Peggy took Maria Hills hand to get out of the car. The New York street was busy, but there wasn't anyone taking pictures of them yet. Today was the first day the New York SHIELD headquarters was up and running, thanks to Maria and Peggy's hard work. The building was tall with reflected mirrors, "I'm no architect, but it looks nice."

"I thought it was nice symbology. SHIELD is just a mirror for the world. What you see is what is really there, nothing more, nothing less."

Peggy looked over, "Maria that's a beautiful sentiment."

"I guess my double major in English wasn't useless." Maria held the door open for Peggy.

"What was the other?" Peggy looked around the lobby. Some agents were positioned around but the real attraction was the high ceilings and the massive amounts of Natural light coming in. Much different than The Playground or the old SSR buildings.

"Criminal Law." She shrugged, scanning a security card on an elevator.

Peggy walked in, constantly impressed with how sleek everything was, "I always wanted to go to college."

"Running off to fight in a World War is a good excuse though." Maria countered.

"I believe you're right." The elevator closed and started lifting them up. "How was your holiday?"

Maria shrugged, "I was working, I enjoyed it though. How were the Bartons?"

"Great, they are just a lovely family." Peggy felt her phone buzz in her purse and started searching through the pockets. She pulled out the phone and saw Steve's name on the screen. "Sorry-"

"Tell Steve I said hi." Maria smirked.

Peggy held the phone to her ear, "Hello Darling,"

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"No, I'm with Maria at the new yet-to-be-named SHIELD building.. she says Hello.."

"Well I say hi back. Pepper keeps writing me, sending emails? Or texts… whatever they're called about meeting to do… wedding things." He said ominously.

"Don't remind me. Can't I just plan to destroy a terrorist organization instead? It could be out honeymoon.." Part of her was kidding, and another part wasn't.

"I just wanted to warn you.. we'll have to plan it eventually…"

The doors opened and Maria walked out in front of Peggy, a little disappointed that she couldn't hear the conversation. "I don't see you flipping through magazines." Peggy bit back, "I'll see you back at The Tower, I have to get the grand tour of my office."

"See you later."

Peggy hung up the phone, "Sorry. I find it best not to ignore him, since it probably took three tries just to figure out how to dial me."

"He's really that bad with Technology?"

"Yes. I've only been awake for what, 4 months, and I've surpassed and doubled where is after 2 and a half years."

Maria laughed and stopped outside of an office that had Director Carter on the plaque. Her office, like most SHIELD offices was walled in by bulletproof glass but thankfully her office had blinds allowing for some privacy. She had grown to like them more, but she longed for some more privacy. Maria opened the door allowing Peggy to go in first.

The view was the first thing she noticed was the spectacular view of New York. The tall buildings she used to look at decades ago along with some new additions, Stark Tower was a rather large addition. "Jiminey Cricket!" She walked through the empty office straight to the full wall Windows. "That's quite a view."

"It really is." Maria pointed to the right wall, "My office is on the other side of this wall and the conference room is on the other side of that wall." She pointed to the left. "Assistants and Security Guards will be the only one with access to this level."

Peggy turned away from the view, "I haven't even thought about an assistant. No wonder I've been so busy lately."

"We can get some interviews set up. Find an Agent somewhere who specializes in making the perfect cup of tea and organizing a calendar."

Peggy laughed, "Everyone has some value somewhere."

"Well I won't keep you long. There's not much to do but pick out the desk and move in whatever you want."

"I don't have much to move in." Peggy looked around again, "I'll just order the stuff tonight on the line."

Maria laughed. 'on the line' she'd have to remember that to tell Tony later. The group had a book going of hilarious things Steve and Peggy said. Of course they didn't know, since if they did the book would be gone, and they would be missing. "That'll work. Want to see the rest of the building?"

"Of course. I'd love to see what you've been working on." Peggy said with genuine excitement.

Peggy walked into the living level of Stark Tower and saw Tony cooking, "You're back." He pointed out.

"Yes I am. Is Steve here yet?" Peggy immediately bend down and took her heels off.

