Leave Me Bleeding [Winter Soldier] I

Change of Heart [Chapter 18]

"None of us really changes over time. We only become more fully what we are."

-Anne Rice's "The Vampire Lestat"

                Ophelia stared at the mask.

                It felt fake in her hands, as if her mind had fabricated it. A slight motion from her peripheral vision brought her back into the serious reality she didn't want to face, and she quickly joined the ranks of guards. When in the back of the van, Ophelia assessed the situation at hand; Natasha had been shot by the Winter Soldier, a pained look on her face as she clutched the wound. As Sam spoke up about her needing medical attention, Ophelia watched as Hill pulled out a baton that was electrified. It made Ophelia jump slightly, the thought of electricity running through her mind disturbing her. But Hill used this device on everyone else in the back of the van, leaving Sam, Natasha, Steve and Ophelia. 

             When Hill removed her helmet, she muttered. "That thing was squeezing my brain."

             The minute the van stopped, Hill pulled out a device that was able to burn through anything, and they cut a hole in the bottom of the van, and through the road itself. By the time Rumlow even realized they were gone, it was far too late. 

               They had headed back to the dam where Fury was, a location kept secret from anyone who might want any of them dead. When they had returned, Natasha, Steve and Sam were speaking with Fury himself, and Ophelia's hands went clammy. They were discussing whether or not to let Ophelia help them; they were going to stop SHEILD and HYDRA alike, and more importantly, stop Project Insight. Now that they knew of the algorithm and how it was going to target everyone who SHIELD would want alive, mostly everyone who still sided with SHIELD and anyone who was enhanced like Steve Rogers. They knew they had no other option than to stop it. They were going to need as many trustworthy people as possible.

                Whether Ophelia was trustworthy or not was exactly what was being discussed as she sat silently, looking at the mask still. Her thumb touched the metal mouth guard; it was smooth under her fingers. Only hours ago Bucky had been breathing through there. She had to remind herself that he was not Bucky anymore, but she also refused to give up hope that she could still find him. HYDRA's methods were not foolproof. If they were, she wouldn't have been sitting where she was, waiting for Captain America to clear her name. 

             As her eyes caught motion, she looked up and spotted the very man. Steve exited the room where Fury was healing, a dire look on his face, but there was hope in those blue eyes. Blue eyes that reminded Ophelia of Bucky's. 

                "Good to see you chose the right side," Steve said authentically. 

                "I've never been given a choice, until now."

                "Would you have chosen good then?"

                "Depends when you would have asked me. I've been brainwashed, tortured, drugged, poisoned, abused... You'd think any sane person would always choose the opposite, but it is hard when you have never felt friendship, compassion or... love."

                "You knew my friend..." Steve couldn't stop the question from escaping; he was still having a hard time understanding the situation that was at hand. Stopping HYDRA had been one thing, but discovering that his best friend was back from the dead and not in a good way, that was a whole new ball park for Steve. 

                "Bucky," she replied with a faint smile. It was as if he was just a memory now.

                "What did they.... What did they do to him?" he asked.