Happy New Year everyone.

As always, I do not own any of these characters, just the situation my little hamsters have put them in. Please read and review if you enjoy it.

Merick

Part 9

"God Damn it!" Coulson wanted to shout it out loud, but he didn't. He kept his composed game face on, even as he watched the now sedated scientist being carried away on a military green stretcher. The casket had been returned to its adamantium safe, he had seen to that first, not quite being so cruel as to step over the bleeding man on his way. He knew that all hell was about the rain down on the base, and he was not looking forward to it. Someone had tried to steal the casket, and Coulson was not entirely convinced that it was the SHIELD agent, even though he was the obvious suspect, having been shot down while trying to leave the building with it. Thor's words were beginning to make sense finally. The man, through his pain had been completely disoriented, more than the gunshot itself would explain. He had no idea how he had come to be at the base, no idea why he was in the bunker, no idea why he had been trying to move the casket. His denials of all explanations were not just lies, designed to save himself having been caught in the act of treason. He was genuinely confused, at least as far as Coulson could assess; like a sleepwalker. And if that were true, then Loki had likely gotten into him and Selvig's head as well, and there was no telling just what the god knew, and how he was going to use that information. The only exclamation the agent allowed himself was a quiet sigh, maybe more like a hiss as he followed the gurney out of the building to the waiting ambulance.

Once out in the ever-present New Mexico sunlight, the view didn't get any better.

Barton, equipped with his bow, gripped in his hand like a lifeline was staring at the God of Thunder, neither man seeming to blink or even breathe. Another sigh, and he stepped between the two.

"Gentlemen."

"I warned you." Thor's voice was low, without inflection, and directed at Agent Coulson.

"We haven't yet ascertained what has happened here today Thor."

"I can tell you exactly what has happened. Loki has tried to take the Casket from you."

"And he has not succeeded." Coulson kept his voice just as measured: a practiced skill.

"And yet you have an injured man and have not captured your enemy. The casket and this world remain vulnerable."

"For now we have some time, time to think about our next move." Coulson added, trying to retake control of the situation. Barton continued to glare at the bigger man. Coulson could see the tendons on his bow arm standing out against his skin, the tension written on them.

"I'll continue to patrol." Barton offered, still looking at Thor.

"I will keep watch as well."

Both ideas seemed like good ones to Coulson, and as the ambulance drove away, guards flanking it on motorcycles, he was happy enough to give over that external task to the men. He knew, despite whatever pissing contest they might have wanted to get into just then, that both were pledged to the service of the people of earth, whatever they called it personally, and he had enough to do in his office; to sort out the occurrence, and analyze any data that had arrived. Sometimes it was simpler to compartmentalize things, deal with them in manageable chunks, even though he knew that the whole would most certainly be greater than the sum of its parts in this case. One crisis at a time, probably the more accurate way to describe this task, he thought to himself just then. Those bulky men with their mystical weapons would protect access to the facility and he would do the rest as he waited for Fury and further orders. In the interim though, he was going to change all the access codes for the casket bunker, so none of the three scientists could get to the artifact for the time being. That would close one compartment. But Coulson knew it was only one of a list of objectives that threatened to get longer and longer each time he walked past the threshold of his office door, or his phone rang. He sighed again.

ooOOOoo

Thor had lost track of Barton, he had never meant to keep tabs on the man, and he suspected he had gone to high ground, he was a bow man, and arrows were not a close quarter weapon; though the bow itself looked formidable enough to do damage as a blunt force weapon irrespective of its projectiles. He held nothing against the man; in fact he had a respect for his single-mindedness. His anger had really been directed at Loki, but had been made manifest against Agent Coulson, and the others who represented SHIELD, because he knew how close Loki had come. And he was afraid that the next attempt would result in more than just one man with a bullet in his leg.

