"Are you sure about this?" Loki questioned as he watched Jane carefully circle him.
"Of course, I'm sure," Jane took one step after the other, always keeping her husband in her line of sight.
"You realize that I could kill you," He said as he looked at the counter top with a vast array of weapons before him.
"With a wooden spoon?" She snorted with laughter then paused suddenly, "Oh crap, you really could, couldn't you?"
"Under different circumstances," He looked at the display before him, "However, this one seems to be approaching that level."
"Don't tell me that the Master Sorcerer who learned thousands of spells can't follow a recipe for brownies," She tapped the recipe book as she placed it in front of him, turned to the recipe he would need, "Here you go."
"I could conjure them," He pointed out, "Or I could even teleport them from your favorite bakery."
"Not the same," She pointed to the book, "Get started."
"Why did I agree to this?" He asked as he looked to her in equal parts confusion and disgust.
"Because I have been really crabby lately, and you said you would do anything to cheer me up. This is that any thing."
Jane knew what Loki didn't know. Not yet. Wouldn't for a while if he didn't start the recipe.
Loki placed the wooden spoon she had given him earlier on the kitchen counter and flattened his palms beside it, "I did not think your anything would be domestic in nature."
She looked at him in surprise.
"I was hoping you would require some romance. That I can do rather easily."
She nodded in agreement, "But this is what I really want."
Loki sighed as he looked to the recipe book. He read the ingredients and began conjuring them to the countertop.
Jane shrieked as she ran around the counter and pushed him back, "No. Get rid of all of that!"
He looked at her in shock, "Suddenly frightened by magic, are we?"
"No!" She stomped her foot on the floor, "You have to do this the human way."
"I am not human."
Jane's mouth fought the urge of her brain to spout off something like 'Really? No kidding.' Instead, she calmed the urge before speaking, "I am, and I really need you to do this the old fashioned human way."
Loki noted the resolve in her eyes and spoke gently, "Okay, if that's what you need, I will do it however you'd like."
"Thank you," Jane pointed behind her at the counter, "Get rid of it."
"As My Lady wishes," He vanished the materials with the flick of his wrist.
She walked back to her barstool and watched as he reread the recipe. He moved to a cupboard and found her favorite mixing bowl. He removed it from the cabinet and glanced inside. He looked back to her, "What are you about?"
She shrugged, "I don't know what you mean."
"There's a piece of paper with the word 'You' in the bottom of this bowl."
"Really? That's weird," She shrugged again as she looked away, afraid he would see right through her. Which she knew, he most likely already had.
"Right," Loki drawled as he moved back to the counter.
"I don't know what you're going on about," She said, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.
He eyed her with a smile. So she wanted him to work toward some goal. He would allow her this. He moved to another cupboard for measuring cups and found another note, "Are going"
"Where am I going?" Loki asked he turned back to her.
"Wherever you like I suppose. You are free, you know," Jane straightened her features and looked up to face him.
He caught the glint of mischief and merriment within the sparkle of her eyes and couldn't help the grin, "You're enjoying stringing me along, aren't you?"
She tapped her chin as if in concentration before answering, "Yes."
He shook his head with a soft laugh as he opened a drawer with kitchen tools inside. A note sat atop the measuring spoons that read "To be."
"What am I going to be? Shocked? Surprised? Elated?" Loki closed the drawer, "Hopefully not angry."
"Not angry," She replied as she waited for him to find the last note she had left him on top of the recipe book.
Loki moved back to the counter and spotted the slip of paper. "A Father."
Jane watched as he thought about every word and blinked as if he wasn't sure he was putting the words together correctly.
He stopped after a few seconds and looked to Jane, "This is not a prank?"
She shook her head with a smile, "No prank."
"Are...when...how..."
"To answer what I think you mean by all that jumbled stream of thought," Jane almost laughed that this man could be rendered speechless, "I am sure. I saw my SHIELD doctor and the Asgardian healers. When? I found out about a week ago, and I couldn't quite figure out how to tell you, and then you mentioned that I needed a vacation or rest. Then I decided to do this. As to the how, honey," She chuckled, "If you don't remember, I could show you."
Loki swiftly made his way around the counter and kissed Jane in the sweetest possessive kiss she had ever experienced. When their lips parted, he held her face in his hands, "I can't...I mean..." He struggled with his words for a moment before simply admitting to the fact with a smile, "There are not adequate words for what I am feeling right now."
"Come up with some," Her smile met his.
"Blessed beyond measure."
"You better believe it," Jane wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly. What she didn't tell him and what she would figure out how to surprise him with later, they were expecting two additions to their world instead of only one.