5786/1951: The Real Dangers of Field Work

1951: The Real Dangers of Field Work
Date of Scene:	29 March 2021
Location:	The Brooklyn Shipyards, NYC, 1951
Synopsis:	A routine stake out mission goes tragically wrong for Daniel and Peggy. They lose something more important to them than SHIELD, the house, or the world.
Cast of Characters:	Daniel Sousa, Peggy Carter

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Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel had delivered on the bifanas, the marinated pork sandwiches plus a thermos of tea for Peggy and a thermos of coffee for Daniel made their stakeout at the docks almost nice, except for the paranoia and watching out for their ship with the mystery cargo.

Daniel lowers the binoculars, after checking out a new arrival, "That might be our ship," he says, handing them over to Peggy. "What do you think?"
While she looks he wolfs down his sandwich and takes a quick swallow of coffee as a chaser, clearly he thinks this being their ship was all too likely.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Granted, they had breakfast not all that long ago, but Peggy's half starving again and happily double time eating the sandwich because she sure as hell wasn't going to let it go stale in the car while they chased down some smuggling assholes. She's got a full mouth as her dark eyes flicker out and over the docks, staring at the ship starting to pull in. "...mmmneea... I mean..." SHe finally swallows, "MN-8048, looks like the right registry code," She then looks back down to the file she pulled for earlier, confirming what she remembers. "That's it. If we're lucky, we can get aboard before they really start off loading anything. Just need to find somewhere that isn't the main dock. Come on."

She finishes the last bite of her bifana, swallowing it back with a good gulp of tea. She'll finish the rest on the way home. Then, double checking that she's got her guns, knife, and small wireless radio all on her hip beneath her jacket, she swings quietly out of the car and heads for the nearest shadow. They'll try to stay stealthy as long as they can.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel runs through a similar check, gun, knife, radio, cane. He really needs to give in and let Howard combine the knife and cane parts of that checklist, but all the same he's popping out of the car nice and quick following Peggy into the shadows, back pressed flat against the wall. "Looks like they're all busy up front, let's check around the stern see if there's a way on board," he ventures with a glance at the ship. The good news was their marks seemed to be in a hurry, which meant less care and security, the bad was it also meant they had to hurry if they wanted to get a good look at what's going on.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"They moving a little too fast to your eyes? Because I see a rush job..." Which means Peggy's sharing his thought about they had to hurry themselves. The last thing Peggy makes certain she has is a little pen camera, an invention of Howard's that has quickly become one of her favourite tools. She can get full evidence of what is on board without ever drawing notice to someone taking pictures. "Let's go. Love you."

She does pause, just a few seconds, to pull him into a kiss in the shadows. Not a lingering one, but the sort of kiss that had become common between them. Any time they are going out on a mission, together or solo, that's the good bye kiss. The 'incase you don't come back' kiss. She wasn't going to forget it.

Then she's starting creeping down to the far docks, no other planks fallen to give them direct access to the ship, but there are ropes all around. She grabs at one, pulling it taunt from the docks and trying to test if it might be solid enough to do a quick swing over on.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Definitely a rush job," Daniel agrees. "Let's see if we can take advantage of it," he says before he returns that kiss, brief but full of feeling after all it was meant to be their last if something goes truly wrong. "Love you too," he tells her, before following her down to the docks, he smiles as she tugs on the rope understanding what she's planning and waits to see if it passes muster before grabbing one of his own. They were sturdy, should easily hold the weight of both of them let alone one. "Alright Tarzan, you lead the way," he says, clutching his cane to his rope to keep things all together.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"We're mad, you know that." Peggy whispers quietly, looking at the whole situation. But then she's tugging the rope once more and taking a few steps back before she takes a running leap off the pier and up to just catch at the edge of the ship. She makes it. Barely. A scramble of boots and legs and she manages to swing herself over onto the ship's deck, dropping down low immediately into a crouched position in hopes that if anyone heard the noise they won't be able to see her looking over now. And an indication to Daniel to follow suit.

