A/N: And to think that there are still weddings that have to happen after this. I may also have just watched Iron Man 3. I don't know what that means for the others yet either. :)
The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.
Steve had managed to stay asleep after Gabby got up in the morning, going to get breakfast for the three of them. He was usually a light sleeper, force of habit, but he had gotten used to Gabby sleeping next to him and didn't wake up when she moved naturally. He did wake up when he heard the door open but a margin of an inch and stop. he didn't open his eyes, didn't move, kept the same breathing pattern, but just listened.
Something stopped by the bed, moving closer to the crib and that's when Steve moved. he slid off of the bed, lower to the ground as the stranger threw a high punch. He aimed a fist at their knee but they moved too quickly and blocked. He pushed himself up but got caught in the jaw, getting thrown back onto the bed. Kicking his foot up Steve caught the person in the face and he flipped back to his feet, grabbing their arm and spinning them away from the crib.
His eyes widened a little when there was a dagger at his throat, and a hand with an orb of orange power at his chest. "I had not expected the babe to be so well protected," a female voice hissed out. Steve managed to get a look at her face as she spoke, and from what Loki had described the day before he was facing one of the dark elves that Tony had been with. "Perhaps I'll take you as my pet, I've never had one so intriguing as you before."
"I think that you're going to leave instead," Gabby's voice hissed from the doorway. Steve glanced over at her. The elf snorted and smiled, never taking her eyes away from Steve.
"Do you have a claim over this mortal? He is a fine specimen, it's true." The elf tilted her head a little, moving her face closer to Steve. She moved and suddenly Steve was on the ground as the woman reached for Eindride. "But he's not what I was sent for."
"Touch him and you will regret it." The elf laughed, hand glowing orange above Eindride, the boy started to toss and fuss, crying noises building in his throat.
"What's a halfling bitch like you going to do about it?" She questioned, looking back. The elf grabbed Eindride and he started to cry.
"I warned you." Gabby growled and threw her hand out, a light blue light surrounding her hand. Ropes of light shot out and wrapped around the elf's arm and chest. Steve moved and grabbed Eindride from her as the light wrapped around her other arm and started to pull her away from the crib. He pulled the blanket up and cradled the boy against his chest.
The elf was thrown to the ground out in the hall, light blue ropes of energy securing her as the guards ran down after hearing the crying. They pulled the elf off to the dungeons as Steve moved closer to Gabby. He noticed that her eyes were glowing lightly until she blinked. her hands stopped glowing and her knees started to give out.
"Watch out," he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back to the bed to sit, still holding onto the baby. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think so," she nodded putting a hand to her forehead. "I think I just used my powers for the first time.
"I'm sure Anders thanks you," Steve told her, kissing her head. "You just saved him." Gabby smiled at them, kissing his knuckles.
"Should have used your powers to save yourself," a voice hissed from the shadows of the room and Steve moved instinctively closer to Gabby. The door slammed shut, the lock engaging, and the floor started to fill with dark smoke. "Now I will just take what I want."
Gabby took Eindride from Steve and he turned, throwing an elbow out to catch their mysterious company. His arm was shoved down in mid swing and a hand grabbed his closed fist, magenta energy arcing over it. Steve grunted and was forced down to one knee as the power ran down his arm like lightning.
"Steve!" Gabby slipped to the ground when Steve was thrown on his back, clutching his arm to his chest, still crackling with energy. Lenhr stepped out of the shadows and watched them.
"Give me the child now, and I will let the two of you live." He sighed a little as he said it. "Even that sounded bad to my ears. Better offer, give me the child and I'll let you become what I turned Anthony into. I guarantee that it's better than death."
"No," Gabby glared up at him. Her hands were glowing dimly and Steve reached up to take her hand with his good one. She clutched onto his hand and the blue around her hands turned darker and brighter. "You'll never touch this child." The Fae growled then reached forward, only to be stopped by by a shield around the three of them that shimmered blue when he failed to get through.
Lenhr narrowed his eyes then walked over to the door. He put his hand over the handle and pushed down, melting the metal to the door frame. he walked back over to the three on the floor and reached up to grab something, a stick appearing in his hand. he started to trace runes and symbols into the floor, the black smoke clearing away from where he had burned the writing into the floor. Moving around the circle he stopped when the circles met, his stick disappearing as he straightened up.
Gabby tensed when she heard the howling of wolves from inside the room. Steve had managed to sit up and kept a tight grip on her hand. Their circle of protection was the only thing keeping them safe.
"When you decide that you've had enough of that shield, my animals will find you, and bring you to me." Lenhr stepped away.
"We still have your other elf." Steve watched him as headed back for the shadows.
"She's expendable, she failed," he shrugged. "I can always get a replacement. Maybe one of you two." He smirked a little as he disappeared. Gabby and Steve could see things moving in the black smoke.
"Loki." Loki turned to see Thor coming down the hall. "They've found the traitor."
