Fic: Hope and Curiosity (MCU,, Angie/Peggy)

[rivulet027]

Title: Hope and Curiousity
Fandom: MCU
Pairing: Peggy/Angie, Angie and Howard
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Marvel. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing. Marlene Dietrich and Hedy Lamarr are mentioned. The book "Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War II" by Allan Berube was used as a reference.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: S2 Len sets out to prove that he's still alive and not a hallucinations that only Mick can see.
A/N: Thank you to odetteandodile for letting me write an amazing story to go with her art! Thank you to midnightclarity for the beta. This is mostly Captain America: The First Avenger complaint and takes several things from the show Agent Carter, though re-imagines how Peggy and Angie meet. Written for capbb.


Hope and Curiousity:

“Hope and curiosity about the future seem better than guarantees. The unknown was always attractive to me…and still is.” ~Hedy Lamarr~

Her brother dies and Peggy defies her mother’s expectations for her and goes to war. She gives Fred back his ring and says goodbye to the life her mother has been pushing her towards since she was a child.

Her brother dies, and in her grief, Peggy joins the SOE. She doesn’t expect the SOE to transfer her to the SSR or that she’ll become a bodyguard for a scientist that has promised the American Army super soldiers. She does know that Dr. Erskine requested to work with her and she that respects him. She doesn’t respect the driver who clearly implies that she’s there to sit in the back of the car with Dr. Erskine so that he has pleasant conversation.

Tom, Dr. Erskine’s other bodyguard, groans as the driver gets into the car, before he complains to Peggy, “Great, I get shot first if we get attacked.”

“You were always going to get shot first,” Peggy points out raising her eyebrows, but letting herself give him a mischievous smirk.

“I would prefer it if no one was shot,” Dr. Erskine manages to tease while sounding resigned.

“They’d go for me first,” Tom reassures. “Which would be good for you because Peggy is the better shot. Just stick with her and you’ll be fine.”

The SOE taught her that it’s better to be underestimated, but it settles something in her to hear her skills acknowledged. As she and Dr. Erskine settle into the back seat, he leans in conspiratorially to reassure, “Don’t worry. I won’t distract you with pleasant conversation.”

They share a smile as the driver glances at them with a frown. She ignores him and remains hyper-aware of their surroundings as they drive to the lab where Dr. Erskine is hoping to make a super soldiers, but one that is also being constructed so that Project Rebirth can be easily documented and witnessed by politicians. As they pull up to Brooklyn Antiques Peggy asks Dr. Erskine, “Is Mr. Stark as brash as his reputation would suggest?”

“He can be amusing,” Dr. Erskine says diplomatically. Tom snorts.

As she and Dr. Erskine make their way to the lab Peggy expects there to be a hive of activity around all of the equipment, but instead there is just a man and a woman frowning down at a metal container that looks like they’re fitting a lab bed inside. Howard Stark looks just like the pictures she’s seen of him, all dark hair and confidence. He’s dressed in slacks and suspenders, with the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. The woman beside him is dressed in worn coveralls that have more than one grease stain on them and heavy looking boots. Her hair is tied back in a scarf.

“Howard. Miss Martinelli,” Dr. Erskine greets from the top of the stairs. “I’d like you to meet my associate Agent Peggy Carter.”

Howard starts bounding up the stairs and Peggy steps between him and Dr. Erskine. Howard slows and holds his hands up to show her he’s not posing a threat. Peggy nods. Howard grins, closes the distance between them and holds out a hand as introduces himself. Then he insists she call him Howard, she suspects it’s so he can get permission to use her given name instead of a title. Peggy shakes his hand, giving it a hard squeeze when his eyes linger on her. As they head down the stairs Dr. Erskine whispers to her, “I trust him, but of course I’ll let you develop your own opinion.”

Howard introduces her to Angie Martinelli before she can respond, and Peggy stills as Angie steps close. Angie takes off her work gloves, tucking them into her belt before she holds out her hand. Angie’s eyes are bright with mischief. Peggy can’t tell if she’s feeling caught in Angie’s smile or her eyes. She shakes Angie’s hand as she clears her throat, awkwardly managing, “Peggy Carter. Um, did you know you have a grease stain on your cheek?”

