April 23, 1936: Three years before WW2.

Steve sat at his kitchen table in front of his mother Sarah. He was holding an ice pack to his bruised face. His mother faced him and sighed, "Steven, you can't keep getting into fights. Someone is going to hurt you badly one day. Your body just isn't designed for it sweetheart." Steve looked up at his mom, anger and hurt in his eyes. "Mom, they were making fun of my friendship with Bucky. Said bad things about Bucky." Sarah's eyes softened at the mention of Steve's friend. She went to say something but was cut off by a sarcastic snort. "C'mon punk, you know I could've handled that without it getting physical. Besides, they sure ain't gonna say anything now." Alex said while wrapping her busted knuckles. Sarah turned to tear into the girl, "Alexandra, you can't enable him to fight. He knows that if he gets into one you'll always finish it for him. He needs to learn that he's not gonna have you someday."

Alex wouldn't have been phased by what Sarah said but she saw the tears welling up in the small teenagers eyes and made her way to him. She bent in front of him and tilted his head up toward hers. "Listen to me Steve, I'm here with you till the end of the line. Ain't nothing gonna take me away from you. Besides, who would keep you out of trouble if I was gone?" Steve looked up at Alex and smiled. "Thanks Bucky." Alex rolled her eyes and stood up. "I still don't know where he got that nickname from. Makes you sound like a boy my dear." Sarah said softly. She was no longer facing the teenagers as her heart was heavy with shame. Alex moved to continue wrapping her knuckles. "Sarah, do you care if I stay here tonight? I don't want my ma to ask me about these quite yet." Sarah nodded her approval.

Alex moved past Steve and picked up the phone. She dialed her home number and informed her mother of her intent. Once Alex had permission she moved to sit down beside Steve. "You still working on those sketches?" She asked quietly while Sarah moved to make dinner. Steve's head shot up. "Of course I do! I'm hopeful that I can get into Art school." Alex smiled at Steve's excitement. "I expect you'll find you a nice gal someday soon. You'll impress her with your talent." Alex teased the smaller man. He blushed and pushed Alex as hard as he could, which admittedly wasn't much. She mock gasped, feigning pain. "Bucky, you know that no gal will give me the time of day. I'm too scrawny for them." Alex laughed, "You just haven't found the right one."

Sarah smiled at the stove hearing the interaction between her son and his best friend. She hoped that Alex would become Steve's wife but knew that would most likely never happen. But she knew that the two teens would remain friends no matter what.

December 7, 1939: Two years before American involvement in WW2

Decembers in Brooklyn were rough, Alex had become accustomed to them. However, there was one person who never had an easy time in the winter. Alex had just gotten off of work at the hospital and was on her way to see her best friend. She knew that winter was rougher on him than most. Knowing that Steve most likely had the flu she had gotten him some medicine and decided to buy him some art supplies for when he recovered. Alex didn't work or live that far from his house because of this. She opened his door with the spare key and escaped the wintery cold to experience a less biting cold in his house. Making her way upstairs toward her friend, Alex shed her hat and scarf. Reaching his room she went inside.

Steve was lying on his bed shivering under a thin blanket with a waste basket nearby. Alex sat down on the side of his bed. "Have you drank anything today Steve?" He slowly shook his head. Alex sighed, "You need to or you're gonna end up in the hospital punk. Can't have that happening can we?" Not expecting an answer, Alex went to get him a glass of water. Bringing the glass to his bedside Alex helped him sit up to drink. Steve drank as much as he could without getting sick to his stomach, which was about a fourth of it. Alex sat back down and opened the bag she brought with her. "I brought you some medicine." Steve frowned. "Bucky you shouldn't do that. Medicine is expensive."

"Listen punk, I'm always gonna take care of ya so get used to it. Now either you take this willingly or I force it down your throat." Alex threatened. Steve gulped and took the medicine without another complaint, knowing that Alex would stay true to her word. After he swallowed the pills Alex smiled. "Now listen, as soon as you are better we are going out dancing. I got ya a date and everything. Maybe she'll be the one." Steve looked at Alex blankly, "I don't wanna go out dancing Bucky." Alex shook her and motioned for him to scoot over which he did. She crawled in beside him and pulled his small body toward hers and said, "Listen punk, you ain't gotta choice. Do it to humor me please." Knowing the Alex doesn't say please very often, Steve nodded. He moved closer to her. For some reason Alex's body was a furnace, but the heat was welcomed.

Steve fell asleep quickly while Alex stayed awake out of concern for her friend. She wanted to make sure that Steve didn't deteriorate during his sleep. The poor kid wasn't able to handle season changes and winter was always worse. If he didn't get severe asthma attacks then he would end up with the flu and sometimes pneumonia. Alex always made sure to be around during the winter time. She was brought out of her thoughts by Steve's bony elbow going into her side. A dull pain shot through her side but she ignored it. She was used to it. She didn't complain because Steve's comfort was more important than hers. Steve soon stopped moving and fell into a deep sleep. Seeing her friend was okay Alex allowed herself to relax and she soon fell into a deep sleep as well.

April 9, 1940: One year before American involvement in WW2

Alex sat at Steve's kitchen table drinking coffee waiting on the small man to make an appearance. He rushed down the stairs yelling at Alex. She turned to look at him. "Come again? I can't understand yelling. And you're gonna give yourself an asthma attack." Steve slowed down, threw the newspaper at Alex, and tried to catch his breath. Alex picked up the newspaper. The headline jumped out at her. 'Nazi Forces Invade Denmark and Norway. Will the fighting travel to the U.S?' Alex snorted at the article. "Bucky do you think the United States will get involved?" Steve asked his friend. Alex laughed dryly. "It'd be a damn shame that Europe couldn't handle the ambitions of one man. Only time will tell punk, but I doubt that we'll get involved with another European war." Alex's blue eyes met Steve's and she smiled. "Don't get your hopes up for a war Steve. It'll be over before America even needs to be involved." Steve nodded though he seemed put out.

