Chapter 3

"Wakey-wakey, Dr. Foster," Tony called as he knocked.

Jane snatched her notebook off the desk, leapt across her bedroom, and swung open the door. "I've been thinking all night—"

"Eager are we?" He offered her a cup of coffee.

She cradled its warmth in her hands and breathed in the rich, deep aroma before taking a sip.

"I read you liked coffee, but to see it in action is a whole other thing."

She smiled. "As I was saying, I've been thinking, and—"

"Hold that thought." He turned and strode down the hallway toward the elevator.

"Mr. Stark?" She rushed to his side. He may not be tall, but he had a longer stride that kept her legs moving swiftly.

"Call me Tony. Or Handsome. Though, I've always been partial to Your Excellence."

She looked sidelong at him. "I went over my notes last night. And while I'm sure you have plenty of equipment here, it's not everything. At least, it's not my everything. You know, my data collection. And that's years of research that would be really—"

"Doctor," he interrupted her while pressing the elevator button. "You want your stuff. Am I right?"

She nodded.

The door opened and she followed him in.

Tony grimaced. "I don't know. It's kind of unreasonable to expect me to ship everything here—"

"But—"

"—what with the cost, the time, and where would I put all of it?"

"Well, I..." She hadn't thought of all that. She held her coffee to her chest and tried to think fast. "I can..."

The elevator door opened and he moved her forward.

She walked into a mostly empty cavernous room and froze. Her lab was all perfectly set up. Here. In Stark Tower.

Metal storage units were filled with her equipment. Bookshelves held her many binders and star charts. Even her father's old telescope was there, fully assembled and waiting to be used.

She spun around and said, "Thank you."

He stepped into the elevator and just before the door closed, he called out, "Have fun."

With nothing else to do, she set her mind to updating the data on her computers. It'd been several days since she'd done so and her calculations wouldn't be accurate without the latest intel.

"Dr. Foster," JARVIS said, pulling her from her world of planets and numbers. "Miss Potts wanted me to inform you dinner will be served in 30 minutes."

She rubbed her eyes and considered going back to her room to change, but decided against it. All she needed was a few more minutes to finish.

"Dr. Foster." If an AI's voice could sound perturbed, then she'd describe JARVIS' as exactly that.

"Yes?"

"Everyone has already gathered in the dining room. They are waiting on you."

She jumped out of her chair and ran to the elevator. JARVIS sent her to the correct floor and told her where to go. The directions were simple. Or they should've been.

After unsuccessfully finding the dining room, she called the AI for clarification and got no response. She passed more doors, all locked, and went down several endless hallways that gave her the feeling of being a lab rat stuck in a maze. Her cell phone had even died.

When she turned around, the elevator was right in front of her, along with the dining room, just as JARVIS had said it would be. She shook her head, thinking she really needed more sleep and less coffee.

The moment she opened the door, everyone's eyes were on her, and she froze, like a criminal caught in a spotlight.

Thor stood and beamed at her, gesturing to the seat next to his. There were plenty of options, what with the twenty-odd chairs surrounding the massive wooden table. It looked rather comical with the small group huddled together at one end.

"I was just about to have JARVIS send out a search party," Tony said.

"Sorry about that." She shifted on her feet. "I, um... I have no idea how I got lost."

"It's odd that JARVIS couldn't locate you," Tony continued.

She stared at him. That wasn't possible. Was it?

Thor took her hand and guided her to sit. "Loki, you shouldn't play your games on Lady Jane."

The man in question straightened his silverware, appearing contrite, if one was blind to the little smirk playing at the edges of his lips. "It was only a bit of fun."

Intellectual curiosity and indignation battled for dominance. She wasn't sure whether to hound him with questions or give him a piece of her mind. By the time the waitstaff came in, placed bowls of soup on everyone's service plates, and withdrew from the room, her ire won out.

"Tony, he's making your system look woefully inadequate." She picked up her spoon with a smug expression just for Loki. "Last night, JARVIS didn't detect him in my room either." She cringed. "I mean—"

"Why, Miss Foster, I thought you enjoyed my little clandestine visit." He gave her a sly smile.

Thor's spoon bent from his white-knuckled grip.

She went to explain, but Loki cut her off again. "I know I certainly did."

Pepper choked on her wine.

He leaned forward. The impish gleam in his eyes unfurled a surprising warmth in her belly. "The provocative sight of your flushed skin, glistening from the steamy water was most—"

"Know your place, Brother!" Thor slammed down his spoon with enough force to rattle the dishes.

Loki tensed. All humor had vanished from him.

Everyone diligently finished their soups and moved on to the salad course amidst awkward silence. That is, until Tony broke it.

"Jane's right," he said. "But first I need to know how you do what you do."

Loki speared a piece of lettuce, chewed for far longer than necessary, sat down his fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, then finally looked at Tony. "Magic."

"That explains nothing."

