Guarded Heart

"You should use me as bait."

"BAIT!!? Are you insane"

"Bait? Oh Hell no!"

"What? Not a chance"

"Y/N dear, I don't think that's a good idea"

Bucky, Sam and Steve all shouted at the same time. While George tried to stay calm and not escalate the tension in the car.

Sam almost lost control of the SUV.

Bucky shook his head, fists clenched "No. Absolutely not. No fucking way. What the Hell are you thinking? We are not putting you at risk. No."

George tried to be more diplomatic "Y/N, honey I understand wanting to handle this personally but there has to be a better way."

Y/N rolled her eyes "Don't you get it Bucky, I'm always at risk and I'd rather go down fighting than hiding and hoping it doesn't come to me..

Ok, so it's more like a distraction than bait. Zemo already said that I was what he wanted. I can play along, I know his weaknesses. Keep him distracted while the rest of you-"

Steve tried to reason with her "Come on, Y/N, think logically. You might be able to distract him but if he suspects anything you are in no shape for a real fight. You're still healing and when you are ready you'll have to relearn how to fight with and without a prosthetic. Plus you've been running on minimal sleep and food for days, your balance and strength will be off."

She scoffed "I don't need permission from any of you."

Bucky tried to keep himself from losing it "Why didn't you bring this up when we were all together working on a plan? Why wait until after we left?

Maybe because you know that Loki would never go for it. You knew every person there would have fought you. If they hadn't we would have taken that 4 hours of planning on a different strategy. There's no way to change the plan now, there are men already headed into the mountains. We would have problems contacting them to change everything so would be short on men to protect you at your house"

She raised an eyebrow "You think so? Loki's not in charge of me either. Y'all can try to stop me but I've made my mind up." She tried to soften her approach

"It's an old house and I grew up there. I know all the secret passages and how to get around quietly. And where my father hid weapons and how to engage his booby traps. He was always prepared for an attack. That's why he survived as long as he did." She choked back a sob.

Bucky shook his head "Look doll, I know that you are smart and very capable but this is too dangerous. You are not at your best and there's no way I can protect you if you let him get to you."

She scowled at him "I don't need you to protect me. I told you before, I'm not some shrinking violet who depends on a man.

Bluster all you like, it's all hot air to me."

Steve tried again, pleading "Y/N, please. Be reasonable. We are just trying to keep you safe."

"Keep me safe?" She spat at him "You men keep promising to keep me safe but none of you can. I'm the one who keeps losing in this bullshit game and I'm tired of trusting anyone else with my safety." She sat back "I'm going to do what I need to do to end this."

She paused and looked Bucky in the eyes, pleadingly "Look, I go to my house, alone. Well just me and Pietro since I can't really drive but anyways we get word out that you and I split again, I caught you with Yelena or something, and I went back home alone, in a fit, tired of hiding and being surrounded by guards. Zemo won't be able to resist, he always said my penchant for drama would come back on me so he gets to gloat when he thinks he has me. Pietro and I take him down and offer terms for his men.

I'm not stupid, I know I'm not in great shape but I can seduce him into letting his guard down." She softened "And if I fail it's only my life on the line not all of you."

The men were all speechless, struggling to come up with an argument that she would listen to but still had nothing when they arrived at the Barnes townhouse.

Y/N was out her door as soon as the SUV stopped and stomped her way up to Bucky's room.

Bucky tried to follow her but she locked the door so he tried knocking "Y/N, doll, please don't shut me out. I want to help if you'll let me."

"Go. Away."

"Please doll?"

She opened the door "are you willing to let me help get Zemo?"

Bucky shook his head "If we could wait till you were healthier, sure but not now. You wouldn't have a chance against him."

She stomped on the foot he wedged in the door, slammed and locked it before he dealt with the pain in his foot.

"Ouch! Dammit Y/N! Open this door!" He limped away "Fucking willful woman" and grumbled his way down the stairs, wondering when she put boots on.

When he arrived in the living room he sat on the couch, took his shoe off and rubbed his foot. He looked up when he heard laughter.

Steve couldn't help himself and tried to stop laughing which only made it worse. He sat next to him and slapped Bucky on the shoulder "I guess it didn't go so well, huh?" When Bucky didn't respond "You alright there punk?"

Bucky shoved him off the couch "Just peachy, jerk."

Y/N paced the room, infuriated by the Barnes men refusal to involve her in the takedown of Helmut Zemo.

She raged to herself about what stupid, sexist men they were, all while pushing down the voice that told her they were right. She knew she needed to heal physically and emotionally but didn't care anymore as long as she could punish those who had wronged her.

When she caught Zemo with that girl it broke her heart, she thought they had something real. Then he had to humiliate her on top of it but she chose, at the time to walk away from him instead of looking for revenge. Obviously that was a mistake since he teamed with her families enemies to try to take them down. They failed but had cost her so much she couldn't just sit here while the men went to take care of her problems.

After a while of pacing and swearing, trying to figure out how to get away from the Barnes and get to Zemo when something clicked. She smiled to herself, it was perfect and simple.

When Winnie called everyone to dinner Y/N came down and sat to eat next to Wanda and Pietro, quietly discussing something the others couldn't hear. When Winnie asked after her she told her she was just tired and angry at everything.

Y/N stood when she finished eating "I just want to apologize for my outburst earlier. I'm sick and tired and angry with no way to express it. I'm going up to relax with some music. Wanda can you help me change please?"

Wanda nodded and followed her upstairs. Pietro went up shortly after, promising to keep an eye on her.

At the table Bucky felt a little better but was still worried about her mental and physical health and promised himself he would take care of Zemo then take her on vacation if she would let him.

Everyone found a spot to try and catch a bit of sleep before the drive to the mountains.

When Bucky woke at 1am he started some coffee and went to take a cold shower to wake himself up. Realizing he needed clean clothes he headed for his room as quietly as possible and opened the door only to do a double take when he realized the bed and the room were empty. Then his brain caught up, Pietro and Wanda were gone as well. He swore

"Fuck." Then yelled "FUCK!" and started banging on doors to wake everyone up. Steve came out of his room rubbing his eyes "Hey jerk, its only 1, we have 2 more hours and-"

"Goddammit Steve, she's gone! Y/N left with Pietro and Wanda." Then his phone dinged, a text with blueprints for her house including everything she had mentioned. Bucky showed his phone to Steve.

Steve's eyes grew wide "Fuck.