Waking Up From the Dead (part2)
Title:Waking Up from the Dead (part 2)
Author: MaeveBran
Rating: Teen (will eventually get to Mature-ish I'm sure)
Fandom: Captain America:The First Avenger (movieverse)
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter with mentions of past Peggy Carter/Howard Stark
Summary: Steve adjusts to life in the twenty-first century.
Late the next afternoon, Steve donned the Army Captain’s dress uniform that had been delivered to him earlier that morning. Someone, the new Agent Carter , Steve suspected, had made sure that the ribbons and medals were what Steve had earned that lifetime ago. The uniform didn’t feel any different than the dress one he had worn on the very few occasions that dress uniforms had been required when he had been no more than a chorus girl. One of those occasions had been to the White House but Steve didn’t like to dwell on that particularly insipid dinner party.
Steve left the familiar of the World War II era headquarters and joined the rest of the world in the twenty-first century headquarters. There he found Peggy dressed for an evening out in a conservative but classy floor length red satin evening gown. Yes, she looked decades older than when he had last seen her but she was still his Peggy. The years had been truly kind and she didn’t look a day over sixty when he knew her to be ninety. Steve couldn’t help himself and he wolf whistled at her.
“Thank you,” Peggy said acknowledging the whistle as a compliment rather than an insult. “You’re looking rather dashing yourself.”
“Uh, thanks,” Steve blushed. “Where are we going?”
“The Waldorf-Astoria has a dining room with a dance floor that does a classic program at the early bird seating,” Peggy said as she lead the way to the waiting Rolls-Royce. They got into the car and Peggy’s driver glided through the difficult traffic with ease. They were soon walking through the elegant hotel.
The dining room was full of older couples and groups of old ladies dining together. Steve looked to be the youngest person in the room besides the wait staff. Of course he was every bit as old as anyone else here, just no one but Peggy and he knew it. There was a stir amongst the other patrons of the restaurant at him and Peggy.
They ordered dinner and the band struck up a slow song. Steve stood and walked around the table to Peggy.
“I believe I owe you a slow dance,” Steve said as he extended his hand to her. She took it and Steve tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led her to the dance floor.
The dance floor wasn’t completely empty and Steve found them a place where if he tripped they wouldn’t take out anyone else. He swept Peggy into place and proceeded to lead her at the Waltz.
“I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance,” Peggy stated, amazed at his dancing.
“I didn’t,” Steve said concentrating on his footwork.
“You’re doing an incredible job then,” Peggy said.
“I looked it up on the internet last night,” Steve explained. “They even have instructional films on something called , YouTube.”
Peggy laughed at that. “One day into the twenty-first century and already he has found YouTube.”
They danced in silence and then took their seats. Their appetizers arrived right after they sat down again. They had just finished when an elderly lady walked over and greeted them.
“Young man, I want to tell you, it is so nice to see a member of the younger generation serving his country and spending time with his grandmother,” the lady said. She walked away before Steve or Peggy could speak.
Peggy looked at Steve. Steve looked at Peggy and then they burst out laughing. “I guess that’s what we look like to everyone else,” Peggy said. “If only I had a grandson.”
The waitress returned and cleared away their plates and refilled their wine glasses.
“Do you have any children?” Steve asked when they were alone again.
“No, I told you Howard and I divorced, right?” Peggy asked. Steve nodded. “We got married because I was pregnant . . .”
“What happened?” Steve asked, less sure that he wanted to know than he was sure that she needed to tell him.
“It all started the year after you disappeared,” Peggy said as she drained her wine. When she was finished the whole sordid story came pouring out. How she had gotten drunk on the first anniversary of that missed date and Howard found her. How she and Howard had tumbled into bed and weeks later she had discovered she was pregnant. How they had married quickly and quietly. How a couple months later, before she had told Colonel Phillips that she was pregnant, that she had been in a training accident and miscarried the baby. How that Howard got more depressed and drunk after that. How she and Howard managed to be on different missions most of the time except for formal occasions and eventually even that became intolerable and they had divorced.
Through the whole story Steve sat there, stunned. For the first time in the last two days, he began to think that maybe he’d had it pretty good being asleep for all those years. But then again, if he’d been around he might have been able to spare her all that pain. He shook his head slightly. He’d better not start thinking like that or he’d drive himself crazy.
“I’m sorry,” Steve said as he patted her hand on the table.
