Chapter Text
March 19th, 1948
The last images of Peggy Carter's dream faded away, only for her to fall back to reality and feel the ropes binding her arms and legs to a chair. A breathy groan escaped her lips as she felt the crick in her neck, the pounding headache, and the bruises on her body from her last encounter with whom she assumed were her captors; the few men who claimed to be from Hydra, and when she asked why they were attacking, they only replied with 'you need to be taught a lesson'.
Bits and pieces swirled around in her mind, but with the pounding on the inside of her skull, she couldn't make any sense of the memories. The last that she fully remembered was that her and Daniel had been fairing pretty well, he had-
"Daniel!" She panicked, a wave of worry and anxiety washing over her. She pulled her head from her chest, the muscles in her neck cramping, but she didn't care. She opened her eyes, frantically searching for her lover, relieved when she saw him, tied to a chair and unconscious, but relatively unharmed except for the darkening spot on his cheekbone. She let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding, and the pain of her body came rushing back. The pounding in her head resumed with double the force, nausea rolling in her stomach as she swallowed, fighting it.
After a few minutes, it calmed enough for her to think once again, and she returned to thinking of a way out. After enough shifting and wiggling, she figured the hot wire was still in her belt, the captors hadn't taken away her brooch, which had a pin that extended and was laced with a poison that would knock a grown man out for a few hours, and her gun was still in her garter belt.
The ropes binding her wrists were tied in such a way that she could slip out of them easily, so she began working at it, flattening her hand and pulling. As easy as it was, it was worrying as well. Yes, it did comfort her, knowing she could get out and she had weapons, but either their captors were marvelously idiotic, or they wanted her to escape, and it was the latter she was thinking. Her hands slipped out, and once the tricky knots on her ankles were undone, she stumbled over to Daniel, her stomach flipping in her belly.
"I must have hit my head." She thought, forcing her nausea down and working the knots on Daniel's wrists. She heard a groan from above and she glanced up, watching his eyes flutter open.
"Peg-" he rasped.
"It's me, darling. Do you remember what happened?"
"We- we were ambushed." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Peggy, are you alright?" He asked suddenly, eyes snapping open and scanning her body, looking for any signs of an injury.
She smiled softly, amazed at just how selfless and loving the man in front of her could be. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Gently, she traced the bruise on his cheek.
"You were knocked out, that's when I got this." He gestured to the mark on his cheek. "More and more guys came out, we were overwhelmed. I tried to warn you, but I didn't see soon enough, and I watched as one of them hit you on your temple. You crumpled to the ground - Peg, I was so scared, you weren't moving, and I couldn't tell if you were breathing. I tried to get to you, but.. Peg, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I should've-"
She shushed him, placing a finger on his lips. Once silent, she removed her finger and went back to the knots, her steely gaze completely focused on the rope. He opened his mouth to say something more, but the look she sent him effectively shut him up. Once free, she grasped his hands in her's, kissing the bruises on his knuckles before looking back up at him.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Daniel. Do not blame yourself for things you cannot control. I'm an agent, I know what I signed up for. Believe me, I love how much you care for me, truly, Daniel, I do, but I can take care of myself. It is not your fault when I get hurt, considering how much trouble I get myself into." He chuckled and finally met her eyes as his hand came up to cup her cheek.
"I was so scared I'd lost you Peg, especially when we finally caught a break."
She turned to kiss his hand. "And I'm sorry for that." She took a deep breath. "We will continue this conversation later, but right now, we need to get moving."
She started on the knots around his ankle, but he stopped her. "Peggy."
She looked up, confusion scrawled across her face.
"Do you see my crutch or leg anywhere?" It was more of a rhetorical question, but she couldn't stop herself from looking around. Four dark walls stared back at her, nothing else spotting the room except for her now empty chair. She knew what he was going to say, but she refused to give in.
"Then I'll support you. We are both getting out of here, together, not just one or the other."
"I can't let you do that."
She raised an eyebrow, challenging him. "And why not?"
Shaking his head, he changed the topic away from the feminist argument that was about to start. "Peg, if you go now, you can get out of here and come back to get me with reinforcements. If we both go, I'll just slow you down, and neither of us will make it-"
"Then so be it. I'm sure somebody will notice that were gone soon, and they will be here soon enough. We might as well try, and see what happens. This whole thing seems strange, anyways. As if these men don't really care whether we get out or not."
