Chapter 2

Loki and Boda stepped out of the tavern, Boda with a canvas tote slung over her shoulder, locking the door behind them. She turned from the door to join Loki who had stepped up to the curb, the green hatchback parked along the opposite curb across the street.

"As promised, not a scratch," Loki said before extending his hand, a key appearing in his palm, holding it out to Boda as she searched with her eyes up and down the street.

"Where is it?" Boda asked.

"Where's what?" Loki responded, confused.

"My car."

"It's right there," Loki said, pointing across the street at the vehicle.

"That's not my car."

"Oh..." Loki said, glancing around for signs of anyone in the vicinity before the green car's paint job transformed to a dull red, the letters and numbers of the license plate altering as well.

Boda took the key from Loki, both stepping off the curb and crossing the street to the vehicle.

"I would advise having it properly aligned, it drifts somewhat to the right. I found the brakes to be a bit soft as well," Loki informed her before reaching the driver's side door.

"Since when did you become a mechanic? I'm lucky to be able to put fuel in the tank. I'm barely keeping my head above water keeping this place going," Boda replied as Loki opened the driver's side door for her, closing it as she sat in the driver's seat, Loki walking around the front of the vehicle to the passenger side and entering.

"Is that the reason…?" Loki said, pointing at the tote that sat in Boda's lap into which she had placed the gu, "You plan to sell it? You have a buyer?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"If you're in need of funds-"

"You already gave me the money for this place. You must have robbed a bank," Boda said, fastening her seatbelt, Loki following suit, before putting her key into the ignition and starting the car, pulling away from the curb.

"Actually, a very nice mortal woman gave it to me some time ago."

"Gave it to you? You mean you scammed an old lady out of her money?" Boda asked, incredulous.

"She was a rather young woman, at the time anyway, a stewardess by profession. It was given to her and she gave it to me," Loki replied.

"So you bilked some naïve girl out of her inheritance, money that you didn't need, so that she'd be stuck doling out peanuts and drinks for the rest of her days?"

"I didn't say it was hers, only that she gave it to me."

"You lost me. Never mind. I don't want to know," Boda responded to Loki's attempt at clarification that served only to further muddy the waters.

"Anyway, there's plenty more where that came from if you have need of it."

"No, thank you. I'll fend for myself," Boda responded to Loki's offer.

"As you wish though It would be far simpler to accept it from me than to attempt to sell stolen goods."

"I'm not selling it. I'm...exchanging it for something," explained Boda.

"For what?"

"It doesn't matter," Boda replied, going silent.

Loki turned his head to observe the tenseness in her arms as she gripped the steering wheel, staring intently through the windshield at the road.

"Are you in some sort of trouble?" Loki asked.

"No," Boda replied tersely, Loki tentatively reaching out his left hand, placing it on her thigh.

"You can tell me," Loki attempted to assure her, Boda reaching down with one hand, keeping the other on the wheel, moving Loki's hand from her leg, placing it on his own.

"No, I can't. That's why I'm here."

"You should thank me."

"Thank you? For what exactly?" Boda asked incredulously.

"If it weren't for my intercession, my father would have rendered you mortal as well. I would now be speaking to a woman on the cusp of old age."

"Maybe that would have been better. I could have lived a normal life...at least normal for a mortal," Boda said sadly.

"I've done all I could to make things easier for you."

"You still don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?" asked Loki.

"Why I did it. Do you remember...the day I came upon you in your chambers...you had forgotten you'd invited me...I knew there were others, I always knew, you made no secret of it."

"No promises were made or broken. You were free to do the same. I would have thought no less of you."

"That's not the point. I never wanted to. As I said, I always knew, but that day...it changed something. I believed if I guaranteed your throne you couldn't possibly have interest in any others," Boda explained.

"You want me to believe with The Eye in your possession that you wouldn't have used it to insure the same?" Loki asked skeptically.

"I would always have known the truth, that it wasn't your will. It would have meant nothing, I never understood why you would betray me when it was you who would have benefited most. Now I know. You didn't trust me. You were afraid I would enslave you. Forget it, believe what you wish. It doesn't matter now anyway," Boda said in an irritated tone.

