Asylum (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

Prologue

The medicines that had been injected into her had taken hold of her fully, surroundings unknown and all the while her body lacked the energy needed to fight back.

Many fuzzy faces had loomed over her, echoed words trying to determine the cause of the illness that she was apparently suffering.

She had wanted to yell, scream, tell them that she was perfectly fine and capable.

All this, and for what?

It was his word against hers.

"It's ok Dinah. We're going to get you the help you need sweetheart..." Her husband had said kindly, although she knew that his intentions were anything but that.

"No..." Was all she could muster, "No...please..."

Of course nobody listened. Why should they? They thought her mad, and only the mad begged and pleaded not to be commited to the place where she knew she would spend the rest of her days.

"Stop...please!" She wailed as yet more "Don't send me there! I'm fine!"

A different voice now sounded, "It's hysteria, see how she flails against the restraints? How long has she been like this?" Obviously a doctor, and now the sound of her husband's voice filled the room once more. "A few days, it's become progressively worse - I don't want to do this, but it's for her own benefit".

Everything that was spilling from his mouth were lies, even in her medicated state she could tell that.

"No..." Why was that the only word in her vocabulary that seemed to be making itself known? No one was listening.

"I'm willing to commit her privately, however I would prefer that she is transferred to the asylum of a night-time. My family have suffered enough and so has she, the last thing we'd like is idle gossip regarding my wife's mentality circling amongst the gossips in town".

There was hushed talk as Dinah began to feel herself slip in and out of conciousness, her body weakened from fighting against the restraints that kept her pinned to the bed. Her heart pounded and rattled against her chest.

She was going to die.

"Don't, I won't go - Please..." Her delirious state took over more, weakened words, weakened body and a weakened mind to just make it seem like she truly was suffering from the supposed hysteria that had taken over.

Her husband's voice and blurred image loomed over her. "Everything will be ok Dinah. It's the best place for you..."

She shook her head in disagreement. "You bastard...."

Her husband sighed. "It's the hysteria talking". He now said to the doctor. "The sooner we get her committed the better".

The doctor agreed. "We shall transfer her tonight as you requested. Do not worry, they will be very thorough with their treatment. Vormir is the only place that can help her now..."

Those were the last words Dinah heard before she slipped under, the battle against her husband and doctors lost - and when she would wake, she would be walking with those who - like her - did not even need to be committed in the first place.

Would her oh so 'loving' and 'caring' husband have her all but declared dead to him?

With his intentions? Probably. There was a certainty that he would not visit her, but instead would cover up everything, the embarrassment of having an insane wife not being something he would admit. He would move on with the woman who she'd caught him with and that was that.

She would be forgotten.

Left to spend her days rotting away in the god forsaken asylum that he was committing her to.

Five years of marriage and for what?

To be shunned.

The only thing that Dinah could do now was to try and prove her sanity to the white coated doctors and white capped nurses that she would be seeing from now on.

She needed to secure her freedom, however long it would take.