On board, she remains low, pressed against the ship's wall nearest her as she starts wrapping around towards the closest door in hopes they can get into a hold without being seen. She's moving slower now, a bit worried that maybe she drew attention with the jump. It's just an uncomfortable feeling in her gut.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Sort of getting that impression," Daniel says with a grin, clearly enjoying this on some level. "I won't tell Phillips if you don't," he says, he was sure the General would have a few things to say about them taking on missions in the field, reporting to Peggy now or not!

Daniel joins her in the leap, his legs, both real and otherwise kick as he does, and he lands heavily on the far side not able to make anything like a graceful landing but he's able to roll to reduce the impact and is soon enough on his feet.

Standing he draws his weapon and looks around, getting that feeling at the back of his neck that something was wrong, one he sees Peggy shares by her own reactions, still they were committed now, so he presses on, opening the door when they reach it, taking a quick look inside. "Seems clear, stairs down the hall to the right," he whispers.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Got it. Off we go. I've got the camera, keep eyes out for any intruders." Peggy mutters to him, and she's moving quickly as she can while still being stealthy. After all these years, she knows how to operate in near silence, but her center of gravity is slightly thrown off now and she's smarting from the jump to the ship, so she might not be quite as perfectly a shadow as she normally is.

Inside, the cargo hold has already been opened from over head and there's a small crane beginning to swing over head, preparing to reach out cargo containers as quickly as possible. This place really was moving fast. The people present all seem mainly up front, managing the containers going out right now, but the place is active. She curses beneath her breath, trying to move to one of the back containers. "We have to get this open. They are moving too fast for the manifest to be real."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Even with his leg Daniel can move stealthily when he chooses to, apparently he he didn't lose his skills as a leader of army scouts along with his leg in the Russian snows.

When they reach the hold he glances around, nodding to a group of men talking and giving directions as they enter the hold, good fodder for the camera pen, then he's moving back with Peggy to check out the crate grabbing a crowbar left on another crate as he does.

"I got it," he says putting his cane aside and getting to work with the crowbar.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A sharp, immediate nod comes from her as he says he's got the crowbar. She'll let him be the muscle on this. She just steps back a bit farther so she can get a good picture of everything that's in the cargo crate the moment he gets the lid up. "We'll get a few open and get out of here. Depending on what it is, we can let SHIELD or the cops handle it." Peggy whispers sotto voco to him, but that creeping feeling is still there behind her shoulders. She's used to being outnumbered. She's not used to being *this* outnumbered.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel's too focused on the crate to feel much of anything, though he does take care to open the thing as quietly as he can, slowly, one by one, the nails pop out and with a creak the crate is opened. Gently dragging the lid aside, he peeks inside, "We're definitely going to need photos for Howard," whatever was in this box was high-tech, all metal, gears, and wires. "Reminds me of the crate we found at that Leviathan warehouse," he remarks leaning close to whisper to her.

Peggy Carter has posed:
And deep down below, in packing peanuts and dust, there is something very faintly glowing. Blue. Another color that they've associated with HYDRA's power before. Peggy's eyes widen to see it, snapping several photos with her pen, two up close and then two of the whole case. She's about to get the outside of the container when, almost too abruptly, there is someone behind her.

Meaty arms wrap violently across her frame, dragging her back between other containers as a voice yells in Russian. <<Boss, intruders!>> And then there are several sets of boots pounding in their diretion. Peggy yelps in surprise, forcing the pen into a pocket and trying to reach for her gun but she's quite firmly held right now. And she can feel something against her side. Knife? Gun? She can't tell.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
That blue glow definitely catches Daniel's eye, he hurried pushes away packing peanuts and sawdust until... Peggy is dragged back and the man that does it says something in Russian simple enough for Daniel to understand. Damn it, so much for stealth, seeing the glint of something held against Peggy's side as she reaches for her weapon.

Daniel hurls the crowbar at the man's head to buy time for Peggy and him to draw their weapons.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The hurling of the crowbar helps. It distracts him enough that the hold on her arms is released to the point that she can turn out of it. A cry of pain escapes her lips, whatever was at her side has tried to do its job. However, it's not a gunshot, none of that loud echoing sound that comes, so that's a good sign. If they aren't heavily armed, that's a better chance at both of them getting out of there.

