Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Steve woke up. He was put in a private recovery room. It took him a moment for his eyes to adjust. He blinked four times slowly, Steve felt slightly dizzy. Like he had taken a knock to the head. Again, slowly, Steve sat up in his bed. He noticed that he was out of his uniform and was wearing a white t-shirt and tan chino pants along with white socks. He didn’t understand. He was supposed to be dead in the bottom of the ocean. The door opened and the sight of Howard Stark quickly came in with a hot drink in his hand, when Howard saw that Steve was awake, he smiled brightly. Relieved.

“You’re awake! Good, I was hoping you would be soon” Howard walked over and stood at the end of the bed. Steve looked at Howard, again confused.

“Am I alive?”

“Well if not then the fumes from my machines have really gone to my head” Howard laughed.

“I don’t understand how I survived”

Howard walked over to the chair besides Steve’s bed and sat down “You can thank the serum for that, it helped you stay alive, you were a right capsicle when we found you sure, but you were alive”

Steve stared at Howard and shrugged, not understanding what was going on. Steve then found it almost instincts to ask the date. When Howard told him, Steve realised that he had been gone for over a year. Then another question came into his head.

“Why did you go looking for me? It’s been nearly two years”

“Yeah but you weren’t the kind of man who deserved to be given up on, I wasn’t the only one who thought that and despite what she says or how she denies it, Peg wanted you found even more than I did”

Steve looked up when he heard her name. His heart started racing, his palms went sweaty “Peggy...is she okay, she’s okay right?”

Howard slowly shook his head, finished his what turned out to be coffee and left it on the side table “No she’s not okay, whenever I used to mention going to look for your ‘body’ she’d lock down and tell me to leave it alone”

“Why?” Steve asked, a little upset. But he was surprised by Howard's answer “She cares too much I guess, I think that she was scared, y’know? If I found and brought back your ‘body’ it would all become very real for her, oh look I don’t know I’m just presuming, that’s the vibe she gives off, I mean it’s hard reading women as it is never mind a women like Peggy”

Steve smirked and chuckled slightly “Yeah…” he then looked to the door. Staring at it, in a way he was hoping that if he stared at it long enough. She would walk through the door. Steve looked back to Howard and said in a hopeful tone “Is she here?”

“No p e, she’s at work”

“Oh” Steve mumbled, in a sad and disappointed tone. Howard then slapped Steve’s leg “No it’s not that she doesn’t care, obviously she cares, she doesn’t know you’re alive”

Steve raised his eyebrows and then looked a little mad. How could Howard not mention it to her “Howard!”

Howard held his hands up “What what?! I just haven’t had the chance to see her, I would call her but i don't know the number, and believe me if she did know you’re alive then she wouldn’t be at work, she’d be sat right here, or on your bed I’m not really too sure how she’d play it”

Steve rolled his eyes, he then stood. He was still feeling a little dizzy but he then felt fine soon after. Howard also shot up “Whoa take it easy, pal, where are you going?”

Steve didn’t answer yet, he walked over to the boots there for when Steve felt ready enough to face the outside world again. It seemed now was the time.

“Erm Steve, what’re you doing?”

“I can’t wait an hour never mind maybe even a day I have to see her and I have to see her now” Steve said as he put on his boots. Howard then said with a laugh “Steve no-one knows you’re alive apart from me and marine buddies who let me go on the search with them for you, you’ll be catching loads of attention plus if you show up right now to her work it is likely you’ll give her a heart attack”

“I have to see her-”

Howard stood in front of Steve and held his hands up and placed them on Steve’s shoulders “L-look Steve, you’re not fit enough to go wandering around the city. You need to rest”

“But Peggy-”

“I will go to the SSR right now and get her, and I’ll bring her to you ” he slapped Steve’s shoulders “Alright big fella?”

Steve sighed and nodded as he began to walk back over to the bed “Yeah...alright” he sat down on the bed and clutched his hands together, he looked up “Please hurry, Howard”

Howard slipped on his jacket and cleared his throat “You got it pal” he opened the door and left. Steve let out a deep breath and lay back on the bed with his hands pressed against his closed eyelids. This all came at him like a ton of bricks. The only person who could really make him feel back to normal was her .

Peggy was at her desk, looking through the daily files that Thompson had landed in front of her. Sometimes she wondered if this all worth it.

And she has had hardly anyone to talk to in this place since Daniel left for the chief job in LA. Now she had literally no support, she didn’t depend on Daniel to stick up for her, in fact sometimes she told him to stand down. But it was just nice having someone who would stick up for her. She did miss him. But with him not returning any of her messages since he’s either very busy or just not interested in speaking to her, she felt more alone than ever. Thank god for Angie.

Ten minutes later Howard was given access into the SSR. He considers himself lucky that the SSR trust him. He stood outside the door that lead the the office. Howard peeped in a little and saw Peggy sat at her desk, drinking her tea and giving the added dirty look to Thompson as he passed. He opened the door and practically ran in.

"Peg!" He called loudly putting his arms in the air making Peggy jump and sigh "Oh Howard, so lovely to have you back" She actually did miss him she just didn't like Howard yelling when it was still morning. Howard then loudly clapped his hands together making her sigh even more and even jump slightly at the sound. She slowly stood up and put on a smile "What's going in Howard?"

"I have a surprise for you!"

"For heaven's sake Howard you are fully aware that I don't not like surprises. Or better yet your surprises"

"No really, you'll like this one, so the reason you haven't seen me in a couple of days is because I've been on a boat" Howard took a long pause. To build tension. Peggy however did not really catch on to his weird ways, again she sarcastically said "Thank you for that amazing surprise, Howard"

"No, no, just listen, I was on the boat because I was looking for Steve" Peggy then took a deep breath, in order to hold her temper. She was doing her best to move on, but with Howard constantly going to look for Steve and coming back with no results was not helping Peggy at all. It made her cry at night more times than she anticipated. Peggy slowly sat down and didn't say a work till she did. Not making eye contact with him she spoke.  

"I told you to stop that...he's gone Howard"

"No Peg listen-"

"No you listen" Peggy spoke up with more emotion and stress in her tone, she held his hand up to stop him from speaking and looked up. Some of the agents including Thompson took a look at what was going on. Howard saw the tears in her eyes, falling onto the files on the desk leaving stains. She didn't bother to wipe her tears, she didn't bother to act tough or brave. Steve made her vulnerable. His death has ultimately become a part of her own.

"It's hard enough coping with the death of Steve without you coming in every few months announcing that his body has still not been found which just mean he could be alive when it's impossible, I'm sick and tired of this Howard, I'm sick and tired of crying, I want to move on"

"You can't"

"I'm fully aware I will never one hundred percent stop lov...but you don't help, Howard...and I don't know what to do anymore" Peggy held her head in her hands. Howard remained silent. He didn't know what to say. So instead, Howard got out of his pockets three pictures. He laid them down on her desk. Peggy opened her eyes and looked at them. Howard rubbed his nose as he muttered “Taken last night”

Peggy sat up straight again and looked down hard at the pictures. The first one was a big ice block. The one behind that. Was the ice downsized to reveal a body . Her breath was suddenly caught in her throat. Her bottom lip began to tremble. Finally she put those two aside the reveal the third one. Of Steve Rogers, asleep in a bed. Alive . Peggy’s hands shook so much that she dropped the pictures as she gasped and held her shaking hand to her mouth as the tears ran down her cheeks, with her mouth still covered she said in a gasp “He’s alive?”

Howard smile and nodded “Yes, Peggy. He is alive. He is awake ”

By now, every single agent in the SSR was listening to the conversation. Barely even being able to believe this almost as much as Peggy. She dropped her hand as she stood up and cried “He’s awake?”

“He’s awake...and he wants you”

“He does?”

“Hell yes” Howard laughed “Had to stop him from marching on down here himself, he was very determined to see you. But he needs rest so I told him I would come here and get you”

A tearful smile appeared on her face. She grabbed her old friend and hugged him tightly

“Howard I have never been more thankful for you in my entire life”

“I do try not to disappoint” Howard laughed as he patted her back. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her back as he looked into her eyes and said “Let’s get you out of here then”

Peggy turned her head to Thompson. His arms crossed, leaning against his office door frame. He gave her a nod and grumbled “Go ahead, Carter. But don’t spend too long”

He wasn’t as heartless as she pegged him down for. Peggy turned to her desk, grabbed her coat and her bag as quickly as she could and left the building with Howard.

Her heart was beating so fast she could barely handle it. Howard had his own recovery room in one of his homes. He set it up in hope that he would find Steve and was on the edge of getting rid of it. This was his last search for Steve, if he didn’t find him this time then he would really leave it for good, thank god he found him. It was scary thinking that Howard was so close to leaving Steve to freeze for god knows how long before he died.

“Come on, through here” he called to behind him as Peggy followed. Down the hall was the door to the recovery room that Steve was in. Peggy stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t a vain person at all. But knowing that she had been crying and she was just going to be reunited with Steve for the first time in over a year. She could at least make sure she looked the part. Peggy wiped under her eyes to get rid of the tear stains that remained on her cheeks.

“Peg you look great, don’t worry about that” Howard reassured her as he tapped on her arms, eager for her to get in there. Finally he feels like he hasn’t disappointed her.

“I’m just…” she looked at the door and took another deep breath “Nervous. Which is rare in my case” she looked back at the mirror and she was satisfied. Peggy looked back at Howard and nodded, she walked over to the door and placed her hand on the handle “Howard, would it be alright if-”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be down the hall, give you guys space”

Peggy gave him a grateful smile and watched him for a moment as he walked down the hall. She looked back to the door, she gulped heavily and shut her eyes as she found herself slowly turning the handle and slowly opening the door. Peggy’s eyes opened, seeing Steve sat up the bed, feet flat on the floor and her hands clutched together. She felt like she couldn’t take another breath already. He had gone merely a few hours without her...but Peggy had being going on a year without him. Steve’s head snapped up as he heard the door creek, to see Peggy stood in front of him. He shot up.

“Peggy” he said with a light sigh and a smile, a concerned smile but a smile nonetheless.

Peggy was just in pure shock, her jaw was slightly dropped from just the moment she was taking to just let all of this sink in. Steve tilted his head “Peggy?”

Peggy slowly walked towards, her hands shaking. She stood closely to him and stared at him. A part of her feels like he wasn’t really there, that if she reached out to touch him, he’d just fade away. Steve sensed this. He glanced down to her shaking hand and took hold of it, making her breath get caught in her throat once more. Steve’s brought it up to his cheek and smiled as he raised his eyebrows “See? Solid as a rock” he lightly laughed.

She still said nothing, her eyes just filled up. Steve remained silent, he took her hand down from his cheek and placed it over his heart. Peggy shut her eyes and felt a tear run down her cheek. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. Tighter than she had ever held anyone before in her life.

“I’ve missed you” Peggy confessed in a crying whisper. She felt his hand suddenly go to the back of her head, after a moment Steve then spoke “And I’m sorry”

Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together as she grew confused. “For what?” she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

“Leaving you”

Peggy felt rather taken back. But above everything she has felt over this year, she didn’t want Steve to feel guilty for being courageous. Peggy lightly shook her head as he took her hands off of his shoulders “You did what you had to do”

Steve shook his head and muttered “But...perhaps I did act too rash, I was scared, I was scared not only for the country but for you , I was scared that if I didn’t put a stop to it all there and then, then you would be put in danger...if I didn’t have this with me” Steve pulled out his compass that held the picture of Peggy in it, seeing it made her smile. “Having this with me, felt like I had you with me, and you gave me the courage to do what I did...but...I left you, and I can’t really stand that it has been hard for you”

She saw how guilty he felt by the way the looked down to the floor. Peggy lightly put her hand on his cheek in order for him to look at her “You mustn’t feel guilty” she whispered.

“But I do”

Peggy sat down on the bed, and pulled him down with her to sit side by side. She shook her head “Then snap out of it, I was never angry with you, I could never have been angry with you, if I was you'd know about it" He gave an amused smile at her amusing witty comment.

But still, he couldn’t help but say “I hope you can forgive me”

“There’s nothing to forgive, was I heartbroken ? Yes I was, you were my best friend and my...but I respected your decision and I would always fight to protect your legacy, because it was something that I have always cared for, just like you’ve always fought to protect mine”

Peggy suddenly felt herself become emotional as she said

“But it was so hard for me, I’m not going to sit here and pretend like it was a walk in the park because it wasn’t, I’ve not been able to think about anything else, all I hear when I close my eyes in bed is our last conversation, and how scared I felt because I knew that when I lost you I’d truly be alone”

Steve didn’t like seeing Peggy cry. He could tell she was crying when he was going to crash, he could tell by her voice. And even then he was just wanting to be there will her, to try and say something to cheer her up. Or be the one to wipe her tears. Now he had his chance to. Steve cupped her face and wiped her tears away softly with his thumbs.

“I’m here now, and I’ll make sure that you’ll never feel like that again, okay?”

Peggy nodded and finally cracked a smile. Steve kissed the top of her head. Steve let out a laugh to break the ice "It's must be strange though"

"What is?"

Steve then lent back on the bed, still staying close to her. 

"Well...the last thing I remember was talking to you whilst I was putting the plane in the water, but so much has happened for you, you’ve met new friends...you’ve met new men ”

Peggy smirked and nudged him "Jealous?"

“I’m always jealous when it comes to you” Steve laughed “The feelings I had when I was with you was like...it was something I had never felt before” he felt his cheeks starting to blush.

“So why did it take you so long to-?”

“You make me nervous” Steve muttered with a laugh.

Peggy smirked and pressed her forehead against his for a moment as she then whispered “I can’t tell whether I like that or not” she pulled her head back again ever so slightly as their eyes fell to each others.

Steve took the opportunity. He moved his lips closer to hers. Granted he was still a little nervous. It had been a while. Their last kiss happened by Peggy leaning to him. When Steve took notice that Peggy didn’t move a muscle, and felt her right hand travel to the back of his neck. Letting him know that she wanted him to, Steve leaned in closer and pressed his lips firmly onto her. His hands went to her waist by her placing them on there, pulling her in even closer towards him. Peggy wrapped her arms around his neck, loosely.

Steve broke the kiss and said “So, you still like me huh?”

“I hate you” she said with a giggle. She laid another soft quick kiss onto his lips “I still can’t believe you’re here"

“I want to take you on that date we promised” he confessed.

Peggy looked down to her thin silver watch “Cutting it a tad late, aren’t we” she teased. Steve laughed and put her arm back down “Stop that I mean it, I think it’s safe to say we’ve waited long enough, so Saturday, eight on the dot? Just like we planned”

“I’d love to”

“Good”

“Good” Peggy added. Steve put his hand on her back "Peggy?"

She took her eyes back to him "Yes?"

"Can I also just say something else?"

"Go on" she raised her eyebrows. Steve stared at her lips and clashed his onto hers. Cupping her face as he did so. He then took their lips apart and rubbed his lips.

Peggy, rather taken back just mumbled out "Well said"

There was then a knock at the door, they looked up to see Howard stood before them with his eyes covered with the palm of his hands “Is it safe?” he dryly joked.

Peggy rolled her eyes “Don’t be so lude”

Howard laughed and dropped his hands, he slipped his hand in his pockets and walked towards them “Only pulling your leg, Peg...heh that rhymed-anyway! I’d hate to interupt but Steve, the doctor is here to check up on you, now that you're awake it’ll be easier to do some check ups”

“Yeah, sure” Steve nodded, then looking back at Peggy.

“I’ll be right out there” Peggy whispered as she squeezed his arm as she stood. She leaned down and briefly kissed his cheek, then left the room with Howard as the doctor came in the room, their eyes stuck on each others until the door shut completely. 

Chapter Text

It was silent for a moment until Howard gave her a nudge “So?” his tone went high.

Peggy glanced at him “So, what?”

“What happened in there?”

Peggy scoffed “Howard, what are you? A thirteen year old gossip girl”

"Come on Peg, what went on?"

"We talked about things"

"That it? He didn't try anything?"

"This is Steve we are talking about, he needed a nudge, so I nudged”

Howard laughed "Peg I swear you and I are the same sometimes"

" Hardly I hope" she murmured under her breath.

"So how do you think you're going to handle this?"

"Handle what, exactly?" Peggy said looking up to him. Howard shrugged "You know as well as I do that your agent buddies are going to be on Steve even quicker than...well you...he'll be constantly surrounded by these gents trying to be his new best bud"

"I don't think anymore can replace Barnes...but I know what you mean, I trust Steve with my life and I know that he'll make time for both his personal and business life"

"Yeah and you're in both"

"I should think so too"

Howard smirked and chuckled. Peggy then stopped and grabbed onto his arm to stop him as well. Howard looked at her and raised his eyebrows with a confused look on his face as he chuckled “What?”

Peggy didn’t say anything, she just hugged him. Howard laughed again, still confused “Hey now, what’s this about? Usually you’re pushing me away from you not pulling me on you”

Peggy pulled him back as she rolled her eyes and then sighed “That was just...it was a thank you. For finding him”

“It’s the least I could do...I let you down so many times-”

“You never let me down, Howard” Peggy shook her head with a small smile “I may act like you do but...no” Howard shot her a smile and then carried on walking down the hall.

Peggy, trailing behind him. Stopped at the sofa and rested her hand on the back of it.

She stared down the hall. Butterflies fluttering about in her stomach. The impossible has just happened. And the secret she had been keeping from everyone around her was going to unravel. Steve and Peggy we're going to jump into this and there was a reason behind it all.

Peggy licked her bottom before she spoke “Howard?”

Howard looked up from lying on the couch and raised an eyebrow to her “Yes?”

Peggy looked back down the hall to the door where Steve was getting checked up on, she slapped Howard's legs so she could sit down. Howard sat up as he grew rather worried “What's wrong Peg? Thought you'd be bursting with joy”

“Oh, no-no I am. More than you can possible imagine but, I need to tell you something”

“Okay?”

“You know how people, mostly the men at my work make up in their own heads that Steve and I had a romantic relationship at work, that we dated and even slept together”

Howard rolled his eyes and sat back in the couch “Yeah. Assholes don't know what they're talking about Peggy, you guys were in love but you never had the chance to be together. Now you do. Don't worry about what they say-”

“No it's not that it's...well they weren't...they weren't wrong”

“ What?” Howard said with a confused laugh.

“I was never going to breathe a word to anyone because. Well we all presumed he was dead. But it'll seem obvious given how quickly Steve and I will jump into this...what I'm trying to say is that Steve and I...during the war we...we were together and kept it a secret from everyone ”

“W-what? Are you serious?”

Peggy just nodded and sat back in the sofa, crossing her legs. Howard let out a sharp breath and raised his eyebrows “Wow I wasn't expecting that” he then looked at her “You certainly kept that under your hats well”

“We were very careful”

“When did it start?”

Peggy laughed and shrugged “Feels like from the first time we spoke to each other. But officially in the middle of 44…we...we shared a kiss the night he got home from saving Bucky and that was it we just-we couldn't stop the way we were, the way we felt”

The newly rescued men made it their job to now get as drunk as they possible could. All around a campfire that Dugan had set up outside their tents. Peggy, walking past was soon pleading by the men to come and join her. She let out a laugh “I’ll be right with you, save me some of that bourbon”

“Will do, Peg” Howard slurred through his tipsy state. Peggy rolled her eyes and walked into the office tent, that held all documents and blueprints. She just wanted to make sure everything would be in check for tomorrow, for when they really get back to work after the many drinks. Peggy walked in and was surprised to see Steve stood at the desk, looking down at the documents.

Peggy cleared her throat in order to grab his attention, which it did. Steve jumped and spun around, when he saw her. He let out a sigh of relief “Oh Peggy, it’s you, thought you were one of the guys”

“Yes, I was wondering why you weren’t sat with them actually” Peggy slowly walked in, both stayed silent, Peggy laid her hand on the desk. Her body intensely close to his, looking down at the documents, Steve couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

“So, what are you doing?” Peggy asked, looking back into his eyes. It took a moment for Steve to snap out of his gaze “Hm? Oh!” he laughed then looking down at the papers “I was just, going to make sure everything was in check for tomorrow”

“That’s my job”

“Come on, you’ve got a higher value than just doing that”

“So have you” Peggy muttered as she looked at the documents. Steve stared at her again and smiled, he then saw the look on her face which cause his eyebrows to pinch together as he asked in a whisper “Are you alright?”

Peggy licked her bottom lip and stood back up, but not having moving away from him, she looked in his eyes “You scared the hell out of me this past day, you know that?”

Steve gulped heavily, he had never had Peggy saw something like that to him before.

“But you helped-”

“I helped because I didn’t want you going through even more dangerous measures that you were going into already before even reaching the destination”

“So you didn’t want me to go?”

Peggy shut her eyes and sighed “That’s a tough one, I wanted to help your friend but I suppose I was being rather selfish because” she stopped herself opened her eyes again to him. She rubbed her lips together and confessed in a light whisper “I was being selfish from not wanting you to go...purely because I did not want to lose you”

She couldn’t tell whether she should have kept that to herself. The shocked look on Steve’s face didn’t help her find the answer either. Steve felt his heart beat like a racehorse. Looking at her, hearing those words come out of her mouth, grabbing her face and kissing her was just an impulse that he found came rather natural to him.

It took Peggy by surprise to say the least, Steve wasn’t the outgoing type. But she had...wanted him for so long that all she could hear in her head was a sound of liberating music. Her arms wrapped around his neck as their lips stayed together. Neither wanting to let this moment die.

It was the next day, after the kiss that they confronted each other about it. After the kiss they went back outside and drank with the men, acting completely normal. The very next morning, when they saw each other. Peggy pulled him into her office. Closing the blinds behind her before anyone even noticed he had entered the building.

“I take it you want to talk about what happened last night” Steve said awkwardly, clutching his shaking hands together as he tried to be cool about it.

Peggy nodded as she licked her bottom lip and spoke in quiet tone “Yes”

“Look I get if you, if you regret it or something. It was an...an emotional night, right? And I get it if-”

“Steve. Stop”

He did so and looked at her, he raised his eyebrows and nodded, handing the roped over to her, clearly she wanted to speak. Peggy slowly walked over to him, as he stood up straight in front of her desk, normally he’d lean against them but considering he was in her office, he didn’t lean against her desk. Peggy took a deep breath and nodded “You are right. It was an emotional night...but...that doesn’t mean that I regret that kiss”

Steve’s heart started racing again. Peggy once again stood intensely close to him, looking up into his eyes “I don’t want this to stop. Nothing has officially even started and already I don’t want it to stop, I’m not the type of woman who just kisses a man and then goes on like nothing happened, when we kissed, I didn’t pull away from you because”

She soon felt her cheeks go red. Peggy looked down at her hands and let out an embarrassed laugh “Well, you know what I’m trying to say” she looked back into his eyes “I want this-”

“A relationship?”

“If you don’t then I understand, we can go back to being professionals”

Steve put his finger gently on her lips on and shook his head “Now why would I do that when I can’t stop thinking about you?”

Peggy let out a loving grin, she took his arms and wrapped them around her waist.

“Steve, we have to keep this a secret, up until the war is over. I know we don’t know how long that will be but-”

“I understand, Peggy, we’ll keep it a secret” Steve whispered.

Peggy gave him a grateful smile and slowly brought her lips back up to his.

“You guys were together for nearly a year”

“Getting on that way. Yes. But being in that situation...god it did not feel that long”

Howard still looked gobsmacked “Keeping that secret for both of you for nearly a year”

“It actually wasn't that bad. Like I said we were careful. No one noticed when we snuck away and no one ever noticed if I wasn't in my room. Why would they?”

Howard grinned “I'm impressed didn't know you had it in you. You're a dark horse”

“Hardly” Peggy huffed as she looked away from him. She twiddled her thumbs together “You know what's funny though?”

“Hm?”

“We never actually went on a real date. All the sneaking around. We never went out on a real date, we were holding out till the war was finished”

“And now?” He nudged her arm.

“He just asked me” she said with a grin.

“Atta girl” Howard winked, both of their heads then turning as the doctor came out of Steve’s roo. They both shot up, as soon as he was in reaching distance, Peggy shot her question at him “Is he going to be okay?”

The doctor let out a small yet reassuring smile “Miss Carter, Captain Rogers is going to be just fine. Now he can’t get back on the front line just yet. He’s going to have to take it easy. But other than that”

Howard slid his hands in his pockets “Say the SSR ask when they can see him about him working with them. What should we say?”

“Hold all of that until Monday. Let him relax this weekend and then he should be alright”

Howard and Peggy both nodded and thanked the doctor. When the doctor left. Steve peered his head out the door. When he saw Peggy, he walked down the hall to her.

“Hey. Did the doctor give you the details?”

“Yes he did” Peggy nodded as she walked over to him and embraced him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Which took Steve by surprise as Howard was stood right there. She saw the look on his face, confused.

Peggy let out a light laugh and reassured him “Steve, he knows. I told him”

Howard nodded and walked over to them, slapping his arm “Yeah she did” with a grin on him like a smug cheshire cat.

Steve let out a sigh of relief. The two of them were just about sick of keeping it a secret before Steve crashed the plane, they were both glad that at least even somebody knew. Steve put his arms around Peggy’s body and held her closely to him “Good”

After a moment, Peggy gave him one more squeeze and pulled away, she lightly patted his chest “The doctor said to rest over the weekend and then we can get you back to work. That is if you want to work at my office” she said with a small smirk.

“Of course I want to work at the office with you” Steve said with a flush of red hitting his cheeks.

There was then a ring from the phone. Howard did the honours and walked over to the phone

“Stark residence...Thompson? What...now? But she-fine. Fine. She’ll be right there”

Howard hung up and shrugged to Peggy “He’s very insistent. Sounds important, Peg”

Peggy then let out a sigh as she looked down at their linked hands “I wish I didn’t but-”

“Duty calls?”

“You know the drill. Jack can be very arrogant when it comes to my personal life...but I just needed to see you”

“Well, he sounds nice”

“You'll soon found out...I'll see you later” Peggy's sentence finished with a whisper. She went to kiss him goodbye but then noticed Howard's beady eyes looking at them. Howard then noticed that Peggy has noticed him.

“Oh! Sorry” he covered his eyes and turned around partially taking the piss out of her. Peggy rolled her eyes and just gave him a light kiss on the corner of his lips.

Peggy then slapped Howard’s back and tugged on his shirt “You're driving me back”

She then turned back at Steve and poked his chest “And you , get some sleep”

Steve nodded and gave a little salute “Yes ma’am. I promise”

Peggy gave him a smirk before turning around and leaving the house, she then muttered as they left the house “I could kill Jack. The one piece of happiness I have had in a long time and he’s just has to put his nose into it”

“In the guys defense, Peg, it did sound pretty serious”

Howard stated as he opened the door for her, which she hated but didn’t comment on as she slid in.  But she couldn’t let any of this ruin her mood. She had just gotten Steve back in her life after thinking she’d have to spend the rest of her life without him. Nothing and no-one could ruin her mood. Not even Jack Thompson.

Howard dropped Peggy off outside the SSR and then took himself back to the house where Steve was. Peggy made her way up and entered the office. Seeing all the agents rushing about and Jack stood by her desk. Peggy walked over to him and raised an eyebrow “What is going on?”

“Dottie Underwood. She’s planning on robbing a bank”

“What? When?”

“Oh in about” Jack looked at his watch “An hour. Let’s get moving Carter we gotta be there before she is, unless you plan on staying at home with your boyfriend”

“Oh please, Jack, you are practically skipping that you will have Captain Rogers working in this office with you”

Jack grew a cocky smirk “He said that? That he wants to work in this office with me?”

Peggy raised her eyebrows and shook her head “No. He wants to work in this office with me ”

The look on his face was enough for her satisfaction. She walked over to Agent Holt who was handing out weapons to agents as they left the building. Peggy stopped in front of him and held her hand out, she saw him going for a small pistol which only made her roll her eyes, she ignored his suggestion and picked up the last remaining shotgun.

“But-”

“Don’t fret, Agent Holt, I can handle this big boy gun”

Holt looked at Jack, but he just shrugged since he knew there was no arguing with Peggy. Especially when she had her mind set on something.

Howard came back into the house to see Steve sat on the couch, reading the newspaper with the radio on “Hey. Peg told you to sleep”

Steve laughed and looked up from the paper “I did. For about ten minutes. I’ve slept for nearly two years I think I’m good”

“Eh, fair enough” Howard shrugged as he walked into the living room “Want a drink?”

“Sure”

“Scotch?”

“Even better, I have it neat”

Howard laughed and nodded “Of course you do, matching your personality” he teased. Steve rolled his eyes and gently took the glass away from Howard, muttering his thanks as he looked down at the newspaper “I guess I’ll be in this soon huh?”

“What you mean Captain America found alive after being announced dead two years ago….yes I think it’s likely you will be”

“So. What was the big emergency at the SSR”

“Well I didn’t go in with her but I did hear two agents outside talking saying they found that Dottie Underwood, who ever that is, is planning on robbing a bank and they’ve gone to get her, she must be dangerous, Peg’s gone with them”

The smile that grew on Steve’s face was a proud one as he said “She’ll get the job done”

He looked back down at the paper as Howard kept his eyes on Steve “Gotta tell you Steve, you’ve surprised me”

Steve raised an eyebrow and looked up to Howard “How?”

“Dating Peggy Carter in secret for nearly a year. I just didn’t think you’d have it in ya”

Steve laughed and dropped the newspaper in his lap, he put his hands on the back of his head and shrugged “It just...it just happened it was a shock to me as well...I mean I obviously had feelings for her, I think anyone could see that, probably even she could, but I never thought it was mutual”

Howard was then the one to let out a laugh “It was very mutual, she liked you right back to when you were scrawny”

“Yeah, yeah she said that…” his words then trailed off. His hands fell to his lap as he stared down at them. Howard tilted his head as he stared at him lost friend and slapped his knee in order to grab his attention “What?”

Steve rubbed his lips roughly and sighed “Do you think she still loves me?” he asked as he brought his eyes up to look at Howard “I mean it’s been a long time what if she’s met someone else”

“Then I’d know about it. Believe me. There’s no one else. No matter how hard I tried”

Steve frowned but then relaxed as Howard let out a laugh and shook his head “I’m kidding, relax...but honestly Steve there isn’t any doubt in anyone’s mind that she still loves you. I think...she was always going to love you and hell I didn’t even know you guys were actually a couple so what does that tell ya”

Howard’s surprisingly wise words brought a sigh of relief and a relieved smile to Steve. He gave a grateful nod “Thank you Howard”

“Don’t mention it. Anyway I best get packing”

“Packing? Why? Where are you going?”

“Los Angeles” Howard stated as he stood up. Steve’s eyebrows pinched together and the crinkled in his forehead were shown as he was so deeply confused “What? Why?”

“My butler Jarvis is already there setting things up for me. I can’t leave the poor guy alone”

“Setting what up? What’re you up to Howard?”

“Relax. Steve. I’m just going there for a defense contract”

“Oh, alright”

Howard looked at his watch and nodded “And I’m already behind schedule, look could you tell Peg that I’m sorry I couldn’t say goodbye, I tried to tell her before but you know what that woman is like she’s always moving”

Steve stood up and nodded “Sure thing Howard, I do owe you a lot”

Howard shook his head as he stuck out his hand to Steve “It was just as much as a gift for me as it was for Peg, I miss you pal”

Steve laughed and nodded as he shook Howard’s hand “Thanks Howard”

Howard turned around and started to walk down the halls “And don’t do it on my bed. Haven’t had chance to change the sheets from the other night”

Steve’s face frowned with a cringe and nodded as he held his hand up “Yeah, alright Howard”

“See you soon”

“Bye” Steve slid his hand in his pocket as the door shut. He looked around the huge mansion sized house he was in. Waiting for Peggy to come home, he may as well take a look around. The first place he went to was upstairs. There were many rooms. The first door on the left was clear to be Peggy’s room. He could see her type of style from just the red flowered duvet. Steve took a step inside the room, he looked over to her bedside table and saw a variety of photos.

One was of him, back to when he was skinny. Steve always saw her keep that back in the war and was grateful she did. She could’ve had any picture of him from post serum, but no, she wanted to remember who it was exactly that she fell for. There was then a picture he had never seen before, of the two of them. Howard must’ve given it to her. It was Steve and Peggy together. Laughing together, it was raining and he had given her coat.

It was taken from the side, Peggy was looking away and smiling as she was laughing, Steve, also laughing just had his eyes locked on her, looking at her with so much love in his eyes. They were together in this picture, he was surprised that no-one had thought anything. Well they did but not through knowing actual facts.

He remembers that day.

Steve went to take his coat off to put around Peggy.

“What’re you doing?” she whispered. Clearly worried about Steve almost blowing ‘their cover’ in front of everyone. Steve laughed and shook his head “People aren’t gonna care about me giving you a coat, Peg, doesn’t Dugan give you his coat at times?”

“At times”

“And are you in a secret relationship with Dugan”

“Now that would be telling” Peggy teased. The pair then letting out a laugh. Steve stared at her and quieted down his own laugh just so he could hear hers more. God her laugh was so angelic, he just wanted to kiss her right here, right now. But as usual, he had to resist her even though that was borderline impossible.

Steve grinned and gently placed the photo back down on the table. He then saw a picture of Peggy with a young woman, someone who she had clearly met after Steve. Pretty young thing with a wide grin on her face as she was cosey to Peggy on the couch from the living room downstairs. He had no doubt that he would soon meet her. Steve placed the picture frame down and walked round the room a bit more but didn’t go snooping, he respected her and would never go through anything without her being here to agree to it. Steve stepped out into the hall and then heard the sound of the door opening. Steve leaned over the banister expecting it to be either Howard or Peggy, but it was neither. Instead a young woman walked in, walking in quite quickly, Steve didn’t get a chance to see her face properly.

“Peggy? Are you here?” She called.

Steve slowly walked down the stairs and followed her. The girl had her back to her in the kitchen. Steve cleared his throat in order to grab her attention “Miss-”

Angie screamed as she spun around with a frying pan now in her hands, Steve’s hands flew up with a taken back expression on his face “Ma’am? There’s no need to be alarmed”

Before Angie asked who he was, she scanned his face. And then it flooded back to her.

“I saw him once at a USO show in prosaic...you could eat him with a spoon”

Angie’s jaw dropped “Oh my god...you’re Captain America ”

Steve slowly nodded with his hands still up “Yeah, that’s me”

“I heard you died”

“So did the rest of the world” Steve laughed “Howard Stark found me and I survived”

“Does Peg know?”

“She does” Steve said with a smile. There was then a moment or two of silence, Steve pursed his lips and then said in a whisper “Ma’am?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you put the frying pan down?”

Angie looked and noticed the pan still up the air and let out an embarrassed laugh as she brought the pan down, leading to Steve then dropped his arms down and letting out a sigh of relief.

Angie gulped heavily as she suddenly grew nervous, other than already noticing his insane good looks he was also one of the most important people in America. Even more so to Peggy. Angie but her hand on the back of her neck and then held out her hand for him to shake “It’s nice to meet you, sorry for threatening to...bash your head in”

“Were you planning on making an omelette with it?” Steve laughed as he shook “What’s your name?”

“Angie. Martinelli”

“Well Angie Martinelli, it’s a pleasure, and thank you for not bashing my head in”

Angie’s nervous laugh turned loud as she grew more and more nervous. She quickly shut it and better yet herself up. After a brief silence, Angie spoke again “Where is Peggy?”

“She’s been called in for work…” Steve’s sentence trailed off as he took cautious look at Angie. Which only made her smirk and roll her eyes “I know, she’s a federal agent for the SSR”

“Good” he laughed “Good, you just never know, are you aware of Dottie Underwood”

Angie frowned with anger “Yeah. She used to live next door to Peg and I, turned out to be a total fruit loop...but...like a deadly fruit loop”

“Well, Peggy has gone to get the deadly fruit loop, they must have a lead”

“Hope they get her, fancy a cup of coffee? You can tell me all sorts of stories about back back in action, she’s certainly told me about you”

Steve laughed and crossed his arms as he walked into the kitchen “Yeah that, sounds great”

“Dorothy Underwood. You’re under arrest” Peggy held the shotgun at Dottie. But all she did was smile, it was safe to say that Dottie was a little twisted, finding the fun in everything. Enjoying hurting people.

As a fellow agent of Peggy’s held up a gun to Dottie, she just smiled at Peggy.

“We are the SSR. Lower your weapons” Jack was heard calling from the other room.

“You heard the man” Peggy spoke sternly, still holding her gun up to Dottie.

Dottie lowered her gun down on the floor but suddenly knocked the gun out of the agent’s hand.  and knocking him out altogether. Peggy ran towards her and was soon kicked back as Dottie jumped up on the door frame and swung a kick at Peggy. Causing Peggy’s gun to fall out of her hand.

She quickly shot back up, ducked a high kick from Dottie and threw punches only to be blocked and then hit in the face by the russian spy, Dottie twisted Peggy’s arm and pulled her back and muttered into Peggy’s ear “Feel the new style?”

She then smashed Peggy’s head against the desk, Peggy shot back up and kicked her backwards, Dottie hit her back against the shelves full of big bags of coins, Peggy ran at her to then be pushed away. More punche were swung at each other, Peggy threw Dottie against the table and hit her down on the ground next to the shotgun. Dottie saw this and used it to her advantage as she reach for the gun and stood up to shoot Peggy.

As soon as she stood up she was knocked back down as she took a blow to the back of her head as Peggy hit her with the heavy bag of coins, knocking Dottie on the floor and knocked out. Peggy knelt down on the ground and glanced to the ret hat that lay on the floor It seems she had inspired Dottie in her choice of clothing this evening. As she put the handcuffs around Dottie’s waist she commented with a smug smirk on her face “Love the hat”

“Carter!” Thompson ran into the safe and saw Peggy pull up the knocked out russian spy. Practically throwing her to Jack

“You could make yourself useful and carry her to the car seen as though I did all the muscle work”

Jack groaned as he picked up Dottie and began to carry her out “I’ll leave the interrogation to you then I take it?”

“Well I should think so. I did everything else around here”

Jack ignored her comment. Mostly because she was right and he didn’t want to spend his time being proven wrong once again.

“Wait wait, so she shot you?”

“No, no shot at me” Steve said with a laugh “Yeah, well I guess it was my fault after all it did look pretty bad, Lorraine just grabbed me and as soon as she did Peggy walked up to see it”

Angie pulled a face that said ‘oh god’ and then let out a little laugh “What did you do after she shot at you?”

“Waited for a bit. I mean we were dating in secret so I had to make it look like nothing was out of the ordinary even more than it currently was. She was mad cause I brought up her possibly having a past with Howard which I don’t know why I did I guess I was just picking at straws to try and justify what had happened” he let out a little laugh as if to laugh at himself and rubbed his temple “Then we talked it out at where we used to meet up, and it was blown over within five minutes or so”

“I’ve gotta say I’ve never seen Peggy jealous but after hearing that I sure don’t want to”

“No you definitely do not” Steve shook his head as he laughed.

Angie’s head suddenly looked at the clock “Oh shoot!” she shot up which made Steve also jump up “Are you alright?”

Angie sighed “Yeah I’m just gonna be super late for work I was only on a break, great!”

“How’d you get here?”

“Caught a ride with a friend of mine but that’s out the window, and it’s like a twenty minute walk. Ugh and my boss is just waiting for something to bite about”

Steve pursed his lips together as he looked around the place, he noticed two cars out on the driveway so there must be some keys lying around somewhere. And eventually his eyes met them on the side. Steve walked over and grabbed them “Come on, I’ll drop you off”

“Oh no Steve shouldn’t you rest?”

“Yes I should be but I’ve already tried and failed that. Plus what harm could it do to get some fresh air. I want to swing by the office anyway to see if Peggy is back and if she’s okay, so how about it Miss Martinelli?”

Angie grinned and nodded “Alright, thank you”

It was safe to say, that all the wonderful things that Peggy said about Steve were absolutely true.

Chapter Text

Peggy wasn’t getting too far with Dottie. Everything she said, Dottie found an answer to knock her back with. But still progress was progress, it was slow but she was getting small bite of answers from her. So you could imagine her frustration when Jack called her out of her interrogation with Dottie for a reason that she currently didn’t care for.

“Are you trying to undermine this interrogation? I was just beginning to make her feel comfortable every interruption sends me back an hour” she snapped at him.

Jack showed no sign of guilt or even being sorry, he just stared at her with that bland expression of his and stated “That’s no longer your worry, you’re done here”

“What?” Peggy raised her voice slightly “Why?”

“We caught a high profile case that needs those with experience”

Usually Peggy would be rather grateful that Jack would think of her for such a case but still she felt he just wanted her out of the way again “Well give it to someone else, no one knows Dottie like I do we used to live next door to each other”

“Yeah. And you had no idea she was a spy” Jack raised his eyebrows to again undermine her skills as an agent, she watched him as he sat in his chair and she said nothing. Jack carried on “Next flight leaves for Los Angeles in three hours, Sousa asked for you and no-one else”

Peggy raised an eyebrow and muttered “Did he?” she found it hard to believe since he hasn’t talked to her in a while.

“Yeah it’s a real burden being everyone's favourite agent...unless of course you want to stay to play nurse for your boy” he really couldn’t help himself. But it didn’t even effect Peggy that much, she was used to these low blows of his.

Peggy then rolled her eyes “If this is about your insecurities Chief Thompson then I suggest you deal with it in your own time, don’t sabotage our first real shot of uncovering Dottie’s true agenda”

Jack then stood up and snapped “Carter. Believe it or not. The SSR. Can actually function without you once in awhile”

“And who will you have interrogate her?”

“Might be doing that myself”

“Jack” Peggy sighed almost sympathetic for his ego clouding his true judgement “She isn’t afraid of you”

Jack nodded with a stern yet quite amused look on his face, he paused for a moment and then whispered “Pack your bags”  

Peggy scoffed and pushed the door open “This is absolutely ridiculous” she hissed as Jack followed her out, walking behind her down the hall as she ranted.

“I mean for god sakes Sousa should have called me himself, how typical that he pulls me away at a crucial time”

“What professionally or personally?”

Peggy halted and turned to him. She decided to surprise him with an answer as she answered him honestly “Both”

Jack raised his eyebrows “Really?”

Peggy rolled her eyes and then began to carry on walking “Yes Jack,believe it or not I am allowed...one...” her words trailed off as she saw what all the agents or better yet who all the agents were surrounding in the middle of the office.

Steve’s eyes met her across the room and smiled “Peggy”

Peggy looked at him with a gentle surprised look on her face as she walked over to him and spoke softly “Steve” she took a  moment and stared at him, then said in a whisper as the agents stepped away “What are you doing here?”

Steve shrugged with a nervous smile “Well, firstly I met your friend Angie. She’s a really firecracker”

Peggy laughed and put her hand on her hips “Yes I should I called ahead to let her know you were...well alive. She’s wonderful”

“Yeah she is. Well I offered to drop her off at work because she was going to be late and I was going stir crazy and I just wanted to see yo.. .the office ”

Steve was very good at hinting what ‘the office’ truly meant.

Peggy smirked and went along with it “Well the office could actually do with you being here right now”

“You okay? What’s wrong?”

“Captain Rogers!” Jack called as he grew impatient for his turn to be introduced to Steve. Peggy quietly groaned which only amused Steve, Jack stuck his hand out which Steve shook, he knew Peggy didn’t care for him but Steve still had to act professional.

“Chief Thompson I presume”

“You presume right. It’s a pleasure to meet you sir, I think it’s fair to say none of us ever thought this would happen”

“Yeah well me neither I guess” Steve nervously laughed.

“So what are you doing here? Carter here told me that you won’t be back in work till monday”

“Well Agent Carter would be correct, I am not looking into work until monday but I thought I’d just come and see the office ”

Peggy subtly smirked as she looked down at her shoes from Steve secretly implying what the office truly meant and Jack didn’t suspect a thing. Jack nodded “Right. Well feel free to spend as much time as you’d like. Carter, you should go pack, don’t want to miss your flight”

“Flight?” Steve looked at Peggy who was giving Jack daggers. If looks good kill Jack would well and truly be six feet under, she knew he did that on purpose. Steve leaned forward slightly and muttered “Peggy, what flight?”

“There’s a case out in Los Angeles, and Peggy is going to help”

“Daniel asked for me and I can’t exactly refuse”

“She leaves in a few hours” Jack stated as he then walked away. Steve waited till Jack was out of the picture, he looked to Peggy and whispered looking rather hurt “Were you planning on telling me?”

Peggy then whispered back “I only just found out myself”

“Oh...hey...who’s Daniel?”

Peggy rolled her eyes and softly shook her head “Now is not the time for your jealousy...I suppose I better go pack” Peggy then slowly began to walk back down the office, Steve followed and muttered “Yeah, me too”

Peggy looked at him as they walked “What?”

Steve then looked at he “You can’t seriously think I’m not going with you?”

“Yes I do think that, you can’t Steve”

“Why not?”

Peggy raised her eyebrows, she waited till she pushed the elevator button and then said  “Because the doctor said-”

Steve waved that excuse away “Forget about what the doctor said, it was just procedure” they stepped into the elevator, the door closed and Peggy shook her head and blurted out as she argued back with more emotion

“I can’t risk your well being Steve-”

Peggy was cut off by Steve cupping her face and pressing his lips against hers, pressing her against the elevator wall, her hands rested on his waists as she pulled his body close.

Slowly, Steve detached his lips from hers, still cupping her face, he looked deep into her eyes and said in a mumbled tone.

“ My well being is perfectly fine...as long as I’m with you”

Steve pressed his forehead against hers and whispered “So what do you say, Peg?”

Peggy put her hand on the back of his head and took a deep breath through her nose, with her eyes shut she whispered “Okay”

Steve grinned and hugged her tightly up until the elevator doors opened.

The plane door opened. The LA sun shined at Steve and Peggy’s faces, scorching hot. Peggy looked down and saw Mr Jarvis stood before her with an umbrella in his hand to hide from the sun. He had the right idea.

“Miss Carter!” Jarvis called with a pleasant smile on his face.

Peggy slid on her sunglasses and said with the same expression “Mr Jarvis”

Jarvis smiled at her as she and Steve came down the steps “Mr Jarvis this is Captain Steven Rogers, Steve this is Mr Edwin Jarvis, he helps me in anyway he can”

Steve shook Jarvis hand “Pleasure to meet you, Mr Jarvis”

In this case unlike when speaking to Jack, he actually meant it.

“A pleasure to meet you too, when Miss Carter told me the news I was thrilled to hear of your come back ”

“Thrilled to be back” Steve said as he put his hand back into his pocket as his other hand rested on Peggy’s back as they then began to walk.

“Thank you for collecting us, I hope it wasn’t a bother” Peggy said as she looked to Jarvis.

“Not at all. I am delighted to see you again, shall we”

When Jarvis motioned to the car that they would be driving in. Steve and Peggy suddenly grew rather confused as to what was in it “Erm, Mr Jarvis?”

“Yes?”

“Steve told me that Howard came out west for a defense contract”

“He did”

Steve then added “And it was mentioned that you did come out here to arrange his estate”

Jarvis then caught on and nodded “I think I see where this is heading”

Peggy tilted her head as did Steve when she said “What we don’t understand is-”

“You’re both puzzled perhaps?”

“Puzzled yes that’s the word”

The three of them all came to a stop, it was silent for a brief moment until Jarvis finally said “Its the flamingo isn’t it?”

Steve nodded slowly with a confused look still on his face “Yeah”

“It is indeed the flamingo”

They all stared at the pink bird in the back of the car. All that Steve could think was ‘where the hell am I going to sit?’ but that would be sorted out soon enough.

Jarvis let out an exhausted sigh “Regretfully yourself and Mr Rogers are not the only house guests to whom Mr Stark has extended an invitation. Meet the newest member of the Stark mansion minasury...Bernard”

“Bernard” Steve and Peggy said in unison, each with a different confused face of their own. Howard Stark never fails to both amuse and confuse them.

“Bernard Stark to give his full name”

Steve couldn’t help but laugh whilst Peggy still looked at the pink bird still feeling absolutely taken back by Howard’s absurdness. Jarvis smiled and looked to her “Ready for another adventure, Miss Carter?”

Jarvis asked as he then walked away. Peggy stayed stood for a moment, Steve turned around and laugh as he pulled on her arm “Come on, Miss Carter ” he chuckled.

The pair walked over to the car, Jarvis pulled an awkward face and turned around to them both “Ah, there seems to be a slight problem”

“Which is?” Peggy raised an eyebrow.

Jarvis spoke in a high pitched tone, like he usually does when he feels on an awkward situation and hates to tell her something not very ideal “The front of the car only seats two”

Steve put his arm around Peggy as she put her hands on her hips and stared at Jarvis through her glasses “So how are we going to sort this out?”

“Steve, are you sure you’re alright back there?”

Peggy called back to him.

“Better not to ask me” Steve frowned having his arms crossed as he tried to fit his wide body stature into the small space that Peggy and Jarvis had sorted out and his eyes squinted as he had to deal with the damn flamingo squawking down his ear.

“I’m sorry” Peggy laughed “We’ll get a rental in order to get out of Mr Jarvis’s hair anyway”

“Oh no Miss Carter, with Mr Stark out of town I can easily shuttle you from place to place”

“And will he be joining us?” Steve questioned as he pointed to the noisy bird behind the wrapping paper.

“No he shall not, Mr Rogers. Trust me I am almost as eager to get rid of him as you are”

Peggy shook her head “Mr Jarvis we couldn’t ask you to do such a thing”

“Miss Carter you have no idea how foreign los angeles will seem to a civilised person such as yourself they eat avocados with everything”

Steve pulled a disgusted look “What the hell is an avocado?”

“Green and unpleasant after a good while I can assure you that and the heat! Oh god the heat, why people chose to live here in such dry humidity like this I have no idea”

Peggy rolled her eyes “While I appreciate your concern I’m certain we can hazard the los angeles driving conditions”

Jarvis then went on to say how tiresome his life has been by going back to basic activities since his and Peggy’s last adventure. Steve let out a laugh and whispered “He’s using us”

“Yes it appears that way doesn’t it...and when can we expect our esteemed Mr Stark to return from the pre-productions of his motion picture?”

“That depends on how long the location scout allows Mr Stark to...scout her locations”

Steve couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh at Jarvis’s awkward way of putting things as Peggy just couldn’t help but cringe. Steve reached out and put his hand on her shoulder and shrugged as if to say ‘just let him drive us’ he couldn’t help but feel for the guy. If he was in Jarvis’s position he’d want to find any excuse to get out of it all too.

Peggy sighed and looked back to Jarvis “Alright, Mr Jarvis, I’d be most grateful for your assistance once again”

“Wonderful!”

After a brief freak out over finding Steve Rogers alive and in front of her, Rose opened the ‘secret’ door that lead into the main SSR office. Before Peggy stepped in, Rose smiled and whispered “I’m happy for you”

All Peggy do was pull a wide grin.

“So, who is it we’re looking for?” Steve muttered, Peggy didn’t answer till she saw Daniel for herself, he had his back turned to them. Peggy nodded as she walked a little faster “Him”

Peggy leaned her head forward “Hello”

Daniel practically spun around when he heard her voice, Peggy then added with a small laugh “Chief”

“Peggy…” his words soon trailed off when he saw Steve stood behind her. His eyebrows pinched together with utter confusion “What’s...Cap-Captain Rogers?”

Steve nodded as he stepped forward to be beside Peggy “Yeah, good to meet you...Chief?”

“Sousa, Daniel Sousa” Daniel limped forward with his crutch and shook Steve’s hand, Daniel stared at Steve with nothing but a confused and rather blown away expression on his face. Peggy saw his struggle on trying to work this out and filled in the gap for him “We can thank Howard Stark for the recovery of Captain Rogers”

“Oh, right, well good” Daniel said with an awkward laugh along with a matching smile. 

Steve could read Daniel very easily, he knew what he was feeling. But for now he said absolutely nothing. For now.

“I’m here because Jack said you need help to catch the lady of the lake killer”

“Just you?” he asked as he looked back forth them both. 

“Captain Rogers is off duty until monday. He's just hear to help with no field work required”

Daniel glanced to Steve who just rolled his eyes and shrugged. Daniel didn’t question it.

“Alright. Well...welcome to Los Angeles”

“Thank you, Daniel”

Another voice entered the room “Okay, I’ve got three more boxes of old case files downstairs”

Peggy turned her head when Detective Henry walked in the room where as Steve kept his eyes from Daniel for a brief moment, who kept his eyes on Peggy.

Steve had never felt true jealousy before, it never used to bother with him when any of the howlers would hit on Peggy cause they were just joking, but he felt something different towards Daniel. Something real. He had been gone for so long...he had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that Peggy had a torch lit for this guy.

“Oh my lord it’s freezing in here” Peggy chilled as they stepped into the autopsy room where the corpse of the lady in the lake lay on the slab. The cold air certainly hit you hard when you entered the room.

Within even a thought of hesitation, Steve shook off his jacket and wrapped it around Peggy’s shoulders, catching her by surprise “Oh Steve, no you should put it back on-”

“Peggy, I’m fine" Steve said with a soft smile "You don’t have to worry about me twenty four seven”

Peggy looked into his deep blue eyes “Well yes I do, because I-”

“Alright, let’s get this thing moving, quicker we do that the quicker we can leave” Detective Henry grumbled with his patience slowly chipping away. Peggy shut her eyes for a brief moment and rubbed her lips together in attempt to try and keep her composure. Well that was a nice moment ruined. 

She looked back at Steve as she ran her hand down his arm as whispered so quietly that she was basically mouthing it “Thank you”

Steve stood behind Peggy as they investigated the body, with his hands subtly resting on her waist under the coat. No-one else noticed except Peggy from it sending chills down her spine as he whispered unnoticed “Still gotta keep warm somehow”

Peggy didn’t say anything back, because her smirk was enough for an answer.

The day was long. But satisfying. Peggy was already one step ahead than everyone else as soon as she arrived, being able to sneak past security at the Isodine building and also gaining a mutual acquaintance with a Mr Jason Wilkes. One of the top scientists in Isodie. It could be considered a job well done.

Steve and Peggy could finally see the place that would be their house for the next few weeks, and to also meet Ana. The famous Mrs Jarvis.

“Mrs Jarvis!” Jarvis called as the three of them entered the house, Peggy being right at the front. Soon enough the small redheaded woman came out from round the corner. She let out a happily surprised gasp “Miss Carter” she extended her arms as she walked over to her
“I feel like I already know you” Without any hesitation, Aana pulled Peggy into a tight embrace.

