Author's Note: Hi all, UniverseDreams here with another fic set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this time for Thor. It's a prequel story that takes place after Iron Man 3 and starts about a month before Dark World. It introduces my MCU fan character, Annika Rivers, a SHIELD agent sent to Asgard at Thor's request. She is also tasked with interrogating Loki for information about the Chitauri, but as the war with the Dark Elves erupts, she's suddenly way in over her head. Which may or may not end badly. Maybe.

I have three chapters of this written already (it'll be around ten-fifteen), but this is the only one I'll be posting before I see Dark World in case I have to change anything to make it more consistent with the canon movieverse. I already have my MCU headcanon universe completely worked out, but especially concerning Loki, I want to make sure I do the storyline he has in the movies justice while still retaining my own tweaks of his character. And for anyone wondering, as I said, this is before Dark World, so Thor hasn't brought Jane to Asgard yet. And yes, Thor has some major explaining to do to Jane why he's been to Earth several times since he said he'd come back for her and hasn't contacted her at all any of those times.

So, enjoy! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel plotlines, movies, or characters. I only own my own character, Annika.

The doors slid open with a soft whoosh and Annika crossed the threshold of the dormitory and out into the courtyard. The chilly morning air wafted through her lightweight jacket and she shivered, glancing up to the sky. It was still dark in the early hours of the morning, the pitch-black sky just beginning to show the barest hint of dark blue.

Annika adjusted her grip on her travel bag on her shoulder and continued walking. There was no activity in the buildings lining the outskirts of the base, their outdoor corridors empty as the first shift of the morning had not yet begun. Not a sound could be heard, save for the soft breeze of the wind, as silent as a whisper. She kept going, past the dorms where the rest of the people on base still slept, past the training sites, past the warehouses, until the structures ended, giving way to the open airfield and runways.

She halted several yards out onto the tarmac and lifted her bag off of her shoulder and set it down. Out here, there was a clear view of the horizon. She tilted her head up to the sky again. The heavens were calm and clear, scattered clouds filling the lower atmosphere. The colors of the sky changed by the minute, becoming lighter and lighter, approaching the arrival of the day. Her stomach flipped nervously in anticipation of what would happen soon. This was no ordinary trip she was about to embark on. As soon as the dawn came, everything would change. She let out an exhale, reflecting on how this had all started.

It was the night she had returned from her mission in Monaco. After spending three weeks charming the elite of the local billionaire society to get on the inside, she was finally returning to SHIELD's flying main base, the Helicarrier. It was early evening, and following a noticeably quicker than usual debriefing, a low-level agent had approached her with a message that Fury wanted to see her in his office as soon as possible. He had given no further explanation. So, after catching up on paperwork and bringing the status of all of her on-going assignments up to date, she made her way up to the bridge of the Helicarrier.

"Agent Rivers," Fury greeted her as she entered his office. "I trust your mission in Monaco was a success?"

"Well, I never want to see another billionaire ever again," Annika replied with a roll of her eyes. She then smirked. "But I was able to retrieve all the records and I'm sure no one still suspects a thing. Our mystery agents were definitely conducting business there. Once Research analyzes the data, I'm ready to begin pursuing the next lead."

"I'm afraid that's going to have to wait." Fury gestured to the chair in front of the desk. "Please, have a seat."

"I prefer to stand, thanks. I'm still recovering from having to sit on a quinjet for sixteen hours straight." Annika rubbed her lower back, exaggerating her stiffness. "Next time we refit the 'jets, comfortable seating is going at the top of the priority list."

"If you'd rather read the material standing up, go right ahead." Fury took a seat behind the desk. "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here. An urgent matter has come up, so I will cut right to the chase. Are you familiar with the incident in New Mexico two years ago?"

"The 084 that Agent Coulson was sent to investigate?" A note of pain entered her voice as she mentioned Coulson. "I never heard the mission's resolution. All I know is that, immediately following the incident, a small town in Galisteo was suddenly no longer there."

