You Must Remember This

Chapter 32 - What could never be

HYDRA base, Siberia, May 12, 1946

"Ah, there you are."

Evelyn turned in her seat when she heard Nikolai's voice behind. He walked right over to her, ignoring the guards and the Winter Soldier, and flashed her the biggest grin. 

"I'm always here, Nik," she said, her head tilted curiously at him. "What's going on?"

"I need you to come with me." 

"What? Wh- Hey, let go!"

But Nikolai was already dragging her along with him, not heeding her objections. He held a firm grip on her hand, and unless she used brute force against him, there was no way he would release her. But another was about to make him.
When they passed the ever-silent Winter Soldier, he pushed his arm and legs against his restraints, making the bed jolt. Nikolai halted abruptly, causing Evelyn to crash against him. She saw the fear on Nikolai's face and followed his gaze. The Soldier's dark, icy expression was brimming with murderous intent as he practically snarled at the blond. 

Huh, that's strange. Why is he looking at Nikolai like he's planning to yank his head off? He knows him a lot longer than me and has never displayed this type of behavior before. 

Noticing something was amiss, the guards at the door rushed towards them, raising their rifles to shoot at the slightest false movement. Evelyn called out, ordering them to stay back. She couldn't allow them to antagonize the Winter Soldier any further. If he broke through his restraints, it would turn into a slaughter. 
The Soldier's eyes shifted down, sneering at the way Evelyn and Nikolai's hands were joined, before raising them to rest on Evelyn's face. With a decisive pull, Nikolai forced her behind him, shielding her from HYDRA's elite assassin. But that only made the man's nostrils flare in anger.

My God, it's me, realized Evelyn suddenly. He's reacting to what Nikolai is doing with me. But why? Does he want to protect me? Is this James coming through? Or...

She thought about all the times she'd felt the Winter Soldier's eyes on her, watching her every move. He'd made her feel like a cornered animal, yet hidden beneath the killer intent lay something else. Something she'd seen on lots of guys in the past and which always made her feel like an object instead of a person - a desire to possess.

So the Soldier does feel something. Interesting. 

"Nik, let me go," she whispered. 

Nikolai tensed up at her words. The shake of his head was barely discernable. 

"Trust me," urged Evelyn. "Let go."

Reluctantly, Nikolai released her hand. She positioned herself between him and the Winter Soldier. His eyes met hers. Yes, she saw it now. The usual dim embers of his lust were blazing furiously now, refusing to yield to someone inferior to him. Though he was a prisoner and weapon to be used at HYDRA's whim, it was evident that anyone who dared challenge this Alpha male for what he believed to belong to him was certain to pay dearly for it. 

"Отступи, солдат," she ordered. 
(Stand down, Soldier.)

His glare wavered a smidge as he pressed his lips into a thin line. Evelyn drew closer, raising her hand behind her to make sure Nikolai stayed back and didn't interfere. 

"Я не принадлежу ни одному человеку." Her voice was silent enough so that only the Soldier could hear her. "Никто, кроме того, которым вы обладаете."
(I belong to no man. - None but the one you possess.)

His penetrating eyes narrowed. Was he searching for the lie? Probably. Did Evelyn lie? Even she couldn't answer that. But whatever her true intention was, the Soldier appeared to believe her words and lay back into his pillow. He gave a single nod to Evelyn, at last complying with her. 
She stepped back and motioned Nikolai to follow her carefully. The Winter Soldier watched them like a hawk, turning his head until they were out of sight. Nikolai said something to the guards, but Evelyn wasn't paying attention to them. Her mind reeled in processing everything that had just occurred. HYDRA's puppet had revealed something of the utmost importance to her. If she played into that, there might finally be a way to get Bucky out of this horrid place. But how safe was it to place their faith and one chance of escape in their enemy?