Jarvis looked from Steve to Peggy and stated “She hugs”

When Ana pulled away, Steve looked at Ana and said with a laugh “She does not hug”

Peggy lightly elbowed his stomach in order to shut him up “It’s a pleasure to finally meet”

“Yes!” Ana exclaimed as she rubbed Peggy’s arms and then looked to Steve “And Mr Rogers! I never thought I’d have such a pleasure”

She was small but she was sure strong by the way she then also pulled Steve into a sudden embrace “Oh” Steve laughed as he patted her back softly “It’s real good to meet you too, Mrs Jarvis”

“Well, I’ll leave Ana to show you around your rooms” Jarvis said with a small smile as he then went to leave the room “Excuse me, Mr Jarvis”

Steve and Peggy both raised an eyebrow as she spoke in a more firm voice. Jarvis looked at her and saw her motion her finger towards her. He knew what she meant. Jarvis let out an awkward laugh as he walked back over to her. Ana pulled on Jarvis’s tie and pressed her lips against his.

As Peggy awkwardly looked away, Steve kept his eyes on them and raised his eyebrows as his eyes widened with an amused smile on his face, Peggy looked at him and rolled her eyes at him, she pinched on his arm to get his attention. Steve came back down to earth and whispered with a laugh “What is happening?”

Peggy rested her forehead on his arm for a brief moment as she let out a silent laugh and then looked back up as Ana lightly pushed Jarvis back. Jarvis just smiled at the pair awkwardly before exiting the room as fast as he could.

After a moment of silence, Ana let out a laugh “He’s too easy”

She noticed both Steve and Peggy looked at her in a very surprised way, she raised her eyebrows as she moved away “Ah, I see you both were expecting me to be more like Mr Jarvis”

“Well...yes actually” Peggy confessed with a light hearted smile.

“Don’t worry, Miss Carter. Mr Stark was expecting the exact same thing”

“And we all know how Mr Stark is one for good judgement” Peggy muttered.

“Indeed” Ana laughed “So, this is the first bedroom. Now should I bother showing Mr Rogers another one or shall you be sharing?”

Peggy and Steve looked to each other. Steve didn’t want to call any shots even though he’d prefer to spend a room with her, but after all she is the boss. Peggy figured that they didn’t even have the choice to have the same room when they were together back in the war for having to keep it a secret for a whole year. And she knew, like Steve that she was the boss.

“That's quite alright, Steve will be staying in here with me”

“Why of course Miss Carter! Not a problem at all”

“Really?” Steve said to Ana, not meaning to sound as surprised as he did.

“I may be married Mr Rogers but I am no prude, besides at least when you two share the room it will not be just for one night with another woman unlike Mr Stark”

“Oh god Howard hasn’t-”

“No, no” Ana laughed as she saw the horrified look on Peggy’s face from thinking that Howard has entertained his females friends on this bed before “He has never used this room”

“Thank god” Peggy whispered with a relieved sigh.

“Well, please make yourself comfortable, Miss Carter we shall discuss much more later on”

“Oh I look forward to it, Mrs Jarvis”

Ana smiled brightly and once again rubbed Peggy’s arm as she past her and left the room. Once the door was shut, Steve and Peggy looked at each other and then let out a small laugh.

“Well, she’s certainly a character”

Peggy briefly raised her eyebrows with an amused smile and walked over to the side of the bed “I didn’t know what I was expecting but it’s wasn’t that” she laughed.

Steve gazed at her as he slowly walked over to the, taking her by surprise, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body close. Peggy placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned back, still in his hold. Peggy raised an eyebrow “I thought I don’t hug ”

“Come on, you do when it’s with me, right?”

"Yes, it appears that I do" 

Their heads pressed together as she gave into him pulling her in for a tight embrace, she never knew how much she craved his embraces until she actually had the chance of having them again. Her hand slid from down the back of his head to his back, rubbing it softly. She kept her eyes closed and couldn’t contain her smile. Peggy slid back and cupped his face, looking deeply into his eyes and scanning his face. Steve didn’t move, he looked right back at her.

“What is it?” he whispered softly.

“Sorry...I just need to keep reminding myself that this is real, that you’re really here”

“I understand. It must be weird”

“No, no it’s not weird” Peggy whispered as she shook her head “It’s wonderful, it’s just very surreal”

Steve said nothing, he just let out a soft smile, turning his head ever so slightly and softly pressing his lips against her thumb before turning back her. It sent shivers down Peggy’s spine, she felt like she was only capable of speaking in a whisper “I’ve missed your touch”

“Well you’ll never have to miss it again, I’m with you now till the end” his sentence was followed by silence as they looked into each other’s eyes with such loving expressions on their faces. Peggy placed her finger tips on Steve's lips and placed a soft kiss on them.

Looking back to each other, Steve then raised his eyebrows and added “And apparently so is Daniel Sousa”

Peggy let out a sigh and rolled her eyes, she slid her hands down his body and walked out of his hold, with her back to him she placed her hands on her hips “Well that was a good way to ruin a lovely moment”

“Sorry. Just slipped out”

Peggy then turned back around to him “Well, since you’ve slipped it out you may as well slip the rest out of what you’re thinking”

Steve let out a shrug and said with a light laugh to keep the mood the way it was “You just never told me”

“What?”

Steve folded his arms “That this Sousa guy holds a torch for you”

Peggy let out a breathless laugh and shook her head “He does no such thing”

“Believe me, he does”

“And you know this within the short time you’ve spent with him?”

Steve leaned against the bed wooden bed pole that was at the foot of the bed and slid his hands in his pockets “I knew it pretty much right away”

Peggy raised an eyebrow, not knowing whether to actually believe him or not.

“Enlighten me, how?”

Steve paused for a moment and then slowly walked towards her “The way he looks at you, that’s how I knew and the reason I know is because it's the exact same way that I look at yo" 

Peggy knows how Steve looks at her, it was of her favourite things in this world. But never considered the fact that someone else also looked at her like that. It didn’t make her feel any different about Daniel. He was a friend, a colleague and that was all. There were times when she thought of him differently but all in all, he was only just a friend.

“He looks at me like that?”

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle since it was nothing apart from obvious “How have you not noticed?”

Peggy smirked at him and spoke in a soft, quiet tone “Because when you’re in the room...you’re all I notice”

Steve grinned, how could he not? With a smile still lingering on his face he asked “And before I came back?”

Peggy just shrugged, speaking in nothing but total honesty “I suppose I was too busy with work and grieving that I never really had the chance to look up and see for myself”

Steve nodded and slowly looked at her up and down, looking her back in the eyes he said “You said back in New York, when I asked about Daniel that we didn’t have time for my jealousy...but just tell me...should I be jealous? Is he someone I should worry about?”

There was a moment of silence as Peggy stared at him with a soft smile, she lifted her head, looking rather seductive and moved closer to him, her body now pressed against his, she slowly leaned forward, raising her height but slightly raising on her tip toes, looking into his eyes right until her lips touched his. She slowly pulled her lips away, looking back at Steve she saw him with his eyes still closed and his head slightly leaning forward after her as he took in the enchanting kiss she had just laid upon him.

She smirked and whispered “Absolutely not”

“Good, because I don’t like sharing...not that you’re mine-like not as if I see you as my property you, see you as someone who-”

Peggy shut up his rambling by pulling him back to her and clashed her lips back against his. Taking him completely and happily by surprise.

Chapter Text

Peggy went out to the horse races with Mr Jarvis whilst Steve was ordered to stay at home on bed rest like he should have been if they were back in New York. Still he got restless and decided to wander around the house.

Finding Ana in the conservatory, looking out at the flamingo that roamed around the garden.

“Good luck to him trying to get that thing in” Steve laughed from behind her, Ana chuckled as she turned around and looked to him “I look forward to tonight's showing of him trying to do exactly that”

Steve muttered a laugh as he slid his hands in his pockets and walked closer to the outside.

“Miss Carter told me that you should be resting”

“Miss Carter worries too much” Steve said as he sat in the arm chair opposite of Ana.

“Would you care for a drink, Mr Rogers?”

“No, no that’s alright” Steve said with a light laugh as he held his hand up to politely decline her offer “And it’s Steve”

“Ah, you’re more casual than Miss Carter”

“She’s just more formal than I am I guess, back in Brooklyn it was always ‘hi Sarah how’s your boy Steve’ it was never all-”

“Uptight?”

Steve laugh and nodded with a shrug “I guess so”

“So how do you feel, Steve ? It must be very surreal”

“Well, I think it’s more surreal for Peg, for me it’s kind of like I’ve not really been a way. Apart from obviously Peggy having had more happen in her life. Which is why I think’s it’s more surreal for her, if anything I’m just glad to be alive”

Ana let out a warm smile and sat back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other and fiddling with the straw in her iced tea she softly nodded “For what it’s worth, Edwin told me before, when you two were settling in your room that he has never seen Miss Carter look so happy”

Steve couldn’t help but grin, he looked down at his hands and muttered with no attempt of wiping away his smile “That’s nice to hear. That’s all I want to do. Make her happy”

“Well, you’re certainly succeeding already”

The day flew by for Peggy, getting so soaked up in this new mission she barely had time to think. One minute she was at the horse races with Jarvis and the next she is in the back of Jarvis’s car, chasing after an AWOL detective whilst cleaning up Jarvis’s bleeding nose. She knew for a fact that Steve would be going out of his mind with worry, wondering where the hell she was. She didn’t have time to call him. It was all such a world wind.

Daniel insisted on picking him up from help. He called back to her from the drivers seat in another attempt “Peggy I still think we should-”

“We are keeping Steve out of this! He shouldn’t even be involved in the first place Daniel his body needs to recover what it’s been through!” She snapped at him more viciously than before, it was enough to shut him up, he certainly would not ask her again to get Steve involved. If this was happening this time next week, she’d agree with all her heart and get him involved but she took what the doctor said very easily. She loved him and she was not going to risk him getting hurt if his body was in a vulnerable state.

Leaving Jarvis to stay with the police, before following Daniel, she turned around to Jarvis and asked “Howard was smart enough to apply a communicator to the house, correct?”

“Yes, Miss Carter?”

“Call the house, and just talk to Steve for me please whilst you wait for the police. Tell him I'm alright and well reassure him”

“Of course, Miss Carter, I’ll get right to it”

“Thank you, Mr Jarvis” Peggy nodded, then turning around and quickly following up to Daniel.

Jarvis walked over to the car, and connected the communicator to the house.

“Hello, Stark residence”

“Ah, Ana!”

“Edwin! Dear where are you?”

“Still assisting Miss Carter, but don’t fret, I’m alright” Jarvis muttered, then lightly touching his nose and letting out a slight hiss “Mostly. Where is Captain Rogers?”

“He’s in the living room, shall I go fetch him?"

“If you would, darling, Miss Carter has asked me to speak to him”

There was the sound of just Ana walking away and then muffled speaking that came from the other room and a sudden noise of footsteps running towards the phone.

“Mr Jarvis! How is everything going?”

“I can assure you, Captain Rogers that Miss Carter and Agent Sousa have everything under control, Miss Carter asked me to ring you to let you know that she is alright”

“She’s not hurt in anyway?”

“No, no, I seemed to have taken that one for the both of us"

“Oh right...good I guess” Steve said with an awkward laugh, not really knowing how to reply to his comment. His voice then went back to being serious “Do me a favour, Mr Jarvis. Keep an eye on Sousa for me and get home in one peace, both of you”

Before anything could be said to him. He hung up.

It wasn’t too long afterwards that Peggy and Jarvis returned home safe and sound. Ana fell asleep waiting for them. Steve was kind enough to carry her to her room and get her settled. Then returning to the living room and sitting up, waiting.

Till finally the pair came in through the door. Looking perfectly fine. Well, apart from Jarvis’s bruised nose. Steve walked over to Peggy and scooped her up in his arms “Hey” he whispered softly.

Peggy let out a relieved sigh, being back in his arms again, her lips spread to a wide grin and rubbed his back “Hello, darling” they slowly pulled apart. Steve looked to Jarvis who just gave him a nod that everything was fine regarding Daniel. He couldn’t help his jealousy. He had never seen a guy look at her the same way he does before. It was somewhat threatening, he was insecure and he couldn’t help it. But with Jarvis giving the all clear, Steve relaxed.

Gently rubbing her arms, Steve then said to Jarvis “Ana did try and stay up but she fell asleep” he said with a light laugh.

“Naturally, happens all the time. Thank you for taking her to our room, Captain”

“Sure” Steve whispered with a smile.

“Well, I think I am going to bed myself, it’s been a rather interesting day. Goodnight”

“Goodnight” the pair said in unison.

When Jarvis was out of sight, Steve clashed his lips onto Peggy’s. Making her giggle against his lips but then soon sinking into his kiss and wrapping her arms around him. They dropped down onto the couch, Peggy lying on top of him as she kissed him. She suddenly pulled away, stared into his eyes and then sighed with an exhausted laugh “I really could do with a drink”

Peggy brought herself back up and turned to the alcohol cabinet to her side. Steve sat up and leaned his back on the corner of the sofa as he watched her pour herself a glass of scotch. She raised an eyebrow to him and motioned to the whiskey, asking if he wanted any. He may have declined before, but he’d always share a drink with her. So he accepted.

“So, what happened?”

“Oh god, where to even begin. Steve this whole thing is so bloody strange. We’re getting people who are basically turning into icicles and then just combusting” Peggy rubbed her forehead, getting a headache just thinking about it” Detective Henry was one of them, he went AWOL, kidnapped that scientist we met earlier, Doctor Wilkes, Daniel and I cornered him but before we could get anything out of him because he did know something, a policeman shot him and he shattered into little pieces”

Steve let out a puff of air with a shocked look on his face, that’s a lot of information to process in such little time. Steve placed his free hand on her thigh and softly rubbed it as he looked at her, Peggy then smirked “To be honest though, I have missed this”

“What?”

“Having missions with your support and soon taking on missions with you”

Steve grinned and then shrugged “Well, it’s not like you don’t have support”

“Yes but, none of the support I get is anything compared to yours, and when you're back on your feet properly I can't wait to share missions with you again” she said in a quiet tone as she scanned his face. Steve softly smiled. Peggy then added which snapped him out of his lovey dovey bubble “And I presume Mr Jarvis gave you the reassuring nod that Daniel did not try anything with me”

“What?”

“Oh Steve, he couldn’t make it any more obvious, he had his eyes on Daniel like a hawk the whole time on the way back, you told him to watch out didn’t you?”

Steve remained silent.

“Steve do you not trust me?”

“No I do! I trust you more than anyone, it’s just I get a little...paranoid, I don’t like the thought of other guys trying to hit on you when I’m not there”

Peggy understood. Hell if Steve was working with an attractive woman who seemed to have a torch lit for him then she would als be paranoid that one day he might fall for her and leave Peggy. Which would never happen, and it would never happen in this case either.

“Daniel is well aware that I am happy with you, he's a friend, always has been...besides I saw him leave the office with who I presume is his girlfriend since he was snogging her for a good while” she said with a small laugh.

“Really?”

“Yes, really, so you see, there’s nothing to fret about, if anything you should be keeping your eyes on Doctor Wilkes. Because he certainly did hit on me tonight”

“What?” Steve’s eyebrows furrowed with slight anger and jealousy. Peggy shrugged and sighed “He asked me out to dinner and dancing that’s all, I don’t think he’s very much in the loop regarding who you really are or better yet that we are together. Don’t worry, I told him that I don't socialise with persons of interest. He seems like a gentlemen so I’d doubt he’d push for anything again”

"You didn't tell him about us?"

"It's non of his business. It's no-ones business apart from ours. But like I said, I doubt he'd try anything again"

“He needs to get in line I was here first”

Peggy let out a giggle and then took a sip of her whisky then shaking her head “No, there’s no line there’s only you, you’re the only one that matters anyway”

Steve smiled and ran his fingers through her hair, although she said she could do with a drink, she is certainly tired, he could tell by every time she blinked her eyes got a little bit heavier.

“Okay” he said in an almost whisper, he lightly took the glass out of her hand and put it down on the table “Come on, you’re tired, let’s get you to bed I’m sure you’ve got even more work tomorrow”

Steve stood up and extended his arms out for her to take his hands, which she did. He pulled her up and led her to the bedroom. She woke herself up a little bit more and walked over to the dresser and pulled out her pyjamas, she turned around to see Steve having his back to her and let out a laugh “Steve. You’ve seen me naked before”

“Right” he said with a breathless laugh, turning back around and going to fetch his things out of the drawer. He had Howard to thank for getting him a good set of clothes. He was finding it difficult to conclude how Peggy would feel about him acting in certain ways, like if he hadn’t of turned around. He just couldn’t get out of his head that it had been going on two years that Peggy has lived without him. He wasn’t doubting his feelings for her, but he was doubting something. Something he didn’t even know himself.

And Peggy could sense it. With her nightwear on, her top still unbuttoned though, she walked back to over Steve. His back facing her from sorting out his own clothes, she lightly placed her hand on his back “Steve?”

Steve turned around, with his shirt in his hands he looked at her with a curious smile. Peggy stared at him for a moment, she didn’t know what to say, she just leaned up and gave him a kiss “Goodnight” she whispered with her lips still intensely close to his.

“Goodnight” he whispered back, giving her a very light kiss. Peggy gave him a quick smile and glanced down to the floor as she walked over to the bed, putting her thumb nail between her teeth and scrunched her face up due to damming to herself in her head.

‘Just tell him you love him. What the hell is there to be nervous about you’ve said it before’

Peggy silently sighed and slid in bed, lying the side of her head down on the pillow, facing where Steve would lay, her conscience didn’t leave her alone ‘He’s clearly worried you have fallen out of love with him. That’s why he’s being like he was the first time you met. Just tell him’

Steve’s face was soon in front of hers. They instantly found themselves looking into each other’s eyes.

‘Honestly, Carter. You’re being ridiculous’

Peggy gulped heavily, she rested her hand on his cheek, wriggling her body closer to his, which made his heart start to race like he always used to when she was close. She slid her hand to the top of his neck and gently played with the back of his hair, his eyes never left hers, as her eyes scanned his face, she looked at him back in the eyes and whispered “I love you, Steve”

A burst of butterflies set off in his stomach, he moved his head closer to hers and kissed her. Lightly pressing his forehead against hers, he said as their eyes closed “I love you too, Peggy”

Peggy smiled, she then did what they used to do when they had their nights together, she turned around, with her back against him, his arms wrapping around her waist and bringing her even closer. Lightly kissing the back of her neck.

Their first night in bed together after being reunited, and they couldn’t fault a single thing.

The next morning, Peggy woke up to an empty space beside her. Well, not entirely given there was a small note resting on his pillow. Peggy, half asleep, doing her best to wake up fully, took hold of the note and read:

You looked so peaceful I didn’t dare to wake you, breakfast will be waiting for you x

A grin formed on Peggy’s face. She had missed him so much that having just a little note like that had given her an outburst of butterflies, the time without him seemed to have faded, it was now just a pure blur, everything blurred when he was with her. She lightly placed the note back down on the pillow.

She wouldn’t dare to sleep in too late, she had a reputation to uphold. Also. She had a mission to get on with.

Peggy put on for now, her burgundy overalls with turquoise short sleeves, hair swept up. Peggy walked outside of the french doors from their bedroom and stepped out into the fresh air. Taking in the sunlight shining on her face, her peaceful moment was brief when she heard the strained voice of Mr Jarvis coming from a far. Peggy opened her eyes and looked over to where the voice was coming from, and it was certainly a sight.

Who would’ve guessed that Peggy Carter would Edwin Jarvis in a tight fitted athletic mens leotard lifting weights. The answer is no one. Certainly not Peggy. It looked like Jarvis was going to break his bloody back “Good lord man!”

“Ah, yes” Jarvis strained, then dropping the weight onto the floor. Fully intrigued, she walked over to him as he spoke to her “The attire is a touch...privative? But I found a free range motion is imperative”

Peggy, still rather gobsmacked said “I had no idea your interest were so...diverse?”

Jarvis chuckled “Well, since our adventures in New York I began a richment of physical fitness routine”

This was still rather bizarre, Peggy was still pretty much taken back as she glanced to the sporting equipment behind her. Jarvis took the liberty of talking through his activities that he would go through on a daily basis and Peggy didn’t know whether to laugh or be utterly impressed. Somewhere in between perhaps.

“I’ve actually developed into a rather dangerous Judoca”

“How many butlers can say that?” Peggy laughed as she placed her hands on her hips. Feeling as though she was doing nothing but take the piss, Jarvis foolishly made it clear that he wanted to challenge her, jumping into his fighting position. He look up to Peggy and tested her “Try to take me down”

“Peggy then really couldn’t help but laugh “No, no I don’t-”

“Please, Miss Carter I am quite prepared for you”

He really wasn’t.

Peggy raised her eyebrows at him and took a step forward, just to test the waters and see if he’d back out. But instead she was welcomed with a hard poke on her shoulder “Oh!”

“Hm” Jarvis raised his eyebrows to her, as if him doing that had just proven some sort of point.

“Really?” she took another step forward “Mr Jarvis-”

“Don’t be shyy” he sang as he poked her again and then reassured her “I shan’t hurt you too badly”

“I really don’t think you’d want to do that Mr Jar- vis ” her sentence broke up by the end by another poke at her shoulder. And another.

“Mr Jarvis!”

He went to do it again, and she had to just put him down. Literally. Peggy grabbed his arm and flipped him over, landing flat on his back, groaning quietly.

“I learnt that one from my brother”

Peggy held out her hand in aid to pull him up, Jarvis sat up and grabbed it to then flip her over and pin her down on the floor, Peggy then exclaimed now with an impressed tone “Mr Jarvis!”

Ana and Steve then walked to the outside, Steve was very much confused to see the butler lying on top of his girl. Whilst Ana seemed to not question it at all, she simply said in a cheery voice “Good morning you two!”

Peggy and Jarvis’s head snapped to Ana and Steve. Ana tilted her head at them, whilst Steve looked to Peggy and gave her a little wave. Making her chuckle softly.

“Did he catch you with his patented tortes of fury?”

“His what?” Steve muttered under his breath as he looked to Ana, who just flashed him a proud smile and a shrug.

“Oh is that what he’s calling it?” Jarvis stood up and held his and held his hand out for Peggy to get back on her feet “Ana has been my sparing partner for the past twelve months”

Jarvis and Steve then swapped places, both returning to their partners. As they listened to what he had to say, Steve rubbed Peggy’s back and kissed the top of her head before turning his back to Jarvis.

“She knows all my strengths and weaknesses” Jarvis took the glass of water out of Ana’s hand “Thank you darling” he smiled.

“He’s never more lethal than when he’s flat on his back”

“Aren’t we all” Steve muttered in a very low tone for only Peggy to hear, making her lightly slap his stomach.

Their view was Ana giving her husband a loving kiss.

“Where’s my morning kiss?” Steve whispered into her ear. Peggy smirked and turned her head to look at him, raising an eyebrow she muttered “I didn’t know there was such a thing”

“We’re not in the war anymore” he smirked.

He had a point. Peggy laughed, slowly leaning towards him and kissing him lightly. Being brought back down to earth with Ana saying

“Tea’s on” she stated, giving Jarvis a slap on his backside and then turned her head back to Peggy “Unless you’d prefer to go another round with my husband”

If Steve had a drink, he would’ve choked on it.

“Oh thank you-no erm Mr Jarvis if you wouldn’t mind slipping ito something a little less…” Peggy tried to find the words as she looked at what he was wearing up and down, as did Steve, then finding the word himself “Athletic?”

“Yes athletic that’s the word thank you, darling. I could use a ride to the office there’s work to be done and I’m just getting started”

Steve couldn’t help the wide grin that appeared on his face as she spoke, being proud of her. She always was so headstrong when it came to work. When it came to everything actually. Jarvis agreed and went off to get changed.

“I better get changed actually”

“You just got changed. Come on, have some tea, take a breath once in awhile”

God knows she wanted to, it’s like getting trapped up in this whirlwind hasn’t allowed her to spend some real time with Steve. It now felt like he never left but the fact is, he had been gone for two years, and that was lost time they were dying to make up for. Not to mention the fact that they were now out of the war, the relationship will feel more new from being more different.

So right now, morning tea with Steve was heaven.

Chapter Text

Steve was surprised at the fact that Peggy asked him to go with her on this mission. When she was getting changed, she realised that she was overreacting and taking what the doctor said too seriously, his body healed faster than the average person and she doubts there would be any shoot ups. Not just yet anyway.

After getting a tip off. Peggy, Steve and Daniel headed back to Isodyne with a warrant to search the premises. Peggy practically charged in the building due to the slight satisfaction from being rejected yesterday.

“We have the warrant to search the premises you can help me by opening the door or we will open it by force”

Both Steve and Daniel looked around the place and then noticed something that would step in their way “Erm, Peg” Steve muttered as he took a step closer to her. She looked to him, he motioned his head to the Radiation sign on the back door which her eyes then fell upon.

“There’s a small containment leak, the labs currently under isolation”

“Well how convenient” Peggy sly snapped.

Soon, in walked Jason Wilkes “Doctor Wilkes!” Peggy called, walking over to him. Steve’s head snapped the man. So this was the guy that asked her out, this was the guy who ultimately had the hots for Peggy. So it was Steve’s job to make it clear on who he was, better yet on who he was to Peggy.

Jason’s face practically lit up when he saw Peggy “Agent Carter” his eyes then went to Captain America stood in front of him, his face dropped due to the shock “You’re-”

“Yeah. I am-”

“There is really no time for this, what is this nonsense about a containment leak”

Jason continued to try and explain, whilst Peggy had her trust into Jason. Both Steve and Daniel were rather skeptical about it all. Maybe it was both due to jealousy. Steve knew Daniel still held some sort of torch for Peggy even though she told him that he was seeing someone.

“Isodyne is up to something and I’m going to find out what, be careful you don’t get caught up in the crossfire”

Looking at her stern and angry face, Steve wasn’t gonna lie. It was a bit of a turn on. Peggy being feisty always was for him. It was hard for him to control himself back in the war.

It was enough to make Jason practically run for the hills. Peggy’s face turned and her eyes fell on Steve, she could read him like a book “You don’t trust him”

Steve shrugged “Do you?”

Peggy sighed and shrugged “I don’t know. He’s holding back”

Daniel let out a frustrated groan and said as they walked outside “We should’ve arrested him last night”

“I would’ve been okay with that” Steve muttered, causing Peggy to turn around to him and mouthed at him with a serious look on her face “Stop”  

“Going alone, are you joking?” Steve said with a muttered laugh through his disbelief as he watched Peggy look down at the dresses she laid out on the bed with her hands on her hips. Just taking in what he was saying before talking back at him. She was used to this sort of thing. Due to his insecurities he had a hard time trusting men who he knew found Peggy attractive. Which was, well all men.

“How can we even trust this guy, Peg? You heard Sousa it could be a goddamn ambush”

“You’re just taking Daniel’s side because you don’t like Jason”

Peggy said raising an eyebrow at him, her words caught him a little off guard, struggling to gather his words together at first he quickly bounced back “No that’s not it, it, you know just as well as I do that you can’t trust people, especially people who work for the place that you are investigating. Think about it”

He did have a point. But there was something very innocent about Jason, she was rather good about reading people. Apart from Dottie. Dottie really fucked her head up.

Steve spoke in a more lightened tone to lighten the mood “Unless you fancy this date with him that he’s practically set up”

Peggy rolled her eyes and smirked. She felt his arms slowly wrap around her waist from behind, he rested his head on her shoulder and whispered “Come on...baby”

“ Baby ” she mumbled with a smile forming on her face “I haven’t been called that in a while”

Steve grumbled a laugh and quickly kissed her shoulder as he slowly turned her around. Resting his hand on her waist “Peg, you know better than anyone how it feels when someone else wants the person you love”

“Oh is that was Lorraine wanted was it? She wanted you?”

“I’m trying to make a point”

“Yes I do, I also remember clearly, that what happened with Lorraine led to our very first argument. Are you saying we’re going to argue about this? A mission ? It was very different circumstances, Steve”

Peggy took four shots at Steve, as a way to show him that she was boiling hot angry about what she had just witnessed. Him and Private Lorraine. Not only that, she was a very much upset, given the fact that they had made love for the first time last night. Steve slowly looked up from hiding behind his new shield, with a scared and shocked look on his face.

Peggy let out a deep breath and then said with an angry smile “Yes. I think it works” she slammed the gun down on the table and glared at him as she walked past. Peggy went downstairs into the basement, she goes there when she needs to take a moment or two. Sometimes when she and Steve want a moment together they come down here. No one ever comes down here at all, in fact, majority of the agents aren’t even aware that this place had a basement. Steve knew she’d be there. Peggy heard the door slam shut and then heard the sound of footsteps quickly coming down the stairs. She didn’t even look at Steve yet she knew how he was looking at her. Purely shocked and overwhelmed. Neither in a good way.

“Okay. I get that you’re mad but that was totally-”

“Inappropriate?” Peggy bitterly snarled as she turned around to him “Even more than kissing another woman?”

“Baby come on-”

“Don’t baby me. You don’t get to call me that when I’m so bloody angry with you”

Steve sighed deeply through his nose. Peggy dug and ran her teeth across her lip.

“What does this even mean on your feelings for me-

“Don’t do that. Don’t try and make it sound like I don’t love you. You know how I feel about you, you know I love you from last night. And Peggy, she kissed me”

Peggy raised her eyebrows “Oh. And you pulled away? It didn’t seem like it for me? What did you do to stop her, Steve! Tell me right now what the hell did you do? Cause from where I was standing you did nothing”

Steve rubbed her lips together as he looked away from her. He then looked at her, his voice raised slightly. And he had never raised his voice to her.

“You’re right. You’re right Peggy, in fact you know what? I even asked her to kiss me, yeah I was begging for it. I said, kiss me sweetie and help me ruin the relationship with the person I love more than anything just to make my life as miserable as it can be. That’s what I said, Peggy” his snarling sarcasm cut like a knife.

Peggy said nothing. She just scoffed, not knowing what to say exactly. Cause now, deep down she knew he was right. And she hated to admit that. Her eyes went back to him as he walked closer to her “That kiss meant nothing to me, how can it when you mean everything?”

Peggy’s eyes began to prickle as they filled up with tears “It really hurt me Steve”

“I’m sorry” he whispered, placing his hand on her cheek “I don’t know what else to say other than I’m sorry. But it’s you that I want that’s never gonna change, I never wanted that kiss it just took me off guard I was in shock” he then brought his other hand to her other cheek, wiping her tears away softly with his thumb.

“God, I hate you sometimes” she whispered. Which only made him smile because he knew what that really meant. Leaning his head slowly towards hers, he lightly whispered “I love you too, baby”

“I told you not to call me that when I’m angry”

“You’re not angry anymore” his voice grew low and breathless as he brought his lips roughly onto hers. Her hands gripping onto his waist as she leaned against the table that soon became of great use.

“As far as first arguments go I don’t think that was so bad”

“Yes well they may not all have such a... happy ending like that. Either way it’s not exactly worth the moment of upset”

Steve saw her point “Alright. You’re right. So how bout this, you go and see Jason. And I stay to the shadows”

Peggy rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow to him “You want to watch over me?”

“Hey, Daniel was gonna do it but he’s busy with his girlfriend. I’d also like to keep busy by making sure mine is okay”

Peggy melted inside a little when Steve referred to her as being his girlfriend. It made it almost impossible for him to shut him down for what he was proposing. And when she thought about it even more, he did actually make sense.

“Well, we better find you a nice suit then”

Steve and Peggy walked into the club. Steve squeezed her hand and whispered “Good luck”

He let go of her hand and they went their separate ways within the club. Steve sat at the bar behind Jason, a few stools away. He watched her as she made brief small talk with Jason, then sitting down beside him.

Steve watched as Jason insisted on buying her a drink and Peggy insisting to turn it down.

“So, where’d you grow up” he heard Jason said. Steve lightly scoffed as he ordered his own drink. Was this guy for real?

Even Peggy was a little baffled by what he had just said, also wondering if Jason was being serious.

“Doctor Wilkes I’m not here for small talk. A woman from your lab died and two of my men were killed to hide the evidence”

“I had nothing to do with that”

“Your refusal to explain yourself just makes you look implicit”

Steve smirked as he brought his drink of scotch up to his lips. God he longed for the days he’d see this again. He had only ever seen her interrogate people a couple of times back in the war, and it was better than any motion picture you’d pay to watch.

It fell silent. Jason then went on to explain himself a little bit more, slowly earning a fraction more of Peggy’s trust, and maybe even some of Steve’s. He knew was a person was being genuine and from what he just said, for a moment Jason did sound exactly that.

“The SSR can protect you” Peggy stated.

“I’m not talking to the SSR. I’m talking to you”

Peggy’s eye subtly went to behind Jason and onto Steve, who was shaking his head at her. She knew what he was thinking. This guy was not here to give out all the facts . He was here to continue to try and woo Peggy. She looked back to him as he said.

“Before I risk my career and my life I’d like to know a little bit more about the woman I’m trusting”

Peggy stared at him, silent. Then looked away, then once again glanced to Steve. Who gave her another look which said just do it. You gotta get something out of him.

So she played the honesty game and began to tell him a vague background check.

But that wasn’t enough. He wanted to know in more detail. And Steve, quite frankly couldn’t stand it. He felt like just walking over to them right now and just make Jason cut straight to the point. But he couldn’t do that. Peggy would kill him.

Steve had to sit there and listen to her tell a tale from her childhood. Luckily it was one he was very familiar with a loved hearing it. When she finished telling it, he had to keep his laughing to a low in order to stay undetected by Jason.

“You’re trustworthy after all, Miss Carter...I’ll be right back. Have to just visit the men’s room”

Peggy nodded and watched Jason as he left. She looked up to see that Steve was no longer in his stool, but walking fastly towards her. Grabbing her hand and taking her over to the dance floor. His hand pressed against her back, pulling her body close whilst his other rest in hers.

“He knows more about Isodyne than he’s letting on” He whispered into her ear.

“I know” she muttered, looking around for a brief moment. Then looking back at him and just grasping on as to what was happening, she couldn’t help the smile that came on her face

“Steve” she whispered. He took his eyes back to her, captivated by her beauty “Yeah?” he softly whispered back.

“You do realise that this is our first real dance”

“Oh yeah...so it is” he said with a light chuckle.

“Kiss me” Peggy softly demanded. Not caring about anything else in the world for the time being apart from him. Steve, not even looking to see if any eyes were on them, leaned forward and kissed her lovingly. With such passion.

“We’ll have to do it again though, when we’re not actually working”

“We will, darling”

Steve smiled and rest his head against hers for a moment more. Then looked up and seeing the glimpse of Jason slowly walking out of the mens room “He’s back” he muttered, causing them to slightly pull away “Ask him about Chadwick” Steve muttered into her ear, then giving her a quick kiss on her cheek and made himself disappear.

Peggy walked over to the bar again, turning around and pretending that she and been there the whole time. The first thing he then said to her was “There’s more to this than you imagine”  

“Then why don’t you enlighten me”

Jason sighed and shook his head “Not here, follow me”

“Doctor Wilkes I don’t-”

“Come one” he grinned “I gotta show you somewhere”

Peggy looked over to Steve, who was too far away that he couldn’t hear. She then looked to Jason and had no choice but to agree in order to find out more. She gave Steve a look to say that something was happening. He was confused until he saw that she was trying to say that she had to leave as she walked away. He then noticed a man behind them, who’s murderous eyes followed Peggy and Wilkes walking out, slamming his glass down on the bar and going to follow them.

“Aw hell” Steve whispered to himself in a protective tone, not wasting a moment he then followed out. He was going to follow anyway, but now he had a more reason to worry.

Steve was faster than the average man, so he ran past the stalker but sadly did not get to Peggy in time, however he did see her car drive away, with a line of cabs waiting outside he jumped in one “Follow that car down there”

“Sure thing pal”

Steve arrived outside a observatory and told the taxi driver to make sure he gets out of here fast before anything bad happens. He ran towards the door and heard another car pull up behind him, he turned his head slightly and saw it was a group of men. One of them was the one from the bar. Steve ran through the whole damn place and found Peggy with Jason in a room, watching some sort of film. Steve burst through the room, making both Peggy and Jason jump up.

“Steve!” she frustratedly exclaimed through not understanding why he had just blown his cover like that.

“I’m sorry. But there are men. With guns. Coming after you” Steve presumed.

Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together “Me?”

“I presume. SSR agent” Steve shrugged. There was then a shot taken through the door, Steve ducked as it would’ve gone through him.

“Steve!” she gasped, running to him and putting her hand on the back of his head as she leaned down to him “Alright?”

“Yeah”

“Come on! This way!” Jason ordered, opening the other door.

They reached outside. Sending out a quick SOS message to Jarvis back at the house. Peggy tossed a gun to Jason and ordered her and Steve and to cover her whilst she hot wired the car. Jason behind the car they came in and Steve behind the car that Peggy was trying to hot wire, taking shots he heard her shout “Just like Russia all over again”

“You and I remember Russia very differently!”

A moment or two later and she had done it “Get in!” She ordered. Both Steve and Jason went to the front, Steve looked at Jason and finished her sentence to him “The back”

Jason sighed and jumped in the back.

Peggy’s foot hit the pedal like there was no tomorrow and sent them speeding away.

“I noticed something back there” Peggy stated.

“Which was?” Steve asked.

“They weren’t shooting at me, they were shooting at Doctor Wilkes” she then looked back to Jason and asked “Do you see them?”

Jason turned and looked behind him “No”

Steve looked to Peggy “It’ll be easier to lose them back in the city”

“Shit” Peggy cursed in a whisper as she looked at the steam come up from the car.

“There’s an alley down there, Peg, go down in and kill the lights, it’ll put them off” Steve said as his beady eyes searched around their location. Peggy nodded to his plan and followed it out.

Turning the car off “Get down” she ordered.

Jason lay down in the back whilst Steve and Peggy slid down in the front seats.

The enemy car went past them, Steve’s plan worked. Letting out a breathless laugh “Well, that was fun”

“I’ve missed you doing this with me” Peggy complimented as she pulled out the pin that she swiped from back there, the same one that Dottie Underwood carried with her. Both staring at it, still having no real clue what the hell it was.

They got out of the broken down car.

Peggy put her hands on her hips and sighed “We’ll have to keep walking until we find a phone”

Jason let out a laugh “Could be a long walk in those heels”

It was then Steve who let out a laugh “She’s faced tougher things whilst in heels”

Peggy raised her eyebrows and nodded at Jason in link to agreeing with Steve’s comment and then walked with him, Steve slipped his hand in Peggy’s, which took her by surprise. This aspect of their relationship was all new.

“We don’t exactly have to keep anything a secret from Doctor Wilkes now do we?” he smirked.

“You’re enjoying this” Peggy muttered.

“I’m enjoying finally being able to hold your hand without being scared who see’s”  he looked to her and smiled softly, Peggy smiled and pulled her body closer to his as they walked.  

Chapter Text

They reached a telephone box. Finally. Peggy looked around at all the cars and got an idea. She walked over to one and began to hot wire it.

“Peg, you can’t hot wire every car you-” Steve whispered as he followed her.

“It involves getting rid of Jason” Peggy muttered in a higher tone as she looked up to him. It fell silent for a moment or two.

Steve rubbed his lips together and nodded “Continue”

“We’ll return this by the way”

“Of course you will”

Peggy got the car started and looked over to Jason “Take this car and drive over to Isodyne, if those men have tracked us then this will give you a head start away from them and to get what we need”

She was so smart, Steve would have never even thought of that, and by the surprised look on his face, neither did Jason “Okay, yeah sure” he nervous smiled, getting into the car. Peggy shut the door and said to him through the open window “If anyone follows you, get into the building and hide somewhere with the product, we won’t be that far behind you”

“Yes ma’am” he nodded then taking off.

Peggy turned around to Steve and held out the palm of her hand “Change?”

Steve shook his head “Sorry. Gave it all to the cab driver. All I got is a five dollar bill”

“Wonderful” Peggy muttered. She then saw a little bakery still open and got an idea. She grabbed Steve’s arm and muttered “Come on” as she walked him into the bakery.

“Excuse me could you make change for the telephone?” She asked politely. The man stared at them both and shrugged “You gonna buy somethin?”

“No, pal, we just want change” Steve answered.

“You’ll have to buy somethin”

Peggy let out a scoffing laugh “If you think I’m gonna buy something from some no good charlton in this rat hole of a place-”

“Okay, okay Peg-”

“You are seriously-”

“Peg just buy a damn eclaire. We don’t got time for arguments”

Peggy looked to Steve and rolled her eyes with a groan, she slammed the bill on the counter and bought the damn eclaire.

Getting outside, Steve waited by the phone as Peggy tried to get through to the operator on the phone. Clearly it wasn’t working. Peggy slammed it back down. Which only made Steve jump as he was focusing onto he eclaire.

“Phone isn’t working that odious swine”

“Easy” Steve laughed “On the plus side, this eclaire is great” going to take another bite, it was snatched out of his hand as Peggy took a bite for herself. Damn it was good. Peggy stared at him for a moment, not wanting to admit that it was infact great and then threw it.

“Hey!” Steve laughed, he looked back to Peggy and could tell how frustrated she was. He tilted his head and rubbed her arm “Take a breath, Peg”

“Next time we do things my way” she said, ignoring his comment.

“Don’t we always do things your way?”

“This isn’t the time to bring up old war stories”

Steve nodded and looked down to the floor “Sure thing”

Peggy looked at him and then sighed, she ran her hand down his arm which let to her holding onto his “Darling I’m sorry, I’m sorry I’m just stressed. I haven’t really had time to take a breath, we still don’t”

Steve looked at her a breathed out a smile “So now what? We just go around punching all of LA?”

“We both could do with a hobby” she said with a little smirk.

Steve laughed and stuck his tongue out in his cheek, lightly shaking his head. He then asked her a serious question “Those men were trying to kill Wilkes, who’d you think they were?”

“Someone who wants to keep the secret of Isodyne a secret. Hopefully Wilkes will find no problem getting to the building and getting the research”

Steve nodded and was then caught by the vision of a car pulling round “Peggy, there’s a car”

Peggy turned her head and saw for herself. She grabbed hold of Steve’s jacket and slammed him against the phone booth wall. Still holding onto him, she stared at the car. He knew why she did it, even though there was no-one after him, she still was on edge to protect him. Steve stared at her, with a soft loving look in his eyes. Her caring nature tugged at his heart strings.  

“Is it them?”

“What?” Peggy whispered, looking at him and coming back to earth, she glanced to the man getting out of the car, walking over to the bakery. It wasn’t anyone dangerous. She looked back to Steve “Oh, no”

Steve smiled softly “So we’re safe”

Peggy nodded “Yes...for the time being”

Steve lunged forward and clashed his lips against hers. Gripping his hands on her waist and pulling her body close to his. Peggy let out a surprised moan from his spontaneous moment. Her arms wrapped around his neck. The kissing got much hotter and rougher and she then damned herself for getting an idea at this moment in time. But they couldn’t get into this right now no matter how much they wanted to. Peggy pulled back and breathed out still feeling a little flustered “I have an idea”

“So do I” Steve grinned as he went to return to her lips.

Peggy smirked and shook her head “Easy there hotshot. I meant, we’re going to steal that car”

She then walked away over to the car. Steve took a deep breath to try and settle himself and then nodded “Well...not exactly what I had in mind”

They arrived at Isodyne. The car Jason arrived in was there, but also along with another one.

“Oh no” Peggy whispered “He isn’t alone” Peggy got out of the car, quickly followed by Steve. They then noticed a car that had a group of men at the side.

“So who the hell is in there with Wilkes?”

The whole building then seemed to shake, something bad was happening. Something unexplainable. Peggy went to run in, Steve grabbed her hand “Don’t you dare”

“I have to see what’s going on!” Peggy ran into the building.

“Peggy don’t!” he went forward to run after her.

“Hey!” The group of men heard and saw Steve and Peggy, running they tackled him down. Steve scrapped with them, punching and throwing them away, fighting to just get in that building to Peggy. All of a sudden. An outburst of black air came from the building, standing so close cause all the men including Steve to be knocked down the stairs and hitting on the floor. Knocking all of them out apart from Steve. Groaning as he stood up, hurting his arm from landing on it. He looked up at the building and sprinted into it.

“Peggy!” he yelled with a desperate cry. Running down the halls and calling her name again and again “Peg!”

He reached up to the room where Jason’s research was kept. Peggy’s hands clutched to the railings. She was down the hall when the outburst happened. She didn’t see who Jason was with, but Jason was gone. Dead. And she blamed herself once again for letting him come here alone. Steve saw her and yelled again “Peggy!”

Her face snapped to Steve, she let go of the railing and weakly held her arms out as Steve ran over and hugged her tightly.

“You’re so stupid” Steve muttered as he kissed her “Why did you run in like that, huh?” he kissed her again and shook his head “Peggy you...” he sighed as he kissed her once more and then hugged her tightly again.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to help” 

Steve cradled her head as she cried and rocked her gently back and forth as he felt her shake.

“I wasn’t fast enough” she muttered as she sobbed.

“It’s not your fault” he whispered “You hear me? This isn’t your fault”

He pulled back and saw how shaken up she was. If she was even a foot closer to this room then she would’ve died herself.

“We need to-”

“We don’t need to do anything. You’re going home”

“Steve-”

“Peggy. We’re going home”

Peggy closed her eyes and sighed, nodding as his arm went around her body and holding her tight as he walked her out. The sound of police sirens were heard as they left the building. Also an ambulance. They couldn’t leave before talking to the police. They both answered as best as they could. Soon, Daniel and Jarvis were in sight. Seeing her, Daniel rushed over to see if she was okay. It seemed his plan with Violet was put off.

“Go over to Jarvis, get in the car and wait for me” Steve muttered to her.

She didn’t have the energy to argue with him.

Daniel came over, looking very worried “Carter are you alright?”

Peggy just nodded and past him. Daniel watched her do so and then turned back around to Steve. Steve shook his head and stated “She’s in too much of a state to talk”

“What happened?”

“Peggy and I arrived at Isodyne a couple of minutes ago. Wilkes was already here, Peggy got him a car and told him to grab all the research before he was tracked. Someone was already here, neither of us saw who was with Wilkes, we don’t even know if they made it out”

“And Wilkes?”

Steve shook his head with a gloomy look on his face “He didn’t make it”

Daniel sighed and nodded “Alright, we’ll talk tomorrow”

“Yeah” Steve tugged his hands in his pockets and then past Daniel. Getting into the back of the car where Peggy sat, and holding her in his arms.

Peggy was quiet the rest of the night. Still blaming herself. She said nothing to anyone. She just went straight in her room. Jarvis and Ana understood. They understood just fine. Steve walked into the bedroom and saw her go into the bathroom. He stood on the other side of the door with his arms crossed as he heard her fidgeting around.

“I don’t want you to be blaming yourself, Peg”

“Not even when it was my fault?”

“But it wasn’t

The bathroom door then opened. Peggy was in her nightwear, with her dressing gown wrapped around her. She stared at his angelic face for a moment and then said as she walked away “If I hadn’t of told him to go ahead”

“Then the people who were there would have broke in and took the research which would have led to total catastrophe”

“You’re telling me what I want to hear. It wouldn’t be the first time either” she muttered as she tied her up hair and then took a deep breath as she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at the floor.

He knew she was talking about the plane crash, telling her that he would take her dancing when they both knew that he was going to die. Steve slid his hands in his pockets and walked over to the bed where she stood. He sat down on the bed and faced her.

“Look at me” he gently demanded.

Slowly, Peggy brought her eyes to his, Steve licked his bottom lip and took hold of her hand “This is different from last time, last time we were saying whatever we could to keep ourselves numb. You were doing the same, trying to comfort me as I did what I did...this is different. I have never lied to you. I’m not gonna start now”

Peggy stood in front of him and cupped his face, with tears running down her cheek, she weakly muttered “I love you, Steve, I really really love you”

Steve smiled and placed his hands over hers “I love you too, Peg, more than I can even put into words, which is why you must know, from just looking at me that I am not lying to when I say you are not to blame. You are an agent, this happens, Wilkes just got caught in the crossfire. Voluntarily I might add. It’s happened before...like with Buck. You’re the one who comforted me and told me it wasn’t my fault. Now I am doing the same because I knew deep down it wasn’t my fault, just like deep down you know this isn’t yours”

Steve had been gone for hours. No-one knew where he was and Peggy was so worried she felt like she was going crazy. The only person she could show her real worry to was now dead. Bucky was the only one that knew about Steve and Peggy’s relationship. He was the only one who would understand why she was so scared.

So she went with her gut and decided to go look for him. At first she didn't have a clue where to look. And then it struck her. Where was the last place he was with Bucky?

The bar. It was now a total wreckage but still, she felt like he’d be there. She walked into the crumbled bar, looking around she then heard the movement of a bottle coming from the left. Peggy gulped heavy and walked towards the noise. Seeing him sat at the only undamaged table and yet he was now a damaged man. Broken. Steve saw her and tried his best to smile, but he couldn't. She quickly walked towards him and leaned down to wrap her arms around him. His face buried in her chest as her fingers locked into the back of his head.

“I've been worried sick” 

“I'm sorry” he whispered as he gripped onto her tightly.

“Don't apologise” she softly soothed as she stroked his hair.

Peggy grabbed a stool and sat close to him, holding onto his hands. She said nothing, she just looked at him. The tears falling down his face “It turns out I can't get drunk no matter how hard I try”

Peggy looked at the bottle that rested on the table “Due to your metabolism it was said to be one of the side effects”

Steve nodded, he laid his head into his free hand and let out a cry. It hurt her, to see him go through this, her eyes filling up also, she spoke in a pleading whisper “Darling, please”

She softly wiped away the tear that ran down his cheek “It wasn't your fault”

“Did you read the reports?"

“Yes I did but-”

“Then you know that's not true, Peg”

“Look at me” she softly demanded. Eventually he did. Peggy stared into his watery blue eyes “You did everything you could, Bucky knew what he was doing, he was protecting you, don't let his death be for nothing” she rested her hand on his cheek “Where you go from here...you do for him”

Steve let out a sigh “I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you”

“You don't have to worry about that, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. With you” Peggy whispered, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Steve rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb and muttered “I'm going after Schmit...and I'm not gonna stop till all of hydra is either dead or captured”

Peggy softly nodded to his words “You won't be alone”

Steve looked at her “I can’t lose you too”

“And I can't lose you, but Steve, I'm always scared of losing you and we cannot live in fear of what we dread could happen, something that isn't even a large chance of happening. I'll never let anything happen to you as long as I can help it”

Steve said nothing, he just looked at her with worry. Peggy leaned towards him and lightly pressed her lips against his. It was brief, but it was loving. Peggy gulped heavily and still clutched onto his hand, she whispered “Don’t shut me out”

“I won’t”

It fell silent for a moment, as Steve got lost in his thoughts, lost in his grief. Peggy rubbed his hand in attempts to get his attention. She whispered softly “Let’s go, Steve, come on, you need to sleep” Peggy stood up and slowly pulled him up with her. Steve straightened himself up and let out a deep sigh “Can’t imagine I will, I’ll just be sat up alone thinking about everything to has happened”

Peggy stared at him, she ran her fingers through the side of his hair “You’ll stay with me tonight”

Steve’s eyes then flew to hers, with a worried look on his face “Peggy I thought we said that we can’t in case of-”

“I don’t care. I don’t care about anything other than making sure you’re okay” she ran her hands down his arms, never taking her eyes off his teary puffy ones and carried her tone in a soft whisper “Let me help you, you shouldn’t be alone right now”

Steve wanted to be with her, he was just worried. God knows that if this got out during the war, it would come down harder on her than it would for him. She would be ranked as being useful for one thing only. Being Captain America's girlfriend neither of them wanted it to be seen as that. She was worth so much more. But he did need her.

Steve gulped heavily and nodded as he hitched his breath “Thank you”

“You don’t have to thank me, sweetheart. Let’s just go” Peggy slid her hand in his and walked him out of the pub.

They made it back to Peggy’s room without detection. But then again they weren’t even trying to be sneaky. There were more important things to worry about right now. Like Steve’s emotional state. Steve walked in the room as Peggy slowly closed the door behind them.

“Do you want to take a shower? Might do you some good?”

Steve let out a deep breath through his nose and nodded as he muttered under his breath “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea”

Peggy nodded from behind him and rubbed his back “Go ahead”

Steve took off his jacket and began to undress as he got to the bathroom door. Slowly shutting it behind him. Peggy sat on the end of the bed and looked down at her hands as she heard the shower turn on. She shut her eyes and let out a deep breath. This was the lowest she had ever seen Steve. This was the worst thing that could ever have happened to him. Apart from losing her. If he lost her then he really would lose his mind.

Ten minutes later, Steve was out of the shower. He came out in his boxer shorts and his white vest top. Still with grief written across his face, he tried to give her a smile, it came out as a forced tight one. But she appreciated his effort. Peggy, now in her nightwear, under the duvet, pulled back the duvet that was on his side of the bed and lightly patted it for him to join her. Steve walked over and sat down on the bed, facing the wall as he took off his watch. Peggy slid close to him and laid a soft kiss on his shoulder as she whispered

“Do you feel any better?”

“Little. Helped me clear my head”

“Good” Peggy lay back on her side of the bed. Steve soon did the same and lay beside her. Peggy propped herself up on her elbow and ran her fingers through the front of his hair, his eyes were still rather red from crying. It pained her.

“Do you want to talk?”

Steve shrugged with his eyes still on the ceiling he spoke still in a rough mutter “I don’t know what there is to even say, I’m feeling all sorts of emotions”

“Such as?”

“Devastated...guilty...scared”

Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together as she lightly tilted her head. She’s talked to him about the first two things, but the third he had never mentioned before “Scared?”

“I’ve lost one person I love” Steve stated as he turned his head to Peggy. It was then him who entwined his fingers in her hair and stared at her “I’m scared to lose another, the only one that’s left”

Peggy’s eyes began to prickle from the tears filling up in her eyes, her bottom lip began to wobble as she cried out in a whisper “Oh Steve”

She pressed her forehead down onto his shoulder. Not knowing what to say. There were no guarantees in this world. They know that more than anyone. It was a fear they both had. Peggy lifted her head back up and just kissed him. A tear dropping onto his cheek. That she quickly wiped away. Peggy pulled back and then let out a watery smile.

