Chapter 67: Invasion

Mika used to think that she thrived in the summer. But summer in Wakanda was certainly different than summer in Romania.

Granted, she had already lived through one of them, and besides a short bout of "summer sickness" (apparently a version of influenza that tended to arrive with the heat), she'd done alright. But this year it was even hotter, and she felt like the air conditioning to their little house was constantly on overdrive trying to keep up. They'd even had to start cold brewing their coffee and drinking it iced, which was something that neither one of them thought they would ever have to do.

"Maybe you should go see Lwazi, make sure you don't have the flu again." Bucky said. They were sitting and eating breakfast, Mika leaning her head against her hand as she slowly nursed her cereal and coffee. The heat was still keeping her up at night, and it was starting to piss her off. She nodded, agreeing with his statement.

"I guess it would be good to get the medicine now instead of two weeks in." she replied. She hated to bother their friend in the medical bay since he had much more important things to do, but she did not want to go through the same ordeal she did last summer.

"Want me to go with you?" he asked. Something was different about this time, and he wanted to make sure she was okay. This time she shook her head.

"I'll be okay. You've got the kids to take care of." she said with a grin. Two new baby goats had arrived over the past couple weeks, and were proving to be very mischievous and quite the handful. One had already escaped, but luckily did not want to leave its companion, and instead had stood at the fence and screamed until Bucky figured out what was happening. It took him a few days to find all the spots the tiny goats could escape through, and board them up.

"Well, call me if it's anything serious." he said. She reached across the table and squeezed his hand, letting her fingers linger for a moment before pulling away with a sigh.

"I will. Guess if I want to stop by the lab before I go, I better get on with it." she said, reluctantly standing up and gathering her dishes. Really she just wanted to stay home today, but Bucky was right - she needed to see the doctor, plus Shuri apparently had an update for her fancy Wonder Woman suit already. She quickly changed and pulled her hair up, also taking a moment to put Bucky's hair half-up before kissing him goodbye for the day. He held her wrist and pulled her back for an extra kiss; for some reason, something felt off about today.

The lab was surprisingly empty when she arrived. Usually there were a few early birds, tucked away at their desks as they finalized projects before the Princess got in. But today, she was alone, and for a moment she thought perhaps there was a holiday that she'd forgotten about. She wandered to Shuri's desk, which had a box with a mold the exact shape of her bracelet. She should wait for her to do the upgrades, she knew that...but who knew when she would arrive? And even then, she would get roped into something else, and never end up going to see the doctor. With a sigh and a silent apology to Shuri, she slipped the bracelet into its home, pressing the right buttons and waiting as the machine whirred to life. Lines of code ran across the clear screen in front of her, bits and pieces of it editing in real time. The diagram of a sword and shield popped up, then dissolved into the lines necessary to make them a reality. Ah, so she was getting weapons today? That was definitely something new. Did Shuri know something she didn't?

When the machine beeped and her bracelet popped out of its home, she took it and slid it on. It felt slightly heavier than before; that must be the nanites for her sword and shield. She thought of trying them out right then, but remembered that she didn't have a change of clothes with her, and that while Shuri would forgive her for updating it on her own, she would definitely not forgive her for trying it out before she got there. The lab was still empty, which was unnerving at this point, so Mika decided that would be a good time to go over to the medical bay.

The medical bay was also nearly empty when she arrived, which once again made her wonder if she was missing something. But no, she was just early. Lwazi sat at his desk in the corner, eyeglasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he looked over a page of numbers on his tablet. He looked up as she approached, grinning as he recognized her.

"Ah, so we haven't built up the immunity to the summer sickness yet, hm?" he asked, looking way too at ease about it. Mika sighed dramatically, laying down on the nearest bed as if it would carry her to her death.

"My weak Romanian bones can't handle it. Just let my end be merciful." she said, holding out her arm as if for a lethal injection. Lwazi chuckled at her theatrics, pushing back from his table and going to the cart with all his supplies.

"Well, let's see what strain you have, then we can make the medication to go with it." he said, pulling out a stethoscope. He held it to various points on her chest and back, listening to her breath sounds and her heartbeat. He checked her temperature - which was slightly elevated - before asking the traditional questions. Nausea? Vomiting? Headache? Rash? Chills? Fatigue? Sometimes, no, no, no, the opposite, all the time it seems like. Coughing? Sneezing? In the mornings, no. Once he was satisfied that nothing seemed serious, he pulled out a syringe, cleansing an area of her arm so that he could draw blood.

