Sarah opened the door to her apartment and walked inside, the silence deafening as she set Fen's carrier and her bags down in front of the couch, walked over to the fridge and opened it, knowing she'd have to get some groceries. She pulled her coat off and threw it on the couch, reached under the counter below the sink and grabbed a garbage bag, shaking it open, started to throw away most of what was in the fridge, trying as she went, to think about anything but Loki before she turned around, grabbed Fen and ran back to the office and up to the landing pad from where she'd just come.
Twenty minutes later, she was sitting on the couch with Fen in her arms, talking to Lily. "I'm so glad to hear you're back. I bet that baby has grown so big. We have to meet up so I can see him." Sarah nodded, "Tomorrow? How about lunch time?" Lily said that would be fine and Sarah said she would meet her outside the office tomorrow around noon. After they hung up, she checked the voicemail on her phone, amazed to see twenty messages, after listening to them, most from her mother and sister, one from Pepper and three from Jane, she lay down on the couch, her hand on Fen's carrier, rocking it gently, loneliness like a great weight pressing down on her.
Thursday night found her in Far Rockaway, sitting at her sister's house, helping her fix supper while Daniel watched Fen watch him as he sat beside the carrier on the floor. Mr. Whiskers had twined himself around Sarah's legs as soon as she'd come through the door and she felt sorry that she'd left him so long. "Has he been a good cat?" She asked Lizzie who had laughed, "He's a cat, dogs, I'd have trouble with."
Sarah had been slicing potatoes and she slowed to a stop, looked up at Lizzie across the table, "I'm thinking of taking an extended leave of absence to stay with Loki." Lizzie didn't return her gaze, "In Asgard?" Sarah's eyes widened, "What?" Lizzie shrugged, "I talked to Jane when you were gone, we got to sharing about my marriage, about her and Thor and it came out where you were." Sarah resumed chopping the potatoes and dropping them in a pot of water. "And what did you say?" Lizzie stood up with the two pans of meatloaf in her hands, walked to the stove and set them on the burners so that she could open the oven, "I said it sounded a little farfetched to be real and then I thought of New York, I guess I'd have to see it to believe it. I mean if it's a matter of you not wanting me to know and all.." Sarah shook her head, "It's not that at all.." Lizzie interjected, "She also talked about Loki." Sarah stopped chopping again, "How he's part of the Avengers Initiative.." Sarah's mouth dropped open, then, "She did?" Lizzie nodded, "At least he's one of the good guys."
Sarah put the pan of potatoes on one of the burners. "So, what about your apartment and your stuff?" Lizzie asked as they sat down to wait for dinner to cook. "I was hoping maybe I could store stuff in your big shed out back." Sarah snuck a glance at her, "I mean the furniture isn't mine, it goes with the apartment, all I have is my bed and Fen's room, plus the kitchen table, lights and stuff like that." Lizzie nodded, "I suppose you could, but what about your job?" Fen started to fuss just then and Sarah picked him up out of his carrier, put him to her shoulder and started to bounce him, "I'd have to request an extended leave." Lizzie sighed, "It wouldn't be so bad if we could at least call you and talk to you. I mean what if we want to see the baby? What about mom and dad?" Sarah kissed Fen's head and he turned towards her, his mouth open. "It's not like I can't come home. I'll make sure to visit with Fen but I can't be without Loki, Fen can't be without a father. I can't be practical about it." Lizzie watched Sarah put Fen to her breast, "Screw practical, follow your heart if it will make you happy." Sarah smiled at Lizzie, "Thanks, I needed to hear that." And they watched Fen as he fed, content.
That night when she finally got home, she sat at her laptop and composed her request for an extended leave which she would bring to the office tomorrow morning, put a sleeping Fen in his crib, and changed for bed herself. As she lay there looking out the window at the night sky, she pulled a pillow to her and held it tight, thinking it was a poor substitute at best, wondering if he was missing her as much as she was missing him.
