Coffee, Courage and a Captain

Chapter Twelve: News and Sentiment

Charlotte looked up from her table display as somebody placed a full mug of coffee next to her.

Peggy Carter- wearing a bright red dress- stood in front of her holding a mug of tea. She raised a questioning eyebrow at Charlotte, who smiled at the agent's presence.

"Slow night?" Peggy commented, seeing the scrawled equations on the unused registration sheets that a very bored Charlotte had been doing to keep herself occupied.

Charlotte sighed loudly. "The only people who have come up to talk to me are men who want dates. I'm happy that I'm attractive enough that they want to try, but I would just like to talk to somebody about science. This is supposed to be a recruiting drive for engineers. Instead, I'm recruiting a list of men I will not date."

Peggy grinned. "It's the dress. I saw your presentation, by the way. That was some impressive technology you and Stark developed."

"It was two months of coffee-fuelled madness," Charlotte replied, taking a sip of the brew that Peggy had sat in front of her. "Thank you for this, by the way."

Peggy perched on the edge of the table, taking a sip of her tea. "I had to smuggle it out of the recruitment tent, but you're welcome. When I told the gentleman on the door that it was for you specifically, he told me to send you his best wishes."

Seeing Charlotte's unimpressed expression, Peggy laughed.

"So, what brings you to my corner of the world?" Charlotte asked, taking another sip of her drink.

"I wanted to introduce you to somebody," Peggy said, gesturing for an old man with greying hair and round glasses to approach the table. "This is Doctor Abraham Erskine, the man behind the formula we're using in the project you're working on."

Charlotte's lips turned up into a broad smile as she stood to shake the doctor's hand. "It's a pleasure, Dr Erskine."

He looked taken aback by her warm disposition and smiled in return. "Likewise, Miss Red," he replied, with a faint Germanic accent. If she was fazed by it, she didn't show it, and he felt himself warm toward the young woman. "I also watched your presentation tonight. You show great promise."

She blushed faintly at the praise. "Thank you."

"Charlotte is working with Howard Stark on Project Rebirth," Peggy informed Erskine, who looked a little surprised.

"That is admirable, Miss Red," he said, scanning over the equations she had been writing out. "I look forward to working with you closely. Agent Carter, I must take my leave- I need to return to the recruitment tent."

Peggy nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, doctor."

Erskine smiled at Charlotte. "I will see you around, Miss Red. Have a lovely evening."

Charlotte waved enthusiastically as Erskine headed off.

"So, is he one of the scientists you rescued from Germany?" Charlotte asked curiously.

Peggy nodded, an uncertain air about her. "I was sent in to rescue him," she responded, seeing Charlotte's expression morph into one of wonder.

"That's so cool!" she said.

Peggy looked at her, her smile seemingly hesitant. "You think?"

"Yeah, you're absolutely bad-ass," Charlotte said, sipping on her coffee. "Do you remember yelling at Phillips three weeks ago about how he couldn't rush something that could kill everybody in the room?"

Peggy smirked at the memory, seeing a smirk appear on Charlotte's face too.

"I've never seen Phillips look so cowed," Charlotte stated, seeing Peggy take a sip of her tea. "You shocked him. He's not used to women standing up for themselves. He underestimates us."