The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 22

The scent of impending death and urine clung to the air. Nurses and Aides bustled about, going from room to room. Despite the well kept appearance, the assisted living home was really just a mausoleum for the walking dead and dying. It was a place where the elderly were put, when their families either couldn't take care of them, or worse didn't care to even try. Thrown away, left to marinate in their own waste, before their weak hearts finally gave up.

As he had walked past the open doors, more than once he heard someone crying, or the beeping of machines trying to keep the inevitable away. Steve was uncomfortable, in the sense that he was well aware that if he had not gone into the ice, back in forty five, that he might have well been occupying one of those beds right now. Instead, Peggy Carter was.

Even now, leaning against the wall next to Peggy's room, waiting for the nurse to leave and allow him in, he wondered how long before he was a resident. And how long after that, before he drew his last breath. Who would visit him, he wondered? As it was now, he didn't have any family, his friend count was low; even those friends might not survive him. Was he destined to be alone when he finally left this world?

Brooklyn passed through is mind, for a moment, before he pushed her away. He didn't want to take her in with him, when he confronted Peggy. If he did, he knew he would be too emotional about the subject to keep his temper. The last thing he wanted to do was be banned from the place, if he went on a rage.

But she still remained, at the edges of his thoughts. If he was able to bring her back into his life, there was a chance for a future. A family. Children. A legacy.

The image of Brooklyn, round and glowing, pregnant with his child flashed, causing a yearning in him that was even more difficult to push away, but he did. That future was in jeopardy and he couldn't focus on it right now, not until he had his answers.

The nurse left, nodding at him politely as she removed her rubber gloves, squeaking down the hall in her hideous pink holed duck shoes. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, waiting for Peggy's soft call for him to enter.

She was sitting in one of the arm chairs, today, a plush blanket thrown over her lap. Her wrinkled face cracked into a wide grin, her eyes bright and clear as she greeted him, her voice tender and loving.

He automatically grinned back, taking the seat across from her, as she indicated.

"To what do I owe this surprise visit? I thought you were up in New York, working with Howard's son." She shifted the blanket with her thin liver spotted hands.

Steve decided to just dive into it. Peggy would see through him if he tried to dance around the issues. "I had some questions about some things that happened, in SHIELD, while you were the director."

"What things?" She cocked her head in question, her eyes going wary.

"Just some rumors we uncovered. About someone that used to be tied to SHEILD." He swallowed. "The White Queen."

Peggy looked away, towards the window, her jaw flexing. Finally she looked back at him, her eyes sad and ashamed. "I told you we mucked things up. It was a different time. Different enemies, then during the War. Every one of them hidden in the dark. We had to use every weapon at our disposal."

Steve felt his mouth go dry. "When did you first meet her?"

"Oh, not long after we brought Zola in. She was his niece, I think. Pretty little girl." She smiled softly. "I was always proud of how resilient she was."

"Did you know what he was doing to her?" Steve leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, staring at her intently, looking for the lies. "Did you know he was experimenting on her?"