Being woken up in the middle of the night, even by one's husband, is never a pleasant experience. Maisy's first instinct to Loki softly tapping her shoulder was to pull her pillow over her face and grumble something incoherent that sounded like "I'll sew the buttons on later… I need five more minutes". Loki tapped her shoulder again, however, and spoke a bit louder. This time she actually worked up the energy to hit him in the face with the pillow.

"Ssshhhh," she said, "I'm sleeping."

"Come on now, darling," Loki chuckled, "I need you to wake up."

"Why?"

"I have a surprise I want to share with you."

"A surprise?" She rolled over and looked up at him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her currently blue hair was tangled and stuck out in every direction. "What kind of surprise?"

"There is someone I want you to meet."

"In the middle of the night?"

"It is the only time they can visit," Loki brushed her crazy hair out of her face and bopped her nose with his finger, "Won't you get up?"

"Mmm…" she closed her eyes for a minute and thought. Opening her eyes again she watched his face. There was excitement there, but also sadness and worry. He was dressed nicely, in more formal attire as if he had to appear before the court.

"Please, Maisy?"

"Of course," she shoved the blankets back and rolled out of bed, "Let me find clothes. Formal wear?"

"If you don't mind. But whatever you feel comfortable in is fine," he stood and smoothed the wrinkles in his leather coat and his green tunic, "Do you think… do I look presentable?"

"Hmm, I'd say wear taller boots and tuck your pants into them," Maisy responded, opening her wardrobe and selecting a flowy green and gold dress and a black wrap to go with it to fight the chill of the late summer night. Loki nodded and used magic to take her suggestion.

Maisy finished dressing in silence, fastening the cloak-like wrap around her shoulders with a broach that bore Loki's double snake symbol on it. After brushing her hair out she was ready to go and took the arm that Loki offered. Disguising himself to look like a guard, he led her through the halls of the palace and out through the main door. Maisy was surprised to see many others walking in the same direction as them.

"What is everyone doing up so late?"

"You'll see," Loki smiled softly. They boarded a floating airship with a slew of other people and the pilot carried them all off to the shore of the water. Maisy instantly felt uneasy. The last time she'd been in this spot she'd thought she was saying goodbye to her husband forever. Bjorn had lit a floating pyre and everyone thought Loki had gone to Valhalla. Now, even though she knew that it was some poor dead Hydra agent disguised to look like Loki who they'd given a huge send off to, Maisy still felt a painful twist in her heart.

As they landed and stepped onto the shore, people began to light the orb shaped lanterns that they'd used at Loki's funeral. Maisy clutched her husband's arm tightly and looked up at his face. He was still smiling.

"Whose funeral is this? Why are you smiling?" Maisy had an awful thought, "It… it isn't Thor, is it? You didn't kill him, right?"

"What? No!" Loki laughed and received annoyed glares from the other people on the shore, "Sorry."

"What is going on? This looks just like an Asgardian funeral."

"Does it now?" Loki quirked a brow, "The lanterns for a funeral are white. These are quite the welcoming shade of yellow. Not to mention there are quite a few more weapons here than there were at my funeral, don't you think?"

Maisy looked around. Sure enough, nearly every person held some kind of weapon. Even the children had knives. When she looked at Loki for explanation he only handed her a bow staff, seeming to have pulled it from thin air.

"What's this for? Is there an invasion happening?"

"No, but it is best to have weapons at the ready, just in case. You never know who will show up. Though, most of our visitors should be fairly peaceful," he said, his voice quiet as he looked out over the water. The golden lamps reflected in his eyes when Maisy looked up at him, but she also saw that his eyes were quite watery. Unsure of why this would be, she didn't say anything, choosing instead to squeeze his hand and touch her head to his shoulder briefly. She wished she could give him a hug, but there were people watching and she knew she couldn't be too familiar with a guard without arousing suspicion.

They waited in silence for about half an hour. Some of the people waiting on the shore with them had brought picnics and silently ate. Even the children were quiet in their games, choosing to play with tops, dolls, or marbles instead of running around. The youngest ones weren't used to being up so late and dozed in their parents' arms.

Then, at around one in the morning, someone stood up and pointed out over the water.

