Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 113
Unfinished Business
Lokiâs chambers were lavish in a way that made Y/N want to be sick. It was an extravagant prison, just as golden and false as the persona he had been putting on. The moment the doors shut behind them, she turned on him.
âWhat the hell was that?â she snapped, shaking off the remnants of his intervention.
Loki sighed, as if her anger bored him. He sauntered toward the nearby drink cart, pouring himself a glass of whatever glowing liquor he had been indulging in all night.
âCare to be more specific?â he drawled lazily.
âYou didnât have to humiliate me like that,â she shot back, her fists clenched at her sides. âI donât need your helpâespecially not like that.â
Loki smirked, taking a slow sip of his drink before tilting his head at her. âAnd yet, here you are, unshackled and unharmed.â His gaze darkened, voice dropping lower. âI suppose you would have preferred to be thrown to the wolves?â
Y/N exhaled sharply, hating the way his words made sense even when she didnât want them to.
âThatâs not the point, Loki!â she said, stepping forward, her chest rising and falling with frustration. âYou could have done something else. You didnât have to make a spectacle of it. You didnât have toââ
He cut her off smoothly. âYou overestimate my options.â
She glared at him.
Loki didnât apologize. He never did. But something in the way he held himselfâtoo tense, too controlledâtold her he knew what he had done.
âCare for a drink?â he asked lightly, a sly curve to his lips as he gestured toward a spread of cosmic liquorâof questionable origin, though she didnât dare ask.
âNo.â The word left her lips too quickly. Her eyes dipped, just for a heartbeat, toward her stomach.
If Loki noticed, he gave no sign. âCurious⊠youâve never been one to refuse a drink. Especially now, when the circumstances are⊠shall we say, less than ideal.â
âThings change,â she replied, the bite in her voice sharp enough to cut.
âYes,â he said, and this time his tone cooled, losing its veneer of amusement. âThey do.â
Y/N let out a breath, shaking her head. âYou donât get to do this.â Her voice wavered, but her anger held strong. âYou donât get to waltz in, play the hero in your own twisted way, and expect me to just accept it.â
Lokiâs jaw tightened. âAnd you donât get to act like youâre the only one who has been wronged.â
She let out a bitter laugh. âOh, please. Are we really doing this?â
âYou left me." Loki said, stepping toward her. His voice was calm, but there was an edge beneath it. âFor months. While I was watching you, I saw what you did for them.â
She stiffened. âYou were watching me?â
âOf course I was,â Loki muttered, rolling his eyes. âFor a time. You made it hard not to notice, running across the world with Rogers and⊠Barnes like some kind of noble outlaw.â
There it was. That hint of something sharper. Something jealous.
She scoffed, crossing her arms. âAnd what exactly was I supposed to do, Loki? Sit around waiting for you to change? To undo what you did? I trusted you, and you let me believe your cryptic acts, the sneaking away wasn't for pure selfishness and evil. You lied. You chose to lie.â
His gaze flickered, something unreadable passing through it. But then he smirked, the mask slipping back on. âAnd yet, it seems you moved on just fine.â
Her breath caught, fury boiling up inside her. âThat is not what happened.â
âIsnât it?â Loki drawled, circling her with the lazy precision of a predator who knows the kill is inevitable. âI saw youâoh, you do play the hero so well. Guarding Barnes as though he were some prized relic only you could keep from harm.â
The mockery in his tone was as smooth as silk, but the jealousy beneath it burned hot. âHe was yours once, wasnât he?â His eyes narrowed, the gleam in them far from friendly. âOf course. Cast me aside for my so-called unforgivable act, only to go waltzing back into the warm little tragedy you shared with him.â
The words landed like blades, each one honed to draw blood.
Y/Nâs nails dug into her palms. âYou donât get to judge me. Not when you spent months playing king.â
Loki let out a short, mirthless laugh through his nose. âOh, I expected nothing from you, darling⊠least of all understanding.â
Her heart twisted. She had tried to understand. She had tried to love him despite all the ways he made it impossible. She thought he had changed, but here we was speaking exactly like he did when she met him in Stuttgart.Â
Loki was staring at her now, eyes narrowed as if he was searching for something. A change. A shift.
âYouâre different,â he murmured suddenly.
Y/N stilled. âWhat?â
He tilted his head, studying her. âSomething about you. ItâsâŠâ His lips pressed together before he could finish his sentence. âYou feel different.â
A bolt of panic struck through her. He canât know. Not yet.
She forced out a breath, squaring her shoulders. âI spent two months on the runâgrieving a love Iâd already lostâholed up in a shack on some windswept Norwegian cliff while you⊠lounged about, watching plays and popping grapes into your mouth.â Her eyes narrowed, voice like glass about to shatter. âMaybe thatâs the difference.â
Loki didnât look convinced, but he let it go.
Silence stretched between them, thick with tensionâunresolved anger, lingering emotions, unspoken truths.
Then, after a long pause, he spoke again.
âYou disappeared after that,â Loki said, his voice quieter now. âAfter your little fugitive act. I lost track of you.â He glanced at her, something unreadable in his gaze. âYou hid well.â
She hesitated, hearing something⊠familiar in his voice.
âYou almost sound impressed,â she muttered.
Loki smirked, but there was no cruelty in it. âWell, you are remarkably difficult to find. I suppose I should have expected as much.â He tilted his head. âReminds me of someone.â
Y/N swallowed hard. She didn't want to admit she was anything like him.
She didnât want to talk about this anymore. About him watching her. About what had changed. About what she was hiding.
She took a step back, exhaling sharply. âYou know what? It doesnât matter. None of it does.â
Loki raised an eyebrow. âNo?â
âNo,â she said firmly. âBecause tomorrow, Iâm getting thrown into a fight you failed to get me out of.â
He frowned, his expression darkening. âY/Nââ
But she was already moving toward the door.
âI should be training,â she muttered. âI should be preparing, not wasting my time arguing with you.â
Loki took a breath as if he was going to stop her, but he didnât. He could stop her, he had the power to with the obedience disc clinging to her neck. But he just stood there, watching her leave.
The door slammed behind her, and he drew in a slow, measured breath, fingers dragging through his hair as if that could untangle the thoughts in his head.
Y/N strode down the corridor, one hand flying to her mouth to smother the sobs threatening to break free, her chest tight, breath ragged. Instinctively, her palm pressed against the faint swell of her stomach.
They needed to breathe.
Because damn it allâthough tarnished and fractured, buried beneath layers of betrayal and deceitâthere was still the ghost of the love they once shared, flickering stubbornly in the dark.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 112
Stranded in a Cosmic Wasteland
The fall was disorienting. One moment, Y/N had been standing in the Bifröst, bracing for a fight against Hela, and the next, she was plummeting through a swirling vortex of light and chaos. It felt endlessâuntil it wasnât.
She hit the ground hard, rolling over rough terrain. The air was thick with the scent of burning metal and decay. She groaned, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees, dust and grime clinging to her skin. When she glanced around, her stomach dropped.
She had landed in what could only be described as a cosmic landfill. Towering heaps of scrap metal, broken ships, and unidentifiable alien wreckage stretched as far as the eye could see. Strange neon lights flickered in the distance, and the sky above was a swirling mess of purple and blue.
A dull ache throbbed in her abdomen, and panic surged through her. The baby.
Instinctively, she placed a hand over the slight swell of her stomach. She closed her eyes, focusing inward, feeling for that presence. It was faint, but it was thereâstrong, resilient. Alive. A shaky breath of relief escaped her lips.
That moment of reprieve didnât last long.
A rustling sound from behind sent her senses into high alert. Before she could turn, shadows loomed over her. Figures emerged from the wreckageâgrimy, scarred, and armed.
âNew one,â one of them sneered, stepping forward. âGood condition. Sheâll fetch a price.â
Y/N tried to teleport away, instincts kicking in. But she felt something sting the back of her neck, and then. Nothing. It was as if her powers had been severed. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut.
Before she could process it further, pain exploded at the base of her skull.
Then, darkness.
A dull throbbing in her head dragged Y/N back to consciousness. She inhaled sharply, blinking as dim, artificial light came into focus.
She was lying on the floor of a curved metallic corridor. The walls shimmered with an odd, almost organic glow. The scent of metal and something vaguely sweet filled the air.
Then, a soft yet unmistakably rough voice spoke.
âHey, new girl. How ya doing?â
She turned her head. Standing nearby was a towering figureâmade entirely of rock. He waved a hand at her, his demeanor strangely gentle for someone so large.
âIâm Korg.â He gestured to the creature beside him, a purple alien with sharp blades for hands. âAnd this is Meek.â
The alien gave a little wave with its knife-like appendages.
Y/N sat up slowly, groaning as her body protested. âWhere⊠where am I?â
Korg offered her a sympathetic smile. âSakaar, mate. Grandmasterâs world. Weâre kinda trapped here. Well, definitely trapped. Canât leave, canât escape, canât even use magic if you've got it.â
Her stomach dropped. That explained why she hadnât been able to get away earlier. She felt to her neck where the sting was, and a circular disc was now placed there. She groaned in frustration.Â
She instinctively placed a hand over her stomach again, ensuring her baby was unharmed. Korgâs gaze flickered to the movement, his rocky face creasing in concern but he said nothing.
Y/N exhaled, forcing herself to focus. âAnd what happens now?â
âWell,â Korg said, rocking on his heels. âSooner or later, theyâre gonna make you fight.â
She tensed. Fight? That was the last thing she needed in her condition.
Before she could respond, the door hissed open. Guards enteredâtall, gold-armored, and armed with electrified staffs.
âOn your feet,â one barked.
She didnât resist. Not yet. She had to be careful. If she fought back recklessly, she might hurt the life inside her.
As they shackled her wrists and led her out, Korg called after her, âStay strong, new girl! Weâll see you soon!â
The hall she was marched into was extravagant, a bizarre mix of luxury and madness. Exotic colors bathed the space in an almost hypnotic glow. Opulent decorations lined the walls, shimmering with light, while well-dressed aliens lounged on plush seating, sipping strange-colored drinks.
It was a party, but an eerie one.
At the center of it all, the Grandmaster lounged on his throne-like chair, surveying the room with a sly grin. His robe shimmered as he leaned forward, golden fingertips tapping together in amusement.
Y/N barely noticed him at first.
Because her gaze had locked onto Loki.
There he was, laughing, reclining on a luxurious sofa as if he belonged here. A glass of some glowing liquid dangled between his fingers, his new navy suit perfectly fitted to his frame.
It made her sick.
He was drinking, conversing with some of the wealthier partygoersâacting as if he were one of them.
He hadnât even noticed her.
A wave of anger bubbled inside her.
The Grandmasterâs voice cut through her thoughts.
âWell, well, well! What have we here?â
His gaze roamed over her, lingering in a way that made her skin crawl.
âShe is beautiful,â he mused, eyes filled with an unsettling amusement.
Y/N clenched her jaw, barely restraining the disgust that twisted in her stomach. She was shackled, vulnerable, powerless, and this sickening old man was appraising her like she was some kind of collectible.
She was about to snap back when suddenly, Lokiâs voice slid into her mind.
What are you doing here?
She turned to look at him, meeting his sharp blue eyes across the room.
What do you mean? She shot back through the mental link, her words dripping with bitterness. What am I doing? She glared at him. What are YOU doing?
