Chapter 19: Ignorance is Arrogance

Jane and Thor were in the lab, recreating equipment that S.H.I.E.L.D. had stolen, while Erik was multitasking in the library for research purposes and reconnections to old friends. One student deserved a B+ for lending Erik a hand with Thor's fake ID—all the things Erik had done for the Foster family. Garrett and Darcy explored the town to do countless errands; some Jane had made up to keep them out longer.

"Screwdriver," Jane commanded.

Thor turned to see many tools lying on the table, unsure which one was which. Taking a guess, he picked up a random mechanism, hoping it was right.

Jane thanked him, taking the tool, but quickly double-take to realize that he didn't give her the screwdriver as requested, "Thor, this is a wrench."

"Oh," Thor lowered his head in embarrassment, "I'm sorry. I had never done anything like this before in my world - you know - crafting something extraordinary such as this." Most people would find that hard to believe. A man with rough hands should be capable of hardware.

"I can see that," Jane giggled, which made Thor even more embarrassed. She placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder, making him look at her, "But you're learning. You're trying. That's all that matters."

Thor's mouth twitched into a smile, "You are very kind." His eyes lowered to the crafted machine before them, "The only time I have seen a woman dirtying her hands is when she is cooking and crafting vases."

"Really? Are your people old-fashioned? Girls never do anything with the boys?"

Thor tilted his head to the side; one woman came to mind, "Sif."

"Sif?"

"She journeys with me in battle. She is the only woman I know who can handle a sword and live to tell about it... Well, she doesn't tell people about it, but I made sure she took part in receiving the honor. Sif, Volstagg, my brother-"

Jane cocked a questioning brow, "She?"

Thor nodded and smiled, "Yes, Sif is a female - a good friend of mine."

Jane stepped past him to retrieve the screwdriver, then quickly turned back to the machine without giving Thor eye contact, "Was she ever more than that?"

Thor furrowed his brows in confusion, "Whatever do you mean?"

"I-I mean, w-was she... was Sif like a girlfriend or something?"

He blinked, still lost, "A friend who happens to be a woman? Yes."

"I mean," the subtle approach wasn't working; time to be more assertive. Although her tone contained reluctance, almost uncomfortable at the thought of hearing the worst possible answer, "Were you two ever, you know, romantically involved?"

Thor was silent for a moment before he burst into laughter.

Jane whirled to face him questionably, "What?"

"No, Jane," Thor shook his head. Happy tears welled in his eyes, which he wiped away, "Sif and I are not like that at all. If anything, she is like a sister to me."

"Really?" The woman didn't intend to sound hopeful, like a schoolgirl discovering her crush was single again.

Thor confirmed it with a nod, "Yes."

Jane sighed with relief, "Oh, good." Her eyes widened, realizing what she had just said. She quickly faced him to rectify her mistake, "I-I mean it-it's good that you have a friend who's like family to you." She cleared her throat awkwardly, averting those innocent blue eyes. Her cheeks heated up as she mentally beat herself for asking these stupid questions. "So, are you involved with anyone special in Asgard?" Although, she couldn't help but allow the words to roll off her tongue without thinking.

Fortunately for her, the man failed to pick up her hints, "I admit I have a few flings here and there, but no. Not at the moment."

"Um..." Jane licked her lips, realizing that her mouth was dry. While using the screwdriver on the machine, Jane asked, "Could you give me some water, please?"

Thor nodded, "Certainly." He searched through the cabinets to find a mug, finding it above the sink with Jane's verbal assistance. The woman tried to tighten the screw but found it difficult because of her shaky hands and uneasy breathing.

"Easy, Jane," she whispered to herself. "Don't let him affect your work. He's just a guy. He's only a guy-"

"I have your water, Jane!" Thor returned with a cup of water in his hand.

His outburst caused Jane to drop her screwdriver; the pointy end scratched her hand as it fell onto the ground. She yelped at the now stinging sensation on her palm.

"Jane!" Thor placed the mug on the workbench and rushed to Jane's side, "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm okay," Jane assured him, looking at her hand that started to bleed, "Just a scratch." She lowered herself onto her knees to pick up the screwdriver.

"Here, allow me," Thor was also on his knees.

"No, it's fine," Jane insisted.

