An Age of Metal

Safe House-Little Talks

Peggy was alone after Steve left with Tony. Bruce was in the same position a floor below, but she didn't know that. She shook her head back and forth, letting her usually pristine hair come apart.

What's wrong with me? She thought. I can't just sit here.

She hated this. The inaction. The helplessness she felt stuck here. And her swirling thoughts of the future only reminded her of the past.

"I miss you, Jarvis. Ana. Howard. Daniel. Rose. Angie. Commandos. Michael," she said to no one. What went on with Dottie Underwood and Whitney Frost seemed so easy now. But she resolve hardened like a steel bullet.

There's no going back. She thought. There's only staring over.

She pulled out a small handheld phone Tony had given her. And iPhone. It was amazing when Peggy first got it, but now she punched in a number with familiar ease.

"Hello?" Peggy spoke.

"Peggy? Is that you?" A man's deep voice answered.

"Yes Sam, it's me," she said.

"Oh my god. I've been worried. What's happening? Where are you?" He asked.

"Its a long story Sam, even I'm not quite sure. But in a nutshell we were brainwashed."

She heard him swear on the other side.

"But we're safe, Sam. I just wanted to let you know."

"Thanks. It's been crazy over here. Do you guys need backup?"

Peggy knew the answer was yes.

"I'd get your wings ready, Falcon," she told him.

"Will do, Agent."

She turned it off.

.....

Clint and Laura fluttered about the laundry room, pulling out blankets and clean pillowcases. They'd be needing lots of them. Clint was explaining the wound on his side, healed by Helen Cho.

"See? You worried for nothing," he said. I can't even feel the difference, can you?"

Laura shook her head, balancing a yellow cushion on her stomach.

"If they're sleeping here, some of them are gonna have to double up," She warned.

Clint laughed dryly, taking the cushion from her. He knew from personal experience that having teammates sleep together wasn't a good idea.

"Yeah, that's not gonna sell," He told her.

Laura cleared her throat, ready to address the elephant in the room.

"What about you and Nat?" She asked. "How long has that been going on?"

"Has what?" Clint asked. Sure, He thought. Nat and I flirt but we're friends. It doesn't really mean anything, not at all. Right?

Laura giggled.

"You are so cute."

"Nat and me? What makes you think that?" Clint asked.

She shook her head, like a friend on the inside of a joke you didn't get.

"I'll explain when you're older, Hawkeye," she promised.

"Well, okay," he said, shrugging the thought off.

"It's bad, right?" She said, quieter this time. "Nat seems really shaken."