Title: Saturdays
Author: AoN (bellalinguista)
Word Count: 900
Rating: G
Summary: Angie invites Peggy to a Saturday night outing, but Peggy finds it difficult to accept.
"Come on, English, what do you say?" Angie asked, leaning forward, over the counter, towards Peggy who was sitting alone at the bar in the L&L Automat instead of her usual booth.
"Pardon?" Peggy replied, looking up from the piece of pie she had fetched herself only moments before.
Angie's shoulders fell slightly, but she glared at Peggy with a hint of annoyance. "Did you really block out everything I just said?"
"Oh, of course not!" Peggy said, but she shifted a bit on the bar stool upon which she sat. "Well, perhaps… maybe a little. I apologize – long day at the office," she attempted to defend herself. "You were saying something about… Saturday evening?"
"That's when you stopped paying attention?" Angie asked, aghast. "That was the beginning of the conversation!"
"Long day," Peggy repeated, a little wary. In reality, she had heard everything that Angie had said, but… perhaps the amount of time it took Angie to repeat herself would be enough for Peggy to figure out an excuse to decline the proposed Saturday night plans.
Angie's eyes narrowed, as if accessing Peggy's excuse. She must have accepted it, considering she went to repeat herself. "They gave me the night off Saturday and I can't remember the last time I got to enjoy myself in this city-"
"-and you wish to do just that," Peggy concluded.
"How fun would it be, English? To dress in our best and see a Broadway play?" Angie asked, but did not wait for Peggy to respond. "I know this girl – we both auditioned for that part of Betty Carver in that Captain America radio program. Very sweet, but clearly didn't have a voice for radio. Great dancer, too – landed herself a gig on Broadway. Well, after I got her the audition – I'm not really a dancer myself, you see-"
"Angie, tickets alone-"
She quickly shook her head, probably as fast as she was currently speaking, if at all possible. "No worries! Pulled a couple strings – front row balcony. This show has been open for three years now, so it has to be a big deal, right?"
"Well-"
"So, what do you say?"
The moment Peggy dreaded arrived. How was she supposed to tell her extremely eager friend 'no?' How was she supposed to explain that, although she wanted to go and although it sounded like a good time indeed, Peggy feared a most dreadful outcome if she said 'yes?' How could she get Angie to understand that a declined invitation just may guarantee her survival?
Well, now Peggy was being a tad bit ridiculous. Maybe.
Peggy's lips parted, moved slightly as though an excuse had been created, but there was no sound. She had nothing and Angie was about to see right through her, wasn't she?
"Miss?"
The new voice claimed both their attentions. Peggy looked over her shoulder towards from where it came. What she saw was the familiar face of Edwin Jarvis, who had taken a seat at one of the booths. Suddenly, Peggy became stoic. Her day was only going to be longer now and she quickly realized that, no, she was not being ridiculous.
Her life was dangerous.
"Isn't that your friend? The sharp dresser?" Angie asked.
And Angie was too clever.
"Colleague," Peggy corrected, returning her gaze to see that Angie had already fetched the pot of coffee that Jarvis would decline.
"Whatever you say, English," Angie commented, starting to emerge from behind the bar. "I'll be right back – and I want an answer when I do."
Peggy nodded and glanced down at her untouched slice of pie. She wasn't at all hungry anymore, but she poked at it with the tip of her fork. Normally, Peggy would have been seated at her regular booth – the one next to Jarvis', but Angie had convinced her to take a seat at the bar instead, to keep her company.
It had not taken much to convince Peggy, who foolishly believed that perhaps she would be able to relax a little this evening. Peggy should have known better, but… but she enjoyed the time she spent with Angie. She truly did and she would have enjoyed attending the play with her, but… but Jarvis' silent entrance reminded Peggy exactly why she had to tell Angie she could not accompany her.
Just by association, Peggy was putting Angie in danger.
The image of her former roommate's body still burned vividly in her mind, making her feel a little sick. It forced her to put down her fork for good – the pie would be wasted. Colleen O'Brien did not deserve what happened to her. She had been an innocent girl who had taken in the wrong roommate – a sick girl, at the time, who had been looking forward to getting better and going to the movies on Saturday.
Those Saturday plans never came to be, nor were they the only Saturday plans that never came to fruition. Peggy also recalled a Saturday evening dance at the Stork Club that also had not occurred.
The people Peggy Carter cared about, the people with whom she dared to make Saturday plans, were no longer in her life, and Peggy Carter cared very deeply for Angie Martinelli.
"Alright, time's up, English! What's your answer?"
And Peggy would never forgive herself if she put her in harm's way.
"I'm so sorry, Angie, but I can't…"
End