Move On

Angie just stood there going over the events in her mind as she leaned against the shelf waiting for Gloria. Gloria was working and Angie was having the hardest time processing what everything actually meant. She had agreed to a secret op, which made her stomach flop at a memory that seemed to poke at her mind. Still she shook the thought off and continued staring at the case in her hand. She accepted the moment Peggy, married, and secret life being revealed were even brought up in the same sentence. So maybe she was a little dramatic but could you blame her? When it came to Peggy she couldn't help but be dramatic. She had teased herself of the idea- but even if this was fake it was closer to the real deal than she'd ever get right? She thought so. She still didn't even know Peggy's preference and they had known each other for almost two and a half years by now. She never thought it was polite to ask. She herself was scared to ask.

After she managed to pull a confused and still processing Peggy out of the diner she gave Peggy a few seconds in fresh air to realize what she said and she gave Angie the most genuine concerned look she looks before asking if she was sure. Angie only reassured her and hid anything she wasn't so sure about underneath a comment about getting home to take a nice warm bath because it had been a long day. Peggy didn't comment on how she felt there was something else hidden underneath the comment as they locked arms and headed home. When they were there she was met by another agent she presumed. Peggy stiffened at the sight of him, and Angie looked at the two confused before he spotted Angie and smiled warmly. Angie only blinked and took his hand before asking him into which Peggy made a sound at but stripped her jacket (causing Angie to watch her as she disappeared up the stairs) and left them to talk.

Agent Barton, but he was different. His name was Jake, and he was handsome she admitted, he was nice too which was unlike the bimbo's Peggy worked with. Jake was genuine the way he talked and presented himself in a soft but experienced way. It made her wonder because she hadn't seen anyone other than people who had been forced to grow up too fast have that way about them. He only asked a few questions, who her family was, how she got along with her co-workers (though it took her awhile to figure out that she meant the men she'd work with), if she had problems with this, if she was informed, and various tedious questions people would ask when there wasn't anything other to ask or to get to know you. It made her cautious of him that he asked things like what her favorite dish was to make. Not because it was friendly, but because perhaps it was her father talking, men like him couldn't be trusted.

At one point, he scratched his stubble and she noticed a scar covered up by it. It looked somewhat like a burn scar if she could remember her cousin Don after he was burned from a fire he started because it was cool. But before she could ask Peggy walked in, in comfortable clothes but stopped when she saw him and put her hands on her hips. It wasn't in an "I don't like you get out now" kind of way because she had a soft expression, it was more or less letting him know he was under her roof so he could get used to it or leave. Angie thought that was a little aggressive but was sure from the way she cursed about her coworkers it was very much deserved. Many of the men had this 'I'm a man so I'm alpha' way about them. She had witnessed it when they'd come by and just expect her magically get a cup of tea or something of the sort for them. Peggy had quickly learned that as soon as she was noticed she had to stand a little taller than them in her own house. While entertaining she had also noticed Peggy would place herself as close as possible near Angie and while it was sweet she felt like at some points two alpha's were snarling at each other over territory.

Jake only talked to her a bit more and shook her hand and Peggy's before leaving. His comment of "congratulations on the honeymoon" did, however, make her blush enough for her to mutter an apology and that she needed to make dinner. It wasn't that he wasn't right in a way it was that the fact this was still happening made her feel light headed like it was a dream. Peggy would ask if she's okay, but she'd reassure her. Peggy wouldn't comment but instead leave to work on something. There were a couple of times before he left that Angie saw an all-knowing look in his eyes and a smug smirk before he'd move on. It made Angie panic that he'd tell her father but why should we be worrying about that? He didn't know her father and the fact that he himself said they needed her specifically made her believe he didn't want to get on her bad side.

"Alright, Alright fine. Just askin' if you're sure THIS is what you play on your romantic night." Angie was shaken from her thoughts and staring at the case in her hands to look at her friend who handed a bag to a customer who stormed off furiously. Angie almost laughed. Gloria's father owned a music store, LevSound a play on his name Levi she was sure, and Gloria was the manager and probably the best employee they had. Angie was allowed to sit back and help out or just hang out with her when she was on shift. "Alright so." Gloria turned to her revealing the new grunge employee shirt that had the name written on it surrounded by bits of particles and dust. Angie stared at it. "Don't ask, have to ask the old man to let me design new ones. I'm thinking dragons! Anyways you gonna by that or not?" She pointed the CD in her hands. Angie looked down at it and blinked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sure." Gloria took it but gave Angie a concerned look. She hadn't been paying attention. Gloria didn't acquire as Angie moved to the front of the counter pretending to be just any customer. Gloria turned the CD over and read it, it was one of those things you could compare to a youtube playlist of random songs with a theme. Most weren't bad, but she looked up giving Angie a blank stare and Angie sighed leaning against the counter on both arms, bag slung around her shoulder. "What? I like the song."

