Asylum

The ugly truth

"What do you mean dangerous?" Steve felt stupid just asking that. "I mean, we already knew that, right?"

"You're not understanding me. In this place they were willing to practically kidnap a doctor and force him to follow a "treatment" that he didn't need just because he does not think like them. You have to get out of here, Steve. Right now."

"What?! No, I can't go now!"

Clint was exasperated. "Steve, please! I know why you don't want to leave, but you can't put yourself at risk for a crush! You will be much more useful outside... Listen, when you are outside I will help you get him out of here."

"Sorry. I won't do that. I won't leave Bucky here alone."

"Steve..."

"Please, Clint. You have to help me with this."

The omega sighed, annoyed. "Even if I wanted to help you, how are you going to get him out of here? I'm supposed to be your mate and I can only help YOU."

"You said there is another way out of here."

"You're talking nonsense, you know?"

"You said it! If Banner could get out, we can. I just know I won't get out of here without my friends."

"Friends? I thought you were talking about one person," Clint said, about to raise his voice.

"Well, we have another friend, Darcy. It would be cruel to leave her and, if we are already thinking of running away..."

"God, I must be crazy... Ok, I'm going to find out exactly how Banner did it. But you'll have to wait a few days and be really careful. Much more than you have been until now."

"Done."

*****
*****

Steve met Darcy outside the visiting room.

"What happened? Your friend looked worried."

"It's going to be okay," Steve said quietly, though he couldn't hide his wide smile. "We're going to get out of here, Darce. The three together."

"Steve, what are you talking about?"

"Let's go with Bucky, I'll explain to both of you."

They both walked at full speed to Bucky's room, but the brunette wasn't there. Then Steve remembered the kiss, and knew that he needed several explanations for tonight.

"He must be avoiding you," Darcy said.

"Well, we'll have to find him."

The two friends searched the gardens, which were already dark, in the dining room and in the corridors of the hospital. Steve was beginning to worry, until he saw that the light in his own room was on.

The brunette was sitting on his bed, with his back to the door.

"Bucky! I have to talk to you."

But when he got close enough, his heart skipped a beat.

Bucky had in his hands Steve's notebook, the one he had used since the first day he spent in the hospital. Apparently the alpha had forgotten to hide it. Bucky's eyes were flooded with tears.

"A witness? A fucking experiment, that's what I am to you?!" Exclaimed the brunette with a broken voice.

"Buck, I can explain..."

"Yes, of course you can," he said sarcastically. "I would have thought this of anyone but you. I trusted you, Steve!"

"Please..." The alpha tried to hug him, but was rejected.

"I think you've had enough. You've made fun of me enough."

The brunette left the room, also ignoring Darcy's pleas.

*****
*****

Bucky pulled the covers up and buried his face in the pillow, unable to stop crying.

He couldn't believe what Steve had done. Why had he tricked him like this? It turns out that he was in that hospital by his will, that his partner was a fake and that he kept a diary where he recounted the bad things that had happened to Bucky. And worst of all: he wrote about him in such a clinical, professional way...

At best, Steve was a journalist who wanted to help him, but had never really cared about him, much less been attracted to him; it had all been in his imagination. At worst, Steve was no different from the alphas that Bucky had known in his life, he had only entered the hospital to experience something different, and had chosen him to have some fun.

How could he think that someone like Steve would genuinely care "that way" for him?

He felt totally alone, more than ever. It was much worse to have believed that he had found a person to trust and realized that it was all a hoax.

And Darcy, did she know the truth too? Bucky didn't even feel like finding out, at this point.

The door to the room opened, causing Bucky to jump.

"I don't want to talk now, Steve," the brunette said, wiping away tears.

"I'm not Steve," Brock Rumlow said from behind Bucky, covering his mouth tightly.

The omega tried to wriggle out of Rumlow's grasp, move his arms or legs, but the alpha was too strong. Though he tried to scream, the sound surely couldn't reach other rooms.

A needle stabbed into his arm and, within seconds, his limbs had gone numb.

"Now no one will stand in our way, sugar," Rumlow said. It was the last thing Bucky heard before sleep overcame him.