2673/A Furious Reunion

A Furious Reunion
Date of Scene:	29 July 2020
Location:	Ready Room: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Peggy gets called in to handle one of Fury's more troublesome contacts -- Wolverine. It turns out, it's trouble she knows how to handle.
Cast of Characters:	Peggy Carter, Logan Howlett

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Peggy Carter has posed:
It was a bit abrupt a change of orders, but after her meeting this afternoon about commanding more field missions she's not totally surprised. Peggy just didn't expect to be given a NEW asset when she hasn't yet organized their current ones. But he was there and *demanding*, apparently, and Fury was no where to be seen. So, whipping through the operations center, she picks up the offered data pad with the code name WOLVERINE on it and has begun her slow scrooling, but she's still getting used to this flat computer technology and the photo is a little hard to see in the glare of operations lights while she's walking. She pretty much skips it to scan across the service. From Canada. Mutant powers. She's getting about every third word and her nose is buried in the datapad as she steps into the ready room to the chaos that is a pissed off Wolverine.

Peggy looks absolutely no different than she did during VE day. Younger than those last few years, especially the few months where age, degrading genetics, and other issues were rapidly catching up with her. She's in a suit that is a bit more modern cut, slacks instead of her pencil skirts, but she still leans to those wide legs so popular in the 1940s and a gray plaid pattern with a double breasted jacket. It's an outfit that manages to hug all her curves and still be business professional to command a whole squad of SHIELD problem children. "No, I know I'm not Nick Fury..." She begins as she looks up from the pad.

Logan Howlett has posed:
There are few bold enough and perhaps stupid enough to march their way up to the Triskelion and demand to see Nick Fury. Logan is wearing the suit and is easily identified as Wolverine. Not just by appearances but also by his temperament. In truth, the only reasons that Logan isn't bagged and tagged is that Wolverine has proven himself useful at least a couple of times. There's also some institutional guilt that a rogue agent of SHIELD is responsible for much of Logan's recent torment, and maybe a few people were fans of Alpha Flight.

End result, Logan is waiting in the briefing room when Peggy arrives. His back towards her, he growls lowly in irritation. "I said I wanted to talk to F-." He's abruptly cut-off. He sniffs the air. He sniffs again. He tilts his head, "Peggy Carter?"

He turns to face her. He reaches up and pulls back his mask. "This isn't possible..." Well, of course, it is, but its a bit of a shock.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"... but he's not on this continent and you're in no position... to..." Peggy continues on her lecturing rant, the voice a familiar one, it's the 'angry and disappointed putting rogue agents or soldiers in their place before they can talk back' lecturing tone and she has PERFECTED it over the years. Except, she never thought she'd use that tone on the face across the large table from her ever again. She also never thought she'd see him in a suit. She stares at him in blink shock, almost dropping the datapad but it clatters to the table top instead of the floor.

"... Logan?" She breathes out, no more anger or lecture in her tone. Aching, blatant, complete disbelief is the best description of her clipped, breathless muttering of his name. But she's certainly herself. She smells like it, at least. The same vanilla soap and faint rose oil perfume. Perfect vintage curls and red lip stick. If they've cloned her, they got it right now to the way she breathes and the narrowing of her dark eyes as she studies him. "...I'd... say the same to you but... this world knows how to work miracles, so I am... miraculously, still breathing."

Logan Howlett has posed:
The next moment is awkward. Logan recognizes her for certain, but seeing her in the flesh triggers all sorts of recall. Vague memories start to stitch together.  His brow knits together, "But you were older... and I.. V.E. Day. I.."

He looks deeply confused. He stares then murmurs, "I.. thought you were dead. I'm.. so sorry, Peggy. It's a long story, startin' back in nineteen eighty-five. I lost a lot... I.."

The chair at the table is pulled out, and he plops himself down into it, holding his head in his hands. "I meant to be there."

Peggy Carter has posed:
When he sinks like that, as if his strings were cut, Peggy just steps forward quickly and skirts around the table so she can come to the same side as him. She shakes her head almost violently fast, shifting down into a chair straight across from him. Her fingertips, red nails still somehow perfect, hover a few inches from his hands but part of her is scared to touch him. Would he cry? Scream? Or... would he disappear like some sick illusion because maybe she was still dreaming? So, her fingers hover there, her perfume heavier on the air than ever.

"Howlett, look at me. You are not the sort to fall apart and I was, for all intents and purposes, quite dead until a few months ago. Or, I might as well have been. But...I... Goodness, I thought you were too. When you didn't show up..." Her lips press tight for a moment, those memories of those last sick days not having been something she's thought of for ages. "... I wanted to go looking, but I was so...sick. I could barely leave the office."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan takes a deep shuddering breath and growls. He gazes up at the ceiling and slams his fist into the metal table. With the weight of adamantium bound in his fingers, he leaves a terrifying dent. He exhales slowly and then levels his blue gaze on Peggy. It's clear, he's not angry at her. His anger is reserved for the ghosts of his past.

"It's.. really great to see you again, Peggy." He reaches across the table and rests a gloved hand on top of hers. "I'm sorry I wasn't there... when you needed your friend the most. I.. uh.. it wasn't possible. God, Peggy, they took so much from me. I've only just gotten some of it back. Its... a real long story."

