Please Read Me: Well... this is it. This is the end of our story. I want to thank each and every one of you who has read this story, and especially to those who have reviewed and left me comments. You guys have made this experience amazing and shaped this story to what it is.

Thank you so much. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful this journey has been, thank you for sharing it with me.

Please read the final note at the end... and for the last time in this story...

Read, Review, and above all... Enjoy!

They sat in the gardens, fireflies glowing around them as the sun finally began to retire another day. She kept reaching for the fireflies, catching them in her hands and peeking inside to see them glow. He watched her curiously, admiring her curiosity and sense of wonder. She was his everything, even then he knew it. She knew it too. "You're staring again." She observed his small smile.

"Can you blame me?" He chuckled, stretching slightly as he looked up to the sky; the stars were beginning to shine.

She smiled, releasing the handful of fireflies in her hands to the night sky. "I never did this as a little girl." She said sadly, remembering negative times in her life.

"Afraid you'd burn them?" Loki asked. "You should never be afraid."

Her smile faded. "I was always afraid, Loki."

"Are you afraid now?" He asked, walking closer to the girl.

"No." Her smile returned as she looked at Loki. "I'm not afraid right now."

He grinned. "And why is that?"

"I'm with you."

"So you're not afraid of me?" He chuckled, closing the gap between them to stand next to her. "It's a shame really."

Kaleria couldn't help but laugh. "I have no reason to be afraid of you."

"I'm disappointed, why are you not afraid of me?" He teased.

"I'm safe." She admitted as a blush crept over her cheeks. "For the first time in forever, I feel like I'm home." She looked at him, recognizing the arrogant smirk on his lips. "Oh no, don't take this to your head! We were really getting along here!"

He laughed, wrapping his arm around the small of her back, bringing her impossibly close to him. "We're fire and ice, darling. We were never meant to get along."

She laughed at his reference to their sleepover that previous night. "I will never live down visiting you last night, will I?"

"Not a chance."

"Well, I believe fire and ice can get along." She admitted. "I think there's hope."

"This new sense of optimism for our relationship is quite lovely." Loki teased.

"It just feels right with you." She said. "Is that wrong to believe?"

"Not at all, darling." Loki replied, leaning down to kiss her lips tenderly. He left her breathless before pulling away to whisper into her lips. "There is a sense of romance in the certain demise of fire and ice."

She smiled, her lips brushing against his. "Then I will see it to the end."

The morning was quiet, calm; peaceful. Kaleria had stayed in her chambers the rest of the night alone. Her eyes fluttering open to see the charred room, everything had been destroyed during the fight with Loki. The dream she had was a memory, a distant memory that brought sorrow and happiness to her.

Her hand trailed to her throat, feeling the cool sensation from Loki's hand still there. She knew he didn't leave a mark but, the feeling lingered.

She slept on the remains of her bed, the same bed they had shared so many times before; destroyed. Everything around her was crumbling down; she knew leaving was the best choice. Was she running? Possibly. Was it for the best? It was the best for Henrik. "You have ten seconds to explain what happened here."

Kaleria sat up, her body screaming in agony at the soreness flowing through it. Her eyes locked on her angry sister, her arms folded and eyes narrowed. "Sif-"

"What is all this?" Sif asked with concern. "There has been talk that you had lost your mind last night, I didn't believe it but, when I see this. Kali, what is going on?"

Kaleria forced herself to her feet, feeling the aches and pains in her body as she straightened her dress out, and avoiding Sif's glare. "I lost control." She shrugged, clearing her throat.

"You lost control?" Sif asked dryly, looking around the room. "How do you lose control so easily, what if Henrik had been here?"

Kaleria stiffened at the thought of Henrik. "He wasn't here." She muttered.

