The day before the surprise party, Nat approached Loki about an hour after you went upstairs to take your noon nap. "Hey boyfriend," she greeted him warmly as she took a seat on the other end of his couch. Loki didn't mind the silly teasing nickname from her. She meant it in good fun. And she wasn't being mean. He looked up at her from his book and nodded to indicate he was listening. "We need a plan for keeping sestrichka out of our hair while we set up for the party tomorrow. Stark was going to have you take her out of the tower until we were ready, but that plan won't work with her pendant broken. We can't rely on her afternoon nap, either, unless you spell her to sleep, she tends not to stay asleep. Any ideas?" Nat asked.

Loki tried to think of a good idea, but before he could come up with something, and right on cue to prove Nat's point, you wandered back into the common room, half-awake at best. You weren't awake enough to actually greet anyone, except to sleepily kiss Loki's cheek as you curled yourself catlike on his lap. Loki pressed a kiss to your forehead and glanced over at Nat.

"And that's why we can't trust her afternoon nap," Nat sighed in exasperation once you were asleep again. You didn't sleep well alone. You still had issues after what you'd been through with Hydra and with Odin kidnapping you. No one commented on your habit of cuddling up with someone when you slept. Especially Loki as it was usually him who you went to. "We just want to have it be a surprise for her, but she's so uncooperative," Nat whined.

"Perhaps I can keep her in her room while you work. We can watch movies until it is time for the party," Loki suggested. He could keep you distracted and hopefully in one spot.

Nat considered that and nodded. "Just keep her out of the ballroom," she told him with a fond smile at where you were sleeping in Loki's arms. Loki nodded his agreement and hugged you a little tighter. He secretly loved that you chose him to sleep on, that you felt that safe around him.

Nat left to deal with other matters and she and the others would take whatever opportunity they could get to work on the party while you, the overly curious little vampire, was out of their way to see the preparations and ruin the surprise.

*

Clint made you all french toast the next morning for breakfast and you had to listen through his usual lecture not to let Loki take any of yours. Loki loved his sweet breakfast foods a bit too much. Everyone knew of his undying love of sweets and could usually bribe the god to like them or do favors by presenting him with sweets. It was a good thing his metabolism was so high or he'd be five hundred pounds by now.

"So, any ideas on what we should do today?" you asked your Loki as you happily enjoyed your breakfast with the team. Loki had told you that you were going out that evening with him, but you didn't know if he had plans for the morning.

"I was thinking we spend the day watching some of those movies you wanted to show me," Loki suggested innocently. You knew he wanted you to rest during the sunlit hours so you would be able to properly enjoy the evening with him.

You'd allow it.

This time.

So you gave him a warm smile. "Alright. Though you know not all of Tom's movies are about you, noodle," you teased as you placed your last couple of slices of french toast onto his plate. Clint knew you would share with your boyfriend. He would've been stupid not to. He put extra on your plate and still gave you the lecture anyway.

Loki gave you a pitiful pout. "They aren't?" he teased, knowing full well that not all of Tom Hiddleston's movies were about Loki, or had Loki in them. He had liked the actor in the Avengers and had shown interest in seeing him in other movies.

So once you both finished your breakfast, you headed to the common room to grab the DVDs off the shelf. You started to head to the TV to set up the first Thor movie, since that was the one Loki wanted to watch first. "Darling, how about we watch the movies in your room so we will not have to worry about getting interrupted?" Loki suggested before you could pop the DVD in.

You looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, curious as to why he'd make that suggestion, but you nodded. "Alright," you agreed and took his hand to walk upstairs with him.

"Enjoy my movie!!" Thor boomed loudly and you couldn't help giggling as Loki stiffened and groaned at his idiot brother.

"Ah, that's why you don't want to watch it down here," you teased Loki.

He rolled his eyes and groaned again. "Exactly."

"Poor noodle burdened with an oaf for a brother," you teased him gently. You made it up to your bedroom and set up the movie, cuddling up with Loki to watch it, though you were more interested in his reactions to it than the movie itself.

