Tell Me The Truth, I Tell You No Lies

Chapter 5

Alex tucked the old bullet into her pocket before grabbing some workout clothes from her closet and going back to the tower. When she pulled up to the garage, the door opened and she pulled inside.

She was quick to get out of the car and head inside. Keeping the clothes tucked under her arm, she walked through the first floor of the tower but hesitated at the elevator. She knew where she wanted to go and it wasn't necessarily to the gym right away. Pushing the down button on the elevator she watched the doors open and stepped inside.

Going to the basement floor she walked up to security, "I've got permission from Stark to enter."

The guards looked at each other but didn't protest, knowing her relation to him. They bypassed a hand scan security measure for her and she walked into the room that she had, so far, spent the majority of her time in.

Approaching the glass, she saw Loki turned on his side, fast asleep. She didn't know why she expected him to be awake, he didn't seem to her to be the type to get a solid eight hours of sleep every night.

Should she wake him up? Alex wanted someone to talk to who understood the way she felt but decided to just let him get sleep instead, he probably needed it.

Back at the elevator she got inside and spoke, "FRIDAY, can you take me to the floor with a gym on it, if there is one."

"Alright, Alex." the doors closed and the machine began to move. After around 5 or so floors, it stopped and the doors opened.

She got out and followed the signs like she had to get to the garage. In the gym, there was quite a few things actually. A boxing ring, tons and tons of workout equipment and machines, and a large area where there was a punching bag set up. The area could probably be used for a lot of general combat training but she didn't have the company to practice that right now.

"FRIDAY, lights please?" with the command the lights all flashed on and Alex could see the room in full light. On the far side of the gym she saw and entrance to what she assumed was a locker room, walking over to it she found she was right and went inside to change. She pulled off her jeans and put on her black camouflage leggings instead, and traded her crop top for a high impact sports bra. Alex pulled her hair into two french braids and leaned her hands on the counter, staring at her reflection in the mirror. There were moments where she didn't fully recognize all the parts of herself, this being one of them. But she knew just exerting some of her energy would make he feel better.

She wrapped her hands and wrists with a sports wrap that she had brought from home. Going through the motions almost aggressively, she punched her hands once the wrap was done, almost as a way to check the quality. Once she felt good with the structure, she went back into the main gym.

Walking over to the punching bag, she circled it for a minute, more just to look it over for no reason. "Can you play some music?"

"What kind, Alex?" FRIDAY asked.

"DMX radio, please."

After a second, the sounds of 'X Gon' Give It To Ya' filled the gym and Alex got into her stance before starting her workout. She started slow to try and keep a steady pace, but before she knew it she was giving it close to all her energy, getting angry at everything going through her mind.

She thought about the hours on end of torture for 10 years, what she would do if she knew who those people were, how she wished she could hurt them back. Take from them what they took from her, any chance to feel like a human again, to be the one who hurt them for a change.

She steadied the bag, taking a minute to catch her breath and settle her mind. Deciding she needed a break, she moved over to the weight sets and racked up 170 pound on the bar, knowing her goal was as many reps of a fairly high weight as she could manage. Taking a seat on the bench she took the wrap off of her hands and cracked her knuckles. As she lied back, she adjusted her grip on the bar, shoulder width apart. Making sure her feet were flat on the floor she pushed up on the weight, and wasn't shy to grunt as she made her reps. Closing her eye's, Alex just tried to focus on the music as she pushed her body to as far as it could handle tonight. After three sets of about 5 reps, she racked the weight on the bench and let her arms fall to her side, stretching out her shoulders.

Alex ducked out from under the bar and pulled all the weight off of it and put it away. She finished up her workout by doing some tricep curls and some deadlifts on a bar that someone had left set on the floor. Dropping the bar after her final rep she moved over to a wall that was just a huge mirror, she flexed at herself in it, admiring the pump she had given herself.

She grabbed her stuff from the locker room and decided she would just shower back in her actual room. "FRIDAY, lights please." Alex asked as she had when she had first come in.

"Would you like me to turn off the music as well, Alex?"

"Yes please."

In the hall, she looked down at her phone as she walked, checking her text and email. She had finished her last day at work about a week ago and her old boss was still in her texts, arguing with her about her decision to leave the position.

Boss: You're never going to get anywhere in life if you just leave your jobs after a year.

Alex: I'm sorry you feel that way but I was in my position before your company for quite a few years. I've tried to explain to you that the reason I left the office wasn't against anyone it was for my own personal reasons and knowing my limits.

Boss: I'm going to miss seeing you around the office. You always were good on the eyes.

Alex: That's very inappropriate, Tim.

Boss: It's true, you added a little spice to the work place.

Alex: You're drunk. If you want to continue this conversation we can do so when you're sober.

After Alex sent her last message, she collided with someone in the hall. All of her stuff fell to the floor from the impact, she looked up to see a man with a face that had light stubble and light blue, almost grey, eyes. With hair was dark brown that looked like it had just recently been cut. He stood at about 6' 2" or 6' 3".

"I'm so sorry," he said, crouching down to help her pick up what she has dropped.

"No no, it's my fault I should have been looking where I was going." Alex tried to defend. She watched as he helped her get her things and it didn't take long for her to notice his cosmetic oddity.

"I'm James Barnes, but everyone calls me Bucky." He said, standing up and handing her possessions back.

"I'm Alex," She took her things and tucked them under her arm, "what are you doing walking around so late?" she questioned, not wanting to mention the, obviously, metal arm.

"I was having trouble sleeping so I thought I'd take a stroll around the tower, it usually helps me. What's your reason?"

"I'm just leaving the gym, I had a lot on my mind and working out helps to settle the brain."

"Nice, well hopefully I'll see you around Ms..."

"Stark," Alex finished, "But I usually go by Carbonell."

"Like... Tony Stark?"

"Yeah, and Carbonell is his mom's, my grandma's, maiden name. Not as many people know it so I use it most of the time."

"You're Tony's daughter?" Bucky cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, I've been missing for 19 years but... I'm back now."

"I can see why you might have a lot on your mind." He gave a slight chuckle and Alex couldn't help but smile, "If you ever need anything and I'm around don't be afraid to ask, I'd be more than happy to help."

"Thank you. Have fun on your walk."

"I'll try," he gave her a warm smile and carried on, placing his non-metal hand on her shoulder as he passed.

Holy hell, she thought trying to stop herself from blushing after the interaction.