Tony had hooked up a system for Maisy, Pepper, and Jane that sent them each a text message when the quinjet was ten minutes from landing. While Pepper was often too busy to come to greet the returning heroes and Jane was currently doing work in Norway, Maisy always made sure to go to the Tower as soon as she got the alert.

This time was no different. She asked her boss if she could take her lunch hour and then cheerfully made her way to that part of town. She didn't take the bus since her nightmares had been worse lately and she didn't want to have a panic attack again, but she splurged on a cab because she wanted to make sure she was there right as the quinjet got in.

Once she was on the floor of the Tower with the landing pad, waiting by the outside doors, she texted Linn to let her know that the Avengers were coming back. Linn replied that she hoped this meant that they got to have cake and ice cream for dinner to celebrate. Maisy laughed and told her to get back to her studies.

They would definitely be having cake. And not just because the Avengers had all made it back safely. Maisy couldn't wait to tell Loki the news.

At first she'd been terrified when the pregnancy test was positive. She and Loki hadn't discussed the possibility of children for a while, beyond their annoyance with her old college friend at the party they'd gone to. Part of her was scared that he would be upset because they, admittedly, weren't ready for a baby.

After she'd rushed back to the pharmacy and burst into tears with the pharmacist patting her on the back comfortingly, she'd talked with the older woman for over two hours. The pharmacist answered all of her questions and made her feel more at ease with the whole thing. By the time they were done talking Maisy was actually excited about the tiny life growing inside her.

She hadn't told anyone else the news. Obviously she wanted Loki to be the first to know (other than the kindly pharmacist) so she'd had to keep her excitement to herself. Keeping it from Linn had been extremely difficult, but luckily the girl had no idea what a store bought pregnancy test was so she didn't spoil the secret when she spotted it in the bathroom trash can.

Maisy grinned as she waited for the Quinjet, thinking about how best to tell Loki. She didn't want to tell him in front of all of the Avengers, since he might not appreciate that. Her plan was to walk home with him and on the way stop at a store that she knew carried baby supplies and casually mention that they might need some of the items soon. She could already picture his surprised face as he questioned what she meant.

After Loki was informed of the upcoming addition to their little family she was thinking that they could invite Thor and Linn to dinner and then break the news to them. Thor would probably break something in his excitement and Linn would squeal with delight. Maisy giggled thinking about it and then felt incredibly nervous when she saw the jet land. Butterflies filled her stomach and her excitement quickly turned to shaking hands.

Standing, she had to duck out of the way when two medics rushed past her with a stretcher. She watched in concern and saw them take Clint Barton off the jet. He looked like he was in a lot of pain, but when she tried to speak to him he just shook his head and looked away from her. Shrugging and knowing that Dr. Cho would fix him up, she looked back to the quinjet and saw Tony and Bruce get off.

They looked tired and when they saw her wave at them they suddenly looked guilty. Maisy wondered what that was about, but went back to watching and saw Natasha and Steve descend the jet ramp. Whenever someone saw her they looked away, but she chalked it up to tiredness. Until she saw Thor.

The big Asgardian got off of the jet and Maisy didn't think she'd ever seen him look more miserable. Her heart stopped for a moment and he slowly looked up at her, revealing tears in his eyes.

Shoving past the other Avengers, she tried to make her way to her brother-in-law.

"Maisy, wait," Steve caught her, "Just wait a second."

"Get off," she whispered.

"You have to know-"

"Get off!"

He let her go and she ran to Thor, looking at him questioningly and then back at the jet, waiting for one more person to climb down the ramp and sweep her into a hug.

"Thor, where's Loki?"

"Maisy…" Thor's voice was strained with sadness, "Loki didn't, he was… he fought valiantly."

The prince's voice cracked on the last word.

"What are you talking about?" Maisy shook her head, already knowing what Thor was saying.

"My brother has joined our mother in the halls of Valhalla."

Maisy took a moment to process what he'd just said and when she did she felt weak, and then her heart felt as though it would stop, and then she was furious.

"You're lying," she snapped, "You're lying!"

"How I wish I were," Thor clenched his fists and then let his hammer hit the ground, "I wish I were, Maisy."

"Liar!" She hit his chest with her open palm, "Thor, tell me where he is!"

"He… he is on the quinjet still, but Maisy-"

"He's playing a joke," she turned to go up the ramp of the jet, but Thor grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"I beg of you, dear Maisy, do not go in there," his eyes shone with tears, "Please. You do not need to see what lies in wait for you there."

"Let me go. He's just playing some stupid joke like he always does. Trying to scare me," she pulled free of Thor and rushed on board the quinjet. She greedily looked around the space, searching for that laughing smirk or the sparkling green of his eyes. When she found the familiar face her legs only had enough strength to propel her to his side before she collapsed to her knees.

He lay on the ground with his arms neatly folded across his middle. His face was tinged blue and his hair spread out under his head. There were scratches on all of his visible skin, but right through his heart there was a big bloody hole that one could probably see all the way through if one tried hard enough.

"Loki," Maisy's hands fluttered above him for a moment before grabbing his hand and holding it to her chest, "Loki stop it! This isn't funny! Stop it!"

Thor boarded behind her and knelt next to her.

"He isn't tricking us this time."

"He is, Thor, he's being an absolute asshole and making me freak out," Maisy insisted, but with every moment she was becoming less sure of that, "Loki stop! You aren't fooling anyone!"

"Maisy, please, you must accept the truth."

"No!" She screamed and clung more tightly to Loki's hand, "No, this isn't real! It's not real Thor!"

Suddenly she had the answer and let out a choked laugh.

"Ha! He isn't faking, but that's because this is a dream!" She looked to Thor for confirmation, but he looked away, "It is a dream! It's one of my nightmares! Watch, Egil will pop up and gloat about this any second!"

"This isn't a nightmare, Maisy, please listen to me-"

"No Thor, you're wrong, this is just-"

"Maisy listen!"

"He's fine! Loki is completely fine!" Tears were spilling now and she was shaking her head, "He's fine!"

"Listen to me-"

"No! We just have to-"

"Loki is dead!" Thor roared. Then the truth finally hit her and she could not stop herself. She threw herself over Loki's chest and cried against him, wanting the comfort he always gave her when something horrible happened, wanting him to wrap his arms around her and kiss her and tell her it was all a game he was playing. Sobs shook her whole body as she quietly pleaded with him to jump up and wipe away her tears.

Thor eventually pulled her to her feet, but she just as quickly collapsed against her brother-in-law's chest. He held her tightly and she felt a few drops of water fall on top of her head as she was held. They stood like that for a long time, neither one wanting to leave Loki's side, both hoping that it was only just a trick.

A note from the author: *throws more cookies at you and ducks back into reader-proof bunker* Don't kill me! I promise I will post more chapters shortly!

Thanks to my reviewers:

Guest 1 from chapter 73: I love that vine! XD However, I think a more accurate vine is the other taco one. With the guy who says "you know this boys got his free taco" and then falls over and drops the taco...

Guest 2 from chapter 73: Yay! Me too! Even though people probably want to kill me now.

MetallicarBaby: Yep... you were right to be worried.

Ninja Squirrel: *hides and keeps throwing comfort food your way along with super soft animal plushies, blankets, candy, and tissues*

Until next chapter! Please don't kill me, please don't kill me, please don't kill me!