The Witch He Loved

Chapter 11

He stands and rushes to me, closing his arms around me and sobbing into my shoulder. A few tears of my own escape as I release the shield surrounding us both. Steve is instantly by our side. I rub Bucky's back and try to sooth him as he cries before Steve pulls him off me, his own arms instantly wrapping around him. 

I smile at them for a moment before the exhaustion finally hits me, dealing with the emotions I just went through and the work I had to put in to complete this task, I feel drained. I can feel myself slowly lowering to the ground as my legs give out but I'm stopped midway when an arm comes around my waist, pulling me back up. 

"I got you, Kid." Tony's voice is low in my ear but it gives me comfort. A breath leaves me as I relax into his side. 

We both stand there and watch as Steve calms Bucky down, his sobs slowly turning into the occasional sniff until he finally stops. They both turn to me Steve has a genuine smile on his face and I'm pretty sure it's the first one he's ever given me, his eyes are red and glistening but I can't help but smile back. Bucky steps towards me and takes a hold of one of my hands. 

"Kathy, I can't thank you enough for this, you have no idea what you've done for me." I squeeze his hand gently. 

"That's where you're wrong, I walked with you through every memory I put back together. I know exactly what this means to you." He frowns slightly at hearing this but I give his hand another squeeze. 

"I'm glad I did it, you're my friend and I look after my friends" We all stand there for a moment longer until Tony clears his throat.

"Lets head back inside now, you need to rest" he directs the last part to you.

We agree and with Tony's arm secured around me, we all walk back to the entrance of the building. We are just about to get to the doors when a beam of light crashes to the ground behind us, turning to face it, something tugs at my gut as I take in the flash of colours. 

The Bifrost.

In a moment it disappears and standing there is Thor and Loki.

Thor and Loki.

Loki...

My heart skitters, it feels like it's swelling and imploding all at once as my eyes run over him. I find it hard to grasp on to any one emotion when there are so many flying through me. I try to take a step toward him but my energy is still low and I falter.

Tony's arm tightens around me, preventing me from attempting to walk any further, Loki's eyes flick to Tony's arm, his face morphing into a sneer.

"Kathy, wait- " Tony warns but is quickly cut off by Loki. 

"I suggest you get your hands off what is mine, Stark."

My entire body freezes as white hot fury pushes down every other emotion inside of me as he talks like I'm some sort of possession. 

What is his?!

Tony snaps back before I even have chance to open my mouth. "Yours? If she was yours then why in the hell would you have abandoned her!" 

Loki misinterprets Tony and I see his anger grow, he takes two steps forward before I'm pushed, face first into Bucky's chest. A look is shared between Tony and Bucky before his own arms clamp around me, quickly locking me in place. 

"Bucky, what the hell!" I grind out, trying to turn into his arms, my own anger taking fuelling my body with adrenaline. 

"I did not abandon her, I had no choice but to go!" Loki hisses.

"Oh really? What about the part where you didn't come back?" Tony says sarcastically but his voice is laced with anger.

I turn myself in Bucky's arms just in time to catch Loki taking a dagger out of his belt as he and Tony get closer to each other. Looking past them to Thor, he is just stood there with a scowl on his face, watching.