"Dammit Howard..." I muttered to myself as I stared at the three calendars in front of me. As Howard Stark's assistant, one of my many jobs included trying to manage his absurd schedule. And for what felt like the thousandth time this week, he'd overbooked himself without talking to me at all.

I sighed and scratched my head as I tried to figure out how to make everything work. My life would be a lot easier if I could just cancel some of his dates and force him to focus on more important things, but I knew that'd never fly. I'd just have to find some workarounds for his business meetings, and maybe send in an actor who looked like him for a few social commitments.

I'd just gotten into the zone and finally started to make some progress when I heard a knock at the door.

"Ugh, one minute!" I called, frantically erasing a large pencil mark that I'd accidentally scribbled across the page when the knock startled me. I brushed off the eraser shards, then stood and headed for the door. My hair was a mess, my skirt was askew, and I'm sure my makeup looked terrible, but I was too tired to care.

At least, I was too tired to care until I opened the door to find one of the most handsome men I'd ever seen. He was a little taller than me with brown hair and warm brown eyes, and he wore a yellow sweater vest with his suit. He leaned against a crutch with his left arm and held up a badge with his right.

"Hello there," he said, clearing his throat and blushing a little at my appearance. I was confused for a second, until I realized that I was answering Howard Stark's door. He probably thought we'd been... oh God.

"Hi!" I said, frantically trying to fix my hair. "Uh, my name's Y/N. I'm Mr. Stark's personal assistant. He's actually not home right now though, so, I don't know if I can help you..."

"He's not home?" asked the guy, looking surprised. I shook my head, and a little bit of the blush started to fade out of his cheeks. "Well do you know where he is? Or when he might be back?"

"Uh... that depends."

"On?"

"On who you are and why you're here."

"Oh!" The guy seemed to remember himself, and he flashed me his badge again before tucking it into his pocket. "Agent Daniel Sousa with the SSR. Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, I hope," I said. He extended his hand for a shake, and I took it. "Uh... what exactly do you want to talk to Mr. Stark about?"

"We found some suspicious tech on a recent assignment, and none of our scientists know what to make of it. We need a second opinion."

"Oh! Okay, great. That's good to hear. So it's not because he's wanted?"

"What? No. Should he be wanted?"

"No, of course not," I said, waving him off. "And it's not because the SSR thinks Howard's guilty of something and is trying to dig up dirt, or because they want to pin something on him that he definitely didn't do?"

"...No?"

"Great! He should be back in half an hour. You're welcome to come inside and wait," I said, stepping back and holding the door open. Daniel just stood there staring at me, clearly confused. After a second, he took a few cautious steps forward and into the house. I shut the door behind him, shot him a smile, then headed back into the kitchen where I'd been working.

I could hear Daniel's footsteps behind me, so I knew he was following. I subtly adjusted my clothes to look a little less disheveled, then turned to face him with a smile.

"Would you like anything to drink while you wait?" I asked.

"Uh... no, that's alright. I gotta ask though... what's with all the questions about me trying to investigate Howard Stark for being a criminal?"

I sighed and sat down in front of my three calendars again.

"It's a new protocol Howard wants me to go through with law enforcement people," I said, waving my hand as my eyes scanned the schedules. "After all that dustup with your agency trying to brand him a traitor and say he robbed his own vault, he doesn't want to just let anybody in until I ask a few ridiculous questions."

"That's... weird..."

"Yeah," I agreed. "And very in character for him."

Daniel huffed a laugh, and I smiled at him before going back to staring at the calendars. The polite thing to do as a hostess would be to talk to Daniel, but as attractive as he was, I had other work to do.

"So... what's this you're working on?" he asked, taking a few steps closer to look over my shoulder.

"Ugh, Howard's schedule," I said. "This calendar is actual important stuff that he needs to do that I scheduled for him, and this calendar is all the stupid stuff he scheduled for himself. My job is to somehow make it all fit on this third calendar without causing a paradox in the timeline or whatever."

Daniel laughed. "Man, I don't know how you're going to do that. He's triple-booked himself in some places."

"Believe me, I know. I've been going crazy all morning trying to figure it out."

"Well, I'd be happy to help," he said. I looked up at him, and he suddenly lost his confidence. "I mean, only if you want me to, of course. I don't want to step on any toes."

I gave him a bright smile and patted the seat next to me.

"I'd love some help. Thanks, Daniel."

"Of course. Between the two of us we should be able to come up with something, right?"

****************

Daniel wasn't wrong. We managed to get one week of Howard's month sorted out, which wasn't too bad. And the best part was, it was actually fun.

Usually when I spent the day trying to balance Howard's schedule, it was the absolute worst part of my job. I hated it, and by the end of the day, I'd well and truly gone crazy. But with Daniel here, it felt more like a puzzle we were solving together. It was fun, by some miracle.

