New York New York
AN/ Hey all, I am back to writing again. In this story a few things will probably bug some people. Like a few characters may be a little OOC sometimes. But this is fiction so anything goes. :) I also take some liberties with Asgardian customs and things so if things don't go exactly along with the comics or the movie, I sorry. Also I am having to write on a mobile device for the time being until I get my computer fixed, ugh :( It is a pain, and very slow going, I am a much faster typer when I can use more than my thumbs. Lol I hope you enjoy.
"Here we are! Born to be kings! We're the princes of the universe!" Darcy's iPod alarm blared. She groaned.
"No, no shut up. No five more minutes," she said to the inanimate object, swatting at it to shut it off.
"Good morning Miss Lewis," Jarvis said cooly. "You requested a wake up call so you would not be late today," he reminded her.
"Don't remind me," she muttered. "Ok I'm up," she rolled over and sat up. "Caffeine and sugar please?" She pleaded.
"Coffee and cinnamon sugar pop tarts will be waiting for you Miss Lewis," he said briskly.
"You da man J. Or well you da computer," she joked.
"Very amusing Miss Lewis," Jarvis said dryly.
"Yep. Tee fricken hee," she said swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Her chestnut curls a wild tangle. She squinted at the clock. Ugh. She was so not a morning person.
Hot shower check. Unhealthy breakfast, check. Make up, clothes, and hair do, to give the illusion of hotness, check. Time for work. Yay!
She walked into the lab stonefaced and sullen. She had began working for Shield right after Thor had took off back to Asgard to escort his brother to jail. She and Jane had been tapped to come back from exile and relocate once again, this time to the big apple. Erik had come along as well. After the whole kidnapping debacle he preferred to be as close to the avengers as possible. Just in case.
Tony Stark had commissioned a new building, keeping his promise to his lady, dubbing it Potts Tower. It had it's own shuttle between Stark tower where the labs were. Pepper's building was a residential tower for Stark's elite employees, including Bruce Banner, Steve. Rogers, Clint Barton, and Natasha Romanov, as well as Jane and herself. It was a far cry from the mobile home. This place had a pool on the roof! A jacuzzi too!
As much as Darcy liked it there, she wasn't sure she would stay with them, now that she had graduated, there were things she wanted to do, and baby sitting scientists was not one of them.
It was a good paying job, but now there were even more of them to deal with. Bruce, Tony, Jane, Erik too. Scientist were a whole different breed of animal. They talked about stuff that made her brain hurt. She was no dummy, but when it came to algorithms and ish she was lost in the fog. And now there was also resident guests from across town to consider. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, her brother Johnny, and Ben Grimm and his lady Alicia.
Sue and Reed had joined up to help Shield figure out what was going on with certain anomalies that had begun to occur. And to help against whatever Von Doom was plotting since they knew him best. Johnny and Ben had come along for the ride in case they needed some extra muscle, or in Johnny's case, smart assary.
It has been uber chaotic since they had come. As it turned out Sue and Johnny were Steve's cousins on his mother's side. And even though they were about sixty years apart in age, Steve and Johnny could pass for twin brothers. It was funny to see. Johnny dubbed Steve one good lookin' SOB, and had made it his mission in life to find the shy soldier a girlfriend. Much to said shy soldier's chagrin.
Darcy really loved all her coworkers. Bruce treated her like a daughter, Tony treated her like the sister he never had, and so did Thor. Johnny hit on her every chance he got, and she just laughed it off. She called him 'the human dork' most of the time, resulting in him calling her pod head, since she was never far from her lifeline, the iPod.
Really, as far as jobs went, hers was cake. Research took up most of her day, since she was the senior assistant. She had an army of interns that she could delegate jobs she didn't want to do, like getting lunch and filling out paperwork. It was pretty sweet, plus she could rub it in her sister's face that she had the awesome job and was around all these cool people all the time. Of course her sister was a model so she had her own bragging rights.
The worst part had to be watching Thor and Jane. It was so nauseating at times. Tony had informed them that any making out in his lab would result in them being charged by the minute. It wasn't just the kissing though. Seeing them made Darcy wish she had a boyfriend. That was something almost everyone she worked with had going on. Clint and Natasha were together. Tony and Pepper, Thor and Jane, it went on and on. And she was alone. There were times she thought of taking Johnny up on his flirting, but then she just couldn't make herself. He was great and all, but he totally wasn't her type, and neither was Steve. Cool as Cap was, he was too shy and old fashioned. She wanted someone she could connect with. Joke around and play with. Yeah good luck finding that Darce, she thought to herself. In her daydreaming state she didn't see Tony until he called her name, making her jump a little.
"Hey sweetie. I got something here you might actually like reading," Tony said, plunking a big book in her lap. She smiled up at him.
