Sane // A Winter Soldier Story

chapter three // trapped

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"I didn't fool you, but I failed you." -Only Love by Mumford and Sons

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〘Athena〙

"So, shall we take Mr. Barnes to his room now?" Mr. Caraway asked.

Steve reluctantly nodded, his eyes darkening a little bit. Athena came to again, pulling herself from her thoughts and scanning Bucky and Steve' faces. 

Steve still didn't look comfortable with the situation at hand, and Athena couldn't blame him. Bucky's eyes simply grew far away as Mr. Caraway spun on his heals, immediately setting off for Ward 3. Athena assumed that Bucky was dissociating again. She couldn't blame him for that either.

Ward 3 had been specially designed for the most dangerous patients at the Virginia State Psychiatric Facility, and consisted solely of a large cell with two-foot-thick glass windows around it. There are two airlocks alone just to get into the cell, and there's an alarm system in place that is set to go off after even the smallest touch to the glass. It was widely considered to be impossible for anyone to be able to get into or out of this prison without a fingerprint scan.

Athena disliked the idea of the cell. With the entire wall consisting of glass, anyone inside would feel simultaneously trapped and exposed. They would be unable to leave, and unable to hide. She understood that the facility needed to keep an eye on the Winter Soldier, but the cage they had built for him was not going to help with his state of mind at all. She got the feeling that no one really cared if he got any better- they just wanted him to be locked up and tucked away. Out of sight, out of mind.

Athena frowned at the thought. Everything seemed to be stacked up against this man, and she made a mental note to herself to begin planning his course of treatment once she got home. For now, though, there wasn't much she could do except watch his suffering. So she sighed in frustration and went to follow Mr. Caraway and Mr. Smith, but before she could, Steve spoke.

"Ms. Evans?" he whispered, and she turned, eyebrows raised. He was walking half a step behind her, and she waited for him to catch up. Once he did, she fell in line beside him.

"Please, call me Athena," she said, and he nodded quickly, looking distracted.

"Athena, I need you to do me a favor."

Athena frowned again and looked into his blue eyes. There was a small hint of determination in there amidst all the disgust.

"Promise me that you will take care of him. I don't want him to just be cast aside and thrown in a cage. I want him to actually receive treatment. I don't know if they'll ever let him leave, but at least if he gets attention from someone who cares, it might be easier for him to sleep," Steve muttered, looking at her desperately. Bucky stared straight ahead, not acknowledging Steve's voice. He was still very much out of it, and Athena glanced at him curiously. His cold detachment fascinated her.

Athena also noted how much Steve cared for his friend, despite everything he'd supposedly done. Steve really wanted him to get better, and Athena was glad, because that's exactly what she wanted, too.

"Mr. Rogers-"

"Please, call me Steve."

"Steve, I became a psychologist because I wanted to help people. I don't just want to talk to them about their problems; I want to heal them. Rehabilitate them. Get them to a point where they are able to embrace life rather than despise it. And I promise you that I will get your friend here to a point where he can reenter society safely and comfortably, for both himself and everyone around him," she answered, her voice quiet and sincere.