Serum Enhanced (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier)

Life Changes

"This is your class, the teachers name is Ms. Jones, I had her last year, she's nice. I think you'll like her." Sara explained to me as we stood at the open door of my class.

I let out a shaky breath and gripped the hem of my dress tightly. "Where do I go after?" I asked.

"We have lunch and then recess and then we go back to class. Just find a friend and stick with them, I'm sure they will be happy to help." She explained and I nodded and then gave her a small nervous smile which she returned but with encouragment rather than nervousness.

"I'll be right here once the final bell rings at the end of the day, then you can tell me all about your first day while we walk home." She assured as I slowly moved towards the classroom wondering how it was that I could easily take down Levi in a fight but I couldn't hold myself together during this one moment of my life.

I took one last glance at Sara before I finally decided to go inside and look around the room for a place to sit. "Need a place to sit?" I heard someone ask and I turned to see a skinny boy with blond hair looking at me expectantly for an answer.

"Yeah," I admitted quietly and he smiled.

"Follow me," he urged and I did as he walked towards a table and he pulled a chair out for me.

"Thank you," I said quietly as I went to sit and he sat in the seat next to me with a warm smile on his face.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Rosalie," I answered as I looked around the room, taking in all of the color and the very excited aura coming from every 4th grader in my class.

"I'm Steve," he said once my eyes stopped looking around the room and landed on him.

I smiled. "Where's the teacher?"

He chuckled. "Over there at her desk."

My eyes followed to where he was pointing. "She looks nice and sort young to be a teacher," I observed.

"Probably," he shrugged. "But my mother says it's rude to ask a woman what her age is."

"Your mom must be very smart."

"Yeah," he agreed. "She is."

***

It wasn't long before Ms. Jones released us for lunch, luckily I had made at least one friend like Sara had suggested so I wouldn't be lost and lonely. "Oh, I want you to meet someone." Steve exclaimed excitedly as he pulled me out of the school house and onto the play yard. I giggled as I followed behind him.

We stopped halfway across the yard next to a boy who was taller than both Steve and I, but not much compared to me since I was a little taller than Steve. "Hey Bucky, I made a friend. She's new." Steve explained to the taller boy.

The boy turned to look at me and I was immediately drawn in by the blue eyes and the kind smile. "Hi," he said with a small wave.

I smiled back and waved. "Hi, I'm Rosalie."

"I'm James, but Steve calls me Bucky. You can call me Bucky too if you'd like, any friend of Steves is a friend of mine." He explained seeming nervous and I giggled at his complicated yet not complicated explanation.

"James is nice, it suits you." I complimented and he grinned.

***

2 years later

"Rosalie!" Kathleen yelled and I quickly made my way down the stairs and to the kitchen. I stood in the door way and she turned to me. "It's time, Sarah has finished the papers, she's coming to pick you up." She explained and I squealed excitedly as I ran over to her and embraced her in a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you so much Kathleen, for everything you've done for me." I thanked and she hugged me back.

"It has been a pleasure to care for you Rose, you are one special girl and I hope you come by to visit whenever you can. You're always welcome here."

I quickly stepped away and ran back up to mine and Sara's room. Sara looked up when I barreled through the door. "Woah, what's going on?" She asked since I started packing up my clothes as quick as I could since I had started to pack my other things when the process of me being adopted by the Rogers began.

"The papers have been completed," I explained, and I zipped my bag shut just as there was a knock on the front door downstairs.

I looked at Sara to see her book closed and her head held low. "You're going with them?" She muttered and I sighed.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and went to sit at the edge of her bed. "I will still see you at school," I reminded her.

"Yeah but it's not the same Rose, you're not gonna walk home with me anymore or be there in the middle of the night when I'm upset. You're gonna be living with your new family, you're gonna forget all about me." She explained and I shook my head.

"No I won't," I assured her as I reached to hug her and she hugged me back.

"You know after you finished 4th grade with Steve and Bucky by your side I knew you would find a family with them. You were always with them. I was jealous of the friendship you had. But I was able to push it aside because I knew that I would still be able to hang out with you at home."

"I can always come over. It doesn't have to be goodbye." I assured her.

"I know," she sighed. "But it just won't be the same."

"Rosalie," I heard and I turned my head to see Steve standing at the doorway with Bucky. Both boys grinning. "Ready?"

I smiled. "I only have three boxes," I said as I got up from my spot on Saras bed and led the boys to where my boxes were at the foot of my old bed. We each grabbed one and Sara got my bag with my clothes before we headed downstairs. Elizabeth and Nancy were standing at the bottom with Kathleen while Sarah Rogers stood inside at the doorway with her kind smile.

"Boys, be careful with her belongings, please." Sarah said sternly to Bucky and Steve as I set the box I had onto the floor and Sarah picked it up as I went to say bye to Kathleen and the others. I went down the line, starting at Elizabeth who I hadn't had much time to get to know even though I had been here for two years already.

"I wish you the best," she said to me with a smile and I returned the smile before I went on to hug Nancy who embraced me in a bone crushing hug.

"It feels like just yesterday you were that shy 9 year old girl from Europe that I had to give a tour of the house to," She explained, tears brimming in her eyes. "But knowing you, this isn't goodbye. I know you'll visit."

I nodded and moved on to Sara who had tears slowly going down her porcelain face, she smiled through the tears as she pulled me into a hug. "Don't forget to visit," she reminded me sternly and I giggled.

"Of course not Sar, who would clear up your room because you're too busy reading your books?" I asked and she giggled.

I gave her a small smile before going to hug Kathleen. "I can't wait to see the woman you'll become Rosalie Reign. You have been through a lot, and you are so strong, I know you'll do amazing things." She spoke encouragingly and I hugged her tightly.

"Thank you Kathleen."

I pulled away from the hug and looked at Sarah Rogers and the boys waiting at the door. "Ready?" Steve asked and I nodded.

"Let's go," I said, I picked up my clothes bag and followed the three out.

"We don't live very far from here so I hope you don't mind if we walk," Sarah said nervous and I shook my head.

"Not at all," I assured her as we began walking to my new home.