Chapter Text
“He just couldn’t let us have a day to ourselves could he.” Daniel smirked, as they sat in a comfortable silence at Jack Thompson’s bedside. The doctor had just finished telling them that Jack would survive his bullet wound, and after some rehabilitation would be able to return to active duty, much to the unexpected relief of both Peggy and Daniel, who agreed to stand guard until they could get some answers out of their fallen Chief.
“I don’t believe it’s in Jack’s nature to let anyone else get more attention than him on any given day.” Peggy replied smartly, her gaze still fixed on the pale blonde man who was still under the effects of the drugs given to him in surgery. Had it been a few weeks previous, Peggy was unsure she would feel this worried about Chief Thompson, but she supposed that was to be expected when the man almost died, no doubt at the hand of someone connected to this most recent case. Her mind was already whirring at the possibilities of the shooter, working on motives and methods, when she noticed Daniel was smiling something silly beside her, clearly not thinking the same things she was at that current moment.
“What are you smiling about Daniel?” she questioned.
“Oh, not much.” He smirked at her, before checking that Jack was still asleep before turning back at her. “Just about how I hope Rose is keeping her mouth shut in the office.”
“Oh, I hadn’t even thought of that.” Peggy said shaking her head slightly at the thought, feeling warmth creeping up her cheeks as she blushed. It hadn’t exactly been a plan to snog Daniel right there and then, but the way he was teasing her, playing her exactly how he knew how, that goofy, smug smile he had on his face as she tried to defend her actions. She found she couldn’t help herself. For only a split second, she was suddenly grateful that the bullpen was currently empty, but then Daniel was kissing her back and everything kind of melted into the background. It hadn’t really come back until Rose barged into Daniel’s office, distressed, only to find Peggy sat across Daniel’s lap which very briefly took precedent over the breaking news of Jack Thompson’s shooting. The two of them had leapt apart almost immediately but the furious blushing of both of them, as well as the Peggy’s signature shade smeared over both of them was very telling of the situation.
Upon learning of the current situation, both of them had righted themselves before rushing to the hospital to meet Jack’s ambulance, Daniel sending a trusted team of agents to sweep the hotel room. So, they hadn’t actually spoken about the kiss or the potential shift in their relationship in the aftermath.
“Maybe tell a guy when you’re gonna pounce him next time?” He teased, “That way he can prepare.”
“I did not pounce you. And if I remember correctly, you were very willing.” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Good point.” He said, earning a smirk from Peggy again. “So, we should talk about it?”
“I suppose we should, before we get interrupted. Again.” Peggy said tucking her hair behind her ear. “I never did understand why you never asked me out for drinks again when you were in New York. I was waiting for you to.”
Daniel shot her a surprised look. “Well, I assumed you were letting me down easy the first time? I didn’t want to be that guy who couldn’t take a hint.”
“Oh Daniel, honestly. I really did have plans, I had to move out of the Griffith after you and Thompson arrested me there. Angie and I had to move into Howard’s penthouse.”
“Well, I suppose that makes sense.” Daniel said, looking down at his hands now.
“And then you moved out here and I thought you’d call but you didn’t, and I assumed you were angry with me, when really you were just moving on with your life.”
“I never really moved on Peg. I thought I loved Violet and I’m sure a part of me did. But as she pointed out when she broke off our engagement, I was running and hiding from these feelings I had for you the entire time. I just never thought a woman like you would want anything to do with me like that.” Peggy took his hand in hers at this, clutching it much as she had in the surveillance van that night.
“You’re far too hard on yourself Daniel. A kind, smart and handsome man like yourself, any woman would be lucky to have you.” A breath. “And as for me, I suppose I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings, despite the rumours that circulate the office, I’ve not had an awful lot of romantic experiences.” She didn’t mention who she knew was on the forefront of Daniel’s mind right then, but it wasn’t her feeling’s for Steve that were on her mind right now. “But I do have feelings for you Daniel, I have for a quite a while now.” She wasn’t one for avoiding a potentially awkward situation anyway.
