Thank you for the reviews since the previous chapter: MaJorReader619, laylarei, NZgleek91, mamastei, Devin Jaste (for ch 25 & 26), crazyykidd, sayitwithyourhands, ToastedMarshmellow08, TheCdKnight, You-Know-Who-I-Is, Monichanz, YourInnate, Kutee (for ch 24, 25 & 26), djsmith10186, xtreme12, LoveSKINS94, cressey, Nightlancer600, Guest, emmacancook, bigbangfan91, Gleelover47, makurutenoh, Pezberry Love-Child46, PraiseFortheFallen (for ch 25 & 26), SoFlaComet, Supernena25, green eyed typhoon, wkgreen, Guest, faberryloving, mika-faberryluver4395, CallSign-EverGreen, Guest, iamsamrae, JPElles, General Mac and chev17j.

From RUMad: And so we come to the end, it's been fun, really fun. Thanks to every reviewer, reader, favouriter and alerter. And most of all thanks to Wheelie91, for asking me to write this fic from their ideas... and to think I hadn't even seen avengers assemble or Thor when the first chapter was posted :S

From Wheelie91: thanks everyone for your support and hope you continue reading our combined fics, yes, there are more on the way.

Also, just an extra note, there has been some comic book references in the previous chapter and will be maybe one more in this chapter. It's just a tiny detail that mixes the movies with what was once planned in the comic verse. Wheelie91 is the comic expert in this, me, RUMad, not so much. But I'm working on that :S

Posted: 26/1/13

Hero Saved

Rachel's Team and the two avengers watched the sky and the chaotic retreat as the worm hole closed up. As soon as it the sky stitched back together the Chitauri that didn't make it started falling from the sky, raining down on them. Tina stepped towards the middle of the group and created a shield, like an umbrella above them. Each body landed with a dull thud. When they hit the shield many underneath grimaced as alien insides were splatted across the telekinetic layer. The bodies then slid down the dome shaped layer and onto the roof top, in a circle around them.

When the rain of Chitauri ended Tina was able to relax, and let the shield vanish. She looked faint so Mike wrapped his arms protectively round her

All of them but Thor were startled when, like something out of a sci-fi movie, 3 figures were dropped down next to them, as if they were teleported there. Thor nodded to them then to Loki who held still by the cloak in one hand, the broken sceptre in the other.

The three men, dressed in a similar fashion to Thor pulled swords from their sheaths and pointed them at their soon to be prisoner.

"Guards, take him back to Asgard, I shall return shortly and we shall deal with him" Thor ordered as he released Loki's cape and pushed him towards the guards.

The three wordlessly did as was ordered, securing Loki's wrists in some alien looking handcuffs. With the traitor captured the three guards disappeared again, right in front of their eyes.

"Is that it then?" Tina asked looking round at the mess surrounding the school "Is it over?"

"For now" Rachel muttered, not wanting to believe anything would ever really be over. She was sitting up again now, in her faceless metal suit. Luckily the circuitry hadn't been destroyed when the face shield had been removed. If this had been the early stages of the suit the electronics would have failed now and she would have been anchored to the ground, stuck inside.

Quinn smiled at her miserable looking girlfriend who was still in pain. When Rachel managed a smile back Quinn felt she had no reason to worry too much. It was just the red lines down one side of her face and the nasty wound on her forehead that as off putting.

Quinn then glanced cautiously toward the man with the red cape to her right. What was she supposed to say now, did he want to know her, did he care?

When he caught her looking his way she bowed her head to avoid eye contact. He just reached out and grabbed her arm before pulling her into a tight hug, while chuckling deeply. It just felt natural when Quinn was in his arms, she was able to relax and smile.

The others watched, only slightly awkward. Rachel smiled to herself, happy that Quinn looked happy, and that Thor looked happy too.

They were disturbed by a noise, that same noise from before, a disturbance in the air, as people appeared from another place in the universe onto the roof top next to them.

It was just one person this time "Thor, I-" all words were lost to Sif when she saw Thor pull apart from a shorter blonde... a girl with the red cape to match her fathers. Sif had hoped to find her, but not right here, not already with Thor.

"Where are the others?" The God asked the goddess who had once been his lover.

"They went straight back to Asgard, Odin didn't have enough power to summon everyone here and then back to Asgard" she was talking to Thor but her eyes never left the blonde girl who was looking back at her curiously. "Is this..." she trailed off as she looked back to Thor. He just gave a simple nod. "Thora?" she asked looking right at Quinn. She rushed forward to surprise the girl with another hug "You're alive" she breathed with relief.

She pulled away again, and placed her hands on each side of Quinn's face "You're all grown up"

Quinn didn't know what to say, she just let herself feel this, she didn't know these people but a part of her let her relax, and let them in. It felt real, like how a family, a real nice family should feel. Quinn had never felt like she had a place with the Fabrays, but now, with these people of myth she felt like she belonged.

She didn't notice Puck slip away, Rachel did though, from where she still sat.

"Where you going Noah?"

