Wakanda

Spring 2016

As the Quinjet angled around to settle gracefully on the knoll just outside the Wakandan village they'd come upon shortly after crossing the border, Nadine couldn't help but grow a little wary. It was pure instinct, stemming from when her meticulously trained and cultivated observational skills and reasoning picked up on details that didn't quite add up.

It was a small village—perhaps a couple dozen or so modest to small sized structures, and perhaps around a hundred inhabitants, if she were to guess—that had every appearance of a comfortable but still clearly pre-industrial, even nomadic, African community. There were absolutely no obvious outward sign of modern technology or much in the way of any modern advancements. Its brightly but functionally clothed people were going about their day—men and women carrying baskets and other goods and tools or caring for the livestock populating the village alongside the people, while children wove among them all, running and laughing as they played—amid simple but lovingly maintained traditional homes. There was no trace of electricity or standard plumbing and minimal presence of processed metals of any kind. Even the handful of horses she saw bore the most basic of rope bridles, only. It was the very picture of an isolated, poor but not quite destitute African village.

But that was just it.

It was almost too...perfect a picture. Too...quaint.

Of course, knowing as she did now that Wakanda was not quite the poor third-world country it presented itself as, it seemed blatantly clear why; the village was a front. It offered the image of Wakanda the world expected to see.

What Wakanda wanted the world to see.

It really was quite impressive.

Yet even knowing as much, the fact that the details still didn't quite match the story naturally brought out Nadine's deeply-ingrained instinct for caution.

Of course, it wasn't all a front, she noted as she peered out the viewscreen over Steve's shoulder. It was clear from what she could see that it was still very much a working settlement, with tools genuinely worn from use and subtle wear and tear visible on clothing and buildings that indicated it was still very real. It was an actual, living community.

But it nevertheless betrayed that Wakanda was not quite the desperately poor, backward country most of the world believed it to be to a discerning eye like Nadine's. The quality of the materials she could see making up the structures and the tools and the fabrics weren't entirely rough or basic enough for a poor or even a pre-industrialized society—especially one that eschewed foreign aid of any kind—and very little indicated anything was being used long past its working life as was a common sight in truly poor communities.

It was a good illusion, but the details gave it away.

At least to someone like Nadine.

"You sure we're in the right place," Sam murmured doubtfully from where he'd come up next to Nadine to peer over Steve's other shoulder, eying the small group of men that was beginning to gather a few hundred yards from the Quinjet. Warriors, if Nadine were to guess, judging by their guarded miens and easy but controlled postures.

"We're in the right place," she answered automatically. Steve looked back over his shoulder to meet her eye. Stepping back, Nadine moved out of his way as he stood from the pilot's seat, gesturing subtly for Sam to take over. With a sharp nod, Sam obeyed the implied instruction.

Why was unspoken. It was unnecessary.

It was in case things went poorly and they needed to make a quick getaway.

Sure enough, as Nadine and Steve crossed the main cabin back to the boarding ramp, Sam was spooling the Quinjet's engines down, but not enough that they couldn't take off again on a moment's notice.

As Nadine hit the control for the boarding ramp, she could feel Steve's concerned gaze on her.

It wasn't the first one she'd noticed, either. The entire flight to Wakanda he'd been sparing her assessing looks, worried looks. And it was no mystery why. Not really.

Stark's visit still weighed heavily on her mind.

To the point where Nadine had been quiet and even withdrawn for most of their journey across the Atlantic.

The conversation—confrontation, even, part of Nadine had to consider—with the billionaire had left her feeling subdued and distant even long after the sound of his helicopter had faded into the distance. It was a feeling that had lingered even when Steve reappeared from upstairs with Barnes in tow and they, along with Nadine and the Barton parents, had conceded that it was time for them to go.

In retrospect, she was honestly a little astonished that she'd for the most part managed to outwardly maintain her composure with Stark. She'd slipped a couple times, of course, but mostly she'd kept her reactions—her ire and her heartache and the whole range of conflicting emotions in between—carefully contained. But she had managed, even if it had left her drained and unsettled.

Enough so that, at Steve's reappearance, she had just gravitated to his side at his quiet question about what Tony had wanted, seeking the silent comfort of his solid presence.

He hadn't commented. He'd just pulled her into his arms, holding her as she steadied the tremors threatening her frame and smoothed the tangle of emotions knotting tightly in her gut. And when she'd pulled away a moment later, once more composed as though it had never happened and proceeded to relate her conversation with Stark to him, Barnes and the Bartons, he had followed her lead without question, moving on as though she hadn't needed the momentary reassurance. She couldn't say just how grateful she'd been for that.

