Disclaimer: I do not own Thor, nor the Avengers.

Chapter 12 – Into Eternity

There was no explosion, no blowback, not even a flash of light. The Stone simply settled down.

"Well…that was anti-climactic." Tony observed. Jane shot him a glare and he held up his hands in defeat. Looking down at their joined hands, Jane and Thor slowly separated them and watched as the stone settled in their bare hands.

"We're alive." Jane muttered, feeling quite in shock that she was touching an Infinity Stone and hadn't been blown to pieces.

" 'Only those who are worthy may wield it.' " Stephen quoted, looking like he had known all along that this would happen, and perhaps he had, having seen so may possible futures.

"Perhaps." Thor acknowledged the words the One-Above-All had spoken, but he sounded so battle-weary they knew this would not be a discussion they were having right now. Summoning Gungnir, Thor tried again to return the Soul Stone to its rightful place at the heart of Asgard, and this time, with the stone having quieted, he succeeded. He then turned his attention to the other five stones floating above him. Reaching up, he grasped the Time Stone between his fingers and turned to Stephen who accepted it gladly, though he himself dared not touch it directly.

"Thank you." He said, having wondered if the stone would be returned to him, and if the Eye of Agamotto would be whole once more or not.

"It is safe with you." Thor said simply. "As is the Mind Stone with you, Vision." The android looked confused, as did Wanda who stood by his side. "Even though you are you without the stone, it cannot be denied that the Mind Stone had a part in creating you. As such it is at home with you, and I would return it to its home."

"I will not let it be connected to him again as it once was." Wanda warned and Thor immediately backed down.

"Nor would I ask such a thing." He assured her. "But if I may?" Though hesitant Vision nodded and Thor moved his hand up to cover where the stone used to reside in Vision's forehead. The magic he had, though rarely used, came forward and Vision could feel the Mind Stone settle into place, though differently this time. "I admit I took a leaf out of Thanos' book. The stone is connected to you as it was to his gauntlet, but it is not a part of you, and it can be removed if needed." Vision smiled.

"I admit I feel better having it back." He said, looking to Wanda hesitantly, knowing her thoughts about him having the stone.

"And I feel better knowing you have its power to protect you." She admitted to Vision's surprise. "So long as it does not become a crutch as it once was." Vision's smile brightened and he bent to kiss her, ignoring Tony's fake gagging noises.

"That leaves us with three." Natasha noted.

"The Space Stone shall remain on Asgard." Said Loki, surprising them as they had not expected him to make such a decision. Raising one hand, Loki summoned his own rarely used power, that of his Jotun heritage. When he had accepted what he was, he had discovered that the magic his mother had taught him allowed him to summon the frosts of Jotunheim though without the casket. Moulding it to his will, Loki created a cube of everlasting ice to surround the Space Stone. "It is not the Tesseract as it once was." He said. "But the 'jewel of Odin's treasure room' can return to its rightful place." Thor nodded, silently thanking his brother and banged Gungnir on the ground, sending the Tesseract to the vaults.

"So what do we do with the other two?" Clint asked.

"We bury them." Thor said. "The Reality Stone was safe for thousands of years wherever my grandfather, King Bor, sent it. Only Jane has seen its hiding place and I do not think even she knows where it is." Jane shook her head. "It will be safe there for another five thousand years until the next Convergence re-opens the portal that took Jane there in the first place." Another bang of Gungnir saw the Bifrost opened, returning the Reality Stone to its burial place, even if Thor didn't know where it was.

"And we can take the Power Stone to another safe place." Rocket spoke up. In response the Bifrost opened once more, sweeping the final Infinity Stone away.

"I think not, rabbit." Said Thor, distrusting. "While giving it to the Xandarians was not a bad idea, it placed a target on their whole planet and saw to their annihilation at Thanos' hands. I will not have another realm under my protection suffer so."

"We also don't trust you." Loki spoke up once more.

"I am Groot!" Said the tree.

"Yes, and we thank you for your help in defeating Thanos, but I will not take any chances with an Infinity Stone." Thor replied, shocking Groot's friends.

"You speak Groot?!" Rocket demanded. He and Groot had been best friends for years and even he had trouble understanding him sometimes.

"Yes, they taught it here on Asgard, it was an elective."

"Where did you send it?" Gamora asked.

