Two days later Jane, Darcy, Erik and Ian all sit together around a table in Jane's apartment eating breakfast. A heavy silence fills the room with the only noises being the chewing from everyone eating.
"He's gonna come back," Darcy reassures. The only response she gets is a skeptic sigh from Erik. "Except, you know, last time he was gone, for like, two years," Darcy continues in a bit of an awkward, hesitant tone.
"Well, it's only been two days, so…" Jane trails off.
"Did he say anything before he and Aphrodite left?" Erik questions with genuine curiosity.
"Yeah, he had to figure some stuff out with his father. He kinda committed treason, on our way out." Jane informs. The longer she said all of this the slower and slightly more awkward her tone got towards the end. Another silence fills the air with Jane's chewing being the only one breaking it this time around.
"Oh," Erik mutters.
Back on Asgard Thor and Aphrodite kneel at the foot of the throne on Asgard.
"You once said there would never be a wiser king than me. You were wrong. The alignment has brought all the realms together. Every one of them saw you both offer your lives to save them. What can Asgard offer its new King in return?" Odin speaks to them.
"My life," Thor speaks softly as he stands from his kneeled position, "Father, I cannot be king of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair. Loki, for all his grave imbalance, understood rule as I know I never will. The brutality, the sacrifice…It changes you. I'd rather be a good man than a great king."
Aphrodite gave him reassuring smile as and nudge as she stood as well.
"Aphrodite understands rule, she will make a fine queen. And I stand to say that she should take the throne." The women in question turns to him in shock before looking back to their father as he spoke.
"Is this my son I hear? Or the woman he loves?" Odin questions with doubt in his voice.
"When you speak, do I never hear mother's voice?" Thor shoots back easily. Odin sighs in response and casts his eyes downwards as he takes a seat on his throne.
"This is not for Jane, father. She does not know what I came here to say. Now forbid me to see her or say she can rule at my side, it changes nothing," Thor continues on.
"One son who wanted the throne too much, another who will not take it, and a daughter who believes that she is not worthy of it. Is this my legacy?" Odin sighs.
"I was under the impression that the throne was never mine to claim. Loki died with honour. I shall try to live the same," Aphrodite says to him.
"And so will I," Thor adds.
"Is that not legacy enough?" Aphrodite questions in a soft tone.
Odin nods in response while Thor looks down at Mjölnir and offers it to Odin.
"It belongs to you. If you are worthy of it," Odin shakes his head and waves a hand dismissively.
"I shall try to be," Thor nods.
"I cannot give either of you my blessing, nor can I wish you good fortune," Odin informs.
"We know," Thor mutters while Aphrodite nods in understanding. Thor turns and begins leading his sister from the room.
"If I were proud of the man and woman my children had become, even that I could not say, I would speak only from my heart. Go, my son and my daughter," Odin says making them pause briefly.
"Thank you, father." They both say.
Odin watches as Thor and Aphrodite depart together before a green shimmer rolls over him to reveal it was Loki all along speaking those words to them.
"No, thank you," Loki replies with a dark smile.
"And you are certain, this is what you want?" Aphrodite questions Thor as they walk together towards the observatory her arm hooked around his.
"More certain than I've been about anything in quite some time sister."
"I'm happy for you."
"Still, it doesn't feel right. Leaving you here after," Thor trailed off as they came to a stop outside of the observatory, Heimdall had his back to them under the guise of privacy but they all knew that not to be true.
"I know." She knew of course he was talking about what had happened while they were in the dark world.
"You know you're more than welcomed to come along." Thor said for what had to have been the thousandth time. After giving the matter much thought Aphrodite decided that she would stay in Asgard for the time being while Thor went back to earth to spend time with Jane.
Shaking her head Aphrodite smiled. "I know, go be with Jane. I'll handle things on this end."
"The aether?"
"I'll take care of it, and what's left of the convergence as well. You don't need to worry so much about me."
"It's my job." Thor said reverently.
She nodded and Thor placed his hand on the side of her neck before lowering her head down to hers and pressed their foreheads together. Aphrodite placed her hand on his side and pressed back.
"I'll see you soon." She told him before they parted. Together they entered the Observatory.
"Where to?" Heimdall asked as if his job wasn't to know exactly what was happening in every part of the universe all the time.
Still Thor smiled. "Take me to her." Heimdall nodded and pushed down his sword to activate the Bifrost, instantly the beautiful rainbow coloured rays of the Bifrost lit up and pulled Thor in.
Brooke (OneFan2RuleThemAll): Thanks for the awesome review. The Steve/Aphrodite relationship is gonna start up real soon. I do plan on making her and Clint good friends, her and Natasha as well.
CharRed: Thanks for the support, I really look forward to reading your reviews. Yes that pairing is gonna start real soon.
crimson. blood .witch: Thank you.
Sorry there was no update yesterday guys, I was working all weekend and did not have time to update. Speaking of updates the next few chapters are gonna come kinda sporadically as I write them, until I get to the next movie which is already written. Keep guessing what movie you guys think it'll be.
As always let me know what you think and what you'd like to see in the future. Leave me a review too, as you can see I'll be answering the ones can. So feel free to say or ask me anything.