And to her relief, he didn't comment as the boarding ramp began to lower, though Nadine suspected he was severely tempted if the set of his jaw and the tight set of his lips as he watched her was any indication. So far as she was concerned, there was little to talk about. She'd been shaken by her conversation with Stark, sure, but she'd already shared everything that had been said. All she'd needed was time to process and the trip across the Atlantic had more than provided that. Sparing him a small, fond smile to silently assure him that she was alright, she brushed a hand lightly against his bicep.

Inhaling deeply, he gave her a small, crooked smile of his own. Both satisfied, they stepped onto the boarding ramp as it settled with a faint metallic clunk.

Nadine and Steve had barely stepped off the end of the boarding ramp when a pair of the waiting Wakandans was stepping forward to meet them. They met halfway, the taller of the two men, wearing a dusky blue-grey cloak covered in bold silvery symbols that hid most of his body from sight, stepped ahead of his pale blue and teal-cloaked companion, looking assessingly between Nadine and Steve. The undisguised suspicion in his narrowed eyes was as unmistakable as the hand he had resting on what Nadine guessed was a sword or similar weapon beneath his thick, blanket-like cloak. Steve spared Nadine a quick glance, taking in her stance—wary but relaxed, indicating she discerned no immediate threat—before similarly stepping forward to greet the Wakandan. Not backing down under the scrutiny, Steve inclined his head in greeting. After a loaded moment, the Wakandan man, clearly the leader of the small group, returned the silent acknowledgement.

"We're here at the invitation of King T'Challa," Steve offered politely upon the acceptance of his wordless greeting.

"He has been informed of your arrival, Captain Rogers," their host offered, his lips quirking into an amused grin when Steve blinked at being greeted by name. "We know who you are," he continued with the trace of a laugh in his voice. "Our King asked us to keep an eye out for you. He's already on his way."

Steve huffed out a small chuckle, nodding his understanding. "I suppose I probably shouldn't be surprised, should I," he said wryly, sparing Nadine a glance. Despite herself, Nadine found her own ready stance relaxing. The Wakandan man's features had melted from a guarded, even forbidding mien to an easy and friendly grin, though he made no effort to disguise the way he was still studying them both, his dark eyes keen as he took in Nadine's stance. She was suddenly struck with the feeling that he knew exactly what she was regardless of whether or not he knew who.

Sure enough, as W'Kabi was introducing himself and welcoming them to the Border Tribe lands, a pair of dark craft came into view in the distance, approaching fast.

In no time they had resolved themselves into two sleek, spade-shaped aircraft that distantly reminded Nadine of a wider version of a Quinjet sans wings. But almost as soon as the thought struck, she was forced to note that the similarities effectively ended there.

For all that their own Quinjet was state of the art Stark-tech, the Wakandan jets seemed in another league.

With a low, wafting whine, the two dark jets—if they could even be called that, Nadine mused, eying the flight systems that looked vaguely reminiscent of Stark's repulsor technology—settled gracefully onto the grassy plain, not far from the near edge of the village.

It certainly presented a curious visual dichotomy.

Within moments, the boarding ramps of the two craft were lowering and T'Challa was making his way through the tall grass toward them, a small entourage trailing in his wake—several of whom were armed with wicked looking spears, Nadine noted automatically as her instincts for threat assessment kicked into high gear, quickly recognizing that the women wielding them were warriors, and skilled ones at that judging from the graceful, measured way they moved; the king's bodyguards, she deduced from their behaviour.

"Captain Rogers," T'Challa greeted with a warm smile, holding out a hand as he came to a stop next to W'Kabi. Steve returned it, reaching out to clasp the king's hand in greeting, accepting the gesture of welcome.

"Your Highness," he answered with a grateful smile, "I don't know how to thank you for this." T'Challa nodded his head, accepting the gratitude before sparing Nadine her own nod of welcome, one she returned.

"You are most welcome, Captain, Madam Ryker," he replied easily. He looked over their shoulders toward the Quinjet, then. "Your...time since we last met has been well spent, I hope," he added with a wry grin. Steve chuckled, absently glancing back behind them himself.

"The rest of our Team is still on board," he explained, his smile fading as he looked back to T'Challa. "Some of them aren't in the best shape after...everything." Sobering, T'Challa nodded in understanding, easily reading Steve's grim expression. He gestured then toward the two ships he arrived with.

"Please," he said, his meaning clear. "Let us be on our way, then. Your jet will be secure and well hidden here." With a nod and an intrigued expression at the king's vague assurance, Steve spared a glance to Nadine.

But she was already turning and heading for the Quinjet even as Steve was indulging in his curiosity, asking the T'Challa what he meant about their Quinjet.