Alex got up and laughed. "Come on Steve, we gotta go to work." Alex pulled the man out of his house and locked the door. Fortunately for the friends the hospital was right next to the factory that Steve worked in. The friends parted ways, with Alex promising to meet him at his house for dinner. She made her way toward trauma ward and set to work on a man who was injured by an explosion. "Sir what is your name?" She asked him trying to keep him awake. "Gabriel Jones ma'am." Alex moved over to started cleaning the wounds. "Can you tell me what happened to you?" As Jones was about to speak another man entered the room. He was decorated with military ranks. "That's classified Ms. Barnes. All we can tell you is that he was involved in an accident." Alex nodded even though she was annoyed that Jones wasn't allowed to speak for himself. "Thank you sir. Who are you if I may ask?" Alex said back trying not to sound harsh as she bandaged the wounded man. "Colonel Chester Phillips ma'am." He replied in a kind voice.

Alex smiled tersely at him and finished bandaging Jones's wounds. "When might he be released?" Phillips asked her. Alex estimated quickly in her head. "Well Colonel, based on the severity of his wounds I'd give it around a week or so before he can be released from the hospital. However that doesn't mean he will be going on active duty. I'd say to wait at least two weeks after he is discharged before he gets around anything that may cause an accident." Alex wanted to say more but she was pulled away by the phone. "Ms. Barnes, it's Mr. Jameson from the factory." The voice on the other end said. "What's happened now?" Alex asked worried. "We have had an accident that requires medical attention. Could you spare some time to come over here?" He asked her. Alex's breath hitched. "Of course. I'll be right over."

Alex ran to the nurse's station. "Annie, watch over the military man in room two. He needs his dressings changed every three hours. I have to run over to the factory there's been an accident." The nurse, Annie, nodded and let Alex go on her way. Alex grabbed her medical bag and ran over to the factory unknowingly being watched by Colonel Phillips. She opened the doors to see almost all the men, save for Steve and a few others, huddled around one spot. She also heard screaming coming from the middle of the men. "Move!" Alex commanded the men. They were about to object until they saw it was Alex. No one dared invoked the wrath of Alexandra Barnes. She moved toward the injured man. His hand had been severed from his body and was nowhere to be found. "Someone tell me what happened now!" Alex barked out.

One man hesitantly stepped forward and spoke up. "He was on the line where the machine separates the parts and cuts them in half. He wasn't paying attention and his hand was caught in the blade. We haven't be able to find it." Alex nodded, all of her attention was on stopping the bleeding. She grabbed the iodine from her bag and poured it on the wound. The man screamed even more and started to thrash around. "Someone come here and keep him from moving." Alex commanded. Three men surrounded him and held him down so Alex could continue her work. She stood up and took a large, flat piece of metal and stuck it down in the fire. "Keep holding him down. Make sure you have a good hold on him cause this is gonna hurt like hell." Alex walked over with the white hot piece of metal and kneeled down. She quickly placed the hot metal on his wound and held it there for one minute exactly before pulling it away and tossing it into a container of water.

His screams were deafening. Once she pulled it away Alex saw the bleeding had stopped and she could now move him to the hospital. She stood up and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Can you walk?" She asked the man. He shook his head no and then lay his head back down. She looked at the three men that held him down and said, "Carry him and follow me over to the hospital." The men gathered the injured man and followed Alex to the hospital. She walked past Steve and gave him a nod to let him know that she had seen him. When they got him into a bed at the hospital she dismissed the factory workers and thanked them for their help. She spent the next three hours of her shift tending to the injured factory worker and the military man. After her shift ended she went to head home.

She heard some yelling in the alley beside where Steve worked and went to see what was going on. She turned the corner to see Steve cornered by a rather large man. She sighed used to having save Steve. The man punched her friend and that was when Alex saw red. "Hey asshole, why don't ya leave the man alone!" She said rather calmly for how mad she was. The man turned around and laughed seeing a woman standing there at the scrawny man's defense. "Did your wife come to save ya little man? It's a damn shame that-" He was cut off by Alex punching him in the face. She busted his nose and stepped back. He got up and hit her right back. He landed one punch on her jaw before she took him to his knees. He looked up at the angry woman and gulped. He realized that he had truly made a mistake. She looked at him for one moment longer before bringing her knee to his head and knocking him unconscious.

Alex then turned to Steve to make sure he was okay. She pulled him up and hugged him, being careful not to hug him very hard. "Are you alright?" Steve looked up at her in anger and pushed her away. "I'm fine, I had him you know." Alex looked down and said, "Sure ya did punk." Steve glared at her and said, "I did, jerk." Alex laughed and pulled him down the street toward their shared house. They weren't aware that the entire fight was being observed. Colonel Phillips made sure to find Ms. Barnes's number. She could be useful sometime in the future.

A/N: Hello all, and just so you know the invasion of Denmark and Norway did happen on that date. Any war event that isn't mentioned in the movie will be an event that happened during WW2 but with the input of certain characters. I love having a female Bucky but she won't be romantically involved with Steve. They are just friends. Beside changing Bucky's gender everything else should essentially stay the same. ~Jess