Chapter 3

Darcy was quick to follow Jane. Erik was at least kind enough to offer her an apologetic smile and shrug as he followed the girls out. Once again left alone Valerie let out a long sigh. Knowing she didn't have a place among the scientists caused doubt and a need to be accepted slowing seeping deep into her brain. A feeling she hadn't felt since her school days.

She had always been different then the other kids and she had never quite understood why. She wasn't a vain person but she knew she was considered attractive by modern standards. Her blonde hair was a shade most girls could only hope to get with expensive salon trips. Her blue eyes where of the deepest shade of the ocean, framed by shapely brows and high cheek bones. Her straight nose wasn't too small or too large for her face (though it did poses a small flat spot on the bridge where it had been broken during a fight and not set quickly enough) and she had a plump set of rose coloured lips set against a strong jaw line. She looked like a proper Viking warrior. Hence her being dubbed 'The Valkyrie' during her career, among a few other names. Viking of Violence was one she wasn't very fond of.

She also never believed her personality to be the cause of people's general dislike of her back then. Sure she was a little selfish, but who wasn't? At the end of the day you had to make yourself happy. Her mother had taught her that above all else, no matter what, you had to love yourself first and for most. And boy did she sure did try too but everyone had bad days every once in a while. She liked to believe herself to be a strong person. She believed in her morals and stuck to them. When things didn't work out for the best she would square her shoulders and move on.

She frowned to herself. She guessed it was time to square her shoulders and move on once again. The only problem she had was how? She had lost her job, her apartment (paid for by her sponsors) and the very few belongings she had were packed away in a bag next to the couch she had been sleeping on. She always felt she was a person of simple needs. She believe in actions and put her faith in people rather then things. So... what now?

Unbeknownst to her, her answer walked in behind three scientists and dressed in nothing but hospital scrubs.

"You know, for a crazy homeless person he's pretty cut." Darcy drooled at the man from the hospital as he exited the washroom. Valerie rolled her eyes before letting them settle on the newcomer. Cut or not there was something about him she didn't trust. For the time being, and for lack of having anything better to do, she decided she was going to keep an eye on him. Valerie leaned against the kitchen table while crossing her arms, watching him with narrowed eyes as he walked into the main room, shirt in hand. "Sorry I tased you!"

He slowed as neared her, returning her uneasy stare as he sized her up. She was taller then average for a woman, her career causing her to be rather muscular as well. She pushed off the table slowing, turning to face him head on, flexing her folded arms under her chest. He wasn't the first muscle-head she'd met and she had to make sure he knew she wasn't to be fucked with. He rolled his shoulders back, puffing out his chest slightly in return to her action. She shifted her weight slightly, tilting her head back so to look down her nose at him. He narrowed his eyes further with a raised eyebrow. "Do I know you?" He questioned slowly. His voice deep.

"Duh!" Darcy interrupted, wanting to be the centre of the newcomers attention. Valerie cocked and eyebrow towards the girl. It seemed the hero worship had shifted. "She's like super famous." The intern stood and began typing away on her phone as she crossed the room. "Everyone knows who Valerie 'The Valkyrie' Selvig is."

"Valkyrie?" The blonde man shifted his gaze back to her with a look of shock.

Darcy grabbed his attention again by holding up her phone. "They call her the Viking of Violence."

Valerie couldn't see the video but could hear the highlights of some of her more recent matches playing. She sighed in announcing, deciding to go sit by her father. The video concluded and the blond man looked at her across the room. "Impressive." He pulled the shirt over his head as he crossed the room. "This moral form has grown weak. I need sustenance."

Erik scoffed at the man, sharing a quick look with his daughter before leaning back in his seat. Crossing his arms.

The diner was fairly quiet. The five sitting around a cheap, plastic table. Valerie kept silent, watching the man wolf down his second plate of food after eating a whole box of pop tarts back at the lab. Darcy voiced the same thoughts she was having.

Jane ignored them, questioning the man, Thor, as he ate. He in turned ignored her for his food. He finished his coffee, eyeing the mug. "This drink, I like it."

