The Shadow and the Spider » Marvel |1| ✓

Chapter 11. The Avengers Aren't Actually Idiots

November 3, 2016. 5:00 PM.

"Knock knock." Bruce walks into my room.

"Hi." I say looking at the floor.

"What's going on? You can tell me."

"Just had a bad day. Didn't get a lot of sleep."

"Well, I know it's not that. Friday said that you've gotten a reasonable amount of sleep in the time you've been here. And I'm good at figuring out if someone's sleep deprived. Tony sometimes 'forgets' to sleep for days on end. Did you get hurt on patrol with Peter?"

"No." Not physically at least.

"Then what's going on? I know that Wanda was talking with you and when you wouldn't tell her what was wrong, she read your mind and walked out crying. It wasn't your fault though. And Steve said that he talked with you before and after patrol and he noticed a change in your behavior. You can tell us things, you know that right?"

"I know." I also know that if I talk about it, I'll end up crying. If I cry in front of the Avengers they'll think that I'm just a kid. A kid that can't be here at the compound.

"Alina, Peter told me to ask you 'what time is it?'" Friday says.

I chuckle.

"Why 'what time is it'? Is it some kind of inside joke?" Bruce asks.

"I guess you could call it an inside joke. One that we share with the entire Hamilton fandom."

"Well, it seems to have cheered you up."

"Good memories have that power."

"Does that tie into your bursting into song this afternoon?"

"Yeah. That was so funny." I smile.

"Hey! We have a smile!" Bruce says to Friday.

"You'll jinx it." I say looking up from the floor.

"Maybe. Doesn't look like it though." He says and I realize that I'm still smiling. Maybe talking about it will help.

"Are you ready to talk about what happened?"

"I think so."

"So, could you explain why you were staring off into space on the way back here?"

"I had a flashback. From where I was trained."

"Where were you trained?"

"I'd rather not answer that."

"Ok, what was the flashback about?"

"I had punched a girl after she stabbed me in the shoulder with a dagger. My teacher decided that my punishment was extra homework, even on weekends, and to be a human punching bag." I shudder at the thought.

"A human punching bag?"

"Yeah. I had to go to the gym and stand there while other kids beat me up. And coincidentally, the girl who stabbed me walked up to me and started punching and kicking me."

"And the teachers were ok with this?"

"Yeah. It was their way of discipline."

"Wow. So why did you seem off when you ran into me and Steve?"

"Well, I ran into you after Wanda looked through my head. I had to endure some... painful memories. And after I was done talking with you I had another flashback. That's why I snapped at you and Steve. Enduring these things once was bad enough. But having to endure them twice is killing me."