Chapter 3

"Did you hear about Draper? Rumor has it he quit, and the Feds are after him for something."

"What do you think he did?"

"I don't know. My guess is it had something to do with his taxes. The guy's loaded."

"Yeah maybe, but I bet it was just that some jealous husband came after him and he took off."

Various unkind rumors about Don had been swirling around the office for days and Peggy was thoroughly sick of it. As far as she could tell, nobody knew the real truth of what happened to Don with the exception of Roger, Pete and herself. Roger wisely chose not to add fuel to the rumors by acknowledging them as either fact or fiction, and it certainly wasn't something that they wished to discuss amongst each other. After a few weeks the gossip finally died down and things got back to normal.

Peggy felt Don's absence acutely. She hadn't realized how much she had come to look forward to working with him everyday until he was no longer there. Since the merger with McCann the previous year, Don had thrown himself into his work and together she and Don had created some truly great ads. His enthusiasm inspired her to do some of the best work of her career. Now with him gone she had become unmoored. No one, not even Stan got her as well as Don did. She also had to admit that she missed seeing his handsome face everyday. Even several weeks later she found herself blushing when she thought about the night they made love for the first time.

Roger appeared to Peggy to be quite devastated by the loss of his partner and friend. Pete seemed unnerved as well. She knew that neither man had any reason to suspect that Don had confided in her or that she had been intimate with him and she intended to keep it that way. What had happened between Don and herself was private and she had no intention of sharing this secret with anyone.

With Don gone for good, Roger seemed to lose any remaining interest that he had in the company. Jim Cutler happily ceded control of the agency and he steered the focus of the agency from being creative driven, to focusing on large media buys that were a product of the computer. With no clear direction from Ted Chaough, Peggy and Stan found themselves as frustrated as they had been prior to Don regaining control of the department.

While Peggy had expected to be named Creative Director almost immediately, it appeared that the brass at McCann were in no hurry to do so. There were rumors that they were opening up the search to attract a big name outside hire. Peggy grew more disgruntled with every passing day as it became clear that she wasn't even being considered for the job.

As the weeks went by Peggy grew anxious about the lack of information to be had on Don's whereabouts. It wasn't that she was expecting him to write to her and tell her where he was, but she had no one that she could turn to for information about him. The not knowing if he was he was even still alive caused her great anxiety.

There was another reason for Peggy to be anxious and she had nobody that she could confide in. Peggy's period was late and she was beginning to suspect that she was with child. The thought of having Don's baby was both exciting and terrifying. She had no idea how she would handle things completely on her own, but she had to admit that the possibility of having a life that she and Don created together growing inside of her was amazing.

Peggy went to see her doctor a few weeks later and it was confirmed that she was expecting. She knew she couldn't confide in her mother or her sister and she was at a loss as to whom she could tell her news. She thought about telling Joan, but considering the lingering animosity between her and Don she ruled that idea out fairly quickly. She didn't feel comfortable telling Stan either since that would involve telling him what had happened to Don and that was out of the question. There was only one person who knew enough about Don's situation and whom Peggy felt certain would never pass judgement on her for her predicament.

"Mr. Campbell, Ms Olson is here to see you.

"Thank you Clara. Send her in."

Peggy opened the door to Pete's office and walked in, immediately shutting the door behind her.

"Hello Peggy. What can I do for you?" Pete said without looking up from his desk.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Don."

Pete immediately stopped what he was doing and looked at Peggy.

"What about him?"

Peggy steeled herself for what was sure to be a very difficult conversation.

"I know that you know all of his secrets, and that you know the truth about what happened to him."

Pete's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Peggy's disclosure.

"Yes, that's true. How much do you know Peggy? Why is this any of your business?"

"Don told me everything the night before he...went away."

"Everything?"

Peggy nodded, "Everything. He even told me about how you tried to blackmail him once with the information of his true identity."

"Judas Priest!" Pete exclaimed and he scrubbed his hand over his face. He then lowered his voice. "Why would he tell you that?"

"It doesn't matter Pete. He just did. There is something else though, and you have to promise me that you won't tell anybody about this."

"You know you can trust me Peggy."

Peggy smiled sadly. "I know that Pete." Peggy sighed. "Don and I were...together the night before he left."

"Together how Peggy?" Pete asked in confusion.

"We had sex Pete." Peggy said flatly. "It was the first time for us. I know that may come as a surprise to you since most people think I that I slept with him in order to get promoted."

Pete shook his head. "I never believed that."