Jane lifted her fork. "Magic is just science we don't understand yet."

"Your science is but a poor, barbaric attempt at what magic is capable of." It was his usual bit of disdain, but it held no heat.

"We'll see." Given time, maybe prying some actual answers from Loki, she could translate magic into workable science.

His gaze intensified on her, and his mouth opened as if to say something, but Pepper spoke first.

"Do you do magic, Thor?" she asked.

Loki laughed in his sardonic way. "I'm sorry, Brother, but that is rather funny."

Thor didn't seem bothered. In fact, he sat up straighter and said, "Aesir warriors train in the noble art of combat."

"What about you, Loki?" Tony asked. "Are you trained in the noble art of combat?"

This time Thor laughed. "Some do battle, others just do tricks."

Loki inclined his head. "As I recall—"

"Why, in Nornheim"—Thor faced Jane with a broad smile—"I fought my way through a hundred warriors to pull my brother and my friends out alive."

He chuckled, looking at each of them, either missing or ignoring Loki's thin smile.

Though the younger prince had been rude and, at times, intolerable, she didn't like how Thor treated him. Jane didn't realize she'd been staring at Loki until he glanced at her. She quickly averted her gaze and repositioned her napkin in her lap until she could feel his eyes move off her.

"As I recall," Loki announced, sitting taller, "it was I who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape."

Everyone waited for Thor's response, tense and uncertain, but it was all for naught. He simply chuckled and all seemed well between the two.

The rest of dinner was an amicable ride down memory lane for everyone, though for mostly Thor and Tony. Jane didn't really speak up until it was time to leave. Since she had her telescope, she wanted to check out the Seeliger effect on Saturn.

Tony leaned back in his chair. "You don't have to ask. This place is now your home too."

"Saturn?" Thor asked.

"A planet," she answered. "It has a wide swath of rings and sixty-two moons. It's beautiful."

Thor raised his glass. "Then I must see this Saturn as well, lest I become jealous of your attentions."

She waited on some kind of quip from his brother, but none came. Instead, he sat there reading a paperback, seemingly engrossed. It was a bizarre, incongruent sight for a Norse god to be holding such a normal looking book.

She leaned toward him, trying to get a better view of the cover facing her. The coloring and general shapes looked oddly familiar. Too familiar. She leaned just a bit more.

It was her romance novel. The one she'd been reading in the bathtub. She shot out of her chair and quickly said her goodbyes before Loki could embarrass her further.

After she'd set up her scope out on the walkway, she buttoned her flannel and wrapped her arms around herself. The chilly breeze had covered her in goosebumps and made her shiver.

She stepped to the railing and looked out over New York City. It was the antithesis of her New Mexico home. Where the desert floor was barren, one could get lost in the legions of stars. Here, the ground was smothered with buildings, cars, and people and the sky was practically bare.

When a blanket swept over her shoulders, she unclenched her arms and grabbed it tighter around her.

"Always in your head, Lady Jane." Thor settled next to her. "Not good for a warrior, but not so bad for a scholar."

Her teeth clattered. "Aren't you cold?"

"Nay. Your mortal constitution is much weaker than ours." He took her hand and placed her palm against his massive one.

Her heart lurched, then kickstarted into a wild frenzy. She quickly disentangled their hands and scooted slightly away to think clearly.

It was strange how he spoke with arrogance but no condescension. Unlike that of his brother. And yet Loki yielded to Thor every time. She knew the God of Mischief was powerful, but he wrapped it around him, guarded and reserved, whereas Thor brandished it for all to see. They were as different as her backwater home and this bustling city.

"Thank you for bringing the blanket." She'd finally stopped shivering.

"Honestly"—he rubbed at his stubble and gave her a sheepish grin—"Pepper gave it to me for you."

Fortunately for her, she didn't have to respond. He changed the subject and told her of his exploits, his many battles and conquests, and much about the grandeur of being a prince.

She watched as he gestured with his strong hands, and glanced at her with clear blue eyes and a bright smile, how the wind lifted the ends of his perfect blond hair as if he were in a photo shoot. Sure, he was easy on the eyes, but he just wasn't her usual type. Not that it stopped her ovaries from crooning.

When she peeked through her telescope, Saturn, in all its glory with its rings aglow, finally made its appearance. It didn't matter that she'd seen it innumerable times, the planet would always take her breath away.

"Thor, come look." She waved him over and waited, wondering how he'd respond.

When he straightened, he wore an expression she couldn't name. "It is a marvelous sight," he said, his voice more subdued than she'd heard from him. "Tell me about it."

She did. Probably more than he cared to know. But this was her love, her passion.

Much to her surprise, he gave her information about something he called the World Tree. While he used different words, she was pretty sure she knew what he was talking about. It was the best conversation she'd had since Erik left to work for SHIELD.

They ended up abandoning the telescope and the stars to lean against the building. His form shielded her from the wind and he held her hands to keep them warm.

