Rating: Strong T/Light M
Pairing: Thor/Jane, Jane/(Surprise)
Warnings: Post Avengers AU, Thor 2 AU, Death
Word Count: 10,500+
Author's Note: Liberal interpretation of Norse and Marvel mythology has been used. Basically I've made them work for me but still kept them recognizable. Shoutout to my betas yumtumbl and rocksaltandroll. If there are any mistakes they are all mine, because I rewrote the ending after having them read it. Also bonus points if you catch the Supernatural reference. Crossed[Inspired in part by the fic Changing Tides on AO3.]
Thor had always thought that Freyja's Marks were stuff of children's tales, even though many Asgardians had them on the inside of their wrists. He knew his own parents had them. Though they were often covered by cuffs, bracers or jewelry, he knew the Marks, the names, were of the other's.
Still he scoffed at the idea that the name of your perfect match would appear on the pulsing veins of your wrist. He laughed whenever a fellow young warrior (for they were all still young then) showed up to training with a name branded on their skin.
He laughed when Loki confessed that Freyja had placed a mark on him as well, though he would not show it to his elder brother.
"Let me see," Thor would beg, grinning, trying to grab Loki's arm.
"No," Loki would always reply.
The game and teasing went on until Loki fashioned a leather cuff, imbued with magic to prohibit removal, so as to prevent Thor from seeing it.
Thor laughed, and laughed, until he woke one morning to feel a prickle upon his wrist. Then it grew worse. It felt as if a hundred bees were stinging the inside of his arm. He bolted upright in bed, a hand clamped over his wrist, as if that could stop the pain.
Then it was gone. It felt as if a soothing balm was applied. Cool and warm all at once. When Thor finally removed his hand and looked down he saw the Mark. He saw the name.
Jarnsaxa.
As quickly as he could he dressed and dashed off to Loki's chambers. He did not care that his brother would not share the name of his Mark with him. Loki was the first person he thought of to show it to, to help make sense of what was happening.
The prince's blood pumped quickly with excitement while his stomach turned over in anxiety.
"I don't know who she is," Loki had said, turning his wrist over, as if the explanation of who this Jarnsaxa was would appear on the other side. "With our tendency toward long life, she may not even be born yet."
The elder brother did not ask if this was why Loki did not show anyone his Mark. Maybe the name on the young trickster's wrist was of someone of a lower station? Perhaps it was the name of someone who had passed. (It had been known to happen, though very rare.)
As a young prince and warrior Thor did not want anyone to see the name, lest someone with ill intent find her before he did and use her against him. So Loki fashioned him his own leather cuff to wear when he did not have his armor on.
Thor did his best to not look at his wrist every day. Out of sight, out of mind, to a point where he did nearly forget it was there.
When he first met Jane, that very first moment when she shined the light into his face as he laid on the cool desert floor, he knew something was different about her. Of course he was half-enraged and confused by what had truly happened to him. He was not sure he'd call it love at first sight but he knew there was something.
And then Darcy electrocuted him.
It wasn't until she was scolding him for breaking a cup that he actually pondered what that feeling was.
It went far beyond being attracted to her, not that he didn't find her attractive (he found her very attractive), but he wanted to return what was hers to her because that made her happy, he wanted to show her his true abilities, he wanted to, in a very Thor like fashion, show her how strong and brave he was.
Thor wanted to show Jane Foster just the kind of man he was.
Then his world crumbled around him.
The morning after spending all night up on the roof with Jane he looked down at his wrist, where his Freyja's Mark was, where Jarnsaxa's name had been for many, many years. The once Thunder God was surprised to see a different name. It had Jane's name.
No, it had not changed. It was the same. He had never seen anything like it, nor had ever heard of it. It was if both names were there at once, one overlapping the other. Yet it seemed as if they were appearing separately, Jane's name was there and when it wasn't Jarnsaxa's name was there.
It struck Thor then, the name had changed but at the same time it hadn't. Jarnsaxa was Jane and Jane was Jarnsaxa. When he came to that conclusion the confliction of the names jumping back and forth, of them blending together ceased. When he looked at his wrist again, the name Jarnsaxa was still there but it was as if his mind was translating it into Jane's name.
Before Jane roused he thought a little on why his Mark would do such a thing. The answer, Thor decided, was actually very simple. If Thor had not been banished, his powers never lost, he might have found Jane and taken her as his wife. In that case she would have to take an Asgardian name, Jarnsaxa. Now that he had been cast out of Asgard, never to return, her Midgardian name appeared.
When Jane said she was going to make breakfast, Thor quickly jumped at the opportunity to assist her. If he was to live in this realm for the rest of his days he could not be happier that he was given this opportunity to perhaps spend it with Jane, Erik and Darcy. Thor would not ruin this new life with immaturity and pigheadedness as he had his previous one.
And then Mjolnir was restored to him and he had to return to Asgard, leaving Jane behind. He left her only with a promise to return for her.
He thought he could settle things with Loki swiftly and easily. Simple and easy were far from the truth. In the end he had to destroy the Bifrost. He lost his brother and he lost any way of getting back to Jane.
His Jane.
His Jarnsaxa.
"Are you sure?" his mother asked. She sat at her loom, though her hands were stilled upon the threads, her attention was on her elder son, her only remaining son.
Thor nodded his head. "I am sure of it mother," he replied. "It is her name that my Mark bares."
"Did you seal the bond?" Frigga asked.
"No," Thor admitted. "I intended on returning to Midgard, to bring her home and asking father to bestow the Apples on her."
Frigga frowned at him. "You would take her from everything she knows, everything she loves, and bring her here?"
He was confused by his mother's tone and look. "Yes, of course, her name is my Freyja's Mark –"
"She deserves a choice, Thor," she chided. "It would not be fair to take her from the only home she knows. The work that you described she does sound very important to her. Would you tear her away from that, bring her here to never return home?" She stood up and turned away from her loom, her golden robes swirling behind her. "That is assuming of course the All-Father would allow her into Asgard, to taste the Golden Apples."
