Forward to the Past [Steggy] ✔

Chapter Twenty

Steve's POV

March 25th

Hearing the door to my apartment open, I know it's Peggy even before I look up. My dim laptop screen illuminates what is otherwise a pitch black room. The clock reads 1:46.

"Are you and Howard leaving soon?" I ask slightly distractedly, still typing on my laptop as Peggy slides into the bed with me, discarding her coat on the dresser.

"Do you want us to leave?" Peggy questions, sounding indignant.

I glance up at her, closing my laptop. "No," I assure her, feeling a bit of guilt. "It's just... The longer you stay, the harder it'll be for me to let you go."

Peggy sighs, leaning her head on my shoulder. "Oh, Steve.... I don't want to leave either."

"I know." I rub Peggy's arm reassuringly, then shift a little. "My question still stands, though. Why haven't you left yet?"

"I want to help," Peggy admits. "This whole new Hydra situation sounds pretty bad."

"We've just found their location- the assassin and Brown. Tony, Sam, Bucky, and I are all heading out tomorrow to see if we can't take him out." I twist my laptop around to show Peggy the series of messages scrolling across the screen. I click on one of them, showing her a map with a blue dot. "That's New York. Brown is right.... Here." I move the dot over to the side a little bit, and Peggy leans in a little. "He's really close. It was pretty smart, actually, for him to position himself near us. It makes it easy for him to learn about us, get close to us."

"You're going out tomorrow?" Peggy says. "And the assassin- Nataliya- will be there too?"

"Yeah," I say slowly, as Peggy's muscles tense. "Why?"

"I want to come with you," Peggy says flatly. "I have to come with you."

"What? No, it's too dangerous!"

Peggy sends be a sharp glare, crossing her arms. "Dangerous? I can deal with it. Don't treat me like such a woman, Steve."

"That's not what meant. If you're killed, which we all very well might be, considering the circumstances, what's going to happen to the past? We can't risk it, Peg." I rub my eyes, leaning my head back so it bumps the wall. "I don't know how to deal with this. You and Howard, Hydra... Somehow this seems worse than everything else I've had to go through."

"Things really do pile up on you, don't they?" Peggy sighs, snuggling up against my side as I finally close my laptop and set it on my nightstand. "You'll get through it, Steve. You always do."

I shake my head, not convinced. "This is different. I don't know..."

"Hey." Peggy slides fully under the covers, staring up at me from the pillow. "Just take it one step at a time. First step is sleeping, alright? You'll need to be awake tomorrow if we're going to take out Arnold Brown and the Russian assassin, whatever her name is. And no," she says as I start to protest, "don't tell me I can't come with. I'm coming whether you want me to or not."

"Fine," I say. "I'll let you come with. But don't you dare-"

"Get killed," Peggy finishes blearily, her eyes starting to close. "I know. Now go to sleep. It's two o'clock."

"Okay," I say in compliance, and I lay down fully, my eyes drifting shut. It's not long before I fall asleep.

...................

The bedroom door opening wakes me, and my eyes open just a crack to see Bucky standing in the doorway, fully dressed in his gear. Beside me, Peggy stirs and sits up, sliding out of the bed to meet him at the doorway.