February:
Thor sat on the green couch, just pondering all the thoughts that had jammed into his head since Loki's fall from Bifrost. It had been half a year of mourning in Asgard, and Thor had still been mourning when word came from Heimdall of Loki's reappearance. Odin All-father had sent Thor back to Midgard to bring Loki back. It never occurred to Thor that Loki would actually RETURN to earth, let alone return with a mysterious woman. The woman, looking so plain; plainer than his beloved Jane Foster, had been Loki's lodestone. Thor was completely surprised when Loki proclaimed his feelings for the woman; the so-called star-child. The announcement was just between him and Loki, but it was enough: he was astonished.
Never did Thor think for a moment the events which played out after would lead to complete disaster. Loki refused to cease his world-domination plot, refused to return the Tesseract and refused to return to Asgard; decrying he would rule the Earth with his new queen.
When Thor saw the young woman Loki spoke of, the Thunder God nearly had a brain lapse; seeing her as she really was under a mortal guise: a female from an all but extinct ancient race which Odin All-Father had obliterated in order to create the Bifrost; Xanoians. Thinking, dredging, through his brain far back into his childhood, Thor struggled to remember what the lore books had writ of the star-nereids.
Xanoians were a race of water dwelling beings, nereid-like in form with dolphin-like tails and fins made of thin membranes, who harnessed powers of the stars and used celestial energy as easily and freely as air. The very lifeblood of a Xanoian was a powerful conduit and often used in magic; which Asgardians scorned and labeled as taboo. Legend had it the people of Xinheim often traveled between realms with ease; swimming through the galaxies and star clouds like water. That kind of freedom was thought as a huge threat: if the realm of Xinheim could pierce the barriers of the Nine Realms, what was to stop them from declaring war and conquering them all? Odin All-father had, in ancient times, declared war, and hunted down every single Xanoian on Xinheim, harnessing their powers instead to construct the Bifrost, the Rainbow Pathway to the Nine Realms. If Loki had somehow rescued a rogue Xanoian, then he'd have the powers to trump Odin All-father; something that would bode ill for all the realms – or the young woman could be used to heal the broken Bifrost; but Thor refused to let his thoughts drift there.
A knock on the door interrupted Thor's reverie; sending the Thunder God launching himself off the couch and into a stand.
"Thor? You have been a very difficult to track down, I had to call S.H.I.E.L.D. to find you for me." A familiar, raspy baritone voice came through the door.
"Doctor Selvig, friend!" Thor beamed in joy as his strong hands almost wrenched the door off its hinges in his effort to open it. "It pleases me to see you well again! Come in, come in!"
The grey-haired doctor, Erik Selvig, had finally been released from SHIELD's grasp, thanks to Fury. The elder scientist had been unfortunate enough to be brain-washed by Loki, and subsequently used in building another Tesseract Portal solely for Loki's use. It had grieved Thor so to discover that Selvig was under his brother's vile control, and was completely relieved to have his friend back to normal. Today, the man, who wore a red and white checkered shirt and jeans, looked rather tired and worn out, having been in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody for so long.
"Hey, Thor, long time, no see, huh…" The tired looking scientist gave a haggard grin. "What a hell of a ride last year, eh?"
"Has it been a month since?" Thor blinked and nodded. It had been thirty or so days on Midgard, since Loki escaped from his punishment after Thor and the Avengers had defeated his Chitauri Army.
"It has..." Selvig nodded and aimed himself towards the kitchen; glancing oddly at the Iron Man paraphernalia on the wall and shelves. "Temporary living quarters?"
"Ah, yes, this is not my place; but friend Stark has been kind enough to allow me a place to stay!"
"Ah, then, who…" Selvig stopped before entering the kitchen, his dark grey eyes looking closer to the penthouse condo, and deciding it was more feminine.
"The fair maiden, Jiru Star."
"Has she been found yet?" Selvig asked sadly as he opted not to go into the kitchen and joined his god friend in the first room, sitting on a green chair. Selvig knew of the happenings after the Chitauri invasion; and had been placed under protection incase Loki came for the older scientist again.
"Nay, she has not, nor has there been any sign of my brother." The blonde man answered, slumping back down onto the couch. "She is a mystery to me."
"Loki told me much about her while I was under his control." Selvig's grey eyes took on a lighter cast. "I didn't know nearly anything about her before; other than what S.H.I.E.L.D. disclosed to me. Did you know she is a dimensional walker?"
"Aye, I've heard that mentioned a few times." Thor nodded thoughtfully. "I had not the chance to properly speak with her; I was busy tracking my brother and the Tesseract."
