Loki couldn't see Eva or Bucky. Panic was setting in and tears formed. On the other side of the illusion, Eva had to hold Bucky back from going to their brother. This was something Loki had to do on his own.
"Breathe," Loki said aloud to himself, trying to get an even pace going in and out of his lungs. "Th-they wouldn't leave me."
Not after everything they had endured together and apart. He had to keep that uppermost in his mind. If he didn't, he would be giving her power over him again.
Loki kept talking, "Eva said to break the illusion. This isn't real. It's fake." Yet the cold concrete under him, the stiff bars at his back, and the thin fibers on his body had his mind reeling. "Please, let it be fake."
It showed how far Eva had come. If it wasn't a hell he refused to ever revisit, he would have commended her on how real it was. But it was that realism that forced doubt into his mind.
He questioned, "But what if it isn't? I can't stay here. I-I have to get out. I can't do it again."
He could hear heavy footfalls approaching. His heart raced. It was the sound of one of his regulars. A brutal man who got off on inflicting pain and biting. But they had handed him over to SHIELD, hadn't they? Eva was starting to struggle with Bucky.
"Gods, no," Loki pleaded, hoping someone on Asgard would hear him. "Not again. Never again." He kept Eva's words playing in his mind, praying they were true. "I will break it. I have to."
He stood on shaky legs. Bucky stilled, watching. Loki focused and called on his powers, sending them out through his hands. He at first thought of how he never wanted to be used again, but it wasn't enough to break Eva's illusion.
That's when a thought hit him. Evelyn and Bucky. He closed his eyes just as the handle to the door rattled. He thought of his siblings and a wave of energy swept through and out of him. The thought of the love he had for his siblings and it gave him a boost he desperately needed. He broke free of the illusion and the room around him returned to normal. He opened his eyes and saw the gym at the Avengers Compound surrounding him once more. He collapsed to his knees, tears of joy free-flowing down his cheeks. Eva let go of Bucky, both of them smiling.
If he thought of his love for Thor, he knew he would be even more powerful. But that was a theory to test another day. For now, he knew how to unlock his powers. His love was what gave him strength. Perhaps it always had, but he never realized it until that moment.
"I did it," he said, laughing as he looked at his brother. "I can't believe it. I really did it!"
Bucky helped his brother up, replying, "Good job, Lokes!"
Eva walked up to them, adding, "I knew you could."
Loki moved away from her, saying, "No. Stay away from me. I am pissed at you, Eva."
That made her stop short. "Mischief?"
"Why would you do that?" His voice rang through the air. "Do you know what you put me through? The hell I could have revisited?"
This upset Eva as she didn't understand why he was angry with her for helping. "I wouldn't have let it get that far. I knew you could do it. JARVIS was helping, too. You were perfectly safe."
"But you couldn't know that!"
Eva started to get angry. Both of them had their matching powers flowing over their hands. Bucky got between them.
"Alright," he yelled. "Both of you, take a time out! Go cool the fuck off! Now!"
"Fine," growled Loki, going one way as Eva went another, saying, "Whatever."
Bucky sat on one of the weight benches and hung his head, saying with a groan, "Younger siblings."