Prequel (Set after Thor through Avengers)
Jane seeks information on the Bifrost. Can she find technology to get her to Asgard? In between research she learns as much as she can about Asgard, and Thor.
Meanwhile, Thor works to bring peace to the realms of Asgard. He asks Heimdall to keep watch over Jane. They have interesting conversations.
Unofficially beta'd by Pandoru who has a great Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga Universe) story, if you're a fan of the genre.
Jane woke suddenly, confused and disoriented. Why was she asleep sitting at her desk? Yawning, she looked down at the books and papers scattered before her. Field mechanics, gravitational analysis…oh yes, she remembered. Glumly she considered her work. She understood the mechanics of wormholes, but how to generate a stable one? Where to get the tremendous amounts of energy? Her tired mind rebelled; perhaps it was time to move on. She pondered the recent events….
Dr. Eric Selvig called out, "Jane, you here? I have something for you."
Jane came out of the tiny water closet of the camper. "Hey, Eric, what's up?" she asked.
"I have a couple of books for you; I thought you might enjoy something other than gravimetrics for light reading," he replied gently.
Jane eyed him suspiciously.
'Please, please,' she thought, 'don't start talking about Thor'. Her feelings were still too raw to lay open to anyone. It left her dizzy, how quickly she had fallen in love with him, how empty the hole he had left in her heart was. She didn't want to think about when or if he would return. Darcy's pithy comments about how the god of Thunder had roared into her life and stolen her heart were agonizing enough.
Eric had set two thick books on the table. Bullfinches Mythology and Nordic Myths were staring up at her. She was about to snarl at him when he spoke.
"I know he'll come back for you, and I thought maybe you might want to know more about him, his people and culture, when he returns. I bet that all those degrees in Physics didn't leave time for Ancient Literature. When he comes back, think how surprised he'll be," he said eagerly.
It was endearing, really how much he wanted this for her. And his faith in Thor was reassuring. She fingered the books, and resolving to be pleasant, she thanked him.
"That's so thoughtful, Eric, thanks" she said. "Other than this, though, how can we get to Asgard? Do you think the runes left in the sand might provide a clue? The Bifrost behaved like a stable wormhole, but how in the world did they control it? How do they generate the energy necessary to create it, and maintain long enough to get anywhere? And if we could do all that, how do we find Asgard? What kind of co-ordinates would we need? Is it even in this galaxy? Agh, the more I think about it the more discouraged I get."
"Well, for starters you might want to get some real equipment, and bump heads with some other astrophysicists," said a new voice from the door of the camper. Jane and Eric turned toward this new presence and were shocked to recognize Tony Stark. He stepped into the camper, but immediately started bumping into the edges of the counter and the table. A glass fell to the floor. He bent to pick it up, but accidently backed into a laptop perched on a chair. He sighed and straightened up carefully.
"Dr. Stark, what are you doing here?" asked Jane. Of course she recognized him from the newscasts. But why was he here? She was instantly suspicious; she knew he had dealings with S.H.I.E.L.D. She was still burning with anger over their highhanded confiscation of her research.
"Dr. Foster, Dr. Selvig, I would like to make a proposition, that I think we will find mutually beneficial. Is there someplace a bit roomier we could talk?" he asked.
"Tell me first, Dr. Stark, what's your involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D.? I don't want anything to do with them right now," exclaimed Jane. She led the men out of the camper, and out into the sunny street. Eric gestured at the café across the way, and they all proceeded toward it.
"Stark Industries does get involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. from time to time, and they fund and benefit from some of my projects, of course. I know they can be a-holes at times, but as a token of good will they've turned your research over to me, and I'll give it back to you. I want you and Dr. Selvig to come to New York and continue your research in our labs," he explained.
