The Universe TV

Prologue

Loki told him to research every possible known fact about Jane Foster. He told him he wanted to use her against Thor. That's what his mouth said. His mind spoke more.

Clint's fingers clacked across the keyboard as he pulled up Jane's files. Astrophysicist. Keenly interested in space. Loki is from space. He tilted his head slightly, wondering briefly where that thought sprung from. Ignoring it, as it wasn't relevant, he continued leafing through his search. Ridiculed. Highly mocked for theories. Rejected from science groups. Loki is rejected by peers. He blinked. Continued on. Thor's consort. Loki is Thor's brother. Loki wants to spite Thor.

Clint closed out all of the files on Jane Foster, stood from the data base and promptly sought an available vehicle.

/

/

"You want me to what?" Loki asked again, which was surprising since he never asked people to repeat themselves, seeing it was tiresome. This time he needed to. He had to have heard wrong. Clint Barton, under his mind control, told him he needed to kidnap Jane Foster. Thor's mortal.

"Jane Foster must come under your possession."

Milky blue eyes peered emotionlessly into his. He had the Mind Gem. The Mind Gem. Clint was connected to his mind, which was disconcerting, considering that his utmost desire, as those under his control were supposed to know, was to kidnap Jane Foster. Jane Foster. Thor's mortal. Grant it, the idea was tempting, and he had been considering it, but it all chalked up to availability of time. He had no time to seek her out. Plans had to be put in action now. He couldn't cut a few minutes, hours, to capture a single mortal among billions, hidden in an undisclosed location with the Avengers and Thor coming after him. He opened his mouth to explain, but Clint beat him to it.

"I located her in Norway. I know her exact coordinates." Clint's fingers flexed against his retracted bow.

Loki perked up. If he knew where she was, then it was a matter of security in the facility she was being held at. Now all he had to do was...

"Do not waste energy thinking of an escape route," Clint interrupted his thoughts, blank gaze holding him steadily. "I already brought her back. She's in that room." He minutely turned to the side, eyes flickering towards an unmarked door. His gaze found Loki's again. His master was off-kilter, unsure. "I will show you." He waited a few beats, until Loki finally began walking to the door, and he followed close behind. He stepped forward and swung it open, revealing a disheveled woman with her hands tied behind her back. Her head shot up, revealing her crazed, brown eyes and the unmistakable fire of anger blistering across her features.

Loki stood, staring at her for a moment, seemingly unsure of how to go about this.

Clint noted that this was their first encounter. He smiled.

/

/

The flowers, Loki surmised, were Midgard's roses. Red. The color of Thor's cape. He immediately wanted nothing more than to burn them. He didn't, only because Clint Barton, whom was supposed to know his deepest wants and desires, was holding them out to him. That didn't stop the question that popped out of his mouth. "Why do you have flowers?"

Barton kept his arm out straight, presenting them, as he replied, "They're for Jane from you."

Oh. Loki closed his eyes in a long blink. Jane Foster. He should have known. Ever since Barton brought her back - for him - he had done nothing, but insist Loki treat her with utmost care. It was sickening. The first day he came into contact with Jane Foster, he immediately tried to use the scepter on her. Barton stopped him. The man insisted in a very low whisper, one only he could hear, that Loki did not want to use the Mind Gem on her. What he really wanted was for her to come to him willingly. He admitted that was tempting. Too tempting. Now she remained untouchable. At least, the way Barton expected him to behave around her. On the same day Jane Foster arrived, a mere minutes after they left her in her new 'room', Barton told him not to yell or threaten her. This was extremely vexing, when the woman was nothing, but infuriating his very existence. All she would do was fight him on everything, no matter how small it was. She even argued him about the color of his cape - it was emerald, not evergreen.