Thor nodded to Agent Coalson and then to Jane when she explained that she needed to gather a few items, though he had no idea what items a woman would need. Like most males immortal or not he still did not fully understand women and doubted he ever would. But whatever she needed to feel comfortable he would take with them, after all it was not a usual request he was making of her. With a small sigh he regretted her coming to Asgard in this manner, he had planned courting her over time and giving her time to truly know him. Then when the time was right he would introduce her to his parents but alas that was not to be.

"Of course Jane, take as long as you need. Do you need assistance?" Thor asked he was at a loss as to whether he and his companions should remain in the hanger bay.

He was unsure of protocol in these matters and he did not know if it was appropriate for him to go with Jane not because of propriety but security. Though he was a member of the Avengers group he was not a frequent visitor to this base and he did not know if areas were restricted to him. He did not want to cause offence by intruding where he should not. He looked questioningly at Coalson hoping he would explain what was best.

Jane looked at Coulson as well with a pleading look in her eyes for Thor and his companions to not be treated as though they were intruders. Thor was an Avenger, and Coulson new that the other warriors had helped save them all.

Coulson sighed, "Thor your fingerprints are already in the system so you can go in and out from here, as long as you press your thumb to this pad. As for your companions I'm afraid they'll have to stay here in the hanger bay. I'm going to speak with Fury right now, but I'll let you go with Dr. Foster. If I were you that's what I would prefer, and I can handle Fury. Also Dr. Foster, Col. Fury sends his own congratulation on the success of your invention. And Thor he welcomes you back, and hopes that the peace we seem to be in right now will last a little longer so you don't have to called into duty" his said pointing at the access panel he had used to enter the hanger bay.

"But from the way he sounded he seemed to be in agreement with me that Dr. Foster could go, as long as she is accompanied by one of our agents. I am calling in Agent Romanoff, I believe the both of you are familiar with her. I figured her negotiation skills would be useful in this situation since we want things to stay on good terms with the King of Asgard. Any way I'll leave you two be, and good luck to you both if I don't see you again before you leave for Asgard. There is another problem going on right now that I'm trying to worked out", he took Thor's hand and shook it again. Then smiled at Jane and patted her on the shoulder then he made his way down' a corridor and out of sight.

Jane turned back to Thor, "I hope your friends don't mind staying here for a little while, I'll send someone in with food and drinks for them. Try to make them as comfortable as possible" she then looked around Thor to her friend Darcy. "Darcy do you mind keeping them company? I'll try to wake up Erik up and send him down here as well to help you out" she said looking like her mind was going a mile a minute.

Darcy gave an awkward look at Jane then turned to look at the group that had come with Thor. She had only seen them briefly when Thor had come to Earth so she wasn't really familiar with them.

"Uhhh okay Jane, try not to be gone too long and tell Erik to hurry up", she gave a awkward wave to Sif and the Warriors three.

Fandral smiled and gave a wink at Darcy, turning to Hogun "Hmmm I must say that if all the mortal females are as pretty as Lady Jane and this Lady Darcy, I might be tempted to visit Midgard more often". Hogun ever stern just looked at him and shook his head, and then glanced over as Sif smacked Fandral in the back of the head, and for a brief second he gave a half hearted smirk.

"Can't you stop being such a cad for three seconds Fandral", Sif hissed.

Fandral saw the smirk on Hogun's face, "Why do you only smile when she hits me? he wined.

---

---

Agent Romanoff had been enjoying a break from being a spy when she received a call from Agent Coulson. Expecting some huge disaster she answered her phone quickly, "Really... I'm glad to hear it worked but that's it? There isn't so kind of intergalactic villain attacking? Alright I'm on my way now." she hung up the phone with a shrug. She turned to her bed partner and nudged him.

"Clint I've been called in to base do you want to stay here by yourself, or come back in with me ?" they had been enjoying their time together since the incident with the aliens, the tesseract, and Loki.

She smiled looking at him in the early light of the morning streaming in of the window into the bedroom. Natalia had never expected in her life that she would have a true relationship with someone, but Clint was the type that was able to set aside her past and see the real her.

"By the way Jane Fosters invention worked,Thor is there right now and is the reason I'm going in. Seems that the leader of the Asgardians wants to talk to know all the in's and outs of Foster's invention. And they want an agent there with her, to make sure S.H.I.E.L.D's presence is felt and to make sure that they don't think we're a threat to them" she got up and began to get dressed.