At the same time, their hands grasped each end of the screwdriver. Their skins barely made contact. They raised their heads and found each other's eyes once more. The contact was brief but enough to prove Jane's latest hypothesis. Thor's eyes do twinkle more in the daylight than at nighttime.

"Thank you," Jane raised herself, picking up the screwdriver and placing it on the workbench. She expressed gratitude again as she sipped her drink to moisturize her dry mouth.

Thor captured Jane's hand and inspected the fresh wound against her protest, "You're bleeding."

Jane examined it with an exhausted huff, "Yeah, I-I should tend to that before it gets infected. I-I'll be back." She went inside the RV and hectically opened many cabinets and drawers to find the first aid kit. "Damn it. Where is it? Where is the stupid...?"

Wanting to help, Thor opened the glove compartment to find a clear case with a red cross and bold letters on the lid, stating the obvious - First Aid Kit. He picked up the case, about to hand it to Jane, only to spot an old picture stuck on the dashboard. No question about it, that was the younger Jane Foster dressed in green robes and a cap, holding her diploma in one hand while looping the other around a casually dressed, ponytail man. Thor could see the similarities between the two, such as eye color and skin tone, assuming the man to be her father.

Jane was rinsing the wound under the faucet, hissing out in pain. The blood flowed in the gushing water and disappeared onto the dirty dishes. She took a dishcloth to dry her hands with her free hand, still wincing from the stinging cut. She sat down on the cushioned seating area, only to realize that she had yet to find the first aid kit.

"Damn it," Jane cursed. "Where is the..." She trailed off to see Thor setting the kit on the table, happy to relax on the cushion. He sat across from her, carefully taking her hand in his. "No," Jane yanked her limb from his grasp, "that's okay I-"

"Jane, allow me," Thor insisted, trying again, but she didn't protest this time. With his free hand, he flipped the latches to open the kit.

"Do you know anything about treating cuts?" Jane asked with amusement as Thor stared at the products, unsure which one to use first.

"You can guide me," Thor offered.

Against her stubborn nature to do things herself, she let Thor take the wheel and instructed him along the way. What fascinated her was how his rough masculine hands designed for hardware and wars, bandaged the wound with gentle care and precision.

"You certainly know how to do things," Thor complimented her, tying the sterile bandage in a tiny knot. "Just like the healers we have at home."

"You have healers?"

"Of course. I may be a god..." his smile fell at the painful truth, "was a god, but we're not invincible. We bleed, we break, and, of course, we die."

"Well, it's a good thing I'd taken some training classes."

Thor raised his brows, pleasantly surprised, "You are a healer?"

"Sort of - I mean, my mother enrolled me in a summer nursing boot camp once - me and my sister - hoping that could sway us to become doctors instead."

"She wanted you to be a healer?"

Jane nodded, "Mm-hm, worst summer in my life. The medical field is great and all - very good at making a difference and saving lives, but it's not really my passion. So, long story short, I enrolled in Culver and became an astrophysicist like my father."

"And how did your mother take the news?"

Jane pressed her lips together, shaking her head, "Not happy with it, considering the income, but she got over it. My sister steered clear from the family path completely and became a photojournalist. At least, she used to before she became a personal assistant to some tycoon and met Keith." Thor noticed when she uttered the man's name, it came out bitter, so much malice. He could tell that she didn't like this Keith character. Was her sister happy with him?

"I see..." His eyes drifted back to the dashboard. Jane followed his eyes to see that he was specifically looking at the photo.

"Is this your father?" Thor wondered.

"Yeah," her lips twitched at the happy sight, wanting to repeat the morning ritual. "That was taken at my high school graduation."

"He - um - you have his eyes."

Jane stifled a laugh, "Thanks. I get that a lot. I have his eyes, his melanin." She noticed the clueless look on Thor's bearded face. "I'm part Indian," she explained. "I tan easily, thanks to him. Though, I can't say the same about my mother. She prefers England's cloudy skies."

"England? Where is that?"

"In Europe, across the Atlantic. You might like the place; they have a castle, a queen..."

Thor chuckled, "So you have the best of both worlds. One lives in a village, and the other in a tribe."

What? Jane squinted her eyes at the line. "Um... Thor, my father was never in a tribe."

"Really? Why not? Was he in the same boat as I? Did his tribe chief banish him? Or did they banish his ancestors?"

"No. I mean, I - I don't know. I haven't really thought about my family origin, to be honest."

