America's Trio- A Stucky X OC Love Story

Chapter 5 - Gone to Soon

WARNING!!!! Talks of death of a person and a child. Talks of grief and coping. If this is something that might trigger you, please do not continue.

September 21st, 1933

Bucky's POV

The last two months before going back to school have easily been the most fun I have ever had. Madison moved out of her terrible family's house and is now living with a friend from work, who, much to my and Steve's excitement, only lives a block away. Everyone has been surprisingly excited, especially since my ma is only two weeks from her due date. My pa is still in New Jersey working on base but he should be back any day now since Ma is due soon.

Today is just another boring school day. Teachers droning on and on about topics I don't care about. It's only been three weeks and I am already for summer break. I wish Madison were here but she has been taking classes with seniors and even a few college classes at the local NYU campus. She is set to graduate when she turns 16 in two years, which is crazy mind you. But we still have lunch together, Steve, Madison, and I. We are sitting together enjoying our lunch before being forced back to class when a very stern teacher walks up to us. "Are the three of you Madison Balotelli, Steve Rogers, and James Barnes?" Oh no. Are we in trouble? I have gone three weeks without getting into a fight or being suspended. I really don't want that streak to end.

"Are we in trouble?"

The teacher completely ignores Steve as she beckons for us to stand. "Please. Just come with me." Yep. Definitely in trouble. The three of us share equally confused glances before we get up and follow the teacher out of the courtyard and toward the office.

I can't help but panic as I try to think about what I could have possibly done to warrant being sent to the office. It must be bad if the teacher looks so stern. When I see Mrs. Rogers standing with the principal I panic even more. We must have really messed up. The principal says something to Mrs. Rogers before he walks away, sending me a look I can't interpret. "Ma? What are you doing here? Are we in trouble?"

"We need to talk somewhere more quiet." Upon closer inspection, I realize Mrs. Rogers' eyes are red from crying. Oh no. What's happened? Have we been expelled? The three of us follow Mrs. Rogers into an empty conference room, unsure of what's happening as we stand side by side.

"Mrs. Rogers, what's wrong?" I ask seeing as she is clearly distressed, if the reddened eyes and pacing are any indication.

"Bucky I am so sorry." As soon as Mrs. Rogers looks at me I suddenly understand the look in her eyes. The utter sorrow and pain. My heart feels as though it is going to drop in my stomach and I want to vomit. "Your mom....she went into early labor. They tried to save them but it was too late. I'm so sorry Bucky, but both your mom and the baby passed away."

Just one sentence and I feel my heart shatter into a million pieces. Tears don't hesitate to fall down my face as I fall to my knees sobbing. Did I miss something? Ma seemed fine this morning, she was a little tired but I just thought it was because of being pregnant. This is my fault. I should have known something was wrong. How am I supposed to tell my father that the love of his life is dead? How am I supposed to tell him that I failed to watch over our family? Everything else fades away as memories of my ma fill my mind. I have no idea how long I sat there on the floor of a conference room at school sobbing. I have no clue what's happening around me. I do know at some point someone wraps their arms around me and I am sobbing into someone's shoulder.

After a while the sobs stop and I can do nothing except gasp for breath and cling tightly to whoever has their arms wrapped around me and is stroking my head. "Bucky, we need to go home." Madison's soft voice pulls me out of the vortex of my despair and I am pulled back into the present. For just a moment I forget how I ended up on the floor crying and just appreciate Madison's all-encompassing presence and soothing hands in my hair. That is until reality comes back.