A/N: Man, long chapter! Hope you enjoy.

Tony left Loki to his nap and went to call in an order of Indian food for four, to be delivered later that evening. He glanced around the living room and supposed he should clean the place up a little. He fluffed a few pillows on the couch, used the corner of his shirttail to wipe away some dust on the coffee table, carried a couple of glasses to the kitchen, and called it good.

Given the colony of butterflies that were making a home in his stomach, he decided to go down to his workshop to putter. That was always soothing, except in cases where there really was something to worry about, something big. In those cases, he'd just double check that his best suit was in working order and ready for anything.

Like the clash of a pregnant god and a big green Hulk.

Not that he seriously thought it would come to that. These days, Bruce was pretty mild-mannered except under severe duress, and he knew Loki wouldn't do anything to put their baby at risk. No, if he was the introspective, self-analytical type, he'd admit the truth—he really didn't want to deal with Pepper. She had always been his touchstone, his rock, his moral compass, and the look in her eyes back at SHIELD headquarters had been devastating. He'd disappointed her, clearly. But it was more than that. She was... scared? Angry? Mistrustful? Sure, and he couldn't really blame her at all. The trick was to make her not be those things, and that's where the butterflies came in.

Because, he wasn't sure he could do it.

He'd talked his way out of a lot of tight situations in his life, but Pep had a built-in bullshit detector like no other. He knew he couldn't just schmooze his way out of this. He needed to explain himself, and above all reassure her that his beautiful, sensitive, surprisingly lovable life-mate wasn't on a psychopathic mission to implode the Earth, or to skewer a few mortals for his own amusement. And that wasn't going to be easy, because, God bless him, Loki had made a lasting impression on New York City, and not the good kind, either. Plus, he had a tendency to be... snippy when challenged.

Soooo... Tony had his work cut out for him this evening.

He mused along until his fingers found an uneven spot on the suit's face plate and he got out some tools and began grinding it down. Soon he was in a kind of workshop-induced trance, serene and focused, and by the time JARVIS announced the arrival of the evening's guests, Tony was ready. He was no longer worried about what to do. It all came down to a simple choice—Pepper (and to some extent, Bruce and the other Avengers) or Loki.

There was no question in his mind. It would be hard, it would be painful, the consequences would be far-reaching and probably unpleasant.

But, if it came down to it, he knew who he'd pick.

Loki.

Every time.

He just hoped Loki knew that. Well, there was no time to confer with him now. Tony would just have to count on Loki's good sense and... self-esteem? Ugh, the butterflies were back. But, there was no help for it.

He looked up at the speaker where JARVIS's voice lived. "Tell 'em I'll meet them in the living room," he said calmly. He wiped the grease from his hands and headed to the elevator.

A horrible thought occurred to Tony as he rode the elevator up to the living quarters of Stark Towers—what if Loki met up with Bruce and Pep before he got there?

He suddenly wished he'd put some kind of turbo-charge feature on the elevator that would make it ascend at rocket speed. As it was, he had to stew until the doors opened and he was able to jog to the living room.

Which, happily, contained only Bruce and Pep.

He took a deep breath and then plastered a slightly manic smile on his face. "Hey, you guys! Long time no see, huh? How are you this evening?" Tony was now in full used-car salesman mode and Pepper rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and started to say something, but Bruce beat her to it.

"Where is he?" he asked flatly.

It wasn't exactly a challenge, but it wasn't the warmest greeting Tony had ever received. He'd heard cops asking the location of criminal suspects in that same tone.

He immediately dropped the fake cheer and walked up to look Bruce in the eye. "His name is Loki," he said with a note of steel in his voice. "He's taking a nap, because he's tired from being pregnant and also because his dad made a quick trip down to Earth so he could execute him. You know how it is, spending time with family. It can really take it out of you."

Bruce looked slightly chastened, but Pepper came up to confront Tony. "We were promised he'd be locked up for the rest of his life. Maybe his dad knew what he was doing, did you ever think of that?"

"Loki was punished for what he did to New York. He's been rehabilitated. What happened at SHIELD was an accident, and—"

"He nearly killed a woman!" Pepper snapped.

"An accident, and he went on to save her life!"

