The Wedding Singer

1. Performance

Edited for typos

Nancy walked into the wedding venue and put her guitar case behind the stage and wandered over to the bar.
"Bit quiet in here tonight Saul" she grinned leaning on the bar accepting the offered tall glass of water from her long time friend.
"Whiskey Sours after. It'll get crazy once your performing" he promised grinning. Sighing Nancy shook her head, finished the water before wandering back to the small stage. She didn't really like wedding work but the money for this one was very good and this was a venue she hadn't played before. When Saul had practically begged her to perform she had quoted a ridiculous price and the bride and groom had immediately accepted it paying upfront in cash to ensure she didn't let them down like their supposedly booked act.
She quickly checked her backing tracks and guitar looking at the range of songs the happy couple suggested and groaned. The song they had chosen for their first dance was beautiful and one she loved playing but the rest? She could intersperse with songs people might dance too with them because otherwise it was all dire and devastation.
"Sappy sappy and more sapp" she muttured ignoring the laughter from outside the bar and plastered a fake smile on her face and started playing to a empty room.

As Saul had suggested once her voice started echoing through the venue people left the dining area to come listen and dance. Three and a half hours of a crowded dance floor later she finished the set playing two encores and MD'ing the happy couples departure. The behaviour of the bridesmaids was starting to annoy her. If it was male and alone they went after it like a pack almost. Saul had had to waive his fake ring at them more than once. The best present she had ever given him he claimed. As people finally left she clicked her guitar case shut and thought about heading home. She watched the last people leave and  waved good bye to Saul, hoping for a quick escape, Saul motioned for her to come over to him in the now once again empty hotel bar. Obediently she wandered over collecting glasses as she crossed the hall so there was less for her friend to do, dropping a few chairs in tables meeting in in the middle of the bar, laughing as he presented her with the promised whiskey sour and a piece of wedding cake
"Shall we?" He asked conspiratorially. Nancy grabbed a fork and took a bite and pulled a face. "I know but there was only vanilla left." He apologised knowing it was her least favourite cake "Here" reaching under the bar he produced a goody bag full of buffet food making her laugh softly and shake her head smiling. When Saul was bar manager she always got fed. "Bike or car tonight?" He asked casually.
"Car" she replied nodding towards her guitar case stifling a yawn. As much as she loved her bike it wasn't always practical especially with her guitar, massive hair style and a flowing skirt.
"Nancy. Have you seen anything of David?" He asked quietly, his voice full of concern. She hung her head unsure what to say but then,
"ohh you've customers" she commented, avoiding the question but noticeably paling, as a group of four smartly dressed men crashed into the bar. Nancy smiled she liked a man who looked good in a suit and here were a group of four that most certainly did. To her surprise they were still sober.
"Just looking to hide from the bridesmaids. One of them has her eyes set on my friend here" the shortest of the four tall men explained motioning to the dark haired man standing next to him as all four looked around cautiously as Saul placed beers in front of them and motioned towards Nancy who groaned loudly.
"Be kind wonderful" he begged "just pretend it's me. Go be a beard." he quipped motioning to the men and laughing shaking her head, he placed another whiskey glass next to the would be victim. Nancy rolled her eyes and slipped in between the men allowing the tallest to wrap a cool arm around her.
"They are rather badly behaved, Saul lend him the ring" she sighed "Nancy" introducing herself, offering him her hand.
"Bucky" He replied shaking it with a gloved hand. "No thank you to the ring" smirking Nancy slipped it on her hand.
"Saul and I have the same sized fingers." She explained.  "We've been married for five years and you have a roving eye and think I drink too much" she murmured raising her glass to her lips as he looked rather pointedly at it. This had the effect of causing the other men to laugh as the door crashed open and a group of giggling bridesmaids all too young to be drinking burst in, all the worse for wear. Everyone looked up at the door and Nancy just watched with a raised eyebrow as they froze. Leaning in Nancy allowed the tall man to kiss her. Resting a hand on his face as he did so. A long lingering kiss. Surprised at how right this felt or how hard her heart was hammering.
"Hey girls over 21s only now I'm afraid" Saul called in a calm voice and they left giving Nancy murderous looks as she rested her head on their would be targets chest causing one of them to comment.
"Ohh I haven't been called a whore for ages. You owe me Saul. You boys best be good tippers to the bar staff." She finished her whiskey and shook her head at just how embarrassed the girls were going to be by the time she had finished with them. Quietly she pulled out her cell phone and did a quick search on social media found the obvious ring leaders details and her mothers email. A pithy email later she hoped the girls would be grounded for at least a month.
"Well you've certainly made yourself at home" Bucky commented leaning into her ear, the heat from his breath reminding her where she was. Nancy coloured slightly stepping away from him leaving him suddenly feeling like a piece of him was missing.
"So do you drink too much?" He continued. Nancy just about stopped her lips forming a sneer.
"No but you can be very judgemental" she added patting his shoulder and tossing the ring back to Saul, surprised at the muscle mass that resisted her hand. As she spoke the brides parents came into the room to thank her. Also both slightly the worse for wear. Groaning inwardly Nancy plastered her smile back on and graciously accepted their thanks and the envelope with a tip in. Bucky watched her closely the entire time.
"My wife and I wondered if you could play us one last song?" the father pleaded and the small group surrounding her looked expectantly at her.
"Well I" she began before she could say anymore Saul moved smoothly around the bar and sat her at the piano taking the envelope and opening it.
"This buys them a short sweet song and you a better motel" he spoke softly thinking no one else could hear. Barnes raised an eyebrow and wondered where she was staying. Reluctantly she thought about what to play looking hard at the couple before smiling and starting to play.

Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like on
Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me
Fill my heart with song and let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you
Fill my heart with song
Let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for, all I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words
In other words
I love you

As she finished the couple kissed and walked out together completely ignoring everyone else.
"Holy shit girl you just performed a miracle - rumour was they were getting divorced" Saul gasped.
"Yeah" Nancy shook her head ruefully and made a prediction "she'll give him pity sex and in the morning realise it's not working and dump him all over again. That had best be cash I don't want no bouncing checks" Nancy stifled a yawn, closing the piano before turning her attention back to Saul. "I'll collect from you in the week gorgeous one." She addressed the barman knowing he needed the contents of the envelope far more than she did. Nodding he slipped it into his jacket pocket slightly embarrassed that she still looked after him without any expectations. This was one of the many reasons he loved Nancy and wished with his whole heart she was a boy. "See you Wednesday, do not book work for the evening we are day drinking and it's on me - Can I use your back door?" She asked ignoring the men who were openly watching and chuckling slightly, with a wave she grabbed her guitar case and the bag of food and was about to leave when one of them moved forwards slightly blocking her path, his hands in his pockets and spoke softly.
"That was really something Stone Cold" Nancy froze. That was a name she isn't been called in a long time. Slowly she turned to look closer at the men and recognised Clint Barton as he raised his head and stepped further forward grinning at her. Putting her guitar down she clamped her jaw shut and looked at him uncertainly as he burst out laughing, instantly Nancy felt relieved.
"Fuck! Barton? God your looking handsome these days!" Joining in with the laughter she leaped at him and they hugged.
"Well this is different" he motioned to her outfit and gently tugged on her long hair as he wrapped her in his arms. Nancy laughed some more, turning in a circle so he had to let her go and dropping a small curtesy "I never thought I'd see you in anything but leather and jeans and where did you get this amount of hair? Or floaty dresses" Nancy knew she had gone slightly pink.
"Fuck off Barton. I'm singing at weddings I have to do the cute dress thing and this" she pulled her own hair "I just haven't had time to get it cut. Call me in the week tell your wife your girl friend is back in town and is demanding a threesome and don't tell his Lordship I'm in town" after one more hug she grabbed her bags, and was gone.
"Yeah not doing either of those things" Barton muttered looking at the group of astonished men and a grinning bar man shaking his head behind her. When Bucky turned his attention to the barman he was greeted with.
"Absolutely not."
"Stone cold?" Sam asked quietly "threesome?" and Barton just shook his head knowing Tony was going to go nuts because there was no way he wasn't telling him he'd seen her and no way he was telling Laura he had.
"I'd give you her number but Tony is extremely protective over her which considering she doesn't let him have any say on what she does it's a bit strange" Barton mused to Bucky.

Bucky walked into the dark kitchen and poured himself a glass of water as Stark and Pepper came through the door discussing his cousin. Stark  was not best pleased to discover she had been in the city for nearly a month and had been the main entertainment at one of the lab rats wedding that evening.
"Barnes did you go to the wedding?" He demanded "did you see the wedding singer? Was she any good?"
"She was ok. I only saw the encore." he replied sipping the water still unsure how she had felt so right leaning against him. "I think she's got a thing for the bar man though" he commented.
"Barman?" Tony shuddered knowing his cousins taste in men could be disappointing. "Well when I find her she's moving in here. I can't have her running around the city getting into all sorts of trouble. I can't believe Barton didn't make her come back here. Nats not going to be happy with him." Barnes raised an eyebrow at Starks slightly panicked statement and wisely decided not to say anything. Pepper just hung on his arm not saying a word, keeping her opinion of Nancy to herself.