Imagine If You Assembled The Avengers: Volume 2

Daughter of Odin (Thor/Barnes x reader)

"You will join me for the journey, will you not? I have yet to ever leave Asgard and you speak of Midgard as if it were a second home to you."

"Yes, of course," Thor reassured you. "I never once considered that you would travel alone, sister. Particularly in this time when your life is in danger. That would be careless and father wouldn't hear of it."

"I can handle myself, Thor. I just prefer to not be lost from the moment of my arrival." In preparation to leave your home, you slung your pack over your shoulders and strapped your ornate sword to your side. "I'll just bid farewell to father and we can be on our way."

"He's not here, (Y/N). He is searching for those who are trying to capture you and could not be delayed." Thor took a few steps forward and gently took your hand, "you will see him soon enough, once the conspirators on your life have been captured. He felt that his presence here would only draw more attention to your departure into hiding."

You took a sorrowful look at your home for one final time, unsure if you would ever see it again, or if Midgard would become your new home if your father couldn't find the hunters who wanted the trophy of your killing as Odin's beloved daughter. "And these people, these Avengers, they're trustworthy?"

"Very much so, yes."

"Well then, brother," you sighed, "what are we waiting for?"

~~~

"Do you think she's ripped?"

"Thor's sister?" Steve laughed. "Is that really a question?"

"What? Maybe she's a homebody," Sam laughed. "She's a princess, right? I'm sorry but 'warrior' and 'princess' are polar opposites in my mind."

"Either way, I'd put down every cent I have on her being able to kick your ass, Wilson." Bucky entered the lounge and took his place on the couch next to Steve as the team waited for your arrival with Thor. It had only been two days since he had come to them, practically begging them to take you in and act as your protector, despite your ability to protect yourself perhaps better than they could. The truth was, you needed to adapt and blend in to their lives and customs until the threat was gone, and who better to keep you from harm in that time than the Avengers?

The remaining members of the team joined the group next, taking their positions as the time came that was planned for you to appear. As everyone arrived it was as if a signal had been sent and a flash of lightening filled the room; as it cleared, they saw Thor at your side and holding your hand tightly.

"Are we late?"

"Right on time," Steve smiled, rising to take his teammates hand in a firm shake, though his gaze was clearly on you. He released Thor's hand quickly and shifted his attention to take yours, "hello, I'm Steve. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You as well, Captain. I'm (Y/N)."

He nodded briefly and turned away, releasing you to point out each of his teammates to you one by one, when he finally came to the one that had immediately caught your attention. "...and this is Bucky Barnes."

"Your highness," he jutted forward, taking your hand and bringing it to his lips with a small bow. "The pleasure is all mine." Bucky straightened and locked his gaze with yours and a gentle smile began to curl at the corners of his mouth, though he fought it away to maintain his formality. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you a goddess of?"

"Buck..."

"What? Thor's a god of thunder, right? I just assumed that she'd be-"

"Healing."

"Well that should come in real handy," Sam nodded with a wide grin. "I can't remember the last time we went more than three days without someone getting beat up around here."

"(Y/N) is here only until the imminent threat has passed and our father can call for her safe return." Thor's focus shifted for a brief moment to Bucky, who had yet to step back or take his eyes off you. "The focus on Asgard is for a swift resolution, and that her stay here does not have inconvenience for anyone."

"How long do we think that might be?" Bucky asked quietly.

Thor stepped forward and positioned himself in front of you and blocked from Bucky's sight, taking a protective stance that challenged his teammate to push him further. "Why is that of concern?" he snapped. "There is no reason for her to remain once our home is safe. Do you have any quarrel with this?"

Bucky took a step back, bumping awkwardly into Steve, not realizing that his friend had positioned himself behind him when Thor's stance became defensive. With a quick shake of his head, Bucky waved the fumble off and retreated towards the elevator bays without so much as another word; he appeared to be flustered and completely out of character.

"That was incredibly rude, brother. I believe that you owe him an apology."

"I owe him nothing, (Y/N)," Thor shrugged, spinning Mjolnir anxiously in his hand and turning back to you. "He will know that his interest is neither reciprocated nor tolerated."

"That's wonderful," you smiled curtly, your voice laden with sarcasm, "I'm so relieved to hear of your disinterest. It leaves me free to pursue mine." You stepped past him and towards the elevators that Bucky had used, leaving the group staring at your brother with quiet chuckles and smirks across their faces.

"Call it a hunch, but I'm gonna guess that she's the favorite?" Tony laughed, standing to take his leave of the group now that you had arrived safely.

"Why would you assume that?"

"Because I've never seen you give up so easily. That means either you're scared of her," Tony paused when Thor scoffed in return, "or, you're afraid that she'd run to daddy and tattle on big brother Thor for being such a meanie to her new boyfriend."

~~~

"Mr. Barnes?" you asked gently with a timid knock on his door. When there was no reply you turned and looked down each end of the hall to be certain of your location. "Excuse me, artificial...intelligence...person?"

"My name is FRIDAY."

You jumped at the voice that echoed around you much more authoritatively than you had anticipated, "yes, FRIDAY, um...could you please verify that this is the quarters belonging to Mr. Barnes?"

"I have already advised you of his location."

"And I want to be certain that I'm at the correct door..."

"Does the number on the door correlate to the number that I provided for you?"

"I believe so."

"Are you illiterate?"

You opened your mouth to answer, now fully enraged at the attitude you were receiving, when the door flung open and Bucky appeared with shocked embarrassment in his expression. "FRIDAY, thank you, I can finish here."

"Would you look at that," the A.I. replied, "it's Mr. Barnes right where I said he would be."

"What is that thing's issue?" you snapped. "It's remarkably rude."

"Yeah," he sighed, pulling you into the room and closing the door quickly behind him, "Clint and I have kinda been messing around with FRIDAY's programming to get back at Tony for something. But now we don't know how to change it back."

"Congratulations on your worthy achievement."

"Right," he smiled, his mannerisms fumbling and clearly showing his discomfort at you being in his room. He looked around nervously but he didn't know why other than to avoid looking at you again as he had done so obviously before. "So, what can I do for you, (Y/N)?"

"I am here to apologize for my brother and his ineptitude at appropriate behavior."

"That's just Thor," Bucky shrugged.

"Then that is not acceptable. I must have a discussion with him about this, excuse me." You turned to open the door but a metal hand thrust out in front of you and held it closed, connecting to it with a resonating slap. Your first instinct was to attack at the feeling of being cornered, but you regained your senses before your hand connected with his.

"Hey, listen, there's no need to talk to him, it's fine really." He pulled his hand down quickly as you turned to face him. "But I have an idea if you want to teach him a lesson." His eyes held a sparkle of mischief that was alluring to you, and his growing smile was intoxicating to you, clouding your judgment.

"You're quite the troublemaker, aren't you, Mr. Barnes?"

"Bucky."

"Bucky," you nodded. "What did you have in mind, may I ask?"

"(Y/N), I think you might actually enjoy this. Have you ever had a Pop Tart?"

Part 2

There was a strange noise coming from the common room; a mixture of crinkling foil, muffled laughter and pained groans. It could be heard from Steve's office on the far side of the floor and it was beginning to distract him from his work. If it weren't for his super soldier hearing, he might have missed it, but then he wouldn't one day be able to say that he had been there at the very start of something so unlikely.

"I feel ill, Bucky," you whined, lying on your back and sprawled out across the couch, holding your stomach. "I believe we may have gone too far."

"I need a blueberry one," Bucky replied, sitting up with a hint of green crossing his features, letting out a small belch and holding his stomach at the nausea that hit him when he changed positions. "Or maybe not."

"You consumed the final blueberry tart an hour ago, do you not recall that?"

"I definitely do now."

"Lie back," you sat up and pushed against him, making him flop back harshly against the cushions. "If you choose to vomit, I should not care to have you looking in my direction."

"Ugh, why did you let me eat all of those?"

Steve made his way forward to stand over the two of you, his arms crossed authoritatively but a smile of amusement curling at his lips. His foot mindlessly kicked at a few foil wrappers that had fallen to the floor, and he grabbed an empty box that sat on the table in front of you to inspect it as he spoke. "Did the two of you seriously eat every last Pop Tart? We had like...fifteen boxes."

"They were delicious until box number eleven," you mumbled, lying back down. "Then it became a matter of competition to continue."

"And who won?"

