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Sleeping in what is basically a hospital bed is never fun. Even if it's a hospital bed in a lab. That might even be LESS fun. A few SHIELD scientists have come in the morning to poke and prod at Peggy, ensuring the various monitors are content with her state and taking far more blood from her. She spent most of the morning drowsily muttering about vampires and shooing Daniel out to go handle phone calls so he doesn't have to hover while the vampire technicians are doing their work. Now, however, she's begged some tea and real food. She's sitting half propped up, doing her very best to look awake but not quite succeeding. One would think sleeping for two months straight would leave one plenty rested, but apparently not. "…If they don't let me out of here soon, I am going to start making demands. Orders. I run this damn place." Peggy mutters. Mostly to herself.
*
"They're just worried." Who ever knew that becoming Inhuman, you'd have hearing a little slightly better than Steve Rogers. But Skye was there in the doorway, a slight look of sympathy upon her face as she approaches with a single rose and a big over-stuffed teddy bear that she may or may not have stolen, given due to her spending all of her money on take-out. "Though if you want, I can murder the person who's making you sit here." Deadpan. All serious. No jokes. "Push them down a flight of stairs." More deadpan. "They'll probably break their necks. These stairs are made of stone and steel."
*
Sousa was up early…probably awakened by the same medical personnel who wanted to check on Peggy. Stiff from sleeping on the hospital bed with Peggy, he slowly limps away to fetch said tea and a light breakfast. He also needs to check in with the NYPD and call to let the Nanny know that Peggy is awake and that she can bring Mickey to their agreed-upon meeting point. Even though he no longer works for SHIELD, he's not going to betray their location.
A bit scruffier than usual, Daniel finally makes his way back to the doorway carrying a to-go cup of tea and a croissaint in a paper bag, "You're lucky they're letting me bring this in. Nothing more yet though." There is a nod given to Skye as he tries to move past her, "Thank you," is offered quietly and earnestly to her. Even if she didn't find Peggy herself, she was part of the SHIELD team who were active about trying to find her. That's appreciated.
*
A slight startle, as most of Peggy had thought she was alone, but she looks over to the young agent with a tired smile and a slight stiffening of her frame. If anyone can look professional and battle ready from a hospital bed, it's Peggy Carter. She sits straigher, shoulders squared, spine stiff, her chin just slightly raised and dark eyes bright. No matter the sheets, the softness of her belly, the hospital gown. She might as well be in uniform. No one on her team will see her bleed. No one. "Agent… Skye, I am now told? I hear you've gone through some changes." When has she had time to read files? Who knows. "And no, no murder. Just… if we could speak some sense into them all so I could get dressed, that would be ideal. Every reading is normal. If something is wrong or changed? We cannot detect it. So it is time to carry on with life."
Then Daniel is returning with what little breakfast he's managed to scrounge for her and Peggy's eyes go momentarily wide. The look of 'THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE' on her face is practically screaming. She very quietly, very calmly states, "…I have been, apparently, in a *pod* for two months. I have not eaten real food for two and a half months. I am however damn long pregnant I am and they are telling me I get nothing more than a croissaint? This… will change." Maybe Peggy is rethinking Skye's offer to kill someone now.
*
Skye moves away from the door to allow Daniel entry, a nod given in his direction as another smile goes over towards Peggy. It was amazing how there was a visible change, it seemed the woman was melting within her bed one second and stiffening straight the next. "It doesn't matter." She states, moving to press the rose upon the table, the big teddy bear dropped within the corner unceremoniously instead of the bed. People slept on that. They'll get it later, right?
"Daisy. Skye. Johnson." The changes that she's went through causes a little twitch, the stool of the chair dragged close by as she plops right down. "Oh, apparently I'm an alien. Surprise." Fingers lift in a jazz-hands motion, considering the irony of that situation. Though, the croissant.. well, Skye just backs up a few paces to let Peggy flail her arms if she needs, all the while her fingers idly scritch at her chin. Whatever she was thinking? She wouldn't -dare- tell Sousa. Hell no.
