Hey again, hopefully my formatting stays this time (you'd think I'd learn how to work this by now). Anyway, this was waiting on my wall of prompts for far too long so here it is. I hope you like it and if you hate it you hide it from me, be like my family on holidays, please and thank you :P
To say Peggy Carter was anything but prepared would be a lie. To say she was rational at all times would be down right laughable. This is a characteristic Jarvis found himself further uncovering during their mission this past week.
It started on Tuesday, he recalls. Just after supper, while cleaning the dishes -Anna at his side- he received a call from Miss Carter.
Looking back he, he remembers her voice being a bit colder and clipped than her usual greetings.
"Ready for another adventure, Mr. Jarvis?" She had asked
He had asked the proper questions, excitement -he is not ashamed to admit- bubbling in his stomach.
They made plans for him to pick her up at the mansion at eight o'clock sharp, so with a kiss to Anna he made his way out in the cold at fifteen minutes til, ready for the adventure to come.
The drive to the mansion was dark -well the sky was anyway, New York is called the city of lights for a reason after all.
He had pulled up to the curb, somewhat taken aback by the darkened windows of the mansion. Though he new Peggy to be accustomed to working within the confines of her office (especially when a mission was to be embarked on), Angie tended to mosey around in the lightened windows, sometimes practicing a script other times relaxing on the couch.
If he was to quote Ana, Jarvis would liken Angie's presence in the house (and Peggy's life) to a bit of well deserved light.
It was odd to see it so dark, so lifeless, he recalled.
Moments later Peggy had hurried down the houses walk, being sure to unlock and relock the door and gate.
"Evening, Mr. Jarvis" She had noded, quick to open her own door even as he did not -against his nature- move to open it
"Evening, Ms. Carter. What is on the agenda tonight?"
He had taken the time it seemed to take for her to search for an answer, to study her face. She looked tired, but not only that her eyes seemed glossy in the porch's light. Tears? He had thought, but reverting back on his manners he found himself keeping silent.
"Surveillance for now, what's to come of it I'm not entirely sure."
Cryptic.
"The usual then. Where to?"
She had rattled off the address and off they were.
He'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the melancholy in the air, but Peggy had always seemed a bit off when he saw her after long periods away from Angie. Considering the darkness of the house and the probable late night surveillance, the melancholy seemed understandable.
The surveillance had lasted an hour or so, a peculiar instance. The shop they had been watching was a bit dingy but weren't criminals bound to wind up in dingy New York shops? The only vantage area they were allotted was the wooden door and double wide show room like windows. Unfortunately the windows were curtained, but the light of the room seemed to illuminate the figure of a woman.
At the time Jarvis was confident within the night they could gain and interesting insight into the mysterious surveillance they were doing. Perhaps she was a rival spy? How terrifyingly exciting!
Oddly enough as a tall light-haired man turned the corner, hugging the shadows and slinking up to the shop, Peggy had frozen.
Instantly she'd turned away from the building with a quick breath telling him to take her home.
"Ms. Car-"
"Now, Mr. Jarvis." She whispered, venom in her tone
"Right away, Ms. Carter"
He started the car quickly, only turning on the lights after a proper distance was achieved, the review mirror showed him a woman's shadowed profile pulling the man inside
The ride to the mansion had been silent, not that Ms. Carter was one to gab but this silence was different. She seemed to be holding something back, a usual occurrence but it rarely left her...flustered? He could hear her swallow, and her stillness seemed alien.
As they pulled to the curb of her home, Jarvis was hit with the desire to hug her deathly still shoulders. Something had spooked her; or perhaps worse, something had hurt her.
"Same time tomorrow, Mr. Jarvis?" She seemed to force after another sharp breath
"Of course, Ms. Carter. Sleep well." It was the only thing he could think to say
He waited until she entered her still darkened home before retreating to his own, making a point to bring up the incident with Anna.
The next night was strangely similar. He had never known Angie to take night shifts two nights in a row, but once again he was met with a darkened home and perhaps even more melancholy Peggy. Suddenly the thought had stalled his breath and brain, Angie's sick.
By the time Peggy had settled in the seat beside him, his mind had come up with 56 possible illness ranging from the common cold to an outbreak of some horrifying unknown disease, oh god what could he do?
"What's wrong with Angie?!" He had exclaimed in lieu of a greeting, his anxious mind surpassing all notes of propriety
A scoff had met his reddened ears.
