Lizzie was sitting waiting for her grandfather to return; he had said he wanted to do this alone. She looked round the house she had spent so much time in growing up, both her parents had died during the Iraq war, so from the age of 13 she had lived with her grandparents. Their house was filled with pictures of the life they had lived. Both were war heroes in their own right. She was tidying the kitchen when she heard the front door open, and creak closed.
"Lizzie, are you still here?"
"In the kitchen." She shouted through the door as she dried her hands on the tea towel and leant against the door frame. She watched him hang his coat up and sit at the dining table, he gave her a smile. "How did it go?"
"It's in good hands now. Sam will do what's right."
Lizzie nodded before heading to make them both a coffee. As she sat back down next to him and slid his cup towards him.
He covered her hand with his. "When is your shift at the hospital again?"
"I'm not back until tomorrow now. I was thinking about going and getting us some steaks and cooking us some dinner."
"That sounds wonderful."
Lizzie stared at her grandfather, to everyone one else he was the first Avenger, Captain America, but to her he was just her grandfather, the man that had taught her right from wrong. He had taught her how to look after herself and punch her way out of most fights. She had wanted to join the army, but he wouldn't allow it after her parent's deaths. They had settled on her working as a doctor down at the Military hospital. She had inherited his super strength, but they had never told anyone. He told her often of how much she looked like her father and that she had Peggy's dark brown hair as well as his blue eyes. She hated leaving him alone for too long now that she was the only one left.
He squeezed her hand, and she was brought out of her daze. "Get a couple more steaks when you go, I have a feeling we might get a couple of guests for tea."
She gave him a puzzled look but said nothing as she got up. Pulling on her coat that had been hanging on the back of the chair she kissed his cheek and headed to the door, as if on cue two men appeared at the door as she opened it. "Oh." She said, taking a step back before she bumped into them on the pouch. "Can I help you?"
Both looked at her, then at each other. "We're looking for Steve?" One said slowly, sounding rather uncertain that they had in fact got the right house.
She smiled politely and gestured for them to follow her into the house and took them to where Steve was reading this morning's newspaper. "Grandpa, these two, say there here to see you."
Both men gave each other a puzzled look again and then looked at Steve. "Grandpa?" they both said together.
Steve laughed as he folded and tossed the paper onto the countertop near him before walking to the kitchen and putting on the kettle "Sit down, I'll explain."
Lizzie took a long look at the two newcomers, memorising them just in case before walking away shouting back clearly that she wouldn't be long.
When she returned, the men were still sitting round the table. She could hear their laughter as she came through. She noticed there were a few beer bottles on the table, good job she had bought some more. Her grandfather gave her a smile as she started putting the bits of shopping away.
"Lizzie," Called her grandfather. "meet Sam and Bucky."
Lizzie headed back over and held out her hand to both men who stood to greet her. She turned to carry on with her tasks, she grilled the steaks, made a salad and served it with some roasted baby potatoes. She sat next to Steve; Bucky was on the other side of her. They shared stories about their time together. Lizzie just sat and listened, she enjoyed seeing her grandfather light up around his friends. She started cleaning away the pots, when Bucky jumped up to help her.
"It's fine, catch up with him. He spoke a lot about you over the years." Lizzie said. When she noticed he had followed her with the side plates and salad bowl she hadn't managed to carry with the rest.
"Let him and Sam have a chat. Him giving Sam the shield, was a huge deal and I'm not sure it's sunk in with Sam yet." Bucky stated as he put what was left of the salad back in the fridge and set the plates next to the sink.
"I grew up with that shield. It's heavier than people think."
Bucky laughed at that and then leant against the counter as she began to wash up.
"What?"
"He always wanted this, a family. I'm glad he got it, he deserved it."
Lizzie noticed a look in his eyes, it was a sadness. She reached out and took his hand. "You deserve it too."
Bucky looked into her eyes then, they held the same soft warmth as Steve's. She dropped his hand when Steve called her from the living room. "Go on." He nodded his head towards the others. "I'll do this. I'm guessing everything is kept in the bottom right cupboard?"
"How did you know?"