His brow furrowed together. "Is this about what that man said? Because that might not mean anything."
"Partly. But..." She hiked up her dress and pulled the gun out of her holster, along with the extra magazine strapped next to it. "They left these, along with my poisonous pin and my hot wire. Our captors are either utter wankers, or something else is happening here. I want to know exactly what is going on, and I'd rather have you by my side." She gave him a pleading look, and he caved, still hesitant.
"If you had led with the gun, I would have been easier to convince." She smiled at him, uniting his one leg and pulling him up from the chair. Once situated, she handed him the gun and tucked the magazine into her dress, the cool metal pressed against her chest. Their eyes met at the door, completely aware of the other's plan. Peggy nodded before trying the door, opening it when she found it to be unlocked. Daniel immediately scanned with the gun. No one was found, and she shot him her famous 'I told you so' look. He motioned her to keep going, smiling and shaking his head.
A dark hallway loomed ahead, and they stepped into it, the smell of mildew and salt in the air, and the Los Angeles summer heat enveloping their bodies in an unusual, sticky way, not a breeze to be felt.
About half way down, the sound of footsteps echoed off the narrow walls. She let Daniel lean against the wall and tucked herself against a nook, waiting for the approaching men. Once close enough, a swift punch sent the first one down, and a short struggle with the second one sent him to the ground. Now on the floor, she was able to get a better look at the attackers. She didn't recognize either of them, but that could be due to the fact her head was spinning so much that she could barely see straight. Both big and burly, they wore grimy pants and tattered shirts, along with big, rubber fishing boots.
"I think we're somewhere near the ocean, Daniel." She paused a moment before wrapping his arm around her shoulders, praying she wouldn't fall straight back down.
"Yeah, you smell fish? I'm starting to think a fishing warehouse."
"Do you know of any abandoned warehouses? It doesn't look like this place gets much activity."
"Not really, but I'm still pretty new around here, I haven't had much time to - duck."
She obeyed, and he shot the attacker in the shoulder. He stumbled, but continued charging. The man attempted to hit Peggy, but she blocked it, although awkwardly, and swung her foot at his ankles, knocking his feet out from under him. He stayed down, and they continued on.
"It was unnecessary to shoot him, I could have handled it." She reprimanded.
"I know you could've handled it, but it's my job to have your back, and that's what I was doing."
She was silent. "We're a team, right?" He murmured.
She softened, remembering the first time he said those words to her many months ago. "Yes. Yes we are."
"Then let me do my part. I can handle myself too, you know." An air of humor in his voice made Peggy chuckle, despite their situation.
They continued to find their way through the winding building, only meeting two more men, both of which were easily handled.
"I'm starting to think," she said, panting, "that this entire kidnapping is complete rubbish." She took his weight again, starting down a new hallway. "We've met five men, none of which gave me a challenge, and we've only a handgun and our ourselves to defend us." Her voice sounded irritated, higher-pitched than normal.
"We are getting out alive, Peg." Daniel reminded her, a playful air in his voice.
"Yes, and I'm very thankful for that. But it's a little insulting, really."
He let out a deep laugh, curling his fingers around her shoulder. "Only my Peg would consider a kidnapping insulting."
Her heart skipped a beat hearing him call her 'his', but she continued. "Truly, if they're going to kidnap us, they've got to know a little something about us, and if they thought this would stop us, then we haven't been doing our jobs."
They bickered for a time, stopping only when they found a set of stairs, moonlight pouring down and pooling at the bottom.
"A warehouse with a basement?" Daniel asked, looking at Peggy, who looked back.
"Not just a California fad, I'm assuming?"
"Not one that I'm aware of." They creeped up the stairs, rather slowly because of Daniel, but not wanting to make a sound, much more wary of their surroundings.
The stairs opened into a wide room, crates and different odds and ends stacked in disarray and the smell of fish much more powerful, making Peggy's stomach roll. The silhouette of a man greeted them from the other side of the room, his back towards them, staring out a window overlooking the sea. He didn't seem to notice their arrival, so Daniel raised the gun, preparing to shoot.
"That won't do anything, don't waste a bullet." A German accent rolled thickly off his tongue.
Peggy and Daniel glanced at each other, her eyebrows furrowed. His voice sounded familiar, she just couldn't place it. Neither moved as the silhouette turned and stepped away from the window, but Peggy gasped audibly.