Daniel had a big smile plastered on his face now, a goofy almost childlike look. “You know I feel the same way Peg.” And with that he leaned over a pressed a soft kiss to her lips, different to their previous kiss which had been passionate and fast, but this one was gentle and unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world. Peggy couldn’t help but smile as he pulled away, their faces inches apart when a knock was heard from the hospital room door. Suddenly, they snapped back to the reality of the situation and they were both on their feet, guns pointed at the figure who had now opened the door to Jack’s room. Upon seeing the guns pointed in his direction, the tall man let out a squeak and raised his hands in surrender, one of them still clutching a large hamper, which swung wildly at the sudden movement.
“Oh, Mr Jarvis for heaven’s sake, what are you doing here?” Peggy said, dropping the gun to her side as Daniel holstered his.
“Well, Rose called to let me know what had happened to Chief Thompson, and that you had come to the hospital, so I thought I’d bring some recovery-friendly snacks for Chief Thompson, and some dinner for the two of you. I thought you’d be in need of it.” The man explained, setting the basket on the table on the other side of Jack.
“Well, thank you Mr Jarvis, that’s very thoughtful of you.” Peggy returned her pistol to her handbag, as Daniel took a step beside her.
“Thank you, Jarvis. Speaking of Rose, I’m going to go and call the office, get an update from the scene and everything.” Daniel said, briefly squeezing Peggy’s hand when he thought Jarvis wasn’t looking, sending her a knowing look which she met with a nod, before he left the room in search of the closest phone.
Peggy saw Jarvis smirk slightly as he began unpacking the food, he’d brought with him, arranging packages of crackers and biscuits on Thompson’s bedside table.
“What are you smiling for Mr Jarvis?” she asked, trying to maintain a nonchalant tone to her voice.
“Oh no reason Miss Carter.” The man said promptly, a beat passing between them. “I trust you found a compelling reason to stay in California?”
“Yes, well given that my boss was shot here, I suppose I’ll be staying till we solve the case.” She replied curtly, taking the dish of food he handed to her.
“Oh, yes of course. The case.” He was smirking in a way that was infuriating her slightly, similar to when he’d been talking to her in the car a few days earlier.
“Spit it out Mr Jarvis.” She demanded of her friend.
“Well, it just seems that something may have shifted in your relationship with Chief Sousa.” Peggy opened her mouth with a gasp to fire back at him, but he continued, “There’s no point denying it Miss Carter, I could simply tell by how happy you look. I’ve become quite the detective after our little adventures.” There was no response from the woman from that, no more than a blush in her cheeks as she tried to think of some kind of response.
“Well, it’s a relatively new development.” Peggy managed to stammer out.
“No, it’s not Miss Carter.” Jarvis said solemnly, looking her in the eyes and she knew he was correct. Perhaps she hadn’t let herself tap into the feelings she had for Daniel earlier, due to the walls she’d built up over the years in order to protect herself. It hadn’t slipped past her that when he originally moved out here, after their professional goodbyes and promises to stay in touch, she hadn’t felt like herself. It took Angie pointing out that she was moping about the Penthouse before she realised why she was feeling so down about Daniel leaving.
“Perhaps its not.” She agreed. “Do you think it would be possible to use the room I’ve been staying in at Howard’s for a while longer?”
“Of course, Miss Carter, we’d be delighted to have you. I shall let Mr Stark know.” Jarvis passed her the thermos, no doubt filled with tea, before shutting the basket. “Will you be in need of a driver this evening?”
“No. Thank you Mr Jarvis, but you must return to your wife. I’m sure Chief Sousa will be able to drive me home after we’ve had a guard change for Chief Thompson.” Jarvis nodded in understanding.
“Good evening Miss Carter, I shall see you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mr Jarvis. I shall see you then.”