I think it probably helped that after a few minutes, we'd been exchanging smiles and light touches and flirty jokes. He'd been a little nervous at first, but we'd both quickly relaxed as the day went on, and now it felt like we'd known each other forever.

"Alright, so for week two, what if you pushed his dinner reservations by an hour?"

"That might work..." I started. "But then he'd be out later, which would make him even less likely to get up in time for his early meeting the next day."

"Yeah..."

Daniel stared at the schedules in front of us in deep concentration, and I took the opportunity to study his face. He really was handsome, and now that we'd spent the past hour together (since Howard was late, as usual), I'd gotten to like his personality too. I smiled, and to my embarrassment, Daniel picked that moment to look up.

To my relief, he smiled back when he caught me staring. I leaned into him a little bit, and just like that, the calendars we'd been tearing our hair out over were forgotten.

"You know, I don't usually do this..." he started, looking a little nervous as he glanced around the room and then back at me. "And it's really, honestly not what I came here for. But.. well, I was wondering if you might want to-"

"Y/N!" Daniel and I quickly turned to look at the doorway into the kitchen as Howard Stark finally appeared. "Who's car is that in the drive- oh. Never mind, I suppose it's his."

Howard moved to the fridge without a second look at Daniel. He poured himself a glass of water, then leaned against the counter and turned back to the two of us.

"So, Agent Sousa, why are you here?" he asked. "Other than to flirt with my assistant, I mean."

"What? No, I'm not-"

"No no, that's not-"

"Don't bother trying to hide it," he said, staring at the both of us as we spluttered with embarrassment. "I've spent enough time flirting with women to know what it looks like. I just can't believe it's happening!"

"What do you mean?" I asked as Howard started to move around the room, picking up random bits and bobs of his inventions. Howard almost never sat still for more than a few minutes.

"I mean, I tried flirting with you for months after I hired you! And nothing! It's like you were immune! Meanwhile, Agent Sousa over here shows up and talk to you for- how long have you been here Sousa?"

"Uh... about an hour..."

"For an hour! And you're practically giddy getting ready to make plans for a date with him!"

Daniel and I just stared at Howard in stunned silence as he continued to move around the room. He adjusted one of his newer inventions still sitting on the dining room table, squinted at it, then adjusted it again. Finally, he turned back to us with his hands on his hips like absolutely nothing was weird at all.

"Well, I'll be in my lab working on one of my new projects," he said. "Y/N, you can show him in once he finishes asking you on a date."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room. I watched him go with my mouth open in shock. I honestly had no idea what to do.

After a few seconds, I worked up the nerve to turn back to Daniel. He had a deep blush on his cheeks and neck, but he also had a small smile on his face.

"I... am so sorry about him," I said. "Since you've clearly met him before you probably knew he was like that already, but even for him, that was... a lot."

Daniel shrugged. "It's okay. And he's not wrong. I, uh... I actually was going to ask if you'd be interested in getting coffee sometime."

"Sometime?"

"Well, I was actually thinking today. Maybe after I talk to Stark? We can finish off the calendar together if you want to, and have a real date while we're at it."

I smiled. "That sounds perfect."

"It does? I mean, it does!" said Daniel, a giddy smile breaking out on his face. He took a few steps backwards, looking like he couldn't quite believe his luck. He smiled at me even as he backed into a table, then quickly corrected himself. "I'll see you in a little bit, then."

"Yeah, you will."

He nodded, then turned and left the room. I just watched and waited. In his excitement, Daniel forgot he didn't know where Howard's lab was. And right on cue, he reappeared in the doorway.

"Uh... I don't actually know where I'm going..."

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out," I said, giving him a smile as I stood and headed towards him. "Come on, I'll show you where he is. Be warned though: Howard gets even crazier when he gets in his lab environment."

"How is that even possible?"

"You know, there are still being studies done. We're all trying to figure it out, but the answers just aren't there."

Angie rolled her eyes. “You know anyone specific, Gloria, or is this stuff you’ve read in Cosmo?

“Honest to God, Ang! Carol said her cousin’s best friend’s sister saw color when she met her fella.”

Angie laughed. “Well, I’ve never seen in black and white, and I’ve got enough scars and bruises from derby to have met a soulmate by now.” She held up her arms and nodded at the little knicks and lines that dotted her forearms. 

Gloria shrugged and looked at the faint name that looped around her wrist. “All I know is this name appeared when I was fourteen.” She sighed. “And now I’m twenty-four.”

Angie stopped laughing and reached for Gloria’s wrist. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t make fun of it. I know how important it is to you.” She read the name on her friend’s wrist and smiled. “And who knows? Maybe Andrew Stevens will come for a latte one of these days.”

“Maybe,” Gloria agreed wistfully. 

“But until he does, you’re still going to the club for Friday night frenzies with me, right?”

Gloria grinned. “Of course I am!”

“Thank God,” Angie laughed. “Carol keeps sending drinks to women on my behalf, and I’m running out of polite ways to tell them that it wasn’t really me.”

