A/N: Hey there, so sorry for the lengthy absence! This story has a long fucking way to go: Mina still needs a backbone, Loki still isn't sorry, his sentencing is still pending from Odin, and of course there is the kid to think about. I've created a hot mess.

Chapter 25:

"I'll take that drink now, Stark."

"Sure, but only because I actually sympathize with you, poor bastard."

"That is the only time you'll get away with calling me that."

Thor looked between the two men, astonished. "What's going on?"

Loki arrived at the penthouse with a look that Thor could only describe as ashen. He had walked straight over to the bar where Thor had been drilling the billionaire with questions about why Mina had asked them there, to which Stark continued to shrug and say "Ask your bro." He was initially concerned that Loki and Tony would not fare well occupying the same space. And now it seemed that the two of them were actually having a semi-civil conversation, though he knew that Stark was on his guard every second he was in his brother's presence.

Loki downed the shot glass that Tony had passed to him. "Another."

Thor still questioned him. "What is it Loki? Why did Mina call you here?"

Tony passed him a shot. "Another."

"Take it easy big fella."

Loki narrowed his eyes at him. "I am a god. It would take a lot more than this to disable me."

"Okay then." And he poured another shot.

After this one, Loki sighed heavily. "It's not enough" He strode behind the bar, moving Tony aside as he bent to take in his inventory. When he emerged, he held two huge bottles of vodka and a glass in his hands. He said nothing before walking back around the bar and out of the room, leaving Thor to fret with a growing list of concerns.

Xx

Hours later, the empty bottles had been left out on one of the tower's many balconies and Loki was stumbling back towards Wilhelmina's room. He had spent his time looking over the mortals that he would have enslaved had it not been for Thor and his strange group of allies. He resented the resilience of these people as they continued to saunter around the piles of rubble that still littered their streets. Seeing all this made him drink faster.

Had he been sober, he would have considered returning to her room a bad idea and opted for giving her the space she demanded from him, however, he had yet to be assigned a room for himself and he desperately needed to lie down. So he knocked on her door over and over till it flew open, his fist almost colliding with the top of her head.

He could tell she had been crying; her eyes were pink and her face was slightly swollen. "What do you want?"

He responded with a grunt and moved passed her and into the room.

"Loki!"

He walked straight to the bed and collapsed on it, wrapping his arms around one of her pillows, savoring the familiar scent she left behind. The next thing he felt was her fist pounding on his back. "Get out!"

He turned slightly so that his voice wasn't muffled. "Come here."

"NO, I want you gone."

He flipped over onto his back and looked up at her with glassy eyes. He had completely underestimated Midgardian liquor and the effect it would have on his weakened body, nonetheless he almost laughed at how muddled his words were when he tried to speak.

"Not until we talk… I must tell you something."

He watched her demeanor transform as her rage ebbed away to curiosity. "Tell me what?"

"Everything. You should know everything."

Xx

In the many hours they spent talking (or rather she had listened to him talk) she had sat down on her bed, facing him. Shoes had been tossed over the side of the bed, leather and armor tossed over as well. At one point, towards the beginning of his biography, she had laughed at his tales of the misadventures he shared with Thor when they were younger. Wilhelmina was amazed that even in his obviously drunken state, Loki was able to string together several disturbing sentences.

He left no stone unturned. Wilhelmina would know every trick, every victim, every joy, every pain, every woman he had slept with, and every man he had teased. Of course things took a serious turn when he detailed the events that occurred the days that followed Thor's doomed coronation.

"I never knew my father." She gave him a puzzled look. "My biological father."

"Oh." What he said next truly shocked her.

"I killed him." He had to explain that his father was the despised Jotun king Laufey and once he was sure that she understood, he laughed. It was a bitter laugh that made her heart feel like it was in a vice. "Perhaps my child will kill me too. The universe has proven to have a sense of irony."

Wilhelmina searched for words, any words. What she eventually said, was not as difficult to say as she thought it would be.

"I have a sister. She's quite younger than I am so when she was brought home I pretended she was my baby. By then father had already taken to hitting me every other day. When my sister was born I promised her that I would never let him harm her, that I would let him kill me before she ever had to endure such pain. Once, she broke father's favorite drinking glass. He was so angry that I immediately said that it was me that broke it…. I couldn't leave my house for a week after he beat me. Mother feared that he had done permanent damage." She looked down at Loki, straight into his eyes. "You love your family just like I love Dagmar. Sometimes you do crazy things for those you love, and you and I proved our love very differently."

