The atmosphere in the lab was tense and tinged with a slight panic once Ross had claimed recognition of the unknown man, all of the tiredness they felt from the previous few days pushed to one side.

Someone, an outsider, had shown up at the protected Wakandan border unannounced with a, seemingly, dead Klaue and nobody knew how or why it had happened.

Once the beat of anxious silence had passed between the three of them Shuri had quickly moved into action. Making her way over to her computer, she hacked into her brother's kimoyo beads to switch them back on so she was able to get in touch with him and tell him to come in.

Her fingers had clicked at her keyboard only a few times before she interrupted, what looked like, a countryside date he was on with Nakia without even a comment.

As she did, Harper (who trusted neither Ross nor the newcomer making his way into the palace) made sure she was stuck by Shuri's side, not letting her out of her sight. Though she hadn't been there long she wasn't used to the old unsafe feeling, which was crawling back over her skin, in the beautiful Wakandan setting.

They were protected there, with the vibranium and the dome around the country, unknown threats weren't supposed to be something that happened.

It didn't take long before T'Challa and Nakia, both looking concerned, made their way into the lab. The two of them crossed over quickly to join Shuri and Harper in front of a large picture of the newcomer, which had been brought up on the monitor, to listen to what Ross had to say.

"Erik Stevens," Ross began, gesturing to the picture watching over them all. The man loomed over them, his hair as dark as the eyes casting their gaze across the lab. He was wearing a uniform, his hands tucked behind his back, sporting a belt covered with different kinds of weaponry.

Everything about him sending an unnerving feeling up Harper's spine.

"Graduated Annapolis age nineteen, MIT for grad school," Ross explained, gesturing up to the picture of the newcomer "Joined the SEALs and went to Afghanistan where he racked up confirmed kills like it was a video game. They started calling him Killmonger," he continued, a shiver running through Harper at the nickname "Then he joined a JSOC ghost unit...now these guys are serious. They will drop off the grid so they can commit assassinations and take down governments," he paused for only a second before his eyes flickered across to where Harper was standing "It seems Wakanda has become some kind of magnet for assassins looking for an out."

As Harper took a step back and closed up against a tense Shuri, T'Challa spoke "I don't know what you are talking about Agent Ross, I trust all of the people in this room with my life and as should you. Harper was integral in the healing of your bullet wound," he said, not exactly telling the entire truth when all she had done was hand Shuri whatever she asked for but she wasn't going to argue "Now. Did he reveal anything about his identity?"

"He has a War Dog tattoo but we have no record of him," Shuri said, exchanging a look with her brother "They're bringing him into the council room for you to talk to."

Knowing she wasn't going to be much help, as being in the council room with the king and the other tribe leaders wasn't her place, Harper took the dip in conversation as her chance and cleared her throat. The exhaustion deep in her bones beginning to get to her as her eyes began to sting "If you're all happy with your safety I'd like to excuse myself," she said, also knowing with T'Challa and the Dora around Shuri would be safe to leave "I'm exhausted," she explained when she spotted the looks on royal siblings' faces "And I'm no good to anyone when I'm exhausted."

T'Challa looked as though he was going to argue, his eyebrows furrowed in worry, before Shuri nodded her head "She's been here for almost two days straight," she said to her brother "Go and rest, we may need you to fight."

Ignoring the anxious dip in her stomach at the mention of her getting involved Harper nodded her head, sending a smile to both Shuri and T'Challa before she turned to leave the lab. Her feet were dragging beneath her as she stopped off at her desk to pick up her bag, swinging it onto her shoulder she sent one last look toward the group comparing notes before she climbed the stairs.

At the doorway she went to turn down toward where she knew Bucky was being kept. Her heart ached for him and their life back in Romania, where she could curl up against his side beneath her blanket and sleep easy. She knew, despite her exhaustion, the unconsciousness she yearned for wouldn't come. As soon as she closed her eyes she saw the last time he looked at her before he went under, she saw Steve on the run and Shuri in danger…

She stopped in her tracks at the sound of footsteps coming her way. Heading down the corridor, with a member of the Dora on either side, was the man from the monitor in Shuri's lab. He walked with a confidence, his chin raised and his shoulders squared, that immediately put Harper on edge as she stepped to the side to let them pass her.

He caught her eye, his narrowing slightly as he took in her features, a smile slowly coming to his lips.

Staying close to the wall Harper watched as he passed by, her brow furrowing as she turned her head to follow him down the corridor. There had been recognition behind his expression.

With the pit in her stomach only getting deeper she turned on her heel, anxiety prickled across her skin as she made her way back to her place the long way. He may not be in her eye sight any longer but she didn't want to risk him finding the place Bucky was so vulnerable.

Her feet moved quickly beneath her as she clutched her bag to her side. Her breath not truly releasing until she was in her apartment, closing the door behind herself.

With her brain buzzing she dumped her bag down onto the sofa, making her way through to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water.