"Werner Reinhardt."
"Yes, Miss Carter. Don't worry, I am still locked away in the cell you threw me in 1945, what you're seeing is a projection, see?" On queue, his body wavered before steadying again.
"You may be wondering about the technology. Don't worry, I will leave it behind for you. Consider it a gift. I promise it won't blow up."
A chill ran down Peggy's spine. The way he could read minds was unnerving. She got a strange feeling around him, not just fear, but... Something else. She couldn't name it, but it was there the first time she encountered him, and it was there now.
"But, I did not go to the trouble of setting all of this up just to talk about technology, no. I did this to talk to you, the both of you. It's why I hired those goons to tie you up after Hydra captured the both of you. They're idiots, are they not?"
The couple tracked the Hydra general in stunned silence as he walked to the other side of he room, the figure wavering slightly as he moved.
"Chief Daniel Sousa." He proclaimed with an emphasis on 'chief'. "I must say, I would have never expected so much of an amputee."
Daniel felt her bristle next to him. "No, Peg." He warned, tightening his hand on her shoulder until her felt her relax.
Reinhardt didn't seem to notice their murmuring. "And Agent Carter. A woman in a man's field. My, how you've flourished, I would have never thought." It was Daniel's turn to get upset.
"No, Daniel." She grabbed his wrist, gripping until he relax.
"The two of you have fallen into a state of security. A lull, if you will. You think you can trust everyone around you, and that your precious SSR is safe. You think you have fixed it all with your investigating and reforms. I am here to tell you, that you're wrong. This is the lesson that Hydra is trying to teach you. You have no idea how deep the corruption runs. Hydra is among you. The SSR is compromised. Miss Carter, you've thought that for a while now, haven't you? Even tried to stop it. But nothing you do can change that." He stopped, staring directly at the two, challenging them.
"How do I know you're not lying?" She asked.
He chuckled, the sound sending shivers up their spines. "I'm a man of my word, Agent Carter."
Too stunned to respond to his proclamations about the SSR, Peggy turned to a different topic. "If you can set all of this up, why not break out of prison? Meet us, face to face?"
"It is not my time, Agent Carter. No matter how tempting it is, there is a plan in place."
This time it was Daniel who spoke. "And this plan involves you rotting in a jail cell?"
Reinhardt chuckled. "Yes, Chief Sousa, it does. Because while you and your kind are order, Hydra is chaos. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." The image flickered once more and disappeared, leaving the two alone in the dark, cramped room.
Cautiously, the two approached the spot where the projection used to be, scanning for anything unusual. Slowly, Daniel shifted his weight to a desk nearby, letting Peggy examine the room. She spotted a glimmer, picking it up to examine. The device could easily fit in the palm of her hand, and nothing about it looked special, but if she had learned anything from Howard Stark, it's that sometimes the least special looking items held the most power.
"I guess that's the 'technology' he mentioned." Daniel mused. "Amazing how small it is."
"Hydra's always had advanced technology." She murmured, staring at the device as though she was in a trance.
"How do you know him?"
She looked back up, turning to face him. "His name is Werner Reinhardt, ex-Nazi who worked for Red Skull." She tucked the device into her dress. "I led the team that stormed and captured his base in 1945, and soon afterwords, I was the one who interrogated him while he was in our custody. He wanted to be recruited as a scientist, and as much as he could offer us, I declined him, and the SSR sentenced him to a solitary life in a prison called 'The Rat'. As much as his talents may be wasted, something about him just..."
"Makes your skin crawl?" Daniel finished when Peggy fell silent.
She nodded. "Precisely..." She trailed off, her mind racing, echoing with everything that had just transpired. "The Rat is supposed to be a secure facility, I don't know how he was able to pull off all of this. And even if we put all of that aside-"
"Were the threats about the SSR true? Or does he just have a chip on his shoulder?"
"I don't know. I don't know, Daniel, he doesn't seem like that kind of man, but... I just don't know."
"We'll figure it out, Peg. We always do." She sat on the edge of the desk, lacing her fingers through his.
"We're a team." Silence surrounded them like a warm blanket, comfortable, yet eerie as both their minds raced.
"Howard and a team will have to look through this place, I'm sure there's things were missing." Peggy said, running her fingers along the desk, inspecting the dust that came off.
