Ugh, ugh, ugh, this chapter did not want to be written at all. But you know what, only three more chapters now!

/

Based on what had happened last night, the morning is strangely normal. Loki, never a morning person, grumbles and burrows further into the blankets when Tony pokes her in the shoulder. "Well that's just adorable."

Tony grins at her as Loki rolls her head enough to reveal one glaring eye. "You are lucky you are the father of my child."

"You know, I really didn't think that would stop you."

"Only because you can get out of bed and bring Refr to me, instead of me having to move."

"You are such a diva." Tony rolls his eyes but slides out of bed all the same, pulling on a pair of sweats. Somehow half of his clothes have found their way into Loki's room. Completely fair, considering half of her things are in his room.

Refr is already awake and waiting. When he sees Tony a smiles stretches across his face, little limbs up in the air waving around in a demand to be picked up. Tony feels a strange mix of joy and guilt settle in his stomach. "Hey, Rudolph," Tony says softly as he picks Refr up from the crib. "I'm going to be better from now on. Promise." Refr's only response is to giggle happily, tiny hand flexing against Tony's shoulder. "Damn, why did anyone think I'd make a good father? I'm just going to mess you up something fierce."

Tony ends up rambling to Refr, needing to hold his son close for a moment. The moment turns long enough that Loki comes looking for them. Her hair is a mess and her eyes are tired. It is such an un-Loki like picture that Tony practically feels domestic standing there.

Refr cries out happily when he sees her, leaning forward out of Tony's arms to get to her. Tony reluctantly hands him over. "He's hungry," Loki says with as much exasperation as her tired voice will allow. It seems Tony doesn't even have to say anything anymore for it to be obvious when he's having a self doubt moment.

Tony watches them, listens to Loki's soft humming as she feeds their son. "Are we really going to have another one?" Tony asks, because it has been bothering him and he needs to know.

"Perhaps. It is hard to say, especially when they are running around messing with time lines." Loki wipes Refr's mouth and hands him over to Tony again. Tony settles Refr back against his shoulder, patting his back. "Do you really wish for another child so much?"

"Well, not right now. I mean, we've only got the end of the world to worry about." Refr gives a little burp, followed by happy gurgling noises. "I just…I don't know. I've already messed up so much with Refr."

"Then learn from your mistakes."

Tony groans, Refr looking up quizzically at the noise. "A mathematical error that causes an experiment to blow up in my face is easier to learn from."

Loki chuckles softly, and shakes her head. "Voice, tell Thor his presence is required."

Tony pauses midstride. "Plan time?"

"I am afraid so."

/

Tony knows as soon as Loki gives Refr over to Thor as soon as the Thunderer steps onto her floor, that this plan is not going to be something either of them will enjoy hearing. Thor seems to suspect it too, but he takes Refr with a laugh, causing the baby to squeal happily.

From the kitchen, in desperate need of the wonderful life giving substance that is coffee, Tony overhears Thor ask Loki, "He is growing rather slowly, isn't he, sister?"

"Half mortal, Thor," Loki reminds him. "He will grow faster than a Midgardian child, but slower than an Asgardian."

"How fast to you guys grow?" Tony asks, working his way around the kitchen counter and back over to the couch Loki has set herself up on.

"Rapidly," Loki only offers, just because she knows it will irk.

"Usually an Asgardian child is talking by now. Many take their first steps around six months."

"Okay, I don't know as much about child development as I should at this point," Tony says, earning himself a glare from Loki, "but that seems really fast."

"As I said, Midgardian children grow slowly. Another idiotic feature of your race given your short life expectancies."

"You are just so cheerful," Tony drawls before taking a sip of his coffee.

Loki rolls her eyes, sighing heavily a moment later, and Tony knows it's time to get down to business. "Thor, the creature that found me when I fell was Thanos."

Thor freezes, and judging by the look for horror on his face, he's heard the name before. Tony feels unsettled all over again. Something that freaks Loki out is bad enough, but something that scares Thor too just puts a whole new perspective on how screwed they are without a game plan (possibly even with a game plan).

"Sister," Thor eventually manages, "I…I am-"

"Do not," Loki growls. It's hostile, but not in her usual way. She is not trying to hurt Thor, Loki just really does not want Thor to continue because there's an implication there she doesn't want to face. "It does not matter." Thor opens his mouth to protest, but when Loki levels another glare at him he wisely shuts up. "What matters is that Thanos will be coming for the Mind Gem, and for the Avengers."

"Wait. What?" Tony interrupts. "You kind of forgot that part last night."

Loki looks at him with obvious exasperation. "I thought you would have realized that. You defeated him."

"So he wants revenge. Great," Tony cheers with mock enthusiasm.

"Death," Thor corrects. "The one thing the Mad Titan loves above all is death."

"He will wish to sacrifice you to his Mistress."

"Shit, you two are even more depressing when you finish each other's sentences."

"We were not finishing each other's sentences," Loki counters.

"We were continuing them," Thor adds. Both gods are smirking ever so slightly in a way that is both great and unsettling.

"Right. Anyways…" Tony prompts. The whole death and dying thing doesn't sound in the least bit fun, and he'd really like to hear this plan Loki has for dealing with this Thanos.

Loki goes quiet. Thor hands Refr over to her, the baby babbling quietly to himself, distracting himself from the tension in the room. "I have a plan, but failure is more guaranteed than success, and we will not have more than one chance."

"That is how most plans go," Tony says sagely once Loki stops talking. "We're not going to like this, are we?"

"No." Loki pauses again to pull Refr's fist out of his mouth. "We need the Tesseract."

Oh. Yeah, Tony doesn't like that at all. Not to mention how the hell they're going to get Asgard to like the idea enough to give them back the Tesseract in the first place.

"Sister, you know that is not possible."

"Are you sure we need it?" Tony asks. He taps his chest, brain trying to come up with a dozen different solutions at once. "This-" Tony taps on the arc reactor again, "-this was based off the Tesseract in the first place. I could make another one."

Loki's eyes soften at the shake in Tony's voice. He doesn't want to create another one, but if it means life or death, he'll do it. Her hand rises slowly, placing her hand over his own. After a long moment she sighs and shakes her head. "I do not know. It could work…" she admits slowly.

"But you don't know for sure."

"And if we only have a single chance with this plan, we cannot take more risks than necessary."

"Hey, no finishing my sentences too!"

Thor chuckles, Loki smiles softly, and Refr crawls into Tony's lap. "Hey there, Rudolph." Refr babbles at him, smacking his palm against the arc reactor. "You too, huh?"

"Clin!" Refr shouts excitedly, looking rather proud of himself.

"Did he just..?" Tony trails off.

"I am going to kill the Hawk," Loki growls.

Tony is pretty sure she's not joking.