Finally! Here we have chapter eight. This turned out way longer than I anticipated but oh well. This time there really should be one more chapter left. It might be long like this too but that'll be the last one. The sequel will take place durning Black Panther but I'll probably put in under the cross over section. That'll be shorter than Mirage was. Shout out time! To those who favorited, alerted, and followed: acrossthedeepbluesea, sillystring-rox-the-earth, SakuraDagger15, and Styson. Also like the other chapters, italics is spoken Sokovian, italics and underlined is Sokovian telepathy while plain underline is just English telepathy. Let's go.


She could tell he was nervous and caught off guard, completely frozen in the doorway of the house. Wanda rose from her spot on the couch, watching how his eyes narrowed at her stiff movement and how he immediately noticed her bruised chest, his expression grim. She knew it looked bad. Starting just underneath the collarbone and spreading down past her shirt, the contusion was dark purple with the edges barely morphing into a sickly green, courtesy of King T'Challa. When Jamie had found out she was very upset and angry on Wanda's behalf seeing as the Sokovian mother knew something like that could happen and had just accepted it.

She hoped the smile she gave him was reassuring. "Hello James."

Her voice broke him out of his trance and he let out a breath before entering the house, closing the door after himself. James stayed turned around facing away from her for several seconds before he spoke, words soft and unsure. "You…know who I am?"

The question was quite meaningful. And she knew exactly what he was asking. Wanda nodded even though he couldn't see her. "Yes." She could see the slight tremble in his hands, the way his shoulders bunched together almost like he was bracing himself as he turned around to face her. The shine of growing tears highlighted the anguish in steel blue eyes and it made Wanda's heart ache.

"Do you…remember me?" A loaded question.

Wanda looked down a second before returning his stare. "Yes, James, I remember you." His shoulders hitched up further, eyes pinched almost in pain. Except it didn't make sense to Wanda, at least not completely. "Do you remember me? Both of you?"

He refused to open his eyes but he gave a jerking nod. He started to take deep breaths, trying to stay calm but Wanda needed to know, because she wasn't so sure he did remember.

"Do you remember everything? From start to finish?"

He started trembling, shaking his head. "I don't need to. I know what happened next."

Wanda frowned. "James, I think you should remember. All of it."

His eyes snapped open and he flinched back from her. Tears started to accumulate and the tortured expression made her want to take it back, but she couldn't. He shook his head again, voice hoarse. "..No. Why-why would you…"

"What you think happened, is actually very different from the reality." He frowned at her words. Hopefully that would prompt him, get him to remember everything that happened. He would never be able to move past his self-deprecation if he didn't find out the truth. Until then. "If anything I owe you a great deal. So thank you."

He looked mystified, in disbelief that someone could say such things about him, to him. What made Wanda sad was the fact that he wouldn't take anything she said to heart until he saw for himself. And that was fine with her, she was patient.

She took the time to study him for a second, dressed differently than the last time she'd seen him. And he was angled in a way that shielded his left arm from her sight. Which didn't make much sense as she had seen the bionic limb in Germany already. She peered closely than frowned in worry, fighting the urge to rush to his side. "James, what happened to your arm?"

He flinched at her alarmed tone of voice before looking down to his left, at the empty space where his arm should be. "Nothing. Just…things went a bit differently than Steve and me thought in Siberia."

She wanted to ask questions, burned with the need to know what happened. But she fought against it, knowing that since Steve and James were here, they had to have defeated the other Winter Soldiers. Besides, he clearly didn't want to talk about it, so she would leave it be but she wondered if she'd be able to get Steve to tell her what happened.

There was a shrill of joy from the children playing outside and Wanda knew that she needed to deal with that as well. It wouldn't be right to keep them apart. And she had never wanted that in the first place. She looked over at him, thinking about how to explain.

"I must show you something but please remember that what you think happened, how it happened, is not the reality."

James frowned at her again, confused and unsure but he nodded. Wanda led the way, into a small hallway that brought them to the kitchen. She walked around the island in the middle of the room to lean against it, a few feet away from the sink and facing the window. Close enough for those inside to have a clear view out but anyone outside wouldn't be able to immediately see inside.

James had stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, wary of stepping out into possible view of the window. She looked over her shoulder at him. "This home belongs to the relatives of a member of your Howling Commandos. You're safe here James. Come and see."

She turned back around to watch the children play, barely able to hear James as he came slowly closer. Wanda knew the moment he saw her when she heard the sharp intake of breath. He came to stand on her right and Wanda glanced over to see his reaction.

