It had been a week. Seven whole days that Darcy had heard nothing from him. And to make matters worse, Thor was still gone too. Darcy had been staying with Jane during the days to help out with the boys, and, honestly, they helped distract Nathan, too, so it worked out well.

Darcy was furious, and scared. Knowing Loki, him not being back meant that something must have gone wrong. She would never be able to believe that he would willingly stay away from them for so long. How long could it take to find out about how you used to be a god, anyways? No. The fact that he was still gone meant that he could be in danger. And yet of course he'd had to go rushing off into it! But that was unfair of her. He didn't typically do things like that- she just felt so helpless against all of this new mythology-crazy-god-stuff.

Jane was dealing with her own missing husband. It was hard on her, but Jane put a smile on. "They'll be back," she would say with quiet faith when Darcy expressed her fear that something horrible had happened. Her brain seemed to be stuck on repeat- it was all that she could think of, day in and day out. Except, of course, for Nathan, who would never allow himself to be overlooked. Even with Jane, Darcy thought she might go out of her mind with worry if not for the distraction that Nathan was.

Because no matter how many times Jane said that they would be back, and no matter how much quiet faith she said it with, Darcy just couldn't help but wonder- why? She had no idea what went on back on that Asgard place- it might be filled with all sorts of horrendous monsters and whatnot. And it had been a week! A lot could happen in a week! As far as she knew, it was entirely possible that she would never see Loki again. Which was just... It was just...

It was 23,984,734% unacceptable.

Jane was a saint. Darcy was sure she hadn't been the greatest person to hang out with lately. She couldn't help expressing her doubts and fears- and yet Jane was always there, always with something positive and reassuring to say. Sometimes Darcy wondered if poor Jane felt she had to be strong not only for herself and the kids but for Darcy, too. Darcy wouldn't put it past her- Jane was the ultimate mother-hen. But Darcy had made a vow the previous night to try and stop being so selfish. She was determined to be a shoulder for Jane as well.

So she was sitting in the living room, watching the boys after bullying Jane into taking a nice, relaxing bath.

The boys had been pretty consumed by a bunch of blocks that they were either making into a city or destroying, depending on their age, so Darcy had gotten out the rough draft of the latest childrens' story she was working on and was going over them. Or trying to, anyways. She kept getting distracted by thoughts of Loki. Of course.

"No, Liam!" Nathan shouted, drawing her attention. "You can't do that!" Liam was picking up a block that had been part of Nathan's city, and his hand was poised as if to throw it. Isaac was gnawing on another block. Darcy sighed, putting her work away. This was both the blessing and curse of being a stay-at-home mom. You got to be with your kid all the time, but they got to disrupt your work as often as they wanted.

"Liam, honey, don't throw that," Darcy said, kneeling down with them and holding her hand out. "We don't throw things. Except parties. Sometimes we throw parties. But that'll be when you're older. And your parents are out of town. And you shouldn't actually do that because every movie says that you won't be able to hide how much your friends mess up the house and then you'll get grounded until you turn forever years old."

Liam pouted at her before throwing the block anyways. Darcy pursed her lips and raised a brow. "Oh. So that's how you want to play it, eh?" She hated doing the whole 'consequences-for-your-actions' thing, but it was kind of necessary. "Okay," she said, scooping him up. "Blocks aren't for boys who want to throw them. Here, you be by me and I'll give you some crayons that you can throw. At least those can't really hurt people."

She put him down on the floor by the table she had her papers at and gave him a few crayons. He looked at them consideringly. She went back to Isaac and traded the block he was chewing for a teething ring. He started crying. Then Liam decided that nope, crayons just weren't gonna cut it, and he started crying too. Nathan joined them, not one to be left out of anything.

"Oh god," Darcy said tiredly, surrounded by crying babies. Suddenly she felt like crying, too. "Look what time it is- time for everyone to break down. What are we, cars? And why aren't there people mechanics?" she asked no one in particular. A moment later she sighed. "Doctors," she said. "They're called doctors. Christ, Laufeyson, get your life together."

Nathan looked at her, his little chin wobbling as he cried. "I want daddy," he said.

And there it was. It had to happen sometime, she supposed. He'd held out for a week, which was, frankly, surprising.

"I know, sweetie," she said, trying a smile. She wondered if she was succeeding. "I want daddy too. But he'll be back soon. Let's take a nap now- come on, I'll read you any story you want. Even a long one. We'll get the boys in bed too, and it'll be like a slumber party!"

"I don't want a nap!" Nathan shouted, throwing a block at the couch. "I want daddy!"

"Throwing things doesn't get what you want, Nathan," she said sternly. "And sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to. Now come on," she coaxed, picking up Isaac and Liam, who were still teary but not crying anymore. "Let's get a story. What about some more of The Hobbit? You like that one."

"I don't want to! If daddy was here he wouldn't make me!" Nathan shrieked, running out of the room and down the hall.

Darcy sighed. Great. So she was the bad guy then. She'd go get him in a minute, but the twins had to be dealt with.