Loki had fun for the first part of the movie without problems. He enjoyed pointing out how much bigger of an oaf Thor was back then. Though he tensed when the movie got to the scene in Jotunheim where his arm turned blue. You noticed him stiffen and the memory flash across his eyes and paused the movie when Tom was off screen again. "Are you ok? We don't have to watch this," you reminded him gently.

Loki tried to relax and give you a reassuring smile. "I'm alright, kitten. Let's continue,"

You looked at him warily, knowing the movie was just going to get more difficult from here on, but you nodded and resumed the movie. You tensed when the infamous 'tell me' scene started and felt Loki stiffen beside you. You had seen this movie enough times to know exactly how heartbreaking Tom's performance was during the scene and reached up to stroke Loki's hair while you watched it. You paused the movie again right after, worried about Loki's emotions. "Lokes, let's watch something else," you suggested again.

Loki shook his head, "I'm alright darling. This was a long time ago," he reassured you.

You weren't reassured. "Loki..." you replied softly, reminding him not to attempt to lie to you. You were concerned over him. These weren't happy memories he was reliving.

He kissed you softly. "I'm fine, kitten, I swear," he promised, but pulled you into his arms to cuddle you while you continued the movie.

You made it through the Thor movie, then moved on to Crimson Peak, and then started the Night Manager. Loki found he liked his Midgardian actor and wanted to keep watching him in things, so you had a Tom Hiddleston marathon.

You fell asleep partway through one of the Night Manager episodes. It was well past your bedtime by then and you were curled safely in Loki's arms, safe in your own bed with the blackout curtains drawn over the windows. Loki pressed a kiss to your forehead as he continued to watch the show. He was impressed with Tom's acting skills and you'd already told him when you were getting tired that you'd seen the show before and didn't mind missing part of it.

While Loki was watching, Stark contacted him through Jarvis, insisting he needed Loki's help in the lab. However, Loki's phone roused you from your nap. "Stark needs you?" you asked him with bleary eyes, pushing yourself up to go help Loki and Stark with whatever they needed. Loki and Stark shouldn't be in the same room together alone. It was too dangerous. Someone would be thrown out the window.

Loki shifted to get out from under you and made you lie back down, gently, but insistently as he tucked the blanket around you. "You need your rest so that you're ready for tonight, my love," he reminded you gently, brushing a stray lock of hair back away from your face. "Would you like me to help you get some more sleep?" he asked gently, he made the offer sound enticing. A dreamless sleep so you'd be rested to spend an evening out with him.

"That might be a good idea," you agreed reluctantly. You didn't sleep well without him. Though you'd used Bucky or Thor as substitute cuddles when he wasn't around. Loki grudgingly allowed it since you were obviously not romantically interested in either man. It still wasn't the same and neither of those two were around that day either.

Loki nodded and bent to press a kiss, and his sleep spell, to your forehead. Moments later you were contentedly, dreamlessly, asleep.

With a heavy sigh of relief on Loki's part that he had managed to convince you to let him spell you, and subsequently that the surprise of the party wouldn't be ruined, Loki left to go find Stark. His phone beeped again when he was out of your bedroom telling him that the team was in the ballroom setting up for the party.

"Hey Reindeer Games, what'd you do with Tinkerbell?" Stark asked when Loki arrived, casting about as if expecting you to appear and ruin their plans at any moment.

"She is asleep," Loki reassured them all and there was a collective sigh of relief. "I spelled her, so she should be down for a while. What did you require of me?" he asked Stark with as much courtesy as he could give the man.

"How are you planning on sneaking your guests in without her finding out?" Stark asked him as the others worked on decorations.

Loki pondered that for a moment and looked around the room at his option of allies. He would need help to keep the secret from you. His eyes lit on Bucky who was currently fighting and losing against a purple streamer. He decided to save his friend from the streamer and called him over to talk. "Would you be up to keeping my lady busy so I might escort her family into the party without her knowing?" he asked Bucky, hoping his friend would say yes. He trusted Bucky to be able to do whatever job he was given without question, complaint, or fail.

Plus you liked Bucky.

Even better, you couldn't steamroll him.

Bucky nodded and looked relieved. "Of course. Just let me know what you need. Though if it involves me babysitting until it's time to get ready so I get out of party streamer hell, I'd greatly appreciate it," he teased about his own lack of decorating ability.