"Did Frey pull a name from him?" Loki wanted to know how far to extend his spells. He hadn't felt this much fury in his body in a long time. While he didn't relish it, he wasn't pushing it away yet. Loki wanted to get this over with, he wanted to get back to his son, wanted to take Tony back with him.
"It seems he was also being manipulated by Lenhr," Thor told him. "His plans are very thorough and run deep."
"He didn't plan on encountering me," Loki growled. "He had hoped that someone would have been good enough to get rid of me." Thor watched him closely. "Don't worry, Thor, I won't become your enemy again. Did the traitor give a location?"
"He said he would be close, that the Fae wanted to take Alfheim first." Thor confirmed.
"As part of an imagined sleight, I'm sure. Good, then I won't need to go far." Loki grabbed his jacket from the ground and pulled out a small box and handed it to Thor. "I need you to help me. Close the door, and put the charm inside on the handle. No one is to come in, no matter what."
"What are you planning?" He took the box from Loki regardless.
"I'm going to remove Lenhr's presence from Tony," he said and looked at over at Thor. "I will then take it and it will lead me to him. That charm will prevent Lenhr from sensing what I'm doing." Thor nodded and took a step outside of the room. "No matter what, Thor, no one must come in here." He nodded and started to shut the door, engaging the lock.
Loki took a breath and walked over unlocking one of the shackles from Tony's wrist. As he unlocked the second one he put a glowing hand around Tony's wrist. The man gasped and opened his eyes, brown reaching Loki's green.
"I'll be damned if this isn't the best sight I've seen in a while," Tony gave a small smile.
"You already are damned, and I'll be the best sight you see for the rest of your life." Loki snorted and raised an eyebrow at him. "We've still got to get married later on."
"Oh good, you didn't forget." Tony sagged a little and let his legs unfold out in front of him. "I think we missed Thanksgiving."
"Hmm, yes," Loki nodded a little as his other hand gently ran along Tony's neck and shoulders, fingers glowing. "That one I do regret missing, just this once."
"Because you wanted to pig out on all the food, and would have blamed it on being pregnant?" Tony smiled and closed his eyes.
"I think that perhaps you are coming to know my motives too well." Loki's and wrapped around and started to run along his jaw.
"What's his name?" Tony asked softly. Loki glanced at him but kept running his finger along the mans face, wrist still gripped in his other hand. "He's healthy, right?"
"He is quite well, but will be better once both of his parents are with him, I'm sure of it." Loki would tell him later the details surrounding his birth. "I've named him Eindride." Tony raised an eyebrow, keeping his eyes closed. "But also chose the nickname of Anders for your silly mortals. His middle name is Anthony."
"You spoil me," Tony smiled, placing a small kiss on Loki's fingers when they ran past his lips. "What exactly are you doing? Not that I'm not pleased with getting felt up, but I can actually think and that's not something I've been used to for the past several days."
"I'm going to remove the rogue magic inside of you," Loki started to explain. "I'm pulling it all up into one area so I can remove it all at once. I've blocked any prying eyes from being able to detect you, so Lenhr won't know what I'm doing."
Tony nodded a little. "And then what?"
"And then I shall use his own power to find him."
"And then kill him, right?" Loki paused a little and looked over at Tony's face to see brown eyes staring at him. "I know that kill is not ever first on my list of things for you or me to do but, if this guy isn't one of the ones to deserve it then I don't know who is." Tony reached over with his free hand and gently touched Loki's cheeks, almost hesitating, afraid he wouldn't actually be there. "The only thing I want is for you to come back to us, to me, in one relatively sane, piece." Tony moved suddenly, pressing his forehead against Loki's. "You can fall on me when this is over. I will be there to catch you and help you."
Loki took a breath and closed his eyes, nodding gently. "I know you will." He felt Tony move closer, their lips gently brushing against each other. "You're teasing me now, Stark." He felt the lips smirk.
"Can't let you get too distracted. Think of it as a preview for after, when we have some alone time." Tony pulled away.
"We won't have that for some time now, we have a newborn and a four year old to care for." Loki opened his eyes and took his hand away from Tony's face.
"We'll just have Kaia and Steve take turns watching them." Tony chuckled a little. "And we'll take a small siesta."
"I don't imagine that Steve will object, but I don't think that will last for long." Tony raised an eyebrow as Loki as he started to pull out a wooden box from his pockets. "It seems that perhaps the Captain is warming up to the idea of having his own children."
Tony let out a little groan, tinged with a smile. "And Gabby's maternal instincts have been switched on since she saw her niece five years ago. God do you know what's going to happen?" Loki raised an eyebrow this time. "Those two are going to have perfect little blonde haired babies, and their going to be gorgeous. The Earth is doomed, doomed I tell you!"
"I must be more insane than I thought," Loki muttered. "I actually missed your dramatics." Tony laughed and Loki couldn't help but smile at the sound. He also missed that.