"They've arrived!"

Maisy stared out where everyone else started to point and saw a cloud of fog rising up from the water. As the fog moved closer to shore it began to form into shapes of people. These people looked a little disoriented and the Asgardians around Maisy raised their weapons in preparation. Loki conjured a dagger into each hand and Maisy let go of his arm in case they needed to fight these fog people.

Most of them came to shore peacefully and began mingling with the Asgardians. They weren't solid beings, but the Asgardians made attempts to hug them anyway. A few of the ghostly figures were not so friendly and roared in displeasure, attacking with terrifyingly solid weapons. These angry fog people were dealt with by the nearest armed Asgardians, who pushed them back into the water, where they stayed, glaring.

Maisy looked around her in wonder, confused. She looked to Loki for explanation, but he was busy scanning the faces of the fog people. His face fell when he didn't find who he was looking for and Maisy took his hand again, lacing her fingers with his.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

"She didn't come," his voice cracked on the last word and a single tear escaped his eye before he took a deep breath, wiped his face and set his jaw, "Perhaps next year."

Maisy decided to look out at the figures and see if she could spot anyone who looked as if they were searching for Loki. Whoever it was that was supposed to have come evidently meant a great deal to him and she would do anything to take that crushed look off of his face and fill it with a smile instead. In her looking at the fog people she noticed a familiar face and gasped in horror.

"Loki…" she pointed, "How is he here? I thought he was dead."

Loki followed her finger and scowled when he saw who was at the end of it. He cast an illusion over Maisy and when she looked down at herself she was wearing something different and had a completely different skin tone.

"I worried Egil might try and show up," Loki wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, he is still dead."

"Then… these are ghosts?"

"Essentially, yes," he nodded, "On earth you have a day called Dia de los Muertos, this is something similar. It is the last day of Asgard's summer. It is the one time in the year when the veil between our realm and Valhala is thin enough that we can expect visitors."

"Really?" Maisy gasped, "That's amazing! Why don't ghosts visit on Midgard?"

"I'm sure they do, but they typically can only go to ancient, magical places. It is easy for them to visit this shore because this is where many of Asgard's dead were sent off. On Midgard things are more confusing and it is difficult for the dead to find their way to their loved ones at times."

Realization donned on Maisy.

"You were looking for your mother!"

"I was. I wanted you to meet her."

"That would have been amazing. I'm so sorry she didn't come. Like you said, maybe next year?"

"Perhaps," Loki nodded, "Though I fear she may be staying away from me."

"Why?"

"It is partially my fault that she died in the first place. I told the Kursed where to go. I was in the dungeon at the time and I thought that if there was enough chaos then… then I could escape. I didn't realize… I didn't know," Loki's hands shook and Maisy wrapped her arms around his waist, glad of the disguise he'd cast for her, "I didn't know he would find his way to Frigga."

"You couldn't have known," Maisy whispered, holding him tighter and wishing that she were big enough to wrap him up in her love, "It's not your fault."

"Frigga wouldn't visit me anyway," a few tears fell from his eyes, "The last thing I said to her was that she was not my mother."

"She knew that you loved her."

"Perhaps not. Perhaps she thinks I loathe her and she doesn't think I even deserve the chance to explain myself. I was so awful to her, Maisy, perhaps she finally gave up on me."

"Or perhaps," a kind, beautiful voice spoke up, "Perhaps she was trying to find Odin first since he is her husband and then she couldn't find her son because he was wearing someone else's face."

Loki's eyes widened and he looked down at Maisy. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes," Maisy grinned and turned toward the voice. She'd seen Frigga's painting before, but it did not do the beautiful queen justice. Her golden hair fell around her in waves and she wore a yellow and blue dress that Maisy couldn't help but gawk at. She briefly wondered who the stylist for the dead was and if there was any way to get in contact with them.

"Mothe—Frigga?" Loki asked, hands shaking.

Frigga smiled craftily and walked toward him, beckoning the couple to follow her. Maisy and Loki glanced at each other before running after the ghost queen. She led them to a quiet part of the shore where a gazebo stood. No one else was around so Loki dropped his and Maisy's disguises.

"You really think I wouldn't come visit you?" Frigga asked, reaching out for his hand, even though hers passed right through.

