10714/101 Years

101 Years
Date of Scene:	09 April 2022
Location:	Carter-Sousa Home - Long Island
Synopsis:	May comes over for a low-key packing and birthday celebration with Peggy.
Cast of Characters:	Melinda May, Peggy Carter

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Melinda May has posed:
Melinda looks at the spine of the old book in her hand, a dark brow arched faintly as she glances over to Peggy. A faint smile touches her lips, amused as she holds it up for her friend to see, head canted quizzically for just a moment. Beside her is a half-full box of books. She's been steadily working her way through the shelf. For the most part, she's not really paid much attention to the titles. But this one fell, and when she picked it up, it made her pause.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Hmm? Oh. That... yeah, that can go." Peggy has said that to literally every book May has asked her about. Half the reason that she's asked May to come help her finish packing is because she's getting sentimental about *everything* and there simply isn't reason for them to move all the things to the new house. They were still keeping this one. They'd still use it, fairly often. They needed creature comforts here.

But Peggy is deep into this pregnancy, almost halfway through and pleasantly round for it, and it means her emotions are ruling the day in a way she normally wouldn't allow. She shifts forward in her chair, pushing herself up and out to go reach for another box meant to be transported.

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda chuckles softly and lays it in the box with the others. She then grabs a slightly larger armful to place alongside it and deposits them two or three at a time into the box. "When you pass through the kitchen," she says lightly, "how about putting the kettle on?" They've been at this long enough now that a cuppa wouldn't go amiss. "When are you expecting to formally move into Winchester, anyway?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Tea sounds good. I feel like my eyes are going cross. I know we... we really don't need to move any of these, but the new house looks so *bare*." Peggy sighs, looking back at the study, "God, if I could just pick up this whole house and move it, I would." She knows it's the right choice, the commute is insanity, but she's still that sentimental.

She tries to shake it off and walks achingly through to the kitchen, trying to shake the stiffness out of her joints. She's not too far, this house small respectively to most family homes built now. She calls back down the hall. "We could move in now. The bed was delivered this week. But the goal is before the last trimester when I really don't want to be moving boxes and things..." A time that is rapidly coming.

Melinda May has posed:
"They do have house movers, you know," Melinda says, laying the last of the books on this particular shelf into her box. "Guys that move whole houses, not a truck of boxes." She's teasing as she says it. The last thing anyone wants to do is rip out a war-era bungalow and drag it halfway across the state.

Once she's satisfied the books will be fine, she wipes her hands off on her jeans and wanders down the hall to join her friend. "But, I get it. If you don't move things from here to there, you'll never have anything in the new place but IKEA flatpacks and unintentional flotsam picked up because you need it rather than because you want it." In other words, it'll look like every safehouse everywhere.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Now that the kettle is on, Peggy walks back to the mouth of the room. She leans against the door frame, her arms folded across her chest, forearms resting across her belly. "Yes. Rather exactly. And that house... It needs to be a home. It *will* be our home. It will be this baby's only home she or he ever knows. We're *doing* this so there is a home to go to every night, not just on the weekends. That it'll be easier to take care of the baby and SHIELD. It makes sense. I just... I don't know. Part of me feels like I'm abandoning... History. A part of my family."

Melinda May has posed:
"Peggy," Melinda says dryly, moving to pull out one of the kitchen chairs, "You're over a century old. Today, in fact." Don't think she's forgotten. "You *are* history. And present. And future, for that matter -- however long that may be." She looks around for a moment, at the faintly refreshed 50's motif. "But you've stayed back in the war for so long... I think this fresh start will be good for you."

She chuckles softly. "Besides. You're not *abandoning* this house. It's a vacation home, now, right? Maybe it's not a cottage in the Hamptons, but it'll always be here for you." So says the woman who has almost nothing in her current apartment from before the erstwhile fall of SHIELD. Who still maintains a safehouse as her new home.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A more gentle smile pulls across Peggy's features as Melinda gives her the small lecture that she likely needs to hear about the house. She dips her head slowly, a few soft curls falling across her shoulder as she watches her friend with the last few books. "It will be good. And yes, we'll still use this house plenty. It's a part of us. But...thank you. You do manage to always talk sense into me, when Daniel's too scared to do so. I think he's waiting for me to break out in tears or something. And...I probably will, but it's just hormones. It's nothing." She chuffs out a dismissal.

Melinda May has posed:
Yeah, it's time for a break. Melinda is perfectly happy to help Peggy pack, but she'll wait out the tea, now. "You likely will," she agrees. "Just don't call it nothing. Remember, I feel what you feel." Which means she knows the turmoil going on and the fact that, really, Peg *is* stuck back in the war in many ways -- her fashion alone proves that. But since Melinda has no room to talk, she's wise enough to hold her tongue.

