Prologue A surprise in the bathroom

Peggy's point of view

Howard and I had been dating for 3 months when I was attacked. He was home sick with a very bad cold.

I went to my dance class, alone and on foot, thinking I would be safe. I wasn't. On the way home from class, I was grabbed from behind, dragged into the bushes, brutally beaten, violated and left for dead.

Howard found me the next morning. The bushes were the ones behind his house. He went absolutely ballistic at the police the FBI the CIA and the SSR – who were at that time my employers.

The SSR gave me 3 months off from work.

Howard headhunted me for the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. I resigned from my job at the SSR and went to run SHIELD with Howard.

We got engaged 5½ months after I changed jobs.

We went to 4th base for the first time on the night we got engaged. Those actions must have triggered a major biological reaction within me because the next morning, I woke up in the most frightful pain I had ever experienced in my life.

Not wanting to wake Howard while he was still recovering from the bad cold he had, I crept downstairs to the library.

The pain was intense and coming in waves across my stomach. I walked when the pain was bad and rested when it wasn't.

The pain subsided for a few hours, and I was able to get some rest. Howard found me in the library, fast asleep on the sofa. I felt him kiss my forehead, wrap a blanket round me and stoke the fire. I slept for a few hours.

Howard's point of view

I had a doctor's appointment with Dr Turner, Edwin drove me. The whole time I was at the appointment I was thinking of Peggy.

When I walked back into the house I heard terrified screams coming from the bathroom downstairs.

"I'm going to check on Ana" said Edwin
"I'm going to check on Peggy" I replied

"We'll meet back here in 10 minutes…"
"OK"

I ran to the bathroom… Peggy was doubled over, clearly in pain… she was screaming because the pain was so bad.

When she saw me, she started bawling and turned away.

"Peg, what's wrong?"
"I think we need to… end things Howard…"
"Why?"
"I'm an idiot"

"Honey, look at me, you're not an idiot"
"The bastard who violated me… knocked me up! I'm pregnant, I'm in the family way, I'm a whore, you don't need the horror of that! How could I be so damn stupid? How could I forget to ask if I had a pregnancy test done when I had the internal? What a reckless, useless, idiot."
"Peg, you're not a whore. I love you… it doesn't matter to me that you're having a baby that isn't mine."

"Really? Even though you're well known and the likes of Jai Jonah Jameson will make your life miserable when he finds out what happened to me?"

"Peg, I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I'm going to call Barney and ask him to apply for a gagging order. I'm also going to call Dr Turner."

"OK"

"I'll be right back"
"Sir I've already called Dr Turner, we've to make our way into the clinic. I will call Mr Galbraith now if you wish. I won't be able to drive you though."
"Edwin, you are a lifesaver, thank you. I will handle the driving."

"Can you please let Ana come with you?"
"Of course"

Dr Turner's point of view

I was just about to eat the fabulous BLT sandwich that Shelagh had brought me for lunch when she popped her head around the door.

"Patrick, Edwin Jarvis is on the phone. He said that Peggy Carter is in labour"
"I had no idea she was even pregnant"
"Neither did she. When she was violated some months back, she obviously conceived."

"She's had no antenatal care at all Shelagh. This is a cryptic pregnancy. It's bloody dangerous. Why wasn't the pregnancy spotted when she was examined?"
"It wasn't Dr Carbonell or you who examined her, it was another doctor"

"I see… Tell Mr Jarvis to bring her here immediately."

30 minutes later, Mr Stark and Miss Carter arrived. Sister Julienne went to meet them at the door with a wheelchair because Miss Carter was in so much pain that she could hardly walk.

Howard's point of view

We were led into a room at the end of the corridor. Sister Julienne and I helped Peggy onto the bed.

Dr Turner came in and examined Peggy.

"She's 8 centimetres dilated. Waters have just broken, the liquid is clear. I would recommend Entonox. Mr Stark if you wouldn't mind staying to assist Miss Carter".

"I'm not going anywhere"

"Good. Sister Julienne, I will return if you need me."
"Of course Doctor Turner"

Another hour of those awful pains and then Sister Julienne said

"Mr Stark, would you please go and alert Dr Turner that Ms Carter is almost ready to deliver?"
"Of course sister"

I kissed Peggy's forehead,

"Be right back Peg, I promise."

"Try to rest between pains"

I let Dr Turner know that Peggy was ready to deliver.

"You can stay and comfort her if you like"
"OK"
25 minutes later, Peggy delivered a beautiful, healthy little girl.

"Please… take her away" she whimpered "I can't keep her. I would end up resenting her."

"OK"

Nurse Aylward took me and the baby down to the nursery while Nurse Robinson and Sister Julienne helped Peggy with delivering the placenta.

"We're going to need a name for this little angel"
"Peggy doesn't want to keep her. I do have a name in mind for her."
"Go on"
"Jane Elizabeth Foster"
"That's beautiful"
"My mother's name was Jane, Peggy's middle name is Elizabeth and Foster was my Maternal grandmother's maiden name."

"I see"

As soon as the people from the orphanage came for little Jane, I returned to Peggy's side. She was fast asleep when I went into her room. I took her hand and sat down at her side.

Peggy's point of view

The next several months were incredibly difficult. Somehow the judge in our gagging order case refused to put a gagging order on the media about what had just happened. We had to move our wedding date forward by numerous months and I conceived again when Howard and I were on honeymoon. After a long and difficult pregnancy, I delivered a healthy baby boy, but I had serious complications.