Meanwhile, on the phone a little way down the hall, Daniel was talking quietly, trying to be discreet around the nurses that were milling through the hallway.
“Yeah, have them inventory everything from the scene, and leave their report on my desk please Rose.”
“No problem, Chief. How’s it all going over there?”
“Doctor said Jack will make it, we’re standing guard for the time being, but send Parker and Fletcher over to switch with us in a couple of hours. We’ve got to keep in to the trusted few now.”
“Not a problem Chief. Make sure you and Peg both get some rest, you’re gonna need it to catch this bastard.”
“Will do Rose, thank you for handling the office.” Honestly, what would he do without her. He definitely owed her a good bottle of brandy by now.
“No worries, Daniel.”
“Oh, and Rose? About what happened in my office. If you could keep it to yourself, I’d really appreciate it.”
“That will not be a problem, although when Jack wakes up, he owes me $5. A bullet to the chest won’t get him out of a bet with me.” He could hear her teasing tone on the other end of the phone as he groaned slightly.
“Alright Rose, I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“See ya then Chief.” Daniel returned the phone to its base, before picking up his crutch from where it was balanced on the wall and turning back towards Jack’s hospital room. He met Jarvis on the way, who wished him a good evening before leaving again. Upon entering the room, his eyes glanced over Jack, who’s condition seemed unchanged and then to Peggy who seemed to be setting up a spread of food on a table she had dragged in front of the chairs they had been sat on previously.
“I think Mr Jarvis went slightly overboard with the food.” She explained as he sat down.
“Yeah but, I think we’re both hungry enough to make a significant dent in this.” He replied picking up what seemed to be a mini quiche of some sort and tucking into it. They ate and discussed what Rose had relayed to Daniel from the agents that had been on the scene. They’d removed everything from the room, mainly Jack’s suitcase, and taken pictures of the scene, which would be on his desk when they went into the office tomorrow. After their dinner was cleared and packed away again in the basket, they both relaxed back into their chairs, the adrenaline of the days emotions getting to them both. Peggy felt her eyes begin to droop, and she tried to fight it, but Daniel’s arm snaked its way around her and held her close, a weirdly intimate act that she very much enjoyed as she curled up beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, the warmth of his body drawing her in.
“It’s alright Peg, I’ll keep watch,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead gently.
“Alright, but wake me in 10 minutes, I just need to rest my eyes.” She said sleepily, as she let sleep take her. He smiled wide, although he was getting tired too, his prosthetic aching as he stretched it out. He had no intention of waking her much before the night shift arrived, but he’d agree for her sake.
*******
The first feeling Jack felt was discomfort, a sharp pain when he took in a conscious breath. It came flooding back to him suddenly. Opening the door. The barrel of the gun on the other side. A silent shot echoing through his brain. The cold feeling and the blood on the carpet as he fell to the floor. His eyes snapped open, and his racing heart began to calm as he realised, he was in a hospital room. A bandage around his chest and a blanket thrown over most of him. The room was dark, but there was a single lamp on by his bedside, the light stretching just far enough to reveal the two people who were sat by his bedside. As his eyes focussed slowly, he recognised Sousa’s profile and took note of the crutch propped up on the wall. What shocked him more was that it was Peggy Carter curled up into Sousa’s side, head tucked into the crook of his neck, the pair of them looking peaceful in whatever state of sleep they both seemed to be in. He’d never seen Peggy that relaxed, except briefly around the fire in Russia, hanging out with the 107th. He smirked. ‘Good on you Sousa’ he thought to himself as his eyes began to shut again, the drugs coursing through his body making his mind slightly hazy. He had one last thought before he drifted back off, that he apparently voiced aloud.
“Oh shit, I owe Rose 5 bucks.”
Daniel insisted on courting her properly after that. There was dinners and movies and trips to the theatre. They even went dancing a couple of times, once Peggy convinced Daniel that she didn’t need him to be professional dancer to dance with her. Jack, who had taken up residence at the Stark Mansion after being released from the hospital, made sure to comment on their relationship whenever he could, especially when Sousa came to pick up his date for the evening.
