Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, just the idea for the plot.
Demigod Dilemma
Thor may have come from a different planet, but he still cared a great deal for his Midgardian teammates.
He'd do a lot for them, and knows they would do the same for him.
Thor also knows he's a warrior - a soldier who will probably end up dead on some battlefield, whether it's on Asgard, Midgard, or any of the rest of the Nine Realms. And he will die protecting innocents, he's always told himself when he wants to quit, when he looks at his Father or Mother, or Jane, or any of the other five Avengers. He's doing the right thing, he tells himself, then forces a smile and focuses on the words spoken in front of him. How Jane will ramble about her new findings, or his Father about the proceedings of the realms, or Stark on his new machines, or Clint about his newest mission, or a hundred other times.
When Thor pictured his death, it was with his hammer, facing a thousand enemies, perhaps with the Avengers or the Asgardian army by his side.
But fate is cruel. And it is hard to understand. And it sometimes seems as though it is never kind, never forgiving, and never fair.
It was a Wednesday. Thor didn't really even like Wednesday's, but this particular one started off quite well.
Thor had been on Midgard for the last few months, and before that had been alternating between time on Asgard and time on Midgard.
The whole day was spent in the Avengers' Tower. Stark and Banner had spent the whole day in their labs, Romanov and Barton were switching between taking breaks and challenging each other to fighting in the boxing ring, and Rogers stayed with Thor, doing whatever seemed necessary at the time.
Then the alarms went off.
"Suit up, folks, we've got a break-in at a high-tech lab just outside the city," Tony's voice filtered through the speakers throughout the building.
Sharing a quick look, Rogers and Thor went separate ways: Steve to suit up, and Thor to go to the location.
Thor was usually in his Asgardian armor, so he easily accepted his role as the strongarm, being the first to arrive and face whatever came his way, warning his team as to what they were about to walk into as they followed him.
Snatching a small box, Thor ran to the balcony on the level. He opened the box, shoved the earpiece in his ear, looked on Stark's small device to see where he was going, and began his flight.
…
When Thor arrived, he half expected what he saw: nothing.
It was nighttime, and he grunted, resisting the urge to throw Mjolnir through the smashed doors to the laboratory.
One-story, debris in and around the structure, and looking like it was two seconds away from collapsing.
Thor ambled through the tiled floor, side-stepping large chunks of cement and metal from the building. Cabinets opened and shelves toppled over, splaying all their test tubes and chemicals and mechanical instruments that Thor couldn't begin to name or understand.
His earpiece crackled, coming to life. "What are we looking at, Thor?" Steve asked.
"I believe the thief has left. I do not see anyone, Captain." Thor spun around, taking one last look around, and spotting a door he hadn't seen before.
"I'll scan for any heat signatures or hidden paths of travel when we get there," Tony's voice informed. "We'll be there in five."
"There is another room connected to the main one, I shall check it out." Thor told them, trudging across the floor, tossing a shelf formerly in his way, and approaching the door.
"Copy that. Watch yourself," Steve demanded from the comms.
Thor opened the door slowly, the hinges squealing in resistance. Taking two steps, Thor found himself in the center of another small room. Sighing, he observed the landscape outside the window, getting lost in the view, trying to figure out where the intruder could have gone.
"Four minutes away."
"Thor, you get anything?"
"I am afraid not, my friends. The thief must be-" Thor snapped his head to the door he entered the room from at the sound of glass crunching.
"Thor? You there, Point Break?"
Thor spoke quietly. "You have not yet arrived?"
"No, we're three minutes out, what's going on?" Steve asked.
"I am not sure. I cleared the area, but it sounds as if someone is here." Thor peered through the doorway into the dark room.
Cautiously tiptoeing, Thor moved through the doorway and into the large room.
He swiveled his head back and forth, trying to see around every piece of debris and into the dark night beyond.
Nothing. Thor shook his head, an embarrassed grin spread on his face.
"I-" That's as far as Thor got before something hit him from behind and sent him hurling into a large chunk of cement, shattering it into small pieces of rock.
