Chapter Text
* Part One *
It had been ages since Peggy had been back in London for an extended period of time, having spent the majority of the year bouncing between field assignments, whether with the Howling Commandos or solo, and returning to headquarters. She’d been embedded alone for several weeks monitoring a Hydra asset that she finally managed to neutralize. The Colonel called her back, but the war developments seemed fairly quiet as he didn’t have an immediate new assignment to issue. She wandered the halls to see if any of her colleagues had returned from field missions, and while there were plenty of familiar faces working the more clerical positions, none where the closer friendly ones she had hoped to see.
Alone, and with some actual free time, after freshening up at her small apartment away from SSR headquarters, Peggy called up her mother to attempt a visit. It had been a couple months since they’d spoken, longer than that since seeing either of her parents. Who knew when she would next get this opportunity?
Naturally her mother was very enthusiastic. Her mother, while always loving, had been more outwardly warm in the years since that bleak, cold year of 1940 that irrevocably changed all the Carters.
“You know dear, I think with all the uncertainty, we shall celebrate Christmas early this year since we can all be together. We may not get the opportunity otherwise. I’ll arrange everything for as proper a dinner as we can manage. Say day after tomorrow?”
A family Christmas dinner. It had been a long while since she’d had that. It sounded like a nice change of pace, even with the holidays still nearly two weeks away. Even if holidays no longer felt the same. Not since before…
“That would be lovely mum. I’m sure we can make good use of my rations,” said Peggy.
“Perhaps just for some tea. And any jam you may come across. I haven’t been able to find marmalade since the summer. Though I’ve been saving up for Christmas these past few weeks anyway. We have some reserves. And Nana Carter always finds a way.”
“I’ll bring whatever I can,” she insisted. Peggy always spread her rations to her friends and family as much as she could when in town. What use were they to her when she was hardly in London long enough to do more than pack her field kit.
But Peggy’s goodwill towards her mother then hit its limit.
“You know Peggy dear,” her mother started in a tone Peggy instantly recognized as one about to make some sort of trouble for her daughter, “we’ll have plenty to share. And as I know he is very much still available, I shall call Fred up and have him join us. No sense to let a good meal go to waste. Besides, I’ve been reliably told to not concern myself about the rumblings about his secretary. I’m sure it’s nothing serious, especially once he sees you. He’s always been so besotted, and as he’s still unmarried...”
Peggy’s grip on the telephone receiver tightened until her hand started to cramp. Her focus on her mother’s words faded as she was taken over by irritation.
How absolutely typical of her mother. The war was on as ever, and she was still more concerned about securing her daughter a hand in marriage. Even if it was quite literally the one she had previously rejected.
“Actually mum, don’t you put yourself out of any more time and energy on my behalf as I’ll be bringing a date,” Peggy heard herself cut in, a rapid-fire plan now in motion that she was sure she would be regretting.
“Oh!” Her mother’s surprise had genuinely rendered her speechless for a few moments. “Well then dear if you’re certain—”
“Very much so, yes,” Peggy said as pleasantly, albeit forcefully, as possible.
“And this gentleman—”
“Oh what’s that? Mother I have to dash, I’m being summoned. We shall be there for dinner, I’ll ring you tomorrow to confirm the details, thank you.”
She hung up without giving her mother any time for further reactions or openings for creating any other conniving plans.
Bloody hell. Was she serious? So much for a pleasant family get together. And worse, now she needed to find a date.
*
Peggy puzzled over the solution on her return back to headquarters to secure her leave, but really she found only one that while far from ideal, she thought would fit the bill.
He’d been absent on her previous visit, but Howard Stark had returned to his usual haunts in the underground halls. Peggy found she was incredibly glad to see him, more so when he flagged her down in his usual exuberance. It was nice to see a friendly face. He may have been an American pain in the arse, but she was also sure they had definitely crossed into the realm of actual friendship.
“Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes Agent Carter. It’s been mental here but with you all scattered all over Europe it’s been way too quiet. Besides, there’s practically no one left with any real brain cells to commiserate with here. Phillips needs to let me tag along next time. I need to get out of these caves.”
Despite herself, she smiled. The two of them then excused themselves to the seclusion of Howard’s makeshift office in an area with a lot less foot-traffic. Howard must have genuinely been starved of human interaction because he talked her head off not only about local gossip, but started hashing out some developments that he was sure she could help crack.
“Fancy joining me on a preemptive Christmas dinner?” she interrupted him at one point, deciding she needed to nail down her plan quickly rather than continue to second-guess her choices.
Howard fixed her with a quizzical if suggestive eyebrow and smirk. “Are you going to cook me dinner?”
“I am not,” she huffed indignantly. “My mother will be tomorrow. I need to supply my own distraction to prevent her from setting up a tremendously horrible plan of a date.”
Howard grinned, and Peggy did not enjoy it.
“So what you’re telling me is that Peggy Carter needs me to be her savior and be her dinner date.”
“You are so full of it Howard,” she said with a scoff.
He shrugged and continued on nonchalantly with his infuriating mustachioed smirk. Again, she had no illusions that this was the ideal solution. But needs must.