"No one," Bucky grumbled, "no one won today, my friend."

~~~

A short time later when your stomach had recovered and you began to feel like the poorly made decision to raid Thor's Pop Tart stash had passed, Bucky brought you to meet with Bruce, who had asked if he could see your healing powers up close. "You know, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. He's a doc and super smart and 'sciencey', so he gets really curious about this stuff."

"I don't mind at all. If I'm going to be living here for a time, then I want everyone to be comfortable with my presence."

"I can't see how you would ever make anyone uncomfortable, (Y/N)," Bucky replied quietly, still leading you towards the lab, though his body language read as almost shy or uncertain of being so close to you.

"Then why do you appear to be the one who is uncomfortable now?"

"Do I?" he gasped, stopping in his tracks and looking down at himself and his postures as you watched him intently. "I'm not! I don't feel that way around you at all! I feel a lot of things around you but that's not..." he stopped, his eyes widening at his sudden admission, "I mean...I feel really...it's just that what I feel isn't..."

"Bucky," you replied quietly, reaching a hand up to slowly and gently wipe your thumb just below his lower lip, "you have some...um, chocolate, I believe...on your lip..." He watched you with a hitched breath and shuddered slightly at your touch, letting out a soft moan when you licked it away from your finger. "There. Better."

"Much better," he whispered, his tone deepening as he stared into your eyes and took a step closer to you. "(Y/N)," he began again, "I feel like you and I-"

"Hey guys," Bruce greeted, pushing the lab doors open with a wide grin that quickly faded when he realized that he had interrupted something that felt immensely private. "Oh, I'm sorry! I'll come back." He waved his hands politely to dismiss himself, but you took a step away from Bucky and towards the doors with your hand extended for him to take.

"Dr. Banner, I'm pleased to finally meet you directly. I've heard a great deal about you already."

"All good, I hope?" he asked coyly with a hint of red in his embarrassed expression. He glanced over your shoulder at Bucky, feeling a little remorseful at the look of disappointment on his face after he had interrupted the two of you. He would have to remember to apologize after this was done.

"If it weren't, I wouldn't tell you," you smiled, immediately feeling the shift in his mood and his relaxation with you now. "Tell, me, doctor-"

"Bruce, please."

You nodded slightly and glanced back to Bucky, noting his eyes were still avoiding you, "Bruce, tell me, what do you wish of me?"

"Well, I've never seen anyone with healing powers in person and honestly, I'm just really excited to watch it in action, if you don't mind, of course."

"Not at all. Bucky, won't you join us?" You reached back and grabbed his hand, pulling him forcefully but almost reluctantly through the doors, leading him to a chair next to Tony, who was also more than anxious to watch.

"What's up, tin man?"

Bucky only nodded and didn't reply, watching you interact with Bruce, smiling occasionally to himself when the sound of your voice echoed with small laughter at whatever the doctor was saying. He brought an arm up to lean his elbow on the table, holding his head in his hand as he continued to watch.

"You look like a hopeless lovesick puppy," Tony whispered. "She's gonna notice, so you might want to subtle it down a little."

"Mmm hmm," Bucky murmured in reply, with no change at all.

"We need something to cause a small injury so that you can repair it," Bruce announced a little louder, aimed at the two observers. Bucky stood rapidly and moved to your side, pushing your shirt slightly away to take your weapon in hand. Before you could stop him, he removed it from its sheath and ran the blade sharply down the center of his hand without so much as a wince of pain. Wiping the blade clean on his jeans, he set it on the table behind him and held his hand towards you.

"There you go."

"Are you insane?" you snapped, grabbing his hand and resting yours over it, blood now pooling in his palm and dripping to the ground between your fingers. "Why would you do that?"

"Better move fast, darlin'. I'm getting a little woozy."

"I should let you lose consciousness on pure principle," you groaned, closing your eyes in concentration. "Look closely, doctor, for I will only do this once so that our Mr. Barnes doesn't do something even more idiotic." Bruce leaned in and watched intently, his face near your clasped hands as to not miss a single second. A warm glow emanated from you, only making Bucky's stare equally intense; you felt his gaze but couldn't lose your focus until the process was complete.

"You're perfect," he whispered. Bruce's eyes darted up to him for a split second before returning to your hands. You heard Tony making a strange noise from behind the group, but that would have to wait. Once the glow began to dissipate, you released Bucky's hand and opened your eyes to finally look back at him, though you had no words to offer at the desire in his.

"That was incredible," Bruce gasped, grabbing Bucky's hand and turning it over to inspect your work. "I could watch the tissues regenerating right in front of me. Remarkable."

"How did you do that?" you whispered to Bucky, stepping closer. "How did you wield my blade?"

"I picked it up?"

"Why can't I lift this damn thing?" Tony growled, still working on lifting your weapon from the table. "Is it like Thor's hammer? No one is special enough to lift the damn thing? We're not worthy, right? Physics be dammed?"

"It is similar, yes," you replied, your eyes still locked on Bucky's. "But a woman's weapon holds different energies and meanings. It is not a matter of worthiness."

"Then what is it, princess? It can't be that I'm not handsome enough, because have you seen this face?"

Bucky's brow furrowed as he waited for your answer, growing concerned as to what you might say, now fearful of why he was able to wield it but Tony wasn't. He wasn't worried about what it meant for him so much as what it might mean for you, and if it were to be something unpleasant or troublesome, he would punish himself for interfering more than anything you could do to him.

"No, Mr. Stark. As handsome as you think you may be, that's not it."

"As I think I may be?" Tony scoffed. "Okaaay. So what is it then?"

"My weapon can be wielded by only one other than myself," you paused, taking a deep breath. "The one who is my soul mate."

Tony snickered quietly, finally taking his hands from your weapon and moving to close the gap between himself and Bruce, leaning close to his friend to whisper. "This is just so beautiful. Thor's gonna be pissed."

Part 3

"I have to go," Bucky coughed out, turning quickly and bolting from the room before you could utter a sound to stop him. He didn't even so much as offer a glance back, and he was gone.

The three of you stood quietly, looking at each other in confusion at the sudden change in Bucky's attitude and apparent desperation to get away from you. You resolved yourself to avoid their eyes and squared your shoulders, quickly taking the few steps between yourself and the work station, gingerly grabbing your weapon and sliding it back into its sheath at you side. "If you will excuse me," you said quietly, not looking back to the others and taking your leave, though you weren't sure of where you were going first; to search for Bucky or to have the inevitable conversation with Thor.

"Yah, this probably won't end well," Bruce sighed. "That's a long distance relationship if I've ever seen one."

Tony rubbed his hand over his cheek, slowly making his way back to his station as he thought aloud. "So if he's her soul mate, I wonder if that means she would have to stay here, or he would have to go to Asgard? How strict do you think they get on this stuff?"

"They can't be the first pair from different realms. But she's a princess and he's..." Bruce stopped, a small smile crossing his lips. "well...he's Steve's."

~~~

You stood outside of your brother's quarters for a long time before willing your hand to reach up and knock on the door. It had been so long now and you were so lost in your thoughts that days could have passed and you wouldn't have been any wiser to it. The conversation was inevitable, and no matter how Bucky felt towards you or what was going to happen, or perhaps not happen, Thor needed to know. With a shaky breath you pulled your hand back to knock, but his voice carried through the heavy door before you could connect.

"Will you be loitering all evening, (Y/N), or will you be entering at any time in the near future?"

Sighing with annoyance at his ever-present sarcastic wit, even though it easily matched your own, you pushed the door open and entered his room, closing it quickly behind you and pressing your back against it.

"Are you afraid?"

"I'm never afraid of you, brother."

"Then why do you hesitate? Come, sit with me." He tapped his hand gently on the ornate, carved wooden seat next to him, waiting patiently with a soothing smile across his face that quickly relaxed you enough to take his offer. He closed the book he was reading and set it on the small table next to him, turning back to look at you as you settled in.

"What are you reading?"

"21st Century Fashion for the Well-Dressed Man. Natasha has coerced me into attending a party when Barton denied her request, and I am uncertain of what my attire should be. I am fearful of her wrath if I were to decline as well."

You stood briefly and grabbed the book, flipping mindlessly through the pages, seeing them but not truly paying any attention to the written words or images. You were stalling, and he quickly picked up on it.

"What did you do, sister?"

"Nothing!" you gasped, slamming the book shut with your best attempt at looking shocked. "Why do you always think that I've done something wrong? I'm not Loki."

"But he has taught you well."

"Hmmm, it is true that I am his star pupil," you conceded with a mischievous smirk, "but in this instance, I have truly done nothing. Technically." You opened the book again and acted as if you were deep in thought now and reading intently, doing your best to block out the glare that he was giving you. Suddenly, the book slammed closed within your hands and was tossed away across the room with a resounding hit against the far wall. You squeezed your eyes shut but could only avoid him for so long, wincing at the force of Thor's grip on your arms as he pulled you to stand before him.

