Life can Change: What a Marvel Part 2 (3 of 3) (Patreon)

(I’m stupid I accidentally deleted it…)

A week later, Mark packed up his essentials into a duffel bag and loaded them into the trunk of his old sedan, deciding on a whim to drive to New Mexico rather than fly since he had always liked the open road for clearing his head, the long stretches of highway giving him time to think without the rush of soaring through the clouds. The journey took nearly three days, with stops at roadside motels and diners where he blended in as just another traveler, but he finally arrived in Puente Antiguo, a dusty little town in the New Mexico desert that felt worlds away from New York.

He checked into a modest hotel on the outskirts, paying cash for a month's stay in a room with a view of endless sand, where he unpacked his few clothes, set up his laptop on the rickety desk, and took a quick shower to wash off the road grime before heading out to the address he had for Dr. Jane Foster's lab, a converted warehouse on the edge of town that looked more like a mechanic's garage than a cutting-edge research facility.

When he arrived, the place was in a frenzy, with people rushing around inside through the open bay door, grabbing keys and jackets as if they were late for something. Mark knocked on the frame and stepped in cautiously, asking, "Is this a bad time?"

A young woman with dark hair in a messy ponytail turned from where she was stuffing papers into a bag, her eyes lighting up as she took him in, cute and dorky in her oversized sweater and glasses that slipped down her nose, she gave him a flirtacious smile. "Never a bad time for you," she said with a wink, pushing her glasses up as she leaned against the table.

Mark laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as a flush crept up his cheeks. "Uh, thanks... I think. I'm looking for Dr. Jane Foster."

The woman pointed across the room with a grin, joking, "She's the one running around like her house is on fire—literally, if you count the experiments that go wrong here."

Mark followed her gesture to see a focused woman with brown hair barking orders while grabbing a set of car keys, "Everything okay?" He asked a little worried.

An older man with a gray beard and a Scandinavian accent paused from collecting a notebook, glancing over with a reassuring nod. "It's fine, we're just on the way to the hospital to collect our friend."

"Oh," Mark said, stepping back slightly. "I can come back later if it's better, there is no rush."

Jane turned to him now, her expression harried but polite as she extended a hand. "I'm sorry, we're in a bit of a rush. I'm Dr. Foster."

Mark shook her hand firmly. "I'm Mark Grayson."

Jane pulled back, curiosity cutting through the need to go find the stranger, "What brings you here, Mr. Grayson?"

"I've been reading up on your work," Mark replied, "and I believe you could help me on a project I'm working on."

She raised an eyebrow, glancing at her watch before asking, "What kind of project?"

"Interdimensional teleportation," Mark said plainly, watching her reaction shift from distraction to intrigue.

Jane's eyes narrowed with sudden interest. "Interdimensional teleportation?" she echoed, blinking as if she had to make sure she heard that right. Her hand tightened slightly on the strap of her bag. "That's not something people usually show up at my door to talk about."

"But," she added, glancing at her watch, "I need to get to the hospital. We had an event last night, and we need to go pick someone up."

Mark nodded. "No problem at all, I can see you're dealing with something urgent here, so I'll just come back another time when things settle down."

Darcy, still leaning against the table with that cute, dorky grin that crinkled her eyes behind her glasses, chimed in before anyone else could respond. "Oh, come on, he should totally tag along—who knows, maybe tall, dark, and mysterious here can help."

The older man shook his head with a sigh, as he gathered a stack of notes under his arm. "We shouldn't drag a stranger into this mess, Darcy; it's complicated enough without involving outsiders in our... peculiarities."

Darcy whined playfully, crossing her arms and pouting in that endearing way that made her look like a child rather than an intern. "Come on, Erik, this involves the interdimensional Rosen bum bridge or whatever thingy Jane's always ranting about; he literally just said he's working on something similar, so why not bring him?"

Mark felt his cheeks warm again, laughing sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away. "Hey, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I don't want to be a bother, if you're in a rush, I can wait."

Jane paused in her frantic gathering of keys and a notepad, turning fully to him now with a spark of genuine curiosity cutting through her distraction. "Actually, you can come, I'm interested in hearing more about your project, and if it's related to what we're dealing with, it might even help; just follow us in your car if you have one," she quickly decided.

Mark agreed with a nod, grateful for the invite. "Sounds good, I'll tail you guys; lead the way."

As they all filed out toward Jane's SUV, Darcy fell into step beside Mark for a moment, bumping his shoulder lightly with hers and flashing another flirtatious smile. "You know, if the science talk gets boring, we could always grab coffee after—your treat, since you're the one crashing our party and because I'm an intern."

Mark chuckled, shaking his head as he headed to his sedan parked across the street. "I'll keep that in mind...thanks for the invite." He slid into the driver's seat, and started the engine; he couldn't help laughing to himself as he pulled out behind them, the situation already more exciting than he had anticipated when he set out from New York. He was fearing this small town being boring, based on how remote it is.

The drive to the hospital was short, winding through the streets of Puente Antiguo.  Mark's phone buzzed in the cupholder halfway there, pulling his attention for a quick glance at the screen.

Colleen: Hey stranger! Back in NY next week. Hit me up for some Mr. Chow's? Miss our late-night sessions... Let's catch up soon.

Mark smiled, a warmth spreading through him at the message since he had missed Colleen more than he realized, her sudden trip back to Japan for family reasons leaving a gap in his life that texts and calls hadn't fully filled, and it would be nice to hang out again. His mind drifted briefly to a flashback of their last night together before she left, her lithe body writhing underneath him on his bed as he thrust deep inside her, her moans filling the room—"Ahh, Mark, yes!"—her nails digging into his back while she clenched around him, pulling him closer until he came hard, filling her with his release as she shuddered in ecstasy beneath him.

He shook off the memory with a grin, focusing back on the road just in time to pull into the hospital parking lot behind Jane's SUV, where the group piled out and hurried inside through the automatic doors. Mark caught up as they reached the front desk, where Jane leaned forward breathlessly and asked for the guy they had brought in last night.

The nurse checked her computer and directed them to a room down the hall, but when they pushed open the door, the bed was empty, sheets rumpled and an IV stand knocked askew as if someone had left in a hurry. Jane cursed under her breath, running a hand through her hair in frustration, while Erik muttered something in Swedish that sounded equally annoyed, and Mark stood in the doorway, confused as he scanned the room. "How did he get out? Wasn't he hurt?"

They walked back to the car dejectedly, the energy from earlier deflated like a punctured tire, and Mark fell into step beside Jane, "Why's this guy so important anyway? You all seem pretty worked up about finding him." He asked.

Jane sighed, unlocking the SUV as she explained, "Part of the research I'm doing here is connected to these anomalous weather events that have been happening across the world—strange storms with no natural cause, leaving behind energy signatures that don't match anything on Earth. I believe they're Einstein-Rosen bridges; wormholes, essentially because of the exotic matter traces and gravitational distortions they emit, and that man... he came through one last night, right in the middle of a cyclone we were tracking."

Darcy piped up from the back, sliding into the passenger seat with a smirk. "Yeah, and I tased him; though it was his fault, he was acting all weird and aggressive, so zap! Down he went."

Mark chuckled, leaning against his car door as they prepared to leave. "That's an interesting theory—wormholes popping up randomly? Sounds like it could explain a lot of weird stuff."

Erik snorted from the driver's side, starting the engine. "Interesting? It's storm chasing—reckless, if you ask me."

Jane shot him an offended look. "You saw the markings on the ground, Erik; once we find him, we'll know for sure, and it could prove everything."

Mark nodded thoughtfully, pushing off his car. "I'll meet you back at the lab, don't want to slow you down any more."

