"These scars of mine make wounded rhymes tonight

I dream of times when you were mine so I

Can keep it like a haunting

Heart beating close to mine"

"Sadness is a Blessing" - Lykke Li

Ophelia walked into Shuri's lab, down the halls that were lined with the Dora Milaj, smiling at all of them. She earned smiles from some of them in return, but most remained stoic, perfectly trained soldiers. She was granted entrance without hesitation, the doors left wide open for her. The spiral walkway that lead to the main level of the lab allowed Ophelia to take a look around before she made it to the bottom, and that's when she noticed T'Challa was there with his sister.

She didn't want to interrupt, so she stood silently at the bottom of the walkway, studying her fingernails. Bringing them to her teeth, she began to chew at them. It was a habit she long ago kicked, but occasionally it cropped back up again. To avoid listening in on a conversation that was not hers to overhear, Ophelia ran through the words again that she wanted to say to Shuri. Part of her knew Shuri wouldn't want to allow such a risky move, but Ophelia was banking on Shuri's endless curiousity and desire to learn everything about everything.

"Good morning, Ophelia," T'Challa was facing her; she was so lost in thought she hadn't noticed that he was leaving the lab.

"T'Challa," Ophelia replied with a curt nod of her head.

"Have you thought about where you want to hold the wedding?" T'Challa asked.

Ophelia hadn't; the idea of weddings were strange to her. The concept of marriage, she understood, but the grandiose festivities, it was beyond her. However, the realization hit as T'Challa asked the question.

"I know little about weddings, of any culture, but I think I would like to have it at the Jabari Tribe," she admitted, thinking of how M'Baku and Cebisa had been so welcoming and loving towards her. The mountain seemed a fitting place, where there was snow. After all, Ophelia felt the presence of snow was a part of who she was, Bucky too. Being able to embrace it in a way that was joyous, such as an event like a wedding ceremony, it made Ophelia feel as though she was taking back things HYDRA withheld from her.

"Ha!" Shuri came around the corner, reaching out her hand and moving her fingers in a "gimme" motion.

T'Challa lifted his arm, swiped a Kimoyo bead. The holographic screen came up too fast for Ophelia to see what it was, and something jumped over to Shuri's Kimoyo beads. Then it all disappeared and Ophelia had no idea what happened.

Shuri sensed Ophelia's confusion. "We made a bet. I bet that you would want the wedding at M'Baku's. T'Challa thought you would want it by the lake where you and Bucky live."

A light laugh came from her lips, and Ophelia shrugged. "I never really thought about it before this moment. Both are very good choices."

"M'Baku is going to be very smug about this," T'Challa said with a frown.

"Let him have it, you won the fight, did you not?" Shuri asked.

T'Challa glanced at his sister, then shrugged half-heartedly. "I like to win, okay?"

"Yes, yes, I know," Shuri replied. "Now go, I have Ophelia to tend to."

T'Challa bid them farewell and disappeared from the lab. In the background, as usual, music was playing, upbeat and full of rhythm. When they were alone, Shuri beckoned for Ophelia to come to the center of the lab, where the actual medical area was. Just a single bed. Ophelia hopped onto the now familiar bed and looked around.

"Alright, I've been monitoring your brain activity, and I must admit... you're not going to like it," Shuri told her outright. No sense in beating around the bush.

"I already know," Ophelia admitted. "I had Wanda look in, she told me that the Soul Stone is in there, waiting for me to give up. Causing me more and more pain..."

"It's not just that..." Shuri trailed off. Suddenly, it appeared she didn't want to tell Ophelia. "Ophelia... Your pain levels are off the charts. You've been suffering the pain you endured when you died. The brain trauma is still there, and it is getting worse over the last few weeks. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I just..." Ophelia narrowed her eyes, unsure how to explain. "I thought that was the price I had to pay, so I just... I've been ignoring it."

"Ignoring that kind of pain?" Shuri scoffed. "Now if that doesn't tell you what a woman can endure, I don't know what will."

Half smiling, Ophelia decided to bite the bullet. "I know you gave Bucky pills to access his dream-state. To function and be aware in his dreams. Do you still have something like that?"

"Why? What are you thinking?" She pulled her brows together, concern written all over her face.

"There is a conversation I need to have," Ophelia told her determinedly. "With someone in my head."

"Ophelia, I cannot allow this... After seeing what your power and the stone has done to you, I cannot allow for you to kill yourself."

"At this rate, I'm going to die anyways, aren't I?"

There was a silence between them. Suddenly Shuri's upbeat music felt horribly out of place. Ophelia didn't care, though, she was embracing every moment of being alive again. For the amount of time she had left, however long that would be.

"Look, I have to try. Not just for Bucky, but for me." She realized how true the words were as she spoke them. It wasn't about Bucky anymore, it was about her. Maybe it had always been about her. After all, she had fought for her life long before she had ever met Bucky. "Above all else, I have to try for me."

"You do it here," Shuri decided. "Under my care, under my watch."

"Of course."

Shuri pinched the bridge of her nose. "You are going to give me early greys, girl."

"Don't tell Bucky," she asked of Shuri, just as she asked of Wanda. Ophelia wondered if Wanda should be there too, and decided it was best. "Wanda put a protective barrier around my mind, I think we will need her here too. I can't do it without both of you."

"Let's face it, you probably can;t do it with both of us and everyone else who could help... This is an Infinity Stone we're talking about. The very things that wiped out half the universe."

"And brought them back," Ophelia countered.

Shuri sighed. "Are we doing this today?"

"Soon."