"What do you mean?" Thor asked, following his mother to a window.
She was gazing out of the window when he stopped by her side. He was not sure that when she looked up at him that she was truly looking at him, or something that her gifts had allowed her to see. "My son, she is mortal and your father would asked her to be tested, Mark or not, and I fear that whatever task he placed before her would be too great."
"What have you seen, Mother?" Thor asked, the lines on his brow deepening.
Frigga reached up and placed a comforting hand on his cheek. "It does not matter what I saw. What matters is that you take Jane's feelings in this as well."
Thor had Heimdall look upon Midgard to gaze upon Jane, to make sure she was well, as he had on other occasions.
The Gatekeeper reported that she was well and continued her work. He thanked him and silently prayed to Jane not to lose hope.
The next time he was able to return to Midgard it was to retrieve Loki, the brother he had mourned for, and the Tesseract. Once he had secured his brother, or thought he had, he had approached the Son of Coul to see to Jane's safety.
He feared his brother would do some nefarious action to his Mark-match. Loki did not know that Jarnsaxa was Jane but Thor was no fool and knew of Loki's great gift with magic, if even in the past he had mocked it. His brother could do great and terrible things with it. The younger Odinson knew of Jane, though not of their true connection, and Thor had no doubt that Loki would use her against him if he could.
He was much relieved when the mortal working for Nick Fury told him that they had moved Jane Foster to a secure location.
Thor fully intended to see her when his task with Loki was complete.
He never did.
Jane's small hand travelled across his collarbone, her eyes following her fingers. "So this thing, this Freyja's Mark, is it something that can be removed," she said. It wasn't a question of her wanting it removed, but rather a curiosity.
"What do you mean?" Thor asked as his own fingers were running up and down her smooth back.
Thor was on his back, his left arm tucked behind his head. Jane's slender body lay on top of his, her forearms braced against his chest to hold herself up. A thin sheet from the bed they currently shared covered their lower halves, in an attempt for some modesty. Though the reason was lost to both of them as to why such an attempt should be made. It was just the two of them.
"Well is it permanent," Jane elaborated, "or is this something that will fade with time?"
He couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you so quick to be rid of me, Jane Foster?"
"No, I'm just curious how this whole 'Mark' thing works."
Thor gave a slight nod in understanding. "I have to admit that I am not entirely clear on it either. There is a legend, often told by young maidens and lovesick boys that Freyja, who your people call a goddess of love, cast a powerful spell to reveal her true love's name. You see she was torn between two suitors and there were many more clamoring for her hand. The spell was so powerful that it not only revealed for Freyja her true match but for every Asgardian as well." He chuckled to himself and Jane bounced on his chest as he did so. "That is the story; the truth is that not every Asgardian has a Mark. There has been no real documentation done on it, as far as I know. They only thing I know is that you will only ever have one name on your wrist, for they are your perfect match."
"Like soul mates?" Jane asked, her fingers stopped, her hazel eyes meeting his. There was skepticism in them but something else in there. Wonder, perhaps.
"No, not exactly, I don't think. As I said there isn't much that is truly documented. I cannot say that type of devotion is common. A profound bond is most certainly shared."
"A profound bond," Jane repeated, her nose slightly wrinkling in an attempt to hide a laugh. "So we share this bond that basically no one understands."
He stopped running his hand on her back so that it rested at the base of her spine. "I suppose we do." He sighed and withdrew his eyes from hers and looked at the ceiling. "I apologize for not being more informed. I could perhaps seek out the Norns. In the past I would have sought out Loki –"
"Loki?" Jane asked. He could hear the disbelief in her voice.
"Loki has a great knowledge of many things," Thor replied. "I am not entirely sure how to explain it – our bond, our matching. Truthfully I never believed that finding the bearer of the name that was upon my wrist."
Thor would have continued, would have told her about sealing their bond (the one thing he did know), how there were several ways to do that and that their tumble in the bed they just had was a bit more than that. He would have continued on…but Jane's hand had slipped down between them to stroke his cock.
Later as they caught their breath, smiles playing on their lips, he said, "I do know that whatever strength I may have, whatever power I may wield we share it, the same goes for you."
Jane let out an incredulous laugh, "I think you got the short end of the stick on this one Thor."
Thor drew her into his arms. "Come to Asgard with me."
She searched his face before answering. "As in for a visit, Thor, or on a more permanent basis?" she asked.
"Forever, if you wish. Since you are my one match you are entitled to all that I have."
Jane rolled away from his grasp. "As nice as that would sound to just about anyone, I can't." She held up her hand to stop him from speaking. "My work is here, but it's more than that. As nice as this was – and let me tell you it was really, really nice – I just can't travel to another world with a guy I barely know, weird bond aside. We don't really know each other, Thor. I'd like to get to know you, but I can't say that I'll ever go to Asgard with you and stay."
Thor respected her decision, did not try to press it on her again. He told himself that he was not hurt by it, that something hadn't twisted inside his heart, and that he hadn't wished he had his brother's smooth words to change her mind. No, no, he didn't feel or think any of that. The God of Thunder especially didn't think that he wouldn't know what to do if Jane crossed the gates of death before he did.
When he returned to Asgard he did consult the Norns but all they would say was, "You should have returned with your Jarnsaxa. Matters would have gone better, perhaps next time."
They were right. While Jane stayed on Midgard, continuing her work, he had to make some very difficult political decisions that would make being with her near impossible.
Thor next saw Jane nearly three years later. He had been to Midgard during those two years but had never truly seen her for longer than a few minutes. No significant amount of time that would allow them to have a proper conversation. For reasons of his own he had not asked Heimdall to look upon her except for nothing more than to make sure she was well. (Jane always was.)
