I woke up to Sahana hitting me with a shoe. A sound of compliant came out of my mouth even before I opened my eyes. Sahana pulled me out of bed and helped me into the dress. I had barely said anything in the morning and I was already getting dressed.
Sahana grabbed my face to look into my eyes. "You're tired, sweetheart. Wake up. It's your wedding."
I yawned. "I'm tired, Auntie. Maybe when I get a cup of coffee."
"Call in one of your friends in and get you coffee," Sahana said. "Maybe that Tony friend of yours can get you one."
I sighed and grabbed my phone. Tony answered in a few minutes, already awake.
"What is it?" Tony asked.
"I need coffee and Sahana won't let me leave," I replied. "Can you get me a cup?"
"Already on my way," Tony said. "Rhodey's already up and getting ready. When did you wake up?"
"Too early," I replied. "Why did we set the date of the wedding to ten in the morning?"
"I don't know," Tony said. "That's your mistake, not mine."
I laughed. "Whatever. So you're getting me coffee?"
"Yes," Tony replied. "Most of it creamer right?"
"Yes, thank you very much."
"See you in a few."
I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bed. Sahana was finishing up the last details on my dress when Tony walked in with two cups in his hands. He handed one to Sahana and the other to me. I thanked up as I sat down for my hair and makeup.
"You look stunning," Tony complimented. "I don't think I've ever seen you look this way."
I started putting on makeup. "Thanks."
"I didn't mean it like that, Charlie, and you know it," Tony said. "You're beautiful all the time."
I smiled a little bit smugly. "Thank you very much."
"Rhodey's almost done getting ready and he'll meet you at the church," Tony informed. "He's really excited to marry you, kid."
I sent him a teasing glare through the mirror. "I am too. The reception is going to be a grand event and I'm going to love every single second of it. Is Pepper going to be there?"
"Yes," Tony replied. "She's my plus one after all. She's getting ready right now too."
I applied some red lipstick. "I hope it goes well. I didn't invite any past lovers, did I?"
"Not that I know of," Tony said.
"Good," I said. "Because I'd still marry the love of my life, James Rhodes."
"A fairytale ending for my little street rat," Sahana said.
Tony and I laughed. Tony hung around for a little longer before leaving. Sahana tugged on my hair a little too hard and I hissed. She apologized and kept going. I finished my makeup at about the same time she finished my hair. Now it was all the jewelry. It was Sahana's and she kindly let me have it. When it was all done, it was time to leave. I got into the car taking me there with Sahana and Dad. He was in a tuxedo and had his infamous eyepatch on.
"Is this the man who adopted you?" Sahana murmured to me in Hindi.
"Yes, he is," I replied. "He knows Hindi so you can talk to him."
Sahana placed a hand on Dad's leg. "Thank you for raising such an amazing young woman. She's grown so much and I thank you dearly."
Dad nodded. "You're welcome, Ms. Sahana. I love her a lot."
Sahana nodded and the rest of the ride was quiet. I stared out the window, watching everything pass by. We arrived at the church and I stepped out, holding up my skirt so I didn't trip. I walked in with Sahana and Dad. The rest of the bridal party was already there and waiting. We were right on time and the first pair were already walking down the aisle.
I got at the end of the line with Dad as Sahana slipped into the main room. I slipped my arm into Dad's and leaned against him. He gripped my hand comfortingly, patting it with one hand.
"I'm proud of you," Dad murmured softly. "Not only because of your wedding today but of where you are today. You're working a good job. It's not SHIELD but you're still in contact with Phil and the other agents. You're doing pretty good."
"Thanks, Dad," I replied. "I appreciate it a lot. And I'm glad that you're here to see me. I wanted you to be here to walk me down the aisle. And you are."
"I wouldn't miss your wedding, even if I were dying," Dad said. "It's time now. Are you ready?"
"Ready as I ever will be," I replied.
We stepped through the doors and I saw Rhodey for the first time in months. He was wearing his Air Force uniform, his braces showing faintly through his pants. When he saw me, Rhodey covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes tearing up. I smiled, almost crying too. Dad left me at the altar and sat in the front row by Sahana and my friends. The Wakandan Royal Family was there in the second row, T'Challa smiling at me.
I took Rhodey's hands in mine and looked into his eyes, which were full of love. He had tears brimming against the edge of his eyes but he had the biggest smile on his face. I smiled back, finally getting the man of my dreams by my side again. We said our vows and we gave each other our rings. Mine was gold with a blue gem. It was beautiful.
We finally kissed and I felt sparks. It was the first time in months that we had finally had kissed. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he held me tight. Cheers and claps filled the room, drowning out any noise that I had made kissing Rhodey. We finally pulled away and stared into each other's eyes. It was a magical experience.
Rhodey smiled. "I missed you so much. I love you with all of my heart."
