The entire NCIS team had assembled on the grass outside the Navy building, their expressions solemn. Even Vance had turned out to see Loki off, standing on the sidewalk away from the group with his hands clasped behind his back.

Thor stood several feet away from the group beside the Bifrost markings on the pavement, watching as they all said their goodbyes to the god of mischief. Abby launched herself at Loki, giving him a hug.

"Don't leave, Loki," she begged. "Stay with us."

"I wish I could, Abby," Loki said softly. "But I can't."

"You never let me see your scepter," she reminded him. "Like, really see it."

"I know. I'm sorry. But I don't have fond memories of that thing. It's for the best."

Stepping away from Abby, Loki shook Ducky's hand. "Farewell, Loki," Ducky said. "I wish you the best of luck returning to Asgard."

"Thank you, Ducky," Loki said. "I appreciate everything you've done for me." He tapped the fading scar on his cheek.

"My pleasure. You ensure you come back to NCIS, now."

"I will."

Jimmy offered Loki his hand, his expression serious. "It was nice meeting you, Agent Laufeyson."

"You too, Palmer," Loki said, shaking the assistant's hand.

McGhee looked at Loki for a moment, then sighed. "What the heck." Stepping forward, he hugged the god briefly, clapping him on the back. "You're always going to be one of us."

Loki grinned at the agent. "Thank you for the hat, McGhee."

"You should be thanking me for that hat," DiNozzo grumbled as Loki turned to him. The Italian agent regarded him for a second, then grinned and embraced him. "Don't hang around Asgard too long."

"Trust me, I won't," Loki said.

"You're family, Loki," DiNozzo said seriously. "Remember that."

"I will," Loki promised, smiling as he glanced at Bishop. Stepping closer to her, he slipped his arms around her waist as she draped hers over his shoulders.

"You're not family to me," she said, leaning in to kiss him. The others all applauded and cheered as Loki pulled her closer to him.

"I love you," he whispered as they broke apart.

Bishop tightened her arms around his neck as she embraced him. "I love you, too," she said into his ear.

"I'll return."

"If you don't, I'll kill you."

"Look at that," DiNozzo said. "Threatening bodily harm already. You guys make the rest of us blush."

McGhee frowned. "Tony, none of us can make you blush."

DiNozzo inclined his head. "True."

Gibbs regarded Loki with his head tilted. "Take care of yourself, Loki," he said. "Stay out of trouble."

"I make no promises," Loki grinned. "Thank you, for everything."

Vance came across the lawn towards the group. "Agent Laufeyson," he said. "NCIS is indebted to you for all of your aid with the Samson case."

"My pleasure, Director," Loki replied.

"Your badge will remain official," Vance told him. "Your position as an agent of NCIS is permanent, provided you obey the rules and keep your record clean."

"Thank you," Loki said. "You don't know how much that means to me."

Thor stepped forward. "Agent Gibbs, my mother sends you her deepest thanks for what you have done for Loki. Brother, Father and Mother are expecting us."

"Right," Loki said, stepping away from the team. "I will see you again. My promise."

Askance, Thor looked at Loki. "Since when does your word mean anything?"

"Since...now," Loki said. "When I want it to."

"That's not how trust works," Thor told him.

"My word means something to NCIS," Loki clarified.

"Ouch," Thor muttered as the two brothers moved to stand over the Bifrost markings burned into the pavement. After casting one look back at NCIS, Loki moved his gaze skyward.

"Heimdall!" Thor bellowed, lifting Mjolnir. He glanced at Loki expectantly.

"Open the Bifrost!" Loki yelled, finishing the sentence.

And with that, the rainbow bridge descended and drew the Asgardians back to their home.

****

The throne room was both familiar and strange to Loki as he entered beside his brother. The palace had been his home for so much of his life, until fairly recently, when he had renounced his heritage by falling from the Bifrost. First Thanos, then Midgard, then here again, in chains. Then NCIS.

A new home, a new family. But it seemed he still had the old family, as well.

And as Frigga approached him, enfolding him in a hug that he instantly returned, Loki reflected that it was just as well. Once, he had thought he could throw away the years of being raised in Asgard, the bonds, the memories, everything. But that wasn't possible.

Despite everything, they were also his family. And he was grateful for that.

As Frigga cupped his face in her hands, her eyes growing damp with unshed tears, she offered him a smile. "I'm so proud of you, Loki," she said. "I know you didn't want to leave NCIS, but thank you for returning."

"Of course," Loki replied. "How could I not return, Mother? This is home." And as he spoke, he realized he was speaking the truth. Asgard was home, just as NCIS was. He didn't have to pick one over the other.