"I ah" he slowed his jog before he could pass her "They're Quinn's parents right? So maybe they'd like to meet their granddaughter" he suggested

Rachel smiled weakly at him, it was the best she could do right now "If your car got squished, take mine, the keys are in my bag"

"Right... and where's your bag?" he didn't think she'd carried it in her suit.

"Oh" she looked around on the roof "It's there" she pointed to the bag that still stood, amazingly untouched next to a dead Chitauri soldier.

"Thanks" he wandered to the bag, avoiding treading on the dead, picked it up and then headed to the roof access door.

"So if she has a kid and you're her..." Tony awkwardly trailed off "Does that mean you're the kids m-"

"No, no" Rachel rushed. Tony was standing behind her watching the same happy family reunion Rachel was watching "I'm Beth's... friend?" Since she returned to school after her accident and befriended Quinn she'd become a permanent figure in Beth's life. But that didn't mean she was anyone to her

"You don't sound so sure"

"It doesn't really matter" she waved it off "Can you help me up?" she left her hand held out for help

"Sure" the red suited man took her metal hand in his and pulled hr up effortlessly. When she was stood up she came face to face with the man she's only ever seen on screen. He had his face shield raised and as hers was missing, somewhere on the roof, he got to look at her properly. He almost recognised the face looking back at him.

He cleared his throat as he stepped back, giving Rachel (and himself some space) "I saw the recordings from your first tests with your suit"

"Yeah?" she asked, slightly worried. She wanted to impress him, even though she barely knew him. She didn't think that was likely though, as in her palm repulsor tests she had managed to throw herself backwards across the room.

He chuckled to himself, lightly "They were actually better than mine, I nearly killed myself when I used the thrusters and flipped backwards into the wall. But you... you built the entire suit before you tested the thrusters"

"I didn't actually think about adding thrusters until half way through building it" she admitted, biting her lip shyly at her own stupidity

Tony laughed "That's where I started, making the thrusters... although that was really my second suit"

"The cave suit" she said, letting him know she'd heard the story through classified S.H.I.E.L.D files. The close by chatter reminded her that they weren't alone. She looked back to see Quinn talking, shyly, with her birth parents who just looked happy she was alive and with them again. They were talking, though she couldn't hear clearly what was being said, Rachel imagined they were talking about the 17 missed years.

Rachel then looked to the four mutants who were left, Mike and Tina were busy in their own happy little world. Santana was being her usual self, needing to know everyone else's business by listening in on Quinn's family reunion, while Brittany was quickly succeeding in distracting her. When Rachel glanced back at Quinn she noticed the blonde was watching her, smiling fondly, whilst still talking to the blonde man and brunette woman either side of her. She just smiled back.

It was so unreal, even wrong that they stood here, happy, content, and yet they were surrounded by death. They didn't even know who survived, they weren't even thinking about it.

"You're with her then" Rachel heard Tony ask. She slowly turned back to him with a raised eyebrow "I was given a file, it told me what I can only imagine is the minor details" he explained, only slightly defensive "She's their daughter, kidnapped by Loki... that much I could have figured out on my own. But he 'cursed' her, and you..." he trailed off

"I broke the spell" she said quite smugly. "So yes, we're together, I... I love her" she admitted shyly, losing the confidence from a moment ago.

Tony cleared his throat as he prepared to sound stereo typically fatherly "Does she treat you right?" Rachel just laughed and he smiled too "Yeah that didn't sound right in my head, when you were born I was already rehearsing the defensive dad routine for the day you bought a boy home"

Rachel smile faltered, that struck her to her core. It could have been like that.

"You look just like your mother" Tony interrupted her train of thought. It was if he knew he'd hit a nerve. It wasn't a bad thing though, he'd just made a point that had really got to Rachel "... only you're not blue" he added with a smile, one that was formed by memory

Rachel just scrunched up her face with confusion "Blue?" she hadn't seen any photos of the woman who was her mother before

"In her natural form, her skin was blue" he told her "She wasn't, completely comfortable with it. I... felt differently"

"How did you meet?" she wandered over to the edge of the building, distancing herself from the other so she could talk more privately; talking about the suit or herself was one thing. Getting this man to open up about his past would be another. "... If it's okay to ask" she added cautiously as an afterthought.

"It's fine" he joined her at the edge, they didn't know it but they grimaced at the same time when they looked at the mess below, half a giant Chitauri sitting in front of them, the smell of burning alien flesh lingering in the air. "I was visiting X-mansion" he started "The school"

"I know of the one" Rachel nodded

"I was visiting, for business purposes. It was still early days for me, but not my dad. Professor X wasn't interested in whatever my dad had to offer though" he shrugged it off, it was a minor detail in the story "Anyway, that's where I met her. She was teaching drama, which turns out to be quite an important lesson for a mutant when out in the world. She also taught battle tactics with the x-men. When we first met it was like..."