"But it's not even my birthday! You shouldn't have!" She gushed, and he patted her head.
"I know. I spoil you. I really should be a meaner boss I guess. Make you fetch my dry cleaning, or my latte or something," he told her with a shrug. She put her feet up on the desk and leaned back in her chair.
"Please bro, we have people to do that for us," she said dryly, and he chuckled shaking his head in wonderment.
"You have such a sense of entitlement, and I honestly couldn't be prouder. I still think you could by my sister from another mister," he said, framing her with his hands as if comparing features.
"I could be from Krypton for all I know," she replied. "Maybe I am your little sis. Wouldn't that be the shiz! Darcinea Alfreda Stark, has a ring to it," she quipped, he quirked an eyebrow.
"Alfreda?" He asked and she rolled her eyes.
"It's a family name. A great aunt or some ish," she explained.
"Well, could be worse. Sounds like a pasta, and everyone likes pasta," he joked, nudging her. She snickered.
"Oh yeah, that's me. Yummy yummy pasta."
"Umm, ewww. On that note, I'm outie. Happy reading sis. I have a poor little stabilizing generator calling my name. It's saying help me Tony, Erik is hurting me, he's making me do things I don't want to do!" He said in a high pitched mock echoing voice. Darcy laughed.
"Go save your technology bro. I'm good here," she said. Well so much for working today. She could bully the other interns into doing the research so she could do something that actually interested her. So she opened the book. It was really old. She had to wonder where Tony had acquired this book for her. It looked medieval, and that meant valuable. One of the perks of being one of the richest men on the planet was you can get your hands on almost anything. And one of the perks of being this person's favorite almost sister was that he shared the weath with you.
The binding was loose, and the pages were yellow, and brittle. And whoop dee do, it was in another language. Luckily she was good at translations. Well, as long as she had her new toy. Shield had given her iPod a big brother. The iPad was the other piece of tech she was lost without.
She opened google translate and began imputing some of the words to get the gist of what she was reading. There were sketches that someone had done depicting an old civilization. It didn't take her long to figure out which one. Vikings had written this book. And the more she translated the deeper she got into the story.
A man called Indegid the Bold had penned most of the writing in it. Telling about their village, their struggle, and then their triumph as a mighty gift fell from the sky. A star that gifted one with sight beyond sight. That gave one the knowledge to rule all worlds. It spoke of realms beyond what they could see. People that needed to be broken and ruled by them, riches that could be theirs. It opened their minds to the secrets of the universe. The star was a blue cube that glowed.
"Son of a bitch!" Darcy cried, and stood up. This was about that Tesseract thingy that they had found. Other drawings in the book depicted war, large bluish demon looking guys fought the Viking warriors and froze them solid. "No way! Frost giants!" She said aloud. Then scenes of Odin and his forces coming to the rescue were shown. She had gotten a brief history from Thor on all things Viking related.
The frost giants had taken the Tesseract with them when they fled Odin. He was pretty scary looking on that horse, waving that lance around. She could see where Thor and Loki had gotten their flare for the dramatic. He was firing lightning all around, and the bad guys scattered like birds that had been spooked.
Then the Viking historian spoke of them finding new enlightenment. He spoke of courage and honor. Lessons taught to them from Odin himself. Odin had asked two of his warriors to remain behind and guard the realm in case the giants returned. These two lived on a mountain in a stone fortress and watched over the fledgling civilization as it grew. Their names were not given, but anytime there was trouble they would come aid in the fight.
"We had found an new way. The way of the sword, of honor, and of valor. We will stand, and we will prevail, without the the light of the star to guide us. Would that it had never come to us, for woe betides he that touches it's evil sorcery. We need it not, for we have the might of lightning and the roar of thunder at our backs. And we will be a great and fearful people." It read. Darcy wasn't sure what it all meant, but she guessed the gist of it was that they were being controlled by the Tesseract. And when it was taken Odin freed them of its power.
So if this Tesseract thingy was responsible for all that destruction. It had possessed Thor's brother as well, and then he in turn possessed the others. It was like something out of frigging Lord of the Rings!
Darcy picked up her iPad and hacked the camera footage from the Shield base that Loki had attacked when he had first arrived. His eyes were all washed out and wild. He looked frightened, and angry, and completely out of his mind. He also looked sick, like he had a very high fever.
It wasn't right. In all the sketches she had ever seen of him he was bright eyed, and smiling all the time. And to hear Thor speak of him he was just not the type to do all that stuff. He was funny and liked to have a laugh.
She watched more footage of him, up to his surrender. That appeared to be the real Loki. Even in the face of death he makes a joke, and his eyes were back to normal. She wondered if the Hulk playing Indiana Jones with his body had something to do with breaking the control. Natasha had bashed Clint over the head and it had brought him around.