Just as the needle pierced her skin, a commotion broke out in the hallway. Mika jumped, letting out very ladylike grunt as the needle dug into her against Lwazi's wishes. He gave her a stern look over the top of his glasses, and she sighed and relaxed, not giving in to her instinct to try and eavesdrop on the hallway and instead letting him put the needle in again. He drew her blood into a vial before removing the needle, disposing of it and readying the vial for reading.

"Shouldn't take me more than an hour, will you still be here?" he asked. Before she could answer, another person stepped into the room. He was dressed like a soldier, and immediately Lwazi's demeanor changed. This, of course, put Mika on edge. What did this guy want with Lwazi?

"Mrs. Barnes?" he asked, his voice low. Oh shit, he was looking for Mika? She ran through the last couple days, trying to think if she'd accidentally done something illegal. Nothing came to mind, it had been a normal few days. Her stomach sank; what if they decided that Bucky had to leave?

"Um, yes?" she said, trying to sound confident even though her voice cracked with her nerves. She looked to Lwazi, but he didn't seem to have any more information than she did.

"Come with me. You're to meet your husband and Captain Rogers here shortly. Dr. Ama, you are to prepare the bay for triage." he said. No introductions, no details, nothing. Just the simple instruction. She nodded dumbly, her fingers picking nervously at the bandage on her elbow. When had Lwazi put it there? She stood up, turning to address the man.

"Thank you, for your help." she said softly. He looked just as unnerved as she felt. "Um, don't worry about the medicine for now I guess. Something's…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say. She didn't have any more knowledge on the situation than he did. He nodded, grasping her hand softly.

"Be safe, I'll see you soon." he said, going into business mode. She gave him a weak smile before going to follow the nameless soldier, wondering what exactly in the hell was going on.

Across the city, Bucky was out at the farm, removing the last of the used bedding from the barn. The goats were out grazing by the big tree, completely content and minding their own business for once. They would need a fresh layer of hay and shavings before nightfall. He grabbed the middle of the wheelbarrow, dragging it behind him down to the tree. He muttered to the goats, gently pushing them aside with his foot as they tried to see what was in the barrow. He finally gave up, leaving it in the middle of them and figuring he could easily toss things into it from that distance. Of course, once he got to the pile of hay and shavings, the goats completely lost interest, going back to their nibbling and their playing. One by one, he started throwing the bags into the barrow. He paused as he heard a rumbling in the distance; it was not the sound of Mika's vehicle, nor the one that Steve and his cohort usually borrowed. This one was different. He paused, trying to place the distinctive sound. Once he recognized that it was the King's vehicle, he returned to his task. T'Challa never called on them without a warning; this was not going to end well.

The vehicle stopped at the top of the hill. The King and Okoye got out of the cab, and a small group of soldiers dressed in purple spilled out of the bed of the truck. Bucky watched as they walked down the hill, one of them carrying a large case, wordlessly placing it on top of the wheelbarrow once they arrived. He didn't like the look of that at all. T'Challa and Okoye didn't say anything, just waiting for him to see what it was.

"My sister wanted you to know she made some...aesthetic adjustments." T'Challa said softly. Bucky finally saw the contents, the dark vibranium of the arm shining in the bright sunlight. On the fourth finger of the left hand there was a golden band, beautifully etched. He wanted to smile at the sentiment, but couldn't bring himself to do it. The King was calling in on Bucky's debt, as he had every right to. At least he didn't look happy about it.

"Where's the fight?" he asked lowly. He knew this day would come, he just selfishly hoped that it would come a little later.

"On its way here." he replied. Bucky nodded, finally looking to the King.

"And where's Mika?" he asked this time. He had to make sure she was safe first.

"Waiting for you at the palace." he said. He pulled out another package, this one with clothing and boots. He gave a wry smile as he said, "Captain Rogers informed me that if you're going to fight a war, you need to wear a uniform."