Lokiâs expression barely changed, but she saw the flicker of somethingâguilt? Concern?âbefore he covered it with a smirk.
âIâm surviving,â he said smoothly, stepping closer. âWhich is more than what youâre doing.â
Her fingers curled into fists. She rolled her eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his words stung.
Still, Loki couldnât help it. Despite everything, despite the chaos between them, he couldnât just stand by and let her be thrown into whatever fate awaited her here.
With a practiced, effortless charm, he turned to the Grandmaster, sliding into conversation like a serpent.
âYou know,â Loki began, his voice dripping with feigned intrigue, âI must admit, I never noticed her before.â He tilted his head as if assessing her for the first time. âBut now that I see her in the right lightâŠâ He smirked. âShe is quite enchanting.â
Y/N wanted to punch him.
The Grandmasterâs face lit up. âAh, you think so?â He smiled knowingly.
"Mmm." Loki smirked, eyes trailing over her in a way that months ago would have made her shiver.
Loki leaned in slightly, whispering conspiratorially, âPerhaps⊠I could keep her?â
The Grandmaster raised an amused brow, sipping from his drink. âOh, Loki⊠always so full of surprises.â
He sighed dramatically, then waved a hand.
âFine, fine. But! She still fights.â
Y/Nâs stomach twisted.
Loki stiffened, but he masked it quickly. âNaturally,â he said smoothly, though his voice had a slight edge to it.
Y/Nâs blood ran cold.
She was trapped. Powerless.
As the Grandmaster strolled away, Lokiâs gaze snapped to Y/Nâsâthis time stripped of its previous playful glint, replaced by a stern seriousness lurking beneath his charm. He extended his arm toward her shackled wrist. She glanced down, then back up at him, before turning on her heel without a word. Loki rolled his eyes, pure annoyance flashing across his face. Whether heâd meant to or not, heâd bound her to him once againâand neither of them could tell if heâd merely reopened an old can of worms or if those worms had been writhing free all along.
[Apologies for the huge delay in posts, I took a little stress sabbatical but she's back baby.]
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 111
The End of a King
The three of them sat on the worn wooden bench, gazing out at the endless sea stretching beyond the cliffs. Y/N hung back in the doorway, watching the family. The sun was beginning to set, casting golden light over the waves, yet a deep chill ran through Y/Nâs spine.
Odin was tired. She could see it in his posture, the way his shoulders sagged, the way his breathing had grown shallower over the past weeks. She had known this day would come, but now that it was here, it felt too soon.
Thor sat on one side of Odin, his jaw clenched as he struggled with the reality before him. Loki sat on the other, more still than she had ever seen him. He was unreadable, but Y/N knew him too well to mistake his silence for indifference.
Odin gazed out at the horizon, his expression unreadable.
âLook at this place. Itâs beautiful.â
Thor leaned forward. âFather, itâs us.â
Odin turned his tired gaze toward them, and a soft, almost knowing smile touched his lips. âMy sons. Iâve been waiting for you.â
Loki blinked in surprise, his lips parting slightly. The acknowledgmentâsimple, yet so profoundâstruck something deep inside him.
âI know,â Thor said urgently. âWeâve come to take you home.â
Odinâs smile faded slightly. âHome, yes. Your mother, she calls me. Do you hear it?â
Thor cast a wary look at Loki, who held up his hands in a rare gesture of innocence. But Odin turned to Loki and gave him a knowing smile.
âIt took me quite a while to break free from your spell,â Odin said with quiet amusement. âFrigga would have been proud.â
Loki stiffened, momentarily caught off guard. He was not used to hearing his motherâs name spoken in such a gentle tone, nor was he used to receiving any kind of acknowledgment from Odin that did not come with an air of disappointment. The words weighed heavier than they should have.
Odin placed a hand on Thorâs shoulder, the touch both grounding and final. âCome and sit with me. I donât have much time.â
Thor hesitated but obeyed, sitting beside him. Loki followed suit, though his expression remained guarded.
âI know that we failed you,â Thor murmured, his voice thick with emotion, âbut we can make this right.â
Odin shook his head. âI failed you.â He sighed, the weight of centuries pressing into his voice. âIt is upon us⊠Ragnarok.â
Thor frowned. âNo, Iâve stopped Ragnarok. I put an end to Surtur.â
Odin turned his gaze toward the sea. âNo. It has already begun. Sheâs coming. My life was all that held her back, but my time has come. I cannot keep her away any longer.â
Thor tensed. âFather, who are you talking about?â
Odin finally turned to face them. âThe Goddess of Death. Hela. My firstborn.â
The words hit Thor like a hammer to the chest. Lokiâs eyes widened slightly, his calculating mind already fitting pieces together. Y/N felt her breath catch. She had heard whispers of Odinâs past, but never this. Never something this dangerous.
âHer violent appetites grew beyond my control,â Odin continued, his voice weary. âI couldnât stop her, so I imprisoned her. Locked her away. She draws her strength from Asgard... and once she gets there, her powers will be limitless.â
Thor straightened, determination igniting in his eyes. âWhatever she is, we can stop her. We can face her together.â
Odin reached out, taking Thorâs hand in his own. âNo, we wonât.â His voice softened. âIâm on a different path now. This you must face alone.â
Y/N watched as Thorâs expression crumbled, pain and helplessness flashing across his face. Odin looked between them, his gaze settling on Loki. His lips pressed together, a mixture of regret and affection softening his normally unreadable expression.
âI love you, my sons.â
Thorâs breath shuddered, and Y/N saw the way Loki froze beside her. It was the slightest movementâbarely a flicker in his otherwise stoic expressionâbut she felt it. Those words, so simple yet so powerful, broke something inside him. For a moment, he was no longer the God of Mischief, no longer the trickster, no longer the burdened son. He was just Loki. The child who had waited his whole life to hear those words.
The wind shifted. Y/N felt the energy in the air change, the weight of time pressing down upon them. Odin turned back to the sea, his expression peaceful.
âLook at that.â
The light shimmered across the ocean, golden rays cascading over the water. The moment stretched on, the silence filled only by the distant crash of waves against the cliffs. Odin turned back slightly to look back at Y/N, privileging her with his last words.
âRemember this place.â
Then, like dust in the wind, Odin began to fade.
Y/N barely had time to process what was happening before his body dissolved into glowing particles, carried away by the gentle breeze. It was as if the Allfather had never been there at all.
Thor closed his eyes, his shoulders trembling slightly, his grief palpable. Loki remained still, his expression unreadable once more, though Y/N could see the tightness in his jaw, the way his fingers curled against his palms.
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Y/N took a hesitant step forward, the urge to comfort him tugging at her despite the space still thick with unspoken resentment. She didnât know what to sayâwasnât sure if he even wanted her thereâbut old instincts stirred, pulling her toward the man she had once loved.
Then Loki finally spoke.
âSo,â he murmured, his voice quiet but edged with something raw. âYouâve been here all this time.â
Y/N turned to him, startled by the sudden shift in conversation. She had expected something elseâperhaps a sarcastic remark, a deflection. But instead, he was looking at her. Really looking at her. His green eyes burned with something she couldnât quite place.
âThree months,â he continued, his voice lower now. âAnd not a word.â
She swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. âLoki, Iââ
A sudden, sickening pulse of energy cut her off.
The air around them darkened, the very atmosphere trembling as a surge of ancient, powerful magic swept through the cliffs. Y/N gasped as she felt itâfelt the overwhelming presence of something wrong, something deadly.
A swirling mass of green and black energy coalesced before them, twisting like a storm, and from its depths, a woman stepped forward.
Tall, clad in black and green armor, with piercing eyes and a crown of twisted black horns, she carried herself with an aura of absolute, terrifying dominance.
Hela.
Her lips curled into a smirk as she surveyed them, her presence suffocating, her power absolute.
âWell,â she purred, her voice smooth as silk yet carrying the weight of something ancient. âIt seems Iâm just in time.â
Y/N barely had time to react before she felt the full force of the Goddess of Deathâs presence settle over them like a storm cloud.
And she knew, in that instant, that everything was about to change.
The moment Hela took a step forward, the air grew heavier.
Y/N could feel the power radiating from her, thick and suffocating, like a slow-building storm ready to crack the sky open. It sent a shiver down her spine, her instincts screaming at her that they were in danger.
Thor stepped forward, gripping Mjolnir tighter. âI donât care who you are. Youâre not taking Asgard.â
Hela tilted her head, smirking. âOh, dear brother,â she cooed, voice smooth as silk. âI already have.â
And then she moved.
Faster than Y/N expected, her hand shot out, catching Mjolnir in midair.
Thorâs eyes widened in shock.
Y/N barely had time to react beforeâcrackâthe unthinkable happened.
Mjolnir, a weapon forged in the heart of a dying star, a hammer that had chosen Thor, shattered like glass in Helaâs grip. The pieces crumbled to the ground, nothing but dust in the wind.
Thor staggered back, stunned. âNoâŠâ
Loki reacted first. His fingers twitched, and in an instant, the Bifröst swirled to life around them.
âWe need to go,â he muttered under his breath.
Hela merely smiled. âRunning already?â
Loki ignored her, grabbing Y/Nâs wrist in an attempt to pull her toward him and Thor as the rainbow bridgeâs light began engulfing them. But before they could disappear completely, Hela lunged.
She moved like a shadow, her blades forming in her hands effortlessly.
Y/N barely had time to summon her powers, her fingers already glowing faintlyâ
âwhen Loki shoved her.
It wasnât a calculated push. It was a moment of pure panic. A desperate, thoughtless move.
Y/Nâs world spun.
The last thing she saw before everything went dark was Lokiâs wide-eyed fear and Helaâs smirk as the Bifröst fracturedâ
âthen she was falling.
Cold air rushed past her, gravity pulling her down at an unbearable speed. She twisted, trying to right herself, trying to focus her thoughts enough to teleportâbut the energy of the broken Bifröst was disorienting, warping the space around her.
She could see flashes of different places, different worlds, the colors bleeding into each other like a nightmare.
And then, with a violent crash, she hit the ground.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 110
 A Sudden Reunion
The air inside the lodge felt heavier than usual. The soft crackle of the fireplace filled the room with warmth, but despite that, Y/N couldn't shake the tension that had settled in her chest. She stood by the kitchen window, her fingers idly tracing the edge of the wooden countertop as her gaze wandered over the vast Norwegian landscape beyond. The air was crisp, biting at her skin as a sharp wind swept through the empty field. The ground, though bare, felt frozen beneath her feet, and the distant mountains loomed, silent and unmovingâjust like the quiet settling in her heart.
The past few months had been the quietest of her life. The world outside had continued its chaos, but for Y/N, it felt as though time had slowed. She had found refuge hereâaway from the constant battles, away from the pain of losing Loki, and the heartbreak of everything that had unfolded before. And yet, despite the peace, she found herself constantly caught between the need to keep moving and the undeniable sense of longing that gnawed at her.
Living with Odin had been... unexpected. She had never thought sheâd find comfort in the presence of the man who had once been responsible for Lokiâs torment. Their relationship had been strained at best, fractured by past betrayals, lost promises, and deep scars that neither could fully heal. But, surprisingly, things had changed since her arrival. Odin had been understanding in his own way, not just with her grief, but with the complexity of her powers and the life that was growing inside her.
