"Anna would love it here." Jarvis thought to himself while standing by the bar of a grand ballroom, casting his eyes over crowds of glamorous guests. She always did enjoy the occasional invite that came from knowing a man like Howard Stark. But of course Anna Jarvis wasn't there and as time went on, he was beginning to accept she probably wasn't coming back to him.
It was a difficult truth to accept, he loved Anna and missed having someone to share his day with, but in her absence he had rediscovered the exhilaration of being engaged in some hazardous activity, the satisfaction in fighting for something he believed in and had a chance to use skills that had long been forgotten. All the things he had willingly given up to keep his wife safe.
Continued thoughts of Anna added to his current discontentment. Jarvis did not want to be standing in a ballroom, dressed in full tuxedo, pretending to be enjoying the events of the evening. He'd only been back from Italy a day when Howard had insisted he accompany him to the annual Augustine Ball. A garish party organised by a well-to-do executive from the world of movies.
Jarvis' role for the evening was to provide interference. Something he had become highly skilled in over the years. Howard's latest love interest came in the form of a beautiful young Italian maiden, fresh from his latest business trip. It was Jarvis' job to ensure the likes of Lady Edith Hutton or any other scorned lover kept their distance.
Getting down to work, he took a sip of the complimentary champagne and scanned the room for potential problems. There, within minutes, an angry looking blonde drifted into his eye-line, making strides towards him from across the room.
He'd always considered himself exceptional at remembering the names of Howard's Starks romantic entanglements, but this particular lady's name had annoyingly escaped him. Maybe it was the fact that she was marching straight towards him and not the playboy millionaire, that had thrown him off guard. .
The colour drained from Jarvis' face when the woman eventually got within a few feet and he realised the angry looking blonde was none other than Peggy Carter.
"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" she demanded, when within ear shot.
Jarvis struggled to formulate a reply. He barely recognised her. The formally brunette agent stood before him in a dark green ball gown, that fitted so well it looked as though it was painted on. But it was the head of platinum locks bouncing across her shoulders that rendered him speechless. She looked just like a movie star, and he would know having met a few while working for Howard.
"I am here on Mr Starks request, trying to blend in." He announced swallowing back a little more of the sparkling refreshments.
He watched Peggy take a step back, letting her eyes give him the once-over. That familiar teasing smile she often wore, making its presence known.
"Blend in, Mr Jarvis?, you look more like a character from a P.G Wodehouse novel. You really need to loosen up a little."
He bristled a tad under her comment. "If you consider 'loosening up' to mean wearing sunglasses indoors, Miss Carter, then I'm quite happy to retain my current reserve".
His eyes drifted to a number of people who were indeed wearing dark lenses inside the ballroom. Peggy's teasing grin just seemed to grow at his snobbish disdain.
"May I enquire what you are doing here Miss Carter?" he asked, trying to take the emphasis off himself.
"I'm under-cover, following a lead from those camera-pen photographs." Peggy replied, and he could hear a bite in her words. It was clear she was still angry at being left alone while he travelled to Italy.
"So, you're here on the trail of Corrigan Sands and you have come alone? Do you really think that was wise?"
"Well I'm not alone now, am I?" Peggy replied, extending her hand to pull him along, through the crowds of people and towards the dance floor.
Jarvis quickly found himself being forced into a waltz, as Peggy hung a hand over his shoulder, encouraging him to take the lead across the floor. He had always been a fairly good dancer and revelled in Peggy's obvious surprise at his skill. But he swiftly realised that she hadn't dragged him half way across the room for the social activity. Peggy had positioned them both to observe two particular men, standing close to where they danced.
"Those men appeared in the photographs. I've followed them across the city these last two weeks. I think something big might be happening tonight and I plan to find out what" she whispered with conviction, while Jarvis continued to twirl her across the floor.
"Do you not think it would be better to call for some back up before proceeding?"
"It wouldn't do any good I'm afraid. I'm back at square one with the police detectives. Filing paperwork and pouring coffee is all I'm good for down there".
Jarvis tried to hold his tongue. It really did anger him, at how easily these men dismissed Peggy Carter's importance.
"You know that you had my complete respect the moment you punched me in the face, Miss Carter." he began, remembering the night they first met at the back of the automat.
"May I suggest you try that trick with a number of your new colleagues" he added harshly, not realising his grip on the small of Peggy's back was growing steadily tighter.
Peggy looked up at him, grateful of his protective concern. "I'll bear that in mind Mr Jarvis, but as for tonight. I think we will be fine on our own. We are just here in a surveillance capacity, we are not about to go storming the place".
