Jane


"Next I want to investigate the anomaly within The Cavern of Time," Jane declared.

Loki and Thor exchanged a grim look. "Be very careful," Loki advised. "As one who has gone right through the cavern to the ages beyond, I can state it is an extremely dangerous place."

"I know, right?" The scientist's eyes sparkled, and she leaned forward. "I never heard that entire story, by the way. You had to win Natasha back in nine ages to get her to…" She covered her mouth and yawned. "Ah, sorry. Lately I'm so sleepy all the time, and I can't keep my eyes open after dinner."

"Really?" Natasha leaned closer and whispered something in Jane's ear.

"Oh, here we go," Loki said with disgust. "In Midgard this is called Girl Talk, brother, and we will not discover what they say about us unless we torture them."

"It's not about you. Well, not about both of you," Natasha protested.

Sif entered the room and cast a scathing glance at the brothers. Her eyes brightened when she saw Natasha and Jane, both beckoning to her. "Behold – it gets worse," Loki said as the warrior joined the two other women and all three began to talk in lowered voices.


That night, in Loki's arms, Natasha whispered her suspicions to him. "Is this true?" he asked.

"She hasn't visited the healers yet, but if I'm anything to go by it's the real deal."

"Hm." He nuzzled her neck before venturing, "I suppose it is a good thing."

"Of course it is! Our daughter will have a friend. The two of them can go on long, muddy expeditions and get into huge amounts of trouble together." Natasha nestled even closer to him; her eyes began to close. It was very cosy and warm in the large bed.

"It will be like us when we were boys," he whispered. "Me and Thor."

"Exactly."

"You are not sleepy, are you? Anything else you want to tell me?" Loki smiled into her eyes.

"No, but I suppose there's no harm in trying."