The usual disclaimers apply.

Chapter 3: Kick in the Head

His aching head would have preferred the dark and quiet of sleep, but his bladder's call for attention was far stronger. A trip to the bathroom was in order. He opened his Sahara-dry eyes, wincing at the early morning light beaming obnoxiously through the windows.

The room was unfamiliar in almost every way. The bed was softer than his own, the sheets were silky against the bare skin of his leg and arms, and the walls were a soft, clean blue. He knew his own bed was firmer, the sheets a lower quality, and the walls in his bachelor flat were a dingy white. The only familiar things in this room were his prosthetic and crutch propped against the dainty chair close to the bed and the scent. He breathed deeply, closing his eyes against the light and willing his unhappy stomach to calm. The bed linens smelled fresh and clean, much as his own did. He was a bachelor, but he wasn't a savage.

Bachelor. That's right. That's how all of this had started.

The Prior Evening, Approximately 2100 Hours

Offices of the SSR

"Good evening, gentlemen." Howard Stark practically bounced into the bullpen radiating bonhomie. He took a quick look around, then headed directly to Daniel's desk. "Hey, Sousa, where's Peggy?"

"Stark," Daniel acknowledged, but continued to pack up his files for the night. "Carter is still on that milk run for Thompson."

Howard's face fell. "Aw, shoot."

"She should be back sometime tomorrow." Daniel said absently. "Why?"

"I have some news for her." Stark's quick glance around the room told him that he was gathering an audience, and a brilliant idea struck him. "In fact, you all can be the first to know. Well, almost the first."

"Stark, what are you doing here?" Thompson had seen the inventor through the windows of his office. It wasn't unusual for Stark to be at the SSR. It didn't happen that often, but there were times during the past year that Stark had come in to consult on a case or to offer new inventions (ones that had been rigorously tested to ensure that their use would protect the users, not inadvertently kill them) to help the SSR with its duties. Thompson had no luck in preventing Stark from waltzing in without an invitation, but the man - while certainly not harmless - was an ally. Until a workable solution presented itself, Thompson would have to endure Stark's occasional presence.

"I am here with news, Chief Thompson." Stark was gloating now. "You," a wave of his hand encompassed the entire population of the bull pen, "are looking at a man whose days as a bachelor are numbered."

"Thank you for doing your part as a concerned citizen, reporting this...misdeed," Thompson drawled insultingly. "But it is not a crime to bamboozle a naive girl into a life sentence with you...unfortunately."

"Ha, Chief Thompson, ha-ha." Stark let the insult roll right off his back. There were only a select few whose opinion's he cared about. Thompson wasn't even close to making that short list. "The exquisite Maria has made me a happy man, and I am going out to celebrate. You gentlemen should come along. Drinks are on me."

It hadn't taken much persuading on Stark's part to get a majority of the agents to agree. Gomez and McGrath were stuck with the night shift, but most of the others accepted the invitation with glee. Stark could be an irritating ass at times, but he could also be a source of amusement, to say nothing of the enticement of free booze.

"You're coming, too, of course." Stark said quietly to Sousa during the flurry of activity caused by a dozen agents as they put their work away in preparation of leaving.

"I don't know, Stark." Daniel should have known by now that, unless one was very determined, there would be no gainsaying the tenacious Howard Stark. The man could talk rings around anyone in the most annoying way.

"Don't be ridiculous." Stark interrupted airily. "It is your responsibility to come along. After all, Agent Carter would expect you to do your duty and keep me out of trouble."

"Howard," Daniel said dryly, "keeping you on the straight and narrow is above my pay grade."

"Who said anything about the straight and narrow?" Howard waggled his eyebrows, "I just need someone with the skills to protect this gorgeous face when I inevitably piss someone off."

"Oh, well, if that's all." Daniel knew it wasn't worth the argument. Stark would keep talking...and talking...and talking until he gave in. It was better to agree now and then make his excuses after a drink or two.

A drink or two turned into considerably more for everyone and Daniel had stayed with the group far longer than he had planned. Everyone was telling outrageous stories, making the others laugh and protest the obvious exaggerations. They went to three different clubs, enjoying the bustle, the music, the refreshments, the girls.

Three hours later, a Very Drunk Howard Stark had another glorious idea.

