Flesh and Bone ◇ Bucky Barnes ◇

Chapter XXXVIII: Home is Where the Heart Is

Joana

How long were they in Wakanda before Steve, Sam, and the others ran off to fight some underground missions? Maybe 24 hours.

How long was Joana in Wakanda before the king came back and everything went to hell? Maybe two hours after the others had left.

Joana was sitting with Shuri, the Princess of Wakanda, in the medical bay, staring at the frozen case that held her boyfriend.

"I'm really sorry," Shuri said after Joana rehashed her story for about the fifth time. "That sounds terrible."

Joana shrugged.

"It's not so bad, knowing that I still have him with me." Shuri looked away from Joana and to the cryofreezer. "Thank you, Shuri, for everything you're doing for him. It means the world to me."

Shuri shrugged, kicking her legs back and forth.

"Of course, Joana. You haven't been here very long, but we've all taken a liking to you. Especially Okoye," Shuri told her with half of a smile.

Joana smiled back.

"I don't really deserve it."

"T'challa says you fought admirably in Germany. Okoye has seen you in the training rooms. She says you would make a great warrior. Maybe you should talk to her."

"About what?"

"Becoming a Dora."

Joana couldn't help but laugh.

"I am nowhere near qualified."

It was Shuri's turn to laugh.

"Joana, you're probably the most qualified person I've ever met. You have had four lifetimes on many of the Dora trainees. You could do it, you know. You could be a real asset."

Joana was almost feeling somewhere near good until Shuri said the word, the one word, "asset". She lowered her head. She glanced back up at Bucky.

"I will do everything I can to repay you and your people for your kindness, but when Bucky is healed, I think I'm going to ask His Highness if we can...I don't know...maybe get a small hut on the border, do some farming. I think he...we...need to lay low for a while," Joana told her. Shuri sighed.

"I think you're right. You deserve that much. And please do not call my brother "His Highness", it's strange. Just call him T'challa. I'm sure he would be happy to give you and Barnes something."

"Your people are so kind. Thank you, for everything."

Shuri slid off the table and held her hand out to Joana.

"Come, Little Fox," Shuri said with her innocent smile. "Let me show you more of my home." Joana looked warily between her hand and Bucky's container. "He won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Besides, sitting around here all day is going to get boring in about three minutes."

Joana rolled the idea in her head for a few moments, glancing back and forth. Shuri was right, but Joana had spent so long waiting for Bucky, she didn't think a few more days would matter much to her. Then she thought about him, and what he would tell her to do. He'd tell her to go, wouldn't he? He would tell her that she needs to live her life and if that means exploring the Wakanda palace, then that's what she would do.