This was rather invigorating. In less than twenty-four hours I learned that Loki was in fact alive, and now here I was, along with Captain America and the Black Widow, on our way to Stuttgart, Germany to confront him.

Cap was suited up and ready (I adopted Natasha's name for him, it sounded nicer), and Natasha was our pilot for this evening.

While we flew in the darkness ready to rain on Loki's parade in Germany, my mind compared the Loki I'd known and the man he supposedly was now. Maybe he got even worse over the course of the year.

I swallowed, recalling a different time, before things had fallen apart in Asgard.

~*~

"My father will kill you if he finds out," I panicked. "He might even kill me."

"I would not let that happen."

"He's always believed something is off about you."

"Well, your father barely lets you talk to men. So really, who is the one who is a bit off in the head?"

"I may be locked up in my home forever because of you!"

"Then I will break you out or sneak in to see you," Loki replied smoothly. "Your father will have to learn to accept it when the time comes for him to find out."

I snorted. "You make it sound as though we are together for all of eternity."

"We could end up that way."

I blushed fiercely at the thought. "How would your father take it, do you think?"

"I know Mother would be more accepting. She would adore you, I know that much. It is hard to say what Father would think. He could disapprove, or he could surprise us and welcome you with open arms."

"And Thor?"

"That is another unpredictable answer."

"I don't know about that, I think he would be okay with us. Regardless, if any come to dislike me, they will not drive me off." I smiled cheekily. "We have been keeping this secret; I would never drop this and run all because one member of your family disapproved."

It was strange to think that two beings like us would find a bond in each other. We differed for obvious reasons: he was a prince, I was a commoner. To this day, I still could not understand how we forged a bond. Maybe it was because Loki charmed me with his charismatic attitude.

What do you see in me? Loki asked.

I blinked at him, astonished that he was asking me through thoughts rather than out loud. He did this from time to time. I could not say that he was the only one to do it; I was guilty of it as well.

What kind of a question is that? I see someone who is a good friend, someone I know I can spend endless time with and never grow bored or annoyed with. I got right in his face. I see someone who will be a wise king someday. Now it is your turn. What do you see in me?

Hmm. I see...I see a blossoming woman who is not afraid to go after what she wants. I see a woman who does not care what others think of her. She can sometimes be persistent and stubborn—

Oh please, like you are not the same?

"You did not let me finish," Loki spoke aloud. "Though she can be persistent and stubborn, her very existence makes the days a little bit brighter."

"You sound so sappy it is almost pathetic." I snickered. "But I find the sincerity in your words."

I did not pull my hands out of his. I could only stare into his eyes, green boring into blue. It was evident that both of us felt something stronger than friendship with the other. This was our very unusual way of telling the other that we felt the same way.

I did not see what Father saw in Loki that made him want me to stay away from the prince. I could agree with Loki on what he said about Father, that he was very strict about me talking to men. I was not a baby anymore, I was an adult. I was free to make my own choices. Of course, Father would pull the you-live-in-my-house-you-follow-my-rules on me. He could only use that excuse so many times before I began to ignore it.

"Let me guess: your father does not know where you are?" I asked Loki.

"Does any parent keep watch over their children when they are adults?"

"Do you forget who you are talking to?" I frowned.

"Right."

I looked up at my window, sighing. If I did not get into bed soon, there was the risk of being caught. "I want you to stay, Loki."

His cheeks reddened at the suggestion. "As much as we would both love to have that happen, it cannot."

"Really?" I arched an eyebrow. "You will sneak out in the middle of the night to see me, but you will not stay over?"

"One is riskier than the other."

"Since when do you care about risk?" I retorted.

"You must really want me with you if you are arguing with me on it."

"I do not take you to be careful. You are not being careful now, not as much as you could be."

Loki took my lips in a chaste kiss which made my heart fly in my ribcage. "One day, we will not have to sneak around."

"That day cannot come soon enough."

~*~

How young we seemed. In truth, we were seen together, but nobody confronted either of us about the relationship. If only our lives had stayed that way and not gone their separate ways. We probably would have been found out and known about a whole year later.

There were no chances of that happening in this lifetime, only in another universe where everything went my way.

"You okay there, Kiara?" Cap's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Is it bad to say that I'm not?" I tried to sound teasing, but I sounded ill. "When I found out Loki was alive, I was expecting on better terms."

"You don't have to follow me if you don't want to."

I shook my head. "No, I want to do this."

"Are you sure?"

"I can hold my own." I grinned. "You haven't seen me at my best."

"Gossip time is over, ladies," Natasha said. "I see trouble ahead. Get ready."