As they pulled out of the parking lot, Jane backed up the SUV slowly, but Mark's eyes caught movement in the rearview, a tall blond man stepping into the path without noticing, and in a split second, he rushed forward, shoving both the man and the bumper's trajectory out of the way just as the vehicle lurched to a stop.

The man stumbled but caught himself, surprised as he straightened up with a booming laugh. "Thank you, my good man. I did not see that cart moving into me; your strength is impressive!"

Jane jumped out of the SUV, her face pale as she apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there at all!" Then her eyes widened in shock, recognition hitting her like a wave. "It's you."

The man tilted his head, grinning broadly. "Of course I am me, who else would I be?"

Mark pointed at him, piecing it together. "This the guy you're looking for?"

Darcy leaned out the window, nodding enthusiastically. "That's him, big blonde hunk, a little crazy."

The man turned his gaze to Darcy, his expression shifting to one of mock offense as he took a step forward. "You... you are that foul witch who cast the lightning curse upon me last night!"

Mark put a hand on his chest firmly, holding him back. "Whoa there big guy, why don't we calm down a second."

The man stepped back immediately, holding his hands up in surrender with a hearty chuckle. "Have no fear, fellow warrior. Thor Odinson does not harm women or children; I merely wished to ask the witch to lift her spell so I may regain my full strength."

Darcy rolled her eyes, annoyed but amused as she explained from the car. "It was a taser, not a spell, and I'm not a witch; it's electricity in a can, buddy, nothing magical about it."

Jane interrupted quickly. "Can we talk? Please—about what happened last night, the storm, where you came from..."

Thor opened his mouth to respond, but his stomach rumbled loudly, cutting him off as he placed a hand on it. "I am in need of food, my strength wanes without sustenance."

He turned to walk off down the street, but Jane called after him. "Wait! We can get you food; come with us, and we can talk over a meal."

Thor paused, turning back with a wide smile that lit up his face. "A feast with a pretty maiden? Agreed, I accept your hospitality."

Darcy rolled her eyes again, slumping back in her seat. "This guy's a moron."

Mark smiled, watching the exchange with genuine amusement. "I think he's great."

...

After getting Thor a change of clothes from a nearby thrift shop to replace his dirt-stained tunic with a simple flannel shirt and jeans that barely fit his massive frame, they all piled into the vehicles and headed to a local diner on the edge of town, a greasy spoon with vinyl booths and the smell of coffee lingering in the air. Jane and Erik slid into one booth with Thor, who eyed the menu with curiosity as if it were an ancient scroll, while Mark and Darcy claimed the booth across from them.

Darcy settled in opposite Mark, propping her chin on her hand as she fixed him with a curious smile. "So, spill, where's a guy like you from, anyway? You don't scream 'small-town New Mexico' to me."

Mark leaned back, folding the menu as he replied. "Up from New York, actually. Figured I'd take a bit of a holiday, get out of the city for a while."

"And you decided to spend it doing science?" Darcy said with a raised brow, her tone teasing as she stirred sugar into her coffee.

Mark laughed. "It relaxes me in a way, tinkering with ideas, figuring out how things connect. Beats sitting on a beach staring at waves, I guess."

She tilted her head, intrigued. "What do you do back in the big city? Besides holiday science quests."

"I sell electronics mostly," Mark said, "but that's just a side gig to keep busy. I've got enough saved up to be comfortable for a while, and if I need more, I can always pick up something quick."

Darcy snorted, sipping her coffee. "I wish it were that easy—I'm interning for college credit and barely scraping by on ramen and energy drinks."

Mark smiled, turning the question back. "What about you? What's your story, Darcy?"

She shrugged, as she adjusted her glasses. "Political science major, but I got roped into this astrophysics gig for the credits—thought it'd be boring star charts, but nope, it's all wormholes and crazy storms. Pays the bills, kinda. What about relationships? You single, or is there someone back in New York wondering where their science nerd ran off to?"

Mark chuckled again, meeting her flirtatious gaze. "Single, yeah... focusing on other stuff right now."

Before she could press further with a playful follow-up, movement caught their eye as Thor stood up from the other booth after a hushed conversation with a rough-looking local at the counter.

Mark and Darcy got up quickly, crossing to Jane and Erik's booth where the others looked puzzled. "What happened?" Mark asked.

Erik spoke before Jane could, rubbing his temple in exasperation. "The man's crazy—he thinks he's the Norse god Thor and that he has to go reclaim his hammer Mjolnir from some site in the desert, fifty miles west of here."

Mark shrugged, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Stranger things have happened."

"No they haven't," Erik said, shaking his head as if the words could ward off the absurdity, his face flushing like he was on the verge of madness.

Darcy burst out laughing, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Oh man, Erik! you look like you're about to pop a vein."

They hurried outside after Thor, catching him as he strode down the sidewalk, the large man turned to Jane with a hopeful look. "If you would take me to my hammer, fair maiden, I would be in your debt, I would tell you all to wish to know or the bifrost."

Jane glanced at Erik, who gave her a subtle shake of his head, and she sighed. "I can't... it's too far, and we can't afford to get mixed up it's the government."

Thor nodded graciously, offering a bow to the group. "Then I bid you farewell, friends,?may your quests fare well."

"Hey, Thor! wait a moment," Mark called, stepping forward.

Thor paused, turning back with a raised eyebrow. Mark approached and said, "Hold up, if you need a ride, I can take you there; it's not too out of the way for me if you don't mind waiting for a bit."

Thor's face lit up with a broad grin, clapping Mark on the shoulder. "A noble offer, warrior, I accept, but I shall begin the journey on foot to honor the path; meet me if you will."

Mark rolled his eyes good-naturedly as Thor started walking westward without another word. Shaking his head, Mark turned and walked back toward the lab, figuring he could check in on Jane's setup before catching up. Mark arrived back at the lab just as a fleet of black SUVs pulled up outside, their doors opening to reveal men in suits who started wheeling out crates and loading them with Jane's equipment as if it were routine inventory.

Jane stood in the doorway, her face flushed with anger as she argued with the lead agent—a mild-mannered man in a tailored suit and sunglasses. "This is my life's work, you can't just take it all; I need those instruments to continue my research, and without them, everything I've built here grinds to a halt!"

Mark stepped inside, his presence drawing eyes as he cleared his throat, "Is there a problem here?" He asked, and suddenly the agents paused in their tasks, exchanging subtle glances that betrayed a flicker of unease.

The lead agent turned, his composed expression faltering just a fraction before he recovered, "Mark Grayson," he said with a nervous edge that he tried to mask.

Mark raised a brow, tilting his head slightly. "Do I know you?"

"Of course not," Coulson said with a quick cough, straightening his tie. "I am Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD."

The tone in the room shifted palpably, the air growing thicker as Mark frowned, his gaze narrowing while he crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Coulson replied, managing to keep his voice calm though a bead of sweat formed at his temple; the other agents had frozen entirely, as if hoping to blend into the background.

"I'm on holiday," Mark said simply.

"No surprise with how busy you've been," Coulson added, attempting a casual smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Mark's frown deepened, and he gestured toward the crates being loaded. "Why are you confiscating Dr. Foster's equipment?"

Coulson cleared his throat again, glancing at Jane, "We're investigating a security threat in the area, and we need her records and atmospheric data to cross-reference with our findings, standard procedure to ensure public safety."

Mark interrupted before he could finish. "A copy of that would do, wouldn't it? From my point of view, it looks like you're stealing her property."

Coulson opened his mouth to respond, but Mark continued without pause. "Maybe I should go visit the director, see what he has to say about this."

