After a night of deep and much needed sleep for all of us, it was time to return to Asgard. Thor was saying his farewells and promising to return if they ever needed him. Loki was standing tall next to the low concrete wall I was sitting on. I thought we looked like a ridiculous bunch and the passing looks confirmed that. Captain Rogers was no longer wearing his skin tight suit but under his short sleeve shirt his impressive muscles could be seen. The Black Widow still wore her skin tight outfit; I couldn't imagine her having to wear a dress. Tony Stark was immaculate in a black suit and red shirt that made his cuts stand out. I suppose he thought it looked "manly". The other archer, Hawkeye, still looked the same as well. Like me, he still carried his bow and he kept looking warily at me, daring me to shoot. I really wanted to challenge him, but I remembered that Loki had originally chosen him so he had to be good. Banner may have been the only normal looking one, though to me he looked strange in a tshirt and jeans. As expected in this strange land of America, Thor got the most looks. Some people completely stopped walking in shock and their jaws fell. It was the most fun I've ever had when people watching. I was still giggling at one person who walked into a pole when I heard a voice call my name. I turned and saw Stark motioning for me to come over. I walked over.
"Scarlett tells me you saved my life," he said softly. I suspected he had never truly thanked anyone before. I nodded. "Thank you. I know you didn't have to, you could've given up, you didn't even know me. If there's anything I can do to repay you, I will gladly give you anything."
"There is something, but not for me." He seemed confused that I would refuse a gift from him. "I saved you for Pepper. I don't think you see it, but she loves you. It's more than just caring for you. She loves you and she can see past your fronts. In return for saving your life I want you to love her back. I think when you look at yourself you will realise you love her back. And it may be hard for you to show it, but it will go a long way. Can you do that for me? For her?" I stared at him, daring him to refuse.
"You are a unique person, Lorainne." He nodded. "I can do that. I will show her I love her."
"Thank you." I turned and walked back to Loki.
"Giving someone else a lecture?" Loki said as I sat back down. "You haven't known him longer than a day. You move fast." I kicked him in the back of the leg but my foot went through the projection. "Got you," he laughed from behind me. I scowled and considered punching the grin off his face, but I knew it would go through again.
"Loki!" Thor called. We turned. "It's time to go home." He held out the crystal capsule with the tesseract inside. Loki grabbed the handle on the other end. I ducked under his arms and put my hands over his.
"Time to see if this plan of yours works, Thor." Thor nodded.
"Three...two...one." Loki and Thor twisted their handles in opposite directions. For a second nothing happen. Then streams of light exploded from the tesseract and wrapped around the three of us. "Think of the throne room!" Thor yelled over the sound of rushing winds in our ears. I closed my eyes and pictured the throne room. The golden walls and high ceiling. The torches around the perimeter and Loki on the throne. I held this image in my eyes until the wind stopped whipping my hair around my hair. When I opened my eyes, it was as I had pictured it. Only Odin was on the throne. Loki and I released our hold on the capsule and we all knelt before the throne.
"You may rise," Odin said.
"Father, I have brought you the tesseract." Thor held the capsule out in front of him at arm's length. Odin gently took it from Thor.
"It belongs in the relics hall to be guarded like the other weapons." He set it behind him on the throne. "Loki."
"I am sorry, Allfather." He knelt again. "I will accept any punishment you see fit." Odin let the silence grow uncomfortably. Then he stooped and pulled Loki to his feet.
"You have already served your punishment." Loki looked at him in confusion. "Your punishment was served after you fell and you believed yourself to be without a home. No one deserves to feel that alone, especially when they are not alone. You thought I rejected you in favor of Thor, and while I see now that I have unfairly favored him, it never meant that I loved you any less. I raised you both to be kings and I expect you both to be such. In all the ways that matter, you are equal to Thor and I am sorry that you felt different. That is a far worse punishment than any I could come up with." Loki was looking at him in disbelief. "Besides, I fear any punishment I impose on you would also be a punishment inflicted on Lady Lorainne." Loki looked over his shoulder at me. I was also stunned, but I wasn't as surprised as Loki or Thor.
"Thank you, Allfather." Loki inclined his head. "I will be forever grateful for your infinite mercy." I rolled my eyes. That tongue of his.
"Thor," Odin continued. "You have my thanks for never giving up on your brother and for helping to defend Midgard."
"I hope you do not mind that I have vowed to continue protecting Earth, father."
"No, Thor. It was a wise choice. And I sense it was also motivated by love, was it not?"
"It is Jane Foster's home. I intend to keep it safe for her and her friends." I would have to meet this Jane sometime. If she could change Thor as much as she did, she must be a remarkable woman.
"Lady Lorainne." Odin turned to me. "It is because of you that both of my sons stand before me unharmed. I think you know how much this means to me. I don't know how to thank you properly. Is there any wish you have that I could grant?" I thought hard. At one point in time I would've asked him to make me immortal, but I no longer wanted that. I ran through all my childhood wishes and dismissed each one.
"There is only one thing I desire. I would like to continue to study magic under Loki until he has no more to teach me."
"Asgard will be your home as long as you wish it." Odin smiled. "All of Asgard will welcome you as a hero and you will be one of us. I give you only this warning: The longer you stay in Asgard, the more its power grows in you. You may live to see your nephews die of old age while you still look young. There may be other ways that this manifests itself, but I suspect you will stay far longer than any mortal has before so I cannot warn you of anything further."
"I suppose I'll find out in time." I smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Allfather."
"Now, you must be hungry." My stomach growled in agreement. "Dinner will be served shortly in the great hall. I suspect it may be a celebratory feast so wear your best."