“JAMIE!” Winnifred sniffles as her son and his lawyers walk inside the interrogation room. “You came to my aid. I knew it.” She smiles widely as Andy, Mike and Bucky sit on the chairs the cops prepared for them. “My boy came.”
“Mrs. Barnes,” Andy clears his throat to pull Winnifred’s attention toward him and his partner, not her son. “I must ask you to not directly talk to my client. He came here against my advice. So, let’s come to the point where I tell you why we came here.”
“JAMIE!” Winnifred sniffles as her son and his lawyers walk inside the interrogation room. “You came to my aid. I knew it.” She smiles widely as Andy, Mike and Bucky sit on the chairs the cops prepared for them. “My boy came.”
“Mrs. Barnes,” Andy clears his throat to pull Winnifred’s attention toward him and his partner, not her son. “I must ask you to not directly talk to my client. He came here against my advice. So, let’s come to the point where I tell you why we came here.”
“I know you came to see me,” she cries, reaching out for Bucky’s hand but he slaps her hand away, shaking his head. “Jamie?”
“Never call me like that again,” Bucky narrows his eyes. He clenches his jaw while he fights his instinct to jump over the table and strangle his mother. “From this moment on,” he shakes his head, intensely looking at his mother for a moment,” no, from the moment on you started to hurt Y/N, I’m not your son any longer. Dad will file for divorce and Rebecca even refuses to come here to say goodbye.”
“Mr. Barnes,” Mike places his hand on Bucky’s shoulder to keep his client from doing anything stupid. “We’ve got this. Let us do the rest.”
“Winnifred Barnes, we are here to deliver the divorce papers and inform you that from now on, you are officially forbidden to contact your husband George Barnes, and your children Ms. Rebecca Barnes and Mr. James Buchanan Barnes,” Andy explains to Winnifred.
“Your son, Mr. Barnes, and his fiancé Ms. Y/N Y/L/N will also appear in your trial as co-plaintiffs,” Mike continues. “Mr. Barnes, we’ve got the rest. You should leave now and take care of your lovely fiancé. She will be a beautiful bride.”
“Jamie, no!” Winnifred loses her shit. She jumps up and calls for her son as Bucky gets up from his chair, turns around, and walks toward the door. He doesn’t look back, nor does he regret never seeing his mother again.
“You brought this upon yourself. Dad loved you unconditionally and we did too. If only you could’ve accepted that I love Y/N. She’s a good person, her parents too. I’m sorry you forgot all about us for some boy who died years ago…” Bucky leaves his mother with his lawyers, inhaling sharply the moment the door closes behind him.
“Baby, are you okay,” you hurriedly make your way toward Bucky to wrap him in a hug. “I’m so sorry you had to come here.”
“She—” Bucky’s voice cracks, and for the first time you see your usually strong and confident fiancé break down in your arms. He cries, sniffling as he remembers the moment the Detectives came to your home to tell you what Winnifred had planned for you and his child. “She wanted to kill you and my baby, Y/N. I’ll never be okay.”
“Buck,” holding him as tight as possible you run your hand up and down his back. “I’m here and safe. No one hurt me. It was not a hitman but a cop she tried to hire to kill me. Baby, this is not your fault.”
“It’s my fucking fault for not seeing how awful she was all this time. The moment she didn’t let you sit next to me, I should’ve left with you,” he presses soft kisses to your neck. “I hate her so much for ruining all the good memories I had of her. How could she do such a thing? How?”
“Maybe she needs medical help? She should see a psychologist. We could—”
“No,” Bucky grunts. “I will not help her, doll. The Detectives told me she’s not suffering from mental incapacity. She’s not mentally ill, Y/N. My mother is simply evil.” He’s kissing your temple. “We will not waste another moment on her.”
Whenever you saw yourself getting married you imagined the preparations and your special day would be full of joy, laughter, and love. You never thought there would be a shadow ruining your special day.
Just like now. Natasha, Celia, Rebecca, Wanda, your mother, and you are at the bridal store to find the perfect dress and all you can think about is your fiancé and the sadness in his eyes as his father showed him the signed divorced papers Andy delivered this morning.
Without batting an eyelash Winnifred gave up on her husband and family. From the moment Bucky left the interrogation room, she didn’t talk to anyone.
“I don’t know if we should marry right now,” you sigh deeply. Everyone else is looking at you in adoration as you are wearing the wedding gown of your dreams.
You chose a maternity wedding dress made of flowing silk with a heart-shaped neckline and lace sleeves and back. The lace hugs your shoulders and accentuates the décolleté. It has a long, airy silk skirt that flows gently over your still growing baby bump.
