A/N: I hope you all know that you make me smile. The response I got from the last chapter was awesome. So, this chapter is over 9K words long. My hands hurt. I hope you all enjoy it and as always, let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own only Charlie and the plot

The Morning After

I come awake slowly, as usual. Hm, I can actually get coffee now. I grin at that vague realization. I have missed coffee. I should really try to convince Asgard to import the wonderful beverage. I'm surprised Uncle Thor hasn't thought to start doing that—he loves coffee more than I do.

I wonder what time it is? I yawn and bury my head back into my pillow. It can't be too late. I don't think my parents would allow me to sleep late as I am returning to Asgard today. Now I really hope it's not too late. I told Peter I would visit Amy today to try and get her spirit back up. Damn bullies. I nuzzle into my pillow. I just really don't want to move. I'm so warm and comfortable and my pillow is breathing along with me and it's just so—

Wait. A breathing pillow? I open my eyes fully expecting to find one of my turquoise pillows only to find my nose buried in a black shirt. Um, what? My eyes slowly trail up the edge of the collar and come to meet with a pair of amused green eyes. I break eye contact to scan my dark room. Oh, right. Loki and I are a thing now. I blink at my still covered windows before burying my face back into his shirt, groaning. Screw consciousness.

I feel the rumble of his laugh more than hear it, but I don't really care. "I do believe it is time to get up, Charlie."

I groan and squeeze his middle. "Go back to being a comfortable, non-talking pillow," I mumble, keeping my face buried in his shirt. I am not going to move for as long as I can get away with it.

He runs his hand through my hair again but blissfully doesn't say anything. We lay in a comfortable silence. I allow his heart to lull me back to a half-conscious state, only dimly aware that he is still playing with my hair. A girl could get used to waking up like this, that's for sure.

The blinds suddenly lift from the windows and JARVIS's screen from across the room comes blaring to life. "Good morning. It is currently 37 degrees Fahrenheit with a mostly cloudy forecast. It is Wednesday, November first and these are this morning's top stories…"

I shoot up, completely wide awake in .5 seconds, glancing around my room. Oh, shit. "JARVIS, forget that. How long?"

"Precisely one minute."

Shit. I spin back around to face Loki who is giving me an odd look. "You need to hide," I say, not answering his unspoken question.

"Why?"

I growl. "Because my parents are on their way up and if my Dad sees you lying here he will probably summon Iron Man in which case you will end up flying out the window." I start pushing him, trying to get him off my bed. Not that it works because he is heavy and not cooperating with me. "Come on, Loki. Please?"

"What do I get out of it?"

I glare at him. "Is your life not a good enough reason?"

He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms across his chest. "Your parents cannot cause that much damage to me."

"Come on, Loki!" I start pushing against him again. "I can't exactly have them find out like this!" He still isn't budging. Oh, screw it. "I will kiss you if you do this for me."

He finally sits up, smirking. "I think I can agree to that." He steals a quick kiss before slowly fading from sight. I glare at the spot he was sitting in. Okay, he's a least hiding. I suppose I can deal with that. But, where did he go? I shake my head and decide to let it go. I need to come up with something to tell my family. I sigh and hang my head. That is not going to be a fun task.

I hear the elevator door open and turn around to face the screen across my bed. It's only 6:22 in the morning. Ugh, it's so early. I flop back onto my back, my arms falling open. My arm just so happens to land on what can only be Loki's stomach. I pin his invisible ass with a glare. This is not hiding! And I know he's smirking at me and damnit! I can't let my parents sit on my bed or we're both screwed.

Weird, I'm hiding a guy in my room. That is so not like me.

"What's with the death glare?"

My head swivels to the entrance to my room. I really need to start working on my poker face around my family. I blink and shake my head at them. "Just had a weird dream," I say, sitting back up. "I'm surprised to see that you're alive, Dad," I say, smiling slightly. "I figured you would have drank yourself under the table."

He gives me a mock affronted look, holding his hand against his arc reactor as if to say, "who, me?" Pops just shakes his head at the both of us. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" he asks, changing the subject before we can delve too deeply into that topic. Dad really doesn't drink often, but these parties tend to bring his bad-boy party image back to the fore. It's usually fun and great to watch, until he starts doing the stupid shit. We all have to keep an eye on him to prevent him from drinking too much, and usually Pops takes care of that anyway.

I blink at him. What is he talking about again? Oh! The lockdown. Right. I smile. "I'm much better, thanks." Brain, why aren't you working? I blame the invisible guard sitting next to me. Well, I think he's sitting next to me. For all I know, he's wandering. Oh, god, I hope he's not doing that. I do my best to keep my anxiety off my face and keep my body in a relaxed state, which is so hard to do around my family. Not to mention, they always pick up on the subtle shifts of my mood.