"He's a liar, Tony. He'd say anything to get out of trouble, and to keep you blind to his true nature so he can use you to get what he wants."

Tony felt a flare of anger crackle through him and he knew letting that fire come out was the worst thing he could do if he wanted this evening to go even a tiny bit smoothly; after all, it was on the bumpy side already. He forced himself to calm down.

"Look, you wanted an explanation, and I asked you here because I wanted to give you one. Because I felt like you deserved it. But, if your mind's already made up and you're not going to listen to what I have to say, there isn't much point to this. You might as well go home." He said it as matter-of-factly as he could, and paused to let her know he meant business. Then, he turned conciliatory and put his hands on her shoulders. "But, I hope it doesn't come to that. Plus, I've ordered a shit-ton of Indian food, so please, Pep. Give me a break. Let's talk."

Pepper closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts. She opened them and gave Tony a searching look. "But how do I know you're even in your right mind?" she asked softly. "He's capable of anything. What if he's in your head right now, doing what he did to Selvig and Hawkeye?" She put a cool hand on Tony's cheek. "How would you know?"

"Hello, humans."

Tony turned sharply to see Loki standing in the doorway. His words hearkened back to the first time Tony had seen him, post-almost-Apocalypse, wild and regal, standing in his kitchen with potholders and dish towels swirling around his leather-clad form. He'd been mocking and just-this-side of malevolent then, but now... His voice was soft and his expression rueful, as though whatever ill-will he was feeling was directed only at himself.

Instead of metal and leather, he was wearing a light green sweater over a white t-shirt and a worn pair of jeans, with red Converse on his feet. Tony had bought all of it for him, but he'd never imagined he'd put together an outfit like that, or that it would all fit him like a dream. His hair was combed back, but it was untamed and a few strands fell softly around his face. He reminded Tony of a young university professor on his way to Starbucks.

And, Tony wanted nothing more than to take him in his arms, to protect his God of Mischief from the anger and hostility that was buzzing palpably in the room. But instead he answered, "Hey, babe. Let me introduce you." He gestured at Bruce. "This is—"

"Dr. Banner. We've met." Loki had a tight smile on his face as he ambled up to Bruce. He stuck out his hand. "Under slightly less than harmonious circumstances, I'm afraid."

Bruce hesitated for only a second before shaking Loki's hand. "Yeah. That was a... rough time."

Loki nodded his agreement, and then his smile turned a little bit wicked. "Of course, that wasn't our only meeting, you know. We've run into each other much more recently than that."

Bruce frowned, puzzled. "We have?"

Loki chuckled. "I can't blame you for not remembering. I looked a bit different. I was wearing a red dress and my hair was blond... I called myself 'Lola' that night." Loki's voice had taken on a soft Southern lilt and Bruce's eyes widened as he recalled their previous meeting at the restaurant.

Pepper made a disgusted sound. "Oh, my God. That was you?" She turned to Tony, her eyes glinting with anger. "How can you seriously stand there and tell me you believe anything he has to say? That you trust him?"

"I knew exactly who he was that night." Tony stoically met Pepper's bitter gaze as he put his arm around Loki's waist. "We wanted a quiet dinner together. I told him he needed a disguise—and, let me tell you, this guy doesn't do anything halfway." Tony pulled Loki closer and gave him a fond smile. "It was our first date."

"Oh, how nice. Was that when you decided to 'get pregnant?'" Pepper asked sarcastically.

Loki raised his eyes thoughtfully, as if trying to recall exact dates. "Um, no, that was never a conscious decision. At the time, I didn't even know it was something I could, well, do. But, I believe the little beggar was already making itself at home by that point." He put a hand on his stomach and grinned sheepishly.

Pepper huffed and threw her hands up in frustration. "Really? You really expect me—us—to believe this crap? You're a man, you're male, you are not pregnant!"

Loki gave her a bewildered look. "And why in the name of the Norns would I make a claim like that?" He glanced down at himself and then shot her a look of utter dismay. "You think this is easy? Having everyone think you're a freak, a joke—or a monster? Trust me, no one would make up a story like this."

"Then, prove it."

Both Tony and Loki stared at her. Loki tilted his head questioningly. "How?"

"This." Pepper rummaged in her bag and pulled out a rectangular cardboard box. She held it out to Loki.

