You woke to Thor's laughter and cheering. It was hard to mistake Thor for anyone else. His laughter was so booming and distinctive. You looked over at him and saw him sitting by your infirmary bed. Those two images just didn't you sh. "Thor? What are you doing here?" you asked him, your voice weak. You managed to sit up, despite how awful you felt. He looked up at you from the game he was playing on the game system you'd given to Loki before finals. Thor smiled brightly over at you when he did and you couldn't help giving him a small smile back. Thor's good mood was infectious.

"Mother sent me. She said I was needed here," he replied. With Frigga's precognitive abilities, it was no surprise that she had sent Thor.

"Where's Loki?" you were expecting either Loki or Tony to be at your bedside, not Thor.

"He is in the next room over. He asked me to sit with you. He was extremely impolite about it, but he refused to stay in his bed otherwise. He will be just fine, so please do not attempt to go find him. You are still very injured, little sister." Much as you hated hospitals when you were the one being treated, you knew he was right, so you nodded meekly. He gave you a look and you knew he didn't believe you. At all.

Well, you had learned from Loki after all. You couldn't blame him.

"And Balder?"

"Downstairs in the dungeons. Your uncle is watching over him. I will be taking him back to Asgard with me when I return so he can spend his days in the dungeons." You nodded your approval of the decisions. Getting Balder out of your world was an excellent idea indeed.

"I should go heal Loki, get him back on his feet..."

"You should stay in that bed and heal," Thor countered with a smile. you sighed.

"But you can heal him. you can't heal myself,"

"You are in no shape to heal anyone," you grumbled at him, but he was right. Your hands were bandaged lightly and hurt like a wicked bitch. You were covered in bandages and you hoped they weren't letting you heal at human rate. That would suck. Thor handed you a book, which you took carefully and smiled up at him.

"Thanks, Thor,"

He kissed your forehead. "Rest and heal, little sister," he bid you. So you opened your book and agreed to sit quietly for awhile.

Fury came to check on your a few hours later. "You got her to stay in a hospital bed?" he demanded of Thor indignantly. It was a feat to get you to sit still in the hospital wing, especially when you were the one who was injured..

"I can be quite persuasive," Thor replied with an innocent smile.

"Why don't you go check on that brother of yours? I want a word with Kat," Thor looked at you for approval before he would leave.

"If Loki's awake-?" you started to ask, but didn't know what exact message you wanted to send to your love.

"I will tell him you asked after him," Thor replied on his way out the door.

"How are you feeling?" Fury asked when Thor was gone.

"Like hell," you admitted. There were few people you would admit that to, but Fury was one of them. He'd become a surrogate dad over the last few years. You owed him the truth. He nodded, appreciating and accepting the truth.

"Can you give your report?" he asked.

You nodded and felt for your magic. You had enough for this. "Even better, I can show you," you told him. You waved your hand and the illusion appeared before you. Your illusions weren't as good as Loki's, but it was good enough for your report. You showed Fury everything that had happened from the moment you saw the two clowns in the alley to the moment you passed out in Loki's arms.

"You trusted a villain?" he demanded incredulously. "You let The Harlequin go?"

You nodded, reluctantly, knowing you could face a lot of trouble for that decision. "It was the only choice. The rules go out the window during a life or death situation. He was my only ally at the time. Balder would have killed us both and escaped, or somehow forced me to use your powers for his plans, whatever they are. That was his end goal..."

Fury sighed, but finally nodded. "You're right. Just don't do it again," he grumbled.

"How did you find us?" you asked him. You hadn't been able to call for help.

"Jarvis notified us when your phone was destroyed. It pulled up your last known coordinates and we got there as fast as we could." Fury replied. That made sense. Of course Tony had set your phone to notify everyone if it was destroyed. "You did well, Kat," he told you before he escaped the room. Lucky him. You were tempted to follow him, but knew that would just end with Thor carrying you back here. Or worse.

Thor came back a moment later. "Loki?" you asked him.

"He is in a healing sleep. He will be fine." Thor reassured you and sat in the chair next to your bed with his game again.

You had the feeling that the healers really did want you to heal at a human rate, like that would actually make you rest. Unfortunately, emergency calls kept coming in. Thor got pissed after the third gravely injured person was brought to your room so you could heal them, exhausting yourself again to be useful and do something. You couldn't heal yourself, you could only heal others, or you would've been out of here the second you woke up.

Thor stood and stormed out of the room.

That couldn't be a good thing.

He returned a few minutes later with a protesting Loki thrown over his shoulder. "Come, sister. I should have followed Mother's instructions before now, but I felt you had to give the humans the opportunity to care for you properly first." He offered you his hand. You took it and let him help you to your feet.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking," Loki complained when you stumbled and crashed into Thor. Thor nodded and set Loki on his feet, sweeping you up into his arms in the same instant.

"Do not fall, Brother. I shall be quite cross with you if you do," Thor ordered. You just closed your eyes and laid your head on Thor's shoulder.

