Toni let out a yawn as she walked into the kitchen, she could hear the crackling of eggs frying in a pan as she brought her hand up to rub her eyes. She walked over to the stove and wrapped her arms around the waist of the one cooking.
"I thought you were going to sleep in" Toni said as she rested her head on his upper back, the height advantage displayed in full as she could feel him let out a breath from his nose.
"I was going to, but Foggy called. We've got a client who wants to go over some details of her upcoming case, so we're going to meet her at the office. Also weren't you supposed to be meeting Peter at his apartment?" Matt asked as Toni let out a hum of agreement, her eyes still closed as she was fighting the urge to go back to bed.
"Yeah, we're going to go over some ideas he had for web shooter upgrades and go back to SI later to do some prototype tests" Toni said as Matt moved from the stove, bringing the eggs over to two plates which had an assortment of food already prepared. Toni not releasing his waist as he did before Matt moved to put the pan into the sink.
Finally releasing her hold Toni was greeted with the sight of Matt's front, he unlike her was shirtless and only wearing his pyjama pants. While she was wearing an oversized shirt of his which went down below her waist, disguising the fact she was still wearing her panties.
Matt passed Toni her plate as the two sat down at the countertop and began eating. Toni letting out an appreciated moan.
It had to be Matt's super senses at work as he had proven time and time again that he would cook food to the perfect degree and temperature.
"So" Toni said after she finished a bite of toast. "Care to join me for a shower after breakfast?"
"You're insatiable, you know that?" Matt said, though Toni could see the grin beginning to form on his face.
"Mr Murdock, are you accusing me of anything untoward?" Toni asked the older man with mock outrage before she couldn't suppress her own grin.
"You know shower sex isn't as sexy as people think. And presents logistical issues as well as the fact we need to shower again afterwards. People still sweat and get dirty, they never tell you that" Matt replied as Toni rolled her eyes.
"So we retire to your bedroom for another round and then shower"
Matt let out a short laugh as he shook his head before running a hand through his auburn hair.
"You're still going to come onto me in the shower, aren't you?"
"There is a high probability of that, yes"
Toni dried her damp hair as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror. It was beginning to grow dark as the evening drew on and she was going to be driving Jane and Erik out to the desert to the sight Jane had been gathering her atmospheric data.
After making sure her hair was mostly dry, she tossed her towel into the clothes hamper and turned back to the mirror, taking note of her uncovered Arc Reactor. Tracing her finger along it momentarily before grabbing the hidden can of synthetic skin solution in the fake deodorant can and applying it to her chest, covering the Arc and ensuring its secrecy. Placing the can back in her toiletry bag, she quickly made her way back to her room and put on her jacket and grabbed one of her bags, making sure to pack her taser.
Just because they were going out to the desert, didn't mean she wasn't going to take precautions.
She was the first to get to Jane's campervan, which had been modified and decked out with her tech in order to be used for detecting and analysing the anomalies they'd been studying. A few minutes later she was joined by Jane and Erik, picking up the tail end of their conversation.
"-Trust me, you'll see Erik" Jane said as she got into the passenger seat, Erik climbing into the back.
"Ok, let's go" Jane said as she buckled herself in.
"Sure thing" Toni said as she started the engine and began to drive away from the lab.
"Oh and if anyone's hungry I thought ahead, there's snacks in the back"
Two hours
It had been two hours since they'd arrived at the sight and so far, next to nothing had happened. No occurrences out of the ordinary and nothing of note happening at all, Toni had gotten used to spending time out here with Jane, but even she was beginning to get bored.
Jane and Erik had hopped up to the roof as Jane was using her atmospheric scanner for the third time tonight.
"Can I turn on the radio?" Toni asked, turning back towards them.
"No," Jane replied, causing Toni to roll her eyes.
A little music wouldn't hurt. She'd done some of her best work while having a number of her playlists playing in the background.
"Jane, you can't keep doing this" Selvig said as Toni heard Jane come back down into the van.
"The last seventeen occurrences have been predictable to the second!" she replied as she was flipping through her notes.
