chapter ii of the death season :
" COME BACK TO ME . "
╓─────────────────────╖
" There is nothing except this . . . There is the next mission and nothing else . "
╙─────────────────────╜
january 9, 2018
A GROUP OF FIVE STAND in the throne room of the Wakandan palace, surrounded by a stifling silence and a weighty air. It's still so late, but none of them can even consider the thought of sleep now. Especially not now with this huge of a threat looming in the air. No one knows quite what to say or what to do. How can anyone hope to defeat this? Even with the might of Wakanda, what can anyone do to fight in the face of so much Death?
With her long hair pushed back behind her ears, Lisa sits on the throne with her elbows set upon the armrests. Her fingers are pressed to her pink lips and her face appears distant and foreign. T'Challa stands beside her and the throne, his arms crossed over his chest and one hand's knuckles pressed to his mouth. His gaze is concerned and contemplative and his posture is tall and firm.
Bucky Barnes, the one they now call the White Wolf, stands off to the side with his own gaze full of grim concentration, not quite sure of what this place that's given him refuge will be facing. Both the general, Okoye, and the Wakandan princess, Shuri, stand across from the royal couple, their faces grave and dark and, even in the eighteen year old princess' case, a little fearful.
"What is it that you're saying?" Okoye presses her lips into a thin line, shaking her head as she still tries to understand just what the royal couple has told her, "Exactly."
"I'm saying that this one was different than the other flashes." With a sigh, Lisa rubs at her aching temples, "Ones like this, I've only had twice before. I'm usually never able to actually interact in the visions. I see. I witness. I feel. But I definitely don't..."
Unable to fully finish her thought, she heaves another sigh and drops her stinging head in her hands. T'Challa rests his hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it before he distractedly rubs at her back. Feeling a little worried of upsetting her sister of two years, Shuri debates on even asking anything but she knows that, more than anything, they really do need answers.
So, the princess questions, "When was the first time you interacted with these visions?"
Trying to push the pain aside, Lisa looks up at them, "2012; a night after the Battle of New York. I was sleeping and then suddenly it was like I wasn't on Earth. I was before a throne and they were discussing how they failed. But they heard me..." She trails off with a shake of the head.
"And the second..." Bucky prompts cautiously after a few moments, watching the young woman who he reconciled with a long time ago.
Lisa's eyes seal closed and her voice grows solemn, "The second was after Sokovia. It felt as if I had been..." She grimaces and motions her hands to her chest. "As if I had been taken control of, like a vessel or something. I-I can't explain it."
Bucky's eyes slowly trail down to the ground, knowing the feeling of not being in control of his own mind well enough.
"And now again, these three years later..." Shuri whispers to herself thoughtfully.
"The only commonality I'm seeing is him." Lisa suddenly stands and uncomfortably wraps her arms around her chest, "This-this Titan was there all three times. Somehow, that's significant, even if it's in a vision of the future."
"Do you know when in the future this assault is going to take place?" T'Challa speaks up for the first time, making them all turn to look at his straight expression.
"God, I wish I did." Lisa lets out a heavy breath, her eyes flickering down as her dark head shakes, "Thanos could be attacking the Asgardians right now, tomorrow, next month, I have no way of knowing..." Her expression twists irritatedly, "No way of warning them..."
Shuri's frown grows sympathetic, "It's not your fault, sister."
"I know. But that doesn't mean I don't feel at least a little responsible."
"This dream, this vision that you've had, Olwethu..." The general of the Dora Milaje calls Lisa by her Wakandan name. "It warns of your monster coming for Earth?"
"It is not her monster." T'Challa responds evenly, turning away to stare out the dark window.
"That is not what I meant, my king." Okoye slightly bows her head in apology.
Lisa stares at T'Challa's back strangely, staying silent for a long moment as she tries to figure out what is going on inside his head.
"No, Thanos is not my monster." She finally agrees and begins to pace around the room, frowning deeply at her barefeet, "But his children are coming. And you can bet he won't be too far behind."
"How many should we expect?" Bucky tightens his single hand into a fist at his side.
"From what I saw..." Lisa scratches her eyebrow, "He has four psycho children with him, but last time he attacked, he sent an entire army to New York so, unfortunately, I don't know that either."
"And all of this for what? A rock collection?" Smirking, Shuri crosses her arms over her chest.
