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Peggy had never been more pleased to see Colonel Phillips’ thundering frown. She’d been poked and prodded for the best part of an hour as the medical team made a thorough assessment of her injuries.
Her wounds had already been stitched back together, and she certainly had no broken bones, so she couldn’t fathom why she was still being assessed.
Phillips cleared his throat in that way that made it clear he meant business, and like clockwork, the room cleared. Feeling quietly satisfied, Peggy hopped off the bed.
“I’ve had some time to think over how we misjudged the mission so severely, I’ll have a full report on your desk by -”
“No you won’t,” Phillips interrupted, stone-faced.
“Sir?”
“You’re not going anywhere Carter, so you may as well get comfortable.” He nodded to the bed behind her. “The doc wants to keep you in overnight for observation, and I’m inclined to agree.”
Peggy was stunned. “It’s a few cuts and bruises, hardly worth the time I’ve already spent here.”
“It’s bruised ribs and several deep lacerations, not to mention the head injury.”
Peggy scoffed, “head injury is a rather dramatic assessment.”
“You were out cold from what I hear.”
“I -” she opened her mouth to argue but came up short. In truth, she had been unconscious for a moment after being knocked to the ground with considerable force, but then Steve had held out his hand, pulled her to her feet, and off they went, continuing on with the mission.
“Sir,” she started again. “While I greatly appreciate your concern for my well-being, I have nothing more than a mild concussion and some sore ribs, I’m perfectly capable of sitting at my desk and operating a typewriter. I’ll even settle for a pencil if you think the strain of typing might prove too much for me.” She bit back a smile, noting Phillips’ unfaltering frown.
“My point is, surely any report I write today will be exponentially more useful than one written days after the event, when the memories aren’t quite so fresh.”
“You seem to be under the impression that this is up for debate,” Phillips said, folding his arms across his chest. “I’ll reiterate - you’re to stay in this hospital until the doctor sees fit to discharge you. Am I understood?”
Peggy took a deep breath, doing her utmost not to seem petulant despite the irritation she felt. “Yes, Sir.”
He nodded, relaxing his stance.
“Get some rest, Carter,” he added gruffly as he turned to leave.
Peggy felt restless, the adrenaline from the mission was still pumping through her, and considering the awful turn things had taken, she couldn’t bear to sit still knowing just how much work needed to be done.
The medical team had mercifully left her alone after completing their over-the-top assessment of her injuries, but the quiet didn’t help her feel anymore relaxed, it only served to make the throbbing pain of her injuries more noticeable. She needed to do something useful, she needed to find Steve.
The hospital corridors were confusingly similar, bland white walls scattered with generic paintings, so Peggy kept track of the turns she took - being found wandering the hospital would do her no favours with Colonel Phillips. Thankfully Steve wasn’t being kept too far from her. She leant against the door, peering in the small window.
He was sitting up, nodding as the doctor spoke to him. His injuries had been far worse than hers when they’d been brought in, but the serum had worked wonders. The bandages wrapped around his bicep and wrist could most likely be removed already.
She stepped away from the window, breathing a sigh of relief, and noted the supply closet across the hall.
Peggy regretting not putting her watch on before leaving her room in search of Steve, she had no reliable way of knowing how much time had passed as she sat tucked behind shelves of folded linen.
She emerged slowly, peeking her head around the door after the sound of footsteps had faded, and darted across the hall to Steve’s room, only to find it empty. His bed sheets were rumpled, and his possessions were strewn across the nightstand, but there was no other sign of him.
Feeling defeated and painfully aware of her building headache, she decided it was best to return to her own room.
“Steve?”
She supposed she should have anticipated this, after all she had gone searching for him, it wasn’t particularly surprising that meanwhile he’d been searching for her.
He was stood in the middle of her room, a frown on his face. Peggy shut the door behind her and launched herself at him, aching for his embrace. His arms went around her readily, holding her close.
“I suppose they’re letting you out of here,” she mumbled against his chest.
“No, actually.”
She pulled back just enough to look at him.
“The doctors want to keep me in overnight for observation,” his jaw clenched. “Phillips agrees. I don’t.”
Peggy laughed, ignoring the twinge of pain in her chest. “I know the feeling.”
She reached up gently, fingers ghosting over the bruising around his eye. “Are you terribly hurt?”
He shook his head. “Nothing I can’t heal from.” His fingers traced along her jaw, “and you?”
