It was dinner-time, and the Howling Commandos were hungry and thirsty. Plates of potatoes and mugs of beer didn't stay full for too long. Everybody was laughing, eating and talking at the same time. Steve was the only one who was silent, although he laughed and ate as the others. He was just as happy as them, or probably more. For the first time, he felt he had a place where he belonged and a purpose in life. And, besides, Peggy was sitting right in front of him, and she was smiling.

"Hey, Captain!" Bucky's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You've got to tell this folks again how you knocked Red Skull down and punched him until he ran away like a little girl."

Steve felt Peggy's eyes looking at him and flushed.

"Come on, Bucky, you've already told them a hundred times, they don't need me to tell it again."

A chorus of laughs confirmed his point, but Bucky didn't seem to mind it.

"But you are the one who did it!" he insisted.

"Precisely, and you are the one who adds a bunch of inventions that make the story interesting and completely unreal".

"Well, it sounds like an interesting enough story," Peggy said, suddenly. "I don't think you need to make things up in order to make it better."

The Howling Commandos went quiet –or as quiet as they could be, at least– as she spoke, nodding and grinning and sharing complicit gazes.

"It is indeed, ma'am," said Bucky, winking at her. "Haven't you told her, Steve?"

"There is nothing to tell, really," he managed to say. "You were there, Buck, you know it".

"Exactly, so I know what I'm talking about. Agent Carter, you should ask him to tell you the story when you two are alone. Stevie is too shy to talk in front of everybody, except when he sings nonsensical rhymes to sell war bonds, you know."

Steve shot a glance towards Bucky, but he decidedly ignored him and went on:

"In fact, you should tell her now, Steve. We have already finished dining, anyway. Isn't that right, pals?" he asked, giving a meaningful look to the rest of the Howling Commandos.

"Hey, I was just getting started," complained Dum Dum.

"Shut up, Dugan, you've had enough food for a week. Come on, folks, let's get out of here."

And he left the room nudging Steve in his way out. More or less reluctantly, the other commandos followed him.

"You'd better use your chance, Captain, or else I'll eat your diner as well as mine for a week at least," Dum Dum whispered while passing at his side. Steve didn't answer; he was too concentrated into keeping his face from burning hot with embarrasment.

After everybody left, an awkward silence fell upon them. Steve fixed his eyes on his plate while he desperately tried to find something intelligent to say.

Peggy tried to hide her smile. She was somewhat nervous, but he really looked as if he were about to bury his face in the mashed potatoes.

"So," she said, in a nonchalant tone, "it appears that now you have to tell me that story".

"It wasn't that much, really," Steve replied, still looking at the potatoes. "Schmidt appeared and gave some kind of crazy speech and took off his mask... and then I punched him, yes, but he punched me too when he got up, so I guess I didn't hit him too hard. I should have captured him, but I wasn't able to." He tightened his fists as he spoke. "He ran away and he is still out there, so no, there is nothing to tell but the fact that I couldn't beat him."

He had spoken in a low voice, but his frustration could be felt in his words nevertheless. Peggy stretched her arm and touched his hand in a gesture of support.

"You are the only one I know who can make Johann Schmidt run away," she assured, calmly. "But he can't run forever. Sooner or later you will catch him."

"And then, what?" Steve replied, bitterly. " I was lucky enough to push him to the ground this time, but it may not happen again. Colonel Phillips was right: they needed an army and they only got me. A super-soldier who doesn't even know how to fight. Let's face it: I can't defeat Red Skull." He lowered his head and clenched his jaw, trying to control his emotions.

Peggy clutched his hand in hers more tightly as she answered:

"Steve, Dr. Erskine was one of the most intelligent men in the world. He could have used the serum in a highly trained soldier, but instead he chose you. Do you think he didn't know what he was doing? It is true, you are not an army, but neither is Schmidt."

"I know that, and I'm grateful that Dr. Erskine trusted me. I am determined to do everything I can do to help win this war, but... I just don't know if that will be enough."

"I have faith in you, Steve."

For a moment, Steve's thoughts deviated from Red Skull to the warmth of Peggy's hands over his own and the earnestness of her beautiful brown eyes. But he immediately remembered Schmidt's cruel smirk and all the rest disappeared. He softly removed his hand from Peggy's.

"Thank you, Agent Carter," he said, "but sometimes faith is not enough. Back in Brooklyn, when I fought against those bullies, I knew I was the only one that would get hurt if I failed. But now– now it's not just me." He looked at her and she could feel the desperation in his eyes. "What would have happened if Schmidt hadn't run away? I'll tell you: he could have killed me, and then Bucky, and maybe then he would come and kill all of you." He realised he was almost shouting and lowered his voice. "I just... Maybe Dr. Erskine should have chosen somebody who knew how to fight."

