Hi everyone! Here is the next chapter for you! I think you'll like it, or at least I hope! :)


What's madness but nobility of soul

At odds with circumstance?

-Theodore Roethke

''What is happening?'' Thor demanded. Upon arriving back on Asgard, he had already smashed through about three of the invaders and left them twitching and smoking uselessly on the ground. Luckily, the god of thunder was completely unfazed by being thrown directly into battle. Now he spoke with Loki as they hid behind a raised wall, giving them a good vantage point from which to view everything. ''What are they?''

''I don't know exactly, but I've seen them before,'' Loki answered in a tight voice as they surveyed the scene. Though he might never admit it, he was incredibly glad to see his would-be brother again.

''What do they want?'' continued Thor, watching one of the creatures skulk by, its head roving from side to side. ''They're obviously looking for something.''

''It doesn't matter.'' The edge of Loki's words was very sharp. ''They're all about to die.''

The thunder god seemed satisfied by this answer.''Well then,'' he said with a nod. ''Let's get to it.''

Together they assembled all of the guards that they could, it was unfortunate that Asgard's defences were a little thin at the moment due to all the problems in other realms. The unforeseen nature of the invasion had taken everyone by surprise, nobody, not even Heimdall, had seen it until it was too late. Loki tried desperately to not waste energy hating himself for being so blind. There would be plenty of time for that later. He would not fail today, he knew. He would be utterly merciless.

''These things are strong,'' Loki explained to them. It was his responsibility to lead, it seemed, even though Thor had returned, he had no experience with the enemy that they were facing. ''They are more machine than flesh. As I understand it, they cannot breath the air. Try to aim for their masks.'' Then he turned back to Thor. ''We need to destroy the doors, every entrance that was recently built. That's how they're getting in.'' The blond nodded, lifting his hammer. ''I'll see to it. You try to keep them distracted.''

''I don't think that will be a problem,'' Loki muttered, as a sudden searing bolt of energy tore through the air and struck a pillar beside them, narrowly missing one of the guards.

The Anunnaki were clearly armed, and they put up a fight. Not just the Reckoner's worker bees, they were apparently warriors as well. They all carried a small yet very powerful device which emitted a sonic pulse that could stun, burn, or incapacitate whoever it hit. Loki knew that these new adversaries were essentially mechanical, they had shut down before, in the Palace of Souls. He just needed to find out where their power source was located. It was difficult to get close enough, to sneak up on the towering humanoids without drawing their attention. He would have to be clever about it, Loki knew, so he tried a different tactic. Mentally, he scanned over the invaders, looking for an energetic hot spot to indicate a power core. There it was, on the right side of their chests, glowing just beneath the collar bone. He threw out a bolt of energy, it struck one of the Anunnaki just as it was raising its weapon. It stalled, then fell uselessly to the ground.

Loki ran to one of the guards. ''Use arrows, hit them on the right side below the neck.'' The man nodded and went off to inform the others.


Darcy and Jane had been locked in the safe room for what seemed like hours, even though in reality it was probably only several long minutes. Jane paced the stone floor nervously. Every so often there would come a great crash from beyond the door, the sound of feet pounding and shouting. The unmistakeable noise of battle. Suddenly, a very strange sensation went through Darcy. Then she felt a flood of wetness running down her legs. Her heart sank and dull panic overtook her, flooding her veins.''Oh no,'' she said, clutching at her stomach. ''God no, not now!''

''What is it—oh god,'' Jane said, eyes widening as she realized what was happening. Darcy shook her head wildly. ''I can't, I can't, not now, not here...'' she babbled, not willing to accept the situation. She couldn't give birth locked in a room in the middle of an invasion, especially not without Loki.

Jane tried to take charge of the situation as best she could.''Ok, ok, you're going to be fine. Look at me. Take deep breaths, in and out. There you go.'' The scientist led her former assistant over to the sturdiest part of the room, in the alcove in the corner. ''Now just sit down and try to relax.''