Peggy abruptly jerks around, grabbing his wrist and twisting it in a hard arm lock. A bloodied knife falls to the ground, but she's still got fight in her. She uses the leverage against him to slam the man's upper body twice into a cargo container, trusting Daniel to hopefully take out one or two more. But she needs a moment to recover, pull her gun, and get proper fight back in her.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel blood turns to ice when he sees that bloody knife, he was too slow. His pistol raises and he cracks the man on the head hard after Peggy slams him against the wall bofore he turns as more men come at them. Thankfully not so heavily armed, just workers with crowbars, Daniel turns with the gun, << Not. Or expire >> His Russian was rudementary but the men get the point, the crowbars are dropped and Daniel moves to Peggy's side offering his arm. "C'mon, first round was lightweights but I think we've got heavy hitters following close behind."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Adrenaline is a blessing, because she knows her side hurts, but she's still functional. That's what matters. Gun now in hand and pen with the photos secured, she slightly stumbles closer to him but seems mostly able to keep her own feet for now. She looks back as those crowbars are dropped, a moment of relief on her face. "We...we still have to get out of here. I have the photos. Come on..." She breathes out raggedly, moving for the stairs they came in from.

Her gun remains up, ready to shoot anyone else in her way as they shakily scramble out of the hold and onto the deck. If they are lucky, there will still be ropes left.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel leads the way through the hatch back to the stairs, helping Peggy with one arm and holding his cane with the other. Peggy would have to do their shooting until he could get a hand free. And there is shooting to do, as soon as they hit the stairs they find one of those heavy hitters Daniel had guessed would be coming, thankfully alone, but carrying one of those new Russian Kalashnikov rifles which he begins to raise at the two of them, Daniel twisting a little as he does trying to put as much of him between Peggy and the rifle as he can and hopefully not mess up her shot while he does it.

Peggy Carter has posed:
THe moment Peggy see their opposition, she hasn't even registered what kind of weapon he has, Peggy's raising her gun and snapping off two head shots. Gray matters and skull scatters at this close of the range. It's not a pretty shot and they'll be walking through brains to get to the side of the deck, but Peggy doesn't care at this moment. She needs them to get free before her brain catches up with any injury she's taken.

Once they are free onto the deck, there are two more enemies coming up from around the front of the ship and she's just fully leaning against him, "Don't block my shot, just keep MOVING!" She snaps, certainly having noticed the way his body moved before. She snaps out two more vicious, lethal shots before they make it to the side of the deck.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel nods ears ringing with the sound of gunfire and he climbs with her past the body on the stairs, and up to the deck with two more guards left dead in their wake. Up in the cool night air the sounds of the unloading have stopped replaced instead by shouts, fast approaching steps and gunshots, though the ropes are still there. Daniel limps with Peggy towards the ropes, hands full and bullets whizzing by he lets go of his cane to draw his own weapon and fire back at the onrushing men. They'll just have to support each other if they make it off the ship.

The ropes now are in reach.

Peggy Carter has posed:
There's no time to ask if there is a better way to go. They are entirely outnumbered. Peggy reaches for the rope she had used, wrapping it three times around her hand as she lets go of him, "See you on the other side." She breathes out, giving her best shot at a reassuring smile. Then she hoists herself up, wincing against that burning, lingering pain in her side, and she's launching herself across the water back to the pier.