"I know right!" Darcy started but was interrupted as he tossed the mug to the ground, causing everyone in the dinner to jump.

"Another!" He commanded.

Once the shock of his actions passed Jane was the first on her feet, rounding the table to pick up the glass. "Sorry Izzy! Little accident."

Thor went back to his meal like nothing had happened. Valerie elbowed him in the ribcage, directing his attention to Jane as she scolded his table manners. She drank her own coffee, her third cup of the day, as she removed her phone from her jacket pocket.

Two locals entered the diner as she began to type, holding the phone out to her father when she was finished. It was open into their bare text chat, a message typed out but not sent.

'What's up with this guy?'

Erik looked over at his daughter. Giving her a tight lipped smile and a small shake of his head. So they were both unsure of him. She erased the message and returned her phone to her jacket. She leaned back in her chair, coffee in hand as she watched the outside world play by through the window across from them.

Erik couldn't help but look between this man, Thor, and his daughter. Darcy had made a few offhanded comments since they had returned from the hospital but there was no mistaking the similarities the two had. Their features were strikingly close, in proportion and colours, right down to their complexions. Valerie could almost be his female twin. Erik also noted that while they didn't seem to share much in the way of personality or mannerisms, at least of what he knew of Thor so far, they did possess a similar air about them. Strong, and confident. The type of presence that could fill a room simply by existing and quickly become overpowering if not kept in check. Valerie seemed to have that restraint while he did not.

"You missed all the excitement out at the crater." Valerie cocked her head towards the conversation of the locals. The word carter catching her interest.

The second local continued. "They're saying some kind of satellite landed out in the desert."

A satellite? Valerie found that odd. And the government showing up to boot? If she believed in Aliens and conspiracy theories she would be up in arms already. Though she had to admit it sounded fishy with everything else that had happened in the last 24 hours.

Jane and her father began to question the locals about in, clearly she wasn't the only one who thought something was up. While this happened Thor removed himself from the table. He interrupted the locals for directions to the crash site and left without saying a word to them.

The small group exchanged a look before Jane pushed her own chair back to follow him out. Erik was next, trying to stop her, followed by Darcy who didn't want to miss the action. The blonde woman huffed, feeling no rush to go after the group. She finished her drink, stood slowly and paid for their breakfast before leaving. Having nothing better to do and feeling (slightly) protective over the group she followed them around the corner. She rolled her eyes, finding the group standing in the middle of the street.

Thor smiled as he spoke, Valerie catching the last of his sentence as she neared. "Once I have Mjolnir everything will be right again."

"Mew mew?" Darcy questioned, scrunching her nose like the word smelled as bad as she pronounced it. "What's a Mew mew?"

"Mjolnir, Thor's hammed." Valerie corrected, "Weapon of choice for the Scandinavian God of thunder." The group turned to her. Darcy and Jane with raised eyebrows. "What?" She scoffed. "I know stuff too."

Erik snorted at his daughter before grabbing Jane's arm. "A word please, Jane." He dragged the young woman onto the sidewalk. Darcy followed like a lost puppy, leaving the tall pair of blondes alone on the road.

A car horn blared behind them and with a sigh Valerie grabbed the strangers arm and led him to the sidewalk some feet from the rest of the group.

The male of the pair looked down at the female with a light chuckle. She raised an eyebrow in question his actions. "You'd make a good one."

"Good what?" Valerie was beginning to grow frustrated with today. Out of habit she began to fiddle with the music box deep in her jacket pocket. For some reason the small trinket made her feel better. One of the few things she owned that she actually did care about. Maybe she should go back to the lab and head to bed and worry about squaring her shoulders tomorrow.

"A Valkyrie." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She rolled her eyes. "Ya well, seeing as I'm currently unemployed maybe I'll look them up later. Escorting the dead can't be all bad."

Thor laughed. He went to speak to her again when Jane approached. "I'm sorry." She said. "But I can't take you."