In his time away from her he had explored their bond. He had learned to be able to sense her – health, mood, and such – through whatever the magic the Mark carried. Thor also learned he could share his strength through their bond from across the realms. There was a time where he felt her in great pain. He was ready to storm back to her, even if it would have put him in a very complicated situation. Instead, thankfully, Thor had stumbled upon the ability to share his strength.
"What's new, big guy?" Clint greeted him from his perch on a barstool as Thor entered the common room of the Avengers Tower. It was the same tower where Loki had used the Tesseract to open a portal for the Chitauri several years ago. It had been greatly renovated since then and had become the base of operations for their team, the Avengers. Tony had built each member of the team their own suite of rooms. While Thor utilized his for cleaning himself up after a battle or a brief rest he never stayed at the tower for any great length of time, preferring to return to Asgard.
Thor was about to reply to Clint when he heard voices carry over from the elevator door. Both of their attention went to the owners and the conversation.
"I'm telling you Cap, you and your little woman are more than welcome to stay here long as you like," Tony was saying as the doors opened. He and Steve both stepped out, not noticing the others.
Steve gave a nervous laugh, "Thanks Tony. Really it's just until the plumbing is fixed."
The billionaire grinned. "Yeah, I heard the rugrats did a number on it. Besides those are your rooms, I designed and built them just for you. No need to ask." Tony clapped Steve's shoulder. "I do have JARVIS keeping an eye on them though. I have full faith in Lewis but the stories your wife tells…" Tony trailed off and actually shuddered at the thought.
"Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon?" Clint asked.
Thor looked at the archer, confused. He thought the modern Midgardian custom was to have a honeymoon just after one was married. He did not understand why Tony would be going on one now.
"Yeah, well, when duty calls," Steve laughed, "or when your kids sabotage your plans before you leave." Then his eyes slid past Clint and landed on the Asgardian. "Oh, hey Thor, I didn't know you were here."
If Thor was truly paying attention he would have noticed the look Tony made as he looked back and forth between him and Steve. Or the slight nervous tone his friend took when he spoke to him.
"I have only just arrived," Thor explained as he went to his friend. Clint swung around on his seat and rested his arms back on the bar to observe his teammates.
Tony smirked, though Thor wasn't sure if Tony ever stopped smirking. "What brings you to our neck of the woods He-Man?"
While Thor had learned a great deal about modern Midgardian culture he could always count on Tony to reference something he did not understand. "We have observed troubling things from Asgard," he began, "I came here to see if the same can be witnessed here."
Steve's eyebrows furrowed and he crossed his arms across his chest as Tony replied, "What has got your cape all twisted?"
"The stars, we have noticed strange occurrences with them."
Steve turned to Tony. "Jane was talking about the stars acting weird a few weeks ago."
The shorter man nodded. "Yeah, better call the doc on up. JARVIS can you please ask Jane to join us upstairs?"
"It would be my pleasure, sir." The AI replied.
"Oh and where are Frick and Frack?" Tony asked and Steve shot him a look.
"The Rogers twins are currently in the Captain's suite having a snack Miss Lewis has prepared them."
"Thank you, JARVIS," Steve replied.
Thor couldn't help the grin on his face, even though he felt a little hurt. "I did not know you had children."
The man rubbed the back of his head, his eyes sliding away from Thor's to the flooring. "Yeah, twin two year old boys. Keep me on my toes."
The elevator doors open to reveal a petit figure, Jane. "Tony, JARVIS said you wanted to see me?" Her hazel eyes scanned the room. Thor noticed her eyes widen when they fell upon him but she kept her composure.
All the men, save Clint, gravitated towards the astrophysicist. "Thor here just traipsed across his bridge of many colors to see if all our stars in the night sky are in their proper places."
Jane met his gaze and he couldn't help the way his heart felt as if was squeezed, his wrist felt as if it burned beneath his bracer where her name was. If she noticed any of these things happening to Thor she gave no indication. "You've noticed the stars disappearing too?"
He shook his head. "They're not disappearing. They've been moved."
Jane led him to one of computers the common room had, Steve and Tony following behind them. Clint stayed back at his vantage point even though Steve asked if he wanted to join.
The four of them discussed the rearranging of the stars, certain stars. Thor helped Jane locate the new positions of the astral bodies that had disappeared from their night sky. Tony started working on theories of who could be behind it and their nefarious reasons.
It felt good being in Jane's presence again. He had missed her and didn't realize how much relief he felt at having her near him. It was almost as if he had been thirsty these past several years and just her aura appeased him, only her touch would truly quench him.
Time flew when you were attempting to solve a mystery of the universe. Bruce came and joined them at the request of Jane. Clint eventually wandered closer, joined later by Natasha. Bruce and Tony were narrowing down a location where suspicious radiation and transmissions signals were coming from when the last star was moved when loud shouts burst forth from the elevator doors.
"Hey!" Darcy cried, "I said hold my hand mister!" A child's giggle was the only response.
Thor looked up to see a small towhead streak speed towards their group. It came to a stop as it wrapped itself around Steve's leg.
"Hey, buddy," Steve said and detached the child. The little boy grinned at him. "What are you doing up here?"
Darcy jogged up to them. There was another blond child on her hip. "Sorry. Little guy escaped. We're looking for Bucky Bear." She jiggled the child on her waist. "Mordecai here misplaced him."
The little boy sniffed and looked away from his father, burying his face in Darcy's hair. "Want Bucky Bear," he said in a pitiful little whimper.
Steve held out his arms to his son. "Come here and let's see if we can't find him, ok Modi?" Modi reached across to his father and held on tightly once in his arms.
The name piqued Thor's interest. He knew back in Asgard that such a name would mean "anger" as it related to battle, berserker. He did not know if it meant the same thing on Midgard. "Modi, is that his name?"
Darcy, noticing him for the first time, smiled brightly at him, "Hey Thor, welcome back! And no, Modi is his nickname. He can't say his full name yet because someone's mother is cruel."
"I take offense to that," Jane said as she reached down to take the boy at Steve's leg. "Mordecai is a perfectly fine name, just like Magnus is. I named my children impeccably."