“Did I mention tonight that I love you?” Peggy whispered.

Steve smiled, really smiled this time. It was small but it was genuine and heartfelt. Steve rubbed his lips together as he looked at her and whispered “I love you too, Peggy”

She kissed him once again and then slowly slid back down to lying on her back, she slid her hand in his and then moved back over to him, snuggling her body into his. Putting her arm over his stomach, his arm went around her back as his other reached across her waist.

“Try and get some sleep, darling” she whispered softly as both their eyes then slowly shut.

“Come on, Peg, try and get some sleep” Steve gently pulled her down onto the bed, giving her a kiss on the head before tucking her into bed.  

Chapter Text

The next day was no help to Peggy feeling like crap. She and Steve went to Jason’s house that morning to help out with the investigation. They then had to listen to Jason being classed as a Russian spy, which neither believed. Steve may have had a spiteful feeling towards Jason due to jealousy, but he knew Jason was a good guy.

“It’s bloody ridiculous” Peggy muttered.

“If the SSR aren’t careful, they could end up screwing up this whole thing by going off of that lead. Wilkes knew something about Isodyne, but he was no spy. If he was he’d be a pretty shitty one” Steve stated as he motioned his hand to the plank of wood that he lifted up before due to their discovery of it being hollow.

Peggy sighed deeply through her nose and out her hands on her hips, looking down at the ground.

“What do you want to do?”

“I keep thinking about that pin. And I think I know who can help us figure out what it’s about”

Steve leaned her head forward, intrigued “Who?”

“Our infamous friend, Howard Stark” Peggy sighed, raising her eyebrows she took his hand and said in a higher and lighter tone “Let’s go”  

Steve and Peggy stood in the gleaming sun and watched the in progress movie have it’s third take.

“The hell is this movie about?”

“Some comic book malarkey” Peggy muttered with a shrug.

“Who’d watch that?” Steve laughed.

“You’ve got me there, love-”

“Hold it! You’re in the shot!” Director Howard called to the pair from his chair. Steve and Peggy looked at him and slid their leg to the side and then sliding the rest of their bodies with it.

“ Still in the shot”

They did it once more.

Howard rubbed his forehead and yelled “Cut! That’s lunch, one hour everybody”

Steve and Peggy walked towards Howard as he did the same to them “Always thought you should be in pictures, Peg, what do you say? Colleen French rang in drunk wanna play a sassy beer wench?”

“I’d rather be the cowboy” Peggy stated.

“I like it. I don’t think the audience is ready yet”

“But they’re ready for a movie based on a comic book? Sounds like a dreadful idea”

“Yeah. It does, what were you thinking, Howard?”

Howard scoffed “I’ll have you know you two that this is a historical drama” he held the comic book up in front of them and added on “Kid Colt was a real person, and if it fails they’ll be a substantial write off, anyway sorry I missed you last night we wrapped up late...and Irene Dunn and I wrapped even later”  

Peggy rolled her eyes at him “Do you have time to talk about the real world for the moment?”  

“Yeah believe it or not, Howard, we do need your help”

“Anything for my favourite couple, let’s go in here” Howard muttered as he lead them into his room.

Peggy showed him the film of the process of Zero matter and explained to him what the briefing of it was which was more or less her saying she had no clue what it was in hope he would know  whilst Steve made them all drinks. Feeling like he had been put in Mr Jarvis’s shoes.

“Whatever it is, it’s enough for Wilkes to be framed for being a communist” Steve stated as he passed over the neat scotch to Peggy and the same to Howard.

“That’s an easy enough set up, he’d already be a target because of the colour of his skin”

Peggy rubbed her forehead as Steve stood by her "We can’t let his name be tarnished like this. He didn’t deserve it”

“We won’t, Peg” Steve said, squeezing her hand “Don’t worry”

Howard then took out the pin, the pin that Peggy was going to bring up.

“Wilkes was a member of the arena club?”

“That’s what we wanted to ask you about” Steve nodded as he pointed over to it “Do you know what the arena club is?”

“Well sure. It’s a gentlemen’s club. But there’s a snag to this since you’ve gotta be as pale as they come. Our boy Jarvis wouldn’t even be white enough to get in there”

Both Steve and Peggy didn’t comment and just stuck to the subject “What kind of organisation is it?”

Howard shrugged “A social club for all the white rich snobs since nineteen o six. Hell they have been trying for years to get me to join. But I’m not one for commitment”

“Well that is a shock” Peggy muttered as she took a sip of her drink.

“What? That I’m not one for commitment?”

She then shook her head “No that a group of sophisticated men would go to effort to try and recruit you”

“Well there’s that too”

Peggy sighed “That pin belonged to one of the men that tried to kill us last night and Dottie Underwood tried to steal one just like it back in New York”

Howard’s eyebrows pinched together “Who is Dottie Underwood?”

Peggy rolled her eyes. This man was unbelievable. He never ceases to amaze her for all the wrong reasons. “Oh for heaven’s sake Howard. She kidnapped you”

Nothing.

“At gunpoint, Howard, not too long ago”

Still nothing.

Peggy rolled her eyes “Oh god you were wearing that brown jacket that you love”

Howard nodded and clicked his fingers “Ah the russian knock out with the killer backhand”

“Unbelievable” Peggy muttered as she looked at Steve who let out a small laugh.

“A soviet spy and an all boys club, the hell have you two gotten yourselves into?”

“I don’t know, but at least we know where to start looking” Peggy motioned her head to follow her out. Which he did. If a dramatic exit was what she was going for. She did a damn good job of it.  

Steve suggested the fact that they go back to the SSR and informed on what they planned do, considering he’d the chief it was what was best.

Daniel was just going into the building as they pulled up the car.

“Daniel!” She called to him, causing him to turn around. He held the newspaper up and asked with his eyebrows raised “Have you seen this?”

Daniel practically stormed into the SSR “How did they get this, we haven’t released a statement yet”

“Isodyne desperately wants the world to believe that Jason Wilkes is a communist...and they have friends at The Times”

Peggy opened Daniel’s office door to see Jack Thompson sat in Daniel’s chair. Feet up and reading Jason’s fail. Daniel and Steve walked into the office. Daniel on one side of Steve and Steve on the other.

“Jack what-”

“An appalling surprise” Peggy cut him off with the shake of her head.

Jack laugh and pointed to Peggy with the file in his hand “I missed you too, Marge”

Steve crossed his arms and tilted his head “Chief Thompson. What are you doing here?”

“Had some business to take care of, thought I’d drop by and clean up the mess”

Peggy scoffed and tilted her head as she took a brief step forward “Is that what you think you do?”

Jack handed Jason’s file that had Peggy’s witness statement in it and claimed to have fixed it. When the three of them read that Jack had now also branded Jason of a communist, Peggy dropped the file and stated “This is rubbish” speaking for them all.

“This is covering your behind Carter, I’m filing a report of you running around hollywood with this guy. People might get the wrong idea”

"Hey” Steve snarled in a stern voice. Not liking what is was that Jack could be implying. She told him in bed yesterday morning that she had a lot of that after Steve’s passing. Being accused of being some sort of sexual object. It made his blood boil and Jack saw it. So he quickly covered up “Relax, I was meaning that people could get the impression that like Wilkes, she is a communist”

“The only communist I know is Dottie Underwood...have you got one iota of information out of her yet? Or she still rearranging the office furniture on top your sternum?”

She felt Steve place his hand on her arm, suggesting that she calmed down with what she said. Although this guy was an asshole, he was still her boss. Sometimes she just had to bite her tongue before she said anything stupid. Jack stood up and laid his hands on the desk.

“Don’t worry about things that don’t concern you Carter”

“I’m sorry don’t concern her? Was it or was it not Peggy who captured this Dottie Underwood and brought her in for interrogation?” Steve tested Thompson, sliding his hand into his pocket as his eyebrows pinched together as he kept his eyes on Jack.

“With all do respect, Captain Rogers, but should you even be here right now?”

“Should you , Chief Thompson?” Jack stared at Steve for a long moment, not knowing how to bite back from that.

“Steve, it’s fine, honestly” Peggy whispered to him.,

“No it’s not fine, I’m not going to have this guy undermine your work for this organization considering you do most of it in the first place”

“You’ve been out of the loop for two years, Sir, I think I know what my agents do”

“Then why don’t you show her the respect you know she deserves. Cause the way I see it as I’ve seen it from the war. She’s the one that should be in that Chief’s chair back in New York”

Well. Shit. He actually just silenced Jack Thompson. There was no way in hell that he could argue back with Steve. So he didn’t, he just held the pen up to Peggy and told her to write down her signature on the statement. But Peggy shook her head “I’m not signing my name to that”

Jack looked at the three of them, just knowing that Daniel was agreeing with everything both Steve and Peggy had said. He stood up straight for a moment and then leaned back down as he began to write on the paper “You don’t need to”  

Daniel was then the one to speak up “You can’t do that Jack she was acting as part of my investigation!”

“On loan from my office” Jack dryly argued back.

“Jack. Watch the Isodyne film. You’ll see what they’re hiding” Peggy sternly requested.

“Already read the book. And it stunk. Case is closed, Carter. Get over it” Steve was at such breaking point he could’ve put Jack through the damn desk within a second. His fist clench, before he could say or do anything stupid. Peggy put her hand on his arm and led him out of the office.

As Peggy led him over to her desk, Steve questioned her “He’s an asshole. How the hell did you put up with him for so long?”

“After a while I just learnt to mute him out, really”

“Can I mute him for all of us by punching him in the face?”

“If I don’t get to do that then neither do you” Peggy said with an amused smile on her face. She then grabbed her purse and then his hand  “Let’s just go, may as well get this done on our own but first we need to talk to Howard again”

With little effort of persuasion, Peggy got Howard to help her into getting into the arena club. With Jarvis, Steve and Howard by her side. She had just enough back up to help her through. Steve being who he was, he was welcomed with open arms into the arena club. The media work fast, especially since Howard sent in the tip this morning that he was alive. Peggy and Steve thought it would help grant Steve access by making him now in the public eye. Turns out they were right. Jarvis was also welcomed through being both friend and butler of Howard. It seemed this job had more perks than he had thought.

Peggy waited outside with all of Howard’s women . Just getting ready. Soon, the doors were opened by Jarvis. Howard held his arms to the flood of women and said with a gleaming grin “Welcome to the arena club, ladies!”

The women dashed into the place, giving Peggy the cover she needed to sneak through and head down the hall. Peggy glanced to Steve and saw a woman walking towards him, giving him a look that was nothing but bedroom eyes, Steve quickly made a diversion by walking over to the bar. She couldn’t help but smile at his awkward persona, but also with him trying to politely get out of what could have been a tight situation in respect to her.

Steve got his drink, and a little while later he saw more women look at him. He only had eyes for Peggy but these girls didn’t know that. He leaned forward to Jarvis, who was behind the bar and muttered with a laugh “I don’t think I’m safe”

Jarvis looked at what he was referring to and then got a quick idea, looking back to Steve “Mr Rogers, would you care to assist me with these drinks?”

Steve knew and appreciated what he was doing “It’d be my genuine pleasure, Mr Jarvis” he grinned, practically racing behind the bar. He didn’t know how to make a cocktail, but he could do his best to pretend.

“You’ll be safe back here...I hope”

Steve laughed and slapped Jarvis’ back “Thanks”

Peggy had been gone a while. From what she explained, it shouldn’t take this long.

“I’ll go check everything’s okay” Steve said down Jarvis’ ear over the now very loud music “You stay here and...make sure Howard doesn’t start any fights”

Steve peeped his head round the corner of the hallway that Peggy went down and saw her place a large book on the table.

My god she looks amazing in that dress, I could stare at her for hours-

Suddenly, his thought was interrupted “Hey you!”

A large man, coming out of one of the rooms spoke up. Peggy’s head snapped up. As he came closer towards her and said “You’re not supposed to be in here”

Well, now was a better time than ever. Steve came from round the corner and put on a wide smile and his arms in the air when he said

“Hey, sugar! ”

Peggy raised an eyebrow to him. Sugar . That’s different.

“The powder room is over there”

Peggy played along, turning on the american accent she exclaimed “Oh! Oh I’m-ha so sorry I get really confused around books”

Steve let out a subtle amused smirk, to her. Peggy held out her hand and walked over to Steve with her accent still laid on thick “Come on, handsome, show me the way” Steve’s amused smile stuck on his face as he took her hand and they fastly walked down the hall, letting out small giggles.

They then died down as Steve asked the serious question of “So, what did you get?”

“They’re rigging the election. Trouble is, my bugs didn’t work and I didn’t have chance to grab the paper that proved my statement. So all I have to go on, is to convince Sousa and Thompson that what I am saying is a fact”

“We’ll figure it out, Peg”

Steve motioned his head to Jarvis who was still behind the bar to follow them. He then put his hand on Howard’s shoulder “Howard. Time to go”

With Peggy giving a nod behind him to back up Steve’s statement.

The next morning. Peggy and Steve made their way to the SSR building and informed Jack and Daniel on what they got up to last night. Daniel was rather impressed, Jack on the other hand was, well, pissed. Given the fact that he didn’t allow it, he didn’t like it. But of course, he didn’t put any heat onto Steve. No, he just went after Peggy instead. Which would only piss Steve off more, Jack clearly was rather stupid.

“You should’ve gotta search warrant and even so I said the case was closed what part of that do you not understand-”

“That would have just wasted time to get a warrant” Peggy stated “At least I managed to get in there undetected and find out what the arena club is truly about which shows that clearly the case is not closed, the papers I found proves that from it being for tomorrow’s paper of Anderson Ankles Election ”  

“And that means what exactly?”

“It means he’s stepping down” Daniel stated, getting a raised eyebrow from all three of them, he shrugged “I speak Hollywood now”

They then continued in their tracks and stepped into Daniel’s office.

“The arena club are making Chadwick senate, it’s as simple as that unless we stop them” Steve stated as he stood beside Peggy, leaning his hand on Daniel’s desk.

Still, Jack kept his eyes on Peggy and continued to target her “Do you have any idea the can of worms you’re asking to open, rigging an election is a serious accusation”  

Daniel then spoke up as he walked to his chair “All the more reason to listen to Steve and Peggy, where are those newspapers?”

Steve looked to Peggy as she too found it hard to confess “I had to leave them behind”

“Well of course you did, god forbid you bring me actual evidence!”

“Hold on Jack, what about the bugs?”

Steve gripped onto the back of his neck and muttered in a rough undertone “Yeah. Those got destroyed. Turns out the club has some sort of system that picks up on those”

Jack scoffed and shook his head “So you’ve got nothing? Carter. Why are we even having this conversation?”

Steve’s patience was running thin at the fact that Jack wouldn’t dare to argue against Steve, but arguing against Peggy would bring a much worse outcome than he realised.

“ Because we need to dig deeper into the arena club”

“It ain’t happening!”

“Why not? What’re you so scared of?” Steve shrugged as he crossed his arms.

“Cap. This ain’t about being scared this is about it being pointless. We got no evidence. You won’t manage to get the chance you had last night again and by the looks of things this accusation will go down the drain” There was some point to what Jack said. It would be hard to get another chance at finding evidence, but that doesn’t mean they can’t and won’t try.

Peggy shook her head and butted back in “Not as pointless as you think! They’re going to try and throw an election they’ve already smeared a man they tried to kill”

Jack pulled a face and lightly shook his head as he tried to patronise her “You are so hell bent on clearing your pal Wilkes” he then put his finger to his mind and stated “I think your emotions are clouding your judgement” he then looked at Steve and muttered under his breath with his eyebrows raised “Wouldn’t be the first time either”

Steve felt like he couldn’t take his bullshit anymore. He dropped his clenched hands and snarled “What the hell is your problem-”

Peggy put his her hand on Steve’s arm as an order for him to back down as she fought her own battle and argued back to Jack.

“You’re just being a coward!”

Whilst Steve said nothing and let her go as much as she could. Daniel put it in his interest to warn her off “Peggy” he said in a stern voice. But the look he got off Steve told him to let Peggy have her day. It seems that it had been a long time coming.

Peggy paused for a moment and then carried on “You are so afraid of ruffling powerful feathers that you’re doing what you always do...burying an ugly truth and hope that someone will pin a medal on you”

The room then turned very very silent. Steve and Daniel both came to conclusion in their heads that Peggy knows something about Jack that no-one else did. And by the look on Jack’s face, it hurt. But good luck to him in trying to find sympathy within this room, Jack spoke up in a weak and wounded voice “You’re done here, get on the next plane back to New York”   

It was enough for Peggy to storm out of the office. Steve stayed back for a moment, as did Daniel. It was silent between the three men for a moment. Steve crossed his arms again and walked closer to Jack.

“What have you got against her?”

Jack gulped heavily and shook his head “Nothing”

“Because she’s a woman and she can do a better job than you?”

“You don’t know me, Captain”

“You’re right I don’t know you. But I know her. She’s better than any agent out there and from the message she just sent out, you’ve done something not so noble in your past. You want me to work with you in New York, yes?”

Jack sighed and gave him a nod with a grumbled tone “Yeah”

“Well then, you want to keep me there you start show her the respect, cause I’m not too much of a hot head, but disrespect her and it’s different story. Do we understand each other?”

To avoid himself getting his lights knocked out by god’s righteous man, Jack nodded and accepted a brief shoulder barge as Steve past him. Jack looked to Daniel who scoffed a laugh and muttered as he sat back in his chair “You’re certainly going to have to win him over”

Steve walked over to see Peggy angrily looking through her purse, when she saw him come round to her she snarled “If he thinks that-”

“He had a point about something”

Peggy stared at him for a moment and then shouted “Are you in his side!?”

Steve shook his head and sighed “Don’t talk crap, Peg, I’m always on your side you know that. But we have gotta really think on how to get another chance on getting evidence. And you’re blaming yourself so much for what happened to Wilkes that-”

“Steve I got him killed”

“He was more than eager to help us, he got in that car and entered that building with his own free will”

“But I should have known. He was just trying to good and I treated him like a soldier”

Steve’s heart dropped, he licked his lip and shook his head, leaning forward he muttered to her “Neither deaths were your fault. The thing both Wilkes and I have in common is that we died for doing something that we felt was right, and we are on to something we’ve just got to...”

His sentence then trailed off when he saw what was happening around Peggy “Look” he muttered, Peggy looked down to the floating objects that surrounded her.

Peggy looked down and gasped, Steve went to put his hand on her waist to back her away “Peg”

“No, don’t touch me. I’ve-I’ve seen this before it’s a side effect from zero matter, you can’t come near me”

“Well that’s something I never wanted to hear” Steve muttered under his breath, he looked around to see that no-one else had clocked on yet “We gotta do something”

“Yes, I agree”

Chapter Text

They never thought they’d be going to Howard for help so many times within so many few days. Luckily though, he was genius enough to figure out what was wrong with her. Or better yet what wasn’t wrong with her.

“How do we get the floating to stop?” Steve asked as he sighed. Howard smirked smugly and nodded “I’ve got an idea”

Steve held his hand up “Just to clarify...I can touch her?”

Howard looked back and forth of Steve and Peggy and shrugged “Yeah, yeah go nuts” he then carried on walking. As soon as Howard and Jarvis left the room, Steve wrapped his big strong arms around Peggy’s waist, lifting her up ever so slightly and pressed her against the wall as he kissed her.

Peggy smiled against his lips and lightly giggled as she pressed her lips back against his.

“I meant go nuts later!” Howard called from the other room “Go nuts later ”

“Oh” Steve whispered as he pulled his lips away from her, propping her back down on the floor and she let out an amused smile, then walking into the lab.

As Howard explained all the scientific stuff, Steve and Peggy made it look like they were listening but really all Peggy could think about was Steve’s hand travelling across her back. His touch gave her shivers down her spine, it made her oblivious to anything else around her but she tried her best. Steve was also finding it very hard to take anything seriously with Jarvis having those ridiculous glasses on. Peggy soon picked up on what Howard was saying, she took a step back, leading to Steve taking his hand off her as she said “You think your formula can make, well this visible?” she asked as she motioned her hand around her body.

Howard shrugged “Well, it exists by definition it must be observable, ready to give it a go?”

“Anything to make sure she's okay, Howard” Steve stated as he stood closely beside Peggy. Howard took a step back and held up his what can only be described as a water gun, and sprayed his formula in the mid air.  

And it became visible alright. But what or better yet who it was that was now made visible, Steve and Peggy could hardly believe .

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together “Wilkes?”

Peggy did nothing but let out a sigh of relief. Steve knew that this was a huge relief for her, especially since blaming herself from his death, and now it is clear to see that he isn’t.

“We’re so glad to see you” Peggy smiled with a small laugh, going to touch his arm for a brief moment, but to then fall surprised as her hand went right through him.

“Well that’s not normal” Steve muttered as he looked to Howard.

“He's visible but he’s just not tangible, can’t touch him anymore than you can touch a light out of a projector”

Jason eventually tried to talk to Peggy but nothing came out. Steve wasn’t exactly complaining that he couldn’t hear him trying to speak to his girl but he may as well ask “And the no talking part?”

“Hm” Howard turned his head, he then got an idea “Say ahh”

Jason opened his mouth, Howard sprayed the formula into it, making Jason cough which was now a sound that all ears heard.

“I think I’m gonna throw up” Jason chocked.

Howard frowned and took a lick of the liquid himself and shrugged “It’s not that bad”

Jason look to Peggy, all doey eyed “I’ve been shadowing you since last night, trying to get you to notice me”

Steve bit his bottom lip and gripped onto the table that little bit tighter and grunted “Yeah well now we have so” Peggy rolled her eyes at his once agin protective stance and turned her head to Steve as he asked Howard “Can you make him whole again?”

Please say no please say no the devil in his head chanted. He didn’t mean it really...only partly.

Howard shrugged “I don’t know, but I’ll keep on working at it”

Whilst Steve stayed in the lab with Howard and Jason, watching them as they got their research ahead, Peggy came through the door from interrogating Whitney Frost. And he had almost never been more happy to see her in his entire life. The top rank was the day he woke up. But he was so bored that seeing her brought a gleaming smile to his face. He raced over to Peggy, which took to Jason’s attention.

She grinned as he came closer to her and whispered softly and her lips were about to touch with his “Hi”

She wrapped her arm around his neck as he pulled her close and kissed her lovingly “Hi” he whispered back briefly before kissing her again. Peggy let out a soft quiet moan as their kissed deepened. Eventually they pulled away, Steve cupped her cheek and muttered “How was it?”

“Remember how I said I was going to poke the bear?”

“Yeah”

“Well it was like talking to a bear. Pointless and just ending up being killed off”

Steve laughed as he pressed his head against hers, holding her for a tight embrace. Peggy slowly opened her eyes to look to Howard and was surprised to see Jason there, and looking at them.

“Oh, I see he’s back” she whispered into Steve’s ear and giggled “I hope you’ve played nice”

“Of course, ma'am. It’s been dull” Steve sighed “Science just goes over my head considering I’m a walking product of it”

Peggy smiled and squeezed his arms as she dropped her hands and began to walk over to Howard and Jason.

She walked into Jason saying to Howard “Yeah that’s if I can get back to being my whole self”

Howard’s head snapped to Peggy “We’ll get there...Peg! Glad you’re here! I need coffee! Who needs coffee? I do! Irish Coffee! Jarvis where’s the coffee around here!”

Peggy looked at Steve and motioned her hand to him “Darling, go with him and make sure he doesn’t break anything or have a heart attack”

Steve laugh and nodded “Alright”

Peggy turned to Jason and raised her eyebrow “ If you regain your whole self?”

Jason shrugged “I have no idea what this is and I don’t know if I can fix it”

Peggy shrugged “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, you’re smart enough to”

“That’s kind of you” Jason then looked up to where Steve and Howard left the room, he looked to Peggy and frowned “I also apologise”

Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together, she tilted her head “Sorry? For what?”

Jason motioned his hand to the door “For asking you out when you’re with Captain Rogers, if I had known I’d never would’ve-”

Peggy raised her eyebrows and laughed “Oh, don’t worry about that Doctor Wilkes, no-one really knew apart from those closest to me”

Jason nodded as he slid his hands in his pockets “I understand, so you love him, yeah?”

It was a very personal question but Jason was already struck as the pushy type. Not really knowing boundaries but he meant no harm. Peggy grinned and nodded “Yes, I love him very much”

Jason smiled and nodded “Good, well I’m happy for you both. Sounds from the paper that you’ve been through alot” Peggy looked over to the newspaper and rolled her eyes as she shook her head back to him “Haven’t read it to be honest with you. I don't intend to either”

Howard came running back over, passing through Jason he held up the bottle of bourbon “Couldn’t find any coffee, care for some Peg?”

Steve put his arm over Peggy and rubbed her arm as she nodded for the glass of bourbon and held her hand out for it.

“Whoa! Ana, you look like a million bucks!” Steve called as he saw her come down the stairs. It was their anniversary and Ana suggested going out for a nice meal, insisting that the children as she teases could handle themselves for one night.

“Why thank you, Steven. I just threw it on”

“Of course you did” Steve laughed as he held her hand from helping her down the few steps to prevent her from not tripping onto her dress “Well you look beautiful...have a nice night out you two” Steve said as Jarvis and Ana headed towards the door.

Peggy was out in the back getting all her stress and anger from the mission and Thompson out on the poor punch bag outside.

“Have a scotch on me you two” Steve smiled to them as they gave him a wave as they headed to their car, Steve shut the door behind him and looked down the hall as he heard the punches hit the bag and the huffs coming from Peggy.

Steve stepped outside “You’ll sprain something”

“Very funny” she sighed as he continued to swing her punches.

“Sorry you found today so stressful, anything I can do?”

Peggy shook her head and held onto the punch bag as she looked at him “No, I’ll be fine, I just, I just need to vent”

Steve crossed his arms and nodded “I get it. Tell you what, I’ll put the kettle on and you can I can talk about things in front of the fire, sound good?”

Peggy looked to him as she momentarily stopped. She liked that idea. Peggy nodded and then began to swing her punches again.

“Okay, fifteen minutes?”

“Okay” she huffed.

Steve watched her a little while longer and then went back inside, starting to walk towards the kitchen. Resting his hands on the counter, he looked at the bunch of roses he had bought her whilst she was at the office with Daniel earlier. He was hoping tonight would’ve been the night. They hadn’t made love since he was found and he knew that it was something they both wanted, but they haven't had the chance. It's been such a whirlwind. His mind couldn’t help but momentarily travel back to their very first time.

1st September 1944

It was a tiresome night. It was just four nights ago that Steve had rescued Bucky and had been branded as America’s new war hero. It had also been four nights since Steve and Peggy shared a kiss, Admitted their feelings towards one another and came to an agreement. They were to finally stop their nonsense and be together. But for now they kept it private. Better yet they kept it a secret. From everyone. Steve hadn’t even told Bucky yet, the guy he tells everything to. He was hoping Peggy would agree to letting him know. Bucky wouldn’t tell a soul. But for now, they kept it just between them.

When Peggy walked into the bar on this night, wearing that red dress. Looking at Steve the way that she was, in a way that even Bucky could tell that something was going on.

“O’eight hundred, captain” she smirked at him before beginning to walk away again. He didn’t know whether she was trying to tease him or not. Showing him what he’s got (which she was doing) but either way Steve still stayed professional as he could.

“Yes ma’am... I’ll be there” Steve played along with the professional persona in front of the boys. Bucky laughed and shook his head “I’m invisible. I’m turning into you it’s like a horrible dream”

Steve laughed and tapped Bucky’s shoulder “Don’t take it so hard. Maybe she’s got a friend”

Steve leaned down on the bar and stared at his drink. He rubbed his lips together and cleared his throat. Then standing up straight, he straightened his suit and tie.

“Actually Buck, she’s got me on a leash, if I don’t leave now I’ll end up having my ass in my room at one o’clock and won’t wake up till eleven” he laughed.

“I get it. Unlike you though I can do that” Bucky slapped Steve’s chest and nodded to the pub door “Go on then, Stevie. Sleep well” Steve slapped Bucky’s back as he moved out. Steve walked past Dugan and the rest of the commandos getting drunk out of their minds. Steve stood at the bar and searched for her with his eyes. Till he finally saw her, leaning against the door frame of the front entrance. Waiting for him. She told with just the look in her eyes that she wanted him to follow her.

Peggy walked out of the club, unnoticed by everyone apart from Steve. Keeping the natural expression. Steve bid his goodnights to the commandos, gave them his excuse and then left. He walked out to the street. Peggy wasn’t in sight. But neither was anyone else, which allowed him to call for her “Peggy?”

Steve walked down the street to the left “Peg?”

All of a sudden a red nail polished hand grabbed his military uniform jacket and dragged him down the alleyway he was stood next to. Peggy clashed her lips against his and then viciously pulled back as she whispered “Calling my name so close to the bloody pub?”

“They wouldn’t have heard me, I didn’t say it too loud”

“I certainly hope not. This can’t get out yet”

“I know” he sighed.

Peggy’s eyebrows pinched together. She placed her hand on his cheek and said with a light laugh behind her serious confession “I do want to be with you...it’s just...it’ll be too complicated and hard for me with the men you know what some of them can be like”

“Peg, it’s fine. We’ve talked about it and it’s fine”

Steve wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close to him “I'm never going to complain about having you all to myself. Besides, a secret relationship is exciting”

“I thought that when this first started. I know it hasn’t been long but” she stopped as she stared at him, barely even being able to see his innocent face due to it being almost pitch black in this alley way. With only a glimmer of light from the street lights to stop it from being totally in darkness.

“But I haven’t stopped thinking about you, actually. It’s been like that for a long bloody while now, it was both frustrating and lovely”

Steve smiled “I think about you all the time too...never been able to get you out of my head. The amount of sketches I’ve drawn of you”

He saw her grin appear on her face, she whispered in her angelic voice “That’s so sweet”

Steve slid his hands in hers “So, you wanna go to our usual spot?”

“I’d like that”

Steve peeped his head over the alley corner. Still no-one in sight. He looked back at Peggy “Okay let’s go”

“Remember we have to be back by the morning. Else they’ll know”

“Yes ma’am I’m aware of the rules” they walked down the street, going past the pub they didn’t walk hand in hand just in case someone saw them. But no one did. When that was out of sight, they entwined their fingers together. They were basically in the clear. Anyone they knew and who knew them were either in that pub or back at the base.

It didn’t take them long. There was a motel not far. The owner of it barely even notices them going in and out. It was fine for now. They got inside, Peggy took off Steve’s jacket that he had given to her halfway down the street past the pub and laid it on the chair. She walked over to the bag that she kept hidden in the room and got out two glasses of wine.

“How was your day then?”

“Howard tried it”

“Again?” Steve said with an anger in his tone.

“Again” she sighed but not even looking bothered “If he knew I was with you he wouldn’t even try it. He is respectable in that sense, he even keeps egging me on to be with you even though he still tries it on”

Steve laughed and shrugged “Stark. You gotta admire his morals”

“Do you?” Peggy teased as she took a sip of her wine “I could really do with a cigarette”

“Thought you only smoke when you’re stressed”

“I am. A little”

Steve leaned forward in his chair and laid his hand on her leg to show his support “Tell me”

Peggy sighed and took a sip of her wine before she spoke “It’s nothing major of the sort. Phillips is just piling loads of things to do. Most of them are keeping the men in check. You especially”

“Well. You do that perfectly” Steve smiled as he raised his eyebrows to her “But you’re stressed?”

“Little”

Steve nodded and placed his drink on the side table. He slowly lunged his body forward. Peggy then put her drink on the side as she saw him do so. He rest his hands on her chair arms “Perhaps I could help. I’m hopefully much better than a cigarette”

Peggy smirked “We’ll see”

Steve pressed his lips firmly against hers “Well. You taste better” she teased in between their kiss. The kiss deepened and became. Well. Hotter. One of Steve’s hand flew to her face. His palm rest on her jaw and his fingertips pressing against the back of her neck. Steve slowly pulled his lips away from hers, letting her come up for air as he left a trail of kisses from her cheek to her neck.

Peggy couldn’t help but let out a soft moan. And as some sort of impulse she whispered heavily with her eyes closed “Make love to me”

Steve stopped kissing her neck and pulled back. Taking deep heavy breaths, Peggy opened her eyes and looked at him.

“What?”

Peggy gulped heavily and searched for his feeling within the look of his eyes. She said nothing. She just waited for him to say something. Anything. Steve let out a shaky, nervous breath.

“Peggy I...I've never...I'm-”

“A Virgin?” She said softly with no judge or laughter in her tone.

“Pathetic I know...I take it you're not” Steve said with a small smile. Peggy lightly shook her head “Sorry. I had a boyfriend back at home before the war” she saw his face drop and looked down to the floor “I wasn't in love with him in that helps”

Steve looked back at her. Peggy shrugged “My father was very set on me marrying him. And he kept...pressuring the matter. So I just...he didn't force me, he did love me I just wasn't sure but” she stopped herself from carrying and looked back at his concerned face, she didn't want to get caught up in the matter “You're not pathetic Steve. If anything I envy it”

Steve let out a small smile, he leaned back and knelt down on the floor in front of her.

“I've just been...waiting. For someone I love”

“Oh” Peggy muttered as she looked down to her hands that now lay in her lap. Steve looked up and saw that she seemed a little hurt. Jumping to the wrong conclusion. He let out a small laugh and put his hands on her legs “No, Peg, you don't understand”

She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows “I don't?”

“No. I was trying to insinuate that I…” He sighed at the fact he was totally screwing all of this up “Peggy when I was saying I was waiting for someone I love. I meant you”

Her face subtly lightened up “Really?” She said in a whisper.

“Yeah. I have done for a while. But. I would like it to be a two way street” he said with self doubt.

“It is” Peggy quickly shot back. Surprising herself as well as him at how quickly she answered. A small nervous shirk appeared on her face. She leaned forward to her face “I do”

She brushed her lips against his softly at first. His hand went to her jawline as he deepened the kiss even more. She could tell he was nervous. Who wouldn't be?

“I'm...i'm not sure what to do” he confessed as his cheek flushed with embarrassment.

Peggy smirked. She slowly began to stand up which made him do the same. She placed his hands right around her waist onto her back. He knew where she liked to be kissed. She made that clear on the night after they kissed and made their relationship real. Steve gulped heavily and nodded as he whispered “Okay…”

Peggy smirked and rubbed her lips together, she touched his lips in such a light way with hers as she whispered “Now, take me to the bed”

Steve nodded, as an impulse he picked her up off of her feet. The small giggle she let out shown her sign of approval. Gently, Steve lay her down on the bed and hovered over her. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt and lifted her head to kiss him. With her lips still on his, she reached her hand to the side draw and pulled out the foil wrapper. It wasn't like either of the, were planning it. It was just in case.

Steve sat up on his knees as Peggy sat up, she put his hand on her zipper of the dress, he got the message and began to unzip it.

She sat before him now in just her underwear, she took his breath away “Wow. Peggy you're” he looked into her eyes and spoke from his honest heart “You're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen”

Peggy grinned, redness hit her cheeks. No one had made her blush before. Just him. Only him. She saw how nervous Steve still was, but as before she didn’t blame him. Which is why she wanted to make sure with him “Steve...are you absolutely sure that you-”

She was cut off by Steve’s lips crashing against hers. So clearly. He was sure

They lay next to each other. Taking deep breaths, Peggy looked at Steve and smiled at him, his eyes fell to hers and returned the same expression “You alright, darling?”

“Couldn’t be better”

Peggy’s smile turned to a grin, she placed her hand on his jaw and pulled his lips to hers, gently kissing him.

“I” he started breathlessly, taking a heavy gulp he looked deep into her eyes and whispered

“I love you”

Peggy softly stroked his hair as she gazed at his angelic innocent face. Butterflies rapidly flew in her stomach “I love you too, Steve” she kissed him again and then groaned “We need to go”

Steve sighed as Peggy sat up on the bed, with the duvet still covering the front of her naked body and grabbed her clothes on the side, she looked at the time on her watch.

11:47pm

“We should be okay” she muttered as she strapped it on. Steve nodded and then did the same. He grabbed his pants and slipped them on as he stood up He turned around to look at her. Pulling her dress up from her legs and then slipped her arms through, she looked at Steve “Could you?”

“Yeah” he said with a nervous chuckle as he walked round. He zipped up her dress and Peggy turned around to face him and gave a quick kiss on his lips “Thank you, love”

She then walked past him over to the chair where she kicked off her shoes and sat down to put them back on.

Steve soon joined her as he was fully dressed. They both stood up. Steve grabbed his jacket and handed it to her. She denied it to her but he did nothing but insist she took it. So she did.

They walked back to the base hand in hand and then pulled apart just as they came around the corner. The hotel that the army was staying in was built in with the base. They looked at each other intensely for a moment or two. Peggy took of the jacket and handed it back to him

“Thank you for a wonderful night”

“Thank you f-for the best night” Steve grinned. She could tell that he wanted to kiss her. Taking a cautious look around she whispered to him “Nobody is around”

Giving him her permission. Steve laid a firm yet passionate kiss. Peggy pulled away and began to walk away. Steve was aware of their usual agreement. Steve was to wait here for a minute or two after Peggy had left this spot.

“Goodnight, Captain” she dryly teased.

Steve nodded and played along “Sleep well, Agent Carter”

Steve’s reminiscing of old times was brought to a close when he heard a splash come from outside. Highly doubting that Peggy decided to go for a swim, he knew something was wrong.

Then hearing a scream coming from her “Steve!” sounding like she was gasping for air. His heart dropped.

Steve ran his way fastly back to outside he saw Peggy. Kicked down to the floor by a large man. Seeing him get out a knife, Steve quickly charged at him.

“Don't touch her!” he yelled as he rugby tackled him away from her. The attacker gripped onto Steve collar as slammed him on the floor, getting in a few hits.

Peggy panicked, this man was extremely strong. He was without a doubt hurting Steve, even if it was just a fraction of pain it was more that she could take to see “Leave him!” she pleaded in a yelp, then crawled towards her gun.

Steve soon got back up and pushed the attacker away, throwing several punches at him Peggy grabbed her gun and soon enough took several shots to the attacker. Making him run.

Steve turned around after Peggy took her shots and he was now out of sight. She looked so fragile, and she was dripping wet from being dragged into the pool. Still trying to catch her breath.

“God, Peggy” Steve whispered in a gasp as he rushed over to her, picking her up, he asked in a concerned whisper “Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes I’m fine” Peggy coughed back, feeling slightly shaken up. He put his hand on her cheek for a brief moment and then Steve pulled her close and hugged her tightly. He put his hand on the back of her head and let out a relieved sigh “Got me scared for a moment then”

“You? Scared?” Peggy said with a light laugh.

“Don’t joke” Steve kissed her cheek and then pushed her head with his so their foreheads were pressing against each other “I don’t ever want to come even a fraction close to losing you”

Peggy placed her hand on his cheek and nodded “I know my love”

“I love you too much to bare it”

“I know you do” she spoke in a whisper with a light nod. A loving small smile then came to her face, she rubbed her lips together and whispered  “I love you too”

“I know you do” he whispered back. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her lips to his. Lightly pressing them against each other. Steve’s hands went to her wet back, her body pressed against his made his clothes also go damp. But he didn’t care.

Peggy gripped onto the back of his hair with one hand and tugged on his shirt with the other.

“Make love to me” she blurted out in a whisper. Triggering the back of Steve’s mind the first time they ever made love, since those were the exact words she said to him. But this time, Steve didn’t pull back and ask her if she was sure. He knew she was sure. They were both sure. She wouldn’t have said it otherwise. He deepened their kiss and picked her up. Her legs locked around his waist. Steve burst the door opened, going straight to a wall, Peggy’s back pressing against it as their lips never pulled apart.

Peggy put her hands on the opening of Steve’s shirt and pulled it apart, buttons falling on the floor one by one, his shirt then falling down with it. They moved again, closer to the stairs to their room, slamming against another wall. Their lips pulled apart as Steve pulled of Peggy’s pants and shirt as she pulled her hair to be let down. He picked her up again effortlessly and continued to carry her.

By the time they reached the stairs, Peggy’s now bare chest pressed against Steve’s. Her lips roamed. She kissed his earlobe, his neck and his shoulder, letting out heavy breaths between each one as he carried her into the bedroom. They collapsed down onto the bed, Steve remained on top of her as he continued to kiss her. He then sat up and slowly pulled away her last remaining layer. Peggy softly biting her lip as she watched him do so.

Steve stared and admired her bare beautiful body, something he had grown to miss over the course of these few days. Steve ran his lips up her leg, placing trails of light kiss as he came up to her thigh.

“Come here” she said breathlessly. Steve obeyed and brought his lips back onto hers.

Soon, it was hard to breathe altogether. Being together as one , once again. Peggy’s breath hitched every time she breathed as did his. Her moans were always quiet and sweet. Steve sat them both up, their noses rubbed together as they took deep heavy breaths, their mouths opened as they lightly pressed against each other, letting their moans escape. Peggy covered her mouth as she pressed the side of her head against his to try to stop from screaming. Steve dropped back down  to the bed. He kissed her chest and let out a moaned sigh as he looked back up to her face. Peggy clenched her fists in the duvet and bit her lip as her eyes shut.

Her nails then dug his back. Bringing a smirk to his face. He loved it she did that. It meant she was on the verge of losing control.

“I know, baby” he whispered roughly into her ear, then hearing her cry out a moan as soon as she heard his voice.

Peggy breathlessly whispered “You’re going-”

“Mm-hm” Steve nodded as his eyes then slammed shut. Her nails scraped up his back. They both let out one final moan, before Steve collapsed his body onto her. Letting out deep heavy breaths. Peggy, with her hand on the back of his head, cradling also did the same. A wide grin came onto Peggy’s face, she kissed his temple and whispered “I’ve missed you”

Steve lifted his head back up and looked at her, he smiled and kissed her softly “For what it's worth, you'll never have to miss me again”

“It worth everything ” Peggy clashed her lips back onto his, rolling over so that she was now on top of him. Smirking against his lips, she rubbed her hips against his and muttered “Round two”

Chapter Text

Considering she was almost killed last night, Peggy had never woken up happier. She slowly opened her eyes, with her head resting on Steve’s bare chest, slowly rising and falling as he slept. Peggy rest her chin on it and looked up at his angelic sleeping face and grinned. She pressed her lips against his chest, waking him up with light kissing, leading up from his chest to his neck to his lips.

Steve smirked as his eyes slowly opened, seeing Peggy’s face pressed against his, he grumbled in his morning sexy (As Peggy calls it in her head) voice “Good morning”

“Good morning” she whispered, her smile not fading away for a second as she kissed his slowly again. Steve pulled her body on top of his as he continued to his her, his hand firmly resting on her backside as she played with his hair. He went to kiss her neck but then saw the damage that had been done to it from last night. And not from him.

Steve placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her head back, then lifting it slightly to get a good look “Does it hurt?”

“No, it’s alright”

Steve let out a brief sigh of relief and then muttered “After you fell asleep last night, I went down to see Jarvis and Ana when they got home, I explained everything, Ana went nuts so expect a lot of fuss. Oh and Jarvis is planning something to ensure our safety apparently”

“Oh lovely” Peggy sighed as she lay back down next to him, her leg still draped over his. Steve stroked her head as he leaned his head on the top of hers.

“Putting the whole getting attacked thing to the side, last night was amazing” Steve said in whisper which brought an amused small smile to her face, he felt her softly nod and then she looked up at him “It was, I’ve missed being with you”

“I’ve missed you too” Steve whispered giving her a kiss on the forehead. Peggy's eyes drifted to the time on the table.

“Come on then, we better shake a leg” Peggy muttered as she slapped his stomach and slid out of the bed.

As Steve got dressed, Peggy went down to the lab where she saw Howard running around like a mad man whilst Jason stood still in his ghostly form as he looked to the chalk board.

“Peg! You’re up!”

“Have you slept?”  

“No. No sleep. Coffee. How was things last night with Steve?”

Peggy’s pinched together, she didn’t understand what he meant by that? He didn’t know anything about last night as far as she knew.

“What are you talking about?”

Howard looked at her with a surprised look on his face, he walked over to her and spoke in a quiet tone, knowing how much of a private person Peggy could be, especially regarding Steve.

“He told me he had a big romantic night planned for the two of you since that Jarvis and Ana were going out, bought you a big bunch of roses and everything”

Peggy shut her eyes for a brief moment and shook her head “Oh my god...those were for me” she rubbed her forehead and muttered “I thought it was what Mr Jarvis had bought for Ana, I’m such an idiot”

“Why? What did you do? And what is with your neck? Is it a hickey?”

“No it’s not a bloody hickey, I was stressed last night and I was outside fuelling out my anger, and I was completely being icy with everything including him”

Howard couldn’t help but laugh which brought forward Peggy’s confusion “Icy. He was in ice, it's funny” his self amusing joke earned him a slap on the arm.

“ Anyway . A rather large man was sent to, well kill me I imagine-”

“Jeez Peg!”

Peggy glanced behind Howard and saw the worried look that also came to Jason’s face. Howard put his hand on her arm “You alright?”

“Yes I’m fine. Steve’s fine, the bruising is from a slight choking”

“Did you at least kill the bastard?”

“Unfortunately not, but don’t worry, Steve is certainly out for blood and I’m out for answers”

“Well, no doubt you’ll succeed in catching him. Hey, that reminds me, something struck me the other day. A wonderment in fact”

“Which is?”

“You and Steve were together for getting on a good year. I’m surprised he never popped the question to you”

Peggy’s breath got caught in her throat for a moment, she stayed silent. Rubbing her lips and soon avoiding eye contact with him, she gulped heavily and nodded as she muttered “Yes, well”

Howard then stared at her “Unless-”

“No unless. There’s no unless” Peggy quickly denied, looking at him and shaking her head.

Howard stared at her a moment longer and then let it be. Whether she was lying or not he wasn’t quite sure. Perhaps he could send Ana in to get the truth out, she was good at that.

Peggy swiftly changed the subject “Howard, you need to sleep”

“I can do that on the way to Peru. We need an expert in the field Jason and I are thinking off. I know just the guy, unfortunately he is in Peru”

“I’m starting to think it’s something I said” she dryly teased “You seem to take off whenever we spend more than one day together”

“Don’t be silly, Peg, I’ll always make time for family” Howard gleamed as he then carried on the dash about “Jason the lab is yours till I get back. Jarvis is your man and I will be back as soon as I can, to get answers especially from you , this ain’t over” he smirked.

Peggy just nodded “Alright. Alright. Have a safe flight”

“Where’s my passport?”

“I’m not your mother, Howard, I don’t know”

“Ah I’ll find it!” Howard exclaimed as he headed through the door and out of the lab.

Peggy looked to Jason “I never had the chance, to apologise for what happened to you”

“Come again?”

“For letting you go into the lab alone”

“You mean my lab? To get my research?” Jason said with a small laugh, he shrugged and shook his head “I was more than eager to help”

“Still, I am sorry that you...got hurt?” Peggy didn’t actually know if Jason was in any pain. But still, she felt like she had caused it.

“Better me than you”

Oh god. If Steve was here now, she could see him drilling holes into Jason’s head right this second. Peggy brushed it off and was then brought down to earth when Jason said “Which is why I can’t stay here”

“Can’t stay-are you mad?”

“You might end up getting hurt from trying to protect me, I’m making this easier for you. No doubt Captain Rogers would be glad to see the back of me”

Peggy laughed breathlessly and shook her head “Don’t worry about Steve, he’s just protective that’s all, he does like you regardless of the vibe he gives off. Besides, no matter what Steve may or may not think of you he did do his best to protect both of us back at that car park. You wouldn’t have made it out if it wasn’t for us, Doctor Wilkes. You need us, and we do need you to help us go against Whitney Frost”

Jason sighed, he knew she was right. He could tell very early on that she would always speak sense and be right.

He shrugged and nodded “Alright. You twisted my arm”

“Good. So get back to work” Peggy raised her eyebrows to him, then leaving him to do exactly that by himself.

Steve and Peggy worked closely with Jason over the next few days. He was getting close to figuring out but he just needed the extra few nudges, by himself as a way to tell himself that he could do this. Steve and Peggy tried to encourage him as much as they could.

Though Peggy didn’t help much by scoffing her jam and cream treat and having some land on the documents.

Steve and Jason shot her a raised eyebrow look. She picked the cream up with her finger and stared at them “I’m starved!”

Steve looked at her with a loving smile on his face as he thought God, she’s so cute

“I’ll be right back” Jason said with a small laugh as he went out of sight in the lab. Steve took a step forward.

“Do you understand any of this?”

“Not in the slightest” Peggy laughed lightly “But we won’t stay here for too long, just let me finish this and we’ll go”

Steve smirked as he leaned forward, laying his hands on the desk, moving his head intensely close to hers and whispered “Your place or mine?”

“Very funny” Peggy spoke back in whisper with a smirk on her face. Steve nodded and looked down at her lips, Peggy stared at him and grew slightly impatient as his lips teased her “Do you want me to beg?”

“Sorry” he whispered, his lips were barely even a centimetre away from hers, Peggy closed her eyes as his lips grew forward. Steve smirked and did something else by wiping the cream she had in the corner of her lip off with his finger and put it on his mouth.  

“Steve!” Peggy yelled as she slapped his laughing chest. Steve chuckled and then quickly moved his head forward again and this time she really did kiss her. Peggy gripped onto his jacket and pulled him closer letting out a soft moan. Pulling away by the sound of Jason clearing his throat as he entered the room.

Steve rubbed the smudged red lipstick off of his lips and took a step back as Jason went back to his desk.

“Miss Carter! Will you be ready to leave soon?!” Jarvis called from downstairs. Peggy shot up from the bed, with the duvet covering her naked body. Peggy rubbed her forehead and nodded as she called “I shan’t be long, Mr Jarvis!”

She felt Steve’s lips softly press against her bare back.

“Don’t go” he whispered as his rested on the back of her neck.

“Believe me I’d rather stay”

“At least let me go with you, let Jarvis have a day with Ana”

“I thought about that” she said with a light laugh “But how can we get through investigating the political party event when they know who we both are? Mr Jarvis is unknown to these people and is the best asset for this that we have”

“I hate it when you’re right” Steve groaned as he lay back down in the bed. Putting his hand over his head, resting it on the pillow. Peggy looked down to him and ran her hand softly down his chest “I promise, I’ll be as quick as I can so I can get back to you. Besides. You and Ana get on like a house on fire, it’s not like you’ll be bored”

“No I guess I won’t”

“I better get dressed” Peggy muttered as she got out of bed. Steve stayed exactly where he was. Eventually he fell to sleep within two minutes of Peggy being away from him. It didn’t take her long to get dressed, she rushed in fact yet she still looked as beautiful as ever. In her pink blouse and dark green waist pants on she walked out the bathroom and saw Steve sound asleep, she couldn’t help but grin.

This was her life now. No more hiding with him. She could actually get up in the morning and come back to him still sleeping in her bed. Peggy tucked her hair behind her ear and knelt one leg on the bed and leaned forward, hanging her head over his, she whispered softly “Bye for now my love” she smiled as she lightly bit his bottom lip when she saw his lips curl up, then pressing her lips down on both of his, Steve pulling her down and doing his best to keep her, making her giggle as she tried to pull away. Eventually he let her go and watched her leave.

Steve did go downstairs eventually, dressed in just his sweats and a white t-shirt, he found Ana singing away in the kitchen. Steve laughed quietly and listened. Then scaring the daylights out of her when he said “I love this song”

“Oh! Steven! You frightened me!”

“Sorry, Ana” Steve laughed as he took a step forward “You got a nice voice though”

“Now I know you're just being nice” Ana laughed, she looked over to the roses that she had put in a vase by the window and said “Those flowers were beautiful. Did she like them?”

Steve pursed his lips as he laid his hands on the counter and looked to Ana, letting out a deep shrug “She didn't actually know they were for her. She thought Mr Jarvis bought them for you. Then after the attack and the...the err moment was well and truly ruined for a candle lit dinner”

Ana frowned “I'm sorry Steven, you said how excited you were to have your first romantic night together”

Steve nodded, he couldn't complain too much, they did end up having a romantic night eventually. He just was hoping for them to do what they did last night after a nice meal instead of a nice beating.

“It's alright, Ana, at least you two had a nice night”

“Yes! Up until we came home to hear the children had been in a scuffle” Ana said with a tease in her tone. Steve rolled his eyes and shrugged “I guess you can't leave us alone!” He laughed which made her giggle.

She then raised an eyebrow “And how are you with Doctor Wilkes?”

Steve shrugged.

“Steven”

Ana had suddenly become like some sort of big sister to him within the few days of knowing each other, it was a nice feeling. Steve laughed and leaned down on the counter on his elbows.

“Ana there's no problem. He's a good guy”

Ana shrugged “So is Mr Stark. Doesn't stop people from disliking him”

Steve stared at her and remained silent, he then looked down at his hands and heard her say “You don't like the fact that he holds feelings for Miss Carter. Which is natural, Peggy is your girlfriend after all, if another woman was looking at Edwin that way, I'd have to gouge her eyes out” she stated as poured herself a glass of water, then slamming it on the counter quickly and holding her hand up to him “Please don't gouge his eyes out”

Steve laughed and nodded “I'll try to contain my urge to”

“Oh good. I would not like to be held responsible for encouraging such an act”

“Don't worry Ana” he laughed as she passed him a glass of water.

Later on that day, with Ana going out shopping, she offered for Steve to come. But he’d rather not help her shop for lovely dresses, as appealing as that did not sound.

“It will be fun!” Ana stated as she walked over to her car. Steve laughed “For you!”

Ana waved her hand at him and raised an eyebrow at him and sang “Last chance”

Steve ran over to the car, but not to get in, the shut her door. With hands still on the car door where the pulled down window was, he ducked under it to look at her and gleamed “Happy shopping”

“Alright” she reached up and pinched his chin briefly as she said “If you don't mind being alone”

“I'll survive, unless that guy comes back for more”

“Don't say that!” She exclaimed. Then laughing and shaking her head “I'll be back in a couple of hours”

Steve sat in the living room by himself for a while, Daniel then dropped by to drop of some case files, after Daniel left he actually drifted asleep but woke up when he heard a car pull up.

Steve walked outside and saw Peggy get out of the car, his smile beamed as she seemed slightly distracted, but when she saw him, she did smile “Hi” he said as he gently pulled her in for a brief kiss.