"Yea, well I'd love to study her more. I can only imagine what her biological structure would be like if she can travel through the quantum barrier." Selvig looked intrigued and Thor only nodded.
"She was once, I think, part of the Nine Realms, Doctor Selvig." The blonde god interrupted when it had been a few silent moments. "Long ago, even before I was alive."
"Which is exactly what we need to know anything and everything you can come up with, Thor." A third voice joined the fray and Thor launched himself across the room; nearly killing the man who spoke in an Asgardian bear-hug.
"SON OF COUL! You are alive! Praise the Gods!" The now-jovial god boomed as he embraced Phillip Coulson. "Nicolas would tell me nothing on your condition, but I am very pleased to see you alive! How!?"
"Ah, yes well…" Poor Coulson had found it necessary to just waltz into the play, expecting results. The sandy-haired man, wearing a dark-green long-sleeve shirt and black pants, stood in Thor's embrace, rather flustered.
"If you please, Thor, I'd rather like my agent in one piece." Nick's voice growled out as the Director stepped out from behind Phil. "I am not tempting fate twice."
Thor chuckled and released Coulson from his joyous embrace. "So it is true, the young maiden did use her powers to save her comrade's life. She is most courageous in facing my brother as such."
"Well, it's not an experience I care to repeat, Thor." Coulson looked a calm as he always did and glanced at Fury. "But we're not here to talk about me; Director Fury has need to talk about Loki; and any help you can give us any leads to the way he thinks."
"You have not located my brother yet?" Thor shot a look at Selvig, whom looked guilty.
"Don't blame me, Thor, I came with them."
"I lay the blame on me, my friends." Thor lowered his head; losing some of his joviality. "I underestimated my brother's affections for the young woman. I believe he became very angry when we approached him in Stark Tower. I believe he was very vulnerable at the time, upon seeing the young woman in such a state."
"Well, that's why we're here, Thor." Fury spoke up and claimed a chair as his. "We need to know just how much Miss Star has affected Loki."
"I will tell you all that I know and my thoughts on the subject." Thor nodded sagely and began talking.
XXX
Bruce Banner; three months later, March:
Bruce was so very tired…in several mind-numbing ways. The repetitive need to hold his anger and worry in check was taking a toll on his mentality: turning into the Other Guy was NOT going to find a certain young woman. Sure it would feel great to blow steam off; but breaking the city of which cost Jiru possibly her life to fix wasn't something Bruce wanted on his hands, and the Other Guy almost agreed.
The Other…the Hulk's emotions were verily much like Banner's: both of them were so very perplexed and curious about the events which happened after the alien invasion. The city was fixed! Any and everything which had been ruined by either the aliens or the Hulk had vanished; fixed like in never had been broken. Banner was thrilled against Hulk's sulking confusion that his handiwork had been erased. However, it was to Banner's mild astonishment that he found himself in Stark's lab the day after the alien invasion. Having been the Other Guy for nearly five hours had left him disoriented and so very hungry, so Banner wasn't sure exactly how he got there.
Now, after a dismal Christian holiday (Christmas) a shout-fest, alcohol-filled New Year's, an on-edge January and then a bone-dragging February, Banner was so not ready for March: Loki was still out there (god know where) holding Jiru Star captive or burying her dead body in the unforgiving ground.
"She's NOT dead, Bruce. I refuse to believe that." Stark's voice pierced Bruce's grim thoughts. Lifting his head from the lower position he had it in, Banner gazed across the room to the wet bar, where Tony Stark – friend, brother, hero, and very much drunk – stood with a full glass to his lips. "If she were dead, which she isn't, then don't you think her diamond would have hauled ass and bring her back to life?"
Today was a Monday, and right before lunch; and Stark was already drunk as a skunk. Banner snorted at the audacity. Tony had ended the previous night with an impromptu massive raging house party in the Stark Tower. That in itself was outrageous, but the mess left afterwards caused Banner's blood to spike in rage. He had lost it and Hulk-ed out, bringing the wrath S.H.I.E.L.D. and Rogers down upon the billionaire. It was odd, though, Banner shook his head, that the Hulk didn't DO anything but roar and cause the masses to wet themselves with fear.
No property damage, no casualties, no massive mayhem; just loud, obnoxious vocal venting. Sure, there was minimal damage because the Hulk did stomp around and the floors proved that with slight imprints of his feet, but nothing beyond that.
"Tony…just…no…" Banner remained sitting on the leather couch, his hands clasped under his chin and a pounding headache splitting his head. "Do you even remember last night? Director Fury was…"
"Pissed as a drunk fish, yes." Stark pointed the cup at Banner. "But to see his face when you roared in it was TOTALLY worth it."
