Ice Princess

9

While she did finally go to work, she didn't feel together or rested or anything. The best way to describe what she felt was numb. Even Love couldn't make her happy. Though she did try her best when Love came to visit. It also didn't help that Thanksgiving was going to be next week and she was utterly alone. She did reach out to Matt, but said she much rather just be friends. She couldn't give him what he deserved in a partner. Mina didn't know if she could ever do that for any man. If she couldn't be happy, how could she be expected to help someone else be happy as well. Perhaps it was best, she couldn't have kids. It could be God's way of saying, nope, you're not good enough to have your genes passed on. What happened next, was totally unexpected.

"Hey!" As the silver hand wrapped around her throat and threw her against the wall holding her in place with her feet on the ground. "Put me down!"

"No. You aren't who you say you are. In fact, you worked for Hydra." He said through gritted teeth.

"And I don't anymore. I didn't even know they were HYDRA." Her head knocked against the wall leaving an indent.

"Liar. That's why you've been acting weird. Why you don't socialize or anything with anyone." Mina held on to his wrist with both arms, then wrapped her legs around his arm to help take the pressure off her throat. She could feel him tightening his grip and the bruising starting. "Who are you working for now?" He slammed her again hard against the wall, her eyes starting to roll up into her head and her grip getting weaker on him.

"Bruce....F...." She didn't get the rest out, she was being choked too hard and going under fast. All she remembered was a flash of green before passing out completely. Professor Hulk pulled Bucky off of her as she slid to the floor. Bruce threw Bucky across the room away from her.

"She's not breathing." He scooped her up and took her to the clinic, when he got a heart beat back and her breathing was normal, Bruce gave her a sedative to help her rest. "What were you thinking!"

"She was a spy."

"Yeah she was, Fury's mole in Hydra and he got her out. Melinoe didn't know she was working for Hydra. She helped by sabotaging not only her own work but the work of others."

"Who's Melinoe?"

"Fury put her here because it was the safest place for her to be. Not only is she too brilliant to be here, but by being here she's safe. The two scientists who died last week, were her friends. She gave up everything to come work for us, her friends, her farm, everything but her cat."

"What about family?"

"That's another reason why she was so valuable as a mole to Fury. She had none. When she aged out of the system, she sued them and won. The only thing that limits her is honestly her mental state. She limits herself, if anything. You're such an idiot."

"How did she get those scars?"

"Her orphanage used corporal punishment for everything and took it to extremes. Then she was abducted when she was 15. What he did to her was inhuman, she's lucky that she keeps it together at all. Most people would have committed suicide by now because of it." Bruce was pacing now, "Really, all she wanted to do was make the world a better place. You've seen how good she is with Love. Melinoe designed your recent arm and Sam's suit. She's just had a bad go at life."

"Why do you keep calling her Melinoe?"

"That's the name the nuns gave her. Mina is the persona that Fury gave her, believe me, she hates it. Bucky, if we couldn't have gotten her heart started again, you killed her. You know that right?"

"When I first was hitting dead ends for Mina Wild and I saw her back a few nights ago..."

"Why did you see her back?"

"I went to talk to her about how she acted in the lab before she took a few days off. I didn't know she was grieving. She was wearing a top I could see her shoulder blades. Mina, I mean Melinoe, was a little drunk but asked me to leave after I noticed."

"Which caused you to start digging."

"Yeah. I thought there had to be a record somewhere of that she was abused, hospital records, a police record, something."

"Do you know where the name Melinoe comes from?"

"No."

"It's Greek. Daughter of Hades, goddess of ghosts, nightmares, and madness. The goddess is supposed to be extremely pale. Apparently, the nuns had a bad sense of humor when they named her."

"What's her last name?"

"Witt. That sedative should keep her out for a couple hours. While I know you'll want to apologize, please don't be here when she wakes up. OK? Let me talk to her first."

Bucky walked to his quarters and took out his phone dialing Fury.

"I was wondering when you'd figure it out." Fury said.

"This was not funny. I nearly killed Mina, I mean Melinoe."

"Did you?"

"No. Bruce bought her back. She was lucky."

"No, you were reckless. I bet she tried to explain and you tried to kill her with the arm she designed. Your lack of response tells me I'm right. I'll tell you one thing, that woman knows how to do her job, so if anything I would not piss her off. Nothing that she would hold a grudge or anything like that, but there is a reason she's on our side."

_______

"Needless to say, your cover's been blown." Bruce told her sitting next to the hospital bed. "Don't talk. Your larynx was almost crushed and you're going to need a week before you start speaking. I'm sending you home with some pain killers, no drinking." She gave him an eye for that. "Here's a chiropractor I want you to see. Human Resources is going to want to talk to you, when you can talk." Melinoe reached for her phone but winced. "Yeah, just in case, you NEED to take it easy, nothing's broken, but strained, yes." Bruce passed her her phone.

Great, I get to spend a long weekend in solitude and it's Thanksgiving weekend. It was bad enough last year, but at least I got to cook for the agents. Bruce read her text.

"You don't have to be alone. And you can cook for yourself."

You realize how stupid that sounds right? After almost of year of playing the loner to a T and this has to happen NOW? Thanks for the assist by the way. I am grateful for being alive...kind of. There was no bright light by the way, no friends and family waiting, just cold darkness. She knew Bruce was going to ask anyway.

"I'll have Sam drive you home and someone drop your car off for you. You shouldn't be driving, but I doubt you want to stay here any longer. You should be good to drive tomorrow."

Do I still have a job here?

"Of course you do. I filled Bucky in on a few things. He's feeling pretty guilty over everything once he found out. Go easy on him." She gave him a look. "Yeah, I know. Just play nice. At least now, you can be yourself, right?

I really don't know who that is anymore, you know that right?