Their dates were romantic and would often end in kisses at the door that left Peggy uncharacteristically weak at the knees, flushed as she closed the door after Daniel had driven away, an almost smug grin on his face. But at work, they kept it professional with no more than occasional glances at the other through the window of the chief’s office and quiet cups of coffee delivered to each other’s desks with a silent message behind them. They thought they were being slick and clever, only months later to find out that most of the agents in the office were aware and unfussed by their relationship. They respected their chief too much, and to Peggy’s surprise, they accepted and respected her too when she transferred indefinitely to the LA office of the SSR, taking up her position as deputy chief in all but official title. It was soon clear that their partnership in the field was still unrivalled, with a case closure rate that was unmatched across the entire SSR.
Their partnership outside of the office was equally successful, they found themselves falling for each other, scared to say the words until they literally tumbled out mid-mission when Daniel briefly went missing. The relief of finding him, shackled in a warehouse by the docks, after two days of searching, was an inevitable catalyst when Peggy burst through the door and shot his captor in the shoulder before rushing to his aid. Rushed notions of love expressed in a high pressure situation, were revisited in the warm light of his apartment that evening, over glasses of whiskey and passionate kisses, that lead to more. After that first night, Daniel watched as more of her dresses joined his shirts and suits in his closet and beauty products balanced on the dresser in his bedroom.
After an initial conversation about his leg, Peggy had set him at ease in her presence, noting that it wasn’t something he needed to worry about with her, she was in love with him, all of him. The other serious conversation took the shape of the red, white and blue shield that hung in the back of Daniels mind. She told him the stories, explained her feelings for him and how she’d said goodbye to Steve in New York. Although she even pointed out the similarities between Daniel and Steve, Daniel couldn’t quite bring himself to believe them fully. Not yet. The self-doubt flitted through his mind occasionally, but then Peggy would kiss him or simply look at him that way she did, and it would pass. She was with him, a woman who could have her pick of all the men in California, or the country, and she chose to be with and love him. And he loved her all the more for it.
And Peggy had her own insecurities. Daniel was dumbfounded when she finally explained what had been bothering her after she met his brother and sister-in-law for the first time.
“I’m not good enough for you, Daniel.” She’d said that night as they were lying in bed, which definitely caught his attention.
“Where is that coming from?” he questioned, completely confused as he flipped over to lie facing her.
“I’m not like Emilia, I’m not the perfect housewife, I can barely cook. And the whole children talk. I don’t know…” she mumbled slightly, still staring up at the ceiling.
“Peggy, look at me.” She shifted slightly, looking into his eyes across the pillow under her head, her soft brown curls pinned up around her head. “Do you really think that’s what I want you to be? I don’t care about the cooking or the traditional ‘housewife’ picture. That’s not who you are. That’s not what our partnership is, it never has been.” She moved to interrupt him, but he continued. “I don’t care what David and Emilia are like, they’re not us. So, we’re not a traditional couple, would you want us to be?” Peggy shook her head, studying his face as he talked. “And as for kids, we’ve never had that discussion. That’s up to you, I don’t mind either way. I know how important your career to you, and how far you’ll go, and how having children could affect that. Kids or no kids, I’ll be there to support you.” Peggy moved at that, tipping her head to kiss him before breaking away slightly, and moving to curl into his side.
“Hypothetically, in the future, would you want kids?” she asked him quietly after a few moments.
“Sure, if that was the plan. My dad wouldn’t say no to a couple more grandkids.” He smiled down at her. “What about you?”
“I don’t know, I never really gave it much thought after the war.” He felt her take a small breath in against his chest. “I don’t know even know if I can after all my injuries.” She mumbles quietly as he felt her still completely beside him. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, wrapping his arm tightly around her.
“Well, if you want to, we can cross that bridge when we come to it. I think we’ve got a bit of time to make some decisions. And no matter what, you know I love you Peg.”
