Chapter 10:

Jane and Darcy watched them from the window; well Jane did mostly, Darcy was still packing up stuff. The intern had gotten enough off of Ramona to know she was alright. Whether she was trust worthy was a whole other matter, but she seemed pretty cool. The night Ramona had brought Jane and Thor back to the motel they had bombarded the alleged god with questions of what had happened and who this woman was.

He ate two pizzas while regaling them with his "great tale of his journey to Albuquerque" and his meeting with Ramona Hughes and her healing him from his wound; Darcy just remembered gaping at him eating her slice. Jane had remained silent the whole time, barely touching her food. Instead she leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. Thor obviously could not tell, but Darcy knew her bosses angry-jealous face; she usually got it when Doctor Stephens got published in that nerdy physics journal Jane obsessed over. It was an unpleasant and deeply disconcerting look, and it generally resulted in her chain smoking. This was a fact that Jane had tried desperately to keep it from Erik. It was stress smoking, so…she did it a lot. It gets ugly.

After the god-man cake went to bed, the two girls had stepped outside of the motel room. Darcy did not really appreciate that, because it became below freeze-her-tits-off-cold. Jane started her smoking tirade, but Darcy managed to get on cigarette out of her, so she was cool with it. Jane how angry she was at Thor for disappearing and the worm-hole thing and whole bunch of other stuff Darcy just could not remember. Before Jane could tire herself out, and Darcy could die of hypothermia, Thor had suddenly opened the door, stepping out. He asked the girls what they were doing outside, and "what that odious smell was". Jane froze, because she was trying to hide her cigarette behind her back, like he knew what it was, and just stared at him. Darcy had stepped in, explaining that they were just talking about physics stuff. With that Darcy snuffed out her cig and had taken the chance to say she was tired and heading in. After she shut the door behind her, Darcy didn't care what they had done, as long as she got some sleep.

Which brings us back to the today and the now; Jane still regarded the woman with mistrust, though this was born out of jealousy perhaps more than…well. Maybe she was alright to be distrusting of this chick. And once again, as far as Darcy was concerned, Ramona was cool but the jury was still out on whether she was trustworthy. The two women didn't say anything for many minutes as Jane stood and stewed and creeped by staring out the window while Darcy actually, yeah know, packed. After a few moments though Jane had decided she had been silent long enough.

"Does she seem a little…off to you?"

Here we go. "Define off." She really didn't want to get into this but as Jane's unpaid intern, Darcy had no choice. Plus who the hell else was she going to talk to, Erik?

"I don't know she just creeps me out."

"Yeah…okay…" Darcy was quiet. "Aaand?"

"Well…that's she just creeps me out."

"Well you creep me out sometimes, I still talk to you." Darcy zipped up the last bag and tossed it on the floor. When you looked at it, it was surprise it had taken them all morning to go through and pack.

"How do I creep you out?!" Jane was indignant.

"Your so….energetic and…active…it's weird." Darcy shook herself, as if she had just gotten the chills. Jane gaped at her.

"I weird you out because I'm energetic?! Why cause I don't wake up from hang overs and-!"

At that moment the motel room door opened; Thor walked in, and Ramona followed close by shutting the door behind her.

"Hello!" Thor said, walking through the room over to the desk against the wall. Ramona set her mystery box on the table and began to unload its mystery contents. The two women were silent as they watched. Thor sat in the desks chair at a fair distance from Ramona so she had space.

"Interesting." Darcy observed. Not being one to stand by the side lines for long (unless giant iron alien kill machines come a knocking, then she sticks the side lines for her life), Darcy moves toward them before Jane could stop her. "What are you two doing?"

She's in front of them as Ramona explains, "I have an idea for…Thor to see his…home." Darcy considered her for a moment. From she could tell Ramona didn't seem to into the idea of Thor being a god or alien or whatever. Who could blame her, but after seeing those weirdo's that said they were his friends and then that damn robot thing blow up half the town, she really couldn't question the legitness of his statements. Also he talked like he was from a d and d game, so…

"How are you gonna do that?"

