11/16/24-11/26/24
In the tribal council room Riri stood before Ramonda seated at the throne while Ayo and Bucky watched.
They had called Bucky after losing Shuri and asked for help to find that as a way to repay them for helping him free himself from the Winter Soldier, apologize for freeing Zemo and reclaim the name they gave him.
When he got home from helping Sam they called him telling him he no longer deserved the name White Wolf and if he wanted that back he would have to earn it. When he was welcome back he would have to answer to Sergeant Barnes and he accepted that.
It hurt but he still accepted and will do whatever it takes to get that title back.
"What do you think of Wakanda?" Ramonda asked.
"I thought an underwater city would take the cake, but the stories don't do this place justice." Riri asked. "It's great but I really would like to go home."
"You'll need to be patient, for your own safety." Ayo said.
"She's right. Wakanda is the safest place there is for protection." Bucky said.
"We'll take care of the trouble in Boston. You'll been cleared of any involvement. When it is safe for you to return your life will be waiting for you." Ramonda said.
"Can I at least call my mom?" Riri asked.
"She is safe. At work. In Chicago."
"We have Wakandans keeping watch on her." Ayo said and Bucky looked at her then remembered the Zemo and started wondering if they had people watching him in New York.
Then he looked at his arm wondering if he had a tracker or something.
"Why? She doesn't know anything." Riri said.
"Yes and we would like to keep it that way for now. I know you have been through a lot. Even before the abduction. We will make sure nothing happens to your mother, and you will be safe here." Ramonda said and Riri nodded unsure.
"You can trust them kid." Bucky said and Riri looked at him. "I have been through a lot and have severe trust issues but if there's anyone in the world other than my friend Sam I can trust, it's these guys. They've helped me more than I can thank them enough for. They'll help you to if you just stay here and listen to them. These guards, the Dora, are very highly trained people and know what they're doing along with plenty of other people including myself only I was trained differently. You'll be fine. OK?" he said and she nodded.
At Golden City Little River Town M'Baku conversed with a fisherman on the river below as he and three Jabari warriors kept watch over the bustling neighborhood. People were celebrating, looking at news on their Kimoyo Beads.
The Fisherman reacted to news on his Kimoyo Bead.
"What is the cause for celebration?" M'Baku asked.
"The princess has been brought home, by the War Dog Nakia." the fisherman said.
"Nakia? Daughter of Yaa?" M'Baku said and the fisherman nodded. "Glory to Hanuman. The spy saved Wakanda once again. The Queen will reward her with lifetime banishment, I'm sure." he said and the fisherman and the Jabari laughed at this.
Then, he noticed a commotion near the riverbank.
At the open air market a festive vibe. There were tables where merchants sell food and other goods to Wakandan civilians.
In the river several wooden boats started to sway as the water leveled rise and started to lap over the bank, wetting the ankles of surprised patrons.
At Bashenga's courtyard Nakia and Okoye sat together.
"I didn't want to take any chances. So I shot them both. We didn't stick around long enough to know if they got back up." Nakia said.
"Good." Okoye said. "They were the strongest soldiers I have ever faced. I should not have taken her." she said and Nakia looked at her closely. "After T'Challa died. It felt like we lost her too. I thought she might appreciate serving Wakanda as he did." she said. "But I realize I was doing too much. Trying to take care of her. To take care of the Queen. The country."
"And you forgot to take care of yourself."
"I've never been much good at that." Okoye said. "You running off without saying anything hurt so much. But I missed you."
"I apologize for not being here to mourn with you. He was King and Black Panther to everyone here. But to me he was something different." Nakia said. "When he was taken from me, I had to start over just so I wouldn't break. I couldn't afford to keep going as if nothing happened."
"I just never thought we could lose T'Challa that way. I was prepared for his death in two ways. On the battlefield and as an old man surrounded by his grandchildren."
