The wedding had been a small affair. After all, Darcy was still a fugitive and Loki was in possession of far more enemies than friends. The girl on the run and the criminal trickster. When she thought about it like that, they actually made a pretty good pair.

Jane acted as her bridesmaid and when Darcy finally laid eyes on her former boss, she immediately pulled Jane into a giant hug (well, as much of a hug as Darcy could manage considering Jane's substantial belly). Aside from looking like she was about to pop at any minute, Darcy was relieved to find that Jane was doing well.

While Jane's greeting had been full of warmth, Odin's was bordering on frigid and Darcy tried not to take it too personally when his expression hardened upon seeing her, the strength of his glare feeling a bit like being struck by a mini Myeuh-Myeuh.

The Allfather seemed to have a grand total of just two facial expressions, Darcy had decided: blatant disapproval or skepticism, and around her, he managed to wear an interesting combination of both looks at once. It was impressive, really.

The actual ceremony had passed in a bit of a blur but there had been one thing that very clearly stuck out in Darcy's mind: the way Loki had looked as he stood across the altar from her.

Everything about him had been stupidly attractive, from the formal Asgardian clothing he wore to the way he spoke his vows so sincerely, and Darcy made sure to show him exactly how much she liked it once they had returned to their bedroom that evening.

Adjusting to life as a wife was actually fairly easy for Darcy. Her relationship with Loki remained the same as it had always been: full of teasing, passion, and blow-out arguments that usually led them straight into another round of passion.

When it came to adjusting to life as a princess though...well, that was another matter.

It was unbecoming of a princess to swear, Darcy had repeatedly been told. It was also improper to sit without crossing her ankles, or to walk around the palace in jeans instead of a dress, or to make out with Loki in the gardens while her hand was down the front of his pants (though she couldn't say she was sorry for that one). There were a million other things on her so-called 'do not do' list that Darcy couldn't even remember at this point.

The attention didn't stay on her for long, though. Much to Darcy's relief, her blunders as a newbie princess were soon overshadowed by the arrival of Thor Junior.

"Impatient little bugger," Darcy commented as she prodded Loki down the hallway towards the medical wing. "Jane's due date wasn't for another week still."

Loki let out a small huff of annoyance. "So the babe is already as obnoxious as his father. Simply wonderful."

Darcy rolled her eyes, playfully bumping him with her shoulder. "You know, you could try going in there with an open mind."

Loki looked at her, blinked once, and then replied as if the answer were blatantly obvious. "No."

Darcy shook her head, grinning slightly. "I think marriage has turned you into a crusty old man," she declared.

That got a reaction out of him.

Loki gripped her upper arms and pushed her against the nearest wall. Darcy's heart thumped a mile a minute in her chest as she anxiously anticipated his next move. She loved getting under his skin, loved seeing how far she could push him, and judging by the hardness in his pants, he liked it too.

"Does anything about me seem crusty or old to you?" He practically growled, pushing his hips against her.

"Loki," Darcy panted as he dipped his head, the heat of his breath tickling her neck and making her squirm, "we're supposed to be visiting the baby, not practicing our own baby-making skills in a hallway."

"I would rather stay here and finish what I've started." He sucked on the skin over her pulse point and Darcy had to grab onto his shoulders so she wouldn't keel over.

"That sounds good, like, really, really good," Darcy replied breathlessly, "but Thor and Jane are expecting us."

The mention of his brother seemed to kill Loki's mood and he released Darcy, taking a short step back.

Darcy straightened out her rumpled shirt and ran her palms over her hair to make sure it didn't look too wild. Then she popped up onto her toes and planted a kiss on Loki's lips. "Trust me," she promised, "you are so finishing that later."

"Hi baby Alric," Darcy cooed, leaning over the edge of Jane's bed to get a better look at the little bundle cradled in her arms. "Man, he's cute. Congrats you guys."

"Thank you, Darcy," Thor pulled his eyes away from his son long enough to shoot Darcy a quick grin overflowing with fatherly pride. "We are most fortunate." He squeezed Jane's shoulder affectionately, causing his wife to look up at him with a wide but tired smile.

"Very fortunate," Jane agreed. "Thanks for being here, Darce."

"Are you kidding?" Darcy replied. "As if I would miss this!"

