I am quite certain there is only one person in the world who knows what to do with this... You, Miss Carter.
Once Jarvis had left, Peggy stood in the drawing room for what seemed like ages, staring at the vial that contained the last samples of Captain America’s blood- Steve’s blood.
A few minutes passed and Angie returned to the room after making a phone call to her mother.
Angie still couldn’t wrap her mind around this situation. She was going to live in a fancy house owned by Howard Stark, for free, and with her best friend. She never thought anything so wonderful could ever happen to a girl like her.
Angie stepped closer to Peggy and she saw that Peggy had her hand placed behind her back. Angie was going to ask her what she was hiding, but the look on Peggy’s face read a kind of sadness that wasn’t ready to be told.
Peggy smiled at her friend and told her that she’d be back in a few hours.
“I have some business to take care of. I won’t be long. Please, explore the house without me.” Peggy said, grabbing her things and leaving.
Angie stood there for a moment before taking off her the coat she had been wearing for far too long in the house that was perfectly warm.
She placed the coat on one of the sofas and decided to take Peggy up on that offer and explored the house.
Each room was full of expensive furniture. Too luxurious for Angie’s taste but they were beautiful.
Angie was sure that just one dining chair was worth more than she’d made that entire year working at the automat.
Angie wandered from room to room until she found herself in a room with only a piano occupying the room.
It had been years since Angie had touch a piano, she was sure to be rusty.
She stepped closer and brushed her fingers over the keys. She pressed a key and the sound of the note filled her head with memories.
She sat down and began to play the melody her grandfather taught her many years ago. She played a few bad notes, but soon she wasn’t making any mistakes.
The sweet melody filled the room and Angie had a sense of melancholy before she decided to add something more to the song.
Angie had many friends who were in jazz bands and they taught her how to improvise.
She played the melody with something extra and watched her fingers dance across the keys.
Angie was so enveloped by the music that she hadn’t noticed that Peggy had finally made it home and she was now standing by the door listening to Angie play.
“Oh, hey, English. I didn’t know you were back.” Angie stopped playing the piano but she could still hear the music in her head.
“I imagine not, you were so enthralled by your own talent. I had no idea you knew how to play the piano.” Peggy remarked as she stepped into the room and stood by Angie.
“Talent,” Angie laughed, “I’m alright. I haven’t played in years, so I’m a little rusty.”
“You’re more than alright, the was magnificent. Für Elise is one of my favourite pieces and what you added made it all the better.”
“Thanks, English. Really, I haven’t played much since I was still living at my parents’ place. We used to have a piano, one that belonged to my grandfather, but my parents sold it after he passed.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. Now I understand why they did it; money was tight back then. And at least they waited until he passed, it would’ve broken his heart if they had sold it before hand.” Angie paused for a moment. “He and my grandmother used to play and sing with each other. My brothers didn’t have much of an interest for it but I did so he taught me how to play and she taught me how to sing.”
“And did he teach you to play like that, too? When you added the extra stuff.”
“No. He only knew a few songs, this one being one of them, and he wasn’t at the level of a grand pianist, but that didn’t matter to him. It was just fun. And I learned to add some flair from some friends who play jazz.”
Peggy wanted to ask more about Angie’s grandfather and her childhood, but she didn’t.
“Play me another?” was what she decided to say instead.
“Sure thing, Peggy. But I don’t take requests ‘cause I have no idea what the songs are called. I had no idea what the song I just played was called until you said.”
Peggy laughed and Angie realised that her laugh was more beautiful than any song she could ever play. Angie blushed and began to play a different song.
Angie played for an hour and until her fingers were sore. Peggy sat quietly as she listened to the wonderful melodies that were being played by Angie.
She had almost forgotten what she had just finished doing- pouring Steve’s blood over the Brooklyn bridge and into the East River.
Peggy could never forget Steve, who could? But Angie had a way of making things better, making life bearable.
Peggy looked over at Angie and smiled. Angie returned the smile and asked if she’d like to hear another song.
“No, thank you. I’m rather tired and I think I’d like to go to bed.” Peggy said.
“Oh, yeah, okay. That’s fine. It has been a pretty long day. What about dinner? You hungry? I could whip us up something really quick.” They had all the time in the world to spend together, but Angie wasn’t ready to be away from Peggy just yet.
“I’m not very hungry, but I suppose I should eat something.”
The kitchen was stocked with the freshest foods; Angie could make pasta with homemade sauce but instead she decided to make sandwiches.
They drank a bottle of expensive wine with their sandwich dinners and chatted about the things they could do in their new home. Because now it was no longer a house, it was a home. A place both women could be and be surrounded by warmth and happiness.
After dinner, Peggy finally decided to go to her and Angie let her go.
Angie still wasn’t tired, so after cleaning up from dinner, she headed back to the piano room.
She pressed a few keys but didn’t play anything.
Angie sat at the piano for a while replaying the moments when Peggy was near her. When they sat together on the piano bench, their arms touched and Angie almost lost focus.
Angie felt a spark in her stomach and then her heart and soon her hands found their way to the black and white keys and soon she began playing a soft melody. It wasn’t a song she had ever played before and yet it felt familiar.
Angie played and played until she felt someone next to her. She stopped playing and looked up to see Peggy standing there in her black and red robe wrapped carelessly around her body.
“Peg, you really gotta stop sneaking up on me, you’ll give me a heart attack.” Angie said, jokingly clutching her chest.
“Sorry. I suppose I have had too much practice in sneaking into rooms, I’ve forgotten how to be noticed.”
“Just make a little noise before walking in, okay. And trust me, Peggy, anytime you walk into a room there will always be someone who notices you.”
Peggy blushed and that made Angie blush, too.
Angie made room on the bench and Peggy sat down. Their arms were touching and it took everything Angie had not to faint.
“What song were you playing? I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it before.” Peggy asked.
“Oh, um, I just made it up.”
“It was lovely. What inspired it? I’d love to hear it again.”
Angie began to play and began adding new things to the song. With Peggy next to her, the butterflies in Angie’s stomach turned into notes that Angie could play on the piano. Angie stopped playing and turned to look at Peggy.
The moonlight made Peggy’s white skin glow and all Angie wanted to do at that moment was kiss her, but she refrained from doing so.
“I think you’re the inspiration, Peggy. I’ve never made up a song before, but for some reason I just felt I had to make one up just for you.”
Peggy didn’t say anything and Angie felt embarrassed. She didn’t know why she said that, but she did and she didn’t regret it.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.” Angie added. She was only slightly embarrassed and she didn’t regret what she said but still, she felt wrong for saying that.
“No, I’m flattered. I love it. I do care about you. It’s just-”
“It’s just you don’t feel that way about me because I’m a woman and it’s wrong.” Angie interrupted. She began to feel a pang of regret.
“No, it’s not that. I do feel that way for you, as you put it, it’s just I’m not ready to be with anyone just yet.”
A glimmer of hope began flicker in Angie’s eyes. Peggy wasn’t ready now but one day she would be.
Peggy saw all the those thoughts Angie flash in her eyes and she smiled. Maybe she’ll be ready sooner than she expected.
Peggy leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against Angie’s. She pulled away before Angie could react and stared at the stunned look on her face.
“Will you play for me again?” Peggy asked.
Angie’s head was still buzzing from the kiss but she did as she was told.
She played Peggy’s song well into the night until Peggy fell asleep on her shoulder and even then, she didn’t stop playing.