Ramona made to answer, but Thor cut her off. "The Lady Ramona intends to use my blood and a bowl so that I may see Asgard once more." Thor explained with a straight face. Wait did he just say blood.

"Wait blood? Is this going to get weird?" Darcy wrapped her arms around herself. Blood grossed her the fuck out. Seeing it made her sick, and she tried not think about it flowing through her body too much.

"If it makes you uncomfortable you could take off for a while, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable." Ramona suggested.

"No, no…" What the hell am I saying? "How many interns get to see the mighty Asgard in a mirror?" Did I seriously just say that? And I wasn't drunk or sarcastic? "So how…does this work?" Why am I still talking?

"Well this is a really old ritual, but is just involves some words and then the blood."

"O...kay…" Darcy just sat in one of the chairs. "Let me know when- oh my God!" Ramona pulled out a shiny honking knife from her box of horrors. The handles was black, with a silver V across. The blade itself was so shiny it showed Darcy her own reflection which thoroughly disturbed her. Jane had darted over as soon as she had heard Darcy's little freak out.

"Excuse me but what the hell?!" Jane made to grab the knife, but Ramona backed away. Thor took Jane by the shoulders and steered her away from the claimed witch. "Why do you have a freaking knife?!"

"How else am I supposed to draw the blood, a Q-tip?" Ramona set the knife down on the table next to a bowl. Ramona continued to unload her stuff from the box as Jane said.

"Why are we drawing blood at all?"

"This is a ritual for me to see my home Jane." Thor tried to explain. Jane reeled to look at him. "My blood is a part of the ritual."

"You can't be serious." Jane had crossed her arms, staring up at him. Man he was tall; how the hell has she not broken her neck yet looking at him like that?

"She knows what she is doing Jane, have confidence in her." Jane was rubbing the temples of her head; Darcy couldn't blame her.

"This is insane." Ramona ignored her, unloading the rest of her things and setting the box on the floor. The table they were all crowded around was small and square, and straight against the wall. Ramona began setting up her items as Thor and Darcy watched in curiosity.

"Could you guys give me some space please I wanna make sure this is all right." Thor backed off, and Ramona moved to the front of the table. Darcy got up from her chair and followed Thor to the edge of the bed where all three people sat, watching.

Ramona set a white, medium sized bowl; Darcy studied it, and there were a cluster of grapes with gold branches painted on the side of the bowl. Ramona moved the knife, setting it inside the bowl and then went digging inside her messenger bag. She pulled out a plastic bag with sand in it.

"So…what is all of this?" Darcy asked, after a long silence. (Well long for her anyway.)

"I'm going to mix up the soil I collected yesterday from that…spot in the desert, and mix it up in my bowl along with Thor's blood. Then I'm going to say a little chant and we should get some results." Ramona explained, opening the baggy. "Can I get some water from your bathroom?"

Darcy pointed to the door to the far right of the room next to the TV. Ramona grabbed her bowl and went over in that direction. When they heard water running, Jane started to do what she thought was whispering.

"This is nuts!"

"Dude she's in the bathroom not outside." Darcy actually whispered.

"She wants blood." Jane continued.

"Blood magic is not uncommon, though it is rarely used." Thor explained. "I believe because it has a very…dark reputation, at least that is what my brother always told me. But on some rare occasions it can be used for good." Thor seemed satisfied with what he just said, and thought that this would be comforting enough for Jane. It wasn't, but she kept quiet. The water had already stopped running, and Ramona walked out of the bathroom much calmer now, balancing her bowl.

When she made it to the table Ramona went back to work; she picked up the knife and dipped it into the bag of dirt. With a little bit on the blade with swirled it into the bowl of water.

"Thor I need to." Thor stood from the bed as Jane said.

