AN: Thank you all for the love for this fic and for this series. I appreciate your patience in between each chapter because I like to update all of the fics in this series at the same time. I hope you like this next chapter and I can't wait to hear what you think!
"Please tell me you brought a change of clothes," Peggy said as she entered the living room where Pepper was looking out at the ocean.
Pepper smiled over at Peggy as the other woman approached her. "Says the woman still in her pajamas." She teased.
"Ah, but I brought clothes to change into," Peggy smirked.
The redhead chuckled. "Fair point. I've got to call Larry back but after that, I was thinking we could go back to my place and get ready together?"
"Sure, that sounds lovely. I'll go get changed and while you talk with Larry think about which car down in that garage you'd like to drive today." She smirked as she headed to her room.
Pepper gasped as she turned to look at Peggy. "No. I already bought a dress it's fine."
"You are aware that one of those is technically mine, right?"
"Well, which one is it?"
"I'll tell you after you've picked the car." Peggy laughed at Pepper's groan, continuing on her way.
Peggy, along with a couple of Pepper's friends had planned a whole day to celebrate the red head's birthday. They would start off with brunch and then wind up at a club to end the day with drinks and dancing. Before getting dressed, she packed a small bag of things she would need to get ready at Pepper's as well as another outfit to change into when they were going out for their nighttime festivities.
She always tried to keep up with the latest fashions. Of course, in her younger days, it was a little forced by her mother, and yet as she grew older it became a habit. After the war, she tried to get back to it but after being in a uniform for so long she preferred the ease of movement. Now that she was tied to Stark Industries and even Tony himself, she had a little more to care about than movement. Luckily Pepper was there to help her after Ana passed away.
Her heels clicked along the floor as she rejoined Pepper in the living room. She had decided on a pink blouse and a dark pair of high-waisted jeans that were cut rather similarly to the trousers she wore after the war. "How'd it go with Larry?"
"The painting should arrive in a few days. They also want you to look over the contract for this new weapon." She said, handing over a file folder.
"Now?" Peggy asked, not thoroughly thrilled at the thought. "I told them I was taking the day off." She took the folder anyway and started to look through it.
"Stane wants it looked over right away."
Peggy rolled her eyes as she started making her way to the garage. "Of course, he does. Now c'mon, you have a car to choose."
"Why don't we just call Happy and have him drive us over?" Pepper asked, following behind the other woman.
She shook her head. "No. The man deserves these next few days off. I'll look over the file in greater detail once we return to your flat."
"About that," Pepper started as they walked down the stairs, "are you sure you wouldn't want to just stay over until Tony gets back?"
"I'll be fine, Pepper." She smiled as she entered the code to get in. "I have JARVIS to keep me company unless you're asking for another reason? Is everything alright?"
Pepper's eyes widened when she caught on to Peggy's meaning. "Oh! Yeah, things are fine. I'm safe." She smiled reassuringly.
"Good. Now pick a car." She motioned with her free hand.
"Miss Carter, I'd like to remind you…" JARVIS started before Peggy cut him off.
"Oh, don't spoil the fun, JARVIS."
There were plenty of choices, some flashier than others but thanks to her father's love of classic cars, Pepper's eyes were immediately drawn to the Cobra and the Corvette. She was just about to choose the Cobra when she saw the 98 decal on the side and decided against it. She was not going to drive around in a racecar. "How do you feel about the Corvette?"
Peggy smiled and tossed the keys towards her. "Good choice."
"Wait the Corvette's yours?" Pepper asked in awe. She remembered when Tony bought the car. He had been very specific about the year and the color scheme. With him being so particular, she always wondered why he never drove it. It now all made sense.
The relationship between Peggy and Tony always fascinated her. They were fun to watch and it was always fun to gang up on him with her. There was a deep love there and because of that, it seemed like Peggy was the only one to get a softer side of Tony. Then, on the other hand, Tony, when not the culprit of Peggy's anger, seemed to be the only one to get her calmed down. Not to mention the level of protectiveness they held for each other.
"You sound surprised." She was already sitting in the passenger seat, looking completely at ease. "Hop in. She drives like a dream."
Pepper didn't need to be told twice.
Peggy took over Pepper's vanity while the redhead got ready in her en suite. Much how she did during the war, she propped the file folder against the mirror and read through its contents as she curled her hair to add some waves and then wound the front portion up into a victory roll. As she was applying a darker pink shade to her lips, she finished looking over the file. Everything seemed exactly as it should be. Matter of fact it was just the old contract but the only thing that changed was the addition of the new weapon.
"Pepper, did you say Stane wanted me to look over this contract?"
"I did. Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine. I'm just going to step out and make a phone call. We didn't have to send it back to him, did we?"
"Nope! Just needed your stamp of approval."
