There in the small house a pair dance to the slow music. A man walks up to the door, preparing to knock, when he notices the door ajar. Cautious, he peers through the window and sees his worst nightmare; his beau swaying with another man- a man like no other. With a pang in his heart he steps back and watches, not believing his eyes. He's alive. Steve Rogers is alive- and he's dancing with Peggy Carter. Before he knows it she lifts her head from Steve's shoulder and peers into his eyes, and with a sunken heart Daniel watches as the two meet with a kiss. As he tries to catch his breath, his chest tightens and all air leaves his lungs; his heart has shattered. As he tries to catch his breath, he hears Peggy speak through the opened door.
"I missed you, Steve." She says as she pulls back from the kiss. "I never forgot about you."
"I missed you too. More than you'll ever know." He chuckles and smiles down at her as they continue to sway to the music.
At the door Daniel takes another step back and looks down at the porch, his mind swirling endlessly. Peggy, his Peggy, was never really his. With puffy eyes and a single tear, Daniel walks away from the house - away from the love of his life.
(The Next Day)
While the sun begins to rise on the early morning of Los Angeles, the SSR office begins to fill with agents for the day. Everyone gets started for the day, some seated at their desks, others walk around for coffee and files. All the while the morning begins for them, little do they know their chief has barely left the previous day behind.
Daniel Sousa slumps in his chair, head in his hands, and his hair ruffled from restlessness. The image of his love dancing with a ghost- a ghost come back from the dead. To him it seemed like a horrid nightmare, one he has yet to wake from. Images of Peggy held in the arms of a dead man haunt Daniel still, and he hasn't slept since.
Within the hour Peggy walks into the bullpen, her heels clink and echo through the room. The few agents present this early all stare at the visitor she has alongside her. They all freeze in place, astonished by the presence of a ghost.
As she walks to her destination, she knocks and Daniel mumbles his response. Peggy opens the door and greets him with her smile; a smile he grew to know and love after 3 years of being together.
(Flashback)
As he stands at the door knocking, his heart beats out of his chest. Although they've been on numerous dates over the year, she never fails to make him nervous. As she opens the door and takes his arm, they set out on a night filled with love and peace. They dine on the beach and laugh along the pier, enjoying the night.
Once they return, Daniel's down turned mood confuses her, and she asks what is bothering him. He replies with his concerns -concerns regarding their relationship. She's leaving soon, maybe for a long time.
"This, us...it will work. No matter the distance or circumstance."
"How can you be sure, Peggy?"
"Because, Daniel" She laughs. "I love you."
She beams at him with the brightest smile she can give. Peggy Carter knows who her right partner is. And that man is Daniel Sousa, her love.
(End flashback)
"Daniel!" As she walks in the door with such enthusiasm, he almost forgets the strain in his heart "There's someone I think you should meet."
As she looks behind her and gestures for someone to enter, Daniel stands; his curiosity peeked. When he does he is met with the face of the man has that stole the woman he loves. He's face to face with Captain Steve Rogers himself.
"Steve this is Daniel Sousa, the chief of this office. Daniel this is Captain Steve Rogers...He came back." Her voice slightly cracks at the end and she looks at him in wonder. Peggy still cannot believe he's alive.
As she introduces the two men, Steve stands still, stiff as a log. Daniel, knowing what is civil, reaches out his hand. Steve hesitates but they shake nonetheless. For several minutes Peggy talks to Daniel, and yet Rogers doesn't speak up once; instead he watches Daniel closely with a caution in his eye.
As the rest of the day goes by Rogers stays awfully silent when around Daniel. He keeps his distance and grimaces when he sees him walk with he crutch. Peggy hasn't seemed to notice, but Daniel has. When lunch time comes around, Agent Simone takes everyone's order and passes them out when he returns. Peggy takes hers and walks over to Daniel's office. Once in, she hands over his and starts a conversation like any other day.
They sit and eat their lunch, chattering away as if nothing has changed. Daniel listens to her feather like laughter, and his heart feels whole again. It seems like the fog has lifted and the ice has broken; everything seems back to normal. As the room fills with their laughter, the office door bursts open.
"What's so funny?" Steve interjects, and Daniel's grin turns into a grim expression.
And all at once, what began to feel at peace, turned into that of a silent war.
Neither Peggy nor Daniel answer his question, leaving the room to fill with awkward silence. Daniel crosses his arms and leans back against his desk while Peggy bites her lower lip and tries to keep her smile at bay. She knows Steve would never understand the joke in which Daniel had just told, one pertaining to a case they solved together; one in which Steve Rogers was 'dead' for.
