All previous disclaimers apply.

A/N: Very last chapter of Second Son. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. Mpreg birth is this chapter. I think there may be other stories to tell in this AU verse. Hodgepodge Family about the time Steve and Loki spend on Earth with Bucky and Peggy and their family and a sequel with a major enemy (Thanos.)

"Norns," Loki pants and rolls his head where it rests against the padded angle board that allows him to comfortably sit up rather than lying flat on his back, which is, apparently, not comfortable for childbirth. Not that there is anything comfortable about childbirth in his mind. He looks up at his mother with tears rolling down his face and can't and refused to be ashamed of them as his mother takes the hand he reaches for her, "Mother, I can't do this!" He lets loose a sob as another hard pain grips his middle.

"Yes you can, my love," Frigga sounds more certain than she feels as she takes a cool cloth from a servant and runs it over Loki's warmed, red face, trying to free it of sticky sweat and tears. She has never given birth herself, but she has assisted in the birth of each of her grandchildren. Perhaps it is because Loki is biologically male and it is only through magic that he was able to conceive and carry his child that this birth seems more difficult than any of Sif's. It may also be that Loki is fighting the birth, not as prepared as he thought he would be mentally. He's always known hypothetically he is capable of birth, but she knows he never actually thought he would, not until Steven. Or perhaps it is that Loki is birthing twins. Whether it is any of these reasons, all of them, or none the birth seems to be taking much too long. Her Loki is so exhausted, scared and in so much pain. While she loves Sif like a daughter, seeing the man she raised from infancy in such pain, the one she nursed to health, the one she held through nightmares, the one she has mourned with, laughed with, and loved all his life long cuts her like a physical blow. She doesn't say anything, but she turns to N'Daia and knows that there is panic in her eyes. N'Daia smiles gently, reassuringly, and sets one cool hand to her shoulder and the other to Loki's forehead. Loki follows the coolness of hand like a kitten seeking affection.

"You can do this, Loki Odinson," N'Daia says in a strong, certain voice, "This is the most difficult part of the birthing, my child, while you wait for the babe to be in the best position for the final push to birth. Breathe through it, love, and think of the prize at the end. Your children, Steven's children, in your arms."

"Steven," At his mate's name Loki's eyes clear and his voice is stronger than it has been for hours, "I need Steven. Now."

"Of course," She motions to the page standing at the door, a very young, very tall and gangly Jotun girl, the third daughter of a noble family sent to Asgard in goodwill for training in the healing arts. She is a bright, cheerful girl and smiles widely as she takes off as quickly as her long legs will carry her. Frigga hopes that Thor, Odin, and The Warriors Three have not plied Steven with too much mead, as if often the custom for men waiting to become fathers. It is not common on Asgard for a birthing mother to request the presence of her mate. In many ways Asgard is still archaic and birthing is one of them. It is often seen as woman's work and a man at his wife's bedside is not usual. But, nothing about Steven and Loki has ever been usual or common. She knows that the times Steven was born and raised in it was not common for Midgardian fathers to be in the birth room either, but Steven will never let that stop him from being at Loki's side at his request. She knows in her deepest heart that no matter what his state, silly with Asgardian liquor or not, Steven is devoted to Loki and their children and he will do whatever Loki requests without question or delay.

She is not disappointed. Just moments later Steven bursts into the room, ungracefully. Unusual for him, but he straightens his tunic after his abrupt entrance and makes his way to Loki without seeing anyone else in the room. He has been waiting, Frigga realizes with a small smile. He stayed away because it was expected, but the entire time he has been waiting to be called into the room. He wants to see his children born and he is happy that he has been invited in. She can see all of it written on his face. Loki brightens considerably when he sees his husband and sits up, reaching for him. Steven crosses the room in just a few long strides and takes the hand that Loki is holding out to him before leaning over to kiss Loki's forehead.

"How are you, sweetheart?" he asks quietly. Just Steven's presence has already calmed and steadied Loki. He doesn't cry out with the next contraction and instead breathes steadily through the pain that grips his abdomen and presses the back of Steven's hand to his forehead. Steven makes a sound of sympathy from the back of his throat and kneels next to the low bed, never taking his eyes off of his bonded mate. Loki leans back and pants as the contraction ends, never releasing Steven's hand.

"This is the most difficult part of the birthing as the babe moves into position," N'Daia repeats for Steven, "The pressure on his spine and hips is immense and greatly painful, but he cannot yet push for fear of harming the babe."

Steven strokes Loki's hair with the hand his bonded mate is not holding and smiles peacefully at him, "Well, then. Let's get some of that pressure off, huh?" He kisses Loki's forehead again and looks up, "Can someone please draw a warm bath? Not steaming, but not lukewarm. You remember Finn, sweetheart? Pepper and Tony's last?" He asks conversationally as he stands and casually strips himself down to his underthings, "Didn't have much choice but to help with the birth. You and Tony were off in Paris, I think, for one of those conferences that you guys used to like so much. He came faster than expected. Midwife couldn't get there because of a bad storm, you guys weren't going to get there on time. I was scared as hell, but in the end, it was so…calm. Pep had done it before, of course, but I just…I expected it to be like the movies. With the screaming and the cursing and bright light and…I don't know. But, it wasn't anything like that. Pepper had that birthing pool set up and after it was filled and warmed she got in and asked me to get in, too. We stayed in the water the entire time, me in there supporting her, breathing with her and even when Finn came he was calm, too. Something about going from a water environment into one, the midwife told me later. It was beautiful. Pep told me the bath can take a lot of pressure off, kind of let you float. You think it might help you?"

