Chapter 53: Pieces

Mika didn't expect it, but somehow she was able to sleep that night.

Perhaps it was the stress, or the pure exhaustion from the events over the past few days, or maybe there was a little something special about the tea she found in the cabinet (the package did say "slumber" on it). The bed was cold without Bucky, but at least it was better than the stiff cot from the Raft, and the open windows let the warm breeze blow through and carry the gentle sounds of nighttime into the room. She woke early, earlier than usual and earlier than most everyone else it seemed, with the sky just beginning to lighten on the horizon. Her first thought was to go downstairs and visit Bucky, but her stomach growled loudly and reminded her that she barely ate anything the night before. She couldn't cook, of course, but maybe she could find enough ingredients in the (surprisingly well stocked) kitchen to bake herself something.

It took her a few slow minutes to figure out how to work the coffee machine, but soon she was rewarded with the sweet bliss of caffeine. It was certainly different than any coffee she'd had before, but it was rich and warm and seem to revive her from the inside out. Ah yes, if they didn't end up staying here in Wakanda, she would certainly have to ask for a few bags of this to take with her.

She paused, her cup held almost to her lips, as that thought struck her. What were they going to do now? She couldn't just go back to Romania, back to her old job - she was a fugitive. Oh God, she'd actually, legitimately escaped from jail. This was bad. This was really bad. She put the mug down before she dropped it, instead pacing around the kitchen with her hands in her hair. She couldn't go back home, but would she be allowed to stay here? What would she do for work? She was a software engineer by trade, but obviously the technology was completely different here. Would they allow her time to learn it, to catch up to everyone already beyond proficient in it?

She felt the familiar pressure of panic bubbling up, threatening to overflow. This was usually when she would go for a run, just sprinting until she was too tired to freak out about her problems and instead find a way to solve them. But she was in a new place, with different roads, and Bucky wasn't here to go with her. So she paced, and paced, trying to think of what she could do and how she could convince the King to let them stay.

"Is something wrong?" a voice sounded from the landing, making Mika jump and let out a squeak. She turned to find the King, his bright eyes looking at her with concern. Mika tried to calm herself down, putting on a brave, respectful smile and clasping her hands in front of her. She was acutely aware that T'Challa was royalty, and despite the man's casual nature yesterday, now she knew she couldn't risk offending him. "I noticed the light was on. Do you need something?"

"Oh, no, Your Highness, everything is fine. Um, you have been more than kind to me." she said, trying to keep her voice calm. T'Challa gave her an odd look.

"Why are you talking to me like that?" he asked, obviously confused. Mika clasped her fingers tighter, trying not to give in to her desire to fidget in her nerves.

"I just don't want to seem ungrateful. Or disrespectful." she said softly, making him laugh and shake his head at her, as if she were a child. She felt embarrassment warming her cheeks, and knew she was probably blushing quite obviously.

"You are a guest here, Mika. Not a captive." he said, walking into the kitchen and going to the cupboard, pulling out a clay jar. He grabbed some milk from the fridge and two wooden bowls from the cupboard, pouring some cereal for the both of them.

"Thank you." Mika said, taking one of the bowls from him. "I'll be honest, there is something I'm worried about...I don't know what's going to happen to us, after all of this." She didn't know if now was the right time to confess this to the King, but it was an opportunity. No matter what the answers were, she would rest a little easier if she had them. T'Challa nodded, chewing thoughtfully on his breakfast.

"I have been thinking about this as well." he said. "Obviously Sergeant Barnes will have to stay here. Between his past and the new Accords, there is no way for him to escape what has happened to him. Now, I can see what I can do if you want to go back to Romania. I do not have contacts there currently, but being in my position certainly would allow for some influence."

