For my Hiddlestoners on Facebook,

and you, kind readers.

AN: This idea came to me one rainy evening, after watching the Avengers. I hope you'll enjoy this story.

The story starts at the end of Thor and focuses on the gap between Thor and Avengers. Later on, it will continue on the Avengers. While I wrote this chapter I listened to following songs that really set the mood for me:

Elder Scrolls V-Skyrim "Son Of The Nord"

Hiatus & Shura - Fortune's Fool (Clubroot remix) Dubstep

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel.

villain [ˈvɪlən] n.

1. A wicked or malevolent person
2. (In a novel, play, film, etc.) the main evil character and antagonist to the hero
3. Often jocular a mischievous person; rogue
4. Obsolete an uncouth person; boor

he·ro (hɪr.oʊ) n.

1. In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods
2. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war
3. A person noted for special achievement in a particular field
4. The principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation

Freedom. Falling. Fear. Fury. These indescribable sensations pulsed through him.

It seemed only second ago he held onto his father's staff. Or was it centuries away? He did not know, but his hand still tingled with magic.

His hair whipped like ravens wing caught in the stormy wind. Dark armor was tight around his heavy body that fell like a lost meteor. His emerald cape billowed wildly, and if it had a voice - it would be screaming. Stars, nebula, black holes, planets, constellations – the wonders of the universe, the pride of the Nine realms were nothing but a blur as he fell.

He did not know where he was falling. He did not know when the final impact will occur. Or even more frighteningly - will it occur? Was he simply going to plummet into unknown until Ragnarök?

All his wishes, all his thoughts, his entire existence for a moment seemed so far away - so painfully far from and out of his reach. And just then – he realized how small and meaningless he was in this universe. Malice surged inside him… Oh he will be heard, he will be seen and he will be important once again.

His mind was blank, eyes closed tightly. Underneath his lids, tears were afraid to fall, for they would not touch his cheeks – they would plummet into some other strange direction, snatched by the vast, unfamiliar places. He couldn't move his fingers, couldn't open his mouth to scream.

He was snatched by the hand of the space, rational, cold, uninviting. Just like Odin.

Asgard was gone – he knew it.

He did not need anyone's pity or compassion. All he wanted was revenge. He needed it, like he needed to feel himself standing on solid ground.

Is there no end to this misery? He thought in anguish as he plummeted down, his downfall followed by the blinding electric cold colors – blue, green, black and silver - far unlike those warm, earthy tones that followed Thor's and Odin's journeys between realms.

These were the colors of a Jötunn - cold, icy, freezing shades thrown over the canvas of the universe.

...

'Jane! You can't do this!' Darcy yelled to closed doors, flapping her hands hopelessly, feeling like an idiot.

'I have to Darcy.' Came Jane's ever calm and rational reply, muffled by the closed doors. It irritated Darcy further.

It has been two months since they last saw Thor. The moment he and his friends flew to the sky was the last contact Asgard had with Earth, or as Thor called it – Midgard. And each day that passed was more and more difficult. Eric and Darcy devoted all of their time to Jane, and the three of them were constantly working on getting Thor back. All of it started as a science experiment – for the common good, for the mankind – their goal was clear - discover how to contact, travel and finally reach Asgard, and the rest of the Nine realms.

But somewhere along the way, Darcy realized they did it for Jane.

For years she's been Jane's co-worker, surrounded with quite cold, rational minds that seemed far above her own. Emotions were never involved, and there was no place for feelings when it came to science. Those who were cold and calculated made it, while those who gave into their emotions often fell apart under the pressure.

When Jane offered Darcy to become her co-worker a few years ago, Darcy was fresh out of college, and eager to prove herself. At first she played a major role in all of it, her knowledge of different cultures and a few languages she spoke fluently came in handy and was very helpful, so naturally, she felt extremely proud. But as the time flew - she felt more and more like a housekeeper or a secretary, rather than their colleague. She wanted more. The two of them were building such machines, breathtaking computing systems and soft-wares, equipment which even Tony Stark himself would admire, while Darcy made coffee and bought them doughnuts.

Darcy felt left out.

At first - none of it bothered her – she had a job, and a quite good one at that – helping two amazing scientists was a great opportunity, because who knew what they would discover along the way? But, now, as the days stretched endlessly, fear gripped Darcy as she sensed the grains of sand of her youth's hourglass disappearing.

She left her home, her family and friends, and came all the way to Puente Antiguo. Darcy Lewis deserted everything to find herself in this godforsaken small town somewhere in the New Mexico desert, where time was slipping through her fingers with a frightening velocity.