Jane laughed quietly, careful not to disturb the sleeping baby in her arms. Her eyes shifted over Darcy's shoulder to the figure standing awkwardly in the far corner of the room. "Loki, you can come closer if you want." Jane offered a bit hesitantly.

"Yes, please do, brother." Thor encouraged, "In fact, Jane and I have something we would like to ask you and Darcy."

Loki reluctantly came to stand at Darcy's side. His hands kept clenching and unclenching, Darcy noticed, and he was looking more than a little uncomfortable. Wary, even.

The baby stirred in Jane's arms, his little mouth opening wide as a gurgling yawn escaped before he settled back into sleep. As Loki peered down at his nephew, his face remained unreadable but Darcy saw his throat move as he swallowed hard.

"Jane has told me there is a Midgardian tradition of choosing guardians for your children." Thor said.

"Godparents," Jane clarified.

Thor nodded, turning his attention to Darcy and Loki. "We would be honored if you would act as Godparents to Alric."

"For reals?" Darcy asked, her eyes widening.

"Really," Jane confirmed.

Darcy nodded her head eagerly. "Hell yeah! We'd be happy to! Wouldn't we, Loki?" She not-so-subtly elbowed him in the ribs.

Loki sucked in a sharp breath before glaring at her. "Delighted," he grumbled, sounding anything but.

"Can I hold him?" Darcy asked.

"Sure." Jane passed the small bundle to Darcy and she cradled the baby carefully in her arms.

"Hey, kiddo." Darcy smiled down at Alric, "you lucked out, dude. Not only do you have awesome parents but your Auntie Darcy is totally rad. We're gonna get into so much trouble together, you just wait."

"And there's my greatest nightmare come to life." Jane collapsed back against her pillows with a sigh.

"Fun trouble," Darcy assured her. "It won't be dangerous...much."

Thor laughed, bending to plant a consoling kiss on Jane's cheek. "We have the upmost faith in you, Darcy."

"Thanks, big guy." Darcy beamed at him before turning her attention to Loki. "Wanna hold him?"

Loki's eyes widened and he took a small step backwards. "That will not be necessary."

"Oh, come on. Just once, then I won't bug you about it again," Darcy promised. "Pleeeeease?" She dragged out the 'e' until Loki finally sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"The things I do for you," he muttered.

Grinning, Darcy carefully settled the baby in Loki's arms. "There ya go. Not so bad, right? Just remember to support his head."

It was hard not to laugh. From the look on Loki's face, you'd think he was holding a bag of grenades instead of a baby.

Alric sighed deeply in his sleep, his lips parting as a spit bubble dribbled lazily down his chin. Loki frowned, clearly disgusted when the drool landed on his hand and soaked into the cuff of his shirt. "Darcy, it spit on me."

Darcy had to bite down on her lower lip to keep from giggling as she struggled to keep a straight face.

When Loki's expression changed to one of bewildered shock, she couldn't hold back an amused snort.

"Darcy, I believe it has wet itself."

"He is a baby, Loki. That's what they do." Darcy replied, the words coming out slightly choked as she tried not to laugh at him.

All of a sudden, Alric's eyes popped open. The baby struggled in his blankets until he managed to pull free one arm and wave a pudgy little fist in the air, whimpering loudly.

Loki looked to Darcy, alarm clearly written on his face.

"Give him your hand," Darcy prompted.

Loki shifted the baby so he rested in the crook of his arm and then raised his free hand. Alric immediately wrapped his little fist around Loki's index finger. The baby stared up at Loki, his eyes bright with interest. They were the same clear, vivid blue as Thor's, Darcy noted.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to shift, growing quieter; more serious. A moment passed where no one spoke and Darcy watched Loki curiously, wondering what his reaction would be.

As Loki stared at the baby, an odd expression flickered across his face, almost too quick for Darcy to catch. If she had to guess, she would have called it determination.

"Ég mun ekki sleppa af þér, litla," Loki murmured, gently extracting his finger from Alric's grip. Alric blinked up at him before his eyes closed and he gave a content little sigh.

When Jane accepted the baby back into her arms, she leaned towards her husband with a soft whisper. "What did he say?"

Thor didn't answer; he was too busy blinking back tears.

"We have yet to take a honeymoon." Loki rolled onto his side to face Darcy, reaching out to brush a piece of stray hair from her face.

