Hi everyone! I hope you are all having an amazing week! I would like to give a shout out to Chiafun, Pouffy Kitteh, knightowls2, and the unnamed Guest for reviewing the story! You guys are awesome, and your reviews make my day! For those of you that stated your opinion on the way this story should go, know that I hear you loud and clear. I have scrapped one ending and saved the one that you guys want to see. For those of you that like surprises when you read, I won't ruin the story for you ; )

With that being said, the beginning of this story will mostly be Thor/Jane since they have an established relationship, however there will be slight Loki/Jane as we go along, and that pairing will become more and more prominent as the story progresses. I promise if you stick with me, I'll make it worth your time ; )

So that's all for the author's notes. I promised you Thor and Loki, and you will get them in this chapter. Fasten your seatbelts, 'cause shit's about to go sideways.

Chapter 2: Ninja Assassins, Thunder Gods, and Test Subjects

2 ½ years later

London

"Fucking S.H.I.E.L.D!" Jane practically shouted as Darcy handed her a shot of vodka. She tossed it back, draining it in one gulp, ignoring the concerned look from the bartender.

"Whoa… easy there…" her intern cautioned. "Maybe you should slow down a little bit."

"Slow down?! You want me to SLOW DOWN?"

The younger girl threw her hands up in a non-threatening gesture.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been working on that?" Jane gawked. "Years! Years of research, stolen from me! I'm so close, Darcy! If I can just figure out how to rip the fabric of space and time with a destination at the other end, I'll have a working Einstein-Rosen Bridge! And those bastards took it! Can you believe that! They actually had the nerve to tell me if I wanted to continue my work that I have to work for them! Unbelievable!"

"I think you need another," Darcy commented, as she passed her boss yet another shot of vodka. "You're doing that thing where your face gets really red, and I think I can even see a blood vessel in your forehead."

Jane drained the shot instantly, beginning to feel the buzz in her head. She slammed the glass down on the bar, and buried her face in her hands. "What am I going to do, Darcy?"

"Well…" her intern began thoughtfully as she downed her own shot. "Doesn't look like you have much choice to be honest. If you want your research, you'll have to work for them. Besides, maybe they can give you a hand and help you finish it. You do want to see Thor again sometime soon, don't you?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled shyly in spite of herself, her anger beginning to dissipate. Thor was the reason she had started trying to create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge in the first place. Though she had only seen him a few times, and only for a few days each time, the thought of seeing him again was what kept her going. "Alright," she conceded. "I'll work for them, but I don't like it."

Darcy motioned to the bartender, who brought them two more shots of vodka. The girls clinked their glasses together, and drank it down.

"I just thought about it, but if you're working for S.H.I.E.L.D. you might get to meet Tony Stark," Darcy pointed out.

"Maybe," Jane agreed. "That would be really cool. I would love to pick his brain."

"Is that all you'd like to do to him?"

"Darcy! No!" the astrophysicist felt her face heat with flush.

"What?" the younger girl asked slyly. "You're not exactly young and innocent, Jane, and you're certainly not married to Thor. There's nothing wrong with a little eye candy at least. And if you meet him and decide he's not your type, send him to me. Hanging out in my apartment by myself watching bad British TV is getting old. I haven't been laid in six months, and I'm seriously considering inviting the creepy guy down the hall over for a drink. This is what my life has come to, Jane. Do you really want this for me?"

"You're such a drama queen," Jane sighed. "And besides, I'm pretty sure Tony Stark has a girlfriend. Thor mentioned her once."

"All the good ones are taken… Guess it's the creepy guy down the hall then. He collects medical equipment. Is that weird?"

Jane rolled her eyes dramatically. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Get drunk at this dumpy bar, come back to my apartment, and watch sappy love movies with me," Darcy suggested. "We can eat an entire carton of ice cream and cry about boys if you want to."

"Alright. You talked me into it," Jane groaned. "As long as we don't have to watch the Notebook. That one is way too sad."

"Deal. And seriously Jane, you need to get out more. I'm not telling you to give up on Thor or anything, but don't miss out on life over a guy that only come around every two years."