Fury flipped a folder down onto the table. "On-record, after Coulson returned to base, there was some freak weather phenomena in the area and a tornado blew through the valley, leveling the town."

"And off-record, it's always something else," Annika replied dryly. "I know the drill. I've helped write plenty of them." She picked up the folder off of the desk and opened it. "So, tell me, what was it this time?"

"The 084 turned out to be an object not of this world, the town was leveled in a showdown between a couple of alien beings, and all that freaky weather? That was a portal opening up in the sky to another dimension."

Annika raised her head. "Portal? Like the Tesseract-powered portal in New York?"

"Something even greater." Fury gestured for her to keep looking through the papers.

Annika looked back to the folder and turned the next page...and then stopped. She stood unmoving for a few minutes, her eyes scanning the text in front of her. This went beyond all human imagination and understanding... A force of this magnitude she was sure was even beyond the science of thermonuclear astrophysics... How was something like this even possible? Annika looked up and when she spoke, her voice was an astonished whisper. "The Bifrost?"

"It is a cosmic bridge that connects our world with Thor's world of Asgard, as well as, to the best of my understanding, seven other worlds."

"Seven?" Annika's eyes widened and she couldn't help her voice raising an octave or two. "You're can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm serious. Dead serious." Fury rose out of his chair. "In fact, the information came from Thor himself. He was here just yesterday."

If Annika was stunned before, she was openly gaping now. "Here? On the Helicarrier?"

Fury nodded and turned, beginning to pace around the room. "You see, it turns out that after the events of New Mexico, the Bifrost was destroyed and the worlds were cut off from one another. Up until now. Thor has informed me that the bridge has been repaired and the 'nine realms' as he put it are connected once again."

Annika closed the folder and set it slowly down onto the desk. "That...sounds like a good thing. But honestly, I don't know whether we should be scared or excited."

"Probably a bit of some both," Fury answered. "The world - hell, the universe, is changing as we know it. We've seen what the consequences are when trying to deal with forces beyond our control. New York proved that. But we've also seen the good that we're capable of when we harness the power we got and work together to get the job done. That's opened up a whole new realm for us, eight new realms, and the possibilities are endless. And now, it's time for us to establish our place in this new universe."

"You've given this a lot of thought." A statement, not a question. "There are many unknowns being thrown at us and you think it wise for SHIELD to stay as close to the turning tide as possible." Annika paused. "I would have to say that I agree. What are you proposing?"

"It is not just here that the tide is turning, Agent Rivers," Fury replied, returning to his seat behind the desk. "Thor has informed me that things are changing in Asgard as well, and in light of the success of the Avengers, has requested that we endeavor to form an alliance between our two worlds. He asked me to find someone intelligent, ideally someone who is a fast learner with an interest in culture and a background in diplomacy, and can also defend himself if necessary, to go to Asgard as an ambassador of not just SHIELD, but Earth itself."

Annika blew out a breath, leaning her hands against the desk. "Wow, that's an unbelievably important position," she murmured, amazed at just thinking about it. "Do you have anyone in mind yet?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Fury smirked and leaned back in his chair, touching his fingertips together. "You."

And though Annika's mind and processing abilities were as sharp as a blade, Fury's answer had caught her so off guard that she responded with a very unintelligent and deadpan, "What?"

"You heard me," Fury said, looking like he was enjoying himself. "I want you to go to Asgard. As the official ambassador of Earth."

"This is...no...I'm..." She closed her eyes and held up her hands, trying to stop fumbling over her words. "Director Fury, with all due respect, you have got to be kidding me. I can't–"

"You sound like you're about to turn down the job. Can you really tell me you're not intrigued by this?"

"Of course I'm intrigued," Annika said pointedly. "The sheer reality that other worlds not only exist but are accessible to us is incredible and that doesn't even begin to describe it, but this isn't exactly a simple field trip you're talking about!" She held out her arm to the side. "Representing an entire planet and trying to build an understanding with an alien culture is an enormous responsibility!"

