A/N: All rights to characters belong to Marvel. Fic is also called 'Chasing Ghosts' on Ao3.

Part One | The Birth of Ghost.
"What we remember from childhood we remember forever - permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen."
— Cynthia Ozick

December 11, 1946
Brooklyn Hospital

"Promise me, Peggy...promise me..."

Peggy found her mind overcome by the heat and anxiety, feeling like she was living in a fiery prison of sweat and panting. The shredding sounds and sensations seemed to hit her all at once, increasing the pain coming from her belly as the baby within moved about vigorously. A baby - She felt a chill at the thought that she, of all people, would be a mother. Years ago, it would have seemed so absurd! Her entire life had been devoted to carving out a legacy for herself — making a name for herself — but never did she entertain the thought of building a family. Not until him. Until Steve Rogers.

He was not at all what she had imagined for herself - short, scrawny, with barely enough muscle to power through even basic army training; who would have expected him to become something more not only in the world's eyes, but hers as well. At first she found him curious and strange, but after three months Peggy slowly warmed up to him, until eventually a full year later, she felt that he had earned a place in her heart. And from this love, came a blessing beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

At first, it had seemed so simple; the feelings that blossomed between her and Steve with each passing day. Until one day he left them both behind, leaving merely a hollow shell of his presence in what remained of her broken heart. But Peggy was still able to admire her growing belly as the seed of life awoke within her. It was hard to be truly excited when Steve could not be there to experience this moment with her.

The early days between Peggy and Steve had been filled with happiness, bliss, and joy. But then...he'd left her. As her belly grew with their unborn child, the pang of his absence only increased. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, she soon realized that the thrill of motherhood was impossible to contain - the promise of tiny hands and feet, and head so close to emerging from her womb.

Peggy felt her strength diminish as her daughter fought against the cruel push of birth, but all she could think of was Steve. It seemed almost cruel that such a pleasure couldn't be shared with him; however, she still felt joy in the anticipation of what would soon come forth. Her daughter's presence caused a stir within her, one that refused to be doused by anything else.

And then it had hit her. Suddenly, painfully, a raw, swollen feeling that surged through her like ice. At first, she'd denied the feeling, had sworn to herself that it was only nerves, her mind toying with her. But the sensation remained, lingering against her like a bruise, flooding her senses as her heart turned cold in her chest.

Peggy loved this little life growing inside of her.

Her daughter. Her baby girl.

Even now, as she gasped and gritted her teeth, the contractions growing increasingly more severe, and Peggy wished she could keep her safe within her forever, pain be damned. Just a little longer. Just enough to protect her from this cruel world that awaited her. But, the baby had other plans.

"You're doing great, Ms. Carter," the figure beside her reassured, nodding to the assembly of doctors with masks pulled up to their eyes. "Just keep breathing. Don't pay them any mind. Deep breaths. You can do it. Just a few more."

Peggy could feel her daughter resisting her efforts, anguished by her mother's distress and guilt, clinging to her from within, refusing to enter the outside world. And why should she? Peggy was all too aware that the cruelty of this world had no respite and few limits in its depths of depravity - a depravity to which Peggy herself had once been ensnared. Would she remind her child of this when she was older?

When she was older...

Thoughts of what her daughter might look like distracted Peggy from the relentless pain radiating through her body; a foggy picture slowly materializing in her mind's eye. What form would this child take? Who's features would she bear? Perhaps delicate brunette hair like hers or pale blonde curls, bright blue eyes and full lips set atop high cheekbones, gazing out shyly but exuding a beauty tinged with sadness.

Her father's eyes...

"Ah!" Peggy screamed and groaned as she felt the pain radiating from her body, but it was nothing compared to the torment and fear that surrounded her. Gripping tightly onto the doctor's hand, she shouted out in exertion, pushing with all of her might until she could feel her baby coming closer and closer. Tears streamed down her face as she thought about how soon her little one would be leaving her forever.

"You're almost there," the doctor encouraged, breath whistling in a gasp of enthusiasm. "Just one more big push! That's it, Ms. Carter!"

And with one final push, Peggy felt her child emerge into the world. For a moment, time seemed to stop - nothing else mattered beyond those tender, shimmering tears on pale sweat-slick skin. Then it was over; the weight pressing upon her was lifted, replaced instead by bittersweet joy. The room seemed to pause, seemingly frozen in a moment of anticipation. Peggy lay still, her breathing labored, too exhausted to lift her head from the pillow. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling unable to move or register the doctor's hand hovering over her body.

And then, finally, mercifully, the baby let out a short squalling bark, opening her mouth and gulping a huge breath of air. She seemed to pause, as if sensing the action's effect on the room around her, the hot exhale of relief that sighed and stretched between the silence, before beginning her first cries of life. The sound of her newborn shrieks made Peggy frantic, an instinctual, unrealized emotion jolting inside of her. All at once, her senses snapped back to reality, the hollowness of her mangled mind glowing with sudden warmth and need.