"She's fine." The coldness was back, he had noted his confusion growing
Turning on the car and beginning their trek, his thoughts had jumbled and before he had known it he'd shut off the car lights and pulled beside the same curb as the night before.
The shop was just as it was the night before, closed wooden door and light soaked curtained window. The only difference being the presence of the woman.
As they sat, eyes jumping from the light of the window to the surrounding streets, what looked to be a woman's shadowed figure appeared in the window.
"Is that the same woman?"
"It appears to be" Peggy had nodded eyes taking in the figure
As they watched woman seemed to flitter around, setting what looked to have been a record on the player. After a bit of looking just beyond the sight of the window, the woman seemed to lurch forward in a slight skip with her hand outstretched. As the woman settled back into the center of the room, the figure of a man accompanied her.
After a bit of a pause, the two began a slow waltz.
As the dance continued, Jarvis had turned to Peggy a question poised on his lips; a question that was drowned in the few tears he could see running quietly down her cheeks
At once, discomfort over took him, but he found himself unable to glance away. Instead he took to studying Peggy -something he should have done sooner. So, he had watched her out of the corner of his eye, he may be concerned but he certainly didn't have a death wish.
Her hands shook slightly, occasionally she had seemed to half reach to wipe her tears, but veer course in favor of not attracting tension to them, or perhaps, perhaps they soothed her? Jarvis would never assume to know the inner workings of others' minds (not after working with Mr. Stark as long as he has).
As a car drove by he was graced with the sight of her eyes, blood shot in a way that suggested many sleepless tear-filled nights, the bags under her eyes attesting to this sleep deprivation. As other cars had rolled past he flickered his gaze back to her, noticing the way her eyes focused on the dancing duo.
They watched the couple dance a few more songs, breaking with a bow from the man as he kissed the woman's hand.
In that moment, the moment of the kiss, he glanced quickly to Peggy seeing the way her body seemed to convulse as if stricken.
Before he knew it his hand was turning on the keys, a glance from Peggy accepting his decision.
Once again he had found himself wanting to comfort Peggy, but without the knowledge of what they were researching nor her mood...he, well, he found himself chickening out. Looking back he knows it was the wrong move, he knows it was unhelpful and wrong...but in the moment...in the moment his discomfort and fear won out.
Besides, he remembers trying to comfort himself on the quiet drive, Angie will know what to say.
Only once again the house was lightless, lifeless even. Without a word Peggy trudged to the door almost in a daze.
It was his dear, Anna, who figured it out in the end. She always was brilliant.
That night they spoke at length, only to have her answer all his questions in four simple words, before leaning in for a kiss and leaning over to turn out the light.
He is not above admitting he fell in love with her a little more that night, his wife is amazing after all.
The following night was met with some anxiety but armed with Anna's words he had fought it down. He, after all, knew what he had to do.
Once again he pulled up to the dark house, and once again the air of Peggy's sorrow infiltrated the car. And once again they parked on the same curb, and stared at the same window.
Only this time, Jarvis had decided he was going to do something about it.
"Disrupting the norm, how risqué of you, Ed"
Ana's teasing voice had played through his brain, bringing his lips to a slight smirk.
He took a deep breath as they watched the woman's shadow as she had walked with purpose throughout the room in and out of sight of the window.
Jarvis glanced to the side, watching Peggy's eyes track the movements within.
He had cleared his throat, and met her with a pointed look as she glanced at him, then quickly turned her gaze back to the woman as she seemed to dance alone.
"The woman is Angie." He had said, it was only fitting he use the same words as Anna when it was her discovery
Peggy had tried to answer, Jarvis won't deny that. But as she opened her mouth, her gaze never leaving the shadowed figure, the shaking and biting of her lips said it all.
"That first night, when we had to leave.."
"I couldn't bare it, I saw him coming and I couldn't...I just couldn't." She had taken a calm sharp breath as she worked to fight the tears from her voice, "I couldn't, Edwin."
"And last night?"
"I'll admit I had a bit to drink before last night. I needed to be sure, I need her to be happy, even...God, even if it's not with me." She replied tears more heavily in her eyes and voice, "She looked happy didn't she?"
He didn't answer. He couldn't, how could he?
She did look happy, but she loved to dance; anyone and everyone would know that.
"Is that why the house is always dark? Did she-" he had cleared his throat, a bit uncomfortable at overstepping the boundaries, "Did Ms. Martinelli move out?"