Thor chuckled, "Learning my family history is a must if I want to be king. Now I may know little of your kind, only that you live in tepees, have chiefs for leaders, and you all love to smoke that very long pipe a lot. What is that called again?"

"Uh, Thor, can I give a piece of advice?" Jane cut him off to end the sudden discomfort. She honestly didn't know where Thor was going with this but thought it was best to nip it in the bud now. Thor was a prince, sheltered in a palace for a thousand years. He wasn't wholly naive but hadn't explored the historical currency of this world. She needed to give him the idea, or he might express his assumptions to the wrong person.

"Yes, of course," Thor nodded. "Speak your mind." Jane's heartstrings tugged at his innocent smile, increasing the task's difficulty level.

"Thor... this is the twenty-first century," she began by stating the obvious, placing her uninjured hand flat on the table. "Times have changed. We don't have chiefs and tepees anymore. We don't wear war paint on our faces or have feathers on our heads, and nobody in my family has ever smoked a calumet a day in our life." As far as she knew.

Thor pinched his brows, "Oh." So that's what the pipe was called.

"I don't know what you heard exactly, but I suggest you observe and think before making assumptions."

Stop and think. Thor could hear Loki's voice echoing in his mind. He almost missed Jane's reluctant sentence.

"You never know if some of these assumptions can turn out to be totally ignorant."

Thor widened his eyes briefly before leaning back against his seat in deep thought. Did he offend Jane? If he did, it wasn't intentional. He didn't understand but thought it best to heed the wise woman's advice. "I see... Forgive me, Jane. I did not mean to offend your people."

"It's fine," Jane leaned back, resting her hands on her lap. "You didn't offend me. You're just behind on history, that's all."

"If it's any consolation, I did not necessarily agree with everything in the stories," Thor assured, the corner of his lip lifted. "Some who claimed to be experts of my people are found guilty of twisting the truth for entertaining purposes." The man chuckled at a newfound memory, "I remember my mother talked me out of striking the author responsible for the lie told about my brother not being born of Asgard." Jane opened her mouth to ask for details, but Thor leaned forward to continue, "As for your kind, I do not believe them to be barbarians, only survivors. I did not miss the tale about two races gathering together to share turkey."

That was a relief to hear. Unfortunately, some of the old movies portrayed her race in the wrong light. She remembered her parents forbidding their daughters from watching some Disney classics without explanation. Looking back, Jane understood.

"Thank you, Thor."

"Better than those icicle monsters I face in Jotunheim."

Jane cringed; the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach had returned, "Thor, please. Don't go there."

Thor furrowed his brows, "Don't go where? Jotunheim? Believe me. I would rather rot in Musphelheim than freeze to death with those fiends."

"I know, Thor," she acknowledged, raising her injured hand. "I know. I heard your story. I just... I just don't think it's okay to judge a race by one being."

"It's not just Laufey, Jane! Every single one of those soulless icicles fought against me," he stretched his arm out to the side as if the giants were there. "They are just as guilty."

"Okay, well, did it ever occur to you that they might not have a choice, considering that Laufo is their leader?" Jane argued.

"Laufey," Thor corrected. "And no, it did not occur to me because I believe everyone has a choice."

"Not if they've been drafted to fight, or they might suffer a fate worse than death if they don't comply." The man scowled at her defense. "Sometimes, Thor, you must adapt and endure for your country, no matter how you feel about the leader. I'm sure your people feel the same way regarding your father. I'm sure he had made some decisions you disagree with, but you stood by him no matter what."

"My father is a great king," he uttered in a low voice.

"Yet he banished you," her comment closed Thor's mouth. "You can't say that you're not angry about that," Jane bit her lower lip, nearly regretting the words, but it's true. "Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't fight what we believe in," she softened her voice. "I'm just saying that there are consequences if we don't pick our battles carefully, not just for you but everyone else involved. I mean, look at what nearly happened to us and AJ."

Don't remind me. Thor was still reeling about not being worthy.

"Laufey may be a bad leader and a bad person, and the frost giants may look different from us. But they have beating hearts just like everyone else. They're people, too, with feelings."

"Forgive me, Jane," Thor shook his head in defiance, "but you're wrong." Jane closed her eyes and breathed out through her nose. "Maybe you should heed your own advice. Observe and think before making assumptions. You can't say those giants are people because you weren't there."

