It had been a year since the fall of the Avengers. It had been two years since all of the Avengers were in the same place and on the same side.

Kari had fallen into a familiar pattern: during the day, she would train the new 'Valkyries' and bicker with 'Odin'. During the night was the only time she and Loki could truly be themselves, but it didn't matter. She cherished every moment she got with her lover.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the cheesy play production. The actress that played her was alright, but by Odin's beard, she was by far the most dramatic person on all of Asgard. And the red wig was atrocious.

Kari didn't move when Thor arrived, nor did she move when Loki stood up. Instinctively, she was finally shocked into motion as  Thor put Loki in danger's path, but it was already to late. Loki's disguise had fallen.

Thor's stern gaze met her eyes and she tossed him a sheepish smile. "Surprise." A flutter of fear spiraled through her gut. The last time she had 'committed treason', she had been locked up for nearly 1000 years.

Instinctively, she grasped onto Loki's arm and his gaze flickered to his wife for a second. "Now, brother, there's no need to act like a thoughtless brute. I'll show you where Father is."

The three Asgardians frowned as they stood in front of a building being demolished. Kari had yet to release her husband's arm from her grasp, which was much looser than before.

"I swear I left him right here."

Thor scowled. "Right here on the sidewalk or right where the building's being demolished?"

The god of Mischief scowled right back. "How was I supposed to know? I'm not a witch!"

" No? Then why do you dress like one?"

"Boys," Kari warned in a slow, tired voice, so Thor switched the subject.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you were alive. I saw you die. I mourned for you."

Loki smiled sarcastically and Kari let out a sigh. "I'm honored."

"And you," this time he looked to Kari, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She winced but was saved the interruption of some Midgardian teens. She was pulled into the photo reluctantly and Loki looked like he was torn between rolling his eyes and glancing at the red head fondly. In the end, it seemed his sarcastic nature won.

Kari felt a shift in the air, a small change in the energy around them before Loki vanished into thin air.

Thor poked the floor with his umbrella as she bent down to pick up the card. "This is the works of Midgardian magic." And with that, Kari set out to find her missing husband.