For two days, Loki had barely spoken to Sarah, defying her logic every time they attempted to speak. He was angry at her for being so insistent, angry with himself for upsetting her so close to her due date, and there was another reason to invalidate the argument, worrying about how travel would affect the baby…he had pointed out the fact that she was only human after all and had been shoved out of the way for it, as she had sailed out of the bedroom most likely heading to his mother's chambers where she would receive sympathy and encouragement to continue her boycott. He cringed as he thought about how she had reacted when he laughed outright at her idea for him.

"I want Fen to see Earth, to learn about his other home and two years is a long time to be away from it. I know we visit but it's not the same, I could enroll him in nursery school next year and he could make new friends." Sarah had said, "I can continue my job after the baby is born, I can have the baby in a hospital, and maybe you could petition Fury to accept you into the Avengers program." When he had stopped laughing, it had been to an empty room. He had wandered to Thor's room, pensive and sullen but nothing could bring Thor down at that point in time. "Brother, maybe you should listen to Sarah, Jane's time approaches also, and you know how much women like to nest with other women…in fact, all they talk about when she's home are the children." Loki had shaken his head, "I may seem overly concerned but I have my reasons. You've seen what Fen can do, especially when he's upset with someone or something. I'd hate to have to go get Fen from that nursery school Sarah is talking about because he iced another child to the floor, or threw him through a wall for that matter."

Thor had chuckled at this, receiving a glare from Loki, "Perhaps that is why he should go to this school in the first place, he must learn to walk in both worlds, brother, you know that, it is what father advised you when he recognized and marked him." Loki had stood up from the chair he'd been sulking in, "I think it's too soon, he's too young." He hadn't even considered mentioning the other idea she'd had. He was pretty sure that one would have put Thor on the floor insensible with laughter. "But he is smart, and kind, the court adores him." Loki put a hand up, "The court is made up of Asgardians. They are like us. The Midgardians are likely to shun him, or worse." Thor had clapped Loki on the shoulder, the old injury still making him wince a bit, "Brother, believe me, winning an argument with the ladies is an impossible task, even father often admits defeat to mother, we're talking the Allfather, here."

Loki had left his brother, no further along in gaining proponents to his cause than before. He had found Odin in the throne room, speaking with Sif and he had dutifully waited until she had finished. When she'd walked past him, she had giggled, leaving him to stare at her as she left the hall. "Loki," Odin had said, "What brings you here, though I've a good idea." Loki put a hand to his forehead and rubbed it, had she talked to the entire court? He walked up the steps to the Throne and stood before it until Odin bade him sit down in Frigga's chair. "Mother is off with.." Loki had interrupted him, "Fen and Sarah, I already know that. She's assembling her army as we speak."

Odin had smiled, throwing Loki into a tirade, "It's not funny, she means to overrule me, possibly by brute force if she can manage. I know I do not want to return to Midgard to be locked up under guard again. If I'm going to return, it will be to lead a life out from under Fury's gaze." He had hesitated, "And there's another idea Sarah has, this one is certainly doomed to failure." "Joining the Avengers?" Odin replied, Loki threw his hands in the air, "Honestly? I should like to sew that woman's mouth shut." Odin had put a hand on Loki's arm, "Your brother is a part of this team on Midgard. Perhaps it would be wise to join him." Loki had laughed, "They would have to slap Fury to stop him from laughing, then they would kick me to the curb." Odin had stared at Loki quizzically, "To the curb…" Loki had sighed, "Yes, it's a term I picked up from Sarah, it means they would throw me out of the building…or back home." He had run his fingers through his hair then, "Unless I can come up with a convincing argument, it would seem we are going to be heading to Midgard soon," Odin nodded, "Are you willing to let her go alone while you stay here?" At this Loki had given his father a look of incredulity, "Then I would say that you are indeed going to be traveling."