"Love at first sight?" Rachel asked when she saw the distant look in his eye

"For me it was" he actually admitted "She took more convincing though" he smiled at that. "I visited for 2 months trying to get her to go out with me before she finally caved to my charm"

Rachel chuckled at that, as she tried to imagine it all in her head. From what she knew of this man she knew he could be persistent, but at the same time it surprised her that he was so persistent in pursuing this one woman... he must have really loved her

"My dad was still alive at that point, and he... I think he approved, in his own quiet way. He never said anything against us being together, despite her mutation, and her decelerated ageing" he still had that look of wonder gleaning in his brown eyes. He was thinking again, wondering what his dad thought of him "Anyway he died about a year before Shelby became pregnant with you. I bought a mansion for the three of us to live in. That was around the same time I started building Jarvis, well Jarvis 1.0, he's been upgraded a few times since then"

"So that's when Jarvis comes into this" Rachel smirked, thinking back to their first ever little discussion that happened not too long before this one

"Jarvis is named after my parents butler" he explained "He served in the British RAF during world war 2, then came over here and worked for my dad" He died shortly after Rachel was born, shortly before Jarvis the computer was finished, and officially named. He then asked because he couldn't understand: "But... Fairchild?"

"She wouldn't let me call her Barbra" Rachel explained with a shrug, as if it was obvious

"Barbra?" He had an inkling why she'd want to call it Barbra, it might have been a long shot, but he still had to ask "Like Streisand?" he knew someone else who had once been a big fan

"Uh-huh" she nodded eagerly

"Right" he muttered, she was definitely her mother's daughter too "Where was I?"

"You bought a mansion" she answered, keen to hear more

"Oh right. I'd never worked so hard in my life before until that mansion, getting it ready for the three of us" he had that lost expression again, as if he was stuck in his happy memories. He was mere sentences before it would come crashing down, it wasn't a story with a happy ending as you already know. Of course he wasn't bitter about what he had now, he was more than happy with Pepper, he had moved on and was happy again "Just two days after we finally moved in you were born..." and that was the exact point the expression dropped while the distance remained in his eyes. He wasn't looking at Rachel, he was looking right past her "3 months later you and your mother were attacked not far from the house... I should have been more forceful, made her take the car" she could almost hear the tremble with the regret in his voice but he didn't break down, that just wasn't him "I know she wanted some fresh air but-"

Rachel had to reassure him "It's okay, it's not your fault... Quinn already got the one who did it"

"She did?"

"Yeah... after the same one tried to kill her and then me" she would leave out the detail of that person being Judy Fabray, Quinn's fake mother.

Tony just looked to the blonde across the roof top. She'd got the revenge he'd never managed to. He was partially thankful though. All the tiny loose ends from that chapter in his life were now all gone. Rachel was in front of him and his past fiancées killer was dead.

He then looked back to Rachel. He still had some explaining to do "After Fury told me you were still alive, I hesitated. I'm not your father" he told her quickly, letting Rachel know he wasn't trying to over step "I mean I am biologically but I understand. There's been so much time and I haven't been in... in your life-"

"No, no, it's not too late... at least not for me" Rachel cut him off. She wanted him to know that she'd like to maybe start anew. That she was open to trying to build a family again.

He nodded in a way that let her know he wanted that too, before he returned to his story "Anyway I looked through some files. Your mother, Shelby, had a half sister, Raven. She had the same mutation"

Rachel picked up on one word when related to this other woman and her mutation "Had? Did she die too?"

"No, there was a mutant war a few years and she got 'the cure' by accident. She used to go by the name Mystique. She still lives with her wife, another mutant who goes by Destiny, who she met before she lost her abilities and who has abilities too. They have a son, who goes by night crawler, but that's complicated and an adopted daughter, Rogue, who chose 'the cure'" that story was a mess in his head. All he knew was what he'd briefly read in some files. Those weren't the parts he'd been interested in when he'd been reading lately though. He'd mainly wanted to know more about Rachel "It's just, I learnt that you were still alive and it made me think of the part of my life I shut off because the last thing tying me to them was you"

"So my mother had a family?"

"Yes, but I don't think they were close as sisters, they were on either side of the mutant war, one who wanted to work with humans and one who wanted to oppose"

"I guess her relationship with you didn't help" she added with sad smile

"Yeah" he adopted the same expression "I don't plan on meeting them. It's been too long and like I already said, they weren't close sisters anyway. But I thought you might like to know"

"No, I'm glad you told me. I don't know anything about her, and I've read all the speculative things about you"

"Well when this mess is... sorted we can talk. Really talk" he half suggested

"I'd like that" Rachel smiled. Their discussion must have been going on longer than it felt because the next thing Rachel knew, Puck was back already with Beth.

The family of three froze when the mohawked mutant approached with an unharmed Beth in his hands. When the little girl spied her mother her expression only brightened more

"Hey" Quinn cooed softly as she took Beth from the boy "I didn't even notice you go" she kept her voice soft as she spoke to Puck

"I though she should meet them" he cringed a little, worried he'd done the wrong thing

"Thanks" Quinn just smiled. Mjölnira was forgotten at her feet in favour for her daughter.

