Chapter 39: Captain Carter

A/N: In which we learn more about this mysterious Peggy Carter from her POV.

-x-X-x-

She hates how slowly she wakes up. But she's just too cold. Every fiber of her being is freezing cold. Frankly, she hadn't even realized she was sleeping at first… and then suddenly she was aware, but only on the most minute level. After that first spark of awareness, it took who knew how long for her to properly fully awaken.

When she does, the first thing Captain Peggy Carter notices is that she's restrained. Her hands curl into fists and she pulls against the cuffs on her wrists… but to no avail. That's pretty shocking, that she can't even break free of her bindings. Her deceptively lithe appearance hid a world of hurt that had caused many an enemy to completely misjudge just how strong she really was. Usually, they fucked up by not bothering with restraints that could contain her. She must still be weakened from whatever happened to her, she supposes.

Finally opening her eyes, Peggy looks around and takes in her surroundings, her lips thinning out immediately. She's in an examination room from the look of things, but the place looks like it was built by aliens. It's like nothing she's ever seen before. Makes her think that maybe she was captured by HYDRA, but even their stuff didn't look THIS advanced.

"Ms. Carter, welcome back to the world of the living."

Jolting, Captain Carter looks up at the ceiling, her eyes widening and then narrowing. That was Edwin Jarvis' voice. Howard Stark's butler, if she remembered correctly. The two of them had bonded over how utterly American their favorite people were. Steve for her, Howard for him.

Except… she can tell instantly that something is off. This isn't Edwin. It's his voice, but it's not him. Growing a little incensed now, Peggy grits her teeth as she struggles against her restraints a bit harder. They still don't give way for even a second, but strangely enough the man pretending to be Edwin isn't asking her to stop.

Finally, with a huff, Peggy glares up at the ceiling.

"I don't know who you are, but misusing the voice of a friend is a great way to get on my shit list."

There's a brief pause at that, before the voice comes back.

"Ah yes, Edwin Jarvis. Apologies Ms. Carter, it was not my intention to impersonate him. I know my voice is similar, as it was designed based off of recordings of him speaking. However, I assure you I was made as an homage to Edwin Jarvis, not to replace him. My voice is my own, the only one I've ever known."

Peggy blinks as she processes all of that. The voice was claiming he was MADE? More than that, an homage implied that Edwin was no longer among the living. Last Peggy had known, Howard's butler was still very much alive. Of course, last Peggy had known… ugh, it's starting to come back to her now. Everything that led up to this point. It honestly feels like a fever dream, the events were so surreal. But… she also knows with bone-deep clarity that it all happened exactly as she remembers it.

"Ms. Carter, I-!"

"Captain. It's Captain Peggy Carter. I'm not at liberty to say anymore than that, whoever you might be."

"… Of course, Captain Carter. Do not worry. Sir will be with you shortly."

That doesn't really do much to set Peggy at ease, truth be told. Who is 'Sir'? Just what sort of mess as she found herself in? Heh, out of the frying pan, into the fire it would seem…

Still, at least the voice in the ceiling doesn't lie. She barely has time to get her bearings and put her thoughts in order before the door to the room suddenly opens with a hiss, admitting a man that's strangely familiar to her.

"Hello Captain Carter."

She hesitates, because his accent is distinctly American and his face… but there's no way, right? It could still be a trick.

"I understand you're probably more than a little apprehensive. Waking up restrained is never a happy time for anyone. If it helps, the cuffs are for your own good, so you don't hurt yourself or others in your confusion."

Then, with a wave of his hands, he disengages the cuffs. Peggy's eyes narrow at the casual display of power, even as she immediately sits up and rubs at her wrists. He'd just gotten done telling her she might be a danger to herself and others, only to free her from her restraints while he was in the room. Did that mean he didn't consider her a threat? Was he underestimating her because her muscle was hidden under the curves of a woman?

"Who are you supposed to be, exactly?"