''Try to relax, you've gotta be kidding me.'' Darcy sucked in mouthfuls of air, trying to ignore the pain that was now gathering, building in waves. ''This whole day is FUBAR, I swear to god. Why does everything always happen at once?''

''That's a question for the ages,'' said Jane with a shake of her head. ''Keep breathing.''

''Those things, they came for me. He wants me back, I know it, he found us here. Don't let him hurt her,'' she was begging and crying.

''Nobody is going to get you,'' Jane said sternly, sitting down on the floor beside her, flipping up Darcy's long skirt. In outrage, she pulled it back down. The scientist rolled her eyes. ''Don't flatter yourself, missy, I just need to see what's happening. You're going to be fine, but I need you to be brave.''

Darcy was still shaking her head, crying and praying and calling for Loki, trying to ignore the staggering waves of agony that continued to build and build with an astonishing quickness. ''Come on!'' yelled Jane, forcing her to focus. ''I need you to work with me here! Don't make me slap you!'' With a small, sharp cry of indignation, she hiked her skirt up around her waist and yanked off her underwear.

''I'm supposed to like, sit up or something,'' Darcy explained, then let out a sharp wail as she was hit by another powerful contraction. ''Eir said so.''

''Well, Eir isn't here right now, so we're just going to have to do it the American way. Lay on your back,'' the astrophycisist instructed.

Unable to help it, Darcy let out a cough of hysterical laughter.

''Nice to see that your sense of humor is still intact,'' Jane said dryly. ''Now lay down.''

More spasming, painful contractions wracked her as she leaned backwards. ''Oh, shit, oh shit,'' she pain was hard to describe, but far worse was the fear, which threatened to strangle her.

''Breathe, Darcy!'' Jane ordered her. Forcing herself to suck in a few even breaths, she then gasped out, ''You need to go get Loki. I mean like, right now!''

Jane shook her head. ''He can't get here, and you know it. He needs to help the realm, and besides, I'd never make it. We have to stay here for now, it's probably the safest place to be.'' To illustrate this point, several feet away a small chunk of the ceiling clattered to the ground, they watched it fall from where they were safely hidden in the alcove.

''No, no, no, I can't...I can't do this without him!'' Tears spilled from Darcy's eyes. She didn't feel strong at all, she felt like she was about to implode, both mentally and physically.

''Yes, you can,'' Jane said sternly. ''You're going to be fine, but you have to be brave, and focus. Keep breathing.'' Giving a weak nod, she closed her eyes and concentrated on her breath, trying to centre herself somehow. Then, with all the energy she could spare, she tuned in fully to the connection between their minds, and called for him, over and over.


Darcy was now practically shrieking at Loki through the connection of their minds. The message that she was trying to send hit him so hard that he almost staggered as he realized what was happening. Joy, panic, terror, rage and love, all at once, coalesced into a single, blindingly powerful emotion as he understood that their lives were about to change, amid all of this madness. But he also knew: he might not be able to reach her. There was too much else to be done, he was trapped, mired in a responsibility that he did not want, not any longer. Damn Odin for leaving, this was one of his games, his lessons, Loki knew, and that filled the god with a new wave of fury so intense that it made his teeth ache in his skull.

Their surroundings had devolved to pure and utter chaos, and Loki drew strength from this. It filled him with a ridiculously strong jolt of manic energy. Bodies littered the floor now, all of them Anunnaki. There had been several injuries, but miraculously, no casualties on the Asgardian side. Most of the doorways had been demolished, now it looked like half of the palace had essentially collapsed. Loki could barely even register exactly what was going on, he was acting purely on wild instinct, willing himself to become a near-unstoppable force, fighting chaos with chaos in an attempt to force the beastly universe to right itself, regain order.

''Hurry!'' he ordered, darting over to his brother's side. ''I'm...I'm about to become a father.''

