#fosterson

Every morning he would go out to tend to the goats, feeding them and speaking to them in his native tongue. Jane would watch him from a distance, feeling guilty for not being able to understand what he could possibly be going through.

When he returned from his chores he would act amicable, but Jane knew something was bothering him. So one morning, she finally started asking questions.

"Do you have any family?" She asked him one day as they were both working on making medicine. With Thor using the mortar and pestle and her mixing the ingredients.

His expression hardened and he brushed his hair out of his face, shifting a bit. "I have quite a large family. Two older brothers, a younger sister, and my mother and father… one of my brothers is only a few years older than I, and we're…" He hesitated, "Close."

From the shaky way he said close, Jane felt like he wasn't being entirely honest. But she continued. "When you heal up do you plan on going back to them? I mean… You can't remember while you're down here so maybe it would be best to go back home?"

She hated saying that out loud because she enjoyed spending time with him. But it was best for him to return to his home and his family. But it seemed that her suggestion was not the best received, as Thor's expression hardened again, hinting at something deeper than she first assumed.

"I'll wait for someone to come and get me. And if they don't. Then I don't return." His voice was icy and he gripped the pestle tight. For a moment Jane hesitated, not knowing how to reply. There was definitely something deeper she didn't know about, and she almost felt bad for insinuating he leave.

A slight awkward atmosphere settled over the both of them as they continued to work, with the only sounds being those of stone grinding against stone and the wet sounds of Jane mixing her ingredients.

"You're doing a good job." Jane told him, breaking the silence and telling the truth. Hoping that she could dispel the awkwardness between them.

He shot her a look then visibly relaxed, "Truly? You are not just saying that to flatter me are you?" He smirked and poured out the contents of the mortar, sliding them to Jane.

"No, I'm not one for flattery. But I do try to encourage."

"Is there a difference?" He asked, leaning his elbows on the counter now that he was done with his work. He was now closer to her, with them almost meeting eye to eye. It felt as if he was toying with her in a way. Like he was able to tell that she was unfamiliar with this type of banter.

Jane just shrugged and turned her focus back onto her own work, hoping that he wouldn't notice the rising heat in her cheeks or the shifting of her feet.

"There is. Flattery is more hollow, while compliments come from a place of kindness." Jane said into her bowl, turning over the mixture a few times to make sure that the herbs were fully incorporated. She couldn't see his face, but she heard him huff.

"Am I allowed to say that you're complimenting me?" Thor asked, and Jane could hear the smile in his voice as he did. She turned to him, pursing her lips and fighting back a smile of her own.

Fighting back a laugh, Jane nodded. "Yes."

His smile met her own, and he held his hands up. "Well, it must be an honor to be graced with the presence of the best herb crusher in all the land. I am certain you would not find someone as talented as I."

That managed to fully coax a laugh from Jane, who turned away from him in order to hide her amusement. "Maybe not the most talented. But you are quite good."

"Ah. You wound me." Thor replied, placing a hand on his chest as if she had struck him. Which got another laugh out of her. His feigned sadness over what she had said just made Jane laugh harder. It took her a few minutes to calm herself down and once she did she noticed that Thor was beaming at her.

The look of sheer joy made Jane's stomach do a somersault, and she quickly swallowed the gathering saliva in her mouth before she said anything stupid. He really was handsome, resembling the angels that decorated the stained glass in the church. Or the depictions of knights found within the illuminated books her mother had read to her as a child.

Finishing up her work, Jane just shook her head. "I didn't mean to." She muttered quietly. "At least I didn't mean to wound you more than you already are."

Thor rolled his eyes. "This is the worst I have ever been. And you are not making it better. Perhaps I may require another form of healing." He smirked before looking away from her and closing his eyes as if he was truly thinking of what this 'other' form of healing may be. Which caused Jane to flush even more. She could stomach bodily fluids and bones sticking out of skin, but when a man (seemingly) flirted with her, she was stopped dead in her tracks.

Unable to find words to string into a coherent sentence, Jane croaked out a 'let's clean up' and stopped the conversation there. Which only seemed to amuse Thor more. But he remained silent as they cleaned up her herbs and medicine making tools only nudging her occasionally as if to drive home his point.

As the day wore on, their conversation moved to lighter topics. The weather, the upcoming market day, the arrival of summer and the solstice festival and Lady Susan Storm's due date. Everything settled back into a normal routine with only minimal amounts of (supposed) flirting. Though it was enough for Jane to go to bed feeling strangely anxious.

------

Harsh, violent banging on the front door caused both Thor and Jane to wake with a start, and Thor was immediately out of bed, not caring about the pain that shot up his leg nor bothering with his cane. Despite his injury, he made it to the door before Jane, who was clad in nothing but a flimsy nightgown and a thin blanket.

Knowing that whoever was on the other side of the door would be seeing her in such a state of undress made Thor upset, she was venerable, and he would make sure that she was protected.

Jane wrapped the blanket around herself, then rose from her bed and trudged towards the door, only stopping when Thor stretched an arm out. "Let me." He told her, which made Jane give him a confused expression.

Before she could complain, he opened the door. The two of them were met by a large black haired man, clad in black armor and armed to the teeth. He was gripping onto his side, where an arrow stuck out. The man glowered at Thor, narrowing his eyes and snarling. "Where's the apothecary?" He asked, preparing to step into the cottage and attempt to push past Thor.

