this was different. Slowly the cold was replaced by something else; something that left her body tingling. Every sensation was heightened and she felt better than she ever had; free. "Impossible," he whispered and pulled back.

Ellie looked down in time to see her skin had turned blue like Nightcrawler's only it was receding quickly, going back to it's normal fair coloring as if nothing had ever happened. They stared at each other and in the time it took Ellie to blink, chaos erupted again. A loud crash rang through the air and she turned to see others breaking up the crowd as if to rescue them from the man torturing them. Still in shock, Ellie continued to stare at her hands, turning them over.

"Elle, come on!" Pixie said, spinning her around. "We have to go." She grabbed Ellie's hand and began to pull her through the crowd.

However, they didn't get very far before they got caught up in the crowd and Ellie felt her hand slip out of Pixie's. Someone knocked into her and she went down, her head smacking against the curb with a loud resonating crack. Her vision swam and she heard Pixie scream her name in the distance, but she wasn't able to hold her consciousness much longer and before she knew it, she gave into the darkness calling her name.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

The steady hum of an engine filled her ears as she felt herself gaining consciousness. Her entire body was tingling with pins and needles as she fought to get out of the darkness. She moved slightly, but kept her eyes closed as her other senses returned slowly. A loud clap of thunder made her breath catch in her throat. "What? You afraid of a little thunder?" came a taunting male voice.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," another voice replied. Ellie knew that voice. It was _his._ She would know that voice anywhere. The sound of it made her shiver and she slowly opened her eyes only to find him staring back at her. He smirked at her, but this time, it didn't reach his eyes. Instead, Ellie could see the fear in them and it had her worried.

"Ellie? Oh thank god!" Pixie exclaimed as she realized the other girl was awake. She moved to kneel in front of her and helped Ellie into a sitting position.

"You okay?" Cypher asked from beside her. She hadn't realized she had been using his lap as a pillow.

"I think so," she replied, her voice hoarse. She looked around to see that she was a jet of some kind and reached up to rub her neck as she did so. She noticed the other men in the plane as well. Some of them wore suits as if they were straight out of Men In Black and two of them she recognized from TV; Captain America and Ironman. She herself was mutant, that she could accept, but these two... Being in their presence seemed surreal in a way. She shook her head, instantly regretting the action. "Last thing I remember is trying to get through the crowd."

Pixie nodded. "It didn't go so well. You fell and your head hit the pavement."

Ellie reached up to touch the side of her head where it was throbbing. When she pulled her hand away, her fingers were red with blood. "Wonderful," she muttered.

Another loud burst of thunder blasted their ears, but this time it sounded much closer than normal thunder should. All the other people looked around to see what was going on, but Ellie's focus went to the man in cuffs. He was squirming uncomfortably in his chair as if he knew what was going to happen. Before anyone realized what was going on, the door to the plane was ripped open. Someone or something made its way to the prisoner and Ellie bolted to her feet in order to move forward.

The two heroes scrambled to get their bearings and attempted to leap after the intruder, but Ellie's arms stretched out in front of her, palms open. She felt that same icy cold the scepter had caused and then pushed with her mind. Icicles, long and sharp, flew out the jet, one of them sliding across Ironman's chest ever so slightly. The _clink_ of the metal was soft, but Ellie heard it as though it were an explosion going off right by her ear.

"Ellie, stop!" Pixie pleaded.

"Miss, you need to stay seated," one of the men in suits said as he approached her as Cypher's arms locked around her forcing her back onto the bench she had been laying on. Ellie shoved Cypher off of her and stared down at her hands in disbelief. That wasn't part of her normal powers.

One of the other men in suits got to the back of the plane and pressed a button. The door shut and the wind stopped pulling at them as if trying to draw them out. With it shut, Ellie started to feel calmer. She stopped moving and Cypher slowly relinquished his hold on her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around himself and shook, indicating that her powers had affected him when he touched her.

"He touched you with the scepter," the man in the suit closest to her said.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked knowing it was rude. She didn't care. At the moment she still felt as though her skin was crawling, her body tingling, every sense so enhanced it hurt.

He gave somewhat of a smile. "I'm Phil Coulson, an Agent of SHIELD."

"SHIELD?" Cypher repeated. "I heard Cyclops and Professor X mention something about that."

The agent's brow rose with amusement. "You three are mutants," he stated.

"Are we your prisoners now too?" Ellie asked, her eyes darting to the door.

"Ellie," Pixie said in a warning tone and tried to take her hand for comfort.

Ellie pulled her hand back and jumped to her feet. She held out her hands as the other agents turned towards her immediately. "I'm not going to do anything," she assured them and took a deep breath, her arms slowly returning to her sides. "Yes," she answered, looking at Agent Coulson. "He touched me with the scepter and it's doing something to my powers." She looked at Cypher apologetically and then to Pixie. "I can't control them and I don't want to hurt anyone."

"What happens when he touches people with the scepter?" Cypher asked.

"They fall under his control," he answered.

Ellie felt a shiver overcome her and she closed her eyes. She pictured the moment she had bumped into him at the top of the stairs. She remembered staring up at him, losing herself in those icy blue depths. She had fallen under his control long before he touched her with the scepter. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to see everyone staring at her. "So we are prisoners."

"Not necessarily," Agent Coulson answered. "The people that have fallen under his control are completely his. It affected you, yes, but not in the same way. You're not prisoners, but we would like to have you come to headquarters so we can make sure you're alright."

She nodded and began to pace as she had energy to burn. "So I get that we're not your prisoners, but that guy definitely was and now he's gone. Sure, they went after him, but shouldn't you be going down there to get him back?" Pixie asked.

He shrugged and gave a small smile. "I'm almost positive that was his brother. When Ironman and Captain America break up their tift they'll bring him back. I'm sure of it."

"His brother?" Cypher inquired. "Are they mutants too?"

"That was Loki and his brother is Thor."

Ellie let out a loud burst of laughter and found everyone staring at her again. "Loki and Thor as in Norse Gods of Mischief and Thunder? Seriously?"

"There is always truth in legends," he replied as if that was supposed to explain everything and she was supposed to believe it right then and there.

"Yeah, but come on, I-"

"Mutants you believe exist, but this is too much for you?" another agent asked from the rear of the plane.

"I am a mutant," she fired back. "It would be really absurd of me to not believe it was thing."

Agent Coulson smiled again. "It will be a lot easier if you just assume that everything is real. From the bizarre to the common, just assume it's true."

Silence fell around them as did tension. Ellie continued to pace in effort to burn her ever increasing energy. Cypher broke the silence by asking, "Where is headquarters?"

"It varies," Coulson answered, the humor in his voice vanishing as he looked out one of the windows.

"How long before we can go back?" Pixie asked. "We were on vacation."

Ellie snorted. "Something we're never going to be able to do again. Ever. Neither will anyone else."

"I told you we shouldn't have gone," Cypher muttered, earning a glare from Ellie.

"We'll send an agent to collect your things and return them to the Institute." Coulson moved closer to Ellie and she stopped pacing as he advanced. "What happened when the scepter touched you?" he asked.

She shuddered as remembered the way her blood turned to ice. "I was cold."

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Cold? How cold?"

"Cold enough for me to feel it," she replied and shivered again. "It felt as though I was freezing from the inside out, something I imagine my victims go through when I can't control myself." She took a deep breath and ran a hand through her already tousled blonde hair making it even more disheveled. "My body went haywire and I'm still feeling as though my skin is crawling and I have way too much energy." She glanced down at her hands and turned them over slowly as she remembered the blue color that replaced the normal fair tones of her skin.

Before Coulson could ask what she was keeping from him, the door opened again. This time, four men entered the plane. Ironman and Captain America looked battle worn as they shoved Loki roughly back into his seat. He smirked at them before searching for Ellie's gaze. She stopped moving as their eyes locked and immediately she felt calmer knowing that he was there.

"Thor," Coulson greeted and Ellie looked up to watch the tall blonde man nod in greeting. "I wish our meeting could have been under better circumstances."

"As do I," he replied and looked at his brother. Loki did a double take as he saw his brother looking at him and smiled calmly. Thor looked in the direction his gaze had been and Ellie found herself locking eyes with the God of Thunder. He stared at her for a moment and then back at his brother.

Ellie let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding and then slowly made her way to the empty bench on the opposite side of the plane. She fastened the buckle around her waist and closed her eyes, wishing for the thousandth time she had listened to Cypher's warning back at the hotel. She opened her eyes as she felt body heat from someone sitting next to her. It was Pixie coming to bring a blanket for her. "I'm good, thanks," Ellie said.

"I know you don't need it," she replied but wrapped herself up in it. "It wasn't for you."

"Pix-"

"I know, you said not to touch you. I heard you," she said and leaned back against the wall of the plane. "I'm just sitting next to you, not touching." She offered a small smile and Ellie smiled back slightly before shutting her eyes again.

She concentrated on her breathing in effort to calm her nerves, but she was painfully aware of _his _presence on the plane and the fact that he kept staring at her. She hoped wherever they were going was close by. She wasn't sure how much more of this feeling she could take. Clearly it wasn't going to take much for her powers to get the best of her.


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: here ya go, the beginning of much Loki/OC smut to come. Also, my plan is to post every Monday and Friday.**

FOUR

Ellie opened her eyes only to find herself staring right into those hypnotizing blue eyes of the prisoner as he sat across from her on a crate of some kind. Her own dark blue eyes widened with surprise, but she wasn't afraid. She _knew_ he wouldn't hurt her. She straightened up and looked around. Pixie was no longer lounging next to her. She had moved to curl up next to Cypher, but they were talking, their eyes casually moving towards Ellie as if they were talking about her. She did a double take as she saw _him_, the prisoner sitting on the opposite side of the plane with his limbs shackled together.

"How?" she asked, turning her gaze back to the man before her.

He smirked. "You know how."

She took a deep breath and thought of Stuttgart and how he had used magic to replicate himself, like holograms. She shifted so she was sitting more upright and peered around him to survey their surroundings. "No one notices this?"

"You let your mind wander and I took advantage of the situation."

Ellie made a noise that could only be mean she was impressed which elicited a smile from him. She was able to see what was going on around her while she was either asleep or in a trance and he was able to let her see in real time all at once. "What do you want?"

"I want what you want. Answers."

"I'm fairly certain I don't have any answers for you."

"You don't even know my questions," he returned.

She inclined her head. "No. I don't."

"What is your name?" he asked.

"I told you."

He shook his head slightly. "You gave me a nickname."

It was her turn to smirk and Ellie quickly realized that the odd feeling since she laid eyes on him was gone. He didn't hold the same sway over her in this other reality they were in. It made her sigh with relief and feel like her old self again. "No, my nickname is Frost."

For the first time since she had laid eyes on him he looked genuinely surprised and more than pleased about learning her nickname. "Frost," he repeated.

"What did you need with that man's eye?" she asked, trying to change the conversation.

"I needed the iridium he had in his possession."

"All part of your master plan for world domination I'm sure," she quipped and stopped chuckling as she saw the look on his face. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," he repeated and the word was so strange on his lips that Ellie couldn't help but laugh.

"Your plan is coming along nicely." Sarcasm dripped heavily in her voice as she looked past his shoulder to his real self, the one in handcuffs surrounded by three very powerful heroes.

The twitch of his lips brought her gaze back to his double. "Who said getting kidnapped wasn't part of the plan?"

"What kind of plan is that?" she questioned, mostly from curiosity.

"You will find out soon enough," he muttered and stared at her with an intensity that made her aware of how revealing her party dress was.

She swallowed and shrugged the feeling away. She was enough of a wreck, she didn't need to let anything else effect her. "Aurelia Hayle," she stated, the sound of her real name foreign on her own lips. She used it so rarely these days.

He inclined his head as she finally stated her name for him and Ellie couldn't miss the look of satisfaction that passed over his features. "Loki Laufeyson," he offered his own name for no reason in particular.

"So Loki Laufeyson, what do you want?" she asked again, bracing her hands on the edge of the bench, leaning forward slightly.

He mimicked her movements, his face centimeters from hers. Slowly, he reached up to cup her face with one of his hands and smiled widely at the sound of her breath catching from his touch. "You," he whispered his response and closed the gap between them to capture her lips with his.

Ellie felt that pull again. The same sensation she had experienced when she laid eyes on him at the top of the stairs quickly gave way to the bone chilling experience of the scepter touching her chest. A cold swept through her as their kiss picked up momentum, a cold that neither one of them seemed to mind. One thing Ellie knew for certain was that the cold was not coming from her this time; it was coming from him.

Without breaking the kiss, Ellie reached out to clench the material of his clothes as she had less than an hour before. His other arm went out to her waist and before she knew it, she was straddling him on the crate, kissing him wildly in a room full of people who couldn't see them. That brought forth a smile that broke their kiss momentarily. A smile that quickly faded as a wave of pleasure coursed through her from the feeling of his arousal pressing into her scantily clad core. Again Ellie was made aware of her outfit, but this time she was considering at hinderance instead of revealing.

A soft moan escaped her lips as he lifted his hips, pressing him harder against the part of her that craved him the most. Her fingers tightened their hold on his outfit as his hands went down to grab her rear and pull her impossibly closer. Unable to stand it any more, Ellie bucked her hips against him, smirking into the kiss as a growl started low in his throat and reverberated through her entire body.

It was then that she heard a soft _thump_ as if someone was hitting metal far off in the distance. It barely registered as she lost herself in the unbridled passion of her kiss with Loki. But it happened again, and then again until suddenly she was jumping back to reality.

Her body lurched forward as a strangled cry escaped her throat. Her body tingled as it had when the scepter touched her chest. Pixie and Cypher were staring at her wondering what the hell was going on as she struggled to catch her breath. She tugged at the hem of her dress and squirmed in her seat. She did a double take and went absolutely still as she caught Loki's gaze from across the jet. He was smirking at her, a knowing look in those crystal blue eyes of his. Ellie shuddered as the cold from their kiss in that other reality surfaced like new in the real world.