Peggy let out a soft sigh.

"Nobody is born knowing everything, Captain. If you want to fight well, you have to learn first."

"I know," Steve admitted, "and I plan to ask Bucky to train me or something, but I... He's not..."

"Sargent Barnes knows how to fight, indeed, but I must say he doesn't exactly know how to teach," Peggy interrupted.

Steve couldn't help but smile. He remembered when, back in New York, Bucky tried to teach him boxing. Sixteen-year-old Steve wasn't very skilful, but Bucky wasn't exactly a master of patience, either. However, Steve had ended up learning some movements. The problem was that, weak as he was, they hadn't turned out really useful.

"Well," he said, coming back to reality, "I guess I'll have to give it a go."

"Or perhaps you could find someone who is actually qualified to instruct soldiers into martial arts," Peggy suggested, with an straightforward look.

"And who would that be, Agent?"

Peggy's eyes were shining as she spoke.

"Me."
There was a moment of silence while Steve carefully picked his words. He didn't want to offend her, but how was he going to fight her, even if it was only a training? He remembered the HYDRA agent who tried to steal the serum sample the day of his transformation. Steve had run after him by instinct, not knowing yet what he was able to do, and he had broken a submarine with his bare hands. The simple idea of hitting Peggy with just a third of that force made his blood run cold.

"Agent Carter, I promise I don't doubt your fighting ability, but... I don't think it's a good idea."

"And why is that?" Peggy shot him a sharp look, daring him to answer.

Steve cleared his throat, not knowing what to say or how to say it.

"I just... I don't want to harm you," he finally admitted.

Peggy exhaled a dissatisfied sigh. Always the same words, no matter what she did to prove she could stand the same as any man. Yes, she understood Steve, she knew he didn't mean to offend her but, all the same, the fact was that he didn't want to train with her because she was a woman. God, she was so tired of all that...

"Peggy," Steve interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes, Captain?" she answered, polite but cold.

Steve could see in her eyes that she was hurt, and he cursed himself for being incapable of saying anything right. Peggy's lips were tense, trying to hide her vexation. Damn, he was an asshole.

"Please, don't get me wrong," he tried again. "I know you are an excellent fighter. I still remember when you punched Hodge and sent him to the ground, and I sure wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes," he smiled at the memory, but then his face went serious. "But the point is now I can lift a car with one hand. I don't even want to think about the damage I could inadvertely inflict to anyone who just happens to be near me. Actually, that's why I haven't asked Bucky yet," he confessed, running his hand through his hair with a concerned gesture. "I couldn't live with myself knowing that I've hurt him, or you, but then again I can't just keep striving blindly, because if I don't stop Schmidt, well," he shook his head, "I don't want to imagine what would happen. But how am I supposed to defeat him if I don't even know how to protect the people I care about from me?" His voice almost broke in the last sentence.

"Oh, Steve." Peggy couldn't think of an answer. How was he able to leave her defenseless with his words like that? She could feel his despair, and she suddenly felt the urgent need to ease him and tell him everything was going to be okay. But they both were war kids, and they knew things were never so easy. She took his hand again.

"You can't always protect everyone; none of us can," she said. "But you have done great things. You saved Bucky and the rest of the 107th when nobody else could. I told you I have faith in you, Steve, and I really do." She looked directly into his eyes, trying to instill in him her own determination. "But if you want to protect others, you must be able to protect yourself first. And I can teach you," she assured, somewhat anxiously. "I've trained soldiers who were much stronger than me and I was never hurt –not unintentionally, at least," she added, her face darkening for a second. "So, please, let me help you."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Steve doubted, still uneasy.

"Steve, you said you couldn't live with yourself if you hurt any of us. Well, I..." she bite her bottom lip, feeling suddenly self-conscious, but took a deep breath and went on. "I couldn't live with myself either if you got hurt, or killed, because you didn't know how to defend yourself. So, Captain Rogers, you are training with me," she said, firmly.

Steve's heart quickened as he listened to Peggy. Her beautiful brown eyes were full of emotion as she spoke. God, there wasn't a woman like her in all the world, and she was worried about him. He couldn't help but smiling.

"Yes, ma'am. It'll be an honour to be trained by you."

A/N: Thanks for the favourites and the follows! I'm really happy. As always, if you find anything that you think could be improved, please let me know. Hope you like it!