Chapter 5 [Christmas Eve]

[Allied Command]

Even after her fellow analysts departed for the holidays and their furlough, Peggy wrapped up the first draft of her report for Phillips. She'd wished her colleagues and their families well in addition to a Merry Christmas. She looked forward to the merriment with the Commandos later that evening and their dinner on the following day. Truly close friends and co-workers lessened the longing and loss for even an orphan such as herself.

Before such sentiments, however, she had business to finish. Two affairs awaited her attention.

She completed the first task with the report's draft. As she vowed to herself, when Stark returned, they would have a basis for an eastern offensive. "I won't let the boys down. I will be counted on." She gazed upon the document before sealing it in an envelope. She locked it away in the desk drawer for safe keeping. Then she stood slowly and collected her thick overcoat in preparation for the second task.

She opened the top drawer and pulled out a familiar folder. Opening it, she found her most special picture….

…the one of Steve before the procedure…when he was only inner strength and heart….

…but even so, she had fallen for him at that point….

She smiled sadly. Her heart ached for him desperately. She sucked in a deep breath. "I love you, Captain. Merry Christmas wherever you are." She slid the photo in her coat pocket before pulling the heavy wrap around herself. She shut her light off and took one last look around at her office.

Her cocoon still called to her….

The outside world hurt so much….

She exhaled a heavy sigh while forcing herself from that pull. For once she'd embrace the world for tis sake. She'd go out for her friends' sake…for Life itself….

But not before that last piece of business….

[St. Margaret's Catholic Church, Eastcheap—Two hours later]

[A/N: I know Peggy's faith was never discussed in the movie (or even if she believed). For the sake of argument, I'm going to make the leap here….]

Peggy crossed herself one last time as the Christmas Mass concluded. She had watched the assembled parishioners in the church conducting the service in unison being used to each other's voices as well as the priest's cadences during his sermon. Admittedly this had been the first time she'd returned to a church of any kind in years….

...since the Blitz had claimed her parents….

…since she'd lost everything that day…..

She bit back her tears and guilty feelings. Everything had been so hollow since the bombing. The shells had rendered her a zombie in all but living tissue. She lived for her work. She lived to prove that a woman could make it there, then and as equal to a man. Nothing else mattered. Short of a miracle nothing would derail from that ambition….

…A miracle with blond hair, a scrawny build, a mussed up yellow mop on top yet with the heart of a lion and those piercing determined blue eyes.

Although Phillips didn't see it at first, she immediately recognized what Erksine saw in Steve. She definitely approved. Although robbed of their dance, she would waltz with him in Memoria's tune. She would wait for news either way.

She fumbled with her hands while dealing with her own doubts. Her own feelings of inadequacy weighed on her. She looked around anxiously to see if anyone watched her. "I know I'm…not the greatest Catholic….But I don't pray for me today. I pray for someone I love." She collected her breath even as her heart beat faster. "Wherever you are, Captain, may you be at peace. I wish for you the best of things…to know that I love you. I may not have told you so. I have to be one of the boys, God. But in this, I hope for resolution for us all. Can you give us a sign? Please." She bowed her head; the inadequacies both eating at her gut and causing her to tremble at the same time. "Amen." She sighed and castigated herself, "Some prayer."

"It was a fine prayer, Miss."

She felt annoyed at first at the potential peeping tom. She stood and reined in her anger remembering that she was in a church. She half-expected it to be the priest offering his two cents. She turned to find something else altogether.

An elderly woman leaned heavily on her cane. She wore a threadbare coat and shook ever so slightly in the knees. Time and Sol had reduced her face to a mass of wrinkles. Her hair lay on her head as gently as the white snow on the grass outside. "Forgive me, Miss. I didna' mean to intrude." She smiled kindly.

"It's all right." For some reason, Peggy forgot her anger. She couldn't remain so with this person for some reason. "Thank you. Is someone with you?"

"No, Dear. I live by myself. I normally see myself home. It's na' far," the older woman insisted. "You have something else on your mind tonight. Think on your love. It will be all right. Was he one of our brave soldiers?"

Peggy nodded. "One of the bravest although Steve would insist that he was only doing his duty. He disappeared on a mission. He never hesitated to sacrifice himself for us all."

"A truly wonderful man indeed. Someone like that will find his reward. If you don't mind me asking, what's your name? I'm Clarissa," Clarissa assessed with assurance.

"I'm Peggy. Thank you for your kindness," Peggy replied. Her heart warmed at the elderly woman's words. "We all do our duty."

"Some more than others. Don't be so hard on yourself. You have the look of someone who's seen too much tragedy, Peggy." Clarissa looked at the younger girl firmly. "Live and don't regret. I'm sure there'll be news soon about your Steve."

Peggy didn't know what to make of Clarissa's pronouncement but decided to humor her anyhow. "I'll do that." She checked her purse and saw she had more than enough money to offer her a meal. "Meantime can I walk you to the pub? How about….?" She looked up and stared incredulously.

