Among the Asgardians: The Goddess of Love

Apollyon

"The Tesseract?" I asked. "What's that?"

"It's an enigma," Selvig replied. "It gives off the aura of good, but it's an evil creation. It will trick you into thinking it will help you, but it takes your thoughts and manipulates them until you do things you would never do under any circumstances."

"Including wiping my memory and sending me to Earth," I replied.

"Exactly. Or destroying an entire planet. From what you said of Loki earlier, he sounds like he used to be a good man."

"He was," I replied. "The best. In the last memory he showed me, I was pregnant. He was willing to do everything in his power to keep me and the babies safe."

"Babies?" Selvig asked.

"Bruce thinks I was pregnant with twins."

"And you don't know what became of them?"

"Not a clue," I admitted, sighing in frustration. "It's been killing me ever since I found out I had them. Bruce thinks I hemorrhaged. Apparently, I have a huge scar on my uterus."

"That sounds painful," he replied. "Are you sure you don't remember it?"

"Kathryn!" called Tony from the door.

"Yes, dad?" I asked. I had taken to calling Tony "Dad." He was the only thing I'd ever known that even remotely resembled a father. And he was old enough to be. He even acted like a father. After my death, he had taken to treating me like a daughter, and though I was no longer a minor at 23, he had taken steps to becoming my legal father. Fury was helping him with the final stages of paperwork. In a matter of days, I would no longer be Kathryn Coulson. I would be Kathryn Stark. The prospect made me both happy and sad.

"I got dinner reservations for us tonight at a place in New York. I invited the entire team, as well as Jane. You're welcome to come too, Dr. Selvig."

"Thanks, Stark. It would be my pleasure."

"You're welcome," Tony grinned. "Kathryn, can you come with me? I have something I need to talk to you about."

"Of course, dad." I replied, getting up and leaving the room. Selvig and I had been talking in a small living area off he command center of the helicarrier. Now, Tony pulled me out and we walked down the hall. Once we were out of Dr. Selvig's earshot, he turned to me and smiled, pulling something out of his pocket. Something in a small, black, suede box.

"It's an engagement ring," he replied. "For Pepper."

I squealed with excitement. "That's great!"

"I'm glad you think so," Tony sighed. "I can't be happier. I have a daughter now, and I'm going to be married. I finally feel like a normal person again, not just Tony Stark the genius billionaire from California."

"I'm so glad, Tony," I smiled. "Really, I am. This is so different from the Tony I met in Stark Tower that day. What changed?"

"I thought I'd lost you," he admitted. "And in that moment, all I could think about was the thoughts I had in the past that I shouldn't, and how I could never tell you how sorry I was. I fell in love with you," he replied. "Not in the romantic sense, but I love your sunny attitude. Thor told me everything before he left, and I know how much you've been through. I decided it was time for change. And I am. I'm marrying Pepper. It was something I should have done a long time ago."

"Well I won't say anything, dad. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Kathryn," he smiled. "Now get dressed. We need to leave."

"Deal," I replied, giving him a hug.

I made my way back to my room, but on the way I began to feel dizzy. I had barely opened the door before I collapsed on my bed and blacked out. There was a bright flash of light.