I stretch my arms over my head and climb out of the bed. Maybe if I move that'll be easier? "Why are you up so early?" I finally ask, heading towards my music player to find something to listen to. And to prevent my parents from sitting on that side of the bed. This is far too much stress this early in the morning. I scroll through the options, trying to find something distracting. I feel something touch my hip and I glance down to find nothing there.

That's it. I'm going to kill him when this is said and done.

"Peter mentioned that you wanted to see the kids before you left," Dad says, walking over to my desk and playing with my tablet. Pops is watching the news articles flying across JARVIS's screen. I bet he didn't get a chance to watch the news before Dad dragged him up here. "We thought you would stay passed out until mid-morning if we didn't have JARVIS wake you." He grins over at me and I roll my eyes. I don't mention that that probably would have been the case. Loki's hand starts rubbing circles on my hip and I have to turn back around so Dad doesn't see the wide-eyed look that crosses my face.

He is not making this easy for me.

I finally just hit a random song and Led Zepplin starts playing through the speakers. I really want to grab that hand and shove it away from me, but I can't. Not if I want both of them to know something is up.

"Why don't you get dressed and we'll take you to Peter's floor?" Dad suggests. I turn around, blissfully forcing Loki's hand to fall away.

I grin. "That's okay, Dad. I'm pretty sure I can make my way down there by myself." I shrug. "I'll just meet you guys for breakfast, if that's okay?"

He nods. "Sounds like a plan. It's Nat's turn to make breakfast."

Yay. I love it when she cooks. She is actually a very good cook. And her meals are typically more varied than anyone else's. Dad walks over to give me a hug and kisses the side of my head before heading towards the elevator. Pops stays behind. "What's up, Pops?" I ask. He is usually the first to leave me, not Dad. He doesn't push topics with me, just simply waits until I come to him.

He gives me a lop-sided grin. "Where is he, Charlie?"

My eyes widen. "Where's who?"

"Charlie."

I sigh and deflate. Damn him for being so perceptive. I glance to the side of my bed and watch as Loki becomes visible again. He is sitting against the headboard, giving my Pops an appraising look. My eyes flick between the two of them. I know my Pops won't intentionally start anything, but it doesn't mean I'm not nervous as hell. There is some serious eye contact going on between the two and I really don't know how to interpret it. The light is slowly growing stronger the closer we get to sunrise. Pops finally sighs before looking back at me. "I take it you two are together now?"

"Will that be a problem?" I ask in return. I already know how Dad is going to react. I don't know what Pops thinks about this whole thing. I mean, I know what Peter told me, but it's not the same as hearing him say that he is alright with me being with Loki.

His eyes move back to Loki. I can tell that he doesn't really trust Loki. Not many people do. And, well, for good reason. "Not on my end," he finally mutters.

My eyes widen in disbelief. "Seriously? You're okay with this?"

He shrugs, his eyes coming back to me. "To be honest, no I'm not okay with it. But I've tried my best not to stand in the way of the things you want." He looks back at Loki. "I have trusted you so far to keep her alive and well. Now I'm going to have to trust you with her heart. You hurt her in any way, Loki…"He trails off, but the threat is clear.

Loki's face, for once, is serious. He slowly stands up from the bed and moves so he is standing in front of my father. I creep a little closer to them. There is still a distance between them, but I feel the need to be close in case something does happen. Pops is being awfully civil and it is freaking me out. Loki stands there for a moment before finally speaking. "I have no intention of harming your daughter. As long as I am able, she will be safe in my hands."

Okay, that was cheesy, but I can't help the small smile that pulls on my face.

Pops continues to stare at him before nodding. "I guess I'm just going to have to trust you. As much as I am able to."

They continue to stare at each other, sizing the other up, I'm sure. I shake my head before turning and walking into my closet. "This is just freaking weird," I mumble to myself as the song shifts to Evanescence. I start pulling on some jeans when my Pops says something that makes me freeze: "You do realize you're going to have to tell your father, right?"

I groan and hit my head against my dresser. "Can't you tell him?" I yell out.

He laughs. "No, that's your job, sweetie."

"Pretty please?"

"Nope."

I finish getting dressed in a Harry Potter Ravenclaw T-shirt and come out, glaring. "You just don't want to fight my dad. And you're leaving that horrible business to me."

He shrugs, grinning. Loki is leaning against my desk, grinning as well. I glare at the both of them. I point a finger at my Pops. "No hugs for you." I turn my finger onto Loki. "And no kisses for you." I stomp over to my bathroom, Loki's laughter following me. I brush my teeth and hair, contemplating the entire time about how I'm going to bring this up with Dad. I am trying to avoid World War 3 here. I sweep my hair into a braid so it falls over my left shoulder and stays out of my way.

When I come back out, Pops is sitting on my bed, eyes back on the news. He turns to look at me. "You do know that the majority of the family is on your side, right?" he questions, standing back up and coming over to me.

