Winter is for Lovers (Bucky Barnes X OC) [Book 1]

9. Hazel and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

It was like any other day, I swear.

The green Summer leaves had come and gone, the Autumn was gone in a blink of an eye, and all of a sudden, it was Winter. Instead of rain came snow, and Christmas was soon approaching, which meant holiday parties, and gifts that I had still procrastinated on buying.

Bucky was still in Jersey, but he had written me a letter last week saying that he would be home today, and that had been the highlight of my week.

So, I had a little pep in my step on this frozen winter morning, feeling like a movie star. I unraveled my hair from the pin curls I had set them in the night before, bushed on some light power and mascara to power through the day, and picked out a purple shirtwaist dress with flowers on it to wear. I slipped on my black closed-toed heels and grabbed my black coat, with the biggest chip on my shoulder I've had since I started my residency three years ago.

My boyfriend was coming home.

My Tuberculosis research had turned into a working vaccine, and my research team and I were beginning trial tests on humans today. I was so close to finding a way to clear TB from the world, permanently.

Nothing was going to stand in the way of my good mood, I wouldn't let it.

At least until I marched into the ER that afternoon, and saw the small crowd around the radio. It was dead silent, the only sound being the terrifying announcement coming from the speaker.

We were under attack.

"... We have witnessed this morning the distant view of a brief full battle of Pearl Harbor..." the voice crackled over the radio.

"What's happened?" I asked, setting my jacket and briefcase on the counter of the reception desk.

Rebecca looked over at me, tears streaming down her face as she gripped my hand tightly.

"There was an attack," she said, her tone somber and concerning. She paused, waiting to see me react, but I didn't know where or who, so I waited for her to go on. "Hazel... it was...."

"What?" I asked, trying to get her to spit out what she needed to say.

"The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor."

The world stopped turning, time had stopped passing, and my heart stopped beating. My world was crashing around me, the sounds of breaking glass echoing in my ears as reality shattered. The sound of the radio faded to black, and it felt like I was drowning, watching everything from under the water.

My legs were numb, my fingertips tingled, and I lost all feeling in my extremities. My breathing was unsteady, and I was having a full-on panic attack, something I hadn't experienced since I was in school. 

"...It is no joke, it is a real war..."

I was panicking, my entire body was shaking.

"... A very severe attack on the port..."

My brother, my father, all of those people...

"Hazel?" Rebecca's voice called me back, her voice an anchor for my sanity.

"I need a phone," I whispered.

Rebecca raised a brow at me, whether she was shocked to hear me speak or concerned that I was worried about making a phone call was in question.

"I need to make a phone call, now," I said, grasping her hand as she helped me back to my feet, leading me over to the payphone in the corner, away from the crowd who was now eyeing me carefully.

I dialed for the operator, waiting for them to come on the line.

"Operator, how can I direct your call?" The woman on the other line asked.