At first, she had tried to suppress the growing connection she felt to the baby. After all, how could she bring something new into the world when it felt as though she was on the edge of losing everything? But as the weeks had passed, the reality had begun to sink in. The childâLokiâs childâwas a part of her now, growing inside her in ways she hadnât expected.
Her bump was still small, easy to conceal beneath loose, comfortable clothing, but Y/N knew it wouldn't be that way for long. Sheâd often find herself resting a hand over her stomach, speaking to the baby in soft whispersâwords of hope, words of sorrow. But, Loki wasnât here to see itâ and that bothered her more than she ever let herself admit. Every day she carried the guilt of not telling him, of keeping this truth locked away. But the child would know him. They would know their father, even if fate had stolen the chance for him to know them.
She had meant to tell him. She had wanted to tell him. But now, months had passed since they had last seen each other, and Y/N didnât know how to begin that conversation. She wasnât ready.
A sudden gust of energy rippled through the room, the air crackling with a familiar, electrifying force. Her heart skipped in her chest as she inhaled sharply.
The unmistakable feeling of the Bifrost.
Y/N turned instinctively to the window, knowing that this time, the arrival would be important. She could feel the weight of this moment pressing against her chest, but she had no idea what to expect.
The shimmering light of the Bifrost faded, revealing two figures. Thor and Loki.
Thor stood at the forefront, clad in simple clothingâa hoodie and jeans that made him blend more easily into Midgard, but there was still something about him that seemed too large for the quiet surroundings. Loki, on the other hand, stood with his usual regal grace, the sharpness of his dark attire standing in stark contrast to the humble setting. His black suit was perfectly tailored, his dark hair neatly styled, and his piercing green eyes were already scanning the area with a mild disinterest. But then, as if sensing her presence, his eyes flicked toward her.
Y/Nâs heart skipped. She wasnât prepared for this. Not for him. Not for the surge of emotions that had been buried deep within her. She swallowed hard, but the weight of her feelings was difficult to ignore.
Lokiâs gaze paused on her, and for just a moment, there was a flickerâsomething almost imperceptible in the depths of his expression. It was fleeting, but Y/N caught it: confusion, hesitation, regret. And then, just like that, it was gone. His expression settled into its usual mask of indifference, his arms folding across his chest as he tilted his head slightly.
Y/N forced herself to meet his gaze, to keep her hands steady at her sides. She stood tall, though every fiber of her being wanted to run to him. But she couldnât. Not yet.
Not with the secret still growing inside her.
Thor stepped forward, his usual boisterous energy tempered by a quiet, determined expression. He glanced around the room, seeking out their father. Odin, who had been seated by the cliff, watched them with an air of resignation.
âItâs about time you showed up,â Odin remarked, his voice weary, but steady, though there was a hidden softness in it.
Lokiâs eyes flicked to his father, and the corner of his lip curled in a smirk. âYou donât look well.â
Odin exhaled slowly, the weight of his age evident in the tiredness of his voice. âYou took your time.â
Thor stepped closer, his brow furrowing as he placed a hand on Odinâs shoulder. âFather, we need to bring you home. Asgard needs you.â
Y/N felt the atmosphere shift, as she moved towards the door. The energy in the air felt⊠strained. Everyone had their own plans, their own agendas. She wasnât ready for this conversation. Not yet. She wasnât ready to look Loki in the eye and tell him everything. She wasnât ready to reveal the truth about the child that was growing inside her, not in the middle of this storm.
She stepped forward, her footsteps almost soundless against the wooden floor. The subtle shift in the air around her made her hesitate, but there was no going back now. They fell silent as she came into full view.
Lokiâs gaze flickered to her again, just as she had expected. His dark eyes locked onto hers, though his expression remained guarded. And for a brief, fleeting moment, Y/N felt the weight of everything she had been holding in her heart for the past months.
But she couldnât tell him. Not now.
Loki gave her nothing. Not even a word. His eyes returned to Odin, dismissing her presence almost entirely, as if she were just another part of the background in this delicate family reunion. But there was a sharpness in his gaze that lingered a moment too long.
Y/N looked away, turning her attention to Thor. The realization that she had to tell him what was comingâthe reality of her situationâsettled heavily in her chest.
"Thor," Y/N spoke softly, her voice catching.
But before she could say more, Odin's voice interrupted the air, "You don't need to speak of it yet, child. Let him come to his own realization."
A sense of unease filled the room as Odinâs words lingered. Y/N caught her reflection in the nearby window and placed her hand on her stomach once more.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 109
A Time for Goodbyes
The ocean was restless beneath the floating prison, waves crashing against its reinforced walls. The Raft, a maximum-security prison built to contain enhanced individuals, loomed in the darkness, an ominous monument to the cost of defiance.
But not for much longer.
The alarms were already blaring by the time Steve, Y/N, and the others infiltrated the facility. Sam was the first to reach the cells, swiftly unlocking them while Steve fought off the remaining guards. Clint gave a breathless laugh as his door swung open, rubbing his wrists where the restraints had been.
âWell, itâs about damn time.â
Scott stumbled out of his own cell, looking dazed. âOkay, just to be clearâIâm totally on board with this, but we are fugitives now, right? Like, officially?â
Y/N smirked, flicking her wrist to subdue a guard who had made the mistake of reaching for his weapon. âI think that ship has sailed.â
Wanda was the last to be freed, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and lingering sadness. Y/N met her gaze and gave a small nod of reassurance.
They were all in this together now.
Once everyone was out, they didnât waste time. The Quinjet was waiting for them, engines humming as Steve took the pilotâs seat. One by one, they climbed aboard, their escape a silent declaration of defiance.
They were free.
But freedom came with a price.
The fresh air of Wakanda carried the scent of rain-soaked earth and blooming flora. It was a sanctuary, a place untouched by the war that had divided them.
TâChalla stood beside Bucky as the decision was made.
âI can arrange for you to stay,â the king offered, his voice steady, thoughtful. âWakanda has the resources to help you.â
Bucky exhaled, looking out over the golden fields beyond the city. âI canât risk it,â he said. âNot until theyâre sure the triggers in my head are gone.â
Y/N swallowed, feeling a knot tighten in her chest.
She knew this was the right decision. But that didnât make it any easier.
Steve stood quietly beside them, watching his oldest friend with quiet understanding.
Shuri approached, her sharp eyes studying Bucky. âWe will take care of you,â she assured him. âWhen you wake up, it will be to a world where you are truly free.â
Bucky gave her a grateful nod before turning to Y/N.
They stood there for a long moment, the weight of everything unsaid pressing between them.
âYou sure you donât want to stay?â she asked, forcing a half-smile. âWakandaâs pretty nice.â
Bucky chuckled softly, but there was sadness in his eyes. âYou know I canât.â
Y/N bit her lip, then sighed. âI know.â
A silence stretched between them before Bucky reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It was such a simple, familiar gestureâone that sent a wave of memories crashing through her.
âI need you to do something,â he said gently.
Y/N met his gaze, her heart pounding. âWhat?â
âYou need to sort things out,â he said, a knowing look in his eyes. âWith him.â
She froze, lips parting in surprise.
Bucky hadnât pressed her about the father of her child. Hadnât pried. But now, standing at the precipice of uncertainty, he was telling her what she already knew.
She had to tell Loki.
âI will,â she murmured. âJust⊠not yet.â
Bucky gave her a soft, lopsided smile, his gaze shifting to her stomach. His hand hovered for a moment before gently resting over it, the warmth of his touch sending a shiver down her spine.
"Wow," he whispered, his voice full of awe. "That kidâs not gonna know how lucky it is to have you as its mom."
Y/Nâs heart swelled, and a wave of emotion hit her. Tears welled up in her eyes, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at him. The simple sincerity in his words left her speechless, vulnerable.
He quickly pulled his hand back, clearing his throat awkwardly. âBut for now... take care of yourself," he added, his tone softening as he gave her a small, reassuring smile.
The moment felt fragile, yet it held more meaning than anything else
Her throat tightened, but she nodded.
With one last glance at Steve, Bucky stepped into the cryo-chamber. Cold mist curled around him as the glass slid into place, encasing him in ice once more.
Y/N turned away, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.
She hated goodbyes.
The jet was ready. The rebels had one last moment to breathe before they would scatter, each going their own way.
Steve watched Y/N as she stood by the ramp, looking out at the horizon.
âWhat are you gonna do now?â he asked.
She turned to him, exhaling. âSort some things out.â
Steve studied her for a long moment. Then he nodded. âYouâve got somewhere to lay low?â
She smirked faintly. âYeah. Somewhere quiet.â
He gave a slight chuckle, shaking his head at the connections his sister had apparently made. âWeâre getting good at this, huh?â
âWhat?â
âSaying goodbye.â
Y/N sighed, shaking her head. âYeah. Guess we are.â
He pulled his little sister into a tight hug, voice low and steady. âIf you ever need me, you know where to find me.â
She clung to him, burying her face in his shoulder. âJust whisper your weird mind tricks into the wind,â he added with a crooked grin. âIâll come running.â
She smiled through the heaviness in her chest. âSame to you, Rogers.â
His gaze dropped to her stomach, a flicker of concern crossing his face. She was on the runâalone and pregnant. âTake care of that one too, yeah?â
She nodded, stepping back slowly. Her hands lifted, and the air around her shimmered. Green and red light curled around her like a protective shell, humming with quiet power.
Then, in a breath of lightâshe was gone.
The air was crisp when she arrived, the sky painted with streaks of gold and lavender as the sun set over the coastline.
Odinâs temporary refuge stood on the edge of the world, hidden from those who might seek him.
Y/N appeared on the rocky cliffside, inhaling deeply.
She wasnât sure what came next.
But for now, she needed peace.
She turned her gaze toward the horizon, whispering to the wind.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 108
Fractured Bonds
The air was heavy as they approached the base in Siberia, the tension between them momentarily put aside in favor of the greater mission. The abandoned facility loomed ahead, shadows stretching across the snow-dusted ground as Steve, Y/N, and Bucky led the way.
Tony arrived moments later, the heavy double doors slamming open and making them all flinch.
"At ease, soldiers. I'm not here for youâyet," he said dryly, gesturing casually toward Buckyâs raised gun, Steveâs shield at the ready, and the crackling swirl of green and red energy dancing around Y/Nâs fingers. His gaze landed on her last, softening the tension in his face just enough for her to lower Buckyâs weapon with a gentle nudge.
Tonyâs expression shifted, humor flickering across it like a mask barely hiding real concern. âY/N⊠why are you here? I told you beforeâyou shouldn't be out in the field.â
âAnd I told you, Iâm protecting my brother,â she replied, her tone calm but firm. Still, her eyes flicked toward Bucky with a quiet uneaseâan instinct whispering that maybe she was protecting him more than Steve now.
As they moved deeper into the facility, the silence stretched, thick and wary. Tony, ever the deflector, broke it with a forced smirk. âSo, are we placing bets on the baby daddy yet? Because right now, my moneyâs on Robocop over there.â
Anyone else wouldâve earned a slap for a comment like that. But it was Tony. And for now, Y/N was just grateful he was hereâand on their side.Â
Y/N could feel something gnawing at the edges of her mindâsomething wrong. Her powers, though still inconsistent due to the pregnancy, prickled against her skin, warning her of a disturbance ahead.
