~ Chapter 20 ~

Sif bit down on her lip as she brought the blade up to Loki's exposed stomach. She had just felt around on it and could judge where they were. She also sent Fandral to get some things from the small, bright colored Midgardian man, leaving only his comrade in the room.

Without saying anything because she didn't want to stress or pull time out for Loki she put the knife to the skin and carefully cut it.

Thor didn't blink or look away when Loki winched at the pain, but it hurt his heart when the skin parted with a line of blood following. He could see that the pain from the cut was nothing compared to his body's need to shift, a need that he was holding back. Who knew what the stress could cause to his body.

Not able to look, Loki closed his eyes and focused only on the thought of staying a woman for just a little longer. Until his babies were safe. When he felt an odd pressure in his belly, making him winch and tears gather in his eyes, Thor squeezed his hand just a little harder and told him to be strong.

With gentle hands, Sif lifted carefully out the first girl who were kicking with one leg in her hands. The little girl didn't scream or make any noise. Like she were handling a frail flower, she turned around slowly and put the girl in the waiting towel the human man were holding. He wrapped the little girl up and rubbed her tummy until she started to protest and complain lightly by coughing, showing that she was breathing on her own. Sif knotted the cord and cut it.

Thor strained his neck to see his little girl as Sif turned back to Loki and focused on getting the second one out. She could see she didn't have much time so she reached inside again and while she tried to be careful she lifted the second child up, this one had no problem announcing her displeasure.

Fandral came in with the things requested just in time to be handed a towel wrapped baby. The human man rushed to take the second child in a new towel, leaving the woman free to do the rest. She tied the cord and cut it. With swift hands, and mindful not to harm Loki anymore, she finished him up and while her stitches were crude considering she was against time, and let out a breath when she cut the thread.

"Anytime you want." she told Loki who let out a deep sigh and seemed to let go of everything.

For a moment he was a woman with an exposed upper body and a crudely stitched scar on her stomach, in the next few seconds, a man with short black hair and pale skin and the same scar lay on the bed.

Loki breathed deeply as he settled into his shape. His internal organs shifting, replacing, and removing anything that wasn't supposed to be there. His arms and legs grew more muscular, his chest flattened, and his scar healed. The trickster swallowed, making his new Adam's apple move.

After what felt like an eternity, he slowly opened his eyes and tilted his head to look at Thor.

His brother smiled as he whispered his name.

"The girls?" asked Loki despite being tired and still drained from the events.

Sif and Fandral brought their girls to their parents, Fandral handing one to Thor and Sif one to Loki. The little girls were trying to decide if they should breath through their noses or their open mouths. Their little face scrunched up in wrinkles and some gore Loki didn't want to name.

The girl in his arms turned slightly before finding that she was comfy where she was. Loki's green eyes teared up as he saw the little wonder. He ran a finger over the chubby cheek, not really believing it was over. He looked to the side and saw Thor was equally, if not more so, charmed by the baby girl in his arms.

Fandral leaned forward. "The one in your arms are the eldest."

Thor opened his mouth to say something but all that came out was a happy choke. "She's pretty." he managed to get out. He looked at Loki with a bright smile and saw his smile reflected in those green eyes.

They didn't need words between them at that moment.

No words at all.

2 Months Later

Loki were laying on the King size bed with his girls next to him. In red blanket ; Isabella, their oldest lay with her fist in her mouth, while her little sister Natasha was content with snoring through her nose in her blue blanket.

Their mother was content with just watching them, having fully recovered two weeks after they were born, and completely happy with how things had played out despite his close call.

After his successful shift back to male he was taken to the medical clinic in Stark Mansion where Bruce Banner and Tony Stark waited for them. Bruce gave his girls a full check up as well as Loki. He double and triple checked everything to make sure that he didn't miss anything. He declared the girls healthy considering that they just barely passed the line of being fully grown. Loki on the other hand was exhausted and fell asleep after hearing his children were fine and didn't wake up for the next two days. His body readjusting and balancing itself again.

The Enchantress was brought back to Asgard by Sif and her friends. Thor followed with them because he had a lot to explain. From his and Loki's disappearance to his sudden return. Loki didn't know what punishment Amora received but he held no doubt Odin would give the perfect one, along with fitting punishments to the men that had raped him.

Loki had remained behind on Midgard where he wouldn't have to face the stares and whispers that would no doubt surround them now that him giving Thor children would be known. Hel no if he would put his girls through that.

But he missed Thor because he had not come back to him. The last thing they did together was name their daughters. Their oldest was named Isabella Olivia Thorsdóttir, her middle name was chosen as thanks to the woman who helped Loki when he first arrived in Midgard. Their second daughter was named Natasha Helena Thorsdóttir. Her first name obviously came from one of Natalia's alias, also naming her one of the godmothers. The Russian woman had been heads over heels happy about their decision.

She still kept up her habits of buying Loki stuff, this time she had gotten into buying men's clothing. But even now and then she came back with some feminine garment that she knew would look great on Loki's other shape. Of course there were some baby garments thrown in now and then.

The girls were loved, to various degrees, by the others. Natalia loved them, so did Bruce in his own awkward way. Clint liked them, but was very awkward with them. He didn't know what to do with them and handed them back within the minute he held them. Tony liked them. When they didn't drool, pee, pop, or scream in his home. Steve on the other hand had proved to be a natural nanny, something Tony teased him about. A discovery Loki appreciated very much from time to time.

All in all, his life had worked out well since his kidnapping.

Loki was drawn from his thoughts when Isabella started to cry in her sleep. So not to wake her sister, he lifted the little red bundle and started to make soft hush sounds.

The little girl slowly settled down in his arms and he held her until she had fallen asleep again.

He looked up when a bulky frame blocked the light coming from the other room, and he smiled.

"Welcome back."

TBC & Concluded In The Next Chapter