I gently rubbed his face with my thumbs. "I love you too. And try not to pull that disappearing act too often, okay?"
Rhodey nodded, grinning. "Yes, ma'am."
Rhodey kissed me again before pulling me down the aisle. The people in the rows threw rice at us as we passed. They followed us but didn't follow us into the car that was taking us to the reception. It was a struggle to even get in but I did with only tripping once.
When I got in, I leaned against the door and placed a hand on my stomach. "Oh fuck, Rhodey. I'm so hungry! Can we stop to get some food before going to the party?"
"Yeah," Rhodey said. "Happy, can you take us to the nearest pizzeria?"
"Yes, sir," Happy said.
We drove through the city and ended up at a hole in the wall kind of place and got out. My jewelry was jingling and I almost tripped but I steadied myself.
I had barely gotten out of the car when a little girl pointed at me and exclaimed, "Look, Mom, it's a princess. Can I get a picture with her please?"
The mom looked at me momentarily before bending down to look at the girl. "You'll have to ask her nicely. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
The little girl looked at me questioningly and I smiled, gesturing for her to come closer. We took some pictures of me kneeling beside the little girl.
After we were done, the little girl looked at me. "Where are you from, Miss Princess?"
I placed a hand over my heart. "I'm from India but I grew up here. My name is Charlie and this -" I gestured to Rhodey behind me. "- is my husband, Rhodey."
The girl giggled. "Rhodey is a weird name."
"I think it's a wonderful name," I said. "Now what's your name, sweetheart?"
"Anne with an e," the girl replied.
"That's a beautiful name," I said. "I love it."
The mom grabbed Anne's hand. "We have to go now, baby. We don't want to hold up the princess, do we?"
Anne shook her head and followed her mom. I went inside the pizzeria with Happy and Rhodey. We got a large pepperoni pizza and got back into the car after it was finished. I held onto a piece, chewing a large mouthful, as we drive through traffic. It being New York and a Friday afternoon, it was busy so we had time to eat the entire thing. Happy even ate a piece. He refused any more slices since he didn't want to take from Rhodey or I.
We had finished most of it when we arrived at the reception. I stuffed the last bit of crust in my mouth before getting out. There were a few guests outside and we talked to then for a bit before going inside. A lot of the guests cheered when Rhodey and I walked in. I grinned, Sahana coming up to me first. She talked to me about the Indian traditions of the reception and everything else. I knew most of them from when she told me months ago but there were a few that I didn't know.
I was soon separated from Rhodey and was forced into talking with guests. I moved from person to person, content with the fact that I had pizza during the car ride. Between people, I went over to the bar to order a blackberry mint julep. After getting it, I brought the straw to my lips as I looked around. There were groups of people around, talking as the music played quietly in the background.
About an hour went by before the different kinds of dances went on. First, it was the couple going on the longest. Next, it was just anyone with a partner could do it. Then it was the father-daughter dance. Dad took my hand and led me onto the floor. We danced slowly, Dad even twirling me around enough so that my dress spun out. The dance ended far too soon but I held onto Dad, burying my head into his chest. He hugged me too, comforting me way farther than I thought I needed.
Next was my dance with Rhodey. He came onto the dance floor and I held out one hand while my other one was momentarily still holding onto Dad's. Rhodey kissed my hand before pulling me close. I laughed, resting my head on his shoulder. Rhodey chuckled softly too, wrapping an arm around my waist. We rocked back and forth as soft romantic music played.
When it ended, I looked into Rhodey's eyes. They were so loving when they met mine. I kissed him, grabbing his face as I did. There were several people clapping and cheering as the kiss ended. Laughing, I grabbed Rhodey's hand and pulled him over to the food table to get something to eat.
"Hungry already?" Rhodey commented as he grabbed a plate.
I nodded, putting some delicious looking butter chicken. "This food is delicious anyways. Sahana was in charge of what kinds of food were here. Most of these are my favorites anyways."
Rhodey pointed at a dish. "What's this?"
I glanced at it. "Moong daal halva. It's delicious. Try it. Get some rice too. The lemon rice is the best, trust me."
Rhodey filled up his plate with basically everything I suggested. We sat at our table, beginning to eat. Rhodey ate most of the stuff on his plate but seemed to unsure about some of it. I ate everything. I remember Sahana telling to eat everything on my plate or she'd send me out to the dogs on the streets.
Sahana came up and started fixing my jewelry and clothes. "Charlie, you're messing everything up."
I pulled away slightly. "I can't help moving, Auntie."
"Well, you're going to need to stop because you're messing it up."
I laughed, covering my mouth. Sahana fixed my stuff and started doting on Rhodey. He dealt with it like a gentleman, listening to Sahana carefully. I got up and put my plate in the dirty bin. Looking around, I spotted T'Challa leaving through the big doors alone. I picked up my skirt and followed him. I found him in the lobby, sitting in a chair.
