CHAPTER 11

The team was gathered together in Tony's home where they were going over the scroll and Jane's letter to them. All were hoping that the machine she had created had worked and not fried their two friends.

"I say we test it first," Tony said to the rest of the group.

"What do you mean test it?" Barton asked

"I mean we send something through the machine and hope that something comes back. Maybe then we will stop worrying as to whether or not they survived the jump," Tony said to the rest of the team.

Natasha thought about it for a moment and then said, "Okay so let's send them a letter letting them know that we received their letter and understand why they left.

The group nodded and together they began writing to the two women.

xxx

Darcy slipped out of her husband's arms and dressed. She moved to the balcony so she could get her raging thoughts under control. She wondered silently if she had gotten pregnant again with their mating. Those thoughts quickly led to others of the child she had lost and sadness swiftly overtook her. She wanted to give Loki a child even if they only ever were to have one but she also wanted to give the Frost Giants an heir and ruler too.

Their plight weighed heavily upon her. She knew that Loki would never be able to claim the Jotun throne merely out of guilt and shame. Guilt because he had nearly destroyed them and shame because he had killed his own father. She knew that she was going to have to tell him about what she had found out on Jotunheim if only to soothe his concerns about mating with her.

She felt his arms come around her as he pulled her back towards him. "My love, you seem troubled. Is something wrong?" he asked softly.

"No, Loki nothing's wrong. I was just thinking."

He didn't believe her. He felt her sadness through the bond they now shared. He knew that their bond was something he was going to have to tell her about.

"Darissa….Darcy, I know that isn't true. I felt sadness coming off you. Are you upset that I chose to mate with you last night?" he asked, a deep sadness of his own coming through his voice.

Turning she looked up at him, "No! No, Loki don't ever think that I regret last night. I actually am quite happy with what occurred….it's just…. I was thinking about the child I lost and was wondering if I might be with child again is all."

"Loki, what do you mean that you felt my sadness?" she asked moments later.

"I….that is….well, I am not sure how I know this…. but as my mate I can feel your emotions as if they were my own. I think it's the Jotun male's way of being able to find his mate anywhere she may be," he answered.

"So you would be able to find me anywhere I go now?"

"Yes, I would."

"Loki, about yesterday. When Jane and I were on Jotunheim, we found some things out that we didn't know before. I know you said that Odin found you abandoned in the Temple on Jotunheim but he was wrong. You were not abandoned Loki. Your father, Laufey, loved you dearly and hid you there to save your life. He had hoped that the Asgardians wouldn't find you there yet he was wrong."

"The Jotun's still hope for your return though I know that that will never happen. They are not the monsters that you have always been told they were. Jane saw it just as I did. They are a people who are loyal to each other. They deserve to have a king or queen who will led them. They deserve a leader that will put them before themselves, Loki."

"They do not know that it was you who tried to destroy them, nor that you were the one that killed their king. They only want you to come back to them."

"I know that you will not but listen to me Loki. One of our children will be their leader. The Giants told me that if you, as the true heir, never return then one of your children could claim their throne."

He wanted to object to what she was saying but he could find no lie in her words. As much as he didn't want any of his future children to rule over Jotunheim, he knew that what she said was the truth.

"That isn't all they told us. They also told us who your mother was. She was of the Vanir. She was the Queen of Vanaheim's daughter. She met your father and they fell in love. When your father mated with your mother, he had hoped that should she become pregnant she would survive the birth. That was not to be for she was unable to regulate her body temperature while carrying a Jotun child in her womb. She died giving birth to you and your father never got over her death and guarded you zealously. He was trying to protect you by hiding you in the Temple."

"The Giants told us that outside of themselves the only other race that could successfully birth a Jotun child were the Light Elves of Alfheim. I was happy to know this for it meant that if and when we have a child I would survive the birth."

Loki was grateful to know that she would survive the birth of their child but he was aggrieved to know that he had been the cause of his mother's death, the death of his father who loved him; the father who suffered because of his loss by Odin's hand.

