"This is the third time in six months."

Peggy nods, "I understand that sir, but I need him."

Director Phillips rolls his eyes, "the Smithsonian needs him as well, Agent Carter. He is employed here."

She glances around him and almost thinks about dashing around the older man and making a for the main room.

But his gruff demeanor tells her that wouldn't get her very far. "He's saving lives, Mr. Phillips. When he's with me he's actually preventing deaths not studying them!"

"Don't belittle our work—"

"Oh for heaven's sake, I'm not! But there are priorities and those priorities are the people who are still alive." She tries to nod with respect as she then hurries past him. She can feel his annoyed eye roll on her back but Happy is already swiping her through the last security stop and she just grins in success.

—

"He's taking a call." Barnes tells her, "should be back soon." She stands on the platform, and on her hips. "Another case?"

She nods, "indeed."

He tilts his head at her, "this is becoming more often of a thing."

She shrugs, "he's helpful. Something that is difficult to say about others that I've worked with."

"Yeah, but like—" Barnes is grinning at her, "what is this, your seventh case together?"

She ignores his curious raised eyebrow and pretends to count. "Yes, that sounds about right."

"Agent Carter, you're back!" She turns to see Tony walking up to her with a grin and a hand outstretched, Steve is walking behind the man, a neutral expression on his face.

"I am. How are you, Anthony?"

He wrinkles his nose, "fine. It's Tony."

She smirks, "I'm well aware."

"Agent Carter."

His blue eyes are on hers but his expression is unchanged. "Dr. Rogers."

"How can I help you today?"

"I've got a case." She starts then she looks around, "about three hours south of here."

Tony grins, "field trip."

"Don't forget about the exhibition." Barnes says, turning back to his tools, "Phillips will throw a fit if we're not ready in time."

Steve looks at his watch and then seems to calculate in his mind. "What type of crime scene? Has it been contaminated?"

Her voice gets serious. "Barrels. And yes.. the barrels were struck by a backhoe that was digging."

Steve's face shifts into disbelief, "barrels? Plural?"

She nods. "Yes."

He's grabbing his coat and phone and gesturing to her, "after you."

—-

They're in a large SUV driving towards the site. He's sitting in the passenger seat examining photos she's handed over.

"Do you know cause of death?" He asks softly.

"No." She responds, "that's part of the reason we need you."

His face is somber as he nods, and he quietly adds, "I hope it was before."

Her hands tighten on the wheel, "so do I."

—-

It;s a testament to Steve's usefulness that Jack has downgraded from snarky comments about scientists to just a huff and an eye roll at his appearance.

"Dr. Rogers."

"Agent Thompson. What have we got?"

"Six bodies in five barrels."

She looks up, as does Steve. Thompson is frowning, "one barrel has two bodies. Size most likely indicates they were young." His eyes go to the scene where tents have popped up and agents are carefully examining the barrels. "Too young."

"What do you need from me?"

Peggy jumps in at this point. "We need identifying markers. Ages, races, heights. Also estimation of how long they've been decomposing. Were these killed all at the same time? Over a span? How long in between and does the killer have a type? We need whatever you can give us."

Steve is nodding, he looks up at her and points to it all, "if you want this done fast, then it should be shipped back to the Smithsonian. If you don't want it messed with then someone needs to pick up my team. I'm going to need Bucky for particulates and cause of death, and Tony for anything else."

She looks at Thompson, raising an eyebrow, asking his preference.

"Dooley wants this kept here."

"Dr. Rogers, you get to work, I'll have agents bring your team."

The blonde man nods and takes off towards the tent.

She turns towards Thompson, "Dooley on his way?"

"He's been and gone."

She frowns, "really? I wasn't gone that long."

"Some big case popped up in Louisiana, he's headed out."

"Ah, I see."

"You tell him?"

Peggy turns to Thompson, "about?"

He gestures to Steve, "that we finally found her. The assistant missing from the first case he worked with us."

Peggy sighs, "I haven't. Not yet."

"He's probably smart enough to figure out she didn't make it on his own." She doesn't answer. "You told him you'd tell him."

She scoffs at the man, "I'm well aware. And why the devil do you care? You used to mock me bringing him on cases."

Thompson shrugs, "hate to admit that the squints are useful but sometimes they are."

