All of Me - Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D

Chapter 66

THIS STORY CONTAINS SCENES FROM CATWS. I also might have slightly changed parts of certain scenes, adding things.

Washington DC

Capitol Hill Nursing Center - 15:15 pm - Peggy’s Room

“You should be proud of yourself, Peggy,” Steve told the elderly woman as he looked at the photographs on her bedside table of her family.

Peggy turned her eyes from Steve and turned it to the side, glancing at the photos of her family. “Mmm, I have lived a life,” she expressed humbly, turning her eyes back onto her first love. “My only regret is that you didn’t get to live yours.”

Steve didn’t respond.

“What is it?” Peggy asked, knowing something was bothering the younger man.

“For as long as I can remember, I just wanted to do what is right,” he spoke up, a sadness filling him. “I guess I’m just not quite sure what that is anymore … and I guess that I thought I could throw myself back in, follow orders - serve,” he forced a smile. “It’s just not the same.”

Peggy released a soft chuckle. “You’re always so dramatic.”

Steve couldn’t help but smile back at her laugh.

“Look, you saved the world - we rather mucked it up.”

“You didn’t,” he quickly defended her. “Knowing that you help found S.H.I.E.L.D is half the reason I stay,” he told her. Maria is the other half, he couldn't help but think.

Peggy reached for the younger man’s hand resting on the bed, she wrapped her fragile hand around his. “The world has changed and none of us can go back,” she told him, sagely. “All we can do is our best and sometimes the best we can do is start over,” she told him before coughing.

Steve quickly removed his hand from her’s and stood to his feet. He then hurried to the side table and filled a glass of water before returning to her bedside.   

Peggy turned her attention back on the visitor in her room. Her mind was a little foggy. A moment passed before recognition washed over her. “Steve,” she expressed, surprise washing over her as tears welled in her eyes.

“Yeah?” Steve answered a little concerned, mixed with confused.

“You’re alive,” she supplied, emotion rolling through her as tears filled her eyes. “You came back.”

Steve was hit with a wave of emotion as he realized that her mind was playing tricks on her again. It took everything in him not to cry, instead he forced a smile. “Yeah Peggy,” he managed, thickly.

Peggy was crying. “It’s been so long,” she told him. “So long.”

Steve’s heart was breaking. “Well, I couldn’t leave my best girl, now that she owes me a dance,” he told with a sad smile. Steve had lost count with how many times he had recited that line.

Somewhere over the North Pacific Ocean

The Bus - 20:23 p.m

Grant was seated at the bar beside his S.O, Antoine and Leo as they enjoyed after dinner drinks. John wanted to test how scottish Leo really was. That what he had said when he suggested it. Phil was standing behind the bar playing bartender. Everyone was still on their first drink as they listened to a story John was telling about Grant in his Rookie days.

Skye, Jemma and Melinda had retreated to open lounge area to watch a movie since they didn’t want to intrude on the male bonding session, plus Skye wanted to spend as time as she could away from Grant’s S.O since he seemed to dislike her so strongly. She was actually relieved to get to spend some alone time with her mother and surrogate sister. They all agreed on ‘Burlesque’ after ten minutes of debating which movie to watch. This was Jemma and Melinda’s first time watching it, but Skye’s fifth since being released.