The doctors moved in quickly, cleaning and weighing the newborn, determinedly checking for any health issues or abnormalities. The baby was very strong and healthy, crying lustily with a formidable set of lungs. Peggy watched wearily as her daughter was swaddled in a tiny diaper and handed to her, limp body nestled against the curves of her mother's now bare chest.

"This is good for bonding. It's more heart-on-heart than skin-on-skin," the pediatric nurse explained with a soft smile but Peggy could barely hear it through her exhaustion. "Congratulations, Ms. Carter, you have a very healthy, beautiful nine-pound baby girl."

Peggy was finally able to see her daughter's face. Even though her daughter's face was a little scrunched and her eyes puffy, she could make out her nose and Steve's lips instantly. The baby's little chin quivered and her eyes squinted shut as if she was struggling to stay awake. She wails again and Peggy brushes a gentle finger against her daughter's chubby cheeks before coaxing it against her tiny pink fist to open it, "You're gonna give me trouble, aren't you?"

Her daughter continues to whine and Peggy laughs softly with a hum, pulling the little one in closer to her chest, feeling the warmth and weight of her daughter soothe her into peaceful contentment, "Alright then. I'm fine with that."

Howard's hands were shaking as he entered the hospital, the majority of baby gifts tucked away in the car. Even with his dapper suit on and a bouquet of roses and a giant teddy bear in hand, Howard felt like an intruder. He could see Peggy resting in her bed, her beautiful wheat-gold and autumn red hair glimmering under the lamp-light. Pale and tired, yet satisfied - cradling a baby that breathed with labored but strong breaths against the skin of her chest.

"It's a girl?" Howard asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Peggy hummed happily and tired in response, never taking her eyes away from the bundle of joy she held in her arms.

Howard was overwhelmed with emotion - joy and awe encompassing him - as he watched them. Such fragility, such perfection. His heart was breaking and overflowing at the same time.

Jarvis smiled warmly as he placed the flowers on the bedside table while Howard perched nervously on the edge of the bed. "Congratulations, Margaret," he said reverently. "You must be over the moon."

"Yes," Peggy whispered with awe in her voice, taking hold of little Katherine's hand as she examined her tiny perfect fingernails and puffy soft skin. Her love for her daughter was already evident - from the way she gazed adoringly at her to the way she tenderly caressed her plump cheeks and spoke in low soothing tones. It was a beautiful sight to behold. "Over the moon, indeed."

Howard could feel his heart swelling with emotion as he watched them both closely. "Have you decided on a name?" He asked quietly, tenderly.

The corner of Peggy's lips quirked upwards tiredly as she gave a small nod. "Katherine Grant Bishop Carter," she revealed. "After my grandmother...and Grant for her father."

Howard felt a lump forming in his throat at her words and couldn't help but sniffle with happiness. "It's beautiful. I'm sure he would've liked it."

Peggy's face softened, her eyes shimmering with emotion as she ran a hand down the back of Katherine's head, marveling at how soft her hair felt against her fingertips, how warm she was to the touch. "I would have preferred to ask his opinion on the matter," she said in a whisper, sadness tingeing her every word. "...It wasn't supposed to be like this."

Howard placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as he offered his words of comfort, "As least you have little Katherine now."

"I know...but I could've had them both."

Peggy spent the next few weeks learning the rhythms and routines of caring for a newborn, finding that the sleepless nights started to take their toll. In between diaper changes and feedings, she was forced to watch her daughter struggle with simple gestures like latching onto a nipple, or just being able to settle down enough to sleep. Rocking Katherine in her arms until morning as she tried desperately to soothe her daughter's cries - every bit of energy Peggy had going towards appeasing her daughter rather than herself.

Her exhaustion felt like a fog surrounding her day-in-and-day-out, slowly draining away any energy she had, and tonight was no different.

"Here, Katherine. Come on now," Peggy tried to coax her daughter as she nestled a pillow in the crook of her arm and held Katherine's head against her chest. She shifted about in the rocking chair - trying to get comfortable for the night - wrapping her shawl tightly around them both before starting the age-old routine of soft lullabies and gentle movements that usually did the trick.

However, tonight, Katherine wouldn't take sleep no matter how hard Peggy tried. Despite her gentle offers of comfort and her soothing words, nothing seemed to be helping - And the longer she stayed awake, the more frustrated Peggy became with each minute.

Feeling desperate, Peggy pulled Kate against her chest, stroking light circles along the soft skin at the back of her neck as she hummed softly under her breath. But even this was not enough to soothe the baby girl - she pushed away from her mother's breast and only cried harder.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Peggy asked in a voice that hitched on emotion, shaking her head as Katherine's cries filled the air of her bedroom once more. With a deep sigh, Peggy got up and stumbled towards the corner of the room where an old-fashioned phonograph lay surrounded by stacks of records. Some were ones that her grandmother had loved listening to when she was a child.

