i skjul (Into Hiding)

Note: So what gender pronouns I use for Loki are going to change depending on what form he is in. When he's in his male body, I'll use 'he' and 'him', but when Loki is in female form I'll use 'her' and 'she'. This is mostly to help identify what form Loki is in, as Loki's name doesn't help us much as I will not switch to calling Loki 'Sarah' or 'Mrs. Rogers' except for the times that other people say Loki's name.

Six weeks pass since Loki and Thor had their tryst. Thor, Loki could tell, was ever looking for his lover and Loki did well to stay away from his female form. Thor became so distracted that even Odin had noticed, but when asked, Thor simply said that he was anxious for another tourney. Loki scoffed, wanting a tourney indeed. Loki had mostly put the experience behind him. He had seen and he had conquered, that's all he needed to know. But when two days into six weeks past that night Loki wakes up to all too ever obvious morning sickness, Loki knew: he was pregnant with Thor's child. Loki paled at the realization, frightened for what would happen to his child if Odin were to find out.

So several nights later, Loki steals away in the middle of the night with a light bag packed. Even though he has several weeks before he will start to show, he dares not risk the health of his child on Odin being oblivious. Odin noticed his other children's birth and bad things happened to them, he would not let that happen to the young one growing inside him at the moment. Loki places a spell over himself to make sure that Heimdall's sight would slide over him.

Loki, in female form, arrives in America on Midgard late in the morning to a cold day despite the shining sun. Loki huddles deeper into her coat, shivering despite herself. Casting a silent warming charm over her form, Loki makes her way to the closest apartment building. "Hello?" She calls out once she steps foot into the building proper.

A balding man steps out into the area and greets Loki, "What can I do for you, miss?"

"I was looking to rent a room if you had one." Loki replies, clutching her bag to her body in unease.

"None open. I'd try down the block." He replies, eyes roaming over her form.

"Thank you." She replies shortly before hustling out of the building. Loki walks for several minutes before arriving at another apartment complex. Loki steals herself before going inside. A kindly looking lady greets her, briefly breaking her conversation with another lady who is heavily pregnant.

"What can I do for you?" The first lady asks.

"I was looking for an apartment to rent. I was directed here by…" Loki trails off.

The lady smiles kindly at Loki, "Plenty of room here. Let me go get Jasper, my husband, and he can get the paperwork set up for you." The lady leaves with another smile.

"What is your name?" The pregnant lady politely asks, "My name is Winifred Barnes."

"Sarah Rogers." Loki replies with the fake name she had created from random adds she had seen upon her arrival in Brooklyn. "How far along are you?"

"My little one should be popping out next month or so." Winifred's eyes roam over Loki's form. "Are you…?"

Loki nods, "My husband passed. He was in the war, died serving America." Loki allows the lie to slip easily off her lips, "Mustard gas got him."

"Oh!" Winifred's hands fly to her mouth, "I am so sorry! You poor dear! Having to raise a little one all on your own!"

Loki gives Winifred a tight smile, "It is what it is."

"What happened to the apartment that you were living in?"

"Oh," Loki quickly thinks of a feasible lie. Referencing an apartment over in Queens that had recently burned down in a riot, she responds, "Oh, it was burnt in the riot over in Queens."

"Oh how horrible. The nerve of people these days." Winifred looks upset on Loki's behalf. "Perhaps you'll get the vacant apartment next to ours and we can just help look after you." Winifred pats her belly fondly. "My little one is my first, but I've seen how my sister and Ma have done it."

Loki smiles tightly and spins out her lie, "My first, of course, we'd only gotten married shortly before he shipped out and got caught in the gas."

"Of course." Winifred sympathizes.

Shortly after Winifred's statement, a man appears before the two. "Hello, Mrs. Barnes."

"Jasper." Winifred smiles at the man.

Jasper then turns to Loki, "And you must be the lovely lady looking for an apartment. You've come to the right place, there's an opening right across from the Barneses."

Loki smiles at the man, "That would be lovely."

"If you would come this way, we can get the paperwork settled and have you moved right on in." Jasper smiles kindly at her.

Loki nods and follows the man towards a desk in the far corner. A couple signatures later, an explanation on when the rent was due, and a hearty welcome later, Jasper leads Loki back over to where Winifred was patiently waiting. Jasper smiles at the other lady, "If you would be so kind as to show Mrs. Rogers her apartment, Mrs. Barnes."

"I would be delighted to." Winifred smiles at Jasper as she heaves herself into a standing position. Loki dutifully follows Winifred up the stairs and to her new home. "Well this is yours, I'm right here-" She slaps her hand down against the door across the hall. "-and never feel like you're intruding. Knock whenever you need us. My husband can be quite the handyman when he needs to be."

