What's up, guys?

Thank you so much for the reviews you've written. No words can express how much I loved every single one of them. Especial thanks to Kapriiwhoosh for the kindest words. Don't worry, I got your review, man ;)

Here is chapter four! I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it.

Chapter Four

There was a loud bang as Wanda was thrown in the mat unceremoniously. She closed her eyes briefly before getting up and turning to look at her opponent. She really needed to rest a bit after this training session.

"Keep your guard up," Steve commented. "You're left side is too open. Easy to take you down."

"Not that easy," Wanda murmured as she adjusted her positioning and locked eyes with him. She went for a punch-kick sequence that would expose his legs and possibly give her room to go on the offensive. She was barely a punch in when he noticed the move and switched tactics. As her kick landed, he took the blow rather than blocking it, and held her leg long enough sweep her clear off her feet. The move ended with Steve pressing his elbow against her neck, in a clear show of victory.

Spreading her arms on the mat, she just stared at the ceiling, not really in the heat of battle. Though there was Steve's face above hers and gray bleak ceiling mats behind him, all she could see was another friend's face. Steve stood up and offered her a hand. "It's good for you to train without your powers, Wanda. You may not always be able to count on them."

"Yeah," she said, brushing dirt off her leggings. "Fighting you is not exactly easy, you know. I'm having a hard time."

Both Steve and Wanda went over to one of the huge windows the practice room exhibited. They just looked outside at the beautiful forest for a while. "Are you?" Steve asked. "I can feel your head's not in the game."

Wanda didn't answer. Ever since Steve had broken his team out of prison, Wanda had been more distant than usual. Despite Steve's efforts to take her in and share the load, she wasn't forthcoming with him anymore, which worried him. When they fought against Ultron and expanded the Avengers' team, he had been one of Wanda's only friends, aside from Vision. They'd talk about pretty much everything she wanted, from her childhood to her powers. Now, though, something had changed.

"We have changed, all of us," Steve said, his words echoing his own thoughts. "we shouldn't push people away because of that. You have real friends here, Wanda."

He couldn't help but think of how ironic that sounded, after everything that happened. Tony would've said the same encouraging words to him a few months back. Now, however, he couldn't even think of the Iron Man as a colleague, much less a friend. Especially after hunting Bucky down like an animal and tearing his arm off. Steve had an irrational streak when it came to Bucky.

Wanda apparently felt the same way. "I don't think I can consider anyone a friend for some time. Don't get me wrong," she turned to look at him, "I am grateful to what you've done for me. I would be rotting in the middle of the ocean if it wasn't for you." She took a few moments to continue speaking, and when she did, her voice was lower. "When I was little, Pietro was all I had. We were inseparable. When he died, it was like I was dead as well."

Steve put an arm around her. He knew where she was going. "And Vision was there."

She nodded. "He was… a friend. A good friend. And I thought that after Sokovia, I could count on him. He knew how it felt to be an outsider, and he was kind."

"And then he took Tony's side."

"I wasn't surprised," Wanda continued. "Tony created him. In a way, he's a reflection of what Tony stands for. But as a friend, I expected better. I wanted him on my side."

Steve lowered his gaze. He'd been looking at one of the many waterfalls Wakanda had, this one directly in front of the practice room's huge window. It made a rather impressive view. "You felt betrayed, and I understand. But I'm not Tony. And I'm not his creation. I won't turn on you because somebody else told me you might be dangerous, and I will never be afraid of your powers. Whenever you need a friend, I'm here."

Wanda felt extremely grateful, not only because of his basically offering his shoulder for her to cry on, but because of his words. I'll never be afraid of your powers. It was nice having someone like Steve to care for her. It reminded her of Pietro, the way he always had her back. "The same applies to you," she murmured with a small smile.

Steve's answering smile was a bit cheeky. "Thanks. Now, let's go back to sparring. There are some things we need to work on."

Wanda nodded and let herself be led by him back to the mat. However, she didn't get in position. "I'm not the only one who's out of the game, am I?" she asked, crossing her arms.

There wasn't much for Steve to do but shrug. His head had indeed been somewhere else.

Two floors up, in the infirmary.

