Chapter 3 Peggy/Rogers No means no!

Howard's point of view

"I'm going to have to go to California for a while"

"Oh?"

"The Expo is there"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No… Don't misunderstand Peg, we're great… solid as a rock but… I need to focus on work and I can't do that if I'm… distracted by thinking about you… not that I don't like thinking about you"

"How long will you be gone?"

"A fortnight"

"OK"

"How will you manage alone?"

"I'm not going to be alone. Dr Carbonell will be there… she's a good friend… she's been my other best friend and my therapist since the end of the war…"

*3 days later, early in the morning*

"All right Peggy, I have to go… I'll call you when I get to Malibu"

"OK… fly safe"

"I will, love you"

"Love you too"

We kissed hard and then I left, Edwin drove me to the airport.

As soon as I landed in Malibu, I drove straight to the house and called Peggy.

Peggy's point of view

It is unclear to me why I did it… I don't know what made me do it… Maybe I was just… missing Howard… perhaps I was confused about how I felt for him… possibly I wanted to make him jealous… it just… happened.

I knew then how stupid and dangerous it was. Not only that, but I should have known what the consequences would be… Howard was in California for the Expo… I was alone… and rather lonely.

I was just leaving the office when he came around the corner and almost careered right into me. He hadn't changed much… the serum didn't really work on him… he had more muscle, he'd grown a bit but not much, and he still had asthma, which is why he was on office duties.

"Agent Carter, you're looking well…"

"Thank you"

"I was wondering… are you available to go dancing tomorrow night?"

The answer was out of my mouth before I could stop it…

"Yes…"

"8pm at the Stork Club, don't you dare be late!"

The instant I said it, I regretted it, but it was too late to take it back. I turned and ran out of the building into the rain and straight into Edwin…

"Ms Carter, are you all right?"

"I just did something incredibly stupid! Not to mention incredibly bloody dangerous."

"What did you do?"

"I agreed to go dancing with Rogers…"

"How is that stupid and dangerous?"

I gave him an incredulous look and he realized.

"Ms Carter, I can assure you Mr Stark won't mind."

"Does he have a companion on the West Coast?"

"Well… he did, but… it's complicated. Dr Carbonell is with him… they're just good friends…"

"I'm glad there's someone to keep an eye on him and stop him from working himself into the ground… I never should have told Rogers yes… I'm a fool…"

"Tell you what, I will get in contact with Mr Stane… I will ask him to attend the club tonight and keep an eye on you. Ana and I will attend too."

"Don't you think I should talk to Howard about this?"

"Not until after the fact. He won't mind… his mind is on the Expo and nothing else at present. If you disrupt his thought process right now, he'll be angry because he wants to focus on work. If you wait to do it, when you confess things to him, he will forgive you."

Terrified and worried, I got dressed. Ana helped me with my hair and makeup.

"Stop worrying Ms Peggy… Mr Stark will not mind…"

"Rogers has a reputation as…"

"I know, and that's why Edwin has put the safeguards in place that he has."

When we went to the Stork Club, Rogers was waiting for me…

"You look beautiful… these are for you" he said handing me a small posy of daffodils.

"I…"

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you meant that we would be going dancing as friends… not as anything else"

"Still hung up on Stark, are you?"

"It's more complex than that… Howard is at the Expo in California, he's working, he's really busy, that's why he told me it was a better idea for me to stay in New York."

"Well, I don't see why we can't be more than friends"

"We can't"

"Why?"

"Because… when Howard comes back…"

"Is he going to come back though?"

"Yes"

"Look, all you have to do is tell him that I volunteered to take you dancing since he couldn't OK?"

"OK"

Later that night, I'd had one glass of white wine and Rogers had had several beers. The super soldier serum didn't work on him… he could still get drunk.

He suddenly dragged me outside and tried to kiss me.

"Rogers, I told you…"

"Howard's not here. He can't see this…"

"But"

"But what?"

"It feels dishonest and wrong"

"Not to me… come here Peg"

"No"

"I said come here Peg"

"No…"

"I don't like being disobeyed"

"You're hurting me! Get off me! NOW!"

"You'll do as you're damn well told!"

Rogers slapped me… I fell to the ground. Obie came over.

"Hey… Agent Rogers, the lady said no, she meant no" said Obie

"Back off Stane"

Obie grabbed Rogers by the collar and escorted him out of the club…

I raced to the restroom, tears streaming down my cheeks… Ana followed me.

"Miss Peggy… are you OK?"

As soon as she asked me that, I broke… completely.

Ana took me out to the foyer of the club,

"Edwin, I think we should go home"

"I'm inclined to agree" said Obie

I was totally distraught…

I didn't sleep a wink that night… When Howard got home, Maria was with him… I made myself scarce. I offered to drive Ana to the supermarket so that she could do the grocery shopping and Edwin could have his day off. At all costs, I avoided Howard because I wanted to avoid having to explain to him what had happened…

Finally, he caught up with me in the dining room. I was having coffee and reading a magazine when he came in.

"Why do I get the feeling you've been avoiding me all day?"

I gulped.

"I think that would be because I have" I admitted

"Peg… look at me… Obie told me what that bastard Rogers did to you… he'll be dealt with, I promise."

"You mean you're… not… angry with me?"

"Of course not… come here"

I just wish that Rogers had been dealt with properly… I thought he had, and then something worse than what happened that Friday night happened.