Chapter Text
December 17th, 1950 - Peggy and Steve Carter-Rogers’ Home, Scarsdale, NY
If someone had told Steve a year and a half ago that he’d be hosting a gathering of friends that included - but was not limited to - the Howling Commandos, Bucky, and Howard Stark, he’d have laughed himself out of commission.
If they had told him that he’d be hosting this event with his wife, Peggy Carter, and their daughter, he’d have hit them, subsequently putting that person out of commission.
Now, watching all the Commandos vie for Sarah’s attention - who was currently being held by Bucky, her head resting against his shoulder - Steve knew he never wanted to spend the holidays any other way again.
He had spent the morning learning some new recipes from Jarvis while Ana and Peggy had taken a walk with Sarah. They had returned a few hours later with suspiciously giddy smiles. However, when Steve asked the cause of their good mood, Peggy had remained tightlipped and focused on changing Sarah into one of her new handmade outfits gifted by Ana so that she would “look her absolute best” for the company they had coming over.
Steve had a sneaking suspicion that their walk had turned into Christmas gift shopping, but he also knew better to assume anything when it came to his wife.
“They’re quite a sight, aren’t they?” Peggy asked, coming up to him and wrapping an arm around his waist.
“I’m surprised they haven’t completely smothered her yet,” Steve mused, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
“Considering she has your strength she could probably strike them if they tried any harder,” Peggy joked.
“She’s 22 weeks old,” he countered.
“So? At the rate she’s going she’ll be walking in a couple more months. From there it won’t be long until I can get in some lessons. She’s going to be all set in the self defense department by the time she’s two.”
“That’s not funny.”
“You more than anyone should know that I am always deadly serious when it comes to self defense.”
Steve went to retort, but was distracted by the sight of Bucky reluctantly handing Sarah off to Howard.
“Is that the first time he’s held her?” Steve asked Peggy, his voice slightly concerned.
“It definitely is,” Peggy agreed, her tone far more amused than his. “He looks just as I imagined he’d be.”
“Jarvis and Ana look like they’re ready to catch Sarah if he drops her,” Steve noted.
“So do Michael, Angie and Mel. I don’t blame them, I’ve never seen him look so uncomfortable.”
“Even Steph’s looking uncertain about this.”
“Well it looks like they won’t need us if something goes awry,” Peggy joked.
“With their track record, it’s more likely that this lot will be the cause of something going awry.”
“This early Christmas dinner was your idea,” she reminded him.
“The fellas are only in town for two days before shipping off again,” he defended. “And they’re like stray puppies, you can’t say no.”
“So long as you don’t go adopting any actual strays,” she warned him.
“Not even a cat?”
“Especially not a cat.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” he said cheekily.
“You keep on thinking that,” she said, tilting her head up to look at him.
Steve took the opportunity to brush his lips against Peggy’s, but pulled away when he heard Sarah fussing.
“I don’t think she likes you,” Michael said to Howard as Sarah wriggled in his arms, unable to hide how pleased he sounded.
“She can’t not like me. I’m her favourite uncle,” Howard frowned.
Michael, Bucky, and the rest of the Commandos all protested loudly, the noise further disturbing Sarah. Steve frowned and walked over, taking a now crying Sarah from Howard.
“Shhhh, it’s okay, peanut,” he soothed, rocking her back and forth to no avail.
“She looks like she’s hungry,” Peggy told him when Sarah started sucking on her fingers.
“I think you’re right,” he said. “Here, take her upstairs.”
“Only if you’re quite done showing off our daughter to everyone in sight.”
“I’m not, but I suppose I can take a break,” he winked.
Peggy rolled her eyes fondly and accepted both Sarah and a kiss from him before heading up to the nursery.
“Look at you, you’re like a real dad,” Bucky teased him after Peggy had gone.
“I am a real dad, jerk,” Steve told him, playfully shoving his shoulder.
With Sarah successfully fed and burped, but still bouncing with energy, Peggy carried her back down to the living room.