“You can deny it all you want Carter, but the fact remains that you came to me. You need me.”
Exasperated, at her mother, at Howard and herself, she agreed.
“Fine, yes. I do need your help. Well? What do you say?”
“I’ll have you know, I don’t typically do meetings of the parents. I can’t say I’ve ever found that attractive. But in this case? To meet the people who raised a spitfire like you? I think I can swing it for one night.”
She groaned. “This is a horrible idea. I take it back.”
“And a home-cooked meal? I’ll be honest, that alone would make me say yes these days,” he continued as if not hearing her. “Do you suppose it would be more appropriate to call you kitten or sugar pie?”
Peggy stared daggers at him. “You will call me neither if you want to enjoy any of the meal. Howard, you are to be on your best behavior, I mean it!” She stopped his ready retort with a sharp gesture. “If you restrain yourself, just for a couple of hours, I can guarantee that my father will offer you some of the best scotch in his collection. I think that alone will cover the price of admission.”
Howard grinned excitedly. “Aw come on Carter, who could turn you down? And with something as enticing as expensive scotch? You can count on me.” He even gave her a mock salute. “Besides, I can honestly say I haven’t had a real home-cooked Christmas dinner in a long, long time.”
Howard grew quiet, and Peggy was surprised to find that he looked wistful, perhaps even sad. She knew enough about him personally to know he had no close family left. She knew she was lucky in that manner. There was still a home to return to for the holidays, as bleak as the world looked.
“Might be nice…” He cleared his throat. “Don’t you worry pal, I’ll be the best date you’ve ever had.”
Peggy forced herself to suppress another groan.
*
She had been planning to head out to the shops, see what small luxuries she might be able to find, but by the evening, there was another surprising turn of events.
Peggy had been sidetracked from leaving after Colonel Phillips granted her leave but gave one last request for her to sit in on two briefings. He insisted he needed a trusted second pair of eyes and ears. It was after the first, when she was sent out to locate some files, that the latest news reached her. The Howling Commandos had just returned early from their mission. They had been tracking Schmidt himself for weeks, having followed him all the way to Western France when he had suddenly disappeared from their radar entirely. With no new leads and the only clues left included confusing chatter about an imminent strike, they decided to return to HQ with urgency to convey the knowledge securely in person.
Peggy had managed the briefest of meetings with Steve, quite literally having run into each other in the underground halls, unable to say much more to each other than hello amidst the many prying eyes and ears. Ever since the contents of Steve Roger’s compass had been immortalized on film, the rumors and interest in a certain Agent and Captain had become cumbersome. Her cheeks felt warm just at the thought.
“Good to see you Captain,” she said formally before being beckoned into the second meeting.
“And you Agent Carter,” he called quietly after her.
*
Steve had a goofy smile plastered across his face as he headed to the usual war room the Commandos tended to occupy, probably causing some raised eyebrows as he walked. But he couldn’t help it. He’d been waiting for weeks to see Peggy in person, to look at her warm brown eyes, to feel her presence inches from his. His head was floating with thoughts of her, so he hadn’t immediately registered that there was not war talk coming from the war room, but personal banter and gossip. And before he realized it, Stark’s voice caught him off guard, gluing him to the doorway before he could properly step inside. He could just make out Gabe standing closest to Stark.
“You heard that right, the latest and greatest is that yours truly is going on a dinner date with Peggy Carter.”
It was something in the too familiar tone, or the too casual phrasing that set him off, he wasn’t sure, but he suddenly felt ice cold. Then there was another sense. Like history was repeating itself. He’d been in this awkward position before, where Howard Stark was seemingly involved with Peggy. Only this time, Steve was much more sure he understood what dinner date meant. Even a kid from Brooklyn didn’t have trouble translating that.
Here he was, back to square one, that skinny nobody that had never been able to keep any girl’s attention. Only this hurt more. This time it was truly unfair. It was miserable.
Steve felt sick, his head too full. He turned and marched away before anyone could even spot him standing there, unable to get a grip on the storm of emotions brewing within him.
He needed to cool off. Get his head straight and think things through. Figure out how to pulverize Howard Stark without risking compromising the mission. For the first time, since before the serum, Steve felt like he couldn’t breathe. With a clenched jaw and matching fists, he stalked off into the depths of the underground compound.
*
Peggy had been impatient in the briefing, actively watching the time tick by much more than she typically would. When finally the room was dismissed, she left as quickly as possible without raising too many eyebrows over her eager departure. Without pretense though, Peggy went in search of Steve, headed towards the war room, planning to come up with some excuse to remain with the group, perhaps insisting on a review of events. Then with some luck, perhaps maybe some alone time too.
But the room was empty. She found herself feeling disappointed. Maybe the Commandos had gone to get something to eat, it was after all nearing dinner time. Peggy headed back through the halls, distracted at one point by noticing a large accumulation of reports at her station. She rearranged the cluttered heap that would have to wait and returned to her search for Steve.
Fortune in her favor, she only had to round one corner in the vast corridors before she had once again, run smack dab into him. This time no one else was around.