Someone crossed their path and gave Ellie the ability to look away and regain her composure. It was then that she realized what the sound had been that brought her out of her dream; they had landed. The door to the back of the jet opened and eight guards approached. They forced Loki to his feet and flanked him, four on each side, before moving out of the jet.

Agent Coulson motioned for Ellie to follow him and she obeyed. She could see the armed escort ahead with Loki in the middle. They were heading down a maze of corridors that all looked the same from their metal walls and dull lights wrapped in wire. "This way," Agent Coulson said and Ellie watched as the armed escort turned to take a different path.

"Where are they taking him?" she found herself asking as her gaze met Loki's for a fleeting second.

"To a cell strong enough to hold him," he replied and then motioned for them to follow his lead again.

"Where are we?" Cypher asked.

"SHIELD headquarters," he replied, giving the same answer he had earlier. "More specifically the Helicarrier."

"What?" confusion clear in Cypher's voice.

"Think of it is a floating city," Agent Coulson explained as he led them down another winding corridor. They had made so many turns in such a short amount of time that Ellie was starting to feel nauseous.

"Where are we going?" Pixie asked.

Agent Coulson stopped in front of a door to answer. "I thought you could use a change of clothes." He placed his ID card in the slot off to the right and then stepped back to usher them through the door. "Ten minutes, take whatever you'd like," he said and stayed in the hallway as the door slid shut, closing the three of them in a small room.

"These look just like our battle suits," Cypher muttered as they looked at the rows and rows of dark blue jumpers that seemed to be the standard uniform for everyone that worked at SHIELD headquarters.

Ellie made a beeline for the women's uniforms off to the left and sorted until she found one that looked like it would be her size. As she turned around she saw Cypher and Pixie just staring at her. "What?" she asked, her voice more harsh than she intended.

"You okay?" Pixie asked, her voice barely above a squeaking whisper.

Ellie took a deep breath and draped the jumpsuit over her shoulder. "Believe me, I am fine. I have no idea where that ice blast came from and no, I'm not going to question it right now. The next person to ask me if I'm doing okay will be silenced, got it?" She hated threatening them, but she knew they would question her feelings every time she fidgeted and she wasn't going to give in to that kind of behavior.

"Hey, we're on the same team," Cypher said, stepping forward. "I don't give a shit about your threats, Elle. That scepter did something to you and your powers. If you need help, you better ask for it."

Pixie nodded and moved forward. "We're more than just a team. We're your friends."

Ellie sighed, but smiled. "I'm sorry guys," she said lightly. "A lot has happened in the last few hours."

"I know," Pixie said softly and moved forward again, but stopped when Ellie stepped back.

"Still probably not a good idea for you to touch me," she warned. She half turned and pulled her jumpsuit from her shoulder. "Come on, we don't have much time," she added and began stripping down. She was glad that she had an eye for her size as the jumpsuit well on the first try. It definitely reminded her of her battle suit now that it was on. It didn't fit nearly as perfectly as her suit, but it was comfortable and easy to move it. Next, she grabbed a pair of combat boots that stopped mid-calf.

She was just finishing the laces as the door swung open and Agent Coulson tilted his head, indicating that their time was up. He led them through more winding corridors and onto a deck that was several stories high. A huge glass window provided a windshield, indicating that this was the front of the Helicarrier. There were rows and rows of computers, each one of them manned for different purposes. Ellie looked around to the sides of the wide room and saw the balconies that led to several entrances into corridors. This place was a maze.

It was then that she spotted a loft type room with no walls, a large black table in the middle of it. She could see Tony Stark in front of the window speaking to another man she didn't recognize. It wasn't until she stepped inside the room that she saw Steve Rogers and a red headed woman sitting inside as well. Just as Ellie and the others stepped up to the table, Thor walked in and Ellie had trouble hiding her disappointment that Loki was not with him.

It was then that she spotted a monitor off to her side and saw Loki. He was surrounded by a large wall of what she could guess was thick glass. It surrounded him on all sides in a large circle. He simply stood there in the middle of it, his hands neatly clasped behind his back, staring at the camera, staring at her. He smirked as if he sensed her gaze and Ellie tore her eyes away from screen only to see that the others had noticed her staring.

There was a dark skinned man standing on the outside of Loki's cage. The two of them were exchanging words and Ellie could see the worry that flitted across Loki's features, but only for a second as the other man explained something. Ellie's eyes widened as the other man pressed a button and the floor beneath Loki's cell disappeared. It was then that Ellie noticed the braces that were holding the cell in place. One button and those braces would release and the circular cell of glass would drop into the sky.

Ellie turned away and looked around the bridge of the Helicarrier, wondering what everyone was waiting for. She didn't have to wait long as the dark skinned man with an eye patch walked into the room, staring directly at her as he spoke. "Is it really wise that she's here?" the dark skinned man asked.

"It would be a lot less wise to let her out of our sight," Rogers countered.

Ellie frowned and narrowed her gaze at Agent Coulson. "I thought you said we _weren't _prisoners?"

"He doesn't really get to decide that," the dark one said. He smirked at her hateful gaze. "Nick Fury, leader of SHIELD."

"Frost," she returned, her voice icy.

"I heard about your display of power on the Quinjet."

The redhead looked at Ellie and smirked slightly. "I've never met mutants before."

"You have, you just weren't aware of it," Cypher stated, his voice unamused.

She looked at him and then back at Ellie. "You're the one Loki touched with the scepter." It wasn't a question. There was something in her eyes that didn't make Ellie snap as she thought she would have. Sadness? She simply nodded her reply.

"Exactly why she shouldn't be here. She's probably under his control," Fury replied, staring at Agent Coulson.

He sighed and gave a slight nod. "Excuse me," he said and turned, gesturing the three of them follow his lead. They stopped on the edge of the platform outside the meeting room so he could give some orders. "Sven, Carter, please escort our guests to an empty room in the living quarter."

"Can we make a phone call or two?" Ellie asked knowing Professor X needed to hear from them.

He nodded. "There's a phone in your room. I'll be down in a little while to speak with you," he said and turned to go back inside the meeting room.

"Follow me," one of the other men in suits commanded and the three of them obeyed.

As before, they went through another maze of corridors until the men stopped and opened a door. It was part of the wall, but slid into a recessed pocket to give them access to a room big enough for three. "We'll be right out here," the other said.

"To keep us from going anywhere?"

His lips twitched into a small smile. "Or to keep anyone from getting in. We're not the bad guys here," he assured her and then pressed a button that closed the door.

"Now what?" Pixie asked nervously.

"Relax, Pix," Ellie said. "I strongly think they couldn't give two shits that we're mutants. Nothing bad is going to happen here. Not to you two anyway."

"Ellie-"

"Don't bother. I may not be an official prisoner, but that scepter on my chest sealed my fate regardless," she said as she made her way towards the phone off to the side of the door.

"Who in the world are you calling?"

"Professor X. I'm sure he would much rather hear what happened from us and not on the news. Could you imagine the X-Men getting caught up in this?"

"Good idea," Cypher said and made his way to one of the cots. He paused as he saw something and Ellie saw that smile light up his face. "They have a computer in here."

Ellie grinned. "Get the blueprints for this place. We might need it if something happens."

"On it," he said and Ellie watched as Pixie sat next to him to watch as he scoured through their data.

Ellie dialed the number for the mansion and was impressed at the service as it connected immediately. "Hello?" came a familiar voice on the other end.

"Hey Bobby," she said, a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

"How's Germany?"

Ellie laughed. "It's a blast!" she replied and took a deep breath. "Is the professor around?"

"Ellie..." he started and she knew that dreaded question was coming. "Everything okay?"

"It's fine. Professor. Now."

"Hold on," he said hearing the seriousness in her voice.

She felt slightly bad that she had barked at him, but hearing his voice made her think of that ice rose from so long ago and it made her ache for home. She was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of the professor's voice in her ear. "Aurelia?"

"Professor," she returned. "Have you ever heard of SHIELD?"

"Fury and I have met on occasion," he said and Ellie was grateful that he wasn't going to lie to her.

"Have you seen the news lately? More specifically the stint in Stuttgart."

There was a brief moment of pause. "I had hoped you were not there. Are you with Fury now?"

"Yes. We're aboard the Helicarrier; their floating headquarters. We were key witnesses so Fury will be keeping us here for a little while. I just wanted to tell you that we're fine and we'll be home soon."

"I will see to it," he promised and Ellie soon found herself disconnected.

She took a deep breath and raised her hand to dial another number. She wasn't sure what she was expecting or what she would say, but she was more than disappointed as his phone went straight to voicemail. She was silent for a few seconds on the recording before she hung up. Wolverine couldn't help her now, she was on her own.

No, not alone. There was _him_. As she shut her eyes she could see his blue ones staring back at her from the crate; feel his arms wrapped around her. She shuddered and forced her eyes open, concentrating on Pixie and Cypher as they grinned at her.

"Found them," he said and she was drawn to his side to see the maze that was the Helicarrier.


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

It was her eyes that opened first, the rest of her staying very still. Slowly, she moved her gaze to the corner of the room to see Cypher sprawled out on a cot with Pixie curled up on one of her own. Ellie looked around and then forced herself into a sitting position. She wasn't sure how she had fallen asleep, again, under these conditions. Apparently she was need of more rest than she ever imagined. Slowly, she got to her feet and moved swiftly across the room to take the computer from Cypher's hand. The map was still up on the screen, but as Ellie reached for it, something shifted in the air.

It wasn't until her fingers tried to curl around the laptop that she realized what was going on. She wasn't truly awake; she was in that other reality where she could move around, but no one could see her. If she was right, then _he _would want her to come to him. She straightened up and looked around the room, where, sure enough, her body was still lying awkwardly on the cot as she continued to sleep in the real world. She glanced away, unnerved at the sight, and then towards the door, wondering how she was going to get out of the room. She couldn't touch the computer in the real world, how was she going to open the door?

As if on cue, the door slid open on it's own and she didn't hesitate to follow the lead it gave her. She took a few tentative steps over the threshold, stopping at the two agents posted outside the door. They were standing on the opposite side, their hands resting near their guns so they would be ready at a moment's notice. It brought a smirk to her lips before she glanced around. To her left was the way the agents had brought her to the room and from what she remembered of the map, going back that way wouldn't be of much help. So she went right.

Frustration washed over her as she got to a fork in the road. All these tunnels looked exactly like the other. The same ghostly shadows from the caged lights made it a little harder to see as there seemed to be no natural light coming from anywhere. Her eyes landed on the left corridor and she wasn't sure how, but she _knew_ that that was the right path to take. Trusting her intuition, she made her way towards the entrance, winding her way around the people that wouldn't feel her if she hit them anyway.

Several turns and descents later Ellie knew she was definitely in the right place. There was a thicker security detail the further she went and when she approached the end of a corridor she found herself standing at the top of a short winding staircase. She peered over the ledge and saw Loki in his glass prison. He was wearing that long green coat as he laid on a built in cot towards the edge of the glass, on the opposite side of the control panel. She smiled as she began her descent down the few stairs to the catwalk that would lead her right up the cell.

She frowned as she stood outside the cell. She knew she wouldn't be able to press any buttons to open the door, but she needed to get in there. Her eyes widened as she thought of something and realized there was no harm in trying it. Cautiously, she approached the glass and raised her palm to it. A smile took hold of her lips as her hand slipped through the barrier easily and in no time her body followed suit. In the time it took to breathe she was standing inside the cell with Loki.

He still had his eyes closed as she made her way to him making her wonder if he was the one in control of this after all. The thought that he wasn't the one that brought her here made her shiver with uncertainty, but it was a feeling that was short lived as a smirk took hold of his lips and his eyes opened, his blue irises staring back at her. "It worked," he mused as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Of course it worked. You've done it before," she returned, crossing her arms over her chest.

He shook his head slightly. "I was merely thinking of you, but I am not in control of it this time."

Her jaw dropped as she intended to speak, but his words finally hit her. "I'm doing this?" she asked. She shook her head at the absurdity. "How? That's not part of my powers."

"It _is_ part of your powers. You just don't know what you're capable of. Yet," he said as if reading her thoughts.

Ellie straightened her stance and let the smallest trace of a smile touch her lips. "I'm in control," she whispered again, savoring the surge of power that came with it. "How?" she asked for the second time.

"We are connected."

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Ellie let the question slip before she could help herself. "How?"

"That is the question, isn't it?" he replied, a tone of amusement and wonder clear in his voice. He shrugged and got to his feet, the action putting him so close to Ellie she could feel the material of his green jacket brush against her. She held her ground though, something Loki took note of. "I was thinking of you," he repeated from earlier sending another shiver down her spine. "You must have let your mind wander again and we connected as we did before. You wanted to find me so you did. Now you're here." He grinned widely as he moved forward ever so slightly, his face close enough for his breath to caress her as he spoke. "So Aurelia Hayle, what do you want?" he asked, using her words as his own.

Two could play that game. "You," she breathed.

She stepped up on her tip toes to close the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. Her hands went to his waist and slipped beneath his coat. She let her hands slide up slowly as their kiss stayed light and exploratory. Swiftly, she brought her hands up his chest until they stopped at his shoulders and then pushed back. Loki felt his coat slip off his shoulders and slide down his arms until it pooled behind him on the floor. He smirked; clearly he had left her more than rattled with their last out of body encounter.

His smirk disappeared as he reached out to touch her only to have his hands smacked away. He pulled his lips from hers to glance at her quizzically and was rewarded with a look of sheer hunger on Ellie's face. She grinned back at him and surprised him even further by surging forward, forcing him to move backwards until he found himself sitting on the concrete cot he had woken on. He stared up at her as she nudged herself between his thighs, her hands on his shoulders. There was something in her dark blue eyes that made him shudder as he guessed her intent. Sure enough, she began to lower herself. As her face was level with his she whispered, "I will always kneel for you."