“She’s going to have your hair,” Michael said when he spotted them.
She smiled and took a seat in the armchair next to him, Sarah’s head resting on her left shoulder. Sarah tried to reach for Peggy’s hair, which had all been strategically swept to her other shoulder.
“I know, but I’d have been happy even if she only took after Steve’s appearance,” Peggy said, wincing slightly when Sarah tugged forcefully on her hair.
“He’s a bit blond for my taste,” Michael told her as she extracted Sarah’s fist from her curls.
“Well then don’t marry him. Besides, I don’t think his wife would like it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a chuckle.
“I’m serious, Michael. You won’t stand a chance against her,” Peggy told him.
“I can definitely take her,” Michael argued.
“You’ve had trouble beating me in wrestling since I turned twelve,” she pointed out.
“Because you fought dirty,” he accused.
“You should see me now, I know all kinds of underhanded ways to get the best of a man or five,” Peggy said conspiratorially.
“Well aren’t you quite the catch?” he teased.
“How do you think I nabbed Steve?”
“I never thought you were meant to take that expression literally.”
“I got tired of waiting,” she shrugged. “Which actually reminds me, I’ve been meaning to speak with you about plans for New Years. Nothing is set in stone, but-”
“I was planning on being home, actually,” Michael interjected quickly.
Peggy frowned.
“Are you sure? Steve and I don’t have any solid plans, but we did want to celebrate this year. Properly. No matter what we decide it’s surely better than spending the evening alone at your flat.”
“No, Peg. By home, I meant Hampstead,” he clarified.
Peggy’s eyes widened in shock and she felt a sharp twinge in her chest. She hardly moved when Sarah grabbed another fistful her hair.
“Please say something,” Michael pleaded when she hadn’t said anything for a few moments.
“Is this going to be permanent?” she asked finally.
“Yes,” he answered.
“When are you leaving?”
“The 27th.”
“Of this month?” she all but exclaimed.
“Yes,” he repeated, more hesitant this time.
“So this is all arranged? You’ve packed all your belongings, you have your ticket and you’re moving across the ocean? When were you planning on telling me?”
“I was waiting for the right time-”
“And now is the right time?” she snapped.
“I know this all seems sudden, but truthfully it’s been a long time coming,” he told her. “I’ve never felt like I’ve belonged here. I’ve never particularly liked America, and I’m still aching for the decade that I lost because of Leviathan. Now that everything has finally calmed down here, I’m ready to go back to the last place that felt like home and forge my own path, just like you’re doing here.”
Peggy shook her head in disbelief and sunk back in the armchair, taking a moment to wrestle Sarah for ownership of her own hair.
“Please don’t be mad, Peg.”
“I’m not mad,” she said quietly. “But you can’t blame me for being sad that I’m losing you all over again.”
“You won’t lose me completely,” Michael promised. “I’m always a letter or telephone call away.”
“It still feels strange, thinking about having you so far away. Especially now that there’s Sarah.”
“Sarah has a million people in this room alone who love her,” Michael told her.
“Many of whom are overseas most of the time,” she pointed out. “Besides, one more uncle never hurt. Especially when he’s the only one who’s actually related to her by blood.”
“You could always come and visit me, and maybe you could even visit mum and dad.”
Peggy snorted.
“Oh yes I’m sure mum and dad would love that.”
“What does that mean?” Michael asked with a frown
“Come on Michael, you were always their favourite.”
“I wouldn’t say always-”
“Don’t be so daft, you were their golden boy. The one who could do no wrong. Michael, when you return, it’ll be like the prodigal son returning, like Christ himself rising from the dead before their eyes.”
“That doesn’t mean they won’t want to see you. Especially after so long,” he insisted.
“Do you want to know what mum said to me after the war?” she said abruptly.
“No, but judging by your tone I could almost guess,” he said, his mouth forming a thin line.
“When I called her and told her I was safe, she immediately asked me when I was coming home. I told her that there was still a lot of work to be done… and I alluded to the fact that I’d been asked to stay on and transfer to New York, and that I wanted to accept the position.”
