Chapter 5

'5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!' The woman on the old television set cried as Big Ben chimed midnight, chimed the New Year, the new Millennium. 2000. The two children danced wildly in the house that was empty apart from themselves and the cheering crowds on the flickering screen. The two children, a boy and a girl, all alone, beamed in their solitude apart from themselves in the celebration. The boy dashed away from the television and crouched down besides a unit built into the living room wall. He shuffled various items around until he pulled out a family pack of biscuits and a small bottle of coke. He held them up proudly to his younger sister. The girl’s eyes nearly popped in her excitement.

'Where did you get that Simon? Dad will kill you if he knows you've got that!'

'He's not my Dad and let him try! I'm ten this year, I can take him!" Simon said proudly as he ripped the packaging open and poured the drink into two separate glasses evenly. They both drank the sugared drink as if it was pure nectar. They divided the biscuits evenly also and happily munched away as the celebrations on the screen played out. The smiles, which were plastered on their faces, ceased the moment they heard the not-too-far-off sound of the front door slamming and unsure footsteps stumbled into the house. The girl froze in absolute terror as her brother removed all evidence of their treats behind the television set. Of all the things the man destroyed in the world the set was the only thing intact so discovery was unlikely. Simon looked at his frozen little sister and moved over to hold her hand as they heard the drunken footfalls slowly get closer to the room, which they occupied.

'Don't worry Ellie,' He whispered, as tears got closer to her eyes as the footsteps got closer. 'Like I said, I'm ten this year. I can take him. I won't let him hurt you anymore. I'm going to get us out of here.' But the boy's confidence was wavering with each footstep getting closer. The pair of the held onto each other for dear life, anchored together.

Ellie’s POV

Of all the memories I have why is it that one comes to surface when I've been crying badly? I push myself up from under the duvet and stare across my deserted room. My eyes land on the photo frame on desk across my room. I can't see it properly but I know what’s on it. The last photo of me and my brother together, three weeks before the Invasion. I push it way down as usual and climb out of bed. It's only three in the afternoon. When did I go to bed? Oh yeah...the job. I can't let them find out. If they find out I'm dead. They’ll send me back to hell. I'm NEVER going back.I'm still in my work clothes so I quickly change into a pair of grey sweatpants and my over sized Big Bang Theory T-shirt, not caring about the state of my hair at the moment. I trudge into the living room to the best smell in the world - bacon. I turn to my left and look through the doorway of my kitchen to see - I kid you not - Loki was actually cooking! Where did he even learn to cook! The way he seems to live with people waiting on him hand and foot you'd think he'd never learned to cook but he seems to be doing an alright job with the bacon - he better had as well as that's the last lot.

'I take it you feel better now after your rest?' He didn't even turn around to see me. I swear this guy has superpowers or something.

‘Um, Yeah.’ I murmur as he flips the bacon, not turning around. I trudge over to the sofa and flop down, my lack of energy seriously irritating. I flick on the TV and scan through the channels until I find a relatively decent program and settle for it. After five minutes of mindless watching, I hear Loki shuffle into the living room. I sit up and he had me the best smelling plate of scrambled eggs and bacon.

So he can cook.

I smile up at him as I notice he even placed a small puddle of tomato sauce on the side for me. All the crying has really shattered me and driven me to devour all the food in less than the time it took for him to make it. The whole I time I ate Loki stood besides the sofa watching me, but I was a little too preoccupied to notice. Once my plate was scraped clean Loki took it from me before I could notice. He disappeared into the kitchen as I curled up on the sofa.

'I could get used to that,' I thought. Loki came back through and sat besides me on the lumpy old sofa. He sat right up close to my curled up form so that I had no way of moving.

'Who upset you?' He asked, his voice clearly showing his new attitude towards me after seeing me burst into tears.

