She groaned, a particularly hard kick from one or both of her babies. She was laying down on the couch in the living room of Avengers tower. She always wore long sleeves and pants and even gloves to protect against the massive amounts of cold and frost her body was putting out. It got heavier with each month and now that she was nearing the ninth month, she was like a walking snow cloud. There was always a layer of frost on her body making the area around her fairly cold. But Clint never seemed to mind. He dressed for it best he could in winter cloths.
Right now he was holding her close, his hands gently rubbing her stomach. He smiled. "Whoa, that was a hard one.." "I know." Loki said, unamused, her head in his lap. She groaned "How long until they come out?" "Well your nearly on your ninth month so any day now." She wined and he chuckled lightly, petting her hair. Her hair was freezing but luckily it was one part of her body not covered in a layer of frost. Since that incident at Tony's gala she secluded herself inside the tower with everyone. Her skin and eyes were full frost giant now. Her skin was a light blue with gorgeous lines going all around her body. Her eyes a deep red. He thought she was the most beautiful creature he's seen. She thinks shes a monster but her panic and anxiety about that has gotten better so he and Bruce both agreed it came down to a social anxiety with PTSD.
She frowned. "We haven't even picked names yet." He smiled. "We will. Don't worry, they won't be nameless beings. How did you want to name them?" She winced, feeling her belly, another kick or two. "What do you mean?" "I mean I'm ok if you want to name one of them or both Asgurdian names." She let out a breath. She didn't even think of that. "How about...you name the girl and I'll name the boy." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her head, not caring of the layer of frost. "Sounds like a plan."
Just then Natasha walked in. "Clint, suit up. We got a mission." He frowned over at her. "Nat, she could give birth any day now." Natasha gave him a soft look. "I'm aware but were not going far. The NYPD are having more trouble then normal on bringing down a drug ring. We should be in and out in a few hours but were needed on the hellicarrier for the mission brief." He groaned, helping Loki sit up. "Fine, I'll go get dressed." Loki watched him walk away to get dressed. She frowned, hands on her large belly. "Is Everyone else coming along as well? Tony? Dr. Banner?" She nodded. "Dr. Banner is coming along because your so far along and Clint isn't trusting any other doctor and Tony is coming along because apparently he has nothing better to do. I'm assuming your brother will be joining us later." She nodded. "Yes, he is on Asguard, informing Odin and mother that there grandchildren will be born any day now. Most likely even making rooms for them." She started to get up but Natasha came around, helping her stand. She sighed once she stood, hand on her belly. "Thank you."
Clint and Natasha were in the dingy van. She was dressed to look like a druggie, a junky and she did a good job. Make up could do amazing things. He was gonna pose as a dealer so he was dressed a little nicer but he still had a bullet proof vest on and guns holstered under his jacket. He was getting nervous. He shook his head, speaking lowly. "I have a bad feeling." She nodded. She had one to but with drug rings, things go could wrong very quickly if they thought something was up. They parked a little ways away so they could walk to the location. Before they got there Natasha tested her com. "Clint, Coulson, you read me?" "Loud and clear Widow." She nodded as Coulson spoke. Clint nodded. "Clear. Lets go."
Loki was in the briefing room, looking out the large window of the hellicarrier. She knew she could go anywhere on this ship but she wanted to avoid people. She didn't want them to see her this way. She knew people would stare or say something. "Hey, frosty, how you doing in here?" Tony spoke as he walked in. She frowned. "I didn't want to bother any one." He sat down. "How would you be bothering anyone?" She was silent as he stood. "Com'on, lets go get some coffee." She sighed. "ok." He helped her stand, walking with her out of the briefing room. "Where's Steve? Your husband." Tony let out a breath. "Mission over seas, he should be back next week thou." "Are you worried." Tony looked over with a soft look. "Always. You?" Loki nodded. "Our husbands are putting there lives on the line." Tony smiled sadly, putting an arm around her as they walked into the cafeteria.
