Chapter 10
Y/N woke up to a beeping sound and felt someone holding her right hand. She opened her eyes but couldn't see for a minute until they adjusted to the bright light. She looked to see who was holding her hand.
"Mama? You're awake!" She rasped out.
Her mother smiled but had a sad look in her eyes "and now you are too" she squeezed her hand then brought a cup of water with a straw up to her "Take a drink, you've been out for a couple of days."
Y/N tried to sit up but her whole left side felt like it was on fire, she huffed in frustration and waited while her mom adjusted the bed.
"Please tell me Natasha is taken care of. And Thor is ok"
Her mother nodded "Yes, she's dead and he's fine. Most of your people are fine. James too, in case you were wondering."
She made a face "I don't know if I care about him. He chose her." She felt a tear "and Clint, Clint was the mole. He betrayed our family for a piece of ass. He said Dreykov was going to put him in charge of our family." She tried to look around "Mama, my arm hurts and I can't move it. What happened?"
Her mother looked at her with tears in her eyes "You were shot baby. In your left shoulder. The doctors did everything they could but-" she choked back a sob "Honey they couldn't save your arm."
Y/N shook her head "That can't be right, it hurts so much." She reached with her right hand only to find the stub at her shoulder. She looked back at her mother with wide eyes "Mama my arm. How will I ride now?" And burst into tears, her dream truly was gone. She cried onto her mother's shoulder for what seemed like forever. Her mother just rubbed her back and whispered soothing words.
Y/N pulled away from her mother when she heard someone come into the room. Her mother moved out of the way as Dr's Banner and Strange looked at her.
Banner looked at her kindly "How are you feeling kiddo? You've been out for a couple of days, had us worried."
She looked at him irritated "I really don't know, Bruce, considering I just learned my lifelong dream is gone. I guess I'm just a mob boss now. Something I never expected to be until after I had my gold medals."
Stephen tried to console her "I know it's terrible but your life doesn't have to be over. Once you're fully healed we can look into prosthetics. Your godfathers company has done some incredible work on that front so I'm sure he can-"
She snapped at him "Don't try to bury me with your optimistic bullshit. How would you feel Stephen if you lost the use of one or both of your hands? All I ever wanted was to ride horses but this mob shit keeps fucking with my life" she yelled and threw the food tray across the room "GET OUTGETOUTGETOUT!!!!!"
Y/N sat there breathing heavily and crying "I can't do this mama. I just can't. Please leave me alone."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Barnes townhouse Steve knocked on Bucky's bedroom door "Hey, Buck?" And heard a groan "She's awake so you might want to take a shower and sober up. We're going over to see her after lunch."
Bucky groaned again, he had come home from the hospital with a few bumps and bruises then dove into a bottle of scotch until he couldn't feel anything anymore.
Steve opened the door and made a face "Damn dude, take a shower. This whole room smells like a bar."
Bucky flipped him off "She's not gonna want to see me after everything. You guys go on without me."
Steve frowned "You need to get your nasty ass up before I call Sam to help me."
"Fine. I'm up now fuck off." He dragged himself to the shower and sat under the hot water berating himself for the many ways he screwed everything up. 4 years with Nat and it was all a lie. He scrubbed himself until his skin was red, trying to get rid of her touch but he couldn't. He desperately wanted to see Y/N, to apologize and beg her forgiveness even though he didn't feel like he deserved it.
When he saw her thrown back and the blood on her chest, after Clint shot her, he felt like his chest caved in. If only he had listened to her.
~~~~~~~~
At the hospital, Y/N was being a difficult patient yelling at everyone except her mother and throwing whatever she could reach. Her mother finally had enough and called him.
Thor arrived at the hospital 30 minutes later, hair still dripping from his shower. He could hear her yelling from down the hall and grinned that she still had her fire. He knocked on the door frame "Hey there, little one" and went in to hug her.
The hug was desperate, clawing, wanting to be closer but unable to. She sobbed into his chest as he soothed her. "Alright little one, I'm here, you're alright."
She pushed him away angrily "No, nothing's alright. Everything is fucked. How can I ride or compete like this? It's over. I might as well marry some boss and start popping out kids while he stays out late to fuck his mistress. My life is over."
He pulled her back and stroked her hair "No little one, it's not over. You'll have to make some changes and adjustments but you can do it. Remember Sonora Webster? She kept diving horses after losing her sight and she didn't have a godfather with a tech company that happens to make prosthetics. You'll be brilliant little one."
She calmed some "How can a prosthetic be as sensitive as the real thing?"
A voice from the hallway "Are you questioning the quality of my work, kiddo?" Tony and Pepper walked in with a huge bouquet of multicolor roses and set them on a shelf across from the bed "If you work with me we can make something that will almost be indistinguishable from your right arm. Have a little faith."
Y/N looked at them and tried to smile. "Hey Tony, Pepper"
Pepper gave her a small smile and gentle hug. Tony on the other hand was, well, Tony. "I've already been working on your new arm. The Wakandans were happy to give me the vibranium to make it and Princess Shuri has been brainstorming with me.
We should have it ready by the time you are healed enough." He grinned proudly
Her smile was a little more sincere "Thanks Tony. I don't know what I'm going to do but I guess that's a start."
"Consider your dreams delayed. You need time to help me perfect the arm and hopefully Destry will stoop balking at water features" he quipped
A small chuckle snuck out and she covered her mouth with her right hand. Tony grinned "That's my girl. I know it's all a mess but you have us. We'll help you through."
Thor sat quietly holding her hand as she spoke with Pepper and Tony. When they both gave her kisses and left he was still there.
He squeezed her hand "See little one, it's not all so dire. It might not be easy but you have support and will be ok."
She looked at him, really looked for the first time since he came to visit. "Thor. What's going on?"
Thor blushed and rubbed his neck "What do you mean?"
She scowled "Don't play that game with me. There is something....."
He sighed "I planned to wait until you were better but you're too perceptive. I met someone."
Her heart stopped and she tried to smile for him "That's amazing Thor. I'm so happy for you."
"You know I love you little one and I always will. Jane is just, incredible."
"She's a lucky lady." She said sadly
Thor gently grabbed her chin and pulled her to face him "This doesn't change anything between us. I'm still your friend, trainer and whatever else you need me to be."
She looked surprised "Does she know about me?"
"Of course, you know I'm not one for keeping secrets. We are not committed at this time." He tried to reassure her.
Y/N smiled at her friend "I'm happy for you, Thor. Truly. I am getting very tired though." She stopped as an orderly came in and set her lunch on the tray. They chatted about nothing as she picked at her food. She would miss the physical aspect of her relationship with Thor and hoped he would still have time with her outside of training but she really was happy for him.
And resigning herself to being the old mobster lady with all the horses, there were worse possibilities. At least she wasn't married to Zemo.