"My wife, my love of the ages," Odin said softly. "I have erred."

Frigga looked up in hope. "Oh?" She let her book fall to her lap. She hadn't been reading, anyway.

"My sons," he paused, "are indeed my heirs. I'd have done the same thing they did." Odin sighed and rose. "I was wrong. Guards, send for Heimdall. Find my sons. Bring them home. And Chelsea, too. Anger has clouded my judgment. My wife has helped me to realize that."

"Did I?" Frigga asked as the guards trotted off.

"I once defied my father and fought for the woman I loved." He smiled. "It has worked out well for me."

Frigga jumped to her feet, not bothering to waste time being flattered. "There's no time to dawdle! Thank you, Odin." She whisked away to the BiFrost, her heels clicking ungracefully down the long stone hallway and her beaded gown tapping against itself.

"Heimdall," she gasped as she reached his post. The guards had only beat her there by a minute.

"My Queen, I cannot see the princes or Chelsea." Heimdall bowed his head low. "I am sorry. Prince Loki has shielded them from my sight."

"My son's not the only one who can do magic," Frigga exclaimed. "What realm were they on last? I shall break all enchantments in the Nine Realms to find them!"

"Jotunheim, when I last detected them, then they travele-" Heimdall paused. "There. There! They are on Midgard!"

The sudden reversal of the shield didn't surprise Frigga one bit. She and Loki had always had a bizarre connection, though he was not biologically connected to her. Their magic seemed to feed off of the other's. "How perfectly-timed," the queen commented.

Heimdall didn't respond. His amber eyes grew wide in concern. "You must go now, My Grace. Lady Chelsea labors." Heimdall paused again. "It is grave."

***

A rapping came at the apartment door before it burst open on its own accord.

"What, no, more?" Jane stammered as a tall woman in a gown rushed into the living room.

"Thor!" the woman cried, rushing to the prince and throwing her arms around him. "My son. Where is she?"

Jane stared. "Do you guys have some sort of tracking system implanted in you?"

"Jane Foster, this is my mother Frigga, the Queen of Asgard."

Jane shut up and nodded. "Oh," she breathed. "Should I bow, or-"

"No, child. Where is she? Heimdall directed me to this town but no further. I just happened to hear a woman laboring and knew it was her." Frigga started down the hallway. "I haven't a second to spare. I didn't bring any healers, but I have delivered my fair share of babies."

"That's the door," Thor said softly.

The queen pushed through into the room and snapped the door shut behind her.

Thor grimaced at Jane. "Did you hear what she said? She heard the screams," he said softly before wiping moisture from his eye. Understanding settled in his face. "It is serious, lest mother would not come. Should the Lady Chelsea die, I fear my brother shall, as well."

***

"Mother," Loki cried, "help her." He was shaking violently, Chelsea's cold hand clasped in his.

Frigga took a second to survey the room. Her son, bent over Chelsea's lifeless bloody body, and a mortal girl sobbing in a chair in the corner. "How long has it been since she began laboring?" Frigga asked.

"A few hours," Loki replied, his voice shaking. "She isn't breathing. You must do something, hurry!" He trembled more violently.

"Oh, my girl," Frigga murmured as she looked the girl over. Most of her ribs were cracked and crooked, sticking up bizarrely under her skin. The mattress was stained with dark blood. Frigga looked back to Chelsea's face.

Loki stared Frigga down. What was taking her so long? Worry had etched itself into a hard expression that hadn't left his face. "What is it?" He glanced between Chelsea and Frigga. "Tell me. Tell me!"

"It won't be easy," the queen answered. "I'm so glad I found you in time."

"In time? Enough riddles, Mother, tell me plainly. Is she not dead?" Loki jumped to his feet, refusing to release Chelsea's hand.

"Loki," Frigga barked, "calm yourself or get out. We must get the baby out quickly for both their sakes. I won't have your panic poisoning the room. No, she isn't dead."

Loki sat, astounded. Relief flooded his body. There was still hope.

"My dear," Frigga said to Darcy, who was staring at her in awe.

She nodded and stood. "Yeah. Okay. She's going to be okay? You're sure?" Darcy continued to chew her lip. It was slightly swollen, but she needed to do something to distract herself from the gruesome situation. "Humans die, you know."

"She isn't dead. The child is just taking her life force. An immortal child is infinitely stronger than a human child. It's something Midgardians aren't aware of yet. We will deliver the child and Chelsea's body will need some help bouncing back and supporting itself again."

"What?" Darcy exclaimed.

"I believe you call it magic," Frigga answered. "No time for questions. We'll explain later. Loki, come." She reached out and grabbed his free hand. "Good, keep a hold of her. Be ready for the surge."

Darcy stepped back. Frigga drew a small scepter from within the folds of her gown she thrust it toward the ceiling. A loud crack of thunder sounded from somewhere above them. A beam of lightning, or something Darcy couldn't explain or identify, seemed to charge the scepter. It came out of nowhere and everywhere; the window and the ceiling and thin air. The charge ran through Frigga's body, across her arm and into Loki's, and finally down into Chelsea. The light blue beams shone brightly as they circled and danced over her skin.

Darcy had to shield her face. "Are you jump-starting her?!" she squealed, falling back against the wall.

The door burst open and Thor and Jane spilled in. "I have to see this," Jane exclaimed. "What's happening?"

Thor frowned, annoyed at her enthusiasm at the unexplained while his brother's paramour lay dying.

Chelsea's eyes fluttered open and she gasped.

"Remember what I told you about bearing an immortal child?" Frigga asked, leaning over her face.

Panting, Chelsea nodded. "I believe you now." What had just happened?

"It's time." Frigga nodded to Darcy.

"Tell me what to do," the girl answered, suddenly feeling quite calm. If these Asgardians could bring people back from the dead, Chelsea was going to be just fine. Loki didn't look so convinced, but she refused to let that bother her.

"You've never delivered a child?" Frigga asked in surprise. "But you're a woman,"

"I know," Darcy groaned. "Let's just do this thing."