**Sorry for the delay. Sickness has come upon us here. 'Tis the season. This chapter is kind of a bonus, I had not anticipated quite the fluff a feast would entail, but it was so fun I went with it. I really don't want this story to end, but alas, the end draws nigh. I have most of it written already, just working on transitions. Don't worry, I won't leave it hanging for too long, and I promise a lovely epilogue when all is concluded. Please read and REVIEW! Thank you.


The feast was the largest Jane had seen since they had arrived in Asgard. The great hall had been transformed into a banquet hall, tables spread as far as the eye could see, groaning under the weight of foodstuffs so vividly colored that it reminded her of a Dr. Seuss book. It was delicious, and Jane found her own appetite was dwarfed by Loki's, a change from the recent trend. Far more gratifying were the incessant apologies, both direct and oblique, which were directed to Loki from the moment of their arrival in the hall. Jane knew that Loki despised the attention, even if he needed it. She took perverse pleasure in reading his opinion of the sincerity of the individuals offering it, her mental snark eventually becoming too much for Loki, who pinned her with a wicked gaze as yet another sycophant bowed and departed.

"You are getting even with me for engaging in this bet today, Jane."

"I would never stoop to such lowly mischief, husband," Jane retorted, the glimmer of her thoughts giving her away.

"You shall pay for that later, wench," Loki murmured in her ear, kissing beneath it gently before turning to another curiosity seeker.

Odin and Frigga were keeping a close eye on both of their sons and their love interests. Thor and Sif were still in the gangly stage of affection, a precarious transition from friendship to something greater.

"What do you think of them?" Odin asked Frigga, not even needing to nod in their direction.

"I think Thor is wise enough now to avoid most of the muddles that normally befall such changes in a deep and abiding relationship. I do not know what his intentions are," Frigga said. "I hope it does not turn out ill, for both their sakes."

Odin's gaze was speculative. "I do not know either. However, as you say, I believe Thor has matured enough to bring it to the conclusion he desires, when he figures out what that is."

"About the child…" Frigga's eyes slid over to Jane, whose head was bent close to Loki's, both of their lips turned up at the corners at some private joke. "The vision is clearer. He will rule."

The noise of the hall faded audibly for both of them as Odin slowed time, his gaze piercing his wife. "Be careful, Frigga. We do not know where he will rule. Many currents are swelling now—we will buffet and support as much as we can."

"I think we should tell them," Frigga said again, and Odin shook his head.

"No. They bear a heavy enough burden. Let them enjoy the last few months of being concerned only for themselves, as well as the fate of two worlds. The child will be enough to handle when he is born."

"I am proud of them. You should see their bond now."

Odin's eye narrowed. "You did not."

"I did. On the bridge when I told her to take off her shoes." Frigga's lips quirked in a smirk that was familiar.

"And?"

Frigga decided to tease him a bit. "I do not know why you are surprised that your wife has adopted some of your tactics after our millennia of marriage."

"Frigga…" Odin's tone was sonorous, and she laughed.

"I'm not afraid of you, old man. And there is no one else able to hear you, so you can desist." She felt herself being pulled closer to him, a trick he had not used in ages. "Fine, fine. It is as smooth as the finest gold. They have woven all the loose edges, smoothed the rough patches. It will weather any storm, no matter its strength."

"I am happy to hear it, my queen," Odin said. The rest of the crowd resumed their activities as the king kissed his wife in a lusty manner that was not uncommon at such a revel as this, so they thought nothing of it. Any who might have noticed that she was suddenly in his arms, certain she had not been moments prior, would probably attribute it to the effects of the fine ale and mead that were flowing.

Just slightly removed down the table, Jane was feeling full and less equipped to handle the effusive compliments that were still being tossed aloft in her honor. The AllFather's kind praise of her work was enough to loosen tongues that had been privately condemning the presence of a mortal in Asgard, despite her marriage to their fallen prince. She had not paid much attention to them, and continued her indifference now that their tune had changed. It was one thing Loki envied her, that ability to toss off the insincerity of those around her. She knew the same thing irritated her husband, but he was far more buried in the lives of these people. He could not write their innuendos and comments off as easily as she, a perfect stranger.

"You'd rather be anywhere other than here, wouldn't you?" Jane's eyes slid to Loki's with a knowing look, seeing past his smile to the tiredness etched under his eyes. She was still feeling a bit drained herself, the borrowed power from the bridge a lovely tonic but hardly a replacement for rest.

"I am waiting to see when we can leave," he said, turning to acknowledge another compliment from an ambassador. Jane could not decide if the ambassador was from Niflheim or Vanalheim.