"Yeah, I know." Darcy burrowed further under the blankets, attempting to ward off the chill of the early morning air. Autumn was quickly approaching and the fact that she was naked under her blankets probably didn't help. She'd been too tired to redress after Loki had stripped her out of her PJ's the night before.

Loki shifted closer, drawing Darcy into his arms so she rested against the warmth of his skin. For being part Frost Giant, the guy was like a massive space heater, Darcy mused as she buried her nose in the curve of his neck. She certainly wasn't complaining although she was determined to get Loki to eventually show her his frosty side. He still refused any time she asked, giving the weak excuse of not wanting to hurt her. That was a load of lame-ass baloney in Darcy's opinion.

"What troubles you?" Loki asked as his warm hands rubbed along her back. "I thought you would be begging to visit the other realms by now."

"I want to, but there's something I need to do first." Darcy admitted, pulling her face back so she could meet his eyes. She sucked in a deep breath before continuing, "I need to go back to Earth. Just for a little while."

"Absolutely not," Loki immediately replied.

"It won't be for long," Darcy reasoned, "I just need to see what's going on with HYDRA."

"Heimdall can easily provide you with that information," Loki pointed out. His arms tightened around her reflexively, like he was afraid she would leave that very minute.

Darcy shook her head. "I have a responsibility to SHIELD. I can't hide here forever. I have to help them."

"Well, you're certainly not going off half-cocked by yourself." Loki grumbled. "The only way I would allow you to leave is if I were to accompany you."

"Okay, two problems there," Darcy stated, wiggling free of his grasp so she could sit up. "First of all, I don't need your permission. Secondly, this is between me and HYDRA. You don't need to fight my battles for me."

Loki made a short, exasperated noise as he pushed himself up into a sitting position beside her. "Need I remind you that marriage is a partnership?" he emphasized.

"Thank you, Dr. Phil." Darcy rolled her eyes.

"I am unfamiliar with the physician you speak of." Loki's face was full of blank confusion.

"You know, that dude with a big talk show and an even bigger mustache...?" Darcy shook her head dismissively. "Okay, not important. You're just trying to distract me," she accused, pointing a finger at him.

When a slow, sly smile spread across Loki's face, she knew she was right. The smile soon dropped and his face became sober again. "In all seriousness, Darcy, what you are proposing is dangerous."

"I know," she admitted, looking down at her hands. Along with her wedding ring, she still wore the silver engagement band Loki had magicked for her. He had offered to get her a new proper engagement ring, one that wasn't made from a quarter she'd pulled out of the depths of her purse, but Darcy didn't want a new ring. She'd grown surprisingly fond of this one.

Loki let out a deep sigh and rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. "There is no changing your mind? You are absolutely certain that you wish to do this?"

"One hundred percent," Darcy answered surely. "I already have a plan and everything, and you know there's no changing my mind once I've decided to do something. I'm stubborn like that." She smiled at him sweetly, "must have picked that up from you."

At that, the corner of Loki's mouth quirked up into a smile. "Fine," he relented, "we shall take the day to prepare and then travel to Midgard tomorrow."

"Yes!" Darcy pumped her fist in the air in victory. "See, this is why I love you." Her eyes widened when she realized exactly what she'd said. Although they'd both made it obvious that they cared about each other, the 'L' word had never actually been spoken. Actually, Darcy was surprised she hadn't wound up blurting it out before now thanks to her serious lack of a brain-to-mouth filter.

When she looked at Loki, she found him watching her with a wide-eyed expression. His eyes seemed to harden then, and when he spoke, his voice was low. "Tell me that was a slip of the tongue."

He was giving her a chance to back out, she realized. A chance to call it a mistake and pretend it never happened. The fact that he automatically assumed she didn't mean it made Darcy's heart ache for him. What the hell had happened to make him think that he was so unworthy of being loved?

Whatever it was, she'd wheedle it out of him some day. Just add that to her to do list, right underneath getting Loki to show her his frosty side.

In the meantime, he could take his emo I-don't-deserve-love bullshit and shove it where the sun don't shine. She was his wife now, his partner, as he had so annoyingly reminded her only moments before, and she was going to be committed to him whether he liked it or not.

Forgetting all about the cold, Darcy flung off her blankets and crawled across the bed until she was straddling Loki's lap. She put her hands on his chest and leaned forward, so close that their noses touched. Then she looked him straight in the eye and replied, "I meant it, and if you call me a liar, I'll punch you in the face."

