Chapter 17
As all the guests were arriving at the Barnes townhouse, Y/N held court in George's office. First speaking to Wanda and Pietro when they arrived. Steve and Sam helped him up the stairs. He had been shot in the thigh but was expected to make a full recovery. His doctors weren't pleased that he insisted on checking himself out of the hospital but there was nothing they could do.
They also spoke with Loki and George separately. She was trying to get a bead on where everyones heads were to help work out what comes next.
When the food arrived, Y/N sat at one end of the Barnes formal dining room table, Pietro to her right and Wanda to her left. At the other end is George Barnes with Bucky on his right, Steve on his left and Sam next to Steve. Filling the rest of the seats are Tony Stark with Happy and Rhodey, plus Loki, Hela, Val and Heimdal. Yelena was still in bad shape but insisted on being there. Attorney Matt Murdock sat quietly observing and taking notes.
While everyone ate the conversation was casual, catching up with associates that hadn't been together in a non violent situation in a long while. It was a bit stilted since everyone had the coming discussion in mind, trying to figure out how to keep their advantages while working with former rivals.
Once the dessert, brandy and coffee had been served George spoke up.
"I want to thank everyone here for coming tonight and more importantly for your help in the mess that Pierce and Dreykov created. We are stronger when we work together and keeping that in mind I am proposing new alliances to strengthen the old ones."
He looked at his son, then to Y/N, who nodded subtly.
"Right. I want to announce the merging of the Barnes and Y/L/N families. Y/N and my son James will marry in one month."
George watched his son as he made the announcement and Bucky went from surprised to delighted to confused.
Tony protested "Wait a damn minute, George. You expect her to honor her agreement after everything that has happened and the reality that your son shares a good portion of the blame for everything she's lost?
I don't know if I can allow that to happen."
Y/N kept her feelings closer to the vest, revealing nothing. She was still wary about trusting Bucky but she wasn't prepared to handle her fathers entire empire on her own and she trusted George. She also felt she could trust Steve in a pinch.
"Tony, Tony" she tried to stop him. When he looked at her he saw the resolve in her eyes "I know you're trying to look out for me but I already agreed to move forward with the marriage. I can't, I don't want to do this alone. I would much rather be spending time with my horses than all this mess. Bucky can run the business so that I'm only needed occasionally."
Tony shook his head "But what about-"
She smiled softly at him. "I've looked at all the angles and this is the least disagreeable way to keep the business going and have a little bit of a life separate from it. It'll be ok. I'll be ok" she said firmly.
Loki looked at her, concerned. He knew Thor's death hit her harder than she was willing to admit. When she returned his gaze he raised his eyebrows in question, was this really what she wanted to do? "Y/N? Are you sure about this, love? Heimdal and I would be happy to help you until you are ready to stand on your own."
Y/N smiled at Loki "I know and your friendship means the world to me but you've lost important members of your family because of me. I couldn't ask for anything else from you."
Loki shook his head "You didn't ask, I'm offering"
"I know but I also know you have some reorganizing to do yourself. Don't worry, I'll call if I need you. I promise."
Loki sighed "Very well but if I find out you're having trouble and you don't call me, we're going to have a problem"
She nodded in response.
Bucky finally remembered how to talk and had to throw in his 2 cents. "Wait, I never agreed to anything."
Y/N smirked at him "Of course you did. We both signed a contract that included marriage. I know everything has been chaotic but it hasn't been that long. We might need to tweak it a bit but it's still binding. Unless you aren't a man of your word" she looked at him with her eyebrow raised, questioning.
Bucky stuttered under her gaze "N-N-No! I am a man of my w-word. I just, you, but we-" he stopped to take a breath and gather his thoughts. "We need to speak privately. After this meeting." And sat back, arms crossed, face stoic except for the slight up turn at the corners of his mouth and a twinkle in his eyes.
Y/N nodded "Good. Now, Loki has agreed to take Yelena in on a probationary basis, once she's fully healed of course. She risked her life to give us information on Dreykovs plans which helped us take him down so we believe she deserves a chance. One chance" she looked at Yelena seriously, who nodded in response.
"Now, about dividing Pierce's territory...."
They spent 5 hours at that table, arguing over who would control what as the available territory was divided. Finally in the wee hours of the night an agreement was reached. No one was really happy but that's how compromises usually work.
Y/N was starting to feel the strain of being up for so long. She was still recovering from the loss of her arm and the grief from losing Thor was trying to push past the walls she had built up in recent days.
Bucky noticed that she was wobbling, straining to hold herself up at the table and he spoke up
"I think we need to call it a night." He glanced at his watch "It's past 3am and none of us have slept much in the last few days."
Everyone nodded and grumbled but Loki had one more concern "Does anyone know what happened to Zemo?"
Y/N roused for a moment "You guys lost Zemo?" She shivered "But he's vile. Might come after me, he never got over being dumped. I-"
Bucky shook his head "We will get him and Y/N, I promise I will keep you safe."
Everyone said their goodbyes and made to leave as Bucky helped Y/N upstairs. She was almost falling asleep as they walked up the stairs. He helped her get comfortable in his bed and tucked her in, kissed her on the forehead and whispered. "I promise I'll keep you safe."
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Three days later. Y/N still hadn't had a talk with Bucky. Every time he was around she went to his bedroom and locked the door, refusing to even acknowledge anyone who tried to speak with her.
Y/N had barely left Bucky's bedroom, leaving him with the lumpy fold out sofa in the den. She slept most of the time or would just lay there staring at the ceiling. Even her mother couldn't get her to eat much.
Today she had to get up. Today was Thor's funeral. The thought of it made her feel sick and she couldn't keep anything down at all that day.
She just went through the motions. Dressed up in a black dress with a matching veiled hat and black pumps she looked in the mirror and told herself. She could do this, she tried to convince the tired woman who she barely recognized.
The cemetery was crowded with cars, mostly black SUV's. There were so many people Y/N felt lost, gripping her mother's arm tightly. She was still unable to process the grief, the ache from losing Thor too fresh in her mind.
Bucky came up to her other side and gently rested his hand on her back, relieved that she didn't shrug him off this time. He guided them towards the grave site and was relieved when he saw Loki speaking quietly with his sister, Hela.
Loki saw them coming and excused himself from Hela to greet Y/N. "Y/N? Love? Are you alright?" He pulled her into his arms but she stood their stiffly, not returning his hug.
He pulled back to look at her face and she nodded woodenly, whispering "I'm fine" as tears welled up in her eyes.
Loki led her to the front row of seats and sat her down next to him, her mother and Bucky on her other side.
Bucky sat next to Y/N for the service, holding her flesh hand with his vibranium one. When the casket was being lowered she squeezed his hand and he gently returned it, so she knew he was there.
Her shoulders were shaking with the sobs she was trying to hold in but it all became too much and she couldn't anymore. Loud, gut wrenching sobs broke through and she couldn't stop them.
Y/N felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest and there was nothing left but emptiness. Thor had been by her side for years, starting as her trainer then friend then blossoming into something neither one of them wanted to deny, even though they knew the risks. No one knew her like he had and that loss felt like more than she could bear after everything else.
Y/N collapsed next to Thor's grave "N-n-no, I c-can't leave him here. It's t-too cold in the ground. Please don't make me leave him alone. I can't." She looked up at Bucky as he sat on the ground next to her "please, Jamie. Don't make me" she fainted and fell into his arms.