Thor was still using his hammer to demolish one of the many doorframes. It was one of the last, there were only a few more that remained standing. ''Well yes I know, and that's wonderful, but now isn't really the time to-''

''Yes, you great oaf, now is the time, that's what I'm telling you! The baby is coming; literally, at this moment.''

Thor's eyes widened a bit with understanding. He nodded and then they both turned and continued their work. Loki was sharp and quick and mean, like a viper; almost graceful in his ruthlessness as he attacked the last remaining invaders in his sight.

It filled him with glee as he watched the newly-built walls collapse into piles of rubble, all those wasted hours, those moments that he would never get back. All that time, spent overseeing his own would-be doom. Never again.

One of the last Anunnaki standing appeared larger than the others, and nobody seemed to have been able to take him out yet. Loki could hear Darcy screaming in the back of his mind, and the sound prompted him to action. Finally he managed to knock the enormous invader to the ground, injuring him enough to become temporarily immobilised. A large, sharp and heavy piece of marble from the collapsed structure lay a few inches away. Loki quickly snatched it up and turned over, smashing it through the front of the respirator mask that covered its face and all the way through until the Anunnaki stopped twitching and lay absolutely still in a smoking pile of fluid and machinery.

''I think we're done here,'' Loki said, looking around at the wreckage for just a moment. Inside his mind, he could feel both Darcy and the baby, hear the pounding of two heartbeats. Once he could find his footing again, he sprinted down the hall, through the rubble, running as fast as he could until he reached her. ''Wait,'' Thor called, following after him.

''I'm not waiting,'' he called over his shoulder. ''You're just going to have to move faster.''


''Do you even know what you're doing?'' Darcy screamed at Jane, who was now crouched directly in front of her open legs, most definitely getting an eyeful.

''Probably not, but how hard can it be?'' the scientist retorted, looking closely. ''Women have been doing this for thousands of years, way before science or medicine even existed.''

''Yes but they died all the time!'' she wailed.

''You're not going to die. Nobody's going to die today, except for those tall alien bastards, I hope. Ok, I can see the head!'' Jane blinked in surprise. ''Wow, that's disgusting and weird.''

''Don't criticize my baby's head!'' shrieked Darcy.''Just...look away.''

''I can't look away, you moron, I have to see what's going on so I can help you. Trust me, I'm not getting any thrills out of this, either. Shut up and breathe! Wow...ok...''

''Oh my freaking god it hurts so bad...'' she bit down on her lip, tried to keep from crying but it was useless. Darcy was so caught up in the pain and pressure that she didn't even hear Jane yelling at her, telling her, ''Push!''

She blinked wildly, protesting. ''No, I don't think...''

''Push now, dammit!''

Darcy let out a loud, drawn out scream as she gave in and pushed, feeling like her body was being torn down the center.

''That's good!'' Jane said encouragingly. ''Now again!''

A few more hard pushes that almost made her see stars, a few more moments of blinding, searing pain that was hard to describe, and then, then, she heard the sound of shrill crying slicing through the air.

''Is she ok?'' Darcy gasped out as she looked over through the sheen of tears and sweat that was blinding her and saw Jane holding a tiny, shrieking little baby covered in disgusting goop. There she is, she thought. I did it. We did it. As wrinkled and red-face as she was, she was the most beautiful thing in the world. Loki, you should see her.

''Give her to me,'' she begged, and Jane, still wide eyed and disbelieving, handed over the child. Darcy started crying again. ''We're such a mess,'' she said, looking down at herself briefly, and then quickly looking away, holding her daughter close against her chest, trying to wipe away the slime from her face. ''There's all kinds of gross biology going on here, what do we do? Don't we need to cut the umbilical cord or something, I mean, she's still attached, and there's all this other weird stuff...''

Jane held up her hands, which were covered in blood and who knew what else. ''I'm not cutting anything, I don't have anything sharp, and besides, I think this is as far as I go. Listen, it's getting quiet...do you think...''