"Thor!"
"What's going on?"
Thor grunted in pain, raising himself up on his hands and feet. He saw droplets of crimson on the floor. Head wound, he surmised from the thrumming coming from his temple.
"Thor Odinson, the Enchantress wishes to see you," a deep voice commanded.
Thor looked beyond his blond hair hanging and growled. "Executioner."
"Did he just say 'Executioner?' " Tony asked through the comms.
"Thor, you need to talk to us. We need to know what's going on," Steve's calm voice instructed.
"No. Do not come," Thor warned, pulse spiking in worry for his teammates and friends. Then, he shook his head frustration. He always did this. Every time there was an inter-spatial emergency on Earth, or any of his old enemies, he wished his friends would not be put into danger. They were mighty warriors, but mortals all the same.
"What's happening, Thor?"
"Ah, the Earthlings. What do they call themselves? The Avengers? Weak mortals." The Executioner swung his axe around in his hands, staring down at the Demigod from Asgard.
"Perhaps to a feeble mind." Thor pulled his hammer to him from where it fell, standing up and swinging it at the large, tattooed man with a roar.
Metal clanged as the Executioner met Mjolnir with his large axe.
"You want to test your mettle to mine, Odinson?" Executioner pushed his axe further towards Thor as the other strained to keep the blade from meeting his flesh.
"We're right outside."
"Landing the jet."
"I'm coming in," Tony stated, the unmistakable sound of the Iron Man suit firing up.
The Executioner shoved, Thor stumbled back, catching himself as the large man crashed into him, sending them both through the wall.
Thor choked, his hands stretched out, mind trying to focus to call upon Mjolnir as the Executioner straddled him with his thick hands around Thor's throat.
He gasped as the hands were suddenly removed roughly. Coughing, Thor sat up, glancing around until his eyes fell upon Iron Man hovering above the Executioner with his repulsors ready to fire.
Captain America and Natasha ran around the corner, coming to stand by a shaky Thor.
"You alright, Thor?" Cap asked, a hand closing around his shoulder.
Thor nodded. "I am."
"So, who is this guy, then?" Tony asked, landing on the opposite side of the man on the ground as Bruce and Clint ran around the opposite corner and stood by Iron Man.
Thor walked forward. "His name is Skurge the Executioner. He works under Amora the Enchantress."
"So what's he doing on Earth?" Clint asked, his bow taught and arrow pointed towards the threat.
Thor looked to the Executioner, and everyone else followed suit.
He chuckled, scanning the faces staring at him. "You ruined Amora's plans in Niflheim, Odinson. She heard you returned to Midgard and jumped at the opportunity to kill the crown prince while his army isn't at his side."
Silence stretched for a moment. "So … spill all your evil plans much?" Tony asked sarcastically.
"I could tell you everything. There is nothing you can do to stop it. I will kill Thor Odinson, and there's nothing you can do to stop me, mortals." The Executioner stood in the next moment, jumping out of the way of an arrow and a repulsor blast. He snatched up his axe and hit Iron Man with it as he came flying towards him.
"Barton," Steve commanded, mutual understanding passing between the team.
Clint fired several arrows, all deflected easily, a few exploding in the air several feet away.
Thor threw his hammer while Natasha fired her guns and Steve his shield. The Executioner easily sidestepped Mjolnir and blocked the rest.
Tony landed next to his teammates as his suit sparked from wires being cut. "What's the plan here?"
Clint jumped out of the way as a large piece of the building was thrown his way, but didn't make it in time, his leg slicing open.
He hissed in pain, Natasha suddenly standing defiantly in front of him, shooting the Executioner as Bruce quickly helped Clint over to the rest of the Avengers.
"Yeah, I think a plan would be good right about now."
The Executioner charged towards the small group.
"Scatter!" Steve yelled.
They all jumped to the side, except for Thor, who gripped his hammer tighter and prepared for impact as he took the Executioner head-on.
They both rolled on the ground, grappling for the upper hand.
