1963-07-06 - Two people who don't really bargain bargaining
Summary: Captain America and Peggy Carter catchup, sorta. And bargain, sorta.
Related: If there are no related logs, put 'None', — please don't leave blank!
Theme Song: None
steve peggy 


*

Steve got the message delivered to him via phone just before he boarded a flight from Las Vegas back to New York. It was his first mission back from the ice, and he technically failed. But he learned a lot about himself and how he feels about the world. Who his allies are, and who they are not. Off the plane, through the crowds, to the motorcycle, out on the roads, into Manhattan, and down to depths of the SHIELD headquarters. He waits patiently outside the door.

*

Of course, timing being what it is, Peggy was actually called into two other meetings when she was hoping to be talking to Steve, so she's about ten minutes late by the time she's actually bustling back to her office. She looks tired. Tired in a way he's never actually seen her before, but maybe that's just what getting old is about. And jetlag. And two weeks in Geneva. And everything else that is happening. He does still get a smile out of her, however. "I'm sorry for the wait, Steve… two minor fires. Mostly out now. Still sorry. Come in."

And with that, she unlocks her office and emit them both to the cooler, calmer room. The door is shut behind him again. It's the first time they've been alone since, well… He came back.

*

"It's no problem, Director Carter," Steve says, giving her the same faint smile he used to. He unfolds his arms from over his chest and follows her into the room. He smoothes out the white t-shirt he wears as he takes a seat and fiddles with a stray strand on his blue jeans.

"Things go well in Geneva?"

*

"Not… exactly." Peggy admits quiet, a touch of a grimace across her pale, slightly older features. She very gently turns the lock on her door, that much *not* wanting to be interrupted, even if she had no clue how to start things between them. Twenty years and a million miles, it felt like. She looks back up to him with a low exhale. "…Can I get you a drink… tea… or something? Have you eaten?" She always remembered his metabolism, she used to sneak him extra rations

*

"Glass of water if you're having something. I don't know, given the chain of command, I should probably be getting you the water," Steve says with a grin. "You've done really well for yourself. I'm really happy for you, Peg."

*

"Water. Water… is probably a good idea. Better than coffee." Though Peggy was tempted, it'd been one of those weeks. She smirks at his comment about him getting her the water and waves it off, moving to the little bar cart in the corner of her office and going to pour them both out some water. "That…is part of what I wanted to talk to you about. This isn't just me… You helped build this too, with the SSR. Things have just gotten… Bigger now, you know. It's more than just the US."

*

"Yeah, the other guy. Sousa I think his name was? He was telling me about some new changes here. Some international changes with some old enemies. I was hoping you had some good news when you got back. Like maybe you talked them out of it."

*

A slow shake of her head in response to that and she stretches one long, elegant arm over to him with the water so he can take his glass. Peggy then casually nods towards the little couch area — she did have a nice office — and she heads over there on her high heels so she can just flop into sitting for a few minutes. It'd been a long day. "I tried. But… they considered 20 years enough. Especially with worries about what Russia might be cooking up, they wanted more brilliant Aerospace engineers and scientists on the outside, working for us. So… we will have guests in the next few weeks. I'm sorry I couldn't give you better news, but Daniel's got the right of it. We span a dozen different countries now. We're here to keep the whole world safe, not just the Allies and the US. It's…good work, but it comes with some… Strings."

*

"Yeah," Steve's eyebrows go up as he breaks eye contact with Peg as they come into conflict. "You know, strings were never really my strong suit. I'm a sort of do things the right way or no way, sort of guy." He takes a sip from the glass. "Everyone here wants to talk about compromises."

*

Hers slightly deeper smirk pulls across her ever-red lips. Those have never changed, even if so much else has. She settles back into the couch, crossing her long legs and watching him quietly, "I could use a few people like that around. Even if you'd agree to be a part of the team, well… I'd clearly have to give you full, independent control. You demanded it for still working with us." Peggy states flatly, hoping the implications she's making are clear. "I had to. We couldn't afford to lose you, you know."