But Thor was taller than he, and he stood his ground firmly in the doorway. "She's right behind me." He replied, making sure to rise to his full height as he spoke, allowing their height difference to hopefully deter the man from doing anything rash.

Jane poked her head out from behind Thor and gasped. "Castle!" She exclaimed, immediately squeezing past Thor and tending to the man known as Castle.

"Goodness, what happened to you? Come inside. Thor, please move." Jane reached out to gingerly take Castle's arm, where Thor noticed he had been holding his side. The area around the arrow was bleeding and sticky, a fresh wound.

Stepping out of the way, Thor allowed Jane to bring Castle in, but he didn't feel good about it. The situation put him on edge. Castle's demeanor was still hostile and Thor didn't want to allow a man like him into Jane's cottage.

Castle scoffed and let Jane lead him in, only giving a cursory glance back at Thor. Almost as if he was reminding the other man that his 'protection' was lackluster. The implication caused Thor's temper to flare beneath his skin, and Thor found himself clenching his fist tight to avoid confrontation.

"I had to deal with some things. Got shot. Need stitching up. Normally I'd do it myself but my comrade-in-arms directed me here." Castle told her. Sitting down on the wooden stool by the dying fire. Jane listened to him closely before nodding and going to look closer at the wound on his side.

"Anything else happen? Were you struck?" Jane reached forward to gingerly guide Castle's face towards the light, resting her hand gently on his cheek, which made Thor swallow another flare of anger. Castle was another patient. He was just another patient.

Castle glanced at Thor before beginning to remove the large crossbow on his back and the knives on his belt. Placing the weapons down on the floor as a presumable show of good-will. If Castle was backing down, then Thor would as well. It would be counter intuitive for both men to have raised hackles while Jane attempted to work.

Nodding slowly, Castle let Jane examine the large bruise on the side of his face, "Got hit with the hilt of a sword. Idiot didn't have the brains to use the sharp edge."

Jane smiled at that, and Thor found himself having to step away and make himself useful before he let his irritation make the best of him. So he went into the cupboards and pulled out a roll of bandages that they had cut earlier in the week. As he gathered supplies Jane called to him from the other side of the room. "My surgery equipment should be in a box close by, grab that please!"

Knowing that he was helping calmed him down immensely, and Thor gathered the surgery kit as well as the bandages and brought them to Jane, who flashed him a smile before turning her attention back onto Castle. Thor watched her expression grow steely, with the small apothecary shifting into her work mode. Something Thor was beginning to find rather impressive.

"Castle, I'm going to snap the shaft of the arrow then make the wound larger so I can remove the head. It will hurt."

Castle just grunted in reply, leaning back so Jane could have easier access to his wound. Thor stood by, not noticing the throbbing pain from his ankle. He wanted to see this through.

After a few tense moments, Jane took the shaft of the arrow and quickly snapped it, throwing the wood to the side. Then she removed a small, sharp blade from her surgery kit and cut the leather surrounding the wound away. "Thor, get some water and a rag please." She instructed, not even moving her gaze away from the bloodied wound on Castle's side.

Thor did as he was told, limping to the kitchen sink and filling a bowl and grabbing a rag. He came to her side, kneeling down and holding the bowl out for her. Jane glanced at him and smiled once more as she wet the rag and wiped away the blood and grime surrounding the arrowhead.

Castle watched them both through half-lidded eyes, his breathing was heavy and staggered. But he didn't complain. It showed that he was a true warrior, and Thor found himself respecting that aspect of the man.

Now that the wound was cleaned, Jane cut an incision to enlarge the wound, which made Castle grit his teeth and grip the stool hard. But Jane worked quickly and removed the arrowhead with a pair of tongs and immediately began threading a hooked needle.

Seeing just how quickly she worked amazed Thor. He was used to healers working with great efficiency, but on Asgard they had magic at their disposal. Jane didn't, yet she worked as well as any healer on Asgard would.

More grunts of pain escaped Castle as she sewed the wound closed. But nearly as quickly as she began, she was done. Thor glanced down at the arrowhead she dropped into the bowl of water, surprised that she knew just how large to make the wound in order to remove it.

Her efficiency seemed to surprise Castle as well, who chuckled darkly and moved his gaze between Jane and Thor. "Surprised you did such a good job. To be honest I didn't have much hope. But I guess a tiny lady living out in the woods like this is bound to either be a fraud or something worth seeing. Glad you were the ladder."

Thor narrowed his eyes at him, finding Castle's remarks to be extremely rude. Especially after all Jane had just did for him. "She helped you and this is how you show your appreciation?" He snapped, which made Castle's eyes widen.

"Call off your guard dog. I'm saying you did a good job." Castle replied, shooting Thor a nasty look.

Jane placed her hand on Thor's arm and gave him a disapproving look. Then shook her head and placed a bandage over the wound, "I'm happy to help Castle. And I didn't realize I had such a reputation. Hopefully this changed your view. I'll give you some medicine for the pain and some poultice to reduce any swelling and stave off infection. Just make sure to keep the wound clean." Her voice was calm and professional, and if she was offended by what Castle had said, she didn't show it. Instead Jane just rose to her feet to gather the medicine for him, leaving both Thor and Castle to glare at one another.

Looking Thor over, Castle raised an eyebrow. "Where'd she get you?" He asked.

"I am her patient as well. I'm helping her out as payment for allowing me to stay within her home."