"But what if he was?" Sif challenged. "What has happened to you? From your return to now I have watched my younger sister unravel, fall apart, change even. You're a former shell of the woman you used to be, what happened?" Kaleria felt her body begin to heat at the accusations, she remained silent. "They tell me that Loki was killed in battle." Kaleria couldn't help by let out a sarcastic laugh. "Is that what this is all about? Are you unable to cope with his passing?"

"You could not be more wrong." She hissed.

"Then what is it, Kali!" Sif yelled. "Help me understand because I don't get what is happening. You were recovering, you were returning back to normal, and now this."

"You wouldn't understand." Kaleria began. "You couldn't understand what I have gone through, what I am trying to be and trying to conceal; for Henrik, for you, for my own damn sanity!" Kaleria felt panic rising in her voice as she yelled. "I am unraveling. Is that what you want to hear, Sif? That every day I have been back on Asgard I have been less of a person? That I am a hollow shell of my former self? Well, I am. Congratulations Sif, you figured it out!" Sarcasm dripped from every word as she yelled at her sister. "I don't want to be here anymore, I don't want the ugly reminder of what once was, of what could have been, and of what is happening! I'm tired of forcing this to work!"

"Then what will you do?" Sif asked, heartbroken to hear this new revelation. "What can I do to help fix this?"

"There is nothing you can do!" Kaleria said, running her hands through her hair as she turned away from Sif. "All this time people would tell me that I was running from my problems, well you know what? I am. I am going to run and I am going to run so far away from this place and never turn back. I need to get away from here, from Asgard, from the memories of a time that once was, from Thor, from the Warriors, from you." Sif remained quiet as Kaleria turned back to face Sif, knowing what was said was said. There was no going back. "I can't be here anymore."

Sif felt tears of her own begin to fill her eyes as she stared at her sister. "What about Henrik?"

"What about Henrik?"

"How can you even think he's safe with you when you're like this?"

"He is safest when he's with me. I can't raise him here." Her voice grew softer. "We have to go."

"And you think leaving will remove the pain and suffering you had here?"

Kaleria bit her lip. "It did when I was on Midgard."

Sif felt tears fall down her cheeks as she narrowed her eyes accusingly. "You're running back to the soldier, aren't you?"

Kaleria shook her head. "Do not bring Steve into this." She warned. "I could never go back to Midgard; it's not fair to him."

Silence fell upon the room before Sif finally asked. "Then where will you go?"

Kaleria shook her head. "I don't know."

"You came here to be under my protection, I was to help you with your gifts and to help you adjust." Sif said quietly, her body trembling. "I'm sorry I've failed you."

Kaleria felt her throat tighten as her own tears began to form. "No, Sif. I failed you."

Sif couldn't hold it in any longer, she walked over to her sister and wrapped her arms around her tightly, hugging her. Kaleria returned the hug, the two silently crying. "You can always come home." She whispered.

Kaleria nodded. "I know but right now, I can't be here." Sif finally understood, she knew she couldn't hold onto Kaleria any longer, she knew her sister being here was unhealthy for her, especially after recent events. Even though Sif did not know of Loki's return and believed him dead like everyone else, she believed that was the cause of Kaleria's sudden outburst. After trying to hold on for so long, she had to let her sister go.

Kaleria had asked Sif to keep an eye on Henrik, feeling a little more at ease knowing he was with someone she could trust. She explained to Sif, now that the Bifrost was open once more, she had unfinished business and quite possibly her exit plan if everything worked out. Kaleria headed to the Bifrost, walking into the observatory to see a somewhat smirking Heimdall. "Running?"

"No, visiting." She said dryly.

Heimdall knew. "Scouting for a permanent residence?"

Kaleria sighed. "It's no fun when you can see all."

"I enjoy it."

Kaleria looked at Heimdall. "Am I doing the wrong thing?"

"I cannot say for sure." Heimdall began. "But make sure you're leaving for all the right reasons."

She swallowed hard. "He's not expecting me."

"The element of surprise could benefit you."

