Tension
Fandral fidgeted, twisted and stared at the vehicle, before pounding a fist into the grass. Like Thor he had tried to keep being understanding, but it was hard when the Midgardians had to stop much more frequently than they would have. Also, that Loki could be dying was wearing his patience down.
Thor walked out of the brick-building as the sky lightened. The exiled prince exclaimed, "We are almost there ! Apart from Villr, why must we stop, again ?"
"They need to relieve themselves more. They are only Midgardians, after all. At least, Jane might speak to you again now."
Hours after it started, the tension between Jane and Thor had finally exploded last night.
Flashback
He sat on the RV's roof looking up at the stars, wondering where Asgard was in relation to Midgard. 'Why can Heimdall not send someone to tell us where Loki is ? How can I think such a thing ? Heimdall will be focused on monitoring Jotunheim as Odin and Loki want him to be.'
Jane started shouting below him, "If you love him so much, why don't you go look for yourself ! After all, you complained about the Jotnar and got yourself banished. Then when you got here, what did you do ? All you did was be an arrogant brat and whine about being unworthy. Well, gee, maybe there's a reason for that. Maybe if Odin or Loki or they both died you'd actually grow up, Thor !"
Thor shouted back, "I have ! L-Loki may be a jotun, but he is not the monster that Father said he would be. I was an idiot to drag my lover and my friends with me. Why ? Because when I went there Laufey was right, I was a boy; when I went there I wanted a war with Jotunheim. Now, because of my mistake Father and Loki could die ! A-and if they go to Hel when they deserve Valhalla I will never forgive myself. Because of my selfishness Asgard could be destroyed."
'Well, I think Odin would be proud of that speech. Since Mjolnir has yet to return...does he still need to learn something else or does he not really mean it ?'
Jane stormed out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind herself.
End Flashback
Thor sat beside him then, "Yes, but if I had Mjolnir we could have gotten to Loki long ago. If the iron man kills him the last memory of me he will have i-is my ignoring him for Jane. Likely he thought I was ignoring him because, like Jane, he thought I felt something for her. You helped him with Villr before you went to sleep and he left. Do not you know that he loves you as he does myself, Fandral ?"
His gaze fixed on the red and beige brick-building flew to Thor in disbelief. "Loki does not ! He loves you...how could he love me as well ?"
"After you lost consciousness in the Bifrost chamber, tell me, was it not Loki beside you when you awoke ?"
Flashback
The first thing he noticed was that his shoulder wasn't hurting anymore. Next was the even softer than normal, "Fandral.", from Loki.
Instinctively, he turned his head and looked at Loki who stood beside his bed; unconscious sadness in those pretty, green-eyes. It prompted, "Thor got himself banished, then ?", to leave his lips.
Loki nodded and replied, "He was. I tried to intervene, but Father roared at me. I...have never been scared of Father until that second."
Ashamed at his happy thought of, 'Finally ! Now, Thor can't steal his attention.'
He reached out to put a hand on Loki's forearm. That was when Volstagg, Valarie, Sif and Hogun entered the light-golden walled room.
Valarie fast as her short legs allowed ran up to his bed. She asked, worriedly, "Uncle Loki, Uncle Fandral, where is Uncle Thor ? He swore he was going to take me flying tomorrow. Father said Uncle Thor went away !"
Loki picked Valarie up and murmured, "Uncle Thor had to go to Midgard, Valarie."
"B-but why ? When is he coming home ?"
It was him that stated, "We know not when, but I am sure he'll take you flying when he gets back. Right, Sif ?"
The black-haired woman had looked over at Hogun, Sif shook herself and said, "Of course, he will, Valarie."
Meanwhile the black-haired Vanir was just staring at Valarie and Loki.
End Flashback
'Hogun was already thinking Loki was a traitor then, wasn't he ?'
Shook himself and countered, "Of course, he was Thor, but it was only because we have known each other longer than the others."
Thor's blue-eyes were serious, "Before Loki said he loved me, when he was not watching me...he was watching you. Always he seemed happier around you than me and you have more in common with him. Like Jane said I know not why he loves me, you would have been far better for him. He still loves you, even if he realizes it not. When we save him you should tell him that you love him as well."
'Thor wants me to tell Loki, but what if Loki thinks I really am just a friend ? Would he still be able to fight beside me unimpeded ? You would be able to get your foil back no matter the answer. He's fought beside you for how long, saved you from how many things and you worry about this ? He will not care if you love him if Thor is wrong.'
Before he could say anything, Jane came around the corner with Villr and she said, "We should reach D.C. and the Triskelion today. You better know what you're doing Thor or we're all in trouble, because neither Fandral nor you have your weapons. Darcy's taser isn't going to do much to guys in body-armour."
Erik and Darcy walked out of the building with bottles of juices, waters and a few bags of food. 'We can't just storm the Triskelion, but we know not what it looks like. Damn it all to Hel. If we had Volstagg we could do some solid scouting, instead of just relying on Erik's word. After all, going in blind was how Nornheim started - two hundred against six - those were not good odds. This won't be nearly as many guards, but if the iron man threatens to kill Loki...we'll be in trouble. Yes, we're trained to never put down our weapons if someone tells us to, but if they threaten Loki we'll have to or he's going to die.'
Opened his eyes and got up to take two bags from Darcy as Thor replied, "We will be ready, Jane. Yourself and the others should find a place to stay whenever Fandral and I decide to strike. If we fail to save Loki our actions should not reflect on you."
He didn't see Jane's reaction as he turned and walked up the steps. As he put the bag on the table, Villr raced up to jump on the bench-seat and paw at his legs. Found himself petting Villr and murmuring, "We will get Loki back and he'll be so happy to see you."
Everyone else got into the RV and Erik got in the driver-seat, while Darcy took the passenger. Thor, Jane and himself sat at the table with a map, trying to figure out where Loki could be if he wasn't at the Triskelion. It still seemed far too long when they finally arrived in the city.