"You Northern?"

Thor nodded, annoyed at the sudden turn in Castle's demeanor. He wasn't sure why the man would want to know anything about him now. Before they could say anything else to one another, Jane returned to help Castle up and to hand him the medicine.

"Thanks again Jane. I'm going to head back to the Church. Father Murdock owes me some things. Expect payment in a few days."

Jane nodded. "Of course Frank. Please don't be afraid to come to me if you get into any more trouble."

Castle's lips turned up into a sarcastic smile. "Hopefully next time your dog is better trained." He said as he shot Thor a side-eyed glance. Which caused Thor to feel his temper rising once more.

As Castle began to gather his weapons and leave, Thor followed him. Making sure the man would go quietly back into the night without further bothering Jane or saying anything else rude.

Saying nothing, Castle waved as he vanished into the night. A lantern on his belt illuminating the dark path as he went.

Thor shut the door and turned to see Jane sitting on her knees by the hearth. In the chaos of helping Castle, the blanket around her shoulders had fallen off. Meaning she was clad in nothing but her threadbare nightgown. Jane met his gaze, and he could see how tired she was.

Going to sit beside her, Thor leaned back on his hands, thanking the stars that he could get some weight off his ankle. "Why did you let him speak to you like that?" He asked.

Jane met his gaze and smiled weakly. "Some people are just like that, and shock can make them bitter. If I took it personally I wouldn't be a good healer."

"That still does not give anyone the excuse to insult you to your face. Especially after you help them."

"Thor. Being rude doesn't exempt you from medical care. Frank asked for help, so I helped him. End of story."

Hearing how short Jane was being with him, along with her now using Castle's first name didn't help with Thor's rising temper. Instead he turned his body so he was fully facing her. "I would have defended my honor. I should have defended your honor. If he returns then I will."

Her eyes widened as he said that. "Don't bother yourself with my honor. I help people. I took an oath to help anyone I can, however I can. Like how I'm helping you. Please don't get up in arms about my honor, you're just my patient."

It was Thor's turn to feel surprised. He didn't feel like just her patient. If anything he was certain she felt the same way. He grabbed her arms and pulled her closer to him, close enough for their noses to nearly touch. Even in the darkening room he could see a flush begin to appear on her cheeks.

"I do not feel like I am just your patient. If anything, I feel offended that you would insinuate that. Maybe if I were taken in by any other apothecary then I would just be their patient. But you're different Jane. You have made it clear that there's something between us." Thor made sure his tone was sure so that nothing would get lost in translation.

Jane licked her bottom lip and broke free from Thor's grasp, quickly standing up and putting distance between them. "Maybe there is. I - I just know that I'm still taking care of you. So… goodnight."

With that, the conversation was ended, and Thor rose to his feet as well, staring down at the small woman and feeling an inscrutable urge to pull her close once more. But he ignored it and nodded, "Yes. It is late. Goodnight Jane." Thor muttered, quickly turning and heading back into the bedroom.

------

Jane woke up later than normal the next morning. She had found it hard to sleep after the commotion with Frank Castle and her conversation with Thor. Once she fell asleep the sun was already peeking through the treeline and lighting the cabin up.

Slipping out of bed and peeking out the window she noticed that Thor was out in the yard, using his cane to get around as he spread out feed for the chickens. It was as if nothing had happened mere hours before.

She quickly washed up and got dressed, slipping into her stay and linen dress. Finally she met Thor outside, who greeted her with a smile.

"I'm sorry I slept in." She told him, shifting awkwardly to avoid looking him in the eye. Jane felt horrible for feeling anxious around him, but the realization that he was a man was slowly settling in. Especially after their conversation earlier.

Was she even deserving of such attention? Or was he only being kind because she had taken him in? No matter how hard Jane scrutinized Thor, she couldn't discern his true motives. If he even had any. Sometimes the most simple solution was the correct one and in this case he was just being kind to her because she was doing a kindness for him.

Limping over to the goats, Thor just waved his hand dismissively, not even turning his head to look at her as he gathered the feed for the animals in the pen. Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder waited patiently for their food, while Jane's goat and kids tried to eat his pants and the bag of food.

Jane met him by the pen, drawing her lips back into a pensive look. One Thor seemed to notice. "Do not apologize. After Castle's visit I can't blame you for wanting to sleep in. He caused a bit of excitement." Thor told her, finally meeting her on the opposite side of the fence, staring down at her with a kind expression on his face.

Finally she met his eyes, feeling almost pinned to the spot by his gaze. "Castle comes in sometimes with a new violent injury and a mysterious reason why. He never tells me what he gets into but I can't imagine it's wholesome. But I'm not meant to ask questions. I just heal."

"Maybe it would be good to ask questions. What if you find yourself in a precarious position?"

Jane blinked and looked away from him. "I have means of protecting myself."

Thor scoffed, a rare rude gesture from him, but he said nothing else as he walked right past her towards the cabin. It made heat rise to Jane's cheeks and she felt the need to defend herself. "You don't believe me. But it's true. I've lived alone for 4 years now so I've learned a thing or two. Besides, you don't know me. It's rude to assume."

Standing firm with her back ramrod straight, Jane didn't expect Thor to turn around and stand toe to toe with her. Her chest nearly touching his abdomen. She had to crane her neck to meet his eyes, and he had to practically bend down to meet hers.

For a moment they just stared at one another. Thor was gripping his cane tightly, and Jane nervously held onto her skirts.

