The darkness seemed to go on forever until birds were chirpings, the sound of people around, wind whooshing. Loki opened his eyes and immediately looked into the eyes of Leiyah. She was holding onto him tightly. Aelinnea was sobbing slightly.

"Where?... Loki… where are we?"

Loki looked around, a door opening behind them. They were on a tall building. "Hello, Mr. Loki, Mrs. Leiyah. Please enter and I will show you to a safe space."

Loki recognized the voice. "We must be in New York. Stark's tower."

"Yes, I will inform Mr. Stark that you are here. They are currently finishing up a mission. They will be coming back presently."

Leiyah recognized the entrance and nodded, Loki still holding Aelinnea tightly, one arm around Leiyah. They entered the elevator and got out again once the doors opened. Jarvis said again, "Please, make yourselves comfortable. There are refreshments in the rooms, nourishment in the kitchen. I will notify you when Mr. Stark and your brother are close to returning."

"Thank you."

Loki brought his daughter to the giant bed, sitting her down, his wife sitting next to her. "Shh, my gem. It is alright. We are alright."

"Where are we?"

"We are on Midgard, my gem. Uncle Thor will be here soon."

"Unce Thor?" Her eyes widened, the tears stopping slowly.

"Yes. Come, you must be tired. Why don't you sleep a bit?"

As if on cue, the little princess yawned, the stress of the day having caught up with her. "Is there a place we can put her down to sleep?" Leiyah asked.

Jarvis answered, "Yes, through the door on the left, there is a small room with a bed, I will watch over in case she moves too far to the edge."

"Thank you." Loki carried her there and let her drift off to sleep. He returned to Leiyah, who was still so pale, and shaking.

"My love, talk to me."

A tear was running down her cheek, "I killed someone."

Loki wiped the tear away and kissed her hands, "She threatened the life of our daughter. Of us. You did nothing wrong."

"Loki, I killed. I took a life."

"And no one will fault you for it."

"Not just that, but I took a life using my magic."

"Leiyah…"

"I wasn't in control. I was so angry. I wanted to hurt her."

"No one can blame you for it. Trust me, my love. She was meant for the gallows. She did unspeakable things, she threatened us, she tried to kill you."

Leiyah continued, "We left them all there. What will happen to them?"

Loki knew of course who she meant, "Trust Mechel that he will get them to safety. As he did us. And from here we can devise a plan."

"Heimdall can see us."

"No. I have us warded. And it will remain like this until I… we feel safe. No one will dictate our life anymore."

Leiyah still had the empty look in her eyes but nodded. "My family?"

"They know of nothing, and Odin knows this. And Freya will have protected them by now."

"Freya?"

"She and I devised a plan in case things go south, as they have. As did Mechel and I. I would let nothing harm us or our family. All of our family." He stressed it, wanting her to know that he regarded her family and their friends as his own family.

"You are keeping secrets from me now?"

He looked down, "I did not wish to overwhelm you. I had hoped it would not have come to this. But it has, and now, together, we will figure out what we will do next."

Leiyah nodded, "Yes. You are right." She was quiet for a moment and then said, "I wonder what Thor will make of this? Do we tell him?"

"I fear we must. There is no good reason for us to be here, other than the truth." Leiyah nodded and stood, which was a mistake. She swayed lightly and almost collapsed, had Loki not stood fast and held her. "You must rest. You used your seidr in an uncontrolled way. Lie down. Sleep a bit. I will watch over you. Both of you."

She nodded again and went to bed, falling asleep very fast.

Many hours later Jarvis announced that Mr. Stark and the team were arriving. Loki woke Leiyah and thanks to their seidr, they freshened up and walked down to the living area, waiting on Thor and Tony. Thor walked straight towards them and engulfed them both in a hug. "Loki, Leiyah. What a wonderful surprise. How are you?"

Loki smiled, having missed Thor, "We are well. Thank you. How are you? I hope the mission was not too taxing."

"Hardly, we retrieved your scepter and Stark and Banner will work on it for a few days. Then I will return it to Asgard." He then looked down at Leiyah's hand on her stomach, "How are they? Growing strong I assume."

Leiyah had to smile at that, "Yes. Lin is with us too."

"Oh? I missed her. Where is she?"

"Still sleeping. We needed to talk to you."

Thor was about to respond as the rest of the team, minus Barton and Natasha entered, them in the Medical Wing already.

"Reindeer Games, to what do we owe the pleasure? And with the wife-" He saw the stomach- "and addition. Welcome. I hope Jarvis has given you adequate rooms?"

Leiyah smiled brightly, putting on the face of the kind and loving princess, "Yes, thank you, Tony. They are wonderful."

Banner asked, "How far along are you? Should you be traveling?"

