Stars Stripes and Metal

A Second Chance

Wakanda, Africa. Late Summer 2016.

Steve hold's Ana's shaking shoulders inside Shuri's lab. His eyes glue to his woman while she silently cries for the other man in her life. Barely a sounds escapes her lips as the tears fall and she looks up into James' sleeping face. Her head drops and she closes her eyes, no longer able to be strong. Her hand reaches out to touch the cold Cyro tank where James reclines frozen in time.

Unable to hold back storm raging inside her she turns to Steve, hoping he can hold her together as she falls apart. She wraps an arm around his waist while keeping a hand on James. Ana breaks. Her body shaking violently, she can feel her heart breaking the hurt is so intense. Steve holds her tightly, trying to stop her from shaking. She hyperventilates trying to catch her breath, but no air will enter her lungs. She feels dizzy as her head swims.

"Why didn't he wait?" She manages through sobs, her breath catching.

"He knew if you were here, he wouldn't have been able to do it." Steve answers softly.

"Why do it at all!?" Ana yells as she pulls back to look up at Steve.

He sighs, "He said, that he couldn't trust his own mind, and that HYDRA is still in there. He couldn't put the baby at risk if the Winter Soldier was still there. Going under seemed like the best option until Shuri figures out how to get whatever Hydra put in, out."

"So he knew about the baby and went under anyway?"

Steve nods.

"All he wanted to be was a father, now he may finally get a chance and he won't be here to see it."

"He did it because he loves you Ana. He wants to be the best man he can for you and the baby."

Ana turns back to James, a fresh wave of tears, anger and loss hits her.

"What if the baby is his?" She lays her head against the cold glass of the tank, level with his chest.

"Then I'll take care of the baby and you until he's able to." It breaks his heart to say that, but he would 

"I didn't even say goodbye." Ana sobs.

"It's not goodbye baby, this is temporary. He'll be out in a few years."

Ana nods, "where does this leave us then?" She asks looking at Steve. He reaches up to her face and wipes the tears that stained her cheeks away.

"I'm right here, I'm with you and I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm afraid Steven." She looks down.

"Of what?"

"Of loving you more. Of forgetting him. Of building a life with you and then he wakes up and everything I feel for him comes back and ruins what we built."

"Let's take it one day at a time. Besides, I promised him I wouldn't marry you until he woke up."

"And you are welcome back to visit him as often as you like, of you may stay if you wish." T'Challa finally speaks after quietly watching Ana accept the news about James. He steps forward, nodding slightly at Steve before meeting Ana's red rimmed eyes, the red from crying makes her green iris's glow.

'Stay? Here?"

"It would be my pleasure to have you reside here, consider it a peace offering. You'd be close to him if you start to feel him fading. You'd be here when he woke up and we have a fantastic maternity ward for when your baby arrives."

Ana looks up to James through wet eyelashes. Considering the King's offer. She'd be close to him. She could still have Steven and James. She smiles slightly at the idea, she won't have to loose either one.