A/N:Sorry for the delay in posting, more to come soon! Enjoy -Cat

Chapter Thirty-Two

Natasha

Wakanda is not what I expected.

We fly through the smoke screen, camouflage projection of idyllic country side to see a sprawling city, full of colourful elaborate spires. An advanced city, beyond anything I could have imagined. I look over at Steve and Sam sitting in pilot and co-pilot's seat. Steve has this small smile in the corner of his mouth, not even a full smile, caught somewhere around his eyes. And Sam is just smiling giddily, like a kid on Christmas.

"Well, this is something," I say looking back out the window, raising an eyebrow. T'Challa certainly did have his secrets.

"Yeah, it is," Sam said. Steve looked at Sam and smiled, and I feel happy that they have been this well hidden. Comforted.

But anxiety brews in my chest as we circle into what must be their landing bay. I wonder what the new King feels about me coming to stay. Sure, he has obviously moved forward with Steve but Steve didn't turn on him right before he was about to get what he wanted.

I feel Steve's eyes on me. And I take a breath, a chance to give myself time to think. I am finding it hard. The further we flew, the more I felt lost in my mind. The nervousness about the welcome awaiting me in Wakanda, looming large in my mind. Bt then I started to worry about Steve, what we did. This new reality. I felt like I was deflating. I was no longer floating. I was on the cold hard ground now. I feel Sam's presence and I don't know what to do. How to act. I feel out of control because I still feel like I have no concrete knowledge of what was actually happening between us. I feel in limbo once again. Not sure, once again.

I never thought I would be here with Steve.

In the time I breath, I collect myself and I glance at him from the corner of my eye. I meet his graze and he sends me a half smile, one meant for me, and although it doesn't make my thoughts any clearer, it still makes my heart flutter in my chest , which is ludicrous. But I can't seem to stop myself from smirking back at him from the corner of my mouth.

And Steve effortlessly landed the jet.

We walk into the brilliant afternoon sunshine and I see ahead of us a beautiful woman, older, wearing white and looking regal and stately. There is a girl standing behind her right shoulder, smiling giddily at us, bouncing on the balls of her feet. The welcome is bright, their soldiers on either side of the welcome carpet.

I walk out on Steve's right side, Sam on his left. He swings his arm in unison with mine and for the briefest of moments, his forefinger brushes over the back of my hand, and I feel my heart stutter at his touch. I glance up at him, and I find his eyes already looking down at me from their corners.

"Breath," He says quietly, just so I can hear. How had he noticed I was holding my breath?

I lick my lips and take a deep breath in through my nose, trying to calm myself.

"Mr. Rogers," The woman in white said warmly in greeting.

My ears catches on the name and I can't help but stop. I hear something and look over to see Sam smiling gleefully. I catch a chuckle in my own throat and Sam looks over at me, his eyes twinkling. "Prefers that to Cap, these days," He said quietly to me, smiling. Steve glanced over his shoulder at us, but didn't draw attention to us, so as not to interrupt the woman, "They have no idea," Sam said smiling rolling up onto the balls of his feet in a sort of gleeful hop.

I shake my head at Sam's silliness and focus on the woman again, "It is a pleasure to welcome you back to Wakanda. We are glad you were able to find what you were looking for."

I feel the young girls eye's on me, but I don't look at her. I really don't want to consider that these strangers know I was the thing Steve was looking for. Even if it may already seem obvious. "Thank you your majesty." Steve said bowing slightly towards her.

"The King sends his apologies for not being present. He is still at the UN delegation for Wakanda's beginning outreach."

"I am sure he is a busy man." Steve said smiling good-naturedly.

"Please, follow me." She turned and headed towards the nearest tower. We all fall into step behind her, Steve leading the way. I am just a step behind him, and then right behind me is Sam. The young girl falls into step with Sam, her smile bright.

"Hello Mr. Wilson!"

"Hi Princess!"