Coulson paused for a long moment, then nodded curtly to one of the other agents. "Put it all back... carefully."

As the agents began unloading the crates, Coulson turned back to Mark. "We are the good guys, you know... I hope you know that."

"I hope that's true," Mark replied tiredly, holding his gaze until Coulson looked away.

Coulson then addressed Jane, his tone professional once more. "I'll send someone by later for a copy of the atmospheric data, hopefully it shouldn't take long."

She nodded, still processing the turnaround. "Fine, I'll have it ready."

Coulson signaled to his team. "Everyone, pack it up—we're done here." The agents filed out quickly, engines revving as the SUVs pulled away.

Once they were gone, Jane, Darcy, and Erik turned to stare at Mark as if he had just sprouted wings and flown right out of the lab, their expressions a blend of shock and bewilderment.

Mark grinned, touching his cheek self-consciously. "Do I have something on my face?"

Darcy broke the silence first, her voice laced with incredulity. "What the hell was that? Are you like their boss or something... or a major shareholder with veto power?"

"SHIELD does not have shareholders," Erik interjected dryly, though his eyes remained wide.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful," Jane added, "but why did they listen to you like that?"

Mark sighed, leaning against a table as he chose his words carefully. "I have some unpleasant history with SHIELD, and I'm in a position where they're trying to make me happy, let's just keep it at that."

The group exchanged glances, curiosity burning in their eyes, but they respected his boundary with nods, though Darcy muttered something about "mysterious hot guy vibes" under her breath.

Jane stepped forward then, wrapping him in a massive hug that caught him off guard, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Thank you, for keeping my life's work safe; I don't know what I would've done if they took it all."

Darcy piled on next, squeezing in with a laugh. "Yeah, and I'm just a little jealous she got the first one... my turn now."

Mark chuckled, patting her back before glancing at Erik. "You next?"

"I'll pass for now," Erik said with a wry smile, shaking his head.

Mark grinned wider, then straightened up. "If you all don't mind, I'll be back later, I'm going to go give Thor a ride to where Mjolnir is; guy's got a long walk ahead otherwise."

Darcy perked up immediately. "I'll come! Beats reorganizing the lab for the tenth time today."

Jane hesitated but nodded. "I want to, but I have to get all this equipment sorted before it gets jumbled. Erik, you mind helping?"

"Not at all," Erik replied. "We'll hold down the fort."

Darcy and Mark headed to his car, the desert sun beating down as they crossed the lot, with her flashing him another playful smile along the way. He unlocked the doors with a beep, holding the passenger side open for her with a polite smile. "After you," he said.

Darcy slid in with a grin, buckling up as he walked around to the driver's seat and started the engine, the AC kicking on with a welcome blast of cool air. "So, New York boy on holiday, tell me more about this electronics side gig," she said as they pulled out onto the main road. "Fo you fix phones orrrr build robots in your spare time?"

Mark chuckled, keeping his eyes on the empty highway stretching ahead. "A bit of both actually, I tinker with custom builds, like high-end computers or gadgets people need fixed; it's relaxing, plus the money is quite good."

"Sounds nerdy, but I think nerds are hot," Darcy replied, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs toward him. "I'm more of a poli-sci girl, but Jane's got me doing all this astrophysics stuff now; it's cool, but half the time I'm just making coffee and holding up a dish while she gets readings. Any crazy stories from the city?"

He glanced over with a smile, shifting gears as the car picked up speed. "Plenty, but most involve bad traffic or weirder customers; one guy wanted a PC that could 'unplug him from the matrix' in the end I just built him a VR rig. Your turn, what's the wildest thing that's happened in this lab gig?"

Darcy laughed, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Besides tasing a guy who thinks he's a god? Probably the time Jane dragged us out at 3 AM to chase a storm that turned out to be a dust devil, Erik complained the whole way. Just to double check you're single, right? No city girl waiting back home?"

Mark raised a brow, amused by the directness. "Yeah been so for a few months. You?"

"Free as a bird," she said with a wink. "Though if you're sticking around, maybe we could—"

Before she could finish, they spotted Thor up ahead, trudging along the empty highway, his flannel shirt already dark with sweat under the sun. Mark slowed the car, pulling over onto the shoulder with a crunch of gravel. "Looks like our god could use a lift after all."

They got out, and Thor turned at the sound, his face breaking into a broad smile as he wiped his brow. "Ah, the noble warrior and the spirited maiden you have come to aid me in my quest!"

Mark waved him over. "Hop in, we'll get you there faster than walking."

Thor clapped him on the shoulder firmly as he approached. "My gratitude knows no bounds; you honor me with your assistance."

"No problem," Mark said, opening the back door for him. "Happy to help."

Thor squeezed into the backseat, the car dipping slightly under his weight, and nodded solemnly. "Once I regain my hammer, I shall see you both handsomely rewarded, feasts in Asgard's halls, perhaps, or treasures from the realms."

Mark grinned as he got back behind the wheel. "We'll hold you to that. Now, buckle up if you can figure it out."

As they drove along the highwya, Mark glanced in the rearview mirror at Thor. "So, tell me about yourself—are you the god of thunder from Viking culture? The one with the hammer and the lightning?"

Thor leaned forward, his voice booming even in the confined space. "Do you mean the men who sailed the seas and held great feasts in my name, honoring me with axes and ale? Aye, that is I—Thor, son of Odin."

Darcy muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. "This guy's crazy."

Mark grinned but kept the questions coming, intrigued by the larger-than-life figure. "Why are you here, then—and separated from your hammer?"

Thor sighed, his expression darkening as he stared out the window at the passing desert. "I was unjustly banished by my father."

"Odin?" Mark asked.

"The very same," Thor replied bitterly, clenching his fist. "The frost giants infiltrated Asgard on the day I was to be named the next king; they ruined my grand moment, my ascension to the throne where all would hail me as the mightiest! They tried to steal from us, the Casket of Ancient Winters, and when I demanded we retaliate, to crush them for their insolence, Father would not; he preached mercy, weakness in the face of enemies. So I gathered my loyal friends and my brother Loki, and we journeyed to Jotunheim under the cover of night, where I fought a mighty battle, slaying many of those icy beasts with my bare hands until the ground ran blue with their blood."

He paused, his voice growing more arrogant. "But Father arrived, pulling us back like children from play, and in his rage, he stripped me of my power, cast Mjolnir to this realm, and banished me here to punish me."

Mark listened closely, piecing together the story.

Thor continued, "I just need a chance to explain to my father... he will understand why the frost giants must be brought in line, their aggression quelled before they threaten Asgard again."

Mark looked at him for a moment in the mirror, beginning to understand why his father had banished him,. "Tell me, Thor... if me and Darcy were to attack you right now, what would you do?"

Thor seemed taken aback by the question, blinking in surprise. "I would fight back... and I would win, of course!"

Darcy muttered from the front seat, crossing her arms tighter. "Didn't win the first time."

"After the fight, what would you do?" Mark asked.

Thor frowned, confused. "I do not understand your meaning."

"Would you go and beat Jane? Erik? Everyone in that town back there?"

Thor scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "What a ridiculous thought, of course I would not; they are not the aggressors."

"Then why did you punish all the frost giants for the crimes of three?" Mark replied calmly.

Thor shifted uneasily in his seat, his bravado faltering. "That was different... they are Asgard's enemy, beasts who have warred with us for eons."

"From what you said, your father has a truce with them," Mark pointed out.

"One they broke!" Thor insisted, his voice rising in anger.

"One three of them broke," Mark countered.

Thor fell silent, staring out the window with a troubled expression, unable to find a retort.

Mark glanced back briefly. "You were to be the king of Asgard. Tell me, is war so glorious you would force it on those who only want peace?"