He took it and examined it curiously. "What is it?"

Tony sighed. "A pregnancy test." Tony took the package and tore it open. He held out the test stick.

Loki looked slightly horrified. "And, what do you do with that?"

"You pee on it."

Loki narrowed his eyes, obviously not believing Tony. He took the box and pulled out the instructions, and after reading them over, he gave a sneer of distaste. "Eww. How repulsive. How does it work?"

"When a woman, uh, person, is pregnant, there are specific hormones in their urine which activate chemicals on the stick, causing them to change color," Bruce supplied. "Uh... How do they test for pregnancy on Asgard?"

Loki glanced at Bruce. "A mage lays hands on the woman's belly. If pregnant, gold sparks fly out from between her fingers." He shrugged. "A bit more elegant than peeing on a stick, don't you think?" he added.

"Listen, you don't want to know how we did it before they figured out the stick thing," Tony said helpfully.

"So, anyway," Pepper said, trying to get back on track. "If you want us to believe you, take the test."

"Now, wait a minute." Tony took the package from Loki and returned the stick to the box, and then handed it back to Pepper. "In the first place, I don't need a damn test to know he's got my kid growing inside him. I know."

"But, how do you know? He's obviously done something to convince you, but he's lying, he used you to get SHIELD off his back, and now—"

"He's not the one that told me. His mom—look, I felt the baby's, what do you call it, life force or whatever. There's no doubt in my mind about that."

"Then, you shouldn't be afraid of having him do the test." Pepper held out the package again.

"I'm not afraid. But, these things aren't always accurate, and who knows whether they work on someone... from another planet. All you need is one false negative result, and you'll never listen to anything I have to say about Loki again."

"I can't believe anything now! I—"

"Stop." Loki stepped forward and snatched the test from Pepper's hands. He turned to look at Tony. "I'll do it."

A thunderous look came over Tony. "No." He went to Loki and took the package. "There's nothing to prove. I know what I felt, and that's good enough for me." He turned to Bruce and Pepper. "So, it should be good enough for you, too."

"But, such an idea is so difficult for you mortals to grasp. If this will help to convince them, then let me do it," Loki said softly.

"Wait a few months and we'll let the baby convince 'em," Tony said, pushing aside his anger and smiling at Loki. He took the test stick out of the box and broke it in two, and then tossed it into a waste basket.

Loki held his gaze. In that moment, he loved Tony so much he felt his heart would burst. And that was why he had to try, really try, to make Tony's friends believe him, even though he felt pretty sure it was hopeless, even though in his heart he truly didn't care whether they believed him or not. He turned to face Bruce and Pepper.

"I know that in your world for this to happen to a man is impossible. It is in mine, too. You accuse me of trickery, of lying. Well, as I have only recently discovered, my entire life has been a lie, right down to the very body I inhabit. I don't expect you to believe me, but the fact is..." Loki gestured at himself. "What you see before you is an illusion. Nothing more than a cheap trick played on you—and me—by the man I thought to be my father. And, even when I learned the truth, I had no reason to believe... to suspect..." Loki took a deep breath as the brutal sting of the Allfather's deception came over him, as fresh and piercing as it was at the first moment of realization. "I swear, I had no idea this could happen."

"Well, yeah..." Bruce said mildly. "Just the physiology of it alone brings up a lot of questions. I mean, like... How?" A slight blush came over Bruce's cheeks.

Loki glanced uncertainly at Tony. "I am Jotun. From a different realm than Asgard. This form, uh..." He faltered, and suddenly he looked exhausted. Abruptly, he straightened, pulling on his last bit of emotional strength to say with dignity, "I'm sorry. I-I really don't feel like eating anything tonight. You three enjoy your dinner. I believe I'll just go to bed. Goodnight." With that, he turned and strode out of the room.

Everyone stared after him.

Tony gave Pepper and Bruce a chiding look. "I'm going to go talk to him," he said and started to walk away. But Pepper grabbed his arm.

"Wait. Don't go. I'll talk to him."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You?"

"Yeah. I just want to ask him a few questions." There was an edge to her voice and she locked eyes with Tony. "That's not a problem, is it? You say you trust him. So, if I go in there alone, there's nothing to worry about, is there?"