“Steve,” said Peggy in a lilting pleased tone, with the smile that was privately his.
He didn’t return it. In fact, Steve looked upset, even a little disheveled. Well, that was unusual.
“Is everything alright? Are you alright?” Moving instinctually, Peggy had reached for his forearm only for Steve to jerk backwards. Odd. Something must really be wrong then. “Steve? What’s the matter?”
His jaw twitched but he said nothing. After a long moment, Steve let out a steadying breath, but he still refused to look at her directly in the eye.
“I overheard Stark say that you two were going on a date. Is that true or have I still not learned a thing about women?”
Peggy’s eyes grew wide, her face feeling warm again though this time it wasn’t a pleasant sensation.
“Yes it is true,” said Peggy calmly, “though not in the way you must be imagining.” She gently touched his arm again before he could fully retreat from her. “Steve,” she continued softly, eyes intentionally on his, “please let me finish before you assume the worst. Besides, I’m not much in the mood to fire at you again right now, especially when your trusty shield is not at your side.”
Her wry smile didn’t ease his tense expression, but Steve nodded.
Peggy looked up and down the hall, then into a nearby room, and once she confirmed they were deserted, she tugged Steve into the depths of the empty storage room.
“I did invite Howard to dinner. As a friend. There were no romantic intentions involved Steve.”
She sighed loudly, newly irritated by the circumstances that brought her to their current misunderstanding.
“My mother set up an early family Christmas dinner for tomorrow evening. And in the same breath, she started scheming a disastrous set up for me. Believe me, if you knew my mother you’d know that she is relentless and not one to take no for an answer. The only option was to head her off at the pass and render her schemes unnecessary. Which would involve supplying my own date. That’s how I roped Howard into this, purely out of panic.”
“Oh,” said Steve finally, his features finally relaxing.
“Steve if I had any idea to expect you back in town… Of course it would have been you I’d have asked.”
At the sight of a smile on Steve’s face, Peggy felt herself relax, the world feeling a little brighter once again.
“You really would have asked me to dinner?”
She returned his smile. “Do you really not know that by now?”
He ducked his head, looking a little shy. “I was hoping.”
“Oh?”
They leaned towards each other, hands touching, fingers brushing until Steve’s much larger palms enveloped her own.
“I missed you Peggy,” he murmured, their faces close enough to feel his breath against her cheek.
Peggy succumbed to the warmth and weight of him around her and then, after so long a time of yearning and hoping, she pushed forward once and for all. Her lips brushed against his. Gently. Like a whisper, soft but wanting as his breath hitched. Steve’s hand came up to brush her hair. A sigh of relief bubbled up within her at the touch.
A distant clattering sound broke them apart. They became mirror images of heaving breaths and racing hearts. Steve took a small step towards the door and held up a finger, listening hard. But no intrusion followed. After a few more moments, Steve lowered his hand. The coast was clear. He returned to her with a softer expression.
“I’m sorry Peggy,” said Steve. “I shouldn’t have assumed. I just… couldn’t wait to see you and then the first thing I heard was Stark’s bragging. It just… caught me off guard.”
“A bit more understandable this time,” she admitted. “Though, I’d have hoped with all the time we’ve spent together this past year, you would have known better.”
Steve dropped his head. “I couldn’t help but feel so jealous.”
She bit her lip in amusement, a little thrill rushing through her at him admitting it so plainly. Peggy reached for him, her fingers stroking his clean-shaved jaw.
“Steve, would you like to accompany me to Christmas dinner? I warn you it does involve meeting my parents.”
“Sounds serious,” he replied, only half-teasing.
“Dinner doesn’t have to be, but I am serious about inviting you home,” she said clearly, not wanting to make any more room for miscommunications.
“Yes,” he replied in an equally serious tone. “Yes, I would like that a lot Peggy.”
“It’s settled then,” she replied with a wide smile.
“Do I… Should I get a suit or something?” Steve sounded very suddenly concerned again.
“That’s not necessary. I wouldn’t say no to your dress uniform though.”
“I’ll make sure to get it cleaned and pressed. Just as soon as I work out getting leave for the day.”
She nodded. “Should probably get that arranged right away, before something new pops up.”
“I’ll do that now,” he said already moving towards the door. “Wait! What about Howard?”
“Damn,” she hissed. “I almost forgot about him. He’ll never let me live this down. Believe it or not, I think Howard Stark was looking forward to a modest English Christmas meal more than he’d ever let on. I’ll have to come up with some other distraction for him. Leave that to me to break to him.”
“Okay,” he agreed. “Meet back in a few hours?” When she agreed, he took her hand. “One more thing.”
“What’s that?” asked Peggy, concerned she had forgotten about another blunder that needed rectifying. Not many people were able to turn her head, but Steve’s presence seemed to always leave her feeling just a tiny bit foggy.
He pulled her in close, swooping down to cup her cheeks and kiss her eagerly.
“It’s so good to see you Peg,” he murmured. The sound of his voice warmed her chest, and she let herself melt into another kiss.