'Nobody. I just got myself worked up. Thanks for the bacon.' I smile at him to try to keep him off my case but he's not having it. He moved forwards towards the edge of the sofa beside my sock clad feet and turned towards me, reaching out he gently grasped each side of my face with his cold hands, rubbing his left thumb over my cheek.

'Something upset you. Tell me.' He whispered the order and I shook my head. I can feel tears close to my eyes again and I furiously blink them back. He notices and leans in closer to wipe away one single stray tear. As he does this I give him a small smile but can't hold it for long. Loki catches on that I'm not going to tell him so he leans back against the sofa and drapes his arm over me, resting his head a top of my own as I curl up to him and rest my head on his shoulder.

We stay like this for who knows how long. I could have stayed there forever if I could, but of course we were interrupted.

I heard a key in the lock then the front door slam open. If it wasn't for the key I'd have thought they'd come for me, but the key told me it was Sophie. She skipped into the living room and grinned manically at me curled up with Loki, but upon seeing my puffy red eyes she knew I'd been crying. She pointed at Loki:

'You. Outta here. Girl talk time.' Loki looked insulted at her order and was very close to saying a string of words I knew Sophie would slap him for but I tugged on his arm and his head whipped around to look down at me.

'Please. Just go into the kitchen if you want.' Loki hummed in his throat but nodded and unwrapped his arm from me and left the room, slowing down to glare lightly at Sophie before closing the kitchen door behind himself. Sophie ran over and occupied the space where I'd rather have Loki be sitting.

'What's happened? You look like Niagara came from your eyes!' I laugh and wipe the imaginary traces from my face.

'It's noting. Just got a little emotional, that's all.' Sophie raised her eyebrows. Yeah, my best friend can see right through my lies.

'Seriously? A little? Your eyes look like a baboon's ass!'

'Thanks Sophie.' I roll my 'baboon' eyes and shuffle on the sofa.

'Hey whatever it was Mr. Mischief over there was getting cosy with you, is he ok?'

'Yeah he's fine, he made me some bacon to cheer me up.'

'Bacon? He made you bacon? Honey, marry him and do him here now, I can't even get Drew to pass me the remote, I- I sound like my mother. Oh my god.' Sophie's face dropped as she began quoting her mother and I can't help but laugh at her scared expression.

'You know what you need?' She said as shivered at the comparison between her and her mother. 'You need a good time. How 'bout we all head to the park?'

'I don't know Sophie...'

'We can photobomb any wedding's going on.'

'Meet you there in ten?' I grin.

X-X-X

I wriggled into a fresh pair of jeans and my favourite green Incredible Hulk shirt before leaving my room to find Loki standing right up front to my bedroom door. Ok, so he can go from rude, to considerate, then caring, then right down creepy. He notices my shirt and nods in approval of me wearing his clear favourite colour, but upon recognizing the Hulk his face twists and he looks ready to spit on it.

'What?' I ask. Who can't love the Hulk? Apparently he smashed up the guy responsible for the Invasion. My Hero.'What's wrong with it? You prefer Iron Man or something?' Just mentioning one Avenger is enough to make this guy look venomous. Wow, how can he not like the Avengers?

'I'm heading out with Sophie, do you want to come?' He hesitates before nodding and following me out of my apartment and down the stairs where Sophie was rolling her eyes at Drew patting his parked car.

'Looks like you've been replaced for good Sophie.' I giggle and my friend nudges me in the ribs. We watch Drew until he notices us and turns away from his car as he dosen't wish to drive it, just park it behind my building for safety. I'm so tempted to call for Stick to come and kick the door it. Drew steps up to us and sizes up Loki who is probably a head taller, and in my opinions a lot better looking than Drew any day.

What am I saying?! I did not just think of Loki as attractive!!

I shake my head and walk besides Sophie down the bustling streets as the guys walk silently next to each other behind us.

'So, have you done him yet?' Sophie asks.

'Why is that your first question everyday?'

