Chapter 7

Night of Attack

Jane stood on the roof of Stark Tower hours after she'd been sent back from Asgard and the Avengers had left her in peace. She gazed up at the stars, wondering if Loki was somewhere amongst them. Heimdall couldn't see him, but Thor had said the God of Mischief often did that to the Gatekeeper. He'd told her to not lose hope, that he always came back.

oOoOo

One Day After

"Jane?" Banner asked. "What are you doing up this early?"

She fiddled with the necklace that bore the remote connector on her desk, flipping it over and over while tapping her pencil on the haphazard stack of star charts. Her gaze flicked to the bridge, then to the harnessing machine.

"Don't tell me you've been up all night," he said with a disappointing tone.

"I'm going to find him," she announced.

"What?"

Jane stood. "I'm going to find Loki, and I'm going to bring him back."

His brows lowered. "Why?"

"Because"—she smiled despite the weight on her chest—"I love him."

oOoOo

Day 2

"We use the harnessing machine to pull what's left of the exotic matter from the Bridge and duplicate it," Jane explained to Tony, Fury, and Coulson.

"But how?" the director asked.

"Me."

The men looked at each other across the conference table as if she'd lost her mind.

"Magic is exotic matter," she explained. "I am born of magic—"

Coulson raised a hand. "But your medical reports show you are human."

"Yes, but when I teleported Doom, I should have been able to make only one jump. I made nine."

"Magic affects you differently," Tony said while leaning forward in his chair.

She shook her head. "It works on me the same as it works on you. I just had never thought to ask Loki if his internal supply was less affected whenever he built the dream worlds for me. Maybe it doesn't take as much, maybe it gets recycled. I'm not entirely sure, but I think this can work."

"Then do it," Fury declared. "Whatever, whoever you need, let us know."

oOoOo

Day 3

Jane held the small vile that contained what was left of the exotic matter from the Bridge. It looked like they had bottled fog, but instead of dingy white, it was shimmering gold.

Her team had taken microscopic traces to analyze it, though none of their current equipment allowed for a full scientific understanding. Now, she needed to figure out how exactly she would use her body to duplicate it. She had some ideas, but was paralyzed from fear of wasting what they had left.

"How are you doing?" Steve asked from behind her.

She started, not realizing he'd come into her lab. Swiveling around to him, she attempted a smile.

"That bad, huh?" he asked

"It could be worse. Has Doom resurfaced?"

"No. Loki must have gotten rid of him, but only time will tell." He sat in the chair next to her. Looking at the harnessing machine, he said, "That reminds me of the Super Soldier experiment."

She'd gone back to staring at the vial, but perked up at his words. He'd been injected and then put in a machine. Granted, his was to enhance him, but she could use the same theory and tailor it to her needs.

With a genuine smile, she jumped out of her chair and faced him. "Steve Rogers, I could kiss you."

His eyes widened, but then, he chuckled as she ran about the lab in a frenzy.

oOoOo

Day 5

"Are you sure about this?" Erik asked Jane as Bruce prepped her arm for the shot. He'd flown in the day before despite SHIELD's disapproval. It was a happy, but short-lived reunion.

She nodded. "We're just using a little to see if there are any side effects. I'll be fine." Hopefully.

"But you haven't done any tests on organic subjects."

They hadn't done any tests at all. She refused to waste even one particle of the exotic matter.

Tony patted the harnessing machine. "She's ready when you are."

Closing her eyes, Jane took a deep breath and gestured for Bruce to inject her. The needle glided in easily enough, and then just as quickly slid back out. She didn't feel the substance enter her vein. Peeking at him, she asked, "Did you do it?"

"I take it you feel nothing?" Banner was already checking her vitals, and recording the readings.

"Absolutely nothing."

After switching from the equipment to a physical examination, he said, "Everything looks normal on our end."

Fury stepped to them. "Was this expected?"

"This is unprecedented," Eric said, staring at her, as if she might suddenly sprout wings. "We can only guess the outcome."

Jane stood and paused to laugh at the deathly silent room. "I'm fine. Seriously."

They followed her to the harnessing machine and watched as Tony locked her in and tested the intercom. The speaker was a little staticky and the only light source was from the circular window on the door, but other than that, she was fairly comfortable sitting on the metal bench.

"Powering on in three, two, one—"

Light exploded around her. Pain erupted within her. Nothing but agony existed. There was no experiment, no Jane, no time and place. Just mind-breaking, soul-crushing anguish, as if every cell in her body wanted to pull away from each other and disappear.