"Mother," Loki choked on the word, cleared his throat, and tried again, "I thought… I'm so sorry, Mother."

"It's not your fault," Frigga's hands passed over his face, "He would have found me one way or the other. That day would have played out exactly the same way no matter what you did."

"I don't know if that's entirely true," Loki said, but stopped speaking when she narrowed her eyes at him teasingly.

"Always such a contrary boy and now a contrary man," Frigga clucked, "Let's not waste our night with what ifs and what could have beens. I do believe you have much to share with me."

"I do!" Loki wiped his eyes once more and beamed proudly, pulling Maisy closer, "Mother, this is my wife, Maisy Sichore."

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty," Maisy curtsied, unable to stop smiling.

"I had heard news that one of my sons had married," Frigga stepped toward Maisy, "I am somewhat surprised that Loki married first and that he chose a Midgardian for his bride."

"You and the whole universe," Maisy laughed.

"At some point tonight you shall have to explain to me how that happened," Frigga grinned, "But for now, let me just look at you."

Maisy straightened up and Frigga circled around her, nodding. When they were facing each other again the older woman smiled.

"Beautiful."

"Thank you. You're beautiful too! You're gorgeous, actually. Like, wow," Maisy giggled, "I can't believe I actually get to meet you!"

"You aren't disappointed, are you? Many girls find themselves lucky when their mother-in-law is dead before they get the chance to meet them."

Maisy gasped at that, eyes wide.

"Not at all! Loki talks about you so much that I started to miss you and I'd never even met you!"

"Hmm, he is a good son when he isn't off wreaking havoc," Frigga smiled at Loki and he ducked his head bashfully. "And, since there haven't been any new dead in Valhalla bringing news of my son spreading destruction, I must say that you are good for him."

"I don't know about that. I think he was just raised well, err, at least by one of his parents. No offense to Odin."

"Speaking of my husband," Frigga raised a brow, "Loki, where is he?"

"Whaaat? I don't know what you are talking about. Was he not on the beach with everyone else?"

Frigga only crossed her arms and Loki caved.

"Alright, fine. He's on Midgard. Don't worry, he is well looked after, I made sure. And… I possibly also hid his memories of Asgard and gave him new memories of being a lonely old man."

Maisy winced even though she already knew this information.

"To be fair—"

"Hush, Maisy, I haven't decided if I like you yet," Frigga held up a finger.

"Yes ma'am."

"I do not wish to argue tonight, Loki, but you must know that I disapprove of this course of action."

"I know, but—"

"Loki, she said she doesn't want to argue," Maisy whispered and Frigga smiled.

"Alright, I've decided. I do like you. When can I expect grandchildren?"

"Mother!" Loki rolled his eyes, but Maisy just laughed and touched her belly.

"Actually… in about three months."

"OH MY NORNS!" Frigga exclaimed and jumped to hug Maisy, falling right through. She collected herself gracefully and came back around to face her daughter-in-law, beaming. She looked almost giddy at the news, her hands fluttering near Maisy's stomach. "Oh my Norns! How did I not see this! This robe is too deceptive! It hides your lovely belly! Is it a boy or a girl? What do you plan to name the child?"

"Actually," Maisy grinned mischievously and glanced at Loki, "We don't know the genders…"

"A surprise is fun," Frigga nodded knowingly and then paused and clapped her hands to her mouth, "Did you say genders? Are you having twins?!"

"Twins," Maisy nodded proudly.

"If I were not already dead I swear I would die from excitement," Frigga fanned herself and then turned to Loki, smiling so widely at him that her face was nearly split in two, "Oh my son, you must be thrilled!"

"I am," Loki wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and tilted his chin up with a smile, "We both are. And, of course, Thor is beside himself. Maisy's family—"

"My dad is both happy and furious," Maisy cringed, "Mostly furious because he thinks Loki is dead and left me to fend for myself. But I think he's happy about the babies."

"And your mother?"

"Uh… err, my mom isn't in the picture. I haven't seen her in a long time."

"Hmm," Frigga reached out to take Maisy's hand, which didn't work, but she held her hand above her daughter-in-law's and smiled gently, "My apologies."

