"My 'people skills' are rusty."
- Castiel (Supernatural)
Song: Hail Mary by Makaveli (2Pac)
"The solitary mind of a madman who screams in the dark; evil lurks, enemies, see me flee; activate my hate, let it break, to the flame."
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Harlow was sick. Jodie was not sick, but she had a free day from school. The school was sometimes out on Fridays, so Jodie was at home with Harlow. Normally, Harlow would be able to get through being sick, but it seemed this time she was sicker than she had ever been in years. She was throwing up, her head was killing her, she would cough until her ribs hurt, and she was dizzy every time she stood up from her bed.
Harlow had called Ms. Stanfield, asking her to bring medicine for her. Ms. Stanfield had only been able to stay for about an hour, before she had to leave for work. In that hour, she had made Jodie breakfast, prepared a lunch for the small child, and cleaned up a little bit. The lunch was a simple sandwich and goldfish, since Ms. Stanfield knew Jodie couldn't use the stove or the microwave.
Jodie was playing in her room, when she heard her mother coughing from the other room. The small girl quickly jumped up to check on her mother, but when she seen her mother hunched over the toilet, she began to feel scared. She hadn't seen her mother throwing up before, especially from being so sick, so she was scared. Jodie remembered Ms. Stanfield telling her that her mother was very sick, so she wouldn't be able to do much, but the little girl was terrified.
"That's not good," Harlow murmured, when she seen the blood on the paper towel after she wiped her mouth.
Jodie happened to see it too, which caused the little girl to start crying. Harlow heard her, but before she could get up and stumble her way over, Jodie ran out of the room.
"Jodie!" Harlow exclaimed, her voice raspy from coughing so much.
Harlow forced herself up off the ground, causing another coughing fit to roll through her. Jodie had made a split decision to get help. She couldn't find her mother's phone to call Ms. Stanfield, which she knew how to do since Ms. Stanfield had showed her, so the little girl struggled to unlock her front door. Once the door was unlocked, she ran to Bucky's door and began beating on it as hard as her little fists could hit it.
Bucky had been figuring out how to set up his new radio, which was a used radio, but it worked. Anyhow, while he was trying to figure it out, he was startled by banging on his front door. He could hear frantic hits on the door, and from the sound, he knew it was Jodie. His heart began to hammer in his chest when he realized just how frantically she was hitting the door. He quickly ran over to the door and opened it, to see Jodie standing outside bawling her eyes out.
"Jodie?! What's wrong?!" He asked, bending down to her height as much as he could.
"Mummy's sick! She was coughing, she threw up, and there was blood, Bucky! She threw up blood!" The girl cried, causing Bucky's eyes to widen.
"Does she have medicine?" He asked, as he followed Jodie into her apartment.
"Yes, Ms. Stanfield had some, and she gave it to Mummy. Ms. Stanfield is working, and I can't find Mummy's phone to call her. Can you help Mummy?" Jodie asked, looking up at Bucky with tear filled eyes.
"I can try," He answered, and she smiled slightly.
Bucky followed the sound of coughing, before he came up to the bathroom. The door was open, so when he looked in, he seen Harlow lent against the wall on the floor, coughing until her face was red, and holding on to her ribs.
"Harlow," Bucky mumbled, quickly going to the kitchen and grabbing a cup and filling it with water, before going back to the girl,"drink this," He said, handing her the glass.
Once she drank the water, she stopped coughing a bit. Harlow placed the cup on the counter top above her, and looked at Bucky with curious eyes.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes bloodshot from coughing and throwing up.
"I got him, Mummy. I didn't find your phone, so I got Bucky. I seen the blood, and I had to get help," Jodie answered for Bucky, and Bucky simply nodded.
"How much blood, and when did you see it?" Bucky asked, speaking more than he had to the girls ever.
"I saw it after I threw up, but it wasn't too much. I think I popped some blood vessels from coughing," Harlow replied, and Bucky sighed.
"Open your mouth, let me see your throat," He said, causing her to frown.
"Jodie, get Mummy's flashlight from her nightstand," Harlow commented, and Jodie quickly nodded and ran off.
When Jodie came back, she handed the flashlight to Bucky. Harlow reluctantly opened her mouth, as Bucky used the flashlight to look at her throat.
"Your throat is red, and you do have some blood present. Next time you throw up, if there's more blood than earlier, you might have to go to the hospital," Bucky said, his voice still low.
"I can't, I don't have anyone to watch Jodie. Ms. Stanfield is working, and I can't make her close the bakery early for me. She already runs the bakery by herself three days a week," Harlow complained, causing Bucky to sigh.
Bucky didn't know what to do. He had never been in a situation like this before. Harlow had so much compassion for others, that she never wanted anyone to be put out because of her. Jodie was a good kid though, and Bucky knew that if Harlow was really sick and couldn't get better, she would have to go to the hospital, and Jodie would be alone. He felt reluctant, he couldn't deny that, but he wanted to help her like she helped him.
"I can watch her," He told Harlow, and the girl shakily nodded.
It might not have been the best idea, but he had to figure out a way to help. The little girl couldn't be on her own, and Harlow seemed to be getting worse. He just didn't know how far he was willing to go to help out...
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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...
