THIS CHAPTER WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL STORY AT ALL SO ENJOY!

Chapter Twenty-Six: Fifteen Years Later

Fifteen Years Later

Thunder ripples through the sky as Jane closes the refrigerator door. She turns off the kitchen light just as lightning strikes through the sky. Jane isn't even fazed by all that. Not only is she married to The God of Thunder, but she has experienced many storms in her lifetime to just relax about one that shows up unannounced. Rain patters against the windows and the side of the house as Jane walks down a hallway.

However, the noise of the rain grows stronger as if it was banging against her home. Jane's heart stops as she begins to worry. She tiptoes around, having a hunch that whatever's out there isn't rain and is glad that Apollo isn't home. Jane starts to run through her house but stops when the noise turns into a calmer knocking. And then, she hears a voice.

"Jane!"

Recognizing that voice in a heartbeat, Jane scurries over to the front door. She opens it without peeking at who it was and looks up happily at the sight of her husband whose already smiling at her.

"I wasn't expecting you," Jane says as she pulls him inside and closes the door.

"I wasn't expecting to show up today," Thor replies.

Before Jane could question anything more, she takes a good look at Thor. She notices that he's in his full Asgardian armor which is unlike him because he would dress more casual if he were to show up. Then again, he didn't plan on being here so maybe that's why. But, she can't help but notice that he's dripping wet from the rain and that never happens. Thor would always prevent the rain from landing on him. Something was definitely wrong with this whole picture.

"What is it?" Jane asks, rushing to the nearest linen closet and grabbing him some towels.

"Where's Apollo?" Thor asks as he starts to dry himself off.

He makes his way into the house and Jane follows. Thor puts the wet towels down on a side table as he looks at his wife. Now, neither of them were smiling. He has something urgent to tell her and her face mirrors his, but with the desire to know unlike him who wants to forget.

"School just ended so he's probably with his friends, I assume," Jane replies.

"Will he be home soon?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"I have to tell you something," Thor says severely. For some reason, his voice is rushed. "Jane, as much as it pains me to keep this from him because it was hard enough to keep it from you, he could never know about this."

"What is it? Is Apollo okay?"

"God, I hope so."

Jane starts to shake. "Thor - "

Thor holds her by her shoulders. "Jane, you should take a seat - "

Jane pushes his arms away. "No, Thor, if it is about our son so you are telling me this now!"

Thor is quiet for a second. He tries to think of the right words and ends up needing to take a seat himself to think this over. When Jane ends up sitting next to him, he starts to tear up at the thought of this because he never had to think of this in over a decade and now, it's all back.

"Back when Apollo was born," Thor starts, "I found out why Amora took him."

Jane nods slowly. "Power. I know that."

"Yes, power, but there's more." Thor takes Jane's hand into his own. "There is someone out there who Fate proclaimed as the most powerful sorceress in all The Realms. Amora and Loki had a plot to kill her and take her magic to have as their own. However, they couldn't do it because Fate wouldn't allow them to kill her. As it turns out, Fate already wrote that this sorceress could only die at the hands of Apollo. Loki and Amora couldn't believe that so they went mad. They took Apollo the moment we conceived him and ignited The Battle of Magic Runs so I could save the both of you and find all of this out. They tested whether or not Apollo is truly the answer and he is. And it's all because of me...The Gods know me and predicted Apollo's potential. I married a Midgardian woman and created a son, uniting the Realms and making the most powerful heir and protector to date. Of course, they would curse him like that. The Gods see it as a reward to have that as destiny but it's not..."

Thor looks at Jane and like him, she has tears streaming down her face. That was the reaction he wanted to avoid for all those years ago. Back then, he thought he was saving Jane by not telling her and in a way, he did. She was traumatized by what happened in Hel and didn't want to pour salt in her wound. Now, it looked as if he was pouring salt in a scabbing-over scar.

"My son..." Jane mutters to herself. "A weapon..."

"Jane, I am so sorry..." Thor whispers to her.

"You're forgiven," Jane replies, finally looking at him as fresh tears fall out of her eyes. "I am the Midgardian factor in that equation so you should not feel bad about this at all. But, Thor, this was not in your control at all. It's Fate's fault, not yours. Okay? You said it yourself that you will go mad if you reject your destiny and I can't lose you."

"I already went mad. That's why I feel so guilty for not being able to stop it or to try and save Apollo. My own ancestors have set us up to fail. God, what kind of father am I?"

Jane turns to face him and shushes him as she puts a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you are not a bad father. You are doing what you can and I love you. Now, Thor, all we can do is move forwards no matter how difficult it will be for us."

"I can't find a way out of it."

"Tell me more and I will try and help you," Jane prompts, sitting up straight. "Who is this almighty and powerful sorceress?"

Thor is silent for a moment. "Loki and Amora's own daughter."

Jane takes a few seconds to process that. "They - they have a daughter and want to kill her for power? And they can only use Apollo for that?"

Jane wipes her eyes as Thor pulls her in closer to him. Even after knowing that for years, it still hurts to accept as reality. Maybe it would've been better for Jane to know about this all those years ago just so he could have someone who can relate to this as much as him.

"Your ancestors are sick..." Jane mutters.

"I know," he responds.

"Why did you decide to tell me all this now?" Jane asks.

"Around the time of Apollo's birth, Loki took their daughter - Sigyn - and hid her away from Amora," Thor replies. "He no longer wanted to kill her because he remembered Odin taking him in instead of killing him. He couldn't let Amora take that power because all of The Realms would be in trouble if she possessed it. Amora eventually found Sigyn and it has been a hide-and-seek match between me and her. That is why I have been losing my mind."

"Why were you looking?"

