To Roam Into the Unknown

Loki sat up with a start as a thunder clap disrupted his sleep. When his heart resumed its normal rhythm, he collapsed back on the bed with a sigh, his left arm reaching out to check on Aurora. He opened his eyes when he felt nothing but cold sheets where her warm body should have been. He sat up quickly and looked around the room.

"Aurora?" He kicked the blankets off his legs and stood. He pushed the door to the bathroom open, but it was empty. He opened the door and looked around. Everything was dark and silent. He felt the tingle of anxiety in his stomach as he turned for the stairs, when a sudden thought occurred. He made his way to the end of the hall and quietly pushed the door to Olivier's room open.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the room briefly. Aurora sat in the rocking chair next to the window, eyes closed. Loki quietly walked towards her and stopped, watching her for a moment as she slept. Unable to resist, he reached out and brushed her cheek with his fingers.

"You're staring at me." She said quietly.

She only managed to startle him slightly as he pulled back quicker than he meant to. "I wasn't...staring." He said.

She smiled and stretched, not opening her eyes. "Your hands are freezing and you were staring."

His lopsided smile showed his guilt. "Alright, I was staring. What are you doing in here?" He asked.

Aurora shrugged, resting her hands on her stomach. "I miss my dad. The room still smells like him." She replied.

Thunder rumbled as the storm continued. Loki knelt next to her. "You should get some sleep my love. You need all the rest you can get."

She laced her fingers with his as he helped her up. "Thank-" she sucked in a deep breath and clutched her stomach.

"What is it?" He asked, helping her into her father's bed.

"It's...ok. He just kicked me really hard."

Loki's brow furrowed with concern. "Should I send for Æsa?" He asked.

Aurora shook her head. "If we call her for every little kick and pain, she will need a healer for herself. I'm fine, now come to bed."

Against his better judgement, Loki obliged, kissing her forehead

OoOoOo

When Loki woke the next morning, the sun's rays shone down through the blinds. He could see the tiny dust particles as they danced in the air. Aurora opened the door to the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel.

"Morning babe." She said, mouth full of toothpaste.

"Good morning. I trust you're feeling well." He replied, sitting up.

She rinsed her mouth out with water, pausing momentarily as her body threatened to reject what food was left in her stomach.

"Aurora?"

"I'm fine." She said.

Loki stood and walked into the bathroom. "Are you certain? You look rather pale."

"Loki." She looked up at him. "I swear I'm alright. These things are normal for pregnancy."

He rubbed her arms and kissed her. "Ok."

"I'm starving so when you're ready, I'm sure Charlie has made breakfast." She said, walking out.

After relieving himself, he stood staring at his reflection in the mirror. It seemed like his life was coming down to a state of normalcy. Perhaps the healers were mistaken about her diagnosis. Aurora was a physically health woman, why wouldn't she be able to handle this pregnancy? 'Because she is a mortal. And you...are a frost giant. Asgardians and Jotuns have never bred, much less a Jotun and Midgardian.' He walked out of the bathroom.

"Æsa!" He called from the door. "I need a moment."

He took a seat at Oliver's desk as he heard the sound of her feet hurrying down the hall. There was a soft knock and she entered. She was wearing a pair of Aurora's blue jeans and a black and white striped turtleneck.

"My Prince, is everything alright?" She asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me."

She looked confused by his statement. "I'm sorry?"

"I was told that her condition was dire. You told me she wouldn't survive the pregnancy, but I've seen no signs to confirm it. What if you're wrong?"

Æsa clasped her hands together. "Forgive me my Lord, but the diagnosis came directly from Eir herself. She has never been wrong."

Loki rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. "Yes, but there is a first time for everything. Jotuns and Midgardians have never crossbred. I'm asking you could she have been mistaken?"

"My Prince I beg you to listen to reason. There is no known record of Jotuns breeding with anyone but their own race. Without that knowledge and the understanding that Jotuns are considerably stronger and larger than Midgardians, it is safe to assume that the pregnancy poses a great risk. However, there is always the possibility that we are wrong. Though in our training we are taught from the beginning to always prepare for the worst."

