7 Decades Earlier
Peggy paced across the control room, unable to soothe her hyperactive nerves. What seemed like hours had passed since she and the Colonel had watched Steve climb aboard Schmidt's gigantic Hydra plane, and they had yet to hear from the Captain. She was becoming frantic with worry.
Suddenly, there was a short hiss of static from the radio, then a familiar voice: "Come in; this is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?"
Peggy's heart jumped in her chest. He was alive!
The radio tech replied, "Captain Rogers, what is your—" but before he could finish his query, Peggy snatched the receiver out of his hands.
"Steve, is that you? Are you alright?" Her immense relief was evident in her voice.
"Peggy!" Steve exclaimed, sounding equally as reassured to hear Peggy at the other end of the line. "Schmidt's dead!"
"What about the plane?" Peggy questioned.
Steve deliberated for a brief moment, unsure of what to say. "That's a little bit tougher to explain..."
"Okay, well give me your coordinates; I'll find you a safe landing site," Peggy countered, her military training kicking in.
Steve inspected the controls hurriedly, and to his dismay he noticed six pre-programmed missiles ready to deploy. His voice hardened slightly. "There's not gonna be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down."
A lump of fear rose in Peggy's throat. Realising Steve's intention, she hastily attempted to change his mind. "Uh, I-I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do..."
Steve interrupted brusquely, "There's not enough time! This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York." He paused, profoundly wishing he didn't have to say what was about to come out of his mouth. "I gotta put her in the water."
Desperate, she began to plead with him. "Please, don't do this. We have time, we can work it out!" She struggled to hold back a wave of emotion that was threatening to overwhelm her. With some effort, she managed to push it down.
In a softer tone, Steve explained, "Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are going to die."
He looked down at the control panel again and observed his coordinates on the map. There wasn't much time left.
"Peggy, this is my choice," he said gently.
Peggy wanted so badly to argue, to say no, but she knew what Steve was saying was true. She realised that this wasn't Steve speaking to her anymore, this was the Captain, the rational, level-headed soldier, and she knew he was absolutely right. So she remained silent as her eyes began to water, and she let her emotions overtake her.
Steve steeled his nerves and angled the plane in a steep downward descent.
After a brief period of silence on the line, Steve said softly, "Peggy..."
"I'm here," she reassured him.
"I'm gonna need a rain check on that dance," he apologised, ending in a tone of resignation that chilled Peggy to the bone. This was the end. He was giving up.
Holding back tears, and struggling to keep her voice steady, Peggy agreed, "All right. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club."
"You've got it." They both knew it was a promise that couldn't be kept.
She tried, and failed, to make light of the situation. "Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late, understood?" she bantered, denying the tears that were slowly clouding her vision.
He joked back in return, "You know, I still don't know how to dance," his Brooklyn accent adding a charming note that Peggy had always secretly liked.
His remark got her going again. "I'll show you how. Just be there," she pleaded shamelessly, her voice shaking.
"We'll have the band play something slow," he decided with a small smile. "I'd hate to step on your—" The radio cut off abruptly, and the uninterrupted sound of static was deafening.
"Steve! Steve?" Peggy cried out frantically as a single tear traced a path down her cheek. Irrationally, she continued calling his name, even though she knew there wouldn't be a response. "Steve?" She paused and choked back a sob. "Steve...?"
It was no use. The Captain, her Captain, was gone. She dropped her head into her hands and wept for her lost hero, her lost chance, and her lost love.
Next chapter: Peggy.
