Avengers: Jr. Stark (Avengersxteen)

Chapter 4

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"Uncle Stevie?"
"Yeah kiddo?"
"When are mommy and daddy gonna be home?"
"They should be home very soon pumpkin. It's their anniversary let them have some fun. You wanna watch a movie?"
"Yes yes yes!" Can we watch a Disney movie? Please? Pretty please uncle Stevie?"
"Nobody can resist those puppy dog eyes. We can watch a Disney movie. Come here."

I fall asleep not too long into the movie and I'm woken up by a loud crash from outside. Steve and I rush to the door to see what's happened.

"Uncle Stevie." I whisper.
"Yeah kiddo?"
"T-that's mommy and daddy's car."
Without hesitation I find myself sprinting towards the crash in front of us.
"MOMMY!! DADDY!!"
Steve is chasing after me as I climb through the rubble. Being small gives me the advantage of squeezing into tight places. I find my parents crushed between the dashboard and their seats.

"Daddy?" I shake him lightly.
"I'm okay baby."
"Mommy?"
"I'm right here pumpkin." She mumbles faintly. She is blinking slower and slower. Her chest rises and falls with each breath until it's almost not moving. I rush over to her side of the vehicle.
"Mommy?"
She can barely talk.
"It's okay. You and your dad need to let me go. It's okay baby." She whispers tears forming in everyone's eyes.
"MOMMY NO! PLEASE MOMMY! MOMMY PLEASE. I love you mommy." I sob uncontrollably next to my mom.
"I love you too baby, both of you." She says looking to my dad. Her breathing steadily becomes slower until it's too late. Steve picks me up and removes me from the scene to allow paramedics to inspect the damage.
"UNCLE STEVIE! LET ME GO! I NEED TO SEE MOMMY, SHE NEEDS ME. PLEASE UNCLE STEVIE!"
He calmly carries me inside the compound and takes me to the bathroom. He wipes my face and addresses the cuts I've acquired from climbing through the rubble.
"Uncle Stevie." I sob. "I want mommy."
"Shhhh, I know you do pumpkin. I'm so so sorry." He holds my tiny toddler body in his arms with me shaking and my head buried in his chest.

I see flashes of the accident, of my dad lying motionless in a hospital bed, of my mom's funeral, of the grave. Then I see her,
"MOMMY!" I shout.
She doesn't seem excited to see me, she seems...mad?
"Mommy?"
"JR. STARK HOW DARE YOU?"
"Wh-what did I do wrong?"
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOUR FATHER AND I COULD BE LIVING OUR BEST LIVES RIGHT NOW BUT NOOOO YOU CAUSED US TO GET INTO A FREAKING CAR ACCIDENT!"
"I-I'm sorry mommy I didn't mean it." I start sobbing and suddenly pass out from exhaustion.
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I jolt upright in an all too familiar state of panic and cold sweat. My breathing is labored and my vision is blurred. Even though the accident was over 14 years ago it still haunts me to this day.

"Miss Stark are you alright?" JARVIS questions.
"I'm okay JARVIS. I just need fresh air, that's all."
"Would you like me to contact your father?"
"NO! He doesn't need to be bothered with this kind of stuff. I'll be fine but thank you."

I stumble out of bed into my bathroom. I run my hands under cold water and press them to my face. I look up at the mirror and almost have to do a double take. I never realized how much I resembled my mom. Maybe it was my fault she wasn't here. I wish she could've seen me grown up, even if it was just for a little bit longer. My eyes fill with tears at the thought of it. Almost everyone at school complained about their mom but there isn't anything I wouldn't give just to see her again.

I rummage through the room locating the hidden knife. I place the blade on my thigh and trace out thin little slices applying as much pressure as possible. Blood pools around the knife and I continue this little ritual for almost an hour switching between my arms and thighs. I see my skin going pale and wrapped my cuts in gauze. I hide the knife again and use the elevator to get to the kitchen even though it was only 3:30 in the morning.

I grab some pop tarts since we seem to have an over abundance of them. Thor never fails to stock the compound with various flavors of pop tarts. I sit down at the table with my eyelids growing heavier by the second.
"Just five minutes." I mumble to myself.
"Five minutes of what?"
"Omg Bucky! How long have you been here?"
"Just popped in a minute ago, couldn't sleep. You?"
"Just got hungry."
"You sure?"
"Yes Bucky in fine I don't know why you keep insisting I'm not!" I roll my eyes and storm upstairs. Probably not the best option but I reacted in the moment. I curl up in my bed and start crying. All I wanted was mom.
"Miss Stark are you sure you don't want me to get your father?"
"JARVIS I TOLD YOU NO!"
I wipe my eyes and roll over pulling the sheets over my head. I hear a knock on my door.
"You have reached the life model decoy of Jr Sta-"
"Jr can I come in?...Please?"
"You're gonna do what you want anyway so go ahead."
Bucky slowly walks in and sits down next to me on the bed.
"What's going on Jr? I know you're not fine. Talk to me."
He pulls me up next to him with his arms wrapped around me. He kisses me head and rocks me back and forth.
"Cmon talk to me Jr."
I just continue to cry into his chest trying to find comfort. He rubs circles on my back and tries to calm me down.
"Shhhh it's okay doll."
He takes my hand in his trying to distract me. I'm finally calm and start to drift off to sleep when Bucky notices a dark red stain on my sleeve.
"Jr? Are you hurt?"
"Hmm?"
"I said are you hurt?" He points to the stain on my sleeve.
I panic but quickly cover said panic with, "it's just red pen from homework. It never came out in the wash."
"That's a lie Jr. C'mon I want to know the truth please."
"Bucky I'm fine." I go to get up but be holds me where I am.
"Jr, you can talk to me right now or we can go get your dad. Your choice."

"No, no, no, no please. Don't get my dad." I scoot as far away from Bucky as I can. "Please don't get him." Tears start to fill my eyes again as I become more panicked by the second.

"Hey, hey it's okay." Bucky slowly approaches me and sits down next to me. "I've got you."

I curl up next to him and he continues to comfort me.
"Can I take a look at your arm now?" He asks the stain growing bigger by the minute. I don't respond to him and just hide my arms.
"C'mon doll. Let me help you." He takes my arm and gently moves it closer to him. My whole body tenses up and Bucky could tell.
"It's okay, I'm gonna help you." He rolls up my hoodie sleeve and sees the bloodstained gauze. He then carefully unwraps said gauze exposing my arm littered with cuts and scars. Some new and some old.

I start to cry as Bucky tries to figure out what to do. He picks me up and places me on the bathroom counter while he cleans out the fresh cuts. He tries to crack jokes and tell stories to try and make me feel even a little bit better. He finishes dressing my arms and helps me stumble to my bed.

I lie down pulling my favorite blanket over me just wanting to escape reality.
"You okay Jr?"
"Haha no but what's new." My eyes sting with the threat of tears and Bucky pulls me into another hug. He pulls the blanket over me and sits with me until I finally fall asleep.