The nurse had brought a laptop and papers down to the room for Sarah and Loki to sign just after lunch later that day as everyone was sitting in the room, chatting amiably, admiring the baby, even Fury had cracked a smile as he looked at the baby asleep in it's bassinet.
The nurse, a young brunette, sat down at the table across from Loki, who'd picked up Fen as he'd started to cry and was now holding him in the crook of his arm, smiling at him. "So he was born at five fifty-one this morning, ten pounds, eleven ounces..now that's a boy right there. Gonna be a football player" The nurse smiled down at Fen who yawned his opinion of the proceedings. "Ok mother's name, Sarah Miller," She paused to type into her laptop, "Father's name?" "Loki" The nurse glanced at Loki, "L..o..k..?" "I" He finished for her, "Last name?" "Laufeyson." the nurse shook her head, "Nothing easy like Smith or Jones huh?" she had him spell it out as she typed. "What nationality is that?" Sarah looked to Loki just as he looked to her and they both laughed. "Scandinavian." Loki finally said. "Okay, Sarah, parents names?" Sarah said her parent's names and waited, watching Loki as the nurse turned to him, "Your parent's names?" Loki gazed around the room at Thor, Jane, Lizzie, Sarah's mother and father. "Odin and Frigga." The nurse slowed till she had stopped typing, "Last name?" Loki kept his gaze on Fen, "Allfather" The nurse typed the names into the computer, "Yessir, now that's unique isn't it."
Sarah cast a look at Lily, glad that she'd sent Daniel to stay with Grandma Hunter for a few days, imagining in her mind what he would be saying right now. Fen had now started to fuss more and Sarah got up slowly out of her bed and took Fen from Loki's arms. "He might need to be changed, come on, no time to learn like the present." She felt Loki's hand on her back as he stood behind her watching intently as she opened a new diaper slipping off Fen's old one and quickly replacing it with the new one which she deftly wrapped around his tummy, folding the edge over to uncover the clip at the belly button. "Daniel was a regular fountain, remember Lizzie? He used to christen me every time I came over, I learned to be fast enough, though." Fury who had been silently watching the exchange, came over and tapped Thor on the shoulder, bidding him to come into the hallway.
"I have to return to New York," Fury took his phone from his pocket, "An urgent matter with that damned scepter again. I am leaving you a car with two agents waiting to drive you all back to New York when she's ready to go. Now I'm entrusting Loki to your care. Don't let me down." Thor nodded, "We shall see you there. I promise."
The day had burned away to evening and Thor and Jane had been given a room at Sarah's parents for the evening, Thor knowing that Loki would not move from where he was right now even if all the hounds of hell were at his heels. Sarah's mother kissed her cheek, then the baby's head before she left, saying to Loki, "You take care of them now." Loki had smiled and she had patted his cheek before she left, Sarah's father still distant and silent at the doorway.
Now they were alone, Fen quietly feeding, Loki standing at the window watching the snow softly falling orange in the amber parking lot lights. "We must go to Asgard before seven days have passed to welcome and mark him as a citizen of Asgard." He said, turned to Sarah who was watching him, "I'm not so sure Fury is willing to let it happen." She mused, "Loki, let's try to do everything he says this time." He shook his head, "If he says I cannot take our son to Asgard for his birthright, what would you have me do?" Sarah took Fen from her breast, his chin quivering as he still suckled in his sleep, laid him in the bassinet, came up to Loki and put her arms around his neck, kissing him softly until he sat down on her bed, his knees unable to support him, and she sat on his lap savoring the reaction she had garnered from him. "I've missed so much being in Asgard," He murmured, laying his head against her chest, "the nearness of you, the sound of your voice, the smell of your perfume, your cooking." She giggled at him as he looked up at her and smiled that smile that had first made her heart skip a beat so long ago. "I will make up for it though. I assure you." Sarah nodded, putting her arms around his neck, stroking his hair, breathing in the very scent of him. "We both will."
The room was quiet except for the occasional footfall of a passing nurse, Sarah and Fen had been asleep for hours but Loki had been tossing and turning on the easy chair/daybed not for want of comfortable quarters, but for something trying to get into his mind that he couldn't shake. He pulled the seat up, his arms on the rests, and closed his eyes. After what seemed like only moments, he was aware that the room had grown cold, he could feel the temperature dropping, the gooseflesh rising on his arms. He opened his eyes to find the room bathed in steel blue light, as his vision began to adjust, he realized he could see his breath. He scanned the room until he reached Fen's bassinet at the end of Sarah's bed, horrified to see the form of a man, whose head nearly reached the ceiling, bending far over to place a large hand upon his head, eliciting a squeak from Fen, a sound that would have driven Loki to his feet had he been able to move. As the form turned its head and gave him a tight lipped grin, his hands convulsed around the armrests, he could see the form's eyes, blood red, trained on him and Loki fought back with the only weapon he had at his disposal, "Aldri taka minn burr endr!" He had shouted at him, in his mind saying, "Never touch my son again!", and taken aback as the words of the ancients came unbidden to him. The form walked towards him until he was standing between Loki and Sarah, still fast asleep in the hospital bed. Fen had begun to fuss in his bassinet and Loki prayed to the Allfather that she would not waken at this minute. Loki could see now what stood before him as the light of the half moon spying in through the window cast light on the form's deep blue skin and finally it spoke.