He wanted to capture her lips with his, but she had other ideas. With their eyes still locked, Ellie continued to sink lower until she was on her knees before him. She smirked before dropping her eyes to what was left of his outfit. Her hands moved to rest flat on the tops of this thighs before they slowly started moving inward to the obvious bulge that left no give to the material. Loki watched, mesmerized, as she found the hem of his trousers and tugged. He lifted his hips enough to help her and before he knew it, his throbbing cock was wrapped lightly in her petite fingers.

His eyes fluttered as she began to stroke him. He leaned back against the glass and chuckled softly as he thought of Fury telling him that so much as a scratch would send him plummeting to his death. Then again, as Ellie moved forward to take him into her mouth, he couldn't think of a better way to go. He let one hand reach down to brush her long, dark brown tresses off to one side while his other hand gripped the edge of the cot so hard he thought it would crumble. She gave a laugh of her own as his fingers clenched involuntarily in her hair, the action sending a wave of pleasure through him as her laugh caused vibrations around his cock.

His body arched forward somewhat in reaction to her laugh, but it only sent him further down her throat. Instead of pulling away, Ellie moaned and tightened her grip on the base of his shaft. She could tell he was near the edge as he went deeper and deeper into her throat with little effort. Just as he thought she was going to stay put while his seed poured down her throat, she got to her feet.

His eyes opened and he stared up at her as she licked her lips, a cruel smile tugging at them as she saw the anguish on his face. His breathing became more ragged than it was before and he winced as he shifted, his member swollen from being so close to the edge. She let out a slow breath and watched as it formed a slight frost on the glass around him.

"I'm in control," she breathed and gave a slight wink before she found herself waking up back in her borrowed room with Pixie and Cypher getting up too.

They were staring at her and Ellie noticed the way they were both shivering. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and saw the thin, shiny layer of ice that covered the walls of the room. "Ellie?" came Cypher's broken voice.

Ellie saw his teeth chattering from the cold and took a deep breath. She was entirely rattled from her first out of body encounter with Loki on the plane and this new one. Granted, she assumed Loki was waking up in a much worse predicament, but she didn't think it would have had her powers seeping out while she was sleeping. "Sorry," she muttered and reached out to retract the ice that covered the walls.

A knock sounded at the door and a few moments later Agent Coulson filled their vision. "Could we talk?" he asked, looking directly at Ellie.

"Interrogation time is it?" she returned and got to her feet.

He flashed a half smile at her, but shook his head. "Nothing that extreme."

Ellie sighed; he was still sticking to the delusion that she was not a prisoner. "Anything you want to ask me, you're more than welcome to ask in front of them. Chances are I'm just going to come right back and tell them both everything."

"I'm betting on the small chance that you'll keep to yourself," he replied and turned to take his leave.

She shrugged and looked at Cypher and Pixie. "Worth a try," she said and followed him out into the corridor. "Where are we going?" she asked as they turned right. She tried to hide her smile as she thought of the experience she had after deciding to go right.

"Somewhere that will give a little bit of privacy," he said and continued to lead her in the direction of Loki's cell.

A smile tugged at her lips as she followed him, each step taking her closer and closer to his cell. However, with one step to the right, her smile vanished and disappointment settled over her as she realized they were no longer traveling in that direction. She wasn't going to get to see Loki pace his cell in the sexually frustrated state she had left him in. When they finally arrived at their destination, Ellie took comfort in the fact that, judging from the thicker security detail around them, they were close to the cell anyway.

The room he led her into was on the smaller side, about half the size of the room she and her friends had been given. There were no windows, but a few monitors playing different feeds. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Loki pacing his cell, his face twisted in pain, his hands balled into fists at his sides. Ellie smirked as she saw the extra care he took with each step. He stopped and turned towards the door of his cell and Ellie saw the redheaded woman standing there. They started talking, but Ellie could only see their lips moving; there was no sound to go along with the video feed.

"This," Agent Coulson said drawing her attention to a monitor on the opposite side. It also featured Loki meaning it was a recording. "This is the day Loki returned to Earth."

"Returned?" she asked before she could stop herself.

Agent Coulson nodded, but didn't elaborate. Instead, he continued with whatever he had brought her here to say. "Watch," he demanded and she saw Loki take the scepter and push the sharp edge against someone's chest. She watched as the resistance in the other man's eyes faded and the blue glow that took over his normal eye color. "That's what is supposed to happen when the scepter touches someone."

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Agent Barton," he replied. "He along with Dr. Selvig and a few other good SHIELD agents were forced into Loki's control by this. You were touched, but the scepter doesn't seem to have the same hold. What happened when it touched you?"

Ellie sighed very loudly. "I thought we went over this," she stated, anger seeping into her tone.

"We did, but there was something else that you didn't say before. I'm hoping that you tell me now. I can't help you until I know the full story."

His voice was soft and she knew that he was sincere, he really did want to help her. It brought a smile to her lips, but one that quickly died. She didn't need to be saved; she never had. "I-" she started, but he waved her off.

"Clearly he has some hold over you, I've seen the looks you've exchanged and the way you acted after it happened. I'm trying to do this my way before Fury takes control. He is... Not as kind." He stared at her as if she needed a bigger reason. Finally, he sighed. "We can't have a mutant under his control."

She thought of her and Loki's first encounter on the stairs in Stuttgart. She stared at Agent Coulson for a long moment before she smiled a little. "The scepter has no hold over me, that is true, but Loki does." She paused and let her gaze flicker back to the monitor with real-time Loki. The redhead was gone and he had was back to pacing the cell again, but this time with a stride of someone trying to plot an escape before the worst were to happen. That brought a frown to her face. "And I need to know why," she added.

Instead of threatening her or telling her that she had no choice, he nodded and opened the door again, gesturing for her to go first. "I'll take you back to your friends," he said. Ellie nodded and began to follow him, but stopped as she felt a rumble beneath her feet moments before she was knocked off of them.


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

A scream came from somewhere down the corridor as Ellie felt herself being thrown backwards. A cry escaped her lips as she bounced off the metal wall behind her. Her vision swam and there was a ringing in her ears that she was familiar with because of the explosions she had encountered in the Danger Room. Despite the ringing, she could barely make out a voice over a walkie-talkie state that the intruders were Loki's captives and they were wearing SHIELD uniforms.

Ellie pushed herself into a sitting position and groaned from the dull ache that originated from the back of her skull. She looked around the room despite her blurry vision and saw that Agent Coulson was already getting to his feet and was coming to help her up. Just as his fingers brushed the sleeve of her suit, the floor gave way beneath her and she fell to the story below.

This time she was a little more prepared. She lashed out with her power and froze the ground before she hit it. To anyone else it would have made the impact worse, but since ice couldn't hurt her, it cushioned her fall and only forced the breath from her lungs. She looked up at the hole in the ground, but no one was there. Wherever she was, she was on her own, unable to decipher friend from foe. Pushing herself to her feet, Ellie knew there was only one place she had to be; Loki's cell.

She swayed slightly from the beating her body had endured and leaned against the wall as she caught her breath. As she started to move in the direction she hoped would lead her to Loki, two men stumbled down the hall followed by the sound of gunfire. Ellie watched as one man went down and screamed as a bullet tore through his leg. The other man saw her and stopped before raising his gone in her direction. She silently thanked Professor X and Logan for forcing her into the Danger Room so often as her battle instincts kicked in and she dropped to the ground.

Her right palm smacked against the floor and a slippery layer of ice sprang outward from her touch. It made its way to the man with the gun and crept up his feet before he had the chance to realize what he was dealing with. The ice still creeping up his body, Ellie lunged forward and made her way down the corridor on her left. She was grateful that he didn't shoot her, but she hadn't done him any favors. She hadn't recalled the ice which meant he would either freeze to death or the people that shot his partner would get him. Ellie shoved the thought from her mind and kept running.

The Helicarrier lurched and sent Ellie flying into the wall. It wasn't nearly as powerful as the first one and she was able to keep her footing, but it was hard to shake the dizziness from her eyes as she forced herself to continue. As she turned another corner she collided into a group of people engaged in combat. She barely had time to realize there was someone coming for her until the woman's fist crashed into Ellie's face. She cried out as she went down, but reacted swiftly and grabbed hold of the woman's leg. She pushed with her powers and in the next instant there were ice chunks raining to the floor around her.

Someone touched her shoulder and Ellie whipped around, her hands on their arm. "We're SHIELD!" he screamed at her over the gunfire that was getting closer.

Ellie felt her lips twitch into a smirk. "I don't care," she replied and let the could seep from her hands into his body. She pulled out of his grasp and darted away before he fell to the floor and broke in his now frozen solid body. She knew she should feel some remorse, but then she thought of what Agent Coulson had told her, _we can't have a mutant in his control_. If she didn't get out now, she was going to be a prisoner for real.

She broke out of her thoughts in time to see an arm stick out around a corner. She reached for the wrist and twisted, taking the gun the woman had been holding. The woman cried out as Ellie let go and turned the gun in her direction. For a second Ellie thought the woman was pleading with her. Shaking her head, she pulled the trigger and continued in the direction she hoped was right.

As she reached the end of a corridor she was comforted that her intuition knew where to take her. She slowed down as she reached the top of the staircase that would lead her to the catwalk where Loki's cell was suspended above the trap door. She saw him standing near the door. Instead of pacing or tapping his foot, he was simply staring at the glass as if hoping to shatter it with looks. Her attention went to the group of four that stumbled through the door near the control panel. After one of the men fell from a gunshot wound, Ellie hurried to get down there.

By the time she reached the landing, there was two men left. She saw the blue eyes of one and recognized the same discoloration from the footage Agent Coulson had just showed her. She went for the other man and stilled as he spun around at her touch, the barrel of his gun pressing into her temple. She smirked as she felt his heart beat wildly under her palm. She thought of a long, thick icicle and the next thing she knew, the man was falling to the floor, a skewer of ice sticking out of his chest.

The man with glowing blue eyes lashed out with a kick and swept her off her feet. He moved to stand above her, a gun aimed at her, but stopped as Loki's voice filled their ears. "No," he demanded. The man lowered his arms and stepped back. He looked at Loki as if waiting further instructions. Without Loki having to say another word, the man turned and left to rejoin the fight outside the door.

Ellie stared across the short distance and met Loki's gaze. There was the faintest trace of a smirk on his lips and Ellie felt one coming onto her own. "Part of your plan?" she asked.

"Coming along just as I thought it would," he returned.

Her eyes darted around to look at the glass container he was stuck in. "Yeah, it's going great for you," she quipped. She turned and went to the control panel. "I suppose you would like me to let you out."

"Not part of the plan, but I am all for improvioions provided they are in my favor."

"Ah, I'm in control again," she said and saw the way his hands clenched into fists from the corner of her eyes. She stared at the panel again and gave a brief thought to how this was the deciding moment. If she let him out, she was on his side. If she didn't, she had a chance at walking out of this as if nothing happened. She sighed knowing that if she didn't go down this path, she wouldn't get any answers. She needed him to escape as much as he wanted to for himself.

As her hand reached out for the button, Agent Coulson entered the room holding an exceptionally large gun. "Don't," he warned, aiming it at Ellie.

Her hand hovered in the air as she turned to look at him. "I killed some of your men to get here. I was already a prisoner, you said so yourself, but my choices are pretty shitty now."

"Ellie-"

"If I don't let him out, I get locked away, never to see the sun again. I do, I go with him and get answers to questions no one else has been able to answer up to this point."

"I'll shoot," Agent Coulson warned.

She smiled sadly and took a deep breath. "I know," she replied and raised her hand, her powers flowing from her fingers before Agent Coulson realized what was going on. Small icicles riddled his body and he fell back against the wall, the gun resting awkwardly on top of him. He wasn't dead, but with the amount of blood covering him, Ellie knew it wouldn't be long. She closed her eyes and turned back to the panel. With a sigh, she pushed the button and in the next instant Loki was behind her, pushing his front tight to her back. The panel bit into her body as he crushed himself against her.

"Wise decision," he murmured, his voice soft next to her ear.

She turned as the pressure of his weight against her disappeared and she saw him standing near the entrance to the glass cell. Something flickered and she looked to her side to see Loki indicating that the double was by the door. A moment later the door to the room opened and Thor came in. "No!" he shouted and charged for Loki as if to put them both in the cell.

In the blink of an eye, Loki disappeared and Thor passed the threshold into the cell. He flung his hammer towards the door a split second after Ellie hit the button on the panel again, sealing the blonde god in. The glass cracked and the cage shifted as the suspensions began to give way. Loki lifted a brow at her, impressed at her quick thinking.

"Loki!" Thor bellowed.

Loki moved to stand by Ellie's side. She stepped back to watch as he stared at the panel, glancing at the cell with Thor every so often. His fingers tapped on the edge of the panel as he decided what to do. He pushed a button and the trap door underneath opened. A rush of air filled the room and whipped at Ellie's hair. Thor steadied himself and looked around for an escape. "The humans think us immortal," Loki said. He turned to look at Thor. "Should we test that theory?"

"L-"

Before Thor could finish Loki's name, Loki pushed another button and the cell disappeared from sight.

Ellie felt her breath catch at how fast he was gone. "Now what?" she asked as Loki turned towards her.

"You're going to lose," came Agent Coulson's voice. It was soft and weak, but it still reached their ears.

"Your heroes are scattered. Your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?" he asked, turning to look at the dying man.

"It's in your nature?"

"What?"

"You lack conviction," Agent Coulson replied. Ellie saw his fingers twitch near the trigger and knew what he was going to do.

"I-" Loki started. Ellie jumped in front of him, letting her powers out to throw up a wall of ice around them as Agent Coulson pulled the trigger. The gun was powerful as it blasted through the ice with little effort. At best, she had provided just enough cushion that as they crashed through wall at the opposite side of the room they didn't die as she was sure they would have.

Ellie landed first, face down on the ground. She cried out as she skid across the rubble and smacked into the wall. She heard a sickening snap and screamed as pain exploded through her body. The pain worsened as she felt something heavy land on top of her. "Frost," came Loki's voice from above her. There was concern in his tone as he pushed himself off of her and carefully turned her around.

