A/N: In case you missed it, I did repost Chapter 12! We are getting closer to the end. I don't know how many times I rewatched the final scenes of Infinity War to make sure everything in my story was as accurate as possible and made sense with the changes I made to include my OC. Enjoy chapter 16!
The quinjet touched down in the courtyard, the back hatch opening to allow its occupants to walk down the runway. Steve was the first one off. Danielle nearly didn't recognize him with his beard fully grown in and his usually bright blue suit dimmed to a muted color. The last time she had seen him he had been wearing civilian clothes and his face was not quite so covered with hair.
Steve was followed by Natasha only half a step behind him and looking as intimidating as ever in her black suit. The whiteness of her hair gave off a sharp reflection in the midday sun, and Danielle wondered when she had removed all of her red color. Dr. Banner and Rhodey followed Steve and Natasha, and Wanda Maximoff exited supporting the weight of the Vision. Danielle had never seen the vibranium skinned man up close, and it surprised her how human he seemed leaning on Wanda.
T'Challa and Okoye met Steve and Natasha on the pavement, exchanging handshakes and solitary nods. Danielle noticed James taking a deep breath next to her, and she quickly took his hand to reassure him. He glanced at her, giving a nod of his head to signal that he was okay. She returned the gesture, though her stomach was in such a tight knot she didn't think she would ever eat again.
The group began walking toward them and Danielle started picking up pieces of their conversation. She released James' hand.
She heard T'Challa explaining, "You will have my King's Guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and…" He raised his hand and gestured at the two of them.
James stepped forward. "A semi-stable hundred year old man."
Steve moved toward James, pulling him into a solid hug. They patted each other on the back a few times before releasing and smiling at each other.
"How've you been, Buck?" Steve asked.
James shrugged. "Not bad, for the end of the world."
Steve nodded in understanding as his eyes scanned to Danielle. "Dani, how are you?"
"I'm good, Steve." She stepped forward and embraced him. "It's good to see you, Cap."
"I wish it was under better circumstances." He replied as he released her.
T'Challa stepped forward. "If you would please follow me, we should see what my sister can do about your friend." Steve was the first to follow the king while James fell into step at his side. Natasha grabbed Danielle's elbow to make her walk next to her.
Natasha leaned closer to Danielle. "You two seem to be in domestic bliss. How has it been being the girlfriend of a normal man?"
"You know James. He isn't normal by a longshot." The two women laughed together, then Danielle sobered slightly. "But, I will say it has been very nice not having to sleep with a gun under your pillow, or sleeping in your clothes in case you need to make an escape. If things were different, I think I would be very happy to leave the spy world behind."
"I'm happy for you, Danielle. If any of us deserves a happy ending, it's you two." Nasha smiled.
Danielle had never thought of the Black Widow having a softer side, but considering the deadliest assassin in history was her boyfriend, she couldn't judge a person's emotions by their career choice.
The group continued through the palace and toward a row of elevators leading to different sections. As the group spread out to load into the elevators, Danielle could see James looking around for her. The elevator doors opened and each person moved toward an open door. Danielle slid her way between Rhodey and Bruce, and entered the elevator right behind James, clasping his hand to alert him to her presence.
He looked down at their joined hands, then back to her face. "There you are. I thought I was going to have to ride by myself."
"I wouldn't let that happen. Besides, Steve is riding with you." She winked at the super soldier standing on the opposite side of James.
Steve leaned forward to see her better. "I see you haven't lost your sense of humor."
"I missed you, too." She replied.
The doors closed and the elevators lifted from the ground at a much faster rate than Danielle was used to. Her legs faltered and James stiffened his arm to support her.
"I got you." He smirked as he eyed her.
Danielle straightened her back and looked ahead, not wanting to embarrass herself anymore than she already had.
The elevators reached their destination and the groups gathered in the laboratory James had grown familiar with visiting. He eyed the exam table as they moved into the room, thinking back on all the episodes that had started and ended on that table. He kept to the edge of the room, avoiding being too close to the table and triggering a response. Danielle squeezed his hand and he forced his eyes to meet hers.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
He gritted his teeth. "I will be."
Danielle, always the smartest woman in the room, looked at the table then back to James. "This is where Shuri treated you, isn't it?"
"Yes." James stared forward as Shuri directed Vision to sit on the table.
Wanda helped him lean back until he was flat across the table. As James remembered, the scanner came down from the ceiling and floated over the top and down the length of Vision's body. It returned to the top of his head and focused on the stone glowing on his forehead. Shuri brought up the scan on her wrist, searching for an answer.
Steve walked over to James and Danielle with Sam trailing behind him.
"Buck, I want to send you back downstairs with Sam and Rhodey. There's a fight coming, and I want us all to be ready."
"Aye, aye, Captain," said James with a wink.
"What about me?" Danielle asked.
"I need you up here with Wanda," said Steve.
"No, you need me on the field." Danielle was ready to argue.
Steve shook his head. "I need you here to protect Vision. If they get that stone, it doesn't matter who is on the battlefield."
Danielle didn't want to listen to Steve's reasons.
"Dani," James squeezed her hand, "We're soldiers now. We have our orders, and we have to follow them."
She looked into his eyes, processing what he had said and what she needed to do. This was about the mission. It wasn't about being sidelined because she's a woman. Her orders were to protect the most valuable piece they had left in this war.
"I understand," she said to James, then turned to Steve, "you have my word that I will protect Vision at all costs, but as soon as he is safe, I'm coming to find both of you."
Steve nodded. "Yes ma'am."
A muscle twitched in James' jaw, but he remained silent.
"Let's go, Robocop." Sam said, walking toward the door.
James growled under his breath, but stopped when he felt Danielle squeeze his hand.
"Be careful out there," she said.
"You, too." He pulled her in and kissed her long and hard. "And if anything goes wrong up here, do what you can to help, but get yourself out of here."
Danielle nodded before James placed one more kiss on her forehead, then turned and left the room.
She watched him leave until he disappeared from sight. Though a tear threatened to fall down her cheek, she didn't let it leave her eye. She blinked hard to clear it and faced Steve, who gave her a soft look.
"I'll keep an eye on him," said Steve.
Danielle nodded. "Thank you, and be careful, Steve."
Shuri kept working on Vision, while everyone looked on in a mixture of awe and fear. They marveled at her intelligence and trembled at the idea of it not being enough to save them.