One year later...

I wiped my sweaty brow and looked across the vegetable patch. Loki, grown tan in the sun, weeded several rows away. I doubted anyone from SHIELD or Asgard would recognize him now.

His hair was cropped short and his face looked relaxed and happy. His tan wasn't deep, but a warm light brown. He wore a dark brown shirt and black jeans. He was still given to brooding and some days it just wasn't worth it to mention the in-laws. On occasion, he grew restless, and when he wandered into the woods alone, I sent a bee to follow him. If he ever knew I did that, he never said.

When we returned home last year, SHIELD was knocking down the door a mere five minutes later. Some hasty magic and a bucket of tears later, Fury left believing Odin had his adopted son executed for his crimes and that my magic had melted away. I didn't want to take any chances, though, and asked Eartha to do something she hadn't in a long time.

Once upon a time, Eartha's life had been infinitely more interesting, and a few old friends from that interesting life still owed her a favor or two. After a few quick phone calls, Loki and I were smuggled out of the country and taken to...well, the name of the country and village wasn't important. It was, however, a wonderful place for a garden, some bees, and, maybe, one day, a family.

Most days, I was happy. Loki (called Charles in front of others) was a good husband for the most part and a wonderful lover. Some nights, we didn't sleep, but sat up talking, sharing our thoughts and dreams.

But there were still days when Loki would stare into the distance, brooding, and I would think about how he wouldn't talk about his parents, or his deepest feelings about them, no matter how much I tried to draw him out. I would feel a tickling on the back of my neck, and I worried.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

I smiled as Loki came to stand beside me. He was using human colloquialisms more and I found it charming. I straightened.

"Just thinking about our life together," I said.

"You seemed anxious for a moment."

"I just worry about you, sometimes."

He ran a hand down my back and drew me into an one-arm embrace. "No need for that, my love. All is well." He kissed my head.

I smiled and tilted my head back to let him kiss my lips, my eyes closed so he wouldn't see my doubt.


Author's Note: And that's all for now, folks. It's not a great ending, I know, but endings aren't my specialty. I seem to be better at the "from bad to total shit storm" parts. But I try my best. However, I like the idea of leaving Sigrid and Loki in a garden, an uneasy peace surrounding them. Nothing with Loki ever seems to be easy or clear cut. He's a complex guy.

I don't know when I'll return to this. I have another fanfiction that needs finishing, not to mention my own original novel, True Sight. But I'll get to it.

Until then, in the immortal words of Hiddles: don't stop dreaming!