How can we not talk about family when family's all that we got?

See You Again, Wiz Khalifa

"Sigyn…"

Sigyn sat up quickly, looking around desperately. "Thalionen?"

"Sigyn…" The voice called again. Sigyn jumped out of bed, just catching sight of a green cape swishing around the edge of the doorway. Quickly, she darted after him, almost stumbling over the hem of her nightgown. "Melleth! Wait for me!"

"Come catch me, Sig…" Her beloved's smooth baritone called from the end of the corridor. Sigyn smiled brightly, and ran at top speed after him.

"Where are you?" She called playfully, eyes darting around the walls of the hall.

"Over here, Sigyn!"

Sigyn darted through the doorway he'd called from, to find herself standing on the broken, jagged edge of the rainbow bridge. Her beloved stood at the edge, decked out in his dress armor, looking as handsome as he always had.

"Melleth!" She breathed, as he turned to look at her with a faraway, hopelessly depressed look in his emerald green eyes. "Thalionen, what's wrong?"

He gave her a sad smile, and stepped off the edge.

Sigyn rushed to the edge of the bridge, throat choked from horror, desperately reaching out to catch him, but her hand just barely missed his wrist, and he fell.

"No!" Sigyn woke up with a start, her face streaked in tears. Yes, it had been a dream, but the truth remained. Her beloved had fallen, and Sigyn had not been there to catch him.

Six months. Sigyn had endured six months without her beautiful, smart, caring, perfect husband. She was now only two months away from delivering his child. It was close to sunup, anyway so she hoisted herself to her feet, cradling her swollen belly, and slipped out into the hallway. She wandered aimlessly for a few hours, her feet eventually leading her to the healing halls. Eir was always an early riser, and she and Sigyn were relatively good friends. As soon as she caught sight of the princess, she gave her a friendly smile.

"Good morning, Sigyn." She greeted. "You're up early."

"Bad dreams." Sigyn explained, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, and lowering herself onto one of the beds. "I guess I just wanted the company."

Eir nodded, sitting down next to her. "Still the same nightmare?"

The princess nodded vacantly, her mind wandering since her feet would not.

Eir sat quietly next to her, hands clasped gracefully in her lap. "So, I assume you didn't hear of the events of last night?"

"Probably not." Sigyn raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

Eir smiled mischievously. "Heimdall found him."

Sigyn's jaw dropped. "His… His body?"

"No." Eir smiled. "Him. He appears to be… waging war on Midgard."

Sigyn vehemently shook her head. "That doesn't sound like him. Heimdall must be mistaking him for someone else."

Eir shrugged. "Dark hair, green eyes, tall, lanky, with a penchant for mischief and drama? I think it's him, Sigyn."

Sigyn frowned at the floor. "And why wasn't I notified immediately?"

Eir rolled her eyes. "You know the Allfather. The only reason he cares at all is because Midgardians are dying." She smiled softly. "I thought you'd want to know, hm?"

"Of course!" She grinned. "Thank you so much, Eir! I'm in your debt." She lifted herself to her feet. "I… I'll be back."

Eir smiled knowingly as Sigyn left for the observatory.

Asgard. Loki shuddered at the thought. He'd been gone for such a long time, most likely years, and he was honestly terrified to see what had become of the golden realm in his absence. He hadn't had the opportunity to ask Thor about what had happened while he was gone, not after he had finally been smashed out of his mind by the green beast. Had Thor been crowned? Had Sigyn re-married? Was Vali happy? Was Moth-Frigga disappointed in him? Did that last one matter? He couldn't ask. He had no idea. As Thor marched him down the rainbow bridge, surrounded in Einherjar, Loki glanced around at his surroundings. It didn't seem like much had changed. He recognized two of the guards, but the other four seemed to be new recruits. Thor left him behind with a disdainful look at the door to the throne room. The new Einherjar on his left reached behind his head and gently removed the muzzle. About time, too. That thing was bringing back some memories he'd prefer not to dwell on.