He found Sarah sitting on the floor of their living quarters playing blocks with Fen. "You shouldn't be down on the floor like that. You'll have a time getting back up again." He said, standing over them with arms crossed. Sarah had glared at him, gripping the block in her hand as if she wanted to throw it at him. "Then you get down here and play with him." She said, her voice clipped, putting her hands on the divan nearby as she started to get up from the floor, shrugging off Loki's hands as he made to help her. "I've gotten up and down for the last two days without help thank you." Loki put his hands to his head and groaned. "Dadad, look." Fen said, pulling at his breeches and Loki sat on the floor beside him, Sarah picking up the other toys around the living room and putting them in a chest beside the divan until Loki said, "I can get them you know, go lay down.", making Fen and himself jump as she shut the lid of the chest hard. "You know something, I was thinking about all this earlier, saying to myself that you weren't being fair but the more I thought about it, the more I began to understand. You're not being unfair, you're being a coward. You're afraid to be out of your element. Here you are a god, you have the court to remind you of your importance, the servants to take care of us." "You've never complained about the servants yourself." Loki had interrupted her, but she carried on, "On Mid…on Earth, you would be one among millions, perhaps even a stay at home dad, normal…except for the fact that you could ice over the Empire state building or toss cars without touching them and all that crap but there you couldn't do any of that, and forget even asking Fury about the Avengers program, you'd really have to swallow your pride then." Loki stood up and strode over to the bedroom door where Sarah had gone. "And you would have Fen go to school there so he could learn to be just as normal as the rest of them," Fen had toddled over to Loki, wrapped his arms around his knees and poked his head out between them but Loki ignored him, "What happens when another child takes his toy away and he rewards him by icing his hands to it? Or he throws a Thor-like tantrum? And yes, I would be out of my element there, why does that make me a coward? I think it makes me wise not wanting to go where I don't fit in." Fen pushed through his legs and stood before him, leaning back on him as if to shield him from Sarah. "First you have to try to fit in, Loki, and it's not like you'll be alone either. I'll be there with you."

Sarah had held out her arms to Fen who came running to her and she picked him up in a big hug, Loki's heart skipping a beat as he watched Sarah and their son exchange eskimo kisses and he sighed. "Loki," Sarah said patting the bed beside her, to which he dutifully sat down. "He wouldn't go to nursery school until he was three, we'd have time to teach him what not to do when he was angry," Sarah pushed Fen's jet black hair back from his face, "Kiddo, you need a haircut," Loki reached over and put a hand on Sarah's belly, feeling the baby kick and roll, "but what about the baby, I don't know if it's safe to travel the Bifrost with you pregnant, being just…" Sarah had stared at him until he left the sentence unfinished. "It's a hundred times easier than the scepter and I've been traveling it to see my parents, my sister, and I've still been pregnant so let's toss that argument in the trash." Loki ruffled Fen's hair as he stretched out over their laps, giggling. "In fact, let's toss the rest of the argument out as well," He said as he leaned over and kissed her shoulder, making her close her eyes in a rush of adrenaline. "So when are we going on this trip you're planning?"

The August sun was burning through the haze hovering over the city when the Bifrost retreated into the sky, leaving Loki, Sarah, Thor and Fen alone on the landing pad. "I must call Jane when we get inside to tell her that we are here now. She is working today at the college and I told her that perhaps we could walk over there to meet her after our meeting." "If I'm allowed to," Loki said under his breath, eliciting an elbow from Sarah. Two agents were waiting for them as they walked down the steps to the lower pad, "Welcome back, come with us please." Fen ran up to them and started to walk along with them, "Hi agent." Fen said, trying to match his steps with them, "Hello Fen," one of the agents said with a small wave, Sarah glancing at Loki whose mouth was hard set, eyes watching Fen closely.

Fury met them at the door to his office and ushered them in, Sarah catching a glimpse of Lily in the hall and waving to her as she clapped silently and mouthed "Yay!" Loki had Sarah sit in one of the chairs and Fen hopped up on her lap, making Sarah gasp and hold him to the side of her swollen belly. "Mr. Stark said you were going to be coming home, starting back to work next week?" Sarah nodded, "I hope to, we have to try and find a place, we're going to be staying at Jane's for the time being until we can find something. I have some money saved in the bank so at least I have a deposit on an apartment. I'm going to try to get into my old building so I've not got so far to go to work." Fury nodded, "Okay," and Loki had been surprised at his nonchalant response. Fen had climbed down from Sarah's lap and was starting to explore the room. "Tell me something, have you noticed any specialties with your son?" Sarah cocked her head, "Specialties? What do you mean?" Fury's answer was interrupted by a burning pain in his left foot and he looked down to see Fen, his hands on his shoe which was rapidly becoming encased in ice. Sarah looked around the room and at once knew where Fen was, rising before Loki could react and stepping around the desk, "Fenris Daniel, you've been a bad boy!" Sarah cried, scooping him up where he started to whine and put his arms around Sarah's neck. "Apologize to Mr. Fury," Fen peeked out from Sarah's neck with a whispered, "Sorry" and hid his face again. Sarah watched as Fury lifted his shoe, with effort, from the floor and shook it free of ice. "I'm sorry, sir." Sarah sighed patting Fen's back.