"You are right. I do not know you. But is it rude to say that I would like to? I have shared some information about myself, you can share some information with me now."

"I'm not the one with memory loss."

Thor's face then pulled into a serious steely expression, and he let out a deep sigh. Jane suddenly felt quite bad for what she had said, not wanting to remind him of the memories now lost forever due to his injuries. With her eyebrows knitting together in worry, she placed her hand on his forearm and made sure her own expression was soft.

"Sorry. Why don't we go foraging today to clear our heads and enjoy the warm weather?"

Going to grab the hand on his forearm, Thor held her much smaller hand within his own and his expression softened. "I am still in a bit of pain, but I would love to."

Jane beamed, knowing that she wasn't the best at dispelling uncomfortable atmospheres. Her blunt nature often got her into trouble, but knowing that a sincere apology was enough to placate Thor made her feel so much better.

She slipped her hand out of his grip and ushered him into the cottage. "Wait for a few moments while I gather my things! We'll have fun!"

------

Suggesting to follow Jane out into the woods to forage for herbs probably wasn't the best idea, but the small woman seemed so excited about being able to show him different herbs and tell him about their usage made Thor ignore the dull pain in his ankle as he limped along behind her.

"This is stinging nettle, it helps out with joint problems and inflammation. It also helps with urinary problems. I used some of it to make the poultice for your ankle."

Jane dug up the entire plant with her spade and put it in her basket, then turned to look back at Thor, who was leaning over her and watching her work with interest.

He found it rather funny watching her dig around in the dirt and rip up entire plants by their stalks. On Asgard women usually kept gardens, but they never rooted around in them like an animal.

His mother Freyja was one of those women, always going to tend to her gardens around sunrise, looking absolutely divine and elegant as she worked. Never getting dirty or soiling her dresses.

Jane was not like his mother. She was wearing one of her unappealing dresses and cloaks, with brown gloves and big boots that barely fit her. The apothecary was more than happy to get down on her knees and begin digging into the ground with her spade.

"It stings? Why use it if it stings?" He asked, watching her take more plants and place them in her basket.

"It keeps pests away. But the entire plant is very helpful to me. Even if it stings. Besides, why do you think I'm wearing gloves?" Jane held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. She was wearing her mother's foraging gloves. Which were a bit worse for wear, but she would never get rid of them.

Rising to her feet, Jane stretched her back and led Thor deeper into the woods. Despite the sun now hiding behind the canopy, Thor knew that he could trust Jane with bringing them back to the cottage. She was on her land and she obviously knew it well.

"Do you ever find anything to eat out here?" He asked, poking the ground with his cane.

If there was one thing that barely changed for Thor, it was his appetite. On Asgard he was famous for it, only being beat out by Volstagg. It didn't change here on Midgard. He felt rather bad for consuming most of Jane's foodstuffs, but she didn't seem to mind. Especially since Thor offered to cook for her.

It was the least he could do after increasing her spending. Besides, cooking was just another talent he had picked up in his many years of traveling the realms. It was much less impressive than calling down lightning or leather working, but he found that the results were something he looked forward to more often than not.

Turning her head she nodded at him, covering her mouth so it wouldn't be obvious she was still giggling about his question. "Yes. Be on the lookout for fiddleheads, they're these little plants that grow into a spiral -" She then made a motion with her hand to illustrate what she meant. "Like this, and they're a bit of a darker green. They're good fried."

Thor hummed. "Fried. That does sound quite good."

"My father liked them fried. He taught me how to make the perfect batter, and that they're good dipped in fresh salt. We would snack on them right after we went out foraging." Jane lit up when she spoke about her father, and Thor blinked at her. He was wearing her father's clothing, yet she hadn't told him much about the man.

"Oh?" Thor asked, prying for more information from her.

Jane clutched her basket close and sighed, her expression softening to one he had never seen before. "Yes. He wasn't the apothecary, my mother was. But he knew the land very well. It's why he chose to build the cottage where it is, because he knew it was close to such a lush forest my mother could use… and when she passed…" Jane paused, closing her eyes for a moment. "She wanted to be buried beneath the trees."

A soft wind blew through the grove, and Thor looked out deeper into the forest, imaging the body of a woman who looked like Jane, peacefully nestled between the roots of a tree as she slept for eternity. When he turned his attentions back onto Jane, he realized she was looking out into the woods just as he.

"Would you be willing to show me?" He asked, making sure to keep his voice quiet.

Jane looked over at him, still sporting a serene sad expression. "Maybe one day." She replied before looking up into the sky, twilight was nearing but Thor wanted to remain out here for longer with her.

"What's stopping you?"

"I don't know you." Jane said, smiling at him without showing it in her eyes. She then turned away from him and started back towards the cottage. With Thor standing behind her, dumbstruck.

He could tell her everything and break down the walls that she had erected around herself. But it put him at risk. He would sound like an insane person, or his father would hear of it and smite him down where he stood. Thor just couldn't risk Jane knowing his identity, no matter how much it pained him. He wanted her to be venerable like this with him more often, to tell him about her past and to express her grief.

Catching up with her, Thor quickly swallowed his pride and decided to take a page from his brother's book. He would tell her the half truth. So it wouldn't be a total lie.

