Like no one does

There's just no trust anymore

Ronnie's POV

"You can do this Veronica Stark. You are not a coward and this is nothing more than Steve just dropping stuff off." She mumbled to herself. Biting her lip as she held up one side of her long skirt and made her way down the steps of the porch. Tipping her chin up a little she tried to continue to give herself a silent pep talk, but right this minute she really wished that she'd put on shoes as she carefully walked over to Steve, Sam and Bucky.

"From the looks of all of this either we're going to be here for months or the whole team is coming for the weekend." She tried to joke to keep the mood light, but it came out a little flat. Steve and Bucky exchange a terse look with each other but say nothing.

Okay then...

"Hey Ronnie." Being the great friend that he is, Sam came over to give her a hug to break the ice.

"Save me." She pleaded quietly in his ear, making him laugh. Squeezing him tight before letting him go she reached a hand out. "Here, hand me a bag and then I can introduce you to my brother's newest extraterrestrial guest." Ronnie nodded her head towards the porch. The tall raven haired god stared at them with his arms crossed, a hungry look on his face standing right where she'd left him.

"So that's Loki huh?" Sam slung an arm around her shoulders as they took their time heading to the house. He laughs a little, shaking her gently as he looks down at her. "He looks like he wants to eat you."

"God, seriously don't even get me started on that can of worms. He's determined to woo me." Glancing over her shoulder at Steve she lowered her voice. "How's he doing? With the funeral and everything I mean." Ronnie watched as he grabbed several bags of groceries and what looked like a weapons bag. She quickly turned around when he looked over at them.

"You know, you could just ask him and find out." He says with raised eyebrows and that annoying Sam 'I'm trying to butt in with unsolicited help' Wilson face. Glaring up at him she quirks an eyebrow and purses her lips. "Or I could just tell you. Yeah, I'll go with that option." She snorts out a laugh. "He's doing better than he thought he would. Got to say goodbye and get the closure he needed. Did you know Sharon was her great niece?"

"That makes sense." As they walked up the stairs Ronnie shrugged. "Her last name is Carter, but no I didn't know." Clearing her throat she briefly peaks over her shoulder one more time to see Steve to see him looking right at her with a hopeful look on his handsome face. Glancing up at Sam she says quietly. "I'm glad he got to say goodbye. I know how much he loved Peggy."

"Mm maybe, but not as much as he loves you." As she looked up at him in shock Loki came over to introduce himself. Holding out his hand he gave Sam a smirk that she was sure was meant to be a smile.

"Loki of Asgard and you are?" He looks down at her as if to say, look how nice I'm being.

Shifting to switch the luggage he carried to the hand that had been around Ronnie's shoulders he carefully took Loki's hand in his. "Sam Wilson, friend and teammate." He says amused by the exchange between her and the god.

"Careful Sam, he reads minds and is a massive prick." Bucky says as he walks up behind them.

She didn't know Loki could do that. Had he read her mind she wondered, watching the god with suspicion.

"I only read others' thoughts when it suits me or annoys people, such as you." He snarks at Buck who rolled his eyes as he made his way back inside with more luggage and several bags of groceries. Turning back to Ronnie and Sam he tells them congenitally. "I have no reason to read anyone's minds at the moment so everyone can rest easy." Changing the subject he smiles down at her. "Veronica darling, let me take that for you."