Loki gives Winifred a genuine smile, "Thank you."

"It's no problem! Us pregnant ladies have to stick together, you know!" Winifred cheerily tells the other lady. "And you mustn't need worry about feeding yourself tonight, you come right over to ours and I can introduce you to the husband, we so rarely get company."

"Why is that?" Loki aks.

Winifred smiles, "My husband and I only got married two months ago you see."

"Ah," Loki sympathizes, "People can be so judgemental at times. You seem perfectly lovely to me."

"You're too kind." Winifred blushes.

"I can understand being cast aside, is all." Loki corrects, patting her belly, "I have a feeling my little one will feel that sting all too many times."

Winifred looks curiously at Loki, "And why is that?"

"The pregnancy was a mistake, if you will." Loki tries to explain. "A happy one, but a mistake none-the-less. It was- he, he will have health issues, I've been told by the doctors, due to his parentage." Loki hedges, trying to give some truth to Winifred in light of what she shared.

"Was Mr. Rogers not the father?" Winifred asks in a low voice.

Loki looked pained as she accepted this version of the truth, "My father is not a nice man."

Winifred gasps, "Oh you poor thing, no wonder you're all alone in the world. Well never mind that, you have me and mine and we will take good care of you."

"Thank you." Loki allows another genuine smile to grace her face, "Your kindness means a lot to me."

Winifred pats the other lady's cheek, "You stick by me and you'll be just fine, you'll see."

Months pass, Winifred gives birth to a beautiful baby boy whom she names James Buchanan Barnes. "It's a mouthful." Loki smiles at her friend. "But fitting." Soon enough Loki, too, gives birth to a son.

"Oh, he's such a tiny thing." Winifred coos as she lays eyes on Loki's son. "What are you naming him?"

"I was thinking Steven Grant Rogers." Loki brushes her hand down Steven's face, "Steve for short."

"That sounds perfect." Winifred smiles, "James Buchanan and Steven Grant. They're going to grow up thick as thieves I tell you."

Loki smiles, "They will. But is that so bad?"

"No, I suppose not." Winifred replies as she rearranges James on her hip.

"Is it safe to come in?" A man's voice calls. Winifred and Loki laugh and call for the man to come in. "Oh looky here, another boy to add to the bunch."

Loki smiles at Winifred's husband, "I reckon you two will have only girls for babies now."

"Oh hush you." Winifred playfully slaps Loki's shoulder. "Though I have a strange feeling you may be right."

"Aren't I always?" Loki asks.

Richard laughs, showing all of his teeth, "You have a way of knowing things, I will give you that, Sarah."

Loki indulges in a small, private grin before shooing the two of them out, "I have sleeping to catch up on!"

Winifred giggles, "I'll be back tomorrow to ply you with food."

"I would expect nothing less." Loki gives Winifred an indulgent smile, "Now get out of here, Wini, I know you're just as tired as I am."

Richard gives Loki another smile before gently dragging his wife out of Loki's apartment. Loki sighs and sinks into the mattress, holding Steve closer to her breast. "I will protect you, little one, let nothing happen to you. I'll be damned if my father, your grandfather, I suppose, gets his hands on you."

Steve simply rolls his body closer to his mother, snuggling up to her warmth.

Several years pass, Winifred and Richard add two more girls to their family and they too worm their way into Loki's heart. "Mama, why do I hafta?" Steve asks his mother one morning, "I don' wanna go to school."

Loki smiles at her son, "You'll enjoy it, I'm sure. And you will have Bucky right there next to you, he's starting this year as well."

"But Mama, what if the others are mean to me like Tommy Harris?"

"Tommy Harris is a bully and what have I told you about listening to bullies?"

"Not ta."

"To."

"Not to." Steve repeats.

"Yes, do not listen to the bullies, Steve. If you start taking stock in what they say, you will never get anywhere in life."

Steve sighs, "Okay, Mama."

Loki pulls Steve closer to her, "Oh, my little boy, you're growing up so fast." Steve snuggles closer to her. "I love you."

"I love you too Mama." Steve gives Loki a large smile. A short rapping breaks their embrace. "That's Bucky! Gotta go, Mama!" Steve races off towards the door.

"Have a lovely first day, Steve!" Loki calls after her son. "And try not to overdo it with your asthma!"

Steve waves towards his mother, "Okay, Mama!"

Loki smiles as she listens to the sounds of her son and his best friend race down the hallway, Bucky mindful of his friend's limitations. Several hours later, knocking breaks Loki out of her musings. She gracefully walks to the door, darning still in hand, and opens it to reveal Frigga standing there in fine Midgardian clothing. "Mother." Loki moves aside to let the elder lady inside.