Chapter 21

Boda led Loki to a small table in front of the windows to the left of the door of the tavern, sliding out one of the chairs for herself, gesturing towards the one on the other side of the table. A stereo system connected to speakers mounted on the wall, complete with a turntable, radio, and cassette tape deck sat visible on a shelf behind the bar. The music that Loki had begun to hear while his eyes were closed continued, a female vocalist adding her voice.

"Cold, late night so long ago when I was not so strong you know, a pretty man came to me, I never seen eyes so blue, you know I could not run away, it seemed we'd seen each other in a dream, seemed like he knew me…" Ann Wilson sang.

"Have a seat," Boda said, Loki reaching out and touching the chair, finding that it was solid and appeared real enough, seating himself.

"This isn't an illusion," Loki observed.

"A memory…our memories," Boda explained.

A man and woman looking to be in their mid 20′s appeared at a table across the room, nearly empty glass mugs of beer in front of them. A doppelganger of Boda, her hair curled and teased in a style popular in 1984 and sporting clothing of that era now stood behind the bar, a bin of freshly washed mugs within it placed upon it. She stood drying each mug with a towel, replacing them under the bar. The couple finished their drinks before standing, the man placing a couple of dollar bills on the table, both retrieving their coats from the back of their chairs and donning them, Boda's double taking notice.

"Thanks for coming in. Have a good night," Boda's double called to them, the couple both giving a short wave in acknowledgement before turning to walk to the door, "Be careful out there. It's a mess," Boda's double finished as they reached the door and exited.

Boda's double put the glass she had been drying away and sat the towel on the bar, reaching under it for a damp rag hanging off the side of a bucket, dipping it in the cleaning solution within it and wringing it out, walking over to the table and putting the money into her pocket before grabbing the handles of both mugs in her left hand, picking them up.

"'Come on home, girl,' he said with a smile,'I cast my spell of love on you, a woman from a child' but try to understand, try to understand, try, try, try to understand, he's a magic man, oh he's got the magic hands…" Boda's double sang along with the song playing on the stereo as she wiped down the table and pushed in the chairs, checking the floor beneath them, Loki looking over to the real Boda with a smirk.

Boda's double roamed about the tavern, wiping the wet rag over a few more tables before returning to the bar, placing the dirty mugs beside the bin and the rag back with the bucket. The sound of the telephone on the wall behind the bar beginning to ring accompanied the music, Boda's double setting the mug in her hand and the towel on the bar, stepping over to the stereo, turning the volume down slightly before walking from it to the phone and answering the call.

"Talk of the Town Tavern. This is An–" Boda's double began before going silent, listening to the voice speaking through the corded receiver.

"You never told me where you came up with that name," Loki said to the real Boda.

"It's the name of a song."

"Of course it is," Loki replied.

"Will, hi….no, it's ok. I'm not busy. Far from it. It's dead here. There's only been a few people come in since I opened. The last two just left. It's a weeknight and the weather's bad. I think I'll cut my losses and close early. No sense paying to keep the lights on. How's New York?" Boda's double asked as she spoke into the phone, pausing to listen to Will's response.

Boda's double, cradling the phone between her chin and shoulder as she stretched the cord, stepped back over to the bar and picked up another mug, drying it.

"You're welcome," Boda's double said, pausing to listen, "It's all right. Don't worry about it. I could spare it. I've been doing all right, before tonight anyway. You've helped me out here enough times. It actually makes me feel better since you never let me pay you. You have to give it a go. Even if it doesn't work out this time there'll be other shows, at least you've got people's attention, that's the hard part," Boda's double continued as the mug she was drying slipped from her grip, shattering on the floor, she staring down at it, "I'm fine, just clumsy. Dropped a mug," she said, beginning to chuckle, "Nothing…it just reminded me…a custom back home. I should clean it up. See you Saturday?...Good luck. I hope you hear good news….you too. Bye."

Boda's double hung up the phone and returned to the stereo, turning the volume back up, finishing drying the two remaining mugs in the bin and placing the two dirty ones into it, picking it up and walking around the shards of glass on the floor through a swinging door behind the bar.