"It's fine," Maisy shrugged, realizing that she should probably find her mother at some point and let her know that she was going to be a grandmother. The thought irritated her for some reason. Pearl Franklin had missed so much of Maisy's life that she didn't feel that it would be fair to let her have even a small part in the lives of the twins. But she should know. And seeing how much Loki wished that his mother was still alive made Maisy realize that some day she wouldn't have the option to seek out Pearl any more and then the woman would never know and amends could never be made.

"Now," Frigga broke the silence that had fallen while Maisy thought, "I only have until dawn before it's back to Valhalla and all of the feasting and fighting there. I want you to tell me everything about how you met."

Loki launched into the story without hesitation, adding embellishments here and there that Maisy corrected. Frigga listened attentively to every word, gasping in surprise at parts and chuckling when they did. She clucked her tongue in disappointment when she learned of how poorly Odin treated Maisy and swore that if she had been around then things would have gone much differently. She listened to them talk about Linn and declared that she would have to meet the teenager the following year. When they told her of the many ups and downs of Taka af Brúðr she was so enthralled with the story that she barely moved. And when Maisy finally described their wedding to the queen, Frigga had tears in her eyes.

"A love story fitting of a fairy tale," she told them, "You must write it down to tell your children. Or better yet! Have the royal scribe pen it out with all of the illumination and calligraphy he can muster! Tell him it is a postmortem order from the Queen of Asgard and he dare not refuse."

"Oh! You should see the pictures!" Maisy took her phone out of her dress pocket and quickly went to the album of wedding pictures she'd managed to take on the big day and the others that some of the Avengers had taken and sent to her. She wished they'd had an actual photographer at the wedding, but Odin hadn't allowed it.

"And you say you designed this lovely dress yourself?" Frigga asked, taking the phone and examining the pictures. "White for a wedding, an interesting choice!"

"The Linn and I researched all sorts of Asgardian wedding dresses, but we both decided that it would be best to have a few Midgardian traditions. Of course, I've also been dreaming up wedding dresses since I was a little girl, so I already had a few ideas."

"Simply gorgeous! And Loki, you looked so handsome!" Frigga patted his cheek, though her ghostly hand passed right through, "And Thor stood beside you? You've stopped trying to kill each other then?"

"For the time being."

"I'm sure peace won't last long, but if one of you actually succeeds in killing the other I will be furious and I will come back from the dead to give the remaining brother a good thrashing," the queen warned.

"Don't worry, I like Thor too much to let Loki do anything to him," Maisy promised.

"I am glad someone is playing peacekeeper in my absence," Frigga smiled sadly at Maisy, "I am delighted that we were able to meet, my dear."

"Me too!"

"We will speak again before dawn comes, but would you mind giving me a moment alone with my son?"

"Of course! I'll just walk back to the beach for a little bit," Maisy rose and gave them privacy, having a feeling that Frigga was about to go off on Loki for banishing his father to Midgard. She didn't really want to be around for that so she made her way back to the beach, where other Asgardians were chatting with their dead loved ones. Some people were crying, some arguing, and some laughing.

As she watched a couple weep over each other, shuddering to think of how that could have been her and Loki if he'd actually died, she did not notice another spectral figure sneak up behind her.

"Your eyes are remarkably dry, love, didn't you miss me?"

Maisy stiffened, hands clenched into fists. A ghostly Egil stepped in front of her, hands clasped behind his back and a bitter smile on his lips.

"I must say, though I wasn't surprised, I was very disappointed that you didn't come to greet me when I first arrived tonight," he tilted his head to the side and looked her up and down, "But surely you must be here to see me. Who else has died who you could possibly wish to see?"

"Egil," she managed, "Go away."

"Never," he flashed his teeth at her, "You'll never be rid of me, my love."

"You can't do anything to me," she told him with a shaking voice, "You're nothing but a ghost now."

"Did you cry when the Trickster told you he'd killed me? Did you realize the mistake you'd made?" He asked.

"Goodbye," she snapped, walking through him and planning on walking back to the place where Loki and Frigga sat. Egil got in her way again, this time with a sword raised. Maisy took a step back, remembering how the ghosts earlier had been able to fight with their weapons.