There came the sudden sound of the door being unbolted and then it swung open to reveal both Loki and Thor. Jane let out a laugh full of weary surprise when she saw the god of thunder. ''Go get Eir,'' Loki ordered him. ''I'll come with you,'' said Jane, hurrying after him. Darcy smiled as she watched them quickly depart.

''When did he get here?'' she asked.

''Just in time, actually,'' Loki admitted, sitting down on the floor beside her. Or rather, beside them. In her arms she was holding their baby, who was crying at the top of her lungs. It seemed unreal, made him a little dizzy, that it had happened, this shrieking bloody creature was his daughter.

''Did we win?'' Darcy wondered.

''Oh yes, we won,'' he assured her, leaning over and pressing his lips against hers. For now, whispered a voice in his mind, but he shook it away.

''I wish I could have been with you,'' he murmured, running his fingers through her sweaty, tangled hair, unable to help feeling more than a little cheated by the circumstance.

She smiled gently. ''You were, in a way, you always are. And I'm so proud of you,'' Darcy added. ''I'm proud of both of us.''

Eir and her attendants came hurrying over as soon as it was safe to do so, the Healer whisked both she and the baby away to the Chambers. The Healing Chambers were very busy, there were many wounded that needed to be tended to as well. Loki hung back outside the door, waiting until the healer told him that he could go inside. As he paced restlessly, he heard a familiar voice and then turned to see Frigga standing there. She threw her arms around him and he returned the embrace, relieved to see her safe. ''You did so well,'' she whispered into his ear. ''I'm very proud of you, my son.'' She pulled away from him, smiling. ''And congratulations,'' she added, tears of pride and happiness shimmering in her eyes.

''It's not over is it?'' Loki asked her. She shook her head, but refused to let the smile slide off of her face. ''It is over for today,'' the Queen told him firmly. ''Don't think on it right now. Don't let it spoil your joy. Your life is going to change, but for the better. Now, go see them,'' she added, pushing him in the direction of the doors to the Healing Chamber, which opened as he approached. Eir stuck her head out and motioned him inside, smiling.

In one of the larger healing capsules lay Darcy, wrapped in a soft robe. The lights of the capsule glowed around her. In her arms she held their little girl, who he could now see more clearly now that she'd been cleaned off. She was still, sleeping peacefully, so tiny and pink and sweet-looking.

Darcy's eyes fluttered open as he approached. ''Did you pick a name?'' she asked in a thick, sleepy voice.

''I thought we could call her Avalon, like that island in your book,'' he said. He'd been mulling it over for some time, he'd been struggling with names and it had come to him one night. As soon as Darcy heard the name spoken, she knew it was perfect. ''Avalon,'' she repeated softly to herself in a whisper. ''Avalon. I love it.''

Eir came then and gently lifted the sleeping child out of Darcy's arms. ''You need your rest now,'' she said, then turned and handed the baby to Loki. ''Hold your daughter. I'll be outside if you need anything.''

Taking the child into his arms very cautiously, he looked down at her, finally allowing himself to feel the love that had been threatening to crush him. She was so small, so fragile, yet also lovely with her little nose and mouth, the fine dusting of black hair on her head.''You're going to have to be very patient with me,'' he told her with a sigh. Her delicate eyelids fluttered open at the sound of his voice; Avalon stared back at him with eyes that were a soft and deep forest green colour, seeming very aware, as if she were listening and understanding. ''I don't care much for fathers, and I don't know how to be one. To be honest, you terrify me,'' he added, gazing at her tiny face. ''I feel like I'm going to disappoint you. No—I know that I'm going to disappoint you. And I am sorry. I can't promise that I won't make mistakes, I've made many, and I'll probably make a thousand more before my life is done. What I can promise you is the same thing that I promised your mother. To protect you both and keep you safe for as long as there is breath in my body.'' Loki cuddled her closer against him, marvelling at how warm she was. For a moment he was afraid that the coldness of his skin would bother her, but she didn't seem to mind. She was drifting off to sleep again. ''You're warm like her,'' he said, with a lingering glance over at Darcy, who was also dreaming deeply. Though he fought them, tears came to his eyes. ''Damn,'' he swore softly, looking back down at his sleeping daughter. He was at his most vulnerable at that moment, so much that he felt like he could crumble into a million pieces, yet somehow, in the midst of that pained vulnerability lay a core of something else. Loki could feel power inside of him, vaster and very unlike anything he'd ever known, some incredible strength that had been locked away, waiting.


