Peggy waited by the door for Steve who was holding the rental keys for the SHIELD rendezvous. Their christmas house looked wonderful and idyllic. It had been like pulling teeth to get Tony away from his Malibu retreat and agree to spend Christmas in the snow, but Pepper convinced him. The rest of the group would be arriving in a few days to spend the holidays. Even the Bartons would be joining them, which made the large estate they had rented seem less frivolous since there would be 14 people under one roof in a week. A large english house with plenty of room and a huge yard to explore. The yard was covered up by a fresh blanket of snow that went up to their ankles. Her one foot was frozen.
"Hurry!" She pleaded, "It's bloody cold."
He laughed, "I'm going as fast as I can." He wasn't.
Steve unlocked the door and allowed Peggy to go in first, which she accepted happily. She went in and pulled her phone out to have JARVIS take over as the security device. There was state of the art security that she had no idea how to work. But they weren't going to go without it. The last thing they needed was a Hydra invasion during Christmas. The whole place was unbelievably secure.
Steve closed the door behind him. He took his coat off and then his damp shoes and went to help Peggy with her coat. She kissed his cheek, "Thank you darling."
Everything is well secure Ms. Carter. You'll be in good hands… metaphorically speaking.
Peggy smiled, "Thank you Mr. Jarvis." The computer program used to make her miss her old friend. But Tony had managed to capture his charm, which was his biggest trait.
He took a step back and examined the spacious and well furnished house. There wasn't a single decoration in sight, but it looked cozy enough. He could picture the place filled up with everyone planning on attending, "Do you know if Angie is going to come?"
She took her shoes off and left them where Steve had stashed his. So far she hadn't tried heels with the new foot other than testing them for Tony when he was putting the thing together, but she knew she would be able to. She looked down at the foot which was made out of the artificially created vibranium Tony had been testing out in all of his inventions lately. Like Bucky's arm it was as lifelike as it could be. Sensors had been put into her leg that made everything seamless. To be honest she tried not to think about how much technology was apart of her at the moment. She was an experiment, but she was in good company if that's what she was.
"I'm not sure.." Peggy sighed, "I mean, I'd like her to come, but I don't want to push her farther than she should be going. But she insisted that we not change plans for her. Stubborn as a mule."
"I guess we know that you have a type." Steve teased.
"Oh hush." Peggy walked into the living room and then around into the kitchen, "You know I was thinking about that on the plane ride over."
"What about?" Steve sat down on the couch and looked out at the snow.
Peggy walked in from the kitchen content with her brief wondering. Upstairs had to be massive if this was the downstairs. "About how different everything would be if the stars hadn'e aligned as the had. This could have turned into a rubbish love triangle like those terrible movies Trish had me watch. Both of you fighting over me, or whatever the plot was." Peggy walked behind the couch and kissed Steve's neck, "You're being very grown up about the whole thing." Her arms linked around his shoulders.
He put his hand on her arm, "She told me before we left, that back and the day she knew that if I ever popped up-that happening in the first place being unlikely- she couldn't live with herself if she kept you from me."
"I was a real sap back then." Peggy ran her hand through his blonde hair, that was damp from the flakes of snow.
He scoffed, "Back then?"
Peggy put her hands on her hips, "Back then?! I can assure you Steve that I am far from sappy. I believe the word for it is a Badass."
Steve stood up and made his way around the couch. He pulled her hands from her his and replaced them with his own, "I guess it's hard to see you as a badass after I saw you bawl over the end of that disney movie."
She rolled her eyes, "That's not fair, the house landed perfectly on the cliff! And they were happy! Up is a beautiful movie and I won't let you make fun of me for it."
He smiled for a moment and then picked her up in his arms, "Let's find a bedroom why don't we."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, "That sounds like a wonderful plan."
The blankets wrapped around them both as they enjoyed the warm bed. Peggy was laying against Steve's chest her arm draped over him, "This is the first time we've been truly alone." Steve was running his fingers through her hair, "Not at the tower, not at the base, not at SHIELD."
"It's wonderful isn't it?" She traced his jaw with her finger, "The way I pictured it."
He nodded, "We should look for a place back home. Now that everything is settling down."
Peggy stretched out, "That would be wonderful. To get on with our life…"
Steve checked the clock on the side table, "What should we do with the rest of our day?"
Peggy sat up, but wrapped the blanket around her to stay warm, "Well, I think we should go to town."
Steve didn't do a good job at hiding his disappointment, "But We'd have to get dressed, and We'd have to drive.." He just wanted to stay in bed with Peggy.
She smirked taking his reluctance as a compliment to her skills in bed, "But we need food, and decorations… Clint made me promise we'd have a tree. And I asked if we can put lights up and they said we could." Peggy sang.
"You love Christmas don't you?"
"I do." She grinned, "It was my grandmother's favorite and I got to come home on holiday from school. And modern Christmas is interesting, I've done my research."
Steve smacked his hands down on the comforter, "It guess we are going to town. You should drive though... I don't do well with the whole, other side of the road thing."
"About that…" She got up out of bed and searched around for her clothes, "I've never actually learned how to drive."
"How could you never learned how to drive?" He could have sworn he'd seen her drive.
"I've been driven around my whole life.." she stepped into her pants, "Before the war I lived in the city or took trains, during the war I was driven, and after the war I had Jarvis and Howard."
