Hearts Collide

"So what's this about Coney Island?" Tony asked from outside Alex's room as she threw some spare clothes, a towel, and sun block into a tote bag and a dress over her bathing suit.

"You, me, and everyone else are going. Now get your stuff. We're leaving in five minutes," Alex said as she left her room and walked to the elevator. Tony followed her in and they went down.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I start classes soon and we can all use some fun," she answered. "All you and everyone else here do is train or spend all day in a lab."

"Hey, I play video games with you," Tony said defensively.

"I know, but still," she said as the elevator stopped on the floor of the rec room. "Guys," she yelled popping her head out of the elevator. "You ready or what?"

"Indeed we are, lady Alex," responded Thor as he walked to the elevator, Bruce and Clint following behind him.

"Fantastic," Alex grinned as she stepped aside to allow the three to enter the elevator.

"How were you able to get them to go?" Tony asked in a hush tone.

"I told Thor about it before I got my things and he got excited," she whispered. "Then I told him it would be even better with friends so he made Bruce and Clint come."

"Clever," Tony said smirking. "Well, you kids have fun. I'm going to—"

"Not so fast, dad. You're coming too," Alex said as she batted her lashes at him.

"Fine," he sighed as the elevator door opened on the lobby. "Let me go get my stuff."

"No need to," interrupted Pepper. She was clad in a sun-dress and had a tote bag similar to Alex's. "I got it right here."

"How did you—"

"Alex called and told me," Pepper said. "Come on! The cars are outside."

"Where's Steve?" Alex asked.

"He's already in the Audi."

"Okay. Then I call shot gun!" she exclaimed as she ran to the car.
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"Woohoo! We're here!" Alex exclaimed as she got out of the sports car. "What do you guys want to do first?"

"Alex, how about you let the guys get change while we go set up our stuff on the beach?" Pepper suggested while taking out the beach towels and tote bags from the trunk.

"Okay," Alex said while helping her. "We'll be by the board walk. Okay, dad?"

"Okay," Tony responded as he left with Bruce and the other guys to change.

The two females found the perfect spot to place their things and began setting up the beach towels.

"So, Alex, what made you want to come to Coney Island?" Pepper asked as she removed her sun-dress to reveal a teal one-piece bathing suit.

"I like your bathing suit," Alex stated. "Anyway, I was telling Steve that I wanted to do something fun before I have class and he suggested we go to Coney Island since no one's been here yet," she answered as she removed her dress to reveal a yellow and white striped bikini.

"I like yours too and you. And Steve have gotten pretty close, haven't you?" Pepper asked nonchalantly.

"I guess so," Alex mumbled. "I mean we train everyday together, and play video games, and he's really nice, and—"

"Sounds like someone's got a little crush on Steve," Pepper teased playfully.

"What?" Alex said defensively. "I do not! Pshh."

"Alex!" called a man's voice from somewhere on the beach.

"Over here, dad!" she cried back to them. "Anyway, I don't like—"

"Alex!" called another man's voice.

"I said I'm over here," she called out again thinking it was Tony. Instead, when she turned around, she saw a shirtless Steve walking towards her. "Oh, my god," she whispered as she stared at his built chest, abs, and arms. "Okay, I like Steve," she said quickly, causing Pepper to chuckle softly.

"I know, Alex."

"Wait, if you do does that mean that my dad—"

"No. Tony doesn't know."

"Thank god," Alex sighed. "That would be awkward."

"Alex, there you are," Steve said interrupting the two females.

"Hi, Steve," Alex said trying to hide her blush. Ummm, your trunks suit you well," she said, noting his dark blue swim trunks.

"Thanks. Yours are—you look very—," he began to stutter after realizing how much skin she was showing.

"Pepper!" Tony's voice called out saving Steve from further embarrassment. "Wow, you look amazing."

"Thanks, Tony," replied Pepper.

"And Alex, what are you wearing?" he asked protectively. "Why didn't you wear a one-piece or one of those two-pieces with a skirt?"

"Dad, relax. I'm nineteen. I can wear this. Gosh, you're acting over protective again(?)," Alex pointed out. "Just be glad I'm not wearing something like her," she said pointing to a woman wearing a bathing suit whose bottom part resembled a thong.

"Point taken," he said staring at the woman as she passed by.

"Dad!" Alex exclaimed hitting him in the arm.

"Lady Alex!" Thor's voice boomed as he, Bruce, and Clint walked towards her.

"Thor, Bruce, Clint! Come on, let's go swimming," she said gesturing toward the cool water.

"I think I'll stay here," Bruce said.

"Okay. Steve, you coming?"

"Sure," he responded. But before the four could run into the water, Pepper stopped them.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked.

"Oh yeah—sun block!"
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The four spent the afternoon swimming, attempting to do cannon balls into the water, and seeing who could hold their breath the longest. They even went back ashore to bury Tony in sand when he fell asleep. By the time the sun began to set, the four were sitting on the sand joking around, telling stories, and conversing like a group of college students.

"And then she took me to her tent and showed me how flexible she really was," Clint said suggestively.

"Eww, Clint!" Alex exclaimed. "I asked if you had a girlfriend when you were in the circus, not all the nasty stuff you did," she said in disgust which caused Clint to laugh.

"Okay, so how many boyfriends have you had Alex?" Clint asked.

"Let's see. There was Eric Thomas in the tenth grade, Dave Johnson in the twelfth grade, and Jake Harper for a few weeks in my freshman year of college. So three."

"And does Tony know about them?" Clint teased.

"Shut up, Clint," she said annoyed. "I was never that serious with them and we never did anything like you did with that circus chick."

"Prude," Clint mocked, but was simply ignored by Alex.

"So Thor, you got a lady?" Alex asked.

"Indeed I do. Her name is Jane."

"Aww," Alex cooed. "Do you get to see her a lot? How come I've never seen her around?"

"That is because I haven't seen Jane in a long time," he said sadly. "She lives far away and is working on some sort of research, so I haven't been able to spend time with her."

"Well, I hope you're able to see her soon."

"Thank you, Lady Alex," Thor said. "Captain Steve, what is your tale of love?"

"Well, back during the war there was this woman I liked named Peggy," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "The last time I talked to her, I was driving a plane into the ocean. We were supposed to go dancing but—"

Steve's words hit Alex right in the heart. For one thing she felt a bit jealous of Peggy; Steve sounded like he still loved her. For the other, she felt guilty for making him dance with her in the lounge and in the park when he never got the chance to dance with her.

"Oh Steve, I'm so sorry that I made you dance with me in the park and when we were playing that game," Alex said as she hugged him.

"What?" Steve asked confused. "Alex, it's okay. I'm glad that you danced with me."

"But doesn't dancing with me remind you of Peggy?"

"No," he said. "Well, a little bit," he admitted.

"So you still love her?" she asked secretly afraid of the answer.

"Of course I still love her, but not in that way," he said. "I've realized that she lived her life and now I'm living mine. All I can wish for is that she found someone, got married, and lived a happy life."

"Aww, that's so sweet," Alex said getting sentimental.

"Girl," Clint coughed earning a glare from her. "So, what now?" Clint asked.

"Alex!" Tony called out.

"Hey, dad," she yelled back waving at him.

"Pepper, Bruce, and I are going to go on the board walk and then to Astroland. Are you guys going to come with us?"

"I think I know what we're doing next," Alex said smiling as she, Steve, Thor, and Clint got up from sitting on the shore and walked over to the board walk.