"You will be forthcoming with what has happened, (Y/N). If you will not, I will take you before father."

"Yes, I'll be forthcoming," you snickered, pulling from his hold, "calm yourself." Sitting back into the chair, you watched and waited until he finally relaxed his posture and sat as well. "I was in the lab with Dr. Banner, demonstrating my powers to heal, when he asked for a volunteer to create a viable injury. Bucky stepped forward and cut his hand." You stopped and looked at your own hands, remembering the sight of his blood pooling and running out between your fingers, almost able to feel the warm liquid within them now.

"Go on."

"He cut his hand..." you sighed, waiting to drop the bomb that was certain to explode with a fantastic result. "He cut his hand using my blade."

Thor immediately stood and made his way to the door without another word with a fire building in his eyes and a deep redness growing in his face. You hesitated for just a moment, deciding if there would be benefit to following him, or if your presence would be seen as merely interference and worsen the outcome. When you heard the guttural growl from his chest as he cleared the doorway, you knew you had to follow if for nothing else than to ensure that there wouldn't be a murder on his hands.

~~~

"I can't be her soul mate, Steve," Bucky said as he paced back and forth across his room, his words tumbling out almost faster than Steve could track. "I like her so much, I really do. But to call me her soul mate has completely freaked me out, ya know? I could see myself with her, and only her, seriously. She could be the one. But my soul is broken, Steve. It's not worthy of her like that. Her soul is this bright and beautiful place, and mine is just...dark and...ugh, it's just broken," he groaned, dropping to sit on the edge of his bed next to his friend with his head heavily in his hands.

"That's what all of this is about? You think you're not worthy?" Steve smiled and slapped his hand on Bucky's shoulder, giving him the best supportive smile that he could muster. "Pal, if that were true, don't you think that you wouldn't be able to lift that thing at all? Do you really think it would let you?"

"Yeah, I suppose you have a point-"

The door flew open with a bang against the wall behind it under the force of Thor's hit, shattering it upon impact. The jolt drove Steve and Bucky to their feet with their hands raised defensively at the splintering wood flying towards them, swatting it away before it connected.

"Jesus, Thor, what the hell is going on?" Steve demanded, stepping between the god and his friend, noticing that his stare was directed at Bucky alone. "You broke my door."

"I apologize, and will make reparation, but I must have words with Mr. Barnes immediately."

"You're not making me feel like that's the best idea."

"Brother, stop," you commanded, pushing yourself between him and Steve. "You know full well that this is not a choice that Bucky has made on his own accord. A soul mate is not consciously chosen."

"Do you believe that I care?" Thor scoffed. "You are royalty, of another realm. This cannot and will not come to fruition, (Y/N). We haven't even broached the topic of worthiness."

"There it is," Bucky groaned, and threw his hands up in the air, still holding his place behind Steve. "Called it."

You turned away from Thor and pushed Steve roughly to the side so that you could face Bucky unobstructed, "what did you just say?"

"I'm definitely not worthy, (Y/N). Thor's right. You don't even know the half of what this soul has seen and how busted up it is. There's no way that I can be a soul mate to you. You're just too...you're just too beautiful, and pure, and...perfect."

"Bucky, I'm nowhere near perfect. You've spoken that word twice now, and neither have been true. In the short time that I've been amongst this group, you are the one-" you were stopped, shocked by a loud explosion that rocked the tower. You opened your mouth to speak again, but were halted again by another blast. Thor grabbed your arm and pulled you to the window, the two of you anxiously studying the horizon and the large army of Dark Elven warriors entering your vision.

"Well, brother, despite our best efforts, it would appear that they've found me."

Part 4

Steve quickly sounded the alarm through the tower and ran to find his gear, with Bucky following him close behind. "Stay here!" the Captain yelled to you, with Thor nodding in agreement that you should stay back and away from the battle that was happening because of you. It was a ridiculous idea for him to believe that you would follow his order.

"This must be a joke," you replied, following the group into the hallway. "I will not stand by and just watch a battle that is mine to be fought."

"You're not going to fight," Bucky chuckled, thought there was no humor in its sound. "We'll take care of this. You need to stay here where you're safe."

"They are correct, (Y/N), you are to remain inside the tower until we can stop the threat."

"Father isn't here, Thor. You have no authority over me." You pushed your way past the the three men to go and greet the army that was growing nearer by the second. "Captain, this is not your battle, but I would appreciate the assistance of you and your team. You are free to decline."

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen," Bucky mumbled angrily under his breath. "Thor, can't you stop her? She's gonna get herself killed."

"My sister is correct; I have no authority over her in Midgard. But you are incorrect, however. (Y/N) is a fierce warrior, and if she is to be killed in this fight, it will be with honor and in no way by her own doing."

~~~

When the team gathered outside, panic had already set in around the city with people running in all directions away from the tower, knowing that the approaching army would attack there first. "We need to keep the fight right here," Steve announced. "No matter what we have to do to keep it that way, they can't be let loose on the city, understood?"

"Does anyone else feel like we've done this before?" Natasha deadpanned, watching the sky darken over the building from the oncoming enemy. "This 'outer-space army' thing seems a little familiar."

"It is soon to become more so," Thor answered, pointing to the sky above the tower at the troops beginning to descend, but one particular fighter caught your eye.

"Loki?"

"Great. That's just great," Tony huffed, closing the mask of his suit and taking flight to meet the elves head-on. "This day just gets better and better."

"This time we should find him to be much more agreeable to our side. Or so I am to believe," Thor nodded towards Loki, "he has done what he does best. Tricked his way into their ranks to come to your aid, (Y/N)."

Loki broke away from the group and landed at your side, jumping quickly jumping to embrace you as the rest of the team looked on in confusion and certainty to keep their distance until they could be sure of his allegiance. "(Y/N), oh how I have missed you!"

"It's about time that my favorite brother should arrive!"

"Oh, shit," Clint mumbled under his breath with a smirk to Steve. "That's not gonna go over so well."

"Favorite brother? Then what does that make me, darling sister, who seems to be ignoring that I am the only brother tied to her by blood?"

You smiled and gently tapped his cheek, turning back to Loki to run into the battle that had just begun, "my second favorite, of course!"