Clint Barton lounged on the bed lazily eyeing up the red headed woman that had, until a moment ago, been sharing his bed. Damn she was a fine woman he thought as he admired the creamy skin, toned physique and curves that were on display. Though they had known each other for years it had only been relatively recently that their relationship had developed to the next level. Being forced to serve your enemy whilst they went about trying to destroy the world really made you re think your priorities in life and Natalia had become one of the main ones.

Realising that she was not coming back to bed Clint sighed and climbed out of bed, searching for his trousers which had been flung who knows where whilst they had been busy the night before. Finding them half under the bed he pulled them on, followed quickly by the shirt he had worn the night before. Officially off duty Clint did not have to worry about dress uniform and so he decided to enjoy the reprieve while he could.

"I'll come with you, I'd like to see the Viking again. It'll be nice to see how our old friend Loki is doing." Clint said with a wry grin.


Thor nodded at Agent Coalson's words and glanced at his companions. "Remain here and I will return shortly. Try not to have too much fun." He said dryly looking at Fandral.

He then looked at Jane. "I will accompany you if that is acceptable?"

"Of course just follow me", Jane nodded to Thor for him to follow her to her quarters, and went through the door and headed.

She couldn't help but look up at him with a smile and slight blush, she just realizing she probably looked a fright after days of little to no sleep and sleeping sitting up at a computer. But he looked almost exactly like he did when he left, strong and his eyes it had been one of the first things she noticed about him a stunning blue color.

She stopped where an agent was standing, "Could you do something for me, we have very important guests in hanger bay where the experiment is going on would you mind sending a message to the mess hall to bring them something to eat and drink".

The agent knowing Jane and what was going on with her experiment nodded then looked Thor up and down. He then nodded again to Jane "I'll do that right now Dr. Foster", he looked at Thor questioningly one more time and then went about the task that was given to her.

Jane turned back to Thor "Come Erik's quarters is over here" she soon knocked on the door of Erik's quarters. The sientist then sleepily answered his door.

"What is it you want this early in the..." he stopped in mid sentence when he noticed not only Jane and Thor. "Jane my word, and Thor my boy it is good to see you", he happily shook Thor's hand. "So Jane it worked I knew it would".

Jane smiled "Listen Thor came with his companions they're down in the hanger bay where the ray is, they're kind of stuck down there for a while with Darcy. I was wondering if you would go down there and help keep them company?" she asked with almost a pleading look in her eyes.

Erik smiled, he knew she had worked so hard to see Thor again and wanted to spend sometime with him. He was sure that Odin would want to speak with her and she looked like she was about to leave. Part of him wanted to go along with her her just so he could see the land that he had heard stories about as a little boy. It was very rare in ones life when you find out that those stories were true and the fantasy places were real. "No problem Jane I will go help Darcy, and Thor I hope you are doing well. Perhaps we can catch up sometime", Erik still felt quite guilty for being controlled by Loki and doing what he did even though he had no control over himself at the time.

After Erik reassured Jane that he would go down there just as soon as he was dressed, they went ahead and went down another corridor to her quarters. "Well here it is, it's not much but it's been my place for almost two years so I can't complain too much" She opened the door to the small apartment.

It was surprisingly clean, probably more so of the fact that she had spent more time in the lab then she had in her quarters. She went and grabbed a coupled of notebooks that had her notes on the ray and shoved them into a back pack that she had hanging on the back of a desk chair. She didn't know if she bring any clothes or not, she didn't really have much of anything that was worthy of meeting a mythical king and queen. The only thing she could think of wearing was a long flowing sundress that Darcy had bought her for her last birthday. Jane had thought it was a joke, but Darcy insisted that she might need it and that Jane was lacking in the dress department when it came to her wardrobe. This was true Jane had never been one to wear a dress, but perhaps she should look nice for Thor's parents.

She turned and looked back at him "I...I'm going to get changed I'll be out in a moment" she said shyly.

She tried to discreetly grab the dress from the small closet and walked into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror she looked a fright. Her hair had that crazy just woke up tousled look, and her face well she looked like she had feared, like someone that had been not sleeping. She quickly washed her face, ran a brush through her hair and brushed her teeth, after slipping the dress over her head she looked at herself once again. "I guess that will have to do" she thought to herself as she stepped out of the bathroom again.