“You look beautiful,” Celia chirps. She says, giving you an encouraging smile as she looks you up and down. “What do you think, Y/N?”
“I don’t…it’s beautiful,” you look at the mirror again, smiling as this is the dress you always dreamed of. You just know it. “This is my dress. It’s just…I’m worried about Bucky. After everything happening it feels wrong that I’m happy. ”
“Bucky is home with dad and the lawyers, Y/N,” Rebeccas jumps up from her seat to grasp for your hands. “He sent me to make sure you are happy today. Don’t worry about my brother. Bucky loves you and wants his girl to have the best day of her life.”
“The best day of my life was the day I met Bucky,” Natasha groans behind your back, but everyone else sighs dreamily. “He makes me so happy.”
“You make my brother happy too. I swear, he never was happier. Now look in the mirror and tell us about the dress again,” you nod.
“This is my dress. I want to walk down the aisle wearing this dress and blow Bucky’s mind,” everyone chuckles at your words. “Now, let’s get this girl a dress, shoes, and everything else…”
“Did you get a dress? Did you have fun? Have you already eaten?” Bucky looks you all over. He sighs as you silently nod. Of course, he already knows you are alright. He made sure that Ari followed your every step today. “Do you need anything?”
“Buck, I’m fine,” you cradle his face with your hands. “Take a deep breath. No one tried to hurt me today. I was with the girls and my mom. And I’m pretty sure our shadow made sure no one got too close to me.”
“Oh—ahem…yeah,” smirking you watch Bucky grovel in front of you. “I hired Ari as your bodyguard. I want to know that you are safe every time I cannot be around. You like him, right?”
“He’s a cool guy,” you shrug as your fiancé’s face darkens. “Not as cool and sexy as you are, Bucky.”
“I hope so,” he huffs, making a face when you tell him that Ari is a good-looking man. “Don’t say things like that. I can’t get jealous right now or I’ll lay claim on you right here, in the middle of the still empty living room.”
“Babe, the furniture will come tomorrow,” pecking his lips you moan as he eagerly shoves his tongue in your mouth. “Bucky, don’t make me weak. We still need to check on so many things. The wedding is in not a month.”
“The dress, is it white, doll?” His eyes drop to your middle and he smirks, knowing you can be a dirty girl too. “I bet it’s white only to drive me crazy. I’ll rip it down your sexy body and make you mine all over again.”
“Buck, I was yours the moment I met you for the very first time,” you kiss him slow and sensual this time. “Only yours, baby. Always and forever.”
“I knew I enchanted you with my good looks,” rolling your eyes you push against his chest. “How about I order food for my best girl, and we spend the first night at our new house in our bedroom?”
“At least we already have the bed,” you grin. “Your girl is tired, hungry, and in need of cuddles.”
“Cuddling, you say…” He holds out his hand to guide you upstairs. “Do you want me to carry you upstairs, doll?” Bucky says lowly. “I can carry you upstairs…”
“Can we talk about your mother?” you carefully approach the sensitive topic. Bucky tried to avoid talking about Winnifred for the better part of three weeks now. “I know this is hard, but we should talk about what will happen now.”
“She will end up in jail,” he gruffly replies. Bucky wraps his arms around you a little tighter to kiss your neck. You’re currently tangled in each other, cuddling on your brand-new bed in your new bedroom at the house he bought for the family you will have. “Andy and Mike will keep us up-to-date.”
“The Detective called a few days ago. It’s not over,” your fiancé sighs against you. “The attorney lawyer will contact us soon enough. I’m afraid to face her in the courtroom, though. What if the jury doesn’t believe us?”
“Then we will make sure they believe us. She won’t get another chance to hurt you or my child,” he sniffles now. “I—can’t believe she wanted to kill my baby and you. How could she? She’s a mother too.”
“Her hatred for me clouded her mind. She couldn’t hurt my mom, so Winnifred tried to get back at her by hurting me. I think your mother truly believes she would’ve done you a favor by getting rid of me,” Bucky shudders at the thought. “I’m here, Buck.”
“I know, doll,” he says. Still, Bucky holds you a little tighter. He clings to you while fighting the tears threatening to fall. “You’re here with me.”
“Do you think we can get happy after everything that happened? I mean, your mother can’t be at your wedding and there is still the court hearing.”
“We will marry and raise our child together. My mother is dead to me, Y/N. I don’t care if she’s at my wedding because I don’t want her anywhere near you, me or my baby. Nothing and no one is going to stop us from spending the rest of our lives together.”
“You are going to sell the house?” watching George look over the contracts in front of him again you sigh. “George, it’s your home.”
