Previously: James has surgery to attach his new metal arm. T'Challa asks Anna and James to stay in Wakanda, and agrees for them to get married there. Wanda practices using her powers to remove the brainwashing done to James. Shuri helps James adjust to his new arm, and discusses wedding details with him.

Chapter 40

James slipped out of bed before the sun peaked over the mountains in the distance. Anya stared up at him with sleepy, hooded eyes as he dressed in jeans and a tee. When she asked where he was going through a yawn, he answered her with a soft kiss. When he pulled away, she wore a sleepy little smile that had him wanting to crawl back under the covers with her.

"I'll come find you for lunch," he whispered.

Her head sunk back into the pillow and her breathing slowed back to a steady rhythm before he made it out the door. With one last look at the woman who'd become his world, he left. Instead of heading down his usual route to the training room, he turned right down the hall and headed towards Shuri's lab. Wanda had made a breakthrough. It was time to test Shuri's theory of removing years of mental manipulation from his brain.

"Are you sure about this?" Wanda asked, meeting him at the foot of the curved staircase. Though she'd successfully not killed the last five test dummies Shuri provided her, she was still hesitant to use her powers on him.

"I'm ready," James said, taking a seat in the chair and hooking himself up to the different monitors Shuri had shown him.

"And you're sure you don't want a doctor on hand?" It was weird it was just the two of them. This seemed like something they should have a whole team present for.

"From what I've seen of the broken test dummies, a doctor wouldn't be able to do much for me if you do mess up."

"And Anna?" Wanda didn't like doing this without Anna present.

"If things go wrong, it's better if she isn't here." He'd been conflicted on whether to tell Anna or not. In the end, he'd rather ask her forgiveness for not saying anything than subject her to the stress of knowing.

"You sound confident," Wanda said.

"Let's just do this."

"Okay," she said standing behind him, strapping a brace around his neck and head. "Just don't move until I tell you to."

…

Adapting to Wakanda was relatively easy for Anna. The people were friendly, once they got used to her working in the medical wing. Wakanda's medical facility was significantly more advanced than the VA where she'd worked before. Honestly, it was more advanced than anything else she'd ever seen or heard of. And she'd gone to her fair share of medical conventions.

"You are lucky kimoya beads have translating capabilities," Shuri giggled at Anna's attempt to speak Wakandan. "You're rather bad at languages."

"Maybe it's the teacher. She picked up Romanian fine when I taught her," James chimed in as he entered the medical wing.

"There you are," Anna greeted him with a kiss. "Is it time for lunch?"

"Yes. I've got a basket of food and a blanket packed. How do you feel about eating outside?"

"Sounds romantic," Shuri said before Anna could. "He did already propose, no?"

"Doesn't mean I can't be spontaneously romantic," James said, holding out his hand to Anya. He smiled when she interlaced her fingers with his, squeezing his hand three times.

"It sounds lovely," she said.

James led them out of the city, the basket in his left hand and Anya's in his right. So excited, he had to remind himself to slow his pace a couple times. The streets bustled with foot traffic and some people still stopped to stare at them as they passed. Keeping mostly to the training and medical headquarters, they were still an oddity among those who rarely frequented either place. Pulling Anya in closer to his side, he moved their conjoined hands up to his lips, kissing the back of her hand. Turning right off the main street, he led them further from the city, towards the rolling hills surrounding it.

"Wow," Anna said when they stopped under a tree beside a large lake. The sounds of the water lapping against the shore and the soft rustling of grass was peaceful. Very different from the bustling city they'd left behind. "It's beautiful."

"I was hoping you'd think so," James said, spreading a blanket out under the tree. He'd asked Steve to help him find a quiet place for a romantic picnic after one of their training sessions last week. Okura overheard and had shown him this place. It was perfect.

"So, what's for lunch?" she asked, plopping down on the blanket and looking up at him expectantly.

Setting the basket beside her, he took a seat and watched as she eagerly opened the lid and peaked inside.

"My favorites," Anya said, pulling out fresh strawberries, extra crispy bacon, chicken salad and pickles. James' smile turned adoring, but Anya mistook it for teasing and added, "I can't control my pregnancy cravings. At least I'm not craving sand."

