Loki wasn't sure what the Avengers expected, but he calmly picked Tony up and stood.
"Not just yet. We have a few more things to speak of, you may play while we do so."

"Yay! Can you come too?" He asked excited

Loki smirked and created a clone. "Of course I can."

Tony let out a cry of excitement and wonder and listened as Loki explained that he couldn't actually touch the clone. The two were all smiles as they walked back through the halls toward what used to be Stark's personal lab. He could see everything the clone saw, hear everything it heard, know everything it knew. He would know if something happened and be able to come if he needed to. It would also respond as Loki would, laugh and smile as he would. It was a perfect playmate, fun and safe.

He turned back to the living room and they were staring at him, lost. The woman, Pepper, looked broken yet resigned. They all looked confused, but that wasn't Loki's problem. He walked back into the room and stood next to Thor. He waited a moment for the reality of what had just been done to sink in, then finally the captain looked at him, his blue eyes hard.

"You said we would be allowed to see him, Bruce and I. Can I ask how often and when?" He asked, business like

"You will have to come to Asgard until he is older. You will come for important events and things of that nature. You may wish to come just to visit. Imagine that you are family and act accordingly." Loki replied waving a hand nonchalantly.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the captain nod and his jaw work. Overwhelmed with his own feelings on the matter and with his feelings of sympathy for his friends. He and Banner looked at one another. They understood one another. They were the only people in their world that could understand how the other felt because they were the only ones of their kind that outlived their welcome. Perhaps this would be a great escape for them. In Asgard they would seem normal young men. They might find some reprieve from the constant reminder that they are different form their peers.

Loki snorted. It was Stark's fault that he had begun to think like this, the sentimental fool.

"Thor said Odin won't like mortal's coming to visit." Banner said softly

"Indeed, but you are not mortals, not really. And you have Thor's favor and my own behind you. Stark had less than that on his visit to Asgard." Loki scoffed

"Father needed him to fix the Bifrost." Thor corrected, but Loki waved him off.

"He will suffer me this, as I think I have already said. It was his idea, after all, to offer them some place in the boy's life. Now on to more pressing matters, Thor.

Thor nodded and turned to his friends. "There is to be a feast in Tony Stark's honor celebrating his life and death and life anew. The Allfather had extended his invitation to Stark's friends and family for the occasion." He paused as if he just realized this would be awkward. "If you feel you would not like to come that is alright. We would understand of course." He finished lamely.

Loki resisted the temptation to roll his eyes and instead checked in on Tony. Through the eyes of his clone he saw that Tony was doing well. The boy was leading his clone around the room explaining all the different pieces of equipment. That was interesting. Apparently Tony didn't lose his knowledge of Midgardian devices when Loki sealed his memories. His mind involuntarily went to the legend of The Wind of Change and how it collected knowledge. He shook the thought away. Surely not…

"I think I would like to come." The captain said softly. "I want to… stay in Tony's life, or um new life? One less person to lose, I guess is how I feel." Thor smiled and placed a hand on the other man's shoulder in understanding.

"I want to go too." Banner smiled almost sadly. "I kinda feel the same way as Steve. It's been hard realizing that I'm not getting older and everyone else is." Steve smiled sadly at him.

Loki knew that Banner and Tony had been very close. Science Bros is what Tony had called their relationship. It was an apt description, in Loki and Thor's opinion and as brothers who were not quite brothers they were the best to judge. According to Tony during his time on Asgard, he and Banner were nigh inseparable. They would spend long hours locked in Tony's lab designing, discovering, playing. It was a friendship against all odds considering Tony explosive personality and Banner's need for calm and control, but then opposites attract do they not? Loki had learned not to question fate.

"I… I don't think we will be going." The lady Pepper said. Loki looked at her and she was by the window, staring out over the city. Her hands were clasped against her chest and she had a mournful, yet determined look on her face. "I think it would be better to just… let go."

"Mom!" Gabriel cried, but she shushed him.

"Your father is gone. It will only be painful to act like he isn't. It might even be painful to him. We said our goodbyes and I will always love him, but he has to more one as do we. We shouldn't go." She went quiet staring again out the window. The children looked at each other sadly. Veronica gently rubbed Gabriel's shoulder and Michael sighed. They looked sad and defeated.

Loki secretly agreed with this decision, but he wisely kept it to himself. It would not be met well, he was sure, but he agreed with the Lady Pepper. A clean break, while painful at first for the mortals, would less of a painful complicated mess for Tony later. That of the utmost importance as far as Loki was concerned.

"We won't be going either." Clint said suddenly. "We wanna wish the kid the best, but Nat and I are thinking a clean break would be better for the kid. You know, in the long run." Clint and Natasha shared a look that was unreadable before turning back to Thor. Loki saw him deflate slightly beside him while Steve and banner just nodded their understanding.

