[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]

“Yes, we would, thank you,” Ross says, before Bucky can say a word. “You must be tired too, miss.”

[marvel_npc]

"Nakia, please," she insists, and gestures towards the comfortable couches and chairs in the room.

"I'll be back in a little while. The king may be... tied up. I will arrange rooms for your stay."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Thanks,” Ross tells her. “We won’t go anywhere.”

Unless Shuri comes to get them, Bucky thinks, but there’s no need to mention it. Besides, Nakia already knows. “What he said,” he agrees, and moves to take a seat in one of the large, almost circular armchairs.

[marvel_npc]

She smiles at him, then heads out of the lounge, taking a different way through the lab so as not to distract Shuri.

She does, however, leave the princess a message, asking her to let the Sergeant and Ross know when the procedure is finished and where, if it was successful – she sends up a brief prayer to Bast hoping it will be – they can find her in recovery.

That task done, she makes her way to the train platform and towards the Citadel, a message to the staff chiming on a series of Kimoyo beads within its walls.

If the Task Force and the Avengers can find Klaue... but, like Sergeant Barnes, she cannot be sorry for T'Challa's choice, no matter what.

[nerves_of_ice]

Time passes, again. Ross checks in with his agents; Bucky keeps an eye on his phone. He texts Steve to let him know Sharon's in surgery, then does the same for Natasha.

Decades of being trained to stand silent and still keep him from pacing the floor. He still wants to.

From time to time he goes to the window and watches operations in the vibranium mine. They have aircraft that look like dragonflies, he notices, and a high-speed train that's nearly silent.

By mutual undiscussed agreement, he and Ross don't talk, save to share updates.

[marvel_npc]

She works with more care than speed, checking constantly to ensure the woman is not in danger of crashing. Bullet wounds are rare here, and she mutters to herself as she studies the damage done, the bone shattered, muscle torn, nerves destroyed. Removing the Kimoyo bead that had kept this agent alive for her trip here causes a cascade of alarms; once stabilized, Shuri focuses on removing the offending bullet itself.

That is the trickiest part, but it is successful, and she's flushed with pleasure as she begins the satisfying work of coaxing nerves and spinal fibers to regrow, preps the vertebra for the putty which will allow the bone to heal without so much as a bruise.

When at last she runs the light over the woman's back and watches her wound knit itself back up again, she's tired but pleased; the angry orange markings in the hologram are gone, replaced by calm blue. It will take some time and rest for her to heal completely, but Shuri sees no reason why she wouldn't.

Vibranium arms help her gently turn and dress the woman in a light robe, and Shuri pulls a sheet up over her before going to clean up. When she strides into the lounge, she's weary but smiling, her eyes bright as she addresses the two men there. "The procedure is complete," she tells them. "Your friend is resting in recovery now."

[nerves_of_ice]

He sees Ross slump with relief out of the corner of his eye. Bucky can't say he doesn't feel like doing the same. "Princess. Thank you. Thank you," he says again. "Can I see her? Wait with her?"

[marvel_npc]

Her expression softens and she nods. "Yes," she tells him. "Of course. But do not wake her up!"

She gives them both scolding glances. "She needs to rest."

[nerves_of_ice]

"We won't," Ross says. "Not until she wakes on her own." He gives Bucky a stern look; Bucky returns a level one, but doesn't snap. They're both on edge, but not in opposition.

"Is there anything we should watch for?" he asks, instead. "Signs of paralysis, infection, things like that?"

[marvel_npc]

"When she wakes, we will see if she can feel her arms and legs, if she can move her toes and fingers," Shuri tells him, though she's confident it will not be an issue.

The sort of recovery which is standard here would be miraculous anywhere else. She thinks with amusement of their likely reaction to their friend waking up with the ability not only to move her toes, but to walk around. "Everything else will be monitored by the system. You will see. She looks much better already."

She holds the door open and tips her head toward the lab. "Come, I will take you to her."

[nerves_of_ice]

Ross keeps pace at her side, with Bucky on his other side. He looks over Ross's head at the princess as Ross asks, "They said this is some kind of lab?"

[marvel_npc]

Shuri laughs, bright and amused, as she leads them through the corridor. "Not just some kind," she tells him. "This is the home of the Wakanda Design Group. Much of the technology you'll see was designed here, including the flyer which brought you and the Kimoyo beads which kept your friend alive."

