Wicked Games (Demon!Steve Rogers) 18+

20

Three Months Later

"I just don't understand why she will not eat, will not venture out from this forsaken room of hers!" Emmeline's mother fretted to the doctor who was examining her daughter. She'd refused to leave her bed for the third day in a row and enough was enough.

The doctor took her parents to one side. "Your daughter is grieving the loss of her husband madam - she told me herself whilst you were out of the room earlier. Perhaps it best to give her time. Death and grief affects us all in different ways".

"But for how long? She's wasting away, uttering about demons or something like that. I could've sworn that I heard her talking to herself last night. People will talk about her again, I cannot have my daughter committed to an asylum..."

"Now it will not come to that, I'm sure of it. I'll prescribe her something to help her sleep, but she appears in good health, if not a little dehydrated - but that can easily be rectified with a frequent intake of fluids". The doctor said, writing out the medication that would be needed. "It could be the reason why you may have heard her talking to herself, hallucinations maybe..."

"I was not talking to myself". Emmeline's adamant voice now came from the bed, tipped with some annoyance to her tone. "If anything my mother is the one hallucinating".

Her mother's face fell. "Emmeline! You cannot go on like this. You have been home for months now. You were happy to be home at first, but now you will not even venture outside. That lovely young man, William Morton has even expressed his interest of marriage once you are out of your mourning period. Remember him? The one who visited a few months back?

"I have a husband. I don't care how handsome or rich Morton may be".

"Had" Her mother corrected her. "I'm not saying that it's no ok to grieve, because it is, but I am making a point that there is a chance of happiness after such sadness".

"The asylum seems the better option". Emmeline muttered under her breath as her mother began to consult with the doctor again.

She remembered William Morton when he'd visited a few months back. She'd sat and smiled politely, making a little conversation while also in the presence of her parents. Her eyes had gone to the window of the sitting room that looked out onto the street, thinking that she'd seen someone there, but finding no one.

She had wondered whether it had been Steve, but clearly not. He rarely came to the mortal world anyway unless the deal was a very good one. Just like hers had been.

Turning her back to everyone that was in the room, she closed her eyes and willed herself to just sleep. It was apparent that she was sleep talking even though she had been unaware that she had been. But her dreams were of him, and were almost to the point where they were not dreams at all. They were nightmares. The last one had been her staring at him as he'd turned to ash before her eyes and had been swallowed up by the soulless sea.

He had called for her, called her name.

Even thinking about it now, she realised that she was simply living for the sake of it. She felt that her soul had been ripped from her even though it still remained fully intact.

Eventually the Doctor and her mother left the room and Emmeline got up, walking to the door and locking it so as no one could come back in. She'd had enough of people for one day, much preferring the solitude nowadays. The colder nights were rolling in too, and she'd found herself opening her bedroom windows to feel it on her skin.

She felt the cold, but everything else? She felt nothing. Even the needle she'd stabbed her finger with while sewing the other day had been painless. She'd not even noticed it until her mother had gasped in shock that she was bleeding.

There was only one thing left to do. She had to go back, she wanted to, needed to.

She needed him.

Emmeline missed the way he was always so patient with her, never rushed, gave her attentions even when she didn't deserve them. She missed his presence lying next to her, touching her skin. Where she'd thought him cold before, now there was nothing but warmth.

She loved him.

Midnight by the great oak. It was the only way she could see him again. He would know it was her summoning a deal. It was his business to know.

After refusing anyone entry for the rest of the day, Emmeline snuck out of bed and readied herself, hearing the last of the servants climb the stairs to bed around 11pm and then taking her chance.

Her steps were light through the dimly lit streets, the town sleeping aside from a few lights in odd windows. Soon the cemetery's iron wrought gates came into sight along with the intimating shadow of the great oak. Still dead, but still serving as a reminder. Thankfully no one else was there to make a deal tonight.

Taking her ring that Steve had given her from her finger, she buried it at the base of the tree and then waited.

No one came. At least not in the time that it usually took.

She paced back and forth, passing the time by reading the names that were on a nearby mausoleum, and as she turned back? Someone was watching her...

"Emmeline? What are you doing here?"

She moved across the pathway to him and frowned. "Bucky? Where's Steve?"

"Business meeting, so I'm filling in".

"You're lying".

"Am not".

"Are too. How about for once you're a demon who tells the truth".

Bucky paused, then taking her to one side. "Ok yeah, I'm lying, but you still haven't answered my question. Come - take a walk with me, the cemetery's looking pretty good this evening".

Shoving his hands in his pockets he walked through the paths amongst the headstones, Emmeline by his side. "I came to make a deal, for him to take me back to the underworld. Truth is I'm miserable here".

"Didn't look like that a few months back when I checked in on you. You were smiling happily while talking to some guy who was visiting you". 

"William Morton? No! No, I had to just smile through the misery that was his visit. He wants to marry me after I'm out of 'mourning'"

"Might not be such a bad idea, compared to the Lord of the Underworld eh?" 

Emme stopped and glared at him. "Where is he? Because I know you're lying. He's not in any meeting, so tell me the truth". 

Bucky pondered. "You probably won't like it..."

"Try me". 

"Plus I'm not making any deal unless he gives me the go ahead, even then I don't think it'll help the situation". 

Emmeline looked at him curiously. "Situation?"

He ran a hand back through his hair with a sigh. "Come with me. There's not much time", turning and walking back in the direction of the great oak. 

"What aren't you telling me?" She was almost running to keep up with him. "Bucky!"

Finally reaching him, he looked guiltily at her.  "Em...Steve's dying..."

She swallowed the lump that had pushed it way up her throat, trying to make sense of why and how it had come to this. Her. It was her fault - she could feel it. Now she needed to make things right, whatever it took. 

"Take me to him. Now".