Loki sighed and raked his fingers through his hair.

"I am truly sorry Prince Loki, that the news isn't what you want to hear. I truly wish it wasn't so." She replied.

"No, Æsa. I thank you for being honest with me. I know you will take good care of her should anything happen." He said, standing. "Come. I'm sure breakfast is ready. Have you ever tried bacon? It is truly delectable." He said, escorting her down to the kitchen.

"Good morning." Aurora said from her place at the table.

"Mmmm. Good morning to you." He leaned down and kissed her.

Æsa sat next to Aurora and laid a napkin in her lap. Loki sat across from them and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Where is Charlie?"

Aurora shrugged and bit into her bagel. "Im not sure. He left a note that he had to go into town but that he would be back soon."

Loki paused mid bite. "He did, did he? Did it say anything else?"

"It's on the fridge if you want to read it. But that is all it said." She replied.

Loki set his fork down and wiped his mouth. "Something about this doesn't seem right."

"My Prince?" Æsa said, holding a piece of bacon.

"He was so anxious to hear our explanation about your absence this morning, and now he suddenly had to go into town? It's wrong." He said.

"Loki what are you talking about? It's Charlie." Aurora argued.

"I understand that Aurora, but I am not the most welcome person on this realm. What happened here is still fresh."

"But it's been more than a year and it wasn't your fault."

"That's precisely it. It has been one year. Not ten. Not twenty. One. And S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't strike me as the type to forgive and forget."

Caesar trotted in and laid his head in Aurora's lap. She scratched his head. "What is it that you think is going to happen?" She asked quietly.

Loki, having suddenly lost his appetite, pushed his plate back. "I don't know, I cannot see into the future. I can only prepare for it. I think you should gather the belongings you desire and we should return as soon as possible."

Aurora watched him for a moment, and then stood. "Alright. If your feel it's best."

Loki opened his mouth to reply but his words were interrupted by the doorbell. The trio looked up at each other.

"I'll get it.." Aurora said.

"No. I will. Just...sit here and wait." Loki stood, tossed his napkin on the table and walked to the front door. He took a moment to compose himself and then opened it.

Chris stood on the porch with his hands in the pockets of his coat. He didn't immediately speak up as it was obvious he hadn't expected Loki to answer the door.

"Chris. What a surprise." Loki said dryly.

"A surprise indeed. Is Aurora here?" He asked coldly.

"Of course my wife is home. Why wouldn't she be?" Loki replied.

Chris' surprise was only given away by a brief widening of his eyes before they narrowed. "I need to speak with her."

"I'm sure you can tell me whatever it is you need her to know. I'll be sure to relay the message." Loki said.

Chris opened his mouth to retort, but in a flash, Loki found himself staring face to face with Natasha Romanov. "Hello Loki." She pointed her gun at his head. "Mind if we have a little chat?"

Loki's eyes flared a bright green glow and he clenched his fists, prepared to fight.

"Loki who is it?" Aurora stopped short when she saw the gun. Æsa stood next to Aurora, her hands covering her mouth.

"An old friend." Loki answered, never taking his eyes off Natasha. He positioned himself between the gun and Aurora.

"Do all of your old friends point guns at your head?" She asked.

"If they don't, they should." Natasha replied icily.

"I'm sorry, and who are you?" Aurora bristled.

Æsa tugged on Aurora's arm. "My Lady, please. Let us go elsewhere." She pleaded. But her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Chris stepped out from behind Natasha. "Aurora-"

"Chris?! What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Charlie called me last night when you came home. I jumped the first flight." Chris said.

Aurora sucked in a breath. "Chris, where is Charlie?"

"He's safe." Natasha said.

"What are you talking about? He was safe here!" Aurora snapped. Loki looked over his shoulder and signaled for her to calm down.

