Selfish.

That's what he was. That's all he was. His reasons for having Sigyn keep his secret were just that. Selfish. Self-centered, egotistical pig that he was. He wanted her to keep this for him. He was over-protective of her so that he wouldn't suffer as badly when the Master found them. He hadn't even considered the possibility that her losing him would be just as painful as him losing her. In fact, when the Master found him, she'd be losing him for the third time. Why had he never even thought of this? Perhaps it was better to tell everyone, and for him to return, so that they could be happy together until the Master found him, and then they could all die together. Well, all except Loki. Loki wasn't allowed to die. But that was him. He needed to stop thinking about himself. Sigyn would be happier if he would just give the silly charade up. Sleipnir and Gandhi, and the new baby would be happier. For a short while, Loki would be happier, so that made everyone happy.

He'd offer this to Sigyn, that night, if she forgave him. As soon as she came home. At that moment, he was waiting for her, staring out the window of their room, into the backyard, waiting for her to come into the room, so that he could beg her forgiveness. Hurting her… what a monster. Even Odin never raised a hand to his wife. Probably. He'd never struck his other four children… no, three. Where did four come from? Loki only had his three brothers… No matter. His mind did strange things, anyway.

He heard the crunch of gravel under tires. Suddenly, he was nervous, as the front door opened. He could hear Sigyn chattering cheerfully with the children, but couldn't tell what they were saying. He fiddled anxiously with his fingers, glancing down at himself in ever-increasing nervousness. What if she didn't want to speak to him? What if she was still angry? What if… What if she was… afraid of him? That was too awful to imagine.

"Gandhi, take your shoes off, Honey, you're tracking mud." She instructed as her voice came down the hall. The door to their room opened, and there she was. As beautiful as ever. He took three stumbling steps forward, then fell to his knees at her feet. "Sigyn, please, my Dearest, a moment of your time."

"Loki…?" She breathed, confusion painted all over her features. "Of course. What is it, Love?"

"From the bottom of my heart, Sigyn, my love, my treasure, I offer my humblest apologies." He chewed on his lip as he gazed hopefully up into her eyes. "I know… I know I've done nothing to earn your forgiveness, but… perhaps… you could bestow it on even such a lowly, wretched creature as I?" He'd always waxed eloquent under stress.

"Loki, what did you do wrong? I thought you were mad at me?" Sigyn asked in bewilderment.

"Not at you." He assured her. "Never at you. I… I hurt you Sigyn. In so many ways, I wounded you. You are the innocent one in all this. I… I'm not even fit to be called your husband…"

Sigyn shook her head vehemently. "Loki, Melleth, don't say things like that. You can't mean…"

"But I do." Loki miserably shifted his gaze to the floor. "I laid hands on you… I hurt you, Princess, can't you see? I can never hope to redeem myself."

"I can't tell if you're actually this upset, or you feel like you should be." Sigyn remarked. "Loki, I forgive you. You were upset, I was being thick-headed, I understand."

Loki glanced up hopefully. "Truly?" He ventured. "Even after all I've done…"

"Of course." Sigyn nodded, gently helping him to his feet. "You're my husband, Loki, and I love you."

Just as quickly, Loki was back on his knees, snatching her hand, and covering it in kisses. "Best of wives and best of women…" He murmured fondly between kisses. "I love you."

"Loki…" She closed her eyes in pensive thought. "Where do you want to go from here?"

"Huh?" He glanced up, his eyes stinging with unshed tears of joy. "Go?"

Sigyn nodded, subconsciously laying a hand on her stomach. "Should we… put the baby up for adoption? Or…" She pressed her lips together. "I really, really, really don't want an abortion. That would honestly break my heart."

Loki immediately jumped to his feet. "Of course not! No! We'll... we'll keep the child." He shook his head vehemently. "No… no abortion. No adoption…" He was honestly dismayed that she would think he'd ever want that for their baby.

"But…" She fiddled with her fingers anxiously. "The… Master. It would give him a lead."

"I don't care." Loki quickly stated. "I don't want…"

"What if we went to Asgard?" Sigyn blurted. "Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead."

"No, no, it's fine." Loki assured her. "What were you saying? Asgard?"

"Yeah…" Sigyn smiled sheepishly. "Could we? I mean, as Odin, you look at Princess Sigyn Greenleaf, and you think, 'Hey, Loki's dead, so there's no reason to keep Sigyn banished, anymore. Hey Ziggy, wanna come live in the golden realm?' and I'd be like, 'Well, let me think. Live down here among mortals for the rest of my life, or live in an advanced civilization. Duh, I'll go back to Asgard.' And the entire problem is solved."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "It is a very good thing I'm the one being Odin, not you."

"Why, was my impression of him that bad?" Sigyn laughed, placing a hand on her heart in mock offense.

"Think of it this way: can you even imagine the word 'Ziggy' coming out of Odin's mouth?"

Sigyn slumped in defeat. "Yeah, I guess not. But, the plan. How horrible was the plan?"

"Actually…" Loki hummed. "It's not that bad. All we need is cover story for your child."