Peggy winces. Why did she have to say that? Angie doesn’t let go of her hand though, she leans over a bit so she can glare at Howard. “Someone is supposed to tell me these things.”

“You look adorable?” Howard tries.

Angie’s eyes narrow. “When this war is over, and I go on to be a big actress I’m going to need my skin to actually look nice.”

Dr. Erskine holds out a handkerchief. “There is a reason I carry extra for you my dear.”

Angie lets go of Peggy’s hand to take the handkerchief. “I’d give you a hug, but then I’d ruin your suit.”

“After,” Dr. Erskine reassures with a fond smile.

Angie nods before she frowns down at herself, then at Howard. “If I leave to go clean up you’ll start talking without me and I have questions. We’ll start working and I’ll get dirty again. Might as well just get to work. As long as it doesn’t affect your delicate sensibilities?”

The question trails off as Angie glances over, looking for Dr. Erskine and Peggy’s response. Peggy presses her lips together to keep from laughing at the teasing look. Dr. Erskine doesn’t resist chuckling.

“We can wait for you to clean up Ang,” Howard placates.

“Right, like you can resist talking shop,” Angie shakes her head. “And like I said once we get back to work, I’ll just get dirty again.”

“Carter will keep us honest,” Howard reassures.

“Actually, I think it makes you look quite charming,” Peggy reassures.

Angie wets her lips and raises her eyebrows. “That so?”

She hands Dr. Erskine his handkerchief back and heads towards the machine. Peggy holds in an internal groan. She is not going to watch this woman walk away from her, no matter how tempting it is or how the coveralls accentuate Angie’s hips.

“She thinks I’m prettier than you,” Angie teases Howard as she passes.

“You’ve wounded me!” Howard volleys back as he mockingly places his hands over his heart.

“Are they always like this?” Peggy inquires in a hushed tone to Dr. Erskine.

“It’s part of their charm,” Dr. Erskine whispers back.

“I think we can all agree I’m more handsome,” Howard proposes.

“Only in your world only Stark, only in your world,” Angie smirks. “Dr. Erskine I’m not sure I’m comfortable with how we’re fastening in this headpiece.”

“Let me see,” Dr. Erskine says as he joins her.

As Angie, Howard, and Dr. Erskine work Peggy examines the room. She knows there’s only supposed to be the one entrance and exit. Tom is guarding the bookshelf and Ida is running the shop. Still, this is her first time in the lab and she’s rather find a weak spot then trust it’s not there. She takes care not to touch any of the equipment.

She’s just determining that the room is secure when Tom comes down the stairs to let them know Ida is insisting that it’s time for a lunch break. She’s called someone to bring them sandwiches.

“See, I’m filthy,” Angie declares. Peggy takes her in and blinks. Angie now has a grease stain on her cheek, forehead and nose. Her coveralls and work gloves have taken the brunt of the dirt, but a curl has worked itself out of her scarf and is stuck to the side of her face.

“Let’s head to the washroom,” Peggy suggests, trusting Tom to keep an eye on Dr. Erskine while she steps out.

Angie warms the water while Peggy finds a cloth. Angie sighs as she looks at herself in the mirror. She lets her hair out of the scarf as Peggy is turning to her and Peggy’s breath catches in her throat as she sees the curls framing Angie’s face. She shakes her head, then warms the cloth under the sink. Then she tilts Angie’s chin up, studying the grim she's gathered there.

“I can…” Angie starts then falters. She licks her lips drawing Peggy's attention to them. Their eyes meet, lingering briefly.

“Right then,” Peggy reminds herself before she gently clears Angie's face hyper-aware the whole time of the way Angie is drinking in the sight of her. Their eyes meet again after Peggy drapes the cloth over the sink. Peggy's eyes stray to Angie's lips.

“Too big a risk,” Angie protests.

Peggy glances towards the door. Either Howard or Dr. Erskine could come in at any moment.