Nadine didn't hear much more beyond mention of technology that would shield their jet from detection before she was too far away, but she brushed it off. Steve would undoubtedly explain later and she was admittedly anxious to get moving.

It was clear before she even reached the boarding ramp that Sam had been keeping a close eye on them. No sooner had Nadine split off from Steve and T'Challa than the Quinjet's engines were beginning to cycle off for real, Sam's read of the situation proving astute.

Similarly, as she stepped onboard, it was clear that the rest of their Team was already starting to move. As he confirmed that the Quinjet was properly powered down and secured, Sam was rising from the pilot's seat, while Barnes was leveraging himself up from his chosen seat near the starboard wing. Having left several of their teammates back Stateside, there had been little reason to keep the centre bank of seats set up, so not long into their flight, they had been retracted back into the floor of the jet.

Which had left Barnes' view across the cabin of the jet unimpeded.

Despite her subdued mood, Nadine was hard-pressed to keep her amused grin to herself, fighting the chuckle that tried to shake its way up her throat at the wary way Pietro was eying Barnes as Nina and his twin steadied him as he got to his feet.

No sooner had Pietro made his way onto the Quinjet back at the Barton homestead than Barnes was watching his every move, almost glaring at him. Especially when Nina settled herself next to Pietro as the three youngest members of their team settled once more in the spot they'd occupied on the flight out from the Raft. Nadine had to hand it to the man, he was very good at looking intimidating when he chose to be, programming or not. His blue-grey eyes had been unreadable and intent on the speedster while his expression had been utterly blank nearly to the degree that it was when his programming was activated.

But unlike a rather unnerved Pietro, it wasn't hard for Nadine to piece together what the former HYDRA operative was doing. Nadine had wondered just what Barnes was going to do with her tip on their daughter's boyfriend. Apparently he'd decided on the simple but undeniably effective strategy of silent intimidation.

And apparently Nina and Wanda weren't far behind in deciphering just what Barnes was up to. Nina had just wrinkled her nose with exasperation, shooting Barnes a narrow-eyed glare of her own when Pietro drew her attention to what her father was doing, but it was Wanda who answered him when her twin wondered aloud what on earth he was being singled out for.

"Because you're dating his daughter, Pietro," she'd explained dryly, doing a rather poor job at hiding her amusement, her neutral expression cracking as a mischievous smirk kept trying to break through.

And Nadine had nearly choked on a laugh as Pietro blanched. Drastically. It had suddenly been very clear that he'd been completely oblivious until Wanda had pointed it out. Even Nina had been unable to entirely hide her giggles at Pietro's reaction, rolling her eyes as Pietro darted bewildered—and vaguely alarmed—glances between Barnes and Nina, sparing the odd one Nadine's way to top it off. Even Sam had been unable to help but laugh when the Sokovian boy had shrunk away from Nadine's coolly challenging look and Barnes' unsettlingly impassive one, swallowing thickly as he unconsciously tried to fidget away from Nina. Of course, she'd only scoffed at the attempt and cuddled herself closer, the hint of a mischievous glint in her eyes as she glanced up to her father as she all but settled herself on her boyfriend's lap.

A glint that matched the one that had appeared for the briefest of moments in Barnes' matching gaze.

Nadine had to admit, his control was impressive: Barnes didn't even crack a smile at the effectiveness of his chosen strategy. He just watched the youngsters for most of the flight to Wakanda, perfectly happy to let Pietro squirm under his scrutiny.

She very much approved.

"You realize he's not going away, right?" she asked softly as she approached Barnes, nodding absently toward Nina and the Twins. "They've been together for coming up a year, now." Barnes' lip twitched against a frown as he looked to her, though his eyes betrayed just how entertaining he was finding his tactics despite the unsettled shadow that surfaced behind them at the new information. He shrugged.

"Making up for lost time?" Nadine nearly snorted at the offhanded retort as she collected his bag for him. Shaking her head in fond exasperation, she gestured for him to follow the Twins down the ramp.

"Admit it," he added under his breath, "you still do it too. I've seen it." Her lip quirked at the observation as she glanced up to him with a wryly raised brow, hitting the control to seal the Quinjet as she did so.

"I never denied it," she quipped back as she adjusted Barnes' pack over her shoulder. Barnes chuckled, falling into step beside her as they caught up to the rest of their team where they had congregated near Steve and the Wakandans.

At T'Challa and Steve's instruction, their Team was immediately making their way toward the closer of the two Wakandan craft, falling in behind Nadine as she took the lead.

It was then that Nadine spotted a familiar figure breaking away from where she'd been standing near the Wakandan King's aircraft with a pair the armed women. A figure she'd recognize anywhere. She might've changed her hair—a few shades lighter and pin straight as opposed to the loose curls she'd been favouring recently—but Nadine knew her sister. She knew her gait, her mannerisms, and her frame beneath the dark jeans and army green blazer.