"The tongue of the Ancients. I would think it had been lost to you long ago." The frost giant moved to the bed and sat down beside Sarah who stirred a bit then lay still again. Loki struggled with all his strength to rise from the chair, teeth bared, cold sweat breaking upon his arms as the muscles beneath strained then began to shudder from exhaustion, his effort finally replaced with an all-consuming rage as the giant reached over to put a hand to Sarah's face. "Loki, son of Laufey, I am Menyir, ruler of Jotunheim, also a son of Laufey." He paused then turned his gaze to Loki who locked eyes with him, "Retribution, mark well this word. What the Allfather took from us ages ago will now be returned to us a thousandfold."
Loki could only watch in horror as ice began to form across Sarah's face and Fen began to squall and flail as the windows began to frost over, each breath Loki drew in cutting like needles as the room became far colder and he felt consciousness slipping from him..
Sarah had wrapped the blanket around herself tighter, wanting to stand up and turn up the heat but not wanting to get up and do so, she was repositioning herself in the bed when she heard Loki draw in a ragged breath in the chair beside her. She turned over and swung her feet over the floor, watching in horror as Loki seemed to struggle against something she couldn't see, his arms, his face, deep blue in the moonlight. Fen had heard the commotion and was now starting his little squeaking cry. Sarah reached over her bed and pulled the light cord, not caring who saw what was happening, stood up and grabbed Loki by the shoulders. "Hey, wake up!' She whispered loudly, shaking him again as he struggled to breath and finally, steeling herself, she opened her hand and slapped him across the face, nearly erupting into a scream as his hand came up from the arm of the chair and caught hers as it came around, his eyes snapping open, blood red as he yanked her off her feet. She fell to her knees in front of the chair, the only thing stopping her from hitting the floor harder being his grip on her wrist. She could hear fast footsteps approaching from the hallway as she tried to regain her footing. She turned to look at Loki, who was breathing harder now, the color gone from his face, his blue-green eyes staring down at her in disbelief, the grip on her arm lighter now as he stood to pick her up. She could feel him trembling as he finally found his voice, "What the hell did I do?" Sarah turned to see the nurse rushing over to her, "Did you fall out of bed? Oh my god. Sit down." The nurse guided Sarah to the side of the bed, Sarah nodding as she looked down at her feet. Loki had walked to the bassinet and picked up Fen, whom he now had against his shoulder, a hand to his back while he paced back and forth.
The nurse had Sarah get back up on the bed, "What happened, were you trying to get up to get the baby?" Sarah saw Loki glance at her from where he stood behind the nurse. "Yeah he was starting to fuss so I went to get him and I think I tripped over his legs." She motioned towards Loki. "Well do you feel any pain anywhere, your back or legs or feet?" Sarah nodded, "I hit my knees pretty good but I'm sure it's nothing bad." Fen would not be silenced now, he was hungry and Loki, putting him in the crook of his arm, had given him a knuckle to teeth on, bringing only fleeting relief. Sarah motioned to Loki to bring Fen to her and he laid him in her lap. "He's a hungry boy." The nurse smiled and stroked his fine hair as Sarah tried to position him to take her breast, her shaking hands defeating her until the nurse reached over to help, patting her hand. "It's okay, you didn't break anything right?" Sarah shook her head and gave her a half-hearted smile. Okay, I'm going to let you guys alone, you're probably going home tomorrow right?" "Yeah," Sarah answered, "After the doctor comes in and takes one more look at us." "Well then you make sure to tell him if you're hurting worse from the fall, okay?" Sarah assured her she would and the nurse left the room heading for the station.
