The quinjet landed on Avengers tower less than ten minutes later. I was extremely nervous. Just being back at the tower made me feel nauseous.

"Let me and Buck go first." Steve told me.

"Ya," I nodded. "That's probably a good idea." I said as I watched Tony come out of the tower and onto the landing pad. The back hatch of the jet was facing the wrong way, so when I opened it Tony didn't see me or Loki. Steve gave me a reassuring smile and walked off the jet with Bucky following. I watched through the tinted window to see them walk up and greet Tony.

Just seeing Tony made my heart clench painfully. He was wearing a red long sleeve shirt with the sleeves pushed up and a pair of blue jeans. He was nursing a glass of what looked like scotch and held his hand out to greet Bucky. He looked exactly like he did the day I left.

Bucky shook his hand hesitantly and glanced back to the jet. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could see Steve talking in that confident way he always did.

"Calm down, Darling. It's going to be alright." Loki told me and wrapped an arm around my hips to not hurt my ribs.

"Maybe this was a mistake..." I said as I continued to stare at Tony. "I don't- I don't think I'm ready yet."

"If you're not ready now, you never will be." Loki commented and kissed the side of my head. "You can do this." He encouraged. "I'll be with you the entire time."

"Thank you..." I mumbled as I saw Steve turn and gesture for me to come out. I swear my heart stopped. I definitely froze. Loki slipped his hand into mine, pulling my attention to him.

"Breathe, Kitten." He told me and started leading me to the open hatch. "Come on."

I took a deep breath and walked off the jet with Loki. As soon as Tony saw me he became angry.

"No!" I heard him yell at Steve. "Absolutely not!"

"Tony, you know we need her." Steve reasoned.

"Need her? Who needs her? I've been doing just fine without her here." Tony pointed at me and got into Caps face. "What the hell gave you the idea to bring her here?" He demanded.

"He didn't." I interrupted. Tony turned to me as I stopped a few feet away from him. "I had a really hard year and just wanted to come home." I told him. Tony clenched his jaw and shook his head.

"No, this isn't your home." He told me.

"Then where is?" I asked him. "Tell me and I'll go there."

"I don't know, not here." He responded.

"I'm sorry, Tony." I said seriously.

"Really?" He asked and looked at my hand that was still in Loki's. "Because it doesn't look like you're sorry at all."

"I'm not sorry for being with Loki." I told him. The nausea in my stomach getting worse. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it. I'm sorry for not telling you he was in the tower. But you would have thrown him in a cell."

"For good reason!" Tony said and stepped closer to me. "He led an army to earth. Over a thousand people died! And thousands more were affected."

Loki tensed next to me and I squeezed his hand in assurance.

"I've already explained that it wasn't his fault." I told Tony.

"Oh, really?" Tony asked and laughed humorously. "Too bad I can't take your word for it."

"And why not?" Loki asked. "What else has she done to make her untrustworthy?" He questioned and stepped forward, dropping my hand in the process. "She has done everything in her power to help you and your lowlife friends and the only thing she gets back is distrust and hate?" Loki continued. "You don't deserve her. None of you do."

"And you think you do?" Tony asked angrily.

"No," Loki responded. "I could work my entire life bettering myself and still not deserve her."

Loki and Tony stared at each other angrily.

"I believe her, Tony." Steve spoke up. Tony glared at him before looking between me and Loki.

"Fine," he huffed and turned to face Cap. "But you're responsible for them. Don't come crying to me when you get a knife shoved through your sternum." Tony pointed a finger in Steve's face before turning and walking back into the tower.

"Alright, that definitely could have gone worse." Steve commented, but I didn't think so. Tony still looked at me like he did the day I left the tower.

As soon as I saw him walk back into the tower I broke down. I didn't know if it was the adrenaline wearing off, or the fact that I could cry now without fear of being killed, but I felt like a large crack spread through the wall I kept my emotions behind.

"Sammee?" Cap asked when he heard my small sob come from behind Loki. Loki turned to look at me and, at the sight of my shaking body, he immediately wrapped his arms around me. I clung to him and buried my face in his neck.

"Sammee..." Steve trailed off when I flinched at the sound of his voice.

"Red..." I whispered shakily to Loki. I didn't feel like I could explain what I needed without having a complete meltdown, so I hoped using our safe word would get the point across. "Red... please..." I hiccuped.

Loki didn't waste any time picking me up and walking me straight to the elevator of the building. I kept my face hidden as I tried not to completely fall apart. I really didn't want Steve and Bucky to see me completely loose it.

"Where are you taking her?" Bucky asked and stopped the elevator door from closing.

"To our room. Now if you would, please, let go." Loki told him in an eerily calm voice. I could feel the danger behind the words he spoke and it made me feel safer knowing he would still protect me from any threat, even an emotional one.

"Let them go, Buck." Steve called to his friend. "She'll be ok."

Bucky glared, but stepped back and let the doors close. I felt Loki sigh and kiss my forehead as we went up to my old room. The elevator to the room took less than a minute, but it felt like it took hours.

As soon as the doors opened, Loki brought me to my room and set me down on my bed. That's when I finally let the pain of the last year get to me. I felt every death by my hands. I felt all the pain I caused. I felt the fear of potentially being discovered by HYDRA. I felt it all... and I started to cry uncontrollably.

Loki held me in his arms the entire time, quietly trying to soothe and comfort me. He would occasionally whisper words of praise in my ear, but it was hard to hear him over the pounding of my heart, or the pain in my chest.

I cried until I couldn't anymore. All I felt after was exhaustion and nausea. I was also cold. It was so easy to slip into the warm embrace of sleep, especially when in Loki's arms. So that was exactly what I did. I closed my tired eyes and let a calm black sea sweep over me.