“Like I said yesterday, I’m not,” Peggy said forcefully.
“Did you ever see him after that?” Steve asked.
“Oh yes, once we were divorced and no longer trying to live together let alone be lovers where no romance existed, we went back to being friends,” Peggy said. “In fact we became much better friends. I was even a bridesmaid when he married Maria.”
“Oh,” Steve said. “That’s good.”
Their main courses arrived then and they fell into eating in silence. Another of the elderly matrons worked her way across the dining room and addressed Peggy.
“Peggy, darling,” greeted Mrs. Webster. “The rumors are saying this is your grandson . . .”
“Anna, you know I have no children,” Peggy answered.
“I know that. I told that tiresome Mrs. Astor that this young man couldn’t be your grandson,” Mrs. Webster said.
“Thank you,” Peggy said.
“So I told her that he must be your new boy toy. And that I would come over here and find out who he is,” Mrs. Webster continued.
Peggy sputtered in disbelief. Steve stood and introduced himself.
“I’m Captain Steven Rogers, United States Army, ma’am,” Steve said as he bowed over Mrs. Webster’s hand. That was one benefit of having been the equivalent of a chorus girl for a couple years, he’d had some diplomatic training in order to make sure people like Mrs. Webster bought bonds and lots of them.
“Like Captain America?” Mrs. Webster asked.
“I was named for him. He was a relative,” Steve said, “of sorts.”
“Oh, I see,” Mrs. Webster said. “Peggy, didn’t you mention you were friends with Captain America?”
“I was. That is why Captain Rogers, here, is having dinner with me. He never knew his famous relative and wanted to hear some stories,” Peggy explained.
“And why you danced like that?” Mrs. Webster prodded, knowing there had to be a juicy tidbit here, somewhere.
“Family legend said that the good Captain owed Miss Carter a dance when he went down,” Steve stepped in. “My family always pays its debts.”
“Oh, I see,” Mrs. Webster said, amused. That was the flimsiest story ever. The captain must certainly be Peggy Carter’s new boy toy. “It was nice meeting you, Captain Rogers. You certainly have a lot to live up to.” Mrs. Webster sailed away to spread the news to the group of old biddies she was dining with.
Dessert was served midst a tiny commotion coming from the lobby of the hotel. As they were biting into their respective chocolate cakes, the commotion entered the dining room. Tony Stark, in full evening dinner dress, paused and looked around the room and spotted them. He made a beeline for their table.
“Aunt Peggy,” Tony greeted as he took an empty chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to their table. “I called in for you with Nick and he said I’d find you and your friend here.” Tony sprawled into the chair.
“I get an urgent call to come to Times Square and you’re not there,” Tony continued. “I had to wonder why.”
“So you came to find out?” Peggy asked.
“Is that so surprising?” Tony asked.
“A little,” Peggy said.
“So you’re the great Steve Rogers,” Tony said as he swiped Peggy’s forgotten chocolate cake.
“So I am,” Steve said. “Who are you?”
“Allow me to introduce, Anthony Stark, Steve,” Peggy said recovering her manners.
“I’m also Iron Man,” Tony said as he extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet Captain America.”
Steve took his hand and shook it. “I gather, from the way you said Iron Man, that should mean something?”
“I’m a part of the Avenger Initiative,” Tony explained.
“If you two are going to get into classified information, then I suggest we go back to headquarters,” Peggy said motioning for the check.
After Tony snagged the check and paid, saying the money was coming from Stark Industries regardless who paid so why shouldn’t he do it himself, the three of them walked out into the lobby.
“Are you going to ride back with us?” Peggy asked Tony.
“No. Pepper is waiting upstairs in my suite. We have some business to take care of tonight,” Tony refused.
“Say hello to her for me, will you,” Peggy politely requested as she leaned forward and kissed Tony on the cheek.
“I will,” Tony said. He turned to Steve, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for the meeting.” He saluted in Steve’s direction. “Nice meeting you, Captain.”
Steve’s “Nice meeting you too,” was lost as Tony walked away whistling toward the elevator.
Steve turned to Peggy, “He’s just like his father, isn’t he?”
“I’m very much afraid so,” Peggy agreed. “Maybe a little more bitter. I’m afraid Howard didn’t really change before he died.”
They walked out to the waiting car. Peggy’s driver was as efficient as he’d been on the drive over and they were back at headquarters in no time.