The doors creaked open, and the stale air of the base greeted them. The room was dimly lit, the flickering overhead lights casting long, eerie shadows across the walls. In the center of the room stood Zemo, his posture unnervingly relaxed. Behind him, the cryo-chambers holding the other Winter Soldiers stood openâyet lifeless.
Steveâs brow furrowed. âWhere are they?â
Zemo tilted his head slightly before stepping aside, revealing the horrific truthâeach super soldier lay slumped in their pods, bullet wounds fresh in their foreheads.
Y/Nâs stomach churned at the sight.
âThey were too powerful,â Zemo said simply. âToo dangerous. And besides, I never needed them.â
Tony stepped forward, fists clenched. âThen what the hell was all of this for?â
Zemo turned to face him fully. âRevenge.â
Y/N felt it before he even said it. The deep, dark grief that radiated from him like an open wound.
âI lost my family in Sokovia,â Zemo continued, voice eerily calm. âA wife. A son. A father.â He turned his gaze toward Y/N, eyes piercing into her. âPeople like you destroyed my home and walked away unscathed.â
Y/N flinched at the weight of his words, guilt settling in her chest like a stone. She had fought in Sokovia. She had been part of it. Part of the chaos.
âBut I knew I could never kill you all,â Zemo continued. âStronger men than me have tried.â He exhaled, stepping toward a nearby console. âSo I found a different way.â
He pressed a button, and a screen flickered to life. Grainy security footage filled the displayâblack and white, timestamped from December 16, 1991.
Y/Nâs stomach dropped.
Bucky stiffened beside her, his breathing growing shallow.
Steveâs hands curled into fists.
Tonyâs face was unreadable as he watched the footage unfold. The Winter SoldierâBuckyâlunging at a car on a dark, lonely road. The sickening impact. The crash. And then⊠the unrelenting, brutal slaughter of Howard and Maria Stark.
Tonyâs entire body went rigid.
Steve took a step forward. âTonyââ
Tonyâs gaze snapped to Bucky, fury blazing behind his eyes. âDid you know?â
Bucky swallowed hard, silence.
âDid you know?!â Tony roared.
Steve stepped between them. âTony, donât do this.â
Y/N reached out, placing a hand on Tonyâs arm, trying to ground him. âPlease,â she murmured. âThis isnât who you are.â
Tony spared her a quick sympathetic glance, laced with venomous fury in his eyes. But Tony was already moving, repulsors charging. âHe killed my mom.â
The fight started like a wildfireâfast, consuming, and unstoppable.
Tony was the first to strike, raw pain driving his every movement. He didnât hesitate, didnât hold back. His repulsor beams shot through the dimly lit chamber, forcing Steve and Bucky to scatter.
Y/N stood frozen for a moment, watching the people she loved descend into violence. Her breath hitched as Bucky barely dodged another blast, the heat of it singing the air beside him.
This wasnât just a fight.
This was vengeance.
"Tony, stop!" she called, but he wasnât listening.
Steve lunged, shield raised, deflecting Tonyâs next attack. The impact sent sparks flying, illuminating the anger on Tonyâs face.
âYou knew, didnât you?â Tony spat at Steve, his voice shaking with fury. âAll this time, you knew what he did.â
Steve didnât answer right away. His silence was an answer in itself.
Tony roared, launching forward. Steve blocked the hit but staggered back from the force. Bucky took the chance to strike, landing a punch to Tonyâs side that dented the metal of his suit.
Y/N flinched.
She wanted to move, to intervene, but something inside her held her back. Maybe it was the weight of the moment. Maybe it was knowing that no wordsâno powerâcould stop what was happening.
Tony turned on Bucky, eyes blazing. "You remember them?!" he shouted. "Do you even remember killing them?"
Bucky panted, shoulders heaving. His voice came out hoarse. âI remember all of them.â
Tonyâs face twisted in rage. His repulsor charged again. This time, he aimed for the kill.
"No!"
Y/N moved on instinct, reaching out, sending a wave of energy toward Tonyâs arm, just enough to throw off his aim. The blast hit the concrete, exploding dust and debris into the air.
Steve took advantage of the moment, tackling Tony to the ground. They rolled, fists flying, metal scraping against metal.
It was brutal.
Tonyâs gauntlet cracked against Steveâs jaw. Steve grunted but didnât let up, using his shield to slam into Tonyâs arc reactor. Tony gasped, the air knocked from his lungs.
Bucky joined in, pinning Tonyâs arm to the ground, trying to wrest the gauntlet away from him. Tony gritted his teeth, exoskeleton shifting as he sent an electric surge through the suit, electrocuting Bucky in place.
Y/N screamed as Bucky collapsed, body jerking from the shock.
Steve reacted instantly, slamming his shield into Tony again, forcing him back. But Tony wasnât done.
The suit scanned Steveâs movements, calculating his patterns, his attacks. The next time Steve swung, Tony dodged and retaliated with precision. His gauntlet locked onto Steveâs shield and ripped it away, tossing it across the room.
Y/Nâs heart pounded.
Tony took another shot at Steve, hitting him square in the chest. Steve fell back, groaning, blood dripping from a cut above his brow.
Tony loomed over him, repulsor charging.
This was it.
Y/Nâs body tensed, her fingers tingling with power, ready to interveneâ
But Steve wasnât finished.
He surged up, dodging at the last second, grabbing Tony by the arm and twisting him onto the ground. He rained down blowsârelentless, unforgiving.
Tony tried to defend himself, but Steve was stronger.
Then, the final hit.
Steve raised the shield high, bringing it downâ
Y/N gasped.
At the last second, Steve shifted, slamming the shield not into Tonyâs head but into the arc reactor in his chest.
The light flickered violently before going dark.
The room fell silent.
Tony gasped for air, chest heaving, his body sagging against the cold floor.
Steve stood over him, shoulders rising and falling. He let the shield drop with a heavy clang.
Y/N closed her eyes for a brief moment, exhaling shakily. It was over.
They turned to leave, Bucky already limping toward the exit.
But Tonyâs voice rang out, raw and broken.
âYou donât deserve itâŠâ
Steve stopped.
Tony pushed himself up on his elbows, eyes burning with betrayal.
âMy father made that shield.â
Steve didnât say a word. He only looked down at the shield one last time before walking away, leaving it behind.
Y/N lingered for just a second longer, turning back to meet Tonyâs eyes.
There was nothing left of Iron Manâs bravadoâonly a wounded man, grieving what he had lost.
Her chest tightened, her guilt settling in like a storm. She gave him a sorrowful look before following the others.
She had something else to take care of.
---
Outside, near the cliffâs edge, Zemo stood in the cold, gun in hand, staring into the abyss below.
Y/N approached cautiously, her boots crunching against the gravel.
âI know why you did it,â she said softly.
Zemo didnât turn. âAnd yet, you stopped me.â
She moved closer, stepping just within armâs reach. âBecause I know what it feels like to lose everything.â
He finally glanced at her, and for the first time, his expression wasnât one of malice. It was exhaustion.
Y/N reached out, gently placing her fingers against his temple.
And then she let him feel.
The guilt. The grief. The weight of every battle she had fought, every innocent life lost in the crossfire. Sokovia. Washington. Lagos.
His breath hitched.
For a fleeting moment, he trusted her.
Then her voice turned colder.
âBut now youâre just as bad as us.â
Zemo blinked. His hands clenched.
Before she could react, he raised the gun to his own head.
Y/Nâs power surged.
The gun flew from his grasp, skidding across the ground.
She stared at him, eyes burning. âNo more death.â
A new voice entered the moment.
âThe living are not done with you yet.â
TâChalla stepped forward, regal and unwavering, she had sensed he had been here the whole time. His gaze met Y/Nâs in mutual understanding before settling on Zemo.
The defeated man exhaled, closing his eyes.
His fight was over.
And as Y/N stood there, breathing heavily, she realized something.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 107
Unfinished Business
The hum of the planeâs engines was the only sound filling the cabin for a long time. Y/N sat with her head resting against the cold metal wall, staring at the ceiling, exhaustion weighing down on her. Across from her, Bucky sat tense, his metal fingers tapping against his knee, his jaw tight with unspoken words.
Steve was up front in the cockpit, but Y/N knew he could probably still hear them. At this point, though, she didnât care. Neither did Bucky.
They had danced around this long enough.
âYou gonna say whatâs on your mind or keep sitting there brooding all night?â Y/N finally muttered, turning her head to look at him.
Bucky scoffed, shaking his head. âI was brooding? Thatâs rich coming from you.â
Y/N smirked slightly, but the amusement didnât reach her eyes.
A beat of silence passed. Then Bucky exhaled sharply.
âSo, itâs really over between us,â he said. It wasnât a question.
Y/Nâs stomach twisted with guilt and confusion. This wasnât how it was supposed to be. Years ago, she wouldâve faced the world for Buckyâshe did try. But he died. He was gone. And in the wreckage, there was Lokiâcomplicated, unpredictable, magnetic Loki. She could run. She could bury the truth, never tell him about their child, and start over with Bucky and the baby. But it felt wrong. Every option did. And the worst part? She didnât know who she loved anymore."
âYou know it is, Buck.â
He nodded, rubbing a hand down his face. âYeah⊠yeah, I know.â His voice was strained, like the words hurt to say. âI justâwhen I woke up, when my mind was my own again⊠I thought Iâd get the chance to fix things. To pick up where we left off.â
Y/Nâs throat tightened.
âBuckyâŠâ she sighed, leaning forward slightly. âThere was no picking up where we left off. You died to me. You were gone, and I grieved you for decades. I tried to move on. I did move on.â
Bucky clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening into a fist. âI get it,â he muttered. âI just⊠wish I remembered more before HYDRA turned me intoââ He stopped himself, shaking his head.
Y/N hesitated before reaching forward, taking his flesh hand in hers. âI remember for you,â she whispered. âI remember everything.â
Bucky swallowed hard, the weight of his words heavy in the air.
âAfter the last time I saw you, after I pulled Steve out of the water, I went looking for things. I had to know... I went to the Smithsonian, dug through their exhibits. Hell, I even broke into the armyâs file storage facilityââ
Y/Nâs eyes widened in shock. âWait, you did what?â
âOh, piece of cake. Look at me,â Bucky said with a smirk, his usual wit and quickness returning.
Y/N laughed, the sound like music to his ears. For a fleeting moment, she saw the old Buckyâthe charming, quick-witted, happy man he used to be. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by the shadow of who he had become.
âAnyway,â he continued, clearing his throat, âI found a section just for me. Old files. Stuff I never got to pick up. You and Steve were gone, but... I found something.â
Her heart skipped a beat, the room narrowing as she suddenly knew what was coming.
Bucky reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paperâher letter, the one she had written but never sent. Her breath caught in her throat as he handed it to her. She took it shakily, feeling the weight of years in that single letter. As she read the words, memories stabbed at her like shards of glass, each one cutting deeper.
Bucky,
I donât know if this letter will reach you before I do, but Iâve been conscripted. Iâm being sent to Germany as a field nurse. I donât know whatâs waiting for me there, but I do know one thing â I miss you. More than I can put into words.
If I find you out there⊠Iâm still saving you that kiss.
The words hit her like a ton of bricks. This was before everything. Before the Tesseract. Before Steveâs serum. Before her entire life had changed. She blinked back tears, but one escaped, running down her cheek. Bucky reached out gently, wiping it away, his touch so familiar, so warm.
