Chapter 1

AN: So apparently during a lockdown I can't manage to write new chapters of stories, but I can come up with ideas for new stories. A lot of this story will make sense as things go ahead but basically I was reminded lately of my love for Peggy Carter and Young Howard Stark (I owe that too Peggy Carter and Howard Stark I can't lose you by hostilepoet17 on youtube) and so got ideas for this.

I know in previous stories I have tried my best to keep close to cannon, but in this story, with the exception of a few things, consider MCU cannon blown out the window. (also this story IS NOT for fans of Steve Rogers Endgame ending or anything he did in CACW)

I will add character tags, and relationships, as they are introduced as a lot of them I want to be surprises.

May 9th 1946

For Peggy it has been a long few weeks, a tough few weeks, and all the events have led to her standing on the Brooklyn Bridge with a vial of Blood that belonged to Captain Steve Rogers. Treating the vial as precious, because that's what it is, Peggy opens it.

"Goodbye My Darling," Peggy says, but when she goes to pour it out Peggy can't bring herself to do it, not because she can't say goodbye, she has come to realize she has let go of him, but because she gets another idea.

Being just as careful as when she opened the vial Peggy closes it again and puts it back into her pocket, having one destination in mind.

Not long after she left the Brooklyn Bridge, and after a phonecall with Edwin Jarvis, Peggy has made her way to the house where Howard currently is, and Peggy is not at all surprised when she finds him in the lab.

"Are you already working on your next invention?" Peggy asks, a note of disbelief in her voice.

"My brain never stops, Peg. I never stop," Howard says, without looking up from what he is doing.

"Which is often the problem," Peggy comments, as she takes a step towards him, though she can't imagine how it must feel to always get ideas for stuff to create.

"I'm going to be more careful Peg, make sure no one else is hurt by anything I create," Howard explains.

"Howard, not everything you have made causes destruction," Peggy tells her friend, wanting to reassure him.

"I think recent events have proven otherwise," Howard comments, knowing that Peggy knows that.

"Not necessarily. It shows exactly what you can do, I think you just need someone to keep you accountable," Peggy admits, as she grabs the vial out of her pocket.

"Is that an offer Peg?" Howard asks, looking up at her, and as he does he see what Peggy is holding. "Peg…." Howard starts to say, sounding completely shocked.

"I meant what I said. You are the one person who believes in me, you always have, since the day we met; you deserve the same from me," Peggy explains, being able to remember the day she and Howard met perfectly.

"What do you mean?" Howard asks, as even though he is a genius he is having a hard time following Peggy's line of thought, while he walks closer to Peggy.

"You said you could help people with this, with Steve's blood, and I know now that that is what Steve would have wanted," Peggy admits, as Howard continues to walk closer to her.

"So, you're giving it to me," Howard says, sounding shocked and he makes no effort to grab it as he remembers what happened when he and Peggy fought.

"With a few conditions," Peggy clarifies. "You don't waste it. This is all we have, something good has to come of it," Peggy says, her voice breaking. "And you don't make a profit. Any money made, we decide where it goes together, but it won't be to either of us, that wouldn't be right," Peggy explains.

"Okay," Howard says, with a nod, as while he does love money, he knows Peggy is right.

"You said it was your instinct to lie, but Howard, you never have to lie to me," Peggy tells her friend. "I may get angry, but I always want the truth," Peggy admits. "I promise to never lie to you. Can you promise me the same?" Peggy asks, as she needs that from him going forward so it is only fair that she makes the same promise.

"I can," Howard admits, and as she watched him carefully Peggy knows that he is telling the truth and so she hands over the vial, and once she does Howard hugs her. "Jarvis give you this?" he asks, as that's what he assumes, as they break apart.

"Do not blame him, he was doing what he thought was right," Peggy explains, not wanting the butler to get in trouble.

"It was the right call. It should have always been yours," Howard comments.

"Now it's ours," Peggy says, and because of how close they both were to Steve Peggy can't help but think that it is the right choice.

"If you want to stay for a drink the good stuff is on the counter over there," Howard reveals, pointing to where it is, and Peggy walks over and pours herself a drink, as she and Howard drift into silence.

