Just a Girl

Chapter 5- Looking For Help

Alex's Pov

"The greatest strength one can have is knowing when to ask for help."

Alex kept replaying Loki's words in her head. He wanted her to ask for help, but could she? Natasha and Wanda had hugged so tight she might have burst when they found her, Peter just awkwardly high fived her. Clearly they were worried out of their minds for her, she couldn't add to that worry. On the way back home she was quiet, pondering Loki's words. She would occasionally glance at the God, who was looking out the window. She wasn't so sure about Loki now. He had helped her. He had talked to her through her panic attack. He had listened to her. He had given her advice. That's not something a villain would do right? Alex's unusual silence had gone unnoticed by everyone, but Peter. Peter looked at Alex caringly. He had liked her for a while now. She was always happy and she cared about everyone she met, and she was a teenage superhero, not everyday you find someone with all those traits, but he could tell that something wasn't right. Sometimes she would lock herself in her room and wouldn't come out for hours, the other day when Clint had ruined her favourite shirt she had just let it blow over, though Peter could see tears in her eyes. When she had lost a sparring match to Thor she had once again locked herself in her room and Peter could hear sobs; she was always so hard on herself. Yesterday when she opened the door her face was sweaty and tear-stained, Peter had heard her cry herself to sleep more times then he could remember. It was like Alex put an act up for everyone. Something was not right with her and Peter intended to find out.

"Alex, you good?" Peter asked casually. Hesitantly Alex nodded; She was still on the fence about telling people about her 'problems'.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little bit shocked, I mean I did just defuse a bomb," she said with a laugh.

After landing Alex decided to go for a walk to ease her mind, much to a very suspicious Peters dismay. It was colder than what she had expected and considering she wasn't wearing a jumper she hugged her arms in an attempt to keep herself warm. Alex wasn't sure where she was heading, she was too busy thinking; about everything. She didn't even notice as the sky rumbled and the sun disappeared, she only realised how far she was away from the tower when it started to rain hard. She was at least a half an hour walk away from the tower and she was already soaking wet. Great, she thought to herself and began walking towards the tower. As she was in public she couldn't use her powers to deflect the water, and she had forgotten her phone, which left her cold and wet. Though Alex thought the weather kind of resembled her mood; cold and depressing. By the time she reached the tower she was even colder and even wetter.

As she stepped from the elevator into the living room, everyone's jaw dropped seeing her cold and wet state. Alex, not even noticing their faces, went straight to her room and locked the door. Alex then had a shower, washing the cold away. After getting out she felt better but not 100%. She changed into a baggy hoodie and some black leggings. Flopping down on her bed and staring at the roof she knew Loki did have a point, she did start to get better when she told people about her problems. Maybe she could just tell someone she trusts and make them promise not to tell anyone and she could just talk to them whenever she needed? No, she couldn't make people worry about her more. Maybe she could just talk to Loki about her problems, he had helped her before so why not now?

Peter's Pov

Meanwhile, the Avengers were still staring at the puddle where Alex had once stood, with their jaws still on the floor.

"I told you guys that she was walking in the rain," Peter said smugly. "FRIDAY save that footage to Peter's blackmail," he said glaring at the team. The team shook themselves from their daze and turned to Peter.

"Why was she walking in the rain, alone and why wouldn't she have called us?" Natasha asked.

"Because she didn't take her phone, she obviously wanted to be alone," Loki said, holding up Alex's phone, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The eyes of the Avengers then turned Loki.