“I love you too, Daniel. More than you know.” There was a lot to think about, a lot to plan or to experience together, but what never wavered was their love for each other, that undeniable feeling that they belonged with each other.
That wasn’t to say they did not argue or challenge each other, because they definitely did. Peggy’s fiery, passionate personality and Daniel’s own hard-headed traits meant that they clashed on ideas and actions of each other, in the field and occasionally at home in their downtime as well. But they always came back to each other, equal apologies and grovelling which only made them fight to make it work more.
The development of their romantic relationship lead Daniel to having not one but three shovel talks with separate people. The first was Howard, the moustached man cornering him in the sitting room when he was waiting for Peggy one evening.
“You’re a good man Chief. But Peg is the closest thing I have to a sister, and family. You hurt her in anyway and I’ll show you some of my tech that even I think is too dangerous. Capeesh?” Daniel had nodded in understanding, a memory of the Midnight Oil incident coming to the surface at the threat.
The second was unexpected, but as Jarvis served him coffee one Saturday morning, he watched the man look down the hallway before turning to him, clearly trying to bat down his own nerves.
“Chief Sousa, I have to say something to you.” This got Daniel’s attention and he sat up straighter. “I am aware Mr Stark has already said something to you along this vein, but I feel I must add to it slightly. While Ana and I are both thrilled that you and Miss Carter are so happy with each other and she is more that capable of taking care of herself, I must warn you that we both care deeply for her and should you make a mess and hurt her in anyway, I will not hesitate to make your life difficult. And I know from many years by her side, that Ana is also not someone to cross.” Daniel swallowed.
“I’d never intentionally hurt her Jarvis. Never.”
“That’s all I ask, sir.” And then Peggy arrived for breakfast and the conversation immediately returned to their normal chitchat.
The third was from the one and only, Miss Angie Martinelli, when she came to town to try her hand at movie auditions and to see what had kept her roommate in LA for so long. After the first time Daniel met her back at the Griffith, he was almost nervous to meet Peggy’s best friend again, but she turned out to be a bubbly, friendly woman, if not a bit of a spitfire. It wasn’t until after everyone had had dinner one night at Howard’s, when he, Peggy and Angie retired to the sitting room that Angie gave him ‘the talk’. Peggy protested of course, and Angie proved she was one of the only people that had the nerve to stand up to the British Secret Agent.
“English, shut it. I know you can take care of yourself, but I need to inform Danny Boy here, that if he dares but a toe out of line with you, hurts you in anyway, I will not hesitate to kill a man.” The latter half was aimed straight at Daniel, who couldn’t help but feel intimidated under her cold stare. Peggy almost scoffed at his reaction but couldn’t help but smile at how Angie was protective of her. It was nice to have someone looking out for her.
“I- I wouldn’t dream of it, Miss Martinelli. Peg’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He stammered out in response, causing Peggy’s head to whip round to him in shock. Angie’s face broke into a smile and she rose from her seat.
“Well then, you and I are gonna get along great, Danny Boy.” She turned to Peggy, who was still studying Daniel intensely. “I’m glad it was him you were always on about, English, if you’d have been crushing on that blondie Thompson, I’d have had to slap some sense into you. Anyway, I’m going to help Ana with the drinks.” And with that, she floated out of the room in search of the new friend she’d found in Mrs Jarvis, leaving the two of them. Peggy swooped in and gave him a quick kiss, she couldn’t help herself.
“We could use her at the SSR, she’s almost as intimidating as you Peg.” Daniel said, his eyes still a little wide. “So, you talked about me even in New York, huh?”
“Yes, I suppose I did. And I am sorry she did that Daniel, I didn’t realise how protective she was over me.” Peggy said straightening her skirt as she shifted on the sofa.
“She’s not the only one Peg. That’s the third talk I’ve had aimed at me like that.” He admitted, his hand falling to her knee as her eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“From whom?!” she exclaimed, probably a little louder than strictly necessary but she was shocked. Daniel tilted his head slightly, how was it that she never understood people cared for her?
