A/N: Oh boy have I been looking forward to this so much for the last month and a half. :D I can’t believe the time has finally come, but here we are.
This first ficlet is a continuation to a drabble I wrote several years ago. It can be read here. The idea was that Jane accidentally sent herself to Jotunheim, where Loki has taken over and become king. This is what happens after he finds Jane and takes her back with him.
Hope you enjoy!
.01 Space
Jane woke up on a plushy mattress an indeterminable amount of time after blasting herself to an alien planet and being captured by the king. She was almost convinced it had been a dream when she heard the crackling fire (her lab did not have a fireplace) and remembered her bed was a secondhand cot in a dingy trailer. She opened her eyes and took in deep green sheets on a bed the size of a football field.
The room was even bigger and filled with ancient Norwegian artifacts, from the wall carvings to the decorative wooden shields. It was like one of those historical recreations they kept in museums. Except Jane doubted those phony beds stuffed with straw would ever be so comfortable as this.
The color scheme was decidedly green, with a little black and gold thrown in for good measure. Jane glanced down at herself and sighed with relief that she was still dressed. There had been no ‘bathe her and bring her to me’ nonsense. At least, not yet.
She was alone as far as she could tell. In a room this big, there was no way to be sure. The fire brightened as if aware she was awake and needed more light. It provided more than any fire should be capable of. She’d have to ask someone about that, she thought dimly, assuming this apparent hospitality wasn’t a ploy to bring her guard down. Devouring your prey was easy if they didn’t struggle.
Jane scooted to the edge of the bed. Her shoes were placed neatly next to an ornate armchair. Her jacket was folded and draped over the top. She left them for now, the floor carpeted and the room a pleasant temperature. Her first steps were uneven but quickly improved. Two chairs were positioned directly in front of the fireplace for maximum warmth, an oval-shaped table between them. She studied a dish sitting precariously on the latter, covered by a silver dome with dragon-shaped carvings around the rim. Jane was a scientific mind who prided herself in her critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, but it was at least a full minute before she realized the plate was meant for her.
She lifted the dome, fully expecting breakfast to be a bowl of mush or something not completely dead. The buttermilk biscuits with cream cheese and side fruit bowl, therefore, gave her pause. Jane picked nervously at what appeared to be an ordinary blueberry. It tasted like one too, once she mustered up the courage to eat it.
The door opened, apparently unlocked from the start. In walked the man from yesterday, the one the bigger monsters seemed to defer to. He did have a regal air about him, partial nudity notwithstanding. His red eyes followed her as she sank into a chair. A berry fell between her fingers and rolled under the bed.
“Good morning,” he said. He had a British sounding accent though Jane was pretty sure he’d never set foot in that country.
“Good morning,” Jane answered. “Um… I was just…”
“You may eat,” he said, assuming that was the reason behind her discomfort. He took the chair opposite her, steepling his fingers as she hesitantly took a biscuit and brought it to her lips. A mouth-watering aroma wafted straight into her nostrils, turning Jane’s fear to desire. She polished off the whole thing in two bites and immediately reached for another. “I take it you are satisfied with your accommodations?”
“What?” Jane asked with her mouth full. She swallowed and brushed some crumbs off her lip. “Oh yeah. It’s great. Um… I wasn’t expecting to have my own room.”
“Yes, unfortunately, the dungeons are currently full. You’ll have to make due until the mid-afternoon executions.”
Jane’s heart stopped.
He grinned. “That was a joke.”
If she wasn’t so sure he could kill her just by thinking about it, she’d slap him. “Oh, okay. Um… may I ask a question?”
“You just did,” he said, which was annoying and pedantic, but it wasn’t a no.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Jane played with a rip in her shirt that wasn’t there before. She must have snagged it on something during the transport. “I’m technically an intruder, even though I didn’t mean to be. You could’ve locked me up for real or…”
He gave a thoughtful hum, then leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. He had ridiculously long legs and kind of amazing abs. “That is the question.”
What was that supposed to mean?
“It is true, in most situations, I would assume you a spy and have you killed on sight. And that is not a joke.” He added that last part when Jane nearly laughed out loud. “However, given the length of time since any of the nine realms have visited Midgard, I doubt you are more than a displaced traveller. That you arrived on Jotunheim of all places is an extraordinary case of bad luck, is it not?”
“I don’t know,” Jane answered honestly. She was sitting in a room more gorgeous than anything she ever thought she’d see in her lifetime with an alien king. “Is it?”
He pursed his lips, then got to his feet. With a wave of his hand, the flames died down. New artificial light took its place. It came from every direction, shining a golden hue on the walls. Jane stared at the multiple orbs in awe. None of them resembled light bulbs or flames. There was no point of origin. They’d just sprung into existence like magic.
“Your people call it electricity, I believe,” he said. “The method of lighting a room without fire… quite primitive if you don’t mind me saying.”
Jane would’ve been affronted and happy to defend her races innovations over the course of a few thousand years, but then again, there was a scientific impossibility happening before her eyes. The wheels in her head turned hard enough to break. “It’s amazing.”
His mouth twitched. “I have a proposition for you, little one.”
Jane blinked. “What kind of proposition?”
“That depends,” he paced before the fire, his long hair swaying behind him. “Do you wish to return to your homeworld at once or would you like to stay a while?”
“Wait, are you saying you could send me home?” Jane shot to her feet. “Like right now?”
“If you wish,” he said almost bitterly. “There are few corners of the galaxy I cannot find. Though before you make a decision, consider this: there is a vast universe out there your people have barely touched, is there not?”
“We’ve been to the moon,” Jane said lamely. “And there are probes as far as Pluto.”
He smiled the way a person usually reserved for a child’s macaroni art. “But my dear, you’ve been given a unique opportunity to see more. All you have to do is say the word.”