“You just missed Sousa actually, he dropped by some case files”

“Ah I see. Well we will look at them later” Peggy nodded as she patted his chest. Steve sighed, knowing that he was going to regret asking this, but by just reading the look on her face he knew she had something going on “What've you done?”

“Something either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid”

Steve then looked to the car and saw Jarvis passed out, he walked over to the car and saw the butler's face squashed against the window “And Mr Jarvis is? Taking a nap?”

Peggy pulled her face and shook her head “Please tell me Ana isn't in”

“No she went shopping bout half an hour ago, she’d be gone for a while” he kept his eyes on Jarvis and pointed to him “So...is this the smart or stupid thing?”

“I wish”

“Hey let me outta here! Get me out!”

Steve bit his lip as he raised his eyebrows and slowly turned his head to her. She stared at him through her sunglasses and pointed, speaking a moment or two later “ That would be the err-”

“Stupid or smart thing?”

Peggy laughed breathlessly and put her hand back on her hip “You know me so well”

Steve nodded and whispered “Yeah”

He carefully opened the car door and caught Jarvis, putting him over his shoulder he looked to Peggy and he began to walk to the house “Let's talk about your day then, darlin”

After Peggy explained everything. Steve stared at her, rather taken back. With his hands on her hips, his face was still a picture of pure shock “So...so you...wow...it's a good job Daniel isn't here. He’d go nuts”

“Luckily I have you to help me... right? ”

“Come on you've always got me” Steve stated as he glanced to Jarvis, Peggy letting out a small smile due to the butterflies that set off in her stomach.

Steve then looked outside and nodded to the car “So that's the guy that tried to kill you?”

“It is”

“Hm” Steve nodded as his anger boiled up “And what do you plan on doing with him?” Steve asked, still looking outside.

Peggy looked up at the ceiling for a moment and shrugged “I thought I might kill him”

Steve head then snapped back to looking at her. He saw that she was being more than serious as she shrugged once again and gave him a little nod, tilting her head at him. Steve slowly shook his head and then let out a small laugh as he whispered “God. I love you”

Peggy smirked “I know, now come on soldier. Let's get him in the basement”

“Allow me to get the crap out of the car” Steve muttered as he kissed the top of her head as he walked past her, with his jaw clenched. He was going to enjoy dragging this bastard out of the car. Steve walked to the trunk of the car and opened it, before Hunt even had the chance to say anything, Steve punched him hard enough to knock him back out, roughly grabbing him by the scruff of his collar he dragged him out of the trunk and onto the hard floor.

Instead of picking him up and carrying him to the basement, he dragged him the whole way there.

Peggy didn’t stop him, she saw the anger in his eyes when he looked at Hunt. This man had well and truly pissed off Captain America.

Steve threw Hunt down on the chair and very tightly tied the ropes around his wrist, enough to wake Hunt from the shock pain.

“Jesus!” he hissed as Steve slowly took a step back. Peggy watching from a chair to the side, with her secret technique at the ready just in case Steve’s tough guy act didn’t work. And boy did he want to make it work because he wanted nothing more than to make this man pay for what he almost did to Peggy. Giving her a slight pain was enough to make Steve have a vendetta against you.

“Sorry...did I hurt you?” Steve laid on sarcastically as he stood back.

Hunt’s reply was nothing more than an ape like grunt. Hunt wasn’t here to just pay for what he had done he was also here to get answers out of.

Hunt glanced to Peggy and then laughed “Oh I see. What’s this? Revenge ?”

“As much as I’d like to say yes. No it’s not. You’re not even our main priority. There are much bigger things we have to deal with to my dismay”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah” Steve snarled as he took a step closer and spoke in the same tone “Because if we didn’t. You’d be goddamn wishing that you could be in this position instead”  

Hunt raised his eyebrows, pulling a sarcastic worried face “Well. I am grateful”

“What we want to know, is what work you do for Chadwick and all those guys at the arena club”

“Oh, is that all?” Hunt scoffed a laugh.

“We need names of members, what their up to and how the hell Whitney Frist fits into it!”

Peggy had never seen him like this before. With so much spite in his eyes, his veins popping out of his arms from clutching to his fists and his jaw clenching more than usual. It was new and rather arousing. But that was to be thought of another time.

“I ain’t allowed to socialise with the members I’m afraid. Or their wives for that matter” he said with a smirk and then whispered “Club policy”

Steve sighed and glanced to Peggy, then looking back at hunt he raised his eyebrows and asked in a mutter “So, the hard way then?”

Hunt laughed and shrugged “Don’t you have an ocean to be freezing in, Cap? Did you leave your techniques down there? Look. You can throw as many of those spangled punches at me that you like. Still won’t do anything. I was dragged round by a jeep by my fingers being tied to it, so go on then, give me your best shots”

Steve laughed and shook his head “You stupid son of a bitch. You think I’m doing the hard way ?”

Steve looked at Peggy and nodded as he backed away “He’s all yours”

Peggy stood up and walked over to Hunt with an injection needle resting in her hand. Hunt couldn’t help but laugh “Oh come on. The lady?”

“Well. If it wasn’t for this lady, I wouldn’t know how to throw around those...what did you call em? Spangled punches ?” Steve said with a grin on his face.

“And besides. We’re not going to torture you” Peggy spoke up.

“Course you’re not. I know all about you, running around pretending you’re Eliot Ness. That’s the problem with you federal folk. You just have a line that you can’t cross”

Peggy turned around and looked to Steve, who just raised his eyebrows and shrugged. Just waiting for her to lay it on him thick. It was like watching one of those thrilling cop movies but for free.

“Forgive me. I meant to say that, we’re not going to torture because, well we have no time”

Hunt raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes “Meaning?”

“I love this part” Steve muttered to himself.

Peggy stepped forward and jabbed the needle into Hunt’s neck, Steve didn’t even know what was in that damn thing. Whatever it was, it was now in Hunt. That’s for sure.

“I was in the war as well”

‘Yeah she was’ Steve thought to himself with a small smile written across his face.

“And it taught me that people on my side sometimes need to blur the line to stop people on your side”

‘Is that about me? I can’t tell whether was a dig or a compliment?’

Peggy turned her head and muttered “That was a compliment” then looking at him with a small smirk from practically being able to read his mind. She then turned back to Hunt with her game face back on and carried on “I’ve done my homework on you. Mr Hunt. I know that you served in the pacific...that means you’ll recognise the effects of malaria”

But clearly, Hunt wasn’t that smart “Malaria?”

“A particularly virulent strain, developed by an avian parasite by Stark industries”

Hunt’s face then suddenly dropped. Ah. The ape had finally caught on.

“There is an antidote but if you refuse to talk why should I give it to you? I’m sure you’ll need time to mull over our proposal, you will become fatal in twenty minutes, we shall we back in ten” With those words, Peggy walked out of the room. Quickly followed by Steve to the sound of Hunt begging for them to come back. Steve closed the door and pointed to the now empty needle.

“Did Howard really do that?”

“Well not on purpose of course. He wanted to create the cure of the common cold but failed, he ended up bringing out something at brings out intense symptoms in minutes”

Steve stared at her for a moment, then the needle, then her again.

“So...you gave him a cold?”

Peggy rolled her eyes “You make it sound rubbish! I gave him an intense cold”

She put the needle on the side and saw his still confused face, again she rolled her eyes “Don’t strain yourself, darling, let’s go have a cup of tea”

Peggy took hold of his hand and pulled his body close, his arms wrapping around her waist from behind as they walked out of the room.

Chapter Text

With Jarvis still fast asleep on the couch, Steve and Peggy stood in the kitchen with a cup of tea in their hands.

“When do you think he’ll wake up?” Steve asked with a small laugh.

Peggy sighed and shrugged “Oh he should be waking up soon, hopefully before Ana gets home” she said with a small laugh.

Her eyes wandered to the roses that were placed on the windowsill. She smiled and then looked back to him, she ran her fingers through the back of her hair which clearly grabbed Steve’s attention, Peggy then pulled his head to hers and pressed her lips against his. Stroking his hair as her tongue brushed slowly against his. Steve’s hands flew to her waist and pulled her close. He moved his hand to her cheek.

With an uncontainable smile on his face, Steve asked “What was that for?”

“The flowers. I didn’t get the chance to thank you last night”

“Oh” Steve sheepishly muttered as he his cheeks blushed, leading to Peggy running her finger tips down his red cheeks and then laughed “Why are you blushing?”

“I don’t know. Guess it’s just cause I planned on giving you em and now they're just there, not exactly romantic is it” He said with a small chuckle, with Peggy looking at him with such love as her hands remained resting on his cheeks “I’m sorry” she whispered.

“Don’t be” he whispered, shaking his head “You were stressed, I understand, if anything I blame Thompson for being such a...a-”

“Prick?”

Steve laughed and nodded “Insults like that sound much better coming from your mouth” he whispered heavily as he pressed his lips roughly back onto hers. Her back pressing against the kitchen counter.

“You sure know how to make a woman feel like taking you to bed”

“I’m not opposing to that” Steve raised his eyebrows which brought out Peggy’s laugh as he smiled at her, she lightly slapped his chest and clutched onto his shirt “Tempting, but we’re technically on duty”

“Yeah. Cause that’s stopped us before”

“Like I said, tempting. But” she grabbed his wrist and looked down to his watch “We’ve only got about two minutes and by the time we get it all off and get it on, I’m afraid you’re not that fast, love” she dryly teased. Now, he would challenge her on that, but to save himself the embarrassment he just agreed and softly swayed her side to side “Fine, but for these last two minutes I am gonna keep kissing you”

“Please do” Peggy whispered in that seductive tone of hers as she looked down to his lips and closed her eyes as they came back onto hers. His hand did explore her body in more detail under her shirt, which she also did not oppose to. Hopefully Mr Jarvis will stay sound asleep for these last two minutes.

They had to then get their game faces back on which they were used to doing and went back down to the basement where the now sweaty and suffering Hunt sat in that chair.

“How you holding up, Hunt?” Steve rhetorically questioned as he walked into the room behind Peggy. Hunt just glared at him through his heavy breathing. Steve pulled an this is awkward face and muttered “Clearly not holding up at all”

Peggy stared at Hunt and questioned calmly “Are you ready to give us answers now?”

Hunt remained silent, he was suffering and that was clear to see. But silent none the less. Steve crossed his arms and took a step forward “Hunt all we want is some names, let’s start with one name? Come on. Is it worth dying for? Just give us a name”

But still he remained completely silent.

“You’re impressive” Peggy said dryly and then added “Practically on death's door, and to survive all you have to do is answer a few questions but you still hold your cards to your chest, I’m having a hard time to decide whether you stay silent through strong convictions or spite”

Steve took a step back and looked to Hunt, then realising something. He looked to Peggy and nodded his head for her to following him to a further part of the room “Peg. I think we need to give him the antidote”

“Why?”

“Don’t get me wrong I’d like to see this bastard suffer, but at the end of the day, if he dies then we really will have no chance of getting answers. The guys got like five minutes left”

“That’s a generous estimation” Peggy said in a light snap through her frustration.

“He’s no used to us dead”

“Nor is he used to us alive and quiet-”

“Thomas Clauster!” Hunt then spoke up, causing Steve and Peggy to look at him, both rather surprised that he finally cracked.  

“Daniel told me about him. He’s the wall street guy?” Steve said as he walked back over to Hunt. Hunt nodded as confirmation and then continued “Hugh Jones”

Peggy then said “Roxxon? I’ve had the pleasure”

“Give me the antidote. Now” Hunt pleaded.

Peggy shook her head “I’ll give it to you when we’ve finished out conversation. Then you’ll be free-”

“Free? I’ll never be free again. Not after this. This stuff is gonna buy me a couple of days”

Steve glanced to Peggy and then looked back to Hunt “Get outta town. Run”

“Or the SSR could protect you”

“I wouldn’t go that far” Steve muttered under his breath, earning himself a glare from Peggy as his comment didn’t exactly help.

“Are two really that dumb? Huh? I can’t run and I can’t be protected. These guys make things happen! Don’t you get it! I’m already dead! And so are you”

Peggy grew tiresome, she held up the bottle and then placed it on the floor “If you don’t want those extra days then” she put her foot over it, ready to crush it. Steve stepped forward and put his hand on her arm to try and just make her put the brakes on all of this, but what she did was enough to scare Hunt “Wait! Storage room at the club the council of nine. That’s what they’re called they record their meetings you’ll see, everything you wanna know will be on those tapes”

Peggy couldn’t help but look at Steve with an I told you so look that her methods, although very steep, do pay off. Steve rolled his eyes and nodded “Alright, just give him the damn antidote”

Peggy walked over and poured the liquid down Hunt’s throat and then took a step back. Hunt cleared his throat afterwards and then said sternly “Now that me go”

“Oh no, Mr Hunt. We aren’t quite done with you yet” Peggy stated as Steve and Peggy then both walked over of the room again to the sound of Hunt yelling at the top of his lungs.

“I need to go to the SSR and talk to Daniel” Peggy muttered “I want you to stay here and make sure Hunt doesn’t do anything and that Mr Jarvis doesn’t end up swallowing his own tongue”

“So I’m playing babysitter for a guy I wanna kill and an unconscious butler. Hm, what has my life come to?”

Peggy rolled her eyes and whispered as she took hold of his chin “Just this once” then pulled his face to hers and giving him a quick kiss, wiping her lipstick off of his mouth with her thumb she then added “Promise”  

Steve gave her a little smile and watched her walk away, hearing her call “I love you” before exiting the house.

“Love you too” Steve muttered as the door shut. Turning around to the couch and pushing Jarvis’s legs, saying as he did “Budge over” then plonking himself down next to him. Having to listen to him say all sorts of weird things during his sleep.

It wasn’t long before the phone rang. Which ultimately woke Steve up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Darling. Could you come down to the office?”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“We’re going to raid the Arena Club”

An excited little smile came on Steve’s face, he then dryly teased “Thought I was babysitting”

“Stop it!” she laughed “I already feel bad! Just get down here we need you”

“Who needs me?” Steve smirked as he sat forward.

“...I need you” she gave into his little game, smirking on her side of the phone as well as she rolled her eyes.

“Well. When you put it that way, okay I’ll get my stuff and will be there shortly”

“Okay love, see you soon”

Steve hung up the phone and looked to the still sleeping Mr Jarvis beside him.

“Well Mr Jarvis, you’re on Hunt watch. I’m sure you’ll do a bang up job” Steve muttered as he slapped the man’s leg as he stood up.

Steve went upstairs and grabbed his brown leather jacket, his gun and then when he went downstairs, he saw Ana come through the door “Ana. You certainly spent your time wisely huh?”

Ana held up many bags “Mr Stark’s way of thanking me for well putting up with him whilst he’s here” she said with a chuckle.

“Bet you wished Mr Stark stayed more often” Steve laughed as he came down the stairs.

“I wouldn’t go that far” Ana said with an amused smile. She then looked to the side and saw her husband passed out on the couch and tilted her head “What is Edwin doing?”

“Napping. He’s had a long day” Steve muttered as he swung his jacket to his back and slid his arms through it. Ana walked over to him and lightly tapped his cheeks. Which actually woke him up. Why didn’t Steve think of that? He walked over to Jarvis “Glad to see you up”

He then leaned down and muttered “Our friend Mr Hunt is in the basement. Do not let Ana go down there”

Jarvis nodded as he came back to earth “Noted”

“Right well, duty calls”

The phone then rang again. Ana picked it up and over a few exchanges, she then extended her arm with the phone in her hand “For you, Steven, it is Miss Carter”

Steve walked back from the door and back over to the phone.

“Peg?”

“Raids off” she said bluntly. Sounding ever so pissed.

“What? Why?”

“Vernon Bloody Masters. I’m coming home anyway so you may aswell stay there”

Steve sighed and nodded “Well. That’s one adventure cut short”

She knew that he missed getting into any action, she had her fair share of it over this past year and is fine doing without it once in awhile, she also knows that he knows that she still has been trying for him to not get hurt. Too scared of losing him again really.

“I know I’m sorry, love”

“Not your fault”

“Still. I promise I’ll make it up to you”

Steve grinned “Well then, you better hurry up”

He heard her giggle quietly over the phone and she then said “Okay. I won’t be long”

She hung up, Steve put the phone back down and then took his jacket off.

“Duty doesn’t call?” Ana asked as Steve walked over and hung up his jacket on the coat rack, he shook his head and sighed “No I guess not”

Ana raised an eyebrow and put her hand on his arm for a brief moment “They’ll be other adventures, Steven”

“I know, I know” Steve said with a small smile.

Peggy soon came home, with Daniel by her side. She explained to Steve that Daniel had swiped some evidence from the SSR and had now come up with an idea, Daniel was going to be used as bait as Steve certainly wouldn’t fall to the floor with just one punch. Daniel was going to have to take one for the team.    

Which he did for Hunt to think that he had escaped when he actually had a bug strapped to the waistline of his pants.

They then made their way down to the lab where they had the communicator was set up that connected with the bug that was attached to Hunt.

As Daniel was doing his best being the whiz and setting up the radio, Steve looked to Peggy and muttered against her ear “So how you gonna make it up to me?”

Peggy smirked and rested her hand on his stomach and lightly pushed him back as she took her eyes back into his and whispered “That’s up to me to decide”

“Okay he’s in” Daniel called. Steve and Peggy walked over to the device, they all peered their ears in and listened. Listened to Hunt enter Whitney and Calvin’s house. Insisting to speak to Calvin and refusing to talk until he returned home and by the sounds of it. That could take a while. So Jarvis went off and fetched a bottle of something strong to ease all of their patience. Apart from Jason of course who couldn’t even drink.

Peggy looked over to him staring at his theories on the chalkboard and became interested to what he had found, and he also looked pretty glum. She didn’t like glum.

“I’ll just be a moment” she whispered to Steve as he then watched her walk over to Jason.

Standing beside Daniel, Steve scoffed under his breath and looked back down at the radio. Daniel raised his eyebrows and looked to Peggy as she started talking to Wilkes and then looked back to Steve “You guys alright?”

“Hm?” Steve muttered as he looked up to Daniel “Oh! Yeah we’re fine it’s just I err”

“Oh” Daniel said in a whisper “You don’t like Wilkes?”

Steve shook his head with a tight smile and denied “Come on, I’m a reasonable guy I like to see the good in everybody”

Daniel raised his eyebrows briefly as he shrugged and nodded. As both men looked back down to the radio it was then when he heard Steve mutter “But yeah I don’t like him”

Daniel chuckled and nodded “I get it, Steve, couple a doctors who work with Violet are the same”

Steve shrugged “Both of us got nothing to worry about though, that’s the main thing”

Daniel nodded whole heartedly at his point “You’re right”

“Calvin, is that you?”

Steve looked up to Peggy talking to Jason, with a soft expression but closed off body as her arms were crossed.

“Peg, Chadwick. He’s home”

Peggy and Jason walked over and went back to listening in. Hunt didn’t waste anytime. He got to telling Calvin everything straight away.

“She shot me with a tranquiliser gun and locked me in the trunk. Then her and her stupid boyfriend tried to kill me”

Peggy looked up to Steve from across the table and raised an eyebrow to him. Steve shot her a smirk and shrugged. Stupid boyfriend . Could’ve been worse.

“She’s finished. Both of them. I will have their jobs for this and I will have her deported, who the hell does she think she is-”

“What did you tell her?” Whitney’s sharp voice was then heard over the communicator. Hunt went to deny everything at first, but when Whitney pushed away he finally gave in. Telling them everything that he had told to Steve and Peggy.

“I have you show you something. It’s important”

Daniel looked at everyone in the room and then said under his breath “Here we go”

Whitney sounded calm, almost too calm. There was suddenly then the sound of Hunt being choked. Chadwick in the background panicking and asking Whitney what she was doing and how she was doing it. The communicator crackled up so much that the connection eventually broke.

“We lost the signal” Daniel stated as he tried his best for a moment or two to see if he could get anything back, but he couldn’t.

Steve rested his hand on the counter and looked up to them all “The hell did she do to Hunt?”

“I don’t know” Peggy shook her head “But I have a feeling that we won’t see him again”

“I can’t exactly decide whether I find that news as comforting or not” Jarvis muttered with his tone in a rather high pitch.

“Me either, Mr Jarvis” Peggy said as she looked at him. It fell silent for moment. Until Steve eventually broke “Right. Well it looks like that’s all we’re gonna get out of tonight. Let’s all call it night, get some shut eye and then we’ll make plans tomorrow when we’re not turning into mush”

“That sounds like the perfect plan right now” Daniel nodded as he rubbed his face with the palm of his hand.  

Steve and Peggy got up to there room. Closing the door, Peggy stood at the end of the bed and watched him walk back over to her, he extended his arms and brought her body close to press against hers, his lips went straight to her neck, which let out a burst of her butterflies in the pit of her stomach.

“I thought I was making it up to you ” Peggy said breathlessly.

“You will” Steve whispered as his hot lips stuck to her skin. He then lifted his head and stared her as he slowly unbuttoned her blouse “In a bit” he whispered heavily and roughly as he took his lips back to hers, Peggy let out a surprised moan and then cupped his face, bringing his lips onto hers even more as he continued to unbutton her blouse, pulling them out from being tucked in her trousers, he slid his hands under her opened blouse, hands gripping onto her bare waist as he pulled her hips firmly against his.

“I was thinking about, what I asked you, the night before we went against Schmidt” Steve spoke as he pulled his lips away.

Peggy stared into his eyes and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and nodded as she said in a quiet tone “I remember”

“I was wondering if you still meant it”

Peggy stayed silent for a moment, she licked her lips and looked down to the floor, she then looked back to him and grinned “I did, but let’s just get through all of this and we’ll talk about it when we can find time to catch a breath before we get dragged away again, okay?”

He couldn’t exactly argue against that, not did he disagree with it in anyway. They had a primary focus and the less mixed up things got for now the better. And how could he argue with the woman he loves when she’s looking at him like she is.

Steve gave her a smile, a little nod and then returned to her lips. Sliding her blouse off her body, he took her by surprise and effortlessly lifted her up and then dropped her down onto the bed. Hovering over her and pressed his all his weight down on his hands that were to the sides of her head as he carried on kissing her. Peggy slowly arched her head as she put it down on the bed as his lips went from her lips to her jawline and back down to her neck.

Kissing her neck was her weak spot, she couldn’t get enough of it.

Peggy pulled her head back up and pressed his lips against his shoulder as she smiled when she began to unbutton his shirt.

Steve gave a quick kiss on her shoulder and said as he looked back into her eyes, he had to tell her this every time they were about to make love, and she was just waiting for it “I love you”

Peggy smiled and kissed him on his soft lips and whispered “I love you too”

Steve smiled and pulled his head back down and this time, his lips clashed against hers. Growing hotter and rougher as they grew hotter.

Her nails digging into his now bare back and his hands gripping onto her now bare thighs. His lips then heading south of her body. With Ana and Jarvis just a few doors down, they going to have to be a little more quiet this time.

Chapter Text

Peggy was sound asleep, with her arm draped over Steve as his back pressed against her front.

It was a damn good thing she was clothed since Jason came into her room in aid for her help “Peggy” he whispered. She didn’t wake up. He then said in a more clearer voice as he neared their bed “Peggy”

Peggy gripped onto her gun and turned around, pointing it straight through Jason’s head. Peggy let out a brief sigh of relief and then said in a blunt tone “Don’t do that...I could’ve shot” she then realised that her sentence wouldn’t have made much sense and looked to the picture behind him and added as she dropped her hand “Howard” she then looked beside her, Steve sure was a heavy sleeper.

“You’re also lucky you didn’t wake him. Else you’d have a very angry Captain on your hands”

“Sorry” Jason whispered, then settling his face back to his usual happy one he asked “Come to the lab? I need to show you something”

“Now?”

“Now”

Peggy sighed and looked back to Steve, she didn’t have it in her heart to wake him. He looked so peaceful when he slept. Peggy touched his cheek briefly and then got out of bed, following Jason to the lab. Yawning all the way there and not stopping when she was in the lab. When he showed her what it was he woke her up for. She already had seen it before.

“That’s the tissue sample from Jane Scott’s autopsy? Doctor Wilkes you’ve woke me up for something I’ve already seen-”

“No, no wait!” Jason exclaimed. God knows how he had so much energy at this time, then again he doesn’t sleep nowadays.

“Just watch” he softly ordered as he walked over to it and hovered his hand around the jar. It took a moment and then she saw what he had woken her up for. The zero matter that was attached to the tissue flew to the side of the jar in an attraction to Jason’s hand.

Peggy, now a little gobsmacked walked over to him and stared down to it.

“How are you doing that?”

“I don’t know” Jason said with a light chuckle.

He went on to say how to small sample of zero matter was calling and drawn to him. When all of the sudden, the zero matter was somehow able to pull itself out of the glass and hitting into Jason’s skin, knocking him back.

“Oh god!” Peggy panicked “Jason are you?” her hand landed on his arm and to her surprise, it stayed there. He was solid. But for a very brief moment as before she knew it, her hand fell through him.

Coming back to reality, Jason looked confused at first, he then looked to Peggy and spoke with an expression and tone to say that he couldn’t believe what he was actually saying “I know where Jane Scott’s body is”

Peggy stared at him for a moment and raised her eyebrows “You’re sure?”

“Yes, pretty sure”

“Right. Okay, I’m going to go wake Steve” Peggy stated as she went to walk away, then coming to a halt when she heard Jason say “I thought we wouldn’t want an angry Captain?”

Peggy smirked and shook her head “No, Doctor Wilkes, you would have had an angry captain on your hands. However, Steve won’t mind me waking him”

Quietly, Peggy made her way up the stairs, past Ana and Jarvis’s room, successfully not waking them. Peggy slowly walked over to the bed, pressing her knee down onto the mattress, Peggy leaned over to Steve and whispered as she softly shook him “Steve”

He didn’t wake up. She then kissed his cheek and whispered again, this time with his lips much closer to his ear “Sweetheart, wake up”

Again, he didn’t wake up, he just groaned and fidgeted around. Peggy leaned back up and sighed as she gave him brief daggers. She shrugged as she said to herself that she tried to be nice. Slowly her hand went over his face and she quickly brought it down and slapped his cheek. Not too hard of course but enough to wake him up.

Steve shot up, Peggy moved her head back just in time so he didn’t headbutt her. Steve looked to her, she laid on the kind of smile that he’d find so loving that he couldn’t be truly annoyed at her, along with her then saying in a loving tone to match “Good morning”

“Good morning?” Steve raised an eyebrow, lifting his watch that was on the side table he grumbled in his sleepy voice “It’s barely even morning to start with” he stated as he put his watch back down on the table and turned to her.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” he asked as he rubbed her arm.

“I’m fine. It’s Doctor Wilkes”

It fell silent for a moment, Steve then spoke in an unappreciated tone “You woke me up because of Doctor Wilkes”

Peggy frowned at him and muttered “Oh do grow up. Would I wake you if it wasn’t necessary? Come on, put some pants on and follow me downstairs” she requested as she lightly patted his side and slid back off the bed. Steve groaned and did the same, less gracefully that is.

Grabbing his sweat pants he looked to her and asked “What’s this about?”

“Wilkes, he was tangible for a moment. The zero matter went into his body and his body was solid, something happened to him and he also then claimed that he knows the whereabouts of Jane Scott’s body”

Steve put his hands on his hips as he took a moment to process all she had given him and then nodded “Okay, let’s go then”

The pair made their way down to the lab, she grabbed out a map, laying it out across the counter. Jason soon pointed to one part of the map and slowly nodded “There, that’s it”

Peggy leaned down and read the address of the street, Jason then gave her the name of the building. He didn’t know how he knew but he just did. It was confusing to all of them. Peggy took a mental note of the building name and the address. Giving Steve light push towards Jason she ordered “Jason tell Steve what you told me, you experienced it I’m sure you’d be able to give more detail”

Jason gulped heavily and nodded “Right, of course”

Peggy walked over to the phone in hope that Rose may be up. It was hardly a reasonable hour but to be. Either way she answered, Peggy wasn’t sure whether she woke her or not but either way she apologised for the inconvenient phone call at this hour.  

Steve folded his arms in the middle of Jason's story and asked bluntly “How do you know for sure?”

“It’s more than knowing...it’s hard to explain but I can feel it”

Steve slowly looked back down to the map, not understanding how exactly all of this stuff worked but to be honest, Jason was just as confused. Peggy, now off the phone walked back over to them and said “Rose said that building is the county cold storage building, and it is also happens to be owned by Calvin Chadwick’s chum Thomas Clauster”

“The guy Hunt told us about?”

“Indeed, that very one”  

Jason then stated “Just that small about of zero matter made me tangible”

“Temporarily” Peggy elaborated.

Jason nodded “Right sure, but with access to what is in Jane Scott’s body, I could completely cure myself”

Steve looked to Peggy “What’s our next move, Peg?”

Peggy scratched her nose and nodded at she raised her eyebrows and looked down to the map “We are going to steal Jane Scott’s body”

Steve stared at her as she walked away and then went after her as his eyebrows pinched tightly together “We’re what?”

“Jane Scott’s body.”

“And how do you plan to hurl a body from that place to here?”

Peggy shrugged and thought for a moment, she then raised her finger and nodded as her brain confirmed her thought “Yes, Mr Jarvis told me that Howard had a woody”

Steve frowned “Not a Hurst?”

“No, I’m afraid not, I was just as disappointed as you were” Peggy rubbed her lips together and grabbed hold of his wrist “We’ll get dressed, have breakfast and by that time, it’ll be daylight and we’ll be on our way”

Steve looked to the clock that hung up on the wall “Do you not think we could squeeze in some sleep on the way to that plan?”

Peggy looked at the time herself and then sighed “Yes, I suppose we can squeeze that in”

Steve smirked as kissed her roughly. His hands finding the opening of her robe. Peggy muttered a laugh as her lips stayed pressed against his, then pulling away she shook her head “Oh darling we can’t squeeze that in”

Patting his chest lightly she then walked further away and up the stairs.

Squeezing in that extra bit of sleep. Steve and Peggy got dressed, had their breakfast. Took the Woody and were on their way. Letting Jarvis spend the afternoon with Ana which was very appreciated by both of them.

Steve parked the Woody away from under the vent. Peggy raised an eyebrows and stared at him “You can park it closer”

“No I really can’t” Steve shook his head with a small laugh “Mr Jarvis set strict instructions to not climb on the roof of the car to prevent scratching the paint”

“And how on earth did he know I would-”

“Because he knows what you’re like” Steve said with a smirk “His words not mine since I went to ask the same question you were just about to ask. Unless you prefer to go barefoot”

“No! Dear god no” Peggy shook her head “I suppose you’ll just have to give me a boost so I can unscrew the bolts”

“Deal”

They got out the car and Steve gave her a boost. Rested his head against her legs as he held her feet in his hand “I was thinking”

“Uh oh” Peggy mumbled as she continued to unscrew the bolts.

Steve huffed a small laugh and rolled his eyes “Anyway I was thinking, when we get back to New York, what happens then?”

Peggy looked down to him, she remained silent and didn’t answer till she finished unscrewing them all, she did and threw the vent guard to the floor. Steve let go of her feet and caught her by the waist as she dropped down, then slowly putting her down on the floor. Peggy let out a flustered deep breath and licked her lip, taking her eyes back to him she said with a soft smile “You will work in the New York office with me...and you’ll move in with me-”

“You want me to live with you?”

“Yes. Of course. Steve we had to sneak around for the best of a year, then you were taken from me and now I have you back I just want to be close to you as much as possible...unless you don’t want to”

“Well obviously I want to”

“Then you will”

“Good”

“Good”

"And the other thing?"

"Will be discussed" Peggy smirked as she looked at him with nothing but love in her eyes, she her hands down his arms and then nodded up to the vent “So, go on get up, we need to be in and out before this place opens"

“Uh-huh” Steve hummed, gripping onto the vent he pull himself up and dragged himself in, his head soon popped back out and extended his arm to her “Come on you”

Peggy gripped hold of his hand, effortlessly he pulled her up into the vent with him.

“I sure as hell hope you know the way” Steve said with a laugh as they began to crawl through the vent shaft.

“So do I”

Steve chuckled and then the surrounding temperature hit him suddenly “Damn it’s freezing in here”

“Oh well you should be used to such temperature”

Steve stopped and let out an ‘did you just say that’ gasp as he saw her chuckle to herself

“Did you just do that? Did you make a...that was a  Howard joke”

“No” Peggy quickly answered back as she turned her head and stayed silent for a moment as she stared at him “My jokes are far more better than Howards”

Steve began to follow her down the vent again, with a shocked taken back look still on his face. They stopped over another vent gate that was under them, Peggy shifted the shutters and looked into the room and there lay Jane Scott’s body. They both worked together and unscrewed the vent gate at the, lowering it down.

“So what, I dangle you by the legs?” Steve said with a smirk “Like a tea bag”

“Oh god” Peggy whispered and then looked at him “Was that your shot at getting back at me for the frozen thing?”

“It didn’t work did it?”

“No, it didn’t”  

There was then a murmur of voices coming towards the room, Peggy looked to Steve and whispered “Did you hear something?”

Before he even had the chance to answer her, the voices were more clear of Whitney and Calvin. Peggy quickly pulled the vent gate back up, they stayed quiet and stared down to the room.

Whitney and Calvin soon came in, she ordered him to open the metal container, which he obeyed by and did. Whitney then put her hands on Jane’s dead frozen body, causing Steve and Peggy to look at each other, confused and slightly worried by what she was capable of. Her eyes went black, which was enough to scare her husband. And then. A smile.

A smile as she said “I need an atomic bomb”

Peggy’s hand flew to Steve’s and gripped onto it tight as an impulse to her shock and now even more worry by what Whitney was cooking up in that brain of hers.

“An atomic bomb? Whitney are you insane?”

“Shush! Not here! Come on, let’s get out of here, people will be in this building soon enough, and I got what I came for” Whitney snarled as she left the room, Calvin then sheepishly following her out.

When they left, Steve looked to Peggy “There’s no point investigating her body now, she’s took all the zero matter with her. Jane Scott’s body is now just-”

“A normal body, yes you’re right. We need to get out of this vent, get back to the lab and tell Doctor Wilkes hopefully he can shed some light on what Whitney could be thinking”

“Yeah good idea” Steve nodded.

They soon wriggled their way out of the vent.

Steve hit the floor first and caught Peggy in his arms as she jumped out, making her landing much more safe and comforting.

“Thank you” she said softly as he placed her down onto her own two feet. Steve held her for a moment, Peggy wasn’t complaining. But she knew that they didn’t have time for their romantic gazing, Peggy squeezed his arms, giving him a look that said even she hated herself for saying what she was about to say “We’ve got to go”

She moved out of his hold and got into the car, quickly followed by him.

With the information off of Jason and the equipment off of Peggy. She got dressed into a spiffy disguise and went to put on a little show as she went to Hugh Jones’ office and get the key she needed from him. Some things could only be done by a woman. Steve couldn’t exactly put on a wig and a skirt and set off to this. Well, he could try but it’d be weird.

Whilst Peggy was out doing her thing. Steve went to the office and traded notes on what they had as updates on the case. They stayed in Daniel’s office. Steve, flipping through files he shook his head as he took his mind back to what Whitney said “An Atomic bomb” he said as he dropped the files down still in his hands as he looked to Daniel.

“What the hell does she want with an Atomic Bomb?”

Daniel shrugged and raised his eyebrows “I’m too scared to even ask...I just hope Peggy gets what we need from Jones”

“She will” Steve nodded with nothing but confidence in his tone “She always gets the job done”

Steve looked back up to Daniel and then stood back up from leaning against the cabinet, placing the files on the desk “Look, Sousa I, I think I owe you an apology”

“An apology? For?”

“I misjudged you, I thought there was something between you and Peggy, I had no idea about Violet and I let my jealousy and paranoia take over, I didn’t trust you with her but you’ve given her so much support and has been to true friend to her over these past few years so. I’m sorry for thinking you had some sort of agenda and well...thanks also”

Daniel wasn’t expecting any of that. He didn’t even get the vibe that Steve even had any kind of issue. But, still he appreciated Steve’s honesty and above all his trust.  Daniel stuck out his hand that Steve soon took hold and shook, Daniel nodded to him “There’s no need to apologise, I understand. And it’s been a pleasure getting to know Peggy. She’s remarkable”

“That she is” Steve nodded as he slid his hands in his pockets “She’s taught me everything I know”  

“Everything, huh?”

“Right down to how to hold my shield” Steve said with a small laugh.

“Yeah where is that thing?” Daniel said with a small laugh. Steve shrugged and sighed “I’m afraid I left it back in New York, it was such a rush to get here that it just slipped my mind”

“Shame”

“Yeah it is, I do kinda miss it” Steve said with a light chuckle. Steve looked down to his watch and cleared his throat as he nodded up to Daniel “We better go, Peggy said she’d be getting home by now, I parked the car round the front”

“Let’s get to it then” Daniel nodded as he came from around his desk and followed Steve out.

By the time Daniel and Steve got to the house, he saw Peggy’s car parked up. They arrived into the house and saw Jarvis stood in the kitchen, fixing up his tie.

“Jarvis. Where’s Peggy?” Steve asked as they came through.

“Oh, Miss Carter just went upstairs to use the bathroom and then get changed, out of her disguise”

Steve nodded and left Daniel downstairs with Jarvis as he went up. Steve slowly opened the door and peered his head round to see her stood in her disguise as she took off her shoes, he hadn’t seen her in it before. The red wig, her outfit which did a splendid job of showing off those perfect legs.

Steve shut the door and raised an eyebrow “Wow” he muttered in a low tone as he looked at her up and down, Peggy looked up and said with a small chuckle “What?”

“I just, I hadn’t seen you in this”

She tilted her head and stared at him “Does this turn you on?”

“A little” he laughed “The redhead look suits you”

Peggy raised her eyebrows and slowly stood up, walking over to him, she took hold of his waist and pulled him forward, she batted her eyelashes and said in a grinning American accent “Why thank you” then lightly kissing him.

“I like that too” he muttered against her lips.

“ This ?” Peggy asked again in her accent. Steve nodded and kissed her firmly. Pulling his body down as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and lifted her up off of her feet, never leaving her lips.

She spoke continuously in her accent to him “I do believe you are blushing, Mr Rogers”

“That’d be your fault”

“Well, I may actually require your help in me getting changed” she smirked as she kissed him teasingly. Steve looked to her and gripped onto her tighter as their tongues brushed against each other, becoming hotter. He picked her up, legs wrapping around his waist, being pressed against the bedpost of the foot of the bed.

“Miss Carter! Captain Rogers! Chief Sousa is being quite insistent that we get this show on the road ”

Peggy groaned and pulled her lips away as Steve’s lips went straight to her neck “Yes, Mr Jarvis we’ll be right down” she gripped onto the back of his head and pulled him back and whispered with an amused grin “We can’t”

Steve sighed against her shoulder and looked at her “Yeah I guess. You got the key right?”

“Is that a sense of doubt I hear?”

“Never. Just making sure”

Peggy tucked her hand inside her top and pulled the key out of her bra “I kept it somewhere no-one would go”

“Well...not no-one ” Steve grumbled as he kissed her chest.

Peggy slapped his chest “Shut up, put me down”

Steve rolled his eyes and put her down, she put the key in his hand “Go downstairs, show them the key and get the ball rolling whilst I get changed” Steve sighed and took a step back as he muttered “Alright”

He turned to walk away and then spun back around and clashed his lips back on hers, making her unable to control her giggles due to being taken by surprise so much, still giggling she pushed him back “Don’t start something you can’t finish, go on”

Steve gave her a wink and left the room.

Peggy did eventually get dressed without any interruptions and made it downstairs to join the men. She gave her own personal details of what happened when she went and took the key from Jones. Leaving out where she had to get it from. She’d rather forget that part.

Jarvis was able to hunt down an map of the building, Clearing off the places they could not enter without...well...dying. They finally came down to a plan. A good one.

“So you’re saying once we get past the guards and the electrified fence all we have to worry about is defusing the atomic bombs?”

Steve shrugged and nodded his head over to Daniel “I don’t think that’s even a worry”

“Yes, Chief Sousa has the steadiest hands I’ve seen well since mine” Jason said as he looked to the three of them.

“Yep” Daniel nodded “It isn’t my first time defusing a bomb”

“These aren’t just bombs, one drop of those things would be enough to blow up the entire city”

Daniel shrugged with the bomb in between his pliers “Sounds like a bomb to me-” his confident words come to a stop of he dropped the dummy bomb onto the floor. Steve laughed and then dryly joked “You just blew up Los Angeles. Nice job”

Daniel frowned at him but had no comeback to attack him with. Steve then sighed and butted into Peggy and Jarvis’s conversation “Let’s not forget that we are many men down”

“Yeah I don’t like this” Daniel stated as he walked over and took off his gloves.

“Are we sure the SSR isn’t an option?” Jarvis questioned. Daniel shook his head to him “The council have their hands in everything, there’s no one we could trust one hundred percent”  

Steve looked at the expression on Peggy’s face. It was the I’ve got an idea face.

“Actually” she paused and then looked to Daniel “That isn’t entirely true”

Authors note: A heads up, I'm away on holiday for two weeks so unless I get a chance this won't be updated till the 16/17th of April.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter :)

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe the chief is letting me go on a mission!” Rose exclaimed with subtle excitement as she looked to Steve and Peggy.

“Well he knows talent when he see’s it”

“Or when he see’s you knocking out a guy with a drum on his back” Steve said with little laugh.

“Well how bout this?” Daniel asked as he picked up some weird looking device, they walked over to him as he said “An advanced motion detector, gives you accurate ratings from up to fifty feet away. If anybody tries to sneak up on you, this’ll tell us-”

“Do you know how it works?” Peggy questioned him.

Daniel looked at her and you could tell that he was rather puzzled, but he didn’t like to admit that he couldn’t so he shrugged and said “I think I could figure it out”

Just as he said his sentence, Doctor Samberly came through the door to see the four of them surrounding his toys “What’re you doing in here?”

He then saw Steve and nervously nodded “Captain”

Peggy looked to Steve who gave Samberly a tight smile and a greeting nod and whispered to him “Hm quite the celebrity”

Steve just rolled his eyes to her with a cocky smile on his face as she then said “I’ve brought you back your memory inhibitor. Thank you so much for letting me use it”

“How’d it work?”

Peggy stared at him and shrugged with a laugh “I forget”

Samberly ignored her comment and instead grabbed the device Daniel was holding out of his hand from not liking people invading his space and touching his things. Steve wasn’t quite sure if he intended to sound like a five year old.

“I’ve got an idea” Rose whispered to the pair as she walked over to Samberly, flashing him a smile that made him practically swoon which caused Steve and Peggy to look at each other with their eyebrows raised. She began to flirt. Which surprised them even more.

But Samberly clearly held something for her as he went all red “That pie was you? Your pie was in me”

“Well there’s a new line” Steve muttered in Peggy’s ear, with an amused smirk on her face Steve pulled his head back up “Doctor Samberly, we apologise for coming into your lab uninvited but we need all the help we can get, this is serious”

If it had come from Sousa’s mouth, then Samberly would have bit back. But coming from Steve, he was more than eager to get on board and help. With the help of Rose’s flirting it made him even more eager. Samberly soon insisted on going with them. One by one they said no or that’s not a good idea. But Samberly made a fighting case about his past in the war, which made them all realise that they have rather misjudged him.

“Fine you’re on the team” Daniel sighed, which caused him to get a glare from Rose, Steve and Peggy. Yeah they felt bad, doesn’t mean they were ready to get Samberly to come along. But it was too late now.

The drive was long, it was dark. Pulling up in a believable company looking van, Rose and Samberly pulled up with the rest of them in the back.

“This is a bad plan” Daniel whispered.

“It’s a horrible plan”

“It’s a solid plan” Peggy insisted.

“Yeah boys” Steve muttered as he peered his head up to try and listen to the outside “Have a little faith”

They heard the exchanges Rose and the guard were making.

“They’re going to die”

“We’re going to die”

Peggy rolled her eyes “They’re going to be fine”

Steve leaned closer to her and muttered "I would have killed Samberly by now if I was them"

Peggy let out a brief amused smirk and slapped his stomach.

After another moment or two. There was a bang on the van from Rose to signal that everything was in the clear to go and they got out. As Daniel, Jarvis and Samberly checked out the guard. Peggy, Rose and Steve found their way around the building to try and find a door to open.

“There’s got to be some kind of side door” Peggy groaned due to her impatience.

Steve put his hand on her back and motioned his head to futher down the side of the building “You keep looking around here and I’ll go down there”

“Good idea, love”

Steve flashed her a smile and then walked down where he said. Rose looked to Peggy with a grinning look, Peggy raised an eyebrow to her as she then took her head to looking around more “What?”

“You two make the most perfect couple”

Peggy couldn’t help the smile that came on her face, she also grew a little embarrassed, like a blushing schoolgirl “Rose” she lightly sighed.

“I mean it, I’ve never seen two people more meant to be in my entire life. The way he looks at you”

“I know” Peggy says in a soft whisper as she took her eyes to Rose and confessed “It gives me butterflies...I try and savour it as much as I can now”

“It’s...electric. If people didn’t know at first when they see you exchange even a brief glance they’d suddenly get the point”

Peggy smirked and looked down to the floor for a moment, Rose looked at her with a happy expression written across her face and put her hand on Peggy’s arm “He makes you the happiest I have ever seen you, you have no idea how great it feels to see you happy and in love”

“Thank you, Rose, I cannot even put into words how much I love-”

“Hey!” Steve called from further down, catching their attention he motioned his hand to come towards them and called “Found one!”

Peggy smiled as she kept her eyes on him, as he stood waiting for her with a smile and finished her sentence "Him"

They were all soon inside with the gift of the key that Peggy had gotten. They had the access and were in.

“Keep your eyes and ears open there’s no telling what we’ll find down here” the elevator doors then slowly opened. Steve put his hand on Peggy’s arm as he saw the dead body fall back at their feet. The six of them all exchanged a worried glance.

Gulping heavily, Jarvis said “Unfortunately it seems Miss Frost may have already arrived”

Daniel sighed “Let’s stick to the plan”

They pushed aside the body, out of sight and out of mind. After Samberly working his magic, he unlocked all the doors. Okay so he was useful. Despite the fact that it means Whitney Frost will have access but still, beggars cannot be choosers. Walking a little further they arrived outside the room where the bombs lay.

Samberly got to trying to lock one of the doors. He did that. Just the wrong one. Locking Jarvis in with the bombs. Not exactly ideal.

“Ah shit” Steve muttered as he tried to push and pull the door. Even with his strength they couldn't do it.

“There’s no time” Peggy muttered, turning to Daniel who knew how to handle this she ordered “Talk Mr Jarvis through the procedure I’ll take care of our company”

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together “What?” he muttered as she began to walk away “Peggy!” he followed her and grabbed onto her arm “Peggy are you sure-”

“Yes. I am. You’re a good talker Steve whilst Daniel talks Mr Jarvis through the procedure you do your best to keep him calm”

Steve frowned as he grew worried, holding onto her hand, he said in a whisper “Be careful”

Peggy let out a soft smile, getting up on her tip toes ever so slightly she kissed his cheek “I always am. I’ll see you shortly” she backed away, letting go of his hand. She grabbed something off the wall, as she turned around to shut the door, she looked at Steve and smiled again as she whispered

“I love you”

The door shut, Steve took a deep breath and replied under his breath the same response, before snapping back to reality and walking back over to Jarvis and Daniel “Mr Jarvis. I know this is not ideal but you’re gonna have to get those bombs”

He saw the panic in Jarvis’s face. He couldn’t blame the guy, he’d be crapping himself too if he was him “Take some deep breaths” he said calmly, Jarvis then doing so. Daniel told him again that he was going to have to remove the bombs from the crate and then proceeded to try and use his own method of comfort. As Jarvis began the shakily begin the procedure.

“Put on the gloves, grabs the tongues. Just like...taking a souffle out of the oven”

“What?” Steve whispered as his face turned into a totally confused one, not really believing that Daniel had just compared taking bombs out of crates to baking.

“You got anything better?”

“Anything is better than taking out a souffle ” he then looked to Samberly “How’s it coming, Doctor?” he then had to hear about how Samberly wasn’t sure and how much he was doubting himself “Come on Samberly. You have to believe in yourself”

“The Captain is right” Rose said as she came through the door “You’re the smartest person here, you got this”

Giving him the boost of confidence he clearly needed, he nodded to Steve and Daniel and looked back to the wires “Give me a sec”

Steve glanced to Rose and gave her a nod along with a wink, then looking back to Jarvis and proceeding to help him “You’re doing great Jarvis, take it easy, the steadier your hands are then the more relaxed you’ll feel”

Jarvis took his deep breaths as he carried the first bomb and steadily putting it into place. Letting out a huge sigh of relief as it was securely placed in.

“Thank god”

“Don’t thank him yet” Daniel said. Jarvis looked up to them, Steve pointed to the case and said “You’ve still got one more to do” Jarvis looked behind him and saw “Oh god”

Due to his patience, Daniel turned back around to Samberly “Doctor how’s the door coming?”

“How’s the not blowing us up coming?” Samberly remarked back. Steve raised his eyebrows and muttered “Got a point”

Steve sighed as he looked back to Jarvis starting to take the second bomb.  Daniel looked to him and saw the look on his face "Worried about Peg?”

“Little” he had never done this before, their work in the war required them sticking in teams and busting in Hydra camps. This was so much different. Splitting up and using more tactics with different kind of people. Whitney Frost was far more advanced than Schmidt and far more intelligent.

“I’m going after Whitney” Peggy’s voice came through on the walkie talkie. Steve’s heart skipped a beat to hear her voice and spoke back to her “You got eyes on her?”

“Just get those bombs out of here”

“Peggy-”

“Steve there isn’t any time just do it” she lightly snapped. Steve sighed a groan and turned back to Jarvis who had placed the second one well enough in the case, all that was needed now was the door. Rose walked over to Steve “Where’s Peggy?”

“In pursuit”

“You want me to back her up?”

Steve looked at her for a moment, tempting, but Peggy would just tell her to go back. She had faith in Rose but this was different “No no, the bombs are the priority right now, we just gotta focus on getting Jarvis out as soon as possible and then we can go”

Rose nodded and turned back to Samberly, who was still trying his hardest to figure everything out. It was taking so much longer than expected, Steve’s foot began to tap due to his impatience, his nerves and paranoia were packing up. Rose looked to him and gave him a soft it’ll be okay look which he appreciated.  And then Samberly gleamed “Got it!”

The light turned green and the door flew open. Everyone letting out a sigh of relief. Jarvis stepped out, looking mortified.

“You did great” Daniel said.

“Yeah well done” Steve added on.

He looked at Steve and Daniel and muttered “For the record...that was nothing like making a souffle”

“Hey he said it not me” Steve muttered as he nudged Daniel’s arm. He then got back to being serious and gave them all his orders “If I’m not back with Peggy in ten minutes leave without us”

Steve then walked down the hallway to hear the words of Rose call “Yes, Captain”

Steve went down the stairwell, not having a clue where Peggy was but he’d figure it out sooner or later. He looked around everywhere he went and called her name a couple of times, but got nothing back. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t worried about her. She could handle herself, yes, but that doesn’t stop him from worrying her in case one day she won’t.

Steve walked a bit further down the empty floor, he went to call her name once more but then right before his eyes, he saw Peggy fall from the floor above and crash down to ground. His heart dropped from the fear “Peggy!” he yelled.. Racing over to as fast as he could. And the sight he saw was enough to make his heart break and scare him for a good while.

Peggy made quite painful moans, not being able to move at all as the metal rod had impaled right through her. Steve dropped down to his knees “Oh god” he whispered, he saw the pain and worry on her face and did his best to keep her calm “Stay still, stay calm” he kept his tone in a whisper.

He looked up and down her body, just trying to work out how he was going to do this, he looked up and called out “Help! Rose! Daniel!” but no one heard him, they were a fair few floors up how could they?

Peggy slowly took her eyes to his as she winched with pain “S-Steve-”

Steve looked back down at her and put his hand on the top of her head “Shush, try not to talk, you’re gonna be okay”

Her eyes began to drop. His other hand then flew to her cheek and rubbed her temples.

“Baby don’t close your eyes, I need to keep your eyes open for me, can you do that for me?”

Peggy nodded as she opened her eyes fully again focusing on doing just that. Peggy looked at him, she could tell that he didn't have a clue on what to do. He was too scared of hurting her more. He put his hands beside her wound, the blood printing on his palms. Steve looked around to see if there was anything that would help, Peggy took er shaking hand and placed it over one of his. She went against his other wish and spoke “Steve, just...pull me out, you may aswell...get it...over with”

She couldn’t just lie here, and clearly no-one else was here to help. She had to get out one way or another they may as well just do it now.

Steve stared at her and took a deep breath as he nodded trying to keep calm for her sake, he said breathlessly “Alright, alright I got you”

Steve then stood back up, not letting go of her hand. He took a deep breath and looked at her, she was in so much pain, it was heart wrenching. He had never seen her like this and always prayed it would never happen.

He raised his eyebrows to her and muttered “Ready?”

Peggy just nodded and took a deep breath as she shut her eyes tightly  as Steve said “One...two... three ” Steve quickly pulled her up, she couldn’t help but let out a painful muffled scream as he did so. She fell into his arms.

“I got you, I got you” Steve whispered. Steve took hold of her hand and pressed it down on the wound “Keep pressure on it” he gently ordered. Peggy again just nodded, trying to focus on not crying from the pain. Steve put his arm under her legs and picked her up, which made her wince with pain briefly but felt better once she was in his arms.

As he began to walk with her in his arms he asked “What happened?”

“Whitney...Frost...you know...I’m really starting...to dislike her”

Steve looked at her, with a small smile on his face from her attempt in trying to make a little light of this “You’re not the only one”

Peggy kept her pressure down on her wound. Keeping her eyes on Steve the entire time as he quickly paced his way out of the building. He’d run but he didn’t want to risk hurting her.

Luckily he made it out within those ten minutes he gave the rest of the team. Rose gave them a quick glance and gave a sigh of relief. It then sunk in what she saw and her head snapped back to them “Oh god”

Everyone else’s heads snapped up at the sight of Steve carrying the weak Peggy in his arms. Seeing the blood that was on Steve’s shirt. Daniel dashed over and looked at her as he walked with them “What happened?”

