Avengers: Search for the Winter Soldier

Chapter 33

Title: Plans to Evaluate

Summary: Dr. Golden speaks with the team about pushing forward with her official mental evaluations of Soldat and the Winter Soldier; to include Sgt. Barnes if and when he makes an appearance.

NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to Ushi for your support and for being willing to share your comments with me. Thanks. – W6C

Steve sat on the floor with his legs outstretched; his left arm around Barnes and his right hand caressing his friend's face or stroking his hair absently. He sat with his eyes closed, following his own thoughts most of the time. Once in a while Dr. Golden would say something quietly and he'd smile or open his eyes to have a short conversation with her.

One of the things they discussed while Soldat slept soundly against Captain Rogers was her interest in starting an official evaluation of his state of mind. As far as they were aware, nobody had actually seen or interacted with Sgt. Barnes in the present day. Everyone had, though, seen or interacted with both the Winter Soldier and the one they were calling Soldat.

She had started to explain to Steve a few days ago how her assessment would go, but he and the Soldier were pulled away by Dr. Banner before she was able to begin. His drug treatment was more urgent at that time and she could always re-schedule. She told him that it would begin with short activities to evaluate his thought processes, his behavior when faced with certain situations – which she'd actually been doing since she arrived – and to try to diagnose the problems interfering with his ability to regain his memories and to retain information he'd been given so far.

Emily had left the room for a couple of hours to set up different activities in her office for him to complete after he woke up. After she'd taken care of the hands-on activities, she put her focus on the MMPI test. She really wanted to use this test as part of her assessment, but she was already aware that the usual questions on this test would not work toward a proper evaluation of Barnes, simply because he wasn't the personality available to her at this time. She had different activities for different levels of cognitive assessment, but something told her that she'd probably not be able to get the Winter Soldier to take part in her evaluation, but even that refusal would tell her a lot about his mental state.

When she returned to the Soldier's room she found Sam and Clint still relaxing in the hallway, leaving Captain Rogers in private respite with his friend. They looked up at her and she smiled at them as she made her way past them to the room.

She took her seat again, having seen that her patient was still asleep against Captain Rogers. Steve looked over at her as she sat down and offered a crooked grin.

"How are you doing, Captain?" she asked, smiling back at him.

"I'm okay," he assured her and adjusted his embrace on the man in his arms. "So what's next?" he asked, as if reading her mind.

"Well, that's what I was hoping to talk to you about actually," she told him. "I'd like to speak with the entire Soldier team though. Can I ask them to join us?"

"Yes, of course," he replied.

Emily contacted Natasha and Bruce via their earwig communication devices and asked Sam and Clint to come in the room for a discussion. Sam took a seat on the floor a few feet away from Rogers, with the Soldier between them. Steve smiled at him; pleased that Sam chose to be on the team and was really stepping up. Natasha took a seat on the floor almost directly across from Steve with Clint sitting between her and Sam. Natasha positioned herself so she had a good view of the soldier's face as he slept. When Bruce got there he took a seat in a chair he brought over and sat beside Emily. Once everyone was gathered around, she explained to them what her next planned step was for the Soldier. She had expected to administer the evaluation test modules to him a few days prior, but had to postpone due to his treatment. She kept her voice soft so as not to disturb Barnes and everyone followed her example if they had questions or made a comment or observation.

"Since I arrived here, I've been evaluating the Soldier and his interactions each day as a passive observer, which you all know. I feel it's time now to evaluate him in a more active and direct capacity, using official methods to test cognition, emotional responses and behavior. These methods will identify the areas that require therapeutic focus and guidance," she explained to the group.

"What will that entail?" Sam asked. As a councilor of veterans with PTSD, he was quite interested in her evaluation methods.

"I'm glad you asked and I'm happy to explain it to you," she told him, including the whole group in her response. "Psychologists can often classify behavior as being in a normal or abnormal range using what we call the four D's of psychopathology; the four D's stand for Deviance, Distress, Dysfunction, and Danger. A fifth D is sometimes added to the evaluation in regard to the Duration of the unusual or abnormal behavior, but that has already been established. I'm not going to even try to pull apart his history from week to week or year to year over a seventy year period."

"I think I understand what the three others are referring to," Steve mentioned, keeping his volume low as he continued to hold Soldat's face in his right hand, letting his thumb caress his cheek. "What does Deviance mean exactly?" he asked.

"It refers to deviant behavior," she told him. "Does he display deviant behavior? Deviance itself is defined by a person's tendency to stray or deviate from an accepted normal behavior, both socially and sexually. Deviance includes criminal activity and violations such as robbery, theft, rape, murder, and assault in the evaluation process."