They slowly walked him into the throne room, to stand before Odin's throne. Queen Frigga was standing next to one of the pillars. The look in her eye spelled disappointment, and sorrow.

'Hello, Mother." He smiled at her. "Have I made you proud?"

"Please." She begged. "Don't make this any worse than it needs to be."

Loki speculated on his inevitable fate. 'Define 'worse'."

"I would speak to the prisoner alone." Odin declared, and Frigga reluctantly left the room. The prisoner. Ouch. Not even granted the formality of a name.

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about." Loki mused, stepping closer and clanging the chains around his ankles purposefully loudly.

"Loki, you ought to be grateful." Odin pointed out.

"Grateful?" Loki asked sarcastically. "For what, pray tell? For the years you ignored me? Or perhaps for the scars I've been collecting since I was eight years old? If you really wanted to raise me as a son, you ought to have."

"Frigga is the only reason you are alive." Odin pointed out. "And Sigyn is the only reason you're going to stay that way."

"Ooh." Loki acknowledged. "She still has a bit of sentiment for the monster? How quaint."

Sigyn stepped forward from where she'd been concealed by the pillars. "I take offense at that."

Loki had to remind himself that leaving your jaw hanging open is typically considered unattractive. Sigyn was… extremely pregnant. And she was here. Defending him, once again. "I-I'm sorry, Sigyn, I…"

"Hush." Odin growled. Loki wisely followed his advice. Something about Sigyn had always tied his silver tongue into knots. He stared at her in silence. She appeared genuinely happy to see him, and not drastically older as he'd thought she would be. How long had he been gone? She noticed she was still wearing the ring he'd given her on their first anniversary, so whoever her new husband was, she'd never forgotten him. Touching.

"If Sigyn had not spoken up on your behalf, you would be sentenced to the dungeons for the rest of your days." Odin told him. Sigyn grinned triumphantly. "In light of the delicate situation between Alfheim and Asgard at this point, you will be stripped of your magi, and banished to Midgard, to live among the ones you tried to subjugate."

Loki turned with desperate eyes to Sigyn. She'd wanted him to be… But they'd kill him! "If I'm to be executed, anyway, for mercy's sake, just swing the ax!"

"She will accompany you, to ensure your safety." Odin explained. Great. In the state she was in, she'd be perfect for protection. This was going to be a disaster.

Sigyn gave him a triumphant smile, stepping forward and taking his chained hands almost reverently. "It's good to see you again, Melleth."

"Same to you. Princess Ziggy." Loki added his nickname for her carefully, nervous as to how she'd react, but she just grinned at him. The Einherjar stepped forward, and undid all his chains except for the handcuffs.

"Please escort the prisoner to the healing halls for the removal of his magic." Odin asked Sigyn, who gave him a cheerful nod.

They walked in silence for a while, until Sigyn inevitably spoke up. "So… how have you been?"

Loki gave her a look. "You really want to know?"

Sigyn nodded, gazing at his eyes intensely.

He shook his head. "I'll tell you when we're settled on Midgard. Why did you do that, by the way?"

"Because the alternative was raising your children alone, while you rotted in chains in the dungeons."

"You'd have help." Loki pointed out.

Sigyn looked at him curiously. "Who? I mean, Eir takes Va, most of the day, but there's nobody else."

"Your new husband." Loki nodded at her pregnant form.

Sigyn stopped short. "I don't have a new husband, Melleth."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Don't try to lie to me to protect my feelings, Sigyn. Where else would you have gotten that child?"

Sigyn looked down at herself. "You think I'm pregnant?"

Loki felt his face heat up. "Um… no… I meant…"

Sigyn burst out laughing. "You'd be right, Loki. I just wanted to see you squirm. You really ought to know better than to assume a woman's pregnant."

Loki's face was burning, but he couldn't keep the grin off his face. "So… a lover, then?"

Sigyn gave him an unimpressed look. "It's your child, beloved. There's nobody else."

Loki felt his heart sink. "How… how long have I been gone, then?"

