They finally arrived at headquarters. Peggy and Steve to the nursing station so they could both get looked at. The doctors helped Steve in the gurney because he was still passed out. Some soldiers brought in the bloodied stick and gurney so they could burn it, Steve's blood couldn't get into Hydra's hands.
Peggy stopped by and they changed the wrap around her shoulder then she went to check on Steve. He was awake for a few minutes to talk to her then passed out mid sentence. She stopped Dr. Grant to ask if it was normal for him to be passing out this much. He said yes but only because of the pain he's in and how long it took to treat him.
As he was passed out Peggy watched him. His eyes began to flutter and he started twitching.
Here we go again. She thought.
This time she heard him whistle a little. He was mumbling something. Her curiosity told her to edge closer to him, which she did.
"Don't....ow....how......to.......ance." He was trying to say something but his voice wasn't the right volume to listen. She couldn't make out what he was saying. Then he stopped twitching and trying to speak. He shivered then stillness. This is where she guessed the dream ended.
His eyes opened.
"Back from the dead I see?"
"Like always." They smiled at the thought. "I'll try and stay awake this time."
"No you don't have to." She didn't want to see his reoccurring dream again but was also curious to hear what he was trying to say. "You need to rest."
"The only way I can relax is when you're sitting with me." Peggy got up from the uncomfortable chair to sit with him on the hospital bed. "I'm just reeling you in today."
"I think we've done this too many times."
"Done what?"
"Lay in a hospital bed. You're usually the one that's wounded."
"Well, I am Captain America. I'm the main target."
"So it seems. Just try to be more careful during battle alright?"
Steve passed out again. Peggy waited to see his usual tell tale signs of the dream.
Within a few moments, there were the usual signs. He was dreaming again.
*
When Steve woke up about an hour later, he was going to stay awake. Peggy hadn't noticed his eyes opened because she was reading a magazine in the chair.
"Peggy?"
"Oh darling you're up. How do you feel? Do you need anything?" She put down her magazine and gave him her full attention.
"No I'm fine." He patted his head where his gash was. "I think my head healed."
"Well that's one less thing. How's you're body?"
Steve lifted up his blue tee shirt to reveal gauze that went around his side. There was bright red blood on the white mesh.
"I don't feel much pain anymore."
"That's good. Do you want me to get the doctor so he can check on it?"
"Yeah. Could you?" Peggy nodded and went find Dr. Grant or Dr. Huss. She came back with Huss.
"Hello Steve how are you feeling?" She said.
"Much better I think I'm done passing out for the time being."
"Ok excellent. I'm going to cut the gauze now to check on the wound. If it needs to heal more we'll replace the gauze right away but if it's a scar we are going to replace it in an hour so it has some breathing room."
"Sounds good." Dr. Huss began to cut the gauze and she carefully lifted up the sticky gauze. The blood had dried to his skin and she didn't want to cause anymore damage. The wound wasn't completely healed. The exit wound was healed and everything inside him was in the process of healing. The entry wound was slowly growing back.
"If it's not too much trouble do you mind arching your back a little? We need to put the gauze around your body."
"I'll do you one better." Steve sat up carefully and stood on his feet. At first he was wobbling and Peggy put her arms around him so he wouldn't fall. Dr. Huss wrapped the gauze around him three times while he was lifting his shirt. Steve noticed Peggy's stare at his abs and held in his chuckle until the doctor left.
"Distracted by something Ms. Carter?" He said while a huge grin spread across his face.
"Hm?"
"I saw you staring."
"I was looking at your wound and how the doctor was tying the gauze."
"I don't believe you."
"Believe me darling. I can look at you without a shirt whenever I want." She said as she licked her finger and flipped through a page in her magazine.
Steve sat on the side of his bed and put his arms down at his sides.
"How's your shoulder?"
"Why don't you see for yourself?" Peggy walked over and put her back to him. Steve grabbed the side of her blouse and pulled it down, revealing two pink scars on her shoulder. He kissed her shoulder.
"No more pain?"
"None."
"Good."
"Darling may I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"What have you been dreaming about these past few nights?"
"Dream?" He shrugged his shoulders and pretended to not know what she was talking about. "I haven't dreamt since....last week maybe."