She almost made him laugh, which she counted as a win.

His lips pulled up into an amused half smile as he slowly slid his hands up her bare thighs. "I know not what I did to deserve you," he spoke quietly, "but I thank Valhalla every day."

Then he gently lowered her down onto the mattress and covered her mouth with his own. Darcy wound her arms around his neck as her legs automatically fell open in invitation. As Loki settled between her thighs, she said her own silent thanks to whatever force had brought the two of them together.

Heimdall had been able to give them the location they needed.

Darcy's contact was in Florida, working as part of a small group of still-functioning SHIELD agents operating under the radar.

"Can you zap us to Miami?" Darcy asked Loki as they stood before the Bifrost. "Ugh, and did you have to make this so tight?" She complained, tugging at the collar of her jacket.

Loki had created an all black outfit for her consisting of thick, leathery pants and a zip-up jacket made of a similar material. Darcy assumed that the heaviness meant they were bullet-proof and when she asked Loki, he confirmed her suspicion with a nod.

"The tightness provides better mobility," he answered simply, "and to answer your initial question, I will not be zapping us. We will travel via the Bifrost. I wish to conserve my magic in case we encounter an urgent need for it later."

"Smart idea. I knew I brought you along for a reason." Darcy grinned.

Loki raised his eyebrows. "Then am I to assume that I am the brains and you are the brawn of this little operation?"

"Damn right." Darcy confirmed with an emphatic nod.

"Are you prepared for your departure?" Heimdall's deep voice traveled across the room from where he stood on a small platform preparing to activate the Bifrost.

"Are we?" Loki looked down at Darcy. Doubt was clouding his face and Darcy reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"We're good." Darcy assured him. "My contact is solid. I trust her; she wouldn't turn on SHIELD."

"And you have all the weapons I gave you?" Loki pressed.

"Yup," Darcy confirmed. There was currently a knife in her boot, a second knife hidden in a pocket of her jacket, and a small handgun tucked into the waistband of her pants. Loki had created the gun for her and it had taken him nearly half a day to get the specs right since he was so unfamiliar with the weapon.

When Darcy had asked why there were no guns on Asgard (weren't they the easier choice compared to swords?) Loki had smiled tightly and replied, "There is pride in wearing the blood of your enemies."

Ick. She'd stick with the gun.

Satisfied that Darcy was packing enough pointy, deadly objects, Loki turned to Heimdall. "We are ready," he confirmed, slipping his arm around Darcy and holding her tightly to his side.

"Miami, here we come," Darcy muttered as they were engulfed in the bright light of the Bifrost. She squeezed her eyes shut and hoped that when they reached her SHIELD contact, their reception would be as warm as the balmy Florida weather.

The last thing they needed was to walk into a hurricane.

"You'd better wait here." Darcy peeked around the corner of the building she and Loki were currently hiding behind. "It'll be easier. Skye's gonna have a whole lot of questions if she sees you with me."

Loki looked like he wanted to argue but instead gave a short, reluctant nod of agreement. "Fine, but if you do not return in five minutes, I'm coming to get you."

"I need more time than that! Give me ten minutes." Darcy countered.

"Eight and that is my final offer." Loki crossed his arms, giving her a look that said he was done negotiating.

Darcy blew out a breath. "Okay."

She stuck her head around the corner again, scoping out the white utility van parked down the street. According to Heimdall's all-seeing eyes, Skye was working out of the back of the vehicle. Probably riding off public wifi while she hacked into whatever databases SHIELD needed her to gather intel from, Darcy guessed.

"Could you magic me something a little less conspicuous? Make me look like a tourist?" Darcy said to Loki as she glanced down at her black leather ensemble.

With a simple move of his arm, Loki changed her outfit into a pair of tan Bermuda shorts and the most ugly-ass Hawaiian t-shirt Darcy had ever laid eyes on.

"Ew," she wrinkled her nose, plucking at the front of her shirt, "not that tourist-y."

Loki sighed. "If you recall, I am conserving my magic. We cannot afford for you to be concerned with fashion."

"Says the man with a giant golden horny helmet," Darcy retorted.

"Go. Meet your contact before I change my mind about this entire ill-conceived plan." Loki gave her a push, practically shoving her out onto the sidewalk.

