The Future Meets the Past

Chapter 6

In a time where time was not an issue everything seemed fast and slow all at once.  It took time, patience, and a lot of frustration on Shields part, but in the end they defeated chromicons and fixed time. Humanity was safe again.

The alien species was reset, Hydra and it's timeline set right, Fitz and Simmons we're reunited and settled far away. The shields team of the 21st century departed then, each making their own way in life. Daisy and Deke found common ground and started something new while May took off on her own. A life of quiet and peace after fighting so long. Then there was Mack, Yoyo, and Sousa... Mack and Yoyo followed in Fitzsimmons footsteps and built their own lives, creating a family of their own. And Daniel Sousa? He was brought back home.

It was a hard decision made with strict ground rules, but they always knew he would want to go back in the end. They use the time machine linked to the zephyr one last time to bring him back to the early 50's, back to the love of his life. However there was one thing he couldn't do... He could never tell anyone, not even Peggy, about Hydra and the future that lays ahead of them. It will be difficult and sometimes unbearable, but it had to be done.

Daniel takes a deep breath then, sighing in resignation. How could he possibly know what happens in the future and not help his future wife? How could he sit by and watch chaos reign over their lives?

"I can't even warn her a little? At least take out a few without them knowing?" Coulson looks at Mack and he sighs. He knew this would be a difficult request, but they couldn't mess up the time line.

"Just don't make it obvious." Mack says finally having resolved it wouldn't be possible or in Daniels character to not act and get justice done.

"Consider it done." Sousa smiles before turning his back where the zephyr's timer was counting down.

Their last time jump lands them in Los Angeles the day after his 'death.' He knew Peggy would be in shambles right now, but soon they'll be reunited again, their lives changed for the better.

"Sousa!" Mack exclaims as he steps off the zephyr.

"Yeah?"

"Take care." Daniel smiles at this, waving goodbye to his new friends.

"You got it."

As he turns his back from the future flying mass, he steps away towards home. Knowing he is still proclaimed dead, he keeps to the dark and hides his face. It was difficult, and not the best idea, but when he arrives on a familiar porch, his heart beats out of his chest. Peggy. 

He walks to the door and lets himself in, causing the woman herself to appear down the hall, curious as to why the door opened behind her.

"Daniel!?" 

"Hey Peg." Her lips part in a gasp as he steps forward, reaching out to touch his face.

"You-you're real? How? What-" Her voice cracks with emotion as a tear escapes, slipping done her cheek.

"Yeah, Peggy. This is real." He chuckles as her face lights up, nearly tackling him in a bone crushing embrace. "It was a set up, but I'm here now. And I'm not going anywhere."

He sniffles before pulling away and framing her face, kissing her breathless. She's taken back momentarily but makes no complaint. Her fiancé, the love of her life, was alive in her arms, safe and at home. Daniel was back!  He pulls away after a few moments to catch his breath, leaving his hand to slide down her arm and play with the ring on her hand. Peggy takes more of it and the glistening look in his eye.

"Darling? Are you alright?" As she asks this he brings her left hand up to his lips, his eyes never once leaving hers.

"I love you." He mumbles and she smiles, turning red.

"I love you too. Are you sure you're quite well?"

"Yeah Peg. I'm good." She grins up at him, snogging him once more, keeping him close. There was no way she would ever let him go away again. 

~~~

The two lovers spend the night together, never once apart. In the morning Peggy speaks to Chester Philips and Howard Stark, the only tow she knows she can trust. With Daniel being alive it meant trouble. He was suppose to be dead, and yet he wasn't. There were moles in the newly forming agency, moles that tried to have him killed. It takes every ounce of strength to not find those responsible and have them killed, but for her and Daniel's future she stands down.

Daniel is to live his life in the shadows and away from SHIELD and its work, that way he can avoid interacting with the ones sent to kill him. He works under the table from time to time to assist his wife and her co founders, but rarely does his face surface for recognition. to Daniel it was about saving people and getting justice, not being recognized for the work you've done. He helps Peggy, Stark, and Philips dig into the Hydra moles working within, but never do they act so obvious when extracting them.

In the years to come the Carter-Sousa family grows, from two, to three, to four. Elizabeth and Michael Sousa bringing more hope and life in such dark times. 

The world and the timeline were set back correctly, the order of events falling as they should. In the end everyone was back where they belonged, living out the lives they were destined to have.