For a few weeks, until they were mostly healed, the man just played games with them. In many of them, he threatened to hurt BJ unless Hawkeye obeyed. Whether he had to say, do, or not do something, he always complied. Once, the man force-fed him liquor and made him punch BJ himself. He'd apologized with each weak hit.
Now, Hawkeye could stand, with some help, and use his arms. His ribs didn't shift and his cuts were now scars.
BJ was glad to see his progress physically, but mentally he was worse than ever.
The man would still hit him sometimes, and just as often fake out, and Hawkeye was terribly jumpy. He didn't talk very much, and when he did, his voice was small and hoarse. He was getting enough water and some food, usually rewards for good behavior, but sometimes he just couldn't bring himself to eat or drink. He still barely got any sleep, his nightmares being as horrifying as reality, and it wasn't helped by the man coming in to mess with them at all hours. BJ was very glad that he was there because otherwise, Hawkeye would have gone mad a long time ago.
Not that BJ himself was peachy keen, either. He got a beating when he tried to protect Pierce, and the man didn't have to be gentle with him. He also gave his friend most of their food and water, so he was also very thin. Still, the man's attention was never really directed at him. He just had no interest in anyone but Pierce. Why, he had no idea, but his single-mindedness about it was scary.
One day, when the man walked in and Pierce flinched on cue, there were no questions about his progress or games. The man strode directly to Pierce and dragged him up against the wall by his neck until he was standing. Hawkeye choked.
"I've let you heal for long enough. Time for some real fun." He threw Pierce to the ground and kicked him in the chest. The doctor grunted and rolled onto his back. The man straddled his waist and pulled out a knife.
"Oh, all of my work has healed. I think I need to start from scratch." He lightly drew the blade across the shuddering chest without breaking the skin, playing with him. Pierce tried to calm his frantic breathing so that he wouldn't force his chest up into the blade, but the man slowly applied pressure and the knife tore the skin and sliced deeper agonizingly slowly. Hawkeye watched in pain, crying out, as the blade was pulled down his chest and sliced open the skin. It was two inches long before he pulled the blade out and went to start another.
BJ couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop!"
The man ignored him and began the next incision, curving it around and smiling in mock admiration at the blood it drew. At the third cut, the longest and deepest, Hawkeye couldn't quell his scream and cried, "P-please, no m-more!"
BJ roared and charged them. The man looked up to see the tall doctor tackling him. The two rolled to the side, wrestling for control of the knife. They were yelling and fists landed on both sides. Pierce struggled to sit up and rolled onto his side, making it onto his feet in a moment. The man was on top of BJ, who was weak after all of this time a prisoner, and he was fighting BJ's resistance to punch the tip of the blade into his chest. BJ was losing the blade growing ever nearer his skin. Before he succeeded, though, Pierce shoved him off of his friend by ramming into him. The man rolled away and scrambled for the knife. Pierce tried to grab it, but the man got it first and shoved him to the ground. Before he moved to him, the man kicked BJ again, leaving him gasping. He then moved to Pierce, who was trying to pull himself away.
"Sorry, s-so sorry, didn't mean 't, 'm sorry…"
"HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME?" The man bellowed. He straddled the shaking doctor and held the knife to his abdomen, sliding it in like the flesh was butter. Pierce screamed. The man pulled it out and moved it over, doing the same there. He stabbed his victim several more times before holding the knife to his throat. Pierce was spluttering blood and wheezing.
The man leaned down as whispered into his ear, "Don't think you're getting out of this one, doc."
He was about to slit his throat, pushing in the tip just enough to draw blood, but he stopped.
"No, you don't deserve death."
The man grabbed BJ by the arm and dragged him away. "Say goodbye to you friend, doc, you'll never see him again."
"N-no," Pierce sobbed as BJ was taken and the door was locked behind them.