Darcy pulled the van up into the Starbucks drive way, grasping the piece of crumbled paper that she had stuffed in her front pocket, and pulling it out to read off the list of drinks.
"Okay. I need one mocha latte. Cold with lots and lots of whip cream. Pumpkin spice latte, no whip, and a fat free salted caramel latte. Know what. Don't make it fat free, she could stand to add a few pounds."
"Okay. How much whip cream did you say you wanted on the mocha latte Darcy?" asked the young man behind the window. She knew his name. Daniel. A tall, scrawny young man, with piercing blue eyes and red curly hair.
"Just hand me the whip cream container and he can add as much as he wants. I'll pay for it, it's the old man's money anyway."
"How is Erik doing by the way?" Daniel asked, keeping her there for as long as possible.
"He's doing ok. Not as loopy as he was back in London. He will be going back soon though. Work and all."
"Right. It was nice of him to visit. Will you be working later?" Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, something he often did when he was nervous.
"Tomorrow. Where's my drinks?"
"Right. Sorry."
He read back what she wanted and reached his hand out for the money. She recieved the drinks and went on her way, taking her time to get back to the lab (aka Janes Mom's house) where Jane and Erik awaited her return. The autumn leaves softley rustled as the mid October breeze brushed them with it's warming touch. The leaves danced and swayed, and Darcy watched as the orange, red and yellowing colors moved in tune with the breeze. She rolled the window down and let the wind blow her hair back. Turning the radio off, she listened to the rustle of the leaves, and the rush of traffic, however, she had to strain to listen to the trees, as few as there were in New York, and finaly sped up as the honks behind her grew longer and more frequent.
"Alright! I'm going!"
She pulled into the drive way and made her way inside, balancing the cup holder and whip cream in one hand and pushing the door open to the lab (aka Jane's moms house) with the other. "Hey guys! I'm back. Got your coffee." She said walking down the steps to the basment.
"Where's all my whip cream?" asked Erik.
"Right here." Darcy responded, handing him the whip cream container, and handing the salted caramel latte to Jane.
"It's fat free right?" she asks.
"Um. Yeah. Course. That's how you wanted it right?" Darcy responded noncalantly.
Jane smiled and took a sip. Darcy looked over to Erik as he took a sip of his mocha, then put the tip of the whip cream container to his lips, and pushed the lid down, filling his mouth with whip cream. Darcy slowly shook her head, a blank expression on her face.
"So no Thor still hu? What's that, like day nine?" asked Darcy.
"I know he is busy. I'm perfectly fine with it." says Jane, taking another sip of latte, though she had to admit she missed him terribly.
"Yeah. Don't want to be a bitch like last time and think he forgot about you when he was really fighting to protect Asgard and the other realms or whatever." Darcy smiled, but Jane didn't appreciate the teasing.
"So. Wheres the intern?" Jane snapped back.
"Dead." Darcy's face was all but joking. Her eyes were stone and her mouth pierced.
"What? How?!" asked Jane, then Darcy started to laugh.
"Ha! You should see your face. Nah. He's fine."
"That's not funny!" screams Jane.
"Yeah. The distance thing was getting to us, you know, him living all the way in London. I could see that we were drifting, so I broke it off so he wouldn't have to."
"Well, that was very mature of you Darcy." says Erik.
"Are you kidding. I'm the most mature one here."
Jane scoffed, and Darcy looked at her offended. "Excuse me Jane. I am very mature. Between you and coco bird over here I am the queen of mature."
"Yeah. Ok. Says the girl who shaved Eriks head then glued the hair to his chest."
"I was bored, and tired of him taking naps when we were working! Besides, look at this head of his now. It's so soft." Darcy rubbed her hand on top of Erik's head, and he smiled from the touch.
"How could you not be mad at her for that?' Jane asked Erik.
"Because it was funny. I had a furry chest. It was very soft." Erik had gotten much better since he stopped taking those pills, and helped save the world, but Jane had her suspicions that he still wasn't quite all there. He still enjoyed working with out pants.
"See. He enjoyed it." said Darcy, shrugging. "So what are we doing to day, cause I am sooooo bored!"
"I don't know. Since the Avengers came together and saved the world again, we haven't had much to work on."
"Yeah. Well, I'm going to take a walk. You can figure it all out with banana sandwhich over here."
Darcy left the lab, and started her walk, and Erik looked at Jane in confusion.
"Am I the banana sandwhich? I thought I wasn't crazy anymore."
"You're fine. She's just being Darcy."
Loki sat on Odins thrown, something he rarly did when Heimdell was near, for he knew that Heimdell was clever. Much more clever than Thor could ever be. It would not take much for Heimdell to see through his illusion, and take his chance to strike. Nonetheless, Heimdell had asked for a face to face meeting, and Odin would never turn down his old friend, so he figured that it would be best to get this done quickly.
