1932 - fifteen

I ran through the streets of New York with Bucky, dodging adults as many yelled at us to slow down. After all it wasn't proper for a young lady like myself to run amongst the boys. I should be inside, learning stitch work from my mother.

"Hey! Come back here!" That was Lewis Montgomery, he was one of them rich boys, even more so than Bucky's family.

Bucky caught up to me, grabbed my arm and pulled me toward an alleyway. We ducked in, avoiding the people milling around the market as we tried to outrun the teenage boys that were following us.

Finally, Bucky dragged me behind a fruit stand. We caught our breath quietly as we watched Lewis and his friends run past us further into the market.

"What did you do to make him so mad?" Bucky asked me, glancing around for any adults who would shoo us away.

"I punched him after I caught him saying mean things about Stevie" I shrugged. Technically I was supposed to be in school, next year I'd have to work somewhere, Mom was starting to get sick and couldn't support Steve's medical bills and her own.

Bucky laughed exasperatedly, shaking his head. "You can't just hit every bully who insults Steve" he put his hand on my shoulder before glancing around. "Someday you're gonna pick a fight, you can't win"

"I can't let them get away with that" I insisted. "Besides, how will I teach Steve to defend himself if I don't set the example?"

Bucky rolled his eyes, huffing out a laugh. "I don't want Steve fighting either"

"Yeah well, I won't stand for bullies, and neither will Steve, now will you help me watch out for Lewis and his friends so we can get out of here?" I peeked around the fruit stand, quickly ducking back in when I saw Lewis catch sight of me. "Darn it" I huffed, pressing my back against the brick building behind me. "He saw me"

"Come on" Bucky urged, grabbing my hand as he prepared to run.

"I've got a better idea" I grinned, standing up, my chest level with the top of the fruit stand.

"There she is!" Lewis pointed toward me, his cronies approaching.

"Talk about my brother again, and I'll do worse than hit you" I warned, looking around for anything to defend myself with, Bucky stood up beside me, his face resolute as we faced the enemy.

"What's a girl gonna do huh?" One of Lewis' friends mocked, his fellows snickering around him.

"This" I scoffed, picking up one of the peaches and chucking it at the teen's face. It landed hard and he had to stumble back a few steps, clutching at his swelling nose.

Lewis' jaw dropped, before he schooled his features, trying to look tough. "You'll pay for that Laura Rogers." He swore, beckoning his friends as they tried to corner us.

I took two peaches, one for each hand, hurling them as hard as I could. Bucky caught on to my ploy, quickly following suit as we pelted each boy several times with the unripe fruit.

They began to run as they realized that Bucky and I had plenty of ammo left. We ducked down below the tables, catching our breath, but unable to because we were laughing.

"Did you see his face when I threw the first peach?" I giggled, pressing my back against the wooden frame of the fruit stand.

Bucky smiled, glancing down at his hands. "You've got quite the aim, Peaches"

"Peaches?" I laughed, shoving Bucky's shoulder playfully. "That is not going to be a nickname"

"I'm not so sure, once I tell Steve..." he trailed off, a grin marring his expression.

He ducked as I went to shove his face away, getting to his feet and bolting away from me. I stood as well, giving chase.

"Don't you dare tell him; I'll never live it down!" I yelled after him, he just chuckled, pushing further ahead of me.

I knew I wouldn't outrun him, so I forced myself to fall, leaning against a new brick building and clutching at my ankle as I cried out for my friend, desperate for a way to stop him.

Bucky was by my side in an instant, worriedly hovering as he gently poked and prodded at my 'wounded' limb. "You okay?"

"I'm fine Buck, I promise" I smiled at his concern, gently taking his hands away. "I was just using this as a distraction"

"Now that's cheating" Bucky's eyes gleamed with mischief as he shifted, ready to begin running again.

"Maybe, but it's unfair that you have longer legs than I do" I huffed, allowing myself to be pulled up by Bucky after he offered his hand. "Have to win somehow" I brushed off my dress, sighing when I saw a new hole near the hem.

"How about this, I give you a five second head start" he proposed, grinning when I nodded "but I'm still telling Steve"

"Not if I get there first" I proclaimed, running away from my best friend.

We raced toward the poorer area of Brooklyn, Bucky quickly overtook me, beating me to my apartment door. I shook my head as I pulled the loose brick near the railing out, picking up the spare key and shoving it into the lock.

"Steve, you'll never guess what happened today" Bucky grinned, marching through the opened door as I pulled it back out, hiding it once again.

I rolled my eyes, closing the door and locking it behind me. Bucky and Steve were talking in the sitting room, my brother completely enthralled as Bucky gave an embellished version of today's events. I ruffled Steve's hair as I passed, heading toward Mama's room.

She had come down with the flu, the doctor said she should be getting better within the next couple of days, but he'd been saying that for the past two weeks.

