Perfect Storm I Loki

One

Layla stirred on the bed.

It had been a few hours since she went to bed, hoping to be able to sleep. But no matter how exhausted she was, how much her body ached, or how much her head was pounding she just couldn't fall asleep.

With a deep sigh, she got on her back and opened her eyes. Her gaze was on the ceiling. Her room was simple. She wasn't allowed to have any belongings that could be considered a breach of her agreement. So apart from the furniture and clothes, the room was empty.

She got on her side and tapped on the screen of her phone. It wasn't a normal phone but one Tony gave her so he could reach her. The device was under monitor at all times, just as she was. Tony called her from the phone, gave her the assignments, and then followed up on there.

The screen was empty besides the clock and the date. 2:51 AM. She let out a long breath as she rolled back. Her last assignment was finished two days ago. She never went longer than a week in between her assignments. Tony was bound to call her in a couple of days.

Layla closed her eyes again and forced herself to go to sleep. Whatever the next day might bring, she needed to be at her strongest. And she had to admit, at least the bed she was provided here was comfier than what she was given in the Raft and much better than whatever she could find when they were on the run with the others.

The others. She often thought of what they must be doing even though she knew she shouldn't have. Were they safe? Were they alright? No one had heard from them ever since everything that happened.

She was glad none of them came after her when she was captured. They were on the run, and all of them knew what that meant. Layla knew what that meant. She was happy they didn't risk themselves trying to free her. She just wished there was a way she could know they were alright.

Per her sentence, she wasn't allowed to contact or communicate with anyone who was on Steve's side. Not even Barton or Scott Lang who chose home imprisonment unlike the rest of them. Not that she knew Scott Lang beyond the fight in that airport or when they were locked up in the Raft.

She was now living in the Avengers Compound. Vision was here most of the time along with Rhodey. They were the people she saw most frequently. There was still some tension lingering between them, even now, but they were civil. And Tony, of course.

One other thing she did even though she knew better was to ask herself was what if? What if things didn't unravel the way they did? What if the Avengers never broke? What if they were all still together and free?

The thoughts shaped into a fictional reality in which everything was perfectly alright and she finally managed to drift off to sleep.

Layla walked into the kitchen. She was not allowed to go into many of the rooms on the compound but luckily the kitchen wasn't one of them. She found Rhodey there, sitting on the counter with a newspaper and a glass of coffee.

"I swear you're probably in the last 10% who still reads the news on actual paper," she remarked and made her way over to the kitchen. "Good morning to you too Wilson," Rhodey replied, setting aside the newspaper and taking a sip from his coffee.

"There's still some left on the machine," he said. She gave him a little smile. "Thanks. And good morning,"

She grabbed some for herself and then quickly made a bowl of cereal. She sat down on the counter. "So," she said, "What's going on in the world?"

Since she wasn't allowed a proper phone, or computer or allowed to watch TV, she had no idea what was happening apart from when she caught glimpses when she was on an assignment.