Come Back With Me

He Didn't Mean To

Stan became a regular fixture in the house after that day.

The only family Stan had left was his brother and he died in the war so they bonded over the hole that only a missing sibling could leave.

They talked about their brothers occasionally but they never touched the topic of Bucky.

They talked about current events, likes and dislikes, and their jobs.

Stan worked for a bank and he shared about it occasionally but he preferred to hear about Lizzie's job.

He loved how passionate Lizzie was about her job. She loved to help people and it definitely showed. He admired her drive, tenacity and smarts.

He understands why Bucky was always gushing about her. She was an extraordinary woman, not to mention beautiful.

He didn't mean to fall for her but it happened all the same.

He came over to the house after work one day and Lizzie was cooking dinner.

"Hey, Stan. How was work?" She says with a friendly smile.

The key word was friendly. He saw the way she looked at Barnes that day at the bus station and knows that she will never look at him that way.

"It was good. How about you?" He asks.

"It was good. I finally managed to get Howard to agree to a budget increase for the biotechnology department," Lizzie says.

"That's amazing Beth!" He says.

"And that's not the only good news, Peggy is finally coming home!" She says.

Stan hasn't gotten a chance to meet Peggy Carter and in all honesty, he was terrified of the woman.

She means so much to Beth that he knows it's important to give a good first impression.

"Oh, yeah? When?" He asks nervously.

"Now," Peggy says.

He turns around and sees Peggy Carter standing in the doorway.

He looks at Lizzie and sees her face light up.

"Peggy!" Lizzie yells.

She runs over to Peggy and gives her a huge hug.

"Oh my god I missed you," she says as she clings to Peggy.

"I've missed you too," Peggy says back.

They separate and Peggy looks over at Stan with a raised eyebrow.

"And you are?" She asks.

"Stan Jackson," he introduces.

She looks him up and down with narrowed eyes. She was sizing him up.

"Yes, Beth mentioned a new friend," Peggy says.

Lizzie is completely oblivious to the tension.

"Well, dinner is almost ready if you want to wash up," Lizzie says happily.

They sit and eat dinner. Lizzie mainly facilitates the conversation and asks each of them questions.

All throughout dinner, Peggy studies Stan. She's a spy and she has learned to read people and she needs to know this man's intentions towards her best friend.

She didn't have to be a spy though to pick up his intentions though. He was an open book and every expression was written plainly on his face.

When dinner was finished and they cleared the table, Peggy volunteered herself and Stan to do dishes since Lizzie cooked dinner.

"Go relax Beth and by relax I mean relax, not work," Peggy says sternly.

Lizzie rolls her eyes.

"Yes, mother," Lizzie says sarcastically.

Both of them watch as Lizzie leaves the room.

"Do you want to wash or dry?" Peggy asks.

"I'll wash, you dry," he says.

They both start the dishes and that's when Peggy starts her interrogation.

"So, how long have you been in love with her?" Peggy asks.

Stan sighs, he should've known she'd pick that up. It's obvious to everyone but Lizzie.

"Well, let's see. I first came over in December and it's March now, so January?" Stan says.

He liked Lizzie almost instantly. She was so endearing that it was almost too easy to like her. It didn't take long for that fondness to turn to love.

"She mentioned you knew Barnes," she says.

He somehow knew that Bucky would come up eventually.

"I knew him, we were in officer training together," Stan says simply.

"So you know that he loved her deeply and she loved him just as much. I need you to know that they were the love of each other's lives. That is not something one moves on from easily. She has made so much progress and I don't want you mucking it up," she says.

He drops the dishes in the sink and turns to look at her.

"You think I don't know that? She won't even talk about him. She hasn't even made a move to take off her engagement ring. Trust me, I know that I don't stand a chance against Bucky freaking Barnes, dead or alive. I've tried to stop loving her but I can't. She's not an easy woman to stop loving," Stan rants.

Peggy knows she is being a bit harsh with him but she needs to make sure he understands the situation he has walked into.

"No, Beth is the best person I've ever met, except for maybe Steve. To know her is to love her, it's ineffable," Peggy agrees with a sigh.

They both silently continue the dishes.

"Barnes hasn't even been gone a year," Peggy says.

"Why do you think I haven't said anything? She's not ready to move on, I'm not really sure she will ever be ready to move on but I'm stupid enough to stick around anyways," Stan says.

"Unfortunately, love usually encourages stupidity," Peggy says.

Stan knows he won't leave her, he's much too weak for that so he'll take the pain of her never loving him back.

"I know," he says.

"She might come around eventually but it could take years," Peggy says.

"She's the kind of girl you wait years for," Stan says.

"Are you also going to be able to accept that you will always be second to Barnes? I don't want you resenting her down the road because she will always love him," Peggy says.

"I don't know if it means that I'm pathetic but I'd honestly take anything she'd give me. It probably speaks more to how incredible she is," Stan says.

Peggy finishes drying the last dish and puts it away.

"I need you to give her time. If you can do that, we won't have a problem," Peggy says.

Honestly, this is the best he could've hoped for this meeting.

"I'll give her time, I promise," he says.

He would keep that promise because Lizzie's happiness was more important than his own.