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August 12th, 1956 - Peggy and Steve Carter-Rogers’ Home
Peggy sighed softly as she walked out of the bathroom, more than ready to go back to sleep. Though she had been overjoyed at the prospect of having another child and already being six months along in her pregnancy, she was much less thrilled at having the baby dancing on her bladder at nearly midnight every night.
At least it was consistent.
She quietly walked back into her and Steve’s bedroom only to find him awake, still lying down. Immediately, she noticed the two extra bundles underneath the blanket next to her husband, the smaller of which was shaking suspiciously with what Peggy assumed to be stifled giggles.
Peggy raised her eyebrow at Steve, who merely winked in return.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Just fine, darling,” she said as she walked over to the bed.
Peggy heard a very clear snicker right as she grabbed the blanket and lifted it up.
“Surprise!” both her daughters screamed.
“Goodness!” she gasped in faux surprised, bringing a hand to her chest.
Steve shook his head fondly, but didn’t say anything. They both knew she was the more believable of the two, anyway.
“How did you little rascals get here?” Peggy asked.
“We’re super secret spies,” Izzy exclaimed proudly.
“Just like you were in the war, mummy,” Sarah said excitedly.
Peggy smiled softly at her daughters. Sarah and Isabel, at 6 and 4 years old respectively, had already inherited their parents’ penchant for trouble.
Though a part of it frightened Peggy, seeing how ready they always were to face danger head on, truthfully both she and Steve loved them all the more for it.
“Yes you are,” Peggy said softly. “But why aren’t you super secret spies in bed?”
“Izzy couldn’t sleep, so I tried to tell her the story about daddy’s friend who’s the god of thunder,” Sarah explained.
“But I like it better the way daddy tells it,” Izzy defended.
“Does that mean that daddy’s going to tell the story now?” Peggy whispered conspiratorially.
She knew she shouldn’t be indulging this behaviour, but her most recent pregnancy had made her realize just how fast her daughters were growing up. Peggy thought it was fair enough to indulge herself every now and again.
“Yeah!” both the girls cheered, without consulting their father.
“Looks like I’m outvoted,” he said fondly.
“You normally are,” she pointed out.
The girls snickered and shared a high five while Peggy finished pulling the blanket back.
“Well then move over, everyone. I want to hear it too,” Peggy told them with a large grin.
The girls shifted over and Peggy snuggled into the bed with them and Steve - a harder feat nowadays, but not impossible.
“No fair, I can’t see daddy,” Izzy complained from where she was squished between Peggy and Sarah.
Peggy watched the flash of Izzy’s blonde hair as she clambered over her sister, causing Sarah to complain loudly. They’d both been daddy’s little girls from the beginning, which Peggy secretly found infinitely amusing and adorable.
Despite Sarah’s original complaints, she pulled her younger sister to her chest, the spooning position allowing both of them to see their father clearly.
Once they were settled, Peggy kissed the top of Sarah’s head, smoothing her brown curls before resting her arm over both of them.
Steve looked at them with soft eyes and an awed expression, and Peggy knew exactly what was running through his mind.
It was the same thought that ran through Peggy’s mind often enough. The feeling of pure gratitude that threatened to overwhelm her when she remembered just how lucky she was to be living this life with Steve. To be working at SHIELD while raising two - soon to be three - children with the love of her life.
No matter how many times she’d seen it, her heart still stuttered when he’d look at her like this, his eyes openly and unashamedly filled with love. Six years of marriage and the spark between them was stronger than ever. Peggy knew in her heart that it would remain that way for the rest of their shared life.
“We’re ready, darling,” Peggy said softly.
Steve’s mouth slowly turned up into into a smile as he looked at the three of them - his girls, as he liked to say - and began his story.
Peggy had heard all of these tales many times, but she never got tired of listening to Steve recount them. Not only was he a brilliant tactician, artist, father, and husband, he was also a gifted storyteller.