An uneasy expression formed on Thor's face, his brow furrowing deeply. "I do not wish to speak of this topic any longer."

Mark smiled faintly, nodding at the man. "Of course, Thor, it's just something to think about."

...

They arrived after sunset, to find a massive pop-up military base around the crater like a fortress, floodlights casting beams across barbed wire fences and armed guards patrolling the perimeter while tents and vehicles dotted the landscape. Darcy, Mark, and Thor crouched on a ridge overlooking the site. Mark turned to Thor. "What do you want to do now?" He asked.

Thor replied with a grin, his eyes fixed on the crater below. "I will go and reclaim what is mine, Mjolnir awaits."

Mark shook his head. "That seems like a bad idea—there are guards everywhere, and it's lit up like a stadium."

Darcy nodded vigorously beside him. "Yeah, totally you'll get caught before you make it ten feet."

Thor disregarded them entirely, rising to his full height with a determined nod before rushing down the slope in a full sprint, vanishing into the shadows toward the fence without a backward glance.

Darcy watched him go, then turned to Mark with a smirk. "Hundred bucks he doesn't make it."

Mark grinned back. "What, you think I'm a sucker? No bet."

They settled in to wait, the stars beginning to emerge overhead as Darcy leaned back on her elbows. "You know, this is the first time a boy's brought me to a military installation for a date, pretty romantic in a covert ops kind of way."

Mark chuckled, glancing over at her. "Is this a date? I thought we were just giving a maybe-god a ride through the desert."

"Could be," Darcy said as she shifted a bit closer, her shoulder brushing his. "Depends on how the night ends... stargazing's a good start, though."

Mark lay back fully, folding his arms behind his head to look up at the twinkling sky. "I wouldn't be a good guy to date right now, too much going on in my head."

Darcy rolled onto her side to face him, listening quietly. "Why's that?"

Mark thought about brushing her off for a moment, but then he considered why not. "My ex... she lied to me, hid some pretty important things," Mark said softly, his gaze fixed on the stars. "Broke trust in a way that's hard to shake, I'm not sure I'd be any good in a relationship now."

Darcy smiled gently and leaned onto him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. "Dude, chill out, I just met you today, and while I do know I wouldn't mind going a few rounds with you, I'm not sure if I want you as a boyfriend."

Mark chuckled, the tension easing from his voice. "Just trying to use me for my body then, are you, Miss Lewis?"

"You got me," she said, holding her hands up in mock surrender.

"I think I can live with that," Mark said with a grin.

"Oh, you can, can you?" Darcy replied as she leaned forward, her face inches from his.

Before their lips could meet, an alarm blared from the base below, red lights flashing as shouts echoed through the night. Mark sighed, sitting up quickly. "Stay here, I'll go get the idiot."

Darcy grabbed his arm. "That's a bad idea—"

But Mark was already off, hopping the fence with and slipping into the base. He moved silently through the perimeter, spotting a pair of SHIELD agents on patrol who turned at the sound of his approach, one raising a rifle while the other reached for a radio. Mark closed the distance in a blur, delivering a quick chop to the back of the first agent's neck that dropped him limp to the ground, then pivoting to the second with another strike that sent him crumpling without a sound.

Deeper inside, Mark reached the central tent overlooking the crater and peered through a gap in the canvas, watching as Thor strained against the hammer embedded in the rock, his muscles bulging as he pulled with all his might but failed to budge it an inch. Thor roared in frustration, cursing his father under his breath and demanding to know why he had forsaken him, his voice cracking with anger and despair as rain began to fall in heavy sheets, soaking the ground and turning it to mud.

Mark rushed forward just as a sniper's arrow whistled through the air, catching it mid-flight inches from Thor's back, the tranquilizer tip glinting in the floodlights. "Thor, buddy we gotta get out of here; grab your hammer and let's go!"

Thor whirled around, his eyes widening in confusion and then narrowing in anger as Mark reached down casually and lifted the hammer from its pedestal, lightning sparking around the handle and crackling through the air with electric fury that lit up the night.

"How are you doing that?" Thor demanded, his voice a mix of awe and rage.

Before Mark could respond, Thor swung a wild punch, but Mark sidestepped easily, the fist whistling past his ear. "Thief! Scoundrel, you dare wield Mjolnir?"

Guards began to surround them, rifles raised and shouts filling the air, so Mark delivered a quick chop to Thor's neck that dropped him unconscious in an instant, then scooped him up along with the hammer and launched off the ground, flying out of the installation in a streak that left the agents firing uselessly into the empty sky. He landed back near the car, throwing Thor and the hammer into the back seat before turning to see Darcy held up by two guards, their guns trained on her as she stood with her hands raised. "Get down on the ground now!" one barked at Mark as he approached.

They opened fire, bullets ricocheting off his chest harmlessly, Mark closed in, crumpling their guns like tin cans in his fists before flicking each on the forehead with just enough force to send them sprawling unconscious to the dirt.

Darcy stared at him wide-eyed. "Dude, what the fuck—that was insane!"

"We need to get out of here," Mark said urgently, leading her to the car and sliding into the driver's seat as she jumped in beside him, peeling out onto the highway. Darcy sat in stunned silence for a moment, her breathing ragged before she turned to him, piecing it together with growing excitement. "Wait!!! you're Invincible! The guy from the news, the one saving everyone!"

Mark sighed, keeping his eyes on the road. "Listen, I'd appreciate it if you kept quiet about what you saw. I don't want to lose my secret identity so soon, you know."

Darcy's shock turned to a grin, but she nodded. "Fine, but only if you answer all my questions, deal?"

Mark agreed with a reluctant smile. "Deal, go ahead and ask."

She fired off a barrage, leaning forward eagerly. "Are you super strong? Like, can you lift a car? Do you have a weakness, like ultranite? What's your favorite color? Do you sleep in the suit? Are you single for real, or is that part of the hero thing?"

Mark laughed, answering what he could. "Yes to the strength—cars are easy; no ultranite that I know of; blue; no suit for sleep; and yeah, single." He skipped the more personal ones, like his origins or family, steering the conversation lightly.

"Are you an alien?" she pressed, eyes wide.

"Hybrid," Mark replied simply, "but I won't go into specifics sorry."

Darcy leaned back, wowed as she processed it. "Invincible... the world's first hero is in the car with me; this is nuts."

"Technically, Iron Man was first," Mark pointed out.

"Yeah, but what does he do besides party and build stuff, I haven't seen him on the news for saving a car in a tree?" Darcy replied with a laugh.

By the time they got back to the lab, the drive filled with her questions and his evasive but good-natured answers. When they got back Thor was awake in the back seat, rubbing his neck with a grumpy expression but saying nothing as he stared out the window, the hammer resting beside him.

Mark and Darcy got out of the car in front of the lab, and he turned to her with a nod. "Go ahead inside, I'll check on our passenger."

Darcy shrugged, flashing a quick smile before heading toward the door. "Sure thing, don't take too long."

Mark walked to the back of the car where Thor sat staring blankly out the window, his massive frame slumped in a way that made him look smaller than before, and opened the door gently. "You okay, buddy?"

Thor didn't respond, his eyes looked distant and unfocused, so Mark offered quietly, "I can leave you alone for a few minutes if you like, just say the word."

Still no reply came, the silence heavy between them, so Mark tapped the car roof lightly. "Alright—I'll be inside if you need anything."

He headed into the lab where Jane and Erik were still unpacking and reorganizing the equipment, tools scattered across tables amid stacks of crates that had been hastily returned. Jane spotted him first and rushed over, her face etched with concern. "Mark are you okay? What happened out there?"

