Raising Liberty
{2}
Intense energy streaked across the sky and pierced through the clusters of thunderheads. It was a calm breeze that caressed over her clammy skin. Being four months pregnant with a child that shared the same strength and abilities of the ultimate super-soldier was a struggle to bear for Peggy. She was carrying a baby, Steve's little legacy, inside the security of her growing womb. Sometimes, on rare occasions, she couldn't even fathom that she was married and building a life with Captain Rogers.
It was almost like being struck by lightning. A one chance in a million to grasp onto every night when she took a moment in time to stare into his steady blue eyes. Still that young blonde haired Brooklyn boy existed beneath all those vigorous muscles and hellbent dreams of carrying everyone's pain on his shoulders. He was truly a good spirited man who believed in the values of hope and truth. Peggy couldn't give him everything, just her love, support and a child. It was all she had to give and Steve asked for nothing less.
Tonight, Peggy was leaning against the guard rail of the Brooklyn Bridge, holding a document against her curled fingers. It was an answer she had been preparing for ever since that night both of them discovered she was pregnant. Clutched in her tensed hand was a pink ribbon, a small piece of truth that Howard Stark gave to her after she underwent a new form of electronic ultra-scanning that he invented that moment she had told him that Captain America was going to become a father.
Impatiently, Peggy waited for Steve to return from the SSR office. It was testament of all the four virtues. She came armed. Red velvet hugged at her curves, her chocolate locks were curled and pinned into a half-bun. Her vibrant skin held the radiant glow of her pregnancy.
Despite feeling the jovial stirrings, she felt unnatural and utterly insignificant to be so dependable on her husband's protection. Sighing out a frustrated breath, she clenched her teeth. "Get a hold of yourself, Carter," she intoned with firm protest in her heated voice. "This is your mission. You are steadfast and indomitable. No girl can hold the fire that you carry inside you..."
The fluttering of her child, seemed to give her a sense of ease. Taking another deep and cleansing breath, Peggy collected herself; quells of her pain subsided and she focused on feeling the lively movements of her growing child.
Dismissing all trepidation, she had grappled onto her burdens, even though she couldn't fathom that she was now reaching motherhood; something she had once dreaded before she moved America and now embraced as a new purpose. The realism of the dream had outweighed all the weaves of doubt. She craved to feel herself getting lost into the heat of his massive body. To enjoy their still moments and reserving all her dreams with him; no uniforms or iron pressed suits. Just the rawness of their skin, lips and hearts merging into a firm embrace of love.
Peggy felt cool the November breeze caress her skin. She stood on the dock, her dark eyes looking out at foggy the harbor. Flecks of moonlight became reflections in the ripples of water. She was still in her white, laced wedding dress; fully accepted and cherished by the love her wedded husband—the love of her life: Captain Steven Grant Rogers. Light melodies of the band echoed behind her, couples swayed to the gentle tempos and floated, twinkling white lights blurred in the obscurity of the encroaching nightfall. It was a celebration. A kindling memory that would never burn out in all the years to come.
Everyone knew they were there to share their wedding night with them; everyone except for James Barnes...Steve believed that when they shared their first kiss as husband and wife, it may have called Bucky's defiant spirit back to witness his heart soar in that moment where he felt Peggy's red lips claimed his own. Her kiss promising indefinable love, devotion and a lifelong promise of being his shield.
"Excuse me, Agent Carter," Peggy spun around on her spiked heels, the world titled off course as she felt his strong hand relieve her skin against the frigid air. At first she hesitated, doubt flooded in her veins, as her heart thumped with the constant ache of believing in the impossible.
It wasn't until Peggy listened to his soothing baritone that she allowed his voice to become her anchor of moral guidance against the storms of disbelief. She knew that Steve had carried the entire world on his shoulders, never losing his way through the clashes of fear like on that fateful day when he flew the plane over Greenland. He had permitted his courageous heart—his life—to be sacrificed to ensure freedom for the new world. Through all their struggles and battles they faced, she was his compass—the spinning arrow that pointed him in the right direction.
Now, in the surreal haze of accepting him further into her heart, she grasped onto her freedom and met him the second the melody had switched into slow beat, as he stepped into dim flecks of light. She marveled at the damper sight of his densely muscled body dressed in his bronze uniform with his metals of declaration. His blonde hair had fallen into its usual spiked curve as he looked at her; feet stilling and tall body grounded into a military stance.
