Chapter 52 A (Sort of) Quiet Sunday

After everything that's happened to Sia, some things haven't changed, and some things have changed irrevocably.


Why am I asleep on the couch?

I realized I was curled up with Loki.

Why are we asleep on the couch?

We'd started a fire after dinner, enjoying our brownies and ice cream, chatting about books and history.

I sat up, trying not to wake Loki. The fire was mostly embers, and the candles were almost completely burned through.

2:00 AM? 2:30?

I pulled the porcelain jar that was actually a clock from the coffee table.

Only 1:20.

"Loki, sweetheart. Let's go to bed."

Loki reached out and patted my arm. "Mm. Sleep here. It's closer."

"Loki, we'll be much happier in the morning if we sleep in a proper bed."

"Mmm."

This was going nowhere fast.

"I'll tuck you in here, Loki. I'm going to bed, so my back doesn't hate me tomorrow."

"Mmmm. I love you, Sia."

"I love you, too, Loki."

I walked over to one of the wing chairs to pull the faux sable throw. I intended to restore the fire before going upstairs, but knew it would burn out before morning, and didn't want him getting cold.

I turned around, and Loki was sitting up, blinking. "What time is it, Sia?"

"Almost 1:30."

"Plenty of night left, then." He grinned. "Let us to bed, Sia."


With the time you spent in New York, your car maintenance schedule is whacked. Take it in and just reset the calendar on it.

Time to change the furnace filters. Actually, the whole thing needs a tune-up.

You need to have the gutters cleaned before the rains start.

Damn it, brain. It's Sunday morning, the man I love is sleeping next to me, and I don't have to be at work today. Why are we awake and thinking about home maintenance at six-freaking-fifteen?

I slipped out of bed, pulled on my robe, and quietly closed the bedroom door behind me.

Seated at my desk in my study, I made notes in my planner to quiet my brain as I watched the sky lighten.

It's Sunday morning. I refuse to work.

I headed for the kitchen and pulled out my binder of baking recipes.


"Good morning, Sia!" Loki's voice broke through the fog of sleep.

Why am I sleeping on the couch?

I'd woken up early, unable to sleep, and after doing a brain dump to clear my head, had gone to the kitchen and started a batch of dough to make pain au chocolat. The newspaper had landed with its dignified thump at the door, and I'd sat down on the couch to peruse it.

I sat up. "Good morning, my love!"

"I am certain we went to bed last night." Loki's smile was half sweet, half suggestive.

"We certainly did!" I laughed. "But I woke up early, and couldn't sleep."

"You seemed to be sleeping quite well, here on the sofa." Loki's tone turned serious. "I hope I did not disturb your rest."

I stood up and kissed him. "Not at all, my love! My brain decided that 6:15 was the ideal time to think about home maintenance."

"Ah."

"I jotted down everything it was thinking, but still didn't feel sleepy, so I came downstairs to start breakfast."

Loki's face fell a bit. "I wouldn't expect you to wait until I awoke, of course."

"Oh, Loki!" I kissed him again. "I had some yogurt to keep my stomach distracted, but what I'm making takes time. In fact, the dough should be more than ready at this point!" I took his hand, and pulled him to the kitchen with me.

I turned on the oven to preheat, and pulled the cover off the baking sheet. The dough had risen with wild abandon, as I'd slept through the point at which it would have been punched down. "Hm. I'm not sure how these will turn out. If they're terrible, well, we can have toast!"

The dough had, in fact, risen to almost triple its size. I no longer felt motivated to cut and fold and fuss with making the individual croissants, so I cut the dough into two parts. I covered the first half with chocolate pieces, covered it with the other half of the dough, and popped it into the oven.

Loki had turned on music, started the coffee, and set the table while I was dealing with the dough.

"Thank you, my love!" I gave him a kiss of appreciation. "You are such a good partner."

"I hope so, Sia." He kissed me sweetly. "I want to be good to you, and good for you."

"Oh, you are, my love! You are!"

How in the world had I been so fortunate that this wonderful man loved me?

"I want to find new ways to be good to you. Perhaps you will show me how to make the egg dish you like?"

"Of course! It's super-easy. Even Fandral could make it!"

Loki laughed. "Here's hoping I can do better than Fandral!"


The improvisation with the pastry had worked out nicely, well enough that I decided that it was the designated method for future baking, as it was much easier. We finished eating, Loki made another pot of coffee, and we retired to the living room to enjoy the morning and the fireplace.

Loki was deep in a book, and I was working the Sunday crossword, when the doorbell rang.

I flashed on the morning the Hydra assassin appeared, and froze.

"Sia, are you expecting company?" Loki's voice was calm, but I could see the tension in his eyes.

I breathed, trying to manage the sudden panic. "No. My friends are just as busy as I am, and we always plan our visits. No one just drops by."

Loki nodded, and rose from his chair.