"He's busy with his family and Asgard," Jane countered. "He would have stayed longer this last time, but he had to go back. Something about his dad and Loki. He's doing his duty, so what am I supposed to say to that?"

"No," Darcy admitted. "You can't say much, but you can stop pining away for him and live your life. He'll come back and whisk you away when he's ready, but until then have some fun."

"Alright!" Jane conceded, her slightly tipsy state causing her to giggle. "We'll have fun more often. I promise!"

"Good!" Darcy jumped up, and threw some money on the counter for their drinks. "Now let's go eat ice cream and watch sappy love movies."

The intern led her boss, who was weaving slightly, outside the bar and to her apartment. The walk was not far, and they stumbled through the door together, giggling and slurring their words.

One tub of ice cream, three cups of coffee, and two chick flicks later, Jane was finally sober enough to go home to her own apartment which was across town, conveniently close to the lab they all worked in.

Darcy tried to get her to stay, but she was persistent. She needed a shower, she needed her pajamas, and she needed to sleep in her own bed. Not that it would be her home much longer, she thought to herself as she rolled her eyes. She would be moving to New York within the week to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. She only hoped that both Darcy and Erik would be willing to make the move with her and continue the project that they had begun two years ago. They were her family, albeit a dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless.

Darcy saw her out, still trying to convince her to stay. "We could totally have a sleepover. It would be awesome," she pitched, but Jane just shook her head.

"Shower, bed, sleep," she grunted.

Darcy sighed. "Alright then, be a party pooper. You're still going out with me tomorrow night though. You promised to have more fun. There's a new club opening downtown, and I want to dance."

"Okay," Jane promised. "We can go."

"Oh! And don't forget breakfast with Erik over here in the morning. Hopefully he'll wear pants this time," Darcy laughed.

Jane laughed with her, and gave her friend a tight hug. "Thank you for tonight," she said honestly. "I needed it."

Darcy embraced her tightly. "Be careful going home."

"I will," Jane promised before leaving to head back to her own apartment.

It took her half an hour to get home. She had left her car at the lab the day before, thinking that she wouldn't need it, so she took a taxi to her apartment. The hour was early, and the streets were still dark, the only illumination coming from the occasional streetlamp. She watched the buildings as they drove, the sprawling urban area fading into the newer part of town, where businesses lined the streets, and the houses that were nearby were upscale. Her apartment building came into view, sandwiched between a sub shop and boutique, a mere two blocks from the lab where she worked. She paid the taxi driver, and took the stairs to her apartment, fumbling for her keys as she reached the door.

"I need to get a life," she grumbled as she opened the door to her apartment. "Leaving my car at work is so lame."

The door opened and she walked in slowly. It was dark in the apartment, and she fumbled for a light switch as she tossed her purse aside. The lights came on to reveal a bare and lonely apartment, devoid of almost all personal touches.

Jane sighed deeply, prepared for yet another night alone, except that she wasn't alone. A man stood in her living room, dressed in all black except for one arm, which was metal with a red star on the shoulder. He wore a black mask over the bottom of his face, and his dark hair spilled down to his chin.

She barely had time to register his presence before he was moving. He was on her in a few steps, clamping one hand down on her mouth the keep her from screaming, and dragging a knife to the base of her throat.

The metal was cold, hard, and unforgiving, biting into her skin and threatening to cut her open. Jane struggled, but the man was much stronger, and her elbows were met with unyielding metal.

"Don't scream," he commanded her, before placing a bandana over her nose. After that everything went black.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane awoke in darkness, her head throbbing and her body numb. She tried to move, but she seemed to be strapped to some sort of table. She struggled against her bonds to no avail. She fought, kicked, and screamed, her voice coming out as barely more than a scratchy wail.

The ninja assassin who had kidnapped her from her apartment approached, his silent form bleeding from the shadows.

"Where am I?" Jane demanded. The man's eyes roamed her appraisingly, but he didn't respond. "Let me out of here! If you're going to kill me, at least let me fight for my life, you coward!"