Mika was silent at that. So there was a chance she could go back home, but Bucky would have to stay here. And what would she do, back in Romania? Do the same job? She often worked through government contracts, there was no way they would hire her back. She supposed she could try and find another place, but everything nowadays was a small start up, or just running IT. And her friends? Her stomach still burned every time she thought of Alexei; she never, ever wanted to see him again. Would they believe her, that this was all a misunderstanding? She wanted to think they would. But she realized that she would now forever be tied to the Winter Soldier. It was one thing to tell them that Bucky was framed for all of this, but she couldn't deny what Hydra did to him. And as loving as her friends were, she wasn't sure they'd look at her the same after this. And her sister! God, what she would do to have Nicoletta here with her now. As much as they loved to pick at each other, she knew that she would be on her side. Perhaps she could move to Germany? But could she just leave Bucky behind like that? She certainly didn't want to; she loved him too much to simply go on her way. He meant everything to her.

"I...I honestly don't know. What if...is there any way I could stay here with him?" she asked. She immediately felt the need to qualify her statement. "At least until he wakes up, I don't want him to wake up alone. I-I can work, I can do whatever job you need and earn my keep-"

T'Challa raised his hand to stop her rambling, and she clamped her mouth shut. Her cheeks were burning again - or had they ever stopped burning from earlier? "We will figure it all out in due time. There is no hurry for any of this. You and Sergeant Barnes have been through a great ordeal, and I confess I am also preoccupied with my own family matters at this time."

Mika could smack herself. How could she put her problems on T'Challa when he not only was accepting his new role as king, but also grieving the loss of his father? "Of course. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." he said, once again handling everything with a grace that fully impressed Mika. "After everything has settled, we will make a plan. Until then, if you feel you must be productive, Shuri can always use help in the lab. But of course, you are free to do as you wish."

"Thank you. For everything. I feel like I can't say that enough." she said, her heart soft for the King. She put down her bowl, asking, "Can I hug you? Is that okay?"

"I think I can allow it." he said, his tone light and a smirk on his face. She stepped forward and put her arms around him, holding him much tighter than their relationship really spoke for. He didn't seem to mind, leaning into her embrace in a way that made her wonder if anyone had hugged him in the past few days. They lingered for a breath longer before he stepped away, taking his empty bowl and rinsing it in the sink. "I'm afraid I have things to attend to, but I wanted to check in. I'll see you soon."

"Thanks for stopping by. And for helping me find breakfast." she said. The cereal was certainly better than the processed mess that filled her grocery store shelves at home, and she found she actually felt full. He nodded at her one last time before leaving, his footsteps soft as he went down the stairs. With that bit of certainty she was able to breathe again - and notice that she'd just had breakfast and entire serious conversation with the King whilst wearing pajamas. Well, if she'd somehow kept up any illusion of propriety before, it was certainly broken now.

With breakfast done and her breakdown also done, she decided she could now get ready for the day. She didn't know what time Shuri would be getting to the lab, and figured she should wait at least until the sun was completely up before venturing down there. She looked through the cupboards, taking inventory of what she had. She didn't want to go down to the lab empty handed, and found that there was a surprising variety of ingredients that she could use to whip up a little something for the princess. Of course, she had no idea what she did or didn't like, but it would at least be something.

She didn't remember the exact quantities of the ingredients she needed, but was able to play with her measurements until the dough felt right. It felt good to be doing something familiar like baking, helping her feel more normal in this situation that was a little out of control. The gorgeous marble countertops certainly made working the bread easier than the cheap laminate of her island back home, and as she set it aside to proof, she found she felt more at ease than she had for the past week.

A quick shower and a change of clothes (she could really get used to these comfortable tunics that filled the closet) made her feel like a new woman, and she hummed along to a song as she filled and plaited her bread and put it in the oven. At least right now, everything was established. There would be other decisions she had to make, of course, but she didn't have to make them today, and that was what was important.

When the bread was done and she made sure the fancy kitchen equipment (another thing she could get used to) was clean or turned off, she finally left for the lab floor. She could already see people milling about in the lower floors, though the lab still had limited staff inside. She first stopped in the room outside, the one housing the cryo chambers, and scanned her way in. It was cold, but the fresh bread in the basket on her lap kept her warm as she sat on the stool in front of Bucky.

