#almost blows the whole thing hitting on Sekhmet

[agooddaytowhy]

Fuck those dicks up Hatshepsut my Pharoah. Fuck em up good.

Queen Hatshepsut of Ancient Egypt. She has a lovely smile for someone who’s been dead for thousands of years.

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Royal pt.2 (T’Challa)

Summary: Freya jumps in to protect an old friend.

Warnings: violence

Word count: 3030

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After the blast, the survivors were all ushered outside. They feared more explosives were set nearby and their main worry was that this was done by one of us, the Avengers. I knew that was just a bunch of people speculating, but the notion still made me upset.

The Avengers initiative was started by one of the best agents SHIELD has ever had, someone very close to me; Phil Coulson.

Phil served almost as a surrogate father to me after I lost my entire family. I was just another victim of Hydra's insane quest for power, my parents were their obvious targets as SHIELD agents who served undercover in Hydra HQ for almost six years. When my mother got pregnant, they fled from both organizations to keep me safe. They left and never looked back...If they did, they might have seen them coming before it was too late.

The Avengers were meant to be a group of people with special skills, good people, willing to use their abilities to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. We were supposed to be Earth's defenders, the only thing standing between the powerless and the bad guys, not only from our planet, but other's as well. The whole thing worked perfectly, but accidents happen. It happened with us as well in Sokovia, back in Nigeria... we couldn't save everyone and it didn't resonate well with the masses. Truth is, we had a choice between two evils and we chose the lesser one. Sokovia..Ultron..that was on Stark..but we kept our mouth shut and protected him. Nigeria was a combo of Steve's momentary lapse in judgement and Wanda's inexperience, we still tried to keep it under wraps, but people died. These things aren't easy to hide or defend.

When Tony suggested the accords, I wasn't sure what to think or who to look to. Each side tried to persuade me their way was the right one, but I wasn't having any of it. I didn't let my mind get clouded by the ruins of my relationship with Steve, much less by Stark and his guilt. I'm a woman with a mind of my own, with the ability to see good and evil in unconventional shades of grey and I liked to make my own decisions. I never let anyone dictate how I lived my life or push me into something I wasn't fond of, this time wasn't different.

I chose to sign the accords over being sidelined. I chose to keep the initiative running for Phil, for the people who will need protecting in the future, for those who had no idea what lurked in the darkness right before their eyes. I needed Avengers in my life, I needed to keep it alive..to keep him alive. Call me sentimental, but it was a necessary evil. I'd sign a contract that will keep me on a leash for the people running UN or whoever takes over, but at least I'll be able to do my job. Steve didn't see it that way and it made the rift between us far too big to jump over. I was aware pushing this would result in our break up. Losing him was a price I had to pay and I did. He's a man of many virtues, the kind you keep close, but I did the unthinkable and let him go. I knew I'd survive it, I wasn't the type to weep for any guy, because I had self-respect and too much pride.

I looked around for Natasha and found her being taken care of by a physician. I wasn't in the mood to be touched right now, so I turned the other way.  I saw T'Challa sitting on a bench, looking stunned. There's a cut on his head, but it wasn't bleeding anymore. He didn't seem very eager to be looked at either, so I figured I'd join him. I sat next to him, but he kept staring at an ornate silver ring. He toyed with it between his fingers, not caring about the events that unfolded around him.

„I'm sorry about your dad.“ I tell him and he glances at me. I knew I sounded cold and robotic, but it's the thought that counts, right?

„In my culture death is not the end. It's more of a... stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green velds where...you can run forever.“ T'Challa says peacefully, but there's a weird undertone that puts me on edge.

„That sounds very peaceful. I wish I shared those views on death.“ I say as he gives me slight nod.

 „My father thought so.“ He puts the ring on his finger. „I am not my father.“ He adds and I stand up, putting my hand on his shoulder to keep him down. I knew he was the revenge type, I recognized that part of him very early in our first conversation. My job was to read people and he was good at hiding his personality, but not good enough. I overheard the officers saying Bucky was responsible for this, but I had a hard time believing that he was that far gone. Bucky and I had a...history..not a romantic one, to be clear. I knew him, he wasn't the type to blow up buildings without a kill order from Hydra and last time I checked, he was out of the game.

„T'Challa. Task force will decide who brings in Barnes.“ I say sternly, hoping he'd clam up and stay.

He clenches his fist in response, his gaze switching from the ring to me. I noticed he didn't have that initial smitten look in his eyes anymore. I guess when your parent's killed before you, a part of you dies with them..I know that for a fact.