Fury stared at the boy for a moment, "Well it answers my question then, anything else you've noticed besides the fact that you'll never want for ice cubes?" Loki's mouth tightened and Fury glanced at him, "Anything you'd like to say?" Loki narrowed his eyes at Fury, "I would ask for an apology, that was a crude remark." Fury looked at Sarah, who was whispering in Fen's ear. "Please excuse me, I didn't mean to upset you, Miss Miller." "Laufeyson, sir." Sarah interjected as Fury raised an eyebrow, "We were wed just after Fen's first birthday." She felt Loki's hand on her shoulder as he squeezed it gently in response. "So," Fury said turning to Loki, "What is on your agenda now that you're back here on Earth?" Loki smiled as wide as he could, "Stay at home father?" and grunted as Sarah elbowed him in the hip and said, "Director, Loki wanted to petition S.H.I.E.L.D. for a position in the Avengers team." Loki threw his head back and closed his eyes until he realized Fury hadn't said anything and when he looked down again, Fury was staring at him. Thor, who had remained silent all this time finally spoke up, "My brother has truly changed, Director, I think he could become a valuable member of the team if allowed to join us in a group." Fury crossed his arms, "You're biased, you're his brother. I can't go by that recommendation alone." He paused, "You would have to be his watchdog. He'd be your responsibility."

Loki's mouth dropped open and he as quickly shut it again. It had sounded as though Fury was actually considering it. "I'll have to consult with everyone else, a team isn't a team unless all members are in agreement but I will be in touch with you, trust me, my first instinct is to ask you, Miss…" Fury put a hand to his bald head, "Laufeyson, and your family to stay here in quarters but I think you've got a hold on everything for the time being. I'll expect to hear from you each week on your progress." Fury looked down at Fen who was still hiding from his gaze, "And your son's… when are you due?" Sarah rubbed her stomach, "Three weeks from today." Fury nodded, "I want to know the details there too. You may go."

Loki stepped out onto the street in front of S.H.I.E.L.D. half expecting a slew of agents to come running out the door telling him that Fury had changed his mind but as they started to walk down the street towards the subway to head to Columbia University to meet with Jane, he started to smile, to walk a bit slower, feeling the need to run away from Fury's sphere of influence grow smaller. He took Fen's hand and Thor took the other, swinging a squealing, laughing Fen, Sarah following behind them shaking her head, "Be careful guys, he needs those arms, you know."

Jane and Sarah sat in the kitchen of Jane's apartment while Loki and Thor amused Fen outside. "It seems so good to be home now." Sarah sighed, receiving a side hug from Jane, laughing as they did so, "I can't hug Thor anymore except like this, he's so, you know, built." Sarah smiled, "I got the skinny one, Fen is shaped just like him too, all arms and legs, like a spider monkey." Jane smiled and patted her stomach indicating Sarah to join her and they smiled as they felt the baby roll around. "Are you worried about Loki?" Jane asked her, Sarah shrugged, "I know he'll adjust. It'll take time and maybe Fury will manage to come through for him, crossing my fingers, now what can I help with for supper?"

Loki and Thor lay on the grass outside in the yard, watching the clouds roll by, Fen climbing first from one of them to the other and back. "Do you really think Fury will allow me to work with the Avengers?" Loki mused. "He may at that, brother. His first reaction would have been to say no if he had any doubts. It is you who must lay any remaining doubts to rest." Loki looked over at Thor, then back up at the clouds. "I'll have you there to make sure I do." Fen sat up in the grass and pointed to Thor, "Avenger," Then to Loki, "Avenger." Thor laughed, "Brother, he is wise beyond his years," Loki smiled, "Yes he is."