"Thor?!" Jane's voice cracked with an odd mixture of joy and anger. "Are you really- How is this...?" She looked to Loki who was still at her side. "Loki, did you-" She was cut off by another contraction.

Without hesitation Thor was at Jane's side and holding her hand. "I am here, Jane. I will not leave you again." He stroked her hair and gazed into her emotionally conflicted eyes to reassure her that he was really with her. She was not dreaming.

Loki quietly stepped away from Jane, his magic still holding her pain at bay. Thor would be all the love and support she would ever need.

Wrapping his arms around Jane, Thor braced his love as her labor continued. She accepted his warm and loving embrace, her hands grasping onto his broad shoulders as tears continuously rolled down her face.

Thor noticed Loki respectfully and subtly made his way to the opened doorway, to give the soon-to-be parents privacy. He smiled and nodded at Loki to thank him for his assistance, Loki returned the gesture and stepped through the door. Once he was out of sight of both Thor and Jane his mobility and posture immediately caved as his injuries had taken their toll on his taxed body. He fell to his knees, one hand wrapped around his chest and the other weakly supporting his weight against the wall.

Bruce had seen Loki collapse and discreetly tended to the injured God. "Loki? Can you stand?"

Though his arms and legs were shaking, Loki managed to push himself upright and lean against the wall.

"Come on." Took Loki's arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. "You need to rest. You've done enough."

Loki didn't try to resist, he was too tired and he didn't want to worry Jane or Thor. While Bruce helped Loki return to the medical bay Tony took ahold of Loki's other arm, having to pry it free as Loki continued to hold his injured ribs, and assisted in laying Loki down on a clean bed. Loki laid back at a slow pace as his broken ribs limited his movements. Pepper had retrieved the green blanket from the exam table and draped it over Loki to help make him comfortable.

Instinctively Bruce pressed his fingers against Loki's wrist to take his pulse. "Tony, could you-"

Maria called out to Bruce before he could finish his sentence. "Bruce? We need you!"

"Go." Loki spoke up. "I am not in need of assistance." He closed his eyes and tried to rest his aching head.

Bruce patted Loki's shoulder and promptly left the room to check on Jane, Pepper followed just in case they needed any additional help. As soon as Bruce and Pepper left the room Tony approached the injured man. He stared at Loki and leaned back against the wall near the bed, an insatiable question burning into his thoughts.

"Something on your mind, Stark?" Loki sensed Tony watching him.

"Not really, it's just always impressive to see Luigi rescue Mario."

Loki opened one eye and gave Tony a very confused look. He didn't know how to respond.

"I was just wondering how you brought Thor back from the dead and then saved my life all in one day."

Loki sighed wearily and flinched as the pain in his chest burned at him and kept him from answering.

"Wait..." Tony could see Loki was in pain. "I thought you healed fast?"

"I cannot heal after I use an excessive portion of my magic."

Tony arched his eyebrow and chuckled a little. "Out of mana, huh?"

"Okay, it's time." Maria was coaching Jane through the entire delivery and wasn't going to leave her now that it was almost over. "Push."

Jane did as she was instructed with Thor bracing her with one arming and holding her hand with the other.

Bruce and Pepper entered just in time to see final moments of the birth.

Maria was smiling broadly. "That's it, one more time! Push!"

In what seemed like an instant the room was filled the cries of new life entering the world.

Jane lay back against her bed and began crying tears of joy and relief. Thor ran his fingers through Jane's hair and stared at her. "Jane, we are parents."

Bruce assisted Maria in cleaning up the tiny squirming infant and checking her vitals before handing the delicate bundle to the awaiting arms of her parents.

Pepper wiped a tear from her eye. "She's beautiful."

From the medical bay Loki and Tony heard the cries of the newborn and listened intently to hear the conversation taking place.

Tony crept toward the door to try and glimpse the baby without being seen himself.

Loki opened his eyes and smiled, a single tear of joy running down the side of his bruised face. "Well done, Jane."

Maria carefully handed the infant to Jane who still wept tears of joy. Thor was also beginning to cry at the sight of his beautiful daughter. She had her mother's warm brown eyes and her father's golden blonde hair.

Bruce had finished detailing the newborn's record. "She's completely healthy but she still needs a name."

Jane laughed embarrassed. "I, I never decided on a name. I couldn't pick. But I'm sure her father can."

Thor simply stated the first same that came to his mind. "Elysia."

Smiling Jane agreed. "Yeah. Elysia. Elysia Maria Foster."

At this news Maria blushed and smiled warmly. Bruce shrugged his shoulders and wrote down the name, hoping that he spelled the name correctly.

As Tony witnessed this family moment that was overflowing with love, he returned to the medical bay and to Loki. "Your niece is healthy and beautiful. And has a funny name."

Loki turned his head slightly to look at Tony face to face. "Her name?"

"Ee-lee-see-uh, or something."

"Elysia." Loki smiled as he repeated the name. "Mother was fond of that particular name."

"Oh."

Feeling incredibly tired and sore, Loki couldn't stop himself from drifting off to sleep. He wanted to see his niece more than anything else in the world at that moment but while his spirit was strong his body was weak.

Seeing Loki fade out worried Tony until he saw Loki's chest rising and falling with his even breaths. "Good. You may have saved my life but I'm not kissing you. That'd just be too weird, you know, with your Brother being my co-worker and all."

Satisfied that Loki wasn't in danger and that everything was finally under control, he made his way back to his workshop. "J.A.R.V.I.S., update me on the points of interest as possible communication ports."

'Yes, Sir."

Loki was awakened several hours later by the sensation that someone was watching him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked into the face of his Brother. "Thor?" His voice sounded pitiful due to his fatigue.

"Loki. You have awakened at last." Thor grabbed ahold of Loki's shoulder happily.

"This seems... familiar."

Thor smirked. "Yes, perhaps we should no longer have family reunions in these 'medical bays.'."

"Elysia?" Loki was curious about his niece.

"She is with Jane. Our friends are together and awaiting your arrival."

"How long was I unconscious?"

'Six hours, twenty-two minutes and forty-seven seconds.' J.A.R.V.I.S. answered precisely.

Loki was a little surprised by J.A.R.V.I.S. suddenly answering. He kept his focus on Thor. "You watched me for that long?"

"No, I had only been here for a moment before you awakened."

Loki slowly sat up from his bed with less difficulty as his body managed to heal during his slumber. Thor helped Loki to sit up by supporting him from his shoulder. "Do you wish to see your niece?"

"Is that really a question that you must ask?" Loki stood up from the bed and pulled away the gauze bandages that were wrapped around his now healing ribs. The breaks were still in the healing process but the burn had healed entirely leaving only bruises behind.

But it was at this moment Thor saw the scar in his Loki's chest. The scar left by the Kursed when Loki sacrificed himself to save Thor and avenged their slain Mother. Loki noticed Thor staring at the disfigurement and promptly used his magic to cover himself with an untarnished green tunic and black trousers. "Shall we?"

For the first time in years Thor and Loki walked side by side, not as allies or warriors, but as Brothers. There was no battle to be won, no alliance that needed to be forged or any stipulation that required reluctant cooperation. There was only family that bound the wayward Brothers together once again.

...to be continued...

Author's Note: Almost finished...