The curtains took on a life of their own, sliding aside in perfect synchronicity. They’d blended so well into the rest of the wall, Jane had assumed there were no windows. She was wrong. Without covers, there was almost nothing but windows. Jane beheld the skyline of an ice blue city, teeming with skyscrapers reaching for the stars. Speaking of stars, there were hundreds, if not thousands, twinkling like tiny jewels in the sky. Within seconds, Jane had mapped out five different constellations she had never seen before, and every which way she looked there were more. So many it made her head hurt and her heart soar.
“This… this is…”
She pressed her hands on the glass. When had she moved? She was by the fire a second ago. Now the heat of the flames barely touched her, but she had never felt warmer.
“This is merely a taste of what I can show you, little one,” he said, his lips a hair’s breath from her ear. “Say the word and I will give you the universe.”
Jane swallowed and nodded, her trance broken by the weight of one pressing matter. “But why me? You don’t even know me.”
He took her hand in his. He was wearing gloves for some reason. “I know you’ve accomplished something no one on your planet should be capable of. Not even Jotunheim has managed to create a bridge between worlds. You have achieved on your own what took the Aesir centuries.”
“I wasn’t completely alone,” Jane said hoarsely. The intensity of his gaze silenced any further attempts at modesty.
“The fact remains, little one, you are the most fascinating creature I have come across in all my years.”
How many years was that she wondered. He appeared close to her age, but his eyes were ancient. He could be well over a thousand years old for all she knew and if that were the case… either he was an excellent liar or Jane had just been given one hell of a compliment.
“Okay,” she said, breathing deeply. “First of all, if I’m going to stay a while, you have to stop calling me ‘little one’. My name is Jane Foster.”
Never did she think she’d see such honest to God joy in his eyes, though he covered it up nicely with a smirk. “As you wish, Jane Foster.”
The way he said her name was almost sinful. It shook Jane at her core and she was forced to acknowledge that in spite of (or perhaps because of) his alien features, he was incredibly handsome. “A-and, I need to let my friends know I’m okay. I can’t let them think I’m dead.”
“Very well,” he said. “We can send word to them whenever you wish. Now then, shall I escort you to the observatory?”
“You have an observatory?”
He chuckled. “Jotunheim has come a long way since I took over. Soon our cities and innovations will rival Asgard itself.”
They left the room, the door shutting and locking on its own behind them. Jane would have to ask her new friend about that later. They passed dozens of Jotunn servants and soldiers on their way to the top floor. All of them bowed before their king. None of them frightened Jane anymore as long as she kept close to him.
“Oh, where are my manners,” he said as they reached a glass elevator (they had elevators here). He took her hand and kissed the air over it. “You may call me Loki, son of Frigga, King of Jotunheim.”
“I think I’ll go with just Loki if that’s okay,” Jane said. The elevator arrived and he stepped back to allow her first entry. They were halfway to the top and looking out at the snowy fields beyond the city when it hit her. “I’m sorry, Loki? Like Loki Loki? Like… that… are you-”
“Save your questions, Jane Foster,” he smiled serenely, his red eyes no longer like blood to her. More like rubies. “We have all the time in the world.”
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This is a stretch on the theme but screw it. This also features the dog from AA because HE’S SO PERFECT.
It was one of her better days, she felt well enough to sit up and write her blog. She was wrapped in a thick blanket, wearing sweats, a dinosaur t-shirt and hoodie whilst Albie, a small rather wheezy rescue chihuahua-terrier mix was with to her under her desk whilst she typed. She loved everything about this dumb little puppy, from his huge vacant eyes, set way too far apart, to his nervous little yap. His only flaw, apart from snoring, flatulence and incontinence, sometimes all at once, was that he couldn’t bring her coffee.
‘Hey, I’ve been thinking…’ Darcy began, setting another mug by her laptop.
‘What about?’
‘Well… shouldn’t you start, y’know, telling people about the whole… cancer thing?’ Darcy took her own coffee and took a sip ‘I know you don’t want to know what people are saying on social media, but they are wondering why you’ve been… absent lately.’
Jane sighed ‘I don’t need pity.’
‘Well, don’t you think people are going to notice? It’s not exactly something you can hide for long. People are going to fill in the gaps.’
Jane just shrugged and brought her sentence to an end ‘People might also think I’m doing it for attention.’
Darcy almost choked ‘Are you high right now?’
‘God I wish…’
‘C’mon boss, this is serious,’ Darcy pulled up a chair ‘I mean you are doing it for attention- but that attention will do you good.’
‘Will it though?’ Jane turned to her ‘I’d rather just… get on with my work, no attention, no speculation-’
‘But you’re getting that regardless!’ Darcy insisted ‘You might as well set some people strai-’
‘Set who straight?’ Jane glared at her ‘What’s going on?’
Darcy looked nervous ‘Um… there’s a uh… a lot of chatter and talk… that you’re basically hiding away after Thor…’
Jane rolled her eyes ‘Well they can eat a line of dicks.’
‘I would normally say that too,’ Darcy bit her lip and ploughed on as Jane’s expression got more and more thunderous.
‘Um, I’ve been talking to my friend with the lecture circuit and he’s overheard someone say they’re a bit reluctant to get you back if you’re all reclusive and stuff and please stop looking at me like that.’
Jane gently dislodged Albie and stood up ‘Right.’
‘Okay, stop-’ Darcy stood in front of her, chest forward, standing in her way ‘let’s think about this. Let’s approach it with calm-’
‘You approach it with calm!’
‘Jane!’
She stopped, breathing hard and tried to focus on Darcy through the pounding in her ears.
‘I have an idea,’ Darcy told her, hands on her shoulders ‘you might not like it, but I think it’ll help. Feel free to say no.’
Jane listened, taking a deep breath and letting it out.
‘On one condition,’ Jane told her.
‘What’s that?’
‘Albie sits with me.’
‘Honestly that’s only going to make things way better.’