They found a booth at the café. Jane pondered his offer, chewing her lip in silence. Eric was fairly humming with excitement, and she knew he wanted to accept. To have the encouragement of his peers, after so many years on the outskirts of the scientific world would seem like heaven to him. Perhaps through Stark she could have access to the research tools she needed. She knew she would have to deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. again, it was unavoidable. Could Stark be a buffer between them? She desperately wanted to look for a way to Asgard. As the weeks had gone by with no sign or word from Thor she had become increasingly worried. What had gone wrong in his world?
She turned to Dr. Stark, and said, "On the condition that I don't have to deal with Coulson or other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, I accept." She felt Eric relax next to her, and Dr. Stark grinned.
"Outstanding," he said. "My plane's already here, picking up the equipment S.H.I.E.L.D. left for me. You can take that to New York. A driver will pick you up and Pepper will meet you at the Stark building."
Thor strode down the remains of the Rainbow Bridge. Heimdall stood at attention, looking out into all the realms. Even with the Bifrost destroyed he still possessed the power to see far. The corners of his lips twitched as Thor approached.
"How fair you, Thor?" he asked.
"The Allfather senses much disturbance in the farther realms, Heimdall. Our people work as quickly as possible to repair the Bifrost, but we fear that by the time the warriors of Asgard are free to move about again there will be much to do to restore the peace," grimly replied Thor.
"I see that is true," answered Heimdall. "But what brings you here this evening, particularly?" Again his lips twitched.
Annoyed, Thor replied, "Please, Heimdall, must we do this every time I ask? How fairs Jane tonight? What is she doing?"
"As always my friend, she seeks you" he replied. "She is very persistent, as well as extremely well versed in the sciences of her people. She continues to study ways to create a Bifrost of her own. I fear that it is a hopeless quest, however. She does not have the gifts necessary to create the bridge between worlds."
"Do not underestimate the mortals, my friend," said Thor. "Their lives are brief, and they know it, so they burn hot in pursuit of their goals. I don't doubt Jane will find a way."
"Perhaps this new man I see will help her then" Heimdall slyly hinted. "If anything, he is even more intelligent than she is, and he seems to have nearly endless resources at his disposal. And he has created a suit of metal that gives him great strength and powers beyond that of other mortals." He watched Thor appraisingly.
Thor resisted the urge to give into jealously. He knew Heimdall was taunting him. It had only been a few weeks, and he was confident that Jane would not forget him so quickly.
"What has he done for her, then?" asked Thor.
"She has many resources at her disposal now, and she is looking for energy sources that will bring her to you. Great wealth is being funneled into her attempts to reach you. I see clearly that he who aids her does so not only for her benefit, but for his gain, and the benefit of the mortal world," Heimdall said. "Her pursuit is relentless, as she seldom rests, and only eats when forced to by her compatriots. From time to time I see her search old tomes, looking for information about Asgard and its people."
"She is well, though? She is not sleeping nor eating enough? How long can a mortal do this, and not come to harm?" he asked worriedly.
"Fear not, my friend," chuckled Heimdall. "Her companions see to her needs, she suffers no ill effects beyond that of being away from you."
"Good, good. And thank you, my friend, for watching over her," sighed Thor. "I must return to my father, and see what tasks he has for me. I fear he thinks he can distract me from Jane by giving me difficult missions, and throwing pretty maidens in my path."
"It is his concern for you, and for all of Asgard that spurs him on. You should be king one day. A mortal woman will never suit as your queen. You know this, why do you withhold your heart from the women of your own race?"
"Heimdall, I do not know why, but I do know that my fate, and indeed the fate of the realms, is bound up in this mortal girl. I am no stripling, with ungovernable passions. I am a warrior, I do not understand why it is that this young woman, whose life work it is to study the stars, draws me so. Her spirit is indomitable, her intellect keen. I only know that my spirit yearns for her, and indeed I feel incomplete without her. We must repair the Bifrost, I must return to Midgard and protect her," exclaimed Thor.
Heimdall looked at his friend with compassion. "I will continue to watch over her, my friend, even when you are away on your father's errands," he told Thor.