I sigh. "Yeah, I know you are. But I don't want a fight to break out with Dad and Uncle Clint and it will break my heart if they can't support me in this. And you have to admit, getting them to agree to this is the majority of the battle."

He grins. "You know how you're father is. Just beat him with logic like you always do. Your uncle will follow." He leans down to kiss my forehead. "You should hurry. The kids have to leave in a half hour."

My eyes widen and I look at the clock. It's almost seven. Crap. Pops heads toward the elevator and I am left staring at Loki, who is still grinning like the Cheshire cat. I raise an eyebrow at him. "You coming with me or staying?" I question finally.

He shrugs. "Do you know how you are going to tell your father?" he questions back.

I sigh. "No."

"Then I suppose I will remain here." He walks over to me and locks his hands behind my back, effectively trapping me against him.

"No you won't," I mutter. "You'll remain here for a few minutes before following me because that is more entertaining. And I'm sure you're going to want to see the fall-out with my Dad."

He grins down at me but doesn't respond. He doesn't have to. We both know that is exactly what he is going to do. The question is whether he is going to be visible or not. And I get the joy of being paranoid about it all morning. He moves down to give me another kiss. I lean away from him though. "I said no kisses for you."

"I am simply collecting my payment." He leans down further to nuzzle my neck. "Besides, just how long can you hold out?" he whispers against my skin. I am not going to admit that move made me weak in the knees. Nope. It didn't. I'm fine. And I am certainly not leaning my head away to give him better access.

Who knew he would be able to do this to me?

I can feel him smile against my skin before he places a kiss against my pulse. "You should go," he finally mumbles.

Aww, do I have to? I grin and glance at him from the corner of my eye. "You need to let me go first."

He trails his nose up my neck until he is right in front of my eyes. Seriously, he's going to be the death of me. Or at the very least the cause of me turning into a puddle at his feet. He smirks before removing his arms and moving back. I take a step forward following him before I realize what I'm doing and come to a stop. He simply walks backwards, smirk growing into a full smile while I watch him go. Oh that is so rude.

I close my eyes and breathe in what I am trying to make a calming breath. Honestly, I cannot be flustered when I go see my niece. I reopen my eyes and Loki is back leaning against my desk, arms crossed. I pull myself up straight and try to give him a stern stare. "Don't mess with anything."

"No promises."

I roll my eyes before heading to the elevator. A part of me kind of hopes he does actually stay here until everything has blown over, but the more logical side of me knows that is not going to happen. And there is nothing saying that this is going to blow over. "JARVIS? Don't tell Dad about Loki, even if he asks."

"Captain Rogers has already left me instructions to be silent on this matter unless given a direct question by Sir."

"Okay, good." I send a quiet thank you to Pops for being so freaking awesome.

Once getting into the elevator, I press the button for Peter's floor (which is three floors down from mine) and continue trying to come up with some form of plan for telling Dad. Maybe I should ask Peter for some advice? Ha! He won't help me. He is going to think this entire situation is hilarious and is going to sit back and enjoy the show. And I'm not going to have enough time in between seeing my niece and getting to breakfast to ask anyone else. Now that I think about it, does Aunt 'Tasha and Uncle Bruce know that we are dating now? Well, I guess I'll find out.

The doors open and I walk out into the hallway. This floor is set up how you would expect a house to be set up. The master bedroom is at the very end of the hall where Peter and Gwen sleep. Each one of their kids has their own bedroom, which lines this hallway. If you follow the hallway and go right, it opens up into a giant living room/kitchen area where they call all spend time together away from the rest of us. They usually eat breakfast together before the kids have to run off to school and then join us all for dinner. It's a pretty nice set-up.

I walk forward until I am standing in front the second door from the elevator. Amy is a pretty special girl. Not only is she Peter's first born, but she is wicked smart and not afraid to show it. She follows her father in that aspect. The only problem is that most of the kids at her school pick on her for her smarts and it's starting to become a problem. She's only thirteen and we have all noticed her withdraw more into herself which makes us all nervous. Chris and Becky are both eleven—fraternal twins. They are only a couple years younger than their sister and that's why they were all able to attend the school dance together. Chris and Becky are definitely more like Gwen—not freaky geniuses—but they are still smart. They, fortunately, aren't having any difficulties with bullies. But I'm worried that it might start now that kids are starting to realize who their older sister is. Bullies can transfer their aggression onto others based on their victims association with them.

It's very frustrating for us all.