"Jane, you're an astrophysicist not a storm chaser"
"I'm telling you, there's a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research. Erik I would have asked you to fly out here if I wasn't absolutely sure" Jane argued as Toni glanced out the window, as she did her attention was captured by a strange sight in the sky.
Narrowing her eyes she tried to discern what it was, it didn't look like what they'd seen before or managed to photograph.
"Jane?…I think you want to see this" Toni said glancing back at her
"What is that?" Jane questioned, confusion similar to Toni's evident in her tone as she got up and looked out the top of the campervan once again, Selvig joining her.
Toni was about to join them when she heard Jane's voice call out to her, excitement and urgency filled her voice.
"Go!"
Hastily putting the van in drive, Toni turned the headlights back on as she pressed down on the accelerator, turning around and heading towards the anomaly. The lack of any other vehicles didn't present as many obstacles as did the bumpy and uneven ground they were on as Toni was jostled and bumping around in her seat as they went over several holes and raised dirt mounds, all the while maintaining an increasing speed.
"Get closer" Jane ordered as she peered out the passenger seat window, recording what she saw.
"Right, good one" Toni shot back sarcastically, as if they weren't already heading towards the anomaly.
Toni looked ahead with caution, the anomaly seemingly shifting from an aurora like display in the sky into a descending tunnel of sorts, the dust and dirt from the ground flaring up as it travelled closer to the ground.
She heard Jane letting out an excited laugh at her side, which cut off as the tunnel-like sight hit the ground, letting out a pulse and shockwave which kicked up dust and the earth as Toni's eyes widened.
It was too dark to make out completely, accompanied by the amount of dust that was spit up, but she'd seen similar phenomena before.
Not phenomena, but portals, tunnels and transportation like effects from tech, magic, or empowered individuals.
The last time she'd seen it had been when Thanos had attacked…
Squeezing her eyes shut for only a moment, she shook her head to clear those thoughts.
Thinking fast Toni did the most sensible thing she could think of at that moment, she turned the van to the left to avoid driving directly into it.
"What are you doing?!" Jane exclaimed.
"I am not dying for six college credits!" Toni exclaimed back at her.
Though in reality she couldn't care less about the credits, whatever this was, whatever was causing it, whoever was on the other side could be dangerous, and could present a threat she was currently in no condition to face, let alone protect the other two from.
Though Jane, stubborn and as driven as ever, had to reach over and fight her for control of the steering wheel, causing the van to jolt and swerve as they continued towards the tunnel.
Toni tried to jerk back control of the wheel, lighting and bright lights filling the sky as they drove further into it before the sight of a lone figure ahead caused both women to let out sudden shouts, Toni slamming down the break as she tried to move out of the way only for the person to slam into the side window and to the ground as the van continued its course before coming to stop.
For a moment no one moved, the sound of three pairs of heavy breathing filling the interior of the van before Jane looked at Toni in shock before wordlessly all three of them began to exit the vehicle, grabbing flashlights as they did.
Toni briefly realized the anomaly had completely ceased before noticing the downed body on the ground, unable to make them out completely from her spot.
"I think that was legally your fault" Toni said, trying to alleviate the situation as well as calm herself as her heart was beating wildly in her chest. The fear that spread through her at the sight of that tunnel-like sight still filled her, not to mention the fact whoever they'd hit could have come from it.
Why else would they be out in the middle of nowhere this late at night, it wasn't an ideal location for a nightly jog.
"Get the first aid kit!" Jane said as she leaned down to the figure.
Toni did so, quickly grabbing it from the van and heading back. However as she did, her pace slowed as she saw the large ornate circle on the ground as well as the familiar looking symbols that composed it.
As well as the blonde haired man now more clearly in sight due to their lights and her closer proximity.
"Thor…" Toni whispered to herself quietly, her eyes widening at the sight of the familiar looking man.
He wasn't dressed in his armor but was wearing what looked like a form of under armor clothing that was put on first, she'd seen him dressed in similar outfits before and after battle on her Earth. He was looking at Jane and Toni could clearly see he was dazed and confused.
The tunnel they'd seen was now beginning to make more sense to her as she saw Thor roll back onto the ground, exhaustion clear from his features.
