Author's Notes: A slow moving chapter but with lots of "feels", also much fluff and da smexy. For those of you who want to skip the extraneous fun, read the first section and then skip down to the final section. Otherwise, enjoy!

Thank you all for following and reviewing. It really makes my day to see the notifications of new followers and to see the reviews stack up. Your comments are totally inspirational. TEAM LOKI! How many of you voted for Tom/Loki as best villain in the MTV movie awards?

… …

Loki was still reeling from the mortals' request when they joined the others in the small dining hall. His mother's flush when Kara gave her a stern look was hard to miss, though. He smiled; Frigga had known very well that she was leaving his lady in a difficult situation but at least had the grace to feel guilty about it. "There, you see?" he said to Kara. "She is sorry for abandoning you."

"Humph. She should be. Just for that, don't tell her what they asked us."

"I wasn't planning on it. When it cannot come to pass, she would be disappointed and angry on my behalf. Midgard does not need a goddess of her stature angry with its people."

Kara frowned up at him. "I get that she's powerful, I can feel her energy. But what kind of power is it?"

"Hmm. Well, she is the goddess of Marriage, so do not think to escape ours."

"Like I'd want to."

"Would you?" He tried to keep the concern out of his voice.

"Stop that. You know better, and it's annoying that you keep questioning how much I love you." Her tone was annoyed, but the touch of her hand on his was gentle and reassuring.

"I'll try. Now, in addition, Frigga has a great deal of influence over childbirth, which is likely why she had such a clear and precise vision of Natasha's condition; she has the gift of prophesy, most of which she cannot share with any of us for fear of altering events that must come to pass."

"So Haakun was guessing she'd seen me; she never actually told anyone so and she can admit it now because it's happened?"

"Exactly. Frigga is also a powerful sorceress. I learned a great deal of my magic from her. She was the only one who did not belittle me for its pursuit."

"Which is why I'm not going to stay angry with her."

He chuckled. "Generous of you, love."

Kara's haughty look as she said: "I thought so," made him laugh louder.

"Tell me, my brother, what amuses you so?"

Loki sighed and forced himself to smile at Thor. "Something that is not mine to share."

"They're laughing about us, I bet," Barton interjected as he and Natasha took their seats. The woman frowned at the archer and then shrugged. "We're having a baby!" he said enthusiastically.

"Now that would be a good trick," Loki interjected. "Mother, know you any magic that would make it possible for the Hawkeye to share in the burden of carrying and giving birth to their child?"

"Aw, come on. You know what I meant," Barton muttered.

"I do. But perhaps you'd like to rephrase it and give credit for the difficult part of the endeavor where it is due."

He grimaced. "Right. Natasha and I are going to be parents. Obviously, she's the one having the baby; I'm just the guy with the honor of being its father."

Banner stared at the two of them, his expression almost setting Loki off into gales of laughter. "Why is it, even when I'm myself, that I always miss everything?" he asked.

"Don't feel bad," Natasha told him. "We wouldn't have known yet either if it weren't for Queen Frigga and Lady Eir." Banner's expression was decidedly relieved.

"How wonderful," Thor enthused. "And the timing is excellent. You will have Loki to aid the team in your stead, Natasha."

"I can still aid the team for now, Thor. I'll just have to take some time off for a while later."

"Oh, but you should not risk…"

"Don't finish that sentence," she warned. "I am not a wilting flower; I can still make you hurt."

Loki bit the inside of his cheek, anticipating Thor's next comment…and there it was. "Not much," his brother said with a broad smile.

Silence blanketed the room; every person in it other than his rather thick-headed brother knew he'd said the one thing guaranteed to anger the woman. Barton was visibly cringing, Banner's eyes were wide and he looked as though he'd very much rather be elsewhere. Odin and Frigga were unsuccessfully trying to hide their smiles and the Warriors Three were either giving Thor a pitying look or shaking their heads sorrowfully. Kara rolled her eyes. "Wow, Thor," she began. "You really do speak without thinking about what you're saying. All this time I thought Loki was exaggerating."

Thor's expression was priceless. He was totally dumbfounded and…hurt? "Did it not occur to you, brother," Loki told him gently. "That by insisting Natasha could not do you much harm that you gave her grievous insult? She is a world renowned warrior."