Steve didn't say anything at first, casting a tender gaze over her face with treasured benevolence welled in his bright azure eyes that held a tear sheen. He was lost in her dark gaze and his willing hand reached to take hers. "Are you ready for our dance?"
"Captain," Peggy smiled fondly, still holding a measure of firmness in her voice. "Haven't we already shared our dance, Steven Grant Rogers?"
Steve smiled weakly, looping his arm around her waist and rotating her body to fit against him. "I'm never going to stop dancing with you, Peggy," he whispered with utter ease. His angular, chiseled face tipped and his soft lips brushed against her jaw. Heat coiled in her veins and she felt mesmerized by the depth of blue shining in his calm eyes. He focused on her, blocking out the world. His nose mashed against her cheek, as he breathed in her scent—the wavering smell of fresh roses. Tears brimmed in his eyes. He was still overwhelmed that she—Margret Peggy Carter—was his wife.
"You know I still can't believe that we're actually doing this, Peggy."
Peggy closed her eyes, leaning into his chest. "Did you ever imagine it would happen to us?" she asked, bringing her hand to his jaw. Steve didn't respond, he swayed her away with a gentle waltz, holding her tight against him, living each moment with her. He didn't have to answer. She knew that he had been in love with her since that summer day when she was tiding up the disorder in the SSR's ranks. You know it's not going to be easy, Steve. The world is changing and there will always be another threat on the horizon." She smiled beautifully at him, tracing the arch of his full lips with a gentle caress of her thumb. "We'll face it together, my darling."
He stopped, bending his fingers under her chin, tilting her head up to his lips. "The war is over, Peggy," he whispered, beaming with love. "Tonight we share our freedom as husband and wife. No battle plans until after the honeymoon, Agent Carter."
She sighed, the lights twinkled in her brown eyes, and she reasoned with her husband. "All right, Captain." There was a fierce edge brimming in her voice, and her lips coaxed into a smirk. "Tonight, you're going to need your shield at hand, because I'm taking you on a dangerous mission..."
A storm of desire coursed through his veins and his blue eyes became steel embers in the dim light. His hand threaded through the curls of her long hair; removing the pin as the strands of chocolate aimlessly cascaded over her shoulders. Although she tried to resist the urge to claim his lips, she for once in her life, pushed all her reservations aside, grabbed Steve's collar and crushed their mouths into a hard kiss.
Sealing her eyes shut, Peggy angled her head backwards so that his lips fully melded with hers. Steve's hands framed either side of her face, his finger tangled in her lose strands as he kissed her breathlessly. He never let go of her as she carnally bruised his lips with a feverish swell of devotion.
"Let's hear it for Captain America and Agent Carter!"
Cheers echoed across the harbor, glasses clanked and friends smiled.
Steve pulled back in a breath, grinning at his wife. He turned around and saluted the crowd, smiling with tears in his blue eyes. His hand interlocked with Peggy's for a moment as Dum Dum Dugan, Falsworth and Gabe stood in front of barrels of whiskey chanting out old English love songs with slurring words and flushed faces. Shaking his head, Steve looked back at Peggy, her eyes glittering and filled with passionate fire. He never took his eyes off of her. "Ready to go home, Peggy?"
She nodded, unable to stop smiling. Her mouth pressed tenderly against Steve's while her hand slid down to his heart. She had to make sure his heart beat was real, that he wouldn't awake up listening to the awful radio broadcast and staring out the window without his arms shielding her. His heart was strong, his lips warm and his spirit danced with hers.
Peggy felt whole again. She had everything. "Yes, Captain. I'm ready to go home. Now and forever with you, my brave darling."
Steve dipped her down and embraced her in a deep feverish kiss, before he charged down the steps with her in his strong arms—bridal style.
"Where in the bloody hell is he?" Peggy stiffened her jaw, tearing her eyes away from the horizon. She didn't like waiting. They shared a common ground of trust—full and indomitable. Nothing ever slipped by her watchful eyes. She also knew that Steve was naive, generous and utterly blind when it came to putting all his doubts, fears and grief into the heart of woman. She never considered herself as Captain America's flame or a simple domestic housewife. She was Agent Carter—a fighter, protector and an efficient spy. She was the wife and life partner to Steven Rogers. She wasn't one to divulge into normalcy, or rather become a part of the new era of spending her days in a boxed-in apartment sized kitchen.
