In The Shadows | Loki

CAN I PLEASE GET A MOMENT OF SILENCE?

The entire quinjet is silent after Julie tells me exactly what was in the vial, and I wasn't sure what to do. Next to me, Loki had gone completely still, and I see some concerned and worried looks thrown my way.
        "Excuse me?" Logan stands, looking furious. "What did you just say?" Julie's bottom lip trembles, but I'm not sure if it's from fear or sadness. 
        "They made me make it. They knew the original cure wouldn't last long on strong mutants, and because the ability transferal serum was working, they wanted me to work on this instead to save their hides." Julie explains. "I had to alter the cure, make it for specific mutants and abilities for it to work. To make the cure... to make it permanent."
        "Then how do you know if they took the cure for Ophelia?" Rogue asks, hopeful. "They could have taken a cure for any mutant that was locked away." 
        "Hers was the only one I had finished. They demanded it first." Julie whispers. "I'm so sorry, Ophelia. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't know they had taken my samples, they weren't supposed to be using them yet."
        "Why did you make it?" Logan asks, furious. "You could've fooled them, they wouldn't have known any better." 
        "They had a gun on my wife!" Julie screeches, angry tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. "I couldn't risk her life! I had to do what they told me to do!" 
        "You could've-"
        "STOP IT!" My angry scream causes the jet to fall dead silent. I'm on my feet before I can think about it, and everyone is looking at me. "Logan, sit down." He turns to say something, but I stop him. "Sit. Down. This is not her fault." I turn to Julie. "You. You need to calm down, to breathe. This isn't your fault, and it is okay." Julie nods silently, and I know she doesn't believe it, but it's enough for her to just be a little quiet. "Steve will get ahold of some SHIELD agents, and they will check on your wife, okay? We'll have her meet us at the tower." Behind her, Steve nods and turns to move to the cockpit to call SHIELD. I'm sure Steve was relieved to have something to do. He hated standing around and doing nothing. 
        "Ophelia-"
        "We all just got out of there, so can I please get a moment of silence?" I snap at Thor. "Please?" Thor looks taken aback by my harsh response, but at the moment I just don't care. "All of us are exhausted, we just want to be somewhere comfortable, and we just want a second of peace for the first time since we went into that hellhole. So. I am going to sit back down, I do not need anyone crowding me, I just want peace." 
        I sit down, and for once, they all respect my decision. I lean back in my seat, closing my eyes. Next to me, Loki shifts in his seat, and I glance to my side before leaning over to rest my head on his shoulder. 
        The flight back is long and quiet, and I can't help but appreciate it. I can't fall asleep, but the silence lets me think. By the time we touch down at the tower, half of the kids are asleep, the other half nearly there. Rogue is talking in hushed tones to Gambit and Kurt. Logan is talking to Jean and Storm, while the team is talking to the Asgardians. Loki has been quiet, running a hand through my hair, trying to soothe me. 
        Most of the kids end up being picked up and carried by the team and the asgardians to the spare bedrooms as Loki and I head to the living room. Julie follows quietly, along with Logan and the others. 
        "Ophelia!" I'm blindsided when Cordelia comes flying at me, wrapping her arms around me. I stiffen for a second, shocked, before relaxing into the embrace slightly. I pat her on the shoulder, giving her some layer of comfort. "Are you okay? You were gone for so long, and I was so worried, I just-"
        "Cordelia." She steps back, letting go. "I'm okay, I promise." I take a deep breath. "Now. It's late, I'm exhausted, I'm sure you're exhausted, so we can talk in the morning." She nods, and it's only then that I take in the dark bags under her eyes, the exhaustion on her face. "Go to bed. I'll be here in the morning." She nods, taking a deep breath before doing exactly that. 
        Her fiancé nods once at me, taking her and leading her back. I let out a long breath, relieved that there was one less thing for me to do tonight. The rest of the team files in, and the next deep breath is to steady me. Everyone was looking at me, and I knew what was coming. I knew that they would want to talk, to discuss, to beat a dead horse into the ground. I couldn't do this right now. I just couldn't. 
        "Ophelia, we need to-" I raise a hand, cutting Nat off. 
        "It can wait until morning." I murmur.
        "It really can't-"
        "It. Can. Wait." I repeat, frustrated. "I am exhausted, I want to just stop for a second, and I want to sleep in my own bed for a few hours before even more shit hits the fan. This can all be done in the morning." It's my carefully calm, quiet voice that causes her to stop, to nod. I turn, glancing at everyone before nodding once. "I'll see you all in the morning." I knew that the morning would come with laboratory tests, lost hope, the kids being reunited with their families, and all of reality crashing down around me.
        I turn and walk down the dark, familiar hallway, not stopping until I walk through my bedroom door. I don't realize Loki is behind me until the door shuts, and I hadn't shut it. I set myself down on my bed, and take one final, deep breath. 
        "Ophelia..." Loki murmurs, walking over. "Ophelia, love," My shaky breath cuts him off, and worry crosses his face. I feel the fat tears begin to roll down my cheeks, and there's nothing I can do to stop them. "Oh... Oh, Love..." He murmurs, walking over and laying next to me. Sobs begin to rack my entire body, making me shake, and Loki gathers me against his chest as something inside of me breaks completely.