Death Where is Your Sting? - B. Barnes

Chapter 29

The next day was more of the same. After her most recent attempt on his life, Bucky had refused to restrain Ray any more than she already was, feeling guilty already about the cuffs, so they'd agreed that he'd be the only one alone with her. His enhanced healing meant he could recover from her attacks more easily. And she took every chance she got to attack him, though Bucky was prepared. She didn't get more than a kick or two in before he'd toss her back on the mattress, only to repeat the process a short time later. At least she wasn't having panic attacks when she was trying to kill him. To say Bucky was exhausted was an understatement.

The Reaper had convinced herself that the Soldier, the Captain and the Distraction must have kidnapped her and were holding her prisoner, for what purpose she wasn't sure. They were toying with her, playing with her mind, and she didn't like it. They were the enemy, and she had to complete her mission and get back. Before she failed. At any cost. Even if it killed her.

On the second day, the Reaper had jolted awake to the Soldier's blue eyes as he knelt beside the mattress, a glass of water in hand, telling her to breathe. She'd dreamed - of an explosion, a bathtub full of blood, a large piece of metal...and she couldn't breathe. Blue eyes. She'd seen them in her dream. They were full of...fear and pain...similar to how the Soldier's looked now. They were so familiar. He helped her sit up, drink some cold water.

"You told me sometimes water helps. Better?"

She watched him through narrowed eyes. She couldn't remember ever saying such a thing. And why was he helping her?

"I get them too. They're memories. So real, sometimes you can feel it, even after you wake up."

He was right. She could still feel the metal in her lung, the pain in her right side. This dream, this feeling...it shook her. She had no recollection of this...memory? But it was so clear, so real. She felt...vulnerable.

"You want to tell me what you saw?"

Blue eyes. She turned away from him, said nothing. Blue eyes. They made her head hurt, she couldn't look at them anymore.

"You usually don't like to talk about them. I get it. But I'm here if you change your mind. You're not alone."

"You're not alone. I've got you. Let me." Those blue eyes.

She groaned at the pain in her head.

"I'm sorry."

She turned back to him at his words.

"The memories. It can hurt when they start to break through the...brainwashing."

She sneered at the word - brainwashing. He was the one messing with her head, making it hurt.

"It gets better. Promise."

She'd laid back down and turned away from him.

She had barely moved, had not spoken, for the rest of the day, but she only tried to kill him twice that day, and Bucky was relieved. Maybe they were making some progress.

~<>~

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, Ray. It's the -"

"Did you drug me? Some kind of poison?"

"It was the Power Broker."

"Lies."

The Reaper had woken in the middle of the night, stomach turning. With her arms still bound behind her, she'd barely had time to roll to her knees before her stomach had emptied. She'd refused all food since she'd been captured so there wasn't much in there but her body sure had tried. The Soldier had raced to her side, pulling her hair back and resting a metal hand on her back in - comfort? No. He was the enemy. Now the Reaper felt sure of that. Any thought that he might not mean her harm was pushed aside after this turn of events. He must've done something to make her sick. Two days ago she was fine.