I knock on the wood of the door and enter after hearing a quiet "Come in!" I look around the room while I wait for her to turn around from her desk and see me. Not much has changed in the past month-and-a-half: her room is still lavender and covered in books. Scholarly books cover every available surface in her room. And it also happens to be a complete mess. Papers and pencils and models are strewn all over the floor. There is a pile of clothes sitting in front of her closet and on the edge of her bed. I would bet everything I owned that they were originally on the chair she is sitting in now. I smile fondly, watching her put all of her school things into her backpack. She's gotten bigger. Her blonde hair is lying just past her shoulder blades. I'm surprised she is leaving it down. She usually has it all pulled into a braid.

She finally turns around and sees me standing here. Her eyes widen and she gives me a great big smile which I return in kind. "Aunt Charlie!" she yells, launching herself off her chair at me. I open my arms just in time for her to crash into me. Her head comes to a rest just under my chin. Wow, she is getting so big. I'm not okay with that.

"Hi, Amy!" I sway us from side-to-side playfully and she giggles. I finally push her away to arms-length to get a better look at her. "You've gotten bigger."

She rolls her eyes. "No I haven't."

"Yes you have! You're almost my height now!" I pin her with a playful glare. "Knock it off!"

She giggles before grabbing my hand and pulling me to her bed so we can sit down. We sit on the edge and keep hold of her hand. "How are you, sweetie?" I ask.

Her face falls just slightly. It's small, but I can notice the difference. "I'm alright."

"Don't lie, Amy. You're dad told me what happened last night."

She sighs and her smile finally falls off. I can see the sadness that I have seen in her eyes the last time I was home. I don't like seeing that. She is as smart as her father, but she is crippled with such self-doubt. I don't know where she gets that from and it has been a struggle trying to get her to let go of it. It's a project Gwen and I have been working on. She's slowly getting more confidence, but these are the years that tend to grow self-esteem and her peers are making sure that she feels absolutely none. "I'm just tired," she finally mumbles.

Oh, great. She's learned the girl excuse. I hate it when I hear someone say "I'm tired." It's usually an excuse that means something else is wrong, they just don't want to burden the other person with what it is. I would know: I've done that more times than I can count. I suppose it's hypocritical of me to expect Amy not to do that when I do it myself. But I don't want her to feel like she can't talk to me. I brush her hair out of her face. "Why are you tired?"

Her brown eyes finally look back up at me. "I'm tired of everything. I don't want to go to school anymore, but Mom and Dad say I need to. Why can't I be homeschooled like you were?"

I smile sadly. "Sweetie, I was homeschooled because my parents had the time to teach me. Not only that, but my situation was a little different from yours." I sigh. "I know you don't want to deal with your classmates anymore and I don't blame you. Are they still just verbally teasing you?" She nods. "They haven't tried to hurt you physically?" She shakes her head. "Are you lying to me?"

I finally get a small grin out of her. "No, I'm not lying, Aunt Charlie."

"Good. Because if they do, just know that nowhere can hide those brats from my wrath." I shake my head. "I know it's not easy dealing with bullies. But I want you to promise me something. Keep your friends close to you. I know you have friends, right?"

Her smile is somewhat brighter. "Yeah, I have a couple friends."

I smile in response. "Good. Keep them close to you. Trust me, there's strength in numbers. And don't be afraid to stand up for yourself." I cup her face. "You're so much stronger than you think, sweetie. Not to mention you have one powerful family standing behind you. They'll get the hint eventually and leave you alone."

She sighs. "But how long is that going to take?"

I shrug. "I wish I could give you an answer. It could end tomorrow, or it may take until you graduate." Her eyes widen at that. I've never been one to lie to any of the kids in this unique family and I'm not about to start now. I just try to give them as much comfort as I can. "Remember, you're dad had to deal with bullies all through high school. And he didn't quit. Now he has some of his old bullies working under him. Don't give up just yet okay? And don't let them change who you are."

"Shouldn't I, though?" she asks. "What if I started acting dumb? Maybe that will get them to leave me alone."

"But where does that leave you?" I ask back. "Don't ever lie about who you are. It may make people like you, but you're the one who will end up hurt in the end. Trust me on that." I pull her in for a hug. "I promise it will all get better."

I feel her sigh against me. I can only pray that she will listen to me. When I was her age, I was entering my rebellious phase and I did not listen to anything my parents had to say. I thought they were full of hot air. Not that I had to deal with bullies, but when it came to their over-protectiveness, I was getting fed up. I was so tired of them not trusting me to handle myself. It ended up culminating into when I snuck away from Happy and ended up getting kidnapped. I just don't want her to change who she is to fit some mold that her classmates want her to be in.

I finally pull away and smile at her. "So, tell me about school. What's your favorite subject? What are you doing? I'll walk you and your siblings down to Happy, so you have plenty of time to fill me in."

A grin lights up her face and I know she's going to be okay. For someone her age, she actually does love school. Especially science. She is definitely Peter's progeny. She proceeds to tell me all about her science class and how they are learning about the different elements (which she already knows more about than any girl her age should possibly know) and about a coming science fair and potential projects she wants to do. I sit and listen in quiet awe at just how detailed her plans are. I sometimes wish I had a science brain—maybe I would be able to keep up with Dad and Uncle Bruce's discussions sometimes.