"Which is why I'm asking you," Fury replied calmly. "You're a Level Six agent, Rivers. Your qualifications are one of the top-ranked in SHIELD and you have equal performance levels out in the field as you do at the desk. You have a comprehensive eidetic memory and a limitless capacity for learning and understanding. You could take in their entire world in a very short amount of time, being interested as well as efficient. Not to mention you're a very versatile individual outside of your defined skill-set. You already know a lot about this situation and what's happened. You're a perfect fit for the job." Fury leaned forward. "But I see that look in your eyes. You're not convinced."

"First of all, that capacity isn't limitless. I just don't know what the limit is yet or when I'll reach it. And second, this isn't even about what I can or can't do." Annika averted her eyes. "This sounds like Avengers business and I've already made it clear where I stand on that issue. I'm a field agent, not a superhero." She looked back to Fury. "Wouldn't Agent Romanoff be a better choice? We share mostly the same qualifications and she's worked with Thor before as part of the Avengers. I'm sure she would be just as good an ambassador."

"Romanoff is otherwise engaged with important assignments here," Fury said. "She also does not meet a few of the vital criteria for this mission. Which brings me to inform you of the second agenda you'd have while in Asgard."

"And that would be?"

"Thor's proposal for an alliance couldn't have come at a more perfect time." Fury clasped his hands together. "As you know, during the Battle of New York, we were invaded by an extraterrestrial army led by an Asgardian hell-bent on destroying our cities and ruling over the burning ruins."

Annika placed her hand on her hip, offering a small, mirthless chuckle. "Yeah, as if anyone could forget. Even the youngest children all over the world know the story now."

"What isn't known is that, directly following the aftermath of the battle, SHIELD recovered and has been analyzing several of the Chitauri bodies that were left in the city. We needed to know how to better arm ourselves if or when this conflict ever threatens us again."

Alarm rose subtly in Annika's face. "You believe the Chitauri will return here?"

"Even when a conflict is resolved, is it ever really over?'" came Fury's rhetorical question. "As you well know, hatred and the desire for revenge are not so easily forgotten. We may have won the battle, but this war is far from over. If not with the Chitauri, then with any of the hundreds, maybe thousands of other aliens out there. The enemies in the Battle of New York were obvious. But for every soldier seen, a hundred more are not. And we ask: where does an Asgardian warlord happen across an alien army to use at his disposal?"

Annika paused for a moment. "You think that there was something else to the equation. Someone behind the scenes on the other side of the portal orchestrating the war."

Fury nodded. "And no one, not even in Asgard, seems to have the slightest clue about this army or knows where they came from. It's disturbing. For the sake of our world and all the others, we need to know what this threat was and what's really going on."

Annika drew in a breath. "There's potentially only one person in the world – no, the nine realms – who has the answer," she said quietly.

"And that person is currently residing in an Asgardian prison."

Annika blinked. Once. Twice. And then she threw up her hands. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, I am not traveling to another planet to interrogate Loki, of all people! That is a job for an Avenger. They're the ones who defeated him in the first place. Absolutely not." She crossed her arms. "Besides, what makes you think I could get an answer even if I tried? I'm good, but this is no ordinary criminal; this is a psycho alien god we're talking about!"

"You're one of the most capable agents in this organization, Rivers," Fury answered. "And even though I know you hate to use it, you have a way of taking answers if all other methods fail. I believe in your abilities and I trust your judgment. I agree that this would be a lot to deal with and it's new territory for all of us, but I wouldn't have called you here if I didn't think you could do the job." He looked her in the eyes. "I'm not asking you to be a superhero. Or get involved with the Avengers if that's not what you want, even though I know you'd be a valuable member of the team. I don't have to tell you how crucial this effort is. Earth would gain a powerful ally. Maybe we'd even be able to prevent a future war. All I'm asking is that you're willing to try. Because I'm telling you; this isn't just a mission for SHIELD, Annika. You'd be in another world. And I'd bet that you could learn the entire culture of the place in two weeks. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Are you really going to walk away from that?"