"I would have liked that." Nakia said when Okoye heard the sound of people reacting to hydrobombs and flooding and she looked. "What's wrong?" she asked and Okoye started backing for the street with Nakia in tow.
A few minutes later they emerged from the courtyard to find a foot of flowing water and Wakandan civilians trying to get to higher ground.
Then Okoye saw a city engineer sloshing through the water, heading in the direction that it's coming from and they approached him.
"What's going on?" Okoye asked.
"We're not sure. It looks like something with the dams." the engineer said.
"From this direction?" Nakia said and the engineer shrugged so she looked around for a minute and Okoye turned to her.
"We're under attack." Okoye said and Nakia's eyes narrowed.
Back in the tribal court room the River Tribe Elder entered with three Naval Officers, approaching Ramonda.
"My Queen, we've lost contact with the river shield blockade." River tribe elder said.
"Lost contact?" Ramonda said.
"Yes and there are reports of flooding throughout the city." he said and she thought to herself.
"The Golden City is under attack. Initiate emergency response protocols. Evacuate the city." Ramonda said. "Take the Dora and Sergeant Barnes to aid in targeted military response." she said to Ayo.
"With all due respect my Queen, I feel as though it's best if James stays with you as he is the strongest man here." Ayo said and Bucky looked at her.
"I'm sorry?" Bucky said. "The last time we actually talked you said I wasn't even wanted here because of what I did, and now you trust me to protect Ramonda?"
"You are the only person that has ever beaten all of us. Before you even got that vibranium arm you defeated all of us, even Okoye easily. If there is anyone we can trust to protect our Queen, it is you James." she said and he looked at the others who nodded. "You have the strength that just about matches the Black Panther and I know you were holding back from us that day." she said and looked at Ramonda. "Do you agree my Queen?"
"Yes. Sergeant Barnes, you stay here while General takes the Dora to aid the targeted military response." Ramonda said.
"Yes my Queen." Ayo said."Phambili!" she said to the Dora and Ramonda turned to Riri who looked back at her terrified.
Then Ramonda looked down at the city through the windows and triggered her Kimoyo Beads.
"Shuri, where are you?" she asked.
In Shuri's lab Shuri and Aneka hustled towards Shuri's landing pad.
"I'm in the lab but I'm headed towards the city." Shuri said.
"Shuri stand down. That is an order." Ramonda said.
"I'm with Aneka, they'll need air support."
"Aneka do not let her leave the lab."
"What's that? You're breaking up. Love you. Bye." Shuri said making crackling noises with her mouth, hung up the Kimoyo Bead and turned to Aneka.
"You just hung up in the Queen of Wakanda's face." Aneka said.
"No, I just hung up in my mom's face... there's a difference. You coming with?" Shuri said and Aneka nodded as they board Shuri's Sunbird.
At Bashenga Shuri's Sunbird rose out of the opening at the top of the mine and zoomed toward the Golden City.
At Golden City a muffled burst was heard as a hydrobomb went off, blowing out the side of a building and water geysers out, rushing down the street.
Nakia and Okoye ran toward the building only to hear another hydrobomb erupt around a fork in the road and Okoye pointed.
"Get everyone to high ground!" she said and Nakia nodded and ran off as water flow from that direction.
Meanwhile a house was filling up fast and a terrified man was pinned under collapsed ceiling debris.
"Help me!" he said when Nakia approached the house and rushed in the door sloshing through. "Help!"
"Is anyone else inside?" Nakia asked and he shook his head so she freed him from the debris.
At Little River Town a large wave of water built up and capsized the riverboats, crashing water against a bridge, and splashing water up onto the riverbank.
In and elevated walkway M'Baku saw this and barked to his warriors, before taking a running start, and diving into the river water below.
Then he dropped into the water, grabbing a a civilian.
On a landing pad a large bank of scarab beetles were parked in a row and several Wakandan emts load into them.
