8536/Figuring it Out

Figuring it Out
Date of Scene:	03 November 2021
Location:	Carter-Sousa Home - Long Island
Synopsis:	Daniel and Peggy get an answer to the question that's been on their minds and plan on what to do next.
Cast of Characters:	Peggy Carter, Daniel Sousa

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Peggy Carter has posed:
While Peggy had promised to look into things, or see a doctor, if things hadn't passed by the weekend, she's always been good at being stubborn. That means she 'bought' herself a few more days, but nothing seems to be getting better. Therefore, she ducked her head into his office right at the end of the proper work day, not their generally long ones, and said quietly, "...feel like taking off early tonight? I could... use a ride home." She smiled to him, knowing he wouldn't say no unless there was a big mission, and their wasn't.

On the way home, she asked to stop by the pharmacy. It's like neither of them could say the words, but it's been long enough they might as well try this 'modern technology.' The little white bag sits nervously between her hands as they pull into the house's driveway. "...I didn't even...think about dinner." She admits quietly.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Peggy knew her husband well, and he was more than happy to clock out and drive her home. Like with her the stop at the pharmacy is fraught with things they were decidedly not putting into words, and conitnued to be quiet about until they got home. "Huh?" Daniel says as the car is parked and Peggy mentions dinner, "Right, uh, I can make something for us, maybe scrambled eggs and toast?" it sounded light enough not to be too hard on Peg's stomach, or his for that matter, which had picked up a few butterflies on the way home from the pharmacy.

Peggy Carter has posed:
It's when she realizes that *he* is nervous that she lets out a little breath of a laugh and leans over, tugging him into a gentle but lingering kiss, as if she could drink the nerves from him with her mouth alone. "Hey. Whatever this is... we've managed far worse. And better. Just a precaution, right? Best to know, either way." She murmurs to him across the center console of their new car, keeping his gaze in the darkness of the front seat's interior. She didn't want to walk into the house both of them pins and needles.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
The kiss is returned though only some of the tension drains from him. Still, managing a smile he says, "You're right, we've definiately managed more stressful things than this," he agrees as he meets her gaze. "Just..." he doesn't have words for it. "But whatever happens, we'll be fine."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A deeper laugh escapes her lips, "...how in the WORLD did we manage to wait days before?" Peggy asks him with a little, pointed grin. Granted, she wasn't quite so stubborn about trying to ignore being sick for days last time, but they always did have to wait. Now she has answers in her hand within minutes. "And eggs sound... lovely. Why don't you start dinner and tea? A...lot of tea. I'll... well... Get answers. Yes?" She asks him softly, waiting for affirmation before finally slipping out of the car and into the side door through the garage, right into the kitchen.

Things are even nice enough now that she doesn't clear the room or look around the house for intruders before entering. Life truly has become comfortable.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"No clue," Daniel says but I'm glad that's changed, not sure how well either of us would manage /days/," he says with a shake of his head. "Works for me," he says getting the keys out of the ignition and slipping out of the car following her to the kitchen.

Once there he reaches for her hand to pull her to him for another kiss, soft, tender, hopeful. "I love you Peggy," he tells her as it breaks. "And good luck."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Having finally steeled herself to get answers, Peggy was determinedly marching towards the bedroom when he caught her hand again. She lets herself be drawn back a little surprised, and presses in close against him for that other kiss. It's easier without the arm rest between them anyway. She wraps her other arm around him, bag pressing against his back in her not-free hand, but she is holding him close. "I love you so... So much. And no matter what, we... We'll try again. I promise." She kisses him one last time, quickly, and then she lets go.

With a quiet click of her high heels across the kitchen and then silence of them sinking into the carpet, she disappears down the hall and towards their master bedroom. Before she shuts that door, she gives his profile in the kitchen one last look. Trying to remember this gaze on his face, just in case she needs to disappoint him.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"I know," Daniel assures her of them trying again. "We're being a bit ridiculous it's not like this is our last shot, but still as much as I tell my stomach, it doesn't listen."

Daniel's eyes linger on Peggy until she's almost out of the room before he goes to get the tea on and get the scrambled eggs and toast ready, working on autopilot, his mind fully on Peggy and what the answers they were about to discover.

Peggy Carter has posed:
It's a good ten minutes. Nauseating, agonizing, forever minutes. Tea and dinner are probably done by the time the sound of the back bedroom door opening can be heard and she's slowly making her way down the hall, arms crossed over her chest, like she was trying to hold in an entire flood of emotions and this was the only way to contain her heart. She waits to see him, where ever he's found himself in waiting. She searches for his eyes and, while her lips open to say something, there's nothing there. She finally gives a simple, quick few nods of affirmation.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Food is ready and waiting by the time Daniel hears the bedroom door open, he's poured himself some scotch, and holds it as he leans against the counter to wait for Peggy's arrival.