They were taking all taking this very well in Loki's opinion, but then again they were Avengers. They had lived lives overflowing with odd occurrences and things of the like. After everything that had happened over the years something like this wasn't so shocking anymore.

Just then, through his clone's eyes, Loki watched as Tony managed to light a blow torch. Loki spun on his heel and Thor called after him.

"There is a dire situation involving a small child and a blow torch that requires my attention." Loki called over his shoulder. He thought he heard Hawkeye chuckle and wonder aloud how Tony even managed to reach it.

His clone was in the middle of scolding the boy. Tony had luckily dropped the item causing DumE to extinguish the flames. You and Butterfingers where crowding around Tony as the clone stood with its hands on its hips, still scolding.

"What did I tell you? I told you it was too heavy and too dangerous to be using without supervision. Was I right? Of course. You disobeyed me simply because you knew I am not corporeal. Such a disobedient little thing you are. When I get here you will be in trouble, Little One, you hear me? Oh! Don't touch that!" The clone's tirade was cut off as Tony, completely ignoring the poor clone as well as the twittering bots, went to grab a small lazier saw.

"But I can carry this one, Daddy! Look, see?" His little hand closed around the saw just as the real Loki came running into the room. Tony turned and smiled at him waving the device above it head. "Daddy!"

Loki snatched the lazier saw from the boy and gave him an on edge smile. He set the saw on the table at Tony beamed up at him and the clone crossed its arms. "Tony, darling little one of mine, what were you doing?" He asked sweetly

He was angry and it was fear of scaring the child that kept him from erupting. He could have set himself on fire! Did the child even think? He wanted to give the child a proper tongue lashing, but he couldn't. It wouldn't be productive to scream at child not yet old enough to be in the school room and besides that Tony might react badly. He suddenly imagined Tony cowering from him and he nearly recoiled physically. No, he really must handle this and all such instances properly.

Tony seemed to sense something was wrong. His smiled wilted and he looked between Loki and his hands several times. "I-I-I wanted to show you cause I-I-I can build things with these and I wanted you to see." He was stuttering over his words again.

"It would have been quite the show I'm sure, but what did I say when you offered to attempt this feat?" Loki continued to act casual. He leaned back against one of the work tables.

"W-well you said no, bu-bu-but I know how it works!" He shifted nervously from foot to foot and his soft brown eyes showed anxiety and bit of moisture.

"But I said no." Loki replied evenly

The boy's anxiety level was rising quickly and Loki knew in but a moment the child would be in tears. As if on cue tears began trailing down as Tony's face collapsed. He didn't wail or shriek as Loki was expecting. He simply gasped softly and rubbed at his eyes. Loki bent down on his knees until they were at eye level.

"Tony, why do you think I said no?" He asked softly as he ran a hand through his child's hair.

"Cause-cause I don't know how, but I do know how! And I could have showed you, but it w-w-was heavier than I thought. I wanted you to see that I know how!" He cried

"No, child, you are incorrect." Loki replied. He pulled Tony's chin up and looked him in the eye. "I told you no because I knew it would be heavy and that you might be hurt should it fall. It could have started a fire, would have if not for the bots. That, Little One, is why I said no."

Tony blinked at him. "Oh." And Loki felt a tug at his heart because the boy's hands were fisting in his little tunic and he shuffled nervously and his eyes were wet and too soft and this wasn't just any child this was his child. And he was Stark. "But you're mad at me now cause I was bad." Tony sniffled miserably

Loki caught the boy up in his arms and was relieved when Tony's little arms wrapped around his neck. "Being angry and being concerned can look and sound very much alike." Loki explained as he stood and Tony curled against him. "But you should always know that if you are hurt or could become hurt and I seem cross, then I am concerned. You are my child and you are most precious to me."

He felt Tony's wet little face press against his throat and he suddenly realized he was swaying from side to side as if rocking a babe. He stopped and Tony sniffled against him, his little body tensing. Loki sighed lightly and gave up. He swayed again and Tony quieted. Loki felt foolish, like a nurse maid watching after an infant still on the tit. He refused to think of the times his own mother had done the same act for him when he was little and upset. But Tony's face was soon dry and he seemed much comforted when he pulled back from Loki's chest plate. Perhaps swaying like a nurse maid wasn't so bad if Tony always smiled up at him with sparkly brown eyes, whispered apologies, and gave kisses afterwards. Loki ran a hand fondly through Tony's hair. That hadn't gone as terribly as he feared.

"Now then, a punishment." Loki drawled after a moment and he nearly laughed when he saw Tony's eyes widen.