"If whoever hasn't cleaned it out by then." She nodded at him. Her head then tilted the way it did when she thought through an idea, and she then moved to pick up what seemed to be a table leg, examining it. Deciding her plan would work, she reached for her slip, fisting the fabric and pulling until she had a wad of it.
"Here." She said gently, holding them out to Daniel. "I haven't seen your leg or crutch. We could look for them if you want, but I figured that may be more comfortable."
"Thanks." He wrapped the fabric around the end of the leg, protecting the inside of his forearm. He shifted his weight from the desk to his leg, then onto the table leg. It was a little short, but it would work.
"I doubt those men even kept my leg or crutch. And if they did, I don't want to waste time searching. I just want to go home."
"Seconded." Peggy agreed, linking her arm with his, not making any more fuss about his leg. How could this woman be so perfect, making him fall in love with everything about her?
Once situated, they found their way to the door, exiting the warehouse and putting a few blocks between them before Daniel spoke up.
"Well, I may not have found my leg, but I found a leg." Daniel joked, trying to make light of their predicament. He watched as she tried to suppress a smile, but then gave in, chuckling at his joke.
"Daniel Sousa, that has to be the worst joke you have ever told me." She shook her head, still laughing.
"It made you laugh, though." He boasted.
She stopped, pulling him to her with enough force that he almost fell over. Catching himself, he grabbed her arms, the make-shift crutch falling to the ground with a clatter. Without missing a beat, Peggy kissed him.
"It did make me laugh." She admitted. He quickly kissed her again, admiring just how cute she looked when flustered, having to admit one of his awful jokes made her laugh. She giggled again for a few moments before full out laughing. Daniel didn't understand why she had begun laughing so hard that tears formed in her eyes, but it was ever contagious, and he began to shake with laughter as well.
"I'm sorry." She gasped, wiping the tears that had fell, still giggling. "I'm sorry, it's just that this has to be the strangest night I've had in a long time." Daniel let out a guffaw at the realization of why Peggy had laughed in the first place. Soon enough, their shoulders were shaking with laughter once again.
Several minutes later, their laughs had subsided to giggles, their foreheads pressed together as they calmed down.
"I cannot believe that we started tonight out with a date-" Peggy started before Daniel interrupted,
"a wonderful date before we went for a moonlight stroll and were ambushed on the sidewalk-"
"by men who claimed to be from an organization that was supposedly stopped years ago."
"Then we escaped-" Daniel started again,
"only to have a conversation with a projection of a criminal that threatened us and the SSR-" this time Peggy interrupting, smiles spreading on both their faces,
"who then vanishes into thin air, letting us just walk out-"
"and now we are standing a few blocks away from the building we were held in, laughing until we cry, all the while you're using a table leg as a crutch!" Peggy finished, and they laughing starting again.
They finally settled, gripping each other's forearms. Foreheads still resting on each other's, their breath mingling in the small space between them.
"It really has been a strange night. I don't know what to think of it all. None of it makes any sense." She mused.
"Then let's think about it tomorrow. Sleep on it, then reevaluate." She nodded, and he spoke up again.
"Should we call someone to pick us up? I don't fancy walking home on a table leg."
"Yes, I think we should... How mad to you think Mr. Jarvis would be if I called him in the middle of the night to come pick us up?" She asked, a playful smile curling her lips.
"Just tell him it's an adventure, he'll come running." She chuckled, and pulled her forehead up. She swayed a moment, closing her eyes as her brow furrowed in pain.
"Peg, are you alright?"
She smiled at him waving her hand as though it could erase everything. "I'm fine, darling. Just the adrenaline wearing out." Although she sounded confident, the spark in her eye turned more into a gleam of pain, the throbbing in her head returning.
Never letting go of his forearm, she grabbed his 'crutch' from where it lay in the ground, handing it to him.
Adjusting his grip until it felt solid, he tapped the leg on the ground. While he had to use it on the other side of his body than normal, and it made him awkward and slow, it worked pretty well. The ornamental curves of it made for perfect grips, his hand staying in place almost as well as his actual crutch.
He looked back up to Peggy. "Ready?"
"For anything else that may happen tonight."
They walked east in search of a payphone. Daniel's wallet had been stolen, and she hadn't taken her purse that night, but this was L.A, and coins on the ground was a common occurrence. Finding a nickel wouldn't be all that hard.
