A/N - This story is Rule 63!Bucky, and will follow them though the war and onto post-winter solider, (I think I may post those as a separate stories don't know yet)

Disclaimer: I do not own the MCU, Asthma cigerates, or the 1925 silent movie Wizard of Oz (or anything else I may mention in the chapter)

Chapter 1:Don't Go Dying On Me Punk

April 23, 1925

James Elizabeth "Becky" Barnes had met Steven "Steve" Grant Rogers in the alley behind a movie theater that would be taken by a storm in years to come. He had stood a waif of a boy chicken legged and buckling knees looking like a cool gust of wind could knock him over, fists raised over his face (with exceedingly bad form mind you) and head raised in a way that was either brave or idiotic. Though most likely it was probably a bit of both. Four boys, each stood a head taller than him, where throwing punches and kicking. Often Steve hit the pavement when a punch knocked him back or a kick dead legged him but he kept getting up. As such he got a pretty good beating before Becky came across him.

Auntie Ida and Becca had convinced her Pa to go see Wizard of Oz, stuffing her in a dress, stalkings and shoes that pinched her toes before dragging her across the town to see it. Becky would be hard pressed to call the movie bad, after all it was funny and the music was cool, and the swinging scene looked like fun. But all and all it was nothing to drool over like her Auntie Ida and Becca where as they discussed it in the theater with some family that had sat in front of them. Becky opted out of the impromptu conversation in favor of following her father as he went for a drag. Once on the street Becky began the ever fun game of kicking down cobblestones as she walked the face of the building.

It was because of this cobble bouncing off of the building next to the movie house that Becky even saw Steve.

Forgetting the rock all together Becky marched forward her lip twisted to a snarl, she never did like the bullies.

Grabbing a handful of cobblestones and loading the homemade slingshot one of her, father's soldiers had gifted to her, that ended she sent the first of four rocks flying air and hitting the first, before three more followed. The largest boy of the lot turned and marched up to Becky as if getting ready to fight her. When he was close enough she stepped down when stepped on his toe and elbowed him in the gut before quickly taking him down crouching over his back pushing his face into the grovel.

"Ge'offf" the boy mumbled as he pushed her off of him and stood up. His friends already had moved away from the blonde boy to the other side of the alley. Becky raised her fist and bit out a yell like her father taught her and the boys ran. With a smile she turned around to see the boy just helped expecting to get a thank you but instead was meet with broken breaths. Keeling down Becky took the boys hand and helped him sit up before moving his hand to be able to feel the thump of Becky's own heartbeat.

"Hey, its alright now kid, you're fine. Just calm down." Becky said slipping down next to him and helping him sit up a little bit more. He looked very young, long thin limbs that he had yet to grow into and a body shape that could only be described as concave. Becky then flopped herself next to him not giving mind to the fact her stockings may rip or her dress could get dirty from the road below. As her hand rested over the chest of the boy who didn't seem able to take a breath.

"I got you kid, everything fine, just don't stop breathing alright." she reassured but the kid didn't seem to be responding any more than before. Turning around she took a deep breath before letting out a scream of "PA!"

"Elizabeth!" George Barnes called as he twisted into the alleyway his eyes fell on the scene and his brow furrowed as he sent a pointed look at his youngest daughter.

"It was all the other kids fault Pa. They was the ones punching him." She said turning around to defend herself. George Barnes looked down at his youngest daughter with a mix between contempt and pride as he grabbed a crushed box from the ground and pulling an asthmatic cigarettes out lighting it and handing it to the boy who took it gratefully pressing it between his lips. George Barnes was a very large man. Broad shouldered and clean cut, with dark hair and dark eyes. He wore a grey colored suit that looked mostly new smiling as he knelt down before the boy and rested a hand on his shoulder waiting for the boy to begin breathing slower. Then he helped the boy to his feet with an offer of a ride home and a cola. A few times he eyed his younger daughter as she began to try and speak up but other than that the three met up with Auntie Ida and Becca. Becca had laughed when she saw her sister practically hovering over Steve all the while being silently berated by their father.

"Becky found a boyfriend." She laughed before being leveled with a look of her own and seizing where she stood. The five then went to the nearest penny and dime where George Barnes made good on his promise of cola for the children then led the group to the car where Becca, Steve, and Becky climbed into the back. Becky taking the middle becasue Becca always wanted the window seat and she was quite scared if they mushed the blonde haired boy he would stop breathing once again.

"I coulda' taken them by myself you know." Steve said after a few minutes of silence.

"Sure ya coulda kid." Becky said with a chuckle patting him on the shoulder in a manner that crossed languages with its visible sign of doubt.

"I coulda' and don't call me kid. I'm almost seven." Steve snarled back shrugging his shoulder away.

"James Barnes, I'm five." she offered up as a sign of friendship.

"James?" Steve said with a choked chuckle.

"James Elizabeth, and James can be for girls too so don't you dare go laughing at it either." She said pushing him had in the shoulder, Steve rocked back against the back of the seat a little bit before his eyes widened ever so slightly.

"I ain't gonna." He said slightly though his hands up in surrender. "Steven Rogers,"

"Nice to meet you Stevie,"

"You to James Elizabeth," He said with a chuckle. The girl frowned but did not make any physical form of retaliation. From where she stood watching the happenings of the children Ida Barnes smiled and nudged at georgG.

"How long ya' gonna pretend you ain't proud she's makin' friends" She said her voice little more than a whisper.

"It ain't the making friends I am cross about, its the fighting." George leveled.

"Then you probably shouldn't a' taught her how then should ya 'ave?" Their conversation would be one echoed many times though out the years, not that it did anything to affect the two children. No this was to put the mind of adults at ease. As Becky turned to Steve animatedly talking about the film they had just seen to Steve and how she was going to read the book once she got older. Steve didn't know much about the film but soon the conversation turned to books they wanted to read and why. The only memory of the fight being the red stain of blood on the small boys shirt and the runs in Becky's stalkings, both however were undeniably overlooked when one took in the smile that lit up both of their faces.

When George pulled up to the Street Steve directed him to and instructed Becky to walk the boy to his door and explain to his mother. Climbing up the stairway Becky did just that before Steve knocked on the door was was hit with the full force of one Sarah Rogers pulling her boy into her arms checking him over for injuries. It took a few moments before she even saw Becky standing a few feet away.

"Stevie, who is your friend."

"James Elizabeth Barnes ma'am, most people just call me Becky." She said with a clumsy curtsy.

"Sarah Rogers, nice to meet you Miss. Barnes."

"My pa said I had to es'plane the reason we is bringing Steve home. Some boys was using him as a whooping boy, don't worry though I made sure to put a stop to it. Bullies ain't worth their weight, that's what my pa says."

"Well thank your father for making sure that Steve got home safe. Sarah said as she went to shut the door of the apartment.

"Es'cuse me Ma'am, I was just wonderin' if when Pa lets me would it be okay to play with Stevie?"

"Well I don't see why not."

"Hear that Stevie," the five year old said yelling past Sarah into the house where Steve had already been sent to change. "I can come back. So you better still be breathing when I get here." She said before turning back to Sarah with a smile. "Thank ya' much Ma'am."