"Perfect. I'll be back soon." Peggy picked up her phone and dialed Stane's number as she walked out into Pepper's living room.
The moment Obadiah answered, Peggy spoke, not letting him get a word in. "Why on earth are you wasting my time sending an old contract that's already been approved but with one sentence added? It's written how all the others around it are so why send it for my approval again?"
"Always good to hear from you too, Carter. I take it the contract is to your approval?"
She rolled her eyes. Wasn't that exactly what she had just implied? "Yes, it's been approved. Any other pointless assignments you think of for me can wait until I come into the office tomorrow." With that, she hung up the phone before he could get another word in.
In the grand scheme of things, Peggy understood why Howard chose Obadiah Stane to be a business partner. Stane was a great businessman, knew how to run things, and she was sure that came in handy when Howard needed to focus on SHIELD matters. However, that did not mean that Peggy had to like the man. Matter of fact she loathed every time she had to deal with him. She didn't exactly trust him either. Too much of a slick talker for her. So that's why she combed over every single detail of a contract to see if he was hiding something under their noses and yet she never found anything. Tony didn't seem too concerned either so there was no help there. She wished she hadn't made it so known that she didn't care for the man or she'd show up on his floor and try to get a peek into his office. Then again, she didn't have the spy gadgets that she had access to before.
She didn't want to think about those things now though. There was a birthday to be celebrated and she wasn't going to let any thoughts weigh her down today. Peggy made her way back into Pepper's bedroom and pulled out the birthday crown that Pepper's other friends wanted her to wear. Peggy had tried to fight it but she had been outnumbered.
"I just want to say that this was not my idea in the slightest, but they chose me to present it to you since we would be arriving together." She said, approaching the bathroom before holding out the plastic crown.
Pepper looked over at what Peggy was talking about and began to laugh. The friends they were meeting, Pepper met in college. They had even been roommates for some time. She took the crown and placed it on her head with ease. "It's silly, I know but it's a tradition that my friends and I started while we were in college. Maybe we need to start roping you in on it. It gets passed around the group every year."
Peggy laughed, shaking her head. "The gaudy parties that Tony throws are just enough thank you."
"Then we'll find a crown befitting the honorary Stark member." She smirked.
"Oh, don't you dare." Peggy laughed as they made their way to the car.
"Happy Birthday!" Pepper's friends said as they engulfed her into a hug once she and Peggy arrived at the restaurant.
Pepper was beaming as she should. Peggy certainly thought the woman deserved every ounce of attention she got today. Pepper worked hard enough it was time for her to be pampered.
The girls all chatted as they were led to their table, Pepper regaling the tale of how she kicked Christine Everhart out of the mansion. They all laughed at Pepper's response to Christine's rude comment.
"Oh, Pepper you didn't," Peggy said through her laughter.
"I did." She looked sheepish. "I know I shouldn't have gone to her level but she needed to be knocked off her high horse."
"Don't apologize. Tony should have the balls to do it himself." One of Pepper's friends said.
Another nudged her and motioned towards Peggy. "His sister is like right there."
That made Peggy laugh. "Just because I grew up with the man does not mean I condone his actions." They would all be horrified if they knew the nonsense she put up with, with Howard. "Besides I've been telling him to leave Pepper and Happy for that matter out of his romantic dealings for ages."
"Then that does it. We are going to find you someone to have romantic dealings with tonight."
Pepper shook her head. "No, we don't have to do that. Let's just enjoy our time together. I mean You guys are away from your girlfriend and husbands and Peggy's in from New York. Let's just break some hearts tonight and have some fun."
"Did he even remember your birthday?"
She floundered a bit at that. "Well, no."
"Peggy do you have anyone waiting for you back in New York?"
"Not exactly." She didn't particularly like where this was going. After Howard's death, the search for Steve was put on pause until Nick Fury reached out a few years later and informed her that she'd be kept in the loop as they continued their search. They merely needed to regroup and figure out another strategy. Ever since then she'd gotten updates sent to her every month.
"Then it's settled. If we see someone who looks like they'll be decent we are going to try to hook you two up."
"Do you think that's what we'll be like?" Peggy asked as she and Pepper drove to the spa. Facials and massages were on the agenda before they would go get their nails done.
"Like what?" Pepper asked, not quite following her line of thought.
"Matchmakers looking for any reason to try and set up our single friends with a date because we love being in a relationship so much." She explained causing Pepper to laugh.
"Weren't you engaged at one point? Were you like that then?"
"Oh, heavens no. Then again I was a little preoccupied."
"I don't know why I forget that you used to be in the military."
"Because it seems like it was a lifetime ago." Peggy laughed. "But really let's make a pact on not becoming like your lovely friends."