“And mum didn’t take that well,” Michael guessed knowingly, causing Peggy to scoff.
“The term exploded would be more accurate. She went on and on about how she had entertained my silly fantasy of joining the war for long enough, and now that it was over, it was high time I get my act together and come home to find a respectable husband and settle down. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise and then I finally just snapped. I told her that I wasn’t going home, that my chosen career path wasn’t a silly fantasy and that I had a life of waiting for me in New York.”
“And then?” he prompted.
“She went deadly silent. I almost thought she had hung up. Finally, in a crisp voice, she told me that if I didn’t come home in a month’s time, then it would no longer be my home. Then she hung up.”
“Peg that’s-”
“She never even said that she was glad that I was safe - that I was alive. For years I was out nearly getting killed by Nazis every damn day and she didn’t care. I should have expected it, but I suppose that I had just hoped…” she trailed off.
Peggy had accepted it a long time ago, truthfully. She and her mother were too different, they would never see eye to eye. The only thing they had in common was their love for Michael, and his loss had finished severing whatever was holding them together before.
That didn’t mean that remembering it didn’t add salt in those old wounds.
Michael reached out and put his hand on her knee.
“I’m sorry Peg,” he said softly.
“I do miss it sometimes,” she admitted quietly. “Home. Our garden, and especially the stables. I miss my horse.”
“Everything but mum?”
“Your words,” Peggy joked before taking a deep breath. “Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go back, even for just a few days.”
“You could bring Steve and Sarah,” Michael offered.
“It would be nice to show Steve where I grew up,” she mused.
“It doesn’t have to be right away. You could wait until I’ve already gone and settled back in.”
“Oh I will most definitely wait until you’ve softened her up. Then perhaps between you and Sarah there I’ll stand a chance.”
“Of course you stand a chance,” Michael told her. “You’ll just have to play dirty if you want to win.”
Peggy snorted but smiled at her brother. Steve chose that moment to drop off the cup of chamomile tea that he had prepared for her without being asked. He kissed her temple and took Sarah with him when he went back to the kitchen so that she could enjoy it without having her hair pulled.
As she took a sip, Peggy figured that having America’s Sweetheart by her side when she faced her mother again wouldn’t hurt, either.
“So on a scale of the next ten seconds to the next ten minutes, how long do you think until they wake Sarah up?” Steve asked Peggy quietly as they set up the plates and silverware in the dining room.
“My guess is we have until Dugan finishes his current glass of bourbon,” Peggy joked, causing Steve to chortle.
“I’m surprised she’s still asleep,” he admitted. “It took me forever to get her down because she was so riled up. She’s never been around this many people for such a prolonged period of time, but instead of tiring her out, it was like she was feeding off their energy.”
“Either way, let’s hope this day doesn’t terribly upset her sleeping schedule, because if Sarah doesn’t sleep-”
“Let me guess, you don’t sleep?”
“No, it means you don’t sleep, and I know how important your beauty rest is,” she quipped.
“Ouch,” he said, clutching his chest in mock hurt.
“I know it’s rather unfair that you can’t wake up fresh as a daisy like I do, but as they say: those are the brakes, kid,” she finished in a perfect Brooklyn drawl.
“The expression is them’s the brakes, kid,” he corrected her, unable to suppress a grin.
“18 hours of labour gives me the right to tease you however I wish, my darling,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.
“Oh no,” he said, more dramatically than necessary. “All’s not forgiven just because you bat your eyelashes at me and use a Brooklyn accent, and call me-“
Without warning, Peggy cupped his face, and pulled him down for a kiss. She pulled away shortly thereafter, and raised her eyebrow expectantly.
“All’s forgiven,” he murmured.
“That’s what I thought,” she said triumphantly.
A few snickers caught both their attention, to where a few of the Commandos had gathered at the entrance to the dining room.
“How long have you been waiting for that one, Cap?” Pinky teased.
