"I wouldn't be able to stay on Asgard, not if Heimdal is exiled, not if you're not alive Loki, there is nothing for me there. To keep appearances I will have to leave."
"You will go with your brother on Vanaheim? "
"No, my other family."
"What of our children? You will just whisk them away to that terrible world without another thought? Don't I get a say in this? Don't they?"
"I will not lie to them, and I will let them choose who they want to stay with. But you don't get a say, Loki. To every one but us, our family, you will be dead. You said it yourself, I'm a bad liar. I can't live a lie every day and that's what I would be doing if I stayed here."
"You'd be living a lie on Earth, too."
"At least it would be my lie."
"Don't leave me, Izbell."
"You got what you wanted, Loki, You got your throne. This is just one of those situations where you can't have your cake and eat it too."
"As king I will make the rules, I can eat all the cakes I want."
"But you won't be king. Odin will."
"Please don't leave me."
"I have to. I don't want to. But I have to."
I kneeled in front of my children in my bedroom. I explained everything to them, and awaited their response. They were about the size of Midgardian ten year olds now. The convergence and Malekith's dark energy made them grow while I was away.
"So Daddy will stay here, but if we stay we have to pretend he's grandpa?" Sjofna asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
It was all very confusing. "That is correct." I replied. "And if you come with me to earth you can't tell anyone Daddy is alive."
"Daddy really went to Midgard and hurt people?" Litre asked.
"He did but he was under the control of someone else." I felt so guilty putting this all on them, they were so tiny but I could tell their minds were whirring. "Remember that neither choice is final, staying here or accompanying me, it's just easier for us to prepare." I was so close to telling them to just come with me. But they deserved a choice.
Sjofna crossed her arms over her chest. "I think we're going to stay here." She decided.
I started to nod but Litre's head whipped around at his sister. "But I want to go with Mommy." His eyes were wide.
Sjofna shook her head. "We can always visit her, this is our home, Lee."
"I'm going with Mommy."
"We have to stick together, and I'm staying here so you have to stay with me." Sjofna's voice was confident but in her eyes I saw she pleaded.
"As much as I would like for you two to stay together; you are each your own person and I know wherever you choose to go you will be surrounded by people who love you." I decided to interject.
"But Mommy, we've always been together." My daughter pouted. "Oh, why can't we all just stay here?"
I was so caught up in the conversation I hadn't noticed Loki approaching, he was in my bedroom dropping his Odin illusion before I could protest. "You fool," I hissed and checked to make sure no Einherjar guards were around I only noticed Ygritte making her way away from the hall. Siblings in crime those two.
My children were happy to see their father, he kneeled and they jumped in his lap and he embraced them. "My darlings." He whispered as he held them, he looked up at me. "I had Ygritte listening in. I couldn't stay away." His eyes asked mine for forgiveness.
I gave in, I knelt and held my family in my arms. "I don't want to split us up, but I have to, to keep us safe I have to." I cried.
"Litre you will accompany your mother to Midgard, Sjofna you will stay here. Both of you will have free passage back and forth, and free choice to stay where you wish. But if your mother were to stay and the people were to find out I was alive, she would be arrested as an accomplice to treason."
"I could protect us daddy! I'll make sure no one finds out-" My daughter was desperate.
"Sjofna, it is final, your mother has to go away, and if your bother chooses to go with it is his choice."
Sjofna still pouted as Lee and I held our bags waiting to take the bifrost to Midgard. There was a new person operating the cosmic portal, Skurge was not exactly the most kind looking, his tattoos and grimace were certainly a big change from Heimdall's warm smile. However, Heimdall was exiled before Loki took over the throne and it would arouse too much suspicion if the All Father were to miraculously go back on his word. Litre hugged his sister and Odin goodbye just as Skurge opened the bifrost. I stroked my daughter's cheek and labored to smile at my husband in the king's guise. We stepped through and I held my son's hand and closed my eyes as we hurdled through space.
When my feet touched down again I opened my eyes and was met with the red hair and sly smile of my Supervising Officer, Nat. I could feel the tears welling and a smile grew on my face.
"Hey girl," She called, like we just saw each other yesterday.
"Hey," I breathed and went over to hug her, she hugged me back but pulled away to kneel down at Lee.
"And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" She smiled, holding her hand out.
Lee took her hand and kissed it, making me blush with embarrassment, Natasha giggled. "Lee Nicholas Roark." He answered.
The wide eyed look Nat gave was understandable. "This is your aunt Nat," I told him and now his eyes were wide with wonder.
"Aunt?" Natasha asked.
"I've heard so much about you!" Lee was excited.
"Well I want to hear everything about you, we can talk in the car, would you like to see your new house?" Lee nodded and she smiled opening the door for him to get in. She shut the door and I walked over to the passenger seat. "Thor told me you would have company, I didn't really expect this." She teased.
I sighed, "Me neither."
I was drinking lemonade on Clint's front porch with Laura and Nat watching Clint and the kids play freeze tag. I loved watching Lee erupt with laughter. It's only been about two weeks on earth and he's really fitting in. Me on the other hand, not so much.
"Just a small detail, they're doing clean up in London. Fury highly suggested it, he even said you could take his namesake along. I don't think he'll take no as an answer." Nat pleaded with me.
"Well then he'll just have to take no answer at all." I quipped.
"Zing!" Laura called and laughed.
Natasha chuckled. "You're a lot more feisty now Anna."
"Having kids will do that to you." Laura chirped.
"Just think about it, please, for me." Nat gave me puppy-dog eyes
"Don't do it!" Laura whispered loudly. We all laughed. I thought about it.
Later that night I talked it over with Lee. He liked the idea of going to a different country and liked even more the opportunity to be enrolled at a prestigious private school. The smile on his face as he went to bed thinking about it made up my mind.
The tablet in my shaky hands told me everything I needed to know about the clean up detail, about Thor's battle, the casualties, the map of the city and hot points that needed attention. It told me the names of the people I was working with, their backgrounds, specialties, food preferences. It did not tell me; however, how Coulson, Phil was alive. The screen of the tablet flashed a heat warning and I let go of it, dropping it on the floor of the quinjet. Luckily My son, in the seat across from me was snoring lightly, fast asleep.
The PT clad agents pointed me in the direction I needed to go. I stopped in the hall when I spotted him. He collected various things from the ground as agent Johnson followed behind.
"You know, it'd be nice if for once, Thor and his people sent down the God of Cleaning Up After Yourself. They probably have a magic broom for this kind of thing." He spoke then his eyes spotted me.
I waved. "Hi uh, I think I'm your magic broom?" I greeted, waving. Agent Johnson looked between the both of us.
"Isabellianna Roarksdottir. Now you're a sight for sore eyes." He came over and hugged me.
"I could say the same."
"Fury called you all the way from Asgard?"
"Wait you're a god?!" Johnson exclaimed.
I chuckled. "Not, exactly." I said, answering both questions. "I came to help."