She slides a small jump drive out of her pocket as she sits, lays it on the table, and pushes it across toward Peggy. "I brought this for you."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy's emotions are genuinely more even these days. She's excited for the baby. Tired, getting heavier by the day, feeling daunted by the move, but quite excited. She is ready for the fresh start. She misses the field, but she's settled in well to Chief life. Her people like her, she inspires young agents, organizes them well, and is over all quite respected. It's been a good few months, if a time of change. Being near her is probably like a warm comfortable blanket with the occasional moments of static electricity just to keep you awake.

Peggy blinks down to the drive, her hand out. Her head tilts to the side. "And...what is this?" She asks curiously. She then nods for May to follow her into the kitchen. She can grab her laptop and plug it in there on the counter, as they wait for tea.

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda's emotions are anything but even. Well. That's not entirely true. On some level, they're quite even. Unfortunately, that 'even' qualifies as 'angry beyond words'. So, yes. She does appreciate the calm Peggy provides. It's something she can steal from to turn down the volume. And that's helpful.

"Just open it," she says. "Call it a birthday gift." And, indeed, when she does open the drive, it contains maybe a dozen music files. The titles read like something out of the Real Jazz Fake Book -- standards from the 30's, 40's, and 50's. And when they're played... they're all piano interpretation with drums and a cello added to fill it out. No voice. Just the music.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy has adapted to this era fairly well, computer wise, at least. They've got several machines around the house and it's easy to pull a laptop into the kitchen and pop the drive in. Peggy smiles a bit wider as she sees the names and starts putting on some of the music. "Oh... This is lovely. I... certainly know all these songs, but the cello is *lovely*." THe thoughtfulness of the gift warms her, the appreciation coming off of her in waves, especially as she stands to lean over and steal May into hug while the soft music plays in the background.

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda returns the hug. "I'll let Lin know," she says. Lin is one of the waitresses at Quon's who is working her way through music school. They've chatted with her occasionally when they've had one of their Friday night girls-nights.

What she *doesn't* say is just who the other musicians are. She doesn't really feel the need. She smiles, though, as Peggy seems to enjoy it. Mission accomplished. She's clearly pleased.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The comment about Lin gets a somewhat more surprised look. Peggy's brows arch, head tilted, as she gazes in Melinda's direction. "I take it that's Lin on the recordings, then? SHe's incredibly talented... and who else is playing with her?" Yes, Peggy can recognize when some important information is being left out. Just her lifetime as a spy, most likely, and her forever curiosity.

Melinda May has posed:
"Lin's boyfriend, Eric, plays the drums," Melinda says, sitting back down in her chair. "I played the piano." She gives a self-deprecating shrug. "The stereotype of Asian parents was alive and well even fifty years ago." Who knew she had that talent? Andrew... Maybe Phil. But that's probably about it.

Though, were Peggy to stop and think about it, Lily played. Not often, but she could play and play well.

Peggy Carter has posed:
That's when it hits Peggy, the piano on this recording is Melinda. There's a flush of warm, pleased, proud and joyful emotions after that realization. She's utterly surprised, but in the best of way. "OH! Melinda... I forgot you played, that's... That's right." Or, well, she knew Lily played. Which meant some part of her knew that Melinda did. "You're *excellent*. Goodness... you all are. This is going to turn into the baby's favorite music, you know? I'll end up playing it every night." Peggy hugs her tighter for another heartbeat, but then the kettle is staring to go off and she has to pull away to get it off the heat. But she's still riding the high of a most excellent birthday gift.

Melinda May has posed:
"I'm rusty as hell," Melinda replies. "But I did practice." She had time, when she was off early on because of the whole Red Room Serum thing... A borrowed yamaha and earphones saved the neighbours from complaining.

Still, she's pleased Peggy likes it. A small smile remains on her lips, cutting through the frustration and anger that has almost become whitenoise for her now. "Have you found out its sex, yet?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
A gentle shake comes to Peggy's head, "No, not yet. I know we should. I think Daniel wants to, but...He's *so* certain she's a girl. Entirely certain. And if she's not, I... I don't know, I don't want to disappoint him? I know that sounds silly." Peggy admits with a little, almost embarrassed sort of laugh, as she moves to pour them both some tea over the strainer full of green tea leaves. She'll give herself that much caffeine. She couldn't operate otherwise.

"And that's not the sound of rusty. That is the sound of someone making a lovely birthday gift for their best friend... it's beautiful."

