Afraid To Fall by TheAuthor44
As far as Peggy Carter was concerned life couldn't get much better than this. She was sitting with a good book by the pool of Howard Stark's L.A. mansion waiting for Daniel to come pick her up for their date. Although she had seen him at the SSR not two hours before, Peggy already missed him terribly. It had been three months since she decided to stay in Los Angeles to see if she and Daniel could try again in the romance department; and my how they thrived together. After that kiss in his office they had a proper first date with dinner and dancing, more so swaying to the music but Peggy didn't mind. It had been far too long since she allowed herself to be swept off her feet and there wasn't anyone else alive she could see but Daniel doing just that. He made her laugh, he respected her and she absolutely adored him, and he also happened to be one hell of a kisser. Just thinking about it made Peggy feel a little weak in the knees. Suddenly something else came over Peggy, a feeling that could be closely resembled to that feeling you get when jumping out of a plane. Before Peggy could over analyze her feelings Mr. Jarvis came out to inform her that Daniel had arrived.
Peggy bid goodbye to the Jarvis' as she closed the door behind her to see Daniel leaning against the door of his car.
"Hello darling." Peggy said practically running into his arms.
"Hi. I was going to come to the door myself but Mr. Jarvis insisted I stay put."
"That's quite alright; I'm more than capable to walk to you."
"Still, my mother raised me to be a gentleman."
"Oh is that what you're calling it."
"Come here." Daniel said pulling her in for one of those weak knee kisses before reluctantly letting her go to the other side of the car.
As they drove Daniel filled Peggy in on the latest blunder Dr. Samberly had caused with one of his smart mouth remarks and as Peggy watched him talk she realized she could listen to him for the rest of her life. And that's when it hit her. Somehow without her knowing she had fallen in love with Daniel. It wasn't like how it had been with Steve, she fell in love with him slowly over time but it seemed like a school girls crush compared to what she was now experiencing. Daniel was her friend, her equal, someone she could easily build a life with and that thought seemed to knock the wind right out of her. Peggy tried to push it down but she began to feel an anxiety attack overcome her.
"Daniel, would you mind pulling the car over?"
"Is everything okay?"
"Just pull it over … NOW!" Peggy demanded.
Daniel did as she requested and as soon as they were on the side of the road Peggy practically ran out of the car. She made it a few steps forward before she leaned over and placed her head between her legs.
"Peg!" Daniel shouted concerned that something was seriously wrong with her. Before she knew it Daniel was kneeling before her trying to get an answer from her.
"Peggy, are you alright? Talk to me."
"I'm fine, it's just … I'm in love with you and that thought absolutely terrifies me so I'm going to need a moment."
Daniel stood dumbfounded at her confession but in true Daniel fashion he made his way to her open passenger side door and sat down waiting for Peggy to continue. After some deep breaths Peggy stood upright and turned around to look at Daniel who was reading a newspaper he had in his glovebox.
"What are you doing?"
"El Lobo lost another race; I'm starting to think I'm betting on the wrong horse."
"I hope that's not a metaphor. Daniel I just told you I love you for the first time and you're sitting reading the newspaper."
"Actually I'm trying to distract myself taking it too personally that the thought of loving me gave you a full blown anxiety attack."
"Daniel I don't say this very often but would you mind explaining to me how you're taking this so well. You can't be this wonderful all the time." Peggy said as Daniel motioned for her to come sit in his lap.
"Thanks." He said smugly taking Peggy's hands in his own "Look Peg, I know you love me. I don't need to hear the words to know how you feel. Besides action has always been your preferred method of communication." It was at this instance Peggy realized why she loved Daniel so much, he understood her in a way most people never have. He truly loved her.
"Daniel, what we share is unlike anything I've ever had before. Steve, although I loved him very much – I loved him in the moment. I loved him for what he represented and inspired. But I never really could imagine a life with him outside the war. He was the super solider after all and although I've always been a fighter a part of me longed for something more. Someone to share my life with in a way I never thought possible until I met you. Daniel what I feel for you is so intensely overwhelming. And as happy as that makes me is also how terrifying it is. Do you understand?"
"I do. Peggy that's what I've felt ever since I saw you get impaled on that rebar. That's the day I realized I can't live without you and when we finally got together I realized I didn't have to. I would've expressed this earlier but I wanted to wait until you were ready to hear it. I've always been a little more emotionally astute." Daniel said causing Peggy to chuckle.
"Can you ever forgive me for causing such a scene?"
"Always. I just hope you know by now we've lost our reservation."
"That's quite alright; I'm not that hungry after all. As a matter of fact I'm in the mood to do something else entirely." Peggy said as she descended her lips upon Daniel's in a sinful manner. Part of her wished in that moment that they had taken Howards luxury car with the reclining seats. All Peggy knew was that instant she needed to feel Daniel's body pressed against hers to get that security she desperately craved.
"Why don't we go back to your home so I can communicate with you properly how much I love you?" Peggy said stroking the side of Daniel's face lovingly.
"I'm not sure I can hold out that long. Why don't you say it again?" Daniel teased.
"Don't be such a wanker. If you're that unwilling to move I'll drive."
"Yes dear." Daniel said earning one last kiss from Peggy before she made her way to the driver's side. Peggy turned them around and placed her hand in Daniel's as they literally drove off into the sunset.
THE END
