It was two days later when they were all out in New York still helping with the clean-up. The Avengers were currently fixing a building that had various holes in it from the battle – mundane work, compared to what they'd just done – but they needed to do the small mundane tasks to make sure the public started to trust them again. They needed to be seen helping.
Mycroft was inside a building plastering with Irene when Bruce came in. He and Irene stared shyly at each other and Mycroft rolled his eyes at the lovey-dovey couple. Leo had told everyone what he saw and everyone was quick to come to a conclusion. They were happy about this after having been waiting for this for a while. But Mycroft just found it annoying at the moment. Jealous. How dare Irene be happy when he was drowning in guilt?!
But at the same time he couldn't blame her. She deserves to be happy.
"We're all thinking of going to have some Shawarma if you two wanna join us?"
"Sure!" Irene answered and turned to Mycroft who shrugged.
"Why not?"
So that found them 10 minutes later sat in the Shawarma restaurant a few blocks away, the Avengers had become regulars and the owners greeted them cheerfully. Most of the Avengers were just in casual clothing as they saw no reason to wear their uniform to re-build New York, except for Tony who used the suits' many traits, mostly to fly but as soon as they got inside he removed the suit leaving it standing up behind him so he could easily step back into it whenever necessary.
They were all sitting, having their own conversations when Mycroft heard Sherlock's name.
He tried to tune out of the whispered conversation but he couldn't, Leo, Bruce and Irene, they were on the other end of the table but Mycroft could hear them clearly.
"I think it's almost time to clear out his stuff." Irene was saying.
"You haven't gone home yet, have you?" Leo asked.
"Nope. Can't bring myself to do it."
"I'll come with you." Both Leo and Bruce offered at the same time, and glanced at each other and gave the other a grin.
"I feel like I should wait for Croft though. He needs to be there."
"I understand but maybe if you do that, sort out his stuff, it will let Croft go home and maybe start the healing process?" Leo suggested.
"I think Mycroft's started to count the tower as home. I have too, sorta."
"You can't live with the Avengers forever." Leo glanced at Bruce, "No offence."
"I can." Irene sulked but grinned. Leo rolled his eyes. "No, but, I know I'll cry and soon as I see Sherlock's stuff."
Mycroft couldn't take it anymore and he stood up suddenly. Everyone stared up at him. "Toilet." he announced before all but running towards the bathrooms. Irene sighed knowing he had heard some of the conversation; she had no idea how much.
She looked towards Bruce who nodded and started to stand up but stopped when Tony quickly stood instead, "Actually I need the toilet as well." he winked at the group and followed Mycroft towards the toilets.
Tony himself was worried. People never realised how observant he is, but he had to be. He's a scientist and part of a team. He wasn't exactly the Captain but he made inventions for all he team so he needed to know them inside and out.
Mycroft wasn't part of his team exactly, but Tony counted him as a friend so that was enough for him and he could see how wary Mycroft was, exhausted even. Tony doesn't blame him for it. His twin was murdered in front of his eyes but Tony knew that Mycroft wasn't dealing with his grief properly, or even at all.
Yes it hadn't even been two weeks yet but he could see the look in Mycroft eyes, he wasn't going to start dealing, he would just get worse. Today was the most Tony had seen him eat and even then so far it had been half a bowl of chips.
He couldn't help but remember Evie's statement about Mycroft's cutting. He could be doing that again and after everything that's happened, nobody would blame him, it was a good enough reason for anyone.
So Tony walked into the bathroom, there was one man at the urinals, and one door closed, Mycroft must be in there.
Tony waited for the other man to leave which he did only a minute later giving Tony an odd look, "Mycroft?" he called out and heard a gasp and something clutter to the floor and slide from under the door. A blood soaked razor.
"Shit." Mycroft muttered, Tony heard scuffling and then the door opened, Mycroft stood there his hair ruffled from running a hand through it and his long sleeved jacket slowly soaking up blood pouring from his arm. He quickly grabbed the razor and stuffed it in his pocket before staring at Tony, pleading with his eyes not to say anything.
But Tony couldn't just ignore that.
He just couldn't.
"Mycroft..."
"Hi Tony. You made me jump. Sorry, upset stomach and all. Shall we go back?"