"Good morning, my love." she said, her voice quiet. Even if she was alone, she still felt embarrassed talking to him. But it felt good to talk to someone in Romanian. "You probably can't hear me, or won't remember this. But I just had to come check on you. Make sure you were okay."

Bucky, of course, did not respond. His face was completely relaxed, and he looked young - younger than the thirty-something that his body claimed to be, and certainly much younger than the ninety-nine that he was. He actually looked at peace, the subtle crease that he usually sported between his eyebrows now smooth in his sleep. The screen next to the chamber detailed his vitals, which had been perfect and steady since the night before. She hoped he wasn't dreaming; or if he was, that he was only dreaming of good things.

The door beeped and slid open, the princess stepping in and looking surprised to see her. "You're up early." she commented, her eyes falling to the bread in Mika's lap. "I promise, we're feeding him."

"Oh, no, this is for you." Mika said, offering it to her. Shuri looked surprised for a moment, taking the basket. "I don't know if you like chocolate, or cinnamon, or even bread for that matter, but…" she trailed off, not knowing where to go from there. Shuri's eyes brightened, and she shamelessly tore off a chunk and took a bite.

"I love chocolate." she said, her mouth full. Mika smiled; she now seemed more like a teenager than a princess. "This is amazing! Thank you!"

"Of course. A small thanks for everything you're doing for us here." she replied, nodding her head at Bucky.

"Well, you are welcome to bring food any time you like. Not into the lab of course, it's a sterile environment, but-" she took another bite of bread and started walking away, and Mika assumed she was supposed to follow. "Here, this is my relaxation space. This is where all the delicious goodies go." she said, taking one last bite before shoving some other snacks to the side of a table and placing the basket front and center. "I'm wary to share that, but I suppose I have to be a gracious and giving princess."

"I don't think anyone would fault you for not sharing food." Mika replied, making Shuri smile.

"Come. You said you knew code, right?" she asked, walking quickly back towards the door. Shuri was a woman on a mission, and Mika could respect that. She simply made a noise of agreement, deciding not to mention that yes, Shuri had asked about her code knowledge, but hadn't exactly waited for an answer. "I'm almost done with my equipment to help Sergeant Barnes, but I'm missing something in the code. I need fresh eyes on it."

"I don't know if I'm the right person for that job. I've never worked with the language you use." Mika said, following her into the lab and back onto the platform from the day before. Shuri waved her off, pressing a bead on her bracelet and bringing up the hologram.

"But you're the closest person. And if you can't figure it out, maybe you can at least give me an idea." she said, pulling open a window and scrolling through the lines of code, explaining exactly what the issue was. Mika couldn't help herself, and immediately started scanning through the lines, looking for the patterns. Next to her, Shuri looked at the most recent scans of Bucky's brain. Mika could see what she was talking about now; the red thread hadn't changed in volume, but its path was just slightly different from the day before. Mika shook her head, going back to the problem in front of her. The sooner Shuri fixed what she needed to, the sooner she could get to work on Bucky.

"Well, I can't tell you how to fix it," Mika started after scrolling through a few times. "But there's something mismatched between here...and here...and here." She highlighted a few key areas of the code, showing them to her. Shuri stepped next to her, her brows furrowed and her eyes moving fast over the different lines. Steam was practically coming out of her ears, and then her face broke into a wide smile.

"You are my new best friend." she said, her fingers flying over the hologram as she edited what she needed. She smiled to herself, admiring her work before turning back to Mika. "Now I just have to make it autonomic, and we'll be set."

"Now that I definitely can't help with." Mika said. "But if there's anything else in here that you could use a hand with, I'm willing and able."

"Absolutely not. You need to relax, explore the city. Look, look." she took Mika by the hand, pulling her to the large window to show her the bustling town below. "The market is open. Go, see it."

Mika looked down at the already busy streets, but was distracted by a group of women on an open air platform. They were dressed in red uniforms, spears in their hands as a woman led them through a series of drills. Once the drills were through, she called them all to attention, the group moving into a circle. And then the sparring began. These women were strong, and graceful, and moved in a way completely different to how Bucky did when they sparred. Mika felt her muscles itching, wanting to exercise and move the way they had just a week ago. There wasn't much room to move in her Raft cell, and now her partner was frozen, waiting for brain surgery.

