Forever and Always

Chapter 3

Brooklyn April  1942

By the time the sun had set Becca and I had reached the expo. The boys weren't here yet as it seemed they were running late as usual. The expo itself was a complete sensory overload. Lights shone brightly all around showing all the exhibits and stalls. The place that stood out the most was the stage where Howard Stark would appear. At the moment there was a crimson car on it. Well this will  surely be intresting I thought to myself as I walked over to stand by a pillar and wait for Bucky and Steve. After a few moments Becca joins me after talking to a young gentlemen in a suit. Two minutes past then three then 5. Becca and I grew more impatient by the minute and it was starting to show. I was twirling my thumbs and she was picking at stone pillar. That is when I saw a little girl surley no more than 6 with auburn hair standing just a few feet away all alone in the crowd. I walk over to where she stood and knelt on the cold floor.

"Hello I am Lydia. What is your name?" I ask the little girl gently
"R-Rose." She stutters
"Rose that is a lovley name. Where are you parents?" I ask yet another question
"I lost my mother in the crowd and my father has gone to be a hero," She says with a but more confidence but when she metioned her father she looked very proud. I smiled at this.
"Well shall we go find you mother?" I ask and get a response of her nodding her head

I take her small hand in mine and we walk through the crowds together. I listen to her talk about her father how he had left to join the army a year ago and how he used to write to them every week. But the he stopped and a yellow letter came saying he was KIA. To Rose that meant nothing she thought that it meant he was being a hero and he was getting seen as that in the army in reality it was a whole other story. KIA meant killed in action she was too young to know that but her mother would. This little girl will never see her father again. He was now nothing more than one of the milions of victims in this war. After a few more minutes of this time walking in silence a woman approaches us.
"Rose darling I've looked everywhere for you." The women says as she kneels down and checks her daughter for any sign of injuries. She looks up at me and smiles ever so slightly.
" Thank you miss-" she says but i interrupt her "Lydia" I say
"Thank you Lydia." Rose's mother says and with that the pair walk off hand in hand. Rose looks back at me and smiles waving her goodbyes. I wave back until they are out of sight, then I start to walk back to where I had left Becca. When I reached the pillar I saw that Bucky and Steve had finally showed up and were now standing there in full discussion with her. As I rejoin the group Becca starts to whine like a 5 year old.
"Why did you leave me here alone." She grumbles
"Someone else needed my help which at the time seemed more of a priority." I answer
"How heroic of you ." She says sarcastically
"Alright ladies when you have finished your conversation can we go watch Howard Stark fail once more because and correct me if I am wrong the show starts soon." Bucky says only slightly teasing us which Steve takes it a step further by looking down at his watch.
"You are correct Bucky." I say laughing at the pair
Bucky offers me his hand which I take and we are soon walking towards the show unlike Becca and Steve who had ran at full speed like a bunch of excited 5 year olds. And when I say ran I mean Becca ran and dragged Steve by his jacket as usual.

*Flashback to a 7 year old Lydia*

I get shoved down once again. I can feel blood begin to trickle from my knees and elbows. I don't care though. I get to my feet with the thought that they can only shove me down so many times. This time he kicks me in the stomach while he is two sisters laugh. I am back in the dirt within a matter of seconds. My hair is a mess and my dress is dirty and my tights are torn. I look a right mess. I make my way to stand up again but I get shoved before I have the chance.
"Ugh just give ip already." One of the girls says while her brother smirks
"Don't you see your pathetic so is your brother. You will both always just be nothing." The other girl says
"Hey leave her alone." A voice says
"Or what. What are you gonna do about it?" The boy sneers
"Do you really wanna find that out?" The voice says
The trio look over to where the voice came from and after a few seconds they run off.
"Your not pathetic you know?" The voice says as he walks into my line of eyesight and I am greeted with a familiar face.
"James!" I say happily
"I told you it's Bucky only my mom calls me James." He says laughing whilst helping me to my feet
"Right sorry." I say sheepishly
"It is ok now how about I give you a piggyback ride back to your house?" He says with a grin
"If you don't mind."
"Nonsense besides I owe you a favour."
"Well now we are equal." I say

What was the favour that Bucky owed her?

Anyway how you liked it.

Bye