Have I mentioned how much I love the BroTP of Jessie and Thor? I have? Well, I still do.

And now mother dearest gets to embarrass them. XD Enjoy!

Trigger warning for some crude language.

***

Loki curled his lip as he watched Volstagg and Fandral parade prisoners past his cell. "Odin continues to bring me new friends. How thoughtful."

"The books I sent, do they not interest you?"

Loki turned to see Frigga inside his cell, watching him. "Is that how I'm to wile away eternity?" he raised an eyebrow. "Reading?"

"I've done everything in my power to make you comfortable, Loki."

"Have you?" Loki chuckled. "Does Odin share your concern? Does Thor? It must be so inconvenient them asking after me day and night."

"You know full well that your actions have brought you here."

"My actions?" Loki repeated before scoffing. "I was merely giving truth to the lie that I've been fed my entire life, that I was born to be a king."

"A king?" Frigga shook her head. "A true king admits his faults. What of the lives you took on Earth?"

"A mere handful compared to the numbers Odin has taken himself," Loki snorted.

"Your father - "

"He's not my father!" Loki yelled.

Frigga steeled herself. "Then am I not your mother?"

Loki paused, then exhaled. "You're not."

Frigga smiled sadly at him, tears in her eyes. "Always so perceptive about everyone but yourself."

She reached out to him, which Loki reciprocated, only for his hands to go through hers. He paused, swallowing, watching her vanish, then paused, feeling another set of eyes on him. He smirked and turned. "Well, well, well. I would remember that presence anywhere."

"I expected you would," Jessie said as she walked timidly into the light, clad in violet fabrics, bronze armor pieces fastening it to her body, her dark hair curling around her shoulders. She looked like a born Asgardian. "Loki."

"Jessie Nightshade," Loki gave a mock bow. "As beautiful as I remember."

+++

The group barely had time to secure Rick's remains when an alarm went off in the Tower. "JARVIS?" Tony shouted, the Iron Man armor forming back on him.

"Sir, Loki has been spotted at the Ericksburg High football field," JARVIS reported worriedly. "He is not in battle armor, however, and does not appear to be attacking."

"That's not like him," Steve frowned.

"Why Ericksburg?" Saleen wondered.

"He's looking for me," Jessie assumed, taking a deep breath. "Guess that includes me in this mission."

"No," Natasha said shortly. "This could be a trap, and you'd be walking right into it."

"Or I go with Earth's Mightiest Heroes and have the best backup I could have," Jessie retorted. "Besides, if Loki's coming after me, it's about time I met him face to face."

Steve sighed. "She has a point, Romanoff."

Natasha growled. "Fine. But remember I warned against this."

"Noted," Steve nodded shortly. "Let's go."

+++

Loki was standing on the center of the field, wearing robes of black and green, watching them approach with a slight smile on his face. "Jessie Nightshade," he greeted smoothly, giving a small bow. "A pleasure to meet you at last."

"Cut the crap, Loki," Clint spat out, arrow aimed at the god, Natasha gripping her guns tightly, Jessie shielded behind Steve. "What're you up to?"

"Agent Barton," Loki tilted his head. "How's your mind doing?"

"Much better, now that you're not crawling around inside it."

"What do you want with us?" Saleen cut in.

"Ah, the other one," Loki tilted his head. "Saleen Harper, is it not?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"Yes, I know who you are. Unfortunately, you are not the one I am interested in. It was simply a way to get the Avengers to your friend."

"It's me you want?" Jessie frowned.

"What do you want her for, Loki?" Thor scowled.

"Well, not for a sex slave, if that's what first came to mind," Loki snorted.

Jessie's face drained of all color, and the growls of every Avenger filled the stadium. "One more insult to her like that, Loki, and you'll be dead before you hit the ground," Tony vowed.

Loki held up his hands. "As likely that idea would be for others, it never once crossed my mind to use her in such a way."

"Reason, Loki," Steve ordered.

"I would have thought you would know, Captain. It is her most obvious gift, after all."

"My mutation," Jessie swallowed. "You want my phasing."

"You want her DNA?" Tony asked in surprise.

"Imagine an army with her mutation," Loki smirked. "Undefeatable."

"You won't get it," Natasha shook her head. "You can't even bring your army here. You don't have any means of arriving on Earth."

"Oh, I don't?" Loki gave a shit-eating grin. "Check again, Thor. I'll think you'll find the vaults are remarkably easy to break into."

Thor's eyes bugged open. "The Tesseract," he breathed.

"He stole it again?!" Clint did a double take.