Thor felt as if a bucket of rocks had been placed in his gut. It took his mind a few moments to process this information. Steve was the boys' father, and Jane was clearly their mother…was it Jane that Steve had recently married?
Darcy rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, I'm calling them by their nicknames, Magni and Modi, they're much cooler."
"These are," Thor's voice embarrassingly broke like an adolescent, "your sons, Jane?" His hand went the handle of Mjolnir from where it hung off his belt. It was not a threatening move but rather he was seeking comfort from its presence.
She opened her mouth to reply her eyes went from Steve to the boys and back to Thor. "Yes, these are my sons."
Bruce interrupted them, "You know. I think I saw little Bucky in the game room. Why don't all of us check there?" The group took the cue and agreed that the game room was a great place to look for a stuffed bear.
Jane started to pass Magnus to Darcy. "Take Magni, please, see if you can't get the real Bucky down to the game room too. He'll keep the boys occupied for a while."
Darcy looked between her and Thor, worry clearly written on her face, as she took the little boy. He started to put up a big fuss. She tried to coax him away from his mother, his little fists gripping Jane's shirt tighter as he was pulled.
"It is all right Jane. He may stay," Thor finally said. Darcy looked to Jane, who nodded, before leaving.
Quietly Jane led him to the large u-shape sofa the room had. Taking a seat on the sofa Jane placed Magnus next to her. The little boy clung to Jane's side as he looked at Thor, wary of this new person. Thor smiled at him and wiggled his fingers at the boy, hoping to put the child at ease. The two year old quickly turned his head away, but not before Thor thought he saw a smile.
"I suppose you have questions," Jane said, the corner of her lip turning up on one side, once she had settled in her seat.
"Yes," he replied. They sat near each other at one of the bends of the sofa. She motioned with her hand for him to go on. "Are you and Steve…married?"
Jane nodded her head. "We just got married this past week. Small ceremony, just Tony, Pepper, Darcy and Eric there along with a Justice of the Peace, at Tony's place upstate." She looked him the eye, briefly, as she spoke but quickly turned away and by the time she was done she was looking at the rug.
So, so many questions he wanted to ask. Why did she not tell him? Did she care for him? Did she ever really care for him? When did she start seeing Steve romantically? Why Steve? Why one of his best friends in this realm? Did he treat her well? However he sensed he didn't have much time with her, seeing as there were other matters going on around them.
Instead he asked, "Steve is the father of your sons then?"
At this Jane looked him square in the eyes. She looked very vulnerable, very young in that moment. "No, Steve isn't their father, and only certain people are privy to that. He's treated them as his own, loved them just as much if not more than a father could. He loves me more than I could ever hope for, and I love him."
Despite how his brother depicted him, or how Tony teased him, Thor was not slow. In fact he was a very quick thinker, and more so in this moment. Steve was not the boys' father. His mind quickly calculated the twins' age and came to a very surprising conclusion.
"I – I am their father." It was nearly a whisper. So much hope and fear was in that sentence. Thor's gut clenched in anticipation of her correcting him.
Jane nodded her head in reply and looked down at Magnus, her hand stroking his head. He had never felt such relief at seeing such a small movement.
Thor took a closer look at the boy, refraining from reaching out and taking him in his arms. He should have seen it sooner. The child was a near replica of a young Thor. The Norse God did concede that his son's nose looked to take after Jane's just a bit more, his hair just a shade or two darker than his own. He had Jane's hazel-brown eyes though.
"They're not identical," Jane said after several moments of letting him study Magni. "Modi's has your blue eyes. It's the easiest way to tell them apart, otherwise they'd be perfect duplicates of each other."
Dragging his attention away from the toddler he asked, "Magni and Modi, you say these are nicknames for Magnus and Modicai?"
"Mordecai," Jane corrected and laughed. "And yes, they're nicknames though more often than not we don't use their full names."
"In my culture Magni means 'strong' and Modi means 'anger' or 'wrath' as it applies to battle," Thor explained with a smile. "Jane Foster, you have given your sons Asgardian names without even knowing."
"Rogers."
"Pardon?"
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she laughed nervously. "Its Jane Rogers now, or Jane Foster-Rogers, I haven't decided yet. Foster-Rogers does sound a little silly though."
How could he have forgotten? Jane was not, and could no longer be, his. The bubble of joy that had been filling up within him, ready to go out and create a world that he could exist with Jane and their sons, burst and fell at his feet.
Unable to help it he let slip from his lips, "How come you never told me, Jane? And how did you and Steve begin courting?"
She was silent for a long while, Magni shifting next to her – still wary of him. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to answer. "You left. You left and said you'd come back, to try and make something work between us, but then next thing I hear you're marrying Sif. I just figured you went back home and moved on. Stupid Mark or not, you know. And Steve…he just somehow was there. We were friends first; I mean I knew he had a little crush on me but didn't try anything because of you." Jane pulled her son into her lap, as if he could shield her from any negative thoughts Thor might be having. (He wasn't having ill thoughts towards Jane or his friend, in any way.) "Next thing I know I'm pregnant, and it later turns out I'm pregnant with twins. I mean we have preventative measures here for women to guard against pregnancy which I definitely employed when I was with you, so I was freaked out. Darcy freaked out, Erik was ready to murder you – if he thought he could." They both laughed at that.
The Asgardian however, for now, refrained from telling Jane that her preventative measures would not work with him due to the magic of Freyja's Mark.
"Steve though, Steve was my rock. He calmed me down when I did lose my mind, made sure I ate and slept when I was in denial that my pregnancy wouldn't affect me. He went to all those stupid pregnancy classes with me." Jane looked at Magni, smiling down at him as she tucked the same brown lock of her hair behind her ear as it had escaped. "He was there when I went into labor. I had planned on a caesarean birth but the boys seemed as if they couldn't wait. Let me just say that I am glad for modern medicine and the advances it has made, an epidural and dopamine are great things."
