LaeLei: This should be fun. -_-'

Stark: Well, I'm not mentioned at all.

LaeLei: Why do you think it's only 470 words?

Stark: Exactly.

Barton: Moving on. Unfortunately, she doesn't own me, Bruce, or Tony, or really anything in the Avengers.

LaeLei: Yeah, unfortunately, they've all been claimed. Damn fangirls.

Banner: She does, however, own Alexandra, and her writing, of course.

LaeLei: Thanks, guys. Enjoy!

Alexandra shivered in the cold of late December. It brought back horrible memories. Shivering again, she turned away from the light of the shop windows, walking down one of the many alleys. Curling around herself, she sighed as she heard footsteps behind her.

"Heyyy, girlie!", a man shouted, his words slurring together. "Watchu doin' here?"

The man's stumbling grew closer. She began walking more quickly.

"HEY YOU!", he shouted, louder this time. Alexandra felt a hand grab her arm. "See, baby? I's all good.", his words melded together in a drunken collage. She stopped dead. In one swift movement, she turned and grabbed his arm. He gave her a grin, his breath stinking of alcohol.

She broke his arm. Turning and running, she wiped a tear from her eyes. She made it three blocks before it hit her. When it did, she collapsed in the snow. Hyperventilating, she closed her eyes and let the memories wash over her.

She had stopped breathing. Her father's footsteps crashed into their small living room. Alexandra whimpered and moved further back in her hiding place.

"Ally... ALLY, where are you?", he barked. His feet passed by the table where she hid. She let out a squeak. He stopped and reached down, awkwardly moving the tablecloth aside. As she was screaming, he dragged her out. He let go of her ankle and she scuttled away from him, tears pouring down her face.

He stumbled towards her, a wicked grin on his face.

"Please, Daddy.", she begged, knowing it wouldn't help. He grabbed at her, and she let it happen. Tonight was different, though.

He went for her throat. He held her up, his hands tightening around her neck. She coughed, gasping for breath. She had stopped crying, but now they threatened to overflow once more. In the same moment, they both began crying. Quiet tears making tracks down each face.

She felt herself fading. From what, she didn't know. Eyes closing, her tears stopped. Letting herself go, she slipped out of consciousness.

Alexandra awoke in a large, white room. There were bandages wrapped around her arms and hands. Reaching up, she felt them on her face as well. Suddenly, it all came flooding back. She cowered into the white blanket wrapped around her. A door opened. A woman walked in, holding a clipboard.

"Alexandra Lewis, correct?"

She nodded wearily.

Opening her eyes, she was back in reality. She wasn't seven anymore. She didn't live with her father. She was 23. She was a S.H.I.E.L.D. field agent. She could protect herself. She didn't need to be like this. She took a deep breath, and stood up. Wiping the snow from her jeans, Alexandra continued on her way, letting the tears work their way down her cheeks.

LaeLei: Well, that was somewhat terrifying.

Banner: I hadn't known that about her.

Stark: I did.

Barton: *sighs*

Banner: Well, I, for one, thought your writing was fantastic.

LaeLei: You may be the only one then. Thank you, Bruce, and thank you to anyone else who bothered reading this.

Stark: I need a drink.