Though he’d weaved countless tales since Sarah’s birth, the go-to bedtime stories in the Carter household were the tried and true adventures of an unlikely cohort of super friends; featuring the man made of iron with a golden heart, the skilled archer, the god of thunder, the scientist and “the other guy”, the spy who defied all odds to save herself and the world, and many others.
It was Steve’s way of honouring his second family, and the life he had lived with them.
Peggy realized she had drifted off only when she was woken up by the feeling of a small hand on her stomach, and her baby’s feet pressing against the touch.
“It feels so weird,” Izzy whispered, and Peggy knew without opening her eyes whose hand was on her stomach.
“I think it’s cool,” Sarah whispered back, and Peggy felt another hand on her stomach right beside Izzy’s.
“Me too,” Steve agreed quietly.
“Do babies kick a lot?” Izzy asked at the prolong kicking they both felt against her hand.
“Depends on the baby,” he answered.
“Did I kick a lot?” she asked.
“Tons.”
“What about me?” Sarah asked.
“Also a lot.”
“Does it hurt mummy when it happens?” Sarah wondered, a small hint of worry in her voice.
“No,” he assured. “It might not always be comfortable, but it’s a sign that the baby’s healthy. If anything, it makes both of us really happy when it happens.”
“How much longer until the baby gets here?” Izzy complained. “It’s been a million years already.”
Steve laughed softly, and Peggy fought back her own smile.
“About three more months,” he told her. “Trust me, it’s worth the wait.”
“Promise?” Sarah said.
“Promise. Now come on, let your mum sleep. She works hard and deserves to rest.”
“Just one more story?” Izzy pouted.
“Please?” Sarah added.
Peggy could practically feel Steve’s conflict in his silence, and his resignation when he sighed deeply.
They were definitely daddy’s little girls.
“Fine. Just one more, and this time I get to choose the story,” he said firmly.
“Deal,” both girls said excitedly as they repositioned themselves carefully, as though taking care not to wake up Peggy.
When Sarah and Izzy settled back against her, Peggy tightened her hold on them just a little.
“This one is about the bravest woman I’ve ever met,” he started.
Steve began telling them about Agent 13, the spy who would go on to become a war hero. Peggy listened intently as Steve expertly spun this new tale for their girls. Though he remained vague about many things, Peggy could immediately pick out every reference based on their adventures together, every detail based on her. She found her heart melting with each new sentence.
Over the years, Steve had always called her his hero, both teasingly and seriously, but actually hearing her story from his point of view was affecting her more than she could have anticipated.
She could only partially blame the hormones for that.
It was extremely rare for their daughters to hear tales about the war from their parents. They knew some basics: their mother had been a spy (Peggy had Howard to thank for letting that piece of information slip), and their father also served, which is how they met. Their uncles had formed the Howling Commandos, who fought with Captain America - as had their mother.
Peggy and Steve, however, usually never recounted any details.
Sarah and Izzy’s uncles had told them a few of the more Commando-specific family friendly adventures, with more than a few things omitted as was appropriate. The one thing that remained constant in every story, however, was that no one breathed a word about Grant Carter’s relation to Captain America.
As far as Sarah and Izzy were concerned, there wasn’t one, other than an overlap in friends and war allies.
There would be a time when Steve and Peggy would tell their children the truth.
Much later.
“Agent 13 sounds really awesome,” Sarah whispered with a yawn once Steve had finished his story.
“She really is,” Steve told them, and Peggy could hear the dreamy quality to his voice.
Sap.
“What happened to her after the war?” Izzy asked.
“She’s still working hard to keep the world safe. She protects the little guys.”
“Nice,” Izzy whispered.
“It is, and she has a family that she loves more than anything.”
“Are you still friends with her, daddy?” Sarah asked.
“Of course.”
“Can we meet her?” Izzy asked.
“You’re in luck,” he whispered conspiratorially. “I actually married her.”