Jarvis was unconvinced by her words. He had read the same reports Peggy had done on Corrigan Sands and he didn't mind admitting, the idea of being caught by that man's associates was a very frightening prospect. Especially when he couldn't help notice the gaze of the two men they were observing, which seemed to follow Peggy around the dance floor.
"I have to tell you Miss Carter that I'm not entirely sure your outfit is the most optimal design for undercover work. Would it not have been more appropriate to wear something a little less conspicuous. "
"This outfit has done me quite well in the past, and you know what they say, it's easier to catch flies with honey." Peggy smirked
"I think you're using a little more than just honey. I dare say there isn't a head in the room that you haven't managed to turn this evening, Miss Carter" Jarvis said, once again sounding a little protective over his friend.
"Every head? Surely not Mr Jarvis. I bet I didn't turn yours?"
There was a flirty lilt to her words, one she used when teasing him. He refrained from providing an answer knowing, if he put thought into it, he'd realise she had turned his head long before that evening.
Thankfully the question was quickly forgotten when Peggy saw the two men make an exit from the room and she pulled Jarvis along in pursuit.
They followed through two function rooms, then down the depths of the luxurious hotel. Eventually stopping as the men stepped into a room not far from the kitchens. Peggy stepped forward to follow but Jarvis held her back, choosing instead to find a convenient hiding place.
"Surveillance, not storming, Miss Carter" he reminded while they peered out from behind some sort of hotel trolley.
The door to the room had failed to close properly, giving Peggy the perfect view. There looked to be a dozen men inside all huddle in little groups. Jarvis couldn't hear much but what they did was more than enough.
"What should we do with him Mr Sands" one of the men asked a pale looking guy with limp black hair. Jarvis could feel Peggy hold a breath, realising they had found the man they had been searching for.
But the excitement was short lived, the pale man moved to one side and Jarvis caught sight of who the men were referring to. A poor soul, half beaten to death and strapped to a chair, sat in the centre of the room. Unless Jarvis was mistaken, the tortured man looked a lot like one of the police detectives Peggy had been working with.
Both of them recoiled at the shocking sight. Peggy's elbow dislodged a metal dish from the trolley and it clattered to the ground. Jarvis held his breath but it was too late, the men in the room were looking straight in their direction. He felt Peggy stand up, kick the trolley at the men creating an obstacle, then pulled Jarvis to his feet and headed to the nearest exit.
They spilled out into a dark street and jogged along it's length, eventually using one of many narrow passages to hide within. They took a moment to reflect on what they had just witnessed. The man claiming to be Corrigan Sands was not the original. The infamous gangster had terrorised the streets of Los Angeles longer than the pale man looked to have been alive. Never the less, the new version, had loyal men and was capable of violence even towards the police.
They heard voices of those in pursuit and Jarvis unconsciously put himself in front of Peggy, preparing to protect her from an advancing mob.
"We have to move" he whispered, realising the men were heading straight towards them, he took hold of Peggy's hand and slowly led her down the dark passage, hoping to find a better escape.
It led on to a wide road with shops and businesses down one length and undeveloped land down the other. Everything looked closed for the night, few options offered a suitable escape. Peggy pointed a little way ahead to a drive-in restaurant. The only business in the vicinity that seemed to be open and thriving.
After racing over, they stood amidst the drive-in patrons, breathing heavily from a combination of adrenaline and exertion from the chase. They were still holding hands, neither making an attempt to let go. Peggy scanned the area, formulating the next step in their plan.
"We stand out a little" she stated, still catching her breath and staring at the casual apparel the majority of the crowd wore . Jarvis glanced down at Peggy and was of the opinion that her green dress would stand out pretty much anywhere.
He understood there was a need to hide, they required time to work out what to do about Corrigan Sands and the tortured detective. The Drive-In had enough people around to fill that requirement, but it wouldn't work if they remained looking like they had just left a wedding. They needed to blend in.
Sands' men suddenly came into view in the distance and Jarvis needed to act fast. He undid the belt to his trousers, pulling It free. Peggy's eyes grew wide at the unexpected action.
"What on earth are you doing Mr Jarvis?" she asked, a little panic in her voice.
"Blending in, Miss Carter. Trust me!" he answered, then stepped close, buckling the belt loosely around her waist.
He was completely focused on hiding that stunning green dress from view and threaded his fingers between her waist and the belt, pulling the silky material up from her ankles, until it was just above her knees. The excess fabric spilled over the sides of the belt, stopping it from falling back to her feet.
