Notes: In which it is time to say goodbye. There is a confrontation- of sorts- and a kind of critical mass of fluff.

Warnings: None. Except for fluff. Shameless, shameless fluff.

Chapter Eighteen

The whole party rose early on the morning of December twenty-eighth. Steve and Thor appointed themselves in charge of cooking breakfast for everyone, while Annie and Pepper made tea and coffee respectively.

Loki had stripped the bed and then packed the carpet-bag with his own clothing and toiletries, leaving the kittens' dishes and litter box for the last possible moment before they had to go in their carrier. He had thanked JARVIS for his supervision of the kittens, was wearing his Super Grover t-shirt, and had set the household's gifts in a pile together underneath the Christmas tree. All that remained were George and Mitchell's things. Probably Mitchell would end in a scramble, stuffing his belongings into his backpack at the last possible minute, or perhaps he would simply bundle everything into the carpet-bag to be sorted out later. Either way, they would surely be ready to catch the mid-morning train to begin their long trip back to Bristol.

Loki poured out a mug of coffee and delivered it to the counter near his brother's work station. Thor, scrambling eggs, glanced up with a smile of thanks. Loki took his own cup of tea and went over to sit with Annie.

Pepper poured out her own coffee and looked around. Perhaps sensing a slight mood of anti-climax, she asked, "Does anyone have plans for New Year's?"

"Yes," Bruce replied, surprisingly. Less surprisingly, he elaborated, "There's a three-day meditation retreat at a monastery in New Hampshire. It seemed like a good way to clear the slate and start the new year on the right foot."

"Me and Nat have… a thing… in Romania," Clint contributed, as he delivered a plate of eggs and toast to Mrs. Coulson. Nobody asked for more specifics- possibly, Loki thought, because they suspected this might be the sort of "thing" that, if anyone knew the specifics, Natasha and Clint might be forced to kill them.

"Not that kind of a thing," Natasha spoke up, apparently reading minds as easily as Tony did. "Just a bunch of… old friends and colleagues." She paused, then added, "Yes, that kind of old friends and colleagues."

"Pepper and I also have a thing," Tony said, amused. "Big noisy ridiculous charity ball in New York. I'd invite you all, except I wouldn't do that to you. The main thing in its favour is I get to see Pepper all dressed up to the nines, and that might not be quite as much of a draw for the rest of you."

"George has plans with his friend Nina," Mitchell said, with a mischievous smile. Georg blushed as everyone's attention turned his way. Mitchell went on, "Loki and Annie and I were going to have a drink with a couple of friends, but I think their plans have changed, is that right?"

Thor spoke up: "Loki and Annie have agreed to return with me to Asgard, for the last two days of the Yule celebrations." He cast a quick, fond glance at his brother and added, "Mother and Father will be so pleased to have them."

Loki blushed as hard as George had, and Annie put a hand on his back. "Yes, well, I will be very glad to be there, too."

~oOo~

True to prediction, Mitchell left his packing to the last possible minute. Loki and Annie, their own things neatly stowed in the carpet-bag, sat in the formal living room enjoying their last moments with the tree, while they waited for George to impose order upon Mitchell.

This was where Tony, who had offered to drive them to the train station, found them.

"Oh, hey," he said, a little awkwardly. "You're all set, then?"

"That we are," Annie replied, with a smile. "Just waiting for the rest of the boys."

Tony sat down in an armchair near the sofa the two occupied. "Well, that's good, then." Still looking a little fidgety, he added, "You know, I'd be glad to arrange to get you home- "

Loki smiled and shook his head. "Thank you, Tony, really, but it is not necessary. We will be home tomorrow evening, and then Annie and I will meet Thor in New Mexico to travel to Asgard by Bifrost."

"It's just such a long train trip," Tony persisted. "And you're probably all pretty tired right now, so by the time you get home- "

"That is true," Loki agreed. "We will indeed be very tired. But it would be worth a great deal more inconvenience to come here and have such a wonderful time as we have had." He glanced at Annie, who gave her warmest smile and nodded.

"Exactly," she said. "We were so happy to be included, and we had such a good time- it's been worth every second of that train ride. And really, we were glad just to see you again, too. That's always nice."

Tony, true to form, turned scarlet and started to rise, as if to run away again. Loki tried very hard, now, to use his powers for good purposes. He did, and knew he must not use them for dark or evil reasons such as overpowering the free will of others or bending them to his wishes. He was conscious of his actions, he took responsibility for them. It was necessary: if he was to avoid falling back into the ways that had led to such disaster for himself and everyone around him, it was vital that he be mindful of others, respectful of their limits, of what the humans called their boundaries, and to not trespass upon them.

Knowing all those things, Loki still cast a small jolt of magic at Tony, and gently pushed him back down in the armchair to prevent his escape. Then he leaned forward and said quietly,

"Tony, you and I have long recognized… certain similarities between ourselves, yes?" He did not wait for Tony's reply before going on, "It occurs to me, therefore, that- like myself- you might sometimes need certain things made clear to you that are obvious to everyone else.

