Chapter 21

Reunions

Taryn woke a little more refreshed and found that Howard had ordered a number of different outfits for her and Steve for the time they would be there. He was thoughtful and had good taste and apparently liked to see a woman's curves. Not that she minded at all. She put on a light pink satin blouse and a chocolate brown skirt, seamed stocking and brown pumps with little pink bows at the toe. She attempted to put her hair up and back like she had seen in all those old movies. Taryn admired herself in the mirror. "Not half bad," she thought, and went down to have some breakfast.

Howard was sitting at the table reading the newspaper as Jarvis poured him some coffee. He set the paper down and whistled. "You've got a nice set of gams, Ms. McKenna. You a hoofer?"

She blushed slightly. "A dancer? Yes, I was once, before SHIELD. Thank you for the clothing Mr. Stark."

"Howard, please. Coffee? Sugar?"

"Yes thanks. I can get the sugar." And she reached out with her mind to bring the sugar bowl to herself. Jarvis almost dropped the coffee pot.

She laughed. "Sorry about that. One of my 'gifts'. Telekinesis."

Howard set his face on his hand. "Fascinating…. What else can you do?"

She raised a brow. "Well, I also know what you're thinking, Howard. And I'm flattered, but I am rather attached to someone."

Stark straightened his tie and she could see him blush. Rogers appeared in the dining room, and Stark hid behind his newspaper.

Taryn giggled into her cup and said nothing further. "Did I miss something?" asked Steve sitting.

Howard cleared his throat and changed the subject. "We're scheduled for a meeting at two today, so we'll head down to the office then. If you'll ah, excuse me… I have a few phone calls to make."

"What was that all about?"

"I think I startled Howard with my abilities. No sense in keeping him in the dark though…"

He nodded with a chuckle. He could only imagine.

They ate quietly and Steve sat reading the paper. Taryn sat watching the traffic far below and marveled at the differences between her time and this. Before long it was time to head to Stark's office. Taryn put her jacket on and followed Rogers out of the penthouse. Howard was behind her and she turned to look at him over her shoulder and laughed and shook her head. He was as incorrigible as his son Tony.

The scientists and brightest minds from Stark Industries who had been recruited for SHIELD, began to assemble in one of the large conference rooms in the building. Stark, Rogers and McKenna waited in Stark's office for the arrival of Peggy Carter. They all knew the reunion would be awkward if nothing else, so Howard thought it best to keep that to a small audience.

Taryn sat in a large comfortable chair near a bookshelf when Carter entered the room. "Howard, what is the urgency?" Rogers took a deep breath and stood up from the chair facing Stark's desk. He turned to her and it took a moment for her to register.

Peggy, not one for melodramatics or fainting spells took a few steps back, then ran to him and kissed him.

Taryn twitched in her chair and Stark glanced at her to make sure she wasn't going to pick something up and throw it.

Peggy then took another step back and slapped Steve hard across the face. "What the hell is going on?! My god Steve?! How?! Why didn't you contact me?"

Taryn approached Stark's desk and stood quietly.

"Who is that woman?"

"Can we please sit down and discuss this like civilized people?" asked Stark.

Peggy sank into the couch in shock and Steve sat down next to her. "In your time, I'm still in the ice. SHIELD finds me 70 years from now. Howard has called people together to try to get me and Taryn back to where we belong."

Howard decided to leave the room, so he casually slipped out the door. Taryn made her way over to the two of them. "I'm Taryn McKenna. I'll wait outside with Howard." She turned to leave but Steve grabbed her hand and held it tight.

"No, please, stay."

Peggy watched the exchange. "Is she your wife?!"

Taryn waived a hand, "No! No, we're…"

Steve looked up at Taryn and smiled. "No, but we are together. And I needed you to know that," he said to Peggy, and to Taryn. And he sat and explained the entire thing from the time he woke up in the false hospital room, to the Avengers, to McKenna joining the team, to today. Peggy sat and took it all in. An average person wouldn't be able to wrap their head around things, but Peggy, in all the unusual things she had seen, seemed to comprehend things fairly well.

"And so here we are, just trying to get home, together. I'm sorry for the shock, Peggy. I never expected to be here in this time again…"

She recovered for a moment and took a deep breath. "Well, that does explain a lot." She smiled softly, "But it is good to see you again, Steve. It is nice to know you're alive." She touched his face softly and then extended a hand to Taryn. "And it is a pleasure to meet you, Taryn. I apologize for the reaction."