Thor looked satisfied with your answer for only a split second as he gave chase, stopping for a beat to look back at the team before running to catch up to you again, "wait, you have only two!"

~~~

During the fight that felt as if it would never end and as more and more dark elves descended on you, you had yet to see Bucky in action; it felt as if he were working hard to avoid you at all costs. With both Thor and Loki at your side, you wouldn't have needed his assistance, but it did hurt to feel like he wasn't concerned for your well-being at all, when it was all you could do to stop worrying about him.

"(Y/N), remain here," Thor broke into your thoughts, "Loki and I are going after the leader. Steve will stay with you."

"I can take care of myself," you grunted, spearing an assailant clean through. "I do not need the Captain to babysit."

Steve jogged up to your side and watched you pull your dagger from the now lifeless body in awe with a quick shake of his head, "believe me, (Y/N), I'm not doubting you one bit. It just makes them feel better to have me here. And...I promised Buck that I would watch out for you."

The surprise of what he had said drew you away from focus on the battle, grabbing his arm to spin him to face you, "he asked you to do that? Why? I have yet to see him fight at my side, but he is concerned for me?"

"Of course he is..." he paused, slinging his shield to eliminate two more elves, "he cares about you, (Y/N). He just isn't the best at telling you that." His attention was drawn away at a large ship approaching on the horizon, this one much larger than any of those that had arrived thus far. He spun to look at the surroundings and found that none of his team were in sight, quickly turning to you before running to the far side of the tower. "Stay here, I have to find Stark."

"Why does everyone believe that I need to be watched?" you mumbled to yourself, clearing out several more elves on your own before one of them snuck up on you from behind and pushed you to the ground with a hard thud that bounced your head against the solid concrete. "That was uncalled for," you chided, using all of your strength to roll onto your back to push his knife away from your throat. "It amuses me that you could think-"

Your words were cut short by your own knife piercing through the enemy, but it had not been done by your own hand. You rolled the elf away and saw Bucky standing over you, his hand extended to pull you up. "You're welcome," he smiled.

"Thank you," you breathed heavily, feeling suddenly vulnerable at the close proximity of your bodies. "Are you still questioning your worthiness? You've wielded it twice. It is of no accident."

"I'm warming up to it," he agreed, pulling you even closer and finally pressing his lips to yours after you had waited for so long. The kiss was short-lived when your body tensed and a searing pain coursed through you. You broke away to look down at the end of a blade piercing through your chest.

"That's unfortunate," you groaned, looking at him and studying his features in case it would be your last time seeing him. His expression quickly changed to one of panic as he realized what was happening. It didn't take long to begin to feel weak, and your body collapsed into his arms. "Bucky..."

"No no no no, (Y/N), come on!"

He laid you down on the sidewalk and filled with rage, quickly and fiercely destroying the one who had stabbed you, and calling out for anyone who could help him to keep you alive. When he saw Thor in the distance running in your direction, he knelt at your side and took your head in his hands. "(Y/N), you're a healer, right? Heal it. Please."

"It doesn't...work that way...I'm sorry..."

"Step aside," Loki commanded anxiously, lifting you into his arms as you cried out in pain. "Hold on to me, sister. You are not allowed to die, do you understand? We're taking you home." You could see Bucky wince at the sound of the agony you were in, and his eyes were now the saddest you had ever witnessed. Thor linked an arm through Loki's and raised Mjolnir, taking the three of you into the sky and immediately out of sight.

"Okay, sure," Tony snapped from the sky above, "you guys go, we'll just clean this up..."

Bucky struggled to hold himself up once you were gone, feeling every ounce of energy abandoning him at the thought that you might die and that it was his fault. "I distracted her," he whispered, "we weren't looking."

"Hey, don't do that to yourself," Steve tried to reassure him, lowering himself down to kneel at his side. "They'll take care of her, okay? But I still need you here. The fight's not over."

Bucky looked to his side at the elf that he had first saved you from, seeing your knife still imbedded in its chest. He stood with a renewed purpose and an anger that Steve had yet to ever see as either himself or as the soldier, ripping the knife away with a snarl. "It's over, Steve. I'll make damn sure of that."

Part 5

"Loki?"

"You're awake," he sighed with relief, dropping his book carelessly on the floor at his feet and hurrying to your side. He took your hand in his and held it to his cheek, closing his eyes with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that you had survived. "You are not allowed to frighten me so terribly again, do you understand?"

"I'm sorry," you whispered in a gravelly voice, "it wasn't by choice, I assure you." You looked down at yourself, covered in silken blankets and surrounded by fellow healers who continued to monitor your progress. A large bandage covered your chest where the dagger had pierced through, though you weren't feeling any pain. Until you moved. "I have to return to Midgard," you hissed urgently through clenched teeth and in a sharp wave of pain as you tried to push yourself up, though Loki was quick to push you back down.

"You must do no such thing," he scolded. "There is no reason for you to return there. There is no reason to be anywhere other than here, sister, with Thor and I ready to protect you as we should have done from the start."

"You and Thor?" you scoffed. "Together? You realize that involves cooperation, do you not? How long do you believe that it would last with you two?"

He smirked and his eyes brightened at your chiding, welcoming the shift from worry to the joy of your cynical side that he always treasured, as it was much like his. "If it involves keeping you safe, (Y/N), we will find a way." He pressed a soft kiss to the back of your hand and returned it to your side, his face slowly shifting to a serious expression as he returned to his chair next to you and tried to focus again on his reading. He wasn't pleased with the stand he was about to take; he was never happy to deny you anything, and this would be the worst of them all.

"You are forbidden from ever returning to Midgard, (Y/N)."

~~~

With the battle over, now that the dark elves had no reason to return, the team gathered in the conference room to discuss what had happened, and more importantly, what they would do next. One of their own was struggling and they had no idea where to begin.

"Do we have any way to contact Thor?" Steve asked, looking hopefully around the table at his teammates. "At least to find out if she survived?"

"I don't think his cell reception is good enough to reach Asgard, and we have just under 5,000 years before the next convergence, so that's out," Bruce replied quietly, sitting across from Bucky with his chin resting in his hand, watching him intently for any sign of a reaction that might need to be controlled. No one was really afraid that Bucky would go into Soldier mode with his anger, but given how close he was to this situation, there was cause to be prepared. His slaughter of the remaining elves was impressive, but no one was eager to see it again.

"What about Jane Foster?" Tony offered.

"Called her," Bruce replied with a sorrowful shake of his head. "She has no way either."

"That's such a weird relationship. She can't even get ahold of her own boyfriend," Clint chuckled. "But Thor has it made, right? No late night calls asking where he is, texts at all hours of the day to check-in, he can come and go around the realms as he pleases. Man, a long-distance relationship with an Asgardian seems like the way to go!"

Bucky had been mindlessly staring at your knife until now, the tip of the blade spinning on the table top under his finger. His gaze snapped up at Clint and he lost his concentration, the dagger toppling and crashing down under its weight. "Does it?" he asked quietly. "Does it sound like the way to go? Having no way to know if the other person is safe? Having someone you care about so far away and no way to contact them? Missing them and wanting just a minute to talk to them to hear their voice again? Does that sound like the way to go, Barton?"

Clint sheepishly looked around the table and cast his gaze to the floor, any sign of confidence now washed away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Can we call Fury? Do we know if he has a way to reach Thor?" Steve asked purposefully to draw Bucky's attention away from Clint, but his efforts were pointless.

"I can't just sit here like this! I need..." Bucky growled, "I need to get out of here." He took your knife in his hand and turned it over, studying the ornate curves of the carvings and gems set into the handle. With a deep breath, he turned the blade down and pushed it into the table top with his metal hand, the wood splintering around it. "No one touches that," he scolded, glaring at them pointedly before turning to leave, each of them wide-eyed at the outburst.

Clint was the first to lean over and grab the handle, grunting as he tried to shift it but failing at moving it even a millimeter. He finally gave up and shook his head, leaning back in his chair with annoyance and frustration, but with a hint of wonderment dancing in his eyes. "I still don't get it."

~~~

When night fell and when Thor had finally fallen asleep at your bedside, you decided that now was your chance to take action. Between the two brothers, you were always under their watch and had no freedom to move any further than your room. It still caused pain to move, but it was no worry to you in the chance that you might make your plan work; getting into your clothing was a bit more challenging, but in your determination you got it done.

It felt strange to have to sneak around in your own home, and to worry that your own friends and family would try to stop you if they knew what you were doing. It wasn't a role you had taken before, that of a conspirator against your brothers, and you weren't sure how Loki found it to be so intriguing. Despite the stress and apprehension that you were now feeling, you continued on, making your way to the one person who could help you, and the one least likely to do so.

"Heimdall?" you whispered, looking around the chamber. "Heimdall, are you here?"

"Where else would I be?" came the quiet reply. "I knew you would come looking for me, of course."

"Of course," you sighed. "Did you tell anyone?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He stepped out from the shadow of darkness in the room to stand in front of you, taking your hands in his. "Because I do not wish to be the one to deny you something so important. If this human is your soul mate, I cannot stand in the way of what has been foreseen." He looked down at you with a sorrow in his golden eyes and leaned forward to kiss your forehead gently before turning towards the gate. "We must hurry. Thor is awake."

"I am sorry that it wasn't meant to be you, Heimdall."

"As am I," he nodded, reluctantly prepared to send you on your way. "Be safe, (Y/N). I will keep your brothers here for as long as I can."

~~~

Each night that you had been away, Bucky would wake with the same nightmare. In all of the years that he had been plagued by nightmares of his own doing, they were never as painful to him as this one; seeing you collapse in front of him and unable to save you. In a way it was ridiculous to him; he had known you for so short of a time, so how was he this attached to you? Or was it the idea of you? Someone who could see him for more than he saw himself? How was that even possible that you could exist and that he could be your soul mate? It didn't make sense to him and he struggled to understand it.

With no hope to sleep any more, he stood from his bed with a long stretch, exhaling into a defeated posture, wrought with both fatigue and despair at his inability to do anything to find you. He just wanted to be sure that you had survived, and if not, he needed to begin to let go. He was stuck in a limbo that was beginning to drive him a little mad. Bucky stood at his windows that overlooked Park Avenue, watching life pass by below under the night sky and dim streetlights. The city never stopped moving, much akin to the current state of his mind; between confusion over his feelings and self-hatred for distracting you that day in battle, he felt like he would never get a reprieve.

You had arrived just outside of his door and silently thanked Heimdall for his skill. Lifting your hand to knock, you worried that it might startle him too much or that you might wake the others, and you didn't want anyone to know you were there yet. You gently pushed the door open to peek in and see Bucky standing silently at the windows with his back to you.

"Bucky?"

He spun around so fast that he nearly lost his balance, having to grasp the railing of the window to hold himself up. "(Y/N)?" he blinked in the darkness to make out the shadows of your form. "Holy shit, (Y/N), is that really you? Oh, God, I hope I'm not hallucinating..." he gasped, quickly crossing the distance of his room as you shut the door behind you.