She doesn't stick the landing, but she does land. Off balance, in pain, she stumbles and rolls down the planks, laying there to just breathe a second before she tries to force herself back up to standing.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel fires half his clip before he the pistol is holstered and he grabs the rope swinging out towards the docks. Like Peggy his landing is by no means graceful, collapsing in a heap as someone takes a shots from the deck of the ship. Daniel looks up and fires off two quick shots shattering two nearby lights bathing the dock in darkness by the ship. Giving them a moment to breathe. "Peggy, how you doing?" he asks her, struggling to his feet with the help of a now useless lamppost.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The darkness is a blessing as Peggy remains down, half sitting, leaning against one of the posts holding the dock up as she tries to catch her breath against that stitch in her side. Not a stitch in her side -- a stab wound -- but she can't quite figure out just how bad it is. It hurts, but mostly it's white hot numb and her heart's still pounding on adrenaline. The worst sign is her breath is currently a little too shallow for just half sitting there, not quite able to get her air even though they've stopped running. "I...I'm okay. It's not t-that...that bad. We need to keep moving. Call SHIELD." She does her best to reassure him. Then she's shifting forward, trying to stumble back up to her feet.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel makes his way towards the sound of Peggy's voice, finding her shoulders first then patting his way down to her hands to help her to her feet in the dark, It's too dark to clearly see his face but Peggy can likely imagine those deep furrows in his brow when he says, "Okay," not arguing about her state but clearly worried. "Let's get to the car and find a phone somewhere away from here."

The men were moving on the ship and by the sound of it getting ready to give chase on the docks. "Guess our rest is over," he says throwing his arm over her shoulder for support now that he was without his cane. "Let's go."

Peggy Carter has posed:
While she hates to need the help, she does right now. Her knees almost go out from under her on standing, but between leaning against that pole and his shoulder, she remains steady enough. Peggy takes another breath and nods, "Yes. We... need off these docks." Then, leaning against him as little as she can as she doesn't want to hurt his leg, but she needs the stability to keep going. It's going to be a long block down to where the car was parked, but adrenaline still helps push her into run walking.

A weak, pained laugh escapes her throat as she half buries her head against his shoulder. "...makes me...think of LA. The good old times..."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"No argument here," Daniel says with a look back at the ship he fires a couple more shots to keep people's head down then when Peggy is set they start limping away.

He laughs breathless and wry at the mention of LA. "Like being impaled by rebar?" he asks her. Cause that's definitely on his mind right now. "Or just generally running for our lives as usual?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Oh...oh. The rebar is definitely a part of this... walk down memory lane. Not one I... wanted, but we had some good... Times." Peggy shallowly rasps out, trying to keep up the reassuring, light banter that almost always weaves through their most dangerous missions. If she keeps talking, it can't be so bad. If she remains walking and conscious, it's only a paper cut.

As she sees the shadow of the car ahead of them, she lets out a faint sound of pained relief, "I think I...I'm going to need you to drive."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Sure," Daniel agrees. "We didn't blow up the world, that was good," he says carrying on the banter, "But as nice as that was, got to say how we closed that case out though, was definitely a highlight," he tells her. "And I don't mean locking up Whitney Frost in the sanitarium," he gives Peggy a glance and a smile as they step through a patch of light. "My chair was never quite right after that kiss," he tells her.

When the car comes into view he nods, "You got it," he says his hand dipping into her pocket for the keys. The men were behind them, their footsteps echoing but if they worked fast they'd be able to get out of her. He opens the passenger side door, slides in across the bench seat to the driver's side and gets the car started.

Peggy Carter has posed:
It's when he reaches into her pocket for the keys that he might realize how bad it is. Her shirt and jacket are both sticky wet, soaked through with blood which is staring to run down her side. Whatever got her went fairly deep and is bleeding freely. Not an artery, she'd be dead if it was, but it's not just a trickle either. She helps him get the keys out and sinks against the door of the car, waiting for him to get it open. She's half collapsed in side the moment she can get there. "Mm... reasons I... transferred you back from... LA. We couldn't have you sitting on a ...creaky chair forever. Besides... I needed to follow up on the end of things." She admits with a ragged, ashed pale smile in his direction.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Shit Peg," Daniel says as his hand and the keys come back bloody, "They got you bad," he almost never swears.Still there's no course but the one they're on, so he carries on to the car and gets them both inside, once the car starts he puts it in gear and steps hard on the gas tires screeching as it gets going, bullets ripping through the back window as it does, but before too long they're rounding the corner and are out of immediate danger from the gunmen, but it doesn't do anything for the wound that's slowly painting the beige seats of the car bloody red.