His eyes are easy to find and fix on Peggy's hopefully before he sees those quick nods and he looks at her, "Yes?" he asks wanting to confirm it before he jumps to any conclusions, though by the light in his eyes he's already mid leap and very, very happy about it.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...Y-yes. At least, according to that ... *stick*... Yes!" Peggy's finally found her voice, especially as she realizes he's not entirely certain she's communicating what she is. She has to stammer it out, though voicing it somehow makes it far more real. Her eyes well up with moisture and happiness, arms unfolding, her hands slightly shaking with relief as she reaches for him.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel finds his own eyes welling up as he smiles, "Well the stick was never wrong in the Framework," he says before he just simply steps into her arms, wrapping his own tightly around her. He's quiet for a moment, before he lets out a little laugh, "You'd think this was our first kid, I'm speechless... happy, but speechless," he says smiling down at Peggy as he keeps her wrapped tight in his arms.

Peggy Carter has posed:
All of her is just faintly trembling, a flood of emotions she's not had in a very long time and she's not entirely certain what to do with it. Peggy buries her head into his throat, taking in a deep, shaking breath of his scent as she clutches him to her like they might never get the chance again. A breathless laugh comes from her throat, "I...I know. And you'd think we'd... planned it, and this wasn't some... Happy mistake. But... it is a happy one."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel continues to hold Peggy tight with one arm while his other hand rubs up and down her back in what's meant to be a soothing motion though his own hand is trembling as well. He laughs. "Well, I'm not going to lie, I was hoping, which might be close enough to planning for this sort of thing," as far as emotions were concerned. "I'm glad you're happy, I am too but I'm pretty sure that's not a surprise to either of us." He's wanted this for awhile now even if he didn't say it outright.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The feel of his hand up and down her back is enough to make her realize that she might be more overwhelmed than she was letting herself process. But it's Daniel. If anyone can be tender and reassuring to her, he's one of the few people in the world whom she'll allow. So she leans deep into his touch, holding on for dear life as she gulps in a few breaths of his scent against his neck and to push back those tears that her body seems to want to cry so much. Joyful tears, at least.

"I...I know we probably should have taken more time. That... I don't know, these things should be planned, but God, Daniel, I'm tired of biding our time and you're here. Now. We... we can try again. In reality." She forces herself to pull back, to look up to him with glassy eyes and that uncertain, but over the moon smile. "You...really are happy?"

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Continuing to stroke Peggy's back Daniel is content to quietly hold her for a few moments giving them both time to get a hold on their emotions. His cheeks are wet with tears but he doesn't wipe them away until Peggy pulls back to look at him, "Sorry, I'm a mess," he apologizes. "And yeah it probably should be something we planned but I'm with you, screw waiting, we've done enough of that, and really, we're not likely to get a better time than now."

That smile brings out one of Daniel's own as he reaches for Peggy's hands and gives them a squeeze. "Yes! Absolutely, I'm /thrilled/ Peg, and I know we can make it all work, after all we fixed time, I'm sure we can handle SHIELD and raising a kid together."

Peggy Carter has posed:
As she sees him and, more specifically, sees those tears, a soft chuckle comes in response. Peggy reaches one hand up tenderly, shooing away his palm and gently brushing her fingertips across his cheek to soothe those tears aside. No judgment of them. If anything, she looks touched that he's as overwhelmed by this as she is. "You aren't a mess. Not at all. Or we are both a mess, but it is no matter. I love you. Even when you are a proper mess. Over good reasons." She grins.

Then he's grabbing her hands and confirming what she suspected, but it's nice to hear. That's also enough that her own tears finally break free, she's simply not able to contain that much emotion any longer. She nods in fast, breathless agreement, "Y-yes...Of course we can. There's more resources nowadays, and I'm only Chief, not Director. We... We can absolutely manage this."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Smiling as Peggy wipes away his tears he tells her, "Good to hear," he says. "I imagine I might be a proper mess when he or she is born, so good to know I don't need to worry."

He pulls her close when her own tears start letting her bury her face against his chest if she wants as he just holds her. "Definitely," he agrees. "There's even childcare at HQ now, once they're old enough." A beat before he smiles. "I can only imagine what Phillips would have thought of that," he adds lightly before looking back to Peggy again. "We'll manage this and I promise this time I'm going to make sure you're not going to be doing it alone."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The prospect of burying herself into his chest and just sobbing in a mix of relief and joy is irresistable, so Peggy simply lets herself collapse against him. If anyone from work ever saw this, she'd deny it adamantly, but it's just them and the feel of his solid, warm arms around her is enough to erase any doubts about if she should be proper in this moment. She's practically crying through his shirt now, shoulders slightly shaking with the edge of unrbeathed sobs.