"What? But you said you weren't mad!" He whined

Loki smiled and kissed the tip of Tony's nose. "Indeed, but we must always deal with the consequences of our actions." Tony blinked confusedly up at him and his little hands fisted in the fabric of Loki's cape as he made a show of thinking about a punishment. He already knew what he would do, of course. He would make the boy stay by his side for the rest of the night even through the feast. Clearly the child of the god of mischief was too mischievous to be left to his own devices. Loki chuckled at his own joke and turned back to Tony. "I believe you shall lose your freeplay privileges. You will be by my side now till you sent to bed. Is that clear, Tony?"

"But that's no fun!" Tony whined, but Loki looked decidedly unimpressed. Tony grumbled and squirmed, but Loki held fast in both mind and body until Tony pouted, unhappy but defeated. He mumbled something unintelligible.

"I'm sorry?"

"Ok."

"Ok what, Tony?" Loki tried not to smile

"Ok Daddy."

Loki couldn't help but grin. "Ok Daddy, what?"

Tony was well and truly exasperated now and he huffed loudly. "Ok Daddy I will stay beside you."

Loki nodded finally satisfied. He turned and came face to face with himself. He raised an amused eyebrow at his other self before walking through him and dismissing him with a wave. He climbed the stairs back up to the common room. Everyone seemed to have been waiting for them. He took his place next to Thor again who was all smiles as Tony made eye contact with him.

"Hello nephew!" He boomed

"Hello uncle! I got in trouble for playing with the blow torch and the lazier saw." He put on a pouty face and made a show of how upset he was by the whole ordeal.

Thor chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Indeed? Well let the lesson be learned and touch not what you have been asked to let lie." Thor clearly had no doubt that Loki had no only left a clone of himself behind to watch the boy, but that said clone had warned Tony away from dangerous objects.

Tony pouted disappointedly when he saw he was getting no sympathy from his boisterous uncle. Loki ignored him. "Have we decided what needs doing brother?"

"Indeed. All of our friends will give a final farewell and blessings, then we shall take Bruce and Steven to Asgard with us for the feast."

Loki nodded and Tony bounced in his arms, suddenly excited. "Oh oh Steve and Bruce are coming home with us? Are they gonna eat with us too? How long can they stay, cause I want to play with them cause I think I like them cause Steve helped get me back from the red man who was bad and he is friends with Bruce so he must be good too and we should all be friends."

"And I thought you were talkative before." Loki drawled. "Indeed they will be eating at the feast and staying with us this night, though I cannot speak for them on how long they are free to stay. I can only say they will be back again to visit. And yes, you should all be friends." Loki added the last bit as an after thought.

Tony grinned and turned to Banner and Rogers. "You gonna stay for a while?" He smiled

Banner shot a glance at the captain before smiling at Tony. "At least one night, champ. If everything is still going well maybe another, but there's gonna be a lot of work for us to do here on Midgard so we can't be gone for long."

Loki knew his meaning. There would be a funeral to hold for Tony Stark. S.H.I.E.L.D would need to either create a body to bury and view, produce some reason to have a closed casket, or concoct story involving some way of death that destroyed Stark's body. Being the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rogers would need to oversee the work being done and as members of the original Avengers team they would both need to be in attendance of the funeral.

"When do we need to get moving?" Rogers asked

"Now." Thor replied. "You should all say your goodbyes." He stepped back and Loki transferred Tony from his arms to the floor still holding his hand.

The Black Widow and the Hawk were the first to walk up and kneel in front of Tony. The woman spoke first.

"Good luck out there little guy. You have a bright future ahead of you, enjoy it. Make the most of it, alright?" She ran a hand through his hair and he smiled back at her.

"Hey kiddo. Geez, I never thought I would be sending you off like this. I had a whole speech ready and you ruined it. Don't worry about it though. Just promise me you'll enjoy your childhood and don't feel bad about giving Loki a run for his money on this whole raising kids thing. He's earned your brand of crazy." His eyes looked a touch misty as he patted Tony's shoulder. "You be happy alright?"

"Alright." Tony smiled

They pulled him into a hug between them and Loki for the first time wondered if they ever had children of their own. They would have been good at it.

They smiled and stepped back leaving room for the Stark children to come and say goodbye again. The louder boy, who reminded Loki of Tony the most aside from the girl, spoke first.

"Alright little man. You are made of pure awesome and win and amazing. You are going to have a great life full of great things and great achievements and great adventures. I could go on, but we'd be here for a while. The point is you are going to have a good one so there is no point in wishing you happiness cause I know you are going to have it… But I am going to wish it for you anyways." Tony laughed a little and so did Gabriel. He pulled his once father into a swift hug. The girl moved in next.

"I agree with everything that Gab said. Just remember to enjoy it this time around ok? And know that it's ok to make mistakes and things like that cause your daddy and family will love you anyway." She kissed his cheek and hugged him close. "You are really well loved, you just remember that."

