Work Text:
Matriarch
"Do you believe everything that they tell you!" Bucky is getting frustrated. Trying to explain to Steve what he's feeling. Y/n has never been gone this long without sending word and the base wasn't being forward with any information.
"No I don't Bucky. But we..." the two men pause and look towards the main door leading to the flat as a key slides into the lock. Both men are ready to attack at a moments notice. Bucky had the knife in the back of his belt. Ready at a moment.
Y/n bangs her head on the door once she unlocks it. Giving a deep sigh. The world that she traveled to. That world felt so wrong. Women had next to no rights. Shivering she wanted to drown herself in heat for a while. Hot water would have to do.
The door opens and once Bucky sees her he has a wide smile on his face. He moves to go to her. Go to pick her up and hold her close. Yet as he moves to go to her Steve stops him. As Bucky is about to question him he looks over to y/n. Truly look at her.
Her face is hallow. Her eyes bottomless. Lines on her face. Her face is tired. The kind of tired that had depth.
"Sweetie?"
"Doll?"
The only words that they say as she lumbers her way towards the bathroom. To her traveling that short of a distance felt long. She isn't sure if in distance or time. Perhaps both. After closing her eyes she takes a few steps and finds herself at the door for the bathroom. Opening the door and going in. Not seeing the pair of men at all. She looks at the tub for a minuet. Blinking. Not recognizing the wall screen before her. Turning her head she fully looks at the shower set up. It takes her a hot moment to remember how to work things. But she does in the end.
"How long was I gone?"
"You have been gone for three months Sargent y/n." Y/n is startled. Blinking a little bit. Not expecting the voice come from the celling.
"Wrong. It was longer. It had to be." She puts her fore finger on the screen. It lights up and three options pop up. She hits the one thats a tub. Soon the tub forms and water is getting in. The smell of eucalyptus flows through the room. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Feeling her relax. She strips off her outfit. God. What is wrong with her? Shes nearly forgotten the sequence to start up the shower. She almost stepped inside the bath with her clothing on.
"No more missions. Not for a while." She sighs as she sinks down. Muttering to herself.
The pair keep the door cracked open in case she needs anything. Bucky is setting up a time for the center to revitalize her. The mission was clearly hard on her. Frowning he thinks on it.
Steve on the other hand was making sure that they had her favorite after mission foods on hand.
"Steve, do ya think that the base knows that she's back or have they been keeping it hush?"
"They are keeping it hush for the moment. We didn't know till now either."
"Fair point. Hey Jen, you may want to start using the hologram again. Just until shes use to being home."
"Understood sir."
Just then a message pops up from Christine. Asking if y/n is there. Saying that she just walked out after her psych evaluation.
"Shes in worst shape then we thought." Bucky comments looking at the screen. "She left the hospital outside of medical advice."
"Chris?"
"Yeah."
"Ok. Let her know. I'm going to go check up on y/n." Bucky nods and moves to reply to Christine. Steve makes his way over to check up on y/n.
He does knock on the slightly opened door. Hearing no sound he knocks again.
"Y/n?" He calls softly. Opening the door slightly. Just enough to get his head in a bit.
"Y/n?" A hard knock on the door and a louder call to her in a stern voice. Still nothing. Rather, nothing telling Steve that she was hearing him. Her right hand is tight to her left shoulder as her left mimics the right. Digging hard into her skin.
Not good.
Steve enters the room and turns the tub off. Watching the water drain and the bath turning back into a stall. Steve has a slightly warm towel for her and goes to dry her off. Wrapping the towel around her shoulders he places her hands over her shoulders now over the towel. Getting the comb he starts combing her hair. Kneeling on the floor behind her. Bucky comes over and sees the scene before him.
"Shes not responding. To anything."
"Ok. Palmer and Strange are making their way over first thing in the am."
"James, what did she tell you?"
"Officially? Nothing. Off the record...shes seen some shit. Didn't go into details." Steve nods. Standing Bucky makes his way closer. Moving to her front.
"Y/n. Can you blink for me?" She does. More for timing than a response.
"Y/n. Can you let your hands drop?" She is frozen. Blinking again after a minuet.
Y/n isn't aware of the water draining nor is she aware of the care the pair was giving her. No. Her mind was locked into that first week when she was in that world. The running. Learning what was going on. Figuring out how she was pulled.
A loud scream jerked Steve and Bucky. This was the kind of scream that you couldn't truly replicate unless you put yourself in pain. Steve is to her room on a flash. Bucky has his gun in his hand sweeping the apartment.
Y/n couldn't breathe. Her mind couldn't get her lungs to work. Images flash back and forth between that world and her room with her men. One second she is seeing the cozy room. The next shes seeing a cell with dirty walls and a mattress on the floor.
"Y/n!" She blinks and again she sees men towering over her before her vision flips back to seeing Steve looking at her with wiry and concern in his face.
Steve could see her struggle to breathe. Without a second though he turns and shouts.
