Just Like a Movie.

Same Old Story...

Tom stifled a yawn for the hundredth time that afternoon. Not because he was bored, far from it, he was just absolutely shattered. Day two in San Diego and jet lag was still a bigger enemy than all of the Dark Elves, Thanos, and the Chitauri combined.

He smiled and tried to concentrate again on the panel. It was the usual mix of fan questions, moderator prompts, and random nonsense. Not quite on the level of velociraptor impressions, but not far off it. Zach was a good friend as well as a fellow actor, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Maybe a little too relaxed. As someone else on the panel waxed lyrical about their latest escapade, Tom scanned the room.

A predictable mix of unpredictable people, the San Diego Comicon crowd was always entertaining. Young, old, from California or around the world, superfan or not, they crowded the rooms and had fun.

Jedi sat next to Star Trek, anime next to zombies, and then there were the Marvel characters . Every film, every character, every variant. It warmed his heart and amused him in equal measure.

As he caught an eye here and there, they smiled back. Some warmly, some shyly, one or two like they'd been given the moon. And then, near the far end of the second row, dressed in a Thor T-shirt just like one he had, there she was. Brunette, ocean green eyes, and a smile to capture even the darkest Dark Elf. He'd spotted her as they came in, mainly because she wasn't screaming and shouting like most of the hyper-active audience.

She was gently rubbing the arm of the man next to her who, it seemed, was really rather overwhelmed by the whole experience. Her calm manner, her obvious concern, and being completely honest, her difference to everyone around her, made her stand out.

Now, relieved of her calming down duties, she met his wandering gaze and didn't bat an eyelid. Her blue green eyes twinkled, and her smile was pure mischief. He could see her look away, whisper into her companion's ear, and look back.

As he continued to watch, she stood, shimmied out of the row and towards the door. She paused, hand on the handle, and looked back. At him. He smiled, resting his head on his hand, elbow on the table. Unconsciously, he licked his lips, his eyes focussing on hers. She blushed and smiled and was gone. Goodness, she was pretty. Short, but pretty. He wondered who she was and would he ever see her again? His mind wandered as he played out their first proper meeting in his mind.

She would be feisty, her confident gaze told him that much. She would be funny. Her twinkling eyes and cheeky smile told him that much. Her mouth... Before his sleep deprived brain took things down a much more inappropriate route, he heard his name. Snapping to attention, he grinned as the room laughed.

"So Tom, if you can drag your eyes away from the pretty girls, what do YOU think Loki's next movie should be about..." Zach looked at him, and he blushed furiously and gave his signature laugh, eliciting a collective "awww" from the fangirls - and a few fanboys - in the room.

He swallowed and turned to the task in hand. "Ehehehe guilty as charged.  So Loki?  Weeellll, it's like this, Zach...."  He couldn't bring himself to look at his cast mates, the knew THAT particular roasting would come soon enough. He tried to put the pretty brunette with the sparkling eyes to one side. 

He tried.

Alice leaned against the wall in the corridor and took a deep breath. What the HELL had just happened.....?

San Diego had arrived much more quickly than either she or Kenny could ever have anticipated. The time from buying the tickets in a frenzy to sitting on the plane, Kenny bouncing up and down like a six year old, passed in a flash. And why? Because Kenny had, in the last few months, become a Dad.

The sombre dinner had, in fact, turned out to be a celebration. Camille was pregnant, and THAT was the reason this was their last hurrah. From now on, with maybe a little exception for a movie premier here and there, his new little family would come first.

Alice had been over the moon. Kenny and Camille were soulmates if ever there were ones. They loved each other to that same moon and back. Despite his penchant for the ridiculous, or maybe because of it, Kenny would be a fantastic Dad.

So now, eight months and one nephew named William later, Alice was in San Diego getting to grips with having been flirted with by Tom Hiddleston. She grinned and bit her lip as she walked away to the restrooms. Had he REALLY eyed her up as she left the room? Had SHE really been so obvious at looking back? Yes, and yes. As she washed her hands, she looked in the mirror and sighed. Well, that was her 15 minutes of fame as And Warhol once put it.

When they'd queued for the room, they'd no idea they get anywhere near the front. It was always a scrum for the best seats and for anything that involved Marvel? The saving grace was that this was 2.30 pm on a Thursday afternoon, and it wasn't the ubiquitous Hall H. Zach always had his panels in smaller, more intimate surroundings. Intimate. Now, there was a word she never thought would make her quite so hot under the collar when she thought about a room of over a hundred people. As the talent - as they were technically referred to - walked out, she didn't even have time to react.

"Kenny, calm down, it's ok. You're hyperventilating. Take a breath."  She laughed as he almost cried.

"But it's CHRIS EVANS Alice, Captain America! " he was beside himself, like a 5 year old on speed. He'd always hero worshipped Cap, above all the others and today? Only ten or so feet away sat his hero. The fact that Loki and Black Widow were also in the room a mere bonus. Kenny looked at her, and she could see what this meant to him. As a final celebration of their shared adventures, it just didn't get any better.

"I know, sweetie, I know." she rubbed his arm, helping him calm down. "This is your moment. You enjoy it, love." she kissed his cheek, and as the crowd sat, she took his hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sorry, Al," he turned to her with a sheepish grin, "you won't tell her, will you?"

"Who?"

"Camille?"

"Nothing to tell. You just got a bit over excited. Nothing I wouldn't have ex...." she stopped midsentence as she realised she was being stared at. Not looked at, stared at. Slowly, she turned her gaze to meet the starer. Inwardly, she now almost screamed. Tom Hiddleston, Loki himself, was looking her dead in the eyes. She smiled and in a moment of madness, was almost tempted to wink. Instead, she just smiled warmly and stared right on back. Where this bravado was coming from, she had no idea, it just seemed the right thing to do.  Sadly for her, it was rapidly running out. When he didn't break the stare, she relented first for the sake of her sanity and looked away. Counting to ten she tried to regulate her heartrate. Surely he couldn't be STILL looking at her. After all, she was a nobody, just another face in the crowd. She looked back up, her breath and sanity almost abandoning her.  He was still looking at her.  And smiling. And OH CHRIST HE LICKED HIS LIPS.

"I need the loo... back in a bit." she whispered to Kenny standing up.  She didn't but she had to escape, had to get her feelings under control.  Tom Hiddleston giving her the eye wasn't going to let than happen  - in ANY universe.  She shimmied her way long the row and headed to the door.  As she did so, she got that sixth sense that someone was still looking at her.  Risking a glance she looked back.  Sure enough, those gorgeous eyes were following her.  With a quick smile, she ducked out of the room.

Leaning against the wall, she caught her breath.  This wasn't real, it couldn't be.  What the HELL had just happened and could she dare to hope it would ever happen again?