"Is that a thing?" he asked.

"Yes. So be thankful I'm not asking for buckets of sand. And if I ever do, don't let me eat it. It could hurt me and the baby."

"No to sand. Got it." Hopefully she wouldn't crave any non-food items. So far he hadn't had to deny her much, and he really didn't want to see just how much her stubbornness increased while pregnant.

Leaning back on her forearms, she crunched down on a pickle then used it to scoop out some chicken salad. The sun shone bright above them, causing the air to have a hazy heat. Eventually, their little pocket of shade wouldn't be enough to chase away the midday heat. Right palm sweaty from more than just the heat, James reached into his pocket and pulled out a white envelope. Catching Anya's eyes, he held it out to her, his hand tremoring even after she took the envelope.

"Am I forgetting an anniversary or something?" Easing the card out of the envelope, she froze when she saw the black script on the glossy white card. Save the date.

"It's just a sample. We can discuss the design and date," James said when Anya continued to stare at the card, her thumb brushing over the words.

"What happened to waiting until your minds your own again?" she asked, her gaze moving up to meet his. As much as she wanted to marry him, she knew how much freeing himself completely from his past meant to him.

"What do you think I was doing this morning?"

A myriad of emotions flitted across her face as she took in what he said.

"Wanda successfully reversed the manipulation, and Okura and her fellow soldiers tested it," James continued before she could settle on just one. "I'm free."

His bright smile at those words demolished her. How could she be mad at him going behind her back and having Wanda use her powers on him when he was so blissfully happy at being free. Besides, what good would her knowing beforehand have done? She'd only be worried and unable to concentrate on anything let alone her patients.

Reaching out and fisting her hands around the front of his t-shirt, she pulled him into a kiss. He was free. They could finally start their life together.

"You're not angry?" James leaned his forehead against hers.

"Does it seem like I'm mad?" She asked, her eyes twinkling.

Leaning closer for another kiss, he had to catch himself when Anya pulled back. With a playful smile she pulled her scrub top over her head, stepping back out of the shade and towards the lake. He watched, keeping eye contact as she continued to strip down all the while edging closer to the water's edge.

"You coming?" she asked, when her last piece of clothing hit the grass and she began wading into the water.

Kicking off his boots, he hastily stripped down. The cool water felt good against his sun warmed skin as he waded in after her. The tips of her hair floated in the water around her when he stopped before her. Reaching up, she rested her hand on his left cheek, the pad of her thumb brushing his lips before tracing circles on his cheek, leaving a trail for water droplets behind it.

"No more secrets," she said as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer.

"No secrets," he agreed, closing the distance between them and kissing her.

…

Water dripped from Anna's hair, down the front of her scrubs as they walked back to the city hand in hand. She couldn't stop the stupid happy grin from spreading across her face as she tightened her grip on James' hand. The save the date was in her other hand, the other reason she couldn't stop smiling.

When they ran into Steve and Natasha, suited up and waiting by the landing pad, her smile faltered.

"What's going on?" she asked, stopping in front of them.

"We got some intel on an illegal arms deal in Kazan," Steve said.

"We're going to check it out," Nat added, nodding towards the quinjet on the landing pad. "Sam and Wanda are getting the plane ready. Steve wanted to wait to say goodbye."

"We both did," Steve added, sending Nat a pointed look. She'd wanted to wait as much as he had.

Slipping her hand from James', Anna moved forward to envelop Steve in a hug he immediately returned. He waited for her to pull away, even though whatever she held poked the back of his neck.

"Be safe," she insisted when she pulled back. Most countries intelligence agencies were still looking for them, it was risky leaving Wakanda. Adding in arms dealers just made it worse.

"Always am," Steve said. Rubbing the back of his neck where there was a tiny indent, his gaze moved to her hand. "What's that?"

Holding the card out to him, Anna couldn't hold back her grin when his eyebrows rose while reading the card.

"Less than a month?" Natasha asked when she grabbed the card from him to read it.

"It's a sample," James said.

