Earth-717: Captain America Vol 2
Chapter 1: Peggy Carter
A lone woman was waiting in a meeting room on the SHIELD helicarrier, staring out the window. She had shoulder length blonde hair, a fit build and a stern glare. She was wearing a black jacket and light grey pants. For several minutes, she stood in silence, with her arms folded. She was looking out at the New York skyline.
She had been called in for a consultation with Nick Fury, director of SHIELD. She was not exactly sure why he had asked for her, given that she had just finished a previous assignment halfway across the globe that had been given to her by Maria Hill. She could only guess as to why Fury wanted to see her directly, but she figured she would learn soon enough.
Exhaling, the woman looked down at the New York harbour. The helicarrier was hovering over the water, several hundred metres away from the city. From here, she could see construction crews making repairs to various buildings and roads that were near the water. They had been damaged by the arrival of a Pariah that attacked during the Skrull occupation of Earth.
The Pariah had been destroyed by a team of heroes that would later be known as the Avengers. Turning her gaze only slightly, she could then see the Baxter Building, which was known around the world as the headquarters of the Fantastic Four. New York was filled with reminders of the rise of superheroes and metahumans, and how much the world had changed in the last few years.
As she stared out at the city, she heard the sound of footsteps heading towards the door. She turned around as Fury stepped into the room. He put his hands behind his back.
"Agent Carter."
"Director."
Fury looked over his shoulder. He made sure the door was closed before walking closer to Sharon. He took a moment to himself before he continued. Sharon tried to get a read on him, but she wasn't quite sure what he was going to say.
"You asked for a private meeting?"
"I have a new mission for you."
"Which is?"
Fury sighed.
"Sir," said Sharon. "What's going on? You've never given me a mission directly, in private. I know you have your hands full with other things. What's this about?"
Fury looked down for a moment. He then turned his eye back up to meet Sharon's.
"It involves your grandmother."
The lines of Sharon's face immediately hardened, which was exactly what Fury was expecting.
"Are you serious?" she asked. "Her?!"
"Sharon, please . . . ."
Sharon shook her head.
"Just hear me out," he said.
Sharon folded her arms.
"I don't need you to do anything drastic," said Fury. "Her health, it's been . . . . not good. She's our last founder, and you're . . . . you know you're the only one she has left. This might be your only chance to see her."
Sharon looked at Fury as if she had just been betrayed.
"I don't want to see her. You know that."
"Sharon . . . ."
Sharon's eyes started to go red as she interrupted Fury.
"If this is all you wanted to tell me . . . ."
"That's not it," said Fury, who continued to stay calm. "I wanted you to know that, but that's not the mission. It involves your grandmother because . . . . because we're finally sending Rogers to see her. He's waited long enough, and so has she."
Sharon shook her head.
"I still don't see what that has to do with me."
"Rogers wants to serve. So I'm assigning you as his partner."
Sharon gulped. Fury waited as she took a few seconds to process the information. She sighed and glanced away for a moment before looking back at him.
"I just have one question, sir."
"Which is?"
"Why me?"
"Because he needs something familiar. Something to prove to him that the world isn't completely different. You're not your grandmother. But you can show him that his world's not gone. He helped with the Skrulls, sure, but he's been having difficulty processing everything. We need him at his best, and I need you to help him get there."
For a couple minutes, Sharon was silent. Fury patiently waited for her response. When she was ready, she nodded at him.
"I'll get it done, sir."
Coulson held the door open as Steve stepped out of the van. He adjusted his tie and looked down at his suit, still feeling like he wasn't quite ready. He then looked up at the building in front of him. While he had been told that he was visiting a retirement home, the building before him looked more like a grand hotel.
After Steve stared at the building for a moment too long, Coulson tapped his shoulder.
"Sorry," said Steve.
"You ready for this?" asked Coulson.
Steve looked forward.
"Not sure if you can really prepare for something like this."
"Says the guy who's already travelled across the galaxy."
Coulson smirked. Steve stayed silent.