On the moat water the mesoamerican sirens from our opening suddenly surface, treading water, and started to sing and play orarinas.
On the landing pad hearing the siren song, the EMTS' faces went slack and they all walked for the edge, jumping into the moat.
Back in the tribal council room while watching the EMTs, devastated, Ramonda triggered her Kimoyo Bead.
"Griot." she said.
"Yes, Queen." GRIOT said over comm.
"Grant Sergeant Barnes remote access to the emergency response fleet."
"Excuse me?" Bucky said while she handed him Kimono Beads.
"Right away, Queen." GRIOT said and Ramonda had Bucky step up on the mullion focused in as a holographic map of the city and its vehicles appear in front of him.
"OK then. Haven't flown something like this in a while but if you want me to do this," he said and started piloting the Scarab Beetles remotely himself while Riri looked on in awe. "Let's hope I still got it in me."
"Can I help?" Riri asked and Ramonda looked at her.
"Yes. Come quickly…" Ramonda said, handed Riri Kimoyo Beads and Riri jumped up on the mullion as well.
At Little River Town M'Baku helped the civilian he saved to the surface, then went back underwater to aide a Jabari Warrior in pushing the capsized boat back upright.
The Jabari Warrior pulled himself up onto the boat as M'Baku dipped back below to help guide the vessel when something caught his eye.
An orca passes M'Baku underwater with several Talocanil warriors attached to it. Wearing a bandoleer filled with hydrobombs, Namora and another Talocanil warrior suddenly peal off.
Giving chase, M'Baku pursued the Talocanil warrior who was closer, swimming as fast as he can.
Meanwhile Okoye helped civilians up onto buildings and houses when she heard two more hydrobombs explode in the distance behind her.
She turned as a kid came running in the road, pointing behind him, speaking in Xhosa.
"Help!" he said as a deluge of water from the explosions rushed right for him and she raced him, grabbing him just as the water hit.
Swept back down the street, hanging onto him, she grabbed the side of her gate for dear life until the surge subsided.
In a house the double explosion caused water to torrent in through the window and the flooding outside was above the door now.
Watching water pour in, Nakia and the Wakandan man were washed back inside and Nakia helped the man toward the stairs and they headed up.
Back at the tribal council room Bucky surveyed the flooding, remote piloting scarab beetles while Riri assisted him.
"Ayo, scramble air support to root out our attackers from above." Ramonda said.
On a landing pad in Golden City Ayo, the Dora and Wakandan Kingsguard Pilots scrambled to load into Talon Fighters and other vehicles.
"Yes, my Queen." Ayo said.
Then noticing an EMT about to jump into the moat, she flung the man back and hurled a Sonic Grenade into the water where it exploded sending the sirens flying.
Then she climbed into her Talon Fighter with Nomble and took off.
At Okoye's house Okoye helped the Kid climb up onto her roof with her.
On the roof Nakia waved to them while the Man was safely with her.
"Ay!" Nakia said and Okoye nodded while several other people were on surrounding rooftops being evacuated by Scarab Beetles.
Okoye surveyed the utter devastation around them and saw the streets completely flooded and turned to see Attuma in the distance standing atop the archway entrance of Bashenga's Courtyard.
Then a Scarab Beetle approached and Nakia, the Man, the Kid and Okoye were levitated up to the craft by their Kimono Beads.
At Little River City the Talocanil Warrior sprung up onto a Catamaran with a hydrobomb. Clocking his blue skin, the boat's driver cowers backward as M'Baku climbed into the boat next and landing a savage blow with his Knobkierrie and knocked the warrior back into the river.
Then the hydrobomb landed in the boat where M'Baku and the Driver stared at it.
"I will save us from this sorcery!" M'Baku said, grabbed the hydrobomb and threw it overboard.
When it got underwater it erupted and an explosion of water propelled M'Baku's boat toward the palace, causing a catastrophic rise in the water level.