July 27th 1947

It has been over a year since Peggy gave Howard the sample of Steve's blood and ever since Howard has been working on what would be the best thing to use it for. While Howard has been incredibly focused on that he has been distracted lately because of Zero Matter.

As they are trying to decompress over the past few days Peggy and Howard are having breakfast together at the Stark LA house.

"Look, I'm only thinking about this as a way to help humanity," Howard argues.

"Humanity? Your chief concern is helping your bank account," Peggy argues, though she knows that that is not always the case, she suspects it might be this time.

"People have thought that splitting the atom would be the end of the world. Look at us now…" Howard argues.

"Developing exponentially more horrific ways to kill each other," Peggy points out.

"Zero Matter, in the right hands, could've launched us a hundred years ahead. Technologically speaking. If we harness…" Howard starts to explain, as Jason Wilks walks into the room, and sits down at the table.

"Is he still winning about this?" Jason asks surprised.

"Until the end of time," Peggy comments, as she knows Howard well enough to know he won't stop talking about this any time soon. "Sleep well?" Peggy asks curious.

"I did. And I could sleep another week," Jason argues.

"I'm sorry, Doc. But I expect to see you in the office, 8am sharp, come Monday," Howard explains.

"What's this now?" Peggy asks surprised.

"Mr. Stark has graciously offered me a position in his new facility," Jason explains.

"Oh, I didn't realize he had one," Peggy says, looking at Howard as she expected that he would come back to New York now that his attempt at making movies is over.

"I have all this land in Malibu. It's not doing anything. There's this new project I came up with in Peru. I think it could be big," Howard admits.

"Congratulations," Peggy says, forcing a smile.

"I'm gonna go for a swim. You might want to stay inside," Howard says, looking at Peggy, as he stands up. "Bathing suits cause too much friction drag," Howard explains.

"Well, the warning is appreciated," Peggy says, with a chuckle, though she suspects that he wouldn't have given it if Jason wasn't in the room.

"Back to New York?" Jason asks curious.

"Yes. It's been a much longer trip than expected," Peggy admits, though she now knows that she wants to have a conversation with Howard first.

"Perhaps if we'd met under different circumstances…" Jason starts to say.

"I've learned that dwelling on what might have been… it's no way to live," Peggy reveals, having needed to learnt that the hard way. "I'm very happy to have had the chance to know you, Jason," Peggy admits.

"So am I, though we never did get our night of dinner and dancing," Jason admits.

"We did have one dance," Peggy points out. "Half a dance," Peggy corrects.

"I suppose that is better than nothing," Jason comments, and once he does they drift into silence.

A couple of minutes after her conversation with Jason Peggy heads out to the backyard where Howard is swimming in the pool, just like he warned he is doing so without a bathing suit.

"Were you just not going to tell me that you were moving to Los Angeles for good?" Peggy asks angrily as she stands at the pool edge, with her hands on her hips, as she knew he was going to be in LA for a short while, but now it seems that time is going to get longer.

"What?" Howard asks confused, as he stands up in the pool, and Peggy makes an effort to look at his face and nowhere else. "I'm not permanently moving to Los Angeles," Howard says, sounding confused.

"But you told Jason…." Peggy starts to say.

"That I am starting a new facility here, but I'm not moving here. New York is the best city in the world, I'm not going to leave it," Howard says as he starts to walk to the edge of the pool. "I got an idea for a project in Peru, but I've got a lot of them," Howard admits. "And most of them involve you," Howard explains.

"They do?" Peggy asks surprised.

"I think we've proven, time and time again, that we make a great team, I've got a few ideas of ways for us to continue that. If you're interested," Howard explains, hoping Peggy says yes as he cannot imagine doing what he is thinking without her.

"I am, truly," Peggy admits. "But I have a flight back to New York shortly," Peggy explains.

"Call what's his name, stay a few days. I'm heading back to New York in a few days. I'll happily fly you back," Howard offers.

"I have missed your flying," Peggy admits, with a smirk, one that Howard returns. "I guess a few days' vacation wouldn't hurt," Peggy comments.

