Avengers: Jr. Stark (Avengersxteen)

Chapter 16

My eyelids feel like lead as I try to open them. The constant beep of a monitor prevented me from falling back asleep. I groaned as I tried to sit up and adjust to the bright room.  My wrist is wrapped in a blue cast halfway up my forearm. My shoulder is in some sort of brace and my head is pounding. I have stitches littering my body up and down.

"Jr are you up?" Steve asks strolling over. "Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?"

I sit up and adjust my eyes to the bright lighting of the room.

"I'm going to take you to a more comfortable room, is that okay?" Steve asks tilting his head to the side slightly. I nod affirmatively and try to get up.

I stand up on my own two feet, surprisingly, and go to step forward but my legs feel like jelly. Steve picks me up once again and I find myself leaning into his chest even though deep down I feel like it's a trick. He's just too warm in the moment to really care. Between the steady thumping of his heart and the amount of heat Steve is radiating I almost fell asleep right then and there.

"Ok this is your room." He says pushing open the door and placing me on the bed.  "I'll be right back with something to eat."

Steve gets up and exits the rooming leaving me all alone. I lay back on the bed trying to get comfortable but it was too soft. I was used to sleeping on the cold hard ground, this bed was anything but that. I grab a pillow and slowly make my way to the wood floor being careful not to use my right arm. I haphazardly threw my pillow down and grabbed a small blanket from the bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out again.

Steve POV

"How is she Steve?" Bruce asks walking beside me.
"She's still not herself. Real quiet, that's not the Jr I know."
"I know Steve, but this takes time. Where is she now?"
"She's in her room, I'm grabbing something for us to eat."
"Ok, just remember she needs to take it easy for the next few days." He says with a smile.
"I will, thanks Banner."
I head to the kitchen and grab some left over pizza, pizza was always Jr's favorite. I head back upstairs with the two plates and the scene I'm greeted with breaks my heart. Jr lying on the hard floor with a thin blanket draped over her.

"Oh Jr." I mumble kneeling down in front of her. Suddenly she starts thrashing and shaking violently. Her breathing starts to quicken and my heart break every time I hear her whimper or scream.  "Please, don't make me do it." She mumbled.

"Jr, Jr wake up kiddo." I call shaking her shoulder gently. "Jr wake up!" I shout now full on shaking her entire body. Her eyes shot open filled with bushes tears and she backs away from me.

Jr POV
I was back at base waiting in my cell patiently. I had failed the mission...again. This was punishable by death for sure, although I don't know if I'll be that lucky. Lucky enough to finally have the pain and suffering stop. Instead of receiving a punishment right away I was thrown my suit and sent out on another mission. Except this time I was fully aware to what I was doing. It was like I was at the steering whee but had no control. I walked into the home of a small family right outside the city. They begged and cried for their life but Hydra would never allow someone that much mercy. As the trigger was pulled I used the very little control I had left and aimed it away from the family. More hydra agents stormed in surrounding the poor family.
"Do it soldier." The general ordered menacingly.
"Please, don't make me do it." I beg tears streaming down my face.
"Well then I guess you both die." He says shooting the family then turning towards me.

I sat upright with a jolt breathing heavily and my whole body visibly shaking. Tears are streaming down my face and I can't focus. Steve is kneeling next to me and instinct tells me to back away.

"Hey, hey it's ok. Come here Jr." he whispers beckoning me over. "It's ok JJ."  He extends a hand to me which I hesitantly take. He hoists me up sits me back down on the bed. He grabs me a few tissues and hands them to me so I could wipe my face. This was definitely not something I expected. At hydra I would just have to get through it, no shoulder to cry on or helping hand.

"I brought some pizza." He says handing me the plate. I eye the food suspiciously, checking for any signs of being tampered with or poisoned.

"It's ok, you can eat it." He says taking a bite from his plate showing me.

I slowly lift the slice to my lips and take a small bite. I haven't had real food in over 6 months so this was the best thing I've ever tasted. I finish my plate in minutes waiting hungrily for more. I didn't dare ask verbally because that is punishable. I took my chance and grabbed a pen and notebook from the desk next to my bed. Of course my dominant hand, the right one, was casted causing my writing to be very messing and basically unreadable. Steve saw my frustration and handed me his phone.

"Why don't you type it?"

I work quickly tapping the letters on the screen to write out a short but clear message.
Can I have more

"Of course you can have more, I'll be right back okay?"

I simply nod. Steve leaves but returns minutes later with more pizza.
"Here you go Jr."

Thank you

"Of course, anytime."

Who's Jr? I type tilting my head slightly.

"You are, you're Jr., and this is your room before you were kidnapped. I'm your uncle Steve."

Why don't I remember

"Hydra did some very terrible things to you, your memory will come back. I promise." He says sitting down next to me. I start to scoot a little closer to Steve, prompting him to throw his arm around my shoulder. I don't hesitate and lean into his embrace.

I hurt people

"Hey I want you to look at me, you didn't have control, that wasn't you. Trust me, I know you Jr, you'd never hurt a fly. That wasn't you doll." He says quietly placing a quick kiss to my temple.

I'm sorry

"You have nothing to be sorry for. We're going to get you out of this mess. I'm going to be just across the hall, let me know if you need anything mkay."

Can you stay for a bit...please. I don't want to be alone. I type lowering my head.

"Of course." He says smiling brightly. He leans back against the pillows and headboard while I turn his shoulder into my personal cushion. I rest my head on his shoulder while drawing random patterns on his hands while I drift off to sleep.

"Goodnight Jr." he says carding his hand through my hair. "I love you." But I was already too far asleep to hear it.