Sorry it took me so long! I was determined to upload new chapter earlier, but the school started and I lost my creativity all at once (standing in front of a class of bored children does not help...) and on Saturday I told myself that I MUST upload new chapter! I went to my laptop... and with an awkward motion, I spilled coffee on my laptop. So, I must have found a different way how to write this chapter. It took me longer, but here we are! :) I will be happy for any feedback! :)

Steve met Tony the next day in a dark alley near the lab.

"Tony, they are after you!"

"Yes, I discovered a GPS locator when I left the building. I placed it in a random cab. But we have more important things to fret about that SHIELD is controlling me."

"You mean something MORE important than you being tracked by SHIELD?"

"Yes. I visited Raynolds. He lives nearby. I needed to… be very persuasive, but he confessed that he was HYDRA. And that about fifteen years back, he accepted someone who was HYDRA as well."

"And who did he…?"

"Rumlow."

"WHAT?"

"The problem now is that we do not know whether Rumlow is watching me as a SHIELD or HYDRA agent, and we really do not know who to trust anymore within SHIELD." Because if we want to accuse someone, we must be sure that we accuse all of them. Otherwise, they will help each other and we are dead. So, the best we can do right now is to find those agents who my father suspected and make them talk. Otherwise, we are screwed." There is a short pause. Steve felt as during their briefings when they worked together. He missed it.

Tony interrupted the moment. "How's Carter?"

"She is better. Helen says that she will be allowed to leave in two days."

Tony looked uncomfortable. "Is there… is there any specific reason why she acted as he did? Why didn't she just let you go and hide?"

"I think that she thinks that I am suicidal," Steve said without emotions.

"Why would have she thought that?"

"Because I was and I confessed that to her while thinking that she was… you know… when she was bending over a sink, holding a knife and cutting her skin on her forearm … it kinda looked like that."

Tony only nodded, saying nothing more on that account.

"You should leave as soon as possible. Even if they are not after you it does not mean that somebody won't recognize you. Do you have a place to go?"

"I have something in mind," Steve nodded. "But it's December. I am afraid that the snow will slow us down."

"Yeah, but do you know what December means? It's Christmas time, Cap." Tony smiled even though the smile looked somehow sad. "Maybe we should wish for a Christmas miracle… to cut off all the heads that HYDRA has."

…

Peggy was released two days later. She still looked pale and more fragile than before, but she put on a face of determination which hid most of the insecurity and pain that she was feeling. Steve had his arm around her shoulders as they exited the building using the small exit door on the opposite side of the building, and she leaned on him as much as possible. She had her crutches in the car, and she would have fallen down if Steve was not there.

But he was.

It started snowing during the car ride. Peggy was staring outside the widow, shifting every now and then, looking around herself. She felt better, Helen gave her new painkillers and she could, for the first time in this century, focus on the landscape, not only her pain. She was even sitting next to Steve, enjoying that she had him this close.

The silence was in the end interrupted by Steve.

"Tony called, he found out a few other people who might be HYDRA."

"Oh," Peggy exhaled. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"Tony told me to hide, he will inform us as soon as he knows anything new. He told me that he had all the addresses of the suspects but one." He glanced nervously at Peggy.

"Who?"

"Daniel Sousa."

Peggy closed her eyes and focused on breathing. A breakdown would not be a good idea right now.

"Did you... did you know him well?" Steve asked nervously.

It took a moment too long to answer. She swallowed and tried to keep her voice calm.

"I did."

"Oh," Steve nodded. He wanted to ask a million questions, but he could feel that it would not be a good idea. But the silence was suddenly unbearable. He must have asked.

"Did you…" he glanced at her, "Did you love him?"

Peggy thought about that. Did she love him? Maybe. In a way she did. But she did not love him as much as the one man sitting next to her.

"We dated," she said instead of answering the question. "But we were not really… happy. We were about to break up, but… then I had that accident, so we never really had the conversation."

"Ah," Steve nodded, realizing very well that she avoided answering his question.

"Why did you… "

"He could not bear the idea of me comparing him to… you."

"But why did you…"

"I did not," she said quickly. "But he thought so. There were rumors across the office that you and I… well, those were not really rumors as their suggestions as to why did I get where I was. And the truth was, that even though I really did not compare Daniel with you, he could feel that I was never fully his. And that made him angry. We had a fight a few times. And every time it ended with him shouting something about you." She looked at him. Steve focused on driving, processing what he just heard.

"I think that I know where to find him." She added gently.

At first, Steve only nodded. He imagined meeting the guy who almost replaced him by Peggy's side. And when he thought about her before they found her, he hoped that she found peace and love. But now he could not swallow it when he knew his name.

"Ok, we will tell Tony when he calls us. Now we need to find a place to stay. It's December and it's getting colder." He was not sure why is he so afraid of meeting the man. He would be in his nineties. He would not be a thread. But again, somehow, he suddenly felt as insecure about Peggy's feelings towards him as during the war. It was stupid, he thought, but he could not help it.

"Wow, I haven't realized that it was Christmas time." Peggy sounded surprised.

"Yeah. Have you written a letter to Santa?" he smiled.

"No, I have not." Her heart started beating faster and Steve looked at her, finding that her eyes were full of tears. "I… I think that I got what I wanted in advance."

Their eyes met and Steve was for the first time in his life sure that Peggy Carter chose him of all people. And his heart started beating as strongly as hers.