Author: MaeveBran
Rating: Teen (will eventually get to Mature-ish I'm sure)
Fandom: Captain America:The First Avenger (movieverse)
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter with mentions of past Peggy Carter/Howard Stark
Summary: Steve adjusts to life in the twenty-first century.
Late the next afternoon, Steve donned the Army Captain’s dress uniform that had been delivered to him earlier that morning. Someone, the new Agent Carter , Steve suspected, had made sure that the ribbons and medals were what Steve had earned that lifetime ago. The uniform didn’t feel any different than the dress one he had worn on the very few occasions that dress uniforms had been required when he had been no more than a chorus girl. One of those occasions had been to the White House but Steve didn’t like to dwell on that particularly insipid dinner party.
Steve left the familiar of the World War II era headquarters and joined the rest of the world in the twenty-first century headquarters. There he found Peggy dressed for an evening out in a conservative but classy floor length red satin evening gown. Yes, she looked decades older than when he had last seen her but she was still his Peggy. The years had been truly kind and she didn’t look a day over sixty when he knew her to be ninety. Steve couldn’t help himself and he wolf whistled at her.
“Thank you,” Peggy said acknowledging the whistle as a compliment rather than an insult. “You’re looking rather dashing yourself.”
“Uh, thanks,” Steve blushed. “Where are we going?”
“The Waldorf-Astoria has a dining room with a dance floor that does a classic program at the early bird seating,” Peggy said as she lead the way to the waiting Rolls-Royce. They got into the car and Peggy’s driver glided through the difficult traffic with ease. They were soon walking through the elegant hotel.
The dining room was full of older couples and groups of old ladies dining together. Steve looked to be the youngest person in the room besides the wait staff. Of course he was every bit as old as anyone else here, just no one but Peggy and he knew it. There was a stir amongst the other patrons of the restaurant at him and Peggy.
They ordered dinner and the band struck up a slow song. Steve stood and walked around the table to Peggy.
“I believe I owe you a slow dance,” Steve said as he extended his hand to her. She took it and Steve tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led her to the dance floor.
The dance floor wasn’t completely empty and Steve found them a place where if he tripped they wouldn’t take out anyone else. He swept Peggy into place and proceeded to lead her at the Waltz.
“I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance,” Peggy stated, amazed at his dancing.
“I didn’t,” Steve said concentrating on his footwork.
“You’re doing an incredible job then,” Peggy said.
“I looked it up on the internet last night,” Steve explained. “They even have instructional films on something called , YouTube.”
Peggy laughed at that. “One day into the twenty-first century and already he has found YouTube.”
They danced in silence and then took their seats. Their appetizers arrived right after they sat down again. They had just finished when an elderly lady walked over and greeted them.
“Young man, I want to tell you, it is so nice to see a member of the younger generation serving his country and spending time with his grandmother,” the lady said. She walked away before Steve or Peggy could speak.
Peggy looked at Steve. Steve looked at Peggy and then they burst out laughing. “I guess that’s what we look like to everyone else,” Peggy said. “If only I had a grandson.”
The waitress returned and cleared away their plates and refilled their wine glasses.
“Do you have any children?” Steve asked when they were alone again.
“No, I told you Howard and I divorced, right?” Peggy asked. Steve nodded. “We got married because I was pregnant . . .”
“What happened?” Steve asked, less sure that he wanted to know than he was sure that she needed to tell him.
“It all started the year after you disappeared,” Peggy said as she drained her wine. When she was finished the whole sordid story came pouring out. How she had gotten drunk on the first anniversary of that missed date and Howard found her. How she and Howard had tumbled into bed and weeks later she had discovered she was pregnant. How they had married quickly and quietly. How a couple months later, before she had told Colonel Phillips that she was pregnant, that she had been in a training accident and miscarried the baby. How that Howard got more depressed and drunk after that. How she and Howard managed to be on different missions most of the time except for formal occasions and eventually even that became intolerable and they had divorced.
Through the whole story Steve sat there, stunned. For the first time in the last two days, he began to think that maybe he’d had it pretty good being asleep for all those years. But then again, if he’d been around he might have been able to spare her all that pain. He shook his head slightly. He’d better not start thinking like that or he’d drive himself crazy.
“I’m sorry,” Steve said as he patted her hand on the table.