"None of the time you've spent in Los Angeles can be counted as a vacation Peg," Howard comments, as he climbs out of the pool, and as he does Peggy makes an effort not to look at him, which makes Howard smirk as he puts on his robe.

"You might be right about that," Peggy admits.

"I'm always right," Howard comments, causing Peggy to roll her eyes.

"These ideas of yours?" Peggy asks as she turns to face Howard and together the two of them sit by the pool to discuss their future, during the conversation they are joined by Edwin and Ana Jarvis, both of whom are very happy to see them, and Peggy and Howard are just as happy to see them.

June 20th 1952

Ever since their conversation by the Pool in LA Peggy and Howard have been working on a lot of things. The two most noticeable are determining what could be done with Steve Rogers Blood, and forming SHEILD with their old friend Chester Phillips.

It is late at night on a Friday night and Howard is working in a secret lab of his in New York. Even though he has labs at SHIELD, his house, and Stark Industries Howard also has a secret lab which only Peggy and Jarvis know about which he uses to work with Steve Rogers Blood and other inventions that, usually Peggy, tells him are too dangerous for others to know about.

As it is pretty late, and he's not expecting anyone, Howard is surprised when he hears footsteps and Peggy, looking quiet dressed up, walks into the lab.

"I thought you had a date," Howard says surprised, though he is clearly concentrating on what he is working on.

"Hello to you too, Howard," Peggy greats, as she looks around the lab for something specific.

"You know I'm always glad to see you, Pal," Howard tells his old friend. "But I am surprised," Howard admits as Peggy made it clear that she wouldn't be seeing him tonight.

As Howard speaks Peggy finds what she was looking for, a bottle of whiskey, and she pours herself a drink, an action which Howard notices.

"Peg? What's wrong?" Howard asks curious, as he stops concentrating what he is doing to look at Peggy.

"I was stood up," Peggy reveals, as she takes a drink, and walks towards Howard.

"Really? No one in their right mind would stand you up," Howard comments, sounding truly surprised.

"And yet it happened," Peggy comments.

"Well then he's an idiot," Howard comments. "Your incredible and if he didn't see that then that's his fault…." Howard starts to say.

"I didn't come here to have you make me feel better," Peggy admits, though she does appreciate it. "I don't need it. It was just a first date, I was not feeling great about it," Peggy admits.

"Then why are you here?" Howard asks curious, as he takes Peggy's drink and has a mouthful.

"Would you believe your company?" Peggy asks, with a slight smirk, as she takes back her drink.

"Well I am great," Howard responds, as he and Peggy exchange smiles, though Howard suspects that there is something Peggy isn't saying. "So, you say you're fine, which I believe because we don't lie to each other, but if you weren't fine, I have something that's going to cheer you up," Howard reveals.

"Oh?" Peggy asks curious.

"Yep," Howard says, looking excited as he gently directs Peggy over to where he was working, and it's a testament to how good of friends they are that Peggy just lets him. "I had a breakthrough," Howard says, looking rather proud of himself.

"What kind of breakthrough?" Peggy asks, though judging by how excited Howard looks she can guess what kind breakthrough, though she isn't sure that she can hope that she is right.

"I've finally done it Peg! I isolated the part of the serum that enhances the bodies metabolic, cellular and chemical processes, and replicated it," Howard reveals as he shows Peggy at least seven large beakers, all fill with a light purple liquid.

"That means it will heal people?" Peggy asks, sounding slightly uncertain, as after six years talking to Howard she still doesn't compeltley understand all the science stuff he talks about, though she does stand up a lot.

"Yep," Howard confirms, as he picks up one of the beakers. "A quarter of this will heal any injury, maybe even stop or slow the aging process, I still have to run some tests to test that Hypothesis," Howard admits. "This is it, Peg. Everything we've been working towards," Howard says proudly, as Peggy picks up another beaker to have a look.

"Yeah, it is," Peggy says with a smile, and the two of them exchange grins, both feeling beyond relieved, and for a few moments they just stare at each other, until a hail of bullets run out, and the beakers that both Peggy and Howard are holding explode, covering both of them in the purple substance.