„Don't bother, Miss Frost. I'll kill him myself.“ He says, determined to do whatever he could to bring justice to his dead father and walks away. I look at his retreating figure, a weird twisting feeling in my stomach making me sick. This wasn't going to end well.

I turn to Nat and notice she's on the phone. I could see her looking around and I knew one of them was talking to her. Steve was my first guess..it kind of hurt that he'd call her over me, but hey, I'm no one to him now anyways...

I pull out a handy little device I took from Tony back at the tower and place it in my ear. The device allowed me hear things a hundred times better than a normal human would and I always kept it with me in case of a spy emergency.

 „You two alright?“ I heard his voice. I knew it!

 „Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky. Freya got hit a little worse than me.“ Frowning she looks around, then stands up noticing me.

„I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please.“ She pleads as she calls me over. I stand next to her and she puts Steve on speakerphone.

„Are you saying you'll arrest me?“ He questions and I feel a pesky pang of hurt in my chest.

„Not us, but someone will, if you interfere. That's how it works now. Leave it alone, Steve.“ I tell him and he lets out a deep sigh as he hears my voice through the phone.  

„Freya, if he's this far gone, I should be the one to bring him in.“ He speaks, this time directly to me, knowing of my past.

„Why?“ Nat asks and I shush her.

„I can help.“ I add.

„No. I'm the one least likely to die trying.“ He answers as he ends his call and I shut my eyes in frustration, unaware of his eyes lingering on me, checking if I was hurt, not far away from us.

„Shit.“ Nat spat out and I sat down, feeling a little dizzy.

„Get me a doctor and lets go.“ I tell her and she rushes to find someone to stitch me up. Steve wasn't the only one who cared about Bucky, but I seemed to be the only one thinking he was innocent. Why would they jump to conclusions based on one blurry photo?

After some stitches and a lot of convincing, the doctor allowed me to leave. A concussion, a bunch of cuts and bruises weren't going to stop me. I had a high tolerance for pain anyways, so I could deal with it. Once I was out of the hospital I called in every favor anyone ever owed me and I tried finding Bucky. To my surprise, I got a confirmation of his position within a few hours. He was in Bucharest today..I knew he was innocent, because how would he just pop out here and then back there at a time frame of only few hours.

I jumped on a helicopter and took off without Natasha. I needed to get to Bucky and warn him of the storm brewing. I had to help him hide, go deep underground.

I got to his place and to my shock I wasn't the only one there. I stumbled once I spotted him in the dark, my mind a little hazy from the concussion. Steve was just as surprised to see me here, dropping a book on the table.

„What are“ He started but I cut him off once I noticed Bucky standing behind him, staring at him.

„You're Steve. I read about you in a museum.“ He tells him and I look around noticing the small apartment we were in. There's a mattress with disheveled covers in a corner and various bits of cheap looking furniture. The kitchen and bedroom are in the same room. The book Steve dropped had tabs of varying colors sticking out from among the pages.

„They've set the perimeter.“ I hear Sam warn him over the radio and I look around finding possible exit routes.

„I know you're nervous. And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying.“ Steve tells him and I scoff.

„Not the time, Steve.“ I mutter.

„I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore.“ Bucky says looking at me.

„I believe you. I'm here to help.“ I say and I see him relax, just a little bit.

„They're entering the building.“ Sam warns again and I watch the window as a possible escape opening.

„Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive.“ Steve tells him and I roll my eyes.

„Really, Steve?“ I mumble and motion for them to get a move on. I wasn't ready for a head on fight with an army that was coming our way, my injuries stopping my usual forms of combat, but not all of them.

„That's smart. Good strategy.“ Bucky says and I roll my eyes again.

„Enough with the self-pity. We can do that once you're safe.“ I state, putting my hands on my waist.

„They're on the roof. I'm compromised.“ Sam shouts and I sigh. It was too late to go out peacefully now.

„This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck.“ Steve says calmly and I almost scream in frustration. It certainly didn't have to end in a fight, but his chatty nature got us in this mess. If it were up to me we'd already be five blocks away.

„It always ends in a fight.“ Bucky replies, looking at me, knowing I'd understand. I give him a reassuring nod and prepare for all hell to break loose.

„5 seconds.“ Sam lets us know.

„You pulled me from the river. Why?“ Steve keeps questioning and I punch his arm as he frowns at me.

„I don't know.“ Bucky responds.

„3 seconds!“ Sam shouts.

„Yes, you do.“ Steve says, certain of it.

„Breach! Breach! Breach!“ Sam confirms as a grenade crashes through the window. Bucky kicks it to Steve, and he smothers it with his shield. My eyes widen and I prepare to fight.