âYou didnât sign it,â Bucky remarked softly, his voice almost tender. âBut I didnât need a signature. I remembered.â
He closed his eyes for a moment, and the silence between them was thick, like the air was holding its breath. His mind flickered with memoriesâmemories he wasnât sure were truly his, or if they were hers, flooding back to him when she touched him. The sensations, the feelings, the love.
He remembered her.
Flashes of her: the way her hands tangled in his hair, the soft press of her breath against his skin, the way she whispered his nameâhis nameâlike it was a prayer. The warmth of her body against his, the promise of more time, of more moments together. That heâd come home to her.
But he never did.
Y/N felt the weight of that truth settle between them, thick and suffocating. She had moved on, as she had every right to, but that didnât make the pain any easier for either of them. The guilt she felt was overwhelming.
âIâm sorry,â she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Bucky shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips, though it held no humor. âDonât be,â he said, his voice rough, but sincere. âYou kept me going. You were always there in my head. Your voice, your memory... you never let me forget who I was.â
Steveâs voice suddenly cut through the heavy silence, and they both realized heâd stepped into the cabin, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
âYou two done pretending I canât hear everything?â Steve asked, his voice calm but laced with tension.
Bucky didnât even look at him. âDidnât care if you did.â
Y/N slowly sat back, folding her arms across her chest. âNeither did I.â
Steve sighed, dragging a hand down his face. âSo, what, you two wereâ?â
âYes,â Bucky said flatly, finally looking at Steve. âRight before I left. Right before everything.â
Steveâs expression was unreadable, but Y/N could see the flicker of emotions in his eyesâsurprise, guilt, something else.
Y/N sighed, rubbing her temples. âSteve, donât make it a thing. It happened. Itâs in the past.â
Steve let out a humorless chuckle. âDoesnât feel in the past. Feels like I walked in on something I shouldâve known about years ago.â
Bucky exhaled sharply. âWould it have changed anything?â
Steve hesitated. ââŠNo. But it wouldâve helped me understand.â
Y/N studied him, her expression softening slightly. âSteve, I wasnât keeping it from you to hurt you. It just⊠wasnât your burden to carry.â
Steve shook his head. âIt was my burden. You were both my family. I deserved to know.â
Silence hung between them again.
Finally, Bucky ran a hand through his hair and muttered, âLook, it doesnât matter now. Y/Nâs moved on. Sheâs got her own life. And a baby.â
Y/N stiffened slightly, but neither of them seemed to notice.
Steve sighed. âYeah. She does.â
Y/N cleared her throat, shifting in her seat. âAre we done with the emotional heart-to-heart now?â
Steve smirked slightly, shaking his head. âYou never did like talking about feelings.â
Y/N rolled her eyes. âAnd yet, you both keep dragging me into them.â
Bucky huffed out a small laugh, shaking his head.
Steve exhaled, rubbing his hands together. âAlright. We should focus on whatâs next.â
Y/N nodded, finally letting out a breath. âYeah. Letâs do that.â
But as the conversation shifted to their next steps, she could still feel Buckyâs lingering stare.
And for the first time in a long time, she wasnât sure what it meant.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 106
Wildcard
The airport was a war zone.
Explosions shook the ground, and the air buzzed with energy blasts, repulsors, and the crackle of Wandaâs power. Y/N stayed airborne, hovering just above the battlefield, watching Steve and Bucky push forward. Every instinct told her to stay close, to protect them.
But they werenât the only ones protecting her.
Steve had made it very clear before the fight started: Stay out of the worst of it. Watch our backs, but donât engage unless you have to. Bucky had been silent, just scowled like it physically pained him to let her fight at all.
And yet, despite their protests, she was here.
Because even though her powers were glitching and her body was drained from the pregnancy, she was still one of the strongest people on this battlefield.
She saw a blur of red and gold in the skyâTony.
A sharp sense of dread coiled in her stomach as she tracked his movements, knowing he was coming for Steve and Bucky. She propelled herself forward, intercepting him mid-air.
Tony turned just in time to see her coming. âYou again?â He barely dodged as she sent an energy blast his way, forcing him to adjust his trajectory. He had always been impressed at her skills, but now she was against him, his view on her had the opposite effect. âDammit, Y/N, get out of here!â
âNot happening, Tony.â
He gritted his teeth and shot a repulsor blast at her, as if it pained him to do it. She was like a daughter to him, and here he was trying to knock her from the skies. She dodgedâmostly. The heat of it grazed her side, sending a shock of pain through her body. Her flight wavered, but she steadied herself.
Then came a sharp, familiar voice from below.
âY/N!â
Steveâs frantic yell sent a wave of guilt through her. She had no time to reassure himâTony was already charging another blast.
Then, a flash of metal.
Bucky launched himself forward, grabbing Y/N mid-air and yanking her out of Tonyâs trajectory just before the repulsor blast could hit her. They landed hard, rolling across the concrete before Bucky pulled her to her feet. His hands gripped her arms, scanning her face in concern.
âDamn it, Y/N!â Steve was suddenly there too, placing himself protectively in front of her. His shield was raised, ready to block anything that came their way. âWe told you to stay back!â
Y/N clenched her fists. âI am staying backâIâm covering you!â
Steve and Bucky exchanged a quick glanceâone of those silent conversations they had perfected over the decades. Y/N could sense the unspoken words between them, the shared frustration, the worry.
Steve sighed, turning back to her. His voice softened. âYou donât have to do this.â
Her throat tightened. âI do.â
Bucky exhaled through his nose, looking like he wanted to argueâbut there was no time. Tony was coming back around, and Rhodey was closing in.
Steve gritted his teeth, grabbing Y/Nâs arm. âStay behind me.â
She rolled her eyes but didnât resist as he physically moved her behind his shield. She wasnât about to argue when they were still under attack.
As they fought their way toward the plane, Steve and Bucky never let her out of their sight.
When the new Peter swung in, webbing Buckyâs metal arm, Y/N was the one who severed the webs with a flick of her fingers. When Vision fired a blast at Steve, she redirected it just enough for him to dodge.
But the fatigue was getting worse.
Her powers werenât responding the way they should, and Tony noticed. Though it pained him to see her like this, knowing he was aiming to hurt her.
He struck fast, faster than she anticipated. His repulsor blast hit her hard, sending her sprawling across the pavement. Pain exploded through her ribs.
Steve roared her name. Bucky ran for her, metal arm reaching outâbut Tony was already there, standing over her.
His mask retracted, revealing eyes that burned with frustration and something elseâsomething softer.
âWhat the hell are you doing, kid?â he snapped.
Y/N forced herself to sit up, ignoring the way her body screamed in protest. âTrying to keep my brother safe.â
Tony groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. âYou should not be out here.â
She looked at him, knowing she was in danger. They would never kill her, never. But she knew that maybe, her friends had been right about the safety of her unborn demi-god ever so slightly. She hesitated, then muttered, âIâm pregnant.â
Silence.
Tonyâs eyes widened. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. And then he groaned, rolling his eyes. "Ughh I do not have the time to unpack that right now."
She swallowed. âTonyââ
âAre you kidding me?â He gestured wildly. âYouâoh, for the love ofââ He groaned loudly, shaking his head. âGoddammit.â
She blinked. âSo⊠youâre not gonna blast me again?â
Another groan. âNo, Iâm not gonna blast you again!â
He pressed his fingers to his helmet, activating his comms.
âNew rule, everyoneâavoid the knocked-up one.â
A pause.
Rhodey: âWait, what?!â
Vision: âI donât understand.â
Natasha: Sigh âOf course she is.â
Peter: âSheâs what?!â
Tony ignored them. He looked down at her again, expression torn between exasperation and something like reluctant affection. âNow, that's a wildcard I never thought you'd use.â
Y/N snorted despite herself.
A hand suddenly gripped her arm, pulling her up. She turned to find Bucky there, his face a storm of emotions. He didnât say anything, just looked at her, concern written in every tense line of his body.
Then, without a word, he pulled her Before she could respond, Steveâs hand was suddenly on her shoulder, firm and grounding. âWe need to go.â
They turned to see the plane waiting.
But Natasha was in their way.
Steve tensed, preparing for a fightâbut Natasha only sighed, stepping aside.
âI said Iâd help you find them,â she said simply. âNot catch them.â
TâChalla lunged, but Natasha intercepted, holding him off just long enough for them to get away.
Steve, Bucky, and Y/N sprinted up the ramp, hearts pounding.
As the plane took off, Y/N slumped against the wall, her breath heavy.
Steve knelt beside her, his face still lined with worry. âWe need to talk about this.â
She nodded, exhausted. âLater.â
Bucky sat beside her, silent. But when she glanced at him, she saw something flicker in his expressionâsomething raw and complicated.
Something like longing.
But before she could dwell on it, the plane soared into the sky, carrying them away from everything.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 105
Glass Doll
As the group gathered in the dimly lit parking lot, Y/N barely waited for the car to stop before stepping out. Across the lot, Clint was approaching with Wanda beside him. The moment Y/N saw her, something in her chest eased.
She didnât hesitateâshe ran to Wanda, arms wrapping around her in a tight embrace.
Wanda exhaled softly, gripping her just as firmly. They had become like sisters since Sokovia, bound by something unexplainable, something deeper than friendship. Though, Y/N still struggled to shake what Loki had told her, it was always in the back of her mind.
Thereâs another prophecy, involving what I think is you.
The connection forged through the Mind Stone had never faded, and when their hands clasped, Wanda suddenly stiffened.
Her red-rimmed eyes flickered with something unreadable. It wasnât just comfort or relief. She felt something. A presence.
Wanda pulled back slightly, her brows knitting together in realization. Her eyes dropped to Y/Nâs stomach, her fingers barely grazing the fabric covering it before she looked up at her friend, silently asking the question.
Y/N smirked knowingly.
Wanda inhaled, parting her lips to speak, but before she could, Clint sighed and pulled open the van door with a flourish.
âAll right, kids, playtimeâs over. Meet our new recruit.â
A man stepped out cautiously, blinking against the dim light.
Scott Lang.
His eyes widened when they landed on Steve.
âCaptain America.â
Steve, ever composed, gave a polite nod. âMr. Lang.â
Scott grinned. âItâs an honor. Iâm shaking your hand too long, arenât I?â He laughed nervously but didnât let go. âWow, this is awesome. Captain America.â His gaze darted to Y/N and Wanda. âOh man, I know you two, too! Youâre great!â Then he turned back to Steve, hesitantly patting his shoulder, eyes wide with admiration. âJeez, okay, yeah. You are solid. I mean, I know you know a lot of super people, so⊠thinks for thanking of me.â
Y/n just smirked amusingly, eyebrow raised at the giddiness of the man.
His excitement turned to Sam.
âHey, man!â
Sam remained unimpressed. âWhatâs up, Tic Tac?â
Scott cleared his throat. âUh, good to see you. Look, about last time, when Iââ
âIt was a great audition,â Sam cut in dryly. âBut itâll never happen again.â
Steve, ever the leader, refocused them. âThey tell you what weâre up against?â
Scott shifted. âSomething about some⊠psycho-assassins?â
Steveâs jaw tightened. âWeâre outside the law on this one. If you come with us, youâre a wanted man.â
Scott sighed. âYeah, well, what else is new?â
Y/N crossed her arms. âSo where exactly are we going?â
Bucky stepped forward, voice even but tense. âZemoâs heading to Siberia. A facility there holds more Winter Soldiersâstronger than me, and more of them.â
Y/Nâs mind immediately began strategizing. âAlright, Iâll stay high, pick them off from above if they get past the runwayââ
âWoah!â
Steve and Sam cut her off in unison, their voices sharp with disapproval.
