Note: Companion fic to Chris Crush. Extra scene, from Chapter 23, The Avengers.
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The Other Girl
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Saturday, August 30th, 2014.
It was early in the night, when Natasha arrived on the Pepperony floor. As her maid of honor, Pepper had invited the girls to meet there before they left for the bachelorette party. The mood, however, wasn't festive as the redhead bride expected, when the CEO greeted her.
"Jane came here crying, but I couldn't find Darcy. She didn't say anything… She's waiting for you."
Sitting on the couch in the ample living room, they saw Jane being comforted by Betty. As they approached, she spoke amid tears, "I'm so sorry, I didn't want to mess up your party…"
"Don't worry, Jane." Natasha asked, concerned, "What happened?"
"I… I broke up with him…"
Betty covered her mouth with her hand, and Pepper whispered, "Oh my God!"
Arriving at that moment, Darcy overheard it, and exclaimed, "You dumped Thor?" The young assistant sat by her friend's side, and hugged her, asking, "Are you crazy?"
"I wish I was…" Averting her eyes, Jane explained sadly, "He was different… sad, distant. He said he can't stay here because he's King now."
"He talked to the team too," trying to be supportive, Natasha added, "It's a heavy burden upon his shoulders, and he's worried about his father."
"I know, I understand. But then he said I could go back with him!"
Instantly, Betty frowned, "You mean, move to another… what's Asgard? Another planet?"
"More like an asteroid, definitely in another dimension…" the astrophysicist began to explain, before she paused, saying, "But that's not the problem."
Confused, Darcy questioned, "Did he ask you to marry him or something like that?"
"No… No, he didn't. But he did mention that there was an Odin spell, that maybe I could undergo – if I prove myself worthy – to become kind of immortal like him. 'For none but a true goddess may wed a god!' He said that's the saying."
"But that's a commitment, right? It's what you've wanted," said Pepper, remembering their first talk, months ago, right after Bobbi and Clint had eloped.
Shaking her head nervously, Jane stuttered, "No! Not like this… I… I can't…"
Darcy exclaims, "Why not?"
"Because… I'm afraid! What if something goes wrong? I still have nightmares about that dark power that possessed me, the Aether. I almost died. It was so terrifying… such an alien, unnatural sensation. I don't want to experience it ever again. Besides, I don't want to be a… a goddess!"
A fellow scientist, Betty understood Jane's fears and pondered quietly, "The Asgardians look similar to us, but, we can't forget that it's an alien biology. A transformation process like this… The closest thing we have to it is the super-soldier serum…"
Raising her eyebrows, Natasha said, "Used on Steve."
"Yes, but Cap is considered the only successful case. According to the old SSR archives, they've tried it before, and people… died." The biochemist continues sadly, "Or… You know, Bruce tried… and Blonski."
Darcy gasped in shock, "Hulk and Abomination?"
"Scientifically speaking, it's not the same process, but…" concluded Betty, "Without any data to analyze, I can't help but think it could be very dangerous."
"Exactly! Thor said it's Odin's… magic, and Odin is missing. And no one ever did it before," Jane spoke gravely, "No thanks."
After a brief pause, Pepper asked the simplest question, "Couldn't you stay there as a human?"
"What for? I would be nothing but the King's mortal… mistress… And with that Lady Sif there, I would be just the other…" The pain in her voice was palpable. "Let's face it, even if he wanted to marry me, his mother died saving me. His father hated me since the start… Did I tell you Odin called me a 'goat at a banquet table' when we first met? And then he made me a prisoner? It was too horrible, too unendurable… I couldn't go to Asgard again. No one would ever accept me there." Turning to Natasha, Jane asked, "You were there, you saw how they are, right?"
"It's a very sexist society. They see women as an accessory, a thing that belongs to men. We, mortals, are less than nothing," the spy pondered, "But Thor isn't like that. Neither are his closest friends."
Without thinking, Darcy questioned Jane's feelings, "Isn't he worth a try? Don't you love him enough?"
"I do… I love him more than anyone I've loved in my whole life… but… I want him here, with me," Jane replied devastated.
"That's the impasse," Pepper sighed heavily, before continuing, "You both want the other to change, and there's no common ground that would satisfy both of you."
Jane spoke between sobs, "Why do I have to give up my life? We are not equals. I'll be dead in a blink and he… he'll live forever… like her…" Taking a deep breath, she murmured, "I wonder if he didn't realize that, and that's why he was so distant."
That was the cruel reality, and there was nothing they could say to comfort Jane. Silently, Natasha, Pepper and Betty thought about their respective men. In spite of all their personal challenges, they felt lucky.
After an awkward silence, JARVIS called for their attention, "Ms. Potts, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Lady Sif is asking for Ms. Foster."
Worried about her friend, Darcy protested, "What the hell is she doing here?"
Natasha stood up, saying, "She must have finished dressing up. She's my guest, I'll go."
Surprising them all, Jane replied firmly, "No, it's fine. I'll talk to her."
Pepper looked at her, before commanding, "Let her come in, JARVIS."
In order to be ready for the parties, each Asgardian had a room assembled with clothes and accessories, in a similar way to what they did for Steve and Natasha during their time in Asgard. Clothed in a party dress, with her hair and makeup done, Earth's style, Sif was even more stunning than usual. She walked in with tremendous class and elegance, making Jane realize it would be foolish to try to compete with her. And some of the girls thought the exact same thing.
