Avengers: Peace in our Time

3-Soft and Slow

A/N: "Steal My Girl", by One Direction, has always been an interesting song for me. I know it's probably just about a guy who has a girl all the other guys want. But I've always looked a little deeper and imagined that it's about someone who loves a girl and is afraid to not only lose her to another guy, but also to death.

"If you want to see her alone first, I will understand," Thor gently said as Dean parked the car in his brother's driveway. "I do not want to intrude on your time with her."

Dean shook his head. Thor couldn't see his eyes from behind his sunglasses but knew they were doubtlessly red with bags beneath them. Dean hadn't slept since the news. Thor had tried to get him to lay down, even suggested he take something. Dean had refused and wandered Avengers' Tower like a ghost.

"I wish there was something we could do for him," Steve had said as he and the others approached Thor and watched Dean walking around on the upstairs portion of the room.

"No," Dean said as he unbuckled his seat-belt. "No, I don't want to go in there alone. I'm afraid I'll just start crying in front of them and I don't want to do that."

"None could blame you, Fair One," Thor insisted.

Dean shook his head. "Samantha never cried when she was first diagnosed. She was always so brave about it. I think because she didn't want any of us to worry. If she can be brave then I can too."

Thor captured Dean in his arms before he could open the door. He pulled him tight against his chest. "Dean. No matter what happens you know I'm your anchor."

"I know."

They walked along the lawn and up the steps of the front porch. Dean gently opened the door and announced their presence. When they stepped into the foyer, he was immediately stricken by how untidy everything looked. Emma and Nolan were usually so type A when it came to cleaning their house. If Dean hadn't already been aware that something was wrong he would have immediately suspected it.

"Hey," Emma said as she came around the corner. Her blond hair was tied in a ponytail and there wasn't any makeup on her face. Dean always thought she was prettier without it, but on this day her natural beauty was marred by sadness. She was wearing an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt from college.

"We match," Dean said as he took his sunglasses off and looked at her eyes, which were equally red and tired.

Emma pulled him into her arms and hugged him so tight it surprised him. "Thank you for coming. I know Samantha will be so happy to see you. She's been asking about you."

"I'm just sorry we didn't come sooner. We were on vacation and...Emma, I feel so guilty."

Emma stood back and shook her head. "Don't you dare feel guilty, Dean. We knew that you had been through a lot recently and weren't about to call on your vacation."

"You could have though."

Emma smiled. "Samantha wouldn't let us. She told us she wanted you to have a good vacation."

Dean nodded and bit the inside of his mouth to restrain the tears. Thor noticed his body language and laid a supportive hand on his back.

"It's good to see you again, Thor," Emma said as she hugged him. "Can I get either of you anything to drink?"

They both declined and Dean asked where Nolan was.

"He's asleep," she said. "He was up with her all last night."

"Did she get sick again?"

Emma shook her head and wiped a tear from her face. "No. He just...he just wanted to be next to her."