When she reappeared on S.H.I.E.L.D's radar a few days later, it was at the door of the newly-rebuilt Stark Tower, now serving as Avengers headquarters. She walked through the front door. Pepper Potts was talking to the secretary. She paused her conversation, and turned to face her.

"Can I help you?" Jessica smiled politely.

"You must be Ms. Potts. Tony told me all about you." Jealousy sparked in Pepper's eyes briefly. She pursed her lips.

"I'm sure he did. You going up to see him?"

"Not him. Thor, but it's kind of a surprise. Would you mind not telling Tony where I'm going? You know how he is with secrets." The jealousy vanished as soon as she mentioned Thor.

"Of course." She gestured to the lift, then returned to her conversation. Jessica strode into the lift. The doors shut, she smiled at the security camera, and disappeared.

On the top floor, Tony watched the camera.

"Sir, may I inquire as to the identity of the woman you are observing?" Jarvis asked.

"I'm not entirely sure..." he mumbled to himself. He stood and began to pace. Then he stopped and addressed Jarvis again. "Security footage, Stark Industries benefit dinner, six months ago."

"Of course, sir. And exactly what am I looking for?" "Black hair, green dress. Apparently I went home with her," he smirked as he poured himself a drink.

When Jessica strode down the hallways and stopped outside Thor's door, Tony couldn't say he was surprised. She seemed to have had a lot more to say to him, after all.

"Jarvis, record from the moment she enters Thor's floor until the moment she leaves. Leave nothing out."

"Understood, sir."

Jessica knocked on the door. Thor answered, took one look at who it was, and went to close it again.

"Just wait, please?" she asked, grabbing the door. "Let me say my piece, and then you're free to strike me with Mjolnir or whatever else you wish. Just hear me out." Thor thought for a moment, before reluctantly holding the door wide enough for her to enter.

"If you anger me, I will harm you," he promised.

"I understand." Thor shut the door. He had changed out of his armor and into Midgardian clothing.

"Look, the significance of what I'm about to say would have been lost on everyone in that room except you."

"Say what you must, and then leave me."

Jessica took a deep breath and began.

"Up until three months from now, Loki's mind will have not been his own. Yes, the actions were being performed by him, but the actions themselves were the work of Thanos. He had control of Loki's mind from the day he fell from the Bifrost. He fed off of Loki's wants and fears and used them to control him by means of torturing him, using his Jotun bloodline against him." Thor stayed silent. He neither protested not agreed, so she continued. "Now as you undoubtedly know, there are only three types of pain that can break such a strong mental block. One is the pain of death. Two, the pain of heartbreak or loss, and three is the very physical pain of childbirth. My birth will be what breaks the binding Loki's mind is in. And when he shows up here, he won't be wanting pity, and he isn't there to trick any of you. What he needs is help. He'll be beat up and disoriented, having just broken out of the mental hold of one of the most dangerous beings in the Nine. He will be trying to figure out what happened and why everything is how it is now. But he will be the Loki you knew, or as close to it as he can get given the circumstances."

"How am I to believe you? Even if you were being truthful, how could this happen without the All-Father's notice? Or Heimdall's?" He sank down onto his bed.

"Thor, Thanos has had control over Loki's mind for over a year now. As much as I hate to admit it, Odin is more than likely dead. And as for Heimdall, I cannot answer for him." Thor did not answer. She put her hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry."

She left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"She has exited, sir," Jarvis alerted.

"I know, Jarvis. Just, let me think." He sat for a moment, then pressed a button. "Jessica, can you please come to the top floor?"

He barely finished the intercom call when she appeared right next to him, sitting on his desk.

"You called?" Tony jumped in alarm.

"Holy shit, don't do that!" He grabbed at his chest.

"Where's the fun in that?" she commented, examining his possessions. "Why'd you call me up here?"

"Ok, let's say that for one tiny millionth of a second I maybe believe even half of your story, I have some questions for you."

"Shoot."

"How the hell did you get back into our time?"

"Excellent question! I've been waiting for one of you to ask that." She pulled a perfectly square, glowing object out of the inside pocket of her jacket. Tony raised his eyebrow and held out his hand.

"And what exactly is that?"

"A personal Bifrost manipulator. I can only go between Asgard and Midgard, but I can go to any location and any point in time. Once I'm there, it's my own power that allows me to disappear and reappear wherever I please."

"Let me see that..." Tony peered at it, reaching his hand out to take it. In a flash of light the crystal vanished.

"Sorry, hon. Not meant for you. Timelines colliding and such."

"What? And you being here doesn't do that already?"

"It does. But it was necessary."

"For what? To tell me not to kick that lying sack of glitter's ass, and that he popped out a kid that's mine because I got shit-faced and went home with the wrong chick? Again?"

"Essentially, yes."

"Well, mission accomplished. You told me. Now scram back to your own time."

"My leaving wouldn't change any of the events that will occur. Loki will still show up at your door in six months, toting an infant that will grow up to be me. The question is, will I grow up to be who I am now, or will I be a foster child, or even worse, will I not grow up at all? Because if you don't let Loki in when he shows up, both him and I will be dead within a year. There are too many people gunning for him for him to be safe on his own. This is the safest place in the Nine for him right now."

"And why should I even care? He threw me out of a window! He meant for me to die!"

"Tony, I know you listened to what I told Thor, so you know that's not the truth."

"I don't care what is or isn't the truth!" Jessica sighed.

"I need to show you something. I hope you haven't eaten lately." She strode up to him, grabbed hold of his shoulder, and both vanished into thin air.

"Sir?"

When Tony did not reply, Jarvis quickly sent out an emergency signal. Captain America was the first to know. And it would not bode well.

Dun Dun DUUUNNN! I'll be updating this sometime soon.

Putting a warning here now, next chapter is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC! In a blood-and-guts sort of way. So be careful. Those of you who don't want to read it, I'll put a quick summary of it at the beginning of Chapter 5 so you won't have to. But if you really want to understand what causes a change of heart in Tony, you'll have to read it.