“It’s the home I bought and shared with my family. Now it’s only a building, cold and useless. There is no warmth and love inside these walls anymore. I’m going to buy a new house close to you and Bucky.”
“They are selling a house down the street. Rebecca and you could have a look at it tomorrow afternoon,” Bucky suggests. “It would be great having you and Becca around. Y/N’s parents have a townhouse not far away.”
You smile as you watch Bucky talk to his father. Both men lost so much over the last months. George his wife, house, and the life he used to know, and your beloved Bucky lost his mother, and every good memory of his life with her got tainted by Winnifred.
“What do you say, Y/N? Do we want to have them around?” Bucky laughs as you sit on his thigh to glance at the papers on the table. “Doll? Do you want your father-in-law and sister-in-law to move in next to us?”
“Baby, they are not in-laws anymore,” you tut. “George and Becca belong to my family now too. We are not related by blood but formed a strong bond due to Winnifred’s actions. In a way, she helped us get closer…”
“James Buchanan Barnes, stop tickling your pregnant fiancé,” Bucky doesn’t give in. He runs his fingertips up and down your sides, snickering as you fight his fingers. You push against his naked chest while fighting to not slip in the showers. “Buck, that’s dangerous.”
“Aw, look at you,” his eyes drop to your swollen belly. “You are showing, doll. Soon everyone will know you are having my baby.” He stops tickling you to bring you into his arms. His hands soothingly run up and down your back and his lips press against your temple. “You’re so beautiful inside and outside.”
“James Buchanan Barnes, stop tickling your pregnant fiancé,” Bucky doesn’t give in. He runs his fingertips up and down your sides, snickering as you fight his fingers. You push against his naked chest while fighting to not slip in the showers. “Buck, that’s dangerous.”
“Aw, look at you,” his eyes drop to your swollen belly. “You are showing, doll. Soon everyone will know you are having my baby.” He stops tickling you to bring you into his arms. His hands soothingly run up and down your back and his lips press against your temple. “You’re so beautiful inside and outside.”
“You’re a cheesy man, Mr. Barnes,” he laughs at your words. “But I kinda like you. Maybe you can stick around.”
“I kind of like you too, Y/N. I hope you’ll stick around for a while,” Bucky lovingly looks at you as you place your hands on his chest. “For the rest of my life, to be precise. You and I, till the end of the line.”
“I hope so too,” you stand on tiptoes to wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him softly. “How about we this lead somewhere more…private…”
“Holy fuck! The dry spell is broken!” giggling you try to escape Bucky’s hands and lips. He grasps you, ready to devour you right here, in the showers. “I’m gonna devour you, sexy lady…”
“Mr. Levinson, stop beating around the bush. I’m a grown woman, and you don’t have to shelter me. You said that you know the reason for Winnifred Barnes’ behavior, so tell me what we can do to make her stop,” your mother says in an exasperated tone. She’s just done with Winnifred Barnes and the games she plays.
“Did you know Winnifred Barnes and you went to school together?” Ari looks up from the manila folder in his hands. “It was a hard piece of work to connect the dots. You moved miles away, she did too. What a coincidence your children found each other.”
“We went to school together?” your mother furrows her brows. “I was a little shy back then, just like my daughter. I stayed mostly to myself and had only a few friends. I don’t remember a girl named Winnifred.” She truthfully says. “Honestly, I don’t think anyone remembers my name.”
“She does,” the private investigator place an old police report and picture of a car wreck onto his desk. “Maybe back then people called her Freddie or Winnie,” Ari explains. “Do you remember her now?”
“Freddie,” shaking her head your mother frowns deeply. “That name doesn’t ring a bell. I don’t remember much from my time at school. I wanted to stay invisible most of the time until I met George.”
“Mrs. Y/L/N, did you get into an accident on the night of your prom,” something flashes up in your mother’s eyes. “I need you to tell me the truth now.”
“I-“ she shakes her head, sniffling. Suddenly memories she forgot about long ago hit her out of nowhere. “I went to prom with a boy I thought likes me. His name was Michael, and every girl was jealous to see me attend the prom with him. It’s just…he…”
“It’s okay. Everything you tell me will stay within these walls, Mrs. Y/L/N,” Ari softly says. He can see your mother struggles with her feelings and doesn’t want to be too pushy. “If you want to help your daughter, tell me what happened that night.”
“Michael tried to get into my pants,” she hastily says. “Or rather, he tried to force himself on me. But…” exhaling sharply she looks at Ari.
“But?” he asks.
