Temptation

Tempted yet?

Eva looked up at the sound of the door opening. "Shhhhh," she put a finger to her lips. "He's sleeping at last."

Loki walked across the room soundlessly. If there was a reason to use magic to muffle his steps, this was it.

Slipping an arm around her shoulder, he kissed her cheek as she looked down at the sleeping boy.

"Do you think he'll be happy?" He said softly. He smoothed the furs over the little body and turned, entwining his fingers with Eva's.

"Oh Loki, I don't need to think, I already know." She smiled, then turned away.

It had been quite a day, all told.  When Loki had arrived in the Bifrost chamber with the boy, to say Heimdal was surprised, it would have been the understatement of the year.

"Where's the Queen and Eva?" He asked as soon as his feet hit the floor.

"Throne room...." was all Heimdal could say. He watched as Loki disappeared in a swirl of green smoke.  Heimdal's amazement was nothing compared to the reaction in THAT particular room.

Odin was sitting with Frigga and Fury, looking at some ancient texts and discussing how they could find and eliminate the Elves.  Eva, Thor, and Stark were coming up with a plan.  None had even the slightest inkling that not only had Loki survived, but that he was coming back with....

"A baby!" Frigga looked up as Loki materisalised in front of them, clutching the child. "Oh my goodness, poor little mite. Where did he come from? Where did YOU come from?" She ran down the steps,  her dress billowing and put her arms gently around the pair of them. She kissed Loki's cheek and looked down at still sleeping infant.

"What happened?" She whispered softly, seeing the child's soot covered face and hands. "Does he need a healer?"

Loki nodded, "I think it would be prudent to get him checked. There was a lot of smoke." Frigga held her hands out to take him, but Loki stepped back. "No, I will take him. If he wakes and I'm gone, he will be scared."

Frigga smiled and nodded, "Of course. You must take him. I will.... no..." she turned to the others, "Eva? Will you go with them?"

Eva had been, if not exactly hiding, then quietly lurking around the rear of the group.  She suddenly felt very inadequate, very out of her depth. Never in any universe had she imagined such an outcome.  She loved Loki with all her heart, but this? Was she good enough? Strong enough? Wise enough to know what to do with a child?

"Yes. You are all that and more.  He needs a mother. A mother EXACTLY like you." Frigga spoke to her softly, but her lips never moved. 

Everyone seemed frozen in time. Eva looked around in wonder. Thor and Odin looked at Loki in disbelief, seemingly mid-sentence.  Fury and Stark exchanged astonished looks.  Loki stared down at the child, a soft look in his eyes she'd never seen before.

Eva turned Frigga. "I'm not ready.... we're not ready... I mean, we've hardly even...." she paused as Frigga walked over to her, taking her hand and guiding her over to Loki.

"No one is ever ready for the challenges a child will bring. I never thought I would be. I certainly didn't think Odin had done the right thing to begin with for Loki.  I have come to see that over the years, we all make mistakes. We all say or do the wrong thing from time to time.  But, where a child in need is concerned? Whether Asgardian, Jotun, or Vanaheim, your heart tells you what to do."

She smiled. "Loki's did. Tell me, Eva, what does YOUR heart tell you?"

Eva looked at Loki and the child. There was no doubt. "Love them. Love them both." She whispered, and Frigga hugged her gently.

"Go, go to the healer with them. He will love you all the more for it."

As the room suddenly sprang back to life, Loki looked over to her, and she smiled.  "Come on, we shouldn't waste time." She placed a hand on the child's forehead, and he snuffled and woke.  Seeing all the strangers round him, he cried. Instinctively, she held out her hand, and he grabbed one, clutching tightly.  He looked from one to another and began to smile.

"He likes you, darling," Loki said as they walked the short distance to the healers.  "Almost as much as I do, it seems." He paused. "I'm... I'm sorry if this is too much or too quickly, but I had to.  I couldn't leave him, as I looked at him..."

"You saw yourself, didn't you?" She finished for him. He nodded. "You did the right thing, Loki. At the right time."  She kissed Loki softly then looked down at the child, "one day, when we have been together, we may be blessed with a child Loki. Till then we have him. We have Blezan Lokisson." She looked up and Loki's eyes were.filled with tears.

"Blessing..... yes, he truly is a blessing." Loki murmured, for that moment not registering the admission she had made. He handed the boy to the healer.

"Please, whatever you need to do? Please do it.  Please," he took Eva's hand in his as he spoke. "Save my son." The hitch in his voice reduced her instantly to tears.

They retired to the antechamber and sat on a soft couch, just holding each other. "Why do you cry Eva?" He asked softly, brushing the sparkling drops from her cheeks. "He is safe now. Safe with us."

She smiled sheepishly, "it was when you said 'my son'  It sounded so beautifully right. Your son."

Loki kissed her tenderly, his hands cupping her face.  They knew that, although this was not the time, their passion would be consummated soon enough. "I know something that would sound better than my 'son'." He murmured against her lips.

"You do?" She looked up into his beautiful green eyes. Eyes she could easily lose herself in.

"Yes, my 'wife'."