Scenarios

A/N: I have been asked to write a few stories that do not quite fit into my Moments-verse, and so I will be posting them here.

This chapter was inspired by Serenity Shadow Star's prompt: Peggy's reaction to Dottie attacking Jack after escaping federal custody. It is set roughly after episode 2.3 Better Angels

Disclaimer: I do not own. All royalties and rights go to Markus and McFeely, Marvel, and ABC.

Enjoy.

The Rules of the BADC

Jack blearily rubbed his eyes. It had been a long-ass day, and it looked like it was not going to end any time soon.

Dottie had escaped federal custody, and the night-shift boys were out following up on a lead while he held down the fort here.

A part of him cursed the fact (again) that he had sent Carter to help Sousa on that blasted political nightmare of a case of his, while another part of him cursed himself for wanting her here. He had been Dooley's go-to-guy. He didn't need Carter to catch this super-spy broad.

Creeeek!

He paused in his downward spiral on all the what-ifs of the Dooley rabbit-hole that he so frequently found himself in these days to listen to what should have been an empty office. That loud squeak was the familiar sound of the evidence vault being opened. No one should be here, and he certainly had not authorized anyone to have access to it.

It looked like his refusal to have maintenance oil the vault's hinges were paying off.

Setting down his glass of scotch and picking up his revolver, he stealthily made his way to the vault.

Sure enough the door was partially cracked open.

He carefully contemplated his next step. He could go in there alone and try to see what the trespasser's goal was, and then confront them – again alone – which seemed mighty stupid. Or he could throw in a canister of knock-out gas that the night-shift boys had not properly secured before heading out, and then lock the individual in until back-up arrived. The latter was a wiser course of action, except for the fact that this might give the perp an opportunity to tamper with evidence if that was his end game.

His moment of hesitation cost him.

For out of the darkness, the she-bitch sprang at him.

He fought back with all he had, but it was not enough.

Just as he was losing consciousness, Underwood leaned down, hissing poisonously into his ear, "Rule One of the Badass Dames Club – Never get between a lioness and her prey."

~A~

"Uh-huh. He's alright then? … Out of surgery, at least, that's good…Yeah, I'll tell her. Thanks for calling. Good hunting, Rick."

Peggy quit her pacing and looked expectantly at Daniel. When he said nothing, she prodded, "Well?"

He sighed and rubbed his face tiredly, "Rose's rumors are true. Dottie escaped custody and went back to the SSR for that pin. She injured Thompson pretty badly. Ramirez is asking that you come back to help with the man-hunt."

Peggy looked torn. Dottie or Whitney? Hunt the old nemesis or continue pursuit of the new?

He had no desire to be in her shoes right now. But thankfully, he was in his, and as Chief he now had the power to help her.

"You should go to New York."

When she looked like she would protest, he held up his hand and calmly reasoned, "At least temporarily. I can spare you a few days here. It might even work in our favor. We'd loll Frost and the Arena Club into a false sense of security."

Peggy looked as if she was considering his words, so he pressed his advantage, adding, "You can't do much to help Dr. Wilkes here. Only Stark can."

At this Peggy went at her most mulish – lips pursed and hands on hips. So obviously not the best tack to take with her.

He hastily changed course and coaxed, "And if you get to her first, it will allow you to question her before Masters attempts to silence her again."

That, of course, convinced her like nothing else, if her glower-turned-predatory-grin was anything to judge by.

~A~

Peggy stared at Jack's sleeping form and thought probably what his mother had thought on many an occasion: Why can't he be as innocent or cherub-like when he is awake as he is right now?

Thinking about Jack's parents made her recall what she knew about his relationship with them – strained, especially when their bright-eyed ambitious son came back broken and embittered.

It made her regret a little her low-blow that she had hit him with back in L.A. She knew he wasn't a coward, just a man who was desperately trying to make his parents proud again, even while loathing his very existence.

It still made him a tosser though.

And that was the line Dottie had crossed. While Chief Thompson may be the obligatory office jackass, he was her jackass. Only she could lay him flat out on his back.

"Are you here to tell me 'I told you so'? Because I gotta tell you, Carter, I'm not in the mood," he croaked with his eyes still closed. Whether that was from being too tired to open them or because they were swollen shut, she could not tell.

"No, I'm here to get your account of what happened."

"Didn't you read the report? 'She came, whooped my ass and then some, and stole the pin'."

"Did she say anything to you?" she pressed, knowing that some overly conscientious nurse would be hustling her out soon.

Jack repeated Dottie's parting words with annoyance, obviously not liking being on the other side of an interrogation.

"She really did not like the fact that I interrupted her play-time with you."

"Hmmm…" was all she said in reply, staring thoughtfully through his room's hallway window.

When he shifted uncomfortably, she attempted to reassure him, "You know, you don't have to be ashamed by the fact that the 'arse-whooping' was done by a girl. Dottie was trained from a very young age. No amount of time in a military boot camp or time spent in the trenches can compete with that."

Apparently, he did not find that all that comforting because he snarked back challengingly, "Well, if that's the case, then why do you stand a chance?"

Peggy smirked, "Us 'badass dames' think alike, I suppose."

Jack snorted, "You know, Carter, for one thing, that does not reflect well on your character. And for another – pray tell, what are the thoughts of the psycho-bitch?"

Her smirk turned predatory yet again as she replied, "Never waste good bait. Live and twitching catches more than still and dead."

She left then, leaving Jack to think on that, and to follow the tall brunette candy striper who had passed one too many times outside his window.

~A~

Jack watched furiously as Carter swept from his room.

He was furious at his impotence. He had no energy or strength to go after her, even if he wasn't trapped in this hospital bed, attached to tubes and wires. He could not even muster up more than a hoarse whisper, as his larynx was still damaged from the bitch's choke-hold.

He was furious at Carter for her cryptic comment. He had no idea if she meant that she had been using him as bait for Underwood who might want to come back and finish the job, or if Underwood was using him as her bait to lure Carter into a trap.

He didn't like either interpretation, but of the two evils, he hoped it was the former. If it was the latter, then that meant Peggy…

He couldn't bear to finish that thought.

Voice or no voice, he frantically called out: "Nurse!"

~A~

Dottie could not wipe the smug smile from her face.

Peggy had come to the hospital, just like she expected her to.

And now Peggy Carter was following her, just like she wanted her to.

Dottie was the best espionage agent out there – male or female. She had lived through hell and passed every test the Red Room Academy had thrown her way. She and everyone whose opinion mattered had thought so too – until Agent Peggy Carter had stolen Dr. Erskine away to America, stolen him before she could do that herself.

Carter had stolen him and had gotten the perfect male specimen all for herself. She had stolen him and any opportunity that she might have had to have a partner that could be her equal.

But Peggy, despite her Western privilege, could not have everything.

For this cat-and-mouse game would finally end in her favor.

She would make sure of it.

~A~

Peggy pinned Dottie's futilely struggling form to the hospital basement floor and growled, "Never go after a lioness' cubs. It's bad form, and never ends well for you."

And then she reared back and slammed her fist into Dottie's temple, knocking her unconscious. "Bitch."

Now for the fun part. Getting her to talk - helpfully.