Into the War || A Captain America Love Story

14

TORI

I sit at Steve's bedside, listening to the heart monitor. It beeps regularly, but that isn't the problem. He's been in a coma for at least a month now, unmoving and pretty much dead besides the rising and falling of his chest and that stupid monitor.

As soon as T'Challa took us to a Wakandan hospital and had him on a table, Steve's heart stopped. Bucky and I were pounding on the glass, trying to get them to work harder and faster. Thankfully, it worked. Neither of us left that hospital room for the first week. Bucky's arm was sort of repaired and my broken ribs were tended to. It didn't take long for them to heal because of the hospital's amazing tech. But even with all of my physical pain gone, I barely slept let alone ate, but when I did, I had my face planted into Steve's mattress.

Bucky has been holding up. He was dead silent the first few days, but eventually we got to the point where we never shut up. We always talked and strategized plans to get everyone that was on our team out of that underwater prison they had them locked in.

We left Steve for two days to get them out, which was successful. We staged a security breach to do so. It was nice to get back in action, but we were glad to get back to Steve.

I had sent Tony a note a few days before that. Whether or not he's received it is a big question, but at least I thought about him a little bit. Actually, he is all I've thought about. I'm still pissed at him, but I still love him. After all, like I said, family is family, even if we don't share the same blood and DNA. I left him a phone in the box I sent with the letter. Hopefully he calls soon just to let me know how things are doing.

It's now officially been a month since Steve has been in the hospital. Bucky decided to go back under ice a week ago to stop his brain from causing anymore harm. He wanted to stay until Steve came back, but depending on when that would happen he knew that he didn't want to risk anything until then.

I've thanked T'Challa at least a thousand times for everything. He says that he's just happy to make peace within himself, and he apologies for his actions and wanting Bucky dead. He told me that he and his father were both victims, and if he could give one of them peace he was willing to do it. Now King T'Challa just has to keep Bucky safe now that he is in his territory.

I smile at the thought, shaking my head. I look up at Steve. His skin is still pale, but other than that he's still the same Steve Rogers. I rub the back of his hand with my thumb absentmindedly. "You know, Steve, after everything that's happened, if I said that we didn't all love you, that would be a huge lie."

I wish that he could respond more than anything. I blurt out everything that's happened to us, even if he can't hear me. It just feels good to let it all out since I don't have Bucky anymore. I sigh, leaning back into my chair. It's been too long.

The door creaks open. I turn my head just to see the nurse. I smile as the petite young lady walks into the room with an IV refill. She smiles back, a blush creeping across her cheeks. She's the sweetest person I've ever met. She'll do anything I need whether it's getting me water or giving me a shoulder to cry on, she's there.

"Hey, Nia," I greet her.

"Hello, Victoria," she replies in her high pitched young voice.

"Doing the normal everyday runs?" I ask her, spotting the rest of the things on her cart. Three IV refills total, a full roll clean bandage wrap, and a new IV.

She nods. "I bring the same things everyday. Very clever, Victoria."

I laugh, looking down at my feet. "Eh. You begin to notice patterns after a while."