The dolt turned his sorrowful eyes to the angry assassin. "My apologies, Lady Natasha; I know well of your prowess. I meant only that as a god, I would take little harm from you," he explained. "Particularly since, as my friend, you would not give your all toward doing me permanent hurt," he added hastily as the assassin's expression darkened.

"Nice save," the woman muttered, her eyes narrowing to deadly slits.

"Son," Odin said, looking at Thor. "You might also wish to consider that a woman who is with child is often far more dangerous than she would be else. The motherly protective instinct gives women extra strength and speed."

"And far less mercy," Frigga added.

"The Black Widow has never been known for the quality of mercy," Banner said diffidently. "I shudder to think of what she'll be like with less."

Loki almost felt sorry for Thor, but he remembered too well being on the receiving end of all around him putting him down, considering him always in the wrong. Oh. Damn. He sighed. "He meant no harm," he said aloud. "I imagine he was trying to jest as he would with a fellow warrior of Asgard, exaggerating his own prowess to gain laughter. Thor simply doesn't always realize when such boasts will fall flat rather than be found humorous."

"Then I suppose I'll let him live," Natasha said with an unsettling smile.

…. …

"I'm very proud of you," Kara told her husband after he closed the door to his…their chambers. "You really didn't have to defend your brother like that. After all of the times he let people put you down or did it himself, you'd have been well within your rights to let him go on seeing how it felt." She smiled at his sour expression and wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him tightly. "I love that you were able to be the better person and defend him like that."

He sighed and stroked her hair. "Allowing it to continue was tempting, but…I couldn't. He looked so miserable, like a pup that's been kicked when it was only trying to play." Loki's other hand tightened on her hip. "I've felt like that far too often."

"I know. I think your parents do, too. They were both feeling so pleased when you intervened. It really shows how much you've grown as a person. And…" she said with a smile. "I think you deserve a reward."

"Oh? And what did my wicked lady have in mind?"

"Wicked? Hmm, I suppose I could manage a wicked kind of reward." Trying not to laugh at his slightly confused look she pulled away and tugged him toward the bathing chamber and its huge sunken tub. She'd been longing to actually enjoy the damn thing; all of the recovering she was doing from everything on their last visit had made using it strictly therapeutic. Walking backwards, she began tugging at the buckles on his formal armor. "You could help, you know."

"Without my magic, you'll likely be much quicker with this than I. It's been centuries since I took it off manually."

"You put it on manually. Though I guess I did help you with that. Fine, that will be part of your reward. But let me get mine off first." She stepped away and began unbuckling and unhooking her own armor. It was not as easy to get on and off as the set Tony had designed, but it was both lighter and easier to move in. Testing had shown that it was one hell of a lot stronger. Best of all, when Loki had shifted form and touched it, the runes engraved on it didn't allow it to freeze. He'd been worried about that considering their pending trip to Jötunheim; she hadn't known enough to realize that would be a concern. Laying the scaled links across a settee, she began to unlace the soft leather of the cat suit.

"Leave that for me," Loki said. She let her hands drop to her side as his arms snaked around her. Strong fingers closed over her leather-covered breasts and squeezed firmly. Groaning, Kara allowed her head to drop back against his chest and tilted it to the side to give him access to her neck. He smiled against her skin and gently caressed her throat with his lips before giving a sharp nip to the tendon.

Shivering at the sensations, she laid her hands atop his as he continued to roughly knead her through the soft leather. "I thought I was giving you the reward," she moaned.

"Oh, trust me, Kara. This is definitely rewarding." Those nimble fingers managed the lacings before she could do more than take a breath and then closed on the bared globes, lifting them, stroking them, and finally taking a nipple between each thumb and forefinger and pinching firmly.

"Damn it, Loki…this isn't what I had in mind at all," she whimpered, pressing back against him as heat began to build in her sex.

"You're not enjoying this?"

"That's not the point!" Her voice sounded petulant, even to her. "I…" she gasped as he peeled the leather down, trapping her arms at her sides and scooped her up in his arms.