Darcy stumbled and shot him a deadly glare over her shoulder before making her way towards the white van.

She approached the vehicle from behind and rapped her knuckles on the closed double doors. "Anyone home?"

The left door popped open a few inches and a brunette head peeked out. "Darcy? What are you doing here...and what the hell are you wearing?"

"Long story," Darcy responded. "Can I come in?"

Skye pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "Depends. I hate to ask, but do you have any weapons on you? Can't be too careful who you trust these days."

"I understand." When Darcy pulled up the hem of her shirt she was relieved to see that whatever magic Loki had done to change her outfit had also gotten rid of her knives and gun. The waistband of her shorts and both her pockets were thankfully empty.

Skye nodded approvingly and swung the door open wider. "Get in here quick!"

Darcy scrambled into the back of the vehicle, shutting the door behind her. The interior of the van was dark, leaving Darcy feeling slightly disoriented as Skye pushed her down onto a makeshift seat. It was really just a big metal storage box and ouch, that would definitely be leaving a mark on Darcy's butt. Sure enough, she'd sat right on top of one of the big metal latches. Just her luck.

Skye climbed her way over Darcy's legs (the van had looked a hell of a lot roomier from the outside, Darcy decided) and plopped herself back in front of her computer. "Oh my God, where have you been? I tried to track you online but it was like you just disappeared off the face of the planet!"

Darcy suppressed a snort. If only Skye knew how close to the truth that actually was.

"Well," Darcy shifted on the hard storage box with a wince, "it's a long story. I guess you could say I'm in hiding. I made it clear to HYDRA, like, kick-in-the-balls clear, that I'm not willing to join them, so I figured I should lay low for a while." That was a close enough explanation, right?

Skye grinned, the glow of her laptop screen illuminating her face. "Kick-in-the-balls clear? Nicely done, Lewis. Who was the lucky agent?"

"Andersen."

"Damn." Skye's grin dropped, "so they've got him too."

"Yeah. That's about all the info I've got for you." Darcy admitted, "I'm a little out of the loop. I don't even know what went down in Washington. Last I heard, Fury and Rogers were both supposedly dead."

Skye hesitated. "Fury is...out of the picture. Steve's okay though. Found him washed up on shore after the helicarrier explosion."

"What about HYDRA?" Darcy questioned, leaning forward eagerly.

"Well," Skye brushed her bangs out of her eyes and gave a tired sigh, "they're still alive and kicking. On our last count, they had fifteen operational bases but those are just the ones we could find. There could be a dozen more hidden locations for all we know."

"Well...shit." Darcy leaned back until her shoulders hit the wall of the van with a dull thud.

"Yep."

The vehicle went quiet except for the soft clack of Skye's fingers moving across her keyboard.

"You know," she said, "we're about to take down a base in Brussels. We could use the extra help...and I could sure as hell use the company."

Darcy laughed. "How many dudes are you stuck with?"

"Lots," Skye made a face, "it's a total sausage-fest, and Tripp is the only one who actually cleans up after himself."

"I wish I could help you out," Darcy said sympathetically, "but I've got something of my own already in the works. That's kind of why I'm here, actually." She leaned over and peered at Skye's laptop hopefully, "any chance you could hook me up with a map of SHIELD's New York office?"

"I don't like this, Darcy." Loki hissed as they walked along a damp, dark tunnel of SHIELD's former New York base. In his palm he held a small ball of light which he used to guide their way and illuminate the building blueprints that Darcy was currently studying.

"Relax," Darcy murmured, tracing her finger along one of the lines on the blueprint, using it as a map to guide them down the tunnel. "We're not going to confront anyone. I just want to do a little creative rewiring on the electrical box."

"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Loki grimaced as his boot landed in a wet, squishy pile of...something. Darcy didn't even want to consider what was coating the floors of these tunnels. She was pretty sure she'd seen a rat the size of a house cat scurry past them earlier.

"We're here for revenge. I want to bring this puppy down from the inside." Darcy grinned at him wickedly.

Loki gave a noncommittal grunt. "While I would normally appreciate your desire to cause chaos, at the moment I am more interested in getting out of this nauseating trough of putrescence."

"You know," Darcy commented as she led them around a corner, "you're the only person I know whose language gets fancier the more pissed off you get."

"Your point?" Loki asked grumpily as he trudged along behind her.