“Like I said yesterday, I’m not,” Peggy said forcefully.
“Did you ever see him after that?” Steve asked.
“Oh yes, once we were divorced and no longer trying to live together let alone be lovers where no romance existed, we went back to being friends,” Peggy said. “In fact we became much better friends. I was even a bridesmaid when he married Maria.”
“Oh,” Steve said. “That’s good.”
Their main courses arrived then and they fell into eating in silence. Another of the elderly matrons worked her way across the dining room and addressed Peggy.
“Peggy, darling,” greeted Mrs. Webster. “The rumors are saying this is your grandson . . .”
“Anna, you know I have no children,” Peggy answered.
“I know that. I told that tiresome Mrs. Astor that this young man couldn’t be your grandson,” Mrs. Webster said.
“Thank you,” Peggy said.
“So I told her that he must be your new boy toy. And that I would come over here and find out who he is,” Mrs. Webster continued.
Peggy sputtered in disbelief. Steve stood and introduced himself.
“I’m Captain Steven Rogers, United States Army, ma’am,” Steve said as he bowed over Mrs. Webster’s hand. That was one benefit of having been the equivalent of a chorus girl for a couple years, he’d had some diplomatic training in order to make sure people like Mrs. Webster bought bonds and lots of them.
“Like Captain America?” Mrs. Webster asked.
“I was named for him. He was a relative,” Steve said, “of sorts.”
“Oh, I see,” Mrs. Webster said. “Peggy, didn’t you mention you were friends with Captain America?”
“I was. That is why Captain Rogers, here, is having dinner with me. He never knew his famous relative and wanted to hear some stories,” Peggy explained.
“And why you danced like that?” Mrs. Webster prodded, knowing there had to be a juicy tidbit here, somewhere.
“Family legend said that the good Captain owed Miss Carter a dance when he went down,” Steve stepped in. “My family always pays its debts.”
“Oh, I see,” Mrs. Webster said, amused. That was the flimsiest story ever. The captain must certainly be Peggy Carter’s new boy toy. “It was nice meeting you, Captain Rogers. You certainly have a lot to live up to.” Mrs. Webster sailed away to spread the news to the group of old biddies she was dining with.
Dessert was served midst a tiny commotion coming from the lobby of the hotel. As they were biting into their respective chocolate cakes, the commotion entered the dining room. Tony Stark, in full evening dinner dress, paused and looked around the room and spotted them. He made a beeline for their table.
“Aunt Peggy,” Tony greeted as he took an empty chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to their table. “I called in for you with Nick and he said I’d find you and your friend here.” Tony sprawled into the chair.
“I get an urgent call to come to Times Square and you’re not there,” Tony continued. “I had to wonder why.”
“So you came to find out?” Peggy asked.
“Is that so surprising?” Tony asked.
“A little,” Peggy said.
“So you’re the great Steve Rogers,” Tony said as he swiped Peggy’s forgotten chocolate cake.
“So I am,” Steve said. “Who are you?”
“Allow me to introduce, Anthony Stark, Steve,” Peggy said recovering her manners.
“I’m also Iron Man,” Tony said as he extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet Captain America.”
Steve took his hand and shook it. “I gather, from the way you said Iron Man, that should mean something?”
“I’m a part of the Avenger Initiative,” Tony explained.
“If you two are going to get into classified information, then I suggest we go back to headquarters,” Peggy said motioning for the check.
After Tony snagged the check and paid, saying the money was coming from Stark Industries regardless who paid so why shouldn’t he do it himself, the three of them walked out into the lobby.
“Are you going to ride back with us?” Peggy asked Tony.
“No. Pepper is waiting upstairs in my suite. We have some business to take care of tonight,” Tony refused.
“Say hello to her for me, will you,” Peggy politely requested as she leaned forward and kissed Tony on the cheek.
“I will,” Tony said. He turned to Steve, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for the meeting.” He saluted in Steve’s direction. “Nice meeting you, Captain.”
Steve’s “Nice meeting you too,” was lost as Tony walked away whistling toward the elevator.
Steve turned to Peggy, “He’s just like his father, isn’t he?”
“I’m very much afraid so,” Peggy agreed. “Maybe a little more bitter. I’m afraid Howard didn’t really change before he died.”
They walked out to the waiting car. Peggy’s driver was as efficient as he’d been on the drive over and they were back at headquarters in no time.