Saving Private Whitman

(AKA, Dick Whitman pays it forward)

Blurb: Lieutenant Donald F. Draper resolves to help young Dick Whitman have a better life. AU. Dick Whitman, Lt. Donald F. Draper, Anna Draper, Adam Whitman, Betty Hofstadt, Roger Sterling, Pete Campbell, Freddy Rumsen, Joan Holloway, Peggy Olson. *I OWN NOTHING. MATTHEW WEINER AND LIONSGATE OWN EVERYTHING.

Author's Note: This contains dialogue for the episode "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes".

Chapter 4

In February of 1960, shortly after having been promoted to his new position Dick was assigned a new secretary named Peggy Olson who was twenty-one years old and fresh out of secretarial school. Peggy was a pretty little thing with beautiful blue eyes. Unlike the other secretaries who clearly dressed to attract the male executives, Peggy dressed very primly, almost like a schoolmarm. Dick sensed right away that Peggy was a kindred spirit of sorts. Like him, Peggy was very serious about her job, and she was very committed to always doing her best work. She was different from the other secretaries he'd had in the past in that and she wasn't a giggly, simple-minded girl. It was apparent to him right away that she probably didn't have a lot of money which he could definitely relate to. Dick thought there was something sweet and innocent about Peggy that he was drawn to...perhaps it was the earnest look in her blue eyes. Whatever it was, for the first time since he had been working at Sterling Cooper he had to remind himself of his rule that his secretary was off limits.

The junior executives took notice of the new girl as they always did. They made eyes at her as they walked by her desk and made comments to her full of innuendo. But only one of them seemed to be making it his goal to get the new girl into bed as soon as possible, and that was Pete Campbell.

Pete Campbell was a twenty-six year-old junior account executive who hailed from Dartmouth. He had worked at Sterling Cooper for three years and he was the unofficial ring leader of the young junior executives which included Ken Cosgrove, Paul Kinsey and Harry Crane.

Dick did not like Pete Campbell. Pete was from a wealthy family and he felt he was entitled to have whatever he wanted with little effort. Dick resented this attitude since he had worked hard for everything he had achieved, having truly started with nothing. Dick knew that Pete was jealous of his recent promotion, apparently feeling that he was qualified to be Creative Director despite never working a day in Creative. Pete always seemed to be competing with him for one thing or another. Dick for the most part ignored Pete and his superior attitude, but when he noticed Pete sniffing around Peggy, Dick felt protective and territorial. He was worried that Pete would try to bed his secretary simply to one-up him, since it was well known that Dick wouldn't touch any of the secretaries. Dick had no intention of starting anything with Peggy, but he felt as though he needed to protect the young girl's virtue.

On Peggy's first day, Pete lurked around Dick's office and proceeded to flirt awkwardly with her.

"So Whitman, who's your little friend here?" Pete asked looking up and down Peggy's body in a predatory manner.

Dick's hackles immediately went up. "My 'little friend' as you called her is my new secretary. Pete Campbell, I'd like you to meet Peggy Olson."

"How come you always get the new girl?" Pete asked.

"Management gets all the perks." Dick said drily.

"Where are you from honey?" Pete asked Peggy.

"Miss Deaver's Secretarial School." Peggy replied.

"Top notch. But I meant where are you from? Are you Amish or something?"

"No. I'm from Brooklyn."

"Well, you're in the city now. It wouldn't be a sin for us to see your legs. If you pull your waist in, you might look like a woman."

Dick could tell immediately that Pete had offended the girl. Peggy's face turned bright red and she cast her eyes downward.

"Will that be all Mr. Whitman?" Peggy asked with a wary glance at Pete.

Dick nodded. "Yes, Peggy. I'd like to apologize for my colleague here. It appears that he left his manners back at the fraternity house." Peggy smiled demurely at Dick and left the office and closed the door behind her.

Once Peggy had left, Pete began again. "So Whitman, do I get first crack at her? Word is she took down more sailors than The Arizona."

"Has Roger Sterling heard you talk like that? You should watch how you talk to people." Dick said angrily.

"Christ, Whitman, are you already sleeping with her?" Pete said incredulously. "She's a little young for you, and I thought you were supposed to be too virtuous for all of that. This girl must be something special."

"Aren't you getting married this weekend Campbell?" Dick asked Pete pointedly.

Pete twisted his face into a sneer. "Yes I am, but just because I'm off the market that doesn't mean that I can't browse what is on display now and then. By the looks of it, that girl would be ready for a good go-around anytime."

Dick frowned and shook his head in disgust. "Here's a word of free advice Mr. Campbell. Advertising is a very small world, and when you do something like malign the reputation of a girl from the steno pool on her first day, you make it even smaller. Keep it up, and even if you do get my job, you'll never run this place. You'll die in that corner office, a mid-level executive with a little bit of hair who women go home with out of pity. You want to know why? because no one will like you."

"Who do you think you're talking to!" Pete said angrily. "I know all about you, Whitman. I know that you are a nobody from out in the sticks who practically fell off of the turnip truck."

