Chapter 14
Warnings: swearing, angst, talk of rape and attempted suicide
Star sat in the green room bouncing her leg nervously, waiting to be called out to talk to Anderson Cooper. The only thing that kept her from bolting was Bucky sitting next to her, holding her hand.
Sharon sat quietly, nervous to be spilling the secrets of powerful men but like Y/N was determined to see those men finally forced to accept the consequences of their actions.
Bucky had held her all night, even when she woke up crying, begging someone nameless to stop. He rubbed her back and whispered in her ear that she was safe. That morning she had tried on 5 different outfits before settling on a simple dress in a soft blue.
She was grateful for the make-up artist who was able to cover up the dark circles under her eyes and even out the blotches from crying.
When the intern finally came to take them to the set, Y/N felt like she was going to be sick and didn't want to let go of Bucky's hand. He stood and pulled her up with him.
"You'll be great, doll and I'll be just a few feet away. Anderson isn't some shock journalist and won't pull any gotchas on you. Just be you and tell your side of the story." He kissed her hands one after the other which made her feel warm deep inside.
The interview went well. Y/N learned more about how awful her father was when Sharon talked about her time with him. How he bragged about getting her mother 'out of the way' because she kept trying to protect Star from him. How he had beaten, raped and blackmailed Sharon into submission including threatening her family. His plans to have Bucky, Steve, Peggy, Sam and Nick Fury killed to ensure that Star had no one left to turn to but him and John. Sharon had thought that helping John end Alexander would make her life better but she just ended up with John on her all the time so decided to leave the country. When Jessica Jones found her and told her what Star was dealing with she felt like she had to speak up. She hoped to be able to come home and spend time with her own ailing father who had been in a car accident that killed her mother, an accident that Alexander had bragged about having a hand in and threatened to finish her father if she didn't do anything and everything he ordered.
Alexander was dead but his manipulations were still causing problems for innocent people.
Y/N talked about her experiences with her father, how he forced her to marry John and worked to keep her from her rightful inheritance from her mother and grandmother.
She told Anderson that she couldn't get too detailed about what John had done to her due to the ongoing case but what the attorneys said she could talk about was bad enough. Much of her story was corroborated by Jack Rollins confession.
They had to pause a couple of times as she told her story, the memories being too overwhelming to go on without a break.
Once it was all over, Y/N thanked Anderson for helping her tell her story without judgement and Sharon for coming forward and said good nite. She turned to Bucky with red eyes "Can we go home now, Jamie?"
Bucky nodded and pulled her into his side "Yeah, come on Star, let's go home and get some dinner. Pepper had the kitchen make pot pies and special brownies, so a nice hot bath, glass of wine, comfort food and chocolate." He grinned at her "Sounds like everything my Star needs.
She smiled back but her eyes were confused "Why do you work so hard to take care of me, Jamie? It's been 3 years and I'm technically still married. You must have had some kind of life after you left."
Bucky chuckled softly "My sweet, darling,
shining Star." He cupped her face in his rough hands, looking in her eyes sadly. "I'm so sorry that I left, that I made you believe you couldn't depend on me, that you think you aren't it for me."
He kissed her forehead "You are everything and I will spend the rest of my life proving my love, that you can depend on me again."
Her eyes filled with tears "I, Bucky I, I-" she couldn't keep going and he pulled her into his chest.
Bucky rubbed her back as she cried "Shhh, it's alright Star. You're ok and I will never let John or Brock or anyone else hurt you." He pulled back and looked in her eyes "Even if you decide you don't want me-" he choked up a little and cleared his throat "Even then, I will always protect you. I will always be a call or text away."
He suppressed the urge to kiss her, he would happily go at her pace as long as he could be near her, however she needed.
"Come on, doll. Lets get you home."
After fighting traffic they made it back to Stark tower. There was press everywhere, a few ran up to try and peer through the tinted windows, shouting her name, looking for her. All she could do was sit quietly as Bucky held her hand.
Happy parked the car and got out to look around, making sure none of the paps were able to get in before opening her door.
"Don't worry miss, you're all clear now." He reassured her and offered his hand to help her out.