She whimpered as she stared at him. She could feel her shoulder throbbing from where it had cracked. The longer she stared up at him, the more Loki's she saw. She closed her eyes as her vision darkened and cried out again as she felt Loki's arms around her, picking up. Instead of scooping her up like she thought he would do, he propped her up against the wall and placed his hands on her injured arm. She hissed at the pain as heat seared through her body and in the next instant, the pain was gone.

She blinked a few times before her vision returned and she realized how close Loki was. He was pinning her to the wall with his body, the hand on her shoulder sliding up to cup her face. "Thank you," she whispered.

He inclined his head and then reached for her other hand before turning and pulling her back into the battle erupting all around them. As she followed Loki through the twists and turns of the Helicarrier she was amazed at how much better she felt. She wasn't sure if it was survival, an adrenaline rush, or if he had healed her. Either way, she was grateful for the burst of energy and continued to follow him. Finally they stopped at the surface level of the Helicarrier and slowed down.

Ellie's lungs burned from the run through the maze. The sight of their escape made her realize quickly that she was running low on energy. She watched as Loki stepped onto the jet and turned to her expectantly. She turned to the Helicarrier and wondered for the first time how Pixie and Cypher were faring. Shaking her head, she turned and followed Loki onto the jet. The moment she sat down the door closed and they were taking off. Ellie closed her eyes to take a breath. For the moment she was safe, but it was the thought of what was to come that made her anxious. Either way, she had made her choice and now she had to wait to see how it played out.


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

As Ellie's breathing regulated and her heart slowed to where she couldn't feel it slamming against her chest, she began to take in her surroundings. The plane they were on was similar to the one that had taken her to the Helicarrier in the first place, but the people inside were strange. While the SHIELD agents hadn't exactly been full of chit-chat, they still gave off a friendly vibe. Here, the people that lined the walls of the jet seemed cold and detached. They all had the glowing blue tint to their eyes and a stony look on their face. It was unnerving to look at.

She shook her head and turned her attention to trying out her shoulder. She hadn't had the injury long, but she was pretty sure the impact had shattered her bones. Loki's touch and healed her, but there was a lingering soreness that she felt as she rolled her shoulder. Finished testing her body's damage, she settled back against the wall of the jet and let her mind wander to Pixie and Cypher. She felt completely awful for leaving them both. She felt even worse at the fact that she hadn't even thought of them until she was about to board the jet a few minutes ago.

As she pulled herself out of her thoughts she saw Loki staring at her. She took in his battle worn appearance and wondered if she looked any better. Either way, he was staring at her as if she weren't wearing anything at all. As her lips twitched to smirk at him, his features hardened and he became unreadable. Ellie's face scrunched in confusion and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs.

"Sir," came a voice from the front of the jet.

Loki got up and made his way to the pilot. Ellie watched him walk away and pushed herself to her feet before she could stop herself. She saw the look he gave her by glancing slightly in her direction, but he didn't say a word about it. She leaned against the wall opposite of Loki as she listened to the conversation.

"Dr. Selvig and his team are en route. They just deployed from base," the man in the pilot's chair stated.

Loki nodded and stared out the window. Ellie followed his gaze and her eyes widened as she began to recognize the buildings. "We're in New York," she breathed.

Loki turned his head to look at her and nodded briefly. "The city," he specified and turned his attention back to the pilots. "How long before we get there?"

"We'll be there within the next half hour."

"Is there anyone following us?"

"No, Sir. Barton did as you requested and hit where it would cause the most damage. From what we saw, they won't be able to come after you for at least a day." Ellie saw him grin, the first emotion she had seen on any of Loki's people. "If they know where to find you."

The ghost of a smirk washed over Loki's face as he nodded. "I dropped subtle hints. I am sure they will catch on eventually." He turned and looked around at the other people inside the jet. "Where is Barton?"

"He was taken by SHIELD," the co-pilot said, speaking for the first time.

"If he's not already dead they will have taken him captive. It won't be long until they figure out how to reverse your hold on him."

"I assure you, it won't matter," Loki said. "I didn't tell him anything of use."

Ellie took in the sight of the buildings they were flying over and wondered where their destination would be. The familiarity made her close her eyes and turn away as she felt the smallest twinges of guilt. It only reminded her that she had abandoned her friends and teammates when she had made a promise to keep them safe. Not wanting to open her eyes and see the city again, she turned to go back to her seat.

She stopped in her tracks as Loki's arm shot out and his hand wrapped around her bicep. He kept her from moving any further with his vice-like grip. At first, Ellie's gaze went to his hand on her arm, then it moved up to the his intense crystal blue stare. Her breath caught as she realized this was the first time he had touched her in the real world since their encounter on the stairs in Germany. _God, was that only yesterday?_ she asked herself.

She thought for sure he would have said something, but he just stood there, staring at her, his hand fastened around her bicep. "What?" she asked, her voice terse.

Instead of replying right away, he pulled her back and turned her around. She was standing in front of him with her back flush against his chest. He placed one arm around her, pinning her arms to her side while the other reached up to move her hair off to one side, draping over her shoulder. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "I am not a prisoner anymore." She felt his lips against the curve of her neck and his breath tickled her skin as he spoke again. "You are no longer in control. I am."

This was the real world, not some game or out of body experience created by magic. The feel of his arousal pressing into her back coupled with the idea that people were around them made her shudder at his unspoken promises. "There are people watching," she breathed, her voice so quiet she barely heard herself.

He grinned, something she felt against her skin and she shut her eyes as she shuddered again. "They won't react unless I tell them to."

She felt constricted in his grasp and attempted to wriggle free. The only thing she succeeded in was getting him to tighten his hold. Not that she didn't enjoy their encounters, but the idea of being constrained made her panic. Panic made her powers go haywire. As if on cue, she noticed the chill in the air and opened her eyes to see a thin layer of ice spreading out on the ground around her feet. She could see it creeping up on the backs of the chairs where the two pilots sat, but if either of them felt it, neither said a word.

"Stop," he demanded.

Ellie wasn't sure if it was her squirming in his arms or her lack of control that he wanted to stop, but hearing his command brought both to a halt. He loosened his grip enough for her to be able to breathe comfortably. As a result, the ice disappeared and she leaned back against him for support. Whatever hold he had on her had clearly not diminished in their escape.

He withdrew and Ellie shuddered at the sense of loss. It was a short lived sensation before he turned her to face him and reached up to hold her chin in his hands. "You fascinate me."

"Why?" she asked, unable to look at anything but his eyes.

"The scepter touched you, yet you remain unaffected."

"Oh, I'm affected."

He inclined his head. "But not the way you're supposed to be." She swallowed around a tight throat and Loki smirked as he heard her breath catch. "I do, however, admire the outcome of the affection that arose."

"It wasn't the scepter's touch that captured my affection. I felt connected to you the moment I laid eyes on you."

Loki leaned in until his lips were so close they brushed over hers as he spoke. "As your king, I would expect nothing less."

Her questions were swallowed as his lips pressed firmly against hers. The words died in her throat and her brain scrambled as his body moved to be even closer. Unfortunately, before they could truly lose themselves in their passion, a voice brought them back to reality.

"We're almost there, Sir."

Ellie looked out the windshield and felt her jaw drop slightly. "Stark Tower?" she choked out before she could hold the comment in.

"The perfect place to launch an invasion," Loki informed her and turned away to instruct his men on what to do.

Dumbfounded, Ellie continued to stare at the big glowing letters that seemed to grow impossibly larger as they approached. She had expected something daring, but launching an attack on your enemies front yard seemed a little... _Invasion_? Her mind snapped back into focus as Loki came to stand beside her again. "What's going on?" she asked.

"I'll explain once we're inside," he promised and Ellie could only nod as they continued their approach.

As Ellie finally tore her gaze from their approach and turned to look at the men inside the jet she was in awe of the sight. The men and women on board were standing near the rear entrance. They had their equipment in hand and were just standing and staring. She knew they would be ready at a moment's notice and it was strange to see such lifelessness from this many people.

Slowly, they reached their destination and Ellie was able to hold her ground easily as the jet landed. The rear hatch opened and the soldiers filed out. Loki stayed back and Ellie waited knowing if she dared to move he would just make her stay. When they were the last two people on the jet, he turned to her and beckoned with a slight tilt of his head for her to follow. As she stepped outside she stopped at the sight. They were on a patio without any railings and just as high as a majority of the other buildings in the city. Ellie swallowed tightly and tried to ignore the dizziness that came with the realization of just how high up she was.

"All clear, Sir. The tower is unoccupied and we have begun the prep work for Dr. Selvig and his team when they arrive," the pilot said as he came back out to her and Loki.

"You're to stay outside and set up a perimeter. Report to me immediately of any intruders or of Dr. Selvig's arrival."

"As you command, Sir," the pilot said and moved to carry out his orders.

At that, Loki turned to Ellie and extended a hand for her to take. "Follow me."

She placed her hand in his and let him lead her inside. Glad to be indoors instead of out in the open on a not-so-guarded patio, Ellie felt herself sigh with relief. However, the relief was short lived. The moment the door closed, Ellie felt herself being thrown against it. She gave a grunt from the impact and found herself in awe of the fact the glass didn't shatter. Loki had one had on her his, the other wrapped around her throat, tilting her face up.

"I don't appreciate being toyed with."

"And I do?" she fired back, her voice strangled from his grip.

He pushed himself closer and Ellie's eyes fluttered as she felt his arousal through her clothes. Her jumpsuit had been ripped and torn from the battle on the Helicarrier and provided little in terms of a barrier as Loki's front molded to hers in all the right places. She shifted her hips and gave a sly smile at the way his eyes darkened with pleasure. Slowly, his hand let go of her throat and traveled to her collarbone. His fingers tugged at the zipper of her jumpsuit until it reached it's end. He pushed it off her shoulders, letting his fingers leave barely there brushes against her skin.

Ellie let her head fall back and closed her eyes. She tipped her head to the side as she felt Loki's lips against the curve of her neck. He smirked against her skin as he felt it prickle from his touch. He felt a shiver run down his spin as he yearned to be buried within her, but he was determined to enjoy this. He had enjoyed their out of body encounters, but in the short while he had been able to touch her in the real world, he couldn't seem to stop himself.

His lips, glued to her skin, made their way down her body until they reached the swell of her breasts. He appreciated the fact that she didn't have any undergarments to remove as of yet. She moaned as his lips closed around a budding nipple while his hand reached out to pluck at its twin. A moan quickly turned to a whimper as he moved on after only a few seconds. His lips continued to trail their way down, his hands pulling the jumpsuit off of her the further down we went.

Ellie opened her eyes and looked down to see him kneeling before her. She lifted her feet at his touch so he could completely remove her clothes. Bare, his lips returned to her skin and kissed his way towards the center of her body. To Ellie's dismay, he kissed every inch of her skin except for the place that she craved him the most. It drove her crazy and the anticipation heightened her arousal.

A slight gasp escaped her lips as Loki's touch disappeared all together. She opened her eyes and stared at him with a hooded gaze, watching as he took in the sight of her. She reached out to start removing his clothes, but he batted her hands away and smirked at the pout that showed on her face. "I'm in control," he reminded her, his voice husky with desire.

Ellie didn't dare try to move, the promise of what awaited her if she obeyed was all she could think about. She watched him unfasten his pants, his fingers taking their time in doing so. It was clear that he had all the patience in the world, but Ellie was struggling; she had never had any patience. She wet her lips as he freed himself and she felt her inner walls clench at the moisture that pooled as he wrapped his hand around his own length.

His eyes fluttered for a moment as he thought of all the ways he could take her, each one making him harder than he thought he could be. As he shrugged off his coat, he gave her a sly smile as he finally settled on one. In the blink of an eye, he used his magic to remove the rest of his clothing and moved forward. A cry of surprise from Ellie reached his ears as he leaned down enough to place his arms between her thighs, nudging them apart. When he had her where he wanted her, he straightened his back, her knees bent around his arms. Her hands went up to his shoulders to steady herself and her back went flush against the wall. She could feel his hardened cock poised at her entrance and gave a breathy moan of consent as she tried to push her hips forward.

She knew he was a God which meant he was far stronger than a human, but to have been picked up so easily and held as if it were no big deal made her tremble. However, the longer they stood there with him barely resting against her slick core, Ellie grew frustrated. _What is he waiting for_? she asked herself over and over again. Each time she tried to move her hips in consent, he did nothing.

Slowly, ever so slowly, his lips lowered to hers and Ellie felt something. There was a cold to the kiss that she had experienced before. He had done this during their first encounter. It came from him and flowed through her as he deepened the kiss. For the first time since she was touched by the scepter, she _felt_ the cold, experienced it as a normal human would. She shuddered and then moaned loudly as she finally, _finally _felt the tip of his arousal push its way inside her body.

Ellie stared at him in disbelief, an unrecognizable sound coming from the back of her throat as he withdrew. He grinned at her and repeated the action. Several times he continued with this method of torture, each time feeling her move about in his grasp trying to draw him in deeper. Suddenly, unable to stand it himself, Loki slammed into her, burying himself in as deep as he could. The force of his thrust brought a cry from her lips so loud she was sure his agents could hear outside.

Her fingers dug in to his shoulders, her nails cutting through the surface, drawing blood. He adjusted his hold on her, making sure that he had a solid grip, before leaning in to roughly capture her lips with hers. The torture was over the moment their lips met. Loki began pounding away at her, gaining speed and depth with each thrust. Ellie had never been one to be vocal, but the pleasure of their passion and the cold that came with it was something she had never experienced it before. It quickly brought her to the edge and she threw her head back to cry out as she came for him.

Loki slowed down to let her enjoy her moment and shuddered as her walls clenched at him greedily. He placed his lips to her throat and nipped at her skin, enjoying the way her body arched into his. Loki emitted a groan of ecstasy as he slowly built up the pace again. She was incredibly wet for him and not far away from her second orgasm. The idea that he could make her cum so quickly and multiple times made him moan against her skin. He felt his cock twitch as he continued to pump in and out of her, signaling he was close. He had intended on taking his time with her, but he plan was thwarted when her hand snaked up and her fingers tugged at his hair. His head reared back, tearing his lips away from her skin.

