Valhalla Hospital

Sam POV

It was dawn when TJ and I found them, and it's late morning when they're wheeled into the hospital.

"Hurry!", Hearth signs. I'm sure he feels guilty. His rune magic worked against Loki, but he wasn't strong enough to stop the god from hurting everyone. He grabbed Blitzen and the two of them magically appeared back in Valhalla. They found me, and I got together a search party, but the damage had been done by the time we found them.

Mallory's rib cage had been split open, but none her organs had been injured badly. Loki could have killed her, but seemed to prefer her in pain. Halfborn, who defended her very nearly to his death, had an ax buried his side, a concussion, and was missing an arm. They were both still breathing though.

"It's okay, Hearth", I sign back, "If they die at this point, they'll be fine by dinner."

He just shakes his head like Valhalla rules are beyond him, and I can't blame him.

Loki did this. My father did this. He tried to kill my friends. I have no idea how they wound up in Jotunheim in the first place, but I suspect they tried to take out Loki without telling me. They were crazy to try to attack Loki alone. He's a god!

"Sam! Sam!"

I turn my head, and see Magnus as he runs over.

"Was that Mallory and Halfborn?! What happened?", he yells. I can see Alex sitting in a chair in the waiting room, struggling to get to her feet.

"Loki happened. Why are you here?", I ask.

"Loki did this?! Why?"

"I'm going to find out as soon as they're released. Is Alex okay?"

"Yeah, it's our regular appointment time", Magnus says. Alex joins us.

"I told you to stay in your seat", he says to her.

"I don't take orders, Beantown. What happened?", she asks.

Magnus subtly shakes his head "no" at me. She has enough to worry about.

"I'm going to find that out soon", I offer, "But they're both okay. Hearth and Blitz are okay..." Hearth pokes me in the back so I see him; then he comes around to hug Magnus.

"Babies okay?", he signs.

"Just fine", Magnus signs back. "Where's Blitz?"

"His apartment. He..." Hearth makes the sign for the words "angry" and "nauseous" at the same time. Yeah, I get it, who isn't?

"I understand", Magnus signs back.

"We've got to go see them. What floor are they on?", Alex asks.

"We've got to keep our appointment", Magnus insists. "If they made it this far, they're fine."

"Which I said to Hearth", I offer.

A nurse comes out with a clipboard and bellows "Alex Fierro!"

"We have to go", Magnus says. "But we want to know all about those two when our appointment is over."

"I'll be here", Sam reassures us.

"Alex, Magnus", the doctor says, shaking hands with us. "You still feeling okay?", he asks her, and his tone indicates he can barely believe she's not dead yet. I know my face is bright red from anger.

"She's fine!", I snap.

"Well lay back on the table...", the doctor suggests.

"He's had too much caffeine today", Alex tells him, giving me a dirty look.

"Now this will be a little cold", the doctor says in the same voice he uses to tell her that every single time he pours icy cold goo on her stomach to do the ultrasound.

He moves his little gadget around. "What?! What? Something's wrong here. Something's not right. Wait, just a second, I thought I saw..."

"What?!", she shouts.

"Tell us!", I insist.

"What's wrong?", Alex asks.

"It's just that...I really don't know how to say this but..."

"Spit it out!", I scream.

"The babies...I mean it looks like you're carrying a puppy fetus and a kitten fetus... I don't know what's wrong, I..." He looks horrified and bewildered.

"Fighting like cats and dogs already?", I comment.

"Ha. Ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha", Alex howls, "I think that's the first time I've laughed like that in months."

"You don't seem concerned", the doctor says, looking like he may pass out. "I don't know if there's something wrong with the equipment..."

"They're shapeshifters", Alex supplies. "They got it from me, I'm a shapeshifter too. So is my godly parent...Loki."

"Ahhh, oh, oh, okay", the doctor say. "That's...odd. And it's going to play hell with my equipment..."

"Kids, mommy and daddy would love it if you'd go back to looking how you're supposed to look before the nice doctor has a heart attack", Alex supplies, rubbing her distended belly, and they immediately change shape back into human form.

"Oh. Oh good, good, okay", the doctor says.

"Well we know one thing they inherited from you", I say, kissing her hair and her temple beside her dark brown eye. I'm gratified when she leans into my kiss and rubs my arm. Alex is hard, if not impossible, to win over. She's been through too much. The fact that she loves and trusts me makes me feel good about me.

"I wish it were something else", she says.

"Yeah, but it's kinda cool", I respond.

"People don't trust shapeshifters", Alex says to the doctor.

"Can't imagine why", he whispers, rolling his eyes.

