Remembering Freedom

Send a Message

Jemma woke to the sound of screams and she wished they weren't familiar. They had put Barnes back in that damn machine, wiping away the progress she had made with him if you could call that progress that is. She tried putting the pillows over her ears, but nothing could block them out. Silent tears made their way down her cheeks and she didn't bother to wipe them away.

The screams went on for nearly an hour before they stopped and it was then that they pulled her from her cell. She tried to wipe the tears away with the back of her free hand. The site that awaited her nearly brought them back.

He was as disoriented as ever, his eyes half open as he was laid down on the bed. His chest rose and fell with shuddering breaths as the electricity coursed through his body, the muscles jumping beneath the skin. His lips were moving, but the words were silent...

"What am I supposed to do?"

One of the agents who brought him in sighed in frustration. "We need him in working order as soon as possible. Do whatever needs to be done."

Working order...like a bloody machine. That's all he was to these people and she told herself she shouldn't be surprised because this was HYDRA and they weren't known for having a conscious. She nodded. "I will see to it."

What did they think she could do to help? Electrocution at this massive a scale would've killed anyone else within seconds. He'd gone through it for nearly an hour. Who knows the damage that was done to him? Super soldier serum or not, she wasn't sure how much could really be repaired.

Leaning down she press the back of her hand to his flushed face, surprised by the heat radiating from his skin. Finding a thermometer, her suspicions were confirmed when his temperature read 103.1°. She immediately started removing the long-sleeved shirt he wore and she was horrified to find his chest and abdomen littered with bruises. Once the shirt was gone and satisfied that nothing was broken, she started unlacing the boots, followed by the socks.

Digging through the cabinets, she found a sponge and filled a metal tin with lukewarm water. She started at his forehead, the water running into his already damp hair. She ran the sponge down his neck, his pulse rapid beneath his fingers. Cleaning the sponge, she started on his chest, being gentle around the bruising. She'd seen bruising like this when agents had taken a beating, but there hadn't been defensive wounds. He hadn't fought back...

"I'm so sorry James." She whispered as she pressed the sponge to his forehead again. The muscles had stopped shuddering, thank God. "This shouldn't have happened...I shouldn't have pushed you to remember." Cleaning the sponge again, she ran it down his neck, being gentler as she reached the bruising on his chest and stomach.

"Not your fault, doll." Came a croaked reply and Jemma nearly dropped the sponge.

Jemma smiled at the old-fashioned endearment, putting the sponge back into the tin and grabbing a towel. She helped him dry off before helping him sit up. She let him put his clothes back on and when she went to check his vitals, he grabbed her wrist with his right hand, his expression stoic.

"What did you do to the Wiper?"

"I..." She knew she was a horrible liar and she knew he would see right through it. "I switched some wires, pulled a few. I hoped it would somehow lessen the effect."

"Why would you do that?" He eyed the fresh bruises on her neck and arm. He frowned. "I hurt you."

"Because I want to help you. Did it work? I had to make an educated guess since I'm not actually familiar with that thing." His hand was still wrapped around her wrist and her skin tingled from the contact, but she didn't pull away.