Meanwhile a bus was swept away in the flood water.
In the sky two dragon fighters lift the bus safely into the air with cables.
In the tribal council room Bucky pilot scarab beetles like a maestro as Riri kept assisting.
"There are civilians in the North Triangle that are in need of evacuation, Queen." GRIOT said.
"I'm on it." Riri said.
Back at Little River Town civilians were running about in a panicked commotion.
In the midst of the pandemonium stood Namor, barefoot and shirtless with a spear in hand at an abandoned craft stand checking out the merchandise.
Then he took a souvenir and started toward the palace, eyes trained on the place window.
"Their defenses have been lured away from the palace." Namora said in Maya and Namor nodded.
Meanwhile Talon Fighters started raining down sonic fire on Talocanil Warriors below.
At Little River Town M'Baku was still on the wooden boat when he saw Namora and Namor on the shore.
"That's him?" M'Baku said, jumped out and charged.
"It is up to you now, K k'uk'ulkan." Namora said and extended a cluster of hydrobombs to Namor only to have M'Baku's knobkierrie swing at him.
Namor blocked M'Baku's attack with his forearm at the last second, splintering the wood of M'Baku's weapon.
M'Baku stared at his stick, dumbfounded then looked up as Namor landed a hard punch to his chest- breaking his wooden chest-plate, sending M'Baku flying back a city block to land with the wind knocked out of him and look back at Namor, awestricken by his strength.
A talon fighter unload at Namora as she dove into the water, dropping a hydrobomb. Grimacing, Namor jumped into the sky to attack three Dragonflyers that trail them.
In the sky Namor flew to the dragonflyer, effortlessly cutting its tail off going down as two more dragonflyers and their kingsguard pilots face off with him.
Meanwhile Ayo and Nomble saw Namor and took aim.
In the sky Namor evaded the sonic rounds from the Talon Fighter.
"He's too quick! I can't track him." Ayo said .
Grabbing both Talon Fighters, Namor hurled them down, crashing Ayo's Talon Fighter into Little River Town and the other into a building.
In an elevated walkway Namor landed as Shuri's Sunbird appeared behind him.
Then Shuri and Aneka unload Sonic blasts on Namor who ran, diving in the moat.
They gun down another Talocanil warrior, before turning her attention back to Namor.
Below the surface, Namor swam in circles as blasting away, Shuri and Aneka struggle to get a bead on him.
Then, Namor darted up, driving his spear through the Sunbird's cockpit windshield into the control panel.
On the Sunbird Shuri and Aneka lost control as the system malfunctioned and crashing into the moat, the cockpit filled with water.
In Okoy's scarab beetle Nakia and Okoye watched as Shuri's Sunbird went down.
"Oh no…" Okoye said and her kimoyo beads activated.
In the tribal council room Ramonda stood at the window, in shock with Bucky and Riri by her side.
"Shit, he's quick." Riri said.
"Okoye. Shuri's aircraft has been shot down. Can you get to her?" Ramonda said.
"She'll get her. You know Okoye, she'll do anything for the royal family." Bucky said. "Just like I'll do anything for you and Riri."
On the Scarab Beetle Okoye sprung into action.
"Yes, my Queen." Okoye said and commandeering the controls, piloted them toward the moat.
'At least Sergeant Barnes believes in me still.' she thought.
In the sky Namor flew to the Tribal Council windows, staring at Bucky, Ramonda and Riri.
Back in the tribal council room Bucky was piloting the last Scarab Beetle in the North Triangle to dry ground when he, Ramonda and Riri saw Namor approaching through the glass eyeing Riri angrily.
'Shit.' Bucky thought as Ramonda pulled Riri behind her, blocking his sight of her. 'Don't worry Shuri, I'll do whatever it takes to have Ramonda survive this.' he thought and shut his eyes. 'Even if I have to unleash the full Winter Soldier I still have.' he thought and opened them.