"Okay!" Jane raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, I'm sorry. Forget I said anything. We can agree to disagree. How's that?" Thor responded in silence, which Jane accepted. It was better to drop the conversation immediately before it became a heated debate.

"What time is it?" Jane looked at her watch, only to widen her eyes and hurry out of the RV. "Shit!"

"Jane?" Thor questioned her with concern.

"Shit! I can't believe this!" Jane frantically searched for the keys to the van. "Where the hell did I put them again?"

"What's wrong?!"

"I'm supposed to pick AJ up from school..." Jane paused when an idea came to mind, "Wait, I have an intern. I can have her pick AJ up instead. Where did I put my phone again?" She shuffled the mess on the work table containing papers, tools, and an opened bag of Goldfish. The cheddar fishes were freed by Jane's sliding hand, scattering across the table; some cracked onto the floor. "Shit!" she cursed at the bigger mess.

"Jane, I do not mind taking AJ home," Thor offered, sweeping the crumbs into his hand to throw away.

"That's very sweet of you, Thor, but you don't know where it is."

Thor grinned, "Sure, I do. I tagged along with Sir Garrett and Darcy to pick up the boy yesterday."

Jane's face contorted with confusion, "You did?"

"Yes, it was not too far. You can't miss the massive jungle contraption fit for the children outside," Thor laughed lightly. "Although, I am tempted to try out the monkey bars."

"You followed them, but you didn't come back here to help me?"

Thor's smile faltered, "That is not what Sir Garrett told me. He claimed you did not need me then."

"Oh, really?" Jane couldn't believe what she had heard. She knew Garrett had a crush on her, but surely, he wouldn't backstab her like this out of jealousy and spite for Thor. So much for loyalty. To think she was giving the troubled boy the benefit of the doubt.

~000~000~000~

Thor finally made it to the school and replicated what Garrett and Darcy had done last time. He sat on the beach nearby the playground filled with happy children. As much as Thor wished to cross the monkey bars, locating the boy was his top priority. His eyes found the blonde hair and blue-eyed child swinging on the swing sets, looking straight up to the sky, oblivious to the other kids. Thor smiled at the child, imagining himself at his age, playing the same games with his friends and brother.

That peaceful image quickly crumbled to ash. A group of boys bigger than AJ marched their way to the swing set and roughly pushed AJ off his swing. Thor's eyes widened, and his mouth opened in disbelief. AJ fell on the dirt face down. His painful cry pleasured the ruffians. Nobody should laugh at someone else's misery, but the boys did. AJ had done nothing to deserve this treatment. This was a sadistic act that won't be tolerated, not under the god of thunder's watch.

"AJ!" Thor ran to the boy's side. The ruffians got away before Thor could return the favor. As much as he wanted to go after them, aiding the boy was important. Thor helped AJ up on his feet, kneeling to his level and fatherly cupping his small, baby face to analyze the scrapes on his forehead and the split lip, "AJ, are you alright?"

"I-I'm okay," AJ replied hastily and breathlessly, dusting the dirt and grass off his clothes.

"Who were those cowards?!" Thor demanded harshly.

AJ shook his head, "No one, they're no one."

"Everyone is born with a name."

"Seriously, Thor, I'm good. They do it all the time."

"AJ, do not protect your enemies. Say their names. Who pushed you?"

AJ remained silently defiant. His stubborn pout was like looking in the mirror. Thor would've respected it as a child, but he grew up. He could track the group down right now and enforce his wrath on them - one by one.

"So, how's it going?" AJ attempted to steer the subject. "Did you and Jane make that wormhole yet?"

Jane. Thor had almost forgotten about her. She had a right to know what happened. Then they shall discuss the next course of action - plot a perfect punishment for those fiends.

"Come on," Thor carried the boy over his shoulder, making AJ delightfully squeal.

"W-Where are we going?" AJ's voice bounced by Thor's steps.

"Home," Thor barked, sounding determined and almost angry. The boy tried to lighten the mood by talking about school and the mishaps during class, only to hear the feigned interest in return. It almost made the boy worry that Thor was mad at him.

~000~000~000~

Jane was occupied with a loose bolt in the machine. Sweat dripped her forehead as she tightened it with a wrench in between grunts but was stopped by the heavy stomps entering the garage. She spotted Thor carrying her nephew inside, placing the boy back on solid ground. She picked up a rag to clean off her sweat, concealing her exhaustion by putting on the happy mask for the boy.

