Perfect Storm I Loki

Twenty-Two

A/N: A little bit of final chapter smut at the end because we all deserve it :)

"So, this looks good," Layla murmured, looking around the room.

It had been a few days since the funeral. And since the compound was destroyed during the fight, she had to look for somewhere to stay.

Apparently, when they were pardoned five years ago, although she was dusted away, she was still given a pardon. Her old apartment was locked by the government but it was re-opened once she was pardoned.

She had been staying there since then. Wanda had been with her. They mostly stayed in and ordered out, watching trashy TV as they grieved. She had left the apartment a few times to help Bucky look for an apartment in Brooklyn.

She was familiar with the neighborhood as her apartment was in New York too. She had gotten it when the Avengers had become a proper thing years ago. Although she would confess, it had changed a lot in the five years that they were gone too.

"Yeah," Bucky murmured. "I don't know what many of these things work for. Or if the brands were right,"

She took a quick glance at them. "They look good, don't worry,"

"So, did you take a look at the neighborhood? The subway's just a few blocks away. And you know how to use the phone too, right? The GPS and all,"

"Yeah, yeah, figured it all out," he said. He leaned on the chair. "Thanks again, really,"

She smiled. "Of course,"

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?" he asked.

She grinned. "Even though you're the only one who has the superior taste in coffee, I've gotta go soon,"

"The boyfriend?" he asked, giving out a small smile. So, everyone knew it then.

"Yeah," she sighed, "Now that everything's handled after the fight, I'll go see my family," she said slowly. She didn't want to seem like she was rubbing it in his face considering his past.

"Cool,"

"But, if you want, I can give you a call when I'm back in the city to grab that coffee?"

"Right. I'd like that I think," he said. "My therapist says I need friends,"

"Well, right on then," she replied, not wanting to seem like pressuring him into talking about therapy. It wasn't anything to be ashamed of but he might not just yet feel comfortable talking about it fully. After all, they had come back just a week ago.

She slowly made her way over to the door after checking her watch. It was nearing 2 PM and Loki had told her he'd wait for her outside of the building at two. "You haven't heard from Steve yet?" she asked.

He had gone back to return the stones and that was the last she heard of him. "Not yet," he replied. But the way he said it and his face, she sensed there was something there.

"Okay," she said. "Well, take care," she continued as she stepped out.

"You too," he replied before closing the door.

Loki was standing outside of the building just like he said. He was wearing the black suit again. His hands were in his pockets and he was looking at the Stark Tower.

"Hey, you," she said as she approached him.

"Hi," he said as she snuggled next to him and he kissed her forehead. "Ready to go?"

"Yes," she replied, holding his hand. They were going to see her family and he was going to meet him.

Tony had told her after the fight that nothing had happened to her family when she got dusted. And that he had looked after her dad's treatment and he had recovered two years ago. He was fine now and they were all back at home.