"It's really me," you smiled, accepting his arms around you but wincing quietly as his embrace pulled at your wound. He pushed you back carefully and tensed, now full of concern to replace the joy of seeing you.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Are you okay? How...how did you...I thought you were dead, (Y/N)."

"That makes two of us."

Bucky reached up and took your face in his hands, his eyes searching your face as if he hadn't seen you in years, looking into your eyes like he was seeing into your soul, and you into his. "I was terrified. This has never happened to me before, and I'm never going to let it happen again." When his lips finally met yours again, it was so much different than the first time; this was slower and deliberate. Every emotion that he had felt since you left came through, and it took your breath away. There was a desperation and need in the kiss that told you he meant what he had said, and that he would do anything to stay at your side now.

When he broke away, he rested his forehead against yours, his eyes still closed and slightly out of breath. "I believe it now, (Y/N). I believe you," he whispered. "Meant to be."

Part 6

"Have you ever once attempted to tell (Y/N) no?" Heimdall laughed as he held the portal tightly closed and guarded from your brothers. "She is of strong will and was unlikely to bend in her determination to return to Midgard. I've done this for not only her own good, but for yours as well."

"Our good? How could this possibly be of any benefit to us?" Loki demanded.

"Because if I did not assist her, you would face not only the wrath of your determined sister, but that of Mr. Barnes if either of you were to ever return without her."

~~~

Bucky woke the next morning, feeling finally rested and content, realizing quickly that with you sleeping in his arms, the nightmares were gone. He watched the slow and rhythmic rise and fall of your breathing, feeling soothed to watch you at such peace after seeing you in so much pain only days ago. He thought that allowing himself to feel happy would be harder to do, having believed that he would never find it all, but now he knew he would never deny himself again and that having this moment every day would be all he needed.

"You're staring," you murmured, watching him for a few minutes before letting him know that you were awake. "Are you alright?"

"Never better."

"I agree fully." You rolled over to face him, wrapping an arm around his waist and nuzzling your face into his neck, smiling at the gentle scratch of his stubble against your cheek and the feeling of his strong arms bringing you in closer. "My brothers will come for me," you said quietly into his skin with a gentle press of your lips. "and I will not hesitate to fight them so that I can stay."

"No, (Y/N), I don't want that. I don't want this to cause a fight in your family," he countered, releasing you to sit up suddenly. "I know for certain that I'm not worthy of breaking that apart. I've seen too many of my friends lose people that they love, and you won't be one of them."

You quickly sat up in kind, providing a little distance between you, "do you not want me to stay? Because my brothers will never willingly allow that to happen."

"I can't just sit by and let you to ruin your family. I know how much family means and I won't let you lose them just for me."

"Just for you?" you huffed. "James, there is nothing more important to me now than being here with you, don't you understand that? That's why I asked Heimdall to assist me in coming back and why he risked himself to do it. He knows what you mean to me, so why is it so difficult for you?"

"You just called me James," he smiled gently with a shift in his demeanor, nudging you with his shoulder almost playfully.

"Should I not have done that?"

"No, don't worry. I...I kinda liked it."

The two of you sat in silence for a few minutes, looking to the other to say something. You weren't about to back down, and he knew that, but it didn't mean that he would stop trying to change your mind. Even greater than his fear of losing you, or his concern about your family, was the crippling vision in his mind of seeing you hurt again. That was one thing that he was determined to never let happen. Bucky sighed loudly and dropped back on his pillow with a loud groan, running his hands through his hair with a crooked grin as he watched you lay back down next to him. "I'll talk to your brothers. Man to man stuff."

"There are two, remember?"

"So...man to man to man, then. Hey, I'll grab Steve too, so it can be man to man to man...to man," he faded, holding up his hands to count on his fingers. "That was four, right?"

"That will be quite the showing of testosterone. I cannot wait to be a witness to the colossal mistake this will be," you replied with an incredulous shake of your head, rolling away again but letting out a small yelp when he pulled you back tightly against him.

"Ye of little faith?"

"It's not you that I have little faith in, Bucky. It's my brothers. They are firm in their convictions and decisions towards me, and I fear that you will be unable to sway them. Particularly if they are aligned together in this."

"That's it," he bolted up with a start, "alliances. We need to get everyone else on our side to show those two that us being together is the right thing. That to allow you to stay here with me is a good idea."

"Did you not learn from the recent events in your team? How will asking them to choose sides be of any benefit?"

"Yeah," he sighed heavily, "that was probably the worst idea that we've ever had." A buzz of his phone on his bedside table pulled him from his thoughts and he rolled away to quickly read the message from Steve.

You need to come out before you have a hammer flying through your door and into your face.

Bucky rolled back towards you and gave you a quick kiss before jumping up out of bed to have a conversation that he had no time to prepare for. He ran argument after argument through his mind as he waited patiently at the door so you could clean up a little, taking your hand in his to approach your brothers with a united front.

"So, man to man to man to man it is."

~~~

"You will return to Asgard with us now, (Y/N)," Thor growled, with a much less angry appearing Loki at his side. "We won't tell father of what you've done if you give us no further trouble."

"I shall give no such guarantee. I will not be returning, brothers." If you didn't know better, you thought you saw the flash of a smile cross Loki's lips, and his eyes were soft and understanding as he watched you. "It has no bearing on either of you if I stay, and you can tell father that I refused despite your valiant efforts."

"I cannot allow this-"

"Thor, if you were given the chance to stay on Midgard with Jane, are you telling me that you wouldn't take it?"

"That is different."

"It's no different," you pressed, releasing Bucky's hand to step closer to the pair, "other than that I am unwilling to leave his side as you are hers, and it has been proven twice that he is my soul mate. I cannot ignore that, nor should you."

When he could feel Thor's anger building and the tension in the room began to become palpable, Bucky took a small step towards you and protectively took your arm. Your brother's gaze immediately fell to it, reaching out to slap Bucky's hand away and take his own firm grip on you, yanking you forward to bring you home whether you liked it or not.

Steve, in turn, saw the fire building in his friend's expression and hurried to intervene, pushing against you and toppling you both to the floor just as Bucky's metal hand raised and swung to land a punch across Thor's jaw. "You better not touch her like that again. I don't care who you are," he spat.

"Buck, don't," Steve called out and pushed himself up. "Thor, stand down."

Thor countered with a hit to the center of Bucky's chest, throwing him with a solid crash against the far wall. Loki was now at your side in an attempt to protect you, but you escaped him and stood between the two men, easily catching Bucky's metal hand in yours when he attempted to retaliate. "Please, James, stop," you whispered to him calmly, in sharp contrast to his actions. "Let me do this." You kept a tight hold on his hand and turned to Thor, who now had Mjolnir ready to strike. "Put that damn thing down. We're finished with this."

"(Y/N)-"

"No, brother," you interrupted, releasing Bucky's hand and raising your own up to Thor to keep him back, "this is finished. I will not be returning to Asgard with you, or at any time in the future. As the future king, if you must banish me, then just do it."

"(Y/N), think about what you are doing," Loki stood and hurried to your side, taking your face gently in his hands so that you would look nowhere but to him. "Trust me, this is not something that you want to choose willingly."

"And yet I have."

"Please," he whispered, "do not leave me."

You fought back the emotions that were building inside you at the sight of the sadness in his eyes, though it wouldn't be enough to break your resolve. Never before in your life had you known that something was so right in its decision; never before had you felt that this would be worth what you were about to say.

"I am sorry, my favorite brother," you replied with a sad smile, removing his hands and taking a step back to Bucky and intertwining your fingers with his. "I renounce my name. I renounce Asgard. I...renounce our kinship."

Loki's gaze dropped to the floor and he sulked to his place at Thor's side, who's mouth was hanging open in pure shock at the brazen finality of your decision. He knew that you would fight to stay, and that you would try to bargain with him to change his stance, but he didn't expect this. He would never have expected you to completely turn your back on everything; he never expected that he would be turning his back on you, as he now did, unable to face you as he left you for the final time.

"Very well, (Y/N). You are no longer our sister."

Part 7

"She started this!" Thor growled. "The plan was to allow her protection on Midgard until the threat had passed, which it has! The elves think her dead, so they will not come for her if she is to return home. There is no purpose for her there anymore."

"For a future king, you certainly are of dim wit," Loki snapped back. "Did you not see her with him, and the look in her eye with his touch? Are you so ignorant in your anger that you missed that, brother? I believe that should suffice as a purpose."

