Chapter 3
WASHINGTON, D.C.
June 29th, 1949
Morning light crept softly through the gauzy curtains as Peggy slowly opened her eyes, hearing a tender, familiar voice whisper, “Hi.” It was Steve, still nestled beside her, his voice warm with affection. He leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“Hi,” Peggy replied softly, the residual magic of the night still in the air. “Wow,” Peggy murmured as she sat up slowly, absorbing the events of the previous night. “That was something tonight.”
Steve smiled. “Yeah,” he agreed simply, a subtle warmth in his tone that hinted at experiences far beyond the simple pleasures of the act.
Peggy’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she teased him, “You must have had some practice in the future, Steve.”, his expression softened as he replied truthfully, “Well, for the things in the beginning, yes. But when it came to everything else… no.” His voice trailed off, and for a moment, both of them fell into a reflective silence. In that pause, Peggy, with curiosity, asked. “So that was the first time?”, blending it with tenderness. Steve’s simple “Yes” was an admission—a milestone now achieved.
Without further ado, Peggy reached out and placed a soft kiss on his cheek—a silent gesture of reassurance, of understanding. Slowly, both of them rose from the bed, the warmth of their embrace still lingering, as a lively voice rang out from the kitchen. “You two, Howard is here!” Angie called, her tone exuberant.
Later, as the group gathered in the common area of the house—a room with a large table, where they laid out their plan—Howard’s voice cut through the chatter that had formed. “So, Steve… where is our Steve exactly located?” he asked, a curious tone in his voice that mixed professional inquiry with personal concern.
Steve, ever calm amid chaos, pulled out a small note and wrote down the coordinates: “83.552724, -30.694580.”He handed the note over, saying simply, matter-of-fact. “He’s here.”
Howard took a long look at the coordinates before nodding thoughtfully. “Okay,” he said, his voice now imbued with renewed determination. “We have been searching for you anyway; this makes everything much easier.” he states, this new information a lifeline. “Thank you, Steve,” Howard added sincerely, his gaze filled with genuine appreciation. Steve merely nodded in acknowledgment, a humble smile playing on his lips as he shifted the focus of the conversation. “The blue cube that you discovered—that holds one of the Stones I told you about—we need to talk about it, as well.” he remarked.
Peggy, who had been listening intently, interjected. “And what do we do about it?” she asked, her voice steady, but carrying the weight of responsibility.
“Keep it in a safe place,” Steve advised, his words deliberate and measured. “In the wrong hands, it’s very dangerous.” his eyes meeting hers.
Howard then quickly took charge. “We’ll shut down P.E.G.A.S.U.S then,” he declared, directing his gaze toward Peggy. “At least for now,” Steve added quietly, suggesting that the solution was temporary. “If we’re able to get into office, then we can reopen it with the proper safeguards.”
“Okay then,” Howard said, a new determination in his voice. “Now, about Barnes…” His voice trailed off, understanding the importance of this topic.
“Yes,” Steve began, his tone shifting as he recounted details that carried the weight of history. “Everything falls upon Arnim Zola. He was the first to experiment on Bucky when they were captured during the war, and he’s the one who continues to experiment on him—both HYDRA and the Soviets have used him for their covert missions.” His voice was steady, each word laced with the pain of watching a dear friend suffer for the sake of a twisted experiment.
Howard leaned forward, listening intently. “His first big mission as the Winter Soldier was in ‘51, but there are rumors that they started using him as early as ‘46,’” Steve continued, his eyes darkening as he recounted the other timeline’s events. “The troubling part is that no one knows where he was located during those early years. My guess is that he was hidden somewhere within a SHIELD base—a place that might still hold the key to unlocking his whereabouts.”
“Okay, we’ll look into Zola,” Howard said, his tone resolute. “I have to go, though,” he added, gathering his notes and preparing to leave.
As Steve accompanied Howard to the door, Angie and Peggy lingered in the room, the former always the one to diffuse tension with humor, remarked lightly, “You guys have a lot of work ahead of you.”
“Yes,” Peggy confirmed, her voice steady but reflective. In that moment, she couldn’t help but feel the enormity of their shared responsibilities. The world was changing, and every decision they made—every plan, every conversation—carried ramifications that stretched far beyond the walls of their home. And yet, amidst the uncertainty, there was comfort in knowing they would face these challenges together.
Later that night, in the soft glow of a bedside lamp, Steve turned to Peggy with a concerned expression etched on his face. “Peg,” he said quietly, “is something bothering you?”
Peggy hesitated for a moment before offering a gentle smile. “No, don’t worry, darling,” she replied softly, though her eyes betrayed a hint of vulnerability—a flicker of a secret that she wasn’t quite ready to share. Steve’s concern deepened for an instant, but he respected her unspoken boundaries. “Okay then, good night,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her gently, and going to sleep.
“Night,” she replied, her voice a soft echo in the quiet room, before she herself went to sleep.