“There was this nice guy,” she says. “His name was Jimmy…I mean everyone called him Jimmy, but his name was actually James.” Now her head snaps toward the pictures. She gasps, as her heart starts racing. “He almost ripped the door to Michael’s car open and dragged him off me.”
“He saved you that night?” your mother nods. She gives Ari a soft smile, as she remembers her savior. “What else happened?”
“He beat the shit out of Michael, that’s what happened,” Ari chuckles as your mother tells him how James punched and kicked Michael until he was a sobbing mess. “After Michael peed his pants, Jimmy helped me out of the car and offered me a ride. He wanted me to go to the police and tell them what happened but, they would’ve only arrested Jimmy for hitting that bastard.”
“So, you drove away with Jimmy?”
“Yes,” her eyes fill with tears now. Your mother takes a deep breath as he hands clutch her knees. “I haven’t thought about that night in ages, Mr. Levinson. It’s a shame I didn’t remember Jimmy at first. He saved me and all I did was forget about him.”
“Mrs. Y/L/N, you were barely sixteen. I can tell, no one thinks about their teens a lot. I don’t,” Ari gives your mother a soft smile. “Please continue.”
“We barely made it a few miles until a thunderstorm approached. Jimmy drove a little too fast. He wanted to go to the cops. I tried to not think about the statement they would want from me, and then…there was this car,” she cries now. “Jimmy tried to change course, but it was too late. The other car rammed us and…”
Your mother’s voice cracks, and she can’t continue her story. “He was flung from the car and died immediately,” Ari recites the police report.
“Unfortunately, yes,” your mother wipes her eyes. “The other driver was drunk and got killed too. I needed months to recover and, when it was time for me to return to school, my parents decided we will leave town.”
“Why?”
“People believed Jimmy and I got drunk and left the prom to make out,” she bemoans. “I should’ve said something, but it wasn’t my place to tell people the truth. I told his parents what happened and thanked them for raising a good young man. They are the only ones knowing the truth beside my parents.”
“I see,” looking at Ari your mother frowns deeply. “Take your time.”
“I just still don’t understand what my past has to do with Winnifred Barnes’ hatred toward my daughter. That was a lifetime ago,” she says. “Can you now tell me what you found out?”
“Jimmy or James was Winnifred C. Barnes’ first love,” now your mother’s face falls. She slumps back in her chair, shaking her head. “She named her firstborn after him.”
“Bucky…of course,” she exclaims loudly. “James Buchanan Barnes. Y/N told me that his mother sometimes calls him Jamie or Jimmy. Bucky hates it, though. I just don’t get it. It was an accident…”
“I know that. The cops know that. Even his parents know that Y/M/N,” Ari gets up from his chair. He walks toward your mother to hand her another manila folder. “A friend of mine dug a little deeper. The moment Y/N stepped into Bucky’s life; his mother did a background check. She always does that with the new girl in her son’s life. The only difference is, this time she found out that—”
“I was the one in Jimmy’s car,” shaking her head your mother looks at the folder in her hands. “What else did she do?”
“Winnifred knows every little bit about your daughter’s life. She didn’t aim for you but Y/N,” Ari sits on his desk. “She wanted to hit you where it hurts the most. Of course, she tried to make your daughter’s life living hell.”
“I will kill that fucking bitch,” your father finally speaks up. He balls his hands into fists and spits the words out. “What is wrong with that woman? The boy died so many years ago. It wasn’t my wife’s fault. It was an accident. The other driver was drunk and rammed the car.”
“He was the one that got away,” your mother says, looking at the folder in her hands. “She never got over Jimmy, honey. I don’t say that I would’ve done the same, but I understand her. You were my first love, and I would kill anyone hurting you.”
“Darling, she wanted to ruin our daughter’s life,” exhaling deeply your father looks at the folder in your mother’s hands. “What now, Mr. Levinson. Shall we let that woman get away with all she has done to Y/N?”
“We should find a way to make her stop,” looking at Ari your mother swallows thickly. “I will talk to that woman and tell her what happened that night. She can ask Jimmy’s parents and his brother for confirmation.”
“What if she doesn’t want to listen to you, darling?”
“Well, in that case,” your mother chuckles darkly, “I will bury that bitch. She will never get back up after I send her flying to the ground…”
“Bucky, what is it?” you giggle as Bucky wrapped his tie around your head to make sure you cannot see his surprise. “Baby, I want to know what you are hiding from me.”
“It’s a surprise, be patient,” he opens the door for you, smirking as you impatiently stand in front of the room, shifting from one foot to the other. “You’ll love it.” He pecks your neck before guiding you inside the room. “Voilà.”