Darcy believed in being fair, and if they were fair, then Loki was not on his right mind when all of this went down. He never meant to hurt anyone. So he really shouldn't be blamed. The puppet master on the other hand, he needed to be hung high, and beaten with a bat, piñata style! Let Thor break out meh meh, and wail on him.
Thor had to know about this. He was so down in the dumps over losing his brother to madness, and to prison. Maybe he could do something about it. Go talk to their dad or something. Convince him to let Loki go.
She headed down to the training simulator where Thor was going one on one with Cap. Steve stopped at once and smiled at her. He was one of the friendliest members of the team.
"Hey there Darcy. How are you doing?" He asked her. She shrugged.
"Not bad Cap. Can I borrow your buddy for a minute?" She asked pointing to Thor. He nodded.
"Sure I need to grab a Gatorade anyway. He put me through my paces today," Steve commented, slapping Thor on the back. Thor smiled.
"As you did me." He walked over to Darcy, letting his hammer fall to the side. "What can I do for you Darcy?" He asked her. She pulled out her iPad and the book Tony had lent her. She explained it all to him as best as she could and let him judge for himself if his brother was innocent. He did know him best after all.
"So, what do you think big guy? Do you think he needs to be locked up?" She asked him. He looked at her with hope.
"No, he does not. He was not in control of his actions. The one who took him over should be the one in prison. Not my brother. Oh Darcy, this is wonderful news!" He cried, and picked her up off of the floor twirling her around.
"Ok, gonna hurl! Stop the ride I wanna get off!" She called and he chuckled and set her down. She staggered back and caught her breath. "Alright, so you can take this stuff and show your dad, and he. An let Loki go. But you will have to get your own iPad cuz you are not taking my baby all the way to your planet," she informed him. He looked confused.
"But you must come with me. You must explain it all to my father, you explained it so well to me," he told her. She shook her head in disbelief.
"You want me to go with you to Asgard?" She asked him. He nodded. She panicked. "But I don't know anything about Asgard! What if I would say something wrong and start like an intergalactic war or some ish?" She said worrying her lip with her teeth. He chuckled.
"I don't thing you could do that. You are very good at presenting your findings. And you are very persuasive as well. You must come, please Darcy. You may be the only hope he has of being freed," Thor pleaded. He looked like a kid begging for ice cream.
Darcy looked at her large friend with pity. He really did love his brother, and it would be kinda cool to see another world. Plus she could finally use some of her poly sci skills she had went to school for four friggin years to master. And she would totally be like one of the gang. An Avenger, righting wrongs, and seeking justice.
"If you really think I can make the difference I'll come, but you have to tell me what I'm in for. I don't want to end up thrown in prison up there too," she said, putting her hands on her hips. Thor nodded.
"I understand your trepidation Darcy. Really all I can tell you is be honest. And be respectful, but don't cower. Show them some of that boldness you possess when dealing with Director Fury here. My father will respect that. My mother is not so hard to speak to. She is very direct, not unlike you are, but she has a kind heart, and will listen to all you have to say eagerly. She adores Loki, and it has broken her heart to see him in such a state," Thor told her, and he picked his hammer up. "I shall go change, and we will leave at once." He said, and she shook her head.
"First I have to tell Patchy the Pirate about our trip," she said, covering one eye. Thor laughed.
"Your words are so strange sometimes," he commented.
"Yeah, but you love me," she told him, making a face. He smiled.
"If I could choose a sister for myself, I would choose you Darcy," he said with a big grin, and he turned to go clean up before they left. Darcy looked down at her clothes and sighed. She had nothing in her closet that was fit to wear when meeting royal aliens. And she supposed she wouldn't have time to go shopping. On that particular day she had chosen to wear a dark green button down shirt over a gray tank top, her favorite skinny jeans, and her brown leather boots.
She went in to Nick's office. He looked up at her and Darcy could literally see the vein in his hear protruding from his temple. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"Yes Miss Lewis?" He asked, wondering what shenanigans she was up to now.
"Argh to you too Captain!" She teased with a salute. He frowned. "I'm joking. You look totally baws with that eye patch. Way macho. Anyways, I'm on a mission, or well I'm going on a mission. I am going to Asgard with Thor to talk Odin into releasing Loki." She told him. He blinked, or well she assumed he blinked, she could not see his other eye.
"You are going to what? Are you insane?" He asked her.
"Nope my mommy had me tested. I'm doing it because he was possessed when he attacked us. The Tesseract does that to people. Look," she said and she showed him the book with her translations. Then she showed him the video footage. He frowned again.
"How did you get this?" He asked, and she shrugged.
"You knew about my hacker background when you hired me. I believe that was one of the reasons why you did. I helped myself to the vid archive. You can really take a bullet by the way. That had to sting a little," she observed and Nick sighed.
