A/N Hello my darlings! Soooo, I'm not sure what happened with the last chapter. Were you all so surprised at my sudden update, that you had heart attacks when you saw my name? Or was it the shock from my impressive rhyming abilities in the last chapter? XD Either way…seeing that the chapter was viewed by over 100 people, but only got three reviews...one of which was from my lovely younger sister...you could say that it was definitely not what I had in mind. So just a reminder that even if you're just visiting or too lazy to log in (I have been on multiple occasions), I would still love some constructive feedback :)
But an enormous thank you to my three reviewers! This chapter's for you!
"Until next time Ms. Foster…" What on Earth was she supposed to make of that? Jane resignedly sighed. Who was he? How did he know who she was? And more importantly, why was his descent so different from Thor's? There weren't any runes on the ground that she had seen…nor could she go back to double-check since SHEILD had cordoned off the area making it more password-protected than a Kindergartener's clubhouse.
'No one allowed in or out' is what Agent Coulson had said. Director Fury's orders, of course.
Absentmindedly Jane cracked an egg into the red frying pan she was holding, scrambling it occasionally.
"Stupid Asgardians with their stupid promises and vanishing men…" she mumbled under her breath in frustration. Why did this sort of stuff always happen to her? First, Thor and his band of merry havoc wreakers, then the destruction of the town, then their astronomical kiss, then two months and some change of absolutely nada, and then some strange, dark, and handsome Houdini comes and leaves her with more questions than she had before!
"Jane? Where are you?" Darcy leisurely walked into the kitchen area and took one look at Jane before her eyes widened. "Whoa there Jane! That poor little egg never got the chance to live, no need to kill it."
Shocked out of her reverie, Jane whipped her head down to look at what would have been her breakfast and saw that in her musings she had charred the entire yolk. "Ugh." Wrinkling her nose, she took the pan off of the element and stuck it in the sink with some warm, soapy water.
"Sorry Darce…I'm just a little…frustrated."
Darcy openly laughed as she walked over to a bucket full of crisp apples, "You could say that again!"
Walking over to the table, Jane plopped down onto a chair and held her chin on her hand. "It's just…well, I had hoped that Thor would show, you know?"
"Yeah yeah, I know." Darcy said sympathetically. Then, with a wicked gleam in her eye, she smirked and took a loud bite out of her apple. "But…since he's not here you could always…oh, I don't know, go on a date once in a while."
"Wha-what?" Jane coughed in surprise. "Darcy, you don't actually expect me to settle for someone here when we know all that we know? How could I? Besides," Jane said wryly, "I know that you're just saying that because you want someone to double with for your date with that new SHEILD security guard."
"His name is Trevor, and he's actually the head of the weaponry department." Darcy huffed.
"Well whatever he is, get someone else to chaperone your date."
"Chaperone? Whoever said anything about chaperoning? I just wanted you there as a backup plan in case he turns out to be as weird as Fury's eye-patch."
Both Darcy and Jane erupted into a fit of giggles.
The door jingled as it opened and Erik walked into the kitchen from outside.
"What are you two laughing about?"
"Oh you know," Darcy said in between peals of laughter, "the usual: boys, dating, eyepatches…"
"Ah," Erik said knowingly, "nothing new then. But how have my girls been while I've been away? Did Thor show up yet?"
Jane sighed. "Not exactly. Although I was right about there being correct weather conditions for another anomaly like an Einstein-Rosen Bridge. But something was different this time…"
"Or rather, someone was different this time." Darcy winked. "Go on Jane, tell Erik all about Mr. Tall, Dark and devastatingly gorgeous." She splayed her hand over her forehead dramatically and pretended to swoon, all the while grinning madly.
Jane glared at Darcy, lightly annoyed. She was hoping that she could've left that particular encounter out of the story she told Erik. She knew how he could worry.
Erik scrunched his eyebrows downward. "Who came down Jane?"
She hated when he talked like that to her. Jane could never say no when he sounded like her father. Sighing in defeat Jane talked. "I'm not sure Erik, he disappeared before he told me who he was."
"Now Jane," Erik started off softly. "I know that you're a grown woman, but I'm sure I don't have to warn you about those type of people. We were lucky with Thor and his friends….But one day, someone not as understanding could make an appearance….and if you really have no idea who he was…well I'm sure you can use your imagination." He finished ominously.
"Whoa Erik. Lighten up a bit. You're giving me the heebie-jeebies." Darcy piped up. "Besides, who knows if he's a bad guy? He sounds incredibly dashing, and wonderful, and mysterious, and…oh I don't know…tall."
"Tall?" Jane scoffed. "How can you possibly tell if he's tall or not?" Of course, he was, but Darcy couldn't have known that.
"We college students know these things." Darcy said simply.
Jane and Erik rolled their eyes simultaneously. Erik glanced at his wristwatch. "Alright ladies, I'll be back soon. I'm going to head over to the grocery store to pick us up some dinner." He smiled at them and jingled his keys. "If Agent Coulson pays a visit, tell him where I'm at, will you?"
"Sure thing Erik." Jane smiled tiredly.
After he left, Darcy ran upstairs to text Trevor, while Jane lazily sauntered into the make-shift living room, ending up in front of their bookcase. She was searching for something worthwhile to read, when she realized that she could figure out who the newest Asgardian was. Read Norse books! That's how they figured out who Thor was, and she was sure that she could recall information from her encounter that could help!
Actively thumbing through her books with a determined purpose, she yelled up to Darcy. "DARCY! Get down here! I think I've found a way to figure out who my illusionist is!"
A few moments passed until she finally heard some calm footsteps behind her. Whirling around, she started to talk and explain at break-neck speed. "Darcy, I know this probably sounds crazy but I think I-AHH!" She stopped suddenly, feeling as if her insides had frozen solid. For in the doorway, was the incredibly tall Asgardian standing regally in a green and golden tunic.
"Jane Foster," He spoke to her very formally, but there was a quality about his voice that surrounded her and made her feel like they were very intimate friends, despite the fact that he was at least twenty feet from her. "I would not have intruded so unannounced, but I felt that I should, given the circumstances."
"Th-the cir-circumstances?" Jane stuttered.
"Indeed. You see, something has happened," His alert emerald eyes flashed for a moment, so quick that Jane almost believed that it hadn't happened at all, but he continued in earnest. "Thor is in danger. You must come with-"
Suddenly his expressive eyes widened in shock before he promptly crumpled to the ground, leaving Jane to see Darcy standing upright just behind where he had fallen.
Astounded, Jane could only muster one word. "Taser?"
"Taser." Darcy said smugly.
And so ends chapter 4! *wink wink* You know what to do.