Peggy began shaking her head before she could find her voice, looking down at her hands almost as if in defeat she answered, "No, God no. I'm much to selfish for that. I keep hoping one day, one day maybe she won't come here, maybe I'll be enough. Lord knows she's more than enough for me...I just. It's so bloody hard!" All at once the damn seemed to break, her emotions flowing from her mouth, "I can't bloody sleep. Every time I do, I worry, What if this is the last time I get to hold her, what if she leaves tomorrow, what can I do? Nothing makes sense Jarvis, nothing makes sense and everything is wrong." She finished and reached her hand up to wipe her tears and cut her gaze back to the window
The car was silent for a moment, as they each had collected their thoughts.
"For what it's worth, we both know Angie would never do that. She loves you, and I've only known her to hurt one fly in our entire friendship and to be fair it was attempting to infiltrate our freshly made pie, it was a necessary swat." He paused, chest untightening a tad as he listened to her watery laugh. "As your, non-sleep deprived counterpart I can assure you that is not what is going on."
"You saw it all, Jarvis. It's not as though I'm making these things up."
"Maybe so, but are we absolutely positive that is her? And even if so there are abundance of reasons!"
"Name one."
"What?" His voice had shook
"Name one reason for all of this. One reason why she would lie about where she was, and dance with this man, and and-" her had voice broken, "and let him kiss her had, and lord knows what else."
"A part? A-"
"She'd have told me, no matter what she'd have told me. Aside from..." Peggy trailed off, swallowing hard
"Well," Jarvis had announced hand raising for the door handle, "the way I see it we have two options. One, we go home and continue this spying on Angie for the foreseeable future until you wither away with the questions. Or two, we go in there and figure out what is happening. If it is, as you fear, I give you my full permission and support in whatever actions you feel appropriate for the man."
He had slipped out of the car silently closing his door as quietly as possible. His heart had constricted a bit as Peggy allowed him to open the door for her, her worry and hurt combined into a numb-like state.
The walk across the street to the wooden door was equally far too short and the longest trek either had ever made. Even Jarvis' nerve had frayed as they closed the distance, despite his full belief on Angie and her faithfulness.
Jarvis took the liberty of knocking on the door, as Peggy's hands stayed clenched to her sides -a coping mechanism or a way to be prepared no one could be sure, not even Peggy herself.
"Your lat-"
The punch was faster and harder than anything Jarvis had ever seen. Down went Howard, his nose bloodied and -what later they found out- broken.
"What's going on over there?" Another male voice called amplifying as did various footsteps
"Nothing, nothing. Just some, uh, friendly banter." Howard had called back, words we with his blood
"What's going on here?" Peggy had growled unable to think beyond Howards presence
"Now Peggy don't get angry-"
"Oh I'm far past angry!"
"Yes well," He had tried to find sympathy in Jarvis to be met with a similar glare...he had a brief thought concerning its similarity to the Revolutionary war, but the already inflicted pain caused him to miraculously bite his tongue.
"I. Wont. Ask. You. Again." Peggy growled, backing him up against the adjoining wall
"I-"
Suddenly the door had opened again, the man that had slunk in the shadow that first night now face to face.
"Angie! I finally figured out that-" He stopped
Perhaps it was the bloodied Howard trapped against the wall that caused him to start. Or perhaps, and more likely if you were to ask Jarvis, it was the look of murderous rage that burned at him from Peggy.
"No, continue. You finally figured out what?" Peggy had asked voice so quite and deadly it could have frozen the Bahamas had she wanted to. She had slid away from Howard allowing him to sink to the floor, in favor of advancing on the other man
"Ma'am," he had nodded with slight confusion glancing quickly at Howard. He must have received what he need, as he soon continued "I finally figured out the step she was teaching me. You'd be surprised at how hard it is to lead, I mean no offense going backward must be horrible also, but the spinning thing, man." He seemed to ramble, a trait Peggy would find endearing on a certain perky, blue-eyed waitress, but on this man Jarvis could only imagine the similarities and draws between the two. "Angie's a great teacher, it's always a good time." He had finished with a smile
"I'm sure it is." Peggy had replied the look never leaving her eyes. "Jarvis, which one should I maim first?"
He stuttered, he did. In his defense no one should ever be able to say that so calmly.
"Maim? What're you talking about la-"
"Peggy, Peggy, you don't wanna do th-"
"Jarvis?"
