Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers or Thor. Nor, sadly, do I make any moneys from the posting of this fanfiction.

Here we are at the end. Thank you for reading, reviewing, and following/favoriting. I can't believe this is it. Enjoy.

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Five Years, Two Kids, and a New Gate Later

Darcy stood on her tower, doing her best not to allow the bits of cold that managed to creep through Loki's spell work to affect her. Absently, she looked down to the sleeping baby that was wrapped against her chest. Smiling to herself, she wondered not for the first time what she had done to be so lucky.

"Beloved," Loki said, joining her with their little girl curled up in his arms. "You should sleep. You only gave birth two days ago."

"I know," she sighed, looking around. "I even know that Heimdall is keeping a keen look out while I'm on leave." But then she smiled. "I just wanted to see the view again. But this time without the whole going into labor business."

He went over to her, pulling her closer to himself. The small family cuddled together. Darcy kissed her little girl's head, even as she was looking up into the starry sky.

"Bute-tea-full day, Mama," Gretchen murmured.

Smiling she agreed, telling her, "Very beautiful." Combing her curls out of her daughter's moss green eyes. "Ready for your bedtime story?"

"Yes, Mama," she sighed. "Will you be reading to Jacob?"

"He'll be there with us, but he's been having a very busy week and more than likely will be sleeping the entire time," she told her. "At the most he might wake up for a snack, a nappy change and a quick cuddle before going back to sleep."

"Can I cuddle him this time?" she asked.

"We'll give it fifteen minutes and if he isn't awake by then, you're going to have to let him keep sleeping, okay?"

Looking disappointed, the little girl sighed, "Okay, Mama."

Darcy tapped her daughter's tiny nose, telling her, "Just remember, you have time later to cuddle up with him. You don't have to do all the hugging this week!"

Gretchen giggled. Darcy looked up into Loki's joy filled eyes, kissing him lightly on the mouth. "What story do we have for today?" Loki inquired.

"Grandpop and Grandma sent up a box of picture books," Darcy announced. "And I've been informed that there's a book there about a little girl who loves the color purple!"

Gasping in ecstatic shock, Gretchen cried out, "Purplicious!"

"Exactly," Darcy replied.

Clapping happily, Gretchen asked rather insistently that her father take her directly to her room. Loki smiled, but looked over to Darcy. "Coming soon, beloved?"

"In a moment," she sighed. "Ten minutes at the most."

Nodding he took their daughter off to her room to find the book that she wanted read to her for her bedtime story.

Smiling Darcy looked back up and out to the worlds, stars, and everything in between. Looking back down to her son, she saw his bright blue eyes looking up at her.

"Hello, my little love," she murmured. "Welcome to the watchtower." Kissing his forehead, she added, "You may not know it, but this is a pretty important place. But that's because of your father's and my work. It will also be important because your father and I are going to make this a wonderful place for you two to grow up." The baby blinked at her. "Yes, we'll make mistakes and have our spats, but we'll give it our best and that's what counts." Looking out one last time, she sighed, "You'll be getting to meet more family tomorrow. That should be fun." Giggling, she said, "Try not to spit up on your Uncle Tony again. You'll give him a complex."

The little baby gurgled and smiled back at her. "Let's go see your sister and we'll get to listen to your father give a dramatic reading of a children's bedtime story that would make for excellent blackmail material if I were of the mind."

Turning on her heel, she strolled slowly back into the large home Loki had made for her before the birth of Gretchen five years before. The watchtower had been a longer time in building, as there was politics of the planet to deal with. It hadn't been until she pulled major strings that they had been given permission to build the tower with the help of the Asgardians as well as Nova Core. Tony Stark helped as well, giving him time to play with his goddaughter Gretchen.

When she stopped at the top of the stairs, she felt Loki materialize next to her. Leaning into him, she allowed him to help her down the stairs. Once down the stairs, he dissolved once again. She went straight over to Gretchen's bedroom. Once there, Loki went over to them and took the bundled up baby from his wife.

"So I have big news," Darcy said to them.

"Did you get me a pony?!" Gretchen asked, beaming as she did so.

"No, our family is going to be here in the morning!"

Gretchen lit up. "Grandpop and Grandma?!"

"Yes, and more than a few others too," she replied. "And I've already warned them if any of them gives you chocolate anything, heads will figuratively roll, young lady."

Pouting she muttered, "But I like chocolate!"

"Yes, I know, but seeing you were bouncing off the walls for three days after the first time you had it, I'm taking no chances. Got it?"

"Got it," she sighed.

"Ready for bed?"

Gretchen went over to the bed, curling up in it with her favorite ragdoll in her arms. Darcy bent over, kissing her forehead. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Mama."

Darcy went over to Loki, taking the baby from him and went over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room. Exhaustion got the better of her and soon enough she awoke to Loki taking the baby from her arms.

"Gretchen is asleep and this little one must be put to bed as well," Loki murmured.

Loki took first the baby to the basinet in their bedroom across the hall and then carried his wife to bed. Curling up next to her, he pulled her into his arms. Nuzzling his neck, she let out a long exhausted sigh.

"Ready for our family to be coming over?" she asked him breathily.

"It will be good to see them," he told her. "Happy?"

Smiling she answered, "I'm good." She pulled slightly away from him to look into his eyes. "Life is…" Her smile was nearly blinding. "I would say it was even better than that, but fate will fuck with us then."

That had him chuckling, as he kissed his wife gently on the mouth. Yes, he thought, life was good.

The End!

…

And here we are at the end of our journey! Thank you to everyone for coming along for the ride. Your time is so very important and the fact that you spent it on reading this story, means a lot. Hopefully I'll be back soon with a new story. Take care and until we meet again on the fanfiction super highway, peace.