She looks bashful as I watch them in my peripheral vision, "I've told you to call me Shuri!"

I feel myself smirk as I hear the tone in the beautiful girls voice, someone is smitten. My eye catches as I see Steve glance back at me and I am distracted from Sam and his new fan. I step up my pace and fall in to step beside Steve.

"Mr. Rogers," I say resisting the urge to giggle at the name.

"Is there something I am not getting?" He asked quietly as we stepped through the doorway into the cool climate controlled modern looking hallway, blended perfectly with the obvious heritage.

I smile to myself, pursing my lips in an effort not to smile, "I'll explain later."

Steve shakes his head slightly and glances back at me, "You ok?"

"Oh you know me Steve, just peachy." I smile at him raising an eyebrow.

His mouth is tense and his eyes search my face, he looks like he wants to ask me more, delve into everything, have me lean on his shoulder. But I focus instead on the woman we follow. No luck right now, Steve.

"We have you in your previous quarters, Mr. Rogers. The same for Mr. Wilson, across the hall. And we hope you don't mind but we made up the rooms next door for Miss Romanoff."

T'Challa's mother turns on me and smiles and I feel fear flare up but somehow it melts away. Her eyes lock on mine and they take me in. And I feel warm, and safe. I am taken aback by this feeling.

"Miss. Romanoff," Her eyes lock me in.

"Your Majesty," I say bowing my head in respect, fearful of looking up.

"My son wished for me to impart our most heartfelt welcome to Wakanda. We are honoured to offer you sanctuary." I look up to see her eyes and find myself feeling overwhelmed by her words.

"Thank you Queen Ramonda. Your words mean a lot to me." I say feeling my voice is more gravelly than it should be.

She smiles, and her face seems full of life, and knowledge, and a wisdom that I had a sudden desire to tap into. Like she had all the answers I needed.

She turned smiling back to Steve, "We are very proud that today is one of our most ancient and celebrated Harvest Days. We are very proud to invite you three to enjoy the best Wakanda has to offer."

Steve smiled, "We would be honoured to attend."

"Fabulous, we will let you all freshen up and someone will be by to escort you to the banquet hall later." She nods to us and we all bow out of respect and then the Queen Mother and her daughter leave us three standing in the hallway.

Sam rolls up onto the balls of his feet smiling, looking back and forth between Steve and I. "Well," He says taking a deep breath. "I guess I will head in, could use a shower. So, I'll be across the hall. And you two," He waved a finger between us and I fixed him with a cold glare, but he simply smiled back, in his complete Sam-like way. "Can do whatever it is you may need to do."

"Thanks," Steve said rolling his eyes at Sam's antic's.

With that Sam turned on his heel and walked through a doorway off the hall we stood in.

And just like that Steve and I are alone and I feel my chest expand with anxiety. I look up at him and of course, he is already looking at me.

"Well, here we are," I say quietly shaking my head.

"Are you ok? You've gotten real quiet since we got on that jet." Steve steps towards me closing the gap.

I blink up at him, I feel my brow furrowing a little, "Still trying to realize if I am dreaming or not."

His eyes search my face. "The feeling must be going around,"

He reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. I feel goose bumps rising all over my body as his finger tips graze over my cheek. I feel my throat tighten at his closeness and body crave his. It is intoxicating this hold he has over me. I have spent so much time ignoring it, forcing it down, I never realized what it would feel like to revel in it.

I lick my lips and look up at him, all eyes and lashes, hoping I am not being too obvious but at the same time not really caring if I am. "We should get ready."

The right corner of Steve's mouth caught and pulled up. "Guess so," Gently, he leaned down and his lips brush over my cheek where only seconds before his fingers had been. I feel their softness, their warmth and I want to melt into them, but instead I turn and look up into his stormy blue eyes, only a breath away from him.

I blink as I look up at him, "Pick me up later?" I say raising an eyebrow at him.

He smiled, "It's a date." And with that I force myself to step through the doorway into my room.