A Few Days Later

The rubble was slowly being cleared away. All of the Anunnaki were burned. Some had suggested that they should be kept for study and research purposes but Loki was adament that every trace of them be completely destroyed. The builder seemed to have, infuriatingly, vanished without a trace, and though there was a very large reward out for his capture, nobody really expected him to turn up anywhere.

Loki was left with a thousand anxious thoughts. Clearly, Asgard was no longer safe. They'd been attacked there once, it was only a matter of time before the Reckoner found another way in, and then they might not be so lucky. For now, though, they were temporarily forced to stay and this made him wary, on edge. Running wasn't going to be an option anymore, he knew. The time for stalling and hiding was over. They were simply going to have to find a way to fight, to end it once and for all. His mind was once again haunted with thoughts of old parchment and dark magic, strange ghostly images from the past and present both. The god of mischief did not concern himself with the politics or daily business of Asgard in any way, he made it abundantly clear that he was not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. He was going to make up for all the time that he had missed with Darcy. And then...they were going to have to figure out a way to complete the assignment that they had been given in what seemed now like another life, all while keeping their unexpected and beautiful child safe from harm.

Avalon woke often throughout the night, and that was the time that Loki would get up and take care of her, letting Darcy get the sleep that she needed. He hadn't been sleeping much anyhow, and he found that his daughter's presence soothed his mind.

He held her quietly in those early hours of the morning, walked with her down the long, silent hallways and told her everything, confessed his sins and misdeeds and fears, and she listened, absorbing it all. When he was done, she reached up towards him and brushed her tiny fingers against his chin and he knew that he was forgiven.

It was as they were returning from one of their walks that Loki had a very unexpected visitor.

''You may have pushed them back for now, but he's not gone,'' came a familiar voice from out of the silvery blue shadows behind him. He turned and set Avalon down in her crib, then moved protectively in front of it and glared at the unwelcome, ghostly outline of Lugh Retnick. ''What do you want?''

The specter simply shook his head. ''Only to give you a friendly warning. It isn't going to hold forever. You will be given a brief spring, a reprieve, but then winter will creep up behind you while you're not looking. You will be so wrapped up in loving them, you might forget to watch for it.'' He smiled, and the smile made him look more human in death than he ever had in his long, long life.

''You still miss Anna Lily, don't you?'' Loki found himself saying. Despite everything, he had always found it strangely easy to carry on a conversation with the cult leader.

Retnick gave a nod. ''Every moment. But I have always been patient. I know that one day, I will see her again. She will come running towards me with open arms, smiling as if nothing could possibly be wrong. I wait for that day. I will wait as long as it takes.'' His head drooped a bit. ''I only ever wanted to protect her. You understand that now, don't you? I love my daughter.''

He hated admitting it, but he did understand, all too well. He nodded at Retnick.

''There will be no safe harbour for you in the universe,'' added the spirit. ''Not unless you stop him. He will pursue you to the ends of time.''

Loki drew himself up and glared. ''Let him come, I'm ready.''

Retnick gave a light chuckle at this. ''No, no you're not. But you will be. At least I can hope so.'' He seemed to sigh as his gaze traveled down to the infant in the crib. ''I was once a father too. I hope you're ready for your heart to break.'' And then he was gone, leaving only fading blue shadows in the room.