"Fuck," she hissed as her fingers dug into his shoulder even further than before. "_Loki_- ah!"

His name turned into a moan as she hurtled into orgasm. Loki gave one final thrust followed by a grunt and followed suit, cuming inside her. Her hand slid to the side of his face and he tipped his head down to look at her. He shuddered as he saw her staring at him as she went through the final stages of her high.

She let go of her hold on his shoulder as he slid out of her and set her gently on her feet. He kept her pinned to the door, his chest against hers, knowing if he stepped away her knees would buckle. She was shaking through the aftershocks and trying desperately to catch her breath. His lips brushed over hers as his hand reached up to trace the outline of her jaw. She smiled and let her hands roam over his body, making him shiver from her barely-there touches.

"Now that that's out of the way," Ellie said, her voice still breathy.

Loki's grin turned into a frown as she slipped out from between him and the door. "Where are you going?" he asked, watching her walk away, completely unabashed that she wasn't wearing anything. It had been awhile since he had met a woman so bold.

"To clean up," she called over her shoulder as she went in search of a bathroom.


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

At first, Ellie thought it was a trick of the light, but the longer she stared at her reflection, the more she couldn't deny that it was _her_. It truly was her skin that was tinted blue; it was faint, but it was there. She shook her head and forced her thoughts away from the issue. She would get an answer soon enough. Right now, she just wanted to wipe away the evidence of sex from her body and find clothes. She moved to the edge of the sink and grabbed a handful of toilet paper. After she cleaned herself, she tossed the paper in the water and flushed. She took another long look at herself in the mirror before venturing further down the hall in search of clothes.

She opened three different doors before she found a bedroom. It only hit her as she crossed the threshold that this was Tony Stark's bedroom; Iron Man's bedroom. It gave her a little hope knowing that Pepper lived here too. The blonde might be much thinner than Ellie, but she was tall which she hoped would make up for it. Ellie frowned as she opened the closet and saw an array of business attire. It was going to take a bit of searching to find something that would fit and that wouldn't be either too stuffy or too much like pajamas.

She did a double take as she saw a familiar pink stripped bag on a shelf and made her way to that first. Inside were three pairs of underwear, each different styles. Ellie sighed with relief that the tags were still on and decided that she needed them more at the moment. She chose the boyshort as they were a two sizes smaller than she normally wore, but they were the style that would be the least tight. As she pulled them on, she grunted in triumph at the fact that they fit pretty well. Unfortunately, the only other thing of Pepper's she could manage to find was a pair of black leggings that stopped just below her knee cap. She had been hoping for jeans, but this was as good as she was getting so she pulled them on.

Sighing in defeat, she turned around and saw another set of doors across the room. His and Hers closets. A grin took hold of her lips as she thought of how Loki would react seeing her in something of Tony Stark's. She opened the doors and stepped inside. Racks upon racks of designer suits greeted her and soon she realized how bad an idea this was. Just as she was about to give up and go topless she came across a set of shelves in the back chocked full of T-shirts. "Thank God," she mumbled and searched for one that did not have a band logo on it. She settled for a dark green one and smirked as she realized it matched the color of Loki's ensemble.

As dressed as she was going to get, she made her way back to the living area where she had left Loki. He was coming towards her from the kitchen, two glasses with clear liquid in hand. "What took you so long?" he asked, taking in the sight of her outfit.

Ellie took a glass and noticed that he had elected to only put on his bottoms and his coat when redressing. Her gaze lingered on his chest wanting to explore each and every square inch of sinewy muscle that showed. Her tongue darted out to run over her lips as the wicked scenarios played out in her head. However, she was pulled back to reality by the sound of a throat clearing. She felt heat creep to her face as she met Loki's inquisitive glance. She smiled sheepishly and downed the shot without a second thought.

"How much longer until Dr. Sevig-"

"Selvig," Loki corrected.

"Until Dr. Selvig comes around?"

"I'll answer that when you answer why it took you so long to come back," he said, leaning against the back of a couch to stare at her.

"It took me awhile to find something to wear. Pepper is smaller than I am." She looked down and plucked at the leggings stretched over her thighs. "I'm just glad I found anything."

"I'm surprised she had a T-shirt."

Ellie smirked from one side of her mouth. "She didn't."

The scowl on his face made her feel powerful in a way that she had never felt before. He downed his shot and then lowered the glass to his side, his finger gently tapping on the side. He chose to not comment on the shirt and answer her earlier question, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he hated it. "Dr. Selvig was closer than my agents thought. He and his team will be here within the hour."

"That's good," she said; she'd never been good at small talk. She tilted her head to the side as she let her eyes rake over his body again. She hadn't noticed it before, but she saw it now, that slight blue tint to his skin that matched her own, one that was so faint she thought it was a trick of the light again. "I've never met anyone who could handle the cold let alone dish it out."

"Neither have I," he returned.

Her eyes narrowed in curiosity at the pain in his voice. "My skin turned blue when the scepter touched me. Why?"

"Because of your nature."

"My nature?" she questioned. "I'm a mutant, but I'm not that kind of mutant..."

He shook his head and moved away from the couch. He took her glass and moved to the counter to set them both down. "You are not a mutant."

"Um, twenty-four years of people telling me I am begs to differ."

"They knew you were different, not human, and the only thing around to explain it on this planet is being a mutant," he explained. "But you are not."

She decided it was worthless to keep arguing this point. "Then what am I?"

"A Frost Giant."

At first she only stared at him. Her stare led to a smile which led to a full on laugh. She stopped herself after a few moments and wiped at her eyes. He was frowning at the fact she didn't take him seriously. "Sorry," she muttered. The humor faded and she took a deep breath to clear her mind. Her face scrunched as she let his words truly sink in. "What the hell is a Frost Giant?"

"We come from the planet Jotunheim. We can make things from ice that is around us or create the ice ourselves. Some of us have other magic capabilities as well. We thrive in the cold and the colder we get, the more we take on our true form. That is why your skin turned blue. The Infinity Stone in the scepter made you cold enough to bring out the Frost Giant in you."

She heard him, but she was still trying to get past the word planet. She shook her head and took a step back from him without thinking. "I don't-"

"The Infinity Stone, or that one in particular, is programmed to bend the mind of the touched to the will of the holder. As you said, you were already affected by me as a subject would be to her king."

He was taking steps towards her now like a hunter stalking its prey. "So what? Are you king of the Frost Giants?"

"Yes," he said flatly. "Long story short, there was a war once upon a time between Asgard and the Frost Giants. The Giants invaded Midgard and Asgard intervened. The final fight took place on Jotunheim and Odin got King Laufey to surrender. Odin found an abandoned babe and took him home to raise him like a son. That son grew up feeling out of place and slighted. When he learned of his true nature he knew what he wanted to do with that knowledge."

"Let me guess, that son was you," she stated as her back flattened against a wall.

He inclined his head as he continued to approach her. "I wanted both thrones and I used the kings against each other. I convinced Laufey that I would help him kill Odin, but I killed Laufey myself instead. The throne has fallen to me by default and you, a Frost Giant, sensed that about me when we met."

"Couldn't have been your villainous demeanor or my attraction to you that brought me to my knees faster than it takes to blink," she said, her voice low.

His lips quirked into a smile as he stopped an inch away from her. "Either way."

She shook her head and slipped away from him. "But I've never even know there was another planet named Jotun-whatever, let alone been there. How is it possible that I'm a Frost Giant?"

He gave a casual shrug. "A few could have lingered after the war or been left for dead. They probably mated with humans over time; away from the cold we look like this," he said, gesturing at them both. "Time passed and now you're here. Did your parents possess the same affinity for ice?"

"I never knew my parents," she said so softly he barely heard her. "I was found as a baby and turned into a hospital. I was lucky and the girl that accepted me was a mutant too. She placed me in a foster home that catered to my needs and, well... Here I am."

"You are not a mutant," he bit out, a little anger in his voice. In a flash he had his arms around her. His cheek was flush against hers, his lips at her ear. "We are giants," he breathed.

Slowly he moved so that their foreheads were touching. Ellie thought of everything he had said, but she was having a hard time believing it. There was truth in it, that she couldn't deny. For example, with the exception of three mutants she'd ever heard of, mutants did not get their powers until the start of puberty. She had always had hers; always. She had never been cold, never, not once. Her foster parents, all of them, had to remind her to wear a jacket during the winter, especially during blizzards. The colder it was, the better she felt. It was the heat that did her in and why she hated traveling anywhere that didn't have a slight chill to the air.

Her mind went blank and she sighed with relief as Loki kissed her. She let her hands go to his chest and slowly work their way up and down, exploring every crevice of his muscles. His hands rested on her hips as they brought her body closer to his. He knew he had preparations to make and things to do, but he had never met someone like her before. She was like him in more ways than he could name and all he wanted to do was explore her, inside and out.

"Sir," came one of his agent's voices.

Ellie was the first to break the kiss and let her head fall into the curve of his neck, her hands still on his chest. Loki kept his hands on her as he addressed the other man. "Yes?" he asked, his voice full of annoyance.

"Dr. Selvig is five minutes out."

"Is that all?" Loki asked.

"Yes Sir," the other man replied and took his leave.

"What happens when Dr. Selvig gets here?" Ellie murmured against his skin.

Loki took a moment to think of the best way to answer, but couldn't decide on anything but the blunt truth.

"War."

She stilled in his arms, but didn't back away. "May I ask why?" she asked, lifting her head up so she could see his face as he responded.

"Why not?" he responded. "This planet is full of weak humans and seems ripe for the taking. The ones that survive will either become soldiers as I launch another attack at a different realm or stay here and become slaves. Their choice."

He expected her to pull away from him, outraged that we could speak of such things and not flinch. Instead, she remained where she was and held his gaze as if it didn't bother her at all. A smile of pride washed over him, one that was quickly dashed with her reply. "They'll fight back."

"Of course they will, but they will lose."

"How can you be so sure?"

"If I doubt myself I don't have a very good case, do I?"

She nodded. "Fair enough."

This time she did pull away, but not to get away from him. She retrieved their glasses and went to pour them another round. "Have you ever been in battle?"

"Uh-"

"Aside from the attack," he interrupted.

She shook her head. "There's the simulations in the Danger Room, but that hardly counts."

"Danger Room?"

She nodded. "A battle simulator at the Institute."

He stared at her, but didn't comment, instead he continued as if he knew what she was talking about. "It counts. Without it I'm sure you wouldn't have handled yourself so well earlier."

She nodded at that. "True." She handed him his glass and they downed the shot at the same time. "Guess I'll find out soon enough."

"You're handling all of this much better than I imagined."

"The alternative is to be a complete mess which would be utterly useless. I don't really see how I can't take this well, do you?" He shook his head and watched as her hand reached out to cup his face. "Besides, when you win the war you're about to start you can tell me everything again in full detain and make me understand."

"Sir, Dr. Selvig is here," an agent said as he entered the tower.

"Let the war begin," Loki declared and smiled at Ellie before leading her outside.


	9. Chapter 9

**a/n: Oh no, the story is NOT almost over, we're just getting into the real stuff now. There will be plenty of Loki/OC stuff to come ;)**

NINE

For the past few hours, Ellie had gone back and forth from going outside to learn what was going on and sitting on the couch inside. Outside there was a lot going on, but everyone knew exactly what they were doing and where to be; organized chaos. Loki gave eloquent commands here and there, but everything was so precise and well thought out, his supervision was barely needed. Dr. Selvig was quite the genius so setting up the contraption outside was no big deal.

Ellie spent the majority of her time alone inside. She went back and forth from freezing and unfreezing things to watching TV. There wasn't anything interesting on and the news wasn't reporting anything strange. Loki seemed to believe that she wouldn't run off if he wasn't by her side so he left her alone. Ellie was glad for it. The past two days, if that, had been so intense that she welcomed the break.

After a solid hour away from her, Loki came back inside, staring at her as she lounged on the couch. "I'm surprised you're still here."

She snorted and turned her head towards him. "Where else would I go?"

"Home."

"I was living at the mansion, but it was _not_ my home," she replied and turned away. "Besides, SHIELD definitely wants me as a prisoner now. I have no intentions of being one. I like it right where I am."

"Good answer," he replied, letting his eyes rake over her.

She swung her legs over and sat up properly on the couch. "What exactly is that thing that Dr. Selvig is putting together? It looks like something straight out of Stargate."

His head cocked to the side as he sat near her on the couch. "I have no idea what that is."

"I know," she mumbled and waved her hand. "So? What is it?"

"It's a device that will open a portal and allow travel from one realm to the next. It is how I plan to get my army here."

She grinned and shook her head. "So, a Stargate."

"Whatever you want to call it."

She moved forward with ease, pivoting in her seat to slide her leg over his waist. Once she was comfortably straddling him, she let her fingers dive into his hair and tug back slightly. "What's the name of your alien army?"

"The Chitauri," he answered as she leaned down and placed her lips against his neck.

"Hmmm," she cooed as her lips nipped their way to his ear before her teeth took hold of his lobe. He involuntarily bucked his hips and she gave a hearty laugh, one that he felt go through him.

He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her off of him despite his growing desire. He got to his feet and straightened his clothes. "It's almost time."

Ellie frowned, but got to her feet. "Probably for the best. I don't want to weaken you, my king," she teased as she walked in front of him, her finger lightly grazing across his chest as she went.

He scowled at her, but didn't say a thing as they made their way outside. Ellie noticed an agent hand him the scepter and wondered if that had been in the jet this whole time. She didn't remember having it with them when they left the Helicarrier. "Are you ready, Dr. Selvig?"

The older man nodded and opened the silver briefcase. He pulled out the square blue object inside and lifted it into the center of the contraption he had been working on. "It will take a few moments to power up, but when it does, the portal will open."