Twenty minutes pass and she collects all of her stuff back into her bag and we head out of her bedroom. I go knock on Chris's door and she goes to collect Becky. I get two rousing hugs from the twins when they see me. Unfortunately I am unable to give them too much of my time as they have to get to school. The twins hold my hands as we take the elevator down to the garage level, babbling about some of their classes and friends the entire ride down. When we get there, Happy is already waiting with the car doors open for them all. I smile at him and make sure to give him a hug while the kids pile into the car. I love Happy and his overprotective/paranoid ways.

I walk over to the still open door and crouch down so I am looking up at Amy. "One last thing, sweetie," I say, grabbing her hand in mine. "If you need me, just send a message. I'll ask Heimdall to keep an eye on you and if you want me to come home, all you have to do is ask him to message me. Okay?"

She nods and smiles. I grin at her and look at the other two in the car. "That goes for two as well, you hear?" They nod as well and I stand back up. "You kids have a good day at school. Don't cause any mayhem and I'll see you when I come home next, okay?"

I get three waves along with mixed byes and love you's. I shut the door and step away so Happy can get out, waving until I can no longer see the car. I turn back to the elevator and sigh at it. Now for the hard part.

The ride back up to the main level of the Tower was much shorter than I wanted it to be. I just can't find a way to bring up this topic without causing my Dad and Uncle Clint heart attacks and fits of rage. I get the feeling I'm just going to have to dive into it head first and just deal with that aftermath. And I know no one is going to help me with this. I hang my head as the elevator comes to a stop. I seriously wish I could just jump to Asgard and not do any of this.

When I enter the floor, Aunt 'Tasha is busy cooking what smells like breakfast burritos. I can smell the peppers cooking on the stove and the sausage looks to be already done. Oh yum. Uncle Bruce is leaning against the counter close to the coffee machine, watching as she moves about with a semi-dazed look on his face. I can tell he just woke up. He's kind of like Dad in that he needs coffee to jump start his brain. Dad has already gotten wired for the day though. Uncle Clint is leaning against the 'fridge, chatting with Aunt 'Tasha about something. Pops is busy setting the table with Peter collecting the beverages for everyone. Dad is sitting at the table, toying with some random parts in his hands. He honestly can't keep his hands still for longer than a few minutes.

Peter is the first to notice my arrival and he gives me a particularly amused smile. I glare in response. It should be a rule somewhere that brother's shouldn't give you this many problems. Or at least should help you when you desperately need it. Like now. I take a seat at the table next to Dad, pouring myself a cup of coffee. I don't add any sugar or cream like I usually do. I need it black. Dad raises an eyebrow in question at that, but I just shake my head. Not yet. I wait patiently for the food to be placed on the table and for everyone to join us before I actually interact with anyone.

Breakfast went pretty well. If you consider me sitting in a quiet panic and everyone bickering about last night and ganging up on my Dad about his theatrical entrance to the after party, well. That and they were having a debate about who had the best costume. I don't pay that much attention though. I'm waiting for the most opportune moment to share my news. And trying to get a particular itching feeling in between my shoulder blades to go away. At the rate I'm going, though, that moment is going to be never.

"I still think Charlie had the best costume," Peter says, capturing my attention. "Especially when she was dancing with that handsome devil man."

I glare at him. I know what he's trying to do. And it may just work. "Yeah, I meant to ask you, Charlie," Uncle Clint starts up. My eyes flick to him and I see his face is simply curious. "Who was that guy?"

Aunt 'Tasha, Uncle Bruce, and Pops all get up from the table, collecting the empty plates as they move. Apparently they're taking that as their cue to leave. They are really letting me handle this on my own. Jerks. I swallow the lump that had jumped into my throat and answer him as calmly as I can. "He's a friend."

"Really?" Dad questions. "I don't ever remember seeing him before last night."

"He's a recently acquired friend."

"Hm," Dad hums, standing up and heading back to the coffee machine to retrieve more for his mug. I stand up too, if only to get some distance from the table. I get the feeling the conversation is about to turn and I really shouldn't be around any objects that can become projectiles. Uncle Clint also stands, stretching his arms above his head. Everyone else seems to be really focused on helping with the dishes and clean-up and I can't help the small glare that I send in their direction. I see Peter is smiling.

"Well, he's certainly an improvement from that guard of yours," Uncle Clint mutters just loud enough for me and Dad to hear.

And here we go.

"Yeah, way more polite," Dad chimes in. "I approve of this one."

I mentally roll my eyes. Oh, if only you knew, Dad.

"Not to mention he's not some freaky alien bent on world domination."

"And has a solid job."