"We'll wait until you can be here. If I can't have Tony here, I at least want you all," Anna said. Other than Tony, the Avengers were the only family she had. Besides, Steve was once like a brother to James. There was no way they were getting married without him there.

"Wouldn't miss it," Steve said, pulling Anna back into a one-armed hug and shaking Bucky's hand with his free hand.

Anna leaned back against James' chest and his arms wrapped around her as they watched the plane take off. She started when her kimoya beads beeped with a communication. Turning the bead, a holographic image of a beaming Shuri popped up, insisting they start planning the wedding immediately now that they could set a date.

When Shuri said 'immediately,' she meant it. Anna barely had time to change and dry her hair before she was surrounded by dresses in every white material imaginable: tulle, satin, lace, cotton. If it could be used to make a dress, it was there. When she didn't voice any preference in shape or style for a wedding dress, Shuri began pulling dresses from multiple racks. Anna had no idea where she'd gotten them all, but she seemed to arrange them on the racks in an organizational system only she could maneuver.

"You look beautiful!" Shuri exclaimed. "Isn't this fun?"

"Yeah," Anna admitted, her fingers smoothing over the satin of the dress she wore. "But I think I like lace better."

In a flurry of motion, Shuri moved the racks so the dresses with lace were before them.

"Take your pick."

Every dress she tried on seemed to fit, only needing a few minor adjustments here or there. Which was odd, given nothing had ever fit her off the rack before, until Shuri admitted she'd electronically taken her measurements beforehand. The technology was a prototype and wasn't completely accurate, but it did well enough.

Turning towards the mirror after trying on dozens of dresses, Anna found herself tearing up.

"This one," she said, her fingers tracing over the patterns in the lace.

It turned out that was only the first decision of many when it came to wedding planning.

…

"Are you sure we can't elope now? I've got the dress," Anna asked James as they stood looking out over the same lake they'd picnicked at a few days ago, before the craziness of wedding planning took over.

"It's only a few more weeks," James said, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his cheek against the side of her head. "Then Steve and Nat will be back, and we'll proceed with whatever preparations you make before then."

"Can we at least stay here until then?" She asked, nodding back towards the tiny hut they'd been camping in the past few days. James brought her there after a particularly stressful day deciding color schemes, knowing she needed a small break from it all.

"You can't avoid Shuri forever," James said as she ignored another call from Shuri on her kimoya beads. "We should get back and see what she wants."

"Or," Anna said, turning in his arms and bringing her lips to his in a lingering kiss. "We could stay here one more night."

"As tempting as that is," he said, pressing his forehead against Anya's and sneaking another kiss. "We ate the last of the food I packed us."

"Fine, you win. But can we raid the kitchen for food and hide in our room until tomorrow?"

"Of course." Scooping Anya up in his arms, he traced her jaw with his lips as he carried her back towards the city.

The halls were oddly empty and quiet when they returned. They passed no one on the way to their room, not even the guard that normally patrolled the halls at night. It was like the whole place had been evacuated. James tensed with every turn they took, wishing he'd listened to Anya and stayed with her down by the lake.

"Something isn't right," Anya said when they stopped at the door to their room. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know," he said, glancing around the empty hall. "I need you to stay here while I find out where everyone is."

"No way. I go where you go," she said, straightening her stance to look authoritative.

"But where I go might not be safe." James cupped Anya's face with one hand, the other resting against her stomach. "And I need both of you to stay safe."

"If you're not back in thirty minutes, I'm coming for you," she relented, turning her face to the side and kissing the palm of his hand. "Thirty minutes."

Reaching behind her, she opened the door and stepped through. She waited to close the door until James turned a corner down the hall. Wrapping herself in the robe she'd left hanging off the edge of the chair, she stood by the window, looking out on the dark shadows Wakanda faded to once the sun set. Leaning her forehead against the pain, she set an alarm on her kimoya beads before closing her eyes and trying to keep from worrying about potentially nothing.

Ten minutes before her alarm was set to go off, her bedroom door burst open. Turning from the window, Anna's brow furrowed as Imani, her midwife, crossed the room towards her.

