Ave Maria

Two

Chapter 2

"Stay with the girl. She may still be important to us."

Thor couldn't get his fathers words out of his head. He stared out from the balcony, over across Asgard, drinking in the sight of the sleeping kingdom, knowing that there was no telling when he might see his home again.

He was going to Earth. To protect Maria.

Father said she may still be in danger, Thor thought vaguely to himself. If they had made the mistake of believing her father to still be alive Loki would do the same, and, like them, would find only Maria in his place. Thor doubted his brother would be so merciful as to simply leave, as he had. He'd kill her. Thor's hand twitched around Mjolnir's handle - he couldn't just abandon her to Loki's wrath.

Strategically it was a good arrangement too. There was a slim - but still possible! - chance that Maria knew something of her father's research that S.H.I.E.L.D had not been able to get their hands on. Plus, either way it had Thor on Earth, ready to be called upon should the need arise. Odin didn't want to leave the planets fate in the hands of the mortals, and Thor felt the same. He was going. He'd be needed. The question was when. In the mean time, he'd protect an innocent girl from an untimely death.

It wasn't an ideal plan, but it'd have to do.

I'll miss this place, Thor thought sadly, eyes glazing over the nightly twinkle of the stars hovering above his beloved home. Earth was pitiful next to Asgard.

Thor couldn't be sure, but maybe it was simply that sadness that weighed down his heart so heavy.

So much was on his mind though, past, present and future, and he resented his weakness. He was Thor - prince of Asgard, wielder of the greatest weapon in all the nine realms, God of thunder, a great warrior - but exactly that: a warrior. The thought that his next duty would involve no fighting, no marching into glorious battle with his cape blazing and his loyal friends...no, it would involve hiding in a country cottage with a frail mortal, away from his brother. That alone had his blood boiling. Every aspect of it was against his battle-craving nature! He'd be hiding - like a coward.

It took all of his strength to remind himself exactly why he had to do it. Biting back his pride the vision crept back into view behind his eyes: Maria, sprawled over the stone floor of her kitchen in a pool of her own blood, eyes wide and glassy, hand reaching out for a saviour that would never come...

He closed his eyes against it.

He was that saviour. He was not about to have an innocent womans death on his conscience. The humans once regarded his kind as Gods, as people that would protect them. Thor would do just that. He would protect her.

But...

His fist loosened around Mjolnir and the mighty hammer thudded heavily to the floor of the balcony. Thor didn't understand his feelings. Usually before a mission he was focussed, confident to the point of arrogant that he would succeed. But this was no ordinary mission, with a simple foe and a simple objective. This time, the foe was Loki, his own brother.

He knew Loki was no longer the brother Thor remembered. He remembered a smart child who he would spar with, who favoured more tactful weapons, and was interested in the skilful side of battle, where as Thor had been brutish and forceful. The brother who he went into battles with, who he drank in the tavern with, who he shared everything with... but that Loki is lost, he reminded himself painfully, burying his face in his hands as he propped his elbows on the balcony rail. Not because he is a Frost Giant. That doesn't matter. He tried to kill an entire race, and he would try it again. No brother I know would do such an evil deed.

And now he would try and take another innocent life, sooner or later. Thor couldn't help but think - if it came down to it, would he be able to kill his brother for the sake of one mortal life? Maria's life.

He was afraid to know the answer.

Before the thought could embed itself too deeply in his mind, Thor marched back inside the confines of his chambers, closing the frail, glass paned doors to the balcony, leaving Mjolnir outside. He had no worries about leaving the hammer; beside himself and his father, no one could lift it.

The God threw himself down on his bed in just his shirt and trousers, amour dissolved.

He didn't know what he wanted to think about. Thinking about Loki was painful. Thinking about Maria was painful. Thinking about Asgard was painful. Thinking about the glorious past battles he'd fought with his friends was painful. His mind was endlessly troubled, and he knew there was little that could help him.

All he could do was wait, Maria's pretty delicate face hovering before his eyes: wait for the sun to rise, and for his duty as Maria's protector to begin.

(A/N I know a majority of you don't read these, but, Thank you to all who are reading this story. :) You guys are awesome, and in the first chapter I got some awesome comments, and I hope you enjoy this much anticipated chapter!)