The first week, T'Challa was doing okay, overall. He missed you immensely, but he was fortunate to have the business of running a country to keep his mind occupied from his despair. He strangely found that a border skirmish was enjoyable, and the fight used up much of the adrenaline that he had been holding in for far too long as he worried about you. It was nice to have an outlet, and T'Challa began to understand why Steve spent so many hours in the gym.

The second week wasn't quite so tolerable, and his mood began to portray a definite shift to bring his despondency to the outward forefront. Nakia and Shuri tried their best to cheer him up, going so far as to take him out for a night of carefree fun and relaxation, only to spend the entire time prodding him into action that barely made him crack a smile. Normally, the man could be appeased with humor, good wine and great food, but he was too far beyond that and the two ladies found it easier to just let him wallow in it.

By the third week, he could take it no longer; he abruptly left Wakanda and travelled back to New York and the Avengers compound. He knew that you weren't there, but that didn't matter because you weren't who he wanted to see, at least not yet. With his muddled mind, T'Challa had been so determined and so focused on getting there that he had forgotten to signal his arrival, only to leave him met with an angry crowd of his own teammates waiting in the hangar as he exited his jet.

"My apologies," he said quickly, before the door was even fully opened, "I didn't mean to approach without announcement. I simply forgot."

"That's not like you," Bucky said, stepping forward in kind. "What's going on?" Bucky's time in Wakanda had left the two men with an agreed upon understanding and a mutual respect, and to see the soldier there waiting for him left T'Challa feeling like this all might just work out.

"I need your advice, my friend," the King began. "I want to properly ask (Y/N) to marry me, but I find myself at a loss as to how to go about it."

"So, why are you asking me? I've never done this before."

"You are a close friend of hers, and may have more ideas beyond what I know of her. You know her in this side of her life more than I do."

"Steve would really be a better choice-"

"Steve would not be mine, however," T'Challa answered flatly, through clenched teeth and looking away for a brief moment to try to clear away his reaction.

"Uh oh," Bucky caught on, "trouble?"

"The Captain and (Y/N) are very close and I'm merely concerned that his point of view and beliefs on the matter might influence her decision."

Bucky couldn't hold back his laughter, giving his friend a firm slap on the arm once his humor was under better control. It took a good minute, but T'Challa was able to maintain his composure as he waited. "Okay, you've met (Y/N), right?"

"Obviously."

"Then you should know that she makes up her own mind no matter what anyone else says about it, including Steve. Those days of her folding under pressure are over, T'Challa, and a lot of that was because of you. I know that he was against the two of you at first, but look at where you are now."

"We are divided."

"That's only temporary, and it wasn't her choice. She's doing this because it's not about her anymore. Or you."

"Yes, I suppose that you are right."

"Of course I am," Bucky smiled widely, "and I'm also right to say that I'm a terrible choice for this stuff. We need to call in backup."

T'Challa allowed himself the briefest moment of optimism, despite Bucky turning him down as a means to help him put together the perfect proposal. If he didn't have a plan, at least he knew someone who would. "Who might you suggest?"

"An occasion like this could use a little magic, and I'm pretty sure that Wanda will be into it. It's been pretty slow around here, so she'd love a project. I'll give her a call."

~~~

At the mansion, it began to get a little boring after three weeks of nearly exclusive solitude. It wasn't so much that Steve was poor company, because if you had to be locked in with anyone, he was high on the list of those you wouldn't murder within the first week. It was just that you had made a sizable dent in Tony's movie collection already, and there wasn't much else that interested you there; Tony was insistent that you not leave, so it began to feel a little like a prison. You decided that it really was his own fault for what was about to happen next, so you didn't feel bad in the least.

"You know that we're going to get caught, right?"

"So?" you shrugged, waving him off.

"So, is this really worth the wrath of Tony Stark?" Steve asked cautiously. He didn't want to incite your wrath either, but he was exponentially more afraid of yours.

"Come on, you big baby, we only live once."

"Well, some of you do..."

"All you're doing is making a point for me, Steve," you smiled coyly, "if you get more than one life, we might as well see just how many you get."

~~~

After a long discussion with Wanda about even the smallest details that he hadn't thought of, T'Challa began to feel like he might really be able to do this. Bucky actually gave much better advice than he thought he had in calling in Wanda to help with plans; he had barely a vague idea of what he wanted to do for you, but she fine-tuned it all and turned it into something that he didn't think he could even envision on his own. His nerves were beginning to give way to anticipation and excitement now, and even the thought of Steve Rogers being there when he asked you was appealing. He couldn't wait to see the look on the man's face when you finally say yes.