"Please, don't remind me." Banner groaned and flopped backwards, hoping the cushions would offer some relaxation. "I did apologize afterwards; but he still put me on house arrest."
"Oh come on, Brucie." Tony slurred and laughed his way next to Banner. "Don't be so hard on yourself! You should be proud that Hulkie didn't break anything but the sound barrier! That was epic!"
"Tony…you do remember that Pepper slapped you with a restriction order?"
"Oh yea, that…" the blue-eyed billionaire slumped onto the couched next to his new best friend and stared into the half-empty booze cup.
~Sir, Director Fury is on the line.~ JARVIS interrupted.
"Jarvis, go overload his servers with animal porn, geez. I'm not here."
~Sir, I'm afraid that he is so very insistent.~ The abused A.I. continued to tone.
"Jarvis, go fuck yourself." Stark growled. "I. Am. Not. Here."
"Then why the hell are you drinking at nine A.M. in the f*cking morning, Stark." Director Fury's voice chimed throughout the room; Jarvis giving way to Fury's hacking.
"Because she's not here." Tony mumbled weakly into the crystal glass.
"SHE can go to hell for all I care, Stark. Do you KNOW how difficult it was to ward off the GOVERNMENT from last night's incident!?" The level of anger in Fury's voice made Banner wince with fear.
"Don't care, Fury. It was a party and stuff." The drunk billionaire muttered.
"One billion in bribes, Stark, that's how much it cost to keep a lid on your f*cking party."
"Don't care. I'll throw another one tonight, even better. Maybe I can get the Hulk to sing this time."
The chuckle coming from the hacked A.I. system sent cold waves down Banner's spine.
"I swear to god, Stark, if you do; I will kill you myself. I am through catering to your little pity-parties. Either you get your act together or I'm shutting down Stark Industries. I have enough f*cking trouble keeping the world from knowing about Banner. A second act just might send New York into hysterics."
Bruce felt his eyes go wide. This felt completely awful.
"If I may, Director Fury, I apologize for last night, but Tony hasn't made it easy to relax around here."
"Damn straight, Big Guy, which, by the way, reminds me, we've got searching to do." Stark shot to his feet and downed the rest of whatever amber liquid was in the shot glass. "It's a new week and Superstar is still out there."
"No." Banner made a decision. "I'm not going to do this anymore. I'm taking a vacation."
"Banner…" Fury growled warningly. Bruce stood up and glanced around the penthouse level and sighed.
"It's been two, three months since she disappeared, Tony, I am just as worried as you are, but I can't do this anymore. I need to catch a break."
"Doctor Banner, if I may suggest…" Fury stepped in.
"No, I'm not doing anything stupid like last night, Director Fury, but I AM going on vacation; I'm sure you'll have the necessary regulations in place and I promise I will stay away from inhabited locales. I will stay within US borders and promise not to let…the Other Guy out."
"Very well, Doctor Banner." Fury sounded rather relieved.
"Fine then, go on and run away, you coward." Stark hissed. "I thought we were friends. The first sign of trouble and you buckle like the wet rag you are."
"Tony…" Banner rubbed his face. "I can't do this anymore; I offered my help in finding her; but you are so guilt-ridden that it's tearing you apart."
"F*ck you, Banner. Just go."
"Tony…"
"JUST GO THE F*CK AWAY!" Stark shouted and glared at Banner. "I can do this myself, you wanker. I'm not giving the diamond to Strange, or S.H.I.E.L.D. or any other cock-sucker that thinks he can find his way out of a paper bag. I will find her and that is that."
"Tony…" Banner sighed, standing there aimlessly as the billionaire raged out of the room. "I'm sorry…"
"Good luck, Doctor Banner. We will keep in touch." Fury's voice sounded final as the A.I. turned off the link.
Bruce rubbed his face; trying desperately to organize the mixed emotions flying through his head. Last night was a complete disaster; even though nobody got hurt. Staying any longer would put Manhattan in jeopardy; if Banner continued to break under the stress of looking for Miss Star. Tony Stark wasn't helping the situation much, with his self-destructing habits of obsession with the young woman. It would be better for all concerned if Banner disappeared from the radar for a while and bleed off the stress; much better for all.
"Stark, I promise you I haven't given up looking for her; I care for her just as much as you do." Banner murmured, moving towards the elevator and his floor. "I just need a vacation…"
A vacation it was then, Banner remembered a little remote place in the Rockies where he had first found refuge years back. The place, surrounded with only animals and raw nature would do him good in relaxing before coming back here.
"Yea, it's time to go there." The Rockies.