When darkness consumed the light, offering her sweet relief, she dove into the welcome abyss of unconsciousness.

oOoOo

Day 6

Jane crawled out of her bed and snuck into her lab. With trembling fingers, she prepped the harnessing machine. It hummed as power lit up the console and began the automated countdown. Her knees buckled as she climbed into it, but before she could close the door, a hand grabbed the edge. The person stayed out of her line of sight as they aborted the impromptu session.

Erik's voice drifted into the lab, carrying Nordic curses between quick intakes of air.

Bruce poked his head in and offered her his hand.

"Jane Elna Selvig," Erik said, nearly pushing Bruce over. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

She raised a brow.

"You're supposed to be on bed rest," Erik chided her.

"It works Erik. We got a whole extra vial from the small injection."

"And it nearly killed you in the process."

"I'm fine."

"Is that why you're shaking?"

"It's just adrenaline." She stepped out and restarted the machine's countdown. "Once we have enough, I'll stop."

Closing the door, she watched his displeased face through the window.

The speaker crackled to life with his voice. "What if you never find him? How long can you keep this up?"

"Forever, if need be."

oOoOo

Day 10

"You might be the most reckless person I know," Tony remarked about her marathon use of the harnessing machine. "And that's saying a lot coming from me."

Jane walked along the small pathways between the multitude of star charts lining the floor. She needed to be able to see their galaxy to determine where to look for Loki and keep track of the planets she'll eventually search. "I have what I need."

"Fury will want more. He's not funding this so you can get back your boyfriend."

She ignored the title he'd given Loki. "I know."

"So you're going to live as a human pincushion the rest of your life?"

Lowering to her knees, she circled a collection of stars she thought might be worth searching. "Once I find him, Loki and I will work together for a solution."

"I shouldn't be helping you with this, but..."

At his silence, she turned, careful not to rip a chart.

The lights dimmed as he pushed a zip drive into the wall. A three-dimensional map of their spiraling galaxy filled the entire room. He walked through the constellation of Hercules and touched the Solar System with both hands before opening his arms. The Sun and all her planets expanded as the rest disappeared.

Her eyes stung as she stared at the beautiful sight and technological marvel. He'd done this just for her.

"We know he's not on Earth, so if you..." He double tapped their planet and it turned red, eliminating it from the possible locations. "Now, you can keep track of everything a lot easier than this mess you were attempting."

She walked straight to him, over her carefully constructed paper layout of the Milky Way and gave him the biggest hug she could manage.

oOoOo

Day 11

Jane ran out to the roof when JARVIS informed her that Thor had arrived. She didn't stop until his large form was looming over her shorter one.

"Lady Jane, I would've come to you—" He stopped himself as his eyes roamed over her. "You do not look well."

She'd barely gotten any sleep since she started working on the project. For that matter, she hadn't eaten much either. "I've been busy. JARVIS said you had something for me."

His brows lowered, but he shrugged off her rudeness. "Unfortunately, Asgard will not be assisting you in your search for Loki."

She bit the inside of her cheek, impatient for him to get on with it. She already knew that Odin had forbidden the use of the Bifrost. It had something to do with excessive use creating a disturbance that could disrupt the space-time continuum. Her bridge was smaller and operated differently, so he saw no reason to ban its use as well.

Thor held out a brooch that looked like the World Tree. "However, the Alfather has sent you this amulet to keep you safe in your travels."

She made sure her eyes didn't bulge in disbelief. "How does it work?"

"I know not. He had the best magi in the realms charm it." Thor took the brooch from her hands and pinned it to her shirt. "It will not protect you from everything, so you must exercise caution."

"Will you go with me?"

Anger flashed in his blue eyes, though not at her. "I am to continue protecting the Nine Realms."

She nodded in understanding despite the sudden knots twisting her stomach. She was to do this alone then.

He grabbed her arms and gently squeezed them. "You are brave and clever, Jane Foster. No other has as much of my respect and gratitude than you." Releasing her, he stepped back and looked at the sky, as if silently communicating to the Gatekeeper that he was ready to leave. "Heimdall will keep his gaze on you. If Loki should appear somewhere in Yggdrasil, we will inform you immediately."

A blast of light, saturated with all the colors of a shimmering rainbow, landed over Thor, and then he was gone.

oOoOo

Day 13

"Mission Loptr. First attempt," she said into the camera Coulson pointed at her. Fury gestured for her to continue.

