Zoom, Academy for Superheroes: Part 3

I Would

"Anytime you ask me why I'm smiling, say that I'm satisfied. You got your flaws and so do I, past lovers that made you cry. It's never going to be that easy, but I know that it won't hurt us to try. If I could take away the pain, and put a smile on your face, baby I would. If I could make a better way, so you could see a better day, baby I would."
-Justin Bieber

*****

Before she began to notice it, it wouldn't even phase her. But when she did start to notice it, she realized just how often it happened.
"Are you going to need someone to help you move the boxes for Laraby? They're pretty heavy I'm not sure you'd be up to it, I'm sure I could find some men to do it instead or at least help you."
To anyone else, this suggestion by Dr. Grant on a usual Monday morning may seem like just that; a suggestion. But to Marsha, it was a degradation. Why would Grant just assume she couldn't follow through with the task she'd been assigned without the help of a man?

"Miss Holloway, Laraby sent me to ask you if you would take a trip down to the basement and locate the files we saved from last years weapon testing? You might want someone to help you, I'm sure I could find someone like Dr. Grant or Mr. Shepherd?"
This simple question asked by one of Laraby's minions resulted in the same feeling as though she was being pitied or judged based on the fact that she was a woman and of course required help from a man.
And since then, Marsha began to notice little things like this, people passively suggesting she may need the help of a man to do things, and it bothered her. So, because she's Marsha, she decided to turn over a new leaf. That afternoon, when Jack ran into her in the hallway, she brought her new outlook to his attention.
"Oh hey, Grant said you needed some help? Something about boxes or..." He asked casually, but Marsha's icy stare prevented him from finishing his sentence. "... what are you looking at me like that for?"
Marsha inhaled sharply and broke her stare. "Well, Dr. Grant was mistaken, I can do it myself just fine, I told him that I wouldn't need help, much less from a man."
Jack lowered his eyebrows in confusion but somehow knew that Marsha was probably being stubborn about something or other. Marsha saw that he was waiting for an explanation and she crossed her arms before giving him one.
"Everywhere I go, people are suggesting that I need help doing things, they think I can't move boxes or take a trip to the basement without help from a man. And I think that's just ridiculous, because I am strong and independent and from this point on I refuse to ask for or accept help from any man."
Jack looked at her, trying to hide his disbelief, but she could read him better than that.
"What? You don't think I can do it?" She asked in the tone that she used that could make Jack wish he'd never began a conversation.
"Of course I think you can do it, I just don't think that it's necessary. No one thinks any less of you just because you're a woman, who cares if you need help with some things."
"That's not the point, people just assume I need help, they shouldn't offer help unless I ask for it."
"You don't think some people are just trying to be nice and chivalrous sometimes?"
Marsha raised an eyebrow mockingly. "And since when do you believe in chivalry?"
The pair argued back and forth, as usual, but Marsha's point was made clear; she wouldn't be asking for his help any time soon.

*****

The next morning, Marsha's day began as per usual. She's visited Dr. Grant's office, where a mountain of paperwork was waiting for her. Also as usual, she'd decided that the extra trip wasn't worth it, so she'd managed to balance the tower of papers in her arms and headed in the direction of her own office. Or what she believed to be her office, she couldn't exactly see over the papers.
She wasn't even halfway there yet, and she was already struggling. She couldn't see anything but paper, and trying to maintain balance was difficult in itself. She tried to peer slightly to the side of the mountain, but stopped herself before she the papers went everywhere. That would not have made for a very good morning. She heard footsteps from in front of her, but couldn't see past the paper enough to catch a glimpse of who it was.
Jack watched Marsha carrying her papers in amusement, clearing his throat to make her aware of his presence. When she realized who it was, Marsha tilted her chin slightly, recalling their conversation from the night before and attempting to salvage her pride while she was struggling.
Jack, on the other hand, was hoping she could just forget about their silly argument and let him help her. "Want me to take a few of those for you, Sweetheart?" He already knew her answer, but when she sped up slightly and responded with a sharp "No, thank you." he knew that his amusement would only grow. He smiled to himself and followed behind her with a roll of his eyes.
"Okay well, I'll be here, you know, if you need me." He said with a taunting smile that she couldn't see behind her papers. He was testing her, willing her to admit defeat. But at times like this, he'd realized that Marsha could be even more stubborn and prideful than himself.
"I'll be fine, Jack." She said with a determination that he had to admire.
"Right, because you're an independent woman who doesn't need help from any man, I almost forgot."
"And strong, don't forget strong."
"My bad, and strong."
Marsha stopped abruptly when she reached the glass door of her office. Jack almost instinctively reached around her and opened the door for her, but instead he crossed his arms and waited with a teasing smile on his face.
Even though she wasn't facing him, Jack could imagine the troubled look on her face. Her mouth twisted in confusing, her eyes narrowed in though. He held back the urge to laugh out loud, as he wondered how on earth the thought she was going to get past this obstacle on her own.
After pondering for a while, Marsha successfully attempted to shift the tower of paperwork onto one sole arm, and with her newly free hand she swiftly opened the door to her office. Jack lowered his eyebrows in amazement and caught the door before it closed behind her, so that he could let himself into her office as well.
As she shifted the papers back safely onto both arms, two pieces flew off from the top of the stack and floated to the floor. Jack bent down to pick them up without even thinking and was about to place them back on top when Marsha gasped and quickly moved away from him. Jack was confused for a split second, before that same teasing smile took over his face.
"Oh, sorry." He said smugly and slowly placed the two pieces of paper back on the floor. Marsha peered at him critically from around the tower of papers before she silently set it down on her desk and picked the paper up from the ground. Jack leaned against the wall, arms crossed, wondering how long this was going to go on for.
"Is there something I can help you with?" She said with a teasing tone to her voice before sitting down at her desk. Jack chucked and turned to leave,
"I don't think so, because I am a strong, independent man who doesn't need help from any woman."
Marsha rolled her eyes with a smile as he gave her a wink and left the room.