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Blonde hair is swept up in a neat, professional french twist, her tidy little white hat pinned on top. The white, starched nursing uniform can't hide her figure, though the shoes are white and hideous. She's got her little tray in one hand, and a clipboard held in the other. There are some pills in a little white cup on the tray, along with a glass of water. She smiles at the guards as she slips past them into the room, her nametag shiny and bright and telling them who she is.
"Hello, hello." She says in a soft cheery voice, as she comes up to Peggy's bed. "Just bringing you some meds. Everything okay?"
*
Peggy isn't dozing, like she probably should be, like they keep telling her too. They keep threatening sedation but everyone is walking on eggshells trying to figure out what to do with a woman this old, pregnant, and who is apparently important enough for someone to attempt to kill (and keeping suits on the door.) The hospital almost doesn't know what to do with her.
She's sitting up in bed, a few very official looking files sitting in her lap as she goes through some old reports. Other than her skin being a touch sallow, the heavy cast now on her wrist, and the ring of horrid bruises around her throat, she looks mostly fine. Monitors report blood pressure a touch on the high side, but everything else seems to be stable. She's refused any sort of pain meds since the first night. Dark eyes flicker up to Thea, nose wrinkling at the cup of meds, "I told them I don't need any more. The pain isn't that bad and I prefer a clear head. Thank you, though." Her accept is clipped and professional, still heavily British even after all these years in the US.
*
"It's actually… it looks like a multivitamin, and some aspirin." Thea offers a smile, setting the cup down on the table nearby, the water following it. She'll move to slowly take Peggy's wrist. "Have to do the basic vitals check, then I'll let you get back to work." Her head tips, looking at the bruises at her throat. Peggy may feel some warmth, a tingling.. maybe she's just blushing?
*
The young nurse doesn't need Peggy's mood taken out on her so, while the Director cannot hide her initial annoyance at it all, a slow breath in to restrain that reaction and she actually manages a half pleasant smile in Thea's direction. She folds that file shut, turning it upside down so the name on the tab can't even really be seen. "It's quite alright. I… realize you are just doing your job. I needn't take my annoyance at being a prisoner in this bed out on you." She murmurs flatly, letting her wrist be taken. The tingling, however… That throws her. It started just after she was touched, or so her mind says, and Peggy is paranoid to say the least. Her hand abruptly pulls back, vitals jumping as she stares up at the woman. Peggy was not a blushing sort. "…Who are you."
*
"It's all right, you haven't flung your dinner tray at me, yet." There's a smile at that as she's trying to count the woman's pulse. She blinks as the wrist is jerked out of her grasp, the woman's vitals rising. Her hands lift, showing her palms. "I'm just doing my practicals. Name's Thea." Her finger taps on her name tag. "I'm cleared to come in here, honest. No one's gonna hurt you, ma'am."
*
Slightly wide, too wary, dark eyes look up at Thea as she watches the woman's palms lift. The sensation had definitely stopped, a moment after Peggy noticed it and pulled back. She watches her nurse quietly, eyes flickering from the beautiful blonde, back to the door, back to the blonde. At least they were alone, in this room. "I…I am Peggy. Though I suppose you got that from the chart. And that is a lie. There are more than a few people in this world out to hurt me. I don't think you are one of them and I won't speak a word beyond those doors about any… Gifts… you have. But I've been around the block more times than I care to admit and I know when things are different. You did something. So, tell me what you just did."
*
Thea had notably paled, that light in her eyes fading. She glances at the door, then back at Peggy. "Yes, I know your name." But there's caution in her voice now, a wariness. "I'm just a healer." It comes out low, a whisper, dark eyes looking down and off to the side. "Your bruises don't have to be there, anymore. I.. you seem like a nice lady. I just.. wanted to help."
*
Peggy is also savvy enough to realize whe she's probably scared some poor innocent woman near to death because who the hell really believes in these things, much less can recognize it seconds after something happens? The thoroughly normal, somewhat boring looking middle aged brunnette bureaucrat in the bed is who, it seems. But then, there must be something special about her. People don't have assassins come after them for being paper pushers. She sets her jaw slightly. "…I… I understand. I suppose that's why you went into nursing, hm? It's just… I'm a touch on edge. I prefer to know what is happening. *All* of what is happening. At all points in time."
*
"Seemed to be the best option, other than wasting things." Thea murmurs, before she finally musters up the courage to meet Peggy's gaze. Her jaw is tight, and there's a dull flush buring in her cheeks. "You seem like a nice woman, like I said. A pregnant woman. The bruises made me angry and sad and… " She shrugs. "I don't go around telling people what I do."