Annika sighed and turned away, her hands on her hips. She looked around the office, but she wasn't really seeing it. What should she do? Fury was right. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see another world and she wanted to go. But it wasn't simple. If she went to Asgard, she would be creating international – interplanetary – laws, among other things. And, oh God, that was just too intimidating. She couldn't be responsible for something like that! And Loki... That was a whole separate problem by itself. He was responsible for so much damage, death, and destruction. Everything he had done to New York, the city's people, to SHIELD, to Natasha, to Barton... To Coulson... She clenched her fists. How could she make him her problem? Then again, how could she not? She knew how important the task was and who else would do the job if she didn't? She supposed she had the best chance at succeeding out of anyone, but could she summon enough courage to try? She glanced to the door. If she walked away, she wouldn't get another chance. Both tasks were daunting, but then again, when had anything in her life ever been easy? She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them. She'd made her decision.

Annika turned to face Fury, shoulders squared and jaw set definitively. "I'll make it one."

Fury smiled. "Good decision."

"I'll agree on one condition: that Agent Romanoff knows about the whole mission." She sighed. "I'm going to need someone to complain to about the sheer insanity that's sure to follow this."

"I think that can be arranged." Fury held out another folder which Annika took. "You'll depart to Asgard from Masterson base in exactly three days from now. Thor will arrive in the morning to transport you, and you'll stay stationed there while you work with him, reporting back to SHIELD once a week. Someone will take over your assignments here while you're gone." Fury pointed to the folder. "Those are the specialty notes and SHIELD's worldwide database is also available to you. I suggest you study well. There'll be a plane waiting for you on the deck at 1900 in two days' time. Don't forget."

Annika nodded. "I'll do my best, sir." She turned for the door, but then turned back, a hand on her hip. "Oh, and Director?"

Fury looked up from the papers on his desk.

"That joke was only funny the first time. After two-hundred-sixty-seven times, it's just annoying now."

Fury smirked. "All in a day's work."

Annika shook her head, though not without the barest hint of a smirk herself as she exited the office.

So, as always, she had thrown herself into the work. With only three days to prepare, she had read every spare minute, going over all of SHIELD's records of the Battle of New York, analyses of the Chitauri, quantum theories concerning the Tesseract, the files on the Bifrost, and the video footage of Romanoff's interrogation of Loki aboard the Helicarrier. She had even brushed up on some of the Norse mythology that had been around on Earth for so long. The collective knowledge was vast, but she didn't have time to let it overwhelm her. She meditated, filing the information in her mind the best that she could, and then picked up the next folder. After arriving at the base the previous night, she had contacted Natasha and told her the story and who she was to deal with. The Black Widow was in the middle of an assignment and couldn't talk for long, but after a long pause of initial disbelief, she had said to be very, very careful, watch her back, and offered a sincere, "Good luck exploring a new planet." Annika grinned. That was the reason why Natasha was one of her closest friends. And now, here she was waiting for Thor to arrive. She was actually going to do this. She was going to travel to another world.

The sun peaked up over the horizon, casting its rays of light over the land. Annika closed her eyes, feeling the light and warmth on her face. She took a deep breath and let it calm her with its presence as it always did, let her anxiety wash away in favor of relaxed excitement and determination. She opened her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. It was a new day, a new beginning, bringing with it new promise and new possibilities. She could do this.

A loud rumble sounded overhead and Annika glanced up. Dense gray clouds began to gather in the high atmosphere above her, stretching on for about a mile radius. Off in the distance, a few scattered streaks of lightning split across the sky. She released a breath. Nothing else could signal the God of Thunder's arrival. "Here we go," she whispered to herself.

The sun rose higher in the sky, the clouds grew thicker and thicker, accompanied by alternating thunder and lighting, and then suddenly, Annika felt something enter the air. Something so strong that it was almost tangible. Something magical. Something alien. A spark of light ignited in the clouds and she backed up several steps. The light intensified, rushing down from the heavens until it struck down upon the ground in front of her. The sheer force of it shook the earth and nearly blew her off of her feet. She raised a hand to shield her face and peered through her fingers, marveling at the sight before her, the massive swirling vortex of rainbow light and energy that made up the Bifrost. She had read much about the cosmic bridge, but there was absolutely no comparison to witnessing it in person. Such intense ferocity. Such powerful beauty. She couldn't help but exhale in amazement. 'Wow...'