"Well. I am the third son of my father and mother. I was adopted by them and taken into their home. Up north my father is known as a Jarl, similar to the Lords you have here. At home I am considered a warrior, as I have protected my people from invaders and other threats. I… forgot why I came all the way down here. But I am happy I did."

Jane didn't stop walking, but he knew she was listening to him. He hoped that the stars would take mercy on him and she would believe his li- embellished mortal version of his story. Thor even ended it with expressing his true feelings. If Jane hadn't been the one to take him in, he probably would have been crying and begging his father to bring him back and to forgive him.

Looking back at him, Jane cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe you were banished." She suggested, which made Thor's stomach drop to his feet.

The memory of his father hitting him across the face and telling him he was lower than scum for even mentioning his return to Jotunheim to kill Laufey and her remaining sons flashed into his mind. Thor gripped his cane tight and bit back the bile rising in his throat.

"You do not even know who Laufey is! You already killed Farbauti and Byleistr and I will not permit you to continue these arguably foolish conquests!" Odin yelled, slamming his fist down on the arm of his throne.

Thor took a step back, not expecting such an outburst from his father. The same man who complained about Laufey to anyone who would listen, and who cursed his second eldest for taking on the name Laufeyson. If Odin did not want to see that entire bloodline wiped out, then why did he curse them so? Gripping Mjolnir tight, Thor stepped back towards his father, who only narrowed his good eye at him.

Somewhere from across the room, Loki could be heard snickering, laughing about the death of his true family. The family he had suggested Thor kill.

Rage was boiling inside him now, with dark clouds beginning to form above the main Asgardian palace. But neither Odin nor Thor backed down.

"I took care of them because you only ever cursed Farbauti's name, now he and his son have been felled. Is this not what you wanted?"

Odin rose from his throne, causing Huginn and Muninn to take to the rafters. Neither raven wanting anything to do with their master's wrath. "You did not even think before going to find glory. You do as I say boy, and you disobeyed me for the last time."

Lifting his hand, there was a brilliant flash of light then -

Thor just shook his head. "If I were banished he would have sent me to the great Fjord, where there is nothing but frozen grass for as long as the eye can see."

Humming, Jane looked him up and down before shrugging. "You're welcome to stay here until someone comes and gets you."

Or until he left on his own accord. But Thor was not in a rush to return to the duties he had been putting off. In a way this was the perfect escape for him. Perhaps this was a part of his father's plan.

Father Murdock stood beside her as she approached the obviously injured man, holding his cane in a white knuckled grip. "This is who I found on the road near the Chapel. He seemed like a victim of a carriage accident."

Jane looked at the priest, who angled his ear towards her. "And did he tell you anything?"

"He wasn't awake when I left to go grab you."

She blinked, looking up and down the lithe man who somehow was able to drag someone nearly twice his width into the tavern. Father Murdock had to have more muscle mass than she realized if he was able to somehow move the large man that was currently sulking quietly before her.

Dragging a chair over and digging into her satchel, Jane angled her head so she could try and peer at the injured man's face from under his hair.

He wore expensive looking regalia, a deep navy tunic that had silver woven into it. But from his size and the color of his hair, she assumed that he was Northern. Which was quite a way away from their little walled city.

"Can you understand me?" She asked, making sure to speak slowly and loudly. Part of her felt as if she were currently trying to corner a large animal.

The man huffed, his chest rising and falling before he simply nodded yes. Jane's smile turned into a slight grimace. Hoping that she could get at least some information out of him.

"I'm the local apothecary and healer. Can you tell me what hurts or what ails you?"

His gaze shifted to his ankle, swollen and bruising. If she had to take an educated guess, it was broken.

"Anything else?"

Finally he lifted his head up and brushed his hair out of his face. Showing dried blood under his nose and dark bruises over the left side of his face. "I believe my nose may be broken." He told her, going to try and wipe the dried blood away.

All Jane had to do was look at Luke before he put his hands up and walked back into the kitchen, going to wet a rag for her.

She reached out to gently touch his face and nose, trying to get a feel for any broken cartilage. His nose was definitely broken, and she guessed that he also had a concussion.

Luke brought her a rag and a small bowl of water, setting it down gently and nodding at her. The man stopped him before he left, "Do you have mead?" He asked, which made Luke raise an eyebrow.

"Aye. But you got a way to pay for it?" He went behind the bar to grab the drink for him, not setting it down until the man could confirm he could pay.

The northern man huffed again and removed a small coin purse from his belt, taking out two gold pieces and trading them for the stein of mead.

Luke looked at the coins with wide eyes, and Jane joined him. Having never seen currency like that before. But the coins looked like real gold, and the man just obviously overpaid for a simple cup of mead.

Luke took the coins and pocketed them, then went back behind the bar.

The man took a large drink, nearly draining the stein in a single swig. Jane blinked at him, not wanting to ruin things by telling him that drinking probably wasn't the best course of action to take at the moment. But she held her tongue and waited for him to finish before reaching up and wiping away the dirt and dried blood that covered his face.

"Can you tell me a few things about yourself? I don't want to sound rude or anything but I don't assume you're from around here." Jane finished wiping off his face and set the sullied rag in the bowl of water Luke had given her. Moving her attention to his swollen ankle.

The man shifted a bit when she palpated the area, like he wanted to move away from her. "I'm not from around here, no. I was just meant to be traveling through until… something happened. My goats were spooked and I wound up in a ditch until that priest found me."

Jane removed a roll of medicine soaked gauze from her satchel and began wrapping it around his foot and ankle. She made a noise to let him know she was still listening.

