Running in and out of Time

Chapter 1

Agent Margret Carter, better known as Peggy, let out a long sigh, runing her fingers through her hair as she faced the Stark residence ahead of her. Howard was throwing a party, for the SSR in fact, on some sort of anniversary.

Peggy took a deep breath and walked in the massive doors and into the ballroom. She waved polite hellos to the other agents, searching for some more closer friends.

  "English!" Angie called out, grinning when she saw a familiar face, opening her arms for a hug.

   "Angie, what are you doing here?!?" Peggy exclaimed, both delighted and confused as she awkwardly hugged Angie.

  "Stark over there invited me, said you might need a good surprise since your work was keepin' ya busy."

"Oh thank you Angie," she grinned, linking her arm through her best friend's. "It was quite the wonderful surprise, I've been kept away a lot lately..."

Angie nodded, catching her friends drift. "Well that's alright, you're here now aren't you? Hey I'll be right back, I hear the chief's the best around."

  Peggy chuckled and nodded, unhooking their arms and watching Angie leave. She then turned back the the crowd, instantly catching another good friend's face.

"Oh Ana!" She exclaimed, both walking towards each other. "What a delight it is too see you, how was your trip?"

Ana Jarvis smiled, hugging her (also a bit awkwardly for the Agent who normally didn't show much affection). "It was wonderful thank you. How has your work been keeping you?"

  "Busy as always," Peggy chuckled with Ana. "Never a dull moment it seems."

"I can imagine. If you ever need anything give me or Edwin a ring, alright?"

   "Oh thank you Ana," Peggy smiled, catching her friend's husband (and another close friend of her's), Edwin Jarvis, approaching them.

  "Miss Carter, Ana," he greeted, giving Peggy a polite  smile and Ana an adoring one. "I hope you find this party not unpleasant."

"I do thank you," Peggy nodded. "Just catching up with some friends. By the way have you seen Howard?"

  "He's, er, pursuing the company of yet another woman," Jarvis replied, shifting on his feet.

  "Again? And this early? My my that didn't last long," The agent sighed, scanning the crowd, which mostly consisted of SSR agents and a few close friends and/or family.

  "Ana would you like to dance?" Edwin asked his wife sweetly and held out his hand.

"Of course," Ana grinned, taking his outstretched hand and looking back at Peggy. "You understand?"

"Of course, have a lovely time," Peggy grinned as the Jarvises danced to a slow jazz song playing.

Since Howard was off with some poor other chick and she had no one else that was closer to Peggy made her way over to Daniel.

"Hello Daniel," She smiled when reaching him. Daniel immediately turned to face her, his cheeks heating up as both shifted awkwardly.

"Erm hello Peggy..."

  "So.... enjoying the party?"

"Um yeah, are you?" Daniel nodded, repeating the question politely.

"I suppose so, thank you."

They both stood there in awkward silence, avoiding looking each other in the eye. They had been this awkward since Peggy kissed him, and he kissed her back, but neither was brave enough to properly address that or the state of their relationship.

"So, er, Chief, do you have any word on the rumored HYDRA operation?" Peggy broke the silence, raising an eyebrow. "You must have something by now."

"No, I'm afraid not—"

Peggy sighed, started to pace as the wheels in her head started to turn and click. "Well if the rumors are true I doubt they are up to anything good. We need to secure the SSR headquarters, then send agents out into the field to learn more about this HYDRA uprising." She then stopped. "If that, of course, is what you want to do."

  "It's a good plan Peg," Daniel nodded, also thinking. "But we also need to take things one step at a time, no rushing things."

Peggy gave him a look, causing him to chuckle which caused her to give off a small smile. "You know what I mean."

"I suppose so," She nodded, clearing her throat. "Listen we have to talk—"

"Miss Carter!" Jarvis grinned as he and his wife walked up to them, unbeknownst to him of course that he was interrupting. "Oh and hello Mr. Sousa, I hope you are having a splendid time. Anyways Miss Carter Ana and I were discussing things and I was wondering—"

  Suddenly shouts were heard from across the room, and the metallic slinks of pistols leaving their holsters ran through the large room, all pointed at the ruckus.

  A woman with black corkscrew curls, blue eyes, a soft purple dress and a pretty face with a smirk mixed with an innocent look on it raised her hands. The man she had just punched to the ground crawled away in fear.

"What?" The woman asked , shrugging. "He was being an asshole, and I had to take care of that."

  The agents sighed, sliding their weapons back in the holsters and returning to what they were doing. The woman made her way over to Peggy and friends, grinning.

"Can't get good help these days," she joked, shaking her head. "My name's Willow by the way."

  "Peggy Carter," The other woman nodded politely. "And this is Daniel, Edwin Jarvis, and Ana Jarvis."

  "It's a pleasure," she said to the other three before turning back to Peggy. "As for you it's an honor."

"Why thank you," Peggy smiled, a bit confused. "I'm afraid I do not understand why...."

  "Oh please you are a legend," Willow grinned excitedly, bubbling. "You're a bold daring woman not afraid to get her hands dirty! I've read all of your mission reports."

"Thank you again," Peggy repeated, flattered and a bit shocked. People really did read about her?

"Hey do you smell that?" Daniel frowned, sniffing the air, being joined by some others.

A mix of hydrogen and sulfur smell lingered in the air, but there was something else causing many people to cough and sink to the ground. Fog and gas blurred most people's vision, but Peggy was able to faintly see a small cylinder on the ground ahead.

With the last ounce of her strength Peggy was able to reach and grab the cylinder, but not long after that her world went black.....