“You know we’ve kissed before,” Steve said proudly, wrapping an arm around Peggy’s waist as her hands lowered themselves to his shoulders.
“You sure about that?” Jones teased.
“We have a daughter,” he argued.
“That does not require kissing,” Dernier told him.
“We’ve kissed before in front of you,” Steve said. “The most recent example being earlier this afternoon.”
“I don’t remember that,” Dugan told him, scratching the top of his bowler hat-covered head while all the other Commandos present agreed.
“You were at the wedding,” Steve told them. “All of you were at our wedding.”
“You know they’re only teasing you because you make it easy for them,” Peggy told him fondly.
“Shhh,” he chided her.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Don’t ruin it,” he whispered conspiratorially.
“Ruin what?”
“I was riling them up to the point where I’d have to kiss you again to get them to shut up about us not kissing.”
“You really think kissing me again would get them to shut up?” she asked dubiously, raising her eyebrow at him.
“Only one way to know for sure,” he said, leaning down and kissing her soundly.
She smiled against his lips for a brief moment before cupping his face in her hands. Feeling an impulse rush through him, he pressed his free hand to her lower back and dipped her. Peggy let out a muffled noise of surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him.
The Commandos who were privy to the sight all began wolf whistling and cheering, getting increasingly louder each moment that they remained together.
That is, until Sarah began crying, her wails trailing down from the nursery.
Peggy pulled back immediately while Steve set her upright. She then gave them all a stern look, remaining authoritative despite her disheveled hair and slightly smudged lipstick.
“Now look at what you’ve done,” she berated them.
“Steve’s the one who planted one on you,” Bucky told her.
“And he will be appropriately scolded later for being a terrible show off,” Peggy informed him.
Steve felt his cheeks go red when Peggy threw him a heated look before going up the stairs, but his smile never faltered.
Peggy had finally gotten Sarah back to sleep when she heard a single, soft knock at the nursery door. She tensed for a moment, and let out a soft sigh of relief when it didn’t wake up Sarah. She walked over and opened it, finding Mr. Jarvis before her.
“Mr. Jarvis,” she whispered. “What are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to check and see if you required any help,” he whispered, matching her tone.
“That’s very kind, but I’ve got it all covered. Besides, you and Steve made all the food for tonight, which is no small feat with this crowd. Believe me when I say that you’ve done plenty.”
“I’m sure you know that by now I don’t mind in the slightest. After all, Captain Rogers is a faster learner than you are.”
“I’d be more offended if I didn’t know that I was your favourite,” Peggy said indignantly.
“I never said that,” he responded primly.
“But you didn’t deny it,” Peggy noted gleefully.
Jarvis shook his head fondly and smiled.
“Would you like to see Sarah?” Peggy asked him.
“I’d love to,” he admitted.
Peggy opened the door wider and let him in.
“She’s a darling,” Mr. Jarvis murmured when he peered over the crib, where Sarah was laying on her back, still sound asleep.
“Isn’t she just? I know I’m biased when I say it, so I always love it when other people do,” Peggy confided.
“She’s a bit big for her age, isn’t she?” he asked, still looking at Sarah. “Especially considering she was born early.”
“Not by much, on either count,” Peggy said evenly.
“Still, she seems to have rather enthusiastic eating habits.”
“All newborns do. It’s obscene, but I’ve been told it’s what helps them grow,” Peggy joked.
“It’s quite funny actually, I could have sworn that I saw her dragging herself across the floor earlier.”
“I’m sure that wasn’t what it seemed,” she shrugged, her heart rate slowly increasing with each observation Mr. Jarvis noted aloud. “It was most likely the work of Dugan or Morita. I wouldn’t put it past them. They tried to convince me that she’d started walking while I was in the loo earlier.”
Mr. Jarvis turned to look at her sympathetically.
“Miss Carter, you may be an infinitely better spy than I am, but unfortunately that skill hasn’t yet extended to your nearly six month old daughter, unlike other things.”
“Mr. Jarvis-”
“She has inherited a fair amount of Captain Rogers’ genes, hasn’t she?”
