agent rogers returns • j.thompson

all you had to do was stay.

people like you always want back the love they pushed aside
but people like me are gone forever when you say goodbye

C A L I F O R N I A
—
C H A R L O T T E

I stood next to Daniel as he talked to an agent. Bored out of my mind, I looked around aimlessly until certain brunette with a blue jumpsuit caught my eye.

"Peggy!" I rushed up to her and gave her a hug. Hugs certainly weren't our thing, but it was something much needed after being separated for so long.

When I pulled away and turned back to Daniel, he looked shocked, as if he didn't believe Jack would actually send Peggy.

I would never put it past that weasel to actually do this, though.

He awkwardly stammered before the girl he had been crushing on for so long, while I had a sheepish smile on my face.

"Welcome to Los Angeles..."

"Thank you."

After some more awkward stammering, Peggy mentioned that she did call multiple times.

"Why didn't you return my messages?"

Daniel looked at the woman before him, then to me with a pleading look. I simply kept the smug look on my face and watched this cringey interaction.

"Because sometimes a three hour time difference feels like a lifetime."

Smooth one, Daniel.

Luckily for the two but unfortunately for me, Detective Henry trekked up the stairs with a couple boxes of old case files.

"Detective Andrew Henry, LAPD homicide, this is.. Agent Peggy Carter, SSR, New York."

Henry shook Peggy's hand, but he seemed slightly upset when he asked how many more SSR agents were needed.

He told Peggy that he was sure the killer would be caught soon with the help of the press, but Peg suggested a fresh view on the case.

"What if the frozen lake and the murder aren't connected?"

Peggy and Daniel questioned the likelihood of the cases being unrelated back and forth.

"What was that old Dooley saying?"

"'Explore all avenues for unturned stones.'" Daniel recited and walked away from Peggy and I.

"What's a Dooley?" Henry asked, causing me to roll my eyes with a chuckle.

The four of us went to the body at the coroners. Despite all the heaters blasting in the room, it was freezing.

The coroner, Dr. Meltzer, told us the girl was completely frozen through. The body had all of the signs it was connected with the other murders, but when Dr. Meltzer turned out the lights, the frozen body emitted a fluorescent blue glow.

At the sight of this, Peggy mumbled, "Fetch a chisel."

—

Back at the SSR lab, one of the scientists on staff informed us that our sample was not ice. Even he didn't know what it was.

"And there's nothing else you can tell us?"

"I'm doing my best," he said defensively. "You field agents, always looking down your noses at us lab techs."

Peggy and Daniel gave him an offended look, but I sort of had to agree.

"I'd say it in less of an accusatory tone, but he has a point," I chimed quietly, earning myself a look from my friends.