"With no apparent Daddy problems."

"And no obvious insanity issues."

The banter between the two continues in this fashion and I have to close my eyes in order to try and get my rising anger back under my control. Not that they notice—they are currently facing each other, feeding off of the other's increasingly horrible personality descriptions of my boyfriend. And what's sad? They don't even realize that they are basically trying to endear me to him. They still think they are talking about a human man that I danced with last night that was in all actuality Loki. That is so ironic I want to laugh. But I can't because my anger is starting to take root in my very blood.

I cross my arms and open my eyes just enough to glare at the two who are obviously having the time of their lives right now. The subject moves from his obvious personality faults to me and his obvious attempt to brainwash me or seduce me. I clench my teeth in an attempt not to spout off at the both of them. I swear to god, they both forget that I am a twenty-four-year-old grown woman. Not only can I protect myself but I can make my own decisions. And maybe it's about time I start letting them all know that small fact.

"Frankly," Dad spouts, brandishing his arms and turning to me with a grin, "I think you are much better off with this guy. Rock of Ages is obviously just trying to seduce you so you turn on all of us and join his freaky alien army."

"Yeah, you should go for a nice, normal man like the one you danced with last night," Uncle Clint adds, smiling as well. "Not someone who is clearly three times crazy."

"Alright, that's it," I growl out around my clenched teeth. "Both of you need to sit down and shut up."

The affronted looks they both give me are practically comical. Too bad I don't feel like laughing. I continue to glare at them as they stare at me. The sound of the others' cleaning lessons somewhat. I know they are attentively listening in now. "Charlie," Dad attempts to start but I don't let him.

"I said, sit down!" I yell. They both do after mildly shocked expressions cross their faces. I feel a headache coming on. I gently rub my temples while trying to get my anger back under my control before my fire starts responding in kind. As it stands, I can feel it rising to the surface of my skin like a lake monster rising from the deep. I can see its characteristic glow in my arms and know it's ready to burst out.

I must be seriously pissed.

"First off," I finally say, very quietly, "you both need to knock it off with the insults. Whether you like it or not, Loki is my guard and my friend and there is nothing either one of you can do to change that. Second off, while your animosity is warranted, your words are not. I don't want to hear them anymore as long as I am in his custody. Do you understand?" I stop just long enough to give them both piercing glares. They don't respond, but I didn't expect them to.

I take a deep breath, leaning forward just enough to brace my arms against one of the table chairs. I clench the wood tightly as a way to relieve some of the tension in my shoulders. "Now, what you both haven't seemed to notice that everyone else has, is that that man that I danced with last night? Yeah, that was Loki." Dad's eyes widen and Uncle Clint swears under his breath. "Yeah, way to be observant. Oh, and all of your ranting about how I should go for a guy like him? Well, guess what? I did. Loki and I are currently together—"

"What!" Dad shouts, rising from his seat and cutting me off. Uncle Clint looks murderous. "Where is that SOB?" he asks, starting to move from his chair.

"I said, sit down!" I yell again. "I wasn't finished talking and for once you are going to hear me all the way through."

Surprisingly, he shuts up and sits back down. The faucet is officially shut off and everyone else is not hiding the fact that they are listening in. Not that I care. I think everyone needs to hear this.

"You cannot make choices for me anymore, Dad. I have allowed it to happen for far too long and I'm done. I have gone along with all of yours and Pops decisions because I know you love me and you're doing this all for my own good. But this is one thing I will not let you decide for me. Believe it or not, the Loki I know is not the Loki you fought twenty years ago. He is the only thing that has kept me sane over the past month and I don't know why, but we work." I add in my head a maybe. We have only just shifted roles, so we'll see if we actually do work. Maybe I should elaborate? "He helped me through two existential crises, kept me calm and comfortable when I was in mortal agony, saved my life more times than I can count, trained me and helped me control my fire to a semi-decent level, and has even helped me when my nightmare came crawling back one night." My Dad's eyes widen at that last one. "Yeah, Dad, it came back. And who was the one who helped me? Loki."

I shake my head. "And I certainly didn't give him any reason to help me when we first met. I allowed all of your stories and prejudice to cloud my judgment and I treated him so horribly. There is no reason for him to have helped me that night. He could have just let me fight my demons on my own and yet he didn't. You should be grateful to him for that alone, let alone everything else." I lift my head back up to meet their eyes. "He doesn't deserve the level of rage and hatred you two are giving him."

"Charlie, it doesn't change the fact that he tried to kill us all!" Uncle Clint says, obviously trying to change my mind.