Mouth slightly agape and eyes wide, she saw him track Jamie's movements as the toddler cried out in joy, laughing as she ran around playing tag with the other four children. The Sokovian watched and waited for the questions.

James swallowed a few times, licked his lips, and opened his mouth repeatedly, almost like he wasn't sure how to ask his questions. He finally decided on one. "She-She's my…my daugh-" He took a deep breath. "My dau-" He couldn't quite ask it.

Wanda decided to have mercy. "Yes, James. She's your daughter."

He let out a ragged breath, reached up with his remaining arm and gripped his hair. "D-daughter? H-how? No. Never mind."

"Like I told you James, it didn't happen like you think it happened. You just need to remember so I can explain it to you." She'd keep telling him until he did. It was the only way.

He watched Jamie run and laugh, no doubt seeing what Wanda saw. The sturdy way Jamie moved, her speaking skills. She was obviously abnormally advanced for being a little less than eighteen months old. She should be wobbly at walking and speaking two to four words at a time, not shouting out full sentences and running circles around kids four years and more older than her. He was very intelligent to begin with, Hydra's serum made him even more so. He would figure it out quickly. And she wasn't disappointed.

"The serum, my serum. It passed on to her." A statement, not a question.

"Some aspects yes. She's strong for a toddler, but I'm not sure if she'll get as strong as you or Steve when she's older. Her hearing is slightly better than an average human's but again, not like you or Steve. She doesn't have your speed but she hasn't gotten sick once so she might have your immunity. She loves to learn, especially different languages. Right now she knows three. Sokovian, English, and Russian thanks to Natasha. She's so smart James. So smart it's incredible." Wanda can't help the tone in her voice, smiling at her child's father with pride running through her. She tried to not brag about their daughter but it was difficult not to. She hoped he was proud of Jamie too, like she was.

The American next to her only had longing eyes for Jamie, awestruck and the small beginnings of a smile, just the slight upward quirk in the corner of his lips. Wanda was hit with a sudden realization.

When her daughter grinned, wide and all teeth, it was a near replica of Wanda's very own. But when Jamie smirked, sly and mischievous, or when she gave a small, innocent smile that let others know she was happy and content, or really any smile hiding her teeth, it was all the same slight upward pull on the left corner of her mouth that was higher than the other. Just like James.

"What's her name?"

His voice was soft, still in awe of his child. It made Wanda smile. "Jamie Milena Barnes."

He looked over at her. "Barnes?"

Wanda nodded. "Of course. She doesn't really have a birth certificate as she was born in a Hydra base but that's always been her name to me. Milena for my mother and Jamie in honor of you."

He blinked at her, looking unsure at what she had told him. "Why? Why give her my last name? Why name her after me?"

She gave a small smile. "I meant what I said earlier. I owe you a great deal." He started to shake his head. "James." Her sharp tone brought his attention back to her and she mustered as much conviction as she could into her words. "James, you protected me. From Hydra. From the Soldier."

He turned away, back out the window. He wouldn't understand, unless he remembered properly. She could try telling him but he might not believe her, thinking it a ploy. But that would come later. Right now was a moment she had always wanted to witness, had dreamed about. "Would you like to meet her?"

James jerked his head in her direction, eyes wide. He gaped, looking out at Jamie with longing but also distress. She knew what he was thinking. She'd thought about this moment enough to take a pretty accurate guess. Did Jamie know about his past? Did Jamie even know about him? Know he was her father? Did he want to meet her? To bring his darkness into her life? Those were all things he'd be thinking about. They were all things she had thought about.

She had thought of her own darkness enough to understand the fear of one day Jamie finding out about what she had done and being disgusted by it, ashamed of her mother, her father. Which was why Wanda had told Jamie when she was young, in simple terms, that she had once been a bad person because she had been hurt and was angry but her father had always been a good man who got hurt by bad people. And then those same bad people made him do bad things. She'd been given a second chance and she was better now. Her father deserved the same thing.

"Does…Does she know? Who I am? What I am?" James' voice was soft, weak, fearful.

"She knows Uncle Steve's your best friend. She knows you were kidnapped by Hydra and they did bad things to you. The same people who hurt me. She knows they made you do bad things. She knows she got her eyes from you because you're her father."

Tears started to gather, making his eyes shine. "You told her? That I'm…her father?"

Wanda smiled at the question. "She knew before I told her."

James furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Wanda took a moment to pull her thoughts together. "It was a few months after I had joined the Avengers that I found out who you really were. Steve has pictures of you and one day I saw them. We started talking and I steered the talk to you. He told me what happened back then, with Zola and Red Skull. Then he told me about Shield and DC. Steve knew you were out there somewhere and I wanted more than anything to find you. To help you get yourself back. To have you meet your child but that would mean explaining myself to the others and I couldn't do that. Not without talking to you first. And then Steve started telling stories about you and him to Jamie. So many. And she listened, every time. Her focus completely on Steve whenever he said your name. What really changed was about four months ago, when I took her to the big museum in DC."

"The Smithsonian?"

She looked over at him in surprise. "Yes."

He turned his gaze to the floor. "After DC, I got away from Hydra. With everything Steve had said to me, I needed to know. This was before the memories came back. I heard about the exhibit so I went. I saw my face, my life written out for people to see and read. A life I couldn't remember. It helped, things started to come back after that. Little bits at a time and more as the weeks and months went by."

She nodded. "I wanted to show her Steve before he was the Captain. Show her the people from Steve's stories, the Howling Commandos. I also wanted her to see you. Not for her to find pictures of you from when Hydra had you, from DC. That section about you, the wall of glass with your face, at the bottom of the information there is a television screen. They were playing some videos of you and Steve during the war. There's a clip with the two of you smiling, laughing together. I showed her, told her that was James Barnes, Bucky from Uncle Steve's stories." Wanda had to pause, her eyes stinging from the building tears, the emotions getting to her. She took a breath and kept going.

"Jamie stared at it for a few seconds, completely focused. And then she smiled and laughed, nearly jumped out of my arms to reach the screen. I ended up using my phone to video tape the footage so she could watch it later but also take a picture of you and Steve laughing together. And she did watch it, every day. Usually in the morning when she had just woken up and right before going to bed, a large smile on her face. A week after the visit I decided to tell her who you were, that you were more than just Bucky from the stories. So I asked her, 'Jamie, do you know who James is? Who Bucky is?' I expected her to say that you were Uncle Steve's best friend, a Howling Commando, something like that. But she didn't. She smiled and in her most serious, sure voice said to me, 'Daddy. He's Daddy.'"

Wanda's voice wavered, remembering how confidant Jamie was that day, her sweet smile so much like James'. Wiping the few tears that escaped, she looked over at her child's father to gauge his reaction. He was taking deep breaths, eyes closed and head turned downward. What made her lips quiver was the wet pathways that traced from the corner of his eyes down the crease of his nose and over his lips. She could only guess at his feelings but she figured they were in line with how she had felt when Jamie had said she loved Wanda for the first time. In disbelief that a creature so pure could love anything as ugly and dark as her. Wanda collected herself and kept going.

"I asked how she knew and she simply said he gave me his eyes, his lips. I hadn't understood just how intelligent she was until then. She simply just knew. I confirmed it but I did have to tell her that she couldn't tell anyone, for protection. She agreed, saying that bad people would try to hurt you if anyone knew. Such a young age and she already knew the dangers." Wanda smiled at her next thoughts.

"But something beautiful happened that night James, when she watched the video. She asked if she could do what she wanted to do now. I didn't know what she meant but when the clip of you smiling and laughing came up, she leaned forward and kissed your face, saying 'Goodnight Daddy.' And in the morning, when she watched it, she did it again. Giving you a big kiss and telling you 'Good morning Daddy.' She did this everyday."

Wanda gave a small chuckle. "She was very upset when I had to leave my phone behind. She almost couldn't sleep. I had to have someone print off a picture of you, from the same clip so she could give you kisses. She keeps it with her." Wanda glanced outside at Jamie. "She probably has it in her pocket right now."

Looking over at James he was once again staring outside, a certain warmth in his weary eyes as he watched his daughter play. She also noted the fresh tear track tracing his cheek. He turned to his right slightly, wiping at his face which Wanda made sure to look away from to give him privacy. In the corner of her eye she saw him turn in her direction, and she gazed back, his expression wary.

"How much…how much can I be involved? In Jamie's life?" He was giving her the final say.

She wanted to frown but kept it away. She stared back at him, green to steel blue. "I don't want to keep you away from Jamie at all. I want her to be able to give you kisses any time of day, for her to be able to play outside with you. For her to fall asleep curled against your side in the evening. I want you involved in every aspect of her life. But what about you James? Do you want that? How much of Jamie's life do you wish to be a part of?"

This question, this scenario, was Wanda's absolute fear. That James would not want anything to do with Jamie. If that was the case, she would need to banish him immediately lest Jamie caught sight of him. His rejection would destroy her child and Wanda refused to let that happen. But it seemed her fear was unfounded as James looked at her, a tear escaping and spilling down his cheek.

"All of it. I want all of it."