"Oh my god Angie. You're in too deep." Gloria exclaimed with a feigned surprise. "You're in way to deep." Angie shifted and scrunched her nose.

"It's just a song." Angie told her rolling her eyes. While Gloria was a great friend and all she had this habit of being far too over dramatic. So much that acting coaches would have cringed at her, while Gloria would consider that a win and smile triumphantly.

"One Last Kiss. Angie it's THE song. YOUR song."

"What the hell are you talking about?" She asked standing up. Honestly she wanted to knock sense into the woman.

"Last time you fell for a girl and it didn't go so well- and everytime you think of romantic feelings you blast this song." Gloria told her. Angie didn't say anything for awhile. "No seriously. Remember Jewel back in High School? you wouldn't stop playing this song."

"You have ten seconds to let me pay so I don't feel bad before I-" Gloria threw her hands up and smiled.

"Just saying. Anyways, on the house because you helped me today and you don't even work here." Angie sighed and begun to list reasons why she couldn't do it. Gloria of course could only smile at her and tell her to shut up and take it that she wasn't taking no for an answer. Angie felt guilty but put it in her bag.

Well one thing was right, Angie was in deep. The thing was Angie refused to acknowledge how deep as a natural defense of her years of getting hurt. She learned to ignore her romantic feelings especially after her last relationship, she hadn't meant to do this but it was just her way of ignore the fact she might actually be happy someone else and that they might not hurt her. She knew very well Peggy wouldn't hurt her physically but that wasn't what she was afraid of at the moment. She wasn't afraid of rejection either it was-

"Well hello Angela." She turned to see Jake standing next to her smiling. Gloria rose and eyebrow but didn't say anything. "I'm sorry if I was a bit blunt last night." He apologized.

"Trust me you ain't seen nothing." Gloria spoke up causing his attention to shift to her. "You should have seen her in highschoo- Ow." Angie leaned over the counter to hit her causing Gloria to rub her shoulder and pout. Jake chuckled and shook his head at the both of them with a sense of nostalgia in his eyes.

"S'alright." Angie told him shortly. "Not like I ain't handled worse." He cringed at that obviously misunderstanding.

"Ah no- that wasn't me hitting on you if you think-" He rubbed his neck nervously.

"Like I said I've handled worse. You ain't gotten handsy with me." She sighed. Honestly she'd prefer if NO ONE got handsy with her but you couldn't have everything. She knew she shouldn't see it like that but considering waitressing was the only job she had at the moment she was forced to get used to it. 21 century and people are still pigs. Jake however gave her a look.

"I mean I don't swing that way." Oh. "Here," he pulled his wallet out and fished through a small set of pictures. She felt stupid as she looked at it. A wedding photo..he was being bridal carried by another man bigger in comparison, genuine love plastered on their faces. His husband was wearing a military uniform, Marines she guessed but didn't ask. It was actually quite endearing to see the man blushing but still happy as ever. Before she could inquire more he slipped it back into it's place and sighed. "I really am sorry if that's what it seemed like I was doing. I wasn't."

"No worries?" She asked slightly confused. He smiled and nodded before paying for what he carried in his arms. Angie remained silent but watched him. She was actually taken back, she hadn't expected him to be gay. He seemed almost like a stereotypical straight agent. Wait she had a stereotype for agents? Well now she felt guilty.

"Take care Angela." He smiled nodding to her and left.

"Well that's a surprise." Gloria chimed in. "I can't believe you thought he hit on you." Angie's eyes narrowed and she hit Gloria before leaving herself.

Angie went about her day before heading home. A few errands but nothing spectacularly important. The only thing left to do was call her boss and let him know, which she did and he acknowledged her leave telling her if she was gone more than a couple of weeks she'd be fired. Man she couldn't wait for his daughter to take over the business as she was much more likable. She had actually felt the need to quit right there and call him several things she knew wasn't acceptable but she held her tongue and hung up.

After such she found herself sitting on one of the many sofas in the mansion looking down at the file Peggy showed her last night. She hadn't actually paid attention to it till now, she hadn't even thought about it until now, she was bored and thought maybe paying actual attention was better than not knowing and going in blind. It held a bit of information about whom was assigned (clearing it had been added to since she last saw it) but she flipped through the pages until she came up to the bodies. She made sure her eyes didn't dare look at the photo's and she read. It sounded somewhat familiar about how the bodies were found, their COD's and TOD's but she couldn't place her finger on it.