*

A slightly deeper smirk pulls across her ever-red lips. Those have never changed, even if so much else has. She settles back into the couch, crossing her long legs and watching him quietly, "I could use a few people like that around. Even if you'd agree to be a part of the team, well… I'd clearly have to give you full, independent control. You demanded it for still working with us." Peggy states flatly, hoping the implications she's making are clear. "I had to. We couldn't afford to lose you, you know."

*

Steve chuckles. Peg was good at taking control of situations. Good at bartering. Good at getting what she wants. "I don't want to be near them, Peg. I can't. I also have some other things I need. I mean, if you'd be willing to hear me out, I mean."

*

A slight tilt of her head comes, Peggy having just been about to protest as he says he doesn't want to be near them, but then he seems to be willing to carry on. So, Peggy bites her tongue for once and gives a slight nod of assent to him. "I…I'm always willing to hear you out, Steve. I'm sorry I wasn't here to do it sooner. Talk to me."

*

Again, Steve averts his eyes. It's hard to look at Peggy and harder when there's something that could be a bit of a conflict. He has no problem sticking up to anyone, but with her there are a lot of emotions. "There's a, there's this kid in Queens. Wears a Spider suit. He's a good guy; little rough around the edges. But I want him in. I don't think he's really interested in letting folks know who he is. Then, uh. Well, then there's Banner."

Bruce Banner was just the failed mission Steve went on. He was sent to apprehend the scientist/monster and 'failed.'

*

"…Well, first question is… what is 'In'? I… I know you can command a team. I know you are good with your people. But, between us, Steve, I can't let you just turn into some…vigilante with a team. WE need to have a working relationship. The people in this office. Even if I keep NATO off of you entirely, which I will… I need to know you'll work with us." Peggy sits forward, even as he looks away, she's trying to catch his eyes. Let him see how serious she is about keeping the others off his back.

*

"Well, if you're heading up SHIELD, I trust you. I have no interest in vigilantes or anything like that. But I need to do something. I can't just sit around here. And I'm not a spy. I have a pretty limited skill set. And no one seems to be hiring for comic book artists anyhow." There's a flicker of a smile on his face.

"Of course I'll work with you. Work for you. What do you have in mind?"

*

That allows Peggy to release a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. A genuine, warm smile dances across her features a heartbeat later, the sort of smile he used to see from her. It, somehow, makes her look younger for a minute or two. "Well…These are people you clearly wish to work with, aren't they? I'll need files on them, but it doesn't have to go beyond me. And we could consider you a… special ops team. Though, I could use the help nazi babysitting, I realize that … well, it wouldn't be fair to ask you. But when bigger things come up, it'll be good to have a go-to team. Howard was, supposedly, working on something like this, but I trust you to lead it more. You can all train together, as you need. Maybe hunt down what's left of HYDRA. Me and the Howlers cleaned out most of it but… you know there are always a few lingeing threads."

*

"What about Fury? I fought with him back in the day. He'd be a good guy to be a liason of sorts," Steve offers, realizing there should probably be some sort of buffer between Peggy and Cap. "The files, well. There's a big one on Banner. But I gotta say I'm not sure a lot of it is accurate. I've seen the Hulk. Up close and personal. In fact, that's what I'm coming back from. I need to assure him that if he's brought in, we can get the government to stop hunting him and trying to test him."

*

"…That… that I can assure. I still have *some* power here, and they owe me a HELL of a lot with this Paperclip mess. You sure as hell bet I'm going to be using that favor to my advantage as long as I can. So, I'll get them off of Banner's back. But… I want the truth on him, our own file, built of observation and honesty. You think we can do that? He won't ever be trapped. He's a member of your team. If you can get him. And Fury would be a damn fine choice… he should have had command a decade and a half ago but… well, everyone always has their head up their bloody arse." Peggy mutters with a cool smirk before drowning a few other choice words in her water. "…Daniel — Sousa, that is — he'll probably end up your final oversight. He's division head of Special Investigations and damn good at his job." Though there is something else in the way that Peggy says his name… Something softer in a way that she normally isn't.