"Well, let's see if this works out. If so, then I may have found my new home."

Heimdall chuckled. "This was your home."

Kaleria rolled her eyes playfully. "Just open the portal, please." Heimdall nodded, placing the key in the apparatus and opening the portal to Vanaheim.

She hesitated, staring at the small familiar cottage. She held her distance as she watched a man with greying red hair step outside of the cottage, he held an axe in one hand and began collecting wood for a fire. She watched him, all the fear and loathing she had for this man swarming through her, yet maybe there was hope for them now.

He noticed her first, looking up as he wiped sweat from his brow. "Kali?" He called to her, squinting to see better. He looked worn out and tired as he put the axe down. "You're back on Vanaheim?" He called to her. She simply nodded, forcing her feet to move herself closer to the man. "You look well." He noted, looking at her. 'If only he knew' she thought. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to my father." She stated simply.

He nodded. "Come inside then." He replied flatly before walking into the home, Kaleria followed with her hearth thudding in her chest. She looked around the cottage, not much had changed from the last time she had seen it more than two years ago at this point. "How is your magic coming?" He asked, making small talk as he sat at the table.

"I can control my gifts very well." She stated simply.

"How is Sif?" He asked.

Kaleria bit her lip nervously. "She's fine."

"I hear you're married now?" He asked, disinterested.

She nodded. "He passed away." She lied.

"My daughter married the enemy of Asgard." He scoffed. "You really did well for yourself."

She narrowed her eyes. "He wasn't always the enemy of Asgard."

"It doesn't matter what he was before. What matters now is the label he will always be given for what he's done." That stuck with her, she knew he was right.

"He's still my husband." She growled.

"I thought I sent you to Asgard to keep out of trouble?" He asked.

"No, you sent me to Asgard because you didn't want to deal with me."

The two stared each other down in silence before he spoke again. "Why did you come back then?"

"I wanted to know if I still had a home here."

He shook his head. "After tearing this home apart, you expect to find solace here?"

"It was an accident. What happened to Mother was an accident." She said.

"It's funny that you're the only one to see it that way." He said. "Your gifts were out of control."

Kaleria scoffed. "Did you ever think that maybe I had no control over my gifts because I was afraid? Did you ever stop to think that instilling fear in me for control was only hurting me?" She sighed. "This was a waste of time; I should have known we'd never be welcomed here."

He shrugged. "What did you expect, Kali? There is nothing for you here." He then raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean we?"

"I have a son." She admitted. "He's wonderful; he's everything I could have ever wanted and more." She narrowed her eyes at her father. "And you will never meet him."

"So you're running away with your son?" He surmised. "Trying to get away from whatever problems you've started in Asgard."

"At least I'm trying to protect my child." She gritted her teeth. "Unlike you, pushing your child away out of fear, I'm keeping him safe." She felt tears stinging her eyes as she let him have it. "He will never know abandonment or fear or hate from those who don't understand. He will be loved for what he is and for who he is, something you could never do for me."

"What do you want me to say, Kali?" His words sounded awfully familiar as they resonated with her. "Say I was a bad father to you? Would that make you feel better?"

"No." She said flatly. "No, because that doesn't change what you did."

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Then why are you here?"

She closed her eyes tightly. "Closure; I'm here for closure."

"Well you got it." She nodded, turning from her father and heading for the door. "I am proud of you; you're finally able to stand up for yourself."

She stopped, reaching for the door knob. "For the first time in my life I received a form of recognition from you… and finally, I don't need nor want it." She turned the knob and opened the door, walking out of the cottage and leaving behind the painful memories of her past and finally receiving the closure she deserved.

Kaleria returned to Asgard, a feeling of relief washing over her after her final goodbye to her father. That chapter in her life had officially closed and she felt a little less bitter over the situation. She made her way back to the palace, evening was slowly arriving and she needed to get her son back.

