Scars that Last Forever

Chapter 15

I sit in Tony's large lab on a big table in the middle of the room. Tony is standing in front of a large techy screen I don't even attempt to understand. Bruce stands next to him with a large stick. 

I'm not sure what that is for. 

Bucky is sitting next to me with a hand resting softly on my shoulder. 

"Alright Peter, So today we will learn the basics," Bruce starts, "Then Natasha will help you learn how to act like someone your age." I nod and move my chair slightly closer to Bucky. 

Bruce picks up the large wood stick and points it at something on the blue screen. 

On it are four signs, an addition, subtraction, and equal too sign. 

Do they really think I'm that dumb? 

"You know what these are right?" Bruce asks. 

I nod quickly. 

He looks stares at me for a while and I stare back confused as to why he is staring at me. 

"It's ok Peter, you can talk to them and tell them what it means," Bucky whispers into my ear. 

I nod slightly. 

I just didn't want to take any risks. 

Beucase one mistake can cause a whole lot of pain.

"Addition, subtraction, and equal too. I'm not sure where the Multiplication and Division sign are though," I say quitely. Bruce smile and Tony nods. 

"So, Peter, how much do you think you know- like what is the hardest thing you remember learning about math?" Tony asks running a hand through his hair. 

"Um- I learnd about imaginary numbers f-from... nevermind..." I say. 

When I was young- before I started the physical training, a guy dressed in all black with a white bow tie drilled facts about math, science, and liturature into my head. If I got an answer wrong or spoken at the wrong time he would give me cuts. 

It hurt. 

The pain. 

I feel a warm hand on my shoulde.r 

Bucky. 

I'm not in HYDRA anymore. 

It is ok. 

Just breathe. 

I take a deep breath in and nod. 

Tony and Bruce's eyes widen slightly. 

"Ok, well I think your all good with math then... so um lets move onto science," Bruce says, Tony clicks couple buttons on a small screen and the it changes to chemical equations and Newtons laws of motion. 

Tony and Bruce take turns asking questions about science. 

Progressively they get harder and harder. 

Each question I answer their faces resembles a little more shock. 

And then Tony asks a question and I don't know the answer. 

Immediately I am sucked back into the memories. 

The horror. 

The fear. 

The darkness. 

I can feel the hot trails of pain left behind from the knifes sharp blade piercing through my skin as if it is paper. 

"I-I d-don't know... P-please don't h-hurt me," I look up to Bruce and Tony's faces and they resemble horror. 

Bucky pulls me into a embrace, even though it is somewhat awkward because we are sitting in chairs. 

I don't care though. 

It is warm. 

And it makes me feel... 

Safe? 

I don't know about that. 

As far as I'm concerned there is no such thing as safe. 

"Peter, it is ok, we are never going to hurt you... besides that question was a MIT level question. Your extraordinarily smart kid," Tony says then scratches the back of his neck somewhat awkwardly. 

All of a sudden the blue lettering of equations from the screens disappear. 

Tony looks down at the smaller screen in his hand with confusion. 

"What the hell," Tony says. 

Fear. 

I move closer to Bucky and he puts and arm around my shoulders as if that would protect me. 

"JARVIS, what is happening?" Tony asks. The lights flicker. 

My body is trembling. 

I'm scared of the dark. 

Being scared is weak. 

Being weak is punishable. 

"Boss, my systems seems to be being hacked," Jarvis responds. 

I move in closer to Bucky. 

I can sense the fear in his body. 

Just like the fear in my body. 

tony presses a button on his wrist and a suit made of iron slowly in cases him.  

"HAIL HYDRA!" A familiar voice booms from the ceiling. 

No.