Loki watched Sylvie wave, then turn and walk through the enchanted Alioth toward the castle at the end of time. He waved back and swallowed. She'd insisted on going alone. Helping her enchant it took a toll on him and he was drained. As were his two older and younger counterparts standing next to him. They'd all taken a branch of smoke and putting their collective Variant powers together, Alioth had lit green.

"Well," said Classic Loki. "What now?"

"Now, we go back to Sigyn, and decide where to go next," said Loki. Back to Sigyn. The beating of his heart moved the blood faster in his veins. He prayed she'd be awake. Oh he hoped she was alright. He couldn't wait to hold her. She fit in his arms like a puzzle piece, custom fit for him alone. But more than that, he needed to assure those big brown eyes that he was here to stay.

They trudged over the terrain toward the hut two miles away.

"Do you think Sylvie will be successful?" asked the child. "She's one of us after all."

Loki smirked. "And we're doomed to failure, is that it?"

"Well, it's been true so far."

"What are you talking about? We just enchanted a giant smoke monster that devours whole worlds. Was that a failure?"

The corners of Kid Loki's mouth turned up into a smile. "I suppose not."

"There, you see? We're more powerful than we believe."

"We were rather magnificent weren't we?" said Classic Loki, swirling his cape. He walked on ahead trudging up the hill.

"Loki?" asked the child. "If you and Sigyn like me, do you think…" He scratched the back of his neck, his head wavering back and forth as he walked.

"Of course we like you. You're a Loki."

"I meant… Can we come with you?"

Loki stopped. A fear rose in him, squeezing his heart until he thought it might pop. He'd be responsible for this boy. And an old man. And.. an alligator. And yet, he already knew. Of course they would all go together, he couldn't leave all the different parts of himself in this wasteland. In such a short time, he'd learned to accept and make peace with them, working in tandem.

He placed both hands on the boy's shoulders. "I'd never leave you behind. I'm sure Sigyn feels the same."

The brightness in the child's eyes startled him. Then to Loki's astonishment the boy seized him tight, wrapping his arms around his torso. Loki hesitated. Then inch by inch, returned the hug, and held his younger self to him with a grin.

Mabel sat outside the shack with Zabu and Alligator Loki. She'd insisted Mobius and Scarlet not tarry just for her and they'd left an hour ago, tears and hugs given. The other Loki's had left long ago, trying to piece together a society from what remained. She'd thanked the boastful version, and they'd clasped forearms, Valkyrie style.

She pulled Loki's blanket tighter around her shoulders. His comforting amber scent wafted up from the fabric, surrounding her as much as the blanket did. She sighed and looked at her TemPad again. She knew the plan.

If heaven forbid, Loki didn't return then it was up to her alone to execute the plan. No. She wouldn't think about that right now.

She'd keep her eye on the horizon.

Zabu and Alligator Loki sat next to each other, making little growling noises. She wished she understood them, but they seemed to be having a congenial conversation which warmed her heart.

She sat up suddenly. In the distance she saw two long gold horns rise up over the hill. The green and yellow regalia of the older Loki Variant came into view. She stood. Then a small gold crown on dark hair rose, and she breathed a sigh of relief that Kid was alright.

Both the older and younger versions were now in full view, and her heart caught in her throat. Where was Loki? She gripped the blanket so tight, her knuckles hurt.

Then, she saw him. A mopped head of disheveled black curls, small gold horns, filthy TVA shirt, ripped through in the front. She'd never seen anything more beautiful.

She took off running, the blanket floating to the ground behind her. She could see he was running too.

He was closer, but still so far away.

She looked over as Zabu bounded over the grass next to her, and the alligator made a slithery bee line for the child.

Her body was still recovering, but it was no use. She'd fight it tooth and nail in order to reach him. There he was. Then they crashed together, barely slowing. One of his arms was around her back, the other behind her head, sinking into her hair. Her arms tight around his torso, holding his firm body to hers.

Their mouths crushed together. Salty moisture from their tears itched on her cheeks, but she didn't care. They trailed their lips across each other's faces. The field was cold and damp, but his body was warm, and she buried her head in his chest. He laid kisses on her hair, holding her to him.

They sat together in the little ramshackle hut on the mattress, Mabel leaning back against his chest, his arms around her and a blanket draped over their shoulders. This place was too bloody cold.

Classic and Kid had gone to gather their few possessions from the bowling alley, and the two lovers were relishing their moment alone before they rejoined them. Zabu and Alligator were asleep side by side near the fire.

Loki twined his and Mabel's fingers together, in different patterns, caressing her palm, holding her digits tight between his. His heart was so full, he couldn't completely understand it. He'd never felt this way before. The only thing he could liken it to was coming close to fulfilling his glorious purpose on Midgard. But that only had emptiness on the other end.

"So this mysterious plan of yours," he said. "You're being very cryptic."

"Well, we may not need to do it. You got Sylvie past the cloud, and soon as Scarlet and Mobius know anything, they'll com me on the TemPad. If it goes wrong we implement the plan. If all goes right, then we're free to find our place in the world."

"That's not a reason not to tell me."

"You of all people should appreciate mischief."

"That's not mischief, it's just plain cruel," he said with mirth, kissing her hair.

She leaned her head back on his shoulder with a smirk. "So Mr. Laufeyson. You enchanted Alioth, you escaped the TVA and you inherited a motley crew. What will you do next?"

He chuckled through his nose. "Run away with you. Let's go tropical for a while. I fancy a lie on a warm beach after this chilly dumping ground."

"In swim trunks with flowers?"

