Chapter 7 [York—St. George Military Hospital—9:30 PM]
Far to the north of London, York's main military hospital bustled with activity. Despite the festivities outside, the war wounded still needed tending. Nurses lugged charts and carts of medication into the sick rooms. Doctors examined the patients and operated when needed.
Outside of one special room, two MPs stood at attention maintaining an honor guard for the special patient inside.
A tall and slender doctor with streaks of grey and white through his hair examined Steve's chart and shook his head. "He shouldn't be alive much less registering any brain activity." He scribbled a few notes in the file and shut it quickly. His eye drifted over the electric blanket slowly warming Steve's body temperature back to normal.
"Captain Rogers isn't like other patients," Stark replied wearily from the corner.
"Yes I heard about Erksine's procedure. You were in on it, Mr. Stark?" the doctor supposed.
"I was. Fine success that was," the industrialist insisted while bristling at the other's disapproval. "It's too bad that Hydra killed the professor before the test could be repeated."
"Yes. Too bad indeed." The physician turned his nose. "I understand my duty. I'll do what I can, Mr. Stark. I just don't approve of playing God like that." He shook his head and handed his chart off to the nurse at his side. "Make sure my recommendations are met." With that he left the room.
She accepted the folder but stood quietly while watching the supposed playboy caring for his friend. Her eyes clearly picked up on the industrialist's gentle manner about inspecting the care in that room. Since the Captain's return from the Arctic wastes two days earlier, she had been secretly impressed. Hearing how Stark had risked his own life to bring the patient there, those feelings were increased.
"We had enough of morons like that," Stark groused while shaking his head. He knew there were several other places he could've been and probably should've been on that holiday evening. He could've had his pick of eligible ladies and parties on that particular Yuletide eve. Still he knew he felt a duty to the Captain. He'd taken a hotel room not three miles away in the heart of the city's financial district.
Word had been left with the military brass to get Peggy and the Commandos up there. The higher ups apparently waited until Rogers had been stabilized until they'd move on it.
"What a load of garbage," Howard groused. "Can't anyone do what they're supposed to? Sheer rubbish!" He saw her watching observantly in the corner. "Yes, Nurse? Was there another test you needed to run?"
"No, Mr. Stark. I just wanted to say it's truly wonderful to have him back," she indicated with a nervous smile. She started to head for the door. "Truly sorry but I had to say that."
Stark smiled. "Quite all right, Miss. I appreciate the sentiment as do Captain Rogers' other friends." He considered her carefully. Her olive eyes held the light well. From her skin tone and complexion not to mention mannerism, he judged her to be Castilian. Her figure seemed almost like a model's despite the bagginess of her uniform. Her smile intrigued him for some reason. "I'm Howard by the way. You are?"
Her eyes sparkled at his interest but kept their composure. "Maria, Mr. S…Howard. Maria Castallaño." She hedged anxiously for a minute before gathering her courage.
"Something troubling you, Maria?" He smiled gently; his usual suaveness not applying in this case for some reason. He read her as too gentle to deal with his usual maneuvers. "I'm not a brute."
"I never would say that especially the way you tend to him." She looked down at the floor. "I know it's not proper for a lady to ask but…"
"Yes?"
"I was going for tapas in a while. It would be quick if you care to join me? Forgive me. I know it is not professional to ask. You're a millionaire. Soy solamente una chica pobre de España." She turned to leave knowing she'd overstepped her bounds. "Adios, Howard."
He sighed and glanced toward the Captain. One never knows a woman's mind, my friend. I think I got it though. He got up and stuck his head out the door. "Which way did the nurse go when she left?"
"Left. She's down at the nurse's station," the MP on the left flatly remarked. "Take a minute, Mr. Stark. We'll let you know if anything happens."
Stark smirked at the man confidently. "Thank you, my friend. I shall be right back." He closed Steve's door and headed down toward the nurse's station. There he found Maria trembling as she wrote out her notes. "A lady doesn't leave so abruptly, my Dear."