“Howard and I aren’t technically army, but I’m pretty sure your government feels the same way as mine does about ‘sexual psychopaths’.” The last two words are said with an edge of disdain. Peggy feels her stomach knot, different from the thrill of a moment ago. She’s not normally so bold with women she’s attracted to, but there’s something about Angie that is pulling her in and leaving her wanting.

She nods her acknowledgement and steps back. Angie catches her hand. “Perhaps we could have dinner or go see a picture?”

Peggy squeezes Angie’s hands. “I’d look forward to that.”

Angie smiles, then indicates the dress she has hanging on the door.

“I need you to step out and join the men, so they don't end up coming in here,” Angie tells her practically, before giving her a flirting smirk. “Besides, you've yet to earn the privilege.”

“I'll have to endeavor to be more endearing,” Peggy flirts back before she leaves the washroom while adding a bit more sway in her step. She smirks when she hears Angie swear.

Lunch leads to Peggy agreeing to super the next day, which leads to Angie asking Peggy to accompany her to the science expo.

“Do we have to spend time looking at Stark’s exhibit?” Peggy asks.

Angie wrinkles her nose. “That car is not ready yet, it can float for a few moments. I’d rather look at everything else.”

“I’m accompanying Dr. Erskine to the recruitment center they’ve set up for it, but I’m free after,” Peggy informs her.

They don’t end up staying at the expo for long. Angie takes her to the few exhibits she wants to check in on and then they find something to eat. They get offers to leave the expo for dancing more than once.

“Do you want to go dancing?” Angie asks. “I know a place.”

Peggy considers the offer. She enjoys dancing, but she doesn’t feel like dancing with anyone but Angie and in public that could be asking for trouble.

“I have my own place,” Angie offers leaning in close, her voice soft.

“How’d you manage that?”

“Howard bullied them into it. It’s technically his apartment since I’m unmarried, but it’s mine in every other way.”

“You two aren’t?” Peggy ventures worry for a moment that she’s been misreading Angie and Howard’s friendship.

“He’s not my type,” Angie tells her. “Besides he likes having a friend who can keep up and isn’t afraid to sass back. He stopped hitting on me a few weeks after I started working for him.”

Angie’s apartment is comfortable and homey. It doesn’t take Peggy long to check it over briefly, reassuring herself that she can feel safe here. Angie follows close by pointing out a few odds and ends. Once Peggy relaxes, she reaches out and squeezes Angie’s hand in thank you for understanding that Peggy needs to check the layout of a new surrounding to feel secure. Angie smiles at her, then offers, “Would you like something to drink or I have a radio…”

Angie’s trails off as their eyes meet. They’re alone, no chance of interruption. Peggy leans in and Angie reaches up to cup her cheek. Their lips meet. Peggy smiles into the kiss and Angie hums in contentment. They part briefly, then their lips meet in several slow hungry kisses as they shift closer to Angie’s bed. They spend the rest of the evening getting more thoroughly acquainted with one another. It puts to rest any lingering doubt that they’re not on the same page with their interest in each other. They don’t know how long they can make this relationship last or even how long they’ll be able to stay in touch. Peggy know she’ll be in New Jersey soon, helping to test and train the recruits for Project Rebirth. Angie will be in Brooklyn helping Howard make sure the machine is ready.

The next time Peggy is changing shifts with Tom he pauses and warns her, “Doc thinks he’s found ‘the one’.”

“Well, has he?”

“Never one to mince words, are you?” Tom complains.

“What would be the point?” she asks arching an eyebrow.

“Your opinion is actually going to mean something,” he reminds.

She nods an acknowledgement.

Tom sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Just keep an eye on Erskine and this Rogers guy. I don’t know if Erskine is actually seeing something in Rogers he hasn’t in anyone else, or if Erskine is just looking for the most drastic results, but I know you’ll be less bias. And Erskine values your opinion.”

“Right,” she agrees, grateful to have a slight measure of what she’s possibly walking in to.

