(Author's Note: Honestly, this has to be my favorite one I've written so far! Only it was a bit long, so I'm breaking it up into two parts. Here is part 1, and part 2 will be coming soon! Enjoy!)

Episode #9 – Babysitting Part 1

"You have to promise to be nice to them. You promise?"

"By the Norns, I swear I will be civil toward your child relatives," Loki replied to my making him promise not to be a jerk.

My cousin Wesley was going to be in town, and he needed me to babysit his kids for a day. (He didn't know that I was currently dating the very man that tried to take over our entire planet, and I wasn't about to tell him.) He had two little girls; one seven years old and the other five, and one 4-month-old baby boy. He told me on the phone that he had a very important job interview and I told him I would be obliged. Plus, it was good for Loki to be around children so he could get used to them and know how to act. So yes, today I would babysit them, with Loki's help.

"So when are these children expected to arrive?" asked Loki.

"At ten o'clock. It is now nine thirty, so we have thirty minutes to kill until they get here. So I suggest we search Netflix for kid movies; so they'll have something to keep them occupied," I replied. Loki nodded and then looked up at me with confusion.

"Net-flicks?"

"It's okay, I'll do it."

…

"AMELIA! It's that dinging sound again!" yelled Loki from the living room. I was in my bedroom, getting out some of my old dolls for the girls to play with when the doorbell rang. Loki didn't really understand how it worked.

"It means they're here," I said, entering the living room. Loki looked at the floor and then up at me.

"Amelia…" he said. "I haven't really had very much, er, experience with children…"

"You'll do fine," I said, patting his shoulder.

I unlocked the door and Wesley stood there smiling at me. He gave me a hug.

"Good to see you again, cuz! Thanks so much for babysitting my little rascals," he said.

"No problem," I replied. I looked down at the two girls. The oldest one, seven years old, had golden-blonde hair and brown eyes. She smiled at me. The five year old had darker blonde hair and she cuddled a large blue teddy bear. I smiled down at them.

"Valerie, Lily, this is Amelia. She's going to watch you guys while Daddy runs errands, okay?" said Wesley.

"Hi girls," I said. "We're going to have lots of fun!" Lily, the younger one, looked behind me, and I felt Loki's hand on my back. "Oh Wesley, this is my boyfriend Loki." Thankfully, Wesley didn't seem to recognize him. I smiled and nodded at Loki to shake Wesley's hand when he held it out.

"It's a pleasure meeting you," said Loki quietly. I let the girls inside and Wesley handed me the baby carrier with little 4-month-old Ruxon in it.

"Aw, he's sleeping," I whispered, trying not to wake him. I gave Wesley another hug.

"Good luck with your interview, and call if you get worried!"

"I will, thanks!" I closed the door after him and turned to Loki and the children.

"Alright kids, what do you want to do?" I asked. "I have dollies to play with, and movies, and we can make snacks…"

"Let's make peanut butter and jelly!" said Valerie.

"OOH!" blurted Loki, putting his hands in the air. "I know this one! You taught me how to make those last moon." I laughed.

"I sure did, you want to help them make it, Loki?" I suddenly got an overwhelming feeling of love for that man. He was excited about helping me with the kids; his eyes sparkled. He nodded and headed to the kitchen with Valerie.

"Uh oh," said little Lily, her face in her bear. I knelt down to her.

"What is it sweetie?" I asked.

"Daddy left his briefcase," she mumbled. I turned around and opened the door, and sure enough, Wesley had left his briefcase in front of my apartment. Shoot. He needed that for his interview.

I had to bring it to him.

"Hey Loki," I said. "Can I see you for a minute?"

"Oh no, what did I do?"

"No no, it's nothing like that," I reassured him. I couldn't believe I was about to trust him so much all of the sudden. He came over to me and I put my hands on his shoulders.

"Okay, here's the thing. Wesley left his briefcase, and he really needs it. So, I need to bring it to him. I promise I won't be gone long."

"Whoa, wait a moment," said Loki. "Are you leaving? Are you leaving me here with the tiny mortals?"