"5 months only. They are twins." She had avoided the last question with ease.

Tony whistled, "Twins. Do you think you are ready for 2 kids, Reindeer Games?"

Loki answered, "Certainly, they will have an older sister to rely on as well."

Steve asked, "You left her on Asgard?"

"No, she is here, sleeping."

Jarvis interrupted, "No, not anymore. The little princess is awake."

Loki said, "I will get her. She will be happy to see you Thor."

Tony gestured for them to sit, "So, three kids soon. Man, that must be hard work."

"Aelinnea is a gem. She is very smart and advanced for her age. How was your mission?"

"Good. Good. Ran into a bit of trouble, nothing we could not handle. In a few days, the scepter can return to Asgard. Is that why you are here?"

"No." They needed to talk to Thor first. Make him understand. "Will it be alright if we stay until Thor leaves as well?"

"Yes, of course. Thor's friends are our friends."

Loki re- appeared and once Lin saw Thor she squealed, "Unce Thor!"

Thor opened his arms wide and mimicked her, "Princess Lin!" Loki handed her over to Thor, who hugged her tight. "I miss you."

"Oh, I missed you, too, princess. No one told any good stories." She giggled at that.

Tony grinned at the little child, "She is adorable. How old?"

"Almost 2."

Steve regarded the way Loki was relaxed around his wife, brother, and daughter. He did not see the stiffness in the couple, which they concealed so well. Lin was babbling and telling Thor about what she did while he was away. Tony, Banner and Steve excused themselves after a while, to freshen up and check on Barton. Leiyah was only half listening to her daughter's stories, but looked up once Lin said, "And then momma got really sick and I had to help her get better."

Loki said, "Lin, wait." and Thor's head whipped to them. "You were sick?"

Leiyah nodded, "Yes, that is why we are here actually. And why we need to talk to you."

"In private?"

"I doubt Tony has a room or area that is not constantly under watch, nor do I think that the information we will give you, could harm them in any way."

Loki took Lin from Thor and conjured another toy for her, shutting her out of this conversation again. And then Loki began the tale of the last few weeks. Thor's eyes grew wider and wider. Loki left out Freya and what they had found out about Loki, feeding him the same story they fed Odin and Frigga. At the end, Thor was looking at Leiyah, who refused to meet anyone's eyes.

"Why did you not call for me?"

Loki asked, "What would you have done?"

"Help."

"Brother, forgive me, but we had the most magically gifted sources to our availability, and we were able to fix it. There is nothing you could have done."

"I could have been there for support."

"You had work to do."

Thor was quiet again and then asked, "Now what? Obviously, father is furious. I assume there is a reason you are here."

"Actually, Mechel transported us here. We did not know where he was going to blast us."

"I can't believe father would do something like this. To you."

Leiyah put a hand on Loki's, which was resting on his leg. She said, "Forgive me, but I do not find it hard to believe that Odin would stop at nothing to secure an heir."

Thor nodded, sensing the strain on Leiyah. "But the twins are fine?"

"Yes. Thankfully."

Loki nodded, "What will you do now?"

"Calm father. Trust me, I will not breathe a word that you were here. But first I think Stark has planned a party. Won't you stay. Rest for another few days. Then you can decide where to go and what to do from here."

A quick glance to Leiyah. Loki did not feel like having her travel again today, she had gone through too much in the last week. "A party sounds nice. Thank you, brother."

Thor stood, wanting to clean himself, but said once more, "Try to keep in contact, Loki. Secretly."

A nod.

Back in their rooms in the night, Leiyah asked, "Why did you not mention Thanos? Or what we discovered there?"

"It did not feel like the right time."

"Don't you think he deserves to know. Maybe they all do."

"Would you tell them?"

"If our fears are correct, yes."

"After the party then. Let them enjoy themselves for a few more days."

"Good idea. Where will we go after that?"

He sighed, kissing her hand, "That I do not know."

Leiyah led Loki and Aelinnea towards the noise and steered them towards Thor, who had waved at them. "These are my brother Loki, my sister- in- law Leiyah, and their daughter Aelinnea. They have surprised me here."

Two men were eyeing Loki warily. "Weren't you the one who destroyed New York?"

Thor answered, "A situation that was not his own motivation. It has been resolved. He is here to celebrate."

They nodded but did not try to engage him in the conversation. Loki turned to the side with Lin, wanting to stay close to her. Leiyah was talking with Natasha, who was asking her questions about their children.

"You look like you are enjoying pregnancy."

She smiled, a hand on her stomach, "Vanir are gifted with easy pregnancies. Even the birth of my daughter was a lot shorter than I know human pregnancies are. But yes, I am very happy. We both are."