She glanced up. "Forgive me, Mr. Stark. I didn't mean…."
He shrugged nonchalantly. "There's nothing to forgive. If you can wait, we'll have more than tapas." He added a warm smile for her benefit. "And don't go selling yourself short, Señorita. Su Corazon es la ricissima." He raised the back of her hand and kissed it delicately. "I know your quality, Maria." He let his eyes sparkle at her before returning to the room and his charge. "Watch for my friends if you would? A group of GIs and a woman named Agent Margaret Carter will be here shortly. Gracias."
Stark smiled at the MPs as he opened the door.
"Your matter attended to, Sir?" the MP on the right queried.
"But of course. Carry on, Gents. Do not delay Agent Carter a second longer than need be," Stark replied with a suave ease to his demeanor as he entered the room. "I never leave a friend in the lurch, Rogers. I know you'd understand." He settled into the chair again. "Patience, my friend. All will be in order soon. Take that down."
Imperceptibly, Steve's mouth tugged itself into a slight smile. His senses, it seemed, were returning….
[Twenty minutes later]
Peggy sipped anxiously on her lukewarm coffee. After not so ceremoniously being yanked from the pub, she and the Commandos had to deal with a hurried drive over to the base, a fifteen minute wait for the plane, the two hour flight and yet another delay when they arrived in York to scramble a truck to ferry them to the hospital. What's going on? Surely they can tell us something!
Dum Dum wasn't so reserved, "Say, Chief, what's the deal? Any details on the mission?"
One of the two MPs sitting with them shrugged. "We're heading for St. George's. That's all I know too. Sorry, sirs and Agent Carter. If I knew more, I'd tell you. It won't be long now."
"Bloody likely," Montgomery groused. Even if they did get to eat their feast on the flight, he didn't appreciate having to eat the fish and potatoes half-cold and without his chosen brew. "St. George's? That's a hospital! You flew us up here to go there? Really, Chaps!"
Her eyes lit up as they pulled into the parking lot. "And that can mean only one thing." She wanted to jump right off of the truck and rush to that nurse's station to ascertain the location of a certain MIA person. However she was still Agent Peggy Carter….
…and accordingly she would act with distinction….
…as she knew her Captain would….
"Go ahead and find out. We were just to get you here. Third floor nursing station," the other MP directed while yanking back the tarp covering the back. "Need a hand, Agent Carter?"
"Thank you but no." She climbed down and straightened out her clothes.
Dum Dum came down next. "All right, Men! Fall in! Then we'll see what this stuff's about! Disrupt our break, will they?" He oversaw his group's discipline and nodded. "Follow me. You want the lead, Carter?"
"Thank you," she expressed while leading her companions into the hospital. An elevator ride later, they stepped onto the third floor right next to the nurse's station.
"So we're here," Dino supposed. "Now what?"
"We bloody get to the bottom of this, my American friend," Montgomery declared.
"Indeed," Peggy concurred. She saw Maria working on some paperwork at the station. "Maybe she might know something?" She approached the Castilian nurse. "Pardon me, we were told to come here. Maybe you can help us?"
"I will do my best, Señorita. May I see some identification?" Maria replied pleasantly.
"Of course. Colonel Dugan, can you join me?" Peggy agreed while producing her military ID. She handed it to Maria.
"Margaret Carter? Howard Stark instructed me to watch for you," the nurse realized while handing the card back to Peggy. She skimmed Dum Dum's credentials. "Gracias, Colonel Dugan. Are these men with you?"
"They are. You know something? What's going on with Stark?" Dum Dum pressed.
"He has news for you all. Follow me por favor," Maria requested pleasantly. She walked the group down to the guarded room. "Perdona mi, Señores. These are Agent Carter and Colonel Dugan as per their orders. I believe Mr. Stark will explain."
"No need, Miss." The MP and his companion stepped away from the door while saluting them sharply. "We have been instructed to allow you in."
"Gracias." Maria rapped on the door and cracked it. "Howard? Is it all right? That company you wish has arrived."
