[Leipzig AU] good for trouble

[from_the_outside]

Busan glitters like a disco ball in the night, and no one gives them a second glance as they stroll through the fish market, Sharon in her white dress on Ross's arm, the rest of the team behind them. "Sophia," she says, warmly, and exchanges air kisses with the woman, her pink visor and plastic apron both bright. She knows to expect them, and after she pats Sharon fondly on the cheek, she nods them through.

They spread out through the casino, the team's voices low in her ear. She stays by Ross, playing the part of arm candy, applauding when he wins and consoling him when he loses.

There's no sign of Klaue yet, and the metal briefcase full of diamonds stays locked to the wrist of one of the other agents. "I'm going to get a drink," Sharon murmurs to Ross, and makes her way through the crowd to the bar. 

The martinis here are fine, but not as good as Nat's.

Comments

[marvel_npc]

"A mining tool." Ross scrubs his hands across his face. "I'm dreaming. I must be dreaming. A mining tool, and it did that?"

[marvel_npc]

"I do not need to tell you that Ulysses Klaue is a dangerous man," T'Challa says, grim.

"I must return to the hunt for him as soon as possible, after we have delivered Agent Carter to my sister."

[marvel_npc]

"He escaped from Task Force custody," Ross says, just as grim. "You won't be hunting him alone."

[marvel_npc]

T'Challa nods. "Under different circumstances," he says, dry, "I would say it is a pleasure working with you again, Deputy Commander."

He stands and nods. "We have some hours yet. Get some rest, if you can. I will alert you if anything changes with Agent Carter."

[nerves_of_ice]

* * * * * * *

It's been hours since he arrived at the lab to find Shuri still there and already preparing a room. He hadn't even had to ask before she briskly ordered him to help. Most of what he's able to do is move equipment or clean and disinfect things with the light-emitting wand she gives him to work with, but it's something, and every little bit helps keep him occupied enough not to think.

The problem is that now they've done all they can do, and the others still haven't arrived. Shuri is bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, checking things on her tablet, and Bucky has taken to pacing back and forth in front of the lab windows.

"How much longer, do you think?" he asks. "You're still monitoring, right?"

[marvel_npc]

"Yes," she promises, as she has made certain to promise throughout this interminable wait. He is remarkably restrained when it comes to vocalizing his worry, but she sees the tension in his body and hears the tightness in his voice and she makes her own more brisk and confident in response.

"I am still monitoring, and I have seen no change. Which is good, I remind you."

Certainly far better than any negative change. "I think they will probably arrive soon. At the flyer's top speed, the trip should take fewer than five hours."

[nerves_of_ice]

Which could mean anything, since they don't know how long the flyer had been in the air before T'Challa called, but there's no point in mentioning it. She knows it as well as he does. They'll get here when they get here, and not before.

"No change," he repeats, trying to let himself be reassured by that. "Okay. Okay. Thanks."

[marvel_npc]

She's not sure if it would help or hurt to tell him about how the Kimoyo bead T'Challa used is stabilizing Sharon's wound and her vitals, and ultimately elects not to bring it up.

"Try not to worry," she says, soothing. "Why don't you make a pot of coffee? I am sure the others would appreciate some when they arrive."

[nerves_of_ice]

He gives her a rueful look at that, but goes to the coffee maker. After all, she's not wrong.

[marvel_npc]

With him busy, she can return to her own fretting, checking and double-checking and triple-checking their set up as well as Sharon's data... which abruptly cuts off, nearly giving her a heart attack before her Kimoyo beads chime.

"I think they are coming!" she calls to Sergeant Barnes, and hurries to the entryway, impatient.

[nerves_of_ice]

He's at her side in a few long strides, watching impatiently as the indicator on the elevator to the flight platform moves first up, then down toward their level.

[marvel_npc]

Before leaving the flyer, they had given Ross a hooded jacket to wear and placed a blanket over Agent Carter; now, in the elevator, Nakia twitches the blanket back from the woman's sleeping face and gives T'Challa an exasperated look.

"We do not want them to think we are bringing them a corpse!" she scolds, and T'Challa looks slightly abashed before the doors ding open and he can walk beside the floating gurney, their party heading quickly to the lab where Shuri is waiting.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky freezes in his tracks as he sees them, Sharon lying silent and still on a table that's floating in midair beside T'Challa, flanked by Okoye and Nakia, with Ross bringing up the rear. He spares half a second to give the Deputy Commander a level stare, and then all his attention is given to dashing down the hallway after Shuri to reach them.

"Sharon," he whispers, walking backward down the corridor so as not to slow their progress while Shuri checks the table's display. "Sharon, can you hear me?"

[marvel_npc]

Her friend gives no sign of recognition, but Nakia gives the Sergeant a comforting smile.

"I'm sure she can," she says. "And I'm sure it is a comfort to her. Here, Bucky - "

She moves aside, gesturing for him to take her spot at Sharon's hip.