"Hey, AJ," Jane greeted him sweetly while trying to catch her breath. "How was school?"

"Great," AJ quickly attempted to retreat outside to avoid Jane from looking at his face. "I need to finish my homework. I'll see ya." His hopes came short when Thor stopped him by placing both hands on his shoulders.

"AJ," Thor began in a stern fatherly tone, "do you have something to show your aunt?"

Jane's smile faltered, "What? What's wrong?"

Thor turned the boy around, showing Jane the marks.

Jane gasped, dropping the rag with her knees to look at AJ's face closer, "My god, AJ! What happened to you?"

"I fell!" AJ explained hastily. Thor blinked in disbelief, wondering why AJ didn't tell Jane the truth. "Off the swings," the boy added.

Jane huffed, "AJ, honestly. You need to be more careful. We can't afford a hospital bill, and I'm nearly running out of hydrogen peroxide."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are. It's fine," she grasped AJ's hand, guiding him to the RV. "Come on. Let's put humpty-dumpty back together again."

...

Hours later, Thor was finally able to speak with AJ privately. Erik returned to help Jane, so Thor's assistance wasn't needed. Erik was still reluctant to have Thor around, so it was better to keep their distance.

Thor entered the RV to see the boy coloring a picture instead of doing homework. Thor still couldn't believe those boys would dare to harm AJ, and the worse part was that AJ was lying about how he received his wounds.

AJ perked up and smiled at Thor as if nothing was wrong, "Hey, Thor."

"Hello, AJ," Thor kneeled in front of the bed. "Mind if I keep you company?"

AJ shook his head, "No, Sir."

"Good," the man leaned back to sit on the floor, crossing his legs. "I believe we require a serious talk, my friend."

"I know what you want to talk about, Thor, and trust me, there's nothing to talk about," AJ snapped as he continued shading Iron Man's armor with a red crayon.

"Why did you give Jane that false testimony?" Thor questioned him. "We both know what really happened."

"I did tell the truth. I did fall off the swing. It was an accident. Now, are we gonna talk about something else, or are you gonna leave me alone?"

Thor was silent, considering AJ's request, "Very well." He slapped his thighs as he stood up from the floor, "I shall leave you be."

AJ blinked in disbelief and nearly stopped his coloring. He believed Thor to be persistent, so AJ didn't expect Thor to drop the conversation so quickly.

"Thank you," the boy whispered.

"You're most welcome," Thor dragged the silence before he continued, "Now, if you excuse me, I shall go outside to tell Jane."

AJ's hand ceased as he looked up at Thor with wide eyes, "Tell Jane what?" He should've known it was too good to be true.

Thor shrugged, "Since you're not going to give me a reason why you lied, I might as well tell Jane the truth myself. Have no fear, young man. You shall not utter a word." Thor was about to leave, but AJ quickly blocked his path by pressing his arms against the doorway.

"No! You can't do that!" AJ cried.

"And why not?" Thor demanded. "Why should you defend those beasts who have caused you great harm?"

AJ shushed him, begging him to be quiet as he looked over his shoulder to make sure Jane wouldn't open the door to check on them, "I'll tell you if you don't tell Jane. Please!"

Thor stayed in that room and listened to AJ's story. Since the first day of summer school, this overweight boy - Lenny - and his friends had been picking on AJ: stealing his lunch, roughing him a bit, and calling him names. AJ was too afraid to say anything because Lenny threatened to beat him up more with significant injuries, and it didn't help that Lenny had a lawyer for a father.

"I'm such a wimp," AJ grumbled.

"You know what I believe, AJ?" Thor offered.

"What?"

"I think this Lenny fellow is a coward."

AJ blinked in confusion, "B-But Thor, you saw him. He's big and strong! His brother plays football!"

"I have no interest in his brother playing ball with his foot. Anyone can do that. Lenny is a coward for picking on smaller men. You, my friend, are the brave one."

"I don't feel brave."

"Maybe so, but that will soon change once I teach you how to fight back."

"Fight?" AJ questioned. "But Mom said that fighting is wrong." Then again, he did fight with his sister all the time.

"Yes, it may seem that way if you were the instigator, though that is not the case. AJ, you must learn how to defend yourself - better yet, stand up for yourself. You need to show the bully who's boss."

"How?"