"You are going to give me a stroke one day," he said, and she waved it off.
"Oh come on lighten up Patchy. You're too serious. You know me. I'm only having fun with you," she said. "I need to do this Nick. He's an innocent man."
"He's a killer. He deserves to be there," Nick barked.
"No he's not, and no he doesn't. He was possessed. Not in his right mind. He deserves a second chance. I'm going with my gut Nick. He's not a killer, a prankster maybe, but not a killer."
"Alright, go. See what you can find out. But we have some things to discuss first," Nick said settling back in his chair.
After debriefing with Nick, and being warned not to insult anyone she was ready to go. She waited for Thor to come get her. When he walked in he had Jane with him. She looked white as a ghost.
"Jane is coming with us," he informed her. She smiled. At least she wouldn't be the only Midgardian there. She nodded.
"Sweet! So let's do this," she said hoping she had half the heart she was trying to show them. Time to find out is watching all those episodes of Vikings on Hulu would pay off.
"We must go outside first," he told them. Jane nodded and slid her hand into his. They made their way up to the helipad on the roof.
"You will both need to hold on tightly to me. And you also may want to close your eyes. This is your first time traveling across the Bifrost so it may make you sick to your stomach," he warned. Jane stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He put an arm around her, then held the other one out to Darcy. She hugged him tight, and looked up at the sky anxiously. Thor looked up as well.
"Heimdall! Open the Bifrost! We need to come there now! It is urgent!" Thor thundered. At first nothing happened. Then the sky began to swirl and churn. A sort of tornado formed above them. It began to spin, and it came lower and lower.
"Oh god!" Jane cried, holding on to Thor tighter.
"Holy shit!" Darcy said as the tornado turned into a beam of rainbow colored light and reached down to grab them.
Suddenly they were flying through space. Wind whipped their hair around, and stars passed like cars on the freeway. Darcy had elected to keep her eyes open, so she saw it all. The rainbow bridge flowed like a river beneath them. She thought it kinda looked like the rainbow road in Mario Kart.
At last they landed. Solid ground was under their feet. Darcy staggered a little as she let go of Thor. Jane still held on until he informed her all was well. The. She let go clutching her stomach. 'Oh no please don't puke' thought Darcy as she watched her friend steady herself.
"Welcome to Asgard," a deep voice intoned. Darcy turned to look for the owner. There in the center of the room stood a tall man in gold armor. His eyes were strange, and he held a sword as long as he was. Jane looked like she would faint at any second. Darcy made a little half wave.
"Thanks, and you must be Heimdall," she observed nodding in his direction. He bowed. "It's nice to put a face to the name Thor yells to the sky all the time. I'm," she began.
"Darcy Lewis, friend of Thor. And Jane Foster, Thor's beloved. I know of you both," he told her. "From my post here, I can see all the realms, and all life therein. I have watched over both you and your friends Jane and Erik Selvig."
"Wow, that's not creepy at all," she said sarcastically. Heimdall chuckled.
"I don't watch during private moments. I would never invade someone's privacy like that," he assured her. I merely make sure there is no impending danger."
"Oh, well that's cool. Thanks," she said looking around the observatory. "This is some place you got here. The stars look amazing from here!" She praised. He smiled and stepped away from the helm to look out the window.
"I'm sure it is quite a sight for Midgardian eyes. You are used to looking up at the stars rather than being among them," he said, and she nodded.
"Fo shiz, I mean, um... that's true, this is awesome," she said, mentally reminding herself not to slip into slang words, as they may not understand them.
"It's beautiful. I never dreamed. I mean, I have seen glimpses, but this...wow!" Jane said finding her voice at last. Heimdall nodded.
"I thought you would enjoy it, Jane Foster." He said glancing around. "The time of the convergence draws near. It will be quite a sight, even for these old Asgardian eyes."
"Convergence?" Jane asked him. He chuckled.
"It will be of great interest to you Jane Foster. Come and see me before you leave and I will tell you a bit about it," he told her before looking over at Thor. Thor greeted him heartily.
"Thank you for bringing us so quickly my friend. How fare the stars?" He asked the elder Asgardian. Heimdall smiled at him.
"Still shinning, as always. And you are welcome. I wish you luck with your plight, I know how this has troubled you," he said gravely. "You know your father does not change his mind lightly." Thor nodded thoughtfully. Darcy wondered then what on earth she had gotten herself into.
"Luck is a lady, and I have brought the lady with me. I am sure she can convince father of my brother's innocence," he looked hopeful. She took a breath an looked over at Jane. Her friend still looked like she was gonna hurl. No help there.
"They will be in the main hall. They will already know of your arrival. Good luck you all" he told them. Darcy heard the funeral march in head as Thor directed him toward the hall where his parents awaited.
A/n Please review, and tell me what you think so far.