The Princess sat down on the bed in pensive thought. "Humm. How long has it been, since you died, in Asgard?"

"Two months, give or take a few weeks."

Sigyn clapped her hands in delight. "Perfect! All the Asgardians know time runs faster, here. Why couldn't we just say the child I was pregnant with, when you died, was this one, and Gandhi was conceived, born, and survived two and a half years between the time of your banishment and your death."

Loki smiled in delight. "Sigyn two, Loki zero. How are you coming up with all the great plans?"

Sigyn grinned modestly. "I had an excellent teacher in all things scheme-related."

"Why, thank you." Loki sat down next to her, gently wrapping his fingers around hers. "What about Thor? He knows Gandhi was the child you were carrying, then."

"You sent him away, didn't you?"

Loki tapped his chin. "True. I did. I'm just… trying to look for any flaws in this plan…"

Sigyn waited patiently. "See any, yet?"

"Give me a minute…" Loki replied distractedly.

Sigyn did. She got bored, and started playing with his hair.

"That's very distracting." He pointed out.

"Oh." She sighed. "Okay." She hooked her fingers into the collar of his shirt, and pulled him down to her level, crushing his lips against hers. When she released him, he looked a cross between flattered and irritated.

"That is even more distracting. How am I supposed to think, with you sitting here, toying with my hair, and kissing on me?"

Sigyn shrugged innocently. "What can I say, I'm a distracting girl."

"That you are." Loki sighed dramatically. "So, do we leave tomorrow?"

Sigyn jumped up in wild excitement. "Whoopee! We're going back to Asgard!" She whooped.

"Calm down, Melleth, you'll wake the neighbors." Loki giggled, but he was smiling.

Sigyn danced gleefully around the room. "Who cares? I'll be able to see you every night, now! This is bee-you-ti-ful!"

A small knock sounded on the door. "Mother? Are you okay?"

Sigyn threw open the door, and Loki quickly turned invisible. "Better than okay, Sleepy!" She wrapped her arms around her six-year-old daughter. "I'm fantastic!"

Gandhi peeked his small dark head out from his room. "Mother?"

"Go back to bed, everyone." Sigyn laughed, shooing her children down the hall. "I'll tell you tomorrow." With that, she slammed the door behind her, turning back to Loki. "Hey, where'd you go?"

Loki snatched her up from behind, twirling her around the room in his excitement. "Here." He replied, setting her down gently on the floor. "Of course, there'll be things we'll have to arrange on both realms, yes? You'll have to sell the house, I need to actually invite you back, you ought to quit your job and bid farewell to the remaining Avengers."

"Phooey." Sigyn waved a hand to dismiss all the things. "This is why you taught me to make illusions of myself. Perfect multitasking."

Loki rolled his eyes. "I taught you to multiply yourself to protect you. To use them as decoys for attackers."

"Oh, potato, tomato, potato, tomato." Sigyn scoffed, before kissing her husband soundly, again.

Those are two entirely different vegetables." Loki pointed out, as she climbed up onto the bed and began jumping on it.

"Tomatoes are fruits!" She squealed excitedly, while bouncing.

"Thank you for proving my point." Loki long-sufferingly sighed.

Sigyn skipped off the bed, clasping his hands in hers. "Aren't you happy, Loki?" She asked, gazing up into his eyes.

"Happy?" Loki scoffed. "Happy doesn't begin to describe it, Beloved. I'm thrilled. Ecstatic. Overjoyed."

"Then dance with me!" Sigyn giggled, turning a perfect cartwheel.

Loki shook his head in exasperation. "Sig, you're pregnant. You ought not to be exerting yourself."

"Phooey." She repeated, this time in disappointment. She flopped over onto the bed, pouting.

"You like that word, don't you?"

Sigyn sat up abruptly. "I like the word 'youhappentobetakingmeandourchildrentoasgard' better!"

He sat down beside her, stroking her hair. 'That's quite a long word. Is it… Polynesian?'

"Oh, hush." Sigyn grinned. "Shut up and dance with me."

Loki smiled, removed his boots, and slipped under the covers.

"Hey! You can't be sleeping!" Sigyn pounced on him. "The sky's awake! So, I'm awake! So, we have to plaaaay!"

Loki fake-snored. Sigyn bent over his ear. "You wanna build a snowman?" She whispered conspiratorially.

"Sleepy would eat it." Loki proclaimed.

"Yeah…" Sigyn sighed, rolling off of him. "That stinks."

"Hmmm…" Loki turned to face her, a goofy grin on his face.

"What?"

He chuckled, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. "I love you so much, it's embarrassing."

"How so?" Sigyn wondered, scooting closer to him.

"Odin rarely smiles, but, as of late, he's started grinning like some sort of lovestruck lunatic in the middle of council meetings because I happened to think of you." Loki explained. "It's awkward."

"But adorable." Sigyn laughed.

"You're perfect, you know that?" He sighed, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Fake news." Sigyn sighed. "If I was, nobody would be able to relate to me. Makes for bad character material."

Loki obviously disagreed, but decided to say nothing, merely wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her close to his chest.

TheOnlyHuman.