She moved to the center of a blast zone surrounded by the Avengers. Mostly everyone had come out to see her off. At least, that's what she liked to pretend. Fury had dispatched them in case she accidentally brought a beast or hostile alien back with her.

Steve gave her an encouraging look, while Bucky just watched her with a focused, ready-to-kill expression. It reminded her of the times she'd gotten herself caught up in the middle of a fight and he'd been the one to protect her.

Tony saluted her in his Iron Man suit. "It was nice knowing you, kid."

Rhodey's helmet moved side to side, as if his best friend would always embarrass him.

Forgetting about the fear making her lightheaded, she smiled.

"That's my girl," Tony said. "Now, go get him."

She touched the brooch pinned to her very own uniform similar to Natasha's that also included a thigh holster. The assassin had insisted Jane wear it for protection and even gave her some lessons on how to use it. Jane wasn't a good shot, though, and would rather jump back to the Avengers for help than engage a bilge snipe.

Grabbing the remote connector necklace, she glanced at Erik standing in the back and nodded a goodbye to him, then pressed the button.

She landed in the lava pits of Muspelheim, thinking it would be a good spot to drop off someone you wanted to kill. The heat made her sweat but didn't melt the skin off her bones. She sloshed through the thick liquid and made her way to a large rock where she could set up the locator device.

The radar sent out pulses, looking for Loki's energy signature the Queen of Asgard had been happy to provide. Tony had used Doom's commandeered hybrid tech to make the scanner. He'd done so much for her, that she wasn't sure exactly how to thank him.

Just as the device pinged a negative reply, the fire raging all around her ignited into an inferno. She shielded her eyes with an arm.

"What is a Midgardian steeped in Asgardian magic doing on the great realm of Muspelheim?" The voice boomed and crackled like a roaring fire.

People stepped out of the flames. No, not people. Humanoids clothed in fire. Fire Demons, she remembered from Loki's lessons. Their king stood out with his large horns and skin that looked like cooling lava. He'd been the one to speak.

Uncertain of what to do, she bowed and said, "Forgive me, King Surtur, if I'm trespassing. I'm looking for a friend, but now that I know he's not here, I will leave you in peace."

She deactivated the locator device and placed it in her backpack with a heart that pounded against her ribs like a sledgehammer.

"I am curious," he said. "Tell me of your quest."

Her legs trembled with the desire to flee. "I would be happy to oblige, but I must return to my realm."

To her surprise, he nodded. "Come back, then. Or we will come to you."

She swallowed and pressed the button on her necklace.

oOoOo

Day 19

Jane looked around at all of the red dots on her galaxy map. There were many, but nothing compared to the ones not yet explored. With over a hundred billion planets, there was just not enough time to visit each one.

She swished her hands like an impassioned conductor to move through the profusion of star systems and interstellar medium, the spiral arms and quadrants of their galaxy, to even the center. On and on she went until the overhead lights brightened and Erik interrupted her focus.

"It's three in the morning, Jane. You're no good to Loki if you run yourself into the ground."

She plopped in her chair and fiddled with the brooch. "I feel like I'm missing the most important puzzle piece."

He sighed and sat next to her. "If there is anyone who can figure this out, it's you."

Hating the doubt creeping through her hope like a poisonous snake, she changed the subject. "When will the bridge be free?"

"Fury needs it this morning for an operation."

Her hands clenched into fists. "They're using too much of the exotic matter."

"You'll need to replenish it soon." He smoothed out her curled fingers and gave them a kiss. "If I could take this pain for you, I would."

Tears fell from her eyes as she leaned into his waiting arms for a hug that made her feel two years old again.

oOoOo

Day 20

"Besides the sleep deprivation and slight malnutrition, you're as well as you can be," Bruce said while sitting next to her on the examination bench.

Waiting for the lecture, she looked at him with a raised brow.

He lifted his open hands. "I'm not going to tell you what to do. That's Selvig's job."

She huffed in agreement. "How much longer do I have before my body rebels?"

"A couple weeks. Tops." He watched her for a moment. "What is it about Loki that pushes you to the brink?"

Her gaze bounced around the room as she searched for an answer. "We both want to see what's beyond our eyes, to understand the mysteries of the Universe. Besides that, his drive and stubbornness equals mine."

Facing him, she added, "If I were to stand in front of one of those warped and muddled antique mirrors, I wouldn't see myself staring back. It would be Loki."