"Good," Loki said and turned towards the members of SHIELD he had possessed. "I don't need any of you anymore." One by one he shot at the agents with the scepter and Ellie watched as they dropped to the ground, some fell over the edge from the force. All she could think about was the men she had killed back in the Helicarrier, but now was not a good time to bring up any guilt she may or may not have.

"Now what?"

"Now we wait," Loki said and watched the machine begin to power up.

* * *

They didn't have to wait long. Ellie thought it was a reflection from a plane, but as it got closer, she realized it was Iron Man flying in their direction. He stopped and hovered near Dr. Selvig's part of the roof. "Shut it down, Dr. Selvig."

"I can't. It's already on. There's no stopping it now."

Stark didn't say anything as he raised his hands and let a blast fly towards the device. A force field went up and sent the blast back at Iron Man, causing him to stumble in the air. Ellie watched as Dr. Selvig went flying backwards in the wall. Dead or not, the device was already up and running; clearly there was no stopping it now. Without a word, Stark landed on a different level of the patio and his machines began to strip away his suit. She followed Loki back into the Tower, entering the same time Tony did.

Tony was closer to the kitchen area as Ellie and Loki entered a separate door near the couches. Tony chuckled as Ellie saw him reach for a glass. " I would offer you a drink, but I see you've already helped yourselves." He turned around then to pour himself a shot and did a double take at the sight of Ellie as if realizing her presence for the first time. "Is that my shirt?"

She nodded. "My jumpsuit got ruined."

"I see that," he said, nodding to the pile on the floor where her jumpsuit remained. "Your friends are worried. We had no idea if you were dead or alive," he added and Ellie saw him snap something around his wrists.

"Now you know."

"Now we know," he returned and then directed his attention at Loki. "You won't win."

"I've heard that before," he replied.

"Yes, but now we've banned together, the Avengers. It's what we're calling ourselves. All of us together will be too much for you."

"I have an army," Loki reminded him.

"We have a Hulk," Stark said as he moved from behind the counter and began to approach the pair.

"And now I have you," Loki added and took a step in his direction, placing the tip of the scepter in the center of Tony Stark's chest.

Ellie knew it must have had something to do with the arch reactor in his chest when nothing happened to him. Out of frustration, Loki threw a punch and grabbed Stark's shirt. He launched the man out the window the same time he yelled, "Deploy!" to no one in particular.

Ellie barely had a second to react as her ears filled with the sound of more glass shattering. By the time she turned around, it was too late. The bright red metal capsule was already upon her, striking her down with enough force to have her bounce off the tile floor. She cried out, but as Loki turned to go for her, Iron Man was in his line of vision again, fully suited up. Without a word, he blasted Loki. As he slid towards Ellie from impact another blast rumbled the floor beneath them and as they turned their heads, they were rewarded with the sight of the portal activating. A large column of blue reaching out towards the sky before tearing a hole open in the clouds. Soon, strange looking creatures covered in metal began to emerge and fill the skyline of New York City. Looking at the bigger picture, Iron Man turned away from the two house invaders and made his way out into the city.

"It's beautiful," Ellie breathed as she continued to stare at the wormhole.

"You think so?" Loki asked, surprise clear in his voice.

She tore her gaze away to look at him and smiled sheepishly. "In a deadly kind of way."

The humor was short lived as another guest arrived on the lower level of the patio. Thor. He glanced towards the device and Dr. Selvig's unconscious form before taking in the sight of Loki and Ellie. "Turn it off!" he demanded.

Loki took a half step forward, putting Ellie behind him. "It cannot be stopped. There is only war." Ellie watched as he raised the scepter and saw the surprise in Thor's eyes as he watched his brother turn and raise the weapon in Ellie's direction. She cried out, but not in pain as the power of the Infinity Stone unleashed her own powers. The tingle she had felt in Germany was back and more intense than before. When he removed the scepter, Ellie stumbled back, realizing that ice formed on the ground wherever her feet touched. She stared wildly at Loki as her skin began to crawl. Skin. She looked at her hands and sure enough, they were blue. It was only a tint of icy blue, not like Mystique or Night Crawler, but definitely blue.

She didn't question his motives as she stared at Loki. Instead, she inclined her head and gave him a smile to say she was fine. Thor watched the interaction closely and stood his ground as Loki turned his way. Loki jumped towards Thor and the clash of their weapons made Ellie's thoughts focus. If Thor got the best of him, it was over. She raised her hands and shot off a few icicles in his direction, his hammer deflecting all of them. Not wanting to risk hitting Loki, she pushed out with her powers and created an icy bridge that would lead her down to their level. As she slid down, she thought of a sword and felt one forming of ice on her hand as if it were a part of her. When she reached the bottom, she swung her sword arm at Thor and managed to slice at his arm.

The action gave Loki an advantage, but Thor lashed back and sent her flying into the wall. The concrete barrier that stopped her crumbled, landing on her in a variety of chunks. She took a moment to compose herself before getting to her feet. Instead of going after Thor again, she stopped at the sound of an engine. She looked up to see a quinjet approach and Black Widow in the pilot's chair. The guns came out and aimed at Loki. Without giving it a second thought, Ellie raised her hands and threw all of her concentration at bringing down the jet. As the jet began to fall through the sky, Ellie's knees gave out from too much power use.

As her vision began to clear, she wished it hadn't. Thor had knocked Loki's scepter away from him and they were shoulder to shoulder as if trying to wrestle. Ellie gathered up as much strength as she could to make her way towards the duo. As she got within an arm's length of them, Thor gave a grunt and knocked Loki away. He and Ellie watched as Thor pulled a knife from his side and turned to Loki. Loki lunged and grabbed Ellie by the wrist before jumping off the side of the Tower. A scream tore from her lips as they fell through the air, the wind stinging them as they gained speed. A grunt of pain and relief came from both of them as they landed on one of the flying vehicles from Loki's army.

Ellie opened her eyes and immediately regretted the action. In her brief glimpse of her surroundings she determined that they were flying through the city. Now that she was aware of that she could feel herself being whipped around and it made her stomach turn. She also had seen Loki sitting in front of her. They had landed facing each other and as they rounded a corner she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"I hate this!" she hollered over the wind.

"Just hang on!" he yelled back.

As if she was going to let go.

She held him tighter at the sound of an explosion close to them. She felt the vessel they were on come to life beneath her as Loki fired its guns. She forced her eyes open then and looked around, forcing the nausea to go away. It would have been easier if her energy hadn't been drained from taking down the quinjet. "How many are there?" She asked.

"Not many," he replied and turned again.

Ellie turned her head and saw Black Widow buzz past them on a Chitauri vessel of her own. She reached out and shot an icicle at her, missing narrowly. It was then she noticed something coming towards them, but it was Loki who caught it. He turned his head and smiled in the direction of the archer as he held the arrow in his hand. Ellie followed his gaze, but was only rewarded with another explosion, one that sent her and Loki tumbling off the vessel.

Ellie didn't have time to scream this time as she landed shoulder-first onto the patio. The force bounced her up and sent her flying through the window. She didn't hear the glass breaking, but she felt it as she rolled through it, the tiny shards lodging into her skin with ease. She stopped after hitting the back of the couch and saw Loki roll to his feet like a cat in the middle of the living room. From the corner of her eye she saw something coming towards them and realized too late that it was the Hulk. In the time it took her to launch for Loki, the big green giant had them both flying through the room again.

Loki got to his feet quickly and pulled Ellie up with him. He turned to the Hulk as he geared up to attack again and yelled, "Enough!" The Hulk hesitated and Loki continued, his grip tightening on Ellie as she swayed on her feet. "All of you are beneath me! I am a God, I will not be bullied by-"

He was interrupted as the Hulk reached out and grabbed him by the ankle. He relinquished his hold on Ellie and she stumbled back, using what was left of the couch to hold herself up. She watched in horror as the Hulk brought Loki crashing down to the floor over and over again as if it were a troll bashing the floor with a club. Mustering up just enough strength, she blasted the green monster with blocks of ice. He let go of his hold on Loki and roared before fleeing the building. Ellie dropped to the floor and looked at Loki who was lying on his back in an indent his body had created during the beating.

Ellie wasn't sure how she did it, but she had made her way to him, collapsing on her side by his legs, facing him. He looked about as well as she felt. Now that she had a moment to breathe, even if she didn't know how long that moment would be, she began to feel the extent of her power consumption. The boost her had given her had faded too quickly and she could already see a faint black tint to her vision. She remembered he had mentioned something about their kind being stronger the colder they were and decided to put that theory to the test. She reached out and grabbed his hand. Her eyes closed and she concentrated, letting ice flow through her and into him. She forced herself to keep going even as she got weaker, refusing to let go until the darkness overcame her.


	10. Chapter 10

TEN

Everything was a blur. She didn't know exactly what happened from the time she grabbed Loki's hand as they lie on the floor of Stark Tower to the moment her eyes opened now, but she could recall snippets. Each time her eyes had opened she glimpsed different things. First there were the EMT's and SHIELD agents picking her up from the floor. Then the dim lighting of an ambulance. The flickering lights of old fluorescent tubes were next, followed by stark white fluorescent bulbs and white walls. Her last snippet consisted of familiar faces, all of them blurred together, but she could make out Pixie, Cypher, and...Logan?

This time her eyes opened and she could see everything clearly as if she were in control of herself again. Pixie was leaning over her and Ellie reached out to push her away. Instead of moving, Ellie's hand went right through the other girl. Ellie sprang to her feet and turned around. Sure enough, her own body was lying on a hospital bed connected to several wires, but thankfully, no breathing apparatus. Pixie was hovering over her, patting her bandaged shoulder lightly and saying encouraging things she thought would help. Ellie looked around and saw Cypher sleeping awkwardly in one of the guest chairs. No Logan in sight.

Ellie thought about what to do and decided it was best to explore. She didn't know how much time she had before she woke up in the real world. Whether or not she would be able to reach Loki was second to finding out information on where she was. With that, she turned and slipped through the wall. She stepped out into a hall and stopped short at the sight of how many SHIELD agents were posted outside of her door.

"I heard they're letting his brother take him home tomorrow," an agent said as she walked past Ellie.

"But he caused all the destruction here," the other said as they continued down the hall. "He should be kept here and tried _here_."

The woman shrugged. "That's what I heard."

Ellie didn't even know she was running until she had to stop to make a turn. She found herself zipping in and out of rooms searching for any clues as to where Loki would be held or what was going to happen after. Either way, she needed answers. Fast. She dove from one room to the next, taking only a few seconds to look around for anything useful. A dozen rooms later she came to a screeching halt as she came across a room full of monitors. One of them had a map while several others had video feeds. She looked over everything and did a double take as she found what she was looking for. She took a few moments to ingrain the image into her mind and set off in that direction.

As she descended the last set of stairs she hoped she would need, she slowed her pace and looked around. Sure enough, the security detail at this point had increased significantly. Thor was even pacing outside one of the cell doors as if waiting for something to happen. Without paying much attention to him, Ellie slipped through him and into the cell. Sure enough, Loki was there. He was sitting in the middle of the room on a metal chair. He was badly beaten and chained several different ways to the floor, the walls, and the chair itself. There was even something around his mouth to keep him from speaking. It made her heart ache to see him.

As she stepped forward to touch him, she was stopped in her tracks. Arms wound their way around her waist and she heard an inhale of breath near her ear. "You're here," Loki murmured, his voice full of relief and surprise.

"Did they tell you I was dead?"

He let go so he could spin her around to face him. His hands cupped her face, tilting it up slightly. He looked pristine as a projection, not a touch of battle to weather his appearance. His eyes raked over her, taking in the sight of her, hoping that she was real. "They were vague on the subject."

"Of course they were," she breathed and let her eyes shut as his forehead rested against hers.

"You saved me."

She swallowed thickly and smiled. "Yeah."

"Why?"

There was something in his tone that made her heart ache even more. She pulled away to look at him. "Why? Because..." she stopped and shook her head. She didn't really have a reason; not one that she cared to name at the moment. "Because you... Because..." She took a deep breath and stared him right in the eyes as she forced the answer out. "Because there's something between us and I wasn't ready to give that up."

"I don't think we get much of a say in that," was his reply.

The misery in his voice propelled her forward so she could brings his lips down to hers. As much as she wanted to take him right then and there, she had other, more important things to do. She kept their kiss deep enough to matter, but light enough so she could break away. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" he asked, his fingers running through her hair. "The plan was to win."

"What's the new plan?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around so they could both look at his body chained to the chair. "There is no plan." His words were harsh and his body stiffened behind her. "Tomorrow Thor and the others will escort me to a safe location so that he can transport me back to Asgard where Odin will dole out my punishment."

"Transport?"

He nodded against her hair. "The Tesseract." He let out a sigh as he pulled away from her. "It's over. I lost."

She shook her head and turned around to face him, her mind going to overdrive as a thought occurred to her. "You lost the war you started, but it's not over." She grabbed him for one last kiss and pulled away smiling.

He grabbed her hand before she could leave and stared at her with narrowed eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Planning," she replied and without a second thought, pulled free from his grasp and slipped out of the cell as easily as she had entered it. She took a moment to compose herself and then she was off again, going about to collect what she needed to set her plan in motion.

* * *

Ellie entered her room feeling confident. She had a plan and it was a good one. However, the agents standing by her side talking to Logan made her hesitant to wake her body in the real world. She looked around, but Cypher and Pixie were no longer there. _How long was I out?_ she wondered.

"You have the guy responsible," Logan said to the agents, his arms hanging motionless at his side. She knew that wasn't a good sign. "I don't know why she went with him, but it doesn't matter any more. I'm taking her home."

"You can't-"

"I can," he corrected and straightened his stance, towering over both of them. "This may be your place of business, but Ellie is one of _us_, not you."

Ellie cringed at his words. She appreciated the sentiment, but it wasn't true anymore. The agents looked at each other and then back at Logan. "Director Fury-"

"Can take it up with the Professor," Logan said. "She's going home with me the minute she wakes up and I dare you to try and stop me."

