If I Burn (Avengers/Agent Carter Crossover)

Chapter 4

Peggy escorted Wanda into the house, silently closing the doors behind her. Wanda hovered at Peggy's side, acting extremely timid. Sousa eyed her up wearily and Angie smiled happily. The hallway seemed colder than it had been before. Peggy felt guilty for forcing them to wait outside in the snow. But like superstition said, Friday the 13th could easily be blamed for their misfortune. She arched an eyebrow at Howard and waited for him to say something.

Dark black hair fell into Wanda's face, hiding her expression. If Peggy squinted, she could see a hint of a smile drift across Wanda's lips. She was very nearly terrified of the girl she brought into her home.

"I'm Wanda. I met Agent Carter during the war. I'm forever grateful for everything she's done for my family. My brother just recently died. I had nowhere to go. I'm staying with Peggy. My flight just arrived, I'm terribly sorry for any trouble I've caused."

There was a flash of red from underneath all of that hair. And then Wanda laughed and pushed the hair from her face. She must have seen something.

"It's better if they know," Wanda said.

The glare Peggy gave Wanda had killed lesser men. Howard seemed shocked Wanda didn't wither under it. She simply spun around and walked straight towards the back door as if she had lived in this house her entire life. And yet again, Peggy was thoroughly worried by the extent of Wanda's powers. She was appalled that Wanda hadn't listened to her and simply decided to bring them in on the plan. She wondered if the other Avengers had been in on it as well.

By the shocked expression on Clint and Natasha's faces, they most certainly hadn't known. Steve leaned against the wall, his hand tight around the door frame and his eyes fixed on something else, instead of looking at Howard. Natasha patted his back and slowly moved inside the house. Her eyes flew across the back porch and the garden pots it held. Clint signed something at Natasha that caused a grin to spread across her face.

Steve, his shoulders slumping forwards and running a hand through his blond hair, did everything he could not to look Howard in the eye. He moved next to one of the pots and tried to blend in, despite his shaggy appearance. They had all tried and failed to blend in with the style, Steve had a white shirt on, with loose suit pants. Underneath the shirt, Peggy could just make out the stars and stripes of a combat version of the Captain America suit. Clint and Natasha were in similar states of disarray. They all looked like they could use a hot shower.

Howard had been staring at Steve. He looked completely shocked. This was another reason why Peggy hadn't wanted him involved. She wasn't sure what details she could spread without ruining time. Howard took a step closer to Steve.

The door slammed closed, which seemed to shock everyone out of silence. Howard began talking at Steve faster than anyone could understand, his words jumbled and mixed up and his eyes wide. Natasha's glare at Wanda turned into her strolling towards Wanda, an angry smile on her face. Angie and Sousa were also talking quite loudly, arguing on if that was actually Captain America as if the shield clumsily hidden behind his legs didn't prove it.

The things Peggy caught from this loud fight were:

"Are you Steve? How? I was just in the arctic looking for you. Somebody would have called. We thought you were dead."

"I am sick and tired of you doing the exact opposite of Steve's orders, Wanda. This wasn't the plan. Do you know how badly it will fuck up the timeline for Howard Stark and two civilians to see Captain America alive?"

"I swear it's Captain America! I met him when I auditioned for the show! Maybe you never saw his face when he rescued you, Daniel."

Peggy had no idea what to do. Clint seemed to be in the same boat. She could shout over them and try to calm them down, but that would never be her choice. Perhaps, Clint would do it, but with how nervous he looked amidst the dying shrubbery she doubted he would. They stared at each other for several moments until Clint said, "Can I have my phone back now?"