Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.

-William James

Jane, Darcy figured, was finally coming down off her whirlwind-romantic reunion high with Thor. That was really a quick sum of the whole freakin' problem with her boss slash friend. Things with Thor had gone too damn quick and unbelievable for Jane to think straight during the process. Now reality-in all its otherworldly/superhero-y glory was crashing down on her harder than Jane had expected.

Darcy was right up front with the rest of Thor's not-so-little fan club after having her life saved by him and his little Asgardian gang of warriors. The guy was smoking hot with the glowy shining armor, abs (oh those abs) and the arms that could easily lift her car. The flying, hammer, and Prince of a mythical realm only cemented his positive attributes. But even with this pro-Thor list Jane (and by default Darcy) had really only known the guy for like, three days before his brother had gone crazy and the bifrost linking Earth to Asgard got shattered to Hell.

Long story short- Thor was back, life was odd but good at Stark Tower- and Jane was having a mini-meltdown on Darcy's thrift store couch. When Jane had eventually slumped back on the arm rest and stopped talking, Darcy was able to take a second to process her rant. Once she got past the science mumbo-jumbo that had been interspersed with the girl-talk- Darcy leaned forward before clarifying.

"So you're saying that you and Thor don't talk anymore?" Not that you ever really did… the thought flickered through Darcy's mind, but thankfully she hadn't had enough wine to just blurt out all her stray thoughts.

"Exactly, Darcy! We never talk anymore. What with his brother being out of jail, and Thor back home and the Avengers initiative taking up all his time when he's here. I just feel disconnected to him. Things have changed. "

Darcy nodded in an encouraging manner and picked up the wine bottle next to her seat to top off Jane's almost empty glass.

"Thanks." Jane tossed back about half of the wine Darcy had just poured before continuing.

"And the data following last week's…"

Darcy cut in quickly before Jane could get caught up in her switch to science.

"Did you say Thor's brother is out of Asgard's version of high security!?"

"Yes, Darcy. But that's not the point I'm trying to make here…"

"Who else knows he's free?"

"Thor..."

"Clearly, or we wouldn't be having this conversation." Darcy retorted.

"Odin, Frigga…Thor and now, you? All of Asgard?"

She turned back to her wine glass as Darcy stared at Jane in shock. Thor clearly was talking, just not on the topic Jane wanted to talk about.

"So, uh, does Coulson and the rest of the gang know about this small tiny piece of info?"

Jane motioned for the wine bottle Darcy had abandoned and poured the rest of the bottle into her glass and shrugged.

"I told Thor I'd let him be the one to break the news to everyone."

"Cus, he's tactful and patient. Sounds like a great plan. In the meantime we have a super villain lounging around in his space palace plotting. Or something like that. I for one, would feel so much better knowing Steve and Tony and everyone knew about this." Darcy was now wishing she had poured herself more wine before it had all disappeared into Jane's glass. It seemed like she was running her mouth anyway so, booze would have been nice at this point.

"Thor is perfectly capable of handling his brother's entrance back into court."

Darcy rolled her eyes, "Sure, and suddenly you are an expert at politics, and not only that…an expert on Asgardian politics."

Jane ignored Darcy's pointed remarks and continued on her topic.

"Thor wants me to go with him to meet his parents on Asgard as soon as I wrap up my latest study in the lab."

Darcy blinked and mentally started scheming ways to turn Jane's trip to Asgard as paid vacation time for her. After all, without Jane around ordering her about, S.H.I.E.L.D really didn't know what to do with her. She might even have time to do some of her online homework for once.

"You'll be going with me of course."

Well there went that idea. But, hey, all paid trip to a mythical land? Way better! S.H.I.E.L.D's paperwork was gonna be a killer, but sure to be worth the sacrifice and pain. Except there was one large blatant issue Jane had just bulldozed right over with her news of the trip.

"So we're going to the realm that just released Loki? The guy that just tried to kill- I don't know- half of S.H.I.E.L.D. and your boyfriend aka his brother?"

Jane sighed as if she was explaining a complicated scientific theory to her assistant and rolled her eyes at the younger woman.

"I'm sure they wouldn't be releasing him if they thought he posed danger to anyone."

Smart as hell but Jane had next to no common sense Darcy decided.

"Did Thor say he was harmless?" she sounded incredulous and Jane winced before she replied. "well no, not exactly."

"Your statement fills me with unbridled confidence, boss. Can I get danger pay for this trip through the wardrobe?"

Darcy had guessed it right. The paperwork for her and Jane to leave- well the planet essentially- was a bitch. But outside of having to fill out hers and Jane's paperwork in duplicate (Jane was too wrapped up in gathering data to help with Asgard's little bifrost problem to help with tedious matters like S.H.I.E.L.D. paperwork) Darcy had little to do until they left. She had a wild theory that the only reason she had scored an invite was so that Jane (infamous for ignoring paperwork) would actually file and complete the required paperwork.

Of course there were two complications to the trip. Darcy decided after watching Thor and Fury bellow at each other in a cramped office room that she ought to get used to one eyed leaders being obnoxious and demanding. Since that basically summed the little she knew about Thor's old man back on Asgard. Maybe at least on Asgard she'd get the occasional weekend off.

Fury wasn't happy with the idea of one of his top scientists and her pet assistant running off to another world. But years of being obeyed by the sons of Asgard had made Thor more than comfortable telling Fury how things were going to go. Thor didn't even seem fazed that the whole damn base had heard his 'chat' with Fury.

The second complication was packing. Jane and all of Asgard, Darcy presumed, wanted the bifrost in proper working order. Jane seemed to think that she needed to pack her whole lab to do her research properly. This could have been managed-with difficulty- but still managed if Thor hadn't made a small simple statement in Jane's lab one day.

"How shall you power these devices, Jane, when we are away from your land?" an innocent enough question.

"What?" snapped Jane looking up from her laptop.

"What power source shall you be using for your science, my lady?"

"Oh my god, you guys don't have fucking electricity. DARCY, get in here."

Well at least now they only had to pack a few battery operated items and Jane's numerous hand written notes. The biggest problem now was finding a way to keep her new iPod charged.