The press eats it up. Captain America and his beautiful British wife, smiling for the cameras and never giving their real names. “Now our countries can really be allies, huh Cap?” one reporter calls out, and Steve laughs.
*
“Rogers!” Howard calls from the front of the plane, and both Peggy and Steve turn to look at him. “Err…Peggy. Got some enemy fire coming up.”
“Looks like this is my stop, then,” Steve says, smiling at Peggy like some silly uniform and a stolen helmet are going to protect him from anything.
“Hurry back, won’t you?” It’s incredible, really, how her voice doesn’t waver. “Can’t have you missing super.”
Steve gives her a chaste kiss before hurtling himself out of the plane. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, dear!”
*
“Well,” Bucky says, “I guess if you had to get married without my permission, I’m glad it was her.”
*
The Howling Commandos have taken to calling Steve “Captain Carter.” Steve doesn’t mind in the slightest.
*
“Steve,” she says, voice shaky. “Please don’t do this.”
“I have to, Peggy,” he replies, and thinks of the kiss they just shared (their last kiss), how brief it was, compared to all the others. “You know I do.”
“There has to be another way—”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Steve, but please, please don’t do this.”
“Hey, it’s-it’s okay. We can go dancing tomorrow night? At that club back in London, where our first date was. How ‘bout it, you free?”
“Of course. Steve—”
“What time?”
“Eight o’clock, on the dot. Don’t be late like you were then.” A noise makes its way out of Peggy’s throat, and maybe it’s a laugh or maybe it’s a sob but that doesn’t matter.
Because Steve is saying “Hope I don’t step on your toes—” and then he’s gone. He’s gone.
*
After the war, she goes back to her maiden name. “Agent Carter” sounds better, and doesn’t hurt nearly as much.
*
One of the first things she says after Steve comes back is “Oh heavens, I’m a bigamist.”
Steve laughs, grinning at her like she’s not old and wrinkled and damn tired. “I think the country’ll forgive you, Peggy.”
My heart.