He takes off the tie to let you have a look around the nursery he and Steve renovated in secret.
You slowly step inside the room, smiling softly as Bucky already painted the walls in unisex colors. Your old cradle stands in the middle of the room, and Bucky’s old teddy bear, the one he got from his father last week, sits in the cradle.
“Bucky,” you pounce on Bucky, kissing him all over. “That’s so beautiful. And you got my cradle, and there is your old bear, the one on the pictures.”
“You admired the old bear one the pictures last week. I called my dad and asked me to get my old toys and stuff,” Bucky runs his hand over your hair when you wrap your arms around his waistline. “He got all my toys and trinkets for me.”
“This is so thoughtful of you, baby. I want our children to have something from our past. Now they got your bear, Buck,” you whisper against him. “I couldn’t be happier. I love you.”
“Love you too, doll,” he smiles wildly. Bucky is not a man of many words but he loves to tell you about his feelings. “So much. You and the little bean in your belly.”
“Winnifred C. Barnes,” your mother waltzes into the office, holding her head high. “What a strong name for such a weak woman. I always believed women like you know how to not draw too much attention toward their foul play.”
“What do you want here?” Winnifred blanches as your mother, Ari, and your father steps inside the small office. “I didn’t allow you to enter my house.”
“I did,” George follows the others inside the room. He crosses his arms over his chest, huffing as Winnifred glares at her husband. “That is enough. You ruined your relationship with our son. I can only meet up with my son in secret. I want you to listen to what Mrs. Y/L/N has to say.”
“No! She’s a homewrecker and a murderer. She is the reason for Jamie’s death,” Winnifred gasps as all eyes are on her. “I—I mean Jimmy.”
“Jimmy and I never were a thing,” slamming the police report and a letter from Jimmy’s parents onto the desk your mother glares at Winnifred. “He saved me that night. My date tried to force himself on me and Jimmy saved me.”
“Liar. You are a worthless piece of shit, just like your daughter,” your father steps toward the desk, ready to rip Winnifred apart.
“He offered me a ride to the police station,” your mother continues, as she opens the folder Ari hands her. “I don’t care if you believe me or not, but Jimmy was a hero to me. He saved me and died as a drunk driver rammed his car. It was raining and he lost control. Read the police report, call his parents and brother. They all will tell you the same thing.”
“I don’t care,” Winnifred violently shakes her head. She doesn’t want to believe your mother’s words. If she does, everything she did would have been horrible. “No…no! You are the reason that I lost my Jimmy!”
“Winnifred, that is enough,” George steps in. “I checked on the information. Jimmy’s parents confirmed that Y/M/N told them about the accident. Winnie, she never was with your boyfriend. Jimmy’s death was tragic, but an accident. Let the past rest, and the boy too.”
“I can’t…he’s dead because of her. I wanted to…we wanted…to have a family. We had all those plans and a bright future,” she cries now.
“I thought you love me, and our family,” as your mother places the folder onto the desk, shaking her head, George’s face falls. “You are a great pretender then. I want you to think about what’s really important. If you cannot accept that your son loves Y/N, then you are not welcome in this family any longer.”
“George,” she gasps, “you can’t do that. Not for that girl!”
“I guess you won’t miss your family as you are still longing for a dead boy who died so long ago…”
“What do we do now?” your father looks at the men crowding his living room. “Mr. Levinson?”
“My partners are here to make sure that Winnifred Barnes will leave your daughter and your son-in-law alone. Over there we’ve got Jake Jensen, tech expert and the best hacker you can hire for money, and the grumpy man in the corner is Andy Barber, the best lawyer in town.”
“I’m still here, Ari. Why do you always forget about me,” Mike glares at the private investigator. “Now, let’s get to the point where we explain our plan.”
“We will fight fire with fire,” Andy pushes off the wall. He looks at your mother, giving her a curt nod. “If Winnifred Barnes even looks the wrong way at your daughter, she will regret it.”
“Son, thank you,” George Barnes sits on your sofa, looking like someone punched him in the guts. “I’m so sorry.”
“That wasn’t your fault, George,” after Bucky’s father arrived at your and Bucky’s apartment, he told you everything happening this morning. “I never thought my mom’s past is the problem here.”
“Rebecca and I made sure that my wife knows that we will not accept another mishap. If she wants to lose her family, it’s up to her,” Bucky silently nods. He hates to see his father heartbroken and sad.
George didn’t mention all the things Winnifred said about Jimmy, or that he knows that she named their son after her dead boyfriend.