"Who is this?" Thor asked with a furrowed brow as he looked between the boy who bought the child and his own daughter

"This" she turned back to face Thor and Sif "Is Beth, my daughter"

The Asgardians looked at one another, then to the boy who was clearly her father, they could tell by the eyes, then back to Quinn and Beth

"So he is the one who broke Loki's spell?" Thor asked

"No" Quinn said, not exactly regretfully but she wasn't feeling too proud of herself right now. Even though these people had barely been in her life she still wanted to make them proud. Had she failed already?

Puck bowed his head when Thor didn't drop his gaze from him. Puck knew that despite his own strength, this man could still rip him limb from limb for what he did. Most fathers might feel that way.

"Then who did?" Sif asked. That gave Rachel her cue.

With a slight pat on the back from her biological father she stepped forward to introduce herself "I broke the spell, I'm... I'm Rachel, Qu-Thora's girlfriend" this was no normal meeting the parent's situation

"You?" Thor's deep voice was enough to put Rachel on edge, let alone his height "Starks daughter"

Rachel heard Tony step up behind her protectively "Yes sir" she managed to keep her head held high. The other mutants had faded into silence as they watched, on edge of might happen

"Are you disappointed?" Quinn asked them. She really was worried she had lost them already.

Thor and Sif looked at one another, as if seeing one another's thoughts. They then laughed, lightly. Thor's chuckle was deeper and louder then Lady Sif's of course. "Dear Thora, why would we ever be disappointed in you?" Sif asked rhetorically "You are our daughter, you are alive, you have survived on this earth for many years, while we looked for you and failed"

"And you have raised your own daughter and obviously overcome situations that your earthly companions haven't. We are proud of you" Thor told her

"And if we were to be disappointed, what right would we have?" Sif added with another rhetorical question

How could they judge her anyway, they had been in love once but were no longer together themselves. And they had had a child too, Quinn herself. Maybe Quinn's disappearance had torn them apart, maybe they just weren't meant for each other. And how could they judge her for a human being her love when Thor had fallen for a human too. And the last detail, Thora's love being female... well they weren't so small minded and what did it matter when it was Rachel who had freed Thora from her cage.

"So this is Beth... our granddaughter" they turned their attention back to the youngest person on the roof

Tony noticed the most how Thor and Sif were already eager to take the parent roles again, Tony wouldn't find that so easy though, he'd believed Rachel to be dead, he'd already lost her and his first love and moved on. So going backwards didn't feel right, not yet anyway.

"We should go now" Sif said suddenly "Heimdall will allow Odin know we wish to return"

Thor just nodded before looking down at his daughter and granddaughter "Come Thora, you should come with us"

The words rushed from Rachel's mouth before she could think "What, Quinn can't leave, sh-she just can't"

"No, of course not" Thor agreed "But surely a visit to Asgard, her true home can't hurt"

"I-I-" Rachel stopped and calmed herself while she looked at Quinn "You'll come back right?" she asked her love

With Beth still in her arms, Quinn stepped forward and directed Rachel away from the group so they could speak more privately "I never said I was going to go" she didn't want to hurt Thor and Sif's feelings by saying that right in front of them

Rachel glanced back to the group and the two Asgardians "But you should" she told Quinn "You have parents again... even if they're not together or anything, they are your family. It's okay you won't be long right? I can keep an eye on Beth and Puck"

Quinn smiled at the small joke there "I don't know if I can leave you"

"But it's just a visit; you'll be a day at the most, right?" Rachel watched the cogs turn in Quinn's head as she kept looking between Rachel and

"Are you sure?" Quinn bit her lip, she really wanted to go

"Yeah" Rachel bowed her head "I'm sorry for my outburst a moment ago, I just panicked"

"Hey" Quinn hooked a finger under Rachel's chin and bought her head up "It's okay, I'll be right back" she carefully kissed Rachel, even though her head was still surrounded by metal.

"Okay, be careful" Rachel had to let her do this, and she said she'd be right back so what was the problem.

"You too" Quinn whispered. She took Rachel's hand so they could rejoin the group together.

Quinn went to pass Beth to Puck when Thor's words stopped her "Beth should come with us too, she is after all Asgardian too" Puck nodded in agreement.

They all said brief goodbyes before the group split into two, giving Thor, Sif, Thora and Beth space to leave.

The last thing Quinn saw on the planet earth was a teary eyed, battered, and bloodied Rachel.

...

A week after Quinn left and she still hadn't returned. Tony spent 3 further days persuading Rachel to leave the base, the base that had severe ceiling damage thanks to Mjölnira. But finally after 3 days of talking to her, 10 days of missing Quinn and Beth, Rachel left Lima and headed to New York City, and Stark tower.

The 5 teen mutants had already been invited and moved to x-mansion, where they were being looked after and helped. They would also finish their education while they were there.

Rachel stayed at Stark tower with Tony and Pepper. Tony had had her suit moved too and Fairchild downloaded and saved for when she might need it again... Tony was sure she would need Fairchild again.

When she arrived at Stark tower and met Pepper, she had for a moment stared at the woman, eyeing her curiously. She was sure she'd met her before, in the form of a lively blonde substitute teacher... maybe this woman had a cousin or something... they even both had alliterative names.