She was a lady of high exceptions, gumption and steadfastness. There was no other woman like her. She was rare. Nipping her crimson lips with a graze of her teeth, Peggy stared at the swollen expanse of her belly while caressing her fingers over the velvet of her dress—soothing the tightness with gentle strokes. She felt the flutters of her baby's quickening, the movement that matched the content tempo of her heart beat. "Don't worry, my little darling. Your father will be here soon enough,"
As he walked up the ramp, Steve regarded his pregnant wife with an abashed stare. He knew that he was late. "Peggy," he spoke with a breathless tone, narrowing his blue eyes at the bundle of roses clutched in his hand. "Believe me, I had no intention of being late. I was helping Jarvis with a few things at Stark's mansion." His chiseled face wore an honest semblance. He placed the roses on the railing. "Come on, Peggy, don't shut me out."
A flicker of lightning reflected in her brown eyes. It was a dangerous territory for the captain to engage. Inevitable. Peggy felt her muscles growing tense at the moment, she felt caught a whiff of his aftershave wavering off his sculpted body. Knowingly, she twisted her lips into a displeased frown. She refused to look at him. It disgusted her that he looked so perfect and strong. She knew he also carried her labors of pain.
"You better have a better reason than that if you want me to even think about turning around, Steve." Peggy warned, her voice holding a serious, dangerous intent. "May I remind you that tonight was supposed to be important...Since I received information concerning our child from Howard, unless you've bloody forgotten which I might find highly reverent." She crossed her arms over her chest, and fastened her lips into a displeased line. Steve kept his distance, settling his eyes on her belly. "This was supposed to be our night, Steve."
Steve released a heavy-strained groan of frustration, raking his hand through his drenched blonde hair. "Look, I know that you're upset and you have every right to be, Peggy." He pressed his lips into a faint grimace. He stepped closer to her and seized her arm, twisting her body into his. Her growing belly rubbed against his torso as he brushed a few loose strands off her face. Peggy looked up, staring into his sincere blue eyes. Her weakness. "I'm sorry for being late," he dipped his head and pressed a chaste kiss gently on her forehead. "...I'm here with you now, my best girl."
Peggy scoffed a little before fixing her dark eyes on the pink ribbon. A smile managed to twitch on her lips, despite her cold demeanor. "I think very soon you'll have another best girl to dance with, Captain Rogers."
"Peggy," Steve felt his heart swell in his chest; his teary blue eyes fell at the piece of silk curled in her fingers. His hand instantly encompassed over her swollen belly. A watery smile broke his stoic expression the moment he realized that inside her womb was their strong and beautiful baby girl. He forgot about everything as he crashed to his knees, pressing his face against Peggy's belly. His lips caught the vibrations of his restless daughter. He placed a tender kiss there, "We're having a little girl..." he was almost drained of breath, the tears kept on streaking down his face as he listened to both heartbeats of his wife and daughter. His family.
Peggy kneaded her fingers through his blonde locks, restraining her tears. "Howard has created a special invention that gave me a chance to see our little girl for the first time with ultrawaves," she whispered back, intertwining their hands over her belly. The world faded out and the rumbles of thunder became distant knells as he looked at her with clear and fathomless blue eyes, unable to contain a giddy smile on his face. "She is very stubborn much like her father, but she also has his strong heart. That is why I'm naming her after your mother. Sarah Rose Rogers."
After shedding a few more tears of sheer happiness, Steve straightened to his full height and cupped her jaw with his hand, "I love you," he whispered breathlessly while she wiped away his tears. She brought her lips closer to his… In a single moment of feeling the heat of her mouth eclipse over his skin, everything became liquid fire in his veins as their lips merged together into slow and passionate kiss. "It's going to be fine, Peggy. We're going to do great," he murmured against her jaw, rain started to drench their bodies. They didn't care. It was relief to douse out the fire in their hearts. With a tentative embrace of his lips, he whispered softly like many times before. "She'll be our beautiful girl...Our little Sarah."
A/N: A huge thank you to my wonderful friend for doing all the edits, and also to JuliaAurelia for being awesome with insight.