"Don't you think I know that?" I question fiercely. "I know what he's done! I know from all of your stories and yeah, the man is flawed. But guess what? He is a man with a dark past and even darker demons and he deserves some ounce of sympathy for that." I have to brace myself against the chair again. A very strong sense of déjà vu slams into me out of nowhere. I feel like I've said that before but I don't remember where. Or why. I shake my head to get the feeling to go away and continue my train of thought. "If there is anybody who understands what that means, it should be everyone in this room." I glance around at everyone. They are all giving me serious stares and I know I've captured their attention. Maybe they will at least think on what I have to say.

"You can't expect us to be okay with this, Charlie," Dad says, rather calmly all things considered.

"Of course I don't expect you to be okay with it! But I expect you to trust me. Trust my ability to protect myself and my heart this time around. And don't command me to not see him or make me choose between him and you. I can't tell you what I would do if you made me choose, Dad."

I hear Uncle Clint sigh and I shift my focus onto him. "Are you sure this isn't some infatuation that a little romp in the bed sheets can't fix?"

My lessening glare intensifies and my Dad actually hits him across the arm before I can move. Granted, it was far too light a hit for my liking. Before I can move, a plate comes sailing from the kitchen and shatters against the back of his skull. His head hits the table, but he's back up and facing the group standing behind him. Thin trails of blood flow down his head, but I don't think he has anything serious, or he would be out for the count. Aunt 'Tasha is standing there, arms crossed with a seriously intense glare. "What the hell was that for, Nat?" he asks.

She shifts her gaze back to me allowing me to finish her threat. "Don't insult me like that, Uncle Clint. You know me better than that."

He turns back around to face me and I see the guilt in his eyes over what he said. I keep my face a cool mask. The only times I can actually hide from my family are when I'm scared or pissed. I blink and let out a breath, trying to calm down again. Peter walks across the floor to nudge my shoulder. "Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is," he quips, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "It's obvious to anyone who pays attention that the man is completely taken with her and how well they actually fit." His eyes are on our Dad and Uncle Clint, daring them to argue with him. "I fully stand behind this."

"Thank you, Peter," I whisper to him. I wrap an arm around his back and give him a one-armed squeeze. I pull away though. "I'm going to go collect the rest of my things. I'll meet you all on the roof in a half hour."

I walk away before any of them can respond and enter the elevator, resting my head against the back wall as it slowly descends down to my floor. My heart is still pounding, but I feel a little better now that everything is in the open. I said a half hour to give them some time to adjust to this news and to give me time to fully calm down. I really shouldn't have snapped like I did, but I don't regret it for one second.

I feel an arm wrap around my back and a pair of lips crash onto mine. If it weren't for the fact that I am very familiar with the hand wrapped around the back of my neck, I would probably freak out more over the fact that I am currently in a lip lock with an invisible man. As it stands, I simply close my eyes and allow him to deepen the sudden kiss. I raise my own arms to wrap around his neck. Whoever said vision is the most important sense?

By the time he pulls away, my heart is certainly pounding and my breath is coming to me a little harder. My eyes flutter open to see he is visible again. He is resting his forehead on mine again and I smile. "A girl could get used to being kissed like that."

"I would be doing you a disservice if I allowed you to get used to it." He leans forward to give me a peck before finally pulling away. My arms fall back to my sides and I come to a sudden realization that we are on my floor. I don't remember the elevator coming to a stop. Huh. He is far too distracting. He grabs my hand and leads me back into my room.

"Can I ask what that was for? Not that I'm complaining or anything…" I trail off. Yeah, I'm not complaining. That was wonderful.

He sits on the edge of my bed and I take a seat next to him. "It was for what you said to your family."

"Figures you were there," I mumble. I'm not surprised he was in the room. That sensation of itching never left my back. I should have made the connection that someone was staring at me. I don't regret that he heard it. In fact, I'm kind of glad that he did. One less thing for me to try and explain more than once.

He smiles. He pushes me down on the bed (with a minor squeal on my part) and lays on top of me again, the same way he did when we were in our field before I came home. He just smiles at my glare. "Although, I do have a question. Why did you hesitate halfway through your speech?"

"When did I hesitate?"

"You happened to mention something about dark demons."

Oh. Oh yeah. I shake my head and pull that sentence back to the forefront of my mind. "I got a wicked sense of déjà vu when I said that. Like I've said it before. I just can't remember when or why I did."

He cocks his head to the side. "Do you get any visions when you think about it?"

I shift my eyes back to the ceiling and think about it. "Kind of? I see a massive stone room… and water…" I move to rub at my forehead. I just can't grasp the damn vision. It's right there, just on the edge of my awareness, but I can't pull it forward. I sigh and shrug. "I don't know. It's probably not important."

He hums before leaning forward to kiss me again. Seriously, that is so distracting. If I had any want to try and pull that memory from the back of mind, it's gone now. I run my hands through his silky hair and pull him closer to me. He grins into the kiss but allows me to deepen it. Screw going back to Asgard, let's just stay here and kiss all day. I would be so okay with that.

