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THREE WEEKS LATER AND LAGOS WAS STILL THE TOPIC OF EVERY NEWS OUTLET. Alex was trying to get some reading done in the common room whilst everyone else was otherwise occupied. Tony was at M.I.T kickstarting a new grant for student projects, Nat, Wanda and Sam were training, Steve was out on a run and she lost track of where Rhodey and the Vision had gotten to.
"- You didn't go to M.I.T with Tony?" Sam questioned as they arrived from the training room and began helping themselves to food for breakfast. Wanda wasn't with them but Alex just assumed she'd gone to shower off instead.
"No way. I'm a CalTech girl. They'd eat me alive," Alex remarked with a smile as she continued to read her book.
"I see," he nodded along as he took a mouthful of orange juice from the glass he'd poured.
"And anyway, M.I.T's too stuck-up. They're really not my crowd." Alex laughed as she spoke and Sam appreciated the joke with a muffled laugh through his mouthful of juice. Alex dog-eared the page of her book and decided that she was in need of a shower. As she made her way through to her room, she passed an open door.
"- Eleven Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between The Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred -" Alex stopped to watch the newsreel as a clip of King T'Chaka played at a UN Conference.
"Our people's blood is spilt on foreign soil. Not only by the actions of criminals but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all." She noticed Steve was sitting in one of the swivel chairs, watching along. She couldn't see his face, but the tension in his shoulders was clue enough as to how he was feeling.
Steve turned the TV off and when he turned to leave, greeted Alex with a sombre nod. She made her way over to him and draped her arms over him from behind. Rested her chin on his shoulder.
"It's gonna be okay. We're gonna find a way to make it right," she assured him quietly and he turned to press a kiss to her cheek.
"I sure hope so..." They both seemed to notice the newsreel was still playing, but from a different room. With a shared look of concern, the two of them went in search of the person watching. Alex was hit with a wave of sympathy to find it was Wanda. She was sitting on her bed, a mournful expression on her face as she watched on. Steve reached for the remote and turned the TV off. Folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the doorframe. Alex stood just behind his shoulder.
"It's my fault," she stated quietly and both Steve and Alex shook their heads.
"That's not true."
"Turn the TV back on," she challenged, "They're being very specific."
"I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it," Steve countered and the two of them made their way into Wanda's room. Alex was impressed by how tidy and minimalist she'd kept it. A far cry from the condition of her own room.
