Forward to the Past [Steggy] ✔

Chapter Ten

Clint's POV

Present Time

Someone smashes into me as I walk through the hallway. The papers that I'm carrying flutter to the ground, and I swear under my breath. I'd just organized that file! Couldn't I be left alone for just one minute?

"I'm sorry," a feminine voice with a British accent says as I bend down to gather up the papers.

"Watch out where you're going, would you?" I say, trying not to let impatience seep into my voice. I don't look up as the woman helps me pick up all of the papers, but I'm forced to as I stand up, catching a glimpse of the woman's face. She's pretty, with deep mocha colored eyes and ruby lips, her chocolate brown hair curled. But what draws my attention is the tear tracks down her face. She's been crying.

"I'm so sorry," she says again, looking flustered and confused.

"It's fine," I say, eyeing her a little more closely. She looks so familiar, but I can't think of where I've seen that face before. "Are you alright?" I ask kindly, and the woman nods a little shakily.

"Yeah, I... I've had a long morning. What day is it today anyway?"

"March ninth," I say, adjusting the pile of papers in my arms to extend a hand. "I'm Clint. I don't think I've met you before."

"Peggy." The woman shakes my hand, the distress in her eyes slowly fading. "I'm not from here." Her mouth quirks into an amused smile as if she's not saying everything. Scanning her up and down, I notice formal attire, but it doesn't seem to be normal formal wear. It appears to be older. Interesting choice of clothing. It suits her well, but it's very different.

"Where are you from, then?" I ask.

"Nineteen fifty," Peggy says breathlessly. "It's a long story."

"I've got time," I say, slightly aghast. Nineteen fifty! What in the world?

"Well..." Peggy chuckles. "Do you know of Howard Stark?"

"Wha- yeah," I say. "Who doesn't know him? Especially when I know his, um, son." I narrow my eyes, unsure of how much she knows. Apparently Peggy catches on to my hesitation, because she laughs.

"Oh, I already know about that. Anyways, he built a time machine with the Tesseract- I'm sure you know of that as well?- and it brought us here!"

"Hold up a moment," I say, raising one of my hands to stop her. "Are you Peggy Carter?"

"Yes," Peggy says, looking a bit gratified at the mention of her name.

"Steve does NOT shut up about you," I say, laughing, but to my utter dismay, Peggy's face falls, and tears well up in her eyes again.

"Sorry," I say awkwardly, unused to accidentally making people sad. Peggy shakes her head, quiet for a moment.

"No, it's not you," she says at last. "It's nothing."

"You do know Steve is alive, right?" I check, and Peggy nods, laughing bitterly.

"Yes, alive and doing well," she says sharply, catching me off guard. "A little too well, I might say," she adds, biting her lip in anger.

"What do you mean?" I ask curiously.

"Well, he's got a girlfriend now," Peggy snaps, fuming.

"He's got a what?" I sputter. "That awkward bundle of patriotism? He's got an actual girlfriend? Like, not a fake, made up girlfriend?"

"I wish," Peggy sighs. "But both Bucky and Tony know about her and seem to agree that they're in love..."

"Well, that could just be a ploy," I supply. "Maybe they're faking. Although... under what circumstances would Bucky and Tony team up? They hate each other. A lot."

"I'd gathered that," Peggy says, nodding, though she doesn't seem to know why. That's probably for the best.

"Yeah, anyways," I say, waving a hand as if to brush away the sensitive topic. "I can't believe Steve's got a girlfriend... I wonder how he got her to like him? Maybe he cooked her something. Actually, he sucks at cooking. Scratch that. He probably drew something for her."

Peggy nods absentmindedly, though her mind is clearly elsewhere. "I just wish... I wish we could've had a chance together."

"Had a wha- oh. That's why you're- right. Okay." I frown, finally seeing why Peggy is so frustrated. Steve's taken now. As soon as she comes back, Steve has a girlfriend. That cannot be good, if you want to believe in voodoo or omens. Not that I do.

"I just wish he'd waited!" Peggy fumes, her fists clenched.

"He did wait. For, like, seventy years." As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I know it was the wrong thing to say.

"And you think I wouldn't have waited?! I would've waited for him forever if it meant maybe he'd come back!"

"Uh, but you wouldn't have known he was alive. Would you have gone your whole life without finding someone else to love and settle down with?"

"I loved Steve," Peggy says. "Nobody else can be Steve. I would wait my whole life for him."

"Look, I've got a family. Three kids, a wife, a life with them. Maybe it's not the most ideal, with me being out of their lives so much, but I enjoy it. It's a life worth living. I'd never give it up for anything else, even someone I'd loved a long time ago."

Peggy sighs, her eyes downcast. "Maybe you're right. I can't have Steve. He clearly doesn't want me anymore. He's moved past that. Maybe I should too."

I smile, and Peggy sighs again, her breath sending strands of her hair fluttering. "Like I said, settling down isn't the worst thing. And you wouldn't have to do it for life. You could be like me. I've got a family, but I still find time to save the world, as annoying as it is to have to save a world that can't seem to save itself without a middle aged guy with a bow." I chuckle, and Peggy laughs a bit too, looking immensely relieved.

"Thanks, Clint," she says, her eyes sparkling. "I know what I want now."