Guarded Heart

Later that evening, after the meeting at the hospital, Thor was relaxing at home, after feeding the horses, when there was a knock on his door. He rarely had guests at all especially uninvited so he grabbed his gun and answered the door to find Steve Rogers.

He looked down at him "Rogers. What can I do for you?"

Steve smiled "Can I come in and talk for a minute?"

Thor shrugged and let him in. Both men sat across from each other in the living room. "What do you want?"

Steve sighed "We were concerned that you weren't at the hospital today for the family meeting. We hoped you would be helping when we go after Dreykov."

Thor nodded "We? You mean Barnes, doesn't he have the nerve to face me? Look, Y/N knows I'm not interested in that life, that's why Loki is in charge of my family, I was never suited for it, I just want my horses. I was only there to go after Natasha because Y/N was going. I will always protect her in any way I can. I know she can't participate in the next fight so I won't be going. I'll be spending time at the hospital to make sure she is protected."

Steve shook his head "I already have Sam watching her so-"

Thor interrupted "You only have one man guarding her? He will have to sleep and eat. He can't have eyes on her all the time." He shook his head and grabbed his phone to send a quick text. "I sent Syf and Val over there. The three of them can take shifts and sleep in the on call room. I swear Rogers, if anything happens to her you will have me to deal with."

Steve laughed uncomfortably and mumbled "You and Bucky"

Thor shook his head "Bucky" he spat "is the one that caused most of this and if she gets hurt any more I'll come for him too. He's lucky I haven't yet but you'll need all the fighters you can get to confront Dreykov." Thor stood up, headed towards the front door and opened it "thanks for dropping by" he said looking Steve in the eyes.

Steve looked at the floor and rubbed the back of his neck. "Can I uh, ask you something?" Thor nodded "Is Loki, your brother, is he uh, is he available?" He flushed crimson.

Thor looked Steve up and down with a smirk on his face "Loki is always available for another lover, as long as you aren't looking for a commitment. I'll give him your number."

Steve nodded "Yeah uh thanks. Wait, how did you get my number?"

Thor shrugged "Y/N gave me all the information she had on the Barnes family when they agreed to the engagement. Even some blackmail worthy details so tread carefully. She means the world to me." He warned

"Barnes loves her. For all his stupidity it's on his face clear as day. He needs to trust her and respect her as an equal or he will never be able to keep her." Thor said softly. "He needs to know he isn't the only one."

Steve looked at Thor wide eyed "You're the secret-"

Thor grabbed him by the throat "I'm the one who will always protect her. That's all you need to know." He let Steve go and turned away "See yourself out, Rogers.

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At the Barnes townhouse, Bucky was pouring himself a drink when his father stopped him "I think you've had enough to drink the last couple of days. Now you need to grow up and deal with the problem at hand."

Bucky shook his head "I'm giving up on that, she's never gonna give me another chance."

George shook his head "Would you stop your lovestruck whining, you made your own mess of that, repeatedly. We have a real problem to take care of. Or have you forgotten about Dreykov? We need to be prepared to take the fight to him.

You need to get some sleep without the aid of any substances so that you are clear headed tomorrow. Forget about yourself and your love life so we can finish this." He scolded then left the room to head to bed himself.

Bucky followed his father upstairs, took a shower and laid down in his childhood bedroom staring at the ceiling. He didn't understand how Nat had him fooled for so long. He remembered when they met.

It was almost a year after his accident and he was finally getting comfortable with the prosthetic. He was just stepping out in public with his new arm, some charity gala, and most of the girls who used to follow him around could only look in his direction and gossip among themselves. Nat walked right up to him and introduced herself. She blew past the social pleasantries and asked direct questions about his arm. Before the night was over they were hiding in a closet where he showed her exactly how the arm felt and what it could do. He would never have believed he could get turned on about that arm but she made it happen.

He shook the thought off, none of it was real. Nat just did what she thought would gain his attention and she was right. Once she had him hooked she started taking him to all the most exclusive clubs where they danced and fucked and did all the best drugs. Two years later he woke up hungover to his father screaming about making Nat his right hand without so much as discussing it with his father or even Steve.

Bucky told his father off and bought himself a penthouse that day, fully furnished, sight unseen. He took Nat and moved in that night where no one would bother them. He didn't remember asking Nat to be his hand but he wouldn't risk losing her so reinforced the decision by announcing it at the next family meeting.

George, Steve and Sam were disgusted that he was putting his dick first but Nat had started blowing him under the table until he couldn't stop the moans. The room cleared quickly when they realized what was happening. After she swallowed his cum down, he fucked her on the conference table, loudly. Then they went to one of his club's and spent the nite partying which included various sex acts in the middle of the dance floor.

The next 2 years Bucky spent in a drug and sex addled haze. He did his job, took care of what his father told him to but where the partying started after business was done, things changed and he was indulging while taking care of business, then before. He knew he was in trouble when he had to partake as soon as he got up just to get himself moving. Nat kept insisting on drugs and late nights until he was blowing off business and his family because he was too wrapped up in the highs she gave him.

That all ended on his 30th bday. He stumbled into the family dinner to celebrate with Nat. They were both beyond wasted and kept touching each other until he finally fingered her to orgasm, right in the middle of his family singing happy birthday.

Winnie stood suddenly, appalled at her son's behavior especially since his younger sister was right there.

"James, you and your whore need to leave my house. Don't come back until you can treat your family and yourself with some respect" and stormed out of the room.

Steve dragged him out and drove him to his place, reluctantly bringing Nat with them.