"Glad you did, Peggy," he says giving her a brief tight smile. "Probably the best decision of our lives," he says. Or at least the one good decision that set up the others that followed it. Though it looked like tonight wasn't one of those good decisions.

He reaches for her hand, "Anyhow we'll get you to the hospital, call in SHIELD and get you patched up. And if you're really lucky I'll call Anaa and Jarvis to come spruce up your room again," he teases her lightly, despite the hints of strain in his voice.

Peggy Carter has posed:
She's still conscious. That's the thing Peggy keeps saying in her mind -- she's still awake, so this can't be that bad. Sitting down now, though, she's pressing a hand across her side and putting as much pressure there as possible, though her skin and clothing are too slick with blood and she's not really got a lot of strength left in her arms. She's trying.

A faint smile turns towards him, head sinking back on the edge of the bench seat because keeping it up is hard, but she's still watching him, "I... I'm sorry... Daniel, whatever happens...I... I'm sorry. It can't be so bad... I'm still awake, I'm here... it'll be fine, but... I'm sorry." Those are words she only says when she's scared.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
They get to a red light, Daniel almost runs it except for the truck crossing infront of them but it gives him time to stop and look in Peggy's direction. "Hey, no apologies, I should have been watching your back better, so, you're not wearing this alone, anyhow, we'll get you patched Peggy then we're going home, we won't even have to bother Ana and Jarvis about your room." The glassiness in his eyes give lie to the confidence he puts in his voice, plus, she's heard his story from the war, he only ever pulls out that 'we're going home' line when things look really bad. The same thing he got told as he was being pulled legless through the Russian snows.

The truck passes and he steps on it driving through the red light on the empty intersection and carrying on quickly towards the nearest hospital.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peg knows that line. She's heard it before. Hell, she's said it once or twice to agents in the field when things are really awful. A faint laugh escapes her throat, though it's cracked with the edge of tears she's trying not to let herself cry, "I... I suppose you'll have to... cook dinner tonight. Don't think I'll be much up for it." She teases him lightly, trying to desperately cling to some sense of normalcy and happiness that they had this morning.

Then it's getting harder to stay awake. Eyes growing heavy, the whole world a bit slower and mussed around her. She sinks a bit more against the side of his arm, her hand pressed into her side getting slack again. "...love you."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Guess so," he says. "Hope you don't mind breakfast for dinner," he says. "I'm beat but at least I know where all the stuff for making French toast is," he says falling into that habit of trying to keep things light in the direst of circumstances.

Daniel's clearly been paying attention when Peggy drives somewhere fast because he's using all those moves tonight, no curb, or intersection is safe, there's only one goal get where they're going alive.

"Hey, Peg, love you too but no dropping off to sleep, okay? "We're almost to our old friends at New York Presbyterian, so, keep your eyes open and I won't have to dream up something new to annoy you with like, I did with extravagant wedding plans." Which more or less happened despite him joking at the time, but all the same the threat still stands.

Though it's not all that long from the Brooklyn docks to the hospital and when they arrive, he skids to a stop out front, getting halfway out the door of the car before whistling to some orderlies and flashing his badge. "We've got an injured agent here, she's pregnant, she's been stabbed and she needs care yesterday," he says and the men jump to getting a stretcher and alerting the doctors inside.

With that done he turns to Peggy stroking her hair, "Hey, we're here they're going to get you inside and everything's going to be okay," he says his voice breaking now with no driving or other things to distract him, there was just Peggy bleeding beside him, he kisses her lips lightly. "We're going to be okay, Peg," he promises. "We're going to be okay."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Hmm? ... French toast... it's fine..." Peggy drowsily mutters to him, already half asleep and quickly losing the conversational thread. By the time they're actually stopped, she's out cold against his shoulder. It means there's far less protesting from her as she's handed from car, to orderly, to stretcher. His brief report about the whole situation is enough to get the staff moving incredibly quickly. The pain of being moved out of his arms and onto a bed is enough to faintly bring her around, just a moment to return that kiss half aware. "...I know." She whispers. She heard that much. She trusts his promises.

