Temptation

For Asgard..and Papa.....

"It's been three bloody weeks!"

Loki and Mobius stood, shocked and silent as Eva not only laid into them but round them and through them.

"I didn't know if you were alive, dead, or somewhere in between." She paced  the room, raising her hands in desperation, her voice harsh and emotionally charged.  "How could I explain where you'd gone when I had no sodding idea myself?"

She marched up to Mobius, who took an involuntary step back. "And YOU," she wagged a finger in his face, his eyes following it until they crossed and he blinked, shaking his head a little.  "YOU said it would be simple. QUICK, you said. You had one job, just the one.  Bring this... this... FIFL back in one piece..." she rolled her eyes in frustration.

"Now hang on just a minute.. I'm no idiot!" Loki turned and tried to protest, shriking back as she rounded on him. He held his hands up and backed away. "Ok,ok,ok, sorry. Yes, Fifl love, absolutely. Im sorry?"

Just as she was about to add to her tirade, a small figure burst through the door and hurtled into the room.

"Mama! Pleeeeze dont! Papa didn't mean to be naughty. Please dont punish him!" The little face blazed with protective fury. Her little arms held out to the sides as she blocked the way between Loki and Eva, Frigga stood rooted to the spot.  No Shieldmaiden ever defended Asgard more fiercely!

Eva stopped and looked at them, Loki and Mobius standing like two naughty little boys, defended by a heroine only a quarter their size making them gape and blush. Their expressions were, under other circumstances, hysterical.  No, as she stood and looked at them, hands on hips and head to one side, it WAS funny.

Relief at his safe return now beginning to win the war in her head, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. Despite her best efforts, a giggle began to bubble up in her throat.  Struggling to maintain her composure, she looked down at Frigga.

"So you would defend these fifles, these idiots who claim to be grownups?" She could see Loki begin to snigger and Mobius smirk.  A glare at them stopped that instantly.

"Yes, Mama." She crossed her little arms and frowned fiercely. "He is my Papa, and he..." she turned to Mobius."He is my Papa's friend." It was all the explanation she was giving and all she seemed to think it needed. 

"And what," Eva knelt and looked at Frigga solemnly, "what do you offer in trade for their safe passage?"

Frigga seemed to consider it for a moment. Her little rosebud pink lips screwed up tight, and her nose scrunched. Then she looked triumphantly at Eva.

"Blezan will give you his puddings for a month!" She crowed delightedly.

For a second, there was silence. Then, as one, the three adults burst out into hysterical laughter. Loki scooped up his now extremely confused but smiling daughter. "Oh, Frigga, Papa loves you so much.  Thank you!" He spun her round and kissed her cheek as she began to giggle loudly. Not really understanding why everyone seemed so happy with her, she just accepted it.  Hugs from Papa were always good.

The noise attracted the attention of her brother, who came in to find out what all the commotion was.

"Papa!" He ran to his father, and with one hand gripping onto Frigga, Loki swung him up and onto his other hip. "You came back Papa, I knew you wouldn't leave us. I KNEW it." He buried his face in Loki's neck, and his father could feel the emotion in the little boy's embrace.

Slipping both children to the ground gently, he knelt with them, each holding one of his hands. "I love you both so much. I would NEVER willingly leave you, that I swear, by Odin, by Asgard and your mother." He looked up into Eva's eyes. "I love you."

She smiled and gently rubbed her belly, feeling the baby move a little at the sound of his father's voice. "And we love you, my Prince," she whispered back.

Loki stood, "Now, Mobius, your mother and I have things to discuss. Go and annoy Uncle Thor and Fandral for a while? They're in the yard practising their fighting. They'll appreciate you cheering them on, I'm sure."

Blezan nodded, "Yes, Papa." He took Frigga's hand, and they trotted away.  As they reached the door, Blezan paused.  "Papa?" He turned, two pink dots on his cheeks.

"Yes, son?" Loki turned, amused. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.

"Will... Lady Sif, be there?" He asked seriously, pretending to be very

"I have a feeling she might." Loki nodded solemnly. Blezan nodded and almost dragged Frigga off her feet as they ran down the corridor towards the door.

"I think our son has his first crush..." Loki said with a smile. He smiled and slipped his arm around Eva's shoulder, kissing her softly, ignoring the fact Mobius was even there.

Eva smiled and blushed. "Loki..." she pulled back, looking apologetically at their visitor. Loki shrugged and turned to Mobius.

"You don't mind, do you?" He raised an eyebrow and grinned.  Mobius flushed a little but merely smiled and said nothing. "So, " he gently sat down, bringing Eva with him, "we need to talk. Mobius? What happened?"

Mobius sighed and sat down. "I have no idea. The only way to really know, is to ask the man who wrote the manual for these things." He held up the tempad. "If anyone can tell us what happened, he can."

"Ok." Loki squeezed Eva's hand, "how do we do that?"

Mobius stood up, "You're not going to like it, not even a little....."