She fed Fen in silence for nearly ten minutes, Loki sitting forward in the chair, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the floor. She glanced at the clock on the wall across from her bed, nearly five in the morning. It would be getting light soon. She took Fen away from her breast and laid him on the bed. "Will you get me a diaper," She said to Loki. He handed her the diaper and she began to unwrap her angry little boy, trying to get between his flailing arms and legs to unstrap the old diaper on him. She was trying to re-swaddle him when she finally spoke, "What the hell did happen, Loki?" He said nothing and for a moment she thought he was going to ignore her. "I don't know, I had a spectacularly bad dream." Sarah put Fen on her shoulder, patting his back as his squeaks quieted then finally ceased. She laid him in the bassinet and came to stand before Loki who was sitting in the chair, hand to his forehead, leaning on the arm of the chair. "Hey," she said, sitting on his lap and curling into his arm, "You can tell me about your dreams. You're safe here." Loki turned his head to stare at her, "Safe, you did see what happened to me didn't you? And what I did to you, Odin help me." Sarah reached up her hand and put it on his chest. "You've had bad dreams before. How is this one different?" Loki enfolded her in a fierce hug, "It was different because you were there to see it." He kissed the top of her head, "I was afraid I'd hurt you." Sarah pulled in closer to him, "I'm fine, the baby's fine, we're going to be fine together, and soon, we'll be going to Asgard and see grandma and grandpa." She could feel him smile against her hair, "I can hardly wait, dearest heart." He whispered as behind them, the sun began to peek over the mountains and a rivulet of water from the melted frost that had coated the window, ran to the floor in a small puddle.
At eight-thirty that morning, Fury was trotting down the hall to the coded security elevator, an agent named Joss beside him keeping step. Fury stopped at the elevator panel, waited as the scanner cast a green light over his face and beeped as the door slid open.
When he stepped off the elevator at sub-level 6, Banner was waiting for him, standing amidst a maze of pipes and large tanks, "Lead the way." Fury said and they all started down the access way towards the containment tank where the scepter had been relocated, except that when Fury walked over to the edge of the three story high tank and looked down, he saw nothing but a clear empty rectangular box. "When did you notice it was missing, Doctor?" Fury asked him, still staring down into the tank, willing the scepter to re-appear. "I'd say when the alarms started to go off." Banner glanced down into the tank, "We have used primary and secondary precautions, gloves, gowns, the whole works. No skin to metal contact so it couldn't have been one of us," Fury turned to look at him, "Never say couldn't, doc. And what do you mean no skin to metal?"
Banner took the tablet he'd been carrying under his arm and tapped the screen. "Well that's what activates it, why it makes a portal, the electrical charge on our skin creates a bond or something that turns it on. Remember those lamps everyone used to have, you could touch the metal base to make them turn on or off? Same priniciple." Fury looked back into the tank, "Well someone or something had to touch it then. What about video feed?" Banner tapped the screen of his pad and held it out to Fury. "Not much actually, whatever it was fried the system cameras. This is all we got before the system failed." Fury watched an image of the scepter for a minute then saw the air before it begin to shimmer and coalesce into a form that quickly became unidentifiable as the lens of the camera began to frost, then to ice over until it blinked out, a dark form unrecognizable beyond the thick ice. "Loki," Fury said, pulled his phone from his pocket, dialed a number, "Yes I'd like room 11, maternity ward please," A pause as Fury stared at the phone, then, "Well this is an emergency then.."
Her mother had driven her black Santa Fe to pick them up from the hospital, the car seat she'd gotten over the summer hooked into the rear seat. "Here I picked up an outfit last night on the way home for Fen to leave the hospital in." Her mother said handing the small sage green union suit with baby giraffes on it to Sarah who took it and started to unwrap Fen from his blanket. "The nurse has already been in to see us so we can leave as soon as they take his picture." Seeming to hear her, one of the nurses walked in with a camera and a form. "Is Fen ready for his debut?" Sarah smiled, "Almost, just about dressed." She looked to Loki who had been quiet ever since the bad dream hours earlier. "Loki, love…why don't you start to pack the bag they gave us. It's on the table." Loki moved as if in a trance but his hands started to pick up the papers she'd told him to grab and slipped them into the little baby bag as they put Fen in his outfit in the bassinet one more time while the nurse clicked the button on the camera and handed Sarah the piece of paper, telling her that she could order more photos with it.
They had just strapped a whimpering Fen into the car seat when the phone rang at the nurses maternity station.
Fury, closed his phone and started back for the elevator. The receptionist at the nurses desk had told him that they had left and were heading to Rutland.
The phone in the Miller kitchen rang as they were pulling in to the dooryard and Dan answered it. "Hello, Miller residence." He heard a vaguely familiar voice on the other end. "Mr. Miller, is your daughter there, I need to speak with her." "They just pulled in, who's this?" Dan said watching out the window as Sarah, Loki and Annie trudged up the back steps. The black car with the two agents pulling in behind the Santa Fe as they reached the door."This is Director Fury and I need to speak with Sarah as soon as possible."
