Chapter 9

Death was warm, Valerie decided.

Like being wrapped in your favourite blanket on a crisp winter morning as the first golden rays of light break the vail of darkness. Warm and bright like the sight Loki had shown her of Asgard. Just like Asgard in fact.

Valerie shook her head, forcing the world around her into focus. It tried to become more clear but as she concentrated on the view before her it refused to become sharp. Like looking at a picture through a foot of water, it shifted. Like she had a full view but at the same time couldn't make out anything at all.

"What the.." She trailed off, she voice seeming to fall flat and echo around her at the same time. Maybe she really was dead, or trapped between some strange state between being awake and asleep.

She looked down at the flashing lights beneath her feet. Last time she seen a vision of it she hadn't been able to be so close. This time she could see that between the dancing lights it was transparent. At least she thought so. The filter she seemed to be looking through made it impossible for her to know for sure. She was sure that it was a vision like last time and not the real thing. Loki's version had been so real, this seemed more like the memory his vision really was.

As she turned to meet the golden orb type hall she knew was at the other end of the bridge she was shocked to find only space. The bridge fading into its gem crested, inky blackness. She looked up to watch the darkness eat into the blue sky that had been stretching out from the city. She followed the growing black with her eyes until she was standing back where she started only to find the view had changed again.

The city was gone, blue sky was now black and the bridge seemed to stretch on for eternity.

"Okay..." she mumbled, "now what?" Valerie spun on the spot, waiting to see if one direction or the other would change again.

It didn't.

Seeing no other options she began to walk. She had spun so many times she wasn't sure which way she was headed but as both paths seems to lead nowhere she assumed it no longer mattered. Her bare feet made no sound on the bridge as she walked. In fact there was no sound at all. Just the bridge, just space.

Unlimited space.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been walking. She had no sense of time. It felt like she had been walking for a life time but it could also have been mere moments. As such, when a figure slowly emerged from the darkness of space before her she froze. Her feet planted themselves on the bridge. Suspicious and frustrated she narrowed her eyes and debated the point of going on, if it was safe.

"Hello Valerie." Came a steady voice from behind her. Her breath hitched but she remain calm as she turned to face the voice. Something about it made her feel immediately calm.

She now faced a well aged man. His shoulder length hair was the colour of fresh snow and he wore a gown of gold with a matching eyepatch over his right eye. He seemed to have an aura of calmness and strength about him. Something otherworldly. God like. "Hello Odin." Her voice wasn't near as strong as she wished it was. She felt small and weak in the presence of who she guessed was the Allfather. The shift of a figure in the distance over his shoulder drew her attention for but a second but it was enough to remind her of the figure behind her as well. She chanced a glance over her shoulder and it was still there. Still unmoving and to far to make out any details.

"This moment is for us." Odin spoke with certainty. She turned to him. His one good eye fixed completely on her. "Just as it always has been and always will be."

Valerie studied his weary face. His good eye was dull with time but filled with an unexpected depth, wisdom and a certain softness she couldn't place. The lines of his brow were deep, as were the ridges around his eyes. A thick and well groomed beard covered his chin. "You knew we'd meet here." Valerie stated the fact rather then ask.

"Yes, I always suspected." His lips pulled upwards ever so slightly, "but I've also never known it would come to this."

Valerie looked around them to the nothingness there before forcing a sigh between her teeth. "So this is death?"

"This is in between." He responded.

She narrowed her eyes. "You know, for being some almighty God you sure seem like you have no clue."

This time he did smile at her.

She glanced over her shoulder again to see the figure there remained unmoving, as did the one behind him. "Who are they?" She asked more to herself then him but he answered regardless.

"As I said, this moment is for us. A single point in time in which we meet here in the multiverse. Sometimes there is only one. Sometimes neither, but always the same."

Valerie nodded slowly. She had heard of the 'multiverse' thing but wasn't one hundred percent on what it was. "So they are us."

"Yes." Odin smiled softly, watching the tall blonde before him. "You are so beautiful." He whispered suddenly. "Just like your grandmother. Strong. Radiant. I don't blame her for what she did."

"For sending me away?" She questioned.

The Allfather nodded. "She feared how I might react to an illegitimate heir. She was wrong to assume my wrath but she was right to do what she did. You never would have been accepted among the people."

Valerie looked down at her feet, sadness welling in the pit of her stomach. His words ringing in her ears. "Seems I'm not accepted anywhere."

Odin places a hand on her shoulder. "You will find your way, Granddaughter. Keep true, keep fighting and stay strong to yourself."

Valerie sighed, "Loki said the same thing." She watched him narrow his eye but he said nothing. "So what now? We just stand here talking for eternity?"

"No, you go back." Odin said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You go back and face the Destroyer at your Father's side."

For a moment she thought he meant Erik but quickly realized he had meant Thor. "But I'm not strong enough! Thor isn't strong enough. You sucked away his power!"

Odin nodded, looking regretful for a moment but refused to say it out loud. "You will be."

Valerie growler in frustration. "I wish you'd make some goddamn sense."

"When you were a babe and sent to earth I followed and suppressed your powers. As your powers grew it has become harder to do so. This meeting it to rectify that action." Odin boomed. "Is that clear enough for you?" Valerie stared at her grandfather in a stunned silence. She had power? Odin took a moment to examine the girl. Study her as he had never had the chance to. He smiled softly at her. "I hope we meet again under better terms."

With that his hand on her shoulder gave a push and she felt time slow around her as she fell back into the emptiness of space.

"Whomever is worthy, shall posses the power of Thor."

