White Wolf and Arctic Fox

11

I wake to bright lights, and barely any pain in my side.

"What did I miss?" I ask, seeing Shuri, T'Challa, and Ross standing nearby.

Shuri comes and hugs me. "Well, first of all, T'Challa and Nakia kissed."

T'Challa covers Shuri's mouth, saying, "Shh!"

"Did you freeze?" I ask, looking up at him.

"Of course not," he smiles.

"And I gave Shuri this," Ross says, holding up a familiar red book.

"That's...," I trail in disbelief. "That's the book from Hydra."

"Yes," Ross agrees. "Detailing exactly how they managed to control one James Buchanan Barnes. I pulled it off Zemo, the jerk who impersonated the Winter Soldier a few months ago."

"With it," Shuri grins, " I've almost finished my work for your brother. He is almost back to normal. I suspect we can unfreeze him by the end of the week."

"Really?" I ask, excited by the possibility. I haven't been able to have a real conversation with him in months.

"Really," Shuri nods.

I pull her into a tight hug, tears rolling down my face. "Thank you," I whisper.

"There is one other thing," T'Challa says, picking up the mask Shuri had made for me. "With everything you have done, it's been pointed out to me that you need a Warrior's name. What do you think about Artic Fox?"

"I came up with it," Shuri whispers, winking at me.

I laugh. "I think it's very fitting."

For the next week, I rest and let myself finish healing internally. Killmonger is dead, Ross has returned to America to "report his findings", and T'Challa has decided to open Wakanda to the rest of the world. Shuri has finished working on my brother, and it's finally time to unfreeze him.

We decide to let him wake in one of the homely tents in the Border Tribe's land, with only me there, so hopefully he doesn't freak out.

As he lays on the cot, wrapped in Wakandan clothes, I sit on a pile of pillows. Soon, however, I fall fast asleep.

When I wake up, Bucky is sitting cross-legged on the cot, staring at me.

"I'm dreaming," he says as I sit up, his eyes blank.

"This is real, Bucky. I'm here," I tell him.

He shakes his head. "They told me you were captured, in Germany."

"I was," I admit. "Our whole team was. But Steve broke us out a few months ago. I came here, to Wakanda, to be with you."

"Why am I awake?" Bucky asks, shaking his head. "If I am... They weren't supposed to wake me until I was healed."

I smile, going to sit next to him.

"You are healed," I tell him. "Shuri, my friend, kind of my sister, she was able to undo what Hydra did."

Bucky stares in wonder. "Really?" he asks. "I'm... free?"

I nod.

"This can't be real," Bucky says, and I see tears in his eyes. "It has to be a dream."

Frowning, I pinch his arm.

"Ow!" he yelps. "What was that for?"

"You're still here," I grin. "That means it wasn't a dream."

His eyes widen, before he pulls me to him in a one armed hug. I throw my arms around him, and he kisses my head. I feel tears land in my peach-fuzz hair, and the fact that he's crying makes me cry, too.

"I kept hearing your voice," Bucky tells me. "I think you were reading something?"

"Poetry," I nod, laughing a little.

"Oh my word, I'm blind," Bucky suddenly exclaims, pulling back. "What happened to your hair?"

"Oh," I trail. "Um, a lot has happened the past few months."

With that, I tell him everything, from my time at the ocean prison with Senator Ross, to escaping with Steve and the others, to being poisoned, adopted, and everything with Agent Ross and Killmonger.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," Bucky says. "Again. I'm never there when you need me."

"Are you kidding?" I ask. "Buck, being around you and knowing you were getting better is the only reason I was able to open up to these people."

Bucky hugs me again. "You're so strong, Ree," he whispers. "Stronger than me, I think. Or should I call you Princess Ayana?"

I laugh. "I learned to be strong from you," I tell him. "So, are you ready to see T'Challa? I know palace life may not be for you, so he wanted to talk to you about living options."

Bucky nods, so I tap the Kimoyo beads on my wrist, and T'Challa comes into view.

"He's ready," I say.

"I'm on my way," T'Challa answers. "But Shuri wants to see you in the Citadel, Ayana."

"Ok," I say, hanging up. Looking at Bucky, I sigh. "I better go see what's up."

"Yeah," Bucky agrees, but he looks sad.

"Hey, I'll be back really soon," I say. Then, I pull out another Kimoyo bead bracelet from my pocket, putting it around his wrist. "Here, press this bead to call me."

I join Shuri in her lab, and again thank her for her success with my brother.

"So, why did you call me here?" I ask, looking around. Her lab has mostly been put back together.

"I have something to show you," she grins, pointing to a blue and white outfit. "I figured the Artic Fox could use some real armor, so hopefully you don't get stabbed again."

I grin, feeling the soft, vibranium-infused fabric. "I would appreciate not getting stabbed again," I nod.

"So, how is Sergeant Barnes?" Shuri finally asks.

"He'll never be the Bucky from the 1940s," I answer. "I know that. And it will take time for him to adjust to his new life. But he already seems to be doing better, just knowing he can't be used as a weapon again."

"With luck, he won't have to fight again at all," Shuri smiles.

"I think he'd like that," I answer. "I think he'd like to meet the one who helped him, too."

"I'll be down to visit at the end of the week," Shuri assures me. "First, T'Challa is taking me to California, and then he is going to Vienna, to officially open our borders."

"Sounds like a busy week," I say. "Don't go to Disneyland without me. I've heard it's the happiest place on Earth."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Shuri grins.

Finally, I admit, to Shuri and to myself, what I've been thinking about since I escaped the ocean prison.

"And... I know I won't ever be the same girl I was before Hydra, either," I say quietly. "I'm not sure who I am now, but I'm willing to find out."

Shuri hugs me. "I know," she replies. "You are Maureen, little sister of Sergeant Barnes. You are also Princess Ayana, little sister of T'Challa and myself, daughter of Queen Mother Ramonda. You are both victim and hero. But now you are also overcomer. Do not try to forget what you have been through. Let it push you forward and above those who have mistreated you. You are a great girl. One day, you will be a great woman."

I hug Shuri back tightly. "Thank you," I sigh, feeling a great weight lifted from my shoulders. It's still there, hanging over me, but at least it's not trying to drown me.