A/N: Time frame wise, this is set 8 years after Burning Curve, for reference. :)
So updates might be a little slow as I deal with some big personal stuff. If you're interested you can read about it at my Tumblr. megaranoelle . tumblr . com
I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.
Sander leaned against one of the large tree roots, leaning his head down against his knees. Verdandi and Urd watched him, not exactly wanting to tell him that he was using the great tree Yggdrasil as something to sit on.
"Do I have to be reborn?" Sander asked them. When he had arrived with Verdandi he was told they had to wait for something, but wouldn't tell him what. "Is that the catch?"
"No," Urd spoke. "You'll be able to go back to your old life with your family." Sander raised an eyebrow, glancing up slightly at them. "the best that we can do is that you will return as you are right now." Sander's hand tapped the reactor and they both nodded. "We are unable to undo what Adir has done."
"We also have no idea how that works, that's something that Anthony would know about." Verdandi added.
"You said you had already talked to him about all of this?" The sisters nodded.
"He is completing the final step before you can return home."
Tony sat up suddenly, taking in a gasping breath, eyes wide. He glanced around and saw that Melisande was still asleep and Alex was finishing doing a check up on Key before making his way over to him, looking concerned. He tried to push himself up from the cot but Alex put a hand on his shoulder.
"Tony, what's wrong?" Alex crouched down a little to be eye level with him.
"I have to find Loki," Tony said taking another look around, confirming that Loki had not returned yet. He tried to get up again but Alex kept him down.
"I'm not letting you go anywhere just yet." Alex frowned a little at him. "Tony, you just came home from the hospital. You had suffered mysterious stab wounds, been through a difficult delivery, and spent three days in a coma. If this were anything close to normal I'd still have you hooked up in the hospital."
"But it's not normal, so here I am, and I feel fine," he looked at Alex, "-ish." Alex gave him a stern look. "Fine, I'll stay here, but you have to do something for me." Alex hummed a little, raising an eyebrow. "Go check on Sander."
"Tony," the doctor said softly.
"No, listen, I'm not crazy. This isn't some delusioned request from a grieving parent." Alex didn't look convinced. "You know that things are messed up right now, right?" A nod. "Okay, well, that means that things are off balance in the Universe, and the Fates are doing me a solid. They're able to bring Sander back, and it's going to happen soon. I need you to go check on him."
Alex blinked a little. "You're positive on this? Because that's not something that they usually have the power to do."
"Never been more positive, Alex. Because of Adir acting all crazy, he's thrown off the Universal balance. They're trying to get it back on track, but before it happens they have one shot at giving our boy back to us, and I'll be damned if I'm going to mess this up." He looked at Alex for a second before the younger man nodded. "Thank you. And don't worry, I'm not going to run off. i've got my two girls here to look after."
"Thank the Norns you're still a responsible parents." Tony snorted as Alex stood up, grabbing some of his stuff to go check on Sander.
If Tony couldn't go try and find Loki, he could at least go to Verdandi and Skuld to tell them he had his vision. He could get Sander back and then they could go and get Loki. Tony had to move fast. He took a breath before laying back down on the cot and closing his eyes.
"Anthony." When he opened his eyes again he saw Urd standing in front of him, back in the grove. "You've had the vision then?"
"Yeah, but listen, I gotta-" he blinked when Urd took his hands. There was a sudden flash and he let out a breath.
"There was no follow up to what you saw?" She let go of his hands and he raised an eyebrow at her. "I merely just replayed your vision so that I could see it and record it. Again, there was no follow up?"
"No," he shook his head. "But, Loki's gotta know-"
"It is likely that he knows of what could happen, he is very intelligent." She placed a hand on his elbow and started to pull him forward. "Come, we must move quickly."
"Quickly? For what? In what I saw-" When Tony was interrupted a third time, he didn't get angry.
"Dad!" Tony heard Sander's voice and his feet moved on their own, taking him down to his knees to wrap his arms around him. "Damn, you look good here, no baby weight." He chuckled lightly when Tony pushed his shoulder. He happened to catch sight of some of the black lines around Sander's neck and on his arm.
Tony frowned and gently traced some of the line with his finger, having unwelcome flashbacks. Leaning back he gently pushed Sander's shirt down towards his chest and saw the familiar blue glow. He caught Sander's eyes.
"He won't have this when he goes back, right?" Tony asked the two sisters, still looking at Sander. Even his sons' expression turned sad. Tony took a long breath. "He would give you an older model," he said quietly.
"Palladium is kind of painful," Sander's gave him a forced smile.
"It really is. But it's okay, I've got a solution for that." He pat Sander's cheek. "We can get this al taken care of when we get back."
"I think I know why you don't tell us about your past." Tony felt a pang in chest at the words. "It's not exactly bed time story material is it?" Tony took his hands and helped him stand up. "And this was all before you met Dad."
"I don't think stories of torture make for good stories, no," Tony shook his head. He looked at his youngest son, seeing a similar haunted look in his eyes that he saw when he had first gotten back from the desert.
"It's okay," Sander said softly. "I'll be okay now."
"I know of a little girl who is going to never leave your side," Tony said n a weak attempt at changing the subject. Sander gave him a soft smile and nodded.