"Bucky."
"You've got something planned, don't you?"
"I can go back. I can save you. I can save Natasha. I can see Peggy. It won't matter in this timeline, but there's somewhere you can be happy."
"I'm happy now, all things considered."
"You could have been happy a lot sooner if I'd have left you alone."
Bucky looked away. They were both thinking of when the accords went into effect. Then, when Steve pulled him from his farm. Or even before the war, when he just wanted to enjoy a science fair before leaving with the draft. Nothing could change their friendship, but at times finding peace was trying for Bucky.
"You'll also be happier sooner if I can get you out of HYDRA. Do you know where you were kept?"
"Not at first. In the sixties I started missions. I'd set out from the Maryina Horka Forest in Belarus."
"I'd hate to leave you there for a decade or two, but if I don't know where you are and the SSR will be of little help…"
"A decade is nothing compared to seven decades. I appreciate this Steve."
"Even if I leave here?"
"You'll come back. When you don't have any fights left there, you'll come back."
They shared a sad smile. They both knew that there would always be bullies and Steve would be trying to take them down until he was physically incapable, probably not even stopping then.
"None of the others know."
"No, they'd try to stop you."
"I'm gonna miss you Buck."
"But if all goes well you'll see me real soon."
"Yeah, and you'll be seeing me, too."
1945, Saturday, about 9 days after Captain Rogers put down his plane, 8:00pm
It's nice to be home. Or at least somewhere that feels like it could be home. Peggy had been in the quaint home for a few days; sent here to grieve. True, she hadn't properly mourned her brother, but it was even more difficult to mourn Steve. What was he to her? It was obvious she loved him, and she knew he felt the same, but could that be given a label?
In any case she was pacing. She felt suffocated in the small space. Cornered. She even jumped when there was a light knock at the door.
She opened it prepared to tell the milk man she wasn't buying this week, but instead pulled her gun to aim at a blond head.
"Hello Peggy," he smiled.
"You died," her voice wavered, but her hand did not. His smile faltered as he inclined his head.
"I can explain everything. I'm not sure you'll believe it, but I have it all written down." She narrowed her eyes waiting for the imposter to attack. "I was the first recruit in 17 years to get the flag. You ran towards the dud grenade too. I thought fondue was something entirely different when Howard-" he was cut off by her tackling him in a hug.
"I thought you were gone. I thought-" Sobs tore at her throat as she clung to him.
"How about that dance, Peggy. Everything else can wait."
So they danced. They played something slow as he held her close. She ignored the tears and the questions and just embraced him.
But the songs ended eventually.
"I have this for you." He lifted a folded note. It seemed to be multiple pages, and she made to reach for it. "Oh no you don't."
"You just said it was for me!" She protested as he held it out of reach.
"It is, but not now. I already know when I'm going to leave it for you, but...I really wanted us to have that dance." He looks so much older when he says that. Would the weariness in his eyes be explained in the letter?
"We could go dancing as often as you like Steve. But I'm curious, how did you survive the crash?"
"It's all in here." He picked up a little bit of doily lace from her table and placed it in an envelope along with the letter. Then he sealed it twice and marked the outside so one could tell if it had been opened. "I'll leave this where you'll find it when the time is right. But for now, you've got to keep going."
"What? What do you mean?"
"You might not see me again, Peg." She started tearing up again, but wasn't truly surprised by this.
"You came to say goodbye." He smiled at her again, looking as heartbroken as she felt. "I'm glad for that. The chance to see you properly. I just wish I knew how you were here."
"You will." He kissed her forehead. "This is not the end."
She'd remember him. Always.
She'd love him, too.
Part of her thought she'd hallucinated their dance and the answers he promised her.
But life would move on, and so did she.
She thought she'd never love another, but she supposed she thought that after she left Fred Wells too.
1970 New Jersey
"Director Carter?"
"Yes?" Peggy looked up and had to smile at her husband's unkept hair as he leaned into her office. He'd been working the late shift last night and should have been home by now.
"This showed up for you last night," he waved an envelope around.
"Daniel, you're not a messenger. You could have had someone put it on my desk."
"But then I wouldn't have had an excuse to see you this morning." He leaned over to capture her lips, but the startled cry that tore from her throat stopped him, inducing a panic. "Peggy? Peg? What's wrong? Talk to me Peg!"
He was holding her shoulders firmly, but her eyes were trained on the envelope. It was sealed with both the normal adhesives and a candle wax seal and bore a streak of bright velvet red lipstick to show it hadn't been opened.
Letting out another shuddering breath she grabbed Daniel's hand and asked him to sit by her. He maneuvered himself to kneel next to her.
"Daniel?" He held her gaze while she gripped his hand. "I need you to open that and tell me if there is a bit of doily lace in it." He gave her an odd look, but complied, lifting the offending cloth for her to see.
"Peg, how did you…?"
"I thought I was dreaming. We danced and he told me he knew when I'd get this letter…"
"Who?"