"It's cute." Darcy suddenly stopped, causing Loki to nearly trip over her. "Looks like this is the spot. Can you bring that light closer?"

Loki stepped forward and the light in his palm shone onto an old grey electrical box attached to the wall. Darcy shoved the building blueprints into her jacket before using both hands to wrench open the rusted door, exposing a mess of wires inside.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Loki sounded skeptical as his eyes slowly traveled back and forth between Darcy and the giant tangle of wires.

"Yes," Darcy nodded. She chewed on her lip, tilting her head to the side as she considered the contents of the electrical box, "...I think I do?"

So maybe it looked a little more complicated than she'd thought it would be. Damn. She really should have asked Skye to hook her up with a copy of Electrical Wiring for Dummies too.

Loki groaned and raked a hand through his hair, causing the ends to stick up at odd angles. "Darcy-"

"Just give me a second to figure it out," she turned her attention back to the box. "I wonder if I get cell reception down here. I'm sure I could Google how to–hey!"

She was interrupted when Loki looped an arm around her waist and physically dragged her out of the way.

"Stupid woman," he muttered under his breath, "you're going to get yourself killed."

"Hey!" Darcy cried, glaring up at him. "Remember that you're married to this stupid woman and she can make your life a living hell."

"Really? Because it feels as though I am already in hell." Loki grumbled as he released his hold on her and leaned in to examine the jumble of electrical wires.

Darcy crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, and I suppose you know what wires to cut?"

"Quiet, Darcy." Loki's eyes narrowed in concentration as he stared at the box. After a minute, he gave a satisfied nod and shut the door with a rusty squeak.

"What did you just do?" Darcy asked him curiously. It didn't look like anything had happened as far as she could tell.

"As you said earlier, a little creative rewiring." The grin Loki gave her was absolutely criminal.

"You used your magic, didn't you?" Darcy accused, narrowing her eyes as Loki took her hand and began pulling her back down the tunnel in the direction they had come from. "What happened to saving it for emergencies?"

"Right now, getting out of this damned tunnel before I lose my mind qualifies as an emergency," Loki stated.

"So what did you do to the box?" Darcy had to practically jog to keep up with his long, quick strides.

"It is set to detonate." Loki replied. "The resulting explosion should be large enough to level the entire building."

"Seriously?" Darcy blinked at him. "Is there anything you can't do with your magic?"

Loki made a hmm noise as he briefly considered her question before answering smugly. "Not to my knowledge."

"Cocky buttface." Darcy muttered as they approached their exit point. Thanks to the glowing light in Loki's palm, she could see the gleam of the metal ladder up ahead that would lead to the hatch they had used to first enter the tunnel.

"Oh, I see we are reverting to childish insults now? I -" Loki suddenly stilled, his hand automatically tightening around Darcy's until it felt like her bones were grinding together. "We are not alone." He murmured lowly.

An instant later he was proven right as four HYDRA agents seemed to slide out of the shadows like a silent, deadly fog.

Loki released Darcy's hand and shoved her towards the ladder before drawing two long, sharp blades from inside his jacket.

He made a double of himself and sent it to distract the other HYDRA agents while he immediately made quick work of the first man, drawing blood from the agent's chest with his dagger before finishing the job with a quick and brutal twist of the man's neck.

While Loki moved on to the second and third agents, working efficiently with his double to bring down both men at once, the fourth man was making his way towards Darcy.

She automatically took a step backwards and the movement made her gun dig sharply into her back, as if it was reminding her of its presence. Darcy quickly drew her weapon and leveled it at the agent.

"First and only warning, dude." She released the safety with a click and arched an eyebrow in question. "So what's it gonna be?"

"I don't fear you, girl." The man spat, his own gun aimed steadily at her chest.

"Then perhaps you should fear me."

The man's eyes widened in surprise as he turned around and found Loki glaring at him darkly. The agent barely had time to open his mouth before Loki grabbed him by the wrist, wrenching his arm back at an unnatural angle. The agent let out a scream of pain, his hand going limp as his gun dropped to the ground.

Loki fought like it was an art form, Darcy thought as she watched him spin, stab, and slice with his blade. Yep, seeing her significant other get violent with a knife was most definitely turning her on. God, she needed some serious therapy when this was all over.

