HEEEEEEEY! I'm excited for this chapter, if you couldn't tell. Today, Peggy ends arguments, gets back into hand – to - hand combat, and meets her final bridesmaid. Thanks always to Crowley's Apprentice for unofficially beta reading, I own nothing (yet), and I would love it if you would leave a review!

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Chapter 10

Peggy looked around the room as The Avengers slowly lowered their weapons. "I did not realize, until recently, that the mission to retrieve me from HYDRA was unsanctioned. As a person who has had experience as the head of an intelligence agency, I recognize the need to make difficult choices. Whether or not different choices should have been made is beside the point. The point is that you are all Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and none of you can sit still for even an hour without very nearly starting a war. Mr. Stark, even you, a hugely public figure, a billionaire, the glorious Iron Man, heartthrob, supposed 'role model' to children everywhere, needs an assistant to take notes for you because you are simply too incapable of paying attention! As if Ms. Potts does not have anything else she needs to do with her time! Agent Barton, though your work for this agency is remarkable, your habit of deploying confetti arrows at randomly inopportune times is not. Agent Romanoff, your skill set is one of the most refined I have seen, and yet you continue to use it for your own gain rather than making the smart, or helpful, choice. Need I go on?" Peggy surveys the faces in the room. Pepper looks halfway between shell – shocked and satisfied, Tony has his jaw set as if he'd like to argue but can't come up with a convincing answer, Natasha actually looks ashamed, which is surprising. Even more surprising, Barton looks guilty. The rest of the room is simply staring at her with wide eyes. Steve has an expression on his face similar to the time she "tested" his shield.

"Good. Now, I don't believe we'll be making any further progress with this meeting, so I suggest we cut it short. I suspect all of us could use the extra hour and a quarter, and I don't mean for work. Please, go do something to relax; each one of you needs it. Unwind somehow. Peggy's orders." With a quick smile, she turned on her heel and headed for the doorway, as she left the room, she swore she could here Fury mutter, "I should give that girl a promotion."

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Peggy had intended to spend her time hitting and shooting things on the SHIELD training floor, but she only made it past part one before her plans were interrupted. In the stall of the shooting range next to her was Sharon Carter, whom she had met a few weeks ago. They'd had coffee a few times, and had become friends, despite the potential for awkwardness that was their biological relationship. As she watched Sharon fire five rounds into the center of the target, something occurred to her.

"Sharon," she called, raising her voice a bit so the blonde would hear her through the earmuffs, can I ask you a question?"

Sharon turned at the British voice, removing her headgear as she did. "Yeah, sure. Shoot." She smirked at her pun.

Peggy nodded at the humor, returning the smile. "Um, Steve and I are getting married."

Sharon's face lit up. "That's great! I'm so happy for you two!" There was a pause. "That is also a statement, not a question."

Peggy could see that the Carter blood definitely ran strong in Sharon's veins. " I was wondering if you would like to be one of my bridesmaids."

The blonde smiled from ear to ear. "That sounds fantastic!" Still smiling, she wrapped Peggy in a tight hug. Yes, definitely a Carter.

Just after Sharon finished squeezing the air out of Peggy's lungs, Maria walked in, carrying three fancy – looking pistols. "Hey, I pulled rank and got these off the latest shipment with minimal paperwork. Let's celebrate!"

"By pulled rank, you mean intimidated the crap out of some interns. There's a difference, you know." Sharon quipped, smirking at her boss.

Maria stopped smiling and moved very suddenly to put three rounds in the neck of the dummy. If Peggy was one to be intimidated, that would've done it. Sharon appeared to share her sentiments, as she backed off. "OK, point taken, how do these babies work?"

Satisfied, Maria explained the targeting systems, the biometric locks, and the switchable cartridges (they could hold regular or ICER bullets). The three women quickly used up the rest of their break shooting at the targets.

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By the time Peggy had completed five filing assignments, three meetings, and one rescue involving junior agents mucking up a mission handling sensitive materials, she was exhausted. A little under two hours break was simply not enough for all the things she had to deal with on a daily basis. As she swiped her key card and opened the door to her office, she froze. Something was wrong. She was not alone.

With a deep, focusing breath, Peggy carefully drew her pistol, crept forward, and flicked on the lights. She was not immediately accosted by armed Hydra thugs, so she relaxed enough to take in her surroundings. Said surroundings happened to be approximately three SHIELD agents, one CEO of Stark Industries, a set of Apples to Apples, a set of Cards Against Humanity, and a rather shocking amount of alcohol. Stowing her pistol and taking another deep breath, she addressed her bridesmaids.

"Ladies. Would you like to tell me why you decided that you should invite yourselves into my office at-" she checked her watch. "nine o'clock at night?"

In unison, they all smiled at her, and then, loud enough to make her jump, screamed, "BACHELORETTE PARTY!"

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Wow! I actually got a chapter out! Anyways, if anyone's interested in reading fic about time traveling SHIELD agents, involving Fitzsimmons in the 1940s and Peggy Carter in the present, it will be up soon as a crossover between Agents Of SHIELD and Avengers. Please review!