BACK ON EARTH, Jane storms over to where the police officers are standing near their vehicles. Anna smiles grimly at Thor, turning her attention to where her friend is currently confronting the police. While she admires Jane's spunk, working as a journalist has given Anna a bit more...experience in handling authority properly, while Jane simply resents them for meddling with her research.

"Excuse me," Jane demands the attention of one of the officers.

"Are you Jane Foster?" The man asks lazily.

"Yes," she replies.

"You know this man?" He turns to point at Ian, who has his hands spread on the car and is being searched by another police officer.

Jane sighs, "He's my intern. My intern's intern."

"This is private property, and you're trespassing the lot of you," the officer replies. "You have to come with me."

The man reaches out to grab Jane by the upper arm to usher her toward a police car. Suddenly, a vivid red and black force erupts from her body, blowing everyone in the vicinity back from the blast - including Jane. Glass shatters in all of the car windows, the shockwave rippling through the area, and Thor throws a protective arm over Darcy while Anna uses her forearms to protect herself from the blast.

"Jane!" Thor and Anna call out simultaneously, running toward the astrophysicist who is now laying flat on the ground.

"Jane," Thor reaches her first, cupping a hand beneath her head and lifting her gently. "Are you alright?"

Jane groans, allowing him to help her to her feet, "What just happened?"

A young police officer approaches, one hand outstretched and a baton in the other. Behind him, others are approaching with guns drawn and pointed at Jane, and Anna runs to Thor's side to help her friend stand.

"Place your hands on your head and step back," the young man warns.

"This woman is unwell," Thor tells him, placing a hand on Jane's shoulder.

The officer hazards another step toward them, "She's dangerous."

Thor turns to him, the wind picking up around him, as he gives him a withering look.

"So am I," he warns the man.

While the man begins to call for backup, Thor instructs Jane to hold onto him and pulls her into his chest. Anna reaches for his arm so he turns his attention to her. Their blue eyes meet, and it's clear what Anna is asking of him. He pauses, a wrinkle forming in his forehead as he holds Jane close, while she stares up at him.

"Please," she says, tightening her grip on his bicep.

He nods, and relief floods through her as she takes another step closer to Jane. The astrophysicist looks between them with confusion, wrapping her arms around Thor's waist as he looks up at the sky. Wind whips around them while strange markings begin to glow on the ground, and all at once a flood of light surrounds them with a crashing noise as they are pulled into the Bifrost.

It's over in less than thirty seconds, and Anna drops her grip on Thor's arm as she stumbles forward to regain her balance. Heimdall stands to her left, his grip on his sword as he closes the portal behind them, and she can't help but grin at the golden dome surrounding her. It's been a month since she first landed in Asgard, and she never thought she'd be lucky enough to return.

"We have to do that again," Jane says, a huge smile breaking across her face as she takes in her surroundings. Landing on Heimdall, she gapes at the large guardian of the Bifrost, "Hi."

"Welcome to Asgard," he tells them, giving her a smile.

His golden eyes land on Anna, and for a moment she can feel the sincerity in them warming her from the inside out. Simply knowing that she's in the same realm as Loki gives her new life, and she can't help but laugh at the thought. Thor and Heimdall smile at her, and Jane grabs her by the arm to pull her close.

"You didn't tell me it looks like this!" She whispers to Anna while Thor leads them to the horses that await them at the end of the bridge.

Anna shrugs, "I couldn't capture it in words."

Thor helps her mount a horse before helping Jane into the saddle in front of him, and the trio ride toward the citadel. The palace is just as lustrous as Anna remembers, the golden spires rising into the beautiful blue Asgardian sky. Warmed by the sun, the rain-drenched clothes on her back begin to dry by the time they approach the palace, and she follows Thor as they dismount and follow the familiar route toward Eir's chambers. A month ago, she followed Heimdall down this same path while he carried Loki. How ironic that she should be back here again so soon.

Soon, they have Jane laid out on the healer's table, and Anna stands by the wall with Thor while the healers begin to do their work. A red-orange substance glows above Jane's body, a replica of the life force teeming through her, that allows Eir to search for ailments.

"What's that?" Jane asks, lifting a hand to point at it.

"Be still," Eir warns her, ignoring the astrophysicists innate curiosity while she continues her work.

Thor watches carefully, shaking his head while he speaks to one of Eir's assistants next to Anna, "This is not of Earth. What is it?"

"We do not know," the woman replies, her blue eyes wary as she answers the prince. "But she will not survive the amount of energy surging within her."

His eyes narrow at the woman, and she bows before hurrying away from him. Anna takes her place, resting a hand on Thor's shoulder as they watch Eir work above Anna.

"It'll be alright," she encourages him, knowing full well that it might not be.

Meanwhile, Jane points up at the shape of her body floating in reddish orange above her with wonder.

"That's a quantum field generator," she concludes with wide eyes. "Isn't it?"

"It's a Soul Forge," Eir replies without looking at her.

"Does a soul forge transfer molecular energy from one place to another?" Jane asks.

Eir drops her hands, looking down at Jane in surprise, "Yes."

Jane turns to Anna and Thor, clearly pleased, and wiggles her eyebrows as she whispers, "Quantum field generator."

"My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?" Odin's voice rings through the healer's chambers, wiping the smile off Thor's face as he watches Jane.

"She is ill," Thor argues.

Odin takes a step forward, "She is mortal. Illness is their defining trait."

"I brought her here because we can help her," the god of thunder replies firmly, refusing to back down from his father.

"She does not belong here in Asgard anymore than a goat belongs at a banquet table," Odin quips, his eye landing on Anna with a thoroughly displeased look.

"Did he just..." Jane trails, shooting a questioning look at both Thor and Anna. "Who do you think you are?"

He takes a step toward her, drawing himself up to his full height.

"I am Odin," He replies. "King of Asgard. Protector of the Nine Realms."

"Oh," Jane stares at him in disbelief, "Well, I'm--"

He interrupts her, "I know very well who you are, Jane Foster."

Jane turns to Thor, "You told your dad about me?"

"Something is within her father," Thor pleads with Odin, ignoring Jane. "Something I have not seen before."

"Her world has healers, they're called doctors. Let them deal with it," The Allfather says resolutely, effectively ending the conversation with one final glance at Anna. "Guards, take them back to Midgard."

"Wait--," Anna begins, rushing after Odin while two gold-armored guards grasp her arms and pull her backward. Another two move toward Jane, one of them reaching for her shoulder while Thor whirls around and rushes toward them.

"No, I would not--"

He is cut off by another blast of crimson and black energy swirling the room, forcing the guards away from Jane's body so they fall unconscious on the floor. Jane falls backward after the energy expenditure, and Anna uses the diversion to break free from the guards who hold and rushes forward.

"--touch her," Thor finishes, leaning forward to gently caress Jane's cheek. "Jane, are you alright?"

Odin rushes back into the room, pushing Anna out of the way to take her place next to Jane. He hovers a hand over the woman's arm, watching as vibrant red material glows from within her.

"It's impossible," he mutters.

Eir steps forward next to him, "The infection. It's...defending her."

"No," Thor concludes. "It's defending itself."

Odin shakes his head in disbelief, beckoning Thor and Anna to help Jane from the table.

"Come with me."

Now Playing: "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith.

*****
AUTHOR'S NOTE

Triple update? What? 

I was thinking about a song for this chapter, and all I could find were sad songs that I could imagine Anna relating to - so I decided to do a cover of Sam Smith's "Lay Me Down"! Attached to the chapter is me singing a snippet of the song, so I hope you enjoy!

Don't forget to comment + vote! 

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