Author's Notes: This chapter is dedicated to XxAkatsukiFanxX. Hope you like it!
December 2013
"Outstanding work Bruce, as always," Loki said, getting up from his seat and shaking the scientist's hand.
Loki, Darcy and Bruce were in the auditorium for the annual Stark science conference, and the mild-mannered scientist had just finished presenting his paper. Tony and Steve were upstairs, watching the conference on live stream. The billionaire had an annoying habit of heckling the presenters, so Loki had banned him from attending.
Bruce reddened. He knew Tom didn't bestow compliments freely, so it was a big deal when he did give one. "Thank you. I couldn't have done it without your suggestions; it really helped me a lot," he admitted.
"I didn't understand half of what you said, but you were awesome up there," Darcy said, ruffling the scientist's hair playfully.
Bruce went redder and stared at the floor. "Thanks Darcy," he murmured, his crush for the buxom assistant rather obvious. The poor guy had been infatuated with Darcy ever since he met her five years ago, but Darcy never seemed to notice at all.
Loki gave Bruce a sympathetic look. He knew just how aggravating it was to have the object of one's affection be so obtuse.
"Anyone caught your eye yet?" the scientist asked, as they settled back on their seats.
Aside from showing moral support for Bruce, Loki was there to recruit people for the company's research and development department. He also provided capital to scientists who lacked funding for their projects, if they somehow managed to impress him. Which didn't happen very often.
"Not really. All I've heard so far are mediocre at best," Loki replied, as he half-listened to a guy proclaiming that he had invented the ultimate weight loss pill.
"You're a hard man to please Tom," Bruce remarked.
"Tell me about it," Darcy griped, rolling her eyes at her boss.
Loki grinned. "You and I know that you have more talent than all the scientists here combined. Are you sure you don't want to be on the payroll? You can work by yourself if you want to."
"I'll do anything you want, as long as you keep baking those tasty soufflés," Bruce joked.
"Didn't know you're a cheap date Bruce," Loki quipped.
Bruce chuckled and waved a hand. "Seriously. You guys took me in, even with my condition, with no questions asked. I owe you and Tony a lot. So anything you want me to do, I'll gladly do it," he confessed, grinning at Loki.
Loki smiled fondly at Bruce. "Don't let Tony know that you said that. He'll turn you into his personal guinea pig."
"I think he prefers Cap. Tony will make any excuse to get Steve to take his shirt off," Darcy said, giggling.
"Subtlety thy name is Tony," the god said, shaking his head. He then took out his phone to check if he had any messages. There were only a few speakers left, and none of them seemed particularly interesting, so Loki started replying to his emails instead of listening to the presentations.
"Hey, a fellow astrophysicist," Bruce remarked after a while, giving Loki a little nudge. "This is right up your alley Tom."
Loki continued to send his emails. "Hmm? You said something Bruce?" he asked distractedly.
"Her paper is about the Einstein-Rosen Bridge and interstellar travel. Didn't you have a similar paper back in college?" the scientist inquired, gesturing at the speaker.
The god glanced at the podium. When he saw the individual currently presenting, he nearly dropped his phone in shock.
It was her. The woman Thor was with during his exile here in Midgard more than a decade ago.
Loki was tempted to hightail out of the auditorium right now, but it was his job to socialize with the participants after the conference. Having a company that relied heavily on technological advancements, it was prudent to maintain a healthy rapport with the scientific community. 'Besides, she never saw me; much less know who I am,' he thought.
Once the program had ended, Loki found himself hemmed in by scientists clamoring for financial backing. He let himself relax when he saw that she was not among the bunch. The trickster pasted a smile on his face, steeling himself for a difficult night ahead.
Jane gave a sigh of frustration. She wanted to talk to the head of Stark Industries, but the CEO was constantly surrounded by a wall of people. Her research had come to a standstill when the university had reduced her subsidy. She had heard Tom Smith gave generous funding when he deemed a project had merit, so she traveled to New York to try her luck. She figured she had an edge over the rest because he was also an astrophysicist like her.