She’s not sure what to make of Rogers when she meets him. She knows Dr. Erskine wants Rogers to be the first to get the serum and she knows Colonel Phillips has already written off the guy as a lost cause. Rogers does his best to keep up with the training, but doesn’t have the stamina, and is getting picked on by his fellow recruits. Then he looks at the task of having to continue running and the possibility of capturing a flag and figures out how to bring the flagpole to the ground while being yelled at. Peggy feels a tug of longing towards him that she’s not sure what to do with. She needs to remain impartial while recording the recruits’ potential. She tries to remain dispassionate about everything except doing her job well and hoping to see Angie again. Then Rogers is throwing his body over top a grenade and telling her to get to safety. Rogers is going to be the one to receive the serum.

“Sounds like you’re interested in him,” Angie says as they settle in with dinner at her apartment.

“I’m interested in you,” Peggy counters.

Angie raises an eyebrow. “Or interest in both him and me.”

Peggy groans. She isn’t one for lying to herself, but how can Angie see right through her?

“It’s be easier with him,” Angie ventures. “Less harrowing.”

“But no less heartache,” Peggy points out.

“Less chance of getting discharged,” Angie says.

“Is that why you’re not a WAAC?” Peggy asks, changing the subject.

Angie laughs, then shakes her head, taking a sip of her drink as she considers the question. Angie sighs, “The Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps. Heard they don’t want gays, found out later they only really test the guys or if they do ask they just ask if you like men. I do like men sometimes, so I guess that’s not a lie, but why should I wonder if I’ll have to lie to serve my country? Besides I’d probably wouldn’t be working with Howard for the Strategic Science Reserve on secret projects, so there’d be considerably less mechanics and science.”

“They’d probably expect you to be a lot less dirty too,” Peggy teases.

“You’re right,” Angie crinkles her nose, making her words mocking. “That’s probably be good for my future acting career, but a whole lot less fun.”

They both dissolve into laughter.

“Seriously though,” Angie sobers. “We’re barely started and…”

“I barely know him,” Peggy points out. “He might not survive the procedure…”

“No, I’m willing to share,” Angie cuts her off before Peggy can list more reasons that falling for Rogers while falling for Angie is a disastrous idea. “Take a chance Peg, see where it leads you.”

“Are you going to be there?” Peggy asks, then clarifies. "During the procedure?"

“Right, because what the senators from Washington really want to see is a woman who’s working with the army who isn’t filing or typing,” Angie crinkles her nose.

“I have a clipboard, but there isn’t much typing,” Peggy points out, then narrows her eyes. “Are you not a touch typist?”

Angie laughs, then shakes her head. “I could manage if I had to.”

After, the procedure works, but so many people die, Peggy is grateful that Angie wasn’t there. Angie gets brought in to help Howard while Peggy helps them interview Steve. She wonders when her interview is, she’s spent more time with Dr. Erskine than Steve did.

The entire SSR gets sent to London, sans Steve. Angie fumes when Peggy comes to help her pack her things. “Why kill Ida? She was just a tough, sweet old lady.”

“She knew how to handle her gun and was between him and the door.”

“She was amazing,” Angie agrees as she glares at her closet, then the empty suitcase. She’s shaking. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Got knocked around a bit, but I’m right here,” Peggy reassures stepping close and wrapping her arms around Angie.

“Shot at the car as it careened towards you,” Angie says shaking her head.

“I had the guy,” Peggy insists. “If Steve hadn’t pushed me out of the…”

Peggy’s words taper off as Angie cups her cheeks, then leans in close. “I’m very grateful that Steve pushed you out of the way. I know you can handle yourself, but a car hitting you isn’t something you just walk away from.”

Peggy reaches up to squeeze Angie’s hands. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath to steady herself. It’s been a long few days. Between realizing that the only serum they have is in Steve Rogers and that they don’t have all the specifics of the machine Dr. Erskine, Howard, and Angie built, then being told to pack up and concentrate on weapons instead of soldiers, Peggy feels a bit unmoored. Angie’s hands on her face help to steady her. Angie presses close, then their lips find each other’s and Peggy sinks into the kiss, needing Angie solid and warm against her. Her fingers tangle in Angie’s hair. She pulls back to whisper, “How much time do we have?”

“Hours, but we’ve already got you packed, and I shouldn’t take too long.”

