First Love || Bucky Barnes

Chapter One: True Blue Friends

September 5, 1922

In the Johnson household, Grandpa Jack, stood in front of his four year-old granddaughter's bedroom. He slowly opened the door and quietly tip-toed over to his granddaughter who was sound asleep in her bed.

Grandpa Jack bent over the little girl, and he said to her, "Rise and shine, Elizabeth." She opened her eyes and sat up with a smile on her face, "Good morning, Grandpa," she greeted happily. Grandpa Jack smiled back at her, "Good morning, Elizabeth. You need to get ready for pre-school."

Grandpa Jack pulled the covers down and held his hand out. Elizabeth slipped her tiny hand into his and jumped down from her bed. "While you are getting dressed, I will get your school bag ready," Grandpa Jack said. Elizabeth nodded her head and watched him leave her room, closing the door behind him.

Elizabeth walked over to her dresser and picked out a light blue dress. She puts it on, slips into her shoes and skips out of her bedroom and toward the kitchen.

She stopped and stood by the door as she waited patiently for Grandpa Jack to finish talking on the landline. 

"But sir, I have to walk my granddaughter to school...I understand...I will be right there," Grandpa Jack sighed as he placed the phone back onto the receiver. He looked over toward the door to see Elizabeth looking up at him. He walks over and bends down to her height.

"Elizabeth," he puts his hands on her shoulders. "That was my boss. I have to go in to work right now," he paused. "Will you be okay walking to school by yourself? It is just down the street."

Elizabeth grinned. "Yes I will be," she said. Grandpa Jack chuckled before standing up. Together the two walked out of the kitchen and stood in the foyer. 

Grandpa Jack helped Elizabeth put her jacket and schoolbag on. He opened the front door and paused as he saw that it was raining. He glanced over at the basket they had by the door and picked out their only ratty umbrella. Money was tight for Jack and he couldn't afford another umbrella.

Jack snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his granddaughter speak, "What's wrong grandpa?" He looked down at Elizabeth, "It is raining and we only have one umbrella." 

Elizabeth glanced at the ratty umbrella her grandfather had in his hand and looked back up at him, "You can take the umbrella," she said. Grandpa Jack shook his head, "No, Elizabeth. You will be taking the umbrella to school." 

Elizabeth shook her head, "No. I will be fine, grandpa. You need it more than I do," she said. Jack smiled at his granddaughter and ruffled her hair as she let out a laugh.

"We need to get going, or else we will both be late," he said as he let Elizabeth out the door first before closing it behind them. Jack opened up the umbrella before the two walked down the cobblestone stairs. 

Elizabeth laughed as she jumped off the last step and landed in the puddle, making a small splash. Jack smiled before bending down to her height once again, "Remember-" "Don't talk to any strangers and keep walking straight until I get to school," Elizabeth said with a smile.

Jack chuckled. He kept forgetting how smart Elizabeth was for her age, "I will be picking you up at three o'clock." Elizabeth turned around and began skipping down the sidewalk. "Bye grandpa!" she cried out. 

"Bye Elizabeth!" 

As Jack turned around and made his way to the postal office where he worked as a mailman, Elizabeth stopped skipping and walked down the sidewalk, quietly singing to herself.

"It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring. Bumped his head and he went to bed. And he couldn't get up in the mornin'," she kept on singing as she got drenched from the downpour when suddenly an umbrella, held by little James Buchanan Barnes.