"It's been a while my friend." stated Odin (aka Loki). He peared at Odins staff that rested on the side of the throne.
"Yes in deed. It's been calm in the nine realms for two moons now. Even so, I had not seen any reason why we could not speak."
"Of course. And where is Thor now? He seems to have taken off with out a note." Odin smiled. "He seems to be rather busy lately with protecting the realms, he forgets to check in. However, with the realms being so calm, I don't see why he would be absent. Surely it is that mortal again."
"No. He has not seen her for nine days."
"Then what could he possibly be doing?"
"He has been mourning Frigga with his friends. He seems to be missing her a lot latley."
Odin frowned, his eyes becoming weary. Loki hadn't put that on for show either. He truly did feel tears threatening to flow out of his eyes, and he felt like cursing. He loved her so much. Even if she wasn't his blood mother, she was his mother all the same, and the only one to keep her love for him after he had done what he had done. Why did she have to die?
"Yes well. Was there something you needed to speak to me about?" asks Odin.
"Yes. I wanted to know where the real Odin is. For some reason, I can not see him."
Loki's eye brows went forward and he stared in disbalief. 'How did he figure it out so quickly?' he thought to himself.
"Come now Loki. Surely you did not think that your illusions would by past my eyes did you?" Heimdell asked, his face stone. He stuck his staff out, ready to strike Loki at any moment. "Now I will ask again. Where is he?" Loki smiled his mocking smile and his illusion died, revealing his true form.
"You were always too clever for your own good Heimdall. Thor has been passing by me for the past two months, and nothing. You, however, saw through me immediately." Loki stated chuckling at the fact that his ruling would end with just this mere guardian. Of course Heimdall was much more than a guardian. He was extremely powerful, and a worthy opponent for Loki.
"So what now? Will you take me from the throne that I have ruled greatly and compassionately, then make me bring Odin back alive. If he is alive." Loki's grin grew wider, and he stared mischievously at Heimdall. Heimdall kept his stone hard look, not showing any emotion, nonetheless Loki knew he was concerned for his old friend Odin.
"Where is Odin?"
Loki sighed. "No where you will see."
Heimdall had enough. "You would make an exceptional king, if only your heart was not shrouded in darkness. There is a little flicker of light inside you that gives me hope, however, till Odin is found, you will be banished to Midgard as a mortal."
Loki looked in horror, and he gripped onto Odin staff. "You're bluffing. You don't have that power."
"Try me." Of course he didn't have the power to change Loki into a mortal, but he could do something else.
Loki and Heimdall stared at one another for a few moments. Loki would leave Asgard without a king. No way would he bring Odin back. That bastard Odin!
Loki was about to strike, when Heimdall brought his staff up shooting him with a beam of light, taking Loki off his feet and flipping him across the room, making him drop the staff. Loki groaned and grabbed his side. He knew that would definitely bruse. Before he could make his move, Heimdall shot him again, making him fly another few yards. Loki teleported from his spot and appeared again behind Heimdall, throwing his arm out with tremendous pressure in hopes of knocking Heimdall out, however, Heimdall saw through him, seeing his moves as predictable. He ducked and shoved the end of his staff against Loki's stomach, making him drop to the floor. Loki looked up at Heimdall, who stared back looking as though he was hatching up a plan of some sort.
"I didn't think you would be so easily outwitted."
Loki scowled at Heimdall, who smiles back, then grips a handful of Loki's hair, pulling his head back.
"It disgusts me to think of how loyal you are to that old fool." Loki snaps back, knowing it would upset Heimdall. But it did not show on Heimdalls face, which sent Loki in an annoyed frenzy. He brought his fist up, clashing it against Heimdalls chin. He had to admit that Loki had a strong punch, but he needed to stay in control of the situation, so he let Loki go. Loki jumped up, tearing Heimdalls helmet from his head, swinging his arm back and crashing the helmet against Heimdall's face, sending blood spewing from his nose. He fell to his knees. When it came down to it, Heimdall could easily take Loki down, however, it was not part of the plan.
Heimdall reached up and wrapped his arms around Loki, pulling him down to the floor in a tight embrace.
"What are you doing!" screamed Loki. Heimdall rolled himself on top of Loki, gripping on both Loki's hands with one of his, then taking a bottle of red liquid from the inside of his shirt with the other hand. He flipped the lid open, the entire time, Loki struggled to get out of his grasp, but Heimdall had a strength he had been holding back for a while now. Loki was honestly terrified. He now knew that Heimdall had known he wasn't Odin for a while know, and wondered why he waited for today to do anything about it. 'Could he really take my powers away?' Loki thought to himself.
Heimdall gripped Loki's jaw with his free hand, grinding his fingers on his jaw bone till Loki opened his mouth to escape the pain, which Heimdall took the opportunity to place the open of the bottle to Loki's lips letting the red liquid pour into his mouth. The liquid tickled the back of his throat, which forced him to swallow it. Immediately he felt drowsy, and his eyes fluttered as fatigue took hold of him. "What did you give me?" was all Loki managed to get out, before his eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep.
