BOMBSHELL. ❪ Steve Rogers ❫ ✓

twenty-one

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Loki was sitting in his cell, completely unaware of Thor, Rocket, and Ophelia creeping past and stopping at a pillar a few meters away from Jane Foster's room.

"That's Jane," said Thor.

"All right. Here's the deal, Tubby." Rocket hopped down from the pilar. "You're gonna charm her and I'm gonna poke her with this thing - " He held up a device. " - and extract the Reality Stone and get gone, lickety-split."

Thor sniffled. "I'll be right back, okay? There's a wine cellar that's just down there. My father used to fish huge barrel of ale. I'll see if the cellar has a couple of to-go cups."

"Hey! Hey!" exclaimed Rocket. "Aren't you drunk enough already?"

"An animal has more common sense than you, Thor," retorted Ophelia.

The sound of a door opening caused the trio to scrabble around, trying to find a hiding spot. Thor and Ophelia hid behind a pillar while Rocket ducked down. Women were surrounding Frigga as they walked down the hall. The siblings saw their mother and slowly stepped out simultaneously.

Rocket hopped back onto the ledge. "Who's the fancy broad?"

"It's our Mother. She dies today," muttered Thor.

"Oh," said Rocket. "That's today?"

"I remember hating this day even before I knew what happened," whispered Ophelia.

Thor began hyperventilating. "I can't do this. I can't do this. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come. This was a bad idea."

"Come here," commanded Rocket, beckoning him over as he stood in front of him.

Thor shook his head. "No, no, no. I think I'm having... I'm having a panic attack. I shouldn't be here... This is... This is a bad - "

"Come here. Right here," demanded Rocket before slapping Thor in the face. "You think you're the only one who lost people? What do you think we're doing here? I lost the only family I ever had. Quill, Groot, Drax, the chick with the antenna, all gone. Now, I get you miss your Mom. But she's gone - really gone. And there are plenty of people who are only kinda gone. But you can help them. So is it too much to ask that you brush the crumbs outta your beard, make schmoopy talk to Pretty Pants, and when she's not looking, suck out the Infinity Stone and help me get my family back?"

"Okay," he whimpered.

"Are you crying?" questioned Rocket.

"No," he whined. "Yes! I feel like I'm losing it."

"You are!" Ophelia hissed. "You're a mess!"

"Get it together! You can do this. You can do this. All right?" encouraged Rocket.

"Yes, I can," replied Thor breathlessly.

Rocket nodded. "Good."

Rocket and Ophelia began walking toward the room, whereas Thor lingered behind.

"I can do this. I can do it, I can't do this." Thor turned around and ran away.

Rocket braced himself. "All right, Heartbreaker. She's alone. This is our shot." He turned back to where Thor was previously standing. "Thor? Thor!"

"If this is the day my mother dies, then this is also the day I'm currently held in a room with potential husbands. I doubt someone told Jane that. I'll distract her and you pluck the stone out of her. We don't need my buffoon of a brother for that."

Ophelia walked up to the door and knocked as Rocket hid. The door opened, revealing Jane who looked tired and weary.

"Ophelia Odindottir, pleasure. So you're the human my brother is so infatuated with?"

Past Ophelia would have been angry and annoyed at that point in time. After losing her own human lover and currently being forced into an arranged marriage, she would have been rude.

"Oh! You're his sister! Yes, I'm Jane Foster, Princess."

Jane did a horrible version of a curtesy that Ophelia would have laughed at and joked about, but she had to continue her act.

"Well, you're not horribly ugly. Consider that a compliment. Thor tells me you're a scientist. Tell me about that."

As Jane was occupied, Rocket snuck up on her and jabbed the device into her flesh. She cried out and doubled over. Ophelia stepped to the side to avoid getting pulled along, then grabbed Rocket and put her on his head.

"I can hear the soldiers coming. Princess or not, other me currently in a room with suitors and other guards. They can't see me," exasperated Ophelia as she ran down the hall. "Where is that buffoon?"

She sidetracked inside a room where she had smelt the scent of dusted Cheetos and beer stains, which she instantly recognized as Thor. He and Frigga hugged as Rocket impatiently tapped his wrist.

"Mother," said Ophelia.

"You've grown. And you've got a ring on your finger," added Frigga.

Ophelia smiled. "I do."

Frigga smiled sadly. "I love you both, and Thor, eat a salad."

"I already told him that," muttered Ophelia.

Rocket, entering the coordinates onto the watch, urged, "Come on. We gotta go."

"Goodbye," whispered Frigga.

Rocket began counting down.

"No, wait!" Thor interrupted as he held out his hand.

"Wh - What am I looking at?" asked Rocket.

"Oh, sometimes it takes a second," answered Frigga.

Mjolnir flew into Thor's hand. "I'm still worthy," he whispered, gleeful.

"Oh, boy," muttered Rocket.

"Goodbye, Mom," said Thor.

"Goodbye, Mother," said Ophelia.

"Goodbye," she whispered.