The sky outside the small town was grey and clouded and the cold winter air tickled her nose. Jane covered herself with the furred collar of her coat to shield her face from the snowflakes coming from the sky. Winter had arrived soon this year, as she remembered yesterday she hadn't needed a jacket yet. She was walking slowly, step by step, since her feet sank into the depths of the snow. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to continue walking, due to her fear of freezing.
"Jane." A man's voice reached out to her through the snow storm. It was a calm and dark voice, nevertheless with a tender undertone. She looked around and found a silhouette not far from her standing in the white landscape. She couldn't recognize anyone yet, but she knew the voice. Her eyes were narrowed as she moved closer to the man.
"Jane." He said again, this time more forceful. Her eyes widened as she recognized him. Her heart was pounding strongly against her chest. She hadn't seen him for a long time and now he was standing before her, in the middle of nowhere. The dark, long hair was waving in the wind and the snowflakes were dancing around him, as if he was controlling him. He did not wear winter's cloths, merely a suit.
"Aren't you freezing?" Jane asked confused, looking at the man's outfit.
"No." John answered. "Don't you remember? I was never cold."
That was the truth. He had never felt the cold as she did. She hated the winter and its stinging air, however John had been walking through the iciness as if it was a climatic spa. It was like he didn't feel the cold at all. Whenever they were outside and she couldn't feel herself anymore, John took her hands or wrapped himself around her to warm her. He never shivered and his skin always had the same temperature - not warm, but not cold either-, which was something she had thought about, yet never really considered to look into.
"What are you doing here?" The woman asked when her common sense had returned.
"I wanted to congratulate you." He said in a cruel and unfeeling voice.
"With what?" She asked dumbfounded. Why congratulate? And why was he being so distant towards her?
"With your marriage." He replied just as coldly and signed towards some people standing nearby. It was Thor - wearing a suit as well - receiving the congratulations of the guests. Now Jane felt the confusion spread inside of her. "I didn't marry him." She answered offended. "I barely know -" She didn't finish the sentence, due to the fact that she had gazed down on the robes she was wearing. A wedding dress? This was bizarre. Especially because it was a princess gown, like she knew from the Disney Cinderella movie. She would never wear a dress like that! What on earth was going on?
"How did you find out?" She asked.
"It was on the internet everywhere." John replied, with dead eyes. "The most famous astrophysicist marries the God of Thunder. Well done." The hatred was visible and hearable. "I guess I was too plain for you, was I? I am sorry that I am not a God." He hissed.
"No!" Jane cried out. "You were never plain to me! I would have married you, if you would not have left me!"
"Well, it is too late for that now, is it?" The man put his hand in the inside pocket of his blazer and grabbed something. It was a gun.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The woman was outraged seeing the weapon in John's hand.
"I am going to kill him." He answered and before Jane could do anything he aimed the gun at Thor and shot once, striking him in the middle of his chest. The God fell backwards, looking at Jane in shock, before hitting the ground. Blood was pouring out of his wound and a red stream was making its way through the white snow, right up to her feet.
"NO!" She screamed in aghast, woke up with a start. She was sitting upright in her bed, panting as if she had just finished a marathon. She looked around, but her trailer was dark and empty, there was nobody there except for herself. Her heart was racing and she felt herself tearing up. She quickly rubbed her eyes and wiped the drips of sweat away from her forehead. She hadn't been dreaming about John for a long time and especially not about something as cruel as this. What was her mind playing at? As if John would kill Thor! He probably wouldn't care about her getting married to anyone anyway, and on top of that he would never meet him.
"JANE?!" She heard the God's voice burst through the trailer's walls. "Jane? Are you alright?" He knocked.
"YES!" She quickly answered, jolting up from the bed, answering the door. Thor was standing in front of her in a t-shirt and boxershorts - which wasn't a bad sight at all - looking at her worried. "Sorry, I heard you scream and I wanted to make sure you are fine." He explained, when seeing that she was still alive and well.
"Yes, I had a nightmare." Jane replied, looking at the man conscience-stricken. "I am sorry for waking you."
"No problem." He replied, waving it away. "I wish you a good night then, miss Jane." He said and nodded at her respectfully, before turning around to leave.
"Wait." Jane descended the steps of the entrance quickly and grabbed his arm. "Would you stay with me?" She didn't want to be alone and it maybe helped her to abate.
The blond man smiled at her, seemingly feeling honored about this invitation. "Of course." He said, entering the trailer.
"What was your dream about?" He asked, when he was sitting on a chair, next to the bed. He was eyeing the woman curious.
Jane grabbed a pillow and pressed it tightly against her chest. "Nothing of importance." She said shrugging it off. "It was just an unpleasant dream."
Thor nodded. "I know dreams like that." He said dreamily. "I dreamed yesterday night, that I was awaited at the coronation, but I couldn't go, because a meerkat - that's what those strange animals, peering all day long into the distance are called right? - stole my hammer and without Mjolnir I couldn't go to the coronation. Thus I told my father and he disarmed me, being ashamed, while you stood next to Odin telling him that if I wanted to be king, I should do a table dance."