When the agent fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, Darcy sighed, clicked the safety back on her gun, and tucked it into the waistband of her pants. "I had him, you know. I could have made the shot."

Loki advanced on her slowly, his eyes dark and sharp. He was still in predator mode, Darcy realized, and a little thrill of excitement shot up her spine.

"I know," Loki's voice was low and rumbling in a way that brought goosebumps to Darcy's skin, "but I do not want you to bloody your hands. Murder is a heavy burden to bear." His eyes seemed to give away his age at that moment, giving Darcy a brief glimpse into centuries of combat and misdeeds, and she wondered just how much his own burden weighed.

He put a hand on her back and nudged her towards the ladder but Darcy's feet had a mind of their own, staying firmly rooted in place as she stared up at him.

"What?" He asked in a growly tone full of impatience.

Darcy studied him for a moment before finally answering. "That was fucking hot."

Loki made a noise in his throat that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a groan. His hands skimmed down her back as he leaned into her, and when Darcy felt his breath hot against her ear, her knees nearly gave out. "We return to Asgard now. I need you safe, in our bed, naked beneath me."

"Um, yes please." Darcy's voice was weak as she dug her fingers into the soft leather of his coat sleeves. "C'mon, let's blow this joint before it literally blows up on us."

Loki was most definitely in a mood as he dragged Darcy through the palace once they'd returned to Asgard. The horse ride across the rainbow bridge had been full of terse silence and Loki's body had felt rigid and stiff against Darcy as she'd clung to him with a death grip (she still hadn't mastered the whole horse riding thing. Just another one of her princess failures, but how in the hell was she expected ride side saddle all dainty-like without falling off? It was a freaking impossibility, if you asked her.)

Once they'd reached their bedroom, Darcy quickly shrugged out of her tight jacket and made sure to lay out all her weapons on Loki's desk before she wound up accidentally stabbing herself. She knew how to handle a gun but the knives made her nervous. She's leave those to Loki, they seemed to be his specialty anyway.

Speaking of knives...when she looked up, Loki was absently twirling his dagger between his fingers as he studied her. It would have been crap-your-pants scary if she hadn't known that the dark look in his eyes was desire, not murder.

When Darcy had laid down her last knife, she planted her hands on her hips. "I seem to remember you making some kind of promise in that tunnel. One that involved nakedness and our bed. You planning to deliver on that?"

Loki grinned darkly as he approached her, still playing with that damned dagger in his hand. "Don't worry, darling, deliver I will."

Darcy shivered at the tone of his voice. He was moving painfully slow, taking calculated steps towards her, and when he finally stood directly before her, Darcy felt her mouth go dry. Fuck, he really was sexy all decked out in those black and green leathers with that intense look on his face.

He tossed his knife onto the desk behind her before cupping her face in his hands. "I worried for you today," he admitted in a rough voice, "promise me you have no more foolhardy plans in mind."

"Promise," Darcy vowed, the word coming out on a quiet breath.

Then Loki's mouth was on hers, hard and insistent. Darcy pressed herself against him, sliding her arms up over his shoulders to wind around his neck.

She moaned as Loki bucked his hips against her and when Darcy felt her butt hit the desk behind her, she pulled her head back just long enough to mutter, "bed."

Loki walked her towards the bed while he worked on removing her shirt and bra at the same time, and when Darcy's back hit the mattress, he was on top of her instantly.

"I cannot wait," he warned as his hands tugged off her pants and the black boyshorts she wore underneath, "I cannot be gentle."

"I don't want you to be gentle," Darcy whispered hotly into his ear. "Now get naked."

She heard him groan as he pressed a hard kiss to her mouth before pulling back and using his magic to do away with his clothing.

"Now I'm really glad you conserved your magic," Darcy said with a grin. "If I had to wait for you to take off all that armour the old fashioned way, I think I would die of sexual frustration."

"Well, we certainly can't have that, can we?" Loki murmured, leaning over her as he nudged her knees apart.

True to his word, he couldn't wait and Darcy felt the hot length of him slide into her in one long stroke, leaving her gasping and arching her back off the bed.

Loki moaned at the contact, briefly dropping his head to the curve of her neck. "Always so wet and eager for me. You feel exquisite, Darcy." When he lifted his head to look at her, he began rocking his hips in earnest.

