Thirty Seven

I flew back the next morning, and immediately was pulled into a giant bear hug.

"Friend, Stark. You've returned unharmed."

"Yeah,yeah. Put me down big guy. I need to charge this suit." I kicked Thor in the shin.

"Pray tell, what did my brother need to speak to you about that he couldn't say to me."

"Gather everyone in the common room and I'll get this armor off."

I started shedding mechanized armor as soon as I hit the elevator. I looked down at my own hands, remembering holding Loki's. I don't think he meant what he said. About not caring about us anymore. If he didn't care why had he let me touch him, to hold his hand in comfort? If he didn't care, how did he know I had slept with someone else? Why did he care if I fucked someone else? Why did he warn me of Thanos?

I stepped out and shed the rest of my armor, took a piss, and started to head downstairs. Something stopped me. A movement out of the corner of my eye. A black cat was sitting next to my monitor, batting at something.

"Where did you come from?" I mused scratching it behind the ear. I looked at the object he was batting at. It was Lana's necklace, rather Loki's. I picked it up, fiddling with the charm. The cat looked up at me with large green eyes. I slipped the necklace back over my head and dropped the charm into my shirt. I picked up the cat and headed downstairs.

"Does this big boy belong to anyone?" I asked. The group looked at me holding the cat, all shook their heads no. I set him down on the floor.

"Sorry, never seen him before." Rhodey said.

"What did my brother need to say to you?" Thor boomed.

"He wants an alliance."

"He what?!" Everyone shouted at once. Their voices intermingling.

"An alliance?"

"Whoa! Whoa! Slow down. He believes there's a bigger threat coming. I think we should trust him."

"What?"

"My brother is known as the God of lies for a reason." Thor clasped a hand to my shoulder. I shrugged him off.

"You didn't see him, you didn't speak to him. He says Thanos is coming for the infinity stones." I shouted. The rest of the group stood shouting at me for even thinking about trusting Loki, while Thor slumped into a chair.

"Thor, what wrong?" Jane spoke. The group settled down realizing Thor wasn't yelling.

"He is right." Thor said quietly. "Thanos wants the stones. Myself and the Warriors Three have removed two from Midgard. He believes the Aether to still be here."

"And it is not?" Pepper questioned. She was hanging off of Rhodey like a necklace. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at them. Their mushy way of showing off was sickening.

"No, I was there when the Aether was contained. I was also there and saw Loki die. I'm having problems believing he's alive." Jane spoke up.

"I saw him die as well. I held him as he died in my arms, but I saw him yesterday with my own eyes."

"What are the infinity stones?" First time I heard Eric speak in a long while.

"The infinity stones were relics forged during the beginning of time. The Aether was once thought to have been destroyed by our grandfather, only to have resurfaced recently. Whomever holds the stones can rule the universe. We have long kept the stones apart for fear of any one entity having them all. If Thanos is looking for them, he will not let anything stand in his way. He will tear this world apart. I say we take my brother's alliance. He will be a great asset in defending Midgard. He is a fine warrior." Thor explained.

"In the meantime, Loki is bent on vengeance against Hydra. I say we let him take them out." I added.

"Why does he want Hydra?" Clint finally spoke. My mind scrambled. I knew why Loki was after Hydra. Hydra had ruined his illusion of Lana and nearly killed him.

"He didn't say. But, I still say let him kill Hydra off and we can focus on Thanos."

"I agree." Thor boomed and slammed a fist into the table. "What do we do first?"

"We wait for Cap and Natasha. I've seen the footage, they are alive. I still think Hydra will target those of us they can." I gestured to Pepper and Jane. I think I saw disappointment in Darcy's eyes as I skipped her. I wasn't ready for that truth. "I have a lab to clean and work to do. I saw on the news, the Captain has a new friend that has mechanical wings. He needs them repaired." I escaped to the elevator before Darcy could catch me. I needed to think over what I'd done and what I felt.