It's been almost 10 years since I've written anything so I'm a little nervous about posting this. However, this little plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone.
The story starts after the Endgame movie. I didn't change anything that happened in the movie and even though I loved it, I felt like it needed a different ending. So this is my attempt. It is an Avengers story but Thor-centric. There will be two Multi-verses. MV0 is the movie verse. MV1 is the alternate universe, the fun one where I get to change things.
As always, I love comments and reviews. Enjoy!
2028 – Multi-Verse0
There was a tang in the air that always signaled a storm was coming on Midgard. Inhaling deeply he continued down the steps of the Benatar, duffle bag in one hand and axe in the other. The chatter of those behind him, his family of the last 5 years, was a comfort and brought a smile to his face as he heard them arguing. Their escapades had been fun, worrisome and even terrifying but he was glad that he had chosen to go with them. Time away from reality had helped to deal with what he was leaving behind. What he now was coming home to.
His gaze was still on the ground when something made him look up and his smile deepened. Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers stood at the edge of the landing pad, waiting with matching grins on their own faces at the sight of their friend. Thor took a moment to look them over, video calls not being the same, as he walked towards them.
Even though he was an old man now, Steve still held himself tall and straight like a soldier waiting for orders. His white hair blew lightly in the breeze, the lines on his face deepened from the smile he wore. The sunglasses on his face hid his eyes but the smile he wore more than adequately showed his feelings. Thor did notice his breathing was a bit labored which caused him to frown briefly in concern but he hoped it was simply from the trek out to the landing pad.
Bruce had a genuine smile that reached his eyes, something the Asgardian didn't see much anymore. His big hands were stuffed into his pockets as he rocked on his feet, almost like he was trying to stop himself from rushing forward. They talked more frequently than he and Steve had while he'd been away. They were closer, almost like….well they were close.
The trio had talked over the divide, many times, usually in the middle of the night when one of them needed to unburden themselves. A number of times there were few words said, just a presence was needed for the other to get through their thoughts. Thoughts that kept them from sleep and sometimes from functioning.
He had experienced quite a few panic attacks and moments of extreme self-doubt while with the Guardians, mostly he had kept them hidden behind his jokes and laughter. While Rocket had known he was truly in pain, the others, if they knew, had not acknowledged it. Of course, goading Quill had helped quite a bit in dealing with his misery though he had come to have a good, strong friendship with the man eventually.
"It's good to see you old man." He quipped as he reached out his right arm to Steve. They engaged in a typical man hug, though Thor held on longer than his old self would have. Pats on the back and smiles were shared between the two before he turned to his other friend.
It was still strange to see Bruce as a hybrid of his two sides. Banner was the one member of the team he never thought he would be the closest to, but here they were many years later able to finish each other's sentences or sit in silence for long periods of time. He had missed Bruce most of all while on his journey.
"You been working out Lord of Thunder? You look like you lost some of your baby fat." Bruce joked as he grabbed the god and hugged him up off the ground. Thor laughed heartily and returned the embrace as much as possible. "You sure as hell aren't lighter." Bruce quipped as he finally let his friend back down to the ground and clapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Well, competition is a great motivator I've found. Someone had to keep Quill in line and humble." Thor responded with a laugh. He had lost some of the weight put on by the depression and excessive drinking. In fact, he hadn't had a drink since he left Earth five years ago. Oh he still had bouts of depression but the Guardians, specifically Rocket, were good at distracting him from his burdens during the day. He had kept the hair and trimmed the beard back to just his chin now, though he was seriously entertaining thoughts of cutting his hair again. Quill's main jab at Thor had been about his "flowing locks", since he had started to at least take care of his hair. That would ensure that the man had to find something else to give him grief about.
The group finally made its way over to the trio and Thor turned to look at them. After five years they had found past Gamora and it had taken some time but she had decided this ragtag team wasn't so bad after all. Thor did not envy Quill in the relationship department though because that area had been a bit more trying. Gamora just was not feeling the vibe that Quill was emitting. It had led to a lot of awkward encounters and Thor had felt for the man more than a few times. To have the love of his life in front of him and she didn't feel anything for him like the woman he had fallen in love with was tragic.
Both he and Quill had needled each other endlessly in the beginning and he could admit now it was because he liked getting a rise out of the man. That and it felt good to piss someone off who wouldn't try to kill him. It took a few years but they finally developed a friendship, though they still gave each other crap as often as possible.
"Hey, you guys mind if we camp out here for a couple of days?" Rocket asked, flinging his bag onto his shoulder. "We have a little work to do on the ship."