He pulls away before I am ready for him to. I pout at him. "You need to finish getting ready. We must return today."

I sigh. "Fine, I guess you're right."

He gives me one last peck before moving off me so I can sit up. "JARVIS? How long do I have?" I question, standing up and moving to my backpack and unzipping it so I can check it again.

"With the time parameters you set, five minutes."

My eyes widen. Five minutes? Where the hell did the time go? I narrow my eyes at the innocently grinning trickster. If I'm not careful, he can distract me from everything.

Then again, his method of distraction is quite nice.

I shake my head and quickly run through all of the stuff in my bag and fit a couple more books into it on a whim. Lord knows when I'll be coming home next. I quickly zip it shut and throw it onto my back, already moving towards the elevator. "JARVIS, you can shut down my floor."

"Consider it done."

I look back to make sure Loki is following me as all the appliances shut off and the blinds lower to shroud the room in darkness. It's always a weird feeling watching my room do that, but I know I'll be coming back eventually. I hold onto Loki's hand as we ride up to the roof. "Do you want to be visible when you face my family?" I ask, peeking up at him from the corner of my eye.

I see him grin. "Oh yes. I would love to witness their reactions, knowing I have been with you all this time."

I sigh. Great. "Please don't provoke them."

"I cannot make any promises."

I now want to know how the hell they didn't end up killing each other when everyone came to Asgard. I just know Loki had a blast working them all into a frenzy. Oh who am I kidding? The only reason Dad or Uncle Clint didn't attack him is probably because I was laying on top of him the entire time they were there. I was in the middle of the firing range. It doesn't mean I don't wish to know how they all interacted without me as a buffer. I really don't want that to be my job from now on. It's probably going to be my primary worry whenever the two groups are around each other.

In a perfect world, they would just get along.

The doors open and the November wind rushes in. I sigh. It feels really good. My family is gathered around the edge of the roof, all very similar to the last time we were up here like this. Only, two of them are giving off menacing glares, three look very cautious, and the other is grinning from ear to ear. I don't look up to Loki. You know what? If he gets himself in trouble with any of them, he can bail himself out of it. I am not going to make it my problem. Unless of course, his life is actually being threatened. Then I might intervene.

Even then, that is a strong maybe.

We stop walking in the center of the roof. I simply stare at my family, somewhat sternly. "Am I going to get any hugs goodbye?"

Peter rolls his eyes before walking forward and hugging me, picking me up in the process. "Good job, brat," he whispers into my ear. I smile into his shoulder. I'm glad Peter thinks I did something right at least. He sets me down and looks over to Loki. "I wish you luck with her. She's kind of a pain in the ass."

"Hey!"

"Of that, I am fully aware," Loki adds, grinning down at me. Oh great, the two have found a common ground in picking on me. I glare before deflating in defeat.

Peter shakes his head before his expression sobers. "I am going to give you the older brother spiel. Hurt her and I'll make sure you hurt even worse."

I roll my eyes. I get the feeling he is going to be getting a lot of that. Loki simply nods his head once. Peter grabs my hand and drags me towards the rest of my family. "It's a little much asking them all to come to you right now," he whispers into my ear. "Give them all time, though. I'll try and bring them around."

I grin up at him. See, why can't Peter always be this helpful? I pull him down into one more hug before I pull away and make my circuit around to everyone. Aunt 'Tasha and Uncle Bruce are the warmest. I know they are both very wary about the sudden shift in dynamic between Loki and I, but I feel like they are the most accepting of it after Peter. Pops is willing to at least shove aside his distrust and place it all on me. I'm surprised he is the most willing to let me try this for myself.

Uncle Clint and Dad are a different story. They hug me, but I know their eyes didn't once leave Loki. I hope to whatever powers that be that Loki is not trying to provoke them from behind my back. I can't really tell though because both of them are pretty stone-faced. I'm surprised Dad hasn't tried to say anything yet. Dad is the last one I hug and I have to grab his face and swivel it to mine in order to capture his attention. "Dad, just trust me, okay? I'm going to be fine."

He closes his eyes and sighs. "I do trust you, Charlie. It's him I don't trust."

I roll my eyes. "I know that, Dad. But please try to get over your anger. For me?"

"That's not an easy task."

"It will mean a lot if you at least tried."

"Alright, I'll try. But you know how I am."

I smile. "I do know how you are. And to be perfectly honest, if you didn't hate him I bet you two would actually be good friends. You are a lot alike."

He glares at me. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

I laugh quietly before giving him a final hug. I walk back over to Loki and take his hand. "Ready to go?" I ask.

"Always."

I give one last smile to my family. I really hope I'll be able to come back somewhat soon. I glance up into the grey overcast sky. "Heimdall, whenever you're ready," I call.

The shooting rainbow of energy comes sweeping down around us and we are shot through the universe headed back towards Asgard.