"Good question." Thor replied with a smile, though he was clearly not going to answer that question. Turning towards the Asgardian army that had simply been standing there as they figured out what to do with the Infinity Stones, Thor held out his hand to Jane and led his queen over to address them, both standing taller as they went, the weariness leaving them as they turned their attention to their people.

"Thanos is no more!" Thor announced – unnecessarily – to much cheering. "You fought bravely and it is thanks to you that we were victorious!"

"Go now to rest and recuperate and see your families." Jane added. "Tonight we will honour those who gave their lives as they depart for Valhalla."

"And tomorrow we feast!" Thor added to another great cheer. The army then began dispersing and the weariness returned to the two monarchs.

"You will stay for the feast tomorrow?" Jane asked those still gathered even as her attention was now on her daughter, whom she took from Loki, holding the newborn close.

"Heimdall will bring your families to Asgard now so they may join as well." Thor added, before turning to Heimdall. "If you wouldn't mind, old friend." Heimdall nodded, knowing that while Thor, and Jane, could both activate the Bifrost at will, it took a toll for them to do so without the aid of the Bifrost machine. Hearing their families would join them, the Avengers quickly agreed.

"We would be honoured if you would join us as well." Jane said to the newcomers, though most seemed a bit hesitant. One, however, did not.

"Eat at an Asgardian feast?" Drax said. "The food is said to be the best in all the realms."

"Oh it is, my friend." Volstagg said, clapping Drax on the shoulder; he already liked this man. "There is nothing to compare." With Drax on board the others agreed and so Jane and Thor led them into the palace and saw that everyone would be cared for before they departed for their chambers, though they weren't the only ones.

"One word, Thor, and I will end you, king or no." Sif hissed when Thor smirked in her direction. Loki too had decided to make his way to his chambers, which were in the same wing as Jane and Thor's, being the wing that held all the royal chambers, and he had taken Sif's hand to bring her with them, thinking they were overdue for a talk; though whether that was all they did remained to be seen. Thor wisely said nothing now, but the glint in his eyes promised she would not get away unscathed for long. Arriving at their chambers, Thor immediately went to shower while Jane kept hold of Aerith before the two switched, neither parent being willing to release their child for the moment. Eventually though, after being fed and cuddled for a few hours, the parents placed their baby in her cradle and retreated to bed.

"If I wasn't so tired I would ravish you." Thor murmured sleepily. "Looking as delectable as you do in your nightgown."

"This durable cotton is hardly silk and lace." She murmured just as sleepily. "Though I'll take the compliment." It was all that was said, for in moments they were both asleep.

-/-

The feast the following day was raucous, as Asgardian feasts usually were. The Avengers and their families were welcomed as guests of honour, all of them receiving a hero's welcome and much attention from the court. Asgard's top scholars were deep in conversation with Tony, Hank and Bruce. Having Jane as their queen and getting to know Shuri during her stay, they knew well that Earth's scholars rivalled theirs in many ways and were eager to learn. Clint had gotten into a shooting competition earlier in the day with one of Argard's top archers and was now being bombarded with questions and requests for tips and lessons after having beaten him soundly, while Natasha and Okoye were similarly being questioned by Asgard's warriors because of their skill in combat. Some Avengers, like Vision and Wanda, were lucky to be left alone for the most part – though that might have something to do with how closely they held each other – while others weren't so lucky. Both T'Challa and Steve found themselves constantly in demand for one reason or another, though both were ultimately content, knowing they were strengthening Earth's relationship with Asgard. Scott was more or less left alone as well, though he kept a close eye on Cassie who had made a friend in Volstagg, who seemed quite taken with the little girl and was uproariously telling her stories, most of them highly embellished. Like her son, Ramonda was acting the diplomat for Wakanda, though she had rushed to Aerith's side upon seeing her again; having the baby disappear from her arms into nothingness had been understandably traumatic. Jane and Thor, for their part, were both observing and presiding over the entire feast and had made the Guardians of the Galaxy, as they had learned the newcomers were called, welcome in their home; though they kept a close eye on the racoon who had been heard more than once taking about his past thievery as if it was a badge of honour. Now, however, they were taking a moment to relax after playing the hosts all evening and were sitting alongside Sif and Loki, whom had conspicuously not left each other's sides.