"He was an actor. He acted in one of the local theaters in the evenings. He worked as a cook at a restaurant during the breakfast and lunch shift to save money to move to New York. Someone attended a show he was starring in and invited him to audition for a show on Broadway. I'd given him some money for the trip so he wouldn't have to dip into his savings," the real Boda informed Loki.

"Did he get the part?" Loki asked.

"If he had, he wouldn't have been here…" Boda trailed off, failing to finish, "He must have impressed them though because he'd gotten a call about another audition only a couple of days before."

"It seems we shared not only a similar face but the same sort of luck as well," Loki commented dryly.

"I would say yours is somewhat better. You were born a prince of Asgard and more advantageous even than that, you're alive," Boda responded with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"I intend to keep it that way despite the best efforts of your barnyard friend."

The door of the tavern opened, the song that had been playing coming to an end, another beginning after a pause, Loki turning in his chair to witness his own doppelganger enter wearing a black tailored wool coat, a green scarf around his neck, though without a hat on his head, bits of white snow and sleet spotting his hair and coat, already beginning to melt from both his body heat and the warmth of the tavern as he closed the door, standing in front of it.

"Come take my hand. You should know me. I've always been in your mind. You know I will be kind. I'll be guiding you…" Olivia Newton John's smooth, sultry voice sang as Loki's double searched the seemingly empty tavern silently with his eyes, not appearing to notice the two Asgardians seated at the table.

"Hello?" Loki's double called out after a few more moments.

"Just a minute! I'll be right out!" Boda's double's voice called out from the back room.

"I don't need to see anymore. I was there. We both were," the real Loki said, turning back to the real Boda across from him who looked past Loki at his double with a wistful expression.

"I need to know if our memories align," the real Boda replied.

"Why does it matter?" the real Loki asked, the actual Boda ignoring him.

"You have to believe we are magic. Nothin' can stand in our way. You have to believe we are magic. Don't let your aim ever stray, and if all your hopes survive, destiny will arrive. I'll bring all your dreams alive for you…" Olivia Newton John's voice sang sweetly as Loki's double stepped forward, reaching the midway point between the bar and door, halting as he heard Boda's double's voice as she pushed open the swinging door, entering the tavern from the back room with a broom and dustpan.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone would brave the weather, especially on a weeknight. I was about to close up. What can I—" Boda's double abruptly ceased speaking as she laid eyes on Loki's double, "How...you're in New York…"

"Not recently," Loki's double replied, confused, Boda's double rendered speechless once again.

"Loki…?" Boda's double finally said, dropping the broom and dustpan before striding quickly to him, throwing her arms around him, kissing him passionately, knocking him back a step, catching him off guard.

Ending the kiss, Boda's double stepped back from Loki's, raising her arm, preparing to slap him, Loki's double swiftly raising his own, taking hold of her wrist before she could complete the maneuver.

"if it's all the same to you, I'd rather skip that part," said Loki's double, releasing her.

"Let me get your coat."

"That's not necessary," Loki's double said, his coat and scarf magically vanishing as green light traced them, the moisture in his hair also dissipating, revealing the black early 80′s style dress shirt he wore beneath it with matching trousers.

"Sit, please," Boda's double said, turning and walking to the bar, picking the broom and dustpan up from the floor, quickly sweeping up the broken mug.

Loki's double made his way to the bar and seated himself on a stool, watching Boda's double as she dumped the remnants of the mug into a trash can under the bar.

"What happened?" Loki's double asked.

"I was drying a mug and it slipped. Not the first time," Boda's double replied, "Can I get you anything?...Wait! I'll be right back!" Boda's double exclaimed, carrying the broom and dustpan back through the swinging door.

Loki's double stood, walking around the bar to the stereo as the song that had begun playing soon after his entrance ended, glancing towards the swinging door before stopping the tape deck and opening it, removing the cassette tape and looking down at it, noticing it was a recordable cassette, 'Loki' written on it in black marker. Grinning, he placed it back in the stereo, restarting it, the next song beginning as he returned around the bar to the stool as he awaited Boda's return.