The two were silent for a few minutes, Peggy with her arm through Daniel's for support.
"Do you know where we are, Daniel?" She blurted, eyes searching for a landmark.
"Well, I know we just crossed Ocean Avenue, and I think we're on Wilshire - look, there's a payphone." He pointed across the street. They crossed, not a soul to be seen, which was probably for the best. With Peggy in a wrinkled dress and a slip underneath that was torn, and Daniel with a fluttering pant leg and a table leg as a crutch, they would get odd stares if they were to be seen.
Daniel found a nickel on the way over, kneeling as best he could to pick it up.
"That gives us three minutes." She said. "Hopefully Mr. Jarvis will pick up within that time." She dialed the number to Howard's mansion, where the Jarvis' we're currently staying.
"Probably will." Daniel leant heavily on the side of the phone booth, trying to take the weight off of his one leg. Walking just those few blocks really took a toll on him. His eyes drifted closed as he faintly registered Peggy connecting the call, impatiently tapping her foot at the operator. Snapping his eyes open, he straightened as he heard the tone of the call being connected.
"Stark residence." A tired sounding Edwin Jarvis answered the phone, barely muffling a yawn.
"Mr. Jarvis." Peggy sighed, relieved he had picked up the phone.
"Miss Carter, hello." He answered, his voice more alert. "It's one in the morning, why are you calling? Do you need assistance?"
"I would love to explain that, Mr. Jarvis, but I'm afraid I've only a couple minutes, I'm on a payphone. In short, yes, we do need assistance. A little situation has come up, and while walking can be a wonderful thing, Daniel and I would very much appreciated it if you could pick us up?" Daniel laughed softly at the sweetness in her voice, almost as if she were buttering him up.
"We are just past Ocean Avenue on Wilshire, I believe?" Daniel nodded, confirming her statement. "Yes, Wilshire-" she was interrupted by an overly-excited Jarvis.
"Ah, yes, I know exactly where you are. I will be there shortly, Miss Carter, stay there." She heard the click of the phone being hung up on the other end. She could almost picture him bounding away to go put on a suit as she hung up the phone.
"He will be arriving shortly, we were ordered to stay here." She saw Daniel adjust his leg again, realizing just how tired he must be.
"I think there's a bench close by, let's go sit down."
"I'm fine, Peg." He answered, standing taller as if to prove he wasn't tired.
"I didn't say it was for you." Her voice was gentle with a touch of steel, reminding him not to feel sorry for himself.
"Ye-yeah, of course. I'm sorry, that was inconsiderate."
"There's no need to apologize." She simply said. Relieved, he smiled at her, thankful she didn't push him or call him out on his stubbornness. She never did. No matter what, she always treated him no differently than a person with two legs. Yes, she understood he had limitations, and she helped him when she could, balancing between coddling him and just helping, but she also grounded him to reality, forcing him to realize he wasn't alone, and nor was he pitiful for only having one and a half legs. It was a wonderful, wonderful reminder, and he wouldn't have asked for it in any other way.
Peggy tightly closed her eyes as they eased themselves down onto a bench.
"How's your head?" He asked.
"Throbbing. But alright."
"I don't understand how throbbing and alright go together... I'll check your eyes when Jarvis gets here, I'm sure he has a flashlight."
"Oh? And where did you learn that skill set?"
"The army. The other guys liked to knock each other around, and I was the only one who actually listened in advanced first aid." She let out a soft laugh and settled her head onto his shoulder.
"Had to use it a lot in Bastogne."
He never talked about Bastogne.
Never.
She'd asked, once. He'd tensed up, and said he didn't want to talk about it. Later, he'd apologized for clamming up, and being harsh at her. He promised they'd talk about it one day, but just not then. He wasn't ready. She respected his wishes, and didn't ask again. That was only a couple of months ago, and she didn't expect it to be so soon.
He didn't say another word, and she didn't push him.
Not long after, Jarvis pulled up as promised. The couple slowly stood, and Mr. Jarvis rushed to their sides.
"Are you both alright? What happened?"
"Yes, we're both alright, Mr. Jarvis, you can put that first aid kit away. Daniel and I were ambushed and kidnapped earlier tonight - or should I say yesterday? Anyways, we escaped without Daniel's leg or crutch, and neither of us had half a mind to walk home."