Thor could see it as Jane spoke about Steve, he could see the love there and feel it reverberate through their bond. He tried not to be jealous, tried to focus on the evidence that Jane was happy, for that's really what mattered.
While all of that had his emotions internally ranging from rage to depressed to content it was not enough for him to fail to notice little Magni climb down off his mother's lap and come towards him. Jane watched as the little boy made his way slowly toward Thor, her look only slightly worried. Together they held their breath.
Magni looked up at Thor, his hazel eyes shining as he gave him a small grin. He placed a little hand on Thor's knee and pointed to Mjolnir. "Hammer?" the toddler asked.
"Yes. It's called Mjolnir," Thor managed to say without letting his emotions influence his voice.
"Bob?" the little boy asked.
Thor was confused and looked to Jane for clarification. "He thinks you're Bob the Builder."
"No," Thor said, shaking his head. "I am Thor, son of Odin, your – a friend."
Magni, of course, didn't understand and turned his attention back to the hammer. "Play wit' me-nor?"
Before Thor could tell him no, and Jane tell him absolutely not, they were interrupted.
"I apologize for disturbing you," JARVIS' voice came. "Dr. Rogers and Thor your presence is being requested in the main assembly room. Dr. Banner appears to have found something of interest to your investigation."
Thor and Jane stood and exchanged a look that said that this conversation wasn't over. There was no way he would attempt to separate Jane and Steve but he would make sure that he was involved in his sons' lives.
"Up!" Magni called up to Thor, hold his arms out.
Without hesitation Thor scooped him up with a wide smile. His heart felt as if it was going to swell to such as size that it might burst.
Sif opened the door to the twins' nursery and couldn't help but smile at the scene. Thor was fast asleep on a mountain of overstuffed pillows piled in the middle of the floor. Four year old Magni and Modi were curled up on each side of their father.
She had not heard a noise coming from their nursery for nearly an hour. When the boys visited she had learned quickly (actually the whole palace had) that silence was not wanted from them. It was even more concerning when one knew that their father said he would see to them and no peep could be heard.
However in this case she was happy to let the three of them sleep. Her hand rested on her stomach. She would tell Thor later that he would be a father yet again. Thor did not need to seek to have a child with her, his wife, since he had two sons with Mark-match, one of whom would take the throne after their father. Yet she and Thor had been trying and she was more than happy to know that they would be having a child of their own soon.
On her way walking over to them she pulled a blanket off one of the boys' daybeds and draped it over her husband and step-sons. The boys looked like little miniature versions of their father as they had donned smaller versions of their father's outfit, as they did when they came to Asgard.
It had taken Sif nearly a year after they had married, and Thor had told her, to come to grips with the fact that Thor would never care for her the way she cared for him, he had a Mark-match who he would always care deeply for. She never would have a match, as she did not bear Freyja's Mark. And for a long while she resented that Thor had fathered children with Jane Foster – or Jane Rogers as she was called now.
The boys' made it hard not to love them. From what she gathered they had nearly all of Thor's Avenger's teammates in the (often grubby) palms of their hands. Those on Asgard were not immune either. She could have sworn that even Hogun once, maybe even twice, had broken his grim, silent demeanor to grin at them.
Sif left the three to rest.
He couldn't breathe; the giant creature was standing on his neck. Mjolnir was just out of reach and he was unable to call it to him due to some magic or technology. He couldn't recall the correct term as he started to lose consciousness, darkness encroaching on his vision.
There was a cry of rage, not his own. Thor could have sworn he had heard his hammer's familiar song as it flew through the air. If he could he would have laughed because that would be impossible as all knew Mjolnir only responded to him.
The creature cried out in pain and fell, but its foot was still on him.
And then it wasn't. The weight was lifted off of him and as Thor's vision cleared he saw one of his sons, he was not sure which, stood above him holding the creature aloft as if it were but a pillow before tossing it far away.
With all his strength and power Thor knew he could not accomplish such a feat. The creature was far denser than it looked.
"Are you all right, Father?" his son bent down to offer his hand. It was not meant to be formal but to help when the twins were young for them to distinguish between him and Steve. Steve was "Dad" and Thor was "Father," and both were said with affection. As he was helped to his feet Thor checked the boy's eyes, hazel. So it was Magni then.
Though "boy" was probably the wrong term as by Midgardian standards his sons, at twenty-three years, had reached their majority and were considered men. He was inclined to agree at that moment as Magni stood there in his Asgardian armor, participating in his first foray with the Avengers. The young prince cut quite a swath against the clouded sky.
"Thank you, Magni," Thor said once he felt as if could speak, though his throat still hurt.
"No problem," Magni said with a wide grin on his face. He held out Mjolnir to him, flesh and blood were on one side from where Magni had struck the creature with it. "Think you dropped this though."
Thor took his weapon from his son, stunned. Never had anyone but himself picked up Mjolnir. Before Thor could ask how he had accomplished such a feat Modi's voice came through their earpieces.
"Magni, fuck, shit, it's Mom, it's Mom," Modi's voice wavered. "Oh, gods, get over here!"
Thor pulled Magni to his side and spun Mjolnir, not giving him time to protest in his handling, and made for the building Jane had been working in, not far from the Avengers Tower.
While Magni was the warrior, Modi had taken after their mother and had breezed through his schooling so that he could be able to work with, not only Jane, but also Tony and Bruce.
As they entered Jane's lab, Thor wielding Mjolnir and Magni his sword, they found Modi on the floor holding their mother in his arms. Modi's blue eyes had a stream of tears running from them.
"Save her," Modi begged. "Can you save her, Father?"
Thor dropped Mjolnir and ran to his son and his Jane, Magni was not far behind. It was not hard to find the cause of Modi's distress. Jane's lower body was nearly all the way detached from her navel down.
"Modi, I –" Thor began, searching his son's blue eyes. He wanted to say the words that would give him comfort but he did not want to lie to his son either.