'Hey, the guys good looking. You're passing up the opportunity for a proper guy. I mean, your last boyfriend wasn't exactly tops.'

'Thank you Sophie, that makes me loads better.' I roll my eyes as we reach Central Park. We enter the green attraction as the warm sunshine glares down.

'Photo at three o'clock!' Drew shouts loud enough for Loki to cover his ears and nearly strangle Drew until he see's me and Sophie run up and jump wildly in the the background as the camera clicked.

'Hey!' The group shouted as we laughed and charged off. We run back to Loki and Drew with smiles like kids in a candy store.

'Another!' Sophie calls and I grab Loki's hand. He has no idea but he runs with me into the background of the group of Japanese tourists. We jump and I pull a zombie face whilst Loki just looks at me with concern for my sanity. One of the tourists begins yelling at me in Japanese and we run off to where Sophie and Drew both were buying a drink from a stand.

'Want one?' I say to Loki as I'm out of breath. He nods and I buy two chocolate milkshakes. The four of us stroll through the park and find some rocks to sit on. I realizes this is where I met Loki just days ago. I look through the tree line to see some kids playing in the crater and a police officer looking bewildered at the large dent in the grass land. I look around from my place on the rocks to see Drew pull out a set of cards and begin dealing them out. Blackjack time.

I notice as each time Drew passes Loki a card he glares at him, Loki returning each glare with equal dislike. What's up with him?

We play Blackjack three times, not attempting a fourth as I'm damn near setting the cards on fire the game is doing my heading.

'Anyone else hungry?' Drew asked, rubbing his stomach. It must be the only other thing he thinks of other than his car.

'I am, go get us a hotdog. Extra onions. Take Loki with you.' Sophie orders Drew. Well we don't call him 'Sophie's Bitch' for no reason as he gets up and waits for Loki, the glare of mistrust on his face as he walks with Loki towards a hotdog stand.

'Hey, Ellie?' Sophie calls me, sounding a little edgy.

'Yup.' I say as I shuffle the deck of cards.

'You know you're my best friend, right?'

'If your replacing me, good luck with that.' I joke and laugh but Sophie only gives a small laugh, suddenly not her usual bubbly self. I notice that second. 'What's up?' I ask.

'You've gotta promise you won't tell Drew, I'm telling you first cause I trust you.'

'You don't trust your own boyfriend?'

'I had to tell you first.' She hesitates and I take a sip of my remaining chocolate milk. 'I'm pregnant.' As Sophie says this lets just say i beat the world spitting distance record. My best friend? Pregnant?

'Oh. My. God.' I say as I see Sophie uncomfortably biting her lip. As she sits quietly I hear a shuffle in the foliage behind us. I look and swear I saw someone with red hair for a single second but maybe it was a trick of the light. I look back at my friend.

'You haven't told him yet? Why not?'

'I don't know how to. And what if he doesn't want a kid?'

'You have to tell him. There's no un-surprising way. Just blurt it out.' Sophie sits quietly with me in the park until the shouts interrupt the silence. We look over to see Loki and Drew squaring each other up as they yelled and cursed at each other. We clamber off the rocks and head on over.

'Whoa! What's going on!'

'You're boyfriends a lunatic!' Drew yells as he lunges at Loki who easily pushes him back like he was nothing.

'Drew! Calm it down!' Sophie grabs his arm and pulls him away. Drew hisses at Loki but follows his girlfriend who looks back at me. She's going to tell him. I nod at her and turn back to Loki, pushing him back a few steps into a clearing.

'What was all that about?' I asked, my hands on my hips. the intimidating look doesn't work on me, especially as Loki is heads taller than me.

'He was prying into things that weren't his business. I told him not to, he didn't like it.'

'Sounds like Drew.' I sigh and lean up against a bench. 'What was he even asking you?'