Knowing it was worthless to argue more, both agents turned and left. Ellie took that as her cue and closed her eyes. When she opened them again she was staring up at Logan from the hospital bed. He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Hey," she muttered, her voice hoarse.

He stared at her for a moment and then arched a brow. "When I told you you'd find another partner in debauchery, I didn't think you would find someone like that."

Her lips twitched into a smile. "I-"

"Save it for later, Kid. We need to get out of here first."

"Where are Pix and Cypher?"

"I sent them to the hotel last night. It's not safe here; not for us."

"Last night?" she questioned. If that were true then it was the day of Loki's deportation. She had to act fast if she wanted her plan to succeed. Her eyes sought the clock on the wall. If that was the correct time, she only had a little over an hour. "We should go."

"Smartest thing you've said in a few days," he said and began unhooking her machines. "You gonna be alright?"

"I'll be fine," she replied and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She would have to be. She took a few tentative steps and sighed with relief as she felt herself returning to normal. Her body still ached as though she had ran a marathon and had a fight in the same day, but her energy had stabilized. She looked down at herself and then around at the room. "My clothes?" Her plan would require something a little more protective than a hospital gown.

He grinned and pointed to the bathroom. "There's one of the SHIELD jumpsuits in there for you. Pixie brought in case you woke up."

"Thanks," she muttered and went to change. "How are we getting out of here?" she asked, not having bothered to close the door as she traded one garment for the other.

"The front door."

She grinned. She would like to see SHIELD try and stop them. Then again, if they had a way to keep Loki locked up, she was sure they could stop the two of them if they really tried. She shook her head to clear her thoughts before returning to the hospital room. "Lead the way."

They walked through the halls with confidence. People were staring at them for their boldness of defying Fury's orders. Their conversations stopped as they passed and Ellie saw how quickly their stares turned to recognition. She was, after all, the girl that helped the war criminal. It wasn't until they were outside that Ellie let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. Logan grabbed her bicep and pulled her off to the side, quickening their pace.

They didn't stop until they reached a public street. Only then did Logan let go and slow down. Ellie stopped completely and rested against a building, taking slow, even breaths. She was in shape, but still not recovered from the fight. She took her time to read the street signs and figure out where she was in terms of her plans. She had memorized that map as if life depended on it and knew that she was just three miles away from where the Avengers would be.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

"When we spoke at the Institute you were getting ready to head out."

"Well, you called me and didn't leave a message. You never call me and if you ever did I thought for damn sure you would have something to say." Her lips twitched into a half smile at that. He had been worried about her. It sent a pang of guilt through her system. "Then the Professor called me and I dropped everything. You scared me, Kid."

Ellie looked down at the ground as she let his words sink in. After a deep breath she looked at him again and asked, "What's the plan?"

He noticed the change of subject, but let it be as he answered. "To bring you to the hotel, get the other two, and then head back to the mansion."

"Do we have to go right away?"

He stared at her. "You're not going back in there to talk to him. I won't let you and neither will they."

She shook her head, "No, that's not why I'm asking."

He narrowed his eyes. "Why not? Pixie, Cypher, and everyone else filled me in on what happened and you haven't mentioned him until now."

She sighed; there was not enough time to make something up. Especially since she knew Logan would figure out the truth much faster than she could handle. "Why bother? Look, everything's been an intense blur since the gala. I just want a moment to gather my thoughts, take a breath, and relax before I answer round after round of questions. Pixie and Cypher will want answers, you'll want answers, Professor X and everyone at the mansion will want answers and eventually, SHIELD will want them too. I really don't want to repeat myself a million times; not yet."

She made her voice extra girly as she ran on and on, knowing it would make him uncomfortable. "I understand."

"Thank you."

"The hotel is across the park, we'll just walk through it instead of getting a cab."

"Perfect," she replied; her plan was becoming much easier than she anticipated minus the time crunch. She smiled at Logan and felt a twinge of guilt knowing what she was going to have to do soon, but she moved through the crosswalk after he gestured for her to go first.

Ellie gazed intently at the park before her, careful not to turn her head too much. Logan was probably already picking up on her strange behavior, she didn't need to help him along. As she saw a glimmer of water her heart skipped a beat. Along the lake's edge would be where the transport would take place. She was close. She slowed her breathing and began to concentrate. This would take most of her power, but she had seen Loki have an out of body experience while still conscious. If Frost Giants were masters of magic like he said, she would be able to do it too.

Her plan centered on it.

With a deep breath and a mental push, she turned and saw her own face staring back at her. She smirked and turned to hurry through the park. About a quarter mile to the left there was a small hill that sloped down to a path large enough for a one-way street. Just beyond that was a little cobble stoned area that overlooked the water. The Avengers were already there, most of them having just pulled up. She didn't have much time. Another car was entering the scene, this one belonging to SHIELD. Ellie knew who was inside so she didn't bother to stay.

She ran back and collided with her body. Logan caught her as she swayed on her feet. "Frost?" he questioned as he turned her so he could look at her.

"I'm so sorry, Logan."

"You weren't yourself, Kid," he said as he wrapped an arm around her.

She reached up and placed a hand on the side of his face. "I'm not sorry for that, Logan. I'm sorry for this," she said and pushed out, an icicle driving into the side of his skull. "I know those hurt the most," she added and watched him slip to the ground. In a little while the ice would melt and he would heal.

The moment his body flattened on the grass, Ellie took off. She forced herself not to run, but it wasn't easy. Her body was alive with what little energy she had left; her adrenaline having kicked in. She got as close as she could to the edge of the park before inching her way down the slope. She crouched behind a car as Thor led Loki into a circular design on the cobble stones. He held a large golden canister; a contraption with a handle on each end and the Tesseract housed safely inside. She took a deep breath as she looked around at the other Avengers and SHIELD agents, sizing them up. A second deep breath as her eyes landed on Loki. Thor lifted the canister, indicating that Loki should take the other handle. Loki's hand went up to take it and Ellie made her move.

She leapt to her feet and sprinted out from behind the car. Before anyone knew what was going on or had time to react to stop her, she was through the line of people, reaching Loki and Thor in no time. In one instant her fingers wrapped around the handle the same time as Loki's and in the next, the three of them were gone.


	11. Chapter 11

ELEVEN

Chaos.

That was what Ellie experienced as they traveled from Earth to Asgard. She had seen the blue light come up and wrap itself around her before lifting her off her feet. She felt the bone-crushing pressure as the magic sent her hurtling through space and time faster than the speed of light. If she had been able to scream, she would have. She saw stars and other aspects of the universe, even the things scientists didn't have a name for as they made their way towards Asgard. And in the time it would have taken to blink on Earth she was thrown from the tunnel to a bridge that glowed beneath her feet.

She could tell her sudden appearance had thrown them off as their landing was rougher than she thought it would be. Anticipating Thor coming after them, the moment Ellie gathered her wits, she grabbed Loki by the sleeve of his coat and pulled with all her strength. His fingers let go of the canister at the same time Thor tried to use it to pull Loki back. They stumbled as they ran and Ellie noticed the shackles binding him at the ankles and the wrists. She twisted to look behind her and saw Thor winding up his hammer. As she turned back around, she heard the sound of metal whistling through the air. Loki dove for her, knocking them both to the ground, the hammer flying over them.

She reached down for the chains at his ankles and gripped hard with both hands. The metal froze quickly and shattered after more pressure was applied. As she reached for the chain binding his wrists, she felt herself being picked up by the back of her jumpsuit. "Foolish human!" Thor bellowed as he tossed her backwards.

Ellie bounced off the bridge and dug her nails into the side as she tried to keep herself from sliding off. She pushed herself up in time to see Loki trying to back away from Thor. He was still wearing the mask to keep him from speaking, but at least he could run if need be. However, Thor reached him before he got to his feet and smacked him back down. "Stop!" Ellie yelled.

Thor paused and turned his back on Loki. He stared at her as she raised her hands out before her. "You-"

She didn't let him finish his sentence before blasting ice in his direction. She wrapped him in ice, blocking him in. When he was locked inside her icy prison, she sprinted forward and helped Loki to his feet. She froze the chains from his wrists and turned back as she heard a loud _crack_. Thor was already beginning to break through the ice. Loki grabbed her bicep and nodded in the direction of the city. She stopped him from taking off and reached up to remove the mouthpiece. She tossed it towards Thor and watched it shatter into pieces at his feet.

"Follow me," he demanded and they took off.

Fortunately they had landed towards the end of the bridge near the entrance of the city. Unfortunately, Thor had arranged an escort for taking Loki back to Odin and they were all running towards them from the main road. It would be a close call, but if they didn't make it to the end of the bridge before the Asgardian soldiers her attempt at a rescued would have been short lived. As their feet pounded on the ground, bringing them closer and closer, it appeared that they would not make it. Gathering the rest of her energy, she sent several small icy daggers in the directions of the soldiers, taking out just enough of them to allow them through.

Loki pulled her to the left and led her through the city, taking sharp turns here and there. At one point an arrow whizzed past her head and her sigh of relief was cut short as a second arrow sliced through her side. It only grazed her skin, but it was coated in something that made her flesh burn from contact. She stumbled and tripped on something, sending her face-first into the side of a building. Hands were there, pulling her back to her feet and she looked up to see Loki. She nodded her head to let him know she was fine and they began running again.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and her lungs were burning from lack of oxygen. She wasn't necessarily out of shape, but she had never truly been on the run for her life like this before. The poison on her side from the arrow was spreading. All of this, coupled with her already lowered energy levels was threatening to take her down, but knowing that if she stopped she was as good as dead allowed her to keep going.

As they rounded another corner, Ellie realized too late that Loki had stopped. She crashed into him and looked around as she took the momentary pause to force as much air into her lungs as she could. She looked around and panicked as she realized they were trapped in a dead end. Just as the soldiers began to turn the corner and trap them in place, Loki wrapped his arms around her and she felt a tug similar to what she had experienced after wrapping her hand around the canister. In the split second it took for his magic to transport them from one place to the next, another arrow shot out and hit Ellie in the shoulder. She cried out, but Loki only held on tighter as they disappeared.

When they reappeared they were standing in what Ellie could only describe as a forest. Thick, tall trees surrounded them, providing extra shelter along with the darkened sky. As the world came rushing back to her, Ellie clutched at Loki, pain exploding down her arm. He reached up and pulled the arrow from her skin and placed his hand where it had been. She felt an intense heat and then her shoulder felt better. It still throbbed, but she knew he had healed her enough to get by. She took a deep breath, still trying to get it back from the run, and released her hold on Loki's outfit.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, keeping his hold on her.

"I was thinking I could help you escape," she replied, her words broken with her need to breathe.

"And what was your plan after this?"

She stared at him. "I was hoping you would take it from here."

"What if it hadn't worked?"

She smirked momentarily. "Then we wouldn't be having this conversation."

She was expecting him to say something, but was pleasantly surprised as he pushed back, pinning her roughly between him and a tree. His lips descended onto hers and she welcomed the kiss. However, it was short lived as her need to breathe overcame her desire and she forced her lips away from his by turning her head to the side. His body nestled into hers, his cheek resting against the top of her head. "I owe you my life." He pulled back and she frowned at the sudden loss of his body against hers. She caught the look in his eyes and it made her ache. "No one has ever risked their lives for mine before."

She reached up and cupped his face. She didn't know what to say, but the hurt and joy in his tone was too much for her. Instead, she changed the subject. "Is there somewhere safe we can go?"

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't look hurt by her subject change and she was relieved. "We're in Asgard. My allies are few and far between. Even if we did manage to find one that would allow me to stay won't let me stay for long."

"Well we need a safety zone asap," she said, guiding his face closer to his. "There are many ways in which you can show me your gratitude."

The glimmer of a smirk took hold of his lips before they crashed down over hers once more. Ellie wrapped her arms around him to hold him close as she surrendered to his physical demands. As sounds of a hunting party reached their ears, Loki began to pull away, his lips going to her ear as he whispered, "You have no idea." He then pulled away and gestured for her to follow him again.

Ellie was more than happy to oblige once she realized they were going to make their way at a slower pace. She had no idea how long they would be walking, but it gave her time to get her breath back. By the time she could breathe normally they had reached the outskirts of the forest. Not far away was the edge of the city, just a few dwellings here and there. The sound of the soldiers couldn't reach her ears anymore and it gave her relief to know that they might actually survive this. Deeper and deeper into the city they got, the less and less reassured Ellie felt. Just as she was about to call Loki out for being crazy for getting this close to what appeared to be the center of the city he stopped and knocked on a door.

An older man wearing a dark purple robes answered. He didn't look the least bit surprised to see Loki and ushered them in without hesitation. As the door closed behind Ellie the man gave them both a once-over. "I hear you're responsible for all the ruckus out there."

"You heard correctly," Loki returned. He gestured from Ellie to the older man. "Aurelia Hayle, this is the sorcerer Eldred. Eldred, this is Ellie."

"Nice to meet you," Eldred said and inclined his head rather than offering a hand.

Ellie returned the gesture. "Likewise."

He gave a small smile. "You'll be safe here for as long as I can manage, my dear. The Asgardian's won't know you're here until I let them."

"You're that powerful?" she blurted before she could stop herself.

"The God of Mischief had to learn his trickery from somewhere." Both men grinned as if they were reliving fond memories and it gave Ellie an odd sense of comfort. "I just finished supper, the two of you are welcome to my leftovers or whatever you manage to conjure," he said, the last part directed at Loki. He then gestured to the closed door at the end of the narrow hall. "Those are my guest quarters. Use them for as long as you would like."

"Where are you going?" Loki asked as he stepped towards the front door.

"If I am to hide your presence from the Allfather and Thor, I have many preparations to make," he said and left them alone.

The moment the door closed, Ellie felt her stomach growl. It got her thinking to the last time she had truly eaten and all she could remember was the fast food place she, Pixie, and Cypher had gone before the gala. She was starving. "He made mutton stew."

