Chapter Thirty-five: the Rules of Time Travel

December 1941

It was merely moments after she stepped through the portal that Emma came face to face with her younger grandmother. She couldn't move at first, too shocked to say or do anything. It was Peggy who snapped her out of it.

"I understand that this is a lot to take in," Peggy said gently.

"Are you the one that's going to be guiding me?" Emma asked.

"The Ancient One thought you would need someone familiar by your side," Peggy replied.

"How much do you know?" she asked.

"I know that you're my granddaughter from the future here on a mission but that's about all I know," Peggy said. "She couldn't tell me further than that or the fact that I was suppose to help navigate your way through the forties until you finish your mission."

"Lovely person, isn't she?" Emma said sarcastically.

"I thought so," Peggy said with a smile. "Here I have some clothes for you and there's a spare bedroom in the back I have set up for you."

Emma took the clothes from Peggy, thanked her, and went to change her. The clothes weren't as bad for the forties as she thought it was going to be. The undergarments were a bit strange but it was nothing that she couldn't handle. Emma looked out the window in her bedroom. She had seen those type building before and she could guess where they were. Emma still decided to ask Peggy once she opened the door.

"Peggy, may I ask, where are we?" Emma asked. "And when?"

"We're in London and it's December 4th, 1941," Peggy said. "Right now, this place is temporary. I have been loaned out to the Americans."

She remembered when Gran talked about her time in MI5 and how Michael, her brother, had always known who she was. He had shown her that this was the life that she had been meant for. He had led her into joining the SSR and soon became a liaison from the British government under Phillips' orders. If Emma recalled correctly this was around the time that Bucky enlisted but Emma could be getting dates mixed up. She was living history, her grandparents' history. Emma felt faint.

"You'll be leaving for America soon then?" she asked.

"We both will," Peggy said. "You'll be joining me in the SSR as Agent Penelope Carter, once I get you adjusted to the forties."

"Penelope Carter?" Emma asked with wide eyes.

"You're my younger sister, at least in this time," Peggy said with a smile.

"I think I understand something now," Emma said with a laugh.

Emma thought that when Bucky was calling her by her mother's name that he had been calling for her mother, that he knew her. He had been calling for Emma, though. He knew her in the forties which meant that Steve did as well. He knew that Emma was his granddaughter from the moment she had shown up on his doorstep, didn't he? He had to have known. He had some serious explaining to do when she got back. . .if she got back.

"There was a package left behind for you from the ancient one," Peggy said. "I'll give you a moment and then I'll show you how dinner's done in the forties in the middle of a war."

Emma chuckled as Peggy closed the door behind her. She found the package laying on her pillow, she hadn't noticed it before. What would Natasha think? Emma picked up the package and opened it to reveal a journal. It was thick with what looked like several hundred pages. It had a leather brown cover with a green brightly colored tree spread across it. In the center of the tree, where a hole in the bark of the tree should be, appeared to be a thumb print scanner that shimmered blue.

Emma raised an eyebrow and placed her thumb print on the scanner. She heard the sound of something clicking open and she pulled back the cover. Okay, this was the coolest journal she ever had. Emma opened it to the first page and she was surprised to find her own hand writing there. Things like this shouldn't really surprise her anymore and yet it did.

The 4 Simple Rules of Time Travel:

1. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING!

2. Only two people can know where you came from. Peggy is one of them. You will know who when the time is right.

3. You cannot save Bucky Barnes from his fate. You have to let go.

4. Also, have fun. You only live in the 1940s once. Not too much fun.

The last part was written in both hers and Tony's handwriting. She smiled. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. She could do this. Emma closed the journal and went to help Peggy with dinner.