"I betrayed you to save your life!" Loki exclaimed in anger and frustration, Boda wincing, as silence descended over the two for a moment before Loki continued in a far calmer voice, "My father hasn't executed anyone since before my birth. A few have committed even more serious crimes so I was certain you would be either sentenced to life in the dungeon or exiled. Either way, at least you would be alive. My father has a mechanism in addition to the einherjar guarding the vault. The moment my father sensed the presence of an intruder he would have commanded it to destroy you. I don't doubt he would command it to destroy even me, his own son, were I to attempt to leave the vault with a relic. Only a few have knowledge of it. We are all under oath not to divulge its existence to anyone. Were I to have broken that oath to warn you and my father had learned of it there would be no chance I'd ever sit on Asgard's throne. Why do you think I've never attempted such a scheme? You honestly believe I'm incapable of slipping past a few dimwitted einherjar?"

Boda was shocked into silence by Loki's confession. Pulling the car off the road into a parking lot, turning into the first open spot she came upon and shutting off the engine she dissolved into sobs, burying her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. It must have been horrible for you. Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I thought it would be better, easier for you...if you blamed me..." Loki answered.

"Instead of myself."

"Everyone blames me for everything anyway, what would it matter?" Loki replied.

Loki turned his head, looking over at Boda, her face in her hands, reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright," Loki said, attempting to comfort the distressed Asgardian woman.

"No! It's not alright! Nothing will ever be alright!" Boda exclaimed.

"I'm sorry...I'm not...I've never been very good at-" Loki stammered.

"No, you never were…" Boda said through her tears before unfastening her seatbelt and tossing the tote into the back seat, throwing herself at Loki, burying her face in his shoulder, weeping, "Your friend, the one you brought here with you…" Boda said as her sobbing subsided.

"Arvid?"

"He feels the same as I did. It was obvious, at least it was to me. If he's unable to accept that you wish to be with others you must end it with him or he'll destroy himself as I did. Tell him the truth about me, what you can tell him, what really happened. It may make it easier for him."

"Do you feel better now?" Loki asked as Boda's sobs calmed to sniffles.

"Yes...no...somewhat," Boda said indecisively, her head resting on Loki's shoulder.

"Perhaps I should drive," Loki offered.

"Maybe you should," Boda said, lifting her head from Loki's shoulder and wiping her eyes with her hand.

"Boda...I mean Anne…"

"Boda...that's my name…"

"Boda...look at me," Loki said, taking Boda's head between his hands, Boda gazing with shame filled eyes into his.

Loki battled within himself before finally giving in, unable to resist moving his lips to hers, kissing her.

"Isn't it strange how we always end up this way?" Boda asked softly.

"Strange? I would say it's rather familiar, actually," Loki responded

"I suppose we should switch."

"Switch?" said Loki, perplexed.

"Seats. I thought you were going to drive."

"Oh...yes," Loki replied, turning and reaching for the door handle.

Loki exited the passenger side of the car, Boda the driver's side, the two passing each other as they walked to the opposite side of the car, getting in and closing the doors. Loki turned the key in the ignition, restarting the engine, preparing to put the car into reverse to back out of the parking spot.

"It just occurred to me, I have no idea where I'm going," Loki confessed.

"When have you ever?" Boda said with a teasing grin.

"I meant the last time I visited, you were living in the room above the tavern," Loki said.

"That was six years ago. Living there it felt like I never left work. I needed more room. Make a left out of the lot…three blocks up make a right…"

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It was almost noon by the time Loki awoke, disoriented for a moment as he found himself in a strange bed in a small bedroom of what was obviously a run down apartment, water stains on the ceiling tiles, a few missing, a woman's arms wrapped around him, his around her, both sans clothing of any sort.

Carefully extracting himself from Boda's embrace, he rose from the bed, retrieving his clothing from the floor beside it and dressing, quietly crossing the few feet to the door and opening it, slipping out.

Loki entered the small outdated kitchen, glancing around and opening the cupboards to find little in them. Finally opening the one nearest the fridge he discovered a few boxes of cereal, choosing one before searching in more cabinets for bowls. Locating them, he removed one and proceeded to open drawers looking for a spoon, finally finding one of those most useful of utensils as well.