Phone calls were made.
The video came online the next day.
‘Hi everyone, it’s Jane and… I have a little… confession? No, I’m not guilty… um, announcement? I don’t know what to call it really… Some of you have been wondering where I’ve been for a while, or not wondering, why my blog has slowed down and I’ve not been doing my podcast lately… um… As you can see, I’ve not been feeling all that greatly.’
Albie stirred on her lap, nuzzling her side and whining. She’d upgraded to her favourite galaxy shirt, chunky knit cardigan, jeans and a new headscarf decorated with planets. She’d forgone the make-up, much to her annoyance, since Darcy pointed out people needed to see she was sick.
‘About six months ago, I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which is a type of blood cancer. After a biopsy and an unsuccessful set of clinical trials, I’ve been receiving chemo ever since and it’s… well, kicking my ass. Not going to lie. I’ve not felt much like doing anything lately, I’m tired… I’m sick and… well, I’m not great. At all. I’m still more likely to recover, so I’m definitely not dying yet, just thought I’d throw that out there. I am lucky to receive the love and support of my friends, and this poor puppy, but I’m… scared as hell, some of you may be aware- my Dad died of cancer and… I was always afraid it’d catch up to me one day and, well, here it is.’
She picked Albie up and cuddled him close.
‘I’ve made this video because I think… I think it’s important people know what is going on and because I desperately want to get back to work, to doing what I love doing, but I need time… God I hate being sick, I hate having to just sit back and wait and rest, I want to just leave my house and go to all the conferences and research trips I used to do but now… I want to, hah, I want to kick this cancer’s ass, but being a tiny fragile mortal… human science is my best weapon. So I’m just going to carry on as best I can.’
She blew out a breath.
‘I don’t want pity… although, good wishes and the like are super welcome, I want to keep going, so I’ll be back to doing my podcast as soon as I can and, with any luck, I’ll be well enough to make this year’s Geneva conference, if not in body then at least in face and starting next month, exact date’s still a bit up in the air, I’ll be going live on my Youtube channel and talking about a few pertinent subjects in science, particularly astronomy and astrophysics, and if you really want to know, I’ll be giving you updates on my treatment as well. So… with all that out of the way, I guess… see you on the next one! Bye!’
She waved one of Albie’s paws for good measure and the video cut off there.
‘I’ve uploaded a few photos of you in treatment as well,’ Darcy reported as Jane got up and carried Albie to the kitchen ‘you… sure about that?’
‘Well, they might as well see,’ Jane shrugged ‘I mean, there’ll be nutjobs who still think I’m faking it for attention, but at least this way I can make a show of not giving a rat’s ass.’
Darcy hugged her, out of the blue, and kissed her on the cheek.
‘I’m sorry, I know I suggested this and… I know you didn’t want to do this...’ she trailed off.
Jane smiled sadly ‘My personal life was down the swanny the minute I started dating Thor. It was only going to get worse after I broke up with him… if I have to gain enough respect to work by showing everyone I have freakin’ cancer then… then that’s what I have to do.’
‘You think people are going to make the connection?’
‘Probably, but… whatever, they can think what they like. I know I did the right thing.’
Darcy tried to smile back ‘You think he’ll get over it?’
‘I think so, especially if he ever gets back and see how I look now.’
‘I’ll tazer him into a coma if he says anything.’
‘No need…. I think… I think something’s happened to him.’
Darcy frowned ‘What makes you think that?’
‘I’m very sick and, well, even after I broke up with him, he’d still come back and see me, he’s not that bitter…. Well, I think so anyway.’
Darcy watched her ‘And… how do you feel about that?’
Jane shrugged ‘I don’t know. I’m… scared for him, but at the same time… what can I do?’
Darcy cupped her cheek ‘I know it pains you to say that.’
‘Thanks, but… it’s true. Right?’
Jane founder herself curled up on a bench outside on her balcony, holding her stupid dog and fighting the urge to check social media. She didn’t need to see the reactions, that was Darcy’s job. Her job was the same as it ever was. She left her phone in the kitchen and just finished a few blog posts in advance.
‘Next week’s talk on… oh God you’re going to try and make me say it… Subyamana… God I sound so white...’
‘Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar,’ Jane supplied.
‘That’s him, yeah, Dr Goh and Dr Chari- are okay to do a hang-out on that day at that time and I’ll edit it when you’re done.’
‘Cool… anything else?’
Darcy said nothing at first, but just stood next to her ‘There’s a lot of flowers arriving, requests for interviews and, like, a tsunami of well wishes. Also a lot of people want Albie to have an instagram account like, yesterday.’
‘He doesn’t do anything.’
‘That’s literally not the point,’ Darcy sighed ‘so… no regrets?’
‘Nope. Not yet.’
Darcy nodded ‘Good because I’d have to take the heat on this one if it backfired.’
‘There’s still time.’
Darcy snorted ‘Love you.’
‘Love you too…. And… thank you.’
Darcy posed ‘No problem. Just name a planet after me or something. That’s all I ask.’
‘I’m working on it.’
Darcy’s phone blipped ‘Oh, this one’s… interesting… back in a mo.’
Jane gave Albie a kiss and contemplated the future.
It might be very short, but… it was going to be interesting.
Science never solves a problem without creating ten more. -George Bernard Shaw
Bucky would never forget the first time he met Jane Foster.
It was sometime after their climactic battle against Thanos for the fate of the universe. The mad titan was dead. Bucky had a new arm and full control of his mind. Him and Steve were picking up the pieces of their friendship/romance/whatever you called random fucking these days. All in all, things were okay.
They had a place on Long Island and went upstate every few weeks to the main Avengers base. Steve and Tony had worked out their issues and were back to their kind of sort of best friend relationship. Tony hadn't quite forgiven Bucky yet, but he'd stopped trying to shoot him when he walked in the room, so that was progress.
