"Holding my last breath

Safe inside myself

Are all my thoughts of you

Sweet raptured light it ends here tonight"

~ 'My Last Breath'

Loki blinked once as he stared at the healer woman. He glanced at Frigga, who had brought a hand to her mouth as she gauged Loki's reaction.

"It… might be…" he said finally, looking down at Anja's still sleeping form. Frigga's hand moved to her forehead as she looked at her son head on. "But we only… It was only once."

"Forgive me, My Prince, but once is more than enough," Mistress Elena said quietly. She gestured to the piece of parchment she had rolled up in her hand. "We tested her magical aura and it appears she is harboring more than one life force at this very moment. How far along could she be?"

Loki pressed his palms to his eyes, trying to block out the shock and slight embarrassment that he had to share this moment with his mother. "A week," he admitted, letting his hands fall back down to Anja's. "I laid with her a week ago."

Elena nodded, pressing her lips together in a fine line. "We are not certain yet, but she is showing all of the premature signs. It would explain why her powers were behaving so strangely, why she couldn't defend herself."

Loki nodded, completely lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. "Thank you, Elena, You can leave us" Frigga said kindly as she shut the door behind the healer woman's retreating form. She crossed her arms, looking over at Loki. "Another one, Loki?" she asked quietly. "I've not even gotten to know Aric like I should have-"

Loki looked over at her, licking his lips. "I need some time alone," he said quietly as he glanced up at Frigga. "Time with her."

A slight look of hurt flashed across Frigga's eyes, but she nodded before following Elena out the door. Loki looked back at Anja, placing a hand on her belly. "What have we done, My Little Skylark?" he whispered quietly. His hand slipped from her belly to her own hand and he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

A few minutes later, Anja's fingers tightened around his.

*o*O*o*

Anja's eyes fluttered open a few moments after Loki's lips had brushed across her knuckles. "Loki?" she whispered hoarsely. She was parched and her mouth felt like it was filled with saw dust.

"I'm here," he whispered as he scooted closer to her bed. His dark hair reflected in the candlelight and Anja's gaze travelled wearily to the open window. It was dark outside by now.

"Ow," she said stupidly as she tried to sit up and her shoulder protested with a shot of pain.

Loki helped ease her back down, brushing a stray lock of her hair away in the process. "You need to rest," he said quietly as his hand cupped her cheek.

She closed her eyes tightly again, melting into his touch. "Amora?" she said quietly, remembering the dream she had had.

"Is taken care of," he replied.

Anja nodded. "I should have been able to stop her. Something was wrong with me…"

"Shhh," he said quietly. "It is alright. You are here with me now."

Anja licked her lips in an attempt to make it easier to talk. "What's wrong, Loki?" she said quietly as she took in the dark shade of green of his eyes. "You… you look distant."

Loki licked his own lips, biting down on his lower lip. "I should have protected you better. I knew Amora was after you…"

Anja furrowed her brow, squeezing his hand gently. "I'm okay now," she said in an attempt to lighten the mood. "What else is troubling you?"

He seemed to deliberate for a moment, looking down at their intertwined hands. "Elena seems to think… that there is a possibility that you are…"

The girl in the bed sat up at that despite the sling that was draped over her shoulder as a support for her injury. "That I am what, Loki?"

Their eyes locked once more before he finally spoke. "That you are carrying my child."

Anja's eyes widened at that, Amora's last words in her dream coming back to surface. She stuffed the thoughts down deep, refusing to think on the witch anymore. She was dead. Loki had killed her… hadn't he? Yes. Amora's presence in her dream had been her fear and the pain that she had sustained messing with her mind.

The startled look that overtook Loki's green eyes when a laugh ripped from her chest was not lost on her. She laughed, long and hard as she placed a hand to her forehead.

"I know it is unexpected," Loki said quietly.

Anja sobered up a bit, meeting his gaze head one as she cupped his cheek in her hand. "But not unwanted," she replied.

Loki raised an eyebrow at that. "Not unwanted?" he asked quietly.

Anja shrugged as best she could with her arm in a sling. "Wasn't that in the plans anyway once we were married?" she whispered. "I know it was for me, Loki."

