Chapter 3 – Farewells

'The team should be in Vienna by late afternoon, they'll be ready to meet with you this evening. I'll meet them when they land and then go to see Spider-Man.'

'Thank you, Fury,' T'Challa says, 'we shall be leaving shortly ourselves and should arrive at a similar time to the others.'

'I doubt I'll see you when I'm there, so I'll just have to say good luck and I'll see you when everything is sorted with Beck.'

'How go the negotiations with Peter?' he asks, trying not to let the smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

'Why do I feel like everyone is enjoying the fact this kid is ignoring me way too much?' Fury sighs.

'Perhaps you are simply being overly paranoid,' he suggests.

'Goodbye T'Challa,' Fury says and signs off.

'My king?' he looks over at one of the palace attendants who has just entered. 'Princess Ororo is here to take her leave.'

'Please send her in,' T'Challa says, waving away the screen that he had just been using to speak to Fury. The attendant salutes and opens the door to admit the princess, wearing a long black cape that fans out behind her, and a set of matching black trousers and shirt; her clothes are simple and yet she manages to look regal in a way that T'Challa cannot help but envy.

'T'Challa,' she greets him warmly, 'we are about to take our leave of Wakanda, and I understand you shall soon be leaving for Vienna?'

'Indeed, I have just speaking with Fury. The Avengers should be there by late afternoon, we hope to arrive a little before them.' He notices the conflict in her eyes. 'What is it?'

Ororo sighs. 'I wish I could come with you, I wish I could help in this latest struggle, but-'

'Your tribe is not ready,' he smiles and nods in understanding, 'my country was very similar, it took a civil war for them to realise we could not shut the world out forever and that it would eventually find its way to us. I hope you do not have to suffer a similar fate before your tribe is willing to look to the rest of the world.'

'As do I,' she nods. 'Nakia told me of the fight with your cousin. I am sorry for the pain it must have caused you, to have someone who should have been family turn against you.'

'You and Nakia seem to have become very close,' he smiles.

Ororo returns it. 'We have. I am more grateful than I can say that she was the one to find us and take the time to speak to our tribe; we have become firm friends she and I, and she is always welcome to visit our tribe. No small feat to be so accepted as I'm sure you can appreciate.'

T'Challa laughs. 'No indeed, but I should not be surprised that she managed it.'

'I will admit that her friendship with my people has made them more accepting of staying here during the time for recovery after the fight, it has eased some of my worries that they are beginning to open up, even in small ways.'

'If your people are content to be around mine,' he tells her, 'then they will always have some land in my country where they are welcome to set up their tents for as long as they desire. It is my understanding that you are constantly moving?'

The white haired woman blinks in surprise. 'Yes we are. You…you would allow my people to stay here when they wished?'

'Of course,' he tells her, 'you came and helped us during our time of need, of course we would offer you a place to call yours should you ever wish it. And it shall always be waiting for you. I shall ask my mother to make all the arrangements after I have left.'

'I….thank you, T'Challa,' she says, taking his hands in her strong grip. 'Stark gave me an upgrade to my cell before he left,' she says with a mischievous smile, 'I'm sure the elders would not approve, but you must take the number for it so you can call on us if you ever need our aid again.'

'I must ask: how do you intend to keep it charged in the middle of the jungle?'

She laughs. 'Shuri gave me a solar powered battery pack.'

'Of course she did,' he sighs, 'I think my sister is just as fond of you as Nakia is. I apologise in advance for her enthusiasm.'

Ororo just laughs and shakes her head. 'Good luck, T'Challa, and remember you have our support should you ever need it.'

'Likewise, Ororo,' he bows and kisses her hand, 'I hope the next time we meet will be under better circumstances.'

'Thor I swear to the Allfathers if you don't get out of here and get your ass to the meeting with the rest of the team I will personally make sure you cannot find any kegs of any drinks for a whole year!'