She shouldn't have left Shuri behind, that was what the twisting in her gut was telling her anyway. She was in harm's way…she hadn't been able to look after Bucky, watching as he was taken away before her very eyes, but she would be damned if anything happened to her new friend.

Screwing her eyes closed she placed her glass down on the kitchen counter and rubbed the heels of her palms into them. Shuri had T'Challa, W'Kabi, Okoye, Nakia and the whole Dora at her side looking out for her. She was safe. If anything happened she would be safe.

Pushing away from where she was leaning Harper grabbed her drink to take with her. Slipping her feet out of her boots she left them in the living room before she wandered down toward her bedroom. Her movements were sluggish, feeling as though she was walking through water, as she made it to her bedside, placing her drink on the cabinet before collapsing fully dressed on top of the quilt.

Her head felt like it was swimming as she sank into her pillow, her eyes flickering closed.

A content hum left her as the other side of the bed dipped and he reached over to push her hair from her face "I was wondering when you'd get here," she said, her voice a husky tired as she glanced across to where he was lying beside her.

With a smile coming to his face Bucky shuffled over so he was closer to her, reaching his arm out he hooked it around her and tugged her into his chest "Sorry it took me so long," he said as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head "You're working yourself too hard," he said as his fingers danced up and down her spine.

"Not hard enough," she disagreed, her eyes closing once more as she pressed her face into his neck. Her arms wrapped around his waist as she hugged him closer and closer, not wanting to let him go "I've got to keep them safe. Keep you safe."

Bucky let out a sigh as he pulled away from her slightly, his hands cradling her face as he shuffled further down so they were eye to eye "You don't have to do it alone H, you don't have to be alone," he said softly, his lips hovering over hers. He was so close she could feel his breath on her skin as his nose bumped against hers…

A groan left her throat as the sound of her phone ringing cut through the air. Her eyes screwed closed as she gripped onto the white vest he was wearing, desperately trying to keep him with her.

"I think your phone is ringing," he said in a whisper "H, make sure to look after yourself as well as looking after them."

The disappointment gripped at her when she opened her eyes properly, her hands stretching out across the empty side of the bed as her dream remained in the forefront of her mind. The dream had felt so real, too real, like he had actually been there with her.

Rolling over onto her other side she reached out and grabbed her phone from her bedside cabinet, squinting her eyes to see Shuri's name lighting up the screen. Rubbing at her eyes she pushed herself up into a sitting position and swiped the screen to answer, raising the phone to her ear.

"Sorry, sorry, did I wake you?" Shuri asked, formalities forgotten about. She sounded upset.

"It's fine," Harper answered with a frown of concern "What happened?"

She listened as Shuri caught her up with what had happened in the council room while she'd been sleeping. How Erik Killmonger had killed Klaue but he'd also brought them information they weren't prepared for; he had royal blood, how his father had been killed by the previous king and how he was there to take the throne.

"Shit," Harper said as she tried to take all of it in. How Erik had shamed them all for keeping Wakanda and its technology hidden, how he wanted to use their weapons to, seemingly, wage war "Shit, Shuri I'm sorry," she continued as she got out of bed, switching her phone onto loudspeaker as she quickly changed "What do you need?"

"He's challenged T'Challa to the throne," Shuri said, sounding worried "He's had to accept, anyone with royal blood can challenge. We need you to come back in, stay with Ross and keep an eye on the palace while we go to the falls."

"Of course," Harper said, balancing on one foot as she tugged a different pair of boots onto her feet. There was an anxious dip in her stomach at spending time in close quarters with Everett Ross but she knew she'd never say no. Not to Shuri anyway "I'll be there in a moment," she promised, plucking the phone up off her bed and taking it off loudspeaker to balance it between her shoulder and her ear "He'll be fine S."

"Of course," Shuri answered, not sounding overly convinced "See you soon."

Harper grabbed her bag from where she'd left it on the sofa as she hurried toward the door. Though her sleep had been fleeting she felt surprisingly well rested as she left her apartment, letting the door close behind her.

Shuri was waiting for her outside of one of the office rooms just down from the lab, her hands nervously twisting together "Here," she said, reaching her hand out when she caught sight of Harper. Taking her wrist she clicked a few of the kimoyo beads "We're linked again," she said "So you can keep up with what's going on."

"Thanks," Harper said with a smile, reaching out and tugging the younger woman into a tight hug "I'll see you soon."

Shuri took in a deep breath before she nodded her head "Soon," she repeated, sending Harper one last look before she disappeared to catch up with her mother and the rest of the Wakandans headed to the falls.

Harper waited until she was out of sight before she leaned on the door handle behind her. Everett Ross was standing on the other side of the room, his brow furrowed and his arms crossed over his chest as he paced back and forth.

"Le-Harper," he said, quickly correcting himself, when he saw her "Do you know what's going on here?"

