This is set during the What If Episode. Steve didn't take the serum so that means he still has a lot of health problems it's time for Captain Carter to take care of him.
What if?
What if Steve became the Super Soldier?
It was a question that went through Steve's mind almost everyday. He was ready to take the serum he was ready to become the hero the people need then everything went sideways and Peggy Carter had no choice but to step in and take the serum.
Steve had to admit Peggy is the perfect choice. She's a fighter, a soldier and a true leader and he is glad that she is finally getting the respect she deserves. However part of Steve wished he can have that. He wanted to be respected, he wanted people to stop looking at him like any second he is going to break he wanted to prove to people he is more than just the skinny kid from Brooklyn. Steve was grateful for the suit Stark made him it really helped him in every battle he and Peggy make quite a good team but some of the soldiers see through the suit and still saw the skinny little kid that simply did not belong on the battlefield.
Steve snaps out of his thoughts when a drink goes into his hand.
"You look troubled." A voice said in his ear.
Steve smiles when he heard her voice.
"Troubled?" He says.
He heard the chair next to him being pulled back. She slips into the chair and rests her arms on the table.
"Yes." Peggy turns to him. "Troubled."
Steve gulps as her arm is pressed against his. Her muscles bulge through the fabric. Steve never imagined muscles to look this good on a woman. Honestly Steve has never met a woman as beautiful as Captain Peggy Carter. Steve wanted to reach out and admire the beauty that is in front of him. The young soldier knew if he did that it would make things very awkward. Instead he picks up his glass and sips it. He grimaced as the alcohol burned his throat.
"I'm fine."
Peggy frowns when he starts to cough. She leans forward to help him but the soldier shakes his head.
"I'm fine." He repeated. He then clears his throat. "This stuff takes a lot to get used too."
"At least you can feel it." Peggy sighed. "I unfortunately do not get the buzz anymore."
Steve gave her a sympathetic look.
"Well that sounds boring."
She snorted at that.
"I should have known there would be a downside to this." She gestures to herself. "But it's not the end of the world a girl like me can still have a good time."
"A girl like you." Steve said with an amused smile.
"I do other things apart from beating up bad guys you know." Peggy chuckled.
"Like dancing?"
"Hmm." Peggy sips her drink and nods. "Especially dancing."
Steve started to cough again. The coughing then turned into wheezing. Peggy's eyes widen with horror as she saw the young soldier struggling to catch his breath.
"Steve!"
"I'm...I'm...Fine."
"You're not fine!"
Steve waves it off.
"I..." Cough . "Get it..." Cough. "All the time it will..." Cough. "...pass."
Peggy couldn't sit back and watch him suffer. She needed to do something she needed to act now. So Peggy stands up.
"Come on let's get you out of here."
Steve begun to protest but Peggy wasn't having any of it. She will carry him out if she had to.
"Come on Steve. Let me help you."
Steve became tense as he felt her arm go round his shoulders. Her arm covered his petite frame. This only made him feel even more small and pathetic. Feeling too weak to fight back Steve had no choice but to let his Captain lead him out.
Steve shivers as the cold air hits him. Peggy pulls him in and uses her body heat to keep him warm. Steve sighs as the warmth consumes him but the coughing still remained.
"Not long now I promise." Peggy assured him.
Steve looks up and shakes his head.
"Don't." He gasped. "Take me there I don't need...a...a doctor."
"Steve."
"Please." He pleaded. "I...I will be wasting their time. I...I can take care of myself."
Peggy stops and looks down at him. Tears roll down his face and his body trembled under her grasp. Peggy is aware of his medical history. It upset her that a man who is so kind and so humble had to live with all these conditions. If everything went according to plan if Steve took the serum he wouldn't be standing here now struggling to breathe. That day was Steve's chance on getting better.
Peggy took that chance away from him.
Knowing now is not the time to dwell on it Peggy pushes down her guilt and says.
"I can't leave you on your own."
Peggy could go and look for Sergeant Barnes but the Captain had a feeling that Steve wouldn't want the other soldiers to see him like this. They already thought he was weak and fragile they didn't need this to become the topic of discussion.
