Hearing Dante's gritted-teeth voice beside him, Fury immediately coughed twice.
Awkward.
It was indeed awkward.
Normally, he would never be in such a situation.
It seemed Peggy Carter's critical condition had already affected his normal thoughts.
"Oh, you mean Psylocke!" Fury enthusiastically shook Captain Britain's hand. "She is one of the most excellent telepaths in our America General Bureau, and of course, it was a pleasant cooperation!"
After covering up this small awkward moment, Fury still wanted to say something more.
But the red indicator light, which had been on all night, suddenly turned green, and everyone, whether squatting or sitting, stood up.
Captain America even rushed directly to the door.
Looking at the doctor who was taking off his gloves, he anxiously asked:
"How is Peggy Carter?!"
"Captain, calm down." Coulson stepped forward to stop the somewhat irrational Captain America. "Excuse me, what's the situation now?"
Although this doctor was a common person, he was also a veteran who had worked at the Federal Bureau of Investigation for decades. He had seen many strange people, so even with Captain America's red eyes and a big green guy standing behind him, he remained calm.
He shook his head and then said:
"After resuscitation, the patient temporarily regained consciousness, but she has lost all will to live. I am powerless to reverse the situation..." The doctor shook his head. "Go see her one last time... please accept my condolences."
After speaking, he left without any delay.
Steve Rogers forcibly suppressed his heavy breathing, then turned around and said to Melinda May:
"Agent May, just like last time, please accompany me to see Peggy one last time."
"...Yes, Captain."
Melinda May, the woman who had never cried even when severely injured and near death, now had red eyes.
She nodded, then walked into the ward side-by-side with Steve Rogers.
After Dante and the two Directors exchanged glances, the three of them also followed Captain America inside.
On the emergency room bed, the emaciated Peggy Carter lay there, her once bright and sharp eyes already clouded.
But just like before, her eyes were filled with Captain America's image, with no one else present.
"Hey, handsome, we meet again."
"...That's right, Peggy, we meet again." Steve Rogers forcibly suppressed his sorrow and showed a somewhat awkward smile. "How do you feel?"
"Pfft, cough, cough! Aren't you asking the obvious? I've officially embarked on another path." Peggy Carter smiled and shook her head. "After I die, please cry for me properly, and then completely forget about this old woman from the 1920s, okay?"
Although Peggy Carter's voice was incredibly weak, her tone was unprecedentedly relaxed.
It sounded as if she wasn't about to die, but rather preparing for a picnic in a place full of summer flowers.
"No, how could I forget my girl?" Captain America carefully held Peggy Carter's hand. "I still owe her a dance."
"That's right, and that dance..."
Upon hearing this, Peggy Carter also nodded, then with a burst of strength...
She actually sat up.
Although still somewhat weak, she was a hundred times stronger than before.
Dante sighed.
This was a final burst of energy before death.
Or rather, Peggy Carter wanted to use the last bit of strength in her life to fulfill this dance invitation from decades ago.
Indeed, Peggy Carter stood up with the support of Melinda May and Steve Rogers, and even moved her limbs herself.
"Come, Steve Rogers." Peggy Carter gently extended her hand. Although her skin was wrinkled and her hair was white, her elegance was undiminished from her younger days. "Would you like to dance with me?"
"It's my honor, Officer."
Steve Rogers also realized what was happening. After gently wiping his eyes, he took Peggy Carter's hand.
Dante silently activated his Green Lantern transformation, then materialized an old-fashioned vinyl record player.
The melodious song "It's Been a Long, Long Time" played, the same song Steve played in his home in Captain America 2.
It was also the song Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter danced to at the end of Avengers 4.
"Kiss me once then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again.
(Kiss me once, kiss me twice, then kiss me once again.)"
"It's been a long long time
Haven't felt like this my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long long time. (Too much time has passed, I can't remember how long it's been since I felt what it's like to have you, because too much time has passed.)"
With the slow and melodious song, Steve Rogers gently wrapped his arms around Peggy Carter's waist, holding her close.
His grip was light, yet heavy.
So heavy that Steve Rogers's arms, which could pull a helicopter back to the ground, trembled slightly.
The two of them just embraced, without any specific dance steps, just swaying gently to the music.
Just like their past affection, restrained yet beautiful.
"You'll never know how many dreams
I've dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you.
(You'll never know how many times you appeared in my dreams. Losing you, even the most beautiful dreams were empty to me, reminding me that you were gone.)"
Dante stood aside, watching them dance, and couldn't help but sigh softly.
Time is emotional, Steve Rogers finally crossed time to dance with his girl.
But time is also ruthless, from now on, he would lose her forever.
Peggy Carter's final moments of lucidity were ultimately brief.
Her body gradually became weak again, until she needed to be completely supported by Steve Rogers.
Steve Rogers knew what was about to happen, but he could only hold his girl tighter, as if he could keep her for just one more moment.
He lowered his head and left a soft kiss on his beloved's forehead.
"So kiss me once then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long long time..."
"(So... kiss me once, kiss me twice, then kiss me once again, too much time has passed...)"
She closed her eyes...
And never opened them again.
(To be continued.)
***
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