I don't own anything except any original/own characters and any original plot.

✨

Chapter 27 - Elora

✨

Waking up when the computer beeped, I turned off the autopilot and took control. The shields protecting Wakanda were fast approaching, however they would recognize the ship and drop when we flew towards it.

Dropping the ships altitude I increased our speed and turned on the sensor that let the shield know we had permission to enter. Sam and Steve stepped up behind me, Sam gripping my seat nervously. For some reason he always hated entering Wakanda. Perhaps it was the anxiety that came with setting up the correct precautions to make sure we didn't crash the entire ship in an explosion of metal and flesh. Morbid.

"Passing through," I announced.

We successfully passed through the field. I had seen Wakanda's Golden City many times, and yet it always took my breath away. It was a kingdom so different from my home with its crystal structures and stone building, and yet they felt the same in the end.

"What is this place?" Bruce's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Wakanda, it's where Ultron got his vibranium and where Steve's shield came from."

"Wakanada?"

I winced, shaking my head with a chuckle. All of us had missed Bruce while he was away- apparently he was with Thor and Asgard had been destroyed, what do you know?

Zooming through the sky above the city I landed in the airfield just outside the palace. T'Challa and the Dora Milaje were walking out to greet all of us. Steve and I stepped off first, with Nat just behind us, Bruce and Rhodey behind her, and Vision and Wanda taking up the rear.

"Should we bow?" I heard Bruce ask Rhodey quietly.

"Yeah, he's a king.

Sharing a look with Steve we rolled our eyes in unison. Bruce just got back and Rhodey was already messing with him like old times.

"Seems like I'm always thanking you for something," Steve said as a greeting. Behind us, Bruce bowed awkwardly.

"What are you doing?" Rhodey faked shock, nudging Bruce's arm.

"We don't do that here," T'Challa motioned for Bruce to stand. I giggled at the glare sent towards Rhodey, "So, how big of an assault can we expect?"

Our group began to walk back into the administrative building.

"Uh, sir, I think you can expect quite a big assault," Bruce sped up his pace to keep up with the front.

"How we looking?" Nat spoke up after Bruce.

"You will have my King's Guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and-"

"A semi-stable, 100-year-old man," Bucky stepped past Wanda and Vision as they were led to Shuri.

Steve pulled Bucky into a hug as if he hadn't seen him last week, "How you been, Buck?"

"Not bad, for the end of the world. How you doing (Y/n)? Steve treating you right?"

"For the most part," I smirked mischievously, "I can't say the same about the baby, they've been a little demon lately."

"We'll stay out here and keep watch," Sam motioned to himself, Rhodey, and Bucky. Steve and I nodded in acknowledgement before we continued walking.

"Your little guy is just getting antsy," Nat smiled brightly, "His due date is soon after all."

"You think it's a boy?" Steve questioned.

"Well, Clint's baby was a traitor, but this one is another chance at a Natasha," Nat sent me a hopeful look, raising a brow.

"It's on the list, we'll have to see. Him wanting to get out makes two of us," I ran my hand over my stomach, "I can't wait to be able to fight again, or at least walk normally."

"Rest assured you will be in the best hands Wakanda has to offer," T'Challa stepped out first, greeting his sister with a small wave as she scanned Vision.

"The structure is polymorphic," Shuri reported, looking over the results.

"Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially."

"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" Shuri and Vision sent Bruce the same look.

"Because, we didn't think of it."

Shuri smirked, "I'm sure you did your best."

"Can you do it?" Wanda asked the question all of us were thinking.

"Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time, brother."

"Oh," I winced when a headache formed behind my eyes. It was a strain on my magic, a sign that the dark arts were near, "They're approaching."

"How long do you need?" Steve ran a hand over my back soothingly.

"As long as you can give me."

Okoye's kimoyo beads chimed an alarm as I winced again, "Something's entered the atmosphere."

"Hey, Cap, we got a situation here." Sam's voice rang through the com.

All of us jumped when the ground shook. Rushing to the window, I gasped in shock. The shield over the city had destroyed a large ship, but several more were dropping down outside the city limits.

"I didn't think this is what we'd be facing when you explained it," Steve whispered, sharing a concerned look with me and T'Challa.

Vision grunted in pain, "It's too late. We need to destroy the stone now."