Watching from the side, Bruce wasn't sure if he should intervene or what. He would have happily headed for home at that point. But, Tony slowly shook his head. "No, there's not. I'd just appreciate it if you'd treat him with a little respect, that's all. Even if you don't think he deserves it."

The hard set of Pepper's jaw eased and she nodded. "Of course."

Tony shrugged and indicated that Pepper should go.

Loki headed for the bedroom, closed and locked the door behind him, and sank down on the bed. He absently reached for Bixby and hugged him to his chest. He found some comfort in the soft friendly fuzziness, but more so in knowing that Tony had taken the trouble to leave it for him.

So many emotions were welling up inside him, he felt as if he might cry.

The Potts woman's hatred of him was understandable, but accusing him of lying about something he was still mostly in a state of denial about? As if he would choose to have people look at him the way they all had back at SHIELD headquarters? That was bad enough, but having to explain the miserable story of his birth, his so-called father's deception and the still-unknown workings of his strange Jotun body to the man/beast who had beaten him? It was more than he could bear.

He'd thought he could handle it, but it was so much worse than he'd imagined. He wanted Tony to be proud of him, but how could he be when his two close friends, mere mortals, stared at Loki like that? Like he was dirt, something to be gotten rid of, a rat in the attic? He was once a prince, a king, but now he'd been reduced to a circus freak, interesting perhaps, but not someone you'd want to share a meal with.

He was suddenly glad he was constrained from using seidr, because if he wasn't, he'd be sorely tempted to make Tony's guests permanently disappear—in a very unpleasant fashion.

He couldn't even conceive of what it would be like the day Romanoff or Barton or Steve Rogers confronted him.

Tony's Avenger friends were warriors, all of them. They'd acted with honor, defending their realm, yet Loki knew that in a time not so long ago, he would have been filled with lust for revenge, for victory. Now, he just felt tired. Now, wretchedly, he wanted their acceptance, for Tony's sake.

But he couldn't even gain the benefit of the doubt from the blonde woman.

He rubbed his eyes and started to lie down when a knock came at the door. He groaned and called, "Please, Tony. I don't want to see anyone. Just leave me alone."

"It's me, Pepper. I want to talk to you."

Loki shot a look at the door. Well, this was interesting. The girl had spirit, all right; she reminded him a bit of Sif. And if she was anything like the lady warrior, he doubted she'd take no for an answer. Suddenly cheered by the thought of a bit of verbal sparring, Loki got up and went to the door, opening it a crack. He drew himself up to his full height and imperiously ordered, "Go away, woman, I've no use for you. Leave me to my solitude." There was a moment of silence on the other side of the door, and Loki had to squelch a snicker.

He wanted to see what she'd do.

The god's harsh tone took Pepper aback, but she quickly rebounded. "No," she snapped defiantly. "I thought you wanted to explain yourself. Well, I have a couple of questions. Open up, it'll only take a minute." She crossed her arms and stood pat.

Loki smirked to himself and then opened the door all the way. He dropped his haughty attitude and leaned against the door frame, regarding her with a raised eyebrow and rakish grin. "Aren't you afraid I might do something untoward? I'm dreadfully hormonal and you are quite beautiful, I might not be able to restrain myself," he said teasingly.

Pepper snorted. She'd never been face-to-face with the guy, and now, standing mere inches away from him, she couldn't help noticing he was so damn... tall. And, good-looking. With an aura of venom and power about him that he didn't seem to be trying to disguise. It was a little disconcerting, but she refused to be intimidated, and she put on a show of bravado. "Yeah, I'm afraid all right, I'm afraid for Tony, and for our planet, but I'm not afraid of you. Now, are you going to let me in, or are we going to have this conversation with me standing here in the hallway like an idiot?"

Loki gave a mockingly deferential half-bow. "How unhospitable of me, I wouldn't dream of it. Please, come in." He made a grand sweep of his hand and stepped aside to let Pepper enter. She walked in a little way and then stood uncertainly, glancing around the room. Loki went to the bed and picked up Bixby.

"Do you have any idea what this thing is supposed to be?" he asked, holding the toy up inquisitively.

Pepper blinked at the question. Two seconds, and this was already going in a weird direction. She didn't like it. "It's a teddy bear. What in the world are you doing with it?"

