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Teddy stood in the doorway of Haruven's and Thor's room. His father was sitting in a chair by the window, dull gaze looking up at the clear blue sky, shoulders hunched and a mirror Teddy has never seen before gently grasped in trembling hands resting in Haruven's lap.

It's been two weeks.

Two weeks since the great battle.

Two weeks since they defeated the greatest threat Earth has ever faced.

Two weeks since they burned the bodies of the Chitauri and buried the bodies of those they have lost.

Two weeks since his father last spoke.

Ven ate and slept, but it was all on automatic. He barely looked at anyone.

Their friends and comrades went back to their lives. Tony, Bruce and Steve took care of everyone. Right now Tony and Pepper were at a conference with the President of USA.

Everything ended up alright. Their losses weren't all that big, statistically speaking, but they hurt never the less.

The Goa'uld were confirmed to be dead.

The Warriors Three and Sif took Loki back to Asgard.

Loki remembered everything and he was willing to accept any punishment Odin would deal to him.

But Teddy cared little for any of that.

What he cared about was his father; his father who seemed to have given up on everything.

Teddy jumped slightly when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at Bruce who smiled at him with sad eyes. "Anything?"

Teddy shook his head with a sigh. "Nothing." He muttered and pushed away from the doorframe. He closed the door of Haruven's room and walked down the hallway with Bruce by his side.

"We need to give him time. He's eating and sleeping. That's important for now."

"But the condition he's in isn't good for the baby," Teddy said and Bruce sighed. They entered the elevator and made their way up to the living room.

"You can't do anything right now. Forcing him into something would only result in putting stress on him. He needs to come to grips with everything. We're all keeping an eye on him. If something goes wrong we'll know."

Teddy sighed and nodded reluctantly. "I just – I'll have to go back to London in a few days," he muttered and the elevator stopped. "I would like to at least hear him speak." He spoke as they entered the living room.

"Give him time," Bruce said and nodded at the others.

"And changes?" Steve asked almost breathlessly and Teddy shook his head sadly.

"Nothing." He muttered. "He just sits by that window with that Mirror in his hands. Nothing else."

"I wonder what's with that Mirror." Natasha wondered, exchanging a glance with Clint.

"Maybe it's something Thor gave him," Clint suggested. The two were sitting together on the couch with Natasha snuggled against Clint, and his arm draped over her shoulders.

"It doesn't look like something of Asgard," Bruce said as he and Teddy took seats. Steve came over with drinks for them and took a seat in the last armchair. "But I'm not an expert." Everyone smiled at Bruce when he shrugged and a sheepish smile tilted his lips.

"Did Tony and Pepper call in?" Teddy asked.

"Not as of yet." Natasha sighed. "It's strange, isn't it? Now that everything's over everyone suddenly wants contracts with us and everyone else in case of another invasion."

"That's humanity for you." Clint muttered and the others chuckled.

"Did you hear from Sif?" Teddy asked.

"No. Nothing." Natasha said.

"We shouldn't hold it against them," Steve said. "They feel the loss just like we do."

Heavy silence settled among them.

This was something they avoided talking about practically at all costs.

The loss of Thor weighed heavily upon them, not only because all of them cared for the God of Thunder dearly, but because his absence was slowly killing Haruven, despite everything they tried to do for their dearest friend.

"Do you – do you think Thor is alive?" Teddy asked in a small voice. Bruce sighed and his lips tilted up into a small smile, although it didn't reach his eyes.

"I hope he is, Teddy. I sure hope he is."

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"Loki?" said man looked up and swallowed difficultly when he saw Frigga's pale face and her sad eyes.

"Mother." He stood up from his desk and Frigga offered him a small smile. She walked over to him and looked down at the books spread out all over his table, frowning as her gaze skimmed over the titles.

"Loki, what is this?" she asked, tracing one of the books with the tips of her fingers.

Loki swallowed difficultly, fisting his hands by his sides. "Mother, I – I know all of this is my fault."

"Loki, no…" she turned to look at him, cupping his face within her gentle hands.