Loki chuckled and told Bucky where you were, saving him from having to try to decorate anymore. Though the decorating didn't take too much longer and everyone scattered after that to get ready for the evening, dressing in nice clothes. They then had to sneak the few guests into the tower without you seeing them, which is why Bucky was stationed outside your door to make sure you stayed inside your suite.

Your mom and sister entered the lobby and Jarvis announced their arrival to Stark and Loki. Both ladies were wearing long dresses, though since your mom assumed that the princes would be at this gathering, she was careful in the dress she had chosen for Bree. She'd dressed her daughter in a nearly Asgardian style dress, in the style of a young noble lady who was not yet old enough to be courted properly. Your mom was taking no chances with Bree's safety emotionally or physically, not after losing her other daughter. She was in one of her Asgardian gowns, though in muted colors. They had been told this was a memorial service for you.

They had no idea what was in store.

Loki nodded to Stark that he would take care of these guests and made his way down to the lobby to greet the pair. "Lady Brynhilde, Young-Lady Brenna. It is lovely to see you both again," he greeted them with an elegant court bow. They both offered him a curtsy with a proper 'your highness' as greeting in return, though Bree's curtsy was a little wobbly.

"Midgardian attire suits you, little Loki," your mom told Loki with a small smile. This was a bittersweet occasion. As far as she was aware, it was a memorial service for her lost daughter. Though the Asgardians didn't mourn death, but rejoiced that the dead were among the gods. So she could smile on this occasion and celebrate your life. "Don't fret, dear, I have told Bree of her heritage," she added quickly before Loki could worry about trying to hide from Bree that she was half-Asgardian.

Loki nodded and smiled kindly. "Allow me to escort you lovely ladies to the ballroom," he said and offered his arm to your mom. She took it automatically. She was a lady of Asgard after all and some things were ingrained habit after so many centuries of court life. They made small talk as they walk. Loki looked to Bree. "Have you had an opportunity to look over the text I left for you?" he asked her kindly.

"I've been studying it," Bree answered a little shyly. She was awestruck at being in the Avenger's tower and about to meet all of the Avengers. Also being addressed by one of the princes of Asgard, the place she just found out is her second home, was overwhelming to the fifteen year old. "It's... not going very well," she admitted with a sigh when his look pressed her to continue. "Magic isn't my strong suit," her words were a lie, Loki's nose told him, but not a malicious one. It was a lie of her really thinking she was no good at it and not realizing how strong she actually was. "I... I did manage to learn this," she held hand out palm up, and a little ball of light appeared there for a moment before it vanished. It was one of the very first spells taught to youngsters as it was so simple.

"Very well done," Loki told her approvingly. "Though I do not believe you understand your true potential," he paused a moment before he added. "If you ever have the need, call on me and I would be happy to teach you what I know," he made the offer, though he didn't know your sister. He knew your mother well and he was good at teaching. He also enjoyed showing off. He also thought you would want to see more of your family after tonight and his teaching of your sister would be a good excuse for that.

"Thank you," Bree murmured politely, blushing and getting shy at the unexpected praise. Growing up, the only things she'd been praised for were things you weren't good at, like martial arts and sports. She was being much more quiet and shy than usual. Loki would find himself steamrolled quickly if she got her comfort under her.

Your mom thanked him for the offer, but insisted that they would never impose. It would be horribly impolite for her to ask him to teach her daughter, even if he was offering. He was one of the princes after all and had better things to do with his time.

They finally reached the ballroom and both ladies looked over the decorations and Bree was starstruck by being in the same room with the Avengers. Loki got both of their attention away from the purple banners. "I have a surprise for you both. I need you to stay by my side until it is time. Do you understand?" he asked them, his voice gentle, but with enough royal authority to hopefully get your mom to agree.

Though he'd never tried to pull rank on her before, not and think he'd actually get away with it anyway.

"What surprise, little trickster?" Your mom asked in that exasperated mom tone. It was the same tone she'd used for centuries of having heard 'I have a surprise' followed by something nasty, especially from the tricksy young prince. Especially from male little Loki who tried to trick her with frogs and snakes and other slimy creatures when he'd been a child.

"It would not be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" he replied warmly, teasing the woman he had called 'aunt' for so many centuries.

