Steve tried not to pace across the circular Asgardian mark on the lawn of Avengers' HQ, instead shifting back and forth from one foot to the other while folding and unfolding his arms between shoving his hands into his pockets and fiddling with his clothes. He hadn't been able to stay still since he, Natasha and James had been awoken a few hours earlier with the news that a vague message had come from Thor on Asgard that had promised to provide a cure for his memory issue. How did Thor even know what was happening? Much as he was looking forward to remembering his life, he didn't like the idea that news of his condition was spreading through the universe. If Earth was now in danger because he was missing a few measly years…

Natasha grabbed his hands as he zipped and unzipped his jacket. "Stop fidgeting! You're gonna make me crazy!"

"Too late for that by at least a few years, Romanoff," Stark quipped. He and Rhodes were wearing their armor, waiting on the other side of the circle from Steve and Natasha. Bucky, armed with a large automatic weapon, was on Steve's left while Vision stood serenely beside Natasha. Sam and Wanda were inside, taking care of James. No one was sure what to expect when Thor arrived, so they had all agreed to prioritize James' safety, no matter how excited the boy was to try lifting Mjolnir again – a feat he had apparently nearly accomplished the last time Thor had been on Earth.

Steve glanced over his shoulder toward the building. Sam and Wanda were entertaining James in the communal lounge at the center of the living quarters, which Natasha assured him was also designed as a heavily fortified bomb shelter. It didn't make him feel better as the air began to prickle with electricity. A sudden breeze whipped across the lawn.

"Yippee ki-yay, motherfuckers," Stark whispered, dropping his faceplate with a clank.

"Language," Natasha, Bucky and Rhodes said in unison before Steve could. He didn't get a chance to ask what that was all about as thunder crashed and lightning shot across the sky. There was another rush of wind preceding the blinding beam of light that shot down from the sky, aligning with the mark on the ground. Steve wondered briefly how many other spots around the planet at Asgardian landing pads, but the thought was banished from his head as the after-image of the Bifrost's rainbow bridge dissipated from his vision.

Thor was standing in the center of the circle, holding a chained Loki's arm in an iron grip. He nodded, in spite of the weapons trained on his brother. "My friends, I apologize for…"

Before he could explain what was happening, Natasha had stepped forward and slammed her fist into Loki's face. He staggered back, Thor maintaining his hold only with some effort. "You don't yet know what he has done!"

"So? I don't like him." She cracked her knuckles and Bucky snickered beside Steve. "That was a good warm-up for whatever I'm going to do to him once you explain why you brought him here."

Steve wasn't sure if this was residual anger from Loki's attack with the Chitauri or if something else had happened that he couldn't currently remember, but he didn't think it was very sporting to let Natasha beat up a bound and gagged prisoner. He gently took her hand and tugged her out of range. "Let's let Thor explain before you beat anyone, up, huh?"

"Indeed," Thor agreed. "As the years have passed without incident, Loki has been granted privileges in his cell. He recently abused those privileges, designing devices to spy on Midgard and affect the minds of those he watched."

"And you wanted me to stop hitting him!" Natasha complained, trying to tug out of Steve's grasp.

He didn't let her go, though he sympathized as Loki looked at them both with murderous hatred in his eyes. "So I lost my memory because of something Loki did?"

"He used this." Thor held up a small gold device. "Our scientists have modified it to only be capable of undoing the damage it has caused. Unfortunately, they also determined that it will function only with Loki's unique imprint, hence the need to bring him here."

"Yeah, that probably wasn't his plan all along," Stark said, a missile launcher popping up from his shoulder to add more menace to the repulsors aimed at Loki. "Way to let Iago run the game."

"He will not escape," Thor replied in a deep growl. "Our mother has cast a charm that will cause him to fall unconscious if he moves more than ten steps from my side while we are here."

Rhodes, who was bristling with even more weapons than Stark, replied, "Don't think we're gonna stand down because of that."

"Not at all. I must release his restraints for a moment while he heals Steve's mind, so be on your guard." He removed the bindings and gag quickly, never letting go of Loki's arm. "Make your sins right."

Loki held out his hand for the gold device. "It's just as well. How anyone could enjoy the company of Captain America for any amount of time is beyond my considerable understanding."

"Just give him back his memory so I can kick your ass." Steve hoped Natasha's goading wouldn't change anything that was about to happen for the worse.

"This would have been much more fun had I done her mind," Loki muttered before raising the device. A quick pattern of colors blinked as he whispered in what Steve assumed was Asgardian. He was about to ask when something was going to happen when white-hot pain seared through his brain. He clutched his head as he fell to his knees. In spite of the pain, Steve could see everything in his mind's eye – falling in love with Natasha, their wedding, James' birth, finding Bucky – everything. He held onto all that as he rode the waves of agony.