"Your turn will come, my beautiful lady. Have no worries on that score." Loki laid her down on the soft bed, then covered her body with his, putting some of his much greater weight on his elbows. She could feel the pressure of his armored mass on the lower half of her body, but it wasn't crushing her. She gasped again as he took one already stiff nipple in his mouth and sucked strongly. A shock ran from the swiftly engorged nub directly to her clit and she could feel wetness starting to gather below. Loki abandoned the first nipple and moved on to its twin. He shifted to his knees and resumed peeling the cat suit down her body, then lifted her hips with one hand and tugged the leather down to her thighs with the other. "If this is all the undergarment you're going to wear, why even bother?" he asked as he plucked at the barely there silk bikini briefs that covered…well, decorated her bottom.

Pouting at the loss of his mouth on her nipple she gave him a solemn look. "It's pretty."

His mouth dropped open for a moment before he laughed, long and hard. "All right," he finally managed. I'll grant you that."

"Don't rip it," she ordered as he started to pull at it. "Please?"

Loki smiled at her quick change in approach. "Since you asked so nicely," he agreed. Moving to the edge of the bed, he finished pulling the cat suit off and laid it across her armor. He slid the silk panties down and off and tossed them on the floor. "Much better," he decided.

… …

Her fiery hair was spread out against the rich green of the bed covers. The dark material made her creamy skin seem pale in contrast. Her ongoing conversion to Æsir had defined her musculature a good measure. What had been somewhat generous curves with a hint of softness from minimal exercise was now firm voluptuousness over well defined muscles. His Kara was not eating enough to keep up with her new metabolism and her collarbones were far more prominent and her ribs were starting to show, too much so for his taste. "You're eating too little," he scolded as he sat back to work on the buckles to his armor.

"I know," she agreed. "I just can't seem to eat enough to keep up. I'll eat until I'm full and then less than an hour later, I'm hungry again. So then I'll eat again, but then I get sore here," she explained as she traced her abdomen above her intestines.

It seemed her digestive system had not yet developed enough to handle the influx. "Then we'll plan smaller meals for you every few hours. I'll check with Eir." He smiled and stroked the silky skin of her hips with one hand and then trailed his fingers across the firm belly and then up again to her breasts. "I thought you were beautiful as a mortal and believed it impossible that becoming Æsir could improve upon what I saw as perfection. I suppose I simply had not the imagination to envision you thus. Oh for…again?" he asked as her eyes began to glisten.

"Yes, if you want me to stop tearing up, you'll probably have to stop talking."

He chuckled and dropped his boots and the last of his armor on the floor then lay down beside her, gathering her in his arms. "Never, my lady. I need to remember that in these situations, such tears are a good thing and that I have managed to please you, not just with my body, but with my heart."

"Can we go get in the bath?"

He frowned. "But I haven't even gotten you dirty yet." Her pout was delicious. "No, I'm not giving in; you will get your bath only when it's well needed." She frowned up at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "That pose looks quite ridiculous when you're lying down, you know." Kara's eyes narrowed and she scowled. "Oh for pity's sake, very well," he huffed in frustration as he scooped her up and carried her toward the bathing chamber. The minx was now smirking at him. "What have I become that I obey your slightest whim, my lady?" he complained.

The brat had the nerve to giggle. "A man in love, and it goes both ways, so don't whine."

"Humph, if I do, you'll no doubt scold me for it," he told her, fighting a smile with little success.

"You'd better believe it." Kara tugged at his tunic's laces and pulled it up once he'd set her on her feet. "You're going to either have to bend down so I can get this off, or take it off yourself. He smirked at the top of her head. "And no, I am not short, you're just overly tall."

"Did I say aught?"

"You were thinking it, I could tell from your expression."

Damnation. 'Busted' as Stark would say. "If you were much taller it would not be nearly as much fun to hold you," he decided as he pulled off the tunic and tossed it towards the bedroom. He watched avidly as she knelt and divested him of his pants and socks and then smiled up at him.

"Hmm. I'm beginning to see the merit in getting dirty before we get in the water," Kara admitted.

"No, much too late now."

"Really?" A slender hand grasped his rapidly hardening arousal and stroked it gently. "Are you sure about that?"

He was actually quite sure he did want to get 'dirty' first, but was enjoying the game too much to admit it. "Fairly certain, love. Yes."

