October 43 (Steve Rogers x OC)

Chapter 5

Steve's face changed as the words left Bridgette's mouth. "You're Schmidt's wife?"

"Not by choice. Had I have said anything earlier? Well...you probably wouldn't have been as willing to listen to me as you have been". She told him. "You may have treated me harsher than I have already endured - but I suppose it's no more than I deserve".

He shifted on his chair before moving it more up to the table so as the conversation became a little more private between the pair. "Has he hurt you?"

"I...I don't want to talk about it". She couldn't - not yet at least. Everything she had been through still kept her awake at night. "Anyway, he was too focused on achieving his goals, but to be taken more seriously and seen as someone with power and control? He needed to look 'stable' enough if that is the correct word for it? I rarely saw him by day, but others knew about our marriage all the same. Many other nurses who were taken with me would tell me they would rather die than to be associated with him, most of them did purposely, as I told you. But Schmidt? He would have me watched, even if he thought I didn't know. I couldn't go anywhere without being followed or spied on. He had control over where I could venture, and where not to. At night, he would keep one of my wrists cuffed to his while we slept. He was a mad man".

"He ever tell you anything? About his purpose for Hydra?"

"It's purpose was to bring the world to it's knees under their rule. That is still the goal. He told me that freely. There were times we would have dinner together, and he would talk freely about the organisation".

Steve nodded at this, "the facilities are used for research and weapons development..."

Bridgette hung her head. "Yes, and I fear that his recent discoveries will pose a threat to all who Hydra will come up against - and that is not just during the war". She sighed. "They were trying to recreate Erskine's serum, but aside from that? Schmidt had something that only he and Zola knew about, and I am sure it had something to do with weapons development- I only know this because I walked in as they were looking over it. He got so mad when he saw I'd perhaps seen something..." She trailed off, a memory she didn't want to relive entering her mind. "I'm sorry..."

Steve gently placed his hands on hers. She didn't flinch this time but instead she was shaking. "You're doing great. All of this? It can help us with taking down Hydra full stop. We need to destroy the facilities and everything inside..." He paused. "Did he ever show you his face?"

She frowned. "His 'face'? How do you mean?"

Suddenly it dawned on him that the woman who had endured much more than she'd deserved had not seen the real face of Schmidt. The one that he had revealed to Steve on escaping from the facility they'd taken. He felt some relief to say the least, it would have given her nightmares.

"The face you saw, it wasn't real - it was a mask of what he'd looked like before, but under it? It was worse, a result of him testing Erskine's first batch of serum on himself. He was warned about it, but went ahead and did it. If anything I'm glad you never saw that".

Bridgette said nothing for a moment. "Your colonel will not trust me now. Not that he did before, but I know you'll have to tell him about this. They will think me more of a murderer than they did before. Perhaps asking me to help was a bad idea".

"Who you are will not get out, but I will have to tell the colonel everything that you've told me". He looked at her. "I told you we wouldn't hurt you. I don't break promises".

"You are a good man Captain, and whatever happens to me? I'll remember your kindness". It wouldn't surprise her if she was executed for being who she was. No one trusted her, even if the Captain was the only one to make an effort, she knew it was only for the SSR's personal gain to help bring Hydra down and win the war. He may say that no one would hurt her, but there was no guarantee about it.

She was the enemy in this situation, and their prisoner.

As for the man who had taken her for a wife? Did he know she was here? Had Hydra agents been keeping tabs on her? Did he even know she was alive? She hoped not. If he thought her dead then it was for the best, no way did she want him coming to find her and taking her with him. She was safer here with her captors - as bad as that was.

"Captain..." She started.

"Steve". He corrected her.

"Steve..." She said and looked at him seriously. "He could be looking for me...I don't want to endanger anyone and..."

He stopped her. "We won't let that happen, okay? You've given us some good information, the last thing we're gonna do is have him take you from us". Rising from his chair, he now extended his hand to help her up. She took it and they made for the door.

"Come on, we need to go to Phillips. Perhaps if he heard some of this from you? He might be a little more sympathetic of the situation".

"Maybe, but others won't".

"We will deal with them, leave it with me" He promised.

"I do not need protection Captain. If I can handle Johann Schmidt then I can deal with snide comments from a few women. I will not have them wound me with words".

Steve nodded but told himself all the same that he wouldn't allow Bridgette to be mistreated by anyone.

Not on his watch.