"Let me show you," Thor got down on his knees and lifted a palm. "Hit my hand."

AJ stared at it with hesitation.

"Fear not," Thor gave him a reassuring smile. "It shall not hurt me."

AJ reluctantly swung his fist to punch Thor's palm, only for Thor to swiftly withdrew his hand back. The boy was confused about why Thor did that, but the man raised his hand and told AJ to try again. AJ did, only for Thor to bring his arm down.

"Hey!" AJ complained.

Thor couldn't say he wasn't amused, "Sorry, dear boy. I can see the wheels in your eyes turning. You're giving yourself away. You need to have the element called 'surprise.' Maybe-" As Thor was talking, AJ used that distraction to punch the man square in the nose. The man stumbled back and widened his eyes.

"Did that surprise you?" the boy asked.

Thor laughed heartedly, rubbing the soreness away. Luckily AJ didn't hit hard enough for him to bleed. "Aye," he replied, "that you did, my friend. You have done well. Now how do you feel?"

AJ panted for breath while smiling, "Good." He inspected his clenched fist with amazement as if he contained superpowers, "Really good."

Thor ruffled AJ's hair, "I am glad. Remember, if this Lenny character dares come near you, don't be afraid to fight back."

AJ looked at Thor with a pleading puppy-dog pout, "Can we go again?"

Thor laughed as he resumed his position, letting AJ punch his palms more.

...

Meanwhile, the two interns returned home. One was carrying bags of supplies and pizza boxes. The other opened the door for herself, not her partner, who was carrying a load.

"Took you long enough," Jane grumbled, removing the goggles.

"Well, you did send us on a wild goose chase," Darcy took a box from Garrett's arm and then dropped it on top of a prototype Jane was working on. The astrophysicist huffed with annoyance. Her intern knew nothing about common courtesy as she opened the box to have a slice.

"But..." Darcy grinned, oblivious to the cheese between her teeth, pulling an item from the electronic shop, "I did buy myself an iPod."

"Yeah, with Jane's debit card," Garrett grumbled.

Darcy whipped in Garrett's direction, "Who asked you, D-brain?"

Garrett rolled his eyes before looking at Jane's stone-cold face and crossed arms. She was an image of Garrett's mother when she was angry. Fear was slowly taking over Garrett's body, noticing something off.

"Is something wrong, Jane?" Garrett asked sweetly.

"Oh yeah, something is very wrong," Jane claimed.

Garrett huffed, "Great, what did that crazy Viking do this time?"

"Oh, no," Jane shook her head. "Thor was accommodating. You, however, have got some explaining to do!"

Garrett blinked in shock, pointing at himself, "Me? Jane, I-I don't know-"

"Lie to me again, and you'll regret it!" Jane snapped, causing Garrett to close his jaw shut.

"Again?" Darcy questioned Jane with a raised brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Jane," Erik cautioned.

"What I'm talking about is that our good friend," Jane pointed at Garrett accusingly, "our trusted neighbor - at least that's what I thought he was - apparently tried to keep Thor away the other day." Erik didn't react to the news, unlike the college intern.

Darcy fake gasped, acting clueless, "He did?!"

Garrett gave his dorky companion a dark glare.

"Shame on you, Brad!" Darcy scolded. "I am flabbergasted! This is outrageous!"

"What?!" It was Garrett's turn to make accusations. "Bitch, you're just as guilty as I am."

"What?! How dare you accuse me?!" Darcy cried, eating another bite of pizza. "You were the one who lied on our way to the school," she declared between smacks. "What would the Good Lord say?"

"Wait, you knew?!" Jane pointed at Darcy in disbelief. Darcy widened her eyes, not saying a word as she swallowed her bite.

"She did!" Garrett stated. "Lewis was with me that day! She accused me of lying, and she did nothing about it. She should be ashamed by you too!"

"You knew?!" Jane repeated.

"W-Well," Darcy began sheepishly, her eyes averted on the ceiling. "I may have figured it out, but-"

Jane scoffed, slapping her hands against her thighs, "Unbelievable!"

Meanwhile, Thor and AJ ceased their lesson and exited the RV when they heard Darcy and Garrett returning with supper. As they entered the lab, their smiles dropped at the sudden tension in the room. Judging by Jane's infuriating snarl, Darcy or Garrett did something stupid. Thor opened his mouth to ask, but AJ tugged his shirt, shaking his head and mouthing out: Don't. The first rule of witnessing conflict was never to interfere, just sit back and enjoy the show.

