About a week later she knows it's done. Her powers are gone. To be honest she's a bit sad. She got used to secretly heating things up or cooling down Tony's coffee out of fun. But now she has her 'normal' life back. She wanders down the hall, deep in her own thoughts as suddenly a hand lands on her shoulder. She shrieks, nearly jumps up and jerks away. Her back hits the wall beside her, and she places a hand over her heart in shock. "Jesus. Bucky!"
"Sorry. I called you a few times. You're okay?"
"Yeah." She lets out a heavy breath and nods. "Yeah. Just in thoughts."
"Care to share?"
"No, thank you. I'm good. What do you want?" She looks up at him as they walk together to the common room. "Nothing. Just saw you walking by."
"And you scare me for nothing?"
"Hey! It's not my fault that you're building your own world around you lately." Y/N nods and mutters something. She knows exactly that she's drawing away from everybody. That will make the goodbye a bit easier. Now that everything settled down, and she doesn't have her powers anymore there's no reason to stay. HYDRA hasn't shown any more interest in her and even the news haven't brought her up since Tony talked to the press. And the others see it like that, too. At least she thinks they do. Neither of them brought it up exactly but the feeling was there. She thought they drop hints by saying things like 'back in your home', 'when you live alone' or 'when you live in town again'. That has to mean that they want her to leave, doesn't it?
She shakes her head to get the dark thought of living alone again out of her head and smiles up at Bucky as they reach the common room. They step in together and are greeted with the sight of their life. Steve is running around and Sam chases him while shouting out to kill him if he eats all his pop tarts. Nat and Clint are playing Mario cart and yell at each other. Again. Tony just sits at the kitchen counter with an annoyed expression, coffee in one hand. Wanda and Vision talk quietly in a corner at one of the large windows while Bruce makes himself a sandwich beside Tony. "What the hell?" Bucky looks around and Y/N sees that he wears the same expression of confusion like she probably does. "Guys? Hello!" Bucky calls but is ignored by everybody. "Guys!" Y/N shouts, too but gets the same reaction. "If all the kids don't sit down and shut their mouths then there will be no pie at lunch!" She shouts again and this time a bit louder. To her satisfaction she's heard by Steve, Sam, Clint and Nat. Steve and Sam quickly jump on the couch and look as innocent as they can be while Clint just shuts off the game and looks at Y/N with a bored expression. Y/N can hear Tony sigh and mutter a 'Fucking thank you': She turns to Bucky with a smile. "Well, there you go." Bucky scoffs and shakes his head before he walks over to the couch where Steve and Sam are sitting. He hits Steve at the back of his head and glares at Sam before he squeezes himself between the two, so that they have to scoot and make place for him, poking his butt in Sam's face at this chance. "I heard pie?" Nat looks up from the floor and smiles at her. "Only if you behave. Seriously, you all want to be adults?"
"Hmm."
"Well, yeah." They all mutter and hum, nodding their heads or shrugging their shoulders. Y/N rolls her eyes and shakes her head before she walks over to Tony. He jumps down from the counter and makes room for her to get to the kettle. "How are things doing?"
"Good. I think it's over though."
"No more frozen coffee?"
"Nope."
"Finally." He sighs and earns himself a raised eyebrow from Y/N. "Come on. It was seriously annoying."
"I had fun."
"Me, too." Steve calls form the couch. "Shut up, spangles."
"I'm sad though. I got used to it by now. I was still afraid to hurt someone but things didn't take as much time as they normally do." Bruce nods in understanding and bites into his sandwich. "You know, we can work on getting them back."
"What?"
"Yeah. We could modify it and help you train and-"
"Let me stop you right there, Tony. Are you suggesting to pump another drug through my system just to give me the powers back so that I can make my tea quicker and risk that your coffee gets cooled every time you annoy me or I'm bored?" Tony weights his head from side to side but nods. "Hmm, yeah, basically." Then he takes a sip from his mug. "Are you serious?"