At Golden City M'Baku pulled Ayo and Nomble out of the Talon Fighter wreckage and the Dora eye up at Namor, while M'Baku saw Namora's abandoned Hydrobomb.
Meanwhile approaching the moat, then hovering above the water, Shuri and Aneka are levitated up to the craft by their Kimono Beads.
They all eye toward the palace at the sight of Namor flying in front of the Tribal Council windows.
In the sky Namor cocked his spear and with a powerful swing brought it down onto the windows of the tribal council.
The glass spider cracked, but held.
In the tribal council room Bucky eyed Namor confidently as he kept to piloting the beetles.
"One minute until the last scarab beetle is to safety." GRIOT said.
Back in the sky Namor smiled at both Bucky and Ramonda, then dropped below.
Back in the tribal council room Bucky, Ramonda and Riri eyed out to see where Namor had gone and Ramonda turned back to Riri.
"Go child!" Ramonda said so Riri stepped down the stairs and looked back at Ramonda.
"Wait what? And leave you here?" Riri said.
"Run."
"Get outta here kid!" Bucky said and looked at Ramonda. "You should go to."
"These are my people to protect Sergeant Barnes. A Queen protects her people."
"And a soldier protects them to. Just go! I can do this myself, you know what I am and have survived."
"You may be a soldier, but you are a soldier of the US while I am the Queen of Wakanda." she said and he sighed but nodded.
'I'll still do whatever it takes to have you survive. I saved Steve's life when he fell in '14, I can save you to.' he thought.
At the landing pad moving toward the edge, Namor called out in Maya.
"Namora, now!" Namor called out in Maya and dove off into the moat below where Namora waited with the cluster of hydrobombs.
Namor emerged holding three hydrobombs in his right hand, his spear in his left.
"CH'A TOH AJ TEPAL!" he said loud.
At Little River Town M'Baku, Ayo and Nomble watched Namor.
At Okoye's Scarab Beetle Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, Aneka and the civilians all eye up.
In the tribal council room Ramonda's holographic map showed the scarab beetles had all safely arrived just when Namor hurled the hydrobombs at the windows. They decompressing into he water just before reaching the windows and crashed the glass, flooding the room rapidly, and breaking through the glass floor, sending Bucky, Ramonda and Riri down in a rush of water, glass and furniture.
On Okoye's Scarab Beetle Shuri, Okoye, Nakia and Aneka witness the explosion, horrified while Okoye raced toward the landing pad.
At Little River Town M'Baku, Ayo and Nomble sprinted toward the palace, staggered after seeing the explosion.
Ayo's heart was pounding hoping she had done the right thing leaving Bucky to protect their queen.
'He's beaten all of you one handed during and after being cleared of the program, he can save her.' she thought.
On the flooded lower floor of the Tribal council room Ramonda was unconscious and sank down to the level of the Timbuktu structure until Bucky shot up holding her as she jolted back to consciousness, saw him panting and looking up to the platform, then turned and saw Riri, floating lifelessly.
"Shit." Bucky said and saw Ramonda awake. "Hold onto my back." he said and she did as told so he swam to Riri, grabbed her and started swimming towards the top.
'Thank god for all this goddamn training in Camp McCoy all those years ago.' he thought.
In the sky Namor was confident Bucky, Riri and Ramonda were dead after watching the Tribal Council room being destroyed and sections of the Royal Palace collapsing.
On the landing pad Okoye landed and Shuri, Nakia, Okoye and Aneka ran inside the Tribal Council Room.
Back in the flooded tribal council room Okoye and Nakia entered first finding Riri laying on the platform, Ramonda floating in the water, on her back thanks to Bucky, and Bucky on his hands and knees panting as Namor floated outside the broken glass.
Okoye raced to pull Ramonda out as Nakia turned Riri over onto her back to check her vitals.
