I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and/or put a story alert for this. I was quite surprised to see how many people seemed interested in this story. Hopefully I won't let you down.

Once again, thanks to HarbingerLoki for the beta services.

Part II

Darcy Lewis was exhausted. Between turning in the last papers involving graduation, and her last couple of classes plus the duties of a new mother, she had barely enough time to breathe. She wondered when Jane would be back from Asgard. The lab seemed lonely now that it was just her and Ariana. Most of those who worked in the lab had been shifted to New York to work on restoring the city as well as panic and crisis control.

This left her alone with a newborn in the middle of a New Mexican desert. She loved her daughter, but she longed for a conversation with someone who could actually comprehend and respond. With Jane gone, she was left with the lab aides who either stumbled over their words trying to impress her (she was the boss' right hand lady) or gave her monosyllabic answers in the hopes that she would just go away and let them do some real work.

She could also use a nap. Or chocolate and coffee, but mostly she wanted a nap where she could lay down for more than five minutes at a time.

She had been told by quite a few people, including her mother to get a nanny since her new income from SHIELD was enough to hire someone to take care of the baby while she was at work or at least for a few hours so she could take a nap. But at the moment she wasn't about to. Partially it was the fact that she was still getting used to the fact that this little person was something that came out of her. She also had to worry about her daughter's tendency to randomly turn blue.

She had been born blue, and frankly those first minutes when she saw her daughter and thought she was suffocating probably took a few years off her life. Thankfully the doctor was familiar with children with mutations including strange colors, and was able to reassure her that her beautiful baby girl was actually breathing. She became a normal peach color soon afterwards, but still had a tendency to turn blue at random moments. She seemed to be able to control it too, and usually laughed when she did at the reactions she would get.

Darcy had decided it was a little early to put a babysitter through that, and she didn't want to have to deal with finding one through SHIELD who could handle a child that had abilities out of the realm of average. Although it might be amusing to see what questions they would ask the poor babysitter.

Today she needed to finalize paperwork for the rebuilt lab Jane had been permission to build so it was complete before they decided to push it back till after they paid for the rebuilding of the SHIELD facility. She put Ari's baby carrier in the holder beside her desk, allowing her to see the baby at all times and then put her new iPod (she never did get her old iPod back, though Aaron...wait, he wasn't really Aaron. Loki had found a way to gather all the songs she had on it and download into a new one with expanded memory) into the dock and had it on low so it wouldn't bother the baby.

Aaron Rogers. She hadn't thought of him (or the man he actually was) in a few hours. She went between missing him, wishing he was there to help, and wanting to taser him for the lies. It usually depended on her mood on how bad the tasering got. She was relatively alright at the moment, so it was only one tasering.

She had met Aaron a year ago, he had arrived to the lab as one of the group of SHEILD experts who were going to help Jane set up her lab and help her run it. Apparently now that they were aware of the existence of Asgard, they were eager to get there themselves. Aaron had been a computer expert, able to do magic with a few keystrokes. Jane hadn't seen him much, but the effects of what he had done had her very happy.

Darcy had taken a liking to him immediately. He was good looking, had a great sense of humor (if a bit dark at times), and he took the time to say hello to her every morning. Eventually he started to bring her coffee and the two would talk before their shifts.

That had led to nights spent on the roof talking about the stars. Astronomy had not been an interest of hers before her internship, so her knowledge of them and the stories behind the constellations was limited. He took the time to teach her both the technical things that made working for Jane a bit easier, but also told her some of the stories, including a few variations that he had made himself.

She had fallen for him fast, and the nights on the roof changed to dates and kisses and finally he spent a few nights a week at her place. She had been happy, things had been going well for her friends and she had someone of her own. At the time she had compared him to Thor only in showing how lucky she was she didn't have to build a bridge to get to him. He was right there.

After a few months he suddenly left, stating he had to deal some family business and he would get in contact with her when he could. She didn't hear a word of him or from him till she was watching the TV in horror while a man in a horned helmet tried to destroy New York City with a couple odd looking robo-snakes.

Thank goodness her daughter was too young to have a long term memory yet, because she didn't want her daughter's first words to be anything she said when she realized who it was. In fact she was quite surprised (and perhaps a bit proud) that she had such a variety of words to use.

However, behind the anger, and the possibly inappropriate pride over swear words, was hurt. The realization that her geeky computer tech boy was actually the most likely mentally unstable and possibly quite evil younger brother of her best friend's godly boy-toy had not come without effect. It had broken her heart. He wasn't coming back, she wasn't even sure she wanted him too.

But she saw him every day in her little girl. Would it be right to use ironic for the fact that the daughter of the god of Mischief had been born on April fool's day? She had her father's green eyes, slightly tinted with blue. Her hair was her mothers, however. Jane had been fascinated by the fact that Ariana had been born with a full head of dark brown hair, more wavy then curly.

Ariana Madeline Lewis was loved and had a large adopted family. Jane certainly took to being a godmother in the last couple of months, probably only slightly out of guilt for not being around much when Aaron was here.

She really needed to call him by his real name. Come to terms with the fact that Aaron was just another lie Loki put together to get what he wanted. It hadn't taken her long to connect the dots. He had left when Erik had been asked to work on the Phase Two Project. Eight months later, Erik became a zombie following orders and Loki was trying to take over Germany.

Family issues apparently translated into "I'm pissed at my brother and plan on taking over your world, so I'll call you later."