He came back to himself just in time to stop Natasha from launching herself at a now laughing Loki. "Wait! I remember…" He cupped her face in his hands as he said, "I kissed you in the cemetery and you told me it was morbid and we had to try it somewhere else. That was the first time I'd ever been in your apartment and I ended up staying. Then you didn't want to marry me because you thought I was compromising my morals. And when you found out you were pregnant with James you…oh, God, Nat…it was the craziest day of our lives…"

"Ssh. Welcome back." Her lips were pressed against his, stopping him from recapping their lives with the kiss he loved so much. It was a better summary than could have been spoken.

He would have kept kissing her indefinitely if not for Wanda crying out, "James, no!"

Before he knew what was happening, James had sprinted past them and come to a stop in front of Loki, who looked down at him with condescension. "Wonderful. The spawn."

"Nobody hurts my Daddy!" He clenched his small fist and drove it into Loki's groin.

Loki folded almost in half, gasping with pain. "Vile little…" He was unconscious on his back a moment later after Steve refused to let him finish the sentiment. Natasha smirked at him as he shook the impact of the blow from his fist.

Thor looked down at him, shaking his head. "I suppose now we shall not discover if Mother's charm was effective." He shrugged. "Young Lord Rogers, you have demonstrated great strength. Do you wish to test your worthiness?"

"Yay!" James stepped over Loki's unconscious body to where Thor had set Mjolnir on the ground.

Wanda grasped Steve's arm as she appeared at his side. "I'm so sorry. I have no idea how he managed it. Sam is still tied up in the lounge and…"

"Daddy, Mommy! Look!" Everyone went silent as James held Mjolnir triumphantly in both his small hands. It was too heavy for him to lift over his head as he was trying to do, but he had picked it up. "I need a cape!"

Steve knelt and wrapped his arms around his son. "I knew you could do it, pal!"

James dropped Mjolnir to hug him back. He stood with James in his arms and turned to Thor. "So now it's you, Vision, elevators and James."

Thor tilted his head. "I thought we had agreed to dismiss the elevators."

"Thanks for coming, Thor." Steve extended his hand.

Thor shook it warmly. "I wish I could remain for a proper stay but I must return Loki to his new prison cell. I can assure you he will be more closely observed from this day forth."

"Yeah, well, I'll have FRIDAY make a memo for ten years from today, just in case your guards slack off again."

Tony's AI immediately replied, "Done, Boss."

"She's good. Bringing back any memories for you, Vision?"

Vision didn't react from where he was leaning down to help Thor reattach the restraints to his still-unconscious brother. In spite of some further sarcastic comments and mutual insults, Bucky, Tony and Rhodey maintained their vigilance until the two Asgardians were gone. The tension Steve remembered from the past few days disappeared with Loki. Tony and Rhodey took off to get out of their armor, leaving the rest of the team to walk back inside.

Steve glanced around at them. "Well…it's good to be back."

"I do not believe you were ever truly gone, Captain," Vision replied.

James didn't ask about the remark or the ensuing laughter, instead asking, "Am I in trouble for tying Sam up?"

Steve blinked. He had assumed Wanda meant Sam was busy when she'd said he was tied up in the lounge. He should have known better. "Um…"

Natasha luckily stepped in; Steve was always terrible when it came to disciple. "Don't worry about it, kiddo. There were extenuating circumstances. Anyway, I told Maria and she's only too happy to take care of it."

"Right, nobody go to the lounge for the next hour," Bucky said to general laughter. He clapped Steve's back before peeling off to return his weapon to the armory. Wanda and Vision decided to head off to practice their powers together, leaving Steve with his wife and son.

He sighed with contentment and hitched James up to a more comfortable position in his arms. "So, should we spend another night here or should we go home?"

"Does that mean you're all better, Daddy?"

"I feel like a million bucks."

"Shouldn't we check in with Helen first?" Natasha suggested.

"Nat, you know how she hates the 'magic' explanation."

"Humor me."

"Anything for you." He leaned toward her for a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I love you most!" James shouted, shifting to wrap one arm around her neck while still holding onto Steve. "I love you both most!"

"We love you, too." Steve had clear memories of the past few days and he found it suspect that he had ever really forgotten his family. He had loved them through the experience with the same depth of feeling he had now. He met Natasha's eyes over James' head and whispered, "It's good to be home."

The End

A/n: Thanks to all for reading! Reviewers get good karma!