"You did not need to collect us in Bristol, nor to deliver us home- it is extremely kind of you to offer to do so, and I appreciate the thought, but it is unnecessary. And the reason it is unnecessary is, we want to visit you, because we like you very much. I cannot say enough about how enjoyable this visit has been, and I think everyone has been most impressed with your creativity, and your kindness, and the efforts and trouble you took to ensure that all of us would feel amused and welcome and included. This whole visit has been a masterwork of hospitality and imagination, but Tony, if you had invited my friends and me to come here for a week and sit on the sofa watching movies and eating potato crisps, we would have been happy to do that, too, just for the pleasure of your company. All right?"

Tony's face was by now so red and hot that Loki was slightly surprised not to see steam rising from his hair. He seemed incapable of response, and so Loki pressed a little farther:

"I have mentioned similarities between ourselves. The most obvious is, of course, the fact both of us were raised by… difficult… fathers, apparently distant and with standards that seemed impossible for us to meet. Yes?"

"Yes," Tony finally said, in a strangled little whisper.

"I should not have the arrogance to speak for your father, inasmuch as I have never met him and he can no longer speak for himself, but- You know to what ridiculous lengths I went, trying to prove myself worthy of the love of my father, only to learn after all that pain and grief that I had always had his love all along. And… and it turned out, after everything- " Loki suddenly found his throat painfully tight, and had to cough before he could go on- "it turned out that, when I began to display concern for weaker creatures than myself, to show consideration, a little plain kindness- it turned out that pleased him better than any of my grand schemes could have done.

"I should not speak for your father, or your mother, but it seems to me that, on some level, all parents want their children to grow to be good people. Mine had to wait and worry, while I gave them every reason to believe I would only disappoint them. Yours… You fool no one, Tony, with your flippancy and playful boasting. You have a kind heart, an awareness of the impact of your actions, and the imagination to picture how they will affect others for good or ill. You are a good man, and all of us love you for it, and wherever they are, your father and mother are very proud of you. I know this."

There being nothing else he wished to add to his words, Loki pulled the spell away from Tony, who shot to his feet. Loki rose in a more leisurely fashion, still facing him, and Tony let out an awkward laugh, looking desperately embarrassed.

"Wow. That was… quite a speech, Loki. Is that everything you wanted to spring on me?"

"No," Loki replied, took a swift step toward Tony, and wrapped his long arms around the man.

This was far from the first embrace between the two, but prior instances had involved straightforward hugs of greeting, mostly initiated by Tony and intended at least partly to tease. Now that Loki was thinking about the similarities between Tony and himself, he thought there might be at least one more, and so he held on until Tony stopped trying to free himself, put his own arms around Loki, and hugged back. Owing to his greater height, Loki found his next words addressed mostly to the top of the other's head: "We all appreciate your talents, but we love you, and if you feel the wish for our company, you need only ask us to visit or receive you. These elaborate occasions are enjoyable, but not necessary. All right?"

"All right," Tony finally replied, rather muffled by Loki's shoulder.

"Good," Loki said. "I am so glad we have that all clear between us."

But it was some little time more before he released his hold on the human, and all the while Tony made no further efforts to free himself.

~oOo~

Two additional days of feasting- Asgardian feasting- had reminded Loki of the difference between human and Aesir appetites. The great bonfire had welcomed back the sun the previous morning, to the sound of all the voices of the palace, and many citizens of the town beyond, singing the old songs together. The halls and corridors and chambers were bright with decorations and their own accustomed golden glow.

On this final evening, Loki found himself, once more, leaning back on a comfortable seat, eyes slitted against the bright flames that licked at the Yule log in the king's private apartments. Annie's head was a welcome weight on his shoulder, and in his hand a goblet of warm spiced wine emitted an inviting scent. He sighed in contentment, turning his head when a gentle touch brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes.

"What are you thinking of, my child?" his mother's voice asked, warm and loving and interested.

"On Midgard, this is the feast of the New Year," Loki murmured. "A time to… reflect."

"Oh? And on what do you reflect?" Mother asked quietly.

Loki marshalled his sleepy thoughts, trying to make sense of them. This was not the New Year described by George, the one meant for reflection on wrongs done and amends to be made. Even so… there was much, surely, left to be attempted in that direction? Loki was neither fool enough, nor arrogant enough, to believe he had no further need of such contemplation, of such efforts. Of course not.

And yet…

Loki glanced down at Annie, asleep against his shoulder and holding his hand. Annie, whose ability to sleep at all was a symbol of her own courage and determination, holding his hand. He looked across the room at his brother and father, then up at his mother: all of them golden as the glow from the fire, all of them for the moment not rulers or future rulers of this realm, but simply people who loved him, had forgiven him and in this past year welcomed him back into their lives.

He thought of the previous week's laughter and acceptance, of the way a band of misfits and outcasts had turned themselves into a family, with room enough for any who might need them.

He thought of the little pink house in Bristol, where George and Mitchell and their pets and their friends would be celebrating the Midgardian New Year, awaiting the return of the rest of those who belonged there.

"I believe," he told his mother, "the practice is known upon Midgard as counting one's blessings. I have been trying to do so, but I fear I do not know enough numbers."

His mother's fingers stroked through his hair once again, then she leaned down to kiss his temple. "It is a problem I also understand. A joyous Yule to you, my son, and more joy in the year to come."

Loki smiled up at her. "And to you, Mother." Looking around the room, he amended, "All of you."

And, still wrapped in a golden glow that was indistinguishable from love, Loki shifted over so his mother could sit beside him and lean against his other shoulder.