Mila Barnes' POV
12 Years Later.
That is the dumbest thing I have ever seen in my life—Oh that's me. I smile and pull my hair into a ponytail. Dad knocks on the door. I pull off my headphones "I'm going to go." I nod even though it made me upset. Dad frowns and hugs me "I'll be back with dinner. What do you want?"
"The biggest cheeseburger you can find. With pickles and I want fries. And curly fries."
Dad stares at me for a moment, then hugged me again "I'll see you tonight. Don't forget about Bruce." A little too late for that. I nod. Dad left before I did, I come out of my bedroom and press the elevator doors.
Maria Hill was standing inside, she smiles "Hi, Mila."
"Hello," I close the doors and lean against the walls, "Who's in trouble today?"
She smiles, "No one. Why? What did you do?"
"So many stupid things," The doors open. She waves goodbye to me. I like Maria, I don't see her much but she is always nice to me.
The elevator doors open again to show the messy science lab with Tony hunched over the desk and Bruce beside a hologram. I step out, Bruce rolls his eyes "Mila, I called you down here 4 hours ago. Where have you been?"
"I was gardening."
"Plants vs Zombies isn't gardening."
Not for you. I shrug and jump onto the metal table holding out my wrists. Bruce stands in front of me "How have you been Bruce?"
"You know, I'm great. I love spending my time waiting for you to decide when you should take your medication, turn your palms over." I do, still smiling at him. Bruce looks at me, then looks at his tablet "Tony can you get Mila something to eat."
"I just sat down."
"Thank you," Bruce replied bluntly. I smirk at Tony as he reluctantly got up and went to their kitchen "How did you sleep?"
"Like a bat," Bruce turns my hands over again. He lets out a quiet sigh as he saw the cuts. I tried not to flinch as he touches them. He brings me the nail clippers "I didn't mean it."
He nods "I know, Mil." I trim back my nails. As much as I'd love to have long nails covered in black nail polish, it's best to keep them blunt.
Tony brings me a sandwich, which is most likely poisoned. Then he brings over the IV stand and I huff "Do I still need to do this bit?" He nods "You can't smile like that, it's sadistic."
"It's not sadistic to smile."
He takes out the needle, pretending to not see my uneasiness, "Are you going to put the needle in again?"
"No?" He faces me "Why would I do that?" He snaps his fingers in my face, then stabs the needle into my wrist. OW! I glare at him as he laughs "How do you still fall for that?"
I'm very stupid.
Bruce wraps up the needle as Tony goes back to his work "How's your dad?"
"He left this morning."
Bruce shrugged "He'll be back soon, you know that." Hopefully. I look down at my lap. Dad and Steve go to SHIELD HQ most days, he doesn't let me go with him. I think he's worried that my nightmares will get worse if I see Teague's face even if it is on a piece of paper. "What happened this time?"
"I was being chased down a dark hall. They clawed the skin off of the back of my neck whenever they touched my back. Then they threw me onto the floor."