"It is," he said and looked in her eyes. "I was the one who gave in to petty jealousy and stupid pride. I was the one who couldn't see my actions weren't my own. I was the one who was too weak to fight off the control of the Goa'uld. It's – it's because of me that Thor – that Thor is..." his voice broke and he took a seat heavily. "And I'm going to fix that," he pressed out as he glanced over the books he had gathered.

Frigga's eyes filled with tears and she placed her hands on Loki's shoulders, taking a deep, strained breath. "Loki, Thor is gone." She whispered as tears started to trail down her cheeks. "We should be concentrating on – on Haruven and you. He is with child. We need to…"

"Thor isn't gone, Mother." Loki insisted, jumping to his feet and facing Frigga. "He's trapped in the void, but he's alive, and for as long as he is alive, he can be brought back."

Frigga whimpered and fell to her knees in front of Loki. "Please, stop." She whispered. "I lost you once, and now I lost Thor. Please, do not risk…"

"I destroyed everything, mother!" Loki cried out and fell to his knees in front of her, grasping her shoulders in a trembling hold. "I almost killed Haruven, I attacked Midgard twice! And instead of locking me inside the dungeons of Asgard, Father has pardoned me and – and I need to make things right!"

"Loki, please…" Frigga fisted her hands in the sleeves of Loki's tunic, looking at him with an imploring gaze.

"The answer is in those books, mother. There must be a way to bring Thor back from the void. There has to be. I destroyed everything. Haruven Sigurdsson needs Thor. He needs him to survive. He needs him otherwise his magic will destroy both Haruven and the child he carries. I need to bring Thor back. I need to – I need to redeem myself." Loki finished weakly, looking at Frigga with a pleading gaze. She swallowed difficultly and looked at the books. "Thor is alive, mother." Loki said. "I survived a year in the void. He is alive."

She nodded slowly and stood up with Loki's help, and they approached Loki's table taking a look at the books.

"Then we can bring him back." Both looked at the doorway and found Odin standing there with a small smile on his lips. Loki bowed quickly, keeping his head low. He tensed up when Odin walked over to him only to place his hand on Loki's shoulder. The raven haired sorcerer looked up with shock written all over his face. "Your mother and I will help you."

"Father…"

"I have failed you too many times, son." Odin said. "I will not do so again." His eyes met Frigga's tear-filled orbs and she nodded at him. "Where do we start?" Odin asked Loki and he gaped slightly.

"I – I read through these two books already." Loki rushed over to the table, putting two books aside. "These are – these are the ones I have yet to read." He piled 7 more books on top of one another.

Odin nodded and walked over to take the book off the top of the pile. "Let us begin then." He moved over to take a seat on Loki's bed.

Frigga smiled at her husband and took another book.

Loki looked at his parents, at their suddenly determined countenances, and new strength appeared in his heart, quickly followed by ever growing determination. 'I will save you, brother. You and Haruven saved me. I will save you. I will redeem myself. I will.'

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"This is it." Loki breathed out and Frigga and Odin looked up at him.

"You found something?" Frigga asked as excitement colored her voice and her eyes glowed, and Loki smiled at her brightly.

"This is – this is it!" he stood up. "Father I need to go to Midgard!" his clothes shifted quickly into a pair of black trousers, black dress shoes and an emerald green button up shirt. He grabbed the book and ran over to Odin's side. "This can bring Thor back!" he showed Odin a page in the book.

"Forlorn Hope?" Odin asked and looked at Loki.

"It is a Mirror. It is a Mirror that can grant you any wish you have." Loki spoke quickly. "And it is on Midgard. I only need to find it and with my magic it won't be difficult."

"Son…"

"Father!" Loki interrupted Odin and kneeled in front of him. "Allow me to go to Midgard. Allow me to find the Forlorn Hope. Allow me to save Thor. Please. I need to do this."

Odin swallowed difficultly and looked at Frigga. She nodded and Odin sighed, looking at Loki with a grave gaze. "Very well."

