Chapter Text
The plane was lifting off. We had minutes before it was fully off the ground. minutes before Red Skull got away.
“Howard, does this car go any faster?” My voice is muffled by the plane but Howard can tell it's not really a question.
“Yeah yeah.” The car speeds up with his response. We are almost at the plane. Just a few more feet and Steve can get on the plane. Just a few more feet and-
“Peggy, Steve shouldn’t go alone.” Howard's words were quiet enough so Rodger’s won’t hear but loud enough for me. He was right, I can’t let Steve get on that plane alone. We’re at the plane it’s now or never. Steve’s hand grabbed the wheel of the plane. He turned to face me.
“Peggy, I’ll see you on the other side.”
“ no, you won’t because I'm coming with you.” With that I grabbed his arm pulling myself out of the car and on to the plane hooking my arm around the main strut of the wheel. Steve’s left arm hooked around my legs pulling them toward him and letting my feet find the top of the wheel.
“Thank you Rogers, but I really could have done that myself,” Steve angled his head to look up at me
“ sure you could have” his response is laced with sarcasm. Currently the plane is about 9 ft off the ground. Howard is below us in the car and Rogers is holding onto the piston of the plane wheel with his right arm. his left arm is placed behind my knees. His face level with my chest. My legs against him.
“ we should get a move on. shouldn’t we” I say before pulling myself up and into the plane. Rogers quickly following behind. Several hydra agents are moving around. They seem to be preparing to launch a number of missiles. Turning to Rodgers I said
“ you take the left. I’ve got the right” (the fight happens. No, I'm not writing it. you have an imagination use it) with all the soldiers down we make our way to the ladder and toward the control room of the plane. Rodgers goes first before offering his hand to me.
“Thank you Rodgers but I am quite capable of climbing a ladder on my own.” Rodgers retracts his hand, his face slightly flush as I grab the ladder and start climbing up. We enter the control room and standing near the control panel at the front of the plane is Red Skull. We are only standing there for a second when Red Skull turns to face us.
“Captain America, do you really think you can stop this? I still have the Tesseract-
Bang
Red Skull stumbles back, his hand moving to his side. It takes me a second to realize what has happened. It takes me a second to notice the gun in my hand and the smoke coming from it. Oh… oh no. I didn't mean- It was just instinct- why did- Oh god why did i have to do that.
Red skull was on the floor now, his hand clutching his chest as he bled. Rodgers was the first of us to move, rushing toward the tesseract trying to ensure it was safely brought home. I was still so still. I felt scared to move to breathe. If Red Skull dies we can’t try. We can’t try him for all the people he has killed. I want to move to make sure red skull doesn't die to make sure everyone can get the justice that they want; I can't move my entire body is frozen. Rodgers has the tesseract now it's safe. I need to tell him to keep Red Skull alive, I need to- I need. Rodgers is moving now but he’s not headed for Red Skull he’s headed for me. Why? Why is he going toward me? I don't need help. I'm fine he needs to- I need him to go to Red Skull. Steve is by my side; he pulls me to him and to the ground. Why-why is he doing this?
“Hey you're okay. It's fine they’ll understand.” It's then that I realize I'm crying. How long have I been crying for? Why am I crying? He takes the gun from my hands and puts it beside him next to the tessaract.
“Everything is going to be okay, you did nothing wrong.” I push myself into his embrace trying to stop my tears. This is stupid I’m being stupid. We sat like that for a while; me in his arms and him telling me it’s okay that it was just one mistake.
Thud
Something hit the floor hard. We look up and Red Skull is on the floor but he's moved and the tesseract is- I look next to Rodgers where it and the gun had been a few minutes ago the tesseract was gone and in Red Skulls hands. Oh no… Rodgers stands up faster than I can register and he is almost at Red Skull when there’s a sudden flash of light. In the light Red Skull disappears.
“What was that?” My voice was shaky since I'd only just calmed down.
“It looked like some kind of portal but I can't tell to what” Steve moved closer to the tesseract “We should put-
The floor around the tesseract hisses as if its melting and then where the tesseract once was is nothing but a hole in the plane. The plane begins to shake. Rodgers turns toward me and rushes over.
“We need to fly the plane” he grabs my arm and walks me over to the control panel before stopping
“Oh, no”
“What is it?”
“ the plane its in autopilot”
“So?”
“I can’t disarm the missiles and it’s headed for New York. if it lands there.”
“They’ll go off.” Steve turns to me its clear what has to be done
“Yeah, they’ll go off. We need to land the plane here” he steers the plane toward the ground there will only be a few seconds till we hit the ice. He stays seated in the pilots chair before pulling me onto him.
“ Steve, what are you” he wraps his arms around me holding me
“ I love you Peggy Carter” he moved his head from my shoulder looking in my eyes, but he’s smiling “ would you mind if I rescheduled our dance.” I let out a small laugh
“ no, Steve Rogers, I would not mind if you rescheduled our dance, and I love you too” . With my last words I put my lips on his before quickly pulling them away.