Leave Me Bleeding [Winter Soldier] I

Choice [Chapter 30]

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close." 

-Pablo Neruda

                "I'm here to see Steve Rogers," she said in a low voice, her hair covering her eyes as best as she could. She had taken a bus to get to the hospital, and the noises had made her head spin. When she arrived at the hospital, the chaos was no lesser, but it felt more directed. Organized chaos; she was familiar with that. She had gone to the first desk she had seen, right at the front, and a woman in a light blue uniform stared at her like she was a ghost. Ophelia thought, at first, that she had been recognized, but the nurse simply smiled, calming Ophelia.

                Despite how kind she looked, she spoke unsure. "He's with a visitor right now, only one at a time."

                "Who is his visitor?"

                "I cannot disclose that information," she said, seeming more stern with each word. "What is your relation to Steve?"

                "I'm his... friend," she said; it was all she could use to describe them.

                "I'm sorry ma'am, it is family only."

                "He doesn't have any family," Ophelia replied, growing impatient; it was a sad truth, but then again, neither did she.

                "Ophelia!" Sam Wilson's voice called from down the hall.

                "Sam!" She turned towards him, ignoring the nurse at the front desk who rose in protest. Sam wrapped his arms around her and she winced. "Ah, stop, please!"

                Sam pulled away, looking at her curiously. "We thought you were gone for good, kid."

                "No." Ophelia brushed her hair behind her ear. "Just preoccupied."

                "Any word on the Win-" He stopped himself. "You know..." 

                "That's why I'm here," Ophelia admitted; she knew that Sam was not going to be pleased to know that she had been spending the last week and a bit risking her life trying to get Bucky back, but she had no say in the matter and would do it again in a heartbeat if she had to. Sam only knew the Bucky had been someone Steve knew once upon another lifetime, and that he had been HYDRA. She hoped that he would understand. Steve, however, would have done the same thing as her if given the chance, and she wasn't going to say another word until she had seen him.

                "Come in, Steve will be happy to see you," he said with a smile.

                Ophelia followed Sam into the room; Steve was laid back on the bed, gentle music played throughout the small room. Light poured in from the open windows and Ophelia took a seat on the end of Steve's bed. He smiled at her, shifting upwards, wincing slightly as his wounds nagged at him. He had been shot more than Ophelia had, and she doubted that he would survive once she saw him on the shore. It was good to see him breathing properly, with colour in his face. He looked just as he had when she first met him, but happy instead of disgusted in her. 

                "Ophelia... I thought we had lost you," he said warmly. 

                "I know." She flushed. "I have... something to tell you."