Thor opens his mouths to argue with his second in command but shuts it again at the withering look Valkyrie gives him. 'I just don't want you to feel that I'm abandoning-'

'Please, just leave. I swear you have become a mother hen since meeting the Avengers. Although from what Loki has told me you've always been this bad.'

'You are happy with the current building plan-'

Valkyrie literally growls at him and he snaps his jaws shut with a click. Tony had bought a piece of land along the coast that he's signed over to Thor for him and the rest of the Asgardians. They've named it New Asgard and his people are already beginning to build homes, Tony had sent a company to help them build a communal hall, where everyone is currently living whilst they work to build the rest of the town. The Asgardians had wanted to build their own homes, but had compromised on getting companies in to help with the electrics and plumbing, seeing as the materials they would have used on Asgard were not found or approved of on Earth.

Thor wanted to cause as few headaches for his friends as possible, including not having Tony take on building regulations on his behalf.

He's due to be picked up by the team on their way to the UN, Valkyrie is taking charge of the Asgardians and continuing to oversee the construction of New Asgard.

'I swear, Thor, if they don't arrive to pick you up soon I shall get my Pegasus to take you there and you can freeze on the ride over the Atlantic.'

'I just do not want you to feel that I'm taking advantage of you,' Thor tries to placate her.

To his surprise she smiles. 'The whole point of having a second in command,' she laughs, 'is that when you are called away to perform your duties as king you have someone who will do what is needed here.'

'I know, it's just-'

'It's just you've only ever known Frigga to be the second in command for Odin and you feel bad asking someone to do it who is not your queen or your heir,' she finishes for him.

'How did you-?'

Valkyrie's smile is a little sadder now. 'Odin was the same before he wed Frigga.'

Thor tries to push away the stab of pain at the mention of his parents. 'So your suggestion to stop feeling guilty about leaving you here to oversee Asgard is to get married and leave my wife to do so instead?'

'Or you could take her and still leave me in charge,' Valkyrie shrugs. 'Unless you don't think I can handle it?'

'You know that is not true!' Thor protests. 'You are a true warrior, Valkyrie, and I could not leave Asgard in better hands. You would make a wonderful queen in your own right.'

'I sincerely hope that is not a marriage proposal,' Valkyrie raises an eyebrow.

Thor laughs. 'If I had to choose a bride simply on their ability to rule at my side there would be no other choice than you, Valkyrie. But although I hold you in high regard I am intending to make a queen of someone who holds my love, and I do not feel for you in that way.'

'Thank the Allfathers because I was not sure how I was going to let you down gently,' she responds, then looks over his shoulder. 'Your friends have arrived.'

Thor looks back to see the Quinjet landing at the brow of the hill, the back opens and Natasha climbs out, heading down towards them.

'Try not to annoy everyone, we're not exactly ready for a war,' Valkyrie smirks at him.

'It has been a long time since I sought out war,' Thor reassures her, 'it usually finds me instead.'

'And that is not comforting in the slightest,' she sighs, shaking her head.

'All ready to go Thor?' Natasha asks him as she reaches them.

'Take him away before he tries to propose again,' Valkyrie all but begs her.

'Excuse me?' Natasha blinks.

'I did not-'

'He told me he'd ask me to marry him if he needed a queen, but he'd prefer to marry someone he loves. Charming right?'

'I swear everyone on this team is shit at relationships,' Natasha rubs her forehead with her thumb and first two fingers.

'The best part?' Valkyrie tells the spy with a grin. 'I'm not even attracted to men.'

Natasha bursts out laughing. 'Alright I'm going to take this idiot away and leave you in peace.'

'Thank you.'

'I don't know if I should be offended or not,' Thor admits to Natasha as they bid Valkyrie farewell and head back to the Quinjet.

'Don't worry big guy,' the red-head pats his arm, 'we still love you.'

A/N: Hi everyone! Double update this week as this chapter is a little slow.