The last boy reminded Loki of Pepper. He smiled down at Tony. "I have nothing to say now cause the other two said everything like always. I love you dad, or um, Tony. And I know they love you too. Just go have a good life. Have fun, do crazy things, enjoy your family and all the other things kids do. Throw fits, ask to keep weird pets, feed your veggies to said weird pet, break a few lamps. When you get older, invent new things, explore unexplored places, change the world and just, ya know, be you." He also hugged his father and kissed the top of his head. "Go get 'em."

Last, but not least was Pepper. She came and knelt next to the boy before pulling him into her lap and holding him. "You will always be the man I called my husband and I will always miss you." She whispered stroking his hair. "But you have a whole life ahead of you and I know you will be amazing. You will be a whirl wind of a child. You will be the outstanding exceptional youth. You will be the very definition of brilliance as a man. You will be the thing to aspire to when you grow old." She laughed desperately. "You will be nothing but mischief the whole of it I am sure. I wish you all the best Tony." She set him down and smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

She stood and moved back as Loki lifted him up into his arms again. Tony leaned close. "They are so sad, Daddy. Why?"

"They were saying goodbye to the other you. Would you want to say goodbye to me?" He had asked a similar question before, but it was good to reiterate, or so he imagined.

"Yes… That's sad." He whispered. Their eyes met and Loki nodded.

"Thank you for your well wishes my friends. Rest assured he is in good hands. Now," He smiled at Rogers and Banner. "To Asgard."

The team waved to them as they left and even shouted a few good traveling tips that Tony found funny but were entirely pointless as they would be traveling by Bifrost. Thor led the way up the stairs followed closely by Loki, Banner, and Rogers in the rear. Once on the roof it became apparent that Thor's good humor was back. His smile was radiant as he and the others stood in a circle.

"You will enjoy the celebrations." He grinned. "Tony Stark himself said you have never really been to party until you have been to one on Asgard."

Everyone smiled at that, even Loki, for it did sound so much like Stark. Thor's booming laugh finally died down and he called for Heimdall to open the Bifrost. In a brilliant flash of light they were gone, on their way to Asgard and a celebration that was somewhere between a wake and a funeral.

It was both sad and happy in different ways for everyone. There was storytelling, ballad making, and enough hideous singing to last them all a good long while. Thor dragged his shield brothers into the telling of many of the stories of knowledge and bravery in honor of Tony Stark. The Allfather gave a great speech to a half drunk audience on the brilliance of Anthony Stark and all that he had given to not only Midgard, but to Asgard as well. This began another round of drinking and dancing and exaggerated tales of Loki and Stark's rebuilding of the Bifrost. This included but was not limited to what had come to known as the Prank War, The Mortal Magic, and The Rescue in which it was entirely unclear exactly who was being rescued and from what.

Loki found himself laughing along with the rest and having quite a good time, but a little yawn in his ear and weight on his chest reminded him that he had something to take care of. He slipped out of the party unnoticed mostly due to the racket Thor was making in his attempt to reenact the scream of a damsel that the good captain was supposed to be saving. Said captain was laughing so hard he had tears running down her face as Banner kept telling Thor to change his pitch; more likely for the fun of it rather than in attempt at realism.

Loki chuckled as he disappeared out the door and made his way down the halls to his rooms. He opened and shut the door quietly as he made his way to his own bedchambers. Tony's room was already in the making and would be ready by the following night so Tony would sleep in Loki's chambers tonight. He laid Tony right in the middle of the large bed and chuckled as Tony's tired little body sank to the feather mattress covers. He moved to his chest of drawers and pulled a worn peasant top from the dark reassess and dismissed the cloths he had conjured before with a wave of his hand. Tony mumbled incoherently as Loki maneuvered him into the shirt and sighed with relief as Loki laid him back into the soft welcoming bed and pulled the duvet over him. Tony's eyes had been closed since the beginning and they didn't open as Loki walked about the room covering the existing enchantments and protection wards with yet another layer. Nor did he open them as Loki leant down and placed a kiss on his head. They remained closed as Loki left the room all together. He locked the door five different ways with magic and thoroughly scared the guard's with what should become of them should they fail to protect the new prince. He took one last look at the perfectly sealed door before heading back to party and his brother's ridiculous antics.

And thus the last page of Tony Stark's life had been written, a new one set to begin.

A/N: Oh my god I finished it. I freaking finished it. Holy damn. That just blows me away… DAMN! *Does happy dance* I hope everyone enjoyed it! I know I enjoyed writing it and getting such awesome feedback. Thanks for sticking with me!

Current Works: prequel to These Things Will Change Rebuilding of the Bifrost (has a few chapters up) and the sequel Sometimes It's Simple is what I think I'm calling it.

Other notes: Thinking I may write a oneshot about the Clint and Natasha a created in this story. I am also considering writing another slash in the Avengers arena and I am playing with all the different pairings. Thoughts?