Guns, bullets, blood, flesh. Every night you woke up screaming, your brain tearing through the memories that you had done so much to forget. Therapy, antidepressants, confiding in friends, alcohol, even one time you dared to try drugs. You were only 23, 2 years after leaving your service in the Navy SEALS. This was one mistake out of many in your life, but it would be the biggest, and longest lasting one of them all.

You had done a grand total of five tours, experiencing and causing more deaths than you had ever hoped to. You had enlisted when you were 17, thinking that you would be serving your family and your country. But you had realised that you were wrong. You were 21. You were a murderer, praised for all the people you had killed overseas. It wasn't right.

Nothing helped. Nothing ever will, the war was a part of you now. Perhaps you should have gotten out when you had the chance, but the stigma of serving your country seemed to have a larger effect on your mental state than you had originally thought. You weren't a quitter before, but now you were glad that you had chosen to be.

Tonight had been a particularly loud night. In your dream, you were reliving one particular moment that marked itself on your face, a permanent reminder. On your fourth deployment, you had been clipped on the cheek by an enemy sniper. That wound had left a large indented scar on your left cheek. You had since lost sight in your eye because of it.

It was around 3 AM, and the lights burst on in the room as Thor almost broke down the door. This happened whenever you woke up screaming since Thor had taken the room next to yours. If he was in another room, JARVIS would notify him of what was going on.

"(y/n)! Are you alright?!" He called, rushing to you, throwing off the comforter and gathering you into his arms. You heard and felt Thor, as he grasped at your body, gently wiping the cold sweat from your brow. You lay limp in his arms, staring off towards the wall. It was all still running through your head.

You loved Thor. You loved him so much, but right now, you didn't feel like he was there, though he was physical. You were too afraid.

"(y/n)," Thor said, brushing the scar on your cheek. That was a mistake. In your mind, Thor, now an enemy in your mind, had just shot you and took away the flesh on your cheek and the vision in your eye. Immediately, you threw yourself from his arms, landing a punch to his face with a yell. You sat back across from him on the other edge of the bed, frozen as you watched the spot where he fell.

He collapsed onto the floor but valiantly rose up again, reaching out towards you calmly. You stared at him with wide eyes, your heart rate picking up and your breathing growing rapid.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he laughed, but soon he realised that was a bad decision. "I'm here to help." He stated.

Your father, Tony Stark, had run into the room, just as you were staring at Thor, who was still reaching out towards you. The door re-slammed against the wall, and you jerked your head toward where the sound was coming from. The room was quiet, but guns were going off in your head.

"(y/n), it's okay, you're home. You don't have to worry about what happened anymore. We'll protect you, I promise." Tony reassured, inching closer to where you were sitting on your bed. While you felt like you wanted to move away, you let Tony grab at you, and gently lift you into his arms. Tears welled up in your eyes, as the gun sounds began to fade.

You heard Thor sigh in relief, as you hugged your dad.

"Make it go away," you pleaded, as you grasped at your father's bare back.

"Okay, come on. Let's get you back in bed." Tony carried you, like he did when you were small(er), back to where you were sleeping, and he smiled at Thor.

"Here, let Thor help you," Tony suggested, and you nodded slowly. Tony planted a good kiss to your forehead, brushing some of the hair that had fallen into your face away from your one working eye. With a smile, you watched him leave, shutting the door gently behind him.

Thor pulled the blankets up to your shoulders, and reaching down to the floor and picking up the bear plushie (that he had won for you at a fair) and tucking it in with you.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, gently touching his now slightly bruised eye.

"It is nothing to apologise for," Thor stated, smiling at you, brushing your other cheek with his hand.

Just as Thor was about to manoeuvre to stand, you grabbed the sleeve of his nightshirt. Thor stopped to look at you again.

"Can… you stay with me?" You asked, a blush reddening your face. Thor smiled at you, watching you scootch father into the space of the mattress, making room for the demigod. Thor grinned.

"Of course."

Thor climbed into the bedsheets next to you, bringing up your comforter to his chest. You asked JARVIS to turn off the lights, and the room slowly faded to darkness. When Thor cuddled up to you and gathered you close to him, you felt safe and comfortable in your own bed, more so than you had in a long time.

That night, you finally were able to have slept without a nightmare.