"Thank you. Anyway, now I'm pregnant and the baby is his."

Pete's eyes went wide with astonishment. "Please tell me you're joking."

Peggy shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"Jesus! You do realize that he is in prison?"

Peggy closed her eyes as a feeling of great relief washed over her. "Thank god," she muttered. When she opened her eyes Pete was eyeing her curiously. "I'm actually relieved to hear that. I hadn't heard anything and I was fearing the worst. Do you know where he is?"

"A friend of mine used to work for the Department of Defense, and he still has connections in the government." Pete sighed. "Don's been sent to Leavenworth, Peggy."

Peggy's heart sank. "Shit."

Pete grimaced. "He's lucky, it could've been much worse. He's been sentenced to one to three years. He could be paroled early if he keeps his nose clean, which I'm sure he will." Pete said reassuringly.

"Jesus." Peggy said quietly.

"This goes without saying, but this is information is not for the general public."

"Of course not."

They were both silent for a moment. Peggy needed a little time to digest this new information.

"Would I be able to write to him do you think?" Peggy asked.

Pete smiled. "I don't see why not. He's in minimum security. I'm sure he would appreciate it. Just remember to address it to Dick Whitman, not Don Draper."

Peggy rolled her eyes, "I know that Pete."

"Yes, of course."

Peggy was silent again for a moment. Pete looked at Peggy curiously and then returned to his work.

"Don came to see me that night because he needed a favor." Peggy said suddenly. "He asked me to deliver a letter to his daughter Sally at Miss Porter's School that explained what he had done and what he was about to do. He also wanted me to check in on his daughter from time to time. He said that I was the kind of woman he would love for Sally to emulate."

"He went on to say how proud he was of me, and how he was sorry that he had taken our relationship for granted at times. Then he told me he loved me with all his heart."

"Really? He said that?"

Peggy nodded. "I love him too Pete. I told him that I felt the same way he did and then he kissed me. I knew right then that there could never be another man for me. As strange as this sounds, Don is the one I've been looking for, and he's been right under my nose this whole time. I'm the one who initiated us sleeping together. I'll never regret that decision especially since we created this new life together."

Pete was stunned. "I can honestly say that I never imagined you two together as a possibility. But now that I think about it it kind of makes sense. You are actually very well-suited for each other." Pete looked at Peggy with sympathy. "I am sorry Peggy. Do you know what you plan to do?"

"...about the baby you mean?" Peggy asked. "Oh I'm going to have it. Since my career is in the shitter here, I may as well have something to look forward to."

"What do you mean?"

"Don's been gone for what, two months now and they still haven't named his replacement? Why wouldn't they just promote me and that be the end of it? You must have heard something at the partner level about it."

Pete frowned. "I'm sorry Peggy. I'm not sure what the holdup is. If it were up to me you would've been installed in that position immediately. Don made no secret about his high opinion of you. I suppose It could be Cutler wanting to stick it to Don in absentia, but what I suspect is that the bigwigs at McCann don't want a woman Creative Director."

Peggy's face became flushed with anger. "Really?"

Pete nodded apologetically. "Yes. I suspect that they'll bring in someone like Lou Avery to fill that role and that will be the end of it."

Peggy seethed with anger. "That's such bullshit! I've been at this company in one way or another for ten years. I've earned that job!"

"I'm sorry Peggy."

Peggy laughed bitterly. "Don suspected that they might do this. Do you know what he suggested?"

Pete shook his head.

"He suggested that I leave and start my own agency...and that I should poach you and Stan."

"Peggy, don't be foolish. Did you forget how hard it was when we started this place?"

"No. But I don't think I can work for somebody else, not now. Would you ever consider leaving Pete?"

Pete didn't answer immediately. "If I was smart I would say no, but I must admit that I am actually considering it. This place isn't what it used to be. And now with Don gone..." Pete shook his head sadly. "But we need accounts. Who do you have in your pocket?"

"Burger Chef, maybe Topaz and Playtex. What about you?"

"Sunkist, maybe H. Salt Fish and Chips. But I would need to travel to California frequently to service them so that may not work. Are you seriously considering this? What about your condition?"

"Don't worry about me Pete. I've done this before remember?"

Pete's face fell. "Right."

"I'll approach Stan later and get back with you. I don't think he'll be hard to convince. He's been miserable for months."

Pete shook his head in disbelief. "This is crazy! We could lose everything!"

"True, or we could finally have something of our own. You could finally have your name on the door!"

Pete smirked. "You always know just what to say Peggy."