Pepper held Fen while Tony read the letter. It was nearly noon by the time Sarah had managed to get Fen ready for the day as well as herself and she hadn't wanted to disturb Fen's lunch time as he'd been on a good schedule so she never made it to Stark towers until two that afternoon. "Okay, well it looks legit. A year is a long time though. Have you really thought it over, Miss Miller?" Sarah nodded, "I've told my landlord I'm moving, I've called the moving company so I can store my stuff at my sister's place but they won't be able to move me until next Wednesday. I'm fully aware of what I'm getting into." Pepper glanced at Tony who said, "Well maybe you can keep him out of trouble for a while…Loki I mean, not the kid…might want to take him before Miss Potts gets the urge to nest." Pepper punched Tony in the arm as soon as her hands were free, "Hey now, that's on video, insubordination, abuse…" Tony cried. "Thank you for everything," Sarah interrupted him, " I promise I'll be in touch."
As they watched the elevator doors close after her, Tony looked at Pepper, "Think it'll last?" Pepper rolled her eyes and walked away, "What? Hey what?"
Frigga found Loki in the arboretum sitting near the center fountain, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped before him, watching the torchlight throwing shadows into the water, the servants had told her where he was when he had not joined them for dinner that evening. She sat down next to him on the stone bench and put her hand on his. "We missed you for the evening meal, Loki." He stared at the fountain a bit longer, then said, "It's been two weeks, I'm thinking seriously of going to New York and asking Fury to find her for me." Frigga rubbed his back, "You must have patience," Loki grunted at this, "You said she has a family, a place of her own and a job. They all take time to take care of, I'm sure that's why she's not back yet." Loki looked down at the tile floor, "I don't think I can bear to wait much longer." He stood, bowed to Frigga and walked, slowly from the fountain into the darkness of the vegetation, leaving Frigga to gaze into the fountain, wondering herself what was keeping Sarah so long from them.
Sarah watched the scene solidify before her into the large dome that was the portal. Heimdall looked at her, the bags she'd brought with her and waved to the guards standing at the entrance to the portal. "Thank you Heimdall." Sarah said as the guards took her things to a cart waiting on the bridge. Heimdall bowed slightly, "How fares the little prince?" He asked, glancing down at Fen in her arms. "Much better now that we're here." Sarah sighed, bowed in return to Heimdall and boarded the cart for the ride to the palace.
Loki came striding into his chambers and up to where Sarah stood with Fen but before he could say anything, she was handing Fen to him. He took him, kissing him on the forehead and holding him to his chest. "I was ready to go to Midgard and find you, Sarah." He said, waiting for her to look at him, but she lugged a duffle bag over to the wardrobe and opened it. "I hope you can spare some room for my things," Loki walked over to her, not saying a word until she finally looked up at him, "I know I'm late, I'm sorry for taking so long. I had a lot to do" His tone changing, Loki said softly, "How long will you be able to stay?" Sarah stood back up and walked to the bed to sit down, "How long do you want me to stay?" Loki sat down beside her, "Forever?" Sarah stroked Fen's soft hair, "Well, I've taken an extended leave of absence, relinquished my apartment and stored my stuff. If you send me home now, I'll have to stay with my sister," Loki laughed at this, "Perish the thought, you recall who resides two doors down from me?" Sarah smiled at him, "You'll have to find me something to do around here, I need to be productive." Loki lifted Fen in the air and looked at him, letting Sarah take him from her. "Perhaps you could show Sif how to be an agent?" Sarah giggled and elbowed Loki, "Maybe she could show me how to be a warrior." Loki leaned over and kissed her lips, soft and warm, the sensation racing up her spine, making her remember how much she truly did miss him. "We've got at least a year to figure it out."
That evening, as Loki lay curled around her, his arm over her stomach, her arm atop his, Fen in the cradle fast asleep, the warmth of the braziers driving out the chill winter air, the last thought Sarah had before sleep closed her eyes was that she was right where she wanted to be.
END