A Tale of Mischief and Mutants

It Was The Only Way

—-Sam—-

I watch as the pod docks back onto the ship. Loki and Peter are beside me also watching. The mission must have gone well because they've only been gone a few hours and they never called for backup. I smile as the airlock doors open. My smile disappears as I take in the expression on my teammates' faces. Clint and Strange look at us grimly while Pepper is crying... 'Where's Tony?' I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. Peter asks first as the other Avengers join our side looking equally concerned.

"Mrs. Stark wh- where's Mr. Stark?"

Pepper starts crying more heavily she shakes her head. From this reaction we all know that he's gone but why and how?! Steve asks in a tone pained with loss.

"What happened?"

We move into the meeting room again the Guardians see the faces of concern and decide to join us. Clint and Strange explain everything. Peter's knees seem to buckle from underneath him at the news. Though I'm upset too I see he needs someone to be there for him I'm quickly at his side. Tony was like a father to him. Loki remains quiet for the majority of the story finally they finish up with Strange looking to the group sadly.

"It can't be undone... it was the only way."

I hear Loki whisper to himself his voice sounding sorrowful.

"Stark... no."

He turns to Gamora in anger.

"YOU KNEW!"

He's angry. I'm not exactly surprised by this reaction. I'm probably going to have to step in soon. I wipe tears from my eyes to clear my vision. Gamora looks scared as Loki marches towards her in anger. Though she's a relatively tall woman at least by Earth standards he seems to tower over her, purposely using his height as a tool for intimidation.

"DIDN'T YOU?!"

Gamora backs away.

"No."

"DON'T LIE!"

Quill pulls out his gun now seeing Loki as a threat to Gamora's safety. Loki slaps it out of his hand breaking it. Loki shoves past him and backs Gamora into the wall.

"I swear to you, I didn't know. I would have told you."

It's clear to me she genuinely had no idea. Loki's too angry to see it right now either that or too angry to care to pick up on it. Loki draws a dagger and I run to stop him he'll regret it later if he takes this too far. Thor also makes a move to stop this from going too far but I get to him first. I'm still crying as I grab his arm.

"Loki stop. She didn't know."

Now that I'm closer to him I see evidence of a couple tears he's shed. He stops, his violent outburst seeming somewhat defeated by my intervention. He reluctantly lets go of Gamora knowing I'm right he had just been too angry to care. Gamora looks at him and is surprisingly not angry with him she looks sad.

"I'm sorry I really didn't know."

I nod to her Loki quits glaring daggers at her and looks to the floor his shoulders sag in defeat making him look small in comparison to how he carried himself seconds ago. I wrap my arms around him. I whisper so only he can hear, tears still flowing from my eyes. He's probably feeling bad about loosing control over his anger like that I know he's really been trying to do better.

"I know, it's alright you're upset, nobody blames you for that. We... we need to go home and finish this but before we do your friend really needs you right now."

Loki nods and we go back to Peter in silence he kneels down putting a hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter's still a mess. Hell I'm a mess. We all grieve for a long while eventually everyone pulls themselves together enough to head home. Strange opens a portal back to the Avengers compound. We express our goodbyes and thanks to the Guardians, Steve gives us a speech before we step through. I blocked most of it out but the last line made it into my brain.

"Let's go get this son of a bitch."