"This Is My Choice"
Characters: Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter
Pairings: Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter
Universe: Captain America: The First Avenger
Author's note: I was practicing my writing, and then I had this strong urge to write the plane scene. Peggy's POV.
"Come in; this is Captain Rogers, do you read me?"
"Captain Rogers, what is your—?"
"Steve, is that you, are you alright?" asked the frantic voice of Peggy Carter, as she kicked Jim Morita out of the chair and sat herself down in it.
Steve Rogers was currently on the Red Skull's jet, and Peggy had not known if the Captain was safe or not. She knew now that he was alright, if she could say that.
"Peggy." Steve began. "Schmidt's dead!"
Schmidt was dead. "What about the plane?" Peggy questioned.
Steve faltered. "That's a little bit tougher to explain," he answered hesitantly.
"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site."
"There's not going to be a safe landing, but I can try to force it down," Steve said.
"I can get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do," Peggy tried.
"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York." Steve paused. "I gotta put her in the water."
"Please, don't do this. W-we have time, we can work it out," Peggy tried again, dread starting to fill in.
"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere, if I wait any longer a lot of people are going to die," Steve explained. "Peggy, this is my choice."
Peggy didn't respond. She couldn't respond.
"Peggy?" she heard Steve's voice after a moment of silence.
"I'm here," Peggy said quietly, but it was loud enough for Steve to hear, she hoped.
"I'm going to need a rain check on that dance."
Peggy wanted to laugh and cry, and her voice broke as she answered.
"Alright. A week next Saturday, at the Stork Club."
"You got it."
"Eight o'clock on the dot, don't you dare be late," Peggy added. "Understood?"
(Steve understood. He wouldn't be there next Saturday, he knew that. Peggy knew that. He was going to crash, and he would die.)
Steve's own voice started to shake. "You know, I still don't know how to dance."
Peggy couldn't help but crack a small smile at his words. "I'll show you how," she promised. "Just be there."
"We'll have the band play something slow. I'd hate to step on your—"
Then the line went dead.
"Steve?" Peggy asked. "Steve?"
Peggy was getting no response from the other line. "Steve?" she tried one more time, as tears started to silently fall from her face.
There was silence. Steve was not responding to her. He was...gone.
He was gone, the words echoed inside of Peggy.
Steve Rogers was gone.