Frigga turned towards the throne, where Odin was standing, waiting for Loki. The god of mischief walked slowly towards his father.

Loki and Odin had always had a rocky relationship. He had always seemed to favor Thor over Loki, leading to a corrosive resentment that had built up in the young Asgardian. Finding out he wasn't even Asgardian had just shattered their relationship.

Or so Loki had thought.

True, Odin had wanted to execute him after his attempted takeover of Midgard. True, Frigga was the only reason he had lived to see the error in his ways. But Odin had allowed Frigga to convince him not to kill their son. Odin had agreed to send Loki back to Midgard to atone for his crimes. Maybe Odin didn't always have the best intentions, but he had taken Loki from Jotunheim to raise as his son instead of leaving him to die, placing him on a path that had eventually led him to NCIS.

I can try to be a better son, Loki thought. Perhaps I can once more try to be Loki Odinson. Odin may not have been the best father to me, but he was better than Laufey would have been. I deserve some of the blame, as well. My actions are not always worthy of my upbringing. I did know better.

"Loki." Odin's voice didn't carry any emotion. Loki bowed.

"Father."

"I see you have served NCIS well," Odin said. "I had thought Agent Gibbs would return you here in chains, but I see I was wrong."

Loki straightened, looking up to meet his father's eye. "Agent Gibbs has proved his point," the king of Asgard continued. "I had lost any faith I had in you, Loki. Your actions were...unspeakable."

"I apologize for them, Father," Loki interjected, lowering his head. "I know what I did was wrong."

"Was I finished?" Odin asked. "I failed you, the way I had failed Thor. But while I had thought you were beyond learning how to repair your misdeeds, Agent Gibbs managed to see what you are truly capable of. And I cannot thank him enough for that. He taught you the error of your ways while simultaneously pointing out the fault of my thoughts. I lost faith in you. But now I have faith, albeit fragile. Break it, Loki, and you will not see it again."

Loki nodded. "All right, Father. I understand."

Odin walked down the steps, coming to a stop beside Loki. "You are frost giant," he said. "But you are also Asgardian. You are my son, and will always be my son."

Movement caught Loki's eye and he turned to see Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun, and Sif. They stood at the other end of the throne room, armed and ready for combat, their expressions serious but their eyes reflecting a bit of curiosity.

"You have paid for your crimes on Midgard," Odin continued. "But you still owe a debt to the rest of the Nine Realms. You will accompany Thor, the Warriors Three, and Lady Sif in tending to the chaos that has consumed us since the breaking of the Bifrost cut us off from the Realms."

"If I recall correctly, it was actually through Thor that the Bifrost was broken," Loki said. When Odin just gave him a look, he added quickly. "But it was due to my actions, yes."

"Let us go," Thor said. "Brother, go prepare yourself for battle. No need to inform the guards of our destination this time."

Loki laughed. "Don't worry, brother, I wouldn't dream of it."

As Loki strode towards the exit, Odin's voice caused him to stop in his tracks. "I am proud of you, Loki."

****

After Loki left, Gibbs abruptly turned and headed back inside the building, the first to leave the Bifrost markings with the exception of Vance. Heading back to his desk, Gibbs momentarily regarded the file Banner had dropped onto his desk before leaving yesterday before sweeping it into a drawer. He knew what it said; he'd read it already.

The report on the gamma radiation affecting Loki had turned up negative. The Asgardian would suffer no adverse effects from the energy source Thanos had placed in his head.

Sitting in his chair, Gibbs pulled up a file on his computer, tapping in the name of the person slowly, almost reluctantly. But finally, the name was inputted and a file was brought up.

"Boss," DiNozzo said, coming into the squad room, followed by McGhee. Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy trailed past, heading to catch the elevator down to the lab and autopsy. "Any bodies yet?"

"Nope," Gibbs told him, staring at the photo attached with the file. DiNozzo came around and leaned on his desk, staring at the computer screen.

"Why are you looking at Kate's file?" Tony asked, his voice low.

Gibbs didn't answer, just stood up and left the squad room. DiNozzo remained staring at the file, an almost haunted expression coming over him as he touched his jaw, absentmindedly, as if feeling her blood splatter on his face again.

Bishop was the only one still outside, staring at the markings on the pavement. Gibbs watched her for a moment before coming up to stand beside her.

"He'll be back," he told her quietly.

"I know," Bishop said, glancing up at the sky. "It's just...hard." She looked at Gibbs. "Hard to believe, I mean. The whole thing."

"Yep," Gibbs said. "It is hard."

But he wasn't thinking about Loki.

He was thinking about Special Agent Kate Todd.