Jane wanders the palace until she finds Sif. She sits with the Warriors Three in front of a fire, the table set with a light lunch and a few bottles of good wine. When she sees Jane, her face brightens and she beckons for her to join them.

"Come! Take lunch with us- we may have a solution to your problem." After Jane is seated, Sif gestures to the men, "Hogun has a woman in Vanaheim. Volstagg has a wife and children. But Fandral has volunteered to see if he and Darcy might be able to make an arrangement suitable to them both."

Jane's jaw drops, "I didn't expect that."

Fandral smiles, "We will do whatever we can to help make right the situation our prince and king have made so wrong. Is your friend seeking a man with which to start a family or...?"

"If you're really asking if you can still go wenching after you've married Darcy, she'd probably join you. She's pretty adventurous. And she's bi."

"She's what?"

"Bisexual."

"I'm sorry, we don't use that word here. Can you explain?"

She looks at the faces around her, all patiently waiting for an explanation, "You guys don't have words for sexual identities here? Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etcetera?" Heads shake. "So what do you call it when somebody's attracted to someone of the same sex?"

"We just call it an attraction. Or really good sex, if the term fits," Fandral winks.

"Oh. On Earth, or at least the part of it I'm from, opposite sex attraction is normal and everybody else was pretty much shunned up until recently, thanks to a few major religions. We had words for it. Homosexual for people who had sex with the same sex. Heterosexual for people who had sex with the opposite sex. Bisexual for those who had sex with both. And there were others, to be more accepting of transgender identities or to identify people who didn't really have a sexual attraction at all."

"What is transgender?"

"People who don't fit the gender they were assigned at birth. So men who identify as women. Women who identify as men. People who do both or who live between or without a gender at all. Let me guess- you don't have those words, either?"

Sif shakes her head, "It makes little sense to. There are those born boys who live as women. They are women. The opposite is also true. We do not make such big news out of little things like sex and gender. There are far more important things in our lives."

Fandral nods, "Why does it matter what word to use? Either someone returns your advances and affections or they do not. Why does it need a word?"

Jane can't think of a good reason, "I don't know."

"Then there likely isn't one."

"You're really willing to try this?"

He nods, "Of course. You are in need of your friend. Your friend is in need of a man to step up as her husband. Your friend also needs someone who can make sure the All-Father actually does the spell correctly and for that you will need someone who can read Thor's every facial tic as though it were an open book. That means one of us. And as Sif said, everyone else is already bound to someone. I volunteer."

"You do realise Darcy is sarcastic, bold, mischievous, raunchy and blunt, right?"

"So she is Midgard's version of Loki. I think I can handle this."

Jane blinks twice and smiles, "Never thought of it that way, before. But yeah. She's fun. And she's promised to bring us a case of ice-cream."

Volstagg laughs heartily, "Then go tell her soon so we can taste this delightful confection of which's praises you have often sang!"

"She's going to need time to get it. And to pack her stuff if she's going to be here for good."

Fandral drapes his arm over Jane's shoulders, "Good lady, begin with the news that she may come. When she is here, we will talk details. But we can always return to gather her possessions and her confections after she has been made one of us." Jane can barely stammer her thanks. Fandral hugs her, "It is good that you are here with us, Jane Foster. I had great hope that you would survive your trials with the Aether and still be willing to visit Asgard. Now go, tell your friend your news. It will do her good to hear it from her friend."

"Can I just go to the observatory and ask Heimdall to send me back? I've never done that. Thor's always been with me."

"My dear girl, you are married to the second prince. Of course you can ask the Watchman to send you to Midgard. But if you would like, we will gladly accompany you."

Jane happily agrees. They finish lunch and travel together to the observatory. She lands not far from the apartment. Darcy meets her at the door.

"Oh. My. God. Jane. You scared the shit out of me. How'd it go?"

"You get one week to find a husband. You're coming to Asgard."

"Yeah! So...how do I snag myself a hot space boyfriend?"

"If you don't mind an arranged marriage, I've got a- a friend who's willing."

"Wait, what?"

"A friend. Fandral. He's one of Thor's captains- you met him in New Mexico. Or was that because I said I had a friend in Asgard?"

"Both. This Fandral, what's he like? All I remember from New Mexico is a lot of running. And saving a dog." They sit at the kitchen table and Darcy pours coffee.

"He's nice. Cute. Pretty witty and very loyal. The only one of Thor's friends who didn't threaten to kill Loki on our escape from Asgard. Really likes girls. As in, really likes girls. He's a bit of a player."

"I can deal with that. Does he share?"

"He seemed OK with it when I mentioned it."

"Sweet. Does he like ice-cream?"

"We don't have ice-cream in Asgard, Darce."

"God, for an advanced race, they're so behind! No coffee. No ice-cream. What do they do with their dairy?"

"Cheese. Really really good cheese."

She tilts her head as though she's contemplating this, "I can get behind that. So. Anything I need to know about this ritual?"

Jane explains what she remembers in detail and then pauses for a moment while Darcy ponders what she will go through, "Also...I should probably tell you that marriage isn't considered sealed until you have sex."

Darcy's eyes grow wide, "You've fucked Loki?"

"No. But you didn't hear that from me."

"Phew! I thought you didn't tell me something last time. What with that Sigyn thing and all, that would be super uncomfortable."

"Yeah. Which is why if anyone asks, we did, and you don't know any different."

"Lie like a motherfucker. Got it."

"Don't blow my cover, woman. I'll hurt you."

"Eh, I can take you. I've got a taser."

"And I've got a magic wielding husband in a dungeon. Don't make me use him."

"I'll zap him, too. Took out his brother. Not afraid of him."

Jane laughs, "Well get to packing, lady. We've got to see if this will work."

"And I've got to bring you guys a fuckton of ice-cream. Here- go get some dry ice." Darcy hands Jane a wad of bills, "Do you think that'll be enough?"

"Yeah, sure. Just be ready soon. I don't want to hang around all day. And call Erik. He'll want to know where you are."

"Can we invite him for a visit if this works?"

"Sure. He and Mom."

Darcy's face spreads into a wide grin, "Ooooo, this'll be fun!"