Peggy felt her body flare with protectiveness for her daughter. She stiffened and stuck her chin out defiantly, prepared to counter any point he could bring up when Mr. Jarvis spoke again.
“Don’t worry, I shan’t say a word about it to Mr. Stark.”
“What?” Peggy asked, feeling nearly stupefied.
“I’ve had my suspicions that Sarah was developing at an accelerated rate, but I highly doubt that Mr. Stark has done nearly as much reading about children as I have over the last few months. He won’t know a thing about your daughter’s… condition, unless you and Captain Rogers tell him yourselves.”
Peggy’s body sagged slightly in relief.
“Thank you, Mr. Jarvis. You have no idea what this means to me,” she told him
“The safety and wellbeing of my goddaughter trumps all without a question.”
Peggy couldn’t help but grin widely.
“Sarah’s lucky to have you as her godfather.”
“She’s lucky to have you as her mother.”
“I like to think so.”
“Well I know so,” he said proudly. “Between you and Captain Rogers, she’s in quite capable hands.”
Steve inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp winter air. The backyard door opened and closed behind him. Bucky was at his side a moment later.
“You okay?” Bucky asked.
“Yeah. Sometimes I just like to take a step back and think.”
“I thought it was because of the noise. What deal did you have to make to convince Peggy to host this thing with all those lunatics?”
Steve laughed and shook his head.
“What can I say? I’ve perfected my timing,” he shrugged.
“Took you long enough.”
“Believe me, no one is happier about that than I am,” Steve joked.
The door opened once again, grabbing both their attention.
“Hey,” Mel said as she popped her head out. “Jesus Christ, it’s freezing out here.”
“Didn’t notice,” Bucky shrugged.
“We run warm,” Steve said.
“Does Peggy use you as a heater too?” she asked him. “Because this one’s been coming in handy lately.”
“Every chance she gets,” Steve smiled.
“Only lately?” Bucky frowned.
Mel rolled her eyes and stepped out, handing them each a cup of hot cocoa.
“Just drink these up quick,” she told them. “As incredible as Edwin is, these haven’t been genetically enhanced to your same standards.”
“Yes ma’am,” Bucky winked.
“And come back soon,” she directed at Bucky. “Steph’s been bragging about how you’ve learned to braid her hair, but Gabe and Monty said they need to see it to believe it.”
“Of course they do,” Bucky said dryly.
“So I’ll see you soon,” she said in a sing-song voice.
Mel kissed Bucky’s cheek and ducked back inside. Steve watched Bucky as he watched Mel leave with a soft smile.
“So I’m just curious,” Steve said a few moments after the door had closed. “Who’s got you wrapped around their finger more? Mel or Steph?”
“You’re one to talk,” Bucky said, turning back to face him. “You’ve always been one step short of being a sucker when it came to Peggy, and you’ve got it worse for Sarah.”
Steve snorted, but grinned.
“Can you blame me?”
“Before Mel, yes. In fact, I got a kick seeing you stumble over your own damn feet every time Peggy was around back during the war. It was downright pitiable.”
“But?” Steve asked knowingly.
“Now… I might just see the appeal.”
Steve saw the way Bucky’s eyes softened and momentarily shifted to look at the door.
“So things are going well I take it?” Steve asked. “I mean, I’m assuming if she’s using you as a heater and you’re braiding Steph’s hair that means things are going well.”
“Yeah,” he smiled. “Really well.”
“Well enough that there’s a ring on the horizon?”
“I don’t know - I mean, one day, maybe. Between the two of us we have a plane’s worth of baggage, so we’re taking it slow. Not everyone starts living with their girl the second they come back from the dead,” he finished pointedly.
“I don’t think Peggy would’ve let me live anywhere else,” he mused out loud.
Bucky snorted and grinned.
“We still on for next week?” he asked.
“Yeah. Peggy’s really looking forward to it,” Steve confirmed.
“Good, because you’re not getting out of it. There’s less of a chance that ma will throw me out on my ass if you’re there with me.”
