You Must Remember This

Chapter 33 - The plot thickens

Wakanda, August 11, 2016

Steve impatiently waited for the aircraft carrying Shuri, Natasha, and Sam to touch down on the landing platform. It had entered Wakandan airspace a few minutes ago, so they should arrive any moment. He was eager to speak with them. With some luck, they'd stuck around Lucas' place long enough to learn what prompted the reaction he gave during their video call. But that was probably wishful thinking. Lucas knew how to handle people, but more importantly, he knew when they were trying to handle him. It's what had made him the perfect union rep.

"T'Challa, how is he?" Steve contacted Black Panther over the comms to check on Bucky.

"Quiet," replied T'Challa. "He had a few migraine attacks during the night, but it appears to be under control for now."

"I'll send Romanoff to take over once I've spoken with her. She seems to have the best handle on him."

"I will await her arrival."

Steve gave a weary sigh as he ended their connection and rubbed his eyes. It was just one thing after another piling up, threatening to crush him. With every new thing they learned, a new set of questions arose. Not just around Nemesis, but also his sister.

Dammit, Evy, what did ya get yourself into? What happened between you and Bucky? How serious were you two? And since when? Did it start during your time with HYDRA? After? Before? We were so close, and yet I never knew about any of this.

He gazed up at the sun peeking up on the horizon. The sky was aflame with yellow, orange, and red. The warm hues welcoming the new day reminded Steve of Evelyn. Not just because she'd made it a pesky habit of either leaving or entering the house at the crack of dawn, but also because she'd been a comforting ray of sunshine to him even before birth, crazy as that may sound. With Evelyn around, Steve had never felt lonely. Nor weak. Nor little. But since waking up from his icy slumber, that was all the brave and inspiring Captain America felt.
A tear fell from Steve's eye. He had failed her. The one person who had shared everything with him. His pain and happiness, his heart and soul, his entire life. Well, he wouldn't fail her now.

I won't stop until I sort this out, Evy. And if anyone had a hand in your death, I'll make them pay. I'll be your avenger. I swear it.

The humming of the vibranium-powered aircraft broke Steve's chain of thought. He hurriedly brushed his tears away as the pick-shaped craft landed smoothly on the platform. The door opened, the walkway extended, and the passengers were the first to disembark.
For two people who flew back and forth through several time zones in less than twenty-four hours, Natasha and Sam appeared remarkably awake. But as they approached him, Steve noticed theirs concerned expressions. His chest tightened.

"Do I wanna know?" he asked, already dreading their answer.

The pair exchanged a glance and, upon Sam's nod, Natasha handed Steve a picture frame. His eyes widened at the two smiling people in the photo. It couldn't be.

"It was on a side table in Lucas' living room," Natasha explained. "I swiped it after he asked us to leave. We don't really know what to make of it."

"I don't believe this," said Steve. "How the hell do those two know each other?"

Just when he thought things couldn't possibly get even more complicated...

"I am sorry to be the bearer of more ill news, Captain." They all turned their attention to Shuri as she joined them, her trusty tablet in hand. "You asked me to look into a biological connection between our prisoner and Margaret Carter. It took some time before the AI found Agent Carter's information, but I can confirm with a hundred percent certainty they are not genetically related."