She let out a shaky breath and gave him a grateful smile. The relief she felt nearly made her slump. She wiped at her eyes, making sure there wasn't a trace of saline left. Jamie would see it and immediately think something was wrong. She glanced at James, his face also now clean of tears. "Before I call her in, how does the Soldier feel about Jamie?"

His face tightened but it was a question that needed asking. His gaze turned inward for a few seconds before he refocused. He licked his lips, eyebrows furrowed. He looked a little puzzled. "He's…protective. Of Jamie. Of you."

She nodded at his words. Good enough for her. "I'm gonna use my telepathy to call for Jamie. I can tell you she'll be very excited but she'll ask you if it's okay to touch you, hug you. She knows some of us have issues so she always asks before she does anything. Just let her know if it's okay."

James nodded, letting out a deep breath, his hand coming up to fix his hair. Next he looked down, fidgeting with his shirt, trying to smooth it out and seemingly checking for stains.

She nearly smirked at him, finding his nervousness adorable and funny. "You look fine. Your clothes and hair won't matter to her."

He gave a sheepish expression but closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before letting it slowly out, steadying himself. He looked at her and nodded.

She returned the gesture, hiding her own anxiety from James. She was just as jittery as him but trying hard to hide it. This was the moment she'd been waiting for. "Jamie, could you come inside for a moment?"

Watching her daughter from the window Wanda saw the moment her voice registered to Jamie. The toddler stopped what she was doing, turning to look back at the house and finding her mother through the window. The Sokovian also witnessed the moment Jamie noticed her father, eyes lighting up and lips forming the biggest smile Wanda had ever seen. On her right she heard James' sharp intake of breath at the sight.

Jamie began running toward the house after that, the endless mental chant of 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy' emitting from their daughter's mind. The back door opened with surprising restraint and suddenly chestnut-haired Jamie was standing in the kitchen, mere feet from James. Who she was about to meet in person for the first time. Wanda held her breath as Jamie, eyes fixated and smile nearly overtaking her cheeks, took careful steps toward her father.

For his part James managed to keep the tears from running over but the shine of the accumulated saline added emphasis to his gray-blue eyes. The same color as Jamie's. Wanda watched as James slowly started to kneel until he was at the same level as his daughter, both of them staring at each other.

"Hi Daddy."

James' lips trembled slightly as he smiled back. "Hi Jamie."

The one and a half year old shuffled her feet joyfully, grin widening even further at hearing her name from his lips. She slowly brought up her hands. "Can I touch your face?"

Another shaky smile. "Of course you can."

Slowly Jamie reached out, gently cupping James' stubble-ridden cheeks in her palms as her eyes roved over his face, taking in his features. "Thank you for my eyes."

James smiled gently, lifting his hand to cover Jamie's own, pressing her palm securely to his face. "You're welcome Jamie."

Again hearing her name from her father had the toddler nearly shaking with excitement but she kept in under control. Her smile, however, refused to dim. "Can I give you a kiss?"

James nodded and Jamie leaned forward, little cherub lips placing a delicate kiss on James' own. Their curly-haired child giggled happily and Wanda knew what she was thinking, even without the aid of red-tinted telepathy. Jamie was able to give her father an actual kiss, not his photo or a phone screen.

Jamie started to pet the scruff on James' face, asking another request. "Can I give you a hug?"

"Go ahead."

The toddler smiled, moving her arms slowly from his face down and around his neck, pulling herself into his shoulder. James pinched his eyes shut, basking in the feel of Jamie hugging him. Wanda knew that feeling. Coming home from an exhausting mission to Jamie's hugs and sweet baby scent that was entirely her, there was no other sensation or emotion in the universe that could compare. And Wanda was happy that she was fortunate enough to see James experience that same feeling for the first time. He looked up at her, one tear tracing down his cheek as he mouthed the words, 'thank you.'

All she could do was give a smile and curt nod to keep from breaking out into sobs. This moment was better than she could have imagined.

"Can…Can I pick you up Jamie?" James sounded unsure of his request but Wanda knew he had nothing to worry about.

"Yes please," was the little girl's enthusiastic response, shuffling her feet in anticipation. James wrapped his arm around Jamie and stood up, balancing her on his forearm.

"Whoa." Jamie, trusting her father to not drop her, let go of his neck and looked back, peering down at how high she was. The little girl was usually carried around by Wanda or Pietro, with Steve and Sam coming in third and forth respectively. The two Sokovians were on the shorter end of the spectrum with Steve being the tallest.

