Enough To Last A Lifetime (A Steggy FanFiction)

Enough To Last A Lifetime

Third Persons POV

"Steve-" Howard exclaimed, flashing the passing nurse a charming grin as he ran to catch up with the newly un-frozen Captain America. 1946, June 12th, Wednesday was when Steve Rogers opened his eyes, after two months of being hospitalized. Howard reached out, waving at the gawking hospital staff, stary eyes facing the Captain's way. Steve strut down the hallway until Howard successfully managed to grab a perfectly toned, bulging bicep and yell "STEVE! Will you listen to me, Peggy's not going anywhere and you just woke up after being frozen for more than an entire FREAKIN' YEAR", by now, more awe-inspired looks were being pointed their way.  Howard promptly shoved Steve, well-nudged him, into an empty ward, shutting the door with a 'BANG'. The curtains drifted softly with the summer breeze, bringing in the happy sounds of New York streets, the chattering, and the honking and the strolling and the music and all the sounds that give you that
"I'm-in-New-York" type of feel.
But the only place Steve wanted to be was with Peggy, after all, he owed her a dance. When he woke up, the first thing he saw was Howard, combing his trademark mustache and humming Bill Crosby's 1940 "You Made Me Love You". Steve noted how Howard's eyelids were rimmed with a settling pink, and his face still held small reminders of tears that once streamed down his face. With his throat feeling like it had been used as a grater, Steve could only manage to give a short, incoherent croak. Howard whipped around, his comb stuck to his mustache and his eyes wider than saucers. Steve gave a weak smile, if he could've, a hearty laugh but his eyes still needed to focus and his limbs were slowly losing the feeling as if they were made of wood. "Y-you're, I mean-thank God Steve! You're awake!" Howard launched himself onto Steve, who's hand twitched as Howard's comb dropped onto his lap and the white T-shirt he was wearing slowly became drenched in salty tears.
Steve tried to remember what had happened, why he was in this bed, no longer surrounded by gunshots and bomber planes, his throat clear of rising bile and all seemed serene, sweet-dream like. There was no plane-the plane, the plane he crashed to save innocents, the plane he drove down while talking to Peggy-Peggy. Peggy. Peggy Carter, THE Peggy Carter, the girl he loved-he still loves. Where was she, how was she, was the war over? Was he okay? Was he alive?!
"H-Howard?" Steve croaked, his voice raspy and tainted with hopelessness "are we- are we dead?" at this, Howard let out a shaky laugh and wobbled away from their embrace. "No" he answered "no we're not, but the rest of the world thinks differently" he swayed, plopping himself down of the armchair in the corner of the white room, covering his eyes with a tanned hand. "The guys-Peggy, they all think I'm dead" Steve was astonished, he pushed himself up, thoughts of what had happened rushed through his mind faster than the plane he got frozen in. 'Peggy thinks I'm dead' Steve thought, a lump in his throat blocked any other words from coming out while Howard muttered his thanks to God. 'Oh crap, the dance!' and if fueled by a long-dormant strength, which it was, Steve leaped from the bed and ran out the room, leaving Howard to chase after him.
They were back in the ward, with Howard rambling about how "we gotta keep this on the low-down, I want to make your return a spectacle" and "God, I'm either gonna get a hug or a bullet from Peggy" and all the while, Steve was looking at her photo, glued into his compass. Peggy's brown locks touched her strong, rounded shoulders that were covered by the proudly worn army uniform. Her lips were tinted a deep red, even though the photograph was only black and white, Steve knew her well enough, knew that refined accent and that beautiful face, to know that she would never change her lipstick. Steve looked out a window, his strong blonde brow furrowing as muffled yelling came back to him-Sam Wilson, Thor, Tony Stark, Natasha, Clint Barton, Wanda, Starlord, Spiderman-Steve chuckled- and so many more. His whole world he came back to, after fighting against Thanos, using Tony's ingenious (yes he said it) time machine, all to come back to his beloved Peggy Carter.
"You scared us all bud, I swear, I never stopped hoping for you" Howard had finished his rambling, patting Steve's shoulder and giving him a little smile, one of the rare, friendly ones that Howard would only reserve for those closest to him. "Well, I'm glad you didn't" Steve answered, smiling back. He wondered how he would tell Howard. "Oh hey!" Howard gave a start, ushering Steve out the room, I know you're just up, but I have something I want to show you. They made their way back into Steve's hospital room, where Howard picked up two big cases. With a bit of fumbling, each one clicked open and Howard hoisted a red and white shield with a big star in the middle of a blue circle.
"I got it all polished for you, a new suit too" He exclaimed, obviously excited to show off his latest experiments. Howard lifted a thick suit out of the other case, a suit that Steve recognized. It was similar to the one he had gotten during his time with S.H.I.E.L.D, and his helmet was there too. Howard still kept a wide smile on his face as Steve checked out his gear, one that he hoped he would not have to wear soon. "Hey, Howard?" 
"Yeah?"
"What day is it?"