That brings a smile to the man's face.

"I was born Anthony Edward Stark in 1970, to my father Howard Stark and my mother Maria Stark. You can call me Tony or Stark. Pretty interchangeable really."

Peggy lays back down at that. Because as much as she wishes she could say he's lying… fuck, it's practically screaming at her. He looks just like Howard. But what he just said… 1970. He was BORN in 1970.

"Sorry Captain Carter. But in my experience it's easier to just rip the tape off rather than try to take it slowly. You've been in the ice for seventy years."

The ice… in the ice. Peggy's breath hitches as she remembers more of her last moments. Her eyes shut for a moment, a single tear making its way down her cheek. But Tony isn't done.

"Only, there's something wrong with that, isn't there Captain? Because it's more than you just being a woman out of time. You're also a woman not of this world… aren't you?"

Peggy's eyes snap back open. She can see the knowledge in his eyes and knows there's no point in trying to deny it.

"… No. Is the other… was anyone else found with me?"

Tony nods.

"Yes. Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. The man who was supposed to have gone down with the Valkyrie originally. Honestly, finding him onboard wasn't that surprising. My father hunted for the Valkyrie for most of the rest of his life in the hopes of recovering Steve Rogers' remains for burial, but to no avail. I took up the torch so when I finally found the bomber, I was more surprised that he survived than anything. Your presence, however, was not anticipated."

Peggy bites her lower lip at that, but Tony STILL isn't done. Howard's son certainly loves the sound of his own voice, but to be fair, Howard was the exact same way. And she can see Tony inherited his father's genius as well.

"See, I grew up with a godmother. Her name was Doctor Margaret Elizabeth Carter. Peggy was an SSR Agent before she went on to help found an organization called SHIELD. These days she's in a retirement home. For a couple years, she was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, but as soon as I got the chance I developed a cure and made sure she got one of the first doses distributed to the public. She's doing fine now and will hopefully live out the rest of her years in peace."

Looking rather intensely at her at this point, Tony Stark hums.

"You are obviously not her, are you Captain Carter?"

"… No."

"Care to tell me your story?"

Peggy hesitates for a long moment. This could still be a trap… but if she just gives the bare bones of what happened, then it won't matter if it is all a trick, right? And if it's not a trap, if this is Howard's son… she likes to hope she can trust him.

"I believe I come from another world. I never would have believed it, but my circumstances… are unique. In my world, the procedure to turn Steve into a Super Soldier went wrong and in the end I was the one who was given the serum instead. Afterwards, I fought HYDRA and the Red Skull all across Europe. Everything eventually came to a head with the Red Skull opening a portal to another dimension and summoning something he called the Champion of HYDRA."

Peggy swallows for a second to wet her throat before continuing.

"The Champion was an eldritch horror, an octopus-like entity that might have consumed our entire world if we didn't stop it. In the end… the only way to get it to go back where it came from was to sacrifice myself. I went through the portal to keep it from coming back through until the others could close it on their end. Then… I fell for a time."

Tony watches her quietly, not interrupting. Peggy is grateful for that, even as she gathers her thoughts on what happened next.

"After that… it all happened rather fast. I found myself teleported onto a bomber plane where I found another version of Steve Rogers and the Red Skull. I know they weren't my versions because one, I'd watched the Champion tear my Red Skull to pieces, and two, this Steve had clearly received the Super Soldier Serum. I didn't have much time to think about it though, because Steve and the Red Skull were fighting, so I stepped in and helped Steve win."

Peggy grimaces.

"… From there I received further evidence that I was no longer in my dimension when I heard your Peggy Carter speak to your Steve Rogers over the bomber's radio. I stayed quiet, even as he said his goodbyes. And then… well, we put the plane in the ocean. To make sure HYDRA's bombs never saw the light of day."

