AN: Thank you so much for all the helpful reviews and the comments! It really helps me a lot! Sometimes between my beta and I, we don't know what would be best. Your comments help a lot, and are really appreciated! Hopefully, this chapter moves things along.

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I hope you enjoy this venture to the other characters, and thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated! :)


Chapter 30: Borrowed Time


Brown eyes traced the cascade of orange across the room. It looked like a small shooting star, its colors streaking as it was thrown to one of its owners, and Darcy couldn't help but smile. Though they spoke in a manner that reminded her of a bad period drama, they were somehow different from the others—their laughter and smiles a breath of fresh air in the smog that surrounded them. They had, in their short time on Earth, become some of her best friends.

It wasn't a surprise, really; she wasn't exactly like the others either. She was the college student surrounded by superheroes and geniuses—she got it. She was there to enter data and keep secrets, and it was really no surprise that the other Asgardians didn't trust her. In fact, behind the smiles, she was certain most of the Avengers didn't trust her.

Sometimes she wished she were like them; she would spend afternoons wondering what her code name would be, or what her uniform would look like. Sometimes she wished she had spent time majoring in science and not political science—she wished she could speak to Jane or Bruce without them consciously dumbing things down. But behind the dreams of what could have been, or the dreams of what would never be, she knew she had it all right.

She may not have been a master scientist or some assassin, but she could read people—she could see everything. Behind the grandiose powers and the Hawking-like intelligence, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" were some damaged people. In her sleepless wanderings, she would always see Stark tinkering in the lower labs—perfecting and creating new machines. Pepper had once told her he suffered from panic attacks—that even Iron Man was mortal.

Then there was Jane who, after breaking the Thunder God's heart, had barricaded herself in the lab doing physics problems and looking through telescopes in an attempt to avoid reality. Perhaps she would feel better if she saw how Thor looked at Sif…that it wasn't just her that had been living a lie. But Jane always had trouble seeing things that weren't lightyears away.

And that wasn't even the end of it; she would see Rogers leaving the tower daily to go to a nursing home—always with a handful of flowers, and always with a smile that had a frown behind it. Bruce kept pushing Kate away because he was afraid of himself, and Loki was too busy whining over how no one loved him to see that the Asgardian doctor did.

So, as Darcy smiled at the three men around her, she supposed she had it all right after all. Unlike the others, they didn't see her as useless—they didn't speak to her like she was some child. Hogun may not have ever said much, but she could see the smile in his eyes when she would tell a joke. And Volstagg? He was happy to find someone who didn't think his eating habits were repulsive—she had been to college…she had seen worse. And despite the constant attempt to get into her pants, Fandral was the most fun she had had in years.

So yeah—she had it pretty great.

"We learned a wicked trick." Fandral was telling her, his eyes bright with excitement, "Lady Darcy, prepare to be astounded."

Giving the orange stone to Hogun, Darcy watched as the warrior closed his eyes in concentration. There was a faint wash of light over him, and in its wake was a man looking far younger—the lines of age and the scars of war diminished. Hogun hadn't looked old before, but the man that was sitting before her had become younger before her very eyes. They had figured out their stone.

"Impressive, yes?" Fandral grinned, "We can also make Volstagg older, but I will spare you that image."

Laughing at the thought, Darcy noticed that the voices of the warriors lowered as the group saw Loki walk into the kitchen. As per usual, the man looked absolutely miserable and exhausted. She had only talked to him in passing, and each time he gave her short answers and a feeling like she was a waste of his time. Almost sensing her eyes upon the prince, Fandral gave her a smirk.

"Sadly, I do not believe this stone is strong enough to bring us back to a time when Loki's hair was an acceptable length."

Darcy tried—and failed—to contain a snort.

"I think it unwise to taunt an agent of chaos." Hogun muttered, offering them one of the few words he ever said, "He looks displeased."

"When isn't he?" Darcy questioned, perhaps still bold from alcohol of old, "The world is ending, perk up princess!"

As expected, the god narrowed his green eyes at her before pouring himself a drink and snapping the newspaper open. He had given her a look that looked positively terrifying, and yet she couldn't help but find him strangely attractive. There was something about how his long black hair looked perfectly unkempt, and how his green shirt was left loosely open that seemed just right. Asgard had truly perfected the art of genetics.

"Well, mark me down for scared and horn—"

"What is all this?" Heimdall interrupted, walking into the room with an authoritative air to him, "We have but hours and you lot would rather make jest."

Darcy noticed that his golden eyes had shifted towards Volstagg.

"And you have done nothing but eat." He added. "There will be plenty to eat in Valhalla."

Fandral had rolled his eyes.

"Calm down, Heimdall." He sighed, "We have been working hard."

"I will believe it when I see it." The gatekeeper said simply, narrowing his eyes, "Cheap tricks and time illusions will not win us Asgard."