He threw her the bra that he was laying on top of, "Don't tell Sam, or he'll insist on teaching you."
"What's wrong with learning from Sam?" She chuckled and went into the bathroom.
"He's a terrible driver." Steve got up and got dressed himself.
"I can believe that."
Peggy walked down the rows of Christmas Trees in the lot. "The trees seem bigger than they did before."
Steve stopped to look at one that was about as tall as he was. They were looking for a big tree since the house was big enough. "I wouldn't be surprised. We should pick one before someone figures out who we are." He said in a whisper.
She shrugged, "I don't think anyone will. We're dressed casually, no one will know." It was more of a faithful thought than a promise, "Worst case scenario we take pictures with someone."
"Yes. And we're shot at."
Peggy rolled her eyes and stopped at a Tree that seemed suitable, "You're so dramatic… how about this one?"
He nodded, "It's a good looking tree. Bucky's family always had this tiny tree. Like that tree in that Christmas Cartoon. It's all they had room for."
"I'm determined to have a wonderful tree." Peggy sighed and kept looking. That tree wasn't perfect. "We're going to do something-as a couple- without any assistance from Pepper, or Tony, or Natasha."
Steve chuckled, "Whatever you say, Peg."
"Oo this one?" Peggy gestured to a tree that was the perfect height to fit in the window.
"Yes." Steve smiled and nodded. He was cold, and he wanted to go home and make dinner.
"Don't sound so enthusiastic." She wasn't going to let the cold and tired Steve ruin her moment of Christmas cheer.
He shrugged, "This is your thing. I don't have a chip on my shoulder about letting people help me."
She pursed her lips, "I don't either."
Steve laughed, "Sure yah don't."
An old man walked over who looked like he'd have quite a successful career as a mall Santa. His cheeks were bright red and he was even wearing a santa hat, "Can I help you two lovelies with anything?"
"Yes I believe we are about set to buy this tree." Peggy could see Steve try and look else where. He was always worried about being seen.
He beamed, "Of course! We'll just get it tied up for you and you'll be on your way.." the man turned, "JACKY. Come help these nice people out." Peggy missed English hospitality.
Jack, a young teenager bundled up in a hat and sweatshirt ran over. His sweatshirt had the Captain America shield logo. "Bloody hell.."
"Oh no." Steve mumbled.
"You're-" he pointed at Peggy, then pointed over to Steve, "and you're.. you two."
Steve had to accept that they had been spotted. Granted it could have been worse, "We are, you know I thought Britain would be safe." He muttered to Peggy.
"Can I like… have a picture or something?"
Peggy looked at Steve not sure if this was something normal. She guessed it was, Trish had to deal with this stuff sometimes. "How about after you get us our tree, and only if you keep it between us before we leave." She said lightly.
"Of course! But I'll need the picture so people know I was telling the truth." the kid quickly did his job with a new found enthusiasm.
"See that wasn't so bad…" Peggy looked at Steve.
He shrugged and followed their fan to where they were supposed to pay, "I guess I'm old fashioned."
Peggy smirked "I'm well aware." She leaned in close to him, "The red white and blue runs deep."
Steve wrapped his arm around her, "What has put you in such a good mood?"
She reflected for a moment, "I'm not sure. I guess I just feel peaceful, and not in a way of like… expecting something terrible to happen." Peggy looked around, "I feel young, and I feel normal."
He sighed, "For someone who says they aren't very good with words, you certainly have a way of saying everything perfectly."
"Thank you Darling."
The kid finished tying the tree to the car. Steve insisted on helping but the kid didn't want the help. The idea of Steve Roger- the Steve Rogers-helping him with anything made him want to melt. Peggy stepped forward, "No I believe we owe you a picture."
He pulled an phone out and turned the camera in reverse. Peggy still didn't understand how, or why selfies were important. But she couldn't throw a duffle bag without hitting someone taking one. "Thank you for your help Jack." She gave him an extra tip, "Happy Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." He pocketed the money and waved as they drove off. That was Captain America… and Peggy Carter.
Peggy stood around the tree arranging the simple plastic ornaments they bought at the store, along with the lights and tree stand. She stepped back satisfied with how everything looked, "Darling, can you come put the Star on?"
He walked in holding a mug of tea for her, "Sure… I mean, we probably should have put it on first.."
"You're right.. but I'm not taking it off." She accepted the cup of tea, "Thank you."
Steve took the box off the table where the rest of the decoration madness was, and took out the star. Someone today would have called it old fashioned looking, but they knew better. It was the modern day trying to sentimental. "Alright, here we go." He made himself as tall as possible trying to reach the top, "Okay, this ain't workin." Steve took a step back and had an idea, "Get on my shoulders."
"We could just get a chair to step on."
"What's the fun in that?" He grinned knowing he was right. Steve crouched down so Peggy could climb on, "I won't drop you." he passed up the star.
"You know if I went back and told 1942 Peggy, that I would meet a man that in 2015 would make me get on his shoulders to decorate a tree… I wouldn't believe myself." She carefully straightened out the star so it was level.
"Yet, here you are."
She jumped down from his shoulders, landing with a thunk from her left leg. "Perfect!" They stood back getting a good look at their handy work. "Mission complete."
Steve put his arm around her, "Another great one Director."
"Thank you Captain." She leaned her head against his shoulder. Once again completely at peace with the world around her.