Finally I'm back. I had a move to college, so I'm still trying to work things out as they come at me. Potentially spotty updates to come soon, but I'll do my best to get them in when I can.

So this chapter promises a reunion between Jack and Peggy! Who's excited!

Hope you enjoy!

5

"What?! They found her? Where has she-"

Thompson's question was cut off by him hissing sharply as he banged his knee against his desk while rising to his feet. Daniel grimaced sympathetically. Even though it was something very minor, it still might hurt for a while, and the guy had enough on his plate with Peggy's disappearance. Hopefully the call that had just come in would set everything right. That was the nicest possibility that Daniel could think of, although it might have been overly positive thinking. Peggy was tough, but there was the chance that she might need to take off a day or two to get back into the stride of things.

"Calm down and I'll tell you," he said while Thompson started to put on his jacket that was hanging from the back of his chair. "She's being brought in by Malone and another agent. They're on their way right now."

"Why are they the ones bringing her in? What about me?" Thompson sounded angry and hurt, feelings that Daniel couldn't blame him for having. Had he been in Thompson's shoes, he would be having the same reaction.

"Malone said that he got called down to pick up some arrest records for the Spencer investigation. He's trying to narrow down the list of who for sure is-"

"Yeah, I know what he's doing with them," Thompson interrupted, crossing his arms and leaning back against his desk. "But what about Peggy?"

"I'm getting there," sighed Daniel. God, he was impatient. "When Malone got down there, he saw someone in the holding cells, thought she looked familiar. Went closer to get a look and saw it was Peggy. She looked, and I'm quoting Malone here, 'like she had been living in the streets'. He tried talking to her, but she didn't respond to him. The officer on duty said she hadn't said a word since they'd picked her up down at the docks. She'd been found stowed away on a passenger ship that had arrived in last night from France. It took half a dozen officers to subdue her apparently. The guy on duty told Malone she had no identification on her until he showed up. They went through the paperwork to get her out, and they're coming in soon."

"I have to see her."

Thompson tried to leave, but Daniel maneuvered in front of him to block the way out. He still needed to fill in Jack on the other details that Malone had told him, even if it would make Thompson more impatient.

"They're putting her in interrogation," Daniel continued, watching as Thompson's features grew irritated. "Before you get mad, it's because we need to know what's happened to her. We don't know what she has been through, and if whoever took her is someone we need to watch out for. Peggy could have been tortured or experimented on or something. We have to find out what's been going on since she was taken."

Thompson nodded. "I still want to see her first though."

Daniel had already thought of that option. Peggy was close to Thompson, seeing as they were a couple and all. She might have a better chance of opening up to him in that case. It could potentially speed up the process of getting Peggy back into her normal life too. At least, normal for the SSR.

"Okay," he agreed. "But go easy. We don't know what's happened in the past few months."

"Whatever it is, I'll be there for her," the other man called out as he hurried out of the office, leaving Daniel all by himself.

"You can go in and see her now, Chief."

Jack glanced up at Agent Malone, who was exiting the interrogation room. Straightening up, he brushed past the agent, muttering a low thanks to him as he passed by. This was it. He was finally going to see Peggy again.

As he entered the room, Jack felt all the air leave his lungs at the sight of Peggy. She looked worse for wear. Her usual tidy brown curls were tangled and snarled. The blouse she wore was stained by streaks of dirt, the collar had a long tear in it, and he had a feeling that her skirt might be in a similar state. There were various cuts and scratches on her arms, some with dried blood. Bruises and new scars were also present. Peggy wasn't even looking at him, just at the table. Jack wondered if she even knew he had entered the room.

"Peggy," he whispered, finally finding his voice. "You're alive."

She didn't respond, let alone acknowledge him. Jack pulled a chair out and sat down slowly.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't stop them in Russia," he apologized. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I was afraid that I had lost you for good. I tried not to think about it, but there were days when I thought you might be…dead."

Still no response from Peggy. He was beginning to get worried about her.

"Peggy, please look at me," Jack pleaded. "I don't know what's happened to you, but you're safe now, okay? We'll get to the bottom of whatever happened, I swear. Just, can you look at me? So I know that you know I'm here? Please?"

Finally, Peggy started to lift her head, exposing her face to Jack. Aside from a streak of dirt above her left eyebrow, she seemed fine. However, the way she looked at him was cold and calculating and uncomfortably unfamiliar. It was like she had never seen him before.

"Who are you?" she asked in a scratchy, demanding voice.

I would say that I'm sorry, but it's all according to my evil plan. Muhahaha!

Please review and tell me what you think! Also, anybody have any Agent Carter gossip they'd love to share?