You were Pepper's best friend.
You often helped her out with her work.
Of course, you had your own job as a journalist for a blog, but you easily worked from anywhere.
So, it was no trouble to help Pepper when she needed it.
And she always needed it.
Today, it was different.
She had called you, frantic.
Something about someone being back.
Now, the only time she had called you about a person was when she had to watch Loki while the Avengers were away.
The guy scared her.
And she had only looked at him from behind a glass.
You were the one who had the confidence, or false confidence, to sit next to him and talk with him.
He was so gentle with you and he told you stories about growing up in Asgard and how Thor had brought him back to show everyone he had changed.
You had talked for three hours when the Avengers came back and kicked you out.
You hadn't seen him since, but Pepper told you how he lived there now and shared a floor with Thor.
It seemed like he was either kept away from you on purpose or he had been avoiding you.
Pepper had grown comfortable with him, so it couldn't be Loki.
Either way, you raced over to Avengers Tower.
You noticed an empty office.
"Pepper?" you called, "Pepper!"
You heard no response until she screamed.
You watched her being dragged into an elevator.
"Tony's floor," you muttered, racing upstairs.
You got there just as the elevator doors opened.
"Let her go," you growled as a man exited the elevator, holding Pepper around the throat.
He threw Pepper at you and you shoved her into the hallway.
"Allie, no!" she screamed.
You watched the man as he began to slink towards you.
You slowly pulled out your electric baton that Tony had especially made for you.
"I'm going to kill you first," the man threatened.
You whipped it out and began hitting the man with it.
"I am a fucking journalist. You think I don't know how to handle death threats? I get them everyday. So shut the fuck up," you growled, beating him to the ground.
You felt yourself be pulled away.
"I think you're done now, Allie," you heard.
You looked up to see a calm Loki.
You folded up your weapon and slid it into your pocket.
"Pepper," you said, going to comfort your best friend.
Loki reached her first and sat next to her.
You were about to sit.
You heard a bang and felt something hit you.
Pepper screamed and Loki ran at the man as you fell back.
The man had shot you.
Loki used his powers to throw the man out the window before going to you.
"This is going to hurt, Allie," he said.
"What are you going to do?" Pepper asked for you, joining your side and taking your hand.
"Heal her," he said, "I need a blanket. She'll get cold."
Pepper nodded and ran to get one.
Loki looked at you.
"It's been a while," you laughed.
You felt the first shock of pain and tried your best to play it off with a smile.
"I know. I couldn't see you," he said.
"Why not?" you asked.
"Because you confuse me," he responded, hands on your wound and stomach.
"Is that bad?" you teased.
"You break down every wall I've ever built with just a flash of your smile," he answered.
"I like you too," you said honestly.
Pepper returned and threw a blanket over you.
"Just say 'I love you' to each other already," she said.
"I do believe I love you, Allie," Loki said.
"I love you, too," you smiled.
"It's been a long day," Pepper sighed, staying next to you two, "And it's barely begun."
You all had to laugh at that.