"There is little difference," Loki said, catching her mid-thought as he turned back to her. "They are both pandering toadies."

"I thought that was the description for every ambassador," Jane replied, a grin teasing the corners of her mouth as they both studied the occupants of their table. Thor caught their eye and raised a horn of the Elverum mead toward them. Mercifully, he, too, was sick of the toasts, and left it a silent homage to his brother, which Loki reciprocated with his own healthy swig of the drink. Pleased, Thor turned back to Sif, who was looking especially beautiful with Thor's arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, I do remember why my brother is so fond of this," Loki mused, the warmth blossoming in a pleasant manner in his gut. He offered his to Jane, reading her easily. "It will not affect the babe. We are not so fragile even in the womb."

"The best comparison on Midgard?" Jane was not much for hard drinking, but she remembered Thor's night with Erik. She had no desire to stumble home when the ability to handle drinking was so prized in their culture.

"There really isn't one," he said matter of factly, amusement and affection in his eyes. "Just try it." He had scooted closer to her, was holding the drink for her, tipped it so she could take a mouthful. It was warm and tasted of pears and honey, the alcohol content not hitting until the bottom of her throat, where it warmed all the way down.

"Well?" He had set the horn down carefully in its holder, his face now close to her own. "How would you describe it?"

"As powerful as kissing you," she replied, her eyes flicking down to his lips. There was a challenge if he had ever heard one. He kissed her loud and long, pulling his wife into his lap halfway through his enjoyment of her mouth. She could feel the spike of the mead from his tongue, the alcohol evaporating in her mouth and adding a spicy note to his kiss. Dimly Jane became aware of the catcalls around them, and realized that the Asgardians were celebrating the visible display they were giving them about the state of Loki's connubial bliss.

"Ignore them," he whispered against her lips. "You were doing it so effortlessly up until now."

"And were you?" Jane's eyes were heavy lidded, but her mind was still sharp as ever. He grinned against her mouth before tasting it again.

"My pet, I always ignore them. And this is a far more enjoyable pastime at a feast than the fighting that will shortly commence."

With that Jane had no argument. She enjoyed her husband's kisses, his talented tongue being put to work in front of all and sundry. Sure enough, he saw a fight break out when he broke for air, distracting most of the attention that had been lasciviously fixed on them. His hands roamed with apparent idleness until her fingers fisted in his hair as his own wandered up her sides, causing her to break their kiss with a gasp.

"Yes, I rather think we've given them enough of a show," Loki said, standing abruptly with his wife in his arms. He nodded curtly to his parents, who were laughing. He took it in the good natured spirit it was intended, more interested in what Jane was doing with her hands on his shoulders and her mouth at his neck. His hum of pleasure was lost in the noise of the exuberant celebrations, her attention fixed on him in a way that promised a very fine evening's entertainment as he carried her from the hall.


"Wake up, my sweet." Loki's breath teased her eyelids, small kisses landing with precision on her nose and then mouth as she woke and semi-consciously started to kiss him back. It brought back lovely memories of the previous evening, but they did not have time for that now.

"The Bifrost mechanics beckon. Odin wants to see it completed within two days."

"What about dueling practice?"

"I will duel you myself, Jane," Loki said, his hand wandering.

"I didn't mean that and you know it," she said, rolling away from him with a huff. Because he felt like it, she rolled right into him.

"Right where I want you," he teased, the doppel vanishing behind her without effort.

"You obviously feel back to one hundred percent after yesterday's magical marathon," Jane said smartly as her stomach growled. "Your child is demanding sustenance."

She marveled at how his expression softened as he pulled up her nightgown to caress her stomach tenderly. "Not much longer now and the babe will be visible to all," he said, leaning down to place a kiss just above her navel. "I can already see the changes being wrought in you. It makes me incredibly happy."

He lifted his head and she drank in the contentment and love in his gaze. "I love you far more than should be possible."

He unfolded from his bent posture to kiss her again. "I am happy to hear it, love."


"Straightforward! I can't believe I said that!" Jane wriggled herself back from the miniscule space allowed for working on the gears, wiping her forehead to clear the sweat that was beginning to drip into her eyes and cloud her vision.

"Please ensure the gears are slotted in at precisely a 60 degree angle," Anje called, hovering nervously over the edge of the open center of the portal shells.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got it!" Jane called out with a huff of breath. This was the first time she felt like her stomach was not as flat as it used to be. It was not helping her concentration.

"And remember that the large flywheel must be placed first to ensure the spines are oriented in the proper direction…"

"Anje! I know! Please, stop fussing, or get down here and do it yourself!"

"What an excellent idea." Jane nearly dropped a tiny gear when she heard Loki, then wiggled back out into view.