"Darissa, I….I am glad that you will survive the birth of our children. I do not know if I could survive your passing the way Laufey survived the passing of my mother."

"I know, my love," she whispered, placing her hand upon his cool cheek in a loving manner and felt him lean into her palm.

"Loki, I know that we are still betrothed in the eyes of Asgard and my own people, but we are married in the eyes of Jotunheim. I wish for that to change. As much as I would wish for our courtship to be renewed, I find that I would rather just be your wife."

"Then give me your ring, my darling," he said, his eyes shining brightly.

She removed the chain that hung around her neck and took the ring that it held off, handing it to him. She waited to see what he would do.

He took the ring from her and then took her hand in his then kneeled before her. "Darissa Ashiersdottir, you once vowed to be my wife. To keep you safe from the threat of war, I sent you away not knowing when you would return to me. Over a thousand years passed before I saw you again. The moment I held you in my arms again, it felt like it had been only a day since I last beheld your face. And now to know that you still want to be my wife even after everything I have done, I am humbled. I love you, my darling, and I want nothing more than for you to be my wife and I to be your husband. So will you marry me?"

She was in tears by the time he was finished and could do nothing but nod.

"We should go inform our fathers' of this decision my dear," he said pulling her up into his arms.

xxx

Jane wondered where her sister was for she was not in her room nor anywhere else in the palace. She was worried, especially after seeing Loki in his Jotun form carrying her sister off just the day before. Despite the reassurances of both Odin and Thor, she was still worried about her sister's safety. She decided that she would ask Loki himself where her sister was. She made her way to his chamber only to find him and her sister walking out of it. She saw that her sister's face was aglow with happiness and wondered what could have happened to cause such a glow in her sisters' countenance.

"Jane!"

"I was just coming to see if Loki had seen you this morning since you were not in your room. You seem happy about something Darcy. What is it?"

"Jane, I am so happy," Darcy said with a smile on her face that was somehow lit from within.

"Darcy what is it?" Jane repeated

"I am getting married! Loki and I were just on our way to tell Odin and our father the news."

It was then Jane noticed the small mark below her sister's left ear. She was about to ask her sister about it then remembered what the Giants had said about the Jotun's mating mark. Jane blushed when she realized what Thor had meant by his brother claiming her sister in every way.

"Well, I just left them they are in the Dining hall."

They nodded their thanks and continued on their way as Jane stared after them. She was happy for her sister and wondered when it would be her going to their father with the announcement that she and Thor had renewed their betrothal. She wished that it would be sooner rather than later, but she knew that Thor intended to wait til he knew that she was ready. However, she was ready. She had spent far too much time away from the man she loved and he acted as though he wanted nothing to do with her and it hurt. He had said that he would court her again but so far nothing had happened.

She contemplated returning to earth for many reasons. The first and foremost reason was to let her friends on Midgard know that she and Darcy were still alive. The second reason was to tell them that the machine worked. There was another reason which was far more painful. Ever since she had spoken to the Allfather about Loki, Thor had been avoiding her. She wasn't sure what she had said or done to upset him for she had only tried to get him and his father to see reason where Loki was concerned. But now every time she would walk into the room he would leave without saying a word to her and it hurt. She wanted to ask him why he was avoiding her but he wouldn't let her. So, she felt that she needed to leave. If he truly wanted to be with her then he would come to her. Even though she was now a strong and independent woman, there was still a part of her that remained the docile woman she had once been. And that part was urging her to run away even though she knew it was wrong.

At least she was appreciated on Migard. She had her friends from SHIELD there. With that decision made, she left the palace.

xxx

The Avengers stood around the machine that Jane foster had built ready to send their letters through to the other side (if there was another side, was the thought they were all thinking.) when there was a flash of light. They covered their eyes from the blinding rays and when the light dimmed there stood Jane Foster, though dressed rather strangely.