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"I'll hold them off," Sif said, "Take her."

"Should I stay, too?" I asked Thor, prepared to fight off the guards.

"I think you've done enough of that," Sif said bitterly.

"No, we'll need you in the Dark World," Thor said, taking Jane's arm. "Thank you, Sif."

Before Loki and I could follow behind Thor and Jane, a blade was pressed to Loki's throat. "Betray him" Sif warned, "And I'll kill you."

Loki chuckled. "It's good to see you, too, Sif."

With a pointed look, Sif moved her blade, letting Loki pass. She nodded at me as I went, before turning to take on the approaching guards.

"I underestimated the number of people who hate you," I said as we followed Thor's lead.

"Part of my charm," Loki said, raising his hands.

"Does your face sting," I asked teasingly, "You know, from when a Midgardian a foot shorter than you slapped the shit out of you?"

"Tell me, does your ego sting, from when another woman caught my interest?" Loki asked, mirroring my teasing tone, "Jealously burns, doesn't it?"

"I wouldn't know," I lied, "It only took me a handful of partners to move on after you."

"So you've grown over your feelings for me, have you?" Loki frowned, "Funny, I seem to recall you telling me otherwise last night, when I had you—"

I elbowed him the gut, forcing him to stay silent. We rounded into the throne room, which had been destroyed by a Dark Elf ship during the raid. In front of the ship, waiting for us, was another of Thor's friends whom I recognized: Volstagg.

"I will give you as much time as I can," he said to Thor.

"Thank you, my friend," Thor answered, shaking his hand.

We moved to pass him, Jane and I both nodding our appreciation. As Loki moved passed him, Volstagg shot an arm out to stop him. Loki smirked knowingly.

"If you even think about betraying him—"

"You'll... Kill me?" Loki's brows shot up, "Evidently, there will be a line."

"And I'll be first in it," I spat, taking Loki by the collar and jarring him forwards. I looked back to Volstagg with an assuring nod. "I'll watch him."

"I'm sure you'll very much enjoy that," Loki teased as we ascended into the alien space ship. The alien space ship. Damn, I thought, guess this is my life now.

Thor pawed uselessly at the control panel as Jane and I hung back, unused to the machinery.

Loki approached Thor from behind. "I thought you said you knew how to fly this thing?"

"I said how hard could it be," Thor retorted.

"Well, what ever you're doing, brother, I suggest you do it faster," Loki said, as the sounds of fighting outside reached us.

"Shut up, Loki."

"You must have missed something."

"No, I didn't," Thor snapped, "I'm pressing every button on this thing."

"No—don't hit it, just press it, gently," Loki explained patronizingly.

Jane and I exchanged a look. These two were doubtless going to get us killed.

"I'm pressing it gently, it's not working," Thor shouted.

He slammed the control panel in frustration, and suddenly the ship came to life around us, lighting up and whirring gently.

"Ha ha," Thor grinned triumphantly, lifting the aircraft off the ground.

The engine hummed as Thor maneuvered the ship around, knocking over all of the columns that still remained standing after the raid. I carefully approached the control panel.

"I think you missed a column," Loki joked.

"Shut up!" Thor and I said simultaneously.

Suddenly, the ship lurched forward, bursting through the wall of the throne room and emerging out into the open air. I used Loki's arm to stabilize myself, but quickly let go at the smirk that spread across his face.

Somehow, Thor managed to maneuver us past soaring buildings and columns.

"Look," Loki began, "Why don't you let me take over, I'm clearly the better pilot."

"Tell that to your emergency crash landing in New York," I retorted.

"You were launching fire—"

"Out of the two of us, brother," Thor interrupted him, "Which one can actually fly?"

Thor swerved out of the way of a rain of bullets launched at us from the ground. As the ship lurched, a thud sounded. I looked to see Jane's unconscious body sprawled on the ground.

"Oh dear, is she dead?" Loki asked.

"Christ's sake, Loki," I pushed passed him, making for Jane's side.