"I remember Thor mentioning once how difficult it is to have children as what you are."

A nod.

"It seems like it was easy enough for you."

"Certain circumstances have made this pregnancy happen faster than we had planned. But it is too much to explain and too dire for a celebration such as this. Have you ever thought of children?"

A flicker of something, "No."

"I hadn't either until I married Loki. Suddenly the idea of a big family was not as strange to me anymore."

"Never would have pegged him as a family man." Natasha was looking where Loki was entertaining Aelinnea with small figurines he had created. She was laughing and trying to grab them, Loki holding onto her with a soft smile. Leiyah smiled at them, "I think he surprised himself there. He is very in love with her. With the twins too."

"And you?"

"Definitely."

"You are very sure of that." Steve Rogers had joined them.

She smiled at the captain, "I am sure of my husband's devotion to me. He has proven it to me many times."

"I am happy he is calmer. Thor seems happier too, having his brother back."

A nod. Leiyah did not feel like revealing too much of their lives on Asgard.

Steve asked, "What will you and Loki do after all of this?"

"We are not sure yet. But Earth is not where we will be staying. Do not worry. I doubt Loki would find peace here. And Aelinnea's powers are starting to develop. We need a controlled, safe and magical environment."

"And you don't know what her powers will be?"

"Not yet. Though we have an inkling."

He looked at her questioningly.

"Healing."

Natasha asked, "So she can be a healer?"

"If she wanted to. Seidr can be strengthened and more can be learned. I have no gift for healing. But I am versed in many others though. But she is so young. I did not come into my full seidr until I was 340."

After the guests had left, the group was sitting comfortably around the lounge, with Lin sleeping beside her father. Leiyah was inclined to agree that Stark knew how to throw a magnificent party, reclining in her seat and smiling at her brother in-law, as he was explaining the mechanisms of Mjolnir.

The group started trying to lift the hammer and Loki knew his daughter would have enjoyed this display immensely.

Stark continued, "So if I lift it I then rule Asgard?"

Thor nodded, looking bored, "Yes of course."

"I will be reinstituting prima nocta." He grunted as he tried to lift it, failing. "I'll be right back." He returned with an iron glove, still not being able to lift it. Loki grinned at his brother and took another sip of wine.

Rhodes and Tony were both trying now, and Rhodey asked "Are you even pulling?"

"Are you on my team?"

"Just represent. Pull."

"Alright, let's go."

Banner was up next and was also not able to lift it, trying to growl as if he were turning into the Hulk, which earned some amused glances.

Steve stood and Tony encouraged "Go ahead, Steve. No pressure."

Barton added "Come on, Cap."

Mjolnir lifted slightly to which Loki merely raised his brow.

Thor laughed, relieved, "Nothing."

The group pointed to Natasha who declined.

Stark complained "All deference to the Man Who Wouldn't Be King, but it's rigged." Which Banner agreed on.

Hill joked "Steve, he said a bad language word."

Steve asked, "Did you tell everyone about that?" looking at Tony.

Stark went back to the topic at hand, "The handle's imprinted right? Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation."

Thor stood and Leiyah had to suppress a laugh as he said "Yes. It is a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one. You're all not worthy." As he lifted the hammer and swung it. The group groaned.

A high-pitched ring came through the complex, which woke Lin. A voice, a gruesome voice said "Worthy." A raspy voice. The group turned, Loki immediately scooting closer to Lin and his wife, holding onto them. A robot was walking towards them, not fully assembled, strings hanging off him.

"No. How could you be worthy? You're all killers."

Steve said "Stark."

"Jarvis."

The robot continued "I'm sorry. I was asleep. Or I was a- dream."

Tony was trying for a way to fix it.

"There was this terrible noise. And I was tangled in …. In… strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."

Steve asked, "You killed someone?"

"Wouldn't have been my first call."

Leiyah looked to Loki, fear in her eyes. She motioned to the exists with small precise movements. They needed to protect Lin, the twins, themselves. They needed an escape.

"But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."

Thor asked, "Who sent you?"

The robot played a recording of a prior conversation from Tony.

"Ultron" Banner gasped.

"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission."

The group was getting ready to attack, Loki putting an arm around Leiyah, closing their daughter in. He looked to Thor, a small nod, hoping he would understand. Hoping he would understand why Loki could not stay and help, not fight. He did.

"What mission?"

"Peace in our time." The attack happened faster than Loki could have predicted. Robots, iron men, like stark shot out, starting the attack. Thor immediately went for the hit. Loki blasted one out of his way and one away from them.

Thor yelled "Brother now!" as he smashed another one to the ground.

Loki nodded once and held tight as the world turned bright again, leaving the sound of battle behind them, going into the inbetween, going somewhere safe. They hoped.