"I see you got my message, lisichka."

Natasha smirked as she approached, coming to a stop in front of Nadine. "Of course," she dismissed with an absent gesture just in time to catch a brightly smiling Nina in a tight hug as the teen all but threw herself at her aunt.

"You're alright, aren't you?" Nina blurted, a thread of worry weaving its way into her eager tone, her bright eyes roving over Natasha as she pulled away as if in search of any hint of injury. Natasha smiled fondly, brushing some of Nina's pale hair back behind her ear.

"I'm fine, solnyshko" she assured her niece. "Evading the Secretary and his goons was child's play; even stringing them along without them catching on was far easier than it should've been." A giggle bubbled out of Nina, her relief clear on her open features. Nadine couldn't help but let out a faint, amused snort.

"Child's play? You had fun, and you know it," she accused dryly without any real bite. Nina rolled her eyes at the exchange, extricating herself from her aunt's embrace and returning to Barnes' side, letting Wanda look after steadying her brother. Something Natasha's sharp eyes didn't miss.

Natasha chuckled as Nadine pulled her into a hug.

"Maybe a little fun," Natasha ceded as she drew back. Only for a wicked smirk to take over that immediately had Nadine's eyes narrowing warily. "Though I wasn't the only one having fun, if Clint's to be believed," she murmured conspiratorially with a poorly concealed smile. Nadine huffed irritably, though she wasn't quite able to keep her cheeks from warming at the insinuation.

"Do you two really have nothing better to do than gossip," she accused peevishly.

"That's not a denial," Nat chuckled, satisfied vindication bright in her eyes as she linked her arm with Nadine's and began to lead them toward T'Challa's aircraft where it waited patiently for its passengers to begin filing on board. Nadine was hard-pressed not to scoff, knowing it would only encourage her. Not that Natasha needed much in the way of encouragement.

"I do recall telling you it was inevitable," the redhead continued with light finality. Nadine nearly rolled her eyes. Only Natasha could perfectly keep her vindication from her voice and still manage to sound smug. "So did Nina, if I remember right—"

"Okay, I get the point—" Nadine interrupted dryly, only to be interrupted in turn. Not that her sister was in anyway intimidated by the admonishing glare she earned in doing so.

"—and the others were certainly thinking it," Natasha pointed out offhandedly, as though Nadine hadn't said a word, "it was rather obvious, really."

Nadine's muttered response was less than polite and far from complementary.

Natasha just laughed.

"So? How was he?" she prodded with a wicked glint in her eye, elbowing Nadine lightly.

"Natalia Alianovna, that's quite enough of that," Nadine snapped in exasperation, her cheeks flaming. Natasha smirked, looking like the cat that ate the canary.

"That good, huh?"

"Natasha!"

"Oh, come on, can you blame me?" her sister wheedled impishly, her green eyes sparkling. "You two've only been dancing around each other almost from the moment you met. I just want to know if it was worth the wait."

"Now I know where Sam picked up this fixation," she muttered to herself. Natasha's lip twitched, only barely restraining a pleased smile. She really was enjoying herself far too much.

"That's not an answer," the younger spy admonished playfully, bumping her hip against Nadine's. "Well?"

And before Nadine could help herself, a pleased little grin had curled her lips. She caught it quickly, carefully schooling her expression to hide it, but the damage was done.

It was answer enough for Natasha. The redhead's smug grin deepened.

"I knew it," she chortled. Nadine struggled against the urge to scowl...or to grin.

"You don't see me asking about you and Sam," Nadine grumbled under her breath. As before, it was said mostly to herself, but Natasha still waved it off.

"We haven't gotten that far yet, anyway," the redhead dismissed offhandedly, as though it was nothing more than an observation about the weather.

"Yet?" Nadine prodded, slowing to a stop as she turned to face her little sister properly. A mischievous grin of her own finally had occasion to appear as a chance for some teasing of her own presented itself. But her sister was perfectly composed as she steadily met Nadine's eye; not even the hint of a flush. Almost too composed.

Not to mention there was a telling spark in her vibrant green eyes that more than gave the game away.

Nadine hummed in vindicated satisfaction of her own.

She knew there was something there.

Natasha's only response was a sly glance to Nadine when the older blonde snickered at the not so subtle glance her younger sister sent the former paratrooper's way.

It was then that the sister spies both took notice of Sam, Steve and T'Challa holding back much as Nat and Nadine had, their light-hearted grins fading into similar looks of consideration. Oblivious to their audience, the three men continued to speak softly for a moment until, at a brisk gesture from T'Challa, two of the King's spear-wielding entourage broke off from their companions.