"Jane!" Steve called as he ran in, still Captain America. He spotted them, his light eyes flashing. "Where is Jane?" Thor was blocking her from his view.
"Here," came her weak voice as Magni attempted to stem the flow of blood from Jane's abdomen with several lab coats.
"You should not talk," Thor cautioned, trying to send as much of his own strength and energy into Jane via their bond. It seemed just as fast as he was transferring it was just as quickly leaving her.
Steve quickly joined them. "I wasn't sure what was wrong so I have a medical unit coming as well as back up…" The soldier trailed off as he saw how severe his wife's injury was. "Oh, Jane," he breathed and took her nearest hand in his own.
All three men, for all their power and abilities, gathered around her felt far more than just helpless.
"This, to have you all here is enough," Jane softly said, a tear fell down her face. "Tell Jaime and Sarah I'm sorry," know that her son and daughter with Steve would be heartbroken.
Modi's body shook as he spoke, his voice thick and broken, "Don't talk, Mom. Just wait, just wait ok. Dad said help is coming. You're going to be fine. You've got to be fine."
"Listen to Modi," Magni begged, his own tears running down his cheeks. "Modi always knows best, you know that." He couldn't speak anymore as he sobbed.
Jane didn't respond save for a soft smile on her lips. Already she was so pale, the life and light in her eyes were dull.
Noise could be heard down the hallway. Steve turned around to shout, "In here! We need medics in here!"
Jane's hazel-brown eyes met Thor's. 'Take care of our boys,' he heard her voice in his mind, helped by Freyja's Mark. This would be the only time she would ever do anything with the bit of magic the Mark gave her access to. 'Help Steve take care of them. And know that I always loved you Thor. We never said those words to each other, but I had always loved you.'
'I love you, Jane,' he replied in the same manner, 'my Jarnsaxa.'
There was so much more he wanted to say to her, so much they never said. Thor felt greatly cheated; so many unspoken words between them that they'd never get to even entertain of voicing to the other.
'Until we meet again,' was Jane's last thought sent to him.
Jane let out a few shuddering breaths as Steve turned back to her. All four men called out to her, asking her to hold on, wait, that she could pull through this, just a bit longer…
And then she was gone.
Thor, Magni, Modi and J.P., Steve and Jane's son (only ever called Jaime by his mother) were all pallbearers at Jane's funeral. Her daughter, Sarah, acted as a crutch for her father. Not to do with any injury but because it seemed as if all his strength had left him
It was three days after Jane's funeral that they learned her lab had been the target all along. That the fight Magni, Thor and Steve all fought in was a diversion.
In the fight that would lead to bringing Jane's murderers to justice, Modi surprised them all with the rage and passion he fought with.
It was Magni who had to pull his brother off his last opponent. Modi stood there with the man's shirt in his fist as he pummeled his face. The usually quiet twin yelled in rage at him, his face wet with his sorrow. Once Magni was able to remove the very dead man from his brother's grasp he took him into his arms and both young men cried.
It was the last time Modi would participate in battle in such a way.
Thrud stood against a pillar taking in the celebration. Her elder brother Magni, her father's heir, would be taking her father's place in his absence. Their father had allowed her brothers to decide between them who would take their father's place, years ago, when the time came. Modi had always been partial to his birth realm and had vowed to protect it if Magni would take the burden of the throne.
As the only child of Thor and Sif, Thrud was more than happy to let her brothers to the tending of the politics and such of the nine realms. Thrud was a shieldmaiden, like her mother before her, and a princess but held no desire for the throne.
Her eyes found her mother sitting, laughing, with the Warriors Three. It had been many years since her parents had separated. Her mother had eventually moved on and found someone else, even having a son, Ullr, with him. There was no ill will between her parents and they remained friends.
Her gaze drifted over to her father, who was regaling his heir with a tale from his youth. While he looked happy, and generally was, Thrud could always detect a hint of sadness in her father's blue eyes. It had been there since he had lost his Mark-match. Unconsciously Thrud went to the gold cuff on her wrist that hid the name of her Mark-match. Never in all of Asgard's history had there been a match where only one bore Freyja's Mark, and never had the Mark been a mortal's name.
If one did not have Freyja's Mark it meant that there was not another out there who had your name on your wrist. Her mother did not have Freyja's Mark, so she had no specific match.
Giving herself a little shake she went to take Modi's vacated seat by her brother's side.
"Thrud, sister!" Magni stood up and greeted her, pulling into her a hug. His hazel eyes shone brightly, his grin open and wide. Of Thor's three children he was the only one not to have blue eyes. Thrud thought perhaps this was another reason her father was taking a leave as King of Asgard. He'd be back, but she thought that maybe seeing Jane's eyes every day was too much.
"Magni you are as gentle as a bear," Thrud said as she pulled away.
Magni laughed and pulled out the chair next to him. "Yes, but I am much better looking."
She quirked the corner of her mouth as she took her seat, "That is debatable." Both Magni and her father roared with laughter.
The rest of the festivities passed in laughter, food and drink. Still, Thrud would look at her father to see if the melancholy had left his eyes.
It did not.
It had been many years since Thor had first set foot on Earth. The name, Earth, still sat funny on his tongue but sometimes he would refer to it by what its people called it, usually when Jane was heavy on his mind.
Much like today.
Today was not a special day, there was no significance attached to the date for him as he sat in the café that had once been Isabella's Diner. It was called something else now. Different owner operated the establishment but the same type of people he had encountered all those years ago still frequented it.
Puente Antiguo had not changed that much since he crashed in the desert nearly a century ago, give or take a decade or two. It was one of the main reasons he decided to spend his leave in the small town. He could have spent it in New York where the Avengers still operated, albeit a decidedly different team now. Tony's family still held a heavy influence in the city, as well as Los Angeles, and knew Thor. They even offered to lend him temporary ownership of certain properties. Thor had declined. Modi was based in New York as well, working with the new Avengers team. It was mainly in the background, grounded in science but occasionally he went out into the field with them.
