Death Where is Your Sting? - B. Barnes

Chapter 29

"I'm not lying to you, Ray. The Power Broker was the one that- We got you out, we're trying to -"

He was cut off by more bile rushing from her throat. She spat to clear her mouth and wrenched herself away from him. "Don't touch me."

The Soldier sighed and raised his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry. Let me get you some water."

"So you can poison me again?" She was shaking, shivering, and...what was wrong with her fingers? She tried to keep control of her body, not show any weakness.

The Soldier looked at her with a pained expression. "I would never hurt you, doll."

She glared daggers at him until he sighed and left, going up the stairs. Once he was gone, she'd leaned against the wall, suddenly exhausted.

They had every reason to kill her - she'd tried to kill them all, the Soldier numerous times. But...If they wanted her dead, they'd have done it by now. Wouldn't they? There were faster ways than poison. Could the Soldier be telling the truth? Blue eyes. Her head was hurting again.

She heard footsteps on the stairs, sat up straight again, prepared to defend herself...or attack. But it wasn't the Soldier that descended the stairs.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."

Captain America. He had a bucket, some paper towels, and a plastic water bottle.

"Thought you might prefer to see the water wasn't tampered with."

"You can tamper with an unopened water bottle."

He rolled his eyes. "I suppose. Here." He opened the bottle, she heard the plastic seal tear, and he tried to press it to her lips. She turned away. "You don't want to at least wash your mouth out?"

She paused. It did taste gross. It couldn't hurt to spit it out, right? She tipped her head back, conceding, and he poured the water into her mouth. While she swished, he picked up the bucket and held it in front of her. She spit the water into the bucket and sat back. "Thanks." The word jumped out of her mouth without thought. Why am I thanking him? He's the enemy.

"Sure. I'll just cleaned this up."

She watched him as he worked, trying to assess the situation. "Why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Not really our style. Unless it's self defense, no other option."

"So what do you want with me?"

"To help you. That cyborg upstairs? He's pretty fond of you. I'm pretty sure he's actually in love with you." He looked at her as he said this, gauging her reaction. He watched as her face scrunched in - disgust? No...disbelief, confusion. And then her eyes glazed over, seeing through him as she searched her mind for the truth. "He hasn't left your side except for I think twice - after you busted his nose that first night and just now. Hasn't slept. Only eats because I force him to. He is desperate to get you back."

The crease in her brow deepened, her eyes...asking him to explain.

Sam set the bucket down, the floor now clean, and knelt by the couch. "See, right now, the Power Broker is all up in your head. They messed with you, made you think your a killer. In another life, you kind of were but...that's not you. Hydra - this group of really shitty people, you'll remember them eventually...unfortunately - they brainwashed you into doing their dirty work. Did the same to Bucky, actually. Made him into the Winter Soldier even though he was a good man. Just like he's not really the Soldier, you're not really the Reaper. You're Ray. Raven. You worry about the safety of your friends, so you're too reckless with your own well-being. Too stubborn to ask for help until your half dead in a bathtub." He chuckled at the memory. "Bucky - well, we all want to help you be Ray again. Because she's pretty cool, even if she is a stubborn pain in my ass." He gave her a lopsided grin at that.

The Reaper was torn. "Why should I believe you?"

"What's your gut tell you?"

Her head said they were the mission, enemies, and it didn't make sense for them to have been so...kind? They hadn't tried to kill her, despite her attempts to kill them. They'd offered her food, water. And Bucky - Bucky? No...The Soldier...he had been patient, comforting even. Not like the Power Broker. But...her gut?

"You tell me. It's contents are sitting in your bucket."

He chuckled. "There she is. Just think about it. You can trust us. Trust Bucky, if nothing else. He...just trust him."

At that, the man stood, patted her knee, and returned up the stairs.

The Reaper - Ray? - sat in the silence, torn between two stories. Which was the truth?