"Laufey was my father."

"He was a stranger. Blood does not make a true father."

He gifted her with a smile; it was small, but genuine. "I never imagined I would be foolish enough to father a child. I wouldn't even know where to begin to raise one."

Wilhelmina slowly laid down next him, a hand absently rubbing her stomach.

"You care. I suppose that's a start."

Xx

She tossed and turned in her bed, unable to find a comfortable position. When Wilhelmina swung an arm behind her and felt the slap of bare skin and heard a soft grunt, she opened her eyes. She slowly looked over her shoulder only to quickly turned back around.

She had slept next to Loki the entire night. She did not even remember falling asleep.

She turned to face him and was grateful that her movements did not wake him. Loki was shirtless and taking a considerable amount of space on the bed. No wonder her back was killing her.

In the morning, or perhaps afternoon light she was able to watch him sleep, her favorite pastime. After all they had been through; she would never deny that Loki was beautiful, though he would hate her using that particular word. She bit her lip as her eyes traveled lower and as she hungrily took in the toned flesh of her former lover she did not stop the lustful thoughts that exploded in her mind. Had things been different between them, she would have stripped him, climbed on top and rode him into oblivion. She shook her head, feeling completely scandalized. What was wrong with her?!

She did not have much time to think on it before she heard a soft knock at her door.

"Mina?"

She slapped a hand over her mouth. Clint was back, and he was outside her door. She reached over to Loki and shook him until he opened one sleepy emerald eye.

"What?"

She whispered frantically, "You have to get up! Clint is back!"

Now he was awake, but groaned in pain as soon as he sat up. The room was too bright and it felt like his mind was picking up every sound in the room, Mina's voice especially. Was he actually nauseous?

She was rushing him out of the bed. "Hide in the bathroom!"

"I will not hide! Nothing happened here."

"So I should allow him to see you half undressed and in my bed? What would you think?"

He looked at her for a short while, before Clint's voice finally got him up.

"Are you okay?"

"Just a second!"

Loki watched from the bathroom doorway as Wilhelmina tidied the bed, kicking his clothes underneath. He saw how she went to a nearby mirror and smoothed out her hair before straightening her clothes. Loki wondered if she ever fussed over herself this much when he was on the other side of the door. He tried not to think about how she smiled to herself as he carefully closed the door.

From his hiding spot he heard her open the door and the man's voice was slightly muffled but Loki was still able to pick up every word.

"Hey, sorry I'm late getting back."

Loki cringed when there was a prolonged silence. He could only imagine what was happening.

"Can I come in?"

"Perhaps later; it's a mess."

Another silence.

"Is someone here?"

"No, it's just me."

"Good. You know Thor's here? I think he and Tony are up to something because they both looked weird when they saw me."

"Thor is visiting. He came to see how I'm adjusting on Earth."

"Well he'll have to wait till I'm done with you. I couldn't wait to see you again; I came straight from the airport."

This time the kiss was audible and Loki's knuckles turned white with how hard he griped the sides of the sink. He heard them as they shuffled in, the door slamming behind them.

She was giggling now and only just managed to speak. "Clint, I am very happy to see you, but we should do this later."

"I've waited weeks to see you, don't toss me out now."

This was humiliating. Surely she wouldn't sleep with him while he was trapped in the bathroom? He decided he wouldn't stick around to find out as he quickly threw the door open and stepped back into the room. He stood there, completely silent as Mina and Barton stopped whatever it was they were doing and stared at him, but the silence was short-lived.

In one move, Clint pushed Wilhelmina to the side and pulled out the gun still holstered to his leg to point directly at Loki. His head was swimming. Not only was it unsettling to see that villainous asshole there, but seeing him half naked in his girlfriend's bedroom was really unsettling.

"What the fuck are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Wilhelmina asked that I come back."

"I saw you leave Earth in chains! They threw you in prison."

"I'm on vacation."

Wilhelmina had been dumbfounded by the scene, but after her eyes traveled to the gun that Clint held in his slightly shaky hands, she moved to stand between them.

"Enough! Put the gun down Clint."

He ignored her. "Why are you here?"