Loki let go of the breath he was unconsciously holding, and gifted Odin with a wavering smile as tears of hope filled his eyes. "I will not fail you, Father. I swear." He stood up and bowed at them. "I will not fail you," with that he disappeared, leaving Odin and Frigga alone.

"Do you think he can do it?" Frigga asked weakly and took a seat beside Odin. The Allfather sighed and pulled Frigga into a loving hug.

"I know he can, my beloved Queen. I know he can."

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"Has anyone seen my dad?!" Teddy shouted the moment he ran into the living room. Not a second later everyone was on their feet.

"Jarvis, locate Haruven Sigurdsson!" Tony snapped.

"Mr. Sigurdsson is nowhere in the Tower, sir," Jarvis said and everyone exchanged panicked glances.

"When did he leave?" Bruce asked, hopping in his place as he held back from rushing out of the Tower to search for his friend.

"I don't know, sir. I cannot seem to find him on any of the cameras." Jarvis said.

"Where could he have gone?!" Teddy asked, clearly panicking.

"We need to start a search," Steve said. "He is in no condition to be alone outside."

"I'll go and hack into the security cameras in the city." Natasha ran off.

"We'll go out on the streets," Clint said. "I can scan the city from the rooftops."

"Let's go…"

"Sir, we have Bifröst activity." Tony was interrupted by Jarvis, and everyone froze in their places

"WHAT?!" everyone snapped while Tony ran over to the window and looked at the sky.

"Christ, not again."

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Haruven swallowed difficultly as he entered the Starborn Café. He looked around as the door closed behind him. He leaned back against the door and closed his eyes. A pulse of magic burst from him and everything went back to how it was before.

Haruven looked around with sad, pain-filled eyes and walked down the middle of the Café.

His heart clenched when he came to the bar and looked at the clock Thor gave him. With trembling fingers he took it into his hands and walked over to the closest armchair.

Fire burst in the fireplace as he took a seat with his legs under him, hugged the clock to his chest and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

A warm wind caressed his brow and he shivered.

"Look at me, my sweet." He opened his eyes and a wavering breath left his lips. Urd's beautiful eyes were looking at him with a sad, understanding smile on her lips. "Oh, Haruven." She took a seat on the armrest and pulled him against herself, hugging his head to her chest.

"Why, Urd?" he spoke, his voice raspy from him not speaking in weeks. "Why?" Urd's heart clenched with pain and she buried her face in his soft hair.

"I do not know, sweetness. I do not know." She whispered. She moved back, stood up and kneeled in front of him. She cupped his face and lovingly smiled up at him as she caressed his cheeks with her thumbs. "But I do know that you cannot go on like this. You need to think of your son. You need to think of yourself. Thor wouldn't want you to torture yourself like this. He would want you to stand up. He would want you to live. He would want you to smile. He would want you to laugh."

Tears welled up in Haruven's eyes and rolled down his pale cheeks.

"How?" he whimpered. "How do I stand up? How do I smile? He's gone, Urd. He's gone and I don't know…"

"He swore to come back to you, Haruven. He swore. And you know Thor never breaks his promises."

A small sob escaped Haruven's lips and he pulled in on himself, bowing his head as tears streamed down his cheeks. Urd felt her own eyes fill with tears.

She never saw Haruven this broken and torn.

She never saw him on the verge of giving up on everything.

He was always strong, always standing proud.

He never gave up on anything.

"Haruven…"

"He's trapped there, Urd." He whimpered, clutching the clock to his chest. "He's trapped there and there's nothing I can do but wait. What if he doesn't manage to find a way out? What if he remains trapped there forever?! What if I'll have to…?"

"Stop!" Urd snapped and Haruven winced. "Stop right there. He will never give up. He will never give up trying to come back to you. He will never give up looking for you." She stood up and cupped his face, making him look at her. "So don't you dare give up on him. Don't you dare give up on everything you two created."

Haruven was about to answer when his breath hitched in his throat after a wave of power washed over him. Urd moved back when he stood up quickly and the clock vanished only to appear on the bar again.