Steve had suggested that his friend try London, Shanghai or Sydney. No, Thor wanted to get away from all the noise and the chaos that was the essence of those types of cities despite how much he wanted to be near Modi.
At the thought of his son, Thor smirked and shook his head. It was amazing how much Modi reminded him of Loki at times. Would Loki not have preferred to have been left to his studies rather than been dragged out to the practice arena? Thor found it ironic that he should have a son that would be similar to his own brother, even though they were not blood related. Save that Modi was not secretive and did not connive behind others backs. (Truthfully, Thor was never sure if Loki's conniving was part of his character or done out of what his brother felt was necessity.) Modi was made of better stuff than either Thor or Loki. He had Jane's wit and opened mind, her capacity to see beyond what was in front of her.
He had also just wed his Mark-match. Something that Thor envied just a bit.
All three of his children had Freyja's Mark, something he had hoped to spare them lest it lead them to heartache like it did him. He had told each of them, when the Marks appeared, that should they find their match he would grant them Idunn's Apples, no tests to prove their worth required. He would not suffer his children to the same sorrow as him.
It was that sorrow that had led him to leave his throne in Magni's hands, for the time being.
The chance to truly mourn Jane had never been given to him. After her funeral there had been no time to weep in private, to grieve her loss. Every day since she had left the world of the living there had been a gaping hole in his heart that would not close.
This inability to confront this pain had started to leak over into every other aspect of his life. His relationships with those around him, his ability to be a fair and just ruler, and his prowess in battle had all started to suffer. Instead of letting it continue he had decided to take a break from, well, everything.
So Thor had finally been able to mourn Jane in his own, proper way.
Like many other days there he sat, in this dusty little town sipping his coffee as he stared at the television that was mounted on the wall. He was not really watching or listening to it, just something for him to point his eyes at as he thought. Today was going to be a little different.
A cool breeze brushed against his neck as someone took the seat next to him.
"For the life of me I will never understand your fondness for plaid," Loki said.
Thor snorted, eyes still on the television, "And I will never understand your predilection for scarves."
A waitress came and took Loki's order (coffee, black), left, returned with his beverage and left once more before the brothers spoke again.
"I heard you left one of your whelps on your throne," Loki said as he took a sip of his drink.
"Aye," Thor replied, not rising to his brother's bait. "Magni is king in my stead while I am away."
Loki looked like he wanted to roll his eyes but refrained. "And you didn't even have the decency to go into the Odinsleep – well I suppose it would be called Thorsleep now, wouldn't it?"
He sighed deeply before turning to look at Loki. "Why have you come here? To disturb me, I presume, but what specific reason prompted you to seek me out?"
Loki looked mock offended. "What reason do I need to visit you, dear Thor? Is not wanting to spend some time in your bright company enough?" At Thor's dark look he smirked. "Yes, I suppose not. No I am here because I sensed…occurrences."
The (still) Thunder God perked up at that. "Occurrences?" he inquired, not liking the way Loki said the word. He wished he had Mjolnir, and if Magni had not been able to wield it he would have his old friend with him.
Loki chuckled, "Nothing to worry about. What I sensed was not malevolent. It is not even actively at work. As I said, it was something I sensed. I thought it was you so I came to investigate."
"Is it not me?"
The dark haired brother shook his head. "No, now that I am here with you I know it was not you who I sensed. It means no harm and is not making itself easy to find. It is becoming far too much work for me to actually care what it is." Loki looked bored as the spoke, as if he did not care what this "occurrence" was. "I thought, however, while I am here that I may drop by for a visit."
For all his skills as liar Thor found it rather easy to find the false truth in his brother's words. Not wanting to start trouble or scare Loki off he did not bring attention to it. Despite all their conflict Loki had truly wanted to see him.
"Thank you for gracing me with your presence," Thor deadpanned. It would have been effective in offending Loki if he had not seen Thor repress a smirk.
"Yes, well, I must be going then." Loki stood and adjusted the suit he was wearing, scarf included, "Until we meet again, Thor."
"Yes, until then, Loki."
The Trickster seemed inclined to leave but paused after only a step, placing a hand on Thor's shoulder. "Even though I never liked her, for what it is worth I am sorry for your loss."
It would figure that it would take Loki just as long to offer his condolences as it would Thor to properly mourn Jane. "Thank you," Thor said simply in reply, and then Loki was gone as quickly as he arrived, leaving only a very cool breeze throughout the café.
After a little while Thor finished his own coffee and left, leaving a tip for his and Loki's beverages.
King Thor of Asgard knew the next time he Slept he would not awaken from it. He could feel it in his bones as he stood at the entrance of the Bifrost. A great procession was being made for one of his grandsons as he came back from battle, victorious.
"How is it that your brood's looks are always dominant?" Volstagg quipped next to him, the boy's other grandfather. It was still unbelievable that, for the most part, the Warriors Three had retired from battle. Now they served as some Thor's closes advisor and confidants.
Thor smirked, "It is probably for the best that Thrud's son took after me rather than you. Could you imagine him trying to swing a sword around a girth like yours, old friend?"
The two men chuckled. When their grandson was near enough Thor greeted him formally as the King of Asgard. Later, after the festivities he would take the boy aside, with misty eyes, and tell him how proud he was of him.
One thing Thor had learned to do as a parent was to make sure all his children knew how proud of he was of them and that no matter what he loved them all equally. It was something he had continued to do with his grandchildren. There would be those that would whisper that Thor was soft in respect to his children and grandchildren but he did not care.
Loki never knew how much Odin did actually care for him; Thor barely knew how far his father's affections did actually run. He endeavored to be more like his mother in that respect, to never leave his children guessing.
Again he felt his age as he prepared himself for bed that night. After he and Sif separated he had never taken another queen. He had only tired to seek the comfort of a woman's flesh once or twice since then but had felt no heart or passion for the sex so he had never taken a lover.