“Whitney Frost fucking happened”

“Steve” Peggy weakly mumbled, in attempt to try and tell him to stay calm. Steve gave an apologetic look, but couldn’t shake off his anger. Jarvis opened the car door as Steve came over. Steve gently placed Peggy in the car, getting in straight away and lightly putting his head on her chest.

“We should get her to a hospital” Jarvis suggested.

“No...no hospitals” Peggy sternly muttered.

“Then where?” Jarvis asked.

“I know where” Daniel spoke up, Steve and Peggy both looked at him with curious looks on their faces. Daniel nodded to assure them “I know exactly where, Mr Jarvis would you do the honours of driving”

When Jarvis began to drive. Steve unbuttoned Peggy’s jacket. It would be easier to put pressure on the wound with the fewer layers. His hand lay on hers as they both pressed down. Peggy rested her head under his chin. Steve stroked her hair with his free hand.

The pain began to become unbearable and Peggy couldn’t help but cry from it.

“You’re gonna be okay” he whispered. He then looked to Rose, who nodded at him as a way of telling him to keep going in talking to her. His voice sooths her. You could tell by how her crying died down a little when she heard him speak.

“And then we’re going to finish this mission and go back to start our lives in New York, moving in together and living the peaceful life we longed for back in the war. And…” Steve then leaned down and whispered in her ear “We’ll put back on our engagement. And get married, start a family, just like we talked about” Peggy faintly smiled and weakly took her free hand to under his chin, Steve pressed his lips against her temple “I promise that I’ll give you the life and happiness you deserve”

Peggy gulped heavily as she built up her strength to speak, in a breathless whisper she cried

“I love you so much”

“I love you too” he kissed her cheek and then added in a mutter “More than I can even put into words”

Listening in, Rose couldn’t help but tear up.

Jarvis quickly dropped off Rose and Samberly off at the office on his way to where Daniel was instructing him to go. They then soon came at the destination. Daniel got out and opened the door for Steve and Peggy, Daniel helped Peggy out and gave her support to walk along with Steve.

“Who’s house is this?”

“Violet’s, she’s a nurse, she’ll know what to do”

With those words, he then knocked on the door hard and at a frequent pace. From moving her pain fired once again, whines of pain began to escape her lips again. Steve rubbed her back and muttered to her “I know, Peg, I know”

Violet opened the door, her face dropped when she saw Peggy “What happened?”

“She fell” Daniel quickly answered back as he and Steve led her over to the couch.

“She needs to go to a hospital” Violet exclaimed.

“No, no hospital!” Peggy spoke up. Steve shook his head “It’s alright, Peg, we won’t go to a hospital I promise”

Peggy cried as Steve gently placed her down on the couch and then added “A hospital is completely unsafe, there’s people after her and I won’t put her in any more danger than she’s already been in”

Steve knelt down beside her “Try and stay calm, Peg” he whispered to her as he stroked the top of her hair. He rested his hand on her shoulder as she let out more painful moans, the sweat glistening on her forehead from getting so worked up.

Violet then spoke up “Okay this is what I need, Daniel grab some linings from the cupboard we need pack the wound and Mr...erm”

“Edwin Jarvis at your service”

Violet nodded and continued with her orders “Mr Jarvis I need you to boil some water”

“Very good” Jarvis nodded as he got to it, Daniel then did the same and stepped to it as Steve stayed beside Peggy, never leaving her side. Refusing to leave her side. Peggy kept her eyes on him as she took her deep heavy breaths, he kept a soft smile on his face to try and reassure her that everything would be alright. Clutching onto his hand. With her other stretched over her body to press down on the wound. Violet came over, causing Steve to move further along the couch, still holding onto her hand as she muttered “Don’t let go”

“I won’t” He whispered.

Violet gently removed her shaking hand from that wound and said to her with another plea in her tone “Peggy this would really be easier if you went-”

“No Violet, no hospitals”

Violet accepted her second rejection and then looked back to Peggy “Then deep breaths, Peggy, this is gonna hurt”

Peggy shut her eyes and clutched harder onto Steve’s hand. Steve gulped heavy and looked at Violet slowly beginning to pour the alcohol onto the deep wound. The drop touched her skin and it burned like hell, Peggy pushed her head back and let out a loud scream. Steve didn’t know to do with himself. He took his other hand and locked it in her hair, lightly stroking it to try and give her support. Peggy turned her head and pressed her forehead against his wrist, her teeth clenched together as she groaned her muffled screams.

“Deep breaths, baby” Steve muttered as he continued to stroke her hair.

“You’ve handled it well, Peggy” Violet added on as she continued to patch it up and wipe the blood from her wound as Daniel rushed over with the lining “You’ll be perfectly fine, just remember that”

“Yeah, soon this pain will be over and you’ll be alright” Steve whispered, then placing a kiss on her forehead, and then placed another on the back of her hand that he still held onto. Peggy weakly ran her free hand down his neck and she let out deep breaths, keeping her eyes onto him “You know...I think we should take a few days off”

Steve let out a small laugh and nodded as she looked in her eyes “Yeah. I think that’s a good idea”

“And we can just lie in bed, drinking bourbon and listening to the radio”

“That sounds perfect” he said with a light chuckle.

A few moments later, it was all done “There we are, all patched up” Violet stated as she pulled the blanket back over Peggy’s body. Peggy gave her a grateful smile, Peggy muttered “Thank you for your help Violet”

“Don’t mention it Peggy, I’m happy to help, just get some rest, yeah?” Violet said with a smile, giving Peggy’s leg a light squeeze as she walked away. Peggy looked up to Steve who was just getting off the phone from Rose as Daniel was talking to Violet about Peggy’s welfare and Jarvis was out getting the car. Steve hung up and motioned his hand to the phone “Rose and Samberly just finished securing the uranium rods”

Peggy began to pull herself up “Well that’s a plus. At least”

Her body failed on her for a moment as she wobbled back down, Steve lunged forward and brought her up. He knelt before her and stared at her as she softly smiled at him. Looking into her eyes as he leaned forward he pressed his lips against hers, rubbing their noses together as gently pulled away.

“You scared the hell outta me”

Peggy let out a tired smirk “Now you know how it feels”

Steve let out a laugh and shook his head as he kept his eyes on her. He stroked her cheek with his thumb “Please don’t do that again”

“What? Get impaled? I’ll do my hardest, Captain”

Steve let out an amused puff of breath through his nose, his other hand rested on her non injured side of her body, he looked into her eyes again. Still with the twinkle in them that she has with her all the time. You would’ve thought being impaled would wipe those suckers away. But no, not for her.

“How do you still look so damn beautiful? Even after getting a metal rod stuck through you? Usually that drains someone”

Peggy let out a laugh and then hissed a little from the pain “I’ve just made a discovery. It still hurts to laugh”

“Sorry” he whispered, he softly ran his thumb across her bottom lip, trying to savour everything about her from her almost dying back there. He leaned back to her and kissed her once more, slowly he pulled away and then whispered “I love you”

A smile formed on Peggy’s face “I love you too, darling”

Steve smiled at her and then whispered “I promise. When we get home. Lots of bourbon”

“Now I love you even more”

Steve laughed, he nuzzled his head in her neck as she pulled him close and put her hand on the back of his head running her fingers through his hair.

“Steve?”

“Mm-hm”

Peggy licked her bottom lip due to her hesitation and then asked with slight nerves “Did you mean what you said in the car? Or were you just saying it to keep me calm”

Steve pulled his head back and looked to her “You think I’d just say that? Peggy, I meant every word. Why wouldn’t I? I love you and I want nothing more out of my life than to spend it with you”

His words were enough to bring tears to her eyes, she smiled as she rubbed her lips together and held tighter onto his hand “Good, because that’s all I want too” Steve smiled and kissed her again.

“Your bleedings already under control” Violet spoke up coming from the other room.

Steve pulled away as they both took their eyes to Violet. She came into the living room then added “The bar missed everything vital, you’ll need to rest which means no more of...whatever the hell you’re doing, you just need to be boring for a while”

“That’s near enough impossible for her” Steve said with a chuckle.

“But I’ll give it a go” Peggy smirked as she rolled her eyes.

Jarvis then came back in and stood beside Daniel “I’ve pulled the car around”

Steve and Peggy both nodded, Steve stood up as Peggy held her arms out to him, he swooped his arm under her arm and supported her back as she stood up.

“She really shouldn’t be moving around all that much, it might be better if she stayed with me for a few day”

Peggy gave a grateful smile “I couldn’t possibly ask anymore off you”

“Don’t fret, Violet. I take good care of her” Steve reassured as he tightened his grip around her and walked her on.

Peggy nodded and whispered “He really does. Thank you Violet, truly”

“Yeah, thank you so much for all your help” Steve added as he supported Peggy as they walked out the door together followed by Jarvis.

Peggy let out a deep sigh of relief when she saw her bed. Jarvis left the two of them to it.

“Could you get my nightwear out, darling?” she asked as she rested her hands on the bed.

“Of course” Steve walked over to the drawer, picked one of them out and laid it on the bed for her.

“Thank you” she said in a whisper. Peggy went to pull her shirt off after unbuttoning it, hits of pain rushing through her body “Bugger” she hissed. Steve, behind her, rested his hand on her shoulder “What is it, baby?”

“I can’t even get my bloody shirt off without being in pain” she bitterly muttered.

It was actually kind of cute that these were the kind of things she got frustrated about. Steve muttered a small laugh.

“Here, let me help you” Steve placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly slid down the shirt, without her having to move a muscle. He took hold of the shirt and neatly placed it on the draw behind them. He walked back over to her.

“I’ll help you with your pants too, sit on the bed”

Peggy smirked and slowly sat on the bed, looking at him she said with a smile still lingering on her face “I think a part of you is enjoying this”

Steve laughed as he took off her socks and shoes “Doesn’t hurt”

Steve stood back up “Lie back”

“You’re definitely enjoying this” Peggy muttered as she lay on her back, hearing him let out another laugh. Steve unbuckled her belt and removed her pants. He took them over to the drawer and once again folded them neatly. He walked back over to see her now sat up with her pants on. It hurt less than she prepared for actually, still it wasn’t pleasant. But she couldn’t stand feeling useless. Holding up her top and held it in front of him “Would you care to assist me again, nurse?”

Steve laughed and walked over to her, giving her a quick kiss on her shoulder he nodded “My pleasure” Putting her top on did involve her moving a little but it wasn’t nearly as painful as it would have been if she had to do it by herself. Soon, she was fully dressed and under the duvet. Tucked up in bed.

Before getting in the bed himself, Steve turned on the radio. On came the song I’ll Be Seeing You which brought a smile to Peggy’s face, she said with warmth as he got in bed beside her “Our song” she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.

Steve kissed the top of her head and let out a smile “Yeah, it is...how do you feel?”

“Sore. In pain...but...I have you so it sure as hell makes me better”

“You’re sappy when you get impaled” he whispered.

Peggy lightly slapped his stomach “Shut up” she then looked up, into his eyes “I do mean it though, Steve, it when things like tonight happen that makes me just want to say over and over again that I love you, because it’s like I didn’t say it enough before” she looked up at him. Staring into his beautiful blue eyes. As their palms pressed together and fingers slowly entwined.

Steve kissed her firmly, passionately. Placing his hand on her cheek and used his other to scoop her up and bring her closer to him, with caution of course. He didn’t want to hurt her. He pulled away and stared at her giving her quick pecks on her nose, cheek, her closed eye and forehead, he kept his lips pressed against her forehead for a little while longer than just a peck.

“I never want to get close to losing you again. That’s three times within a week we need to calm down a little” he dryly joked.

Peggy mumbled an amused muffled laugh as she laid her head in the crook of his neck “That would be my absolute pleasure believe me”

“But for now, all you have to do is get some sleep”

Peggy smiled and slowly shut her eyes. To then hear the yelling of Mr Jarvis burst through the door, their heads snapped to him “I’m sorry, I’m sorry but it’s Doctor Wilkes”

“What about him?” Steve shrugged.

“He’s...vanished”

Chapter Text

“Vanished?” Peggy said with an ounce of worry.

“I was talking to him in the hall and he was just gone”

Steve pulled the duvet off him, he saw Peggy going to move and said sternly “You stay put” he followed Jarvis out into the hall.

“He was right here” Jarvis said pointing to a certain spot.

“Listen” Steve said as he held his hand up as his ears peered harder. It was like a warp like sound. Jason was still here.

“Doctor Wilkes?” Steve called out. There was no answer. Again Steve called his name “Doctor Wilkes are you there?”

Then suddenly, Jason appeared back clearly. Jarvis let out a huge sigh and turned his head to Peggy’s room “Miss Carter he’s back!”

“What the bloody blazes is going on?!” she called back.

Steve stared at Jason, eyebrows raised “Well? What the... bloody blazes is going on?”

“I-I  don’t know I was somewhere else I-I don’t know”

“Well it’s okay. You’re back-”

“No! It’s not okay...I can’t fight it anymore! I’ve lost control and-and I’m at the whim of some dark force that we have no understanding of I could vanish forever at any moment. And we have no idea when or what would happen-”

“What do we know?” Steve butted in due to his growing impatience. His question pretty much stunned Jason, he was a little stumped. Steve sighed and carried on in a more gentle tone “Your work that Isodyne was in containment research, yes? You built the housing unit for Zero matter. Maybe you could do something similar for yourself?”

“It wouldn’t work”

“Why?”

“Because I have no mass, I have no material form to contain. If I did we wouldn’t be having this conversation, Cap”

Peggy voice then spoke up again from the bedroom “Jane Scott’s tissue sample!”

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together, he turned his head and nodded to her as he asked “What’s that, sweetie?”

“Jane Scott’s tissue sample, when Doctor Wilkes was exposed to the zero matter from that he was restored to a tangible state!”

“Hm” Steve mumbled as he turned back around “Good point”

She then carried on “If you were able to regain that even more a moment, do you think you could build a containment builder for yourself?”

Jason then thought about it. He thought hard and then slowly nodded “Yes. It might work. We need to get our hands on some zero matter”

“There’s only one place in the world left to find it” Peggy replied.

Steve sighed and looked to Jarvis “How come she always makes sense of situations even from her bed?”

“A woman of many wonders, Mr Rogers”

Steve smirked. He liked that. Slapping Jarvis on the arm he nodded “Very true, Mr Jarvis” he then turned to Jason “For now. Everyone needs rest. I’ll be up early to get what we need”

Jason nodded and gave him a small smile “Thank you”

“Sure” Steve said bluntly as he turned around and walked back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He pointed to Peggy with a warm hearted smile “Sleep. Now”

She mocked him by saluting him and cautiously slid down in the bed, trying to let only small doses of pain hit her. Steve got back into the bed next to her after turning off the radio, kissing her forehead he whispered her goodnight and turned off the lamp beside him. Shutting his own eyes as he felt her hand slide in his.

The next morning, they both woke up bright and early. Mr Jarvis had to take the liberty of cleaning and dressing Peggy’s wound since Steve was both clueless and rather squeamish. Ana stood and watched whilst Steve sat on the bed with his back to Peggy. He was a little squeamish about this sort of stuff. 

“Does that go through your body?” she asked with slight discomfort.

“It does which is fortunate”

“Yes. Less likely to affect” Jarvis agreed. Steve looked at Ana’s face and nodded “I feel how you look” he whispered, Ana shot a look at him with the same uncomfortable expression on her face and then looked back to Peggy “You must be in incredible pain?”

“Only when I walk. And sleep. And breathe”

“And eat” Jarvis added.

“Ah yes eating was very unpleasant”

Steve mocked a disappointed look and teased with a sad tone “So that’s sleepwalking to the kitchen out of the question”

Peggy looked to Ana and asked “Ana if you would, slap him for me”  

Ana gave a tight smile at Peggy’s humour, but still couldn’t shake her feeling of discomfort. She had never seen anything quite like this before. The effects that can come on to what they do.

“It is all very frightening” Ana muttered. Steve smiled and put his hand on her arm to comfort her “Don’t worry, Ana, she’ll be okay”

Peggy nodded in agreement as Jarvis helped her up off the bed “I suffer this injury while avoiding something far worse if you can believe that”

Ana shrugged and shook her head “I cannot”

Peggy looked back to Jarvis and praised “Well done”

Painfully, Peggy made her way across the bedroom slowly. Over to her dressing area.

“Where are you going?” Ana asked.

“To change and then go down to the lab”

Ana looked at Jarvis and Steve. Steve sighed and shrugged “Don’t look at me, we argued all the morning before you two came up about this”

Jarvis walked towards the door, informing that he will go fetch Doctor Wilkes. But Ana couldn’t help but focus on Peggy “Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“Yes” Steve spoke. Peggy shot a glare at him, telling him to not start this again. She softened her expression as she spoke to Ana “There’s no rest for the weary and wounded until the job is done”

Peggy went to her dresser and Jarvis left the room. Steve looked to the bowl and towel of blood on the bed and put it on the side table, Ana watching him do so and then continued to watch him as he sat on the bed and sighed.

“You argued? I did not hear”

“Yeah well, she can’t exactly yell at me without having any pains. It was nothing major, don’t worry”

Ana tilted her head to Steve “Steven, are you alright?”

“I’m fine” he sighed “I just worry about her, that’s all, she never stops, she can’t stop and God knows I love her for it but still, I worry”

Ana put her hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly “Tell her then, even if she carries on at least she’ll know in the back of her mind about how you are feeling. It could make her pull back a little”

“You really think that”

“Yes and you won’t know until you try” Ana smiled, touching his cheek briefly as she then left the room and left him to it. Steve stood up and walked over to Peggy getting dressed. Looking down at his palms rubbing together he went to speak.

“Don’t tell me to leave it” She muttered.

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say”

“But I know you” Peggy stated as she looked up from holding the shirt she was going to wear “And I love you to death but I will kill you if you suggest I lie back down in bed”

“I’m just worried”

Peggy raised her head a little bit more and walked over to him “Enlighten me” she then laid her hands on the dresser and stared at him “What is it?”

“I’m worried that one day if you don’t take a step back every once in awhile especially when already hurt then things will get worse. I mean honestly Peggy, you wanted me to sit back at home because you were scared I’d push myself too much, don’t I have the right to worry about the same thing?”

Damn. He cornered her there. This morning as just filled with him sighing and shaking his head whilst their brief argument played. Now that he had the chance to actually speak it made sense. He was right, too right for her to fight against him about it. Peggy moved her hands forward and rested them on top of his “I understand. I hear you loud and clear. I’m still going to carry on but I’ll step back”

“Thank you”

“A small step” She said with a raised eyebrow then turning back around and continuing to get changed.

They went down into the lab. Steve crossed his arms and shrugged “So come on, out with it. What’re you planning?”

“Given what is going on with Wilkes, we need something to anchor into this world until we find a more permanent solution”

Steve grumbled under his breath “Whatever something is, is already giving me indigestion”

Peggy sighed and turned around at him “Steve. Not only is Doctor Wilkes a good man, he is also the centre piece for the case we’re building. And Whitney Frost and the council and...like it or not, we need him”

Steve raised his hands at up “Alright, alright so what’s the plan?”

“We know he’s making that chamber to stabilize himself. But we need zero matter, I intend to get that from Whitney Frost”

Steve raised an eyebrow and pinched his eyebrows together as he slowly muttered out “Okay?”

“The best chance we have is her husbands fundraiser tomorrow night at the migratha grand hotel”

“Yeah but you’re forgetting that it’s not exactly easy to get into”

She began to walk, still painful as she did with Steve slowly following her as she said “Howard donates to all the political candidates to put in good favour with whoever wins. So Mr Jarvis has two tickets secured”

“And you’ll use Jarvis for one”

Peggy stopped and looked at him as she got to the other desk “Really?”

“Yeah. We can’t exactly use me can we? I won’t go undetected”

“Full of yourself much?” she teased with a faint smirk. Steve rolled his eyes and leaned his arms down on the desk “You agree”

“I do. So yes Mr Jarvis will be one and I will go with this modified vacuum syringe to get the zero matter. So we use the crowd to our advantage, I get close enough to puncture her skin and make a hasty exit without any fuss”

Steve just stared at her, Peggy saw the look on his face and rolled her eyes as she heavily put the syringe “What?”

“What?” Steve laughed. Knowing full well what he was doing.

“You have something face” Peggy muttered as she tilted her head to him.

Steve motioned his hand to her and finally said on his mind “You’re going to do this?”

“I am”

“Hm. You? Who can barely walk from getting a rod struck through her? You who Whitney tried to kill various times and will see you coming from a mile away? That you?"

“Well...we can get someone else”

“Who? Daniel? He can just about make the same sort of exit than you can and can't exactly fly as Jarvis's date during this day in age”

“Rose!”

Steve shook his head and stood up “Nah she told me on the phone last night that she’s gone to see her mother who’s sick”

Peggy strummed her fingernails on the desk and shrugged “Well-”

“And it’s been made quite clear that we can’t really trust anyone from the SSR. We need someone that will blend”

Peggy raised an eyebrow as someone came to her mind. Steve looked at her and shook his head and he pointed to her “No. We’re keeping Ana out of this, Peggy”

“No. I wasn’t thinking of Ana. I...have a terrible idea”

Steve looked at her with a mix of being intrigued and confused. He leaned his hand back against the desk and tilted his head “Well that sounds like a mix bag of good and bad”

“It’s bad. All bad. But maybe that’s what we need”

“You’ve got me very intrigued. Who are you thinking of?”

Peggy looked at him and took a deep breath as the thought of Dottie Underwood just made her blood begin to slightly boil. She walked towards him slightly “She is a soviet spy that I had the displeasure to meet last year. She was part of the organisation that I fought against last year-”

“She tried to kill you”

“Well. Yes. But she’s a little...nuts”

“Oh” Steve muttered a laugh “That makes me feel better about this, and I believe Angie called Miss Underwood a crazy fruit loop ”

“Angie would not be wrong, but no. No she...she’s hard to explain but she will help. I’m sure she will as long as I bargin with her, any excuse for her to get out of jail she’ll take”

Steve looked to her and licked his lip as he raised his eyebrows “So if I call someone who knows her like Angie she’d say this would be a good idea?”

“Angie would be asking you to tell me to smack Dottie for her” Peggy said with a light laugh and then sighing from her small dose of pain. Peggy dropped her hand onto Steve’s and looked into his eyes “Trust me?”

“Of course”

“Then trust my decision. She’s a good choice for this”

“Okay. You’re the boss. There’s just one thing”

“And what’s that?”

“How the hell are you gonna get her outta jail?”

Peggy rubbed her lips together and raised her eyebrows to Steve “You may like this. I’m going to have to put on another disguise”

Surprisingly, as Steve soon found out. Peggy’s little plan worked. Dottie agreed to the challenge and Peggy took her out for this mission.

Peggy came from around the corner where Steve was stood. She motioned her hands down her body as she walked over to him and said “You still haven’t said what you think about this one”

Steve smiled and gracefully looked at her up and down “Put the doctor's jacket on with the red wig and you’re good to go”

Peggy muttered a laugh and stood beside him. Steve, holding the taser net launcher in his hands looked to her “You alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine”

“The guard a better kisser than me?”

“Please” Peggy scoffed with an amused smile.

Then all of a sudden, as Peggy predicted, Dottie came running around the corner as her bid to escape. She was stunned at first when she saw the man in front of her but didn’t have the time to comment in anyway since he launched the net on her.

Dottie looked at them both with a disappointed look on her face, thinking that Peggy was better than this “You thought this would stop me?”

Steve shook his head “No. But we thought this might” he pushed a small red button on the gun which activated the taser, sending hundreds of volts into her body, Dottie dropped to the floor, out cold. Peggy took a step forward and pressed the button one more time, sending her own personal volts to Dottie. Steve pulled the gun back and rested it on his shoulder. He looked to Peggy “You happy?”

Peggy looked at him and softly smiled “Very”

As Steve made his way to the SSR office to pick up the van that he and Peggy would stake out in for tonight, Peggy did her best to explain to Dottie who was strapped to a chair getting her hair done, what was going to happen tonight along with Mr Jarvis doing a fabulous job of acting out how he could...well...kill Dottie if needed.

Peggy then took Dottie downstairs to the lab where she would attach the syringe to her. She held up the magazine of Whitney and said “This is your target. Do you recognise her?”

“Can’t say that I do”

Steve came through the door and walked over to them as Peggy said “Her name is Whitney Frost. She’s a rather famous movie actress. Stars in F stands for Freedom ”

With Steve now stood beside Peggy, Dottie shrugged “That doesn’t sound like my kind of picture”

Dottie then looked at Steve and smirked “I am much more interested in how I’m looking at your beau. Hi handsome...how was the arctic?”

Steve wasn’t going to respond. Even so Peggy quickly said to him “Don’t talk to her”

“Well, aren’t you protective” Dottie looks at him and flirtatious bats her eyelashes at him, partly mocking “Don’t be shy little puppy”

Peggy clicked her fingers to Dottie “Eyes off him. Focus here. You’ll be obtaining a blood sample from Miss Frost and you will do so with being detected”

“Is that it?”

“Don’t be cocky. Frost is far more dangerous than she looks and I cannot stress this enough do not let her touch you”

Dottie nodded with her smirk returning to her face as she eyed up Steve “Fine. No touching. Unfortunately”

Steve watched Peggy’s fist clench on the counter as saw her drag her teeth across her bottom lip. Steve took a step forward and placed his hand on her back. Dottie raised an eyebrow and muttered “Oh, apparently the rules don’t apply to you two”

Steve sighed and took his eyes to her, he didn’t say anything. He just gave her a dagger of looks. He then cleared his throat and turned his head to the side “Wilkes. Come here”

Jason stepped out of the shadows and over to the counter as Peggy briefly explained the syringe and that Jason was it’s inventor.

“Press the vacuum button on the side and release once the needle makes contact with the skin. Should draw a significant sample in less than one second” Jason explained.

“Captain Rogers and I will monitor the operation from a surveillance van outside, we’ve disguised two way communication radios for both you and Mr Jarvis. A pair of glasses for him and” Peggy paused as she pulled a box up onto the counter “This” Peggy pulled out a red head dress for Dottie to wear “Do you have any questions about your objective?”

“I am a little confused about this do hickey” she eyed up Jason “Why don’t you come here and show me how it works”

“You may leave us, Jason” Peggy muttered.

Dottie shrugged “Hm. Captain Rogers. How about you?”

Peggy grabbed the box and sighed under her breath to Steve “If we didn’t need her I’d kill her”

Steve smirked and muttered in her ear from behind, undetected by Dottie as she was busy watching Jason leave the room “Kinda like it when you get all jealous”

Peggy pressed her hand against his stomach and pushed him back as she glanced to him, then looking back to Dottie she then said as she noticed her stare at the door where Jason had walked out of “Something wrong?”

Dottie turned and after a pause she shook her head “No...no I’m just excited to get to work”

As Dottie and Mr Jarvis headed inside the event. Steve and Peggy remained in the van, getting ready to set everything up.

“Where is Daniel tonight?” Peggy asked him as they set things up.

“I don’t know. Sounded pretty stressed over the phone, he did offer to come but I said we could handle it”

“You’re all heart”

Steve turned in his chair to face her “Hey, if you’re having second thoughts we can still call this off”

Peggy sighed and shook her head as she made her way over to her seat “There’s no going back now”

She hissed as she sat down on the seat, with Steve watching her through caution. She didn’t take notice though. Peggy flipped on the switches that let them speak through to Dottie and Jarvis.

Peggy leaned down to the mic “Testing. Mr Jarvis do you read me?”

“Loud and clear Miss Carter. Though it pains me to say Miss Underwood in a phenomenal dancer”

Steve raised his eyebrows to her and whispered “Not as good as you I bet”

Peggy shot him a grateful smile and rubbed his leg and she turned her head back to the mic

“We’re reading you too Underwood” Steve spoke.

“Oh. Captain. How lovely to hear your voice”

Peggy pushed down her anger to the pit of her stomach, focusing on the task, though her tone still came out as an annoyed spat “Have you seen Whitney Frost yet?”

Jarvis soon confirmed her sighting, describing her beside her husband as they greeted guests.

After a brief silence on the other end, Peggy and Steve then heard Dottie say in a happy tone "We ll look who’s here. It’s the blonde one”

Peggy looked to Steve and whispered “Is this another shot at you?”

Steve shrugged and whispered “I don’t think so”

“Mr Jarvis, would you please care to shed some light on who it is she is talking about”

“It appears the esteemed Jack Thompson is here. Alongside Vernon Masters and speaking to Miss Frost”

Both of their eyebrows pinched together due to the mix of shock and confusement “Thompson. Our Jack Thompson?”

“What the hell is he doing here, and why is he making nice with Frost?”

“Want me to kill him?”

Peggy and Steve both turned to the mics and said in unison with a stressing tone “Do not kill him!”

“Come on it’ll be quick!”

“Miss Carter I think we must abort this mission, abort abort abort!”

Peggy rolled her eyes and sighed “Mr Jarvis the clock is ticking for Doctor Wilkes this is our only viable opportunity to acquire the sample from Whitney you must find a way to complete your objective without being spotted by Thompson, can you do that?”

With the noise of hesitation coming from the other end of the line at first, Jarvis finally spoke “Yes. Yes I can. Alright Miss Underwood-” he cut himself off which raised awareness to Steve and Peggy.

“Oh that doesn’t sound comforting” Steve whispered as Peggy looked to him with her mouth making an O shape due to her gut feeling on what was happening.

“Mr Jarvis-”

“Not to worry Miss Carter I have everything under control!”

Peggy laid her hands in her head and shook it as she muttered under her breath “This is not going to end well”

“Have a little faith, Peg” Steve smiled as her slid himself closer to her whilst still sat in his chair, nudging his head against her, he lightly took hold of her chin and made her look at him, his soft blue eyes were enough to make her crack a small smile, Steve laid a kiss on her cheek and then sat back in his chair and whispered “Don’t worry”

“Better said than done”

Steve and Peggy had to just sit and wait. They heard Mr Jarvis give stern advice to Jack which really caught them by surprise. Dottie however they hadn’t heard a peep out of, she must’ve dumped her radio but with Mr Jarvis’s still in tact, they heard him searching for her. She couldn’t be too far away, and if Jack see’s her he’ll snatch her up. No matter how much it’ll come to bite back at them.

“Underwood dumped her radio, do you have eyes on her?” Steve asked Mr Jarvis.

“I am presently engaged in a forensic search for her whilst speaking to my glasses like a madman”

“Keep looking. Help is on the way” she turned to Steve and whispered “We have to go in”

Steve took hold of her arm as she went get up “Peggy. You’re hurt. If you get spotted you get run, get cornered you can’t fight”

“Well luckily I’ll have you” She stated as she stood up.

“Peggy you” he then interrupted himself by letting out a groan, he stayed in his seat and watched her go to the door. Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to take a step out of the damn door without feeling pain.

She wasn’t even able to open the door and she felt out a painful moan along with a hiss.

“You okay, baby?”

“Fine” she whimpered as she tried to cover her pain up. She then slowly turned around which let Steve see the blood marks show on her shirt, Steve leaned forward and took her hand “You’ve popped your stitches trying to open the door”

“Where’s the I told you so?” she muttered as he walked her back over to the seats.

“The blood on your shirt has done that for me”

Peggy groaned and sat down on the seat, Steve pulled his up closer to her. Took a tissue out of his coat pocket and pressed it against her wound “You know what you’re problem is?”

He looked up at her, an eyebrow raised at him that told him to be careful and to choose his words carefully.

“You never know when to let people help you”

“It seems like I have no choice now. We’ll have to see if I can get another appointment with Violet”

“Yeah, she is better at this sort of stuff than anyone else”

Peggy stared at him and looked down to his free hand, she dropped her hand on to it and grabbed hold of it “And for the record, letting you take care of me is lovely. No matter how useless I feel”

“You’re not useless” he laughed softly “You’re anything but” Steve leaned back up and sat straight again, taking his eyes off of her. Peggy looked at him and tilted her head, the way he just was then, it was as if something had just sprung to his mind and made him go all funny.

“Steve” she raised her eyebrows “What is it?”

“Huh? Oh heh, nothing”

“ Steve ”

Steve looked at her “I was just thinking...about when you said about me taking care of you and I just thought of the...the night before we fought against Schmidt where I-”

“Proposed” Peggy said fondly.

It was the night before their big fight against Schmidt. They were going into the hellmouth and it scared them of what the outcome could be. Either one of them could end up dead. There was never a guarantee that they’ll walk out of this. And so, they spent the night together again. Once again, no-one even noticed. They didn’t when Steve last stayed in her room over night.

As she slept, Steve rested his head on his hand, his elbow pressed up against the pillow, his other hand on her half naked back underneath her bra, drawing different patterns on her back as he watched her sleep. He hoped the rest of his life was like this. Being able to watch her peacefully sleep beside him. Steve leaned down and softly pressed his lips on her shoulder. Hearing her make a waking moan he looked up and whispered “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No” she whispered as she placed her hand on his “To be honest I’ve been having trouble sleeping but, I liked what you were doing on my back”

Steve tilted his head and smirked as he continued to do so, it fell silent between the two of them for a moment. He then saw her face slowly drop from her thoughts.

“What is it?”

Peggy took her big brown eyes to his and whispered “I’m scared”

“Scared? You?”

“Don’t joke about, Steve, tomorrow is a big deal. All bets are off”

Steve sighed and licked his bottom lip as he took his eyes off of hers and slowly nodded “Yeah” he cleared his throat “I know”

Steve sat up in the bed as rubbed his palm on his forehead with his eyes shut, taking deep breaths. Peggy softly sighed and sat up behind him. Pressing her lips against his shoulder, locking her arms around his waist she rested her cheek on the top of his back as she looked at him, speaking in a soft whisper “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put any thoughts into your head”

“They were already there I guess”

“Steve I’m not saying that you’re going to lose me, and I’m not thinking that I will lose you, it’s just a scary thought of the possibility, no matter how big or small it may be”

“I know, Peggy, I know I just…”

“You just what?”

Steve rubbed his lips together and turned his head to look at her in the corner of his eyes

“I need to ask you something”

“Okay?” Peggy raised her eyebrows, feeling rather unsettled on where this was going. Steve turned himself around to face her properly and took hold of her hands, looking down at them due to his nerves, his voice was shaky along with it “You know I think that you’re a remarkable woman, you’re brave and kind hearted and beautiful, in every way”

“Steve” Peggy smiled in a whisper.

“I mean it” He said looking into her eyes “I mean everything, including when I say that I love you more than words can say and the thought of losing you makes it hard for me to breathe. Call me dramatic” he lightly laugh and shrugged his shoulders “But it’s true. And I’m not just asking you what I’m going to ask you because we’re going into what we’re going into tomorrow. It’s something I thought about for a while but from what you just said it made me realise that although the chance is slim that one of us may not make it, it still means that I need to say this before”

“What? You’re scaring me a little”

Steve let out a deep breath and shot her a soft smile to reassure her as he kept hold of her hands “Now I don’t have a ring-”

“A ring?” she said breathlessly.

“Yes a ring. An engagement ring. They don’t exactly have a jewelry place knocking around here”

Peggy just stared at him, with her jaw slightly dropped. Not really knowing if she hearing this clearly.

“Peggy, you’re the love of my life. It’s as simple as that. I want to live the rest of my life making you happy and loved every waking moment of every single day, so if you’ll let me, I’d like to marry you”

“You want me? Forever?” Peggy cried as tears filled up her eyes.

Steve cupped her face “You have no idea how perfect you are do you? Yes. I want you. Forever...will you? Will you be my wife?”

Peggy’s grin pinched her cheeks as her tears ran down them, her hands went to the back of his neck and whispered as her lips ever so lightly touched his “Yes” she pulled his lips down onto hers, Steve wrapped his arms around her waist, lightly pushing her down back onto the bed as he lay on top of her with her still in his arms.

“Yes” Steve quoted with a wide grin on his face, then taking his lips back to hers.

“I love you so much” Peggy whispered in between their kiss. Pulling the duvet back over them.

Steve sighed and shook his head with a guilty look on his face “That was my utmost...sacred promise to always take care of you...I guess it just hit me that I broke it.. I broke us”

“Don’t be daft, you didn’t break us. You did what had to be done” Peggy said with tears filling her eyes.

“Doesn’t change the fact that I left you”

Peggy held onto his hand tighter “ You loved me, and I knew even when we were saying goodbye that amongst saving and protecting the world. You were protecting me. You said so yourself”

“Steve. Please don’t do this, we have time we can work this out”

“I can’t. I can’t take that risk. Having the world in danger means you being in danger, and I can’t risk your life I won’t”

“You are my li...Steve-”

“Peggy. This is my choice”

Peggy gulped heavily and looked down at their linked hands “It was the hardest thing for both of us” she took her eyes back to him “But darling, I don’t want you to feel guilty for...being the hero that the country and that I saw... see you for”

Steve looked into her eyes “So, you were never...angry with me?”

“No” she said in a whisper as she gently shook her head “I was proud of you, love, and I will always be proud”

Steve took a deep breath and then, finally, he smiled. Peggy lovingly returned the exchange and slowly leaned towards him as he then did the same. Just as their lips touched, all of a sudden. The van viciously shook causing them to quickly pull apart. As it did, Steve’s hand flew to her waist, in case she stumbled and hurt herself.  

“What the hell was that?” she said in a hushed tone.

Steve stood up and walked over to the door, opening it up and jumping out, turning around and putting his arm carefully around her waist and gently lifted her down to the ground. With a gun in both their hands, then made their way around the van. They saw the damage that was done. The dead body that lay on the roof of it.

Chapter Text

“Oh no”

“Underwood?”

“I imagine so” Peggy sighed and then muttered “Bloody hell” under her breath.

“Hey, don’t do that. Don’t go blaming yourself you hear me?”

Peggy looked to him as she took a deep breath through her nose and nodded to him. She then looked up and pointed to the body “Drag him down, we have to search him”

Steve nodded and extended his arm up, grabbing onto the man’s ankle. He pulled the body down and placed him on his back on the ground. Steve leaned down and opened his jacket, patting down the pockets and then taking a quick glance in them, he shook his head and stood back up “No ID. No gun. Guys private security, this is bad”

“Well. Dottie is either in or causing trouble. I know what I’d put my money on”

Hearing a bang of a door coming from the side, as soon as they did Peggy and Steve shot their arms up and pointed their guns. Then quickly dropping them as Mr Jarvis came out like a rambling fool.

Then stopping as he saw the dead man on the floor “Oh. Who’s the dead gentleman?”

“He came from up there and caved in the roof. This is the reason we lost communications. ” Steve stated as he nodded to the shattered window from high up.

“Where is Dottie?” Peggy asked.

“I have no idea I searched everywhere, though I did manage to recover this”

Steve turned his head to see the syringe in Mr Jarvis’s hand. Peggy then said what he was thinking “She disappeared but left the sample of zero matter behind?” Peggy lightly took the device out of Mr Jarvis’s hand.

“It appears so. But we can use the tracking device we planted in her necklace?”

Steve sighed and shook his head “The receiver was crushed with the rest of our gear” he then looked to Peggy “We need to get back home and start on repairs”

“No Steve, we can’t. We cannot leave Dottie Underwood behind, she’s capable of too much. Mr Jarvis take me in with you”

Mr Jarvis held up his hand and shook his head “I would love to Miss Carter but I have just been escorted out rather forcefully by hotel security. Apparently they didn’t appreciate my snooping around the upper floors”

Steve’s eyes were then caught to behind Peggy “Peg the party's over. Look”

Peggy turned and saw the vision of the sea of people leaving the building.

“It’s too risky, being here could blow our cover I don’t like it either but right now retreating is the best and pretty much our only option”

Peggy wanted to argue back, but she wouldn’t. Because she was thinking it before Steve even said it. She sighed and glanced to Mr Jarvis and then Steve, nodding as she turned around “Let’s go”

Peggy placed her hand on the door handle and hesitated to prepare to push herself up, then having the support from Steve with his hands resting on her back. She was able to get in the van more easily.

By the time they got home, they came down to the agreement that there was nothing they could do tonight and that sleep was their best option to be ready for the next chunk of all this tomorrow morning, bright and early. As usual.

Lying in bed, Steve as usual being the big spoon . Peggy looked at their entwined hands that lay in front of her “I’ll never get sick of this” she whispered as she tiredly smiled.

Steve smiled and pressed his lips against the back of her neck as he whispered “Good. Because you’ve got this forever”

“I better” she whispered as her eyes closed, with a smile still lingering on her face.

The next morning, they got dressed and made their way down to the lab. Where Daniel also was with Jason. Peggy gave Jason the zero matter as she and Steve passed him and began to help Daniel in repairing the equipment that was damaged in the van, then listening to Jason thank them for what they had done for him, which was appreciated. It was just a rushed time to really respond wholeheartedly.

They barely even heard him when he began to talk about his blueprints.

“I’d like to start building as soon as possible”

Steve nudged Peggy’s arm without even looking up to tell her that she has to be the one to politely shutting up, at least when she does it she still sound sweet.

“I’m sorry Doctor Wilkes we’ll have to look at them later”

Jason turned around “Later?”

“Yeah. As in not right now” Steve muttered bluntly, earning him a stamp on the foot from Peggy.

“Dottie Underwood gave us the slip” Daniel added as he focused on the devices.

“As long as she’s unaccounted for there’s no way to calculate how many lives are in danger”

“But I’m in the middle of-”

“Miss Carter” Jarvis said as he came through the door. Good thing too. Steve was just about to shut Jason down in a less polite tone than Peggy.

“It’s Chief Thompson” Jarvis added. Steve looked to Peggy, who seemed a little nervous.

“Is that good or bad?” Jason asked.

Peggy didn’t answer, she just went to walk out. Steve took hold of her hand and shook his head to her “Don’t go”

“I’ll be fine”

“Steve’s right, it isn’t worth the risk, Jarvis can send him packing. No doubt it’ll be me on the next stop of the blame train. I’ll take the heat”

Steve turned to Daniel and shook his head “Daniel that-”

Peggy looked to Daniel and softly smiled “That’s kind Daniel but I can handle Jack Thompson”

She then looked back to Steve and whispered as she rocked their linked hands softly back and forth “Play nice in my absence”

She held onto his hand as she walked away until eventually she had to let go. Steve turned around to Daniel and gave him a grateful nod “Thank you for saying that”

Daniel shrugged, it was no skin of his nose “It isn’t like Jack would put the blame on you. He’s too busy brown nosing. Besides. Jack wouldn’t put as much heat on me than he would do on her”

Jack looked to Peggy who was now in her dressing gown and raised his eyebrows “Hope I didn’t disturb you and lover boy”

Peggy rolled her eyes and didn’t rise to his comment “No, we're early risers”

“That’s funny, looks like you’ve had a long night”

Peggy laughed breathlessly “Your charm knows no bounds, it’s a wonder you’re not married yet” she dryly joked. Which actually got an amused smirk from Jack.

He then looked down to the floor as he said “You ever heard of Doctor Katherine Wexford?”

“I haven’t. Who is she?”

“You know her. I think she’s someone very close to you”

Peggy looked away from him and thought for a moment “I knew a Katherine Hornstock once? But we weren’t that close”  

Jack stared at her, feeling like she was making a mockery of him which deep down she kind of was. It’s hard for her not too. Jack smiled and walked over to her, he gritted his teeth and shook his head to her “I know what you’re doing, Carter”

Growing rather bored, Peggy turned her body for to him and tilted her head “Is there something I can do for you, Chief Thompson?”

“My flight back to New York at four thirty. You’re coming with me”

“I’m sorry I can’t do that”

“Rogers will accompany you of course”

“I don’t doubt that but we aren’t leaving”

“I wasn’t asking. There is no place in my office for Agents who can’t follow simple orders” It wasn’t exactly the first time Peggy was threatened by Thompson with his ‘your job is on the line’ excuse. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now. Especially how she knows he wouldn’t dare since he’s so desperate for Steve to come and work in the New York office. No her, no him.

“Well it’s not the job market out there for women right now but I’ll just have to manage”

Jack stared at her sternly and shook his head “Don’t do this”

Peggy shrugged at him “Do what?”

“You’re chasing boogey men down into a pit of quicksand...please just get on this flight with me. Get outta this whilst you and your boy still can. It’s okay to be wrong from time to time”

“Believe it or not, I have been wrong before. Steve can even vouch for that. I know what it feels like...I’m not wrong. Not this time” she said with a confident smirk.

“How much you willing to bet for it?”

Peggy looked away for a moment and then shrugged as she looked back at him “Everything I’ve got”

“It’s a lot to lose”

“But we won’t lose” she lightly shook her head. Jack knew he wouldn’t win this fight, he gritted his teeth once more and began to walk away from her to leave the house “Yes you will and when you do, you’ll never see it coming. And you’ll lose everything. All you will have to live for is each other”

Peggy remained silent for a moment as she took in what he said, she rubbed her lips together and said as she held her head up high “And that’ll be enough for me”

Jack nodded and then called as he turned away “Good luck Carter”  

Steve came up from the lab into the kitchen to see Peggy, he raised his eyebrows to her and softly smiled as he held his arms out “Everything okay?”

Peggy looked at him, and meant even more what she had said to Jack. If she did lose, which she doubt would happen but if she did. Just having him would be all she’d want or need. A year ago the idea of losing everything would be frightening. But as long as they had each other, it wouldn’t be so bad at all.

“Everything is fine” Peggy walked over to him and gently cupped his face.

“What did he say?”

“It doesn’t matter” Peggy whispered as she brought his lips back down to his.

Word got out about Calvin Chadwick’s death. It got around fast. They all put their money on the same bet that on how that happened. At the breakfast table, Ana put the newspaper on the table of the announcement of his death and then said “It says in there that Miss Frost is doing a press conference later on today outside of the studio she is shooting her film at”

Steve pulled the newspaper over to him and asked as he began to open the paper “Does it say the time?”

“Half past twelve I believe” Ana answered him.

Steve looked to Peggy, he went to ask her if they should go, but she beat him to it and gave him the answer before the question even came up “Yes we are”  

“Fine, I’ll give Sousa a call, no doubt he’ll be wanting to see what she has to say too”

They watched as Whitney came forward to the podium, with a death black veil covering her lying face. Her crocodile tears hiding behind it well as she laid on thick her fake sobs.

But Daniel had to give it to her, if he didn’t know what he knew about her, he’d be believing her 100% “God she’s a really good actress”

Peggy scoffed and rolled her eyes “Please. If I could spit I would”

The corner of Steve’s lips turned up from his amusement and then shook his head as they kept their eyes on her “She killed him. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that she killed him”

“There’s no doubt in any of our minds about that” Peggy added to him.

The three of them caught Whitney’s eye, as she wiped her ‘tears’ she looked up at them and stared. Peggy looked at her dead on, not daring to even look away.

Whitney carried on to speak as she didn’t dare to do the exact same “But there is one thing that I know. I will not be broken by this tragedy...I will come through this stronger than ever”

“Yeah, cause she doesn’t give a shit that he’s dead” Steve muttered under his breath.

“And that. I promise you” Whitney took her eyes away from them and looked back to the crowd and cried “Thank you...thank you” covering her mouth with her tissue, she walked away as the cameras took as many snaps of her as possible.

They all moved away and headed towards Daniel’s car, Steve crossed his arms and concluded “Something happened at that fundraiser. Chadwick must’ve turned against her”

“Do you think she killed Dottie Underwood too?” Daniel asked.

“Dottie is nothing if not a survivor. I won’t believe any story about her demise until I see a dead body before me”

Daniel raised his eyebrows and shook his head “Even then I might not believe it”

Peggy let out a quiet, frustrated sigh “If Whitney truly is a genius then she’ll know that Dottie is more useful to her alive than dead, we need to find her, boys”

Daniel and Steve glanced to each other, Daniel then dryly teased as he took his eyes back to the Brit “Didn’t know you cared so much”

“I’m the only reason why she was set loose in the first place...Whitney will try and use her against us if she can”

“ If we all know she will. Dottie doesn’t exactly strike me as a loyal type” Steve added, they all stopped for a brief moment.

Daniel nodded as he looked around “Good. Okay so I’ll get back to the SSR. Do some more digging and then we’ll group back up and talk”

“Yes, well we will go and check up on the progress that Mr Jarvis is or is not making on Dottie’s tracker” Peggy nodded.

“Good luck” Daniel nodded to them with a small smile, then walking away to the car.

Steve crossed his arms as he watched him leave “He still seems down. Perhaps there’s trouble in paradise”

“Oh I hope no” Peggy sighed with sympathy “He deserves a shred of happiness. I know I got mine”

Steve smiled and took his eyes to hers as Daniel drove off “And what or who would’ve been the cause of that?”

“My new red dress. It was an absolute god send”

Steve stared at her with his jaw slightly dropped as he walked her walk away with an amused smirk on her face, then following after her as he laughed and yelled “Hey!”

Steve and Peggy returned back to the lab to found Ana helping Jason with his containment chamber as Jarvis was trying to help his tracking device.

“Look at you. Getting your hands dirty” Steve teased as he grinned to Ana as Peggy walked over to Jason.

“I’ll have you know Steven that I am not one to shy away from such things”

Steve laughed and nodded “Alright, how’s things going?”

As Ana and Steve began to chat. Peggy looked to Jason and said with a soft smile “How are you?”

Jason looked to her with a glum face “You want an honest answer?”

“At this moment no not particularly”

Jason stared at her in silence for a moment or two and then licked his bottom lip as he prepared himself to finally speak with a fake smile “I’m doing great”

Peggy briefly raised an eyebrow and looked away from him to the floor knowing he meant the entire opposite, which Peggy could only feel slightly guilty for, feeling useless in not being able to do much to help.

“I believe I’ve done it” Jarvis sang in a high tone which drew Peggy and Steve towards him.  

“The transponder is repaired” he smirked with pride as he turned it on “Behold”

“Your hidden talents know no bounds Mr Jarvis”

“Yeah. Well done, chalk one up your husband, Ana” Steve called as he momentarily turned to the red head.

Watching them talk about Dottie’s whereabouts, Jason grew angry due to his frustration of not being able to do much to help himself get better and tried to turn it around onto them.

“I believe Mr Stark has a dirigible in the pool house”

“Why?” he spoke up loudly which caused them all to look at him “She’s a Russian spy. A murderer. Why rescue someone who’d kill you the moment she was able?”

He wasn’t exactly talking nonsense, but Dottie’s traits and being the kind of person she was, was rather irrelevant at this moment in time. Before Steve had the chance to speak, Peggy spoke up, no doubt in a much more polite tone than Steve was going to speak in “I agree. Dottie is despicable but she was acting under our orders” Peggy stated as she nodded her head to Steve then looking back to Jason.

Jason looked back and forth between the two, then taking his eyes back to Peggy he said “So this is about saving yourself”

“You calling us selfish?” Steve scoffed as he leaned up from the counter.

“Maybe” Jason shrugged.

Now feeling rather nervy, Mr Jarvis slowly took his eyes to Steve and Peggy. Peggy looking rather confused as to where this was coming from and Steve looking...well...pissed. Steve didn't care about him being called selfish. But Jason had no right calling Peggy that. She was the most selfless person he has ever known. Peggy kept her cool but spoke in a more firm tone “Dottie is my responsibility. I wouldn’t abandon her or anyone else to the likes of Whitney Frost”

“Don’t abandon her” Jason paused and walked towards them “The kill switch on that necklace is attached to a different circuit. Activate it and be done with her”

Peggy shook her head and stepped forward “Jason, I understand you are under considerable-”

“You understand nothing!” he yelled in her face. Which caused Steve to also take a step forward and boom back to Jason “Hey!”

Peggy put her hand on his arm to allow Jason to speak, he clearly needed to get this frustration out.

“This isn’t simply about my death I am facing much worse than that!”

“Yeah and yelling in the woman who has nothing but try and help you throughout all of this is not doing you any favours now is it?” Steve’s tone was angry but kept at a normal volume in aid to not cause any kind of argument. And what he said was true and was agreed by everyone in the room. It made Jason see that snapping at her was wrong, his face dropped to have a guilty expression as he muttered in a matching tone “I’m sorry. I’m not thinking straight. I’m sorry”

“There’s no harm done...Doctor Wilkes-”

"We should get back to work, Ana” Jason said as he politely ignored Peggy and walked back over to Ana. Who seemed very much taken back by what had just happened. Then glancing to Jason and nodding as she agreed to get on with it.

As Mr Jarvis continued his best to deal with the tracking device and Ana assisting Jason with the containment chamber. Steve and Peggy really had some free time on their hands. Steve took her hand and led her out of the lab.

“Steve?” she said with a laugh as he guided her through the house.

“Steve what are we?...” she stopped herself as he stopped her in the living room, she stayed stood in the same spot as she watched him push the coffee table to the side. Peggy raised an eyebrow to him but remained silent as she just watched him, he then walked over to the radio and turned it on.

With a little smile on his face, Steve slowly walked over to her and took hold of her hand, pulling her body close to his, Peggy let out a surprised gasp and giggled as he began to dance her around the living room.

Peggy put her hand on Steve’s back and pressed the side of her head against his “Well, someone is in a spontaneous mood”

“The way I see it. All we got last time is a half dance so I’m getting my other half”

Peggy grinned as she looked at him, pressed her ruby red lips on his cheek and then whispering in his ear “You lied to me”

“What?” Steve pulled his head back, looking at her with a slight worried expression on her face, but she was still smiling, so that made him relax a little. Even more so when she said “You told me you didn’t know how to dance. Well, Steven. You are yet to step on my toes”

“Perhaps I’m just naturally gifted”

“Do you hear that?” Peggy whispered as they continued to sway from side to side as they slowly danced “Is that the sound of your ego exploding?”

Taking her eyes back to him as she watched him laugh. Steve looked at her and then let out a heavy breath as he roughly brought his lips onto hers. Peggy gripped onto the back of his head with one hand and tightened her grip on his waist with the other. Steve smiled against her lips and whispered “We’ll get away after this. Just you and me”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep” Peggy muttered with a small smile forming on her face as she slowly opened her eyes and pulled back, looking deeply into his.

“I promise to keep every promise that I make to you”

“I’ll hold you to that” she whispered, Peggy swung her arms around his neck as her forehead pressed against his a let out a soft giggle as he gently picked her up and spun her around the room, pressing his lips against her neck. He gave her a few more pecks on her neck and collarbone, he slowly propped her down and rubbed his lips together as their noses touched together, then hearing her dryly tease in a whisper “I think this is more of a one and a half dance”

“Prepared to make it all the way to two?”