"I told you: Mina wants me here."

Clint finally spoke to her, but kept his eyes on Loki. "What's going on?"

Loki did not give her a chance to speak. "She's pregnant." He smirked when the man's eyes doubled in size. "And it's not yours."

He still wasn't looking at her." Is this true?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry."

Without thinking, and in his shock, Clint lowered his gun at Wilhelmina.

Within seconds, an enraged Loki was on him. He had the man pinned to the wall, his hand threatening to snap the bones in his neck. Wilhelmina tried to pry his hand away from the fading Clint. When Loki finally released him, he fell to the floor in a heap, but when Wilhelmina reached for him to help; Clint slapped her hand away and rushed from the room.

Loki's breathing was still ragged as he tried to calm himself. He turned to Wilhelmina, who now had tears streaming down her face. He reached for her but she moved away from him. She walked over to the pile of his clothes she had hidden under her bed and flung them at him. She left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Xx

She managed to catch him a few blocks away from the tower. It was midday in New York and the streets were filled to bursting with people. She called out to him and he stopped when he saw her. She fought to catch her breath.

"Please forgive me Clint…I didn't know until after you had left."

"So you lied when you said you two weren't together when we were trapped in that base?"

"Only because I was too ashamed to say anything. Now…I have no choice."

"And you were dumb enough to let him knock you up?"

"We did not plan for this to happen!"

"Then why don't you just get rid of it!?"

His tone shocked her. "You almost did it for me when you pointed the gun at me!"

People were walking all around them, though some slowed their pace to watch the arguing couple.

"I would have been doing you a favor by killing the freak!"

Wilhelmina slapped him so hard her hand stung, and their audience was enthralled.

"I don't care if this child is different, I will not hear you call my baby a freak!"

He lowered his hand from his face, a red mark visible. The slap seemed to bring him to his senses as he was now very much aware of the many eyes that were on them.

"Look, I'm sorry. We can figure this out; just don't go back to him."

"I'm not going back to him. I'm going to Asgard."

"I thought this was your home now."

"Asgard is the only home I have ever wanted. It's where I belong."

"Let's not talk about this here."

"I am Aesir, Clint. I cannot keep running away from that…and I don't want this child to either."

He watched her walk away and back towards the tower. She didn't say it, but he knew they were over. She had made her choice, and it was neither him nor Loki.

Xx

When Wilhelmina returned to Stark Tower and to her room, she was not surprised at all to see Loki dressed and pacing. She ignored him and went straight for her closet. She was still shaky from her fight with Clint, other than that, she had never felt better.

Loki followed her into her closet, trying to speak to her, to comfort her, anything to get her to look at him. He was concerned when she pulled what looked to be a large case out of the closet and began throwing random objects into it. She continued to ignore him and walked in and out of the closet until he could take no more.

"STOP!"

Wilhelmina turned on her heels and walked towards him. She shoved him and he stumbled backwards and onto the bed.

"Are you mad?!"

She spoke quickly. "You nearly killed Clint when he threatened the child and I slapped him when he called it a freak."

"He called it a freak?"

"Yes!"

"Then I should have killed him."

"That is exactly the point I am trying to make! We have defended this baby like we're its parents."

Confusion was written all over him. "Are we not?"

"Not until we decide to keep it."

'We' decide?"

"I certainly didn't conceive by myself."

Now he smirked at her, and she could easily guess what he was thinking. "No, you did not."

After a while he asked the dreaded question. "What do you want to do?"

She did not hesitate. "I want to keep it, what do you want?"

"I…want to keep it."

"Then that settles it."

He quickly took her hand. "What you said before still holds true. I will spend an indefinite amount of time imprisoned. I can only ask for Odin to be merciful for the sake of the child."

She nodded her head. "I understand." She sighed and sat beside him, putting her head on his shoulder. Loki put his arm around her still slim waist and pulled her in closer.

"We cannot be together."

His grip loosened on her waist. "What?"

"You have done awful things, and though last night brought clarity, I still have yet to forgive you for what you have done. Not just to me, but to Earth, and to Asgard."

He expected as much. "Do you think you ever could forgive me?"

"One day, yes."

They stayed sitting in silence for a long while before Loki spoke.

"Shall we tell my brother that he is to be an uncle soon?"

She laughed. "I'm sure he'll be more excited than we are."