The next day.
Vienna.
At the ultra-modern United Nation's glass complex in Vienna, The Sokovia Accords signing ceremony was underway.
Journalists from around the world were outside, broadcasting the arrival of foreign dignitaries, ambassadors, and U.N. representatives.
Laura and Nat arrived, representing The Avengers.
Walking down the designated queue to the entrance, ignoring the flashes of the dozens of cameras and shouts of questions from the reporters.
Walking inside the lobby side by side, an aide escorted the pair to the auditorium where the Accords would be signed.
Laura looked down towards the podium where she spotted the Nigerian President talking to King T'Chaka.
"I'll meet up you later. I suspect I am needed." she told Nat who nodded.
"Okay. Princess." she joked with a smile and Laura frowned.
"Please don't ever call me that again."
After spending the day meeting with ambassadors and representatives with King T'Chaka.
After a few hours and meeting another dignitary, Laura sighed, getting tired.
"Are you alright, Laura?" T'Chala asked her.
She nodded.
"I am. This is just… a process." she answered.
"This is necessary and I do thank you for your graceful diplomacy. Even though I understand you have your doubts on the Accords." T'Chaka thanked her.
She shook her head no instantly.
"I don't have any…" she said but he interrupted her.
"It's okay Laura. It's alright to have an opposing opinion. But putting your personal opinion aside for the greater good is a sign of a good leader." he complimented.
She smiled back but she spotted her husband shaking hands with the American ambassador on the other side of the room.
"Pardon me, my King." she asked and he nodded, she made her way over to him.
"How are you holding up?" she asked and he smiled.
"This is something I'm not use too." he said.
She looking up to him.
"I think I prefer fighting bad guys but you do look very handsome in a suit at least." she said lightheartedly.
The couple held each other's hands, not seeing Nat approaching them.
"Laura…" she heard her.
Getting the two's attention.
"Oh good, you're here. T'Challa this is Natasha Romanoff. Natasha, Prince T'Challa Udaku." she introduced them.
The two shook hands.
"It's nice to finally meet you." Nat said kindly as they shook hands.
"Likewise, Ms. Romanoff. Laura has told me many things about you." he nodded.
"Good things, I hope?" she said and he smiled.
"I try to not pay attention to the headlines." he hinted while nodding down at Laura.
"Well, they're not always so flattering." Nat agreed.
"True." Laura added.
"But You seem to be doing alright so far. Considering your last trip to Capitol Hill… I wouldn't think you would be particularly comfortable in this company." he complimented.
"Well, I'm not." she replied.
"That alone makes me glad you're here, Ms. Romanoff." he thanked her.
"Why? You don't approve of all this?" Nat asked.
Laura shifting uncomfortably.
"The Accords, yes. The politics, not really. Two people in a room can get more done than a hundred." he clarified.
"Unless you need to move a piano." T'Chaka joked while he walked up to them.
"King T'Chaka." Laura bowed her head.
"Baba." T'Challa greeted.
"Ms. Romanoff." he greeted.
"King T'Chaka. Please, allow me to apologize for what happened in Nigeria." she apologized.
"Thank you. Thank you for joining Laura today and agreeing to all this. I'm sad to hear that Captain Rogers will not be joining us today." he said regretfully.
"So am I." she nodded.
"Can you excuse Ms. Romanoff and I King T'Chaka?" Laura asked him politely.
"Of Course. But I think the ceremony is about to begin." he said and she nodded.
Laura grabbed her shoulder and led Nat to the side of the room.
"I do wanna personally thank you for coming with me today." she said seriously, clenching her shoulder.
"Well, someone had to help you out and of course I couldn't miss out on meeting your husband." Nat said with an amused smile.
She smiled back.
"I'm glad to see you guys getting along." she replied.
"I'm happy for you Laura. Truly. He's nice." she said honestly.
"He is. We're very happy. I'm very happy." she said and held up her wedding ring.
A chime went off over the P.A. system, getting everyone's attention that the session was about to begin.