"Just for a second! I just need you to hold down the fort for a couple minutes while I'm gone, okay?" Fear flashed into Loki's eyes but quickly left, and he sighed.

"Alright. I can do this. I am going to prove myself to you," he said. I smiled and kissed the tip of his nose.

"Good," I said. "I will return. Don't forget about the baby!"

…

From what Loki told me about when I was gone, this is what happened:

"Why is it doing that?!" Loki asked frantically, knelt over baby Ruxon's carrier. "Why is it wailing?!" Valerie stood beside him.

"You have to take him out," she said. Loki looked at her, unsure.

"I don't…know how to hold it," he confessed.

"Haven't you ever held a baby before?" she asked, unbuckling the baby from his seat. She picked him up and handed him to Loki. With wide eyes, Loki held his hands out and took the baby from her, holding it away from him. Ruxon was still crying.

"How do I make it stop?!" he asked.

"Hold him closer," said Valerie, matter-of-factly. "Hold him to your chest." Loki did as she said, awkwardly standing there with the child.

"He smells foul!" exclaimed Loki.

"You have to change his diaper," said Valerie. "Come on." She led Loki to the couch and commanded him set the baby on it. He did.

"Take off his pants," she said.

"Are you sure?" Loki asked, bewildered at the command. Valerie nodded. Lily giggled as she watched Loki place the baby's pants beside him with a disturbed look on his face.

"Now open the diaper."

"The puffy white thing?"

"Yes."

"What? No! That is an invasion of this mortal's privacy!"

"He's a baby; you have to change his diaper!" Valerie said, throwing her hands out in front of her.

"Amelia, hurry," Loki whispered to himself as he took off the baby's diaper. "OH MY GOD." Lily giggled and Valerie held her nose.

"OH MY GOD," Loki said again. "WHAT KIND OF CRUEL TRICKERY IS THIS? IS THIS…IS THIS…OH NO! NO NO NO! I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE NEAR THIS TINY MORTAL'S EXCREMENT!"

"You have to!" said Valerie, giggling. "You have to wipe him clean and put a clean diaper on him." Loki looked at her with horror. She handed him the wipes. Loki shook his head.

"No," he said. "No I will not!"

"Fine you big baby, I'll do it." Valerie pushed Loki aside and he scowled at her.

"I am not a baby! I am a man! A man with standards, do you understand?!" Lily giggled from behind Valerie.

"Chicken!" she laughed. Loki crossed his arms.

"I am not!"

Valerie finished changing Ruxon's diaper, and held the dirty one in Loki's face. He backed away, and she laughed.

"Chicken, chicken!" the two girls chanted. Valerie came nearer to Loki with the diaper, and he backed away quicker and quicker until she was chasing him around the apartment with it.

"I order you to stop!" he yelled, jumping over the coffee table. They chased after him faster and cornered him in the bathroom. He turned to them and widened his eyes.

"Stop it, NOW!" he ordered harshly, and the little girls' smiles faded. Lily began to sniffle. Loki's hard expression turned to one of fear. "Oh no, don't cry. Please, anything but that." He suddenly felt terrible for yelling at them. Valerie put the diaper in the trash and hugged her sister.

"It's okay Lily," she said. "He's just a bully."

"I am not a bully!" Loki said. "I didn't mean to make her cry." He knelt down to Lily and studied what Valerie was doing. He held his arms out like she did, and wrapped them loosely around Lily, in a very awkward hug. He stroked her hair.

"I am sorry," he said. "I do not want you to be sad." Lily wiped her eyes and looked up at Loki.

"I forgive you," she said, and hugged him tightly. Loki sat still, startled by the show of affection, and slowly began to smile.

"Let's play dollies!" suggested Valerie. Lily nodded in agreement.

"I know not what this 'dollies' is that you speak of, but I will participate after I retrieve the small mortal," Loki said, feeling happier in the presence of the two children. He went into the living room and picked up baby Ruxon, putting him back in his carrier to go to sleep. Valerie grabbed his arm and dragged him to the bedroom.

"You have to be Jana, and I get to be Tracy!" she said.

"What?"

TO BE CONTINUED…