He felt Peggy inhale sharply at his actions, which he realised must have felt quite intimate, but he had been too focused on the task to consider the effect of his conduct.
"You need to lose the wig." he stressed and Peggy did as was asked, quickly ditching the long blonde waves into the back of an empty pickup truck, stationed just behind them.
Jarvis tossed his expensive tuxedo jacket along with it, then froze as Peggy lifted her hands to carefully undo his bow tie. She pulled it free from his collar then used it to tie her hair in to a pony tail, hoping to convey a youthful appearance akin to most of the drive-in customers.
He swallowed hard, unbuttoning his dress shirt leaving just a plain t-shirt underneath. He then wrapped it around Peggy, so hardly any of that dress was left on show. Jarvis noted that she was unusually still and quiet through the whole ordeal, and wondered if their actions were beginning to step over the boundaries of a professional relationship.
Jarvis could say with complete certainty that Peggy no longer looked like the same woman she did five minutes earlier. Maybe it was the fact that she was wearing his shirt, but Peggy Carter had never looked so beautiful, it almost took his breath away.
A quick glance across the street, revealed the men fast approaching. It swiftly brought his mind back to the task in hand.
"They're almost here"
"How many?" Peggy quietly asked, not chancing a look herself.
"Eight."
He listened to her curse, and knew she'd been considering fighting against them. But eight was just too many. Especially when the image of the tortured detective was still fresh in the memory. They did not want to chance being caught.
Peggy's gaze drifted to a nearby couple who were getting rather familiar with each other. The lovers were so close, it was hard to identify who they were. From that Jarvis could read her thoughts. It was the perfect cover. Peggy's arms swiftly reached up and wrapped around his neck, emulating the nearby couple. He nervously followed suit and carefully pressed himself against her body.
To say it was awkward, was an understatement. Both seemed to hold themselves quite stiffly, Jarvis not entirely sure where to safely place his hands. He eventually settled for putting them respectfully on her waist. His head bowed, until his mouth was close enough to whisper against her ear.
"They are heading this way" he murmured, feeling Peggy shiver against him, his words tickling along her throat.
The minutes that followed felt like a life time.
Jarvis' eyes traced the men as they covered every inch of the drive-in, gradually moving further away into the distance. Eventually they were no longer in sight and it appeared the two of them had escaped detection.
"I'm pretty sure they've gone" he whispered finally, Once more feeling Peggy quake under his hold as the words brushed down her neck.
With the danger over, Jarvis suddenly became aware that neither of them had moved far from their little tryst. His hands however, were no longer seated safely around her waist but had found a more comfortable place to lay. His left palm sat cradling the back of her head, his fingers tussled through her hair that mysteriously no longer held a pony tail. The other hand rested across her thigh, gripping her firmly and she had been pushed against the cold metal of the pickup truck behind them.
Had he really done that? In just those few minutes? Held her so tightly within his arms, pushed her up against the side of a car. He had always considered himself to be a gentleman but at that moment only the 'man' part of that word seemed to be in control.
He moved his head slightly away from her ear, in an attempt to pull himself away, but stopped when his mouth fell inline with Peggy's lips. He couldn't move any further, it felt like a magnet was holding him there and he was fighting against the pull to kiss her.
God! He wanted to kiss her.
His brain shouted how wrong it was. It was just circumstances and proximity that had them behaving in such a wanton way. He knew that crossing that line could end their professional relationship.
None of this couldn't possibly be want Peggy wanted . This was the woman who had captured the heart of Captain America. It was unlikely that a stuffy British butler would tickle her fancy.
Even with all those sobering thoughts, Jarvis couldn't bring himself to physically move. He was weak and her lips were so very close to his own.
Peggy needed to be the one to pull away, he just didn't have the strength. Instead he just said the first thing that came into his head and hoped it would be enough to end this.
"Regrets…in life should be few and far between."
Peggy turned her head a little and looked into his eyes. Jarvis managed to drag his own stare away from her lips and return the gaze. He could see her absorbing his words, finding some unknown meaning within them. Then ever so slowly, she untangled herself from his hold, finally finding her voice.
"I think it's about time we contacted the police and informed them of our discoveries" she said, handing Jarvis back his shirt and re- adjusting the green dress to it's original length.
"You're quite right Miss Carter, there is no time like the present." He replied, straightening out his suit and taking a couple of deep breaths to regain some composure.
Jarvis allowed himself a moment to ponder the missed opportunities, then followed at Peggy's heels as she led them back on mission to take down Corrigan Sands.
It really had been quite the evening.
