[Virginia AU] we rose up from the falling waters

[nerves_of_ice]

A little over a week goes by, and as it does Bucky falls into a pattern, slow but sure. He wakes with Sharon in the mornings, shares coffee and something that suffices for breakfast, then works a little on searches and checking contacts and sources from other time zones and locations. Mid-morning finds him at the Task Force offices with Riley and his team. Early afternoon finds him meeting with Ross, if there's any reason to; mid-afternoon he checks in with Steve, with Tony, or with Natasha before he goes back to tracing rumors and hints.

Today's different, though. Today is Sharon's first day back at work after her suspension, and Bucky's determined not to do a single damn thing that might possibly make it difficult for her.

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[nerves_of_ice]

Once T'Challa leads Nakia away for a bit, Bucky reclaims one of the seats at Sharon's side. He keeps count of her breaths, only moving when Ross nags him into eating something - after which he does the same for the other man.

Time passes. They wait. There's nothing else they can do.

[marvel_npc]

They fly swiftly, but it still takes hours. T'Challa spends the flight spelling Okoye or sitting quietly with Nakia, listening as she tells him stories of her friend, her voice soft and fond.

He leaves Sergeant Barnes and Ross to themselves for the most part; they have had a number of shocks already today, and there are still more to come. Both stay near the unconscious woman, weary but vigilant. He hopes that, somehow, some part of her is aware of her defenders, who both seem to care for her so much.

Still, when they near the barrier of the shield, he shifts, considering, before coming to the men. "We are about to enter Wakanda," he murmurs. "I understand if you wish to stay here, but if you are able to spare a moment, you will see a thing few outsiders have seen in generations."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky glances at Ross, then at Nakia, who comes over to join them. "I will stay with her," she promises, and only then does Bucky get to his feet. Behind him, Ross does the same, and they follow T'Challa up to the front of the flyer.

It's beautiful countryside, Bucky thinks. He notes mountains and cliffs, green fields and high plains, with herds of animals scattered here and there. Everything looks to be thriving, as far as he can tell, from the vibrant, rich color of the vegetation, which only becomes clearer as they approach.

[marvel_npc]

He never tires of this, and he cannot imagine he ever will. The illusion is beautiful, what Wakanda perhaps must once have looked like... but what is behind it, he knows is more spectacular still.

As Okoye arcs the flyer directly into the trees, he hears Ross gasp – then the illusion dissolves around them and the spires of Birnin Zana rise into the air, graceful and gleaming, the elegant curves of the Citadel just beyond, Wakanda spread out, glowing and golden, beneath the morning sun. "Welcome to Wakanda," he tells his guests, and turns from the view to observe their reactions, not without a little smug anticipation.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky stares, stares, drinking in the sight before him. He can’t tear his gaze away from it, even when he sways forward as if he’s going to move to the seat beside Okoye just to get closer and hears the general hiss.

“It’s incredible,” he breathes.

[marvel_npc]

"Yes," T'Challa agrees, with feeling. "It is."

Okoye curves their flight towards the looming bulk of Mount Bashenga, and T'Challa tears himself away from the view to return to Nakia, who hands him several bundles of cloth; hooded cloaks. One of each of these he holds out to Ross and to Sergeant Barnes. "Wear these," he tells them. "Pull the hoods up. We have arranged for our arrival to be a quiet one, but we cannot risk any of you being seen just yet."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky gives it a dubious look, but makes no protest. He’s careful to hide his arm in its folds as well to make sure there’s no sign of his face in the shadow of the hood. That done, he moves to stand by Sharon. Ross goes to the other side of the table.

[marvel_npc]

Nakia unfolds a light sheet and brings it to where Sharon lies on the sand table as T'Challa slides out a floating gurney and places it nearby. "Help me move her onto this," T'Challa asks Sergeant Barnes, as Nakia waits nearby.

She holds up the sheet. "We will need to hide her from view, also."

[nerves_of_ice]

Ross makes a faint noise of protest at that. Bucky can’t blame him. He pushes away memories of shrouded infantry troops and gathers Sharon carefully into his arms, then places her on the gurney that T’Challa braces for him.

[marvel_npc]

"I'm sorry," Nakia murmurs, to all of them, her friend included. She gently unfolds the sheet over Sharon's prone body, laying it lightly over her face and hair as Okoye sets the flyer smoothly down.

T'Challa looks at the rest of them. "The General and I will ensure it is safe to move," he tells Sergeant Barnes and Ross. "Wait here until I call for you."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Okay,” he says, and Ross nods. Bucky can feel his focus narrowing the way it does when he’s got a target in his sights, and makes himself hold still. There should be no danger here. Should be.

[marvel_npc]

There is no one on the landing pad but two Dora, both of whom go at Okoye's order without question, once the ramp has lowered and she and T'Challa had walked out into the brilliant Wakandan sunshine. T'Challa reappears at the bottom and gestures them forward, and Nakia activates her Kimoyo beads, sending the gurney smoothly toward the open air.

