Steve POV
Holly stepped out of the bathroom into Steve's bedroom where he'd quickly changed into his suit. It was remarkable how incredibly close they'd become in just a few days, supporting each other over their shared loss. While nearly everyone else stayed at either the SHIELD HQ or a luxury hotel that Stark owned, Steve had just silently brought Holly home to his DC apartment, borrowing a motorcycle from Coulson. He wasn't sure he would have been able to handle the last couple days without having her there to take care of and to take care of him. And though he'd never really shared a bed with a woman before, it was a comfort to have her there. A comfort he'd miss once they were able to breathe and start to move on.
He looked up, struggling with his tie, neither of them getting much sleep with the funeral that morning. She wore a classy but subdued black dress, her hair down and held back with a silver headband, her only jewelry a silver chain with a single pearl. She looked to be wearing a touch of makeup, no doubt to cover up the darkness around her eyes from all the tears she'd shed. Steve couldn't help but be stunned at how sadly beautiful she was and be confused as to why the necklace looked so familiar.
"Do...do I look okay?" She asked, looking down and smoothing out an invisible wrinkle.
"You look beautiful, Holly. Very respectable." He sighed, his thumb nearly getting caught in his tie like a Chinese fingertrap. He didn't feel right wearing the modern style army dress uniform and he didn't have his old one since it was on display at the Smithsonian and they were still mad at him for stealing his old Captain America uniform. Stark had been kind enough to send over a nice classy black suit with a dark blue shirt and tie. Something told him it was Coulson who'd added the touch of the pin on the lapel being a tiny version of his shield with a black band of mourning across it.
Her lips twitched up slightly and she stepped over, her high heels allowing a few extra inches of height. "Let me do that." She reached for his tie and he dropped his hands. "You are too tired, that's all. Maybe we'll be able to sleep better tonight. When she's with the family."
"I've gone longer without sleep. Good sleep that is. I'm just out of sorts." He paused, trying to look down at her while holding his chin up as her nimble fingers did his tie. "Why do I feel like I've seen that necklace before?"
Holly finished his tie and stepped back a little, her fingers playing with the pearl. "Because you probably have. It was Peggy's. She gave it to me when I became an Agent. I'd always loved it when I was a little girl and she'd let me play in her jewelry box." Her chin wobbled and her voice choked on the last few words.
Steve reached out and gently touched his fingers to hers, over the pearl. "Focus on the good memories. She must have been over the moon when you became the youngest agent."
"She was." Holly whispered.
He pulled her close and held her so she could get herself under control. Today was going to be one of the toughest in both of their lives. He'd almost rather go take down a Hydra base than have to say goodbye to Peggy. A knock on the door interrupted them. "That's Sam, my friend who helped us during the whole thing with the Helicarriers and Bucky."
"Falcon, right? He's a vet and counselor with the VA?" She took a cleansing breath, carefully dabbing at the corners of her eyes.
Steve nodded. "I wish you were meeting him under better circumstances. Come on."
He led the way to the door and opened it to see Sam dressed in a dark suit, his brown eyes sad and concerned for his friend, a pair of sunglasses tucked into his pocket. Steve hadn't known the young Air Force flyer for all that long, but he was a good and loyal friend. "Hey man."
"Hi Sam. Thanks for getting us. I appreciate it." Neither of them had wanted to deal with Washington traffic on a day like today.
"Anything for you man. I'm really sorry about Peggy." He looked and saw Holly. "Are you Holly?"
"Yes, hello." Holly held out her hand.
"No girl, I've heard so much about you from Peggy, I have to hug you." And with a nudge aside to Steve, Sam moved in and gently hugged a confused looking Holly. "After everything last year, to help Steve out and everything, I visited Peggy at the nursing home. She told me stories about the war, about forming SHIELD. And she told me all about her little girl." He took her hands in his and looked her in the eye. "She loved you with everything she had and know this, she will always be with you."
Holly was struck silent for a moment before giving Sam a strained smile. "Thank you. Thank you for visiting with her, for caring."
"I just had to find out what she ever saw in this goofball." He joked.
Steve rolled his eyes. "The world may never know." He turned to Holly. "Do you have everything you need?"
Holly nodded, reaching out and grabbing a small clutch that had been sitting by the door. "Tissues, eyedrops, taser, gun and kitchen sink." She paused. "Oh and my staff." She patted her hip. The slight flare of the dress hid it from notice, no doubt strapped to her thigh. The gun was in her back holster, he'd felt it when he hugged her. The taser was probably built into her clutch.
Sam's eyebrows went up. "Honey, we're going to a funeral, not a fight."
"Peggy was a founder of SHIELD, Sam. She made a lot of enemies. Pierce had her, even at 100 on his list for the helicarriers last year." Steve spoke up. "I wouldn't put it past Hydra to try something." He reached down and picked up his shield, concealed in a specially designed bag. "I'm going to put this in your car, just in case." He hoped he would be able to get to it if a fight broke out.
Sam nodded, blinking. "Well I guess it works that I don't go anywhere without my wings." He held out his arm to Holly. "If you would do me the honor?"
She gave him a small smile and took his arm, sharing a look with Steve that told him she was glad she wasn't the only one on guard that day.
Holly POV
Peggy hadn't been religious, so the funeral had been a simple one at Arlington. It was rather crowded thanks to SHIELD records being nearly all public domain. Peggy had made many friends over the years. Just the same, there was a strong amount of security in case the cowards of Hydra dared to attack the funeral, being that most of existing SHIELD and nearly all the Avengers were there, as well as the Vice President and many higher ups in the military. Holly hadn't cared for any of that, her focus being on the casket or on the stones besides where Peggy would be laid to rest, namely that of Dum Dum and Gabe.
