Disclaimer: Still don't own Marvel

A/N: I'd like to say a special thanks to Ao3 user canonballingthroughthesky for commenting a ton and motivating the shit out of me. There's not a lot to say at the beginning of this chapter beyond that it starts right where the last left off.

Also, special thanks to Katlewis2000, my friend who this fic is dedicated to, for beta'ing this chapter for me!

Edit 01/18/19: Fixed a few spelling errors.

"Guards!" Loki-as-Odin bellowed, "Fetch the boys and send them to the stables. Have horses prepared for the lot of us."

"The boys?" Thor asked. Loki grinned at him, the expression ever more unsettling for his wearing the Allfather's face.

"'Among other things,' Thor. 'Among other things.'"

Well, leave it to Loki to be cryptic. Thor couldn't even remember the specifics of the phrase his brother was referencing; there had been far more important things to discuss. He had little time to ponder the thought, however, before Loki was speaking to him again.

"Tell me, where is Hela? And don't just say 'on Midgard.' I mean: where is she exactly."

"New York, at Avengers' Tower."

"You left my—you left Hela with the Avengers? After everything her father's done to the realm they've sworn to protect?"

"And they've sworn to protect Hela as well." Thor levelled Loki his most reassuring stare. "They do not hold children accountable for their parentage."

"Unlike some people," Loki gestured down at himself—or more accurately, at the false image of Odin. Thor winced.

"Yes; unlike some people. Perhaps that is why Hela appealed to them as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...you haven't exactly had a history of looking favorably on Loki's children. Perhaps, if she thought leaving Helheim would be considered a break in the terms in her banishment…"

"But Asgard wouldn't dare launch an assault on Midgard—especially not on its heroes," Loki's eyes were wide. "Not when her father - our responsibility - attacked them. Not while we're still in their debt. Clever girl."

"I thought so too. Why wouldn't she be, though? Not only has she been a queen since childhood, she's also my brother's daughter."

Loki rolled his eyes, but there was a subtly pleased air about him.

Point to Thor, in the brotherly-reconciliation game.

The pair strode out into the stables to find a pair of Einherjar supervising the preparation of three horses, one of which was Thor's usual mount, and all of which were of royal grade. Sleipnir, however, was noticeably absent.

Where was Sleipnir anyways? Thor missed his nephew, even if they couldn't really talk. He was about to ask, when—

"UNCLE THOR!"

Thor turned in time to see a smaller body launch itself at him, and brought out his arms in time to catch the individual. He was promptly wrapped in a tight hug. Blinking, he looked down to find a stocky, tan-skinned adolescent boy with very familiar monolid eyes.

"Fenrir!"

The boy grinned.

"Fenrir!" Thor let out a booming laugh, scooping his nephew up off his feet and swinging him around. "You were so tiny when I last saw you like this! And look at you! You've grown so strong! Your—er, did the Allfather free you?"

"Uh...not exactly." Fenrir waffled back and forth. "Uh, when grandma died, the magic binding me faded and I booked it out of there. 'Cause, you know, I figured if grandma was dead, there was nothing stopping Odin from killing me. But! Uh….grandpa," here, Fenrir broke into a series of unsubtle winks. Norns, Fenrir hadn't inherited Loki's ability to lie at all. "Had a change of heart."

"I see!" It was treason-adjacent to even think it, but Thor was grateful for Loki's displacement of Odin. "Well, I am glad of it. And—Oh? Who is this?"

A short distance away, stood another youth. He was gangly - taller and wispier than Fenrir, though roughly the same in age - with hazel eyes, mousy-brown hair, and no small amount of freckles.

"Um, Hello, Uncle Thor." The youth gave a little wave. Thor blinked.

"Sleipnir?"

The boy smiled wide, blushing a little. Thor lunged forward, using an arm to sweep Sleipnir up into an embrace as well. He hoisted both boys up into the air.

"By the Norns - I've two of my favorite nephews instead of one!"