"Who are they?" she asked Shuri, pointing to the women below. When the match ended, the women nodded to each other in respect, grinning widely.

"The royal guard, the Dora Milaje." she said, her words accented as she spoke in her native language.

"They're amazing." Mika commented, still watching as another pair sparred.

"Would you like to meet them?" Shuri asked, smiling at her. "They're very impressive, I know. Many girls grow up wanting to join, but very few make it."

"Oh, no no, they're working. I don't want to interrupt." she said, trying to back track. She was supposed to be in the background, minding her business and not bothering anyone.

"Okoye, come up to the lab whenever you're finished." Shuri said, and Mika whirled around to find her talking into her bracelet. The girl gave her a mischievous smile. "Too late."

"Shuri! I mean, Princess!" Mika said, alarmed. She'd already met more intimidating people in the past few days than she had in her entire life. She didn't need to add to the list.

"Call me Shuri!" is all she said as she went back to her work. This time, instead of going to the platform, she went to a table set up with a large screen, its view similar to the projection she made on the platform. "Come here. There's a few projects I've put on the back burner because there were bugs in the code, and other things became more important. I know it's probably below your level, but…"

"Right, of course. Anything you need." she said, stepping up to the screen. A puzzle? And a productive one? She could definitely handle that. It felt good to be doing something helpful, even if it was a trivial side project. It took her a moment to familiarize herself with the technology, but it was astoundingly user friendly, way more so than anything else she'd worked with. God, the things she could do if she had this back in Romania. Next to her, Shuri went to a station with two robot arms, equipped with small instruments at the end of them. She pulled up a screen and tapped away at it, the arms following her every command. She must be working on the hardware then; Mika couldn't see it, but figured it had to be very small to work in Bucky's brain and cut out that red thread. She glanced out the window again, but this time the women were gone, and her heart was suddenly in her throat as she realized they were on their way here.

"Yes, Princess?" came a voice from the doorway. It was the leader, the one who had been taking the rest of the women through the drills. She looked even more fierce up close, and Mika wished she had half of this woman's confidence. Shuri tapped the screen a last few times before striding over to them, placing her hands on her hips.

"Okoye, this is my new best friend, Mika. She came here with Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes." Shuri introduced. Okoye eyed her and inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement, and Mika simply nodded in return, trying not to show how intimidated she felt. "She was admiring your work, and I thought it would be fun to introduce you."

"Are you a fighter, then?" Okoye asked, her voice smooth. There was an underlying tone to it, but Mika couldn't tell if it was humor or judgement - or, perhaps, both.

"I've trained some. I'm not near as experienced as you all though." she said, her accent extra thick. Okoye perked one eyebrow, but said nothing further. Mika, hating the silence, rambled on. "I was actually hoping - I mean, if there's any free time of course - if perhaps I could join in on a sparring session? I've been working with Bucky and with the stress of the past few days-"

"You think," Okoye interrupted, a stern warning in her tone. "that you are good enough to be Dora Milaje? That you are worthy to train with the king's guard? You believe that you deserve that privilege?"

Mika's entire body went cold. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why would she think that asking such a thing was okay? "No, no, uh, of course not. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I don't...I don't know what I was thinking. I am so, so sorry." she clamped her mouth shut to prevent any other offending statements and looked down at the ground. Though she was surely close in age to this woman, she suddenly felt like a scolded child.

"Okoye…" Shuri said, worried about how awry this meeting had gone. Without warning, Okoye swung out at Mika, and she barely had fast enough reflexes to deflect the shot. Okoye reached across and grabbed her wrist, and Mika turned and pulled exactly how Bucky had shown her. She had no doubt that her fear was plain as day on her face, but when she looked up, Okoye was smiling. "Okoye, I didn't call you up here to scare my new best friend! Be nice!"

"Perhaps I underestimated you." she said. Wait, was this a right of passage thing, or had she simply been messing with her the whole time? "You know, you can never be Dora Milaje."