He smiled and slid off the table to clean up his office. Just as she was about to leave him to his work, he asked, "Didn't you say he used to go to you in your dreams?"

She nodded. "He taught me pretty much everything I know. The reason we handled the Convergence as well as we did was because of his lessons."

She laughed as she recalled her past. "Apparently, I would speak Old Norse to him in my sleep and several people had found out. So, naturally, the news spread and people used to say I had a demon in me. It didn't help that I knew things no one had taught me. When Loki had found out, he just scoffed in that supercilious manner of his." She imitated it and he chuckled.

"Then he told me of a real demon possession story," Jane continued. "There was this Asgardian magi who yearned to be greater than his natural talent allowed. He had used a forbidden spell to pull the spirit of another more powerful magi into him. The two ended up in a constant battle for dominance over his body, and the final straw had been when the spirit made him kill his family during one of his blackouts—" Realizing it was a rather depressing tale and one that related too closely to Bruce's situation, she stopped talking.

"What happened?" he asked. "Did he get control over himself?"

She shook her head. "The only way to protect those closest to him was to take the spirit where he'd never be able to get back to civilization."

The answer to Loki's whereabouts struck her hard enough to make her jump off the table and stand dumbstruck.

"Jane? What is it?"

"The magi took the spirit to the end of the World Tree," she answered. "Loki took Doom to beyond our galaxy into empty space."

oOoOo

Day 21

Jane hooked the brooch onto her chest and stepped into the lower half of the spacesuit. A NASA attendant helped fasten everything together to make sure she was secure.

Tony handed her the newly designed locator device and spoke into their headsets. "I reconfigured it to withstand the extreme cold."

She nodded and the attendant hooked it around her forearm. Jane tested her glove against the screen.

"I already thought of that," Tony said. "Everything will work. Trust me."

"I do. More than you know."

She turned to the landing pad and found Erik waiting for her.

"Thor said the amulet won't protect you from everything," he reminded her. "If something goes wrong, you get back here. I don't care if Loki is inches away." He grabbed her helmet and stared her in the eyes. "You come back home."

"I've been to some pretty inhospitable worlds with hardly any atmosphere and survived. I'm sure I'll be fine."

He gave her the look of a parent not to be defied.

She hugged him the best she could in the awkward suit, and then shooed him away from the teleportation zone.

Fury did the countdown, and she pressed the remote access on one.

Opening her eyes to nothing, along with the feeling of floating with no orientation, was more unsettling than she'd imagined. Her breaths came in faster than her suit preferred, and she was sweating too much. She turned on her lamps, but that only illuminated a sliver of space around her. The blackness felt like walls pressing against her, crushing her.

She blinked and did her best to focus on the locator device, but the buttons swirled together, making her dizzy. Her heart thumped off rhythm in her ears as she tried to suck in more oxygen. There wasn't enough though. Something was wrong with her suit.

She pushed the remote access button and fell to the floor of the teleportation room, struggling to free herself of the suffocating helmet.

"Jane," Eric yelled into her headset.

People hurried to help remove her equipment as she tugged at the fastenings that might as well have been a jigsaw puzzle from hell. Dark spots dappled her vision. A scream coiled in her throat like a fist, threatening to break free of her sanity's remaining tethers.

Her helmet came off with a hiss, and fresh, familiar air rushed over her. She gasped for a breath that would settle her nerves, but none came.

"What happened out there?" Tony asked. "We lost contact with you."

She shook her head.

Erik dropped to his knees and took her face in his hands. He instructed her to breathe with him. His nostrils flared as he inhaled and his exhalation cooled her feverish skin.

When her heart settled and the fist in her throat uncoiled, tears stung her eyes. "I can't do it."

"What do you mean?"

She scrambled to her feet, ready to bolt out the door. "I can't do it. I failed him."


Author's Note: Poor Jane. Just when she thought she'd be successful.

Just one more chapter left!

Thanks for reading and commenting, favoriting, and following. I'm always excited to find an email notification in my inbox. My sister really helped to clarify some parts of this chapter, so an extra giant thanks to her. Also, if you noticed any improvement in my grammar, it's because of what I've learned from Mercury97 as we go through Natural Selection. So a thanks is owed to her too!

FYI, I will continue Truth and Lies. I was hoping to be finished with the next chapter to post on my Friday deadline, but it's monster-sized, so I need more time. So far, it looks like there will be at least three chapters. And I have another Jane/Bucky one shot idea for my Jane-centric collection. I'm starting to drown in stores. Lol

Up Next: Jane POV