Peggy pulls Angie back into another kiss trying not to wonder if they’ll manage intimacy when they’ll be on a base surrounded by colleagues.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Howard tells them on the plane ride over. “I told them to bunk you two up together. You won’t be the only women on base, but I didn’t think you’d want new roommates.”

There a slight smirk on his face and Peggy feels herself grow cold as she realizes that as grateful as she is that he’s made sure she and Angie are together she’s not sure she wants to trust him with her career. Angie punches Howard half-heartedly on the arm. He makes a noise of protest and rubs at it with a mock wounded face.

“Don’t tease English,” Angie glares.

Howard tilts his head and regards her.

“Only she gets to call me that,” Peggy warns.

“You punch harder than she does, so I’ll listen,” he agrees.

“Where’s Steve?” Angie asks.

“What?” Howard frowns.

“Well I’m not going to call him ‘the science experiment,’ am I? Where is he?” Angie elaborates.

“Not coming. Senator is planning to use him as part of the propaganda machine,” Howard tells her.

“Probably another way to keep him safe if they need more samples,” Peggy puts in.

“So, he’s stuck as a lab rat,” Angie frowns.

“He’s not in a lab though,” Howard points out. “He’ll probably end up a dancing, singing lab rat that will make the U.S. war effort a lot of money.”

Peggy makes a displeased noise. Angie leans in close and gives her an inquisitive look. Peggy sighs, before whispering to her, “Something he said about not learning to dance because he hadn’t found the right partner.”

“Guess you’ll have to teach him then,” she whispers back.

“If you two are going to occupy yourself with each other I’m going to occupy myself by finding someone to flirt with,” Howard complains before he gets up and heads further back into the plane.

Peggy frowns as he goes. “The women are up front, there are only men back there.”

“He’s rich, eccentric, and very pretty,” Angie laughs lightly.

Peggy attempts to resist rolling her eyes.

Angie leans in close and reminds, “In his mind he’s that pretty.”

Peggy taps Angie on the nose and nods her agreement.

They start out rooming together, just enough that they build a bit of a routine into their days. Then Peggy is sent on an assignment. It’s just picking up information and bringing to the SSR. It’s simple. It’s easy and yet it thrills her when she delivers the information and is asked to use her code breaking skills to translate the message.

“Michael was right,” she tells Angie as she settles onto the lower bunk beside her. Angie wraps her arms around Peggy as they cuddle close.

Angie presses a kiss to Peggy’s shoulder and asks, “And you love it?”

Peggy intertwines her fingers with Angie’s as she regards the question. “Michael recommended me for the SOE. I turned it down initially. He pushed me to try anyway, tried to convince me that it’d help me have all the adventures that I wanted as a child.”

“Why’d you turn it down?”

“Fred didn’t want me to and my mother adored Fred or maybe she loved the life she thought I could build with him, so I turned it down,” Peggy tries to explain before she kisses Angie’s knuckles, then closes her eyes as she enjoys being held.

“I’m sorry you lost your brother,” Angie tells her.

“Thank you.”

“I’m not sorry we met,” Angie continues.

Peggy smiles, then sighs, “I miss him. Being a housewife would’ve bored me out of my mind and it hurt that it took losing him to realize I couldn’t keep trying to mold myself into the person my mother wanted me to be. He was right about me and I can’t tell him.”

“So, being a spy makes you happy?” Angie asks.

“In the same way science and mechanics make you happy,” Peggy answers and she shifts so they can look at each other. She frowns at the worry between Angie’s eyebrows. “Did something happen while I was away?”

“Howard and I are taking a break from working together,” Angie starts cautiously, then picks up steam. “We’ve been working on inventing a self-heating vest to keep soldiers warm, but it keeps blowing up in our faces, literally blowing up. We can’t figure it out. He’s ready to just scrap it, move onto the next big thing. He just wants to invent every hairbrained idea he comes up with. He gets so preoccupied with seeing if he can invent something that he doesn’t stop to think if he should.”

“Are his ideas really all that bad?” Peggy pushes.

“I really just boils down to my feeling guilty about Steve when he doesn’t,” Angie says.