"You're a horrible liar."
"Did you ask the doctors when I can leave?"
"Steve why can't you tell me about your dream? I know you've been having a reoccurring dream the past few days."
"I'd prefer not to talk about it. I'm getting the doctor." Steve rushed out of the room as fast as possible to find one of the doctors. Peggy stood in the room with some frustration. She wanted to know what he was dreaming about so badly. She knew it wasn't about another woman.
Well, it better not be.
*
A few hours later it was midnight. Peggy was dozing off and Steve was about to fall asleep too but this time, it wasn't from the pain.
"Steve."
"Yes?"
"I think I'm going to go to bed."
"Sure thing. I won't be going anywhere."
"You'd better not." Peggy bent down to kiss his forehead. "Eyes up here Captain." She rolled her eyes as if she didn't enjoy the attention.
*
The next morning Peggy went back to the nursing station first thing in the morning. Steve was just waking up as she walked in.
"Good morning darling. I brought coffee." She handed Steve a mug and he sat up to drink it.
"Thank you." He took a few sips and placed the mug down.
"Have any dreams?" His eyes widened at the question.
"No."
"Steve why can't you tell me?"
"It's a fragile subject."
"Steve." She sat at the edge of the bed next to him. She guided his arm around her waist and she brushed back a few strands of hair that was blocking his face. She lowered her voice. "You can tell me anything."
"I know what you're doing and no."
"Is it about another woman?" Her eyebrow raised.
"God no. I wouldn't even think of it."
She looked into his eyes as if to say "really?"
"I wouldn't think of another woman when I already have one. Peggy you're everything I want why would I think of some other dame?"
"So it's not another woman. Is it a mission or something in your past?"
"Can we just drop this?"
"I recall you saying this was a fragile matter and usually you don't drop something that's fragile. Out with it."
Just then Colonel Phillips walked in.
"Agent Carter come with me please. I need some work done."
"It's over for now. I'll be back."
*
"We think that we can take everyone back to New York."
"To the hidden SSR offices?"
"Precisely."
"Makes sense considering the war is over."
"We are still going to have small groups go out but everyone will be back in offices."
Peggy nodded in agreement.
"Go tell Steve and I'll call a conference for everyone else." She saluted and left.
This was great news. It meant the war was over, officially. Of course there were small groups that needed to be wiped out but it was over. They had won with the help of Peggy and Steve, Bucky, the Howling Commandos. They had won it together. Finally they could go back home and Peggy's relationship with Steve could grow into a family. They would marry in January and live together somewhere in New York. Preferably Brooklyn.
*
"Steve!" Her face was overjoyed.
"What's the news?" He sat up and had a smile on his face as well.
"We can go home!" Peggy sat on the bed next to him.
"Home? Like home, home?"
She nodded and bent down to hug him. When she pulled back she noticed his straight face.
"What could possibly be wrong?"
"Peggy."
"What?"
"Where are we going to go? I assume you want to live together."
"Brooklyn?"
"Sounds perfect but anywhere would be perfect if I'm with you. I'm at home when I'm with you."
Peggy sighed. "Always so dramatic."
*
That night Steve was free to go. The doctor checked his wound which was now a light pink and Steve also caught Peggy staring at his muscles.
"Again Ms. Carter?" He let go of his shirt.
"Oh shut it."
Steve wrapped himself around her and planted a kiss on her lips. It happened so quick that Peggy was still processing what just happened. When she realized her eyelids felt heavy.
"Save it."
"For when?"
"In a few minutes. Or however long it takes for us to get to your dorm."
"Peggy Carter." He his winning smile and shook his head.
"What?"
"It's like you want me all the time."
"Don't act like you haven't been picturing me naked since the ride in the taxi."
"Well, I...uh...that was the longest conversation I've had with a woman that was....um."
"That was what Steve?" She walked slowly up to him and stopped when they were an inch away.
"That was um...you know...." He was hoping that she'd get the hint and drop the subject.
"No I don't know. Please inform me." Her voice was quiet while she looked at his lips and eyes.
"Can we just go to my room?" The urge to itch the back of his neck grew fast.
"As you wish." She stood staring at his lips for a few more seconds. "Captain."
They went to his room.
*