"Oh god, you... better not dare. I can't... I can't do this again alone. I can't lose you. I know that's impossible to promise and that no future is assured but I just... I can't now. I love you too much and I'm too old to do this again alone..." She breathes raggedly into the buttons of his shirt.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
It's a chain reaction, the harder Peggy cries, the harder Daniel cries with her, hugging her tight and letting her feel his presence there supporting her in body and spirit.

"I understand Peg," he wipes his eyes with one hand then seeks out her eyes with them, "I promise Peg, I'm going to do everything I can to stay safe to make sure it's the two of us raising this child. We just got our future back, I'm not going to let us lose it."

Peggy Carter has posed:
While her head follows his chest a moment, Peg lets him pull back enough that they can look each other in the eye. She's now all splotchy with harder tears than before and her breath is still uneven, but she seems to have reigned in control over the worst of it just a minute after it hit her. The panic at the thought of losing him passes. Partially to being practical, partially to the promises he's making.

She nods shakily to his words, damp lips setting in a quiet, grim line of a smile as she stares up to his dark eyes. "I...I'm holding you to that. I know this... god, Daniel, this might not even... work. With everything they did to me, all the... Changes... I shouldn't get my hopes up about anything. But I love you, and I need you, and we... we're going to do this. Together."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel hadn't thought about the changes effecting this but it made sense, the formula it seemed to be far reaching and even removed there could be after effects, his thoughts show on his face for a moment before his eyes focus back on Peggy's. "Together," he echoes. "No matter what happens," he says with one of those painfully earnest expressions of his. "I love you too Peg, more than anything."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Another, slower breath is drawn in through her nose, Peggy trying her best to tamp down those emotions beneath her normal British control, now that she's gotten the worst of the tears out. She allows her smile to return, though, clearly still happy about this. "But, for now, it... it seems we have a chance. I don't... I don't know that we should really tell anyone. Not until things are... Certain, you know? I don't need all of SHIELD fretting."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel's lips pull slightly into a frown before he considers things and nods. "Makes sense, but we should probably go see Jemma at some point, she's a doctor so she'll definitely keep it quiet, and May's going to figure it out sooner or later on her own, so might as well tell her, the rest? No need for them to hear about it until we're ready to let the cat out of the bag."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The thought of telling Jemma and make sends Peggy quiet a few moments. She KNOWS the look that they are both going to give her, incredulous, a bit scolding, and then happy. Hopefully. Peggy lets another, slightly more nervous laugh escapes her lips, "Maybe... next week? Just to make certain things... stick. I don't know. I hate bothering either of them. And... oh hell, I told Melinda we'd do dinner at Quon's on Friday. She needs to get out more. She's going to read me for filth on this, isn't she?" Peggy asks with a slight wince.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"A week is fine," Daniel says with a smile as he takes and squeezes Peggy's hand in support. The bit about Melinda sees that smile widen a little and turn wry. "Probably, she can't read you as quickly as Lily can but I doubt she'll miss this. It'll be okay though, they're our friends, there may be looks, especially from May, but they'll be happy for us."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"And if I cancel dinner, she'll be even MORE suspicious." Peggy admits softly, shaking her head. She seems to accept there is going to be no choice but to tell May, but her smile says she's not completely distraught over that. "She knows something is up. She already made me promise to go to Jemma yesterday if things didn't... get better. And I'm still somehow hungry and not hungry at the same moment." Peggy levels a look into the kitchen, knowing he has food there for both of them and she SHOULD eat it. But she still doesn't trust her stomach.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"True, we're pretty much stuck," Daniel says with a smile. "And yeah, won't take much for her to jump from that to figuring things out once she gets a chance to read both of our emotions."

Following Peggy's look into the kitchen he offers, "We could start with the tea and see how you feel?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Tea... seems like a good idea. And sitting down. God, my whole body feels like... Gelatin." Peggy breathes out, now that the initial wave of emotions and adrenaline has passed, she feels like she's been put through the wringer. Not in a bad way, but she's happy to pad on bare feet over towards the couch and let him get the tea. She's also relieved she's taken off her shoes and stockings now.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel pours two cups of tea the way they like them and brings it over to the couch, his shoes being kicked off on the way so he walks the last little way in his socks. A cup is handed to Peggy before he sits carefully to avoid spilling his own. "I feel for you Peg, sounds like how I felt at the end of the day at basic." He settles into the couch. "Anything I can do to make it better?" he asks her.