Jane burst out laughing. "How is that even unpleasant? That is just funny."
"Not when you are experiencing it yourself at that moment!" He retorted with a mocking smile.
The astrophysicist met Thor's gaze. She held the eye contact upright and smiled at the man, sitting in front of her bed. He was very handsome indeed. A different kind of handsome than John, but not for the worse at all. He had managed to make her laugh, even though she was thinking - no she even had been dreaming - about her ex. That was something not even Darcy had managed over the last months.
"Thor?" Jane's voice was cautious. "May I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Have you ever loved someone, who left you and you could not forget about him?" She didn't know why she asked it, but she just wanted to talk to someone, who could maybe understand her.
"You mean like you and your ex?" He asked interested. Jane blushed. Of course he would know what she was talking about. Stupid thinking. She didn't answer.
"No I have not, to be honest." Thor replied. "But I lost my father recently." His eyes showed sadness for a brief moment.
"I know how that feels like." Jane reached out for his shoulder and lay a soothing hand on it. "I lost both of my parents." She merely said.
"I am sorry." Thor said, looking at her understanding.
"I am sorry too." She replied, when seeing his sad eyes.
Silence.
The scientist decided to talk about something else, before the atmosphere would get too gloomy. "Have you never loved a woman?" She asked curious. Jane had been astonished to hear that, since he didn't think that he never had gotten an offer.
Thor chuckled at her nosiness. "A lot of women have loved me, nevertheless I never had sentiments for them, not like the feelings, they presented me."
"Hm." Jane looked at him thoughtful. "Why not?"
"I assume that the right woman wasn't amongst them yet." He smirked at the scientist, who felt her cheeks flush again. Thor's look was soft and kind and there was a tenderness in his expression, which the woman could not completely construe. Was he interested in her as well? Suddenly butterflies emerged from the depths of her stomach. No this could not be! She hadn't felt like this in a long time and now it happened with Thor? She had thought the curiosity towards Thor had only emerged out of the stories he was telling and his confidence. And how all of it reminded her of her former love. However now she had to accept reluctantly that she did have feelings for him. She gathered all her courage and asked: "Would you stay with me?"
Thor looked at her surprised, yet flattered. "You would want that?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't, right?" She chuckled. "I think, if you'd stay here that I could sleep better." She quickly tried to explain, so there wouldn't be a too awkward situation.
"Alright." He said smiling. He got up from his chair and Jane moved over on her bed, so Thor could sit down next to her. He leaned his head against the wall and opened his arms, so the small scientist could lay her head on his chest. He stroke her shoulders with his firm hand softly, while the breathing of the woman became more and more fluent and slower. Jane only noticed half that she was nestling against Thor completely, which would have been embarrassing if she would be awake, but now she didn't care. Thor didn't seem to either, he even pressed her slightly more against his chest, giving her an almost unnoticeable kiss on her hair, before she fell asleep completely.
Thor, he thought detesting, walking towards Odin's chambers. He probably doesn't even know how to read. The steps were echoing through the halls, he made a lot of noise in his anger. How could she even be interested in his retarded brother? She needed someone to talk to, who could keep pace with her intelligence, and Thor certainly couldn't, that Loki was sure of. He could never content her and her thirst for knowledge.
When the Demigod opened the doors of the chamber he saw his mother sitting next to the bed, Odin was laying in. She looked up and wanted to greet her son joyfully, but seemed to be dubious about it. "What happened?" She asked worried.
"Nothing." Loki lied.
"Something has happened. There is grief in your eyes." Her soft voice reached the ears of the man like balm. He wanted to tell her everything so that he could be comforted by her, nevertheless he was not a child anymore. His mother could neither help him, nor make the pain go away. So he quickly waved his childish thoughts away from his mind and swallowed the lump in his throat.
"No. I am worried about the Frostgiants. I wanted to talk to them to propose peace, however they didn't seem to be cooperative." He lied again.
"They never were." Frigga stated. "Your father has tried to make an agreement with them for ages. They never accepted."
"I have to talk to father about that." He said.
"He is listening, but you will not receive any answers." His mother countered.
"I know." Loki sighed. "However I wish to be alone with him."
Frigga nodded respectfully and got up from her seat. When she past her son - who was still standing in front of the door -, she lay a hand on his cheek and her eyes met his. The warmth and softness of her hands spread through Loki's body. She looked at him as if she wanted to find answers in his eyes, so he closed them quickly to prevent her from seeing the tears that had now reached his eyeballs. The God's wife decided to not further ask, thus she left the two men alone.
Loki closed the door, quickly as his mother left the room and turned around to face the sleeping man.
