She should have seen it coming.
Honestly she had felt something was wrong for days she just did realize it.
Rain clouds had been hanging heavily over Manhattan for the past few weeks, she knew a storm was coming, a big one, but she didn't know the storm was going to be not in the sky, but in the bed of a woman to good for the world.
A woman that had lived to see the world change into something no one should be proud of, but also long enough to see a new light come into the darkness.
Never had Beth wished so much she was able to get drunk as when she held the hand of a dying woman as she slipped quietly into that good night.
She received the call late one night, and she didn't even bother to wait she rushed to the hospital, she arrived almost too late, the old woman looked so small in the bed, but a fire was relit in her eyes when she opened them.
The old woman had grasped her hand tight near the end, spoke words for no one other than her "I remember" she had said "hush, just rest" she had tried but the woman wouldn't listen, these were her last words, Beth knew this woman, if she had something to say she would say it no matter who tried to stop her.
"Take him dancing, be careful he doesn't know how" she had said grip tightening her eyes were wide now not much time was left "he can't find the right partner while I'm still here. Please take care of him" Beth nodded lips tight and eyes closed, her hand tightened further "promise me, promise me" she breathed out Beth nodded again squeezing her hand back being careful of the fine bones "I promise, I will peg just rest"
The woman glanced up "Steve" she breathed Beth glanced back but no one was there, she looked back at the woman "you're here" she was looking at her and she swallowed tickly "I couldn't leave my best girl, you owe me a dance" the woman smiled somewhere in her slowly shutting down system she believed Beth was Steve.
"Then let's dance" outside thunder crashed loudly drawing Beth's eyes away and when she looked back, it was over.
When Peggy carter died at 3:28am the sky outside let out a thunderous roar and it started to rain.
Her own hands shaking Beth drew Peggy's hand closer and kissed her knuckles "dance in the clouds peg" she whispered against her skin then placed her hand back on the bed and stood up.
She stood their looking at the woman that saved her life then turned away when she left the room she closed the door behind her letting the doctors do their work and she saw Steve coming down the hall eyes wide dripping wet looking almost like he ran from is apartment.
She moved forward to intercept him graving his shoulders to stop him "it's too late" he struggled against her hold "no I have to see her I have to-"
She graved his face "Steve! It's too late. She's gone" he shook his head "no I, she can't, no" he denied but she held tighter even as he graved her arms tight enough she knew she'd have bruises "she's gone, I'm sorry, she's gone"
She pulled him in close and he came easily, his hands moving to her shirt gripping tight she raked her fingers through his hair his face resting against her chest.
She shushed him as he continued to mutter denials, unwilling or unable to accept it, she didn't know.
She pretended the dampness growing on her shirt was from the rain.
While the weather deteriorated outside it was only the beginning of a much worst storm to come.
She didn't see Steve for three days, and that was at Peggy's funeral.
Her living relatives and children were there along with most of SHIELD including fury and some of the counsel, even thor was in attendance, they all stayed a little bit away from the main crowed half protected under some trees from rain that hadn't stopped since that night.
Steve was standing in the front just behind the family looking like a soldier, a grim sorrowful soldier that had seen to many wars.
The service was simple despite the more than simple woman they were laying to rest, and after only Steve remained unmoving from where he stood.
He stood there in the rain, clothes becoming heavy with water his hair being plastered to his scalp, and he stood there and stared at the stone.
She waited a few minutes before approaching him quickly becoming soaked herself she looked at the stone as well.
On it besides Peggy's name and dates of both birth and death was simple sentence.
'A gift to all mankind, let us be better for this treasure, lost but always remembered.'
She was silent waiting letting him have his time, finally he spoke voice rough "I should have been there" she looked at the man sadly "it wouldn't have changed anything" he looked at her and she pretended it was just rain on his face.
"I still should have been there, she deserved to know I was there" she approached another step "she knew, trust me in the end she knew" he spun on her "why should I trust you?!" he lashed out taking a threatening step "what because you 'knew' her? Please, I loved her, she was there for me and I should have been there for her"
She knew he was in pain and it hurt her to see him driven to anger by grief "Steve it would have torn you apart" he was silent staring at nothing and she took a step "listen I made her a promise" when she touched his arm he jerked away "yeah because you keep them so well!"
"Steven" she said slightly disappointed the way he jerked away from her, she didn't know how much physical pain it would cause her "I've read the stories stark, you only care about things that further your own ends, you only care about someone when you want something from them" he turned away.
And she stared at him "is that what you think this is about?" he glanced at her "isn't it? Why else would you pretend to care about me, just wanted to make sure I didn't spend my birthday alone, please, I might not be well acquainted with this time but I know an ulterior motive when I see one, stay away from me and leave me the hell alone!"
She stared at him "I didn't, what, you think I did that because I" she couldn't even get a whole sentence out she bit her lip hard enough she could taste copper "I know your hurting and I'm sorry Steve, I guess that's all I can say, I wish I could take that pain away from you but you don't understand anything" her voice wavered and she saw his shoulders stiffen.
"you're not the only one who lost someone you cared about Steve, I made a promise and I do what I can to keep my promise's but you're not the only one in pain right now" she turned away from him,
She didn't want to say she fled but that's exactly what she did she ran away like a child.
"I'm sorry peg" she thought rain burning her eyes "I'm sorry but I might not be able to fill your request"
The storm raged on.