（ ００１ ｜ ｖｉｄｅｏ ）

[mannerism]

(un: p. carter )

[ Well, here we have a username that hasn't been seen on the network in a while. The video itself is, alas, distorted at the moment. It seems the device itself is being moved rather quickly from hand to hand. ]

-- bloody well doing alright by myself.

[ And then there's Peggy Carter and a native nurse who has apparently made the mistake of trying to open and hold the device for her. It's enough to get her chased out as the woman struggles to sit up. On her way out, the nurse does take a few bloodied bandages with her. ]

Well, turns out one can get promoted in their absence.

[ She holds up a file of pages, apparently her new job description. ]

Is it too much to hope that my house is still intact?

Comments

[wingedman]

I have a great sense of humor.

[He is so offended, Peggy.]

And you mean it's great to see my baking again.

[There's a one-shouldered shrug, trying to keep it casual.]

Got a present from home. Seems like those canisters come with bad luck sometimes - in his case, getting stabbed in the stomach.

[Sam knows how and why, but that's a story he'll leave for Tony, at least.]

[mannerism]

How long ago was that?

[ she will have to see Tony, but that much has already been made clear. Something has happened at home, but she, too, feels that whatever questions she has best be kept for the man himself. ]

How has he been?

[ she can trust Sam to tell her the truth, God knows Tony might try to spare her. ]

And just as important, how have you been?

[wingedman]

Beginning of June, right around Prijata. I'll give him credit, he didn't actually complain when I dragged him to the hospital.

[Which probably says something to how serious the injury was, too.]

He's doing better now. I mean, there was the whole mess with the psycho cultists kidnapping people, and they took Steve, so of course he dragged his ass out there half-healed. [And, to be fair, Sam had been the one to bring him the news, because he'd known damn well Tony wouldn't stay in bed.]

I've...[There's a hollow look to his eyes that speak to a few too many nights without sleep.] I'm fine. More or less.

[mannerism]

I remember Prijata.

[ The one before the last, naturally. She had worked that festival, among others. It was one of the more memorable ones. ]

You're a soddy liar, Wilson.

[ she throws a crumb of blondie at him. ]

Is that how it goes? I leave for a couple of months and the lot of you get into a heap of trouble?

[ and she courts her own heap of problems but those are less urgent at the moment. ]

[wingedman]

And you're saying that without any hypocrisy?

[......which could admittedly apply to both, but he means that she'd absolutely lie about being fine.]

Just some bad dreams from things back home. Makes it hard to sleep sometimes. Anyway, not everyone knows about this...heap of trouble yet. Mostly just me and Stark.

[Meaning absolutely not Steve.]

[mannerism]

Keeping secrets are we? I thought that was my job.

[ But she places aside the sarcasm and lets out a breath. ]

Sam. What's going on? Why is it need-to-know only?

[ what the hell has she been missing on? ]

Something troubles you. I know half of it, I might as well know the other half.

[wingedman]

[It's not even that he doesn't trust her - Peggy's a spy, lord knows she's better at keeping secrets than he is. He hasn't exactly talked to anyone about the whole goddamn mess other than Tony and Stephen, doesn't know where to start.]

I'm- I'm not even sure you're gonna believe half of this. I don't know I would if it hadn't happened to me. [Sam rubs his face with his hands, is quiet for a long moment.] It's a long-ass story, but there are these stones that have the power to reshape reality - Infinity Stones. And this guy, Thanos, wanted to get all of them. He could do basically anything with that power, and what he did-

[Sam sucks in a deep breath.]

What he did was "balance the universe". Wanted to kill half the people in the entire universe because of too many people using finite resources. We fought him - Tony and some of the others went into space, Steve and I and the rest in Africa. And we failed, real bad. He got all the stones.

Can't really tell you what happened after that.

[Please read between the lines, Peggy.]

[mannerism]

[ it's all a bit much, isn't it? infinity stones, balancing the universe, thanos and a painful, painful loss. She has failed her own mission as of late but what Sam is describing is utter chaos, doom's day. Peggy frowns, she places her hand on his wrist. ]

Why haven't you told Steve?

[wingedman]

[It's not even something he and Tony actually discussed, not telling Steve, just the sort of thing they'd understood without talking. He carries enough burdens on his shoulders as it is; adding the inexorable future to it just seems like too much.]

Well, he got himself kidnapped first, like I said. So the whole rescue thing kinda took priority. And then- [Sam gestures vaguely, hopelessly.] It's- we're still processing everything. I'm still processing everything. You get two years of memories dumped in your head, the regular stuff on top of all that, and it's hard to sort through.

