REUNITED ~ STEVE ROGERS [4]

Chapter Sixteen

Alright, I am exaggerating a little bit. The room we were in didn't really explode, but the exterior wall of the interrogation room did. It triggered something in me, and I froze, unable to move. In my head all I saw was the pieces of that control tower crumbling around me, crushing me.

The gunfire from the tall masked man snapped me out of it. I activated my suit for the second time that day and ducked down, banging my arm on the way. Despite the pain I inched towards the doorway. Through the dust, T'Challa was shielding a CIA agent, and Nakia was covered by the limp form of Agent Ross, blood staining the back of his shirt.

Okoye was out of my immediate view, and I assumed she had gotten out the door in time.

Two more figures waltzed into the interrogation room, and proceeded to pick up Klaue as he laughed and carry him out of the hole in the wall.

Edging back towards the hole, the masked man surveyed the room, and after being satisfied with the damage, threw what I could just make out as a live grenade into the room and quickly left. I scrambled for the door, my still healing hip grinding as I tried to go fast, but I didn't need to. T'Challa pounced on the grenade and it exploded beneath him, his suit absorbing its energy. Glowing purple, T'Challa got up and leapt out of the hole in the interrogation room wall to go after Klaue. I stayed on the floor, leaning against the door frame and trying to calm my racing heart. Why had I hesitated when the wall had exploded? I froze, completely. Maybe I was finally going insane.

I was snapped from my thoughts to the sound of Nakia talking, voice hurried and worried. I looked over, her slim form sliding out from underneath Ross, his back bleeding profusely. Gunshots rang from outside and I couldn't decide which situation deserved my attention. But my hip hurt like a bitch and I didn't bother trying to get up, knowing I'd just make it worse. Some agents came into the room and crowded around Ross, ignoring me. I touched the side of my necklace and the mask portion of my suit disappeared.

Silence outside, and then T'Challa and Okoye appeared, rushing towards Ross and Nakia while I stayed on the floor watching.

"He just jumped in front of me," Nakia said, voice shaking. Ross was barely conscious, eyes rolling back and breathing shallow. I realized I had been holding my own breath, lungs tight. I breathed out, trying to get that knot in my stomach to go away. I felt pricks across my skin, like needles and it felt scarily familiar, a sensation I knew I had felt before but couldn't place.

"I don't think he'll make it here, it hit his spine."

"Give me a Kimoyo bead." T'Challa took a bead from Okoye and inserted it in the wound.

"This will stabilize him for now." There was a pang in my chest. No one had noticed me yet.

"Give him to us. We can save him."

The agents looks at each other in confusion but don't protest.

T'Challa suddenly perked up, alert. He turned to Okoye.

"Khethiwe, where is she?" His voice was panicked.

"I'm right over here, brother, if you cared to notice." I sat up straighter against the doorframe. I wasn't hurt, not really, but my hip had been knocked in the rush and it was aching. T'Challa rushed over to me, hand on my face, searching.

"Are you injured, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mostly. I just knocked my hip trying to get out of the door and I just..." I lowered my voice. I hated being weak, being unable to even stand by myself. "I don't think I can walk by myself right now T'Challa." The tips of my ears burnt red with embarrassment but no one seemed to care.

"Then I will carry you." He said it with no hesitation, with full kindness.

"No, please, T'Challa its okay-"

"Learn to accept help when you need it, sister. Come, we must hurry if we are to save Agent Ross." He scooped me up, my weight nothing to him and gestured to Nakia and Okoye. "Lets carry him to the ship."

I had my arms around T'Challa's neck. He took care to tread softly. I felt tired, all of a sudden. Tired of the knot in my stomach that wouldn't go away. Tired of the memories I didn't have after Germany. I rested my head in the crook of his neck and closed my eyes.

"Thank you, brother." I whispered, knowing he would hear me.

"I'm sorry I didn't make sure you were okay. You should have been my first priority and I failed you today." His voice was tender, but regretful. I shook my head.

"Honestly, its okay. Ross is in much worse shape than me. Don't worry about it."

"Don't think this makes up for your reckless actions tonight. We will still be discussing that."

"Ugh." I opened my eyes as I felt T'Challa's body shift. We got to the top of the walkway of the Talon and he placed me gently on the padded bench along the left side. Ross wasn't far behind me, lying on a levitating stretcher, followed by Okoye and a shaken up Nakia. That knot in my stomach grew as I saw how pale Ross' face was. Sure, he had captured me, put me in painful power-restricting handcuffs and locked me in a CIA facility with a crazy Inhuman, but he had helped us, and he hadn't arrested me, so I was sure he wasn't completely cold-hearted.

If he lived, I guess we would find out.

***

Okoye stood at the helm with Nakia beside her. T'Challa hung back, arms crossed and lost in thought. I stared out the window, watching the world whizz by. I thought about Steve, which was dangerous and might have resulted in tears had Okoye not spoken and distracted me.

"Our mission was to bring back Klaue. We failed. This man is a foreign intelligence operative. How do we justify bringing him into our borders?" Nakia looked at her in disbelief.

"He took a bullet for me."

"That was his choice." T'Challa stiffened at Okoye's words. She had gone too far this time. I locked eyes with my brother. They were haunted, dark and bottomless.

"So now we are just supposed to let him die?" Nakia stared out the window, brow furrowed. She felt guilty, I knew the look. Okoye sighed, shaking her head.

"Let us consider that we heal him. It is his duty to report back to his country. And as King, it is your duty to protect ours." Her dark eyes bore into T'Challa as he thought.

"I am well aware of my duties, General. I cannot just let him die knowing we can save him." His tone was authoritive, a message to Okoye to watch her mouth.

"Its been done before, we can do it again," I said, drawing attention my way. There was a flicker of guilt across Okoye's face, only for a split second, before her stern look returned.

Okoye gritted her teeth and steadied the ship.

"Where exactly are we taking him?" 

Authors Note

Hello lovelies! It is currently 1am, I have just watched 3 hours of Criminal Minds and I am here with an update for you!

This chapter really marks the beginning of a long road of recovery for Keight, mental and emotional over physical. She is starting to realize she doesn't remember everything that happened in Germany, and we all know what she will do for the truth. 

Comment your thoughts!

Stay safe, stay healthy,

Until next time,

~JJ