*
"Yes. You are a woman who has been in some sort of stasis pod for two months. If you eat too much too quicky, you could get sick and then where would we be? So you have to start out slowly. You're lucky they didn't make me bring you just another cup of broth and a package of crackers." Sousa doesn't seem at all cowed by his wife's demands. He brought her what he could and she can argue with the SHIELD medical folk herself. "If you don't want to eat it, I will. Or I'll give it to Skye." He seems familiar with the name change…or whatever.
It's the mention of her being an alien though that brings a frown, "Since when? I mean…seriously? Like the aliens who…" kidnapped and impersonated his wife?
*
While Peggy's wrath is easy to give to poor SHIELD medical technicians, her husband has gotten her through one child already, all sorts of cranky mornings, and is one of the few people that can stand up to her and actually get her to back down. So, the dark haired woman smirks, reaching out to snatch that pastry away with a little glare, "You will *not* eat my crossiant." She grumbles, beginning to pick at it neatly, ripping off small parts to make the food last. It's strange, the little habits that can start after just a few weeks of captivity. She never used to eat like that. But she is also starving, evidenced by the fact that she's gone for the food before her ever sacred tea.
The surprise alien comment gains an arch of her brow, looking Skye up and down for a few moments. "… it seems that is going around. Should we expect a copy of you stored elsewhere… or have you always been as such? And how do we know to trust the answer?" Peggy seems content to dive straight into work, as long as it's come to her bedside.
*
It was amusing. Even further Skye backed away from the dueling couple, her eyes lighting up with a little bit of glee. As it stands, she could possibly be mistaken for one of their older children, she carried the dark hair and dark eyes look, the slightly tanned skin, the slight puffy cheeks that could come from either side.
And that look? It was -amused-. Like watching Mother and Father fight over who was going to make dinner this time. Skye nearly wanted to lift her hands to clap and giggle. But she doesn't.
"Since.." Skye finally says. "I came out of a cocoon." Her brows furrow a little, "But no. Not those aliens. I think my brand, we're just monsters." She shrugs. But her head does shake, usually speaking about this would stress her out. Perhaps Alex did a good thing in this regard. "Maximus, the deposed King that we were sent to fight, said that it was possible that my parents.. whoever they were, left me somewhere. Coulson ordered me to do tests with Fitz and Simmons but I haven't been there yet." She pauses faintly, her expression now blank. "I had shit to do."
*
Sousa hands the croissant over with a neutral expression, but he's obviously trying very hard not to smile. "Good to have you back, Peg," is offered before he moves to lean against the wall to listen to the conversation about Skye being an alien. "A cocoon…" that's a new one. "You're not a monster, Skye. I don't care what your heritage is." With that said, he then quiets. Not his Circus…not his Monkeys. He has his own Circus to worry about elsewhere now.
*
Since all he has brought her is a pastry, Peggy gives him a side eye and a quiet mutter in return, "You won't be saying that in an hour if someone doesn't bring me a proper breakfast…" She threatens, though it's not really a threat to him, and there is also a grumpy smile cracking behind her complaining words. She's glad to be home as well. She's simply ravenous. She tears off another bite and then looks back towards Skye, listening patiently to those words. The end of it makes her sit up straighter, squaring off with the young agent. "Well, I'm home now and if you aren't listening to Coulson, you sure as *hell* are listening to me. You are off duty until you get those tests done. If you're smart, you'll march down the hall and do them now. I'm not jesting." Yes, if Skye was practically a grown daughter to her, Peggy sure as hell would send the girl to her room until she listens to orders.
*
There was a blank look that was given to Sousa, and a little shrug of her shoulders. "Yes I am." Hey, it was the truth! Anything that was not a human was considered a monster these days. They kidnapped Peggy, kept her in a pod, had her family worried. Monsters. Who knows what hell Skye would unleash at a later date?