Bucky was at the base eating lunch one day when Steve walked in He had a woman with him, one Bucky had never seen before. "Hey Buck, I'd like you to meet Jane. Jane, this is Bucky."
"Nice to meet you," she said, shaking his hand. She had a nice smile.
"Likewise," Bucky said. He went back to his peanut butter sandwich while Steve and Jane sat beside him at the bar top.
"She was just telling me about the time SHIELD confiscated her equipment," Steve said before turning back to Jane. "Did you really drive all the way out into the desert to get it back?"
"Thor needed a ride, and I needed my stuff back,," said Jane. "I didn't know for sure then that he could do it, but it was that or sit on my ass and mope."
'Can't do that,' Bucky thought. He wasn't invested in their conversation, but they were fun to listen to.
"No, I completely understand. I would've done the same thing," said Steve. "That urban legend about me and the grenade? Not a legend."
Jane laughed. "Reminds me of when I tried shielding Thor with my body in the middle of a fight."
Bucky stopped chewing.
"You tried to shield Thor?"
"Twice."
Bucky's head turned slowly towards her.
"No offense, Jane, but I don't think ten of you working together could do that."
"None taken, but in my defense it was a life or death situation. I try to do whatever I can to help save the day, be it making some funky new device or trying to defend super powered aliens. Probably why I punched Loki that one time."
The sandwich fell out of Bucky's hands.
"You punched Loki… I knew I liked you for a reason. Anyway, how's your bridge coming along?"
"We're getting started on a new prototype. Since that incident with the last one, we overhauled the fire safety regulations. Right now, we're looking at a ninety seven percent chance at successful transport. I figure if we can reach one hundred percent and I get myself as far as Asgard, we'll be in business."
"Wait, you're not using a test subject?"
"Why bother? It's my bridge. If anyone's gets first ride, it's going to be… is he okay?"
Bucky was decidedly not okay. His mouth hung open and his eyes bugged out. The sad remains of his sandwich lay forgotten on the floor, and though Steve called his name, Bucky was not in a place to answer. He could hardly hear Steve at all as he sunk deep into his thoughts.
**
James Buchanan Barnes Inner Mind Theatre
"It is time to commence my greatest scientific experiment yet!" Jane shouted as she put on a helmet and strapped herself down on a massive rocket.
A faceless man in a lab coat lit the fuse, then ran for cover. The rocket shot out through a hole in the ceiling, Jane riding it like a horse and cackling with glee.
"FOR SCIENCE!" she screamed, soaring higher and higher in the sky. The rocket reached the sun and exploded on impact. Millions of pieces rained down upon the earth. All that remained of Jane Foster was some hair and a scrap of singed plaid.
**
"Buck? Bucky?" Steve snapped his fingers in Bucky's face. "You in there?"
Bucky returned to reality with a bang. Literally. That was the sound his chair made when he threw it at the wall getting up. He lunged at Jane, pulling her so close their noses touched. "You must be protected at all costs."
Jane blinked. Steve blinked. Bucky did not blink.
"Uh…" Jane said. "Okay?"
After that fateful day, the majority of Bucky and Steve's free time was spent in Jane's lab. By the third day, she'd gotten over her befuddlement and accepted them into the fold as unpaid, super strong assistants. They moved heavy equipment, made midnight convenience/liquor store runs, and got a crash course in welding when it came time to solder the frame into place.
At night, or whenever Jane's eyes started to droop, they'd ease her away from her station and carry her to bed. She'd offer token resistance, but always gave in and buried her head into the neck of whoever got to hold her that day. It was a peaceful routine for the three of them. Jane got her work done faster, Bucky ensured she didn't blow herself to kingdom come, and Steve got a few nights a week in bed as long as Jane and Bucky's self imposed tasks were completed in a timely manner.
On one such night, which should have been date night at home watching badly dubbed kung fu movies and eating pizza, Steve was in the kitchen getting their drinks while Bucky put the movie on. He was all wrapped up in his favorite fuzzy blanket, so comfortable he didn't think he'd move for the next week. Then his phone chimed with a new text message.
'Hey there! Having a big breakthrough. Think the bridge might be ready for a test run! -Jane'
"Okay," Steve said, as he walked in with two fruity beverages. "Got those mango strawberry smoothies with whipped cream for my best guy!"
Bucky threw the blanket away. It smacked into Steve, spilling the drinks all over him. "We have to go. Jane needs us."
"But-"
"MOVE!"
They were out the door in seconds, Steve fumbling with his jacket as Bucky half dragged him to the car. He threw him in the passenger seat and tore out of the driveway. Steve managed to right himself and buckle in three blocks away from Jane's lab. He glared at Bucky. "Tonight was supposed to be our night, you know."
"Now it's our night and Jane's. Deal with it."
"If you love her so much, you should marry her."
"Not me, we."
"Wait, what?"
They arrived to find the lab intact and Jane exactly where they left her that morning. She had a Chinese takeout carton in her lap and typed one-handed while she ate. On the screen was the same code she'd been working on. The bridge prototype was untouched and unactivated.
"Hey guys," she said. "What are you doing here? I thought tonight was date night."
"So did I," Steve grumbled.
"I got your text. Did anything happen?" Bucky did a full sweep of the lab, searching for fires, leaking chemicals, or rips in the space time continuum. "Did you turn on the bridge?"
Jane swallowed a bite of lo mein. "I ordered dinner first. Physical engineering is hungry work. I've got more if you want some."
Bucky's stomach chose that moment to whine. He took a seat and rolled another chair at Steve. Jane had overshot how much food she'd need, leaving just enough for the three of them. Bucky gobbled down his fried shrimp while Steve stole an entire plate of dim sum. They ate, chatted, laughed, and joked around. Eventually, Steve relaxed and stopped passive aggressively ribbing Bucky about date night. It wouldn't have been the same without Jane anyway. One of these days, Bucky would tell her that. Unless Steve beat him to the punch.