"Bucky! Code black!"
Shit.
Bucky hostess the gun and makes his way over. Seeing the state she was in. Kneeling beside the bed Bucky puts his hand on her cheek.
"Look at me y/n. You need to relax. You need to let your body breathe." Y/n began rocking side to side as her vision began to get blurry. She sees him turn to look at someone before bringing his other hand up with a epi pen looking device. Again as her vision faded it flips back and forth still.
"No. Don't..."
Bucky heart clenched as he gave her the sedative. He had heard her words yet still did it regardless.
"It was a life or death situation sir. Nothing will come against you for this." Bucky sighs. Turning to lean up against the side of the bed. Letting his head fall back. Trying to calm his own frantic heart.
Steve moves slowly to get the sedative pen out of Buckys hand.
"It's ok Jerk. You're in the clear."
"Yes and no. I hate it when I have to do that to her." Buckys head lulls to the side. Cracking an eye open to look in the direction of her head. They knew that her job was rough on her. They agreed to be there for her when they needed to be. The only caveat to the whole thing was she may have a reaction. This incident certainly fit the bill.
•
Steve lets them in.
"Shes in her room." Christine goes over to check up on while Strange talks to Steve.
"What happened?"
While Steve is getting Strange caught up Christine goes over to y/n. Who is asleep on her side. She administers a wake up to her. Staying in the room.
Y/n is slow to move. Her head is a mess.
"How do you feel y/n?" The other woman's voice is soft and careful.
"Years to months. No more missions. No more. No more." She keeps repeating no more. Tears begin to drip down her face. Christine watches. Not knowing what to do.
When she comes out she sees Steve on the couch with Strange and Bucky pacing. Everyone looks at her. She only closes her eyes and walks past. Strange fallowing her. Leaving Steve and Bucky to share looks. Bucky shakes his head.
"Any ideas as to what we do now?"
"No. I think making sure that she takes care of herself and giving her space is the best thing for her."
•
Steve and Bucky are both looking over papers from work when Y/n makes her way over. She's wearing her comfort hoody. Not really looking at anyone.
"Steve, James, do you two think I'm treating you good?" She never call him by his first name. So they both know that this is serous. Steve gives a cough and looks at her.
"Y/n, where is this coming from? We understand that you've been missing for months. But of course you do."
"Years, not months." Steve stands and goes over to her. Taking her hand he slowly leads her over to the other room where they could sit and talk.
"I don't know how but I didn't just travel through the multiverse. But time as well."
"Y/n, the base said that there was a malfunction." Steve is soft talking to her with Bucky in the doorway. Watching and listening in.
"That's one way to put it." She is hunched over. Hood up and hands before her laced together. Elbow on knee. "It opened on its own. I was getting my gear on when it pulled me in. It was...different. Very different." She shakes a little bit. Before pulling her arms inside the sleeves moving to hold herself.
"I need you two to answer my question: do you two think I treat you right?"
"Yes I do. I think you treat me more than fair. You care for my health. Truly. You don't mind that I'm a stick. Even when I'm at work you're checking up on me. Making sure that I eat."
"You know our likes and dislikes. You know our work schedule. Encourage Stevie and I to do things together. Tell us the truth any time we ask questions. Encourage us to learn. Be ourselves." Bucky think that's what she means by that.
"When it comes to reproductive rights and how same sex couples are seen. Do you think that's fair?" Steve and Bucky share looks. Moving his way over and kneeling before her.
"May I Y/n. Your hood?" She nods and Bucky lowers the hood. Giving her an honest smile when he sees her face. True, tears come running down like a waterfall. Bucky pulls his right wrist into the cuff of the shirt he was wearing. Moving to clean her face for the moment of tears. Only to look her in the eye once he is able to.
"Say it." She gives a loud sob. Shaking her head trying to hide her face. Falling forward into Bucky's arms.
She lets her guard down. Clinging to him hard as if he was a tether. Steve is closer to them in an instant. Not saying a word. But being there all the same.
~
She is in someone's arms but she isn't sure who. A hand is placed against her forehead. A soft cloth dabbing at her face. Trying to get the tears off.
"Do you two think I'm stepping in on your guys relationship?" Steve and Bucky both look at one another before looking down at her.
"Y/n, I neee you look me in the eyes." She moves a little bit. Seeing the fire in his eyes. She's in Buckys arms still.
"You treat us with respect. You don't try to change us. We care for you as much as you care for us. The only way Steve and I will leave you is if we end up dead." Her tears pick up. She wraps her arms around Bucky. He pulls her in close. Cradling her to him. Leaving Steve to rub her back.
•
She is disoriented when she wakes up. Yet for some reason she feels better. Buckys hand is warm on her stomach. True it sunk under her shirt but she didn't realize how much she missed the heat of his skin on her. Her body sunk deeper into relaxing. She gives a small whimper at the tension releasing. Buckys hand moves to try to sooth her as another body was pressing his hand hard.
"Yeah. No more missions."