"My name is Thor." He finally told her, staring at her with a strangely intense expression on his face.

"Ah! You share your name with the Northern Thunder God." Father Murdock interjected, his white eyes widening with recognition.

Thor sneered at him, "Are you going to give me grief for being a pagan?"

The priest just shook his head and held his hands up, trying to diffuse the sudden hostility. "Nay, I just found it interesting is all. But you said those animals were your goats? They're the size of ponies!"

Jane finished wrapping Thor's ankle and cut the extra gauze before removing a small pot of poultice. She scooped up a small bit of it and reached towards his face, beginning to spread the mixture over the small cuts and bruises.

She noted that he had more injuries on his arms, and would take a guess that he had even more under his tunic.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, putting away her poultice and giving him another cursory glance.

Thor took a deep breath and stopped, his face twisting up in pain. "My head feels like it's full of wool, I can barely see anything, my ankle hurts like Hel and it hurts to breathe."

Jane frowned. "And… you don't have a place to stay?"

He shook his head. "I can afford one. But at this point I have no idea how long I'm going to stay here."

Father Murdock perked up again, "The Church has beds available for those who need them." He said in his best 'priestly' voice. But Thor just curled his lip up in response.

Swallowing, Jane put her satchel back on and shifted a bit in her seat. "I have an extra room in my house and a place you can stable your goats. I have a goat too. I'd like to keep an eye on you to see if you heal alright. Since it sounds like you have a lot more wrong with you than a broken ankle and nose."

Raising an eyebrow, Thor looked her up and down, and Father Murdock gasped.

"You're a single woman Jane. I would be more cautious about allowing men into your home."

She sighed. "At this point in time, he's my patient, plus I'm not entirely defenseless."

Thor blinked, then looked directly at her chest. "You're not a boy?"

Jane flushed. She was wearing a cloak over her dress, and her hair was cropped short. But she didn't expect her sex to be a mystery to people. "No. I'm a 28 year old woman."

"Unmarried woman."

"Father."

Father Murdock frowned but said nothing else. Thor looked at the both of them then chuckled. "Apologies." He muttered, moving his gaze back up to her face.

Jane just drew her lips back and shrugged. "The offer still stands." She told him. Rising from her seat and adjusting her satchel. "If you don't want to stay with me I can just come in and check on you at the church or wherever else you plan on staying."

Running his hand through his unruly hair, Thor shook his head. "Nay, Nay… I'll stay with you. Thank you."

She smiled. "Of course. Now Father Murdock is going to help me move you outside so we can get going. Your goats can come with me as well."

Father Murdock rose from his seat as well, seemingly taking no offense to being volunteered to move Thor once more. If he was able to do it when he first found him, he could do it now.

After a small struggle to move Thor out of his seat, the much larger man had thrown his arm around the priest's shoulders, causing Jane to finally see just how large he was.

Thor was nearly a head taller than Father Murdock, who was already rather tall. But that along with his sheer mass made Thor nearly dwarf Murdock when he leaned on him for support.

So Jane shouldn't have been surprised when she saw that the two goats Thor mentioned were actually as big as Father Murdock said.

"Murdock was right…" She muttered, looking over the two animals. Both of them had light brown fur. With the first one having curled horns like a ram and the other having horns that curved upwards. They were outfitted with fine leather bridles and saddlebags, and they seemed to be rather content with digging through Luke's garbage.

"Toothgnasher! Toothgrider! Out!" Thor snapped at them, which made both goats bring their heads up and stand at attention for their master. Jane looked over the both of them, wondering which one was which.

Father Murdock transferred Thor to one of his goats, where he threw his arm over the neck of the curled horned one and leaned on it. The goat didn't seem to mind, instead it seemed to understand that it should support his master's weight.

As Jane looked over the goats, she noted that the one with curved horns had a warhammer strapped to it's side. But unlike most warhammers that Jane was familiar with, this one had a short hilt, making it a single handed weapon.

Seeing that Thor was not only physically imposing but also armed made her weary. But she swallowed her anxieties and turned her attentions back onto her patient.

"The walk isn't too far. I do live outside of the city walls but it's not that bad." She told him. Hoping that he could hobble his way over to her small home.

"I'll be fine." Thor told her, urging his goat to begin walking. "Which way?"

"West of here. Just we just follow the road to the western gate."

Before she could follow him, Father Murdock caught her shoulders and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"If you are to have any trouble with him. Please call upon me or Luke. I do not wish for you to get hurt Jane." He told her, his voice deadly serious.

She took in a deep breath and stared into the priest's blinded eyes, "Thank you Father Murdock. I'll keep that in mind."

He smiled at her and let her go before waving them off, allowing Jane to finally catch up with Thor and walk besides him and his goats. Their pace was slow, but it wasn't unbearable. They'd make it to her house before sundown.

-------------

Guilt was eating up at Thor from the inside out. He was never was a liar, but here he was, lying through his teeth like a snake.

The apothecary had led him back to her home, a small cottage bordering the wilderness. The home was small and in dire need of outside repairs, with a cracked window and walls covered in thick vines.

When they took Toothgnasher and Toothgrider into the small stable they would share with her own goat, he felt even worse. They took up as much space as they possibly could, and would definitely bother Jane's own goat and kids. But Jane didn't mention their size, instead she helped him remove their saddlebags and bridles, with Thor taking Mjolnir and putting it on his belt.

