"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."
- Sirius Black
Song: Changes by 2Pac, Talent
"I'd love to go back to when we played as kids but things changed, that's just the way it is."
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Harlow would often get off work about an hour before Jodie was dismissed from school. Preschool only lasted until two in the afternoon, and it started at nine. Often times, Harlow would drop Jodie off a few minutes early, so the small girl could get started on eating her provided breakfast, before she would go to work. Ms. Stanfield only made Harlow work from nine to one, even though Harlow only worked a few days of the week.
Ms. Stanfield would sometimes give Harlow extra days off, if Jodie didn't have school on certain days of the week. Sometimes Jodie would only go to school three or four days a week, so Harlow had to be free to take care of her. Harlow didn't trust anyone to watch over Jodie, so she never really decided to hire a babysitter. If Harlow hired a babysitter, she would be able to work extra hours at the bakery, but she didn't trust anyone to watch over Jodie correctly, so she never hired a babysitter.
"Can we have pasta for dinner, Mummy?" Jodie asked, as she walked alongside Harlow after leaving the preschool.
"Sure, I should have everything at home, but if I don't, we'll have to go back our and stop at a store for whatever else I need," Harlow replied, and Jodie nodded with a smile.
Jodie and Harlow soon arrived at the apartment building, and they began to climb the steps that lead to the third floor. Jodie would normally hold on to her mother's hand while going up the steps, but she wanted to feel more grown up and independent. So, the little girl held on to the rail against the wall that would help her walk up the steps. When she got to the third floor, she picked up her foot to step on to the floor, but she tripped and hit her knee on the concrete ground. Jodie began to cry almost instantly, as Harlow quickly bent down to her to make sure she didn't have any real injuries.
Harlow frowned when she seen that Jodie's knee was slightly bleeding. The poor little girl had skinned her knee, and Harlow knew it was going to bruise. Harlow heard the opening of a door, and when she looked up, she was surprised to see Bucky walking out. He held a few things in his hands to help Jodie and Harlow.
Bucky had been in his kitchen drinking a glass of water, when he heard Jodie start to cry outside. He quickly went to his door and seen that the little girl had fallen down, which he knew hurt her since the ground was concrete. So, he grabbed a couple first aid things and carried them to the door. He carefully opened and closed his front door, before slowly walking over to the mother and daughter.
Looking down at Jodie, his eyes spotted the blood on her knee instantly. The blood and her cries almost triggered a flashback, and almost triggered the Winter Soldier, but luckily Bucky was able to keep the assassin at bay. So, he crouched down next to the mother and daughter, placing his things on the ground.
"I fell down, Mr. Bucky," Jodie cried, as tears cascaded down her face.
"I see," He murmured, nodding slightly,"I have a wrap for your knee," He added, his voice still barely audible to either girl.
Instead of handing the cleaning wipes to Harlow, he carefully slid them across the ground to her. He didn't want to make contact with her, since he wasn't sure if it was some type of trick or not. Harlow grabbed the wipes, and carefully wiped her daughter's knee; cleaning it from any bacteria or germ that could've gotten into the wound from the fall. Once the wound was clean, Bucky sprayed the area with neosporin, before carefully wrapping the child's knee.
The entire time, not once did he accidentally touch her, even when he had to carefully secure the wrap once it was wrapped a couple of times around her knee. Since he had to push away the Winter Soldier, he was afraid that accidentally touching either girl's skin, or the blood in any way, he wouldn't be able to hold back the assassin in him. He didn't want to hurt the girls, not unless they tried to hurt him first.
"Thank you," Jodie murmured, as she wiped the tears from her face and sniffled.
"You're welcome," He answered quietly, before abruptly standing up and walking back into his apartment.
Once he was inside with the door closed, he laid his elbows down on the counter top in his kitchen, and placed his head in his hands. He didn't know why he had helped the girls. He didn't know what could have possibly pushed him to do so. Normally, he would mind his own business and let people take care of whatever their issues were, but for some reason his body had a mind of it's own, and he was outside helping before he could even realize what he was doing.
Bucky was afraid that with the way his body acted on its own, he would soon have an episode with the Winter Soldier. After helping the girls, he didn't want to be the reason they got hurt more, or the reason they most likely ended up dead. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself. So, after eating something small, Bucky locked his front door, before barricading himself in his room. If he was lucky, he'd be able to slow the Winter Soldier down long enough for Harlow and Jodie to find safety, or maybe even long enough for him to go back into his somewhat sane mind. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, but he hoped he wouldn't hurt the girls...
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Apartment 102 (B. Barnes) (AU)
Fanfiction*The story has been edited and revised* Bucky Barnes had finally ran away from HYDRA, but he was in hiding. He was too worried, and a bit scared, to go to his childhood friend, Steve Rogers, so he tried to hide from the blonde as well. Bucky had jum...