"Y/N, look. I just say it is a possibility."
"No, Tony. Thank you, but I think I'm fine like this."
"Okay. Offer still stands." He smiles at her, sips on his coffee again and strolls out of the room.
* * *
They have settled down on the pier of the lake. Nat had helped Y/N to set up a table and some chairs while the boys carry the food. Y/N even managed to get Pepper away from her work to join them. Peter sadly is occupied with school stuff and Rhodey is out of the city. Only Wanda and Vision had declined the offer. They had already plans for the day.
Now they all are stuffed with food and talking. The plates are empty and the pie is gone. Y/N sits on her chair, a thin blanket draped around her and stares out over the lake. She's back in her thoughts. What am I gonna do after living here for so long? I should start searching for an apartment. And I need a new job. Who will even look after Buck and Steve if this dropping happens again? No actually they all will manage. "Y/N?"
"Hm?" Her head jerks up and into Steve's direction. He looks at her with clear concern on his face. He reaches over the table and places his hand on hers. "Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?"
"What? No. I'm fine."
"You sure? You're really quiet." Bucky looks at her with the same look that Steve has. She watches him a second and considers saying anything but as the others look at her too, she just shakes her head. "Nah. I'm good, really. Just... I think I'll go for a quick walk." Both men frown at her and just as Steve is about to stand up, she holds out a hand to stop him and shakes her head. "Please. Let me go for a few minutes. I'll be right back."
"Oh... eh. Okay." She watches as the blonde sits back down. She sees he's concerned and confused, so she kisses the top of his head and squeezes his shoulder to reassure him that it's okay. Then she quickly hurries away from the group. She walks along the shore and lets the water run over her feet. How am I going to live without them?
She's just out of their ear reach as someone speaks up behind her. "What are you really thinking?"
"Huh?" She turns around and looks straight at Tony's face. "What do you mean?"
"I know, for a fact, that you're not as fine as you want us to believe. I know this look. I saw it hundreds of times, Y/N. What is worrying you?" Y/N is shocked for a moment. She looks at Tony, then behind him at the group of people. Bucky is looking straight at her but the others are talking. Then she looks over the lake. "Swear you won't tell them?"
"I'm not good at promises."
"Tony!" Her voice is strong and fierce. She shows no sign of playing and Tony seems to catch it instantly. "Okay. I swear." Y/N nods at him and motions for him to follow her while she strides further along the shore. "I keep thinking about finding a new apartment."
"What? Why?"
"Tony. I don't have my powers anymore and HYDRA left me alone since I'm back. There's no reason for me to stay. And there's even less for you all to protect me. Yes, I know. Almost whole New York probably knows my face, but I was out on some occasions and I just got stared at when I was with one of you. Otherwise, no one seems to be interested in me."
"What are you saying? Do you- Do you think we just kept you here to protect you?"
"That was the intention, from all of you, to move me here Tony. So, I won't get into their hands. But now? There's nothing to-"
"Are you insane?!" Tony shouts it and Y/N quickly throws a worried look over her shoulder at the others. Of course, they all stare at them. "Shh, Tony." She places a finger on her lips and stops walking. "No. No shh, Y/N. I can't believe that."
"What brought this on?"
"Come on, Tony. The whole reason for me to move here was to protect me. But now? There is no danger left for me and I don't want to be a burden any longer."
"You're not a burden." Y/N sighs and looks Tony in the eyes. "You all keep saying it."
"That you're a burden?"
"No. That I have to live alone, move back into the city."
"I don't think so. Come on." He grabs her arm a bit roughly. For a second, she's shocked at the action, but then she feels him drag her back to the others. "No, Tony, what are you doing?"
"Convincing you that you're wrong."
"You promised to not tell them."