“We wanted to look at a few houses tomorrow,” you jump in to break the awkward moment. Your heart aches for your mother, and the Barnes family. A tragedy from the past just destroyed a family, and the chance to bring two families together. “My father wanted to join us. Do you want to join us too, George?”
“I’d like that,” George gives you a soft smile. He can’t understand how his wife could treat you so badly for something that lies long in the past. “I know a thing or two about houses. I could give you advice.”
“He’s finally asleep,” Bucky holds you a little tighter tonight. He kisses your temple, inhaling your scent as he buries his nose in your hair. “What did your mother say?”
“She explained a few more things. I didn’t know about any of this,” you whisper. “I wish your mother would come to her senses. It’s a tragedy, but the boy died so many years ago.”
“I won’t forgive her, Y/N. Whatever reason she had, this is inexcusable,” he mumbles against you. “She hurt the woman I love. Your mother was a kid back then, just like the boy.”
“I know, Bucky. It’s so sad he died,” you sniggle now.
“Baby doll, can my dad live here for a few days until he found something new?” almost shyly Bucky looks at you in his arms. “Please.”
“Of course, baby. He can stay as long as he wants to.”
“Winnifred,” Dot coos into the phone. “How can I help you? Do you have a better plan to get me my Bucky back?”
“A little patience,” Winnifred ignores the nagging feeling that her doings are wrong. All she has in mind is to get back at your mother for rebelling against her. “I will bring Y/N and her mother down…”
“Master bedroom, master bathroom,“ Pepper shows you around the house. She likes to make people happy and smiles softly as you waddle toward the walk-in wardrobe to poke your head inside. “I see you already found the most important room.”
“Pepper, the most important room is the bedroom,” you giggle as Bucky hugs you from behind to peck your neck. “Right? We love to stay in the bedroom to plan our future and make more babies.”
“Son, I had a look at the kitchen and living room. Boy, there is a beautiful fireplace. The house is perfect for you and Y/N, and the baby,” George walks into the room to show you the pictures he took from the rooms downstairs. “Electricity and all the pipes are brand-new. Windows, and doors too.”
“What do you say, baby doll?” Bucky whispers in your ear. He smiles as you lean in his embrace and take his hand to place it on your belly. “Bucky jr. just kicked me, mommy. I think this means yes.”
“We should have a look at the nursery first,” you look around the room again. “You just painted the nursery at our apartment. I just don’t know if we are ready to move out.”
“Aw, you don’t want to leave our nest,” he pecks your cheek, humming as you start to squirm in his hold. “I know leaving our first apartment is hard, but we are going to be a family. I want our baby to have a garden and fresh air. I like this house. What about you?”
“I love it,” you mumble. “I just don’t know if we want to buy a huge house. It’s so…”
“We are going to buy the house, Y/N,” sighing deeply you know Bucky will tell you that he’ll buy the house. “Don’t even think about protesting. I want our baby to grow up in this house and carry you over the threshold. Now, what do you want to see next?”
“I don’t want to go,” Bucky watches you, Celia and your best friend get comfortable on the couch to start your movie marathon. Natasha, one of your eldest friends came to New York to join your little party. She moved to London to be with her husband Bruce and rarely has the time to spend time with you. “I can stay and—”
“Bucky baby,” you get up from the couch to guide Bucky toward the door, “Steve, Sam, and the others are waiting downstairs. It’s your bachelor party. Go and have fun.” You peck his lips and grab his jacket. “But not too much fun, Mr. Barnes.”
He smirks as you kiss him roughly, making sure Bucky knows who he belongs to. Bucky eagerly kisses you back, tongue sneaking its way into your mouth. “I promise to behave. We will have a few drinks, greasy food, and maybe…”
“A stripper!” Sam calls from downstairs. “I will make sure he has fun but comes home safely. Pinky promise, Y/N. He’ll marry you, not some stripper.”
“I hope so, Sam Wilson. If he doesn’t come home in one piece, you’ll regret it. I’ll spank your cute ass to hell and back,” you make the men downstairs chuckle. “He can have fun, though. Just not too much.”
“I only ever have fun with you around, Y/N,” giggling you push against his chest as Bucky starts to kiss you all over. “See. Only with you.”
“Steve, get your friend and make sure he has some fun,” Bucky starts to laugh as his friends run upstairs and try to drag him off you. “Bye baby. Have fun and don’t forget you got a pregnant girl at home.”
“How could I?” Steve and Sam drag Bucky downstairs, laughing and joking as your fiancé makes kissing noises to make sure you know he wants to stay with you.
“Love you, doll…”
“Go and have fun, Barnes,” you stand on top of the stairs, winking at your fiancé. “I love you too, idiot.”
