Love is a Battleground

Sanctuary

                             Two weeks later.

"I'm taking her out of her coma soon. She will need a familiar face to wake up to."

Steve heard the words Shuri was saying to him but wasn't fully processing them. The Wakandan doctors had figured out what was wrong with Kyla's brain that was preventing her from waking up on her own. It's too good to be true. "But shouldn't we get-" Steve began, lifting his wrist to access the communication beads so he could call Bucky and/or Lucas.

"They are occupied at the moment, and you are here, not them. Now come," Shuri said and lowered Steve's arm, keeping hold of his wrist to force him to follow her. "Once I begin the process, it will be over very quickly."

All Steve could do was nod silently in agreement to Shuri's directions and trail behind her through the halls of the immaculate Research and Development complex until they reached the princess's personal lab.

Not ten minutes later, Steve was swallowing his nerves and dragging a chair over to Kyla's hospital bed, watching for the first sign of movement as Shuri activated the program she developed to finally wake Kyla up.
                             — — — —
Towering out of the cluster of small Wakandan children - Jade's newfound friends, despite a slight language barrier - Bucky good-naturedly allowed Jade to take his hand and lead him through a field that led to a grove of gnarled desert trees.

A small bridge reached across a bubbling creek, and Jade went straight to it as if she'd been there countless times before. Skipping across the wooden slats with the other children - Amara, Mbali, Jahniss, and Raki - she released Bucky's metal fingers and rushed across the bridge heading towards the waist-high grass.

"Careful, baby doll," Bucky called, maintaining a moderate pace as Jade raced away. "Don't go too far, or I won't be able to keep an eye on all of you." The entire phrase came pouring out of his mouth with him meaning to say it.

As Bucky started speaking, Jade paused and looked up at him to listen. Her response was a soft, "Okay!" Then she spun around and jogged after her friends to where the grass became thicker and taller. Finally, Jade slowed and stopped in a shaded place from the sunlight by a large tree.

"Look!" Amara said excitedly and bent forward with her hand extended outward. Her fingers brushed at the stems of the grass, and bright pink and purple flowers blossomed beneath her fingers.

Realizing that motion made the flowers bloom, Jade's eyes lit up, and a soft, happy squeal came from her as she skipped around with the other girls, leaving streaks of color in their wake.

Sliding his hands into the pockets of the loose tribal garments he wore, Bucky's lips turned upward at the distant sound. He came to a stop and watched the swaying grass become a sea of choppy waves as five little bodies barreled back toward him.

With an excited giggle, Jade skidded to a halt in front of Bucky, with Amara, Mbali, Jahniss, and Raki gathering breathlessly behind her. "Aren't they pretty?" she asked, lifting her arms towards him, referencing the flowers they contained. The other girls mirrored her enthusiasm and also carried armfuls of colorful petals.