Then Peggy had an idea.
"I know where we can go."
She walks past the tents and stops outside her tent. She opens the flap.
Steve froze when he realized where he was. Peggy couldn't help but chuckle as his cheeks suddenly turned red with embarrassment.
"Yes it's my tent it's nothing special."
Peggy's eyes go on the bed. Steve's eyes follow hers. He then shakes his head.
"Oh no I...I couldn't..."
"It's okay." She cuts him off with a smile. "I insist."
Peggy leads Steve to the bed and carefully helps him get on to it. Steve sits up on the bed and closes his eyes.
"Here." Peggy sits down on a chair and reaches out and takes his hands into her own. "Breathe with me."
Steve looks down at their hands. Her hands covered his. Again it reminded him how small and vulnerable he is compared to her. She could snap him in half if she wanted to.
"Copy me." Peggy nods. "Breathe in slowly."
She breathes in. Steve copies her.
"Breathe out."
She breathes out. Again Steve copies her. They did this several times until Steve got his breathing under control.
Steve takes a deep breath and calms his racing heart. He opens his eyes and looks at Peggy.
"Thank you." He smiled.
"No need to thank me." Peggy smiles back. "I'm just glad you're okay." The smile fades from Steve's face. His reaction caused Peggy to frown. "What? What's wrong?"
Steve looks away in shame.
"I'm sorry." He says. "For being a burden. We are in a War you should be out there not worrying about me..."
"Stop." Peggy leans forward. "You are not a burden not to me."
"Then what am I?" He frowned.
"You...You are hero." She beamed. "You have my back out there. You're my partner." Steve couldn't help but smile at those words. "But Steve." Her face turned serious. "You got to understand that's it okay to let other people help you."
"My whole life people have taken care of me." Steve shakes his head. "I...I just want..."
"You want to return the favor?"
"Well yeah." Steve sighs. "That's not going to happen now."
Peggy knew what he meant. He is referring to the serum. While he is proud of what Peggy has achieved Peggy can see in his eyes he wanted to be the Super Soldier. When the War is over everyone will thank Captain Carter for her service but Steve nobody is going to thank Steve nobody is going to recognize what he did for this country. He will just be known as that weak, sick kid from Brooklyn.
The thought of that made Peggy angry. Steve may not look like a hero but he had the heart of a hero. It annoyed Peggy how people can be so judgemental.
"Peggy?"
Peggy comes out of her enraged thoughts and looks at him..
"Steve." She sighs. "I'm sorry."
His face screws up with confusion.
"For what?"
For taking the serum. For taking your place as the Super Soldier. For being the reason you are still sick.
Peggy closes her eyes. What good would an apology do? It wouldn't change anything it wouldn't make Steve better. Deciding to change the subject Peggy clears her throat and says.
"You should get some rest."
"In...your bed."
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"Where will you sleep?"
"In the chair." Peggy smiles. "It's not as bad as it looks."
"Uh huh."
" I'm serious." Peggy cups his cheek with her hand. "You need to rest Steve." Steve goes to answer but instead a yawn comes out. Peggy chuckles. "See."
" I guess I am a bit tired. " He smiled sheepishly.
Steve lies down and turns on his side. He looks at his Captain all squashed in the chair. There is no way he is letting her sleep in that.
"I will rest on one condition." Steve says. "If you join me on the bed."
Peggy straightened up at that.
"Join you?"
"Not in that way." He quickly said. "I mean...umm...I can't let you sleep on that chair."
"I already said..."
"No." Steve cuts her off. "Here let me make some room for you." The soldier shuffles slightly to make some room. Peggy still looked skeptical. "Don't worry." Steve says. "It won't break."
Steve is probably right on that. After all he wasn't exactly heavy. Peggy gave it some thought. Eventually she gives in and goes on to the bed. Steve lifts the blanket over them both.
"Is that okay?" He asks.
"It's perfect." She smiled.
He turns to face her and smiles.
"Good night Peggy ."
"Good night my darling."
They both then fell asleep with their hands linked together.
The End.