"Ven?"

"Someone just arrived through the Bifröst." Urd frowned slightly. "I need to go."

"Haruven!" she called out after him but he was out of the Café before she managed to say another word. She swallowed difficultly and sighed. "I hope everything turns out alright."

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"Stand down. I come in peace," Loki said with his hands held up as he faced Tony, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce and Teddy. They were all looking at him warily and he couldn't help but smile. "I came here because I found a way to bring Thor back. I just need to find something."

"Let's say we trust you," Tony said, "although I wouldn't know why," he added as an afterthought and Loki rolled his eyes.

"I know what I did was wrong and I'm trying to make things right. All I need is to find a Mirror. I need to find the Forlorn Hope. It's a Mirror that can fulfill any wish you have. If I find it I can bring Thor back." Loki explained quickly.

The others exchanged confused glances.

"If what you're saying is true," Bruce started, "how can we be sure you're going to use it to bring Thor back?"

Loki swallowed and looked Bruce in the eyes. "I know I was wrong. I know what I did is unforgivable. I know that. But despite everything, my mother and father took me back. Despite everything I've done they still consider me their son. Despite everything I love my brother. And I need to bring him back. I need to redeem myself. And this is the only way I know how."

"I don't know..."

"Steve?" Teddy interrupted the Captain and he looked at the Sorcerer of Asgard. "Dad will – Dad will smile again…" he whispered, glancing at everyone with an imploring gaze before he looked at Loki. "How do you plan to find it? It could be anywhere in the world."

Loki's lips tilted up into a relieved smile and raised his hands again. "With a simple summoning spell." The others tensed up when they felt a wave of power wash over them. Loki closed his eyes as he chanted something under his breath.

The Avengers and Teddy exchanged glances as they waited for something to happen. All of a sudden that wave of power came bursting back and they jumped apart when something flew between them and straight into Loki's hands. He opened his eyes and looked down at it, and he let go of a breathless, relieved laugh. "I guess it was closer than I thought it would be." He muttered as he caressed the reflective surface of the mirror.

"Wait, isn't that…?" Teddy muttered.

"Haruven's mirror." Bruce whispered and Loki raised his head to look at them with a small smile.

"I am sorry for everything," he said as he kneeled. "Usually it's takes the reflection of the full moon to use this, but I suppose we would all like to bring this to an end as quickly as possible." He spoke as he placed the Mirror on the floor.

"Loki!" Teddy shouted and the Sorcerer looked at him. Teddy took a deep breath, steeled his stance and fisted his hands by his sides. "Bring Thor back, alright?" Loki smiled at Teddy and his green eyes filled with sadness.

"I will," he promised and looked at the Mirror again, holding his right hand above it as he closed his eyes. "Yata no Kagami." He spoke in a deep, commanding voice. "I bid you now. Awaken and fulfill my heart's desire!"

The skies darkened quickly and thunder clashed as the Mirror glowed. A strong wind picked up speed and everyone shielded their faces with their arms.

"Who disturbs my slumber?!"

"Loki of Asgard!" he answered firmly, forcing down a swallow as the surface of the mirror turned black.

"You know the price of your wish, Loki of Asgard?"

"I do." He choked out as tears filled his eyes.

"And you still want me to fulfill your wish?"

Loki swallowed and looked at the expectant, excited faces of Bruce, Tony, Steve, Natasha, Clint and Teddy. "I – I do," he said and a small smile pulled on his lips.

"Then so be it."

The Mirror glowed again and Loki grunted when black tendrils of electricity started to snap around him.

"NO!" everyone jumped apart when Haruven ran between them. He ran into Loki and pushed him away from the Mirror.

"Haruven!"

"Dad!" Teddy cried out but no one could move since the strong gusts of wind were constantly pushing them back.

"What are you doing?! I'm trying to bring Thor back!" Loki shouted from under Haruven.

"At the price of your own life!" Haruven screamed right back at him.