"Hello father." It was the same disgusted voice he had made, when he had said those words to Laufey. "I would like to talk to you about something..." he paused and thought about the right words, "important. I think you know that I am right, so if you please, I would be very thankful if you would open your mind and let me in, so you can give me answers." Loki sighed. He had never done this before. He could control minds for brief purposes, but he wasn't able to read them. He breathed in deeply before he closed his eyes and entered the dimension of the unknown thoughts that belonged to his father. There was blackness everywhere. Nothing to be seen. He hesitated. Odin would never let him in, why was he even trying? Suddenly, a shape appeared in front of him. It was small, but bright. The figure approached him and he recognized the Allfather. "Hello Loki." He breathed slowly and calmly.
"Father." Loki cocked his head and stood ground.
"Your resentment has dominated you." He stated.
"Perhaps." Loki replied. "I want answers."
"Do not let hatred rule over the nine realms." His voice was solid, yet his eyes showed anxiety.
He clenched his teeth. "I said, I want answers." The Demigod resisted the urge of screaming.
"Then ask." Odin looked at his son patiently.
"Your purpose, in sending Thor to earth..." he felt saliva entering his mouth, which the anger had caused, "what was it?"
"He had to be punished." Odin answered.
"But why earth? Why not Jotunheim or any other planet?"
"He would learn his lesson there, since the people do not believe in us and magic anymore."
"And why New Mexico?" Loki's voice was threatening. There was a dangerous undertone in his hissing, which reminded of a serpent.
Odin watched his son shifting his weight from one leg to the other in eagerness. He didn't say anything, he just stood there with a sad frown.
"TELL MEEE!" Loki couldn't hold his temper anymore. He needed his father to talk and he wanted to hear the truth.
"Jane Foster."
The words hit Loki like a lightning bolt. He knew it! He had known for a while, but he had never thought it to be the truth. His father had sent Thor to New Mexico, in front of Jane's feet on purpose. He felt his eyes watering again, not believing what he was hearing. "Wha-?" his voice was weak and full of shock.
"Jane Foster." The Allfather repeated. "She is the only one to open Thor's heart, so he can be the man I know him to be."
"So you made me leave her?" Loki couldn't control his body anymore, he felt his hands shaking.
"I merely suggested it."
"YOU FORBID ME TO LEAVE ASGARD!" He yelled so loud that it hurt his own ears.
"It was for your own good." The God didn't seem to let the words near him.
"How is that my own good?" He asked tearful, trembling.
"You could have taken a wife in Asgard and forget about that mortal. I wanted to protect you from more pain." He answered.
The dark-haired man couldn't say anything, he was speechless.
"Time has come for Thor to take the throne."
"So all of this, just to put this brute and idiot of a God on the throne?" This was completely insane and this could not be true. "Why didn't you just let me be king?"
"Because Thor is the elder one, he deserved a fair chance."
"By destroying MY LIFE?!" Now he had to resist the urge of choking his own father.
Odin sighed and put up his conciliating expression. "You will understand one day. It is for the greater good." Was his answer.
"Oh yes, the greater good." Loki laughed spitefully. "The greater good will see how my happiness will effect theirs."
"Don't be selfish, boy!" Odin was getting angry now. "We, as the wiser rulers, have to sacrifice things in life."
The Demigod shook his head tauntingly. "That is easy for you to say, still being together with the woman you love."
Odin's face softened. "You don't seem to know how much I have lost in my long life." He answered.
Loki smirked sarcastically. "What, like your eye? Oh yes, that is indeed a highly payed sacrifice father."
"I've lost far more than that."
"How could I know? You never told us." It wasn't an understanding tone he spoke with, it was more of a reproachful statement.
Odin made a resigning movement with his hand. "Well then, I should tell you about-"
"ENOUGH!" Loki screamed at the top of his lungs. "I don't care about your losses at the moment, all I care about is Jane and you took her from me!"
"You left her." Odin replied. "It was your choice, not mine."
The tears didn't stop running, he wanted to hurt the man in front of him. Hurt him as much as Odin had hurt him. However the Allfather started to fade from his visual field. "I am sorry my son. You will understand. Please don't make grave mistakes while ruling my realms." He said before he disappeared completely.
Loki returned to the physical world grief-stricken. He could have never believed that his father was capable in hurting his own son like that. Did nobody love him? Frigga did. Yes she did, but it was not the same as the love he had received from Jane or the love he would like to receive from a father.
He strode back to his chambers and felt limb and empty. He wanted to be left alone, to be drowning in his sorrow, but he didn't get far. At the horizon of Asgard he saw a beam of light reaching into the sky. Heimdall had opened the Bifrost. Oh no, he didn't! The God of Mischief clenched his fists. Probably the warriors three wanted to save Thor. It seemed everyone had deserted him. His father, his brother, his lover, his friends and now the gatekeeper, who was sworn to obey him. No! This wouldn't do, not with him. This will have consequences! He spun around angrily, walking into the direction of the vault.
A/n.: Well, I guess I would be more than angry as well...
Hello dearest people on earth, who are reading this story :D !
I know, I am super fast (compared to normally) in updating this story, that is because I have the flue at the moment! And since I don't have anything else to do, I am super bored, sooo writing is a super distraction of my life! xD Well have a nice day!