*
Despite Peggy's initial, sharp recoil from it all, there is something in her that softens now. Especially as she sees that wariness in the girl's eyes, even as she gains the courage to meet Peggy's unwavering, strong gaze. There is no actual fear in Peggy. Just understanding. Awareness. Paranoia, perhaps, but not true fear. She reaches her good hand over to pat the edge of the bed next to her, a companionable invite, something for more intimate, quiet conversations. "I don't either, Miss Thea… I understand honesty is dangerous. Especially nowadays. And I am a nice woman, but I'm also a woman who… who knows things. And accepts that there is much more out there in the world than most would ever dream, and HAS been accepting that for twenty years. And keeping those secrets. So, do not worry, your secret is safe here. But… before you do such things, think: I am a woman who is being watched constantly. Someone who works among many who know people like you exist. Hell, I work with many people who ARE like you. Bruises disappearing so quick, it is not a detail which will go forgotten. Others will know. It will be put in a file somewhere. So… you can make that choice, but then they will know too. Or, we keep your secret here. That is your decision."
*
Thea leans against the edge of the bed. "No one knows. I mean.. My grandfather. My one friend. A couple people suspect, but they've secrets of their own." There's a glance at her throat. "They're not gone.. just.. less. I could make them go. Speed up your arm's healing. No one's going to think anything of me. I'm just the nursing student doing her practicals and handing out vitamins."
*
"…The arm would be helpful. And less obvious. But trust me, people will know. How many guards do you think are on this room right now?" There are two obviously plain clothes one in the hall. They are bored. They drink coffee a lot. They've flashed the pieces under their shoulders more than once. Government bullies. G-Men. But they aren't exactly hiding. Peggy gives the young one a slightly bittersweet smile. She's so innocent. Probably best to keep it that way.
*
"There's the two by the door that are bored, I think there's one that's trying to pass for an orderly. Beyond that, I haven't much looked." Thea explains. Her eyes will drift to the cast, and Peggy will feel it again. That slow flood of warmth, the tingling. It's not unpleasant, really. "You are aware I'm not exactly afraid of them, right? I just don't want people thinking I'm a freak."
*
The tingling is there and Peggy slightly flexes her fingertips, testing the feeling. It was a risk, actually letting the nurse do what she said she would. After all, the woman COULD be undercover, but no one new to the hospital has been allowed in Peggy's room, so it'd have to be a long term cover game. Peggy also trusts her read on people, so she takes that risk. She gives a slight nod to the girl, "That is enough." Certainly not fully healed, but enough the pain abates and she might have use of it in a few weeks instead of months. The break was bad.
"There are at least six guards on the room. Good that you got the orderly. But… we aren't your regular group and you aren't a freak. At least, not to us. Still… they will catch on. They are more observant than you can imagine."
*
"Well, he's kinda not very good at it." Thea explains, feeling guilty for outing the guy. "I know you're not the average woman. The guards, the files.. I'm not as airheaded as some people believe." She pauses, watching Peggy's face. "Hard to prove I did anything, though."
*
A slight chuckle escapes Peggy's throat as Thea says she's not very good at it. The tired, older woman looks wry and amused for a heartbeat or two. "Noted. I'll put that in his file." She even gives Thea a wink as she says that. Mostly teasing. Surely. But then she sombers up again and she tilts her head in affirmation about the healing. "Yes…that is why I said handle the wrist and not the neck. Far harder to prove. Though… neither are my worries." Her eyes dip, just a heartbeat, to that soft rounding of her stomach in the hospital gown. She was tossed about a lot. Stressed. They said this pregnancy would be nearly impossible even before, that she should be on bed rest, that she should prepare for the worst…
*
"See, I thought if I checked on that, you might really panic. Any weird feelings in that region, with what they're telling you to keep you in bed, and all.." Thea bites her bottom lip, before brown eyes close. "Definitely need to stress less. Kid's gonna be underweight, otherwise." Brown eyes open, refocusing on Peggy. "I can try to help keep your blood pressure more normal, which would help, too. And you need to eat and rest. I know. Boring. But.."
*
"Ah… yes, well, that is what they've been telling me. But life does not stop, and I wasn't exactly going out looking to be attacked, I was walking home from work, so… All things considered." Peggy sighs and drags one hand down her face. SHe does not look like a woman who is good at stopping, especially by the file of work in her lap. It terrifies her to need to stop.
*
"I can tell. You're not exactly the stay home and have dinner on the table at six type. But it's a choice. You definitely need to eat more. Vitamins. Take some time outs. I'm not going to tell you that you need to stop and drop everything. I'm not a doctor. But I'm also a little less arrogant than a doctor." Thea shrugs. "But you can always come to me if you're worried."
*
Sousa arrives from RP Nexus.
*
Sousa has arrived.
*
"It… would probably be far more fair to my husband if I were that type, but… No. It would also drive us both mad. I've been… taking it easier than previous, I will say that. This … incident was pure bad luck." Peggy states with that calm, understated British manner of downplaying a highly dangerous assassination attempt like it was an accidental trip down the stairs. Oh, the Brits.
