This Time Around (Sequel to All Over Again)

Chapter Sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Loki made his way toward the Throne Room, rubbing the back of his neck. It felt odd, being in Asgard without McKenna and he wondered if she felt that same sense of weirdness when he left the realm. And without Selig running about, the hallways seemed eerily quiet.

He didn't like being there without either one of them.

Odin was in the Throne Room, atop his golden throne, and as Loki drew nearer, he couldn't help but notice the Allfather looked even more exhausted than usual. "You wished to see me, Allfather?"

Odin nodded. "There is something I need discuss with you. Now that Thor has returned to Midgard, the responsibility of the throne falls to you."

"I understand."

"The time has come when I need to step down for now. Which means, the throne of Asgard becomes yours."

"The Odinsleep?"

Odin nodded wearily. "I've put it off far longer than I should have. Therefore, as of now, Asgard is in your hands, Loki."

With that, Odin pressed his staff into Loki's hand and rose from the throne. Loki swallowed hard, the weights of responsibility and power pressing down upon his shoulders. "Of course."

"Do not make me regret placing such faith in you."

"I won't, Allfather. Not this time."

"I know." With a heavy sigh, Odin made his way down the steps and out of the throne room, leaving Loki standing atop the dais, looking first from Odin to the scepter, and back to Odin. With a low sigh, Loki sank into the throne and as he did, he remembered what happened the last time he ascended the throne. It began similar to this, only with Frigga reminding him that he was the rightful heir when Odin fell into an unexpected Odinsleep.

It ended with his toppling from Asgard into the abyss of space.

And that began the odyssey that led him from the Other and an uneasy alliance with the Chitauri to the Battle of New York, from the dungeons of Asgard to the black lava fields of Svartalfheim, to the floor of an apartment in Brunswick, New Jersey, where he met a beautiful, kindhearted Midgardian woman who quickly stole his heart.

The odyssey that ended with that same beautiful, kindhearted Midgardian becoming his wife and beginning a new life with her and their son.

He smiled, sinking back into the throne, his legs spread as he stretched out and got comfortable. This was only temporary, as long as Odin remained in the Odinsleep, but that didn't matter. Loki was no longer interested in ruling over everything. Instead, he wanted only to keep the peace between the realms, and hopefully be as wise a ruler as his father. Now he had three very good reasons for wanting these things instead of absolute power. Odin was right. It was Loki's responsibility as a father to provide his children with a realm worth growing up in, and that was far more important than ruling just to rule.

***

McKenna rubbed one eye as she steered her Honda into the driveway and eased it into the garage bay. It was almost three and she was ready to gather Selig up and head back to Asgard. Her errands had taken her a little longer than she'd thought they would, especially when she went to the preschool to clear out Selig's things.

She walked over to the Bakers and rang the doorbell and when Ellen opened the door, her frown immediately gave McKenna pause. "McKenna? Why're you here?"

"What do you mean? I'm here to pick Selig up."

"But his uncle already got him."

McKenna's belly did a slow, painful rollover and her mouth went dry. "What?"