Dick shrugged, "That may be true Pete, but all of the breeding and money in the world cannot make up for what a deep lack of character you have."

Pete made an excuse and stormed out of Dick's office. He passed Peggy's desk without a word and retreated to his own office for a drink.

Peggy returned to Dick's office after Pete left and they exchanged wary glances. Dick grimaced, "I would like to apologize once again for my colleague's behavior. Hopefully I don't have to tell you to stay away from Mr. Campbell, Peggy. Whatever limited charms he may posses on the surface are negated by his personality. I know it's probably flattering to receive attention from a good looking young junior executive, but I can assure you that you do not want to be involved with him. He is not a good man. You can do much better Peggy."

Peggy blushed at her employer's kind words. "Thank you Mr. Whitman" Peggy said appreciatively. "This has been a very confusing day to say the least."

"Oh?" Dick said, intrigued. "I think you've done very well for your first day! Did something else happen? You can tell me. I am your boss but that doesn't mean we can't be friendly."

Peggy took a deep breath. "Well," she began, "Miss Holloway implied that my only goal as a secretary should be to marry an executive and move to the suburbs. It's not that I don't want to get married someday, but that's not why I'm working here. She also criticized the way I dress, suggesting that I need to show myself to more of an advantage. I don't have a lot of money to spend on clothes, and frankly that isn't my priority right now. I just want to keep my head above water and do the best I can. I'm not Joan and I don't want to be."

Dick smiled. He admired Peggy's spunk. "Peggy, why don't you let me buy you lunch. Come on, it's your first day." Peggy smiled. "Okay Mr. Whitman."

Dick took Peggy to a nearby diner where they had a very pleasant lunch. Dick asked Peggy to tell him a little bit about herself. Peggy explained that she was from Brooklyn, that she was raised Catholic and that she was the youngest of two siblings.

"My mother doesn't like me working in the city. She's worried that I'm going to fall in with the wrong sort of people." Peggy revealed.

"What about your father?" Dick asked.

"He passed away...right in front of me actually. I was the only one home. He was listening to some football game on the radio. That's why I don't like sports."

Dick furrowed his brow, "I'm sorry to hear that. My father died right in front of me too...kicked by a horse."

Peggy snorted uncomfortably. "Seriously?" Dick nodded. "What about your mother?" Peggy asked.

"I never knew her. She died when I was born." Dick said sadly.

Dick revealed that his half-brother Adam was living with him in the city while he worked and went to school.

"He's a few years older than you I think. He's a good kid, he just needed a fresh start and to get away from home. There were no opportunities for him there. At least he didn't have to join the army like I did to get out."

"Where is home?" Peggy asked innocently.

"Pennsylvania, by way of Illinois. We lost our farm and had to move in with my stepmother's sister in Pennsylvania."

"I'm sorry to hear that. It's nice that you're looking out for your brother. He's lucky to have you."

Dick smiled. "Thank you. I'm happy to do it. He's the only family I have left."

Dick enjoyed getting to know Peggy. She was very smart and easy to talk to. He felt very comfortable around her.

They returned to the office and finished the rest of the day's work. Peggy came over to Dick at the end of the day and placed her hand innocently over his on the desk.

"Thank you for a wonderful first day Mr. Whitman." Peggy said sweetly. Dick flipped his hand over and squeezed her hand. "It was my pleasure." There eyes met and Peggy's stomach fluttered. "I'm looking forward to working with you Peggy." Dick said sincerely.

Peggy knew that she needed to be careful because it would be fairly easy to fall for her handsome boss. She knew that the situation was hopeless and that she should forget about the possibility of him returning her feelings. She had been told numerous times on her first day that Mr. Whitman never dated anyone from the office. Miss Holloway had told her that Mr. Whitman was a mystery to everyone because he had never hit on any of the secretaries, specifically the undisputed bombshell of the office, herself. The rumor around the office was that Mr. Whitman simply wasn't interested in women. Peggy wasn't sure that was true. She thought that he might be a very moral man who wished to keep his work and private lives separate. She could certainly understand why many of the women in the office mooned over her boss. He was very handsome and he appeared to be a very kind man. Peggy did think it was a little odd that he was still unmarried, but neither was their art director Mr. Romano and he was older than Mr. Whitman. Perhaps he just hadn't met the right woman. He had alluded to having a difficult childhood so perhaps dating hadn't ever been a priority for him.

A few days later, Peggy was able to observe her boss in the presence of one of their new clients..a beautiful woman named Rachel Menken. Peggy thought that he was enamored with Miss Menken and she wasn't surprised later when Dick asked her to schedule a dinner date with her. Peggy felt a little jealous, but she knew she was being ridiculous. Dick was her boss and she was just his mousy little secretary.. Plus Miss Menken was a glamorous, wealthy woman and was a real catch. Peggy knew she couldn't compare, but she had just secretly hoped that if Dick had decided to start dating that he would have picked her.