Beyond

Heal

Tony glanced at the clock and frowned, Lance was going to be late to school if he didn't get going soon.

He hadn't seen the kid at breakfast and he assumed he would show at some point but he had yet to.

He knew yesterday's mission ran late, but it wasn't a particularly difficult mission and Lance hadn't been injured. Tony had checked countless times to make sure.

"Jarvis?" Tony asked as he stood up. "Is the kid still in his room?"

"Yes sir."

Tony let out a short breath and made his way to Lance's room. It wasn't far.

Lance had asked if he could be on a level close to the lounge and kitchen, it appeared that he liked those areas better than his room sometimes.

He knocked loudly and waited.

"Lance, I'm coming in." He warned. Another beat of silence.

His gut stirred with worry as he pushed the door open. At first he could barely see Lance.

He was still in bed the covers pulled up to his chin as he hid his face in his pillow.

"Lance? Hey buddy you're gonna be late for school." Tony frowned as he opened the blinds. "Haven't you got that presentation with Gwen?"

Lance gave a weak groan.

That wasn't like him.

"Lance?" Tony frowned sitting on the edge of the bed. "Hey talk to me, what's up?"

"Hurts." Lance whispered eyes squeezed shut.

Cautiously Tony reached over smoothing away the creases in his forehead. "What does?"

"Everything."

"You haven't been drinking have you?" Tony asked biting the inside of his cheek.

Lance shot him a sharp look of confusion and irritation. "No."

"Then talk to me, what hurts?"

Lance rolled onto his back with a hissing breath, he pushed the cover down. He tugged his t-shirt up and Tony blinked when he realised how many scars littered Lance's skin.

The biggest was across his right side, like a big star just beneath his ribs.

"I think I pulled it." Lance winced.

"Old scar tissue?"

Lance nodded covering his eyes with his arm.

"How did you get this?"

"Got shot down," Lance shrugged, "a piece of Blue's control panel went into me." He breathed. "That was when-"

Tony's heart jumped at how Lance's voice broke off.

"The day they-"

"Hey." Tony said pulling his arm away to see Lance's bloodshot glassy eyes. "Okay, you're alright, just breathe."

Lance met his gaze and gave a weak nod before he winced his hand moving to press against his side. "Sorry." He whispered.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Tony assured. "You just rest up and I'll call the school. You don't have to worry about anything."

"Gwen and Miles gonna hate me." Lance frowned looking over at where his school bag was slung over his desk chair.

"They won't." Tony said shaking his head. "If they are your real friend they'll understand that you have bad days."

"But they doesn't even know." Lance whispered. "I can't even... I want to talk to them, I want to tell them all but-"

After a few moments Tony nodded. "It hurts."

Lance met his gaze with a very weak nod. "I don't want to hurt."

"That's why you're having the day off, and I'll tell you what, I'll ask your teacher to rearrange your presentation, okay?"

"Thanks." Lance whispered.

"Get some sleep, get Jarvis to shout for you okay?"

Lance gave a faint smile. "Okay."

"Good," Tony smiled as he got up, moving towards the door, "I'll get Bruce to come up and see you in a bit, you want food?"

"Not right now." Lance admitted shaking his head. "I'll eat in a bit."

"Okay, if it gets any worse let us know okay?"

"I will, I promise." Lance nodded already pulling the covers back up.

Tony smiled and headed back towards the lounge. He opened his phone as he went finding Steve's number.

"Tony?" He asked voice tight and anxious. "Everything okay?"

"Not really," Tony sighed running a hand through his hair, "kiddo's not feeling great. His scars are troubling him."

"Is he going to school?"

"No, I'm gonna call them next." Tony explained. "I just thought you could grab that book he was looking at last week, might cheer him up."

There was a loud crash and Tony could hear the vibranium hum of Steve's shield.

"Sure I'll grab it." Steve grunted.

"Having fun?" Tony asked with a slight smile.

"Oh, just the usual," he now sounded tired, "the Wrecking Crew attacked a warehouse."

"Of course they did." Tony hummed. "I'll let you get back to that, I'll call the school."

"Alright, we'll be back soon." Steve signed off.

Tony took a deep breath and punched in the number for Midtown High.

It didn't take long to reach the head teacher who was very understanding and agreed that Lance could have the day off, she also agreed that his presentation could be postponed until he was to return.

"Kids not at school?" Bruce asked once Tony had hung up.

"He's not feeling great." Tony sighed. "He's got a nasty looking scar just here," he gestured to his right side, "he said it's hurting."

"Probably his nerve endings regenerating." Bruce frowned. "I know a doctor who studied scar tissue for years, I'll get in touch with her."

He watched Bruce work for a few moments when Lance's choked up words played again in his mind.

The day they-

It was a small snippet into what had happened to him in his universe.

Tony looked down at the phone in his hands, he opened it up seeing their group photo as his wallpaper, Lance looked so happy where he stood in the middle, a big smile on his face.

It was amazing to know that he could smile like that after the things he had experienced.

"I think it happened when his friends died." He whispered.

Bruce paused taking his glasses off as he met Tony's gaze. "Which one?"

"I don't know, he didn't say, but I think he got that scar on the same day." Tony whispered looking away. "I don't know how to help him."

"We are helping him." Bruce said quickly getting to his feet. "He's been happy, you've heard him laugh, we've seen him smile, but everyone is allowed bad days."

"I just wish he didn't have to have any." Tony admitted shaking his head. "He's just a kid."

"The toughest kid we know." Bruce agreed. "But we're not giving up on him and I think he's going to be okay."

Tony nodded taking a deep breath. "I hope you're right."