Y/N frowned. âWhat?â
Steveâs expression hardened. âYouâre not fighting.â
She scoffed. âOh, come on. Iâm pregnant, not incapable.â
Silence fell over the group.
Scottâs mouth dropped open. Clint pinched the bridge of his nose. Wandaâs eyes softened with understanding, while Sam let out a long sigh.
Buckyâs expression, however, was unreadable. His steel-blue eyes flickered to her stomach, then back up at her face, but he said nothing.
Steve stepped closer, dropping his voice. âY/N, you canât do this.â
She rolled her eyes. âYou canât just bench me, Steve.â
âYes, I can.â His voice was firm. âAnd I will. You are carrying a childââ
A child that is half-god she thought. Earning a smirk from Wanda who had heard her.
Bucky finally spoke. âY/N⊠just think about this for a second.â His voice was softer than Steveâs, more measured. âYouâre a fighter. You always have been. But thisâthis isnât just your life anymore.â
Y/N clenched her jaw, suddenly aware of the weight of their gazes. âYouâre acting like Iâm fragile. I can teleport, Bucky. I can fly. I can manipulate reality. Iâm not exactly in danger of getting shot like the rest of you.â
Sam folded his arms. âAnd what happens when your powers keep glitching?â
That gave her pause.
Bucky tilted his head. âYou have noticed it, havenât you?â
She swallowed. âItâs⊠itâs been a little off, but that doesnât meanââ
Steve exhaled through his nose. âY/N. Please. I need you to sit this one out.â
She glared at him. âSo what, I just sit on the sidelines while you run into danger?â
âYes,â Steve said bluntly. âThatâs exactly what you do.â
She looked at Bucky, silently pleading for support, but the expression on his face mirrored Steveâs. Even Sam, who usually had her back, stood firm.
She hated it.
Hated that they were right.
But she wasnât going to admit that.
Instead, she huffed, folding her arms. âYouâre all acting like Iâm helpless.â
Steveâs features softened slightly. âNo. Weâre acting like we love you.â
She had no response for that. Especially as Bucky's eyes flicked to the ground briefly, then back up.
She looked to Bucky one last time, his eyes boring into her. Even if the child wasnât his, she was still his in his mindâand he couldnât let anything happen to them. Not now.
He walked toward her, not caring for the first time since their reunion what anyone else thought, and gently took her hand.
Scott and Clint exchanged confused glances. Sam shifted uncomfortably.
But Steveâ
In moments like this, he couldnât believe how blind heâd been not to see it before. And he couldnât deny the pain, either. Pain that his sister and his best friend were now tangled in something so complicated, when once the world had promised them everythingâtogether.
She could feel Buckyâs worry. His fear.
And that was all it took.
She shook her head, forcing a smirk.
Clint finally spoke up, sighing dramatically. âYou know, I was expecting some dysfunction, but this?â He waved a hand between them. âThis is next-level.â
Scott leaned toward him, whispering, âShould we, like, get popcorn?â
Clint smirked. âI mean, if theyâre gonna keep up this soap opera, yeah.â
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 104
Unraveled Truths
Steveâs hands remained firm on the wheel, knuckles white, as the realization dug into him like a knife. The pieces had been there all alongâfragments of moments that heâd ignored, dismissed as coincidence or misinterpretation.
The weight of Y/Nâs words sat heavy in the car like an anvil on Steveâs chest.
And one of them is in this car.
The way Bucky had looked at Y/N sometimes, something almost unreadable flickering behind his eyes. The way Y/N had instinctively tensed when Bucky was brought up, but there was no hatred, no fearâjust something deep-rooted, something unresolved. The way Bucky had said âI remember you.â
And before the warâGod, before the war.
Steve closed his eyes, the weight of the past pressing in as memories flickered behind his lids. He saw how Y/N and Bucky had always gravitated toward each other, those stolen glances that had seemed so casual back then, so easily overlooked. The nights heâd wake up in the barracks, his breath catching when he noticed Buckyâs cot empty, only to have him sneak back in hours later, pretending like nothing had happened. The way theyâd slip away from dinner, only to return moments apart, as if they were somehow in sync, always moving together, even when they didnât realize it. The raw fury Y/N had shown on the train when Bucky fellâhe had always chalked it up to the heat of the moment, the stress of the mission.
But now, it all made sense. Every little thing he had missed, every subtle shift between them, clicked into place.
Steve let out a slow breath, his chest heavy with guilt. How hadnât he seen it? Or maybe he hadâmaybe he just hadnât wanted to.
A minute passed, then another.
Outside, Y/N spit the last remnants of bile from her mouth, bracing herself against the car. The cold air stung her flushed skin, but she didnât move. She could still feel Bucky hovering close, but he wasnât touching her anymore, just waitingâwatching.
Then she heard the creak of the car door.
Steve stepped out slowly, shutting the door behind him with careful deliberation. His boots crunched against the dirt as he approached, his expression unreadable. Y/N braced herself.
Bucky moved slightly, as if about to intervene, but then he hesitated. His lips parted, his hands flexed at his sidesâhe wanted to say something, do something, but he stopped himself. Instead, he exhaled sharply through his nose and stepped back.
This was between them.
Steve came to a halt beside Y/N. She didnât look at him, still focused on steadying her breathing, but she felt his presence like a weight pressing down on her shoulders. The silence stretched, tense and uncomfortable.
Then, finally, Steve sighed. âY/NâŠâ His voice was softer now, the anger drained out of it, replaced by something elseâsomething raw.
She swallowed hard, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. âWhat?â
Steve ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly as he gathered his thoughts. âI shouldnât have said what I did back there,â he admitted, voice heavy with regret. âI was angry and⊠and I took it out on you.â
Y/N scoffed. âNo kidding.â
Steve grimaced, but he took it. âI justâthis isnât how I pictured things happening. Not for you.â His brows knitted together. âYouâre my sister. I just want to protect you.â
She let out a tired laugh, shaking her head. âSteve, you donât get to control this. This is my life.â She turned to look at him then, and there was exhaustion in her eyes, but also a fierce determination. âI never asked for your approval. I donât need it.â
Steve held her gaze for a long moment before nodding slowly. âYouâre right,â he admitted. âYou donât.â
She let out a breath, her shoulders sagging slightly. âThen why are we still standing here?â
He hesitated. âBecause I need to know⊠Who is it?â His voice was gentler this time, lacking the sharp edge it had before. It wasnât an accusation anymoreâit was a genuine question.
Y/Nâs stomach twisted, but she steadied herself. âSteve, I donâtââ
âIâm not asking to judge,â he interrupted. âI just⊠I need to understand.â
"It's not him is it?!" He asked, pointing to Bucky. Bucky shifted uncomfortably not knowing where to look.
"Oh yeah cause he's had plenty of time to do that hasn't he" Y/N scoffed. "No its not"
Y/N stared at him for a long moment before finally sighing, crossing her arms over her chest. âWeâve fallen out.â
Steve blinked. âOh, great,â he muttered, rubbing a hand down his face.
Y/N huffed out a humorless laugh. âYeah, tell me about it.â
Steve sighed again. âDoes he at least know?â
She hesitated.
Steveâs brows pulled together. âY/Nââ
âBelieve it or not Steve, I havenât had the chance to in the 20 minutes since I found out and was interrogated,â she snapped. âAnd I donât think itâs fair to tell you before I tell him.â
Steve opened his mouth, then shut it. He studied her, weighing her words before finally nodding. âAlright,â he conceded. âI donât like it, but I get it.â
She gave him a small, appreciative nod.
A moment of quiet passed between them before Steve exhaled sharply, shaking his head. âJesus, Y/N. You really know how to throw a curveball.â
Y/N let out a breath of laughter, though it lacked any real humor. âTell me about it.â
Steve studied her for another moment before finally glancing over his shoulderâwhere Bucky and Sam were still lingering, undoubtedly eavesdropping.
When Bucky caught his gaze, he quickly looked away, but Steve saw itâthe flicker of emotion, the barely concealed weight behind his blue eyes.
Steve turned back to Y/N.
But for now, he didnât press.
Bucky sat in the car, his fingers flexing against his knee as he tried to keep his expression neutral. But inside, something twisted deep in his chest.
She had moved on.
Of course, she had. It had been decades since they were togetherâsince the war, since the ice, since everything. He had been a ghost, a weapon, a shadow of the man she once knew, and she had built a life beyond him. He wanted that for her. He wanted her to be happy. And yetâŠ
The sharp pang of jealousy cut through him before he could stop it.
He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to look straight ahead through the windshield, even as he heard the soft murmur of Steve and Y/Nâs conversation just outside. His hearing was sharp enough to pick up every word, but he tried not to listen.
Tried. And failed.
Weâve fallen out.
I donât think itâs fair to tell you before I tell him.
Bucky inhaled sharply through his nose. There was still something thereâsome kind of unfinished business between her and whoever this guy was. But it wasnât him.
He knew it shouldnât matter. He had no claim on her. Their time had been a lifetime ago, and whatever they had back then had been frozen alongside them. But the ghost of it still lingered in the corners of his mind, in the flickering memories that resurfaced in his dreamsâthe way she had once looked at him, touched him, loved him.
And now, there was someone else. Someone who had held her the way he once had, who had whispered to her in the dark, made her laugh, made her his.
Bucky swallowed hard, forcing the thought away.
It wasnât his place to feel this way. Y/N deserved happiness, love, a future. And if that meant someone else⊠then so be it.
But as he caught a glimpse of her through the windowâher arms crossed, brows furrowed, still standing strong despite everythingâhe couldnât deny the dull ache in his chest.
He looked away, pressing his hand into a tight fist against his thigh.
âEverything alright?â Samâs voice was quiet beside him, too perceptive for Buckyâs liking.
Bucky forced a smirk, shaking his head. âYeah, just peachy.â
Sam snorted. âSure, man.â
The door opened, and Steve climbed back into the driverâs seat. Y/N followed, sliding into the back beside Bucky without a word. He didnât look at her, just kept his gaze forward as Steve started the engine and pulled back onto the road.
The car was silent again, thick with unspoken words.
And Bucky sat there, trying to ignore the fact that, for the first time in a long time, he felt like he had lost something all over again.
As Y/N settled back into her seat, she could feel the weight of Buckyâs silence beside her. It pressed against her senses, an unspoken tension that she knew was directed at her, even if he wasnât saying anything. She could feel itâthe pang of jealousy, the hurt he wasnât acknowledging, the quiet sting of realizing she had moved on.
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself, but it was no use. Her emotions were already frayed, and Loki was at the center of them. The thought of him sent another wave of nausea through her, though this time it wasnât from her pregnancy. It was from the acheâthe heartbreak that hadnât dulled even after all these weeks.
He didnât know.
The father of her child had no idea she was carrying his baby.
And the last time she had seen him, she had looked him in the eyes and told him she wanted nothing to do with him.
Her throat tightened as she stared out the window, forcing herself to push it down. It didnât matter now. He had made his choice. He had proven that he hadnât changed, that he was still the same man who sought power above all else.