Taryn shook her hand. "No apologies necessary. You handled that very well."

Howard stuck his head into the room. "Anything broken?"

Steve chuckled. "No."

"Good, let's head down to the conference room."

The four of them arrived, and Stark stood before all assembled stating what needed to be done. He was blunt and to the point, and stated he would fire anyone that leaked information. Taryn produced her cell phone which contained a recording of the portal that had been sent to her. Howard found a way to hook it up to a video screen and save the data for review. She also provided the files that she had retrieved from Cathy Holling's work computer. Howard would need to find a way to open those... Windows didn't exist in 1946.

"We know it was HYDRA, so they may even have similar technology in this time," said Taryn after her video played. "He was attempting to send HYDRA from our time back to 1941 to eliminate Captain America before he became the super soldier, so in theory they could have had someone waiting on the other end. However, due to a lightning strike, the portal went haywire, and sent us to 1946. I don't think that Alphonse knew how to work it properly, so he may not have created it in the first place."

Stark stepped forward again. "I want these images and files analyzed and Taryn and Steve will provide you everything they remember about this portal." He turned to the two of them. "We also need to consider we may need to go knock on HYRDA's door for some information as well."

The group set to work, and Taryn couldn't help but notice how Peggy and Steve interacted. She tried not to be jealous, but it wasn't working very well. She was getting a headache again and excused herself to the ladies room.

Moments later, as she stood looking at her reflection in the mirror, Peggy entered the room. She smiled at Taryn and approached her.

"I am sorry for my reaction earlier. I just never expected to see Steve alive again. I did have feelings for him, and yes, I was still in mourning in a way…"

"I understand. And I don't want to rub our relationship in your face either. If you'd be more comfortable, I can just stay at the penthouse and work while you all work here…"

Peggy dismissed that thought with her hand. "Nonsense. Everything will be fine and we'll get you both back home."

The group of men and women worked late into the night reviewing the images and data from Steve and Taryn. Steve had fallen asleep at a table on the far side of the room and Peggy had gone home about an hour ago. Steve felt a tap on his shoulder and stirred.

"Hey, sleepy head. Why don't we head back to the penthouse?"

Steve blearily nodded and followed her out of the room. "Howard is up sleeping in his office in case someone has a breakthrough. He told us to use the limo."

The next morning Taryn woke to the smells of breakfast. Jarvis must be making a feast downstairs. She showered and dressed. Today she picked a red and white dress with red pumps. She fiddled with her hair, trying another 40's style, deemed it 'not bad' and headed downstairs.

"Morning, Taryn," said Stark, looking up from his paper.

"Good morning, Howard, Jarvis." Jarvis smiled, placing a plate of pancakes and bacon before her.

"Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

"Before you ask," stated Howard, "Rogers has already headed out this morning."

"Oh." Odd, she thought.

Steve took a cab down to where Howard said Peggy was living. He waited for her by the front desk.

She came down the stairs and looked at him quizzically. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, I just thought we could grab some coffee somewhere and talk."

"Well…. Alright. Let me get my purse and hat."

Moments later they climbed into a cab and headed to a diner.

"Where is Agent McKenna?" she inquired.

"She's back at Howard's…"

"She doesn't know you're here, does she?" It was more of a statement than a question. They reached a diner and sat at a booth far in the back.

"Why didn't you tell her you were coming to see me?"

He sipped his coffee. "Because I didn't want things to be weird… strained…"

She raised a brow. "And you don't think they'll be strained when you see her again today? Men…"

"Look. I just wanted to talk. You and me…"

"I understand that, Steve. But, why? You can't want to be with me right now. You and she are planning to go back to where you came from."

"If Stark can make that possible."

"And you would just abandoned her here if it wasn't? I won't believe that you would do such a thing. Steve, you were gone for a year… you're still gone in this time line. I've pulled up my bootstraps…"

Steve sighed. "I know. I just thought since we left so much unsaid and I don't know if I explained things well yesterday…"

Her face softened. "We did leave a lot unsaid before you disappeared. But seeing you with Taryn spoke volumes. You've moved on in your life with good reason and I am happy for you. I've moved on in my life, too. I can see that she loves you. And I know that you feel the same towards her. We can only move forward. It isn't good to live in the past."