)()()()()()()()()()(

As the light and dust cleared from the scene the Destroyer stood frozen. Loki's gaze through the metal man focused only on his niece's body. The blast had sent her back against a brick storefront. Her shoulders were against the brick, causing her neck and shoulders to slump forward. The left side of her dark golden locks were stained red with blood. A piece of shrapnel had caught at her arch of her left eyebrow and cut up into her hairline.

He had done this. He had been so bent on his revenge against his brother he had hurt her. The one thing he truly did care for other then himself.

Loki was so focused on Valerie he missed Thor stirring only feet from her. He too narrowed his attention on her and forced himself to his feet. He stumbled and kicked debris from his path, including a masterfully carved hammer. He also failed to notice it land against his daughter's thigh as he kicked it from his path.

"Valerie!" The God cried, taking her into his arms, he wiped the blood back from the wound to see it better. It was long and deep. As his fingers traced it he found a large piece of metal a few inches into her hair line. "Oh, Valerie." He whispered, removing the sharp metal from her head. "What has he done to you." Valerie took a shallow gasp of air, it whizzed in her chest. She took another, slower the second time around and her eyes fluttered. She tried to react as Thor pushed her hair back from her face and cleaned the blood from her as best he could. "No, no, no." He cooed gently. "Rest Valerie. I'll find help."

Valerie tried to respond, tried to tell him about the energy she could feel pulsing against her leg but couldn't. She forced the back of her hand against his chest, tapping her knuckles against him. He shushed her again, taking her hand in his to help comfort her.

With the last of her strength she brought his hand down with hers to find the handle of Mjolnir. "Whosoever holds this Hammer." She forced out in a whisper as blood stained her lips and chin, "if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

Lighting flashed, blinding the two from view. Erik fell back into Jane's arms. Her and Darcy had been holding the older man back from racing onto the battlefield. "It's true." Erik whisper, stunned as two figure emerged from the lightning storm.

The Destroyer was the first to react, powering up to fire. However a counter attack was prompt, Mjolnir flying from the storm to hit the Destroyer, stunning it from its attack. A battle cry then rang out and Valerie jumped from the dying light, her fist making contact with the metal man's face to send it stumbling back.

The Destroyer recovered, shaking itself to reorient its plates. Thor, the God of Thunder stood tall and proud before it, clad in glitter armour. Valerie behind it, blood staining her face like war paint and her lounge cloths still dirty and ripped.

Thor smirked, holding his hand open. Mjolnir flew back to him, knocking the giants shoulder on its way back to him. Valerie followed the attack. Jumping onto its shoulders and sending a number of fierce blows to its head with nothing but her bare hands. Her knuckles split from the force of the attack, leaving red stains across its 'face'.

The Destroyer threw her off and Thor took over, swinging his hammer with such force that he pulled the Destroyer into the sky. He jumped to meet it above the town, Mjolnir shatter it, using the weak points Valerie's attack had left as a entry point.

And just like that it was over. The Destroyer fell back to the earth and Thor landed not from from it.

Valerie and Thor emerged from the settling cloud of dust into the mid morning New Mexico sun and to a large group of onlookers.

"Valerie!" Erik cries, running to his daughter.

She met him halfway, throwing her arms around him. "I'm okay Dad." She told him, a soft smile on her face.

He pulled back, taking her head in his hands. "You sure as hell aren't!" He shouted, examining the already healing cut on her face.

Valerie pulled back and took his hands in hers. "I promise I'm alright. I can't even feel it."

"Miss Selvig." A voice interrupted them. Father and daughter turned to a middle aged man with thinning hair and dressed in a finely pressed dark suit. "I'm Agent Coulson, I'm with SHIELD." He held out a hand to her. "I have to say it's a honour to meet you. I'm a big fan of yours."

"Umm, thanks." Valerie mumbled, surprised she still had any fans after Vegas.

Coulson turned to Erik. "Mr. Selvig. Good to see you again." Erik nodded and shook the man's hand. "If you have a few moments I'd like to have a talk with each of you."

"Not yet, Son of Coul!" Thor boomed. "While Earth is now under my protection I must first see to my own home. Come my friends. We make for the Bridge!"

Soon the group found themselves gathered around the connection point for the Rainbow Bridge out in the desert. Sif and the Warriors went first as Thor said his goodbyes to Jane with a heartfelt kiss. He then turned to his daughter. "Come Valerie."

"What?" She was taken off guard by the order.

Thor smiled, holding out his hand. "Come, I'm taking you back to Asgard. It is where you belong."

Valerie was shocked. Did she really belong on Asgard? Yes she was an Asgardian. Loki had called her a princess, was she actually intended to rule one day? She didn't know if she could. She didn't know if she wanted to. She'd only seen it in visions and knew nothing about it. She had no emotional connection to it or any of its people. Earth was her home. She'd grown up here. Been raised by the people of Earth. "No." She finally answered, rolling bad her shoulders and raising her chin.

"No?" Thor echoed, his brows knitting together. "Why? It's where you belong."

Valerie shook her head. "No." She repeated, looking at her father who stood beside her. "I'm glad I know where I came from, why I am what I am. But Asgard isn't my home. Earth is."

"Then you belong with me." Thor stated. "I'd like to finally know my daughter." Erik was shocked at learning this new information but said nothing.

Valerie shook her head again. "I'd like to get to know you too, know where I'm from but you're not my father Thor. You didn't raise me. I'm not ready for that." She watched Thor's eyes swim with sadness and her heart clenched but she knew she had to do this. "For now, lets just try and be friends."

Thor contemplated her words and finally nodded with a soft smile. "I understand, I'd like that."

They shared a hug and then in a final flash of light he was gone.