Peggy grabbed a record off the shelf without hesitation. A moment later, the swing of Harry James filled the room and Peggy watched as Katherine's face softened into wonderment.

"May I have this dance, my darling," Peggy said softly, intertwining her daughter's hands with her own and resting them on her chest. She then glided back and forth slowly in their silent embrace.

"See? Not so bad is it?" Peggy crooned gently, watching as Katherine became entranced by their slow movements and her own humming voice. Her metal dog tags glinted in the light, calling to mind the memory of a father's love that could never be fully expressed. Though unspoken, his presence was deeply felt in every movement.

"You know I still don't how dance..." His voice lingers in the back of her mind like a ghost of her past.

"I'll show you how," she had replied through hushed tears. "Just be there."

The music continued to play, filling the room with a sense of nostalgia as Peggy swayed with Katherine in her arms. Their movements were slow, careful, and filled with love. It was as if they were the only two people in the world, dancing in a space where nothing else existed.

Peggy let herself go as she twirled around the room, lost in memories of the past. She found herself recalling his touch, the sound of his laughter, the way his embrace had made everything else feel so insignificant. Those memories were bittersweet; on the one hand, they brought comfort but on the other, they served as a reminder of what could never come back. They were all she had left of him now. Just memories of a time gone by.

Katherine's face twitched when a tear fell onto it, and Peggy quickly wiped the salt droplet away.

"Sorry, sorry," she sniffled, pressing a gentle kiss against the tussles of brown hair on her head. "Mommy's sorry."

Kate nuzzled against her mother's chest, finally finding solace amidst the faint melody that lingered in the night air.

Over the next few years, Katherine Carter strayed away from her mother's footsteps, which Peggy certainly didn't mind. Instead, Katherine grew up tinkering with mechanics and computers whenever she could. Howard even helped build her own circuit board a few months after her fourth birthday. The two of them had spent hours on it together - soldering wires and testing connections, adjusting the power supply and making sure nothing was left unchecked. Peggy had watched in awe as her daughter followed instructions to a tee, picking up on the complex science like a pro. She even managed to wire and solder all of the components by herself.

On Katherine's first day of first grade, she showed remarkable mathematical talent, which impressed her teacher. When they tested her abilities with written problems, she answered them without breaking a sweat - quickly jotting down equations and solving complex word problems as if it were second nature to her.

After that, Peggy had no choice but to accept the fact that her daughter was gifted, and she knew deep down, that would only bring more unwanted attention into her life. Especially from those she wanted to keep away. So, in response, she took on the task of homeschooling her, teaching her a number of topics beyond what most children received in elementary school - physics, chemistry, philosophy and computer programming. It was an experience that gave Katherine an education unlike any other.

December 11th, 1951.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters

The years passed, Peggy busying herself with the ever-important work of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, her titles and responsibilities growing more numerous as time went on. But in 1949, when the lack of a certain Howard Stark forced the founding of S.H.I.E.L.D., Peggy was appointed as one of its director, and it was now her home more so than any other place in this war-torn world. Still, she had other things to occupy her mind, such as Katherine's growth.

"Now then my little munchkin," she said softly to her daughter, who trembled with excited anticipation at the sight of the pile of gifts beside a small cake on the table. "Are you ready for your final present?"

Peggy smiled down at Kate as a spark of joy lit up in the five-year-old's eyes, her long brown hair cascading around her shoulders as she nodded excitedly in response.

The two were sitting in the middle of S.H.I.E.L.D., feeling nearly like home to little Kate by now - chairs scattered around them and decorations strewn about, with a small cake and gifts set out on one of the desks.

Peggy took something out of her pocket and bit her lip as she presented it to Kate. It was a beautiful golden locket - an antique that Peggy had found in one of Howard Stark's old warehouses. It shimmered brightly in the dimly lit room, and when Peggy opened it to show Katherine what was inside, the little girl gasped.

The locket held two spots, one being empty and the other one of a picture of little Kate sitting in her mother's lap, a prideful beam on both of their faces.

"Oh, mommy, it's beautiful!" Katherine cooed in delight. "It's perfect! What's that empty spot for?"

Peggy felt a lump form in her throat, the cold emptiness of a certain star-gazer still present in her heart. She gathered Katherine up into her arms and smiled softly.

"That," she said, "is for someone who will become special to you one day. Someone who you'll care about as much as I care about you. And maybe...it's someone I will tell you about. Someday."

Katherine's eyes sparkled with awe as she embraced her mother tightly, the feeling of deep appreciation and admiration rushing through her veins.

"Thank you, mommy. You've given me the best birthday ever!" Katherine exclaimed excitedly.

In response, Peggy couldn't help but tear up, the sentiment of love and acceptance making her chest swell with emotion. She hugged her daughter tightly and whispered into her ear.

"And thank you, my darling, for allowing me to be your mother. I love you more than words can say."

She holds her even closer, thanking God that she had Katherine in her life, for if she was to lose her, she's not sure she would be able cope with such a loss again.