Bucky raises his eyebrows at the princess who is close to the same age as his daughter. T'Challa barely rolls his eyes and shakes his head at his sister while Lisa just smirks a little back at her.
"He wants the Infinity Stones, six gems made by the 'Cosmic Entities', whatever the heck those are. Once Thanos finishes attacking Thor and Loki, he'll already have two and he will keep looking for the rest. But, fortunately..." Lisa's smirk gets a little bit bigger, "I happen to know right where those two on Earth are."
All eyes sharply look at the young woman as she stands across from the throne.
"No." T'Challa slowly shakes his head, taking a few steps forward, "Lisa, no."
"Just hear me out," she tries quickly, already knowing exactly how he's going to react.
"No." T'Challa states again, frowning deeply at her, "That is a terrible idea."
"I'm sorry, but you're saying you want to go right into his warpath?" Bucky questions her with bent brows and wide eyes.
"Olwethu." Okoye drops her chin as she steps closer to her side, "As you're a member of the royal family, the Dora Milaje will not approve of this at all."
"I get that, I really do, but if I do this, I will be stopping the warpath before it even starts." Lisa quickly looks from the two of them to everyone else in the room, "I know Vis and Stephen Strange. If we can work together, then maybe we can protect the Stones. We have the edge! I know what's coming. Nothing's at risk here."
"Nothing except for you!" T'Challa objects, his face one of irritated disbelief.
"If everything goes according to plan, no one will be at risk!"
"When does anything go according to plan?"
"We can't just ignore what's happening!" She points back at him sharply, "You said so yourself-,"
"We aren't ignoring anything; there are other things at stake!"
"You're wrong, T! There is the next mission and nothing else!"
"You're going to kill yourself, Lisa-,"
"Thanos wants me, T'Challa."
The room goes completely and utterly silent, and that horrifying weight comes crashing back down again. Lisa doesn't move from her spot a few feet away from him, unrelenting and honest. T'Challa straightens and his eyes burn into hers, staring at her deeply. Her words seems to hang in the air, bouncing off the walls and ringing in their ears. Thanos wants her. T'Challa doesn't want to admit it. But, deep down, he knows that it's true. Everyone does; they always have, and no one knows it better than Lisa herself.
The brunette gives a slight shrug and her expression is hard, "He wants me and I don't know why. I've never known. But I'm going out there because it's my job. Because if I stay in Wakanda, then God knows he's coming here next. I finally know, in my heart, what I have to do." Her warm blue eyes are full of conviction and pain as she whispers, "This is my purpose."
T'Challa's eyes are just as unrelenting and he tilts his chin to the side, "Your purpose is here."
Lisa stares at him for a long and hard second before she lets out a sigh and drops her head. T'Challa tightens his jaw and turns away from her, resting his left hand on the top of the throne. Sensing the sudden change in conversation, Okoye looks away from the royal couple and silently moves from her place beside Lisa. Bucky awkwardly glances off to the side, nodding and turning towards the exit to give them their privacy. Okoye gives a sharp nod to the princess, signalling that it's time for them to step out. Shuri gives one last glance to her family before sighing and leading the way out of the throne room.
As soon as the double doors are closed, T'Challa sharply shakes his head and turns back around to face her, "Lisa, I don't like it. I don't like it at all. You're not going."
"Ugh." Rubbing her metal repulsor to her forehead, Lisa rolls her eyes closed and she lets out a small sigh, "T..."
"No!" T'Challa interrupts with a snap, startling both her and himself.
Lisa straightens at his tone, one of her eyebrows raising and her lips pursing at him. He's never use that tone with her before. That's just not how they speak to each other. And immediately regretting his harshness, T'Challa scrunches his own lips, turns his gaze to the side, and shakes his head down. Taking a moment to recompose himself, he slowly eases down onto the large throne that his ancestors have sat upon for centuries. Lisa studies him with a torn expression. She can't stand to see him like this, but she knows that she doesn't have any other choice.
"I have to do this." She finally says.
He closes his eyes, "I know you do."
That ache in Lisa's heart grows worse and she walks over to him slowly, gently taking his face in her hands, "I know this isn't what we wanted. I know it isn't what we planned."
His face twinges with pain before one of his hands interwines his fingers with hers and his other gently places itself on her presently flat abdomen.
"This." T'Challa stares deep into her warm blue eyes, whispering strongly, "This is what we had planned."
Tears bite at Lisa's eyes and she nods quickly, "I know that too."