“Everyone knew what they were signing up for,” Peggy reminds.

“Well, now Steve is Captain America, he’s got his own stage show and they’ve started to sell comic books. Howard made some crack about not getting jealous when the propaganda films come out and then we ended up screaming at each other. It was very unprofessional, it’s a good thing I’m not in the army.”

“You’re not being sent away, are you?”

Angie smiles and leans into kiss Peggy’s nose. “Briefly. The Air Core has some planes nearby that could use some maintenance and I’d find that relaxing.”

“Can you fly?”

Angie nods. “I’m not as good as Howard, but it’s harder to convince them to let you go up there when you’re a woman.”

Peggy bites her lips. Angie laughs.

“So, you’d be able to teach me?” Peggy bargains.

“You spies, always trying to learn new skills,” Angie teases.

“It’s one of the most thrilling aspects of the job,” Peggy says with a mock serious look.

Angie brushes a strand of hair behind Peggy’s ear. “If I show you the planes will you show me how to shoot a gun?”

Peggy grins as she leans into kiss Angie.

It’s easier to get range time with Angie than it is for Angie to get permission for them to fly. She teaches Angie about the different firearms the SSR utilizes and how they work before showing her how to shoot them.

“It’s relaxing in a way,” Angie concludes.

“Yes,” Peggy agrees as they look over Angie’s target. “You did really well.”

Angie laughs. “Only because I have the best teacher.”

Peggy enjoys spending what downtime she can watching Angie fix planes. Angie takes the time to explain what she’s doing and why. Peggy also enjoys seeing Angie in her coveralls. She’s not too surprised when she sees Howard approaching them, she about to tell Angie, but her girlfriend stops what she’s doing and groans, “Are you kidding me?”

“About to cuss out that engine or me?” Howard asks.

“That depends, you going to apologize?” Angie asks as she turns to face him.

“That’s why I’m here,” he points out.

Angie puts her hands on her hips and raises her eyebrows.

Howard raises his eyebrows and crosses his arms.

“Really?” Peggy asks, attempting to break up the tension.

“He got a propaganda film, didn’t he?” Angie asks.

“Integrated unit,” Howard confirms. “They’re changing up the comic to match.”

“Dr. Erskine knew what he was doing,” Angie says shaking her head as she glances back at the plane.

Howard eyes her toolbox for a moment, shakes his head, then joins her. “He really did. We were right to trust him. I’d hate to see how all my bad traits would be amplified.”

“Or mine,” Angie agrees quietly.

“What’s this?” Peggy pushes for them to elaborate.

“Rogers was one of a kind,” Howard tells her, before he turns back to Angie. “I’m sorry. I was an ass.”

“It’s not the kind of thing we’d want to see go wrong,” Angie says as she hugs herself.

“Did you recreate the serum?” Peggy pushes. Colonel Phillips would be happy to hear that.

“Not yet,” Howard tells her.

“Maybe not ever,” Angie sighs. “Right now we can’t even agree on an exploding vest.”

“So, lets set it aside and look at something else,” Howard proposes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t hear that suggestion when you tried earlier,” Angie tells him.

“Water under the bridge,” Howard smiles.

Angie smiles back. “I was thinking about spy gear.”

“Spy gear?”

Angie nods. “A lot of the gear is hidden in things like a shave kit or cigarettes, but what if we tailored it more towards the person using the items.”

Howard's gaze shifts to Peggy and his eyes sweep over her briefly. “What kind of broaches do you wear?”

“What can you hide in one?” Peggy challenges.

Howard grins.

“Before you get too caught up,” Angie prods. “Peggy would like to learn how to fly.”

Howard easily gets permission to take a plane out, then hands over the controls to Angie and Peggy. He heads out of the cockpit stating, “I hate small spaces, enjoy yourselves.”

Angie settles into the co-pilot’s seat. “We’ve done enough of this on the ground and I’m here if you need help.”

“Okay, but you or Howard are landing this thing,” Peggy agrees grinning.

As she settles into the pilot’s seat Angie leans over and kisses her cheek. “I like seeing you happy.”