Where am I going to go now?

'You are ungrateful.' Darcy said to the door, tears collecting under her glasses, fogging them a bit, and she snatched them off the bridge of her nose in anger, wiping her eyes furiously with the sleeve of her fleece sweatshirt.

'Oh grow up, Darcy.' another rude reply.

'You call me childish and, here I am, talking to closed doors!' Darcy said loudly enough for Jane to hear her. There was a short silence, and then Jane walked out.

'What?' she stood at the doorway in her coat, her bags packed, her equipment waiting in front of their temporary glass home.

'You heard me.'

'I am ungrateful?' Jane laughed bitterly 'I was the one who gave you this job!'

'Yes, Jane! I never said I was not thankful for it! But you're the one leaving me now! You and Erik!'

'We have to go, Darcy.' Jane pushed next to her, and went to the working desk to collect more of her things, shoving them quickly in her rucksack. 'Look, I'm sorry, you can't come with us.' Jane shook her head 'It was hard for me to convince SHIELD even to let Erik come with me!'

'But you could've told me earlier, you could've given me time!' She pulled the sleeves over her palms in frustration 'What am I going to do now, all alone in this place?' she flapped her hands. 'Wait for you two to come back!?'

'Don't be a child, Darcy.' Jane said lowly, zipping up her rucksack 'You are old enough to take care of yourself. Just… go home.'

'Okay, that is enough!' Darcy yelled.

Jane whipped around, confusion written all over her pretty face.

'What is your problem!?' Jane exclaimed.

'All this time, I've been nothing more than a- You can't boss me around like that-' Darcy stuttered, falling over her unfinished sentences 'I have plans of my own, you know! Just - oh forget it!'

'Well.' Jane breathed 'That clears everything up.' She crossed her arms over her chest, looking around. 'When you cool off and pack your bags, just lock everything up and shut all the blinds on windows, you know, just in case.'

Darcy looked at Jane in disbelief, her eyes watering, her fingers crushing themselves inside her fists. Everything she tried to say flew out of her lips in a mess, unnoticed by Jane, all the pent up anger unable to find its release when she talked to Jane Foster.

Darcy straightened up, and lifted her chin, her voice cutting the air with a razor sharp edge.

'Bye, Jane.'

With that said Darcy turned on her heel, and slammed the doors of her room to Jane's shocked face.

That was the last time she saw Jane for a long time.

...

Three hours passed. The night began to fall softly, the first stars sparkled in the sky that resembled an icy glass of freshly poured Coca-Cola. She lay on her bed, the headlights of the black armored cars and the banging of the heavy car doors left her in the lone desert. Erik, Jane and the rest of the SHIELD agents left, not even saying goodbye.

She was deserted, in this big house, in this vast land, on this lonely planet where everything seemed so difficult.

She felt tears gathering in the corners of her brown eyes, and she let them fall silently. She did not sob, she did nothing – she just lay there, closing her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply through her nose.

For the first time after so long, the house was completely silent – there was no hum of the computers, no talking, no scribbling, no hurrying, no panic. Just Darcy and the silence that surrounded her.

Until-

A swishing sound woke her for her small nap, like a distant whip. And upon the light green wall of her room she saw lights. Darcy sat up quickly. Her skinny jeans were very uncomfortable around her round legs as she quickly put on her boots.

Maybe Jane and Erik returned! This was her first thought, and hope fluttered inside her.

She went to the mirror in the hall, and looked herself closely. She had bags of tiredness under her eyes, and the glasses made them look even bigger. I look like a cartoon character... Darcy smirked at her own reflection.

Quickly, she brushed her dark hair with her fingers, and straightened her jumper. She walked out, in front of the house, shivering from the gush of cold wind. But there were no cars, no people.

…Just she, the white van and the eerily silent Puente Antiguo.

She was about to turn around and head back to the house, when she saw the light again. It came bursting from the skies, and Darcy lifted her head up in fright, squinting, her full lips parted in awe. It fluttered and then disappeared.

Was she seeing things?

For a few seconds it seemed everything stopped moving. Then a beam of green, blue, silver and black surged from the skies above and directly into the ground, far away in the desert. It looked like a vein of dark power, so frightening and beautiful at the same time. Earth shook, rumbling.

Darcy's heart skipped a beat, and she hurried to the car – trying with all her might to remember the place where Thor had landed all those months ago – for it seemed this impact was in the exact same place.

With shaky fingers she started the car, not knowing what to do.

Maybe it's Thor! Then Jane and Erik will return!