"Relax. Charlie is in a secure location." Natasha said.

"And we should trust you because...?" Aurora asked.

"How did the two of you meet?" Loki asked, changing the subject.

"It was at a support group for people who really, really hate you." Natasha quipped.

"Chris?" Aurora looked at him, searching for an answer.

Chris sighed, visibly uncomfortable with the situation. "S.H.I.E.L.D. contacted me about two weeks after you disappeared, looking for answers. I had no idea what they were talking about until they showed me his picture. And then it was like the light was turned on. I knew I had seen him before and had good reason for not liking him. He is a monster. And somehow he has you under some sort of spell or something. That is the only reason I have to explain why you are with him."

"I'm with him because I love him." She replied. "You have been jealous of him from the first day he woke up! You just couldn't stand the fact that I chose some poor, injured man over you and your money! And as it turns out, he isn't poor. He is a Prince. He isn't even human." She looked at Loki. "But I love him anyway."

"That's not true, Aurora. He's killed thousands! Your own mother!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" She cried, her throat constricting with emotion. "There is no peace without forgiveness, and I forgive him for everything." She rested her hand on Loki's arm, still staying behind him.

"Aurora you're smarter than this. He's got you under his spell or something. You have to snap out of it and come to your senses. Please! Come home with me, there's nothing here for you anymore." Chris reached out for her and she jerked away. Loki blocked him from touching her.

"Don't." Loki said, his voice deadly.

Natasha sighed and stepped in front of Chris. "Are you going to invite us in?"

"No! Leave us alone!" Aurora snapped. She shoved the door but Natasha shoved her boot in the doorway and she and Chris shoved their way through.

"You are not welcome here." Loki said, fighting to control his rage.

"That's funny, because the last time I checked, neither are you." Natasha said. "Let's have a seat, shall we?" She jerked her gun in the direction of the living room.

Aurora glared at Chris as Loki ushered her into the living room.

"What is this about, Ms. Romanov? It must be emergent if you feel the need to barge into our home and point a gun at me and my wife." Loki said, helping Aurora down onto the couch.

"Like you don't know." She snapped.

"I assure you, I do not. If you're here to deliver some silly punishment of your own for what happened in New York all those years ago, I served my sentence for it." Loki replied, sitting next to her.

"There is a pattern of destruction that follows you. Every time you come to Earth, something devastating happens. New Mexico, New York City. Last year, you brought a fight to S.H.I.E.L.D. that it had no business fighting. You used that as a distraction to kill Director Fury."

Aurora sat up straight and glanced at Loki. "He's that horrible man who kidnapped me."

Natasha pointed the gun at Aurora.

Chris stepped forward. "What are you doing?!" He cried.

"You shut up." She ordered Chris. She turned back to Aurora, eyes wide with rage. "You didn't know him like I did, and he didn't deserve to die the way he did! He fought to protect people from the very man you're screwing! Maybe you were in on it. We know you took Loki in two years ago. Way I see it, you are just as responsible for Fury's murder as he is." Natasha snarled.

Loki stood quickly, his green eyes flashing dangerously. "That is a bold accusation, even for you. If I had wanted to kill Fury, I would have done so in New York. I had no control over the events that led up to Fury's death and Aurora certainly had nothing to do with it. I can truthfully say he did not die by my hand."

Natasha pulled a tablet from the inside pocket of her coat and tossed it at Loki. Aurora stood and looked over his shoulder at the video. It clearly showed Fury fighting with someone who looked exactly like Loki. The motions were so fast and distorted that one may have been able to deny that it was indeed Loki. That was until Fury fell to his knees and Loki, standing behind him, looked directly at the camera and slit his throat with a dagger.

"What the hell do you know about the truth?" Natasha hissed.

"Oh my God..." Aurora gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

Loki laid the tablet on the coffee table. "A convincing illusion, I must admit. While I cannot deny my distaste for the late director, I will not confess to a murder that I did not commit. What I can tell you, is that the woman who is responsible, Lorelei, is dead. Fury has been avenged and there is no need for you to continue pointing that gun at me."