Still no response from the ninja assassin. His eyes roamed over her once more, and then he was gone.

"Hey!" Jane shouted. "I'm talking to you! Get back here!"

When she was alone once again, Jane struggled, growling at her inability to break her bonds. She felt tears pricking at her eyes, but she would not cry. No way in hell was she going to give that bastard the satisfaction of seeing her tears.

The lights flicked on, and she blinked as her eyes adjusted. She was in a large, white room, with medical equipment all around. It was like a hospital, cold and unfeeling, except that it wasn't. This was something else, she could tell by the way the room was arranged. No blood pressure monitors, no chairs for visitors, no whiteboards with information. Just a cold room with a whole lot of sharp objects. She instantly began to feel her heart rate speed up. She had to get out. She had to get out now.

A young man dressed in military attire with a strange red and black patch on the shoulder approached her with a smile on his face. He had short, dark hair and a well-kept beard. His smile made his face light up, giving him a friendly, approachable look. In any other circumstance she might have considered him handsome, but with things as they were she just wanted him to get away. His smile was way too wide, and his eyes were sharp like those of a predator.

"Jane Foster," he greeted her warmly. "I've heard so much about you, and finally I get to meet you in person." Jane merely glared at him, refusing to acknowledge his greeting. "I know that you're not happy to be here, I get that. I'm sorry we had to resort to such barbaric methods to bring you here, but I just didn't think you would come otherwise."

"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Jane growled.

"Oh how rude of me," the man mock apologized, "My name is Grant, and I work for an organization called Hydra. Perhaps you've heard of us?"

"Nope," Jane shook her head. "Now either tell me what you want from me, or let me go, because I'm tired of being here."

The man's smile fell, and all pretenses of friendliness disappeared. "Very well," he grumbled. "We've brought you here for two reasons. The first is that we're interested in obtaining your Einstein-Rosen Bridge, and we're willing to pay in order to get it."

Jane laughed, the sound echoing off of the walls in the large, nearly empty room. "Well good luck with that," she snorted. "S.H.I.E.L.D. took that from me this morning. It's not finished anyways, but I couldn't sell that to you even if I wanted to."

The man before her ground his teeth in anger. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will bow before Hydra soon enough, and I will have the bridge then. Now for the second reason you are here," he said slyly, regaining some of his earlier composure. "Someone very powerful has personally volunteered you as a test subject for our new serum."

"Wait… what?" Jane exclaimed. "Test subject? For what? Who volunteered me?"

"I'm not allowed to divulge that information, but you should know that you have some very powerful enemies, Dr. Foster. Now shall we begin?"

Grant clapped twice, and two men who were also dressed like soldiers with the same strange insignia stepped through the door, wheeling in a stainless steel cart loaded down with vials and syringes.

"No!" Jane shouted at once. "I don't want to be your test subject. I have rights! Let me go!"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Dr. Foster," Grant mocked. "You see, we were given a gift in good faith that we would follow through on our part of the agreement. What kind of filth would we be if we broke a promise? Especially to such a powerful ally. No, my superiors would be furious if I allowed you to walk free."

He barked something in a language that Jane thought must be German, and one of the men next to the table handed him a syringe filled with a dark liquid, so dark it almost appeared black.

"Do not put that in me!" she shrieked. "I'm warning you! I don't want it!" She fought against her restraints once again, with no success.

"It will be quick, Dr. Foster," Grant promised. "Just one injection, and you'll be on your way.

"Let me go!" she screamed.

When he tried to grab her arm, she fought him, trying desperately to hurt him. Her restraints kept her from having the movement she needed to do proper damage, and she ended up merely scratching at his wrists and making his job difficult, but not impossible.

Grant grabbed her arm, and plunged the needle directly into her vein. Jane cried out, twisting and turning, tears stinging her eyes as he injected her with the dark liquid. It burned, setting her veins on fire as it coursed through her bloodstream. Everything burned, and as she rode out the pain, she screamed the very first name that came to mind. The only name that mattered to her.

