A/N: Hey guys! I'm new to this fandom but I wanted to do my own version of Steve thawing out early and how Peggy (who is in an adorabley committed relationship with Sousa) reacts to the situation. This will probably be a two-parter. Hope you enjoy!

Peggy hummed along to the radio as she swept through her kitchen with the kettle ready for her morning tea. "Did you make any coffee this morning, Peg?" Her husband's voice broke through her tune as he hobbled his way toward her.

"Of course not, all you unrefined Americans need to learn that tea is far superior." Her rebuke was displayed with a warm smile at him.

Daniel laughed as he kissed her on the cheek, grabbing a mug to make a quick cup of joe. "One day I'll convert you, I swear."

"Doubtful." Peggy quipped as she sat down with the newspaper.

"We're going out with the Jarvis's tonight, honey," Daniel said, sitting across from her with his cup of coffee. "Don't get caught up in the Evans case and make us late."

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "That was one time –"

"Really, Peg? I can count five separate occasions you've made us late because there was a case to finish up." Daniel flashed his wife a grin, knowing he was pushing her buttons.

"Well, something must be causing your brain to go all wankers then, because I know it was only once." She retorted in a clipped tone. She pulled the paper in her hands to block his face in irritation.

"Aw come on, Peg." Daniel grabbed her hand to bring her close to him, knowing she wasn't truly upset or she'd resist. Pulling her onto his lap, he took the newspaper away from her so she was looking into his eyes.

"I'm only joking, your dedication to your work is admirable, even if you do go overboard sometimes; but it's what I love about you. You never give up, especially on those you care about. I'm sorry."

He pulled her in for a small kiss, which she smiled into. "If you insist, Daniel. I forgive you." Peggy replied.

She leaned to rest her head on his shoulder, as Daniel just held her in his arms. It was small, quiet moments like these that he appreciated the most. For almost a year of seeing Peggy Carter be the independent, capable agent he knew she was and dodging their feelings for each other, they had finally agreed to the long overdue drink which ultimately led to their marriage.

Their life wasn't simple by far with their line of work, but it was enough for him. He was still the chief of the L.A. division of the SSR and Peggy, well technically she worked under him, but she usually did what she wanted at the end of the day because Daniel really couldn't say no to her. His wife (he still couldn't believe that she was his wife sometimes) was still the same bull-headed, yet most caring and loyal woman he ever knew, but she had grown more open to him over the years. She trusted him just as much as he trusted her about his insecurities and her fear of losing loved ones. They had a good thing going.

It was all perfect, so of course, something had to come "muck it up" as Peggy always said.

Peggy sat upright in her seat as she watched New York City grow closer and closer from the window of the plane. Steve was alive. When Daniel had first told her the news, his tone odd, she hadn't known what to feel.

He had been dead for five years, she had grieved, and moved on… How was she supposed to feel? Like she and Steve were going to be lovers reuniting after a long distance? Peggy knew Daniel felt that way partially when she barely talked to him or allowed him to touch her since they had received the news. She knew she should have reassured her husband that this changed nothing, that she was most certainly not going to leave him for Captain America, but right now all Peggy could do but sit and think.

Thompson had said Steve asked for her the second he woke up, which was really no surprise since she had been the last one to talk to him before the crash. Did Steve know that she was married? Or had no one been foresighted enough to tell the great Captain America that his girl had moved on while he had been presumed dead?

A warm hand reached out to catch hers, interrupting her thoughts, and she looked down to see she had been fiddling with her wedding band. "You okay, Peg?" Daniel asked, gazing at her with worried eyes.

Peggy returned his words with a soft smile, "I suppose I will be, processing all of this has been rather difficult, I'm afraid."

"You can talk to me about this you know." Her husband squeezed her hand in reassurance, "We do things together now, that's what being married is all about."

Reflected in his own eyes, Peggy saw the same worries and anxieties she was having about the situation. Leaning in to give him a chaste kiss, she said, "I know. I apologize for not talking to you sooner about my thoughts, but I needed some time to myself with it all. You are correct though, we will get through this together."

She saw her own smile mirrored back on his face as she pulled away. "We'll get through this together." He repeated her words confidently before pulling her in for another kiss.

"He's just through here, Agent Carter, Agent Sousa." The SSR agent led the couple towards a door, opening it with a keycard. Daniel sent Peggy a reassuring smile, which she quickly returned before stepping into the room.

It was a quite spacious, with a table and chairs set up with two men occupying two of them. The first was Howard Stark, and the second took Peggy's breath away. She had heard that he was back, alive and well, but to see it with her own eyes – now she fully had to believe it.

Both men looked up at the familiar sound of her clicking heels, Howard Stark gave her a genuine mega-watt grin for once and Steve, he jumped up immediately and ran towards her within seconds.

Hesitantly, Peggy reached out a hand to his arm, gasping as she felt solid mass at her touch. "You're really here…" Tears filled her eyes as she looked up to see Steve's familiar grin, "I've missed you." She whispered to him.

"I've missed you too, Peg." Steve said, his hands coming up to frame her face. He pulled her closer to him, his face coming closer to hers. Unprepared, Peggy's lips had barely formed a word of warning when his mouth was on hers in a kiss. He pulled her closer to him, and Peggy tensed up instantly, pushing him off of her, resulting in a confused expression to cross along Captain America's face.

"Steve," she said quietly, keeping her old love at arm's length, "Did no one tell you?"

His familiar blue eyes searched hers with large amounts of hurt and confusion. "Tell me what, Peg?"

Peggy pursed her lips, angry that she was going to have break his heart. She felt a hand come up to grab hers and she smiled when she saw it was Daniel, giving her his silent support. Looking back to Steve, she saw that he was beginning to connect the dots on his own.

"I'm married. To Daniel here." She told him, "We've been married for about two years now."

Steve's gaze flickered from hers to Daniel's hand entwined in her hand before coming up to meet her eyes again. He forced a smile despite the pain clearly shown in his eyes, "That's amazing, Peg. I'm happy for you."

Turning away from her, Peggy took a few steps after him. "Steve, I'd still like to talk if that's quite alright with you."

He bent his head down, before turning to look back at her, "I'd like to as well, Peg. Just give me some time first, okay? I, um, I'll finish catching up with Howard first." He went back to his original seat, and Howard shot Peggy a sympathetic look over Steve's bent figure.

She wanted to reach out to comfort him, to touch him to see if he was still really alive, but a tug on her hand pulled her away. "Come on, Peg." Daniel whispered to her, "Let's give him some time."

Nodding reluctantly, she allowed him to pull her out of the room.