Tony slowly shook his head, he had hoped he was wrong but he wasn't and his heart broke for Mycroft. "Mycroft, take off your jacket." he knew forcing him was always a bad idea, backing the man in a corner can make him dangerous and alienate him but right now Tony just needed to know.
Mycroft rose his eyebrows, "Well I didn't know you felt like that about me. I'm sorry but I couldn't do that to Pepper."
"I'm not playing games, Mycroft." Tony tried to speak softly but he could see Mycroft shaking, the other man stepped backwards away from Tony, "Take off your jacket."
"I- I don't want to."
"Mycroft, I can't say I know what you're going through right now but you cannot keep doing this to yourself."
"Doing what? I'm not doing anything. I'm fine." Mycroft walked past Tony and Tony let him go with a sigh.
He stood there for a minute, knowing that he had screwed up; he should have been less confrontational about it. He felt like slapping himself but there was nothing he could do now except fix it.
So he stood up straight and left the toilets to find all of the Avengers had stood up getting ready to leave. Mycroft wasn't there.
"What the hell did you say to him?!" Irene almost yelled at him. He shook his head and quickly walked out of the glass doors to the busy street outside. If Mycroft was here he'd have been swallowed by the crowd by now.
There were only a few places Mycroft would predictably go – the tower, his flat, or some quiet other place where he could hide for a while, like a park. It was unlikely he'd go to the flat, and he couldn't search every quiet place in New York – so the tower it was. He quickly called for a suit – the one that had been inside the restaurant flew towards him – and as soon as the faceplate completed the suit he asked JARVIS if Mycroft was in the tower.
"He is not."
"Damnit." Tony sighed, "Any idea where he is?"
"I would suggest trying his apartment." Good old JARVIS.
It was the only place he could feasibly be. Or at least, where Tony could search for him. He quickly flew over there, and left the suit in the alleyway next to the apartment building.
He knocked on the door and Mycroft answered, he held a strange orange beanie hat in his hands and was crying unabashedly, he slammed the door in Tony's face. Tony sighed again and literally just opened the door and stepped inside.
In the time it took for the door to open, Mycroft had gone to sit on the couch, the hat in his lap, beer in one hand despite the early hour, and was fiddling with a razor in his other hand, Doctor Who playing on the TV opposite. Tony recognised it as the episode with Vincent van Gough in it.
He didn't look up at Tony.
Instead Tony removed the suit leaving it in the corner and switched the TV off and Mycroft glared at him, "I was watching that."
"What episode was it?"
"Uh..." Mycroft's eyes narrowed further and Tony nodded.
"Thought so." Tony dropped to sit next to Mycroft and removed his jacket. He had a Hulk T-shirt on underneath and pulled it off. Mycroft rose an eyebrow but Tony ignored his concern and threw the shirt to the side.
Mycrofts eyes went straight to the arc reactor but then he noticed small scars across Tony's arms and chest.
"People assume it's from my work. I mean, being a mechanic it's easy to accidently nick your arm, have a piece of metal fall on you, metal shavings or whatever. But they're wrong. Well not completely, but mostly. There is of course my kidnapping, most of these," he gestured around the arc reactor, "Are from that. But...when I was younger, I wanted attention."
"Attention." Mycroft sounded disbelieving. "You didn't get enough from the day you were born?"
Tony chuckled darkly, "Not from the public. From my father."
"Your father?"
"Howard Stark. A genius. And coming from me, that's something. But he barely spoke to me other than getting me ready for the press. When he found out about this all he did was send me to a therapist." Tony shrugged, "but by that time it wasn't just attention. It was to get away from it all. The pain was just... it felt so good. I stopped eventually. I mean I still get the urge, never stops really, a lot of shit has happened making me tempted again, heck before the Avengers I would often take the Arc reactor out to upgrade it or to fix something with it and find myself considering whether it was worth putting it back in. But no matter what, it always is worth it. I always put it back it. It's helped having the Avengers and people around. You have your friends as well. Irene. Leo. Pepper. All of the Avengers... Evie will be there when she's back."
"Why do you care?"
Tony narrowed his eyes, "Because you're my friend and I want to help you." Mycroft sighed and nodded as Tony stood up abruptly, "Wait here." Tony went into the kitchen, when he returned he was holding a candle and a small kitchenknife. He used the knife to run through the candle and he did it a few times before hesitantly handed the knife to Mycroft and put the candle in front of him. After a moment Mycroft copied his movements.