The first time she saw Smith, she was struck by how utterly stunning the man was. He turned heads wherever he went; but he seemed not to be aware of it or did not care. The CEO was tall and imposing, radiating power and authority. He wore a three-piece suit that was perfectly tailored to his lithe frame. He had the body of a dancer, but Jane could tell he possessed strength that belied his appearance. His dark hair complemented his pale skin, he had high cheekbones and a delicate mouth; his lips set in a smile that was positively sinful. Tom Smith was…beautiful. There was no other word to describe him.
No wonder his assistant looked a bit stupefied every time she gazed at Smith. If she were in her shoes, Jane would ogle at him all day too.
'Thank goodness I'm already engaged,' Jane thought to herself. Guys who looked like that appeared innocuous at first glance, but they were the ones to be avoided at all costs. This was a man who would break your heart without a second thought.
"That guy sure is popular," her fiancé commented, watching Smith trying to fend off a couple of overzealous scientists. Jane observed his assistant doing some kind of karate neck chop on one woman who tried to touch her boss, while Bruce Banner talked animatedly to another group nearby. "You'll never get to talk to him at this rate. You have to elbow your way over there and introduce yourself."
Jane grimaced. "I'm a little intimidated by him, that's all."
"I'm more worried by that secretary of his. Do you want me to distract her while you go corner Smith?" he suggested helpfully.
Jane couldn't help but smile at her future husband. She went up her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll manage. Watch me get that sponsorship," she said confidently.
"I know you will," her fiancé murmured, kissing her back. "I'll go get us some drinks, ok?" he said, and then wandered off.
Right. She was going to have to be aggressive in order to get funding. Squaring her shoulders, she marched over to Smith while rehearsing her speech. Fortunately his assistant was too busy chasing the others off to notice her. Smith and another man were the only ones left. The CEO's back was turned, chatting with an elderly scientist.
"….I remember reading your dissertation and already giving you an A before I even finished it. It's a shame you're not doing research or writing papers anymore. You could've been the next Hawking," the scientist lamented.
"I would like to do those things again professor, except the company takes up all my time. Maybe in the future," Smith replied.
Jane just stood there awkwardly, not wanting to interrupt the conversation.
Luckily Smith's old professor noticed her. "I see you have another one of your admirers Tom. Still a lady-killer huh? Nothing has changed much since your MIT days," he said, chuckling when he saw his former student blush a bit. He turned to Jane. "I know how hard it is to get ahold of this fellow, so I won't take anymore of his time. He's all yours," He patted Smith's arm warmly. "Keep in touch, my boy," he said, and walked away.
Smith turned to look at her. Jane thought she saw something flicker in his expression.
"Hello. Can I help you?"
Whatever spiel Jane had planned to say to Smith vanished when she finally saw him up close. Memories long stored away reemerged all of a sudden, and like pieces to a puzzle, she put two and two together.
Pale skin? Check.
Black hair? Check.
Green eyes? Check.
Accent similar to Thor's? Check.
An intimate knowledge of the cosmos? Check.
It all could've been just a crazy coincidence, but his piercing green eyes gave him away. Jane didn't think a shade like that even existed; they were so vivid. Smith fitted the description Thor had told her about his younger brother to a T.
"You're Loki," she blurted out.
Smith cocked his head to one side and gave her a blank look. "Pardon me?"
"You're Thor's brother."
"I think you're mistaken, miss," he said carefully, his face giving nothing away.
"But…," Jane faltered. She was starting to panic. What if she was wrong? Any chance of her getting a sponsorship was getting pretty dim; he was probably thinking she was nuts.
Meanwhile Loki was sweating bullets. This woman just came out of nowhere and started announcing to all and sundry his secret. It looked like she was floundering; he just had to maintain his bluff and hopefully she'd leave him alone.
Loki's poker face slipped when he saw a guy approach them, holding two cups of punch. The god took a step back, astonished. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
The man had short brown hair and hazel eyes, but other than that he was the spitting image of Thor. How was that possible?
Jane was staring at Loki the whole time, looking triumphant.
The jig was up and the trickster's shoulders sagged in defeat.
"Let's have this conversation somewhere more private, shall we?"
"So this is how the other half lives," Balder whispered to Jane, as they stepped out of the elevator. "Our whole apartment could fit in the living room alone," he said, looking around his surroundings in awe.
