To Roam Into the Unknown

Loki carried Aurora out into the side pasture by the stables and lay her in the tall, uncut grass. Æsa followed silently behind them with Caesar on a leash.  Bijou and her baby trotted towards the fence and winnyed.

Aurora's eyes fluttered and opened. She lay staring at the overcast sky for quite a while. Just as Loki was about to say something, she sat upright. "What happened?? Where are we?"

Loki rocked back and forth on his heels as he kneeled next to her. "I'm unsure of what happened, but we must leave soon."

Aurora eased herself back down into the grass and rubbed her eyes with her palms. "God Loki what did I do??"

"Whatever it was, it no doubt saved us." he glanced over his shoulder at the house. "And without a doubt killed them." Aurora groaned.

"It's alright. You were protecting us, it doesn't make you a bad person." Loki said, helping her to her feet.

"No. Just the fact that I don't feel guilty about it." She turned on the hill and stared at the house she'd grown up in. "Chris was a bastard. And that woman...whoever she was...She had murder in her eyes. She was going to kill you."

"She would have tried. And failed." Loki said, nodding to Æsa. She gripped the dog's leash. "Regardless of what happened, we must go quickly before reinforcements arrive. Natasha wouldn't have acted alone." He walked over to the two horses and out of no where, they were instantly bridled and saddled.

He opened the gate and Æsa took the reigns of the foal. He walked Bijou out of the gate. "We should really be going, dearest."

"We're getting away on horseback??" She asked, arching her brow.

"She is your horse, is she not?" He smiled, lifting her on to the saddle.

"We're taking her back to Asgard?" Aurora asked.

Loki smiled up at her. "Hold on tightly." He looked to the sky. "Heimdall! To Asgard!"

OoOoOo

When they arrived in the Bifrost, Thor was waiting for them.

"Loki, what happened?" He asked.

Loki held his hand up. "Please brother, can we at least get settled in before your interrogation? It's been a long day and my wife is exhausted. We can discuss this later. Would you be so kind as to send"

Thor clenched his jaw. "Very well." He pointed Mjolnir at him. "But we will discuss this." He turned on his heel and launched into the air, heading for the castle.

Aurora and Æsa exchanged glances. "What was that about, Loki?" Aurora asked.

"Heimdall undoubtedly saw everything." Loki glanced at the golden guardian who stood like a statue, starting out into space. "With my track record on Midgard, it comes as no surprise that they would assume I caused the...Whatever that was."

"But you didn't!" Aurora turned to Heimdall. "He didn't!"

Loki helped her off Bijou. "Aurora, It's ok. All is well and I will take care of everything." He cupped her face in his hands. "You need to go rest. I will be there shortly."

She opened her mouth to argue just as two palace servants arrived. Loki silenced her with a gentle kiss. "Æsa, take the Lady back to our chambers, please."

"Yes my Prince. But what would you have me do with the animals?" Æsa asked.

"Yes of course. You there, take the horses to my personal stable. Caesar can accompany Aurora."

"Come mistress. You would benefit from some rest." Æsa said quietly. Aurora allowed her to escort her out of the Bifrost, but not before looking over her shoulder at Loki, who smiled at her reassuringly.

OoOoOo

"What in the nine relms happened down there?!" Thor asked angrily.

Loki stood at the large table in the All Father's private study, hands pressed against the wood as he leaned forward and closed his eyes. "I know exactly what it looks like, but whatever you think you know, I can assure you is not what happened."

Odin sat at the head of the table, stroking his white beard as he listened to them talk.

"It seems to Heimdall that you killed agent Romanov and her companion." Thor snapped. "She was a good woman and did not deserve to die!"

"She was a woman blinded by hatred and anger and she was going to kill us. She deserved her fate!" Loki said angrily. "I had no hand in it! She sought me out and threatened my family."

Thor gripped Mjolnir angrily and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Odin.

"Tell us what happened Loki, from your point of view." He said calmly.

"I didn't do what that Romanov woman accused me of, father! Am-Lorelei disguised herself as me and murdered director Fury to purposely make it look like I did it. Because I spurned herand choose Aurora. She wanted to take over Midgard and when I told her I did not, she lost her mind. I know how the two of you view me. I'm not the man I used to be. I've done horrible things to too many people," he glanced at Thor. "People whom I loved. But that's not who I am. Aurora could give birth any day now, I don't want the child born into conflict."

