Gone to War (A Bucky Barnes FanFiction)

Chapter One

On the Fourth of July, 1918, a baby boy was born. He was a small baby, but his mother held him close as she relaxed after a long labour. This baby was nothing special to anyone else, just another baby. But to his mother, he was the world. It was only her and her new son, against the world. She was all she had left of her husband. The baby was named Steven Grant Rogers.

After her birth, her best friend Claire Rowland, her friend for years, was next to her. Sarah Rogers tiredly looked to her friend as baby Steven slept silently on her chest. The two had been by each other's sides once their husbands both died overseas. Their husbands grew up together, causing the two wives to form a bond. But now, their husbands both died on the same field over in France, leaving the two pregnant wives home to their own lives, alone. But they weren't alone. Both had each other and their babies.

Claire wasn't due until later in the fall, but she stayed by Sarah's side once little Steven was born. The two only lived next to each other, with Claire living in the apartment next to Sarah. The two had an unbreakable bond. They were like sisters.

On the eleventh of November of the same year, a baby girl was born. As the world celebrated the end of the Great War, Claire lay with her new baby, the last thing she had left of her husband.

Just like with Sarah's birth, her friend stayed by her side through the whole birth. As the streets were filled with joy and celebration of men returning from war, the two women stayed with each other with their children.

Ophelia Anne Rowland was born on the day of the end of the Great War.

The two newborns were nothing to the world but their mothers. They were everything. They were the light in their darkness, and protecting them was all they ever wanted.

The two mothers knew their children would be best friends like they were. And it was true, they were. From a young age, Steven and Ophelia were inseparable, and they did everything together. From a young age, Steven was sick, with a list of medical conditions as long as his mother's arm, they still did what they could and were best friends.

They had many fond memories of playing outside in the dirt, with Ophelia being the most ambitious and outgoing little girl on the block. One of their many adventures found them playing in the field close to their apartment when suddenly a clap of thunder graced the sky, soon a flash ignited through the dark rolling clouds. The rain heaved down to earth, causing the two to become soaking wet and covered in mud. Ophelia laughed, her seven-year-old smile brighter than the sun, while Steven giggled at his friends' joy in the rain. Once they reached their apartment, after running through the streets as the rain poured down, their mothers impatiently waited from their doors, worried sick for their babies as the rain continued down. The two exchanged a look before making their way to their mothers.

"Ophelia Anne!" Claire yelled over the rain. The young girl walked forwards, her blue dress was covered in mud, and her hair, which had been done up neatly for church that morning, had been pulled down and hung down off her shoulders. Ophelia looked down in shame as she knew that she had disappointed her mother even at the age of seven.

Steven approached his mother, shivering in the cold rain. Sarah quickly brought him inside and got him in some dry clothes and next to the fireplace, as he was so frail and sick.

The following morning Ophelia visited Steven with her mother.

"You will apologize to Steven this minute. Do you understand me, young lady?" Her mother said sternly as they sat in the living room of Sarah's apartment.

"Yes, mama." She mumbled, looking down. Her mother nodded her head and let her run off to Steven's room to apologize for making him sick.

Upon entering the small bedroom, she saw her best friend pale, sick as a dog in his bed. She slipped into the room as Steven opened his eyes to see his best friend. Ophelia looked at him sadly. She knew she had made him sick because she wanted to go out and play, then the rain started, causing the two to get caught in it. The girl climbed up on the bed and sat next to Steven, who sat up in his bed.