Three years later

"Daddy! Daddy!" Nathan said excitedly, running to Loki as he came back from the lab. He was a cute little kid, with his big brown eyes and his mop of mahogany curls, and he was always brimming with energy. Loki didn't know how Darcy kept up with him.

He put his briefcase down by the door and scooped him up, blowing raspberries on his stomach. Nathan giggled hysterically, shrieking for more.

"That's my Natey-boy," he said, smacking a kiss on his cheek and putting him back down. Nate clambored for more, jumping up and down.

"Want airplane, daddy! Airplane!" 'Airplane' was when Loki would hold him and zoom him around in the air, pretending he was flying a plane. It had long been a favorite.

"Not tonight, Nate," he said, ruffling the boy's hair. "Daddy's too tired. Another time." Nate frowned, pouting a bit- much like his mother was wont to do- but forgot about it in a moment in his excitement to show Loki the pictures he'd drawn that day.

Loki followed him into the kitchen where he'd run off to, stretching his back muscles. They were cramped and his skin felt a little tight. He hadn't been sleeping well for the last few weeks- strange nightmares plagued him all night, only to disappear as soon as his eyes opened. Darcy had commented that he felt colder than usual, too- which was strange because he felt too hot. It was true that it was the end of August, and so there was still a fair amount of hot days, but it seemed more than that. Like it was caused by something internal, rather than just the weather. He waved these thoughts away. Having made an appointment to see the doctor in a few days, he really didn't want to dwell on it too much.

He smiled at the sight of Darcy at the stove. It had become the norm to see her cooking dinner when he got back. She'd said that it helped her relax when Nathan was taking his nap, which he must have just woken up from, and her cooking had dramatically improved because of the frequent practice. He teased her sometimes about becoming entirely domesticated, and she'd smack him lightly and tell him that she was still quite wild, thank you very much, and if Nathan was in bed at the time, she'd show Loki just what she meant.

"Hey, honey," he said. "I'm home."

Darcy turned from the pot on the stove, grinning.

"Well if it isn't the man who got me with child, come back at last to see how I'm faring," she said batting her lashes at him. She looked so cute, her hair up in a messy bun, and she was wearing an apron that read 'Kiss Me, I'm Me' over a purple t-shirt and jean shorts. He'd gotten her that apron for her birthday last year, and everytime he saw her wear it (which was often) he felt a little glow of pride.

"Well, my fair maiden," he said wrapping an arm around her and kissing her. "You seem to be faring quite sexily."

She bit his lip and-

"Daddy, daddy look- ewww..." Nathan said, having rushed into another room while they'd greeted eachother, only to see them kissing when he got back. They broke apart, grinning. "Come see my pictures, daddy," Nathan said impatiently.

"Mommy doesn't get to see them?" Loki asked, sitting down at the table.

"Mommy already saw them. Mommy's always here." Nathan sighed at this, as if it was a burden. In truth he loved his mother, but he saw his father less often and so got excited when he was home.

"Hey, watch it, kid," Darcy said, ruffling Nathan's hair as he passed to sit at the table too. "You wash your hands?" she asked. "Dinner is in five." They'd set up a stool by the kitchen sink (which was annoyingly low in the first place) so that he could reach.

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Not yet." He said in the voice of one who is long-suffering. "I was gonna after I showed daddy."

"Wash them now," Darcy said firmly, knowing how forgetful he was. He definitely got that from her. "And show daddy after. But remember, dinner is soon so don't get too caught up in it. I don't want a repeat of earlier." He'd thrown a fit at lunch because he hadn't been ready to stop watching Elmo and come with her to the supermarket.

Loki grinned at the exchange. Darcy had such a good way with Nathan. He was so blessed to have them both in his life.

He'd been working at SHIELD now for a little over two years, having retired, at least for now, from teaching. It was an incredible thing, to be able to do what he loved all day and then come home to an amazing wife and young son. Sometimes he felt like pinching himself, because how could this be real? How could he be allowed to live this amazing life? But then he and Darcy would have a disagreement, or Nathan would throw a fit. He would have nightmares, his back would ache- the little annoyances of life would creep in and he'd almost be relieved, because then of course it must be true: this really was his life. He truly was this blessed.

Nathan sighed and made a big show out of washing his hands. He definitely had Darcy's talent for the dramatic.

The pictures he had drawn turned out to be of all of them as a family. There was Darcy, wearing an apron and smiling, and Loki, who was frowning.

"And who are these?" Loki asked. Nathan had drawn two boys, one smiling and one frowning.

"Those are me," Nathan said. "See? This one is for when I'm happy because I get to have mommy, and this one is for when I'm sad that daddy's gone."

"Wow," Loki said, impressed and touched. Nathan was a cute little guy, but he was smart, too. That was one of the most surprising things about having a kid, Loki thought. That they could be so innocently wise at times, in between their fits and naps. "That was a pretty cool idea there, Nate."

Nathan beamed at this praise, and Loki's heart just melted. It was so clear that Nathan had a case of hero-worship where he was concerned.

"Alright mateys," Darcy announced, adopting a pirate accent. "Supper's up. Come get yer stew."

"Or what?" Nathan asked, grinning with delight. He loved when his mommy pretended to be a pirate, or a superhero. She played the best games with him.

"Or ye walk the plank, m'dearie," Darcy said swooping Nathan up and kissing both his cheeks. He wriggled out of her arms laughing happily.

Darcy looked at Loki, shaking her head with mock-sadness. "They never choose to walk the plank," she said, pouting.

"Who would walk the plank," Loki asked, kissing her, "when they could stay on a pirate-ship with you as their captain? They'd be crazy to want to leave."

Darcy smiled, accepting this. "This is true," she said. "They would have to be literally insane. Have you had my pesto lately? It's frickin' out of this world."

A/N: There's a short epilogue that I'm working on, but this is the last chapter. Still planning the plot out for it's sequel, butI've got a lot of it, and the first chapter should be up within a week. =)