[mannerism]

Alright, brief me then. These infinity stones, there isn't any chance one of them ended up here, correct? I should think we'd know if something like this was buried around Quarantine.

[ or would they? ]

And this Thanos character, what can you tell me about him? He's not here, is he?

[wingedman]

Not as far as I know, but...honestly, that's not very far. Stark might know more, or the Strange from our universe. Vision had one in his head, but he's not here.

[...yes, he's aware that's another long explanation.]

Christ, if Thanos turns up here, we're all fucked. He's this...big alien guy, purple, wrinkly chin. [About the only censoring he's doing here is not saying that Thanos looks like a scrotum, so a+, Sam.] Wears a gold gauntlet on one arm with the Infinity Stones in it. His physical strength rivals Steve or Thor. Like I said, I don't know as much as other people might.

[mannerism]

I'll need Tony and -- Strange, you said? He was here, wasn't he? I know that name. Brooding, tall? heavy on the sarcasm?

[ yes? no? she sighs. ]

Well then. Thanos, Infinity Stones. I do believe that means I've rested long enough.

[ and look at her, trying to get up on her feet. ]

Bring me my shoes, would you.

[wingedman]

Was here, left, came back, doesn't remember being here before. [also there's the one who's sam's boyfriend, but he's largely irrelevant at the moment, although-] Our other universe counterparts are used to dealing with this, too. Not the same exact situation, but if you're looking for information, it's better than nothing. And one of the magic guys - Stephen or Loki - might be your best bet if you wanna track any down.

[Sam just gives her a look.]

You can talk to anyone you need to on the phone, Peggy. If I could keep Tony in bed for a solid week, I can keep you from running off after two hours.

[mannerism]

-- Are there still two of them? Loki. One of them was more cooperative than the other. Terrible sense of humor, the both of them.

[ she grunts as she gets up, bare feet meeting the floor. It's not entirely impossible, walking like this. ]

Two and a half, really. I'm fine. I know what I need to take if the pain gets any worse and if I don't tear my stitches, I should be alright.

[ she walks with a slight limp, clutching her side the whole while. ]

Though I do applaud you, keeping him in one place for a week is a downright achievement.

[wingedman]

Two Lokis, two Stranges. If you were allowed out, which you aren't, I'd recommend talking to the younger one at his club and getting some bacon sandwiches.

[Sorry, Peggy. Sam's got your shoes now, and he's not giving them up.]

Peggy. At least stay overnight.

[mannerism]

I could do with a bacon sandwich.

[ she leans on the bed, clutching her side the whole while. This is all a lot to take but they can handle it on the way out. Nothing is going to get done from this hospital room. ]

Wilson, I will leave this hospital with or without you, you'd be better off if you help, I'll allow you to walk me home if it'll make you feel better.

[ she reaches for his hand, help a girl up, will you? ]

[wingedman]

Wheelchair and bed rest. I'm positive there's something about bed rest in those doctor's orders. If you go back to work, you're gonna end up chasing some guy down and ripping more than just your stitches.

[A beat, and:] I'll push the wheelchair home.

[He knows damn well she won't use it again after that.]

[mannerism]

I don't need a wheelchair, I can walk just fine.

[ There's a moment or two when they are locked in a staring-competition of a sort until Peggy's exhaustion takes over and she folds. ]

-- Alright. But you're the one who'll have to steal it from the next room.

[wingedman]

[Normally he's pretty sure this would be a ploy, but it's unlikely Peggy could get away fast enough right now.]

Okay, fine.

[But he takes the shoes with him when he leaves, just as a precaution. On the bright side, the nurses here are used to him from Tony's recent stay, so it only takes him a few minutes to return with the wheelchair.]

[mannerism]

Are you really keeping my shoes hostage? Honestly, man. You know, if I really wanted, I could simply walk out barefoot.

[ One day, she'll have to tell him about the likes of Dottie Underwood. She moves to the chair, biting back on a groan of pain as she lowers herself until she's, at last, sitting. ]

Well you might as well carry them. Otherwise, you'll the one who will have to help me put them on.

[wingedman]

Yeah, but how far would you get barefoot?

[Okay, it's Peggy, she'd probably walk all the way home without them solely (pun unintended) to prove a point.]


Anything else you need to take? [Sam asks as he slips the shoes into the carrying bag on the back of the wheelchair.]

[mannerism]

Don't try me, Wilson.

[ She cautious and it might have been impressive if it weren't for the fact that she struggles to sit without blinding pain piercing her side. ]

Grab the blondies, would you.

[ What! can't leave precious food stuffs behind. ]