"Probably ruining yet another one of my punching bags." Tony sighed and picked up the pan he was holding in his hand, "Omelette?"

"No thank you." Peggy walked into the kitchen to make herself some tea. "So now that Thanksgiving is over, I guess we have to handle the mess of Christmas now."

"Pepper and I will probably go to the Malibu house." He shrugged, "Mom and Dad never did Christmas. Jarvis and Anna always made an attempt."

"Jarvis loved Christmas." Peggy chuckled, "and Anna Hanukkah."

When she got a better look at Tony she noticed what he was wearing. A well worn vintage smoking robe, "You're wearing the robe I bought Howard" she sounded excited about the connection, "I can't believe he kept it."

Tony looked down and frowned, "Only because it's comfortable. Can we not talk about my Dad now? Leave the heart to heart conversations between you and Steve."

The new science of making tea in the Stark Kitchen felt like pulling teeth to her. No boiling water was required since there was a special faucet just for boiling hot water. It felt like she was stepping on the Union Jack every time she did it, but Peggy Carter is many things. Lazy when it's not a matter of life or death just happens to be one of them.

She ripped open the tea package and started soaking it in the mug, "We were friends. I'm sorry." Tony still didn't know about their relationship since it had been impossible to tell Tony anything about his dad - the fact that they raise their eyebrows the same way when they say something cocky and among other things. "I guess it's hard to accept the fact that he actually had a son."

"He probably felt the same way. Didn't spend too much time being fatherly." Tony poured some green peppers into the pan, "The business was the only thing I ever saw him giving a shit about." Tony seemed more jarred about the subject than usual. After trying to figure out why he realized that it was the anniversary of when Howard and Tony's mother was reported dead.

Peggy took a deep breath. It was time to tell him one of the secrets she was keeping. "To be fair he gave up everything for you indirectly-"

Tony scoffed, "Like what? Being a decent person,"

She turned her physical attention back to making her tea. "Tony I believe there is something I should tell you about your Father."

He stopped and moved the omelette off of the heat. Tony looked up at Peggy, "What?"

"Howard was Jewish. I mean he was brought up Jewish, and he followed it privately when I knew him at least, mostly for the sentiment. Atheism wasn't as open back then I guess." She looked at Tony and could see him wanting more information. "It doesn't erase the fact that he was a rubbish father. He couldn't say two words without lying or cheating but all he wanted to do was make the world better. He didn't think an immigrant son of two Jewish factory workers would get him where he wanted to get to and especially before the war. It would have closed every door in his face. It's what he had to do."

Tony turned back to his mid afternoon snack, "Who knows?"

"Just me." Peggy stirred a spoonful of sugar into her cup, "And well Jarvis and Anna. It was a good thing he kept it a secret since if the media knew, he wouldn't have been able to save as many people as he did." she said like she was reciting history- a known fact- that Tony would be in on.

"What do you mean?" Tony sighed. He wished she would have listened and kept the heart to heart away from him.

"Howard saved probably 100 people from the death camps before it became too dangerous and had to stop or risk uncovering more than a dozen espionage missions. I mean it's how Howard and I met." Peggy sighed letting Tony have some time to think. "He didn't want to make a big fuss about it, I guess that's why you don't know."

Tony half heartedly flipped the omelette onto a plate, "I only know that he saved Anna and pulled Jarvis's fat out of the fryer." he looked at his plate, "You sure know how to ruin good breakfast foods."

"I'm sorry Tony." Peggy didn't fall for his deflecting humor, "Howard was a good man. A terrible father… but everything good about him I see in you, constantly."

Tony pulled a drawer open and found a fork, "Don't pity me."

"I'm not." Peggy sighed, "I'm telling you the truth."

Tony took the plate and walked out of the kitchen, "I'm going to the Lab, try and not cause any more existential crisis's today."

Peggy didn't justify the request with an answer, she just took her tea and went to find Steve. As expected Steve was wailing into a bag with his hands taped up to keep from breaking. "Hello darling." Peggy walked to Steve and gave him a kiss.

"You're late." He teased.

"I'm not going to take that from you."