Between Time- MCU

The city buzzed with that steady, chaotic hum unique to New York, car horns, someone shouting about bagels, music drifting from an open window five stories down.

Alex stood on the edge of a rooftop, arms crossed over the Stark suit Tony had upgraded for her. She wasn't trying to be dramatic, the height helped her think. Her hood was up, gold-trimmed and tugged forward just enough to shield her eyes from the wind.

A voice behind her said, "You always do the rooftop loner thing, or is this just special for today?"

She turned slightly as Kate Bishop walked up beside her, tossing a protein bar toward her.

Alex caught it out of reflex. "You following me?"

"Peter invited me. And also yes, I always follow rooftop drama."

Peter Parker landed a moment later with a soft thwip, mask rolled up to his nose. "Did I miss the rooftop staring contest?"

"Still happening," Kate said, smirking.

And then, with a golden blur and big energy, Kamala popped over the ledge, grinning wide. "Did someone say team-up?"

Alex blinked as they all gathered around her. It felt... almost like an intervention. But the kind where people cared.

Peter clapped his hands. "Alright, unofficial New York local hero squad — present and ready. Tonight's mission: warehouse sweep. Potential stolen Stark tech, cloaking equipment, and maybe a guy who tried to use a toaster as a gauntlet last week."

"Actual threat or just dumb?" Kate asked.

"Bit of both."

Kamala nudged Alex. "You ready?"

Alex hesitated. "Are you sure I should even be here?"

Kate tossed an arm over her shoulder. "Alex, I once fought a guy with a sword while wearing a sequin dress and heels. You belong here more than I do."

Alex couldn't help the small smile tugging at her mouth. "Okay. Let's go."

Things went sideways the second they entered.

The gang had repulsor grenades rigged to blast points, and a few civilians were trapped inside.

Kamala went big, literally, blocking the first shockwave with her giant embiggened arms. Kate darted between crates, firing off flash-arrows that knocked out vision scopes. Peter zipped overhead, slinging webs and cracking jokes to distract.

And Alex, she felt it before it happened. The second time slowed down, her instincts screamed.

A thief fired a high-energy pulse meant for Kamala's back.

Time fractured.

Alex sprinted through the stillness, eyes glowing gold, breath tight in her chest as she threw herself between the blast and her teammate.

The world snapped back.

She deflected it just in time, golden streaks fading from her hands as the energy dispersed into a nearby wall.

Kamala looked at her, stunned. "You just— Did you just time-shift?"

Peter swung down. "That was insane! You're like a time wizard ninja."

Kate whistled from across the warehouse. "Okay, I've fought with Clint, Nat, and even Yelena — and I think that was the coolest save I've ever seen."

Alex was breathless but grinning. "I didn't even think. I just—did it."

Peter clapped her on the shoulder. "That's what being a hero feels like."

A few hours later, the four of them sat on a rooftop eating greasy takeout and passing around a bottle of orange soda like it was champagne.

Kamala was recounting her awkward conversation with the hostage who asked for a selfie mid-rescue.

Peter was doodling on a napkin, trying to sketch Kate's "dramatic arrow pose."

Kate, meanwhile, was editing a selfie of the four of them, her caption was probably something like "Chaos Crew Assemble 🏹🕷️🕰️✨".

Alex sat back, still in her suit, still glowing faintly from the last time-surge. She was tired, bone-deep tired, but smiling.

"You're not bad at this whole 'team' thing," Kate said.

"I'm still learning."

Peter grinned. "That's the fun part. You learn, you mess up, you fix it — and somewhere in there, you save lives."

Kamala leaned her head on Alex's shoulder. "You're one of us now. Full chaos membership."

Alex let herself relax into it, into the comfort of shared energy, banter, stories. She wasn't a side character tonight. She was the center of her own life. With people who saw her.

"I think I needed this," she admitted quietly.

Peter nodded. "So did we."