"So I think I'll be ready for the test run tomorrow," Jane said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's going to be amazing, though success is only ninety five percent certain this time."
Bucky forgot momentarily that he was supposed to be curbing her reckless behavior and got lost in how adorable she was when she was happy. Or nervous. Or happy and nervous at the same time. "That's great, Jane. And I'm sure whatever inanimate you send to Asgard will have a great trip!"
"Smooth Barnes," Steve hissed in his ear. Bucky elbowed him in the gut.
"Yeah, I still haven't convinced the legal team to let me go," Jane groused, crossing her arms. "As if they get to tell me what I do with my bridge."
"Well, they're the ones responsible for damage control if something goes wrong," said Steve.
"Nothing will go wrong if they'd just let me do it my way," Jane said. "Instead, I have to add all these superfluous safety features that aren't even really safe. I'd be at one hundred percent if it wasn't for this so-called virus protection they installed. That thing is buggier than a swamp."
"So delete it."
"I've tried. The encryptions are a mile long," Jane harrumphed. "Stupid bureaucracy. This is why I was independent for so long."
"I thought it was because they were stupid and didn't believe you," said Bucky.
"True," Jane conceded, "but they're eating their words now. And they'll eat them even more if I can get rid of this virus blocker."
She dropped the empty lo mein carton in the garbage. With both hands free, she typed at lightning speed. Bucky had never seen hands move so quickly. He tried to follow them, but his temples throbbed. He took to watching the screen instead. Line after line of letters and numbers in a sequence which made sense only to Jane. Bucky shared a look with Steve, but the punk just shrugged and shook his head.
"Are you sure you shouldn't just leave it?" Bucky asked as Jane deleted everything she'd written in frustration and started again. "Maybe it really would help?"
Alarms went off around the room as the screen took on a life of it's own. It spat out numbers at a rate of a hundred per second, too fast even for Jane.
"Yes," she said, the color draining from her face. "I am extremely sure."
"What's going on?" Steve got out of his chair as the gate prototype began to oscillate.
Jane screamed. "HIT THE DECK!"
The explosion shook the foundation of the building, which was single floor and made from titanium alloy exactly for this reason. They'd all have to send thank you notes to Tony later. In the meantime, Bucky covered Jane with his body, while Steve shielded the both of them with a metal table. The gate opened part of the way and blew an unearthly wind at them, pushing them backwards. Random bits of unused wires and computer modules flew over their heads. Bucky would have bumps and bruises later. Steve already had a cut on his cheek and lord knows how Jane was fairing.
The chaos ceased after ten long seconds. The gate's door mechanism rebooted and went back online, bringing about an end to the storm which in turn shut off the alarm system. The lab returned to relative silence as the trio picked themselves off the ground and assessed the damage.
Jane's bridge was in perfect condition. Everything else was not.
"I guess we won't be doing that demonstration tomorrow," Jane said, picking up the snarled remains of her favorite computer with shaking hands.
Steve put an arm around her. Bucky did the same. Sandwiched between them, she allowed her muscles to relax and her knees to buckle. They held her steady. Bucky kissed the crown of her head and rubbed her back. "Steve, what do you say we have a nice long talk with those legal guys tomorrow?"
"Took the words right out of my mouth," said Steve. "For now, how about you come home with us, Jane? We can watch kung fu movies."
He was so earnest, puppy dog eyes fully armed and loaded. Bucky himself would've fallen for it. Compared to that, Jane never stood a chance. She dried her eyes and left her ruined tech on the battered table. They stepped outside, arm in arm, to find an army of police cars and firetrucks waiting for them.
Two hours of paperwork and interrogation later, during which Bucky scared three different officers into wetting themselves, the three of them finally made it home. They cuddled up on the couch, Jane wrapped securely in the fuzzy blanket between them. Sipping mango strawberry smoothies, they watched Bruce Lee beat up thirty guys at a time and let their troubles roll by.
Bucky had read once that sometimes, science caused more problems than it solved. He kissed Steve and Jane as they were lulled off to the sleep, and knew this was not one of those times.
In her worst moments- grief, anger, frustration, heartbreak- Jane felt as the distance of space.
There was a level of tragedy that she’d never even come close to learning everything she could learn. She could study every waking minute and… it would never be enough. She tried to learn to live with that, otherwise she’d never sleep or eat. Sometimes, just sometimes, space- the big, the unknown, the all encompassing- was something to just… fall into. She dreamed of tumbling into the vastness of space, a disembodied mass free to explore and fly. The endlessness just felt like the perfect place to be. She wanted to be it. The longing, especially at times like this, was so painful, so palpable, that she felt as if it were a fist in her chest. Out here, lying on a blanket, the smell of grass and the gentle rustle of night time insects, felt like she were witnessing something sacred. In her waking mind, in her anguished state, it was as if the floor were suddenly above her and she could plummet into the sky. It curved beneath her like a dish, the stars coming closer and closer, the feeling of falling felt close to a state of ecstasy. She wasn’t afraid. She was desperate. Even a glimpse, a knowing one, didn’t quite feel like enough… but… but she’d live with it. The feeling subsided, the twinge reseeded.
She stopped.
Jane was always used to being small; physically, emotionally and, for want of a better term, spiritually. The feeling was useful when approaching a seemingly mammoth task and prevented many an existential crisis when gazing out at the wider universe.
Of course she was small, of course she was a tiny spec in the grand scheme of things… but so what? It wouldn’t stop her trying to find out about it. Until there was a way to literally embrace the infinite, she’d settle with here. Under the night sky.
(but with a few elements of Ragnarok kinda bolted on for shits and giggles)
‘Doc? Doctor Foster? Talk to me!’
Jane heard Carol’s voice from a tinny distance.