There. That was everything. Everything pertinent anyways. Peggy wasn't about to describe how it had felt knowing that the other Steve and Peggy got to say goodbye when her Steve had been left behind. Of course, there's also the fact that not only is she stranded across dimensions, but she's also seventy years in the future. Her Steve along with everyone she knew… is gone.

Peggy lets out a shuddering breath as she comes to terms with that fact. Her hands curl into fists and she suddenly has the urge to punch something, but Captain Carter has more self-control than that. Instead, she looks to Tony Stark curiously.

"What happens now? Actually, where exactly are we?"

Here, Tony gives her an apologetic smile.

"We're at Stark Tower in New York City, Captain Carter. Ninety-three floors. Like I said, it's been seventy years and a lot has changed. For starters, I'm the world's wealthiest man."

Peggy's eyes widen at that. Howard had been a rather successful businessman on top of a scientist back in her day, but… wealthiest man in the world? Stark Tower? Ninety-three floors?! His son had certainly done everything he could to step out of his father's shadow from the sound of things.

"The voice you heard earlier is an Artificial Intelligence I created named Just A Rather Very Intelligent System… or JARVIS for short. I could sugarcoat it and ease you into it, but somehow I don't think you'll appreciate that so I'll just tell you right now that he's as independent and capable of his own thoughts and decisions as you or I. He's also completely digital and has never had a human body."

"Greetings again, Captain Carter. I hope that in time we can look past any discomfort my voice might cause you."

That causes Tony to adopt a wry smile.

"Yeah, sorry about that but Edwin practically raised me. So when I made my first AI, I couldn't not model it after my childhood butler. J is good people though, even if he's not human. Accept that he's as much a person as you are and you guys will get along just fine."

It's a lot to wrap her head around, but Peggy is nothing if not adaptable. And Tony is right, she wouldn't appreciate him lying to her by 'easing her into it'. Still, the way he suddenly grimaces does put her on high alert.

"In the spirit of honesty, I should probably inform you that HYDRA is still alive as well."

"What? But the Red Skull was beaten. We crashed the plane, didn't we? Steve Rogers… this world's Steve Rogers sounded pretty certain it was over and done with."

Tony gives her a look and Peggy knows what he's going to say before he says it.

"Cut off one head…"

"… And two more will take its place."

He nods as she finishes the statement for him, looking sympathetic. Which is nice but it doesn't really help. At least her world had probably finished off HYDRA after her sacrifice… right?

"Red Skull was only ever one head of HYDRA, Captain Carter. His organization was only one branch of the greater whole. I can't speak for your world of course, but in this world, even the Red Skull's branch didn't fully die off… because the Peggy Carter of this world along with several other movers and shakers made the inadvisable decision to recruit Arnim Zola as part of something called Operation Paperclip after the war."

Peggy's face scrunches up in confusion.

"Arnim Zola? That simpering toady?"

But Tony shakes his head.

"Never underestimate a scientist, Captain. That's exactly what my godmother and her superiors did when they recruited Zola and a dozen other enemy scientists with Operation Paperclip. They brought the enemy into the SSR and then into the new organization they were creating called SHIELD. And can you guess what happened next?"

Dread fills Peggy's chest as Tony smiles a wan smile.

"HYDRA grew again, Captain. It grew and grew until here and now in the year 2011, SHIELD is a husk of the organization that my father and my godmother created. Aunt Peggy had the best of intentions I'm sure, but she invited the rot inside and at this point HYDRA is just wearing a SHIELD mask. The men and women who are supposed to protect us are conspiring to take over the world and oppress us."

Peggy doesn't know what to say to that. It's obvious Tony doesn't even blame the other her for this, let alone Peggy herself, but at the same time she feels like she's failed in some strange way.

"… What are we doing to stop them?"

Tony grins wryly at that.

"Plenty, Captain Carter. Nothing you can help with right now though, I'm afraid."

That brings a scowl to Peggy's face, but Tony just sighs and holds up a palm to her.

"Punch me."

