A/N: I normally don't want to give excuses for delays, but since I promised a semi-weekly update rate this year and failed it I should at least come clean. It was going good when I had to go back home for a weekend, became really sick the next, lost my muse for the stories; and lastly, a month ago I started an internship, it's really my dream job and I've been giving it my all for the last few weeks because I have to learn everything from scratch in the new business./Monkan

~ Chapter 24 ~

"I see. Should I say 'congratulation'?" Tony said as he sipped his coffee which contained scotch, studying Loki's face. "You don't look like this is not a joyous event."

"I'm not saying that." Loki didn't focus on anything in particular, maintaining a neutral face. "I do believe Thor will make a good father."

"But?" Tony filled in for her.

She glanced at the rich playboy. "I feel everyone is forcing themselves. Thor is forcing himself to take responsibility when he's not ready to be a father. They will force themselves to be a family. And once 'he' knows about it he will force them to marry."

"And who is 'he'?"

"Our father." The words tasted sour.

"Ah." Tony nodded. "Say no more."

Feeling thankful for that short reply, Loki sighed as she leaned back in her chair. Her leather jacket complained behind her at the pressure. Instead of the expensive dresses and other brand clothes, she had visited Tony wearing clothes she felt comfortable in. And that meant one-colored shirt and pants which covered her up, a few buttons at her neck undone to show a tiny bit of skin.

"You seem more dark than normal."

Loki looked at him, not even bothered to hide behind a smile. "You would be too if you lived my life." her eyes finding the duplicate of herself standing behind Tony with a grin. Looking back at the face that was not the one she saw in her dreams or wanted to reach out to, Loki made up her mind in that moment. "I think we shouldn't see each other anymore."

"Oh?" Tony leaned back in his chair. "Why?"

"Because we don't match." It was such a simple statement but with so much irony behind it that it couldn't be a joke. "We understand each other, but that's it. There's no other feelings between us, and I don't need another problem in my life. I need to start thinking about my future."

"How rude." Tony played a hurt expression. "And here I thought we had something."

A sly smirk called him out on his statement. Tony raised his hands as he admitted defeat.

"What will you do from now on?" he asked.

Loki shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know. Getting through school to start with. But I also need a plan so that I can get out of that house. Maybe even leave the country. Cutting ties with my family should be easy and I never had any friends to begin with." Her chest ached at the thought of leaving one person who she refused to name. "I can't keep living my life like I have until now. I need to find something better for me."

"How sad. We could have been amazing together." Tony smiled ruefully.

"It wouldn't have worked. Sooner rather than later you would have cheated on me." He had said it indirectly the first day they met, and he wasn't about to change his ways for her. She knew that more than he did.

"Can't deny it." He agreed as he couldn't deny it either. "Well, good luck and you will always be welcomed at my door."

Standing up, Loki paused before she started to say something but Tony cut her off. "Keep them. It's not like I can wear everything I bought for you."

"I don't know about that." Loki smiled at him. "You would look gorgeous in that lime-green dress with the low cut."

"Darling," he smirked. "I'm always gorgeous."

"Don't let that ego become your doom." She honestly wished it. Despite all his faults, Tony Stark was a good man at the bottom of his heart. "Let's stay friends." she said with the biggest grin on her lips that her heart would allow.

"Ouch!" Tony's hand flew to his heart. "You wound me."

Just waving goodbye as she left, Loki left silently.

On her way home, Loki felt like she was actually facing something new. As she walked down the roads through town, getting a dirty look from some random passerby, it didn't bother her like it used to. Because she had already made up her mind to leave. It was all up in the air. A big part of her didn't want to go back to school due to the abuse. Then again, it was her best bet for free education as long as she stayed as a member of the Odinson family.

If only she could get through the last years and then she could apply for lessons online or start working for some random company to make enough money to move on.

No one would know where she was and no one would come to look for her.

Her parents wouldn't give two flying craps about it as she would be a stain on their reputation. Thor would be busy being a family man and shaping his own future. No friends to come look for her, if she encountered any random bully from her life here she could always blackmail them with all the scars on her body. If she went to any police station and reported it as long-time abuse and physical torture then she would be believed.

So deep in her thoughts, Loki was not prepared when she was suddenly grabbed by the arm and an unknown voice whispered to her: "Keep walking."

Feeling the fingers guide her more than hurt her, she took a chance that if she did as told she would not be harmed. Not that that would happen since the voice sounded more scared than her.

Thor sat in his room looking down at the surface of his desk.

He tried to sort through his thoughts but he was so confused and uncertain in how he got to this point that he kept running in circles.

If I hadn't done that. If only I hadn't gone there that day. If only. If only...

It kept repeating in his head.

He wanted to blame Jane for this and a small part of him did. He had trusted her to take the pill. He had believed her when she said it was safe.

Then his thoughts turned toward hating himself for sleeping around with so many people that he became careless and ignored protection. It was his punishment for being a hoe. For having more fuck-buddies than actual friends.

He wanted to go to sleep and wake up to find his whole life was just a bad nightmare.

With a groan of frustration he leaned back in his chair until it creaked from the angle. Hands rubbed against his face and he felt the hot air from his nose hit his fingers.

Who was he kidding?

Breaking him from his thoughts was the door bells loud calling.

Not expecting anyone as Jane would come by tomorrow, Thor left his room and went down the stairs to pull open the doors to find Sif standing on the other side.

"Hey Sif." he said with a slightly startled face. "I wasn't expecting you. Everything all right?"

"Can we talk?" she asked him.

"Uh... sure." stepping aside to let her come inside and closed the door behind her. "What's up?" he asked as he lead the way into the living room to allow them comfort. He looked up just in time to see one of his neighbors walking back inside through the window and could imagine the gossip about to happen.

"I'm pregnant."

Vacuum filled his ears.

Turning around slowly, Thor gave her a face that begged her that he had heard her wrong.

"I think I'm pregnant."

TBC