"His mum used to keep all her plates in the bottom right one just like mine, I think it was just something their generation did, and he has just continued right?"
"Yeah, it drove my grandmother mad."
"I bet it did." He laughed, taking the cloth from her hand and moving to the sink.
Lizzie had to leave after a few hours, she was on an early shift at the hospital the following day. She kisses Steve's cheek and says her goodbyes.
Once he was sure she was gone Steve turned back to his friends. "After I'm gone, I need you two keep an eye on her."
"Of course." The pair replied.
"I may have left out a tiny bit of information about her. What I tell you now, can never leave this room." Both men nod at him. "She inherited my super strength. I taught her to fight, and she can take care of herself in most situations. After her parents died, I became overprotective, she wanted to join the army, I said no. I couldn't lose her too. The compromise was the military hospital, she's amazing at her job. My regret is that I never let her follow her dream, she could have carried that shield."
Both men noticed the sad look on his face. There was something else he was holding back.
"What else is there you aren't telling us Steve?"
…...
Lizzie finished her shift at the hospital the next day, she grabbed a few bits from the store, knowing her grandfather would be out of a few things, and her grandmother had been the one to always keep the fridge stocked. She let herself in and noticed the place looked different somehow, some of the pictures seemed to have been moved or were missing.
She dropped the shopping bags and ran to her grandfather's bedroom. His clothes were gone, as was the picture of her and her grandparents at her high school graduation. She sat on the bed; he had spoken to her once about the idea of him leaving. That when it came out, he was an old man, people might come after him and he didn't want her to get hurt in the crossfire, but she had always thought he would speak to her. She looked at his nightstand, there was his watch stood there with a letter under it. It was addressed to her.
"Elizabeth,
I couldn't face saying goodbye to you in person. I want you to know I am safe and that I will always be there if you were ever in any danger. I will always be watching over you.
I have asked Sam and Bucky to keep an eye on you and check in on you from time to time. They are like my brothers and I hope they become family to you.
I know I am leaving you, and you're going to feel like all your family has gone. And I hate myself for that, but I would hate myself more, if anything ever happened to you because of me.
For years we managed to hide as a family, we were just a normal family, but now I have given Sam the shield, people will know I have had a life, a family and that changes everything.
I hope you go on to live a wonderful life, have kids and have everything I got out of life.
You deserve a man that will give you the world and let you follow your dreams and never hold you back.
I have left a card enclosed, if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, call the number. I have left the house and everything in it to you. Do with it what you want, but I hope you choose to keep it and make it your home.
I love you my sweet girl and I will think of you every day.
All my love your devoted grandfather, Steve xxxx"
Tears started to roll down her face, she found the card and saw that it just had a number on it, no name or address, nothing. She walked back into the living room, picked up the shopping bags and placed them near the front door. She looked round the house, she straightened a few things, made sure all the windows and doors were locked and left.
Almost a week later, she was returning home early that morning, from a stressful shift when she noticed someone sitting on the steps outside her house, the figure looked up at her as she walked towards them. As they lowered their hood, she noticed it was Bucky, he'd had his hair cut, but it was him.
"You're a hard woman to track down." He said in way of greeting as he stood.
"Hello to you too."
Bucky moved so she could open her door. He noticed she looked tired and drained.
"Do you wanna come in for a coffee?"
Bucky shrugged her shoulders and followed her in. Jesus he was quiet. She threw her coat over a chair and turned the coffee maker on. Bucky was lent against the door frame into her kitchen.
"You can sit, you know. I don't bite."
She saw a smile slowly cross his face; he took a seat at the table. It dawned on her that she was still in her scrubs, been too tired to change at the hospital. She had just wanted to come home, shower change, and curl up on the couch. She was still coming to terms with her grandfather leaving. Now she had Bucky Barnes sitting in her kitchen. "I'll be back in a minute, let me just change out of these."
Bucky watched as she left the room. A few minutes later she returned, she looked so different. Her hair was falling down her back, she was just wearing sweatpants and a tank top, but she looked like a model. Bucky shook his head, he couldn't think of her like that, she was Steve's granddaughter. He was brought out of his thoughts when she spoke.