"You did this!" Namor said. "I came with only a few warriors." he said and Bucky chuckled darkly while Okoye and Nakia used their Kimoyo Beads to try and resuscitate Riri and Ramond as Shuri and Aneka enter, and Okoye turned.
"Keep her back!" Okoye said to Aneka.
"Mother!" Shuri said and Aneka grabbed Shuri who struggled to get past as Okoye did chest compressions on Ramonda, fearing it's already too late.
Then Bucky slowly got up.
"You think I haven't seen worse than this?" Bucky said rubbing his rib. "I'm a hundred and nine years old and been through plenty of wars! War after war after war! I haven't gotten a goddamn break since World War Two! My unit was captured and I become a Super Soldier. I fall off a train and become the Winter Soldier for seventy years murdering people and getting through all those goddamn wars! Then I almost kill my best friend, finally get away from those assholes for two years, cause a goddamn Civil War between my best friend's team, framed because some nutcase of a guy! Then in the end I finally end up here in this beautiful, calm place that can actually help free me from those goddamn trigger words that ruined my life! After seventy years I could finally get a life I wanted thanks to them. A new arm, a new life, everything I wanted I could get. And then, after two years I'm finally free from them thanks to Shuri and Ayo. A few months later I end up in yet another war! We lose and half the world is snapped away. Five years later we're back and end up in another fight but win. I'm pardoned, end up with a terrible therapist, my best friend leaves me, I have so many amends to make and the last one ends up being the only friend I made's son. I end up getting into another fight with a guy I started out hating to learn some guy recreated the serum that I was made of just a different way. Eventually me and the guy I hated stopped them and he became my new best friend. Now I'm his partner and work with him. Next thing I know, I get a call asked to come here and help them. So just shut up about warriors!" he yelled and Namor looked at him while Bucky looked back.
"Bury your dead, mourn your losses. In one week's time, I will return with my entire army." Namor said as Nakia, Shuri and Okoye watched while Ayo, Aneka and M'Baku rushed in as Ramonda remained unresponsive. "And you will either join us against the surface world, or we will wash Wakanda from the face of the plane." he said, turned and was about to dive when Bucky jumped onto him grabbing him by the neck pulling him onto the ground.
Everyone jumped and backed up.
Then Riri and Ramonda both jolted awake and looked to see Bucky and Namor fighting each other.
"W-what?" Ramonda said.
"Are you aright my Queen?" Okoye asked.
"Yes, thanks to Sergeant Barnes." Ramona said and watched Bucky get punched in the cheek but kick Namor back. "What on earth is going on?"
"I think he's finally letting all that anger out." Shuri said and they all watched.
Then Namor threw Bucky into the water and went in and they gasped watching how long they were under.
M'Baku was about to go in and help when they saw Namor go flying up and Bucky up coughing and taking deep breaths.
"J-jesus." Bucky said and coughed. "T-this is to much like that damn 2014 Helicarrier fall flashback." he said, shook his head, swam to the top and got up looking at Namor who looked back.
They all looked at Bucky close to see him tired, bruises, blood, cuts and holes in his jacket.
"You fight well." Namor said and Bucky grabbed him by the neck.
"You should know a soldier is trained to do as told. When you're trained for three years, make it to Sergeant in those three, a very skilled snipper that never. Misses. A. Target." he said and got a gun out his pocket ready. "Captured and become a Super Soldier given enhanced powers, become a very highly trained assassin for the next seventy years and can kill hundreds of people in seconds with the crack of a finger." he said and gripped Namor's neck hard chocking him. "It's easy." he said, shot at Namor's stomach, broke his neck and then ripped off his wings dropping him to the ground.
Then Bucky dropped the gun, fell to the ground from exhaustion and lost consciousness.
Everyone stood or sat there in shock for a few minutes then Ayo walked over to him, bent down and checked for a pulse.
"He's alive." she said and looked at them. "But he's weak. Most likely from all the water in his lungs." she said and they nodded.
