Protector of Her Heart

Chapter 4

Three days. Three fucking days! If he ever got his hands on her she was definitely going to get a spanking. This woman was driving him up a wall with her antics.

For the first day he was beside himself with worry since he could not feel her emotions anymore. Whatever connection they had started to create was gone when he awoke. So he resorted to basically stalking her bedroom door, always checking up on her despite the lack of response when he knocked and the fact that she never came out of the damn room.

On the second day, he felt relief at her being alive since Natasha had reassured him that she was just back to avoiding everybody.

Now though? He was purely frustrated and angry at her for denying him the one thing he craved.

T'Challa found M'Baku pacing in the kitchen with determined strides mumbling to himself.

"I must presume with the way you are still going about that she has not graced us with her presence yet."

M'Baku stopped pacing momentarily to look at the king and grunt in acknowledgement.

"You know, I understand what you are going through maybe I can help."

"I will figure this out on my own."

"Suit yourself."

James walked in catching the conversation, hesitating slightly in his decision.
"Listen, I probably shouldn't tell you this since she would most likely see this as a betrayal of trust, but I think I know a way for you to get to her."

M'Baku perked up at those words, giving James his undivided attention.
"I would greatly appreciate any opportunity to speak with her again."

T'Challa butt in earning himself a glare that could melt the polar caps, "Are sure ingcuka?"

"Well, I kinda know what she is going through, she doesn't see herself like we do. She thinks she is cursed and HE is the first person to reach her and really connect. I am not going to ignore that, especially since she needs the love and affection he is offering."

"But you are probably the only one in your group she even talks to. You would give that up for this stranger?"

"T'Challa, if you do not cease your meddling I will crush you."

"You can't just force yourself on the girl, it needs to happen naturally. There is always another way, especially in the face of destroying what little she has in the way of relationships."

"Is that your offer to put our lives and timetable on hold so that we can allow things to happen naturally?"

At T'Challa's sigh of defeat, "I thought not."

In light of his very valid points, James gave him the one secret she had yet to disclose with anyone else, "If you want to see her, tonight would be the best opportunity. For one she is a serious night owl so seeing her during the day is a rarity. And two, she loves the rain, there is a thunderstorm coming and she usually goes out in them."

"How do you get her to tell you things like this?"

"Well, she didn't exactly tell me. I have trouble sleeping sometimes too and I found her dancing out in the middle of a storm a couple of weeks ago. After some coercing, she explained that it helps her feel calm and herself. After yesterday's formal introduction I started to suspect that the storms probably help block off the emotions of everybody although I haven't verified this with her yet. And the dancing is a telltale of her letting go and just living in the moment. She dances when she eats really good food too."

T'Challa folded his arms and stroking his beard in thought, "hmph, this girl gets more interesting the longer we stay."

"She is one of the most interesting people I've ever known and I've come to love her like a sister in the short time she's been here. So since we're basically her family now, if you hurt her M'Baku, I will kill you slowly and in a tortuous way."