Choices

Chapter 114
Cephera had waited until breakfast to tell anyone she was in labour. It had only been an hour and had she felt like she was in dire need, she would have woken them.
She did, however, wake Suvia who sat with her in her bedroom keeping an eye on her and asking her how she felt. Without her sister for support, Cephera needed someone.
She could have woken her father, but he would have woken the whole tower. Pepper was also off limits as she shared a bed with Tony.
"Okay, let's get her to the hospital." Tony announced rubbing his hands together almost nervously after Cephera broke the news.
"That won't be necessary," Cephera turned to the all too familiar voice. Had she not been feeling quicker contractions, she might have thrown herself into the arms of her mother-in-law. Cephera had hoped Heimdall would tell the the queen of her state.
She had seen Frigga for only a brief moment in her quest to talk to Amora, and Frigga told her she'd be here when the time came for the baby.
Frigga was as breathtaking as ever. She was smiling and when she came to Cephera she embraced her first before anything else was said. "Let's get you upstairs," Frigga told her.
"Upstairs?" Tony looked appalled.
"Have no worries, Mr. Stark. I'll take care of her needs." Frigga reassured him.
"Come with me," Cephera reached for Suvia. "My sister won't be here," she added.
Frigga looked Suvia over and a thoughtful look crossed her face. Cephera wondered if the queen recognized her. Frigga was always very keen to remembering faces.
If she recognized Suvia as Sigyn, Frigga didn't say so. Suvia took Cephera's hand and followed them upstairs.
XxX
9 and a half hours of labour, Cephera was more than happy when the child finally was within reach and Frigga pulled the baby free.
She felt like she could collapse into a deep slumber, but the excitement kept her eyes fastened to Frigga. She couldn't see her baby.
"You have a healthy baby boy," Frigga said, "and perhaps, when you are well rested, we can have a long talk, just the three of us." Cephera thought it was an odd time for Frigga to bring it up until she was handed her baby.
She was so used to Loki being in Asgardian form that she'd forgotten that his true blood heritage was Jotun. As Mechanovian children took after the none Mechanovian bloodline in looks, the child was completely blue with raised marking along his tiny body. The only thing that was off were his Violet eyes. It was the only thing from Cephera's mother that took precedence over any other genetic, oddly enough.
"Until then," Frigga touched the boy and the blue washed from his skin, the lines disappeared and wisps of black hair crowned his head. "While on Midgard it's best to keep him this way."
"I will explain while she rests." Suvia offered, knowing there was no avoiding it. Not with Frigga.
Frigga nodded. Suvia took the boy to be cleaned up while Frigga set out to relieve Cephera of her afterbirth. A process that turned out to be just as uncomfortable as having the baby.
XxX
"I've named him, Ikol." Cephera announced to the small group of people who had finally been given permission to see her.
"Big baby," Tony said watching from furthest away.
"10 pounds, 4 ounces." Cephera replied. His size a fair bit of the reason birthing him naturally had been so difficult.
"Doesn't look anything like you, well aside from the eyes." Tony added. It was true. He had more of his father than her, at least she thought so.
"It would seem the man who did this was at least Asgardian. Maybe now we'll find him and he and I can have a few words." Her father flexed his hand. He'd been glad she was going to have a baby, but not happy about the how. She wondered how he'd take it once he found out it was Loki, just not her Loki.
If Ikol did look like his father and they were on Midgard long enough for him to significantly grow, it was only a matter of time before others noticed the resemblance aside from Suvia and Frigga. Tony had enough sense to know the baby took after the father, but not enough to realize it was still Loki.
"Can I hold him?" Pepper asked. She'd been swooning over the child since she'd entered the room.
Cephera handed the baby upward into Pepper's arms. Cephera glanced at Tony in the process and expected him to he look frightened. It often happened that when a woman was around someone with a baby, her 'biological clock' started to yearn for her own.
However, Tony didn't look afraid, he looked curious. He still hadn't come any closer, maybe he wasn't good with babies, but he didn't seem unhappy to see Pepper holding a child.
Cephera always wondered if a man like Tony Stark would want children. He was often self-centered and childish. It was hard to picture him wanting to take on that responsibility.
(Pepper)
"It's going to be so strange having a child in the house," Pepper mused as she slipped her legs under the blankets.
"Yeah," Tony replied. She didn't expect much else. "We should have one," he added and Pepper coughed on her on intake of air.
"One what?" She asked wondering if he'd changed the topic in his head, like he sometimes did.
"A kid." He answered.
