Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 49

The squad room bustled with activity and talk as each of the three teams discussed their various adventures. Abby and Banner had been brought all the new forensic evidence and Gibbs had been filled in on the events at the nightclub and the apartment. Then he had disappeared, just like normal. Loki was beginning to wonder where he went and just how he managed to surprise them all when he reappeared again.

With the various missions between the Avengers and the NCIS agents, the ice had been broken and the unease and resentment had begun to dissipate. Except for their reservations toward Loki, the Avengers were beginning to warm up to the agents, and vice versa.

Loki sat at his desk and listened to the lighthearted conversation. McGhee sat across from him at his desk, leaning his chin in his propped up hand, listening to Thor's and Stark's banter. Barton was sprawled out in Gibbs' chair, and Romanoff had taken DiNozzo's desk. DiNozzo sat on the desktop, smiling and talking to the Russian agent. Bishop was the only one of the NCIS agents who was actually getting some work done, Rogers leaning over her shoulder and helping her with some computer work. Loki bristled just watching them work. He thought Rogers was getting way too close to his girl.

Annoyed, Loki turned his attention back to the conversation between Stark, Thor, and now McGhee. They were discussing crazy scientists and McGhee had brought up the topic of Jane Foster. With Thor part of the discussion, this was going to turn out...interesting.

"How does Jane classify as crazy?" Thor demanded.

McGhee lifted an eyebrow. "She was looking for portals to other planets. What other evidence do you need?"

"She found me, didn't she?" Thor pointed out.

McGhee looked down, considering this. "Well...yes."

"Not crazy," Thor declared.

Stark laughed as McGhee shrugged in resignation. "Fine, Thor, you win this round."

"Now, you don't have to be a scientist to be crazy," Stark postulated, glancing over at Loki. "We've got crazy personified right here."

"I'm not crazy," Loki protested, glaring at Stark.

"What do you call attacking New York?" Stark demanded.

"Desperate," Loki answered resolutely.

Barton laughed. "Yeah, right. You were diagnosed as crazy by a scientist."

"Who?" Loki demanded.

"Banner," Barton replied. "He said you were crazy."

"You weren't there when Banner said that," Thor pointed out.

"Natasha told me he said that. Besides, I figured it out on my own. I did work for him, you know."

"Banner isn't a psychologist," McGhee said. "He doesn't have the training to diagnose Loki." He sighed and then said, as if to himself, "Kate could have, though. Ducky could, too."

"You don't need a degree to know if someone's crazy or not," Stark said. "And Agent Loki is crazy."

"Heck yeah," Barton agreed.

Loki shoved back from his desk and left the squad room. As he left, Bishop glanced up from her computer and watched him head around the base of the staircase. Excusing herself and leaving Rogers to finish up, she followed the god of mischief around to the corner that was hidden from view of the squad room.

Loki was sitting in the corner, his back pressed up against the wall as he stared at the ground. Slowly, Bishop approached him and eased herself down next to him, sliding down the wall until she was sitting beside him.