Pepper laughed. "I swear I think it's only because of the alcohol. I guarantee you they pregamed."
"Meanwhile we were working. Oh no, are we the serious ones of this friend group?"
"I think we're fun. I mean we're driving around in a classic 1955 Corvette. We're just waiting for the right man to come along while we work towards ruling the world."
Peggy smiled fondly at the mention of finding the right man. She was certainly still waiting for hers to be found while continuing to live her life. "Yes, yes we are. Seriously though are we going to look out for each other on that other thing?"
Pepper laughed. "Yes, we most certainly are. The two most important women in Stark Industries have to look out for each other."
"I am so glad you see yourself that way. Honestly, the company wouldn't be able to function without you."
"The same goes for you. Then again that whiskey you keep in your office helps out every now and then."
"And you know you're welcome to it at any time."
Peggy trudged through the door at an unseemly hour. While she couldn't get drunk as the other girls did, she still had a blast. She honestly couldn't remember the last time that she had that much fun. She had driven the birthday girl home, promising to bring her a bagel and coffee on their way into the office.
She kicked off her heels, not really caring where they landed. She would get them tomorrow. All she wanted right now was her bed. She took off her tights, unpinned her hair, and removed her makeup. She didn't feel like doing anything else. She forgot what it was like to be up this late especially with how early she had woken up.
Just as she was about to fall asleep JARVIS' voice came through the speakers. "Miss Carter something's just come up that I think you should see."
Peggy groaned, burying her face in her pillow for a moment. "Can it wait until morning?"
"I don't think so, ma'am. I'll play it on your television so you don't have to get out of bed."
"That's very thoughtful, thank you." She said as she turned to face the television screen.
She didn't know what she was expecting but seeing Tony surrounded by a group of terrorists, was not it. She sat up immediately, fear coursing through her. Her hands shook. Tears stung her eyes as a feeling she didn't experience too often washed over her. She felt helpless. She didn't know what to do. She had been gone from her line of work for too long she didn't know who she could call to figure out how to get Tony out of there. The bandages around his chest caused even more worry and dread to fill her stomach. Would he be okay long enough for them to get a rescue team together?
She didn't know what they said but she heard Tony's name and Obadiah's. The moment she heard that man's name everything swirling around inside her turned into white-hot rage. She threw back the covers and made her way to her closet. There was no way she was going to show up to Obadiah Stane's house in a little black dress.
"JARVIS what group was that around Tony?" She asked, going through her closet to find an outfit.
"That was the Ten Rings, Miss Carter."
"Will you call Rhodey for me?"
"Calling James Rhodes."
He picked up on the second ring. "Peggy, what are you still doing awake?"
"I was out celebrating with Pepper for her birthday but that's beside the point now. What's being done about Tony?"
"We were ambushed on our way back to base from the Jericho missile presentation."
"James, I asked what is being done, now what happened." She said in her no-nonsense tone.
"We're trying to find their base which is where we're assuming he's being kept. We'll find him, Peg."
"Who is this we?"
"The United States Air Force along with the Afghani Military."
"Then tell them that they better cooperate with your efforts or they won't be getting any deal from us until Tony is back home and safe."
"Yes, ma'am. Now try to get some rest. I'll call you when I've got some new information."
The call ended and Peggy stormed out of her room. JARVIS tried to get her attention but she was so one-track-minded, she didn't pay attention at all until she saw Happy standing in the living room, trying to not show just as scared he was. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to talk to Stane. What are you doing here?"
"I came here to request that you come stay with me. At least until Tony's back. I don't know if this is a part of a bigger operation and I would just feel better if you weren't here."
Peggy sighed. "I highly doubt that someone working with the Ten Rings is here let alone sent to come and get me. The only person who would remotely care about me to send any sort of ransom is currently in their custody."
"Please, Peggy. Tony would be upset to know that you weren't looked after."
"I don't need looking after. What I need is to know why Obadiah Stane's name is in the mouths of Tony's kidnappers. What I need is for Tony to be back here." Her voice cracked then. Those pesky tears returned but this time they fell to her cheeks. Yet another person she cared deeply about and couldn't keep safe.
Happy pulled her into a hug, which he was a little surprised that she let him do. "Tony's going to be back to driving you crazy soon. Let's go get you a bag packed and we'll stop at Stane's on the way."
Peggy sniffled and nodded before she pulled back. Happy handed her a handkerchief which caused her to let out a sound that was a mix between a laugh and a sob. A memory of Mr. Jarvis doing the very same flashed before her. "Thank you, Happy."
He smiled and motioned for her to head back to her room. "Of course, Peg. Now let's go get things settled before you go tear down Stane's door."
"Keep the car running when we get there? I think I'll need a speedy getaway."
He smirked down at her. "You got it."