This Time Around (Sequel to All Over Again)

Chapter Forty-Three

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

It felt like a lifetime had passed since she last stretched out on their bed and she couldn't hold back a sigh as she curled up against Loki. "I've missed being here."

He chuckled as he lifted his arm to slip it about her shoulders. "It was only a few months, darling girl."

"I know, but it felt like forever." She trailed her fingertips lightly down his chest. Her fingertips brushed along the scar left from the Kursed's spear five years earlier. Slightly raised, it was also about three, maybe four, inches long and ran on the left side of his sternum. She couldn't see it now, but knew it was even paler than his skin."Can you feel this?"

"Actually, yes," he replied softly, and she could almost see the smile on his lips even though the room was dark. "Just barely, but I can. It's mostly numb."

"How did you survive this? It went right through you, didn't it?"

"It did. In here," he tapped his chest, "and out my back. And how did I survive? Because I heal quickly." He caught her hand and drew it to the right side of his ribs. There, she felt the raised scars inflicted upon him by someone named Ronan the Accuser. "This I cannot feel, though. Ronan's blade was duller and left a thicker scar."

She shivered, snuggling closer to him and tightening her arm about him. Although she didn't know him when the Kursed ran him through, she remembered all too well when Ronan did. Loki must've felt her shiver, for he threaded his fingers with hers and stilled her hand against his belly. "I'm all right now, love. They are but scars and memories now."

"What happened? I mean, why did the Kursed run you through?"

Loki's thumb brushed gently along the back of her hand. "We were on Svartalfheim."

"You and Thor?"

"And Jane Foster." His voice grew soft and she could imagine him closing his eyes as he recalled that day. "She'd been infected by the Aether and Thor had this mad idea that if we brought her to Malekith, he'd remove the Aether, since he coveted it so strongly. Then, Thor would destroy it."

"And your part?"

"I was to let Malekith believe I was giving him Thor. But, it didn't quite work. Malekith removed the Aether, but when Thor tried to destroy it, it came back together and Malekith absorbed it. As he was going back to his ship, he sent the Kursed to pummel Thor.

"I ran the Kursed through from the back and when I came around to the front, he grabbed me and impaled me as well."

"Loki... How awful."

"Yes and no." He carefully lifted her hand to thread his fingers with hers. "If that hadn't happened, I'd still be in Asgard, in the dungeon. I would have never fallen into your apartment." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "And I wouldn't change one thing about what happened that day, darling girl. Not one."

She sighed softly, giving his hand a squeeze. "So, what happened?"

"Well, he had an imploding grenade on his belt and I triggered it. He got sucked into nothingness and I went back to Asgard, where everyone believed me to be Odin."

"Odin?"

"I was desperate and needed a cover so I took care of the Allfather and became him. Until the Chitauri sent a bounty hunter into Asgard looking for me. That's when I left and landed in your apartment." He squeezed her hand and tightened the arm about her shoulders. "And everything wonderful followed."

"It wasn't so wonderful at first."

"Of course it was." The bed shifted as he rolled onto his side, rising onto one elbow, that hand smoothing along her hair. "I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, McKenna."