About a month after Aster entered the red room, Rumlow passed it, carrying a top secret file to be delivered to Pierce. A couple seconds after he passed the door, a raw scream pierced the air, most certainly Aster's. He stopped, listening to the volley of equally painful screams and a series of sobbing. He was so close to opening the door, but he shook his head clear and carried the file to Pierce.
Throughout the next few months, Rumlow made it a habit to walk by the red room, only to be disappointed when the screams continued. One night, there was simply silence. Nothing.
The next day Rumlow dared to ask where Agent Parks was and was told rather sharply that she was in surgery. He inquired no further.
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Aster awoke in the least pain she had been in since she entered to red room. Then she realized that, in fact, her surroundings weren't red. In immense pain she sat up and noticed the bandages wrapped around her torso.
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Rumlow came to the hospital room only when requested, and found one glance at the surgery report was enough. The solider had broken almost every bone in Aster's small body, from her jaw to her toes. Steel supports had been laced down her back and when he looked upon her sleeping body, it looked even worse. Scratches and bruises covered her entirely and he could just glimpse a bit of silver coming out of the top of her hospital gown. She would have looked dead, except for the face she was stirring.
"Rumlow." She murmured, turned over and fell back asleep as he turned to leave. He just couldn't fight the tiny smile that graced his face as he left the room.
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"Sure, she's fragile now, but just wait. Project 37 will be the next winter solider." Zola spoke to the H.Y.D.R.A. council with a frenzied look in his eyes. Pierce nodded, somewhat convinced.
"What about you Rumlow?" The man broke out of his thoughts.
"Sir?"
"You're her S.O. Do you think she'll take her duties as a solider well?" He nodded swiftly.
"Agent Parks is a quick learner. Maybe if I could read her files, I could determine what she could tolerate." Pierce nodded silently and a set of files were passed down the table. He glanced at them and his eyes caught on the bright pictures. Pictures of her laughing, smiling and even crying flashed in front of him as a cough brought him back to attention and he tucked the file away, safe in his coat.