"Wait shouldn't you clean that-?" Darcy elbowed her in the rib, cutting her off. Thor held out his hand; Ramona took his index finger, and with the tip of the knife pierced the skin. Darcy could barely see, but she still got grossed out, and looked away.

"Repeat after me please," Darcy chanced a look; Thor was nursing his hand, wrapped in a cloth. They looked over the bowl as Ramona stirred.

"Into the threads of time,

I cast My Thoughts

To catch a glimpse of home

O Gods of Asgard, bring into my sight

The lovely gift of foresight."

Thor had repeated her words exactly, as Darcy peered through her fingers

And then something weird happened. The room began to glow; the glow could be followed back to the table where Ramona and Thor hovered over the bowl. Jane had shot up from her spot on the bed and was between them before Darcy knew what was happening. Darcy jumped up from her seat as well and stood next to Ramona left. It got weirder as she had gotten closer.

The glow was gold, shooting up from the bowl; she could see the dirt and blood swirl around in the bowls water, but Darcy was focused on the light. There were swirls and shapes taking form in the light. The shapes became people and buildings; one building in particular took prominence. A tall, gold palace…at least Darcy thought it was a palace. It looked like a gold version of Oz.

"Holy crap." Jane breathed. No kidding. Darcy looked over at Thor; he was smiling but blinking a lot. He rubbed his finger underneath his nose, his breathing heavy. Jane noticed, and began rubbing his back. Ramona inhaled and exhaled slowly; closing her eyes carefully, and then opening them slowly.

"So…you're definitely not from Memphis." She said simply. No shit.

Thor chuckled deeply and then grunted. Darcy could see the water works coming. The scene changed and it showed a gold room where two people, an older man and woman sat consoling each other. Thor had gasped. Okay so this was a shock.

"Are those… your parents?" Jane said, tentatively. It had to be a sensitive subject, considering Thor's old man threw him out of the house. Thor merely nodded his gaze constantly on the image. The older man was dressed in gold and brown armor; he long white hair and bushy beard to match; over his right eye was a gold eye-patch.

"The All-Father." Ramona said. "It appears he is alive too, like in your dream."

"Yes He lives…but, my brother-" Thor started, as Ramona peered closer.

"I think you're moms crying." Ramona stated. They all moved closer, Thor the closest.

Thor's dad was cuddling (Darcy could call it that, it certainly looked like it) an older woman though she seemed much younger than her husband. Her hair was blonde and she was wearing a long dress, also gold. She was beautiful and she was crying.

"Something's wrong." Darcy said. Thor only nodded.

"You said you had a dream the night before?" Ramona said. All three of them looked at her. "You said something bad happened, could this be-" Thor abruptly walked off; he opened the room door and slammed it shut. The golden glow disappeared as Jane made to follow him; Ramona grabbed her arm though, holding her back. Jane reeled at her but the girl didn't look phased.

"You shouldn't bother him right now." Jane took a deep breath; she was about to argue when Darcy placed her hand on Jane's shoulder.

"She's right dudes don't like when they're ladies see them all vulnerable." Jane's chest deflated her expression sad. "I know it sucks, but you'll just make him feel pressured. He's clearly going through shit right now."

"Give him a few minutes and then you can go chase after him," Ramona then turned to Darcy. "Has he said anything to you about a dream? Anything that could explain what we just saw?"

They both shook their heads.

"Okay," Ramona turned back to Jane. "If he tells you about what happened, keep it to yourself, I'll ask him about the dream. He could have had a prophetic dream or something along the lines of foresight." Ramona then turned to the table and started cleaning up her mess.

"Why don't you want me to tell you anything?" Jane asked suspicious.

"It would be disrespectful to go behind his back like that; also I don't think you would tell me anything anyway." Ramona picked up her bowl and went back into the bathroom.

After ten minutes of quiet, aside from the noise Ramona made cleaning up, Jane decided to go find Thor. Darcy followed her to the door and shut it behind her, then went over to the window to watch.