"I KNOW THE COST!" Loki roared and Haruven tensed up. "I brought this upon us! I destroyed everything! I need to save him! I need so save him to redeem…"

"DO YOU THINK HE WOULD WANT THAT?!" Haruven snapped at Loki in a broken scream. "Do you think that after everything he went through to save you, everything we went through, Thor would want you to die just so he could come back sooner?!"

Loki's breath hitched in his throat and he shivered when Haruven's eyes filled with tears and a few of them fell on Loki's face.

"I've held on to that Mirror for days!" Haruven shouted painfully. "I know he's alive! I know he'd never give up on me! I know he would never give up on our son!"

"DAD!" Teddy screamed when the Mirror rose into the air, spinning wildly.

"I want him back!" Ven whimpered brokenly and Loki swallowed difficultly when the grip Haruven had on Loki's shoulders grew weaker and the pregnant wizard started to shiver. "I want to see him again. I want to hold him. I want him to – to smile at me and – and laugh with me. I want him – I want him to dot around me again and – and worry about me. I want him to shout at me for fighting while pregnant. I want him to love me! But NOT at the cost of SOMEONE'S LIFE!" Haruven bowed his head, resting it on Loki's chest, and his long hair fell around them, gathering on the floor. "Enough lives were lost in the war!"

Loki's breath hitched in his throat and he shivered. "But I…"

"It wasn't you, Loki!" Haruven raised his eyes weakly, looking at Loki with tears streaming down the pale cheeks. "It was the Goa'uld. They used you and they made you do horrible things, but it wasn't you! Find another damn way to redeem yourself, you idiot!"

In that moment power erupted from the Mirror and Haruven was thrown away with a startled scream. Loki turned quickly and grabbed Haruven's arm, only to scream as black tendrils jumped from the mirror and wrapped themselves around Loki.

"No you won't..." Haruven hissed. "BOMBARDA MAXIMA!" he roared as he raised his free hand and the Mirror exploded, a pillar of black energy shooting into the sky.

When Steve, Bruce, Tony, Clint, Natasha and Teddy dared to open their eyes again, they saw Loki kneeling beside a heavily breathing Haruven, his hands on Haruven's heaving shoulders.

Teddy was about to run over, but Bruce stopped him by placing his hand on the young wizard's shoulder.

Teddy looked at him and Bruce just shook his head at the younger man.

"Why did you do that?" Loki whispered brokenly. "Why did you stop me? You should want me dead. You should want me as far away…"

"You – You are Thor's brother." Haruven gasped out and slowly raised his head. "Thor would – he would be devastated if he came back because his brother sacrificed his life. It would make him die inside. He would – he would never be the same again."

Loki's eyes filled with tears and he swallowed over the pile of guilt and pain in his throat. "But I – I can't…" Loki tensed up when Haruven wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. Loki's breath hitched in his throat when a loving kiss was placed against his brow, and his fisted his hands on the ground. "He was the only one – the only one to pay attention to me – the only one who saw me– the only one…"

"I know." Loki shivered and slowly wrapped his arms around Haruven's waist, burying his face in the wizard's chest.

"I want him back!" Loki cried out and the Starborn squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Loki buried his face in Haruven's sweet smelling, velvety hair and hugged him tightly. "I need him to come back!"

"Me too, Loki." Haruven whispered and moved back a bit. He gently cupped Loki's cheeks and a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes pulled on his full lips. "Why don't you – Why don't you stay with me, hm?" he spoke, wiping Loki's tears away with his thumbs and laughing weakly when Loki gaped at him, freezing up in shock. "Thor will come back. I know he will. I can still feel him. My magic still responds to him. And I know he will never give up trying to come back. And we – we can't stop believing that." Haruven swallowed difficultly and caressed Loki's face with the back of his fingers. "We just have to – have to wait for him."

"Do you really mean that? You want me to stay with you?" Loki asked in a wavering voice and Haruven nodded hurriedly.

"I'll need some help. Teddy has to go back to England eventually and most of my friends while very powerful know next to nothing about drinks and serving," he let go of a wet laugh and Loki breathed out weakly, a smile tugging on his lips.