That's why Peggy's stern words to her give her pause. Her lips curling into a slight frown as she lets out a little huff of a breath. "But.. I really would rather not be treated like a lab rat." She states honestly. But she was going to get it done. Soon. Tomorrow soon. Next week soon. "They're going to put me in quarantine. With needles and.. they're going to look at me like.." She doesn't gesture at Peggy, but how they were treating her was damn close.
"I.. think I should see about them getting some protein in you. Babies love eggs and bacon."
*
"A 'monster' is defined by its behavior," Sousa points out to Skye before he looks to Peggy, watching her start ordering others around already. He can't help a little grin there as -this- is right. He clears his throat, "You two can talk and I'll work on getting more food. What can they do if I bring it? Fire me?" There's a grin cast to Skye at that before he moves back towards the door.
*
A look is given quietly to Skye, hardened understanding behind it, even as the girl seems a hint frantic and uncertain about being a lab rat. "I understand, Daisy. Trust me, I do. I dislike being poked with needles, trapped on a bed, stared at like I could be an alien, or this child could be, or something else. But this is what we do as agents. This is what we do for the safety and understanding of people around us. Now, I will never force someone into a lab or a bed. If you truly don't wish to do it? Then you will be decommissioned and you can go on with your life. But if you wish to remain a part of this agency and a part of this team, then you will march down that hall and be a god damned lab rat with the rest of us. And in a few hours it will be over and you'll be back on duty. Those are your choices. I won't let them keep you prisoner, but I also won't let you avoid this any longer." Peggy gives Daniel a slight, thankful nod at his offer to get more food, because right now she has to give this talk to Skye. Half pep talk, half ultimatium, all said out of protective of and respect for *everyone* on her time. Skye included.
"Oh, and in the future? Bitching about being a lab rat to a woman hooked up to five different kinds of monitors, who has had at least a pint of blood sucked out of her already today? Probably not an effective debate strategy."
*
Skye even thinks it, that she'll show Sousa monster like behavior but.. what for? Why was she even thinking like this? She leans forward, her fingers pressing against her eyes to rub against them. In fact, once Peggy begins to speak and properly scold her, she lifts up with a look of bewilderment, her mouth hanging open, one hand lifted, dropped again into her lap, lifted again, dropped again and a.. grunt as if she were attempting to interrupt but she couldn't.
And much like a child, or.. legally adult child (since she is an orphan), she stands up, blowing back the stool that she sat upon, her shoulder snatched within the air as if someone grasped her and her feet positively stomping towards the door.
"FINE!" She nearly shouts out, yes. She had no fear, she was shouting at a pregnant Director and her husband (long live the chief!), mom and pop to Daisy and possibly the whole of the organization. A shout that rumbles the building with a vibrational force that sends a lightbulb outside the hospital room shattering, the glass of water by the bed crackling.. the window of the room that allows others to view inside to crack and create a lovely spider-webbed design upon it's surface.
And where was Skye? Storming off and out of SHIELD. Probably to stall and get fat off of chinese that she probably couldn't pay for.
*
Sousa pauses at the lightbulb shattering and he watches as Skye storms out with a crackling of glass. Dark eyes glance to Peggy, "Well, that's new…" is offered, even though he's unfazed by the display of powers. It comes with being a former SHIELD agent. "Are you all right?" is asked first to Peggy before he looks to the cracked glass of water on the bedside table, "I'll get you another glass with the food. Sit tight…"
He may also be returning with a child in tow…one who is incredibly eager to finally see her mother again!
*
The director slightly winces at Skye's reaction or, more so, the crackling of glass and actual room damage around. That was new. She arches a brow, looking over the window and up to the light bulb, but she seems perfectly fine herself. "…And just like a teenager, complete with temper tantrums." Peggy mutters beneath her breath, nodding to Daniel to confirm that she is fine. A few other nurses are now flooding in, in reaction to Skye's fit. Peggy endures another round of poking and prodding with a long weighted sigh. Daniel can hear her berating a few poor nurses about food, from all the way where he is down the hall.
