Bad End
Jane hadn’t expected this chapter of her life to close this way. Then again, she had never even expected it to exist in the first place.
It was crazy that her theory would correctly lead her to a desert. It’s lunacy that a crazed man disoriented with his surroundings, was actually a Norse God she had laid flat with her van. Twice.
And it’s simply magnificent that for the past two years her research had lead her to the same golden god of thunder, and an intergalactic trip to a planet of near immortals.
Of course, however, it was terrifying being thrusted in the middle of a war between aforementioned immortals, and an ancient eleven race wanting to shroud the universe in darkness. Pre-big bang darkness. It was excruciating being infected with a violent force too powerful for her human body to contain. And amidst the chaos and uncertainty, it was…gratifying punching Thor’s brother, Loki, in his smug face, mid-introduction no less. Even if it was short-lived by the smirk he gave in response. His gleaming eyes fitted a god of mischief while her knuckles burned, as if silently congratulating her for throwing the first punch of her life at a war-mongering, psychopath who didn’t feel a lick of it.
“I like her.”
Asshole.
She almost threw a second.
At that time, Thor had stepped to the side to tell Sif more of the plan, giving Loki time to scan his eyes over her. He oozed condescension, looking at her like she was behind a glass-casing to be observed. But there was some mirth in his grin – perhaps similar to the way you’d look at a small animal; like an amusing new pet.
“You got a problem?” she hissed.
“You’re special you know,” he replied.
She didn’t want to show a reaction to anything he said, but nothing could’ve prepared her for that. She had never seen herself as someone special or unique, just a researcher trying to meet her deadlines and be properly recognized under the scrutiny of male peers. She had looks and intelligence, but as soon as she spoke her mind, people (of the romantic and work relations alike) tended to shy away from her. Some weren’t expecting her to be able to have profound understanding in the formation and behavior in cosmological structures, and even encountered beings from other worlds during her research of interdimensional phenomena. Others found that she wouldn’t let workplace harassment go by in silence. There have been only 3 other women in their research department, but she’ll still break a finger on every unsolicited hand towards them.
So what did he mean? More likely the fact of her being the host of the ether. A parasitic, destructive force that for some reason wasn’t destroyed millennia ago like a bad Hollywood premise. She could ask Loki, but she was better off not interacting with him further. Not that it mattered, because he kept talking as if to answer her question.
“His infatuations don’t usually last this long.”
Ah. He was talking about…
She didn’t like how those simple words affected her, and she would never admit it to anyone else that it’s why she had held out on hope for so long.
Loki was…well, Loki. But he was also someone who had known Thor all his life.
Centuries, perhaps a whole millennium longer than Jane; who at the time could add up the number of days with Thor on one hand.
But whatever Loki saw must have died as soon as the Norse god of mischief did. Along with most of Thor.
She remembered being next to Thor, hand pressed in sliding motions on his trembling back. Seeing the sand swirl around them, picked up by the winds of the oncoming storm, she looked towards the skies and saw the foreboding clouds coming towards them.
“Thor,” she spoke hesitantly, “We have to go…”
He heard her, but he didn’t move for a few more moments.
When they left, he didn’t look back, saying that he would tell his father what had happened, and a royal envoy would come for his brother’s body so that he could have the same send off as their mother. That’s when she believed it had hit both of them. Yesterday was the last time he had ever seen his mother, and now today was the last time he would ever see his brother. All the more reason for him to not look back into the now whirling dust, at the stiff and lifeless little sibling behind him. His feet stumbled on the rocks, and Jane, in all her poor human stature and grossly insufficient strength, instinctively tried to use her body to act as the massive god’s crutch. She almost buckled immediately but he was able to right them both, and gave a soft thank you, before leading her on into the cavern they took refuge in. Wind and sand whipped the tears off his cheeks before they have a chance to fully slide down. But Jane… Jane did look back… and what she sees…was a man who had not ten minutes ago actively used his body to shield hers. Someone who saw danger and thought to push Jane out the way before getting himself to a safe distance. Despite the havoc he’d wreaked on other worlds, he had even given his life for Thor this planet; and made it known in his last breaths. He was an enemy to Earth, but ended up helping save the universe. He wouldn’t have worded it that way, though. This was purely revenge for him. Revenge for the mother he’d lost, but is now joined with her.
Jane saw the sand spreading over an unmoving body in the desert storm, on an empty foreign planet, and couldn’t help but think that the god of mischief still deserved better than this.
After the battle, Thor of course had to answer for his and his friends’ treason against the king, but he assured her that being one of the sons of Odin usually helped in these matters. He said the sentence with a tinge of bitterness and maybe even reprimand towards the end. But he didn’t need to say that he was the only son of Odin left now; it was too early, and she understood.
She supposed it was because of this that she was surprised to see him merely two days later – on earth – to stay.
Jane thought to be discreet, but as soon as a reporter got the opportunity to ask him a question in the aftermath of an Avengers mission, on behalf of all his lady fans, he countered that his heart was already taken by “the lady Jane Foster” without hesitation.
After that, Jane had to change her entire presence online.
Any social media accounts she had (and even some she didn’t have) blew up almost immediately. It was easy to prove authenticity with a grinning golden god, poptart crumbs on his mouth, sitting across her breakfast table. She didn’t know how long it had been since they separated, and swamped herself in work as a tactic to not count the days as she had once done before.
Although they hadn’t really spoken in weeks, it still hurt when she only learned of his departure from earth through a news headline.
Below the large, bold print featured a kaleidoscope of colors beaming down from the sky onto Stark Tower.
Thor hadn’t even let her know for how long. Or if he would ever be returning.
.HAS THOR GONE HOME? WILL HE EVER COME BACK?" the printed words demanded answers"
Jane felt in a similar mood.