Darcy, who had just grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, rolled her eyes from the side. "I'm okay too, thanks for asking."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mark said with a reassuring smile. "We got into a little trouble at the site, but everyone's doing well."

He glanced around the room. "How's the lab going? Everything back in one piece?"

Jane nodded, wiping her hands on a rag. "It's fine, a few things got broken in the shuffle, but they're easily repaired; we should be up and running by morning."

"Good," Mark said. "Tomorrow, I was hoping to go over the data I recovered regarding a device I came into contact with."

Jane's eyes lit up. "I'd do anything I could to help—seriously, after what you did today, it's the least I can do."

She paused then, her gaze shifting past him through the window. "Wait where's Thor going?"

Mark turned around quickly and saw Thor walking off into the desert alone, his silhouette fading under the moonlight as he trudged away from the lab without a word. "Shit... alright, stay here; I'll go talk to him."

He jogged out into the night, the sand crunching under his boots as he caught up to Thor, who didn't slow his pace until Mark placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, buddy you okay?"

Thor stopped then, turning slightly, and Mark saw the distress etched deep into his face, his eyes red-rimmed and his usual bravado shattered like glass. "Let's grab a drink," Mark said gently.

...

Mark and Thor climbed to the flat roof of the lab under the starlit sky, the cooler of beers thudding softly as Mark set it down between them before handing one to Thor and cracking open his own while they sat on the edge with their legs dangling over the side. For a moment they just sat there in silence, the desert wind whispering around them as Mark took a slow sip, knowing he could not force the words out of Thor but had to let them come naturally when the Asgardian was ready.

Thor finally spoke after staring into the darkness for what felt like an eternity. "I thought my destiny was to sit upon Asgard's throne, that to be a good king I had to slay all of Asgard's enemies and prove my strength through conquest, that I had a glorious purpose laid out before me like a path of gold."

Mark looked over, waiting as Thor continued. "But I am starting to think I had it all wrong. I used to believe I had all the answers, but now I am wondering if I know a single thing."

Mark took a swing from his beer, letting the words hang before replying. "It is not too bad, you know."

Thor glanced at him curiously. "Realising you don't know anything."

"Once you know you do not have all the answers, you know where to start looking," Mark said.

Thor thought about that, then shook his head. "I have no clue where to start, no idea what I am going to do in this mortal life."

"That is the joy of a mortal life," Mark said. "You do not know where it leads, and in the end you can only hope for the best."

Thor frowned. "Hope for the best?"

"That is what we do best," Mark said with a chuckle.

"Hope."

He turned to Thor. "What do you hope for, Thor?"

Thor pondered for a moment, his gaze lifting to the stars. "I hope my father can forgive me, that wherever we meet again he will take me into his arms as his son and not look at me the way he did when he banished me."

Mark put an arm on his shoulder. "Your father does not hate you, Thor, nor do you need to be forgiven."

Thor looked at him sharply. "How could you possibly know that?" Thor asked, a little sadness creeping into his voice.

Mark took another swig. "Because I know this banishment was not to punish you."

Thor still looked at him with confusion on his face.

"To be a good king is not to wear the crown," Mark said, "but to carry its weight."

Thor frowned. "I do not understand."

"You were to be Asgard's king," Mark continued, "but from what you have told me you were not ready."

"As king you will be offered power," he explained. "You will be tempted to believe it belongs to you, that it is a reward, a right, a sign of destiny, but power is not the reward of kingship it is the burden of it."

"But I was born to be king, my father always told me so," Thor said, a little distressed.

"Perhaps," Mark said. "But anyone lucky enough can be king, ask yourself this: do you want to be a good king?"

"Of course I do," Thor replied.

"Your fight with the frost giants sparked a war," he added, "and for what, what did you gain from the fight that could serve the people of Asgard?"

Thor stuttered, his words fumbling as he tried to justify it. "It... it showed strength, it... protected our honor, it..."

Mark put his hand on Thor's shoulder again. "A good king does not ask what he can do with power, he asks what he must not do."

Thor thought for a moment, the unease on his face shifting to quiet reflection. "I think I understand now."

"Your father did not banish you out of cruelty, Thor—he banished you because you were not ready to wield the power you were given," Mark said.

Thor sighed heavily, silent for a long moment before speaking again. "I must apologize for trying to strike you earlier, when you wielded Mjolnir. When I saw another prove worthy, one other than myself, it threw me into a jealous rage I could not control."

Mark chuckled. "It is fine, no harm done." He leaned back taking another drink.

Thor glanced at him curiously. "What will you do with it?"

"Do with what?" Mark asked.

"Mjolnir," Thor replied.

Mark shrugged. "Wait for its rightful owner to come pick it up."

Thor stared at him in shock. "But you are worthy of its power, why would you not take it for yourself?"

"Thor Odinson is the wielder of Mjolnir, not Mark Grayson," Mark said. "Maybe you are not worthy now, but I have no doubt you will be one day."

Thor looked at Mark in awe, the realization dawning that even when offered the power of a god he had simply declined, choosing instead to wait and return it rather than claim it for his own. "I can see it now."

"See what?" Mark asked.

"Why Mjolnir finds you worthy," Thor said before clapping him on the back with a grin. "Come now! the night is young, and there are many drinks to be had."

"Here, here," Mark said, clinking his bottle against Thor's as they both took long pulls, the conversation lightening under the vast desert sky.

...

Mark watched as Thor, after downing what felt like half the cooler finally stood up and declared he needed to speak with the fair maiden Jane about matters of the heart and stars. Mark nodded, letting him go as Thor clambered down the ladder, leaving Mark to finish his beer alone before heading inside to find Darcy lounging on a stool near the lab's makeshift kitchen, scrolling her phone with a bored expression.

She looked up when he entered, setting her phone aside with a smirk. "How's the big blonde lug holding up? He didn't start sobbing l, did he?"

Mark chuckled, leaning against the counter beside her. "He's better now, opened up a bit, but no tears; he's off talking to Jane."

"Good," Darcy said with an exaggerated shudder. "Cause I can't deal with people crying, it makes me super uncomfortable."

Mark laughed again, the sound easy in the quiet lab. "Noted, no waterworks around you."

He then stood there awkwardly for a moment.  "Hey, want to go on a walk with me? Be nice to clear our heads a bit."

She smiled, hopping off the stool with a nod. "Yeah, sounds good, lead the way hero boy."

They stepped out into the empty streets of Puente Antiguo, the town silent under the night sky with only the occasional sound of a distant car or bark of a dog. Darcy tucked her hands into her sweater pockets and glanced at him sideways. "So, about this Invincible thing, why do you do it? Flying around, saving the day, all that jazz; what's the motivation behind the mask?"

Mark shrugged, his hands in his jeans pockets as they strolled past darkened storefronts. "I grew up in a bad place that was full of crime, people looking out only for themselves, not very nice at all."

Darcy listened quietly, her usual excitable personality fading as she nodded for him to continue.

"But after the Harlem incident," Mark went on, "I gained some perspective; I realized the reason the place I lived in was so bad wasn't just the villains or criminals, but the indifference. People walking by, seeing wrong, and doing nothing. In Harlem, though, I saw folks helping each other for no reason other than it was needed, no reward, no glory. I suppose that's why I do it... maybe I can help create a world where someone stops when they see something bad happen, where kindness isn't so unpopular."

Darcy smiled softly, bumping his arm with hers. "Such a Boy Scout, it's kinda endearing, in a world-saving way."

Mark chuckled, then paused under a streetlamp as an idea sparked in his mind. "Hey, do you trust me?"

"Dude, I just met you today," she said, raising a brow but smirking.

He smiled wider, and stepped closer.

