EMILY POV

By the time I managed to pull my no doubt puffy red face out of Nat's shoulder, the sleeve of her dress soaked with my tears, Wanda was also crouching down next to me, her face covered in worry. As I looked up, both of them gave me a small weak smile. Suddenly, a box of tissues were roughly held in front of my face and I looked up slowly to see Yelena standing just next to Nat.

"Thank you." I croaked, hating the sound of my voice, hating how weak I was, hating how I was reacting in front of them all.

"Who was it?" Her voice was tight and sharp, her Russian accent thicker with her controlled anger as I pulled out a couple of tissues, wiping the ugly snot away from my face, smeering my makeup.

"No one hurt me." I shook my head, not wanting her to ruin the party by hunting down anyone.

"What was it then?" Nat pushed, batting away the box of tissues still being held in front of my face.

"It was more memories." I murmured, sitting up a little bit more, wiping away the tears trickling down my cheeks still.

"Of what?" Wanda pressed gently, giving me a small, comforting smile as she reached up and brushed my no doubt messy hair away from me face.

"I..." I hestiated, not wanting to seem more weak in front of them all, especially Yelena.

"Do you want me to have a look?" She offered softly and I immediatley shook my head, my heart clenching at the thought of someone in my head again.

"It was about something at HYDRA." I murmured reluctantly, fiddling with the damp tissue in my hand. "They... they had an idea for a project. Involving me and... the other genetically advance subjects they had." I took a deep breath, my words trembling softly, causing Wanda to squeeze my hand softly. "They wanted to create more like us, with a combinations of genetics."

"Like through more experimenting?" Wanda asked, Nat and Yelena going deathly still on the other side of me.

"No." I whispered, hating how much my voice trembled. "They did it... the natural way."

The silence that filled the room was more deafenig than the sound of the party downstairs. I could feel all of their eyes on me, but I didn't dare look up at the tissue that I was slowly pulling a part in my hands, swalloing thickly as I fought back the mrmories stirring again in my head.

"I'm so sorry." Wanda whispered, shuffling closer and wrapping me in a big hug,

Nat joined in too, Yelena watchign from a couple of steps away, offering me more tissues when the other two eventually pulled away, a fresh stream of tears running down my face.

"But how did that trigger the panic attack?" Asked Nat, gently rubbing my back to calm my shaking.

"Did someone touch you?" Yelena spoke up again, her voice a little rougher around the edges, almost like she was trying to hold back and hide her emotions.

"I..." I began before shaking my head as the thought of Loki kissing me began to bring back more memories, the lump building up in my throat again. "Loki." I managed to whisper. "He... he kissed me." My cheeks heated and I shrunk in more.

"Did he do it without your permission?" Nat's voice was sharp now too.

"No." I shook my head slowly. "I mean, I didn't... push him away at first. I... I kind of let him."

"Did he do anything else?" Yelena pressed and I slowly looked up at her, shaking my head before I looked away again.

"I... I ran away after a couple of seconds." I murmured, looking down at the damp tissue strands in my hand. "The memories... they were overwhelming."

"Did he hurt you in any other way?" Wanda asked softly.

"He didn't hurt me with it in the first place." I corrected weakly. "It just... took me by surprise slightly and... I couldn't stop the memories."

"Do you feel better now at least?" She asked and I nodded softly.

"Can we just rewind a little bit?" Nat interrupted gently, smirking softly. "I just want to say that it took you guys forever to finally do something."

"Agreed." Yelena spoke up from where she was leaning against a nearby wall. "I barely know you two and its like straight up static chemical energy."

"Really?" I looked up at them in surprise, my cheeks heating softly before my eyes darted over to Wanda. "Did you think the same?"

"I think everyone in the compound thinks the same." She smiled softly, squeezing my hand.

"Wait until Thor finds out that Loki kissed you." Nat grinned. "He's going to start planning the wedding."

"Please don't tell anyone else." I sighed heavily, rubbing my eyes roughly, pulling back with mascara all over my palms.

"We won't." Wanda rubbed my back softly.

"Are you... interested in him though?" Nat asked softly and I took in another shaky breath.

"I... I don't know." I murmured softly, shaking my head.

"You don't need to think about it now." Wanda smiled. "Why don't you go have a shwoer and freshen up a little, get in your pajamas and we'll have a movie night in my room."

"I'll have a shower, but you can go back to the party." I shook my head.

"No." Nat interrupted almost immediately. "We're staying here with you."

"Go run yourself a warm shower." Wanda helped me up. "The rest of us will grab some blankets and chocolate and lollies."

"Okay." I smiled weakly, Wanda squeezing my hand gently before I slowly walked into my bathroom, shutting the door behind me.