Fourth in the Timeline series |
Clara Lewis never expected to be back in the 1940s and Howard Stark never expected to have to help her get back...again. But with Howard branded a traitor Clara knows of only one person who can help her: Peggy Carter...
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"I know you must be scared." Dottie began as Clara stumbled into an armchair. "But I promise there's an explanation and that I'm here to help you." She beamed.
How can she look so cheerful? Clara thought. There was a dead man on her doorstep who was gruesomely unrecognisable and this woman was beaming!
"I'm sure you have so many questions but I'll do my best to answer all of them. That man outside," Dottie continued, not waiting for Clara to summon the emotional strength to ask about him, "is Otto Mink, he's an SSR agent and was sent here to execute you." She said bluntly.
Clara's breath stopped in her throat. All she could do was stare at Dottie who didn't he even notice, she just kept talking.
"But I know you're not a Soviet spy. I know you're innocent. I'm afraid I can't tell you how I know, it's just too risky for me. You see, the SSR are also after me. Wrongly, I assure you. And, well, I couldn't just let them kill an innocent like me." Dottie smiled softly. Clara wasn't sure how much of this to believe but what alternative did she have?
"I promise you, Clara. I'm here to help you."
*
Clara slept uneasily that night. She had moved her stuff into Howard's master bedroom to make way for Dottie. Clara tossed and turned all night and not just because she didn't want to know what Howard had done in the bed she was sleeping in. In the room next door was a strange woman who Clara had never met before.
Her S.H.I.E.L.D training made her suspicious of everyone so she tried to ignore the bad feeling she got from Dottie. Dottie said she was going to help and Clara didn't know enough people here to refuse help. Peggy hadn't called in over a day now. For all Clara knew, Dottie was her only hope.
Clara awkwardly made her way downstairs. It was late morning, too late to pretend she was still sleeping. She'd have to see Dottie at some point, might as well get it over with.
"Morning." She greeted warmly as Clara came downstairs. Dottie was pristinely made up and had perfectly curled her hair while Clara looked like her face had melted off. Dottie was sat stiffly at the kitchen island, her posture was perfect! Was it just Clara, or is that weird?
"Morning." Clara mumbled back, awkwardly skirting around Dottie, keeping her distance purely out of habit. There was nothing about Dottie that Clara needed to fear.
"I noticed we were running low on food so I made a list." Dottie explained as she scribbled on a scrap of paper.
Clara furrowed her borrow. She had remembered the cupboards being full when she last made food. She shrugged it off, it had been an eventful couple of days, perhaps she had just forgotten to eat.
"It's probably safest if I go out grocery shopping. I've kept a lower profile than you have. I'm lower down the SSR wanted list." Dottie reasoned. Clara nodded, that sounded good to her. After the scare she had yesterday, the last thing she wanted was to leave the relative safety of the house.
Dottie needed no further encouragement as she slid off the island chair and picked up a flowery purse Clara hadn't noticed her carrying yesterday and headed for the door.
"I'll only be a couple of minutes. You have nothing to worry about." Dottie reassured, flashing her a girly smile as she headed out, firmly shutting the door behind her. The shattered glass rattled in the panes. The shadow still loomed in the doorway. Clara shuddered.
*
Dottie pursed her lips tightly together as she left the house. It had been so easy. Clara had trusted her completely. Whoever she was, Dottie was certain she wasn't a spy. A spy, or at least a good spy, would have suspected something.
Before Dottie headed into town to buy groceries, she needed to make a stop first. Actually, she didn't even need to go grocery shopping, she had just needed a cover story.
Having stayed in the guest bedroom where up until last night, Clara had been staying, Dottie had the perfect opportunity to do some sleuthing. Dottie saw it in Clara's face, she knew how terrified she was, of the bloody pulp Dottie had beaten Otto Mink into. In her horrified state, she had neglected to take all of her belongings out of the spare bedroom.
Had Clara noticed them, she wouldn't have minded leaving them behind. They were only a scrap of paper with Peggy's number on it and the address of a diner she frequented. But to Dottie, they were essential pieces of information.
She unfolded the piece of paper with the address on it and double checked she was in the right place. Another street over and she'd be face to face with the diner Peggy Carter ate lunch in, and it was nearing twelve.
Dottie could see Peggy through the glass doors of the diner before she even entered. She was sat at a booth chatting with a waitress, unaware of her surroundings. Dottie smirked as she pushed open the door and took a seat at the table behind Peggy's.
Once the waitress had taken her order and left, Dottie took her opportunity. She stood up and hurriedly rushed past Peggy's table in the direction of the bathroom, carelessly knocking her elbow out and spilling Peggy's bag off the table.
"Oh my goodness!" Dottie exclaimed as the contents of Peggy's bag clattered to the floor. Dottie hastily bent down to help Peggy pick everything back up. Dottie was anxious to leave as soon as possible. Although they were neighbours, Peggy rarely spoke to the other girls living in her building, but there was always the chance she would recognise Dottie.
"I'm so sorry." Dottie apologised sheepishly as she handed back Peggy's belongings. Peggy was too distracted to have noticed Dottie slip the key to her apartment into her pocket.
"Don't worry about it." Peggy assured, smiling weakly and immediately going back to consulting her notepad, not giving Dottie a second glance. Dottie smirked smugly to herself as she left the diner, clutching Peggy's key from inside her coat pocket.