Rachel settled quickly after that though. She slept most of the time and had the other two permanent residence worrying silently about her the rest.

Pepper only took a few days to relax once Rachel had arrived. It wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be to get used to the fact Tony had a daughter. The horrible story behind it had softened the situation.

So 37 days after she left Quinn and Beth returned. They didn't mean to be gone for so long, Quinn had thought they'd be gone a few hours. But time felt different there and she had quickly lost track of it. She had never for one moment forgotten Rachel though, and her true family knew that. That's why Odin wanted to speak to her once more before she left. He gave her a gift, just a small one, and as soon as Quinn had received it she just had to leave immediately.

She was sent straight to Stark Tower with Beth and Mjölnira, after Heimdall told her where Rachel was. She was still wearing an incomplete set of her armour, she had no cape, or sleeves, or (as Santana had called it) a tiara. Beth had been given Asgardian wraps and clothing too.

When Quinn stepped into the building from the roof access, Beth cradled in one arm and Mjölnira in her other hand she was met with a stunned Pepper and a less surprised Tony

Tony stood behind the bar prepping a drink for the early evening when he saw her walk in. "She's through the second door on the left" he pointed to a corridor leading away from the open living area.

"Thank you" she nodded before starting to head where he had directed her.

He abandoned his drink and offered "We can keep an eye on Beth if you want"

She stopped and looked to him then the silent woman standing in the middle of the room. She quickly weighed up her options "Really? Because that would be great"

"Sure" he held his arms out ready to take the little girl. She stepped forward and allowed Tony to take Beth from her. She smiled softly at the little girl, who's always been too happy round strangers

"Thank you" she said before rushing back to the corridor and closer to Rachel.

Tony happily held Beth to his side, smiling at the little girl that could potentially one day be his granddaughter too. That was a strange thought... if everything worked out he'd be related to the drape wearing hammer lover. "What?" he asked when he saw the way Pepper was just staring at him

"Who is this, and who was that?"

Didn't she know... with all that had happened had he really forgotten what to say "This is Beth" he said as he ducked his head down to look into Beth's eyes. "And that was Quinn"

"Right" Pepper just nodded, still wide eyed "So Quinn is...?"

"Thora" Tony told her "And Rachel's girlfriend. Didn't I tell you all this?" he sort of tilted his head, as he asked

"You said some of that, I wasn't aware of Beth though" she slowly stepped forward, to introduce herself to the little girl

"Beth is Quinn's daughter"

"Right..." she offered her hand forward so Beth could grab one of her fingers "so if this is Quinn's daughter, does that make Rachel-"

"No, she's just Beth's friend" he quoted his biological daughter, only he sounded surer of himself than she had when she said it

.

Quinn silently pulled the door handle down and pushed the door open so she could slip inside. Light was still streaming through the gap in the curtains, and ignited the curtains on the other side too, warmly lighting the room.

Her own expression lit up when she saw Rachel curled up in the middle of the bed, snoring softly.

"Rach" Quinn lowered herself to sit on the edge of the bed, making it dip behind Rachel. "Rachel" she said softly again. She let Mjölnira sit on the floor next to her. "Wake up Rach"

"Quinn?" Rachel murmured as she slowly woke.

Quinn just watched as Rachel uncurled and rolled over "Hey" Quinn said with a bright smile on her face

The brunette's eyes shot open wider, when she realised that what she saw in front of her was real. She sat up and put some distance between her and the blonde to exclaim "You've been gone for 37 days! And all you say is 'Hey'!" no one should be able to wake up that quickly, but apparently Rachel could.

"You counted" Quinn noted with another warm smile

She climbed off the bed to stand on the opposite side from Quinn and continue her yelling "Of course I damn well counted, 37 days without you!" she then ducked her head, looking to her bare feet on the carpet "... I didn't think you were coming back"

"How could you think that?" Quinn asked hurt

"You went off to Asgard!" Rachel burst again "You've been gone so long, to a place where you can find someone like you, a god or another goddess, to be with. Where you don't need me anymore"

"Why would I want to be with someone like that?" and how could she ever not need Rachel.

"Because it's who you are" Rachel muttered. 37 days was a really long time, so much time to leave Rachel wondering what had happened, and reminding Rachel that she was just human

"I wouldn't be who I am without you, Rach" Quinn told her with such sincerity.

Rachel kept her head down to hide the small smile that slipped onto her lips. She couldn't forgive Quinn that easily. She turned her back to Quinn and dropped herself onto the edge of the bed, still on the opposite side to Quinn "How was your trip?" she asked bitterly

"It-it was incredible" Quinn decided to just tell her the truth "Amazing, like nothing I could have imagined"

"Right" Rachel nodded dismissively

"I wish you could have been there with me" Quinn told her. Rachel felt the bed move as Quinn crawled across it "I learnt a lot while I was there" she sat down next to Rachel "Odin... he's my grandfather" she laughed slightly to herself "It sounds so weird, all those... stories and... it's a part of me, and Beth"

"Oh" Rachel nodded, arms still folded across her chest defensively

"I'm immortal, supposedly" she started to explain gently "I mean there are things that can kill me, and I will age eventually I mean Odin doesn't exactly look young, but essentially I am immortal"

Rachel just jumped to her own conclusion "So I suppose you and Beth, you'll go there now to be with your kind?"