"Well, we already know he's committed murders and assaults," Steve pointed out. "God knows what else they've made him do," he added softly as he thought out loud.

"For over fifty years," Sam added, emphasizing the long duration of his deviant behavior.

"That's true," she concurred. "My tests will evaluate him beyond having to discover whether or not he's committed these acts. We already know he's committed those acts. The tests I've set up should help us evaluate to what extent he can be expected to deviate from normal and expected behavior or if it's at all possible for him to be triggered into committing these actions without someone ordering him to."

"You mean remotely. It's what he's trained to do," Sam interjected. "Shouldn't we be expecting him to respond in a violent manner whenever his behavior is questionable?"

"Absolutely," Dr. Golden assured him. "I don't want any of you to lower your guard around him at any time, even when it appears that Soldat is the one you're dealing with. The circumstances can change in an instant and I want you all to be ready for anything at any time. This case is so unprecedented… I'm learning as I go, just as you are."

As if on cue, the man sleeping against Captain Rogers began to stir. Steve's first response to feeling him moving was to freeze and then he had to force himself to keep rubbing his thumb against the man's cheek. He hoped the soft touch would help keep the Soldier at bay and assist in helping Soldat or Bucky to emerge.

Everyone present became aware of the soldier slowly rousing from his deep sleep against Cap and they stilled and became quiet. The soldier slowly opened his eyes and blinked at the first person in his line of sight, which was Natasha. She smiled at him and his brow knitted slightly as if wondering where he was and what was happening. He tilted his head back and looked up to see the blonde man's face close to his.

He became aware of the sensation of something touching his cheek and he raised his metal hand to try to identify it. His fingers wrapped around Steve's hand and he pulled it away to look at it. When it registered in his mind that it was a human hand touching his face, he went on alert and pushed away from Steve.

Sam was sitting on the floor with his back against the adjacent wall to the left of Steve and Soldat so when he pushed away from Steve his foot pressed against Sam's leg. He turned to see what his foot was touching and pulled his leg in when he realized he'd kicked the man's leg. He froze and held his breath, not sure why he was on the floor and surrounded by the blonde man and his whole team.

"It's okay," Steve told him. His left hand was still on Soldat's back and he maintained that contact, trying to keep him from panicking. He did seem to trust Steve and he did equate him as being a friend. Steve wondered if he remembered that exchange at all.

Soldat's eyes swept over the group to assess the situation and who was in the room with them. There were a lot of people but he recognized each of them and none of them had attempted to hurt him in any way so far. Some had even shared food with him, clothed him, and even played a game with him.

He looked at Steve and the two old friends just looked at each other up close for a few moments while the team watched them. It almost seemed like the soldier recognized Steve and was trying to figure out from where. When Soldat opened his mouth as if to speak to Steve nothing came out. He tried again and still nothing. He began to show anxiety at his predicament and didn't understand why he had no voice.

"Why can't he speak?" Steve asked, glancing at Bruce and Emily. "What happened to his voice?"

"It's possible the issue stems from his brain being forced to find a new way of functioning," Dr. Golden offered as a possibility. "He's lost the power of speech while his brain re-routes that functionality or re-configures that part of his brain."

"So we teach him some sign language until he gets it back," Clint suggested.

Steve smiled at him. He was really pleased that Clint Barton had somehow become part of the soldier's team without asking or being asked officially. He just showed up when he was needed… and even when he wasn't.

"I think he knows some already," Steve told him. "He showed me that sign for friend in the gym. Natasha… you said that's what it meant?"

"Yes, one of the languages we were taught during our training and conditioning was sign language," she told them. "I don't know if the intention was so we could complete our missions in silent communication with one another over a short distance when silence was required or if it was intended for us to be able to give mission reports on our return to base even if we couldn't speak due to injury or… whatever."

Clint took it upon himself to wave a hand in the soldier's direction to get his attention. When Soldat looked over at him, Clint signed to him 'Hi. Are you okay?'

Soldat watched his hands, glanced at the other people and then back to Barton and nodded.

"He definitely knows American sign language," Clint confirmed.

"What did you say to him?" Steve asked.

"I just said "Hello. Are you okay?" and he nodded that he is," Clint told him.

"We don't have to sign to him, do we?" Sam asked. "I mean, he's not deaf… he can hear us, he just can't talk, right?" The soldier turned to look at Sam as he spoke up. Emily watched him but she didn't know if he looked at Sam because he understood what he was saying or if it was simply because he spoke.