Peggy smirked and looked down to his hand as hers slowly slid down his arm and eventually linking with his, she looked back to him and nodded with a seductive raise of the eyebrow

“You’re on, Rogers”

“Buckle up, Agent Carter, you're in for the time of your life”

A little while later, Steve and Peggy’s dancing session was called to an end when Ana came up to say that she and Jason seemed to have gotten the containment chamber working. It was now just the time to test it.

They walked in the lab with wide grins on their faces from spending the past hour together, just laughing, dancing and finally being able to take a breath even for a short moment. It certainly gave them a little boost. They soon settled themselves down when the serious atmosphere grasped onto them.

Peggy walked over and opened the chamber door for Jason, closing it as he stepped in, she walked back next to Steve “You ready?”

Jason looked at her with a nervous smile “Nope”

Steve nodded “Ah well no point harping on it, let’s just hope this thing works"

Peggy looked at him and muttered “Lovely choice of words there darling”

He shrugged putting on an innocent face as he crossed his arms, they both looked to Jarvis as he made his way over to the lever and with a moment of a dramatic pause, he pulled onto it. Peggy then went over and put the zero matter they had into Jason.

His eyes went black, he looked like it was giving him ounces of pain, crouching down on the floor, his hand them slammed on the ground. He was tangible again. Taking heavy breaths as his palms were able to rub together “It worked”

He then stood up and exclaimed with a relieved laugh “It worked”

They all beamed with a smile.

“Wonderful!”

Peggy walked over to Jason and stuck out her hand for him to shake “Congratulations Doctor”

Jason stared down at her hand and took hold of it. Steve watched him and saw the look on his face, and saw how even Peggy was thinking that he was now just holding her hand and not shaking it, just as she was about to quickly pull away Steve took a step forward “Well, Doctor Wilkes”

Peggy wasn’t sure if this would be followed by a good sentence or a bad one. But either way she was just glad that her hand was free’d. Because it was beginning to come plain awkward. Even she knew that if Steve wasn’t there, in the sense of him still being frozen, Jason would have took that chance and kissed her.

Peggy took a step back, over to Ana and Jarvis as Steve shook Jason’s hand and nodded to him with a smile “Glad to see you solid again”

“You are?”

“Of course, I’m a fair man, Doctor Wilkes, you deserve to have your life back. There is always one other reason of course”

“Which is?”

Steve leaned forward ever so slightly and spoke in a more hushed tone “If I hear you or see you try anything with her, when I punch you, you will actually feel it now”

Jason gulped and looked at him nervously. Steve then laughed “Relax, Jason . As long as you respect me and most of all her, whilst respecting our relationship, we’ll get along fine”

Jason nodded and stumbled his words “O-of course! I would never-”

“Good. Then we’ll get along fine” Steve nodded with a genuine smile on his face. Turning to Peggy as she came back over to them “You two alright?”

“Yes” Jason smiled “And you know what?”  

“What?”

“I am starving”

Ana laughed breathless and motioned her hand to him “Of course you are! You haven’t eaten in days! I shall make you a meal fit for a king! A true hungarian feast” Ana gleamed proudly slapping Jarvis’s chest and as walked off.

“I’ve never had hungarian food before. Is it any good?”

Jarvis looked behind him and waited till Ana was gone, he tilted his hand back and forth and muttered “Eh”

“Is that the leftover beef meal that she gave me yesterday?” Steve asked.

“It is, Captain Rogers”

“Oh” Steve grumbled as he touched his stomach “Good luck Jason. Be gentle to her”

“I am sure that I will love it” Jason gleamed as he rubbed his hands together. Anything would taste good to him right now.

Suddenly, a loud beeping then went off.

“We’ve got a signal” Steve muttered as he, Peggy and Jarvis walked over to the tracking device.

Jarvis looked and jotted down the coordinates. Peggy tilted her head as she viewed him writing it down “Santa Clarita Valley...Newhall”

“You should call Daniel. See when he can get here” Steve suggested to her. Peggy glanced to him and nodded “Right. I’ll get to it” she lightly rubbed his back as she walked away and out of the lab to the dining room phone.

Jarvis looked to Steve “I must say, Captain Rogers that Miss Carter, regarding she could barely walk a couple of days ago, has never had as much of a spring in her step than she has within these few days”

Steve smiled and nodded “Well. We talked out the elephant in the room about what happened with...you know...it’s a huge weight of our shoulder. We’re just focusing on being happy now, I guess both of us still had what happened trapped in the back of our minds, now we’ve moved on together”

Jarvis couldn’t help but let out a wide smile “I’m very glad to hear that”

“Yeah. Me too”

Chapter Text

Steve walked into the dining room to see Peggy sat at the chair, strumming her fingers on the phone.

He tilted his head and said with a small smile “You okay, babe?”

Her eyes flickered back to him and snapped back to reality “Oh, yes” she lightly laughed and stood up “Sorry love I was lost in thought. Unfortunately Daniel isn’t coming. He’s dealing with Vernon Masters”

Steve pulled a face “Lucky Daniel”

“Hm. Indeed”

She looked at him, once again he had something face.

“What is it?”

“Jarvis and I were thinking”

“Oh no. That's dangerous past time”

Steve sighed out a small amused smile and then got back to being serious straight away “Don’t you think that this signal just showing up is a little convenient?”

Peggy walked closer to him and straightened his plain white shirt, gracing her eyes at his arms that pulsed through his rolled up sleeves that travelled to his elbows and then took her eyes back to him and whispered with her eyes widened “We’re walking into a trap”

Steve took in a deep breath and looked at her, seeing the look on her face he smirked to her  “You’re excited”

Peggy smiled, getting slightly up on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear “Don’t try and tell me that you aren’t”

Steve rested his hands on her waist and briefly pulled her on him as he kissed her neck and cheek, then letting her go as she took his hand and led him out of the dining room to get ready for this.

Jarvis would take the night off and stay in with Ana. Steve and Peggy could handle this by themselves. But still he could not help but put in some imput of his own in order to help them, and the idea turned out to be rather good.

“The jitterbug” Jarvis motioned his hand down to the device he placed on the ground.

Steve slid his hands in his pockets and shook his head “Sounds like a song”

“Regardless of it’s name. When you both walk into the trap. I believe you may be out numbered”

Peggy and Steve glanced to each other, Peggy then turned her voice in attempts to sound like the butler “I believe we can count on it”

Both men secretly being amused, Jarvis carried on “If and when that happens” he motioned his hand for Steve to come stand next to him, which he did, and then took Peggy’s hand and guided her to behind Steve.

“Then, Captain Rogers will enter this sequence, which is three, four, two, four and then three and four again”

“Might have to get you to write that one down” Steve laughed.

“Will do. Anyway. After that flick this switch here” he told them as he made the action himself and stood back up “Behold”

Steve and Peggy watched on and saw the device cause a large force that knocked over the entire set of table and chairs.

“You watch our assailants cut a rug as it were”

“Topman, Jarvis!” Steve complimented as he firmly patted the butler’s back “It’ll be certainly useful, thanks” Steve leaned down and picked up the device as Jarvis went inside to write down the sequence number for Steve to have when they get to their destination.

As Peggy also went inside to fetch some things, Steve was outside alone and placed the device in the boot of the car.

“Steven” Steve looked up to Ana walking over to him looking as cheery as ever “May I suggest something to you?”

“Sure. What is it?”

Ana pulled from behind his brown leather jacket “You don’t want to be cold”

Steve laughed and nodded as he took the jacket out of her hands “Thanks Ana”

Steve turned and placed the jacket in the boot for a brief moment, he turned back around to the surprise of Ana giving him a tight hug, Steve let out a small surprised laugh and then hugged her back, giving her a tight squeeze her then pulled back “What was that for?”

“Good luck. I want you and Miss Carter to come home in one peace”

“Are you worried about little old us?” Steve smiled.

“Well yes, it is in my nature”

Steve smiled and rubbed her arm “You’ll make a hell of a mother one day, Ana”

Peggy then came outside with her things in her hands “Are you ready, Steve?”

Ana smiled and patted his chest as she took a step back “Yes he is”

Peggy shoved her things in the boot “Let’s see what Whitney Frost has planned for us”

Steve shut the boot and looked back to Ana and shot her a smile “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine. Just enjoy your night in with your husband...and Jason” Steve pulled a face to her which just made her laugh.

Steve gave her another smile and then got in the car.

The drive was long, and rather tiring. Steve had never drove for this long. He didn’t enjoy it at all. If he could, he’d fall asleep, but he had Peggy pinching his arm ever so often to keep him awake.

“If you’d rather me drive-”

“No no. I’m fine I promise” Steve said with a light laugh. With Peggy’s hand rested on his leg, he entwined their fingers together and kept his left hand on the wheel. Peggy kept her eyes on him, she then leaned forward and pressed her lips against his jaw. Steve smiled as he kept his eyes on the road “Is this your way of keeping me awake?”

“That. And I’m just keeping myself occupied”

“I am not your play toy, Miss Carter”

Peggy ran her fingers through the back of his hair and whispered “My mistake”

Steve chuckled and focused back on driving, which was hard to do with Peggy giving his neck light kisses. He then came to an emergency stop which made Peggy loudly gasp, with her jaw slightly dropped her stared at him “Unsafe”

“You always did like a bit of danger” Steve laughed as he clashed his lips roughly against her, Peggy let out a breathless laugh against his lips, her right hand resting in the opening of his shirt and her left on the back of his neck.

“We don't have time” she said breathlessly.

“The way I drive, yes, we do”

Peggy looked into his eyes as their faces still remained close, she smiled "So unprofessional"

"It's only Dottie Underwood"

"True" Peggy giggled rubbing her nose with his Peggy then brought her lips back onto his. His hands began to explore her body. Peggy raised her eyebrows and laughed and lightly pushed him back “We don’t have time for that no matter how fast you drive. Come let's get moving”

Steve sighed with a smirk on his face and sat back in his chair, he put his hands back on the wheel and looked at her “Just when you were getting my motor running”

“Oh please” Peggy laughed as she pushed his head to look back at the road, looking straight ahead she muttered “I’ll get it running again tonight”

Steve chuckled and started the car up again “We better get this over with as soon as possible then huh?”

It was dark by the time they reached their destination. They parked the car outside of the house undetected. Steve quietly took the device given by Jarvis out of the boot and carried it inside the premises. Then, one of Whitney’s guards spotted him.

“Stop right there”

Steve turned his head and then his whole body and looked at the guy “Now who the hell are you?”

Steve faced frowned “Come on, man, that just stings”

“What?”

Peggy rushed over and whacked the guard on the side of his head with the end of her gun. She took a breath and looked behind him as he then turned at the sound of more men coming towards them. Steve placed the machine down on the floor and knelt down behind it and prepared himself to put in the sequence as Peggy stood behind him.

Steve put his hand in his pocket to get the piece of paper. But felt nothing. His eyebrows pinched together as he hand then flew into his other pocket but again felt nothing “Shit”

“What?”

“I left the piece of paper in the car”

“You what!”

“Well it’s partly your fault, it must’ve fallen out after we stopped the car for a little-”

“Steve! We’re screwed!”

Steve sighed “Let me try and” Steve began to think of all the possible combinations that were racing through his head. Put every single sequence he entered was wrong. His head was getting itself worked up and jumbled.

“Drops your weapons”

Steve glanced up at the guard and then again entered a wrong combination “You take one more inch and it’ll be your last”

Steve sighed “What’d we do now?”

“There’s only one thing to do” Peggy stated, then after a moment she dropped her gun and held her hands up. Lightly kneeing him in the back to do the same. It was the safest option right now, she wasn’t in the position to fight just yet and who knows if there were even more men on top of these guys, Steve rolled his eyes and also raised his hands.  

“Up on your feet pretty boy”

“Hm. Pretty boy” Steve muttered, he looked to Peggy and shrugged “Kinda like that”

Peggy shot a glance at him and shook her head as the group of men walked behind the two of them with their guns point to Steve and Peggy’s back and telling them to walk on.

The men took Steve and Peggy downstairs into a basement. Where they saw Dottie strapped to a chair, Peggy’s eyes rolled as she heard Dottie say in a happy mocking tone “Peggy, is this supposed to be a rescue?”

Peggy just stared at her and said nothing. Dottie then grinned “What a nice surprise!”

Peggy let out a frustrated and fed up sigh as she took her eyes back to Dottie.

One of the men walked to a corner and grabbed a chair. With two large belts and two piece of rope in his hand. Peggy felt the man behind her press the barrel of the gun against her back more firmly as he grumbled “Get in the chair”

Peggy glanced to Steve, who gave her a nod to follow the man’s orders. Peggy slowly walked forward and was shoved down in the chair by the man who then tightly strapped her hands against the arms of the chair and then strapped her feet against the leg of the chairs.

“And me? You got one of those for me?” Steve snapped.

Then the man who had his gun pressed his back shook his head “No. Stand against that wooden beam over there”

Steve raised an eyebrow and glanced to Peggy who was just as surprised and confused. Steve obeyed and stood against the beam. The man who strapped Peggy to the chair then came over to Steve with the same things, he raised Steve’s arms above his head and tied them together and then tie his feet. He stood up straight and said “You’d be too strong for a chair, Captain . So we took the liberty of using extra strong material to make sure you won’t escape”

“You flatter me” Steve snarled as he watched the guy walk away.

The man then turned as the rest of his buddies began to walk up the stairs and said “Sit and stand tight” he muttered with a laugh “Our boss will be very excited to see you”

He then left the three of them alone. They immediately tried to get free. Steve then also couldn’t let this number thing lie, he kept muttering to himself over and over again what the sequence could be. Which raised Peggy to glance at him “You literally had one job”

“Thank you for your comfort, Peg”

“Oh” Dottie muttered in a high tone “Front row for a lovers tiff” she then looked to Steve and said “I’d hate for it to come down to me picking up the scraps”

Peggy stared to Dottie, she then leaned her head forward and sternly warned her “Keep making remarks like that and that jail cell will end up looking like a bloody paradise”

Dottie raised her eyebrows to her “Jealous?”

“Annoyed” Peggy stated as she sat back in her chair and carried on fidgeting to be free. Peggy let out a deep breath and spoke to Dottie about a more important subject “Where is Whitney Frost?”

“You want information from me? After you sent me on a fool's errand to collect a blood sample”

“If I had any other choice you’d still be rotting in your cell”

“And yet you risk life and limb to try and rescue me”

“Yeah. That part I was happy to not do if given the choice” Steve grumbled as he tried to drag his hands down and out of the insanely strong bomdage.

Peggy ignored him “Did anyone question you?”

“Your friend Vernon. We had a chat...lovely cocktail party with sodium mathatome and he threatened to pull my teeth out”

Peggy’s eyes travelled from Dottie’s to Steve who was still muttering the sequence he was determined to get right in his head “Steve it’ll be no use to us now anyway just let it go”

She then looked back to Dottie and asked sternly “What did you tell him?”

“Not a thing”

After and moment, both Steve and Peggy pulled one of their hands free. Dottie shortly following afterwards. If he wanted, Steve could rip the beam off. But that would mean the floor caving in and they could end up being stuck, so he didn’t risk it.

“You better hurry Peggy, if I get loose before you do there’s no telling what I’ll do” Dottie’s eyes then draped to Steve and muttered in a seductive tone “And who to”

Peggy’s eyes flickered to Steve who didn’t hear Dottie’s little comment and then looked back at Dottie, staring at her as Peggy challenged her by working her hands faster to unstrap herself from the leather straps.

“Jesus christ what is this made of!?” Steve strained as he shut his eyes due to him pulling his hardest to get free.

“Vibranium” Peggy teased in a dry serious tone as she kept her eyes on setting herself free. Steve noticed her smirk.

“Cute. If this were a different situation I’d be laughing”

Peggy turned her head and gave him a soft caring look, forming a little smile to him. Peggy then looked to Dottie and noticed something wrong, she looked out of it for a moment.

“What happened to you?”

Dottie snapped out of whatever was happening to her and looked to Peggy, she then smiled and didn’t give an answer but a question “What’s your plan for me once all of this is over?”

Steve then answered before Peggy gets the chance “You’re going back in that goddamn cell”

Dottie glanced to Steve and then looked back to Peggy who shrugged “You heard the captain”

“Does that do something for you? Calling him that?”

Peggy rolled her eyes and carried on releasing her other hand. Because quite frankly, she couldn’t deny it. She isn’t one for lies.

Steve got his last hand free and let out a huge sigh of relief, he bent down and began to untie his feet.

“You gotta stop keeping that pretty little head of yours in the sand and realise what kind of men you are working with. Like Vernon Masters”

“We’ll deal with Vernon Masters”

“Of course. But He’s only one of many, do you have any idea how deep the rot goes in the SSR? Your idealism blinds you Peggy, and it will kill us all”

“Wait!” Steve shot up as he released his feet and was fully free “That code I put in the system. I thought it was right because Jarvis warned me not to mess up and said to make sure I did not put those numbers together unless needed”

“Why? What does that do?” Peggy raised an eyebrow.

Steve shrugged “I don’t-”

His question was soon answered as there was some sort of explosion from above, one of the guards fell down the stairs and was out cold. Steve clicked his fingers and nodded “Oh yeah. It delays it”

Peggy shook her head at him and then just went back to untying one of her feet whilst he knelt down and did the other.

“Jeez Peg, does he roll over when asked too?”

Steve glanced up to her “Only if there’s a treat at the end of it” he then stood back up as Peggy was able to stand and pushed the chair away. They both crossed their arms and looked to the struggling spy.

“Come along Dottie, we haven’t got all day

Dottie looked to Peggy and dryly laughed before setting her face straight. A moment or two later and she was free herself. Dottie went to head out of the basement. Peggy grabbed onto her arm and shook her head “Ah ah ah. Not so fast there”

Peggy held out her other hand behind her as Steve handed her the belt without her having to even say anything. Peggy smiled as he wrapped the belt around Dottie’s wrist and tightened them well and good “Come on then”

Peggy said, leading Dottie out like a dog. Which Steve found rather amusing given the fact she called him the same. Peggy led Dottie down the hall as Steve followed them out, through the rumbled corridor where passed out bodies lay.

“Six men here” Peggy stated.

“Yeah and no Whitney Frost” Steve added as he stepped over the broken furniture.

“They’re all broken” Dottie said as she then winced with pain “I was looking forward to having a little fun” she then winced again. Peggy shook her head and said bluntly “You’re in no condition to have any fun”

Peggy then turned her head and looked to Dottie, as Steve also looked to her. Steve glanced to Peggy and then looked back to Dottie as he asked “The hell did they do to you”

Dottie sighed “Like I said. Your friend Vernon played rough when he questioned me”

Steve looked to Peggy as he passed them over to the machine, giving her an expression to show that he wasn’t really buying it.

“Why weren’t we questioned?”

Steve shrugged as he walked back over to her with the machine in his hand “Maybe they were saving us for Whitney Frost?”

A thought then struck into Peggy’s mind, her eyebrows pinched together as she scanned Dottie a little bit more she then gripped harder to Dottie “Vernon didn’t do this to you, Whitney Frost did”

Dottie sighed as she tried to bare with her pain, looking to Peggy. She then avoided eye contact. Peggy gripped onto Dottie’s arms “What did you tell her?!”

Dottie smiled “Peggy. You knew this was a trap”

Peggy glanced to Dottie and then looked back to Dottie and sternly nodded “Of course”

“But it wasn’t set for you”

Peggy looked at Dottie, now feeling very much in the dark. She slowly dropped her hands from Dottie’s arms and turned to Steve, it then struck her again “They want Doctor Wilkes. Oh god Steve. Mr Jarvis”

“Ana” Steve said breathlessly as he suddenly became very scared as he shook his head and quickly made his way out of the house with Peggy quickly behind her. They got to the car. As Peggy opened the back car door for Dottie to sit in she looked up as she heard Steve say to her from beside her “If anything happens to her. To either of them I’ll never forgive myself”

Peggy looked at him and touched his cheek with her free hand and whispered “It’s going to be okay” she rubbed his arm and then pushed Dottie back in the car. She shut the door and looked back to him and repeated in a whisper “It’s going to be okay”

“Is that you trying to convince me or you?”

Peggy shook her head as she walked over to the door “Stop it”

Steve looked to her and saw how she was. She looked scared. Steve sighed and shook his head as he opened his door “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I’m just-”

“I know. Let’s just get moving”

Steve nodded as he got in the car as she did.

Steve raced the car down the street, with Peggy’s hand clutched to his. She kept her eyes on him, he glanced to her and sighed as he looked back to the road. Dottie looked to Peggy and tilted her head “I’ve never seen you like this before”

Peggy snapped out of her gaze and looked to Steve “What?”

Dottie raised her eyebrows and spoke with what could be considered as pleasure in her tone “Scared”

Peggy didn’t comment, she just looked away and looked back on the street, Steve glanced to her again and muttered “Are you? Scared?”

Peggy gulped heavily and said breathlessly as she nodded “Rather terrified actually. There are no guns in the house. Mr Jarvis has no way of protecting Ana nor does she have anyway of doing the same and Jason. Well Jason will be no challenge”

“I thought you said it was going to be okay”

“Yeah...so did I. But like you said, perhaps I am trying to convince us both”

Steve squeezed her hand and let out a deep shaky breath as he shook his head “All we can do is just hope”

Unknowing that her husband was attacked at the back of the house and is lying on the floor out cold. Ana bravely took a stand in front of Whitney out at the front as her new sidekick stuffed Jason’s unconscious body in the car.

“You won’t get away with this. They won’t stop coming for you”

Just as she said that. Steve and Peggy came into the driveway. Whitney glanced over to them and then raised her gun to Ana, which caused her to hitch her breath with fear.

“I don’t doubt that. I can however slow them down” Whitney then suddenly pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting Ana in the lower section of her abdomen. Ana let out a painful scream as she dropped to the floor.

“No no no” Steve muttered in a plea as he pulled the car to a halt. Steve and Peggy jumped out the car. Peggy trying to run after Whitney but failing miserably. Steve raced over and crouched down to Ana “Ana! Ana stay calm you’re going to be alright”

Steve pressed his hand down on her wound to prevent more blood from spilling as she cried in pain. Steve spun around to Peggy and pointed to Dottie in the back “Clear her out now! We need to get Ana in the back”

Ana tapped Steve’s hand as she panted “Edwin, Edwin, I don’t know where he is”

With Dottie now in the boot, Peggy called as she ran into the house. Steve took a deep breath and turned his head back to Ana as he slowly started to pick her up, she was curled up like a fragile, injured deer. Steve made sure he was careful.

As he carried her to the car. Peggy went to the back of the house near the courtyard and found Jarvis flat on the floor with a nasty cut to his head. Peggy knelt down beside him and rested her hand on the back of his head as she looked at him with worry. With her other hand, she lightly shook him “Mr Jarvis?”

She then shook him a little harder and raised her voice “Edwin!”

His eyes heavily began to open. Peggy let out a sigh of relief as he woke up. But there was no time to thank god since they weren’t out of the woods, not by a long shot. Peggy began to help him up as she said with a heavy heart “We have to get to the hospital-”

“I’ll be alright Miss Carter”

“No, no” Peggy whispered as she shook her head, his eyes then fell to hers as he feared the worst. Peggy gulped heavily and then muttered “It’s Ana”

Mr Jarvis then shook his head as he then jumped up, too quickly for his own real good due to the dizziness he had from the hit of his head.

“Where is she!”

“Steve is putting her in the car, come on, come on” she said calmly as she held onto his arm and guided him out of the house. When Jarvis saw Ana in the back of the car, Steve leaning into the car to keep the pressure down on the wound. Jarvis ran to her, yelling out her name. Steve quickly pulled himself out of the car and stepped aside for Jarvis to get in the back with her.

“She’s been shot, keep pressure onto her wound and make sure she stays awake” Steve calmly ordered as Jarvis sat in the back, Steve shut the door and looked at him through the window, indicating Jarvis’s cut head Steve asked “Are you alright?”

“Fine!” Jarvis didn’t mean to snap, but Steve didn’t blame him nor did he even consider taking it to heart. He just nodded and raced to the front of the car.

Jarvis couldn’t help but ask a million and one questions about what had happened. Questions that they didn’t even know the answer to. All they knew is that Whitney Frost shot Ana and took Jason. That’s it. That’s all they knew. Steve drove to the hospital like he drove to the house. Fast. They were all panicking big time. He just wanted to get her to the hospital as soon as possible.

They pulled the car to a halt as they pulled up outside the hospital. Steve and Peggy bolted out of the car, both yelling in unison “Help!”

A nurse raced out of the hospital to them as Jarvis climbed out of the car and then carried Ana out.

“What’s happened?”

With fear still ringing in his voice, Jarvis stated “She’s been shot” a Jarvis and the nurse raced into the hospital. Steve and Peggy stopped an officer.

“Agent Carter SSR and Captain Steve Rogers. We have a prisoner in the trunk of this vehicle”

“Don’t listen to her if she speaks to you and for god sakes do not open the damn trunk” Steve added as he and Peggy then followed Jarvis into the hospital.

“Her breathing is shallow, pulse is dropping” the nurse stated as Ana lay down on the bed.

Peggy entwined her fingers with Steve’s as they kept up the pace of following the nurses. Peggy looked to the frightened look on Jarvis’s face. It was the same as Steve’s when she was impaled.

“What’s her name sir?” The doctor asked as he looked to Jarvis. He was frozen, so shaken up that he couldn’t even speak. Steve looked to the doctor and answered for him “Ana. Ana Jarvis”

“It was a robbery gone wrong she was shot at close range” Peggy added, her lie not going under any suspicion by the doctors and nurses. The doctors murmured as they stated to prepping her for surgery. The nurse stopped the three of them. Telling them it was only to this point that they could follow. The nurse looked to Jarvis’s cut head “Down the hall to the left will sort that out”

Peggy looked to Jarvis and whispered “Come on-”

“Help! Somebody help! An officer's been shot!” a young man called from down the hall.

“Oh no” Peggy muttered under her breath. Steve began to walk down the hell, he turned to Peggy and pointed to Jarvis “Get his head sorted, I’ll go check this out!”

Peggy nodded and took hold of Jarvis’s arm, guiding him down the hall as he stumbled about. Not saying anything, he barely even touched the reality of what was happening. All he knew was that his wife was shot.

A little while later, as Jarvis sat on a bed as he was being patched up by a nurse. Peggy turned when she heard Steve’s voice call to her from behind. Peggy glanced to Jarvis and then walked over to Steve, Steve rubbed her arms and whispered “How is he?”

“Physically he’s going to be fine but he hasn’t said two words to me”

Steve sighed and shrugged. He didn’t quite expect anything less. Peggy placed her hand over his “What happened?”

“She’s gone”

“No” Peggy whispered with an exhausted sigh as she rubbed her forehead.

“Yeah. Poor bastard couldn’t resist but open the damn thing, his gun is gone from his holster so I take it she beat the crap out of him, took his gun and shot him. She left her tracker”

“Of course she did. She’s not stupid”

“Just one more crisis to deal with” Steve sighed, he rubbed her back as she rested her head on his chest for a moment or two. Steve laid a long kiss on the top of her head, as she lifted her head back up she heard him say “We’ll sort it”

“We said that last time and she still ended up escaping” Peggy cynically sighed. She then shook her head and waved her hand “The primary focus right now is Ana. This can all be handled later on” Peggy looked down to her watch. They were in for it for a while.

The sun came up before they even knew it. They don't even know what time it was when they arrived last night but it must've been late. Steve was sat on the bench, with Peggy’s head resting on his lap, her knees tucked to her stomach as she slept. Steve rubbed his eyes and stretched. He looked over to where Jarvis was sitting before he shut his eyes But now he wasn’t there. Steve looked at his watch. The SSR would be up and running by now. Steve rubbed Peggy’s back and leaned down as he whispered in her ear “Peggy...Peg honey wake up”

Peggy grumbled a moan as her head fidgeted. Steve smiled as he ran his fingers through her curls, he hates having to wake her, but given the situation, he had to.

Peggy rubbed her eyes and pulled herself up, lifting herself up she instantly rested her chin on his shoulder and looked to him as she then whispered “I better call Daniel. Let him know about Dottie so he can start to the search”

“Yeah, go on, I’ll wait for Jarvis and see what’s going on” he muttered, rubbing her back as she stood up. Steve watched her walk over to the phones and then saw Jarvis slowly walk back over to the bench. Silent as ever, he didn’t even look to Steve. He just sat next to him and remained silent. Steve stared at him, also staying in silence..

But eventually he spoke. He had to know “Jarvis...did they say anything about Ana?”

Jarvis gulped heavily and shook his head “Her surgery is still on going, there are things they have to take things slow with...but they still don’t know if she’ll”

Steve bowed his head down and pressed his clenched fist against his forehead. Steve looked to Jarvis and nodded “I have the deepest faith that she will be okay, Mr Jarvis”

Steve looked up to Peggy and then sighed, Steve looked back to Jarvis as he heard her say.

“Whatever you do. You must cherish every waking moment that you share with Miss Carter. Because one day-”

“Mr Jarvis. Your days with Ana will not end” Steve put his hand on Jarvis’s shoulder and nodded “But I appreciate what you are saying and I will...stay here okay? I’ll be right back”

Steve stood up and took his hand off of Jarvis’s shoulder and walked over to Peggy. Jarvis’s words and the way he was in general struck a cord to Steve. It had done something to him. Steve walked over to her and laid his hands against the wall, shutting his eyes and taking deep slow breaths.

Peggy looked to him, she’d hung up the phone a moment ago, she just had to take a moment to let the fact that Vernon Masters was clearly now crowned chief over Daniel. Which then made her wonder if something was wrong. In fact. She knew there was.

Peggy turned to him and tilted her head to get a full visual of his face.

“Steve?”

She put her hand on his back and moved closer to him “Darling what is it?”

“I should’ve been there. The plan that Jarvis suggested that you went with him and I stayed back and with her and Wilkes. I should have done that but I was so insistent on being with you” Steve shook his head as he kept his eyes shut.

“This is not your fault. We all agreed on the plan. We all decided on you coming with me because we thought that where they were keeping Dottie was the trap. Not back at the house”

It took him back to how helpless he was when Bucky past. Hearing his scream and the way Steve thought about how it could have been prevented. Just as he heard her scream and how he thought of ways he could have prevented this. Steve slammed his fist against the wall and slid his hands down it, his jaw clenched along with his fists as he rested his back against the wall “I won’t forgive myself”

“Stop it” Peggy cried in a whisper as she stood in front of him and cupped his face

Steve took his heavy blue eyes and looked into hers. Peggy stayed silent for a moment and softly stroked his cheeks with her thumbs “Remember when I blamed myself for what happened to Doctor Wilkes, and you calmed me down?”

“Yeah”

“Then think about what you said to me and tell it to yourself, because this is not your fault”

Peggy pulled his head to her shoulder and hugged him tightly, his arms wrapped around her waist as he sighed into her neck as she cradled his head, she kissed his earlobe and then whispered “Come on darling. Our friends need us right now”

Peggy pulled away and took hold of his chin to make him look at her soft smile “Okay?”

Steve sighed and nodded. He was calm again “Yeah, okay”

Peggy walked over to the bench again and sat beside the broken Mr Jarvis as Steve sat on the other side of him. They all still remained quiet.

Jarvis then repeated what he had said to Steve to Peggy  “She’s still in surgery...they can’t even say if she’ll” he stopped. Not even being able to finish his words. Peggy took a silent deep breath and looked to Steve with a heavy heart, she then looked back to Jarvis and down to his hand. With hesitation at first, she slid hers under his and took hold of it. As Steve once again placed his hand on his shoulder.

The three of them stayed as they were and remained in absolute silence.

Chapter Text

Ana came out of surgery. The doctors said it went well, now all there was left for Ana to do was wake up. Which left Steve, Peggy and Jarvis to carry on with their only job. Pray.

“I don’t even know what to say to him” Peggy said in a whispered tone and she and Steve stood outside of Ana’s room, with Jarvis beside her bed. He looked awful. Exhausted. But refused to do anything but be by her side.

Steve looked at Jarvis through the window and shrugged as he slowly took his eyes back to her “Sometimes you don’t have to say anything. You just have to be there for the person going through the situation. He’s taking it bad, this has never happened to him before”

“Where as we’re experienced in this?”

“We’ve experienced the loss of loved ones and we’ve learnt how to cope. Difference here is Ana has a chance. We’ve just got to be in there, and support him. Support them even”

Peggy took a deep breath and loosely gripped his jacket, rubbing her thumb against the fabric as she let what he said sink in, lightly nodding and rubbing her lips together, she took her eyes to his and gave him a faint smile and a light nod as she then spoke in a whisper “You’re right”

“Come on then” he smiled as he put his hand on the door and slowly opened it, holding it open to let her walk through into the room first and then followed her in. They didn’t say anything, they stood at the foot of the bed, Steve’s eyes fell to the weak and fragile Ana in bed, Peggy’s eyes fell to Jarvis. Who was putting his heart and soul into getting the radio on.

He finally spoke up and said how he couldn’t get their show up on the radio. Peggy looked to Steve and then took a step forward “I’ll try”

“We have a very precise schedule and if I could just get Billy Goobend then maybe she’ll…” he stopped and stared at the radio. Finally snapping over and moment and punching it, causing it to break, it was enough to make the two of them jump a little. Peggy carried on walking over to him like she planned to, she put her hands on his arms and guided him over to his original chair.

She knew it wouldn’t work now but she still turned the knob just to check. She was right though, it didn’t work. Steve looked to Jarvis and tried his best at add reassurance “Look. She’s gotten out of surgery, and she’s...she’s got colour in her cheeks and-”

“Captain Rogers they can’t even say if she’ll wake up”

Peggy took a deep breath through her nose and crouched down before him. She locked her eyes on him as he kept his on his wife “What Ana needs right now is for you to be beside her, to hear your voice...no-one else” she paused and looked to Steve “We’re going to go home. Pick up Howard’s radios and bring you a change of clothes, toothbrush, razor”

Steve smiled and briefly tapped his hand against Jarvis’s as he said in a light and positive tone “Yeah, and when she wakes up, you’ll look like you again”

He didn’t respond, and it seemed as if he wasn’t going to. Peggy stood up and squeezed his shoulder as she and Steve walked out the room, Steve giving him a pat on the back as he did. They got outside and let out a deep sigh, Steve put his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her arm as they walked out of the hospital.

Nearing the house, Peggy looked to Steve and sighed “What a bloody mess”

“I know”

“We’ve got Dottie missing. I can’t get a hold of Daniel. Whitney Frost has captured Jason and Ana has been shot. All happening in a matter of hours”

Steve glanced to her before looking back to the road and shrugged “We’ll do our best”

“Yeah” she scoffed in a whisper “Someone usually ends up dead anyway”

“Peggy-”

“Look” Peggy butted in as she tapped his hand and leaned forward in her seat as they pulled into the drive. Their vision was now Daniel, crouched down on the ground, examining the blood on the floor.

“Well” Steve cleared his throat “At least we’ve got one down”

Peggy shook her head and said nothing to his comment, she just sighed. Steve pulled over the car, Daniel struggled to his feet as he saw them pull in and walked over to them. Steve Peggy got out the car. Peggy walked round to Steve’s side as Daniel caught up to them.

Steve looked to Daniel’s face and waited until Daniel was finished talking to question him on it.

“Glad to see you two are alright. I saw the blood and got worried. What happened?”

Peggy placed her hand on her hip as her other rested on the car door with Steve stood behind her “Whitney Frost. She has Doctor Wilkes”

“Is he hurt?”

Steve shrugged “We don’t know...but Ana...Whitney shot her”

Daniel looked away from them for a moment and whispered under his breath with a genuine saddened expression “Oh no” he then looked back up to them and asked with concern “Is she?-”

“She’s in the hospital” Peggy stated, suddenly feeling the rush of fear that ran through her body, getting away from the hospital made it sink into her even more that Ana was hanging on by a thread “We don’t know”

Daniel frowned and sighed as he looked to them. Steve slid his hand in his pocket and nodded to Daniel’s face as Peggy also picked up on it and lightly laid her hand on his bandage at his eyebrow “What happened to you?” he asked.

“Gosh, Daniel”

Daniel sighed and shook his head as Peggy took her hand away from his face “Vernon Masters isn’t above ordering an old fashioned beat down. He’s looking for the uranium rods fro Whitney Frost”

Peggy scoffed and looked to Steve, they soon both came down to the same thought. Peggy nodded to him and then said to Daniel as the pair walked into the house “If she wants them so badly. Let’s give them to her”

Daniel looked to them. Confused to say the least “Come again?”

Steve turned to Daniel as they walked through the kitchen “We’ve got to make Frost think that we’d trade those Rods for Wilkes”  

“How’d you know that’s what she was thinking?” Daniel said with a snorting laugh.

Steve and Peggy stopped in their treks and looked to each other as they shrugged. Daniel looked between the two and then shook his head “Oh, you guys spend way too much time together” he joked as they carried on walking as Peggy carried on explaining her theory.

“The question is how I reach her”

“Maybe with Joseph Manfredi. His soldiers were helping out at the Roxon factory”

Peggy pinched her eyebrows together as she opened the door in front of her and said as she walked into the room “But aren’t they just men fire?”

“They’re more than that” he then saw Peggy pick up piece of clothing from the side as Steve walked further down into the room, Daniel then noticed the bed and suddenly grew confused “Wait, where are you two going?”

“I need to change” Peggy stated, she then glanced to Steve as she said with a subtle smirk “Well really I need a hot bath but…”  

The pair took away their lusting eyes on each other and looked to Daniel, both twiddling their finger to him and muttering in unison “Mm-hm” insinuating that he turned around.

Daniel was too dazed and confused to notice his poor manners and laughed as he turned “Oh yeah, sorry”

Daniel then went on to explain about Joseph having a romantic relationship with Whitney, which Peggy and Steve found very surprising.

“Remember the fig-rose street slaughter?”

Steve nodded and pointed to Daniel as he looked over to Peggy who was in the middle of changing her shirt “Oh yeah, 1943. Six criminals gunned down during a card game. I remember cause that day was the day we got ourselves lost in camp”

Peggy looked to him and let out a little giggle as she remembered that day rather well.

“Yeah, well anyway the tabloids say that happened the same day she dumped him for Calvin Chadwick”

Peggy let out a bewildered laugh and shrugged “So he’s a maniac?”

Steve laughed and stood up from the couch as he walked over to her and whispered in her ear “He’s a man in love”

Peggy grinned from ear to ear and slapped him with the shirt she was going to put on. Steve kissed the top of her head as he stood behind her.  She lifted her head to call to Daniel whilst Steve still held her tight and pressed his lips against her temple.

“Daniel?”

“Yeah!”

“Go and get the car running, we’ve got to pay a visit to Mr Manfredi”

She heard the clicking of his crutch as he began to walk out and called “Okay! I know where he’ll be”

Peggy looked to Steve’s dirty light blue shirt and muttered as she looked at it “You certainly need to get out of this”

“Bit forward” Steve teased. Peggy giggled and gave him a light push.

“Shut up and change your shirt” Steve chuckled and unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it into the laundry basket. As he walked over her by the draw as she was in her new shirt and now changing her pants, she stood up straight and couldn’t resist but lay her hand on his bare abdomen as she kissed his cheek as her other hand dug into his back for a moment, then passing him and fixing her hair.

The three of them walked into the Cafe that Daniel said Manfredi’s mother owned. Looking through the glass door as they entered, they saw a group of men playing cards around a table, Steve glanced to the back and muttered “Manfredi is in the kitchen”

Daniel and Peggy glanced to where he was referring too and took a mental note. The five men quickly stood up from their chairs and made a wall in front of the kitchen door.

“I’ve got a message for your chef ” Peggy stated as she glanced to Joseph in the kitchen.

“Sorry. We’re closed”

Steve smirked and nodded as he took a step forward “Well good. That means no risk of civilians stepping in”

The thug tilted his head “Meaning?”

Steve and Daniel glanced to each other, Daniel shrugged as he looked back to them “Meaning we can do this” as soon as his sentence finished, Steve threw a punch to one of the men. A brawl soon came out, but it wasn’t too much of a fight. For thugs they weren’t exactly that hard to beat down. Peggy punched the last one out cold as he landed on the floor, the three of them looked up and saw Joseph looking to them. He muttered something to his nona and then walked over and opened the door.

“Well. This is a surprise. Come on in” he said in a happy little tune.

Steve looked to Peggy and Daniel and placed his hand on her back as they slowly walked into the kitchen. Joseph turned around from stirring his cooking in his pan and motioned to the table “Sit sit, just cooked up something good”

“We aren’t here for your food, Manfredi” Daniel stated as he pulled up a chair, Steve walked over to the corner and pulled himself one, then pulling the chair at the top of table out for Peggy as she sat down, then slowly sliding her in, she shot him a little smirk and rolled her eyes to him at the cliche of what he just did.

“Well, we are a gentleman” Joseph pointed out as Steve sat down in his own chair, Joseph pointed to Steve and nodded “Taking care of your lady I respect that”

Steve clasped his hands together and cleared his throat “Well if I have your respect, maybe that’ll get us some answers”

Joseph shrugged “Wouldn't go that far”

Peggy grew impatient and cut right to the point “Whitney Frost was employing your muscle at a Roxon facility we raided”

Once again he shrugged “I wish I could help you but how am I to know who my associates associate with?” His nona then came over and placed two plates of spaghetti in front of Daniel and Steve, leaving Peggy out. Joseph laughed and nodded to Daniel and Steve “She likes you two”

Peggy looked to Joseph’s nona and shrugged at her, not understanding why there wasn’t a plate sat in front of her, Joseph then pointed to Peggy and shed light on it “She thinks you’re the devil”

Joseph’s nona snarled something in Italian and then spat to the floor. Steve chuckled as he chewed on the mouthful of spaghetti in his mouth and then muttered “She’s not wrong”

Peggy quietly tutted and swatted his arm. She tried to stop herself from laughing and stay serious, she shook off her amused smile as she shook her head and looked back to Jason “Mr Manfredi. We know you have a relationship with Whitney Frost”

“Everybody in town knows that” Joseph muttered as he took a mouthful of his food. Steve and Peggy glanced to each other and then looked to Daniel as they all stayed in silence and waited for him to carry on speaking “Everybody also knows that she dumped me for a crooked politician”

Steve shook his head and tapped his finger hard on the table “And now that he is out of the picture again you’ve relit that fire no doubt”

Daniel then spoke up “All we need is for you to get a message to her”

Out of no-where, Joseph’s nona began whaling something in Italian. Whether it was just an act to get the heat off of Joseph or something had actually upset her, they weren’t quite sure. Either way they were told to leave.

“She got a weak heart”

Peggy shrugged and bluntly stated “She seems rather robust to me”

“Good god woman, don’t anger it” Steve muttered in her ear, which caused Peggy to let a subtle amused smirk slip out. None of them got up apart from Joseph, Daniel decided to turn up the heat “You know Tommy Fontana’s getting out next week?”

After Joseph making one or two jokes about welcoming home, Daniel carried on with the heat and began to threaten him, saying how he could make Tommy think that it was Joseph who got him in jail. Clearly, Joseph’s nona didn’t take too well to Daniel’s threats as she shot up and grabbed a knife, Steve and Peggy shot up from their seats, Steve reacted by dragging Daniel's chair back with him still safely sat in it. Joseph however restrained and calmed her down before anything happened. Steve and Peggy slowly sat back down in their chairs. Daniel looked to Steve and nodded with a shortness of breath from the bewildering confusion on what just happened "Thanks"

He soon dismissed his nona and she left them alone.

And finally, he accepted the message to give to Whitney.

Daniel was dropped off at the SSR to fetch some equipment and to also fetch Doctor Samberly. He would be gone for a little while. The house seemed so quiet and empty without Ana walking round the house with her usual springy step and cheery voice.

Steve and Peggy made their way to their room.

Peggy put her hands on her hips and asked with her back to him “How long did Daniel say he’d be?”

Steve looked down to his watch and stated “Bout an hour”

Peggy took small steps back “Perfect”

“Why? What’s perfect?”

Peggy spun around to him and clashed her lips over his, letting out a quiet soft moan as she pulled his face closer to hers and began to unbutton his shirt quickly

“Thought we’d wait until tonight” Steve laughed as he then began to unbutton her shirt, continuing to kiss her. Peggy shrugged and said in between the kiss “Call this a warm up”

Steve hooked his arm around her and lifted her up, a surprised giggling gasp as he carried her over to the bed and dropped her down as he hovered over, her legs still locked around his waist. Arching her neck up as left a trail of light kisses down his neck as she ran her fingers through the back of his hair and grinned widely, pulling his shirt away from his body and kissing his bare chest as she flipped him over and sat on his lap. She pulled herself up and ran her fingers through her brown curls, slowly bringing her hands to his belt and gently beginning to unbuckle it, she leaned back down to Steve’s lips, she felt something in Steve’s pocket and reached her hand down to feel the foil wrapper.

“Oh hello. We are prepared” Peggy giggled through her teasing. Steve grumbled a laugh against her lips and gripped onto her back, enough to cause a bruise or two. But that was fine by her.

Peggy and Steve came down stairs in a different change of clothes as they opened the door.

“We got the stuff-have you guys changed your clothes?”

Steve and Peggy looked down to each other’s change of clothes, Steve nodded and said slowly “Yes...yes we did. We just erm, we decided to just take a shower”

Daniel looked at him, not really following. Peggy shook her head and waved away the situation “Anyway, you have the stuff?”

“Right. Yes we do” Daniel turned to his car “Samberly! Come on! Chop chop”

Daniel walked into the house before Samberly could even speak to him “For the record that was the longest car ride of my life” he muttered as shot a look to both of their now slightly amused faces.

Peggy followed him through to the lab as Steve turned to Samberly and gave him a tight yet friendly smile “Doctor Samberly, how are you?”

“Drained, Captain Rogers, drained ” he muttered as he, clear to be insinuation his car ride with Daniel. Steve didn’t understand what was up with these two.

Steve shrugged “Well, we’re grateful for your efforts to help us”

Steve guided Samberly down to the lab. They didn’t mess around with any kind of small talk, Samberly put down the case on the table and opened his fake uranium rods. Daniel handed Peggy the detectors that they had which helped them pick up real uranium. Peggy turned it on and hovered them over the fake rods, they were so convincing that not even the detectors could pick up on them being fake.

Peggy looked to Samberly with a very impressed expression on her face “It certainly reads like uranium how’d you do it?”

Samberly looked at her, clearly feeling ever so proud with himself “It’s pretty simple I just put in some U238 with uranium mixture”

Steve was never into the science part of this job, but it was fairly interesting on how he managed to do such a thing , he leaned his elbows on the table as he sat on the chair beside Daniel as he peered his head to inside the box.

“Good job, Aloysius really good work” Daniel complimented as he packed the detectors away.

“Oh. So you learned my first name?”

Steve looked up to Daniel as he nodded to Samberly and nodded “Yeah. I did”

“What’s my middle name?”

Steve couldn’t help but snort out a laugh as he covered his mouth and rested his head on his hand and shook up as he glanced up to Daniel’s exhausted face. As did Peggy. Daniel rolled his eyes and sighed “Samberly what is with you? We take up on missions. We treat you with respect, why’re you always looking for things to be offended by?”

He then looked back and forth to Steve and Peggy and asked as he looked back down to packing it up  “Seriously who knows anybody’s middle name?”

Then hearing Steve and Peggy say in unison “It’s Herbert”

Daniel looked down to Steve and then looked to Peggy and took it on the chin “Thanks”

“I only knew cause I read the file Peggy was reading” Steve whispered to Daniel, as if that piece of information was supposed to make Daniel feel any less stupid. It didn’t. Peggy, as usual, gave out the orders. Samberly would drive the truck, Daniel would be in the front with him to help with the directions and Steve would be in the back with Peggy.

Everything seemed set, then Jarvis made a surprise return into the lab. Steve shot up and walked over to him, shaking his hand “I’m so glad to hear that Ana is alright. Is she here?”

Jarvis slid his hand in his pocket and shook his head “No, she’s still in hospital”

“Oh” Steve frowned.

Peggy then walked over and asked a similar question “Where’s Ana?”

“She’s still in the hospital until she’s regained her strength I came to get her cashmere throw what are you doing?”

Steve crossed his arms and looked to Peggy,, he nodded to Jarvis “Go on, he’ll find out anyway”

Peggy looked from Steve and back to Jarvis, she spoke in a soft, gentle tone “We’re going to get Wilkes and we’re going to get Whitney” she went to touch his arm to guide him out of the lab but he pulled back”How?” He asked sternly.

Steve looked to Jarvis and shook his head “Don’t worry about it, we know what we’re doing”

“Steve’s right, you can go back to your wife knowing full well that we will make this right”  

But Jarvis was insistent, again he asked sternly “How?”

Steve cleared his throat “Peg, you go and help Sousa and Samberly with all the science stuff you know better with what to do with it all, I’ll fill in Mr Jarvis”

Peggy looked to Steve, then Jarvis and then nodded “Alright”

Peggy gave a soft reassuring smile to Jarvis and then walked away. Steve looked to Jarvis and nodded as he began to walk out of the lab “Come on”

Steve led Jarvis into the kitchen, they stopped at the sink, Steve turned and sighed “Look, Jarvis I know that you’re going through a stressful time but-”

“Whitney Frost shot my wife. I’m coming with you”

Steve stared at him for a moment, rather baffled. He had only known this and already he knew that this was very much out of character, something had rattled him, maybe even more than Ana being shot. Steve rested his hand on the counter “You should be with Ana”

“No. Captain. She needs to pay for what she has done”

“Believe me. I’ll make sure she does” Steve said in a stern mutter through his own anger of what happened to Ana.

“And I will be there to see it”

Steve sighed and ran the palm of his hand down his mouth, he shook his head and shrugged “Mr Jarvis-”

“May I ask you something?”

Steve raised an eyebrow “Of course?”

“Answer me honestly”

“That’s all you’ll get outta me” Steve said as he folded his arms once again. Jarvis took a moment as he stared at Steve and then asked “If the tables were turned and it was Whitney who shot Peggy, and she was lying in a hospital bed from clinging onto dear life, would you sit back?”

Steve skimmed his teeth over his bottom lip and hitched his breath, well he had him there. Steve bowed down to the floor and nodded “You’re right, I wouldn’t”

“What happened to my wife is just as good of a reason for me to go after her than what happened to Miss Carter after Whitney Frost let her go onto that rod”

He was being harsh but also very persuasive, because a big part of why Steve was doing this was to see Whitney being proud to justice for what she did to Peggy and now what she did to Ana. He couldn’t deny it. Because then he would be lying. Before Steve had the chance to give a real honest answer, there was an engine noise coming from in the dining room, Steve looked over and muttered “What’s that noise?”

Showing to have his knowledge on the noise, Jarvis walked over “That’s Mr Starks tellax”

The paper that came out of the machine was a distant foreign language.

“It’s science” Steve stated as he took the paper from Jarvis’s hands “We better leave this to the experts”

“Miss Carter?”

Steve snorted “No. Samberly. Miss Carter can’t be good at everything ” Steve then peered his head back to look to the doorway, he looked back to Jarvis and laughed “Just checking she didn’t hear me”

Steve tapped Jarvis with the paper on his chest “Let’s go back down” Steve sighed as he carried the paper to the lab.

Samberly was smart enough to figure out what the code was saying, Howard, the genius that he was, had created a machine that could end zero matter. And more importantly, end Whitney Frost. So now, Jarvis really wouldn’t let this lie than to get him on board. So eventually they gave in.

Peggy joined them in the van after having a brief conversation with Jack and his daily attempts of throwing some sort of threats to her. Steve pulled her up in the back and asked “And that was about?”

“Saying he has some sort of war crime records against me”

“War crimes? What did you do?”

“I did nothing” Peggy laughed breathlessly “You were with me the entire time I’m sure you’d know” she walked to the the front and banged on the wall to Jarvis and Daniel in the front seats “Alright! Let’s go!”

The car engine started and they soon were on their way. Steve crossed his arms and shrugged “So these w ar crimes were for what exactly?”

“For me to come back to New York with him. Again”

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say he had a crush on you”

Peggy shrugged and dryly teased as she leaned down and picked up the shotgun that was lying on the floor “Just one more to add to the list”

She looked up to Steve’s very much not amused face and laughed as she tossed the gun to him “Ah don’t be a ninny”

Steve sighed and shrugged “Don’t be a tease”

Peggy’s jaw dropped “A tease!?”

Steve then laughed “Now who’s being a ninny ?”

Peggy tutted and looked away from him “I hate you”

“If only that were true” Steve smirked as he gave her a peck on the cheek which caused her to break a small smile.

They soon arrived at the warehouse, with Whitney and her men including Joseph Manfredi as the welcoming committee, with Jason chained up behind them. With the doors now open, Peggy questioned Jason “Jason, you’re solid. How?”

But Jason answered with an entirely different subject “Peggy don’t do this, please”

“You’ve seen your goods. Now let me see mine” Whitney smirked as she folded her arms, Peggy looked at all the men staring at her and then grabbed the box and placed it down in front of her. The detectors they had didn’t pick up on them being fake either.

“Such a pity, two accomplished women should be standing on opposite sides”

“Yes, you’re such a staunch defender to the sisterhood, I can tell by the way you shot an unarmed innocent woman”

Whitney put on a pout and spoke innocently “Well occasionally sacrifices must be made”

Steve shook his head and gripped tighter to his gun as his anger built up from the way she showed no remorse into what she did to Ana, and even seeing the glimmer of gloat in her eye, he said bitterly “You conniving evil-”

“Steve” Peggy looked to him in the corner of her eye and raised her hand to him. She agreed with the way he was going to finish that sentence, but as established before, Joseph Manfredi is a maniac and will start a shootout if Whitney is spoken to in a such a way, it was the way she deserved but none the less it wouldn’t make a difference in this case nor would it help.

Whitney looked to Steve “Rattled are we?”

Steve wanted to snarl back at her with every fibre of his being. And it took every fibre of his being not to. He just looked away and counted to ten in aid to calm himself. Joseph stood back up after the rods were tricked to being the real deal. Jason was then passed over.

“Less than a minute to go before you have to crawl back into your cage like an animal” Whitney spattered, in an attempts to scare him, which was secretly working.

