Loki sleeps. Wanda sits with her tea. And Natasha returns to the tower. She meets Tony and he tries to interrogate her, but she brushes him off. She heads straight for Wanda's apartment. She knocks. The door opens.
"Good evening, Natasha."
"Hi."
"What can I help you with?"
"Can I come in?"
"Yes, please do."
They settle on pillows and Wanda brings her tea, "Thanks."
"Of course. Did you find Dr Banner?"
"Yes."
"And did your conversation prove helpful?"
"Yeah, but not the way I thought it would."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. He pretty much told me I couldn't understand what Loki's going through. That I can't help. And the best thing we can do is wait and support you."
"That was not what you wanted to hear."
"No. I really wanted something more helpful. Like maybe how to deal with his identity issues, or how to understand this suicide thing. But I don't. I don't get any of it."
"You do not have to. Dr Banner was correct. You simply need to be here."
"What do you mean by that?"
"What care has anyone offered Loki since he arrived?"
"Only what you've done. I probably made it worse when I was with him in the medical centre. Steve's probably done the most good, keeping Tony in check. But what can we do? Bruce said he'd probably be suspcious if we all suddenly wanted to be his friends."
"That he would be. But it is not only Loki who needs friends."
"Yeah, I know. He said that. And we've been crap at that so far."
"Then be better."
Natasha sips her tea before answering, "Is it really that simple?"
"Yes. Come and have tea with me. Listen if I need it. And perhaps take me out for breakfast if I have had a particularly difficult day. But it is not like our missions. There is nothing complicated to figure out."
"What about the boys?"
"Find who may be friendly. Tell me so that I might bring them to him when the time is right. And help me to protect him from Tony. Loki does not need his crass comments. Nor do I. And most of you prefer Mr Stark living."
"That's a tall order."
"I am certain you can fill it."
Natasha smiles, "Thank you, Wanda. This has been a long day. More emotional than I thought it would be."
"It was for me as well."
"Oh?"
"Thor and I took Loki shopping. She is beautiful. And while there is much yet she needs, it was a wonderful start."
"So is Loki always 'she' now?"
"No. Only when she looks it. There will be other times Loki is 'he'. And we will come to see this as the nature of Loki, nothing less, nothing strange."
"Has Thor made any progress in looking for an apartment for him? Her? Shit."
"No. I have an idea, though."
"Oh?"
"Yes. My Magda. She lives a little outside the city in a very old row house. She may know of an empty home on her square."
"Do you think he'd like living there?"
"I do. I also think he would do well to know Magda."
"Have we met her?"
"No."
"How did you meet her?"
"She is a fellow Sokovian refugee. I met her in New York."
"I hope she can help."
"I am sure she can."
"Well, it's getting late. I should let you get some sleep."
Wanda walks her to the door, "Good night, Natasha. We will move forward together."
"Yeah. Together." She stops as she is leaving, turns back, and hugs Wanda, "I'm sorry I've sucked at this so far."
"Forward, remember?"
"Got it." Natasha smiles. "Good night."
