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It was all over. Peggy Carter was nearly covered in ash, clothing dirty and torn, hair all askew. Yet, despite her ragged appearance, she wasn’t worse for the wear, only shaken. For something that had the potential to be catastrophic, things couldn’t have gone much better. One of Howard’s weapons had destroyed a building, true, but it was unoccupied and no one was harmed. The true criminals had been caught, Howard’s name cleared, and, after a quick inventory, he assured everyone that none of his prototypes were out in the wild.
Things weren’t all perfect. Thompson was claiming more credit than he deserved, and it seemed like he was going to get it. Peggy was relegated to desk duty for a month for investigating in improper channels, and she could just tell that the men at the office would not hesitate to rub it in and get her to do the menial chores they had been trying to push onto her since she started at the SSR. But, considering she still had a job and had no criminal charges, Peggy supposed that it could have been much, much worse.
Edwin Jarvis sat down next to her, apparently cleared by the on-staff medic checking everyone who had been in the blast area. While the SSR didn’t have entirely enough medical emergencies to warrant the medical staff they had on retainer, they were paid for discretion more than anything else. Jarvis looked as much a mess as Peggy supposed she did, a far cry from his normal well put together self. She didn’t know where Howard had gone off to while Jarvis was getting checked over, but, after hearing talk of a press conference, she reasoned that Howard was involved in that in one way or another.
“Well, I’m glad that’s settled,” Jarvis proclaimed in his clipped tone. Peggy didn’t know whether to laugh or breathe a sigh of relief.
“Where to from now?” Peggy asked.
Jarvis looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Now that all of this is over, what will you do?”
Jarvis considered her words for a moment, before replying, “I suppose it’s back to being Mr. Stark’s butler and being home before 9:00.”
“That doesn’t upset you?” Peggy asked, incredulously.
“Why should it? I am perfectly happy and content with my job and my family.” He paused. “Are you unhappy about going back to your life?”
Peggy sighed, the root of what she had been wondering herself coming to light. “I just wish,” she said slowly, deliberately, “that I could find something where I feel like I am making a difference again. I’m not meant to be a secretary.”
“No, no you’re not.” Jarvis paused. “You are not meant to be a secretary. But the war is over. You can't go back to the way things were."
Peggy scoffed. “I know that,” she said, “but I just wish-“
Jarvis interrupted. “I know. You want purpose again. But I can hardly imagine that you worked your way up in the ranks the first time without some difficulty, and I believe that you can do so again. I just want you to know that I trust you can move on. From the war.” He hesitated, before continuing on “Maybe, from Captain Rogers.”
Peggy stood, about to object when Jarvis put a hand on her arm. “Peggy, I do know what it is like, to care so deeply about someone. If I were to lose Anna,” he paused, almost as if even the thought was too much to bear, “I don’t know what I would do.”
“You didn’t know Steve,” Peggy said, sitting back down on the curb, removing Jarvis’ hand from her arm. “He was one of the greatest people I’ve ever met.”
“No, I didn’t know Steve,” Jarvis conceded, “But I do know what you have told me of him, and the stories I have heard from other sources. By all accounts he was a very selfless man.” Peggy nodded. “And I cannot imagine that a man like that would want you to remain unhappy.”
“I don’t need someone else to be happy.”
“No, I am sure you don’t, but I don’t think you need to hold yourself back, either.”
Peggy considered his words and almost involuntarily looked up and watched as her colleague, Daniel Sousa, was looked over by the medic, paying special attention to his prosthetic and his amputated leg. He had discovered much of her involvement in protecting Howard Stark, and, after a confrontation, had joined her efforts in operating outside of the SSR. He had been invaluable help, even if he had received a much lighter punishment than Peggy had (though, to his credit, he did protest this.).
Daniel looked over at Peggy and smiled a weak smile. Even though he was not shy about talking about his disability and certainly never tried to hide it, he still was a bit self-conscious about everyone seeing it in person. Still, the medic insisted that due to his situation that it was imperative that things be checked right away, so they rolled up his pant leg and started to work.
Jarvis looked at Peggy’s line of sight, and looked back over at her. “If it is any consolation, I do believe that Captain Rogers would have approved. Agent Sousa is a good man who cares about you.”
"I don't need your approval, Edwin. Or Steve's."
Edwin smiled. "No you don't, but I do think it is important to know you have it."
Daniel was almost finished as the medic helped him reattach his prosthetic. Edwin gave the scene a quick glance before standing and brushing off the front of his trousers, an act that didn't clean much but seemed more a force of habit. Peggy stood as well, facing him.
"If our paths do not cross again, Agent Carter, it has been a pleasure."
Peggy smiled, wiping away a small tear. "Likewise."
Edwin smiled back, before taking out a cracked pocket watch. "I do not know how I will describe the late hour and the state I am in, but I suppose I must think of that on the way home. I trust you will be getting a ride home with the rest of the SSR?" Peggy nodded. "Then, farewell." And with that he walked to the car he had driven there, one of Howard's many cars, and was off.
"He's leaving?" Peggy turned to see Daniel walk over, crutch operating in sync with prosthetic.
"He needed to get back to his home and wife. I'm not sure that this kind of work agreed with him."
Daniel shrugged. "Well, to be fair, I can't say it agrees with me, either. I don't know when I'll be able to feel clean again."
Peggy let out a short laugh. "I have to say, explaining the state I am in to my landlady and neighbors won't be an easy task, but the sooner I am clean again the better."
Daniel smiled, but, as a thought hit him, his smile slowly faded. "Listen, I can't believe they are giving you a different punishment, but I can take it up with someone, or I can take some of your desk work shifts, they can't do this - "
"Oh, they can," Peggy interrupted, "I believe this is something they have wanted to do for years. But, I will get through it." She paused. "Thank you, though, for the offer to help."
Daniel grinned. "Anything for you."
Peggy thought, thinking about her conversation with Edwin Jarvis and came ot a decision. "Not tonight, because goodness knows we both need a bath and bed, but sometime would you like to get dinner together, or see a movie."
Daniel Sousa's eyes widened, face brightening as he smiled. "That would be swell."
Peggy smiled back, heart aflutter. Things weren't perfect, but, as she thought about her future date with Daniel Sousa, she believed her life might be moving in a better direction, taking a chance on love.