Eventually, though, the medical staff clears out of her room. Someone has put an order in for a hero sandwich somewhere, for the director, and it's said with the grave tone of a life or death situation. Daniel will be permitted entrance again, as he pleases…
*
Just as the medical personnel clear out, a whirlwind of a child runs in and practically leaps onto her mother's bed, throwing herself into her mother's arms. Daniel tried to get her to go in calmly, but once she saw that Peggy was awake, she was too fast for him. Mickey learned long ago that she could out-run her father if not her mother and has used it, on occasion, to get what she wants. Today seems to be one of those days.
He brought some more food and tea in with him…some fruit and bacon was all he could really get to go. There's a wince as the child jumps onto her mother, but he knows that Mickey wouldn't try to hurt her. Nevertheless he offers a quiet 'Sorry' even as he moves to pull over the bedside table so Peggy can eat her meal more easily.
*
The sandwich hasn't actually come yet, so the fruit and bacon will be ALMOST as welcome as that ball of energy that Peggy hasn't seen for far too long. Fortunately, she also talked the doctors out of the heaviest of monitors, so there are only two small wires left on her now, which means Mickey manages not to knock anything free as she leaps up and Peggy leans forward, to half catch her daughter before they are crushed, "There's my girl! Oh, my big, big girl…" There isn't much which brings Peggy to tears, but as she clutches the little ball of energy to her chest, all too happy to have Mickey curled in against her, Daniel could easily see the glossiness in her eyes. She holds on so tight, burying her cheek against her child's messy black hair.
*
"I tried to get her to walk in calmly," Sousa tried to explain as he sets the food down. This right here is how he knew that the previous Peggy was wrong. She would never go two days much less two months without seeing her daughter if she was in town. Never. He leans down to give them both a kiss on the forehead before taking the nearby seat. He's just going to let Mickey hold on as long as she and Peggy can stand it.
*
Peggy hasn't cried once since returning. She hasn't screamed, panicked, or done anything that might befit someone who was held captive so long, certain they were going to die, and in such an awful situation. But now, with her daughter in her arms, far too many emotions just flood through. She takes in a shaking breath, fingertips rubbing up and down her daughter's shoulders as she just lets the girl cling as hard as they both can. "I love you, Mickey… I love you so much… I'm so sorry, my baby…" And finally a few tears do manage to escape her lashes, cutting down he cheeks as she rocks her daughter slowly. She looks up to her husband across those dark curls, meeting his eyes even as her tears still fall. "…I.. really am sorry, Daniel… this… It was never supposed to be like this."
*
Sousa reaches to place a hand on Peggy's even as he sinks down into the seat next to her bed. "I know. It's part of our lives…this chance of bad stuff happening. I'm just glad that you beat the odds and we were able to find you," and she seems relatively unharmed. "It's not your fault, it's not SHIELD's fault, it was just something that happens when you do what we do." That's how he had to look at it. They made provisions for this…just in case. Neither wanted to admit that it could happen, but every time one of them went on a mission, there was that possibility. "You're back and you're safe. That's all that matters now."
*
The slight shake of Mickey's shoulders says, very much, like mother like daughter. Always so strong, held together, stiff upper lip, until they finally make it back together and the two are collectively a wreck. Peggy turns her head and presses a few more kisses into that dark crown of curls, "It's alright, my beautiful girl…Mum is home. It's okay…" She reassures her quietly sobbing child. She keeps Daniel's eyes, though, as he comments about it not being her fault. There is something behind her gaze which has doubt there, which is running through every scenario, what she could have done different, but she doesn't protest in front of Mickey. She just nods faintly. "I…I know."
