Chapter Ten

Rebekah leaned over the back seat of the car, much to her surprise Loki was a very good driver, much better than Thor. She frowned when she saw that Loki continued driving even though there was a big UNDER CONSTRUCTION sign.

"Are you blind?" Rebekah hissed in his ear. "We can't pass through, you'll get ourselves killed."

Loki didn't bother responding.

Rebekah opened her mouth again to protest, but this time Katherine responded. "Relax, Loki knows what he's doing."

Rebekah scowled. "Does he?"

"There are other ways to get to different places without Heimdall," Thor continued when he looked at Rebekah's confused face. "He's out gatekeeper and the only one that can take us in or out of our world."

Rebekah didn't look convince, but didn't even bother to argue as she shut her eyes tightly, silently thankful that she wouldn't die if Loki was stupid enough to crash the car.

"Rebekah, you can breathe now, we're here." Katherine said flatly, amused at the way that Rebekah was shutting her eyes tightly. Katherine opened the door and closed it firmly.

Rebekah opened her blue eyes. "This is Vanaheim?" It looked like a pretty big terrain, though not too big and Rebekah was disappointed to see that it was covered in rocks and shrubs. She didn't know why, but she had been expecting some mythical place like in the Disney movie Hercules, but it reminded Rebekah more of the bayou back in New Orleans. "My backyard has more grass. Are we on earth? How did we get here?"

Loki looked annoyed at her questions. "Are you always this . . . talkative?"

"No," Rebekah shot back. "Are you always this moody and self-absorb?"

For some reason, that seemed to soften Loki up, he smirked. "It's in my nature. Heimdall isn't the only way to get to places, there are several different ways to get into other worlds. This one is not well known. Yes, this is Vanaheim, but the place that we are looking for is still a day or two day journey away."

Rebekah gaped. "We have to walk there? Why can't we just take the car or can't you poof us away?"

"The sorceress and sorcerers that live here aren't too fond of Asgardians using magic in their realm," Katherine groaned as she tightened the blanket around her body. "And I rather not piss them off and then ask them for a favor. So suck it up, you want to find the fountain don't you?"

"Of course I do," Rebekah said defensively.

"Then we better start our journey," Thor said dropping the keys of the car on the floor. "We won't be able to use the automobile, the terrain is too rough."

"Here is everything I found about Loki and Thor' sister," Tony said lazily at their next SHIELD meeting. Steve, Natasha, Bruce, and Clint looked up curiously at the mention of their former teammate and nemesis.

Fury looked at the papers and then a second later he dropped them on the table. "Stark, this isn't research you printed this out of Wikipedia. I told you to research the book."

"The book is full of lies." Tony protested. "Besides the book is like a million pages long and Wikipedia has the right information-most of the time anyway."

"Stark," Steve scolded. "This is serious, we finally have information beforehand of who we are up against and you are fooling around!"

"I don't see you doing anything, Rogers!"

"Can't we just ask, Jarvis?" Bruce said tired of all the fighting. "I mean he is still programmed at SHIELD right?"

"That is correct, Dr. Banner," Jarvis replied. "Sir?"

Tony leaned back in his chair. "Help yourself."

A few minutes later, Jarvis spoke again. "According to Norse Mythology, Frigga and Odin had a daughter born centuries after Thor and Loki's adoption. The name is Katerina, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. It says that Odin banished her to earth as punishment."

Clint blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it, Mr. Barton."

Tony snorted. "Glad we didn't miss that important revelation, Fury."

Fury gave a frustrated sigh. "Be quiet, Stark you're the reason we are researching this, half blind. Romanoff, have there been any unusual occurrences in the past forty eight hours?"

Natasha shook her head. "None sir, but if there are any I'll inform you immediately," she looked at the screen again. "Though, I must admit I am bit surprise that Thor and Loki have put apart their differences after New York."

Tony smirked. "You know what they say behind every villain, there is a heart made of gooey marshmallow."

Rebekah walked over and sat on the floor, she gave a nervous smile in Thor's direction, the warm heat touching her face. "Hey."

Thor smiled. "Hello, Lady Rebekah." He glance back and saw that his siblings were fast asleep while he took over the first watch, "It is not necessary for you to stay here, I can manage by myself. Go back to sleep."

"I'm a vampire, I don't need that much sleep, I rather stay here," she said quickly. "If you don't mind."

"Of course not. I would enjoy the company."

"Well, at least you have manners, your younger siblings could use some." Rebekah hesitated before asking Thor the question she had been dying to ask. "Thor, do you know the things that Katherine has done as a vampire?"

He nodded, "Heimdall, has told me through the years, though I don't find it hard to believe. Katerina has always been cunning and eager to get her way. It doesn't surprise me in the least what she has done. Katerina has the ability to be cruel and heartless."

"She says she has done everything to survive." Rebekah continued as she looked into the fire. "And I can't believe, I'm saying this, but she is truly a survivor, though frankly I think she enjoys the game."

"Yes, my sister rarely does something without a purpose or an audience," he gave a nervous chuckle. "That is the problem with us gods, we are vain and proud, we want to be adored, but at the same time feared and loved."

Rebekah gave a small smile as she grasped her fingers together. "Just like vampires. Why do you defend her so much? Most wouldn't."

Thor looked at her. "Because she is my sister, she could kill a thousand men and she would still be my sister, Lady Rebekah. My siblings and I have each done our share of terrible things and it would be hypocritical of me to turn my back on either of them, we grew up together. They're my family."

"Even Loki?" she raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't exactly seem to be enjoying this family outing."

Thor sighed. "Things with Loki are complicated. Our entire family is complicated. But yes, I still consider him by brother, it's hard not to after centuries." He looked at his sleeping siblings. "Katerina and Loki are two of the most difficult people to love."

Rebekah stuffed her hands in the pockets of her sweater. "Was Katherine always like this? Even back in 1492, there was something I couldn't trust about her."

Thor paused. "She has always been vain and stubborn and controlling ever since we were young. But two thousand years is a long time, Lady Rebekah and I'm afraid time and situations change people, not for the better in Katerina's case I'm afraid," he looked back at her. "But as stupid as it may sound, the time that we spend in that hotel arguing has been the first time in centuries we have actually talked to each other, it reminded me of how things used to be."

"You were arguing."

"Yes, but arguing is a welcome change after everything that has happened," he turned off the fire. "Don't you agree?"

-End of Chapter Ten-