“I don’t want a stripper,” Bucky watches the girls on the stage take their clothes off for a moment. He looks away, shaking his head. “Y/N is so much sexier than the girls up there. She’s so cute and sexy, and wild and smart.”
“No lap dance for you?” Tony sighs deeply. He wanted to pay for some extra fun, now Bucky doesn’t want to have a lap dance. “Come on, have some fun. Relax and enjoy your freedom.”
“I got my freedom, Stark,” Bucky bites back. “I’m not some caged animal only as I want to marry the woman I love. Let’s have some drinks, food and enjoy the night out. I don’t need a naked stranger on top of me to feel like a man.”
“Bucky has a pretty dame at home, Tony. Stop pushing boundaries. He doesn’t want a lap dance, so he won’t get one,” Steve steps in. He knows his friend wants to go back home and just be with you after everything Winnifred did to you and Bucky. “I’ll get another round of drinks.”
“Let me handle this,” getting up from his seat Bucky glances at his phone in his hands. You sent him a message not moments ago, along with a photo of you and your friends eating pizza. “I hope you save me a slice, doll. Your man loves pizza.”
Bucky walks toward the bar to order more drinks for his friends and himself. Ignoring the girls swirling around the club, giggling, and winking at the men cheering for them to take off more of their clothes.
“Hello baby,” Bucky huffs when someone moves their hand over his back. “Fancy meeting you here, Bucky. We haven’t seen each other since the dinner at your parents’ house.” Dot coos as she steps next to Bucky. She dips her head to glance up at him, batting her eyelashes.
“What do you want here, Dot? How did you find me?” he ignores her presence and doesn’t even glance at her. Even though, she’s all dolled up, wearing a dress leaving little to nothing to any guy’s imagination and her red lips curve into a seductive pout. “I told you before and I’m telling you again, we are over.”
“Don’t be like that,” she playfully slaps Bucky’s bicep. “I came to congratulate you on your engagement and the baby. She did everything right, huh? Got pregnant and the ring in no time.”
“Go,” Bucky says coolly. He’s not in the mood for playing another of Dot’s games. “I don’t want you around. I’m here to have fun with my friends.”
“We used to have so much fun too,” she cups his face, distracts Bucky long enough to slip something in the drink right in front of him. “Don’t you remember, baby?”
“I’m not your baby,” he shoves her off of him. “Now leave me the fuck alone!”
“I got a bad feeling,” you watch the next movie. A survival horror movie. Natasha’s choice. “They are all going to die.”
“No, don’t spoil the ending,” Celia grumbles. “How about more alcohol-free marguerites, ladies? Sisters for misters tonight,” she squeals. “I’ll make some more.”
“Damn, can we be your sisters for real?” you chuckle at Natasha’s question. “No, I mean it, babe. I wanna be your sister.”
“We can be sisters-in-law, Nat. Wait…no,” watching Celia pinch the bridge of her nose you roll your eyes, “we need to marry someone for that…fuck. Do you have a brother?”
“No,” you laugh, eyes dropping to your phone as it starts to vibrate. “Uh—I just got a message from Rebecca,” Natasha quirks a brow at you. “OH, that’s Bucky’s sister, Nat. You haven’t met her yet.”
“What does she want?” you chuckle as Celia makes a face. She still hasn’t forgiven her former best friend. “We won’t invite her over, right?”
“She wants to come over, or rather is on her way,” you get up from the couch as the doorbell rings. “Something about an emergency…”
“Fuck, we should open the door then,” Natasha hurriedly unlocks the door to let Rebecca in. “Hi, I’m Natasha, you can call me Nat. Now tell us about the emergency.” She blurs out before you can even greet Rebecca.
“I wanted to get some things from my room at my parents’ house,” Rebecca hastily says. “I heard my mom talk to Dot. She told her where Bucky is tonight and said something about heating things up. Y/N, we need to warn my brother. I tried to call him but…”
“He forgot his phone at home,” your heart beats out of your chest, and you already grasp for your coat. “Nat, can you get me my shoes and purse? Celia, try to reach Steve. I know he’s got his phone with him. If not, call Sam or Tony.”
“I’m on it,” Celia takes your phone to dial Steve’s number, ending up on his voicemail. “Crap, voicemail.”
“That’s it, we are going to drive to that strip club right now,” Natasha helps you into your coat. “Rebecca, can you drive? Celia and I had some drinks, and Y/N is too out of it right now.”
“Got it. Let’s go…”
Celia hates to sit next to her former best friend. She looks out of the window while Natasha tries to calm you in the backseat. “He’s alright. Okay. Breathe and let me try to call Steve again.”
