Heart of Spades

Helpless

   Sofi woke up to find herself back in Bucky's bed.

"Bucky?" She sat up, wincing as her head spun.

"Careful, doll," Bucky stirred awake from his spot beside her, cautiously watching her.

"What happened?" Sofi asked him, "Where's Loki?"

Bucky's eyes darkened at the mention of Loki, "Don't worry, we took care of Loki."

But instead of the relief that Bucky had expected to see, Sofi frowned, "What do you mean you 'took care of Loki'?

There was a sinking feeling inside of Sofi as she remembered falling down the stairs and reopening her scar.

"We locked him up so that he can't hurt you again," Bucky reached for her hand but Sofi ignored it, standing up abruptly. The supersoldier looked at her, startled.

"He didn't hurt me!" Sofi began walking towards the door, but Bucky grabbed her hand, not letting her leave. She tried to shake his hand off but his grip was too tight, "Loki didn't hurt me."

Bucky was confused, "What happened then?"

"I was drunk and I fell off the stairs."

Sudden realization hit Bucky, "He's mind-controlling you, isn't he?"

"What? No!"

"Sofi, you're a supersoldier," Bucky explained, "You can't get drunk."

She frowned at him, blinking, "Yes, I can..."

"No, you can't," Bucky reassured her.

Sofi's gaze turned distant as she grew lost in her thoughts.

"Doll," Bucky pulled the girl towards him gently. He whispered to her, "It's okay. You can tell me the truth. Did Loki push you down those stairs?"

"I don't know," She swallowed, saying the words so quietly Bucky barely caught them.

Sofi stood up again, eyes pleading, "I need to see Loki. Please."

Bucky sighed, ignoring his instincts to say 'no', "Alright, doll."

Together, they walked to Loki's cell together.

Sofi was confused now. She had been so certain that Loki hadn't even touched her and she'd fallen on her own. But then, what was with her feeling drunk if she wasn't able to get drunk?

The girl couldn't tell the difference between the truth and the lie. Between reality and her dreams. Had last night even happened? Or was Bucky right? Had Loki been mind-controlling her?

A little part of her kept whispering that Loki was good. That he would never do something like that...

"Sofi!"

Sofi realized that she'd made it to the prison and was now looking at Loki.

"Sofi," He repeated, getting as close to her as possible, his hands pressed against the glass. She noted that they were cuffed together again, "Are you okay?"

"Are you mind-controlling me?" Sofi whispered, ignoring his question.

Something in his eyes changed, shifting to realization, and Sofi's heart dropped. She turned to look at Bucky, "It's okay. You can leave now."

But Bucky stood firmly to the ground, "If he is mind-controlling you, I won't let him do it again. Not on my watch."

Sofi sighed, switching her attention back to Loki, looking at him expectantly.