He shepherded the group all the way to his house on Abilene Street. He started knocking on the door, loudly.

"Stark," Daniel wasn't quite drunk. Tipsy, yes, and with his prosthetic leg and crutch, that was a bit dangerous. He was still able to drum up some rational thought. "If this is your house, why are you knocking?"

Howard didn't have a chance to answer, as an irritated Angela Martinelli threw the door open.

"What in the world is going on, Stark?"

"Hey, beautiful," he oozed charm as he leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek. "We're here to wait for Peggy."

"Peggy won't be home until tomorrow." Angie protested ineffectually as Howard led his troops into the residence. He began to order the men about, getting them to pour drinks from his stash and set up card tables for some promised poker.

Daniel took pity on Peggy's best friend and explained the reason for their celebration. "Stark really wants to tell Peggy, and I think he's having a hard time waiting."

Angie rolled her eyes. "Of course he is." She huffed a sigh. "That man is such a child."

She began to improve the level of organization - after all, she was still sober while the boys around her were three sheets to the wind. Poker games began, but as guys started dropping out, they either called cabs to take them to their homes or - and this was by far a more popular choice - they made their way to the guest rooms that Angie had pointed out to them.

It was 3:00 A.M. when Daniel finally started to make his way out. Angie caught him just as he was picking up the phone to call for a cab himself.

"Oh, Agent Sousa," she reached out to touch his sleeve. "You don't really want to find your way home now, do you? It's late and it's raining - too miserable to fight your way home through that. A couple of the guest rooms have two beds. We have plenty of room."

"Ah, thank you, Miss Martinelli," Daniel didn't relish the thought of trying to sleep through the racket that some other agents were making. Even down here in the foyer, the stentorian sounds of snoring echoed faintly from the guest rooms up stairs.

Seeing his eyes lift to the upper floor and realizing why he didn't really want to share a room with any of his colleagues, Angie grinned. "You know, I wouldn't offer this to just anyone, but since Peggy's not here, why don't you use her bed?"

Present Day

That explained so much. He wished he'd had the forethought to drink a tall glass of water and dose himself with aspirin before he sank into Peggy's bed. The truth was, while an occasional night out on the town could be fun, it was more exhausting than pulling all-nighters for work. He wondered what time it was.

Well, time to find a bathroom, but he had known that already. With a great effort, he pushed the covers away and sat up to reach for his prosthetic. At his movement, something else shifted on the bed. It rolled over and settled, warm and solid against his lower back.

Daniel froze.

For a long, breathless moment, he waited. When there was no other movement, he risked a cautious look over his shoulder.

Peggy Carter lay sleeping, slightly spooning his back. She wore no make-up and her hair was mussed from sleep. She was breathtaking.

Oh, god. What was he going to do? How was this possible?

His poor bladder wouldn't allow indecision. Torn between the need for speed and the need for quiet, he practically jumped into the little chair at the bedside. With trembling fingers, he reattached his leg as quickly as he knew how. There didn't seem to be much to be grateful for at the moment, but he was relieved that he had only stripped down to his skivvies.

Shit. He would need to get dressed before he could venture out into the hallway to use the bathroom. He had folded his clothes and placed them...where? A quick search of the room revealed that his shirt and trousers were sitting on top of his shoes near the door. All. The. Way. Across. The. Room.

Somebody, he thought, please just shoot me now.

"Daniel?"

Peggy's voice, husky from sleep, made him turn in his seat to meet her slumberous brown eyes. Was there any situation when she didn't look sexy as hell?

"Uh..." His mind scrambled, looking for some kind of coherent statement. "I...uh...just need the facilities," he finally managed.

"Oh," she accepted that easily. "My bathroom's there." She pointed to a door opposite to the one he knew led to the hallway.

She closed her eyes again, oblivious to his uneasiness. Since she seemed to expect it, he started to make his way to the bathroom. He was just about to the door when her sleepy voice spoke again. "Daniel? There's aspirin in the medicine cabinet, if you need."

He took care of his business, even taking her up on the offer of aspirin. Lord, he hoped it kicked in soon. It took a monumental effort of will for him to open the door and reenter her bedroom. She still lay curled on her side in bed, but her eyes were wide awake, watching him as he made his way towards her. Rather than sitting on the bed, he chose to seat himself once more in the chair. He noticed her raised eyebrows, and waited for her to comment.