"Yes," Loki forces through gritted teeth, "Yes, please."

"Alright then."

Steven gently takes Loki into his arms and carries him into the bathing room where the large bath has been filled as he requested. The midwife and N'Daia support Loki as Steven gets into the bath and Frigga braids Loki's hair quickly to keep it out of his face. The moment they put Loki in the water and Steven helps him find a comfortable position, laying on his side with Steven supporting him the change in Loki is obvious. The despair in his eyes melts away and, while there are still lines of pain and discomfort on his face, they ease somewhat. Steven sets a big hand to Loki's belly and begins to hum gently and stroke the hardened flesh gently as the next contraction hits. Loki moans lowly, his eyes closing, and Steven only hums all the louder. The hum transforms into a melody and Loki's low moan begins to meld with it until they're humming together. When the contraction ends Loki pants, but Steven never stops humming. When the next contraction comes Loki's voice is strained, but he joins in the melody again.

"When the birthing is over, my queen, I would like to ask your permission to speak with your son's husband about this birthing technique. For a typical birth with no complications this is wonderful. Look at how much your son has calmed, how focused he is. It is beautiful."

"It is," Frigga agrees. She moves to the side of the bath, "Loki, my love, may I check you for readiness?"

Loki keeps his eyes closed, but nods, and she performs her examination as quickly and gently as possible before smiling at her son and his husband, "The first babe is ready, my lamb. You can push in the next pain."

"We can get you out of the bath, sweetheart, or you can stay in. Your choice. The babies won't try to breathe under the water."

Steven feels Loki's choice through their bond and nods to Frigga before helping Loki to turn onto his back, pulling up his knees and supporting them for Loki in the position in which he feels most comfortable. He doesn't even have it in him to be embarrassed by the position Frigga notes. There is no dignity, no modesty, in childbirth, she muses. Dignity in motherhood always, but none in the birthing. For all the time and effort it took to get to this point, all of Loki's pain and distress, it seems the Norns have decreed the last part of the birthing will be as conversely easy. Steven keeps up a steady stream of words of praise, love and encouragement, as Loki concentrates on pushing and within a quarter of an hour the first babe slips into the water. Just as Steven said, he doesn't try to breathe in the air until Frigga brings him above the water to lay him on Loki's chest. The midwife marvels at the serenity of both child and parents as the cord it cut and the afterbirth delivered. Steven and Loki simply gaze at the son, silently counting fingers and toes, unable to stop smiling when he gazes at them in return. There are tears on Steven's face as he kisses the downy head and then presses a kiss to Loki's upturned mouth. There is peace for exactly seven minutes before Loki draws his breath in sharply and nods at his mother. Frigga smiles as she takes the babe in arms and a warmed towel.

For the first time they hear the baby cry as he is taken from them to where another healer is waiting to record his birthing details. His voice is strong as he makes his displeasure known and Frigga coos at him softly as she helps the midwife clean the remaining birthing fluids from him, what little wasn't washed off in the water. Steven chuckles, then begins his litany of praise again as Loki begins to bear down to birth their second child. The second comes even easier than the first, simply slipping into the midwife's hands with the first push. She lays the babe on Loki's chest and completes her task with the second cord and afterbirth. Steven and Loki take the time with the second as they did with the first and hand him to N'Daia happily after they are satisfied. After the second babe is with the healer the midwife checks Loki over and heals the small damages the birthing caused. The relief on Loki's face is obvious when the spell takes away most of the pain and soreness. He is still exhausted, of course, only time will heal that and nearly falls asleep as Steven helps him wash his hair and body before drying them both and carrying Loki back to the bed, stripped and remade with clean linens. He sits behind his exhausted husband to support him just as Frigga and N'Daia bring the babies back into the room, swaddled, clean and settled. They lay the babes in Loki's pillow supported arms and sit on the bed to marvel at what the day has brought them with the new parents.

"They're perfect, my darlings," Frigga smiles at her youngest and his mate, "What are to be their names?"

"Buchannan," Loki says after a time, stroking a long finger down the bridge of one's nose. The babe, dark hair and golden complexion, reacts to the touch with a furrowed brow but does not awaken, "And Carter." The second babe, golden complexion like his father and brother, but lighter hair than the first, utters a cry at the touch and begins to root toward the finger when Loki touches it lightly to his mouth.

"Loki…I…really?" Steven asks, tears once again in his eyes.

"Yes," Loki's voice in certain and he smiles up at his husband.

"Thank you," Steven buries his head in Loki's shoulder, overcome for a moment, "Thank you so much. For this…for our children…for our lives. I love you so much."

"I love you, my darling," Loki responds.

Sensing the need of the family for some time to themselves Frigga stands. N'Daia stands with her and begins to shoo the healers and pages, assistants and apprentices out of the room.

"I am going to announce young Buchannan and Carter's births to the court," she leans over to kiss them both, "I'll make certain your father and brother are sober before I send them in to meet the newest additions to the family."

Loki and Steven laugh quietly as she sweeps from the room in the grand way only she can.

"I never thought I could be this happy," Loki sighs as he leans heavily against Steven's chest, "Or this tired."

"Then sleep, sweetheart," Steven kisses Loki's temple, "I've got you. I've got all of you."

Loki lets out a small, inelegant snore and Steve laughs before he settles back into the pillow, gently taking the babies one at a time out of Loki's arms and laying them in the sleeping basket that was settled on the bed for them when they came back to the room. He watches the sleeping babies for a time, then his sleeping husband and thinks that he never thought in all his life that he would ever get to be this happy. Yes, he has his family. His to protect and love. And that is just what he intends to do. Always.