Y/N's POV:
I vaguely remember the events of the funeral.
Not that I had been paying attention to what had happened before and afterwards. As soon as I stepped out into the hallway I put a barrier around my emotions.
A stone wall that kept out any emotional or intrusive thoughts. There were too many people. Too many possibilities of becoming vulnerable.
I needed to be strong, prove to people that I wasn't a liability. Though recently that's how it felt. Like I needed to be saved or that people worried too much about keeping me safe because they felt as though I couldn't take care of myself after everything.
I needed to prove now more than ever, that I can handle things on my own.
I had let myself too many times show people how I let my emotions take control over every rational thought in my mind and it was worrying me.
I was trying to control myself and at the same time, I didn't want to. At some points, I wanted to help everyone and always be a shoulder to lean on.
I wanted to give people the aid they needed and keep them safe the way I couldn't with my mother.
Then there was the part of me that just wanted to stop caring. To turn it off.
I wanted to be able to walk around and not have to worry if anyone I came into contact with was going to die and never see the light of day again.
Their family's waiting for their return until they realize they're never coming back.
It felt like no matter where I walked bodies dropped. People got hurt.
My head was overwhelmed and I felt fragile. Like I was an hourglass minutes from running out of time as the sand fell faster and faster with each passing second. Like my soul and my mind were fighting for dominance in my body.
My heart hurt thinking about the people who were probably being tortured or murdered on earth, as they searched to find me but, my brain was telling me that's it's not my fault.
That I shouldn't worry about other people's problems and just push them to the back of my mind.
Thor had met me in the front foyer of the palace and led me down through the village and onto the docks by the water.
I made sure to keep my cloak with me to not draw too much attention to myself.
It was a dark morning. The cold rain dripping onto those who stepped into the streets or the children who began playing in the puddles.
My favourite kind of day. The dark clouds and the sound of the rain as it hits the windows made for the perfect weather. The coolness of the wind as it pulls the droplets of water harder against the earth's surface.
Loki was there.
Or so I thought.
I thought I caught a glimpse of him in the crowd of people but, when I turned to look once more he was nowhere to be seen.
I didn't know if it was the fact that I wanted him to be there or the fact that I was still thinking of the night before that lead me to look for him.
I was thankful that he had been there, though I'd never admit it to him. I don't know what could've happened if he hadn't pulled me into his arms.
I could be dead.
He saved my life, and now I owed him.
"Fuck!"
I hadn't realized I had said that out loud whilst weaving my way through the townspeople. Some turned to stare at me as I pushed past them and continued onwards.
It was exactly what I feared.
Shit. Shit. Shit. I owe him.
Precisely what I had intended to avoid. Even if he tried to hide it, not that he would, we both knew that I was in debt to him until I could somehow render the playing field even.
The wave of people coming and going made it difficult to find anyone.
I lost Thor and Sif in the crowd once it had ended which I assumed was when the large groups of people began to dissipate.
I looked around for where everyone was. Scanning the ground for any familiar faces until I found none.
I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head to prevent the rain from wetting my hair and fastened the dagger tighter against my thigh.
Once you're out of the crowd you'll be fine.
I said to myself in my head as if it would do anything to change the fact that it felt as though everyone's eyes were on me.
Judging me.
Not that anyone knew me or wanted to know me. To them, I was just another common folk walking around the streets aimlessly until the night came to sweep me away.
With my mind clouded, I hadn't been paying attention much as to where I was going but more getting away from everyone.
I continued down the cobblestone paths until the rain began to fall harder and harder until it became a torrential downpour.
The cold water sliding down my face with every step I took, drenching my once dry cloak until it stuck to my skin.
I began to run as fast as I could through the city, my lungs starting to feel the heat burning within as the air was coming too fast for me to take it all in at once. I kept going despite the discomfort until I came to a stone gazebo. Its white arches created a circular dome over the top of it.
It was the only dry structure that I could see through the sheets of rain, so I made my way into it as it sheltered me from the storm.
My clothes and hair were now completely soaked as I took off my cloak to prevent me from freezing even more.
My body was ice. The warm blood that ran through my veins was the only thing keeping me conscious as I stood there waiting for the storm to pass.
I moved my hair out of my face as it had plastered itself to my forehead and on my neck while I was escaping the rainstorm.
The chilled air was biting at my bare arms from the idiotic decision to wear a tank top as a shirt on a cloudy day.
I crossed my arms over themselves rubbing the sides of my shoulders to keep warm. I couldn't help but shiver as I felt parts of my body go numb. I could feel the goosebumps that had formed all over the surface of my skin as the wind ripped through the stone arches.
I began thinking back to Loki. How close his body had been to mine as we sat there in silence. The feeling of his breath against the delicate skin of my neck. His warm arm wrapped around my torso, had I not been scared to death the very thought of it could've sent my mind into overdrive.
