Chapter 7

The song ended and the Doctor stopped with a flourish, not even remotely out of breath. He patted Loki's shoulder, "Now, if you are to travel with me, we need to find you a decent room. Follow me!" And off he dashed, up the right hand stairwell, only stopping when he came upon the designated door. It was green with a golden plaque. LOKI was spelled out in intricate script onto the plaque and upon looking at it, the Doctor smiled. The TARDIS, always a step ahead.

The Time Lord smiled wider and patted the god's shoulder fondly, "I'll leave it to you, then. After you've freshened up, just come back down to the control room." He turned on his heel, waving a farewell to Loki, stuffing his hands into his pockets and whistled a tune as he walked back down the corridor.

In a few moments the Doctor vanished around the corner. The tune that graced the air fading from the atmosphere. Loki shifted his weight to another foot. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on the doorknob. His name on the door plaque.

It was strange that one word could define him. That a single gathering of letters was his identity. With a sigh, Loki turned the metal between his fingers. A surprised gasp leaving his lips as he the scene unfolding in front of his eyes. The prince slid into the room for a better look.

Silently, closing the door behind him. It hadn't been seconds before he looked back to the walls that now were his home. Even the most dear of Loki's friends could of never gotten the dream that unfolded in front of him. Perhaps, the TARDIS knew something he did not. Each wall appearing to be alive with the arms of black trees. Glee danced across Loki's face as he strode to the center of the room. An unknown source casting light into the middle of his room. Blue-green irises darted across every detail, wanting desperately to take it all in. The rounded room's walls that were adorned with countless book and tombs. Some even defying the three basic laws of their movements to remain on the shelves that sloped to the meeting point of the three walls. Wooden rafters holding it all together. The prince faintly smiled. His fingers rubbing against each other as he searched for anything besides books.

Happiness fading into curiosity of how he'd live with books alone to quench his needs. It was possible that inside one of the many spines laid the answer to his questions, but for now Loki did not have time. Once more he looked around for anything he might of missed. Joy flooding him as he saw two doors. One facing the south and the other the north, or perhaps what Loki now assumed was north and south. Each one signed with a different symbol. A rubber duck taking the south door, and helmet on the other.

"I see what you did there." Loki snickered. A grateful smile appearing on his features. "A bath at last."

~~~~TLG~~~~

The hallways were quiet, the TARDIS having turned off the music once Loki had gone into his new room. The time machine discretely moved rooms around, changed some hallways, leading her Doctor to his own room. The Doctor's own rooms were rarely used, the Time Lord needing only a minimal amount of sleep. But she knew that after the events of today, he was going to need some rest…if he liked it or not.

The Doctor stumbled upon his room, a frown creeping across his face. The frown was replaced by an expression of understanding, his hand already pushing the door open. A plain, almost barren, looking room greeted him. The walls all done up like that of the rest of the inside of the TARDIS. A large bed, a bookshelf, and a little dresser were the only furniture in the room. Two doors, one to the bathroom and the other to his closet, occupied opposite sides of the room.

The Doctor shrugged off the outer layer of his Asgardian garment, leaving the soft under layer on. His boots and armor pieces lay in a jumbled heap on the floor as he sprawled onto the bed. The TARDIS sang him to sleep with a quiet Gallifrayen lullaby.

The Doctor sighed, curling up in the center of the bed and the TARDIS yearned to be there beside him. Beside her thief. But she had to be content with just watching over him. Sending him where he can find companions. Throughout their travels, only the TARDIS was a constant. Companions come and go, willingly or not. Her thief's new companion, Loki, was a new for her. He reminded her of both the Doctor and that mad man, the Master. She hoped that this man, this god, would help open her Doctor back up. Bring back that man she had first started traveling with oh so long ago. So, on she sang, waiting and watching. Switching doors and halls, everything leading right to the Doctor's room.

Loki closed his eyes for a second. The silence of his room comforting. A heavy amount of sleep could never rid himself of the dreams that would haunt him when he closed his eyes. Odin's words still ringing in his ears.

The prince looked around the room again. Surprised when the large bed was suddenly floating above the center of the room. Slowly, he walked towards it. Silken green sheets rippling under his fingers. He'd dreamed of such sleeping quarters since his childhood, but Odin had always insisted that he kept only the best of Asgard's materials.

Loki looked down at the massive amount of leather and metal that hung on his lithe frame. He reached down. His fingers snapping back the buckles on his legs. Large boots sliding free from his feet. Loki sighed as he could finally wiggle his toes again. The action was repeated until both his feet could breathe once again.

This was going to take awhile. The strap that crossed his chest soon unbuckled. Leather shoulder pads sliding off his shoulders. Loki felt it was the time to dance, but he still had most of his clothing to remove. Quickly, he slid off his shirt and walked towards the shower. His leather pants still tightly clinging to his cream skin. He'd take a quick shower. Nothing more, nothing less, and as he slid the last article of clothing from his thin body, he stepped into the warm stream of water. Its heat soothing the bruises that lined his back from his harsh landing earlier. He allowed the heat to slowly wash away his day. Thoughts leaving his busy head one by one, yet he knew he'd needed to get back to the Doctor, so he pulled himself from the water. His hair dripping wet, but at least it was behaving. Loki hurried through his room, putting back on the leather pants and a cotton black t-shirt that he'd summoned in the rush. Loafers replacing the boots that once burdened his feet. This had to be the most comfortable the god had been in years.

A smile lighting his face as he left his room. Quite footsteps sounding against the grate under his feet as he ran the way he came. However, the console never seemed to come into sight. Loki stopped for a minute. His eyes searching for what the TARDIS was clearly trying to lead him to. Then, he spotted a door. The same plaque that was on his door was nailed against the wood, but the gold plate was absent of lettering. It was only a black piece of gold. Loki felt curiosity bubble inside himself. If the TARDIS did not want him here she would of lead him astray, no? Mischief sparkled in his eyes for the chance to surprise the man, but it soon washed away. His knuckles tapping the wood that lead into the room.

"Doctor?" Loki asked through the material. A strange concern filling his voice.

The Doctor bolted upright, his hair in a fashionable disarray, his chest heaving as he stared at the door. But then he heard a recognizable voice.

Loki.

He sighed. It was just Loki knocking on the door.

The Doctor took in deep breathes to calm his racing hearts, "Come on in," he called.

The prince heard his new friend call for his presence, and it did not take but a few seconds for him to enter the Doctor's chambers. A room that was not complicated, but extremely simple. Nothing other than a large bed adorning the mass amount of space. Loki playfully rolled his eyes at the sight before him. The Doctor still laying on top of the many layers of patched blankets. "Are you about ready?"

The Doctor sat up, eyeing the man's new outfit, noting the lack of metal. Loki seemed to stand just a tad taller without it all.

Loki chortled happily, streaming long fingers through his black locks. Their strands still dripping with warm water from the shower. Panic for some reason still haunted his friend's expression.