August 24 - Complications (BtVS/MCU)
Title: Complications
Author: Glitterangelem
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and MCU
Rating: PG
Word Count: 984
Summary: Peggy is once again cleaning up one of Howard's messes. And this one just got a little more complicated.
Notes: The MCU timeline for Howard Stark is a little odd, considering he didn't marry Maria until he was at least in his 40s. The chance of a man like Howard not having any other children from his many relationships is pretty bizarre.
A crack of thunder echoed through the courtyard as Peggy Carter slowly opened the car door, the rain soaking her jacket almost immediately as she stepped out. The usual click of her heels disappeared in the noise of the storm. Wind whistled around her, tearing at her outfit, threatening to whip the briefcase right out of her hands. She stubbornly gripped the briefcase tighter, her knuckles white as she crossed the expansion of the courtyard and made it to the door. Without knocking - who knew if anyone would answer the door anyway, not with the recent events - she shoved the door open and stepped into the foyer, shutting the door soundly behind her.
For just one moment, she allowed herself a sigh of relief. She knew it would be the last bit of relief she had in awhile.
Setting the briefcase down on the ground, she carefully undid the belt of her jacket before undoing the buttons. Her fingers were slick with rain and they slipped off a button or two before she could get them undone. The slight tremor in her hands did not help the situation; it took all of her energy to will the tremor away, knowing she could not afford to allow emotion show right now.
Perhaps not for awhile.
Small drops of water dripped across the expensive marble of the foyer floor, some of them merging together to form small puddles that followed her steps. She ignored the water and tossed her jacket over the back of an expensive - if worn - chair. She would deal with the puddles later; she had more important things to deal with right now, things that should have been dealt with days earlier.
Walking purposefully down the hallway, she automatically adjusted her hair as she walked, making sure everything was still in place. She may be getting up there in years, but that did not excuse sloppiness, especially when dealing with one of Howard’s messes. As she walked down the hall, arguing voices echoed down the expanse.
“…money grubbing…”
“…don’t want…just the ring…”
Peggy sighed as she turned the corner and stepped into the room from where the voices came. A familiar, infuriating, woman stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed and face red as she screamed at a younger, shorter woman.
Who, even in the face of the older woman’s fury, stood her ground.
Impressed despite the situation, Peggy quickly moved into the women’s sight line. “I think that is quite enough, Evelyn. Why don’t we sit down and discuss the issue, like civilized people.”
“Fuck off, Peggy,” Evelyn sneered, though she backed away from the both Peggy and the mysterious younger woman. “What the hell are you doing here? Did that son of a bitch send you and you followed his command, like the dog you are?”
With yet another sigh, tonight seemed to be a night for them, Peggy said, “I understand you’re grieving, Evelyn, but why don’t you let me talk to - “
Gesturing at the younger woman, who studied Peggy a moment before supplying, “Joyce.”
“Talk to Joyce, here, and let you grieve your son in peace.”
Evelyn stepped forward, head tilting up as if to continue her screaming, this time at Peggy instead of Joyce, before her chest seemed to collapse and she closed her eyes, nodding. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she seemed to stagger under the weight of her anguish. “I can’t…he’s gone, Peggy. My life, my joy…gone.”
Stepping forwards, her heart breaking for the other woman, Peggy pulled her into an embrace, letting the woman collapse onto her for a moment. While she and Evelyn never truly got along, there was a connection between the two women, a connection forged by the secrets held by Howard Stark. Secrets the media that did not need to know, that one of Howard’s many ill-advised lovers had produced a child.
A child now left deceased by an unexpected illness.
Evelyn pulled out of the embrace, nodding once at Peggy before turning and walking out of the room, not even acknowledging Joyce. Steeling herself for the next conversation, Peggy turned to Joyce -
And immediately froze. The younger woman stood with her eyes closed, taking deep breathes in and blowing them out slowly, her skin paler than it had been when Peggy walked in. A quick assessment of the woman, and a pit grew in Peggy’s stomach as realization hit her. Guiding the woman over to the desk in the room, she grabbed the waste basket underneath and shoved it in Joyce’s arms.
“Here,” she said brusquely, and at the feel of the garbage can in her arms, Joyce seemed to come out of her shock and vomited noisily into the trash, her body shaking. As the last of it passed through her system, Joyce pushed the disgusting mess away and dropped to her knees, her own body being overcome by sobs.
“I didn’t want anything,” Joyce cried, as Peggy slowly sank down next to her, wincing at the creaking of her knees. She put an arm around the other woman’s shoulder as Joyce continued, “I just wanted to keep the engagement ring. I don’t have much left of Hank and to just have that…”
Letting the woman babble, Peggy sat silently and listened, formulating a plan. When Joyce stopped to take a breath, Peggy asked in a calm, quiet voice, “How far along are you?”
Sucking in a sharp breath, Joyce asked with a shaky voice, “How did you know?”
Peggy shrugged. “I know the signs. I’ve worked with a number of women who hid their pregnancies, to keep from being pushed out of their careers. I can help you out, if you’d like.”
Both women fell into silence for a moment, with Joyce stunned by the unexpected offer. Finally, she nodded. “I…I’d like that. Just until I can get things figured out.”