"You need to come with me, now," she said, grasping hold of her arm and pulling her towards the door.

"What? Why? Imani what's wrong?" Anna asked, digging her heels in as best she could. It wasn't doing much; Imani was much stronger than her.

"The king has fallen," Imani said, pausing at the door to ensure the hall was still clear.

"T'Challa is…dead?" Anna slackened in Imani's grasp.

"His successor isn't as…hospitable. If you want you and your baby to survive we must leave now."

Anna's hand automatically fell to her stomach as she let Imani lead her into the hall.

"What about James?" Her heart thudded in her chest. He wasn't back yet, what if something happened to him?

"There's no time to waste waiting for him or looking for him. We must go," she insisted, tugging harder on Anna's arm.

"I can't leave without him." If staying meant death, she couldn't leave him behind.

"I promise I'll come back to find him. Just let me get you and the baby out first." Her job was to make sure Anna and her baby remained healthy and safe until the birth. That didn't stop just because a new king sat on the throne. When Anna continued to hesitate, she added, "You know he'd want me to ensure your safety first."

Reaching up to grip the star necklace James' gave her, tracing her fingers around the rough edges, she closed her eyes and exhaled. With a nod of her head, she let Imani lead her through passages she didn't know existed until the cool night air kissed her face and they stepped out into high grass.

"Follow the path, it'll lead you to Nakia and the royal family," Imani said, waiting until Anna took a couple steps down the path before turning back to the palace.

Anna held tight to her necklace, praying to whatever god existed that Imani found James before anyone else could.

A/N: HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY. I thought it fitting to post on Steve Roger's birthday now that I've finally worked through my writer's block and sorta figured out how I wanna proceed with the Black Panther storyline. Hope you enjoy the update and so sorry it took so long! DOES ANYONE WANT AN EXTENDED CUT OF THE SKINNY DIPPING SCENE ADDED TO 'IN A WAY IT'S HER FIRST?'

And for anyone who reviewed new on earlier chapters or on Rehabilitate in the interim, I'm so sorry I haven't responded. I will do my best from here on out to respond to you as you review.

Onto guest review responses

LaCatrna: I'm responding here because your Private Messaging is disabled. It makes me so happy you loved the story so much you binge read it. Don't worry, I'm not giving up on this story. I really hope you enjoyed the update!

Jo: I know this is about a year too late, but I'm so sorry about your mom! It's near the anniversary of her death and I hope you're doing okay and continue to find beauty and joy in the world. I'm sending you lots of love xoxo

Kam: You're very sweet to say you wish you could produce what I write when you're struggling to write. I'm pretty sure every writer struggles with craft and writing and I'm sure you've written through it fantastically!

Cheryl: I'm so happy you think I'm doing well with incorporating the Marvel movies into my story. That's why I've been struggling with this update, as I didn't know how to incorporate Black Panther. It didn't feel write to have my characters play too big of a role in the plot of it so I'm treading carefully. Hope you enjoyed the update if you're still reading!

Pam: FINALLY! I'M BACK. I bet you thought I was never going to update this one. I feared I'd never push through my fears with writing through black panther. But I persevered and I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for being ever patient. And I hope you enjoyed the recap at the beginning. Figured it was necessary since it's been SO LONG since the last update. And don't worry. I will be posting pics to insta about Anna's dress and wedding when it comes time.

To the guest who's reread the story twice since they found it: That means a lot that you loved it so much. If you're still with me, I hope you continue to enjoy!

Grace A: I agree, continuing through Infinity War and all the different possible ways the snap could go is heartbreaking. I don't think you're trying to control the story at all. I love hearing everyone's thoughts and predictions. Thanks for reviewing. I hope you liked the update.

E: I'm so glad you love(d) the story so much. It means a lot that you like how I'm writing Bucky's character. I'm sorry I made you wait so long for a continuation, and I hope you don't hate how I handle the black panther plot line.

Ironheart: I know it's been a LONG time since my last update, but I am continuing it. Finally. I hope you still care to read it. Thanks so much for leaving a review. It makes me so happy to hear you like how I portray Bucky.

Rach

xoxo