Gone to War (A Bucky Barnes FanFiction)

Chapter Six

Ophelia stood next to Steve at the train station. She shifted on her heels and looked around at all the other young men who were about to go in the same train as Bucky. She clutched her purse as Bucky kissed his mother goodbye. The words around her seemed to trail off into nothing, as this day was her worst fear. Their were young men who kissed their wives goodbye for their long journey west. Ophelia looked at a couple nearby, the young girl holding onto her lover, not wanting him to leave.

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back." Bucky said to Steve, patting his hand on his shoulder.

"How can I," Steve stiffed a smile, "you're taking all the stupid with you." Bucky smirked at Steve and hugged his friend, Ophelia next to him, not looking at the two.

She felt Bucky's eyes on her, they burned holes in her. Ophelia looked up and caught the gaze of Bucky, his face offered a soft smile, trying to make her feel better about the whole situation. "I'll be back in a few months." Bucky said as Ophelia looked away again.

"That feels like forever." She huffed, her tears were threatening to fall. Bucky stepped closer and fixed the weight of his bag on his left shoulder.

"I'll write to you." He said smiling. Ophelia looked up to him. She jumped forward and embraced Bucky, he stumbled back by her sudden action, before wrapping his arms around her. Ophelia breathed in the moment, trying to remember the way it was, not the way it was going to be.

The two broke apart and Ophelia wiped her tears quickly. The train whistle screamed in the distant, telling its passengers to get on before it leaves. Bucky looked down the track and turned to his family and two friends. He said his final goodbyes and climbed up on the train. They watched as he found his spot and sat by the window. Every other man who was leaving had the same idea, and hung out of their windows trying to get one last goodbye of their loved ones.

The train started to turn and slowly make its way down the track. Bucky looked to Ophelia and his eyes grew wide. He reached into his pocket and leaned out the window, his arm out for her to grab what was in his hand. "Anne!" He yelled as crowds of people formed in front of her.

Ophelia looked to Bucky and pushed her way through the crowd, trying to reach Bucky before the train was fully out of the station. Bumping into those who did the same as her, she grabbed his hand as Bucky slipped a box into her hand. The train moved too fast for her to keep up. Bucky's grasp left Ophelia's leaving her hand out into the cold open air. Standing on the platform, she watched as Bucky waved one last time, disappearing down the tracks of the train station. Everyone around her were either crying or helping loved ones who were crying.

Ophelia watched the train leave down over the hill, Bucky's parents had said goodbye to Steve. Leaving Ophelia their alone. Steve walked up next to Ophelia, her gaze still on the track. He placed his hand on her back, trying to get her attention. "He'll be home soon Ophelia."

Ophelia looked at Steve, who nodded to the small box in her hand. She looked down at it and felt the soft green velvet that covered it. She opened the box and saw a gold chain with a small engraving on it. Ophelia pulled it from its grasp in the box, and looked at the engraving, it read "Anne". Ophelia looked back where the train was and then looked to Steve. She showed him the necklace, Steve smiled to her.

"You want to get something to eat?" Steve asked as the two started to walk through the train station.

"No thank you." She whispered, "I think I just want some alone time, if that's alright?" Ophelia asked, as Steve looked at her with concern.

"Alright." Steve said nodding, "I'm here if you ever wanna talk." He assured her. Ophelia smiled to her friend and hugged him before he walked out of the train station.

Ophelia looked around the station and saw people going about their days. It was as if nothing had happened to them. She looked down at the necklace that she still held in her hand, she pulled her hair back and placed it around her neck. Her fingers brushed against the soft metal, her eyes scanning around her. Ophelia's gaze landed on the poster board, where listings of random things found its place in such a crowded area. She approached the board and scanned over it, her eyes landed on the biggest poster on the board. She read over the page and took it down off the board. She felt her heart race as she ran out into the street hailing a taxi.

The taxi stopped outside of her mothers apartment building. She payed the driver and ran up the stairs to her old home. Opening the door she saw her mother seated in her chair reading the paper.

"Ophelia Anne? What are you doing here?" She asked getting you from her seat. "Has James left?" Her mother knew Bucky was leaving today, and also knew how much it hurt her daughter for her best friend to be sent off for training.

"I want to be a nurse." Ophelia said closing the door to the apartment.

"What?" Her mother was taken back by her daughters words. "What about being a teacher?"

Ophelia shook her hands at her mothers words, "That can wait, I want to help with the war efforts." Ophelia handed her mother the poster she found in the train station. It read about young women needed for training to be nurses overseas.

"Ophelia," her mother tried to find her words, "this is a big decision." She took a seat back in her chair, almost in shock.

"I know," Ophelia said sitting next to her, "But I have to do something."

"If this is about James-"

"No." Ophelia shook her head, "This is about me wanting to prove myself.

"Why do you need to prove yourself?" Her mother tilted her head at her daughters words.

Ophelia huffed, "All my life, people have told me that I can't do certain things, because I'm a women. Well, this might be my chance to prove myself."

Her mother shook her head. "No, I can't let you go."

"Mother, I'm a grown adult. I can make this decision myself." Ophelia said sternly.

"But I'm putting my foot down! You are not to enlist in this war. It isn't your war!" Her mother stood up and looked down on her daughter. Ophelia's face turned red, angrily she stood and left the apartment. Slamming the door she leaned her head back and touched the necklace around her neck.

Opening her eyes, she was filled with determination. She was going to enlist as a nurse.