"I just want to talk with her, Mr. Stark!" Pearl pleaded, "Surely you know her address so that I can find her?"

"I don't," Tony replied, "Only Thor knows, right Point Break?"

"I won't share it without Maisy and Loki's clear consent," Thor said gently, "It is for safety reasons."

"Mr. Thor, I'm her mother! What threat could I possibly pose her and your brother?"

"Maisy didn't seem too happy to see you, Ms. Franklin," Tony said, crossing his arms and sitting down across from the woman, "I doubt she'd like it if you showed up at her apartment."

"This is absurd!" Pearl huffed, nails digging into the journal that Maisy had shoved in her face, "Does Joshua know her address? You know that he is capable of far more harm than I!"

"I don't know if she's told him or not. It's not my business."

"Oh, so it isn't your business, Mr. Stark, to keep an eye on the most dangerous being this world has ever seen and know his exact whereabouts at all times?" Pearl raised an eyebrow and twirled the lanyard around her neck that held a card reading PRESS PASS on it, "I'm sure the public would love to know about that."

"Technically, I do know where he lives," Tony snapped, "I just don't access that information. All I have to do is track his phone. Or Maisy's."

"You did not tell me that," Thor said quietly.

"We'll discuss it later," Tony waved away the matter, "But there is no way that I am telling you their address. You can whine about it to the press as much as you want."

"I will!"

"Don't you work for a bird watching magazine? Not many people are going to get the memo about Loki if you publish it there."

Before Pearl could respond the elevator doors opened and Maisy came back onto the common floor with her head held high and her hand resting in the crook of Loki's elbow. She stared at her mother and her expression quavered for only a moment.

"Maisy," Pearl stood up and dropped the journal. The leatherbound book hit the floor with a light thud, but it seemed to reverberate through the room since no one else was making a sound.

Finally, Maisy looked down at her mother, who still sat in the living room area. She let go of Loki's arm and stepped down to meet Pearl on the same level and crossed her arms.

"Mom."

"You… you look so grown up," Pearl whispered, quickly wiping away the moisture forming in her eyes.

"I am grown up," Maisy responded, "That's what happens to twelve year olds after nearly thirteen years. They don't stay twelve just because you aren't there."

"Hey, Thor?"

"Yes, Stark?"

"I think maybe we should give them some space."

"Ah, yes. A good idea," Thor nodded and he and Tony started to leave. The Asgardian put a hand on Loki's shoulder as they were going, "Come, brother."

"No," Maisy said firmly, "He stays. I want him here."

"Right," Thor winced and continued walking, "Alert Jarvis if you need anything from either of us!"

"Thanks."

The two Avengers left and Maisy turned back to her mother and took a deep breath.

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you," Pearl's hands had begun to shake again, "I know it's a bit overdue."

"Just a bit. Why did you come now?"

"I didn't know where you were until now! I saw that documentary thing and I could hardly believe it. And then I heard that he," she gestured to Loki, "Was working with the Avengers in New York and I figured that you were probably here too. So… I came."

Maisy couldn't help noticing that her mother said "New York" oddly. More like "New Yark". And, though she could recall that many specific instances when Pearl might have said the place's name during Maisy's childhood, it still felt off. It had been so long since Maisy had seen her mother, though, any number of things her memories believed about the woman could be incorrect.

"Yeah, but surely you remember your old address, Mom. Dad and I never moved."

"You know my memory is terrible. I don't remember every address I've ever lived at!" Pearl laughed slightly, "I mean, do you?"

"No, but I think I'd remember the address of my only child," Maisy snapped, "I think I'd at least send her a letter telling her I was okay!"

"Maybe I did write," Pearl crossed her arms as well, "Maybe your father kept the letters from you and wrote me telling me to leave you alone."

"I don't believe that for a second. Until he met his fiancee he always held out hope that you'd be back. He always told me that he was sure that you'd reach out at some point. My sixteenth birthday. High school graduation. College graduation. When I got into the fashion school of my dreams! He kept telling me that at some point you'd have to say something. But you never wrote or called or visited. I thought you were dead!"

"I'm sorry," Pearl said, "I didn't realize I'd missed so much."

"Mom," Maisy laughed without any humor and pointed at Loki, "I got married! To an alien!"

"I know, I know," the woman lowered her gaze, "But I've come to see you now. Better late than never, right?"

"Why'd you come now? And why did you ignore me for so long?"

"I wasn't ignoring you! I probably thought about you every day!"

"Probably? You aren't sure?"

"Uh," Pearl fidgeted with her hair, "No. I did think of you every day. I'm sorry. I was a coward. That's why I haven't visited before."

"So what changed?"

"I…" Pearl glanced at Loki, "I thought I should probably come meet your husband. And congratulate you."

"Well," Maisy gestured between them, "You've met. You can go back to hiding in Ontario!"

"What?" Pearl furrowed her brow, "No… I live in Canada."

She pronounced "Canada" like "Can-ahhh-daah".

"Ontario, Canada," Maisy nodded.

