Let's Go Back

You Don't Know Me

JJ has been watching Sarah's progress with her training and of course, JJ things her powers are so cool. He constantly asks for her to demonstrate for him.

JJ has been training a lot too. He never wants to be inside anymore because he always wants to be practicing.

His dad keeps trying to get him to do school work but he doesn't have the patience for it. Reading and math is too confusing and it gives him a headache so anytime he can get away from studying, he does.

Lizzie eventually notices the decline in JJ's school work and decides to take it into her own hands.

She sits at the kitchen table with JJ going over his school work with him. He is slouching in his seat with his arms crossed because this is the last thing he wants to be doing.

"James, come on, you need to know this stuff," Lizzie says.

JJ groans and puts his head on the table.

"Steven doesn't have to be here so why do I?" JJ says.

"Because Steven does his homework during the week. Now sit up and let's go over these problems," she says sternly.

He looks at the words on the page and really tries to read them but after a few minutes of trying, his head starts to hurt.

"Can I please be done?" JJ says.

"No, you just got started. When you finish the chapter, you can go play," Lizzie says.

"Why don't you just leave me alone? Go focus on Steven because he's obviously incredible and smart," he says.

She is getting really fed up and she knows she shouldn't snap at her twelve year old but she does.

"Steven at least listens to me and does his schoolwork when he's told," Lizzie says.

"I can't do it!" JJ says.

"Yes, you can, you're just being lazy. Why can't you be more like your brother!" Lizzie says in frustrations.

Bucky had been alerted of the situation by the yelling and decided to intervene before things got worse.

JJ starts crying but Lizzie just rolls her eyes.

"Fake crying is not going to get you out of this James," Lizzie says.

Bucky looks at his son. JJ does have a flare for the dramatics so it wouldn't be the first time he fake cried to get out of something but call it father's intuition but these seemed quite real.

"It's too confusing! Maybe I'm just stupid but the words hurt!" JJ yells through his tears.

"You're not stupid, you just need to apply yourself," Lizzie says.

Bucky ponders what JJ said about the words hurting. He develops a theory and decides to test it.

"Hey, buddy," he says.

He walks over to the table and kneels next to JJ. He strokes his curls soothingly, trying to calm him down.

"Can you read just this sentence to me? I promise you can go play when you're done," Bucky says softly.