‘We need that portal open, what’s happening?!’
It took her a moment as the ringing in her ears died down that the sound was coming from her ear piece. It lay about ten feet from where she was, must have fallen out when that thing impacted the tower…
‘JANE?!’
She struggled to her feet, crying out when her leg protested, a familiar strike of pain up to her hip. She looked about for her cane and found it. By some miracle, the wood hadn’t broken. She’d always been warned about that, but here it was- good old Norwegian craftsmanship. She levered herself up, ignoring the thumping in her head and what felt like blood running from a somewhere in her hair.
‘Jen’s not listening, I think she’s lost control, Kamala and Gwen are surrounded and I can’t see Valkyrie anywhere- think she’s fighting Loki somewhere, can you hear me? Please? Jane?’
She hobbled over to the ear piece and spoke ‘Carol? I’m here… what’s up?’
‘Oh thank god,’ Carol was breathless and accompanied by the sound of explosions ‘we need that portal open, any luck?’
Jane looked up to where the beacon hummed, pulsing blue light and crackling. She checked the panel- oh that’s right.
‘Uh… it’s been hit, something… something came out of nowhere, I’ll need to... I think it’s overheating... ugh, need to open it manually.’
‘Thought you said that was suicide?’
Oh yeah, she remembered, I did.
‘Not if I’m quick,’ she replied, blinking to stop everything spinning. There was always… the stick.
‘Jane, you don’t need to-’
‘It’s the only way right? Unless you have any other suggestions?’
Carol grunted as something exploded close by ‘Jane, hold off until we can get some support down to you, do not-’
‘Make sure someone gets my dog, make sure he gets a good home.’
‘Jane-’
Jane pulled out her ear-piece and tossed it over the side of the building.
‘Sorry Carol.’
She made it to the beacon, where she could see the override panel. That had been a bad design flaw on her part, but to be fair- she had been hypnotised. That must’ve been Loki, he- she, would put in a fail safe. Asshole.
Once the army was gone, they could get Sif back. Get Loki out of her. She hobbled closer, the heat off the thing like a blast furnace. She only had to get underneath where it wasn’t quite so bad and reach where the switch was-
‘Jane Foster I presume?’
She turned, glaring and shaking.
‘I suppose it makes sense you don’t die easily,’ she said, trying to muster the thinking power for at least a little banter. Wasn’t her strong suit but screw it. Hela smiled, her dark influence spreading about her like ink in water. She strode towards Jane who backed into the beacon, the heat searing and making her whimper as her skin felt it.
‘Oh dear,’ Hela sighed ‘how sweet, a last stand?’
‘Looks like,’ Jane tried not to sob. She just had to hit the damned thing with her stick. She could make it.
Hela moved like lightning, knocking Jane to the floor again. The ground burned and she swallowed a scream as her bare flesh landed hard.
‘At least humans try to go with dignity,’ Hela chuckled ‘mostly.’
Jane, through a red mist, swung her cane and missed, hitting the side of the beacon but… it wasn’t burning. The heat didn’t seem to affect it. That’s weird right?
‘Oh do come on,’ Hela’s foot landed on the side of Jane’s face, pushing it harder into the burning gravel. Jane cried out, tears falling already.
‘Thank you for the sport Dr Foster, but… I think that’s enough.’
Jane could make out her hand, reaching for her face. One touch of Hela’s bare skin. That’s all it’d take.
Strike it again. On the ground.
Jane heard it in a distant, delirious way, was half-sure she was imagining it. She could move her arm… just… Would it work?
One way to find out.
She balled a fist and slammed her cane down on the ground as hard as she could, point first.
‘Perhaps I was wrong about the dignity,’ Hela laughed ‘that didn’t even-’
KRAAKKOOOOMMMM
Hela was flung back, her long, elegant form only wrong footed for a moment before she got up, slowly…
Just in time to see the Mighty Thor stand up.
She smiled, reached next to her and flipped the switch on the beacon. It whirred slowly to a stand still and began to blossom open.
‘That’s a lot easier,’ she said, her voice now the booming baritone of an Asgardian.
Hela’s face was a mixture of fury and disbelief, but Thor wasted no time. She lunged Mjolnir towards her, striking her in the face before she could react.
‘You don’t get to break this one,’ she snarled, calling it back to her hand with a warm metallic thirm ‘but getting your arse kicked by two thunder gods? That’s pretty embarrassing.’
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I have written so many versions of this interaction, but I had a thought that maybe the MCU version of Jane!Thor (IF IT WILL EVER HAPPEN WHICH I AM SUPER DUPER SKEPTICAL ABOUT HONESTLY) it’d be closer to Donald Blake!Thor- i.e. a physical disability rather than cancer.
Plus, it’s nice to basically give Thor a lot of side eye for being kind of a dick.
Jane spotted him at the back, standing against the wall right up at the top of the hall. None of the students turned to notice it, they were all either taking notes or listening to her. She managed to keep going, even knowing he was there. She was pretty proud of herself.
‘So… um, I expect your assignments due a week from Tuesday, any questions please email me and I will try to help you as best I can… the textbooks you need are in the lecture notes, if you want a copy of them I might ahem, know where to find them.’
The student gave a quick, knowing laugh.
‘And I’ll see you all next week, you’re free to go!’
There was an quiet, uneven chorus of ‘Thank you Dr Foster’, along with the general shuffle of bags, coats and books as the students departed. Jane did not look up, but shut down her laptop, turned off the projector and reached for her cane. Then something occurred to her- this would be the first time he had seen it. Hah.
She walked, stiffly on her cane over to the table where one of her students, Cece, had come over to ask a few brief questions. As she spoke, Jane glanced out of the corner of her eye, catching him making his way down the steps towards her.
‘Would it be okay to run it by you first Dr Foster?’ Cece asked.
Jane blinked ‘Oh yeah, sure, of course- when’re you free?’