Jane left to go find a stick for him to use as a cane. Mentioning she kept one she found in the woods a while back.

"You never know when you'll need a big stick." She said, laughing quietly to herself before disappearing behind the stable.

Thor smiled back at her and turned his attention to her yard. Chickens wandered aimlessly around, pecking at the ground and most of the area was taken up be her gardens, where various herbs and vegetables were growing in their planters.

It reminded him of his mother's gardens back at home. Just on a much smaller scale.

He sighed and bit the inside of his cheek, Asgard was far behind him now. His father had thrown him from the bifrost and stripped him of his powers. Even Mjolnir was nothing more than a simple hammer.

But nobody recognized him here, the priest was suspicious but only because he assumed Thor was pagan. He wondered how the small apothecary would react if she found out her patient was a fallen god.

Jane appeared again with the stick, it was nearly as long as her and looked sturdy enough to hold his weight. He thanked her and took it, testing it out by hobbling a short distance to look at her garden and chicken coop.

"Were you attacked on the way here?" Jane asked him, walking up from behind him and glancing up at him with her large brown eyes.

No, I was stripped of my power and thrown to earth along with my goats.

"I nary remember Jane." He replied instead looking down at her and offering a nervous smile. He hoped that she couldn't tell he was the worst liar that had ever graced the nine realms, but her expression said nothing about any sort of suspicion she may have felt.

Instead Jane nodded and hummed, walking towards the back door and holding it open for him. "Amnesia is a common side effect from concussions. Your memory should return in a few days. And if not… then…" She let the sentence drop off. Her eyebrows knitting together in worry before she shook her head and followed him indoors.

Thor was immediately taken aback by just how small the cottage was. There was a hearth against the back wall and a small bed pushed up in the corner, there was an overstuffed chair facing the hearth with a ball of yarn and unfinished knitting project. The kitchen took up much of the front, filled with dried herbs and various pots and pans over a stovetop and sink. All of it smelled of rosemary and smoke, but it wasn't overpowering.

On each wall was a door, one leading to the washroom and the other leading to mystery.

Jane must have noticed him looking around and squeezed past him to open the mystery door, revealing a rather cozy bedroom that was in near pristine condition.

"You can sleep in here. I don't use this room. There's also some men's clothes in the trunk. They might smell a bit old but they should hopefully fit you."

Jane stood behind him as he entered the room, immediately feeling a strange sense of melancholy while he looked over the dust covered furniture and neatly made bed.

Someone died in this room. Was it a husband? She did mention men's clothing…

"The priest said you were unwed, but are you a widow?" Thor asked, looking down at Jane as she busied herself with opening the large trunk at the end of the bed.

"No. My parents died in here. My mother died after getting a wasting disease when I was a just a girl, and my father died a few years back. I haven't had the time to clean the room out."

Thor frowned. Now he felt even more guilty. He was ruining the memorial she kept for her parents, sullying the perfect sanctum she had kept for who knows how many years.

"I… I can't stay in here." He told her.

Jane looked up at him, holding the clothes in front of his torso to measure the size. "Nonsense. It'll make me feel better knowing you're comfortable and healing."

After deciding that the clothes would work, she set them down on the bed and walked back into the doorway. Which he took as a sign to get changed.

"If you need anything, just call." She told him before gently shutting the door behind her. Leaving Thor alone so he could change out of his regalia into what he assumed were her father"s old clothing.

He hesitated before sitting on the edge of the bed, taking the linen tunic and breeches into his hands. They smelled like the chest they were left in, old and a bit musty. The pants would be on the shorter side, but he knew they wouldn't be tight.

It was a bit of a struggle to get his own tunic off, the pain in his left arm and rib made his motions slow and labored. There was already a good amount of bruising on his torso, and he cringed, unable to remember the last time he had truly gotten hurt like this.

Removing his pants was also a struggle with his swollen ankle and the bandages, but he managed, pulling the black linen pants up as high as he could, realizing that they were just a bit too small and he had to wear them low on his hips.

Finally, wearing the clothes of his healer's dead father, Thor settled himself onto the bed, thankful to get weight off of his ankle. He didn't realize just how much everything hurt until he finally was able to rest.

But his period of rest was broken when Jane knocked lightly on the door and poked her head in. They locked eyes and she let herself in after seeing that he was dressed. In her hands she carried a bowl of green colored paste along with a roll of bandages.

"I'm going to change your bandages, this paste will harden and keep the new bandages stiff so your ankle doesn't bend." She set the bowl down before rushing back out of the room once more. Thor opened his mouth to say something but closed it as he watched her pick up a few more things from the kitchen.

Jane entered once more and dragged a stool behind her in one hand while carrying two bottles in another. The leg of the stool scraped behind her, knocking up on the knots on the floorboards.

Settling besides him once more, he could finally look at her without believing she was just a simple young man. Thor turned his head and tried to shift closer, but she stopped him by placing a hand on his thigh.

"Don't move." She instructed, and he stilled.

Then she paused and pursed her lips. "Actually. Take your shirt off."

"Excuse me?"

"I want to see your chest. You said it hurt to breathe, which means you probably have a cracked rib. So I'm going to try and confirm that."

Her matter-of-fact tone and neutral expression made him relax, she had probably seen her fair share of men in various stages of undress, and that he would be no different. Thor cursed himself, he shouldn't be feeling shy about undressing.

