*Steve's POV*
"Keep everything under wraps if you can. We don't want any leaks." I explain to one of the paramedics. He nods and I shake his hand gratefully before that ambulance is out of here. Sighing, I turn to the other two just showing up. I head in that direction with a glance at the depression in the dirt where Jo is. There's an itch in the back of my mind with her out of my sight, but I can't go after her until these people are taken care of. Peter stands from helping make a web sling for a woman and comes to my side.
"Something isn't right." He tells me and looks at the stairs just as I am. Just after the words leave his mouth, Coulson emerges with a limp Jo in his arms.
"Oh god." I breathe and we both run to her. Coulson lowers her to the soft grass just before the top step and I land on my knees next to her.
"I tried to stop her. I'm not sure what's wrong." He says desperately as Peter presses two fingers to her neck.
"Please, please, please." He whispers and I feel my heart stop as he searches for hers. He sighs and looks at me with tear-filled eyes. "She has a pulse. Weak, but there." Peter tells me and I feel like I can breathe again.
"Take her. I've got things here under control." Coulson assures me and I instantly lift Jo into my arms.
"Peter, call the team and have them get here now with the quinjet." I tell him and he instantly does so. We move to the opposite end of the field so it'll have room to land, but Jo stays in my arms. I can't bring myself to let her go. Peter is at my side, staring at Jo with what could only be described as reckless love and hope. "She'll be okay." The words find their way out of my mouth despite the worry and fear in me. He nods at me and swallows. His hand runs over her curls gently and I have to look up instead of at her still face. The quinjet arrives and we board it instantly.
"What the hell happened?" Natasha asks first, opening the hospital bed hidden in the middle of the jet as we take off again. Tenderly, I lower Jo onto it.
"We don't know."
"You weren't with her?" She snaps at me, jade eyes more fire than green. "You know she's just as likely to do something stupid and reckless as you are." I don't have the heart to argue with her. She's right anyway. Tony hands the wheel to Sam and walks over with his scanner in hand.
"Christ." He breathes before blinking and shaking his head. He runs the blue light over her slowly as it gathers information. "She's nearly catatonic," Tony whispers and looks up at me with wide, fearful eyes. Bucky steps forward and moves Peter back with a hand.
"Kid, back off. No one touch her. Her mind has probably done this to protect her from any more outside influences. She's overloaded and crashing." Bucky's eyes trail to mine.
"But she'll be okay?" Peter asks in a rough voice and all eyes turn to me for what to do. I take a breath and move to the front.
"We're not going back to the facility. Set a new course." I say and start doing it myself for something to do.
"Where are we headed?" Sam asks and even his voice is strained. My eyes are steady on the sky in front of me, but my hands shake slightly on the controls.
"To the best."
Sam takes the wheel once I've set the heading and shoves me away, claiming I'm not in the right mindset to control anything. I stand reluctantly and set my shield to the side before looking back at Jo. Bucky's at her side, left hand gently cradling hers since he's the only one who can touch her. Natasha is at her head, staring intently at the rise and fall of her chest while Peter and Tony are at her feet. Tony's hand is flat on Peter's back as he monitors her brain function and vitals with a holograph. Peter looks the worst out of all of us with his red eyes, blood still on his hands and in his hair from running through it. Suddenly there's a shrill ringing and it takes me a moment to realize it's coming from me. I dig around my pocket and answer without thinking about it.
"Captain." Coulson's voice greets me and I blink to focus.
"How's the situation?" I ask and receive a sharp look from Natasha for it.
"We're good here. Your girl did a hell of a job with our wounded. Everyone she healed is headed home today. I wanted to tell you first...her aunt perished." The news doesn't even hit me.
"I'm...I'm sorry for your loss." I murmur out of practice.
"Thank you. How is she?" He asks and only now do I feel a lump in my throat. I clear it and rub a hand over my face.
"She's...she's in a coma." I choke out and lift a hand to rest it over my eyes. It's quiet for a moment before Coulson responds.
"She told me to tell you, tell the team, that she...she loves you." He sighs on the other end and I do my best to hold in my tears.
"Thank you," I say and hang up, tucking my phone back into my pocket. Stepping forward to Jo's side, I survey the team. They all meet my eyes except Natasha. "She told Coulson before...before she went under to tell us she loves us." I ground out and shut my eyes when a soft cry leaves Peter's lips and his fingers dig into his eyes to prevent more tears.
"Why did she tell him when it should've been you there?" Natasha asks quietly. My eyes open and I wipe the tears away before looking at Jo's face.
"I trusted her to do her job the same as I would any other member of this team."
"This isn't the time for this," Bucky warns, looking between the two of us with a warning in his voice.
"I was with her every minute in Europe." Natasha continues with quiet anger. Her anger is always the worst when it's quiet. "In the hotel rooms, the bases, the underground bunkers. Everywhere." Greens eyes look up at me and her hands turn into fists. "You couldn't keep her safe for a day? A day?" Her lips curl up with disgust.