"No, not exactly. I won't go unless I have no reason to stay... and I really hope I have a reason to stay here" she twiddled her thumbs nervously in her lap

"What's that?" Rachel asked, not softening her tone

"Seriously Rachel" Quinn huffed a humourless laugh "you should know by now that it's you"

"Really" finally she smiled and looked up to meet Quinn's hazel eyes "you'd give up that for me?"

"I would because I don't want to lose you" she said firmly "... but I don't have to make that choice." She reached into a pouch on attached to her belt and pulled something out "Odin gave me this, because he learnt my soul mate is mortal" in her open palm sat a gold ring studded with rare red diamonds "This ring, it- it can keep my- you..." she kept fumbling so she calmed her nerves and started again "It can make you immortal too... as long as you love me"

"Quinn... I will always love you" her sincerity matched Quinn's from a moment before "Or is it Thora now?" she teased, making Quinn smile

They then both looked down to the ring still in Quinn's hand

"So will you'll accept the ring?" The blonde asked, offering it forward

"What does it mean? To you, I mean. I get what it does and its a big deal and commitment, but what does it mean to you Quinn?"

"It means, you and me forever Rach"

'Is this a proposal?' Rachel's head asked, but she chose to verbally ask a different question "You won't change your mind?" because it was too early to be thinking about the other thing

"Never" Quinn confirmed

"Are you sure, because I know I'm not the easiest person to be around-"

"Rach, don't make me regret this already" Quinn cut her off, but when she saw the expression of Rachel's face drop she quickly let Rachel know she was: "Joking". She took Rachel's left hand in her right "Please accept the ring"

"Are you sure though, forever's a long time?" still just checking, while her eyes just fixated on the ring and her hand that Quinn still held

"That's what I want" she held the ring ready to place it on a finger.

"The girl who couldn't stand me for the first two years of high school, really wants to spend the rest of eternity with me?" She chuckled, reminding herself and Quinn how crazy it all sounded

"I do, now take the damn ring!" old Quinn made an appearance but with love this time.

"Okay, okay" Rachel hushed "Which finger?"

Quinn deflated and took her hands away, taking the ring away too "I'm not doing this right" she muttered to herself as she stood up.

"Quinn, no I want it, I want to be with you. I love you" Rachel assured her, with panic almost in her voice. Panic that Quinn was changing her mind

Quinn stopped and looked down at Rachel with anxiety on her face. "I love you too". She suddenly dropped to one knee in front of Rachel and took her left hand in her right again "What's the difference between this forever and a..." she tried to find the right word "human forever? I love you, I don't want to be without you either. So will you be my forever, in this world and the other?" she held the ring out, ready again to slip it onto the correct finger. She bit her lip with worry

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Rachel had to ask, seeing as Quinn never actually said it

"Well... yeah. I know it might feel too soon but, we don't have to get married right away, it's just another step in our relationship" she explained. She wasn't just doing this for the sake of it, she really did mean it "A big one I know, but this is where I want it to go one day anyway. So, what do you say, Rachel? Will you marry me?" She finally asked

Rachel didn't have to think about it, not really. She may have delayed though, just to tease Quinn... well she deserved it for disappearing for over a month "Yeah, I'll marry you" she said calmly, though on the inside she was crying and dancing.

Quinn just grinned up at her, before finally sliding the red diamond studded ring onto Rachel's left ring finger. When the ring was finally on they both saw it glow, before Rachel winced

"What's wrong?" Quinn asked worried. But before Rachel could answer it stopped glowing. "What just happened?"

"I don't know" Rachel furrowed her brow. She pulled the ring up her finger slightly to reveal a tattoo effect underneath, a print that looked just like the outline of the ring and the outline of each diamond, as well of the pattern on the gold, the tiny grooves were all printed on her skin. She slid the ring back down to cover it.

"That was the... spell or magic going into you" Quinn told her "I didn't know it would hurt, or leave a mark" she muttered guiltily

"It didn't hurt, not really, it just surprised me. It was... tingly" she concluded "I'm so happy you're back" she pulled Quinn off the floor and back onto the bed next to her "I love you" she pushed herself forward to kiss her fiancée. Just a soft simple one... for now

"I love you too" Quinn breathed when Rachel pulled away "I missed you"

"Then why didn't you come back sooner"

"I got distracted, but I promise it will never, happen again"

Rachel crawled up next to Quinn so they were laying together, right now she just wanted to be close to Quinn after their time apart "You better not" she kissed her again before relaxing, resting her shoulder on the blondes shoulder.

