"I have the information you wanted."

True to his word, Rhodey had all the details about Natalie Rushman the next day. However, the time difference meant that the colonel did, in fact, call Loki in the middle of the night.

"Thanks," he replied, swiping a hand across his eyes in an attempt to remove any sleep.

"Did I wake you up?"

"Of course not," Loki snapped sarcastically. "Most days I'm woken by the lap of the waves at half three in the morning."

"Sorry..."

Rhodes sounded slightly sheepish and Loki felt bad for having snapped.

"It's fine. Where are you at anyway? Hawaii?"

"Yeah, sorry, although that's classified information so don't leak that. I had to work late and then forgot about the time zone nuisance."

"No worries. Tell me about Rushman," Loki ordered.

"Well, Alden, you were right. Natalie Rushman does not exist, not really. The alias was created a month ago, making up birth records, academic records..."

"And a stunning resume," Loki interrupted, annoyed. "You know what, Rhodey, I thought she had the backing of the government or someone with the actual tech skills to pull this off."

"Not all criminals are good criminals."

It sounded like the other man was shrugging.

"I actually think this is a trap."

"Really, Alden?"

Rhodey sounded exasperated.

"You haven't met this woman, Rhodey. She's smart and yet she gave herself away without really trying. Some organisation wants our eye on them."

"You're too clever for your own good, you know that?"

"I wish people wouldn't give me all the credit. Blame my parents. Thanks, Rhodey."

"You're welcome?"

And he hung up.

Reluctant to cave in to sleep now that he was wide awake and annoyed, Loki decided instead to get a head start on the day's work. Tony had his expo that evening and there was a great deal of administrative work to get through before the event could be pulled off without a hitch. He could take a nap later. And so, seven hours later, remarkably early for the billionaire, Tony walked into the kitchen, yawning.

"You look like death," he commented, making a beeline for the coffee machine.

"And feel like it," Loki groaned.

"When did you wake up? Don't tell me you went for a run," Tony said, horrified.

"No," Loki laughed, although morning runs had kind of become his thing. "I woke up at half three and couldn't get back to sleep."

Tony pulled a face. Loki figured it was better not to tell Tony of his suspicions and subsequent conclusions.

"Well don't let me keep you from..." He squinted at Loki's screen, "Expo stuff."

"This is your work too," Loki reminded him.

"We split the work," Tony waved a lazy hand. "How about I'll make you a coffee if you do the work?"

"That's not how it's supposed to work," Loki replied, amused despite himself.

"That's how it's going to work in this household," Tony stated. "I'll even make you breakfast."

"Already had it."

"Then I'm afraid there's not much more I can do," Tony said, placing a coffee next to Loki's laptop. "Toodle-oo, I'll be in the workshop."

Most would suppose, then, that Tony was a selfish, egoistical bastard. However, Loki knew a lot about selfish, egotistical bastards, courtesy of Odin and Thor themselves and recognised that Tony was, in fact, just a mischief-maker like himself. Nothing more, nothing less.

*

Tony, true to his more caring nature, woke Loki up at half six in the evening when he'd fallen asleep on a pile of papers.

"Rise and shine!"

Loki saw the clock.

"Tony! I was meant to be at the expo half an hour ago! Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Fashionably late, remember," Tony replied, pointing at himself. "Actually, I didn't realise you had to be there before the start time."

Loki sighed.

"Alright then," he said, knowing he was letting Tony off lightly. "I'll see you there."

Although it was a bit of a risk, Loki couldn't afford to be late to an event he'd organised. As such, he walked out of sight of Jarvis' prying cameras, turned his clothes into black tie with a click of his fingers and then teleported directly to the building where the expo was being held.

"Mr Walker!" 

Rushman was walking towards him, clipboard in hand. Loki couldn't help feeling a surge of dislike, knowing she was part of some shady organisation, but smiled warmly nonetheless. If the smile didn't reach his eyes, she didn't comment.

"Everything's all ready, Sir, although we wondered if you could have a last look at the seating arrangements?"

"Of course."

He scanned the hall and, as Rushman said, everything did seem to be ready. He swapped a few people around on the table plan with a red pen and then handed it back to the secretary.

"All done, Sir?"

"Yes. It's time to show the public that Tony is the real deal."

*

An hour later and the expo was running smoothly, people filtering through the exhibits. Tony had arrived fashionably late as usual, although for once he was actually only forty minutes late this time. Loki would personally call that a win.

"How's it going?" Tony asked him, sipping on a cocktail.

"About as well as can be expected, if not better. There'll be massive sales of the Starkphone in the morning; you might have to start inventing a new one."

"Copy that," Tony replied.

He saw an attractive woman in the crowd.

"Catch up with you later, Alden. I have... Prior arrangements."

"Remember - no harassment cases," Loki warned before letting Tony go after his so-called 'prize'.

Five minutes later and Loki actually thought he'd pulled something off successfully. The guests were happy, the catering had been pulled off without a hitch. Then...

"Sir!" 

Miss Rushman came hurrying towards him.

"We have a... Problem," she said quietly but urgently.

"Tell me."

"Obadiah Stane is here."

"Why is that a problem?"

"He... Has a funny look about him."

*

Rushman was right. Stane looked like he was about to murder someone. But then, at the same minute, he saw Loki.

"I need to see Tony!" The man bellowed.

"With respect, Stane, you're drunk," Loki said quietly, stopping the man before he could proceed.

By this stage, some people had stopped to view the altercation. Stane seemed surprised that a man of Loki's slight build had managed to hold him off.

"I need to talk to him!" Stane insisted. "You bastards became partners without my say-so and now you've released this_ this phone without telling me! I'm the chairman of the board - you can't do this."

Surprisingly having heard the raised voices from wherever he'd been, Tony suddenly appeared, pushing his way through the crowd towards the two of them.

"Stane, this isn't the time or the place," Loki warned but the man didn't listen, choosing instead to try and punch him.

Luckily Loki ducked just in time. The crowd gasped.

"He's a got a gun!" Someone yelled.

Many things happened at once. 

Tony reached Loki's side, seemingly intent on shoving him out of harm's way, Stane raised the gun and then Natalie Rushman was there, twisting the gun out of the man's hand with surprising strength and tackling him to the floor. Loki was pleased he hadn't had to betray his own true identity.

Somebody had already called the police and, given the nature of the event, sirens were already approaching barely a minute later. Tony gave the audience some spiel which Loki didn't quite catch. 

Tony returned to Loki's side after giving his speech.

"You alright, Alden?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine," he replied casually.

Assassination attempts were fairly common in Asgard, especially attempts made on his life, which meant that Loki was extremely used to it.

Tony gave him a look.

"What?" Asked Loki. "Stane was going for you, not for me."

"The bullet was going to hit you," Tony pointed out.

"It would've hit me first," Loki agreed, "But it probably would have hit you too. Besides, you seemed pretty likely to jump in front of me, Tony."

"That's what friends are for, Alden," Tony sighed, shaking his head. "I'm glad you're okay."

He clapped Loki on the back and left to mingle with apprehensive guests and ease their worry. 

Ms Rushman, her hair now undone and her dress sprinkled with dust, turned to look at Loki.

"I think you may be allowed to call me Natasha now, Mr. Walker," the PA said quietly, knowing her time was up.

"Then it is only fair that you call me Alden," Loki smiled.

Stane was out of the way and Rushman, or whatever her real name was, was clearly not a hostile. He could breathe again.

*****

A.N. So Stane is out of the picture and Natasha is in! Do you like Natasha?

Thank you for reading!