Star took his hand and smiled "Thank you Happy. I don't know how I could get through this without your help." then kissed his cheek.
Happy blushed and stammered out a quiet you're welcome as she pulled back.
Upstairs, Bucky ran a bath for her and called the kitchen to bring dinner while she soaked in the oversized Jacuzzi tub.
When she got out she lotioned up all over and put on one of Bucky's t-shirts and a pair of sleep shorts.
As she exited the bathroom the doorbell rang, which she figured must be their food.
Bucky made it to the door before her and when he opened it was almost tackled by a beautiful redhead who kissed him hard on the mouth, which is exactly what Y/N saw when she walked out.
Y/N felt her chest constrict, she knew it. Bucky was too good to be true, there was someone else. She turned around to go back to the bedroom before the tears welling up in her eyes started to fall, so didn't see Bucky push the woman off of him.
Star was too caught up in her head to hear Bucky snap at the redhead "Natasha?! What the Hell are you doing here?"
Natasha pouted "I got tired of waiting for you to call me and I saw that you opened your shop. I can work for you, answer phones or whatever." She smiled slyly at him "We can pick up where we left off."
Bucky shook his head "There's nothing to pick up because we didn't leave anything off. You helped us with some work while we finished school but there's nothing else." He looked around, wondering where Star was.
"How did you even get in here? The front desk is supposed to notify her of visitors."
Natasha glared at him "Her who? Have you been cheating on me Bucky Barnes?"
Bucky laughed "That would imply we were in a relationship when we weren't. I've never even touched you. You have to go, just forget we met because nothing will come of it."
He tried to shove her out the door but Natasha was surprisingly strong for her size. "NO! You won't shove me aside after all we've been through together"
Bucky shook his head "All we've been through? You're delusional, I'm calling security."
Natasha saw his phone on the table and grabbed it "How you gonna call anyone Bucky baby?" She teased.
Bucky smiled "Never said anything about a phone." his smile grew when there was a knock at the door and he heard Happy call out "Security! Are you alright Miss Pierce?"
Bucky called back "Come on in Happy, we have an intruder."
Happy came in with Rhodey and looked at Natasha "This the intruder?"
Bucky nodded "You might want to see how she got past Friday. She does not belong here."
Natasha scoffed "You don't have to get all stupid. I was just hoping to get paid."
Bucky looked at her in shock "Get paid? I paid you for all the work you did for us and-"
She laughed "Not that. Please, that wasn't worth the trip here. No, I'm talking about how Alexander Pierce paid me to seduce you so he could show the pictures to his spoiled bitch daughter. Well, he said he would pay me but now he's dead and I know his daughter won't pay me so I hoped to take it out in trade, with you." She winked.
Bucky's eyes turned cold "Pierce sent you? I should have known he wouldn't just leave well enough alone even after I left." He looked at her with something bordering on hatred "I don't know how to get it through your thick head. I told you before and I'm telling you now. I. Don't. Want. You. I never have, never will. You'll just have to write this off as a loss and don't bother us again."
He nodded to Happy who grabbed Natashas arm and pulled her out of the suite "Come with me miss, I have some questions."
Bucky closed the door after they left and went looking for Star. He found her sitting on the side of the bed, hunched over and tears streaming down her face. He sat next to her and she scooted away.
He spoke softly "I don't know what you saw or heard doll but she was never anything to me. She helped us with some paperwork and keeping organized with our plans but that's it. I never touched her. I swear."
She sniffled "It's ok if you did. It's been 3 years and I was married to someone else."
He reached over to caress her cheek "I know but no one I met could live up to my Star. No one ever will." He kissed her softly.
When he pulled away she asked him "Did I hear her mention my father?"
Bucky scoffed "Yeah, she claimed he hired her to seduce me so he could show you pictures to prove I had moved on. Apparently he never paid her so she came looking. Happy took her to find out how she got past Friday."
Star sighed "Even dead my father is still wreaking havoc on my life. When will it end?"
Bucky pulled her close "I don't know Star but I'll be here either way." he kissed the top of her head.
The doorbell rang again and he felt her tense up. "Don't worry doll, it's probably food. I'll get it.