Tony wasn't sure how long they were in the cafeteria when Thor walked in, smiling. "Sister! There you are!" His voice boomed in the cafeteria, making everyone look there way as he hugged Loki. She smiled weakly. He's hugged her more and more gently with each visit. "Hello Thor." He smiled. "How are the little babes? Will we soon meet them?" Loki nodded. "Any day now Dr. Banner said." Suddenly a few people in the cafeteria was running out. Tony saw them, they were nearly all doctors or nurses. Loki frowned. "Stark? What is going on?" Tony frowned ."Clint and Natasha are back. There in medical." Loki felt a bit of dread as tony and Thor lead her out of the cafeteria.
Natasha was covered in blood as she helped wheel Clint into the Hellicarrier's ER, Coulson next to her as she kept a bunched up ball of fabric on Clint's neck. "What happened?" Natasha frowned, keeping up with the nurses. "It went south, shots were fired. One of them got his neck. He's losing a lot of blood." Coulson nodded, watching as they wheeled him into the ER. Natasha had no choice but to stand back and let the doctors work. One nurse took her her job, keeping pressure on the wound. Coulson and Natasha watched from behind the safety glass of medical room. The pulled Clint onto the bed, rushing around him like bees in a hive.
Thor and Tony lead Loki to the medical wing. She rushed, seeing Natasha before stopping dead as Natasha walked toward her. She was covered in blood. All over her hands, chest, stomach, even her face. She already knew it was Clints blood and that made her nauseous. "Wheres Clint?" Natasha signaled for them to follow to the window were Coulson was watching, his hands over his mouth worriedly. Loki, Tony and Thor all went to the window. Loki gasped, her hand going to her mouth. "Oh Gods...Clint...will he be ok?" "We don't know yet." Coulson spoke up quietly. "The bullet hit the jugular vein he's lost a lot of blood. Still losing blood." Loki watched the window, eyes glued to her husbands body. The machines he was being hooked up to were beeping wildly and she knew it wasn't good. She could barely hear them thru the glass.
"He's stopped breathing!" The one doctor rushed, getting a tube, putting it down Clints throat easily before attaching a balloon like tube, pressing it, pushing air into his lungs. They were working on his neck when suddenly he flat lined. "I need difib! He's dropping!" They got the defibrillator, charging it up. Loki watched, helplessly as they pressed the panels to her husbands chest, making it jump but his heart didn't start up. They tried again...and again... she shook her head, lip trembling, chest heaving with suppressed sobs. When she saw the heart monitor start up again, she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. When she breathed out, a sob escaped to. They seemed to have him stable as they worked on his neck, getting blood packs, hooking him up.
When she thought all was well...his heart stopped again... she swore she felt her own heart stop as they got the defibrillator out again. He couldn't die. She can't be without him. What would she do? How would she raise there two babies? Her breathing was getting faster, mixed with sobs. She barely felt the hands on her shoulders, she didn't know who is was. Then suddenly she felt agony. Gripping her stomach, crying out in pain as she gripped the window, wanting more then anything to be with her husband. Natasha was the first to her side. "Loki, I think your going into labor." Her face crumbled in agony as a contraction hit her, pressing against the glass window. "No...I have to be here...ahh.." Natasha helped her, letting her lean against herself. " I need a stretcher!" Natasha called out, the others rushed around, trying to help. Loki cried into her shoulder. "I can't...not now...he's dying..." Bruce was running up to her along with a stretcher and two nurses. "Busy day. I have a room ready." Thor easily picked his sister up, gently laying her on the bed. She cried, looking to the room that held her dying husband, watching it go out of view. The last thing she saw was them getting that damn machine out again. His heart stopped, a third time. She wondered if she would have a husband after this was over. And that hurt worse then the pain of her children readying themselves to be born.
They got her into the room quickly. Loki whined in pain, gripping her stomach as they attached some medical stuff to her, a heart monitor on her finger and two monitors on her belly as Bruce and Natasha helped undress her and into a hospital gown. "No...I should be with him...ahh...he should be here..." Bruce spoke to her as he prepared equipment, the nurses rushing around as well. "He's kinda has problems of his own Loki, he'll pull thou thou. He's...he's a stubborn ass. Now do you want one of us to stay with you, help you thru in place of Clint?" She was breathing heavily thru the pain. "No...I only want Clint.." Tears kept falling as another contraction hit her. "ahh..he should be here..I can't do this...not without him.." Tony moved to her bed. "I'll stay. Natasha, Just keep us updated on Clint." She nodded, walking gout of the room. Thor followed as well, knowing it wasn't his place.