Thor pressed forward to take the front of Loki's jacket in his hand and pulled him forward roughly, with a murderous gleam in his eyes. "Do not speak of me in that manner. You are not one to pass judgment on me, Loki, when you have provided your fair share of idiocy to this family."

"I'm sure father would be so pleased to know that he has raised four such spectacularly disappointing children."

"Father," Thor grunted and pushed Loki away with a hard thrust, tipping him slightly off balance. He began to wring his hands together as he paced back and forth, wishing for an answer to come to him; anything that would fix this before Odin found out what was happening. "How are we to tell father that his only remaining daughter has chosen another over her own home? Over her family? How do we keep him from actually banishing her?"

"But didn't you already-"

"Please, brother," Thor scoffed, "that was just for show. I was angry and trying to make a...a dramatic exit."

Loki stood perfectly still with a shocked look on his face, his mouth hanging slightly agape and his eyes wide. "Goal achieved, I must say. I think this may be pride that I'm feeling, but I can't be certain. I've never felt it for you before."

"Oh, shut up," Thor laughed, stepping to Loki's side with a firm slap of his hand on his brother's shoulder, giving him a friendly shake. "Just help me find a way to fix this before she does something truly stupid."

"You mean more idiotic than falling in love with a human?"

"That is offensive," Thor snapped with a quick change from the jovial attitude that had lasted no more than a moment, "are you saying that my love for Jane is idiotic as well? Despite the fact that she is of Midgard, and our relationship is one of great distance, it in no way diminishes the validity of our feelings for each other. She possesses a strength and intellect that rival our own kind."

Loki simply stood silently with a slowly growing grin curling at his lips until his smile was wide and bright, the tip of his tongue barely peeking through his teeth. He had received the answer from Thor that he had hoped for, and had enjoyed the ease at tricking him towards it.

"So now do you see how (Y/N) would look to you to understand this and to be a brother who would stand by her side? You are the same, and it's a disservice to her that you did not see that sooner."

~~~

Bucky pushed you into his room with a little force, but much more gently than how he felt inside, closing the door behind him with a powerful slam that shook the few scattered pictures hanging from his walls. "I told you that I didn't want this to affect your family!"

"So you're yelling at me now too?"

"Yes!" he spat, staring at you for a moment before realizing that his tone was hurting you, sighing heavily and casting his gaze to his feet in regret. "No...I'm not. I'm sorry. It's just...ugh, how can I make you understand that this is a mistake. I'm happy that you want to stay, don't get me wrong, but I also don't want you to turn your back on who you are. I barely know who I am, and I can't let you lose something that I'm so desperately searching for myself."

"You saw them turn their backs on me, Bucky. You saw how easy it was for Thor to dismiss me. Do you honestly believe that I have a need to return to a family that can so readily toss me aside?"

"Well, no. Not when you put it that way..."

"This comes down to only one question," you said plainly, with Bucky looking up at you expectantly, "do you wish me to stay or to go? Be honest with me." You stood steady with a calm demeanor on the exterior, but inside you were screaming for him to answer and say that he wanted you to stay. After everything that you had just said goodbye to, it was the only answer you wanted. When he remained quiet and looked at you with a hint of sadness in his eyes, you felt as if you were about to explode.

"Bucky?"

~~~

"You can assure me that your intentions are not to force her to return, and that you will allow her the freedom of her choice?" Heimdall asked Thor and Loki pointedly, his piercing golden eyes watching them skeptically. "You are going only to speak to her?"

"You have my word," Thor nodded.

"Mine as well," Loki concurred, "though I'm confident that has no bearing on your decision."

"Hmm, perhaps you and I should speak in private," Heimdall offered suddenly, his brow beginning to furrow and his eyes moving as if he were searching his mind. "Thor, could you provide us with a moment please?"

Thor looked between the two men suspiciously and didn't turn to leave until they stood united with their arms tightly folded, standing straight and unwavering in their determination to make him relent. With a spin of Mjolnir in his hand, he grumbled under his breath and moved towards the door. "Two minutes," he warned, "then we depart."

Heimdall waited until Thor had cleared the threshold of the room before turning to Loki with a low voice, "it would be best if you found a way to stall your brother. (Y/N) is unhappy and I believe that if you arrive now it will not end well for any of you. The joy of reunion that Thor is expecting most certainly will not happen."

~~~

"Hey, princess."

"Sam," you nodded, tipping your glass back and allowing the dark alcohol to pour freely into your mouth without so much as a moment to taste it before it was gone. You set it back down and refilled it, repeating the same process several more times.

"I thought you guys can't get drunk?"

"Not from this."

"So you're just wasting Stark's money then?" he smirked, startling when you flipped your knife over in your hand casually and thrust it deep into the wooden bar top.

"Tony and I have come to an understanding about that already."

"Noted," he smiled widely and clapped his hands together a few times in excitement, grabbing his own glass to slide it across the bar towards you. "Serve it up, sweetheart. What are we drinking to?"

"He doesn't want me to stay."

Sam's face dropped immediately and any hint of levity was gone, replaced by a deep concern and a confusion as to why Bucky would ever think to say that to you after everything that had happened. "Woah, hold up. He said that? Bucky told you that he didn't want you to stay? Those were the words he used?"

"He said that if I was staying for him alone, then I should return to Asgard," you replied quietly, finally pushing your empty glass away. "Tell me, Sam, why are your kind so complicated?"

"Humans?"

"Men."

Sam coughed into his drink, laughing before he could take the swallow that had swirled in his mouth when you caught him off guard. You gave him a few firm slaps to his back just to be sure that he would recover when the coughing continued. "Are you dying?" you chuckled, though legitimately becoming concerned.

"I'm...okay..." he cleared his throat and tapped his fist against his chest. "I got it. Now," he paused, taking another drink to quell the sting in his throat from his harsh coughing fit, "let me help you understand what happened with Tin Man. Our guy was brainwashed for about 70 years, doing things that I think he should probably tell you rather than me. Then, just after he starts getting that old noggin' working again and he comes back to a world that really isn't too happy with him, this really hot princess chick comes strolling in and tips all of his progress on its ass and makes him more confused than ever. He hasn't had time to remember who he really is, and he doesn't understand how you could see any more in him than the jagged and busted up pieces that he's barely holding together."

"But I've told him-"

"Doesn't matter," Sam interjected, holding up a hand to stop you, "it's how he feels, not what he's thinking. Rational thought jumped out the damn window the first time he saw you, (Y/N)."

You sat quietly for a few minutes, processing his words and watching him mindlessly spin the final drink of liquor around the bottom of his glass. If he was right, it wasn't really that Bucky didn't want you to stay; he didn't want you to stay for him because he still couldn't bring himself to believe that he was worthy of you. After everything that had transpired, and after everything that you had said to him, he still didn't get it.

"What do I do, Sam?"

"I don't..." he stopped for a minute, turning to you with a boisterous laugh and a firm slam of his hand on the bar, "I've got it! I know exactly what you need to do, and I've got just the man to help you!"

Part 8

"I'm telling you, (Y/N), this is gonna work," Sam smiled with a clap of his hands, rubbing them together in anticipation as he watched out the front door of the tower. "It's pretty much almost completely fool-proof for the most part."

"Your confidence is inspiring, Sam."

"Hey, now, I know what I'm doing. Alright there he is!" he said excitedly and gave your arm a quick shake before running to the door to open it with almost too much enthusiasm. If Sam was so convinced in his plan, then you had to give him the benefit of the doubt. When his friend came through the door he was almost immediately in front of you, staring at you with a nervous smile across his lips.

"Wow...okay, so you're...(Y/N), right?"

"I am, yes."

"I'm Scott," he replied, taking your hand with a firm shake. "It's really great to meet you. Sam's told me so much about you...or at least as much as he knew...which was a pretty fair amount, I suppose...wow, you're so much prettier in person than he made you sound..."

"Zip it, Tic Tac," Sam groaned, pulling you away from him so he would finally release your hand. "We don't have much time before your ride leaves without you. Steve can be remarkably impatient. Off we go." He led you and Scott to the hangar bay, but along the way it became obvious to you that he was preoccupied and watching over his shoulder as if he were afraid to be caught.

"Sam, if you're fearful of Bucky's reaction, then perhaps this is not the best plan."

"I fear no one, woman," he smirked, taking your hand to help you into the jet. "Oh, hey, this might not be the right place for that..." he pointed coyly to your side, "maybe you should leave the giant dagger here."

"Wow, that's impressive," Scott added, pointing as well, "can I see it?"

"No, man, I don't think that's a good-" Sam tried to explain but was halted by Scott's yelp in surprise.

You reached down and pulled the knife from it's sheath, grinning as you turned the handle towards him and waited for him to slowly wrap his fingers around it while he studied the carvings in its handle. When he was ready to pull it from your grip, you released it and took a step back, laughing out loud when he fell forward at the sudden shift in weight that threw him to the ground with the dagger now seemingly stuck to the floor. "Do not take offense, there's only one who can lift it other than myself."

Once he had you both securely in the plane, Sam laughed and stood guard watching as the jet door closed and the hangar opened, feeling a slight sense of relief that you had made it on your way without interruption. There was a chance that this master plan could backfire, but if he could find Bucky soon enough and get a few minutes to tell him where you were going, everything would begin to fall into place. That is, if he could rely on his untested acting skills to pull it off.

"Where did he take her?"

Sam tried to spin to see the owner of the deep voice behind him, but a cold metal hand grabbed his arm from behind, the other hand holding your dagger precariously close to his neck. "What the hell, Buck?"

"I'm only going to ask one more time. Where did he take her?"

"You gonna go all 'soldier' on me if I don't tell or what? You know, just so I can weigh all my options."

Bucky growled and gently pushed the blade against his skin, making Sam's posture straighten, trying to retreat but only finding himself blocked in all directions. "Nah, I wouldn't do that to ya," Bucky laughed, lowering the weapon suddenly and setting it on a nearby table. "I just like to watch you squirm. But seriously, where the hell is he taking my girlfriend?"