"Or agyrs", she adds, "But I hate that word."

"There they are", the doctor says as he moves the ultrasound device around.

"Are they healthy?", Alex asks.

"Yes, they're fine, I mean other than turning into animals, but yes, they're fine. But it was never them I was worried about. Quite frankly I can't believe you've made it this far. You just might bring these two into the world."

"I WILL. I swear I will", she says.

I don't like the tone in her voice, like she's making a personal vow that has nothing to do with me, my feelings, or us.

"They're growing like weeds", the doctor says.

"I noticed", Alex says, patting her tummy, "I keep getting bigger."

"You have such a small frame, small hips, small shoulders. I think you should be on bedrest, walking will continue to get harder", the doctor advises, "Definitely the last month and a half, sooner if you're tired, got it?"

"I don't need to go to bed..."

"Got it", I interrupt and rub her back. "Alex, you have to do what the doctor says."

"I don't need to lay around like a lazy lump while our friends are out there fighting for me!", she shouts.

"For the twins? You won't do what's best for them?", I ask.

"Do all men employ such vile manipulation?", Alex asks, and the doctor laughs.

"In my experience, yes", he confirms.

"Speaking of 'yes', you know you never answered me last night", I say.

"Yes, I did. I said I'd been hoping you'd ask..."

"That's not an answer."

"Yes", she says, taking my face in her hands, "I will marry you, Magnus Chase."

"We want to know how our friends are doing", she adds, to the doctor.

"Of course, just, please keep your stress level down", the doctor advises. "You have two more months." He says it very sadly.

I was sick and tired of everyone thinking the woman I loved more than my own life had an expiration date that was rapidly approaching. I wanted to freeze time right here and now. No, what I wanted was my children born and Alex safe again, and it was what I couldn't have. I felt like I was eager for them to be born, and yet that would mean...I held her tight.

Vanaheim

Frey POV

"You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes, yes, thank you for coming, Odin." I incline my head to him. Best to get on his good side.

I'm surprised the King of the Gods would come speak with me privately, in my own power base, I'm just glad he came.

"I know what you want", he starts, "But I can't do it. I can't get involved in the lives of individual einherji. Where would it end? I can't help everyone, and I have literally thousands in my care in Valhalla. I know he's your son, but I just can't interfere."

"You interfere all the time", I point out, "And you owe this one. He and his friends prevented Ragnarok, tricked and trapped Loki..."

"After being responsible for releasing him!", Odin points out.

"That was hardly the boy's fault. His uncle...fell pretty far from the tree. He's descended from Swedish royalty, who always got extra favors from the throne. And after he did all that, you offered to grant him any wish he desired. He could have asked for anything, and you would have been obligated to give it to him. And he asks to use his uncle's house as a shelter for homeless kids and teens. Odin...you owe him. He's good. He's as good as it gets, he's earned this. Please."

"He's hardly a boy anymore", is all he says for a moment.

"Even if I agreed with you in theory", he adds, "I still can't interfere. I can't give him the answer. And as you know...the answer is no answer in this case anyway. Not while THAT one has to be involved."

"Speaking of THAT one, that's the answer to this. This group can't save the day like it has every other time in the past...", I point out. I know Odin is thinking he can rely on the same industrious group of young people to save the day for him again, but it's been six years since they last came to the rescue.

"I don't see why not", he interrupts, "My gang will take care of him again, trap him, keep Asgard safe. Sam is the best Valkyrie I ever met."

"As may be the case. However, their two best fighters were just badly injured taking Loki on by themselves. Sam can still fight, but she's distracted. Magnus is nearly useless right now, and Alex is heavily pregnant and about to be bedridden. That leaves 'the dwarf and the elf' as you call them."

Odin doesn't look happy with this news. He enjoys it when people do his job for him.

"The only person who can keep Loki from taking over Asgard is you. And you know there is only one person he'll listen to. I believe what happened to Balder was an accident...secretly we all do...", I say.

"He killed my son! He wants my throne!", Odin blusters.

"He tells lies, so we sew his lips shut. He accidentally kills someone, so we turn one of his children in a wolf, who murders the other, and tie him up with the intestines of his own murdered child...then drip poison in his face for all eternity, turning his wife into a slave, and then we wonder why he hates us and wants to kill us...listen, I know he's a bad guy, Odin, but it's past time we accept the role we had to play in that. It wasn't an accident that Loki became so bad. And there was only ever one person he would listen to. And he owes her an apology. I think he'll speak to Frigga. Seeing her again would certainly throw him off his game anyway", I say.

"I am not sending Frigg to speak to Loki!", he booms.

