Trust Issues

The remainder of the jet ride was thankfully uneventful. Kate was finally introduced to the mystery man in the red cape who claimed to be Loki’s brother, Thor. Although Kate wasn’t one to doubt the word of an Asgardian god, she had a hard time believing the two were related since they looked nothing alike. When they finally landed on the Helicarrier, Kate was never happier to be off of a plane, and away from a certain green eyed god, in her life. Her relief was short lived though, for the moment she stepped off the jet, Coulson was there waiting for her.
“Director Fury wishes to speak with you.” He stated simply, his expression unreadable behind his sunglasses.
“Does he now?” Kate muttered. “Can I at least go and change first?” She asked as she motioned to her tattered dress, but Coulson just stared at her without speaking. “I’ll take that as a no.” Kate sighed, dreading the coming confrontation with her one-eyed boss. Her assignment was to become close to Loki and to gain his trust until they could figure out exactly what he was planning, but she ruined all of that the moment she blew her cover in Stuttgart. Fury was probably pissed, and Kate mentally prepared her self for the major ass chewing she was about to be subjected to.
“If you’ll follow me, Agent Poole, I will take you to him.” He turned his back on her and made his way off the runway. Kate turned to follow him, but stopped short when she saw a half dozen heavily armed men make a formation around Loki before leading him right past her and Agent Coulson who had stopped to wait for her. Loki smiled smugly as he passed her, a definite swagger in his long stride. Kate tried to meet his cold gaze, but averted her eyes after only a few seconds. She swore she heard Loki laugh under his breath. Kate seethed inwardly. Was she the only one who could tell that Loki was playing them like his own personal piano. The only reason he was still in SHIELD’S custody was because he chose to be. He was up to something. Kate could feel it in her bones.

Agent Coulson led Kate to the bridge of the Helicarrier were Fury was waiting to “speak” with her, but once they reached the bridge Coulson turned and left without a word, leaving Kate semi-alone with Fury on the upper platform of the bridge. Below them, dozens of fellow agents went about their tasks, completely oblivious to Kate and the Director. Fury, dressed in his signature black-on-black outfit, was standing behind an array of touch screen control panels, his back turned toward her. Kate squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and was about to speak when the Director cut her off.
“What are you doing here, Poole?” He questioned. Kate stared at his back in confusion.
“Coulson said you wished to speak-” But he cut her off again before she could finish.
“I mean,” He said as he turned around quickly, his black leather trench coat swirling around his ankles. “what are you doing back here on the Helicarrier when your assignment was to gain Loki’s trust and remain in his confidence.” Kate placed her hands behind her back and stood up straighter before Fury continued with his lecture. “Just because he is contained now, does not mean his men aren’t still following his orders. If you couldn’t stay with Loki, you should have remained in Stuttgart with the rest of his so called army and kept us informed on their activity.”
“I know, sir.” She said quietly, dropping her gaze to her feet before again raising it to meet Fury’s. “I know that I should not have blown my cover like I did, but when I saw Loki terrorizing all of those people I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing!”
“You could and you should have, Poole. Now you’ve jeopardized this whole mission with your over abundant compassion.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her disapprovingly.
“I’m sorry, sir. I give you my word it won’t happen again.” She stated, trying to hide the slight contempt from her voice. In her defense, she was trying to protect innocent people, but apparently foiling the plans of the God of Mischief was more important than a few human lives. Fury didn’t say anything more, so Kate took it as the end of the conversation and turned to leave, but was stopped just short of the door by Fury’s voice.
“Agent Poole.” Kate turned to look at him. “I know this mission was extremely dangerous and put you at extreme risk, and I know that under different circumstances you would have carried the assignment out until the end. You are one of my best agents, and if you wish to remain so, do not fail me again.” He stared at her intently for a moment before adding. “Now go get changed and meet back here in ten minutes.”
“Yes, sir.” She nodded in understanding. Fury dismissed her with a nod and she turned without another word and left the bridge.