Peggy just rolls her eyes and follows after the doctor.

—

"I mean it's just so cool." Peggy hears one of the younger agents saying, "it's my favorite book! And it's so detailed and spooky. How do you come up with those plots?"

Steve is examining bone shards that have been collected from the first barrel that had been split by the equipment. "I've been working around humans a long time." He says, barely paying the girl attention, not in a mean way but a concentrated way. Peggy's seen that look before. "Just take from the real world I guess."

The girl is beaming and watching him, "well, just know you've got a lot of really excited fans anxiously awaiting the sequel."

Steve nods, still keeping his eyes on the work in front of him, "should be hitting the publishers soon." He says, focused on the bone shards, "they tell me it will be a quick turnaround."

Peggy puts her hands on her hips, "what has a sequel?"

The young woman agent straightens at her arrival. "Agent Carter."

"Agent Hanes."

Steve doesn't look up. Once he gets started it was hard to deter him.

"Dr. Rogers' book, ma'am." The young agent answers. "He left it on a cliff hanger and we've all been dying for the sequel. I was just asking. Sorry." The young woman steps back, "I'll let him be."

"It's alright." She answers, "as long as the doctor doesn't mind."

Steve doesn't even seem to be listening which makes Peggy want to laugh. He gets very mentally focused when working a case.

The young agent nods and walks back to her other station and Peggy examines the other barrels being carefully opened in secure areas.

She waits patiently as Steve examines the skills of each one. He's thorough with his measurements and tests and when he sets the last one down, he sighs. "All females."

Her teeth are tightly pressed together but she nods. Sadly not expecting anything less.

"Ages?"

Steve frowns, "I'll need more time to be exact." He answers, but based on skull size, teeth placement, and cranial line I would say between 7–" he points to the smallest, "—and 23." He preempts her next question, "I don't know cause or time of death yet. I need the skeletons fully removed and my team."

Again, she simply nods.

—

She notices Barnes and Tony both flirting shamelessly with agents as they work together.

And she watches in even more amusement as Steve seems annoyed by it.

"Can't you both just pay attention to the task in front of us?"

"It's called multi-tasking Steve." Barnes responds with a grin to a passing agent.

"And I'm waiting for the machine to finish processing the soil." Tony adds, patting said machine, "I've got time."

Steve just rolls his eyes and gets back to studying the remains. Barnes turns to her, "so, Carter, what do you do in your free time?"

She rolls her eyes, leaning her hip against the set up table about to respond when Thompson appears, "Marge doesn't do diddly squat in her free time. She's one of those feisty workoholics.

She'd like to feistily punch him in the face but she just rolls her eyes, turning to Barnes who thankfully is looking at Thompson with a skeptics brow. "What's it to you?"

He grins at her, "just wondering. Do you have a boyfriend?" His eyes flick to Steve who is absolutely not paying them a lick of attention.

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

He smirks at her. "That's not an answer."

"I just said she's a workoholic." Thompson butts in again, "she's too busy for guys. Right, Marge?"

Her thin lipped smile is viscious, "oh yes, e specially men like you."

He rolls his eyes at her and she smirks back.

"What kind of man are you interested in?" Barnes asks, very clearly some goal in mind.

She points to the table, "a man who can do his job. Now hop to it."

He laughs, "you hear that, Steve?" The blond man looks up, glasses perched on his nose.

"Hear what?"

Barnes rolls his eyes. "Carter likes a guy skilled at his job."

Steve looks up, magnifying glasses perched on the edge of his nose and he seems perplexed, "your tone tells me that's something special." He tilts his head, "but that seems like a basic requirement to me."

Barnes is about to dig himself into a hole further but she cuts in. "I was very not subtlety telling you to get back to work, Dr. Barnes. Not giving you some insight into my dating preferences."

He rolls his eyes and gets back to work. She lets her eyes trail to the blonde man who is already back and focused on his task.

She catches the smile before it makes it to her lips.

—-

A few hours later, she's accosted by a harried agent looking fidgety.

She outs her hand up to the bottom of the phone to block the noise, "can I help you?"

"The doctor, sir— ma'am." The agent corrects, wincing, "he's yelling at me, he told me to get you."

She blinks, "Dr. Rogers?" The young agent nods, "he was yelling?"