“Stark. And Jarvis.” He said, and her jaw dropped slightly. He liked seeing her like this, relaxed and animated. At work, she put on a front, rarely showing her emotions on her face, which was probably a by-product of being a woman in a stereotypical man’s world. Unnecessary in Daniel’s eyes, but hell if she wasn’t the best agent in the whole agency. “You can’t be shocked that they’re protective of you, Peggy. They both care for you a great deal. Howard even said you were like a sister to him.”
“He wouldn’t make the comments he makes to me about his sister.” She retorted smartly, although if Daniel wasn’t mistaken, her eyes were looking slightly glassier. He scoffed at the statement but took her hand in his and squeezed it. She looked to him, and leaned in. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me too.” She met his lips with hers, a sweet, gentle kiss shared as she scooted closer to him, his hands drifting to her waist to hold her close. The kiss deepened, as if it was just the two of them in the world, just lost in each other.
“Jeez, get a room you two.” Howard’s voice came from the doorway, Angie standing beside him smirking at the situation.
“Yes, thank you Howard. I have one.” Peggy replied smartly, shifting her position to sit next to Daniel, not moving any further away from him, their thighs still touching as Angie handed her a glass of whiskey and Daniel accepted one from Howard. Daniel was still a deep shade of red, like a teenager being caught necking a girl behind a bike shed, but Peggy just took it in stride.
“Mr Stark is going to put me in his next picture, can you believe it?” Angie started, sitting opposite the couple as the Jarvis’s joined them.
“As he should Angie, you belong on a stage, whether that be through the silver screen or not.” Peggy responded, shooting Howard a look, who held his hands up in mock surrender under her gaze. The night was young still, but they spent it as a group of friends, Thompson joining them later after getting back from a date, which surprised everyone. Daniel’s arm remained wrapped around Peggy the entire night, the pair of them enjoying the closeness that they were so rarely allowed to enjoy around others.
Working together had become a gentle rhythm. Despite the fact that Peggy officially had her own office just two doors down from Daniel’s, more often than not they ended up working in one, Peggy taking over half of his desk with her own reports and files. Not that he minded. Although he did think it was somewhat counterproductive, as in idle moments he couldn’t help but study her. His eye flickering over to her, noting the way she bit her red painted lip when she was concentrating, or sat up straighter before signing her name on anything.
Daniel had always been a silent observer of Peggy, even from their early days working together in New York, but since they had gotten together, he noticed different things. Like how she discarded her heels as soon as she closed the door behind her after a hard day at work, or the specific way she pinned her hair before bed, the same movements repeated almost exactly every single night.
Peggy was rarely relaxed, at work her mind was in constant motion. Daniel would watch as she idled making coffee or tea, stood stock still at the counter in deep contemplation. And she would often come back from these silent moments, beverage in hand, having made a breakthrough or uncovered another lead. As time went on though at the SSR LA office, it seemed as though Peggy Carter began to relax a little more. It was as if she didn’t feel she didn’t have to be constantly working to earn the approval of her co-workers. Which was true, all of his agents had come to respect the Chiefs second in command, soon after the conclusion of the Isodyne case. It was then that Daniel noticed a change in his partners behaviour. She was still the hardest working agent in his office. By far. But when she made tea or coffee and the bullpen was quiet or empty, she would quietly hum to herself a tune he couldn’t place. Occasionally she’d sing a few words under her breath as she wandered around filing or preparing a report. It was always the same song, one he’d never heard before except from her. Over time he grew accustomed to this new side to Peggy, but his curiosity peaked when the familiar tune began to float through his own mind of its own accord.
“Peggy, what is that song?” He asked one evening, when they were the last ones in the office, the night shift off chasing down a lead. Peggy had been stood at the filing cabinet, looking for a file but swiftly turned around when he asked the question out of the blue.