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda nods her thanks -- both for the tea and the compliment. She leans back in her chair now, fingers coming to rest on the handle of the mug when it finally arrives in front of her. "I've got some intel on some weird traffic," she notes, bringing up work briefly. "Skinheads working with Triad to transport some sort of weapon or weapons-related technology." Like Skinheads have ever been friendly with the visible minorities -- in crime or in business? So, yes. It reads as suspect. "I'm going to take Underwood with me to check it out."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Now settling down with the tea, Peggy leans back in her chair and gives a faint groan, kicking her feet up on the chair next to Melinda. It's been a long day. Her ankles are swollen and showing it, to be expected when she was stubborn about moving as many boxes and books as Melinda did. Peggy is not good at taking it easy with the baby. She never has been and probably never will be. But now, she takes the chance to rest a bit more.

"That's... an interesting pair. Not you and Underwood. That's good. But Skinheads and Triad? Strange. I'm glad you're taking her. She needs to get out more. I'd go with you all but I can hear the fits everyone would throw from here..."

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda shakes her head. "No. You can QB, if you want, but you're not coming in the field on this one. There are too many unknowns." She snirks softly. "Between her Iowa country good looks and my own heritage, we should blend in well enough." Sad, but true. And they both know Dottie can pass as pretty much anyone she wants, if she's of a mind to.

"There's a delivery scheduled down in Red Hook next week. I'm going to take her, keep a STRIKE squad on standby, and see what's going on."

Peggy Carter has posed:
There's a nod of approval from Peggy, "If you need more back up, I'd be happy to play comms, but I'm fairly certain you've got it covered. As usual, keep me in the loop. I'll read the report as soon as it's on my desk. If you need any other resources, you need but ask, but STRIKE is yours. I think you can get things from the armory faster than I can, these days." Peggy admits with a hint of a wry smile.

Melinda May has posed:
"I think we'll be fine," Melinda replies. If Peggy wants to be on comms, she can be. But Melinda's sure the Chief has too many other things pulling at her attention. "But, yeah. I'll keep you posted." That's all that really matters.

She switches gears again. "So. Did Daniel get you a birthday pie, yet?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Not yet. I suspect he'll be picking it up on his way home. He took a European assignment last night and isn't quite back yet. I told him to go. I know he's dying to get out in the field. He misses it. So... we'll see. Maybe he'll bring me dessert back from Paris.. Or he's snuck into some other house to bake something that is a surprise. I never quite know with him." But the smile on her lips says she is delighted by the surprise, not annoyed. She's glad he's gotten into the field.

And then there is another flutter of surprise from Peggy. She's still getting used to those quickening movements, it's been so many years since she did this. At first, she thought something was wrong. But now, she simply sets down her tea and lets her hand press gingerly against her side. "Seems we're both in the mood for something sweet."

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda chuckles. "Maybe he's christening the oven in the new place." It'd make sense, from a certain point of view. Her eyes stray to Peggy's pressing hand. She smiles softly and picks up her tea, taking a long sip of the almost-too-hot liquid. The bleed from Peggy's emotions softens the pang that might otherwise bring.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring anything. I figured someone else would have it covered." Daniel. Or even Lily -- who has the advantage of timeslipping back to Rose for a custom baked red velvet cake.

Maybe she left cupcakes. Melinda wouldn't put it past her.

Peggy Carter has posed:
There's a gentle wave of her hand, pulling up off her stomach again, before she reaches for her tea once more. "No, no... Don't be sorry at all. Daniel will bring home something, and if I have sweets in the house, that is *all* I'm going to eat for days. I'm in that stage of things. All I want is chocolates and biscuits and pie. So, I'll wait for Daniel. But... you needn't stay. I know it's a long ride back to the city. I don't want to keep you the entire day... Finish your tea and go do something fun that isn't keeping old me company."

Melinda May has posed:
Melinda snirks. "You seem to think I have better things to do..." she deadpans. Really, what does Melinda have to do? Work. Plot the demise of Dreykov. Work some more... Yeah. She's short on social life, for sure.

Definitely a lifetime SHIELD agent, her.

She takes a swallow of her tea. "But if you want the house to yourself that badly, I'll go." There's actually a hint of teasing in her eye as she says it. She's not guilting her. Merely giving her a hard time. So, she drains her cup and rises. "Just promise me you'll leave off the boxes for the rest of the night. *You* should get to do something fun, too."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"No, no... I just feel like I am awful boring company nowadays. But I enjoy your company, very much so, and will happily keep you here as long as you can stay. But... let's say we take the tea and music into the other room? We can at least finish up there, then maybe put on a bit of a movie until Daniel gets home." With that, Peggy's done taking her break. Back to work, with better music and the best sort of company. Daniel will come home to all the librbary books moving being packed up and ready to go. In a week or two, they'd be permanently in Westchester.