He pats her hand and then sits up, folding his forearms on the table. He probably looks just a little ridiculous. Dressed up as a bonafide super-hero instead of the soldier she always knew. "Sounds like you've... got a bit of a long story too."

He laughs abruptly, "Well shit. It's been two minutes, and you've already taken the fire outta me. Noone's dressed me down like that since the war, or at least didn't get a broken jaw for tryin'."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The growling, that anguished, horrible sound, it's something she's only heard from him once before. When someone they worked with for almost two decades died. It was a mess and neither of their faults but the blood was still on their hands in a way. It had been a horrible day. And now he's wrapped up in it again, in a pain she cannot share but just witness from his body which seems to have aged decades even if his appearance doesn't show it at all. She does not shy away or wince in fear. If anything, she moves about an inch closer. His anger never scared her, even when it should.

The dent is given a bit of a frown. She doesn't remember him being *that* strong, especially not to end up with a broken hand, but maybe his file has changed. Her brown eyes snap back to his, practicing quiet patience while the big man sorts through whatever storm of emotions is drowning him.

"It's good to see you too... Damn good." She studderns out, her voice a bit numb, honest, but empty of emotion while she tries to process a thousand things and piece together even a small piece of the pain he's feeling. "It's...it's okay. I don't remember most of it. 35 years... just... frozen. Gone. I'm alright. But you..." How does she even ask about what the hell tortured him like that?

Finally, she does something that might not be wise, but she doesn't care. She reaches over and wraps smaller arms around his thick shoulders, tugging him in close for a tight, buried hug for a long moment. It wasn't the same as that first VE day one, but it was close. "...that was their mistake, they always try to fight back, when I know you just need to...scream through it and hit something then we can talk some sanity. But you always exhausted yourself first." Peggy mutters, a hint of a crackle behind her voice.

Logan Howlett has posed:
He allows the hug. It's a welcome thing. Few are brave enough to give it to him when he really needs it. He grunts and shrugs, "You always knew how to make the best out of a bad situation."

He takes a deep breath and sits with her in silence for a few heart beats. "Frozen, huh? That explains a lot. I.. uh.. lost about twenty-five years myself. Abducted, brain washed.. and when that didn't take..." His body tenses, he grits his teeth. "Weapon-X.. I'm sure you have a file, Peggy. Probably better for you to read it then me... try to tell it."

"Long story short, they got me, Peggy. It wasn't Hydra, but.. it might as well been. Scientists who didn't care what they did and to who, just as long as it got results." He grunts and rotates his neck until it pops. "Things are better now though. I've got people. You... uh.. glad to be thawed? I'm sure Cap will flip his lid."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy is too British to ever really let her temper show until those few times it just explodes. Like the time she shot Captain's shield, or put more than a few SSR men in their place. And now, the flash of anger in her eyes at the thought of him being made into a medical experiment? It's fast and close to the surface, all of her body tensing for just a heartbeat as she swallows down the temptation to go get that file and start hunting. She swallows it back with a too cool, achingly British, tight smile. "...It looks like... I have... some names to add to a list for... Clean up, then. If you haven't already, that is." Yes, she will go hunting for him. They did it once together. Some things don't change.

He was asking her questions. Polite questions, old friends catching up through shock and anger. Her mind still isn't quite caught up to small talk, but she's trying to process it all and the ice behind her smile melts just a little. "Ah... yes. I think. Yes... it's a... strange miracle, over all. Also a very long... story. Steve came from... the very beginning. It's been ... very good to see him again. And Bucky." A bittersweetness crosses her eyes as she looks back up to him, "...made me miss you, actually. Thinking about all the old times."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Gotten some of 'em. Always keepin' my nose to the ground to sniff out more. Give them a dose of what they did to me. That's the thing about turnin' people into weapons. Sometimes those weapons turn on their handlers." He nods grimly then forces a smile, "Ah, we should all get together for poker or somethin'. Talk about the Howlin' Commandos. Maybe help you connect some of the dots you still need connectin'."

He grins, "Glad you've still got those hunter's instincts. Been awhile since I've seen -that- look in your eye." He grunts and nods, "Well, my opinion of SHIELD just went... way up. I.. uh.." He rubs the back of his head, "Well, I'm a known Mutant now, Peggy. Bet you know what that means...  It's a rough time for us."

Peggy Carter has posed:
And there's a buzz. On her watch. Which is also a phone. Which is also a tracker. And a bunch of other things. She's about to say something more, but it's buzzing incessantly, and it's the higher ups. Peggy sighs, looking between the watch and back at him. "I've been reading. And... SHIELD's need of me to be in two places at once, it seems, has not stopped. Even though I'm no longer director. We should... yes. Catch up. Poker, whiskey... Something that isn't sitting here in formal business suits acting like we aren't both regularly ready to quietly strangle Nick Fury."

She gives him one more smile, and dares a last squeeze at his shoulder. "Get me the reports. Get me everything. And whatever you needed Fury for... blast it. Send it to me. I'll take over as your... handler again. It's a job I'm more than qualified for." But her watch goes off. Again. "But... not today. Drinks. Soon. Don't you dare leave the city before we do, or I'll hunt you down. You know I will." And with that, she's grabbing the data pad again and dashing for the door. Never a dull day at shield. She pauses one last time in the sliding glass, looking back at him, s softer smile on his lips. No, he was still there and very real. Life was strange.