"Next time you feel the urge, try this first. And call me? I need to help you. I want to help you."
Tony stared at him for a moment longer before nodding and leaving.
Mycroft sat the next day in the bathroom, getting ready for a shower, he stared at the razor he had ready but then remembered Tony's words.
'Because you're my friend and I want to help you.'
Taking a deep breath Mycroft opened he bin and threw it away before taking the first shower since he had started again without cutting.
The next time Mycroft saw Tony he smiled hesitantly at him and Tony came over, "How are you?" he asked carefully.
"Doing a bit better. Thank you Tony."
Tony shrugged, "It's nothing. Really. Nothing."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Finally it was the date of the new moon; Fury ordered Steve, Irene and Bruce to come to Evie's cell. Evie had been handcuffed to the bed for this so that she doesn't struggle to try to escape but to their surprise she hadn't tried to move since they arrived.
Thor was also to join them but for now he was with Loki waiting to bring him into Evie's cell when midnight of the new moon first comes out.
Steve sat on her left, Bruce beside him and Irene on her right.
They had ten minutes to go when the door opened again and Loki entered, Thor right behind him holding Loki's shoulder followed by a couple of guards holding guns. Evie's face immediately lit up when she saw Loki and he winked at her.
"Evie, long time no see." He greeted her as he was placed in the seat at her side beside Irene.
Irene resisted the urge to scoot away from him and instead just glared openly at him. Bruce and Steve watched him curiously, Steve with obviously anger and jealousy in his eyes.
"It's good to see you Regaki," Evie greeted, Steve's eyes narrowed at the name but he stayed silent, as much as he hated it he would give them a moment. "I thought you were-"
"Dead?" Loki finished, "Don't worry about me. How is our baby?"
"Yeah it's all good. Did you see the ultrasound?"
"I did. Beautiful."
Evie smiled and she tried to reach out to take his hand but her own was handcuffed onto the bed. Instead Loki smiled softly and reached out to take her hand, his thumb brushing against her wrist where the bracelet he had given her was.
"Look Loki, once the daemons' gone, I might say some things but I don't mean them okay? I loved you from the beginning with or without the daemon."
Steve tensed and Bruce lightly touched his arm in comfort, "I love you to Evie." Loki said, ignoring everyone around him, he didn't care what they thought. He loves Evie and wants her to know.
Evie nodded, she wanted to kiss him but she couldn't move so instead she just smiled at him, "How was Asgard?"
Loki cocked his head in question, "I was never in Asgard. I've been here."
"What?" Evie turned to Steve, "You lied!"
"I'm sorry Evelyn, but I can't trust you right now. If you knew he was here, you could have tried to escape."
Evie glared at him, "You say you love me and then you lie to me."
"I've learnt from the best." Steve replied before he could stop himself, sending Evie a specific look.
She scowled and turned back to Loki, "Have you been okay? Why haven't you used your magic?"
"I've been mostly ignored but treated like a prisoner and I have an ankle bracelet which holds it back."
Evie scowled, "That's helpful."
Loki chuckled, "I apologise."
"Alright, enough talking." Fury commanded.
"So what? We're just gonna sit here in silence for 6 minutes?" Evie asked when nobody answered Evie glanced at Loki who shrugged. "That's boring."
But nobody said anything so that's what they did, sat in an awkward silence for the next 6 minutes until finally Thor nodded.
"It's time."
Steve reached forward and took hold of Evie's hand, she tried to move it away but Steve ignored her and gripped it, both Irene and Bruce lent forward and touched Evie's arm.
Evie kept her eyes on Loki who just stared back at her. "I love you." He mouthed at her.
And then she fell unconscious.
"You must all kiss her now, the more power the better." Thor ordered his deep voice in the corner made them all jump.
Bruce's eyebrows rose, they had discussed this before telling them the order of events but he had temporarily forgotten about that. He glanced at Irene who just winked at him and she was first to lean forward and give Evie a peak on the lips. Bruce went second and then both Loki and Steve eyed each other up before Steve went first to kiss Evie, rubbing a thumb across her cheek.
"I love you." He whispered before moving back and looked at Loki who was glaring at him. He looked away as Loki lent forward and kiss her. A moment later the guards gripped hold of Loki and dragged him out of the room.