"She's waiting for you," said Coulson. "Figure she's waited long enough, don't you?"
Steve nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, Phil."
Steve then walked towards the entrance. As he walked away, Coulson looked back at the driver of the van and gave him a goofy grin.
"He called me Phil."
Steve walked through the double doors and into the lobby. The entire place had a lavish decor, and Steve noted to himself that SHIELD must have spared no expense when it came to taking care of their last surviving founder. A woman in a business uniform was standing in the lobby, holding her hands together. She smiled at Steve as he approached.
"Steven Rogers?"
"Uh, yes."
"Director Fury called ahead. I made sure she was prepared for a visitor. If you're ready, follow me right this way, please."
The woman led Steve down one of the many hallways. She did not look back at him as she strolled along. Steve lost track of how many doors they walked past. Eventually, the woman arrived at a door with the number 202 labelled on it. She pulled out a small keycard and placed it into a metal slot that was positioned under the door handle.
After she pulled the keycard back out, the lock mechanism sounded. Steve watched as she grasped the handle and turned it, opening the door. She then turned back to him and gestured for him to enter the room.
"Thank you," said Steve.
"Take as long as you need. I'll be right outside if you need anything."
Steve smiled at the woman before stepping into the room. After she closed the door behind him, Steve ran his hand down the front of his suit. He could not yet see the bed, but he could tell that he was now inside of a luxurious suite, complete with expensive furniture and plenty of memorabilia. There was a full bookshelf, and many pictures and trinkets placed on the walls and desktops.
He knew that she was only a couple steps away, but suddenly, Steve found himself unable to move. He thought about the last time he had seen her, which was seventy years ago, when the Howling Commandos had attacked the Red Skull's base in the Arctic. It was the final moment they spent together before his world was stolen from him forever.
"Steve . . . ."
"We . . . . we did it."
"Yeah . . . . we did."
Steve felt a breath get caught in his throat.
"It's over."
"No. Not yet."
As Steve got lost in the memory, a familiar voice that he never thought he would hear again brought him back to the present.
"Is someone there?"
He couldn't believe it. It was really her.
Steve stepped forward, and walked into view of the bed. He looked towards it and saw Peggy. She was lying under a blanket, with multiple pillows beneath her head. Her skin was wrinkled and her hair was grey. Her bones were weak and her body was frail. But once Steve looked into her eyes, he knew that he was finally reunited with the woman he fell in love with all those years ago.
"Steve?"
Steve smiled as his eyes watered.
"Hey, Peggy."
"It's . . . . it's . . . ."
Peggy started to breathe faster, seemingly unable to properly put her thoughts into words. Steve stepped closer, walking up to the side of her bed. He took a wooden chair that was placed near the nightstand and moved it so that he could sit right next to her. Every few seconds, Peggy's eyes lit up all over again.
She was completely spellbound, knowing that she was finally reunited with the man she fell in love with all those years ago.
"You're alive?"
Peggy then reached out with her left hand. She was shaking the entire time. She was only centimetres away from touching Steve's face before she stopped herself. Steve waited patiently, allowing her to take things at her own pace. Gulping, Peggy then took a couple deep breaths before she finally placed her skin against his.
Steve smiled as her palm gently caressed his cheek. Peggy had never looked happier.
"It's really you. Oh god . . . . I hoped, and prayed, but never thought I'd ever . . . . never thought I'd ever see your beautiful face again."
Peggy then looked over Steve's entire body.
"I like your suit," she said. "Dressed up for this old girl, did you? I always did enjoy the sight of you in a uniform."
Suddenly, Peggy frowned. She sniffed as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
"Oh, Steve . . . . it's been so long . . . ."
Steve reached up and gently grasped Peggy's hand. He then brought it down and gave it a soft kiss. Peggy giggled.
"Kept you waiting, huh?"
"It was worth it," she said. "Seventy years I waited for you, and it was worth every second. You came back to me."
"I could never leave you behind. Who else was I gonna dance with when we got back home?"