"Kat? Are you ok?" Loki asked, moving to look more closely at you.

You nodded against Thor's shoulder "I'll be fine," you murmured

"Come, Brother," Thor said and led the way from the room. He went to the common room, where Tony and Balder were waiting. Balder was bound in chains and gagged.

"You swear she'll be safe with you?" Tony demanded of Thor.

Thor gave him a small bow, working not to jar you as he did. "She cannot rest here. The healers keep demanding her attention to heal the others. They will work her to death. That will not happen in Asgard,"

"Tony, just come with us? You can see the palace for yourself," you suggested. He nodded.

Thor smiled at you . "Excellent idea, little sister," he pushed Loki toward Tony. "Kindly make sure my brother makes it safely." Loki grumbled that he was perfectly capable on his own. Everyone ignored him.

"You could just hand over my niece," Tony replied with a grumble.

Thor laughed. "Mother?" He asked. The portal flashed open before you. It was faster and easier than the Bifrost and would take you directly to the palace. You were sure you made a strange procession as we made our way through it. There was a crowd waiting for you and you felt yourself cowering against Thor until you realized who they were. Frigga and Sif were there, so was Odin and a bunch of guards. The guards and Odin took charge of Balder.

"Make room!" Frigga barely had to raise her voice. "The Prince and Princess are injured." She led you to the healing wing, where you were laid in one of the soft comfortable beds. Loki was allowed to sit in a comfy chair in the room. You reached for him, your hand glowing blue. Sif smacked your hand.

"Enough of that. Our healers will see to your soulbond. You need to rest, Sister dear," Sif scolded lightly. You sighed, but laid back on the pillows.

"Good luck with her. She hates hospitals." Tony warned them.

"Who are you?" Frigga demanded of Tony.

"I apologize, Your Majesty," you usually didn't have to call Frigga 'Your Majesty' anymore, but this was different. "This is your brother Tony. Tony, this is the Queen of Asgard and Loki's mother, Frigga." They exchanged pleasantries and Frigga got to work healing you. Some of the other healers went to Loki to do the same. He needed a lot less putting back together than you did.

"Why do you have the queen healing you?" Tony demanded, sounding incredulous that the queen was healing you.

"Because I'm a princess here and it would be an insult to have anyone less than the best healer in the realm attending me," you replied with a grin over at Loki, who had spoken those words just a few months ago. Tony just stared with his mouth open. You lifted your hand enough to indicate the lines of power there. "Loki and I are soulbound. We're soulbound, Uncle Tony," you reminded him tiredly as you felt your body succumbing to the healing magic. "Loki will explain if you have more questions," you told him, falling victim to the sleep of the healing spells.

You didn't know how long it was before you woke again. Tony and Loki were sitting by your bedside. You smiled up at them and sat up. You were still weak and sore, but you were healed, even your burned hands. You also realized that you was wearing a light tunic and leggings of a soft material for sleeping. Way better than a hospital gown from Earth. You gaped at Tony, who was wearing a tunic and leggings too. He looked so uncomfortable that you couldn't help laughing at him.

Loki joined you on the bed and kissed the top of your head. "How are you, darling?" he asked softly.

"I'm fine, love. Your Mother does excellent work." you replied with a reassuring smile.

"Dinner is starting soon. The people would like to see you there. Are you up to it?" He asked.

You nodded. "Can we stop by the suite first so you can get a proper shower?" you asked. He nodded.

"We have time for that,"

"Is Uncle Tony staying in my old suite?" you asked.

Loki nodded again. "Mother set it up for him,"

"Good, let's go," you swung your legs out of the bed and Loki and Tony both rushed to help you to your feet. You took both of their hands and they lifted you to your feet. You were a little unsteady, but you'd be ok. Loki let you walk with Tony, who was looking so unsure and lost in Asgard.

"How are you so comfortable here? This place is so strange," Tony asked you as you walked.

"Everyone is so welcoming. It's hard to feel uncomfortable here. You'll see when you meet Thor's and Loki's friends,"

It didn't take you long to get to your suites. You showed Tony to his first, so he could freshen up and dress in something more formal. Loki said he had set something on Tony's bed for him. Loki led you into your suite where you got a quick shower, finally feeling human again when the hot water eased the soreness you felt. You ran magic through your hair to dry it, loving that Loki had taught you that trick. You went to go find him, dressed in your robe to see what he was wearing to dinner, so you could summon something to match. He was in your bedroom with his shirt off, getting dressed. You saw the scar on his chest the second you entered the room. It was in the exact spot he had been impaled by the spear. "Loki, I'm sorry..." you told him, going to him and touching the scar. You had healed Tony without a scar, but Loki you hadn't had time to heal completely.