[nerves_of_ice]

He accepts the offer with alacrity, coming up beside her and reaching for Sharon's hand with his right. Bucky holds on, running his thumb back and forth over her fingers as they walk.

Shuri leads them into the room that they've so painstakingly set up, swinging the gurney into position in front of the medical scanner with its hexagonal cells vibrating around the central display. A blue light starts to run over Sharon's body, and at the end of the table Ross startles.

"What are you doing?"

"Quiet, colonizer!" Shuri orders. "I am working."

[marvel_npc]

She has rarely been so grateful for Shuri's genius as she is in this moment, as the girl rapidly surveys the damage done. Several hexagons blur together to create a screen for Sharon's vitals; others blink with data as it feeds into the system.

The wound is easy to find, even with Sharon on her back. The system throws up an alarm, blinking red, and once Shuri has satisfied herself that she has not missed anything, she returns to it. On the display, a glowing image of Sharon's spine appears, with unhappy orange markings.

Nakia finds herself folding an arm protectively over her ribs, her hand pressed to her mouth. She'd known, she'd seen, but it's an altogether different experience to see the reality of it in the scans.

One bullet was all it took, almost enough to snuff her friend out for good. She shivers at the closeness of it all.

[nerves_of_ice]

T'Challa steps to Nakia's side as she shivers, reaching to put his arm around her. Beside the table, Bucky remains preternaturally still, watching everything with fierce intensity.

Shuri gestures at the screen, and pulls an image of Sharon's spine from the display into the space above her body. The young scientist pulls her hands apart, separating the vertebrae, and studies the map of orange lines that illustrates the damage done.

"She will live," she says, with assurance. "And she will heal completely."

Bucky drops into a crouch beside the table and lowers his head abruptly to his forearm, gasping in a long, relieved breath.

[marvel_npc]

Ross makes a sound like he's the one who was shot and exhales relief. Shuri smiles, until her Kimoyo beads give a chime.

She glances down at them, then gives T'Challa a warning glance. "W'Kabi is here," she tells him. T'Challa nods and tips his head to Okoye, who follows him out of the medical room as Shuri turns back to her task.

Nakia comes to put a gentle hand on Sergeant Barnes's shoulder where he is crouched beside the table, as comforting as she can make it. Shuri hums to herself and weaves complicated figures of light through the air, then peers intently at them before waving her hands at the group.

"Go on, all of you. I need to prepare her for the procedure to remove the bullet. I will call you when she is recuperating."

[nerves_of_ice]

He looks up at that, his hold on Sharon’s hand tightening. “Let me help.”

His glance meets Shuri’s and holds. “Let me stay.”

[marvel_npc]

She will let Shuri decide whether to let the Sergeant stay. For her part, she nods and pats his shoulder, then turns to Deputy Commander Ross, who is staring at Sharon like he might be able to will her into waking up.

"Come," she murmurs. "I will take you to the Citadel. Rooms have been prepared for both of you."

[nerves_of_ice]

Ross looks like he wants to argue, but instead nods to Nakia. “Come on, Barnes,” he says, gruffly. “She needs to work.”

Bucky doesn’t move at first, but every muscle in his body tenses. Slowly, he turns his head to pierce Ross with a cool, remote glare that promises nothing good.

“I’ll go if the Princess tells me to,” he says, soft and cold as falling snow. “You don’t want to push me right now, Ross.”

[marvel_npc]

Ross bristles and opens his mouth, and Nakia finds herself wishing T'Challa were here to get between the two men before Shuri intervenes.

"He can stay," the princess says, almost absently, before slanting a look at the Sergeant. "For now."

Ross looks as though he's bitten into a lemon, but nods, short and sharp. "Fine," he says, then steps forward and looks down at Sharon's sleeping face. "Hang in there, Carter," he says, with gruff affection, and has to clear his throat a few times before he can reach down to circle his fingers lightly around the wrist of her free hand. "We're pulling for you."

It's brief, and then he turns to Shuri, back military-straight. "Princess," he says. "Thank you."

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods in response to Shuri’s warning, and stays quiet and still as Ross approaches to take Sharon’s other hand.

“Yes, you are welcome,” Shuri says. “Now go, so I can begin.” She checks something on her tablet. “Nakia, they are still above - you had best take the train.”

[marvel_npc]

Nakia nods and guides Ross with a hand on his back. "This way," she tells him, and leads him through the lab toward the train. He still looks a little shell-shocked, but he's handling it well.

"Call us when you have news," Nakia tells the Princess as they leave, then walks with Ross toward the train, quietly talking with him as they go.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky looks up at Shuri and waits for instructions. He doesn’t have to wait long.

“Turn her over,” she says, already back to studying the images in the air. “Cut those filthy clothes away and get rid of them. I will run the sonic cleanser while you bring a drape for her. Fresh clothes are in the changing room cabinet.”

He turns Sharon with gentle care and places her on her stomach, her head turned to the side and hair neatly gathered at the nape of her neck, before going to find the things he needs to follow Shuri’s orders.