A longer one, I hope you will like it! :)
Peggy was drifting between consciousness and sleep. She realized she was in the car, then being carried somewhere, and when she was finally fully awake, she found herself in a small room with a double bed, Steve on the other side. She exhaled, perhaps loudly, as he immediately woke up and placed his hand on her forehead.
"I'm fine," she mumbled, her voice still groggy from sleep.
"The fever is gone," he announced happily. "Finally," he added.
"How long...?" she began to ask.
"Three days since it started. We had to move; we didn't want to attract unwanted attention."
"Sorry for that," she whispered, overwhelmed by a wave of guilt. They had to move BECAUSE OF HER.
"There's nothing to be sorry for. We've been on the move for a long time."
"But why...?"
"It's a long story," he interrupted her. "A story you'll hear soon, but not right now," he added quickly.
...
During the following day, Steve told Peggy everything that had happened after he woke up and why they were on the run. As he spoke, he sounded as if he were talking about someone else, not himself. It was as if he had become detached from his own self. His indifference terrified her.
She watched him closely, noticing the differences between the Steve she knew and this new, older version of him. She could see that he had become rougher, as if someone had forcibly stripped away his initial naivety.
When he finished, he waited for her reaction. He seemed wary, as if waiting for her condemnation.
"You've grown up," she whispered after a while.
"I... I've gotten older, yes, being in this century for..."
"No, Steve. I don't mean your age. You don't see the world in black and white anymore. You stand by our principles even when they conflict with authorities."
Steve didn't know whether that was good or not.
"I had a great teacher who showed me how to disrespect authorities," he said with angelic eyes.
Peggy chuckled at that.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she smiled. And God, he loved that smile on her face. He had dreamt of it during his entire time locked in this new life.
He remembered, finally without remorse, how she had coerced Howard into flying him closer to the prisoners from Azzano.
Their moment was interrupted by Natasha, who entered the room without knocking. Peggy watched her closely but couldn't figure out who she was. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized for the first time that Natasha could be Steve's girlfriend, and that perhaps she had overestimated his affection and care for her. After all, she knew he would do anything for his friends. So, who was she now to Steve? He hadn't mentioned anything more than being on the run with her before, and when he talked about her, his voice changed a little. But Peggy didn't feel confident enough to ask him right then and there.
"We should get going. I met a neighbor who asked weird questions," Natasha announced and left the room.
Steve started packing their things into a bag near the door. Peggy wanted to help, but she couldn't sit without assistance.
"How often do you change places?" she asked.
"When necessary, usually every week or two," he answered, slinging the bag over his shoulder and taking her in his arms. He carried her to the car, lying her across the backseats while he sat in the front next to Natasha, who was already waiting there. He started the car.
Natasha turned towards Peggy, scrutinizing her. "I'm Natasha."
"Nice to meet you," Peggy tried to maintain her dignity as much as possible in the backseats of the car.
"So, where to, ladies?" he asked casually, as if he were a hired taxi driver.
"Somewhere safe, please," Natasha laughed at his tone.
"Safety it is, then," he nodded and smiled back at her.
Peggy didn't dare to make a sound, pondering about their situation, but she knew that if she wanted answers, she would have to ask.
The journey took five hours before Steve stopped the car. Natasha went to check them in while they remained in the car, silent. Steve turned back and was surprised to see Peggy awake. He had assumed she was asleep because she hadn't spoken the whole journey and hadn't engaged with him or Natasha.
"How do you feel?" he asked anxiously, concerned that perhaps she had another fever.
"I feel fine," she responded quickly.
Natasha opened the car door.
"So, two rooms next to each other, this is your key," she handed it to Steve.
"Thanks, Nat."
"We're sharing a wall, so no talking into the night," she grinned, grabbed her small bag, and left them there.
Steve shook his head, looking slightly embarrassed. That's what friends do to each other in front of other people, right?
Steve opened the back doors, gave Peggy the key, and carried her into the room.
"Are you ready to see our new home?" he asked lightly. She tried not to show him how much her heart raced at those words.
"Pull yourself together, Carter. Don't act like a schoolgirl," she scolded herself mentally.
He carried her as if she weighed nothing. They climbed the stairs. The motel consisted of rooms connected by an external balcony. When they reached the door with the number 42, she unlocked it, and he carried her across the threshold.
Steve stopped in the middle of his second step, uncertainly looking at Peggy. When she returned his gaze, he smiled at her. She snuggled up to him a little more, and then they walked together through a small hallway into a room with a double bed, where he gently laid her down.
He scratched his neck nervously.
"I'm going to get our things. There was some food at the reception as well. Do you want anything?"
Peggy shook her head. "Not hungry."
Steve nodded and left the room.
Peggy was left alone. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself and looked around. The room was small, with only space for a double bed, a small table with two chairs, and a kitchen counter with a stove, microwave, and kettle. There was a small wardrobe in the hallway, likely leading to the bathroom. Peggy looked around, realizing that if anyone unfamiliar were to open the door, she would be completely defenseless. She couldn't walk, didn't have her weapon with her, and could only scream, which would, of course, attract the attention of others.
She could hear loud voices from the other inhabitants of the motel, which only added to her stress. She cautiously propped herself up on her forearms to sit halfway up, but a wave of pain shot through her back, forcing her to quickly return to a lying position. She breathed rapidly, anxiously watching the door without blinking.
After a few minutes, the door opened, and Steve returned with his bag and a few boxes of food.
"They had plenty to choose from. I know you said you're not hungry, but they had salad, and you should eat something." Peggy quickly averted her gaze and blinked several times to hold back the tears that were welling up on the verge of a near-panic attack.
"Peggy? Are you alright?" he asked hesitantly when he noticed how quickly she turned her head.
"I have something for Natasha too. I'll be right back."
He left the room, leaving the balcony doors open. Another wave of panic threatened to overwhelm her. The newfound feeling of complete dependence on someone hit her like a ton of bricks. Thankfully, before the panic could consume her, Steve returned.
"Natasha sends her regards and wishes you a good night," he said. He was about to close the doors when Natasha appeared in the doorway.
"I also wanted to tell you," Natasha looked at Peggy, "that if he starts snoring, the quickest way to stop it is to plug his nose. He's unwakable." She waved and disappeared, leaving Steve with a half-annoyed expression.
Peggy composed herself.
"So, you and Natasha...?"
"We're friends. She's my best friend. She's like Bucky, but in a female body and smells better. Not that I've smelled her, but... I know how Bucky smelled, and, well..." He turned red.
"How is it possible that you've grown up so much but still have trouble talking to women, Steve?"
"I haven't had much practice lately," he admitted. "Not since..."
"Not since?" Peggy urged him on.
"Not since you."
Peggy exhaled loudly.
"Don't tell me no woman has been interested in you..."
"Oh, they have, but... I wasn't. They liked me because they knew the Captain, but... What about you? Have you dated someone?" He blurted out quickly. Then he realized he must have sounded too eager and quickly added, "You don't have to answer, you know."
"I was still comparing them to you. I couldn't..." she struggled to find the right words.
"I know. I couldn't either."
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. They looked at each other, both unsure of what to do next. They had just come close to confessing their love, but now both felt completely helpless.
Steve eventually nodded towards the boxes on the counter. "Will you try to eat something? You should go to bed soon; you must be exhausted."
They ate their meal, and Steve helped Peggy brush her teeth, supporting her as she leaned mostly on him while partly using the sink for balance. They fell asleep almost as soon as they switched off the light.
Don't forget to leave a comment :) It motivates me and the continuation will be sooner :)