He nodded. "I know. I guess I just needed to hear it. I did want something for us then, Peggy. But you're right. I had to move on. The past wasn't going to return, or so I thought. I do love Taryn…" His blue eyes smiled at the mention of her name.

"See," she smiled. "There it is. The twinkle in your eye when you speak of her."

He felt his face flush. "Yeah… I guess I just needed to get it off my chest. Thank you Peggy."

She smiled, finishing her coffee. "You're welcome."

Steve paid the check and asked if she wanted to be dropped somewhere and she stated she'd head back to Stark's with him.

Taryn busied herself reading through the latest reports from Stark's team and once complete, she sat to read the paper. Taking her coffee into a sitting room, she sat in a large overstuffed chair to read. She was fascinated by the paper. It was like being in a library archive. Except today, it was actually news.

She heard voices and looked up to see Steve and Peggy enter the penthouse together. He smiled at her, hugged her and kissed her cheek, then walked off into another room. Peggy walked in the opposite direction. Neither had noticed her there.

Taryn sat staring at the paper, the words blurring. She swore to herself that she would not overreact. She heard footsteps and continued to keep the paper in front of her.

"Hey, McKenna."

"Howard."

"I thought you'd like to know Rogers is back."

"Yeah, thanks."

He nodded and left the room. After seeing the display in the hall, she had no desire to go find him right now.

Taryn submersed herself into the paper and a little while later, Steve came looking for her.

"Hey, there you are."

"Yep, here I am," she replied.

"Ah… did you have breakfast?"

"Yep."

He stood shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Is everything… okay?"

"Yep." All the while she sat behind the paper.

"Um… okay… well I'm going down to the office with Howard and Peggy. Will you be joining us?"

She put the paper down and folded it harshly. "Oh, why not? Won't it be fun to all ride in the limo together? Let me get my hat."

Howard raised a brow and Steve shrugged.

The limo ride was thankfully short as no one spoke. Taryn was first out with reports and headed straight for R & D. Stark followed, confused and Peggy stopped Steve. "You didn't talk with her this morning did you?"

"Er… no…"

"Oh for goodness sake. She knows that you and I spoke. She's obviously thinking the worst…"

"How could you know that?"

"Because I'm a woman," she retorted and entered the building.

The day flew by as Taryn and Steve worked with the team. They tested prototype pylons and they looked like what Taryn remembered, but would they work the same?

Peggy headed home around six that night. Howard intended on staying at the office again. Taryn was silent the entire ride and in the elevator. She said good night to Jarvis and retired to her room leaving Steve alone and confused.

Taryn removed her hat and stood looking at herself in the mirror. She would be sad to leave Steve here and go home without him. But Peggy would take care of him. She couldn't stay unless there was no way home. She hoped she didn't have to. She was desperately trying not to act like a love-sick teenager. She was old enough to know better, and Steve was old enough to know what and who he wanted.

Taryn resigned herself to do her job, get back home and what ever happened, happened.

Her reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door. She took a deep breath and waived the door open, knowing it was Rogers. He stood in the doorway.

"Hey."

"Hey," she replied.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really."

"Do you need a doctor?" Concern crossed his chiseled features.

"No, just the truth." She looked up at him, her emerald eyes a deep green. He noticed that color when she was angry or upset.

Steve walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He wasn't quite sure how to approach this.

"Are you staying here with Peggy, in this time?" she asked calmly.

Rogers sat on the side of the bed. "I'm sorry…"

Here it comes, she thought.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was going to talk with Peggy. She and I had left so much unsaid, and I felt that I needed to get some things off my chest.

"But we agreed that the past should remain in the past. We've both moved on and as much as I loved her then, I love you even more now. She's my past… and you're my future," he said quietly.

She turned to him. "If you're really sure…"

He extended his hand to her. "I am. I'm in love with you – no one else. I guess it just took a jolt from the past to cement that into my head."

She chuckled and accepted his hand. "Next time, just talk to me, okay?'

"Okay. I'm sorry about all this."

"Well, I apologize for the way I acted. Let's just concentrate on getting home."

He entwined his fingers with hers and leaned in. "Deal," he whispered, kissing her softly. They parted and said good night.