Sigyn tilted her head to one side. "Only six months. Did you want to be gone longer?"

Six months? Only six? Loki'd only been able to ward off him for six months? It had felt like years… The fact that Loki had given in to him at all spoke badly for him, but he'd only been able to fight for six months? Not even a whole year? He was weaker than he'd thought. Odin had every reason to be disappointed.

"Melleth?" Sigyn asked startling him from his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

He re-focused his eyes on her. "Yes. I'm… okay."

"What's okay mean?" Sigyn asked, pulling him gently down the hall.

Ah. Loki'd picked up a thing or two from the hawk. "It's… good. Or fine. It's a Midgard thing."

She smiled as they stepped into the healing hall. "Well, then, I suppose I should become acclimated, yes?"

Loki looked around the familiar room. It hadn't appeared to have changed much. Eir was working on a patient, most likely a warrior, injured on a quest, as one of her young apprentices handed her materials. The apprentice turned to look at the newcomers as they entered.

"Father?"

It was… Vali? He'd grown so much – Loki barely recognized him at all. "Va?"

The young boy's face had a glimmer of hope in it, as he stared intently at him. "You-you're not a dream, this time?"

Eir pinched him. "You're awake."

Vali burst into a wide grin as he slowly stepped toward the two of them. "You're… you're not dead!"

"I'm not." Loki agreed as Vali rushed to embrace him. "Father!"

Loki couldn't hug him back, as his hands were still chained together, but he fell to one knee, and let Vali wrap his arms around his neck, nuzzling his face into his black hair. "I love you, Vali." He whispered, his voice catching in his throat.

"I love you, too, Father!" Vali sniffled, pulling back to look at him. "You look different."

"Do I?"

Vali nodded seriously. Eir stepped forward, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Your father has a… procedure he needs completed, Va."

"Really?" Vali's eyes brightened. "Can I help? What's the procedure?"

Eir flinched visibly. "The Allfather sentenced him to have his magic restricted indefinitely."

The little boy turned with wide eyes toward his father. "Indefinitely? That means with no scheduled time to get it back?" Loki nodded in confirmation.

"Oh." Vali stared at his boots. "That's gonna hurt."

Sigyn took Vali's hand. "I think it would be better if you weren't here to see it, Va."

He stared up at her in shock. "But… I've seen Lady Eir do it, before! I know it'll hurt! Please let me stay?"

Loki shook his head. "Please Va. Please don't."

He gazed into Loki's eyes for a few seconds, then hung his head, disappointed. "Alright. I'll go."

Loki gave him a smile. "Thank you."

Vali nodded, and slowly walked out of the room.

"Better get this over with, Highness." Eir advised, ushering him towards a bed. Loki had seen this procedure done, too, and he knew what it entailed. He also knew how much it would hurt. You can survive this. He told himself. You survived the venom, you survived the merciless torture from him, this will be nothing compared to those. Loki was afraid. True, he'd survived those two events, but they only attacked his body and mind. This would be effectively crushing his sedir down so far that he couldn't reach it. Sounded agonizing.

Eir gently removed the manacles, removed his clothing from the upper half of his body, and pushed him back into a horizontal position. Sigyn threaded her fingers into his hair, trying to give him some sense of comfort. Loki breathed deeply, as Eir took hold of his wrists, reached down deep into him, towards his sedir, and pushed.

Loki writhed from the searing, blinding pain shooting through his veins.

"80 percent." Eir murmured.

Loki gasped for breath, his veins aflame. His lungs constricted and seized, rendering it nearly impossible to inhale. White spots danced in his vision as he jerked from the indescribable agony.

"60 percent…"

Norns, Loki couldn't take it anymore. He was vaguely aware of Sigyn's hands stroking his face, trying to calm him down as he released an ear-splitting scream. There was no calm. There was no peace. Loki was on fire, as he screamed and convulsed, tears running down his face.