Loki blinked once, trying to keep up with her train of thought and very nearly failing miserably. The shock was still weighing down on him. "You do not hate me?" he whispered.

She shook her head quickly. "No," she replied evenly. "If you ask me it is merely an excuse to hasten our marriage plans. Does… did Elena tell anyone else?"

"Frigga knows," he replied. "She was in the room. I sent her away when I found out. I didn't want you to be crowded when you found out the possibility."

"Thank you," she said softly.

Loki cut his eyes at her, placing a hand to her belly. "Another one," he said quietly, caressing her still very thin stomach through the gossamer of her shift.

Anja forced him to meet her gaze. "Yes," she said. "Another one." She was smiling and Loki leaned in for a quick peck to her lips… before Anja's shoulder protested again. She let out a little yelp as she looked down at her shoulder, letting out a huff of irritation.

Then her head shot up as she realized that someone was knocking on the door.

Loki's own head snapped around before he rose to open the door. He was greeted by a head of white blonde hair… and Aric's coo at seeing him as Selena glared up at him.

"Selena," Loki said in greeting. He did not know Anja's sister very well, but with one look at the woman he could tell that she was not concerned with him in the slightest.

"Anja!" Selena said as soon as her violet eyes landed on her sister. Anja was amazed at how quickly her older sister was able to make it across the room to her. Aric was on her hip the whole way and she set him down by her feet as she kneeled next to Anja's bedside. "A messenger came and told me what happened. I came as fast as I could. Are you alright?" Selena's words flew from her tongue and Anja smiled softly as she looked down at her baby boy.

"I am okay," Anja replied softly. "Had Loki and Thor not found me, I doubt I would have been," she added as Loki began to slink back towards her bedside.

Selena seemed to sense him coming towards them and she spun on her heel, an evil look in her eye. "If you know what is good for you, you will not come any closer," she hissed. "You've done enough harm."

"Selena-" Anja said quietly.

"Don't defend him, Anja," she said quickly. "He brought this on us in the first place."

Aric let out a high pitched squeal at that, looking up at Selena's angry face. He stood up, using the bed as means to prop himself up…

"Selena." Anja's voice was stern. "He saved me."

"I do not care, Anja!" Selena quipped.

Anja chewed on her lower lip, looking down. "Bababa… Dada?!" Aric said, eyes wide as he turned away from the bed to face his father. Loki raised his eyebrows, looking back at his son, but he made no move. In truth, he feared what Selena might do to him if he came anywhere near Anja in that moment. But Loki had never been one for fear anyway… and certainly not concerning Fandral's schoolgirl of a wife.

With head held high, he crossed the room in two strides and lifted Aric up before Selena could protest. The babe clapped happily in his father's arms, leaning in to rest his head on the rough material of Loki's surcoat as he settled into Loki's grasp.

Selena's nostrils flared, looking back at Anja.

"Loki," Anja said softly as he turned his gaze back to her. "Can you give my sister and me a minute? Please?"

"Of course, Anja," he said quietly as he made to put Aric down. He stopped when Anja spoke up again.

"You can take him out to Frigga is you wish," she said softly. "They've never been formally introduced."

Loki smiled again, nodding as he turned away and strode out of the room. The sisters sat in silence for a time, neither knowing what to say. Selena's was one of anger.

"You took him back," Selena hissed. "After all we did to protect you, to keep you safe… You went back to him."

Anja closed her eyes, inhaling through her nose. "I told you. I love him."

Selena scoffed, turning away from Anja. "I had hoped you might come to your senses."

"And I hoped you would come to yours," Anja quipped, pushing onward in the argument as Selena tried to argue. "I have loved him since the day I met him, Selena. It hasn't been easy. In fact, it's been exceedingly difficult after what he did to me and the realm of Midgard. But as I told you, there were forces at work that no one could have fathomed. He was being manipulated."

"He was being weak," Selena hissed again. "He left you… with his child in your belly! Tell me where his love was for you when he did that!"

