Worthy

Part 43 - You're Really Real

As Tony leads you into the lab, you can hear the telltale signs of Fury roaring in the background. You could hear the heavy footsteps coming down the hallway. As Tony rushes to close the door, a large fist stops him. Ready for a fight Tony stops when he notices Thor's giant frame in the doorway. "I thought you were Fury," Tony explains, letting Thor in before slamming the door.

"Unlikely," Thor huffs out, heading straight over to you and wrapping you in his arms. "Are you ok?" As Thor gently rubs your back, you feel the emotion catching up with you. While still completely speechless and numb, the cracks begin to show as you sob uncontrollably into his chest. Wrapping your arms around him Thor tightens his grip. Heartbroken at the sight of you so upset, Tony stands beside you both. Looking between you and Thor, wiping a tear from his own face as your body convulses in sobs.

"Do you want to talk to him?" He eventually asks, simply placing a hand on your shoulder. But you still can't quite process what's just happened. Thor pulls you out of the hug and moves to let Tony comfort you. Knowing you have those two comforting you somehow makes you feel both better and worse. "I think you should at least hear him out." Pulling away from the hug, you wipe your eyes, Tony helping you.

"I'm too scared Tony, how is this possible?"

"I don't know kid," Tony kisses your cheek. "But it's one hell of a birthday present. Even I couldn't top that!" He grins, even Thor breaks out into a smile. Shaking your shoulders, trying to accept the reality and stopping the tears, you run your hands through your hair, still immaculately in place from Loki's illusion.

"Ok, how do I look?" You give a small smile.

"Perfect," both Tony and Thor say at the same time, making you swat them both. "Trust me," Tony stands and starts heading out the door. "I'll go get him."

Standing up and trying to shake the nerves off completely, Thor's eyes never leave you. "Would you like one of us to stay with you?" He asks - eyes filled with concern. Looking up at him, you do feel comforted by his presence, but you shake you head, reaching over for his hand.

"Thank you," you give him a small, but sad, smile. "But I think I need to this on my own." He lifts your hand to his lips, kissing it gently. "But don't go too far." He smiles.

Nerves accelerate through your body as you hear the lab door reopening. Tony walks in confidently, with your brother trailing slowly behind him. "Just call FRIDAY if you need anything." You nod at Tony as he steps out, Thor following closely behind, giving you a wink as he leaves. Instantly your eyes hit the floor, not willing to look up as you know you'll break down in tears. You're not sure how long the silence lasts, but it's deafening.

"So you're all grown up," Quill laughs nervously. You just nod as he takes a few steps closer to you. "Katie?" He asks, voice filled with emotion. As he gets closer to you, you finally look up, realising that you do recognise those eyes. They are the same strong colour they were all those years ago.

You raise a hand, and gently place a hand on his arm. "You're really real?" You laugh slightly, feeling the tears build up again. "I kept wondering if this was really just a bad dream?"

He grabs you into a tight hug - one you weren't expecting. "I've missed you so much," he whispers, you can feel the tears dropping onto your head.

"I can't believe I was right all these years..."

"I wanted to come back, but I thought you'd have forgotten about me..."

"How could I ever forget my big brother?" You grip onto him so tightly. Standing in complete silence, you just hold each other, both of you completely overwhelmed with emotion. There was so much that you both wanted and needed to say to each other, but in this moment all that matter was that you had been reunited.

Pulling back from the hug, he holds you at arms length, looking at you while you try to wipe your eyes. "You look just like Mum," he smiles, voice breaking. "Except the dark hair." You have to choke back more sobs at his comparison.

"I was just going to say the same thing to you." You laugh, looking him up and down, before pulling him into a hug again.

"Hey, can I ask you something? Why do these guys call you Brooks? Did you get married or something? Am I an uncle? Are you married to that huge blonde guy?"

"No," you chuckle. "When I left Missouri I changed my name."

"What? Why? You didn't keep mum's name?"

Pulling away, you start to feel frustrated. "Pete, you don't understand what I had to go through..."

"But it's mum's name." He barks back. "Our name. We're Quill's."

"We haven't been anything for 28 years." You snap back, taking a step back from him.

"Katie," he starts again, trying to take another step closer to you. "I didn't mean..."

"No," you bite back. "This conversation is done. You don't even want to hear what I have to say."

"Katie.."

"My name is Kate." You snap defiantly, storming out of the room. Almost immediately there is a hand wrapped around your wrist, grabbing you. When you turn around you see Thor, who had clearly been standing on the other side of the door listening to your conversation. "I'm going to bed." You shrug out of his grip and start walking towards your bedroom, Thor hot on your heels. "Can you stay with me tonight? Please?"

It's a question that you don't even need to ask him, but he nods slightly before following you to your room as you look up at him, tears filling your eyes again. Slipping off your jeans, you immediately jump under the covers, wrapping yourself up, almost as though its a protective shield. After a while, you feel Thor's arm wrap around you, pulling your back close to his chest, his face pressed against your shoulder. With a squeeze and a kiss placed to your shoulder blade you hear him whispering to you.

"I'm here Kate, just tell me what you need."

Turning to face him, you simply tuck your head in under his chin, resting it completely on his chest, wrapping your arms around him, never wanting to let go. Tonight had been both an amazing and terrifying night. Right now, you only wanted to think about Thor, what he had said to you, what he had given you and how he had made you feel. Everything else was not worth the heartache. "Just you," you whisper, the smell and the gentle sound of his heartbeat calming you before a fresh wave of tears take over. "Only you."