"Well, I can't go back to Ontario, Canada," this time she pronounced the country name correctly, "I want to catch up with you, Maisy. Let's go to dinner together, hmm? Just the two of us."

"I don't know. I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Fine, then we can go back to your home and talk! You and me, kiddo!"

"Kiddo?" Maisy snorted, "Since when do you call anyone 'kiddo'?"

"I've always called you that."

"No you haven't."

"Whatever. People change over time, like you said. I must have picked it up," Pearl reached forward and took Maisy's hand, "C'mon. I know I've messed up on a massive scale, but just give me an hour alone with you to catch up. We can go anywhere you like."

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm saying this," Maisy sighed, "Maybe the three of us can go get dinner together."

"That would be great! But I… I was hoping it could be just you and me? Some mother-daughter bonding time? I'd love to get to know Loki too, but for now can it just be me and you?"

"He's a big part of my life now," Maisy said, raising an eyebrow, "If you are going to get caught up with me then I think he should be there."

Loki moved closer and Maisy noticed that he was rather tense. When she looked at him he was looking at Pearl's face with great scrutiny. Like he didn't quite believe something she was saying or doing.

"Okay, okay," Pearl nodded, "But before we go, maybe you could show me to the bathroom?"

"Jarvis? Help my mom get to the bathroom, will you?"

"Of course. Go down that corridor, Ms. Franklin and take two lefts. Ladies' on the right and men's on the left."

"I lied," Pearl laughed lightly, "I don't need to use the bathroom. Honey, I need to talk to you alone for just a second. Is that okay?"

"Whatever you need to say to me you can say with Loki here," Maisy stepped back and found Loki's hand, holding it tightly.

"I really can't…" Pearl smiled at Loki, "Please? Just for a minute can you leave?"

"Maisy?"

"Fine," Maisy shrugged but then a thought crossed her mind, "Before we go to another room, though, tell me something?"

"Uh sure."

"What's my middle name?"

"Sloane, dear. After my middle name. It's a family tradition."

"Okay," Maisy nodded pleasantly, "When's my birthday?"

"March eighteenth… which is coming up, isn't it? Next week. Maybe we should go shopping together to celebrate after dinner! It's not everyday that you turn twenty-five."

"Maybe we should," Maisy agreed, "Okay, let's talk After one more question?"

"I guess, but I don't know why you are quizzing me!"

"What kind of bird did I draw on your birthday card the year you left?"

"That was a long time ago! You can't possibly expect me to remember!"

"You took the card with you. It was on the fridge the day before you left and it was gone in the morning. I'll even give you a hint: you said it was your favorite kind of bird because it reminded you of your sister."

"Oh! Oh that card," Pearl chuckled, "It had a robin on it of course! After your dear Aunt Robin! Can we talk in private now? Have I passed your test?"

Maisy was silent for a long moment and Pearl looked at her worriedly until the silence was broken with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah! Just a sec. We'll leave Loki here. Wait for me over by the elevator?"

"Sure," Pearl smiled and left them. When she was out of hearing range Maisy frowned.

"Loki?"

"Hmm?"

"The bird on my mom's card was a wren. After my mom's sister who died when she was three."

"Not a robin?"

"Not a robin."

"I also assume your real mother would know that Ontario is in Canada."

"Yeah, probably."

"And what is our plan from here forward?" Loki asked, flashing a dagger so that Maisy could see it and giving her a questioning look.

"Don't stab her, we don't know what she wants."

"Aside from getting you alone with her for a moment."

"I'll see what she wants and we can go from there."

"Take this," he handed her the dagger.

"Thanks," Maisy kissed his cheek and tucked the weapon in her back pocket, "Be right back."

"I'm not far if you need me."

A note from the author: Okay, okay, you all called it. Maisy's mom is not Maisy's mom. Y'all are too smart! ;)

Anyone else stoked about the MCU lineup? Particularly Thor: Love and Thunder and the Loki show? Because I know I am! I know Thor 4 will be excellent because Taika Waititi, but I'm worried Disney will screw up Loki's show. But we must think positive! The rumors I've heard about the premise sound awesome!

Thanks for reading!

Special thanks to my fantastic reviewers:

Old-fashionedAnglophile: I thought to myself "people are going to be emotional in an elevator, there's no way I can go without mentioning NCIS". XD

CheetahLover: Thank you, thank you! I hope you like where the story goes from here!

xlokiswolfx: Lol, if we all had a little Loki on our shoulder... that would probably be terrible. The world would be in chaos by lunchtime! ;)

Ninja Squirrel: *coughs awkwardly and glances at list of untrustworthy characters* Whaaat? Newcomers untrustworthy? I don't know what you're talking about! You certainly couldn't be thinking of Caxton, Aoiba,Fulla, Blaze, Egil, Drin, Tyr and now Pearl Franklin, could you? Lol, maybe I have issues with writing trustworthy characters. Your life sounds a wee bit crazy at the moment and I'm hoping and praying everything will go well for you!

Dragoncat: Just wait till the next chapter... mwahaha!

You guys are the bestest ever! Love all y'all! :D