Then, exchanging a clap on the shoulder with Steve and a respectful nod with T'Challa, Sam broke off himself, falling in with the two Wakandan women as they headed for the second aircraft just off the rear quarter of T'Challa's while T'Challa and Steve caught up with the rest of them.

Nadine levelled Steve with a questioning look as he came up beside Nadine and Natasha, offering his own greetings to the redheaded spy. With a wry smile for Steve that didn't wholly reach her eyes and a brief glance to Nadine, Natasha pulled away, angling over to intercept Sam. Looking to Nadine as he turned away from where his two friends were speaking quietly, Steve's hand brushed over the small of Nadine's back as he gave her a small, reassuring smile as they started walking again. They and Natasha were the only ones left to board still other than the pair of T'Challa's female bodyguards standing in wait at the bottom of the staired ramp onto the king's craft, their spears and silver neckbands gleaming brightly in the sun. W'Kabi and his companions had already melted away into the cheerful bustle of the village behind them.

"Sam had some unfinished business to take care of," he explained lowly at her questioning look, keeping his explanation between the two of them, "a—friend back in Berlin to look in on." Nadine's frown of confusion only lasted a split-second before she caught on.

"Barnes' girl?" she asked softly. Not that she really needed a confirmation. There really wasn't anyone else it could be. Steve had already checked in with Sharon Carter before they'd hit the Raft, confirming that the CIA agent was coping alright with whatever fallout she had to deal with following Nadine's 'escape' from the JCTC, so it wasn't her. So other than Sharon? There really was no one else in Berlin that they had any reason to check in with that Nadine was aware of.

Save one.

Necessary or not, Steve nodded anyway, his gaze having landed where Barnes and Nina had disappeared moments before into the Wakandan aircraft. Nadine looked up to him as they approached T'Challa's craft. "Bringing her home?" Steve shot her a brief look at the soft question, but it said everything Nadine needed to know. She let out a sigh of relief.

"He's bringing her here," Steve confirmed softly. Nadine smiled softly as she glanced over to see Sam brushing a hand against Natasha's shoulder, her sister's own hand grazing his forearm, before he continued on to the second Wakandan ship and Natasha made her way onboard T'Challa's.

"Good," she murmured, her arm sliding briefly around Steve's waist before she pulled away to climb the boarding stairs.

The last of their party, once they were safely on board, the two Wakandan women were following them, sealing the craft's ingress and signalling to their colleague in the pilot's seat that they were clear to take off.

Exchanging a lingering look and a brief brush of her hand against his forearm, Steve slipped forward toward the cockpit to speak with T'Challa. Nadine, on the other hand, was almost immediately claimed by Natasha and pulled over to the bench that lined the entire starboard side of the craft, settling the two of them on the small stretch that curved around the rear of the cabin to nestle against the bulkhead that separated the seating area from the rear stretch of hull that held the sealed doors to the boarding ramp.

At once Nadine knew whatever was on her sister's mind was not so light-hearted as her questions on the ground. Not only were her green eyes guarded, but her entire countenance was carefully composed as she angled herself so that she sat facing Nadine. As the aircraft hummed to life around them, vibrating slightly as it lifted off and aligned itself with its course home, Natasha turned her serious gaze from Nadine to Barnes and the Twins and Nina beyond him where they sat further along the bench toward the cockpit. Following her sister's gaze, it was not hard to decipher what had brought about the change in the younger spy.

She'd finally taken a good look at the rest of Steve's rogue team.

Though much improved since their jailbreak, it was still more than clear that the Twins were far from recovered from their ordeal on the Raft. Especially Pietro, who was still far too pale and weakened for Nadine's liking.

And even without the injuries still marring Barnes' face to give it away or the way he had let his head fall back against polished wood panels behind him, the ragged remnants of his metal arm made it painfully clear that things had not gone well since they'd last seen each other.

Nadine withheld a heavy sigh as Natasha turned back to her, her piercing green gaze searching.

"Siberia?" she asked softly, her voice cool. Apparently she and Clint had discussed more than just Nadine's love life. There was no doubting what she was asking, the implied question nearly a demand. Natasha wanted to know exactly what had happened since they'd parted ways in Leipzig.

Despite her own meticulous control, Nadine couldn't stop her jaw from tensing, leaning heavily back against the firm cushions lining the wall of the jet's seating area as her own mask unconsciously fell into place.

"How much did Clint tell you?" she asked grimly after a moment. Natasha froze, her gaze intensifying on Nadine. It was answer enough; he hadn't relayed much of anything; limited to the very basics by time constraints, she suspected. Nadine sighed. "He at least told you that Tony followed us to Siberia?"

