Samples with Thor

[foster_j]

Her undercover lessons were progressing well. Jane understood the concepts Natasha was trying to teach her, and knew the gravity of the situation so she practiced in front of the mirror before bed every night. Her expressions were hard to control, but Jane worked on recognizing them, and feeling the tug of her skin. As long as she could convince herself that her reactions were focused correctly, Jane was confident that she could pull off this charade. Clint. Clint was going to be there. She could channel her friendly affection for the man correctly. She could. It was vital to both of them that she be as much of herself as she possibly could. Jane wasn't going to agree to any rouse that had her acting abnormally. That would not end well for anyone. Jane tended to simply stay on the rooftop after a lesson these days. She needed the fresh air, the sky above her, and the comforting possibility that Heimdall might be looking out for her.

The Orion emitter beeped, dragging Jane's attention away from her tablet for a moment as she began walking towards it, still typing to get the last of her thoughts down. Signals were still wonky from the Andromeda galaxy, the last signals coming in were still showing signs of being deviated from the normal. The remnants of the Convergence. Jane had been backtracking the signals since the dust had settled in Greenwich, determined to understand the readings that were far different then anything she'd ever seen prior. Some of the readings were clear signals from the other galaxies that had been in alignment, and Jane did her best to document and analyse those signals for prosperity. Now, however, her focus was back on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, so only two computers were taking readings from the Hubble Telescope while the other six were working around the clock on the Bridge data she'd been feeding it.Tapping the emitter, Jane sighed, setting her tablet down to take a look at the emitter's sensors. Somehow one of the small level correctors had gotten knocked out of alignment, making the emitter unable to lock onto its focus target. She wiggled the sensor, loosening the bolt just a little while she eyeballed the level range between the tripod legs, pleased when the emitter's beeping ceased, and she tightened the bolt again to keep the sensor in place. Collecting her tablet, Jane returned to her notes, crossing absently back to the array of computers under the canopy where her coffee mug rested, steam rising from the porcelain. Overhead, the crackle of thunder roared in the distance, though Jane didn't look up until a light patter of rain began hitting the canopy. Frowning, she pulled up the weather report only to see clear skies predicted. Setting her tablet down, Jane glanced up, towards the door leading to the Tower below, half-hoping and half-chastising herself. It was just a light rain, after all. 

~

Sighing, Jane crossed to the far side of the canopy, reaching up by standing on her tip-toes to detach the clasp that kept the side rolled up. A whisper of fabric danced in the air as the covering came down. There. The equipment was protected from the rain, though the stations were set far under the canopy itself. Another, louder crackle of thunder rent the night sky.

Jane shivered, though she was not cold. Thunder always made her think of Thor. Of that night in the New Mexico desert laying in the dirt overlooking the SHIELD compound as his shadow raced behind their covered tunneling with her heart in her throat for that strange, fascinating man that she'd dared to help.

Moving to the edge of the canopy, Jane held out one small hand, palm up, feeling the rain dance across her skin. That made her smile. In Greenwich, the rain had avoided her. She laughed softly, shaking her head as she turned, her field of vision now directed towards the helipad and she stopped in mid-step, frozen. Her features struggled between elation and forced reserve, and after a moment Jane began walking again, out from under the canopy, ignoring the rain as she crossed to where Thor stood.

Reaching out, she touched two fingers to his chest and then a bright smile lit her face. "You're real. Really real," Jane said, grinning as she looked up at him. "Hi."

~

Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Patter. It was a soothing sound, giving this moment an even deeper, dreamlike quality. Jane's smile wavered when his hand, the cool metal of his gauntlet, came to rest over hers, pressing her palm to his chest. She blinked, glancing down automatically, then up again, her smile muted but there. Sure, Jane knew about Vladivostok, was happy that Thor had been there to help Natasha, and was perhaps a little stung that he hadn't come to say hello, or goodbye. Okay, maybe more than a little stung, but Sif had said he had been needed on Asgard.

The whole treason thing was still pretty prominent in her memory, as well. Who knew what kind of 'apology' Odin Allfather required for what they'd done, how they'd all defied his orders, after the death of his wife, Thor's mother.

"My work," she repeated softly, just relishing the moment, the realization that he was truly there. "No, no. I was just... checking the gravitational matrix stability of the - it - it doesn't really matter," Jane rambled absently. Her gaze took in his features, so serious, so familiar. She'd seen Mjölnir in his grasp, the comforting knowledge that he retained his beloved hammer. In the distance, lightening crackled.

Jane took a step closer, standing now in his considerable shadow. "How are you? I mean, with your dad," she asked sincerely, her features softening, sobering. His mother had died protecting her, it was a debt she felt very deeply.

~

"Oh, the stability matrix is tracking the quantum particle dissipation patterns from the Convergence. The gravity wells left behind some fascinating data that led me to the trailing disturbances on the fabric of space-time. It's really been..." Jane rattled off easily before being once again distracted by Thor's even blue gaze. "fascinating."

Jane didn't mind the rain. It was his, after all. Her eyebrow arched higher. "So, he gave you a pass on the whole treason thing? Nice..." she stated in clear surprise, remembering how stern and angry Odin had been when Thor had brought her to Asgard. He'd called her a goat! Now he was encouraging Thor to spend time on Earth - presumably with her. She had no love for loss for Sif, but she found herself begrudgingly agreeing with the female Asgardian's suspicions though perhaps now was not the time to go over it with him. Not now, perhaps not ever. Family disputes were such a delicate matter.

"Oh. Oh! You can stay with me. I mean, here. Here with me. Here. If you want to," Jane declared happily, elated that Thor was thinking of staying. Overjoyed, in fact, although the last time they'd lived in the same place, things on Earth went a little wonky. Still, with a Tower full of Avengers, hell, why'd she have to go and think that now, at a time like this? Stretching up on her tip-toes, Jane pressed her lips to his in a hard kiss.