"June 12, 1946" 'so it's over' Steve laughed, finally feeling like himself again. The sun shone on his golden hair and white teeth were on display as he clutched his suit closer. "This is all great stuff, but you got something less.... Captain America and more Steve Rogers?" Howard laughed at his friend's face, the room glowing in joy "yeah, yeah, hold on a sec."
Less than two hours later was Steve Rogers marching through the doors of the New York Bell Company Office building, New York's branch of the S.S.R, clad in a white blouse, the sleeves rolled up till his elbows and some cargo pants and a big trademark shield, though it was hidden under some cloth. Howard had managed to get them through security easily enough, but the real challenge was coming. Steve's nerves were getting to him, and if it wasn't for his desire to see Peggy, he would've gladly gone into another Hydra base to kick some as-no, butt.
As he walked through the polished wood halls, every agent or staff member stopped to look at him, every mouth opened wide in disbelief. 'But Captain America is dead' was surely what everyone was thinking, but he was walking right in front of them, heading straight for the main office. Steve stopped before the room, the chatter coming to an abrupt halt as everyone stared at him. The chief's office door swung open, and three figures walked out, clueless to Steve's arrival. Peggy walked out, files clutched close to her chest and sat them down on her desk, right next to a small handgun. Steve gulped as Peggy looked up, finally noticing the silence.
Her gasp was the only sound that anyone heard, the two men behind her dropped their jaws and Howard Stark, once again, came running up behind Steve. "Surprise...?" Howard said, despite knowing his two best friends' focus was only on each other. Peggy couldn't believe it. She spent a year and 4 months mourning her darling Steve, every night she would wake up to the sound of radio static, wishing it all wasn't true and she could once again kiss him, hold him, shoot a bullet at his shield like she once did. So that's what she did. Peggy, in her disbelief, had raised that small handgun that sat on her desk straight up to where Steve (if that really was him) was holding the shiny shield, the cloth having dropped to the floor as he stared at her. He stared at her eyes, filling with tears and her scarlet lips pulled tightly together, and he stared at her hair, impeccably curled, still the rich, youthful brown it was since the first time he saw her. Her. Peggy. His Peggy. Who was also holding a gun at him. A gunshot was fired and Steve raised his shield, the bullet bouncing off harmlessly.
"Well that was a warm welcome back" Howard stated as the office slowly erupted into chaos. Whispers flew about the room, one of the men behind Peggy was scolding her, though she couldn't hear him, because, above the collective noise, Steve had uttered three words.
"Sorry I'm late" He smiled sheepishly. That was the final straw. Peggy ran out of the room, flew past Steve, who turned to follow her, and left Howard to deal with a building full of confused S.S.R agents. "Peggy! Peggy, wait!" Steve yelled dashing out of the building, only just seeing her, tear stricken and climbing into a taxi. He called another one, people stopped to look at him, THE Captain America, supposed to be dead, ordering a taxi driver to follow a crying woman's taxi.
Peggy gave the driver her other address, another house she had bought in the countryside, as she was trying to get as far away from the city as she could, seeing Steve was just too much. He was still just as handsome as the day he came out of Project Rebirth. Still the symbol of America and still her darling, lovable Steve Rogers, who, after all this time, she thought was dead.
Peggy ran into her house, leaving the door ajar and cracking a window, letting herself calm down. "Sorry I'm late" he had said, and all she did was run away!? The floorboards creaked as Steve meandered into the house. A record player was by the window sill, the cool air caressed his face and the sight of Peggy in her red, flowy dress made his heart thump wildly. She laughed and looked at him, walking over, she let her fingers trace his cheek, smiling whilst more tears crowded the edge of her twinkling brown eyes. Steve brushed them away and held her waist, smiling lovingly at her, all those years fading away into one moment, one well deserved, long wished for moment.
"Peggy..." he breathed out, taking all of her in as she did the same. Slipping one well-formed arm around her waist, he turned them, taking out the record "It's Been A Long, Long Time" and setting it upon the record player, letting the melody play out as they started to sway. "I suppose I owe you many dances Peg" he murmured, circling the living room, arm in arm. "Yes, you do my darling," she said back, smiling "enough to last us a lifetime"
The lyrics flowed out, while the couple danced and gazed into each other's eyes. Slowly they closed the small distance between them, bringing their mouths over one another's, nearly crying out of relief and happiness. So sweet was this moment, as would many others be, after all, Peggy and Steve Rogers had the rest of their lives to dance with each other, and kiss each other and hold each other. To love each other.

"Never thought that you would
be standing here so close to me
there's so much I feel that I should say
but words can wait until some other day
Kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know how many dreams
I've dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Ah, kiss me once then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long time
Since I've felt like this my dear"