Leah Stark - The Unknown Child

2.11.0

Leah's POV

Eventually, I had to sleep. I didn't want to, everything felt too, something. The bed felt too soft. The air felt too warm. The room felt too big. I couldn't lay down and my eyes refused to grow heavy. I just sat there in the bed, attempting to sleep. I wanted to get up and wander, not sit around and sleep. What I'm trying to say is that I was fidgety, more so than what I assumed was normal.
I stood up from the bed, changing into some gym clothes. I couldn't just sleep. I wanted to do something.
"FRIDAY, what's the time and who's awake?"
"The current time is 2:24 am. The only person currently is awake is Dr Banner, who is currently in the lab. Would you like me to alert him of your current state?"
"No thank you FRIDAY. I'm going to the training room."
"Of course."
I walked steadily down the hall, trying to make as little sound as possible to make no sound to avoid detection. I opened the swing door to the training room and grabbed some punching bags and hand wrap. I wrapped my hand in the material before beginning to punch and kick at the bag, letting out all of my anger and frustration on the bag. The frustration of being uncomfortable, the anger at myself for not being good enough, the frustration of having big gaps in my memory where I couldn't remember people or what we did. It was like everything had suddenly just built up inside of me and I wanted to explode.
I was so caught up in punching out everything that I felt like I was training again. Like I was in the training room again, hearing my handler screaming at me to punch harder and kick faster and to straighten up my posture.
I kept punching harder and harder, kicking faster and engulfing myself back into the terrible memories as though they were real. I was back there.

-FLASHBACK-

The yells of my new American handler screamed at me as I punched the new trainee. It was not only part of my training, but part of this new recruits, to see where they ought to be.  I wasn't going to lie, they put up a good fight and would do well as a foot soldier, but they would never be anything more.
"Kick harder you useless girl. Don't start being a woman now." He screamed, even though I was more irreplaceable than him, and I knew the bosses wouldn't actually care if he died, they'd just get me a new trainer who wasn't as much of an ass.
I kicked harder, punched the trainee with perfect posture, all of my movements became faster, pushing my body to its limits.
The trainee was being pummelled, taking to a defensive strategy over his previously aggressive offensive one.
I kept punching, pushing him to the ground, where I continues to punch and kick.
I was in my zone, until I was being pulled off by two of my other handlers. They held my arms as the new American one grabbed my legs.
"Вы должны остановиться сейчас. Упражнение закончилось, вы выиграли." You must stop now. The exercise is over, you won.
I stopped thrashing against their grip and looked over at the man I was fighting. He was unconscious, bloody and beaten. I apologised to my superiors quickly before standing beside them in a uniformed position regaining my own composure.
I was disappointed in myself for my actions, I felt as though I was going to kill him, like I was supposed to even though my orders were not to.

- RETURN TO NORMAL TIME-

I was pummelling the punching bag, focusing on it so much I had not realised Bucky had just walked in. I continued to hit the bag with force until he touched my shoulder lightly.
I turned around quickly grabbing his arm and flinging him over my head and tacking an offensive stance.
He put his hands up and spoke in Russian "Лиа, это только я, Баки" Leah, it's just me, Bucky. He said in a calm voice. It was like my brain had taken me back and I just felt confused.
"Sorry. I couldn't sleep."
"It's fine kid." He replied, getting up from his position. "I've been there."
"It all just felt so surreal. I can remember some things, but some areas are just gone, like earlier when Dad was talking about the ice cream place we'd been to, I had no idea what he was talking about. I just couldn't remember. And it sucks! It fucking sucks." I said punching the bag behind me.
"Woah! Calm down there Leas. Of course your not going to remember everything." He said, sitting on the floor, gesturing me to sit opposite him. I lowered myself to the floor. "That doesn't mean you won't eventually. Maybe not everything, but one day, you'll get there. You'll remember enough, and eventually some more. You won't remember anything by ki- punching a bag."
"Yeah, I guess." I mumbled.
"Come on then. Back to your room. I can give you some tips on sleeping in the big room."
I smiled and nodded quickly.

-Time skip bought to you by no one in particular-

I had gotten settled in the small bed I made under my desk. I felt guilty for not sleeping in the actual bed, but Bucky assured me that it was fine and that Tony wouldn't actually mind. I lay on the floor, staring up at the bottom of the desk, drifting into sleep.

Tony's POV - Several minuets later

"Sir, it appears Miss Leah is having a night terror. I would suggest getting Bucky or Natasha to assist you." FRIDAY said loudly, waking me up.
I shot out of bed. It was only the first night of her back and she was already having them!
"Are either of them awake Fri?"
"Bucky is. Would you like me to alert him?"
"Yes." I said, running to Leah's room.
Why did this happen? Why of all kids in the world did mine have to be abducted and tortured? I felt like a failure for allowing any of this to happen.
I eventually reached the door and saw it already open, Bucky talking to her in Russian, calming her. She looked over at me, glaring and pulling a knife out from her sheets. Bucky took it from her, telling her something that sounded suspiciously like "No, not anymore. You don't have to do that anymore."
I gave her a sad smile before her glare turned into a sad look of sympathy as Bucky spoke to her.
He ushered me in, next to her. She wasn't in the bed but under the desk, like Bucky said she might have been.
"Hey Lea's" I said to her gently.
"Привет папа" She replied, seeming rather upset. I looked at Bucky, lost in what she said.
"She said 'Hi Dad.'" Bucky simply told me. A single tear rolled down my face .
"Can I hug you?" I asked her.
She held up her arms to me, a sadness in her eyes. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my chest, stroking her hair.
"It's going to be okay. I promise." I said and I felt her cry into my chest. Bucky left giving me a nod as he did.
She cried into my chest as I stroked her head. It took 30 minutes for her to eventually fall asleep again and I knew in wasn't leaving her side until she woke again.

Hi guys I'm back even though I didn't upload at the weekend or yesterday. I've had a lot on my plate as it's my final year and my art mock exam paper has come out recently. I'm going to update as often as I can, but I'm also going through chapter by chapter, editing them to make the story better.
On a different note, how has this got 800 reads?! That's insane!!! I'm so happy that people actually appreciate the book and are interested in reading it! Thank you so much for reading!