"Well, it seems that I'm needed."
Laura joined T'Chaka on the stage in the front of the room.
A glass façade letting sunshine stream in. T'Chaka was at the podium, addressing the U.N. T'Challa was standing to the side of the room.
"When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon, we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria, were part of a goodwill mission led by Princess Laura, from a country too long in the shadows…" he said as Nat listened on curiously.
"We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to Princess Laura and the Avengers for supporting this initiative…" he said and Laura smiled faintly.
T'Challa looked back down to the courtyard behind him below, seeing a K-9 unit inspecting a cameravan.
The dog suddenly began barking and police officers shouted at people to clear the area.
"Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace." T'Chaka declared but T'Challa went wide eyed and began to run towards his father.
"Everybody get down!" he shouted.
Nat grabbed the person next to her and ducked as Laura charged for T'Chaka… but it was too late.
The large explosion engulfed the side of the twenty story building.
Laura and T'Challa were flung off their feet and tossed like rag dolls backwards.
The thick smoke filling the room.
The façade collapsing into the courtyard.
Laura heard ringing in her ears and muffled sounds.
She was on her back, in incredible pain and agony from the explosion.
And from the burns she felt on her neck and side of her head.
She was struggling to remain conscious, the faint cries from T'Challa, clenching his father's body were the last thing she heard before she blacked out…
Later that night, the first thing Laura heard were the beeps from a heart monitor.
Groaning in pain, she forced her eyes open but the blinding light from the overhead LED lights forced them to close.
"Laura…" she heard Nat's soft voice.
She opened her eyes again and looked over to her.
Sitting on a chair between her hospital bed and the windows.
Then down to her hospital gown.
"Laura, it's me. It's okay… I'm so happy to see you are okay…" T'Challa said relieved.
"T'Challa…" she managed to say, pushing herself upwards against the pillow.
Feeling something was off, she reached up to her hair, caressing it and realizing that it was cut short.
And the burns on her skin.
"T'Challa, what happened?" she asked with worry.
Reaching over to put her glasses on from the nightstand
"Easy. You're lucky to be alive Laura." Nat said gently.
She frowned.
"What happened…" she asked again.
"You were transported to a hospital. You had severe burns on your neck and head which the doctors said should heal in time but…" she said but stopped herself.
Looking over to T'Challa and her.
"I'll give you too some privacy. I'm sorry." she apologized to them and got up.
She clenched Laura's wrist momentarily before walking out.
"T'Challa?" she asked, fearing the worst.
"Baba is dead." he said quietly.
She gasped, failing to force back the tears in her eyes.
She pulled him down to hug him.
He buried his face into her shoulder while she clenched her hand on the back of his head soothingly.
The couple enduring their great loss.
And a son who lost his father.
After getting an update from the doctors, Laura was watching the news about the bombing from the TV mounted on the wall.
T'Challa offered to bring up food for her, leaving her alone briefly.
"More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Princess Laura, The Avenger, was injured and taken to hospital but she is expected to make a full recovery. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations." the commentator said and Laura narrowed her eyes at the headshot of him on the screen.
She tossed the blanket aside and swung her legs around the edge of the.
Ignoring the pain, she got up right as T'Challa walked in with a tray of food for her.
"Laura…" he said surprised.
"T'Challa…" she gestured up to the TV which was showing a report about Barnes' past.
He clenched the tray angrily.
"He killed Baba?" he asked through his clenched teeth.
"It appears so. He was behind the bombing. I… I need to go…" she said, reaching down for a bag by her bed which had a change of clothes for her.
"Laura, you need to rest…" T'Challa said concerned.
"I'll be fine. That was the man that shot at me in D.C. He shot Natasha. It's clear this is personal for him." she seethed.
T'Challa placed the tray down and grabbed her hands.
"I believe you Laura but please stay here. Rest. I will find him." he begged her.
She frowned but nodded.