My subconscious then began to drift to Bucky, the night we had spent together in the abandoned building. He had helped me without knowing it. It had been the first time I had gone without nightmares. I wasn't sure if it was the cold temperature or the lack of rationality in my every thought that led me to think of them both.
I hadn't let myself think of him since I had returned to Asgard, but now I was cold and alone. Alone with every memory and nightmare that replayed itself over and over. There was no hiding from them now.
No locking them behind a closed door in hopes that any distraction is better than my indecisive thoughts.
I don't know what to expect when Bucky returns, if ever. I still remember the last moment we shared while he was still himself as he was pulled from the room and the silence that followed.
The moments after that I would rather not remember.
Many things reminded me of him after the time we spent alone together. The games I often played in the dining hall with the warriors three and Thor often reminded me of when we played cards together on those nights that seemed like the morning would never come. I tried to teach him different games and newer versions of the ones he was used to playing.
He wasn't the best at it as he hadn't really played much before his accident, so sometimes I would let him win.
It brought a smile to his face that I wish I could savour forever. A smile I wish could be captured in a single photograph to take with me where ever I go. I would give anything to be back in the warmth of the Stark Tower laughing and joking around with everyone rather than be stuck in the rain.
I often made jokes and looked over my shoulder as if in some alternate reality he would be there smiling back at me.
He wasn't always like that though, days passed where we were nothing but strangers. When I had first arrived I was afraid of him and I could never shake the image of his cold, dark eyes staring me down as if there was no humanity beyond them.
He began to grow on me with time. His humour and sarcasm. I remember the first time I laughed at his joke. We were all sitting on the couch on the 91st floor, each with our own drink of choice, having fun.
He and Tony had begun a debate on something I didn't retain but, all I can remember was my sudden outburst of laughter. It was so uncontrollable at first and after a while of everyone staring at me as if I wasn't capable of showing more than two emotions they joined in.
That was when he looked at me for the first time. Not like he usually did as we passed each other in the halls or when we were forced into the same room during meetings. This time he was really looking at me.
As if he could feel the energy that was coursing through me. It was like I knew him from another lifetime or at least I thought I did.
Like I could see right into his soul and him into mine.
I often felt that way with Loki too, when he wasn't trying to humiliate me or give me near-death experiences.
He and I hadn't started on the right foot and it had just been downhill from there. Though I enjoyed his company.
Sometimes I found myself looking for him in crowded rooms. He was a good distraction. He always knew what to say and when to say it.
There were days where I felt like we were making progress in becoming civil with each other and that all seemed to vanish the next morning. It was as if he only allowed himself a maximum amount of time to be present in other people's lives.
I hadn't realized I had found myself sitting on the floor of the gazebo until I could no longer hear the sound of the rain against the rooftop.
I stood up from the ground wiping the gravel from my hands against the fabric on my thighs. Grabbing the cloak, I took a step back onto the cobblestone path and down the length of the road.
I walked for a few minutes until I found myself back on the docks that stood before the water's edge. It was quiet for this time of day, usually, there would be dozens of people roaming the streets walking in and out of stores and street markets.
I turned back towards the water, watching each wave that gradually made its way to the shore. The sun now shining brightly in the sky, made the surface glisten as its beams fell magically on top.
I could have sat there all day, watching and listening to the water crashing against rocks and swaying back and forth. When I looked down I could see small fish swimming about as they followed a school of others.
Asgard was truly a magical place to those who had never stepped foot inside it. It was a pity that no one except a handful of people knew what it was like here. I understood their reasons.
I began walking back to the palace. Taking slow steps, one in front of the other, as I watched the birds soar through the sky.
I had made it halfway up the steps before I heard Thor calling to me from the entrance.
"Where have you been?" he said slowly edging his way down the steps to meet me.
There was the liability. They felt like they had to check on me or make sure I wasn't breaking down somewhere because I was a responsibility.
"I lost you guys in the crowd and when the rain began pouring, I had no other option for shelter besides a gazebo a few houses down the road." I finished, gesturing in the direction I had come from.
"We were all wondering where you'd been, Fandral thought Loki'd captured you." he chuckled to himself.
I rolled my eyes jokingly before continuing up towards him.
"Oh, there is something I must speak to you about," he spoke from beside me.
"Hmm?"
"Before you came, I met someone. Her name is Jane and we've been together for quite some time now."
"Oh yes, I've heard of this Jane." I wasn't going to tell him how I had her of Jane since it had been Sif who had become intoxicated one night and ranted to me for hours about who she was.
"I had been visiting her when I had found you in that warehouse."
"Ah." I nodded as we turned to walk around the outside of the palace.
"She's here and I wish for you to meet her."
"Why is she here?"
"She has come into possession of... an entity," he said pausing in between words, trying to come up with a way to describe the situation.
"What kind of entity?"
"The Aether."
"The Aether," I repeated turning towards him.