When he came back into the bedroom carrying a tray with food, wine and a red rose in a bud vase she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
They both got comfortable and put on one of her favorite shows, Schitts Creek, to watch. They also ate more brownies than they probably should have and started giggling uncontrollably at David and Alexis' shenanigans until they fell asleep cuddled up together.
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The next nite they got together with Tony, Pepper, Steve, Peggy and Sam to have dinner and watch Y/N's interview. Star couldn't sit still while it aired and paced around the room.
"I don't know why I agreed to watch this with everyone, I can't stand to watch it myself." She groaned when she saw herself getting overwhelmed and asking Anderson for a short break.
"I sound so pathetic" she mocked herself "My daddy and husband are so mean. I was born in the lap of luxury and never wanted for anything but they were mean to me." She scoffed "When down I become so weak and whiny?"
Bucky went to stand in front of her, taking her hands in his. The warm roughness helped calm her down, his presence soothing her.
"Look at me Star" he paused waiting for her eyes to meet his. "You are not pathetic, you are one of the strongest people I know." He cupped her cheek with his right hand "Just because you haven't suffered financially, doesn't make your trauma less valid. And those fuckers were way more than mean to you. I won't get into what they did do but you know it was so much more than that."
He kissed her on the forehead "A lot of people would have given up and swallowed a bullet."
Stars eyes grew wide and more tears filled them, she looked down at the floor before whispering "I I, I did try but I failed at that too."
The room went silent as she cleared her throat to tell them something she hadn't told anyone.
"It was over a year after you left, my mother was gone, I had no friends, wasn't even allowed to see my horses without permission and John came home one nite, angry and drunk. Something about my father blaming him for me not being pregnant yet. I tried to fight back but I was too weak. He was especially brutal that nite, knocked me out and I woke in our bed, sheets stained from my blood and hurting everywhere. I knew I was trapped and it wouldn't get any better so I swallowed a handful of oxys with some tequila shots. Wrote a note 'I hate you and would rather be dead than live with you.' Brock found me and I woke up in the hospital with a very sore throat from having my stomach pumped. That's when he became my fulltime bodyguard/babysitter. Of course if I did favors for him he didn't care how many pills I took or how much I drank." As she spoke she shrunk into herself. "See, weak."
Bucky gasped and pulled her into a crushing hug "I'm so sorry for what I left you too but I can't tell you how happy I am that you failed. I promise it's gonna get better. You got away from them and after the trial you can move on with your life. You are not weak, you just needed to find a way out." he held onto her, rubbing her back.
Pepper looked at Tony sadly and he nodded in response to confirm that he already planned to do everything they could to help Star through this mess. She stood and went to rub Y/N's arm who was still in Bucky's arms.
"We've got you, Y/N." She looked at Bucky's friends who nodded "We're your friends and family now and will always be here. Those bastards can't hurt you anymore."
Star looked up and pulled Pepper into the hug, trying to speak through her tears but all she could squeak out was a sincere thank you before being overwhelmed and hiding her face in Bucky's neck. The rest of the group stood and joined them, creating a protective circle around Star.
When she was able to calm down Star thanked her friends for their love and support. They sat down to watch the rest of the interview until they were disturbed by a knock on the door.
Tony went to answer it to find Happy, looking a bit frazzled.
"Sorry to disturb you, boss. Thought I should give you a heads up." He looked around "Oh good, Miss Pierce, youre here as well. This concerns you." He paused. "First, that woman last nite was sent by one of Walker's people. Apparently he knew your father sent her to seduce Mr Barnes while he was gone and hoped she would put a wedge between you."
Tony looked at Happy expectantly "I'm assuming theres more."
Happy nodded "Yes. Ever since about 5 minutes after the interview started the phones are blowing up again and the press are at every entrance to the building looking for Miss Pierce." He looked at her "You might be stuck inside for a few days. Now that they know something of what Walker did they are even more determined to have some time with you."
Star shook her head "I knew this would happen but with the trial starting next week, interest was going to surge no matter what I did. I'm glad I got my side out."
Bucky squeezed her hand and she squeezed his right back. He looked her in the eyes. "We'll get through this. Together."