"I've thought of a plan," he took a step closer and she took one back. "We can be together again."

"You're even crazier as a ghost," Maisy hissed, "Leave me alone. I thought you said you wouldn't hurt me."

"Promises I made as a living man are void in death," he took a few steps closer and Maisy hastily backed away, gathering her skirt up and trying not to lose her balance. "I will have you by my side even if it is only in death."

"Get back!" She yelled at him.

"Or what? You can do nothing to me! I am already dead and, as someone living, you cannot touch a spirit! Nothing will stop me in this mission, love. Nothing can! You will be mine."

He hefted the sword above his head and lunged to deal a fatal blow to Maisy. She screamed, backing away and closing her eyes, but nothing happened. When she dared to open her eyes she saw, not her homicidal ex, but a glorious and beautiful warrior dressed in a white and green uniform.

"You shall not lay a hand on Maisy Sichore!" The warrior thundered at Egil, who lay in the sand with his sword raised to shield his face.

"Die-Ann!" Maisy exclaimed.

"Hello Maisy," Die-Ann greeted, twirling her electrified staff around in her hand and pressing a button that made a blade pop out of the end, "And goodbye Turdblossom."

She stabbed Egil in the gut and he vanished with a scream.

"Did you just kill a dead guy?" Maisy asked incredulously.

"He will return to Valhalla now," Die-Ann shrugged, "And be in fighting shape again by lunchtime. But he will leave you in peace for now."

"Thank you! Oh my gosh, you are a total badass!"

"I am," Die-Ann nodded, "You are welcome."

"Princess!" Two palace guards rushed over to her, weapons drawn, looking frantic.

"Are you alright?" Folkner asked, eyeing Die-Ann suspiciously.

"I'm okay now, thanks. She took care of it," Maisy nodded to her savior who twirled her staff again, "I should go, uh, find the other person I was talking to."

"Shall we escort you, princess?" Ralph asked.

"No! No, no, it's fine. Die-Ann is probably a better escort, honestly, she can actually get rid of any angry ghosts," Maisy smiled, "Besides, you guys probably have friends or family you want to talk to, right?"

"Yes," Ralph's eyes filled with water and he rushed off, presumably to talk to a dead person. Folkner clapped a fist to his chest and then followed after Ralph.

"They are far too soft to ever serve the Kree Empire," Die-Ann noted.

"Yeah, probably, but they do a pretty good job most of the time," Maisy shrugged, "C'mon, I'm sure Loki will be happy to see you—oh! You can't tell anyone that he's alive though."

Die-Ann followed Maisy wordlessly back to Loki and Frigga. Loki looked up at them, looking thoroughly scolded by his mother. His face lit up when he saw who his wife was accompanied by.

"Captain!" He stood and smiled at her, "It is good to see you again!"

"A friend of yours?" Frigga asked pleasantly.

"She was another competitor in Taka af Brúðr," Maisy told the queen.

"Until I lost because I was killed," Die-Ann huffed, "Should I ever see that Krylorian princess again I will give her a taste of her own foul medicine."

"She mostly just murdered you because Surtur was blackmailing her," Maisy said, "But you have every right to be mad."

"Surtur?" Die-Ann scowled, "Then I am even more glad to have stabbed his long haired minion back on the beach."

"Long haired…?" Loki's brow furrowed and he took two steps to Maisy's side, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her in the eye, "Egil?"

"He tried to kill me," Maisy explained, "Because he wanted us to be ghost lovers or something. But Die-Ann stepped in and took him down. He never stood a chance!"

"Norns, Maisy! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, shaken up, but fine."

"This Egil, he is the man of Muspelheim that you used to love, correct?" Frigga asked.

"Yeah. Loki killed him a while back, but apparently that doesn't mean we're done with him," Maisy rubbed her forehead tiredly and Loki kissed the red mark left behind.

"Next year I will have a guard posted on the beach whose sole purpose is to keep him away from us," he promised.

"I should like to visit again next year as well," Die-Ann said thoughtfully, "And perhaps stab the turd again."

"That would be very much appreciated," Maisy laughed.

"I really must introduce myself to him when I get back to Valhalla," Frigga smirked, "And perhaps make his after-life miserable. That ought to give me something fun to do for an eternity."