They do not linger long on the summit of Mount Bashenga; in the next moment, they cluster into an elevator that will take them down to the lab. Nakia twitches the sheet back from Sharon's face and breathes a faint sigh of relief to see her friend still living. Pale and cool, but alive.

"Shuri will meet us in the lab," she tells the Sergeant and Ross. "And then we will see what can be done."

[nerves_of_ice]

He doesn’t allow himself to look around much, not knowing who else might be observing them or how much time they have before someone else arrives. Bucky stays beside the gurney, ready for anything.

“Thank you,” he says as they descend. It’s worth saying again, especially now that they’re starting to get an idea of the stakes. “A lot of people would have just left her. It’s a hell of a thing to put yourself on the line like this. I won’t forget it.”

[marvel_npc]

For a long moment, as the elevator descends, T'Challa is silent. Finally:

"I could not let her die," he says. "Knowing we could save her." He looks up, meeting Nakia's eyes. "Not when she was injured protecting one of our own."

The elevator doors open and light from the lab hall spills in as Nakia hurries them along. Quick footsteps sound, and in the next moment Shuri has come around the corner. She casts a curious glance at Barnes and Ross, but wastes no time, only falls into step with them. "I have prepared the surgical area," she tells T'Challa. "Follow me."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky keeps the cloak snugged around him until they’re inside the lab, just in case, but there’s no one else there. Ross is the first to push his hood back as he asks, urgent and a little wary, “Are you a doctor?”

When T’Challa doesn’t protest the removal, Bucky strips his off as well.

[marvel_npc]

"Are you?" Shuri snipes at Ross, as she swings the gurney around in front of the medical scanner, its hexagonal cells vibrating around the central display. A motion catches her eye, and she stares at Sergeant Barnes exposed metal arm, for the moment forgetting her patient.

"I know you!" she says. "Aren't you a terrorist?"

Ross rubs at his forehead, and T'Challa frowns, then looks at the Sergeant.

[nerves_of_ice]

“Never of my own free will,” he says, very steadily. “But if you’d feel safer if I were locked up or otherwise secured I won’t fight it. Just help Sharon. Please.”

[marvel_npc]

Shuri glances at her brother, who gives her a slight nod. She relaxes from her surprise and shakes her head. "That sounds like a very long story," she says, waving it away. "We certainly don't have time for it now. Sharon?"

She leans over the woman, looking for any response. "Can you hear me?"

There is not so much of a flicker of an eyelid, and Shuri grimaces, slightly. "She's deep," she says, and taps a Kimoyo bead. A blue light begins to run over the woman's body, and Shuri watches as several hexagons blur together to create a screen for the woman's vitals; others blink with data as it feeds into the system.

[nerves_of_ice]

“What are you doing?” Ross demands, only for Shuri to glare impatiently at him. “Quiet, colonizer!” she orders. “I am working.”

Bucky holds still and silent, barely breathing, afraid to disturb her. A glowing orange model of Sharon’s spine appears and he hears Nakia gasp and Ross curse. He can’t make a sound as he stares at it and the damage so clearly marked. Sharon should be dead. There’s no way she can survive that. There’s no way anyone could—-

"She will live," Shuri announces, with assurance. "And she will heal completely."

Bucky hears himself make a choked sound of disbelief.

[marvel_npc]

The Sergeant makes a rough, ragged sound, and Ross exhales relief. Nakia smiles, feeling a great weight lift from her chest, until her Kimoyo beads give a chime.

She glances down at them, then gives T'Challa a warning glance. "W'Kabi is here," she tells him. T'Challa nods and turns to the two men. "I must go," he tells them. "Nakia will show you to a place where you can wait."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, numb with shock and hope, and together with Ross follows Nakia out of the room and down a passageway. (There’s no way he’d be allowed to stay; not with a young woman who knows of his history as the Winter Soldier, not and risk the chance of anything going wrong for Sharon.)

“She’ll come and tell you when it’s over?” he asks Nakia. He can see Ross has the same question. “So I can - we can wait with her for her to wake?”

[marvel_npc]

"Yes," Nakia assures him. She can hear Shuri humming to herself and smiles slightly; it is a good sign. "This way. I expect this will not take as long as the medical procedures you are used to."

She leads them into a small lounge nearby, full of comfortable chairs and with wide windows that look into the interior of the mine. Gesturing for them to take a seat, she goes to a small refrigerator and pours several glasses of water, then comes to hand one to each man. "Shuri is a genius," she tells them. "Try not to worry."

[nerves_of_ice]

Ross doesn’t seem to hear her. “Holy mother of God,” he breathes as he walks to the window. “All of this?”

Silently, Bucky accepts one of the glasses, and looks at Nakia, waiting to see what she’ll say.

[marvel_npc]

Nakia smiles, and joins Ross at the window. "Yes," she says, simply. "This is our sacred mountain. The place where the vibranium meteor fell."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Pretty impressive,” Bucky murmurs. “I can see why you’ve been keeping it secret for so long.”