"All of your nephews are your favorite nephews," Fenrir rolled his eyes, reaching an arm over to flick his uncle in the head. Thor's only reaction was to grin wider.

"Well, how could I choose between the greatest nephews the Nine Realms could offer?"

"I'm well and glad you're happy to see each other," Loki interrupted, "But I'm afraid there are urgent matters to attend to. It would be wonderful if we could get to riding."

"Someone's grumpy," Fenrir laughed. "Maybe it's the itching powder I put in his shoes this morning."

"I caught that, Fenrir Lokison," Loki looked quite displeased, and for once the expression fit Odin's face. "Do not try that again."

"Aww, boo."

"He's right though," Thor cut in, nodding at Loki. "The situation at hand is urgent. Besides, the sooner we get to where we're going, the sooner you'll get to see your sister."

"Hela's going to be there?" Fenrir exclaimed. "Then let's go!"

"HI HEIMDALL!" Fenrir shouted as they approached the rainbow bridge. He was panting hard, having leapt from his horse to run in his lupine form halfway to the trip. Even though he had returned to aesir form, it was obvious that his tail was spiritually wagging as he bounced up to Asgard's gatekeeper. "Look! Uncle Thor is here!"

Fenrir pointed back at Thor, who was riding up with the rest of the group. Thor raised a hand in greeting. Sleipnir - who, as he was still unsteady in his aesir form, was riding with Thor - gave a little wave.

"I see," said Heimdall, a blink-and-you'd-miss-it glimmer of amusement in his eye. He nodded his head respectfully. "Prince Thor, Allfather."

Heimdall had mastered his neutral expression long before Thor had been born, but something in the man's expression made Thor suspect Heimdall was very aware of Loki's deception. Or maybe that was logic talking - Heimdall saw everything, a fact that Asgard used for security. Thor and Volstagg had also made use of it during the Great Hide and Seek Fiasco of their childhood, when Loki had hidden in the palace ventilation and Fandral had climbed in after him, getting them both stuck.

Actually, they'd needed Heimdall's help to find Hogun that day too, but not because he'd been stuck anywhere. Hogun was just better at being silent and absolutely still than anyone had a right to be.

"Hela Lokidottir is on Midgard," Loki said as he dismounted his horse. "Tell me exactly where she is."

"Of course, your majesty," Heimdall nodded, gaze focusing on something far beyond any of them at the moment. "She is at the Avengers' Compound, in the state of New York."

"Send Princes Fenrir and Sleipnir to her. Prince Thor and I will be going to Shady Acres Care Home, in New York City proper. Place us down somewhere discreet, if you will."

Heimdall nodded in acknowledgement and sunk Hofund into its stand. The observatory whirled around them, energy reaching up from the sword like branches of a tree to guide the Bifrost's aim.

"The young princes first, your majesty," Heimdall said.

Loki nodded, nudging Fenrir and Sleipnir forward, the former bouncing with excitement. In a flash of light, the two were whisked away down the rainbow bridge. After a moment, the observatory shifted again.

"And yourselves, my lords."

Thor and Loki stepped forward. In a flash of light of their own, they too left Asgard.

A/N: A little shorter than last time – sorry about that. Also, there's gonna bit a bit of flipping back and forth between Thor & Loki and Hela + the Team in the next couple chapters. A bunch of stuff happens synchronously, so it's kinda necessary. Sorry if it gets a little confusing.

I'm having some trouble getting the high-brow Asgardian speech right (or rather, existent). Some of that this chapter is that Fenrir is not exactly high-brow anything, considering a: his personality of hyper-as-all-get-out and b: he entered adolescence in imprisonment, but I'm also just not that good at writing it. I'm working on it.

Lastly, hope you enjoyed the bit about the Great Hide and Seek Fiasco – it was one of my favorite bits of this chapter to write. I was pretty bummed they killed the Warriors Three (and didn't mention Sif) in Thor: Ragnarok, so have some fun childhood anecdotes for them.

See ya next time!