Darcy drove like a lunatic, speeding up every few seconds.

Among her surging hope and excitement, another question presented itself, sneering in the dark corner of her mind - But, what if it's not Thor?

Darcy's smile fell.

It was too late for that – she was already half way there. The closer she drove to the impact spot, the cloud of dust and sand became bigger. It was almost impossible to drive through it, so she slowed down. The van moved very slowly until she stopped. She was not sure where she was anymore.

If Jane and Erik were here, they would know what to do!

Darcy got outside the van, coughing when the dusty air reached her lungs. Quickly, she put her hand over her mouth, squinting to see something, anything.

'Hello?' she called. Her voice fluttered. 'Hello!?'

Nothing.

Leaning her back to the van, she decided to wait until the dust settled down, as well as the rapid beating of her racing heart. After a few moments, the air around was clearer and she heard rustling to her right. Hurriedly, she reached inside the van and on the passenger seat where her taser lay innocently.

Clicking it, she aimed it in front of her and moved on shaky feet.

A thin beam of red laser pierced through the thick dust, searching for the target 'Is anybody there?' her voice fluttered, and she cursed herself for showing fear.

She thought she heard something.

A grunt of pain.

What the hell?

Another clenched, guttural moan of anguish. Darcy lowered the taser and pocketed it.

One step.

Two steps.

The dust lifted, and a few feet in front of her – she saw him.

A man lay there, sprawled across the desert floor. Wreathing, curling his limbs like a wounded animal. In the dark, she could not see him well, but it seemed he wore a dark armor and some sort of cape. It was green.

'Who- What-?' she began clumsily, stuttering. A cry of pain interrupted her. The man held his broad armored chest, his face hidden the entire time by the messy tresses of ink black hair.

Darcy stepped closer to his writhing form, and shakily got to her knees to help him. She squinted in sadness, unable to watch a person in so much pain, unable to help them.

Quickly she took off her glasses and pocketed them.

'Here- let me-' she reached to touch his forearm that clenched itself over his abdomen. The moment her fingers brushed his amour clad forearm, he screamed.

'Don't you dare touch me, creature!' he gritted through his teeth in rage and pain.

'I'm just trying to help you.' Darcy said calmly, although her heart hammered violently against her ribcage.

'Did you hear me ask for it' he gritted in pain 'by some chance?'

The sarcasm in his deep growling voice stung Darcy.

'For the love of Odin!' he cried once more, throwing his head back in wrenching pain, the veins in his neck visible and pulsing. And for the first time, his face was fully revealed to Darcy. His watery dark eyes glared at the universe above him, his jaw clenched. But he did not let tears fall.

Odin? Another Asgardian.

'Please, let me help you.' Darcy's voice fluttered. Watching the torture he was in was not working well with her. She felt a knot inside her stomach.

The man only rolled on his side, trying to stand up. 'I said I don't need it!' he growled. Then he collapsed in more pain, for trying to move too quickly. He panted, his brow coated in sheen of sweat.

'Oh, so you want me to leave you here? You want to die alone?' Darcy tried with all her might to sound brave and sure, only her voice constantly betrayed her.

'I can't die, stupid girl.' He snarled as he held his side, lying on his back helplessly.

'What?' she stared at him.

He did not answer.

'Oh never mind. I'm helping you – whether you like it or not.'

'How dare you speak to me like that!' He screamed together with the pain, his dark hair whipping around his face.

Darcy stood up, ran to the van and drove it to where he lay. Then Darcy tried to grasp his shoulders. He was very heavy, and she had no idea how she'll be able to carry him to the back of the van.

The man went to slap her hands away, his venom seeping out and he looked like a snake ready to bite her. 'You insolent little-'

'Please don't freak out, I'm trying to help you.' She said calmly 'You fell on Earth. I won't hurt you, I promise. Trust me, please.'

'If my body wasn't broken, you would lose your hands and your tongue, mortal.' He snarled deeply, spitting the words violently.

'Yeah, charming.' Darcy rolled her eyes, and when she was sure she had a firm hold on him she tried to pull him up. The man howled in pain like somebody was breaking every bone in his body. She managed to drag him towards the back seat, and push him in.

'You shall regret this, mortal!' He growled, face contorted in wrath.

'Yeah, I know, I know, you don't have to tell me.' Darcy whispered urgently, slamming the door.

Before she jumped into the driver's seat, Darcy saw something glinting in the dark sand – it was a helmet - a magnificent golden horned helmet.

With shaky fingers, she took it, placed it on the passenger seat and drove home, with only one thing dancing around her mind – I am in so much trouble.