'He asked if we were in a committed relationship and if I had any attempts to 'screw you over' and if I did then he would put a 'dent' in my face, as he so bluntly put.' I groaned at those words. As annoying as Drew is I know he meant well, both he and Sophie were there when my ex-boyfriend Jayden 'screwed me over' basically and after Simon he pretends like he's my other brother - the annoying one. I suppose it's cause he and Simon were good friends and that I see Drew a lot with Sophie.

'What did you say back to him?'

'I told him that as much as I would like to be in a committed relationship with you, I am not and it is none of his business.' Wait. What did he just say? I feel my jaw drop but I can't move it.

'What did you just say? Did you just say 'you'd like to be'?' Did he seriously say that or am I hearing things? What I want to hear or fear to hear? Loki's pale face grows the smallest shade darker as he turns it to the side and I catch on that being a Prince and all that hasn't worked in his favor a lot.

'Hey.' I say softly as I walk up closer to him. His face turn back to mine slowly, but his eyes not yet meeting mine.

'I take it you've been rejected before? In Asgard?'

'The women of my realm prefer the physically strong, therefor preferred to chase after my oaf of a brother.' Damn. I knew that feeling.

'Hey there's nothing wrong with you just because that happens. Maybe you'd just picked the wrong girl. Right, once I was out with my brother and I saw this real cute guy-' At calling another guy 'cute' Loki's eyes spun in their sockets to meet mine and what did I see? Jealousy? Yeah right. '-and I went up to him and chatted. Turns out he was gay and had been eyeing up my brother. It's not nice, getting rejected, I know. There's nothing wrong with you though.'

I moved up closer to him and was very nearly leaning against his arm. I held my breath and moved my hand out to his, slowly lacing my fingers with his. he looked down at our entwined fingers before slowly squeezing our hands together.

'Does this mean you taking me up on the offer of sorts.' He asked cheekily and I feel myself go red. Why the hell did anyone give him up!

'I guess so.' I give him a small grin as his spare hand met my other, fingers entwining together as we stand chest to chest.

'There are rules though.' I say looking him in the eye. I am determined to not just be tool in another relationship.

'Go on.' Loki whispers as he leans his forehead against mine.

'Don't treat me any less than you want to be treated. And if we don't have pyjama days and make forts then it ain't gonna work.' I'm serious on the first order but laugh with the second. He looks a little confused at my demand of a 'pyjama day' so I'm gonna have fun introducing him to one.

'I promise to treat you how someone as beautiful as you deserves to be treat in this courtship.' Oh snap. The beautiful part has made my face run red and I can tell Loki is amused by it. I smile and knock our heads together lightly. I look up to see Loki's green eyes looking over me, making a connection with my own and a small smile spreads on his face which I might add is absolutely freaking adorable.

'May I ask what you would like from me in this courtship?'

'I'm a plain girl really. Movie night and lie ins do me fine. Just promise me one thing Loki. Don't just throw me away when you get bored.' At this he frowns. Oh god have I rattled him?

'If anyone was stupid enough to do that to you in the past then they are the most pathetic in the nine realms as they do not know what they threw away.' All my bad thoughts and feeling from earlier today are gone, the shocking news from Sophie is gone from my head, all I can think about is Loki's head pressed against mine, our hands connected and his hot breath on my face as his own closes in on mine.

His hands are cold. He was cold this morning when I woke up besides him, so I was prepared for cold lips on mine when he kissed me, but they were warm. Warm and soft. His lips worked in motion with mine as he disconnected our hands and placed his on my face. I wrap my arms around the back of his neck. The kiss is slow and sweet. The best I've ever had. I bet I have bacon breath but I don't care. All I can think of is Loki's mouth working against my own. It is undoubtedly the best feeling in the world.

The kiss slows down and he stops at his slowest pace, as if he does not wish to end but both of us lack oxygen which isn't good. He places his forehead back against mine and we both smiles we keep our arms locked around each others neck, in absolute heaven.

All the time we kissed, neither of us saw the red haired woman in black watching us in horror and shock.

Notes