"We are young, heartache to heartache we stand, no promises, no demands, love is a battlefield…" Pat Benatar's voice spoke with an echo effect before proceeding to sing, Loki's double tapping his hand on the bar to the beat, before Boda's double returned, a bottle of wine held in her hand.

"At least I can get rid of one of these. Still not sure what I'll do with the rest," Boda's double said, setting the bottle on the bar and retrieving two wine glasses from under it along with a corkscrew as Benatar belted out the next lines of the song.

"You're making me go, then making me stay, why do you hurt me so bad? It would help me to know do I stand in your way or am I the best thing you've had? Believe me, believe me, I can't tell you why but I'm trapped by your love and I'm chained to your side…"

Loki's double turned his head to stare at the stereo.

"What is it?" Boda's double asked, noticing the pained expression on his face as he listened to the music.

"Nothing," Loki's double said, forcing a grin, turning his attention from the stereo back to her and the bottle of wine.

"I don't sell much wine, mostly beer and mixed drinks. I only order a few bottles every couple of months but my supplier made a mistake and sent me two cases of this in the last delivery. They said it would cost them more to send someone to pick it up and to restock it. They didn't charge me. It's better than what I usually get," Boda's double explained as she removed the cork, pouring wine into both glasses, pushing one in front of Loki's double, he taking a sip as she leaned against the bar.

"Not bad…for Midgardian wine," Loki's double stated, taking another drink, Boda's double drinking from her glass as well, both silent as the music continued, she turning towards the stereo and stepping over to it, turning the volume down as she'd done while speaking on the phone, walking around the bar to seat herself on a stool beside Loki's double.

"You didn't come here for the sun. Is everything ok? How is your mother? I won't bother to ask about your father," inquired Boda's double.

"She's wonderful, as always," Loki's double answered before drinking more of the wine.

"Your brother?"

"If his ego becomes any more inflated he'll float away. I would enjoy seeing that, actually."

"I think you'd rather stick a pin in him in that event," Boda's double responded with a smirk, Loki's double returning his own.

"I may well stick a pair of far sharper objects into him if he continues to test my patience," Loki's double said acidly.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Boda's double replied, "It never seems to help. You haven't been back since I opened this place."

"I've heard in Midgard it takes three to five years before a new business begins to turn a profit. I thought I'd pop in and check on my investment," Loki's double answered, Boda's double appearing skeptical.

"I'm doing all right. I'm running the place myself so I don't have to pay anyone. It's not as if I have anything else to do. I'm making enough to keep it going and take care of myself. Some months I even have a bit left over to put away for a rainy… or snowy day. Things could be worse…I thought maybe you'd forgotten about me."

"I've been otherwise occupied," Loki's double explained.

"Doing what?"

"My father sent me on a mission to infiltrate a band of marauders who were making overtures to Jotunheim for assistance in their schemes. Thanks to me they now call the dungeon home and will continue to do so for some time. Not that my accomplishment garnered the least bit of appreciation," Loki's double responded.

"That didn't take four years to accomplish, more likely all of four minutes. Marauders aren't known for their intellect."

"I do have other responsibilities as a Prince of Asgard and potential heir to the throne along with the bones my father occasionally sees fit to toss my way," Loki's double responded cantankerously, continuing to drink, Boda refilling both his and her own glass as he sat it down as Benatar's voice faded out and the mysterious sounding notes of The Police's tune 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' began.

"You consider me the young apprentice, caught between the Scylla and Charibdes. Hypnotized by you if I should linger, staring at the ring around your finger…" Sting crooned as a long silence fell between them, Loki's double glancing at the stereo as he split his attention between her, his glass of wine, and the words.

"So who is she, or he, or they?" Boda's double finally asked, gazing down into her glass of wine.

"As you can see, there isn't one," Loki's double said, breaking the silence, holding up his left hand.

"One what?" Boda's double asked, confused.

"The song."

"Oh...not all Asgardians follow that tradition. It's not as if we ever spoke of it...so I wouldn't know if you..." Boda's double replied, trailing off as she stared down into the blood red wine in her glass.

