Escaping New York

~Chapter 1~

          "what or who have you sent me?" I look to the stars. At my feet lays a heap of a man.
He appears to be breathing but he is out cold for sure. His bottom half is covered by simple canvas pants.  Pale skin gleams against a prominent collarbone visible from where his simple green canvas shirt has slid over a smooth muscled shoulder. Onyx strands hang over high cheekbones and a jawline that looks as if it could cut you just by looking at it. Poking him with a sock-covered toe, his body wobbles but he does not wake. Sighing through my nose I check again for a pulse.
          Step 1: get him inside. Looking to the apartment door I see no easy way to move this man
"You want me to work for this one huh?" I shout to the night sky above.
Pulling my scarlet curls into a quick messy bun at the nap of my neck I take a cleansing breath, nod and take a slender hand in each of my own. Pulling a grown man across the asphalt and up three flights of stairs is no easy task for a woman who is 5'0 tall and a little of 145 pounds. By the time I have him safely locked in my apartment I heaving for breath and and undoubtedly a smelly mess.
"You could have helped me out you know." I tell the unconscious male lying prone on my living room floor. Why did I just talk to the unconscious guy?
Step 2: make my bedroom acceptable for...what? An intergalactic possible alien-man? Sure why not. Might as well make him comfortable. Slinging the door to my small bedroom open I am immediately thankful for my minimalist style. I throw the cover to the side I manage to pull him into my room and sling his top half into the full-size bed. I lift his long legs into bed next noting his feet come to the edge. With him laid out on my bed face up I am able I take my time and study his features. His pale completion is smooth as granite but his face is set in serene softness.
          He doesn't appear to be more than maybe 22-23? Yet he also looks as if he could be older. In the creases of his eyes, hints of faded laugh lines show through. Patting his shoulder I step back and quickly run to take a shower quickly before he wakes up. Pulling some black leggings and a soft oversized sweater from my closet I incase myself in the bathroom where I quickly strip and step into the steaming shower.
Wiping a rag across the bathroom mirror I look at my own pale reflection. Emerald green eyes stare back at me glancing from my assortment of freckles to my ruby red lips. I used to be so ashamed of my freckles until I realized how unique and beautiful they truly are. I am not a vain person but I am willing to admit that I am not horrible on the eyes. I just refuse to let that be what defines me. Pulling on the clothes I had picked out earlier I rush to towel dry my curls and then make my way back to my small bedroom.
I find my mystery man still fast asleep in the same place I left him. Pulling a chair up to the bed I don't even question if it's a good idea or ask myself if he might be dangerous as I take his hand in mine and lay my head on the edge of the bed. If he moves or makes up in the middle of the night I will know. It feels like forever before I finally manage to slip into an uneasy sleep.

           _____________________________

My dreams are filled with winking stars and streaks of light. I am jolted from one such dream as I feel a tug from the hand I am still clutching.
"Your awake," I whisper "Ill be honest I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to." I tell the stranger attempting a friendly smile.
"What is going on, where am I?" he questions me in a deep rich English accent. "are you human?"
He appears to be rightfully confused and I nod reassuringly. "You-well you fell from the sky. You landed in front of my apartment and I brought you in to make sure you were okay." I tell him slowly. "I'm Thalia by the way." I smile at him brightly regardless of the hour or which appears to be around 4:30 am.
          "If you don't mind my asking, what can I call you?" Glancing down he notices his hand in mine and promptly removes it pushing it through his black locks.
          "Loki, you can call me Loki," he whispers rubbing his temples before slipping out of the bed. Meeting my eyes for the first time I am shocked to take note that not only are his eyes the same emerald green as my own but that they appear so much older than his outward features suggest. "Where am I again?" he questions me.
"Your in New York. Do you know where that is?" A man who has fallen from the sky likely dosen't know anything about earth.
"Oh this is not right. How could I have ended up on Midgard?" Loki questions himself and I'm beginning to think he might be panicking. "What year is is this." He asked me suddenly. Ignoring his question for the moment I come to his side of the bed opposite of where I stand reaching to take his temperature.
"Do you feel alright, how do you not know what year it is?" I question him as he steps back before I can feel his forehead.
Shaking his head Loki huffs and unbelieving laugh. "You mortals are all the same. You are all so blissfully unaware of what else is out there in the universe around you."
Crossing my arms and lifting a single brow I glare at him. "Listen, I askfor the stars to show me a sign every night. Do you know what happened when I did so last night?" I take a single step closer and Loki doesn't move a muscle. "You fell from the sky in a beam of light directly at the bottom of my apartment. So I think as far as ignorant mortals go I'm doing pretty good."
Loki suddenly grins and takes one step closer. "You may just prove to be entertaining yet, what was your name again, Tessa was it?"
"Thalia." I correct him not budging an inch. "So, where did you fall from then?" I inquire.
"You wouldn't likely believe me if I told you." His eyes glint daring me to ask him again.
"Where. Are. You. From." I ask him a second time trying not to lose my temper with this man who's ungrateful life I just likely saved.
"Asgard." he whispers in my ear suddenly behind me without me ever having seen him move. I feel a shiver go down my spine but I refuse to let him see that what he just did got to me.
Turning toward him I sigh "let me guess this is some place us mortals are completely unaware of ?"
Loki's answering grin is almost sinful. "So your smarter than you seem. I think I'm beginning to like you."
Unsure of weather or not that's a good thing I put my back to him and leave the room waiting for him to follow. I was beginning to think he planned to stay in my little bedroom forever when he finally immersed glaring intensely.
          "Okay, out with it. Where are you from, are you extraterrestrial, I need details." I face him planting my hands on the island separating us.
Loki glares at me seeming suddenly suspicious "you honestly haven't the slightest clue who you're in the presence of?"
his posture is rigid straight and as he looks down his nose at me I feel I should be afraid of him. "Sorry, I have no idea who you are."
Loki chuckles darkly. "This truly is very humorous if you think about it." he tells me bracing a hand on the counter. The other waves about as he explains. "Ive been dropped on Midgard at the doorstep of the one mortal in New York who somehow has no idea who I am or what I've done!?" he starts shouting. "This is the most puzzling twist of fate yet."
He shakes his head swishing his black locks to and fro. "Thalia, dear take one of your Midgardian phones I believe you call them, do a little research about the year of 2012. I think that might give you some answers. Go ahead I'll wait here." he tells me his grin beginning to fade as he pulls out an island chair and sit down.