"Is everything okay?" Jane asked worriedly from the top of the stairs, towel wrapped around her hair.

The doorbell rang.

Oh, wow. Everything just kept getting better.

"Just some meltdown shenanigans," she said to Jane. "I'm gonna put these two to bed and then probably head home with Nate. He could use some quiet time of his own."

"Okay," Jane said, her brow furrowing with sympathy. "I'm just going to be a minute, but I'll be down soon and I can take over with the twins." She smiled at Darcy. "I really appreciate the help, Darcy," she said earnestly.

Darcy nodded, a little ashamed that she couldn't be more helpful, and Jane disappeared. The door bell rang again, and she answered it awkwardly, a baby on each hip.

"Thor!?" She cried in surprise at seeing him leaning against the side of the house as she opened the door. He didn't look good. He was wearing the same clothes that he'd left in, and he looked pretty cut up. There was blood all over his tunic and splattered on his arms. Just what had they been doing!? Her heart seized up in fear for Loki, who wasn't with him. "What happened to you? Come in, come in. Why did you ring the bell, anyways?"

"My phone died, and I do not know where my key is," he said, struck vividly by the banality of his phone being dead after being in a situation of life-or-death mere moments ago. He followed her in, his heart warming at the sight of the boys. It felt like ages since he'd last seen them. He held his hands out for them.

Darcy stepped back from him and he looked at her in confusion. "Thor,"she said apologetically, "you're covered in blood. Maybe get a little cleaner before you hold the babies? I don't know if blood-covered babies are a good idea."

"Oh," Thor said, shaking his head to try to clear it. He was still wound up from the battle and it was hard to switch gears. He had literally just been deposited outside his and Jane's house (Loki had obviously been practicing his skill at using the Bifrost- he would have found it amusing to be better than Heimdall at his job) and was taking time to readjust to being back on Midgard so suddenly. "Of course. Where is Jane?"

"Thor?" Jane called breathlessly, rushing down the stairs. She stopped abruptly at the sight of him, taking in the strange clothes and the blood all over him. "Oh my god," she breathed in horror and concern. "Thor, are you okay? What happened?"

The babies were starting to get really heavy now, and Darcy really didn't want to intrude on this, not to mention that she should probably be going after Nathan- but she needed to know if Thor knew anything about Loki.

"I'll be fine," Thor reassured her, taking in the sight of her with a bittersweet look- so beautiful, and so smart, and kind, and loving. He loved her so much, and yet now his immortality would be forever a divide between them. He wouldn't grow old with her. He tried to push the thought from his mind. "I should wash."

Jane started laughing a little through tears. "Is that all?" She asked. He looked at her in confusion, and she hugged him tightly, disregarding the blood on his clothes. "I missed you so much. Where have you been? It's been a week!"

"A week," Thor repeated heavily, hugging her back. That thrice damned time difference! "I am sorry to have been gone so long, my love. I would not have had it that way if I could have."

"I worried," Jane whispered, blinking back tears. She wished she was stronger than this. While he'd been gone it had felt as if he had taken part of her with him, and now that he was back the world was right again. It seemed her happiness was entirely dependent on him, she thought wryly. But right now she was just so overwhelming happy to have him back that she wasn't going to dwell on that.

Darcy stood awkwardly, shifting the babies on her hips, her heart in the pit of her stomach. For little guys, they sure felt like frickin' sandbags. "Umm, not to ruin the moment or anything, but...where's Loki?" She braced herself. The fact that he wasn't with Thor had her expecting bad news- and yet... And yet, what if he was just at their house? After all, Thor had come to his, so why should Loki be waiting for her when she got home? Her heart soared at the thought, even as she tried not to let it.

Thor and Jane broke apart, Jane frowning down at the small patches of blood now on her arms. Her poor Thor- what had happened? She supposed that she'd have to take another shower then. But now that Thor was back...it held possibilities. The boys needed a nap anyways, so maybe-

"I'm sorry, Darcy," Thor said, his face grave. He still couldn't believe what Loki had done for him. He wanted to shake the little fiend for his foolishness- and at the same time, to weep in gratitude at his selflessness. "He's not coming back."

Darcy paled. "What do you mean?" Of course he was coming back. He had to come back. He was Loki. He was her Loki. She vaguely noticed Jane taking the babies from her arms.

"You know of our history?" Thor asked.

"Kind of." Darcy flicked her eyes towards Jane and then back at Thor.

He nodded, grateful to be able to skip that. "Loki's memory is back. But there are threats to Asgard. The Frost Giants of Jotunheim had declared war on Asgard, and we were attacked. An army of Frost Giants invaded through the Bifrost- a bridge-way between worlds- and we were unprepared. We held them off for a little while, but their sheer numbers were too great. All could very well have been lost, had Loki not done what he did."

Darcy listened in a state of disbelief. Bridges between worlds. Frost Giants. It was still so strange to hear this whole magical-god-stuff talked about so rationally by people she respected.

"What did he do?" she asked, dread making her feel dizzy.