"What happened," Nat breathed, her wary eyes widening minutely as alarm began to creep into the green depths. She knew Nadine well enough to know from her tight, resigned tone that it was far from good news. Nadine inhaled slowly, steadying the lingering emotions from everything that had happened since the airport as they began to resurface. She took her time considering just how to answer, uncertain where to start or how best to explain.

"The fake doctor? The one who activated Barnes' programming in Berlin to find out where Barnes had been kept when frozen?" Nadine finally said, meeting her sister's sharp look with a grave, weary one of her own, "Sokovian Special Forces."

Natasha swore.

After a moment, she pulled herself back under control, looking shrewdly to Nadine. "His endgame?"

"He wanted to tear the Avengers apart," Nadine said simply, seeing in her sister's face that she had inferred that bit already; it was the how, she was after. "And he used one of Barnes' old missions to do it." Natasha paled, and Nadine suddenly had the sick feeling that she had already put the pieces together.

"Tony's parents?" Nadine sighed heavily at her sister's impassive voice.

"Yes," she confirmed wearily. "Steve said it was like Ultron and Seoul all over again." This time Natasha's reaction was silent. Her head lowered, her face utterly emotionless...save for the way her lips thinned with distress. Nadine sighed again. "How long have you known?" Natasha looked up after a long moment, her eyes unnaturally bright.

"That they were murdered?" she murmured, her gaze falling sightless to her hands where they rested with deceptive lightness in her lap. "Since we found out HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.; Tony's dad was implicated as a target. That it was Barnes?" She suppressed a sigh, letting out a slow breath through her nose instead as she collected her thoughts. "Not definitively...looking back, I think it was implied. I...I started to suspect once we started digging into Barnes' past," she admitted, shame bleeding into her tone as she leaned against the wood-panelled wall of the cabin much like Nadine was, her left shoulder hitching against the firm cushion.

"I can't believe I didn't see it," Nadine murmured in commiseration, her voice sharp with self-reproach. "I mapped out every mission of his I could find even the scantest trace of...I knew he'd had one in December of '91 in New York—it's where he got his hands on Erskine's formula for HYDRA; Barnes confirmed it. Clint and I even considered it was related to the elder Starks' deaths when we discussed it back in Leipzig...we just figured it was in response to, that the formula surfaced because of Howard's death. I never made the connection that it was the Starks he'd been sent after. I'd always figured..." She sighed heavily, raising a hand to massage at her temple as her eye slid shut for a moment. "I don't even know what I figured. I didn't spend a lot of time on the missions themselves."

The sisters fell silent for a long moment then. Neither had anything to say. What could they say? But eventually, Nadine began to speak again, relating in a low undertone a synopsis of everything that had happened since the sisters had gone their separate ways in London, leaving very little out. Not even her time alone with Barnes in Dresden or when Nina had pieced together that Barnes was her father; not that she delved into great detail, mind, choosing instead to share only the barest of overviews to ensure her sister was up to speed as quickly as possible on the important developments. And neither did she outright confirm what had transpired between her and Steve in her Workshop, instead glossing right over to their work preparing for their rescue of their team.

Those exchanges were too...private to bring up with so many other people around.

And perhaps too private even for private conversations.

Nadine didn't falter until her recollections turned to The Raft.

More specifically, on the condition they'd found the Twins in.

"It was barbaric," Nadine hissed, her voice unashamedly glacial as she seethed over the use of the suppression collars, having just explained why she believed Pietro in particular had been so badly affected he was still suffering the effects. Next to her, Natasha's vibrant eyes were eerily blank. It was a look Nadine easily recognized as she looked up to her sister; she'd be willing to bet that it was a quality her own pale gaze shared in that moment.

It was a moment that seemed to stretch, but after what was little more than a heartbeat in reality, Natasha turned to stare sightlessly at the wood panels behind Nadine, struggling to rein in her cold fury, the way her lips were pressed tightly together betraying just how close to losing control she was.

Forcing in a deep, steadying breath, Nadine let her own gaze drop back to her lap, concentrating on flexing and loosening her fingers.

"Did Tony know," Natasha finally asked tightly, her fury barely restrained. Nadine shook her head. As unhappy as Nadine still was with the billionaire, she couldn't deny he'd been just as horrified as they were.

"I don't believe so," she admitted wearily. "Not until he visited the Raft and saw for himself. I got the sense that he was just as upset about it as we were." Natasha nodded in brisk but unhappy agreement with Nadine's assessment. Slowly, her anger began to bleed away, revealing a heartsick weariness in its place, her features pale and drawn with it.

And eventually, Nadine's own fury began to drain away as well, leaving only an aching guilt in its wake. She signed heavily, drawing Natasha's gaze back to her.