"Let's get him to my lab and I can get him healed." Shuri said and looked at Ramonda. "I think he has deserved the name White Wolf back Mother. He just risked his life saving you and ended Namor for us." she said and Ramonda nodded.
"Yes." Ramonda said and looked at M'Baku. "M'Baku, can you?" she said and he nodded, walked over to Bucky, picked him up and they headed to Shuri's lab.
A few hours later Bucky was at Shuri's lab asleep while Shuri was looking at his results again and Sam was sitting next to Bucky.
Ramonda had called Sam and he begged her to come get him and she did while bringing Riri back to Boston.
Bucky's lungs were cleared of the water, his ribs were only bruised but mostly healed along with the rest of the bruises and cuts and all that was left was rest.
Sam was looking at him and holding his hand worried.
"What the hell were you thinking man?" Sam whispered.
"Repaying and apologizing." Bucky whispered and Sam jumped.
"Oh my god!" Sam said and Bucky chuckled.
"Gets ya every time."
"You son of a bitch!" Sam said and laughed. "You just might be worse than Steve."
"Be thankful I don't say on your left and run past you like him." Bucky said and slowly opened his eyes.
"Ah good." Shuri said smiling. "How are you feeling?"
"Like crap." he said and she smiled.
"Your lungs are clear, your bruises are going away nicely and your healing nicely as usual." she said and he nodded. "And you've been asleep for about nine hours before you ask."
"Damn. I haven't slept that long since I fell asleep on Sam's couch after helping him with that boat in '24." he said and chuckled. "A new record." he said and Sam looked at him concerned.
"How much sleep are you usually getting?" Sam asked.
"Uh, two, maybe four hours?"
"Buck!"
"What? I still have nightmares OK? Just, not as many and at this point it's mostly from either WWII, the HYDRA tortures or something like that rather than the murders if that helps. I'm getting there." Bucky said and Sam nodded.
"OK. But I'm calling your therapist again when you get home."
"You're going soft Wilson."
Shuri couldn't help but chuckle.
"One of us has to keep an eye on you mentally." Sam said and put a reminder on his phone.
"And one of us has to keep and eye on you physically." Bucky said.
"Is that your thing?" Shuri asked amused. "Captain Wilson takes care of you mentally and you take care of him physically?" she said and they looked at each other.
"Pretty much." they said together.
"Where there's Captain America there's Bucky Barnes." Bucky said. "Only it's a little easier because Sam was actually trained unlike Steve and he takes care of the air while I take care of the ground."
"He's right. We have my work partner Torres as the new Falcon to so that helps to. Me and Torres take care of what goes on up high while Bucky goes down and uses every skill he got as the Winter Soldier but as a hero now." Sam said and Shuri smiled.
"Well, I'm glad you were able to find some good to those skills you got over those years." Shuri said.
"Same here." Bucky said and sighed.
"Are you feeling good enough to walk because my mother would like to talk to you?"
"Yeah, I think so." he said, sat up and Sam helped him get up.
Soon they were in the tribal court room.
Bucky was a little nervous but after years of experience was able to hide it from everyone, minus Sam.
"You wished to see me Ramonda?" Bucky said.
"Yes. I wanted to thank you for saving my life and ending Namor sooner than we expected." Ramonda said and he twitched a little.
"I uh, didn't mean to do that last part. I meant to just hurt him, not kill him to be honest." he said. "I just, lost it for a minute."
"I understand Sergeant Barnes." she said gently and he nodded. "And as a thank you I have decided to give you your name back and are welcome back to Wakanda any time you wish." she said and he looked at her in shock while Shuri smiled. "Welcome back, White Wolf." she said smiling.
Sam saw the looked of relief and happiness in Bucky's eyes.
Then Bucky smiled.
"Thank you Ramonda." he said and she nodded smiling.