Jane nodded dumbly. The penthouse they were in was massive and excessively lavish. She spotted Tony Stark and Steve Rogers at the far end of the room, holding plastic guitars. Behind her, she heard Balder squeal a little. She looked at him, one eyebrow raised.
"What? It's Iron Man and Captain America. And they're playing Guitar Hero! I think my brain got fried."
Loki chuckled. Another fanboy. Figures.
"Hi Tom. Where are Bruce and Darcy?" Steve asked, pausing the game. He walked towards them, Tony in tow.
"They're still downstairs, mingling. Darcy is preventing rabid scientists from mauling Bruce. For a petite woman, she packs quite a punch," Loki remarked dryly.
Tony snickered. "I told you she's the best PA out there." He stuck out a hand. "Hello, I'm Tony Stark, this here is Steve Rogers. Welcome to Candyland. How are you guys doing?"
"I'm Jane Foster, and this is my fiancé Balder Borson. Nice to meet you," the scientist stuttered, while shaking Tony's hand. My, the billionaire was attractive. And Captain America was gorgeous. She was getting a bit overwhelmed being surrounded by extremely handsome men.
Tony blinked. "Balder Borson?"
Balder winced. "I come from a family of weird names. My dad's name is Vili and my mom's name is Serenity. Uh, she used to be a hippie," he explained.
"Nothing wrong with having a unique name," Steve said kindly.
Now it was Balder's turn to blush. "Thank you," he stammered. He wondered if he could ask Steve and Tony's autographs later.
"Do you play Guitar Hero? We're short of a drummer at the moment," Tony asked.
Balder looked like he was about to pass out from sheer excitement. "Ohmygodyoureallymeanit?"
The billionaire grinned. "I'm taking that as a yes then."
Loki and Jane left Balder upstairs, and went to The Abyss.
"Make yourself at home," Loki said, while taking off his suit jacket. "Do you want anything Ms. Foster? Tea? Coffee?" he inquired, stalling for time.
"I'm good, thank you. Please, call me Jane," she said, sitting down gingerly on an expensive-looking black leather couch. While Tony's floor was warm and full of noise and laughter, Loki's place was a mausoleum. A feeling of emptiness tinged the air, like no one really lived here. Jane didn't like it one bit.
Loki made himself a cup of tea, slowly stirring in the milk and sugar. He dreaded having this discussion, but there was nothing to be done.
"Does he know?"
"Excuse me?" Jane asked, looking confused.
"Your fiancé. Vili is the brother of Odin. He's my uncle. Or at least, he used to be," Loki clarified. "That makes Balder a demigod," the trickster revealed, as he sat down on his favorite armchair, directly across Jane. Mortals sure were strange. They had never met but she managed to identify him, yet she never questioned why her fiancé looked exactly like the god of thunder.
The scientist just stared at him, mouth agape.
"Ah. He doesn't," Loki snorted. "Classic Borson behavior, keeping their children in the dark about their true heritage. How typical." He couldn't keep the bitterness from seeping into his tone. "And here I was about to call Maury Povich for a paternity test," he added drolly.
Loki had thought at first that Odin had fooled around behind Frigga's back, but then again one simply didn't cheat on the goddess of marriage. Frigga would skin her husband alive if she found out; the All-Mother was scarier than Odin when she was angry. "I take it Balder has an uncle named Ve too, right?" Because if Vili was around, Ve couldn't be too far behind.
Jane nodded. "Yes. Ve lives in California, while Vili resides in Wisconsin."
Sweet Odin. That meant there could be more Thor look-alikes running around Midgard right now. The thought gave Loki a cold sweat.
"He will find out the truth, sooner or later," the trickster said quietly. He smiled grimly to himself. "Let's just hope the fallout isn't as bad as mine did."
Jane didn't know what to say to that, so she didn't comment.
There was an awkward pause.
"I've been meaning to ask, but how is Thor? Is he doing alright?" Jane queried tentatively. "I haven't seen him for awhile. He visited me only once, and that was the day before his coronation," she explicated.
It looked like it was the wrong question to ask, because Loki's expression went rigid in an instant. "I haven't seen Thor for a decade. Perhaps he's starting a war again or getting married for all I know," he replied stiffly. Jane saw his knuckles had turned white, the teacup's handle about to snap.