Ten minutes later, Kate was back on the bridge dressed in her SHIELD uniform. She looked around at the other’s who were sitting at the large conference table and moved to sit next to Natasha at the opposite end of the table as Captain Rogers and a man in a purple shirt she wasn’t familiar with. Thor opted to stand instead of sit as he stared broodingly into the distance. Everyone was strangely silent, as if they were waiting for something to happen. Kate couldn’t stand it and finally broke the silence with a question that was probably on all of their minds.
“Where’s Fury?” But before anyone had a chance to speak, multiple viewing screens popped up on the large conference table in front of them. Kate leaned forward to get a better look at what was happening in what seemed to be some sort of surveillance video, her eyes widening at what she saw. Loki was contained in a large glass-like cage and was standing quietly with his hands behind his back as Fury entered the room and made his way to a control panel by the door of the glass cage.
“In case it’s unclear,” Fury said as he approached the control panel, “you try to escape,” he began pressing a sequence of buttons on the control panel, “you so much as scratch that glass--” he pressed one last button with a flourish, and the floor beneath Loki’s cage opened, revealing the wide expanse of air beneath the Helicarrier. “Thirty thousand feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?” He turned to motion towards Loki. “Ant.” Then he turned to motion towards the control panel. “Boot.” Loki smiled at Fury’s metaphor and Kate couldn't help but to think it was some sort of a twisted inside joke between her boss and the god.
“It’s an impressive cage.” Loki smiled as he spread his arms out. “Not built, I think, for me.”
“Built for something a lot stronger than you.” Fury responded.
“Oh, I’ve heard.” Loki turned to look straight at the camera, and subsequently at all of them. “A mindless beast. Makes play he’s still a man.” The man in the purple shirt Kate didn’t recognize shifted uncomfortably. Kate frowned at him in confusion as Loki turned to face Fury again. “How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you.”
“How desperate am I?” Fury approached the cage. “You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can’t hope to control. You talk about peace, and you kill cause it’s fun.” He stopped inches away from the wall of the cage. “You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did.”
“Ooh. I burns you to have come so close.” Loki took a few steps back towards the middle of the cage. “To have the Tesseract. To have power. Unlimited power--and for what?” He turned toward the camera again. “A warm light for all mankind to share?” He turned to glare at Fury again. “And then to be reminded what real power is.” Loki and Fury stared at each other for a moment, almost as if they were judging each others strengths and weaknesses. Kate could practically feel the tension between the two of them. Then Fury broke the silence.
“Well, let me know if “real power” wants a magazine or something.” Fury made his way out of the room, his coat swirling around his ankles, as Loki stared back up at the camera and smiled. Kate couldn’t help but think that he was staring at her, but before she could think any more of it, the screen in front of her went black.
“He really grows on you, doesn’t he?” The man in the purple shirt said, making Kate chuckle.
“You have no idea.” She muttered. “Well.” Kate stood up quickly and pushed her chair back. “I’m gonna go get a couple hours of shut eye before “real power” decides to make his next move.” She made her way off the bridge and down the hall to her quarters where she promptly plopped face down on her narrow bed and passed out.

Kate was sleeping soundly when she suddenly felt a hand skimming up her side to rest on the curve of her waist. Kate squirmed and rolled over onto her back, thinking that the feeling of the hand was just her imagination. She was drifting off again when she felt the zipper of her uniform slowly being pulled down to her navel. Her eyes shot open and she saw Loki above her. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. She panicked and tried to get off the bed, but he quickly straddled her and caught her wrists above her head in one of his large hands.
“Shh.” He leaned down and lightly nibbled and kissed a trail from her collarbone, up her neck, and to her ear. “Just relax, my lovely little traitor.” He returned to kissing her neck for a moment before speaking again. “I won’t hurt you...yet.” He reached down to continue unzipping her uniform, then her pulled it apart to reveal Kate’s scant black underwear. She renewed her struggle against him, bucking her hips against him, trying to dislodge him from on top of her. Loki just smiled and pressed his body closer to her. Kate could feel his arousal against her stomach and could not help put to be somewhat impressed by it’s obvious size. Loki laughed at her surprised expression and began to run his free hand over her stomach and up to grasp her one of her breasts which were spilling from her bra. His mouth followed his hands, feathering kisses across her breasts as he began to lightly rock his hips against her. He moved her bra aside to expose her breasts completely before he took one of her already hardened nipples into his mouth. Kate couldn’t repress the moan that followed and she could feel Loki smiling against her at her response.
“Do you like this, Kate?” Loki lifted his head to stare at her.
“Yes.” Kate reluctantly whispered. Loki smirked.
“Of course you do.” He leaned forward and took her mouth in a passionate kiss that left Kate breathless before pulling away abruptly, a wicked smile still playing on his lips. “To bad it’s only a dream.”
Kate sat straight up in bed with a start. She looked around her room, but she was alone. She looked down at her uniform which was completely zipped and undisturbed. She took a few deep breaths as she closed her eyes.
“It was just a dream.” She muttered to herself as she dropped her head into her hands, the sensual scene replaying over and over in her mind. She slowly lifted her head from her hands, a dark scowl on her face. “That’s it. I’m gonna kill the bastard!”