"I want you to keep those Kimoyo Beads in case we ever need your help again to. We still have no Black Panther and you are the closest we have. Alright?" she said and he nodded smiling.
"If you ever need your arm fixed or-" Shuri started but was cut off.
"Want an update?" Bucky said amused. "Yes I will call you and let you know. And if you have any ideas you can just call me now that I have one."
"You know me well White Wolf." she said. "Then again, you did spend a lot of time with me when you were here for two years." she said and chuckled while Bucky froze and everyone, even Sam looked at him in shock and confusion.
"Huh?" everyone said.
"Uhhhhhh," Bucky said and Shuri smirked and he noticed. "Don't you dare!"
"White Wolf here, is nothing but a science nerd." she said and he turned bright red.
"Excuse me?" Sam said and Bucky groaned.
"I, was top of our year at science until I graduated high school and only had one semester in college before becoming a doctor. Then the war came and I had to drop out because Izzy had just lost her job, Molly was having trouble finding one, Tasha and Becca were still in school, Steve still had all those health problems and was living off my job I knew when you join the army you make a decent amount so when I got approved it was easier." Bucky said and they all looked at him in shock.
"You wanted to be a doctor?!" they all said and he nodded.
"With all Steve's health problem's I just wanted to find a way to help people. I was going to work on heart problems because I knew Steve's heart was getting worse and I wanted to try and find a way to help it so he could live at least a little longer."
"So, go back to school." Sam said and Bucky looked at him. "You have the chance to get what you want now. You know how advanced we are medically now so you can help them even more." he said gently.
"How the hell would I be able to afford college now? I could barely afford it back then! And besides, I'm a little busy being your partner right now."
"You can do your classes online and when I need help, I'll call you. This is your chance to get what you want Buck." Sam said and put a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "Steve, your family, everyone from your time would want this and be proud of you."
"We can pay for your school money as a thank you." Ramonda said and Bucky looked at her. "You have saved us, helped us train new Dora's, helped our farmers and more, we will pay for everything you require for school and then tell us when your graduation is so we can come and watch you become a doctor."
He stood there and thought about what he could do and how much he could do so gave in and nodded.
"Fine. I'll start applying for fall when I get home." he said and they smiled.
"By the way," Shuri said and Bucky looked at her. "I know why you haven't been aging at all."
"Thank god! I've been trying to figure that out for months! What is it?"
"It's from all those years of Cyro freeze and the serum together. With them together, unlike Steve, you're never going to age and are going to live much longer than him. I can't answer how long but you have plenty of time left." she said and he nodded.
A few days later Bucky and Sam were back in Bucky's apartment looking at college's he would want to go to.
He said he would call them when he decided where he wanted to go and got approved and they would take it from there.
"Are you sure I should do this?" Bucky asked.
"Come on Buck, this is your time to show the world that you wanted to help people. Prove to them that the Winter Soldier is more than just a soldier. He's a doctor and going to save lives physically when he has to but also hearts." Sam said gently and Bucky took a deep breath and hit send.
When he was accepted to SUNY University he called Romonda and she was able to help him stay from freshman year to the year it required for him to get his PhD and as promised they paid for every year.
As planned Bucky would still help Sam with missions when needed, during summer break he would go to Louisiana and visit the kids at cookouts and when people found out that Bucky Barnes wanted to be a doctor all those years ago, they were shocked.
The Avengers supported him the whole way, Bruce and Dr. Cho offered to help him if he ever needed help and he gladly accepted the offer, Peter offered help if he needed help with science or chemistry and when Steve found out Bucky went back to school he called him and told him he was happy, excited and proud to see he was going to try and get what he wanted this time.
It was his graduation now and the Avengers, Ramonda, Shuri, Ayo, Sam, Sarah and the kids were there watching him hold his degree smiling.
'I may not have been able to help Steve, but I can still help plenty of more people. And with how advanced medical things are compared to the 40's, I can save more than I killed.' Bucky thought.