The Trickster and the Mortal- LOKANE

Five

It'd been a stupid plan. Jane admitted it. She hadn't been thinking right, but now that she looked back at it, her cheeks became warm all over again. What would Thor have thought of her plan? No, she needed to stop thinking of Thor. She was comepletely, definitely, totally over him. She still did care about his life, his death, him in general.. as a friend. But an image of what could have happened if Loki hadn't left crossed her mind. Jane nearly choked. The only reason she had entered the room and come into Loki the way she did was because she needed to find Thor. And, of course, Loki hated her, and feelings were mutual. Then a idea sparked in her mind. The servants, of course, she could talk to them. She didn't have Loki's silver tongue but just the smallest hint from them would suffice. She would just have to stay awake for as long as possible. Spotting a bowl of fresh golden apples, she took her pick and began looking for something to read. Reading had always been her way to cope with issues, which she had plenty of. It was like entering a world, a entering new perspective but without needing to face the dangers of it. She sat upon the black chair and began to read one of the few books written in English. The apple was delicious, it tasted as if it had been freshly picked days ago. And, it made her feel as if she had eaten a feast.

Sooner than she had predicted, servants came bearing heaps of Asgardian food. Jane watched one set a plate of grapes on the table, then turn to leave. "Wait!" The blonde servant turned around. "Please talk to me." Jane pleaded. The servant looked at the door, sighed, and came over. Jane wanted to see her face, somebody's face that wasn't specifically her captor. Even the servants were dressed with splendor. "What's your name?" Jane asked gently. "Elise." the servant replied. 

"How long have you worked here?"

Elise chuckled. "Thousands of years."

Oh. Right. They were immortal too.

"Do you ever get tired of working here?"

"Of course I do. Who wouldn't get tired of making beds for thousands of years?"

Elise cleared her throat painfully. "It's been so long since I've spoken to anybody." She stared wistfully out the window. 

"You know who you work for, right?" Jane asked quietly. 

Elise looked back at her. "Well if I didn't, I wouldn't be alive, would I? Look, just because I've been told to take care of you and to be care or whatever crap doesn't mean you're royalty. I have things to do." Elise tucked her hair behind her ears and opened the door briskly, but didn't leave before flashing a quick smile at Jane. Jane raised her head, satisfied. Little did Elise know that she had just given Jane everything she needed. So Loki needed her alive for as long as possible, hmm? That meant that he couldn't get whatever he needed from her dead body. It also meant that he would try to do all in his power to protect her until he had what he wanted. 

...

It was dark. The night sky was filled with beautiful innumerable stars. Jane looked around, but she couldn't recognize the place, and the stars were in random positions that matched neither Asgard's sky nor Earth's sky. 

"Where am I?" she asked. She knew he was there, even if she couldn't see anything. Sure enough, a dark haired god appeared out of nowhere. He was in a suit, which, admittedly, suited him.

 "Grafjel." he replied.

"Jane!" Darcy squealed from behind. "Darcy!" Jane enthusiastically greeted her. "Look, as much as I want to see you, you need to leave." 

"Why? What's your hot boyfriend's crazy brother doing here?"

"He's going to try to use you."

Darcy put her hands in her pockets. "Okay, I'm still not leaving you." 

Jane knew gratefully that this was exactly what the real Darcy would say. 

"I'm so glad you're alive," Erik's voice said from behind Darcy. He hugged Jane tight, making Jane almost wish it were real. 

"Watch out!" Jane shouted. But it was too late. Erik and Darcy's clothes caught on fire with a flick of Loki's hand.

 "Make it stop." Jane commanded. 

"MAKE IT STOP!" she screamed. 

Darcy and Erik collapsed on the ground, screaming and piercing the night. Jane grabbed hold of Loki's arm, and held tight, so that it he were mortal his arm would have broken off already. She gritted her teeth, blinked, trying to wake up, but it proved useless. 

"Take away the fire or I swear I'll-" 

Loki's eyes grew wide and stared at his arm. "The Aether," he whispered. Where Jane had held his arm gray cracks spread, and when Jane looked at her own hands, they glowed a erie blue, and within seconds returned to normal. At least Darcy and Erik had stopped burning. Jane hugged them and cried. "What's happening to me?" Jane said, barely audible. Darcy winced, but hugged her back. "You've got this." she said. "Ah, crap. That's my alarm. Man, I wish I'd dream of you more." 

Jane held Darcy tight one more time before she disappeared. She realized, that in fact, she had actually been in the actual, real Darcy's dream and Erik's as well. Which opened the possibility that Thor knew Loki had her. 

Author: I couldn't figure out how to do the fancy italic option on my phone, but it's me. Stay. More is coming.