Maybe it was those thousands of hours Angie spent watching crime show's but, she didn't see a connection between the victims. Other than the fact they were once alive, she only read of their former partners being involved in the crime world. She knew very very well that unless you were honestly and truly in love you shouldn't even think about stepping foot in that world lest you or them want to end up dead by the time you realize the mistake you've made. That wasn't personal experience either, it was what she saw from her father.

She could remember several times that people who owed her father money would beg for more time or not to hurt the person they loved. She had never been allowed to see this but out of curiousity she had snuck into the family "shop" and hid behind a counter that had a hole in it. She was faced with the reality as people were beaten and bruised to the point they had to be dragged out by the henchmen- and people she grew up with -only to be given an extra hour or day. It was never fair but they played the game and got too cocky as he told her once. Angie knew better but would never say it out loud. If he laid a hand on you you knew you were done or in deep shit, so deep you best get out of the fucking country.

Angie could distinctly remember the first time she saw it, her brother had found her and had to clamp his hand over her mouth so they wouldn't get caught. A woman walked in proud and stood tall, she told him her predicament and asked for an extra day at most to get him his money and guns, he looked so angry and spouted italian at him about how he had given her an extra month already. She didn't budge or move but stood tall and asked for one more day. He turned his back waving a hand and a woman (whom she knew) stepped forward with a bat in hand given her a second to pray. Within seconds she was on the floor holding her shin asking for time. Instead he waved his hand again and the senseless beating begun as he watched angrily. Her cries haunted Angie, she could only cry for the woman to stop over and over as Angie heard the sound of crunch of bones being broken and cries grow to moans and groans of pain. It only stopped when a flash of sympathy shown in her fathers eyes. Angie looked at the broken woman clenching her eyes shut and holding her oldest brother as close as possible believing it was a dream. He took it as a sign and led her out. Matt from then on would stand guard around his little sister when he was nearby. She had asked him too.

Angie shook her head of the memory and focused on the page she flipped too. It was a couple of suspects, by a couple she meant a literal couple. A man and his wife. She almost cringed at the man. She was a playboy for sure, his wife was pretty, but the man was known for running a criminal organization as Jake put it. Angie would have compared the man to her father. James and Jessie Curt, his wife's anger was known to rival his own and she hadn't thinking about pissing him off. He was at the moment untouchable because any physical evidence to take him down or prove the accusations disppeared or were somehow faked. She had heard about it over the news, the guy was a bastard officials son with politicians in his pocket. They'd bend to his whim if Angie could remember her father having the same hold over officials at one time. And she did remember that correctly. The man was your common older playboy who had a cocky attitude about him on paper and in photo's, his wife was was too supportive and seemingly sweet.

There was one important question in her mind by now, how exactly does she play a part? Well, if it was believed she was the best suited for the job, then more than likely it was because she left her family due to the family business, meaning she knew enough about that dark world to scare her off. So she'd have to translate it to this situation? Correct. She realized that they needed someone who could spin a lie off the top of her head and turn suspicion on their side. While Peggy was a great spy and had no problem fooling you (Angie should know), sometimes she faltered and if caught off guard could take a deadly second to get back on her feet. Angie was a trained actress, she was taught to think on her feet and if she was tripped she would turn the fall into a dramatic act to make it seem on purpose or garner sympathy but still keep going with the act. Peggy was amazing and Angie knew that, but Peggy was still a soldier, Peggy hadn't grown up around the dark world she had. Her father was relentless and scared her half to death sometimes she had nightmares still about him.

"Blood hell," Peggy muttered under her breath as she pushed through the doors of her the S.S.R. office with a certain yapping man behind her. To tell you the truth she was so close to hog-tying him and duct taping his mouth shut. He hadn't shut up about it and she regretted informing him that in fact was going undercover with Angie as a married couple. "Howard." She hissed.

"I'm just saying that I was right." He smiled at her crookedly. "You and Angie are the real deal huh? Married now! Soon kids think of it Pegs! Think of it! Mini Peg and Ange clones!" The thought was...nice it really was but he hadn't stopped rubbing it in her face that his 'sneaking suspicion' about her and Angie was right. "Oh my god," He grabbed her shoulders spinning her around to face him, "think of the swings I could make and spoil them!" That hadn't helped. In fact once he said that she became worried about the possible future where if she did have kids he would make one of his fantastic contraptions and strap one of her kids in it.