Steve glances between them, an odd chill running up his spine. Daniel squints his deep brown eyes at the man lingering at his office door, his mind filled with unease. Peggy, sensing the tension, clears her throat and stands. Steve grinds his teeth together and locks his jaw before he walks to Peggy. He takes her hand in his and storms away. Confused, Peggy stops in her tracks, only to be pulled further by Rogers.
"Where are you taking me!?" Peggy asks as Steve pulls her away. "Steve!" At this he stops and looks at her. "What is going on? Why did you-"
"I just- I had to, Peggy." She raises a brow and tilts her head, causing him to look down and sigh. "To keep us safe, I had to."
"Safe? From Daniel? That makes no sense, Daniel would never hurt me."
"That's the problem" He mumbles.
"What!?"Peggy exclaims.
"I need you to trust me on this, Peg. He's not good for you." She knits her brow and stares in shock. Steve sighs before explaining. "I have literally traveled through time and space to be with you. This is our chance to make up for the years I was gone."
As he begins to confess to Peggy what he has done, Daniel walks out of his office and listens from afar.
"Steve, what are you talking about?"
"Look, Peggy, we are meant to be together. Not you and a man that can't even walk on his own." At this Peggy yanks her hand away and takes a step back, her deep breath shaking within her.
"I beg your pardon?" She questions with a shake of her head; not believing the words uttered from the man before her.
"I hit the reset button, Peg. I came back for you. I came to give you the life you deserve. Not one where you spend the rest of it with a guy who can't even carry you off on your wedding day."
"I-I'm sorry." She interrupts with a raised hand. "Wedding? A-are you saying that Daniel and I-" Peggy stops and averts her eyes from him, her hand still lingering.
Steve grasps it and clamps it in his own. Daniel looks between Peggy and Steve, her expression one of horror. The abyss of anger boils inside of him and he can't stand to listen to another word from Rogers.
"Yeah. You did. But now...everything's changed." He smiles at her and she turns away, the bile in her stomach threatens to rise in her throat.
"So you-" Daniel stops and glances at Peggy, the woman who's gobsmacked expression expresses his own thoughts. "You erased everything Peggy and I had just so you could fulfill an obsessed fantasy?"
Steve turns to Daniel and refuses to back down, his gaze glued to him. As the tension rises, Peggy steps back and leans against a desk, placing her head in her hands as her whole world flips upside down once more.
"Its not an obsessed fantasy. Its a new reality. One where Peggy gets the man she actually deserves. Not some-" His hand flails and point to Daniel's crutch. "Some gimp who limps around. She deserves someone who can protect her and keep up. Not someone who'll put her in danger by slowing her down." Steve's face is close to his; his words fueling a fiery rage burning within Daniel.
"I'd choose your next words very carefully, Rogers." Daniel sneers.
Steve's eyes glide down to his crutch, causing him to chuckle.
"Or what? Are you going to crutch away and throw something? Or would that make you loose balance and cause you to fall." Peggy lifts her head and gasps, her fist clenching at her side. "I would say we can call Life Lock to help you,but unfortunately that hasn't been invented yet."
"Life Lock? What the hell is that?" Peggy interjects.
"Its a program for the elderly, or in this case, the crippled. Its a button you press to alert the authorities you need help. You know 'Help I've fallen and I can't get up' slogan, but like I said...hasn't been invented yet." Steve turns back to Daniel and looks him in the eye. "Guess you should make sure not to loose your balance. Otherwise you'd be left to fend for yourself...crip."
"How dare you! Daniel is more than capable of-"
"Not now Peggy!" Steve shouts. "I'm talking to the gimp. Or do you have to have a woman speak for you?"
Before Steve could react, Daniel steps back and raises his crutch. With one clink to the head, Steve is stunned. He looks at Daniel and raises a hand, but he's not quick enough. Daniel steps aside and whacks Rogers in the pit of his knee, causing him to fall. A loud thud fills the SSR office when Steve hits the floor.
With one swift clink across the skull, Steve drifts unconscious and falls. Daniel stands, hovering above him, while Peggy walks over to him. After a quick exam for injuries, she places hand on either side of his cheeks and runs her fingers over his face.
"Are you alright?" Daniel looks down and averts his eyes from her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm not the one who got their ass handed to him." He pulls out of her grasp and looks down at the unconscious super soldier.
"Daniel..."
Peggy reaches out to him, but he pulls away- leaving her heart to sink into her chest. Daniel starts to walk away but is pulled back by Peggy. She grabs his face and presses her lips to his. In this moment it seemed as if all of time had froze. When they break apart their eyes meet in a silent, questioning gaze.
"I choose you. I will always choose you."
For several moments they stare into each other, and Daniel begins to get lost in the golden flakes that dance in her eyes. As their lips meet once more Daniel knows in this exact moment that he never lost her. The love of his life was here, and she was never leaving his side.