I won't lie, this chapter took me a while to write because I didn't really have a plan for it, but I like how it turned out.

Intersession: From Jersey to London

Fifteen Years Ago - London, England

Peggy hasn't been back home in England for so long that she doesn't even remember the last time she drove on the left side of the road. Aside from her strained and bumpy relationship with her family, she focused on her training in the Academy. Once she was an agent, she was so preoccupied with her hectic and strenuous work schedule to build her standing in SHIELD. Between missions and debriefings, she'd be calling her mother back or returning voicemails. It was mostly her mother's constant badgering on whether she met an American man yet.

And then it happened. The scariest phone call Peggy ever had to make, especially since she initiated it. That's when her mother knew it was serious … although she doubted her at first when she said that she "married Captain America."

Why would she believe her? It sounded like fiction. To think that Margaret Carter not only married an American man but the American man. The man who fought in the Stars and Stripes in the Second World War and decades later for The Battle of New York after being presumed dead for all that time. America's hero who also happened to have been her personal hero growing up was now her husband three months after first meeting him.

It didn't help that Peggy never told her mom she was dating anyone, let alone Captain America. And then got pregnant with twins another three months later.

"Mommy."

Peggy snaps back into reality in the London airport. In front of her, she sees her five-year-old daughter bouncing in front of her as she waits impatiently for her father and brother to come back with their bags. Peggy suddenly remembers they're finally visiting London to meet her side of the family. She could've kept delaying it but it kept gnawing inside of her with each day as the twins got older. She didn't want to be held responsible for them not meeting the other half of their family or the rest of the family since Steve didn't have anyone still living on his side.

"Yeah, honey?" Peggy asks, smiling at Angela.

"People talk like you here!"

Peggy laughs a little, nodding. If there was one thing that fascinated the twins, it was that she spoke for an accent. She made sure that her accent stayed with her despite working and living in America.

"I told you. Mommy grew up here."

Angela nods, turning around and running up to her father. Peggy watches Steve let go of the bags as he lifts Angela onto one shoulder and Xavier on the other. They've been smiling since Peggy agreed to go on a trip here. She's thought of every way their first meeting with her mother and other relatives could go wrong. Clearly, everyone would love the kids and Steve's the greatest man she's ever known, but he comes with so much history that isn't accessible with the internet. A ton of secrets and trauma from the war that she doesn't even know.

Peggy's eyes flicker to Steve and she notices that his attention is on her, face etched with concern as he puts the twins down. They hop on the lounge chairs in front of them as they look out the windows to watch planes take off.

"What is it?" Steve asks, sitting next to her.

"I just…" Peggy mutters, trailing off in a sigh as she slumps forwards. "I'm sorry in advance."

Steve raises a brow. "For what?"

"I told my family not to talk about the war or New York. I begged them not to but you know how they are when Captain America shows up."

Steve nods, putting an arm around his wife. He pulls her closer to him and kisses the side of her head, holding her there for a moment longer. "I actually don't know them so I can't attest. That's why we're here."

Peggy nudges him. "You know what I mean."

"I know. Look, it's fine. I can handle talking to them. Besides, they'll want to. No offence to you but Captain America is here."

Peggy rolls her eyes with a smile as she kisses him.

-o-

Peggy gripped her teacup so tightly that it almost shattered in her hand. Her smile was plastered as she reconnected with all her relatives but she kept her eyes on Steve as people shook his hands and the twins who went back and forth between her and Steve. A lot of her older uncles and cousins shared war stories with him and Peggy swore she almost shattered her teacup. But he seemed fine with it, smiling and laughing along with recounting some of his own. And then the twins were playing along with their cousins.

"Don't break my china again," Grandma Carter says, taking Peggy's teacup away from her. The two women look over at Steve who is still chatting with the older men about their days in the war. "He's a charming man, more handsome than his photographs. And darling, the grandkids are adorable. I should've met them sooner."

Peggy nods, wishing she still had her teacup so it would give her something to look at. Instead, her eyes fixate on her kids. Angela and some of the cousins are doing gymnastics on one end of the lawn while Xavier and others are playing European football.

"Margaret, do you know the influence you're having on your kids with this?" Her mother asks.