The cop slams the battering ram against the door. Bucky shields himself with the mattress against an attack from the window. He blocks the door with a table as cops swing in on cables. Steve pulls the rug from under a policeman, sending him flying. Bucky slams another policeman into the wall, while I join in on the action kicking an officer with my left leg, knocking him out in one move.

„This hurt me more than it hurt him.“ I tell Steve as he looks at me, his mouth open in shock. He smiles at my remark and turns to see Bucky slamming more officers into walls, hard.

„Buck, stop! You're gonna kill someone.“ He warns him, but Bucky ignores him. He slams Steve down and punches a hole in the floor.

„I'm not gonna kill anyone.“ He says and grabs a backpack from under the floorboards and throws it out of the window. Bucky and Steve get behind Steve's shield to avoid gunfire, while I use a table as protection. Bucky shoves Steve and he knocks a cop over. Bucky holds up his metal hand and repels bullets, then slams a cop into shelves, the man losing consciousness in moments. Bucky picks up a large cement brick and slams it into a cop and I gasp at his ability to knock everyone out so quickly. I wasn't judging, I was admiring.

Meanwhile, Steve fights a cop on the balcony. A cop shoots around the door outside and Bucky punches through the wall beside the door. On the other side, a cop descends through a sky-light on a zip wire. Bucky grabs the cop's gun and slams him into the wall. Bucky bashes a couple of cops with the battering ram as more of the police team hurry up the stairwell. Bucky jumps on the zip-line-guy and swings down a level and I follow his lead, leaving Steve behind.

I heard the cops alerting the others that Bucky broke out and I knew things were only going to get worse.

Steve grabs the radio crushing it in his hands and I give him a small smile. He returns it for a split second and jumps down a level, where we were fighting. For a moment, it felt as if nothing changed between us. Bucky tosses one of the cops over the railing and Steve catches him, stopping the cop from falling. He looks at Bucky wearily.

„Come on, man.“

„Always picking up after him, huh?“ I say using a gun I took from a cop to knock another one out.

Steve throws the cop up onto the landing. Bucky breaks a banister and swings down on it. Steve hurls a cop over his shoulders, while I ran after Bucky who lays into jet more cops and takes them all out in seconds. A cop aims at Bucky and Steve knocks the gun from his hands with his shield which sticks in the wall. Bucky leaps down the stairwell and catches onto a railing. Steve pulls his shield out of the wall. Bucky climbs up then runs along a corridor and leaps off a balcony. He tumbles onto the lower roof of the neighboring building where he finds his backpack. He picks it up and runs. I prepare to do the same, but I was aware the drop was too much for me as I was too weak to jump that distance. I grunt before I feel a familiar pair of arms wrap around me.

„Need some help?“ He whispers in my ear and I hold back a shiver that spread through my body.

I hear a fight on the roof and notice a muscular man clad entirely in black, almost like a Black Panther, slamming into Bucky from behind, knocking him down. He has a full face mask with pointed ears. He extends his fingers and sharp claws pop out and I look at him, worried he might actually hurt Bucky. I flicked Steve's ear to make him snap out of it and get us over there. The Black Panther attacks Bucky with sweeping kicks and slashes. Bucky fights back but is kicked into a wall and I notice how Black Panther swipes his claws and spins gracefully. The way he moved reminded me of someone, but I wasn't quite sure of who, yet. Bucky narrowly avoids being slashed, he holds up a metal bar to protect himself. Falcon swoops in from the sky and Steve runs, leaping from the balcony. I hold my breath, holding onto him tighter, hoping Sam could take us both. Just as he's about to drop us on the roof a chopper flies up firing a machine gun at the two fighting. Black Panther lunges at Bucky with his claws, but Bucky grabs his wrists. The ammo bounces off Black Panther's armored suit and I open my mouth in awe. That is so damn cool. I want one of those!

„Hey! You!“ I call out and the man turns swiftly in my direction.

„Yes! You!“ I shout out.

„Leave him alone!“ I tell him confidently and use my special skill-set in hopes of catching him off guard.

I focused and manipulated a nearby storm drain, pulling the water closer to me in moments. It was easy to freeze the water and fling it like a bomb at the stranger. Just before it hit him I made it explode and it fell in shards of ice around him, bouncing off his suit. I knew it wouldn't hurt him, but I had something else on my mind. Melting it again I created water in which he found himself in, looking at me confused at the sudden display of power. I used that momentary distraction to freeze the puddle and keep him grounded. I heard him clawing at it as I rushed after the boys who were already running.

„Better luck next time, kitty!“ I shouted before joining the guys, sending a wink to an angry Panther left on the roof.