"Yea, well, he's always been a little overdramatic." Bucky deadpanned. He laid his hand on the arm, knowing that it was going to work perfectly. The uniform was likely laced with vibranium too, and would protect him with whatever they were going to face. He didn't need to know who they were fighting, he didn't really care. He just wanted to get it over with so he could get on with his life, their life. So he took the uniform and the arm and donned them like the good soldier he used to be, taking a moment to feel out the mechanics of it. Now that he was alone and resigned to what was about to happen, he took a moment to admire the arm. It really was an incredible feat of engineering, feeling almost as if it were his own limb. Plus, it was nice to be wearing a wedding ring on the correct hand. He allowed himself one small smile at it before putting his serious face back on, going back outside and getting back in the car with the King.

It was a quiet ride into the city center, and a quick lift in the elevator to the helipad. T'Challa gave him the details of what was happening in a succinct manner, but Bucky barely listened to the mission report. His priorities were simple: find Mika, get her to safety, kill any fucking alien that tried to come within a ten kilometer radius of her. All that mattered was that she lived; as far as he was concerned, without her, he didn't really want to be part of the world anymore anyway.

She met them at the elevator, wringing her hands as she waited for the doors to open. As soon as they were clear, she was in his arms, and he relished in the feeling of holding her with two hands. He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of her hair and the pressure of her arms around him and the beat of her heart against his sternum. He wanted to make sure, if this was the last time he saw her, that it would be a moment to remember. She pulled back and opened her mouth to ask a question - probably to find out what was going on - but he interrupted her with a kiss. He didn't want to tell her, not yet. He wanted one more moment of blissful happiness before he went off to fight. God, what he would have given to have her back in 1943. Maybe, if he'd had her to come home to, he might have done things differently. Or maybe things would have ended up exactly the same, and she would've been left heartbroken and alone. He steeled his resolve then; he wasn't fighting to the death anymore, he was fighting for his life. He had to come back to her.

"That bad, huh?" she asked, finally breaking their kiss. He nodded, swallowing before answering her.

"Worse, probably." he admitted. The sound of an aircraft landing broke their embrace, and they gave each other one last look before going out to meet Steve.

T'Challa and the Dora Milaje went ahead of them to greet those on the aircraft, and Mika was surprised to see Wanda, Vision, and two other people she didn't recognize file out of the cabin behind Steve, Natasha, and Sam. She thought one of the guys was the one who turned into the Hulk, but she didn't remember ever seeing the other one. She couldn't hear the conversation, but Bucky could, a grin on his face as they walked up to them.

"And a semi-stable hundred year old man." he remarked, putting on quite a brave face for the discussion they'd just been having.

"And his slightly more stable thirty-something wife." Mika added. Steve gave them a half-grin, not quite as good at faking his emotions as Bucky was. He greeted Bucky first, pulling him into a hug.

"How ya been, Buck?" he asked, patting him on the shoulder. Bucky gave a shrug.

"Not bad, for the end of the world." he said. Mika thought she was the only one who could see the tension in his back, the way his new hand was clenching and unclenching. He was nervous, really nervous. Steve turned to her.

"And you?" he asked, accepting her embrace and kiss on his cheek. Behind him, another soldier handed Bucky a new gun. It looked pretty fancy, and she hoped it was extra powerful.

"Making it. Could be worse, all things considered." she said. She was determined to be brave, just like Bucky. She had the distinct feeling that Steve saw right through her. "You?"

"Same." he said. "But hey, we'll get through this."

"If you say so." Mika said. T'Challa came up then, putting a hand on Steve's arm.

"Your friend will be in my sister's lab by now. Come, time is not a luxury for us right now." he said. He was in full on King mode, which Mika appreciated. It helped to have someone with some semblance of a plan, someone who could give out orders. She could follow instructions, it was one of her strengths. A look from Steve told them to stay here, and Mika was glad that they got to wait with Sam and the other guy she didn't know instead of going in for whatever serious conversation awaited the others.

"Go home. Wait for me there. Don't leave for anything, okay?" Bucky said. Her face turned to alarm, and then she physically balked.

"What? No. Absolutely not." she said, shaking her head. Sam and the other guy eyed each other before trying to stealthily move away, pretending they weren't eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Mika-"

"No, no! You left me one time, a year ago, and that was horrible. I am not leaving you this time." she said sharply. She tried to keep her voice low, but she had no doubt she was speaking louder than she meant to, trying to hear herself over the pounding in her ears.