"Well, he—" the man looks almost frantic, "he was very upset."

She turns back to her phone, "Chief Dooley, I need to call you back."

—-

"It's a pattern." Steve snaps as she approaches. But she sees not this isn't angry Steve, it's urgent Steve. She is learning the difference. "And it's going to happen again."

"A pattern of what?" She asks, "explain from the beginning."

He points to the six sets of remains, "each year they get younger." He points to the furthest set, "26." Then the next, "21," he gestures to the next two, "I need more precise machines for these two but my best guess is 16 and 14." Then he points to the fifth, "12." His face is somber and drawn, turning towards the set of two, "my evaluation of their cranial growth plates and the state of their arms and legs.." he frowns, "these girls were 10 and 9."

"You said each year?"

"Bucky." He calls, waving the man over, "we noticed a strange pattern in the soil. Explain."

Barnes begins, describing the nutrients, insect remains, and acidity levels of the soil in each barrel. "It's definitely being taken from the same property." He says firmly, "the data points are too similar. But what's most important is the timing." He gestures to the 5 soil samples, "each sample contains the same sort of data as if they were taken all from the same time of year. Except S you get to the oldest barrels—" he flicks his eyes over to Steve who nods, "— it starts to fade, getting harder to tell, but we're pretty sure our heavily informed guess is correct."

"And this guess is?"

"Due to the contents of the soil, the minerals and insects and a few other markers… I believe each barrel was filled during spring. Specifically planting season when no one would notice freshly tilled or overturned earth."

Her eyes narrow. "Planting season is right now."

Steve nods, "we know. That's why we think this person is going to—" he pauses and looks back at the remains, "or has already struck again."

—

After convincing Chief Dooley to allow them to move the remains, she's back at the SSR and working on other cases as Steve and his team work on facial reconstruction.

Steve and she had agreed that knowing who these women were and where they'd gone missing from was the next crucial factor in figuring out the killer.

Her eyes go to her phone often hoping for a call.

"Carter," Thompson cuts into her thoughts, "new details on that murder in Wisconsin. Dooley needs you to head over there."

"But I'm in the middle of this investigation—"

"The chief said you." He shakes his head, "don't worry. Dr. Squint is going to make sure they're perfect before he calls. You've got time."

She rolls her eyes but doesn't disagree.

—-

Four days pass and she's been and come back from Wisconsin. She waves the server over who grins at her, "rough day, Carter?"

She wrinkles her nose, "just exhausted. Can I have my usual?"

He nods and takes off and before she can settle into her cup of coffee, Steve is sliding into the booth across from her.

"I think I've narrowed it down to a 5 mile radius."

She blinks at him, looking around as if she might notice some other hallucinations.

But then she turns back and his still there, waiting for her response, "excuse me?"

"With the type of soil and local flora and fauna and our insights into the insect life, we're pretty sure we've got it down to a five mile radius. The soil samples form the area are running now but I'm sure it will just confirm what I already have."

Her mind is reeling. "I'm sorry…" she tilts her head, "how did you know I was here?"

He looks at her confused, "isn't this is your usual spot?"

The sound of sarcastic disbelief that exits her mouth seems to confuse him more, "yes. I know that. But how do you know that?"

He slowly shrugs as if he can't understand how she doesn't understand, "I mean, it was simple. This restaurant is about halfway between your office and work. Serves food all day, has good reviews for classic fish and chips, and is the only pub to show soccer instead of American football."

Her mouth stays slightly agape staring at him as the server sets down her plate of food. He looks at Steve. "Who's this?"

Steve holds out his hand, "Steve Rogers. Nice to meet you."

The man shakes Steve's hand and studies him. "You going to eat here, Steve Rogers?"

Steve nods, "yeah, sure, I could eat."

The man nods back, "alright I'll bring it out."

He walks away as Steve looks after him, "but wait I didn't order—" he goes ignored and Peggy sighs.

"You don't order here. He brings out the food he thinks you need to eat. Eventually he'll let you order but usually he knows best anyways."

Steve seems confused by this, as she was at first but he shakes his head and turns back to her, "so as I was saying."

"I try not to do work here." She cuts in. feeling guilty, "this is my no work space."

Steve's eyebrows sink together and he looks at her before looking at the files he has a few of stacked on the table. "Oh."

