ACATALEPSY ➺ loki

50 , acatalepsy

Something had shifted between Loki and I that night, but I couldn't tell what, other that now there was only one night left till I had to go back to my world, I had a new chain that I wore all the time other than when I was getting ready, and I could barely eat or even breath properly the last few hours, only being able to count how much time I had left with the avengers. It had been decided that on the second of January which was the next morning, Steve would return the infinity stones through the portal that I would then later use to leave once he was back, and ever since I'd learned that I had barely been able to function like a human being, even though I had agreed to it. Now I was standing outside my parents house, knowing that this would be the last time I got to speak to them if things went off how they were meant to. I had guessed it would happen, but it didn't make the moment hit any harder as I walked in, and both people instantly knew something was off. To their credit, my parents took the news a lot better than I had thought they would, and even though I knew they were most likely trying to keep up a brave face, I appreciated it more than they knew.

"Don't worry about us, sweetheart. We'll be fine. This last month... its all we needed. I just... I needed to know that wherever you are, you're happy. Thats all that matters, as long as we know you're out there somewhere, thats enough, I promise." I couldn't help letting a few sobs escape as I hugged my mum tighter than I ever had before because even though, sure, I was going back to my parents, they really were not the same people, and I'd never see these two again in my life. I let go of my mother only to fall into my fathers arms, giving him a hug before moving away from them, wiping my eyes.

"Thank you... thank you for everything you've done for me. And I-I'm sorry that I can't stay, I really wish it could be different, and that... you didn't have to be alone. I'm going to miss you." After one last goodbye, I knew that I couldn't stick around any longer as I wouldn't be able to leave if I did, and walked back to the car where Natasha was waiting for me. She thankfully didn't comment on my red eyes that made it clear I had been crying as we drove back to the compound, and then once again, I was left to my thoughts, which was never a good thing. I had found that I was subconsciously distancing myself from the rest of the team the last few days, and it became awkward to even be around most of them as I could barely speak without getting sad about something. This wasn't... this wasn't meant to be how it went. I should never have gotten so close and attached to them. I was horrible at goodbyes, and had even been contemplating asking Tony if I could just fire up the portal and leave without telling anyone else, but that wasn't fair to any of them. All the avengers had treated me as if I were one of them, and it wasn't right of me to just leave them after all that without a goodbye.

And so I struggled through the next day until it was finally time for Steve to return the stones to where they had come from. I knew that he wasn't coming back as Captain America, and made sure to give the man a quick hug before he went through the machine, whispering a soft goodbye to him before he vanished. The avengers all waited around for the time when he was meant to arrive back, but he didn't. I was just about to explain what was happening when... Steve stumbled out of the portal to my utter shock. "What!?" No one else seemed as shocked as I was seeing Steve very much still in the state I had left him a minute or so before, but instead they were all staring at the woman who had her arm wrapped around him. Peggy. Peggy was here. He had brought her back. I could barely contain a laugh of joy at the sight, gasping as they righted themselves, a small smile on Steve's face as he looked up at the faces of the team.

"I... I remembered something that Elaina said about having to leave... and I realised how stupid I was being, considering leaving all of you when I had the opportunity to come back with Peggy. I don't... I won't give up on this team. So I talked to Peggy, and she agreed to see what 2015 is like. It took a... few weeks longer than I had said it would to return the stones, but we're back." I beamed as Peggy and Steve walked around the room, meeting all the other avengers one by one—the woman seeming very interested in where I had come from and learning that I knew all about her, but my mind was busy with something else. Steve had changed what had happened in the movie... could I not do the same? I had a working time machine right before me and more than enough material to travel around in this universe as much as I wanted at least. Was there not one last mission that I could finish before going back to my world?