Between Time- MCU

The next day feels different.

The tower is still overwhelming, still a place of constant motion, but Alex is starting to feel... almost normal. Almost.

She spent the night alone in one of the guest rooms, tucked away in a quiet corner of the tower. It's far from her usual habits, she's used to finding a random corner in some dark alley, making do with what she's got, not lounging in a warm bed with freshly cleaned sheets. But it wasn't a dream, and it wasn't a trap. She's still here.

She stands in front of a large mirror in one of the training rooms, her reflection unfamiliar. She doesn't look like a scared girl anymore, but she doesn't look like someone who belongs in the Avengers, either. She wonders if she'll ever feel like she belongs here.

"Trying to figure out what the hell you're doing?"

The voice startles her, and Alex jumps, quickly spinning around to find Clint leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.

"Damn it, Barton," she mutters, pressing a hand to her chest. "You're like a ghost."

Clint smirks, pushing off the frame and stepping into the room. "You're jumpy for someone who just made the Avengers Tower their new home."

She narrows her eyes. "I'm not exactly home yet, Barton."

Clint nods, acknowledging the truth of her words. "Yeah, I get that. But it's a process, you know? It doesn't happen overnight."

Alex crosses her arms over her chest, staring at the ground. She doesn't want to admit it, but the idea of staying still, of letting someone care about her, it's terrifying. Her whole life, she's been running. From people, from emotions, from the past. Staying put feels like a risk. She's still unsure whether she can handle it.

Clint breaks the silence, his voice gentle. "I know it's hard. I've been there."

She looks up at him, skeptical. "You've been there? What, just because you were a circus freak?"

Clint doesn't flinch at the comment. Instead, he gives a wry smile. "Yeah, I was. But more than that, I was alone. No one to talk to, no one who really got me. I wasn't a hero back then. Hell, I'm still not a hero." He shrugs. "I've just had some experiences, made some mistakes, learned the hard way."

Alex stares at him, unsure of what to say. He's nothing like the people she's used to, the ones who were always trying to get something from her. Clint's not looking for answers or for her to be someone else. He's just... there.

"I don't need anything from you, Alex. Just... don't shut everyone out. You might be surprised by who you find here."

Alex doesn't respond at first. But his words hang in the air like a promise. Slowly, she exhales, the tightness in her chest easing just a little. She doesn't know if she's ready, but maybe, just maybe, it's a start.

Later, Alex's routine is interrupted when Steve Rogers walks into the common area with a stack of files in his hands, looking as steady and disciplined as ever. He's the one first ones to approach her since Natasha brought her back to the tower, and she feels a knot form in her stomach.

He stops in front of her, giving a polite smile. "Hey, Alexandra. How are you feeling?"

She looks up at him, unsure of how to respond. Part of her wants to make a sarcastic remark, but something in Steve's eyes makes her pause. He's not here to judge her or to lecture her. He's just asking.

"Better," she says finally. "A little."

"That's good." Steve sets the files on the table and takes a seat across from her. "Listen, we don't expect you to dive into everything right away. You don't have to jump into team missions or start saving the world tomorrow." He chuckles lightly, but it's genuine. "I think the most important thing right now is getting comfortable, finding your place. And if you need anything, you've got a whole team to help."

Alex looks at him skeptically. "A whole team? I don't even know how to be around one person, let alone a team."

Steve's smile softens. "I get that. But we're not all here to push you. Just to be here when you need us." He stands, his voice low. "And no one's asking you to be someone you're not. If you just need to be quiet for a while, that's okay."

Alex is surprised. No one had ever said that to her before. No one had ever let her be quiet. Most people either wanted something from her or tried to fix her. Steve wasn't trying to fix anything. He was just... giving her space.

She nods slowly. "Thanks, Rogers."

Steve smiles. "No problem. Just remember, you're not on your own anymore."

Later that evening, Alex finds herself wandering the training room. She's not sure why she's there. Maybe she's just trying to occupy her mind, or maybe she wants to prove to herself that she's still capable of taking care of herself.

She picks up one of the training dummies, eyeing the heavy bag nearby. It's not the same as the streets, there's no danger here, no adrenaline. But she can't help herself. Her muscles ache with the need for release.

A voice breaks her concentration.

"You sure you want to do that alone?"

Alex turns to see Bucky Barnes standing in the doorway, arms crossed, his metal arm gleaming in the low light.

"Why? You want to join me?" Alex asks, a little defensively.

Bucky's lips curl into a small smile, but it's warm. "I'm not going to judge you. Just offering to help."

She eyes him for a long moment. He's a soldier. Like her, he's known what it feels like to be pushed to his limits. She doesn't know why she's so hesitant to trust him, but something about him feels less intimidating than the others.

After a long silence, Alex sets the training dummy back in place. "Fine. But don't go easy on me."

Bucky raises an eyebrow. "I never do."

And for the first time in a long while, Alex feels a small spark of hope. Maybe she isn't as alone as she thought. Maybe, just maybe, she could start learning how to be part of something bigger than herself.