Then they are whisking her off inside and as much as he'd want to come, it's just not that day and age. One of the nurses comes up, a gentle hand to his shoulder to stop him from following. "Sir, you'll have to wait in the waiting room... I promise, we'll let you know her status as soon as we know, but please, you can't go any farther..." She's trying to gently guide him into that slightly crowded area of other huddled, worried looking people. Drawn faces and tired eyes.

It's nearly three hours before someone comes in the room looking for him, a very carefully guarded, neutral look on the doctor's face. "Mr. Sousa...?"

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel doesn't join the others in their personal purgatory until he can no longer see Peggy through the little window in the door they take her through, then it's just three long hours of self torture, reviewing the night over and over second guessing every move, every choice, between bargaining with whatever powers there were in the universe, that he'd never be that stupid again if Peggy and the baby made it through okay.

Daniel was staring, dead tired into his third cup of bad hospital coffee when the doctor comes, that tone wasn't good, that was the same tone they used when they came and told him about his leg. He stands quickly, using his chair and a borrowed cane for support. "Yes, that's me, What's the situation?" he asks with an edge of panic in his voice.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The doctor is polite enough to nod him out into the hall, a slightly more private area than the room that still has at least half a dozen other people scattered about. He's keeping his face calm and skillfully emotionless, but no emotions probably says enough. If things were fine, there'd be a smile, "Your wife is alive, Mr. Sousa. She's recovering and the internal damage was minor. She got... lucky. But she lost a lot of blood and... I'm sorry. The baby didn't make it. We're going to keep her over night for observation and to get through the worst of the... loss. But, I'm sorry, Mr. Sousa. There are reasons this is called a... delicate condition. If you want to see her, she might wake up soon but we've give her medication to get through the initial pain, so she might not yet wake up."

The doctor is trying not to lecture the man. There is no need to make grief worse. But he cannot entirely hide the disapproval of whatever a woman in her condition was doing to be in such a situation. Still, he quietly nods in the direction of the recovery ward, escorting Daniel down the hall to a quieter, more private room. At least their name and organization still pulls enough wait for a private bed.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel follows him into the hall his trepidation growing, when he hears the news he just wilts, his whole body feeling limp and numb. Until he hears that disapproving tone and hot anger and shame blazes through where numbness had ruled before. "Shut it," he snaps at the man, eyes already glassy with unshed tears, fist slowly closing like it could some how grip hold of the child he lost and bring them back.

A few moments pass before he looks, grimacing, "Sorry Doc," he tells him and says no more of the matter heading to where he was directed, the anger fading away as shame and sadness take their turn to rule.

At the private room he thanks th doctor, knocks gently, and step inside walking slowly to Peggy's bedside.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peg has certainly looked worse before, the time after the shooting was probably the worst of their lives, but she's just a little too still now. Still dead asleep, happily drowning in drugs for the pain of the stabbing, but also the pain of that loss. She's a little pale, a little paper thin looking, but otherwise very much herself. Her face still softened out from the promise of what will no longer be, along with her frame beneath the blankets and that stiff hospital gown. Her hair is loose in her usual curls, someone having tugged the tie out along the way so her head could lay back right. Other than being a few shades lighter than her normal, vibrant self, she looks like she could be sleeping in their bed at home.

She doesn't stir when he comes in. The drugs they gave her were fairly heavy, meant to be a mercy and probably are one for now. She's not so gone that her cool fingertips don't faintly wrap around his when he reaches to take her hand, but she still doesn't wake up. He'll be stuck with a long night alone with his thoughts, unless he manages to fall asleep in the chair next to her.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
The normalcy of it all, how she could be at home instead of here only makes it worse, god he wished they were at home, or literally anywhere else right now.

He takes that seat beside her squeezing back gently when she squeezes his hand, but he does not sleep, not for hours, alone with his thoughts, guilt, and tears until his exhaustion mercifully drags him into turbulent slumber.