She sighed, but gave him a firm look. "No, but this is a memorial service for my daughter. Watch your tricks carefully," she warned him. She wouldn't hesitated to drag his ass home to face Frigga's wrath if his surprise ruined the memorial for her daughter that she thought she was attending.

Loki nodded his understanding. "Don't fear, Lady Brynhilde. The gathering will not be ruined by my surprise," he reassured her, and then noticed Thor, currently flirting with Jane. He led his guests over to the pair. "Brother, you remember Lady Brynhilde. And this is her daughter, Lady Brenna," Loki introduced the ladies with him.

Thor pulled his attention from Jane and turned to your mom. "Aunt Bryn!" he greeted her brightly and kissed her cheek. He was never one for proper manners. Except when it suited him. "It is lovely to see you again," he told her warmly and she returned the sentiment warmly, amused that Thor hadn't changed, even after all these years. Thor turned to Bree and bowed over her hand, kissing her knuckled. "Little Lady," he greeted her warmly while she turned all sorts of shades of red.

On that day an unrequited crush was formed.

"Lady Brynhilde is not really our aunt, but she is mother's best friend," Thor explained quickly to the very baffled Jane. She nodded and Thor introduced her to the others. Loki gave Thor a pointed look and Thor rolled his eyes. "Jane isn't going to tell anyone," he told Loki quickly.

"And my lady?" Loki asked.

"Bucky should be arriving with her shortly,"

*

You had woken from your nap to find Loki hadn't come back from helping Stark. You had considered going to find him, but assumed he was getting ready for your evening, so you decided to get ready first and then go find him. You donned the dress that you and Nat had gotten on your shopping trip, it was a cute green knee-length halter dress with a wide black ribbon and black heels to go with it.

There was a polite knock on your suite's door when you were dressed and ready and you went to open it, expecting to see Loki in his perfectly tailored suit. Instead, there was a Bucky on the other side of the door. A nicely dressed Bucky at that. "Bucky? What are you doing here?" you asked concerned and shocked to see him.

"Boyfriend asked me to walk you downstairs," was all the explanation Bucky offered you. You sighed at your silly Loki and the equally stubborn Bucky, but you nodded and took Bucky's arm to let him walk you downstairs. You were confused as to what Bucky was up to, but Loki had picked his escort well and he didn't spill the beans.

You were really confused when he led you to the ballroom instead of the common room.

Your hands went to your mouth in surprise when you stepped off the elevator and saw the decorated ballroom. When you saw your friends gathered in fancy clothes, even your few friends outside of the tower.

"SURPRISE!!" The whole room shouted when they saw you and it sounded like so many more people were there than there were.

Loki came over to you, leaving the two ladies he had been speaking with to greet you with a kiss. "Happy birthday, kitten," he told you warmly, pleased with how surprised and happy you were.

You kissed him back, smiling into the kiss. Your eyes were only for him for a moment, in his perfectly tailored suit, in the ballroom he'd had decorated as a surprise for your birthday. For this wonderful small celebration.

Until the sight of the ladies who had been with him registered in your mind.

You looked past Loki to them and the three of you stood and stared for a long, long moment while the room waited with bated breath. None of the three of you could believe it.

Emotions flashed through you, displayed openly on your face, surprise, shock, joy, terror.

Bree was the first one to move, running flat out to wrap her arms around you. "I knew you weren't dead! I knew it I knew it! I kept telling mom that I would've felt if you had died!" she explained as she held you, crying happy tears into your shoulder at the realization that you were back from the dead.

Your arms went around her automatically, though you were still shocked and horrified.

And Loki was happy, actually smiling, thinking this reunion was turning out well, based on Bree's reaction. He misread the shock on your face to just shock.

Not horror.

Not the gut-wrenching terror that you felt at the danger your family was now in.

/Loki! WHY?/ you wailed at him telepathically. You wouldn't make a scene in front of everyone. Not yet. You were too polite for that. But you could wail at him telepathically with no one knowing the better. /I told you. I TOLD you they will die if they know I'm alive/ you wailed as you tried not to cry at being able to hug your sister again.

If you cried she would see that your tears were blood red and that would make this even worse.