I Need A Hero Vol. 4 {Peter Quill}

sixteen

Helena followed Thor to find him spying on his mother from behind a post. She tapped on his shoulder which made him jolt in surprise.

"Ah! Helena, you scared me" Thor mumbled.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to help Rocket and Lylla get the Aether out of Jane" Helena scolded with a whisper.

"I know, but I... I was just going to...." He trailed off, not able to think of what to say.

"What are you doing here?" Frigga's voice surprised both Thor and Helena. "You're better off leaving the sneaking to your brother" Frigga looked over at Helena and smiled. She bowed her head "A Kosmonian. I welcome you"

"Thanks. I'm Helena" she introduced herself.

"Pleasure to meet you, Helena. I'm Frigga" Her attention turned to Thor again. "What are you wearing?"

"I always wear this. This is one of my favourites" Thor tried, not sounding very convincing. Frigga put her hand on his face.

"What's wrong with your eye?"

"Oh, my eye. That's... you remember the Battle of Haroquin? When I got hit in the face with a broadsword?"

"You're not the Thor I know at all, are you?"

"Yes I am"

"The future hasn't been kind to you, has it?"

"I didn't say I'm from the future"

"I was raised by witches, boy. I see with more than eyes, and you know that"

Thor attempted to hold back his tears but he couldn't anymore. "I am totally, totally from the future"

"Yes, you are"

"I really need to talk to you"

"We can talk" Frigga hugged her son.

~

Rocket and Lylla went into the room where Jane Foster was sleeping. Lylla pulled out a vial from her satchel.

"What's that?" Rocket whispered.

"It's a sleeping potion. If you drink it, it's enough to knock you out for a day. However, if you inhale the fumes, you'll be knocked out for an hour or two" Lylla explained.

"But she's already sleeping. We just gotta extract the Aether"

"Yes, but—" Lylla went silent when she saw Jane moving. The two animals hid as Jane got up from her bed. She began walking over in their direction. Lylla panicked and she threw the vial towards Jane, causing it to smash and release the fumes from the potion. The fumes traveled up into Jane's sinuses. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she fell forward onto the floor.

"Well, that worked" Rocket readied the extractor and walked over to the sleeping Jane.

~

Thor was telling Frigga the whole story about Thanos and what he did. He eventually got to the part where he decapitated him. "His head was over there... His body over there... What was the point? I was too late. I was just standing there. Some idiot with an axe"

"You're no idiot. You're here aren't you? Seeking counsel from the wisest person in Asgard" Frigga assured,

"I guess, yeah"

"Idiot? No. A failure? Absolutely"

"That's a little bit harsh"

"You do know what that makes you? Just like everyone else"

"I'm not supposed to be like everyone else, am I?"

"Everyone fails at who they are supposed to be, Thor. The measure of a person, of a hero, is how well they succeed at being who they are"

"I really missed you mom" Thor and Frigga touched foreheads. They were like that for a moment until Thor felt the need to tell her something. "Ma, I have to tell you something"

"No, son. You don't. You're here to repair your future, not mine"

"But this is about your future"

"It's none of my business. I do, however, want to know about the woman who married my son" Frigga smiled at him. "Is Helena your wife?"

"No. I married her sister. Her name is Gwen. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met. You two would get along wonderfully" Thor smiled at the thought of Gwen, but then he smiled dropped.

"What's wrong?"

"Gwen is my true love, but I'm not hers. Her first husband will be returning soon, and she'll run into his arms again. I've fallen in love with her, mother, and I'm hesitant to let her go"

"If I may interject here," Helena spoke as she stepped into the room. She had been waiting outside so Thor and Frigga could have some privacy. "Just because my sister will be with Peter again soon, doesn't mean you won't have a special place in her heart. You've helped her go through the toughest time of her life. She may be in love with Peter, and always will be, but that doesn't mean she won't love you any less than she does now"

"Listen to her wise words, Thor" Frigga added. At that moment, Rocket and Lylla joined them. Right after they extracted the Aether from Jane, some guards had walked in on them, and chased them through the palace, calling them "rabbit" and "squirrel".

"Hey. You must be Mom" Rocket looked at Frigga. He held up the extractor which now had the Aether in it. "I got the thing. Come on, we got to move"

"I wish we had more time" Thor said to Frigga.

"No, this was a gift. And you're going to be the man you're meant to be" Frigga said.

"I love you, mom"

"I love you. And eat a salad"

"Come on. We gotta go" Lylla urged. Rocket began counting down but Thor stopped him.

"No, wait!" He held out his hand. Helena, Rocket, and Lylla all shared confused glances with each other. Frigga, on the other hand, had a knowing smile on her face.

"What are we looking at?" Rocket asked.

"Oh, sometimes it takes a second" Frigga explained. Mjolnir came flying through the window and into Thor's hand. He smiled, feeling both happy and surprised.

"I'm still worthy!" He exclaimed. He and Frigga whispered their last goodbyes to each other before Thor, Helena, Rocket, and Lylla went back to their own timeline.