Asylum

Therapy

It was only three days left for Steve to complete his first month in the hospital. He had agreed that Clint would visit him to get information: how he was doing in there, if he had problems and if he had gotten material for his story. More than a preview of information, Clint and Peggy, his editor, wanted to know if the blond was safe there or needed to be removed.

Although Steve knew that his experience in the hospital gave him enough information for his article, and also had Clint's help to get the rest, he felt more nervous every day. There was something he didn't foresee before proposing this story to Peggy: he didn't imagine how putting hospital patients at risk would affect him.

Of course, from the beginning he knew that he wanted to help them, that was his intention. But he didn't think about the possibility that his article made no difference to their situation. What if Valentina was in collusion with the New York authorities and nothing happened? What if patients ended up in a worse situation because of him?

Of course he was interested in the lives of all these patients, no matter how much or little he had talked to them. He liked everyone from Wanda and Sam to "Loki," the mystery patient who was obsessed with Norse mythology. But when he was overly distressed, it was one person in particular who was on his mind.

Steve thought he was doing the wrong thing. He couldn't let his friendship with Bucky put the brunette in danger. Sure, he had to be in contact with Bucky if he was his most important witness. But deep down, he knew he liked Bucky far more than he would be willing to admit out loud. More than his testimony, Steve liked spending time with him, watching him smile and knowing that he could make him feel safe. He wanted more time to get to know the omega, time was never enough with him. It was a very different relationship than the one he had with Darcy.

Some days Steve would go so far as to imagine what it would feel like to kiss those full lips at least once, or what he'd have to do to be able to spend a day with him outside of that hospital. Just him and Bucky, like two people who like each other and want to get to know each other better.

*****
*****

Twice a month, all patients attended group therapy in order to "get over their problems." They were divided into teams of five or six people and locked up for an afternoon with a doctor. At first, when he arrived at the hospital, Bucky had been frightened at the idea that the doctor was equal to or worse than Rumlow. But he was pleasantly surprised: somehow, this horrible place had an intelligent, compassionate, and truly trustworthy doctor. He didn't treat Bucky like he was a problem just for being an omega, quite the opposite: he wanted to help him overcome his real problems.

The last session had not happened because doctor Bruce was ill, but now it would be the first therapy with Steve. That made him feel even better.

But Bucky's illusion was shattered when he entered the room and found a new doctor there. He was a short beta, with a squirrel-like appearance.

"Hello. I'm Dr. Arnim Zola," he introduced himself in a high-pitched voice in an unpleasant way.

"Where is Dr. Banner?" Bucky asked, a little flustered.

"That phony will no longer work here. I'm your new therapist."

"What?! Where is he?! What did they do to him?!" This time Bucky was yelling, while Steve took him by the shoulders to try to calm him down.

"I have no idea where he is," Zola said with a chuckle, as if he were talking to a small child. "But don't worry, I do have the experience to help you and the others, Mr. Barnes."

Technically Zola hadn't done anything to him, didn't even know him (although Zola was already familiar with his name), but Bucky didn't feel comfortable in his presence. This couldn't be good.

He tried to calm down, after all Zola couldn't do anything bad to him here, right?

He sat between Steve and Darcy, who also seemed to have their own misgivings towards the new doctor. They were accompanied by other omegas with whom Bucky had never spoken.

"Well let's get started. Since Mr. Barnes needs so much attention, we'll start with him. How did you get to this hospital, Barnes?"

"I don't want to talk. I don't feel comfortable," said the brunette, more serious than usual when faced with a stranger.

"I didn't ask you if you wanted to talk. I gave you an order."

This couldn't be good. Bucky was starting to panic. "No...no. I can't, I'm sorry."

"Okay. If you are going to behave like this, I have no choice but to call Nurse Rumlow to put you in isolation."

By the time Zola finished speaking, Bucky was already hyperventilating. Darcy got up to hug him and Steve was about to do the same, but he sat down again.

"I want to talk!" The blond exclaimed, drawing Zola's attention.

"Uhh, Mr. Rogers! Miss Valentina told me that you were quite an impression, but I thought she was exaggerating a bit. What a gentleman!"

"Can I speak now? Just leave him alone, ok?"

Perhaps Zola knew that Steve "had the right" to better treatment for being an alpha, as he immediately agreed. "Okay. We'll be back with you next session, Mr. Barnes," Zola said maliciously. "Let's see, Mr. Rogers. Why are you here? Your file says that you have not fulfilled your alpha duties for your mate."

Steve swallowed hard and sighed before starting to speak. For him, it was still hard to get used to hearing things like "fulfill alpha duties", but telling his life story couldn't be that difficult. At least he could do it so Bucky wouldn't have to tell his now.