"Teddy bear? Hmm. I've studied Midgardian wildlife at some length, I've never heard of that particular species. Is it anything like a grizzly, or a—"

"It's just a stuffed bear, we call them 'Teddy' because one of our presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, was known for hunting big game, and—damn it, why are we talking about this?"

"Tony placed it in my arms while I was sleeping. I was only trying to decipher its significance."

"Ha. I bet he took a picture. He's probably going to use it to blackmail you at some point." Pepper took another harried look around the room.

Honestly surprised, Loki nodded. "Oh! Well, that makes sense. He's smarter than he looks." Loki smiled fondly and put the bear back on the bed. "Come, let's sit down." He headed for the seating area by the window and waited until Pepper had chosen a chair before sitting down himself. "Now, what did you want to ask me?"

Pepper was now seriously reconsidering her decision to confront the god. At the very least, he was confusing the hell out of her, but she pulled herself together and went for it. "Okay, I'm not going to dance around the issue. Just tell me the truth—why are you even here? What the hell are you planning? And, how does Tony fit in?"

Loki laughed softly, seeming to marvel at her words. "My goodness. You think I'm so clever, don't you?"

Pepper didn't answer, nor did she drop her gaze. Loki ruefully shook his head.

"Well, I wish I were that clever. But, I'm not, and that's the point. Tony's seen me for what I am, in all my weakness and need and foolishness. And yet, he seems to... care for me. I want that, Miss Potts. And I'll do anything necessary to protect it."

Pepper's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward. "Is that a threat?"

Loki stared at her coolly, apparently giving the question deep consideration. But instead of answering, he responded with, "Are you in love with him?"

Pepper's eyes widened and she huffed indignantly. "No! What kind of a question is that! Of course not."

Loki regarded her, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "Oh, Miss Potts. Who's the liar now?"

Pepper forced a neutral expression onto her face, but the way she gripped the arms of the easy chair wasn't lost on Loki. He waved a hand dismissively. "All right, apologies, I withdraw the question. Emotions are subjective. But facts are irrefutable—at the very least, you shared his bed at one time, did you not?"

A shocked "Wh-what?" slipped from Pepper's lips.

"When? For how long? What happened, why did it end?"

"I... You... Did Tony tell you—? How dare he!"

"Ah. His decision to part, then."

Pepper was regaining steam. "Whatever happened between me and Tony is none of your business."

"Oh, it rather is. They say, health-wise, you sleep with everyone your partner has ever slept with—what if you have some sort of communicable disease? Don't I have the right to know, especially since I'm expecting his child?" Loki peered at her with wide, innocent eyes.

"I don't have any disease! You are a goddamn, low down, motherf... Ugh, damn it!" Pepper sat back, disgusted with herself for losing her temper. She was beginning to see how Tony could be intrigued with this... character, they must spend hours baiting each other. She stewed for a moment, avoiding looking at Loki. Infuriatingly, she heard him chuckle.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me, I'm not subject to your Midgardian ills anyway. I was just curious if you'd admit it."

"I don't have a disease!"

"I meant the affair. And, no, Tony's never said a word, I deduced it for myself. And, to answer your earlier question—" Loki leaned forward, his eyes suddenly sparking with deviltry, all good humor fading. "No, Miss Potts, there is no threat. But do not think for a moment that I feel the need to convince you of anything. I don't give a shit what you or anyone else on this wretched planet thinks of me. If you were all to disappear, shrieking in a vat of molten lava, I would be fine with watching your skin melt away from your bones. But, that would make Tony... sad." Loki sneered disdainfully. "So, I would like to make a bargain with you."

"A bargain? You've got to be kidding!"

"Oh, no, I'm quite serious. Now, here is my offer—first, I will afford you all the respect and civility I can muster while in Tony's presence, and you will do the same for me. And, two, you will pretend to believe everything you've been told about the baby, about how learning the truth about my origins brought me to madness and how I so deeply regret it all, blah blah blah, and about my being rehabilitated. I don't care whether you actually believe any of it or not. But, you make Tony believe that you do."

Pepper looked as if she might combust, but she composed herself enough to ask, "And, what will you do in return?"

"I will not leave him."

"Huh?"

