[Steve makes his way through empty streets, pausing once to glance at a tree he remembers scaling in order to rescue kittens. There's a small tug at the corner of his mouth at the memory before he moves on.]
[The sound of music trickling past the inside of a bar piques his interest. He hasn't seen anyone or heard anything since he'd arrived back here. So he takes his chances, steps across the threshold opening up to the establishment, and takes in the sight.]
[It's like a completely unexpected punch to the gut.]
[He wants to shout her name, run over to her and gather her in his arms, push her hair back from her face and ask if it would be okay to kiss her hello. But he holds back, stands there like he's suddenly made of lead, and struggles to make sense out of what he sees.]
[Peggy, in a bar, alone. Not a hallucination--They were never this clear. The last conversation they shared rings clear through his mind and it's the promise he made that gets him squaring his shoulders and striding toward her with a purpose.]
Sorry I'm late. [His voice doesn't crack, thank God, but his hands shake and his heart hammers and beats against his chest and his throat feels dry as he comes up next to her with a look on face that begs for this to stay and be real and--It's torture, but he'll take it.]