The stench of defeat was one that could not get off of us quick enough. It travelled with us back to the US from Wakanda. It clung to us once we returned to the new Avengers facility.

The place felt emptier somehow, and not just because of Thanos' victory.

As soon as we were back, the computers tracked all loss of life globally. The number had risen so fast it almost gave me whiplash. The number didn't seem to want to slow down either, let alone stop.

I hoped to the gods it would stop soon. Each number was another dagger of disappointment thrown at us. So many innocent lives just snuffed because someone believed they knew what was best for our world when he was more than likely not from our planet himself.

Natasha, Steve, and Rhodey at times kept an eye on the computer. I tried to avoid it as much as possible. Todd was of the same notion.

We got acquainted with the clothed raccoon, who could talk. While he was in mourning like the rest of us, he told us of the little band of misfits he had been part of. He'd caught us up as to how he and his group met Thor, etc., etc. And yet, through all of this, a talking raccoon named Rocket was not the thing that disturbed me most about the time we were in right now.

I kept to the old room Steve and I shared, or to the training room. Or the kitchen. Any place other than where the computers were tallying up the fatality count.

The anger in me really showed when I trained. Since arriving back home, my flames were blue. I conjured up enemies in my mind, mostly picturing Thanos. I'd morph my flames into whips, lashing at his stupid purple face. A sword to decapitate him or to chop him limb from limb. Daggers to cut into purple flesh or hack away at the arm that held that stupid gold gauntlet.

Today's solo training was no different. I opted out of my flame whips and went for my blades. Scorch marks appeared when the tips would scuff the floor. I tried to not give the room too much fire damage.

How could we have lost? What could have gone so wrong when I was knocked out that allowed him the victory? Nobody had been willing to divulge details, and some part of me was thankful for that. Knowing how we lost would only upset me more.

Kiara?

I stopped mid-swing, following through anyway, to see Thor of all people had entered the room.

"Need an ear?" I asked immediately. Thor had barely spoke on the ride home, let alone to anyone since arriving back here. I was surprised he used my alternate form of communication.

"Yes, yours." Thor had switched out his Asgardian armor for more baggy civilian clothes. He looked like a jock in need of a serious workout. "Do you have some time?"

I swallowed, making my flames vanish before tucking my blades away. "For you, of course. I need a breather anyhow." I'd worked up quite the sweat, I always did when I channeled my outrage from the loss in Wakanda.

"I see you've gotten some upgrades since we've seen each other last."

I nodded. "Yes, between working on my abilities and Tony providing me with a suit and my weapons. He gifted me those—something off our wedding registry." The laughed sounded so forced out of my mouth.

"You looked a proper warrior out there, Kiara." The smile he held was sad. I couldn't even claim the smile a victory. "You've come so far."

I cleared my throat. "Let me ask you—"

"No need to. I am going to tell you everything."

"Everything?"

"If you want."

"Actually, I was more focused on as to how you made your epic entrance into Wakanda, but if you want to fill in the gap years, by all means do." We've got loads of time now.

With a soft, bitter tone, Thor gave me the briefest details of his whereabouts. He had told me Loki had died when the Dark Elves had invaded Asgard. Well, that had been a complete farce, as the God of Mischief had yet again faked his death.

Odin was gone, which released Thor's older sister, Hela.

"I didn't know you had a sister," I said.

"I didn't, either. To top it off, she was the Goddess of Death."

What a sibling.

While Hela swept over Asgard, Thor and Loki had been transported to a planet known as Sakaar, a place where warriors fought in an arena for others' entertainment. This was where Bruce had ultimately landed after disappearing from the Ultron situation in Sokovia.

In the end, with a little help, Thor, Bruce, and Loki had defeated Hela. But it cost the realm to do so.

Oh, and in the midst of all this, Hela had broken Thor's hammer. And made him lose an eye, hence why his right eye didn't match his left anymore. He now had one blue, one gold. From afar, no one would really notice.

"Earth seemed to be the best option to venture to," said Thor. "I'd come to like it, and I know how well you had adjusted when you went there. I figured, if we could go about our lives on Earth, why couldn't the others? It would've been scary, sure, but they would've been entranced with all that Earth had to offer.

"Thanos found us and his minions boarded our ship. It was awful, Kiara. The carnage, the death. Those who could escape did."

And yet, you probably couldn't tell me if my parents survived either. Bruce couldn't.

"Loki gave Thanos the Tesseract to spare my head being crushed."

"But wasn't the Tesseract safe on Asgard?"

Thor sighed, waving that off. "He was becoming a hero, Kiara."

I picked up on the past tense. "Don't tell me, Thor. Please don't..."

"He's not coming back. This time it's...it's permanent. Thanos killed him right in front of me."

I closed my eyes, squeezing the tears from them. I should've known. For all the good Loki would try to do, it wouldn't matter. He'd get punished for it. "You're sure he's not faking it? Thanos could've—he could've killed a copy of Loki. He's known to do that," I said frantically. "I mean, he's faked his death twice already. What's one more time?"

"Kiara, please, spare us both the pain. If you try and contact him, you won't get an answer."

"Thor—"

"For the love of my father, don't do it."

I winced at the harsh tone. "Maybe he's hiding underground because he fears Thanos."

"He's not."

Thor nearly took us both down when he collapsed into my arms. I kept my tears back as much as I could. The finality of Loki's death...I would have liked to have seen him how Thor had described him. That was the Loki I had had in my mind's eye. It had been the one that, had he asked, I would've said yes to marrying.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "I-I wish I could have seen him like that. But...Loki was smart. He wouldn't have done the things he had if he didn't think them through first."

"He'd tried to kill Thanos, with a bloody knife."

I swallowed. Of all the things, he could've picked any other weapon. The man had magic on his side. That was a puzzle, indeed. Why pick an object that would do the least damage? If Loki had wanted to inflict some pain, he would've been capable.

But the only one who would know is Loki. And we can't ask him for answers now, can we?

**I truly believe Thor and Kiara's brotp is vastly underrated. Even by me, and I'm in control of her story!**