"There's no one of any significance. I made the acquaintance of an apprentice architect while commissioning a few additions to my wardrobe. He's a pleasant enough companion and interesting conversationalist, though it's highly doubtful things will progress beyond that as I've made him well aware. You might like him, actually. You have a few traits in common."

"Maybe you can bring him along next time, if he's still speaking to you," Boda responded.

"I'm not sure Midgard would be to his liking."

"If he can handle you, he could survive a visit here," Boda replied.

"I'm not certain "handle" is the right word. 'Endures' maybe. Perhaps I will. He seems to enjoy hearing about it, though hearing of something and experiencing it are two very different things."

"Tell me something I don't know," Boda's double said before taking a drink, polishing off her half full glass of wine, pouring herself more as another few moments of silence descended.

Loki's double stood, offering his hand to Boda's double, she turning her attention away from the glass to him.

"Would you care for a dance?" Loki's double asked.

"The song's almost over," Boda's double informed him.

"I'm certain there's another after it," Loki's double replied, Boda's double taking his hand and standing from the stool.

"We haven't danced together since the revels celebrating the anniversary of your parents' marriage."

"In Buri's Valley. I remember."

"It was so beautiful, all the aureole lights, the fireworks…like a dream. It's as if it was only a dream now," Boda's double lamented as she hooked her arms loosely around Loki's double's neck as he wrapped his own around her waist, her prediction about the impending ending of the song fulfilled, the next beginning, the haunting notes of a piano filtering through the speakers as Bonnie Tyler's unconventional voice joined them.

"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round. Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears…" Tyler sang as the two Asgardians danced as Tyler's voice continued.

Suddenly Boda's double released her arms from around Loki's double. Turning away from him, she attempted to flee, Loki's double reaching out and taking hold of her arm, she turning her head and locking eyes with him wordlessly, he gently pulling her back. Boda replaced her arms around his neck as they shared a kiss before vanishing, the tavern silent and empty but for the real Boda and Loki.

Loki, still seated at the table, appearing as if in a trance, sat motionless for a moment before snapping out of it, realizing their doubles were gone, the scene ended.

"I changed my mind…I'd like to see the rest…"

"Anytime you wish. It's all up here," the true Boda said, tapping her head with her index finger.

The sound of voices began to fill the room as well as music once again, the opening of ABBA's song 'Waterloo', tavern patrons appearing seated at a few of the tables and at the bar, some rising and putting on coats as they moved towards the door. Loki turned from Boda to look out out over the room, noticing Boda's double once again, her hair style the same but now wearing a white blouse and jeans, standing behind the bar facing a young man with dark hair like his own though a few inches longer who sat with an almost empty mug of beer in front of him.

"I don't' recall…" Loki said, puzzled before realizing what he was witnessing, his expression becoming grim, "No….Boda—" Loki began before Boda cut him off.

"I need to. I have to."

"Some things are better forgotten."

The dark haired man rose from the stool on which he was sitting, taking Boda's double's hand and kissing it before turning, Loki amazed to be viewing a face that was nearly a copy of his own, Will crossing to a long metal coat rack near the door, locating his and removing it from the hanger, putting it on and zipping it up before walking to the door, turning and giving Boda's double a wave, she returning it with a smile, before he walked out the door, closing it behind him, Boda's double stepping over to a customer at the bar and taking money from him, walking over to a cash register and ringing up the patron's tab and returning his change, afterwards the older man rising and also donning his coat and exiting the tavern.

One of two men sitting at a table on the other side of the tavern made a gesture to the man across from him and pointed at the door, both men then rising and walking to the coat rack, locating their coats and walking to the door, exiting, Boda's double glancing up at them for a moment but paying little mind as they'd already paid for their drinks, returning her attention to another man at the bar who was ready to pay.

Loki stood from his seat at the table, stepping over to Boda and kneeling before her, taking her hands in his.

"Vanar's waiting for us."

"He was waiting….for someone…for anyone..." Boda said, her voice quavering as tears welled in her eyes.

"Boda…stop this…" Loki pleaded.