"J-Jane, I can explain!" Garrett's words were cut off.

"Don't! I thought you cared. I thought you wanted to help; I thought we were in this together!"

"I-I do! I do care!"

"Jane," Erik opened his mouth to console, "be rational. I'm sure he didn't-"

"How could you lie to Thor - lie to me?!" Jane demanded.

Thor furrowed his brows in confusion, listening intently.

"I did it for you!" Garrett argued. "Thor's a nut, Jane. He's telling you all these bogus lies, and you're keeping him here! Erik, I even can't believe you! You're supposed to be a man of logic! You're a freakin' professor for crying out loud!"

"Excuse me?" Erik folded his arms, not liking how Garrett was trying to turn the tables on him. "I'm not the one who lied."

"No, but you wouldn't mind having a drinking contest with him here!" Garrett pointed at Thor angrily. Erik closed his eyes to avoid the embarrassing stares and push away the horrible memory.

"I do believe him!" Jane stated, jumping to Thor's defense. "Kelsey is in another world, and I must bring her back!"

"You're letting him alienate the people who care about you! I care about you, Jane! He's going to break your heart like Doctor Donald Duck did!"

Darcy rolled her eyes. This scene was a typical soap opera; both didn't have a happy ending.

"Enough!" Jane snapped. "What you have done was disloyal, Garrett! No different than a drug addict!"

"Jane," Erik cautioned in a hushed tone, shaking his head. Now wasn't the time or place to discuss this; a child was present. More than that, it was nobody's business unless Garrett had shown the actual signs that required their intervention.

"Whatcha mean, Jane?" Garrett pressed, sounding more defensive than before.

"What I mean, Garrett," Jane elaborated, mocking his hasty speech and wide eyes, "is that you're selfish, untrustworthy, and-and you gotta terrible problem that can't be fixed here!"

The whole group's, significantly Garrett's, reacted in shock at Jane's bold statement.

"Jane, are you," Garrett was hurt like a beaten puppy, "You kicking me out, Jane?"

"Yes," she declared without hesitation.

"Jane, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"You did! You did mean it!" Jane insisted, averting her eyes between him and one other party briefly. "And I don't want to see either of you tonight!"

"What?" Darcy furrowed her brows in confusion, questioning Jane's words. "Did you say, either of you?"

"That's right, Darcy! I did. I can't stand the sight of Garrett and you right now! Please, leave."

Darcy's mouth became agape in shock, "Me?! What did I do?!"

"Jane," Erik tried to console the woman, "you're angry."

"You're damn right I'm angry, Erik!" Jane snapped.

"I can see that, but Jane, don't you think you're being a little hypocritical right now?" Erik pinched his fingers to show how little.

"I'm being hypocritical?!" Jane gestured to herself in disbelief.

"Yes!" his voice raised, nearly matching her hysterics. "Did they keep secrets from you? Yes. Was it wrong? Yes. But so is telling Garrett to keep me out of the way while you drive to a federal government facility for your petty equipment."

Jane shook her head, "That's not-"

"You are right," Erik interrupted. "It is not the same thing. It is worse! What they have done is nothing compared to what you could've done to your godchildren - your sister's children! Do you know what she would say if she were here?! Hm?"

"You know damn well what she would say, Erik! I don't want to hear it!" This was becoming too much. Jane could feel her eyes burning wet. Erik softened at the sight and reached for the woman's shoulder, only for her to reject his touch. She didn't need sympathy; she needed space.

"Jane, I'm sorry!" Garrett pleaded. "Don't be angry with me!"

"Don't fire me, Jane!" Darcy begged. "I need those credits, and you don't have a replacement!" Jane didn't respond as she tried to keep herself together.

"I think it's best if we all just take a moment apart to cool down," Erik suggested. "We all had a tiring day." Erik's words should apply to everyone, but he referred to only one person. They knew who it was, especially her. Jane didn't say a word as she headed up the roof. She didn't know who was calling her name nor cared. She wanted to be alone.

Knowing there was not much he could do, hating the feeling of being unwelcomed, Garrett reluctantly left the lab and dreaded the journey back home.

"I'm not fired, right?" Darcy asked in a hopeful tone. "I do bring Jane coffee every morning."

