Life with Loki - short stories

It Started With a Baby - I

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Summary: Loki finds an orphaned newborn on a mission. You support him as he becomes her father, and then some.
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'Whether it be their little faces. Whether it be their little souls; they know how to bring us back to ourselves'.

It started with a baby. Loki heard the newborn's precious cries as he made his final check through the run-down building before the Avengers retreated. The man he now was once again, found it difficult to see the deceased civilians discarded around the rooms, laying in their own blood. Unfortunately, the Avengers had been too late to protect them, too late to plan and negotiate for their freedom. Loki was searching through one of the remaining spaces, on alert for potential threats that were overlooked. His large, heavy boots made their steps. A dagger in each hand ready to defend; ready to attack. Precisely as Loki turned to leave, he heard the cries.

There was no doubt what that sound was. What type of being those cries breathed from. Nevertheless, when Loki followed the sound to a corner of the room, his eyes expanded at what was before him. An innocent newborn. The distressed baby was, thankfully, encircled in a blanket, but on the ground in a corner of the cold room. The babe was evidently hidden on purpose. Loki assumed that the life-less female body that lay meters away from the hidden child was the mother. Killed, gruesomely. Too soon before her time.

Loki stared into the small green eyes that were before him. This Midgardian infant, who looked no older than four weeks of life, was shivering with each whimper. Suddenly, Loki felt an undesirable connection to Odin. Now standing before an orphaned child, Loki understood he had no choice. As the God of Mischief picked the young one up he knew, unlike Odin, that he was not taking this baby out of selfishness. This child would not be an object between warmongers, this child would not be a pawn in a hopeless game of chess. Loki decided then and there that he would serve as a father.

"Shh. I've got you little one".

The opinions of the team members, as they made their return on the Quinjet, were of diverse emotions. Steve was glad the baby was found but began explaining to Loki how the following step would be to contact Social Services. Tony was simply baffled to see the chaotic God holding something so dear, yet he had already made his opinion clear on how 'Reindeer Games' was not the one who should be looking after the baby. And Thor? He saw a twinkle in his brother's eye, as Loki walked around the Quinjet slowly, 'shhh' the crying baby. Loki's next step in his cognitive plan was you.

You were head MD (Medical Doctor) for the Avengers, but most importantly, you were also Loki's friend. Working all hours in the tower, Tony had moved you in about six months ago, in that time you had become personal friends with everyone. You were always there, patching them up or sitting around the dinner table laughing away with the team. You had been trained as an assassin but preferred your position of Head Doctor. You were kind and exceptionally caring, and Loki knew that he needed your help.

"That's a baby! Why do you have a baby?".

Per routine, you were waiting in the hanger for the Quinjet to land. Whether you had been called ahead of time as the Jet was coming in, or not, you always waited for the teams to return. It was extremely reassuring to see those familiar faces safe and back home. Tonight, was a little different. You were stunned as you heard those little sobs and as you saw Loki walking down the ramp straight towards you with the most nervous expression covering his tense face. "Rock of Ages found a baby. Cap is about to contact Social Services". Loki's strides grew hastily towards you as the cries grew louder. There was no mistaking the dismissive look over his face at Tony's remark. You already understood Loki needed someone on his side.