***
It's been almost a week since the sergeant's nearly sleepless night. Strange has yet to know about the elixirs in Emerson's possession-- something that she feels absolutely terrible for keeping from him. Every time she's about to bring them up, he gets busy or sidetracked. Wong will summon him for help, or he'll be too busy with work to talk. The sorcerer has given her everything, a second chance at life, and this is how she treats him? Sneaking behind his back? As she gets dressed up to meet the God of Mischief, she braids her hair to the side and applies a little bit of makeup. It's not an attempt to woo, or seduce the God, but rather for him to assume she cared enough to look nice. Maybe he'll take her seriously if she looks somewhat dressed for their dinner-- it shows she put thought into her appearance. 
"Where are you off to?" Strange speaks up as he trails into the kitchen. Emerson freezes, not planning for him to come out of his office to see her. Shit, this is not ideal she thinks to herself. The sergeant finishes tying her shoes before she sits back up in her chair, using that time to think of an answer. 
"I, uh, I'm off to have dinner with a friend," Emerson tells him, not quite lying. She is having dinner—not with a friend but rather with the God of Mischief. Fuck, she mentally curses herself. Just another lie she'll have to apologize for. She should just tell him now. Blurt it out. It might save her the trouble, but then the argument might make her late to dinner. 
"I never knew you had friends in the area," Strange says, looking at the sergeant expectantly. Emerson just fiddles with her chair, trying her hardest to keep eye contact. "I'm glad you're getting out of the sanctum and staying busy. It's easy to get bored here."
"I could never get bored here in your presence. There is almost always something to do," the sergeant spews out, talking too much in hopes that he won't ask any more questions. Just tell him, she mentally shouts at herself  "Well, I'll be off. See ya later." 
She pushes herself out the door, wheeling herself down the sidewalk before slinging to the restaurant Loki told her to meet him at. It's a high-class establishment, definitely too expensive for her to even enjoy. This place wouldn't have even crossed her mind. Luckily, the restaurant makes Italian food, something the sergeant enjoys. After being seated and not seeing Loki anywhere, the waiter brings her water while she waits. Minutes pass before the waiter brings over a complimentary bread basket and a size of salted butter. With her stomach growling, begging for food, she grabs a piece and butters it up. Eventually, a few minutes turn into twenty and she's half-convinced he won't show. Maybe he forgot.
Mentally cursing herself, she realizes she finished off the breadbasket. The waiter refills her water and offers her an awkward smile. She looks down at her phone now embarrassed to be sitting here all alone. Hardly noticing the chair across from her scrape across the ground, she continues scrolling through her phone. 
"I see you helped yourself to the bread," a voice startles her before she looks up from her phone. I relieved sigh leaves her lips as the God of Mischief sits across from her. His eyes watch her every move, noticing the little things she does. 
"What can I say? I was hungry," the sergeant shrugs while taking a sip from her water while a bit of annoyance shows in her tone of voice. "You're late."
"I'm hardly late. You just happened to be early, pet," the dark-haired god says with a smirk playing on his lips. He doesn't even glance at the menu as if he has been here many times before. 
"No, you were just late. Then I had to sit here all alone," Emerson huffs in annoyance at his indifference. The waiter comes over, taking their orders before heading off to the kitchen. "So, why did you drag me out here to this overpriced restaurant? What do you want?" The sergeant cuts to the chase, not wanting to play his games. 
"I simply wanted to enjoy a nice dinner with my new acquaintance. Is that too much to ask for?" He inquires with a sly look on his face. 
"I don't believe you," Emerson responds as she eyes him up and down. Once again he is dressed in an all-black suit, looking ever so professional and intimidating. Does he ever wear anything else?
"Intelligent woman. I cannot argue with one who trusts their instincts," Loki starts. He locks his hands and rests them on the table before speaking once again. "You have not taken the elixirs, I see..."
"I am waiting for the right time," Emerson lies through her teeth and he notices right away. 
"Ah, the wizard hasn't been informed," he says before clicking his tongue against his teeth while shaking his head. "Why is that?"
"It's none of your business. I'm in no rush to take the elixirs," she tells him. She has been hesitating to take them, not just because of Strange, but at the possibility of needing to give them back to Loki. If he asks something too absurd for her to do, she would have no problem handing them back and telling him to fuck off. 
"It is my business. I was the one who gave them to you," he chuckles before our waiter comes back to the table with our food. "There is something I require you to do."
"How did I guess?" Emerson replies sarcastically while digging into her meal. She cuts a piece of the steak off before putting it into her mouth, watching the god not touch his food. 
"I did do you a favor, after all. I just merely need a favor returned," he says plainly. "You will need to inform me of what the wizard does on a daily basis. I fear he is dabbling in affairs that are not his to dabble in."
"I hate to break it to you, but I hardly know what he does. He disappears during the day to do things that are none of my business."
"I suggest you make them your business and report back to me. I would hate to resort to my next option," the god says as he begins to eat his meal. 
"Then I'll give you the elixirs back because I am not spying on Strange. I refuse."
"You cannot refuse and I will not take the elixirs back. If you don't do this, there will be consequences. I simply want to know what he's doing in regards to my brother and Asgard," Loki laughs at Emerson's audacity. She should've guessed he'd try a power play on her. The sergeant can't even begin to fathom what Loki is capable of. 
"That's it? Just stuff about your brother and his people? Nothing else?" Emerson inquires, suspicion fills her mind as she considers his request. 
"Maybe a few other things here and there, but for now that is all I require of you," he simply responds, convincing the sergeant that he isn't doing anything too shady. If that's all he needs, surely she can provide the information. 
"Fine, I can do that. But you can't just show up whenever unannounced." Emerson gives in to his demands, not considering the possible consequences of doing such a thing for him. He gives her a sly smile, satisfied with her answer. 
"What a good little pet. I shall give you my phone number if you'd prefer to communicate that way. Don't think for one second that my eyes are off of you though. That ring ensures me of where you are and what you're doing. You cannot hide or try to fool me as you do to the wizard; I am not as naive."
"You don't scare me Loki. You may think you can have your way with me, but just because you're a god doesn't mean I need to respect you. We're simply making a deal for the elixirs, nothing more. Once this is over and you get the information you need, I expect to never see you again. Understood?" The sergeant snaps, standing her ground. He will not use her and have his way with everything. 
"I knew there was a reason I liked you. I expect to hear from you soon," he responds as he throws cash down on the table to pay for the meal. He abruptly stands up and strolls away, leaving the sergeant sitting at the table all alone. She lets out a huff of anger and disappointment, knowing she'll have to let Strange know what's going on. 
***
A/N: Don't forget to like and comment! Thank you for reading and I apologize for the wait.