I sat across from him, folding my hands in my lap. "What's up, King?"
T'Challa smiled a little. "It got a little stuffy in there. I need a breather."
"I know the way to the roof," I replied. "Want to go up there? I could need some space too. This dress is a killer."
T'Challa agreed and I showed him to the roof. It was peaceful and there wasn't anyone. There were the normal city noises but otherwise, it was quiet and away from people. I leaned against the side, T'Challa standing next to me.
"Your city is very beautiful," T'Challa complimented softly. "It is very different than mine but I can see the beauty. I like it a lot."
"I'm used to all the noise," I replied. "It's always hectic and there's a lot going on but I'm used to it. I had to be by myself a lot with Dad's job but I got used to it."
"And your father is Director Fury?"
I nodded. "He isn't the director any more but yeah, he's my dad. He adopted me from India. Sahana, the woman I'm with a lot, was one of the workers at the orphanage I was at. When I went back there, she was still there and she wanted to help me with the wedding. I couldn't say no to basically the only mother figure I have."
"Sahana seems like a nice woman," T'Challa said. "Stubborn, but kind."
"She was rough with the kids in the orphanage," I said. "Always barking at us but was kind to the ones who didn't act up. It was the best for me because I was her favorite but she never stopped calling me a street rat."
"A street rat?" T'Challa asked.
I nodded. "She always threatened us in a way but it was to make us behave. There wasn't a time where we didn't know that she didn't love us."
"Was it rough, in the orphanage?"
I nodded. "We didn't have food sometimes. I don't remember a lot because I was adopted when I was a toddler but I know that it wasn't always easy. I was really happy when Dad adopted me because I finally had a home. I had constant love. He wasn't there constantly but I knew, deep down, that he loved me."
T'Challa rested a hand on my upper back. "We all do in a way. Whether in a romantic way or a platonic way, we do. I wouldn't doubt myself if I were you."
I turned toward him with a confused look. "Did you have a crush on me at one point?"
T'Challa smiled a little bashfully. "I would be lying if I said no. I was attracted to you when you stayed in Wakanda. You are very beautiful but you aren't for me. You are married to Rhodey. I am not as attracted to you now, but in a way, I am still."
I smiled and gently shoved T'Challa. "You're crazy, T'Challa. I'm a bit younger than you."
T'Challa raised an eyebrow at me. "You're a bit younger than Colonel Rhodes as well."
I laughed, glancing out across the city. "True. Maybe in another universe or dimension, we could've been together but alas, in this one, we weren't. Do you have anyone besides me?"
T'Challa shook his head, smiling. "I have a woman named Salem Bora. Before that it was Nakia but that relationship had off and on for a while. Then Salem came along and she's great. I like her a lot and I had been thinking of proposing but I am not sure."
"Salem Bora as in the Raven?" I asked. "The vigilante who was trained in the Red Room? The one SHIELD had been trying to find for years?"
T'Challa nodded. "Yes, that one. She came to Wakanda for protection after she went through terrigenesis and became Inhuman. She knew SHIELD would be after her even harder than before because of that and came to us. She knew your teams wouldn't find her there. We trained her as a War Dog and she's a good one at that."
I nodded understandingly. "She's smart for doing that. We gave up after we couldn't find any trace of her. Besides, with the new SHIELD, they already had enough with HYDRA infiltrating us, being disbanded, and then having to go underground because of fear that the government would restrict us more. How's she doing by the way? I knew her briefly. She's incredibly smart with how she made those drones and how she'd always get away from us."
"She's doing alright," T'Challa replied. "She's a War Dog now, as I said. She's good friends with Shuri and Nakia and works a bit in our labs. Her drones have gotten upgrades and follow her around a lot. She likes it a lot in Wakanda. She wanted to come but she was worried about previous agents being here and she was close to a breakthrough with a project she's doing." T'Challa dug around in an inner pocket of his suit. "She asked to give this to her. A letter of sorts to let you know what she's up to and an explanation on why she disappeared."
I nodded, taking the letter. "Thank you. I'll read this later. Thank you for telling me about her. I really appreciate it."
T'Challa nodded. "Of course. Do you want to go back downstairs? I'm sure that everyone is wondering where we went."
I nodded and we went downstairs. I found Rhodey and kissed his cheek. We stayed a little longer before deciding to leave. Happy drove us to the Stark Tower and let us go. We got up and went up to our room. I got out of the dress with Rhodey's help. I hung it up in the closet, making sure to take good care of it and the jewelry. After that I was done with that, my fingers briefly traced Dad's leather trenchcoat.
I turned away, closing the door, and spotted Rhodey sitting on the bed in nothing but his boxers. Smiling, I walked up to him and pushed him onto the bed, crawling on top of him. He grinned, chuckling, and grabbed my hips.
"Are you ready for tonight?" I asked, rubbing his chest.
Rhodey bit his lip. "Of course, baby."