YAY! New update! This is a pretty big chapter, so I hope you enjoy!
Athena didn't remember passing out, but the next thing that happened was that she woke up on a bed.
The last thing she remembered was when Loki kissed her. After that, it was all a blur.
Her eyes opened to see a ceiling above her. She remembered being out of the open, with the sky above her.
Her head was propped up with a pillow, and a thin sheet was covering her body.
She noticed that someone was asleep in a chair next to her bed.
She shifted just a bit, but it was enough to wake them.
A pair of green eyes opened and met her own.
Loki jumped out of his chair and raced to her side.
"Athena! You're awake!" He said, the relief clear on his face.
He grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his mouth and pressed gentle kisses there.
Athena smiled, but gently pulled her hand away, in case someone else was nearby.
He grabbed it again.
"They already know about you and me. There is no point trying to hide it anymore." He told her softly.
Athena smiled at that, though she was still a bit worried of what others would think.
The doors opened and Odin walked into the room.
Athena tried to pull her hand out of Loki's, but his grip held her hand there.
She saw his eyes go immediately to their linked hands, but Loki didn't seem to care.
"It is good to see you finally awake, Athena. We were beginning to fear the worst." Odin said, glancing towards Loki.
"How long had I been asleep?" She asked curiously.
"About five days." Loki replied, the fear creeping back onto his beautiful features. "We were beginning to think that you would never wake up."
Athena smiled slightly and rubbed his fingers gently with her thumb, to show him that it was alright. He smiled.
She turned back to Odin. "Who healed me? I am the Sole Healer, so who healed me?"
"A few senior members of Asgard came to assist in your care. They had been friends of Freya and had picked up a few things. I also helped but using some magic to help repair your body."
Athena stared at him in shock.
"You had lost a lot of blood. If we had not gotten you the second that we did, you would not have made it. Even now it was hard. We had to transfuse someone else's blood into your body so that you did not die while you healed." Odin reported.
"Whose blood?" Athena asked.
"Mine." Loki spoke up quickly.
Athena turned to him in shock.
"I tried to stop him, but he would not listen. He would fight through all of Asgard's warriors to save you." Odin said softly.
Athena knew that he did not approve, but there was nothing that could be done.
Athena glared at Loki. "You idiot! Why did you do that?!" She shouted angrily. He could have harmed himself in the process, if he gave her too much.
Loki just smiled at her. "Because I love you." He said simply.
Athena just stared at him, shocked that he would do that for her.
Odin cleared his throat and they both turned to look at him.
"Sigyn would like to speak with you Loki." Odin said.
Loki nodded. "Bring her in."
Odin shook his head. "I don't think that would be wise."
"Yes, it is. Bring Nari was well. They both need to hear this." Loki said, and Odin only nodded before leaving.
Athena then remembered about Nari. He was hurt when she had been captured.
As if Loki knew exactly what she was thinking, he spoke. "Nari recovered fine. Just like you said."
Athena breathed a sigh of relief. "What happened to the rouges? I don't remember what happened after you…" Athena broke off, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
Loki smirked arrogantly. "After I kissed you?"
Athena ducked her head. "Um yeah. That."
Loki chuckled and kissed her hand again before replying. "They surrendered after their leader was dead. Those who didn't were easily dealt with." That was Loki's nice way of saying that they were killed. "The ones who surrendered at in the prisons, never to see the light of say again."
Athena nodded slowly, accepting this information.
Just then, the doors opened again and this time, Sigyn and Nari walked through, followed at last by Odin.
Sigyn glared at Athena. If looks could kill, Athena would be dead by now. She looked away.
Nari was walking beside Sigyn, and when her eyes met his, he smiled brightly. "I'm glad that you're alright Athena!" He said happily.
So he had not been told that Loki never loved Sigyn. He would not be this happy to see her if he knew.
Loki did not make a move to stand. He stayed by Athena's side, holding her hand.
Sigyn did not fail to notice this.
"I wanted to speak to you alone, Loki." Sigyn practically spit with a glare towards Athena.
"I know. But there is something that we must tell you." He said with a glance towards Athena.
She bowed her head.
"Do you wish to tell them?" He asked her gently.
She shook her head. "I have kept the secret for many years. I will not reveal it now."
Odin, Nari, and Sigyn looked at them with a confused expression on their faces.
Loki nodded in understanding and turned to face them.
"As I'm sure you all know full well, me and Athena had been close friends before. After I brought home from Midgard," He paused, looking guilty of his actions, before he continued. "After came back from Midgard, Athena came to check my wounds. It was then that we realized the full extent of our relationship." He paused to glance towards Athena, who would not meet his gaze.
