Our little family (sequel to Baby Captain Widow)

Chapter 17: Power and Reality

Asgard, 2013...

Thor and Rocket ran down a corridor in the Asgardian Palace, sneaking past Loki's cell, where Loki was found lying on his back on his bed, tossing a cup into the air and catching it again, bored out of his mischievous mind. "For you, Lady Jane." One of the servants said, passing Jane some Asgardian dresses.
"Um, do you have anything with pants?"
"Pants?" The servant asked, confused at the American's request.
"Never mind. These will be fine. Thank you." Jane thanked, closing the door to her room. Thor and Rocket sat on a lower part of one of the stone walls, listening in and watching them.
"Yes, milady."

"Oh, there's Jane." Thor said quietly, sadness ebbing its way back into his voice.
"All right." Rocket said, jumping from the wall. It was taller than him, just about. "Here's the deal, tubby. You're gonna charm her, and I'm gonna poke her with this thing..." He pointed to pointy tool in his hand at the Demi-God. "And extract the Reality Stone, and get gone lickety-split." Thor sniffed, thinking for a moment.
"I'll be right back, okay?" He began to walk backwards. "The wine cellar is just down here. My father used to have this huge barrel of Aakonian ale. I'll see if the scullery has a couple of to-go cups." Rocket looked at him, shocked and unbelieving.
"Hey. Hey! Aren't you drunk enough already?" Thor hid behind a pillar as the sound of a large, heavy door opening erupted from the other side of the wall. Rocket hid as well, and they both peaked around, looking for who had entered the corridor.
"If you could send Loki some soup." A pretty lady spoke to a small group of maids who followed her. Her long blonde hair was piled up on her head in a magnificent fashion, and she wore a green dress with gold armour plates, and a sky blue scarf around her neck. Thor couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Yes, milady." One of the maids replied.
"And ask our librarians to pull some volumes from the astronomy shelf." Thor followed her, Rocket watching him, and jumping back up onto the wall.
"Who's the fancy broad?" He asked. Thor's eyes began to fill with tears.
"That's my mother." He murmured, his voice wavering slightly. "She dies today."
"Oh, that is today?" Thor began to breathe heavily, shaking his head at the floor, his eyebrows furrowing.
"I can't do this." He muttered, beginning to panic. "I can't do this. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come. It's a bad idea!"
"Come here."
"No, no, no. I think I'm having a panic attack."
"Come here. Right here."
"I shouldn't be here. This is bad." Rocket slapped his furry paw against Thor's face, snapping him somewhat back to reality.
"You think you're the only one who lost people?" He shouted quietly. "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." Thor looked at him, wearily. Rocket's voice softened for a moment. "I get you miss your mum... but she's gone. Really gone. And there are plenty of people who are only kind of gone... and you can help them. So, is it too much too ask that you brush the crumbs out of 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." Thor sighed, hanging his head.
"Are you crying?"
"No." He said, shaking his head, his voice squeaking out. "Yes. I feel like I'm losing it."
"Get it together! You can do this. You can do this. Alright?" Thor breathed in deeply, trying to pump himself up.
"Yes, I can."
"Good."
"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can't do this."
"Alright, heartbreaker, she's alone. This is our shot." He turned around, but Thor was gone. "Thor? Thor!" He growled in annoyance.

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Morag, 2014...

Rhodey and Nebula prepared to fly down from Rocket's ship in the escape pod. "Alright, bring it down, Blue." Rhodey called to Nebula, as they exited the ship.

"Right on that line. That's it. Down, down." He said, as Barton and Rodrigo landed the ship.

Hailey kicked at an Orloni that was approaching her feet, sending the rodent-like creature flying though the air, landing on the hard floor. It screeched at her, before running away. "Hey, can we hurry it up?" Clint called, Hailey making a noise in annoyance.
"Guys, chop-chop. Come on. We're on the clock." She said, tilting her head to the side. Rhodey turned around to face them.
"All that is really helpful." He called back sarcastically. Hailey smirked, Clint watching the ship.