Peggy glances at her. "What do you mean?"

"Marrying a man you barely know on impulse. A man who is a hero, nonetheless, but a man with immense baggage. I sure hope you've had these conversations."

"Mother, they're five! They're not thinking of that, believe me. Angela thinks of ballet and Xavier thinks of when he can tackle her during a pirouette. I know Steve has a lot behind him. He is their father and my husband."

Grandma scoffs. "Couldn't have fooled me on paternity. I'm more skeptical about you being their mother. They look nothing like you."

Peggy can't deny it. To think she carried and birthed two American blond-haired, blue-eyed twins when she herself is a brown-eyed brunette Brit. Angela and Xavier might as well be mini-Steve clones. But raising them and watching them grow up, Peggy caught some things her twins got from her.

Glass shatters and the two women turn to see Xavier running up to them.

"Grandma," he says innocently, looking up at her. "I accidentally broke your window. I'm sorry."

Peggy looks over and sees one of the house's main windows shattered, probably with the ball they were playing with. She notices all her relatives trying to get the young kids away from gawking at the broken glass. Angela holds Steve's hand as he tries to handle the situation. He makes eye contact with Peggy and shrugs since he likely didn't see it happen. Angela bounces on her toes as she points at Xavier to get him in trouble.

A weight is lifted off Peggy's shoulders as she tries to hold back a laugh building in her chest. She's broken so many windows growing up here.

"Don't worry, Xavier, I was meaning to fix those," Grandma says to him.

Xavier glances back at his dad trying to gather the broken glass pieces. "Yeah, they were kinda ugly anyways."

Peggy finally laughs, receiving a seething glare from her mother. Xavier looks up at his mom and cracks a smile.

"Sorry, Mum," Peggy feels the need to say as she puts her hands on Xavier's shoulders and holds him against her body. He leans back on her legs, teetering on his heels.

"Quiet. I know you don't mean it. Forget my doubt because that boy really is yours. Keep your eyes on Xavier, Margaret. I'm sensing he'll be up to something once he meets the one just like you."

"What one?" Xavier questions. "Mommy, who's Margaret?"

-o-

"Blimey, I thought she got rid of all this."

Growing up, Peggy was a fan of Captain America. So much so that she had posters on the wall and ceiling, like any teenage girl with a crush on a famous person would do. Her mother didn't like them so Peggy wasn't surprised when her mother took them down once she left for the Academy.

Peggy didn't think her mother just put them aside. And now her husband is looking at old propaganda posters of himself with a sheepish grin and her kids are jumping to try and get a better look. Peggy's cheeks burn as her children laugh at the photos and trying to copy the poses. Steve laughs as he holds Peggy by her waist.

"It was more embarrassing to pose for them," Steve whispers to her. "They don't tell you that when enlisting."

"Mommy, why do you have a lot of photos of Daddy in your room?" Angela asks.

"Your Mommy has a crush on me growing up," Steve says, crouching beside her.

"Did you have a crush on Mommy?"

Steve's eyes flicker towards Peggy. "Eventually."

"Can we go to that Ferris wheel we saw on the way here?" Xavier asks. "I wanna go to the top!"

"Me too! Me too!" Angela yells.

-o-

Present Day - London, England - 9:20 AM

Dear Cadets,

Congratulations on another year in the Academy. I'm Cadet Xavier Rogers and I'll be your floor's Resident Assistant, or RA, at the end of the hall indicated by a sign on the door. My main roles will be keeping you up to date on upcoming events, performing dorm inspections, responding to emergencies, giving advice, and keeping you and your fellow cadets safe. We'll get to know each other during the school year and stay tuned for our first-floor meeting.

Xavier looks over his shoulder, sneering at his sister who peeks onto his laptop screen, reading his document. Since he'll be an RA the upcoming school year, Agent Vander made him and his other RAs write welcome letters for the cadets they'll be supervising. Xavier believes his floor is solely second-years but that could change.

Besides, he had to do something during the flight. Angela was watching some stupid show he had no interest in.

"God, that letter is so cringey," Angela says. "Might as well be reading that from a teleprompter on the evening news."