At the moment Loki was suffused with the urge to go to his room and cry himself to sleep. Or blow up something.
He sipped his tea instead.
"If Thor wants to marry the most wanton trollop in Asgard, he can go right ahead. It's no business of mine," the god seethed.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Jane said, surprised by the god's sudden outburst. What happened between Thor and Loki? She had thought the two were inseparable, now the mere mention of Thor's name was enough to send Loki into an apoplectic fit. She racked her brain for answers.
Oh. Oh.
It was as if a light bulb went off in her head, with blinding clarity.
She remembered how wretched Thor had been, all the guilt and anger he had wrought upon himself for almost getting Loki killed. The god of thunder had talked about Loki all the time, had gazed at the sky every night, hoping his brother would visit him.
How he had pined for this man sitting in front of her, like one would pine for a lover.
"I should congratulate you. You're the one who tamed the thunderer," Loki said, cutting into her train of thought. "I've been trying to do that for centuries, yet you managed to do it in three years. What's your secret?"
His tone was light, but his eyes were full of envy. In some other situation Jane would have found this amusing; it was ludicrous seeing this formidable god acting like a jilted ex. But it just made her sad. Loki was clearly hurting.
"It wasn't me who did it. It was you," Jane said softly. "Thor told me he would change, that he would do anything so he wouldn't be separated from you ever again."
Loki appeared startled by her revelation. Jane pushed on.
"The first few weeks, Thor wouldn't talk to anybody. He was inconsolable. It took him more than year before he finally opened up. Everyday he waited for you to come, but you never did."
Loki tried his best to ignore Jane's accusing gaze. "I did come. Then I saw him with you, and I thought…," he trailed off, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter now. I'm never going back to Asgard."
"So you're just going to hide from your brother forever," Jane stated bluntly. "Don't you at least owe him an explanation? How can you be so callous?"
That made Loki's ire rise. "He's not my brother," he snapped, "and I don't owe Thor anything."
Jane said nothing. She merely gave him a pitying look.
Loki ran a hand through his hair wearily, feeling drained. This mortal had the gall to criticize him, without even knowing the circumstances that led to his self-exile. He didn't bother explaining it to her though; it would serve no other purpose except dredge up memories that he would rather forget.
"So do you have a proposal lined up? I assume you didn't come all the way here just to harangue me did you?" the trickster asked caustically.
The scientist glared at him. "It wasn't my intention to make you miserable. Thor is my friend, and what you're doing is causing him pain. I don't see why you can't go back to Asgard and talk to your brother. You two obviously have communication issues," she sniffed.
She was supposed to buttering him up, not telling him off, but Jane couldn't bring herself to care. God or not, this guy definitely needed a swift kick to the groin. Not to mention he also happened to be a CEO with unlimited resources at his disposal. Whatever. He was being a jerk to Thor, so all bets were off.
Loki looked like he wasn't even listening. Jane wanted to throw up her hands in frustration.
Stupid, bullheaded gods. They weren't that much different from mortals, really.
"Ms. Foster, are you going to show me your proposal or not?" Loki asked impatiently.
Jane gave him one last dirty look then proceeded to root around her bag, searching for her documents. She should be grateful, she supposed. She was amazed that he didn't kick her out yet.
The scientist handed her paper to Loki, her irritation swiftly replaced by anxiety. Now that she thought about it, Loki was possibly the greatest astrophysicist who ever lived. He had traveled across galaxies; he knew the secret paths of different realms better than anyone. And she had been mouthing off at him a while ago.
Whoops.
Jane fidgeted in her seat, while the trickster took his time going over her work. After a few agonizing minutes, Loki finally handed her paper back.
"Well? What do you think?" Jane asked nervously.
"Your theory is sound, Ms. Foster. I'm impressed."
Jane beamed. Even if he was a jerk, she still valued his opinion. "And?"
"It is possible to create your own wormhole here in Midgard. You could probably ask Bruce or Tony, even Reed Richards to help you build such a machine."
The scientist was ready to jump from the couch and do a victory dance.
"But I don't recommend it."
Jane visibly deflated. "Why not?" she spluttered.
Loki steepled his fingers together, looking grave. "Opening a wormhole is easy. Closing it again is more difficult, because you need twice the energy. And you need to do it quickly lest you attract unwanted visitors."
