"So Loki says that you're going to Asgard?" Wanda spoke up from where she was sitting on the couch behind me, gently plaiting my hair as both of us and a couple of the others watched a movie on the TV, hot chocolates clasped in our hands.

"What?" I turned around slightly to look up at her. "I'm not going to Asgard."

"He brought it up in the meeting this afternoon." She smiled at me. "He says you're considering it."

"Only considering it." I nodded, turning back around.

"You know its for the best." Clint piped up. "It would keep you safe from HYDRA."

"That's the thing, it would only be keeping me safe, no one else." I pulled my hair out of Wanda's gentle grip and turned to look at all of them, a little startled that they were all already looking at me. "I can't just run away and leave you all in danger!"

"We won't be in danger." Pepper spoke up softly, almost soothingly. "And it's better for us to be in danger than you, if it were to happen."

"I don't want any of you to be in danger for the sake of me though." I shook my head.

"Em." Bucky's voice caught my attention and I looked over to where he was sitting on the ground, leaning up against the couch in front of Steve. "It's for the best. You need to keep yourself safe because if HYDRA does get you, it will not only be devastating for the rest of the world when they use you, but it will also be devastating for us to see you go through that pain again when we know that we could have put you somewhere safe."

I looked away from his gaze, swallowing the lump in my throat that built as I knew that he was right.

"Shouldn't you be coming along then too?" I realised, eyes flicking back up to him. "What if HYDRA gets you?"

"I have my ways of avoiding HYDRA." He replied, smiling softly. "Plus, they're not as concerned with me as they are with you. They will focus on what they can use to their advantage the best, and at this moment that is you."

"Loki will stay with you." Wanda spoke up again. "You won't be alone. You'd have a wonderful time."

"I know I would." I sighed, drawing my knees. "It just feels wrong to leave you guys."

"We'll be fine." She smiled, bending down a little and wrapping her arms around my shoulders, resting her chin on my head. "Don't worry about us."

"We can handle ourselves perfectly fine." Clint pointed out and I smiled weakly at him, leaning against Wanda.

"Promise you'll at least keep considering it." Pepper smiled softly, reaching out to gently squeeze my arm.

"I will." I nodded.

-{+}-

"Do you want to talk about what happened this morning?" Loki asked softly, his hands gently brushing through my hair from where we were both lying on our sides in his bed.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyes already focused on his striking green ones in the dark.

"I kind of cut you off when you were explaining how you felt." He replied, his expression softening. "I just jumped in with my idea of going to Asgard, and I didn't realise that I was interrupting something which was really important."

"It's okay." I shook my head as best as I could with it resting up against the pillow.

"No its not." He gave me a look. "I want to listen to you. Please, keep going."

"I can't really remember what I was saying anymore." I shrugged, which was true.

"Well when you do remember, I'm more than happy to listen to you." He smiled softly, but it was slightly reserved like he didn't fully believe me. "Okay?"

"Okay." I smiled softly, eyes fluttering shut for a moment as he gently kissed my head before I looked up at him. "I've thought a little bit more about Asgard too."

"You have?" I didn't miss the way his eyes lit up and he shifted to prop himself up a little more.

"I... I think it might be a good idea." I said slowly, almost like I was scared of what I was saying. "I don't want to stay for long though, I hate the idea of leaving everyone."

"You don't have to go for long." He nodded, a smile slowly lighting up his face. "But I promise that it'll help you feel so much better."

"I know it will." I nodded, smiling weakly myself. "That's why I'm giving it a try."

"Thank you darling." He gently kissed my head again, sweeping back more of my hair. "How about you try getting some sleep? Do you feel tired enough?"

"I can try." I replied, moving in closer to him. "Goodnight Loki."

"Goodnight Em." He murmured as he gently pulled me closer and I tucked my head under his chin.