"Not alone of course, the queen of Asgard cannot go alone..."

"Certainly not!"

"You need to go with her", I advise. "Stopping him is your job anyway."

"I can't go to Jotunheim, who would...oh. Oh, you are certainly a wily one, Frey. I see how you have this all planned out..."

"Odin, I'm not asking you to give my son the answer, I'm asking you to give him the opportunity to try to find it for himself, that's all", I say. "And go deal with Loki at the same time."

"Why should I do this for this one einherji...I just don't want to set a precedent...", he starts.

"You're going to whether you want to or not. I don't think Magnus will survive Alex's death. All these einherjar of yours sit around for centuries—bored, angry, lonely, miserable, getting Phds in German literature...do you really want them to start thinking they can get out of all this, they could end the pain, if they punch their own tickets outside of Valhalla, which I sadly...can almost guarantee he will do if he loses her, especially if Loki takes his children. Sam couldn't handle it if he did. She'd quit, you'd lose your favorite Valkyrie..."

"Human emotions!", he bellows, "Thank...well, me, I don't have them. Fine, fine, fine. We'll do it your way. But you owe me! And nothing will change when he either doesn't find his answer, or does, and realizes there's nothing he can do."

"I wouldn't say nothing", I comment. "And how soon can we arrange this?"

"First my wife has to agree. I will not force her to do anything", Odin says.

"She'll do it for a friend of Mallory's", I say.

"Ugh, don't remind me of that. My wife...famous for her faithfulness...and she has a child with a mortal out of wedlock!", he booms.

"She strayed once after you said that awful thing...considering the fact that you're unfaithful on basically a bi-weekly basis, I wouldn't get too angry with her", I say.

"I seriously believe gods should stop having kids with mortals!", he yells. "It causes too many problems and divided loyalties."

"I don't disagree with you, but it's too late now. No more mortal lovers? Your actress in Hollywood...the one who got the Oscar last year who had that convenient 'wardrobe malfunction'...the one in Paris with the little dog named after you...are you willing to give them up?"

"Oh fine!", he yells. "What? Do you have a new young lover you don't want to leave or something?"

"An old one", I say.

"I was never much for the old ones. Okay, fine, I'll talk to Frigg."

"Good", I say, smiling.

Valhalla Dining Hall

Magnus POV

We all received notice that Odin was coming to dinner tonight.

Everyone was singing and swigging their mead, dining on whatever part of the Saehrimnir they fancied.

I rarely come to these anymore. I ate with Alex at Chase Place until her pregnancy, and since, our friends have always brought us something in our room. I'm not in the mood to celebrate. I'm not closer to an answer for my family than I was when I met with my father two weeks ago.

Alex has made her way down, and is getting stared at. There's nowhere for us to sit. Our friends scoot down the bench, and I sit, pulling Alex onto my lap, daring everyone to stare harder. I don't know how much they know; we've stuck to our room or our floor almost entirely.

Mallory, who is mostly healed, is hand-feeding Halfborn, even though he's deadlier with one arm than anyone else is with two.

Odin made it clear everyone was to attend. I'm enjoying my tail-end of the Saehrimnir, which tastes suspiciously like falafel, when there is a bang and poof, and the room is filled with white smoke.

It clears and Odin is sitting on his throne in the middle of the room. There is applause, bowing, nods, and "Lord Odin", coming from every direction.

"I apologize for interrupting your celebration with bad tidings", he begins, "But as I'm sure many of you know by now, Lord Loki has escaped his bonds..."

There are some low moans and grumbles from the crowd.

"We'll just catch him again!", an einherj yells.

"Yeah!"

"You bet!" they cry out.

"I know I can depend on my faithful einherjar", Odin says, "But I need to deal with this threat myself. I fear his power has grown beyond any handful of einherjar..."

"We can do it!"

"Yeah!"

He holds up a hand. "I will be seeing to this threat personally, and bringing the Lady Frigg with me..."

More "ooohs" and "ahhhh."

"Therefore", he goes on, "Asgard will be without its rulers. I will appoint someone in my place to guard Asgard in my absence..."

"It'll be the queen", someone says behind us.

"He just said she was going with him, don't you hear?", a different person answers.

"It'll be Tyr. I bet. I mean who else could it be?", another asks.

"Magnus Chase!", Odin booms, and the room falls silent enough to hear a pin drop. I shift Alex off my lap and onto the bench. "Stand."

I stand up, sensing my dad in this. "The Lady Frigg and I leave tomorrow for Jotunheim. We do not expect to be gone long, but for at least 48 hours, you will be King of Asgard from the moment we depart this world. I suggest you use your time wisely."