Wow I can't believe I pumped out 2,000 words for this I am exhausted XD Well here goes another rough rehearsal in which I attempt to keep myself awake. Also in this universe Peggy is young and alive. Let me dream.

Melinda isn't sure what wakes her first, the sun glaring on her face or the pounding on her trailer door. She pries her eyes open enough to glare at the clock. 6:23 a.m. Fuck she had slept through tai chi. She forces herself out of bed and throws open the door with a snapped comment.

"I would kindly thank you to go away. Call time isn't until 8:00."

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" A familiar voice in her ears brings her to squint in the light to make out the shape. A woman stands on her steps, peering back at her. The red sunglasses perched on the edge of her nose match the daring red of her lipstick. Her perfectly curled hair is flipped to the side that her head tilts questioningly.

"Peggy?"

"That is my name. Are you going to let me in or are you going to leave me here in the blazing heat?"

"It's only six in the morning."

"It's L.A. It's remarkable. Also I brought you tea." The brunette holds up the Starbucks cup for reference before she's stepping aside.

"Make yourself at home. I have to shower."

Fifteen minutes later she's dressed again with a towel wrapped around her head, her feet tucked beneath her, and the hot cup of tea clasped in her hands.

"So I see you've made the headlines again." Peggy states once they're both comfortable.

"Were you watching for me?"

"For myself actually. According to the paparazzi I am in a 'love pentagon' or is it hexagon? I'm not entirely sure. I lost track." She states with a laugh.

"Pentagon? I thought it was only a triangle."

"Not since the newest season." Peggy deadpans sipping at her own coffee.

"What changed?"

"Well the usual with Angie. Harmless flirting at comic con. Though fans are in a rage over her not returning for this season. She's trying to get her start on broadway."

"Is she succeeding?"

"I wouldn't know. We haven't made much contact. Then there was the behind the scenes moment caught with Jack."

"Jack Thompson? The sexist asshole you complain about constantly?" Melinda questions with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. We had a very… serious moment back stage one day and I guess they caught it on camera. Oh and then there's the Dottie, the villain who suddenly kissed me on stage at a convention and got borderline creepily obsessed with me."

"Borderline?"

"Well I must be kind because she is returning this season." Peggy states pulling her lips tight.

"She's returning and not Angie?"

"That's what I said. But then there's Jason." Melinda notices how her lips pull up at the slightest mention of his name.

"Your lover in this season? Have you two…?"

"Hardly. It was one kiss… Well two if you count the fact that I kissed him back. But he's gotten so distracted with his other projects it's almost like he's invisible to me. We haven't seen much of each other since."

"What about Daniel?" Suddenly the woman sitting across from her grows tense. Peggy had expressed feelings for him at one point but it had been too soon after her break up with Steve. It was all still raw. The two never even went on a date.

"He's… engaged."

"Oh." A frown marrs Peggy's features as her back straightens.

"Violet is a good woman. A remarkable nurse too. I'm very happy for him. Anywho, this is not what I came here for. Are you really back? It's only been three months since Andrew left,"

"As far as they know it's been a year. I plan to keep it that way too. I don't want their pity."

"And what do they think you've been doing for that year?"

"I've heard many different stories. Guess that's the benefits of being the Cavalry."

"Melinda…" A pounding on the door cuts off whatever Peggy was about to say.

"Hair and makeup in five!" The voice exclaims from the other side.

"Well I guess that's my cue to leave." Peggy states standing. "Though you owe me coffee on your next day off.

"You're not staying for shooting?"

"No. I've got call time for S.S.R. in two hours not far from here and I decided to stop by."

"I guess that's the benefits of working with the same company."

"Farewell Melinda."

"Goodbye Peggy."

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"You don't understand!" James shouts forcing her back against the edge of the desk.

"You're right I don't think I do!" Elizabeth shouts back.

"You could have died out there Elizabeth! It was stupid of you to jump in front of me like that!" He grips her arms tightly forcing her back to straighten.

"And what was I supposed to do let the bullet hit you? Besides I was wearing a vest."

"What if they had shot you in the head? Why didn't you think about that?" Silence is the only answer she gives as she tightens her jaw. "Exactly! You don't think! All that goes through your mind on a daily basis is fighting! All you know how to do is fight! Do you have a single ounce of human emotion?" Tears build in her eyes but she fights them back.

"You're an idiot." She mutters.

"What?"

"I said you're an idiot James! You think I don't care! I jumped in front of that bullet because I care too much! I couldn't bare the thought of you getting hurt because I can't bare the thought of losing you!" Suddenly his lips press against her, effectively silencing what she was going to say next. Lips clash harshly, teeth hitting together. Elizabeth pulls him closer and James picks her up placing her on the desk.

Hands pull at her hair forcing her head back as he spreads kisses across her throat. A choked moan leaves her lips as her hands venture down his back.