“Don’t worry” Peggy whispered to him as they neared the van.

There was then a sudden knock to the box and the rods fell out. With them not causing an explosion to kill them all, it more or less gave away that they were fake. Peggy grabbed Jason and threw him in the van. Jarvis soon took off.

Steve stayed on look out as Peggy explained their next plan to Jason, the car was behind them but wasn’t speeding up.

Jason was clearly not a fan of this idea “We have to find those rods now!”

“The rods are safe, Wilkes” Steve spoke up as he looked to him. Peggy sighed and talked to Jarvis and Daniel at the front “Are they gaining on us?”

“No, they’re still at quite a distance” Jarvis answered, then hearing Daniel say “I don’t get it. They should of caught up by now with the car they are in”

Peggy walked over to Steve as he said “He’s right. They’re in a big black Cadi. I mean, they could’ve lapped us by now”

“So why are they going so slow?”

There was then a click of the shotgun from behind them. Jason held the gun in his hands to them both, back and forth.

“Wilkes what’re you doing?” Steve snapped.

“Jason what’s happening?”

Now with the gun gravitating more towards her, Jason asked in a stern tone “Where’re the rods?”

“Put the damn gun down!” Steve went to take a step forward but came to halt as Jason temporarily pointed the gun to him as a signal to back off. Steve kept his hands up and groaned a sigh.

Peggy shook her head “I don’t understand you are outside of your containment chamber-”

“Miss Frost taught me a few things about my condition. Turns out she’s as brilliant as we thought”

Peggy lightly shook her head and tried to keep her tone calm, but her nerves were kicking in “This isn’t you talking you’ve been affected by the zero matter”

“Where are the rods, Peggy!” Jason snapped as he raised the gun up ever so slightly.

“Get that goddamn gun away from her, Wilkes! You can forget about the rods we aren’t gonna let you give em to Frost”

“I’m not gonna backwards, where-”

“Lower your gun and we will figure this out together” Peggy tried to remain calm.

“No! Tell me where-”

“I won’t” Peggy shook her head, her tone now being much softer as she looked at him with a gentle expression. Being angry and shouting wouldn’t help even though Steve couldn’t see that. Peggy looked at him in the way she did to oppose any sense of threat.

“You’ll have to kill me”

Jason stared at her, with a ounce of guilty pitted in his stomach that even Steve could see for a brief moment before Jason clicked the gun once more and then pointed the gun at her head as he took a step closer which made Steve’s heart feel like it momentarily stopped “Peggy!”

“Steve tell me! This is the woman you love. You want her to die for this?”

This was pure manipulation, Peggy didn’t want Steve to fall for it “Steve don’t listen to him”

Steve lowered his hands, his anger wiped away and his desperation shone through, his heart was beating so fast “Lower the gun...she’s all I’ve got Wilkes, just leave her alone. Without her neither of us would be here. Think about that”

“I think if I had to chose between her life or mine I know what I’m choosing”

“So do I” Steve spat “How can you call yourself a man? Look at what you are doing! You want to point that gun at someone. You point it at me”

Peggy shook her head with her eyes still on Jason as she whimpered “Steve”

Jason looked at Steve raging and afraid face. Afraid, not for himself but for her. Which Jason used to his advantage “Alright”

He moved his gun to point at Steve’s head, which made Peggy shriek “No!”

She grabbed onto Steve’s hand and stared at him whilst speaking to Jason, her eyes filled up with tears so fast, she spoke in a trembling tone “Please Jason, he’s already died once I won’t let him die again”

“Then tell me, or you will never see him breathe again!”

It fell silent for a moment, Peggy struggled to even get any words out, her emotions were running wild. Jason then moved his gun more to get closer. It was that which made Peggy speak up “Stop it! They’re in the SSR lab”

Steve shut his eyes and quietly sighed. He knew she would do that, he was about to do the same before. It was just frustrating how Jason had them cornered like this. Jason lowered the gun, which allowed Peggy to finally feel like she could breathe again, Jason took his eyes to Peggy and whispered “I’m sorry”

Peggy looked to him, still feeling overwhelmed and watched his ghostly being jump out the the truck, the gun falling to the floor. With her hand still clutched to Steve’s, she spoke to Daniel and Jarvis in the front “Stop the truck”

There was a sudden halt a moment or two after she ordered her command. Steve and Peggy pushed the back doors open and saw Jason look to them as he got in the cadi.

“Son of a bitch” Steve muttered under his breath, he walked over to the gun and went to shoot the car but soon stopped himself. Steve lowered his arms and snarled “Next time. I’ll be the one with the gun against his head!” Steve got his anger out by launching the gun against the wall.

His head turned to her, he saw how she was trying to prevent her bottom lip from wobbling. It was enough to calm him down as he focused on making her feel better, Steve sighed and whispered “Come here” as he pulled her close and tightly. It was when she was wrapped in his body that she let out her frightened shaky breathing.

“He would’ve done it, Steve, he would have killed you if I hadn't...I had no choice”

Steve swept her hair to the side and nuzzled his head in her neck as gently rubbed her back “I know you didn't. But hey I'm fine. We’re fine, more importantly you’re fine”

“I’m a little shaken up” Peggy said with a watery laugh as she pulled her head back and looked to him, Steve gently cupped her face and wiped her tears.

“Steve you shouldn’t have…”

“What? Ask him hold a gun to my head instead of him holding it at yours? Peggy I would jump on a grenade for you. A real one too”

Peggy forced out a smile due to his reference, but her face soon dropped as she covered it with her hands “God just that split moment of you almost...”

“I’m still here” Steve whispered as he kissed her forehead.  

Daniel’s voice was then heard over the talkie “What’s going on? You guys okay?”

With Peggy still in his hold, Steve grabbed the talkie from her hand and spoke into it “Wilkes took off. He’s going after the rods. Held a gun to our heads we had no choice. Get the truck moving we need to get our asses to the SSR”

He shut the door and held onto the handle as the truck began to move. Peggy, still gripping onto his jacket muttered “I didn’t think it would come down to that. I didn’t think it’d be Wilkes who would threaten us like that”

Steve’s jaw clenched still due to his anger, looking back to her made him slightly settle. Running his fingers through the back of his hair, he shook his head “Neither did I”

He lightly pulled her head up to him and kissed her long and gently, wiping the fallen tear that ran down her cheek.

“He won’t get a second chance to do it” Steve reassured her and he hugged her tightly again. Opening his eyes with the glimmer of rage running through them he added “I promise”

Chapter Text

With Jarvis waiting in the car. Steve, Peggy and Daniel marched into the SSR. Straight to the labs since the rest of the office was deserted. They didn’t know what they were expecting exactly. But they most certainly weren’t expecting to see Jack in there.

Peggy peered her head forward “Jack? What’re you doing here?”

Jack turned to them, he looked very dazed and confused. He looked to where he was and shook his head “I don’t know?”

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together as he looked to Peggy and Daniel. Peggy kept her eyes on Jack and asked him another question “Why’re you in the lab?”

Jack leaned against the counter and rubbed his head, again he didn’t know. Steve leaned over the counter and muttered “Shit”

Daniel saw what he was looking at “Damn it” he picked up the device that was used to swipe people’s memory and passed them to Peggy. As Peggy tried to get Jack’s head to be in a more stable mind, Daniel and Steve went over to the safe and saw that the uranium had officially left the building. Jack came to the memory that he was on the phone and led them to the exact one, they spotted a piece of paper of coordinates that Jack had wrote down, from what he must’ve overheard from the conversation that Vernon was having.

Coordinates that led to Whitney Frost. And in that moment, they had never been more grateful for Jack Thompson in their entire lives.

“We need guns” Jack muttered as he walked into the office.

As the three of them watched him go into the office, Steve sighed and whispered “Does he really need to come with us? Really?”

Peggy raised her eyebrows to him and whispered “I’m sorry, do you want to tell him that he can’t come?”

Daniel shrugged “Rather Steve, anyone else he’d tell to sling their hook. The question is, can we actually trust him?”

Peggy shrugged and nodded “A valuable point”  

Steve stood up straight and straightened his jacket “Okay. We handle this with caution”

Peggy smirked and rolled her eyes, she couldn’t help but feel like they were going to tell a child that they couldn’t come along for the fun ride. Which, really when giving thought, is what they were doing. The three of them walked into the office, with Steve as lead.

“Let’s hurry up” Jack stated as he held his gun in his hand “Or do you want me to load your weapons too?”

 Peggy took the gentle approach very well and slowly shut the door.

 Steve hitched his breath “Jack. Maybe you should hang back here. You know in case we’re wrong and Vernon comes back here”

Jack looked to the three of them with a confused expression on his face “Do you guys not trust me or something? I gotta say I’m hurt”

Daniel then shrugged “You haven’t exactly got the best track record, Jack”

Jack raised an eyebrow “Don’t you think the more men the better?” He asked as he rested the gun on his hand. Peggy put her hands on her hips and pointed out at how Jack used a faulty file to threaten her to leave, which Jack knew would come back to bite on his ass.

But then he made a good point that if he was going to help Vernon he’d already be with him, but he wasn’t. He was back here with them.

The three of them all exchanged looks. Steve rolled his eyes and scratched the back of his head “Alright. Alright. Let’s go”

Peggy opened the door and let Jack and Daniel walk out. Before he had the chance to step out, Peggy grabbed his arm and pulled him back “If Jason is there. Don’t do anything stupid”

“Don’t do...I’m sorry have you forgotten what happened back there? He was going to shoot you. He would’ve if I hadn’t of-”

“I know. But we have to open our minds to the fact that he might have been affected by the zero matter”

Steve sighed and placed his hand on Peggy’s cheek, he shook his head “I know how you want to try and see the good in people, I do too but...I think you’re tryna see the good in Wilkes cause you trusted him so much and wanted to help, but you gotta face the fact that he just isn’t a good guy”

“So what are we saying here?”

“Wilkes is no longer a hostage. We may have to make some hard calls”

Peggy scoffed and looked down to the floor “Right, nothing personal and all of that-”

“Peggy. This man had a gun to your head. You are the woman I love, you’re the person I can’t bare to live without. So yeah this is now personal”

Peggy was so mad at Jason as well, but she deep down, after a lot of thought, came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t have shot them. Perhaps she was wrong. And she felt like ripping him apart for the way he threatened Steve’s life in front of her. But when it came to think about killing Jason, something felt very immoral about it.

Peggy didn’t quite know what to say, she just stared at him. Jack then popped his head from around the corner “Sorry to interrupt this lovely romantic moment for the readers but we do need to go”

Peggy rolled her eyes and followed Jack out with Steve swiftly behind them.

It was day break by the time they hit their destination. Jarvis insisted once again in driving, with Peggy in the front and Steve in the back, they both detected Jarvis’s mood. So cold and full of pure rage and revenge. Perhaps bringing him along was a bad idea, but they couldn’t shut him out now after all he has done to help.

Suddenly there was a large outburst which made them all jump, a tsunami wave of sand flood past them, making it impossible to see anything. And once it had settled, their vision was on something they really didn’t want to see. The rift was open.

“Shit” Steve whispered as he leaned forward.

“Good lord”

“We’re too late” Peggy sighed.

Steve slapped Jarvis’s shoulder “Keep going, we can still fix this”

Jarvis wasted no time and carried on driving. They soon reached where they had to be. With Samberly, Jack and Daniel. Setting up the gamma canon.

Peggy looked at the rift that was at a great distance and asked “Do you think the canon can reach that far?”

“I suppose” Samberly answered in a not so sure voice which brought caution to them all. Daniel looked to him and asked in a strained nervous tone “Suppose or yes?”

“Yes...maybe”

Jack looked to Samberly and then pointed to him as he asked Steve and Peggy “Who is this guy?”

Steve grumbled a small chuckle “He’s the guy who can save our asses believe it or not”

Peggy ignored them both and carried on talking to Samberly “And if it hits the rift?”

“Great”

Peggy rolled her eyes and elaborated “Will it close the rift?”

“Yes..maybe..I don’t know”

Steve raised his eyebrows as he walked over to the canon and muttered to Daniel “I can see why you hired him, Sousa”

“Don’t start” Daniel sighed and then muttered “I already know”

Steve’s eyes fell to Jarvis as he stepped forward in the middle of Samberly’s rambling “What about Miss Frost?”

Peggy didn’t have too much time for this but she still tried to be as caring as she could possibly stretch to be “She’ll have to wait but we will get her. First we need to close the rift before any zero matter gets out”

“He doesn’t even know if Mr Starks gamma canon will work!” Jarvis snapped. Steve took a step forward and raised his hands for a brief moment as he said “Jarvis just take it easy, we’re doing the best we can”

“And it’s my canon” Samberly snapped. 

Steve rolled his eyes and said in an exhausted sigh “Shut up Samberly”

“Right. Well I only had time to make one battery charge so we’ve only got one shot” Samberly stated as he walked back over to the canon. Steve and Peggy kept their eyes on Jarvis, he couldn’t hold in his anger any longer “Whitney Frost will get away” he then began to walk towards the car.

“Jarvis!” Steve called in aid to get him back.

“We need to close the rift” Peggy said as she glanced to the three men by the canon and then looked back to Jarvis and called “Mr Jarvis stop!”

Peggy groaned and looked back to Jack, Daniel and Samberly “Will you just shoot the thing for god sake and try and prevent from killing yourself” Peggy walked to the van, with Steve behind her, she placed her hand on his chest and lightly pushed him back “You have the best aim out of the four of you. You shoot the canon and I’ll get Mr Jarvis”

“You think I can hit that?”

Peggy let out a proud little smirk “Of course. I taught you everything you know” with those words, she climbed into the van and looked down to him as she turned the engine on “Hop to it. I’ll be back before you know it”

Steve stepped back and saluted her, to then watch her drive off. Steve turned around to them and clapped his hands together and he jogged over “Let’s shoot this son of a bitch”

Samberly looked at Peggy drive away and pointed his hand to her “What do we do?”

Steve turned to him and said “Do as Peggy says”

Steve walked over to the canon, before Samberly could even get a word in, Steve had it aimed perfectly to the rift, without flaw it was lined up to perfection. Surprising them all, Steve looked to them and laughed “Yeah. You can thank Agent Carter for this”

“Safety first, boys!” Samberly ordered as he put on his glasses, Steve, Daniel and Jack then doing the following. Steve cracked his back “I should warn you. It’s been a while”

Steve took a step back and extended his arm as far as he could and flipped the switch.

The gamma ray shot into the rift and within a split second. The rift was gone.

Peggy eventually caught up with Jarvis, now that the rift was closed that was one problem down and the other she was now hoping to take care of before anything ridiculous happened. They had reached Whitney Frost.

The thing Peggy never thought she’d see Mr Jarvis do was shoot out of his car and then without hesitation, shoot two bullets into her. Peggy jumped out the car and sprinted towards him “No!”

This was not the plan. They needed Whitney to bring in and they certainly would never kill her in cold blood.

“What did you do!”

“I stopped her”

Jason caught her eye, lying in the bottom of a ditch. He was alive, he was breathing. But something was happening to his face “He’s breathing”

“A problem”

Peggy turned around to Jarvis looking down at Whitney’s body , Jarvis looked to her and said “So is she”

Peggy looked to Whitney and saw the bullet wounds soon clear up. At this moment in time, she didn’t know whether to be relieved or let down. Because after this little action of revenge, Whitney certainly was going to player even dirtier than before. Peggy put her hand on Jarvis’s arm “Run. Now”

They turned to face guns being pointed at them. The lead man obviously being Joseph Manfredi. Seeing his beloved on the floor didn’t exactly settle well with him.

“You’re gonna pay for that...plug em!”

“Wait!” Whitney sat up and then brought herself to her feet, she motioned to Jason “He has what I want and the key to controlling him is to control those that he cares for. Keep them alive”

With both their backs turned. Peggy and Jarvis were hit on the back of the head with the end of two men's guns and landed to the floor. Out cold.

Steve got worried. He started pacing.

“I’ll be back before you know it” she said to him.

Well now he knew it. And he didn’t like that he knew it. Steve shook his head as he looked out the scenery in front of him. Steve shook his head “Something is wrong”

Daniel walked next to him and gave him a glance “She’ll be okay, Steve”

“No” Steve shook his head “I have a gut feeling that something has gone wrong, she’d be back by now”

Jack looked away from Samberly who was tidying up the equipment “We aren’t going anywhere for a little while, Cap, stick it out and if she isn’t back by the time we get all of this sorted out then we’ll go looking for her”

Steve looked over his shoulder to Jack. He made sense, it was a reasonable point. Steve gave him a grateful nod and looked back to the desert. Not being able to stop wondering where she was and what was taking her so long to get back to him.

Peggy opened her eyes. She was sat in her office chair back at the SSR. She was confused. Her eyebrows pinched together as she looked around.

“Steve?” She called. But no reply. She called out for someone else “Daniel?”

But again no reply “Anyone” she muttered as she stood up.

“Who turned out…” she stopped as she looked down to her black and white hands and changed the end of her sentence to “Color” she heard a bang come from the office. Seeing two feet resting on the desk, Peggy quickly made her way into the office to see who. Thinking it was Steve but seeing someone entirely different.

“Michael” she said in a soft gasp as she saw her older brother sat in the chair, dressed smartly in his army uniform. The last thing she ever saw him in, with that cocky little smile on his face that he’s had ever since she could remember “Come now, Peggy...black and white? Couldn’t you have made this experience a bit more vibrant?”

She felt like crying. Seeing him again. “What are you doing here?”

Michael lowered his feet “Could ask you the same question. You’ve gotten yourself into quite a fix this time”

“I wouldn’t even be in this situation if you hadn’t of put me up for this SOE job the begin with...and then gotten yourself killed just so I could take up your flag”

Michael smile and laughed as he rose from his seat and began to walk round to her “Yes. Very rude of me. My sincere apologies. Bad Michael for believing in my little sister”

Peggy frowned “I’m only doing what you wanted me to do”

Again Michael smiled as he shook his head “No darling. You’re doing what you wanted to do. And now here you are. Respected...dare I say loved, by a man who had you believing in him the way I do in you. Look at you, Peggy, look at what you have achieved. If only you knew how proud I am of you”

His tears brought tears to her eyes, she couldn’t help but speak in a light cry “I miss you Michael. Everyday”

“I’d be here right alongside you if I could Peggy” he said in a soft tone “Oh. And Steve”

"Yes?”

Michael then let out a grin and nodded “I like him”

Peggy let out a watery smile, and before she could say anything, a blinding green light shone on her face. Michael was gone. She was now in a red dress. Outside the L&L Automat back in New York. Music playing ever so loudly from inside. It looked more like a movie set than the real thing. Without having a real clue on what was going on, she walked over and sat to the counter.

Then seeing the face she adored with all her heart.

“What will it be?” Angie smiled.

“Angie” Peggy grinned “You’re a sight for sore eyes. But what are you doing here?”

“Busting my hump working a double. It’s been dull as day without you I that house I gotta do something! What about you? Shouldn’t you be working English?”

"I was” Peggy insisted her defense “I was in the desert”

Angie nodded “You want dessert. We’ll split it just like usual. We got key lime pie! That’s always been a favorite of yours right!?”

“Well yes but that’s not what I said” Peggy laughed.

“Well what do you want then?”

Peggy rubbed her lips together and tilted her head as she laugh “Steve. Have you got him behind there?” She joked.

Angie stared at her for a moment and then nodded as she leaned down “As a matter of fact I do” she pulled Steve up from behind the counter by his collar. Wearing his old army uniform. Peggy grinned as she saw him and said breathlessly as she ran her hand down his arm “Darling”

Steve smiled to her and leaned over the counter, giving her a light kiss. Angie swatted his back with her towel “Alright romeo, get out from behind here I’m tryna work here”

Steve smirked and climbed over the counter. He turned and stood in front of Peggy and held out his hand. All of a sudden. A loud outburst of music came bursting out in the room. And even more suddenly, Steve sang to her “You walk in a room. And nature takes it course”

Peggy tilted her head at him and smiled. She wasn’t aware he could sing like that.

He took hold of her hand and pulled her to him “Conquers me by force. And with no remorse”

Steve spun her out and said with a flashy smile “Baby I assume” he spun her back in and rocked her side to side “That you always knew the recipe. It’s simply me and you”

He spun her back out and stood at a small distance from her, walking beside her he carried on singing “Love leaves you blind, baby, you can read my mind”

He stuck out his crooked arm to her and raised his eyebrows at her to link him, with a smirk on her face Peggy rolled her eyes and swung her arm around his. Walking from side to side and synchronizing to kick their legs out “All that’s been left unsaid”

Steve pulled her body to him and dipped her “You know the score” he slowly brought her up and lightly touched her nose with his as he twirled her around “What I’ve been waiting for...what you gonna do?” He stopped them both and stared at her as he smiled “With me and you?”

Steve turned his head and brushed his lips against hers, Peggy smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck as he gripped onto her waist. Peggy gripped tightly onto his jacket, not wanting to let go even more a moment. Steve slowly dragged his lips away, and as they went back to dancing in a less theatrical way he stated, regarding their current situation in her waking life “You’re worried about me”

“Well of course I am. It’s in my nature to worry about you”

Steve shrugged “I can’t blame you. Things didn’t go too well last time we were separated for this long”

As he dipped her, Peggy said “Oh, you mean your death?”

Steve brought her back to him and shrugged again “Exactly”

He spun her away from him and then pulled her back in the his body, he stared at her and then looked away for a moment as he lightly laughed “Y’know what’s weird? It’s weird to think that if I hadn’t of-you know ‘died’ then we would have gotten married within that two year gap”

“Yes. I suppose we would have”

“Hm” Steve smirked as he nodded “Well, at least I finally got you one of these”

Steve lifted up Peggy’s hand. And a flashy diamond ring was suddenly on her finger, one which wasn’t there before. But regardless, butterflies set off in her stomach.

“Steve” she gasped out, Steve put his finger under her chin and brought her lips to his. Peggy gripped onto the back of his head and then cried “It’s beautiful” she kissed him again and whispered “You’re beautiful”

“That’s my line” Steve said with a light chuckle. He tightly brought her in for a loving embrace and they lightly swayed side to side, Steve turned his head and whispered in her ear “Just don’t let me die again”

“What?” Peggy gasped as she pulled back, but when she did. He was gone. She was stood in the diner completely alone. She looked over to Angie who was still behind the counter “Angie. Angie where’s Steve?”

Angie frowned and walked over to her, the music still playing out loudly, she placed her hand on Peggy’s arm “Oh Peg, you gotta stop this. I told you it isn’t your fault he died in that desert”

"He what!”

Angie sighed and cupped her face “You know what you need to do?”

“What?” Peggy said in a frightened whisper.

Angie softly smiled and nodded “Wake up”

Peggy turned around to a tap on the shoulder, looking at Rose smiling at her “I’m sorry, you’re just not right for the Auerbach Theatrical Agency”

Before Peggy knew it, she was woken up after Rose punched her across the face. Peggy slowly opened her eyes and groaned, seeing that her hands were tightly bound, she sat herself up and saw a knocked out Mr Jarvis beside her. Peggy took a deep breath and began to free herself.

“Something’s wrong god damn it!” Steve yelled as he slapped the binoculars against Jack’s abdomen.

“Ah. Look, Cap, getting all hot headed isn’t going to help”

“Well just standing here isn’t going to help either Thompson!”

Daniel put his hand firmly on Steve’s shoulder “Come on Steve, calm down, there’s not much we can do. The next town it at least a day’s walk and by then...I’m not helping”

Daniel sighed as he dropped his hand. Although Steve appreciated Daniel’s efforts, he was in no state of mind to tell him such things.

“Look!” Samberly pointed to the distance. The three men turned their head and saw a car as Samberly exclaimed “We’re saved!”

Steve tilted his head as he thought “What the hell is a car doing all the way out here?”

Jack looked to the car through his binoculars “SSR car. Vega and Blackwell”

“Vernon’s guys” Daniel stated as he took the bino’s out of Jack’s hands and looked for himself. Steve walked to beside Daniel and muttered “How did they know about this?”

Daniel shrugged and shook his head “I don’t know. But regardless, what’s the play?”

“Trust me boys?” Jack asked Daniel and Steve.

Daniel and Steve shook their heads and said in unison “No”

 Jack let out a brief laugh and nodded “Good enough” He walked over to a space and got down on his knees and put his hands behind his head “Cap and Sousa stand in front of me, point your guns at me. Sambery...just stand there and look helpless as usual”

 Steve and Daniel did so, but didn’t quite understand, which Jack noticed so he elaborated “Vernon clearly see’s me as some sort of traitor. We make it look like you guys are on their side by arresting me and once we get near the car we take them down and go find Peggy”

Steve nodded straight away. All he wanted to do was find Peggy, he’d do anything right now to find her. Daniel and Steve held their guns up to Jack as the car pulled up. Daniel looked over to Vega and Blackwell as they got out of the car and nodded “Vega thank god you found us, put chief Thompson in the back he’s under arrest”

With their guns raised, they held them at Jack. Steve looked to them and nodded “Come on boys, today would be nice”

They then turned their guns to Daniel, Steve and Samberly.

“Captain. Chief. Drop the gun”

Steve and Daniel’s eyebrows pinched together, Sousa slowly dropped his gun and asked “The hell are you doing?”

Jack then spoke up with his hands still on his head “Vernon sent them to kill whoever pulled the trigger on that thing. That sound about right boys?”

Steve and Daniel looked to each other and threw their guns to the ground as Jack stood up “Good work boys”

“Thank you”

“Let’s get these men back to the SSR, Vernon’s gonna want to know what they have to say”

Vega then let out a laugh and shook his head “We’re supposed to” he pointed his gun to Jack, who didn’t even blink at the sighed “You’re supposed to what, Vega? Kill me too? I followed Carter to the outset of the desert and tried to stop her. Don’t be an idiot Vega. Now get them in that car”

Tried to stop her? Bullshit Steve said in his head.

Vega dropped his gun and nodded to take Daniel and Steve. But Steve certainly wouldn’t take it, he pushed Vega back, refusing to go anywhere other than find Peggy. He wouldn’t leave this damn desert without her.

“Hey. Rogers!” Steve looked to Jack who had a gun pointed at Daniel’s head, shaking his head he said with a laugh “I’d hate to pull this trigger but that doesn’t mean I won’t. Your girlfriend is probably dead anyway, you really want more blood on your hands?”

Steve stared at Daniel. He wouldn’t risk Jack pulling the trigger. If he was capable of this Steve wouldn’t put it past him to pull the trigger. Steve hitched his breath and walked forward. Jack was wrong though, Peggy wasn’t dead. He would know in his gut if she were hurt. He just would. All Steve could do now was have his faith in her that she would make it back to him. They always find their way back to each other. So this time shouldn’t be any different.

As Jack watched them get in the car. He sighed and put his hands on his hips. The least he could have done is tell them that he was pretending all of this. But then Steve wouldn’t of agreed to go back to the SSR. Which is what he needed.

Chapter Text

Peggy had freed herself and soon enough freed Jarvis.

“Are you alright, Miss Carter?” Jarvis asked with genuine concern. She didn’t answer. He could see how angry she was for that he had done, Jarvis then added on “Allow me to explain”

“Any explanation you have is irrelevant” she snapped.

“I know you disapprove of my actions”

“Your actions? And what actions are those? When you tried to murder Whitney Frost in cold blood? Resulting is us now being god knows how far away from...our team”

Jarvis sat up and fought back “She deserved to die-”

“Enough! I’m not listening to this!” Peggy threw the rope aside and stood up.

She was so angry she could barely even feel herself think. All she could think about is that something was wrong. Once he was up on his feet. They both tried to knock the doors open by bashing them with their shoulder. But then saw that the doors were chained together. Luckily, Peggy was well equipped for situations such as this. Taking out a hot wire from the inside her belt she ordered Jarvis to hold the doors open, using the hot wire, she was able to melt the change. The door flew open.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

His answer was one that he was not so fond of as Peggy grabbed onto him and threw him out of the truck. Then jumping out herself.

“Bloody hell! Are you mad woman-”

“Quiet” she ordered to him. Watching the cars drive away, she heard him ruffle about and ordered once more “Stay down”

When it was secure, she then stood up as did he and then said “Get to the side of the road”

Jarvis obeyed and walked to the side behind her “You could’ve killed me”

“Are you or are you not free from capture, Mr Jarvis?” She asked with her patience wearing very thin. But Jarvis then continued to rant and moan “What are we supposed to do now?”

Peggy didn’t exactly know how to answer that, the only thing that they could do was walk on “We walk”

“We walk? We walk ?”

Peggy continued to walk on as she heard his continuous ranting and moaning until she finally heard the sweet sound of no sound at all, apart from the footsteps of him deciding to follow her down the road.

She tried to think of different things to keep herself distracted from the long and dreary walk.

“Steve we can’t do this here now” Peggy said in a breathless laugh as she walked into the basement of the head quarters. Steve checked that no-one was around and shut the door, then returning to her he asked “Why not?”

“Well because have work...and…” her train of thought began to slowly slip away as she watched him slowly walk towards him “Very important...files” she then sighed and shook her head “Screw it” she whispered as she pulled him by his jacket, clashing her lips to his and cupped her face, pressing their lips harder together. She nudged his forehead with hers “You’re a bad influence. Before you I played by the book”

Steve chuckled and shook his head against hers “Bad influence. That’s funny coming from you”

“Meaning?”

“You know what I mean” he said with a smirk, gripping her waist and lifting her up on the desk, standing between her legs as they wrapped around his waist. Steve slipped his tongue against hers as his hands roamed her body.

“Do you think you’ll be able to slip away to see me tonight? I quite fancy a late night visit from you” She asked under a hot and heavy breath as she came up for air. Raising an eyebrow to him.

“I’ll make sure of it” he smiled, giving her a quick kiss before adding “I’ll get Buck to cover for me”

“Hm, telling him does have it's perks” Peggy muttered as her arms loosely wrapped around his arms as she gave him a rough wet kiss as she bucked her hips against his, then hearing him grumble “Nothing like a good bit of foreplay”

Peggy laughed and cradled his head as he chuckled as hugged her tightly, continuing to giggle as he roughly rocked her side to side.

The memory and laughs faded as the voice of Jarvis overpowered her thoughts “Miss Carter! We must rest”

But she couldn’t rest, because along with coming out of her daze, resurfaced the feeling she had in the pit of her stomach that she had from her dream. Something was wrong regarding Steve. Something just didn’t feel right “No, keep moving”

“Towards what? We are miles from-”

“I can’t rest” she snapped as she glanced to him, then sighing as she looked forward again “Something’s happened to Steve”

“What? How on earth could you know that?”

Peggy then stopped and turned to him, she gulped heavily and weakly muttered “Because when you love someone...as much as I love him. You know. It’s a feeling I’ve felt before and it’s one that has resurfaced now and I will not sit back like I did the last time Mr Jarvis. Now keep moving”

Peggy turned back around and continued to walk. Jarvis then sighed “We haven’t seen a soul in an hour”

Peggy stopped again and snapped “Mr Jarvis, allow me to clarify. Your opinion on how we proceed is neither wanted nor required. We should have left you at home but Steve and I put the trust in that you would know how to behave, a mistake I will not make again”

“No. No not when there are so many other mistakes you could make” Jarvis fired back as he marched ever so slightly ahead of her. Peggy looked to him “What?”

“I will not apologize for doing the right thing”

Peggy scoffed “The right thing? What you did was reckless and selfish. You risked all of our lives for a personal vendetta!”

“Which is not unlike you risking our lives to fetch a russian assassin. You saved Dottie Underwood to swayed your conscious and my wife Ana paid the price!” He yelled at her. Something he had never done before. Something which took Peggy by surprise but not enough for her to back down “Leaving Dottie to Whitney Frost would be tantamount to murder and unlike you I’m not a murderer Mr Jarvis!”

Her word stung, so much that it made him retaliate in him resulting is causing something on Peggy that he never thought he’d do. Pain.

“And yet everyone around you dies!”

Peggy slowly stopped again and didn’t turn to him, her words may have stung him, but his words cut through her like a knife slowly and painfully. She took deep breaths to try and not have her eyes fill up with tears as she then heard the voices of those who had died. Those she had mourned. Remembering all the last words they said to her.

“Peg. Peggy come back!”

“I want you to tell me all about it. In the morning”

“Atta girl”

“We’ll have the band play something slow. I’d hate to step on your-”

Michael. Colleen. Dooley. Steve.

Regardless of one of those souls returning to her she still grieved, she still damned herself and told herself in her mind that she was cursed and toxic. She even accounted Bucky. His last words to her were “You’ll make an honest man outta him yet” and then flashed his cheeky little grin.

And then that very same day. He fell off of that train. She held Steve as he mourned, she grieved in silence to herself. She really liked Bucky. A lot. He was so good to them and understanding.

“I’m sorry I...I shouldn’t have said that” Jarvis muttered behind her. Peggy shut her eyes and rubbed her wobbling bottom lip against her top one and cleared her throat as she pushed her emotions away and nodded to him “No no I’m glad you did”

Peggy took a breath and looked back to him “You have begged me to bring me on my adventures since I arrived in Los Angeles. And that’s what they are to you. Larks. An enjoyable way to spend the evening”

Jarvis then brought his guilt filled eyes onto hers.

But Peggy didn’t stop there “And then you go home. To another man’s mansion, listening to your radio shows...blissful in your self imposed ignorance. And when there is a consequence, a horrid, ugly consequence. You blame me for the choices that you have made. Mr Jarvis there is a cost, one that I have paid for a hundred times over. As you have so well pointed out...and yes, I have been given my shed of luck by having Steve given back to me.
But I still spent two years of my life miserable and lost from grieving and crying over him...what happened to Ana was terrible. But your wife will survive, you can go on in your live knowing nothing of loss. Lucky you”

She stared at him for a moment and then turned around to carry on walking.

“The moment we escape this desert is the moment we can escape each other forever”

There was a silence. She didn’t even hear him move. But eventually he spoke “She can’t have children”

Peggy stopped. As did her heart.

“What about children?” Steve asked as he returned to her, stood at her desk and handed her the cup of tea. Peggy looked up from the file she was reading and raised an eyebrow to him “Children?”

“Yeah” He grinned “You never mentioned whether you’d want children or not”

“It isn’t exactly ideal is it? With what I do”

"Come on, Peg, you can’t let your work overpower your personal life”

Peggy shook her head and raised both her eyebrows “Easy for you to say, you covered both grounds quite well”

Steve smirked and kissed her cheek. It was rather impossible to him to keep his lips and hands off of her when they were alone for more than at least two minutes. Peggy lightly slapped his chest to grab his attention “Well what about you?”

“Oh. Yeah I do”

“Really?”

“Well yeah. The way I see it. There are people out there, the unfortunate ones who cannot even have the option to have children, being able to is a gift. One that” Steve shrugged “I don’t know. One that shouldn’t be wasted I guess, having kids is a gift of it’s own”

Listening to him talk in that way made her heart flutter, butterflies had an outburst in the pit of her stomach. If she didn’t want children before, listening to him certainly would have made her on board. But she did want them from the get go. It was finding the right person. Which she has now done.

“You’re right” she smiled, giving him a quick light kiss “One condition I have though with children”

“Mm-hm?”

Peggy pressed her finger against his chest and whispered “You will be their father”

Steve chuckled and wrapped his pinky finger around hers and whispered back “Deal”

Peggy listened as Jarvis explained. The wound Ana had  made her infertile. Which led Peggy to feel so guilty of what she had said. Because although they did not have a physical child to lose. The idea and future of Ana becoming pregnant and rushing to the hospital nine months later to give birth to their child was well and truly ruined.

After a moment of silence after Peggy waving away Jarvis’s apology, saying that he does not need to beg for forgiveness because he already had it, Peggy spotted the truck that they had jumped out of coming back for them. And she had a plan.

Back at the SSR. Jack had carried on with his little act and out Steve, Daniel and Samberly in the cell. Jack turned to Vega and nodded “Go get the chief will ya, Vega?”

Vega glanced to the three men in the cell and then just left. Steve reached his hand through the bars and grabbed onto Jack’s shirt, slamming him hard against the bars “You son of a bitch”

Jack groaned and shook his head “Hold on, Cap”

“Hold on? Because of you Peggy is alone in a desert with that maniac Whitney Frost and Jason Wilkes. He held a gun on her yesterday and god knows what has happened to her!” He slammed Jack against the bars once again.

“Listen to me alright!” Jack coughed. Steve stared at him and then threw him back as he took a step back in his cell. Jack cleared his throat and held his hand up “I did you a favor. Vernon was convinced that you guys were all wasted assets and wanted you gone. I did what I had to do. I had to get you back here. I have a plan alright? To get Vernon on our side”

Steve and Daniel glanced to each other. Daniel looked to him and nodded “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because I figured that the Captain wouldn’t co-operate”

“What? Given the fact it including deserting the woman I love in a goddamn waste land? You’re right I wouldn’t have” Steve snarled. Jack motioned his hand to Steve and shrugged “See?”

Samberly then spoke up “You know. You could’ve just told Captain Rogers to go and hide, so then we’d be brought back to the SSR and he could’ve stayed back to look for Agent Carter”

It fell silent between the four men. Steve’s eyes burning a hole into Jack’s head as he stood with a taken back expression on his face and then said in a dry voice “Well that...would have made sense”

Steve hitched his breath and shook his head as he walked to the edge of the cell and leaned against it as he looked down to the floor. Jack sighed and sat in the chair “Look. I’m sorry alright. Carter will be fine she always is. Just play along with what I do here, make it look like you have no choice but to do as I say alright?”

Whilst Samberly agreed straight away and Daniel then shortly after. Steve just remained silent. But he was on board. What choice did he have but to be on board. Sooner he gets out of here the sooner he can try and find Peggy.

Peggy pulled outside the office after dropping off Jarvis at the hospital. She sat in the seat for a moment and silently prayed to herself that she would find Steve in here in one piece.

Peggy finally made her way in the office and she was out for blood. To be more specific, she was out for Vernon Masters blood. She knew he had something to do with Steve disappearing. He never would have left that desert with his own free will. She marched into the office, none of the agents dared to stop her.

Peggy opened the door to see Vernon sat on Daniel’s desk and hitched her breath. Vernon put the phone down and made his way round to her “Ah Agent Carter. You are one resilient-”

His sentence came to a halt as Peggy punched him across the face which sent him falling down to the floor. She hovered over him and punched him again “Where is he?”

Peggy punched him again “Where is Captain Rogers? What have you done with them?”

Peggy laid another punch on him and said in a more pleading yell “What have you done with Steve?!”

Steve and Daniel ran into the office, Steve quickly leaned forward and rested his hand on her arm that was heading to another punch “Peggy, Peggy”

Peggy looked at him and saw how he was perfectly alright. He softly smiled and whispered as he pulled her up “I’m alright come on”

Peggy stared at him and then sighed as he caught her into an embrace. She placed her hand on the back of his head as she held onto him tightly, pulling her head back she said “I thought you…”

“Are you insane?” Vernon groaned as he sat up. Peggy turned her head as Steve still held her close.

Jack then nodded and sighed “Yeah what are you thinking Carter we can’t kill Vernon. He’s in part of this operation”

Peggy looked at him, rather confused and gobsmacked, and call herself unprofessional but right now she didn’t care about anything like this. Jack sighed and motioned his hand to Vernon “Come on, Sir, we’ll get you some ice for that jaw”

Daniel then walked towards the door and smiled as he slowly shut the door “I’ll give you two a minute”

Steve nodded to Daniel, when the door was shut. Peggy turned his head back to her and clashed his lips onto hers. Then tightly hugging him “Oh god, Steve”

“Hey” Steve lightly laughed “It’s alright. I’m still here. I’ve been worried sick about you, Peg”

“I felt that you were in trouble and I thought something happened to you and I snapped I just couldn’t bare it, not from what happened last time I felt like that” She cried with her head nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Steve sighed and hugged her her even tighter. He should’ve known. How scary that must have been for her.

Steve kissed her head and cupped her face as she pulled her head back, wiping her tears as she softly whispered “Baby”

Peggy closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead, with more tears running down her cheeks that he did his best to wipe away, she opened her big brown eyes back to his and said weakly “You’re not hurt?”

“No, I’m fine”

“You promise me”

“I promise you” Steve smiled “I’m better now that you’re here. And you? Are you alright”

Peggy sighed and nodded. She soon felt herself beginning to babble on “My head was just telling me all sorts of terrible things-”

“It’s alright”

“-And I thought I was going to lose you again” she cried as she shook her head, running her fingers through the back of his head “Like I lost Michael. Like I lost you the first time”

“You’ll never lose me again-”

“I love you Steve. I do. So much, I love you” she cried as she tightly hugged him once again and repeated once more in a whisper “I love you”

Steve ran his fingers through her soft brown curls “I know, I know, and I love you, with every piece of my heart”

Peggy pulled back “You still want to marry me?”

Steve let out a small laughed “I’ll have to think about that”

“Steve” Peggy finally let out a small laugh as she lightly slapped his chest. Steve grinned and took hold of her hand that rested over his heart and nodded “I want to marry you more than...I wanted to be strong back when I was weak”

“You were always strong” Peggy whispered as she kissed him softly.

“When I found you I was”

Peggy shook her head and simply pressed her lips back onto his. Wrapping her arms tightly around his arms as his wrapped around her waist and lifted her off of her feet. Peggy sighed and dryly joked “You see what you do to me? Making me a babbling wreck”

“Yeah? Well I don’t do so good when worried about you either”

“How’d you mean?”

“Did you not see that mark on Jack’s face?”

Peggy thought for a moment, as she cast her mind back her then pointed it out in her mind and nodded, she then took her eyes to him “Oh Steve you didn’t-”

“Look, he tricked me into coming back here. Whether it was for the good of this mission or not I just lost it, knowing that I was tricked into leaving you in a freaking waste land”

Peggy sighed and gently stroked his cheek, she couldn’t blame him. She did just attack Vernon Masters for round about the same reason. She dropped her hand from his face and rested it on her hip. She got onto her tiptoes for a small brief moment as she lightly kissed him which brought a smile to his face. Steve then looked around and asked “Where is Jarvis?”

“The hospital with Ana. Which is where he should have been from the start...Steve, he told me before that...Ana, due to her wounds, she can’t have children”

Steve’s heart felt like he dropped, he covered his face with the palm of his hand “Oh man. That’s terrible that’s...god that’s going to destroy her”

“It destroyed him too. It clearly set out his vendetta even more”

“Did something happen?”

“You could say that” she said with a dry amused smile, then dropping it as she said “He shot Whitney. Several times”

Steve’s face dropped, he gulped heavily and shook his head “She’s dead?”

“No. No. The zero matter inside her seemed to have patched her up. Which is even more concerning now that I think about it”

“And Jason?”

Peggy felt the bitter tone in his voice and tilted her head at him “Steve...he truly is innocent . They took him”

He didn’t know what to think about Wilkes. His anger was so boiled over his true moral feelings that he found it hard to give him a shot. But when he couldn’t count on his own judgement. He knew that he could count on hers, more than he trusted his own most of the time. Steve rubbed her arm and just nodded. Peggy smiled and gripped onto his shirt at his waist, watching his jaw clench through his protective nature peeking through “It’s always strangely attractive seeing this part of you”

Steve smiled and rolled his eyes. She was teasing along with being quite serious. He nodded and quickly kissed her forehead “Come on, let’s head down to the lab. See what damage needs to be cleaned up”

Peggy nodded and rubbed his back as he turned and walked out of the office.

The pair walked into the lab, where Jack, Daniel, Samberly and Vernon was. They both leaned their backs against the counter facing the gamma ray. Watching Samberly reloading up the canon, Peggy scoffed and shook her head “This is ludicrous”

“Have a little faith. My man Samberly can patch this thing right up” Jack looked to her and crossed his arms. But Peggy once again shook her head at him and made her statement more clear on what she was talking about “I’m not referring to the canon. I have every ounce of faith in Doctor Samberly’s talent”

Samberly turned to her and smiled “Thanks Carter. Nice to hear that once in awhile”

Steve rubbed his lips together to try and hide his amused smirk as he looked to Daniel who just sighed at Samberly’s statement, he looked to Steve who then bowed his head down for a brief moment as he let out a silent laugh before looking back up with an attempt of a serious expression on his face as Peggy carried on with her sentence “What I’m speaking about is this man”

She bitterly stated as she looked over to Vernon Masters. Who just smiled at her. If anything it just made her want to hit him again even more.

“I don’t know about you but I’m not in the habit of climbing into bed with snakes”

Jack shrugged his shoulders and looked between Steve and Peggy to clearly insinuate as he said with an amused smirk “I couldn’t care less who you’re climbing into bed with”

Steve and Peggy didn’t comment or even look at each other, they just both shared the same exhausted sigh at these little jokes that Jack tries to sneak in every so often. Steve then crossed his arms and nodded “Alright. Enlighten me here. Let’s say for example that this works, Samberly can fix this device and Masters stops Frost with it. Then what?”

All eyes were now on him. Peggy raised an eyebrow as she said to herself that he made a good valid point. Then hearing Steve add “You really don’t think his priorities will change? Given the chance that we’re giving him. He’ll be after us soon after”

Vernon sighed and shook his head “I know you and Agent Carter have a hard time believing this but I have no interest in either of you” But Vernon knew that it wasn’t Steve’s own life that he was concerned about. It never is. Vernon took his eyes just onto Steve and shook his head with the same lingering smile “I won’t kill Carter. Because I don’t have to”

Steve heard Peggy scoff a dry laugh “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Daniel cleared his throat before speaking which made Steve and Peggy look to him, glancing down at his crutch he said “He means we all have dirt on one another”

Steve raised his eyebrows and shrugged “Suggesting?”

Vernon was then to answer Steve “Suggesting. Captain, more like promising that if any of you try to take me down I’ll take you with me” it was those words that made Steve look to Peggy, she just shook her head at him to tell him to not take any notice of Vernon and then looked back to the man himself as he added on “A council calls this particular situation a stalemate. And the only way out of a stalemate is together”

Steve saw Jack point to Vernon in the corner of his eye to back up Vernon, he shook his head and muttered “Shut it, Jack”

Vernon ignored Steve’s comment and shook his head “And I for one am comfortable with that”

Peggy looked to Steve and took a step close to him “Are you?”

Steve sighed and looked at the people around the room and then shrugged “We have a job to do. Right? And that job is keeping people safe. If this is the way to do it then we’ve just gotta go with it, Peg, there isn’t much more we can do”

Peggy looked to Daniel and looked at him in a way that was asking the same question. Aside from Steve, she could always trust Daniel’s words. After all he was like her right hand man at work who she could depend on before Steve came back, that was hardly going to suddenly change. Daniel nodded “Like Steve said. If using Vernon is our best bet. Then we’ve got to do it”

Peggy sighed, mostly because she knew they were both right. She remained silent for a moment. Jack looked to her and asked with an eyebrow slightly raised “What’s it gonna be Carter?”

“Ah she’s a smart girl” Vernon nodded. Then getting a sly dig from Steve as he muttered “Who can speak for herself” he looked to Peggy “Peggy?”

“Like you said. There isn’t much we can do” Peggy paused as she let out a quiet groan and then looked to Daniel, who to her was still the chief “What do I have to do?”

“You me and Steve will be back up. Keep our distance and help with the extraction if needed”

“When the hell are we gonna do this?” Vernon said as he stepped further into the room “I’ve got Frost breathing down my neck about this thing”

“Need at least another hour” Samberly stated as he carried on with his work. As Steve and Peggy nodded, Vernon shook his head “That’s not gonna fly she wanted it over an hour ago”

Daniel’s eyebrows pinched together and shrugged “Can’t you talk to her? Buy us some more time?”

“Well she’s gonna wanna hear that kind of news in person”

“I’ll do it” Jack said, which caused everyone to look at him with confused looks spread on their faces. Jack had a little amused smirk across his face and shrugged “What? Wouldn’t be the first time I sold a lot of bull to a lady” he winked to Steve. Steve looked at him confused “I’m sorry am I supposed to know what that means?”

“Never mind” Jack rolled his eyes “Forgot that you’ve only ever had eyes for Carter”

Jack stood up straight and straightened his jacket and cleared his throat as he looked back to them he nodded “Well. We’ve got all our orders set. Let’s get them under way”

Chapter Text

Steve and Peggy returned back to the house to have a change of clothes. The ones they were in now were dirty and sweaty and not ideal to set off in a new mission in.

Steve tossed his jacket onto the chair in their room and unbuttoned his shirt as he walked over to the drawer and pulled out another white long sleeved shirt. Before he slipped the shirt onto his bare upper body, Peggy turned him around and wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered “Hey” she paused as she rubbed her lips and looked back into his eyes and lightly smiled to him as she shot him some reassurance “This’ll all be over soon, I can feel it, and we can get back to living our lives in New York. To how things should have been after the war”

Steve pressed his forehead against hers whilst still looking into her eyes and smiled as he kissed her nose “Like actually buying you a ring?”

“I’d like that” Peggy smiled, then having it slowly drop as she patted his chest and cleared her throat as she walked away to the bed as she grabbed her red blouse, Steve put his shirt on and turned to her as he looked to her “You alright?”

“Yes” she said unconvincingly as she nodded, Steve remained silent. Knowing that she would eventually give in and be honest with him and herself. Peggy pursed her lips as she took off her dirty blue blouse and slipped her red one on. Her breath hitched as she lightly shook her head

"It's just that. Thinking about a wedding and...everything else in my life it just cast my mind back to the desert. Something that Mr Jarvis said to me, it got me thinking about Michael"

Steve just stared at her, he wasn't quite sure what to say. Peggy let out a deep breath through her nose and shook her head "I know I've told you this before but he would have liked you...he told me in my dream"

Steve let out a small smile and wrapped his arms around her waist "I'm sure I would've liked him"

Peggy laid her hands on his arms and lightly squeezed them as he kissed her cheek, she shut her eyes as another memory approached her mind.

Steve walked into their usual motel room that they were able to sneak away to for a fair few hours. Bucky always covered for Steve by coming up with something like he's resting or he's going over papers with Phillips who is never asked if what Bucky said is true, as for Peggy, well the men just presume she is in her room reading or sleeping. On rare occasions did she make a wonderful appearance at the bars to drink with them. The only ones who ever saw her regularly were Bucky, The Commandos, Howard and Steve. Who were the only men who showed her real respect or attention for that matter.

But he was actually surprised to find her here. Usually they came in here together. Hence it being their place. Peggy was sat on the bed, in a fetal position. Looking so upset. Standing by the door and staring to her, he was confused. Then. He remembered today's date. The last times this date arrived on their calendar, he comforted her as a friend. But now, it was entirely different. Steve didn't speak, he walked over and sat behind her on the bed, brushing her hair away and laying a kiss on her shoulder "I completely forgot. I'm sorry...how long have you been here?"

"Not long" Peggy answered in a dry voice "I was hoping you'd find me here"

"Well when I went to your office and got no answer when knocking on your room I just figured"

Peggy took his arms and wrapped them around her and she wriggled back against his body, tears running down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and whispered "I miss him"

"I know, Peg. I also know that Michael will be so proud of you, for everything you have accomplished in honor of his memory"

Peggy hoped he was right, deep down she felt that he was. Peggy turned and now lay next to him on her back. She looked to him through her watery eyes "They always say that it gets easier. Well, it's been five years and it still hurts like the day I found out, when the mark of the anniversary falls, it hits even harder than it does on the daily"

Steve nodded as he gently rubbed her stomach, resting his head on his hand "I know what you mean, with the anniversary of my mom hits, it's hard"

"What about your father?"

"It doesn't hurt as much, which may sound...wrong but...my father and I weren't exactly that close. He always longed for a son more like Buck than one like me"

It broke her heart to hear him say yet, even more to see how he must've gotten used to it. She could only imagine his dad saying things like 'Why can't you be more like Bucky?' she laid her hand on his mouth and slowly ran her fingertips down his mouth "Well, for the record, I know that Michael would have liked you. As a skinny asthmatic or a super soldier. Just like me"

"I hoped he would have"

Peggy nodded and whispered "He would have. He absolutely hated my ex, Fred makes you look like a patron saint"

"Thanks?"

"That was supposed to be a compliment" Peggy said with a light laugh, she then looked down to her hands as more innocent tears ran down her cheeks, his face not leaving her mind "He was my best friend. Losing him was the hardest thing I've ever been through, I couldn't bare to go through that heartbreak again"

Peggy then took her eyes to Steve and laid her hand on his chest "So don't you dare go dying on me"

Steve lightly smiled as he stroked her hair and whispered "Yes ma'am"

"I mean it" Peggy shook her head and pleaded in a whisper "Don't do it to me. Losing my brother to the war was bad enough but losing the love of my life would tip me over the edge"

Steve tightened his grip on her and pressed his face against hers, giving her a long kiss on her temple, he put his hand on her cheek and moved her head to make her look into his eyes "You won't lose me, I swear"

Peggy let out a tight, tearful smile and then buried her face into his chest and he hugged her tightly. She soon began to let out her cries about Michael, and he just held her, stroking her hair as she kept her face buried in her chest. Not even considering on letting her go until she was okay.

Peggy hitched her breath and shook it off “Right. Let’s just get this over with”

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, yes I’m fine. Just a brief little moment that’s all. Anyway we don’t have time”

“I’ll always make time if you’re upset”

Peggy smiled to him “And I love you for that, but we really can’t afford to sit around”  

Sadly, she was right. They were on a tight schedule. Steve sighed and nodded, giving her shoulder a brief kiss he returned over to the draw and went back to changing his clothes as did she.

When they returned to the SSR. Everyone was ready to go. Jack had returned, saying how his bull selling had worked on Whitney and that he had well and truly bought them time. They packed up the gamma ray cannon into the back of the van.

“This is the last piece” Daniel stated with Samberly behind him with the last piece in his hands.

“All set?” Jack asked as he held out his hand for the gamma core.

“Like you wanted. This the gamma core..I cannot stress this enough. Handle with extreme caution”

Jack rolled his eyes and took the core out of Samberly’s hands. Daniel looked at them all and asked “Who’s doing the honors?”

Vernon shrugged “I will” he looked up to have all eyes on him, he shrugged and stated “Seems only right”

No one commented. Better him to get his head blown off if anything went wrong than them. Samberly pointed to the cannon and gave out the instructions on what to do “Red buttons the trigger. That's the business end, stay outta the line of fire if you don't want to incinerate yourself”

Peggy then looked back to Jack “Be careful. Zero matter doesn't tend to listen to silver tongues”

Jack looked down to the core with an amused smile and nodded.

