A/N: Okay, sorry for the wait! I had two very different ideas of how to write this and they were significantly different. Then I had a completely different idea as I was writing it and that's the one I ran with. Before I continue, I have no idea where this is going, but I do know how it's going to end, so bear with me, updates will probably be sporadic. Also! The bold/italic/underline got fixed!! To those who reviewed, there is a response for you guys in the bottom A/N. Enjoy!
Thor turned in a full circle, as if to confirm what his brain already knew. Loki was not anywhere within his sight. Had he made a mistake? No time for self-doubts, you need to make a decision. Thor figured he could do one of two things. He could follow his mother and protect her from Malekith, or he could go find Loki and make sure his brother didn't get himself killed. It was an impossible choice. In his original timeline, this was the day his mother died. Yet Loki always managed to kill himself. Perhaps Thor had altered the timeline enough that his mother didn't die but if that were so, then there was a chance that either or both of them could die.
Thor slowed his thoughts down so that they weren't going a million miles a minute and it occurred to him that Loki likely went to the dungeons to intercept Kurse which was where Other Thor was, as well as the Warriors Three. He turned and started to follow his mother just as she went around the corner. She did not slow down or wait for him, instead striding confidently down the halls.
They wove through the columns and halls, eventually making it the room where he had watched his mother die. He wasn't going to let that happen this time. His chest clenched at the sight of Jane. What was he to do about her? Loki's words from another lifetime rang in his ears. "You'll never be ready." Even in her Aether induced stupor, Jane had heard the words, breaking it off after the Dark Elves were taking care of. It had been the smartest thing to do, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Perhaps he wouldn't tamper with that bit of history.
"Thor? Is that you?" Jane's shocked voice broke through his thoughts, returning him to reality. His tongue felt heavy as he tried to think of a way to explain this to Jane. He really didn't have time to satisfy Jane's inquisitiveness.
"Not the Thor you know." Frigga said gently, yet the motherly tone left no room for further questions. Jane looked like she wanted to ask more, but wisely kept her mouth shut.
"I need you to do exactly what I say." His mother was looking at Jane, though she knew the words were for him as well. Thor's mind wandered as Frigga explained their jobs. Mjolnir hadn't came to him. The more he dwelled on this thought, the more he agreed with the hammer.
He had been selfish in staying. He hadn't taken into account what would happen to his original timeline. He hadn't thought of the friends he'd abandoned, nor his people. He had ran from his responsibility. As always. He had everything again. Val had mentioned a battle. He had no idea if everyone had made it out alive. He hadn't even thought of it until now. What if someone had died? While his friends could be grieving, he was here. And where were they when you were grieving? You mean wallowing in self pity. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve a second chance.
The ground trembled. Malekith had arrived. Hatred built up inside Thor. He wouldn't let him touch his mother or his brother. Lightning crackled around his fingers as thunder rumbled outside. How easy it would be to launch himself into battle and destroy the Dark Elves. Yet he couldn't leave his mother. Not with the Kursed in Valaskjalf. So he waited instead. Waited for a fight that never came.
Thor could hear the clamoring of battle near the outer halls of Valaskjalf. The battle he knew they lost. He felt like a worthless coward just sitting here doing nothing. As much as he dreaded Kurse finding them, at least then he could fight something tangible and solid. Something other than his growing anxiety. Yet even as the sounds of battle faded, Kurse did not come. They waited an hour after the sounds of battle had faded into nothingness. Nobody came. He exchanged a glance with his mother before tentatively opening the door. Not that it would have mattered. If Kurse was coming, he would have sensed the Aether and broken down the door with ease.
Something was wrong. Valaskjalf was silent. He walked down the empty halls to where the battle had taken place last time. The ships were gone, the bodies cleared. The only evidence that the Dark Elves had been there at all were the broken columns and gaping holes where the Dark Matter grenades had hit. No signs of life. No signs of death. He was alone. Pushing down the anxiety that threatened to consume him, he reasoned that everyone must either be in the medical wing or else at the funerals of the fallen. Wouldn't the Queen've been informed of the funerals a small voice asked. Thor shoved it into a corner.
Though logically, that made sense. So he headed for the medical wing, praying it wouldn't be as eerily lifeless as the battlegrounds. It wasn't. Healers bustled about, a surprising amount of patients in critical condition. Last time, most had been either dead or had minor injuries. Scanning the patient's faces, he soon spotted Sif, looking like she had been pounded by the Hulk. Or Kurse, he thought bitterly. He wove through the patients towards her, trying to tell how badly injured she was as he neared. It didn't look like anything serious. She was alive. His happiness to see her was not reciprocated. As soon as he was in range, he was on the ground, arm twisted behind his back.
"Good to see you too." He joked. Sif was not in the mood. She applied more pressure to his arm until he grimaced.
"Where is Thor? Who are you?" Right.
"I'm Thor from the future. Ask Frigga. As to where this timeline's Thor is, I was going to ask you."
"So the rumors are true." The pressure lifted off of his arm and back and he rolled over, accepting Sif's offered hand.
"You have no idea how good it is to see you." Sif didn't answer, instead whispering,
"Thor, what happens in the future?" She sounded almost... scared.
"Things that I'm not going to let happen again." He reassured her.
"Sif, where is my brother?"
"I don't know. I lost sight of him during the battle." Worry gnawed at him like a wolf gnaws a bone. Where was he then? He couldn't lose him. Not again. Please not again.
"Oh. What of the Warriors Three?"
"They are- She was cut off by a raven landing on Thor's shoulder. It leaned over, whispering in his ear.
"I'm sorry Sif, but I have to go." A single Dark Elf had came with a white flag. To bargain.
Thor got to the throne room as soon as he could. As soon as he took his place at Odin's right side, the doors opened, revealing the messenger. She looked like most the Dark Elves Thor had seen, though more feminine.
"I, Bœth come bearing a message from the great Malekith." She said in raspy, yet powerful voice.
"You may speak your people's part." Odin boomed.
"Malekith says that if the Aether is not with him on Svartalfheim by the days end, he will kill both of your sons, the great princes of Asgard. Return what is ours and we will return what is yours." Then, for no apparent reason, she keeled over and died.
Thor's blood went cold as the words sunk in. Kurse had never came because they had Loki.
A/N: Penguinofthewaddles: Glad you're enjoying it so far! I do intend to finish this, even if it takes a while.
Guest: Now I wonder what Frigga's origins are. I usually go with the Vanir theory.
Guest: Perhaps Lavæthienn is a shape shifting weapon and that's why no one knows what it is.
Guest: Wow, I did not know that Odin was the god of so much. My guess is, Odin kept his origins secret, similarly to how he kept Hela a secret and then just ignored them after the war. I'd be cool to have Loki teaching Thor some Jotunn abilities though.
Guest: I would find Midgardian food tastier as well. Grapes and nuts are what pass for candy on Asgard.
Guest: Yes, Loki was actually trying to die in the first Thor. As for Dark World, I do believe he was actually impaled.