"Yes," she answered shortly as she closed the door behind her. Not wanting to get too close to him she parked herself in one of the chairs closest to where she was standing, keeping it away from the large table it was sitting around so she could stretch her legs out in front of her.

"And you're not going to tell me?"

"Nope," she said, all of her attention on the beads sitting around her wrist as she waited for something to happen.

Ross let out a sigh as he pulled up a chair opposite her, leaning on the table with his elbows as he took her in "You have to understand-" he began but she cut him off by raising her hand.

"There's nothing to understand Agent Ross," she said with a shake of her head, her eyes still on the beads "You were doing your job. To you, we were The Winter Soldier and The Black Mamba. You didn't know if we were on a job for Hydra or not and you had to do what you thought was right to keep people safe," she said, still not looking at him "I just don't have to forgive you for it."

"He will never beat T' Challa . He should have just come to the first challenge and gotten it over with."

"Ah!" Harper exclaimed at the sound of Shuri's voice coming from her beads "Shh," she said, waving her hand over to where Ross was already completely silent.

Her brows furrowed as she tried to listen to every little noise coming from the challenge area at the falls. With no visual she knew it was going to be hard to keep up

"The King will now have the strength of the Black Panther stripped away," Zuri's voice echoed, not sounding as convincing as he had the last time she had heard him say those words.

"This is your last chance, throw down your weapons and we can handle this another way," T'Challa's voice followed.

Harper jumped slightly at the following sound, like blades slamming into stone, before Erik Killmonger spoke "I lived my entire life waiting for this moment. I trained, I lied, I killed, just to get here," he began "I killed in America, Afghanistan, Iraq. I took life from my own brothers and sisters right here on the continent. And all this death, just so I can kill you."

Her heart was beating so loudly in her ears she barely noticed that Ross had gotten to his feet and made his way around the table to be able to hear better. She didn't move as he pulled the chair out from beside her and slowly sat down in it.

"Let the challenge begin…"

As noises from the battle emerged from the beads Harper found herself glancing over to him, noticing the confusion on his face "They challenge for the crown," she explained in a quiet tone, making him jump slightly "Whoever is the better warrior takes the throne."

"You've seen this?" Ross asked, gesturing to her bracelet and wincing at the sound of someone being slammed to the floor.

"M'Baku, one of the Jabari, challenged T'Challa when he was crowned," she explained with a nod "I was watching from the opposite cliff. It was a much more celebrated ceremony than this one."

"Right," Ross said as he leaned closer, the two of them listening blindly to the sound of battle.

"Yield!"

Harper smiled at the sound of T'Challa's exclaim, her fingers curling up tightly as she willed him to continue. To win.

"Come on T'Challa," she said, beneath her breath and more to herself, as she leaned further over her beads. She tried to distinguish between the noises of the battle, wishing Shuri could have somehow rigged the hologram system so she could watch as well as hear what was happening.

"Snap out of it T'Challa!"

Both Harper and Ross glanced up to one another, exchanging worried glances at the sound of Shuri's desperate exclaim. Harper chewed nervously on her thumbnail as horrified gasps followed, the worry squirming in her stomach rising up and creating a lump in her throat. She didn't trust this newcomer, the way he had strolled in like he owned the place, how he'd looked at her like he recognised her…

"This is for my father."

Harper's eyes darted from side to side, almost as though she could see what was happening, as Zuri stepped in. T'Challa, Okoye and Ramonda all voiced their worries as it seemed the previous king's trusted shaman had stepped in between the two warriors.

"I am the cause of your father's death. Not him," Zuri's voice emerged from the beads "Take me."

"I'll take you both, Uncle James…" Killmonger began followed by the flash of a spear.

"No, Zuri no! Zuri! Noo!" T'Challa's mournful exclaim hit Harper right in the chest and she shuffled to the edge of her seat, shaking her head.

"Is this your king?" Killmonger asked the gathered tribes "Is this your king? The Black Panther, who's supposed to lead you into the future?"

Shuri's voice followed next, desperation lining each word she said "Come on brother!"

"Him?" Killmonger asked, ignoring that Shuri had spoken "He's supposed to protect you?"

"No."

"No!"

Harper jumped to her feet, the hand minus the beads covering her mouth as Ramonda's scream filled the room.

"What is it?" Ross asked, copying her actions and watching her with a frown "What's happened?"

"Nah," Killmonger said, as though he was answering him. The cockiness was back in his voice, so much so she could almost picture him. Standing with his shoulders squared and his chin raised as he took in the shock from the people watching on "I'm your King."

"Oh God," Harper breathed, as the kimoyo beads skipped and disconnected from Shuri's. Her eyes were filled with tears as she glanced back up to Ross "T'Challa...he lost."

Thank you for reading! And, as always, thank you to my lovely Beta Reader - Becca :)

Hope you enjoyed! If you'd like more Harper you can follow me on tumblr and instagram; sgtbuckyybarnes