‘Oh I can just email you it over, I just need a few pointers… I think I’m going in the right direction.’
‘That’s no problem, send it over tonight if you want.’
‘Thank you,’ she smiled and shook Jane’s hand ‘see you next week!’
Jane waved her off as he finally made it to the table, passing Cece, who did not miss the chance to check him out briefly before running past. He gave her a wink in return. Jane rolled her eyes.
‘Hey stranger.’
‘Hello J- Dr Foster.’
She scoffed ‘You can still call me Jane.’
‘I know… it’s just…’ he shrugged, losing his train of thought.
‘What brings you to my neck of the woods?’ She asked, stuffing her laptop and papers into her bag.
‘I um… I wanted to see you.’
‘Sounds ominous, like the hair cut by the way.’
‘Thanks… I like yours too,’ he nodded to where her hair was growing back. It was now a fine, dark fuzz about her scalp, which actually seemed to suit her rather well. She had a Sinead O’Connor, Ripley in Aliens 3 vibe going on, which she liked. It certainly earned her compliments, especially when she paired it with her plaid, it had a casual punk edge that she was oddly proud of. She leaned on the table whilst she hooked her back over her shoulder and then took her cane to walk around to face him. He looked… older somehow. Still him. He smiled a lot more now than when he left. Something had been on his mind back then and, by the looks of it… it seemed to have come to some sort of conclusion.
‘I’m guessing that it wasn’t… planned?’ She asked.
‘No… no it was not,’ he told her ‘was yours?’
‘Hah, no, but I’m getting used to it.’
‘Same.’
‘So um…’ she realised the silence had dragged on a little ‘you want to get a coffee?’
‘I’d love to… I think we have much to catch up on.’
‘Oh yeah… I’d say so.’
Her office had been placed on the ground floor so that she would not have to climb too many stairs. It was one of the more spacious faculty rooms in the whole campus- enough room for three bookshelves, a desk, flipchart and her favourite thing in the world that wasn’t directly linked to astrophysics.
A coffee machine.
‘It was a welcome gift from the staff,’ she walked over to it ‘apparently it cost over two thousand bucks and I hate that they spent so much money on me… but god it is just heavenly, goes straight from bean to cup… you still take coffee the same way?’
‘Afraid so,’ he laughed, taking a seat ‘need help?’
‘No,’ she told him, kindly ‘if there’s one thing I never need help with, it’s coffee.’
It did help that she didn’t have to look directly at him for a moment, allowing her to compose her features a little bit. He coughed.
‘I hear that you were ill.’
Who from? She asked, in the privacy of her own thoughts.
‘Hmm, you heard right,’ she said aloud, savouring the coffee smell.
‘Was that… that why you… um…’
‘Broke up with you? Yeah, yeah it was,’ she was still glad he couldn’t see her face.
‘But… I could have helped.’
‘Could you?’
The question seemed to sting him, but she didn’t regret it.
‘Would you have held my hand during treatment? Would you have stayed by my bed whilst I had blood transfusion after blood transfusion because the chemo slashed my platelet count in half? Would you have rubbed my back when I was vomiting constantly? Or helped me to the bathroom when I was too weak to get up?’
She kept her voice as level as she could.
‘I…’
‘No, you wouldn’t have,’ she finished his sentence ‘you couldn’t. You’re Thor, you’re an Avenger, you’re a prince… you’re needed by a lot more people than me and you know it.’
He found his voice ‘You still could have told me.’
‘You would have been guilty about going,’ she shrugged ‘I figured you were better off not knowing.’
‘Even so-’
‘I was protecting you from the dangers of my world,’ she dropped her voice a few octaves ‘but I see now that I was a fool…’
He hesitated for a moment, clearly about to protest, but sighed ‘Alright point proven.’
‘It is kind of a dick move to keep the people you care about in the dark because you don’t trust them on some flimsy pretense of protecting them isn’t it?’ Jane mused aloud.
‘Yes… yes it is.’
‘For two years.’
‘I’m… sorry.’
‘It’s fine… I’m sorry too honestly,’ she decided perhaps she should move away from this particular subject ‘but I’m in remission now, though the chemo damaged my bone marrow and left my skeleton with the structural integrity of a stale graham cracker…. Hence the…’
She indicated the cane.
‘One wrong footing and I go down like a Grandma and break a hip… It’s not fun.’
‘I can imagine…’ he said, quietly as she came over with his cup ‘thank you.’
‘No problem.’
‘So… this… cancer, is gone?’ He clarified.
‘Yup, it’s gone,’ for now ‘and I’m on a list for getting a bone marrow transplant. Since… since I haven’t got any family left, they’re looking elsewhere. Shouldn’t be too long now. Once I get that I can go back out on the road again.’
‘Never in once place for long,’ he mused.
‘Nope, though this job is amazing,’ she realised, to her dismay, that she was doing most of the talking ‘and they’re pretty keen to accommodate me so… it wouldn’t be the worst thing if I couldn’t travel the same way I used to.’
He nodded ‘I suppose so…. Though…. A quick moment in the Soul Forge would-’
‘No, Thor,’ she leaned in ‘no magic. I’m doing this with earth science. Medicine.’
‘It would be no trouble.’
‘That’s not the point.’
‘Why are you always so prideful?’ He asked, exasperated.
‘Huh, that’s rich.’
He shook his head ‘Jane…’
‘Don’t you ‘Jane’ me Mister,’ she sipped her coffee ‘seriously, no magic.’
‘What’ve you got against magic all of a sudden?’
‘Nothing, but just because we dated doesn’t mean I get a get-out-of-old-lady-bones-free card… I’m not going to take a shortcut when the rest of my fellow humans don’t get that luxury.’
He pinched the bridge of his nose ‘You are so stubborn.’
‘Again, that’s rich.’