"Fine. I would suggest going through the leads the CIA are going after." she suggested and he nodded.
"I already am. I'll return to you once I've killed Barnes." he said and kissed her.
She closed her eyes and kissed him back until she felt his lips leaves her.
Opening her eyes to see her room empty.
Sighing deeply, she crouched down her back and tossed a pair of jeans and her black hoodie on the bed.
"I'm sorry T'Challa but I won't let Barnes get away this time!"
Two days later.
Bucharest.
After sneaking out of the hospital before she was checked out, Laura began her work to track down Barnes.
She called T'Challa to let her know she was fine but was radio silent since.
Going through all of the leads the CIA got from the public.
Most of them were dead ends.
Everyone apparently seeing The Winter Soldier in their neighborhood but her determination and lack of sleep led her to a real led.
Which brought her to Romania.
The lead led to an alias Barnes was using to rent an apartment in the city center.
Which led her to a crowded courtyard.
'Filled with stands, shops, restaurants, and people going about their normal business.
Laura doing her best to blend in.
Her hood covering her face.
And her new "hair cut" let her go unnoticed much easier than she anticipated.
She also went by her surname by marriage which wasn't as popular as her original.
She was walking along the edge of the square.
Her HUD suddenly zoomed in on a man at a stall. Inspecting pieces of fruit.
She stopped her place as her HUD confirmed it was Barnes.
His headshot matching the live footage on her lens.
"There you are…" she said and clenched her fists.
Sticking to the sides of the cobbled square, she followed him down the alley and watched him turn a corner.
Walking and leaning up the side of the building, she arched her head around to see him walking inside an apartment building.
"FRIDAY, give me infrared and outline of the building." she asked.
"Yes, Princess." she heard and the infrared highlighted a body walking up the stairs in the middle of the building to the top floor.
She saw a body climbing down from the roof and enter the window.
"Steve…" she said angrily but heard dozens of footsteps marching in sync a distance behind her.
"Princess, GSG-9 units are approaching from the east and are blocking are exists. They have orders to shoot on site!" FRIDAY warned.
"Copy FRIDAY. Lucky for me I also have the same motive!"
Laura was running up the ten flights of stairs, ahead of the special forces who were making a perimeter around the block.
"Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south." she heard Sam's voice in the comms.
FRIDAY jamming them automatically for her.
"Understood." she heard the special forces break the door far below.
"Shit." she cursed and brought out her spear.
Aiming it at the door, she swung it and busted the locks.
Getting Steve and Barnes attention.
"Don't move…" she threatened, aiming the spear handled at them.
"Laura…" Steve gasped, stepping ahead of his friend.
In his uniform and raising his shield at her.
"I said… don't move." she threatened again.
"Laura, Bucky is innocent. He's being framed." he pleaded.
"His record speaks for himself. Now move Steve. I won't ask again!" she repeated herself coldly.
"I wasn't in Vienna." Bucky defended himself.
"Breach! Breach! Breach!" she heard Sam's voice.
A grenade was suddenly tossed through the window.
Bucky kicked it to Steve, and he smothered it with his shield.
Laura went wide eyed but heard the sound of a battering ram behind her.
The door was breached but Laura blasted the swat units backwards.
Being careful not to fatally harm them.
Bucky slammed Steve down and punched a hole in the floor.
Grabbing a backpack and tossing it out the window.
It landing on the roof of the building across the alley.
Laura was swinging her spear, slicing multiple rifles in half and kicked two swat units away.
Steve grabbed Laura and pulled her back as more swat entered the small apartment and opened fire.
Bucky reflected the bullets with his metal arm.
Laura got up quickly and fired at Barnes.
Steve blocked them with his shield just in time.
But cops repelled in from the windows from behind.
Laura swatted them down with her spear, knocking them unconscious.
Dozens of more special forces were making their way up the stairs as Bucky ran out.
Laura chased after him but was blocked by the swat units.
Doing her best to blast them away.
Them crashing into the walls.