"You're getting old, Thor," a smooth voice said.
"And you're losing your flair, Loki," Thor replied and took Gungnir in his hands.
Loki stalked closer to him. Age had affect Loki as well, there was much grey in his brother's hair. "I see you wield Odin's staff now."
"I have for several hundreds of years, as you well know," Thor said. "Mjolnir has been Magni's weapon for many years."
The God of Chaos only made a non-committal noise. "You are nearing your Sleep."
Thor nodded, his beard now silver and his hair nearly so. "Yes, one from which I will no awaken I believe. I have already given my instructions to Magni. He will make a fine ruler of Asgard, far better than me."
"If you pass in your sleep, you shall not enter Valhalla."
"Yes."
Loki was now stood in front of Thor, hands clasped behind his back. "I do not think this world survive me if you were no longer in it."
The lines at his eyes crinkled as he gave a small smile. "No, I don't think it would. Shall we have one last bout before we reach our rest?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Loki smirked. He summoned a weapon and attacked Thor.
The fighting, naturally, drew the attention of guards who called Magni to help. No matter how much the future king beat Mjolnir upon the doors of his father's chambers they would not yield. Thrud joined and was desperate enough to have someone send word to Modi, who still resided on Midgard. Soon there was such a commotion outside Thor's chambers that the fighting could barely be heard within.
And there was silence as the spell faltered and allowed them entrance.
There, kneeling upon the floor was Thor, the once Golden Prince of Asgard, and Loki, the so-called Prince of Evil. Each had their weapon buried in the other's chest, the floor coated in scarlet around them. Thor had a comforting hand around Loki's neck, their foreheads resting together, faces wet.
Magni took halting steps towards the lifeless figures; Mjolnir had been dropped in his shock. As he gazed upon his father and Loki he could not help but recall a line from a book his mother had told him millennia ago, that Loki would not allow himself to be killed unless it be by his father's hand and Thor would not be able to survive a world without Loki in it, and vice verse. Such as it was he could not tell who kill the other first.
It was a spring morning, the ground still damp from the showers the previous night. Fellow university students walked along the streets, enjoying the brief bought of sunshine before the rains came back. And it would rain. Thor had always been able to predict the weather, with accuracy, since he was a child. His brother, Loki, would always roll his eyes but hard learned his lesson long ago to listen to Thor when it came to whether it was going to rain or not.
He stood behind a truck, waiting to cross the street to the café where'd he meet his brother for breakfast, when the truck moved. Instead of going forward it reversed into him, knocking him into the ground. It did not hurt him; rather it stunned him as he was not prepared for it.
"Oh, God, please be ok. Please don't be dead!" a woman's voice said as she made her way to him.
There were no clouds in the sky to obscure the sun so it shone directly into Thor's eyes as he looked up. The woman came to stand over him, blocking the sun for him but not allowing him to see her face until he blinked a few times to adjust his eyes.
"Are you ok?" She asked, her brown hair hanging around her face. Once Thor's vision cleared he had to bite back a gasp.
It was like seeing a ghost before his eyes. He was not sure why, but he could have sworn he had seen this woman before. Her brown hair hung around her face; hazel-brown eyes open wide in near panic.
"You have a concussion or something. Crap!" She said after he didn't reply. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I swear I wasn't trying to kill you."
Thor stood, not taking his eyes off her. "No, no concussion. Everything is alright," he assured her.
The woman placed a hand on her chest and a let out a shuddering sigh. "Oh, wow. Ok. I'm sorry though. I swear I had the truck in drive before I put on the gas. It's just the town," she gestured to the buildings around them, "has me all thrown off. I keep looking around, like I should be finding something."
"Have you not been here before?" Thor asked.
She shook her head. "No, I attend university elsewhere but I haven't been able to get this place out of my mind. It may sound funny but I feel as if something was calling me here."
"They do say Culver University has acquired a mysterious allure, though I think most people are referring to the big green guy." They both laughed at his small joke. "I am Thor by the way," he held out his hand.
"I'm Jarnsaxa, but unless you're cruel like my New Age parents just call me Jane," she said with a wide smile as she took his hand. "It sounds like your parents may have had the same baby name books as mine did."
As she took his hand Thor could not help but catch a tattoo on her wrist. It was similar to the one he had on his own wrist. He did not know where it had come from, or the strange symbols it consisted of. He wanted to ask her about it. Did she wake up one morning like he had with it imprinted on his skin. He wanted to ask her a great deal of many things. They could wait though. He found he wouldn't mind hearing her answers for the rest of his life.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Jane," Thor smiled at her as he shook her hand, a pleasant tingle running up his arm from where her skin touch his. If at all possible her smile grew, and what felt like the first time in ages Thor's heart began to beat a healthy rhythm again.
Jane reluctantly retracted her hand. "Let me buy you a coffee or something, to make up for nearly killing you."
Thor grinned, his blue eyes twinkling in mischief, "How about you join my brother, Loki, and I for breakfast."
"Loki? Wow, you're parents were really mean," she joked. "But breakfast sounds nice, as long as I buy. Its least I could do."
Thor led Jane to the café where he easily found his brother when Loki stood up, his dark hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. Jane did a double take between them. It was not uncommon as physically Loki and Thor were very different. Not many realized when first meeting the brothers that Thor was adopted prior to the birth of their natural born son, Loki. The boys had a great deal of fun with it.
"Loki, this is Jane, Jane this is Loki," Thor said, introducing them.
Jane shook Loki's hand. "Hi, I just met Thor. I hit him with my truck."
Loki raised a dark eyebrow at his brother. "Now, that is a story I must hear."
Thor smiled and he and Jane sat.
He wasn't sure where the thought came from as he talked most of the morning away with Jane and Loki, but it came to him nonetheless: 'This time I will do things right.'
I don't know how it is you are so familiar to me- or why it feels less like I am getting to know you and more as though I am remembering who you are. How every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I have love you before- in another time, a different palce- some other existence
- Lang Leav