"Where are the others?" Quinn asked in the silence of the room

"They're all at x-mansion, training and learning about their abilities. I've just been here, catching up with Tony... or sleeping, waiting for you" Rachel ignored the tug in her heart of the things she'd felt recently, the destroyed feeling she got when she imagined Quinn never returning. Quinn felt Rachel squeeze her a little tighter and she remembered that morning she didn't want to let Rachel go. "Where's Beth?" Rachel murmured

"With your d- Tony" Quinn had already become accustom to using parental labels. When she had been in Asgard it had all felt so natural. "And that woman who was with him... was it me or did she remind you of-"

"Holly Holiday?" Rachel asked, she'd been thinking the same thing "The sub we had a few months ago?"

"Yeah that's the one... but she seemed more... sane"

Rachel giggled at Quinn's conclusion "That's Pepper, she's Tony's girlfriend, and PA... and everything really"

"Oh, right" now thinking about it, she'd read that somewhere "I should get back to Beth" she tired to move, and she could have easily pulled herself form Rachel's embrace but she felt Rachel tighten her grip so she didn't go

"Beth will be okay" Rachel told her, she knew as well as most that Beth was very good at judging strangers "Just stay here, and lay with me, just for a little bit" Quinn could hear the pout in Rachel's voice

"Okay" she gave in far too quickly, but she didn't care. She wanted to lay there too... with her fiancée.

After a few silent moments, of bliss Rachel raised her left hand to look at the ring "So will it ever stop working?" when Quinn didn't answer immediately she added "The ring"

"Only if you stop loving me" Quinn said softly. That was the truth though, Odin had told her when he gave her the ring.

"Never gonna happen" Rachel murmured as she held Quinn closer and let herself just relax and soak in the moment.

Rachel didn't see the person watching them, the person who'd always been there, watching over her. "I'm so proud of you my sweet baby girl" Shelby whispered, though no one could hear her. And with those words it was time for Shelby fade, forever, knowing her daughter was finally safe and with people she loved and who loved her.

...

10 years later

Quinn had woken up first, trapped by choice in her wife's arms, with Rachel's bare chest pressed against her back. She felt Rachel stir, when the shorter woman nuzzled into Quinn's neck as she purred "Thora" making sure to roll the R

Quinn immediately grimaced "Don't say that"

Rachel propped herself up "Why... I called you that last night" she reminded her

"I know" Quinn cringed, still not looking at her wife "just don't do it again, my dad calls me that"

Rachel scoffed, as a smirk crept onto her face for a moment "Well I hope he doesn't say it the way I did... last night" she closed in, kissing behind Quinn's ear "Thora"

"eww, no" she pulled away from Rachel and clambered towards the edge of the bed, the sheet slipping down exposing her back to Rachel

Once Rachel shook her mesmerised state away she managed to get her mouth to work again "I'm sorry I was joking, I won't ever do that again, Quinn"

The blonde looked back over her shoulder with a signature raised eyebrow "Promise?"

"I promise" Rachel patted the bed space next to her "Now come back to bed, lay with me. It's still early" When Rachel pouted that bottom lip Quinn sighed to herself and gave in. she crawled back her place and settled onto her back, pulling the sheet up. Rachel put her head on Quinn's shoulder and an arm across her middle over the sheet. They let their eyes drift shut as they just relaxed "What have we got planned today?" Rachel asked

"Nothing" Quinn answered after a pause "... San and Britt will be over later and the 5 of us are going to Asgard tomorrow"

"Ugh, do we have to visit your parents?" she groaned. She then felt and heard Quinn chuckle next to her. Rachel propped herself up to ask "What's so funny?"

"Nothing" Quinn sighed contently "That just sounded like something a normal couple would say" She found Rachel's hand and entwined their fingers.

"Quinn there's nothing normal about us" Rachel chuckled

"I know" obviously. "If I think back 12 years, to before Beth... I never imagined that anything like this could have happened. And I don't just mean the whole immortal Asgardian bit" she turned her head to Rachel as the brunette raised her head and looked up at her "But you, I never imagined I'd have you and be this happy" Rachel just smiled and nuzzled Quinn again. "But then I had Beth... and when I held her for the first time I didn't imagine she'd ever..."

"Ever what? Set fire to the curtains in the grand hall at the age of 8?" Rachel asked in a humourless monotone

"Yeah" Quinn replied, wide eyed. That had been scary.

Only days after Quinn had proposed Tony took the family of three to the mansion he had bought and restored before Rachel's birth. It had remained unused since shortly after Shelby's death. Tony gave it to Rachel to do with what she wanted. She cleaned it up and moved in with Beth and Quinn. The mansion had a vast basement that Rachel worked in, working on her suit, which she'd kept silver. There were also other facilities down there that could be used for various types of training. Quinn had her own space down there, where she just kept Mjölnira.

Also in the more recent years they were all... delighted, when they found out Beth had powers too... at such a young age too. They found she could control the four elements, although she was still new to controlling water. She'd already proved she was capable of controlling fire

...

"Aunty San and Britt are here!" Beth yelled after opening the front door to them "And they bought Grandpa Tony, and Granny Pepper!" she added when she saw the other two adults in the door way

Tony sighed "Why does she have to call me that? Makes me feel so old" his question went un answered as he walked in with Pepper to greet Rachel and Quinn who had got to the front door much later then the little blonde

"Hey squirt" Santana ruffled the 10 year olds hair "How's the fire control going?"