Loki opened the door and held it for Sarah, who had Fen wrapped in a blanket in her arms. She looked at her father who had the phone in his hand, covering the mouthpiece as he motioned for her to come to him. She turned and handed Fen to Loki then walked over to the arch to the living room where her father was now standing. "You better take it in here," He mouthed, glancing at Loki who was bouncing Fen gently and had his attention drawn by Annie who was putting a hand to the back of Fen's head.
Sarah took the phone, "Hello?" and heard Fury's voice, "Miss Miller? Where is Loki right now." Sarah turned in the direction of the kitchen and saw Loki walking into the living room towards her, having handed the baby to her mother, "Who is it?" Loki asked, bending and giving her a quick peck, "He's right here," She was interrupted by Thor and Jane who had just come down the stairs, "Where's the baby?" Jane asked, Sarah smiled and pointed towards the kitchen. "Miss Miller this is serious." Fury said into her ear, "Has Loki been with you this entire time? Did he step out of the room at all? Did you ever lose sight of him." Sarah tried to give Loki a reassuring grin but it wouldn't come and he was now staring at her, looking serious as the grave. "Who is it?" He asked again a bit louder, "You mean did I hold his hand while he used the bathroom? No…but he's been with me all the time." Loki was now holding his hand out for the phone, pretty sure he knew who was on the other end but Sarah held her hand up, "Miss Miller, maybe I haven't educated you on the bag of tricks that Loki is. You're sure he's been with you.."
Sarah never got the chance to answer as Loki pulled the phone from her hand, "What's going on, Fury?" Loki could hear the creak of a chair, "Well you know that glorified pig sticker you brought with you on your way out of hell?" Loki didn't answer, waiting, "Well it's gone missing and the video feed seems to have your name written all over it." "Missing," Loki said, he glanced at Sarah who was now at the receiving end, "Who's gone missing?" Loki put a hand over the mouthpiece, leaned over and whispered in her ear, "The scepter is missing." Sarah's eyes widened, "Fury thinks I've got it." He could hear Fury shouting something into the phone and he returned it to his ear, "I want you here in NewYork in two hours. I have notified the agents that.." "Two hours!" Loki shouted, "It's going to take a bit longer than that to drive there and you've told us not to use the Bifrost here." Thor had walked into the room and was listening to Loki's conversation, "The agents are going to bring you to the airport, a jet is on its way, should be there in ten minutes." Loki stared at the phone, "Out of the question, I'm going to ride with Sarah and the baby."
Loki handed the phone to Thor and stalked into the kitchen where he lifted Fen from Annie and stood there cradling him in his arms. Thor held the phone to his ear, "Hello?" Fury's voice boomed in his ear, "Thor, you had better see to it that he gets on that jet if he doesn't want to lose his visitor privileges." "What is going on, director?" Thor asked, watching Jane and Sarah, their heads close together, whispering. "That damn scepter is missing and I want your brother on guarded watch while he's on this planet." Thor walked into the kitchen with the phone, "Director, if you're implying what I believe you are, I assure you that you couldn't be more wrong." Annie glanced back and forth from Loki to Thor then to Dan who stood in the kitchen doorway arms folded. "Thor, the agents are waiting, maybe you and Miss Foster should come as well." Thor sighed, "This will not be easy," He looked over to where Loki was standing, his gaze fixed on Fen whom Sarah had taken and put at her shoulder. "If it will help to prove my brother an innocent man, I will see to it he goes."
Thor handed the phone to Dan who hung it up. "Brother, we have to go, please," He motioned to Jane, "We have to go with him, I will get our things." Thor passed her, heading upstairs and she followed him. Loki, meanwhile, stood by the door with Sarah, the baby between them. "This is inexcusable, I am forever being driven beyond your reach and this time for nothing I've done." Sarah nodded, looked down at Fen, "I'll get there as soon as I can. I'm going to leave around noon, okay?" "Alone?" Loki cried, "No, you've just had a baby, I can't allow it. Fury will wait, he has no choice." Jane had come back into the kitchen by then, "I'm going to ride with her, Loki. I told Thor to tell Fury we would be on our way. She'll be fine." Sarah nodded though she felt weary to the bone. "Women have been having babies and carrying on with their lives for eons. I'll be fine." Thor had reappeared in the kitchen by then, "Come, Loki." He turned to Jane, "Be careful, my love." Thor looked to Loki, standing there with Sarah, their eyes locked, "I'll be there as soon as I can." They kissed, quick, sweet, intense, he walked to Fen and planted a lingering kiss on his forehead, eliciting a squeak he had grown to love in the space of a day, and they were out the door and walking to the waiting car in the dooryard. Jane put her arms around Sarah's shoulders. "Let's get packing okay? We've got a ways to go."