"This is not a discussion." he said. He hated to talk to her this way, but he didn't have time to gently convince her otherwise. "This isn't sparring with me, or Natasha, or with the sand pit. This is the end of the world, Mika."

"If the world is ending, I want to end it with you." she said. She didn't hold him, didn't touch him. That wouldn't help right now. She balled her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "You trained me yourself. I'm going into this fight with you."

"Absolutely not." he said shortly. Keep her safe, keep her safe.

"This is not a discussion." she retorted, her eyes blazing.

"No." he said through clenched teeth. "I can't lose you. I won't."

"I won't lose you either!" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. She had to stay strong, had to stay brave. She would not be left behind this time, not when she could actually help. Unfortunately, her emotions were so strong and so mixed up that her body was choosing to form tears, which definitely did not help her argument. "I can't sit back and wait and hope you live again, Bucky. I can't."

"And I can't risk you getting hurt. What if something happens and I can't protect you? It'll end me." he countered. Why must she be so stubborn? Why didn't she see that this wasn't one of their little games? She gave him an unnerving smile, holding up her arm to show her black bracelet.

"You don't have to protect me. Shuri already has." she said. He gave her a pointed look, trying his best not to roll his eyes.

"A costume is not-" he started, but she stopped him with a finger to his lips.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that it was fully functional armor? With weapons included?" she said, sounding entirely too proud of the fact. She held up said weapons, the vibranium humming with her movements. The sword was sharp, and the shield sturdy. His face darkened another shade.

"I don't care. It's too risky." he said, though he could feel his resolve waning. She had a point, but he was not ready to concede yet. If he was able to convince her to stay away, even just to stay at the palace with Shuri, then that would be better.

"Bucky, you can take me with you, or I can sneak down there on my own." she said. It was an empty threat, but the conviction in her voice was just convincing enough to give him second thoughts. Her sneaking onto a battlefield to be with him was definitely within the realm of possibilities. He sighed, his resolve cracking.

"Do not take any risks. And do not leave my sight. Do you understand?" he said. He couldn't help feeling like this was a bad idea, a horrible idea, but what alternative did he have? Leave her to her own devices? Fuck no.

"Affirmative." she said. She didn't have a smile on her face, despite winning the discussion. The gravity of the situation was settling in. This was going to be dangerous, more dangerous than anything she'd ever done in her entire life. But she didn't regret her decision; she was not going to leave him, not now, not when they needed each other most. He put his hand on her cheek, and she leaned into the touch.

"You're not allowed to get hurt. You realize that, right?" he said softly. He'd gone into the day knowing something felt wrong, and now it was all coming into fruition. He just hoped the bad feeling would stop with the impending invasion.

"Same goes for you." she replied. He ground his teeth, obviously still not approving of this plan, but she stared at him, steadfast in her resolve. If they were going to go, they were going to go together.

"You two done yet?" Sam called, adjusting his wings. "It's gettin' real weird."

"Shut up." Bucky said, once again putting on the front. Sam just smirked at her.

"Staying with us?" he asked, a challenge in his voice. Mika nodded, trying to appear more courageous than she felt.

"Someone has to get things done." she said, making him raise one eyebrow.

"Dressed in that?" he asked, gesturing to her tunic dress. This time, she couldn't help but grin.

"Of course not." she said, tapping her bracelet twice. It sprang to life, the nanites forming her armor, shield, and sword. Her skin buzzed with adrenaline and energy from the vibranium. The armor was definitely more reinforced, the sword light and strong and the shield wide and sturdy. She'd never felt more powerful in her life. Sam's jaw dropped.

"Hot damn." Sam said, looking down at his own uniform. "I gotta get me something new. Everyone else is getting all fancy."

"We make it through today, I'll make sure you get one just like it." she said, twirling the sword to feel its weight. It sang just like the ones she used when practicing with Kanoni.

"You think you playing, but I am completely secure in my masculinity and would, in fact, wear that." he countered. Bucky rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath that the others couldn't catch. "What?"

"I said," Bucky spoke louder now, "that you're full of shit."

Sam opened his mouth to retort, but a low rumbling echoed above them. A giant, fiery object was soaring towards them, appearing to move at a dragging pace even though it had to be traveling hundred of miles per hours. He raised a hand to his ear, activating his comms.

