A Lost Marriage|Romanogers AU

Peggy

Steve decided that the best thing to do was to go back to London for a few days. The team's morale had been practically destroyed by Natasha's departure, so he thought it would be beneficial to take a short break. 

They were picked up by plane after using their transmitters. Even the pilots noticed how the Howling Commandos were much more soft spoken than they usually were. 

"Do we know why she left?" Falsworth asked once they were in the cabin. Steve stared at the ground, forcing himself to not crumble under his destructive grief. He slowly shook his head. 

"I have no idea." For the rest of the ride, the small talk was limited. Steve didn't say anything and only cracked a meager smile at the occasional joke. 

A few hours later, when they arrived at the London SSR base, they were greeted by Colonel Phillips as they always were. 

"Welcome back, soldiers. At ease," he greeted with a proud smile. He looked at all of their faces and his smile faded when he realized that they were one person short. 

"Romanoff?" He turned to Steve. "What happened?" Phillips asked strictly. Steve sighed, but didn't break eye contact with his superior. 

"We woke up this morning and she was gone."

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Colonel Phillips was furious. He ordered the Howling Commandos to take an hour to freshen up and eat a meal, then report to the strategy room. 

They all gathered around a table in the strategy room with a map of Europe that sat idly on top. Agent Carter joined them before Colonel Phillips arrived. She too greeted them excitedly, but her excitement faded when she realized that Natasha wasn't with them anymore. Steve told her the same thing that he told Colonel Phillips. 

We woke up this morning and she was gone. 

Before Peggy could fully wrap her head around what Steve had said, Phillips joined them and sat at the head of the table. 

"So," he began, anger evident in his tone. "You're gonna tell me what you boys have been up to the past few weeks, from the last moment that you left here to the moment you arrived back. Maybe we'll come to some sort of conclusion about where Romanoff is, and whether or not we made a huge mistake in trusting her." 

Bucky began the story. He told Phillips and Carter about the missions that they had gone on, with the other team members interjecting here and there with extra details. They explained their own roles and Natasha's role in each of the missions. 

Dugan took over with the recap when the subject approached his experience with the Hydra official. They had turned him over to SSR officials when they touched base in London. Dugan showed Phillips and Carter the cuts that the woman had left on his arm. 

"I don't know if it means something or not," he added. "She was really fast, and all three of them were carrying guns." Peggy traced the wound lightly. 

"Hmm," she thought to herself. 

"Something interesting, Agent Carter?" Phillips asked strictly. Peggy kept her eyes on the mark. 

"This shape, it's very familiar." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a stick of lipstick. She turned it over and set it on the table, so the rest of the group could see the hourglass on the bottom. It was the same as the one on Dugan's arm. 

"This is the lipstick that Natasha gave me when we went to their camp for the film. It's a nonlethal drug to make someone fall asleep," she explained quickly.