"Fine... yes," she conceded, her voice a mix of excitement and nerves.

Mark scooped her up in a bridal carry without warning, making her squeak in surprise as her arms wrapped around his neck instinctively, and he launched into the sky with a laugh, the ground falling away as she screamed at first, clutching him tighter while the wind rushed past them. He soared upward, breaking through the thin clouds into the clear night where the full expanse of the galaxy stretched out unimpeded, as he slowed to a gentle float, holding her securely.

She kept her eyes squeezed shut for a moment longer, then peeked open one, her scream turning to a gasp of awe. "Holy... how's that view for an intern astronomer?" Mark said with a grin, spinning them slowly in place.

Darcy opened both eyes fully, her mouth falling open as she took in the glittering sea of stars, endless and brilliant against the black void. "It's... beautiful," she whispered.

Mark nodded, his arms steady around her. "How can I look down from up here and not see a world worth saving with how beautiful the it is, even with its ugly moments?"

Darcy turned in his hold, her face close to his as the wind tousled her hair, and without a word, she leaned in, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that started soft and tentative, her hands cupping his face as he responded, deepening it while they floated in lazy circles, the kiss growing warmer amid the quiet vastness. A meteor shower streaked across the sky then, trails of light burning bright like, framing them in a cascade of silver that made the moment feel timeless, their lips moving together in perfect sync as if the universe itself had paused to watch.

_____________________________________

The next day, Mark, Darcy, and Erik sat at the rickety table in the lab's makeshift kitchen area, nursing coffees while the smell of sizzling eggs and toast filled the air, Jane bustling around the stove with Thor at her side, the god surprisingly adept at flipping pancakes. Darcy scooted her chair closer to Mark's, her knee brushing his under the table as she shot him a sly glance, though Erik rolled his eyes from across the way and muttered something about "young people" under his breath.

Thor plated the food with a flourish, setting steaming piles in front of each of them before taking his own seat with a nod. "My thanks to you all for your hospitality—Midgard's fare may be simple, but shared with friends, it rivals the feasts of Asgard."

Jane smiled as she sat down beside him, passing the syrup. "No problem—it's the least we could do after what you told me."

As they dug in, Jane turned to Mark, her curiosity from the previous day's data still fresh. "That information you recovered from the device yesterday—it's fascinating; the energy signatures match some of the anomalies we've tracked, like stabilized wormholes but with a feedback loop that could punch through realities. I was thinking, if we cross-reference it with my models, we might—"

She was cut off by a sharp knock at the door, followed by a voice calling through. "Thor! We found you!"

Thor jumped up, his face lighting up with a mix of joy and surprise as he rushed to the door. "My friends!" he shouted, flinging it open to reveal a group of armored warriors standing in the dusty street—a burly red-bearded man with a massive axe, a sleek fighter with a rapier, a silent stoic with dual blades, and a fierce woman in gleaming plate armour.

Thor embraced them one by one, his voice booming. "Volstagg the Valiant! Fandral the Dashing! Hogun the Grim! And Lady Sif, ever the shieldmaiden—how did you find me?"

The red-bearded one grinned widely, clapping Thor on the back. "We cannot be kept apart my friend!"

Thor turned back to the group inside, gesturing proudly. "Allow me to introduce Mark the Mighty; Jane, the brilliant scholar of the stars; Erik, the wise elder; and Darcy, the Witch."

Mark stood, offering a firm handshake to each. "Good to meet you all, welcome to Earth."

Lady Sif eyed him up and down appraisingly, her gaze lingering on his build with a nod of respect. "You carry yourself like a warrior."

Thor beamed, but his expression sobered quickly. "I am happy to see you again, my comrades, but you should not have come here."

Sif stepped forward. "We came to bring you home Thor, Asgard needs you."

Thor shook his head, pain flashing in his eyes. "I cannot come home... my father is dead because of me."

Volstagg exchanged glances with the others before speaking gently. "Your father lives, Thor."

Thor's face twisted in anger, his fists clenching. "It cannot be true, Loki told me himself that Father died from the strain of my banishment!"

Before they could respond further, a massive storm rumbled in from nowhere, dark clouds swirling unnaturally over the town as thunder cracked like breaking stone. They all rushed outside, staring up at the sky where lightning forked without rain. Thor panicked slightly, his eyes widening in recognition. "You must get everyone out of here to safety... the destroyer has come!"

Mark turned to him. "What's happening?"

"It is Asgard's greatest weapon," Thor replied grimly, "sent to end threats and now, it seems, to end me."

Darcy swallowed hard. "That doesn't sound good... like, at all."

"It is not," Lady Sif said, drawing her sword. "But we will face it."

Volstagg pounded his chest with a roar. "Aye, see that? The warriors three and Lady Sif will send it back to the forge!"

Thor nodded, his voice urgent. "Fight and distract it—give us time to evacuate the town; I will aid the mortals as I can."

"Will you not fight with us, Thor?" Fandral asked.

"I am only a man now," Thor said solemnly. "I would only get in your way."

Mark told Darcy to stay safe, kissing her quickly on the cheek. "Help Jane and Erik, help get people out."

She grabbed his arm. "Are you going to... you know, suit up?"

"I didn't bring my costume," he said, glancing around. "I'll just be a moment."

Mark disappeared when everyone's backs were turned, flying at max speed back to New York in a blur that shattered the sound barrier multiple times.

Meanwhile, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif confronted the Destroyer in the town square, where Volstagg charged forward first and swung his axe in a wide arc that struck the machine's armored chest with a clang that echoed through the streets and sent sparks flying but left only a shallow scratch on its surface. Fandral followed up by leaping to the side as the Destroyer fired a beam from its faceplate that scorched the ground where he had stood a moment before, and he countered by flipping over a nearby bench to close the distance and thrust his rapier into a joint on the machine's arm, twisting the blade to pry at the mechanism inside before pulling back to avoid a swinging fist.

Hogun moved in silence from the shadows and slashed his twin blades in rapid succession across the Destroyer's legs, aiming for the seams between plates where the metal might give way, and he managed to score a thin line that leaked molten energy before the machine pivoted and kicked out with one foot that he barely rolled under to evade. The metal seemed to heal straight after as well.

Sif seized the opportunity by running up a pile of debris and launching herself high into the air to drive her sword downward into the Destroyer's back with both hands on the hilt, burying the blade deep enough to make the armor shudder and emit a low hum of protest as she hung on and tried to wrench it free. The Destroyer responded by twisting its torso sharply to shake her off, but she held firm until it fired a short burst from its vents that forced her to let go and drop to the ground in a roll.

Volstagg recovered his footing and swung his axe again at the machine's knee joint while it was distracted, landing a blow that buckled the leg slightly and made it stagger forward one step before it straightened and unleashed a sweeping beam that caught him across the chest and sent him flying backward into a brick wall that cracked on impact and left him slumped against it with smoke rising from his armor.

Fandral darted in once more and stabbed repeatedly at the exposed wiring in the arm joint he had damaged earlier, drawing a spark of electricity that arced to his sword and shocked him enough to make him stumble back, which allowed the Destroyer to backhand him with its massive fist and propel him across the street into a parked car that dented under his weight.

Hogun pressed the attack by throwing one of his blades like a dagger into the machine's shoulder seam and following with a leaping strike from the other blade aimed at its neck, but the Destroyer caught the thrown weapon in mid-air and crushed it in its grip before grabbing Hogun by the arm as he landed the second blow and hurling him through the air to crash into a storefront window that shattered around him.