Peggy is currently sitting up in bed, a face down file in her lap. She's looking a touch better colored than she was last night, though the ring of bruises is blooming viciously lively around her neck. Her wrist is now fully casted. Monitors beep quietly, but none in any sort of panic. She looks like a woman who feels she is ready to go home. The beautiful blonde nurse next to her would probably disagree.
*
Thea would quite strenuously agree. If only because she's safer here. "Well, he knew when he married you, right?" There's a tip of a blonde head as she levels a look at the brunette. "That's not bad luck, that's malice. Maybe I shouldn't help you get out of here just yet." There's a hint of a smirl.
*
Sousa had to take care of work at the office and had to go home and check on Mickey…with a promise to bring her by the Hospital tomorrow if it was ok with the doctors and a not-so-gentle reminder that if she had a dog, she wouldn't be so lonely with Mommy and Daddy away at work and it's just her and the nanny. The child knows how to guilt-trip. Whomever did she get that from?
Unless the room number has been changed, he limps his way into the room once he was able to get back into the city. As he steps in, there's a pause when he sees the blonde nurse, and a sigh when he sees the file folder in Peggy's lap. "Aren't you supposed to be resting and healing. That's quite the necklace you got there."
*
Speaking of husbands, the familiar sound of that crutch coming around the corner of the door makes Peggy smile. Thea can probably just *feel* her blood pressure drop a point or two at the man's presence. Even after ten years, the love in her eyes is clear. It might be a strange marriage, but it's through and through heart deep. The brunette gives Thea a smirk, "I am perfectly capable of protecting myself outside a hospital, young lady, I assure you." She clips out, but then her head is gently turning against those bruises as she looks up to her husband.
His commentary about the file makes her smirk deeper, "I am resting. Do you see me out of this bed? I am healing, she can vouch. It doesn't mean I can't look over a few things. Besides, Ava managed a very good sketch of the perpretrator last night and… things are complicated. So I had to do some reading. By the way, Thea, this is said husband, Daniel. Daniel…this is Thea."
*
Thea gives Peggy a lifted brow look at the mention of her 'necklace, that's full on 'told you so'. Then lips are pressed together, as Peggy says she can vouch for her healing. "She's healing.. though she's being stubborn about /aspirin/." Then she runs her eyes over the cast. "Clearly capable." There might be a little teasing, and just a little more warmth at her throat. Only a little. "Hello. Nice to meet you."
*
Dark eyes flick to Thea and he offers a nice, "Pleasure to meet you and of course she is." He looks back to Peggy, "You can have aspirin when you're pregnant, right? If you're in pain, take it. You're not impressing anyone by suffering." It's a gentle chiding, but it's the chiding of someone who knows exactly who she is and why she does what she does. Most of the time.
*
"I'm suddenly feeling quite outnumbered here." Peggy deadpans at both of them. But she reaches her good, free hand up towards her husband, trying to tug him just a bit closer because seeing him is still a relief. Having one's life flash before one's eyes is a very good reminder about the things that matter. She squeeze his hand hard when she finally manages to take it. "…And one of the last nurses tried to give me something that was decidedly not asprin because she thought it better that I sleep. So… forgive me for being wary of pills."
*
Thea lifts her blonde brows at Peggy. "Because you are outnumbered, maybe? And I swear, look at them. Just aspirin. Do I strike you as the type to try and slip you something all false like? Not my style. You'll do as you like, anyhow."
*
Sousa looks between the two women, "At least I have her on my side," he nods to Thea even as he pulls up a chair so that he can sit next to the bed, still holding Peggy's hand. "If it's aspirin, I think you should take some." Maybe with the both of them she'll fold under peer pressure. "How complicated are these 'things' with the one who hurt you?"
*
It's hard to say how much Peggy trusts Thea. She trusts her read on people, and she's gotten a good read on her already. But it hasn't been that long. The dark haired woman grumbles, tugs Sousa's hand up to her lips, gives it a quiet kiss before letting go and reaching to take her damn pills. She's teasingly glaring at both of them the whole time. "Happy?" Then her eyes go back to the file and she sighs.
"…Independently confirmed by Ava… who saw him after I got his mask off… the man who tried to kill me looks like this." Peggy turns over the folder, not waiting for Thea to leave. If anything, it'd be good to have other eyes in the hospital. A black and white sketch of a man is the first drawing on the left… it looks remarkably similar to the photo on the right. Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Deceased. 1943. "And has been supposedly dead for 20 years."
*
Thea slides a look Daniel's way, and there's a twitch of a smile. Then Peggy gets a Mega-watt beaming smile… that may be vaguely sarcastic. "Slightly mollified, I think." She teases the older woman. She blinks at the mention of Ava, remembering something, someone, a tiny twitch of her head. "Supposedly? Did they not have a body?"
