A/N: Sadness, fluff, drama! The last chapter has it all! Obviously there is a sequel. I hope you like my cliffhanger! *cackles*
The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.
All of Asgard had gathered had gathered along the waters path as the boats of the dead sailed into the night, pyres burning. Loki stood next to Balder and they stood slightly behind Thor. Tony wasn't far away and Loki could feel it. He could also feel the overwhelming sense of guilt coming from him.
He took Tony's arm as everyone gathered in the great halls for a celebration of remembrance. "You still feel guilt," he said quietly. Tony didn't say anything and Loki diverted their path to somewhere more private. "You can't feel that guilt, love."
Tony rolled his eyes over to look at Loki when he used the pet name. "And how can't I? I was the distraction that got them both killed, that let him bring an army here. If I hadn't of been there he would still be scrambling without a plan."
"You can have JARVIS run the scenarios when we get home, but I can tell you what would have happened," Loki turned Tony to face him. "If you hadn't of been there he would have gotten all the power of Alfheim. He would left Jotunheim, and without your clue I wouldn't have known where he was going next. Everyone might still be trapped there, if he didn't decide to kill them, and then we wouldn't have been ready for him here in Asgard." Tony watched him and let out a little breath. "By the time he got to Helheim, Anya would still be there and about to have her child, and Kasir would have used his powers to protect them instead of the realm, leaving Midgard open to his powers. There's no way I would have been able to hold Jotunheim from him at that point."
Loki ran his hand along Tony's neck softly, up to his cheek. "While you may think that you were at fault for all the bad that's happened, you are also central to all the bad that was averted, and that's far more important right now." Tony nodded a little, letting his head lean into Loki's touch. "What's more important, and more selfish, is that I have you by my side again, and I know that you're safe."
There was the soft clearing of a throat behind them and Loki turned a little and they looked to see Eindride standing there. "Um, they were just wondering where you had went," he said softly, gesturing back to the hall. "I'll tell them you'll be there in a minute then?"
Tony gestured for him to come over and Eindride stood there for a second before walking over. Tony lifted an arm to pull him over and Eindride side stepped out of instinct. Both men blinked. "Sorry, uh, just, I've been really good about not touching anyone right now. Just in case of course. I just don't feel like I have control over my powers yet..."
"This family," Loki muttered a little before he took Tony's hand and grabbed Eindride's. He gasped a little before he was thrown into both Tony and Loki's memories. He saw Tony holding him for the first time as a baby, saw them both smiling and laughing. He saw Kaia walking with Tony at their wedding, and saw Loki walking with Kaia at her own wedding. He saw through Tony's eyes as Loki grabbed onto Emma when she was four, him still a baby, the way Loki's eyes lit up when she giggled, and he saw through Loki's eyes as he watched Tony playing with both him and Emma when they were a little older. He saw when they argued over something stupid for their bedroom, and how the argument dissolved when Tony threw a pillow at Loki and Loki tackled him to the ground.
Eindride took a breath when Loki let go and blinked, feeling his eyes a little wet. Tony was a little disoriented as well but Loki was looking at him. "All that hurt and pain will never compare to all the love and happiness that we've had. We've had far more of that to be able push back the bad times." Loki wrapped an arm around their son and pulled him into his chest. "Thank you."
Eindride blinked a little. "For what?"
"For saving my life." Eindride pulled back a little to look at Loki. "I've made several mistakes, most of them happening this past week, but if it wasn't for you at that moment, I wouldn't have made it out from that." Tony hugged Eindride and Loki from behind, pushing them together. "Of course, that means you've doomed me back to a lifetime of this." Eindride snorted and smiled.
Tony had his jacket over his arm as he walked into the living room where there were too many people gathered. Chris and Eindride were fighting for space in the oversized chair, Gabby and Steve were sitting on the couch, Bry in school and little Andrew down for his nap. Clint and Lee were sharing the loveseat, back to back as Lee read a book and Clint flicked paper arrows at Chris and Eindride. Kaia and Nathan had gone out to get some lunch for everyone and Emma was with them getting drinks.
"Alright, so I don't think it should take too long," Tony said as he adjusted the cuffs on his shirt. "Time difference and all, and there really is no trial, just the slap on the wrist, goodbye forever part." He slipped his jacket on as Loki walked out in his green and gold Asgardian outfit. "We'll probably be back in time for lunch. No one had better touch my sandwich."
"And now everyone is going to spit on it," Loki commented, rolling his eyes. "Ready?"
"Have fun, don't stay up to late, don't get into any trouble, and- yess!" Clint pumped his arm when he nailed Chris in the forehead with a paper football. Lee stole the last paper from his hand and he pouted.
"Right, let's go." Tony looped arms with Loki. "Before these people get any weirder." Loki smiled a little and they disappeared.
