Special Agent Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 20

There was nobody in the room besides Loki, DiNozzo, and Bishop. The healers hadn't arrived yet.

Loki sat on a chair, slumped over with his arms braced on his knees. He had glanced up at the sound of Frigga's voice, but had looked down once she turned away.

"She wouldn't even greet me," Loki murmured sadly.

Tony rolled his eyes, "Yeah, well, if I was your mother, I wouldn't say hello, either."

Loki looked up at DiNozzo, and Gibbs noticed the dull look in his eyes. "Tony, if you were in my position, and it was your mother, wouldn't you want her to at least acknowledge through words that you were there?"

Tony chewed on that for a moment, and the replied in a quiet voice, "Sorry, pal."

Loki looked down again.

"When are the healers showing up?" Gibbs asked.

"Shortly," Bishop responded. "Thor said he had some friends he wanted to catch up with, so he left. What do you want us to do?"

"Wait," Gibbs said, just as Thor burst through the door.

"I thought you were going to find your friends," Tony objected.

"I did," Thor replied, gesturing to the four Asgardians behind him. "And we came to see if you, DiNozzo, and Bishop would care on joining us."

Tony's eyes practically popped out of his head and Bishop jumped. Surprise flashed in Gibbs' eyes before he concealed it. Loki just put his head lower down, like he was wishing he could disappear.

And he can, Gibbs thought. He needed to ask Loki about that. Recognizing a chance for his agents to scope out Asgard and for him to have a chance to talk to Loki alone, the former Marine nodded his permission to Bishop and Tony, but beckoned for them to come to him first.

"Keep your eyes out," he whispered in both of their ears. "You're in new terrain; I expect you to behave yourselves accordingly. See if you can find out anything relevant to the case."

The two agents nodded and turned to Thor and his friends. "We accept," Tony agreed boisterously, flashing a smile at one of Thor's friends, a young, dark haired woman.

"Thor!" Gibbs called as they were leaving. "Make sure you bring them back to me."

"They'll be fine, Agent Gibbs," Thor answered. "I'll take good care of them."

Loki didn't move until they had all left. Then he stood up restlessly and began to pace around. "What did my parents say to you?"

"Different things," Gibbs answered vaguely. "Your mother is grateful."

"For what?" Loki snorted. His voice dropped. "She told me to make them proud. I tried. And I know I didn't."

Gibbs almost didn't want to know what was behind that statement. He still couldn't believe Odin's total lack of interest in Loki's rehabilitation.

"For your second chance," Gibbs replied. He sat down on the long, low platform that sat in the middle of the room and gestured for Loki to sit beside him. "She still cares about you."

"Odin doesn't," Loki remarked, sitting down. He looked at Gibbs. "You don't have to say anything. I know he doesn't. Once, he did." Loki glanced down. "Never since."

There was silence. "You can do magic?" Gibbs asked.

Loki let out a low laugh. "I suppose you were bound to figure that out soon enough," he said. "Frigga told you?"