One problem, however, was that he had no idea of where you were. You could be anywhere in the world, and there were only two people who knew your location or how to contact you. One of them was Steve, so he knew that getting him to bend would be almost impossible; the other man who held the answers he needed was stubborn as well, but he was more likely to give in with the right temptation.

T'Challa made his way to Tony's lab quickly, stopping just inside the doorway until the man looked up to greet him. "Tony, I need to ask a favor."

"You? Don't you have an endless amount of people and cash already? I bet this is gonna be good."

"I need you to call Steve and have him return (Y/N) to the compound."

"Ooooh, sorry pal," Tony refused, "that's one of the rare things that I can't do. Doctor's orders."

"Yes, but I have plans that will in no way be stress inducing. I hope for just the opposite if all goes well."

But Tony wouldn't be swayed; he had made a promise to both you and Steve, your doctor, T'Challa, and even the tiny little person that you were carrying around. He had made his share of mistakes in his lifetime, maybe enough for two or three lifetimes, and this wouldn't be one of them; the stakes were too high. "Sorry, still can't," he shrugged, "I promised her that I wouldn't say where she was, and I wouldn't bend if you tried to push. You know that I'm right."

"Yes," T'Challa growled quietly under his breath, "then can I at least speak to her? I can do it without mention of her location."

"I don't know, maybe," Tony began to concede. "Let me check in with Steve before we go any further with this. You're being nice now, but if I say no again I don't want to risk taking a claw to any sensitive areas. Here," he paused, holding out his hand, "give me the magic beads."

"Why?"

"I can't have you tracing my call."

"I wasn't-"

"Love makes us do stupid shit, so you can't be sure."

"Very well," T'Challa broke, removing his Kimoyo beads and gently setting them into Tony's hand. They didn't matter much to him right now anyway; if handing them over would get to his end result of speaking to you, then he nearly lost the care to demand them back. He watched Stark study them as he carried them away, turning to make his call with a little distance between the two men for good measure.

"FRIDAY, connect me to Rogers."

"Sorry boss," the A.I. replied almost meekly, "I...I can't do that...right now."

"Excuse me?" Tony scoffed. He turned to look back at T'Challa with an amused grin, but the look he received back was filled with nothing but worry.

"I was asked to maintain confidentiality for the next hour."

Now it was Tony's turn to change his expression, his smile dropping away immediately. It brought T'Challa hurrying forward to stand at his side, listening intently to every word. "Why? What's going on? Are they okay?"

"Captain Rogers and (Y/N) are quite safe, I guarantee," FRIDAY answered. "They are merely indisposed."

"FRIDAY, if they're doing anything that I should know, you will tell me. You can't deny a direct order."

There was a momentary pause before she replied again, "are you directly ordering me, boss?"

"I thought that was fairly intuitive..." Tony mumbled under his breath before sucking in a harsh rush of air and holding it unconsciously as he waited for the answer, his own anxiety beginning to surge alongside a man who exuded calm in any moment but this one. When he looked at T'Challa now, all that Tony could see was a man who would do anything to keep you safe, even if that meant the end of him. It was a look that he had seen only a very few times, and it pressed him into action.

"The Captain and (Y/N) have each commandeered one of your extra suits-"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"You must stop them," T'Challa joined in. "In her condition-"

"I am in full control of the suits," FRIDAY attempted to reassure, "and there are no imminent threats."

"Forgive me if I don't sound comforted."

Tony had begun to pace back and forth across his lab floor now, with multiple scenarios of doom and destruction filling his already congested mind. If either of you crashed one of the suits, it would protect you and it was likely that injuries would be almost none. But what he didn't know was what outcome it would have on a pregnant person, since he had never had to think about that option even once. Beyond that, and the blatant disregard for his suits, he had no idea what other types of trouble that the two of you had planned and he decided quickly that he wasn't willing to take any chances. "Alright, yeah," he sighed heavily, "maybe you're right. It might be time to bring them home."

"Because they've betrayed your trust?"

"No, because those suits are damned expensive, and Rogers has a history of crashing flying objects."

"Very well," T'Challa agreed, "I will accept any reasoning that you see fit, so long as she returns. I can set my plan into motion, if you don't mind that I need Wanda exclusively for the remainder of the day."

"Hey, she's a big girl. If she wants to help you, she's all yours." Tony gave the King a quick wave to end the conversation, but suddenly realized that he had no idea what he was even agreeing to. "What are you guys up to, anyway?"

"If all goes well, and if you could assist in keeping Steve from interfering, I hope to be engaged by the end of the day, so that I can finally bring my family home."