"Hey Cap, we got a situation here." he said, all joking gone from his voice. They watched as the fiery craft sailed down towards them, looking like it was heading straight for them. Mika held her breath; whatever time they thought they had, it was up. The thing hit the barrier of Wakanda, exploding on impact with its pieces showering down like fiery confetti. The sky sparkled as the barrier activated, protecting its citizens from the assault.

"God, I love this place." Bucky said, more to himself than anyone. He chanced a glance at Mika, who smiled back at him. She loved it too, and it was time for them to defend it.

"Don't celebrate yet, guys." the other guy said, activating a suit that looked like a gunmetal version of Iron Man's. Mika still hadn't learned his name. Why hadn't she asked his name? "We got more incoming outside the dome."

"How strong do you think the dome is?" Mika asked lowly. Bucky gave her a half smile, though there was still a little bit of sadness in his eyes, hesitance in his demeanor.

"Hopefully strong enough." he replied, adjusting his hold on his gun. The falling stars sailing through the sky hit the ground with decisive booms that shook the ground underneath them. As the dust cleared, they saw giant obelisks planted in the distance, their dark shapes shifting under the hot African sun. Mika sucked in a breath, trying to restart her heart. I want to be here, she reminded herself. I need to be here.

"Time to form the lines." came Steve's voice. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere, the lines of his face set as he gazed out at the horizon. Bucky nodded, looking to Mika. She could see the question in his eyes, asking without words one last time for her to run and hide. But she wasn't going to, not this time. This time, she was staying with him to fight. She drew up to her full height, looking away from Bucky before he could convince her otherwise and instead looking to Steve.

"Tell us where to go." she said. He reached into his pocket, handing them small communication devices. She slipped it into her ear without hesitation, though her hand shook as she tried to fit it properly. She always wondered what she was training for. Turns out, an alien invasion was it.

The city moved with incredible precision as the citizens evacuated and the armies took their place. Steve, Natasha, Bucky, and Mika all stayed with T'Challa, looking out over the plain separating them from the growing forces tumbling from the obelisks. In front of the melee, three beings walked in a way that suggested leadership, going right up to the barrier and waiting. Mika had seen enough science fiction movies to know this was when they would make their demands, and that this was when the human race would decide to fight for their home - or die trying.

"You sure about this?" Bucky asked lowly once Steve and T'Challa were out of earshot. Mika gulped, trying to wet her dry throat so that her voice would be steady when she answered.

"Positive." she said. It was the truth. She had no desire to leave him...but that didn't mean she wasn't terrified. "Are you scared?"

"Incredibly." he said in a way that implied it was a good thing. To him, the fear meant that this time he was fighting as himself, fighting for those that he loved, rather than under orders. "Fear is what keeps you alive."

"Then I'm going to be just fine." she said, though the sarcasm fell flat. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, dropping one hand from his gun so that he could grip hers. She held his tightly, her fingers cracking with the way she squeezed. "Barnes, if you die, I will bring you back to life just so I can kill you myself, do you understand?"

"Same goes for you, Barnes." he replied. This time, she didn't get the flurry of happiness at the shared last name. This time, icy dread just settled deep into her stomach. But at least they were together, she thought. At least this time, they could have each other's backs.

The comm crackled in her ear, and she waited for orders from Steve, but instead she heard the quiet voice of Lwazi. "Mika?" he asked, hesitant, as if afraid he'd dialed the wrong number on the telephone. She held a finger to her ear, activating it. Bucky hadn't moved; she was the only one he was talking to.

"Yes?" she said, just as quietly. Bucky turned his head slightly, but she didn't think he could hear the conversation.

"I got your results." he said. How could he be worried about the flu at a time like this?

"It's okay, Lwazi, the adrenaline will carry me through. I'll start the medicine right after this, I swear. I'll be your best patient ever." she said, her nerves showing as she rambled into the comm.

"No, Mika, you don't have summer sickness." he said, making her pause. What would make him so concerned then? "You're pregnant."

Ha ha! Some of you were right! Our poor lil dumb dumb is pregnant. Keep track of your birth control lads.

Thank you SO much everyone who reviewed! I love every single one of them. I know I'm bad at responding, but I promise each one makes my heart skip eight beats at once. Y'all's insight is incredible and amazing.

Hope y'all enjoyed Infinity War part 1! Please let me know what you thought!

-XM