The rise of the White Widow

Jacks definitely dead

About an hour later, the boys finally trudge through the elevator door, their faces visibly smug and satisfied.

"Well, that was quite an adventure," Bucky exclaims with a grin, trying to hold back his laughter.

"Hush!" I scold him quietly, glancing down at Peter who is still napping peacefully in my arms.

Bucky mouths an apologetic 'sorry' before sauntering over and taking a seat on the couch.

"You know that Jack guy? Well, we made sure he won't be bothering that girl any longer," Bucky announces, trying to sound casual but failing to hide his pride.

I nod in agreement, fully aware that Jack has likely met an unpleasant end.

Just then, I hear the faint sound of a camera shutter clicking. My gaze shoots up to see Tony standing nearby, snapping a candid photo of Peter snoozing against my chest. I can't help but roll my eyes and chuckle softly.

"You better delete that, Stark, or you'll find yourself in some serious trouble," I tease half-seriously.

We are suddenly interrupted by a timid voice saying, "I need my brother"

We all turn towards the doorway and find Alex standing there with a worried expression on her face. Her eyes pleading for help.

Understanding her urgency, I nod at Tony to take over care of Peter. He gingerly scoops up the sleeping boy and whisks him away to his bedroom.

I rise from the couch and approach Alex with a reassuring smile.

Handing her my phone, I say gently, "Here you go, call your brother"

As she dials the number and waits for him to pick up, her voice quivers with both relief and concern. The silence in the room is heavy as we all stand by her side with unwavering support.

Alex's pov

I impatiently tap my fingers on the table, listening to the phone ring. A few long seconds pass before my brother's groggy voice finally answers on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" he mumbles, clearly having been asleep just moments ago.

"Hayden?" I say hesitantly.

"Alex? What's wrong?" His concern is evident in his voice, even though he's still half-asleep.

"I need you," I whisper softly, unable to hold back the emotion in my voice.

Without hesitation or further questions, I hear him sit up, the sound of him grabbing his keys in the background, "Where are you?" he asks urgently.

I give him the address of Avengers Tower. He sounds confused, but he doesn't ask why I'm here, he just knows that if I'm calling for help, it must be important.

Fifteen agonizing minutes later, Hayden arrives at the tower. A kind woman named Pepper had shown him where to find me. As soon as he sees me, his face grows serious and his eyes fill with concern. He rushes over and pauses.

"Hug?" He starts to say but is cut short when I simply lean in and bury myself in his embrace.

The tears flow freely as he holds me tight, providing me with a small slice of comfort.

Haydens pov

Alex crumples to the ground, her body trembling as she collapses into my arms. My thoughts race, a hundred miles an hour, trying to grasp what could have happened to her. I feel her warm tears trickling down my arms as she sobs uncontrollably.

I look up at the red-headed woman standing nearby, her eyes welling with tears as well. She seems to know something I don't, and desperation is apparent in my voice.

"What happened?" I plead with her.

She hesitates, taking a deep breath before barely managing to get the word out: "Raped." The air feels heavy with the weight of that terrible word.

But it can't be that, could it? Alex has experienced sexual assault before, but she's never reacted like this. The vivid image of horror etched on her face suggests something different this time. Maybe she's reached her breaking point?

She has been through so much these past few weeks. Especially with the red room incident, a harrowing experience where she was subjected to unspeakable acts. It's a wonder how anyone could endure such torment and not be utterly crushed by it.

I tighten my embrace around Alex, vowing to protect her and help her through this dark time.

As I glance back at the red-headed woman, I see that she too is struggling with her emotions.

"You can stay here for the night, if you want," a guy I recognize as Tony Stark kindly offers.

I glance down at Alex, who has slowly drifted to sleep on my shoulder, her gentle snores mingling with the sounds of the night.

"That would be great, thank you," I reply gratefully, feeling the warmth of his hospitality.

I carefully rise to my feet, making sure not to disturb Alex as I scoop her up into my arms. Tony leads us through his spacious tower, dimly lit with soft ambient lighting, creating an inviting atmosphere. He guides us to a cozy spare room where he had already prepared a comfortable bed with fresh linens.

Gently laying Alex down on the plush mattress, I take a moment to study her peaceful face. I carefully brush back stray strands of her hair and let my fingers lightly dance along the soft curls.

With utmost tenderness, I press a gentle kiss on her forehead before whispering softly, "Goodnight, Dove"

I then settle in beside her and pull the blankets over us both before drifting off to join her in sweet dreams. The feeling of security and warmth envelops us as we slumber in each other's arms.