The Ambassador's Daughter

Chapter 11

Bucky had been out of cryo for a few days. Unfortunately, Gordon had also had the flu for a few days, which meant that unless she let one of the Wakandan drivers take her to the palace, Louise was stuck in the Mansion. Louise knew she could get either of the other drivers to take her, but she was just so much more comfortable with Gordon.

Finally she could take it no longer. Louise rarely used her phone to contact Steve or T'Challa anymore, not since her father had tapped her phone. She had to know what was going on at the palace. She threw on a jacket, more out of habit than actual need, and quickly left the Mansion. She half ran to the garage and into the staff room at the back. The two drivers looked up when she entered, surprise at her sudden appearance.

"Miss Louise," The taller of the two greeted her, "Were you needing a ride today?" He was obviously confused by her presence. Neither of her parents ever came to the garage, they always called the car to the Mansion. And if she went with them, she usually waited at the house. And since she usually used Gordon as her chauffer, these two men had little experience with her suddenly appearing and needing a ride.

"Yes, sorry, I have to go to the palace." She turned and walked out of the room. She stopped by the town car that Gordon usually drove and waited for the driver to follow. He finally showed up and let her into the back seat.

When he had taken his seat behind the wheel, he glanced at her in the rear view mirror. "The palace, Ma'am?"

"Yes, and you can't tell my parents." Louise said, sliding down in her seat so she couldn't be seen through the window, even though it was tinted so no one could see her anyway. "They don't want me spending too much time at the palace." The driver raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

Louise didn't take a full breath until she reached the palace and the gates clanged shut behind her. She knew her dad would probably tap her phone again, maybe even her computer, when he found her missing. But that was a risk she had to take. The whole plan behind waking Bucky up was pointless without her and if she stayed at the Mansion she'd be letting everyone down.

No one was waiting for her, which was unusual. She had called Steve on her way over, but it had gone to his voice mail, which was also weird. But that was fine, she knew her way alone. She walked up the stairs and through the halls until she reached Bucky's room. She reached out to knock on the door and saw that the door was slightly ajar and she heard voices. She brought her arm to her chest and listened.

"I'm telling you, Buck, everything will be fine." Steve said.

"Steve, I know you want to believe that. But what if I'm not worth all this?" A voice Louise didn't recognise, but assumed would be Bucky, said.

"Just meet her, get to know her. She'll be good for you." Steve insisted. "You know what she called me the first time I met her? Steve Rogers. She didn't call me Captain America."

"So that's what you're basing my 'salvation' on?" Louise could practically hear the air quotes, which seemed out of place coming from a 1940's soldier. "The fact that she knows you aren't just Captain America?"

"That's not it, Bucky," Steve countered, "It's that she can see past what you may see yourself as, to who you are. That's what you need, Bucky. You need someone who can see Bucky Barnes, not the Winter Soldier, even when you can't."

She heard Bucky sigh. "And what have you been doing in the months you've been alone with her? You haven't been making sure she'll see Bucky Barnes?"

Louise decided it was time to stop eavesdropping. Louise knocked on the door and pushed it open. "Steve!" She complained flouncing across the room, "So your best friend of 90 some years wakes up and suddenly I'm not good enough? I see how it is, then." She smiled, taking a seat beside Steve. She saw the begrudging smirk on Bucky's face.

"Louise!" Steve cried in surprise, "I didn't know you were coming today. You should have called or something." Louise picked up Steve's phone which was lying face down on the bedside table. She woke it up and showed to screen to Steve and then to Bucky. The screen was lit up with one missed call from Louise Brandt. She dropped the phone into her lap.

"I see how it is, Steve." Louise said again.

Louise lounged back in her chair, crossed her legs and tented her fingers, looking at the two men over her finger tips. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Mr. Barnes." Bucky was laying in the hospital bed in half-reclined position, his mechanical arm folded over his bare chest. His brown hair was brushed back from his face, his brown eyes were regarding her with guarded skepticism. She noticed his shoulder was very red where it met his new arm and that he was not wearing the shoulder guard. He nodded at her, acknowledging her comment. "I see the sensory plate didn't work. How's the arm?"

"It hurts."

"I believe that, did they reattach it before you woke up or after?"

"After. They had to know the sensory plate they designed didn't work." Louise nodded.

"That sucks." Her eyes softened. "I'm sorry the plate didn't work." Bucky shrugged his right shoulder. "So what do you want me to call you? Mr. Barnes? Bucky? James? I can do James. It sounds a little formal, but if you want me to call you James, I can do that."

Bucky smiled, "Bucky's fine, Ma'am."

Louise pulled a face, "I hate that. Do I look like I'm old enough to be a ma'am? I really hope not. Call me Louise. Lou, if you really have to, but not ma'am." Bucky laughed once.

"Louise it is." He agreed. He glanced at the ceiling, thinking, "Brandt, Brandt, Brandt...As in Senator Brandt?"

"The very same. He was my grandfather. Don't worry, I've been told I take after my mother." She smiled at Bucky and dropped her hands into her lap.

Bucky smiled back at her, Steve sat back in his chair smiling at both of them. Both could see him, both ignored him. Louise glanced at her watch and pulled a face. "I've got to go. I kinda ran away, today. If Dad finds me gone I won't be able to get back here without running away again." She stood up, tossing Steve's phone back to him. "Answer your phone once in a while, 'kay, Steve?" Steve caught the phone and smiled up at her.

"I'll try." Steve promised. Louise smiled back.

"I know the way out, you catch up with your bestie." Louise teased as she sauntered out of the room. As she pulled the door closed she heard Bucky whistle low.

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