"I really don't care at this point," Ellie said as she followed Loki to what she assumed was the kitchen. She was surprised that the dwelling was so similar to one back on Earth. Ellie pinched the bridge of her nose at that thought. It was too strange to comprehend. She dug into the food without question and moaned at the taste. It was much better than she had ever expected. "It's good," she muttered weakly after swallowing as Loki shot her a strange look. "I really haven't eaten since before we met."

"That was a long time ago," he said with a frown.

She nodded, but didn't say anything so she could keep stuffing her face with food. Loki ate across from her in silence, filling her bowl every time she emptied it. She felt immensely better the more she ate, but also felt herself ready to pass out as her adrenaline disappeared. She was safe and didn't need to be on high alert. Coupled with her power usage and still low energy from saving him the day before, Ellie was in desperate need of a full night's rest to recoup.

As he went to refill her bowl for the fourth time, she waved her and over her bowl and shook her head. "No thanks, I think I'm finally full."

"Impressive."

"I don't eat like that all the time," she said defensively.

"Shame. I like a girl that can eat." She smiled slightly and then covered her mouth as she yawned. He waved his hand again and the dishes and food disappeared from the table. He stood up and held out his hand for her to take. He led her to the guest quarters and opened the door. "You should rest."

"So should you," she replied.

"You can have this room if you want, I'll-"

"Seriously?" she interrupted and folded her arms over her chest. "I think we're past the point of you being a gentleman. We're both adults; we can share the quarters. We've already seen everything there is to see of each other."

He grinned as she started to walk away, but grabbed her arm and pulled her back for a searing kiss. Unfortunately, her exhaustion got the better of her and she yawned into the kiss, breaking it. She stepped back and smiled. "As I said, you should rest." He closed the door behind them as they stepped into the room. "We'll start planning in the morning."

"Any ideas so far?" she asked as she sat on the edge of the bed to untie the combat boots.

"There's something in Odin's treasure room that would give us a distinct advantage."

That sounded like an impossible mission, but with the right plan, it might work. Ellie thought about it as she laid down adjusted herself so her head was on the pillow. "What is it?" she asked, her eyes closing already.

"The Casket of Ancient Winters."

Before she could even ask what it did or how it would give them an advantage, she felt herself slip away and into a much needed sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

TWELVE

Ellie startled herself awake. She had been reliving what had happened on the Helicarrier followed by her escape. She had just shoved the icicle into Logan's head before her breath caught in her throat and her eyes opened. She pushed herself up and looked around, her eyes taking forever to adjust to the dim lighting. She couldn't tell what time of day it was as there appeared to be no natural light, but as she reached out to feel the bed beside her she was able to determine that she was alone. As she got to her feet she felt that familiar sting of a full bladder and groaned as she felt her way towards the door.

Loki and Eldred were nowhere in sight. It scared her to know that she was alone, but it also meant she had free reign to explore. Her heart beat wildly against her chest as she heard a noise coming from the end of the hall. She forced herself to remain calm as she moved in that direction. After a moment's hesitation, she turned the knob and forced the door open. Instead of seeing someone or something out to get her she was rewarded with the sight of Loki standing bare before a claw foot bathtub.

"Sorry," she muttered and moved to close the door.

"There's only one lavatory here," he said before she could step back. She followed his gesture towards another door inside. "As you said, we're both adults."

She nodded and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. "Lavatory, huh?" she mused as she made her way to the other door. She had been born and raised in America and had only traveled out of the country twice; once when she was too young to remember and the second time in Germany less than a week ago. Both places had called them bathrooms. She was just lucky Loki was running a bath because she would have had no clue what to do when it came time for her to bathe. As she shut the door behind her she shrugged out of her jumpsuit and let her mind wonder about all the other human technological conveniences she was going to have to do without while being here.

Finished, Ellie kicked off the jumpsuit entirely and held it in front of her before going back out into the main part of the bathroom. She frowned slightly at the sight of Loki already in the tub; she had rather enjoyed the view before. Without even having to ask, she saw Loki's hand lift out of the water in invitation and Ellie felt herself moving forward to take it. The jumpsuit landed on the floor softly before she reached the giant tub and grabbed Loki's hand to steady herself as she swung one leg over the edge. In the time it took to draw a breath, Ellie found herself straddling him, their lower halves submerged, the waterline hitting just below her breasts. Her arms wound around his neck as his hands rested on her sides.

"How do you feel?" he asked, one of his hands running up and down the length of her spine soothingly.

"Much better."

"You were asleep before I even reached the bed."

She smiled and leaned her forehead against his. "I remember."

"I'm surprised."

She let one of her hands slide down his body until her fingers curled around his shaft. She felt him harden from her touch and smiled more as his eyes dilated with pleasure. "How do _you_ feel?" she asked.

"Never better," he replied, his voice breathless as one of his hands went to cup her face. "I've never felt more alive since you saved me."

She brushed her lips over his as she adjusted her position to guide him into her body. "I don't know what to say," she breathed. She brought both of her hands to his shoulders to steady herself as she raised her hips slightly and then brought them back down again. "I have no idea why I did it," she continued. "But I would do it again."

Her nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders as they increased the pace of their movements. Their lips found each other and the kiss quickly became something of comfort and need more than passion. Ellie shuddered with her own pleasure each time he filled her. She knew that if they kept their pace as it was she would never be fully satisfied, but for the moment, that wasn't all she was going for. A strangled moan escaped her lips as he stopped moving and she opened her eyes.

The water had frozen around them, leaving only what was above the waterline moveable. She laughed slightly and pulled her head away from his. "I've always had a hard time controlling my abilities when my emotions go haywire." She paused to frown and tap the surface of the ice. "Never done this though."

He reached for her face and pulled her lips to his. "It's quite alright," he whispered and then touched the surface himself. The ice turned back into water, but before Ellie had too long to marvel at the sight, she felt him pull out of her and stand up, drawing her to her feet as well. Soaking wet, he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Lips locked, he carried her to their guest quarters down the hall and before she knew it they were on the bed again, the sheets dampening instantly from their wet bodies.

Ellie expected his weight to press down on her, but instead felt nothing. As she propped herself on her elbows to see where he had gone she felt his lips on the inside of her thighs, his hand running up the other. Her head fell back and she shuddered as she felt both his lips and fingers traveling towards her core. Her elbows caved as his tongue flattened against her slit and ran up, stopping at her clit. She sucked in a breath as her back arched, her head grinding back against the mattress. He moved against with expertise she had only fantasized about. His tongue swept deftly here and there, his lips tugged at her bundle of nerves when appropriate, and his fingers filled her in the meantime.

Just as she felt herself getting to the finish line, Loki withdrew and climbed his way up, placing kisses and not so gentle bites on her skin as he went. Her trembling legs lifted to cradle his body to hers and her hands went to his biceps to steady herself. He leaned down and kissed her as his lower body penetrated hers. Their sighs met as one during the kiss and Ellie's thighs clenched accordingly. Ellie shortened the kiss after a few deep thrusts by arching her head back, her body alive with her fast coming orgasm. Loki brought his lips to her throat as he felt her shudder around him. She moaned his name and dug her nails into his skin, but he kept going.

Sated, Ellie pushed him off of her enough so that she could switch their positions. He lay flat on his back as she straddled his his and lowered herself on top of his arousal. His hands immediately went to her sides, gripping her hard enough to make her hiss from the pain. He stared up at her, his eyes traveling over her body. He couldn't help but smirk as he noticed the bed beneath him had turned to ice as had all the water on their bodies. The cold washed over him and spurred him on.

She rode him expertly. As she felt her second orgasm beginning she leaned forward, her hands smacking against his chest. He felt her powers seep into his skin and he could see their bodies starting to turn blue. He stared up at her face to see her smirking down at him as she came for him again, her blue eyes tinged red and full of passion. Loki's eyes fluttered as she moved her hips in a different way and felt himself ready to cum. As if sensing it, Ellie stopped and pulled herself off of him. She licked her lips at the anger that washed over his features, an anger that quickly turned to desire as he watched her moved down his body.

His eyes closed as she took his cock into her mouth. He felt her icy fingers wrap around the bottom of the shaft and work in perfect unison with her tongue. His fingers clutched at the sheets as she worked him over the edge. As he came closer and closer he wondered for a fleeting second that she would pull the same stunt as she had on the Helicarrier and stop before he came, but that thought was quickly pushed away as he slid deep into her throat and felt her swallow as he came.

Ellie waited until he was completely done, teasing him slightly for a little afterwards. She pulled back and wiped at her mouth before smiling down at Loki. Slowly, she crawled her way back up, nipping at the taunt muscles of his chest as she went. When she was above him, he reached up and brought her lips down to his, her body settling down over his. When he let her go, he wrapped an arm around her waist and her head rested perfectly on his shoulder.

"So..." Ellie began. "Let's start planning on getting this casket thing you mentioned?"

"Casket of Ancient Winters," he replied, his voice still on the husky side.

"Whatever," Ellie breathed followed by a slight laugh. Her fingers brushed idly over his chest, tracing his muscles and leaving the faintest traces of ice behind on his skin. "Should we include Eldred in on this?"

"I have not seen Eldred since he left here last night."

She tilted her head up and propped herself up on one elbow. "Is that bad?"

"Are you asking if Eldred is to be trusted?" She nodded and noticed the way his eyes darkened ever so slightly. "He is one of the few people I trust with my life. He is on my side. Did you not hear him when he said he left to make preparations to help us?"

She nodded again and resumed her earlier position of her head on his shoulder. "Yes, I just..." She sighed loudly and let her hand settled down on the center of Loki's chest. "I wanted to be sure."

"I assure you he is not going to betray me."

After a moment, Ellie changed the topic back to their original one. "So what is this casket?"

"It is an object of great power. Only a Frost Giant can handle it without turning to ice. It is powered by magic and can unleash unrelenting storms. Storms that can destroy Asgard and its inhabitants. It can turn an Aesir to ice."

"I tried to turn Thor to ice," Ellie mused aloud, remembering the previous day she had blasted the God of Thunder with her powers.

"With the aide of the Casket, you would have succeeded." His fingers went up and down the length of her spine with barely there caresses that lulled Ellie into a trance-like state as he continued to speak. "The Frost Giants used it once on Midgard, but Odin thwarted their plan before they could truly unleash it's powers. Odin took it as a prize for winning the war and it's been in his Treasure Room ever since."

Ellie went still at his words. "So...It's still in Odin's Treasure Room?"

"That's where I put it, yes."

"And you want us to waltz in there and get it? I suspect the Treasure Room is in the palace. The palace that is full of Asgardians-"

"Aesir-"

"What. Ever," she said as she propped herself up again so she could look at him as she spoke. "A palace full of whatevers that are searching for us to capture or kill us?"

"Yes."

"You suck at planning stuff," she mumbled, but couldn't help the grin that took hold of her lips. Her eyes widened as she remembered her time at the land-based SHIELD headquarters. "I think I might have a plan."

"I'm listening," he said, reaching up to tuck her blonde locks behind her ear.

"We can use our astral projections." One of his brows lifted with interest, but Ellie couldn't help but see the confusion in his eyes. "You know, that thing we can do where we're still sleeping, but we can get up and move around."

"I know what you were referring to," he said, a little too tersely for Ellie's taste.

"Then why the look?" she asked with a slight pout.

"That requires a lot of magic and quite frankly, I'm surprised that it worked as well as it did the first time. More and more surprised that it worked well the next times as well." He let his fingers trace her jaw as he explained. "I wasn't sure what you were when I tried it on the jet and I was just as surprised as you were when you were able to see me, let alone touch me. Then our minds connected again on the Helicarrier-"

She smirked at the memory. "Yeah, and you told me it was my doing. When I woke up I discovered I had frozen my quarters, roommates included." The surprise on his face left her with a strange feeling. "What?"

"As I told you then, I had merely been thinking of you, wondering if we would see each other again and what exactly you were. I was thinking, hoping, that you were like me. And then you were there."

"Were you thinking of me the third time?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Despite my best efforts," he returned and watched as she narrowed her dark blue eyes at him. "When I came to at Stark Tower, your hand was in mine and I thought you dead. I could feel something where we touched and as I realized what you were doing, the Avengers were there, taking you away from me. No one confirmed or denied your state of health and I never asked because I knew they wouldn't tell me. I tried not to think of what had happened to you and if I would ever see you again. And then you were there," he repeated the last line so softly, Ellie almost didn't hear him. "That time you had truly come there all on your own. Your powers are much stronger than I had assumed."

She frowned at him. "I thought my powers were that of ice?" She wasn't even going to touch the subject of their feelings; not yet.

"That is where your true power lies, but Giants are masters of magic too."

"So then this astral projection thing could work? I mean I used it the third time to plan my getaway last time. That's why I left so quickly," she explained and turned to kiss the palm that rested gently against her cheek. "I was able to see maps and hear people speaking of their plans and I formed my own. We could do the same thing. We could project ourselves and wander around the palace, formulating our plan as we go so there's less room for errors when we actually go to retrieve the casket."

"It is a good plan," he said and watched her smile. "In theory."

Her smile of triumph vanished as she stared at him. "But-"

"It requires a lot of magic and it is not one of my strong suits."

"Then let me lead. I can-"

"I believe you can, but it will drain us and we will need all of our magic to do the actual retrieving."

"How can you be sure it drains your energy? When I did, it actually made me feel better."

He sighed. "I just-"

"Do you have a better plan?" she interrupted, earning a sharp glare from him. "Didn't think so. We don't know how much time we have, Loki. Can we just try?"

She was right and he knew it. He gave a curt nod and she leaned in to kiss him before settling back down with her head on his shoulder. It was a good plan, he knew that, he just hoped that it worked the way she hoped it would. Ellie knew it would be easy to fall back to sleep, she was still tired from their escape and Loki had wore out what energy she had gotten back. With his hands still idly stroking her skin it was easy for her to fall asleep. Loki took a little longer to fall into sleep's grasp, but when he did he was greeted by Ellie standing by the bed staring down at their naked, sleeping bodies.

"Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand for her to take.

"Lead the way," she returned and let him lead her out of Eldred's house and towards the palace.


End file.