Actually Vision and Thor were the tallest Avengers but Jamie had been too young to properly interact with Thor and she disliked Vision so intensely that there was no way she'd ever consent to being picked up by him, so Steve was her experience with being high off the ground. But Wanda knew it was different when your father picked you up, the memories of her own childhood reminding her. And Jamie didn't disappoint.

The chestnut-haired girl turned back to James and instead of hugging him around the neck like before she curled inward against him, bringing her arms to her chest and burrowing her head under his jaw, soft words spoken against his neck. "You're so strong Daddy."

Wanda turned her head away, biting back the emotions battering at her restraint. Witnessing them together, interacting with each other, and seeing the quick but intense love James had for his newly discovered child was enough to have Wanda sobbing uncontrollably but she took a few breaths to help wrangle back control.

"Momma?"

Wanda wiped the salty evidence away, making sure her face was clean before turning to the acquainting pair. "Yes, Jamie?"

Twin pairs of slate blue eyes studied her, one as red-rimmed as her own. Jamie watched her with a hint of concern. "Are you okay Momma?"

Wanda tried to disguise her sniffle, coming close and brushing a few lost strands of hair over their daughter's ear, before leaning in and placing a kiss on Jamie's temple. "I'm okay. Just very happy."

Jamie nodded in understanding, tucking herself back against her father's neck. Feeling his gaze Wanda glanced up, seeing concern and something else on James' face. She knew he spoke Sokovian so he'd been able to keep track of her conversation with Jamie. Obviously he didn't believe her when she said she was okay but Wanda only smiled at him before looking back down at Jamie and tucking her brunette tresses back from her face as the toddler played with James' scruff, all the while aware that her child's father kept staring for a few seconds before turning away.

"Wanda, everything okay?"

Steve's voice broke the peaceful setting, making Wanda jolt and lightly gasp in surprise. James' head snapped up at the sound before his grip tighten on Jamie, gray-blue irises sharp as they darted about the kitchen, anticipating an enemy.

Wanda laid a hand on his arm. "It's only Steve. It's been longer than a few minutes."

The tension in his shoulders melted and he nodded at her, letting out a breath. Jamie looked over her shoulder to Wanda.

"Uncle Steve is here?"

The Sokovian mother smiled before looking to James. "Is it okay if he comes in now?" James nodded his consent and Wanda sent out the message to James' dear friend. "He's on his way."

James nodded, eyes a little distant, expression grim. "Did Steve know? About me and Jamie?"

The words were spoken casually but Wanda knew what he was wondering. Had Steve known this whole time about Jamie and not told James? Had he kept it from him on purpose or just forgot in the heat of battle?

Wanda shook her head. "No. No one does. Except for Jamie…and Pietro." Which was gonna be difficult. She pushed the thought of that future confrontation out of her mind. She picked something else to bring up, something important. "You know, Steve is Jamie's godfather."

He looked up in surprise, a faint smile pulling at his lips. "Really?"

She nodded. "It was a few weeks after I found out who you were, who Steve was to you, that the other Avengers explained the concept to me and he was the only real choice. He's a good man and considering how close you two were, I knew that he would have been your choice as well."

James nodded as he laid his cheek on top of Jamie's head. "Yeah, Punk woulda been my choice."

They heard the front door open and the trio turned to look at the entrance of the kitchen just as footfalls drew near, Steve's silhouette becoming corporeal.

"Hey Wanda, Jamie, glad to…" Steve trailed off, standing frozen halfway into the kitchen as he repeatedly looked wide eyed from James to tiny Jamie perched on his friend's arm.

"Uncle Steve!" Jamie waved from her spot against James' chest, small quirked smile on her lips, unknowingly copying her father. It only fueled what Wanda knew he was thinking. She could see him making the connection as his eyes seemed to grow impossibly wider.

"Hi Jamie…Wanda, Buck…you…fondued?"

The Sokovian glanced at James who also seemed confused. She turned back to Steve. "What?"

He grew red, shaking his head. "No, I mean…I don't know what I mean. You have to give me a second. Just…surprised. And feeling really dumb right now. I mean, look at you two. Bucky, she's got your eyes and lips, she's got the same kinda curly hair as your sisters. I should have known. How did this happen? Why didn't I know? Why didn't you tell me Wanda?"

Now Steve looked hurt but Wanda felt her logic was sound. Plus, the 'how' was very complicated and she would only reveal it when James knew and if he was comfortable with anyone knowing. She could at least answer one of Steve's questions. "James didn't know. It felt wrong for anyone else to know before him. When I found out he was your friend I wanted you involved with Jamie as much as possible."

His eyes lit up. "That's why you made me Jamie's godfather."

Wanda nodded. "Like I told James, you are a good man and I knew you would have been his choice as well."