As she walked towards Sif's chambers, two guards approached her. Kaleria tensed defensively, ready to fight if need be as they came close. "The All Father requests your presence in the library."

Kaleria narrowed her eyes. "He can wait; I have to get my son."

The guards prevented Kaleria from going around them. "He insists." She kept her glare as she dejectedly nodded, following the guards to the library.

She walked into the library, the large room rather quiet as her footsteps echoed throughout. She would have sworn she were alone until she ventured deeper, finding Loki sitting on the windowsill they had fallen asleep on so long ago in their early stages. "You requested my presence?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I did." Loki replied, his back against the wall as one leg hung lazily off the windowsill.

Kaleria shrugged. "Well?"

He looked at her, his eyes soft. "Sit with me?"

"Loki, I don't have time for-"She began.

"Please." His voice begged.

Kaleria sighed as she hesitated for a moment before walking over to Loki. She realized the only space for her to sit was up against him, just like they had done before. Her breaths where staggered, short and harsh, as she climbed onto the windowsill and sat where the only space was, up against Loki. Her back rested easy against his chest, his breathing syncing with hers as they relaxed. "What if someone walks in?" She asked.

A small smirk came to his lips. "Then this will be a wonderful position to be caught in." She tried so hard to keep her own smile hidden. "When do you leave?" He asked.

Kaleria felt her heart strings tug as she answered him. "As soon as I find Henrik; then we leave."

"I assume you told Sif." Loki said. "That entire group has been solemn this whole day."

"It's good to know I'll be missed." She was sarcastic and he loved her for it.

"You can stay, you know."

"I know." She replied. "I've told you, this place is no longer home for me."

"And here I thought I was home to you." He joked. She sighed, ignoring his remark as she looked up at the ceiling, eyeing the cracks as she did. "I heard you went to Vanaheim today. You saw your Father?"

"I needed closure."

"And how did that go?" His hand found its way to her hair, brushing through it gently.

"I realized I'm better off not holding on to that past." He hummed in response. "Why did you request my presence again?"

His voice sounded tired. "I wanted to see you, one last time."

She felt her chest tighten as her breaths became staggered once more, her throat tightening and her lips quivering. "You can still join us."

"I know." He mimicked their earlier conversation.

Her heart ached; she was torn in her decision. She knew this environment was toxic for Henrik, she knew Loki could never change here, and she knew she was unraveling here. Yet she wanted to give up this need to leave and stay with him, stay and watch the chaos consume them. If things were different, if there was no Henrik, she knew she'd stay in her misery and watch herself spiral out of control. She had to be brave, for Henrik, and that was all that mattered. "I should go."

She sat up, pulling away from Loki; her body ached and begged to return to its previous position. She yearned for him, and he yearned for her in return. "I never planned for us to end like this." Loki commented, only to chuckle. "I also never planned for us to actually get together." He was reminiscing in their earlier times together.

A feigned smile appeared on her lips. "I never planned on you." Loki leaned forward, placing a gentle hand on her cheek as he brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was soft, not demanding. The kiss was a simple goodbye, one that would linger and haunt her for the rest of her days.

She wouldn't say goodbye, he understood why she couldn't. Kaleria just nodded her head slightly before getting off the windowsill and leaving without another word. The only sound echoing through the library was the door closing behind her, the sound that Loki would never forget as his wife left him. This was goodbye, there was no going back.

Kaleria wasted little time finding Henrik. He was napping in Sif's bed, Sif sitting by his side and brushing his hair gently. She'd miss him terribly, and she'd miss her sister just as much. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I need to do this, Sif." Kaleria corrected. "I have to get Henrik out of this environment."

"You're never going to tell me what's really going on, are you?"

Kaleria bit her lip. "Someday, maybe I will."

"Will you come back?"

She shrugged. "I cannot say for sure when but, I will visit." It was false hope she was giving Sif, and Sif was well aware of it.

"Take care of yourself, Kali." Sif said. "You know I'm always here for you."

