Disclaimer: Thor, Loki, and all of Asgard do not belong to me. I tried to fit them in my closet, but it didn't work out for either of us.

A/N: Last installment, and I'm afraid it's really short. I extended it where I could, but eventually I felt like I just couldn't squeeze any more out of it. I hope it lives up to expectations and I would love a final review!

Again, Thor found himself alone in the garden. The insects had picked up their symphony right where they left off. A branch from the willowy tree behind him brushed against Thor's arm in the breeze. He took a hold of it and stripped away a handful of the silky pink leaves. One at a time, he dropped them into the pool, watching them float across the rippling moon. When there was but one leaf remaining, he brought it near to his face and examined it closely, rubbing it between his fingers, scrutinizing the tiny veins. It was exquisite like he had never expected.

Thor closed the leaf in his hand and thought of his brother. An outsider among Asgardians, yet so deprived of his true heritage that he could not hope to identify with the frost giants. A misfit no matter where he dwelt. How alone Loki must have felt, Thor reflected. He was embarrassed to find that he could scarcely imagine life without his entire realm of friends. He admired his brother's resilience. Thor hoped that maybe he had made Loki's private burden even a little easier to bear, whether he knew it or not.

He had been so loved, by Thor, by Frigga. By Odin, even. Solemn and soft-spoken though he may have been, Thor recalled his brother's sincere smile, rare though it was. He remembered his laugh, his real, unbridled laugh; the way it started timidly in his throat and built and built until he and Thor were clasping each other's arms and staggering in their mirth. Loki only ever laughed that way with Thor.

Perhaps he had indeed been happy here. Despite his differences, despite Thor's monopoly of their father's attentions, despite his unshakeable label as the second son, perhaps he had found something he deemed valuable.

Thor pictured Loki walking through the garden, alone with his thoughts, forgetting the pressures of life as a royal, life as a second son, simply taking time to marvel at the beauty and uniqueness of each petal and every leaf. Each one was remarkable. Loki was remarkable.

Thor dropped the last leaf into the pond and—finally—felt that maybe he understood why Loki loved the garden. He felt a certain closeness to his brother that he had not enjoyed in a long, long time.

"I see, brother," he whispered. "I see."

He was aware that he was missing bits of the story, but they were bits he did not need to here. He no longer wanted to know what had motivated Loki to his actions. He did not need to learn what had at last caused him to snap. He buried the question in the back of his mind and focused on this new image of his brother. Briefly, he wished he could share it with his people, but no. No, he would rather protect his brother's memory from their suspicion. Loki would belong, and always had belonged, to Thor.

With a warm sense of fulfillment, Thor rose from the bench and began moving down the pathway, imagining what Loki's thoughts on each plant would have been. It was a new experience, a perspective which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Thor found he was content.

He understood.

There you have it. This will make things awkward when Loki wages war on Midgard. Oh well! I hope you've enjoyed the fic and again, reviews would be fantastic. Thank you for reading!