She moved into a crouch and he gasped as she dragged her tongue from the base of his cock to the crown and then swirled it around the tip. "Positive?"

"Ah…yes?" A groan escaped as he watched her swallow as much of his erection as she could manage. The sensation was one of his favorites and he savored it as she began to suck strongly. Suddenly the amazing wet heat was gone and she stood before him.

"Too bad," Kara said, sounding regretful as she turned away and stepped into the bath.

… …

Kara kept her face turned away from Loki as she stepped down into the sunken bath. She dropped her shields just enough to feel his stunned disbelief, swiftly followed by annoyance. Then the annoyance faded into confusion. "Not sure who to be annoyed with, huh?" she asked.

His mutter of "damned know-it-all woman" was just barely audible and made her laugh. "Yes, yes, laugh at me. I did it to myself," he said a bit louder.

She turned, trying vainly not to smile. "You did." Moving into the deeper end of the bath she sat down on the submerged bench that ran along that edge. Kara crooked her finger at him and managed to tame her grin by the time he sat down beside her, his expression bordering on sullen. "Down here," she instructed, pointing to the area in front of her.

"Why?"

"Because I can reach your shoulders there." He settled down on his knees in front of her and she retrieved the soft sponge and dish of soap that sat on the tile that surrounded the bath. After wetting the sponge, she dipped it in the soap and then ran it over his shoulders and upper back. Then leaning forward she pressed her breasts against his back and kissed his jaw. "Relax and enjoy," she said softly.

Loki leaned back slightly against her and she slowly, sensuously soaped his chest, swirling the sponge around the almost flat nipples then followed the definition of his lean musculature. He cooperatively dropped his head forward as her free hand kneaded the tense muscles at the side of his neck, her lips traveling over the opposite shoulder.

"Mm, very nice love," he murmured as he relaxed under her touch.

Kara smiled and continued her ministrations until his chest, back and neck muscles loosened and his upper body was supported only by hers and the water. "Okay, let's sit you here," she told him, and guided him to sit on the bench and lounge back against the tile. Moving in front of him, she raised one of his long legs and began massaging and soothing it with the soapy sponge.

"You missed a spot," he told her with a slight smirk.

"No, I just haven't gotten there yet. Be patient." He sighed. "Admit it, this feels good," she insisted.

The emerald eyes opened just far enough to focus on her. "I admit nothing." Kara abandoned the sponge to take his foot in both hands and massage it firmly. "Oh. No, that doesn't feel good." She gave him a censoring frown. "Don't frown at me, Kara. It feels wonderful, not simply good."

That made her chuckle. "That is why this is called a reward. Besides which, I promise it will feel even more wonderful shortly," she told him as she switched legs. Another deep sigh, this one of enjoyment, emerged from his lips as she made her way down to the other foot.

… …

He had never felt so relaxed in all of his years. His lady's hands were growing much stronger as her system adjusted and the firm pressure was perfect. He peered down at the tenseness of the muscles in her hands for a moment; ah, as he'd suspected, she was using much of her current strength. After considering a moment, Loki realized that she must be using her empathic skills to determine how much pressure to use. His eyes drifted closed again. This was definitely something he could get used to. Receiving such attention from his lovely wife was infinitely better than the attentions of any of the bathing servants he'd ever enjoyed. All too soon she was setting his right leg back down under the water. "Turn over and lean here," she instructed, indicating the edge of the tiling surrounding the tub. He did as she asked and felt her slide one leg along the bench to support his abdomen.

Groaning as Kara dug the heels of her hands into his lower back he luxuriated in the unknotting of his lumbar muscles. "Oh, love, that's just what I needed," he muttered.

"I know."

Turning his head slightly to look at her smug expression, he chuckled. "You are a know-it-all wench, aren't you?"

"I'm not a wench, I'm your wife," she snapped and then snickered. "I'd say Humperdink a few times, but you wouldn't get it."

"Hump-what?"

"Remind me that you need to watch 'The Princess Bride' when we get back to Avengers' Tower. It's a line from that film, very funny in context."

"Hmm, I'll take your word for it." He groaned again as she began to knead his backside.

"Almost done," she said.

"You've still missed a spot."

"You're still impatient."

"So I am."