Peggy's eyes suddenly went sullen. She then started sobbing, and held both of her hands over her face. Steve gasped as she completely broke down.
"Oh, Steve . . . . I'm so sorry . . . ."
"Sorry for what?"
Peggy lowered her hands and glanced at the nightstand. He then looked over at it, and saw a family photo inside of a silver metal picture frame. It showed Peggy standing next to a man Steve did not recognize, along with two children, a boy and a girl. They looked to be around six years of age. They were all standing together on a pier, with the Statue of Liberty visible in the background.
The man had his arm around Peggy's shoulders, and she was leaning towards him.
They were both smiling. They were both happy.
Steve looked back at Peggy, who seemed utterly ashamed.
"I waited for you, Steve. But life . . . . happened. I'm sorry."
Steve reached forward and grabbed both of Peggy's hands.
"Peggy, please. You have nothing to be sorry for. I would never have wanted you to live your life holding on to the past. That's no way to live. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that you moved on. That you found happiness somewhere else."
Peggy shook her head.
"I moved on . . . . but I never stopped holding on to the past. I had a family. A life. One too many adventures. But in all that time . . . . I was never truly happy."
Steve's heart sank.
"Part of me died with you in the Arctic. A part of me I've never gotten back."
Peggy smiled again.
"Not until today."
Peggy then reached for her neck. Steve had not even noticed until now, but there was a thin, silver chain around her neck. She reached into her shirt and wrapped her hand around an object before pulling it upwards.
Steve couldn't believe his eyes as she opened her palm to show him what it was.
It was the locket.
"I made you a promise."
"Peggy . . . ."
"I promised not to open it until we both came back."
Steve cried as he looked down at the locket. It was still shut.
"And here we are," she said.
After seventy years of waiting, Peggy finally reached for the locket's hook. She pulled it open, revealing a tiny black and white photo of Steve. It had been taken prior to him receiving the Super Soldier Serum. He had a wide, dorky grin on his face. Peggy warmly smiled.
"You always knew how to charm a girl," she said.
Steve chuckled.
"Never worked on anyone but you."
"Steve . . . . I want you to make me a promise now."
"Anything."
Peggy paused for a moment. She started to cry again as she spoke.
"I held on to the past, Steve. I have regrets. I've done things that I will never forgive myself for. Please, Steve . . . . if you truly love me the way I always loved you, please don't make the same mistake. My time has come and gone. While I always wished I could have shared my life with you, it's simply something that wasn't meant to be."
Steve closed his eyes and looked down for a moment.
"Live your life. Don't hold on to the world we knew. That world is gone, and it's never coming back. That's the mistake I made. This world, the one that's here and now . . . . it's the only one we have. It's a good world, Steve. It's the one we have because of you. Go out there, and see it for yourself. See the gift you've given us all. And please, my darling . . . . promise me that you'll find love again. No matter how long it takes."
Steve stared into Peggy's eyes.
"I promise."
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Steve reached into his pocket.
"I guess there's just one last thing to do."
"What is it?"
Steve smirked. He pulled a cellphone out of his pocket.
"Been learning how to use one of these," he said. "Still can't wrap my head around how some of this stuff exists, but I've got one thing figured out."
Steve tapped a button on his phone, and a familiar song started to play.
"If I didn't care,
More than words can say . . . ."
Peggy gasped.
"If I didn't care,
Would I feel this way?"
Steve reached forward, taking both of Peggy's hands. He then helped her out of the bed. While she had difficulty moving herself, he was more than strong enough to hold her up, with one hand on her back and another holding her hand. She laughed as he held her close to his chest and started to slowly dance side to side, with her feet dangling a few centimetres in the air.
"If I didn't care
Would it be the same?
Would my every prayer
Begin and end with just your name?"
Steve and Peggy smiled at each other as they shared their last dance.
"And would I be sure that this
Is love beyond compare?
Would all this be true
If I didn't care for you?"
Peggy rested her face against Steve's chest and sighed, knowing that she was happier now than she had ever been.