"To cut the Frost Giants off from coming through to Asgard, he broke the Bifrost." Thor said, looking at her with sympathy. "Completely obliterated it, actually. It was..." he trailed off, remembering. "Well, it was incredible. I had not thought such a thing could be done. Of course, if ever one was to do it, it would be Loki."

He shook his head, his heart heavy. His poor, heroic, fool of a brother. The terrible decision that Loki had made, to stay behind, away from his beloved son and wife- Thor had seen it in his eyes in the split-second before Loki had shoved him through to Midgard. "Both of us need not suffer, brother," he'd said. What he'd meant was, both of them didn't need to be cut off from their families. Just Loki. After all, it was only Loki who could break the Bifrost.

Darcy frowned in confusion, her mind refusing to accept what her heart already had. "I don't understand. Why would he do something like that? How did he mean to get back?"

Thor smiled at her sadly. "He didn't."

They are outnumbered. He has been in many fights before, but never one where he knew real fear. He had not known what life was, before Darcy, and before Nathan. Now he knows though. Now he fears death as he never has before, and it lashes out at him from all sides, only too eager for him to join it.

Backup doesn't arrive, and there are so many Frost Giants. They were like plants denied their sun those long years on Jotunheim, and had little to do but hone their skills until the opportunity arose for them to have their revenge. And he was the one who led them to it. He curses himself for a fool a thousand times for this- his petty little revenges and lessons so insignificant in the face of this payback.

They just keep coming, seemingly an endless supply of them, and it is quickly apparent that they simply can't fight off this number of skilled opponents. Something must be done, and it is up to him. He knows what he must do, and yet he hesitates, letting his heart rule him for a few precious moments before logic ruthlessly casts it aside. There will be many long days to regret the consequences of his actions, but it must be done.

Not all must be lost, though. Thor can still have years with Jane and his boys, and Loki can give that to him. "Both of us need not suffer," he tells Thor, who stares back at him in surprise as Loki shoves him through the portal to Midgard. Odin and Heimdall are busy fighting and pay no heed.

Now for the harder part. To isolate the Frost Giants. When he breaks the Bifrost, he can seal them off. The ones already in Asgard can be dealt with and the ones still in the portal would...he doesn't know. Die, perhaps. Or just be sent back to Jotunheim maybe. But the main thing is that none of the portals to any of the realms would work anymore with their power source broken. All would be effectively trapped where they were, excepting travel through Yggdrasill's roots- which is laughable. Normally, he has the ability to teleport- or 'flash'- between worlds, but that ability did not come back with the rest of his powers. Meaning he would not be able to see Darcy or Nathan- hence the hesitation.

It is the only way though, and he steels himself to it. His magic writhes through him and he lets it gather in strength as he fights his way to the dais at the center of the room. The Bifrost crackles like a Midgardian lightening-storm and he raises his arms to-

"Uncle Thor?" Nathan said, peeking in from the living room before grinning and running up to wrap his arms around his leg. Children always loved Thor, and Nathan was no exception.

Darcy smiled, swallowing with difficulty. There was a sob lodged somewhere in her throat, but she wouldn't let it out until Nathan was fast asleep that night.

"Nephew," Thor said with a smile, ruffling his hair.

Nathan grinned at him for a moment, his previous tears forgotten. "Where's daddy?"

"Honey-" Darcy started to say, and then stopped, not really sure how she was going to be able to tell him. Thankfully, Thor understood, and he took over for her.

Kneeling down, his voice somber, he said, "I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to listen very carefully. Can you do that?"

Nathan cocked his head to the side, confused at being talked to like this. But he nodded.

Thor smiled briefly. "Good boy," he said. He paused a moment to choose his next words. "Sometimes people can't do the things they want to do. Have you ever come across this?"

Nathan pouted, nodding his head. "Mommy won't let me have juice sometimes," he said.

"Right. Now, your father wants to come home more than anything," Thor said. "But he can't."

Nathan frowned. "What?"

"Think of it this way- your dad is in a room, and he wants to come out so he can see you guys, but there's no door. He can't get out."

Nathan considered that. He looked at Darcy. "Mommy can build a door for him."

"Oh, honey..." Darcy said, blinking rapidly to hold back tears. "Mommy doesn't know how to do that."

"Then Daddy can make his own door," Nathan said, not understanding the problem. In his experience, grown-ups could do just about anything. And his daddy was pretty much the best grown-up there was.

Darcy looked at Thor, her eyes hesitant with hope. "Could he do that?"

"Hmm," Thor said, considering. "It is...unlikely. I have certainly never heard of anyone rebuilding the Bifrost. But, there are some artifacts that have transportational properties, though they are rare indeed and all but lost to record. If anyone could find a way home it would be Loki." He looked at his sister-in-law, remembering how mischievous and clever Loki had been as a child. "I do not think this is the end."

It was possible then. Darcy felt a huge wave of relief. She could still see him again- he was not lost to her forever. Whatever happened in the meantime, she could face it on her own, knowing that they could be together again.

Darcy smiled slightly, the world looking considerably brighter.