"It's them, Mr. Stark," the right MP concurred.
"Yes! Yes!" Stark stuck his head out the door. "Good evening, Everyone! Glad you could make it."
"It'd better be important, Stark, to interrupt our furlough and fly us halfway across Britain," Dum Dum groused.
"As if I'd interrupt your Christmas for just anything? Gentlemen, please. I had to share some intel with you right away." Stark's eyes sparkled at Peggy. "You're first, Agent Carter. Go in."
"I'm in no mood for games, Mr. Stark. Enough cloak and dagger. Out with it," she asserted.
"No games intended. The big brass wanted this kept hush hush. Just step through and your question will be answered, Agent Carter." Stark assured her while motioning her through.
"This had better be good, Mr. Stark," Peggy insisted angrily. She stepped over the threshold and strode three steps into the room before she stopped cold. Her eyes went wide as she beheld Steve in the bed. "Captain? GENTLEMEN! IT'S HIM!" She rushed over to his bedside. "Captain? Steve? Steve, it's me! It's Peggy Carter! I'm here!" She threw her arms around his neck.
After all of the long months of waiting…of hoping…of denying the others' pushing to move on, he was there and right there in front of her.
The Captain was back...He'd made it...
"What the Devil? Stark?" Montgomery demanded.
"I found him at the end of the last scouting mission. I authorized a detour over his last known coordinates after Richards and I finished our business. We found the Valkyrie and got our hero here out of the ice. We got him right back here. I pushed Admiral Edwards as hard as I could to get word to you all. He wanted to be sure Rogers was stable first," Stark explained.
"Stable?" Dum Dum wondered.
"He should've died from exposure if not from the crash itself," Maria explained. "Somehow he was spared." She looked to Stark to carry the explanation.
"He didn't even have a patch of blue on his skin. Maybe a few bruises. Must be Erksine's procedure. His healing rates are off the charts," Stark continued. "Phillips doesn't even know yet. Sorry, Agent Carter, I wanted you to be the first to know."
"I appreciate that, Mr. Stark," she expressed while fighting to keep the tears from being too obvious on her cheeks. "I am sorry for my tone just now."
"I'd be the same way if someone was jerking my chain too," Stark relented. "I guess we all need someone to care for."
"That's right," Dum Dum concurred. "So, Nurse, anything other than Rogers being out that we need to know?"
"No other news. Perhaps you might buy a coffee and wait? My shift ends in five minutes. I have dinner with a …friend. Perhaps we can bring you something, no?" Maria offered. "See you in five, Howard?"
Getting weird looks from the Commandos, Stark shrugged. "I offered the lady some dinner. A hard working person like her deserves more than just tapas on Christmas. I'll bring you back something fresh if you wish to wait. If not, the brass reserved you rooms at the Rushmore down the street."
"I wish to stay with the Captain…if…I may," Peggy requested.
"Absolutamente," Maria concurred. "I will let the charge nurse know." She smiled at the other woman. "Stand watch over him, Agent Carter. He is national treasure."
"Indeed." Peggy smiled in appreciation. "Boys, you should get some rest. If something comes up, I'll let you know."
Dum Dum looked back at his three companions. Getting the predicted head shakes, he declined, "Thanks but no thanks. We'll wait in that waiting area by the coffee pot. Just let us know if anything happens. Come on, Guys." After the others had left, he emphasized, "Carter, remember, we're right down the hall. You yell. Got it?"
"Got it. Thank you," she affirmed. "I apologize. I must be a sight."
"No more so than any of us would be. We're friends here, Carter. Just remember that," he reminded her before shutting the door behind himself.
Peggy smiled in spite of her inner turmoil. "You're here, Captain. I have you now. And I'm not letting you go." She saw a fresh wash cloth on the nightstand. She walked over to the sink and dampened one end of it. Then she returned and wiped his forehead. "I will never let you go again. You're my light and great hope." She primped the pillow under his head. Then she settled into the chair where Stark had been. She squeezed his hand. "I'm not losing you. I won't."
And with that, her vigil began…