The deep massaging grip eased to a soothing caress. "Okay, you're done," Kara told him.

He turned over to stare at her. "Surely you jest?"

She slowly blinked her kaleidoscope eyes several times before abandoning her serious expression. "You're right," she admitted with a grin as she ran one hand down his chest, over his abdomen and then lightly stroked his cock. "I missed a spot."

… …

Clint found himself staring as Natasha efficiently shucked her leathers and laid them next to his on the table where a servant would pick them up for cleaning. There was, as yet, no visible sign of her pregnancy. Wow…pregnancy, parenthood, fatherhood. Not something he'd thought much about since he was much younger and definitely not since he'd been recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. and started taking their mandatory contraceptive drugs. He hadn't realized there was such a thing for men…but considering the state of the pharmaceutical industry he wasn't surprised that they didn't make such a thing available to the general public. Asshats. Uh oh. Nat was frowning at him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"You're staring."

Uh oh. Nat hated that almost as much as Dr. G. did. Think, Barton, think! "Uh, well, yeah. Even with all the fancy architecture and warrior gods and goddesses running around here, you're still the most amazing sight I've ever seen."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Govno. You've been spending too much time listening to Loki."

"Yeah, well, once you get past the crazy shit, he's pretty damn funny. Stark's gonna have a fit over the stuff Loki will pull when he's living in the Tower and doesn't have to worry about getting yanked back in front of the Tribunal."

"He's already planning?"

"Hell, he's probably got his next five hundred years mapped out. No, seriously. He was asking me what totally annoyed Tony without completely pissing him off." Clint shrugged. "So I figure he's cooking up some more pranks to retaliate for the nickname crap."

"Uh huh. Did he ask about anyone else?" Natasha wanted to know.

He grinned appreciatively as she strolled across the room to where he lounged on a sofa. Damn, what a picture she made; hotter than hell without consciously doing anything provocative. "Sure, but when he asked about you it was more about what not to say so he wouldn't offend you. His focus was totally different; I think he just wants to stay on your good side."

"Smart man."

"Yeah, he doesn't underestimate you. Not like Thor." Clint frowned. "Do you see Thor differently now?" he asked as Natasha stretched out and laid her head back on his chest.

"I thought he was pompous from day one; but he has a good heart. Unfortunately, he wears it on his sleeve; not a good quality for a soldier." She fell silent and still save for one hand which stroked the back of the arm he'd wrapped around her waist. "Did Loki's defense of him surprise you?"

"What, you didn't see my jaw drop? It shocked the hell out of me."

"Did he change or did he just get well, I wonder."

"Nah, he didn't change; his mind is still like Banner's bag of cats…he's just got a better grip on the bag."

"Or Kara does."

"I don't think it's all her, Nat. I mean, she helped, sure. But from what Banner said, Loki was ready to just sit and take his punishment before he fell for her."

"Whatever." Natasha's other hand was moving now. She had it twisted between them and had a firm grip on his cock…and that puppy was happy as all hell for the attention. "Obviously this works, so why aren't you working it?" she asked.

He grinned as he let his head drop back. "Shit, Nat. I thought you'd never ask."

"I don't ask, I tell," she said as she twisted in a smooth move and straddled his legs. He continued to grin as he slipped fingers between her folds and explored her sex. She was already damp, no surprise there. Natasha had the best conscious control over her sexual responsiveness of anyone he'd ever met. By the time he'd slipped his index finger inside, wetness was coating her inner walls. Her eyebrow lifted and he obediently added his middle finger and stroked the digits in and out firmly.

Watching her eyes narrow and her back arch with the beginnings of enjoyment he bit his lip to suppress a groan. She wanted this slow and silent, that was the mood she was in, he could tell. A nod directed him to insert a third finger. Now he held his hand still while she moved atop it at her own pace. Another nod and he pulled his hand away and prepared to balance her as she lowered herself on his now painful erection. As always, Nat groaned as she pressed down on his thick cock and cussed under her breath in her native tongue. He wasn't excessively long, but Nat had told him that she'd never had anyone with more girth, and that she loved it. "Christ, Nat…so damn hot," he muttered as she began riding him, her firm breasts swaying slightly as she moved.