So he quickly pulled the tunic off and bunched it up, holding it in his fist as he watched her look him over. The bruising immediately caught her eye, and she hummed before leaning forward and gently touching the dark purple skin.

He felt his breath catch in his throat as she pressed her fingers harder into his side, her face the perfect picture of hard focus as she tried to pinpoint the injury. Jane did not see him as a man, but as her patient and someone to heal.

A small part of him felt offended. Women fell over themselves to get close to him like this, but he was allowing a simple mortal woman to touch him, and she wasn't even doing it to bring him pleasure.

Jane pressed her hand on a spot that made him bite back a curse. Then she left her hand there and reached for one of the bottles she had brought in, pouring the strong smelling liquid right onto his skin and massaging it in.

Thor gripped his tunic and almost yelled at her to stop, but as soon as she started, she was done.

The sharp smell of medicine filled the air and she wiped her hand on her skirts before taking a tiny round object out of a second bottle and holding it out to him.

"Take this." She instructed, finally looking him in the eye.

Thor glanced at the pill but still took it, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. Would this mortal medicine even work on him?

"Should I chew it or…?"

"Just try and swallow it, it'll help with the pain but also make you sleepy." She watched him as he put the pill in his mouth and swallowed, not exactly knowing how to feel. But by her placid expression Thor assumed he did everything right.

Then she moved on to his ankle, removing the bandages she had put on earlier in the day and began replacing them with the bandages soaked in paste. Jane began wrapping them around his heel and eventually worked up his ankle and calf. The paste was cold, and it sent an uncomfortable shiver up his spine.

Jane must have noticed his discomfort, and she gave him a sympathetic smile. "It'll be over soon." She promised, and Thor just nodded. He trusted her, there was no reason he shouldn't.

Staying true to her word, Jane finished wrapping his ankle and tied off the remaining bandages, then took one of the extra pillows on the bed and placed it under his heel. "Keep this elevated while you sleep, it'll help with the swelling."

She then rose from her stool and grabbed her things, clutching them close to her chest. Thor blinked at her.

"You're leaving?"

"I'm just going to clean up the kitchen and wind down for bed. If you need anything I'll be a door away." Jane smiled at him and stood for a moment longer to probably gauge if he truly needed anything else. But Thor truly didn't need anything from her. He didn't know why he expected her to stay with him the entire night, but he felt a small pang of disappointment over losing her company.

"Of course. I shan't keep you. I should try and get some proper sleep as well." He told her, trying to keep his voice even. It was already embarrassing enough for him to have a mortal care for him, he didn't wish to burden her with his own worries of loneliness. Besides, there really was just a door between them. If he felt the need to bother her, he could do so easily.

Jane smiled at him, her brown eyes softening in the soft light of the bedroom before she turned and left, gently shutting the door behind him.

-------------

When Jane shut the door, she let out a long sigh. Just being in her parent's room with someone was enough to make her uncomfortable. It was the best room to put Thor in, he was huge and she didn't want him sleeping on the floor. But it was clear that they were both uncomfortable with the situation they had found themselves in.

She shouldn't have invited him into her home, she should have let him get lodging then have gone and checked on him in the morning.

But she couldn't do that. He didn't know the area and was clearly suffering the symptoms of a concussion. No matter how big he was, someone could have taken advantage of him. Or he could have hurt himself more by not knowing proper care.

Jane set the bowl of plaster in the sink and ran her hand over the rune that controlled the faucet, appliances were tapped into her nearby well, with the magic having been created by the local lord, Anthony Stark. She had running water and an easy way to heat her hearth and stove, even if she couldn't use magic herself.

Her mind stopped wandering once the bowl was clean, and she set it on the rack to dry. But she still stood at the sink, looking at her reflection in the dark window. The visage of a gaunt young woman stared back, then she slapped her cheeks, snapping herself out of her daze and going to change.

Maybe she was off-kilter because she actually went through with inviting a very handsome man into her home. Jane had never really had a lasting relationship before, and she considered herself to be a non-entity in terms of attracting others.

To nearly everyone she knew, she was the rather bland, lonely apothecary.

And that was the role she was happy in.

Well, she thought she was happy in that role.

Father Murdock's worries about her being an unmarried woman in the presence of a man made her think more about the situation she found herself in. But Thor obviously had no qualms with her, nor did he seem flustered or uncomfortable in her presence. Even when she removed his shirt to rub the topical medicine over his bruises.

The man could be very useful around the house when he healed.

Jane slipped into her nightdress and groaned internally. She shouldn't be thinking of her patient like that. She never did!

But running her hands up his chest to palpate the area and feel out how bad his wounds were made her feel very warm, and not in the feverish way.

Guilt ate up at her insides, gnawing at her gut and making her feel queasy. How was she going to stay calm while he healed? It was embarrassing enough feeling attracted to a patient, but it was even worse feeling attracted to someone who had no memory of who they were before the accident.

It would blow over, she would wrap up those feelings and put them in the little box in her chest, the same box that held the grief over losing her parents. If it was something that held her back, she would pretend those feelings didn't exist.

Jane peeked outside to grab an extra log for the heath before settling down and summoning a spark, watching the logs catch and the room bask in the orange glow of a steady flame.

She would get her mind off of the man sleeping in her parent's bedroom by knitting, then she would sleep and dream of rows of yarn. Everything was normal. She was normal.