“She’s not going to throw you out,” Steve told him.
“You don’t know that.”
“You really think your ma would throw out her only son who she thought was dead for five years?”
“Ma’s wrath knows no reason,” Bucky said fondly. “But you might be right.”
“You could bring Mel along if that makes it easier. Since Peggy and Sarah are coming, she wouldn’t be the only non-Barnes there.”
“Me coming back from the dead will be big enough of an event before Christmas. Bringing home a girl and her sister can wait until New Years. The real question you should be asking is if you’re sure you want to bring Sarah. There’s a good chance Ma might not give her back.”
“Over Peggy’s dead body,” Steve snorted.
“Now that’s something I’d pay to see,” Bucky smirked.
Steve peeked in the window where he could see Peggy currently winning a game of poker she had going with a few of the Commandos, Michael and Howard, all the while never losing focus in her conversation with Angie.
He then remembered the way that Bucky’s ma would talk her way into free groceries nearly every week just to make ends meet with five children, or how she managed to talk a few prospective employers into hiring Steve for the occasional job here and there so he could help his ma make their ends meet.
Both were women that inspired him. They were clever, resourceful, formidable, and would do anything for the people they loved.
“Me too,” he agreed. “Lucky for us, we’re going to get it for free.”
“Peggy?”
“In here, Ana,” she called out, excusing herself from her conversation with Mel before going out into the transitional hallway that connected the living room, kitchen, and dining room. There she met Ana, who was holding Sarah.
Sarah reached out for Peggy the moment that she saw her and babbled.
“There’s my little darling,” Peggy cooed as Ana handed Sarah off to her. “Do you want to thank Ana for taking such good care of you?”
Peggy nuzzled her nose into Sarah’s cheek, and Sarah giggled.
“Oh it’s no trouble. I’ve certainly hogged her long enough,” Ana said fondly.
“You never need to worry about that,” Peggy said. “Sarah absolutely adores you, don’t you, my little darling?”
Sarah yawned loudly and Peggy smiled softly, adjusting Sarah so that she could rest her head on her shoulder.
“Are you excited to get to sleep?” Peggy asked Sarah in a whisper. “You’ve had quite a busy day.”
“You’re very good with her,” Ana told her softly.
“If you had asked me a year ago, I’d have said I didn’t have a maternal bone in my body,” Peggy admitted. “But something changed the second I saw her. She was just so small, and in that moment I knew I’d do anything for her.”
“Your maternal instincts were always there,” Ana reassured her. “They just finally made themselves known.”
“Now I just have to not screw it up for the rest of her life.”
“I think you’ll do just fine,” Ana said.
“Here’s hoping,” Peggy joked.
Ana gave Peggy a reassuring wink and returned to the living room. Peggy took a few moments for herself and looked down at Sarah who was already nodding off against her shoulder.
“Hey you.”
Peggy heard Steve’s voice right before she felt him wrap his arms around her from behind. When she leaned back into him, he kissed the top of Sarah’s head.
“Everything okay?” he murmured.
“Yes. I need to take Sarah to the nursery so she can sleep in her crib, but I couldn’t find it in myself to leave just yet.”
Steve pressed a kiss to Peggy’s temple before resting his chin on her head.
“It’s pretty great, huh?” he asked her in a low voice.
Peggy looked around her house, finding that Dugan and Morita were fielding questions from Steph and Angie about their adventures during the war. Michael was chatting with Ana about her and Mr. Jarvis’ plans for their Christmas vacation. Bucky had his arm wrapped around Mel as they sat on the couch, talking to Pinky and Falsworth about how he was planning on reconnecting with his family later this week. Jones and Dernier were chatting with Mr. Jarvis in French about how he had met Ana.
A great warmth washed over Peggy as she took in the scene before her. She looked down at Sarah, who was now sleeping soundly against her shoulder. Finally, she looked up at Steve, who was looking at her with stars in his eyes.
“With you here? It’s all practically perfect, my darling.”