DYER | STEVE ROGERS

𝐕.𝐕𝐈

〚 BOWING 〛

Darla walked off the jet beside Steve to be greeted by T'Challa. She smiled at the familiar man, she hadn't seen him since her and Steve last visited for Bucky's birthday.

"Do we bow?" Bruce questioned Rhodey.

"Yeah, he's a king." Rhodey nodded, Darla has to stifle a laugh, she didn't even try tell Bruce that Rhodey was joking, she wanted to watch the events unfold.

"Seems like I'm always thanking you for something." Steve spoke up, his hand reaching out to shake T'Challa's.

Bruce cleared his throat and bowed down. Darla hid her face in Steve's chest so that nobody saw how much she was laughing.

"What are you doing?" Rhodey questioned.

"Oh, we don't do that here." T'Challa looked over to Bruce. "So, how big of an assault should we expect?"

"Uh, sir, I think you should expect quite a big assault." Bruce cut in.

Darla linked her hand with Steve, causing him to smile down at her. He knew that she was nervous to go into battle again. He was too, he didn't want to lose her or any of their friends.

"How we looking?" Natasha questioned.

"You will have my Kings-guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje and-" T'Challa pointed over to Bucky.

"A semi-stable 100 year old man." Bucky made his presence known.

Darla pulled away from Steve to hug the man. Bucky wrapped his arms tightly around the girl, lifting her up on the ground slightly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held onto him tightly. Bucky had become like another brother to Darla, he always made sure she was okay and checked up on her whenever he could, much like she did him. They were close and that was something that Steve loved.

"How you been, Buck?" Steve questioned as Darla pulled away, giving him a chance to hug his best friend.

"Oh not bad for the end of the world." Bucky shrugged allowing a grin for form on his face. He turned down to the brunette girl, "Got anything you want to tell us about what's gonna happen?"

"Not yet." She playfully tapped his chest.

Truthfully, the voices weren't telling her much. Over the past two years she had learnt how to turn them on and off, so that she only had them when it was absolutely necessary.

~

Darla stood beside Steve in Shuri's lab as she scanned Vision's stone as he laid on the examination table. The girl was beyond nervous that this wouldn't work and that they would lose Vision. Her eyes flickered over to Wanda, Darla wasn't sure how the red head would cope without Vision.

"Whoa." Bruce gasped.

"The structure is polymorphic." Shuri said as she looked at the projection on the palm of her hand.

"Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially." Bruce nodded explains his and Tony's actions.

"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" Shuri questioned, causing Wanda and Vision to turn their attention to Bruce.

"Because, we didn't think of it." Bruce stammers almost questioningly. Darla had to bite her bottom lip to prevent herself from laughing.

"I'm sure you did your best." Shuri smiled reassuringly.

"Can you do it?" Wanda questioned innocently.

Steve placed a soft kiss on Darla's forehead. He could tell that she was anxious. She cared deeply for everyone in this room.

"Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures." Shuri explained before turning to T'Challa, "It will take time, brother."

"How long?" Steve questioned, speaking up for the first time.

"As long as you can give me." Shuri nodded.

"Something's entered the atmosphere." Okoye announced as she flicked one of the beads onto her palm, causing a projection.

"Hey, Cap, Mrs America, we got a situation here." Sam announced over the comms. Darla rolled her eyes at the nickname that never seemed to leave her.

"God, I love this place." Uttered Bucky.

"Yeah, don't start celebrating yet, guys. We got more incoming outside the dome." Rhodey announced.

Darla turned to look out of the window, she pursed her lips and looked up to Steve.

"That's not good." She whispered as the shock waves and the ships landing destroyed the forest.

Subconsciously, Steve pulled Darla closer to him. Her back hit his chest, his hand resting on her waist. Darla softly smile and placed her hand over his, hoping it would bring him some reassurance. She wasn't going anywhere. But she could understand his anxiety.

"It's too late. We need to destroy the stone now." Vision said as he slowly sat up from the table.

"Vision, get your ass back on the table." Natasha instructed.

"We will hold them off." T'Challa nodded as he and the guards head towards the door, leaving the Avengers and Shuri together.

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

"I will." Wanda nodded, she would do the right thing.

"Don't disappoint me, Red." Darla hugged the girl tightly. "And stay safe." She lightly kissed the girls cheek.

"You too." Wanda smiled, giving the girls hand a small squeeze.

"Evacuate the city. Engage all defense procedures." T'Challa instructed before turning to Steve. "And get this man a shield." He pointed over to Steve.

Darla turned a looked up to the man, he had a small smile on his face at the sound of the word 'shield'.

"We've got this right?" Darla questioned up to the man.

Steve let out a half hearted chuckle before saying,

"You're the one who anticipates the future, you tell me, baby." He whispered.

"I love you, Cap." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "And no matter what happens, we'll be okay."

"What do you know?" Steve questioned slightly panicked. His hands cupped the girls face and tilted her head back to look up at him.

"Not all of us are going to make it today." She rested her head against his. "But it'll be okay." She leant up and connected their lips. "And I know we'll figure it out together."

"I love you too." Steve mumbled against her lips. "Stay close?"

"Don't I always?" She rested her head against his. Darla let out a heavy sigh. "Let's get out there, Captain."