Daniel couldn't remember what day it was. Last time he had been awake… he could barely remember. Everything from the last night was cloudy. He remembered asking Peggy out for a drink, and her rejecting him the nicest way, something only she could do. He remembered his heart breaking a little.

He had probably just gone to the bar alone and drunken his sorrows. But he'd never blacked out before. Even on his worst nights of binge drinking after the war, Daniel had remembered every bitter second of those dark nights. But this was different. His head hurt so bad he couldn't even keep his eyes open. Every movement sent a stab of pain through his spine, and while he didn't feel much pain in his leg, it was cramping badly, like he had been stuck in the same position all night.

Daniel groaned as he finally forced his eyes open. It felt like someone was driving a knife into his head, but he'd never figure out what the hell was going on if he couldn't even see. He spent a few moments just readjusting to the bright light of the room he was now in.

It was small and bare. There was no furniture other than the chair he was in. He stretched out his legs in an attempt to relive some of the discomfort, but was only met with resistance as he noticed they were handcuffed to the chair. His hands were also handcuffed. What the hell happened that I didn't even realize I was tied up? He wondered. This was different than a random drunken night. This was bad.

"Morning, sunshine," a gruff voice said from behind him. Daniel managed to turn his head enough to see Agent Thompson, who also appeared to be tied to the chair,

"Of all the people I could have woken up handcuffed too," Daniel muttered under his breath.

"I'm not exactly happy about it either," Jack snapped, "And I'm especially not happy about her."

Daniel noticed Thompson's glance backward and turned his head the opposite way. He should have known it would be her. Of course he would wake up with the one person he really didn't want to see right now. But then again, what would a life-threatening situation would it be without Peggy?

"Is she…" Daniel asked slowly.

"She's alive," Jack replied, "And she's the reason we're in this mess."

"You remember what happened?"

"You don't?" Jack asked incredulously.

Daniel hesitated before shaking his head, "I was at my desk last night and the next thing I know, I'm here."

"Maybe he hit you harder than I thought," Jack mumbled.

"Will you please just tell me what the hell's going on?" Daniel said.

"Well…"


It had been hours since Daniel had told Peggy he was going out for a drink. But he still remained at his desk, long after everyone but Thompson had gone. After everything that had happened, he didn't really feel like drinking alone, and since Peggy had turned him down, there was nothing better to do then sort through all the paperwork. If there was one thing he could rely on, it was that there was always piles of paper waiting to be filed. If he had nothing else to do, Daniel would get a fraction of it done.

So he spent a few mind numbing hours just reading and sorting until his vision became blurry. He glanced at his clock, it was almost midnight and would probably be impossible to find a cab at this hour. He leaned back and resigned himself to the fact that he would be spending the night here.

It wasn't so bad really. When your leg hurt all the time, it didn't really make a difference that everything else would hurt as well. He shut his eyes for what he thought was a moment, until a loud noise woke him from his accidental nap.

"What the hell?" A muffled voice came from outside the office door. Daniel quickly readjusted his crutch and limped to where the commotion was coming from.

He opened the door quickly only to see Jack and Peggy in an intense argument.

"I wasn't breaking in, idiot," she said, "I'm trying to hide."

"From what?" he replied.

"From the angry Russians chasing me," she snapped.

"Okay, sure," Jack said, "And that's why you came here. Because where you work is the last place they would look."

"I didn't think anyone would be here, and I don't exactly work here anymore, Agent Thompson."

Daniel looked on as the pair continued their bickering.

"I don't have time for this," she said before turning back to the hallway.

"We're not done with this discussion, Carter," Jack said as he grabbed her wrist. Big mistake, Daniel thought as Peggy looked at him with nothing but pure rage in her eyes.

"Have you forgotten how good I am at disarming?" she hissed, "Or do you need another demonstration."

Jack seemed to get the message and released her hand. She gave one last look back at Jack before walking back down the hallway.

"Wait, Peggy," Daniel said before he could stop himself. She looked back at him, softening her gaze slightly from annoyed glared she'd given Thompson.

"I thought you were going for a drink," she said once Daniel reached her.

"Something else came up," he shrugged.

"As much as I love out conversations, Daniel," she said quietly, "I really am being followed."

"I believe you," he replied quickly.

"You do?"

"Yeah, Pegs, I do," he admitted.

"Then… if I don't come into work tomorrow…" she didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to.

"Let me come with you," he said suddenly.

"No," she replied immediately

Daniel couldn't help but feel the dent on his ego. First the drink, and now this. It was just a night of rejection.

"I know it might be hard to believe" He continued, "but I am a pretty good fighter."

"I don't doubt your abilities, Daniel," she said, "But whatever this is, it's my mess. I won't have those I care about put in danger because of me."

Daniel tried not to be distracted by the fact that Peggy had said she cared about him. He wished the slight blush climbing up his cheeks would fade. Daniel was about to say something when Peggy suddenly stiffened.

"What?"

"Shhh," she hissed, "Did you not hear that?"

"Hear what?" Jack asked from the other side of the hallway.

"Shhhh," she said again, more forcefully, "I can hear them a few floors below us."

As much as Daniel strained, he couldn't hear anything, "Are you sure?"

"Three people, all men, most likely carrying weapons," she said with certainty.

"What do we do?" Daniel asked.

"You aren't going to do anything," she replied, "I am going to lead them away from here so you will be alive to come and find me later in case this goes south."

"Like hell we are," Jack scoffed.

"I am more than capable of taking care of myself, Agent Thompson."
"Against three people? That will be hard, even for you."

Peggy couldn't come up with a retort for that, instead she turned on her heal before anyone could stop her.

"That woman…" Daniel heard Jack mutter, "Are you just going to stand there? Let's go." The moment they entered the elevator was the moment Daniel heard the gunshot a few floors below them.