The Vice President had spoken respectably of Peggy's service to the nation and the world, of her dedication and hard work. Former Secretary of State Clinton spoke of Peggy's great strides for women not just in the military, but in politics and the intelligence bureaus. Nick spoke very briefly, telling of the first time he'd met Peggy and how she had been there for him when he'd nearly died during a mission and gained his eyepatch. He had officially blown the cover off his faked death just to pay his respects to Peggy. Steve spoke briefly, speaking of her as the strongest woman he ever knew and how proud he was of the life she had led. He admitted that he wouldn't have accomplished anything during the war if it hadn't been for her unwavering support and belief in him. He'd paused a few times but kept his composure.
Holly couldn't speak. She knew she would start bawling if she tried. So Maria read her bit of eulogy for her, the former SHIELD agent struggling with her own emotion due to her respect and admiration for the woman who had led the way in creating SHIELD. Steve held her hand, Tony sitting on her other side, holding her other hand. A few people jumped when the full 21 gun salute was given and Holly couldn't help but let the tears fall as they watched a group of SHIELD fighters fly overhead with The Bus in the center, only to peel off on it's own journey to the heavens and seemingly disappear via cloaking. Silently she thanked May for the symbolism of Peggy being larger than life.
The soldiers in their dress uniforms folded the flag that had draped the coffin with remarkable ease and exactness and Holly was brought back to that difficult late September afternoon when a group of Navy officers and a group of Special Forces, who just happened to all be SHIELD had done the same for her father and brother. The head officer silently followed Steve's slight nod and corrected his direction to stop and drop to his knee to present the flag to Holly, his white gloves standing out against the dark blue and white stars.
The final touch had been left to Steve and Holly alone. She stood and handed the flag very carefully to Pepper, who was trying not to cry before she turned and took one white rose that Coulson had been kind enough to hold while Steve took the other. Their hands found each other, as they had repeatedly over the last few days and they walked together to the casket, surrounded by flowers and 3 large pictures. One was of Peggy during the war with Steve and the Commandos, another of her with Howard Stark, the Dugan boys and Colonel Philips. The third was of Peggy with Holly as a toddler and her teenage brother, all three smiling at the camera.
Steve squeezed her hand and she squeezed back as they looked at the casket, the sun reflecting off of it. His hand trembling, Steve kissed his rose before carefully placing it on the casket, quietly whispering "Goodbye Peggy."
Holly took a moment and with a deep breath did the same, placing hers side by side with Steve's. She mouthed her goodbye, her throat too tight for words. Then she reached out and put her hand flat on the casket, hoping Peggy understood, wherever she was, just how much she'd meant to everyone. She didn't even bother to try to fight the tears.
Steve's hand covered hers and after a moment, they both pulled away and made their way back to their chairs.
Pepper had lost her fight not to cry and Tony quietly took the flag and handed it back to Holly as she sat down. He didn't have even his usual smirk today. He simply wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple. She gave him the tiny smile she was capable of.
"We're going to have the afterwards at the hotel. Please come."
Holly sighed, honestly not wanting to deal with a ton of people after the funeral. She was so incredibly tired. Drained and numb. "When?"
"In a few hours. There's no rush. You don't have to stay long if you don't want to." Pepper encouraged softly. "We haven't gotten to see much of either of you and I know you are supporting each other but we want to support you both too."
Holly looked to Steve who nodded a little. "Yeah, okay." She shrugged. "I tend to go into isolation mode with this kind of thing."
"We have that in common kid. I think you might have learned it from me." Tony said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder from behind and kissing her cheek. Tony was far from an affectionate person except when it came to herself or to Pepper. Today, he was even more demonstrative, perhaps because the idea of mortality had been front and center the whole day. "It's strange to say but I'm glad Cap's been there for you."
"Me too." She gave Steve's hand a squeeze. "We'll meet you guys at the hotel. In a few hours?"
"Around six. It's more like a family dinner kind of thing or whatever. Go, get some rest and we'll see you then, okay?"
Steve POV
Sam dropped them off back at Steve's apartment, the ride back quiet except for Sam mentioning that the service was really well done. The pair agreed quietly and went back to looking out the windows, Steve sitting in the back.
Going up to his apartment was silent too, both of them exhausted and emotionally worn out. So worn out that Steve barely noticed that they'd changed out of their funeral clothes while in his bedroom at the same time until they were both dressed again in regular clothes.
He sat on the bed and watched Holly as she put the dress on a hanger and back in a dress bag, tucking the heels she'd been wearing under the chair. Her fingers fiddled with the pearl necklace before she left it on, taking out the headband and running her hands through her hair.
He wanted to say something, anything, but he didn't know what he could say. He held out his hand to her and she took it, letting him pull her over so she sat with him on the side of the bed. She sighed softly as he wrapped his arm around her, automatically wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Thank you, Steve. For today. I don't think I would have made it this week at all without you." Her voice was soft, nearly a murmur.
He gently stroked her long ebony hair, having discovered in the last few days that it comforted her immensely, even when asleep. She'd started having a bad dream the other night and it was the only thing he could think to do, that she hadn't seemed to mind it when he'd stayed with her on the anniversary of 9/11. "I think that's my line, doll. I probably would have gone out and done something stupid if you hadn't been here to ground me."
She pulled back, looking at him. "Like what?"
He shrugged, embarrassed. "I don't know. Find a Hydra base and take it on by myself."
She gave him a weak smile. "Wish you had said something, I wouldn't have objected to kicking some Hydra ass this week."
He didn't quite laugh, rather he chuckled under his breath. "I should have known."
"Yeah you should."