Sif rose to her feet and charged again with her sword raised, slashing at the Destroyer's midsection in a horizontal cut that glanced off the armor but forced it to turn toward her, and she ducked under its retaliatory punch to thrust upward into its underbelly, only for the machine to counter with a point-blank energy blast from its faceplate that exploded against her shield and threw her backward into a pile of rubble where she lay stunned and struggling to push herself up as the others groaned and tried to regroup while the Destroyer advanced on the fleeing civilians.

The Destroyer rampaged through the streets and targeted a gas station with its beam, carving a glowing line through the pumps that ignited the fuel and caused an explosion of flames that billowed outward and threatened to engulf a group of townsfolk trapped inside a collapsing diner as the structure groaned and began to fold in on itself.

Mark appeared in a streak of blue and white light and flew straight into the diner through a shattered window to scoop up the family of four—a mother clutching her infant, a father holding a toddler, and the two children clinging to each other—and he carried them all in his arms as he burst out the back door just as the roof caved in with a thunderous crash behind them. He set them down on a safe sidewalk two blocks away and immediately darted back toward the chaos, spotting an elderly couple on a crumbling porch where the flames licked at the wooden supports and caused the structure to tilt dangerously, so he landed beside them and lifted the man under one arm and the woman under the other before taking off again to deposit them gently next to the family he had just saved.

Mark then noticed a stalled car in the middle of the road with passengers screaming inside as a power line snapped overhead and fell sparking toward them, and he swooped down to grip the vehicle's roof with both hands, hoisting it into the air with the engine still sputtering and the tires spinning uselessly before he flew it clear of the danger and set it down on an empty lot several blocks away where the occupants could scramble out unharmed. With the immediate threats handled, Mark turned in mid-air and flew directly toward the Destroyer to face it head-on, positioning himself between the machine and the remaining scattering crowd as it prepared to fire another beam.

He floated in front of the destroyer, his cape fluttering in the wind. "Alright tin can, playtime's over."

Mark shot toward it like a missile, tackling its midsection with bone-jarring force that drove it backward through a storefront, glass shattering around them. The destroyer recovered, swinging a massive arm that Mark ducked under before countering with an uppercut to its chin that rang like metal on metal, but it fired an energy beam point-blank, throwing him skidding across the pavement.

Mark rolled to his feet, shaking it off, and boosted forward again, delivering a sledgehammer punch with both hands that slammed it down, making the ground bounce under the impact.

He grabbed its leg, swinging it around in a wide arc before slamming it into the earth again and again, craters forming with each crash, but the destroyer kicked free mid-swing and blasted him backward through a bus, the vehicle crumpling like paper. "What the hell is this thing made of?" Mark grumbled, pulling himself from the wreckage.

He got back up and flew toward it, avoiding a sweeping beam by barrel rolling mid-air, then hitting it with an uppercut that staggered it before spinning into a kick that launched the destroyer back through a row of parked cars. Thor, the warriors three, Jane, Darcy, Erik, and Sif watched from a safe distance, the warriors hyped up and awed by the new fighter's prowess.

"See that? That is my friend Mark the Mighty!" Thor shouted proudly.

Jane and Erik exchanged stunned looks. "What—Invincible is Mark?" Jane asked in disbelief.

Darcy facepalmed. "Thor, you weren't supposed to say that! He wanted to keep it a secret."

"Ah, my bad!" Thor said, scratching his head.

"He wears such a strange costume," Fandral commented, wiping blood from his lip.

Mark was launched back near them by another beam, skidding to a stop. "Shit, what's this thing made of?"

He shot forward again, tackling the destroyer out of the town and into the open desert, throwing it high before punching it mid-air again and again with rapid strikes that dented its armor, following up with a super-speed combo of hooks and jabs that echoed like thunder before slamming it down into the sand with a massive crater-forming impact.

When he landed, the destroyer tried to rise, but Mark kicked it back down hard. "Stay down... I don't know who's controlling you, but it's over."

The destroyer seemed to power down, its glow fading as it went still, and Mark breathed a sigh of relief, floating away to check on any injured people, it seemed to be a ruse however as the destroyer powered back up and hit him out of the air where he fell and hit the ground.

"Okay I guess it's round two," Mark said before getting up and going to smash the dumb robots head in, but before he could a massive energy beam hit him from above, sucking him upward in a vortex of light and wind that threw him around like a leaf in a storm. Mark cursed as he tumbled through the beam, the world blurring around him until he hit the ground hard on his back, the impact jarring but not damaging as he pushed up and looked around, realizing he was on a cold, icy planet blanketed in snow and jagged blue crystals under a stormy sky.

"Shit..."

Mark stood up slowly, brushing ice from his torn suit as he looked around the barren landscape of jagged blue crystals and swirling snow, he glanced up at the sky and noticed the constellations were unfamiliar. "Damn it," he muttered, realizing he really was on another planet.

He floated upward a few feet, scanning the frozen horizon before calling out. "Hello? Anyone here? I don't mean any harm, I just need to get back to Earth."

Shadows stirred in the distance, and figures emerged from behind the crystal spires—tall, pale-skinned beings with glowing blue eyes and armored forms that blended into the ice, their expressions hardening into hostility as they approached in growing numbers.

One stepped forward. "You are not welcome here, outsider... leave this realm before we force you."

Mark landed gently, raising his hands in peace. "I'd leave if I could, if you don't mind helping me figure out how, I'll be gone in a minute."

The leader snarled, drawing a jagged ice blade. "The only way to leave is the way you came... through the bifrost that spat you out."

"Ah shit," Mark said again, frustration creeping in as the group closed in tighter. "What are you doing?" Mark asked warily, stepping back as they lunged without warning, blades swinging and ice shards hurling toward him like frozen spears.

They attacked in a swarm, dozens piling on with coordinated strikes that aimed to overwhelm, but Mark fought back, dodging a swing and delivering a palm strike to one's chest that sent him flying into the snow unconscious, then spinning to sweep another's legs out from under him while shouting, "Stop! I don't want to hurt you!" He grabbed a third by the arm, twisting it behind his back and chopping his neck before blocking a barrage of ice projectiles with his forearms, the cold stinging but not piercing his skin.

"Who's in charge here?" Mark demanded mid-fight, flying over a charging group and landing a series of quick taps to their necks that left them slumped in the frost.

"Laufey is gone," one growled before swinging a massive club that Mark caught one-handed, yanking it free and tossing the giant aside. Mark cursed under his breath, frustration mounting as he continued to fight, weaving through their ranks with punches and chops that knocked them out.

The battle raged until a massive energy beam lanced down from the sky, slamming into the planet's surface with a deafening roar that shook the ground and sent cracks spiderwebbing through the ice.

"What the fuck is that?" Mark shouted over the fight, grabbing a retreating giant by the shoulder.

The frost giant twisted free but paused long enough to explain in a panicked voice. "The Bifrost, it has been left open purposely, the energy building without end; soon the whole planet will be destroyed, shattered into dust!"

"The whole planet would be destroyed," Mark echoed, his face hardening as he let the giant go and shot off without another word, rocketing toward the beam of swirling light.

He dived straight into it, yelling out in pain as the energy tore at his body like a thousand razors, whipping him around in its vortex while he prepared himself internally. "Okay Markey, you know what to do; let's see just how much I can take."

In the aftermath of the Marriott incident, where the cosmic radiation wave had struck him along with the five others; while they had been altered Mark found that he too had been altered. Mark had discovered his new ability to absorb energy to a degree, though most forms he took in could not be expelled the same way and often lingered inside him. He hadn't experimented much with it as he hadn't had time, but now seemed the perfect time to try and use it.