"That's right. I didn't do my so-called 'duties' because I don't believe in it," Steve replied calmly.

"You don't believe in what?"

"I don't think an alpha or omega is obligated to live up to the expectations of others. I think we can be whoever we want, as long as we don't hurt anyone else."

Zola chuckled. "Now that I hear you talk, I'm not surprised you ended up here. So why do you have a partner?"

Steve was speechless. He hadn't thought how to answer something so simple. Sure, he could say that he'd made the wrong choice for a mate, but then they'd be suspicious of Clint visiting him.

"Because I know that my partner thinks the same as me."

"And if he thinks the same as you, why did he ask this hospital for help?"

"Because he feels pressured. He thinks he has to meet the demands of society, when we could be happy being ourselves."

This time Zola stared at him for several seconds before replying. The room was completely silent, as if it was just the two of them.

"Tell me, Mr. Rogers: what were your parents like?"

"I'm not going to tell you about my parents."

"Again, I didn't ask if you wanted to tell me. It's an order: tell me what your parents were like."

Steve could go on arguing, but at this point he didn't want to cause any more trouble. Not when he had started talking just to put Bucky at ease.

"I didn't know my father... My mother died when I was a teenager."

"What did you mother die of?"

"For an experimental treatment to try to get pregnant again."

"Uh," Zola murmured, pursing his lips as if he were trying to cover a smile. "In other words, she really wanted to have another pup..."

"Yes."

"And I guess she was married again."

"That's how it is." Steve could barely stand the awkwardness of talking about his mother.

"What an admirable woman...," Zola said hypocritically. "Until the last moment of her life she fought to fulfill her duty, to make happy the partner she chose..."

"Enough...," Steve muttered, clenching his fists.

"I wish every omega in this hospital was a little like her..."

"ENOUGH!" Steve yelled.

"Does it bother you to hear the truth, Mr. Rogers?"

Steve couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and grabbed Zola by the collar of his shirt, ready to hit him.

"Steve, don't!" Darcy yelled, as Bucky stood up to try to stop him.

At that moment the blond came to his senses, released Zola and left the room at full speed. Zola didn't say anything, he was too startled.

*****
*****

How could he have fallen for that provocation? He had been too stupid, too naive. Now his little outburst could cost him all of his research. Everything depended on what Zola said to Valentina.

As his mind tormented him, the garden where he was sitting looked completely peaceful. Only the sound of leaves broke the silence. Then it was joined by a pair of footsteps, and the scent of a sea breeze.

"Can I sit?" Bucky whispered, as he put a hand on Steve's shoulder.

The blond just nodded.

"I'm sorry, Stevie. Everything that happened in there was my fault."

"What? Buck, of course not. I asked to speak, didn't I?"

"Yes, but it was for helping me. Hence, it's my fault."

Carefully, Steve took a strand of hair that was slightly covering Bucky's forehead and tucked it behind his ear. "I wanted to help you, you were very nervous and I didn't want Rumlow to hurt you for it."

Bucky smiled slightly and then leaned over to kiss Steve's cheek. "Thanks for that."

Then the two fell silent, watching the sunlight illuminate the tops of the trees.

Steve sighed. "I didn't know my father, and my mom remarried when I was little..."

"Steve, you don't have to..."

"I want to do it, Buck... When I was a teenager, my stepfather demanded that my mother have one more pup, because I was not his biological child. She had always had problems having heats, in fact my birth was a kind of a miracle. But she agreed because it was her 'duty as an omega'. Do you know what that asshole did after her death? He blamed her, said deep down she wasn't willing to fulfill her duties. He was just demanding 'his rights'. I know he wasn't directly to blame, but I can't bear the thought that she felt a responsibility to undergo that treatment. I can't bear to think that I couldn't do anything to help her."

When the alpha finished speaking, both of them had tears in their eyes. Bucky hugged Steve tightly, and in that moment the scent of sea breeze was all the alpha could breathe. And he wouldn't have wanted to complain either: the aroma felt especially sweet at that moment, reassuring and full of empathy.

Steve knew that omegas were capable of developing more of his empathy, but no omega had ever made him feel this way. So he clung to Bucky as if he had known him for many years, and only he could understand him.

"Stevie... you saved my life a few weeks ago. Maybe you couldn't help your mother directly, but every time you help someone you honor her memory. I know she's out there, and she's proud of the alpha you've become."

The blond's eyes filled with tears again, while he hugged the omega more tightly. Now he had one more reason (as if it were needed) to keep him safe.