Together Thor and Loki stepped out of the elevator onto the top floor where all the inhabitants were gathered around the couch. Jane was holding Elysia in her arms and had both Pepper and Maria fawning over the tiny infant.

Bruce and Tony stood by the bar, not wanting to overcrowd the fragile child and because both Tony and Bruce felt a little awkward around the new baby. Bruce, in spite of his control over the 'Other Guy' still worried he might be too rough to handle someone so small and Tony just felt a little uncomfortable since he hadn't spent a lot of time around children, let alone newborns. He was still preoccupied with the unusual readings that the satellite had detected, he was only visiting to be respectful of Thor and Jane. As soon as Thor returned he was going to leave!

Jane looked up and smiled at Thor who walked over to his beautiful girlfriend and equally beautiful daughter with his own broad smile plastered across his face. Loki quietly followed his Brother for a few steps before standing idle in the room, not wanting to put himself in an awkward situation.

Thor gently took his Elysia from Jane's arms and cradled his daughter lovingly in his own broad arms. He turned toward Loki and gave his Brother a playful glance. "I believe Elysia wishes to meet her Uncle."

Loki felt himself blush at the comment and his face reddened further as the entire room looked at him. When Thor carried Elysia toward him Loki tensed unexpectedly. "You are confident that I will not-"

"Loki, shut up and hold her." Thor proceeded to gently place Elysia in Loki's arms.

Pushing aside his initial hesitation Loki carefully accepted the tiny newborn and gently cradled her in his arms. He admired Elysia's natural beauty. Her blonde hair and brown eyes reminded him of someone he had met on Asgard, but he kept this information to himself. As Elysia settled into his arms Loki felt a sense of peace that has long eluded him. He couldn't help but smile at his niece. "Thor, I can honestly say that in this moment I envy you more than I ever have during our long lives. You," he looked to Jane. "and Jane are truly fortunate."

"I know Brother. As are you." He put his hand on Loki's shoulder as a sign of brotherly love.

The evening wore on slowly. Tony decided against returning to his workshop just yet and instead played bartender for his guests. Bruce had finally overcome his own fear of potentially harming Elysia and graciously held the newborn in his arms, how he too, envied Thor and Jane.

Pepper noticed Loki had once again isolated himself from the group and was standing by the large window. "Loki? Are you alright?"

"I am fine, Miss Potts." He answered sincerely but flatly.

"Come over here. There's room."

"No, thank you. I prefer to stand."

Jane knew what Pepper was trying to do. "Loki. Where were you?"

Loki flinched at the question, he was hoping he could avoid answering it altogether. "I had been summoned to partake of a journey. It was treacherous and eventful."

Maria didn't want to butt in but her curiosity was too strong. "Is that how you reunited with Thor?"

"I..." Loki didn't want to talk about his descent into Hel or the deal he had to make in order to free Thor's soul. "The reunion and journey are related, yes."

Thor understood Loki better than anyone and sensed his growing discomfort. "What choices you had to make and how you had to make the choices are no longer relevant. What only matters is your dedication to see the quest through to the end and your loyalty to your family. Thank you, Brother."

Loki turned to face Thor, he had not been expecting such a grateful statement. "You do not have to thank me. Accepting tasks of unnecessary and complicated peril is simply what one Brother does for the sake of another."

Pepper grinned. "So, it's a 'guy thing'?"

Neither Thor or Loki knew how to respond to the joke. Luckily, Bruce knew how to change the subject.

"Elysia." Bruce was still trying to understand the Asgardian name. "You chose her name pretty quickly Thor, did you already have it mind?"

"No." Thor was sitting on the second couch across from Bruce and Jane. "When asked to choose her name I suddenly remembered my Mother's preference for the name."

Loki had returned to the large window and gazed out at the setting sun. When he overheard Thor mentioning their late Mother he grinned at her memory while holding back a mournful tear.

Thor continued. "Mother had two sons but no daughters. When a family friend was with child Mother would offer potential names for the child. 'Elysia' was the first name that she suggested with every daughter born."

Tony plopped down clumsily on the couch in between Pepper and Thor. "What if she was a boy? What then?" His words were slurred.

"Perhaps 'Baldar'." Thor suggested.

"No." Jane just shook her head and grinned at the unusual name. "No way."

"What about 'Robert'?" Tony motioned toward Bruce with the partially drunk glass of scotch in his hand. "That's Banner's real name, you know?"

Jane answered coyly. "That's not bad. Maybe if we have a son we can name him after you, Bruce." She was so happy in this moment that she couldn't help but join on Tony's little game.

"That's alright." Bruce laughed a little at the comment. "I think naming Elysia after Maria is honorable enough."

"Yeah, you did..." Tony was getting more boisterous as he continued to nurse his scotch. "Why did you? Why not call her Pepper or Virginia or... Darcy?"

"Because..." Jane sat upright at the odd question and in a little defense over the name 'Darcy'. "Maria not only delivered Elysia, but Maria is a name that I have always liked. I just wasn't sure about it."

Maria, who had been sitting quietly on the other side of Bruce on the couch, just smiled. "Well, thank you. I'm flattered."

