The next day was more of the same. After her most recent attempt on his life, Bucky had refused to restrain Ray any more than she already was, feeling guilty already about the cuffs, so they'd agreed that he'd be the only one alone with her. His enhanced healing meant he could recover from her attacks more easily. And she took every chance she got to attack him, though Bucky was prepared. She didn't get more than a kick or two in before he'd toss her back on the mattress, only to repeat the process a short time later. At least she wasn't having panic attacks when she was trying to kill him. To say Bucky was exhausted was an understatement.
The Reaper had convinced herself that the Soldier, the Captain and the Distraction must have kidnapped her and were holding her prisoner, for what purpose she wasn't sure. They were toying with her, playing with her mind, and she didn't like it. They were the enemy, and she had to complete her mission and get back. Before she failed. At any cost. Even if it killed her.
On the second day, the Reaper had jolted awake to the Soldier's blue eyes as he knelt beside the mattress, a glass of water in hand, telling her to breathe. She'd dreamed - of an explosion, a bathtub full of blood, a large piece of metal...and she couldn't breathe. Blue eyes. She'd seen them in her dream. They were full of...fear and pain...similar to how the Soldier's looked now. They were so familiar. He helped her sit up, drink some cold water.
"You told me sometimes water helps. Better?"
She watched him through narrowed eyes. She couldn't remember ever saying such a thing. And why was he helping her?
"I get them too. They're memories. So real, sometimes you can feel it, even after you wake up."
He was right. She could still feel the metal in her lung, the pain in her right side. This dream, this feeling...it shook her. She had no recollection of this...memory? But it was so clear, so real. She felt...vulnerable.
"You want to tell me what you saw?"
Blue eyes. She turned away from him, said nothing. Blue eyes. They made her head hurt, she couldn't look at them anymore.
"You usually don't like to talk about them. I get it. But I'm here if you change your mind. You're not alone."
"You're not alone. I've got you. Let me." Those blue eyes.
She groaned at the pain in her head.
"I'm sorry."
She turned back to him at his words.
"The memories. It can hurt when they start to break through the...brainwashing."
She sneered at the word - brainwashing. He was the one messing with her head, making it hurt.
"It gets better. Promise."
She'd laid back down and turned away from him.
She had barely moved, had not spoken, for the rest of the day, but she only tried to kill him twice that day, and Bucky was relieved. Maybe they were making some progress.
~<>~
"What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything, Ray. It's the -"
"Did you drug me? Some kind of poison?"
"It was the Power Broker."
"Lies."
The Reaper had woken in the middle of the night, stomach turning. With her arms still bound behind her, she'd barely had time to roll to her knees before her stomach had emptied. She'd refused all food since she'd been captured so there wasn't much in there but her body sure had tried. The Soldier had raced to her side, pulling her hair back and resting a metal hand on her back in - comfort? No. He was the enemy. Now the Reaper felt sure of that. Any thought that he might not mean her harm was pushed aside after this turn of events. He must've done something to make her sick. Two days ago she was fine.
"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?