Chapter Six

Peter Parker prided himself on his good memory. It was what helped him win battles. What helped him remember poisons for easy deaths. What helped him not get his shit beaten by Dimitri for every little mistake.

Peter knew who this man was even with the lazy, but alert expression the man was wearing. He was the Winter Soldier. Truthfully, he didn't know much about him. HYDRA specialized on solo agents, unless absolutely necessary lest they get too attached to their partners.

But when Dimitri was in a good mood he let things slip. He knew the Winter Solider was from the 1940's. That he had been given the super soldier serum. He had a metal arm. At one point he had been Peter's biggest competition, but at the end of the day he was smaller, faster, and stronger so he did have a slight advantage over him.

The Winter Soldier had disappeared almost two years ago, he had heard Dimitri cursing about it when he though Peter couldn't hear. Peter had often wondered why they hadn't send him to retrieve him. But then again between Wanda and Bucky, Wanda was more useful.

"I'm Peter Parker," Peter said cheerfully in his goody-goody high school student voice. "I'm an intern from Midtown High School nice to meet you."

He offered his hand, but Bucky didn't take it. His spider senses went off as he gripped both of Bucky's arms, but the heavier man managed to push him to the ground. Peter pressed his knees against Bucky's chest to prevent the man from putting his entire weight on him.

"You're lying," Bucky spat as he studied Peter's face. A look of recognition passed through it, apparently, he knew more than Peter. "You're-"

Peter pushed Bucky off him and then pressed him against the wall. "You are really starting to piss me off, Winter." He taunted him as a cruel smile spread across his lips. "Do me a favor and get the fuck out of my way."

Bucky managed to wrap his hands around Peter's throat as he pressed him against the wall. There was some confusion on his face as if he couldn't tell if Peter was real or not. What an idiot. "Tell me, who you are."

Before Peter could respond, Tony stepped into the room followed by Bruce, no doubt coming back to check on the machine. Tony grew angry when he saw Bucky's hands around Peter's throat and immediately pushed him away. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing, Barnes!" he barked. "That's a kid. Banner, call Rogers now."

Peter rubbed his neck, perhaps Barnes was better than what he gave him credit for. He had through he was weak. Apparently not.

Tony turned to look at him, a concern look on his face. He place both hands on his shoulders in an attempt to study him. "You ok, kid? Bruce take a look at him, make sure psycho over there didn't break his neck."

Bruce pressed his fingers gently on Peter's neck. "If he had broken his neck then Peter wouldn't be talking. Funny, the fingermarks are gone he must have not pressed too hard. Good."

Peter didn't feel the need to explain it was because of his super healing abilities nor did he need others to look suspicious. He needed to put on the waterworks and fast. "I don't know what happened." Peter managed to get his eyes to tear up and his lower lip to tremble. "I was just talking to my parents letting them know I would be home soon. Then this man attacked me out of nowhere."

Bucky glared at Peter as he opened his mouth to respond, but Tony cut him off. "I don't want to hear another word from you. Geez, I'm sorry kid, Barnes here still hasn't learned how to interact with the public. How about we get you down to Med-Bay and have you checked out. Friday, call Happy Hogan."

"Yes, sir."

Peter's smiled wobbled. Med bay meant tests and tests meant doctors finding out that Peter was not fully human. "No, thank you. I'm fine. Dr. Banner already checked me out and I'm ok. I would like to go home, please."

"But-"

"I said I would like to go home." Another freakish big smile.

Happy stepped into the crowded room followed by Steve. "You called me, boss?"

Tony, apparently not in the mood to argue with a fourteen-year-old pushed Peter in his direction. "Hap, please take him home. Mr. Parker here has had a long day. I'll tell you later."

Happy nodded, dumbfounded. "Come here, kid."

Once Peter and Happy were out of earshot, Steve looked at them in confusion. "What's going on?"

"What's going on is your serial killer friend almost killed one of my interns," Tony snapped as he looked at Bucky. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Bruce arranged his glasses. "Now, Tony-"

"Don't 'now Tony' me. Do you know what kind of trouble we could have gotten into if dumbass over there had succeeded in killing the kid? Not to mention what it would do for my conscience."

Bucky spoke up, even though Steve was attempting to hold him back. "I know what I saw. I saw the kid's eyes."

"His eyes were full of tears because a nutjob was strangling him," Tony sneered.

Bucky ignored the insult. "I saw him before the explosion happened. Even I didn't expect it to explode. But he did, he reacted before anyone else did. What kind of teenager does that? Not to mention before you two came, we fought. Hand to hand combat and he knew me, the old me-"

Even Steve was looking skeptical now. "Bucky, you have had a tough few days. Perhaps your mind is playing tricks on you. Peter is just fourteen years old."

"I know what I saw." Bucky insisted, an edge to his voice. "Stark, you have to believe me."

Tony passed by without bothering to look at him, obviously still upset about what had happened. "That's the problem, Barnes. I don't and I never will."

Hours later in the comfort of his own apartment, Peter was congratulating himself on his acting abilities by eating a whole pizza while he hacked into the camera he had placed in Tony's lab.

Greasy cheese and pepperoni stains covered his fingers as he looked at the tiny screen in front of him. There was Tony dancing like an idiot while holding a cheeseburger. What a bozo.

He leaned forward when he saw Tony entering the password into his computer: IAMIRONMAN. That was it? Even he could have figured that out. Then why was Dimitri so afraid of these so-called Avengers? If this was their resident genius, then he could only imagine the pea size brains on the others.

A content smile appeared on his face. This was going to be easier than he had thought.

-End of Chapter Six-