"Yeah," Clint told him, "but if you don't know how to read sign, how are you going to know what he's saying?"

"Good point," Sam replied.

"Clint knows sign and so do I," Natasha told the group. "We can be his interpreters until he gets his voice back."

"Good to know," Dr. Golden said, nodding. Her attention was then drawn to the soldier who was still looking over his shoulder at Sam quite intently and Sam was holding his attention by staring back. "Sam?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he responded without pulling his eyes away from Barnes.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything," he told her. "I'm just sitting here. He turned to look at me and is now staring at me. Why is he doing that?"

"I don't know," she told him. "I think one of you should blink though."

Sam deliberately blinked his eyes while Soldat stared at him and that action seemed to push the soldier out of his focus and back to looking around the group. His gaze stopped on Natasha and he stared at her now, but his expression still wasn't one of anger or a challenge. He seemed to be interested in her. She smiled softly at him and he raised his right hand; curled into a fist with his thumb standing up. Her smile widened and she raised her hand to him in the same way.

"He remembers," Dr. Golden observed.

Natasha slid across the floor on her butt until she was close enough to him to reach out, offering her hand for him to take. He looked at it and then glanced at each person again, unsure if he was being set up to be punished if he took her hand without permission. Then he turned to look at the blonde man. Steve smiled and patted his back gently. "Go ahead," he told him, giving him permission to play the game with the red haired female.

He turned to face her again and slowly reached out with his right hand to take her hand, curling his fingers into hers. Everyone watched them as Natasha began to say the little rhyme that begins the Thumb War. It took him a moment as he watched her thumb bounce back and forth as she counted and then he remembered he was to do the same. Natasha smiled when his thumb began to bounce opposite hers and Steve smiled watching their interaction.

"That's what you two were doing the other day," he realized.

"Yeah," Nat answered as her thumb tried to evade his. Steve and Emily both laughed softly when Nat let out an exclamation of exasperation at being defeated yet again.

"Ugh! You are too good at this game!" she said to him still smiling.

He looked at her and then around at the others sitting in the circle. Everyone was smiling and some laughed softly and their responses were of interest to him and his gaze lingered on them, but he didn't smile back and Emily took note of that. It was a perfect example of a deviation from normal human behavior because most people would have reflexively smiled when surrounded by a group of people smiling at them.

Natasha switched the position of her hand and simply held it flat under his hand with her palm turned up. Soldat studied her hand and then opened his hand. He turned it palm up as she was doing and then Natasha slowly turned hers over on top of his. He watched her hand with intense focus and didn't realize the entire group around him was also watching what she was doing with interest. Natasha had simply laid her hand gently atop his and then brought her other hand up and under his. She held his hand sandwiched between hers with gentle pressure. It was such a simple act that would have meant absolutely nothing to anyone else, but for him it was the entire world at that moment. She cradled his hand between hers and held it gently, rubbing her thumb against his hand or caressing his hand with soft strokes of her fingers. She kept his attention on her, keeping her voice low when she spoke to him so the others could continue their meeting while she kept him distracted. She glanced at Steve and raised her eyebrows at him. "You guys can keep talking while I have his attention."

"Oh… right," he replied. "What was the next D in the evaluation?" Steve asked Emily, prompting the discussion forward.

"Distress is the second category, which refers to the non-specific symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. High levels of psychological distress are indicative of impaired mental health and it can reflect common mental disorders related to depression and anxiety. The presentation of extreme, frequent or prolonged anguish, suffering, pain, affliction… fear or terror and discomfort… related to abuse or torture…"

"I think we've already assessed that also exists," Steve mentioned.

Dr. Golden looked at him and then nodded. "We have, yes, unfortunately… but knowing it exists and being aware of the extent to which it exists are two different things. So I'm going to test him on it anyway." Steve nodded that he understood and Dr. Golden continued. She knew everyone was listening to her even though they were all watching Nat and the soldier interacting.

"The Dysfunction part of the test evaluates his behavior when operating in a normal setting… much the same as we have been doing during meal times in the dining room," she pointed out that specifically, so they understood what was referred to as a normal setting. "It includes assessing any disturbances in the way he thinks, how he controls or regulates his emotions – does he show appropriate emotions for the situation he's in, that sort of thing.

"Put simply, dysfunction refers to a breakdown in cognition, emotion and/or behavior. The Winter Soldier, as we already know, displays a very unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving in a social situation. He has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and the people around him in a normal way, he is extremely paranoid and distrustful… Remember the day I picked up the juice from his tray and his response was to slam his hand down on mine?" Steve looked over at her. He'd forgotten about that actually. He nodded now that she reminded him.