"Zatknis'," she snarled as her speed increased. He snapped his mouth shut obediently. Her strong hands held his shoulders in a punishing grip as she plunged down and pulled herself up again at a rapid rate. His hands stroked her flexing thighs feverishly as his balls tightened. Christ, he was going to come before she was ready, and that just wouldn't do. He moved one hand between them and gripped his cock hard around the base to stave off the inevitable as long as he could, hopefully until she was ready. He groaned as the pressure-the need to thrust built and he held himself back, knowing that she wanted…no, needed the control at this point. Nat was breathing harshly now; her jaw was set and her bright eyes were narrowed to pleasure-filled slits. Just when he thought he couldn't hold out any longer she hissed at him: "Now, Hawk!"

Grinning, he released his grip on his cock and lifted her up and off and turned her over. Her cunt was dripping and swollen from the hard use as he thrust home. "Christ, Nat!" He wrapped one arm around her torso, just below her breasts and the other across her still flat stomach as he began to pound inside of her. The sensations were all but blinding in their intensity and he lost all semblance of control as she tightened around him with a half-stifled whimper. "Fuck!" he yelled as he came hard, clutching her tightly as the spasms shook him to his core. He twisted and landed on his ass on the sofa, his woman still semi-impaled on his half-hard staff. "There's never been anyone like you, Natasha," he muttered as he stroked her trembling body. "I love you so damn much it scares the shit out of me."

She tilted her head back and nipped his jaw, hard. "You're the only man in the universe that doesn't need to fear loving me," she told him. Yeah. That was his Black Widow, the more deadly half of his soul and he wouldn't want it to be any other way.

… …

Kara decided it was time to stop teasing her husband. Well, to mostly stop teasing him. She dipped her head down to where the crown of his growing erection was barely cresting the bathwater. Her chin brushed the water as she licked just his tip. He groaned and raised his hips so that more of his cock was exposed. Taking the silent invitation, she closed her mouth over the head and circled it with her tongue then began to suck strongly as her hand firmly grasped the still water-covered base. "You are trying to own me," he said with a groan.

She looked up and abandoned her task long enough to respond. "We own each other, and you know it." Reclaiming her prize she drew another deep groan from him as she settled into a rhythm of sucking and stroking that was making him shake with need. Her mind searched for a way to make this time memorable, with her limited experience, options were few. Ah…she had it. Loki gasped as she tore her mouth away from him. She could feel his puzzlement as she turned her back, his cock still held firmly in her right hand. Using her left hand on his thigh for balance, she guided his erection inside her until she was sitting on his lap, her back pressed against his chest and tilted her head up to look at him.

Surprised green eyes stared down at hers. "This is different."

"Good different?" she asked anxiously.

His grin reassured her. "Always, love. You'll never disappoint me."

"No pressure, huh?" she smiled as he chuckled in her ear. "Hmm."

"What's wrong?" he asked, sounding thoroughly amused, damn it.

So much for her great idea. "Now that I'm here, I don't know what to do. I don't have anything to push up on to ride you from this position." She flushed as he laughed again. "I didn't think it was that funny," she mumbled.

"Sweet girl; it's not funny, it's delicious. I have you at my mercy, and quite frankly, my love, I have none." That didn't bode well, and she squirmed, trying to climb off of him. "You're rather impaled, that isn't going to work."

Crap, he was right. "Don't be mean," she told him.

"Never to you; though I will make you beg," he promised. Kara gasped as his long fingers spread her folds. Holding them parted with one hand, his other was free to play. She squirmed as the sensations shot through her, making her whimper but not beg. Not yet. His fingers danced over her clit, playing her like an instrument. The combination of his hard length buried deep inside her and the teasing external stimulation had her on the edge of orgasm before she could fully catch her breath. She could feel the strain of her muscles as the need gathered and instinctively arched into his touch. A shriek escaped as he pinched that sensitive nub and she shook as she tried desperately to move on him. "Now, love, that won't get you what you want," he reminded her gently.

She wasn't sure how he was able to hold out. This had to be at least as much torture for him as it was for her. "Not fair," she whined as another jolt of pleasure shot through her. So damn frustrating, she thought as she twisted in an attempt to get the internal pressure where she needed it most.

"Gods, minx," he ground out. "I will outlast you."