"Well I don't think I'm dressed to meet a king and queen but, I suppose I look nicer then I did before. Suppose I should thank Darcy again for getting me this dress. I never thought I'd have a reason to wear it" she said to Thor with a humorous smile.

Thor nodded to his companions and then followed Jane from the room, he walked with her through the facility enjoying the closeness of her beside him. He barely noticed their surroundings as he was distracted by having Jane beside him again, he was determined now not to let anything or anyone separate them them again. Now that he had her again he was not going to let her go unless she wished it. His heart ached at that but he knew that he could never force her to stay with him and would let her go if she truly wished it.

Jane stopped outside a door and knocked, a rumpled looking Eric Selvig appeared at the doorway and Thor felt a rush of happiness at seeing his friend. He clasped the doctors hands shaking it firmly before smiling broadly at the other man.

"Eric Selvig. It is truly good to see you again. Perhaps when I return you and I can drink together and talk of battles fought." he smiled remembering the last time they had fought and drank together. Though mortal the doctor had a hearty appetite for life and Thor enjoyed his company immensely.

"I thank you for helping see to my companions and I am sure they will be pleased to see you as well."

He shook his hand again before saying goodbye and following Jane to her quarters, the room was small and yet comfortable and smelt of Jane. Thor stood in the centre of the room his large frame making the room seem smaller, he watched as Jane busied herself packing what she needed for their journey. He stood quietly enjoying watching her, the way her hair constantly fell in her face or how she chewed her bottom lip when thinking. When she changed into a light flowing dress Thor felt his body tighten, she was just so beautiful. He did not care that her garb was not typical for Asgard, to him she had never looked more beautiful.

Unable to maintain the distance he took the few short strides to stand in front of her, he looked at her his love and desire plain in his intense gaze.

"My Jane." He murmured. "You are beautiful."

He pulled her against him and kissed her again, the kiss full of his pent up passion and love for her.

The echo of Odin's fingers rapping on the arm of the throne was becoming tedious for him to hear. He could not believe that his wife had over stepped her boundaries suggesting that they meet this mortal that their son had become infatuated with.

"I could not believe how you could have suggested that our son bring that mortal woman here. We know not what sort of scheme she might be coming up with that might threaten Asgard. And you just tell our son to bring her here" he almost spat out every word.

Frigga got up from her seat next to him crouched down so she could be at eye level with her husband. She smiled up at him and Odin's face softened when his sight fell upon her. It always seemed that no matter how angry he was when he beheld Frigga's warm smile that all of those feeling of anger melted away. He gave a sigh as he looked at her.

"Why do you suppose that she is a threat to us husband, if she is nothing more than a mortal female? What threat is she to the mighty immortal warriors of Asgard? she said with a smile.

Odin let another sigh because he knew she was right. But the thought that this woman had created something that was able to do what he was unable to do without draining his power. It bothered him, and the fact that their son was "in love" with her made him worry even more.

Frigga stood, leaned forward and kissed the old king on his forehead, "My dear, I love you but I trust our son and his judgement. I feel this woman despite her mortality has strengths that we can not comprehend as Asgardians. Perhaps her knowledge of things is something that will bridge the gap between us and the mortals", she patted his shoulder and then took his hand in hers.

---

---

When Thor's lips met her's Jane's eye's went wide with surprise at his urgency she soon calmed and returned his kiss. She could feel her heart begin to pound against her chest, with the excitement of being so close to him. When they parted from the kiss she looked up smiling sweetly, putting her hand gently on his cheek.

"I was so afraid that I would never get to see you again. When you left and didn't come back I was worried that something had happened to you. So when I saw you on television fighting with the Avengers... I.." she wrapped her arms around him.

She could start to feel tears form in her eyes, "I was so happy to see that you were alive" she hated feeling this emotional, it made her feel weak. "I'm just so glad you're here now, don't feel like I was upset at you for doing what you needed to do to protect your people and Earth. I understand that you have duties", she rested her head on his chest.

Thor had never in his long life felt as content as he did in that moment when Jane rested her head on his shoulder, she seemed to fit against him perfectly. It was as though they were made for each other and Thor could not help but feel that he was in the universe's favour and he hoped he never lost that favour. He stroked her hair gently as he listened to her words of their time apart and how she felt about it. It lightened his heart to know that she understood what had happened and that he had had to consider the fate of Asgard over his own happiness.