"40…"

Loki felt his nose start bleeding, and he just wanted it to end, why couldn't it stop. He barely remembered where he was anymore. Was that Sigyn's hand in his hair, or some Chitauri's? The pain was intensifying, building in his bones, burning white fire under his skin. He'd do anything, just let them stop! Please, just a minute's respite…

"15…"

Loki was dimly aware of the declining numbers slowly moving through his head. He was dying. Finally, the Chitauri were going to allow him the sweet embrace of death. He could feel himself slipping away into sweet oblivion…

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… You're done." The pressure on his wrists vanished, and the haze of pain slowly, agonizingly lifted from his vision. Someone was holding something soft to his nose, and whispering sweet words in his ear.

"Sigyn?" He whispered, his voice broken from the screaming.

"I'm here, Thalionen."

Loki relaxed at the sound of her voice. She was here, so he was safe. He cracked his eyes open, struggling to sit up. Sigyn had been holding a handkerchief to his nose, and he couldn't recall when it had started bleeding. "Is it..."

"Suppressed." Eir confirmed. 'You won't have it back until we take off the bracelets." Loki looked down at his wrists, rather startled to see two thin gold bands circling his wrists.

"Ah. Very well." He whispered, reaching for his tunic. His hands were still trembling.

"Loki." Sigyn quietly began. He looked to her face, surprised to see mild horror on it. "What happened to you?"

He looked down at himself, blushing scarlet. Ah, yes. The scars. His body was covered in them, nasty little reminders of his time with the Chitauri. "Nothing." He quickly assured her, quickly pulling his tunic over his head to cover the white marks on his torso.

Sigyn gave him a shrewd look, but said nothing. "We aren't allowed to take any of our belongings, so we ought to say good bye to Vali, and get going."

Loki nodded, jumping to his feet, and donning the remainder of his armor. Sigyn hauled herself to her feet and stood next to him, looking up him with shining eyes. Loki smiled at her, offered her his arm, and the two of them quickly walked out of the healing hall. Vali was standing just outside the door, face pale, and wringing his hands nervously. "Father! You're all right?"

Loki nodded, running a hand through his seven-year-old's hair. "Va, we have to leave."

Vali looked up at him with a terrified expression. "But you just got back! You… you can't leave!"

"I have to." Loki knelt in front of him, placing a kiss on his forehead. "I've been banished to Midgard."

A tear slipped down his cheek. "I don't want you to go, Father…"

"I know, Va. But Eir will take care of you. You'll be fine. And maybe, someday you can come for a visit?"

Vali nodded miserably. "I'll come."

Loki gave him an encouraging smile. "There you go. You think you can be brave? For me?"

Vali nodded again, and crushed Loki in a desperate hug. "I love you, Father."

"And I love you, Vali." Loki held him at arms' length. "I'm so proud of you."

Vali gave him a wan smile, then turned to Sigyn. "I'll miss you, Mama."

Sigyn nodded, pulling him into a hug. "I'll miss you too, my little one. Be strong for us, alright?"

"Alright." He whispered. "Say hello to the baby, yeah?"

Sigyn smiled. "Of course. You can come see her, sometime. I'm sure she'll love playing with her big brother."

Vali smiled bravely, wiping the tears off his cheeks. "Farwell, Father, Mama. I'll… see you."

Then he turned, and ran into the healing halls, sobbing into his hands. Loki sighed, and turned to head to the observatory.

Heimdall was waiting for them. He gave Loki a cold, hard stare. "Are you ready?"

Loki glanced back at the city, golden, and bursting with life. Say goodbye, little runt. "Yes." He answered confidently.

Heimdall sunk the sword into the mechanism that controlled the Bifrost, sucking them away to the land of the mortals. As they touched down, their feet hitting hard concrete, Loki knew a chapter of his life had been closed.

And then, as if the situation just had to become even more miserable, it started pouring rain. Just his luck.

Next time, we'll have smoocheties. Yerp. Smoocheties.

A heart lets you hug Sigyn, a review lets you hug Loki.

TheOnlyHuman.