1.

They promised to make him beg for the sweet relief of pain.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, throwing his head back as he writhed in pure agony. It was hot - so hot -

They wanted him to scream.

He refused.

They played tricks with his mind; he wasn't the only one who could manipulate magic. He had to listen to Olivia's screams, her crying in the night . . . he'd see her face, pale, tear stained . . . bleeding . . . broken . . . she'd be limp . . . there would be blood on the floor . . .

And Thanos would be there, standing over her . . .

Laughing.

It was unbearable, but he refused to scream.

He knew that screaming would tell them that they'd won. He wasn't stupid, far from it.

He heard them talking, discussing him when they thought he was unconscious; Thor was looking for him. The whole of Asgard was searching for him apparently, led by the All Father. It was some comfort.

Throwing his head back, Loki tried not to scream.

Teary eyed and exhausted, Olivia cradled the newborn baby in her arms, gazing at her with an expression that could only be described as unconditional love. She was pale and sweaty, her hair sticking to her red brow and cheeks, but she couldn't care less.

"I'm not gonna lie," Darcy said. "You've put me off childbirth for the next five years."

Olivia laughed softly, her arms tightening around her daughter.

"Believe me, Darcy," she whispered. "It is so worth it."

On her other side, Jane was grinning like a fool and trying hard not to cry.

"She's so beautiful."

"Yeah," Darcy agreed with a smile. "I expected her to come out all blue and fanged but she's really cute."

"My daughter," Olivia said quietly, grinning. "My little baby girl."

Tears suddenly gathered in her eyes, trickling down her cheeks. Quickly, Jane wrapped an arm around her.

"What's wrong, Liv?"

"I was scared that I wouldn't love her," Olivia sobbed.

"Oh, Liv, you will."

Olivia smiled weakly. "Jane, I already do."

It had been a long, complicated birth, but all the pain had been forgotten her daughter had been placed in her arms.

Wiping her tears away, Olivia pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter's forehead; her skin was so soft.

The love she felt was overwhelming. She knew that, the moment her daughter's scream pierced the room, she would do anything to protect her baby. She would lie down and die for her daughter.

"Have you chosen a name?" Jane asked, still gazing at the baby.

Olivia grinned.

"Tyra," she said. "Her name is Tyra."

"Tyra," Darcy repeated. "I like it."

"It's Norse, so the closest thing to Asgardian as I could get, and it's a female variant of Thor." Olivia's grin widened. "She ought to be named after her favourite uncle."

Despite his absence throughout most of her pregnancy, Thor had been the most help to Olivia, providing comfort and advice. He still felt responsible for Loki's actions and so saw it as his duty to protect Olivia from further distress.

"He'll be honoured, I'm sure," Jane said softly.

"Tyra Murphy," Olivia said, smiling.

"Oh."

Olivia looked at Darcy, who was blushing.

"Sorry, I just thought that you'd . . . y'know . . . "

Yes, Olivia did know what Darcy meant; she presumed that Olivia would give Tyra the traditional Asgardian surname.

"Murphy," Olivia said firmly. "Her surname is Murphy."

"Yeah, that's really cool. I mean, I'd feel weird if my kid had a different surname to me too."

Olivia tried not to grin.

Looking down at Tyra, she failed miserably. She couldn't help but grin down at her perfect, beautiful daughter.

"She's . . . colder than you," Jane said carefully, laughing when Tyra's whole hand curled around her finger.

"What did you expect?" Darcy retorted. "For a smart girl you do say some stupid things, Jane."

Olivia gave Darcy a pointed look as Jane spluttered, "Says you!"

The three women laughed and Tyra mewed in protest, unhappy that her sleep was being disturbed. With a smile, Olivia kissed her again.

The door opened and Olivia looked up, her arms tightening around Tyra when Fury walked in, accompanied by a sheepish looking Bruce.

"No," Olivia said fiercely. "Not yet."

"Miss Murphy, might I remind you of the agreement - "

"Fuck the agreement, this is my daughter!"

Fury barely batted an eyelid at Olivia's vulgarity. Bruce started wringing his hands anxiously.

"They're just routine checks," Bruce said meekly. "They'll be over in a few weeks - "

"Weeks," Olivia repeated flatly. "You said - "

"Miss Murphy, the sooner you allow us to begin the tests, the sooner they will be finished," Fury interrupted. Olivia glared at him. "For the sake of your daughter, will you please cooperate?"

"Or what?"

"Or we will have to take further action, and believe me I do not want to do that."

"Can't you just give her a couple more hours?" Jane pleaded.

"Yeah dude, she's just given birth to the thing," Darcy said. "Let her spend some time with her daughter."

"Can I come with you?" Olivia asked quietly, looking at Bruce.

"Of course."

"Alright, then."

Her arms tight around Tyra, Olivia was helped into a wheelchair - she was too weak to walk - and pushed to the lab with Fury and Bruce by her side. She shivered as they entered the room, not because it was cold but because it was so clinical.

"I'm going to need to take her now," Bruce said regretfully.

Pressing a kiss to Tyra's forehead, Olivia whispered, "I love you."

She handed her daughter to Bruce, trying hard not to cry when she watched Tyra be placed into a baby incubator. She flinched when Tyra was hooked up to various needles.

When they were finally done and Tyra's steady heartbeat was monitored, Olivia was allowed to sit with her daughter.

"Are you alright?" Jane asked quietly, putting a hand on Olivia's shoulder. She nodded.

"I think I'd like to be alone," she whispered.

With a gentle squeeze, Jane let go of Olivia and left the room with Darcy. Fury followed shortly and Bruce went to the other room, giving Olivia some privacy.

Leaning against the incubator, Olivia gazed down at her sleeping daughter.

"I know it's going to be strange in there," she said. "But I need you to be brave, Tyra. I promise that it will all be over soon."

Tyra slept on, unaware of everything.

Closing her eyes, a single tear rolled down Olivia's cheek.