"Hey! I resent that!" Tony shouted over to them and everyone laughed at him.

Haruven looked in Loki's eyes, offering him a reassuring smile. "You say you want to redeem yourself. Do it by staying here with me. Do it by helping me help the people who will come to my café. Do it by listening to their worries and pains. Do it by helping them."

Loki stared at Haruven for a long moment, his hands fisted on the wizard's still thin waist, and lips quivering as he tried to push the words past the pile of guilt in his throat. "I can do that," he whispered brokenly. "I think – I think I'd even love to do that."

"Then it is settled." Haruven swallowed, and brushed his fingers through Loki's hair, tucking it behind his ears. "You will stay with me," he said and stood up, closely followed by Loki, who nodded and gifted Haruven with a small smile.

"Yes. I will stay," he said and Haruven let go of a long breath.

"Alrighty then!" Tony called over to them. "Who's for some drinks?!" he turned on his heel, while others laughed or chuckled at him.

Teddy nodded at Haruven who nodded right back at him before Teddy turned to follow after the others, and Haruven patted Loki's shoulder. "Let's go." Loki nodded and turned to walk away. "Oh my..."

Loki stopped in his tracks and turned on his heel. He found Haruven holding his stomach with his eyes tightly shut and lips pulled into a thin line. "Haruven?" he rushed closer to the wizard, grabbing Ven's shoulders firmly. The others turned to look at them and a shiver of dread passed down their bodies when they saw how pale Haruven turned in less than a minute.

"I don't – I don't feel all that well," Haruven pressed out through his teeth, practically bending forward in half.

"DAD!" Teddy screamed when Haruven swayed.

He would have fallen had Loki not grabbed him and picked him up. "I need a room!" Loki shouted as he rushed over to the elevators.

"What's wrong with him?" Teddy asked with his voice filled with panic.

"I don't know," Loki said. "But I'll find out soon, I promise."

They reached the floor with the bedrooms and ran out of the elevator.

"You wait outside." Loki ordered as he entered Haruven's room.

"I'm his son!" Teddy cried out and Loki looked up at him after he placed Ven on the bed.

"Come in and close the door." Loki ordered and Teddy looked at everyone's worried faces. They nodded at him and he rushed inside, closing the door on his way in.

Natasha grabbed Clint's hand while Tony, Bruce and Steve exchanged worried glances with a single prayer in their hearts.

'Please let him be alright.'

cut

Bruce, Steve, Tony, Natasha and Clint jumped to their feet when the door of Haruven's room opened and Loki came out with a sigh.

"He's alright. Neither he nor the baby are in danger," he spoke, with a relieved smile, and everyone sagged in their places. "He's just tired and he had too much excitement for one day. He'll have to be more careful from now on; eat the right things, sleep a lot and try not to put any stress on himself, but he'll be alright. He's sleeping now."

"You sure about that?" Tony asked and Loki nodded.

"I'm a Wizard, Mr. Stark; a Sorcerer. Healing Magic is just one of many areas a Wizard must learn to earn the title of a Sorcerer."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and Teddy came out of the room. "He woke up shortly," he said and looked at Loki with a smile full of gratitude. "I told him everything's alright and he went right back to sleep." Loki nodded as Teddy swallowed and took a deep breath. "I never thought I'd say this to you, but thank you. Whatever you did helped him. At least he's no long pale and…"

"I'll stay with him," Loki interrupted Teddy, squaring his shoulders and looking at the young wizard with eyes full of determination. "I still think – I still know that I need to find a way to redeem myself for what I've done. I'll stay with him and watch over him. I will make sure nothing bad happens to him or the baby. Both need to be healthy and strong when my brother comes back."

"Are you sure he will?" Bruce asked and Loki nodded.

"Yes. My brother is alive, and if there's anything I know about him is that's he's as stubborn as a mule. He'll tear worlds apart to come back." Everyone exchanged glances and nodded.

"Then all we have to do is wait for him." Natasha said.

"Yes." Loki agreed. "All we have to do is wait."

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