Ever since Sharon was brought in, he had had a hard time focusing on anything else. The image of her chained up in CIA's headquarters wasn't something he'd forget anytime soon, especially due to the fact that it had been his fault. Sure, she'd help him of her own free will, but if he hadn't asked, she wouldn't be forced to steal his gear out of loyalty, and well… she wouldn't be banged up right now. He felt guilty of the whole thing.

"You're thinking about her. The agent," Wanda clarified. "Sharon, isn't it? I saw your face when we got to her."

"Yeah," Steve said. "She was tortured because of me."

His tone must have given something away, because Wanda immediately stepped forward. "Don't, Steve. She was loyal to what you stood for. It wasn't your fault."

"I know," he said. "And it might be the old-fashioned guy in me that sees everything that happens to a girl and connects it to himself, but I can't shake the feeling that I've caused this."

"Well, you did, when you went up against Tony. What everyone else did in your support or his, though, is not your fault. People would take their sides regardless of your actions. The difference is that you've united them."

This time, Steve was the one who turned away. "I'm not worthy of this loyalty, Wanda. I may be a leader, but I can't have people dying because they're following my ideals."

"If there's someone who deserves that kind of loyalty, that's you," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "At least, for now."

He chuckled at her well-intended joke "Thanks. Again. It's just… sometimes-"

The sound of the door opening interrupted whatever he was about to say. It was one of the many employees that worked at the mansion, a black-haired man with a drop tattoo on his cheek. "Excuse me, Captain Rogers," he said with a heavy accent. "I was instructed to let you know when Mrs. Carter wakes up."

"Thanks," Steve called out as the man closed the door once again. When he turned back to Wanda she was already on her way to pack things up. "You wouldn't mind if-"

"Go. Sparring can wait."

Steve nodded and let himself out.

Sharon lay back on her pillows as the young girl smiled at her shocked expression. "You were brought in by the Captain a couple of days ago. You gave us quite a scare, miss Carter."

"Who's we, exactly?" Sharon didn't want to be disrespectful to the woman, though she would press for details.

"You can call me Eni. I'll be responsible for your comfort as you heal from your injuries. King T'Challa himself asked me to provide for you."

"T'Challa?" she asked. "And what exactly are my injuries?"

Sharon had some idea of the extent of her injuries, but since everything hurt, a third source would be reliable. Unfortunately, she remembered pretty much every detail of her interrogation, much to her dismay. She wished the drugs were stronger for a moment, but immediately dismissed the idea. She would want to face things head-on.

"Well, yes, our King was kind enough to shelter the Captain and his friends. That includes you. As for your injuries," Eni went over to the clipboard attached to Sharon's bed, "Despite feeling a bit light-headed for a few hours, you will be yourself in no time. A few cracked ribs from the physical assault, a sore throat, and a black eye. The most concerning injury is in your hands, actually." Eni looked at her warily. "They will take some weeks to heal appropriately, and you may experience pain regularly, which is why I'm assigning a stronger pain-killer to you. The bandages will be annoying at first."

Annoying was an understatement. It was like her hands were replaced by marshmallows, even if the bandages were smaller than normal. She couldn't take things with her hands without difficulties, which proved to be awful. Sharon never liked to depend on others. She guessed, though, having Eni around would be handy, since she wouldn't even be able to zip her pants normally. Thinking about it ended up giving her an idea.

"Can you help me get to the shower? I could really use one," Sharon said, smiling briefly at the young woman.

Her reaction was positively funny. "Shower? After waking up from such injuries? I wouldn't recommend it," she said with a breezy voice, though she did, actually, help Sharon out of bed. Her legs felt weaker than expected, and she had to lean on Eni for most of the way. A few steps into the bathroom and she already started to feel better.

The prospect of a shower always lightened her mood.

After putting on some regular, comfortable clothes – which consisted of sweatpants and a tee – she leaned back on her bed and closed her eyes for a little bit. Eni got the tip and left her room, closing the door softly behind her. It was nice, Sharon thought, having some time for herself.

However, it gave her too much time to think.

Memories of what she'd suffered didn't take long to emerge, and when they did, she couldn't shake them off. The feeling of being drowned, beaten and cowardly mutilated didn't give her a lot of peace. Sharon was aware that PTSD was a true issue inside S.H.I.E.L.D. and CIA – they had at least that much in common – and being tortured used to spring that up amongst agents. She felt a spark of rage for her ex-agency, and then let it go. They were just doing their job, albeit poorly.

