Guardian Angel | Steve Rogers

28

Arden kept visitation in her room to a bare minimum after she woke up. She wanted to get physical therapy and healing started right away. Being so independent her entire life and doing things her own, she didn't want anyone to see her struggling or hurting. The only people she let in the room were the Wakandans, Bruce and sometimes Tony for brutal moral support and sometimes entertainment.

"You know lover boy has been bugging me about coming to see you." Tony popped a pistachio in his mouth.

"One more." Shuri directed, and she raised her leg one more time, straining and shaking the entire room with her powers.

"I said no visitors." She groans, taking a deep breath so her powers don't take over her emotions.

"That's what I said." Tony added. "You okay there?"

She plops back in the bed, as Shuri checks her vitals, leaving them alone.

"Yeah, I just don't want anyone to see me like this." Arden reminded him.

"I'm just surprised you're letting me see you all weak." He pointed all over my body, and she threw the tv remote at him.

"You're like my best friend, you don't count. Plus, you bring me the good snacks." She sits up. She was more than excited to leave tomorrow, everyone insisting she stay at the compound, but being locked away and babied by everyone sounded like more hell than being burnt to a crisp. Instead, she took Pepper's offer to stay at their house, and being around Morgan didn't sound too bad.

"I think you should talk to him." Tony suggested.

"Yeah, I should probably talk to my brother too but here I am." She disses him, but it just welcomes him to sit right next to her.

"I invited him over to the house tomorrow."

"My brother?" Arden asks.

"Steve." He corrected.

"Of course you did."

The next day, she got settled into her old room before Morgan came running in, attacking her leg with a hug. Arden winced, shattering the lightbulb in the room with her powers from the pain, scaring Morgan. Pepper and Tony staring at the glass on the ground then up at Arden.

"Sorry." She whispered to them, Tony immediately went to go grab the broom.

"Up here, munchkin." Arden patted the bed for Morgan to jump on. Her small legs swinging as they were too short to reach the ground. Arden bent down to be more at her level, looking at her cute little face and booped the tip of her nose.

"You kept your promise." Morgan smiled.

"I always keep my promises." Arden smiled back.

"Mommy and daddy said you got sick, so that's why I couldn't see you for a long time." Morgan's smiled faded away. Arden grabbed her little hands, and nodded.

"I was, but I'm getting better. Are you going to help me get better?" Morgan nodded, perking up again.

"Just because you played nurse for me, doesn't mean I'm going to do it for you." Tony commented, finishing cleaning up the broken light bulb. Pepper nudged him and rolled her eyes.

There was a knock on the front door, Arden using the bed to raise herself back up and looked at Pepper and Tony with wide eyes.

"It'll be fine." Pepper reassured her, helping her walk down the stairs. Arden opened the door, Steve turned around with his hands in his pockets, giving her a small smile.

"Hey." He greeted her.

"Hi, soldier." She greeted back.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked, and she hesitantly nodded. Taking a step out onto the porch, leading them both to the seats in the corner of the patio like the last time Steve came out to try to convince them about time traveling. She winced as she lowered herself onto the seat, Steve was quick to try to help her.