"James?" A knock on the door pulls them apart. "James it's Quinn. Are you ready to go?" Elizabeth's heart falls in her chest dropping to her gut. James looks at her sadly almost as if apologizing. She straightens herself quickly glaring at her partner.

"Go fuck yourself."

"And cut! That was beautiful!" Tony exclaims clapping his hands together. Half of the makeup crew surrounds her, fixing her hair and reapplying her lipstick. The other half swarm around Phil straightening his clothes and swiping the lipstick she had smudged off of him. "Go ahead and take lunch. Be back in an hour for scene thirty two. That would be your date scene Phil and Rosalind."

"Well that was…"

"Intense?" Melinda finishes looking at Phil.

"Yeah. You were really good."

"You too. You've improved on your kissing."

"I've had practice." He smirks and for some reason her heart lurches at his half smile. "Do you want to go get lunch? I'm starved and honestly I don't think I can do the buffet bar again."

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Come on. I'll pay." Melinda hesitates before meeting his begging eyes.

"Fine."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

"So I had my foot stuck in the toilet, the dog was raving at the door, Clint was practically incapable, and I still had half a pie left."

"You know I've heard this story a thousand times right?"

"You have?" His shoulders deflate slightly at the realization.

"Yeah. I just never stop you because it is your favorite one."

"How do you know?" Phil smiles proudly.

"The way your eyes light up…" Silence falls upon the two of them as her eyes trace his face, her heart leaping in her chest once again. God she needs to stop doing that.

"Wow we're way past call time." Phil states looking over her shoulder at the clock. Sure enough he was right by a good hour.

"I'm surprised Tony hasn't called."

"That may have been because I snuck your phone out of your pocket and gave it to Daisy before we left." Melinda's eyes widen as her fingers fly to her pocket. Sure enough it isn't there.

"You…"

"And we've been having such a good time you didn't even notice it wasn't there." Melinda hums slightly realizing he was right. She hadn't even reached for her pocket in the past 2 hours to notice it was gone.

"And you can't get mad because you have to admit it was good to get away." She hesitates for a moment before sighing.

"Fine. You're right." She stands up leaving a twenty on the table. "But we have to go." Phil swipes her money replacing it with her own. When she raises her brow in question he just shrugs.

"I told you it was my treat."

Together they venture back out onto the street. Their conversation drowns into yet another story and she can't help but notice how much happier he seems. How animatedly he speaks, how he uses his arms for emphasis when overexaggerating. He's like a giant child and she has to admit it's rather adorable.

"Earth to Melinda." She blinks suddenly at the hand grabbing hers. He pulls her into his arms with a laugh. "Thought I lost you there for a second."

"Sorry. Just lost in thoughts." Melinda shakes her head with a slight smile.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Honestly? Thinking about how much paparazzi may be surrounding us right now and thinking we don't even notice."

"Well I can already spy three over your shoulder." Phil notes with a laugh.

"Stark is going to have a field day with the publicity this will get for the film." Melinda rolls her eyes at the mere thought.

"Want to give them something they won't even begin to comprehend?" Phil jokes.

"What do you mean?"

"Just follow my lead." His hand moves to her face, the prosthetic settles on the base of her spine. His head dips down until she can feel his breath against her lips. The smell of peppermint and cinnamon seems to evade her senses. Her heart leaps to her throat at the close proximity. It only gets worse when his lips finally brush hers. Upon instinct her hand moves to up the back of his head pulling his lips against hers. She kisses him slowly savoring the moment. His other hand moves to the base of her spine as her arms encircle around his neck. Then kiss deepens until it's not so innocent anymore. She can taste the mint he had chewed on after finishing his lunch along with the black coffee he had chugged. Normally she hates coffee but the taste on him is so addicting. Her stomach flips as his tongue traces the edge of her lips making her forget she's in public. She forgets there are people taking photos of her, she forgets the reason she's doing this. She parts her lips ready to accept him in but he's already pulling away. Her lips chase after his instinctively as he pulls from her, a noise of disappointment slipping from her throat.

Laughter bubbles on his lips as his head tips back. "Man they're going to give Stark hell for this!" He laughs squeezing her waist. Her heart falls to her stomach as his face begins to turn red. None of it was real. How could she be so stupid to believe it was? It felt so real… "Come on!" He pulls her quickly into his car driving away before the camera could advance upon the two of them. Silence settles upon them and Melinda regrets even leaving the set.

"You love him don't you?" Andrew's final words to her before the divorce bubble in the back of her mind causing her stomach to twist. Not in the way it had when Phil held her. Not the way it had when he had pushed her against the desk, their bodies pressed tightly together. Not the way when his lips burned a path down her throat ripping a moan from her. No. That wasn't them. That was Elizabeth and James. But it felt so real… "Please Melinda. Please tell me you don't love him."

She couldn't.