On New Year's Eve, Magda meets Loki at work and takes him to retrieve his dress. Wanda is already at the tower, having had work with the Avengers during the week. Alexi will join them there. And so it is once again Magda and Loki on an adventure of their own.

On their way home from picking up the dress, Magda asks, "So...are you Lady Loki tonight?"

"No...just Loki. No Lady, no Lord, just a beautiful dress I will feel delightful wearing. I am starting to understand something, Magda. I do not have to be one or the other at all. I can spend most of my time between, both, or neither. This binary is restricting and it is a definition I no longer need."

"You have discovered what many people in our community have been saying for years. We simply are who we are. For some of us, that is within the binary of gender prescribed by this society, but for many of us, we are not a part of such a thing. We just are who we are. And that means some days we appear women, some days men, and some days a combination of whatever we wish, but we are always simply ourselves."

"It is rather freeing to find this place. To finally shed what I was taught were the proper roles of men and women in our own society while also rejecting them from yours."

"It is a liberation. Is Asgard as strictly gendered as this country can be?"

"In many ways, yes. I believe the gender roles are more fixed as well. Men are warriors, statesmen, leaders. Yes, we had a queen. She was an exception. As is Lady Sif. But most of the women of the court do little to make decisions. Here, it seems that while less common in some areas, women are able to participate in most areas of life."

"It seems we all seek to be what feels best to our hearts, whether in Asgard or here. And what roles we are assigned are guidelines we may break when we feel we must. I am proud of you, my dear brother. You are finding yourself and it is beautiful to watch you bloom."

Loki smiles and takes her hand, "Thank you. I am so grateful to you and Wanda for...for everything."

She parks the car and they part ways at the sidewalk, "Loki?"

"Yes?"

"You are always welcome, my love. And I will see you in a few minutes once we are both dressed. Then to New York."

"Yes, to New York. Are you excited?"

"Yes. A little. But at the same time, I am nervous. We made no friends the last time we made this journey."

"No, but we did right by Wanda. And I think it made a difference, somehow. At least in how they see this family."

"I think you are right. Now go get dressed."

Loki showers and stands naked in his bedroom, staring in the mirror, "I am what I am. I am Loki. And tonight, I will wear a bra and a gorgeous gown and call myself she. And I will dance with my beloved Alexi." She grins at herself and strikes a pose, admiring her profile, "Hmmm, and perhaps this dress will entice him into further adventures akin to the other night." She puts on her bra, nylons, and cinch and sits to brush hair with a light robe draped haphazardly over her shoulders. She braids her hair elaborately and does her makeup, emerald and gold eye shadow, dark crimson lips, and black eyeliner. The black dress slips down her body, the layers of skirts swishing against her legs and she adjusts the fluttering sleeves. Her Yggdrasil necklace rests beautifully against her pale skin right in the downward plunge of the neckline. She slips on low heeled pumps and pins a spray of feathers in her hair before adding lace fingerless gloves. Standing in front of the mirror, she stares, "I look damn fine tonight," she says, grinning, before checking the time and gathering her things. She drapes the black cloak over her shoulders and meets Magda at the car.

"That cloak is utterly stunning!"

"Thor's Christmas gift. It was my mother's. Both mothers, actually."

"You can tell me the story on the drive. I do not wish to be late."

And she does, exactly as Thor told her, "And I have since framed the note. It is a very fine parchment. I did not want it do deteriorate."

"You ought to write all this down, at least for yourself. Even if you never do anything with it, there ought to be some record of the fascinating life that was Loki's after you move on."

"And who, though, would read it after my death?"

"Your brother. All those who love you now who outlive you. And possibly even Odin."

"That is not a motivation to write a book."

"Why not? If you are dead, he cannot argue with the page."

"Very true. But still, I do not know if this is a worthy endeavour. I will think on it, though."

"Yes, yes you will."

They drive on, talking of lighter things- how the bookshop is running, and when Ralph is set to retire, how much money the fundraiser for the refuge centre raised, and what gifts have been donated to the Safe Haven for the holidays. When they arrive at the tower, Magda parks next to the little red Trabant in the same space she did on their last trip.

Steve meets them at the door, "It sure is nice to be welcoming you folks here for something that's not a disaster. At least I hope it won't be. I've heard stories about what Tony's parties were like before he was Iron Man." He offers Magda his arm and then, seeing how Loki is dressed, offers her his other.

In the elevator on the way up, he turns to Loki, "I'm still not used to this, but I'm trying. We all are, even Tony. We're just contending with a lot more than just you wearing dresses and being a woman. You tried to kill us. We don't just get over that."

"Well technically, I only tried to rule your planet. The fight was never personal. You just happened to be in my way."

"It kind of got personal after you killed Coulson. And that whole Hulk bit."

"True. It was not personal to me, as I did not see you as people. But that does not mean it was not personal."

"I hope you see us as people now, or else this party's going to be mighty awkward."

"Of course. How could I have lived all this time amongst you all and still not?"

"So are you sorry for it?"

Loki stops and thinks for a moment, "Yes. I suppose I am. Though please do not make me say so publicly tonight. I do not think I could do it without embarrassment."

He nods, "Sure. But it's good to know. Can I tell them later?"

"Yes. Just not tonight."

The doors slide open as Steve says, "Deal."