"In a… that thing…" he paused raising his eyes thinking. "Speedo."

"Mm, interesting. Do go on."

"And a beauty next to me in…what do you call those?"

"A bikini?"

"Right. Why does that word sound so very wicked?" he asked tightening his hold on her.

"Because it is." She leaned back and placed a kiss under his jaw, his sigh moved the skin under her lips.

"Then after, we find home base," he said. "A place to…"

"Rule?" she asked.

"No."

"Raise Hel?"

He laughed. "Absolutely. A place for us. For all of us."

"No more adventures?"

"What are you talking about? I am the adventure."

It was her turn to laugh. "You are indeed, you agent of chaos."

"And you, goddess of Victory. Sigyn the loyal." He ran his hand down her arms to warm her as a tremor made her shiver against him.

"Am I Sigyn?" she asked.

Her body rose and fell against his chest with his breaths for a long while. "I can't answer that for you," he said.

She turned around so they were face to face. "If you never knew I was Sigyn. If I was just plain Mabel from the TVA. A lesser manager in a cramped apartment with a giant tiger for a pet… would you still love me?"

His eyes went soft, and his eyebrows did that thing she loved, curving down at the corners, showing his concern.

"You were never plain Mabel to me. And of course I did. I fought to stay at the TVA for Mabel."

"But…"

"But you're Sigyn too. You can't parse out your different parts, you have to learn to live with them."

She put her hands on both sides of his face, pushing them back into his hair, staring into his water colored eyes. She wanted to drown in them. "Since when did you become so wise about Variants?" Leaning forward, she placed a light kiss on his lips.

"It just came to me." He pulled her back, not ready to stop the kissing, cupping her head, running his knuckle along her jaw.

"You shouldn't do that," she breathed, her eyes hazy, only a breath between them. "You make me want things."

"What things?" he whispered, moving her hair from her face.

"Things I can't say in front of Zabu."

"Oh. Right," he said, looking at the sleeping animals a few feet away. "So what do you want me to call you?"

"Yours," she said, curling his hair in her fingers. "I'll figure out the rest later." She dropped little kisses on his eyebrows.

"You don't know how much I enjoy hearing that."

"Hearing what?" Classic and Kid had returned.

Loki and Mabel stared at the older Variant. He was in a dark green suit, yellow tie, trench coat down to his ankles. His horns however, remained

"You look very dashing," said Mabel smiling.

"I do cut a rather striking figure, don't I?" He pulled on the lapels of his coat.

Kid had a green hoodie on, holding the straps of his backpack with an eager grin. It was astonishing how much adolescence had caught up with him. He no longer looked like he had the cares of the world on his still small shoulders.

Zabu and Alligator woke up, and the reptile slithered over to Kid. He picked him up, and the cold blooded creature cuddled as much as an alligator can into the boy's neck. Zabu sat on his haunches next to Mabel.

"Sigyn," said Classic, helping her to stand. "Am I dressed appropriately for where we're going?"

"You're perfect for our first stop. You however…" She helped Loki to his feet and ran her finger against the muscles of his stomach through the rip in his shirt.

Loki looked down at himself and shuddered. "Good god." He cracked his neck, and a in a flash of green over his body he was in an all-black suit, his small set of horns still wrapped around his forehead.

Mabel put her hand over her throat. "Oh…" she breathed.

Loki cocked an eyebrow. "Like what you see do you?"

"Mhm…" She pulled on his tie.

"Please, spare us," said Classic, covering the boy's eyes.

Mabel cleared her throat. "Anyway… Listen. Where we're going we won't be detected by the TVA. But we can't stay there for too long. After we're done and until Mobius and Scarlet have more info for us or until I pinpoint the next location in the plan, we'll either have to come back here, or hide in apocalypses. Understand?"

"No," said Loki. "Nothing you're saying makes any sense darling."

"It will," she said.

"Are you changing outfits?" asked Kid. She still had her Valkyrie armor on, though part of it was ripped at the shoulder where Loki tended to her wound.

"Not yet," she said smiling. "Are we ready?" She opened the orange doorway with her Tempad.

"After you my love," said Loki, and she walked through, the others following.

The three Loki's gasped. They were standing on a moonlit rocky beach. In front of them was a sheer cliff face that climbed into the black star filled sky, so high they couldn't see the top. Behind was a lake with dark water that lapped gently on the shore.

"Where are we?" asked Kid, holding Alligator closer.

Mabel closed her eyes and let the light flow down her arms. She raised them, blue glowing from her hands. She stretched them out and an opening appeared in the rock.

A grand gold and stone staircase was before them, the steps flanked to either side winding around to the second floor. A glass window pouring ethereal light inside was in the middle with depictions of Valkyrie victories moving across it with magic. Statues of Valkyries were placed up the railings.

Mabel moved her hands over her head, and her armor changed to a blue floor length dress, that moved with the air as she walked. Her favorite dress from her time in Asgard. It felt like freedom.

She took Loki's hand, twining their fingers, as he stared at her with unbridled astonishment and want. She squeezed his hand and they followed her up the stairs. Walking around, they came to two large wooden carved doors with ancient runes. She opened the door and ushered them into a large and grand dining hall, lit with gold columns on which were placed bowls of fire. An enormous fire place was lit with immense flames. Carved, ornate pillars rolled back into the mountain. A table that stretched on and on was overflowing with food and drink. Wild boar, whole chickens, fish-fermented and roasted alike, pies, fruits and vegetables, and more than they could comprehend.

They stared at the bounty in awe.

"Welcome to Valhalla," said Mabel.