Disclaimer

I do not own Steve Rodgers/Captain America, I do not own Peggy Carter. This is just a fan made story.

Summary: Steve and Peggy spend their first wedding anniversary together. (Of course they would. They're married after all). …but it didn't go quite according to plan.

"Peggy, hi it's Steve. I made plans for tonight. Well, dinner plans that is. I guess I'll see you when you get home. Love you, bye," he says sighing, and ending the voicemail. "What am I doing?" He asks himself, while cutting up carrots. The kitchen is a mess. There's flour all over the counter. Puddles of water on the floor. He walks back to the sink, finding a cracked egg on the floor with the bottom of his foot. He looks up, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He notices a piece of cheese on the ceiling. "Peggy's going to kill me," he says to himself. He places two plates and glasses on the table. He sits down in the kitchen, alternating between staring at the oven and clock, waiting until she gets home.

/

"Hello," Peggy calls, opening the front door.

"In the kitchen," Steve says. She walks in, taking off her hat and gloves.

"What in the world happened here?"

"Dinner?"

"You sound like you're asking a question."

"Well, it was supposed to be anyway."

"And what happened?"

"The kitchen and I had a disagreement."

"That much was obvious. Do you care to elaborate?"

"No, not really," he says, looking around at the mess. "There is good news though."

"What might that be?"

"I didn't blow anything up."

"Did you come close?"

"No comment," he says walking into the dining room.

"What's this?" Peggy asks looking at the meal set on the table. It's simple but sweet. Annie's Mac and cheese, ice tea, and burgers.

"Dinner."

"Wait, why is there lettuce and flour all over the kitchen then?"

"I tried to make a salad…"

"You don't need flour for a salad."

"Well I may have knocked it over. It wasn't taped shut and exploded. It could have been worse."

"How so?"

"Eggs. Those would have made it much, much worse."

"There are eggs on the floor. I saw that you tried to sweep them under the island. That's not okay. You're cleaning the kitchen tonight."

"But I cleaned it last night."

"You also made a huge mess."

"True. At least I tried. Today is such a big day, I just thought that you might want me to do something for it."

"Wait, what day is today?"

"You don't know?" Steve asks shocked.

"Umm, I tend to forget dates." Steve takes a deep breath. All the hard work he had done to make tonight special. It may have been for naught if she doesn't remember.

"Think back one year. What happened around this time of year?"

"Howard got out of jail." Steve sighs in defeat.

"Howard has been in jail too many times to count."

"The police have a tally."

"No, Howard was not in jail. I mean, yes he was but that isn't the important thing, or why today is special. We got married. Remember the rings and the vows?"

"Oh my God Steve! I'm so sorry. It completely slipped my mind."

"It's fine, Peggy. You've been so busy with work it makes sense," he says pulling out her chair. He tries to mask his hurt with a smile, but she can see through the lie. She's standing in the door way like an idiot. She quickly takes off her shoes and jacket.

"I'm truly sorry Steve," she says sitting down. Steve pushes in her chair and sits across from her. "How can I make it up to you?"

"Don't forget next year?"

"I can do that."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am!"

"Okay. I mean you did forget the most important day of the year so…" Peggy winces. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"It's okay. I deserve it."

"No, no you don't. No matter what you don't." They eat their meals, talking about their days. How Steve saved a cat, and Peggy cracked a case. They skirt around the fact that Peggy forgot what today was and try to make the best of it. Once they are both finished, Steve stands up taking his and Peggy's plates into the kitchen. He brings out a small deformed cake. Peggy looks up and a look of understanding crosses her face.

"Ah, so this is why there was flour and eggs all over the kitchen."

"Yes, well I tried to make a cake… it didn't go quite according to plan," he says handing her a fork. She takes a bite and spits it back out.

"That. Is. Awful," she says between coughs. "I'm sorry I forgot, but did you have to poison me?"

"Is it really that bad?" He asks taking a bite. "Oh, that is really bad." He starts coughing. "I think I did something wrong."

"You are a genius. Not even Howard could have figured that one out."

"I'm sensing your sarcasm."

"That's good. What did you do? I mean, other than switching salt for sugar. This is the worst cake I have ever had."

"Thanks. I figured that much. Maybe the culinary explosion in the kitchen can help?"

"You made a grave mistake. What flavor was it supposed to be?"

"Vanilla…" Steve says, slowly heading back to the kitchen. "As I thought," he says walking back out with a bottle. "I may have accidently switched the vanilla and the nasty…"

"The nasty?"

"Oh, Tony and I were making these concoctions. It's basically a ton of random ingredients mashed together. We were making one for Bruce, but he never showed."

"How did you mistake it for vanilla?"

"We put a lot of vanilla in it. It was meant as a prank. Plus, when I was baking I had bigger issues to think about."

"Well, I appreciate this," she says standing. "But, I'm going to go get changed. I'll be right back," Peggy says kissing his cheek. She walks into their bedroom, closing the door behind her. Steve throws the rest of the cake away, and starts filling the sink with hot, soapy water. He washes and dries the dishes putting them away in the cabinets. Next he starts to work on scrubbing the counters free of flour and who knows what.

"Steve?"

"Yeah? Everything okay?"

"Can you come in here?" Steve washes his hands and walks into the bedroom. In her hands is a large book. "This is for you. Happy anniversary." Steve picks it up. It's a scrap book. He opens it, and sees his picture. He leafs through it. Photos and photos of Steve tell the story of his life. The life before the army, and the life after it.

"Did you really forget?"

"No, of course not. Do you honestly think I would forget such an important day? Maybe in twenty years, but not today."

"Thank you for this."

"You are welcome. Now we have a kitchen to clean."

"We?"

"Of course. You created that mess for me. I should help," she says walking out to the kitchen.

"I've told you I loved you right?" Steve asks as they look at the mess around them.

"More times than I can count," Peggy says, smiling. He looks up briefly, just in time to watch that doomed piece of cheese fall right onto Peggy's head. "Steven!" She says glaring.

"I love you."

"You're not forgiven."

"Please? Can't you be mad at the cheese? After all it is the one who attacked you. I just helped it get where it needed to be."

"The cheese is innocent. You are not."

"Alright. Can you at least save your anger for tomorrow?"

"Fine," she says annoyed.

"I love you."

"I know."