~~~

Midway through the flight, you took the seat next to Steve and watched as the quinjet cut through and over the clouds, mesmerized by the ebb and flow from the wind in each one, no two of them looking alike. It was easy to see shapes within them, putting you into an almost trancelike state. "Do you normally fly for the team, Captain?"

"I do my share," he nodded with an affirmative sigh, "but we take turns. Tony and Clint like to fly this more than I do. And I think by now you can call me Steve."

"One would think."

"Come on, (Y/N), you're supposed to be my best friend's soul mate. I have a feeling that we're going to be spending a lot of time together, you and I. Might as well get used to it now."

You could feel your mood sink at his words, and thought about the idea that soul mate or not, you had no guarantee that Bucky would choose for you to stay with him. He thought that he was being selfless, and you understood, but you didn't agree; no matter how you argued your point and tried to convince him that he was proven worthy, it was as if you would never win. The more time that passed now, the more you began to believe that maybe it would be best to just go home.

"I don't believe it wise to adopt that mindset, Capt...Steve. He had not made his choice, and I will not stay where I am not wanted."

"(Y/N), look at me," he replied quietly and waited patiently for you to finally turn. "It isn't a matter of not wanting. Trust me."

~~~

"Daddy, is she a real princess? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Peanut, I'm sure," Scott laughed, holding a suddenly shy Cassie in his arms as she stared at you from a comfortable distance. "Captain America wouldn't lie to you about that, would he?"

Cassie looked from Scott to you and to Steve, eyeing each of you with a suspicion that felt to be beyond her age, "no, I guess not." She pushed away from him and released her tight grip on his neck, taking a stand in front of you with wide eyes. "You know Thor?"

"I know Thor very well, yes," you smiled, kneeling down in front of her, "he's my brother."

Her eyes immediately brightened at the realization and her smile finally grew into a giggling laughter; though barely a moment later, she paused and her expression shifted to confusion, now looking at you with a skeptic eye. "So that means Loki is your brother too? He doesn't seem very nice."

"That can be true, young one. That can be quite true. But Loki has suffered a great deal in his life, and sometimes it makes him choose his actions poorly. He is doing the best he can."

Cassie silenced, appearing to look inside herself for an answer, rapidly seeming to have found one, "maybe he needs more friends to help him not be bad."

"I think you may be right. You're a very smart girl, Cassie."

"I know."

Steve nudged Scott gently and pulled him to the side so you and Cassie could continue; he looked around when he thought he heard someone nearby, but he didn't see anything. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that the group was being watched. "Scott, maybe we should take this inside?" he whispered and nodded towards the small house. "I think that would be a very good idea, actually."

"Your subtlety is slipping, Cap. But yeah, I'll take them in and join you in a minute." Scott returned to your side and reached down, taking your hand to pull both you and his daughter to standing, placing his hand on your back to lead you inside. Once he felt secure that you were safe, and that you would stay with her, he returned to Steve.

"Whatever it was, I think it's gone. Maybe I was hearing things," Steve huffed.

"We can make a quick circle of the perimeter. Cassie convinced (Y/N) to make her a princess crown to match her own, and if it's anything like the real one that she just showed me, we're gonna be here a while."

"Daddy! Get back in here! We want you to make crowns with us!" she yelled from the living room window. "Princesses need princes, so you can be mine and (Y/N) gets Steve." The two men gave a weary smile and turned towards the house, decidedly accepting their fate as hesitant Asgardian princes, destined to wear their homemade crowns back to the tower.

"No pictures, Lang."

When the door closed and the laughter began to build from behind it, Bucky took a step out from the large oak tree he had hidden behind, fighting the urge to storm in and demand answers. Demanding to know why you had crossed the country to meet another man's child. Demanding to know why he had put his hands on you. Demanding to know why his best friend would be an accomplice to ruining the best thing that he would ever lose when he had barely had it in the first place.

~~~

Scott was right, it would be hours before you were able to return to the tower, the three of you adorned with homemade but no less fantastic crowns. You had promised Cassie that you would keep them on for the entire flight, so much of a promise that Steve broke his resolve and agreed to a group picture. A group picture that had immediately found its way to everyone on the team, their social media accounts, and a few national news channels.

"I knew better," Steve groaned with a regret in his voice, "I knew better, and now look. Tony is never going to let us hear the end of this. Oh, god. Bucky. Bucky will never let this die."

"Sorry, Cap. Cassie loves it though, if that helps my case?"

"That's the only thing saving you, Scott," he replied, quickly pushing his phone back into his pocket when the tower came into view in the New York skyline, a hazy sunset glowing behind it. "Alright, strap in, guys."

Scott took his seat next to you and fastened his straps and you waited for him to finish before saying anything. "Thank you for allowing me to meet Cassie. She's quite lovely." The jet shook a few times and the sounds of the wings folding in filled the cabin. You released your harness and stood to leave, waiting with Scott for the door to open.

"Yeah, I like her-" his words stopped, broken by the impact of Bucky pushing him to the ground and holding him securely with his metal hand pressed into his chest.

"Explain!"

"Could you be more specific?" Scott wheezed under the pressure on his ribcage. "I really wanna get this right."

"Bucky, release him!" you commanded, pulling his arm away despite his near-equal strength trying to hold it in place. "You're being irrational."

Scott let out a quiet whimper and pushed himself back against the wall when Bucky turned to face you, all but forgetting his original intent with his rage aimed only in your direction now. "You went all the way across the country to meet his daughter. I saw his hands on you when you were in front of the house." He spun on his heel towards Steve, and accusatory finger pointing in his friend's face, "and you...you brought her there and stood by like it was nothing."

"Because it was nothing." You grabbed his arm and turned him back to you. "Cassie asked to meet a real princess, so I said I would go. I knew my leaving would give you time to think, but I didn't once think that these would be the thoughts that I was leaving you to. When Sam told me that he had a plan for you to make a decision, I did not realize that jealousy was his intent, nor did I realize how deeply seeded it was in you, Bucky."

"Did I hear my name?" Sam jovially called out, entering the jet to a group of angry faces now focused solely on him. "Woah, it's tense in here! What's that all about?"

"Sam, did you persuade Scott to do this so that Bucky would become jealous?"

"(Y/N)," Steve interjected, "I know they don't always get along, but I don't think Sam would manipulate Buck like that."

Sam let out a snicker and crossed his arms in satisfaction, "oh, no, I was totally playing the jealousy card. Works every time." He suddenly realized that the anger in the jet was still heavy, and he wasn't actually sure of the outcome of his work. "Hold up, it did work...right?"

Your head snapped towards Bucky with anxiety to know his answer. Perhaps his jealousy gave him an insight that he hadn't had before; his strong reaction led you to believe that he was seeing this situation differently and was fearful of no longer having you with him. "Did you make a decision? Do you want me to stay?"

He ran his hands through his hair and closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths to calm himself, his chest heaving with each expansion. When his eyes opened again they were darkened with a stillness to them that took you aback and sent a chill through your body. He reached out and grabbed your arm, pulling you from the jet and towards the lift to his floor without a single word spoken.

"Score one for Wilson," Sam smiled arrogantly, waiting for either man to try a comeback.