There's a long silence where it seems like they have no idea what to say. And Peggy has the strong feeling that Steve doesn't do very much else but work.

"So," she grins and takes a bite of her food, "tell me about your book?"

"My book?"

She refrains from rolling her eyes, "yes. Your book."

"It's a book."

Now she does roll her eyes. "Riveting. I meant the plot."

"It's a who-dun-it."

Her head bobs, "ah, a murder mystery. Like Agatha Christie?"

"Yes," he pulls at his tie and pushes up his glasses, "but with more medical accuracy and archeology."

Her lips purse in amusement. "Not a fan of Christie?"

Steve rests a hand on the file, looking like he's trying to resist talking about them instead of his own works. "No, she's great. But she focuses more on the human element. The flair for the dramatic. I—" Peggy is quite sure Dr. Rogers is quite undramatic when it comes to death. "I rely more on the science of it all."

"But you must have some scintillating aspects." Peggy argues, "or it wouldn't be a world wide best seller with a much anticipated sequel."

He wrinkles his nose, "it's just a book."

The conversation is interrupted by Dave, the server coming back and dropping off an enormous sandwich with a side of fries and something carbonated in a cup.

"Eat up." The man orders before walking away.

Steve eyes the sandwich dubiously but then shrugs and lifts it, taking a bite.

He studies it while chewing and then she sees the beginnings of a grin on his face as he takes another bite. And another.

She settles against her booth and eats her own food.

—-

Once they're back in the lab she learns what he had come to the restaurant to tell her.

"You need to be searching this five mile radius." He states, drawing the outline on a paper map. "Barnes is—"

"Steve!" They turn to find the afore mentioned Barnes walking quickly their way, Tony following behind. Both with somber expressions.

"What is it?" Steve's voice is sharp, like he already knows the answer.

"You were right." Barnes responds, "there's a missing persons report." Peggy leans forward, "for a seven year old, missing since Thursday."

—

"Put on your seatbelt."

Peggy looks over to Steve who is not even looking in her direction. She is going quite the amount above the speed limit as they head towards Steve's projected five mile radius. But she's always been a good driver and it's not like she's driving recklessly. Her eyes flick to the rearview mirror wondering if he'd seen a police car. Of course she would have the credentials and reason for speeding and wouldn't get a ticket, but it would slow them down. But no police car is in sight.

"I beg your pardon?" She's keeping her eyes mostly on the road but flicking them to him.

He doesn't look up. "Put on your seatbelt." She's about to get huffy but he looks up at her and then gestures to the road, "at the speed you're going, any minor miscalculation by you or another driver would be catastrophic." Her eyes flick back to the road and then back to Steve, "You wanna know what happens to your skin when it slides across asphalt at 98 miles an hour after being ejected from the driver's seat through the windshield?"

Her mouth parts slightly in disbelief and he shakes his head, looking back at his files. "I've identified enough people whose faces are missing. I don't need one more. Put on your seatbelt."

Slowly she reaches up, grabbing the buckle and dragging it down, clicking it into place.

—-

After the third house, she yanks open the door of her car and slams her palm down on the top of it, "this is ridiculous!" She snaps, "we're looking for dirt in a field of dirt!"

Steve is looking up at the sky and then down at the driveway they'd just driven up as if calculating. "No, we need to not focus on the dirt. We need to start looking for the girl."

"We can't do that—" she emphasizes, frustration in her tone, "without having a warrant! And we can't get a warrant without probable cause. A.K.A. Having a matching soil sample."

"Well so far these three farms have not been a match," Steve comments, not noticing her frustration, "maybe we need to go at it from a different angle."

"Like?"

He studies the map and then looks up at her, "I have an idea."

—

Steve walks up the porch stairs and knocks.

When no one answers immediately, he tries the handle."

"Steve," Peggy cuts in, "this is bordering on illegal." She looks around at the area surrounding the house, hoping that there were no dogs. "We need to get back to trying to match the soil."

"Keyword bordering." He cuts in, walking around the porch to the side of the house. "Right now I'm just trespassing on property. A minor infraction and fine." He disappears from her sight and she huffs, pinching her nose.

The first three houses, the soil didn't match. The next two, very kind old couples had answered the door, both welcoming her and Steve in as they pretended to be agriculture scientists asking for history of their land and any details about what they grew and in what type of soil. It had let them see the insides of houses and get a gauge whether that house could be involved.