Which led her thoughts to her current unemployed state. Wakanda wasn't exactly a destination Sharon had in mind when Steve told her he'd get her out of there, but she guessed it would do. She had no idea if she was still being hunted. So, she'd know everything there was to know about Wakanda, an exotic place more than anything, and take her time healing. She figured she'd earned that, at least, for not giving Steve's plans away to the government.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. She opened her eyes to find Steve leaning against the doorway, his eyes soft but questioning. "Hey," he said. "I head you were awake. Mind if I come in?"

"Please." Sharon answered, and sat up from her previous position as he entered her room. His figure seemed too big for the medium-sized hospital room.

Steve perched on the end of her bed. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, crossing her arms. "Like I was run over by a helicopter."

Steve nodded. "I'm sorry we didn't get to you sooner. I should've known what CIA would do."

He seemed genuinely upset, so Sharon was fast to reassure him. "I'm just grateful for what you've done for me. Besides, you couldn't have known."

Black Bird protocol wasn't exactly known to the public, and being Captain America hadn't given Steve any further access to CIA's procedures. It'd be ridiculous for her to blame him. Ever since Peggy died, Sharon felt more alone than ever. It was nice knowing that someone cared for her that much. Which was what led her to murmur a quick and low "Thank you."

This time, he looked surprised. "You don't have to thank me, Sharon. Busting you out of prison was my obligation, after how much you've helped me. There's nothing to be thankful for. If anything," he added, and there was a sad glint in his eyes, "I'm the one who should be thanking you. You didn't sell me out."

"I would never betray a friend," she said, smiling softly. "And you don't have to thank me, either. The reason I kept my mouth shut was Peggy. She taught me better. It's nothing to do with you, in particular."

He chuckled at that, and when he looked back at her, she couldn't help but smile a bit more. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said.

"What about your team?" She asked, abruptly changing the subject. Her bones weighed a ton, so she didn't want to maintain a conversation any longer than necessary. Even if the person she was talking to was Steve, who always managed to lift her spirits.

"Bucky, Sam, Wanda, and Scott are here. Hawkeye is on his way with his wife and kids. Natasha is out of the radar for the time being," he explained, and at Sharon's confused look, he went on, "it's a long story. Natasha ended up helping me when we crossed Tony's hairs at the airport."

"And Scott?" she inquired. That gave Steve enough incentive to update her about everything that'd happened since they last saw each other. He told her about Scott and his suit, the other Winter Soldiers he had discovered, his fight with Tony at the airport, and later in Hydra's facility. His voice lowered when he told her about Tony's parents, and Sharon covered his hand with hers, marshmallows and all. His story led to him breaking his team out of prison and encountering shelter in King T'Challa's mansion, an unlike ally. Despite her eyes burning from tiredness, she felt herself waking up with every twist in his tale.

Talking to a hot guy that had kissed her? Nah. Update on a civil war? Oh, yeah. That could definitely wake her up.

She imagined Steve was feeling tremendously sad over Bucky's decision to be put back in the ice. Though she hadn't had a lot of time to discuss this with him, Bucky meant more to him than a mere friend. He was Steve's brother, the most important person in his life. It couldn't be easy to lose someone that relevant to you multiple times. Add Peggy's recent death, and you have a man with issues, Sharon thought when Steve finally stopped speaking, her gaze going out the window.

The sight gave her an idea.

Back when she was in London with her parents, Sharon's favorite activity was going to the park. There was something peaceful about that place, the feeling of nature all around her. It was part of the reason she'd decided her getaway city would be in the middle of nowhere. She liked the absence of noise and movement, as ironic as that might sound, considering she'd been an agent in Washington, DC.

She figured now, when both Steve and herself were down for some reason – Sharon for being, well, tortured, and him for the people he'd lost – a walk in Wakanda's natural habitat could do them some good. They wouldn't be able to walk miles like she enjoyed doing because of her condition, but maybe, just maybe, it would clear his head.

And mine, she thought.

"So," she said, swinging her feet off the bed and cringing a bit from the pain, "how about a tour around this place?"

So, what did you think of it?

See you next chapter, folks!