"Because." Thor takes a breath. "Because we are going to be taking her in."

Jane is taken aback for a second. "Take her in?!"

Thor nods. "As crazy as it seems, Loki came up with that idea and, to be frank, I want the same."

Jane is still hesitant. "That would have been a good place to start this whole conversation. Thor, I'm not comfortable with this. All of this is way beyond - "

"I already found her."

Jane's jaw drops and she whacks his arm. "Thor! You should've started with that instead. You should've just screamed from outside that you found Loki and Amora's child and that you want to take her in. I would've taken that easier than the whole bit about Apollo being a weapon."

"Jane." He holds both of her hands tightly in his. "We have to do this. We have to take Sigyn away from Amora's hands. It's already been years and who knows what the child has been through. Loki has been connecting with her telepathically and Sigyn needs us."

"I know, Thor, and it's awful that she has that life but listen to me: you and Loki want to house two pieces of Fate's story who theoretically should not be together. Isn't that something Amora would want?"

"It's better than having Amora torment the poor child. I almost got her a few years ago when Amora was blasting her and making her run for her life. I know Amora can't kill her but I can't stand to watch her abuse a child who didn't ask for that life. She doesn't know much about her life and we need to tell her the truth."

"Thor, that isn't my point. And it's not like we know a lot about her life to write her biography."

"Jane, think about it. We're saving a life. Apollo and Sigyn don't know about the prophecy and for all we know, they never will. Our son will finally know the cousin he never knew about. They could become friends at most and you could raise a daughter - a teenage one to be exact. They're a few months apart in age. And if worse comes to worst, Apollo would care about Sigyn too much to kill her."

"If he rejects that prophecy, he will go mad. If she rejects that prophecy, she will go mad as well. You want me to raise two children losing their minds over one another? Thor, that will be even worse."

Thor sighs. "It's a lose-lose situation when you put it that way, but at least they'll be alive."

"What if Sigyn kills him?" Jane starts to shake at the fact that she just asked that question. It only reminds her of the horrors she went through in Hel when she thought Amora was going to kill her and her baby.

"Jane!" Thor exclaims. "You can't bring that up."

"Why? Because you or Loki didn't think about it?" Jane huffs. "Thor, you are talking about the most powerful sorceress in all of The Realms who just so happens to be Loki and Amora's daughter, and who has been under Amora's influence since birth. Not to mention the most important part, she is destined to die at our son's hand. You are bringing that girl to her own death by taking her in."

"Jane, you don't know the girl."

"Neither do you!"

"So, let us get to know her."

Jane thinks about that and as much as she hates to feel like the bad guy, she still shakes her head. "I'm still skeptical."

"How about this," Thor offers, "take her in and keep her under our roof here for a while. From what I've seen, she has already lived in Midgard under the pseudonym and lifestyle of a mortal so she won't have to adjust that much. You won't have to warm up to her in any way if you don't feel comfortable with that. If Amora comes, I will be here before she shows up. If you or Apollo don't want Sigyn here anymore, then I will bring her back to Asgard with me."

Jane considers that before finally nodding her head. She smiles a little but isn't completely excited about it yet. A part of her is still doubtful about taking in Loki and Amora's daughter whom the latter wants dead by the means of her own son, but she trusts Thor. The last thing he would ever do is put his family in danger. And if he spent so much time looking for her, then he wasn't going to leave this argument without Jane's consent.

As much as she doesn't want to admit, if she was in Thor's shoes, she would be doing the same thing.

"What if Sigyn doesn't want to come here?" Jane questions.

Thor pauses because he never thought of that. "From what I gathered, she will come."

"You don't know that. You just told me that she's been running away from you."

"Because Amora's been there as well. If I were to examine every encounter I've had with her, she was running away from my attacks against Amora."

Jane scoffs a little. "When are you getting her?"

"I can't get her myself," Thor responds. "It's too risky. We can't have people knowing that Loki's daughter exists. It has to be subtle."

"And your plan is…"

"You're going to get her."

Jane rolls her eyes because, of course, it has to be her. "It would've been better if you just showed up now with Sigyn and just dropped her on our doorstep. At least in that way, I couldn't turn her down because looking in her eyes would make me feel bad."

"I should've done that instead. I've looked in her eyes and I felt sorry for not getting her all the times I've seen her. She always looks confused on where to go. It's like she can't trust me because I'm a stranger who just shows up and demands her, and she's too scared of her mother."

"I can't even pretend to understand what she's been through."

"I should warn you," Thor says, "she looks exactly like Amora."

"Of course she does..." Jane mutters bitterly. "I have to go prepare our guest room which is now a bedroom, I guess."

Before Thor could reply, they hear the front door unlock and eventually open. Thor and Jane are shocked that Apollo came home right this very moment. It was perfect that he showed up now rather than when they were sobbing messes. Now, they look somewhat presentable.

But most importantly, Apollo is here and he's safe.

"Mom," Apollo starts as he walks further inside the house. "I have to - "

Apollo is lost for words when he sees his dad. Instantly, he lights up as he runs forwards to hug him. Thor is as happy as ever as he picks up his son and swings him around for a bit. However, when Thor's eyes meet Jane's, he sees that she's smiling bittersweetly now that she knows that her son is a weapon. Thor can't help but feel guilty for needing to tell Jane that, but for Apollo, he's all smiles again.

To read more about Loki's daughter and how her life turned out or to read more about Apollo and his friends, check out the other stories in this series.

Thank you to anyone who has read the revamped version of this story. Or if you're a new reader, then you came at the right time. (And please tell me if you read the revamped version because I'm curious). I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did. Please let me know what you thought and do not be afraid to suggest a story idea.

~ MysteryGal5