He went on. "That night, Athena told Freya that she had to stay the night to keep watch over me, but we all know that was not true."
Athena could see the poison in Sigyn's eyes. Nari just stared at his father with a look of bewilderment.
"After that night, we were forbidden to see each other again. Odin lied to us to make us each believe the other did not really love us." He glared at Odin, who glanced away, staying silent.
Athena spoke up. "This part is my story. You knew know of this. I have to finish."
Loki nodded slowly and Athena spoke. "A month or so after that night, I discovered that I was pregnant. With Loki's child."
There were gasps. Athena ignored them.
"By that time, Loki had announced his engagement to Sigyn. And then her pregnancy. I put a spell on myself so that I would look no different to anyone who looked at me. Though Freya found out of course. Not long after she did, she was killed." She paused, remembering her mentor.
"I gave birth in my room. No one ever knew about it. It kept the child in my room and no one ever found it."
"About a week later, Sigyn began going into labor. I helped her deliver, but when I was tending to the child, it would not respond." Athena broke off, her voice cracking a bit, but she forced herself to continue.
"I tried everything, but it was born too early. It was not fully developed. I could do nothing to save it." She glanced up to see everyone stared at her. Sigyn had tears in my eyes. Nari just stared.
"I saw my opportunity and I took it. I went back to my room and took my child and gave it to Loki and Sigyn. I knew they would raise it better than I ever could." She looked up into Nari's startled eyes. "My little boy."
He stared at her in shock. Odin let out a gasp. Sigyn cried out. "So my real child is dead?! Nari is not even my child?!"
Athena looked down and shook her head. "He is not." Sigyn began to cry.
Nari had not spoken a word.
After a moment, he stepped towards her bed.
Athena spoke up. "If you hate me, Nari, I completely understand. I gave you up. I only thought I was doing what was best for you. I hope you know that it ripped my heart in two to have to give you away, but this was the only way that you would be normal, and cared for. You needed a good mother. I could not be that mother to you, no matter how much I wanted too. I knew Sigyn would take care of you."
Sigyn stopped crying for a moment to look at her. "You trusted me enough to take care of Nari?"
Athena gave her a small smile. "Yes. I did. I knew you would raise him well. And look at how he has become." He said with a smile at her son.
Nari came to the other side of Athena's bed. She was afraid to look him in the eyes, but she forced her eyes to meet his.
"Mother….?" He whispered in a quiet voice.
Athena gave him a faint smile. "Yes, my son."
Suddenly, he launched himself forward at her and wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her tight.
Athena grunted in surprise, but she wrapped her arms around him. "Oh my sweet son. Look at you. I'm so sorry for what I did. Every day after that I wondered if I did the right thing." Tears were prickling in her eyes.
He buried his face into her neck, his own tears dripping onto her skin. "It's alright mother. I understand why you did it. I'm still upset with it, but I understand it." He let out a soft sob. "I almost lost you, and I never would have known that you were my mother."
Sigyn spoke up. "I have no quarrel with you Athena." She glared at Loki. "I am honored that you trusted me with your son. I hope I did well."
Athena pulled away from her son's embrace. She smiled warmly at Sigyn. "You did so well. You are a wonderful mother. And I hope that maybe one day, you will be a real mother."
Sigyn bowed her head respectfully, before turning to Loki. "I hope you know that our marriage is over."
Loki nodded. "I guessed as much."
Sigyn nodded and walked out the door without another word.
Athena glanced at Odin, who had not said a word throughout all of this.
Finally he spoke up. "I wish you had told me this sooner, Athena."
Athena bowed her head in shame. "I hope you understand why I couldn't tell anyone."
"I do. But I have no right to judge your actions."
She risked a glance up at him. "Will you tell Asgard about this?"
He sighed softly. "Well I suspect that I will not be able to stop Loki from showing his love for you out in the open, nor you with Nari. So I suspect that I must." Athena closed her eyes. "But I will make sure that they understand. You will not be judged by them. Now, I will leave you with your family." Odin said before heading towards the door.
"Thank you." Athena said quietly, but she knew that Odin had heard her.
TA-DA! I hope you enjoyed! We are nearing the end of this story. :( I think there will be one more chapter, and then it is done. I'll save all my love and thanks for the last chapter. Don't want to bore you all too much just yet. :) I might be able to update on Monday, since it is likely that we will not have school. If we do, then it might be next weekend, or sometime during the week, I am not sure yet. It will be up soon, I promise! Reviews are appreciated and thank you for reading. :D