"Vision, get your ass back on the table," Nat snapped.

"We will hold them off." T'Challa, Okoye, and a few of the guards headed for the elevator.

"Wanda, as soon as the stone's out of his head you blow it to hell."

"I will."

"Evacuate the city. Engage all defense procedures. And get this man a shield."

Shuri jumped up and down excitedly. She rushed to a different section of the room, coming back with two small shields that Steve could hook onto his arms. Holding them out, she was practically shaking as he put them on.

"They're prototypes I've been working on. The ends push in to create a sharper edge, and the outsides can extend and join together for a single large shield or two small ones."

"Thank you Shuri," Steve shook out his arm, and the shield extended. He pushed it back in again and turned to me, "You have to stay here."

"I know."

"I know you don't want to but- Wait, you're agreeing with me?"

"Steve, I got that scar from the Black Order when I was in my prime, with the best warriors Asgard had to offer. I'm tired, pregnant, and can barely walk, much less run. I understand," I tugged on his uniform to bring him down to my level, "Stay alive, please, our baby needs a father."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon," Steve kissed me gently, too gently for a kiss goodbye. He did it on purpose, "I love you."

"To Orveon and back."

Once Steve was gone I sighed, looking at the window to observe Wakanda gathering forces, "Atreya that was painful."

"It hurt to watch it too," Shuri began her work on Vision, "To Orveon and back would make a good meme though. Perhaps I will create it when all of this is over."

"Children, you are an actual child," I muttered to myself. Shuri was such a genius that sometimes I forgot how young she really was. She was as old as Peter.

"Steve will be fine (Y/n), it's not just the world he's fighting for. He's fighting for you and the baby," Wanda hugged me from the side, providing the comfort I so desperately needed.

"Thanks Wanda, I really needed that."

Five minutes into the process and I had one of the guards bring me a chair so I could sit down and rest my legs. Ten minutes in and Vision spoke up despite the pain he must have been in.

"Princess (Y/n) I must ask you a question you have already answered in a different way," Vision winced from the operation table, "Would Wanda be able to destroy the stone and keep me alive? From a magical standpoint?"

"Vis, we talked about this," Wanda stated nervously.

"No," I gave the same answer I did at the compound, "The stone has bonded to you. To destroy it while still connected is to destroy you as well. Sorry..."

"Ten percent done," Shuri reported.

I turned my head to look out the window again. Carnage and death on both sides. If I squinted, I could see Steve's shield shining in the sun, letting me know that he was alive and still fighting.

"Oh nersh," I shivered when goosebumps washed over my skin. Breathing out deeply I closed my eyes, "Nersh."

"You alright (Y/n)?" Wanda questioned, rushing over to me.

"No. That was a sudden chill. It's like our contract- Nersh! I take back everything I said about wanting the baby out. It needs to wait," I cried out, knowing it wouldn't answer.

"Right now? It's coming right now?"

"Call Doctor Chielo. Tell her I'm on my way to the clinic," I gripped onto the back of the chair as the cold began to sting.

"Do you need me to-"

"No. Stay here, destroy the stone. Don't stray from the mission," I waddled out of the large room and into the elevator. Ordering it to take me to the clinic I leaned against the wall, shivering again. Pressing the com in my ear I set it to Steve's only, "Steve, the baby is coming now."

"Shit," Steve swore loudly. From the fight or my news I didn't know, "I can't leave right now, they need me. Thor just got here with some- I am Steve Rogers- with a raccoon and a talking tree who saying I am Groot."

"Steve that's besides the point. I'm supposed to be the spacey one," I snapped, stepping out of the elevator when the doors opened, "I am going into labor Steve! What the qwip am I supposed to do?"

"Just stay calm, let Doctor Chielo lead you. I know Orveonian births are different but she's been researching those books you brought back. I'll try to finish this fight as soon as I can and get back in there."

"Easier said than done," I waved down one of the nurses, "I'm in labor, I need- Chon wurn- I need Doctor Chielo."

"Page Doctor Chielo, get the room ready," the nurse ordered two of her coworkers, grabbing a wheelchair lined up along the wall, "All the fighting has brought in many injured. I apologize if we seem disorganized."

"No one is happy about this situation, trust me," I placed my hands on my stomach, closing my eyes until we reached the room I would be giving birth in.