The next morning his father showed up at his front door. George spent an hour berating his son and threatening to put Steve in charge when he retired. "It's not bad enough for you to ignore your responsibilities but your behavior is damaging your reputation and the family's business. Why would anyone trust us when you flaunt what should be private and can't control your baser desires? Sex and drugs in the open at clubs all over town. I want to retire before I'm killed or get too old to enjoy it. I promised to show your mother the world and we've only seen a small portion. But I can't retire because I can't trust my son to handle the family business and not squander it."

Bucky apologized, if only to shut him up and promised to get it together. He kept that promise to a degree, still partying too much but keeping business straight.

A few months after his birthday his father took him aside after breakfast one morning and told him he was proud of how he had cleaned himself up and was planning to retire. As soon as Bucky got married and had his first child.

The glow of pride from his father's praise turned to anger "I have Natasha and have no plans of ending it so you'll have your wedding but will have to accept that you'll never have grandkids."

Once again George threatened to give the business to Steve and father and son almost came to blows. "I'm not backing down on this son. You have one week to choose. If you choose Natasha then I'm making Steve my second."

Bucky was ready to keep fighting when he saw the look on his father's face. Love and disappointment. He caved "Fine. I'll get married and have a kid but I'm not giving Nat up."

George sighed "That will have to do for now. Next Sunday we're having brunch with the Carter's. They have 2 lovely and single daughters."

Brunch with the Carter's was hellish for Bucky. Peggy at least had a brain but she was all business, nothing soft. Sharon was soft and touchy but didn't seem to have a brain in her head. Just a spoiled mafia princess whose best talents involved credit cards and an excess of wine.

Both were a definite no.

Dreykov tried to offer up his daughter Antonia but he was involved in some business that George couldn't stomach.

After more brunches and luncheons than he cared to count Bucky finally met Y/N. She was beautiful, independent and strong. Smart as hell, honest. Everything he could have wanted. Before he met Nat. Y/N made him question everything but he refused to let anyone see that.

Sometimes it could be hard to determine if Bucky was more stubborn or stupid. He had loudly proclaimed his love and loyalty to Nat for all to hear and refused to back down. Refused to admit he could have been wrong and God forbid his father could have been right about Nats destructive influence.

Bucky finally fell asleep thinking about New Years Eve with Y/N. How she made him smile even while being difficult because he was late. How holding her close gave him a warmth he never felt with Nat. Their relationship had always been fast and hard, never slowing down to look around and enjoy life.

He remembered how it felt to kiss Y/N, to touch her intimately, feel her squeezing and gushing over his hand as she softly moaned in his ear.

The dreams he had that night dirtied his sheets and when he woke up he was resolved to find his way back to her.

Natasha was but a distant memory.

First thing in the morning he called the shrink that Sam had told him to see after his accident. He had been too stubborn and prideful to call her but he knew now that he needed to deal with some things. Christine Raynor wasn't a pleasant person but she knew about the life and was discreet. Bucky hoped she could help him come to terms with the accident, his arm and Nats betrayal. Maybe he could straighten his head out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N was feeling trapped at the hospital and anxious to get home. Besides the obvious personal comforts of home, the security was many times better than what the hospital could provide. It would be much easier to control who could get close to her at home.

She had been in some intense negotiations with her doctor and physical therapist to go home with hired medical staff around the clock. Their attorneys all got involved because everyone needs to cover their asses.

While the professionals considered her fate, Y/N worked with Pietro and Scott to gather more intel on Dreykovs people and plans. Steve stopped by a couple of times to visit and offer information he had gathered. She teased him about his interest in Loki but only when they were alone. She wondered why he couldn't be the brother she was supposed to marry but never meant to say it out loud.

Steve looked at her in shock "Me? I'm not the one you have chemistry with. I know Bucky can be an idiot but he's a good man. If he tries to talk to you, please just listen. If you think it's bullshit then tell him to fuck off but give him one chance."

Y/N rolled her eyes "Look Steve, I get that you are brothers in all but blood and I respect that but I've given him chances and my life has been blown up because he refused to see reality. Natasha must have had a magic pussy and even though she's gone, her deceit exposed, he still pines for her. Even if I forgave him for everything, how do I compete with her? Now shes martyred. I don't have the energy to deal with his trauma when he is the indirect cause of mine."

Steve smiled sadly "Yeah, I know. Like you said he's my brother, I had to give it a shot. I do understand."

She nodded at him with a twinkle in her eye "Brotherly obligation done you can cross that off of your to do list." She sighed "If I'm up for it when he stops by I'll try to listen without killing him. That's the best I can offer. With any luck I'll be home soon"

There was a knock on the door to her room, when she yelled come in, Sam poked his head in "Sorry to interrupt the girl time but we have to go Steve. Yelena is at the townhouse and not in good shape. Sounds like Dreykov figured her out."

"Fuck" Steve sighed then looked at Y/N "I'll let you know if there's anything interesting."

Sam and Steve raced to the townhouse to find Yelena, looking a little rough, in the guest room with Dr Banner.

The doctor looked up "She's going to be ok but was beat pretty badly. I've cleaned and stitched up what I could. Now she needs rest and a lite diet."

Yelena tried to sit up but Bruce gently pushed her back down "You need to rest and let your body heal"

Yelena shook her head "Steve" she rasped, throat heavily bruised, and gestured for him to come closer. He did with a concerned look on his face. Yelena grabbed his shirt "Natasha" she coughed and he gave her a sip of water "It was all Natasha. Buckys accident was supposed to kill him but since he lived my father sent her in to destroy the family from the inside. Playing on his insecurity about his arm." She took another drink and sat back. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She was quiet for a moment before whispering "The meeting is tomorrow nite but it's a set up, they'll be waiting for you."

Steve nodded, jaw clenched and left the room to call George with this information. It didn't change much since Nat was dead but it was more evidence of the lengths Dreykov would go to and the need to end this before he caused any more destruction.