Chapter Two

As Ellie turned towards the front door, she saw the front blinds slide back into place.

"Oh God." She mumbled.

Bill would be inside waiting for her. She knew he saw her walk up with a man and he would have plenty to say about it. Where else could she go? The list was very short and she had no way of getting there. Going in was her only option.

Ellie shut the door quietly behind her hoping to avoid a confrontation. She started to walk towards her bedroom and was stopped short by a large hand on her shoulder.

"Where the hell have you been?" Bill grumbled. He was obviously drunk as usual.

"I was studying at the diner." She hung her head and replied.

"Well then who the hell was that man you were with?"

"He just walked me home."

"I've never seen him before. Who is he?" he asked irritated.

"I don't know his name," Ellie said cringing know what would come next.

"You walked home with a stranger and didn't even ask him his name. What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you were smarter than that?"

"Cody stopped me on my way home. He wanted me to go with him and I refused. He didn't want to take no for an answer and that man intervened. He walked me home in case Cody showed up again." Ellie explained.

"Some man helped you and then didn't tell you his name? You're a liar." Bill said getting angry.

"Why would I lie?" Ellie asked confused.

"Because you're a whore. You know that man and you just don't want to admit it. You were a whore in high school. Why would that change? Your just like your mother!" Bill said starting to get loud.

Ellie was taken aback by that. She was used to him saying all kinds of mean things about her but Bill had never said a bad word about her mother before. What had changed to make him say that now? She looked at Bill with shock and didn't know how to respond.

"You were off somewhere doing nasty things with that man weren't you? You little slut!" Bill pulled his arm back and hit Ellie hard across her face.

….

Heimdall, the watcher of Asgard, stood at his post and watched the happenings down on earth. He watched Thor finding love with the woman Jane. Thor was lied to by his brother Loki about their father's death, but he was learning the kind of man he should be. Jane was becoming a good influence on him and Thor began to think before he acted. What surprised Heimdall was that Loki himself was keeping an eye on Thor. Loki would leave his throne and come down to earth, not just watch him with his magic abilities.

Heimdall knew how much Loki was jealous of his brother because of the big shadow Thor could cast. But Heimdall saw how Loki was following in Thor's footsteps even though Loki could not see it yet. The young woman was changing Loki's life even though neither knew how much both of their lives would be impacted.

…..

Jane was sitting on the roof of her lab having a bonfire with Thor and discussing more about the nine realms and the way the bifrost worked to travel between these worlds.

"So you travel instantly from one place to another?" Jane asked.

"Almost. There is a bit of time to travel. It is not long, yet it is a thrill." Thor replied.

He leaned forward to grab Jane's hand. They looked each other in the eyes for a few moments till Thor pulled away and stood up quickly.

"What's the matter?" Jane asked a little stunned.

"Did you not hear that?" Thor said as he looked around.

He strode over to the edge of the roof and looked down. There was a young girl sitting on the curb across the street. Her forehead was resting on her knees and he could see her body shaking from the sobs that had alerted him to her presence.

"Jane. I think you need to see this."

Jane stood and walked over to Thor's side. He placed his hands around her waist to steady her as she stood at the edge of the roof.

"Oh my god, Ellie!" Jane exclaimed as she turned to go down the stairs.

Thor followed on her heels as Jane cautiously approached Ellie who shivered on the curb. A big duffle bag and a smaller backpack were thrown in a pile a few feet away from her.

"Ellie?" Jane said quietly. "Are you alright?"

"No." came Ellie's muffled voice from between her knees.

"Do you require some assistance?" Thor asked.

Ellie flinched at his deep voice. Jane put her palm on Thor's chest to indicate he should stay in that spot, then Jane approached Ellie and slowly sat down next to her. Jane looked up at Thor and gently put her hand on Ellie's back. Within seconds Ellie slid into Jane's arms and cried.

"Is it your dad?" Jane asked.

Ellie nodded her head.

"Is he drunk again?"

Another nod.

"Did he kick you out?"

"No. I left. I couldn't stay there anymore. He called me names and…"

Thor saw Ellie look up at Jane and then quickly lower her head. There was a quick look of shock on Jane's face and she immediately hugged Ellie to her.

"Stay with me tonight. We will figure this out. Could you please grab her bags?" Jane motioned to Thor and he moved to pick up the girls things.

Without raising her head, Ellie walked with her face tucked into Jane's shoulder. The girls walked into Jane's trailer and Thor waited on the little couch while Ellie went into the little bedroom. A few moments later Jane walked out of the room with a sad look on her face. She walked to the freezer, reached inside, grabbed a towel and walked back into the room. Thor was now truly concerned with what had happened to the young girl.

"She's resting now. Let's give her some peace and quiet." Jane said as she walked back in the room and grabbed Thor's hand to pull him outside and back up to the fire.

"What is going on?" Thor asked along the way.

As they sat down by the fire Jane let out a deep breath. "She got into a fight with her father again."

With having just learned that his father passed away Thor thought of how he should have done things very differently in regards to his father.

"Well maybe she should be more respectful of her father."

Jane shook her head. "Her father doesn't deserve any respect in my opinion."