You Better Not Be Her Prey 3

Chapter 10: Excruciating, Unending Pain and All You Can Do Is Watch

The next morning was quiet, and the quietness settled like a rock in my stomach, as I understood what was coming. I was allowed five minutes with Bucky before they took me out of my cell and placed me inside of another one, two other angels (I didn't know their names) chaining me up and forcing me to my knees. I wrapped my hands around the chains, winding them around my wrists and gripping the chains, my heart pounding in anticipation. I heard a machine whirring behind me, and I looked to see a headpiece coming down towards me. I began to tug on the chains, my heart pounding harder as the long-withheld trauma from the brainwashing chair in my HYDRA days began to resurface. The headpiece settled around my head and suddenly, I felt the electrical shocks rattle my body. I screamed in agony, feeling my body violently spasm, the pain behind my eyes white-hot and searing. It felt like hours before the headpiece lifted, and I choked, letting out a cry of pain. My head was pounding, feeling the Angel trying to keep herself in my mind. I felt my eyes shifting back and forth between regular, my vampire eyes and my Angel eyes. I groaned. 

After what seemed like hours, and after several more rounds of the electric headpiece, I was dragged back to my cell. I drowsily felt someone lay me on the bed and I promptly passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. 

I heard voices above me as I drifted in and out of consciousness. 

'You didn't tell me you were going to do that to her!' a voice shouted angrily. 

'It was the necessary procedure for the removal of the Angel entity from her mind. You knew that.' 

'I didn't know you were going to cause her trauma!' the angry-sounding voice shouted again. 

'Sometimes, to see the dawn, you must first break through the night...' the second voice replied calmly, and I promptly passed out again into unconsciousness. 

I kept hearing voices. 

'Vitals are good... she should wake up soon...' a female voice said. 'What's our next course of action, then?' 

'Just keep her stable. Sargeant Barnes will soon understand that this course of action was for the best.' 

'But he didn't know about what the removal process entailed... did you not tell him?' 

'It was better that both of them didn't know.' I felt my entire body relax as I passed out again.

Several days later... 

'After the first few rounds of the headpiece, she's in pain, but she's getting better,' one of the scientists said, leading Enoch down the halls to Adelaide's white-walled cell. The scientist opened the door to lead the Angel into the room, where she sat, her back against the wall, staring straight ahead. She was quiet, and barely registered Enoch's presence. He pulled up a stool and sat in front of her. 

'How are you feeling?' he asked her. She shifted her eyes over to his. They were blank. Not entirely devoid of emotion, but just tired. Very tired eyes. 

'All of it - it hurts. So much. Everywhere.' 

'I take it you understand that we can't let your husband in to see you.' 

'He's been outside my cell.' 

'I know. He's been keeping vigilant watch, and he's very protective. It's for the best that we can't let him in. We don't know what state of mind you're in, and the Angel entity is still very much there. In the event that you could hurt him, we won't let him in until we're sure that you're free and clean.' 

'Please...' she responded in a tired, broken tone. 'I need him.' 

'You can't see him. Not yet. I'll let him keep watching you for the time being, but I cannot let him anywhere near you. Not just for his safety, but for yours.' 

'You can't just give me five goddamn minutes with him...' she said softly, but the tone behind it was angry. 'Why are you here, then?' she snapped. 

'I'm here to offer you a deal. Now that you're in a slightly clearer state of mind, we can talk about the deal I'm about to offer you, the thing that I'm giving you in exchange for getting the Angel removed.' 

'I wasn't aware this was a deal, Enoch,' she said, using his name for the first time in quite literally forever since she'd met him. 

'I know, I didn't tell you. I wanted to make a deal with you when you had a bit more of a clearer state of mind with your old self.' 

'Go on.' 

'So, in exchange for getting the Angel removed, as per the rules of being the Angel of Death, you took several lives when it wasn't authorised by the will of Heaven to take them. As per the exchange you are making to remove this poisonous entity from your body and mind, I will enact the resurrection covenant.' 

'The "resurrection covenant"? I'm confused.' 

'It was a covenant set specifically in place for the Angel of Death alone. If the Angel's actions killed someone, or several someones, that weren't authorised to have their lives taken or their souls harvested, then Heaven will revive those people that were slaughtered with no memory of being slain.' Her eyes lit up as she finally registered his presence. 

'So does that mean that my mother -' 

'Your mother is out of the question. Her life was authorised to be cut off at the decreed point. I'm sorry, Adelaide. Your mother is not coming back.' Her eyes filled with tears. 

'She's not coming back?' she asked in a broken tone. 

'I'm sorry. She isn't. The other souls that were slain are to be revived effective immediately as per the resurrection covenant, but your mother is not to return. Don't worry,' he said, standing, attempting to leave her to her grief. 'Your mother lived a good, long life. I will personally ensure that she gets the rest that she deserves in death.' He was about to leave, but then she spoke again. 

'Can I see her? One last time?' He turned to her again. 

'I'll make the arrangements,' he said, then walked away, the cell door clanging shut shortly after. As he walked away, he heard the sobbing coming from her cell. Whether she was relieved or grieving, he wasn't sure.