It was not a pullout couch. It was not a pile of rocks. Loki almost didn't want to open his eyes, afraid that he was dreaming and that this blissful illusion would dissolve upon waking. But he did, and it didn't—he was back in his bed in the palace in Asgard. He suppressed an urge to curl up like a cat, especially when he heard his brother's booming voice exclaim, "Ah! He lives!" Loki pushed himself up with his elbows and was surprised to see a small crowd gathered at his chamber door. Aside from Thor, he saw Jane and Darcy, Odin, and…his mother. Frigga pushed her husband and elder son aside to run to the side of his bed and gather him in a hug.
"Are you all right?" she asked warmly, touching his face as though to make sure he was really there. Loki smiled back at her.
"Yes, Mother, I'm fine. You don't hate me either, then?" Frigga tsked.
"You silly child, I'm you're mother. Mothers don't hate. I won't say that I'm not very cross with you, though." She gave him a stern mother-glare that even at his current age made him want to squirm. "I think you took sibling rivalry a bit too far, my dear." Loki stared down at his hands to avoid her gaze. Frigga sighed and hugged him to her again. "But it's not all your fault. You've gone through quite enough, my ice prince. The time for sorrow, blame and hate is over, now. It's time to forgive." Thor came forward to stand on the other side of Loki, breaking the ensuing silence.
"Wisely said, Mother. Now that we're all forgiven, it's time to revel!" Loki and Frigga both looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. Odin chuckled dryly from the doorway.
"Leave it to Thor to ruin the moment. But yes, I agree with you. We still have to celebrate your return, and the arrival of your human friends." He looked over at Darcy and Jane. Loki felt his throat close. A celebration?
"I think…I'll pass," he said. Thor shot him a look. "I'll just stay in my chambers." Thor opened his mouth to protest, but his eyes suddenly softened in understanding. He turned to Odin.
"Father," he said, the softest Loki had ever heard him speak, "who knows?" Loki stared up at him in complete astonishment. His brother had become wiser. Even without the mind-link his brother had somehow managed to glean his thoughts. Odin looked confused for a moment before he caught Thor's meaning.
"Oh. We…I told them—we said it was the Frost Giants. What happened at the Bifrost—we said the Frost Giants managed to sneak into the vault again and purloin the Casket, using it to overpower Heimdall. They tried to use the Bifrost to return to their own world, but they didn't know how to work it properly and nearly destroyed Jotunheim in the process." Loki narrowed his eyes.
"That wouldn't explain why the whole thing was gone." Odin nodded.
"I know. I also said that you used your arts to fetch Thor back from his exile and that you two were forced to destroy the Bifrost in order to stop them. In the conflict and resulting catastrophe, you were all swept into the void." Loki was speechless with astonishment while Thor broke into a laugh.
"You had us working together? Brilliant! That will have made Loki into a hero in the eyes of the people!" Loki felt like he was going to faint again. Odin looked back at Loki.
"In response, then, only we and Heimdall really know what happened at the Bifrost. Of course, I also had to inform Sif and the Warriors Three since they knew about Loki's attempt at killing his brother on Earth, but they have sworn themselves to secrecy." Loki raised an eyebrow again.
"Even Sif?" Odin laughed.
"I made her promise first," he assured him. "Besides that, Loki, the only ones who know what you are stand here in the room. Not counting Heimdall, of course. Not even Sif and the Warriors know that." Loki looked up at him blankly.
"You mean…?" Thor grinned down at him.
"That means, brother, that nothing has changed. To the eyes of the rest of the world you're still prince of Asgard by blood unless you say differently." Loki clutched as his blankets. He at first shied from the idea of keeping his true identity a secret from everyone—he felt like he was betraying himself, somehow—but then he started thinking. What benefit would there be in revealing his origin now? To the rest of Asgard, he would be a monster. The people whose opinion he really cared about knew already and accepted him as he was. He suddenly grinned wickedly. Wasn't he the Trickster, anyway? He could simply look at this as the most elaborate prank he had ever pulled. He unclenched his fists.
"Very well. You've persuaded me. Let's have this feast that Thor is so desperate for." Thor laughed aloud and pounded him vigorously on the back, making Loki wince.
"Excellent decision! If you're feeling better, I want to show the girls around the palace. Want to come along?" Loki shrugged.
"Why not?" In fact, Loki secretly wanted to revisit every spot of the palace now, seeing it with different eyes, now that he felt like he belonged there. He wanted to walk beside Thor and not resent it. He wanted to see his home.