Once upon a SHIELD case (Howard Stark)

Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I didn't have internet for over a week and then I had to figure out how to wrap up this story. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. You all have been great readers and cheerleaders--your notes mean a lot to me and really encouraged me to finish this. This is the last chapter for this story, but I may add an epilogue. I'll at least add a note about the next story that I'm going to write for Maria and Howard. I have some ideas and should be able to start it soon. Definitely let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions for future Maria and Howard adventures. 

Enjoy!

{Peggy}

We buried the truth about Bucky and his new identity as the Winter Soldier. Maria was glad for personal reasons--she didn't want her childhood friend to be known as an elusive, brutal assassin. But Howard and I knew that the country couldn't handle a truth like this. After losing Captain America, people wouldn't want to see his fallen friend Bucky coming back from the dead as a monster.

The surviving members of the rescue team hadn't realized that it was Bucky attacking them. Their report said that the Winter Soldier had appeared and as a result they hadn't been able to extract the individual Maria had seen. Maria reported seeing an individual who claimed to be a GI captured during the War. She gave a vague physical description, blaming the medical equipment attached to him, as the reason she couldn't positively identify him.

The SSR bought our story, although Daniel looked skeptical. He knew Howard and I well enough to know when we were covering. Maria took a few days off to look after her mother. Mrs. Collins was known to be in poor health lately, so no one thought twice of her asking for the time off. Her mother really was feeling quite ill, but it gave Maria the perfect opportunity to avoid random questions in the office. By the time she returned, the interest in our trip had died down and Maria and I were assigned to work on another case. 

Howard checked in on us, especially Maria, even though there was nothing for him to consult on. Every few days, either he or Jarvis would stop by and deliver something we "needed." The gifts ranged from useful items such as food or silk stockings, to odd, somewhat personal things like dresses and art. There was no accounting for Howard's taste at times.

And every day, the shadows faded a little bit more from Maria's eyes. She began to truly smile again--I think Howard had a lot to do with that.

We were survivors.

{Maria} A few months later

"Maria?"

I turned and looked at my date. "Yes, darling?"

Howard smiled. He loved it when I used terms of endearment on our "dates."

"I was just telling the Danielsons how we saw that new show on Broadway. It was rather good wasn't it?" He gave me a slight wink.

I smiled and addressed our dinner companions. "Howard quite enjoyed himself. The story was good and the costumes were exquisite."

Correction: The story was good when accompanied by Howard's running commentary on how awful it was. And the costumes were exquisitely garish without an ounce of taste. But it was the most popular show of the season so we pretended to like it in order to make polite conversation.

Howard wasn't usually shy about his opinions but when it suited him, he would be accommodating. Usually, I voiced his accommodating thoughts.

Dinner ended soon (thankfully) after more polite, boring conversation. I had endured dinners like this at home when my father's business partners visited. My mother usually kept the conversation steady and polite and made sure it didn't center solely around business. As Howard's date, I did the same.

Jarvis drove us to my apartment and Howard walked me to the door. He gave me the usual goodnight kiss on the cheek, but stopped me from opening the door all the way.

Instead of moving away, he stayed close and whispered, "I truly enjoy your company, Maria. You made the evening fun. Sweet dreams." He pressed a kiss in my hair and went back to the car. 

I stood with the door half open, processing what had just happened.

"Are you coming in?" 

I jumped and looked at Peg. She gave me a smile that told me she had seen everything. And to top it off, I could feel myself start to blush. I walked into the apartment we shared and closed the door.

"Peg," I groaned and covered my face with my hands. "He kissed my hair. That's serious, right?" I peeked through my fingers at my roommate.

She gave me another smile, this one more serene. "Yes it is. But," she said, pulling my hands from my face, "you could pick worse men to fall in love with."

"Too late. I think I'm already in love with him."

I'm in love with Howard Stark.