Fandral had placed a hand on her arm and shook his head slightly.

"This is why we never invite him places." he joked, a spark of mischief in his eyes, "I am sure we have time, good Heimdall we—"

"You have a day."

Where there had once been a room filled with laughter, there was now a room filled with shocked silence. From across the room, Loki had lowered his paper and looked towards the gatekeeper with intense curiosity. In place of smiles, Darcy watched as the expressions on the Warriors Three turned to something close to disbelief. As for herself? She didn't know what to think.

"I can see them as clearly as I see you now." Heimdall explained softly, "We are outnumbered."

Fandral had now put on a brave face.

"We were outnumbered on Jotunheim." He remarked, "Everything was fine—"

"You returned impaled." Heimdall reminded sternly, "And you, Volstagg, came back with burns."

This time, Darcy noticed that a guilty look had washed over Loki's features.

"They will bring war here on the morrow." Heimdall repeated, "I pray you are ready by then."

"And what will you do, Heimdall?" Fandral asked seriously, "You have done naught but stand and watch. Your stone will do us little under your hand."

The smirk the gatekeeper gave spoke volumes.

"I think you will be saying differently tomorrow."

With that, the man with the golden eyes walked out of the room on a mission to, apparently, tell everyone else. In his place, Tony and Pepper had joined them—Tony making a beeline towards the alcohol.

"That guy gives me the creeps." Tony remarked, pouring himself a glass, "Every time I'm in the bathroom, I think he's watching."

Before Tony could lift the glass to his lips, Pepper replaced his alcohol with a cup of orange juice and sent him a chastising look.

"Do we really have a day?" Darcy asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "How do you say all you need to in a day?"

With that, the room had gone quiet once again. Maybe it was because she wasn't a superhero or a god—but the notion that her life could end tomorrow was a terrifying feeling. How could she tell her mom New York was going to fall again? How could she smile and pretend like everything was going to be all right?

"Don't worry, Darcy." Pepper smiled, putting a plate of pancakes in front of her, "Tony ran the data, and everything will be fine."

The man himself had placed a smile on his face.

"Pep's right." He said, his mouth filled with a donut, "No way we could lose."

And with that, Darcy could feel her smile returning and the anxiety passing. As a kid, she had seen Tony's face plastered across all the greatest journals and magazines. When she would turn on the television, he would always be there with the latest advancements in technology and weaponry. On lists of most influential people he always made the top—he was a hero and an inspiration.

He couldn't be wrong.


Letting out a breath, Thor cast his blue eyes over the shining hammer at his side. The weapon had seen many battles, and tomorrow would be no different—they would forge through droves of enemies, and call out lightening from the sky. It was his most trusted companion, an extension of himself, and he hoped that they faired well on the morrow.

Smiling a little to himself, Thor remembered when his father had first given it to him. He had been a boy still, but when his fingers had danced across the leather-laced hilt for the first time, he had felt invincible. He could remember feeling as though he could take on the universe and then some. But now…

Now he had never felt so weak; there were people that meant more than war glory. For the first time in so long, there were people that meant more to him than himself. Tomorrow he would not be fighting for glory, he would be fighting to protect those he couldn't live without…and the notion that he could fail was a sickening thought.

"You called for me, Milord?"

Shaking the thoughts from his head for a moment, the prince gave a warm smile to the woman outside his door. It was an odd sight, seeing his most trusted comrades playing the part of mortals, but the woman he had hailed still managed to retain a certain mystical quality. She and Heimdall had a hard time hiding.

"I pray you heard what tomorrow brings."

There was an obvious shift in her demeanor.

"Yes, Milord."

Looking towards his hands, Thor swallowed hard.

"How many people can you bring back?" he asked quietly, almost afraid that saying it too loudly would make it true, "Before you…"

"Five." She answered quickly, "More, if we were home."

Doing the numbers in his head, Thor could feel a chill run down his back. Heimdall had made it very clear that they were outnumbered, and the Avengers were all very mortal. Being trapped on Midgard was going to be their undoing—Eir could die saving them and then what? For the first time in a long time, he was feeling as though his time was waning. He was feeling very vulnerable.

"In the event that you can only save a few…" he started, "Save Sif. Do not waste your time on me."

The healer before him blinked a few times before casting her golden eyes towards the floor.

"You are the only true prince Asgard has left, Milord." She reminded carefully, "Tis my duty to protect you."

"Your duty is to obey me." Thor corrected, "I could not live with myself if I let Sif die."

Even the thought made him want to vomit. When he had been with Jane, he could not stop himself from comparing her to Sif. Jane was kind and loyal, but she was not the girl he had grown with—fought with. There was no vision more beautiful in the cosmos than her smile after a battle. The goddesses in their most elegant dresses and most beautiful hair did not compare to the glory that was Sif in the midst of war. She was a protector, a fighter, and there was no comparison. She was far more worthy of Eir's magic than he was.