Steve turned hopeful eyes to his friend. "Really?"

James managed a smile bordering on a smirk. "You really gotta ask that Punk?"

It was just like when Wanda had first told him that she'd picked him for the role. Steve's smile was nearly giddy as he walked up to James and encased both Jamie and his friend in a massive hug. "Oh man Buck, you're a Dad! I have a niece!"

James and Steve laughed at the words, both of them varying degrees of disbelief and joy. Everything was going so smoothly, Wanda couldn't believe it. Steve wasn't upset at not being told Jamie was his best friend's daughter and James hadn't rejected Jamie. He wanted to be fully involved with their daughter's life, embracing his new title. The only issue she foresaw was Pietro, but she would deal with that at a later date. Right now she just wanted to bask in the familial warmth.

The three others were now all conversing in French, James having a fluency that sounded far more superior to Steve's, his husky tone enchanting Jamie as she listened wide eyed and spoke back what she could. Wanda leaned against the kitchen's island, chin in her hand as she watched the trio talk. She heard the front door open and knew that had to be Pinkie's grandson David, the owner of the house, back from the hardware store.

She went to call out to him but he was already heading in their direction so she forwent the call and instead turned to smile at him as he eased into the kitchen. Except it wasn't David.

Her smile fell away and dread swept through her. No. No, no, no, no. King T'Challa along with two women dressed in red and armed with fierce spears stood in the entrance to the kitchen. Mere feet from James and Jamie.

"Run." The flow of French tapered off at her voice but she didn't allow them a chance to speak. "Run!"

Garnet energy exploded from Wanda, lashing out and wrapping around her past opponent and his escorts, sending them against the far wall. At her back the scarlet had sealed the room in half, a translucent crimson wall keeping the others safe.

The two men spoke her name, Jamie calling out for her but she kept her eyes on the three she was enclosed with. Wanda bared her teeth when she noticed T'Challa look behind her, his eyes widening at seeing James and Jamie no doubt.

"No." She growled the words, taking a step forward, her fingers twitching. Red wrapped itself around the man's throat and shifted his face upward, making sure he couldn't see her child and James. Another twitch of her fingers and the shield behind her shuddered, solidifying to keep the three intruders from seeing her family. She gave another biting reprimand. "No."

She heard the thumps of Steve and James hitting the force field, muffled shouts but she refused to let them help. They were wasting time. "I said run, get out of here!"

"Miss Maximoff."

She tensed at the man's accented voice, narrowing her eyes at him while ignoring the wrathful stares from the two woman. Wanda let the man's head go, allowing him to look at her. He was calm and she hated the hint of understanding in his dark eyes.

"I assure you, I mean no harm. Steve was to tell you of my involvement but I believe there has been some miscommunication. If you ask them, they can explain."

Wanda couldn't help think about the all consuming rage she'd felt from him during the battle and knew she couldn't completely trust him. She hadn't come this far and finally gotten what she wanted for her child only to have it ripped away from her.

She kept the trio locked in place but a quick wrist twitch and the shield became translucent again. Steve's and James' shouts abruptly stopped, Jamie continuing to cry out for her. She refused to turn around, choosing to keep her sight on the intruding three.

"Wanda, it's okay. T'Challa's okay. He knows what really happened. He's not after Bucky. He's helping us. He's offered us asylum in Wakanda. It's okay."

She listened to Steve's explanation, baring her teeth when T'Challa looked over her shoulder where she sensed Jamie and James stood. She shifted, moving to block the man's sight, a twitch in her hands as a warning. He looked away, giving her a nod.

As much as she trusted Steve, her team leader could be too trusting, a bit naïve. She recognized this trait building in herself. It seemed the year away from Sokovia and its harsh way of life had soften Wanda. She knew whose words to trust.

"James, is this true?" Because she knew he wouldn't be deceived. His past, his present, it made him cautious, made him cynical.

"Yes. He's the one that gave Zemo to the authorities. He apologized and promised sanctuary for us."

"You think he's honorable?"

He was quiet behind Wanda. "Yes."

She nodded at his words but added. "Keep holding her, I will need my hands free."

"Yeah."

Just one last thing. "Stay with your father."

The toddler hadn't spoken since Steve started talking but now she did, quiet and wary of the situation. "Yes, Momma."

Turning her attention to T'Challa and his spear-wielding companions, she released him from the red but kept the women against the wall. "My apologies." "If you try to hurt them or have any intention to harm them, I will not hesitate to kill you. Understood?"

He stood tall, causing her fingers to twitch but he only nodded at her, face serious. "I understand."