"Oh my God, keep talking." Darcy instructed in a throaty voice, matching each of his thrusts with a tilt of her pelvis. His voice, combined with the steady push of his hips, was doing amazing things to her.

"You make the most lovely noises for me," Loki continued in a low voice, increasing his pace and making Darcy's breath hitch, "your little gasps...the long, drawn out moans that tell me when you are close to coming undone...it is the sweetest music I have ever heard."

"Fuck, Loki." Darcy threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled his head down, kissing him hard. When her tongue swept into his mouth, she felt his body tremble and he made a strangled noise of pleasure in his throat.

His movements were swift and brutal now, and Darcy was almost certain that she'd be uncomfortably sore come morning but she didn't give a damn. She wanted to feel the after-effects of this; wanted him to linger on her body long after they finished.

She dragged her nails down his back, causing Loki to draw in a sharp breath. His eyes locked onto hers and they were nearly black, Darcy noted, large pupils rimmed in thin, blue-green irises.

His lips parted and at first Darcy thought he was just breathing heavily, but then she realized that he was preparing to say something. Something that required all his courage, from the looks of it.

"Darcy..." his hips began to falter as he neared his release, voice coming out raw. "I love you."

It felt like time had stopped. Darcy felt her heart skip a beat and for a minute, she forgot how to breathe. Tears unexpectedly sprang into her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, wanting to feel every single inch of him against her skin. Her body was on fire, humming with pleasure as she teetered on the edge of an orgasm.

Loki's hips gave a sudden jerk, hitting her in just the right spot, and Darcy came with a loud cry, tightening her thighs around him. As her body arched off the mattress, she heard Loki groan deeply as he followed her off the edge, spilling inside her.

It took Loki a moment to recover before he rolled off of her, lying flat on his back as he caught his breath. Darcy turned her head to look at him, her own breath coming out in shallow pants.

"Wow," she said, "that was so mind-blowing, you made me forget to say it back."

"Say what?" Loki murmured, reaching out to run his hand along her side. He squeezed the curve of her hip, causing Darcy to roll over onto her side to bring her body closer to him.

"That I love you." She snuggled closer, reaching up to let her fingertips play along his jawbone. "Cause I do. I want you to know that."

Loki grasped her hand in his, bringing it to his mouth for a kiss before he locked both his arms around her securely. "Thank you, Darcy," he whispered into her hair.

Darcy stood by the Bifrost next to Heimdall as the Asgardian gatekeeper kept watch over the realms. He was a quiet, stoic kind of dude but Darcy didn't mind. In fact, she enjoyed his quiet company whenever she came out here. Sometimes words just couldn't do justice to a moment anyway, and the sight outside of the room's large circular windows was something entirely beyond words. Totally breathtaking was the only thing that came to Darcy's mind, and even that seemed like an understatement.

She jumped a little in surprise when a pair of arms suddenly slid around her from behind. "Hey. How'd you know I was here?"

Loki reached for her hand, giving her engagement ring a light tap before he linked his fingers with hers.

"Ah, the GPS wife-finder. Right." Darcy leaned into him, feeling utterly content when Loki bent his head to kiss the side of her neck.

"I shall give you a moment of privacy," Heimdall abandoned his post and when Darcy mouthed a 'thanks' to him, she could have sworn she saw him smile before he left the room, making his way out onto the bridge.

"How fares Midgard?" Loki asked her, his voice sounding extra rumbling to Darcy's ears since her back was pressed against his chest.

"It's ok. Heimdall said that SHIELD's making progress. It's slow but it's steady." Darcy replied, gazing out the window and into the inky depths of the universe. "I always feel like an ant when I come out here. Teeny tiny in the grand scheme of things, you know?"

She felt Loki's lips brush against the shell of her ear warmly. "You may believe that you are only a small speck sitting upon a branch of Yggdrasil but know this, Darcy: you are not insignificant. You are my entire world."

"Fuck, Loki. That's really beautiful." Darcy turned in his arms so she could give him a proper kiss. When they parted, she said, "How long have you been saving that little gem? Or was that just off the top of your head?"

"Darcy?"

"Yeah?"

"Be quiet, you are ruining the moment."

"Okay."

(ég mun ekki sleppa af þér , litla = I will not fail you, little one.)

This chapter's really got it all: reluctant baby holding! Kicking HYDRA butt! Sexy declarations of love!
I hope you guys enjoyed it :)