"Like mother like son," Maisy laughed, "You two are so similar."

"He gets all of his best qualities from me," Frigga grinned and then clasped her hands together, "My darling boy. Dawn is almost upon us."

"It is," Loki rasped, squeezing Maisy's hand.

"You will say hello to your brother and father for me," the queen said sternly, "In whatever deceptive manner you must, but you will do it."

"I will."

"And you will not run Asgard into the ground because it amuses you."

"I won't."

"Most importantly," Frigga smiled at her son with the kind of loving expression that Maisy wished her own mother had given her even once in her life. "You will take care of my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren when they arrive."

"I most certainly will, Mother," Loki's eyes were filled with water and when he blinked a tear raced down his cheek. Die-Ann winced and awkwardly side stepped until she was far away from the group. "Next year you will meet the twins and I'm sure they will love you."

"They have the most beautiful grandmother in all the nine realms," Maisy gushed.

"I cannot wait to meet them," Frigga nodded, "And I would hug you both if I were able."

"It was so wonderful to meet you, Queen Frigga."

"Keep him on a good path, Maisy, my dear. He needs patience and help sometimes."

"I will."

"Well then, with all of my instructions given, do you have anything else either of you would like to tell me?"

Before either Loki or Maisy could think of parting words to say to the queen, a beam of sunlight peeked over the mountains and hit the golden spires of the palace. The light bounced down to the beach and a collective gasp went up from the Asgardians gathered there. The ghosts of their loved ones began to fade in the light and hasty farewells were made as well as promises to meet up again in the next year or the next life.

"Mother," Loki reached out his hand to his mother, but she was already fading. "I am sorry about what happened with the Dark Elves. I wish I could go back—I did not mean the things I said to you last we spoke, oh Norns I have too much to say! Please… forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, darling," Frigga smiled once more, "I love you."

"I love you as well."

"Until we meet again," she said as she vanished from their sight. Loki stared at the spot where she'd been for a minute before he turned around and looked at Maisy. She saw the tears in his eyes and rushed to him, throwing her arms around him and pulling him close.

"She still loves me," he whispered.

"Of course she does," Maisy said into his shirt, "I don't have much experience, but I'm pretty sure that's what moms are supposed to do. Keep on loving you even when you do stupid stuff."

Loki, who usually had an eloquent response to everything, could only nod, sniffle, and hold her as the sun rose. When it became time for him to disguise himself again and for them to make their way back to the palace he looked her in the eye before they left.

"I am biased to think that there is no better parent in all the realms than my mother, but I think that you will be a contender for best mother."

"We're going to be awesome parents," Maisy grinned at him, "Better than my mom, better than either of your dads, better than my dad and stepmom, and, just maybe, better than the queen."

"Maybe," he laughed.

"But, oh my gosh, neither of us will ever be as fabulous as she is! Damn! I wish I knew who made her dress and did her hair! When I'm dead I'm going to whatever salon she goes to."

Loki only rolled his eyes.

A note from the author: Not sure if anyone still reads this, but I'm gonna keep on posting because I love writing these characters too much to stop. So there. Anyway... I hope you enjoyed this slightly angsty, mostly fluffy story about Maisy finally getting to meet Frigga. I knew I had to introduce them to each other at some point and I also really wanted Loki to have a chat with his mother and let him apologize and also let her tell him that she still loved him. Like, don't get me wrong, I loved the scene with Frigga in Endgame, but Loki really deserved a chance to talk to his mom again too. So that's what I wrote. Hopefully it was entertaining for everyone! It was also about ghosts and today's Halloween, so I thought it would be a good day for it.

As far as updates go on my other projects... I haven't been writing much lately. Occasionally, I'll have a burst of inspiration, but I usually use that on my original projects and not fanfiction. However, I think today I'm going to sit down and do some good ole fanfic writing. Possibly because I'm too tired to do the NaNoWriMo planning that I should actually be doing. :P

Anyway, I hope everyone is holding up well! I know this is a scary time in the world and I hope that you can all be safe and healthy and not bombarded by millions of political advertisements. Much love to anyone still reading this! Until the next chapter! :D