"The world is changed, and none of us can go back. We just have to do our best, and sometimes the best that we can do, is to start over – ahm, ahckm!"

Steve turned and grabbed a water pitcher off the bedside table, his pulse quickening at the sound of Peggy's coughing. He poured the water carefully in a glass and turned to Peggy, only to find her staring at him.

"Peggy," he breathed.

Peggy lifted her eyes slowly to his. First they were blank, then recognition filled them, and wonder. "Steve," she breathed.

"Yeah," Steve murmured.

"You, you came back," Peggy exclaimed – and a weary, overjoyed smile spread over her wrinkled face.

Steve felt himself torn to his heart. A thousand emotions, memories, and tears welled in eyes, and he forced it down with a happy, stricken smile.

"It's been so long," Peggy said, her eyes welling with tears and love as her smile gave way to the grief of seventy years. "So long."

"I couldn't leave my best girl," Steve said, the gentleness in his voice so brave. "Not when she owes me a dance."

The little, pitiful, wounded woman in the bed smiled briefly back, the tears tracking their way down her wrinkled cheeks now. Steve's heart and very soul were aching. She had forgotten the last few moments. Gone was the brave, observant, commanding soldier who had trained him so well in more than combat. Gone was the selfless, intelligent, generous woman who had given him such beautiful advice only moments before. She was gone to the mists of time, gone and taken from him like everything old and dear he loved.

But, no, she was still there – he could see it, see her, hidden deep in these old woman's eyes. He could see the young, hopeful love that had refused to believe he would not come back. The love that needed to be reassured, to be finally returned.

Steve made a decision, and, smiling, pulled back the blankets.

"What are you doing?" Peggy asked, her face frowning in the confusion of the very old.

Steve didn't respond. He arranged her nightgown to where it was at her neck and over her knees, then gently, oh so gently, reached and gathered her into his arms. Lifting her carefully, remembering how weak his arms once had been, he found her wondering gaze very close to his face.

"What are you doing?" She repeated. He could see the old Peggy peering out from the shadows. "The nurses don't want to move me."

"You're going to teach me to dance," Steve said, grinning happily, all the love in his eyes hiding the tears from her notice.

The little woman, so light in his arms, laughed, and Peggy sparkled in the youth of her laughter.

o o o

Grace hurried down the corridor toward Mrs. Peggy's bedroom. It was time for the old woman's medicine and her nap, and Grace was late as it was. Being new to the job at the nursing home, Grace was trying her best to impress the staff, and if she kept up this way isn't wasn't going to go well.

Grace turned a corner, marching a few steps to push the already open door, and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She stepped quickly back and froze, hoping she hadn't been seen.

The rather buff young man who had come earlier that morning to see Peggy was standing inside the bedroom with her in his arms. The woman was limp and quiet in his tender grasp, her gray curls nestled softly against his shoulder. She was asleep, and the young man was humming to her, an old song Grace didn't recognize, stepping back and forth as he rested his tear-stained cheek against her head. His eyes were closed, his tears still falling, though slower now.

Grace wrung her hands and took a deep breath. Surely, the staff wouldn't mind if she missed getting Mrs. Peggy to her nap just this once. She turned and quietly took leave of the hallway.

o o o

Steve put Peggy back in her bed a few minutes later. He slowly arranged the blankets back over her still form, staring a long time at the peace on her face. He whispered, soft so as not to wake her.

"No matter what becomes of you or me, no matter how time may try to tear us apart, you will always be my Peggy." He smiled one last time. "You will always be my best girl."

He leaned over, softly kissing her forehead, and left the room.