Placing the bowl on the counter and filling it almost full of the brightly colored cereal rings, Loki ate a spoonful, realizing something was missing.

"Oh! Right," Loki said to himself, turning to the small refrigerator. Secured to it with a magnet was a piece of white paper, a child's stick figure drawing of a yellow haired woman standing under a rainbow, a smiling sun in the upper right corner. Loki stared at it curiously for a moment before opening the door, perusing the contents, removing a carton of milk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Boda exited the bedroom after donning a robe, having awakened at the muffled sound of the television through the door. Entering the sitting room from the short hallway, she found Loki sitting on the couch, a bowl of cereal in his lap, watching television, chuckling childlike at the antics of the cartoon cat and mouse on the screen.

Turning, Boda entered the kitchen that opened into the sitting room, taking a bowl from the cabinet and setting it on the counter, lifting the box of cereal Loki had left sitting there to find it empty. Spying the milk carton next to it, she lifted it to find it empty as well. Sighing, she tossed them both into the trash can and exited into the sitting room again, approaching the couch, standing beside it.

"I'm surprised you're not watching the news channel. Your big heist is probably the talk of the town, the country most likely."

"I was there," Loki replied, taking another bite of cereal.

"Yes, but you've always enjoyed watching everyone run around like chickens with their heads cut off, especially when you're the reason for it."

"I suppose it may have some entertainment value to hear what asinine theories they've concocted," Loki acquiesced, reaching beside him for the remote.

Not finding it where he'd left it, he turned his head to look for it, reaching in between the cushions. Feeling something small and metallic he grasped it, pulling it out to find himself gripping a miniature metal toy vehicle.

"What's this?" Loki asked.

"Oh," Boda said, reaching over Loki and quickly taking it from him, "I was babysitting for a neighbor last week. Anything to make a few extra bucks. He must have left it here."

"Was he the artist as well?" Loki inquired.

"Artist? Oh...you mean the drawing. Yes."

"Is it meant to be a representation of yourself? If so he omitted a couple of rather important attributes," Loki commented with a smirk.

"He's five," Boda said, pausing before continuing, "You probably need to return home, don't you? Where did you take your friend? Franklin Park I'm guessing."

"I gave no set timetable for my return."

"Your father will be asking after you, your mother, I'm sure."

"I've been away for days at a time in Midgard and no one's fretted over my absence. I'm not a child. I would think you'd be well aware of that fact by now. Of course, if you find my presence tedious…"

"No...no...it's just...I have some business to attend to later this afternoon. I didn't want to be rude leaving you here alone and bored."

"Me? Bored in Midgard? Speaking of business, this exchange you spoke of... " Loki asked, finishing the last of the cereal in his bowl, raising it to his lips and drinking the milk.

"Actually, that's the business I was referring to."

"I'll accompany you. In my experience, such dealings can be precarious."

"I don't need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself. Anyway, I was told to come alone."

"I'm sure you're quite capable. However, seeing as I was the one that procured the object being exchanged, I intend to insure the deal is completed to the satisfaction of all parties involved. They'll never even know I'm there...unless I'm given a reason to make my presence known."

Boda stood silent for a moment before responding.

"You're right. Maybe you should."

"Of course I'm right," Loki responded.

"I'll take that," Boda said, stepping over and taking the empty bowl and spoon from Loki, "I'm going to take a shower."

"What time is this exchange set to take place?" Loki asked.

"Three this afternoon."

"What time is it now?" inquired Loki, Boda glancing at the clock behind her on the kitchen wall.

"Just past noon."

"I need to tidy up myself," Loki said, standing from the couch and stepping over to stand before Boda, "Perhaps in the interest of time…"

"It's only across town. It shouldn't take more than thirty minutes to get there."

"Is it not true that water must be paid for on Midgard?" Loki asked, a glimmer in his eye that Boda recognized.

"Yes…"

"And that you are not, as mortals say, 'made of money'?"

"No, I'm certainly not."

"Then perhaps it would be wise to conserve it."