Time After Time - Sixth Jump

[foster_j]

Stumbling out of the dark vortex, Jane was grateful for the brick wall to lean upon. It was much warmer here and she undid the buttons on the black jacket as she took a deep breath, wondering where and when she was now. It wasn’t her laboratory, it wasn’t into her Bucky’s arms. He’d been there in their fevered lovemaking, she was certain of that, but that was then and this was now.

Her body ached and every step was a little sore, but Jane felt she had found a significant piece of the puzzle that was Bucky’s mind. They electrocuted his brain within minutes after pulling him out of cryostasis. They didn't even try the brainwashing triggers until after they had jolted his brain into submission. The human body, by default, acted to protect itself. Once the conscious mind was disengaged, the subconscious would do anything to protect the body. On a scientific level, it was remarkable that they still needed to do that, after decades of agonizing pain and conditioning, he continued to fight them.

The monster inside him wasn’t a product of some kind of hidden innate evil, it was a product of his brain trying to protect itself from being electrocuted.

Her stomach growled rather loudly and Jane checked the front pocket of her jeans, pulling out three very wrinkled hundred dollar bills - her absent-minded professor emergency stash that Darcy had instilled in her. Whether or not she could use them depended upon a great many things. Namely, where and when the hell was she?

Going to the end of the alley, Jane was thrilled to see English signs. A quick glance around revealed she was in New York, somewhere away from the center judging from the distance she could see to the taller building. The air was cold, but not bitterly. She found a newspaper stand. December 1991. Closer, babe, I'm getting closer.

She got food from a McDonald's, bought a change of clothes, and found a clean motel to eat her food and take a shower in, all the while hyper aware that she was somehow close to him. NY was a lot of ground to cover, but every other jump had put her within a mile of Bucky. Jane doubted that this time would be different.

Fed and clean, Jane felt like a human again, only the soreness between her legs was a constant reminder of the previous jump. A reminder that he’d tracked her on scent alone, but he hadn’t shown up in her motel room so Jane dumped her old clothes in a dumpster, keeping only his Army jacket. She knew she should get rid of it, but Jane couldn’t bare to part with it. There was no way to know how long it would take for her to get home.

Let’s get this over with, she sighed silently. Where is he?

The champion is to the North.

You’ve been calling him ‘the’ champion, but before, you always called him ‘my’ champion. Why the change?

The champion is on the path to you, but his mind is not his own.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, Jane looked in both directions before turning to the North. She began walking. I know. So it was simply contextual.

The champion is on the path to you, but his mind is not his own.

You just said that.

A loud car drove by and Jane glanced in its direction, walking straight into the Winter Soldier, stumbling back one step as she looked up in surprise at the same time the back of his hand slammed with her jaw, knocking her back like a doll several feet across the sidewalk. She heard the click of a pistol and scrambled for the alleyway, wanting to get away from innocents on the street, and Jane heard a shot ring out behind her as she ran to the next street over, her heart pounding as she stumbled around a corner. She knew now why the Aether said 'the' and not 'her'. This was the Other him.

The area was nothing but old warehouses and Jane heard another shot as she fell into an open door. Her jaw was a riot of fire and pain.What the FUCK!

His mind is not his own. Visual cognition activated other voices.

You let him hit me!

Biological impact is necessary to complete the loop.

You could have warned me.

The champion approaches.

Another shot rang out and this time, it bounced cleanly away from her in mid air. A thin fog of red surrounded her and Jane felt momentary lightheaded from the Aether drawing on her energy. Jane flinched, putting her arms up instinctively as another shot rang out, then another, and another, the dented, mutilated bullets raining down to the concrete in front of her. They found out about me.

Your physical appearance is his only focus, host.

There was a clatter and Jane lowered her arms, seeing that he’d thrown the pistol aside and was advancing on her, his metal hand slamming into the Aether shield, which knocked him back several feet. He made a low sound in his throat and came at her again and again, pounding on the shield without pause.

“James, stop! Fight it!” she implored him, but the sound of her voice only seemed to enrage him further, his blows coming faster, harder even though the Aether yielded not at all. Moving her mouth to speak had sent a showering spark of pain through her mind. Something was cracked or broken, she was sure.

Just as suddenly, he stopped and took a step back, his gaze narrowing. When he came forward, he set a small disk on the floor near the Aether before retreating to the other side of the room. The blast shook the building, blowing a crater into the concrete in front of her, and scaring Jane badly. Her heart was thundering in her chest as the Winter Soldier approached, his features twisted in rage, and again he hammered at the shield with his metal hand.

He’s not going to stop, is he? The fear Jane felt for herself had dimmed, but watching him, ruthlessly pounding at the shield, his relentless fury, it shook her deeply.

He will not. There are two realities in which he will. One requires your death, host. There are innumerable realities in which the champion irreparably damages the non-biological appendage and is terminated.

Terrific. And the other?

There are words you must speak.

You can’t… oh god, no. The Aether did not respond and Jane knew why. Two realities. Her stomach twisted as she began speaking, her voice faltering, both from her reluctance and the sheer agony of moving her jaw.

“Zhelaniye. Rzhavyy. Semnadtsat. Rassvet,” she stammered, tears slipping from her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. “Pech’. Devyat’. Dobroserdechnyy. Vozvrashcheniye na rodinu.”

The hammering began to slow and Jane wiped her cheeks, taking shallow breaths before continuing, her jaw howled in pain from each word. “Odin. Gruzovoy vagon.”

His hand froze and slowly, the Winter Soldier stood, staring at her as he replied, his tone flat and lifeless. “Baki gotovy vypolnit'.” Ready to comply.

Jane fought back the bile rising her throat. She knew how much he hated those words, even after Wanda had blocked the triggers in his brain. The Aether was silent, but the fog was gone and she bit back a sob. He might as well be a statue, only his gaze smoldered with resentment. Rising unsteadily to her feet, Jane closed the distance, lifting a hand to his cheek. “I’m so sorry, babe. They gave me no choice.”

He remained silent, unmoving.

“You… you completed your mission?”

“Mission completed. Witnesses terminated.”

“You didn’t see me. You... you don't know me. I was never here,” Jane told him, her hand lifting to cover her mouth when he nodded despite the pain, muffling a half-sob. “Return to where you must.”

The Winter Soldier held her gaze for a brief moment, then turned and left. Jane reached out to the wall to steady herself as she wept, falling slowly to her knees and she didn’t feel the tickle when it began.

The vortex swallowed her.