“He’s not answering his phone,” you groan. “That’s my fault! Bucky wanted to stay at home with us. I told him to go and have fun. What if Dot did something to my baby? No, she can’t hurt him.”
“Mother said something about drugs or drinks. I couldn’t understand everything she said. I’m sorry,” Rebecca drives a little faster to make sure you reach the strip club as fast as possible.
“What the fuck happened?” Steve exclaims as his friends try to wake Tony. He downed his drink, and now he’s out cold. “Do we need an ambulance?”
“I don’t know,” Sam huffs as he carefully pats Tony’s cheek to wake his friend. “Fuck, he had like three drinks. Tony usually has a high tolerance when it comes to alcohol. What did he order?”
“He downed my drink and two others,” Bucky checks on Tony’s pulse. He worriedly looks at his phone, realizing he missed like ten calls from you, Celia, and his sister. “Y/N, Rebecca and Celia called me.”
“Well, call them back while we try to wake our sleeping beauty,” Sam sarcastically says. “Let me just wake him Wilson style.”
“No water in his face,” Steve chides as Sam was about to wake Tony with a glass of water, and a slap to his cheek. “I’m for calling an ambulance.”
“BUCKY!” no one can stop you from running toward your fiancé to look him all over. “You’re alright. Thank goodness.”
“Whoa, baby doll,” he laughs as you move your hands over his hair, cheek, chest, and, well his ass. “What happened? Where is the fire? I just wanted to call you back. We had a little problem with Tony here.” Bucky points at his unconscious friend.
“What happened? No! Pepper will get so mad,” you clasp one hand over your mouth while Sam and Steve still try to wake Tony.
“He downed his drink and mine. A few moments later Tony wanted to get up and piss,” Sam explains what happened to you. “He felt dizzy. His legs gave in, and he ended up on the ground. He won’t wake up.”
“Looks like he got drugged to me,” Natasha kneels next to Tony to check on him. “Hey, blondie.” She snaps her fingers at Steve. “Call an ambulance. We need to know if he got drugged.”
“You said he downed your drink too, Jamie?” Rebecca softly asks. “I-I don’t know how to ask you this but, was Dot around tonight?”
“How do you know?” Sam cocks his head. “She made a scene and tried to hit on Bucky. Damn, he pushed her away, telling her to get lost.”
“Did she have the chance to get close to your drink, Bucky?” you ask, looking at Bucky. He frowns as he recalls his encounter with his ex. “Buck?”
“It’s possible. She tried to touch me, and I wanted to leave. I looked at Sam who waved at me, and then I took the drinks and left,” Bucky sighs deeply. “Fuck, I didn’t watch my drink for a second.”
“That fucking bitch,” you wrap Bucky in a hug. “She wanted to do this to you, baby. How could she do this to you?”
“Mother,” Rebecca sighs deeply. “I guess she never learns, does she?” Bucky looks at the bar, whipping his head toward the cameras on the walls. “Oh, good idea.” It’s like the siblings communicate without exchanging words. “I’ll call the cops. They should check on the footage. We’ve caught you red-handed, fucking bitch.”
“Your friend got drugged,” the doctor explains while you watch Pepper check on her husband. “It’s good that you were around.”
“He wasn’t the target,” you whisper. Your heart clenches in his chest as you realize that Dot tried to drug and abuse your fiancé to ruin your relationship. “We are so sorry Pepper.”
“It’s not your fault,” Pepper gently runs her hand over Tony’s hair. “I hope they arrest that woman.”
“How are you, doll?” Bucky gently runs his hand over your hair. You came home two hours ago, and since then, you cling to him. “A friend of mine called me. You know, the guy helping Ari with the faked pictures.”
“Hmm…” you hide your face in Bucky’s neck and hold him a little tighter. “What did he say?”
“He checked on the police report and the footage. It was Dot,” he kisses your hair, hand running over your back. “We’ve got her, baby doll. The cops want me to give them a statement.”
“I want her to rot in hell.”
“It wasn’t all her fault,” Bucky whispers. He hates to admit that his mother could be involved in all of this again. “I think my mother played her part too. Rebecca told me everything she heard.”
“We can’t prove that it was your mother’s doings. At least she didn’t win this time,” you sniffle in Bucky’s neck. “I never hated someone before, but I hate your mother.”
“I hate her too for being a cold-hearted and selfish person. I’ll make sure she will get the message this time. I called Andy,” you lift your head to meet Bucky’s eyes. “We’ve got enough proof to obtain a restraining order. She will never get close to us and our baby again. From this day on, my mother is dead to me and the rest of my family.”
