HI GUYS! Soooooooo sorry for the wait, I had a spot of writers block, after my first version of this chapter was quite OOC. I still have it saved, so if any of you are curious, I can post it as a 'bonus chapter'. I haven't forgotten about this story, and I do know where the plot is going, I just have problems with a busy life and filler chapters.

No one wanted to tell me what they thought of the last chapter? Ok then. I'll just have to do better with this one. Also, feel free to ask questions, come with suggestions or give me prompts (related to this fic, like situations or alternate endings or missing scenes or stuff) in the comments, I will try to answer anything I can Also I've had the song L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N by Noah and the whale stuck in my head for days now, and I think you should check it out

Disclaimer: Really? Do we really still have to do this? *sigh* I don't own the ave- you know what? Stuff it. Not doing that. You should know by now.

oOoOo

She was up on the roof of the tower. She couldn't sleep. It'd been almost a week since she woke up, and she wasn't allowed to fly yet, as she was still healing, which left her unable to feel the rush of speed and the wind, clearing her thoughts. Dark circles had started forming under her eyes, and though she was trying to hide it from the others, she knew they were beginning to notice.

Ever since her almost-death the memories she'd tried so hard to repress were pushing themselves into her mind, wreaking havoc. She'd built up a wall between them and her, but had destroyed it in her 'last moments', now they were back, constantly torturing her, and she couldn't put the wall up again. She was putting on a strong front for the team, but it was just a mask.

She was lucky the flashbacks mostly happened at night, though she had had a panic attack once, while in her room. Luckily no one had been there to see it.

So there she was. On the roof of the tower, standing by the railing, looking out, eyes focusing on nothing in particular, letting the wind blow her hair and her mind take her far away. So far away that she didn't notice when he came up at first, but only noticed when he was standing next to her, leaning on the railing.

He wasn't in his suit, but instead in a pair of oil-stained jeans and an ACDC shirt. He took up the same position as her, his own eyes staring out at the city. "You know-" He started. "The whole point of living with a genius billionaire in one of the most modern, High-Tec buildings in the country is that you live in luxury. We –for example- have some of the best luxury beds you can get. So what I can't figure out is why you aren't taking advantage of the opportunity?"

"I'm fine Stark; go back to whatever you were doing.."

"Don't even think about it little miss one-letter name; you're not fine, and you're not fooling anybody so stop pretending."

She sighed and glanced up at him. He was staring critically at her, one eyebrow raised. He seemed slightly annoyed in a way he only was when he'd been arguing with Steve – which happened a lot. "Did the others put you up to this?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"….maybe. Yes. They've been discussing it and apparently I drew the short straw. Funny thing- I thought you'd have to actively participate in the planning to be the one to carry it out, but apparently that's not how it works. So now I'm up here with you. And I've got nothing else to do, but hear you talk. So talk."

Normally she'd ignore him, or come with some biting, sarcastic comment, but she didn't have the energy. And somehow, without her accord, she started talking. "You know, if you think about it, identity is a funny thing. You spend so much time wondering who you are, that questioning your identity becomes a part of your identity. And sometimes something happens that forces you to change who you are. But when that happens, are you still the same person? Or do you truly become someone else?"

She didn't look at him, looking out at the city's skyline. Her eyes were far away, and from the look on her face probably repeating past horrors.

"What if the person you became was the opposite of who you were? Would it still be you, or just another mask to avoid facing the hard truths? That mask is going to be destroyed at one point, and who are you then? You've changed too much to be the old you, you've grown up and are no longer as naïve, kind or trusting as you used to be. But neither are you the mask; the cold façade doesn't work anymore, and people are getting too close for you to pretend. Who are you then? Are you some sort of middle-ground? Or yet another person? Or are you just broken?"

She looked at him with grey eyes that were housing an internal battle, and he didn't know how to answer.

"Well.." he tried. "I believe that not long ago someone threatened to kill me. She even put a very specific date to it. And yet here I am. Still alive, even though she has had every chance to kill me. She even had a semi-reasonable reason to want to do it. But here I am. Is that because she didn't mean it? I don't think so, she seemed pretty honest. Is it because she's not the same person? I wouldn't say so; I mean she seems a bit different in some ways, but exactly the same in others. So maybe she didn't change. Maybe she.. evolved? I can't think of a better word for it. Maybe she's just an improved version of the same person."

And then, just to not get too sappy, he added: "anyway I'm not about to complain; I'm alive, and that's all that matters. What would the world even do without my genius?"

She seemed to be considering what he'd said. He figured his job was done so he turned to walk away. He was halfway to the elevator when she called out, in a calmer voice than before.

"I'm not gonna kill you. But if you ever do anything like that again there will be consequences. But for now, I could use a friend more than an enemy."

He nodded – still with his back to her – and walked to the elevator, leaving Alice with a lot to think over, and the start of a new reluctant friendship.

oOoOo

That's it for this time. Either next chapter or the one after the plot will pick up again. For now I hope you liked it and please review :)