Activating it now inside the Bifrost, all of his cells opened up like sponges, soaking in the raw power that surged through the beam, his body becoming a conduit that drew the energy away from the planet. Mark screamed in pain, every nerve on fire as he started to push the beam upward, forcing it back toward the sky with sheer will and strength while the strain built inside him like an overfilled balloon.

All of the frost giants below looked up at the man in awe, the outsider they had just tried to kill now straining against the heavens to save their world, his figure silhouetted against the beam as lightning crackled around him.

His suit began to tear at the seams, blood leaking from his nose and eyes as the pressure mounted, feeling like he was about to burst from the inside out, but he looked down at the fleeing figures below and roared with renewed effort, pushing harder as hard as he could until the Bifrost flickered and died down, the beam retracting into the void.

Mark then fell, plummeting back to the planet like a comet, but one of the frost giants ran forward and leaped high, catching him in massive arms before crashing to the snow in a controlled slide.

Mark groaned on the ground, his entire body twitching uncontrollably as residual energy sparked across his skin. He eventually calmed, sitting up slowly with a grimace. "I feel sick," he said, then turned to the frost giant with a weak smile. "Thank you for saving me."

The frost giant stared in surprise. "You saved our planet... after we attacked you... why?"

"Because you needed help," Mark replied as he stood up unsteadily, then doubled over dizzy and vomited up blood that steamed on the ice.

The frost giant steadied him with a careful hand. "The Bifrost's energy has poisoned you, if you wish to survive, you need the help of Asgard; their healers can purge it."

Mark sighed, wiping his mouth. "How would I even get to Asgard?"

As the word "Asgard" left his lips, the Bifrost summoned in a swirl of light, enveloping him in its pull and teleporting him away from the planet in an instant. Mark cursed and screamed as he tumbled through the beam again, the energy whipping him around until he hit the ground hard on his back, the impact jarring but not breaking him as he pushed up and realized he was on a rainbow bridge in Asgard, the golden city sprawling before him under a vast, starry sky.

Mark groaned as he pushed himself up from the gleaming surface of the rainbow bridge, the impact still ringing through his bones despite his durability, his vision blurring for a second before sharpening on the golden spires of Asgard rising in the distance under a swirling aurora sky.

"Mark the Mighty!" a familiar voice shouted, booming with surprise and relief.

Mark turned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and saw Thor striding toward him alongside an older man with a flowing white beard and an eyepatch.

"Thor!" Mark said with a weak smile, but the words barely left his lips before he doubled over, vomiting up another stream of blood that splattered darkly on the iridescent bridge. "Is everyone back home okay?" He said while wiping his mouth.

Thor reached him in an instant, his face etched with concern as he knelt and gripped Mark's shoulder. "Do not worry my friend I defeated the destroyer. But what about you? What ails you, my friend? You look as though Hel herself has claimed half your strength!"

The older man stepped forward, his single eye narrowing as he assessed Mark with a piercing gaze. "His body has been poisoned by the Bifrost's energy; it courses through him like venom in the veins."

"I had to absorb it," Mark said breathlessly, clutching his side as another wave of nausea hit him.

Odin's brow furrowed deeper, his tone a mix of stern curiosity and authority. "What would possess you to do such a foolish thing, boy? The Bifrost's power is not meant for mortal frames to contain."

Mark met his gaze, forcing himself upright despite the pain. "The Bifrost... would've... destroyed their planet; I couldn't let that happen."

Odin's features softened then, the hard lines of his face easing into something akin to respect, a faint nod acknowledging the sacrifice as he placed a hand on Mark's other shoulder. "Then we must take him to the healers at once, draw out the excess energy before it consumes him entirely."

Thor nodded urgently, his concern turning to action. "At once, Father."

...

After several days in Asgard, Mark had finally stabilized from the Bifrost's poisoning. The healers, had drawn out the excess energy from his body in a ritual that left him drained but alive, siphoning the raw power into crystalline vessels that pulsed like captured stars. Odin himself had overseen the final stages, his single eye assessing Mark with a mix of curiosity and approval, before declaring that while most of the energy was purged, a residual amount lingered in his veins. "It links you to the nine realms now," the Allfather explained. "You may travel freely between them by willing it so, drawing on the Bifrost's echo within you, but the energy is finite, it will fade over time, and once depleted, the bridge will close to you forever."

Once cleared by the healers, Mark joined Thor and the Warriors Threel for a grand feast in the great hall, the had tables literally groaning under the weight of platters of roasted meats, fruits from distant realms, and flagons of mead that flowed like rivers. The alcohol in Asgard hit differently, brewed from enchanted grains that even Mark's enhanced physiology couldn't fully resist, and after a few rounds, he felt the warmth spread through him, loosening his limbs and clouding his thoughts in a pleasant buzz he hadn't experienced since his pre-power days.

The night escalated quickly, with Volstagg challenging everyone to arm wrestling matches on a massive oaken table, his booming laugh echoing as he slammed Fandral's hand down in seconds. Mark, feeling the mead's effects, joined in with a grin, starting with Hogun, whose stoic face remained impassive even as Mark pinned his arm after a tense struggle that cracked the wood beneath them.

Fandral went next, his dashing smile turning to a grimace as Mark overpowered him, quipping mid-strain, "By the realms, you're no mortal yield, I say!"

Volstagg roared with delight when it was his turn, their locked hands trembling the table for minutes until Mark finally forced his down, earning a back-slapping hug from the burly warrior who declared him "a true Asgardian at heart!"

The night continued to be one of the best he had ever had, Mark, tried juggling enchanted goblets that refilled themselves mid-air, only for one to overflow and drench Hogun, who glared silently while the others howled; later, he arm-wrestled Sif, who nearly bested him with her  until he turned the tide, prompting her to laugh. "Do you share this prowess in the bedchambers," she said with a fierce grin. Mark could only chuckle nervously though he wouldn't lie that he was interested.

The pinnacle came when Odin himself entered the hall, drawn by the uproar, and accepted Mark's half-joking challenge, his l strength proved unyielding as he pinned Mark's arm effortlessly, the Allfather's chuckle rumbling like thunder. "You fight well, mortal, but I did not become the allfather by being weak."

The feast devolved into more antics, like Volstagg challenging Mark to an eating contest that ended with both sprawled on the floor groaning, and Fandral teaching Mark a bawdy Asgardian song that had the hall in stitches when Mark mangled the lyrics. As the revelry wound down and Mark prepared to leave, he stood on the rainbow bridge with Thor under the eternal stars of Asgard.

"I am sad to see you go, my friend," Thor said, clasping Mark's forearm firmly.

Mark smiled, returning the grip. "I'm sure we will see each other again," he said, punching Thor's shoulder lightly.

"Aye, that we will," Thor replied with a nod.

Mark's gaze fell to the hammer at Thor's side. "Looks like you got your hammer back."

Thor smiled, lifting Mjolnir proudly. "Yes, I finally proved myself worthy."

Mark shook his head. "You were always worthy, Thor—it just took you a while to realize what was already here," he said, pointing to Thor's heart.

Thor thanked Mark earnestly for everything, from the wisdom shared to the battles fought, then hesitated before asking, "If you would not mind telling Jane that I look forward to seeing her again... tell her my heart remains with her."

Mark nodded. "I can always bring you to her, you know."

Thor shook his head. "My duty is to Asgard for now—there is much that needs to be fixed, and much I need to learn—but know I will come for her when the time is right."

"I'll tell her," Mark said.

They clasped wrists one last time, and Mark smiled. "Midgard."

The Bifrost activated in a swirl of light, teleporting him away in an instant.

(AN: That's where I'm leaving it, I'm at 36k words bro, I can't do anymore like bruh. Anyway I hope you've enjoyed part 2 let me know if you want to see a part 3 in the comments.)