"Where did he come from?" Jane asked looking around, before Thor suddenly pushed himself back up, or at least tried to as it first resulted in him stumbling about.
"Hammer…" he called out, his tone the same deep and booming once she had become used to in the past, albeit not so filled with fatigue and confusion.
"Hammer!?" he called out louder.
Despite the situation Darcy could help but scoff.
"Dude, you sound hammered" she said as Thor began to wander around the circle that was on the ground, one Toni knew was connected to Bifrost travel.
She'd paid for several repairs to the city's sidewalks and streets due to Thor's sudden appearances and departures in the past. It got to the point where Toni had allocated a spot on Stark Tower's roof and balcony specifically for his traversal.
"Oh my god Erik, look at this!" Jane said as she took in the sight of the Bifrost markings. "We have to move quickly before this all changes"
As Jane spoke to her mentor, Darcy was more concerned with the still disoriented Thor, making her way towards him slowly.
"Jane, we have to take him to the hospital," Erik said as he looked at Thor who was calling out into the sky for his father.
"He's fine, look at him" Jane said, barely looking at Thor before turning back to the markings, becoming absorbed into the fascination of it.
"Heimdall! I know you can hear me! Open the Bifrost!" Thor exclaimed at the sky.
"Hospital. You go, I'll stay" Jane said, now looking at him with more attention as Erik looked on in confusion and concern.
"Hey, are you ok?" Toni asked as she got closer to him, though it was clear something was going on.
"You. What realm is this?" Thor asked, turning to her as she took a step back
This Thor was obviously dazed and confused and there was clearly a story here, but despite Toni's elation at seeing a version of her old teammate, there was weariness and caution in her stance.
"Alfheim? Nornheim?" he questioned, taking several steps towards Toni and on instinct causing her to reach for her taser.
"New Mexico" she said firmly, holding her taser at the ready but not completely raising it at Thor.
"You dare threaten me. Thor with so puny a weapon?" Thor said, narrowing his eyes into a scowl before taking another step towards Toni belligerently.
Which was the last step he took as she took the action and expression as threatening and let loose her taser, for a second forgetting who she was aiming it at. However to her surprise the taser did its job, sending volts of electricity into the God of Thunder and causing his body to spasm and seize up before falling to the ground.
For a moment Toni was in shock staring at his body lying in the dirt before noticing Jane and Erik looking at her with similar looks of shock.
"...What!? He was freaking me out?! A guy his size coming towards me like that, what did you think I was going to do" Toni defended herself.
After several minutes of composing themselves, as well as checking to see if Thor was ok, which he was apart from being unconscious. They managed to get him into the back of the van, which had been accomplished by both Toni and Erik manoeuvring his lumbering and heavy form into the back and unceremoniously dumping him in. Toni had helped, but Erik had shouldered the brunt of his weight and was clearly not used to doing such heavy lifting.
"Next time you decide to taser somebody, make sure he's already in the car, okay?"
Toni nodded lightly while thinking there was a fat chance of Thor even being offered a ride given the fact he tried to walk up on her like that.
"Jane! Come on" Erik called out to her, Toni saw the Astrophysicist still examining the markings on the ground before running back over and shutting the back of the van.
Toni sat back behind the wheel and the other two got in, Jane back in the passenger seat, while Erik sat in the back with their now unconscious fourth passenger. As she began driving off, her mind wandered what they were going to do now, as well as how to proceed with Thor finally appearing on Earth, which had been an unexpected occurrence Toni hadn't seen coming.
She knew Jane back in her world had been with Thor and they had a connection, as well as their obvious romance. Perhaps this meeting was meant to happen, if you subscribed to the whole fate and destiny shtick, which Tony was undecided on, the idea of some grand pre-decided force manoeuvring people and events, or the idea of things happening for a reason still held an abstract meaning to her.
But at the same time, her life had been full of events that seemed to be too great of a coincidence for there to not be some meaning behind them.
As she pondered over the subject, she thought she saw a brief flash of something in the mirror of the van, but when she focussed her attention there she saw nothing. It may have been a trick of the light, but almost looked for a moment like there was a shooting star.
