Retrograde

Chapter One - "Jonathan Pine"

Natasha woke up in the middle of the night, unwrapping herself from Loki and getting her feet to the cold marble floor. She stood up with a silent groan and heard the sheets move as Loki turned the other away, still asleep.

Her mouth was dry. She walked out of the bedroom to the kitchen to pour herself some water in a glass. After drinking, she was on her way back to the bedroom to be in Loki's arms again but instantly stopped her tracks when she was seeing the bright purple rays of light glowing through the creaks of a closed door. She frowned and neared the door. She didn't see that when she passed the hallway the first time. Her hand was on the doorknob and she twisted it open, entering inside without another thought.

She yelped, pulled in by an invisible force and bright violet light engulfed her before darkness took over...

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

There were faint sounds of sirens and traffic buzzing in her ears, her eyelids prying opening with excruciating slowness. It was dark. There was faint light, but it was dark. And she was in some alleyway. She grunted as she sat up and held her throbbing head.

Her chest began bubbling with panic.

She looked around and stood up, still barefoot and still in her nightgown. It was freezing. The cold breeze blew and she wrapped her arms around herself. She walked forward to exit the dark alleyway and into the streets of a city she wasn't sure she knew of. She looked around and scowled, ignoring the wandering glances on her.

This was Manchester, except different. She frowned. She stopped in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and spun around to asses her surroundings. The buildings were taller and wider, and golden. Well, most of them were. And they were glowing too. Maybe they had developed more.

But just what the hell was she doing in Britain?

She swallowed thickly and forced herself to carry on moving.

Whatever that purple thing was in that room was the reason she was here. She could trust Loki to figure out her location, since he was good with magic and perhaps he'd understand what had happened.

Now all she had to do for the meantime was find some clothes.

Her feet were getting dirty on the cold pavement and she felt some splinters. She gritted her teeth in displeasure.

She decided to disappear in another alleyway and started climbing on the metal poles and rails of the side of an apartment building.

There was one window open with no one inside the bedroom. She took her chances and soundlessly slithered in like a cat. There was a wardrobe and in it were feminine cute womens' clothing and shoes. They weren't her taste, but she didn't have a choice. She ignored the conversation she was hearing from the other room and dressed quickly before the owner walked in.

And just when the voice was getting closer, Natasha was already at the window with her black nightgown thrown over her shoulder, already dressed in proper clothes, and she retreated without a sound.

She was dressed in a long sleeved floral dress that reached her knees and white western boots. The denim jacket didn't resist the cold's bite but it was better than wearing nothing. She got rid of her nightgown in the nearest trash bin.

Once she joined the lessened crowd on the sidewalk again, she felt like now she really knew what she was doing. She felt like she was in control.

And yet she was not.

She had no idea where to go.

She had no money.

No weapons were on her.

She could hold someone on gunpoint for a free ride and money, except she didn't have a gun.

But she didn't need a gun for money, she reminded herself.

Subtley, she bumped into three different people and took their wallets.

Three wallets at once. She smirked in victory.

She totally had this under control.

She had herself a drive in a taxi.

"Take me to the nearest hotel." She said and payed for the ride once she was dropped off near the large hotel building. Her eyes trailed up the building until the sharp golden tip of it's ending. It was the tallest building she'd ever seen besides Stark Tower.

She walked in and headed to the reception desk, noticing the luxury and businessmen in suites around.

Natasha payed for a room in cash. It was expensive but she could care less. She was given a key. She smiled a fake smile and left to the staircase that led to her floor. She never trusted elevators. Not after what happened in Budapest with Clint. Oh Budapest. She'd never forget that mission.

Just when she landed on her room's floor, an elevator dinged and opened. The man who had come out was walking besides her. She couldn't help but take a quick glance. He was tall and it reminded her of someone. When she looked at him, she instantly stopped walking.

She scoffed. He was walking ahead but he stopped when she called him out, the damn bastard. "So this is a game?" She snapped, getting angry from suddenly realizing that this was some prank. But honestly, she felt relieved.

The blonde tall man, or should she call him Loki, paused from his tracks and turned to her. Not in the sharp and graceful way she was used to but it was Loki nonetheless. He looked so different though, but so damn handsome in a blue suit. It was new.

"Excuse me?" He was playing dumb.

"Don't give me that face, dammit." She growled and walked closer. "You know what, you're taking the couch for the rest of the week. Now take me back."

He was looking at her like she had grown a second head. Like she was crazy. Like she was stupid. Like she was the dumbass here.

She narrowed her eyes coldly and balled her hands into fists.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Do I know you?" He was asking. His accent was different. It wasn't graceful and silky like the one she was so used to waking up to. He sounded so British.

"Wow, Loki. Great accent there. I thought you hated Thor so much you wouldn't even attempt to have any of his physical traits even though the blonde looks good on you. And the eyes too." She continued as she walked closer to him, assessing the change.

"Thor? Loki? I'm sorry, but what-"

She interruped his sentence that clearly contained impatience and annoyance, "The skin looks less pale and a little more tan. Who do you go by? Theo?" She was taunting him but he still looked so flustered, and also very exasperated.

He made her feel stupid. "Lady, are you alright? Do you need a glass of water?" He was talking to her with this patronizing voice.

She was starting to get the feeling that this wasn't Loki. But then again, he was a good actor. "Cut the crap already." She poked his chest and he caught her wrist, and started applying pressure to it. She stared up at him. He was giving her a dark warning look as his grip tightened on her wrist.

She gasped and realisation poured on her like ice water.

"My name is Jonathan Pine." He said coldly and let go of her wrist. Natasha stepped back with a frown. "I am not a Norse god." He scowled and sighed, shaking his head. His face was blank. "You are an insane woman and I shouldn't treat you like that. I apologise if I bruised your wrist." He tipped his head at her wrist and she looked down at it. There was a red circle around it and she just shrugged. She didn't even correct him about not being insane. This was not Loki. She now knew that. Loki would never hurt her like that, even for show.

She simply gave Jonathan a blank stare and walked passed him, making the man take a double-take.

To him one minute she was crazy and now she gave him the same poker face he was giving her. He watched after her with suspicious narrowed eyes as she opened her hotel room door and entered.

She talked to him like she knew him.

Jonathan shook his head and carried on down the hallway. He needed to see Jed.