Between Time- MCU

Alex stands alone on the rooftop, the city sprawled beneath her like a maze of lights and noise. The rain has slowed to a drizzle, but the cold still cuts through her, seeping into her bones. She stares down at the small device Natasha left behind about a week ago now. A simple black square, no larger than the palm of her hand. It hums with life in her fingers, almost like a heartbeat. A lifeline.

It shouldn't matter. It shouldn't. She's spent years avoiding these kinds of traps, running from people who wanted to control her. People who wanted to see what made her different, what made her dangerous.

But Natasha's words, "You're not the only one who's lost everything", echo in her mind, refusing to let go. Alex clenches her jaw, her throat tight with something she refuses to name. Hope.

It's the same thing that got her father killed. The same thing that made her believe she could stop time and somehow, by some miracle, undo it all.

She looks around once more, her eyes scanning the alleyways and rooftops, but there's nothing but rain and darkness. No one is watching her. Not yet.

With a sharp breath, she presses the button on the device.

The world around her shifts. She feels the gentle hum of energy as the signal activates. It's not magic. It's something cold and scientific, just like her father's research. For a moment, Alex wonders if she's made a mistake, but then the soft blue glow of the tracker appears, marking the beginning of something new.

The device vibrates once in her palm, and the tiny screen flickers to life, displaying an address. It's not far. Not far at all.

She stares at it. The words sit heavy on her chest, but there's no turning back now. Safe house.

Alex takes the train to the other end of the city, a shadow among shadows. The city feels both familiar and foreign to her now. Her steps are deliberate, and every click of her boots echoes in the quiet night. She's been here before, walking through dark streets, trusting no one, but something about this feels different. Like she's not running for the first time in years.

When she finally reaches the address on the device, the door is already open, just a crack. No locks, no guards, just a sign of quiet trust she's not sure she's ready for.

She steps inside, the door clicking shut behind her.

The safe house is sparse, clean. It looks... normal. Too normal. A stark contrast to the mess of tech and stolen documents she's used to. No one is here, except for the low hum of the fridge and the soft glow of a desk lamp in the corner.

Then a voice breaks the silence.

"I wasn't sure you'd come."

Alex spins, her hand automatically reaching for her knife, but Natasha's calm expression freezes her. She lowers her hand slowly, but the suspicion doesn't leave her eyes.

"You've been waiting for me," Alex says, her voice flat.

Natasha shrugs, moving to the small kitchen counter. "I didn't think you'd show up so soon. But I knew you would eventually. That's how it works. When you've spent so long running, you start looking for a way to stop."

Alex stays by the door, her posture guarded. She doesn't trust this, doesn't trust Natasha. But she also doesn't trust being alone anymore either. The silence presses in on her, heavy and thick.

"I'm not asking you to stay," Natasha says, setting down a cup of tea on the counter. "But you'll be safe here. As long as you need."

Alex's eyes flicker to the window, to the city outside. "I don't need safety."

"Then what do you need?" Natasha asks, leaning against the counter, watching her carefully.

Alex doesn't answer right away. She's never been good with that question. What does she need? She doesn't even know who she is anymore, let alone what she wants.

She stares at the tea, the warmth radiating from it. A small, comforting gesture. A choice.

Finally, Alex sighs and takes a step forward, not fully committing but not retreating either. "I don't trust you," she admits, the words slipping out before she can stop them.

Natasha doesn't seem offended. She just nods, taking a slow, deliberate step closer.

"That's fair," Natasha replies softly. "But trust isn't something that happens overnight. Not even for me."

For the first time since their encounter, Alex lets her guard down, just a fraction. She doesn't smile, doesn't soften, but she doesn't run either.

"Maybe I'll stay a little while," Alex says, her voice low. "But don't expect me to get comfortable."

Natasha smiles, not unkindly. "No one's asking you to."

And in that moment, Alex realizes something she hadn't let herself feel in a long time.

Maybe, just maybe, she could find a place here.