Bruce laughed and nodded. "Shouldn't be an issue pal. Anything I can help you with?" The big man walked towards the raccoon and they wandered off in the direction of the building, the rest of the guardians following. Thor and Steve watched them go with smiles on their faces.
"How you feeling today?" The old man asked as he watched Thor look after the group. Their last conversation had been a few days ago and the God of Thunder had not been in a good place. He was happy to be going back to Earth but also nervous about returning. The feeling that he had deserted his duty and his people weighed heavily on him at times. He knew that he had needed to leave, it wasn't even a question, but he still felt wrong on some levels for doing so.
"Today is good, at least so far. We will see how things are when the sun goes down." Thor responded quietly, a grimace on his face at the prospect of being alone with his thoughts again.
With a nod, Steve started to walk towards the building knowing his friend would follow. Thor watched the man in front of him as they walked the halls. Steve was talking to him as he pointed out the various rooms and features. They had talked about the new compound a few times while he was away but honestly he hadn't been totally paying attention to the conversation. It had been Steve's way of filling the void for Thor, trying to remind him that there was a home when he was ready. He knew he would need someone to explain the layout again to him later but for now, he just existed and enjoyed being back with his family.
Pepper had arranged to have a new compound built after the destruction of the last one, again in New York. This compound was much smaller and farther away from civilization, not that anyone had illusions that a repeat couldn't happen again. There really wasn't a need for a big compound as there weren't many defenders left, right now at least. Even though she wanted nothing to do with the day to day running she realized that Tony had been right about Earth needing protection and the remaining Avengers would need a home.
Sam and Bucky came and went, roaming the world and putting out fires when needed. Wanda spent a large chunk of her time in Wakanda working with Shuri and T'Challa by helping those in the world who needed it the most. She still lived at the compound but split her time between the two. Rhodey, Steve and Bruce were the only ones that really stayed in the compound on a regular basis, and Rhodey was gone more often than not lately because of his work being the government liaison. Clint had gone back home to spend his time with his family. He would consult with the Avengers if they needed a different point of view but he did not want that life anymore. Especially without Natasha.
Thor followed Steve mindlessly. He was exhausted but he feared there would be no sleep this night and he hoped he would not keep the others up with his wandering that he was apt to do. Night caused him to become restless because his brain would not stop torturing him. The times that he would beat himself up had become less, but there were nights when all he could think about were all the wrong choices he had made. All the people he had lost. All the days he had left to feel alone and lost. His purpose was still hidden from him but his time spent in space had helped him come to terms with his failures for the most part.
He heard Steve talking to someone and looked up to find Wanda standing there, a smile on her face. Thor could still see the grief that she carried. Bruce had told him that she found comfort in working with the Wakandans and helping others. She was so young to have lost everything and everyone in her life, her family now what was left of the Avengers. Steve patted her shoulder as he walked by but Thor stopped and gave her a small smile before engulfing her in a hug. For a moment she stilled, but eventually relaxed, her shoulders rising as she took a deep breath. The two teammates had never really had the chance to talk and get to know each other, not well, but the loss that they shared really didn't need words.
"Well, I didn't expect that kind of greeting, but welcome back." Wanda joked as she pulled back from Thor's embrace and gave him a small smile. For a brief moment, doubt at his actions crept in.
"I did not mean to offend you my friend, I simply…" She held up a hand and he ceased speaking before he quite possibly made things worse. Swallowing hard he braced himself but was surprised when she reached out and grabbed one of his hands in both of hers.
"I'm not offended. It's nice to have someone greet you like you're not made of glass. Or expect you to start blubbering at any minute." Her smile widened and she squeezed his hand before letting it fall. "I imagine you'll want to see where we stuck you accommodations wise. Come on, I'll show you to your room." Wanda turned to walk down the hall, and he sighed heavily before picking up his things and following her.
Dinner that night was…an event. With the Guardians in attendance one could quite possibly bet it would be entertaining, and it was. Laughter was heard throughout the compound as the remaining Avengers sat around the living area, now littered with empty plates and glasses.
Thor sat back and looked around the room taking it all in with a smile. He had spent the rest of the afternoon walking around and becoming familiar with the building. Eventually he had found himself in a small courtyard that was open to the elements and staring at two beautiful red trees. Wanda had told him that the Bloodgood Japanese Maple trees had been picked out specifically for their red color. He hadn't had to ask who they were planted for. He stood there staring and barely felt her hand brush his arm as she turned to leave. No plaques or dedications were needed for the reminders of Natasha and Tony. It was spring and their beautiful red leaves spoke volumes.
He was brought back to the present by someone calling his name. Rocket called him over to substantiate a point he was trying to make about one of their adventures and he gladly pulled the veil back over his grief to join his friends in some frivolity.