Georgia Frost

Earth Again

"What?" Loki said. "I thought your father would be-" Aubrey cut him off.

"Yeah, me too!" she said. "I mean, I lived with my mom on Earth for, like, my whole life!"

"Your mother's name is Asgardian," Loki said, reading the paper.

"But...maybe like, a different Steve Rogers," Aubrey said. "It feels weird. I've, like, met him."

"Perhaps. But I researched the spell beforehand, and it seemed perfectly reliable," Loki said. Even though he sounded calm, he looked utterly perplexed. "It gives his location, too, and it says Washington D.C." 

"Why D.C?" Aubrey asked. "Wait, no! If it were the Steve that I know, than he'd be in New York, right?" She brightened considerably upon that realization. "And there's probably hundreds of Steve Rogers-es in America. It's a ridiculously American name."

"Yes, that may be," Loki agreed hesitantly.

"Yes, that is," Aubrey said decisively. "There's no way that that Steve is my dad." Loki didn't seem so sure.

-

A maid entered the library and hurried toward Aubrey and Loki. Aubrey noticed her first and set down the Asgardian history book. Loki had been teaching her about Asgard, since it kind of was her heritage, after all. She nudge him and he quickly put his Odin illusion over himself.

"Your majesty," she said, bowing. Aubrey was 99% sure the maid knew perfectly well who 'Odin' really was, but she made no sign of it. 

"Yes?" Loki said.

"Heimdall has said that a man dressed in metal was yelling at him from Midgard. He said that it was time for you to return Aubrey back to them because it was safe now," she said nervously.

"I understand," Loki said, inclining his head. The maid seemed surprised by this. "You may go. Thank you." She hurried out. "Well." He turned to face Aubrey. 

"Why was she scared?" Aubrey asked, avoiding what she had actually said.

"My father never was polite to the servants, and they were all terrified of interacting with him," Loki told her disgustedly. "I figure that, as people, they deserve more respect than he ever gave them."

"Yikes. Nice to know that you're better than that," Aubrey said.

"I like to think that I am," Loki said darkly. "But I am afraid that I am not."

"What do you mean?" Aubrey asked.

"When I was taking over Midgard, or trying to...I really did look down upon them. I have changed since then, however. They may not all be terrible," Loki said, thinking through his words as he spoke. 

"Like the Avengers?" Aubrey offered, smirking.

"Oh, no. They are still quite awful," Loki replied snarkily. Then he grew serious. "I suppose I ought to take you back."

"You know, you don't have to just yet," Aubrey said. "I doubt that Tony expects his requests be obeyed immediately. Especially since he's giving them to you." 

"While that may be true, any hesitancy to return you on my part would be viewed as a betrayal and they would try their best to attack Asgard," Loki said. 

"Yeah, you're probably right," Aubrey conceded sadly.

"I thought you were homesick," Loki teased her.

"I am!" she insisted. "But this place is really cool."

"You'll visit again, I'll make sure of it," Loki said.