And yetâŠ
She clenched her jaw. It didnât change the fact that she loved him.
âWhere are we even going?â she asked finally, her voice coming out more strained than she intended.
Sam turned in his seat. âI know a guy.â
Y/N arched a brow at him. âA guy?â
Steve sighed, clearly still frustrated from their earlier conversation. âSomeone who might be able to help us. Samâs been keeping tabs on him.â
Sam smirked slightly. âYouâre gonna love him.â
Y/N scoffed. âDoes this guy have a name?â
Samâs grin widened. âScott Lang.â
She blinked. âWho the hell is Scott Lang?â
Beside her, Bucky let out a sharp breath, almost a humorless chuckle, but he still refused to look at her.
Sam turned more in his seat, clearly enjoying dragging this out. âHeâs a thief.â
Y/N gave him a deadpan stare. âOh, great. Weâre recruiting criminals now.â
Steve huffed. âYou realize we are also criminals now, right?â
She sighed, leaning back against the seat. âRight. Fantastic. Love that for us.â
Bucky shifted again beside her, the tension still radiating off him in waves. And Y/Nâalready emotionally drainedâcouldnât take it anymore.
She turned her head toward him. âYou gonna be weird this whole trip, orâŠ?â
Bucky finally met her gaze, his blue eyes unreadable. But she didnât need to read his expression. She could feel what he wasnât saying, feel the way his emotions tightened in his chest, tangled up in things he wasnât sure he had a right to feel.
Jealousy.
Hurt.
Regret.
And something deeper. Something quieter.
âI donât know,â he said simply. âYou tell me.â
Her breath caught.
She could still see itâthe flickers of memories in his mind, the ones that resurfaced whenever he looked at her too long. The warmth of their bodies tangled together in the dark, the sound of whispered laughter between them, the way they had held onto each other when the world had felt so uncertain.
But that had been before.
Before the ice.
Before everything.
And now there was Loki.
Bucky didnât say another word. He just exhaled sharply and turned his gaze away, his emotions sinking deeper, burying themselves beneath the wall he had built around himself.
Y/N looked back out the window, her own feelings twisting inside her, a storm of longing and grief and confusion.
Loki was gone.
Bucky was right beside her.
A sudden thought struck Y/N, breaking her from her other thoughts. âWell, if Sam gets to recruit, then so do I,â she said, her tone confident. The team exchanged curious yet skeptical glances.
âEnlighten us,â Sam replied, raising an eyebrow.
âWanda,â Y/N answered flatly.
Steve groaned and rolled his eyes. âOh, right. Tonyâs had her under lock and key since Lagos. But sure, heâd totally let her out just to knock him out.â
âThatâs exactly the point,â Y/N said, her voice firm. âSheâs miserable. I can feel it. She canât stay there. If I have to, Iâll go get her myself.â She locked eyes with Steve, who was about to argueâprobably something about her conditionâbut Sam cut him off before he could speak.
âNah, sheâs got a point,â Sam said, much to Y/Nâs surprise. âI mean, since Miss Preggers here is basically dead weightâŠâ Y/N opened her mouth to defend herself, ready to remind him that even with dulled powers, she was still more of an asset than he was, but Sam kept talking. âWe could use all the help we can get.â He sighed, pulling out his phone.
âWho are you calling?â Y/N asked, confused.
âClint,â Sam replied nonchalantly.
Y/N blinked. âClint? But he retired.â
âHe owes me a favor,â Sam said, already dialing.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, slut shaming (brief), angry Steve, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 103
Family Fractures
The tension inside the car was palpable, thick as fog. Steveâs eyes were locked on the road ahead, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, but the anger in his posture was unmistakable. Y/N, sitting behind him, felt the atmosphere suffocating, every inch of her body thrumming with the need to scream or runâanything to break this unbearable silence. Beside her, Buckyâs quiet presence was almost a comfort, though he, too, seemed unsure of how to proceed.
Sam sat in the front, his gaze darting between the two of them, trying to gauge what was going on. The silence was deafening, and it was obvious to him that something was seriously wrong. He shifted in his seat, feeling the weight of the conversation that had yet to happen.
Y/N finally broke the stillness. âSteve, Iâm trying here,â she said, her voice quieter than she intended. But before she could go any further, Steveâs voice cut through, harsh and laced with frustration.
âHow did you let this happen?â he demanded.
Y/N blinked in surprise, her stomach turning at the edge of anger in his voice. âWhat do you mean, Steve?â she almost whispered. âI think itâs quite straightforward how it happened.â She glanced between Bucky and Sam praying they wouldn't figure it out.
Steveâs grip on the wheel tightened even more. His shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched as he glared ahead. âYou know what I mean, Y/N. Itâs not like back in the war. Thereâs things to use now to stop this.â His words came out in a rush, as if all of it had been building inside him for too long. The disappointment, the anger, the helplessness.
âAre you really doing this right now?â Y/Nâs voice shook with the sting of his words. âThis is my life, not yours.â
Bucky, who had been sitting in the seat beside her, was still. He could feel the weight of the conversation pressing in on him, but for once, he didnât know what to say. Sam turned slightly, glancing between Steve and Y/N, sensing the conflict but unsure how to ease the tension.
Steve finally whipped around, his eyes hard with disbelief. âWhoâs is it?â His voice wasnât just angry now; it was almost accusatory, as though the answer would somehow explain everything.
Y/N froze. For a moment, the words stuck in her throat. She could feel the pressure building, the weight of his expectations suffocating her, and yet... it was Steve. He was her brother. This should have been easier.
âSteve... Iâm notââ
âWhoâs is it?â His voice cut through her attempts to explain.
The words stung, and the sharpness of his tone pierced through her fragile composure. âIâm not doing this, Steve. Iâm still processing it myself,â she finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
But Steve wasnât done. His words were a cold slap in the face. âOh my God. You donât even know, do you?â he said, realization flooding his face, but it was coated in disbelief.
Y/Nâs stomach twisted painfully as she tried to hold onto the shred of composure she had left. She hadnât expected this from him. Not this level of disdain, of accusation.
And then, Steveâs words cut deep, the jagged edge of his disappointment raw and cutting.
âI never expected this from you,â he muttered, his voice tight. âNever expected you to get pregnant by someone and not even know who the father is.â
Her breath hitched. It felt like the ground beneath her was being ripped away, and in that moment, the hurt stung like a thousand needles.
âNever expected my sister to be such a slut,â Steve added bitterly.
The air in the car went completely still. Samâs eyes widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape. Buckyâs jaw tightened, his eyes flickering between Steve and Y/N, his muscles tense as though he were preparing to jump into the fray at any second.
Y/Nâs body shook with rage. Her mouth opened, but the words she had been holding back exploded in a rush. âOh, Iâm such a slut, am I?â she snapped, her voice cracking with the weight of his accusation. âIâm nearly a hundred years old, Steve! Iâve slept with two people in my entire life!â
The words were sharp, harsh, and yet so much more than just a defense. They were a counter to everything Steve had just called her, to every hurtful assumption.
âAnd one of them is in this car,â she added with finality, her eyes flashing with a defiance Steve had never seen from her before.
A shocked silence fell over the car, the weight of her words sinking in.
Samâs eyes went wide, his mouth hanging open in stunned silence. âWait⊠what?â he breathed, looking back and forth between Y/N and Bucky. He looked at Steve for an explanation, but Steve was still frozen, his face pale as he processed the bombshell.
Sam panicked. âWell I just want to make it damn clear right now, it's not me!â
Bucky shifted uncomfortably, his expression unreadable, though there was a flicker of something behind his eyesâsomething he couldnât quite hide. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to speak, to explain, but he held his tongue. This was Y/Nâs fight, not his.
The tension in the car grew, thick and suffocating, until Y/N felt something hit herâhard. The wave of nausea that crested inside her was sudden, undeniable. It took her by surprise, and her stomach churned violently. She clutched at her belly as if it could somehow hold the contents inside.
âStop the car,â she gasped, barely able to get the words out.
âY/N?â Steveâs voice cracked with concern, but before he could react, she shouted again, louder this time.
âStop the fucking car!â
Steveâs gaze darted toward the road, panic creeping into his features. He slammed on the brakes, and the car jerked to a halt, tires screeching against the pavement.
Without another word, Y/N threw open the door, her hand clutching her stomach as she stumbled out of the car. She barely made it to the side of the road before she was bent over, retching violently.
Her body heaved with the force of it, and for a few moments, it felt like everything was spinning out of control. She was shaking, the cold night air doing nothing to calm the swirling nausea inside her.
And then, through the blur of her vision, she felt a steadying hand on her back.
She turned her head to see Bucky, standing just behind her, his face a mixture of concern and something softerâsomething she hadnât expected. He was careful with his touch, the gentleness of his hand on her back sending an unexpected wave of comfort through her.
âTake it slow, Y/N,â Bucky said, his voice calm but laced with a hint of guilt. âJust breathe.â
Y/N blinked rapidly, trying to steady herself. She felt his touch, the warmth of his hand, and it was like the world around her had quieted just enough for her to hear herself think again.
Sam and Steve were still frozen in shock, but Bucky⊠Bucky was here. Bucky understood, even if things were complicated, even if everything was falling apart.
She straightened, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her legs shaky beneath her. Her eyes met Buckyâs, and for a brief moment, something flickered between themâan unspoken understanding.
But that moment was fleeting. His voice broke through, full of concern now, laced with an unwarranted betrayal, a wound.
âY/N, are youââ
âIâm fine,â she managed, though her voice was hoarse. She looked over at Steve who remained fixated on the road that hat come to a halt, her eyes narrowing slightly. âI just need a minute.â She could feel the weight of his stare into space, the judgment, the disappointment, but right now, all she could focus on was the ache in her chest. The ache that had nothing to do with the sickness in her stomach. The ache of a being inside her, who's father she had told she never wanted to see again. The ache of a man beside her who would have given her the world, knowing she had given what they had to someone else.
And then, her eyes slid to Bucky again, and for just a moment, everything else faded.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 102
Truths Uncovered
Y/Nâs head pounded. The world around her felt like it was tilting in and out of focus.
A wave of nausea crashed over her as she opened her eyes. The dim light of the derelict building barely illuminated her surroundings. The air smelled of dust and damp concrete. The sound of shifting footsteps brought her back fully.
She turned her head, groaning.
âEasy,â a voice said gently.
Her vision steadied, and she found Steve and Sam kneeling beside her.
She forced a breath out, swallowing back the sickness clawing at her throat. But it didnât work. A violent surge built in her stomach, and before she could stop it, she turned over, heaving onto the cold floor.
Steveâs hand rested on her back, rubbing soothing circles. âDamn it, Y/N.â His concern was evident.
Sam handed her a bottle of water, his brow furrowed. âThatâs the second time in a day youâve thrown up. This isnât normal.â
Y/N wiped her mouth, forcing herself to sit up fully. âYou try getting punched in the head by a super soldier and not feel sick,â she muttered.
Her head throbbed with every pulse of her heartbeat, but she forced herself to focus. A few feet away, Bucky was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling steadily.
Steve sighed. âYeah, well, I still donât like it.â
Y/N pressed her fingers against her temple, breathing through the pain. But then Steveâs voice shifted, lowering slightly.
