January 1949

Steve narrowed his eyes and followed Peggy's movements as if he's a predator waiting to jump on its prey. A few moments later, he released a heavy sigh and Peggy chuckled in response. "You have to speak your mind, darling. Sulking over there won't get you anywhere."

Steve stood up and shrugged as he put his hands inside his pockets, "just tell me who he is," he pleaded.

Peggy turned around from the sink and pursed her lips, eyes filled with mirth, "oh you are so jealous! You told me you're not!" she laughed quietly.

Steve frowned at her which Peggy found utterly adorable, so she walked towards him and rested her hands against his cheeks, "you have nothing to worry about Steve, I promise you that."

He covered her hands with his own, "he's an SSR agent too?"

Peggy rolled her eyes before she nodded, "yes he is, we weren't even together that long. Just the time I spent in California that's all."

"You were there for six months!" Steve argued with a look that made him seem like a child.

Peggy laughed again as she tapped his face before she dropped her hands back to her side and shrugged, "I wasn't there just to have a relationship with the man, was I? Keep in mind darling that he was my superior that time and well," she paused, "it didn't start off as smoothly as you can imagine."

"So what's his name?" Steve knew he was being unreasonable, jealous, and just a tad bit worried.

Peggy was getting exasperated, so she decided to humor him and went along with his questions. She leaned against the island and crossed her as she answered truthfully, "his name is Daniel Sousa, I've worked with him here in New York before he was transferred to the SSR office in California. He and I," she paused and looked at Steve who raised an eyebrow waiting for her to continue, "what will you even get out from this?"

Steve just shrugged telling her to continue, "He and I worked on a case together in California, that was when we got closer and it was really going well until…"

"Until what?"

Peggy clenched her jaw, "until he found out that me and Howard were still searching for you," she shrugged. "I did convince him eventually that I wasn't just using him to forget about you, but he insisted that he couldn't live up to the man that you were, well are." There was still more to it, he knew but he nodded.

Steve felt guilty for bringing that up and embraced her as an apology, "I didn't know, I'm sorry."

Peggy smiled, "that's quite all right, it's all in the past, best not to dwell on it."

They fell into silence and just enjoyed each other's company. Still in each other's arms, Steve began to sway them as if there's a slow song playing in the background, nights like this was something he dreamt of having back in his modern life. But no matter, even in this life, he knew he still has a duty to protect the woman in his life and try to save his best friend and make this life worth living.

~kingdomfictionalia