"Please don't." Peter pleads and the anger drops from her face as we shift to look at him. Bloodshot brown eyes look between us tiredly. "It's no one's fault that Jo is here. She's a hero. She put people first, not herself. That's why she's here. Don't make her less of one by saying it's because of someone else." He objects quietly and all the anger in the room dissipates. Natasha settles back down in her spot with a sigh.
"You're right, Pete. We're sorry. How about you drink something for me, huh?" Tony puts a water bottle in his hands and Peter barely sips it. Bucky and I meet eyes and he shakes his head. He's telling me not to think about it, but I think about it anyway.
If Jo dies, it'll destroy us all.
*****
The quinjet lands and T'Challa meets us at the landing pad with the Dora. "What's wrong?" He asks as I walk out with Jo in my arms. She's wrapped in a blanket so I'm not touching her. My head shakes and we start walking towards the lab.
"She's comatose. It's her mind's defense from absorbing too many memories and expending too much energy." Bucky explains quickly. T'Challa nods and a little hologram of his sister appears from the beads wrapped around his wrist.
"We're headed to you, sister."
"Ah, a broken girl this time. I look forward to it." She responds and disappears. We start jogging and Shuri meets us halfway there with a hovering bed. I lower Jo onto it and now we're running.
"I've taken some preliminary scans-"
"And I'm sure they would be helpful if my technology hadn't already done that including an x-ray, CAT scan, and MRI," Shuri responds and Tony's mouth shuts. We arrive at her lab and back up as Shuri moves back and forth over Jo's body.
"Thank you for accepting us," I tell T'Challa as he moves beside me. There wasn't a call made, so we're all lucky they didn't just shoot us down.
"There aren't many quinjets that know the location of Wakanda. We assumed it was you." He tells me softly before looking over at Jo. "I've wanted to see this young woman again since meeting her briefly at the conference sharing Wakanda with the world. Okoye as well and Okoye doesn't take to anyone. Said she'd make a good Dora Milaje. I'm sorry it's in such unfortunate circumstances." I nod and hum as I think back to that day.
"She liked you too. Liked how your greatest warriors are women. And she loved Shuri's dress." I recall Jo's subtle comments in the back of the room with fondness. "The colors stood out to her." The memory fades and reality once again settles on my shoulders. Please god, don't let memories be all I have left of her.
"Ugh, the colors were the only redeeming thing about that anaconda dress." Shuri groans and T'Challa chuckles. "This is Jo, then? I wanted to meet her." A certain fondness enters Shuri's eyes now as she works and gives me a little more hope.
"Can you do anything?" Peter asks Shuri hopefully and all humor fades from the room. Shuri looks to all of us with a small smile.
"Of course, I can. The White Wolf was right. All I need to do is separate her memories from the others in her head."
"You can do that?" Natasha questions and Shuri's eyes go to Bucky.
"She's done it before. She needs space and time though." She nods to him gratefully.
"This will take time. You all should rest and get food and water." Shuri tells us all considerately while Peter and I shake our heads immediately. T'Challa steps in front of me while Bucky drags Tony out and Natasha hesitantly follows behind.
"You trusted us with your brother. Will you not trust her to us?" He questions and my heart squeezes.
"She's a daughter to me," I tell him helplessly, emotion gathering in my throat. Understanding enters his eyes.
"I understand the connection between father and child, but it will do no good for you to waste away. Lead your team by example and rest." His hand gently lands on my shoulder and I sigh. With another look at her lying on the table, I nod.
"Thank you. One day I hope to repay you." I take his hand and we shake. He leads me to the twisting ramp, but we both pause when Peter doesn't follow. He is attached firmly to Jo's bedside. Shuri notes this and shoves a stool under him, then waves us on.
"He can stay. I may need an extra set of hands." Peter sighs in relief and looks over at me with a nod.
"I won't leave her." He tells me firmly and I nod back to him before ascending the ramp with T'Challa at my side. He leads me to a spare room and leaves me to rest. I collapse onto the bed and only now, without the presence of the team, do I let myself cry.
* * * * *
At some point, I must've fallen asleep because when my eyes open again it's dark out. Blinking, I rub the crust out of my eyes before pushing myself to my feet. All the peace I got from sleep disappears as I remember where I am and why. Sighing, I rub a hand over my face. "Keep it together, Rogers." I breathe before looking back up at the open door. Quietly, I make my way back to the lab through the empty hallways. I can just barely see Jo on the table from the ramp when Shuri meets me.
"Captain? Come to check on her, have we?" She questions, then yawns. "Come on. She's resting." Shuri spins on her heel and descends with me.
"She's alright?" I ask and Shuri waves to the levitating bed. Holograms of her internal organs raise and I breathe a sigh of relief when I see her steadily pumping heart. However, Shuri catches my wrist when I move forward.
"Everything went well. Let her sleep. We'll speak with her in the morning. Your other white boy fell off his stool earlier and is sleeping as well." She turns us and points to a couch in the corner where Peter lays haphazardly. My eyes return to Jo and the much steadier rise and fall of her chest before I look back at Shuri.
"Thank you doesn't seem to say enough," I tell her genuinely. She smiles and pats my arm.