“I’ll be alright.”
Peggy pushed herself up, leaning into Steve, and brushed her lips against his. He was still for a moment, then he kissed her softly, nipping at her bottom lip.
“I’m glad you’re alright,” he said, his voice was rough as they pulled apart.
She tugged on his arm, motioning towards the bed, but Steve didn’t budge.
“What if someone walks in?”
Peggy rolled her eyes. “Steady on, I’m merely suggesting we get more comfortable, since we’ll most likely be here for the night.”
Mollified, Steve followed her lead as they curled up on the creaky metal bed, fully clothed.
They settled, wrapped up in each other, but Steve still seemed restless. He was fiddling with the hem of her shirt, so she pushed herself up into a sitting position.
As she traced her fingers over his skin, his arm snaked around her hips, keeping her close. Peggy touched the bandages on his arm, slipping her fingers just under the edge, before looking to Steve for confirmation. He nodded, and she began slowly removing them.
She was pleased to see the fresh, pink skin beneath, and she leant down to kiss the spot that had been an open wound mere hours ago.
Peggy continued working her way over Steve’s injuries, removing the bandages she knew were unnecessary, kneading the muscles that felt tense. She was irritated that she couldn’t undress him and check every inch of his skin. But they could be interrupted at any moment, so they made do.
She left the bandages on his worst injuries, and checked his range of motion in the arm he’d fallen on. He was still heavily bruised, but she knew that would fade. As she lifted his shirt to confirm the scrapes had healed, she tried to shake the image of his bloodied body out of her head.
She ran her hand over him, feeling only smooth skin, and stopped over his heart. Steve seemed considerably more relaxed, his breathing deep and even, and she took comfort from the steady beat of his heart under her fingertips.
“My turn,” he murmured quietly.
Peggy raised her eyebrow, and Steve answered her unspoken question by gently pushing her down onto the bed.
She laid back as his hands traced over her, pausing where she knew there was bruising. His frown deepened when she winced, but he kissed the unmarked patches of her skin softly, his breath tickling her.
Peggy felt so terribly relaxed that she almost forgot they were in a hospital bed, although the nurse who walked in on them made sure to remind them, frowning as she escorted Steve back to his room.
Peggy woke up slowly, her head feeling foggy as the harsh smell of disinfectant hit the back of her throat. She blinked at the pale green walls, remembering where she was at the same moment she sensed, more that saw, the figure looming over her. She turned her head, relaxing as their eyes met.
Steve reached out, gently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered on her cheek, wary of her bruised skin, as he looked down at her. His wounds had healed with enviable speed, and the bruises that littered his face were already yellowing.
“Don’t tell me you’ve been discharged?” She asked, her voice scratchy.
He shook his head. “Couldn’t sleep.”
She wasn’t surprised. Steve put on a good show, but she knew he was petrified of hospitals.
She sat up slowly, experimentally, stretching out her limbs. Her ribs still throbbed, but her head felt marginally better.
“What do you say we make a run for it?” She was half-joking, testing the waters, but there was a hint of a smile at the corner of Steve’s lips.
He held out his hand, testing her nerve. She took it without hesitation and hopped off the bed.
They changed out of their hospital gowns in record speed and scrunched them up under the sheets in a way that very loosely resembled a sleeping patient, if you were to glance at the bed while passing the room.
Steve followed her lead through the maze of corridors. They ducked into empty rooms and crouched below eye level as they snuck out of the ward, crawling on their hands and knees as they passed the nurses station. Peggy could still see a smile tugging at Steve’s lips every time she glanced back at him.
When they were out of their ward and less likely to be recognised, Peggy squared her shoulders and walked confidently towards the exit.
“So, we’re finished with sneaking around now?” Steve asked as he followed her.
“It was necessary to avoid being seen.”
He wasn’t hiding his smile anymore. “It’s a hospital, not an enemy base.”
“I’m sorry, am I being accused of theatrics by Steve Rogers? ”
He laughed. “Point taken.”
She could tell Steve’s mood was lifting as they got further away from their hospital rooms. Peggy took his hand as they walked through the exit, and the cold night air hit her with a jolt. She realised it was still in the early hours of the morning.
She felt Steve watching her, and realised he was waiting for her lead.
“I didn’t think past getting outside of the hospital,” she admitted.
“Neither did I.”