"Are you running a fever?" Pepper gave him a funny look. Was this her Tony talking?
"Come on Pep. I did great with Harley, I'm his role model." Tony looked smug and proud.
"Harley, the kid you abandoned on the side of the street in the cold while you drove away in a car." Pepper touched her elbow to her knee and leaned forward.
"Did he tell you that? That's little tattle tail, he won't be getting a birthday gift this year." Tony huffed. "To my credit I was saving the world..., again." Tony added.
"You, were saving it?" Pepper raised an eyebrow.
"Well, Harley helped a little, and Rhodey." Tony scratched his head. "Pep, I'm serious." Pepper watched Tony's face turn serious. "I'm not perfect, we both know that. But with you there to keep me on track I think we could do this. We've been together for nearly 10 years...,"
"It's only been four Tony." Pepper corrected.
"I'm counting from the day I hired you." Tony waved her interruption off. "I'm appalled you don't do the same."
Pepper rolled her eyes. Typical Tony.
"I've been thinking that I'm not getting any younger, despite my intact dashing good looks. I fight evil and let's face it, that has a chance to shorten my lifespan. It would be in the best interest of the company and my fincials that I have a kid to inhert it all."
Pepper considered his words. She'd thought of what would happen to all Tony's wealth if he should die. She didn't need it by any means, but it was a family business that she just happened to be currently running. Tony was the last living Stark and even though he didn't have the greatest relationship with his father, it sounded as though it was important to him to continue that family line.
Pepper might not fight crime, but she couldn't stay young forever and oversee everything.
"You're right," she said after a moment of contemplation. She'd always wanted children, but she'd never brought it up. She thought it would be best to wait. It was a complete surprise to her that he offered first. "Let's do this," she gave him a look that said start now, or never.
Tony might turn out to be a great father, but he could turn out to leave everything on her shoulders, just like his business. If she could help it, she'd make sure he always took part in his kids life. She didn't want her kid to have the life Tony had with his dad.
(Suvia)
Inside she wept.
Suvia was happy for Cephera and her healthy baby boy, but the pain of her own loses had come creeping up.
Even though her children were long gone, it didn't make the pain any less hard to live with. She always wondered if Loki had been around, if he'd cared at all, would her children still be alive?
Narvi, Vali.
They'd reached their age on manhood only two month before their tragic, freak accident. An accident she was sure wasn't 'freak' at all. Loki had many enemies, and it often passed her thoughts that they'd been killed.
No matter what had happened to them, she mourned them alone. Loki had not comforted her. She was lucky he'd shown up at all for their burial out to the void. Not one word was spoken between them, he came and left.
She convinced herself that his way of grieving differed from hers, but after everything he'd done since then, she could only think he did not grieve at all. That he didn't care at all.
She would have liked to have more children, but Loki was not willing to comply. He treated her as if she were some bug he needed to shoo away. Some punishment set on him.
Why had it taken her so long to see the truth of his ways? How could she have been so naive to think he'd change? Why couldn't he have been like Cephera's Loki?
Though the two Loki's seemed to share the same temperamental nature, at least the younger one seemed able to love and cherish what he had.
"It's been a long day," Frigga said stepping up to sit next to Suvia on the leather couch. She had an understanding soft look on her face and Suvia smiled.
Frigga had always been kind to her back home.
"But a good day," Suvia replied.
"It must be difficult for you, being here around Cephera." Frigga didn't have to say why, Suvia knew and it didn't surprise her that Frigga knew the pains Suvia was feeling.
While everyone had been visiting Cephera, Suvia took the queen aside to explain what was happening.
"I'm glad I'm here. Being on my own might have been harder. I have support here. Friends even." She broadened her smiled.
"I'm sure you feel that way, but it's understandable to feel sad, or maybe even angry. Cephera told me what she could of your personal situation, and I feel for you. I'm ashamed that my son treated you so unkindly."
Suvia was surprised she referred to old Loki as her son. Cephera refused to see the two men as the same person and, well, so did Suvia.
"We cannot change the past." Suvia replied, not knowing what else to say. "But if I can help it, I will shape the future to this world, for the better of course."
"And I have all the confidence in the world of that." Frigga never ceased her soft expression and it brought Suvia comfort. "If there is anything I may do to help you. Anything at all, let me know. I am always here to listen."
"Thank you," Suvia said, a ripple of appreciation gliding over her heart. "When do you head back to Asgard?"
"I will stay for this first week, but after that I must return to my duties at my husbands side." Frigga relaxed against the couch and together they talked about other, less dreary things.

Notes