"You love her."

Thor couldn't help but give a sad smile to the healer.

"I thought it was obvious." He remarked simply, "Perhaps t'was less so to myself, but now…"

Now he could not imagine a life without her.

"I will honor your word, Thor."

The handmaiden before him gave him a deep bow, the formality of the whole situation marred by their Midgardian surroundings. Smiling towards the woman, Thor motioned for her to stand up.

"My mother always spoke highly of you." Thor commented, "Of all her handmaidens, you were perhaps her most precious."

Eir gave him a bitter smile.

"I have gifts the others lack." She corrected, "Your mother kept power close."

Nodding slightly, Thor knew this wasn't wrong. His mother had goddesses that were sworn protectors—goddesses for love and travel and wisdom—and she kept the most powerful close.

"I am grateful she spared you." Thor remarked, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I am grateful you spared my brother."

The woman's golden eyes had left his own, their sight seemingly more interested on the ground.

"But that was not my order." he reminded quietly, "So I thank you."

There was a small smile on her face, but her eyes told a different story. He had know they had been good friends—he would often find his brother having words with the gifted healer in Asgard's many gardens. There were times he would find his brother with the grandest of smiles on his face—the goddess telling him of the many wonders of medicine. There had been whispers of course, but he had paid them no mind. Perhaps he should have.

"You love him."

The healer gave him a sad smile before giving him a final bow.

"I thought it was obvious."


Tony looked over the blueprints once again and smiled—they were as perfect as they could be. Most of the Asgardians had come to Earth with little more than Renaissance festival armor, and he needed them to have a little more protection if they were going to stand a chance. With the help of some new alloys and some lighter materials, he was certain the modifications would help their chances. Not that they really had any.

As much as he didn't want to lie, he knew he had to. Like the college girl had said, there was too much he had to say and a day wouldn't cut it. He couldn't tell Pepper that despite his efforts to keep her safe, he couldn't anymore. He couldn't tell her that this time, he might not make it out of a wormhole or out of alien grasps. He was a coward—Iron man or not, he knew he wasn't strong enough to tell her the truth.

"What are the real odds?"

Turning around, the man smiled when he was met with a pair of analytical green eyes. Loki was standing at the edge of the doorway, seemingly waiting for permission to come into the lab.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Loki let out a laugh.

"I am the God of Lies, Stark." He muttered, "I know a liar when I see one."

Smirking towards the god, Tony motioned him towards one of the many screens in his lab. As much as he didn't want to admit it, they needed Loki on their side—they needed his magic and his information. But from what he could tell, the man cared only about himself; he could see that it made the god visibly sick to even consider helping them—and Tony knew he needed to change that.

"I ran a calibration a while ago." Stark explained, switching the program on, "Even with Gods on our side, we lose."

Loki looked over the numbers critically.

"Well, tis because we are on Midgard." He remarked simply, "A war on Asgard would play differently. You mortals worshiped us as deities for a reason."

Tony raised an eyebrow towards the other man.

"There is something about Midgard…" Loki muttered, eyeing the numbers again, "I cannot explain it, but…"

"We are in better shape with you on our side." Tony interrupted , running an upgraded simulation, "If you want, I could make you some stronger armor and—"

"Do not waste your time." Loki spat, "The moment Thanos comes, I will be out of your hair."

Cursing mentally, Tony narrowed his eyes towards the distracted god. Loki didn't seem to realize that as much as it hurt now, watching the people he loved die was going to hurt worse. Loki didn't realize that there were things that were worse than Death—that Thanos and his threats didn't really compare to watching everyone around you fall. He had been there—and it wasn't nice. Still, despite his efforts—and Darcy's for that matter—the god still didn't think anyone cared. But thanks to the trickster's incurable curiosity, that was about to change.

"Hey Skrillex, mind watching over the lab for a second?" Tony asked quickly, "I forgot some things upstairs."

Tony should have expected the confused look he got in return.

"I throw you out a window, and you trust me with your war toys?" Loki asked stunned, "I thought you were a genius."

Tony couldn't hide his smirk.

"I am." He agreed, "I have made worse decisions, Antlers."

Not giving Loki a chance to turn down his request, Tony rushed out of his lab. In the corner of his eyes, he could still see the Asgardian pacing around the computers and papers. He couldn't have made the bait more obvious—he couldn't have laid out a more perfect package. And as he watched the man walk over to his computer and eye the complex screen, he knew this game was coming to a close. Finally, with the fateful click he had been hoping for, everything was about to change.

Game. Set. Match.


Thank you so much for reading! ありがとうございます!

Next chapter brings the ever anticipated fluff-so keep a look out!