"And it is ready to open the portal at any moment," Loki grinned, his blue eyes glinting with madness. "I will see you again, Avengers. And you, Lady Nightshade."

Steve's shield whistled through the air, but Loki was gone by the time it reached where the god had been standing. "Damn it!" Tony cursed.

"Let me guess, the Tesseract was as badly guarded as Loki was," Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Was that what opened the portal last time?" Saleen asked as they headed back for the Quinjet.

"Got it in one," Steve nodded as they boarded the ship. "Looks like we'd better prepare for an invasion sooner rather than later."

"About that," Bruce turned away from where he'd been monitoring the comms, ready to come in at a moment's notice. "Fury just sent a message. He says he's sent his best team to the Tower. They're waiting for us to get back."

"Why didn't he just ask?" Tony grumbled as he plopped down in his seat. "Fine. JARVIS, set a course for the Tower."

"Yes, sir," the AI answered.

Jessie sat down by Thor, the god putting his hand on her shoulder. "He will not take you, Jessie," he promised.

Jessie smiled thankfully at him, but something was bothering her about the other being she had just met . . . and she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

+++

"Do you approve of my new chambers?" Loki gestured around to his cell.

"At least you're contained," Jessie looked around. "You like to read?"

Loki frowned as he watched her. "It was always my favorite pastime."

"Hmm." She turned to him. "Why'd you do it?"

"Excuse me?"

"Manhattan. Twice. Why'd you do it? And don't give me the 'it's my birthright' crap. I heard that enough last time. Why did you really do it, Loki?"

Loki scowled at her. "Why do you ask me when you know you will receive the same answer?"

Jessie folded her arms. "Because there's something about you that isn't right, Loki. I thought it the first time I met you. What happened to you after you fell from the Bifrost?"

Loki's eyes narrowed. "I believe you should go."

Jessie raised an eyebrow, then turned. "Always such a pleasure speaking with you, Loki."

Loki tilted his head as he watched her leave. "The same to you, I believe, Lady Nightshade."

***

"Word reached me that you visited Loki," Thor said as he led Jessie through Asgard.

"I just needed to see that he was locked up," Jessie assured him as they reached a verandah overlooking the water leading to the falls. "He couldn't hurt me."

"That's good. Very good."

Jessie leaned on the railing, looking out. "When you came for me, you knew I was in trouble."

"Well, Heimdall had lost sight of you. You were no longer on Earth."

"How's that possible?"

"I believe you were in between worlds," Thor answered. "The Nine Realms travel within Yggdrasil, orbiting Midgard in much the way your planet orbits the Sun. Every five thousand years, the worlds align perfectly. We call this the Convergence." He took her hand and laid his over hers, showing her what he meant by moving their palms together, the best way he could think of explaining it to her. "During this time, the borders between worlds become blurred. It's possible you found one of these points. We are lucky that it remained open. Once the worlds pass out of alignment, the connection is lost."

"It sounds wonderful," Jessie said softly, and Thor smiled, gently kissing her knuckles. Even now, he could feel how uneasy she was with this unknown energy inside her, in a place she knew not. She needed all the support she could get, and that was what he would give her. He loved Jane, he truly did, but the girl he protected like his own sister needed him more than Jane did now. "What's going to happen to me?" Jessie asked finally.

"I'll find a way to save you, Jessie," he promised.

"Odin said there was - "

"My father doesn't know everything."

"Don't let him hear you say that," a voice from behind admonished playfully.

Jessie turned, eyes wide, to see Frigga looking upon them in slight amusement. "Jessie Nightshade, please meet Frigga," Thor introduced with a smile. "The Queen of Asgard, my mother."

Jessie smiled shyly and gave an awkward curtsey. "Your Highness."

Frigga smiled kindly at her. "So you are the newest Avenger my son was so fond of."

"Mother," Thor groaned.

Jessie blushed slightly. "He was very kind, Your Highness. I say with complete sincerity that he is one of the few people I feel absolutely safe with."

That made Thor beam, and Frigga smile. "You would do him well, Lady Nightshade."

Both of them blinked. "No, no, no, not us," Jessie shook her head fiercely.

"Never," Thor agreed.

"Definitely not us."

"No, we're not together."

"Never ever."

Frigga couldn't help but laugh.

***

Loki was absently flipping through another book when he heard a crash from one of the cells further down. Frowning, he stood and walked to the glass, watching. His eyes widened slightly when he saw a figure of nightmares break out of his cell and start to free the other prisoners. Kursed, he realized.