Kasir and Anya were waiting for them in Hel, just inside the mansion they had built a few years ago. "She was going to try and stay awake to see her uncles, but she didn't quite make it," Anya smiled when they showed up.
"It's not as if we won't see her as she grows up," Tony chuckled a little.
Kasir kissed her cheek and rubbed Iria's hand a little. "You can go and put her down to sleep, we won't be long." She smiled and nodded before heading up the stairs. "Well, shall we get this over with?" Loki nodded and Tony put a hand on his back and they followed Kasir.
They walked out of the back of the mansion and Kasir brought up a wall of fog before dropping it to reveal a door. He opened it and they all walked through. Tony let a shiver run down his back as the temperature dropped through the door. It was dark and quiet, but Tony felt like it would still be too kind for Gauton.
There was a flash of dark light and Gauton was standing in front of them, hands and ankles chained, connected to a metal band around his waist and neck. There were bags under his eyes, his skin a little too pale, and he looked skinnier.
"Did a time loop not agree with you?" Tony sneared at him a little and Gauton just let out a puff of air through his nose.
"Gauton of the Fae, you're here to hear of your decided punishment," Kasir faced the man, back straight, voice steady and low. "For your escape from the land of the dead, your plots of those of the living, and your torture and resulting deaths of those you attacked, you are sentenced to Niffleheim." Gauton raised his eyes brows a little. "You will be locked in the lowest levels, where you will forever be trapped inside all the sins that you have committed, reliving them all as each and every victim and person you affected, one at a time."
"That should take, what? Two hundred lifetimes?" Gauton raised an eyebrow.
"I forgot to mention that you'll have to do it 500 times," Kasir smirked a little and Gauton's face dropped slightly. "And then, there will be a hearing with the Queen and I, and then we will decide whether or not to have you repeat it all a second time, or if we'll just leave you in our own private section of the Void, where not even the Norns can reach you."
"You've really put some thought behind this, haven't you? Really gaining a knack for this ruling the dead aren't you?" Kasir didn't reacted visibly to his words. "But this is the fun part, now you're learning about the torture part of the job. Fun isn't it?"
"You're not going to accomplish anything," Loki told him evenly. "You're last act will be to disappear with only the three of us here, never to be heard from again."
"You," Gauton lifted his hands, making the chains clang together and walked closer to Loki and Tony. "You two I will miss the most. I would really like to be there when the connection between you two eventually decays, because I'm sure it will." He smirked a little at then and put his hands on top of one of Loki's. Loki sneered and pulled his hand away from him.
A portal shimmered into existence behind Gauton and two hooded guards stepped through, grabbing his arms and pulling him back. "Your sentence has been passed, and it starts immediately." They watched as he was pulled through the portal, smirking the whole way before disappearing. Tony let out a breath and he felt Loki relax minutely under his hand.
"Let's get home, yeah?" Loki nodded at his words.
"How can you not like pickles?" Tony exclaimed as he stared at the twins. They had pulled out all the pickles on their subs and Tony was astounded.
"They're too sour!" Tomas told him.
"That's why you eat them with tomatoes," Tony told them and took one of the pickles, popping it in his mouth. The two boys made a face as they watched him. "The tomato is a magical fruit when put on a sandwich."
Loki sat next to Gabby and smiled as he watched Tony with Tomas and Sander. "You know it's going to get worse right?" He glanced over at Gabby who was smirking. "You thought it was bad when Chris came over and he and Eindride got into trouble? Well now you have a Chris and Eindride as brothers." Loki smeared some dressing on her nose and she laughed.
"How dare you curse me like that, I am still your elder." Loki took a bite of his sub. "I hope you have another set of twins." Gabby gasped and turned to face Loki fully, who just smirked. "The same gender, so they look exactly the same."
"Stop that, you have more power than me, it'll happen!" Loki just cackled.
"You sure about this?" Eindride looked at Chris as they walked over to where their parents were. "I mean, I'm all for it, but this is like a huge step."
"I'm positive. Plus," Chris shrugged a little, "it's not like Mom hasn't already figured it out." They walked over and Loki and Gabby glanced up at them, the twins still being grossed out by Tony behind them. "Uncle Loki, can I have someone come over to join us? I thought it'd be polite to ask before he showed up." Eindride covered his mouth to hide his grin.
"When is he due to show up?" Loki raised an eyebrow. The elevator opened a second later.
"About two seconds from now?" Chris grinned and Gabby rolled her eyes.
Loki turned to look at her. "I hope they're both boys, and they're exactly like him." Her jaw dropped.
"Where's Dad?" Chris looked around.
"Oh, are you finally going to tell us something?" Gabby smirked up at him and leaned her head on her folded hands. "Will we need to buy an extra present at Christmas this year?"
"Oh my god, mom!" Chris covered his face. "I'm 22! You shouldn't be able to embarrass me like this anymore."