"How you like your coffee?"
"Just black please."
She poured the coffee and slid the cup in front of him. She sat opposite him, he noticed that she blew on the top of her coffee, like it would cool quicker, it was cute. He shook himself again.
"Why are you looking for me?"
"I've been worried about you. Since Steve…. since your grandfather…." He began to stubble for the best words, but she finished for him.
"...left. I'm fine. I know he did it for the right reasons. He would never do anything to put his family in danger."
"Still hurts though."
She gave him a small smile. "Yer it does. I'll be fine. I have my job. I'm trying to get a life. You know, go out, make friends, date."
Bucky raised his eyebrows when she said date, it made his stomach turn to think of her in someone's arms. "You know you have me and Sam right. If you ever need anything, we're only a phone call away."
Lizzie looked at him then. "I know, thank you." Though she barely knew them it really was some comfort that there were two other people she could turn to that knew her grandfather's story and understood, if not on the same level, what she was going through.
"He told us, you know, about…." She looked taken back as he stopped, and he quickly stopped. Shit too soon!
"He told you what?!" She asked.
"He wanted to make sure you would always have people that would understand you. We would never tell anyone about…." Bucky noticed the tears in her eyes, he reached over and took her hand, unlike most people she didn't flinch at the touch of his mental arm. "I don't want you to ever think you're alone."
"Thank you. I think I just need time to adjust to a world without Steve Rogers in it and one where two almost strangers know my secret."
"I think we all need that."
"He talked about you alot. Told me stories about you two. What you got up too. I always wanted to meet you."
About half an hour later Lizzie was showing Bucky out of the door. She was tired and had another shift that night before she had a whole week off. She curled up on the sofa and slept, for the first time in nearly a week she didn't feel completely alone in the world.
…..
She used her week off to move into her grandparents' house. She wasn't sure about it at first, but she felt more at ease there, more herself. She found Bucky would come over most days to help her. They had redecorated her grandparent's bedroom; Lizzie had hung up all the family pictures she could find in the hallway and living room. The last night of her week off, everything was finally done. Bucky was sitting on the steps of the back porch, Lizzie came out and handed him a beer, sitting down next to him.
"Thank you for all your help this week."
"You're welcome. What are you going to do with your house?"
"I was thinking of renting it out, you know. Put the money in a savings account, use it to travel the world at some point."
"Look at you thinking about the future. Steve really did raise you."
Lizzie laughed at him. "Suppose everyone has to grow up at some point."
"What's that saying, growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional,"
Lizzie looked him up and down, and then laughed.
"What's so funny?" Bucky asked, taking a sip of his beer.
"You telling me about growing old, I mean, what are you now like 106?"
Bucky laughed then. She did have a fair point, he hadn't grown old like a normal person. Lizzie pulled her phone out, Bucky had been so lost in thought he hadn't even heard it. She read a text and kind of frowned at it.
"Something wrong?"
"No, yer, maybe. A friend from work, has arranged for us to meet some guys for drinks tomorrow night."
Bucky's heart sank a little bit, no matter what he tried, he couldn't get Lizzie out his head. She just had an ease about her, the same sort of vibe Steve used to give off. He felt he could be himself round her and she would never judge him for anything. Of course she wouldn't even think about dating him, he was old enough to be her grandfather.
Lizzie noticed the look on his face, she felt like her words had hurt him in some way. She said nothing however and took another sip from her bottle. It was nice to share this good weather with someone for a change.
They sat on the steps a while longer, she enjoyed being in his company. Soon the porch had more than a few beer bottles on it. Bucky watched as she stumbled to try and pick them up, it was funny seeing her slightly drunk. He stopped her, his hand catching hers as she went to pick a bottle up. She nearly fell, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bed. He laid her down on the bed and covered her with a blanket. She had muttered her protests the whole way but had done nothing to make him drop her. "Night Lizzie." He slurred slightly. She really was beautiful, even now half drunk and sprawled across the bed.
Fuck he was going to have to be really careful from now on as he felt that it was becoming too easy to fall for this girl.
End of Chapter 1.