Kaleria smiled slightly. "I know." She walked closer to Henrik, bending down and picking up the sleeping child and holding him close. She felt at ease having him back in her arms. "We have to go."

Sif simply nodded, not saying another word as she watched helplessly as her sister and nephew left her chambers.

Heimdall awaited her, a soft smile on his face as he looked at Kaleria holding Henrik. He could see the disappointment in her face as she approached the observatory. "You look disappointed to only see me here. Have you decided if you're running or moving forward?"

"I suppose it's a little of both." She admitted.

"You've said your goodbyes then?"

She shook her head. "Partially, I was never good with them."

"Where are you going to?"

She forced a short laugh. "That's the thing; I had trouble making up my mind. I'd go to Midgard but, I could never do that to Steve. We agreed we were moving on."

"What of Vanaheim?"

"I could live on Vanaheim but, my Father does not exist to me anymore." She replied. "I want nothing to do with him nor do I want him in Henrik's life."

"Then where will you go if you cannot decide?"

She pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. "It's odd to me Heimdall, somewhat bittersweet and funny. I left Vanaheim so long ago it seems to find a new place to call home, a place where I could grow and learn and become a stronger person. Now here I am, trying to leave the place I thought was a safe haven to potentially head back to the place I was running from all along. Am I crazy?"

"No, sometimes we have to circle around a few times until we find what we missed." Heimdall said.

She replied in disbelief. "I tried so hard to find a place to call home, to find my purpose, and I thought for the longest time I had it. Now I don't know what I have or where I'm going. I'm just starting over for my son. Do you think I'll ever find peace?"

"I think you will know peace once you learn where to look." Heimdall said. "But first, you have to accept what has happened to you and the path given to you."

She nodded. "Like so long ago, I came here with no sense of direction, and now I am leaving to go back to the place it all started." She laughed slightly. "My end is my beginning, Heimdall."

He smiled. "Then take this ended chapter and write a new."

Kaleria nodded, looking back at the rainbow bridge for one last look at Asgard, and possibly to see a familiar face to meet her here. Nothing like that happened. She pursed her lips, accepting this as she hugged Henrik. She had to exist without Loki, he made his choice by not meeting her here, and it was time to go. "I'm ready to go, Heimdall."

"I know just where to send you." Heimdall said, placing the key into the apparatus. The observatory moaned as it began to vibrate, a portal opening before her. "When you want to return, all you need is ask."

Kaleria smirked. "Last time I did that, you didn't answer."

Heimdall chuckled. "I'll try harder this time."

With a heavy heart, she nodded to Heimdall and walked to the portal. She hugged Henrik, knowing this was his first trip on the Bifrost. "Don't worry, my son. The dizziness and disorient ends quickly." She advised him, he just snuggled into her more as she took one large breath before stepping into the portal with only Henrik.

She hushed Henrik as he fussed slightly, cuddling him and brushing his hair lovingly knowing exactly where Heimdall placed them. "Vanaheim it is." She said. "We will start our lives somewhere far from my father, how does that sound?" She whispered to Henrik before kissing his cheek.

Kaleria looked ahead, her heart beginning to race as she stared at the Asgardian Palace Guard standing a few feet away from her and Henrik. A few stray tears escaping her eyes as the aura around the guard began to glow golden; the simple transformation.

This is the certain demise of fire and ice.

Final Thoughts: We get a happy ending! I changed the ending like eight or nine times for this story. I had many different outcomes where Loki didn't show up, or where Loki showed up to travel with her. I thought him being there already was more appropriate. Once again, thank y'all for reading, this has been an amazing experience.

And please look out for my next Avengers/Loki story. It'll begin sometime next week and go on from there. It's a different story but more revolved around the comics and movies. So look out for it!

Can we get this story over 100 reviews? I think it needs a final send off haha.

Okay I'm done rambling. Thank you so much again, bye!