“What song are you on about Daniel?” She questioned sharply.
“The one that you keep singing. Or humming.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She abruptly turned around, trying to the blush rising in her cheeks, knowing he was wearing that infuriating smile that he always wore when he teased her about something. The one that made her want to kiss him just to stop it.
“Sure, Peg.” He said, returning to his own work. She sighed slightly, glad to have staved off some embarrassment for now. They settled back down on either side of his desk, and the comfortable silence stretched out between them again, the only sound the ticking off the clock and the scratch of their pens on the rough report paper. And they she heard it. He was humming it. Just loud enough for her to hear, her eyes flicked over to him, only to see him smirking right back at her.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” She said slamming her file shut.
“I don’t know why you won’t just tell me what the song is. You obviously like it.” He was just smiling at her now as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair, a red flush to her cheeks that he got to see so rarely.
“I don’t like it. Well… it’s more that I can’t get it out of my head.” She said matter-of-factly.
“Then what is it?” He asked seriously, and the look she gave him would of at one point made him stop talking about it. But things were different between them now. She turned to walk back to the filing cabinet and he just couldn’t help himself.
“You walk in a room…”
She stopped dead in her tracks.
“…conquers me by force and with no remorse…”
He’d got her. He’d surprised the great Peggy Carter.
“Baby I assumed that you always knew…”
Very slowly, she turned on her heel, a shocked face as he sung the words to her earworm, that she’d had ricocheting round her brain since that dream.
“…the recipe is simply me and you.”
Her mind drifted back to the dream as he sang, and it occurred to her that he’d never heard him sing before the dream. She had since, in fact he sang quite a bit around the house, when he was showering or listening to the radio while he cooked, but she’d never heard him sing like this before. And it was so similar to that dream.
“How on earth do you know the words to that song?” She questioned, as he stood and rounded the desk.
“Peggy you’ve been murmuring it for months, humming the tune. I listened, and it just kind of stuck there.” He smirked, tapping his temple.
“I see.” She fixed her gaze on him as he approached her.
“Love leaves you blind, baby. You can read my mind. All that’s been left unsaid.”
He took her into his arms, somewhat awkwardly with the crutch, but he sang as he swayed on the spot with her, spinning her out slowly and pulling her back towards him, their bodies flushed with each other. Half surprised that she just went with him on this, he carried on singing the words he’d come to memorise over the past few months, as she met his eyes with some kind of wonder held within them.
“You know the score, what I’ve been looking for…”
His free arm wrapped tightly around her and she suddenly she forgot the entire world around them. He sung soft and low to her and she was back in that dream, but it was just them.
“Whatcha gonna do, it’s up to you.”
Taking him off guard, she crashed her lips into his, kissing him with everything she had. A kiss with all the loving emotions that could be felt, the kind of kiss that left both of them breathless with only whispers and hopes of a thousand tomorrows together. When they finally broke apart, Daniel looked almost dumbfounded by her.
“Jesus Peg, if I’d have known you’d have kiss me like that, I’d have asked you about it months ago.” She had a small smile on her face now.
“Yes well…”
“Will you tell me where that song is from now?” He questioned, his arms still around her as her hands busied themselves with fixing his collar. She caught his eyes and sighed.
“Fine.” He smiled proudly at his victory, moving slightly to rest against his desk. “When Mr Jarvis and I got knocked out in the desert together, I had a dream. No doubt a result of those oafs giving me a concussion.” His face pinched at the memory of her being hurt. “You may have appeared in said dream. And there may have been a little song and dance involved.”
Smug, he looked smug as she explained herself, and she rolled her eyes at him, knowing she’d never live this down. But he stood up again, from where he had perched on the edge of his desk and wrapped his arms round her again.
“Anything else I should know about this dream?”
“Well, you were wearing that sweater vest you used to wear in New York.” She said, rest her hands on his chest and thinking back to the musical number. “Oh, and Rose punched me in the face.”