"Oh honey, it's a gift, and it'll never go away," she grinned. Loki smirked beside her.
"You've grown up, little Potts."
"Thank you," she grinned at Loki then turned back towards the living room. "Steve! Oh love of my life! Please come here!" Chris dropped his head as Alex walked over behind him.
"No," Chris turned to look at him. At this point Eindride was covering his face from laughter. "You should just turn around and leave now, this is only going to get worse." Alex scrunched his brow together in confusion. "Seriously, my parents in that kind of mood."
"Hmmm, what can I do for my lady?" Steve asked as he walked in the room, resting his arms on her shoulders shoulder form behind and leaning over her head to drop a light kiss on her lips. "You know I love it when you flatter me." Even Loki was having a hard time not laughing out loud, now."
"Down boy, I'm already pregnant." She grinned when Chris moaned loudly.
"Oh god, make it end!"
"Christopher!" Steve held his arms out. "My first born son!" Alex blinked, his mouth open a little at Gabby and Steve. "Have you made another friend other than Anders?"
"Oi," Eindride said as he peeked his eye through his fingers.
"No, I'm not here," Chris tried to push Alex away from them. "He was just dropping off some class work that I missed."
"Classwork that you both missed because he was up in Asgard too?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow, smirking.
"Watch that sass," Gabby smirked and pinched his hip. "We're in company."
"Okay, okay," Steve laughed and put his hands up in surrender. "We'll be serious now, promise."
"Yes, and when captain America gives a promise, he means it," Eindride snickered through his hands.
Alex looked at Chris, biting his lip as he smiled, trying not to laugh. Chris looked at him and let out a long suffering sigh. He turned around and Alex took his hands, holding them behind his back a little. "Alright, fine. But only if you keep it serious, cause I'm serious, for once in my life." Gabby put her hands up too. "This is Alex, Alexi, whatever, I call him Alex cause I like it. Sounds less Russian or something."
"We have to be serious, but you don't?" Gabby wondered.
"Yes, because I'm the nervous one," Chris shot back and both his parents just smiled softly. "So like I was saying, we're both pre-med, we have classes together, and now we study together, and stuff, and we're going out, and it's serious to me, and I assume serious to him, cause it's been like a month, and I'm rambling, but I don't really care."
"You were in fact, one long run on sentence," Loki confirmed, nodding.
Steve reached over and offered his hand to Alex who accepted and shook it. "Hi, Steve Rogers, Chris's dad. Nice to meet you in a more relaxed setting."
"Bless you for sating our hyperactive son," Gabby said to him and Alex chuckled a little. "Really, we were a little worried about the Pact of Bachelorhood." Chris stared at his parents then looked at Alex who just shrugged a little. "Are we allowed to stop being serious now?" Chris nodded a little and she leaned up and pinched his cheeks. "My little boy is all grown up and dating, I'm so proud!"
"Ach! Get off!" He tried to pull away and Eindride could keep it back anymore, he started cackled, falling back against the counter. Alex laughed and wrapped an arm around Chris's waist to pull him back a little, and into his chest. They had caught the attention of Tony and the twins, and they were giggling.
"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Tony looked at them and they nodded. "Well, I think this is funny!" He grabbed them and pulled them into his lap, tickling their sides. They squealed loudly and tried to wiggle away.
Loki laughed and missed the glowing fleck that dropped from his hand. It floated down to the ground, in the middle of the group gathered. As it hit the ground it stuck and let out a bright flash. Loki frowned and stood up and it pulled the attention of the others. Steve and Alex had both stepped forward from instinct and Tony pulled the boys closer to his body. A wind started to whip through the room as a circle of dark red light appeared on the ground, shotting up into the ceiling. Tony looked at Loki as they both recognized the color.
There was a flash and Chris and Eindride were no longer in the room. Tony's eyes widened and he started to back away, the boys holding onto his hands. Another flash and they were gone. "Tony!" Loki went to mover to where they were and Gabby grabbed his arm. Steve and Alex were suddenly gone and Loki grabbed Gabby's hand as uncertainty filled his chest. One more flash and Loki was forced to cover his eyes. When he looked around they were no longer inside the Tower, but Gabby was still holding his hand.
"Uncle Loki?" She asked quietly as they looked around. They were in an alley between two buildings. When they walked out to the sidewalk it looks like they were still in New York, the same traffic, the same loud buzz of people talking, but when they looked around the billboards and stores were different. Something was very wrong. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," she murmured as they looked around.
Loki took a breath and tried to reach his magic out and frowned a little. Everything felt different, too different. He reached deeper inside, trying to tap into Tony's bond, but there was no response. "I don't think we're in the same Universe." Gabby looked at him with wide eyes. Loki pulled her closer to him. "Something is very wrong."