She followed Steve who jumped down a floor as Bucky fought through the cops.
He tossed one over the railing but Steve caught him.
Giving his friend a look.
"Come on, man." he said but blasts were close by his head.
He looked up as Laura was jumping down towards them.
She was reaching for the railing but Bucky leapt for the one she was aiming for.
Ripping it off the floor to the lower corridor.
Running through an apartment, he leapt off the balcony and tumbled onto the roof below.
Picking up his backpack to run but a figure slammed into him from behind, knocking him down.
Looking to see a man in a Black Panther suit getting into a fighting stance.
Releasing his claws from the suit.
Laura reached her hands up to grab the railing above and swung her legs.
Running into another apartment, she stopped on its balcony to see the man and Bucky fighting on the roof across from her.
"Shit!" she cursed.
Carefully waling around the railing, she swung her spear tip so it impacted the stone building.
Using it for leverage as she swung her legs around and planted the feet on the wall.
"Okay… this isn't fun…" she muttered, carefully shimming the handle out to let her slide down to the ground.
Leaving a trail of rubble.
"Who the hell's the other guy?" she heard Sam ask.
"About to find out…" Steve said.
"Yeah, you are." Laura seethed.
Running towards a nicer car and smashing the driver window with the butt end of her spear.
Setting off the alarm but she quickly reached down to hotwire it.
She heard a helicopter fly overhead and multiple police sirens.
Shifting into gear, she reversed into the car behind her before speeding away towards the nearby highway.
Getting on the onramp, she saw the black SUV's of the special forces chasing Bucky and The Black Panther who were running at superhuman speed.
Faster than the cars.
She was driving up to them but her HUD highlighted Steve in one of the police cars.
The Black Panther leapt onto Steve's car who tried to swerve to knock him off.
Laura narrowing her eyes as she swerved between traffic.
Speeding up to them.
Turning the wheel sharply towards him.
"Sam, I can't shake…" he said as Laura tried to PIT maneuver him.
"Laura is right next to me!" he alerted.
"Right behind you." she heard Sam say as he flew into the tunnel they entered and crashed into Steve again.
He maintained his car but several police cars were blocking off the road ahead.
Bucky ran between the barrier but grabbed an oncoming motorbike.
Knocking the rider off, he swung it around and sped towards Steve, Laura and the others.
Laura saw him speeding back towards her and turned the car she was in into oncoming traffic.
Crashing through the median, cars swerved out of their way dangerously as she turned between them.
Aiming for Bucky, she crashed head on into him, knocking him off.
He got flung off it, leaping forwards violently but used his arm to steady himself on the pavement.
Laura slammed on the breaks as the bike was pinned underneath her car.
Passersby were blocked in the tunnel as she got out, aiming her spear at him who got ready to fight but the wail of sirens quickly surrounded them.
The Black Panther leapt off the SUV and ahead of Laura protectively.
Aiming his claws at Barnes.
Sam flew in low to tackle him backwards.
She got in a fighting stance and aimed her spear at Sam.
Dozens of Special forces SUV's surrounded them instantly.
Cops were shouting in German at them to stand down and surrender.
Rhodey suddenly flew in and slammed down right in front of her.
"Stand down, now!" he ordered.
Aiming his thrusters and big gun at her.
"What are you gonna do Rhodey? Shoot me?" she mocked.
"If I have to. Stand down Laura. Final warning." he warned one final time.
She scowled but looked around, seeing now way out, and sighed.
Getting so close and yet so far.
She retracted her spear into the handle and placed it slowly on the pavement.
Reaching her hands up and placed them on the back of her head as she got down onto her knees.
She felt a cop grab her arms and had her hands cuffed.
She watched Barnes get arrested and Sam put his hands up.
Steve got out of the SUV and was instantly arrested.
The Black Panther withdrew his claws, seeing Laura arrested and unable to help.
He slowly lifted his hands up and took off his mask, revealing his identity.
Surprising Rhodey and Steve.
"Your Highness."