Second Chance

Chapter 38

"So she is on earth?" Loki asks as he gets dressed.
"Yes, after everything that happened, I couldn't stay here.." I semi whisper. He comes and puts his arms around me. This feels nice. It's been so long. I finish fixing my hair in the mirror of the bathroom and return to look at him.
"My love, it is OK. I understand." He says, kissing my forehead.
"We better get. I can't be late for that party. And you, my love are going to be the grand finale." I smile as I rush out of the bathroom. I pull on my boots and one of his shirts. There's a knock at the door.
"Come in!"
"Morning Sarah, how do you feel brother?" Thor asks.
"Much better. Thank you, for bringing her to me."
"Well, we have to deliver you to someone else now." He smiles. "The princess will be happy to see you."
"I hope so." He sighs.
"Alright boys, grab on." I say.
"No, Sarah. Let us use the bifrost this time." Thor says ushering me along. Loki intertwines his fingers with mine and we head down the rainbow bridge.
"Morning." I yell to heimdall as we rush in the dome.
"Well, nice to see you again lady Sarah. I see you are rushing back to the princess." Heimdall smiles.
"There isn't a way to keep a secret from you, is there?" I laugh. He opens the bifrost and we step through. We land in front of the house. I see everyone out back and I push loki into the house. "Listen, don't come out until I tell you, OK?"
"Sarah?"
"Just trust me. I don't want to overwhelm her." I kiss him and make him stay inside. I rush around to the back and I see the cake ready and present. Thank goodness.
"Mommy!" She runs into my arms and I spin her around.
"My love, my little princess of mischief! I told you I would be back. So how does it feel to be four?"
"I think I should get two slices of cake." She giggled.
"We shall see about that one. Are you ready?" She smiles and nods. I put her down and Tony holds the cake while Pepper lights the candles.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Erika! Happy birthday to you!" We all sing. She closes her eyes tight, mumbles something under her breath, and blows out her candles. We all cheer and she smiles wide.
"What did you wish for?" Jane asks.
"If I tell you, it won't come true." She smiles. Such a smart girl.
"Alright, how about presents!" I tell her and she rushes over to the table we have set up with tons of stuff. She sits in a chair and I hand her present after present. She falls in love with a little purple cape and puts it on. She gets so much stuff. "OK, I think there is one more. But for this one I need you to close you eyes really tight, OK."
"OK mommy." I rush to the house and grab Loki's hand. I pull him outside and everyone stops what they are doing and they just stare. I stand him a few feet away from Erika, and he is already crying.
"Alright my love, open your eyes." She peeks one open and then opens both of them. She looks up to loki. He gets down on his knees to be at her eye level. She just sits there, and a tear falls from her eyes.
"Daddy?" She whispers.
"Yes. It is me, Erika. I... I have come home." He barely managed to speak. I can feel the tears streaming down my face, and everyone else here seems to be crying with me. Kari is balling by this point. Erika gets up and walks over to him. She touched his cheek and he starts to cry even harder. "I am so sorry I was not home. I promise to be here from now on." He tells her.
"It's OK daddy. Let me show you something." She smiles. Her eyes glaze over white and I know exactly what she's doing. She's showing him her memories. I can see the tears just pour from his eyes. "Now you know where I came from, daddy." A tear falls from her eyes and he wraps her up in his arms. She jumps into his arms and wraps her arms around his neck. I can hear him crying and laughing all at the same time. "I love you daddy." She says and my mouth drops open. I'm now balling, and Kari puts her arms around me.
"I love you too, my precious baby girl." He laughs.
"You did it." Kari whispers to me.
"Did what?"
"Raised that little girl right. She loved him, even though she never met him. It's what you wanted."
"Yes, but correction. We raised her. All of us did." I smile. I stand there, looking at the love of my life hold my baby girl, and I can't help but smile so wide it hurts my cheeks. I walk over and get down on my knees. I put my arms around them both and I hear Erika giggle. "Why are you laughing?" I ask her. She sits in Loki's lap and looks at me.
"Magic is real!"
"What do you mean, my love?" I ask her.
"This was my birthday wish." She smiles. And I just thought I was done crying. She jumps into my arms and I wrap her up tight in my embrace. Loki leans in and kisses me, then wraps his arms around both of us. Then Kari comes and hugs me from behind. Then Thor, and soon we are all on the ground wrapped in one huge hug. I have never been so blessed. We all slowly get up and I let Erika change into her swim suit so she can get in the pool. As her and Kari splash around in the pool, I hold onto Loki with one arm.
"I'll never admit this again, but I kinda missed you reindeer games." Tony says nudging loki. Loki lets go of me and embraces Tony, and Tony hugs him back.
"I'm glad your back, Loki." Wanda says huging him from the side.
"Now, you listen here." Nick says, but stops. He grabs Loki and pulls him in for a dude hug. Those guy hugs are strange. "Welcome home."
"Thank you director."
"That's not my name to you, son. Call me Nick, or papa works." He chuckles and walks over to the pool to talk to Erika.
"Did he just say what I think he did?" Tony asks.
"Let's just enjoy the fact that he said it, it might never happen again." I laugh. Loki wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his head on mine.
"You know this is how our life will be from now on?" He tells me. I turn around and wrap myself around him.
"I just love you." I tell him.
"I just love you more." He laughs.
"Not possible." I smile. "Hey guys, last one in the pool has to clean Tony's workshop." I snap my fingers and my bathing suit is on. Everyone rushes around trying to get in the pool first. Everyone is having fun, splashing around and laughing all the while. I pick Erika up and she smiles.
"So, did you have a good birthday?"
"Yes mommy. Does this mean we can end my bed time story?" She asks and I smile brightly.
"Yes my love, it sure does." Loki comes up behind me and kisses my forehead. He tickles Erika and she laughs. It's almost a different laugh. It's like she truly is the happiest kid on the planet. And I'm the happiest woman on the planet. I have my family, my beautiful little girl, and I now have the love of my life back. I can't imagine a better happily ever after..
"So, we never had the chance to actually get married?" Loki whispers in my ear. Kari now has Erika, and I wrap my arms around him.
"I guess good things do come to those who wait." I giggle. He kisses me and puts his head to mine. I can't wait to marry him...