It was dark now, hours had passed and he had stood at the front entrance for all of them, holding Mjolnir, opening himself up to the universe, hoping to feel the presence of his brother, hoping that Loki would present himself to talk, calling out to him with his mind, asking for just such a thing. But the universe remained quiet. There had been some commotion earlier, a man named Nick Fury had arrived, tall, dressed in black fatigues, an eye patch over one eye, a serious look on a face that did not seem to know happiness, only duty. There was a kinship in that look. Coulson had greeted him, and they had gone inside, with only a sideways glance given to him, not that he cared. That had been hours ago, and since then a few more cars had left, but none had arrived. The sun had set, and he had tried to remain focused on the wait for Loki, but as the stars emerged his mind wandered to Jane, as it always had back at home. He had used the stars as a cue, like a line to speak with her, and the practice had not left him. Even though he was closer to her than he had been in months he felt even more alone, until a set of headlights split the night's cover. The dusty range rover pulled to a stop by the gate and his heart jumped as Jane stepped from the driver's door.

She lingered by it, seeming unsure of herself as she stared at him, her hands thrust into the pockets of her hooded sweatshirt. He took the steps towards her.

"Jane?" He was suddenly concerned that something had happened to her.

"Is it alright for me to be here Thor?" She looked around.

"We are alone."

"And Loki?"

"I have seen and felt nothing of him this whole day."

Her shoulders relaxed visibly, and she let a small smile grace her face. He mirrored her, understanding her hesitation.

"I was afraid to disturb you."

"Sváss," he reached out a hand to brush down her cheek, feeling her shudder at his slight touch, "I have missed you. Have I said that too often?"

"Not nearly enough." She closed her eyes and let her head turn into his palm.

"The stars came out and I remembered." She said, not finishing her sentence to him. "I needed to come."

"I understand, and I am glad that you did."

She drifted around the rear of the vehicle, clasping a hand on the three rung ladder that led to its roof.

"Did you want to watch the stars with me for awhile?"

"I would like that very much."

Both ascended and settled into cross-legged poses on the roof of the rover, nothing above them but the jewel speckled blackness. Jane cautiously leaned into him and he found that he liked the feeling very much.

"I'm sorry that you have to be out here like this. I would much rather that you were at home, safe with me."

"I fear no enemy or danger from this task Jane, but this is not what I had hoped to be doing this evening either." He responded, not indignantly, but with a graceful softness in his voice that caused her to tremble against him, something he felt even through his cloak and tunic.

"I had hoped, that as the night came to us that we would," he paused, looking into her face, knowing what he wanted to say but afraid of taking the step.

"That we would?" Her mouth looked so soft, her eyes so wide as she seemed to beg him for the last few words. He felt her hand caress the top of his, and he regretted that his skin was so rough and knotted there from the years of practice and battle with Mjolnir, its leathers carving their mark into his flesh. He took a deep breath and looked into those eyes.

"That we would have a soft place to lay our heads, and that we would have the peace of each other's arms. Not a dark New Mexico night, waiting for my brother to show his hand to us." Alone, the circumstances would not have bothered him. It was actually peaceful out there, waiting, even with his senses heightened to any trace of Loki. But with her so near, yet so damned far away from his full attentions it was agony. "I wish with all my heart right now that you could invite me back to your bed, and that I could say yes, because I want you so much Jane."

Her sharp indrawn breath would have set him at alarm for danger if he had not felt the same surprise at hearing the words tumble from his lips. She drew the truth of his heart out, as surely as he had professed he would show her.

"I want you too." She whispered back.

Not another breath was wasted as he pulled her body towards his, capturing her mouth with the pent up desires that had fueled him for months. He parted lips that had been waiting for his, and pulled a breath from her chest even as he sought out her tongue, needing that intimacy, feeling it to his very core. Hands tangled into her hair, keeping her from pulling away, not that she made any show of wishing it. Her own fingers ran across his shoulders, linking behind his neck, holding on to him as surely as he held on to her.

"The moment this duty is discharged, the moment I can place all my attention on you, I will make love to you Jane Foster." He whispered. "Minn Sváss."

"What does that mean Thor, I don't understand the language?"

"It means my Beloved." And he kissed her again.