I followed him into the hallway, and watched as he descended the stairs.

It's fine, Sia. There is no Hydra assassin at the door. Probably just someone with the wrong address.

I watched as Loki opened the door. Whoever rang the bell was shorter than Loki, and I couldn't see who it was.

"Good morning. May I help you?"

"Hi! I'm Emily, and this is my girlfriend Tish. We're your downstairs neighbors. We heard you were home, so we thought we'd introduce ourselves. We brought you this."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you."

Loki, it's okay. Coulson told me about them.

Alright, Sia.

What did they give you?

It appears to be a cake.

We should invite them in. It's only polite.

"Perhaps you would wish to come in and enjoy it with us?" Loki was in full-on Throne Room mode, perfect diction and a completely neutral tone.

A second voice came up the stairs. "That's nice of you to ask, but—"

"Sure! We'd love to!" I heard Emily exclaim.

"Well, yes, we'd love to," said Tish, "but we have things we're supposed to do today."

"It's Sunday, Tish, we don't have any—"

Tish cut in. "Nice to meet you, and we hope you enjoy the cake!"

Emily chimed in. "Um, yes, nice to meet you. Have a good day!"

"Thank you. I wish you a pleasant day as well."

I watched Loki, as he watched them head back to their own door.

"Tish, we could have stayed!"

"Emily, the other lady had a guest. We are not going to interrupt them."

"I thought she was single."

"Single isn't the same as unattached, Emily."

"I told you we should have waited until the afternoon."

Chuckling, Loki closed the door, and came back up the stairs.

He held out the cake, nestled on a beautiful china plate with a glass dome to cover it.

"That was quite thoughtful of them!" I smiled at Loki. "And we have a pot of coffee waiting for us!"

Loki carried the plate into the kitchen, and set the cake on the counter.

I pulled two small plates from the cabinet, and a cake knife from the knife block.

Just as I was about to cut the cake, I dropped the knife.

"Loki, we shouldn't eat this."

"What is it, Sia?"

"I've never met the neighbors. For all I know, those were two Hydra agents pretending to be the neighbors, and this cake is laced with poison."

I was seized with panic. "What if the neighbors are Hydra agents?"

I leaned against the counter, sobbing. "I will neverbe able to trust anyone again."

Loki pulled me to him, and let me cry my fears out.

"My love, your worries are not unreasonable. However, there are people you can trust. Me. Tony Stark. Steve Rogers. Thor. Sif. Volstagg and Hogun. Even Fandral, with his sometimes ridiculous behavior, can be trusted."

"But Loki, there are so many people beyond that, and I don't know if I can trust any of them."

"You've been through so much, Sia, and it's changed your way of being in the world. I'm so sorry, darling. I would do anything to shield you from it."

"I don't want to go through life, worried that every stranger I see is actually an assassin."

"Well, not every one of them will be. Sadly, it is possible that there is still someone out there who intends you ill. You will have to be careful, and do the things SHIELD taught you to stay safe. And yes, you will have to be more careful about food and drink around strangers. I can help with that, though."

Loki waved his hand, and a small box appeared. "I was going to wait to give you this later today, but now seems a better time."

Loki opened the box and held it towards me. Inside was a delicately wrought platinum ring, set with a small green stone.

Oh, no. This is not a better time. There is no good time for this.

"This ring belonged to my grandmo—to Frigga's mother," Loki began.

Oh, no. Not now. Not this.

"She was a formidable magic user. Although well-loved in her own land, she was not universally beloved at the court of Asgard."

That's surprising.

"She created this ring as a means of protection, and wore it constantly. I love you, and I would like you to wear it as well."

How can I reply to this?

Loki must have sensed my confusion. "The ring detects poison, Sia. The stone changes when it senses even the slightest trace. It will keep you safe when I am not here to do so."

I exhaled.

"Thank you, my love."

Loki held out the box, and I removed the ring. I could feel its magic as I held it up to the light.

"I don't recognize this stone, Loki."

"It is an emerald, but the magic has changed the hue. There is no other stone like it in the Nine Realms."

I turned the ring, watching the stone sparkle and flash.

"There is no other woman like you in the Nine Realms. Please, Sia, will you wear this ring? So I know you are safe?"

"I will, Loki." I looked at the ring, and at my fingers, trying to decide which one it would fit.

I slid it on my index finger. It was a bit loose, then suddenly, it fit perfectly.

Right. Magic.

"Thank you, my love. It's beautiful, and thoughtful, and useful."

Loki pulled me to him. "I want to make sure nothing bad ever happens to you, Sia."

"Likewise, Loki." I kissed him. "Unfortunately, I do not have an enchanted ring to give you to protect you."

Loki returned the kiss. "Your love keeps me safe, Sia. Knowing that you love me keeps all harm at bay."

"I love you, Loki."

"I love you, Sia."

We stood for a time, wrapped in each other's arms, safe and content in the moment.