Author: Glitterangelem
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and MCU
Rating: PG
Word Count: 984
Summary: Peggy is once again cleaning up one of Howard's messes. And this one just got a little more complicated.
Notes: The MCU timeline for Howard Stark is a little odd, considering he didn't marry Maria until he was at least in his 40s. The chance of a man like Howard not having any other children from his many relationships is pretty bizarre.
A crack of thunder echoed through the courtyard as Peggy Carter slowly opened the car door, the rain soaking her jacket almost immediately as she stepped out. The usual click of her heels disappeared in the noise of the storm. Wind whistled around her, tearing at her outfit, threatening to whip the briefcase right out of her hands. She stubbornly gripped the briefcase tighter, her knuckles white as she crossed the expansion of the courtyard and made it to the door. Without knocking - who knew if anyone would answer the door anyway, not with the recent events - she shoved the door open and stepped into the foyer, shutting the door soundly behind her.
For just one moment, she allowed herself a sigh of relief. She knew it would be the last bit of relief she had in awhile.
Setting the briefcase down on the ground, she carefully undid the belt of her jacket before undoing the buttons. Her fingers were slick with rain and they slipped off a button or two before she could get them undone. The slight tremor in her hands did not help the situation; it took all of her energy to will the tremor away, knowing she could not afford to allow emotion show right now.
Perhaps not for awhile.
Small drops of water dripped across the expensive marble of the foyer floor, some of them merging together to form small puddles that followed her steps. She ignored the water and tossed her jacket over the back of an expensive - if worn - chair. She would deal with the puddles later; she had more important things to deal with right now, things that should have been dealt with days earlier.
Walking purposefully down the hallway, she automatically adjusted her hair as she walked, making sure everything was still in place. She may be getting up there in years, but that did not excuse sloppiness, especially when dealing with one of Howard’s messes. As she walked down the hall, arguing voices echoed down the expanse.
“…money grubbing…”
“…don’t want…just the ring…”
Peggy sighed as she turned the corner and stepped into the room from where the voices came. A familiar, infuriating, woman stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed and face red as she screamed at a younger, shorter woman.
Who, even in the face of the older woman’s fury, stood her ground.
Impressed despite the situation, Peggy quickly moved into the women’s sight line. “I think that is quite enough, Evelyn. Why don’t we sit down and discuss the issue, like civilized people.”
“Fuck off, Peggy,” Evelyn sneered, though she backed away from the both Peggy and the mysterious younger woman. “What the hell are you doing here? Did that son of a bitch send you and you followed his command, like the dog you are?”
With yet another sigh, tonight seemed to be a night for them, Peggy said, “I understand you’re grieving, Evelyn, but why don’t you let me talk to - “
Gesturing at the younger woman, who studied Peggy a moment before supplying, “Joyce.”
“Talk to Joyce, here, and let you grieve your son in peace.”
Evelyn stepped forward, head tilting up as if to continue her screaming, this time at Peggy instead of Joyce, before her chest seemed to collapse and she closed her eyes, nodding. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she seemed to stagger under the weight of her anguish. “I can’t…he’s gone, Peggy. My life, my joy…gone.”
Stepping forwards, her heart breaking for the other woman, Peggy pulled her into an embrace, letting the woman collapse onto her for a moment. While she and Evelyn never truly got along, there was a connection between the two women, a connection forged by the secrets held by Howard Stark. Secrets the media that did not need to know, that one of Howard’s many ill-advised lovers had produced a child.
A child now left deceased by an unexpected illness.
Evelyn pulled out of the embrace, nodding once at Peggy before turning and walking out of the room, not even acknowledging Joyce. Steeling herself for the next conversation, Peggy turned to Joyce -
And immediately froze. The younger woman stood with her eyes closed, taking deep breathes in and blowing them out slowly, her skin paler than it had been when Peggy walked in. A quick assessment of the woman, and a pit grew in Peggy’s stomach as realization hit her. Guiding the woman over to the desk in the room, she grabbed the waste basket underneath and shoved it in Joyce’s arms.
“Here,” she said brusquely, and at the feel of the garbage can in her arms, Joyce seemed to come out of her shock and vomited noisily into the trash, her body shaking. As the last of it passed through her system, Joyce pushed the disgusting mess away and dropped to her knees, her own body being overcome by sobs.
“I didn’t want anything,” Joyce cried, as Peggy slowly sank down next to her, wincing at the creaking of her knees. She put an arm around the other woman’s shoulder as Joyce continued, “I just wanted to keep the engagement ring. I don’t have much left of Hank and to just have that…”
Letting the woman babble, Peggy sat silently and listened, formulating a plan. When Joyce stopped to take a breath, Peggy asked in a calm, quiet voice, “How far along are you?”
Sucking in a sharp breath, Joyce asked with a shaky voice, “How did you know?”
Peggy shrugged. “I know the signs. I’ve worked with a number of women who hid their pregnancies, to keep from being pushed out of their careers. I can help you out, if you’d like.”
Both women fell into silence for a moment, with Joyce stunned by the unexpected offer. Finally, she nodded. “I…I’d like that. Just until I can get things figured out.”