"THOR!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Asgard

Loki frowned as he felt the cold steel of the blade kiss the back of his neck. Soon, the very same steel that kissed would bite, severing his head from his shoulders. Not that he didn't deserve death he supposed, but he would be lying if he said death at his supposed father's hands didn't sting a little bit. In a show of power, Odin nicked the blade into his neck, and Loki could feel the warmth of blood when he lifted the sword.

"I wish it did not have to be this way," the old man mused. "But your crimes have given me no choice. Why would you do such a thing, Loki? Had you returned to me, I would have merely put you back in the dungeons where you belong, but you had to tell me that you were dead, and you had to impersonate me. Why?"

"It was a test, father," he spat the last word as though it were poison. "One which you failed miserably. I told you I had perished to see if you truly cared or not. You left, as I had hoped, but you did not go to the Dark World to look for me. Instead you went to Midgard, presumably so you could find Thor, your favored son. When I saw your true allegiance lie exactly where I thought it to be, I impersonated you. I wanted just for once, to know what it feels like to be king and have the love of our people. It was once my dream after all."

"It is not like that Loki, you know that I care for you."

"Then why didn't you go to find my body?"

"What I don't understand is why you didn't run," Odin spoke plainly. "We thought you to be dead. You could have left, started over somewhere else."

"There are powerful forces in this universe, and men I fear far more than you," Loki replied cryptically. "Eventually he will find me, and then death would be far more merciful than what he has planned for me, but until then Asgard is the safest place I can be. And you're avoiding my question. If you care for me, why didn't you come to find my body?"

"Things are complicated, that is all I can tell you. Who is this you speak of who presumes that he can harm a prince of Asgard?" Odin demanded.

"It does not matter," Loki sighed. "And I suppose your lack of care for me does not matter either. If you're going to take my life, do so now, as I grow tired of kneeling."

"This is for the best my son," Odin spoke softly. "If we waited for your trial, your fate would still be the same, and you would be executed in front of all of Asgard. I am saving you from that embarrassment."

"You are saving yourself from that embarrassment," Loki shot back.

Odin raised the sword, readying himself to swing, when a shout rang out across the throne room.

"Father!" Thor boomed. "Stop this madness at once!"

"This does not concern you, Thor," Odin warned.

"And here is Thor," Loki murmured, amusement in his voice. "Here to save the day as usual."

"As long as I live and breathe, Father, you will not harm Loki."

"Learn your place boy," Odin growled. "I am king."

"He saved my life!" Thor shouted. "Were it not for Loki, I would have been destroyed by the Kursed. Yes, he has committed terrible crimes, and I am angry with him also, but Father… You must let him live."

"Thor!" a loud voice bellowed from the entrance to the throne room. Heimdall strode in, golden armor gleaming in the sunlight. "You must come quickly," he urged. "Jane Foster, she is in trouble. She calls for you."

Thor ran towards him immediately, stopping mid-stride as he remembered his brother. "Heimdall, please make sure no harm comes to Prince Loki in my absence," he entreated.

"As you wish my Prince," Heimdall hummed, his golden eyes locking with Thor's blue ones. "I will make sure that our king does not make any hasty decisions. The Bifrost is open to Midgard. Go when you are ready."

"Thank you Heimdall," Thor said sincerely. "I will return shortly."

Thor took the Bifrost to Midgard, touching down in London where he knew Jane to be. The location was unfamiliar to him. A warehouse stood before him, the sheer amount of grime on the walls and windows hinting that it had been abandoned for some time.

Two guards spotted his arrival, and immediately came for him. Thor swung Mjolnir on reflex, and slammed one of the guards directly in the face, laying him out flat on the concrete. The second guard shot at him with a pistol. Thor laughed as the bullets bounced off of him, and he grabbed the man by the throat.

"Where is Jane Foster?" he demanded.

The guard bit down hard and began to convulse erratically. Foam spilled from his mouth, and he slumped over in Thor's iron grip, dead.

"What is this sorcery?" the thunder god growled, throwing the now dead man to the ground.