Wait, what?

"Excuse me?"

"I said punch me. Hit me in the palm as hard as you possibly can."

"… I'll break every bone in your hand and arm if I do that."

"No you won't."

"Tony, I don't think you understand-!"

"Oh, I understand. Do you think Howard gave up on making more Super Soldiers after Steve and you went into the ice? I bet your Howard didn't give up either. In 1991, my father even succeeded… and HYDRA killed him and my mother for it. So fucking punch me."

She's not sure why she does it. She's not sure why his words convince her. Maybe it's because he's said so many upsetting things and she's just ready to let out some of the emotion building up inside of her. Or maybe it's because she's clearly being underestimated again just because she's not some musclebound body builder. But either way, Peggy lets out a roar, rears back, and punches Tony Stark's palm. It's not her full strength given she's sitting down and what not… but it's still more than enough force to maim a man.

SMACK!

Only Tony catches her hand. He catches her hand and holds her in place even as Peggy's arm muscles bulge with how much she's straining against his palm. She can't move him even an inch either. Looking at him in shock, Peggy thinks she sees a flash of orange in his eyes, even as he quirks up the corner of his mouth in a smirk that just screams Howard to her.

"Welcome to the twenty-first century, Captain Carter. I promise you, when the time comes… we'll take down HYDRA together, yeah? But until then they can't know you're back in play. If they did… shit would hit the fan rather rapidly. Everyone wants a piece of the Super Solder Serum, even seventy years after Erskine died. Needless to say, we're NOT going to serve it up to them on a silver platter… are we?"

Swallowing thickly, Peggy shakes her head and answers instinctively.

"N-No sir."

Only to flush a moment later when she realizes what just came out of her mouth. It's just… this is the first man who's managed to make her feel as weak as she looks since she was dosed with the Serum. Fortunately for her pride, Tony makes no comment on it, merely letting go of her fist and pulling back with a sigh.

"Not to worry, Peggy. You're not a prisoner and we very much are on the same side. Still, you've got seventy years to catch up on. Figure we'll start with that and then get into the nitty gritty of fighting HYDRA, yeah?"

Nodding, Peggy swallows past the lump in her throat.

"Yeah. That sounds good."

He gives her a broad smile at that and then gestures to the door.

"Shall we?"

Slowly getting off of the table, now well aware that Howard's son is somehow stronger than her, Peggy Carter follows Tony out of the room and down the hall. As they go, one thought fills her mind.

Howard had made one hell of a terrifying kid.

-x-X-x-

A/N: So for those still a little confused, here's an info dump. This Peggy Carter is from the very first episode of the What If series, titled "What if... Peggy Carter was the First Avenger?". In which Steve gets hurt before he can become a Super Soldier, so Peggy winds up having to take his place.

This causes some butterfly effects, but the weirdest thing is the change in Red Skull and HYDRA's motivations. Instead of making bombs, they use the Tesseract to open a portal to another dimension so they can summon the Champion of HYDRA, which is a massive eldritch tentacle monster that immediately tears the Red Skull to pieces.

I've never really understood why Peggy becoming a Super Soldier caused the Red Skull to change his plans from 'bomb everyone' to 'summon a tentacle monster', but whatever. The end result is that Peggy winds up having to go through the portal to beat back the Champion of HYDRA so her allies can close it. She then comes back out of the portal 70 years in the future and is greeted by Nick Fury.

However, the divergence point for this story is that when this Captain Carter went through the portal and then came back out, she traveled to this dimension instead of through time and showed up just in time to help Steve kick his Red Skull's ass before they both came to terms with the fact that they were going to have to sink the plane.

Basically, I've taken that version of Captain Peggy Carter's story, combined it with the more feminine lookes of Multiverse of Madness' Captain Peggy Carter, and made THIS story's Captain Carter. Where she's not quite as manly in appearance as the What If episode, but still experienced most of the same things as the What If version of her did.

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