Loki breathed thru the pain. "Why...why would you stay?" "Because believe it or not, I care and you need someone. Now shut up and listen to the nice doctor." Bruce helped her legs open, propping them up to the beds stirrups as the blanket was placed over her midsection. She gasped out in pain. "ahh...thank..thank you Stark." He smiled sadly, holding her freezing hand. "Just call me Tony, good lord we've known each other how long? You threw me thru a window, I think we can be on a first name basis." Loki smiled weakly, letting out a weak laugh when she gasped out again. "Oh Gods..." Bruce let out a breath. "These kids are moving fast. On the next contraction I want you to push, hard as you can."
She swallowed down her tears, still wishing Clint was next to her but he was in the next room, dying. She felt a contraction hit and she pushed. Tony let her hold his hand as she pushed, gritting her teeth against the pain. "Ahh..." Bruce smiled. "The head is out... take a break. Breath." She stopped, relaxing against the bed, breathing heavily. Tony got a cloth from the table next to the bed, wiping her forehead off of the sweat and melting frost. It was odd to say the least. Loki looked over at him, tears going down her face. "...Thank you. For being here." Tony smiled. "please, mention it. I could use the good rep." Loki smiled weakly, gasping in pain as the next one hit.
Once the next contraction hit, she pushed, gritting her teeth and gripping Tony's hand so hard she hoped she didn't break any bones. But it paid off as she heard the first cries of her child. Well...one of them. Bruce smiled as they baby was crying, wiggling in his hands. "The first one out is the boy..it might be a couple minutes till the girl starts moving. So just rest." The nurse cut the cord, taking the wiggling, blue child to the station to clean up. It wasn't long until the girl was born, both in there little cots, wrapped up like little burritos. One pink, one blue. Loki watched them from the side of her bed with tears going down her face. She didn't trust herself to hold one of them right now but gods were they beautiful. Her children. Her and Clint's children. Her lip trembled, thinking of him. She hasn't heard any news yet and she prayed that was a good things. She couldn't help thinking he was dead or dying and they were waiting until everything with her calmed down. A small sob escaped her, turning her head into the pillow. She wanted her husband more then anything right now. She was alone in the room, Bruce, Tony and the nurses giving her privacy with her children.
She stopped her tears once the door to her room was opening. With nurses and Bruce following with the bed. She sucked in a breath. Clint. He had a breathing tube in his mouth, IV's of every sort were hooked up to him along with a steady heart monitor. "Dr. Banner? He's ok?" Bruce sighed. "Yes and no. Because of the blood loss, he's gone into a comatose state. Were not sure when he'll wake up. If he'll wake up. It might be his body needs to adjust and realize the blood it's lost has been replaced. But we brought him in here, we thought it might do him better if he heard you talking or his children crying. Instinct is pretty strong, were hoping it helps." Loki nodded, just relived he was even alive let alone a comatose state.
She spoke, her voice weak from crying and screaming in pain. "May I have privacy please? I'd like to speak with my husband." Bruce nodded, escorting the nurses out. She swallowed the lump in her throat, looking over at Clint. He was pale but was looking better then before. He was alive. That was what mattered. "Clint...our children...our babies...there beautiful. I'm sorry you couldn't be here for there birth. Our little girl, she looks just like you." She sniffled, tears rolling down her face. "All blonde hair and blue eyes. There frost giant genes are like mine, react to cold. Once they adjusted to the room temperature, they started looking more human. Either way...there beautiful and I wish you could see them." She was met with silence but she had a feeling what she said sunk in somehow.
It was about an hour later that her little boy started crying. She leaned over, gently picking him up from his bed. "shh... my precious boy...your alright.." He calmed but was still upset. She kissed his head, moving her hospital gown, moving him to feed. But he whined. He wasn't hungry. She frowned. "What is it baby?" She rocked him gently then her little girl, who was close to Clints bed started to cry. Loki frowned, pressing the call nurse button. She rocked her little boy when suddenly she heard a coughing, gagging sound. She looked over and nearly gasped. Clint had woken up and once Bruce walked in the crying room, he saw Clint moving, eyes opening. "Thank Goodness, he's awake. It's ok Clint, calm down. I'll get that tube out." Bruce moved, gently taking the tube out of his throat. Clint coughed as it was brought out. Bruce got his little flash light, starting to exam Clint. "how you feeling?"