Peggy laughs and enjoys the moment. There are no guarantees any of them will live through this war and wants as many happy moments as she can save up. She’s not going to dwell on the letters her mother keeps sending her; asking her to finish grieving Michael and come home or trying to hint that it might not be too late to pick things up where she left off with Fred. She misses Michael, losing him is not something she thinks she’ll ever be over, but she’s happier with Angie than she ever was with Fred. She feels freer to be herself. She doesn’t know how many stolen moments she and Angie will have, but she wants all of them.

When Peggy comes back to base from her next mission it’s to find that she and Angie have been assigned a roommate. They’ll be rooming with Colonel Phillips new secretary.

“A lock pick in a broach is clever,” Peggy tries to reassure Angie with a bit of praise for her and Howard's latest creation.

Angie lounges on the lower bunk and sighs, “We never actually decided, are you top bunk or am I?”

Peggy shrugs as she leans against the bunk opposite of theirs. “Which one is Lorraine's?”

Lorraine chooses that moment to appear in their room. “Angie, they’re showing Morocco, want to come? I got Eddy to agree to bring snacks and I’m willing to share.”

“Lorraine this is our roommate Peggy, Peggy this is Lorraine,” Angie introduces.

Lorraine shakes her hand, but her attention is still on Angie. “So are you coming?”

“I thought you were going with Charlie?” Angie frowns.

“I’ve moved onto Eddy,” Lorraine tells her.

“I thought you were looking for a husband,” Angie prods. “Charles is definitely better husband material than Eddy.”

“Eddy has more money.”

Peggy raises her eyebrows at Angie. Angie shrugs, then shakes her head. “English and I don’t want to be third wheels. Have fun!”

Lorraine says her goodbyes and heads out. Peggy collapses on the bed next to Angie, then tempts, “Not even for Marlene Dietrich in that suit?”

“She kiss that woman too,” Angie sighs, before she struggles to the feet and locks the door. She makes her way back to their bunk, then leans in to kiss Peggy. “I’m glad your back. Lorraine is a bit of a slut.”

“I thought you were going to say whirlwind,” Peggy laughs.

Angie shrugs. “She’s hit on me too.”

Peggy raises her eyebrows. Angie rolls her eyes and leans in to kiss her again.

Then Peggy gets asked to accompany Colonel Phillips, to help him with condolence letters, after Hydra captures the 107th. He has Howard fly them.

“Rogers is going to be there to boost moral, they’ll eat him alive, but as he’s got one of the only shows with actual women playing women, it might be a welcome distraction for the men,” Colonel Phillips tells them.

“The morality police are going to work overtime,” Howard warns.

“They probably realize you’re here,” Peggy says poking Howard.

Colonel Phillips is right, the morose crowd doesn’t deal with a show stopping comic book hero come to life very well. Peggy tries to reassure Steve, but when he realizes that one of his friends has been captured by Hydra the only thing she and Howard can do is help get him there.

After Steve has jumped out of the plane Howard tells her. “If he dies there’s no hope recreating the serum.”

“How many vials of blood do we have?” she reminds.

“They’ll run through it all and not even come close to finding another Rogers,” Howard counters. “Of course, if he pulls this off he’ll get his own team.”

Steve manages to rescue Bucky and a whole contingent of soldiers. Howard’s prediction is right, it’s decided that Steve should lead a team to go after the Hydra bases that he saw on the map.

“They’re talking about having me liaison his team,” Peggy tells Angie. “If he can convince the men to join.”

“When is he doing that?”

“Probably soon, they’re celebrating at a bar tonight.”

Angie smirks. “I bet if you go talk to him in that red dress he’d be a bit more invested in you being a part of the team instead of just the liaison.”

Peggy pulls the dress out and holds it against herself. “If I go in this then I’m flirting.”

“Your securing your place on the team and flirting a bit,” Angie corrects.

She does go to the bar in her red dress and there is flirting, but Angie doesn’t seem jealous, just asks for details about the whole team. Angie and Howard are going to outfit the whole team. Peggy is slightly unprepared for how well Angie and Dernier get along.