“Enough hand holding, let's get this over with”

Jack nodded and walked to back in the van “You heard the man!”

Steve, Peggy and Daniel all walked towards their car. Peggy shook her head “I don’t like this. Too many things can go wrong, least of which Vernon Masters could turn against us all”

Steve looked to her as he opened the door “Peg, we just gotta go with our best option right now”

“Yeah and if there’s one thing I know we can count on and that’s Vernon doing what’s best for Vernon” Daniel stated as he hopped into the back. Peggy and Steve shrugged and nodded, he had a fair point.

“Daniel’s right.. And what’s best for him right now is getting rid of Whitney Frost”

“Alright, you’ve both made your points, just get this started so we can get it all over with”

Steve didn’t say anything and just obeyed, but when he turned the keys in the ignition. The engine failed. The three of them all shared glances and all knew that something was wrong. Steve and Daniel got out of the car whilst Peggy tried to communicate to Jack. But got nothing back from him. Steve popped the hood and the two men looked inside. Daniel nudged Steve and pointed to the issue “Look”

“God damn it” Steve groaned as he slammed the hood shut again. Peggy looked to him and tilted her head “What is it?”

Steve sighed and banged the hood “Fuel lights cut”

“Vernon” Peggy muttered as she got out of the car. As they began to march into the SSR building she added “I know an I told you so is not the best thing to say right now but. Just so you’re aware it is what I’m thinking”

Steve glanced to her “You’re right baby, it isn’t the best thing to say right now” he then burst the door open “Samberly we need your car now!”

Rose stood up “What happened?”

“Vernon sabotaged us, he’s setting up Chief Thompson” Peggy faced Samberly who then said with a frown “Oh no. He’s figured out our plan”

The four of them failed to follow, and then all got a sickening feeling in the pit of their stomach, Daniel stared at Samberly “What plan?”

“You know...the plan ”

Steve crossed his arms and leaned his head forward “Samberly. Does it look like we know?”

Peggy on the other hand took a more aggressive approach as she roughly grabbed onto Samberly’s jacket.

“Peg” Steve sighed and ran the palm of his hand down his face.

Peggy ignored him and focused on Samberly “What plan?”

“Spit it out Aloshious” Rose demanded.  

“Turning the gamma cannon into a bomb?”

“A bomb? Who told you to do that!” Daniel asked.

Samberly shrugged as if it was obvious “Chief Thompson. He said it was your idea. Wasn’t it?!”

Peggy threw her hands off of Samberly and faced Steve and Daniel “I knew Jack was up to something”

Steve gripped onto the back of his neck and shook his head “He’s going to kill them all”

Daniel nodded and muttered “Yeah including Wilkes”

Samberly shrugged, not thinking that was really an issue “But that’s okay right? He’s evil now”

Steve shrugged and just hummed, clearly showing that what Samberly said was also his opinion, but now it was just deep down in his bitterness from Jason going from trying to flirt with Peggy to putting a gun on her. Peggy shot a look at him and snapped as she slapped his chest and pointed to him “I’ve told you to stop!”

She then looked to Samberly again and asked “When will the bomb go off?”

“It’s on a remote trigger. Thompson will blow it once he’s clear”

It took little convincing on behalf of Rose to get Samberly to go and make jammer in aid to stop Thompson. Peggy laid her hands on her hips and let out a deep breath as she shot daggers to Steve and stepped to the other side of the room.

It was clear that she was annoyed at him, for being on board with what Samberly said. Which he wasn’t deep down. Which she knew, but he was frustrating her so much due to his protective nature that she does love the majority of the time. But with this situation not so much, she understands how angry he is. Seeing Jason point a gun at her shook him deeply. As it did with her, but as she has said before, she can see deeper into it. All Steve can see is that the guy he didn’t trust in the first place threatened to kill the woman he loves.

She felt Steve’s hand press against her back with him then saying in a quiet tone “Are you mad?”

"You have got to stop this" she snapped as she turned to him "Do you hear me? This ends now"

She stared him, saw how he looked so upset and hurt, he was only trying to protect her which she knew. Peggy took a deep breath put her hand over his chest and said in a whisper "You're mine" she then took his hand and placed his over her heart "And I'm yours. That's how it's been for the past five years and that's how it's always going to be" Peggy then went back to having both of her hands on his face, locking her eyes onto his and not looking away for even a second “It’s always been you and it’s always going to be you, alright? Just put this to bed...do you know what your problem is?" She asked in a gentle tone.

"What?"

"You still have you head stuck the war. This line of work is not as straight forward as that. You saw Schmidt and knew from the start he was bad, you didn't need to look at a different angle on why he did things, because he only had one. But in this case you do. With certain people. It's different. You get like this and it is one of the things I love about you, about how strong minded you are. You've got a vendetta against Jason because he threatened to kill me, just like you did with Schmidt when he-"

"Tried to kill you" Steve finished.

Peggy nodded as she put her hands on her hips "It's scared you ever since. We were on separate bases and he targeted mine, because he had his little spies do some siding and saw us holding hands one night. He wanted to hurt you by taking me away" she then shook her head and whispered "Wilkes isn't like that. Look at it from a different angle. Get your head out of the war"

Steve looked to her and then sighed "I'm sorry...I don’t know what comes over me it’s just a bitterness that I can’t shake” Steve paused and licked his lips as he slowly brought one hand to her cheek and softly caressed it “You’re just...you’re my girl. And being out here with you in the real world is so different to what I’m used to. I feel weak sometimes. My mentality has suddenly gone back to being that scrawny little guy who couldn't even get a girl to dance with him”

Peggy smiled and bit her lip, she couldn't stay mad at that, Peggy leaned towards him and kissed him lightly before quickly pulling away “For the record. It was that scrawny little guy who I fell in love with”

He kept his eyes on her as she stroked the side of his hair, her eyes roamed his face with then shortly returning back to his eyes, Steve pulled her close by the waist as their lips locked together again.

With Rose looking at them like we do.

Samberly got the jammer done within two minutes like he said, they wasted no time and were on their way. They drove until the sun was set. Steve parked up from a fair distance in order to remain undetected by Whitney’s men.  

Looking through her binoculars she watched Jack have two men move the cannon to inside.

“They’ve got the cannon” she dropped them from her eyes and turned back to the three men and stated “I’m going in to retrieve Wilkes”

Daniel’s head snapped up to her as Steve walked over to Peggy “Are you nuts? If the bomb goes off you’ll be dead too”

“ We’ll be dead too” Steve corrected as he looked to Peggy, giving her a light smile and saying a more private tone “You ran into a building of death without me once. You’re not doing it again. Who says you get to have all the fun?”

Peggy shot him a soft smile and nodded to him, before turning back to Daniel and answering him

“Daniel, we’re out of time”

“Samberly will get this working”

“It’s not working” Samberly quickly jumped in and stated as he still tried working on it. Daniel grew frustrated “Why the hell not?”

“I only had two minutes to build it”

“You said that was enough!”

“Yelling won’t make it work Chief Sousa…” Samberly then looked behind Daniel and stood up straight as a curious expression grew to his face “Where’d Agent Carter and Captain Rogers go?”

Peggy peered her head around the corner for a brief second from outside the building, she pulled back and looked to Steve holding up one finger to signal only one guard. Steve nodded and nudged her arm with a smirk, telling her to take this one. Which she appreciated. Peggy waited until his back was turned and then walked up behind him. The metal bar in her hand came very much of use. Steve heard a thud and walked around when the man was out cold on the floor. Peggy shrugged as she looked to him, opening the door she said “I was expecting a slightly challenged”

“Cocky” Steve raised an eyebrow to her, pushing the door back as he walked in the building behind her.

Peggy put her hands on her hips and looked around, speaking only in a low voice “Right. We need to find Wilkes and if we have time. We find Jack and try and get him to stop this thing”

“You sure?”

Peggy glared at him, but Steve shook his head and soon corrected what he meant “Not Wilkes I mean Jack. He’ll make his way out anyway. Do we really need to save the others? With Whitney and Vernon dead it’s like our problem is solved”

Peggy looked at him over her shoulder as she walked, and although he was making sense she shook her head “This is different from the war Steve, if we can get answers out of Whitney then we have to try”

“Right. Sorry. This isn't my field” he said with an embarrassed laugh.

“Don’t worry you’ll get into it” Peggy then lightly slapped his stomach and nodded to the door in front of them “Through here”

Both of them took out their guns and gripped to them tightly. Peggy opened the exit door and walked through, seeing Jason in the distance strapped down to a metal slab. It reminded Steve of Bucky, when he found him after the 107th went missing... from a small distance there was a man with his back to them.

Peggy stepped aside and looked at him, she motioned her head to him with the same kind of smirk he shot at her to tell him to take this one. Steve approached the man and as soon as he did, the guard turned around only to have Steve punch a low blow which caused him to fall on his knees and then punched him across the face which ultimately knocked him out cold. Steve threw the guards gun to the side and looked back up to see Jason strapped down to the metal bed. Steve gulped heavily, it once again reminded him of Bucky. His mind flew back to that moment for a brief second.

“It’s me. It’s Steve”

“Steve”

“Come on”

Steve shook it off and didn’t say anything, he just walked towards Jason with Peggy by his side. He was unconscious. Like he was shut down. Peggy pressed her hand down on his arm to wake him, which he did. Jason jumped out of his skin and saw Steve and Peggy stood over him.

“Peggy. Captain Rogers. What are you doing?”

As Peggy nudged Steve when she began to unstrap Jason to signal for him to do the same, which he soon did. Peggy stated “We’re getting you out of here”

“No. You both need to leave!”

Steve shook his head “There’s a bomb in the building It’ll set off as soon as Jack leaves the building. We gotta get you out”

“Do you think you can walk?” Peggy asked as Jason became fully free. But Jason once again shook his head “No please-” he then groaned a scream as something happened to his body. Steve put his hand on Peggy’s arm to make them both take a brief step back.

“Dear lord, Jason-”

“I can’t hold it back much longer. Get out of here”

But Peggy argued back, as usual “We can help you. The device at Howard’s-”

“Save yourself, Peggy” Jason then looked to Steve and nodded “You too, Captain...I don’t deserve help from either one of you”

Steve scratched the back of his head and then shook it “You were...you were under the influence of zero matter...you’re a good guy, Wilkes”

He felt Peggy give his hand a quick squeeze, to show that she was proud of him for turning a corner with Jason. It’ll sure make everyone’s lives more peaceful.

Jason then sat up “The things I did. It was all my own choice. It wasn’t zero matter. It was me”

Steve let out a deep breath through his nose to try and keep his emotions under check, with Jason confirming what he always thought made his anger resurface. But he had to not let it show or act upon it, for Peggy’s sake. Whom even though she had her back turned at him, knew that he would be getting angry.

Steve cleared his throat and then said “Yeah well, we aren’t murderers. And leaving you hear today would make us that so get up” his bitter tone was kept under wraps though it did slip out near the end. But he was staying civil. That was a big deal within it’s self right now. Steve out his hand on Jason’s arm to lift him off of the bed but Jason shrugged him off “Something is happening to me. Please go”

Peggy rolled her eyes and said with an exhausted sigh “The longer we argue about this the less time we have to actually get out of here and we aren’t leaving you here to die”

“So. Unless you’re willing for us to die with you. I’d get moving”

Jason looked at them both and sighed with a very faint smile “You’re both very stubborn”

Peggy looked to Steve and nodded as they both took hold of Jason “My brother would agree”

Steve looked at her from the other side of Jason and smiled which she soon returned to him along with a wink. Steve then looked as side and stated “Door to our left”

Peggy looked where he was talking about and nodded as they released Jason given the fact he was able to walk and all headed towards the door. With Jason behind them both when Steve and Peggy walked out of the room. Jason closed and locked the door behind them, leaving him inside still. Steve and Peggy returned to it. Peggy pulled on the handle as Steve said “Open the door, Jason ”

But Jason just shook his head “It’s okay. I’m ready for his to be over”

“No. No we can help you” Peggy said with a small plea. Not being able to have anymore blood on her hands.

“You already have. This is me returning to favor” He took a step back and looked at them both to then demand “Go” to then be out of sight completely. Steve and Peggy both let out a sigh.

“If we hurry. We can get out to Jack in time to stop him” Steve suggested. Peggy looked at him, with an impressed look on her face and slapped his chest as she began to run “Bloody genius”

Jack was already with Daniel and Samberly when Steve and Peggy reached him.

“This is about making the hard choice” Jack stated as he pushed Daniel away to then turn around as he heard Peggy say behind him “By killing an innocent person?”

“Not one person in there is innocent”

Steve stayed silent as Peggy fought him back “Jason Wilkes is!”

But Jack was taking none of it “I’m doing what needs to be done”

Steve then finally spoke up and shook his head to Jack as he snapped “This is not what needs to be done, Jack, this is murder!”

“Vernon would’ve killed all of us the first chance he got!”

Peggy took a small step forward and raised her voice even more “Vernon Masters should be brought to justice isn’t that our job? Or is the SSR no longer in that business?”

“Well it doesn’t matter now. Whitney’s taking care of him as we speak” Steve turned his head back to the building, a big part of him wanted to just tackle Jack to the ground and stop him the hard way. But violence right now was not going to solve this. Anything could go off, his gun for example, he then turned his head back at Jack’s final words of his sentence “Nobody is going to shed a tear if we blow Whitney Frost to kingdom come”

“And how does killing Wilkes fit into your moral prevarication?”

Jack scoffed “Because he’s more dangerous than all of them put together!”

“Through no fault of his own!” Steve argued back. But Jack ignored him and turned back to Samberly “Samberly whatever you did to the desonator. Undo it”

Daniel spoke up “Jack forget about it this is over”

Jack didn’t stop. He pulled out his gun and pointed it to Samberly, which clearly spooked him “Fix it”

“No!” The three of them yelled in unison.

But Samberly wasted no time and flicked a switch “Fixed”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other and shared the same thought, giving each other a nod they both pulled out their guns and pointed them to Jack as he turned around. Daniel said nothing, in fact he approved of this method. Though he didn’t feel to good that it had come down to this.

“Put it down” Peggy said sternly.

Jack just stared at them both. With the button still resting in his hand.

Chapter Text

Steve and Peggy kept their guns held up at Jack. But Jack didn’t even flinch. At all.

“What? You’re both gonna shoot me?” Jack said as if this was some kind of joke.

“Listen to ‘em, Jack” Daniel warned as he just stood by and watched.

He looked to Peggy and shook his head with a cocky smirk on his face “You won’t. You can’t. You don’t have it in you” he then looked back to Steve “Neither of you do”

Steve remained silent, he turned his head to Peggy as she said “There was a time where that was true. Not anymore”

“You really want to test us here, Jack? Put the desenator down” Steve said as they both pulled back the hammer on their guns. Jack gulped heavily and looked between the two of them and shook his head “I’m sorry...gotta do it”

Before any of them had a chance to do anything, they were all thrown from the aftermath of the explosion that came from the warehouse. Steve cleared his throat and pulled himself up, he crawled over to Peggy “You alright?”

Peggy just nodded and coughed, she took Steve hands as he pulled her back up to her feet. They both to Jack, who looked just as shocked and confused as they did, breathing heavily he shook his head “Wasn’t me. Still armed”

Steve walked over to Daniel and held out his arm, Daniel looked up at him, giving him a tight grateful smile, he took hold of Steve’s arm and stumbled up “Thanks”

“Anytime, Daniel” Steve said as he slapped his arm and then turned “We better go check it out”

Steve took hold of Peggy’s hand and entwined their fingers together as they walked towards the warehouse in a rather vigorous fashion with the rest of them behind. They walked into the room where Whitney was and it was in ruins. The ceiling had collapsed. It was hard to believe that anyone could even survive.

“Watch your step, there’s zero matter on the floor” Peggy warned as they carefully took their steps.

“Yeah there’s some over here too” Daniel pointed out.

Jack walked over to the gamma cannon knocked down on the floor “Whatever went off it’s definitely wasn’t the gamma cannon. Still here and in pretty good shape too”

Steve looked to Peggy and muttered “Do you think Jason might have done this? He wasn’t in any good shape when we saw him”

Peggy put her hands on her hips as she looked down to the floor and shrugged “Honestly, I have no idea. It’s possible” They were then answered as there was a cough underneath the rubble behind them, Steve and Peggy turned around and didn’t waste anytime. They lifted the mess off of Jason. Steve held out his hand to help him up but Jason shook his head “It’s not safe”

Peggy put her hand on Steve’s arm as she peered her head round to look at Jason “No we think you’re alright now, how do you feel?”  

“Weak. Sore I’m…” he then looked down to himself and realized “The zero matter it’s gone, I couldn’t hold it anymore”

Peggy nodded “It seems you’ve expelled it”

“All over the floor” Steve added with a small smile as Jason finally accepted his help and pulled him up “See. Solid too, safe to say Doc, you’re back to normal”

“Steve. Peggy” Daniel said with a cautious voice. Steve and Peggy looked to him and then looked to the floor as the zero matter was moving. Steve took his hand away from Jason and held onto Peggy’s waist as they both took a step back. They all watched as the zero matter traveled to a certain spot underneath the rubble. And then to see that underneath that rubble was Whitney Frost.

“We got a problem” Jack stated as he held up his gun.

Whitney stood up and took it all in “There. Everything is where it belongs” she began to walk towards them. Steve, Daniel and Jack all pulled back the hammer on their guns.

“I wouldn’t bother, boys” Peggy shook her head “Those won’t stop her. We have to move. Now”

They didn’t waste anytime. The five of them all hurried as fast as they could out of the building with Whitney still following them. She was more powerful than ever, which for them. Was not good at all.

With Jack and Steve holding Jason up, they walked out to no car and no Samberly.

“Pick a direction and run!” Sousa ordered as Whitney came bursting out of the building.

“You can run all you want! But I know where you’re going! It’s only a matter of time until I find you. You honestly thought that I’d-” There was then the noise of screeching tires. They all turned to see a car hit down Whitney Frost.

“What the hell” Steve muttered.

They were then answered the question they were all thinking when the two heads popped out of the car. Howard looked at the woman on the floor “Jarvis. You just hit a woman with my car”

“I know, sir”

“She’s a two time Oscar nominee” Howard then said in a quieter tone.

“Miss Frost is quite resilient, she’s fine trust me”  

Another car then pulled up, Samberly popped his head out of the window “Sorry! Got turned around!”

“Everybody in the cars please quickly now!” Jarvis ordered.

Daniel, Jack and Jason got into the car with Samberly whilst Steve and Peggy got into the car with Howard. Peggy got in the front with Jarvis and Steve sat in the back “Howard. It’s good to see you again”

“Well of course it is. And hey. I brought along an old friend” Howard pulled back his coat that was covering something against the back of the front seat and revealed none other than Steve’s shield. Steve clapped his hands together “Oh! Baby I have missed you”

Peggy turned around with a confused look on her face and saw Steve grip tightly onto the shield as he stared at it almost more lovingly than he stares at her. Howard looked at her and shrugged “What?”

“I just wanted to see who he calls baby other than me. I was just glad it wasn’t you”

“Hey. It almost was” Steve laughed, slapping his hand on Howard’s shoulder “Thank you Howard, I was angry at myself for leaving it behind”

“Angry at yourself” Peggy scoffed a laugh as she turned back to looking straight ahead and added “You’ve blamed me a fair few times over this week”

“Have not!”

“Well the whining certainly made that unclear. In the car. Living room. Bed. Everywhere”

Steve tutted and sat back in his seat with his shield still in his grip he muttered under his breath “I was not whining”

It was silent for a moment up until Howard said “Hey let’s get back onto Peggy in bed”

Steve rolled his eyes and punched his old friends arm. Howard groaned as he held it and looked to Steve “What? It’s a good conversation starter”

They all returned to the SSR and went to the labs, listening to Jason explain the changes his body went through with the zero matter “It was freezing. The type of cold that kills”

Peggy turned around to Steve and slapped his stomach “You’d know all about that”

Steve’s jaw dropped as he looked up to Howard with the same expression “Unbelievable” Howard muttered as he shook his head.

“I know. Now that I’m alive and well she feels fine with cracking jokes”

“I don’t mean that I mean at the fact that she got to that joke before I had the chance”

Steve sighed and dropped his arms as Peggy just muttered a laugh under her amused smirk and took her focus back to being more serious as did Howard as he returned back to the subject that Jason was going on about “Gotta say Doc, it’s a huge disappointment. Crack opens up in the sky and it’s a whole lot of nothing”

“It was more than nothing. It was zero matter consuming everything and it will move onto our world if Whitney Frost has anything to do with it”

Jarvis then looked at him confused and a little worried “What do you mean?”

“It’s like a disease. A cancer Whitney and I were carriers it consumed everything it could have on that side. Now it’s looking for a new place to infect”

Peggy then broke her silence and looked to Howard “What’s the verdict, Howard?”

Howard looked up from his microscope “You’re a little inimic Doctor Wilkes other than that you’re clean from zero matter”

The whole room let out a sigh of relief. Finally that was one thing they could cross off of their list to deal with. Now that he could actually touch stuff, he could help them more than he could before.

Peggy patted him on the back as Steve shook his hand, the pair both gave him their congratulations as then did Jarvis.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be back to my old self” he then looked to Steve and Peggy “The things I’ve done...i threatened to kill you both”

“Don’t get down on yourself, Doctor Wilkes” Howard spoke up which grabbed everyone’s attention “Their lives are always getting threatened” he smiled as he looked down to his files for a moment to then look up at all eyes still on his, looking all confused and not understanding how that was supposed to make the situation better. Howard shrugged “What? I’m just saying. Maybe the problem is you two. Explain why you’re so damn perfect for each other”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other and finally cracked a small smile as they both rolled their eyes and shrugged. He saved it by that last line, they couldn’t argue back with him on that. They were pretty damn good.

Steve walked over to Jason and pulled him to the side whilst Peggy was distracted arguing with Howard like the typical siblings they acted like.

Steve cleared his throat and looked behind him to her and then back to Jason “Listen. I’ll be open to this. Haven’t like you that much in the past”

“That’s been clear” Jason laughed.

“And to be honest. After that stunt you pulled on her. Not me. Her . I have been wanting to rip your head off ever since”

Jason then gulped heavily, Steve shook his head “But I’m not. But I wanted to. Until Peggy showed me the error of your ways was through desperation. But I have to ask you just one thing”

“Okay?”

“Why did you put the gun on her in the first place? You and I didn’t exactly have any common ground on getting along yet with her you did. So why?”

Jason sighed and looked to Peggy, he shrugged as he slid his hands in his pockets and looked back to Steve “Because I knew that you’d take a bullet for her. And I knew that she wouldn’t let you”

“So you knew I’d order you to put the gun on me?”

“I did”

Steve nodded and grunted as he looked back to his love to the side of him at a far distance across the room “Well Wilkes. You truly are a genius”

“And I am truly. Truly sorry”

Steve looked back to Jason and saw how genuinely bad he felt about that action in particular. Steve shook his head and stuck his hand out “Water under the bridge, call it a clean slate”

Jason smiled and shook Steve’s hand with a grateful look on his face “Thank you”

“But. If you ever try anything like that again I’ll have to-”

“Rip my head off?”

Steve chuckled and slapped Jason’s shoulder “So we understand each other. I had to just clarify”

“You know I didn’t have you as the violent type”

Steve shrugged and crossed his arms “I’m usually not. But damn it. That woman makes me do crazy things” he laughed. They were all tired when they got back to the house.

Steve ran over and jumped on the bed, letting out a big sigh of relief “I’m so glad to be back on this bed”

He then pulled himself back up and watched her close the door and kick her shoes off, unable to contain the smile that came across his face. Peggy finally took her eyes to him and tilted her head as she walked over to him “What?”

“I’m so glad to be back on this bed with you ” Steve muttered as he extended his arm and gripped onto the waistline of her pants and brought her to him, she sat facing him on his lap, her knees resting by his thighs. She traveled her hands to the back of his neck as he locked his in her hair, pulling her head down and pressing her lips against his. Peggy hands then gripped onto his shoulders. Then one running down his back as her other one tangled in the back of his hair. She took her lips away from his and looked deep into his eyes, nuzzling her forehead against his for a moment she whispered “I love you so much”

Steve ran his fingers through her hair as he kept locked in her gaze “I love you too”

Peggy pressed her lips back down onto his and then muttered “You’ll never leave me again, right?”

“Of course I’ll never leave you again”

Peggy sighed and pressed her forehead against his shoulder as she wrapped her arms under his, around his back and whispered “You’re the only person in the world who makes me vulnerable”

Steve rubbed her back and pressed his lips against her shoulder and then turned his head to her and kissed her cheek and whispered softly in her ear “I promise you”

Peggy pulled back and smiled to him “And I trust you that you’ll keep that promise”

“Well I better stay true to it, can’t have you shooting at me again”

Peggy slapped his shoulder “Well what did you expect?”

“For you not to shoot me?”

Peggy laughed and said as she pushed him down to lie flat on the bed “I expected you not to go around kissing other women”

“I can’t help that I’m irresistible” Steve shrugged.

Peggy stared at him and then laughed breathlessly “You…” Steve placed his finger to her lips. Peggy smirked and gently took it between her teeth. Steve chuckled and wiggled the finger as her teeth still had grips onto it, before sliding her teeth back up it to the tip and then pressed a kiss against it before he moved his hand to caress her cheek.  

Peggy unbuttoned two of buttons of his shirt and kissed his bare chest. She sat up to then unbuttoned them all and stared at his physique. Running her hand down his perfectly toned body. Peggy shook her head and sighed as she looked at him. Steve tilted his head and chuckled “What?”

“You’re so beautiful, it's rather mind boggling” She laughed as she shook her head “I mean come on” she slapped her hands back onto his abs “I wasn’t aware it was humanly possible”

He stayed silent for a moment, not believing she just said that “Peggy look in the god damn mirror”

Peggy giggled and rolled her eyes as Steve pulled her down to him and kissed her. Steve then looked at her and whispered “You don’t understand how beautiful you are. Every time I look at you I catch my breath” then going on to do an over dramatic performance of him catching his breath which got a giggle out of her.

After a while of laughing and talking on the bed, they got up and got into their nightwear before sliding under the duvets and holding each other tightly. Peggy, with her head pressed against his chest as Steve’s strong arms wrapped around her said “May I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything”

Peggy moved her head to look up at him “Back in the war. I was the only woman you worked close with. I was the only woman you ever saw really”

Steve shrugged as he stroked her back “What’s your point, Peggy?”

“My point. Is when we get back to our lives, you’ll live in a world filled with beautiful women. What if you find someone better? Someone you find yourself more... compatible with”

Steve cleared his throat and kissed the top of her head before sliding his body down the bed for him to look into her eyes “Let me ask you something...did you?”

Peggy stroked his cheek “Of course not”

“Then why would I?”

Peggy rubbed her lips together and stared into his eyes, remaining silent. Steve smiled softly to her “Why would I even look anywhere else? I will never find someone more perfect for me, alright? I’ll never find someone more kind, funny, beautiful...and caring I...I will never find someone more compatible as you say for me. Nor would I ever want someone else”

Peggy grinned as she slowly ran her fingertips down his lips and whispered with a loving tone “You always know what to say”

“And you know I’m always honest”

Peggy nodded with her smile still lingering on her face “Sorry. My paranoia had a brief kick in” she let out a light laugh, Steve chuckled and kissed her nose before whispering to her

“I’m known to acting upon my paranoia as you’re well aware off”

“Yes I am” Peggy laughed. She then nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck and closed her eyes as Steve wrapped his arms tightly around her again “You okay now?”

“Yeah”

Steve pressed his lips against the top of her forehead “I love you more than anything, you know that right?”

Peggy smiled against his shoulder and nodded “I know, I love you too”

Steve sighed with a soft expression writing across his face and rested his head back down against hers and closed his eyes.

The next morning, Peggy was woken up with soft kisses being placed on her shoulder. She smiled and slowly opened her eyes to Steve looking at her with love eyes. Peggy looked at him and ran her fingers through his hair “Good morning, my love”

“Good morning, beautiful” Steve whispered, running his hand up and down her body “Howard said Jarvis is making a bang up breakfast”

“When did you-”

“See Howard? The man does not knock” Steve laughed as he slid of bed. Before going into the bathroom, he then turned back around and leaned back down onto the bed and pressed his lips roughly against Peggy’s “Just for a little pick me up” Steve muttered with a smirk as he stood back up and walked into the bathroom.

The two of them then got changed and joined Howard and Jason for breakfast.

“Thanks again Mr Stark” Jason smiled as he chewed off a chunk of his bread.

“Think nothing of it, Doctor” Howard shrugged as he buttered his own bread, without looking up he called for his trusty butler “Jarvis! We need mustard”

“We need bed” Steve yawned, resting his head on his hand as he leaned down on the table, with Peggy gazing at him, her hand then resting down on his thigh.

Howard grumbled a laugh “Well excuse me for slapping up a nice breakfast”

Peggy’s head then snapped to Howard “You did nothing of the sort. Mr Jarvis did”

“Yes. But under my order. So technically”

Steve and Peggy didn’t add anything onto it, they just both rolled their eyes and looked back down to their food. Peggy taking her free hand to her fork in being ready to dig back in.

“Can I ask you a question?” Jason asked Howard.

“Shoot”

“Is their a portrait of you in every bedroom?”

“Doctor Wilkes raises a very good point what the hell is it with those things?” Steve asked as he looked back to Howard. Howard looked to Jason and Steve and said with a proud smile on his face “It’s a collection everyone is different” he then saw Peggy shake her head at him with one of those you’re unbelievable looks “What? Art makes a house a home”

Steve raised his eyebrows and muttered “In that case, we’ll get some portraits of you done”

“You have zero chance of that happening, love” Peggy muttered back as she then looked to Jason, leaving Steve to silently chuckle alone “I hope you’ve rested well Jason, Mr Stark is going to need help with making a new gamma cannon”

“I’ve been thinking about that and I hate to be a naysayer but-”

Steve and Peggy both looked to him and said in unison “Nay?”

Howard looked to them and shivered “Freaky how you two can do that”

Jason shook Howard’s comment off and stuck to the point with them about the cannon “Let’s say we’re successful. We’re able to separate Whitney Frost from the zero matter...then what? The zero matter is still here in the world”

“The man makes a good point, Peg” As Steve and Peggy took their eyes to Howard, Howard looked to Jason and suggested an idea “Why don’t you whip up a new containment unit and we capture some of the zero matter and safely study it in Stark labs”

“That’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard in my life”

“I’m only trying to help”

“Yourself” Peggy raised an eyebrow to him “Get custody of the zero matter so you can make profit on it”

“That stings”

“You’ll heal” Peggy rolled her eyes to him as she then looked back down at her food.

“Steve control your woman”

Steve couldn’t help but below a laugh and shook his head as his hand traveled to her back and drawing circles on it with his fingertips as he said “Like I could even if I wanted to”

Howard tutted and scoffed “Fine. Anyway we’ve got a bigger problem on our hands...we’re out of mustard. Jarvis! Jeez is he making the mustard?”

Their questions of Jarvis’s where bouts were soon answered as he stepped outside to them with his hands in the air, with Joseph Manfredi behind him with a gun against Jarvis’s back. Which sent them all into a panic. Steve and Peggy both went for their guns.

“I see a gun. And this guy see’s heaven”

Steve and Peggy quickly backed down as Howard seemed to take the ropes quite quickly “Easy. Easy. Let him put the condiment down”

Steve looked to Peggy, his jaw dropped as he shook his head to her. Not quite understanding if those were the words that had just come out of Howard Stark’s mouth. Peggy just shrugged to him with an unsurprised look. Howard wasn’t one for priority sorting. Jarvis did so. With a serious look still on Howard’s face he then warned “You can’t just walk into a man’s home and take his butler hostage”

“Oh yeah? Well you can’t steal my underwear”

It was at that exact moment due to that sentence where all apart from Joseph and Howard had their expressions go from worried to completely confused.

“I told you then and I’m telling you now...you can’t wear your skivvies in a shvitz”

It was then clear that the pair knew each other, and better yet. Were in fact friends. Steve and Peggy sighed at their panicking being over nothing. Steve dropped his hand onto Peggy’s shoulder for a brief moment, Howard exhausts him more than he can bare to take. Peggy on the other hand was used to this absurd and ridiculous behavior.

“You know Joe Manfredi?” Howard said with a smile as Joseph put him down from a lifting hug.

“Yes we do” Peggy said sharply as she looked back to her food.

“This man kidnapped me” Jason said bitterly “He strapped me down and tortured me so that Whitney Frost could take the zero matter from my body”

“That was wrong” Joseph admitted.

“Well yeah, Manfredi” Steve shrugged “The sky is also blue”

Peggy looked to Steve and whispered to him as she sat back in her chair “Oh so now you stick up for Jason?”

Steve tilted his head and smirked “New leaf Peg” he took hold of her hand and patted it with his other one as he repeated to add to his teasing “New leaf”

Joseph laughed and slapped Steve on the shoulders “Ah you two. A love story that defies description” he grinned as he sat down on the spare chair at the end of the table. Peggy and Steve stared at him, she slid her hand out of Steve’s hold and leaned forward again in her chair “I’m sorry is there something that you actually want?”

“Well, Miss Carter. I’m glad you asked” he started his sentence as he put his hands together on the table “We all have something in common. We’re all worried about Whitney”

“I think worried is the wrong word?” Steve said with a light laugh along with the look of agreement from Jarvis who stood behind Joseph for a brief moment before walking to Howard’s side.

“Whatever you come to think of Whitney. I am worried about her. And I speak to you two especially” he pointed to Steve and Peggy and then pointed to himself “As a hopeless romantic to two others. We are on the same page here”

“We are?” Peggy asked, being totally unconvinced.

“Of course we are! If Captain Rogers here came to me because he was worried about you. I’d put aside our differences and help him out”

Steve raised his eyebrows to Joseph and slowly nodded “Right. Well forgive us to only believe that if the day ever comes to see it”

Joseph sighed and shook his head “Look. Whitney...she isn’t the same. Normally my Whitney is a very thoughtful. Loving person”

Howard couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head with his mouth filled with a piece of his sandwich “Who are you kidding Joey? You always went for the crazy ones. Jenny Bockabella. Tried to throw you off the 59th street bridge”

Peggy looked to Howard and shook her head at him. Joseph was practically a ticking time bomb any mention of the wrong name could set him off. But Howard, no matter what he said did no such thing as she then heard Joseph laugh “That was err. A unique situation”

Steve blew off this conversation and got back onto the subject “Manfredi how do you think we can even help you?”

Joseph stared at him for a moment with a stern look and then said in the same tone “Save her”

“ Save her ?” Mr Jarvis spoke up, not quite believing what he was hearing “She’d kill us all if she could”

“Yeah but that’s not Whitney that’s the stuff inside her! Doc you know were in her shoes this stuff changes you”  

Jason understood where Joseph was coming from of course, which is why he kept his tone in a polite manner when he said “Whitney is no innocent. She’s a willing accomplice led by her own innate lust for power”

“Sure okay but this is different she’s hold up in her room. She doesn’t eat. She doesn’t sleep.  She’s writing on the walls”

“Writing what?” Howard asked.

“I dunno formulas or something. She keeps talking to herself about opening the rift again”

“Well we can’t let that happen” Steve shook his head as he put his food back down on his plate “She’s crazy eno- smart enough to do it”

Nicely saved Peggy thought in her head as she glanced to him and then shook her head “Except she can’t. The last of the roxxon uranium was used up when she desonated it in the desert”

“Unless she’d figure out a way to do it without an atomic explosion. I wouldn’t underestimate her genius”

Joseph shook his head “I can’t lose her again” he looked up to Steve and Peggy “You know what that’s like. With Whitney causing Agent Carter here to be impaled and with you being in the ice n stuff. You gotta stop her”

Steve and Peggy looked to each other long and hard. Joseph was a mobster and a crook but he had a good heart in a way. He was driven by love and he was right They do know what it’s like to lose and almost lose each other. It was frightening. Making Whitney redeem herself would feel more beneficial than killing her.

“In order to stop her. We have to beat her to the punch” Peggy said as she broke her gaze from Steve. Steve kept his eyes on her and asked “Meaning?”

“If we are going to end this once and for all. We need to open the first. Knock the zero matter out of Whitney and send it back to wherever it came from”

“It’s not that easy. We have no real understanding of how the rift works. Discovering it in the first place was a fluke”

“You kids are so cute” Howard teased “Bet you crammed for your finals and everything”

“What are you chattering about?” Peggy said to Howard with her patience wearing very thin on him already.

But Howard was a genius and he gave a genius answer. He came up with a suggestion which led Peggy to come up with an idea. Joseph was set the task of getting Whitney out of her room whilst Steve and Peggy would sneak into the room and pick up some evidence.

Chapter Text

They had to wait until it was dark. Leaving  them all to have a day to actually relax. Well, as much as they could do anyway. Jarvis went off to visit Ana of course. Howard went off to visit a female friend of his in the city.

Leaving Steve and Peggy to…

“Ah watch that right hook, Peg!”

Fight.

Well. Train . Steve hadn’t of got any training in whilst he had been thawed out. Him and Peggy used to train together nearly every day back in the war. That was the one thing they could do in broad daylight without anyone thinking something was going on between them. Although even that made rumors spread at first.

Steve never hit her, she tried to avoid hitting him. Sometimes it slipped and she did end up hitting him if he didn’t block fast enough.

Peggy hit his knee which made him drop. She rolled her eyes and groaned “Come on, Steve”

Steve quickly brought himself back up. She gave him two quick jabs of which he ducked and dodged rather well. To then swoop under her swinging arm and stand on the opposite side of her with his fist still up to his chest. Giving him a brief impressed look, Peggy brought her arm up to swing again, expecting him to the block. Which he did. Steve grabbed her wrist and turned her around, resting his chin on her shoulder and said in a rough laugh “Better?”

Peggy smirked and wrapped her leg around his, hooking her foot to his ankle, she fling her foot up which caused Steve to trip and fall flat on his back. Peggy laughed breathless and stood over him “Almost” she teased. Holding her hand out for him to take hold of, he latched onto her hand and then pulled her down, flipping backwards with Peggy now on her back and Steve lay over her. Peggy let out a loud laugh “Mr Jarvis’s tortes of fury I believe that was”

“Surprisingly effective” Steve smiled as he took his lips down onto hers.

Peggy looked at him, with their lips still attached and then pulled away briefly as she whispered “This isn’t how we usually train”

“I know. Ain’t it great?”

“Hm, quite” Peggy smirked as his lips fell back down onto hers. Peggy suddenly flipped them over for her to lie on top of him, sweeping her hair to the side, she gazed at him and slowly brought her lips back to him as she pressed her hips down against his as their legs entwined. Steve gripped onto her back to then wrap his arms tightly around her body altogether. Peggy rested her hands on his jaw, letting out a soft moan as their tongues brushed together. Peggy dragged her lips slowly off of his and rubbed their noses together.

Peggy pressed her hands down on the mat and pushed herself up. Now stood up with him under and between her legs. Peggy smirked and side kicked his hips “Let’s go, Captain” she took a step away from him as he brought himself up. Steve cleared his throat and caught his breath. Peggy motioned her hand to herself, signalling him to come towards her.

Steve let out a small laugh and ran towards her. Steve swung his arms with Peggy ducking under him and hitting back a light punch which hit his cheek. She did it again and he grabbed both wrists. Peggy smiled and kneed him in the stomach. Steve let out a winded laugh, Peggy put her hand on the back of his head as he leaned his hands down onto his knees for a moment. Steve chuckled once more as he stood back up and gazed at her.

It fell silent for a moment as Peggy drowned in his ocean blue eyes. She shook her head “Bugger this” she muttered as she cupped his face and clashed their lips together. Jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist as he hooked his arm under her backside and carried her into their bedroom.

"Marry me" Steve whispered as his grinning mouth pressed against Peggy's. Lying on top of her, their bare bodies pressing against each other. Peggy giggled as he kissed her "I said yes two years ago" 

"Say it again?"

She laughed again and whispered before kissing him "Yes" She kissed him and repeated "Yes" she put her hand on the back of his head and made their kiss last longer before pulling back and whispering again for the final time "Yes"

"Eager" Steve muttered as he teased with an amused smirk, looking into her eyes. Peggy gasped and slapped his waist where her hand lay "Shut up!"

Steve laughed again and kissed her, long and deeply. Peggy let out a soft moan as her arms traveled up to around his neck, feeling his hand grip harder onto her waist.  Her nails dug down into his shoulder blades as their tongues continued to play together.

When all of a sudden "Hey! You two!" Howard came bursting through the door. Making them high jump out of their skin, Steve quickly pulled the duvet over Peggy's body before Howard saw anything. Holding a part of the duvet around his waist, Steve pointed as he yelled "Howard! Get outta here!"

Howard threw his arms up "Sorry! But I needed to tell ya that we-are you naked under there?" He quickly asked as he looked to Peggy.

Peggy rolled her eyes and snapped "Howard! Out!"

"But they-"

"Out!" They both yelled in unison. Howard then quickly scurried out of the room to avoid the wrath from both of them. Peggy lay back down on the bed "You're right he doesn't knock"

Steve shook his head, then lying back down next to her "Nope"

Peggy entwined her fingers with his and turned her head to look at him as he then did the same. Both thinking the same thing and Peggy then speaking it out "We better go and see what he came rushing in for then"

"Duty calls" Steve sighed.

Peggy nodded as she kept her eyes locked with his and muttered "Always does"
Steve kept his eyes on her for a little while longer before kissing her nose and getting out of bed, with her then doing the same. They didn't get fully dressed. Peggy just slipped on her dressing gown and then wrapped herself up as Steve grabbed his pyjama bottoms and his white vest top.

They walked down to the kitchen, with their arms hooked around each other's back as they walked in and stopped in front of Howard, Daniel, Jarvis and Jason. Talk about a room of testosterone.

"What's the big emergency then?" Peggy asked, shooting a glare to a smirking Howard to then take her eyes back to Daniel as he began to explain "No emergency really. It's just that Manfredi rang. It's time"

"Hm" Steve nodded, keeping his eyes to Daniel for a moment and then snapping to Howard as he darted his eyes to him "And you couldn't have said that on the other side of the door"

Howard shrugged "Hey I didn't know you two were... canoodling ...besides I was never one to know when I cross boundaries"

"Learn" Peggy said sternly as she raised her eyebrows to him. Steve and Peggy looked back to the other three men. Jarvis and Jason keeping very quiet through their awkwardness. Daniel didn't really think about what it was Howard had walked in on. He was too work driven right now, but Jason and Jarvis caught on pretty quickly.

"So what's the play?" Peggy asked.

Daniel cracked his back and leaned against his crutch "You and Steve will get in the room. I'd get in with you but with this damn thing I wouldn't wanna slow you guys down"

"Daniel you wouldn't-"

"It's fine. Honest. My decision"

Steve and Peggy nodded to him. They did feel bad though. Daniel pegged himself as a man who wasn't worthy to get involved in the hard graft like this. Steve wondered if it was because of him, if he wasn't here right now then Daniel would for sure be in the front line with Peggy. But he couldn't over think it, Daniel was the leader of this operation. What he says for this, goes.

"And what will you do then?" Peggy tested.

"I'll be back at the lab with the rest of em, getting to work with the rift business" he nodded, then adding on in a dry tease "Is that alright Agent Carter?"

Peggy cocked an eyebrow and played along "Perfectly Chief Sousa" Peggy slid her arm from Steve's back and spun around to walk upstairs. Steve shook his head with an amused expression and looked to Daniel "Fifteen minutes?"

"Sure"

Steve nodded and returned back upstairs.

He said fifteen. They got ready in fourteen to be exact. How Peggy manages to get dressed up the way she does in such little time he'll never know. She was beautiful without make up still she insisted to but a little bit of something on for work, so hair, clothes and make up in fourteen minutes? She's impressive in so many departments. With that final minute to spare, Steve wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her body to him. Peggy turned her body around to face him, still in his hold.

Peggy tilted her head and scanned his face, noticing something that she hadn't quite noticed before "You're growing some stubble" she stated as she stroked his not as soft cheek.

"Am I?" Steve lightly chuckled as he then did the same "Oh"

"I quite like it" Peggy whispered as she dropped her hand down to his shoulder "There's something rather attractive about it" her tone dropped to a more seductive one as she moved her lips closer to his.

"Yeah?"

"Mm-hm"

Steve smiled as he gazed at her, caressing her cheek he asked in a whisper "How did I get so lucky?"

"No darling, how did I get so lucky?" Peggy smiled, she lifted herself up by getting up on her tip toes by a centimeter or two and hugged him tightly "How did I get so lucky to get you back?" She then hummed a small laugh as she spoke out her thought "God's gracious reward of the good I've done perhaps?"

"Or gods gracious reward to me for saving the world perhaps?"

Peggy scoffed a laugh and pulled back "What two years later?"

"Maybe"

"Ego maniac"

"Glory hunter"

" Capsicle "

Steve's jaw dropped "You win"

"I know" Peggy smirked as she pulled him forward and clashed his lips into hers before dragging them off and then dragging herself away altogether and walking out the door with him to follow.

With Jarvis, as always being their driver. He parked the car further down the road so Whitney, if she ever looked out the window when with Joseph, would not see the car and catch on. As Joseph collected Whitney from her room to help her with one of his men, Steve and Peggy quickly made their way into the room from coming in through the back door.

"Holy cow" Steve muttered as they walked in the room, looking at all the papers of equations stuck to the walls "She's real crazy"

"She's a genius" Peggy shrugged.

Steve took another step forward and looked at the paper "Any clue what this could I mean?"

"I don't speak megalomaniac...fortunately Howard Stark does"

Steve huffed a laugh through his nose and turned back around to her as she held two cameras in her hands, Peggy landed one camera in Steve's hand and ordered "Work quickly I doubt Mr Manfredi can fool her for long"

"Yes ma'am" Steve nodded, turned around and began taking pictures. He then glanced to her and got an idea, Steve pointed the camera to here "Over here" he whispered. Peggy turned and was welcomed to the flashing of the camera.

"What are you doing?"

"The picture in my compass will wear thin soon, gotta get a new one ready"

Peggy quietly let out a giggle and nodded as she looked down to the camera "Very well. I'll have to make sure I don't take out a camera on our other adventures together then. Else you'll be making an album"

"I'm just glad we get to have them" Steve whispered with a loving smile written across his face, the kind of smile that set off butterflies in Peggy's stomach as a grin spread on her lips "Me too" she whispered back. They both shared another gaze for a moment before turning around again and taking more pictures.

"There's so much crap here I hope Manfredi can hold her long enough" Steve whispered.

"I wouldn't count in it. Manfredi doesn't strike me as the convincing type to Whitney. Which is why we have to work fast" she then glanced to him "Use your super soldier speed and hurry up"

"Very funny"

"I was being rather serious" Peggy added in a mumble.

After another minute, they worked fast enough to get it all done "Thats the last of it. Let's go"

Joseph's voice was then heard from down the hall "Whitney come back here! Stop!"

Their time was well and truly up. And they could no longer sneak out through the back door, Steve's head turned to the side and nodded "Window"
Peggy hurried over and lifted the window open, turning around as she put her leg out to see Steve faffing about "Steven!"

"I'm coming" Steve nodded as he motioned his hand for her to leave. Steve grabbed a pencil from the side and changed the number 6 to a number 8 on one of her equations.

"That should buy us some time" he said in his head.

Steve made his way over to the window and jumped out, then shutting it behind him.

"What the hell were you doing?" Peggy asked in a sharp whisper.

"I changed one of the figures"

Peggy didn’t say anything, she just gave him an impressed smirk and then carried on walking back to the car.

When they got in the car, Steve put his hands on the wheel and glanced to her with a cocky smile lingering on his face “So, you impressed?”

Peggy rolled her eyes as she took them to look at him, Peggy stared at him up and down and then let out a small nod “Yes”

Steve then let out an amused grin turned on the engine “Reckon I’m going to be the best secret agent ever” he then felt the eyes burning into the side of his head, Steve turned his head and looked at the glare he was getting off of Peggy. Steve slapped his hand in hers and brought her hand to his mouth and said “After you of course” he gave the back of her hand a soft kiss, which brought a smile from her after trying to keep a straight face.

“Just drive” Peggy said through a muffled giggle.

“I have to agree with Doctor Samberly it’s terrible” Jason said as Steve and Peggy walked into the office, finding Samberly, Jason and Howard at their work station whilst Mr Jarvis stood at the opposite end looking exhausted through having the listen to these men.

“Have they determined what Whitney’s designed?” Peggy asked as she and Steve took a halt, standing beside Jarvis. Then hearing Howard challenge the two men “Show of hands, who here’s invented a hover car?” he raised his hand “Nope? Nobody? I win”

“It didn’t even work!”

Steve laughed and called over “Yeah, Howard, I was there. Came crashing back down as soon as the damn thing went up”

Howard looked to Steve and argued back “The second one! That worked!”

Peggy sighed and muttered to him “Would you not encourage him”

Mr Jarvis then spoke up “As we suspected this machine cuts a physio between our world and the zero matter dimension. The conversation has now turned to naming ranks”

Peggy’s hands flew to her hips as she looked back to them and then snarked at them “Have you lot got nothing better to do?”

Steve scratched his forehead as he had to listen to Howard try to promote his name of what he wanted to call the machine. He pinched the bridge of his nose and held his free hand up as he raised his head with his eyes closed as he started the sentence “Gentlemen” he then opened his eyes as he saw all three of them looking. Steve crossed his arms and then finished his sentence “Will it work?”

“It’s incredibly complex” Howard stated “She’s describing two different four dimensional space times. One for our universe. One for the zero matter world. This design is machine that creates the two, if she weren’t a homicidal maniac, I’d be in love”

Jarvis, Peggy and Steve couldn’t help but roll their eyes at their friend.

“It’ll work. But there are issues”

“For example” Samberly started “How do we stop more zero matter from coming out?”

“Not to mention the risk” Jason added “We lose control of it we’ve on succeeded in giving Whitney Frost the means to bring about the end of the world”

Steve looked to Peggy, who was slightly taken back by such a bold statement, but she kept her head screwed on and tried to motivate them further “Well I’d like to postpone Armageddon if I can help it. Yes there are many obstacles but I’m standing in front three of the most radiant minds on the planet, surely you can find a way to overcome them”

Steve stared at the way the three brainiacs taking a more confident stance, getting very confident within themselves. Steve leaned to Peggy and mumbled “You can hear their egos growing”

“Mm” Peggy nodded as she looked back to them.

Steve was then forced to hear the foreign language of science being debated right in front of him, not understanding a word of what they were saying. Peggy got the briefing. Which she knew she’d have to explain to Steve when they were alone to save him the embarrassment.

“So we’ll have to find a way to draw Whitney out?” Steve questioned.

“Not necessary, Cap, she’ll feel and she’ll come”

“Wonderful” Peggy raised her eyebrows and grabbed Steve’s hand as she guided him out of the office, to his delight. Peggy then stopped them both for a moment “Oh and by the way it’s called a rift generator”

Steve gave them all a smirk as Peggy led him back out the room. As they walked over to the lab, Steve tickled her waist as they grew closer to the lab, Peggy giggled and slapped his hands “No Steve, you know how ticklish I am”

“Do you think it would ruin your reputation as serious Agent Peggy Carter”

“Yes”

“Hm” Steve muttered, after a moment he then tickled her waist again, Peggy let out a louder laugh as they entered the lab. She pressed her back against the door as she let out her small laughs, Steve kept his hands on her waist and rubbed his lips as he looked at hers. He leaned forward and kissed her firmly, then softened as their tongues brushed together. Peggy’s arms wrapping around his neck as she let out a moan.

Peggy then felt the door pushed against her back. Steve and Peggy pulled their heads apart and looked to Daniel who was on the other side of the door. Daniel looked at them with an unimpressed look on his face “When I tell you guys to get a room, I don’t mean one in the office”

The couple both let out amused smirks and stepped out of the way. Daniel opened the door and stepped in the lab “The rest of them are coming in now. So I guess your little kissing session will have to be put on hold” he dryly teased.

Soon enough everyone did come in and got to work. Steve and Daniel were given orders to help pack some things up. Steve looked to Daniel. He knew that something had been wrong with him for a couple of days now, and now was a better time than any to ask him what was going on

“Daniel”

Daniel looked up and raised his eyebrow “Steve?”

“Is everything okay with you?”

“Fine” he lied “Why?”

“You just seemed a little off these past couple of days that’s all” Steve shrugged. He then heard Daniel let out a deep sigh. Steve put down the device in his hand and pointed to Daniel before crossing his arms “Something is wrong”

Daniel didn’t look at him, he just frowned as he looked down to the floor. Which made Steve feel bad. It was then he who sighed “I’m sorry, you don’t have to tell me, I’m just concerned. You seemed fine one minute and the next-”

“Violet called of the engagement” Daniel blurted out in a quiet tone. Steve’s eyebrows flung up, his eye widened. His brows then knitted together “What?”

Daniel shrugged, avoiding eye contact as best of he could. Steve looked up to Peggy over Daniel’s shoulder, she was too distracted to of heard him. He leaned against the counter and whispered “What happened?”

“It was the night we brought Peggy to hers. It spooked her. She said that seeing Peggy like that made her realize how dangerous all of this can be and how she can’t be with someone who when she watches walks out the front door she won’t know she’ll ever see again. Or something like that”

Steve sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose “Aw jeez. Daniel I’m so sorry...we should’ve-”

“Gone to the hospital? Come on Steve, you know going to Violet was the right thing. I wanted to take her there, I care for Peggy a great deal and I knew that a hospital was a bad move. Don’t blame yourself. I’m the one that suggested it...no one is to blame here. It was just a case of bad luck, she got spooked” he shrugged “It happens”

“Still. I’m really sorry. Must be like hell. I don’t know what I’d do if…”

“I know. But to be honest. I don’t think we were quite as in love as say you two are, perhaps I just moved too fast. Kidding myself even. I wanted the perfect life too badly” Daniel stated as he fiddled around with the machine in his hand. Steve stared at him and then suggested with a smirk “I hear Angie is single”

Daniel let out a laugh and shook his head “No sir, no set ups. When the right girl comes along I’ll know, Violet is fantastic but if we were meant to be we would... be ”