âWhat did he mean?â
She frowned, glancing up. âWhat?â
Steveâs blue eyes were steady, analyzing. âBucky. Before everything went to hell, he looked at you and said he remembered you.â
Sam shifted slightly, also looking at her now.
Y/Nâs throat felt tight.
She could lie. She should lie. It wasnât relevant anymore.
But before she could answerâ
A groan.
They all turned sharply as Bucky stirred, his head rolling slightly before his eyes blinked open. He exhaled sharply, then groaned again, bringing a hand to his face.
Steve was already moving toward him. âBucky?â
Buckyâs movements stilled. He turned his head, blinking at them, as if assessing the situation. His gaze moved from Steve to Sam, then finally to Y/N.
âBefore you start, I want to know which Bucky Iâm talking to.â Steve declared, warily.
For a long moment, there was only silence.
Thenâ
âYouâre Steve,â Bucky rasped. A small, tired smirk played on his lips. âYou used to put newspapers in your shoes.â
Steve inhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
Bucky huffed a breath of laughter before his eyes landed on Y/N.
Something softened in his gaze.
âI remember you,â he murmured.
Y/Nâs breath caught in her throat. There they were again, the words that made complete sense to them, but left Steve and Samâs eyebrows furrowed yet again.
Buckyâs expression shifted, something distant flickering in his blue eyes. âYou always smelled like vanilla,â he said quietly. âUsed to drive me crazy. Iâd find any excuse to lean in close just so I could breathe you in.â A ghost of a smirk touched his lips. âYou called me a flirt.â
Y/N swallowed hard, her chest aching with something unspoken.
âI remember saving you,â Bucky continued, his voice low, laced with a painful memory. âI remember you crying in an alley, broken.â
Steveâs eyes shot to her then, suspicion flickering across his face, like he was piecing something together.
Y/N's mind raced, the weight of everything that had happened crashing down on her. Buckyâs 'death.' The shadows of Nick Furyâs suspicion. The Avengers' wariness of her power. Wanda. Ultron. HYDRA. And now, Lokiâshe had faced it all. And through it, she realized something.
She didnât need saving anymore. She had rebuilt herself, piece by piece. No one had been there to pull her out of the darkness. She had done it alone.
She met Steveâs gaze, her voice steady, but sharp with the truth. âYeah, itâs been a long time since I needed saving.â
But before he could say anything, Buckyâs eyes widened slightly. He sat up straighter, wincing as he moved.
âWhat happened?â His brow furrowed. âDid Iââ
His expression turned panicked.
Steve hesitated before speaking. âThe doctor⊠he said some words, andâŠâ
Realization dawned on Buckyâs face.
He turned to Y/N, his throat bobbing. âDid Iââ He inhaled sharply. âDid I hurt you?â
Y/N hesitated before nodding slightly. âYou knocked me out,â she admitted, voice quiet.
Guilt crashed over his features. âIââ He clenched his jaw, looking away. âIâm sorry.â
Y/N shook her head. âIt wasnât you, Bucky.â
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
âFunny. Didn't think I had it in me, always remembered you to be a force to be reckoned with.â He remarked.
Another wave of nausea hit Y/N like a truck. âYeah, neither did I.â She barely had time to move before she was doubled over again, stomach twisting painfully.
âOkay, no,â Steve said firmly, standing up. âThatâs it. I donât care if weâre fugitives, Iâm taking you to a hospital.â
Y/N barely had the strength to argue.
Steve was determined.
With Sam and Bucky laying low in the car, Steve managed to sneak her into a small hospital on the outskirts of town, the same one Nicky Fury went to when he was shot. Discreet. He kept his hood low, his grip firm on Y/Nâs arm as he guided her toward the front desk.
They were taken into a room quickly, the doctor arriving soon after.
Y/N sat on the examination table, her fingers twitching slightly against her lap. Steve sat nearby, arms crossed, gaze flickering between her and the door, ever the protective soldier.
The doctor glanced up from the clipboard. âWould you like your brother to stay for this?â
Y/N blinked, caught off guard. Why wouldn't he, what did he have to say?
Steveâs brows furrowed slightly, but he didnât question it.
Y/N hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. âItâs fine. He can stay.â
Steve gave her a small nod, relaxing slightly.
The doctor ran some standard testsâchecking for a concussion, monitoring her vitals, drawing some blood. But something in his expression shifted slightly as he looked over the results.
Y/N frowned. âWhat?â
The doctor hesitated. âYour blood work is⊠unusual.â
She tensed slightly.
The doctor gave her a reassuring smile. âBut, considering your abilities, I assume thatâs normal for you?â
She nodded stiffly.
Still, something in her stomach twisted.
The doctor flipped through his notes again before glancing back at her. âMs. Rogers⊠are you aware that youâre pregnant?â
Y/Nâs entire world stopped.
The air left her lungs.
She felt Steve stiffen beside her.
Her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out everything else.
She couldnât breathe.
The doctor kept talking, something about how far along she was, possible symptomsâbut Y/N wasnât listening.
Because all she could hear was the deafening roar of realization crashing through her mind.
The nausea. The fatigue. The off-balance powers.
It all made sense now.
Her lips parted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Premise: Y/N Rogers was sent away as a child, her powers deemed dangerous. After years of brief summers with Steve and Bucky, she returns for good when their mother diesâjust as war begins.
As her abilities awaken, she draws the attention of Loki, the trickster god, and faces growing fear from those around her. Caught between destiny, war, and forbidden ties, Y/N must decide who she truly isâand who sheâs willing to fight for.
Warnings/content: slight angst, brief mention of death/dying, jealousy, fluff, swearing, unstable parental relationships, follows the plot of the MCU timeline, with small changes.
[Masterlist]
[Part 4]
Chapter 101
The Burdens We Carry Â
The air in the government facility was stale, laced with tension that none of them could shake. Y/N sat on a cold metal bench, her elbows resting on her knees, her hands clasped together. She had felt off since Sokovia, since Lagos, since⊠everything. But she couldnât explain it. Â
And now, Steve was watching her with open concern. Â
âWhatâs going on with you?â he asked softly. Â
Y/N exhaled slowly, blinking away the fog in her mind. âI donât know what you mean.â Â
Steve gave her a look. âYour powers. Theyâre not right.â Â
She stiffened but said nothing. Â
âYouâre pale,â he continued, as if she wasnât already aware. âYouâre slower. Youâre barely using your abilities. I saw you try to stop TâChalla earlier, and it was likeâŠâ He hesitated, searching for the right words. Â
âLike I wasnât even trying,â she finished for him. Â
Steveâs expression softened. âY/Nââ Â
âI donât know,â she cut him off, voice more strained than she intended. âI donât know whatâs wrong, Steve.â Â
And that was the truth. Â
Because whatever had been happening to her since Sokovia, since Lokiâit wasnât just physical. It was inside her, deep in her bones, gnawing at her power, at her very sense of self. Â
Before Steve could respond, the door to their holding area slid open, and Tony stepped inside. Â
âYou two done with the whispering?â he asked, his tone sharp. âBecause weâve got a bigger problem.â Â
Steve turned to him, already tense. âTonyââ Â
âWe should check on Bucky,â Sam interjected, before another argument could start. Â
Tony scoffed but didnât fight it. He simply turned on his heel and strode toward the observation room. Â
Y/N followed, pushing down the rising unease in her stomach. Â
---
Bucky sat behind the reinforced glass, his posture rigid, hands clasped together in his lap. But his blue eyes were alive. More present than she had ever seen them. Â
She felt it the second she stepped inside. Â
The shift in the air, the way his shoulders stiffened, his head turning just slightlyâ Â
He knew she was there. Â
Y/N swallowed hard. Â
Steve stepped forward first. âBuckyâŠâ Â
Bucky lifted his gaze, an understanding of him in his eyes for the first time in decades. Â
âI remember all of it,â he said, voice rough but steady. âNot everything⊠but enough.â His eyes flickered to Y/N, lingering for a fraction too long. âEnough to know what Iâve done.â Â
Steve inhaled sharply, taking a step closer to the glass. âIt wasnât you, Buck.â Â
Buckyâs expression flickered, something old and broken washing over his face. âIt was still my hands.â Â
Y/N barely breathed. Â
For a moment, she wasnât in this room. Â
She was in the 1940s again. Â
She was in Buckyâs arms, tangled in warm sheets, their breath mingling as he kissed her slowly, hands memorizing every inch of her skin like he never wanted to forgetâ Â
But he had. Â
He had forgotten. Â
And now, here he was, remembering everything. Â
âY/NâŠâ Buckyâs voice pulled her back to the present. Â
She blinked. âYeah?â Â
His brow furrowed slightly, something unreadable in his expression. âI remember you.â Â
Steve frowned. âOf course you do, she wasââ Â
âNo.â Bucky shook his head, gaze never leaving hers. âI remember you.â Â
Y/Nâs breath hitched. Â
And suddenlyâ Â
A flicker. Â
A flash of something in his eyes. Â
The warmth of his skin against hers. Â
Her laughter, muffled as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, whispering promises he never got the chance to keepâ Â
âThen save a kiss for me.â Â
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. âBuckyââ Â
The psychologist, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. Â
âShall we begin?â He said, slightly impatiently, as he motioned for them to leave the room. Y/N scanned him. She was unsure, something about him made her feel uneasy, but she looked to Steve, then to Bucky then back to the doctor, and reluctantly left.
Something inside Y/N twisted. Â
As they made their way back to the table room, where they had left Tony, they watched the cameras on the two. Listened to them discuss general psychologist questions. But then a shift in the air, that made every hair on y/n's body stand on edge
âSomething is wrong.â She said
Her instincts screamed at her, but before she could *place it*â Â
The man leaned forward, his voice slow, deliberate. Â
âZhelaniye.â Â
The air *shifted*. Â
Y/Nâs stomach *dropped*. Â
âRzhavyy.â Â
Buckyâs fingers twitched. Â
âSemyndtsat.â Â
Y/N *moved* before she could think, stepping forward, hands pressed against the glass. â*Buckyâ*â Â
His blue eyes darkened. Â
Steveâs entire body tensed. âNo. No, no, noââ Â
âRassvet.â Â
And thenâ Â
Nothing. Â
Buckyâs face went blank. Â
The Winter Soldier was awake. Â
It happened fast. Â
Alarms blared. Â
Bucky exploded from his chair, shattering the reinforced glass like it was paper.
Natasha moved first as he made his way through the doors effortlessly. She struck fast, aiming for pressure points, but Bucky blocked effortlessly, his metal hand catching her wrist and slamming her into the steel wall. Â
Y/N lifted a handâ Â
Nothing. Â
Panic gripped her. Â
Her powersâ Â
Why werenât they working? Â
Bucky turned toward her. Â
She barely had time to react before he was on her, his metal arm swinging in a blur. She teleported instinctively. reappearing just a few feet away, but she was slower than usual. Â
Her vision tilted. Â
She couldnât breathe. Â
Steve lunged between them, shield up, blocking a brutal strike meant for her. Â
Tony fired a repulsor blastâ Â
Bucky dodged. Â
He grabbed a rifle. Â
Turned. Â
Fired. Â
Y/N moved before she could think, teleporting directly in front of Steve, hands raisedâ Â
But her power flickered. Â
She was too slow. Â
The next thing she knew, Buckyâs metal fist collided with her head. Â