Clint moaned in pain. "Everything hurts...babies...I heard babies crying..." He looked over, seeing Loki holding a little blue bundle that was whining and he looked over at his bed, he saw a little pink burrito and his eyes watered. "Oh God...our babies?" Loki nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry." Clint shook his head. "Not your fault they got inpatient." Clint smirked weakly, wincing. "I'm sorry I missed it." Bruce and Loki both gave him a look. Bruce spoke. "Clint, you were busy dying, your lucky you were even in a comatose state let alone waking up. You lost a lot of blood. It might be a few days before you feel somewhat normal again. And I think it was the stress that caused Loki to go into labor. She was watching us work on you and your heart stopped...three times...it's a wonder your heart started up again. "
Clint swallowed, watching his little girl who was wiggling in her medical crib wrapped up so tightly. "Can I hold her?" Loki smiled softly as Bruce gently picked up the bundle, gently helping Clint hold her. Clint smiled softly down, a few happy tears falling. "Hey baby girl..I'm sorry I missed your birthday...I promise never to miss another one..." She quieted down once she was in her fathers arms, content and happy. Loki smiled softly. Maybe they were just as worried for there dad as she was and they wanted to see him.
4 months later
Loki wined, turning over in bed as one of her babies cried in the baby monitor. Then she felt a strong arm around her shoulders, kissing her head. "I'll get it. You sleep." Clint said soothingly in her ear. She nodded as he got out of bed, walking down the hall in only his sweat pants. He got to there room and he saw his daughter was the one crying. His son was either a hard sleeper or was indifferent to his sisters distress. He checked on him, feeling his chest. Sleeping. Must be a hard sleeper then. He smiled weakly, going over to his daughters crib. "Hey princess..whats wrong?" He gently picked her up. She calmed slightly when he held her, still whining, hands gripping his chest. He smelled her diaper and felt her head. Fine. Must be hungry then. He got her pink blanket, wrapping it around her as he walked out of the room. She started to cry again. He kissed her head. "shh it's ok." Once he was able to walk around after that awful mission, causing him to miss his children's birth but hey, he was dying. They decided on names. Loki named there son, Balder, which means "prince". He found that fitting. He got to name there little girl. Gabriela. It means "warrior of god." He wondered if she would live up to that.
He started a bottle, mixing up the formula that Tony actually had made. He had Coulson double check it for anything weird. It was not only filling but full of every vitamin they need as babies. At least until they started eating foods. As he heated up the bottle he rocked her, reaching up above the fridge and turning the CD player on. It was violin music. His music. Before they were born he made a CD of his violin music for them to calm them. Gabriela seemed the most responsive to it as she calmed, staring up at him calmly as the music flowed thru the kitchen. He smiled. "There...see? Everything is gonna be ok. Just a little hungry. But I know the feel. Sometimes I get really hungry, I want to cry to." She made cute little sounds, cooing. And Loki was right. She was all blonde hair and blue eyes. He took the bottle out of the pot, shaking it before bringing it to her mouth, gently swaying with her to the soft music.
He heard the soft padding of feet. He looked over, seeing Loki holding balder. Loki smiled. "There they are. I told you we'd find them precious." Clint smiled, walking over, kissing his sons head as he continued to hold his daughter, feeding her. "He ok?" Loki nodded. "Yes, just a little warm. I think he had too many blankets. Mother loves to make them." Clint chuckled. Loki smiled. "Dancing with our little girl. I think I've fallen in love with you all over again." He smiled kissing Loki "Good." Loki watched her husband feeding there daughter and was never so glad to be abandoned to earth. To see someone as tough and hard core as her husband who actually is all soft inside. Holding something so precious and needy and fragile. It made her chest fill with that warm feeling. A warm feeling shes become accustomed to while being on earth. She never wanted to be without it.
AN: reviews are welcome!