Odin sighed and closed his one good eye.

"Father, please-" Loki begged.

Odin opened his eye and looked at Loki. "I believe you, Loki."

Thor looked at his father wanting desperately to argue further, but he held his tongue.

"Why? Why do you believe me?" Loki asked.

"Because you're my son. And I have seen a change in you that I had hoped would happen. You are a proud man, Loki, always have been. And I've never seen you put anyone before you. Until recently. I see the love you have for Aurora and your unborn child. And I have no reason to doubt what you say is true."

Loki collapsed back into a chair and exhaled a sigh of relief.

Thor sat down between them and rubbed his face. "I would still like to know what happened." He said calmly.

"Agent Romanov refused to listen to me. She accused me of Fury's murder and then pulled the gun on Aurora. She fired that gun, intent on killing both of us." Loki closed his eyes as he tried to recall the details.

"Go on." Odin said.

Loki ran a hand through his hair. "Aurora put herself in front of me."

"What?" Thor asked. "Does she need a healer?"

"No." Loki chuckled. "No. Something happened. We don't know what happened but," he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Aurora's eyes began to glow and out of nowhere came this enormous wave of pure energy. It threw us all back, but the brunt of it was directed at Romanov and Chris. Out was almost like-"

"A defense." Odin answered for him.

"Yes. But how?" Thor asked.

"You are a powerful magician, Loki. Aurora is a Midgardian with no special talents."

Loki scoffed. "The baby??"

"It would make sense. The child sensed the surge of panic in Aurora's body and did the only thing it could do. Used the magic of its father to protect itself." Odin said.

Loki couldn't help the smile that broke out across his face. "This is spectacular..." He whispered. He pushed himself up. "I must go to my wife." He said, turning towards the door.

"Loki..." Thor called from where he and Odin sat.

Loki turned to them, noting the solemn look on both their faces. He felt his smile quickly fade. "What?"

"You should know, Natasha had a live feed on her. S.H.I.E.L.D knows what happened. They too, like her, believe it was you who murdered Fury and killed the other agents." Thor said.

"And?"

"Midgard is threatening war against Asgard, unless we hand over you and Aurora." Thor continued.

"Is that what you intend to do?!" He cried.

"Of course not!" Odin bellowed. "But I am at a loss for what to do."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked, gripping the back of the chair he'd been sitting in.

"Midgard's scientists have been working towards creating their own means of traveling the realms. I'm afraid to say they have recently succeeded. They are threatening retaliation against us for  the events that took place both in New York and New Mexico. This little mess with agent Romanov did not help matters. They want you and Aurora handed over." Odin said.

"There is only one other power out there with the ability to create such a device. Amora had a piece of the Tesseract. She wore it around her neck on a silver chain. It must have been found after she died." Loki pursed his lips. "So what are we going to do?"

"We will fight. And we will win. But if it's all the same, I'd rather not. This is going to be a useless fight with unnecessary deaths." Odin replied.

Loki turned to take his leave.

"There is one final thing." Odin said.

Loki sighed and looked to the vaulted ceilings before squeezing his eyes shut. "What?"

"Some Midgardian warriors have managed to sneak into Asgard."

Loki's head snapped around to Odin once more, his eyes wide.

"The guards are on high alert. But you should know to take care when the two of you are out." Thor said.

"Certainly we would notice a few Midgardians walking around our streets!" Loki exclaimed.

"We suspect they acquired their disguise through magic given to them by the dark elves." Odin stated.

"Then we should attack the dark elves for allowing this to happen!" Loki cried.

"This is between us and Midgard. The other realms do not wish to be involved, and quite frankly, they aren't too pleased with your previous attacks on Jotunheim and Midgard. You can't even begin to comprehend the extent of what it took to convince them that you were no longer a threat. We are in this alone." Odin said.

"Loki, the Midgardians see Aurora as a traitor. The fact that she carries your child..." Thor shook his head. "They will try to kill-"

"Yes. They will try. And they will fail." Loki said through gritted teeth, before turning and exiting the room.