T'Challa takes in a slow and controlled breath, knowing what he needs to be for her, always willing to be that for her, "I will tell Okoye that we both will go."
"T, both you and the Dora have to stay here." Lisa squints at him, "You know that just as much as I do."
"And if you go out there," T'Challa dips his chin to level with her, "if you get into trouble, which I know you will because you're you,"
"Hey!" Lisa objects with a laugh.
His lips show just a hint of a smile before he grows serious once more, "What can I do to protect you from here?"
Lisa resists a groan only because she knows that he's putting up a fight because he cares, "I know how to watch my back, T."
"That's good. Now, we just need someone who knows how to watch your front." At his words, Lisa frowns and he purses his lips back at her.
"Baba?"
The two simultaneously turn, immediately recognizing the little and sweet voice that echoes throughout the room. A toddler with fuzzy dark hair and crystal blue eyes stands in the right hand doorway, wearing her usual light blue footie pajamas. She drags a blanket along behind her and she holds a teddy tight to her heart. Her face is droopy and her mocha eyelids hang halfway down, still practically asleep even after she's pattered down the many halls to get there.
"What are you doing up so late, Noodle?" Lisa asks the little girl softly.
The near two year old simply yawns and rubs her eye in response. Maria, or Khanyiswa as she's called in Wakanda, suddenly sets into a quick waddle over to her parents, her little fuzzy-covered feet pattering against the ground gently. She stops just before them and then stretches her arms to T'Challa, doing those little grabby-hands with her fingers and palms.
And then Maria simply demands, "Up!"
"'Up'?" Repeating her, T'Challa raises his eyebrows and shakes his head, "Eysh, Khany, where are your manners?"
She twists her face into an expression that T'Challa has now called 'the Stark scowl' after seeing it from his girls one too many times, "Pwease!"
Lisa struggles to resist a laugh and, melting as he always does, T'Challa sighs in satisfaction before hoisting the little girl up. Brushing back her unruly curls, he stands up with her at his side and pokes gently at her nose, making her wiggle it in response. The toddler tucks her head underneath T'Challa's chin and she yawns again, handing Lisa her teddy with a loving smile. Lisa gives her a small smile back, leaning in close to kiss her forehead and whisper something she might not get the chance to say for a very long time.
"I love you, Maria."
And maybe, if things go wrong, if Thanos wins, not ever again.
"I do love you, Lees." T'Challa breaks into her thoughts, his words low and heartfelt.
Wiping her nose, Lisa laughs and gives a small smirk, "I sorta like you too, I guess."
His tone immediately drops while he nods and rolls his eyes to the side, "Very nice. Thank you."
"Fine! I love you too." Her smile fades as she stares at him for a long moment, both of them just nodding at each other in understanding. "If things don't go according to plan, though..." T'Challa's face immediately darkens and, then, to his surprise, Lisa suddenly cracks a grin, "You have to wait at least three years before you move on from me."
T'Challa doesn't even blink at her, his expression stone hard.
The twenty-two year old winces, "Too soon?"
"Too soon."
She grins wider and wraps a hand around the back of his neck, pulling his face in before she presses her smiling lips into his. Her smile fades away into the kiss, that feeling she was trying so hard to resist carving a hole in her chest. Both desperately try to savor this last moment of each other, knowing without truly saying that this could be it. This could be their last moment of touching each other, last moment of feeling the other's warmth. And it all ends far too quickly. Lisa pulls away and T'Challa dips his chin down so that their foreheads may rest against one another's.
And he whispers a promise that he needs her to keep, "Come back to me."
But she whispers a reply that she knows she can't keep, "I will."
Θ
BUCKY WALKS IN THE MOONLIGHT back to the small hut that he has called 'home' for the past months. His booted feet crunch in the tall green grass and he takes in the sound of relative silence, hearing only the cicadas sing and the wind blow across the empty plains. It reminds him of another moment a long time before this. It really must feel like a lifetime for most people, but it feels just like yesterday to him. He wasn't so alone back then; he had his daughter in his arms, and he was certain Svetlana was safe. But, in reality, that was two years ago and now he can't know if she has a roof over her head, if she's feeling hunger, if she's hurt, if she's missing him. He can't know anything for certain.