"Good job Heimdell."
Hemdell looked up to see Thor, his eyes in anguish looking down upon his younger brother. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Heimdell asks.
"I was a naive fool and my father knew the best way for me to find my true path. I must try it with Loki. I want to save him, and locking him away in prison will obviously not help anyone, and killing him would only make my mind worse for wear. I want to try it this way. I know it will work. Besides, our precautions should do just fine."
Thor strolled over to where Heimdall held Loki on the floor, and snapped a metal collar around Loki's neck and one metal wrist band on each hand.
Heimdall stood, and Thor picked his brother up, and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. They snuck silently out of the castle and snatched a few hover crafts. Thor placed his brother on one, and climbed on behind him, then Thor and Heimdall continued on for several minutes, riding quickly and wasting no time.
"This is it." Heimdall stated, stopping his craft and climbing off it. He walked over to Thor and grabbed the sleeping Loki, pulling him off the hovercraft and held him with one arm, as Loki unconsciously wrapped his legs around Heimdalls waist and his arms around his neck. Perhaps on some impulse of a distant memory. Thor looked down upon the site, remembering the times when he and Loki were just kids, and on late nights, Loki would fall asleep somewhere where they had been playing and Thor would pick him up, just like that, and carry him to his bedroom. He missed those days when they were so close, and hated himself for not seeing the signs that they were drifting apart. He had been too wrapped up with himself, that he neglected Loki. Even so, why couldn't Loki have said something, instead of pretending everything was alright? Stubborn man.
He climbed down and Heimdall put Loki on Thor's back, and he held on to his little brother as though they were children again, giving Loki a piggy back ride. They were surrounded by a body of water, and a cave sat in the middle of it, roots flowing below the surface. Big boulders were lined up as a cross walk, something Heimdall guessed Loki had done, considering it was far to small to fly a hovercraft into it. It took a while, but Heimdall was able to find one of the openings Loki had spoken about the day he turned on Heimdall. An opening to Midgard.
"This is where I say good luck." said Heimdell with a smile as he got back onto his hover craft.
"Thank you. Watch over Asgard till my return."
"It will be my honor." and with that, Heimdall left.
Thor took in a deep breath and walked amongst the rocks, going deeper inside the cave. The space immediately became thin, and Thor had a hard time twisting and turning so as not to get stuck, then they were at the end of the cave.
"What? Heimdall was sure this was the right way." As he said this, the boulder beneath him crumbled and they fell into the water. Waves came crushing them, making it impossible for Thor to swim back up unless he was willing to let Loki drown. Thor held onto him tightly, and they were tossed and turned. He didn't know how much it would take for Loki to drowned, but he knew he needed to get him to the surface, but they were continually pushed farther and farther downward, till finally Thor felt wind rushing past him. He was falling. He held tight to Loki, and and looked down. They had made it through the portal. Swinging his hammer, he tried to counteract the wind of the storm that brought them down, however, it was too late and Thor protected Loki as he smacked down to the ground, making him grunt from the impact on his back and head.
Darcy sat herself down under a tree. She decided to go to the New York City Park to gaze at the trees some more. They were awfully beautiful, and autumn was definitely her most favorite season. She had tried to convince Jane to move the lab over to Pittsburg for the autumn, but it was in vain of course. Usually by now she would be blaring her music from her ipod into her ears, but she felt quite relaxed just listening to the trees rustle. Then there it was. The all too familiar storm cloud, raining down just a football field away. 'It's about time Thor.' she thought to herself.
She made her way to the storm and within a minute it was all cleared. The storm had people running and screaming in all directions, then they simply stared blankly at the site of Thor.
"Hey Thor." Darcy greeted. "About time you came back. How's everything going up in Asgard . . . . . Why is Loki with you?"
"Help me Darcy. He has water in his lungs. What do I do?"
"I can totaly give him mouth to mouth. Wait no. Don't think that way, he's a bad guy. But then again, he did save Jane's life. Oh alright. I'll do it. But just this once"
Thor looked at her confused, and Darcy knelt down beside Loki, and placed their lips together. The thought of kissing a God made an electric wave pass through Darcy's body. She blew air into his lungs, then placed her hands on his chest, pushing on his heart to try and get it pumping again. She repeated this several more times before Loki finally coughed the water out of his lungs and started breathing again. He moaned as the pain hit him, but he did not open his eyes.
"Cool. Now we're even. So what exactly is he doing here cause I thought he was dead?" asks Darcy.
"Get me to Jane and I will explain everything. What was that you did?"
"What? You don't have CPR where you come from? All high and mighty, super intelligent beings, and you don't know how to save a guy from drowning? HA!"