"No," She told him removing his arms from her shoulders as he pouted. "I am sorry Howard while you mean well I would never let one of my children be put into one of your contraptions because 'it worked the first time' ever." He seemed to smirk at her however. And she regretted speaking up.

"So you two are going to have kids?" He stood up smiling mischievously at her and wiggled his eyebrows, she sighed and grabbed her bag ignoring him.

Howard did follow her out the door and continued spouting ingenious plans to her but she stopped listening and just let him follow. Unfortunately she thought he would tired of her, she was proving wrong. He had a driver a very nice man Jarvis to drive him home instead he waved the man away and continued to follow Peggy talking to her as she made way home. Usually he would have given up and just went home but he seemed persistent in his mission to get her to admit how she felt. Typical, she thought.

What she did do however was put earphones in and every so often pull him back onto the sidewalk so a car wouldn't him or be stopped abruptly. She enjoyed the sound of classical music to drown out her friend whom she loved as family by all means, he was just a handful at time and he never took offense to the action just her taste of music. Out of all the people to be stuck with on a beautiful (yet cold) day she swore if god was real he was spiting her as she realized Howard was now complaining about the weather. She liked the weather. He just loved to complain.

Once they were at the house she was forced to stop him from physically entering asking him to please go home, after a bit of convincing that he had complained enough today and Angie didn't need to hear him complain anymore about her cooking he sighed shaking his head and left. Funny enough no one complained about Angie's cooking. In fact just about everyone liked whatever she could whip up. He took it as a sign though he had bothered her enough and left knowing very well Jarvis would show up in a moment.

She entered the mansion they both shared (ironically it was Howard's) and sighed in comfort as memories of last night hit her. She tossed her bag and coat to the side grumbling curses under her breath. It was just good to be home with the familiar hum in the kitchen and smell of something warm. It had always been nice to come home to, on the days she was first to come home it made her actually miss the smells and warmth she'd find in it. She sighed inwardly again. She'd have to ask Angie to actually sing a song to her.

She smiled brightly as a familiar head popped through the kitchen doorway asking if she was home.

"Yes I think I am," she chuckled as Angie appeared in comfortable slacks wiping her hands. "If this isn't the home I currently live in I think I should be very concerned." She admitted.

"I'd still feed ya." Angie smiled. "Mom always said feed a stranger." Peggy rose an eyebrow at her. Angie's cheek flushed at a sudden thought and sheepishly excused herself to finish dinner. Peggy cocked her head and followed her in to see her staring rather deeply into the pot of soup.

"Angie?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" Peggy asked as she say down at the table.

No I'm desperately in love with-, she stopped her thoughts in their tracks. "Yea I'm fine. Just a bit of a weird day I guess." She forced herself to turn down the heat and find a place next to Peggy. Peggy gave her a curious look. "Did ya know Jake-"

"Agent Barton." She corrected. Angie rolled her eyes.

"Did ya know he was married?" Peggy sat up looking at her confused and shook her head. "Yea, to a pretty nice lookin' fellow. Saw their wedding photo. Think he was in the military."

Peggy felt guilty at that, she knew there was something familiar about Barton but she hadn't figured it out. He had lost a lot too, and she had acted guarded against him and protective over Angie rather rudely for no reason. Well there was a reason, that people she worked with instantly took a liking to Angie, though that's not bad they usually would flirt and hit on her never getting the message she wasn't interested. So Peggy developed a second nature to let them know she was off limits to them. She had purposely done with with Jake and she didn't need to. She'd owe him an apology later.

"No I didn't." She told Angie who just shrugged and sighed but smiled at her.

"I believe the foods done."

"Ravishing." She gave a small nod. Just like you, the thought made her smile. "Suppose tomorrow is the start of our best adventure yet, yeah?" She asked once Angie slid her a bowl and spoon smiling at her. Angie scrunched her nose. 

"English, I don't think going undercover to not just take down a killer, but some fancy schmancy group down can be considered fun." Peggy took her hand squeezing it. 

"You really don't have to do this darling." She told her. That particular nickname sent butterflies through Angie. 

"No I want to," Angie thought for a moment. "'sides I've seen worse."

Oh Angie, Peggy thought to herself. I hope one day you'll trust me enough to tell me what you've seen. Angie was very open with her it was just...some things she knew Angie had kept locked away. Sometimes it was things that would eat at Angie and all Peggy could do was reassure her and hold her on those tough nights. She had understood the gist of it, Angie told her a little here and there of her family but not all of it. Peggy never pressured her either. 

Perhaps tomorrow will be the start of things to change. It was hopeful thinking but just maybe she wasn't wrong.