"Hey mama" I smiled, gently leaning down and pressing a kiss to her feverish forehead.

"Hi baby, how was your day today" she managed, her voice scratchy from the sickness.

"It was good, although Lewis insulted Stevie again, Bucky helped me escape after I punched that snob in the face" I replied, sitting on the empty side of her bed. Mother reached out, taking my hand in her frail one.

"You shouldn't be picking fights young lady" she chastised sternly, pausing slightly to cough "but that little twerp has had it out for Steve since you were kids. You're gonna have to take care of him when I.." she trailed off. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"You're not gonna die mama, not for a long time" I assured. "Besides, I can't take care of Stevie on my own, I need you"

Mother chuckled "you have that handsome fellow to help you"

I looked away to hide the slight blush. "Bucky has his own things he needs to be doing" I looked at my mom through the corner of my eyes to see a knowing smile on her face.

"You like him don't you" she whispered conspiratorially, even going so far as to glance at her door.

My face flushed deeper before I shook my head. "No way, I only see him as a friend mama" I looked toward the door too, but the laughter echoing from the living room told me I was in the clear.

"Mhm, well when you two get married, I'll just say I told you so" she settled further into her bed, a smug expression on her face.

I choked on my spit, coughing lightly as I looked toward my mom like she was crazy "m-marriage?! He doesn't even like me that way" I whisper shouted.

"Just you wait Laura Grace, he'll realize one day that the two of you were meant to be and I don't have any doubts that you two will be married one day" Mother smiled gently, bringing her free hand to my cheek "he's going to make you a happy woman"

Rolling my eyes playfully, I leaned in to the touch. "By the time Bucky realizes that I'm a girl, I'll be married and have my own children." I smiled sadly "He just sees me as his friend, and I'm alright with that"

Mama laughed alongside me, before she devolved into a coughing fit, when she recovered, she dropped her hand from my face, placing them both on mine. "Sweetheart, you've never seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one else is watching."

I tried to ignore the flutter of butterflies at her words, Bucky had been a longtime crush of mine. Although I always thought that I would never get his attention like that, he was too busy chasing the other girls around the school yard, even when we were kids.

Smiling I leaned forward and pressed another kiss to my mother's forehead. "I'm going to go start dinner, you just rest Mama" I got up, closing her door quietly as I made my way down the hall, coming into Bucky and Steve's conversation just as he got to the part about the peaches.

"And she chucked it at Tommy!" Bucky grinned, Steve had a look of wonder on his face as I just shook my head.

"Was that his name?" I interrupted, both boys' heads snapped toward me, surprise evident on their expressions.

Bucky nodded. "I swear I heard a crack"

"You didn't hear a crack, at best I just bruised his nose" I defended, grabbing lightly on Steve's sleeve to get his attention and nodding my head at the kitchen. "Are you staying for dinner Buck?"

He hesitated, glancing at the windows as the sun was beginning to set. "I better get home, my ma is gonna kill me if I'm late again" He turned back to me "but if you need help, I'm sure she won't be too mad"

"It's alright Buck, you go home, Steve can help me" I assured, picking up Bucky's discarded coat and hat, handing them to him as he started to walk toward the door.

Bucky seemed nervous as he looked toward Steve one last time. "Can I talk to you outside for a minute?"

I nodded, instructing Steve on how to start dinner before stepping out of the apartment and closing the door behind me.

My friend looked almost sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck "I uh heard what you were talking about" when I didn't say anything he quickly amended what he said. "I wasn't listening on purpose I swear, you just have thin walls, not that that's any excuse" he rushed, growing red the more flustered he became.

Deciding to end his spiral before it got worse, I boldly pressed a finger to his lips. "It's okay, a little embarrassing you heard that, but I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore" I pushed the gush of sadness down, trying to focus on my soon to be ex-friend.

"No no, that's not what I want" he shook his head. "I do like you, like that I mean" Bucky gently grabbed my wrist, pulling it away from his mouth. "You're headstrong and beautiful and I really do like you"

"I like you like that too Buck" I smiled back, Bucky leaned in, closing his eyes and pressing his lips to mine softly. I copied his actions, returning the chaste kiss.

"Are you two kissing?!" Steve yelled through the door, obviously snooping and ruining the moment as Bucky and I stepped apart like we'd just been burned.

"No Stevie, go back to starting dinner" I shouted back before looking back at Bucky. "Sorry about that"

Bucky grinned like a child on Christmas morning. "I don't mind" the darkening skies caught his eye. "I should be getting back" he gestured behind him.

Nodding, I looked at Bucky with a newfound adoration. "Get home safe for me okay"

"Yes ma'am" he mock saluted, glancing around before stepping closer to me and kissing me one more time, leaning his forehead against mine when he pulled away. "Just once more in case you change your mind"

Then he ran, as if fearing I'd call him back and tell him it was a mistake.