Next she released the two warriors, both of them landing lithely on the balls of their feet, expressions aggressive. Wanda knew they were insulted and upset she'd attacked their ruler. She didn't care though, not with her family involved. They each gripped their weapons and she raised her hands in warning but T'Challa gave a firm foreign word and they relaxed, the spear heads tilting upward. The King nodded at her and she relaxed out of her stance, eyeing the two bodyguards.

He gestured to them. "They will not attack. They are only here to protect me. I apologize if our presence startled you."

She didn't say anything just nodded and with a flick of her wrist the shield behind her dissolved. Immediately Steve came forward to talk to T'Challa but she slinked back, gravitating to James and Jamie but kept her eyes locked on the two women as they watched her as well.

Just as she reached the pair, she turned her back to check on Jamie. The curly-haired child was gripping James' jacket, watching T'Challa and his red clad bodyguards suspiciously. It was a bit unnerving to see father and daughter with the same exact expression of narrowed slate blue eyes, downward lips, and furrowed eyebrows.

James had their daughter clutched against him, angling his body so he blocked Jamie from the rest of the room, now wary of the two women. "You okay?"

Wanda ran a hand through Jamie's hair to calm herself. "Yeah, they just surprised me. Last time I saw him was at the airport."

James glanced at her for a second, focused on the still healing bruise on her chest for a second before turning eyes back on the newcomers.

She watched Steve and T'Challa talk. "Why didn't you guys tell me they were here with you? That he was helping?"

His frown twitched upward for a second while shifting Jamie in his arm. "You surprised Steve and me."

She fought back a small smile. "A good one I hope."

This time he turned to look warmly at her, the corners of his lips pulling up. "Best one ever actually."

"Wanda."

Steve's voice broke the teasing, any trace of humor vanishing off both parents' faces as they turned to see the others drawing near.

Their blonde friend gestured between them. "Sorry about that Wanda. I was suppose to let you know about T'Challa. He really is going to help us. So, Wanda Maximoff, King T'Challa of Wakanda. King T'Challa, Wanda Maximoff."

The sovereign leader stepped forward. "You may call me T'Challa as I have told your Captain." He smirked at Steve who looked a bit sheepish but turned to Wanda with his hand outstretched. "Miss Maximoff."

She grasped his hand and gave a firm shake. "Wanda please."

He nodded at her request and she could see him look over her shoulder where James still had Jamie hidden, curious about the child. But before anyone could say anything, a small voice spoke out.

"Are you the Black Panther?"

Everyone turned to see Jamie leaning out from her father's chest, eyes intent on T'Challa. The man in question nodded at her. "Yes I am, child."

Jamie whispered to James. "Daddy can you put me down?"

The dark-haired man glanced at Wanda who nodded her consent. He turned back to T'Challa, narrowing his eyes slightly at the two women before slowly easing down and placing Jamie on her feet.

No one was prepared.

Jamie marched forward, reaching T'Challa only to cock her leg back and swiftly kick him twice in the shin.

"Jamie!"

"Jamie."

"Jamie!"

She ignored the stunned adults, giving some resistance when Wanda pulled her back. "That's for trying to hurt my Daddy and beating up my Momma. Daddy didn't do anything but you tried to hurt him anyway and Momma was just trying to protect me and him."

It was the most Wanda had ever heard Jamie speak but right now she was horrified that her child had kicked the one person who was giving them safety. "Jamie, you can not kick people for no reason."

Her child looked up at her, pointing to her and James. "But he hurt you and Daddy for no reason."

James sighed, Wanda and the others watching as he crouched down. "Jamie, he had been very hurt and lost his own Dad. He had a reason. I'm…not a good man."

"James…" Wanda scolded gently, because she knew that wasn't true. She wasn't the only one.

Jamie wasn't listening, shaking her head and tears forming. "Hydra did bad things to you. They made you do bad things. They're bad. You're good. You're a good man. Uncle Steve and Momma said so and so do I."

It was only T'Challa who managed to catch Jamie's attention as he stepped forward. Wanda was surprised when he kneeled down in front of the toddler.

"Dear child, I ask for forgiveness from you for attacking your family. I let my grief and vengeance consume my mind beyond reason. As a King, warrior, and man, I am ashamed for my reckless behavior. I ask for forgiveness from both you and your Mother. Please forgive me for my transgressions." He ended his speech by crossing his arms against his chest and bowing forward.

Wanda watched wide eyed at the display, looking to Jamie who was staring up at her, slightly confused but also expectant. She would follow her mother's lead. Stepping forward Wanda crouched next to her daughter, looking at the bowed royalty.