"You were ambushed? By who? Do you need help fighting the villains? Are they pursuing? I've been practicing." He leapt into a fighting stance, wildly looking around for the imagined attackers.
"It's taken care of, Mr. Jarvis. I wouldn't have called you from a payphone if they were pursuing." She shot a look to Daniel, who was still beside her, failing miserably to stifle his laughs.
"Oh. Well, yes, I did know that." He fixed himself, tugging on his waistcoat. "Very good. Shall we be on our way?"
"In a minute. Jarvis, you got a flashlight?" Daniel spoke, seeming to have recovered.
"Of course." He quickly popped the trunk and pulled one out, handing it to Daniel.
A gentle hand came to Peggy's forehead, pushing it back slightly. "Look at me."
She stared at Daniel's brow, creased with concern until the lines blurred as her eyes watered, the light piercing her vision.
"You're good." He turned the flashlight and handed it back to a worried looking Jarvis. The torch replaced, he pulled on his waistcoat again.
"Right. Shall we?"
"Yes, we shall." Peggy sighed.
She helped Daniel into the backseat of the car, slipping the leg on the floor of the car and sliding in next to him.
"Should I drop you both off at your residences?"
"I want to get my car. It's parked be The Dresden." Daniel said.
"Of course."
They rode in silence, although it was obvious Jarvis was itching to ask exactly what happened. Finally, Peggy ended his torture.
"The men who captured us claimed to be from Hydra."
"The German organization? I thought they dissolved after the war."
"That's what I thought. But one of their main generals, Werner Reinhardt, threatened us and the SSR, well, really his projection threatened us. As far as I know, he's still locked away. Also, we picked up a piece of technology for Howard to look at."
"Mr. Stark has been very busy with his picture, but I'm sure he'll come for something of this importance."
"I'd hope so." Daniel scoffed. "Also, I'd like to bring a couple boxes of SSR files into his lab. Peg and I don't know how far the corruption goes. I don't want the wrong people finding out, and I don't have enough room in my apartment."
"That's perfectly fine, Chief Sousa. Lord knows we have the room."
"Mr. Jarvis, I meant to ask, how did you know exactly where we were just by a couple of street names and a payphone?" Peggy inquired, leaning closer to the front seat.
"Ah, yes. There's a veterinary clinic not too far away from there that treats large, exotic animals. They were also the people kind enough to give me the tranquilizer gun."
"The koala?"
He glanced back at Peggy. "The monkey."
Peggy and Daniel looked at each other, amazed at the lengths Jarvis had to go to for his job.
The three were silent the rest of the drive, until Jarvis pulled up to where Daniel's car was parked. Peggy grabbed the leg off the floor, giving it to Daniel once he was out of the car.
"Shall I give you a ride back to your apartment, Miss Carter?" Jarvis asked.
"No, it's alright. My place is out of your way, and we've kept you up long enough. Daniel can take me home. Go home to your wife, Mr. Jarvis."
He nodded. "Very well, Miss Carter. We will see each other tomorrow?"
"With files, yes."
Jarvis turned around before entering the car, hesitating a moment. "Try to rest, Miss Carter. I prefer to see you up and fighting crime rather than hurting yourself even more." She nodded and gave him a small smile. With that, he drove away, leaving the couple alone.
"Your place, then?" They were both seated in the car, Daniel in the drivers seat.
"That depends." She turned towards him in her seat. "I know that we did everything a little backwards, starting with a physical relationship instead of dancing and goodnight kisses. And even though these past few months have been absolutely wonderful, I don't want you to feel as though you've been pressured into an intimate relationship in just a few months. So, to where you take me, I'm leaving it up to you. You can take me to my place, and I will kiss you good night and see you in the morning, just like a couple on a second date. Or, you can take me home to your place, and I will wear one of your shirts to bed, curl up and fall asleep with you, and when my feet get cold, I'll use your body to warm them up." She paused, her bottom lip in between her teeth. "It's up to you, Daniel."
He gazed at her a moment before starting the car, amazed at how considerate she was, but also at just how thick she could be. A relationship with her was the only thing he'd wanted ever since he first met her; going too fast or being pressured was the last thing he would ever think. Smiling, he tried to calm his beating heart as it soared with love before answering. "Well, I would like to keep an eye on you tonight. With that concussion and everything." Glancing over at her, he saw the smile spread across her mouth.
"Take me home, Daniel. With you."