Her Safe Place

Chapter 4: He's My Hero

It was Friday night at the game Dallas stayed home while everyone else was at the game. Bucky and the boys were doing warm ups when AJ walked up to coach and said "Hey Coach Taylor."

"There's my best quarterback." Coach Taylor said 

"Buck look it's AJ." Sam said knowing that Bucky looked up at him.

"I know man I'm trying to not look like a fool." he said 

"What are you doing here AJ" Coach said

"Just came in to see what you have going on without me. I have no game this weekend at UGA so I thought I would come in and see the folks and see my old stomping grounds" AJ said 

"Yeah yeah you just miss us." Coach said

AJ smiled and said "You know it." 

The game started up and they were playing well but then their quarter back Tommy Johns got sacked hard to the ground after the snap. 

Coach Taylor walked out and he said "Coach my vision is blurry my ribs hurt.. and my knee hurts." 

"Just relax Tommy we will get you checked out." Coach Taylor said 

The EMTS put him on a stretcher and the assistant coach came over and said "Your 2nd string is Barnes Coach." 

"I know full well who my 2nd string quarter back is." Coach Taylor said 

He walked over to Bucky and he said "Son I need you to play as good as you play for me when we have JV games you think you can do that." 

"Yes sir." Bucky said 

"Alright make me proud that I let you be 2nd string." Coach Taylor said 

"Yes sir." Bucky said as he put his helmet and mouth guard in and ran out on the field.

"IT LOOKS LIKE COACH TAYLOR IS PUTTING IN HIS 2ND STRING QB JAMES BARNES" the announcer said

"James what the hell is he doing putting our son out there he's a sophomore." Winnie said 

James went down behind coach and said "What are you doing that is my son."

"ANd he's my 2nd string James he's going to be fine." Coach Taylor said 

James walked back to his wife and said "It seems our son has failed to mention that he's coach 2nd string QB Winnie." 

Sam whispered "Come on Barnes make us proud." as he snapped the ball and threw to another player and went running then the player threw it to another player then that player threw it back to Bucky and he went running and maneuvering his way around being tackled and made a touch down.

AJ walked over to coach and said "Who is your 2nd string." 

"That's James Barnes or better known as Bucky Barnes he's my QB for the JV team cause he's a sophomore but I made him 2nd string cause he plays that good. He reminds me a lot of you."

"Tell him after the game that I want to talk to him." AJ said 

"Why?' Coach Taylor said

"Cause I want to take him under my wing I see a lot of me in him Coach. And with Tommy out you are going to need a me on the field." he said 

Coach Taylor smiled and said "You have time for that with your games and a pregnant wife in Brianna." 

"I do.. I"m here right now." AJ said with a laugh. 

That night after the game was over Coach said "This ball right the game ball of the night goes to you Mr Barnes." as he tossed it to him. 

He smiled and said "Thanks Coach." 

Everyone cleared out and Coach said "By the way AJ Sawyer wants to talk to you." 

"Me?" he said confused 

"Yes you. He watched you play tonight and he sees what I see and that's potential and a lot him in you." Coach said

"He's my hero" he said in a whisper 

Coach Taylor started laughing and said "Don't tell him that he will have an even bigger head." 

AJ walked in and sat beside him and said "I want to train you to be like me." 

Bucky swallowed hard and said "Okay.." 

"So we start tomorrow I want you here bright and early we start work outs before practice. I will show everything I know and even some tricks. Coach Taylor has given me some of your game tapes we will go over those tomorrow at my house." he said 

"Your house?" he said confused.

"Yes my house why do you seem confused." he said 

"It's just that um I'm Biology partners with your sister Dallas and Dallas doesn't not want me anywhere near her house we have to do our project right now at my house. She's very peculiar that sister of yours she's not like Sienna." he said 

AJ chuckled and said " I knew your last name sounded familiar." 

"Does the whole family know." he said 

"Well she lived in your hoodie for awhile."AJ said 

"Oh.." he said

"No hard feelings man I know my sister and I also know my baby sis she's a very private person and she likes her privacy so much that makes people think that she's weird or whatever but she has her reasons but she just doesn't like to talk about them." AJ said

"Yeah she said that when I asked her how she was allowed to drive as a sophomore to school." he said 

"Yeah well don't worry about her I will talk to her besides my basement is basically my man cave so it's not like you would be going upstairs.' AJ said as they started to walk out. 

"Okay sounds good thanks AJ." he said 

"No problem see you tomorrow at 9AM here and don't show up hung over either." AJ said

"Okay." he said

"Who was that baby" Winnie said

"That's AJ Sawyer the best QB we have had and he wants to train me to be like him. And look dad I got the game ball tonight." he said 

"Son I'm beyond proud of you tonight but why didn't you tell us about being 2nd string you about gave your mother a heart attack." James said as he hugged him

"I honestly didn't think I would be playing 2nd string is only when the QB gets hurt and can't play." Bucky said as they walked to his parents car. 

He smiled all the way home and kept tossing the football when he got home he put the ball on his shelf and looked at his trophies and ribbons from playing all these years. AJ was always 3 years ahead of him but he knew who he was by middle school and last year as a freshmen he would watch him at practice just so he knew how to be like him he didn't want to take over his dad's family business of the Auto Shop.