"I understand the grief of losing a loved one to the point of consuming vengeance. It becomes the one thing that holds you together. I have experienced it, acted on it, and it nearly cost me everything. I can not pass judgment on you for doing the same exact thing. Also as a fighter, I knew there would be injuries between us from our fighting. So I have nothing to forgive as I wasn't offended. But if only to make it official then I forgive you King T'Challa for attacking James and myself."

The bowed man gave a quick dip but stayed in his bowed position and Wanda knew he was waiting on Jamie. For her part the little girl turned to James who remained at her side. "What about you Daddy?"

He gave a her a quick smile. "He already apologized before we got here. It's okay."

Jamie looked thoughtful, turning back to the wilted man in front of her. "You promise not to hurt them?"

T'Challa kept his head down but nodded. "Yes. I promise as a King and man, to do all I can to keep your family safe."

Jamie seemed to think about his words. "I forgive you then. But if you break your promise I'll kick you again."

"Jamie."

"Jamie."

Both Wanda and James spoke at the same time, a slight reprimand in her name. She was mortified that her daughter just threatened a King. By the look on Steve's face he was also shocked. However Wanda saw the two women fighting back twitching lips. They found Jamie's declaration amusing.

Their daughter looked back and forth at them, slightly offended. "Only if he breaks his promise. That's a reason."

Quiet laughing brought everyone's attention back to T'Challa who was now out of his bowed position and was resting back on his heels. "That seems quite fair, young one. If I break my vow, you may kick me."

Jamie brightened, looking to Wanda and her father excitedly. "See!"

"Thank you child." T'Challa was smiling at Jamie and he moved to get up but Wanda was surprised by her daughter once more.

The chestnut haired girl walked forward and threw her arms around the royalty in a hug, whispering to the man. "I'm sorry you lost your Dad. I just got mine and I would be very sad if I had to lose him too. I'm sorry."

Wanda could feel her tears gathering. There had been one point during the airport fight where Jamie had nearly lost James. If Wanda hadn't been in time or hadn't seen them fighting, her child would have never had the chance to meet her father.

She ignored James and Steve's stares, instead watched T'Challa hug Jamie back. She released him and he stood, gentle smile on his face. Jamie tilted her head at him.

"So…do I call you King T'Challa?"

The group laughed, but the ruler shook his head. "You may call T'Challa like the rest of your family."

Jamie nodded seriously then outstretched her hand. "I'm Jamie."

Wanda stood and watched amusingly as the two greeted each other, the tension draining out of the room. "So, we're going to Wakanda?" Jamie returned to her father, being lifted up in his arm as he also stood.

Steve nodded at her. "That's the plan."

"Is that okay though? For me to go specifically."

The group knew what she was getting at as they all wore solemn expressions. T'Challa stepped forward, his face firm. "As King of my country, I vow to you that no harm will befall you. Anything from the past shall remain there. You are not at fault Miss Maximoff. What happened was unfortunate yes, but at the time, it was the only option to avoid an even higher mortality. I do not hold any grievance."

Wanda kept her gaze down. "And the families?"

T'Challa was silent for a breath. "They are in pain yes, in mourning. But I plan on talking to them when we return to Wakanda. For them to understand."

She looked up at him. "If it's possible, I wish to meet them."

Steve spoke out against the idea and she knew why. The families would be in pain, in sorrow, and they would have a physical outlet for those feelings. The chance they would act against her was high.

"Is that wise Miss Maximoff?"

Even T'Challa seemed against it but Wanda knew it was something she had to do. "After everything, it's something I need to do. They deserve to say their peace, to let those feelings out against the source."

"Wanda…"

"Steve." James had cut off his friend, gray blue eyes studying Wanda. "If it's something she feels needs to be done, let her. To pay back what you've done, right?"

The last part was for her. Wanda knew he would understand her request. "Yes, my penance."

T'Challa nodded. "It is a honorable request that I will take it into consideration as you are to be in hiding from the rest of the world. But first, shall we be on our way?"

Wanda glanced over at Jamie who had tucked herself back against her father's chest, head cuddled on his shoulder as she pet his scruff. James was watching Wanda, firm expression in place, cool eyes intent on her. It would be intimidating if it wasn't for Jamie's small hands moving upward to play with his hair, the beginnings of a braid forming. Finally she looked at Steve, who was watching fondly off to the side. She nodded at him.

Her team leader turned to T'Challa. "Let's get going."


T'Challa's so hard to write. So yeah. There we go. It was way longer than I intended but oh well. Should be one more chapter and then the Black Panther sequel which will be done in the crossover section. After that will be Infinity War. Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter!