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Is there a phone out there in existence any longer that simply makes telephone calls and does nothing else? Just curious.

[Tony S]

Mr. Stark, do you have a moment?

Who: Peggy Carter & Steve Rogers
What: a wish come true
Where: Marvel; Paley Park, NYC
When: the 14th
Warnings/Rating: probably toothachey sweetness

( He tugged back his sleeve to look at his watch. 8:01, and his breathing slowed. )

[Cupid almost buys a huge set of encyclopedias for Peggy, but decides nah. Instead it comes compact in the form of an iPad Mini with wifi + cellular connectivity. On it are a plethora of books on various subjects of the last 100 years -- wars, politics, pop culture, scientific advances, etc. Also on the first page is the Encyclopedia Brittanica app which can fill in any sort of blanks needed. The iPad is 128G and willing for so much more information. With the iPad -- which is inscribed, simply, Peggy -- is an appointment at Apple to learn how to use it, should she wish.

Sorry, Peggy. Welcome to the 21st Century!]

[The afternoon of the 14th, invitations appear in the homes of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, hand-lettered on thick cards and requesting their presence at Paley Park at 8 p.m. Attire is indicated only as "Please dress nicely". Even if they're thinking of not going, as the evening wears on toward 8, there is a gentle pull toward the park. A continual, slightly awkward, pressing request.

Paley Park is small, a "pocket park" on the site of the old Stork Club. For one night, an uncountable number of white fairy lights have been strung through the branches of its trees, and the seating has been cleared away, replaced by a few outdoor heaters to keep the February chill from the air. At the back, near the waterfall that stands 20 feet high, a small band plays in the corner with a female vocalist. Their repitoire seems to be only slow old love songs, perfect for close, swaying dances.

Other than the band, the park is empty. The band will stay until dawn if needed.]

[Locked separately.]

Hello. As part of someone's wish, I'd like to ask that you keep Valentine's Day open. The evening part of it. Free of plans or appointments.

[Ring. We will not cry, we will not cry, we will not cry. Ring.]

[Locked to Peggy C.]

What's the story, Morning Glory?

Who: Sharon Carter and Peggy Carter
What: Bumping into each other.
Where: In a park!
When:Now?

( Stuff )

[After the news about Tony, but before Steve goes out running (and Bruce B posts).]

[Locked to Sam W]
Going for a run downtown. Want to come?

[Locked to Peggy C]
Stark made it through his surgery, but they have to open him up again in a couple weeks. Thought you should know.

[Locked to Bucky B]
Back. Stark came through the surgery, but he needs another. Text me if you need me.

[Locked to Pepper P]
I'll be stopping by later. Do you need anything?

[Sharon C, Peggy C, James R]
I think we're finished here, for the moment.

Who: Peggy Carter & Steve Rogers
What: coffee, talking, awkwardness
Where: a coffee shop in Washington DC
When: backdated to sometime in the past week
Warnings/Rating: TBD
Status: incomplete

( He took his coffee black today. )

[After this.]

[Text to Bucky B]
Let Stark do what he wants, Buck.

[Added:] What did you say to Stark and Peter?

[Text to Peter P]
Hey, Peter.

[Text to Peggy C]
Permission to call.

[Text to Pepper P]
Pepper? It's Steve Rogers.

ETA: [Text to Bruce B]
It's Steve Rogers. I'm sorry for how I acted. I was out of line. I hope you're doing well.

[locked to sharon c. & natasha r.]

Landed in Washington.

[locked to tony s.]

How are you feeling, Stark?

[A note left for each, individually, on torn paper, but in careful penmanship, stuck for Peggy under her door, and for Sam, just on the refrigerator by the ancient postcard collection. If they try to write to him, there is no response.]

Off for a few days. No journal. Call if you need me.

Your friend,
Steve Rog

[Phone call to Peggy C, late]
Ring!

[Natasha had arrived at the place she'd picked for the meeting early. In her months in the city, she had built her funds and created accounts, and had several small pieces of property in various places. One of those just happened to be a small office under the name Kimber Wright. It was within that office - which she had taken the time to secure as much as she could - that she sat now, staring up at a screen that currently displayed the files she had taken from the heart of SHIELD. In one corner of the screen was a camera showing the front of the building, and as the others arrive she unlocked the door for them remotely.]

[Over the past few weeks, Peggy Carter had been quite wrapped up with S.H.I.E.L.D. and its clean-up and investigation of a cluster of recent events. The alien invasion, the influx of new people through the door, the appearances of more people with strange abilities. All of it blipped on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar ostensibly, and she, in turn, tried her best to veer it to a positive light when necessary. Interest, of course, was piqued by the appearances of heroes from the other door, and she had no explanation for that. Files were kept regardless.

So, Peggy ws busy. She hadn't seen much of Steve; she had not even been in the tower that often. When she dived into work, she practically drowned in it. Work had always been there. Work would always be there, even if she had to fight tooth and nail for it.

But, Steve's message concerned her, as did Natasha's message soon after. So, just a little before seven o'clock, she crossed the residential floor of Stark Tower from her room towards Steve's flat. A sharp knock as the clock hit seven rang on his door. She was in something a little more relaxed than her pencil skirts -- loose slacks and a button-down white shirt and flat-heeled shoes on her feet -- and when Steve opened the door, her lips were in a concerned frown that flipped into a smile that said hello, noticeably lacking their usual red flair.]

[Locked to Bucky B]
I met [...] the [...] Winter Soldier.

[Locked to Peggy C]
Peg? Tell me you're still here. I [...] need to talk to you.

[Locked to Tony S]
A You died here and came back before, right?

[Locked to Sharon C]
Can we talk about S.H.I.E.L.D. a moment?

[On the blanched, bloodless sofa of his small living area, Steve sits, legs loosely crossed, a quilt tossed in a sea of honeycomb yellow and forest-mottled brown over his lap, as he leans into Peggy. His feet mingle with hers just so, and the picture in the apartment is one of ease. There is no music tonight, but the (entirely unseen) starriness of the clear sky invites a window to be tipped open, just so, to allow in a bit of air. The coolness collects on exposed skin and Steve draws the quilt up to the cold, red bulb of his nose. It muffles his voice, but it doesn't slow him down. He has a book open in one hand, and, quite dramatically, he reads a very undramatic bit of text from it.] "Many were increasingly of the opinion that they’d all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that even the trees had been a bad move, and that no one should ever have left the oceans."

[He and Peggy were playing Catch-Up With The 21st Century, night by night—when they had the time (which admittedly was rare). They started most of these evenings with a bit of music—a record or two, influential and recommended, from the time beyond their own. Then settled down to read a bit and spend downtime together. Tonight's choice was the beginning of A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But, as the hand moves with the help of a transfer of energy from lithium ion batteries behind the clock face, Steve's attention slowly diverts from the text literally in hand to the woman so close to him under the cloak of the quilt. He grins at her, letting his fingers tickle over her idly as he continues, until, eventually, it's not worth continuing anymore. Slowly, he closes the book, page pressed to page with exaggerated solemnity.

Steve looks up at Peggy then, over his shoulder, very carefully touching the skin of her calf under the blanket. If his eyes drop to the precise rouge of her lips, it's only because he can't help it. He tips the book toward her.] You're up, ma'am.

[Group locked to Thor, Tony S, Bruce B, Natasha R, Clint B]
[A link to this.]

[Locked to All Avengers+]
It's time to pull together a roster, folks. The more organized we are, the easier and quicker we can respond to threats. We know Loki will be returning and we best be ready. I know there are those of you who are unwilling participants in this, or those who prefer to work alone, and that's fine. So long as you don't take on the world alone, we can make it work. I'd like it if everyone could respond here with whether or not they'd like to be part of the first line of defense, so we know who we have at our disposal when the time comes, as it inevitably will. If anyone would like to stay on as consultation or for training purposes or any manner of support, that would be appreciated as well. There's no shame in hanging up the cape, if that's what you want to do. For some of us, this is a choice and a duty, an obligation, yes, but one we walked into. Then there are those of us who had no chance to do anything else. Now's your chance.

We should come up with general procedure too for how to handle situations and fires that spring up outside of our own world, so we don't leave this one unattended in the meantime.