Oh, good, it was getting to him. Now it was just a matter of who was more stubborn. She squealed as he rapidly flicked his fingertips against her clit and tremors shook her. She needed more so badly…okay, he was more stubborn! "Loki, please!" she sobbed.

"Thank the nine," he growled as he slipped his hands under her bottom and lifted. Shrieking once as he pulled her back down hard, she then subsided into panting whimpers as he moved her up and down on his rock-hard staff. "Play with yourself, love," he instructed her. "I want to see your fingers drive us both over the edge." Letting him take the burden of their coupling, she moved one hand to her clit and began rubbing it at a frenzied pace. "More," he demanded. "Don't forget your nipples, Kara." Her other hand moved to her breast, seemingly of its own accord and she squeezed and tugged at the hard peak. "That's it, love, harder."

The pleasure crashed over her as a massive orgasm swept through her body and she screamed: "Oh my God, Loki!" before she lost all control over her movements and spasms wracked her. Loki was thrusting up furiously as he pulled her ever more firmly against him and she shrieked again as she felt him begin to come. He clutched her hips hard enough that she swore they'd break. Her partial conversion to Æsir was probably all that was preventing it. Kara shuddered as her muscles seemed to turn to mush and she collapsed in his arms.

… …

Frigga made her way through the private garden to the large figure that brooded at its center. Seeing the older brother wandering the blossom-filled paths from her balcony had been a shock. Normally only Loki sought the quiet peace of her favorite sanctuary. Thor, well, Thor had never been much of a thinker, but he too had changed. "What is wrong, my son?" she asked as his bulk came into view.

He looked up slowly, another atypical reaction for the god of Thunder. His eyes were troubled. "I-I am lonely, mother," he rumbled.

He'd just spent the entire evening with his brother and most of his friends, including some of the mortal ones. Oh. "Do you need to return to Midgard, to your mortal lover?" she asked.

Surprising her yet again, he shook his head. "I've been watching my brother and his wife. Is it true you saw her for him long ago?"

"Not Kara, specifically; but I saw him with a female wielding fire who would become a goddess here. I'd feared at first he would become involved with a woman with the blood of Muspelheim. It took many years before the visions refined and I knew she would be a human and that she'd bring him happiness."

"Do you see happiness for me?" he asked with a pleading expression.

How had this happened? Thor was always the joyful brother with a sunny disposition. How had he become so disheartened? "You know that I could not say whether I have seen aught for you or not until after the fact."

"I thought as much. This means Jane is not my other half, then." Ah. He'd learned to read between the lines. That was another behavior that she had only previously associated with Loki.

"That does not mean that you do not have feelings for her. Perhaps you and she share another fate." Thor gave her a sour look. "Have you told your Jane that you love her?" she asked.

He sat down heavily on the great stone bench that faced the small set of waterfalls that were a magically built replica of the ones that graced Fensalir, her private retreat near the base of the Great Mountains. "No, I did not. I told her I cared for her and appreciated her and yearned to see her again." He sighed. "Perhaps, somehow, I knew."

Frigga nodded. "When you find your other half, you will know. Oh, possibly not right away, particularly if she is not what you would have chosen for yourself. But you will come to know that only that one person will ever make your heart sing. That only seeing that face, being held in that person's arms will ease your burdens. I promise that you will know should you find your other half."

"I am jealous of my brother's happiness. Foolish of me; after all he has been through at my hands and at the hands of my friends, he deserves to find love first. But still, I envy him his good fortune, despite the coin he paid for it."

There was little she could say. He stood and she opened her arms to him and held him in a comforting embrace. "Go sleep, my son. Your day will come, but for now, give your brother his. It has been a long time in coming." He squeezed her gently and pulled away with a half smile and a nod. She sat down on the bench and sighed.

"I do not suppose you will tell me when we may expect grandchildren, my wife?" Frigga started and turned to see Odin come out from one of the garden's hidden paths. She smiled ruefully as he settled down on the bench beside her and took her hand.

"Not so soon as you wish, yet sooner than you fear," she replied cryptically. He gave her a look that rivaled Thor's for sourness.

"You, my dearest lady are both the bane and the joy of my existence," he said with a reluctant smile.

"As you are mine, my lord."

… …