Shall We Dance - A Steggy Fanfiction

Twenty - Five

Peggy's PoV

She sighed slightly, her eyelids fluttering as her body began to wake up. The morning sunshine that filled the room filtering through her eyelashes, dazzling her momentarily. She blinked - once - twice - three times- allowing her eyes adjust to the bright room.

At first she thought she was at home in her own bed, that she had yet again forgotten to close her curtains and was now paying the price with an unruly headache. However, as she raised her head to look around her, she realised that that was not, in fact, the case. Her eyes traveled around the cubicle as her brain caught up with her, a dull throb forming behind her eyes.

Peggy rested her head back down on the firm pillow as memories of what had happened flooded her mind.

The mission. The pain. The exhaustion. She screwed her eyes shut as what had happened hit her yet again, the pain in her head becoming a profound thumb that matched the racing beat of her heart.

Questions started racing through her mind.

"Where is the man with the knife? Did McCabe get him here alright? How did I get here? How long have I been here? What happened after I blacked out?"

She moved to cover her face with her good hand, her broken one being held above her in a sling, when she realised she couldn't. It was intertwined with another. Despite the pain that slammed through her head, she lifted her head slightly once again, her gaze moving down her right arm go the hand clasped in hers, finally stopping on the sleeping form beside her. His muscular chest was leaned forward in the chair on which he sat, his head resting on the bed, just beside their hands. Steve's face as turned towards her, his usually perfect hair askew, all remnants of stress and worry gone. He looked peaceful. No lines creased his brow, no furrow pulling at his eyebrows, no pursed lips or set jaw. He was relaxed. He was at ease.

Peggy had to admit, she loved the man in everything he did - sure he had his vices and he could be an idiot, but he was her idiot and here he was, completely vulnerable; an innocent. He was just Steve Rogers -the kid from Brooklyn - without the weight of the world on his shoulders - and to be able to see that, utterly blew her away.

He looked so peaceful and handsome as he slept, his long eyelashes brushing against his cheek, his pink lips slightly parted as he breathed deeply and slowly, each breath seeming to calm her in some unexplainable manner.

She remembered seeing him then, telling him that she loved him and hearing him say it too. She didn't know why she hadn't asked all the questions she still had unanswered at that moment, but she was so caught up in the man that she loved that she didn't really care.

A small cough pulled her from her thoughts and from Steve. She turned her head towards the sound, her yes landing on a smaller dark haired man with a well groomed moustache.

"Howard?" She whispered as her eyes focused on him despite her headache that didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"Hey trooper, how ya holdin' up?" He asked quietly as he stepped into the cubicle.

"Just dandy," she said with a smirk.

"That's my girl!"

Peggy shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Say Howard, tell me, did McCabe get the Russian in alright? I don't remember anything after-"

"-after you passed out, yeah. McCabe got 'im in alright and he carried you in too. Said he turned around and when he looked back you were out cold. I brought you up here myself." He paused for a moment, looking at her seriously. "You have me quite the scare, Peg."