The Safehouse

Chapter 6

**Juniper's POV**

I slowly came to consciousness feeling my couch under me and hearing murmurs around me. Clint of course immediately noticed the changes.

"Junie?" he said quietly as I felt his thumb run across my cheek "Come on Junie bug, wake up for me." I slowly fluttered my eyes open slightly because of the lights.

"Can you turn down the lights?" I ask in a whisper. I hear footsteps but don't see a person and then the lights dim.

"Better now Bug, you can open your eyes." Clint tells me gently. I open my eyes normally and look directly into Clints.

"What happened?" I ask.

"You passed out do to exhaustion and dehydration." I hear a new voice from behind the couch causing my eyes to go wide in fear and my head to snap towards it.  There I see a man who seems to be in his mid forties with salt and pepper hair. Bruce Banner.

"Junie, this is Bruce, when you passed out I had Loki teleport him here to see what was going on." Clint explains which causes me to turn to him with a glare.

"You brought a stranger to me and a man who tried to take over Earth to my fucking house?!" I growl at him reaching under the pillow slowly.

"Juniper Barton, don't you dare try to go for a gun right now!" he shouted causing pain to course through my temple. I must have flinched because Bruce came around in front of me.

"I'm sorry I wasn't introduced to you before I had to come into you home. Loki has been reformed and is politely not using his magic to heal you minor concussion because you haven't consented.  Your brother tried to convince him to but he said he had to have consent. Would you be willing to allow him enough access to your mind to heal the injured portion?" he said gently and politely.

Suddenly I feel a wave of nausea and a sharp pain in my head. "Argh!" I shout.

"Bug, please, let him heal you. I trust him enough to try to con him into it while you're unconscious, so please trust me enough to let him do this. I slowly meet his gaze and can see the fear I've seen in so many parent's eyes regarding their children when they are in my care. I gently, to avoid rattling my skull, nod my head. I see green out of the corner of my eye before Loki enters my vision.

"This will not harm you. I swear it. I am not the monster you believe me to be. I am going to lay my hand on your head. If there is anything in your memory you do not wish me to see make sure to put a mental wall around it. I will unfortunately see your memories while I heal you." he explains. I gently nod again before giving Clint a scared look.

"You're going to be alright Junie. Whatever you want him to see, just let it flow. I won't judge you and I won't ask him to tell me. Having him to share the burden with can help." my brother murmurs as he grips my hand gently. Next thing I know Loki places his hand on my head and I'm rapidly watching my life flash before my eyes.