Peggy Carter has posed:
That gets him a deep laugh, but an honest one with no nerves behind it like most of her laughter this conversation. Peggy shakes her head slowly as she accepts her mug of tea, warming both slender hands around it. "Oh goodness, I wouldn't say this is *that* bad. I've done nothing but work a fairly light day and come home. And... have a long conversation, but it's been light as days go." She grin to him, shifting on the couch to kick her feet up into his lap. "But sitting with my darling husband on a couch for a while *does* help."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel smiles, "I dunno even a light day sounds rough when you're carrying around someone else through it all," he says before taking a sip of his tea before setting the cup aside and taking hold of one of her feet as it and it's companion are kicked up into his lap. "Glad just sitting here with me helps," he says with a smile thrown Peggy's way. "But I think I can do a little bit better," he says as he begins to massage that captured foot.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Mm... I thought you'd never offer." Peggy grins wide in his direction, probably having kicked her feet up for that exact reason. To Daniel's memory, it wasn't even a year ago he was doing this with her far more pregnant. Well, other than the Framework. That's a whole set of far longer memories. But to her, it's been decades. She forgot just how much she enjoyed the simple act of coming home and letting Daniel take care of the little things. Tea, dinner. Footrubs.

She sinks bit deeper into the couch, her tea nursed between her hands as she lets herself fully release the tension of the day. She studies him as he works over her foot, smile softening a bit. "...there was... Is so much I missed that... I forgot I missed."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Had to build up the anticipation," Daniel smiles falling into the familiar routine that was still so fresh in his mind, tending to her feet in the ways he learned over months of practice.

"Like foot rubs?" he asks smiling still before becoming a touch more serious. "And I bet, it's hard to comprehend sometimes how much time has passed for you, especially with it all seeming like last year for me, but I'm happy to remind you of anything you miss whenever you need."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Yes. Like foot rubs. High heels have *not* gotten any more comfortable in sixty years." Peggy grins to him. And yet, she still wears them every day and probably will until she's as round as a beach ball. Sometimes in the last month or so, she gives them up. But now, she's svelte and strong as ever, so high heels it is.

"Well, my darling, I generally realize I've missed things when you *do* them. Otherwise, I haven't thought about them in years and years. And the Framework... it feels like a strange dream nowadays, you know? I still remember pieces -- too many pieces -- but it's all distant. This is you. The REAL you."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"And you keep on wearing them," Daniel says teasing. "Though I suppose it does give you a reason to ask for foot rubs," he says.

As to the latter part, "Right, well keep letting me know when I find them," he says before nodding. "Yeah some parts are stuck in there for good, I think leaning on the skills I picked up in there made some stuff stick better than others, but it still feels like this phantom block of years that both happened and didn't, you know?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
A roll of her eyes as he scolds her for continuing to wear them. "You like how my legs look in them, so you can't claim TOTAL innocence." Peggy teases him, tossing in a wink after. But she already looks far better than when she came in the house, some of that gray around the edges now gone and the light back in her eyes. How much of her nausea was nerves, and how much is her new condition, seems to have been a sliding scale.

"And...I know. I... I can't say I'm glad we went through that shite. It was... awful. But it helped you get where you are now and I'll take what wins we can get from it. And... focusing on the future. We still need to visit Michael again. More often. But we're... we're in a good place. We can do it right. Again. Better."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
There's a sheepish smile from Daniel before he concedes "Good point," and breaks into a chuckle.

"Yeah, not happy things happened the way they did, but they could have been worse, like you said, we've got this chance now and I'm happy to take that win." There's a nod about Michael. "Yeah, I called to tell him I was going to be in the future for good, he didn't pick up so I left a message, would like to see him again and use some of this new future of ours to patch things up while get our second chance to get things right."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slight wince comes from Peggy when he says that he didn't pick up. She sighs, loosening one hand from her tea mug to rub across her face as she considers it all. "I...suspect he will not take this baby thing well. But all we can do is keep trying and... I hope he gives you a chance. At least you. You deserve it." Peggy looks like she's half resigned to the man hating her, but she's lived many more years with his wrath.

She sits there in silence a moment, trying not to let the tint of grief cover the night. Then she forces herself to wiggle her toes against his hand and gives him a softer smile. "BUT. Dinner. You cooked something, at least, and we should *both* eat. Just because I'm nauseated doesn't mean you should miss a meal."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"We'll get him to come around, we've got time now, and we've got Sharon as an ally, when she's not on assignment." He's not giving up on Michael accepting both of them.

The wiggled toes get a laugh, "Sure thing," he says sliding the feet off his lap as he stands up. On his feet, he extends his hand to Peggy to help her up. "Well as long as we're *both* eating," he smiles. "We can do that."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Mm... I suppose, since you asked *so* nicely." Peggy eyes his hand but then slips her palm into his and fairly smoothly stands up from the couch. She'd gotten used to the faint dizziness that comes with this all, especially when she hasn't eaten in hours. But she settles her arm into his so he can escort her the whole long way to the kitchen and their fancy dinner of eggs and toast.