"We shouldn't have left them, lisichka," Nadine murmured, the lack of inflection in her voice just as telling as the quaver she'd suppressed would've been. "We should've..." but she couldn't finish the thought. Not even as a wish made in hindsight. Much as she might wish they had done things differently, they had played the hand they'd been dealt as best they could. There had been good reason why they couldn't go back for the Twins, for the rest of their Team. It simply hadn't been a viable option.

That their reasons for making the choices they had hadn't truly existed was irrelevant.

"Then you all would've been arrested too, Nadya," Natasha pointed out soberly but no less sympathetically, echoing Nadine's thoughts. Nadine sighed, sagging further against the firm seat. And then Natasha was leaning forward, her arms lifting to wrap around Nadine's shoulders while her forehead fell forward to rest on Nadine's temple. Sighing at the comfort she was offering, Nadine leaning into her sister, her own hands rising to rest on Natasha's arm, returning the embrace.

"I know," she agreed sombrely, looking over to Nina and the Twins once more. Again, Pietro was nestled between the two girls, but unlike them both he wasn't recovering quite so well—his eyes were still dulled and almost bruised-looking on his wan features, while his hands threatened to tremble in Nina and Wanda's tight grips. "But knowing it still doesn't make it feel any better." Natasha nodded absently. But even without the gesture, her agreement was evident despite her silence. After a moment, she too looked to the young trio, her hold on Nadine loosening even if she didn't draw back just yet.

"So Nina knows, does she?" the redhead finally asked quietly. Nadine was caught off guard by the almost offhand quality to Natasha's tone. There was little doubt what she was referring to. Smiling despite herself, Nadine nodded.

"She does. And..." she hesitated, still not quite sure whether she was proud or upset that Nina had figured out the truth about Barnes on her own, nearly wanting to laugh despite her regrets. Probably some degree of both. She still regretted that Nina had found out the way that she had, regretting that she had put it off for so long and had only managed to hurt Nina more for her efforts. Yet she couldn't help the swell of pride that came when she set her guilt aside and simply considered that her clever daughter had managed to figure out the truth on her own despite how very little she'd had to work with.

Overall, though, her sheer relief and elation that Nina now knew and had accepted the truth about her father—that she'd connected with him so easily—far outweighed the deeply conflicted feelings she still had over her choices in regard to how Nadine had handled the secret and how it had come about. And she'd said as much when Laura had asked her about Barnes and Nina with nothing more than a look back at the Barton home.

It really hadn't taken much prompting for Nadine to unburden herself to the Barton matriarch as the two of them had turned to cleaning up after the lunch Laura had insisted they all needed while the rest had started to go their own separate ways—Clint had just left to get Lang started on his way home, the Twins had already been ordered upstairs by Laura to start sleeping off their ordeal and Steve and Sam had disappeared outside to talk about next steps as Nadine had later discovered.

"I'm glad for you," Laura had said softly, a gentle but pleased grin on her face when Nadine had finished relating that Nina knew the truth and how it all had come about—how both Barnes and Nina had found out about each other. "For all of you." She'd looked to Nina then, who had moved to sit next Barnes on the couch, a happily burbling Nate in her lap as she properly introduced her godson to her father. "They look close, already."

"They are. Closer than either of them anticipated—than I anticipated," Nadine agreed easily, a warm, content feeling settling around her like a soft blanket as she watched the fond, wondering way Barnes was watching Nina as she chattered away.

It was a feeling that lingered, strengthening each time she noticed Nina looking to Barnes or the adoring way Barnes kept looking to her.

"She's taking it well. Better than I hoped...and she's certainly taken to him," Nadine continued with a wry glance to Natasha. Natasha raised a questioning brow at Nadine at that.

"You're okay with that, right?" Nadine huffed at the question.

"I'm more than okay with it, lisichka," Nadine assured her with a small sigh. "It..." she trailed off, not entirely sure how to put what she wanted to say into words. She spared Natasha another glance, sobering even though her grin still clung to her lips, "he calls her 'sunshine', Natalia. And he means it. How could I not be okay with that?" Natasha cocked her head, looking thoughtfully between Nadine, Barnes and Nina. And after a moment, as though reaching some sort of conclusion, she nodded once, the corner of her mouth tugging in a soft, pleased little smile.

Only for her grin to turn wicked as she shot Nadine a challenging look.

"And he knows that all his Winter Soldier skills won't help him if he hurts her?"

Nadine couldn't help it. She snorted.

"Clint already informed him," Nadine confirmed dryly. "Not that I think we need to worry about that," she added. Natasha smirked, content.