"Much better Aunty San, thanks for teaching me" The little girl said eagerly. She held out her hands as if she was ready to show off when her mother stopped her

"Not now Bethy, we don't want any more accidents"

"But mom" she whined and pouted... just like her second mother

"Beth" Quinn said more sternly, she wouldn't let that put get to her again today. She decided to change tactics instead "We can't have you showing off it will damage Santana's ego"

"Oh, okay" Beth sighed in understanding, after all she wouldn't want to upset Santana... that woman could be a bigger kid than the 10 year old.

After Beth wandered off, distracted by Brittany, Quinn lowly muttered to Santana "I will never forgive you for your encouragement"

"Any time Q" she brushed it off as she finally made it past the front door and into the mansion.

Santana and Brittany had been granted immortality by Lady Sif on their own wedding day, just over 5 years before. That was why they would be visiting Asgard too. It was already planned that in time, as their friends and family aged around them they would leave, to live in Asgard for some time.

Quinn joined her extended family. Unfortunately Tina, Mike, and Puck couldn't be there today. They were all still at X-mansion, all teaching now.

When they managed to talk she'd often hear Mike complain how his mutant name was still Speedy after Wolverine had 'christened' him that. Puck didn't have any complaints with Power Boy being his name. Tina didn't get her name, simply, the Invisible Girl, until Susan Storm gave it to her some time after the McKinley crisis. Despite getting their powers in different ways their powers were similar so they had met up several times, even worked together, completing research into their abilities.

Quinn had been so distracted by her own thoughts she only caught the end of a discussion between Rachel and her dad, who she'd started calling dad just over 3 years after they moved to New York

"Don't you think it's time you retired old man" The younger Stark (although she never took the name officially) remarked

Pepper just sighed "Don't bother I already tried to get him to leave the suit"

"No he just made you one to compromise" Rachel chuckled as she continued to tease her father

"No I made her one so we could spend more time together... and to keep her safe" he defended himself calmly

"Ironically" Rachel just muttered getting everyone to laugh lightly round them.

Tony and Rachel's relationship had been pretty smooth. There had only been one slip up. It was when Rachel upgraded Fairchild so she appeared as a hologram. Tony was capable of creating the same thing so it wasn't a jealousy issue, no. It was the face she used for Fairchild.

You can only imagine the shock when he walked into Stark Mansion and was greeted by Fairchild's hologram, and the hologram looking back at him was Shelby. They didn't have a full blown argument but he wasn't exactly happy.

Quinn had been worried too, that Rachel was trying to bring her dead mother back. But after some arguing Rachel got her message across, she just wanted to keep Shelby's memory alive, nothing more.

Tony eventually forgave Rachel for going through his files to find images of Shelby to use and then got used to seeing her occasionally. Pepper never said what she thought.

Their relationship got much better when they made further progress into the arc reactor technology. They had developed the ones in their chest too, and after some persuasion from Rachel they were even working with the health service. Weaker versions, more appropriate for everyday people who didn't have robotic suits of armour, were being used in place of heart transplants in some medical cases.

...

"Where are you going?" Rachel was heading toward the living room where everyone was gathered, after checking on one of her projects, when she saw Quinn heading upstairs

She paused halfway up the stairs and looked over the banister to her wife "I was just going to get a sweater" she explained simply

"I can help if you want" the brunette offered mischievously

"No, not with everyone here" when Rachel pouted she added with a smirk "You're too loud"

"I am not" Rachel protested, with a dismissive wave of the hand

Quinn just waved it off "It's nice having the house full of life"

"Well" Rachel said lowly as she stalked up the stair case towards Quinn "We could have a more lively house, more permanently if you'd like"

She arched an eye brow with confusion and intrigue "What you getting at Berry?"

"We could start a family" she waggled her own eyebrows making Quinn just laugh

"We haven't got the full set of equipment for that" trust Quinn to be the genuinely smart one. Rachel started backing her up the stairs towards the upper floor and toward their bedroom

"Well we could try" she leant in to capture Quinn's lips, before she could speak. They knew the space around them so well it didn't matter that they couldn't see where they were going as tried to make it to the bed room.

Quinn wrenched herself away when she thought she heard something "Is that the alarm?"

With her eyes still shut from her Quinn induced daze, Rachel strained her ears too "Nope" she lied, she could clearly hear it in the back ground "No, I don't think so" she continued to drag Quinn backwards towards their room when they were interrupted

"Oh Fucking hell, Berry!" Santana yelled just before the pair could make it to the solitude of their bedroom, "You've got an eternity to do that, let's go save the world"

The End

Let us know what you think ...

Just to let you know, if you're interested, Wheelie91 and I have got another superhero fic coming up, hopefully I'll get the first chapter completed and posted within the next week or two at the latest. It will be DC rather than Marvel based, with Faberry and Brittana story lines, and will probably be a little darker and stranger than this. Hope to see you there...