I looked to Cap. "You need a lift?"

"You think you can jump that far?"

"Never underestimate an Asgardian. Come on."

Natasha lowered the rear hatch. I grabbed Cap and launched us onto the top of the plane. There was a very gentle breeze despite being atop a flying aircraft. I kept a firm grip on Cap as I saw what Natasha did.

Though I couldn't see as perfectly as I would have liked to, I saw enough.

People were crowded in clusters, panicking and screaming. As quick as a flash, they all stopped and together...kneeled. I assumed the faint, dark colored standing figure was Loki.

We need to get closer. Cap and I crept up more towards the front of the plane.

For a moment, I almost didn't believe who I was seeing right now. The Loki I had known wanted to rule, surely, but not in a way like this.

But that Loki is gone, he might not ever come back.

"Oh no," I whispered as I saw one person stand. He looked to be an older gentleman. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on: he was standing up when no one else would. He was acting brave.

I would call him brave for it any other time, but considering he was daring to challenge Loki, someone from another realm, I had to call his bravery stupidity instead.

"Cap, do you trust me?" I asked out of the blue.

"I want to say yes, but we just met."

"It looks like you've got no choice in it."

"Then why did you ask?"

"This may sound crazy, but don't let go of me. Run, and when I say jump, do it."

Without warning, I shot across the plane, nearly leaving Cap behind. The plane was really small, so within a minute I screamed, "Jump!" We launched ourselves off the plane, high into the air. I saw a bright blue light, looking as though its aim was at the older man. Loki isn't getting away with murder, not here.

With a loud grunt, I tossed Cap towards the old man, hoping he could defend him before Loki could kill him. I dove, following Cap's path.

Cap landed just in front of the old man, deflecting the bright blue blast. I landed right beside him, not as gracefully.

I stood erect, noticing the deflection had landed Loki on all fours. I tensed, seeing him in familiar attire. He'd looked like that when he had temporarily become king at Asgard. My eyes narrowed at the staff—no, wait, scepter—at his side. Where did he manage to get that?

"You know," Cap started, moving away from the older man. "The last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

I kept at Cap's side. The crowd of people was silent, watching this unfold.

"The soldier," Loki spat. He used the scepter to get to his feet. He was entirely focused on Cap, completely oblivious to me. "The man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time."

The dull roar of Natasha's plane rang in the air.

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down," Natasha commanded.

My hands became fists when Loki tried to shoot Natasha down. She moved the plane, and people ran off screaming. Cap threw his shield, hitting Loki. I directed people away from the madness all while watching Cap and Loki confront each other.

I decided to get in on the action. Just as Cap was deflecting the scepter blows, I intervened, blocking the blow and then delivering a kick to Loki's stomach. He stumbled back, taken aback by my appearance. I called the fire to my hands. If the people weren't terrified enough of him, seeing fire on my hands would probably traumatize them.

Loki took a swing at me with the scepter; I ducked and jumped out of the way as Cap decided to take over. As the men fought, loud music came out of nowhere. I didn't think anything of it, taking over as Loki knocked Cap out of the way. Loki was cautious in trying not to get near me. If either one of my hands caught his attire, I'd set it on fire.

I knew Loki was going to have a few choice words to say to me, just like I would have a few to say to him. This of course could wait until after he was defeated.

As I backed off, ready to go in for another attack, a bright beam of light took care of Loki, sending him back on his ass. I looked to my left to see the recognizable Iron Man suit.

My focus went back to Loki, who seemed to be thinking of his next move. Beside me, Stark rearmed himself, ready to go a few rounds.

"Make your move, Reindeer Games," he said. His voice sounded off due to his helmet.

Instead of retaliating, Loki gave up. The headgear was gone, his hands were up. I breathed through my nostrils evenly, dowsing the flames. I knew Loki well; this wasn't something he'd do. Something's wrong. This should have been going on much longer.

"Good move," Stark noted.

"Mr. Stark," Cap greeted him.

"Captain. Who's the girl with her hands on fire?"

"Kiara Rivers," I said, not taking my eyes off of Loki. "And before you say anything more, no, I'm not a part of the Avengers Initiative. We can discuss who I am and why I'm here after we get him loaded into the plane." I went to Loki, hoisting him up by one arm.

"Who died and put her in charge?" I heard Stark say quietly.

As Natasha lowered the plane to the ground, Cap, Stark, Loki, and I waited.

You have some explaining to do, Loki said.

Oh, you remember me?

How can I not?

I snorted. You owe me explanations first. Too chicken to talk in front of strangers?

They do not concern me.

Once the plane was on the ground, we all boarded.