"I don't know about you but I'm partial to hearing them out before any blood shed is to be commenced."
"Whoever gets me an answer sooner gets to pick the order, sounds reasonable."
The gulping of the two men were beyond audible.
"What's the hold up- Mr. Stark!" Another voice had exclaimed, the volume causing a plethora of footsteps to rush to the entry
At this point, even Jarvis will admit he was beyond thrown. He doesn't think he'll ever forget the wild and confused look he received as the entry room began to fill with various men.
It was almost as if she was trying to decide who to kill first, and what was going on at the same time. Jarvis had announced to Anna that night
Well wouldn't you, given the same situation? She'd replied, once again turning off the lights and finding her way into his arms
Of course.
"Someone better tell me what's going on or so help m-"
"Really, Pegs? Always so dramatic." Angie's voice gave Peggy and Jarvis instant whiplash
The men began to part quickly, an air of respect and admiration following Angie as she went.
"Angie"
Had Jarvis not been there, not been watching, not been studying, he's sure he would never believe the voice to belong to Peggy. It was far too small, far too broken.
"Alright, everybody clear out. And for Pete's sake someone clean Howard up. We'll push class back a bit, go get some coffee." Angie had announced to the room
The room began to clear, reluctance hanging in the air as each man seemed to study the British duo and Angie's comfort level. Two men gingerly lug Howard to his feet and disappear behind the group.
Finally only one was left.
"Ang-"
Peggy's had gaze instantly split to him turning murderous once more.
"It's alright, Benny, this is Director Carter." Angie reassured with a small nod
Instantly his eyes had widened, just as Peggy's narrowed. Gingerly he stepped around Peggy careful to stay an arm's length away, as he was leaving he did most assuredly the most idiotic thing Jarvis could ever think him to do. Even looking back he can't understand what possessed the man, to place his hand on Angie's shoulder with a slight comfort meaning squeeze. Even though he knows, or thinks he knows, what it was meant to be...well one does not touch a murderous spy's girlfriend, when said spy suspects you of cheating with her...granted the man was unaware but still, let's just say it still pains him to have been in the same room with Peggy's glower.
Once the group was out of sight, the two had caught each other's gaze.
"Jarvis," Peggy called, gaze never wavering but anger giving way to hints of pain, "Will you give us a moment?"
With a nod to each, he had made himself scarce, moving further into the shop; He was going to find answers one way or another, can you blame him?
To continue this memory of last week, one must consult Angie herself. Peggy is still a bit, shall we say, sore on the matter? Unfortunately, asking Angie generally ends in an angry Peggy, you see she's a bit overprotective after the turn of events, only allowing a few moments' distance between the two.
Let's just say the power of a murder glare is truly terrifying.
But alas one must continue.
"English, what's going on?" She had asked slowly walking up and reaching out to Peggy, as if attempting to catch a wild animal
Peggy looked as though a war was waging in her brain, but all Angie could find herself focusing on was the pain and unshed tears in her eyes.
"Awe, Pegs. Come'ere" She requesting pulling Peggy into her arms, rubbing her back as the sobs began to wrack her body. "What's wrong, Hun -did Howard do something?"
"No, no- well I don't know." Peggy rasped through the tears, as she snuggled her face into Angie's neck breathing in the scent of her shampoo, she's sure. Though, from Angie's own experience, she knows it's the comfort.
Quickly deciding a seat is necessary, Angie pulls Peggy out of the entryway to the only room she was sure to be empty (she only found out later it was the same one they had seen her from), at the time all she noticed was the increase of tears flowing down Peggy's face. No one would blame her for that though.
She pulled Peggy down beside her on the couch, and was quick to wrap her arms around her and began whispering all the comfort she could as she held Peggy tightly through her shaking.
As Peggy began to calm, Angie asked softly. "What's this about?"
"I, we, are you unhappy?" She had asked, griping Angie tighter, "Are you unhappy with me?"
The only way Angie can describe Peggy's voice in that moment, is to associate it with the sinking of your stomach while your heart is being torn away.
"I can't say I'm happy you hit Howard, though that's more out of a we-live-in-his-house thing than anything else." Angie tired to joke with a soft smile, she pulled away from Peggy slightly noticing the flash of terror in her eyes. Quickly, Angie had cupped her cheek attempting to coax Peggy to meet her gaze.