Steve simply smirked and grabbed his pack, securing the shield to his back as he passed by Scott with a lean in close so he could whisper, though his gaze was fixed purposefully on Sam.

"I don't think Wilson is the one getting the score."

Part 9

"Welcome home, (Y/N)."

Bucky came to an abrupt halt at the familiar voice, growling loudly with his finger just about to touch the keypad to call the elevator. "You've got to be kidding me." He spun on his heel sharply and tried to release your hand, but you kept a tight grip for the sake of everyone in the room. "I swear, I'm fucking cursed."

"Thor," you nodded, "Loki. Is there something that we might assist you with?"

"Yeah, and make it fast," Bucky added, "because I have plans."

"So sorry to interrupt. I cannot fathom what would be more important than reuniting (Y/N) with her brothers," Loki smiled at you, taking a few steps closer but pausing when you raised a hand to stop him. "(Y/N)?"

"You've raised a bit of a challenge, Loki. His plans were...well...me." A small laugh escaped your throat at the sound of Thor's displeasure in your comment and its implications; it wasn't exactly something that he wanted to hear about his baby sister. "Oh please, don't act all high and mighty, Thor. We're not children anymore."

"But I am mighty."

You released Bucky's hand and turned to him, blocking their view of his face so that you could at least have a little privacy in the moment. "Go upstairs. I'll join you shortly." Your words didn't elicit a response; he only looked at you with a fear in his eyes that shocked you to see, when only moments ago, he was anything but afraid of you. Something in him had taken a drastic shift, and you knew you needed to get to the bottom of it quickly. "Brothers, excuse us for a moment."

"Don't leave," Bucky whispered, not moving when you took his hand again, "please."

"Bucky, I don't want to. Is that what's scaring you?"

He stood silently again and glanced at Thor and Loki over your shoulder for a second before looking back to you, "yes."

"Then why haven't you been able to tell me that?"

Bucky's gaze dropped to the floor and you felt his hand begin to twitch uncomfortably within yours. You tightened your grip to halt it and slowly rubbed your thumb over its top in an attempt to calm and encourage him. "I never get what I want, (Y/N). You know what happens when I try to be happy, you've heard it all. I'm scared of you leaving...but...I'm scared to let you stay."

"Excuse us, sister," Loki broke in, "but if we could have a moment, I think you will appreciate what we have come to say."

You closed your eyes with a loud groan of discontent to be sure that he had heard you, opening them only when Bucky gave your hand a squeeze and turned you to face them. "It's okay. This can wait."

"Fine, Loki. Three minutes."

"You sound not unlike Steve," Thor smiled. "It would seem that the Captain has made an impression on you, even in your short time here."

"Perhaps that's why he has offered me to join the team."

"Wait," Bucky suddenly responded with renewed energy, "when did that happen? He never said anything to me about that. Are you going to take it? That would give you a reason to stay..." he quieted and hung his head, "other than just for me."

"Would that make you feel better about my choice?"

"Yeah, I suppose it would," he mumbled almost to himself. "But I don't like the idea of you being put in danger with us." His hand came up to his face and rubbed thoughtfully over the rough stubble of his cheek as he thought aloud, "not that you can't handle yourself, I've seen that firsthand. But if anything happened...I didn't react so well before...but you could stay...you could stay with me..."

"That is why we are here, if we might actually be allowed to speak," Loki interrupted again, his tone growing more irritated. "We may have a resolution that you would be willing to accept."

"Buck, come on," you pulled him with you towards your brothers and all but pushed him onto the couch, his mind still clearly racing and affecting his focus. "Okay, what is your resolution? You allowed me to renounce you quite easily so I had assumed the conversation had come to completion."

"That was just Thor making an attempt at a dramatic exit, as he put it. Petulance comes naturally to our brother, as you well know."

"Are you serious?" Bucky snapped from his trance, standing quickly at your side. "Do you even realize how much pain that caused? For you to both turn your backs on her like that? I'm sorry, but if you were really brothers and if you really loved her, then you would never do something like that. You should consider yourselves damn lucky that she's even talking to you right now, you know that?"

"We do," Thor joined, "which is why we want to offer than she finds a home on both Asgard and Midgard. Heimdall has agreed to allow her access whenever she chooses." Thor stopped and shared a knowing look with Loki before turning back to you, "and we have all sworn to keep this from father. After much discussion, we have one common interest, (Y/N). That you should be happy, which cannot be achieved while denying you something that you hold so dear. If you have found love, then it would be cruel of us to stand in your way."

You stood silently for a moment with your mouth slightly agape and your words escaping you. When you watched your brothers abandon you not so very long ago, you truly believed that you had seen the last of them, so for them to return with something so unbelievable was beyond any of your expectations. They waited eagerly for your reply, and when you found the ability to speak, you paused and gave Thor a skeptical glance, "you talked to Jane, didn't you?"

"I don't believe that if I had-" Thor began but was quickly interrupted.

"He did," Loki laughed, "and it was glorious to witness that scolding, I must say. Such fire in that one."

"I need a moment," you nodded quietly, turning again to Bucky. "Will that be enough for you? For me to travel between two homes? I want to be a part of the team, and worry that not only will I miss you, but I will not be enough for Steve."

"I think that you have to make this decision, (Y/N). I'll take anything I can get, but I do like the idea that you don't have to give up your family and Asgard." He glanced up as Steve and Tony passed by at the far side of the room, studying tablets in their hands and giving you no attention as they made their way to their destination, "and Steve has no business in this decision, doll. This is all you."

"And you," you added, holding his gaze purposefully, searching his eyes for the answer; for truth, for feelings, for anything that would guide you. Ultimately, there was no other answer, and it had taken much longer to find it than it should have. There didn't need to be all or nothing, and there was a compromise being offered as a gift that you never expected. The answer was being handed to you. "Brothers, I accept your offer."

Bucky smiled widely and excitedly took your face in his hands for a kiss, pulling back quickly when a small boom carried across the room and shook the walls, coming from the direction of the hangar bay. "That didn't sound good, did it?" he questioned, taking your hand and pulling you into the elevator.

The doors opened to see Steve and Tony, both sitting on the floor with a gauntlet shattered in pieces across the floor and Steve's shield impaled in the opposite wall. Tony's hand was covered in blood and beginning to swell to an inhuman size.

"What the hell are you idiots doing now?" Bucky scolded. He got close enough to see details of the injury and wretched slightly, turning away quickly. "Damn, Stark. That's disgusting. I assume those used to be your fingers?"

"I was trying out what I thought was an improvement, and it clearly wasn't," Tony groaned, holding his hand against his chest protectively. "I shot at the shield and the damn thing exploded and fried my hand. Hey, princess, how about doing that cool glow thing on this?"

You took a seat next to Tony on the floor and examined his injury carefully, gently convincing him to allow you to hold his hand in yours. "Yes, I can heal this."

"Fantastic! Have at it, sweetheart."

"If you ask nicely."

You weren't sure which of your new teammates let out the snicker that made Tony's face turn to a scowl, but you enjoyed even those few seconds of joviality and knew that this was going to be an adventure that you would enjoy. Tony's bottom lip extended slightly now when he looked back at you, but you held firm.

"They're picking on me, (Y/N). Don't you have any sympathy?"

"Manners first."

"I really like her," Steve whispered to Bucky as he watched you. "She's gonna be good for you, man."

"She's already good for me."

Tony hissed through tightly clenched teeth when a shock of pain shot through his fingers and the swelling was rapidly worsening. It was all he needed to finally relent, "(Y/N), please fix my hand. Please?"

You smiled and closed your eyes, wrapping your hands around with a warm glow, holding still until his pain was completely gone and it had returned to it's uninjured state. He pulled it away and inspected it closely, feeling it gingerly as if it would still hurt, smiling happily when that didn't happen. "I think it looks...younger? Hey, can you do that all over? Maybe a little tuck and tighten?"

"Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm waiting."

"Oh! Thank you!" he replied, still marveling at his hand, even after you stood and began to leave the room with Bucky in tow. When he finally noticed you leaving, he eagerly stood and hurried to follow. "Look how smooth that is now, (Y/N). Seriously, just a few spots, that's all I'm asking for here...(Y/N)?"

The two of you broke into a run for the stairwell to escape him and made quick work of the several flights up to what was now your floor as much as Bucky's. When you reached your destination, you both collapsed against the wall, panting and holding your side from laughing for the entire run. Bucky's expression quickly grew serious as he watched you, moving to stand in front of you with his hands resting on either side of you as he held you in place. You barely had the chance to catch your breath before he took it away again with the kiss you had been waiting too long for.

"Welcome home, (Y/N)."