Natasha scoffed. "Are you delusional? You saw with your own eyes the same video that I saw. You have been caught with blood on your hands and you have the balls to stand there and deny it?"

"I was not the man in that video. I was fighting my way with Max to get to Aurora! Lorelei posed as Fury, stole Aurora from the hospital and held her captive in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s facility. She was desperate for revenge against me because I would not take her as my Queen. She went into a fit of rage when she find out about the pregnancy and tried to kill Aurora."

Natasha smirked. "And where is this Max person?"

Loki paused for only the briefest moment. "He was killed. By Lorelei who-"

"Was disguised as Fury. Yes, you've said that. I find it extremely coincidental that the two people who could attest to this, are both dead. That seems to happen a lot around you, doesn't it?"

"Please agent Romanov. I thought you were smarter than that. You honestly mean to tell me that amidst all that you have seen, you still don't believe in magic?"

"Loki...It looked just like you..." Aurora said.

"Yes." He hissed, glancing angrily at Aurora. "Yes it did look exactly like me, that was the point! It's called a glamour!" Loki felt his resolve slowly crumbling. He chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice as he looked back at Natasha and stood. "My patience is wearing quite thin. You would do well to tread lightly. You called me a monster once, you know nothing of what this monster will do until you back me into a corner and threaten my family." He growled.

"Jesus Christ! What are you?" Chris cried, stumbling back.

Aurora backed away so quickly, she fell over the armrest of the couch. Natasha held the gun steady, still aimed at Loki.

Loki paused in his anger, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Blood red eyes stared back at him. His skin had turned from pale to cerulean.

"He is a monster, just like he said. I just thought Aurora should see the true form of what fathered the child in her belly." Natasha said matter-of-factly.

Loki glanced over his shoulder. Æsa was helping Aurora to her feet, her eyes wide and unblinking.

"Aurora, come with me. Please. You see what he is, you know what he's done!" Chris pleaded

Aurora's gaze flickered to Chris, then back to Loki. "I've made my choice." She said quietly, taking Loki's icy hand in hers.

"You are one truly fucked up woman." Natasha said.

"Take care how you speak to my wife." Loki said.

"You both need to leave. NOW." Aurora demanded.

"I can't do that. You are both a security threat. And quite frankly, the threat is not secure until you both are dead." In a flash, Natasha pulled another gun, aimed both at Loki, and squeezed off a round.

Aurora felt an overwhelming mix of anger and fear consume her as she watched the bullets as if in slow motion as the sped towards Loki. "NO!!" She screamed. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she felt her body grow hot as an unknown power coursed through her veins. A cold force erupted from her body, throwing Natasha and Chris against the wall.

"YOU WILL NEVER THREATEN US AGAIN!" She screamed, sending a second, stronger burst of energy at the two.

Loki looked up from where he'd landed from the impact, shielding his face. Aurora floated just above the ground, her hands outstretched as she aimed the energy at the intruders. Her eyes glowed a bright green. Natasha and Chris' bodies were staring to turn a bright red as the cold from the energy burned their skin.

He struggled to his feet, fighting through the blast. "Aurora..." He could feel the tingle of the magic in the air and knew it was reaching its peak. The light her body was emanating grew brighter. "Aurora! NO!!" Before he could reach her, a final blast erupted from her chest and she collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

Loki opened his eyes and looked around. Furniture was scattered all around the room in bits. Nothing but shadows appeared on the wall where Chris and Natasha had been.

Loki scrambled over to where Aurora lay. She was still breathing. "Æsa!" He cried.

"I'm here my Lord!" She called from under the furniture that buried her. Loki gripped the toppled bookshelf and lifted it off of her with ease.

"Are you well?" He asked.

She nodded, brushing her hair out of her face. "I am."

"Good. Look after her. I have some things to gather and then we must leave before backup arrives." He said.