Loki stayed looking towards Evie until the doors closed and he was cut off knowing that he's going to Asgard and won't see her for God knows how long.
Steve gripped Evie's head and waited, he glanced over the Thor who nodded. "She should wake up soon."
So they waited until finally Evie's eyes opened and she looked at Steve, "Steve?" she whispered.
"Evelyn?" Steve said leaning closer, his hand tightened on hers but before either of them could speak again Evie had fallen unconscious again.
Steve looked up towards Thor and the Doctor that was in the room. The Doctor stepped forward and checked Evie's pulse and blood pressure. "It seems she's just unconscious."
"I cannot sense the daemon but that does not mean there is not a trace of it. We will not know until she wakes up properly."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When Evie woke, she distinctly could not remember where she was.
There was the sound of breathing – was it hers? – and a soft humming noise. Like machinery, or a fan. Evie wasn't sure, it was sort of confusing. She opened one of her eyes, and squinted and blinked rapidly until her eyes became adjusted to the new lighting.
She was in a dimly lit room; it was very white and reminded her of a hospital. Beside a tall well-built blonde man holding her hand, on the other side was a much smaller man with curly black hair.
They were both fast asleep.
She pulled her hand from his grip alerting him as she sat up in the bed; she sat up quickly waking the other two who did the same both turning to stare at her in shock.
"Uh...hello?" she said slowly unsure of what else to say, her voice felt rough and the curly haired man handed her a glass of water which she took which a grateful nod.
"Evelyn." the blonde man spoke softly, relief clouding his voice, "You're okay." he cautiously reach forward embracing her in a very light hug, she just sat there unsure of the protocol for this. "I forgive you Evie. I love you." he whispered softly.
She blinked what? What did he forgive her for? And he loves her?
"Steve," the other man spoke slowly putting a hand on 'Steve's' arm guiding him away from her, "Evie what do you remember?" She shrugged. "What's your name?"
"Evie?" she guessed, placing the glass of water down on the side table.
"You don't know your name?" He stated in shock. Evie shrugged, and glanced from one to the other. 'Steve' was looking... almost hurt. The other man had, at one point, slipped on some glasses (she wasn't aware of this, but Tony called them Bruce's thinking glasses).
"What?" 'Steve' didn't understand.
"You're surname?" curly hair asked and Evie shook her head.
"I- I don't know."
"My names Bruce and this is Steve." 'Bruce' told her, "Steve can you go get a doctor please?"
Steve nodded and jogged out of the room, Evie watched him go for a moment before turning back to Bruce he was watching her worriedly.
"I'm going to ask you some questions Evie, answer them as best you can If you don't know the answer just say 'I don't know' okay?" Bruce asked and Evie nodded. "Your name?"
"I don't know, but I'm gonna assume Evie."
"The date?"
"2013." Evie looked surprised at the words coming out of her month. "I didn't know I knew that."
Bruce nodded, "Can you say the 5 times tables?"
"5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30-"
"Perfect thank you." Bruce nodded stopping Evie there, "Where are you?"
"Uh, I don't know."
Bruce nodded again, "Do you know who Loki or Regalis is?"
Evie shook her head, "I don't know."
Bruce nodded and continued. "Your favourite TV show?"
"Something about... um," She thought for a second, she knew this one. "... Brown coats?"
"Firefly." Bruce muttered to himself, "The president of the United States?"
"Uh... Lincoln?"
Bruce barely sniffled a laugh at that, "First name that popped into your name?"
Evie nodded, "Am I wrong?"
"He was the president, but not for...a few hundred years at least."
"Ah."
Before Bruce could ask anything else the door opened, a man who looked like in his late forties with spiky brown hair and bright blue eyes, sporting a white lab coat and a friendly/bordering creepy smile. He walked towards her with Steve behind him.
"Glad to see you're awake."
"Uh..."
"You've been in a coma for a week."
"Oh. Okay." Evie wasn't sure what to say to that.
Bruce stood up and took the doctor's shoulder leading him to the corner of the room. Evie watched them but Steve re-took his seat distracting her.
The doctor looked questioningly at Bruce, "I've asked her some questions Doctor. I'm not an expert but I think she's got total amnesia. If I had to be specific Retrograde Amnesia."