Tall green trees look black and silver in the night air, and the stormy sky and gray full moon look menacing. It almost looks like it's promising that something is coming, just Bucky doesn't know what exactly. He ducks to fit underneath the doorway, but he comes to a quick stop when his eyes suddenly see the glint of something within the darkness of his hut.
The small building is kept clean and organized, looking something similar to a certain apartment he used to have back in the 1940s. He doesn't have many belongings or things he can really call his own, but he's done his best at making the hut look what he imagines a home should look like. He's trying so hard to make sure it looks nice for when Svet comes back, for when she comes home to him. Bucky needs to be ready for her.
He slides back into his usual nightly routine of things. He kicks off his shoes, pulls off his shirt, slides off the garb that is wrapped around his healing shoulder, and then finally presses his fingers first to his lips and then to the photograph that is stuck to the wall.
It's really the only thing that he can claim as his own, and one of the last two things he has left of Svet. The father and daughter had never been in pictures together, not in any way that counted besides news footage and HYDRA's files. It's from the morning that Bucky went back under, when Svet insisted they take a photo together, wanting him to have it for when he woke up, so that he wouldn't forget her.
The then fifteen year old had been so giddy and excited about it the entire morning, but when it was time to finally take the picture, his ever-sleepy little girl was caught mid-yawn and he was still talking to Steve who was behind the camera. The light of the camera flashes and their faces were forever stuck like that. It really was a horrible picture, but Svetlana loved it all the same and she insisted they shouldn't take another. After all, a person only has their first photo once.
Bucky softly grunts as he eases down into his bed of blankets by the wall. He doesn't have the nightmares anymore; he doesn't wake up sweating or wanting to scream because he sees all of the disgusting things he did and all of the people he hurt. His broken mind has been put back together again.
But Bucky still can't sleep.
After a few moments of simply staring up at the dried mud ceiling, Bucky can't take the silence any more and he gives in. Pursing his lips, he lets out an irritated sigh and slides his hand underneath the blankets until he can pull out a folded white piece of paper, the second of the last two things he has left of Svet.
They all agreed it would be far too dangerous for Svetlana to try to get into Wakanda on her own; Bucky, Steve, Natasha. As much as she's trained and as much as she's able to fight for herself, Svetlana still is just a nearly seventeen year old girl. Her family isn't so willing to let her fend for herself, which Bucky imagines Svet does not like at all. Still, it was Steve who was able to get into Wakanda a few times in the past few years when the others couldn't. Too many people would have been risky, and no one wanted to repay Wakanda's kindness with unwanted attention.
So, on one of the few times Steve was able to sneak into the country, he brought Bucky something from Svet, a letter. Bucky feels like he has read it nearly a hundred and twelve times, and the paper is getting wrinkled and thin at having been constantly opened and read and reread. As much as he tries to restrain from reading it so much, Bucky supposes it must be just another part of his routine; as he lays awake at night, he reads the letter from his girl and then he can finally fall asleep, imagining that she's out there and she's safe and she's happy.
Dearest Papa,
Bucky's tired eyes skim through the words, his fingers trailing along the dark blue ink that his daughter shaped words with.
I just wish I could tell you all of what's happened in the two years you've been asleep and I've been out here. I wish you were here or I was there. I wish a lot of things.
Bucky's eyes stay slightly narrowed as he finishes the letter and he drops his head back down into the blankets. He lets out a near silent breath, settling the letter back down to his chest and gritting his teeth tightly. The intensity in his ocean blue eyes only grows as he catches sight of the moon shining in through the open hut, just as dark and as threatening as before. Something is coming. The father and his daughter don't matter in the face of what's coming.
But whatever is coming doesn't affect him.
Not yet.
He just has to promise himself it doesn't affect her either.
But it does, oh, it does.
[ Between the wars, we dance
Between the wars, we left
Don't wake me yet, don't wake me yet
And still the rest hasn't happened,
Hasn't happened yet ]
ii. between the wars allman brown
Thank you for the 1k followers! Be sure to leave your thoughts for this chapter! What did you think? It certainly wasn't as sad as last chapter, huh? Lisa is headed to New York (where a group of certain people are. I wonder how THAT'S going to go, hmmm) and, ah, the mentionings of Svet who is apparently in the line of fire. YIKES! Share your thoughts and theories!
NOTE: I wanted to definitely include certain characters in the story more so you will be seeing a few not of the movie scenes that I felt were necessary.
Thanks again! Be sure to comment, vote, and maybe give me a follow?