Choices
Tony collapsed and the scream that Kat let out was deafening. Tony had pulled himself up against a piece of broken building and Kat scrambled over to him, tears streaming down her face. Tony coughed and she could tell he was having a hard time breathing. It didn’t even register to her that Thanos and his army vanished, just like the team had years ago.
“Tony, you’re gonna be okay. We won okay? You did good. Just stay with me.” She cried. Tony reached his hand out and put it on the side of her face, stroking her cheek.
“I haven’t done many things I’ve been proud of Kat, but finding you and bringing you on the team is one of them.” He told her. She shook her head and placed her hand over his. “I love you like I love my daughter. Be there for her okay?” He asked.
“Don’t talk like that, you’re gonna be fine Tony, okay?” Kat cried.
She felt hands on her shoulders and turned to see Bucky behind her, gently pulling her to her feet and over to Steve and Loki. She struggled against Bucky, screaming at him to let her go, but he was too strong. Damn him and his super soldier strength. Steve was on his knees, tears falling down his face. Bucky handed her off to Loki’s arms and she watched as Peter talked to Tony, and Pepper and Rhodey had to pull him away so that Pepper could get his vitals. It wasn’t good, Kat knew that.
Pepper closed her eyes and put her hand on Tony’s chest. “It’s okay.” She told him. “You can rest now.”
Tony closed his eyes and Kat watched the light in the reactor go out and she fell to her knees next to Steve, putting her head in her hands. Tony had been a father to her. He had taken her in when she thought she didn’t have anyone else in the world. She had been accepted into his family, and now he was gone.
She felt someone kneel next to her and she opened her eyes to see Loki. No, it wasn’t just Loki. Thor, Bucky, T’Challa, Nat. Everyone was kneeling for Tony.
The next moments were a blur to her. She didn’t want anyone but Steve to touch her, and he wasn’t doing very well either. Bucky and Thor got him to his feet and when Loki tried to pick Kat up, she screamed and shot her magic out at him, throwing him several hundred feet away.
Peter was finally able to get through to her, enough to get her to stand, but when she looked over at Tony’s body, she became hysterical again. Steve was so out of it he couldn’t help her and nobody wanted to touch her after what she did to Loki.
Wanda snuck up behind her and used her powers to put her to sleep. Rhodey flew her back to the old Avengers tower, where Bruce was able to sedate both her and Steve so they could get some sleep.
Steve woke before she did, and after he showered and assured Bucky that he was fine, he went right back to the room to sit with Kat. Loki came to check in on her a little later, after he rested and was able to heal himself. He sat in the chair on the opposite side of the bed, and glanced at Steve.
“I’ll back down, if that’s what she wants.” Steve said softly. Loki looked back up at him surprised.
“What do you mean?” He asked.
“I know that she brought you back for Thor too, but she brought you back for her. Because she loves you. So, if she wants to be with you, then I’ll step back.” Steve told him.
“You would do that for her?” Loki asked.
Steve nodded. “I’d do anything for her. I love her. I’ve only ever wanted her to be happy.”
There was a silence before Loki spoke again. “I shall do the same. If she wants to be with you, I mean. I’d step back as well.” Steve nodded to him and they sat there in silence, waiting for her to wake up.
It was well into the next day when Kat woke up. She felt tired, and was confused on where she was when she opened her eyes. Steve was sleeping in the chair on her right and Loki the same on her left. She pulled herself into a sitting position and winced, looking down at her arm to see an IV.
“Ouch.” She said softly and Steve jolted awake.
“Katherine.” He breathed out. She gave him a small smile and reached out her hand for him.
“Hey Steve.” He took her hand, placing a kiss to the back of it. Loki stirred in the chair and opened his eyes, looking at her lazily. She smiled and he stood, coming over to sit at the foot of the bed.
“How do you feel little dove.” Loki asked her. Kat looked down and the realization of what happened dawned on her. Her eyes went wide and she looked over to Steve.
“Tony…he died, didn’t he.” She said, event though she already knew the answer. Steve looked down and nodded.
“Oh my God.” Kat whispered, closing her eyes and letting the tears fall. “What happened? Why am I in here?” She asked. Loki and Steve looked at each other, trying to find a way to tell her what happened.
“You lost your damn mind.” A voice said from the doorway.
“Nat.” Steve scolded.
“What? She did.” Nat said, shrugging her shoulders as she entered the room. “You wouldn’t let anyone touch you, and you damn near killed Loki when you blasted him.”
Kat head snapped in Loki’s direction, a worried look on her face. Loki shook his head and placed a hand on her leg.
“It wasn’t as bad as Widow made it sound, I’m alright love, promise.”
Bruce came to check on her a little later, saying that all her vitals looked good and that she was free to leave the med bay. Nat took her up to her former room and lent her some clothes to wear and let her take a shower and relax a little.
Kat spent a little longer in the shower than she probably should, but she just needed a minute to think. They had done it. They had brought everyone back, they had won, but at a great cost. They had lost Clint; they had lost Tony. Tears started to fall again as she thought about Pepper and Morgan. Then a wave of embarrassment fell over her at how she had acted. She didn’t have the right to act like that when Pepper had just lost the love of her life.
Her mind drifted to Steve and Loki. She hadn’t really thought about the consequences of what she was doing when she went back to save Loki. Now she had these two men, who loved her, and who she loved, and she was supposed to choose? She didn’t want to.
She loved both men differently. With Loki, she had a deep connection because of her magic. He understood her in that manner and that made their bond stronger. With Steve, he connected with her on such an emotional level that she had never had with anyone before. They had helped each other heal after the snap and so their connection was strong as well.
She didn’t want to choose. She wished she could have both, but she knew it didn’t work like that. She got out of the shower and pulled on the black dress Nat had laid out for her, to wear to Tony’s funeral. She pulled her hair into a sleek ponytail and put on minimal makeup. Slipping on some heels, she grabbed her phone and went out to the living room to meet Nat.
Nat gave her a small smile as they headed to the landing pad to take the jet to the cabin where the funeral was taking place. Pepper had chosen to have him cremated, and they were going to send him off in the lake behind the cabin.
Steve and Loki were waiting for them at the jet with Thor, Bucky and Sam. Peter was already at the cabin and she wasn’t sure who else was coming. They reached the jet and Steve and Loki held out their hands for her.
“Are you ready sweetheart?” Steve asked. She took both of their hands and shook her head,
“No, but let’s go.”