The lab is almost organic in design, like the whorl of a conch shell. She leads them down the glass-lined hall, pointing out specialty areas as they go, her music thumping bass in the distance.

Their friend, she has moved to a large, quiet space near her personal workspace. Shimmering holograms over her head report her vitals and count down the time needed for the putty to do its work, for the nerves to regenerate. She is still pale, the agent, but otherwise looks far more like she's simply asleep than limply unconscious.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky absently catalogs everything that they pass as Shuri describes it, marveling at the myriad wonders. It's like they've been dropped into one of the old pulp stories he used to read or the old comics they'd look at sometimes, back when Steve was still in art school and learning how to draw people in lots of different ways.

They come around the curve into the room where Sharon lies sleeping, and he forgets everything else. Bucky moves over to take up position on the side of the bed, by her shoulder, and studies her carefully. He can't see any signs of pain or distress. "Hi, baby," he whispers, softly enough not to disturb here. "I'm here. I'll be right here until you wake up."

[marvel_npc]

Ross goes as directed to collect chairs from the other side of the space, and Shuri comes to stand on the other side of her patient, watching the man she'd previously only known as the Winter Soldier. "She did very well," she tells him, her voice quiet.

[nerves_of_ice]

A soft breath huffs out of him, a distant excuse for a laugh. "She's pretty tough," he murmurs, and looks up at Shuri. "And brave."

[marvel_npc]

"And stubborn," adds Ross, hauling a chair over and setting it at the bedside before going back for another. Shuri grins.

"That helps," she agrees, and glances at the readouts. They look fine, and she is satisfied. "I must go inform my brother and Nakia. The system will let me know if anything is wrong, but if you need me, I will be..."

She points toward her workspace. "Just over there."

[nerves_of_ice]

"That too," Bucky agrees, with a nod to Ross before he looks back at Shuri.

"Okay. And if there's anything you need from us... just ask. No matter what it is."

[marvel_npc]

"Just try not to break anything," Shuri tells him, teasing, and heads for her workspace, her fingers already flying over her Kimoyo beads. "Brother," she says, as she disappears into her lab. "I have good news."

[nerves_of_ice]

Ross brings back the second chair, and Bucky takes it from him. They settle on opposite sides of the bed and trade a look across it.

"So now we wait," Ross says, after a moment, and Bucky nods. "Yeah."

Ross blows out a breath and looks at Sharon. "Hang in there, Carter," he orders. "Keep getting better. We've got work to do."

[from_the_outside]

It's the surprise of her life when she blinks her eyes open and finds out she's not dead.

At least, she thinks she might not be dead. She's lying on her back and looking up at a ceiling limned with calm blue light, which makes her think: probably not dead.

On the other hand, she only feels a little sore and tired, instead of like everything in her body is shutting down, so... probably dead? Although if this is the afterlife, it doesn't seem to have a lot going for it yet. "This is weird," she says, or kind of says. Her voice is rusty and her throat is hideously dry, so it comes out a little rough.

[nerves_of_ice]

Ross is slouched in his chair, dozing lightly; Bucky's got his own head resting on his arm on the elevated bed, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. At the sound of Sharon's voice he goes from resting to fully alert in a heartbeat.

"It sure is," he says, gently, and reaches for Sharon's hand as Ross startles awake and leans over. "Carter?"

[from_the_outside]

She rolls her head at the first voice and blinks to see Bucky, then rolls it back the other way to view Ross. "Whoa," she mumbles. "You guys look rough. Long day?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"You could say that," Ross growls, but Bucky's learning enough about him now that he can see the relief the other man's trying to hide behind gruffness.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, squeezing her hand. Can she tell he's doing it? Can she squeeze back?

[from_the_outside]

Her lips twitch, tiredly, and she turns her head to look back at Bucky, her fingers curling lightly around his. "Tired," she says. "Sore. Pretty sure I should be dead right now. Baby, did a wall fall on you?"

Images are drifting back into her mind – smoke, billowing dust, a cataclysm of shattered cement and steel. "Are you okay?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Only a little one," he murmurs. "I'm fine."

A wave of relief washes over him as she curls her fingers around his hand, and he can see the same feeling in Ross's expression as the deputy commander's glance goes to Sharon's hand when she moves it.

"I'll notify the princess," he tells Bucky, before pinning Sharon with a stare. "Stay here, Carter. I'm getting your doctor. Don't try to move."