Algrim stopped in front of him and considered the Trickster, then walked away. Loki tapped on the glass and said, "You might want to take the stairs to the left."

Algrim considered, then took the alternate route.

***

Jessie looked up when she heard bells start to toll. "What's that?"

"The prisons," Frigga answered.

"Loki," Thor growled.

"Go," Frigga ordered, reaching for Jessie's wrist. "I will look after her."

Thor nodded, summoned his hammer, and flew off to join the battle.

***

"It's as if they resent being imprisoned!" Fandral remarked as he fought off some of the prisoners.

"There's no pleasing some creatures," Volstagg grunted.

Thor arrived with a thud, making everyone turn to him. "Return to your cells and no further harm will come to you," he announced. "You have my word." One prisoner punched him in the face, and Thor grimaced. "Very well, you don't have my word." Thor punched back, and the trio of heroes started fighting the prisoners back.

***

"Send a squadron to the weapons vault," Odin ordered as Frigga led Jessie through the halls of the palace. "Defend it at all costs. Seal the dungeon."

"Odin!" Frigga ran to him.

"Frigga," he embraced her before turning to the guards. "Go!" As they ran off, he turned back to her. "It's a skirmish. Nothing to fear."

"Liar," Jessie said bluntly. Odin raised an eyebrow at her, and she shrugged. "Sorry. Used to battle snark."

"But she is right," Frigga smiled at the Midgardian's courage. "You have never been a very good liar."

"Take her to your chambers," Odin advised, and Jessie's attention was caught by a dark-haired warrior walking past with the guards. With a start, Jessie realized it was Thor's friend Sif, and she gave what she hoped was a smile of encouragement to the warrior. Sif seemed to consider her for a moment before giving a small nod back before walking on. "I'll come for you when it's safe."

"You take care," Frigga told him.

Odin smirked. "Despite all I have survived, my queen still worries over me."

"It's only because I worry over you that you have survived," Frigga countered. Odin smiled, kissed her, then headed off to fight. Frigga led Jessie onwards, taking a sword from one of the guards. "Listen to me now," she said. "I need you to do everything I ask, and no questions."

"Copy that," Jessie responded, running to catch up with the Queen . . . not noticing a young brunette guard turn to watch after them, narrowing her eyes as she saw the staircase off to the side . . .

+++

"I need a drink," Clint muttered as they entered the penthouse level.

"Agreed," Tony nodded, only to stop in his tracks when he saw the five people surrounding the table. "Security breach!"

The Asian woman and dark-haired man looked up when they heard, only to freeze and quickly draw guns of some kind when they laid eyes on Jessie. She shrieked and hastily backed up into Thor, the god's arm going around her protectively. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Tony held up his hands, stepping in front of Jessie as well, Steve hurrying to run back in. "No aiming at the Avengers!"

"May?" Clint blinked in surprise. "Ward?"

"Barton," the woman, May, nodded, frowning. "Why are you protecting her?"

"Jessie?" Clint pointed over his shoulder to the mutant, who was peering around Tony to try and see the others. "She's an Avenger."

The dark-haired man frowned. "She's a wanted woman."

"Well, now she's unwanted. Please, put the guns down before Natasha takes it the wrong way or before her best friend ices you. Seriously, you don't want to know what happened to the last guy that seriously hurt Jessie."

"Guns down," another voice said firmly, and Jessie watched with interest as two things happened: the two agents lowered their guns, and the Avengers all went white-faced. "If they say they're not enemies, they're not."

"Getting the feeling we're missing something, sir," a woman with long brown hair and an English accent said nervously, seeing the Avengers.

"You son of a gun," Steve breathed as a man they hadn't seen before, in a suit and tie, walked out from behind the others.

"I'm confused," Saleen raised a hand. "Who's he?"

"Phil Coulson," the man introduced himself. "Agent of SHIELD."

"Nope," Tony deadpanned, turning on his heel and walking off. He was closely followed by Natasha and Clint, the two assassins completely stone-faced.

"And getting the feeling we're missing something," Jessie looked around. Steve was the next to leave, looking ready to punch something. Thor just squeezed her slightly before walking off as well, Bruce hovering slightly. "What exactly are we missing?"

"Um . . . " Bruce cleared his throat. "Loki killed him, back when he first tried to invade Earth."

. . . well, that was new.

***

Aaaaand introducing the SHIELD team in flashbacks, complete with Good!Ward, who due to this being completely AU before the whole HYDRA fiasco, is never HYDRA at all. Huzzah!

The invasion of Asgard is next! Bonus to whoever spotted the future character cameo in here. ;)