Emerald Storm [Loki]

Chapter ten: Panic attack

A few weeks later.

I lay in bed unable to sleep. Every time I fell asleep I'd end up in the same nightmare. I looked over at the clock and saw it was 3am. I tossed and turned under my blankets feeling hot and sweaty.

Finally I ripped the covered back and jumped out of bed. I ran to my window in breathing heavily and opened the latch, letting in fresh air.

'Security alert: please authorise window 33 opening. Voice activation required.' Friday's voice come through just my speaker and I'm as i tried to calm down.

'Katerina Maximoff.'
'Voice verification is successful.'

If I wasn't mid panic attack I would've rolled my eyes at Stark's heightened security.

My hand rested on top of my pounding chest, trying to feel and slow down my heart rate but nothing was happening.

I ran out of my room and down the corridor, down three flights of steps, passed night security and out into the field surrounding the compound.

I practically threw myself down onto the ground and let out deep breaths.

////////

Natasha Romanoff sat opposite Clint Barton at the common room table. They were playing a round of cards when they heard Friday's alert.

'Alert: I detect signs of struggle coming from Miss Katerina's room.'

Natasha's jumped to her feet and ran to Kat's room, Clint following close behind her. She swung open the door only to be meet with an empty room and the curtains lightly swaying in the breeze coming from the window.

'Friday where is Kat?' Natasha asked after she had cleared the room of possible threats.

'She is now outside on the field with the boss.'

'With Tony?' Clint asked confused.

'Yes. The boss receives all of the security alerts first. He had me access her and I found signs of a panic attack. He knew what to do.'

Natasha thanked the AI before dragging Clint back to the table. Once they had resumed their game of cards, the archer asked 'Do you think she'll be okay?'

Natasha didn't look up she just uttered a few words. 'She's with Tony.' Clint got his answer.

///////

As I breathed in the night air, tears streamed down my face. My chest felt heavy as my heart thumped against my ribs.

'Just breathe...breathe Kat.' Tony said softly as he rubbed circles on my back with the palm of his hand. He kept his distance to let me breathe but was close enough for me to feel comforted.

Tony's presence seemed to calm me as I began to breathe normally again. 'Good...that's good. Keep that your breathing steady.' Tony comforted me until the tears stopped. 'You good?'

'Y-yeah.' I let out a shaky breath. 'It's cold, you should go back inside.'

Tony shook his head. 'And leave you out here alone? No way.'

'I'm okay, really. Im just being silly-'

Tony cut me off. 'Listen kid a panic attack isn't silly. It may feel like it to you because you don't like to put people out, which you're not, but you gotta let people in otherwise you'll burn out. Start talking to us about stuff that's bothering you. I know...we don't talk much..and that's okay. But I want you to know I'm always here for you. Wherever, whenever.'

'Thank you Tony. I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me that you took the time to come down here and comfort me.'

He nodded and shrugged. 'It's what I do now apparently.' He pauses for a moment before asking 'So do you wanna talk about causes this or?'

'Just a nightmare.' I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it.

Tony could see right through me and understood that it was a tough subject. 'Gotcha.' He nodded. 'So....I'm trying to get my boss to sleep with me.'

I let out a strained laugh and shook my head. 'Did you just miss quote Friends?'

'Yeah, I know you like that show.'

'I do.' I nodded.

'I'm trying to tell you your tv is too loud at 2am but whatever.' Tony shrugged, a slight smile tugging at the engineers lips. 'You know, there's this kid from Queens that I know. He's a special one. I want him to join the team but I'm worried it'll go to his head so I'm trying to figure out how to teach him a lesson before making him an official avenger.'

'Really? What's his deal?'

'He was bitten by a radioactive spider-' Tony began to tell me about this special kid when one of the receptionists began running towards us.

'Mr Stark you have an incoming call from Mr Hogun regarding a Mr Parker.'