Silence stretched between them.

Unable to bear it, Daniel found himself talking. "Peggy, I am so sorry. Miss Martinelli offered me the use of your bed. She...I...we didn't expect you back until this afternoon. This was a horrible insult to your privacy. I am so, so sorry."

"Daniel!" Peggy sat up during his babbling apology, looking surprised and dismayed at his words. "Daniel," she huffed out a breath. "Do I look angry to you?"

"Um...no?"

"Do you think that anyone forced me into sharing a bed with you." She looked stern, as though she was scolding an exasperating child.

"No." The embarrassment was awful. Somehow he was feeling even worse now than over his broken engagement.

"Do you think less of me, for choosing to share a bed with you rather than trying to sleep on one of the couches?" For the first time that morning, there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"God, no, Peggy. It's just..."

"Look, Daniel. I can understand why this makes you uncomfortable. We're friends, and you aren't interested in anything more. I'm sorry for that, for your discomfort, but all we did was sleep." Her voice went slightly higher with her frustration.

Daniel gaped at her.

"Daniel, what?" She studied his face with concern. "What is it?"

"You think I'm not interested in you?"

"Well," now she seemed uncertain. "You never asked me again to go for a drink. I assumed that I had misread your intentions the first time you asked, that you just wanted to...I don't know...start to rebuild our friendship over a drink."

Daniel slumped back in the chair and allowed his head to fall with a thump against the wall.

The room was quiet as both were lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Daniel asked. "Why were you willing to climb into bed with me?"

Peggy's mouth twisted in a way that he recognized. She was hurt, but trying like hell not to show it. She shrugged and said defiantly. "It is my bed and I wanted to sleep. I had wanted to be home, so I took the red eye. It didn't matter to me that you were there because I don't mind," she seemed the choke a little on the words. "I don't mind being in close proximity to you."

Her words left him speechless. He stared at Peggy. As the seconds ticked by, Peggy regained her customary cool control, squaring her shoulders, lifting her chin, and meeting his staring eyes defiantly. She was daring him to judge her.

Perhaps Daniel didn't have words at this current moment, but his thoughts were tumbling about in his head as he puzzled out what precisely she had meant. After an eternity, Daniel rose slowly from the chair, taking the mere two steps to the bed.

Peggy looked slightly confused as he stared down at her. Without a word, he laid down beside her once again, shifting on to his right side and adjusting the pillow to a more comfortable shape.

"What are you doing?" There was a crease between her brows as she considered him.

"I'm analyzing the evidence." He replied gravely.

"The..." she stopped herself. Now it was her turn to stare hard at him. Unexpectedly her lips twitched in amusement, but she controlled herself, schooling her face to calm. She, too, lay on her side facing him.

As he studied her face, she studied his. His actions seemed to have calmed her, and her patience was infinite as he looked his fill. Slowly, he brought his hand up and traced a finger down her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin, humbled by how her eyes drifted closed in apparent pleasure and she breathed out a sigh that seemed to well up from the soles of her feet. Could it be that smart, strong, ballsy, self-contained Margaret Carter was starved for touch?

He cupped his left hand around her neck and took one of the biggest risks of his life. He inched his face closer. Her eyes fluttered open and their gazes locked. Slowly, slowly the moved his lips towards hers, waiting for her to pull away, to put a stop to this madness. His lips touched hers tentatively, and her eyes closed once again. Following suit, Daniel closed his eyes as well, giving himself over to the pleasure of kissing Peggy Carter. Her lips were soft and moved languidly over his, trying to learn his taste, his texture. Her hand came up to caress his stubbled cheek while her shy tongue moved over the seam of his lips. She hummed her pleasure when he opened his mouth and began to gently nibble her full bottom lip.

The next little while was taken up with the slow, drugging kisses. Peggy finally broke away from his kiss, but shifted closer to him, tucking her head under his chin with a smaller sigh, this one of great contentment. "What does the evidence tell you?"

He smiled and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "You know, I may need more time to conduct this investigation."

"That is very sound reasoning." Peggy approved, sounding sleepy.

Daniel let himself begin to drift again. It was Saturday and neither one needed to be in the office until Monday morning. They had all the time in the world.