"Yield and I will make it quick, Prince," Executioner spat.
Thor grunted and kicked his feet up, tossing the Executioner over his head.
He jumped up as Steve and Natasha ran up to some by his side and Tony flew over their heads to the man rolling on the floor. Clint was having his leg looked at by Bruce a few yards behind them all.
Steve ran forward first, shield poised to strike. Natasha right on his heels. Steve tried to slam his shield into the Executioner but was tossed aside like a fly. Natasha jumped over his next attack on her, but was swatted away similar to Steve.
Thor called his hammer as the Executioner taunted him. "You may be too quick, but your friends are not."
He held his axe above his head, ready to bring it down on Steve and Natasha.
"No!" Thor shouted, his hammer only now being grasped in his hand.
The axe was thrown off course by a blast of light from Tony's repulsor, then another to blast him away from the two fallen comrades.
Thor began to run to the two battling men when the axe clipped Tony's foot, crashing him into the ground.
The axe rose.
And came crashing down.
The Executioner turned and walked away, never looking back. He sliced his axe through the air, a portal being created, and was transported into the next world.
"Bruce! Get over here! Now!" Tony shouted, waving his hand frantically.
"What's going on?" Steve asked, standing and helping Natasha to her feet. They both rushed over while Bruce while Clint followed behind with a makeshift splint.
"Oh, God," Steve muttered when he saw the scene in front of him.
Bruce ran to Tony's side as he held down his hands on a gaping wound in Thor's chest.
"What just happened?" Clint asked as he hobbled onto the scene.
"Executioner tried to hit Steve and 'Tasha. When that didn't work he tried to hit me, and Thor jumped in front of me," Tony muttered, eyes roaming the blood seeping through his mechanical fingers.
"Let me see." Bruce sank down onto his knees next to Tony as he moved to make room.
Thor blinked up at the faces around him. Lights came from something to his left.
"Hey, Big Guy," a voice said. It was warbled and hard to understand.
What is going on?
"Thor? I need you to look at me, okay?"
Fire lighted in his abdomen and he arched his back, hands scrabbling for purchase.
"Relax. I know it hurts, I know. I'm just going to look at it for a second." Some of the fire was put out, only to be replaced the next moment. "Okay, keep pressure on that, Tony."
"Sorry, Big Guy. You can get me back later, just hold on, alright?"
And it was suddenly clear to Thor. What he did, the moments before.
He smiled. It was a bloody thing. Red staining his teeth and lips.
He was supposed to die in a glorious war. What he's always dreamed of. What he'd always imagined.
But, in a way, he thought, this was better.
If he died, it would be for a teammate. An ally. A friend.
So, despite the insistent pleadings of his friends, he closed his eyes.
…
When he awoke, his eyes were heavy but was quickly regaining control of himself.
He noticed a pressure around his wrist and jumped.
Snapping open his eyes, one hand grabbed the wrist of the hand around him, and the other hand went around the neck of his assaulter.
The man made a choking sound. "Gah- Tho- Thor. You can-" he gasped, "Let go!"
Recognition dawned in Thor's eyes as he released Tony's throat from his grip.
Sucking in a few breaths, Tony muttered, "I guess I did say you could get me back."
A chuckle drew his attention to the other occupants in the room.
The rest of the Avengers stood around the bed. Bruce on the opposite side of Tony, checking monitors.
"Next time, you can manually check his pulse," Tony grunted, still massaging his neck, but grinning at their once-fallen comrade.
"What has happened?" Thor asked, sitting up while Bruce tried and failed to push him back down.
"You were injured by the Executioner. We managed to get you to SHIELD HQ and to some doctors with equipment in time. Though, I'm sure your Asgardian physiology helped with that," Steve said, cocking his head at his teammate.
Thor nodded, remembering.
"Yeah, next time, remember I have the iron body protection, and don't dive in front of an axe falling down on me." Tony glared, becoming serious.
Though he may not know what was said after that, Thor knew he would gladly die for his friends, for it was a more worthy way to die than in a great war.