“My French is a bit rusty,” Angie tells her as she collapses face first into her bed. “But mostly we’re figuring out how to blow things up and we’re both already experts at that.”

Peggy laughs at the enthusiasm mixed with exhaustion in Angie’s tone. Then she opens the letter from her mother and stills. She pinches the bridge of her nose and huffs out a breath.

“What’s wrong?” Angie asks.

“My mother is upset that Fred’s engaged and now I’ve lost all chance at him,” she complains.

Angie laughs. “Your mother’s priorities are messed up, but maybe she’ll stop poking you about winning him back now. Tell her you’ve moved on to a super solider.”

Peggy drops off her bunk and checks the door, locking it before she crosses over to the bed and lays down next to Angie. “I’ve got you.”

“You could have him,” Angie points out.

Peggy raises her eyebrows.

Angie sighs, “Look he’s either going to survive this and you’re going to go be a spy. With him you wouldn't have to worry about being kicked out for being gay. I suspect that he’d make you happy. There’s a good possibility he’ll die though.”

Peggy cuts her off, “I’ve never even kissed him.”

Angie leans over and kisses her.

“We’ve never even had a dance,” Peggy continues. “Besides I like dancing with you.”

“Maybe I’ll teach him how, then we can all go dancing,” Angie suggests.

Peggy laughs. She’s not sure what to do with the hope that she can have them both. Then she finds Lorraine kissing Steve and feels like fool for having hope. She walks away from Steve, but Lorraine corners her. “Him too? I thought you were with Martinelli.”

Peggy purses her lips and raises her eyebrows. “That’s a bit of an accusation.”

Lorraine rolls her eyes. “I’m not going to say anything, but don’t get angry with me just because you can’t get everything you want Carter.”

“I’m sure I don’t understand what you’re getting at,” Peggy glares.

“Rogers risked his life to go after one man. It was a ridiculous and over the top gesture and the papers are making him out to be a hero and calling Barnes his best friend, but Rogers better play his cards right and get a bit of a reputation for kissing the girls on base or be seen pining for one woman in particular. If it’s you than you’d better be prepared to be a face that everyone knows and that might not sit well if you’re a spy,” Lorraine tells her.

She walks away from Lorraine in turmoil and ends up shooting the shield that Steve asks her to test.

“It was stupid,” she bemoans to Angie later.

“You were jealous,” Angie shrugs.

“I was ridiculous,” she groans.

Angie hugs her and Peggy sighs. Angie rubs her back, but tells her, “You’re going to have to apologize.”

She does and she and Steve go back to flirting poorly. It’s dancing around each other in a way that Peggy isn’t used to. She’s usually much more direct. She never thinks her only kiss with him will be before he gets on a plane that she’ll later hear him put down to save New York.

She’s slightly unprepared for the way the remaining Howling Commandos accept her as part of their team. Or the way her mother treats her like she’s a widow. Or that she’s suddenly a comic book and radio character named Betty Carver who’s been turned into a nurse awaiting a daring rescue. Or that after the war is over she’ll be asked to stay on with the SSR in New York.

Angie clicks off the radio with a disgusted noise, before she starts unpacking her suitcase.

“Howard wasn’t too disappointed, was he?” Peggy asks from where she’s resting on Angie’s bed.

Angie shakes her head. “I explained why we chose to get places down the hall from each other at the Griffith.”

“You could’ve got that part,” Peggy tells her, pointing at the radio as she unwraps the sandwich they’ve snuck up. She sets half aside for Angie and takes a bite of her half.

Angie wrinkles her nose. “They’ll be better parts. I’m not playing a toned down, weakened version of you. It’d be a little too weird.”

“If you’re going to be the next Hedy Lamarr we should’ve probably gone to California,” Peggy points out.

“I want to be a stage actress first, besides your job at the ‘phone company’ starts tomorrow,” Angie smiles as she steps close.

Peggy tilts her head back, smiling slightly into the kiss. She and Angie are still settling into their new lives. She’s grieving, again, but she’s ready to see what new adventures the SSR will have for her and she knows she can face them with Angie.