"Good," she murmured almost smugly. Nadine bit back a chuckle as she looked up to see Steve approaching.

"What's good?" he questioned lightly, looking between the two sisters. Next to her, Natasha shifted, looking up to Steve herself. But she didn't get to say what Nadine could all but feel her winding up to tease Steve—and by extension Nadine—with; Nadine knew her sister too well. Before she could even open her mouth, Natasha twitched as Nadine's elbow jabbed into her ribs.

"That we're almost there," Nadine said wryly instead. Steve wasn't fooled, though, looking between the sister spies with a knowing lift of his brows.

"Nice," he quipped back dryly, his eyes laughing. Nadine grinned, holding back a chuckle as Natasha huffed in affected indignation in an attempt to mask her own amusement. "Well, lucky recovery or not, we actually are almost there," he confirmed.

And as though to prove him correct, the unobtrusive hum of the Wakandan craft's flight systems changed in tone to accompany the subtle sensation of the craft turning and beginning to descend.

"Where are we," Nadine asked as T'Challa came up next to Steve, extricating herself from her sister's side and standing to face the Wakandan king. Behind him, Barnes had similarly regained his feet to come up next to Steve while next to Nadine, Natasha looked on from her seat, not bothering to stand just yet.

"Mount Bashenga," T'Challa replied, "the home of our elite science division, run by the Wakandan Design Group." Looking around to Steve's team, taking in the three youngest members as they too came up behind him and Steve, he gestured to the doors just behind Nadine even as the closest member of his guard moved to unseal them and lower the boarding ramp so they could depart. "Come."

Steve, Natasha and Nadine all exchanged a look, but it was Natasha who spoke first as she turned her concerned frown to T'Challa. He paused at the expression, his own brow pinching with curiosity.

"Science division? With all due respect, Your Highness," Natasha objected, finally standing as she fixed T'Challa with a considering look, "but Barnes and the Maximoffs need to see—"

"I have already sent for some of our best doctors to meet us in the facility's medical centre," he assured her with an understanding smile and faint nod. But neither Natasha nor Nadine missed his involuntary glance to the partially healed injuries on Steve's face as well as to Nadine's head. Natasha shot Nadine a briefly questioning look, but Nadine subtly waved it off as the Wakandan king turned to Barnes then. "But it is the best facility to begin work on undoing what has been done to Sergeant Barnes," he explained solemnly with a sympathetic look to a suddenly uneasily shifting Barnes, "as there is technology here that is beyond what even our hospitals' possess. If a solution is to be found anywhere, it will be found here." He assured the unsettled former HYDRA operative. Swallowing thickly, Barnes jerked out a small nod of thanks.

Satisfied, T'Challa again gestured for them all to disembark, leading the way off the Wakandan aircraft.

As he led them deep below the surface, Nadine couldn't help but be deeply impressed by the facility he was leading them through. Bright and welcoming, the walls—where there were actual walls instead of long stretches of live rock, Nadine noticed with fascination—decorated intermittently with bold, vibrant designs and patterned light panels, it was unlike any research facility Nadine had ever encountered. It became clear from glimpses through large banks of underground windows that, not only were they in research facility, but they were also deep within an extensive and impressive mining operation.

Vibranium, if she were to guess. Not that it was a difficult conclusion to arrive at, she had to cede privately.

But she had little time to consider it further as, after winding their way through corridor after corridor, they arrived at a point where T'Challa motioned for them all to come to a stop as their party was approached by another. After a quick exchange in Xhosa with the woman leading them—another of the king's bodyguards judging by her garments, though her arm and neckbands were a bright gold, suggesting to Nadine that she was of a higher rank—T'Challa motioned for The Twins to follow the pair of doctors that stepped forward from the small group of Wakandans. At Steve and Nadine's encouraging nods, the Maximoffs allowed themselves to be led away off further into the facility.

Nadine watched them go, brushing a hand against Nina's arm at the torn expression on her daughter's face. But before she could suggest that perhaps she should accompany them, Natasha's hand was similarly brushing against Nadine's upper arm.

"I'll make sure the Twins are looked at and settled," Natasha said as Nadine and Nina both looked to her, offering her niece a small, reassuring smile, "you two go on and look after Barnes." Nadine could only squeeze her sister's arm in thanks, Natasha responding to the gesture with an understanding smile and a brush of her hand against Nadine's.

As Natasha split off to catch up with the Twins, T'Challa was beckoning the rest of them onward.

"Come," he said with an undeniably fond smile, "there is someone you must all meet."

Exchanging curious looks among themselves at the subtle shift in the king's demeanour, Nadine, Steve, Nina and Barnes fell into step behind T'Challa as he led them deeper into the brightly lit facility.

A/N: Thanks for reading!

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