"But letting her and me sleep says more than enough. I'll be just upstairs and will be alerted should she need anything." Shuri assures me, but I still don't go.
"Could I stay? I won't touch anything. I just want to sit beside her." Shuri sighs and walks over, righting the stool that Peter apparently fell off of.
"Touch nothing." She insists before leaving me to it. I slip onto the stool and watch the hologram of Jo's heart beating steadily.
"I'm here, Jo. You're going to be just fine." I tell her quietly. "I'm going to be really pissed at you when this is all over. Annoying too. I won't leave your side." I chuckle softly and glance at her calm face. Swallowing, I reach out to take her hand before realizing I can't and letting it drop back to my side. "I knew this would happen, Josephine. Knew you just couldn't resist pushing it. Too much like me, right?" My head shakes. "Said you'd put yourself in a...in a coma, didn't I. Dammit." I rub my eyes to keep the tears at bay before sniffling and sitting back up. I'm content to let her sleep and just be here when she wakes up. A few quiet minutes pass before a hand on my shoulder nearly has me punching someone in the face. Natasha is luckily too fast for me.
"How is she?" She asks quietly as my heart slows.
"Good, I think. We'll know more in the morning." I repeat Shuri's diagnosis and Natasha nods, moving to the opposite side of Jo. My eyes watch hers as they examine every bit of Jo for harm. "Listen, about today on the jet-"
"My fault. I needed to feel something other than the loss. Chose anger. You took the brunt of it." She cuts me off and raises her eyes to meet mine.
"It's alright to care about people, Natasha," I tell her and a small smile appears on her face, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"This right here is why I don't. It's easier." She responds with a small wave at Jo's now peaceful face. "Could have ignored just how much I actually do if this hadn't happened." Her head shakes and her loose red curls sway with the movement.
"Caring isn't a weakness." A sharp chuckle leaves her lips which she instantly quiets. A sigh rattles out of her as she stares at me.
"We both know that's false." She responds, but we both snap to attention when Jo suddenly takes a deep breath.
"Josephine?" I call quietly and her brows furrow. Her hand raises and rubs her forehead before she groans.
"God, my head." Her rough voice grounds out. Relief pours into me at hearing her again.
"Thank god," I swear and feel a monumental weight off my shoulders. Natasha's eyes look past me and I glance back at Shuri descending the ramp.
"Said not to wake her up, didn't I?"
"She woke up on her own." Natasha defends as Shuri makes her way over. She sighs and rolls her eyes.
"How're you feeling, Jo?" She asks and only now do her eyes open. With furrowed brows, she looks between Natasha and me before landing on Shuri.
"Princess?" She questions softly and moves up onto her elbows. "Am I in Wakanda?" Jo questions. Shuri nods.
"You were severely injured. The Captain brought you in." Shuri gestures to me and Jo spares me a quick glance and nods.
"Thank you. Although I've got to say I wish I could've flown here. I've heard so many things about the shield. Ach." She winces as a sudden pain hits her. "Anyone happen to have an aspirin on them?" She asks with a hand still on her forehead. I shake my head with disbelief.
"Nearly dying certainly hasn't had any effect on your sarcasm levels." I shoot back with relief while Shuri hands her a glass of water and two pills. Her nose crinkles at me as she slowly sits up and hands Shuri back the glass.
"Thanks for the apparent save, but that doesn't mean you know anything about me. I certainly don't need you to stay out of some misguided sense of charity." She sasses and my eyes widen. Natasha and I share cautious looks.
"Jo, it's Steve," I tell her, thinking maybe this is like before when she forgot her name for a moment. She frowns and slides away from me slightly.
"That's...really great for you?" She says questioningly and glances to Shuri for guidance.
"You don't know who we are?" Natasha asks and we all pause to hear her answer. She looks between us with bewildered eyes.
"No, I'm sorry. Should I?" She replies and my heart sinks to my gut. "I mean, I remember seeing the princess at that conference. And meeting T'Challa, but I don't know either of you." Jo says. Disbelieving, my hand reaches out and touches hers, but she pulls back as if shocked. "Look, I don't know you. Please, don't touch me." I stare at her as she stares at me with nothing but confused irritation.
"What happened?" Natasha asks Shuri in the background.
"She just had brain surgery! She may need more than a couple seconds to figure her own brain out." Shuri defends and Jo suddenly decides to turn and hop off the bed.
"Hey, hold on. You're not well enough yet-"
"Pretty sure I know my own capabilities." She throws my hand off, but when she wobbles a bit on her feet my hand lands on her forearm. In an instant, she turns and there's a sharp crack when her fist hits and my nose breaks. "Touch me again and you'll be on the floor." She warns and retreats to Shuri's side, rubbing her arms. Apparently, she's the only one she knows here.
"You both should leave. I'll see what I can do." Shuri tells us as Jo crosses her arms. Natasha doesn't say anything, she just rounds the table and drags me out until I follow her willingly. Edge of my shirt pressed to my bleeding nose, we stop at the top of the stairs and look through the glass at Jo.
"This is why caring is a weakness." She says curtly as we watch Jo glance up at us, then back to Shuri without any emotion at all.
A/N
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