Forward to the Past [Steggy] ✔

Chapter Twenty Three

Steve's POV

I lean back against the wall, Peggy next to me, the blonde dye washed out of her hair. She glances over at me, looking anxious.

"What happens if he's still.... you know?" She asks in a hushed whisper.

"I don't think he is," I reply quietly, "but on the off chance that he is, that's why I'm here."

I'd been asked by Wanda to be there when Pietro woke up, just in case something were to happen. She'd looked reluctant to ask, which made me think that maybe she'd been convinced by someone else that perhaps something COULD go wrong. Peggy had insisted in coming along.

Wanda shifts a little, watching Pietro as he sleeps. She stays a safe distance away, even though Pietro is secured to the bed.

Peggy bites her lip, eyeing the two siblings carefully. "How long will it be?"

"The sedation should be wearing off within a few moments."

As if on cue, Pietro's eyes flutter, and he groans slightly. He's not fully awake because the sedation was pretty heavy. He'll be drowsy, but his metabolism is so fast that I don't know how long that statement will remain true.

As Pietro stirs, Wanda goes rigid with a mixture of excitement and terror. She leans forward, and Pietro opens his eyes fully, finding Wanda's face. He doesn't exhibit any violent signs, but I adjust my shield on my arm just in case. You can never be too careful.

"Wanda," Pietro says dazedly, making no attempt to get out of the restraints.

"Yeah," Wanda replies, looking anxious. "How do you feel?"

Pietro opens his mouth to answer, then closes his eyes and groans slightly, causing Wanda to tip forward slightly in her haste to help her twin.

"Like Thor dropped his hammer on my head," Pietro mumbles finally, his eyes still shut.

I chuckle softly, and Wanda's eyes shine with amusement and relief. She reaches forward and takes Pietro's hand with her own.

"I thought you were dead." Wanda frowns at Pietro, who forcefully opens his eyes. "And you have the stupidity to go and get yourself captured by the people we were running away from."

"Well, if I had been in any condition to run, they would not have caught me, would they?" Pietro mumbles, a small smirk finding its way onto his face.

Wanda smiles back at her brother, then looks over at Peggy and I for the first time. I know what she's asking, and I toss her the key to the restraints. After Wanda lets Pietro go, she nods at Peggy and I, and we leave the two to whatever soppy brother sister stuff that they're going to do.

As we leave, Peggy smiles at me, but she looks a little sad.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, but she just shakes her head, not replying. Deciding not to press the issue, we continue along in silence, Peggy's eyes downcast.

"Hey," I murmur, stopping for a moment. I take Peggy's hand and turn her toward me. Then I lean forward and kiss her, which makes her smile a little. "Would you like to dance?"

Peggy's eyes widen. "Now?"

"What? No, of course not, silly!" I laugh. "What did you think, that we were gonna dance in the middle of the hallway with no music? Sounds a little.... Anticlimactic."

"And boring," Peggy adds. "So where were you thinking of going?"

I smile. "It's a surprise."

"A surprise?" Peggy looks exasperated. "Sometimes a surprise isn't great, Steve. Especially coming from you."