As quickly as it had crashed down, the Bifrost's energy dissipated. Annika lowered her hand and leaned forward, squinting through the dust. As the air cleared, she could make out a tall, broad figure standing on the tarmac, in the center of where the Bifrost's current had been. His golden hair and silver armor shone in the sunlight, his red cape swaying slightly in the breeze. Surely, this person could only have one identity. In one hand, he held the artifact that granted him legendary power, the mighty hammer, Mjolnir, and she noticed that that ground where he now stood had been marked with what she had read to be a circle of runes that accompanied the Bifrost whenever it touched down.

Thor started toward her and she snapped to attention, shifting (or at least trying to) into her professional demeanor. She adjusted her posture and stepped forward, nodding in greeting to the approaching god. "Hello, Thor."

"Hello," Thor said, returning her nod. He halted a couple yards away from her and with what could only be considered as an amused expression, asked, "I take it you have never seen a dimensional bridge before?"

Annika realized she must have still been gaping a little and tried to reign in her amazement. "I'm sorry," she said with a nervous laugh. "It's just...that was most likely the coolest thing I have ever seen. Most likely."

Thor chuckled. "'Tis nothing to apologize for. The Bifrost is a wonder, to be sure." He held up his hand. "Please, dispense with the formalities. I wish for our interactions to be honest and not hindered by the rules of decorum. Here, we are just friends trying to get acquainted with one another."

"O-Okay. Uh..." She shook her head to get herself back on track. "My name is Annika. Agent Annika Rivers." She extended her hand out to which Thor looked down at, confusedly.

"Oh, right." Annika cleared her throat. "On Earth, people usually greet each other by shaking hands."

"I see. In Asgard, it is customary for a man to greet a woman like so." Thor grasped her hand gently in his, leaned down and kissed the back of her hand, making her smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Annika." He straightened up. "I presume that Sir Fury informed you of the situation and has chosen you for this task?"

"Yes," Annika answered. "I admit that I was rather...surprised, to say the least when he first told me, but I decided that I agree with your proposal. I think the objective of uniting both our worlds is important and beneficial to all involved. Director Fury has great confidence in my abilities...and so do I. I can't guarantee any outcomes, but I'm willing to work with you on this, however I can be of service."

"That is all that I ask," Thor said. "But, I also recognize that I ask a great deal and that there are many changes that I must allow you time to adjust to. Do you wish to remain here and speak for a while?"

Annika shook her head. "No. We should go. Besides," she gave a small smile, "you might be surprised how fast I can adapt."

"Very well." Thor turned and gestured for her to follow. "Come. Asgard awaits us."

Annika drew in a breath, picked up her duffel bag and walked after Thor back to the rune circle. He stopped in the center of it and she halted next to him, staring at the engravings on the ground. It was a language completely foreign to her. She wondered what kind of ancient history they represented. Hopefully, she'd have the opportunity to learn.

Thor glanced down to her. "You had better hold on. The Bifrost can be a rather rough trip the first time around, especially for Midgardians."

She tentatively wrapped an arm around his waist, and he closed his hand over her shoulder. "Ready?"

Annika nodded resolutely. "I'm ready."

"Then let us go." Thor raised his head skyward and yelled, "Heimdall, open the Bifrost!"

That spark ignited in the sky again and seeing the whirlwind of light spiral toward them, Annika instinctively shut her eyes and ducked her head against Thor. The Bifrost slammed down on them, but surprisingly, the impact was much softer than she expected. Their feet rose off of the trembling ground, and Annika gazed up to the heavens as the vortex pulled them up, away from the Earth, and into the bridge to a new world.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed! If you're interested in more of the story and knowing more about Annika, there's more to come after Dark World is released. I'm going with my dad on opening day wearing my Loki t-shirt and necklace that I made. I can't wait! :D

Please R&R!

~UniverseDreams