"Jane," I shook her by the shoulders.

Her eyes fluttered lightly. "I'm okay," she answered weakly.

The ship shook violently as some bullets connected with the hull. Thor pulled out of the way, slamming into a building in the process. The thing crumbled to pieces and rocked the aircraft.

"Not a word," Thor warned lowly.

Loki glanced back. "Now they're following us."

I looked too. A swarm of Asgardian ships were hot on our tail. There was more violent shaking as they fired.

"Now they're firing at us," Loki observed.

"Yeah, thank you for the commentary, Loki, it's not at all distracting," Thor spat.

"Yes, your observations are quite astute," I remarked, "Very helpful."

The ship lurched forward as it sliced through a statue.

"Well done," Loki smiled, hands clasped behind his back. "You just decapitated your grandfather."

"Jesus H. Thor, can we throw him overboard?" I asked.

"Dear, you don't mean that," Loki mocked, raising a finger. "You know, this is wonderful. A tremdous idea. Let's steal the biggest, most obvious ship in the universe, and escape in that. Flying around the city, smashing into everything in sight so everyone can see us. It's brilliant Thor, truly brilliant—"

Loki was cut off when Thor suddenly lunged forward, shoving him out of the open doorway into the empty sky. I blinked in surprise. "I was not being serious!" I gaped, scrambling for the door to see where he'd fallen. My pent up breath released when I saw the Asgardian ship costing below us. But I stopped breathing again when I registered the fact that I would have to jump to it.

"God, Thor really?" I moped, as he scooped up Jane, and then wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Have you a better idea?"

I just groaned in response, holding tight to him as he jumped. My stomach dropped as we free fell about fifty feet down.

We landed in front of another of Thor's friends, Fandral, who laughed as he looked down at Loki, sprawled on his ass.

"I see your time in the dungeons has made you no less graceful, Loki," Fandral joked.

"You lied to me," Loki said. "I'm impressed. Tell me, brother," he continued, eyeing me, "Was she worried for me?"

Thor smiled a little, sparing me a quick glance. "Quite," he answered.

"I do love to hear that," Loki smirked, as my face heated.

"I'm glad you're pleased," said Thor, "Now do as you promised, and take us to your secret pathway."

Loki nodded, ambling to the steering stick and guiding the ship right, toward the mountains that guarded Asgard's east. As we went, we kept low to the waves. The ships that had been pursuing us had continued to tail the Dark Elf ship, but even still, one managed to find us, and began to shoot.

Loki swerved to avoid the gunfire.

"Fandral," Thor looked to his friend.

"Right," Fandral nodded, grabbing the coil of rope on the ground, "For Asgard."

With that, he launched himself off the side of the ship, swinging onto the one in pursuit. He made quick work of the soldiers occupying it, clearing our path. Loki guided the ship into the mountain range. Several dangerously sharp turns later, and he righted us. Straight ahead, was the flat face of a cliff. Loki showed no signs of avoiding it.

"Loki..." Thor began, a warning tone in his voice. But still, we stayed on course to hit the mountain head-on.

"If it were easy," Loki responded, looking to me and winking, "Everyone would do it."

"Are you mad?" Thor called.

"Possibly."

Thor stooped over Jane, holding her close to him. Involuntarily, I stepped behind Loki, reaching for his arm as the ship glided into a narrow, hidden passage. The sides of the ship screeched against the rock, and I ducked, cowering behind Loki. My heart was in my throat. He was going to kill us all.

But one, two, three, and our surroundings fell away. In the blink of an eye, the cave that was pressing in on us on all sides was replaced by a dark and desolate wasteland.

"Ta-da," Loki flourished his arms as the ship skipped over the rocky terrain like a stone across water. Sparks flew up all around. Loki looked down at me, cowering by his legs. "Would you like to get up, or do you prefer I protect you a while longer?"

I scowled, pushing myself to my feet and surveying our surroundings.

A whole new realm looked back at me.

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