PharaohsLuver: That's awesome that you've loved everything so far! I'm excited for Infinity War too (and especially for what comes after). Big things ahead!

HaloRoses: Thank you for the kind comment!

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read, followed, and commented. I appreciate the support more than you know!

Have a great week!

The little old woman listened intently, nodding occasionally. Aubrey expected to see horror, judgment, or pity in her eyes but saw none. Instead, compassion and understanding shone back at her. She tried to skim over parts of their story but Navi would gently shake her head and murmur

"I've seen lotsa things baby girl, don't sugarcoat anything for me. I understand you more than you know"

Aubrey would nod and go on with the story, clearing her throat during the hard parts and speaking with emotion whilst talking about their victories. When she finished, the silence was deafening as Navi set down her knitting needles and took one of Aubrey's hands.

"Sounds like you've seen a lotta life, you both have. I can see now why my granddaughter told me 'bout you. Wakanda is a good place to get some peace, isn't it?" she looked at both of them. "We could all use a little more peace I think. Thank you for telling me, now help me up, and let's go see what we can trade that milk and fruit for."

The two followed Navi around, listening intently to everything she said. She seemed to know everyone in the village and made a point of introducing them before moving onto the next person. By the time the goat's milk and fruit had been traded, they had enough food to last for a week and the sun had started to dip below the horizon. Aubrey waved to Navi as they set off on the horses, heading towards home. Bucky stared into the distance as they entered back into the forest.

"So..what did you think of all that?" her voice was just loud enough for him to hear. Bucky's gaze swiveled to hers

"It..was a lot..but...Good...I really liked it. Navi said some of the kids will probably start hanging around our place now that the parents know us."

"You're okay with that?"

"I don't mind." they lapsed into silence, listening to the symphony of sounds coming from the nighttime animals.

Her mind wandered in the silence, wondering what her family was doing. Shuri had mentioned visiting...maybe she would ask about that. A small name appeared in the corner of her mind, Tony. Aubrey sighed, scanning the path ahead of them. Tony had saved her life and she owed it to him but she had made her choice just as he had his. He had been in pain, angered that no one had ever told him about the accident that had killed his parents. Until now her mind had avoided thinking about what had happened with him but it was something she couldn't avoid forever. Eventually, someone would rise up again to try their shot at Earth's defenders. And whoever it was would be defeated….at least that was what she hoped. It was unrealistic to expect nothing bad to ever happen to them again and she knew it. But Aubrey desperately wished it was true. As much as she wanted to talk to Tony, her friend, it was better that she was with Bucky in what could possibly be the most peaceful, untouchable place on Earth.

Child's laughter caught her attention as she dismounted from Spirit, stroking the skittish horse's mane before letting him go graze with the rest of the herd. Across the clearing, Bucky stood with a group of children around him. They giggled as he made a motion with his hand and the kids scattered, screaming happily as they climbed a nearby tree, taunting the one-armed man. One of them hung upside down with his legs hooked on a branch, Navi sat on a hay bale, her back leaning against the thick trunk of the tree. The elderly woman had become a regular at the clearing, coming with the group of children almost every morning. Making her way over, Aubrey nodded in greeting to the kids before sitting beside the woman.

"Hi Navi" using her hand to shield the sun from her eyes, Aubrey watched Bucky pick up and throw a dismantled bale of hay into the goat pen.

"Hello dearie, how are you today?" A pile of flowers sat beside the woman. One of the girls slid down from the tree and settled by the pile

"What are these for?" the girl fingered a bright red blossom, sniffing it tentatively.

"I thought I'd show you how to make a flower crown, but let me finish talking to Miss Aubrey, alright?"

"Okay," she grinned before scrambling back up the tree as Bucky wandered over, the beginnings of a beard dotting his chin.

"I'm doing really good actually.-" Aubrey rolled her shoulders, answering Navi's earlier question. "-I was thinking about trying to set up an obstacle course for the horses actually."

"Ooh! Those are so much fun, you must have me over when you try it out. Is that dog of yours around? Petunia doesn't like him very much and I'd really like to show her to you sometime"

Pushing to her feet, Aubrey grinned "He's probably around here somewhere...most likely finding something to cause mischief with."

Navi chuckled, a high, breathy sound "He is the most disobedient dog I have ever seen."

"Brie doesn't do very much to fix it though" Bucky grumbled, bumping her shoulder good-naturedly.

"I do too! He was tied outside all night last night for rolling in the manure pile."

"Only because you couldn't stand the smell" grinning, he shook his head, glancing at Aubrey with warmth before adding " I'm not sure he's even trainable. Didn't you say your mom trained him?"

"Yeah but...that was a while ago and I never got the chance to become the authority figure. If she was here, he'd probably be an angel."

Bucky snorted

"And you're so helpful with all of the training techniques you've been giving me-." Aubrey's voice dripped with sarcasm as she picked up one of the flowers from the pile and examined it. "-Tell him not to do that Brie, tie him outside, tell him no" she lowered her voice, imitating what Bucky had told her just the night before. A grin lit Aubrey's face as she peered up at him.

He just sighed.

"You two are always going at it like an old married couple" Navi laughed "Although I suppose you're old enough for it Sergeant Barnes"

He swallowed, opening his mouth once before closing it. Her words had loosened something in Aubrey's mind but she pushed it away, focusing on the dumbfounded look on Bucky's face. Taking the opportunity, she got in one more jab.

"Maybe you should go take a nap, old man."

Next week's chapter may come out a bit later than usual as I will be camping for most of this week.