Bless The Broken Road

PART ONE: The Disappearance in 1950

Peggy Carter sighed, her index finger tracing the length of the photograph in her hand. The angelic face of Steve Rogers was staring up at her in black and white, wearing his full Captain America gear (without the mask). He was looking slightly to the side, his expression composed and determined.

He looked exactly as Peggy remembered him.

It had only been a few short months since the Schmitt incident, her Steve having sacrificed his life to save countless others. Only a few short months since she'd last heard her love's voice. Seen him smile. Been held by him in his arms.

Peggy willed herself not to cry. She'd sworn to herself that she was going to get better; she was going to stop obsessing over Steve— obsessing over the what ifs. Because their time had passed now. Steve had proven himself to be the man that Dr Erskine had believed in and by being a good man, it meant that he couldn't be her man.

"Oh stop it," she muttered to herself, berating her inner crybaby for the tears that pooled in her eyes whenever she thought of Steve. Peggy constantly wondered why life had to of been so cruel. Why did Steve have to die? Why had their romance, their love, had to of been so short?

They'd only known each other for a limited amount of time but Peggy knew that no man would ever really be able to compare to Steve Rogers. The tears that escaped her eyes dropped down onto the picture, the small beads of water running off Steve's face and onto the floor.

She could still remember how it felt to have Steve's lips be pressed up against hers. The memory of the warmth that radiated off his body giving her chills as she bit her lip.

It had been the night before Steve had sacrificed himself, a meeting about strategy and military tactics having just finished, when the blonde man had pulled her to the side. His eyes had been so piercing and beautiful as they bored into hers, something serious in his expression as he whispered to her.

"This mission is going to be dangerous, Peggy," Steve had sighed, a look of resignation in his face as he's talked. "And in case anything goes wrong— in case something bad happens, i just want you to know . . ."

"Steve, i know," she'd whispered back, love shining through her eyes as she'd looked up at the man she knew now owned her heart and soul. He would give anything (including his life) to keep her and their country safe. And Peggy admired his courage because of that.

"You do?" The unspoken fact of what she knew wasn't acknowledged between the blonde and brunette.

Peggy had bitten the inside of her lip as she'd nodded. "Yes and i do too."

Steve hadn't wasted time in kissing her then, leaning in to press his lips against hers with passion and love. Their union had been brief and it had left Peggy wanting more as she'd unattached her legs from Steve's waist as the man had sighed into her ear, kissing the side of her face with tenderness.

"Everything will turn out alright Steve," Peggy had smiled as she'd sorted out her skirt, one hand pressed to Steve's cheek. The man lent into her grip, turning his head to the side to kiss her palm.

It turns out that Peggy had been wrong: it hadn't worked out.

"Peggy?" Angie Martinelli called from the other side of the door. "You okay in there?" The sounds of Peggy's muffled sobs, the tap running to try and hide her tears as she'd locked herself in the bathroom, was starting to scare her friend.

"I'm all right Angie!" Peggy called out, using the same tone she always used when she was lying. It was clear her friend didn't believe her because she just knocked on the wooden door again and asked if she could come in. "Very well."