"It's something I'll have to explain to you another time b- Ah there she is!" he announced turning towards a woman of ethereal beauty.
He opened his arms towards her and took her into his grasp.
"Y/N, meet Jane. Jane, meet Y/N."
I turned to Jane and smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you." I extend my hand in greeting.
"The pleasure is all mine." as she gives my hand a friendly squeeze.
Before we can continue the conversation Jane's body begins to sway from side to side as her stance became unstable.
The mood in the room suddenly changed as her face began to pale and her eyes fluttered shut.
"Jane!" Thor yelled as he swept her up into his arms and began to carry her into the palace towards the healers.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked as I followed in pursuit.
"It's draining her." the tone of his voice was all I needed to know to keep my mouth shut.
Once we had made it through the halls and into the healer's chambers, he placed her onto one of their beds in the centre of the room.
It was a dark space, the only light coming from a fire that sat atop pedestals, evenly placed around the room.
The marble wall created a circular figure as the high ceilings stretching almost 50ft above us. Each ornately decorated with carvings, engraved and polished to perfection.
Thor stood by her side, eyes never leaving hers. I walked up beside him and placed a hand against his arm.
"She's going to be okay." though I didn't know if I believed it myself.
He smiled and laughed a bit, "She will."
The healers came in followed by Odin and his guards. As if on queue Jane's eyes opened once more as she looked around the room in awe.
"Where are we?"
"You're in the healer's chamber, they're going to help you," Thor answered.
One of the healers stepped forward. She looked older than Thor and was wearing a blue floor-length gown that covered her arms up to her neck. Her hair wrapped in fabric as she began an examination of Jane.
She lifted her frail arms and like magic, an array of tiny orange and gold particles began to transform above her.
"That's a quantum field generator isn't it?" Jane asked her eyes followed each particle with curiosity.
"It's a soul forge." the healer replied the particles now taking the shape of Jane's body.
"Does the soul forge transfer molecular energy from one place to another?"
The healer took her hands down and looked at Jane in shock, "Yes."
"Quantum field generator," she whispered in reply.
I began to smile from across the room and could see Thor doing the same. His pleased expression never leaving hers.
"My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?" Odin stepped in to say.
"She's ill." Thor began.
"She's mortal, illness is their defining trait." he waved his arm and the particles disappeared.
"I brought her here so we could help her." He said more firmly.
"She does not belong here in Asgard any more than a goat belongs at a banquet table."
"Did he just— who do you think you are?" Jane interrupted.
"I am Odin, King of Asgard, protector of the nine realms."
"Oh... well I'm—"
"I know very well who you are, Jane Foster."
"You told your dad about me?" she asked. Before she could get a response he began speaking to Odin.
"Something is within her father, something I have not seen before."
"Her world has its healers, they're called doctors. Let them deal with it. Guards! Take her back to Midgard." he announced.
The guards that stood at the other side of the room began to step forward. Arms raised they placed their hands on Jane to begin to move her.
"No! I would not—" before he could finish his warning the guards had already placed their hands onto her body. In a matter of seconds, a bright burst of red energy shot from inside her. The guards had been launched out of the way from her. I held my arms over my eyes to shield them from the light.
"..Touch her, Jane are you alright?" he said beginning to step towards her, placing his hand against her cheek.
She fell into an unconscious state as Odin came forwards and hovered his hand over her skin revealing the energy that flowed within her.
"It's impossible.." he began as she came to.
"The infection its... defending." the healer chimed in.
"No, it's defending itself." Thor finished.
"Come with me," Odin demanded.
At that Thor took Jane's hand helping from the bed and onto her feet. He turned to me giving a short nod meaning that I could leave and that he'd be fine from here.
I nodded back and turned to leave from one of the back doors.
It was shocking what had come from her body, the sudden burst of light and the energy that was flowing through her. As though she was the host to the virus that had made itself at home within her.
I decided not to press on with the matters and discuss it later with Thor when Jane had gone to rest.
For the time being, I was going to find something to occupy my time as it seemed everyone had begun their day.
I pulled my now dry cloak over my shoulders and fastened it at the collar bone. I began walking towards the entrance of the palace, with no idea of what I was going to do to stop myself from snooping around in Thor and Jane's business.
Just as I had exited the Palace the ground around me began to shake. The small rocks on the ground bouncing with every tremble.
I began to steady myself on against a pillar, looking out into the city to see what might have caused it. Then just as my eyes landed on the golden bridge, a ship emerged from thin air.
Its sleek black painted coated the entire cross-shaped metal of the machine. Just as it had entered Heimdall began sprinting towards, sword in hand, jumping and slashing it into the ship. It was enough to power to send it flying into the water. Smoke rose from its as the engines submerged beneath the surface.
How did that get past Heimdall?
I was too late to try and answer myself when a swarm of ships began emerging from the thin air as well. Each one like the last. They began firing shots at the city in front of me, all with the same target.
The palace.