Clarissa had disappeared. She wasn't anywhere in sight. Given that they were at least twenty feet from the door, she couldn't have hobbled out of there that quickly.

"Where the Devil did she go?" Peggy wondered while looking around for the kindly old woman. She couldn't see Clarissa anywhere. "Strange." Then she turned to where her coat sat on the varnished wood and stared yet again.

From out of nowhere, two roses—one white and one red—sat in a cradle of pine boughs right there on top of her wrap.

"How curious indeed! Poor lady." She put on her coat and considered the roses again. "How sweet. But who left these?" She shook her head but held her roses as she headed out into the deepening darkness outside.

Could there be magic afoot? Or perhaps something else? One could nver tell…..

[Cask and Ale—Half an hour later]

A light snow fell as Peggy parked in the lot behind the ancient pub. She still mused over Clarissa's sudden disappearance. "Too bad I would've liked to at least have bought her a meal. Wherever she is, hopefully she's all right." She considered the roses now on her car seat. "I wish she'd taken those with her. Poor Dear. All alone and without her treasured blooms." She got out and locked her car. Then she glanced up into the sky. "For love's sake and duty to my friends." Then she pressed inside the eatery.

Montgomery waited for her by the coat rack. "Good evening, Agent Carter. Thought that Phillips had waylaid you."

"Not a chance, Lieutenant. I've done my share. Tonight is our celebration…ours and the Captain's," she asserted while taking off her coat and putting it over her arm. "Lead on. I'll keep it with me."

"As you wish," the British Commando relented. He did want to hang it up for her as per gentlemanly etiquette but would not offend her in trying to do so. "He would want us to enjoy our friendship."

"He would indeed. You boys are the best friends—except for Mr. Barnes—that I've seen him with," she indicated. "We all work together."

"But tonight we drink together and celebrate," Dum Dum insisted as the duo reached the table. "You're late, Carter."

"Got hung up doing holiday business." She allowed a brief smile at the joke between her and her Captain. Then she shrugged while joining them at the usual corner table. "What are you boys drinking tonight?"

"Ale okay? We got our usual pitcher coming," Dino assumed.

She nodded in due consideration. "And the fish and chips?"

"What else? We figured you might want something fancier given that it's Christmas Eve," Howard assumed.

"Food's food," Dum Dum assumed. "Just keep the tab open, the drinks coming and the friends around. Celebrate today for tomorrow we fight again." He raised his mug. "To friends past and present. Present company included."

"In memory of the Captain and Mr. Barnes," Peggy added while raising her glass.

"Hear! Hear!" The Commandos eagerly touched their mugs in appreciation of the fine toast before drinking on it.

A balding portly man in a striped shirt and dark pants set a huge platter of fried cod and potatoes in their midst with a bottle of vinegar. He added a plate of lemon. "The manager doubled your order, Gents and Ma 'am. Merry Christmas!"

"Thanks, Jack! What a plate!" Dum Dum expressed while seasoning the potato chips with the vinegar. Then he glanced toward the door. "What the Hell are they doing here?"

Peggy and the other Commandos saw two uniformed MPs enter the pub and walk toward them. They each looked at one another wondering what was going on.

Finally she stood and met them at chair side. "Good evening, Gentlemen. We're on Christmas furlough but can we help you?"

"Agent Margaret Carter, correct?" one MP, a muscular red haired man, queried.

"That's right. Is there any trouble?" she wondered.

"Urgent military business. Top secret concerning you and these gentlemen in York. It's urgent you come with us immediately. You will be briefed when we get there," the second MP informed them albeit in a cryptic manner.

"Just a minute. Can we wrap up our dinner?" Dum Dum presumed while signaling for Jack again.

"Put it in a bag and let's go. Leave the beers please. We'll have coffee for you en route," the first MP instructed.

The barkeeper slid the platter into a brown paper bag. "Sorry, Folks."

"Thanks, Jack. It ain't your fault," Montgomery assured him while fighting the urge to let the Scrooge Twins get a sharp glare. "Bloody stuff! And on Christmas too!" He grabbed his wool coat and threw it on. "Come on, Mates! Let's rip and get this affair over with."

"The Captain would want us to honor our duty," she affirmed while putting her coat on. Then she looked firmly at the two MPs. "Lead on, Gentlemen."

"Yes, Ma 'am," the first MP agreed before leading them out of the pub and toward the waiting transport outside. "We have a plane waiting at the strip for you."

"At least we don't have to drive all night. Maybe we might get a Christmas after all," Dum Dum presumed.

We can hope! She eyed her car where the two flowers still sat…now twice abandoned and doomed to freeze on this cold evening….I'm sorry….

The truck pulled away toward the RAF base and whatever the mission at hand was.

Scrooge it seemed was in fine spirits on that Christmas Eve…or was it something else?

It was sometimes hard to tell…..