"However difficult it may be for you to understand, I make Tony happy. He wants me, and he wants this child. But, if he is forced to choose between me and you, between me and the other people he cares for, I will not stay. I will not bring him sorrow and shame and... regret." By now, Loki was breathing heavily and although he turned his face away to stare out the window, Pepper could see tears in his eyes. "I would go. And, you, then, would be left with that burden. The burden of being the one who drove me away. Think about it, Miss Potts. Is that what your love for Tony buys you? His resentment—forever?"

Pepper sat back, taking it all in. "I'm not the only one who doesn't trust you."

Loki laughed bitterly. "No, I daresay there's an entire legion that shares your misgivings. But, you're the only one Tony's ever been in love with."

A stunned grimace crossed Pepper's face. "What?"

"Oh, please. Did you seriously think Tony left you because he didn't care? No, no—it was because he cared so much. He returned from Afghanistan a changed man. He was drinking heavily. He was embarking on a new life as Iron Man, risking death over and over again. He knew he'd break your heart eventually. He didn't want to do that to you, to leave you broken. So, he made it so that the essence of your relationship could stay intact. A small hurt then to ensure a better future for you. Because he loves you. That's how good of a man he is."

Pepper sat back and now it was her turn to stare out the window. They were both quiet for a long time. Finally, Pepper said softly, "And, now he loves you."

"M-m. I'm what he thinks he deserves. And, I'm just low enough to take advantage of that. You're right about me, Miss Potts, but not in the way you think you are. I am a liar, a trickster. I'll do anything, be pleasant, polite, even fucking charming, to people who despise me, but no longer to... gain a throne. I do it for his sake, to make him happy. So that he'll want me." Loki met Pepper's eyes, and somehow, for the first time, she didn't doubt his words. Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "How pathetic is that?" he said, almost to himself.

Pepper cleared her throat. "Well, I... You've got some nerve, mister. There's a goddamn Hulk out there, you think you can charm him? And Natasha and Steve and Clint?" She laughed, not unkindly. "Well. I agree to your bargain. I just hope you live long enough to carry it out." She rose and smoothed her hair out of her eyes, letting the pent-up tension drain out of her.

Loki was somewhere else in his mind, but at her light-hearted tone, he looked up and gave a tentative smile. "I'll be all right. I am a god, you know."

JARVIS' voice came over the speaker. "Mr. Loki, Miss Potts—Mr. Stark wishes to inform you that dinner has arrived."

"Thanks, J. We'll be right there." Pepper returned Loki's smile. "Come on. Let's go eat."

Loki hesitated a moment, and then stood up. "All right. I am getting a bit peckish. The little one demands to be fed." He absently ran a hand over his stomach.

Pepper gave Loki's tummy a look and then she seemed to study his face. "You really believe you're pregnant, don't you?" she asked finally.

The tired expression came over Loki. "If I'm not, this has been a hell of a couple of months for nothing." He met her gaze and after a moment, they both grinned. Pepper opened the door and headed for the living area, followed by Loki.

Tony was waiting in the dining area, the food already on the table. He glanced from Pepper to Loki with an anxious expression. "Well? Everything okay?"

Pepper gave him an exaggeratedly dour look. "You're insane," she announced before sitting down next to Bruce.

Tony pulled Loki aside. "What happened? What'd she say? What did you say?"

"Everything is fine. Miss Potts and I have come to an understanding." He leaned in and kissed Tony. "She's a very reasonable woman."

Tony turned and flashed a happy grin at Pepper. "Well, great! That's fantastic." He led Loki to the table where they took a seat beside each other and Tony pulled Loki in for a hug. "I'm really happy to hear you two managed to smooth things over, babe. After all, we're going to need a babysitter eventually. I'd hate for you and Pep to be on bad terms."

"Babysitter?" Pepper exclaimed. "Good lord, Tony, he's not—"

Loki gave her a sharp look. Pepper caught herself. "I mean, yeah. Sure, I look forward to it. You know how I love kids..."

She settled back, feeling as much confusion as ever, but with it, a soft feather touch of hope. Maybe things weren't as bad as she'd imagined; as she picked up her fork she stole a glance at Loki. He nodded at her, and she was pretty sure she saw a bit of gratitude in his eyes.