"I did worry that you would not understand, that you do simply confirms to me that you are the only woman who will ever have my heart. I am sure that my parents will see it the same way and will come to love you as I do."

He hesitated then as thoughts of their future intruded on this moment of contentment, he needed to know that she understood what she would be accepting if she remained with him.

"Jane I..." he stopped unsure what to say and then started again determined to have all out in the open, he wanted no secrets from her. She of all people had the right to know all there was to know about him.

"Jane, your people look upon mine as gods and although that is not accurate it is perhaps the only way the mortals then could understand what we are. We are advanced as you know and can command the forces around us but more than that we...live for a very long time. I was born at the beginning of the era of what you call the Vikings, in a time when they were only just beginning to form their great halls. I have lived for a very long time and I will continue to do so. Do you understand why I am telling you this?"

Jane looked up at him as the words sunk into her mind, she realized that Thor was not immortal as the stories that were told said. But she understood what he meant by it. While Jane as a mere human would grow old and die, Thor would live for much longer than she. But she didn't want to think about that, she smiled and rested her head on his chest.

"Yes... I know, but... I love you and I don't see myself even thinking of being with another. So if that's the way it is well... I'm willing to accept that" she looked back up at him. "As long as I have you with me, I know I can handle it" she stood up on the tips of her toes and kissed him once again. "I think we need to get going, I don't want your father worrying that something has happened cause you have not returned when he expected you too".

---

---

Natalia stepped out of the escort car that had been sent to pick her up, the driver opening the door for her and then turning to go get her things out of the trunk of the car. She looked over the top of the car over at Clint Barton that had decided to come with her before she went off on her new assignment.

"Well home sweet home I guess" she said to Clint with an sarcastic smirk.

Not really she thought to herself, she was great full to S.H.I.E.L.D for giving her an opportunity to redeem herself, but non of that would have been possible if it hadn't been for Clint. She was nervous that she would be going into another planet basically but she had never been the type to show that type of emotion she always tried her best to keep a straight face no matter the situation. Perhaps that's why they chose her for this job she would be able to a cool head, if things got headed with the Asgardian king.

The driver set her bags next to her and she took them without a word to him. "Come on Clint lets see whats going on".

Thor regarded her gravely as she spoke of being able to cope with the eventual parting that would come when she would age and die as all mortals did. The fact that she was willing to be with him knowing this only served to increase his love and admiration for her. He knew in his heart that no matter how long he lived he would never choose another after her death not even for the sake of Asgard. Perhaps his father would disagree with this and remind him that his duty was to Asgard before all else but he did not care, he would do his duty in every way but this.

He held her to him a moment longer before nodding in resignation and releasing her, as much as he wanted nothing more than to be alone with her she was right. They needed to return to Asgard the sooner the better, he did not want to give his father more time to possibly form a negative opinion of Jane. He opened the door for her and then followed her out of the room closing the door behind him. Together they walked back towards the laboratory where the machine bridging their worlds waited. As they entered he noticed with amusement how Fandral was talking with Darcy and attempting to charm the young woman. She seemed somewhat bemused by his attention and he could not tell if she welcomed it or not. Eric Selvig was also there talking with Sif and Volstagg, who wore a large grin at seeing the doctor well.

"Thank you for keeping my companions occupied Darcy, I hope they have not been too much trouble?" Thor said approaching the group.


Clint stepped out of the car and sighed quietly as he looked upon the base, it seemed his and Natasha's alone time had well and truly ended. It was back to business for both of them and he wondered if she was any happier about it than he was, but he wouldn't voice his complaint as he was too well trained for that. He shouldered his bag and followed Natasha into the base.

He was surprised to find he was looking forward to speaking with Thor as he was the only one of their number he had been unable to remain in contact with. Asgard was a bit far to simply call him on the phone after all and he doubted if the god of thunder even owned a cell phone. He had remained in regular contact with the others most frequently with Steve or Cap as he often called him. They were alike in many ways both career military and both trained beyond the normal soldiers. He did occasionally speak to Dr banner and he found he liked the quiet unassuming doctor though he still could not fathom how he and Stark had become such good friends. Stark was the opposite of banner in every way being arrogant and egotistical and yet the two had formed a firm friendship.

"So where's the Viking I wonder?" Clint said aloud as he and Natasha walked through the corridors.