Thanks to all who read the first chapter! Please leave reviews! I will write faster if someone is waiting to read more- otherwise I'm gonna write at my own pace...which might be very slow. Anyhow I'll try to post a new chapter every few days, at least until I run out of inspiration! So let me know how you like it- now without further ado, here's the fabulous chapter two!
The swirling motifs of Asgard still sizzled, burning deep troughs into the ground as the brilliant multicoloured light of the bifrost faded and the forest came into view. Thor stood in the dazzling sunlight as he took in his surroundings. A shadowed forest materialized around him, ringed with shadows and alive with rippling patches of light. Wielding Mjolnir and his battle armour, Thor turned his gaze to the sky, but even the great blue giant held no sign of Midgard life.
"Jane?" He bellowed to the empty air. Usually she watched the skies with her Midgard space equipment, and was never far from where he landed after disembarking the bifrost, but today the forested hillside on which he had arrived seemed empty even of wildlife.
Of course, Thor had not made contact with Jane since the Avengers' fight against Ultron multiple moons ago, and perhaps she was bitter after his failed promise to remain on Earth and stay by her side...but despite the high possibility of reprimand Thor desperately endeavoured to find her.
Thor began to tread through the forest purposefully. A secret cargo pressed importantly against his chest, meticulously hidden in the folds of his robes. Birds sprang forth reeling battle cries as they burst from the undergrowth. As he walked Thor swatted away all manner of bugs, who seemed especially interested in his godly blood. Soon he arrived at a dusty dirt road, where he stood rooted to the ground for a while, unsure what to do next. Eventually the need to do something became unbearable, and he once again set off walking, down the road this time.
The stupor of Thor's confusion at the lack of greeting prevented him from recognizing a car quickly approaching behind him, and the driver swerved dramatically to narrowly avoid rear-ending the lonely Avenger. Aghast, Thor turned toward the auto, and was shocked to watch Dr. Erik Selvig emerge from an opening in its sleek side.
"'Bin looking for you a long while, Thor. Welcome back to Earth!" The scientist stammered, rushing over to Thor's side. "Pepper Potts searches for word of your whereabouts on behalf of Tony Stark."
Thor's crinkled eyebrows and firm gaze mirrored the confusion which toiled his inner thoughts. "I have no desire to see Iron Man. It is Jane Foster I seek."
Dr. Selvig appeared unconcerned. "She will meet up with us. Stark has everything under control." He stepped back toward his car and gestured for the god of thunder to follow.
Hesitantly, Thor followed Selvig and entered the automobile. The scientist immediately put his foot to the pedal, and wheeled off briskly, sending up a harsh spray of dust behind the vehicle.
"Where have I landed, Midgardian? How is it you came to find me?"
Dr. Selvig shrugged. "We're in New York State. Jane has been working on events of international importance, so she lent me her equipment a few weeks ago on the pretext that I would watch for you." He quipped as the dirt road branched off into two larger paved ones. The ground immediately rumbled more smoothly underneath as the car entered more familiar turf.
Thor listened on, still baffled as to how the scientist had located his exact landing spot. Midgard was not a small planet, after all.
Erik continued, gazing over the car's leather steering wheel. "I noticed a surge in atmospheric activity about an hour from my New York lab, and I drove out on a whim. Lucky enough, the disturbance was not merely an incident of freak meteorological happening, but the arrival of one of Earth's mightiest heroes! Lucky it was I who stumbled upon that dirt path and not those darned federal agents." He rambled as the car turned swiftly into a skinny driveway with a rusted old sign bearing the number 66.
"Where is it you're taking me?" Thor wondered aloud as they bumped noisily along the rough trail.
"Avengers headquarters, of course! Don't you recognize the ultra ordinary entrance?"
Thor shook his head. "Last time we entered on one of Stark's private flying machines."
Dr. Selvig nodded his understanding before stopping the car. Barely detectable red lasers scanned the car and its occupants, and Thor was unable to control his flinch when the miniscule beams touched his skin. "Such strange things the Stark man dreams up." He mumbled almost incoherently.
"This is nothing. Just a security precaution." Erik answered amiably. The guard lasers emitted a tiny ding, and the driving resumed. The time it took to reach the end of the road seemed to be an eternity, but eventually the forest opened up before them, and the new Avengers HQ loomed ahead.
Most of the expansive structure remained as it had moons ago after the battle with Ultron, but a new wing had grown from the furthest end of the building. The new section jutted out like an arm with a many-sided shape stuck on the end. In contrast to the sleek abundance of glass that was the original headquarters, the new addition appeared durable and rugged, of thicker battle-ready materials. Thor didn't know what to make of the expansion, and didn't have time to think about it, before Tony Stark himself drove up before him on the back of a shiny red ATV.
"Thor, my godly friend. Welcome to the new, improved Avengers headquarters." Tony proclaimed, stretching his arms wide as if preparing for embrace. Thor exited the auto, and Selvig bid Tony a wave and Thor a quick farewell before driving off.
At that instant, a blue ATV pulled up behind Tony's vehicle, carrying the weight of Steve Rodgers atop its metal hide.
"Careful, Stark. You'll scare him away with a needy stance like that." Steve added calmly, dismounting his ride.
"I'm just trying to lighten the mood, Cap." Tony muttered, sliding on a pair of shiny red sunglasses.
Thor emitted a small chuckle. "It's good to see both of you. Now, if it isn't of trouble, when can I see Jane?"
"Your dearly beloved, whom we are all so anxious to meet, approaches by helicopter as we speak. Arrival in..." Tony paused to glance at his high-tech watch. "One hour fourteen minutes."
Steve shot Tony a quizzical look, but shrugged. "Perhaps you should honour Thor with a tour, and a change of attire." He suggested.
"You are displeased with my Asgardian battle armour. Are you jealous of its weight and lustre?" Thor stated with a smirk.
"Not at all, buddy." Steve replied, giving Thor a pat on the back. "It looks uncomfortable, is all."
"Not the case, brother. You see, it is lined with-"
Tony interrupted."Not the time boys, time for Thor's tour of my latest project."
Moments later, Tony and Steve led Thor through the sliding glass doors of the main headquarters. Inside the mammoth building, formally clad agents whisked about their business, mingling and paying little attention to the three Avengers in their midst. Occasionally an agent approached Tony with a proposal or stack of papers, but the billionaire waved them all away. Finally, after passing through many corridors and atriums, a long hallway ended with two women at a desk, a complicated control board filling the wall behind them. To their left, an industrial space-age style door reached to the ceiling.
"Welcome back, Mr. Stark." Chirped the woman on the left.
"And to Thor and Mr. Rodgers." Added her companion.
"Thank you Denise-and Ruby." Tony said, nodding at each woman in turn. Suddenly he paused mid-walk, turning back to face them. "Did you remember to order the pierogies for tonight? Costco size?" He questioned quickly.
"Of course, Mr. Stark. Will that be all?"
"Yep. Thanks Denise. I haven't forgotten about the Peruvian Inca Orchid Dog." Tony added with a point of his finger.
Thor once again felt the clutches of curiosity but decided not to ask. Steve apparently thought nothing of Tony's strange requests, because he said nothing either.
Tony Stark proceeded to the giant door, and pressed his thumb to the keypad on its right side. Immediately the thick doors sprang open with the sharp hiss of pneumatics, and another hallway, more tastefully decorated, appeared beyond.
"This shall be our new home." Tony exclaimed proudly.