"And I said that I'm not good with promises." She protests and tries to get free but Tony is having none of it. He just drags her behind himself and walks up the others. "Tony? What are you doing?" Steve looks at him and Y/N can see the anger behind his eyes. She knows that he sees that she doesn't like what Tony is doing. Or is about to do. "Did anyone of you tell her that she's only here for us to protect her?" The whole table looks around confused until they all shake their heads. "And did anyone say she should move out? Back into town? Into her own apartment?" Again, everyone shakes his head. "Tony, what is this about?" Bruce raises his eyebrows and looks at Y/N. Tony ignores his question and, instead, asks another one. "So, then please tell me, did anyone of you know that she is about to leave?"
"Tony-"
"No. I want to know that." Y/N pouts and rips her arm out of his grip to cross them over her chest. "You're leaving?" Bucky looks straight at her. His face looks panicked and he is pale. Sadness is what she sees in his expression. Steve is quick to stand up and sit on Y/N's previous seat. He takes Bucky's flesh hand and rubs soothing circles on it before he looks at her with and equal confused expression. "Y/N?" For a few moments she avoids to look in their direction but after Tony gives her a light shove, she meets his eyes. She takes a deep breath to say something but no words leave her mouth. So, she just nods. "Why?" Steve's voice weavers lightly, but he doesn't seem to notice it. Instead, he grabs Bucky's hand tighter and lets him lean onto his shoulder. "What brought this on?" Nat raises and eyebrow and leans over the table to look closer at her. "I-I..." She swallows and looks from Nat to Bruce to Clint to Sam and then to Pepper until her eyes hang on Bucky again. "I'll answer that. She thinks, now that she doesn't have any powers, that she has to leave because we don't need to protect her anymore. She says she's only a burden."
"A burden?" Bucky chokes out. "B-but... Y/N." Steve shakes his head with a frown. "We don't let you move in to only protect you." Clint says after it's clear that Steve isn't going to talk again. "Damn right. Man, you're our friend. We like you." Sam nods and leans a bit forward. It's silent for a moment where no one says anything and just thinks about what was said. "Do you really want to leave?" Bucky's voice is silent and really close to the one of an afraid child. Y/N's eyes snap from her shoes back up at Bucky. "I- No." She shakes her head. "No. I don't want to. I just thought-"
"You thought we don't want you here anymore." Bruce says and Y/N nods at him. "Why?" Clint leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. "I don't know. It just popped into my head that there is no reason for me to stay, now that all the drama this was about is over. I'm a burden and I thought you all want me to go."
"You seriously thought we would throw you out of our lives just like that?" Nat says it with a sharp voice and Y/N winces at her. But she nods. Nat lets out the air with and audibly sound and copies Clint's motion. Y/N looks back down at her feet as a hand on her shoulder lets her look back up. She has not noticed that Tony retreated back to the seat next to Pepper and that Steve now stands beside her. "Y/N. You're my best friend. I really would like it if you stay. If that is what you want. I didn't propose that you live with us for the only reason of protecting you. Yes, it was one of them. But we were already friends. And now I got really used to you living with me and buck. Besides." He chuckles and a light blush creeps on his face. "I don't like any of them to change my diapers." Y/N snorts at the same time as Bucky speaks up. "And I don't trust Nat to braid my hair." He's still silent and Y/N catches a shiver run over him.
"Hey." Nat slaps Bucky hard on his back making him choke and cough. "So, you keep me?" She looks back up at Steve, and he smiles at her before he draws her into his arms. "You're not a pet."
"But we keep you."
"Tony." Y/N smiles at Pepper's scolding and closes her eyes. She slings her arms around Steve's middle and smiles against his shoulder. "Okay. I'll stay."
"Good. I would die without this pie." Y/N looks over at Clint with a smirk. "Let's try that." Clint's smile leaves his face as soon as Y/N says it. "No, Y/N, please." Everybody starts laughing and Y/N sighs. She sits back down beside Bucky and pretends not to notice that Bucky scoots closer to her.
It's good to have such good friends. Such a good family. And even as Bucky drops again that night, she loves it. And she will stay. Forever.