Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 39

Loki crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the pain from the burn. The long sleeved, dark blue, button up shirt was certainly not his style.

Clearly, McGhee and DiNozzo didn't think so, either.

They were both examining him critically, eyes narrowed and stroking their chins. It was taking them quite a long time to tell him what they thought of his new look.

"It doesn't work," Tony said with a shake of his head.

"The shirt doesn't go with the pants and boots," McGhee told him.

Loki threw his hands up into the air. "Does it matter? It's not like I have any other choices!"

McGhee and Tony at least acknowledged that he had a point.

"We're glad you're safe," Tony said then, breaking the silence on Loki's injury.

"When Jimmy told us your heart stopped, Tony got a little choked up," McGhee revealed.

Tony started. "I did not!" Settling back into his chair, he explained, "I choked on my sandwich."

"You weren't eating a sandwich," McGhee told him. "You had finished long before Jimmy told us. The only food anywhere near us was what Bishop had tossed in the trash on hearing the news about the shooting."

Tony looked stumped, but Loki was too focused on what McGhee had just said than whatever Tony had choked on. "Bishop discarded her meal?"

McGhee and Tony both nodded. "When we got the news, she immediately threw her meal out," Tony said. He smirked. "We had just brought it in for her, too."

"Why?" Loki queried.

McGhee shrugged and Tony grinned. "Ask her yourself." He jerked his head over to Bishop, coming from the elevator, looking a little pale.

When she saw Loki, standing in the middle of the squad room, she stopped and just stared at him. Loki tried to read the mixed emotions in her eyes. He could see relief there, and fear, and...something else? He couldn't determine the last emotion.

"I survived," Loki stated with a crafty smile, taking a step toward her and spreading his arms out. "That must annoy you."

Bishop just looked at him and shook her head. Then she hurried across the squad room and threw her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder.

Loki was shocked, even as he wrapped his own arms around her, holding her closely to him. She tightened her grip without a word of explanation for the sudden display of affection. Judging by the looks on McGhee's and DiNozzo's faces, they were shocked, too.

Of course, when Loki looked over Bishop's shoulder and saw Gibbs show up out of nowhere, he didn't look surprised at all.

Bishop seemed to realize what she had just done and pulled back from Loki, blinking fast. "I am sorry, Loki. I – I wasn't thinking."

"That's all right," Loki said, unable to remove his eyes from hers. "But I thought you hated me."

"I do."

"Then what's this all about?" Gibbs said from behind Bishop. She jumped, not knowing he was standing there, and Tony snickered.

"Uh, I, uh...I didn't know you were there, Gibbs," she replied, flustered.

Loki grinned at her as she moved away from him, sliding into her desk seat. He did not understand Special Agent Eleanor Bishop. That was why she was so fascinating.

"Update," Gibbs called, bringing Loki back from his pondering. "Tony, any luck with ETCD?"

"Yes, Boss," Tony said, rising. "ETCD. It's military."

"What is it?"

"Classified," Tony answered.

Gibbs just looked at him. "Classified?"

Tony nodded. "Yes. They've refused to grant me clearance, but I have been able to discover the name of the officer in charge of the operation, as well as where he is right now."

"What's his name?" Gibbs demanded.

Tony glanced down at a sheet of paper on his desk. "It's a Colonel James Rhodes, of the Air Force." He looked up at Gibbs. "He's also known as the War Machine. He's located at the Maryland Andrews Air Force base currently."

"DiNozzo, Loki, with me," Gibbs said, turning and leaving the squad room. "Bishop, McGhee, work on getting clearance both for ETCD and NASA's records concerning Lucas Sharpe."

"Right," Bishop responded, refusing to meet Loki's eyes as he passed by her desk. He tapped on the hard surface with his index finger.

"You're lying, darling."

"About what?" Bishop challenged him, risking a glance up at him.

"Your feelings for me," Loki purred in a low voice as Gibbs and Tony headed for the elevator. "I don't believe you hate me."

Bishop scowled. "Loki, I do hate you. I just don't particularly want you to die."

"It's a start," Loki said with a smirk, just as Gibbs shouted.

"Laufeyson! Are you coming?"

"Yes, Boss," Loki responded automatically, rushing for the elevator. Tony laughed as he entered it just before the doors closed.

"Bidding young Ellie farewell?"

"Shut up," Loki snapped, glaring at Tony as Gibbs grinned.

"Enjoy that hug, Laufeyson?" he asked, his eyes serious but his mouth betraying his real emotions.

Loki cut his eyes toward Gibbs. "Is this really necessary?"

Tony just laughed again as Gibbs continued to smile.

Loki had a feeling they weren't going to let him forget this.

/**/

So, there's your second chapter! Enjoy!

So, this week I'm going to ask you about Eleanor Bishop. What do you think of her, and her relationship with Loki so far? 

Okay, so I just found out I've been spelling McGhee's name wrong. There's no "h" in McGee. But because I do not have the time to go through the entire book and change every time it says McGhee, I decided that I would just continue spelling his name wrong, to keep it consistent, and I would correct it on the edit. But I just wanted you guys to know that.

And for those of you waiting for Contest of Champions, the first chapter has been posted! It's on my profile, so go check it out! And if you do, let me know what you think!

That's it for this week's update. Thanks for reading! Vote and comment!

Skylar Wittenborn