*

"Not a problem. And if it is, then he'll back off. But if I can get him to come in, and we offer him that he won't be hunted. And that he, himself, is the one putting information into the file, maybe he'll go for it. And if he doesn't, he doesn't." Steve shrugs his shoulders, "What about Brian? Sam?"

*

"Sousa seems like an okay guy. First time we talked we didn't really get along well, but I think that had to do more with paperclip than anything else. Quick to snap at ya, but he's alright."

*

"If…if you'd prefer working with Brian, perhaps, but Sousa's division is specifically built to deal with the… well, with matters beyond humans. Mutant. Anything that is… extra-planetary. The things that'd we'd need a team like this to handle, beyond our normal trained agents. Does that make sense?" And then Steve brings up that Sousa snapped, and Peggy looks a bit surprised, "Snapped? Daniel isn't…" But it sets in a moment later. Something in her softens and she sighs, sitting forward so she can put down her glass and look up to Steve. "…I suspect he's feeling a bit… Threatened. I'm sorry. He… Steve, Daniel's my husband. We both worked for the SSR, right after the war… Met that way."

*

"I mean having Brian on the team. Sam as well." Steve's eyebrows go up, "Husband. Well, that makes a lot of sense. Your daughter looks a lot like him. Looks like you both, really." He exhales in a long almost sigh as if it's now really starting to kick in. "He's good to you, right?"

"You happy?"

*

"Brian and Sam… as back ups. I need them in the office, especially with the nazis coming in… My team here is going to be more stretched thin than ever. But… I know Sam is itching for the field again. So, train with them… If things aren't burning down here, they can both go." There is a slight sigh behind Peggy's voice, like she's getting to watch all the boys run off to war again and she's stuck pushing paper. For different reasons now, but that hasn't changed in some ways.

But the other question makes her smile. Immediate, earnest, clearly in love. Even with how tired she looks and the stress of everything, the thought of Daniel makes her smile. "He's… excellent to me. One of the only people in the world who calls me on my shit. And… I never wanted kids but… Mickey's my world. I love them both very much. I never expected it. I don't think I could be happier." She knows it's probably hard for him to hear, but Peggy owes him the truth, so she gives it.

*

"Good."

It does hit him like a punch to the gut; a large pang, but he'd been mentally preparing himself to hear it for weeks now. It's like a sliver you need to dig in to get out. It's worth it in the end.

"Brian and Sam as back ups. I have a meeting with Banner. He and I will both be glad I won't have to go with my backup plan. And I'll talk to the Spider-Kid."

*

"When… when you want to meet her, I'd love you to come by the house. Some day. No… no rush on it. I know this all takes…adjustment." Peggy is trying to be gentle about it, but she doesn't push anything more. Back to business, something they were both good at doing. She sits a bit straighter and nods, "And Fury, absolutely Fury. It's a good start for training… If you see others, just run it past me or Sousa. Missions you want to go on, just… Let me know. I expect full reports and for one of us to be in on planning. Just like with the Commandos. Nothing's changed, the map of influence has just… gotten a lot bigger."

*

Steve looks over at her, his face stone serious. "Gonna be a while on that, Peg." Seeing her daughter is likely to be too much for him. As if all of this wasn't already. "Maps I can do. Some of the gadgets? Well, that's going to take some getting used to. I'll be in touch."

*

A single nod about her daughter and the issue is dropped. "That's what Sam is for, he's great with the gadgets. Get him to help you.." Peg then leans a bit closer and, unless he pulls away, she reaches a hand out to rest on his forearm, "Steve, please…don't be scared to get help. Not just about the… equipment. You don't have to do this alone."

*

"I'm used to going it on my own, Peg. I'll be fine," Steve gives her a forced smile and a nod. Without being dismissed he pulls away, letting her hand fall off his shoulder as he does, and he closes the door quietly.

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