*
Sousa hasn't let himself fall apart yet. It's coming…but it probably won't be where Peggy and Mickey can see. "We don't need to dwell on it. When you're cleared, after you've rested for at least a couple of days, I have a feeling you're going to have your hands full with damage control. I don't envy you that task," there's a sort of smile though as if he knows she's probably looking forward to that. "And then life will be back to being painfully normal…" there's a pause, "For us."
*
This isn't totally falling apart, but it's close, for Peggy at least. Probably as close as she'll ever let herself really get. Peggy isn't a falling apart kind of person. She finally lets out a slow breath, reaching her free hand up to try and dab away some of that moisture as she shifts Mickey against her, "Come, darling… You can stay here, but… let mum eat, alright? SHe's quite hungry. You can have some of my fruit." It MUST be love, for Peggy to share her desperately won fruit with the little girl. A teary eyed Mickey nods almost mutely, shifting to the side so she's curled against her mother's shoulder. Peggy keeps one arm around her, but reaches over with her other hand to pick at the bacon. "I don't suppose they told you when I can get out of here? I think I talked them into a proper meal, at least… SOmeone said they're ordering me a sandwich from Joey's."
*
Sousa already called the school to tell them that Mickey won't be in today…the absence was excused. He's also still sort of 'on call' with work, but they're also trying to give him a little time with his wife before getting him right back in the middle of things and he's calling for status reports every couple of hours. But now it's family time.
"They didn't tell me, no, but I can guess, from my own experiences, that they're going to wait to make sure their tests come back normal and that you can keep food down. Then they'll probably make sure you're fine walking on your own before they let you leave. I had the nanny pack you a change of clothes and your makeup." Just in case.
*
"…Well, I can walk perfectly fine, I promise that. And I'm getting tired of being cooped up, so they better be quick about it." Peggy clips out quietly, trying to put her stiff exterior back in place as she picks at the bacon and shares a few berries with Mickey. The little girl is still somewhat hiccupy from crying hard and the shoulder of Peggy's hospital gown is damp, but she does not seem to care. She just lets Mickey tuck in close and cling hard, one little arm over her round belly, her other hand munching on those berries. "…Daniel, if…if you need to go to work, I shan't keep you. Someone told me you… you quit. Here."
*
"Technically, you fired me before I could resign," Sousa points out with a sigh. He knew that would happen at some point. "I mean, it turned out that it wasn't -you-, but we didn't know at that point. I think it's for the best though. This way, if something happens…" they're not both in the same place. "They know what's going on and they have a way to reach me if they need to. The good thing is that the precinct is pretty self-sufficient."
*
No one had told her *that*. Peggy's brow furrows quietly, a trace of guilt and aching across her pale face. She slows in the eating of the bacon, her appetite somehow not nearly so ravenous as it was moments ago. "…No. It wasn't me, Daniel. I would never… .*Never* do that to you. I know you don't always feel that you fit here and there are… logistical concerns, but… I want you here. At my side. I've only ever wanted that. Are… are you truly happy not working for SHIELD?" Peggy asks, a touch of aching behind her voice that her doppleganger could have taken something so important from her.
*
Sousa nods, "I know it wasn't you. Now. It was a pretty knock-down, drag-out fight though…" they've certainly had them before. "I like where I am though, and I do think it's for the best. Even though it also wasn't you in the meeting about the prison, just the fact that so many were willing to agree with you made me really question my place here. If I'm always playing Devil's Advocate in the workplace, do you think that bodes well for your status here? But this way we can still be work allies…even if we're not working in the same offices." And it should be easier on their homelife as well. "SHIELD has moved on. I'm old-school."
*
The regret is heavy in her eyes, guilt that she wasn't there, anger she couldn't stop this, but Peggy is certainly not in the mood to fight more. She just watches him, quietly aching, then lets her cheek come to rest against Mickey's hair. "If… if you are certain. I won't even order you to stay but… you know I want you here. It won't be the same." Peggy whispers, the true weight of just how much she missed, how much the other her changed, is finally starting to settle in.