"I never claimed he was perfect. He is flawed… and vulnerable… and exceedingly stubborn and arrogant when he wants to be. But for all his imperfections, I know in my heart that he never stopped loving me." Selena seemed to be speechless for the moment, and Anja took full advantage of that fact. "We are to be married," she said softly, conveniently leaving out the possibility of her pregnancy. She cringed as she met Selena's gaze once more. Anja didn't know what she was waiting for, maybe for her older sister to slap her, certainly to yell at her. But what she actually did was not what Anja had been expecting.

"Married." Selena spoke very, very quietly. It was almost scarier than when she had been yelling. Anja nodded and Selena inhaled again. "This is the path you have chosen, then," she said quietly as she rose from her place beside the bed. Again, Anja nodded. "Right then," Selena said as she straightened the hem of her skirt. "My little sister, marrying a traitor."

"Selena-"

"Don't." Selena said quietly. "Just… do not speak to me. I will send a messenger with your things to the palace within the week."

Anja bit her lower lip, closing her eyes as Selena turned away. "I love you, Selena," Anja said softly.

Selena turned back as she reached the doorway. "Are you certain?" Selena whispered. Then she was gone, the silver of her hair all that Anja could see as she retreated.

*o*O*o*

Selena swallowed her tears as she came upon Prince Loki and her nephew. Queen Frigga was holding the child, smiling at him playfully as he grinned back.

She wasn't sure why she did it, but in a fluid motion she had walked right up to Loki… and slapped him clear across the face. How many times had she wanted to do that to this bastard of a Frost Giant when Anja had been even more vulnerable?

"What in Valhalla-" Frigga said suddenly, standing up with the child in her arms.

"Mother, it is alright," Loki waved the older woman away, looking down at Selena. The look in his eyes didn't lead Selena to believe that he thought everything was okay.

"You son of a whore," Selena whispered as Frigga walked out of earshot with Aric. Loki rolled his eyes, turning away from her. "Do not walk away from me, Laufeyson," she hissed the last word, making it echo in Loki's thoughts. He hadn't been addressed by that name in a very, very long time.

He turned around to face her, anger in his eyes as something that had long been in his heart threatened to break free. "What would you like me to do, then?" he said quietly.

Selena pursed her lips, her anger for him rendering her speechless. "You are going to marry her. You are going to… She will be fully yours."

"That is the typical definition of marriage, in case you didn't know," he replied sarcastically. He had no room for sympathy with this woman.

"You have hurt her more than anyone else I know," Selena said quietly, lethally. "Do you realize this?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"She has spent nights crying for you. I pretended I didn't hear it, but I knew it was because of you. You left her with a child. You… defiled her before the proper time, like some common maid, and then you left her!"

Loki placed a hand to his head, trying to understand what was going on. "Every time we were together, we loved each other," he whispered. "Your Anja is not the same one I know, Selena. She had darkness within her, something that she kept concealed from you. I knew of her gifts long before you did. I taught her magic long before The Academy knew of her talents. She has a dark side and it's one that only I will ever be able to aid her with. All sorcerers possess it and all sorcerers need someone to confide in about it. We love each other... and I always knew I would be the man to marry her."

Selena looked down at her feet, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you hurt her ever again… It will be a dark day for you, prince of Asgard or not. She is my little sister. I love her and will protect her."

Loki nodded. "And I love her too," he said, bowing once to Selena before she turned away once more.

*o*O*o*

As soon as Selena was gone, Loki burst through the private room of the infirmary. Anja had her face buried in her good hand, and she inhaled deeply. His heart sank to see that she was crying.

"What's wrong, My Darling?" he whispered as he made it to her bed and slipped in beside her. He cradled her head against his shoulder, stroking her hair with one hand and making sure her injured shoulder stayed steady with his other.

"I… I don't know, Loki," she hiccupped. "Everything is just… falling apart."

Loki kissed the top of her head, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "I'm still here. And so is our son. He is just outside. Shall I go get him?"

Anja shook her head under his chin, sniffling and getting tears all over his shirt. "I just need you to hold me like you used to," she managed to say.

Loki's heart nearly broke to hear her so upset, but he responded by shifting so she was more comfortable against him.

"Then I will stay," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head one more time.