I was alone in the room after the nurse made sure I was comfortable for the time being. The cold-flashes that overcame me turned into needle pinpricks concentrated around my lower body.

I wanted Steve there with me, so he could hold my hand and tell me I was doing amazing. That was the way it was supposed to be. We were in this together. Instead, I was alone. Worrying for Steve's life and the fate of the universe. It was the last thing I needed while in labor.

"Alright, let's do this thing," Chielo rushed into the room, pulling on a pair of gloves, "I've researched tirelessly but let's go through this one more time."

"We have half an hour at most. Orveonian births are incredibly fast by Earth's standards because our organs actually shift in a way that allows the child an easier path through the- Wurn. Understand?"

"As well as I can, yes," sitting on a stool in front of me she slid over to the monitors I was hooked up to, "Alright, everything looks fine right now. You said thirty minutes at most?"

"I wish it was more," I held back the urge to cry, "Steve won't be back in time."

"Have faith," Chielo chidded, digging through her supplies, "Would you like an epidural? It's similar to Earth's anesthetics so there should be no side effects to it. Instead of adding a larger dose I could even do a normal one just to be sure."

"No, I'll be okay. Our births still suck but they're better than Earth's," I lifted my hand to the com in my ear, "Steve?"

"Vision's out of the castle and even more injured than before. Good news is that we have the three Black Order operatives out of order for good. Wanda is handling those weird blender things. We have the upper hand."

I cried out as the pain deepened in my gut. This was different. This was an ache beyond any other. Glancing down at the Talisman on my hand, I cried out again when I saw how bright it was glowing. It was hot against my finger. If it wasn't meant for protection, I would have been sure it would have branded me.

"Steve something's happening, it isn't over. It hasn't even started yet."

"Does your water break?" Chielo asked me suddenly.

"No, instead of putting pressure on our amniotic sac they press against our feptis through the womb. It makes us shift like crazy for a few seconds. Kickstarts it."

As if on cue my body jerked with the force of three shifts in order. Steve to Loki to Shuri. I shivered repeatedly, pressing the com again.

"Steve what's going on?"

Static.

"Steve come on! Steve please answer me, I need to know what's going on!"

"You're ready to push (Y/n)."

"I can't," I sobbed, throwing my head against the pillow, "I need to know if Steve is okay. I can't do this without him."

Chielo pressed one of her pager buttons, "(Y/n), look at me okay? You can do this. Steve is going to be just fine because he's Captain America."

Two nurses rushed into the room with the equipment needed for the baby when it was out. When they were set up, one of them grabbed my hand with a reassuring squeeze. I closed my eyes and imagined they were Steve.

"Ready? Three, two, one, go."

While I was conscious in the next few moments, I wasn't at the same time. It was a strange kind of self-awareness. Pushing, I took longer breaks in between than I needed to. Steve wasn't answering, and deep in my heart I knew why. He wasn't dead, but that clenching in my gut was because the threat to our universe was here, and Thanos was going to win.

It proved my theory correct when both of the nurses in the room fell to the floor. Piles of dust in their place. Sobbing again, I quieted when a cry rang through the room. Orveonian babies were meant to be born calm, so the fact that our child was so loud brought me out of my shock. Chielo stepped back with a small baby, angled so I couldn't see the gender. She rushed over to the equipment after cutting the cord.

"Wait, I want to see my baby," I held out my arms weakly, moving one to my com, "Steve?"

It wasn't static anymore, but there was still silence. I held back another sob.

"Healthy in every way, purple, blue eyes. Four pounds so a bit small but besides that she's as beautiful as her mother and father."

"She?" My baby was put into my arms. She wasn't necessarily beautiful in the common sense. Pale purple, wrinkly with little scales around her forehead and wrists. Her eyes were a shade of blue reminding me of the second moon back home, "Steve it's a girl. We have a little girl."

"Name?"

His voice was as thick as mine. He had been crying too. Hearing it filled me with a new level of sadness.

"Elora. Just like we discussed."

Elora stopped crying to stare up at me. I smiled, sniffling, and she began again. I didn't bother asking what happened because I knew all too well. My tears were sadness and joy mixed together to form paths on my cheeks.

Maybe it was the human in Elora that was making her cry, but to me it was as if she were mourning too.