He charged the door to the warehouse, kicking it open with ease, and waltzed into the building. He whipped his head around in expectation of an attack, but none was forthcoming. "Jane!" he shouted, scanning for any signs of life at all.

The building was empty, boxes on long abandoned shelves were covered with dust, and dim lights blinked on and off with lack of care. "Jane!" he shouted again, and this time he was met with an answer.

A sharp movement to the right caught his eye, and he moved just in time to avoid being knocked off his feet as a body hurtled into him. The man was dressed in all black, except for a metal arm adorned with a red star. He was fast, much faster than Thor was expecting.

He landed a punch to his face, and jumped back as the thunder god grabbed for him. Thor swung his hammer, letting it go as it made contact with his assailant's ribs.

The man was thrown against the wall with a sickening crack, and Thor turned his back to leave him. He had barely felt Mjolnir return to his hands, when a beeping sound pinged behind him.

The thunder god turned, just in time to see a hand grenade explode, knocking him off of his feet. The man with the metal arm was on him in an instant. He struck Thor across the face, and wedged a knife between the plates of his armor, twisting and thrusting into the exposed flesh.

Thor roared with rage, and punched the man in the face. He flew backwards, and tumbled across the floor, springing up as soon as he stopped rolling. He threw a pair of knives, which Thor blocked with his hammer, and dove for his legs, trying to bring the thunder god to the ground.

Thor swung hard, Mjolnir making contact with the man's ribcage once again. He flew across the warehouse, landing against the shelves on the far wall, and this time he did not get up.

"Jane!" Thor called once again, before resuming his search. He left the man with the metal arm where he lie, and went further into the warehouse. He could feel the wound from the knife stinging as he moved, but he had endured much worse, and the wounds he sustained in search of Jane would be worth it.

He went down each hallway that connected to the main building, checking carefully behind each door. He encountered a few hostiles, which he quickly dispatched one after another. A few men he encountered were even touched by sorcery like the guard outside, twitching and foaming at the mouth.

Thor came to a large set of double doors in his search, which he kicked open with ease. "Jane!" he shouted, before spotting her.

She was strapped to a table with thick vinyl tow straps. Her small body was shaking, her eyes closed tightly, and she was very pale. Three men occupied the room with her, all dressed like soldiers with strange insignias on their shoulders.

The young man who appeared to be in charge looked right at him as he was aiming Mjolnir. "Cut off one head and two more shall take its place. Hail Hydra!"

Thor roared and let his hammer fly, the metal making contact with each man one after the other. Blood splattered as they hit the wall, their faces caving in with the impact. Thor was by Jane's side, even as he caught his weapon, He ripped off the straps holding the astrophysicist in place, and pulled her limp body into his arms.

"Jane," he whispered. "My Jane, please stay with me."

He carried her gently in his arms as he headed for the exit. He passed through the main area of the warehouse, noting with some surprise that the man with the metal arm was gone.

Thor walked outside, tilting his head to the heavens, and shouting for all to hear. "Heimdall! Open the Bifrost!"

He held Jane tightly, begging her to stay with him, as he was swallowed up by light and disappeared.

So that's it for chapter 2. I know what you're thinking… You're probably saying "WTF is Hydra and the Winter Soldier doing in this fic?" That's totally a valid question. They're in here first and foremost because they're Marvel, and with the Avengers movies, which include the Thor universe, I feel like they're fair game. Also, they fit surprisingly well into my plot, which was the main reason I wanted to use them. I know it seems like chaos, but I am very methodical when I write. Almost everything has a purpose, and I promise to tie it together neatly by the end. Will the Avengers make an appearance? Yes, some of them anyways, though the story will mostly focus on Jane, Loki, and Thor.

Anyways, I'm working on chapter 3, but it's turning out to be much longer than this one, so it may take awhile to get updated. As always, reviews, favorites, and follows are appreciated. If you enjoyed the chapter, or the story in general, don't be shy. Reviews totally make my day and I'd love to hear from you! Have a fantastic week!

-Boss