"So, how was your day off?" Matt asked as he placed a fresh tray of bread on the counter. The place was just about to open, and Luke had come in early.

"Uh, it was fine."

Matt raised his eyebrow, "And…what did you do, exactly?"

The place was just starting to get its normal stream of customers, people lined up outside the doors waiting for it to open.

"I just stayed home and played with Leon…I even took him out for a little stroll." Luke wiped the sweat off of his palms and onto his apron. "Poor guy was getting so cooped up in that apartment."

Luke didn't like to lie to his friend, but what exactly could he say? Matt hated the Avengers, in fact, just about everyone hated them, but Luke didn't want to waste time being angry at people. He wanted to just go with the flow and live every day as best he could, and there was no room for resentment in that plan (not from him, or anyone else).

"Well, don't go on anymore day offs alright? When our customers heard you weren't coming in they were pretty heart broken." Matt shook his head, "I still can't believe you don't have a girlfriend yet."

The doors open, and a flood of customers made their way to the cash register.

"Hey Luke, you're back."

"Good morning Luke"

"It's great to see ya!"

Luke smiled and took their orders are quickly as possible; carrot cake, oatmeal loaf, coffee, tea, a crescent roll, and a few muffins with extra jam on the side.

Was it just him, or had this place become even busier since he last left it? Still, it was great to be back at work. The Avengers must have felt pretty guilty about their last meeting in the bakery. It was one thing to simply apologize, and honestly that was all that was required, but they didn't need to ask him to move in with him.

And the look on Thor's face as Luke left the tower…it was as if Thor was losing his best friend.

Well, you do look an awful lot like his brother.

Tony's words echoed through his head. Who exactly was Thor's brother? Where did he go? Did he leave on purpose? And if so, why? From what Luke could tell Thor seemed like a pretty good guy…maybe not the brightest, but good none the less. Luke was still on good terms with Dr. Stewart, maybe he could introduce him to Thor and they could find his brother.

"Hey Matt, you remember that Thor guy, right?"

Matt picked up a few rolls of bread and placed them on a plate. "Yeah, why?"

"What do you know about his family?"

Without thinking Matt took a bite of the bread roll (that was gonna come out of his paycheck) "Uh, I don't know. The two used to be on bad terms and now the brother just disappeared."

Just like that without a trace.

"Has there been any sign of him?"

Matt shook his head. "Nope."

…he just disappeared.

That must be very difficult for Thor, and his friends. Luke wondered what kind of guy Thor's brother was. Knowing Thor, he must have been someone with a great presence, someone with a loud voice, and who drew attention everywhere he went. Someone proud and someone who probably loved to wrestle…Luke chuckled at the idea of Thor and his brother wrestling in a living room, breaking everything in their paths. His brother must have been a pretty happy guy.

So, why would the two fight?

Luke shook his head. He couldn't focus on that right now. He had to finish work.

"Breaking News…"

The television blared across the bakery. The customers looked on in awe as the screen was a lit with flames in the background. "A small apartment complex is on fire here in downtown New York. Firefighters are working hard to dilute the flames."

Matt walked closer to the screen. "Luke! That's your place!"

Luke's palms began to sweat. What? Luke knew that apartment complex better than anyone, there was hardly anyone living there, and those who did weren't even there, they were all at work.

He felt his heart rate quicken.

…no one was in there…except…

In a flash, Luke's apron went flying from his body and he flung himself out the door.

Leon.

He ran. Luke ran faster than he thought he could.

Leon, Leon was still in the building. Leon was still trapped inside, and he knew the firefighters wouldn't be able to get him out in time…or at all.

"Please, move faster. Leon, please be alright."

The street signs, and parked cars turned into blurs as Luke sped down the street and toward his apartment. Coming up in his view, he saw the fire trucks parked outside, red like the flames that were slowly eating away at his home.

He didn't stop. Not when the firefighters tried to get in his way, not when the charred remains of what was once a door stood in front of him, not when the flame licked stairs gave way to his weight, all he wanted to do was get to his apartment, and save his friend.

Leon…Leon please.

He coughed, the smoke was cutting off any supply of oxygen he had…he made it to his door. He lunged, shoulder first, against his door.

He couldn't breathe.

The door wouldn't budge.

He tried it again. One mighty lunge with his shoulder.

Still no good.

"Leon," he coughed and wheezed, "I'm coming."

Please…just let me in

One last push…

The door opened, one last lunge and the door fell through.

"Leon!" He screamed. He scanned every last corner of his apartment, looking, searching, trying to find one small-

"…meow"

"Leon?"

There tucked in the far corner, admist burning wood and posters, say his little cat, curled in a ball and shaking. "Meow."

Leon was surrounded by fire, even getting close would be crazy. The flames were rising higher, and the smoke was blinding.

"Don't worry Leon, we're gonna get outta here, alright?"

Luke inched forward. His shoulders, his wrists, and his ankles all felt the whip of the fire's tongue, and still he inched forward.

"Meow."

"We're gonna be alright buddy."

Without thinking, Luke took his shirt off, picked up his kitten and wrapped the shaking creature in a protective bundle. "Alright, we're ready. We're getting outta here."

He held Leon close to his chest, and ran out of his burning apartment as quickly as his body would allow. He coughed, his back and arms burned as he made his way through hallways of flames.

Everything became a blur to him, and the last thing he recalled was the feeling of fresh air in his lunges, and the hard ground against his burns. And the voices…voices everywhere.

"Holy shit."

"Someone get a stretcher."

"What the hell was this guy thinking running into a burning building like that?"

"What's that he's carrying?"

With the last of his strength, Luke looked towards the burning building, the place that used to be his home. He watched as the smoke rose to heaven, and the flames devoured everything, leaving nothing but ash.