"Hello. I thought you were coming later." She blew a strand of hair out of her face and eyed him, the pair bond giving nothing away of his thoughts.

"Change of plans, sweetling. Come, up now." He held out his hand, effortlessly lifting her up with a tiny flick of magic that buoyed her up from the cramped workspace. He turned to Anje while Jane pulled her tunic back to rights. "The AllFather would like you to continue with the gear assembly."

"It is my pleasure." Anje bowed and turned to the table that held the multitude of pieces that were left.

"This will take forever," Jane said in frustration.

"That tunic looks well on you," Loki said smoothly, his hands caressing her rear beneath the hem of the garment. "I think you wear it with almost as much panache as I."

"I doubt that very much."

Jane wondered when flying had become so commonplace that she did not even register when he did it. Loki set them both down on their feet, and Jane realized that they were at the doors to the dueling chamber.

"Ah." Now she understood why he was blocking her. Loki opened the doors and they entered, her heart beating a more abrupt rhythm while her mind was trying to find any cracks, probing their bond for hints as to what he had planned. His smile as he turned was wicked, the smile that made her knees go weak even as a rush of adrenaline flooded her system.

"En garde," he warned as his posture changed, then he vanished. Jane barely had enough time to adopt a defensive form before she felt him trying to worm his way through her shield. Clumsy as it was, he soon succeeded, and she gasped as she felt his fingers tickle her ribcage, a bubble of laughter spilling from her mouth as he reappeared, kissing her ear with the admonishment, "You can do better, my love," before he was gone again.

The pattern continued for an hour, her shields growing stronger and better at resisting his intrusions. In turn he adopted more and more stealthy attacks, the magic becoming so subtle she had difficulty distinguishing it from their pair bond. It did not help that his 'punishments' became more and more attractive, until finally she stopped him with a fierce jolt of anger.

"You have been flirting with me instead of attacking me for the past ten minutes!" she accused as her husband appeared, seamlessly entwined in her arms, the lovely feel of his skin beneath her hands as she wriggled them beneath his undercoat a marked contrast to the coolness of his armor.

"I admit nothing," he said, pressing her gently against a pillar.

"Your attacks were more subtle than Odin's. Why?"

Loki pulled his head back from her collarbone and met her eyes. "Thanos will not go for the direct attack. He is insidious, and will use every iota of knowledge he gleaned from your mind to try and get past your defenses. I know you better than he does, so I have better success—but his attacks will feel just as subtle, with the addition of considerable pain."

They both felt the fear his words caused, but Jane did not bow to it. Loki's eyes softened, his words gentle. "I cannot cause you pain. You know that."

"I know. I'm not afraid, deep down. I will hold on and fight back, and we will defeat him." Her voice was quietly confident, and Loki's lips quirked into a half smile.

"Your naiveté is often an asset."

Jane's eyebrows shot upward, and her voice was considerably cooler. "You escaped him, didn't you? I think it's more appropriate to call it causality. YOU are the only direct variable. I bet on you."

There was a sudden roil along their bond that caused her to stop that line of thought. "Tell me."

Loki's caress along her cheek was achingly gentle, the maelstrom of his emotions and thoughts in that unguarded second so very beautiful as his hand drifted to her stomach, the slight bump of their child a tactile experience now. It made the fear that followed it all the uglier. Loki was afraid for their child.

"He will know." It was a statement from Jane, not a question.

Loki's expression was pained. "Yes. It's changing your magic, subtle though it may be. He will perceive it, and that is what he will go after."

"Can we protect the baby? A separate spell?"

The answer was unspoken, but Jane heard it as clearly as if her husband had spoken it.

"Then we will have to fight all the harder."

Loki was cursing himself for giving in to his instincts, for siring this baby when its existence made his mother all the more vulnerable, all the more an ideal target. He was laid bare in front of her in these rare moments of heightened emotion. He had been so used to burying his thoughts and feelings, layering them beneath shields so that he was safe, and alone. Jane stopped his self-recriminations with a forceful touch and thought.

"Stop! You would not have let me out of your sight if it were not for this baby, could not have born to have me around anyone else. You might not have reached the fullness of your magical abilities either. You had to follow your instincts, Loki. You had to. Those instincts are gifts. Stop berating yourself for them. They gave you to me."

Her words calmed him considerably. She could feel their effects in his psyche alongside the physical release of his tightened fingers by her sides, the strong and sure hands grasping her instead, seeking the warmth of her skin beneath the tunic.

"I have been thinking about it, endlessly. I believe I know what must be done. But it is not clear how we can do it." His words were low, but they gave her hope…not just because he had spoken them, but because he could not have said them if he did not believe them to be true.