"No, no of course not." Mika agreed, holding her breath as she waited for what was to follow.

"But, we do have open training nightly, for those who are not on duty. If you wish to try your hand, then we will welcome you." she said, and Mika let out a huge sigh of relief.

"That would be amazing. Thank you, thank you so much." she said, feeling a little lightheaded as her panic subsided. Perhaps she could make a few friends here...if she didn't make a complete ass of herself that evening. Okoye still looked mildly amused, and Mika found she wasn't quite as scary now. She uncrossed her arms, addressing Shuri.

"By your leave, Princess." she said, standing at attention. Shuri waved her off.

"Yea, yea. Thank you for stopping by." she said, going back to her desk to continue her work. Okoye nodded at Mika, still wearing that smirk, before turning on her heel and striding out of the room. Left in the silence, Mika went back to her new work station to continue on her project. The distraction was welcome, and even if he was sleeping, it felt nice to have something to focus on and have Bucky nearby.

She didn't know how long they sat and worked at those stations, periodically taking breaks for Shuri to introduce her to the people who came and went around the lab. It was obvious that she was in charge here, but everyone was very independent, greeting the princess before going to work. She wasn't an overbearing or micromanaging boss; no, she was there because she loved it, and these people were here because they loved it all too. Mika thought this would be an amazing place to work, and idly wondered if Shuri would consider employing her full time, if she was able to stay here.

It was well past midday when Shuri sighed in defeat, putting down the tablet she'd been working on. "What's wrong?" Mika asked, low key hoping that she'd be able to find the bugs, just as she had before. But Shuri shook her head.

"The pathway keeps changing in a completely random fashion. Perhaps, if we mapped it for long enough, we could see a pattern. And my technology, usually it can sense these things and help heal damaged tissue. But his actual brain is going to fight me back, and the stuff that's in his brain is going to fight me as well." she explained, her arms crossed as she pouted at the screen in front of her.

"So we have to do it manually." Mika said. She could tell the Princess was disappointed, but Mika was still so happy that they could do something about the thread that she couldn't quite sympathize. If they had to do it manually, so be it. As long as it could be done.

"But I hate doing things manually." she huffed, turning to look at Mika, hoping that she would be just as annoyed. Mika hated to disappoint, but she did.

"But we can still do it, right? We can still help him?" she asked. That was all she cared about. Realization dawned on Shuri's face, and Mika thought the girl actually blushed a bit. She'd been so wrapped up in the game, she'd forgotten the reasons behind it.

"Yes. Yes we can. And when we're finished, he will be right as rain." she said, this time determined. Mika nodded, putting her arm around her shoulders.

"Yes he will." she agreed, giving her an affectionate squeeze. "Now come on, I think we're long overdue for some lunch."

"You go ahead. I want to finish this." Shuri said, gesturing at the screen in front of her. Mika rose her eyebrows.

"You need to eat." she pointed out. "That big brain of yours needs fuel."

"I will, I will. I'll meet you in the apartment later." she said, her attention already back on the robotic arms in front of her. Mika waited for a moment to see if she changed her mind, but her eyes stayed adamantly on her project. She shook her head, going up to the apartment and fixing herself some food. Somehow, she knew that Shuri was not going to join her; she was too focused on helping them. Mika smiled, pulling out the baking ingredients again.

If Shuri was going to work through lunch to help Bucky, then she'd just have to bring lunch to her.

There we have it! Our boy is about to be better! After all the stuff that goes on in Black Panther of course. Not gonna lie, this isn't my fave chapter, but hey at least we get some quality time with everyone's favorite teenage genius!

I can't thank y'all enough for the amazing reviews! Literally every one of them makes me smile (and sometimes cry) because y'all are so sweet. I love love love hearing your thoughts. Please never stop sharing them!

I also liked hearing who everyone headcanoned as Mika! Can we continue this game? Is everyone cool with that? Tell me who you'd cast as Nicoletta!

Hope you enjoyed this little rest break of a chapter! Please let me know what you thought!

-XM