Bruce Banner was sound asleep as a particularly violent thunderstorm raged outside. He was so out of it, that he would have missed the buzzing cellphone on the nightstand had it not been for the Valkyrie tapping him on the arm. With a groan, he gently disentangled from her embrace, and rolled over to answer it.
"Hello?" He answered groggily.
The frantic conversation on the other end soon had him fully awake and scrambling to find his pants. Brunnhilðe sat up in the bed with a confused look.
"What happened?".
"I gotta go," Bruce said as he shoved the phone in his pocket and started to slip on his shoes, "Apparently, Loki's went into labor early and Thor's freaking out".
"Hmm, that explains the weather outside," she yawned before laying back down and rolling over onto her side," well, go make sure Lackey doesn't die,or stab Thor in the family jewels, or something".
Bruce rolled his eyes, having grown quite used to his girlfriend's brusqe nature. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead, then grabbed his medical supply bag and raced out into the storm.
*****************
By the time he made it to Thor's home, he was soaked through. Luckily, he didn't have to wait outside long, as Heimðall opened the door and quickly ushered him inside.
"I know he's nervous, but do you think Thor could tone the craziness down a bit?".
"For once, I don't think he's the one causing it," the seer replied," seems that everytime the prince has pains the lightening increases".
"Great," Bruce muttered," I'm either going to get electrified by a baby,or stabbed by its mother".
Before Heimdall could form a reply, a scream had them both racing to the bedroom upstairs. Bruce opened the door to find Loki leaning against Thor's chest, quivering and shaking. Korg and Miek, who had become increasingly fond of Loki (and oddly enough, he of them), were also present, with the rock-man sitting behind him to provide support while the other alien nuzzled against the trickster's swollen abdomen.
"Banner! Thank the Norns you've arrived!"
"Good to see you too, Thor," Bruce said as he turned his attention to Loki,"you weren't due for a couple more weeks, Lo".
The mage groaned as another contraction ripped through him, causing him to fall back against Korg's chest.
"Unfortunately, it appears that the babe has decided to take after it's oaf of a father when it comes to patience".
Thor just smiled sheepishly, "my apologies, Elskaðir".
"Yes well, I'll punish you later, once this child is out of me".
"Don't think you'll be waiting long," Bruce said as he examined him," the baby's starting to come out...although it appears to be feet first so,that's a little more complicated".
"Ha, it's already trying to run into battle!" Thor exclaimed cheerfully.
If anyone noticed Loki squeezing his hand harder than necessary in order to break a few bones, they didn't say anything.
**************
The next couple of hours played Hell on Bruce's ears, as the storm outside picked up with every one of Loki's screams.
Finally, with one last boom of thunder that practically shook the entire house, Bruce put a healthy, screaming baby girl into Loki's arms.
"Would you look at that beauty," Korg said with awe.
The little princess had a full head of dark curls just like her mother. When she opened her eyes, they lit up with lightening, before fading into a bright emerald.
"She definitely takes after both of you," Bruce laughed while he took care of the afterbirth process," you guys got a name picked out?".
Thor whispered something into Loki's ear, causing him to raise an eyebrow at the thunderer.
"Really? That's what you're going with?".
"Please Loki?".
"Oh very well," he sighed as he leaned against his lover, "if it means that much to you".
Thor looked at everyone before grinning widely.
"Her name shall be Banica Stormborn Thorsdöttir".
Heimðall, who'd been standing by the bedroom window during the whole thing, smiled as the babe caused another streak of lightening to flash across the sky.
"Oh, and what storms she will make," he mused.
************
By the time Bruce made it back home, the sun was rising above the hills. Quietly, he entered into the bedroom, stripped off his clothing, and climbed into the bed behind his girlfriend. She turned around in the embrace and snuggled up against his chest.
"So, how did it go?".
He went on to describe the delivery, the fact that they named the baby after him, and how much power she was already displaying.
"Sounds like she'll make a fine Valkyrie someday," Brunnhilðe said as she nuzzled further into Bruce, "hopefully, ours will be the same".
He hummed in agreement and started to fall back asleep, before his eyes popped open as he caught the last part of her statement.
"WAIT WHAT?!".