"Steve," she whispered.
"Rogers?" She nodded her response. "Peggy? If he's alive…?"
"Daniel Sousa, I love you," she stated sobering quickly to a temperament she might train recruits with. "Yes, Steve may always have a place in my heart, but you are my husband." A goofy grin was her only response as she held out the letter for the both of them to read.
Dear Peggy,
Here is your explanation, as promised. Though, if you are not already sitting down, I suggest you do so. This will be a lot to take in.
I'll have to start at the end for this to make sense, and it still won't make sense. But remember why you founded SHIELD (congratulations on becoming director by the way) and all the crazy things you see every day. So, here goes. Two words: Time Travel.
"Time travel?" interrupted Daniel. Peggy shushed him.
It turns out Howard's son is even more brilliant than Howard. Scary, right?
Somewhere in the arctic is a Steve Rogers. I have what I believe are his approximate coordinates enclosed. I'm not that Steve, obviously.
In my timeline, because there are multiple timelines, I took down the plane and woke up 66 years later in 2012. Things really changed. I don't really need to go into all the details, but I did find a new family. And I made a few discoveries about the family I left in 1945. Anyway, after There was a The world We hit a rough patch. The only way to move forward, was to go back. Somehow Tony, Howard's son, found a way to do that. We won. I had a second mission, which gave me a chance to go on my own. So I'm coming to you with a new mission. I want to keep this timeline from meeting the same fate as mine did.
I needed to see you in 1945 because I am selfish, but I didn't want to keep you from the happiness you found. (Congratulations on your marriage and kids as well. I hope I get to meet them all.)
I would have left this for you to find a while ago, but waiting until now gives me, hopefully us if you decide to help me, the advantage of SHIELD's resources and making one less jump.
I know of two direct assets and a threat that you will wish to deal with, the rest might have to wait until as late as 1988, though I hope not.
HYDRA is active. It's infecting SHIELD as we speak. They are playing the long game, initiated by Dr. Arnim Zola. In my timeline the breaking point was 2014. Hopefully it won't spread as far in this timeline.
You're already familiar with the two assets you want to look into, too.
The first is the Winter Soldier. I've enclosed his file. Much is redacted, but that shouldn't be a problem for you. The Winter Soldier is what he was dubbed by his captors. He is living proof that hypnosis and brainwashing are actually possible. You knew him better as Bucky. Yeah, that Bucky. He's alive. The experiments they did on him worked, he's like me. He survived the fall.
We need to save him.
The second is a program for young women. You've had dealings with a Red Room graduate in your SSR days. I have a friend who will be one of the best combatants to come out of this program. I'd like to shut it down. A future SHIELD agent convinced her to abandon the KGB and join SHIELD, but I am hoping we can bring her into our circle sooner. Her name is Natasha Romanoff, her file is also enclosed. The Red Room is atrocious, and while I wouldn't know Nat now if her past was changed, she could be happier.
I'm hoping I can save her twice, but we'll see.
I'm sure I don't need to say this, but the enclosed files should be for your eyes only. Or only one or two people you trust without a doubt. They hold details about the future. Some that I hope to change, and some that should probably be left alone. I'd feel horrible if you never got to meet Tony.
I'm dropping this off with your husband on night shift, so I'm guessing you'll have it read and processed by 8:30. If all goes well, we'll make introductions at 8:35.
I'm glad we had that dance,
Steve
She couldn't keep her breath from shuddering as she frantically glanced at the clock. 8:34. She had come in late.
She wanted to reread the letter, sure she had misunderstood something. Perhaps there was a code she missed? There was no way this was all true.
But when a flash of light left two figures in white suits in front of her desk she had no choice but to believe.
Such fanciful stories would astound her kids, if it weren't for the fact that this would all be classified.
.
"So what's the plan?" Peggy asked after a few minutes of reconciling their arrival with reality.
"We'll work on the missions as outlined, and assist in SHIELD as we can."
"I'm in suspense," the redhead commented dryly.
"HYDRA, Bucky, and you are the listed missions."
"Me?"
"Well, the Red Room. Take it down now, and try to find you later."
"Okay… I can join SHIELD in the meantime and assist from within the organization."
"Nat. It's the 70s. As much as you are capable, it'll be difficult for you to be a field agent."
"I've done difficult before."
"Not to mention you've been out of the field for the last 5 years."
"I can pass any test they have to clear me for field work." The redhead, Nat, was glaring daggers at Steve by this point. "And unlike some people, I know how to keep my impulses under control."
"Right miss 'it'll be fun.'"
"Well at least I know better than to jump out of a plane without a parachute!"
"It was into water!"
"How did you put up with this guy? Let alone train him?" she asked, turning to face Peggy.
"Is this a lover's spat?" she asked. She didn't mean to pry, the words just fell from her mouth.
The surprise and shock was obvious on both their faces.
"What? No!" Nat gasped.
"Peggy!" Steve groaned.
Daniel was trying very hard to contain his laughter beside her.