Before Tony could say anything else Pepper took his scotch from his hand and covered his mouth. "Tony, I think you've had enough to drink right now. And now you need to go to bed."

Tony slipped Pepper's hand away from his mouth. "Do I really need to go to bed, or do I think I need to go to bed?" He paused a moment and tried to clear his throat. "Do you think I need to go for bed? To bed?" He looked down at his empty glass. "Bed's a weird word. 'Bed'... 'Beeeeeeeddddd...'"

"Yeah, you need to go to bed." Pepper stood from the couch and pulled on Tony's arm to pull him up from the couch. "Let's go."

"No." Tony went limp and watched as Pepper struggled to pull his deadweight up from the couch. "I'm good."

"Tony?" Pepper managed to pull him off the couch and onto the floor. "Tony!" She couldn't help but laugh at his drunken playfulness. "Come on!" As she continued to try and pull him upright her feet slipped out from under her and she ended up sitting on the floor next to Tony. She giggled as she pushed her loose hair away from her face. "You can either walk or Thor can carry you."

Tony looked up at Thor who was still sitting on the couch. "Is that a promise?"

Thor easily hefted Tony up from the floor by grabbing on his arm. "Yes." In a swift motion Thor put over his shoulder and proceeded to hold him up off the ground.

Pepper got to her feet, still laughing, and proceeded to walk toward their shared private quarters. "Okay, bedtime."

Thor followed Pepper with Tony laying heavily over his shoulder. Tony continued to spout drunken nonsense as he was carried from the room. "Know what this room needs? A shag rug. Like, straight out of the seventies. And a lava lamp! At least two lava lamps. J.A.R.V.I.S.! Make a note: we need three lava lamps!"

'Yes, Sir.'

Loki watched as Thor slipped out of the room with Tony and Pepper. He turned away from the window as the sun had set long ago and the sky was black, but no stars could be seen yet. He missed looking at the stars, they reminded him of Asgard. "Stark is a very... 'charming' man. Is he not?"

Bruce handed Elysia back to Jane. "That's one way to describe him." He yawned heavily. "I think I'm ready for bed, too. Long, exciting and weird day."

"To say the least." Maria chimed in. "Mind if I crash here tonight?"

'Guest quarters are available Miss Hill.' J.A.R.V.I.S. had been continuously monitoring the Tower.

"Thanks." She rose from the couch gently squeezed Elysia's tiny hand 'good night'. "Show me the way?"

J.A.R.V.I.S. switched on a single light at the end of the hallway to indicate the proper direction. She followed quietly, and Bruce left the room at her side.

Loki and Jane were alone in the room with Elysia. "Loki."

Upon hearing Jane's voice Loki turned his attention to her.

"I don't know what you went through or why you had to do it, and I don't think I ever want to know. And I do know that you don't want to talk about it. So I won't ask you about it anymore, but I do have to thank you."

"No, you do not."

"Yes, I do." She insisted as she stood up from the couch with Elysia bundled up in her arms. She approached Loki with grateful tears in her eyes. "You brought Thor back from the dead. You brought your Brother, my lover and Elysia's Father back from the dead! You did the impossible and were beaten to a pulp in the process! How can I not thank you?"

Loki sighed and looked down at Elysia. "There are some decisions that do not require 'thanks', as those decisions are the right decisions to make. I would never allow my Brother to remain condemned in the realm of the dead, just as I would never stand idle as my friends remained in danger."

"Well, thank you anyway." Jane stood on her tip-toes in order to kiss Loki on his cheek. "I mean it. Thank you."

He tried to smirk but his eyes were so sad that it prevented even the mildest illusion of joy.

"Loki? Is there something wrong?"

"No. No, everything is fine. I was merely lost in thought, reminiscing about Mother."

Jane didn't believe Loki but she didn't want to question him, fearing that his real mental preoccupation was grim or even precognitive of incoming death. Elysia began to fuss in Jane's arms and Jane turned her attention back to her daughter. "It's late. I should put her down for the night. I hope Thor can walk into the room quietly."

"I will inform Thor when he returns." Loki watched with silent love as Elysia made small noises in her arms.

"Goodnight, Loki."

"Goodnight, Jane. Elysia."

Alone.

Loki stared out the large window that gave an unobstructed view to the dark sky that blanketed the city. He put his hand to his face where Jane had kissed him.

...to be continued...

Author's Note: The story is winding down but it won't end in a manner that you would expect and as a result, you probably won't enjoy. Then again, you may LOVE the prospect of the story having such an ending.

Alright, keep reading and reviewing! I really do appreciate it! Any and all feedback, positive or negative, welcome!

'Baldar' is a reference to Norse/Scandinavian mythology and yes, Robert really is Bruce Banner's real name. "(Doctor) Robert Bruce Banner". Apparently in the early issues of 'The Incredible Hulk', Stan Lee had a hard time keep the names of all his characters straight. Sometimes Bruce was called 'Bob' and when asked about this Stan Lee cleverly responded by stating only a select group of people get to call Bruce by his first name, Robert or Bob. Everyone else calls him by his preferred middle name, Bruce.

Clever man...