*
Sousa's eyebrows arch and he offers a simple, "Yes," in answer to her question. But then he's listening and taking the folder when it's handed over. He glances at the sketch and the photograph, "Do you think this is something like Captain Rogers' situation?" He then looks to Thea, "Not all bodies were recovered during the War…When they could they did, but it wasn't always…feasible."
*
"…I…I don't know. No, his body wasn't recovered. He fell off a train into a several hundred foot deep canyon. Maybe thousand feet. No one should be able to survive that. But…" As Peggy turns the page, the summary before her is a hallowed war record, and speaks of him being a prisoner of HYDRA. Her expression turns a bit grim. "…if we were jumping at ghosts, he was a prisoner of HYDRA when it was still a part of the Nazi party. He may have been experimented on, but… they never perfected anything like Steve. It should not be possible. And maybe this is all concidence." Those last words are full of doubt. Peggy knows what she saw, and she saw a dead man.
*
"Well, some people might." There's a flash of a look at Peggy. "I'll keep an eye out, even if your orderly doesn't." There's a smile as she picks up the empty pill cup. "I'll come check on you again soon, miss Peggy. " There's a glance. "Have a nice day, sir." For Daniel, before she'll look to retreat.
*
"Thanks for taking such good care of my wife," is offered to Thea as she departs. He then looks back to Peggy, "Did you know him at all?" He looks at the pictures and the file again, "And this is the man who attacked you?" That doesn't bode well. "Who do we have on this?"
*
Alone with her husband, Peggy relaxes just a bit more. She sinks her head back into the pillow, not quite feeling that awful need to prove to the world she's up and ship shape, even if everyone can see through it right now. She takes his hand again, squeezing hard. Loving. Thankful he's here. Missing him. All the things she's not good at saying but feels too deeply.
Work is a nice escape from her emotions. She clears her throat, looking back down to the file. "…Not well, but I…I did know him. When I pulled his mask off… that's when I recognized him. Said his name. He… he freaked out then. Stopped. Dropped me. I think he recognized his name. Or part of him did. And he knew mine… called me Peggy. Not Margaret. If he just was getting a hit file… do you think it would have the name Peggy in there?"
*
Thea leaves, heading towards RP Nexus [O].
*
Thea has left.
*
"Probably not…is 'Peggy' on your ID card at work?" Probably not. Sousa frowns as he looks back to the file, "So he knew you. -You-…not just Director Carter of SHIELD." It's probably not the best time for her to think about it, "If you know his name, can we track him down through that?"
*
"…It all happened so fast, Daniel. I… don't really know. Maybe my mind is making things up. I thought I was going crazy until Ava drew him, but… other than the hair, he looks the same. He looks the same as his damn *enlistment* photo." Which would point more and more towards this being some sort of serum. But that bothers Peggy more than she'd care to admit. Super soldier serum will always be a skeleton in her closet, for good or for ill. "And no… Peggy is not on my ID. If it's him, he knew me as one of the only women SSR agents and a pain in the ass of *everyone* who was a part of the Project."
*
Sousa is quiet for a moment as he listens and thinks. "Maybe we need to ask Captain Rogers about this…and maybe we should move us and Mickey to a Safehouse. Or I can send her to Inez for a little bit until we make sure there won't be any more attacks on you…" or any potential attacks on their daughter.
*
It's not something Peggy Carter ever wanted to think about, even if that was a consideration the first time they learned they were expecting. Over all, they've been lucky. Work has never really spilled over into threatening the family. Now, however, her lips press a bit tighter at the thought. She's silent, throat tight, hand around his holding on for dear life. "…yes, we need to talk to Steve but… maybe we should. I don't want to. I… don't want this…fear… To make her life worth. But I can't put her… at risk…" This is ripping her up inside more than anything else, in truth.
*
Sousa holds her hand tightly and is quiet before he manages a grin, "Are you kidding? A chance for her to spend time with Inez and her kids? She'd love it and be horribly spoiled and come back and tell us just what Inez told her we had to do for her. I doubt her school will care, but we can always ask Inez to take her up to Boston for a day for something Educational. But it gets her away and we know she'll be safe." As they also send an agent to trail them just to be sure.
*
A slight smile comes as he comments on her kidding. A little laugh, "Yeah, I…I guess this is true. If you can bring her by, I…I'll have a talk. We'll get her excited, then get her safe. Out of here. Just for a bit, until we figure out this mess…" Peggy murmurs. Then, with that, plan in place, the exhaustion is settling in. He can probably see it in her eyes. She feels safe now, with him here and a good outline for what to do with their daughter. She is still recovering. She squeezes and kiss his hand one more time. "…rest. I…think that's…not a poor choice. I love you but… Maybe I will actually try this rest thing, for a bit." Her head sinks back, eyes half closing. She might actually fall asleep fairly fast this time.