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Peggy pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her gasp. Her hand trembled just a little when she pulled it away.
"He..." She blinked a few times. "He looks good. Happy." |
Elaine nodded.
"Yeah," she said. "He's still a hero, you know. Saved the world a few times. He works with a team now." |
"A team." Peggy shook her head. "He always was one for a team." She smiled, her eyes still damp. "Are they good to him? For him?"
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Elaine nodded.
"They are," she said. "And he's good for them. They all look out for each other." She smiled a bit. "He brings out the best in them, and they give him a place to belong." |
"Good. That's all I could ask for, then." Peggy relaxed a bit and smiled faintly.
"I'm very glad to know that he'll be okay, however long it takes." |
Elaine nodded.
"I... I know if our situations were reversed, I'd want to know if he was alright, too," she said softly. |
Peggy looked at her, really looked at her, but didn't ask. She figured she'd be better off not knowing, just this once.
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Elaine didn't offer to elaborate, either, instead just changing the illusion to a newscast she remembered having covered an Avengers battle.
"Here," she offered. |
Peggy watched quietly, her eyes wide at how different everything seemed. "So that's his new team." She shook her head. "Just as rag-tag and unlikely as the Commandos."
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"Yeah," Elaine said, nodding. She pointed to each Avenger in turn. "Black Widow, a trained superspy. Hawkeye, her partner specializing in sniping and surveillance. Iron Man, a genius mechanical engineer who created his own weaponized armor. Thor, he visits from time to time and helps out. And Dr. Banner, who turns into the Hulk when he's angry enough." She smiled a bit. "Steve is their leader."
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Peggy nodded. "They look like they work well as a team," she said quietly. "I'm glad." Even if she never got to see Steve again. She'd guessed that much already.
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"Steve said it was a little rough, at first," Elaine said. "They didn't get along, but circumstances forced them to work together." She was quiet for a moment. "They're like a family now, though." Her voice wavered a bit on 'family' but she was still careful not to mention the children.
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"Good." Peggy smiled. "If it's anything like he had with the Commandos, he's fine, and he will be fine." Even if she wouldn't be there to see him or help him or hold him. But she could live with that.
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Elaine nodded.
"He's working on catching up to the rest of the world," she said. "He's doing really well." |
Peggy relaxed a bit and smiled, really smiled. "Good," she said. Then she shook herself a bit. "I won't ask how many years it takes, I know that is a bad idea. So long as he is safe and happy, that's all that matters."
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Elaine nodded, smiling a bit.
"Yeah," she said. She looked back at the illusion and sighed a bit. "Was there anything else you wanted to see?" |
Peggy shook her head a bit, her gaze still on the illusion.
"No, that was... that was much more than I was expecting." |
Elaine nodded. She hesitated a moment, and then dispelled the illusion.
"He still cares about you," she said softly. "I know he still thinks about you often." |
Peggy had to stop at that and blijk several times. When she spoke again, her voice was just the smallest bit wobbly.
"Thank you. This all is much more than I'd hoped for." |
Elaine smiled a bit and hugged her briefly.
"I'm sorry I can't do more," she said. |
Peggy blinked, surprised at the hug, but didn't pull away.
"You've done more than enough already," she assured Elaine. |
"I just know that if it were me in your place..." Elaine said. Then she shook her head. "Sorry. I guess I'm getting a bit emotional. It's the first time I've been away from my kids for more than a few hours, so I guess I'm missing my family."
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"Oh, I imagine so," Peggy said. "It's nothing to be sorry for. I don't have any kids myself but my sister has a little boy."
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"Really?" Elaine said. "I have a brother, but he doesn't have kids yet, as far as I know. What's your nephew's name?"
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"Phil." Peggy smiled. "He really is rather charming, especially for his age. He's around here somewhere with Howard."
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