"Just think, brother." Thor began, much too nonchalantly. "Perhaps one day soon all this celebration will be for you, and Lady Sif of course."

"Assuming I will have him." Sif muttered.

"Oh, I meant for the birth of your child, not a wedding." Thor said. "What with the way you two were-ow!" He turned and saw no one behind him, though a fading glow told him that Loki had magicked a double of himself across the table to slap his brother.

"You deserved it." Jane said and Thor chuckled, unable to disagree.

"He deserves far more than that." Sif growled and Thor's smile disappeared as he grimaced, knowing well that tone of voice. "And he will get everything that is coming to him."

"You deserve that too." Said Jane and again Thor could not disagree, though his amusement had worn off.

"Right…well regardless, do ask her to marry you before someone else does." Thor cautioned his brother who scowled even more, not liking that thought at all. Any retort he might have made to his brother though was cut off as several Avengers joined them, having been released from their interrogations.

"I gotta hand it to you, Thor, you really know how to throw a party." Said Sam, who was more than half way to being drunk, though he was far from the only one.

"I feel like I'm on a movie set or something. It's like we've been taken out of time…and that's coming from me." Said Steve.

"Agreed." Bucky added.

"I felt exactly the same way." Jane said. "Asgard is at once the most advanced realm I've ever seen, but they are also very much stuck in the past in many ways."

"For us, perhaps." T'Challa joined the conversation. "But it works for them. And I daresay that they figured this out long ago, long before humans even began to count time on Earth. Why fix what is not broken?"

"Yes, but at least they understand that even though it works, it can still be improved." Shuri quipped. T'Challa scowled at his sister, but a smile could be seen underneath. They sat in companionable silence for awhile until a nurse came to fetch Jane as it was time to feed Aerith. When she returned she brought the baby with her, much to the court's delight.

"They really love her." Erik commented after the fifth courtier came to fawn over their Princess.

"She will certainly be well taken care of, should anything happen to us." Thor agreed. "On Asgard, at any rate." Jane added, looking to her husband who nodded. "But even though biologically speaking she is wholly Asgardian, since I ate the Apple of Yggdrasil and all, she is still part Earthling, and we don't want her to forget that." She turned to Darcy and Pepper, looking between the two of them. "Godparents aren't exactly a custom on Asgard, but would you two be Aerith's godmothers?" Darcy squealed a yes very loudly and immediately apologized when her new goddaughter began to fuss. Pepper was much more calm but happily accepted as well. Thor then turned to Steve.

"And you her godfather?" He asked. Steve seemed shocked until Jane gave him a look; he couldn't deny how close they had become.

"I'd be honoured." He said and even went so far as to take Aerith from her mother and introduce himself as her godfather, promising to love and care for her.

"So sentimental…didn't know you had it in you, Cap." Tony said, wiping away a fake tear. "Though I can see how he's the obvious choice. He'll teach her how to be honest and true, an all around good person…and a complete stick in the mud like he is." His jealousy was very thinly veiled even as he joked. Pepper elbowed him and shot him a reproving look, though Jane sighed loudly.

"Oh for god's sake, Tony, we were going to ask you to be her other godfather." She said as if it was obvious. His head snapped in her direction and his eyes became wide and hopeful, though he'd never admit it.

"Really?"

"Until you opened your big mouth that is."

"No take backs!" He said and actually turned his attention to the baby of his own free will for the first time, following Steve's lead and introducing himself as her godfather, though he used a bad Godfather movie accent where Steve had not.

"We haven't actually asked you, Tony." She said.

"Too late!" Sensing a fight was brewing between the pseudo siblings, Richard stepped in and put a stop to it.

"Fine. Just don't corrupt her too badly." Jane muttered.

"That's my job." Said Loki.

"And mine." Said Darcy. Jane and Thor both groaned.

"She's doomed." Thor nodded, in complete agreement with his wife.

"What have we done?"

"God only knows." Steve answered with a chuckle. "Though I get the feeling she'll know too one day, long after we're gone." The parents' frowns turned into smiles at that.

"Long after we're all gone, into eternity."

A/N - The End.

I hope it wasn't a disappointment, I know I skipped or glossed over many characters, and brought the Guardians in last minute for what is basically a cameo, but there's just too many of them! Anyways, thanks for reading everyone!

Review please!