But the age, frailty and the soil had all scratched them off their list. There were only two more farms to search. If they weren't a match then that means Steve is wrong and they'll have to regroup.

Her phone rings, as she walks around to try to catch sight of Steve.

"Hello?" She answers distractedly.

"Marge? Where are you? You were supposed to be here two hours ago."

She winces, "I know, I forgot. I'm not available."

Thompson's once gets incredulous. "Not… available? For a debriefing with your chief?"

"I'll be back." Peggy snaps, "just—"

Thompson chokes out a laugh, "Are you with Rogers? What did he come up with? He have a result on the soil?"

A gunshot fires and her adrenaline shoots up, "I have to go—"

She only hears "was that a gu—" before she hangs up and starts running.

—-

"Stay back!" The deep growl of a voice snarls, "I'll kill her!"

She peeks around the corner, Steve is staring at a man who stands ten feet away, the neck of the little girl he's holding in front of him in his grasp. A gun in his other hand.

"Let her go." Steve demands, "You're already caught. Murdering another innocent girl isn't going to do you any favors."

"I'll kill you too." The man snaps out, yanking the little girl who whimpers.

"Let her go." Steve practically growls. "Now!"

Peggy's about to jump in, hoping to draw the attention of the man, but Steve surprises her, running towards the man, who lifts the gun to shoot.

"Hey!" She calls, stepping out, making the man startle. The shot goes off, but it misses and the girl ducks, shrieking in fear and ripping out of the man's grasp. She watches with wide eyes as Steve jumps, landing on a piece of farming equipment before launching himself at the man. He crashes into his chest, and they both go tumbling. Steve rolls to his feet and the man lumbers up as well. She runs forward, grabbing the little girl and pulls her gun.

But she stops, stunned, as Steve already holds a gun, pointing at the man's chest. "You are under arrest." Steve bites out.

She huffs, "you don't have the authority to arrest him."

Steve looks at her, "yeah but you do."

She grins, nodding. "That I do."

—-

Peggy finishes up her report with the local authorities and goes to find Steve. She catches him sitting in the back of an ambulance next to the little girl who is wrapped up in a blanket much too large for her and looking at Steve in awe.

Peggy walks over, "everything alright?"

Steve nods, "a little dehydrated, and malnourished but she's going to be just fine." He says with a smile at the little girl, "right?"

The little girl nods. Steve gives Peggy a look that she understands. One day, possibly very soon, the shock will wear off and the relief of being safe will fade, and the trauma of what she went through will be a force she will have to deal with. But for today, she is safe, and she is alright."

"The police would like to speak to you." She says to Steve, who nods and turns to the little girl.

"It was very nice to meet you, Miss Melinda May." He says with a kind smile, "You're very brave and I hope we meet again."

The wide eyed girl nods and watches him go.

"We're very glad you're alright." Peggy says, "your parents have been called?"

The little girl nods, whispering out, "they're almost here."

"That's good news." Peggy sits beside the girl who looks out at the farmhouse with eyes that read something deep and unfathomable. Sometimes Peggy forgets that children are people too. They're their own little humans with their own little brains and emotions.

"I'm going to be like him one day."

Peggy looks over, "like who?"

The girl rubs the blanket across her nose as if to scratch it. "Like him." She points to where Steve disappeared. "I'm going to save people."

Peggy's smile is soft and amused, "I think that's a lovely idea."

—-

Steve's about to close the door to her car when she calls out, "Wait."

He turns, looking back at her with a question, "yes?"

"We didn't find her in time."

His brow furrows, confused.

"The assistant." Peggy clarifies. From our first case." Her throat gets tight but she swallows and continues, "we were too late."

Understanding about who she's talking about crosses his features and he nods slowly. "Oh."

"But you saved that little girl today."

Steve just nods again. And she knows that he doesn't see it as an equal trade. Not that she had either but she had hoped it would soften the blow.

"Good night, Agent carter." Steve says softly, "see you around." Then he closes the door and shoulders his bag, walking back towards the employee doors of the smithsonian.

Her voice is quiet. "Night."

—-

*A/N there is no editing here folks. I don't have the time. If I had to edit it owuldn't get posted :l so here we are