"Midgard has certainly changed since the last I was here." He looked out through the transparent railing. "It's nothing compared to the beauty of Asgard. Though, none of the realms can truly compare."

"Tell me about your home." She squeezed his fingers. "And no more about the glories of being a prince."

He laughed, his eyes sparkling more than normal. "She is the kind of beauty words cannot do justice. At least, none from my lips as I'm not blessed with a poet's tongue."

He spoke of a flat world surrounded by water spilling into the void, of golden structures and buildings, the succulent food unlike any of hers, the best mead in all the nine realms, how they heal their sick and wounded, and the fresh floral scent permeating everything. It sounded heavenly and, as much as she didn't want to admit it, magical. No wonder her ancestors thought they were gods instead of a highly advanced species.

She stifled a yawn and released her hands from his to stretch. Her back popped and her muscles groaned. They had been sitting together for a couple of hours.

"I forget your need of sleep." He stood and offered her a hand. "Come, I'll escort you back inside."

Despite her inner feminist, she took it and he pulled her up with a bit too much force. She fell into him, laughing at her moment of flight. The tail end of her mirth caught in her throat as he held her close to him, his eyes flicking between her eyes and her lips.

She cleared her throat and dislodged herself from his arms to dismantle the tripod. "So you don't need much sleep, you have a ridiculously long lifespan, and are stronger and more resilient. How else do we differ?"

He placed a warm hand on her lower back, and led her to the door. "We don't require as much sustenance. Though, we enjoy it and partake as often as we want. Other than that, we are more alike than my people would readily admit."

That piqued her interest and she asked him how so.

"Since I've been back on Midgard, and maybe it is that I'm older, but I've come to see that we are just as ruled by our desires and fears as others are. There is intrigue in the court same as there is in your… governments." He stumbled over the word as he opened the door for her.

They paused just inside the low-lit room and she waited for him to continue, but he didn't. He just stared down at her, like he was battling something within. Then, he stepped closer to her. Close enough to heat up the small space between them.

"I know we are not so different because..." He searched her face as if it held the words he sought. With an exhale, he looked her in the eye and threaded his fingers through her hair. "I listen to your thoughtful words and I hear the wisdom of my mother. I watch your unquenchable thirst for knowledge and see the intelligence of my brother. I touch your delicate skin"—he ran a thumb across her cheek, then curled a finger under her chin—"and I feel the beauty of Asgard."

He tilted her head back slightly. Tingles preceded an all-consuming warmth even as her stomach knotted. She stopped her unconscious lean toward him. His touch, his words, his everything frightened her. She covered her chaotic emotions with a crooked smile and slid from his embrace.

Pulling her telescope between them, she said, "I dare say you are a liar, Mr. I'm-Not-Blessed-With-A-Poet's-Tongue."

His laughter filled the air. "Maybe I needed you for my inspiration—"

"May I suggest, Brother." Both their heads snapped to Loki sitting on the couch, perusing a rather large tome. "To not be so forward with our skittish filly here. Though, I am quite impressed with your delivery. It has improved greatly."

Thor tensed beside her. Not that it could match the strain of her own rigid posture.

She narrowed her eyes, turned to Thor, and accidentally almost hit him with the lens of her scope. "Am I missing something here?"

Before he could speak, Loki interjected. "I'm sure he told you of his many conquests." Her gaze shot to his impassive one. "Did he tell you he likes a challenge?"

"Loki," Thor warned, his voice low and soft, like the quiet rumble of thunder before a storm hits.

She gripped her telescope. That's why his attentions seemed impossible. Because they were. She was to be the next notch on his belt and nothing more. Anger stabbed her. Disappointment suffocated her. "Is this true?"

"Aye, initially." A gentle, large hand touched her shoulder, which she immediately shrugged off. "But I swear on Mjölnir, tonight was different, something more for me."

She couldn't let herself hope. She didn't know what was truth and what were lies. The moment felt too similar to the end of her last relationship and she could stand there no longer.

Taking in a ragged breath, she walked to the elevator. It was probably for the best anyway. She needed to stay focused on the project.

Thor called her name, but she kept walking. She had her eyes trained on the elevator, doing her best not to look at Loki as she passed him, but failed.

To all appearances, he seemed somber and remorseful, but a smile so faint she almost missed it leaked through. He inclined his head, as if he'd done her a favor. Maybe he had, but she wasn't going to thank him for it.


Author's Note: The whole "reviews = love" thing I've seen on fanfiction plenty times over... yeah, I get it now. Except, it's not just reviews but also favorites and follows. So, thank you! It really makes all the time and effort and loss of sleep worth it.

I must express my gratitude and appreciation for my beta, DreamFlight, and my sister. Otherwise, I'd feel like a dolt because they're the reason I'm posting anything at all.

Up Next: The Tesseract finally arrives.