Loki took your hand and lifted it, kissing your knuckles. "You saved both of our lives, darling. There is nothing to be sorry for," he gave you a warm smile. "Would you like for me to summon a dress for you?" he asked. You nodded eagerly. That would definitely make picking something to wear easier. It was generally not a good idea to trust one's boyfriend with picking out an outfit, but Loki appreciated looking good and was great at choosing outfits for you. His green magic flowed over you and you were dressed in a golden halter dress with a blue wrap to go with it. It was elegant, but simple, and of a light material with indoor slippers instead of heels. He took your recent healings into consideration in his choice of clothes and didn't include heals. He sat you down on the bed so he could braid your hair. You let him without complaint. It made him happy and you loved how it felt. Lastly, he summoned your tiara and placed it gently in your hair.

"I really have to wear this?" you asked him. He laughed.

"Of course. You are their princess, my dear," he reminded you. You sighed and gave him a well-practiced put upon expression. He laughed again and pulled you to your feet. He finished dressing quickly and you left the suite to go collect your uncle. Tony just gaped at you when he saw you in the elegant dress and tiara.

"Not a word," you spat at him. "Or I will comment about your tights," you warned. His formal clothes included tights and they were hilarious. He held up his hands in defeat. You and Loki led the way to the dining hall. All of the servants bowed or curtsied to you, greeting you as 'prince' and 'princess'. Your poor uncle was so very lost and confused.

You made it to the dining hall just in time for dinner. Thor grinned and raised his mug of beer in a salute when you arrived. Tony was announced as your visiting uncle. You and Loki both received ,greetings from everyone glad that you had healed and were well.

"Kat, why is it looking at me?" Tony asked about one dish, halfway through dinner.

You couldn't help laughing. "That's how you know it's fresh," you replied, copying Loki's words from earlier. "It's delicious, trust me," you were devouring your, so he trusted your judgment. You were starving after such intensive healings and were trying very hard to behave and not eat like a heathen, until Thor reached over and dumped another serving on your plate, announcing how you needed to eat up because of the healings. You laughed at his antics, but it took attention off of you, since he was doing the same thing to Loki too.

"Little Sister, we are meeting in the small hall after dinner. Are you and your uncle up to joining us?" Thor asked toward the end of dinner.

"I'll come for a little while. Tony should get the experience," you replied.

"Do I not get an opinion?" Loki demanded.

"No," Thor replied pleasantly. "You would just say 'no' and hide in your room with a book." Loki grumbled at him, but didn't argue. Thor was right.

After dinner, all of the younger members of the court went to the smaller dining hall. "Why are we here?" Tony asked in a whisper as you entered. You shook your head. He would have to find out for himself.

You were given a chair on the sidelines so you could watch the events without being pressured into participating. If you were in the chair, everyone would leave you alone, according to Thor, so you knew it was true, or they would have to answer to him.

Thor held out his hand to you, palm up, once all of the tables had been shoved aside. "May I?" he asked. You placed your hand in his. The second you did, the music started and the rowdy dances began. You laughed when Tony was dragged out onto the floor and taught the moves. You twirled and laughed with Thor, but you were only up for one dance. He settled you in your chair afterwards and you got to enjoy watching Loki and Tony be forced to dance. People stopped by and chatted with you, but no one pressured you to dance again.

You stood late in the evening and made your way out onto the dance floor. The crowd parted for you and Loki was left momentarily without a partner. You touched his arm and he turned to you, expecting the next girl in the dance. He gave you a real smile when he saw it was you instead. You took his hand in one of yours and placed your other hand on his shoulder. Loki smiled and took his position without complaint.

A woman's desire is law at a dance, even one as unconventional as the ones on Asgard, so the moment you took the position, the music changed to a waltz. Loki led and you spun around the room with grace. Other couples joined, but none of them could hold a candle to Loki's grace. Since he was leading, and did it well, you didn't have to look ungraceful either. At some point, people stopped dancing and just watched the pair of you.

The dance ended and Loki took your hand, bowing over it elegantly to kiss the lines of power that started on the back of your hand. The room cheered and applauded. /Ready to head home?/ he asked. You nodded, more worn than you wanted to admit. He offered you his hand in escort manner. You placed your hand on top of his and let him lead you from the room. The second you were safely away from the others, Loki swept you up into his arms, despite your squeak of surprised protest.

"I should have gotten you out of there ages ago. You need rest, darling," he told you, concern in his voice. You simply laid your head on his shoulder. It was nice and safe and comfortable in his arms. "Don't worry, there is nothing to distract from your rest tomorrow," he added. He teleported you to your suite. You both got ready for bed and finally got to relax wrapped in each other's arms. "Thank you for trusting me, love. You don't know how much it means that you did not believe Balder's lies,"

"You'd never betray me," you murmured. Annoying boyfriend had figured out that you had no filter when you were tired and kept having these deep conversations when you were dead on your feet.

"I don't know how you found the strength to get us out of there," he commented, sounding truly in awe of you.

"We would have died."

"We would have been enslaved," Loki corrected. You shuddered. He was right and that thought was more terrifying.

"We survived," you murmured. "I love you, my soulbond," you whispered against his chest as your eyes finally closed and sleep claimed you.