"That's a prime example of the breakdown in cognition, emotion and behavior. Anyone else would have simply asked me to put it down, but his response was immediately aggressive in its nature. He didn't hurt me, but the intention to do so, if he had to, was apparent. His response to that minor situation was far out of normal range… for us. Just based on that one incident, I can tell you he will score very high in this area, meaning he is severely mentally and emotionally impaired and displays abnormal mental functioning and patterns of behavior. He believes his response to any given situation to be normal and is what he should be expected to do. He doesn't know what normal is. His 'normal' is not normal by society's standards."

"So, basically, he's dangerous," Sam concluded, nodding. "We knew that."

"We know for a fact that he's dangerous," Dr. Golden concurred. "But the Danger testing module will evaluate the state in which the individual is most likely to do harm to himself or others or if he represents a threat to his own safety or to other people's safety.

"What's the difference?" Sam asked.

"Being 'likely to do harm' is in direct relation to his actions and his intention to do harm… such as pulling a gun or a knife on himself or others. 'Representing a threat' means his actions may endanger himself or others even though that's not his intention."

Sam nodded his understanding of the two. "Like Lennie from "Of Mice and Men".

Dr. Golden thought about that comparison and then nodded. It was a good example of someone unintentionally harming others. She looked at the man sitting on the floor with Natasha and her heart went out to him on a solely emotional level. She pulled herself out of the moment, not wanting to get that emotionally involved with him. She needed to maintain her professional disconnect so she could evaluate and treat him properly as his needs dictated.

"We also have a very good idea of the duration of these abnormal behaviors. Decades… and that's an awfully long time to have been forcefully deviated from normal society and its social conventions."

"Do you think he's a lost cause?" Steve asked, as he watched what was happening in front of him. He didn't really want to hear the answer but he needed to know what to expect. Natasha looked up from gently caressing the soldier's hand in surprise and the others also looked to him. The soldier, however, was completely focused on the sensation of her hand caressing his.

"Captain, I don't consider anyone to be a lost cause," she told him and when he looked up at her she smiled. "I wouldn't be here if I thought he was a lost cause." Steve pursed his lips together and nodded. "Now, if you'd be so kind," she continued, "I'd like to get started with the evaluation as soon as we're able. I have it all set up and ready to go, but there's no rush. We're not going anywhere and neither is he. Let him relax and interact with you all and when he's ready, get him dressed and get him something to eat. Take your time with him, every interaction is extremely important… and I like what I'm seeing here," she said, smiling at Natasha. "When you're ready bring him to my office… I have reports to read or to finish so I'll be there whenever you're ready. Okay?"

"Absolutely," Steve agreed.

"Also," Emily continued before she stood up. "I'd like for you to be present during Soldat's exam, Captain… and I'd like Natasha to keep herself available in case the Soldier makes an appearance." Natasha looked up at her with a curious expression. "You have an easy way of handling him that nobody else seems able to do. The easier we can make the entire process on him, the better. The Soldier knows you… you're more familiar to him than anyone."

Natasha gave her a small smile and nodded her consent to be present. "Of course, whatever you need."

"Thank you, Doctor," Cap offered and Emily gave him a nod and left the room with Banner.

Soldat watched the two doctors leave the room and turned to look at the blonde man. Steve looked at him and smiled. "You need to get dressed," he told him then shifted his position to stand up.

Natasha let go of his hands and Soldat turned to look at her again. She smiled at him and then rose to her feet. Sam and Clint also stood up and prepared to head out.

"We'll catch you upstairs, okay?" Sam said to Steve.

"Yeah, we'll be up shortly." He smiled at Natasha and she turned to follow Sam and Clint.

When everyone was gone Steve reached down and hooked Soldat's arm as a gesture to stand up. He did and Steve walked over to his bed. Opening the bag of clothes that Nat had brought down a few days ago, he took out a pair of jeans, socks and two tee shirts; a red one that had an obscure logo on it that he didn't recognize, but was certain it meant something to whichever lady picked it out… and a blue one with a small American flag on the left chest. Steve thought that was a pretty cool one and laid it on the bed with the red one. Soldat watched him as he laid out the shirts and then picked up the blue one with the flag on it.

Soldat tightened his grip on the shirt until it was curled up in both his hands with just the American flag displayed between his fingers and he stared at it. Steve watched him as he studied the emblem. After a few long minutes he touched the flag with his fingers, rubbing them over the embroidery and then he looked at Steve.

He was surprised and didn't know what to think when Soldat lifted his fingers from the embroidered flag and pressed them to Steve's chest.