Darcy frowned as her pen stopped working. The paperwork had to be filled out and she kept running out of pens. Was there some kind of conspiracy? She couldn't wait for Jane to come back. Jane after all was the one supposed to fill this out. Darcy only knew what half the equipment was for. She was after all a political science major, not an astrophysicist.

She got up and walked to the storage cabinet where the box of pens was stored and grabbed a handful to take back to her desk. She frowned as she noticed that previously sunny and cloudless sky had turned into a dark stormy one and the few aides that had come in that day were looking at it in concern. She hadn't heard of any storms coming on the weather, and she had left all the windows down in her car. Note to self: Ask Tony Stark to invent a car fob that will roll up your windows if it starts to rain suddenly.

She was midway back to her desk when the murmurs of the aides rose as they noticed a tall figure coming out of the dust cloud that had formed in front of the lab. Sometimes having floor to ceiling windows allowed for a lot of distraction. Darcy however recognized the figure. A smile broke on her face and she finished the trek to her desk, dropping off the pens and walked towards the door, ready to greet her friend.

Thor thankfully had learned that he needed to land outside, as his previous arrival had equaled the loss of a computer and a brand new sunlight that was still covered in plastic awaiting SHIELD approval for funds to fix it. Thankfully it was on the other side of lab from where Darcy worked.

Her smile had left her face as she reached the door. Thor did not have the same grin he usually wore when visiting. The last time she had seen this face, he had just been told by his jerk of a little brother that their father had died and he was permanently banned from home. Suddenly the lack of Jane took a whole new context.

"Is something wrong with Jane," she called out as she opened the door. "What's wrong, why isn't Jane here?" Thor didn't enter the building, but he also didn't seem to notice the four faces nearly plastered along the window looking at him either.

"Jane is perfectly alright." Thor stated, touching her shoulder to calm her concerns. "I have come to take you and your daughter to Asgard."

"Why?" When Jane and Thor had left to oversee Loki's punishment, they had left her behind stating that the pathway between Midgard and Asgard did not allow for large groups of people. She hadn't minded, since she doubted that a baby at a trial would probably be unwelcomed, and she hadn't decided if she wanted Loki to know about Ariana quite yet. Unless Jane felt she needed Darcy's support when meeting the in-laws, there really wasn't a reason for Thor to come and get her.

"My father has requested it." Thor rarely discussed his father, but when he did Darcy got the impression that while Odin was a loving King, he was also not one to be declined. Thor's tone at the moment supported that.

"Cut the crap, Thor. What is going on? There is no reason for the All Father to request the presence of his future daughter-in-law's glorified assistant." Then she remembered his look towards her daughter as he had said they had been requested. Her heart dropped.

Did they know the truth? Had Loki known about the baby when he left? She had been working on the theory he hadn't. Would they take her away from her? After all, she was just a mortal girl, barely into her mid-twenties who had no idea how to raise a daughter in the ways of the Asgard.

"You know." She stated, a slight silver of anger coming through her voice. Why hadn't he said something when He was there before?

"Jane came to the right conclusion," Thor stated, deciding that to be forthright in this conversation would be the best course of action. "The old woman who is binding my brother's abilities says he has more injuries and your presence is needed to help her, along with your child's. It was through her that the connection was made."

"Why would they need my help?"

"I am unsure. She does not explain herself, just commands. Even Odin listens to her when she tells him to do something." Thor walked over to where the baby slept, seemingly unbothered by the thunder and lightning that had preceded her Uncle's arrival.

"Is this your grandmother or something?"

"She is not of Asgard." Her anger drained slightly at the somewhat lost look on his face as he stared at her daughter. He seemed unknowing of how to perceive her. However there was love in that look and he was being surprisingly gentle with her as he ran a finger along her face.

When he had seen her the first time he had just been an honorary Uncle, the title coming with his relationship to Jane, the godmother. Now he was this child's Uncle in a more concrete way, even though still not through blood. He could see more of his brother's features in the little girl, wondered if she would inherit her father's mischievous side.

In a way, he hoped so. He had so many good memories of his brother's antics. He missed his brother.

"We must leave soon. The window for travel is not open for very much longer. Do not worry about alerting anyone. Fury has done this for you."

"Great, everyone's commanding my life now. I'm not sure I want to take my daughter anywhere near Asgard. She's not going to be a token in someone's war game." She knew enough from Thor's explanations that things were not well in Asgard. "She is my daughter. I will not have someone taking her away from me."

"That is not our intention," Thor said softly, understanding her fears. "You are her mother and shall remain such. A bond such as that should never be broken. We need your presence on Asgard, Lady Darcy for my brother's sake. Your daughter should see what her birthright as the granddaughter of Odin is as well." He stepped closer and made sure their eyes met. "I swear no harm will come to her. You have my word."

Darcy was silent for a moment, contemplating her choices. Her eyes flickered towards the stake of paperwork and the iPod that still was playing. She had to admit there was some allure to going to Asgard. Maybe she could finally get answers to the questions she had since Loki had left her behind.

Why her? Why didn't he come back? Why did he lie? Was anything true?

Anger was so much better then feeling heartbreak.

She would go. Thor had been right. Asgard was part of her daughter's heritage and she should not deny Ariana the chance to experience it. On a more selfish level, Darcy felt she needed to go to find answers, and if not answers, then to let Loki know what he was now losing.