Steve went for a run early the next morning in a hazy drizzle that soaked through his clothes in minutes and left him almost chilled in the end. The sun, which was usually just rising as he finished his workout, failed to make an appearance, and the world only turned a brighter gray as it rose over the horizon. He showered quickly, then stuffed his dirty workout clothes into a plastic bag before he packed them away with his other things. He checked and rechecked the dresser, bathroom, and even the small kitchenette to make sure he wouldn't leave anything behind, and then he sat at his desk to wait, taking out a spare piece of paper and a pencil that had come with the room.
He let his thoughts wander as he marked the page, making a rough outline before filling in details. Rain began to patter against the window lightly, and the light from the outside was dim and dreary. Steve had never minded rain, but he felt that there could have been a more promising start to the day.
His phone rang just as he was putting the finishing touches on a sketch of the old motorcycle he rode during the war.
"Hello," he answered with the appropriate greeting.
"Hi Steve. I'm here if you want to let me in," Eleanore's voice sounded bright against the background of gloom Steve was seeing. He could hear raindrops pattering in the background of her side of the call, too.
"I'll be right out. Signing— er. See you in a minute." He heard her say, "Okay" as he hung ended the call, putting the phone back into his pocket as he stood. Eleanore was picking him up to take his things to the new apartment. Steve was grateful for the fact that they'd already parked his motorcycle there the night before, and he'd taken a cab back to SHIELD's barracks. The rain would have made riding in the open air miserable.
He left the drawing and the pencil on the desk and picked up his duffel bag, which held all of his current worldly possessions. He walked quickly down the stars at the end of the hall and handed his key to the security guard posted at the front reception desk. He turned to the set of outside doors, and paused when he saw Eleanore waiting for him under a red umbrella. She wore a black and white trench coach with a curving pattern and a gold belt buckle, along with blue jeans tucked into a pair of gray boots.
Steve quickly exited the building. "I didn't know you were waiting," he said as he met Eleanore, who flashed him a bright smile and held the umbrella over his head as well.
"I thought you might like some help carrying your stuff," she replied. She allowed Steve to take the umbrella from her, and together they walked to the car.
"This is all I have," Steve lifted the bag in his non-umbrella-holding hand with a slight shrug. "Not much to carry."
"No, I guess I should have asked." Eleanore opened her car door and got in as Steve held the umbrella over her. The dog sat in the back seat, observing them both. "Thanks, I'll open the trunk for your bag." Steve nodded and walked back to stow his duffel away before he got into the front seat of the car.
"I think we planned this day very well," Eleanore commented as she pulled out of the parking lot. "And since you don't have a lot of things, would you like to drop your stuff off at the apartment or go straight to shopping?"
"Shopping is fine," Steve replied. He and Eleanore had eaten together again the night before, and afterward they had walked slowly through Steve's empty apartment, talking about what furniture should go where. Steve had wanted to keep it simple, just a bedroom set, a couch, and a desk. They'd agreed on the placement of all of these things, and Eleanore suggested that Steve could stay with her until it was all delivered. He'd agreed, eager to get out from under SHIELD's watchful eye.
"Okay, well I think we'll head out to a shopping center where they'll have most of the things we need." Eleanore carefully maneuvered onto the interstate that led southwest out of D.C. itself.
"Like a department store?" Steve asked, recalling the newfangled stores from the 40's.
"Yeah, kind of like that," replied. "Only there's a lot of department stores and other stores in one giant building. There's a couple furniture stores too, and just places to shop around for everything."
"Alright," was Steve's only reply. He had not been shopping since he'd awakened, instead going out for meals and using the standard clothing SHIELD had provided for him. Today he wore what he'd learned was called a T-shirt under his leather jacket, along with black cargo pants and a pair of running shoes.
"So…" Eleanore said after they'd ridden ten minutes in comfortable silence. "I know this might be weird to ask, but do you want to shop for clothes today as well?"
"That would be good," Steve said, wondering how long they'd be in stores. At least it was only for one day.
"And, um, you haven't been shopping before this?" Eleanore seemed a little nervous and Steve felt confusion.
"No, not since I woke up. Why?" He turned to face her, but she kept her eyes on the road.
"It's just… the price of everything is crazy now, compared to the 1940's. I didn't want you to be shocked. Oh," she looked at him for a moment before carefully reaching behind her seat for her purse. "They gave me a card for you, with a furnishing allowance."
"Furnishing allowance?" Steve asked, taking the small bag as she handed it to him.
"Yeah, it's a card with money on it. We pay for things electronically now, a lot." Eleanore merged into the rightmost lane, "It works like the access cards, you know? People get a unique card, which is linked to their bank account, and they swipe it at the register to pay for things."
"Oh," Steve said. "I've seen that. I wondered about it, but I forgot to ask."
"Yeah, I bet you have a lot of questions," Eleanore's tone was not judgmental, only observational. "Just ask me anything you want, okay? I won't embarrass you, or at least I'll try not to."
"I wasn't worried about that," Steve said. They rode quietly once more, keeping pace with the other automobiles. Rain spotted the windshield, and was periodically swept away by the wipers. Steve felt a peace steal over him, and he wondered if Eleanore was unconsciously projecting her emotions, or if he was just feeling calm.
"Where are you from?" he asked her, in the interest of keeping a conversation going.
"I actually grew up on a farm in Iowa… I was homeschooled until 8th grade, and then I graduated early. My mom had to work a lot, so my grandparents raised me. My dad… wasn't in the picture." She anticipated his next question. "I moved here for college, and my grandparents both died a couple years ago so I haven't been back." She looked a little wistful, but she wasn't telling him a sob story.
"What about your mom?" Steve asked gently.
"She lives here. She actually worked for SHIELD, I think I told you that, and now she's in a home for retired agents. Not because she's old or anything… she has cancer."
"I'm so sorry," Steve mentally kicked himself for bringing this up now.
"It's okay, she's doing pretty well with treatments. That's where I go during 'personal time' on my schedule— I visit her." Eleanore flashed Steve a quick grin, as if to let him know she was alright. The drove in silence for a while, as Steve digested this new information.
"So have you been to see Peggy yet?"
Steve sputtered, "You mean… her grave?" There went the calm…
Eleanore looked at him with her face apparently frozen in shock. After a few seconds, she seemed to remember she was driving, and she pulled off onto an exit.
"Don't tell me… Those ass-cravats at SHIELD… You don't know?!" her voice rose in volume, filling the small space of the car with her disbelief. She continued to drive, turning and pointing them back the way they'd come.
"What don't I know?" Steve's apprehension was growing, along with an unreasonable feeling of hope. Don't fool yourself. If she is… but no. She is dead. She must have died long ago.
"Steve," Eleanore's voice had dropped to the proper volume, and she looked a little scared. "Steve… she's alive. She's in the same place as my mom. I visit her, too."
Steve was silent, letting the news sink in. People knew? The other agents? Peggy helped start SHIELD; surely they knew her? Knew where she was? Why wouldn't they tell me?
"Why didn't you tell me?" Steve asked, not bothering to control his voice. Sadness, betrayal, and rage made themselves heard through his every word.
"I thought you knew! I'm so sorry. It was stupid… I assumed they told you, and… I'm really sorry, Steve." Eleanore's hands gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles, her face a mask of irritation, worry, and concern.
Steve processed this, letting his emotions wash over him like waves in an ocean, picking out the thoughts among them like seashells. "Take me there."
"We're on our way."