"Shut up," Xavier says.

"You're the last person I'd go to for advice."

"Well, you're the last person I'd give advice to."

"I'm telling Vander you're not taking this seriously."

Xavier rolls his eyes. "I'm following his stupid layout. Leave me alone."

Angela grins as she puts her headphones back on.

-o-

"Alright," Peggy says as she steps out of their rental car after parking it on the curb of the airport. She walks beside her family and holds out the keys in front of her kids. "Who wants to drive?"

"Give me!" Angela exclaims, grabbing the keys. She glances at Xavier who didn't even try to snag the keys. His hands are in his hoodie's pocket as he steps back to help their dad put their bags in the car. "You weren't eager."

"Remember, they drive on the right," Xavier says snidely.

"Shut up."

"You need driving practice anyways," Peggy says encouragingly.

Angela can't argue that point because she doesn't like driving and getting her licence was a struggle. She would've failed if it wasn't for Britney. Even after passing, she opted out of driving if she didn't have to. Since she and Xavier share a car, he would drive if they ever went somewhere together. If she and James were going on a date off-campus, then he would drive. The only times she'd drive were when she was going somewhere alone or if her girlfriends wanted to head out somewhere since she had the nicer car (unless Stark was present).

Add family vacation to that list.

-o-

The moment they arrived at their grandma's house, Xavier jumped out of the car and ran up the driveway on his own. Angela laughs, nearly tempted to run him over. It's what he gets for being a backseat driver. If he didn't like the way she was driving, then he should've grabbed the keys when he got the chance. It's his fault.

Once Angela parked on the driveway, Xavier was already hugging their Grandma and getting the look how tall you've gotten comment every grandkid has gotten once they arrived. Hell, Xavier probably got a you look more like your father everyday remark as well.

"Angela!" Grandma Carter exclaims as Xavier escapes to go play rugby with their other cousins. "Look at how beautiful you are."

Angela laughs a bit, noticing her parents purposely dealing with their bags so they wouldn't be smothered. She wonders how long she'll have to have in a welcoming catch-up with Grandma since she'll be here for another two weeks because she really wants to beat up Xavier while playing rugby. Rules be damned.

"I hear you're graduating next year," Grandma continues, "you and your brother will be agents just like your mother."

"That's the plan," Angela says excitedly. "My SO think she'll send me on a mission right after grad. I'll finally get an assignment from her."

"I'm so proud. What about that boyfriend of yours?"

Angela purses her lips, trying to hide a grin. Maybe that's why Xavier ran off. Maybe Grandma asked about Britney or a potential new girlfriend. It explains why their conversation seemed short.

"About that-" Angela starts.

She cuts herself off when something flying in their direction catches her eye. When she looks at it, it's not heading directly at them but towards the house. Angela runs that way and jumps onto the garden side patio table. China and cutlery wobble as she leaps off and catches the rugby ball before it shatters one of the upstairs windows. Angela somersaults on the lawn before whipping the ball right at Xavier, winding him as he falls back on the lawn.

"Sorry!" Xavier yells as their other cousins laugh at him.

Grandma Carter shakes her head disgracefully. "That Xavier has a habit of breaking my windows, doesn't he?"

Angela grins, rubbing at the grass stains on her jeans. "Probably aims more to the left while he's here. What a dumb bloke."

"Your mother looked through the mailbox and you got mail," Steve says, handing Angela a postcard.

"Steve, there you are!" Grandma exclaims as she turns the conversation to him.

Angela takes the postcard and steps to the side. Lisbon, Portugal. It's an illustrated picture of a clear blue sky and a scaffolding set-up of white or peach buildings all with the same dark reddish-brown roof. When she flips it over, she reads through the message and smiles once she gets to the end. Angela holds the postcard to her heart just in time for her father and her grandmother to look at her curiously.

"This weekend," Angela says as she hands them the postcard to read, "Grandma, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, darling," Grandma says happily. She looks at Steve. "You like him?"

"He's … alright." Steve sighs. "I never thought I'd ever ask for him to be here."

"I'm bloody brilliant," Angela says with the worst British accent she could perform.

Let's find out who sent her a postcard from Lisbon.