Natasha greeted her, "Sif, welcome. Did you find everything you needed?"
"Yes, thank you," she nodded before saying, "I am sorry to intrude, but I would like to take a word with Jane Foster, in private."
"You can talk in front of them, we are all friends," Jane replied dryly, "What do you want from me?"
"Please, Lady Sif, take a seat," Pepper offered gently.
The Asgardian sat next to Natasha, and right on target, she explained, "I came to ask thee to reconsider my Lord's offer."
Jane chuckled, "You have got to be kidding me."
Sif replied straightforwardly, "I can assure thee that I am not."
Silently, the other women looked at each other in disbelief, and Jane spoke full of suspicious, "Why… why are you doing this?"
"Because if anything I can do may convince you, than I am bound to do it. Thor is my King."
"Don't you love him?" Jane asked sharply, and sensing Sif's surprise and reluctance, she insisted, "You can't expect me to trust you if you're not being honest with me."
Although remaining remarkably in control, there was an almost imperceptible tremor in Sif's voice, as she answered the daring question. "He whom I love doth love another. Because I love him, I want for him what he wants. Even if it doth cost me Thor. For such is the nature of love."
Sif's unbelievable selfless and noble statement shocked them all. Its powerful meaning hit Jane deeply, and she whispered, "You can't be real…"
"Pardon?" the Asgardian asked confused.
After a long pause, Jane replied melancholically, "I guess you love and understand him more than I ever will… or want to." In Jane's life, those last words were the most difficult to say, but she took a deep breath and spoke as firmly as possible, "You deserve him. You win."
Since the start, Jane had thought of Sif as competition. But now, the look of the goddess was one of deep sorrow, not victory, as she replied gravely, "I am afraid this is not a decision for us to make."
Suddenly, it became crystal clear that Jane's broken heart was Thor's fault only. Anger took the place of self-pity, and the impulsive young woman stepped into her strong, independent persona. "That's the problem. He doesn't deserve any of us," Jane said, getting up – her tears were long forgotten. "I'm done crying and waiting for him."
Breaking the moment, Bobbi arrived, explaining herself, "I'm sorry I'm late. I don't know why they call it morning sickness since it can strike at any time of the day or night." Looking at the women's upset faces, the pregnant blonde said, "But I'm fine, I'm ready to party… What… What happened with you guys?"
Walking towards the door, Jane replied, "I need to get drunk. Let's go?"
Standing by her friend's side, Darcy cheered supportively, "Now we're talking!"
The other women were still stunned with all that had happened, but the experienced hostess reacted promptly, "Okay, I just need to finish my make up. If you need anything, please, be my guest."
Pepper left, and Darcy pulled Jane to the guest bathroom.
"Are you sure you are okay, Jane?"
"No, I'm not. But I can't be crying for him again, I can't…"
"That's right! You'll relax, and you can talk to him later, okay?" Fixing her friend's hair, the young brunette continued, "Smile, and let's go. Nothing better than hot naked guys to cheer us up!"
Blushing, Jane exclaimed, "They won't be naked!"
"Well, we can try!" Darcy winked shamelessly.
Discreetly, Bobbi followed Pepper to the main bedroom, and asked, "What the hell is going on?"
"Jane dumped Thor. Long story, but he wants her to move to Asgard and she wants him to stay here. And believe me, Sif is amazing!" Looking at Bobbi's perplexed face, Pepper explained Jane's fears that led her to break up the relationship. Then, she told about Sif's selfless demonstration of love and devotion towards Thor, making her accept the other woman in his life. Ultimately, the Asgardian earned the respect of them all.
Back in the living room, the festive mood was back again, and Pepper called, "Everybody ready? Let's party! Happy has the cars already ready for us."
The night was just starting.
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Author's note: Yes, Sif is amazing! (Her story will come, I didn't forget it!) In the comics, Sif sacrificed herself to save Jane's life… for Thor! That was the ultimate proof of love, right? Both women ended up okay, Jane married Dr. Keith Kincaid, Thor and Sif attended the wedding as a couple.
Both bachelor and bachelorette parties, and more, will be soon posted in the main fic Chris Crush, chapter 23, The Avengers.
I'm sorry I'm making you wait for so long. The end of year was a very busy time for me, plus it's summer here, and today, for example, it's 90F and feels like 101F. And no, I can't go to the beach. So, please, be patient with me! :) And talk to me!
Love you all and hope you had happy holidays!
xoxo Mari
Ref: Movies: Thor: The Dark World (2013) – [Jane to Thor] I was waiting, and then I was crying and then I went out looking for you.
Ref: Comics: (The Mighty) Thor Vol 1
#136 (1967) – [Thor] My father prepares to make thee an immortal! For none but a true goddess may wed a god! (…) [Jane] I never dreamt it could be so terrifying… such an alien unnatural sensation! (…) What if something goes wrong? (…) I'm afraid…! I don't want it! I won't be a goddess! I won't stay in Asgard! It's too horrible! Too unendurable!
#232 (1975) – [Sif] Because I love him, I want for him what he wants.
#234 – [Sif] If anything I can do may save her life, than I am bound to do it, even if the saving doth cost me Thor. For such is the nature of love.
#235 – [Sif] He whom I love doth love another, and she is dying.