“The trials of Angie Martinelli,” Gloria exclaimed dramatically. “If only we all had problems like you.” 

“You laugh,” Angie grumbled, “But it’s tough. Why can’t I meet a nice girl that I can bring home to my family? Someone who has her life together.”

Gloria nudged Angie. “And beautiful?”

“That’d be a nice bonus,” Angie agreed.

Gloria looked over the counter. “Maybe someone like your favorite English customer?”

Angie sighed. “Don’t I wish?”

“You could ask her out, you know.”

Angie shook her head. “No! She’s way out of my league.”

Gloria glared at her. “She is not out of your league.”

Angie stared back incredulously. “Have you seen her?” She waved a hand in the woman’s direction. “Have you heard her talk?”

“I have,” Gloria smirked. “Her accent is adorable.”

“Adorable,” Angie scoffed. “It’s sinful.”

Gloria raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is it?”

“Stop!” Angie swatted her with a cleaning rag. 

“I’m not the one who has a crush on the English woman with a sinful accent.”

Angie turned away and huffed. “I am never telling you anything again.”

“She comes in three times a week, always sits in your area, and makes a point to ask you how your day is going. Ask her out already.”

“She’s friendly,” Angie explained.

“She doesn’t talk to anyone else,” Gloria argued. 

“So, she’s selectively friendly,” Angie said. “That doesn’t mean she’s interested in me.”

Gloria folded her arms and glared at Angie. “Do you even know her name?”

Angie blushed. “She always pays with cash.”

“Angie! She’s been coming in here for a month.”

“I call her English,” Angie confessed as she took a fresh pie from the kitchen window and set it down on the counter. “It slipped out one day. She didn’t seem to mind, so it stuck.” 

Gloria narrowed her eyes. “I swear to God, if you don’t get her name today, I will take matters into my own hands.”

Angie gasped. “You will not!”

“Try me,” Gloria pressed. 

Angie picked up a knife and began to slice the pie. “Okay, I’ll ask her what her name is before she leaves today. Happy?”

Gloria nodded. “Before she leaves. Promise?”

“Promise,” Angie said. She went to make another slice but dropped the knife when a glass shattered across the room. 

“Ow!”

Gloria looked at her in concern. “Did you cut yourself?”

“I don’t think so, but…,” Angie looked at her left hand in confusion as a small wound appeared along her palm and a faint trickle of blood welled along the edges. “I don’t understand,” she said. 

“Um, Angie,” Gloria murmured.

Angie looked up to see Gloria pointing across the room to a booth. A booth where her favorite English customer was currently kneeling, picking up the pieces of a shattered coffee cup as a line of bright red blood bloomed across her palm.

Angie swayed and felt Gloria’s hands settle on her waist. 

“Easy there, Ang.”

“This isn’t possible,” Angie whispered. 

“Looks like it is,” Gloria said. She nodded toward the English woman. “You want me to go over there?”

Angie shook her head. “No. I promised you that I’d get her name.”

Gloria shook her head. “That was before…” she waved a hand between Angie and the woman.

Angie grinned weakly. “Well, no time like the present, I guess.” She wrapped a towel around her palm and reached for a clean towel.

“Good luck!” Gloria smiled. 

Angie felt like weights were tied to her ankles as she walked across the room and knelt beside the woman she only knew as English. 

“I am so sorry,” the woman told her. “I knocked it off the table when I reached for my phone. I can pay to replace it.”

Angie smiled. “It’s okay. Happens all the time.” She reached for the woman’s injured hand. “Here, let me wrap that for you until you can get somewhere to clean it up.”

English smiled in relief and allowed Angie to take her hand. “That’s awfully kind of you.”

“Not at all,” Angie said.

The woman looked at the towel wrapped around Angie’s hand. “Oh no! Did you injure your hand, too?”

Angie took a deep breath. “Not exactly.”

English looked at her quizzically and then down to Angie’s left hand. When she looked back at Angie, her eyes held understanding.

Angie let out the breath she’d been holding. “You know I’m Angie, but I only know you as English. But I figure maybe I should know your name given that….” She looked down at their mutually wrapped hands. “Look, I don’t even know if I believe in all this soulmate stuff-”

She stopped talking when English placed her uninjured hand over Angie’s hand. 

“I’m Peggy Carter,” the English woman said.

“Angie Martinelli.”

Peggy smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Angie.”

Angie laughed. “You, too, Peggy.”

Peggy looked at their hands. “I think we should tend to these cuts, but perhaps later this evening, we could get something to eat and discuss this?”

Angie smiled. “I would love to.”

Peggy looked delighted. “Wonderful.”

Angie looked at the shattered cup on the floor beneath them and grinned. Gloria would be insufferable now. But, as she looked back at Peggy and saw how the Englishwoman was looking at her, she decided it was worth it. After all, she might have just found her soulmate.