"You mean beings from other realms? Earth is part of the Nine Realms, right?"
Loki nodded. "But not just from the other eight. The universe is vast; I've only explored a tiny fraction of it. There are some places that even I fear to tread. There are things out there that aren't exactly friendly. Creatures that you cannot even fathom." The god bit his lip. He looked afraid.
"When you make a tear in the fabric of space, it acts as a beacon for these monsters. It draws them in. Did Thor tell you about the Bifrost? It has a gatekeeper, and it's not just a fancy title. Heimdall's almost as powerful as Odin, and it is his job is to prevent these creatures from entering Asgard. You don't have anyone strong enough to do that for you here, which makes Midgard very vulnerable."
"But you still can travel through other realms without using the Bifrost. Thor told me you can teleport anywhere you want," Jane said excitedly.
"Yes, I have that ability. But it takes a tremendous amount of magic, and I'm thoroughly sapped of my strength afterwards. I don't do it unless I really need to," Loki explained.
"Is it possible for you to bring another person when you teleport to another realm?"
"Teleporting at such a great distance would put an immense strain your body. I know of a spell, but there's a high risk that you might get lost along the way. The Bifrost is the safest avenue for you to travel." Loki shot her a bewildered look. "You're really adamant going to Asgard? That place is dull. Midgard is far better, believe me."
"I've always wanted to explore other worlds. When Thor told me about Asgard, I dreamed someday I'd get to see it for myself, that somehow I'll find a way," Jane confessed. She gave a sad laugh. "But if I'm going to put the world in danger just for that, then it's not worth it."
Loki felt bad taking the wind out of her sails, but she needed to know what she was getting herself into. "Your paper is excellent. The best I've read in a long while," he said, with utmost sincerity. "I'm not telling you to stop your research or give up your dream. I'm just cautioning you, that's all."
Jane cracked a slight grin. He wasn't as heartless as she had first thought. "Thanks. Coming from you, that means a lot."
Loki returned her smile. "So Ms. Foster, do you want to work for Stark Industries or do you want funding for your research? Your call."
"Sorry, I thought I misheard you. You want me to work for Stark Industries?" Jane repeated, her voice quavering. Getting a job offer from Tom Smith/Loki was like winning the Nobel Prize; it was an achievement by itself. She had heard of people complain of the CEO having exceptionally high standards, but he often rewarded his employees with substantial bonuses for their hard work.
Her exhilaration didn't last that long when she remembered her fiancé.
"I can't. I don't want to leave Balder. I know for a fact that he won't abandon his students."
"He's a professor?" Loki inquired. 'A Borson offspring who's actually smart? Wonders never cease,' he thought amusedly.
"He's a high school math teacher," Jane clarified. "Oh, and he coaches the wrestling team too," she said proudly.
It looked like Balder had hit the jackpot; he was an amalgam of strength and intelligence. Loki wondered what went awry with Thor. The god of thunder had too much brawn and too little on the brain department.
"You don't have to move here to work for the company. You just continue with your research and update me regularly on your progress. That is how most of the scientists work here in SI; the less stressed they are, the more breakthroughs I get," Loki remarked. Besides, this way he could keep tabs on her. He didn't want this research falling into the hands of unscrupulous individuals.
"That's actually pretty brilliant," Jane commented. No wonder this guy won the CEO of the Year award four times in a row.
"Just tell my assistant Darcy your name and she'll make all the arrangements for you," Loki said, handing her a business card. "Anything else you need, Ms. Foster? Congratulations on your engagement by the way."
"Thank you for everything. I promise I won't tell anyone your secret," Jane murmured. Then she stopped, remembering the god of thunder. She was overcome all of a sudden. "I…hope it works out between you and Thor. He considers you the most important person in his life. I know he misses you a lot."
Loki gave her a wry grin. "I don't think so."
Jane wanted to say more, but realized it would only fall on deaf ears. What else could she say if his mind was already made up?
She prayed that Thor would find Loki soon, before it was too late.
Author's Notes:
Maury Povich has a show that mainly involves women trying to find out who is the real father of their baby. Hence the paternity test joke.
I'm taking the bar on February, so I won't be able to update until March. Really sorry about that.