"Garrett brings her coffee every morning," AJ corrected, earning a shush from the intern. Erik sent daggers Darcy's way, silently telling the intern to be quiet.

Receiving the clear message, Darcy stacked more pizza slices on a plate and then retired to the RV, "I'll go now." Everyone ate separately in silence. Thor wanted to go up the roof to see Jane, though Erik advised him to leave her be. Cartoon Network was on TV, but Erik switched it to the news. AJ was still grounded from the sneaky stunt he had pulled the night before.

Jane reclined on a lounge chair, looking up at the stars. She was trying to imagine how Kelsey was doing. Was Kelsey behaving without complaint? Was she forced to dress in fancy gowns and talk like a princess instead of a pirate? Or was she considering staying in Neverland forever rather than returning to her broken family? Jane couldn't blame her. She recalled Kelsey talking about the place, wishing to stay a child forever. Unfortunately, life happened, and the sweet little girl was forced to grow up too young.

The astrophysicist's eyes watered, then smiled sadly when she reimagined her niece as a six-year-old struggling to catch the stars. The little girl believed she could make a wish if she caught it. Jane thought it was ludicrous but saw her teenage self playing along. She picked up the child to help increase the reach.

"Can you get it, Kels?" Jane winced at the weight on her shoulders and the strain on her calves, standing on her tippy toes.

"Almost..." Kelsey struggled, waving her arms and clenching her fingers. The constant shift of her body weight wasn't healthy for Jane's neck.

The second Kelsey clenched her fingers, Jane exclaimed, "You got it! You got it!"

"I do?" Kelsey looked at her right fist, about to open it to see the star.

"Don't let go. Just hold onto it," Jane commanded between winces as she set the little girl down, happy to finally move her neck again. "Hold it tight. Are you holding it tight?"

"Yes! Did I really get one?" the girl grinned, bouncing her feet.

"You did, but whatever you do, don't open your hand, okay? You don't want the magic to fly away, do you?"

Kelsey shook her head, swinging her braids side-to-side. Jane didn't forget the look on her niece's face, how sweet she looked - how happy she was to finally catch a star in her hand.

"Now, for the magic to work," Jane closed her hands over Kelsey's tiny ones, "you must close your eyes and make a wish."

"Can I see the star before-"

"No, you can't."

"Why not?"

How could Jane twist this? She lowered further down on her knees and hunched her back, inferior to Kelsey's height, as she explained, "You know the old saying, 'believing is seeing'?"

The little girl shook her head.

"Well, magic requires faith. Nothing can happen if you don't believe. You remember the 'Peter Pan' movie, right? The one your grandparents and I had taken you to see?" The live-action version, not the animated Disney movie.

Kelsey nodded, "I want that movie for my birthday."

"You will," Jane promised, making a mental note to buy the DVD at Walmart. "Do you remember how to fly, Kelsey? All it takes is faith-"

"Trust and pixie dust," the aunt and niece finished in unison.

"That's right," Jane grinned, awarding her with a kiss on the forehead. "Now, you must close your eyes. Your wish is waiting."

Kelsey squeezed her eyes shut and tensed her face, turning her cheeks pink. Jane couldn't help but release a breathy laugh at that.

"Did you make a wish?" the teen asked.

Kelsey shook her head, "No."

"No?" Jane blinked in confusion. "Why not?"

"Because I'm waiting for you to make a wish."

Jane couldn't help but be in awe at that. How very sweet of Kelsey to offer her wish. The teenager shook her head, "Kels, this is your wish. You caught the star, not me."

"We catch the star!" Kelsey corrected. "This is your wish, too. You deserve your dreams to come true, too. You're the best aunt ever."

Jane couldn't argue the six-year-old's logic. She did make a wish with her niece that night and instructed Kelsey (while keeping her eyes closed) to count to three before releasing the imaginary star.

"Ready?"

Kelsey nodded, keeping her grin intact and eyes closed. They both counted together.

The astrophysicist closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face as the memory ended. Jane could feel Kelsey unintentionally spraying saliva in her ear as she whispered to Jane her wish.

"I wish that you marry a prince and then live happily ever after."

Jane did find a prince more than once, but they turned out to be frogs every time. She had a chance with an actual prince downstairs but had to open her big mouth and blow it with her opinions. Everything she had touched, she'd destroyed. She didn't deserve a happy ending.