"I love you, Peggy. No matter what, you must know that. Now, I don't know what you think was happening here but I'm sure I can take a wild guess. So let me say this once and for all: Peggy, I love you, and only you. I have never and will never cheat on you, you must know that?"
"I do, I did,- I just-" As prepared as Jarvis may think her to be, she was not prepared by how much she needed to kiss Angie in that moment, so she had. The kiss had been sweet and slow- Angie's not one to really kiss and tell but the look in her eye when she tries says it all, as well as the blush on her cheeks.
After a little while they pulled back, shifting so Angie sat with her back against the couch's back, arms holding Peggy as close as possible, the tension seemed to evaporate off of her.
"If you're not here for" Angie had felt the shaky sigh she released and held her tighter, "that then what's going on here? Who are these guys? Why's Howard here? And who the hell is bloody Benny?!"
"Hun, take a breathe."
"You can't get mad. Howard mentioned he needed some help with training some of your guys' recruits-"
"I'll kill him!"
"Peggy, hush, he just wanted to know if there were any acting or etiquette teachers I could recommend or maybe he just wanted to hear himself talk, I don't know. He didn't want me to help, honest. But, you know how persuasive I can be. We swore not to tell you, him because well, you terrify him and you know it, and I couldn't or you'd stop me."
"There's a reason I'd stop you! This is dangerous, Ang."
"Not nearly as dangerous at what you do. And the way I see it this is the best option."
"How so?"
"Well," Angie had found Peggy's hand and tracing it slowly, "I figure you'll be working together a lot, might as well have people who I know will have your back and I may have made Benny promise to call as soon as you come back from missions and the like. Plus, I mean it's not bad knowing some more agents, makes a gal feel safer." She had shrugged dropping a kiss on Peggy's forehead
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"I understand why, I do. But next time tell me, the only reason I tell you not to is to keep you safe. However, if you're so hell-bent on helping, maybe we can set up a more permanent section for you? Preferably in a more secure location, I don't know what Howard was thinking, that window alone is far to accessible, and don't even get me started on the door..."
They had sat in silence for a while after that, holding each other close.
"Hey Ang, are you ready to start?" Benny asked voice become louder as he entered the room
Peggy had attempted to pull away, only to have Angie keep her arms in place. Peggy shot her a quick curious glance before the man entered the room, only to be answered with a soft "he knows" whispered in her ear.
"Yeah, I think so. Peggy this is Benny, Benny meet Pegs."
"Its an honor to meet you, Director, Angie's told me so much about you."
Silence met his announcement,
"Sorry about early...I just, you had a look in your eye...kinda like the one you're wearing now...And you know, Mr. Stark was bloody, and I'm sorry I just didn't want Angie to get hurt..."
"Well you're in luck, Benny, was it? We have that in common. We'll be in in a moment, tell Howard that I need to speak with him when you start, would you?"
With a nod he was gone.
"See I tol-" Angie was cut off with a kiss, quick as it was it was the first kiss in far too many days that was decidedly full of love rather than tears and Peggy's sorrow.
"I love you, darling. I'll have Jarvis drive us home after your class, I'm sure Howard can entertain me until then."
Now there are many things Angie loves about Peggy that she'll freely admit to (at least to those she knows won't harm them for it). Her mornings groans as the clock forces her into consciousness, how she suffers through the automat's horrible coffee day after day, and so many other things. But there is one thing she would rarely admit to, that thing being the love she has for Peggy's particular strain of well...violence. Or tendency toward it? Or you know, one might say, Peggy angry and protective is slightly more than attractive to her.
That being said, getting people killed after her persuasion was never acceptable.
"Don't kill him, Pegs. Why don't you just come in and watch the class, see how your agents are doing? Maybe I can steal an example dance for the class" she finished with a nudge as she leveed herself off of the couch
She reached her hand out once she was up to help pull Peggy up with her, "As much as I would love that dance, and to see you dance, but...if you want to keep the evening murder free I think it wise I sit this one out." She had said with a grimace, leaning in for a kiss after righting herself
"Right" Angie had laughed, once the kiss had ended, "Duty awaits!"
"Yes, my darling. I'll hold you to that dance once we're home."
With great effort they parted to their separate jobs, Angie to her room of laughing men, and Peggy her to one shaking one.
If you were to ask Angie that was the end of it. Peggy would accompany her to all future meetings with the agents, and was working on creating a secure department and meeting space for her.
But, as always, Peggy would have the last laugh.
After all, Benny would make a great addition to the janitorial staff...