Asylum (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

4

Steve sat opposite Superintendent Ross in his office the next morning after doing his rounds. The office was dreary, much like the man who was behind the heavy desk of mahogany. Everything neat and tidy, papers were stacked to one side as he'd worked through them with ink stained hands.

Better than blood stained, so Steve supposed.

His own office wasn't exactly the nicest to frequent either, hence why he'd spent more time out of in than in. The sight of barred windows had become familiar to him, but sometimes still caught him off guard - then remembering where he was and why.

The elder man now eyed him as they had a breif moment of silence, before breaking it.

"What are your thoughts about Mrs Walker?" Ross asked, taking his cup of coffee and sipping at it.

Steve frowned. "I've yet to make a formal diagnosis as to whether it is hysteria that is inflicting her, but currently I wonder whether she was rightly committed. She claims she is sane".

"Only the insane claim to be sane Rogers, you and I both know that". Ross chuckled. It was like an unspoken rule at Vormir that if a patient claimed sanity? Then they were deemed as anything but that. "That woman is just as mad as the rest of them. Spent all day staring out of the window like a long lost puppy. I'm guessing that her treatment shall begin today?"

Steve held his tongue, but answered all the same. "With all due respect superintendent, Mrs Walker has only just arrived. New surroundings, new people, medications and treatments, she has every right to be scared". He'd seen it in her eyes yesterday upon first speaking with her.

She was alone. Frightened at what could be in store for her.

"I say send her to the Red Room and then all of her problems will disappear". The look Ross now gave him was a sinister one.

Yes, and probably Dinah herself would. Some patients returned, others didn't. The subject about what happened behind that door was not discussed with him, only the doctors and nurses who were the ones working in there. The door was locked and even he didn't have the level of authority to access it.

"Not yet". Steve said, wanting to avoid that for Dinah as well as any other patient who was sent there for 'treatment'. "I've observed Mrs Walker and I think the usual treatments will be beneficial to her, but if they're not? Then we can discuss what will happen next".

"Then let's hope they work for her sake". Ross said, shifting slightly in his chair. "I'll let you get on doctor, I'm sure you have a busy day ahead". A sign to Steve that he should leave, and to be honest after that conversation? He was glad to.

Making his way out, Steve checked to see which patient he was seeing first and then headed to find them, most likely they were in the recreation room where he had first met Dinah the day before.

Natasha Romanoff.

Natasha had been a Vormir before he'd arrived, under the care of the previous physician who had left. She was a ballet dancer, or at least had some training. It had become a form of therapy for her to glide around the rec room, even though there was no music. In her mind there was. Steve had encouraged her to pursue it more in order to forget the battles raging in her mind. She had been one who apparently had experienced the red room, yet she had never opened up about it - the subject too traumatic for her to do so.
The last thing he wanted was for all the hard work to be lost and for her to relapse. She was stable for now, and although she claimed to be mentally competent and aware, her guardian had insisted that she remain at Vormir for the sake of her own sanity and safety.

He watched her as she was lost in the dance before feeling his presence there and stopping. Steve putting the clipboard under his arm and clapping.

"Beautiful as always Nat". He told her as she now came over to sit down with him.

Nat made herself comfortable. "How is the new patient? Dinah?"

Ah, so she had spoken to her already. That didn't surprise him in the slightest. "I've yet to see her, but she seemed fine on evening rounds last night".

"She's sane, just like me and you know it, doctor". She uttered just loud enough for him to hear and no one else. "Please, don't have her sent to the Red Room. No one deserves that".

Steve wrote a few things down, eyes on his clipboard as he spoke. "And yet you still won't tell me what happened in there? It could be a vital part of your treatment..."

She slammed her fist down on the table in front of her. "No!" Then looking down and realising she had lashed out easily. "No". She repeated calmly. "I can't. If I recount it then it'll just bring back bad memories - then you'll tell me I'm insane for sure. Just don't send Dinah. She doesn't need to be here".

He looked at her and then rested the clipboard in his lap. "That's for me to decide".

"I know that you know it! You told me that I didn't need to be here, and yet Ross keeps me like an animal!"

Steve's lip twitched slightly and then he rose from the chair. "Ross has the final say as to who stays and who is deemed sane to be released. Unfortunately all I can do is help as much as I can, but that's as far as my authority goes. I wish I could do more Nat, really I do".

"Then all of us here? We have been condemned to a slow death - but some of us may have the privilege of it being quicker than others". She looked at him intensely, Steve choosing to leave and ponder on her words.