He rubbed the back of his head ‘Not even a healing stone or-’
‘You even try it and I’ll go on a date with your brother.’
He winced ‘You wouldn’t.’
‘Try me Odinson,’ she grinned ‘hope he likes bald chicks.’
‘He does rather like you,’ he admitted.
‘Even though I punched him?’
‘Especially since you punched him.’
‘Oh god, not touching that, gross,’ she shuddered.
They both laughed. Easing the atmosphere somewhat. She was glad. She didn’t need that between them.
‘You sure?’
‘Very.’
‘If… you ever change your mind,’ he began.
‘I won’t.’
He threw up his hands, but Jane could tell he would try again- he was just as stubborn as she was.
‘So…’ she began ‘what’ve you been up to?’
He chuckled ‘Oh… that is a tale.’
‘I’ll bet,’ she sat at a chair opposite him ‘you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to… if it’s too traumatic or whatever…’
‘No no, I would,’ he assured her ‘it’s just… it’d take a long time and… I’ve not got that long before I must return.’
‘Figured.’
He looked a little hurt by that ‘I’m… I’m to be King.’
She said nothing.
‘I have the unenviable task of…. Rebuilding Asgard.’
She looked at him ‘Oh god… Asgard’s…’
‘All but,’ his mask slipped a little ‘but… I have help. A lot of help.’
‘What hap- again, it’s none of my business-’
‘It’s not that Jane… it’s a lot to think on and I’m… not sure where to begin.’
‘I get that,’ she nodded ‘I’m so sorry Thor…’
He smiled ‘Thank you.’
‘Is there…’ she stopped herself. No, of course there wasn’t anything she could do. Stupid question, but it was too late now.
‘Um… what can I do?’
‘Well,’ he leaned back in his chair ‘there is one thing.’
She frowned ‘What’s that?’
‘Asgard… Asgard was too far removed from the rest of the wider universe. My father never truly understood this and… he always took the view we should not interfere. Well, I think… As King, I will try to open the channels with other worlds, put us on a more even footing. We’ve been up on our high horses for far too long now.’
‘Literally.’
‘Hmm, indeed,’ he drained his cup and placed it on the table ‘I wish to form a council of worlds… a Congress, I believe the term is.’
Jane felt like someone had gripped her lungs.
‘All the Nine Realms shall be represented… as best they can… Including Midgard. There shall be two Senators from each world… I’ve picked one from Midgard already, but I only really had another in mind.’
She froze.
‘What?’
‘Jane, I think you should represent Midgard.’
It probably wasn’t the first time she forgot how breathing works.
‘I just…. What?’
‘You will be called to the Congress once a month, to discuss matters of trade, technological, scientific and the like, with other Senators from across the World Tree.’
‘Um… Why… Why me?’
‘You, Jane Foster, know the science of our worlds better than most on Midgard.’
‘Yeah but… I can’t be a Senator! I’m no politician-’
‘You speak well, you command respect.’
‘That’s not the same thing! Who’s the other person you have?’
He raised his eyebrows ‘Bruce Banner.’
‘Wait, what? Where’s he been?’
‘Oh that’s-’
‘A tale, yeah… okay, I’m sorry,’ she buried her face in her hands ‘I need time to think about this… have you spoken to like… I don’t know, the UN? The President? Like… it’s a bit more than just asking some rando- especially if she is your ex-girlfriend- to take up a huge responsibility like that! I mean, that looks shady don’t you think?’
She was aware she was getting a tad hysterical.
‘Also, I have my work!’
‘Once a month- and before you ask, I promise, I will not trick you into a magical treatment.’
‘Yeah, you’d better not,’ she tried to calm down ‘look… Thor, you need to think this through. Speak to your own people about it first, get their agreement.’
‘If I do, will you at least… consider it?’
She felt lost, as if she might float away, untethered from her body ‘I’ll… I’ll think about it but… God Thor… I’m not sure about it.’
‘But you are at least a little open to it.’
She glared at him ‘A little, a little, but Thor I swear… you drop out of nowhere to just… You’re just the worst…’
He took her hand ‘Please Jane… at least think about it.’
She sighed ‘Okay… just… y’know… Sorry, it’s not that I’m not grateful you still think highly of me, it’s just… oh God.’
‘I understand, but… you must trust me on this. I would not ask you lightly.’
She held onto her cane and swung herself upright.
‘Is this your way of getting me to Asgard?’ She asked.
The flicker in his eyes was a give away. She wasn’t good at reading people, but he was pretty open about his feelings, even when he tried to hide them.
‘No…’
He couldn’t just beam up his ex-girlfriend, even if it was out of a kind of pity, or guilt…
‘How about this…’ she proposed ‘if I can build a successful Einstein Rosen Bridge, I’ll make my own way. No nepotism required. If I make it up there, I get to work with your mages and magic users finding a way to work with them- not speaking for my whole planet, just… scientist to the equivalent of scientist.’
He looked surprised ‘I thought you said it was… not possible.’
She shrugged ‘Well… then I’ll make it possible.’
The skepticism on his face was a tad insulting, but she let it pass. He was trying to do her a favour and she just… turned him down. But, if there was one good thing about being single, she was no longer required to keep someone else bolstered and happy. If he didn’t like it, he’d have to live with it. She knew herself well enough that a real, consequential political role was not for her, especially not on this scale.
‘I understand.’
No you don’t, she thought.
‘Thank you,’ she held out a hand ‘and… I am sorry I can’t be of more help.’
‘You are welcome in Asgard Jane,’ he told her, shaking it gently.
‘I know, but I’ll make my own way there,’ she tried not to enjoy the warmth of his palm too much. She had loved his hands.
‘And I look forward to it.’
She said goodbye, amicable as always and sat down, wincing at the impact on the chair. She tried to take it all in, failed and reflected it was a good time to go home.
She needed a night, maybe two, to just… deal with this.
