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"Captain save the day"

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"Hi Aunt Peggy." I squeeze the elderly woman's hand as I take a seat by her bed. I'm not sure what compelled me to come here after the bullshit at work earlier, but here I am.

"Oh, my darling Juniper, gorgeous as always." Peggy admires. I smile, a true, genuine smile. She always raves about how pretty and young I look, I should come here more often.

In all honesty, I try to make it here about once a month, but I know she's not getting any younger, or better for that matter due to the disease that's eating her brain away, and she's the last piece I have of my mom other than my father so I should try to make more time.

"What seems to be troubling you, dear?" She asks, tilting her head to the side. Damn her and her amazing people-reading skills.

I largely exhale. "It's just- you know-" I don't know how to put it, how to say it. How to admit my troubling thoughts.

"Out with it," She teases.

"I just don't know if S.H.I.E.L.D. is... good anymore. You know, right for me. It's been my dream ever since I was a little girl and now that I have it it's just... complicated. I don't think it's the same anymore." I look down to my hands.

Peggy reaches over and takes one in hers. "I think your problem is you're letting others tell you how to live your dream. And if it's been your dream ever since you were a little girl, which I know it has, then it's your duty to do something about it," She finishes with a strong nod.

I sigh peacefully, like a huge weight had just been lifted off my shoulders. If S.H.I.E.L.D. is corrupt, I need to fix it. Not just because it's my job. Because it's my duty. My dream.

"It's your life. You've got to stop letting others tell you how to live it."

I nod. "Thank you Aunt Peggy."

Her free had moves to cup my cheek. "Your mother would be so proud of woman you've become."

I feel the corner's of my eyes dampen. Damn it. Only Aunt Peggy can make me cry this way. Happy and sad tears mixed into one. Ugh, I hate crying. I look back to her as my phone rings. I sigh annoyed, going to turn it off before reading the name. Brock.

"Sorry Aunt Peggy, one moment." I hold up a finger and step over to the doorway. "Yes?" I answer.

"Baby, I didn't think you were gonna answer..." Brock's tone is filled with worry and some minor irritation. "Your dad told me you ran out on him today during a meeting with Fury, and Cap?"

I roll my eyes as I hold back another sigh. Is there anything those two don't tell each other? Swear it's like they're the ones married sometimes. "Sorry babe, I'm just visiting Aunt Peggy for lunch."

"Oh, okay. That's- nice." He says with hesitation. He's never been a fan of her, which is totally fine with her since she hated him the moment they met.

'He just doesn't seem right for you, Junie.' She claimed.

"So, would you like to go out for dinner tonight?" He asks, bringing me back to the conversation. "I actually think I'm gonna get off work a bit early tonight, so your dad said you could leave early today too." He says as several voices are muffling around in the background, along with some slams.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Hmm, oh just work babe." He says distractedly. "One sec." He covers up the phone and yells something that I try to make out.

"Billie?" Aunt Peggy gasps my mother's name, distracting me from listening. Oh damn it. "You came to visit!" The corners of her mouth crinkle into the biggest smile.

I move the phone away for a moment. "No Aunt Peggy, it's Juniper."

"So dinner tonight sound good?" Brock finally comes back. Oh right. Ugh, my head is spinning with everything that's happening today. "I'll take you out somewhere nice, you can put on that tight little red number I got you for Christmas."

You know, maybe a night out is just what we need. "You know, that sounds great."

"Great, and oh I was thinking somewhere out of town, where we could maybe stay a night?"

I swear I must be hallucinating or today has turned into a nightmare because I think Steve Rogers is walking towards me now.

"Yep, mhmmm, sounds lovely babe." I say, only half listening at this point. "Hey I gotta go, talk to you later."

"Okay, I lo-" I hang up and step out into the hall.

Steve finally takes notice in me and looks completely taken aback. "Are you following me?" He asks, partly teasing, but I think he's actually serious. His eyebrows knit together which I've come to realize he does when he's upset he doesn't know something, which seems to be every single time I see him

"Quite the opposite actually." I mutter.

"Sorry, what was that?" He leans closer. I swear to god he actually heard me the way his lips slightly curled up.

I inhale sharply. "Nope, no. I'm just visiting my aunt." I wave towards the room I just left.

His eyes follow my direction and his eyebrows scrunch together even further as he shakes his head in disbelief. "Peggy? Peggy Carter is your aunt?"

I laugh at his reaction. This may be funnier than his reaction to 'Uncle Nick'. "She's my Godmother." I explain in between chuckles. "Her and my mom were best friends."

His lips part in shock, a million more questions swirling in his eyes. I could tell he was dying to know how they knew each other, but he bit his tongue.

"Peggy always talks about how much she misses her best friend when I visit." He smiles fondly. "Small world, huh?" He chuckles.

"The smallest." I mutter, thankful that seems to be all the information he was given.

Fine, I'll be the nosey one for a change. "How long have you been visiting her?" Curiosity wins sometimes, sue me.

"Since I got settled after the Attack on New York." He answers. "You know she talks about you too." His eyes meet mine. "Her little superhero. I never knew."

"That's good." I smirk.

"And here I thought Natasha was secretive." He chuckles.

"Oh, she sings like a canary compared to me." I smile wickedly. He goes to say something else but my phone rings again. I let out a groan of frustration. I bet it's my dad.

"Hello?" I answer without even looking.

"I need you. Get here now." Uncle Nick's voice demands through the phone.

"On it." I respond right away without a second thought and the line goes dead. "Duty calls." I shake my phone.

"That it does." Steve sighs.

"Well this has been, fun." I muse, eyeing him up and down. He's not in uniform. Shocker.

He seems to read my mind. "See, I don't sleep in it."

"What a bummer." I smirk before taking off.

"Gonna need saving again?" He asks with a hint of judgment in his voice.

"You wish Captain save the day." I call over my shoulder.

⍟

Steve watches Juniper's figure disappear down the hallway. He has to replay their conversation in his head a couple times before he finally goes walks in to see Peggy. That was the most information he's gotten about Juniper in the past couple days, yet he's left with a dozen more questions.

He wonders if Juniper is ever disappointed in the legacy her mother left behind. He sure is and that's exactly what he came to talk to Peggy about, unbeknownst to him that Peggy just had a similar conversation with June.

As he gazes over the pictures of Peggy's life without him he feels relief. He's never felt this before with his other visits. He's had the unsettling question 'What If..?' What if he would've stayed in the 1940's? What if he would've jumped out of that plane? What if that was him with Peggy instead? And every time he thinks about it he always get this feeling of discomfort. He never loved Peggy, at least not truly, deeply, undeniably loved her. Sure she was his first real crush and a companion throughout the war. But if he wanted to jump... he would've.

And today solidifies that. He's not sure where his future is going to take him in this new life, but for once he's actually looking forward to finding out.

⍟ ⍟ ⍟

Author's Note:

Understanding Steve's character ladies and gentleman>>>>  I'll never forget that cut scene of Rhodey being like dude why didn't you just jump out? Because he didn't want tooooo!! Hahah anyways...

Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! It technically wasn't a movie scene, but it was needed and I really liked how it turned out.

Also, you're getting to know a little more about June's family and such<3

Until next time!